Chapter Four: A Devastating Future
Herro looked around. The spirit was gone. He began to walk forward. Then, he heard footsteps in the snow behind him. He jumped, making a one hundred-eighty degree turn. He now faced a black robed figure. But, after a closer look, he could see the face of Wufei under the black hood. " Are you the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?" Herro asked. The spirit slowly nodded. " Then I am to go with you." Herro said. The spirit again nodded. " Spirit," Herro said. " I fear and respect you more than any specter I have met tonight. I know that from you, I will get the greatest help in saving me." The spirit stayed silent. " Do you not speak?" Herro asked. Then, the spirit put one hand on Herro's shoulder, and pointed forward with the other. " Oh, yes." Herro said, realizing what the spirit meant. " We must go. The night is young, and I have much to learn." Then, the two walked forward, and disappeared.
Then, the two appeared in an area that made Herro gasp. It had been the city that Herro had lived in. But now, Herro was surrounded by devastation. Once tall buildings were now piles of ruble. Only a few buildings even stood.
" What happened here?" Herro asked. The spirit said nothing. Then, Herro heard what sounded like laughter. He looked down a street between two large piles of ruble, to see a man surrounded by two other men and a woman. " I see you have all returned to me, with treasures I hope." The man in the middle said. " So, what do you have for old Joe?" " Oh, I have something great sir." One of the men said. He then pulled a piece of cloth out of his pocket. He then handed the cloth to Joe. " It's a piece of one of the Winner Revolution soldier's uniforms." The man said. " I believe it's fine velvet." " Well," Joe said. " We could get a few dollars from it."
" Well, if you like that," the woman said. " Then I'm sure you'll love this." She then raised a red uniform. " This is a full uniform of one of Master Winner's captains." She said. " That is very nice." Joe said, taking the uniform. " This could fetch us a pretty penny." " But sir," the other man said. " I have something better than both of those." He then pulled a gun out of his pocket. " You've brought me a gun?" Joe asked, a bit irritated. " It's not just any gun, sir." The man said. " It's a gun I had to fight for. It's the General's gun." " That can't be!" Joe said. " It is." The man said. " It has his initials are above the trigger." Joe then took the gun and looked at the area above the trigger. " My God, your right!" Joe exclaimed.
" There they are. H.Y." Joe then looked up at the others, with a wide smile on his face. " This will more than pay for a trip to a colony." He said. " Come, my friends. Let's trade this in for money. Then, let's get off this planet." They then began to walk away.
After hearing the people, Herro had many questions.
" Spirit," Herro asked. " What is the Winner Revolution? Who is Master Winner? And who is the one with the initials H.Y.?" The spirit said nothing.
Then, the two appeared in a large room. Herro looked around, and recognized the room to be the headquarters of the world's criminal disaster prevention program, known as the Preventors. Now, standing by the large window to the city, was Lady Une, and, in her wheelchair, Marimaya. " It'll be alright." Marimaya said. " Humanity is strong. We will rebuild." " Maybe." Lady Une said. " But, it won't ever be the same." " We could always move to a colony." Marimaya suggested. " It just won't be the same…" Lady Une mumbled.
Suddenly, the door to the room opened. Then, Duo, Hilde, Troaw, Catherine, Wufei, Sally-Po, Milliardo, and Lucrezia entered the room. Herro was surprised when he saw he and Quatra were again not present. He then listened to the people talk. " It's over." Duo said. " It's finally over." " How was the funeral?" Lady Une asked. " It… it was beautiful." Catherine said. " It's what they would have wanted." " I still can't believe this had to happen." Troaw said. " Even after a year of it." " I know." Hilde said. " And of all the people to have started this war, I never thought it would have been Quatra." " Quatra?" Herro asked. Then, he got it. The Winner Revolution, Master Winner, he understood them all. All, except for the one with the initials H.Y. " It's quite simple, really." Wufei explained. " Because of his paralysis, he developed sadness, depression, and bitterness, which eventually consumed him, and created the monster we know today." " I can't believe all the things he did." Sally-Po said. " He turned his back on all humanity, destroyed most of the planet, and murdered innocent people. Why, he even killed Relena." " Relena?" Herro asked, horrified.
" Dead?" " But worst of all," Milliardo said. " He took another man's bitterness, used it against him, and created a monster out of one of our greatest leaders." Everyone bowed their heads at the mention. " Who do they speak of spirit?" Herro asked. The spirit said nothing.
" Well then," Lucrezia said. " I guess it's time to go." " Yes." Milliardo agreed. " Ever since the war started, I've kept a spaceship hidden underground, about fifteen miles from here. It can fit all of us, if you like to join me in leaving this land of destruction." " You would do that for us?" Marimaya asked. " Of course." Milliardo said. " You are all like my family, if not my greatest friends." " Thank you, Milliardo." Lady Une said.
" Marimaya and I would love to join you." " Alright then." Milliardo said. " Let's go. It's time we left this poor, forsaken planet." With that, everyone began to leave the room.
Then, Herro and the spirit appeared in the cemetery they met in. " Why are we here again, spirit?" Herro asked. The spirit then raised his robed arm and pointed out into the cemetery. Herro looked, and saw that two tombstones had been separated from the others. In front of them was a large stone sign. " Do you want me to read those two tombstones?" Herro asked. The spirit slowly nodded.
So, Herro walked slowly to the tombstones. When he got to the stone sign, he bent down and began to read it. It said, " Once they were heroes, then they were villains. But, no matter what, they will always be our greatest friends." Below the message were the carved signatures of Wufei, Troaw, Duo, and Milliardo. Herro was now becoming very afraid, as yet again, he saw no mention about himself. Then, a thought ran through his mind. A thought that scared him to death. He then looked back at the spirit. He stood, watching Herro. He almost asked a question, but stopped, afraid that he might get an answer.
He then walked to the tombstones. The first one was for Quatra. Herro walked by it. The second tombstone was unfortunately incrusted with snow and frost, so he could not see who it was for. This scared Herro even more. He then looked back at the spirit. " This events can be changed!" he shouted, trying to ease his fear. Then, he began to rub the snow and frost off the tombstone. The name began to emerge. Then, it could be seen.
Herro Yuey
Tears flowed from Herro's eyes as he read the tombstone. He then understood it. He was the one the people spoke of with the initials H.Y. He was the General. Though, he couldn't believe he had helped destroy the Earth. He then looked up, to see the spirit, now looking over him. " Spirit!" Herro sobbed. " This can't be! I'm a changed man! I can make this right, can't I? Can't I!?! Oh spirit please, tell me this can be changed! Please!" The spirit was silent. " Please!" Herro shouted, grabbing onto the spirit's robe.
" Please, tell me! Please, speak to me spirit! Please! Oh, spirit!" Herro cried in the spirit's robe. Then, everything went black.
