DC: I don't own GW (or anything affiliated with them, though I wish I did)
All other characters are mine and created from the mind of insanity, mainly
me. All resemblances to any characters of other fics are purely
coincidental. Otherwise, don't sue me, all I have is my laptop.
Relena's Birthday-Hall-(8:13 a.m.)
Heero Yuy strapped the gun holster around his waist and adjusted it so that it wouldn't stick out of his back. He picked up his gun and examined the bullets he had gotten from Kirin. She had said she had made them herself. They were lightweight, fast, and very powerful. He smiled thoughtfully and placed the gun into its holster. He fixed the white dress shirt he wore and straightened the dark pants he was wearing. He adjusted his belt to his liking and pulled the dark jacket off his chair.
Shrugging into his jacket he looked at himself in the mirror. He was missing something. He looked at his shoes, the cuff links, then he noticed he was missing a bow tie. He searched his room and saw the black tie on the bed. He gingerly picked it up and finally put it around his neck. Was he complete? He had his gun, loaded and concealed. What was missing?
He saw a small velvet box on the corner of his desk. He picked it up and opened it, admiring the choice cut diamond he chose to give to Kirin. It was large compared to other diamond cuts, but it would suit Kirin's silver hair. It was in the shape of a star. Inside it were different colors of streaked lights. It represented the death and birth of a star. It reminded him of Kirin. He put the box into his pocket.
How he had found the beautiful piece was by pure chance. It was late, the night before, somewhere between nine and eleven. He had finished the paperwork and had left the premises of the Peacecraft Estate. He was thinking of getting something to eat, not bothering to join the others for dinner. He didn't want to encounter Relena nor Lady Un. He went to the heart of the city and from there, took to walking to an unknown destination. He passed a renowned jewelry store which was just about to close.
A star jewel caught his attention and his and Kirin's conversation drifted back to him. I will fade out like a dying star... The star that had stood before him gave no indication of dying, but an indication of life, a new beginning. Almost immediately he entered the store and bought that jewel. It was a perfect gift to give to a perfect...woman. He'd give it to her when he next saw her.
He left his room, but before he closed the door, he memorized the order of his room. He made sure nothing was out of place, his laptop was secure, his window was closed and his closet door was shut. He nodded satisfactorily and finally shut the door.
He was met with an approval from Quatre. "I guess we're ready for the party.
Quatre was simply in a white suit with a crimson rose in his pocket. He handed Heero a rose, too. "Put this on, Heero."
"I don't need it." Heero said acidly.
"There's a two way radio on it." He handed Heero a small pin with his full name on it. "Press the nametag and you can talk." He handed him a small ear piece. "We can hear with these."
"You spent all night thinking this up?" Heero asked, obliging with the accessories.
"No. I've spent a few days on it. Everyone is waiting downstairs. We're going to the hall now."
Heero nodded and followed after Quatre. They saw Wufei in an appropriate Chinese robes for a celebration. Trowa was wearing a gray suit and Duo wore his typical black. They all wore roses, nametags, and ear pieces.
"We're ready." said Trowa.
Quatre held up a small contraption. "I'm going to turn it on. There might be some interference, but it'll clear up as soon as we get to the hall." He flipped the switch which resulted in a high pitched ring which then faded. He winced at the glares from Wufei and Heero. "Sorry."
Duo rubbed his ear. "It's fine, Q-man. Let's go, shall we?"
Champion Hotel-(8:38 a.m.)
Kirin Shido put the black bag into the motorcycle space and jumped onto the seat. She was wrapped in silver with her hair pinned to her head. This was her first chance to get Relena. If Heero intercepted her, she'd have to make a huge excuse to get away from Heero at the estate. She'd have to work quickly.
She put on her helmet and started her motorcycle. Shin and Yume were still sleeping. She left them a hastily written note which told them to wake up by noon, get dressed and be ready to leave at three. That would give them an hour to get to the estate. She smiled. Her plan was unfolding nicely.
Kirin revved her engine and made sure she had room to pass. Everything had to go smoothly. It had taken her only one month to plan everything. But one thing still bothered her. Who sent the messages?
Hall- (9:04 a.m.)
The hall was bustling with activity. Parking attendants ran around, trying to find space for all the limousines; party attendants were trying to sign in all the guests while the other attendants were servicing the party guests. Guests came in large swarms, crowding the seemingly small opening of the hall. Each were trying to catch a glimpse of the birthday woman and some trying to see the gifts she were to receive. In the backroom, to which it was finished the day before, held the coats and jackets and the presents. There was traffic at least in either direction of the hall. The party was to start at ten, but most of the guests had come in early.
Heero Yuy stood at the back of the hall, watching Relena sit on a made up throne. She wore a light blue gown that came short of her ankles. White, flat-heeled shoes, gloves that covered her wrists, and her hair was pinned up with her bangs falling over her eyes. Each guest that signed in and entered came towards the stage to personally say hello to her, with, of course, the 'happy birthday' and the 'you look so beautiful' comments.
Heero gazed over to Trowa who was walking up and down the isles, making sure everything was going smoothly. Quatre, Lady Un and a few of the other attendants were overseeing the presents and checking each and every person who came into the hall. Wufei was in the parking lot, overlooking the traffic. Duo was overlooking the refreshments and the party platters.
However, no one noticed the black clad figure sneaking into the hall. It stealthily climbed up to the second floor balconies and through there, made it's way to the third level. It found an empty balcony and began to remove items from its black bag. The sniper rifle, the sniper scope, and at last, the specialized bullets that would silently and painlessly kill its target. The figure set peered over the balcony and spotted Heero and Relena. It gave one long sigh and began to wait.
It wasn't until a quarter to ten that most of the guests had arrived. Every single seat was taken, every row full. Relena had been moved to sit with the audience in order for the viewing screen to put up, to review all of Relena's past accomplishments.
She sat with her mother, Lady Un, and Mariemaia. Far in the back were two figures who were once well known in OZ. Lucretia Noin and Milliardo Peacecraft were standing with Quatre Winner and Trowa Barton. They closed off the exits and made sure no one could leave in a hurry. Duo and Wufei were scouting the rows while Heero was still stuck with Relena. In a few more hours he'd be released from her grasp and be in Kirin's presence. He realized, at that moment, he missed the silver-haired girl.
The guests quieted as the hall darkened. A projector sat in the middle and an attendant with an MC began to speak.
"Relena Peacecraft was born..."
Heero's mind began to wander. What a perfect time to kill Relena. He eyed the few audience members who sat around him. Their eyes were glued to the screen, images of Relena's childhood were being shown. He looked about in the balconies and watched as people peered over the railings to see the screen. He glanced at Duo who was twirling his braid in an annoying matter. Wufei was the only one clearly visible in his white robe as he did his job. He walked slowly past every row and even interrogated a few just for good measure. He then turned to the back where Quatre and Trowa were overlooking the crowd and Milliardo and Noin were doing their share of keeping lookout. Heero sighed. It was only ten and he already wanted out.
Kirin Shido stifled a yawn and leaned her head on the wall of the balcony. She checked her watch. Only ten. She sighed lowly.
She peered over the balcony and gazed upon Heero's form. He looked utterly upset that he was there. He was not enjoying himself. She wondered if by the time she met with him at the estate that he'd be more...relaxed? She wanted to slip into her dress and dance with Heero. Though, like all men, they lied, saying they couldn't dance and when they went onto the floor, they had more skills than they let on. She shook her head. If she asked him, he'd probably tell her the truth.
Kirin turned to the screen. Relena was a five year old child, playing in a massive garden. A younger Pagan was watching over her, her yellow dress flowing in the wind. Another slide showed Relena in a school play, obviously playing the lead. It reminded Kirin of an old play called Romeo and Juliet. The slide changed, displaying Relena on a platform with the words, 'Valedictorian' across the bottom; she graduated at the top of her class. The slide then displayed Relena in a fancy suit, the caption read 'Vice Foreign Minister.' In every slide that was shown, it was Relena displaying her remarkable talent for bringing peace or for showing her smart side.
Kirin didn't feel anything. She was still intent on killing the 'dear' Relena. The side to which she never showed anyone was emerging now. That side of her wanted to kill. Destroy her target and finish the mission. That's what was on her mind, and that was what she was going to do.
The slideshow lasted for more than an hour. It was close to ten thirty when the lights finally turned on. A round of applause erupted from the audience. Some were talking wildly about Relena's high school achievements, other were saying how cute she was when she was a child. They were all unaware that in a few moments, she was going to die.
The MC helped Relena up to the stage, with Heero close by. He began to talk to Relena, making jokes and asking her questions. It started out simple enough, then turned into a hot seat then a little pageant which featured her. The audience laughed like they were supposed to, applauded when it was needed, and even asked a few impersonal questions. One, for instance, if Relena had a boyfriend.
"He doesn't acknowledge me yet." Relena replied, eyeing Heero.
Kirin stifled a chuckle. If Relena thought Heero was her boyfriend, what did Heero think of her? Relena was standing alone in the center of the stage, looking down at her guests, the MC going around the hall, giving the mike to anyone who wanted to wish her a happy birthday on such a 'joyous' occasion or those who still wanted to ask questions.
Kirin propped the rifle onto her forearm and shoulder. She focused the scope and got Relena into her line of sight. She glanced at the other pilots who were still scouting the area. She draped a black cloth over her shoulder and rifle and took aim again. Relena was laughing at a question someone had asked. Her head was thrown back and time seemed to slow down tenfold.
Kirin slid the lock into place and felt the tension in the rifle warn her that once she pulled the trigger, it would jerk back and impact her arm. She was strong enough, to hold it, but would it make noise and possibly hinder her escape?
She pointed the gun in the area around her eye and her ear. The bullet would penetrate her skull through one side and splatter her brains on the other side. She wouldn't even know what hit her. She'd fall to the floor ever so slowly and Relena Peacecraft was no more.
Kirin held the rifle closer to her body. As soon as Relena recovered from her laughter, she would grant one last breathe to her. She waited as patient as a lion pouncing on its prey as Relena recovered and took in a breath.
Kirin's hand twitched softly as her finger closed around the trigger. Her hand relaxed for a nanosecond then gripped the trigger. The silent shot escaped the barrel of the gun at astonishing speeds. No one heard the shot, no one saw that it was flying towards Relena. The bullet traveled from the top level of the balconies and sped towards Relena's blue eyes.
Milliardo saw a glint of silver. He looked up into the balcony and though it unusual to see a moving drapery. He then figured that it was the assassin. His voice rang out throughout the crowd. "RELENA!"
Hearing the tenseness in Milliardo's voice, Heero reached for Relena and pulled her back by the arm. She jerked back and landed on Heero just as the silent bullet exploded on the stage, inches from Relena's leg.
The audience screamed. Total chaos followed. Everyone either tried to see if Relena was all right or try and leave through the entrance to which was boarded shut. Quatre tried to yell over the voices, trying to calm them down. Trowa had gotten mixed up into the confusion and tried to make his way to the balconies.
Duo ran towards Relena and Heero while Wufei hurried to help Noin and Quatre. Guests all screamed and ran in every direction possible. Amongst all the screams and the terror, Heero was the only one who was calm. He looked up and saw the rifle sticking out from behind a dark draped wall. He pointed to it. "There!"
Kirin swore softly and shifted the lock once again. She had to do this now! She just aimed and shot.
Moments later she heard a woman's scream. She looked through the scope and realized she had just shot Relena's leg. Her pink dress quickly turned a crimson red. Her hands went to her wound and her face was filled with terror and pain. Kirin was getting frustrated. She aimed the rifled again, pulled back the lock and pulled the trigger once more. She looked and saw Relena lying on the floor. Was she dead?
Kirin then saw Duo picking up Relena, he escaped through the backroom. She was crying in pain, her shoulder was shot. Heero was now nowhere to be seen. Kirin panicked. If there was one person she knew she wouldn't be able to escape, it would be Heero Yuy. She stuffed the rifle into the bag and dropped the black drape. She pulled a mask over her face and made her way out of the balcony. Kirin made her way to one exit when she saw Trowa with a hand to his ear. He seemed to be talking.
She backtracked and figured the hall needed some windows. From her black bag she took out a small stick of c-4 and stuck it onto a wall. She took out a few smoke bombs and threw them in Trowa's direction. The bombs flooded the hallway which gave her enough time to set off the c-4 and make a dramatic escape.
Kirin heard Trowa cough. She cut the bomb's fuse and lit it, sticking it to the wall, and moving far away enough that she wouldn't be knocked out senseless. It would be a bad thing if Heero caught her, especially at the height of such an important part of her mission. A loud bang rang throughout the hall, silence followed a few moments later, then more terrified screams. Kirin leaned out of the blown out hall. It created even more dust to which Trowa still couldn't see. She peered out and was almost three floors from the ground. She heard rushing footsteps. Quatre and Wufei's voices. She threw her bag into the water and took a deep breath.
"Wait!" came Quatre's voice.
Kirin smirked. "Wait, he says. Do I look like a waiter?" She made sure her mask was on and she jumped. The water and the surf was beneath her and coming towards her at an incredibly speed. She gripped something on her belt which propelled her towards the water. She heard more yelling, but it came fainter as she neared the water.
The first sensation of hitting water numbed Kirin. She felt like letting the sharks eat her, but realized if she died, Heero would figure out that she was the assassin and go after Shin and Yume. That was the last thing she'd ever do if she died. She would never leave her business up to her friends. This was her mission, she had to finish it.
Kirin swam up to the surface. From her position, she could see a part of the hall slightly smoking. She swam to the beach, her black bag forever lost in the deep waters. She picked herself up from out of the water and dragged herself towards her motorcycle which she intricately hid amongst the sand. She could still hear the voices of people above her and decided if she wanted a clean getaway, she'd have to leave now and quietly.
With her motorcycle in tow, she walked down the beach, far enough so that no one would spot her. Once she got on solid road, she'd speed towards the hotel, rest for an hour or so, then get dressed. But she needed an alibi. Why wasn't she at the hall when she was going to the estate?
Kirin was about a mile away when she finally made her way to the road. She could barely see the hall but heard fire trucks and police speeding towards the hall. She knew she hit Relena in the leg and in the shoulder. Any higher up and she would've gotten Relena's head. Her black bag was lost at sea, once she got to her Gundam, she's open up a radar to locate her missing things. She started her engine and shakily gotten on. She gingerly rubbed her leg. The impact had made her left ankle swell like a balloon. She ignored the pain like she was suppose to and sped off towards the hotel.
Sank Hospital-(11:23 a.m.)
Milliardo Peacecraft peered into the small window, looking at his sister who was being treated for her two gunshot wounds. Her shoulder and her left leg had been wounded. The bullet in her leg, penetrated the bone and she'd have to be in a cast for a few months. The bullet in her shoulder was still lodged inside. If they took it out now, they'd have to decapitate her entire arm. They were going to go at a slow pace, trying to hurry for her party that would be next held at the estate. If not, what would happen next?
Duo Maxwell paced the waiting room just as Heero Yuy, Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, and Chang Wufei entered the room.
Quatre immediately went to Duo. "What happened? Where is she?"
"She's in surgery right now." said Duo.
"How bad are her injuries?"
Duo sighed, tugging on his braid. "The bone in Relena's left leg was shattered by a bullet. There's a bullet lodged in her shoulder and if they take it out now, they might have to remove her entire arm. So until her arm is healed a little more, it'll have to be stuck in there."
Quatre's pale face turned a little red. "How was it possible that he got in there? We checked everybody!"
"He's good." said Heero. "He must've known an alternative way to get in. As long as there was nothing else to keep him from escaping, he made his own way out."
Quatre shook his head. "I don't think we can keep up this party. Miss Relena would need all her strength."
"We can't send everyone home." said Trowa. He crossed his arms. "I don't mean to sound unfeeling or selfish, but we have to continue on. With or without her."
"It could become a prayer group." suggested Duo. "We could all pray she make a safe and healthy recovery."
"She's not dead yet." said Heero. "We don't want to give them the wrong impression."
The door to the waiting room opened. Milliardo Peacecraft walked into the room and stared at the five pilots. "Relena is going to stay here until she wakes up. As her older brother...I suggest you continue on with today's festivities. Try not to alarm the people. Keep them optimistic. Those who don't know what happened will remain unknowing."
Heero nodded. "Are you going to stay here, then? What if the assassin comes back?"
"I'll stay." said Milliardo. "Lady Un has sent officers here that are surrounding this floor, the hospital perimeter, and is having four guards in Relena's room. We're not taking anymore chances."
Champion Hotel-(12:27 p.m.)
Kirin Shido removed her damp body suit as she entered the bathroom. Shin and Yume were up. She knew because she could hear Yume's video game and Shin talking. She turned on the water and turned it to hot. A few seconds later, the mirrors all began to be blurred by the steam incurred. Bereft of her clothing she climbed into the hot shower and stood there.
The water hit her body like hot picks. Her body was so used to not feeling pain, that she didn't even wince when the water was almost scalding hot. She ran her hands through her long, silver hair; her gold eyes staring blankly into the silver tresses. She let it drop, the hair was now as long as her knees. She never understood that part of her. It seemed to her that her own hair had its own little schedule of growing. She remembered three days ago her hair was to her thighs, not it was as long as her knees. She needed to cut it, of course, but now was not the time. She was punishing herself for a failed mission.
Kirin began to pound her fists into the wall. She had planned for only a month. She was so sure that it was going to go all according to plan! What happened? What went wrong? She aimed at Relena's head. It was a silent bullet. No one could of heard it! She wasn't stupid enough to bring a shiny new rifle, she had deliberately dulled it so the light at the hall wouldn't reflect upon it. She was so still, so sure. Then a man had to call to Relena, catching Heero's attention and ruining her plans!
Kirin slid down to the floor, angry tears rolling off her pale face. She had one more chance. Relena was either going to go back to the party, which was arrogant of her if she did, or stay in the hospital where all she would do was inject Relena with a poison and walk away. She'd be able to make it back to the estate, have a good time with Heero, then leave. She wouldn't even lose sleep over it.
She clenched her fists. Whether or not the ONI Elders would tell her what she needed to know, she was going to leave. This was her last mission. She finally decided that after years of working at the Colony, she wanted a new life. Whether it be with Heero or her two associates, she was going to start anew. No more killing, no more fighting, no more death. Just living.
Kirin resumed her composure and stood, washing her face with the hot water. She quickly shampooed her hair and got out just in time to hear a soft knock at her door. She wrapped a towel around her and reached for the door. "Yeah?"
"You all right?" asked Shin. Yume was beside her, a small can of soda in her hand. "We heard banging. Did everything go ok?"
"No." said Kirin, her anger returning. "I was able to wound her but not kill her."
"Oh. That's too bad. What happened?" Yume asked.
"Everything went well up until the last second. Heero pulled Relena out of the way. I shot at her two more times. I got her in the leg and the shoulder. She's in the hospital, I think."
"You'll get another chance at the estate, won't you?" Shin asked.
"Of course." Kirin nodded. "Get ready. Since my plan backfired, we're going to the party a little early."
"Cool. But...what are we going to explain to Heero?" Yume twirled a lock of her hair in her fingers. "He's gonna be a little curious, won't he? He'll wonder why we're showing up at the party now."
"We'll just say we had to run some errands. He should understand that." Kirin replied. "I'm going to get ready now. Clean up the room a bit. Shin, bring a bag, mine got lost when I jumped out of the hall."
"You jumped out of the hall?" Shin and Yume asked in unison.
"Yeah." Kirin replied. "I landed in the water. I don't know where my bag is anymore. But I'll retrieve it before we leave for Space, ok?"
"Yeah."
Kirin stepped out of the bathroom for a moment, reaching for her dress. Shin and Yume resumed their earlier actions. She dodged back into the bathroom and sighed. One last chance. Do or die. One final mission...
Peacecraft Estate-(2:04 p.m.)
Chang Wufei stood to one side of the glass doors, inspecting the guests who were coming in, one by one. He had a critical eye when it came to concealed weapons. He almost had a sixth sense on it. He was ordered, by Lady Un, to inspect everyone twice. There were no purses allowed past him. Coats and anything removable were left at the front entrance.
Heero Yuy was at the front of the estate, inspecting every single guest. Every vehicle was inspected and every guest was initially inspected by him with a metal detector. He wasn't about to let just anyone on the property.
Duo Maxwell was walking around the second floor room, making sure all the windows were securely locked and shut. The doors were closed and the silent alarm was in effect. The majority of the party would be held outside, so there was no need to be inside. He boarded off the stairs and made his way to the first floor, leaving only the bathrooms to open access.
Quatre Winner was outside, still setting up the party. Milliardo had called once before, saying possibly by five, Relena would be coming home. He worked furiously, trying to get everything in perfect working order. Attendants came to his every whim, trying to make the best of a missing birthday girl.
Trowa Barton was talking with the performs from the circus. Everything would have to be postponed in order for it to seem like nothing happened. He was now head of all performances and had to extend long outstanding parts of music, in order to keep the guests happy. He was tense, like his four associates. Sooner or later the people would find out.
The few guests who hadn't been at the hall were still ecstatic about the party and still had no idea what had happened to the young Pacifist. They admired the ice sculpture that was in the center of the courtyard; there were rows of appetizers; round tables with name placards littered the courtyard. There were streamers that would need to be released, once the appearance of the birthday girl. Champagne was being served, still chilled to perfection. There was a lot of time to kill, few couples danced, some talked, and most were taking a tour of the house, at least from what was able to be seen.
Heero Yuy set down a clipboard and rubbed his sore temples. Over half the guests from the Estate list had now arrived. All knew nothing of the assassination attempt on Relena. The other half of the guests were the ones at the hall. Would they speak of what they had seen or would they pay respects to Relena and keep their mouths shut?
Heero heard a limo pull up. He waved to the driver who stopped. "Who's inside?"
"Miss Kirin Shido, Miss Shin Kin'Youbi, and Miss Yume Okinawa." replied the driver.
Heero automatically smiled. He had nothing to worry about. He was only worried about what he was going to tell Kirin. She was the only other person who he told of the assassination attempt. Would he be able to keep his mouth shut until he saw her?
He walked to the back windows and tapped onto the tinted glass.
The window rolled down and he was face to face with Yume Okinawa. "Hey, Heero."
"Yume." He said, acknowledging her. "May I speak with Kirin?"
"Not right, now!" said Shin. She appeared beside Yume. "You'll have to wait like everyone else, Heero. Kirin looks good enough to eat and it's not fair that you get the first bite."
Heero wondered how true Shin's words were. He glanced at the third figure whom was laughing. He could see her silhouette and the faint glimmer of her silver hair. "When all the guests arrive, Kirin, I need to speak with you."
"All right." came the reply.
Heero bowed then hit the top of the limo. The driver went on, passing through the gates.
Heero stared after the limo. He shook his head. Everything was going so well until the assassination attempt. If he had stopped it, or if it hadn't happened, would he still be so intent on making Kirin his? He knew she was younger than him, but her wisdom transcended her years. Without her, he'd still be lost. The meaning in his life wouldn't mean a damn thing. Except to her.
Peacecraft Estate-(4:21 p.m.)
Yume Okinawa threw the bag up onto the roof with all her might. Shin was being entertained by Duo Maxwell, and Kirin was making it a point not to be seen until all the guests were there. She was stuck with the black bag that held Kirin's sniper rifle. At least, her back-up rifle.
Yume smoothed out her dress then walked back into the courtyard where tables were being filled. She found the table she was going to be with Kirin and Shido, when she found an extra name card. She laughed and checked the other names. They were to be sitting with the five pilots. How could Kirin slip out to finish the job? She looked at the stage then at the rooftop where Kirin claimed she would be. If Relena were to stand right in the center, she'd be riddled with bullets. Kirin wouldn't take any chances anymore. She'd finish the mission right there and then. And if anyone asked...she was in the ladies room.
Couples were still dancing on the floor. Shin and Duo were by the buffet, picking at the delicacies and drinking large amounts of punch. Yume shook her head. She swore that Shin and Duo combined could eat out an entire colony.
Yume searched the outer courtyard. It was getting louder with the arrival of more guests. She stepped across the threshold of the outside, maze-like garden. She sat on a stone bench and looked up at the dimming sky. She was glad she took Kirin's advice and got a jacket. The temperature was dipping dramatically and she didn't think her boyfriend would actually show up.
"Cold?"
Yume turned and smiled at the figure. Wearing a dark violet suit that matched her gown, he offered her an arm. His eyes were closed, yet saw all; his smile was quite unnerving to some people, but not to her; his near- shoulder length dark violet hair blew gently in the breeze. "You surprise me."
"Do I?" asked the tall young man.
"Yeah. I thought you weren't going to come. But when I saw the name card, there you were."
"Well, how can you have a party without me?" He laughed.
Yume leaned her head on his shoulder. "You'll like our new friends. They're the Gundam Pilots."
"Ah, I see. So they still have that little quirk in them, don't they?"
"I suppose. Except Heero. Ever since he met Kirin, he hasn't been as suicidal as before."
"Oh, dear, I think we'll have to fix that."
Yume shook her head. "Play with him later. You may be stronger than her, but she's nearly invincible. She won't take it to you playing with her Heero too fondly."
"My-my..." said the figure. "I think we'll have to fix her, too."
Yume smirked then entered the courtyard once again. "Let's sit down for now. This party will get interesting once everyone is here."
"Ooh..."
"And Xellos..." Yume said sweetly as she sat down. The tall man simply tipped his head to the side. "Don't spike the punch."
Shin Kin'Youbi saw the violet clad figure and groaned loudly. She turned and was met with a questioning gaze from Duo. She shook her head and beckoned with her chin. "Yume and her boyfriend."
Duo turned to the two violet-matching pair. "And I thought all suits came in black..."
Shin picked up a slice of cheese. "I think he's too...mysterious. Plus he likes to play pranks on everyone. Yume thinks he's hilarious but...I don't know. But then again, he's always so nice to Kirin."
Duo put an arm around Shin. "Don't worry. You'll be with me the whole night. He won't bother you."
"Thanks, Duo."
A sound of declaration erupted from the front of the estate. Everyone attention moved to the front entrance. They all stood and began to applaud. There were a few quiet mumblings, some about her physical aspect, some about what happened.
Relena was in a shoulder and leg cast. She wore a different dress aside from the one she wore at the hall. It was white and it sparkled in the light. A young nurse was pushing the birthday girl out onto the courtyard.
Relena was conscious, the aftereffects of the surgery still lingered in her head. She just smiled and waved with her good arm. The people all smiled back and waved. Those who didn't know began to question those who didn't look so surprised.
Relena was brought to the front table. Lady Un, Mariemaia, Pagan, and Noin were all awaiting her arrival. She was set in the center and everyone's voices quieted.
"I...thank you...for all coming." came Relena's slurred voice. "Unfortunately...the rumor that...was going around...was true. I was almost...killed...earlier today...my bodyguards had done all they could. The assassin...was nowhere to be found. But not to worry...I will be all right."
Another round of applause sounded. It was filled more with pity than anything else. The courtyard quieted. Relena simply nodded and in another unsure moment, conversations began to pick up again.
Heero Yuy nodded to the attendants at the gate. All the guests had arrived. No one would leave until midnight. The gates closed, being secured by chain and guarded by at least several men. He stepped into the house and eyed the guards who were at each post. He nodded at them, too, and they gripped their machine guns. The assassin knew that it didn't kill its target. It would try again one last time. After that, it was kill or be killed.
Heero entered the courtyard and looked around. He saw Shin and Duo. Trowa was by the stage, conversing with the performers; a few of his colleagues from the circus. Quatre had emerged from the garden and was talking with Relena. Wufei was walking around, still scouting the area. There was one more person he needed to find.
"Hello, Heero."
He turned and felt his face turn red. He was a few steps away from Kirin who was dressed in a silver/gold two-piece gown. Her hair was pulled back with a few short strands falling over her eyes. She wore ankle-strapped silver heels and there was a touch of gold, silver, and red on her face. She was smiling as she held out her hand.
Heero made himself move forward to catch her hand with his. He heard conversations slowly fade as they attention came to Kirin. He moved a hand around her waist and felt the aroma of her perfume intoxicate his nose. She giggled softly, receiving more attention than she had wanted. He pulled her closer and walked down the remainder of the steps.
"Our table is over there." Heero whispered.
Kirin's gold eyes sparkled. She simply nodded. "You're starting to look a little more human, Heero."
Heero stopped walking for a moment. "What does that mean?"
She laughed then kissed his cheek. "You're blushing."
They managed to make it to the table, dodging all the dropped jaws they passed. Yume stood and applauded with Xellos who was staring at Heero.
"You're right, Yume." he whispered. "He hasn't gotten suicidal lately."
Yume simply smiled and sat down as Heero offered Kirin a chair. Heero eyed Xellos. "I don't remember you."
"Oh, don't you?" Xellos said, overtly happy. "I was the one who came with-" He slowly opened his eyes. "I forgot."
Heero continued staring blankly at Xellos. He reached behind his back, his hand brushing the gun.
Xellos caught the slight change in Heero's demeanor and attitude. "I was joking. I came with the Reid Party."
Heero narrowed his eyes. He memorized every single name on the lists. The Reid Party consisted of people from the northern European islands, near Sweden. "I'll be right back." He apologized quickly to Kirin and left the table.
Kirin sighed then turned to Yume and Xellos. "You picked a fine night to make an appearance, Xellos."
"I invited him." Yume protested. "He came because of me."
"Yume...this is my last chance to get rid of Relena. If I screw up, then that's it. Everything I planned on has gone down the drain." Kirin hissed.
Yume shook her head. "I promise I'll try to keep Xellos out of your way."
"Don't try." said Kirin, a dangerous tint in her voice. "Do it."
Xellos turned to Heero who was talking to the head of the Reid Party. He simply winked and the head of the party simply nodded and waved. Heero glared at him, then finally finished interrogating the man. He walked back towards them and slipped an arm around Kirin's shoulder. "We need to talk."
"Oh, right. Ok." Kirin stood.
Heero glared one last time at Xellos then took Kirin back into the estate.
Duo and Shin had been watching from behind the buffet table. "They're weird."
Shin finally had a full plate and went to sit down with Yume and Xellos. Duo followed and sat beside her. "What was that all about?"
"Oh, Heero was just being difficult." Yume explained.
"I can believe that." Duo quipped. He looked at his plate then began chewing on cheese and crackers.
Heero brought Kirin into an empty room on the first floor. It viewed the outer courtyard. He sat her down on a chair and leaned heavily on the wall. "If you've seen Relena, you could probably guess what happened."
"At least she's not dead." Kirin replied. Inside, her head was screaming. If she had done what she was told to do, Relena would be dead, the party would never happen, and she'd never see Heero again. Was it a good thing Relena wasn't dead?
Heero sighed and rubbed his temples. "The assassin might try it again tonight. I don't know when."
"Do you want me to help?" she asked.
"Anyone you find mysterious, tell me. If Relena dies, then I've completely failed my mission."
"Heero..." Kirin stood. He shook his head quickly.
"I know, Kirin. There's more to life than the mission. But...this will be my last mission."
"What?" Kirin staggered backwards.
"I'm going to resign from my position as the alpha leader of the Preventers group." said Heero, searching Kirin's eyes for understanding.
"What for?" Kirin asked.
"You've taught me a lot of things in the past few days, Kirin. Amongst all this chaos, I've been thinking to myself as well. The only way to find myself and to find my way, is if I start my own path."
Kirin wanted to hug him. He finally understood, after all these years of repressed emotions and paths that lead to nowhere, that there was something more to his life. He had found the door to that other half of him that needed to be set free. Now the next phase, to open that door and let everything go. She took his hand in hers and pulled him close. She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck. "No one can tell you what to do now, Heero."
"No one has before." He replied, sighing into her neck. "I want to tell you something."
"All right." Kirin replied softly. She stroked his back gently, urging him to go on. "Tell me..."
"You are the only one that understands me. All my life I thought that I was misunderstood and no one wanted anything to do with me. Before I met you, everything in my life seemed so insignificant. And now..."
Kirin pulled away slight and brushed her hand against his cheek. "And now..." she repeated softly.
"I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you."
"Protect me?" Kirin asked. "Protect me from what?"
"You told me once, that you only lived only for revenge. You said that once that man was dead, you would die. Fade out. I'm not going to let you die, Kirin. You are too important to me to die right now."
"Oh, Heero..." she tried to pull away from him, but Heero tightened his arms around her.
He shook his head firmly. "Now that I've found someone who can truly say they know how it is to be a Soldier, I'm not going to let you go. I know a normal life is impossible for us...but let us try. If it doesn't work out..."
Kirin leaned her head on his shoulder. "If it doesn't work out, Heero...what will happen to us?"
Heero lifted Kirin's head so that she was looking up at him. "Then we'll die together. If the world doesn't have a need for us, we don't need to be here."
Kirin shut her eyes. Everything changed with that single statement. Years after her parents' death, she had gone into the world, thinking once she killed the man named Lee Ikuza, she would die. Shin and Yume wasn't part of that plan, but they knew that they shouldn't get in the way of her goal. What ever happened, happened. They couldn't stop it. She wasn't going to let them. Now this man, this...Heero Yuy, was going to change everything that would happen in her life. Would she accept it? Could she?
"H-Heero..." she wanted to change his mind. Didn't he know she was dangerous? Well, of course he knew she was dangerous, she told him she was. But didn't he know that as a soldier, nothing can come between the mission? But then again, she contradicted herself once more. She preached to Heero to throw out the mission, there was more to life than the mission and there she was, trying to make Heero change her mind because she didn't want to change her own mission in life. Maybe she should forget everything and let Heero have his way? If it didn't work out...they would fade out. Together.
Kirin felt a pair of warm lips cover hers. The arms loosened; it embraced her gently. She sighed into the mouth. It felt right.
The action proved to be more than a thousand words. The silence of the room prolonged itself until both had to separate for air. Kirin touched her lips with her shaking hands and averted her gaze from Heero. He was just as shocked as she. He took a step back but found Kirin's arm still around his waist. He realized he didn't want to let go either.
"They're waiting for us outside." said Heero, breaking the silence.
Kirin nodded. Instead of moving, they continued standing there. She leaned on him again until the warmth of his arms surrounded her. She shook her head gently. "You and I are born from the same star. We'll guide each other till the end of our lives. We've traveled the same path and we've experienced all that we had to endure. We were born as one...we'll die as one."
There was a second kiss longing to be turned into a reality, but a loud cry came from the courtyard.
Heero moved from Kirin's embrace and gazed outside the window. A low growl came from his throat. "Damn." He turned to Kirin who looked dumfounded. "We're under attack."
"What?" Kirin came beside him and saw several masked men run past the window. "Where did they come from?"
"I don't know." Heero grabbed his gun and took Kirin's hand. "Stay by me."
Heero stormed out of the room and made his way to the courtyard. The double doors were jammed. He released Kirin's hand and with all his strength, shattered the doors with a fierce kick. He came out into the courtyard and found it in complete chaos. Hovering above the courtyard was a large ship. On the side of the ship were in bold black letters, Pirate Ship Zenith.
Kirin followed Heero's gaze and swore silently. Trust them to come at the wrong moment. The ship's captain, Zero, was a notorious space pirate. She stole from the rich and the poor and gave it all to herself. She wasn't like other pirates, demented, reckless, and stupid, she was fierce, intelligent, and sometimes dangerous.
A figure was hanging from the side of the ship, bellowing to her followers to steal as much as they want and reign in terror. Kirin recognized her as Zero. She was about to grab a gun from her secret air space but realized this was a perfect time to finish off Relena. The outer courtyard was surrounded by soldiers and pirates either trying to steal or trying to protect others.
From the ship above, several ropes were thrown off the deck. Another wave of pirates landed and overpowered the soldiers who were fighting. A few came towards Kirin only to be fought off by a very protective and possessive Heero. "Kirin, get to some shelter!"
Not complaining with a direct order, while Heero fought with several pirates, Kirin made her way towards the table where the men were fighting valiantly for their ladies. Relena was under protection from Lady Un and Noin. Quatre was keeping the pirates at bay with a broken chair. Trowa was actually using his fists to fend off the attackers. Duo and Wufei were both using anything in their arsenal to fight. Shin, Yume, and Xellos, hiding out with Relena were eating snacks and enjoying the show.
"So I guess these are the ones who sent the messages." said Shin. "It would seem logical, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah." Yume answered. "Besides Kirin, I'd say Zero is a pretty good schemer as well."
"I helped, too. If it weren't for me, Zero wouldn't even know there would be all these riches to be stolen."
"I'm warning you, Xel, if you tell Kirin, she'll kill you." said Yume.
"Yeah-yeah..."
Captain Zero, with her black hair and bright green eyes landed on top of Relena's table. Her black cape loomed over the cowering guests. She smiled and threw her head back in laughter. "I am Captain Zero of the Pirate Ship Zenith! If you don't want to get hurt then give me all of your valuables!"
Shocked gasps ran throughout the courtyard. Zero crossed her arms. "My goodness, it's as if you people have never watched Space Pirate movies before! Of course I'm going to want your valuables! That's what I do for a living!"
The pirates all roared in agreement and began rounding each table with a bag full of valuable accessories. Zero laughed once more and watched with pleasure as the riches were all going to her and her pirates.
Kirin landed near Relena who was cowering beside Quatre. He looked over at Kirin and shook his head. "They just appeared out of nowhere! They just came and attacked us! It's the assassin's doing!"
Kirin nodded softly. "I'm going to try and take her out. Get Relena some shelter."
Quatre grabbed Kirin's arm. "Don't do it, Kirin. Let Heero handle the assassin."
"I want to help too." Kirin lied. She eyed Zero who was stomping on the table, yelling at pirates to be ruthless and vengeful. "If I don't make it, Quatre..."
He shook his head firmly. "Please, let's not come to that..."
Kirin smiled sweetly and touched the side of Quatre's face. "Tell Heero I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
Kirin nodded. After this she'd never see Heero again. He meant so much to her that she had to let him go. "Yes. Tell him I'm sorry and he means a lot to me. He had to be this way. It's do or die. He should know what that means."
"K-Kirin!"
She stood and ran towards Zero. "Zero!"
Zero's green eyes turned and met with pools of gold. "Kirin...Shido..."
Kirin ran towards Zero and grabbed her by the waist. The two leaders of their respective positions fell off the table, toppling it.
It covered whatever was going to happen. Zero began squirming as Kirin put a hand over her mouth. "Zero! Listen to me!"
"How can I listen if I can't breathe?" Zero hissed.
"Shut up!" Kirin demanded. As soon as Zero calmed down, she glared at Kirin. "Set off your gun."
"What?" Zero asked.
"Set it off."
Complying, Zero removed her gun from her holster and set off a bullet. "Happy?"
"Were you the one sending the messages?"
"About an assassin?" Zero replied. "Yes. Why?"
"Lucky for you, I'm the assassin." Kirin replied. "I was able to injure Relena. But thanks to you, I get a second chance. So, if you can give me enough cover, I can get to my rifle and finish it off."
Zero looked around. "Will they trace you to me?"
"Obviously. They don't even know its me. So far, all you guys are displaying is your stealing capabilities. I suggest as soon as Relena is dead you don't come back to earth. Heero Yuy is on this side and once he finds you, you're going to need more than a stealth mode on your ship to escape him."
"Thanks a lot, Kirin." Zero hissed. "But what do I get from all of this?"
Kirin's eyes became little slits. "You know what you'll get. Don't I always keep a promise?"
Zero's green eyes jumped with joy. "All right. Just give me the word and I'll spread some chaos for everyone."
"Set off your gun three more time. At different intervals. At the last one, send your pirates back to the ship and make your departure. Before you leave, set off one last bullet. Hopefully by then I'll be ready to finish Relena off."
"Gosh, you sure are good when it comes to spur-of-the-moment things."
"I know." Kirin said, arrogantly. "That's why I'm a General. Now...count to thirty, shoot, and follow my plan."
"Got it."
Kirin peered over the table. Quatre had just turned his back, the anxiousness showing in his demeanor. She needed to pin point the five pilots before she went off on her own. Trowa was by the stage, out numbered four to one. Duo and Wufei were back to back, facing off at least twenty pirates. Quatre was still defending Relena and Heero...
Kirin felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Where was Heero? Had he gone inside? Was he on the floor? She searched long and hard and jumped when the gun set off behind her. She eyed Zero who shrugged.
She decided to take a wild leap. She stood and ran towards the garden, jumping over the thick bushes. She lay on her back a few moments, still listening to the sounds of guttural grunts and cries of battle. She peered over the bushes and found Heero pounding the face of one unfortunate pirate.
Taking the time to gather her skirt, she ran to the side of the house and found the black bag hanging from a strap. She searched for anything to climb on and substituted it for a tree. She climbed quickly and soundlessly and jumped onto the second floor balcony. She stood on the railing for a moment then put her physical strength and endurance to the test. Using her upper strength for the strenuous task, she climbed the side of the building with only a few centimeters for her to grip and made her way to the roof. She heard another gun shot.
She climbed onto the other side of the roof and saw the entire scene unfold before her. Zero was already making her way back up to her ship. A few of the other pirates were following in her lead. Soldiers who had found their backbones, chased after the retreating pirates. Kirin turned and grabbed the heavy bag. She propped it on her leg and removed the seemingly similar sniper rifle she had lost only hours ago. This rifle was special. After three bullets-Kirin made sure three bullets was enough to kill Relena, the gun would fall apart. It was all thanks to her augmented mind and modern technology that allowed it to happen. She grabbed the scope and placed it onto the rifle. She wasn't going to miss this time. Everyone was doing their part to fend off the pirates that no one would even notice the young girl aiming directly at the Vice Foreign Minister. She moved into a comfortable position. She propped the rifle onto her shoulder and aimed.
Relena was searching everywhere, calling out Heero's name. Amongst all the chaos, would her voice even reach his ears? All Kirin knew that once the bullet pierced her skull, her blood would reach as far as the front gate. She locked the gun into place and closed one eye. After hours of planning, everything would be over in one moment. Her hand slipped into the grip and her finger rested on the trigger.
"Good bye...Miss Relena Peacecraft..."
The mental alarm inside Kirin's head started screaming at her. Finish the kill! Finish the kill and don't look back! Finish the kill and kill whoever is watching you! Finish the kill...or be killed...
"What?" Kirin said to herself. She slowly turned her head and bit back a scream.
The click of the gun made her focus her eyes into the cold, consuming black hole. Her eyes moved down the barrel, to the trembling hand, up the tense arm, and into the face of the man named Heero Yuy.
"You..." he said quietly. "It was you all along."
Kirin's hand itched to pull the trigger. Even without looking she knew Relena was on her sight. One pull of the trigger and she could kill her. One pull and...it was good-bye...to Heero.
"I trusted you." Heero said, taking another step towards her. His hand was now visibly shaking; trying to pull away from Kirin. "I confided in you. I told you everything I couldn't tell anyone else. And for what?"
Kirin swallowed hard. "This is my last mission. Once I was finished with this, they'd lead me straight to Lee. I'd avenge my parents."
"Your life's mission." Heero spat. "You intentionally got close to me, to blind me, all for your life's mission? You preached to me that I should throw out everything that I learned as a child. To forget the mission. And here you are...killing for your own needs? Killing to meet the man who murdered your parents? This is your mission?"
Kirin sat up quickly, the gun still aimed between her eyes. "You and I are soldiers. I know I'm contradicting everything I told you, but it all came from the heart."
"Heart?" Heero repeated. "What heart?"
Kirin stood and walked carefully towards Heero, well aware the gun that was now aimed to her chest. She pushed the gun away and placed her free hand where his heart beat. "This. Your heart." She took his free hand and placed it over her own. "My heart. Everything that happened between us was true. I didn't lie to you. I only hid the truth from you because I know that if you found out-"
"I'd stop you." Heero finished. "If you knew this was inevitable..."
"I'd still do it. Once a solider, Heero...always a soldier. Neither one of us could block out protocol. We follow orders no matter what happens. Even if it means losing someone you care about."
Heero's hand gripped the gun. "But you still lied to me."
"About what?" Kirin asked. "What did I lie to you about? I told you who I was, I explained where I came from. I told you about the final mission in my life. The only thing I failed to mention was that I'm Relena's assassin. Now, how did I lie to you?"
Heero raised the gun and pointed the gun into Kirin's head. "Why..."
Kirin took a step back, releasing Heero's hand. "Do it, then. If this means you'll be at peace with yourself then do it. Kill me."
She dropped the rifle and turned around. "I've failed my mission. I don't deserve to live."
Heero's finger slipped onto the trigger. It rested there for a long minute. He heard a gunshot go off. He didn't flinch. He took in a small breath and pulled the trigger.
The gun clicked, donating it was empty. He dropped his arm, his gun and got onto his knees. "Why did it have to be you?!"
Kirin spun around and rushed into Heero's arms. "Heero! It doesn't have to be this way. Please, Heero...don't let this one mission screw up everything. You'll go through so much more crap in life that it would distinguish you from a true soldier to a human being. Don't give up on me, now. Please...?"
Heero gripped Kirin's shoulder's. He pulled her away and stared at her. If he asked her a question, would she give him the same answer? There was so much he needed to learn from her...about her. Would he be patient and allow himself to give in? Would he open his heart and let her in? One question he needed to ask, one answer he needed to hear. "Will you stand by me?"
Kirin's smile melted his heart. She pushed herself past a cold barrier that kept out all emotions. She pushed herself into his arms and lodged herself somewhere in his heart. Her laugh made him holder her even tighter. "Of course, Heero. You can't get rid of me now. Everything's changed because of you, and whether you like it or not, you and I are going to try and live a normal life."
Heero shut his eyes. This was all a dream, wasn't it? This woman that was in his arms had changed his life. His entire outlook on life? Was it possible to ever find someone like that in another lifetime? He may be the Perfect Soldier, but he was also a human being. A human being capable of loving someone-something other than the mission.
There was a cry of triumph as Zenith gave out a defiant blare and sped off into the night sky. Heero stood up and grabbed the rifle. Kirin jumped up and shook her head. "No...don't."
Heero stared at her. "They're associates of yours?"
"You could say that." Kirin replied. She took the rifle from his hands. "They're the ones that sent the messages. They had no idea I was the assassin. Though, I do wonder how they found out about it..."
"That's not important." Heero replied. He turned, looked over the edge, and started towards the other end of the roof.
Kirin stood beside herself. That was it? Her mission was a failure. And now what? Was Heero easily going to accept her after all that had happened? She stared at his back as he got into position to jump down to the second floor balcony.
"Wait a second, Heero. How did you get up here?" Kirin demanded.
"Same way as you." Heero replied. He neared the edge of the roof. He gazed at her. "Do you want help getting down or do you want to get down yourself?"
"Such a gentleman." Kirin replied dryly. She walked towards him carefully and leaned on him. "You're learning..."
"Learning what?" Heero asked as he helped Kirin onto the second floor balcony.
"Forgiveness." Kirin answered. She dropped onto the balcony and began to swear softly. She looked at the torn edges of her skirt. "I paid a whole lot for this skirt..."
Heero dropped onto the balcony beside her. He eyed the slit on her skirt. He decided to not say anything. Guaranteed he wouldn't sound like himself if he said what was on his mind.
Kirin looked at him and he simply nodded his head. "We should see how everyone is doing."
They made their way outside of the second floor room. Guests who had ducked into the house were all still huddled in groups. The silence was annoying and tense. Duo stood at one end of the doorway while Trowa was walking alongside the other end.
Quatre was still with Relena and Wufei was standing on the staircase. Heero descended the staircase and met with a questioning look from Wufei. Ignoring the look, Heero took a quick look around the house. "Are there any casualties?"
"No." answered Wufei. "The pirates only stole valuables. They claimed no lives."
Heero made his way to Quatre and Relena. Relena was crying, terrified, with the effect of the surgery still in her head. She seemed relieved when she saw Heero. "Oh, Heero! I was so frightened!"
Eyeing the shoulder and leg cast, Heero had to silently applauded Kirin's shooting skills. Though he didn't like that he was lied to, her marksmanship was as sharp as a knife.
Shin and Yume came behind Heero. "Hey, where's Kirin?"
Heero turned and searched the house. He looked up at the second-story and saw Kirin simply leaning on the railing, though her beautiful skirt was torn, she still looked ravishingly beautiful.
Shin followed Heero's gaze and nudged Yume. "She's up there. Damn it, Kirin! Your dress is ruined!"
"I got caught." Kirin called.
Shin and Yume eyed each other then at Heero who smiled grimly. He nodded slowly. The two young girls gazed up at Kirin but found that she was gone. "Kirin!" They left in search of their third associate.
A few of he guests who had gotten enough courage to fight back, were the first to leave. "It was a lovely party..."
Relena's horrified expression got her no straight answers. They just thanked her for a beautiful party, hoped she enjoyed their gift, and a 'get well soon' statement. Before long all five hundred guests or so had left, more so on foot than in limo. The five pilots gathered around for-somewhat, a mission complete.
"Relena lived." said Duo. He wiped the dirt from his cheek. "Now what?"
"You don't seriously think they're done with us, do you?" Wufei asked. "They're bound to come after her again."
Heero kept his face neutral. He eyed the upstairs bedrooms. Where did Kirin go? "I don't think they'd come after us or Relena again."
"What makes you so sure, Yuy?" Wufei demanded. "They're obviously upset that they didn't finish their job."
"Trust me." came Heero's reply.
He looked around, seeing the attendants coming out of the shadows. They began cleaning up all that they could. A few looked sadly at the ruined birthday cake, others were glad it was all over. Overall, it wasn't much of a party. The circus performers couldn't perform, the music system was destroyed, the food was covered in dust and dirt. No one drank much. For one of Relena's ravishing parties...it was a failure.
"We can't do anything anymore." said Quatre. "At least the worst is over. How late is it?"
"It's only eight." said Trowa.
"Already?" Quatre asked, incredulously. "Only five hours. If we weren't so involved in finding the assassin, we could've enjoyed the party more."
"Maybe next time, Q." Duo said, yawning. "But I'm beat. I need some sleep."
"It's so early." Quatre protested. He stifled a yawn and blushed. "I guess it did take a lot out of us."
"We can't find her!" came an exasperated Shin. She came down the stairs, carrying her skirt. "We've looked in every room of the house!"
Yume was still on the second-floor. "There are some locked doors that we can't get into. I don't think she could get in there, could she?"
Heero tipped his head to the side. Kirin wouldn't try killing Relena, even after telling him she was the assassin. Would she? He turned on his heel and ran upstairs. Shin and Yume looked after him.
"What's up with him?"
Heero went into the hallway of locked doors. He knew they were locked because he locked them himself. He directed himself to his room, which was located at the end of the hall and quickly snapped the handle off the door. He entered the room and stopped dead.
Kirin lay in his bed, covered up in the plush white covers. Amongst the white covers were her silver hair and her pale face, her gold eyes stared at him, unblinking and a little annoyed. "I'm tired."
Heero leaned on the door. "You could've warned me."
"That I'm tired?" came Kirin's muffled voice. She moved the blanket and sat up. She still wore her ruined silver/gold dress. She shook her head gently, her silver tresses softly falling over her shoulders. "So...did you tell anyone about my little secret?"
"They didn't ask. I was almost afraid you'd try to kill Relena."
Kirin's gold eyes widened in shock. "You don't trust me?"
"I didn't say that."
"Yes you did." Kirin insisted.
"When?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Up on the roof."
"That was on the roof." Heero replied.
"Are you arguing with me?" Kirin asked.
"No."
"Good." She laughed, seeing Heero's frustrated expression. She moved over the bed and patted the space beside her. "Are you going to sleep or what?"
"It's only eight." He protested.
Kirin covered herself again. "Ok. When you're tired just pry the covers away from me. I'm sure I won't hurt you if you do."
"I didn't say I wasn't tired."
Kirin opened the covers again and waited. He came towards her slowly and took off his shoes. He settled into the warm bed and sighed as he lay down. The bed felt very different when someone else was in it. He crossed his arms.
"Would you relax?" Kirin asked. "I'm not going to bite you."
Heero allowed himself a little comfort. He sighed and stared at the ceiling. "Don't you think it would be questionable if they saw us like this?"
Kirin laid her head on his shoulder, her arm over his chest. "Saw what?"
"Me and you sleeping together." Heero stated. He shifted, Kirin's perfume making him feel even more drowsier.
"No." she sighed. "If they thought anything happened, they're more perverted than I expected."
Heero chuckled. "That's something I never imagined you saying."
"Oh, really?" Kirin asked. She shifted closer to him and closed her eyes. "I'm really tired. Did you know that I jumped out of the hall, landed in the water, and swam back to shore? Then I had to ride my motorcycle back to my hotel?"
Heero scoffed. "I was unaware that the hall was so close to the water. The wind was on your side."
"Uh-huh." Kirin mumbled. She gave one last sigh before becoming silent.
Heero moved his arms and tried to find a more comfortable position. He knew that when he slept, he'd always sleep on one side of his body. With Kirin in the bed with him, he had to get himself comfortable in order for him to sleep. He moved his arm around Kirin and turned on his left side. Kirin's arm still draped over his side, so he rested his other arm on her hip.
His eyes traced the contour of Kirin's sleeping face. He memorized every curve and every part of her face. His eyes lingered at her lips then moved to her open eyes. She stared back at him, a smiling playing on her lips.
"Do you usually stare at girls who you think are sleeping?"
"No." He replied. "Just you."
She laughed softly and gave him a sweet goodnight kiss. "Goodnight, Heero."
"Goodnight...Kirin..."
Relena's Birthday-Hall-(8:13 a.m.)
Heero Yuy strapped the gun holster around his waist and adjusted it so that it wouldn't stick out of his back. He picked up his gun and examined the bullets he had gotten from Kirin. She had said she had made them herself. They were lightweight, fast, and very powerful. He smiled thoughtfully and placed the gun into its holster. He fixed the white dress shirt he wore and straightened the dark pants he was wearing. He adjusted his belt to his liking and pulled the dark jacket off his chair.
Shrugging into his jacket he looked at himself in the mirror. He was missing something. He looked at his shoes, the cuff links, then he noticed he was missing a bow tie. He searched his room and saw the black tie on the bed. He gingerly picked it up and finally put it around his neck. Was he complete? He had his gun, loaded and concealed. What was missing?
He saw a small velvet box on the corner of his desk. He picked it up and opened it, admiring the choice cut diamond he chose to give to Kirin. It was large compared to other diamond cuts, but it would suit Kirin's silver hair. It was in the shape of a star. Inside it were different colors of streaked lights. It represented the death and birth of a star. It reminded him of Kirin. He put the box into his pocket.
How he had found the beautiful piece was by pure chance. It was late, the night before, somewhere between nine and eleven. He had finished the paperwork and had left the premises of the Peacecraft Estate. He was thinking of getting something to eat, not bothering to join the others for dinner. He didn't want to encounter Relena nor Lady Un. He went to the heart of the city and from there, took to walking to an unknown destination. He passed a renowned jewelry store which was just about to close.
A star jewel caught his attention and his and Kirin's conversation drifted back to him. I will fade out like a dying star... The star that had stood before him gave no indication of dying, but an indication of life, a new beginning. Almost immediately he entered the store and bought that jewel. It was a perfect gift to give to a perfect...woman. He'd give it to her when he next saw her.
He left his room, but before he closed the door, he memorized the order of his room. He made sure nothing was out of place, his laptop was secure, his window was closed and his closet door was shut. He nodded satisfactorily and finally shut the door.
He was met with an approval from Quatre. "I guess we're ready for the party.
Quatre was simply in a white suit with a crimson rose in his pocket. He handed Heero a rose, too. "Put this on, Heero."
"I don't need it." Heero said acidly.
"There's a two way radio on it." He handed Heero a small pin with his full name on it. "Press the nametag and you can talk." He handed him a small ear piece. "We can hear with these."
"You spent all night thinking this up?" Heero asked, obliging with the accessories.
"No. I've spent a few days on it. Everyone is waiting downstairs. We're going to the hall now."
Heero nodded and followed after Quatre. They saw Wufei in an appropriate Chinese robes for a celebration. Trowa was wearing a gray suit and Duo wore his typical black. They all wore roses, nametags, and ear pieces.
"We're ready." said Trowa.
Quatre held up a small contraption. "I'm going to turn it on. There might be some interference, but it'll clear up as soon as we get to the hall." He flipped the switch which resulted in a high pitched ring which then faded. He winced at the glares from Wufei and Heero. "Sorry."
Duo rubbed his ear. "It's fine, Q-man. Let's go, shall we?"
Champion Hotel-(8:38 a.m.)
Kirin Shido put the black bag into the motorcycle space and jumped onto the seat. She was wrapped in silver with her hair pinned to her head. This was her first chance to get Relena. If Heero intercepted her, she'd have to make a huge excuse to get away from Heero at the estate. She'd have to work quickly.
She put on her helmet and started her motorcycle. Shin and Yume were still sleeping. She left them a hastily written note which told them to wake up by noon, get dressed and be ready to leave at three. That would give them an hour to get to the estate. She smiled. Her plan was unfolding nicely.
Kirin revved her engine and made sure she had room to pass. Everything had to go smoothly. It had taken her only one month to plan everything. But one thing still bothered her. Who sent the messages?
Hall- (9:04 a.m.)
The hall was bustling with activity. Parking attendants ran around, trying to find space for all the limousines; party attendants were trying to sign in all the guests while the other attendants were servicing the party guests. Guests came in large swarms, crowding the seemingly small opening of the hall. Each were trying to catch a glimpse of the birthday woman and some trying to see the gifts she were to receive. In the backroom, to which it was finished the day before, held the coats and jackets and the presents. There was traffic at least in either direction of the hall. The party was to start at ten, but most of the guests had come in early.
Heero Yuy stood at the back of the hall, watching Relena sit on a made up throne. She wore a light blue gown that came short of her ankles. White, flat-heeled shoes, gloves that covered her wrists, and her hair was pinned up with her bangs falling over her eyes. Each guest that signed in and entered came towards the stage to personally say hello to her, with, of course, the 'happy birthday' and the 'you look so beautiful' comments.
Heero gazed over to Trowa who was walking up and down the isles, making sure everything was going smoothly. Quatre, Lady Un and a few of the other attendants were overseeing the presents and checking each and every person who came into the hall. Wufei was in the parking lot, overlooking the traffic. Duo was overlooking the refreshments and the party platters.
However, no one noticed the black clad figure sneaking into the hall. It stealthily climbed up to the second floor balconies and through there, made it's way to the third level. It found an empty balcony and began to remove items from its black bag. The sniper rifle, the sniper scope, and at last, the specialized bullets that would silently and painlessly kill its target. The figure set peered over the balcony and spotted Heero and Relena. It gave one long sigh and began to wait.
It wasn't until a quarter to ten that most of the guests had arrived. Every single seat was taken, every row full. Relena had been moved to sit with the audience in order for the viewing screen to put up, to review all of Relena's past accomplishments.
She sat with her mother, Lady Un, and Mariemaia. Far in the back were two figures who were once well known in OZ. Lucretia Noin and Milliardo Peacecraft were standing with Quatre Winner and Trowa Barton. They closed off the exits and made sure no one could leave in a hurry. Duo and Wufei were scouting the rows while Heero was still stuck with Relena. In a few more hours he'd be released from her grasp and be in Kirin's presence. He realized, at that moment, he missed the silver-haired girl.
The guests quieted as the hall darkened. A projector sat in the middle and an attendant with an MC began to speak.
"Relena Peacecraft was born..."
Heero's mind began to wander. What a perfect time to kill Relena. He eyed the few audience members who sat around him. Their eyes were glued to the screen, images of Relena's childhood were being shown. He looked about in the balconies and watched as people peered over the railings to see the screen. He glanced at Duo who was twirling his braid in an annoying matter. Wufei was the only one clearly visible in his white robe as he did his job. He walked slowly past every row and even interrogated a few just for good measure. He then turned to the back where Quatre and Trowa were overlooking the crowd and Milliardo and Noin were doing their share of keeping lookout. Heero sighed. It was only ten and he already wanted out.
Kirin Shido stifled a yawn and leaned her head on the wall of the balcony. She checked her watch. Only ten. She sighed lowly.
She peered over the balcony and gazed upon Heero's form. He looked utterly upset that he was there. He was not enjoying himself. She wondered if by the time she met with him at the estate that he'd be more...relaxed? She wanted to slip into her dress and dance with Heero. Though, like all men, they lied, saying they couldn't dance and when they went onto the floor, they had more skills than they let on. She shook her head. If she asked him, he'd probably tell her the truth.
Kirin turned to the screen. Relena was a five year old child, playing in a massive garden. A younger Pagan was watching over her, her yellow dress flowing in the wind. Another slide showed Relena in a school play, obviously playing the lead. It reminded Kirin of an old play called Romeo and Juliet. The slide changed, displaying Relena on a platform with the words, 'Valedictorian' across the bottom; she graduated at the top of her class. The slide then displayed Relena in a fancy suit, the caption read 'Vice Foreign Minister.' In every slide that was shown, it was Relena displaying her remarkable talent for bringing peace or for showing her smart side.
Kirin didn't feel anything. She was still intent on killing the 'dear' Relena. The side to which she never showed anyone was emerging now. That side of her wanted to kill. Destroy her target and finish the mission. That's what was on her mind, and that was what she was going to do.
The slideshow lasted for more than an hour. It was close to ten thirty when the lights finally turned on. A round of applause erupted from the audience. Some were talking wildly about Relena's high school achievements, other were saying how cute she was when she was a child. They were all unaware that in a few moments, she was going to die.
The MC helped Relena up to the stage, with Heero close by. He began to talk to Relena, making jokes and asking her questions. It started out simple enough, then turned into a hot seat then a little pageant which featured her. The audience laughed like they were supposed to, applauded when it was needed, and even asked a few impersonal questions. One, for instance, if Relena had a boyfriend.
"He doesn't acknowledge me yet." Relena replied, eyeing Heero.
Kirin stifled a chuckle. If Relena thought Heero was her boyfriend, what did Heero think of her? Relena was standing alone in the center of the stage, looking down at her guests, the MC going around the hall, giving the mike to anyone who wanted to wish her a happy birthday on such a 'joyous' occasion or those who still wanted to ask questions.
Kirin propped the rifle onto her forearm and shoulder. She focused the scope and got Relena into her line of sight. She glanced at the other pilots who were still scouting the area. She draped a black cloth over her shoulder and rifle and took aim again. Relena was laughing at a question someone had asked. Her head was thrown back and time seemed to slow down tenfold.
Kirin slid the lock into place and felt the tension in the rifle warn her that once she pulled the trigger, it would jerk back and impact her arm. She was strong enough, to hold it, but would it make noise and possibly hinder her escape?
She pointed the gun in the area around her eye and her ear. The bullet would penetrate her skull through one side and splatter her brains on the other side. She wouldn't even know what hit her. She'd fall to the floor ever so slowly and Relena Peacecraft was no more.
Kirin held the rifle closer to her body. As soon as Relena recovered from her laughter, she would grant one last breathe to her. She waited as patient as a lion pouncing on its prey as Relena recovered and took in a breath.
Kirin's hand twitched softly as her finger closed around the trigger. Her hand relaxed for a nanosecond then gripped the trigger. The silent shot escaped the barrel of the gun at astonishing speeds. No one heard the shot, no one saw that it was flying towards Relena. The bullet traveled from the top level of the balconies and sped towards Relena's blue eyes.
Milliardo saw a glint of silver. He looked up into the balcony and though it unusual to see a moving drapery. He then figured that it was the assassin. His voice rang out throughout the crowd. "RELENA!"
Hearing the tenseness in Milliardo's voice, Heero reached for Relena and pulled her back by the arm. She jerked back and landed on Heero just as the silent bullet exploded on the stage, inches from Relena's leg.
The audience screamed. Total chaos followed. Everyone either tried to see if Relena was all right or try and leave through the entrance to which was boarded shut. Quatre tried to yell over the voices, trying to calm them down. Trowa had gotten mixed up into the confusion and tried to make his way to the balconies.
Duo ran towards Relena and Heero while Wufei hurried to help Noin and Quatre. Guests all screamed and ran in every direction possible. Amongst all the screams and the terror, Heero was the only one who was calm. He looked up and saw the rifle sticking out from behind a dark draped wall. He pointed to it. "There!"
Kirin swore softly and shifted the lock once again. She had to do this now! She just aimed and shot.
Moments later she heard a woman's scream. She looked through the scope and realized she had just shot Relena's leg. Her pink dress quickly turned a crimson red. Her hands went to her wound and her face was filled with terror and pain. Kirin was getting frustrated. She aimed the rifled again, pulled back the lock and pulled the trigger once more. She looked and saw Relena lying on the floor. Was she dead?
Kirin then saw Duo picking up Relena, he escaped through the backroom. She was crying in pain, her shoulder was shot. Heero was now nowhere to be seen. Kirin panicked. If there was one person she knew she wouldn't be able to escape, it would be Heero Yuy. She stuffed the rifle into the bag and dropped the black drape. She pulled a mask over her face and made her way out of the balcony. Kirin made her way to one exit when she saw Trowa with a hand to his ear. He seemed to be talking.
She backtracked and figured the hall needed some windows. From her black bag she took out a small stick of c-4 and stuck it onto a wall. She took out a few smoke bombs and threw them in Trowa's direction. The bombs flooded the hallway which gave her enough time to set off the c-4 and make a dramatic escape.
Kirin heard Trowa cough. She cut the bomb's fuse and lit it, sticking it to the wall, and moving far away enough that she wouldn't be knocked out senseless. It would be a bad thing if Heero caught her, especially at the height of such an important part of her mission. A loud bang rang throughout the hall, silence followed a few moments later, then more terrified screams. Kirin leaned out of the blown out hall. It created even more dust to which Trowa still couldn't see. She peered out and was almost three floors from the ground. She heard rushing footsteps. Quatre and Wufei's voices. She threw her bag into the water and took a deep breath.
"Wait!" came Quatre's voice.
Kirin smirked. "Wait, he says. Do I look like a waiter?" She made sure her mask was on and she jumped. The water and the surf was beneath her and coming towards her at an incredibly speed. She gripped something on her belt which propelled her towards the water. She heard more yelling, but it came fainter as she neared the water.
The first sensation of hitting water numbed Kirin. She felt like letting the sharks eat her, but realized if she died, Heero would figure out that she was the assassin and go after Shin and Yume. That was the last thing she'd ever do if she died. She would never leave her business up to her friends. This was her mission, she had to finish it.
Kirin swam up to the surface. From her position, she could see a part of the hall slightly smoking. She swam to the beach, her black bag forever lost in the deep waters. She picked herself up from out of the water and dragged herself towards her motorcycle which she intricately hid amongst the sand. She could still hear the voices of people above her and decided if she wanted a clean getaway, she'd have to leave now and quietly.
With her motorcycle in tow, she walked down the beach, far enough so that no one would spot her. Once she got on solid road, she'd speed towards the hotel, rest for an hour or so, then get dressed. But she needed an alibi. Why wasn't she at the hall when she was going to the estate?
Kirin was about a mile away when she finally made her way to the road. She could barely see the hall but heard fire trucks and police speeding towards the hall. She knew she hit Relena in the leg and in the shoulder. Any higher up and she would've gotten Relena's head. Her black bag was lost at sea, once she got to her Gundam, she's open up a radar to locate her missing things. She started her engine and shakily gotten on. She gingerly rubbed her leg. The impact had made her left ankle swell like a balloon. She ignored the pain like she was suppose to and sped off towards the hotel.
Sank Hospital-(11:23 a.m.)
Milliardo Peacecraft peered into the small window, looking at his sister who was being treated for her two gunshot wounds. Her shoulder and her left leg had been wounded. The bullet in her leg, penetrated the bone and she'd have to be in a cast for a few months. The bullet in her shoulder was still lodged inside. If they took it out now, they'd have to decapitate her entire arm. They were going to go at a slow pace, trying to hurry for her party that would be next held at the estate. If not, what would happen next?
Duo Maxwell paced the waiting room just as Heero Yuy, Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, and Chang Wufei entered the room.
Quatre immediately went to Duo. "What happened? Where is she?"
"She's in surgery right now." said Duo.
"How bad are her injuries?"
Duo sighed, tugging on his braid. "The bone in Relena's left leg was shattered by a bullet. There's a bullet lodged in her shoulder and if they take it out now, they might have to remove her entire arm. So until her arm is healed a little more, it'll have to be stuck in there."
Quatre's pale face turned a little red. "How was it possible that he got in there? We checked everybody!"
"He's good." said Heero. "He must've known an alternative way to get in. As long as there was nothing else to keep him from escaping, he made his own way out."
Quatre shook his head. "I don't think we can keep up this party. Miss Relena would need all her strength."
"We can't send everyone home." said Trowa. He crossed his arms. "I don't mean to sound unfeeling or selfish, but we have to continue on. With or without her."
"It could become a prayer group." suggested Duo. "We could all pray she make a safe and healthy recovery."
"She's not dead yet." said Heero. "We don't want to give them the wrong impression."
The door to the waiting room opened. Milliardo Peacecraft walked into the room and stared at the five pilots. "Relena is going to stay here until she wakes up. As her older brother...I suggest you continue on with today's festivities. Try not to alarm the people. Keep them optimistic. Those who don't know what happened will remain unknowing."
Heero nodded. "Are you going to stay here, then? What if the assassin comes back?"
"I'll stay." said Milliardo. "Lady Un has sent officers here that are surrounding this floor, the hospital perimeter, and is having four guards in Relena's room. We're not taking anymore chances."
Champion Hotel-(12:27 p.m.)
Kirin Shido removed her damp body suit as she entered the bathroom. Shin and Yume were up. She knew because she could hear Yume's video game and Shin talking. She turned on the water and turned it to hot. A few seconds later, the mirrors all began to be blurred by the steam incurred. Bereft of her clothing she climbed into the hot shower and stood there.
The water hit her body like hot picks. Her body was so used to not feeling pain, that she didn't even wince when the water was almost scalding hot. She ran her hands through her long, silver hair; her gold eyes staring blankly into the silver tresses. She let it drop, the hair was now as long as her knees. She never understood that part of her. It seemed to her that her own hair had its own little schedule of growing. She remembered three days ago her hair was to her thighs, not it was as long as her knees. She needed to cut it, of course, but now was not the time. She was punishing herself for a failed mission.
Kirin began to pound her fists into the wall. She had planned for only a month. She was so sure that it was going to go all according to plan! What happened? What went wrong? She aimed at Relena's head. It was a silent bullet. No one could of heard it! She wasn't stupid enough to bring a shiny new rifle, she had deliberately dulled it so the light at the hall wouldn't reflect upon it. She was so still, so sure. Then a man had to call to Relena, catching Heero's attention and ruining her plans!
Kirin slid down to the floor, angry tears rolling off her pale face. She had one more chance. Relena was either going to go back to the party, which was arrogant of her if she did, or stay in the hospital where all she would do was inject Relena with a poison and walk away. She'd be able to make it back to the estate, have a good time with Heero, then leave. She wouldn't even lose sleep over it.
She clenched her fists. Whether or not the ONI Elders would tell her what she needed to know, she was going to leave. This was her last mission. She finally decided that after years of working at the Colony, she wanted a new life. Whether it be with Heero or her two associates, she was going to start anew. No more killing, no more fighting, no more death. Just living.
Kirin resumed her composure and stood, washing her face with the hot water. She quickly shampooed her hair and got out just in time to hear a soft knock at her door. She wrapped a towel around her and reached for the door. "Yeah?"
"You all right?" asked Shin. Yume was beside her, a small can of soda in her hand. "We heard banging. Did everything go ok?"
"No." said Kirin, her anger returning. "I was able to wound her but not kill her."
"Oh. That's too bad. What happened?" Yume asked.
"Everything went well up until the last second. Heero pulled Relena out of the way. I shot at her two more times. I got her in the leg and the shoulder. She's in the hospital, I think."
"You'll get another chance at the estate, won't you?" Shin asked.
"Of course." Kirin nodded. "Get ready. Since my plan backfired, we're going to the party a little early."
"Cool. But...what are we going to explain to Heero?" Yume twirled a lock of her hair in her fingers. "He's gonna be a little curious, won't he? He'll wonder why we're showing up at the party now."
"We'll just say we had to run some errands. He should understand that." Kirin replied. "I'm going to get ready now. Clean up the room a bit. Shin, bring a bag, mine got lost when I jumped out of the hall."
"You jumped out of the hall?" Shin and Yume asked in unison.
"Yeah." Kirin replied. "I landed in the water. I don't know where my bag is anymore. But I'll retrieve it before we leave for Space, ok?"
"Yeah."
Kirin stepped out of the bathroom for a moment, reaching for her dress. Shin and Yume resumed their earlier actions. She dodged back into the bathroom and sighed. One last chance. Do or die. One final mission...
Peacecraft Estate-(2:04 p.m.)
Chang Wufei stood to one side of the glass doors, inspecting the guests who were coming in, one by one. He had a critical eye when it came to concealed weapons. He almost had a sixth sense on it. He was ordered, by Lady Un, to inspect everyone twice. There were no purses allowed past him. Coats and anything removable were left at the front entrance.
Heero Yuy was at the front of the estate, inspecting every single guest. Every vehicle was inspected and every guest was initially inspected by him with a metal detector. He wasn't about to let just anyone on the property.
Duo Maxwell was walking around the second floor room, making sure all the windows were securely locked and shut. The doors were closed and the silent alarm was in effect. The majority of the party would be held outside, so there was no need to be inside. He boarded off the stairs and made his way to the first floor, leaving only the bathrooms to open access.
Quatre Winner was outside, still setting up the party. Milliardo had called once before, saying possibly by five, Relena would be coming home. He worked furiously, trying to get everything in perfect working order. Attendants came to his every whim, trying to make the best of a missing birthday girl.
Trowa Barton was talking with the performs from the circus. Everything would have to be postponed in order for it to seem like nothing happened. He was now head of all performances and had to extend long outstanding parts of music, in order to keep the guests happy. He was tense, like his four associates. Sooner or later the people would find out.
The few guests who hadn't been at the hall were still ecstatic about the party and still had no idea what had happened to the young Pacifist. They admired the ice sculpture that was in the center of the courtyard; there were rows of appetizers; round tables with name placards littered the courtyard. There were streamers that would need to be released, once the appearance of the birthday girl. Champagne was being served, still chilled to perfection. There was a lot of time to kill, few couples danced, some talked, and most were taking a tour of the house, at least from what was able to be seen.
Heero Yuy set down a clipboard and rubbed his sore temples. Over half the guests from the Estate list had now arrived. All knew nothing of the assassination attempt on Relena. The other half of the guests were the ones at the hall. Would they speak of what they had seen or would they pay respects to Relena and keep their mouths shut?
Heero heard a limo pull up. He waved to the driver who stopped. "Who's inside?"
"Miss Kirin Shido, Miss Shin Kin'Youbi, and Miss Yume Okinawa." replied the driver.
Heero automatically smiled. He had nothing to worry about. He was only worried about what he was going to tell Kirin. She was the only other person who he told of the assassination attempt. Would he be able to keep his mouth shut until he saw her?
He walked to the back windows and tapped onto the tinted glass.
The window rolled down and he was face to face with Yume Okinawa. "Hey, Heero."
"Yume." He said, acknowledging her. "May I speak with Kirin?"
"Not right, now!" said Shin. She appeared beside Yume. "You'll have to wait like everyone else, Heero. Kirin looks good enough to eat and it's not fair that you get the first bite."
Heero wondered how true Shin's words were. He glanced at the third figure whom was laughing. He could see her silhouette and the faint glimmer of her silver hair. "When all the guests arrive, Kirin, I need to speak with you."
"All right." came the reply.
Heero bowed then hit the top of the limo. The driver went on, passing through the gates.
Heero stared after the limo. He shook his head. Everything was going so well until the assassination attempt. If he had stopped it, or if it hadn't happened, would he still be so intent on making Kirin his? He knew she was younger than him, but her wisdom transcended her years. Without her, he'd still be lost. The meaning in his life wouldn't mean a damn thing. Except to her.
Peacecraft Estate-(4:21 p.m.)
Yume Okinawa threw the bag up onto the roof with all her might. Shin was being entertained by Duo Maxwell, and Kirin was making it a point not to be seen until all the guests were there. She was stuck with the black bag that held Kirin's sniper rifle. At least, her back-up rifle.
Yume smoothed out her dress then walked back into the courtyard where tables were being filled. She found the table she was going to be with Kirin and Shido, when she found an extra name card. She laughed and checked the other names. They were to be sitting with the five pilots. How could Kirin slip out to finish the job? She looked at the stage then at the rooftop where Kirin claimed she would be. If Relena were to stand right in the center, she'd be riddled with bullets. Kirin wouldn't take any chances anymore. She'd finish the mission right there and then. And if anyone asked...she was in the ladies room.
Couples were still dancing on the floor. Shin and Duo were by the buffet, picking at the delicacies and drinking large amounts of punch. Yume shook her head. She swore that Shin and Duo combined could eat out an entire colony.
Yume searched the outer courtyard. It was getting louder with the arrival of more guests. She stepped across the threshold of the outside, maze-like garden. She sat on a stone bench and looked up at the dimming sky. She was glad she took Kirin's advice and got a jacket. The temperature was dipping dramatically and she didn't think her boyfriend would actually show up.
"Cold?"
Yume turned and smiled at the figure. Wearing a dark violet suit that matched her gown, he offered her an arm. His eyes were closed, yet saw all; his smile was quite unnerving to some people, but not to her; his near- shoulder length dark violet hair blew gently in the breeze. "You surprise me."
"Do I?" asked the tall young man.
"Yeah. I thought you weren't going to come. But when I saw the name card, there you were."
"Well, how can you have a party without me?" He laughed.
Yume leaned her head on his shoulder. "You'll like our new friends. They're the Gundam Pilots."
"Ah, I see. So they still have that little quirk in them, don't they?"
"I suppose. Except Heero. Ever since he met Kirin, he hasn't been as suicidal as before."
"Oh, dear, I think we'll have to fix that."
Yume shook her head. "Play with him later. You may be stronger than her, but she's nearly invincible. She won't take it to you playing with her Heero too fondly."
"My-my..." said the figure. "I think we'll have to fix her, too."
Yume smirked then entered the courtyard once again. "Let's sit down for now. This party will get interesting once everyone is here."
"Ooh..."
"And Xellos..." Yume said sweetly as she sat down. The tall man simply tipped his head to the side. "Don't spike the punch."
Shin Kin'Youbi saw the violet clad figure and groaned loudly. She turned and was met with a questioning gaze from Duo. She shook her head and beckoned with her chin. "Yume and her boyfriend."
Duo turned to the two violet-matching pair. "And I thought all suits came in black..."
Shin picked up a slice of cheese. "I think he's too...mysterious. Plus he likes to play pranks on everyone. Yume thinks he's hilarious but...I don't know. But then again, he's always so nice to Kirin."
Duo put an arm around Shin. "Don't worry. You'll be with me the whole night. He won't bother you."
"Thanks, Duo."
A sound of declaration erupted from the front of the estate. Everyone attention moved to the front entrance. They all stood and began to applaud. There were a few quiet mumblings, some about her physical aspect, some about what happened.
Relena was in a shoulder and leg cast. She wore a different dress aside from the one she wore at the hall. It was white and it sparkled in the light. A young nurse was pushing the birthday girl out onto the courtyard.
Relena was conscious, the aftereffects of the surgery still lingered in her head. She just smiled and waved with her good arm. The people all smiled back and waved. Those who didn't know began to question those who didn't look so surprised.
Relena was brought to the front table. Lady Un, Mariemaia, Pagan, and Noin were all awaiting her arrival. She was set in the center and everyone's voices quieted.
"I...thank you...for all coming." came Relena's slurred voice. "Unfortunately...the rumor that...was going around...was true. I was almost...killed...earlier today...my bodyguards had done all they could. The assassin...was nowhere to be found. But not to worry...I will be all right."
Another round of applause sounded. It was filled more with pity than anything else. The courtyard quieted. Relena simply nodded and in another unsure moment, conversations began to pick up again.
Heero Yuy nodded to the attendants at the gate. All the guests had arrived. No one would leave until midnight. The gates closed, being secured by chain and guarded by at least several men. He stepped into the house and eyed the guards who were at each post. He nodded at them, too, and they gripped their machine guns. The assassin knew that it didn't kill its target. It would try again one last time. After that, it was kill or be killed.
Heero entered the courtyard and looked around. He saw Shin and Duo. Trowa was by the stage, conversing with the performers; a few of his colleagues from the circus. Quatre had emerged from the garden and was talking with Relena. Wufei was walking around, still scouting the area. There was one more person he needed to find.
"Hello, Heero."
He turned and felt his face turn red. He was a few steps away from Kirin who was dressed in a silver/gold two-piece gown. Her hair was pulled back with a few short strands falling over her eyes. She wore ankle-strapped silver heels and there was a touch of gold, silver, and red on her face. She was smiling as she held out her hand.
Heero made himself move forward to catch her hand with his. He heard conversations slowly fade as they attention came to Kirin. He moved a hand around her waist and felt the aroma of her perfume intoxicate his nose. She giggled softly, receiving more attention than she had wanted. He pulled her closer and walked down the remainder of the steps.
"Our table is over there." Heero whispered.
Kirin's gold eyes sparkled. She simply nodded. "You're starting to look a little more human, Heero."
Heero stopped walking for a moment. "What does that mean?"
She laughed then kissed his cheek. "You're blushing."
They managed to make it to the table, dodging all the dropped jaws they passed. Yume stood and applauded with Xellos who was staring at Heero.
"You're right, Yume." he whispered. "He hasn't gotten suicidal lately."
Yume simply smiled and sat down as Heero offered Kirin a chair. Heero eyed Xellos. "I don't remember you."
"Oh, don't you?" Xellos said, overtly happy. "I was the one who came with-" He slowly opened his eyes. "I forgot."
Heero continued staring blankly at Xellos. He reached behind his back, his hand brushing the gun.
Xellos caught the slight change in Heero's demeanor and attitude. "I was joking. I came with the Reid Party."
Heero narrowed his eyes. He memorized every single name on the lists. The Reid Party consisted of people from the northern European islands, near Sweden. "I'll be right back." He apologized quickly to Kirin and left the table.
Kirin sighed then turned to Yume and Xellos. "You picked a fine night to make an appearance, Xellos."
"I invited him." Yume protested. "He came because of me."
"Yume...this is my last chance to get rid of Relena. If I screw up, then that's it. Everything I planned on has gone down the drain." Kirin hissed.
Yume shook her head. "I promise I'll try to keep Xellos out of your way."
"Don't try." said Kirin, a dangerous tint in her voice. "Do it."
Xellos turned to Heero who was talking to the head of the Reid Party. He simply winked and the head of the party simply nodded and waved. Heero glared at him, then finally finished interrogating the man. He walked back towards them and slipped an arm around Kirin's shoulder. "We need to talk."
"Oh, right. Ok." Kirin stood.
Heero glared one last time at Xellos then took Kirin back into the estate.
Duo and Shin had been watching from behind the buffet table. "They're weird."
Shin finally had a full plate and went to sit down with Yume and Xellos. Duo followed and sat beside her. "What was that all about?"
"Oh, Heero was just being difficult." Yume explained.
"I can believe that." Duo quipped. He looked at his plate then began chewing on cheese and crackers.
Heero brought Kirin into an empty room on the first floor. It viewed the outer courtyard. He sat her down on a chair and leaned heavily on the wall. "If you've seen Relena, you could probably guess what happened."
"At least she's not dead." Kirin replied. Inside, her head was screaming. If she had done what she was told to do, Relena would be dead, the party would never happen, and she'd never see Heero again. Was it a good thing Relena wasn't dead?
Heero sighed and rubbed his temples. "The assassin might try it again tonight. I don't know when."
"Do you want me to help?" she asked.
"Anyone you find mysterious, tell me. If Relena dies, then I've completely failed my mission."
"Heero..." Kirin stood. He shook his head quickly.
"I know, Kirin. There's more to life than the mission. But...this will be my last mission."
"What?" Kirin staggered backwards.
"I'm going to resign from my position as the alpha leader of the Preventers group." said Heero, searching Kirin's eyes for understanding.
"What for?" Kirin asked.
"You've taught me a lot of things in the past few days, Kirin. Amongst all this chaos, I've been thinking to myself as well. The only way to find myself and to find my way, is if I start my own path."
Kirin wanted to hug him. He finally understood, after all these years of repressed emotions and paths that lead to nowhere, that there was something more to his life. He had found the door to that other half of him that needed to be set free. Now the next phase, to open that door and let everything go. She took his hand in hers and pulled him close. She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck. "No one can tell you what to do now, Heero."
"No one has before." He replied, sighing into her neck. "I want to tell you something."
"All right." Kirin replied softly. She stroked his back gently, urging him to go on. "Tell me..."
"You are the only one that understands me. All my life I thought that I was misunderstood and no one wanted anything to do with me. Before I met you, everything in my life seemed so insignificant. And now..."
Kirin pulled away slight and brushed her hand against his cheek. "And now..." she repeated softly.
"I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you."
"Protect me?" Kirin asked. "Protect me from what?"
"You told me once, that you only lived only for revenge. You said that once that man was dead, you would die. Fade out. I'm not going to let you die, Kirin. You are too important to me to die right now."
"Oh, Heero..." she tried to pull away from him, but Heero tightened his arms around her.
He shook his head firmly. "Now that I've found someone who can truly say they know how it is to be a Soldier, I'm not going to let you go. I know a normal life is impossible for us...but let us try. If it doesn't work out..."
Kirin leaned her head on his shoulder. "If it doesn't work out, Heero...what will happen to us?"
Heero lifted Kirin's head so that she was looking up at him. "Then we'll die together. If the world doesn't have a need for us, we don't need to be here."
Kirin shut her eyes. Everything changed with that single statement. Years after her parents' death, she had gone into the world, thinking once she killed the man named Lee Ikuza, she would die. Shin and Yume wasn't part of that plan, but they knew that they shouldn't get in the way of her goal. What ever happened, happened. They couldn't stop it. She wasn't going to let them. Now this man, this...Heero Yuy, was going to change everything that would happen in her life. Would she accept it? Could she?
"H-Heero..." she wanted to change his mind. Didn't he know she was dangerous? Well, of course he knew she was dangerous, she told him she was. But didn't he know that as a soldier, nothing can come between the mission? But then again, she contradicted herself once more. She preached to Heero to throw out the mission, there was more to life than the mission and there she was, trying to make Heero change her mind because she didn't want to change her own mission in life. Maybe she should forget everything and let Heero have his way? If it didn't work out...they would fade out. Together.
Kirin felt a pair of warm lips cover hers. The arms loosened; it embraced her gently. She sighed into the mouth. It felt right.
The action proved to be more than a thousand words. The silence of the room prolonged itself until both had to separate for air. Kirin touched her lips with her shaking hands and averted her gaze from Heero. He was just as shocked as she. He took a step back but found Kirin's arm still around his waist. He realized he didn't want to let go either.
"They're waiting for us outside." said Heero, breaking the silence.
Kirin nodded. Instead of moving, they continued standing there. She leaned on him again until the warmth of his arms surrounded her. She shook her head gently. "You and I are born from the same star. We'll guide each other till the end of our lives. We've traveled the same path and we've experienced all that we had to endure. We were born as one...we'll die as one."
There was a second kiss longing to be turned into a reality, but a loud cry came from the courtyard.
Heero moved from Kirin's embrace and gazed outside the window. A low growl came from his throat. "Damn." He turned to Kirin who looked dumfounded. "We're under attack."
"What?" Kirin came beside him and saw several masked men run past the window. "Where did they come from?"
"I don't know." Heero grabbed his gun and took Kirin's hand. "Stay by me."
Heero stormed out of the room and made his way to the courtyard. The double doors were jammed. He released Kirin's hand and with all his strength, shattered the doors with a fierce kick. He came out into the courtyard and found it in complete chaos. Hovering above the courtyard was a large ship. On the side of the ship were in bold black letters, Pirate Ship Zenith.
Kirin followed Heero's gaze and swore silently. Trust them to come at the wrong moment. The ship's captain, Zero, was a notorious space pirate. She stole from the rich and the poor and gave it all to herself. She wasn't like other pirates, demented, reckless, and stupid, she was fierce, intelligent, and sometimes dangerous.
A figure was hanging from the side of the ship, bellowing to her followers to steal as much as they want and reign in terror. Kirin recognized her as Zero. She was about to grab a gun from her secret air space but realized this was a perfect time to finish off Relena. The outer courtyard was surrounded by soldiers and pirates either trying to steal or trying to protect others.
From the ship above, several ropes were thrown off the deck. Another wave of pirates landed and overpowered the soldiers who were fighting. A few came towards Kirin only to be fought off by a very protective and possessive Heero. "Kirin, get to some shelter!"
Not complaining with a direct order, while Heero fought with several pirates, Kirin made her way towards the table where the men were fighting valiantly for their ladies. Relena was under protection from Lady Un and Noin. Quatre was keeping the pirates at bay with a broken chair. Trowa was actually using his fists to fend off the attackers. Duo and Wufei were both using anything in their arsenal to fight. Shin, Yume, and Xellos, hiding out with Relena were eating snacks and enjoying the show.
"So I guess these are the ones who sent the messages." said Shin. "It would seem logical, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah." Yume answered. "Besides Kirin, I'd say Zero is a pretty good schemer as well."
"I helped, too. If it weren't for me, Zero wouldn't even know there would be all these riches to be stolen."
"I'm warning you, Xel, if you tell Kirin, she'll kill you." said Yume.
"Yeah-yeah..."
Captain Zero, with her black hair and bright green eyes landed on top of Relena's table. Her black cape loomed over the cowering guests. She smiled and threw her head back in laughter. "I am Captain Zero of the Pirate Ship Zenith! If you don't want to get hurt then give me all of your valuables!"
Shocked gasps ran throughout the courtyard. Zero crossed her arms. "My goodness, it's as if you people have never watched Space Pirate movies before! Of course I'm going to want your valuables! That's what I do for a living!"
The pirates all roared in agreement and began rounding each table with a bag full of valuable accessories. Zero laughed once more and watched with pleasure as the riches were all going to her and her pirates.
Kirin landed near Relena who was cowering beside Quatre. He looked over at Kirin and shook his head. "They just appeared out of nowhere! They just came and attacked us! It's the assassin's doing!"
Kirin nodded softly. "I'm going to try and take her out. Get Relena some shelter."
Quatre grabbed Kirin's arm. "Don't do it, Kirin. Let Heero handle the assassin."
"I want to help too." Kirin lied. She eyed Zero who was stomping on the table, yelling at pirates to be ruthless and vengeful. "If I don't make it, Quatre..."
He shook his head firmly. "Please, let's not come to that..."
Kirin smiled sweetly and touched the side of Quatre's face. "Tell Heero I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
Kirin nodded. After this she'd never see Heero again. He meant so much to her that she had to let him go. "Yes. Tell him I'm sorry and he means a lot to me. He had to be this way. It's do or die. He should know what that means."
"K-Kirin!"
She stood and ran towards Zero. "Zero!"
Zero's green eyes turned and met with pools of gold. "Kirin...Shido..."
Kirin ran towards Zero and grabbed her by the waist. The two leaders of their respective positions fell off the table, toppling it.
It covered whatever was going to happen. Zero began squirming as Kirin put a hand over her mouth. "Zero! Listen to me!"
"How can I listen if I can't breathe?" Zero hissed.
"Shut up!" Kirin demanded. As soon as Zero calmed down, she glared at Kirin. "Set off your gun."
"What?" Zero asked.
"Set it off."
Complying, Zero removed her gun from her holster and set off a bullet. "Happy?"
"Were you the one sending the messages?"
"About an assassin?" Zero replied. "Yes. Why?"
"Lucky for you, I'm the assassin." Kirin replied. "I was able to injure Relena. But thanks to you, I get a second chance. So, if you can give me enough cover, I can get to my rifle and finish it off."
Zero looked around. "Will they trace you to me?"
"Obviously. They don't even know its me. So far, all you guys are displaying is your stealing capabilities. I suggest as soon as Relena is dead you don't come back to earth. Heero Yuy is on this side and once he finds you, you're going to need more than a stealth mode on your ship to escape him."
"Thanks a lot, Kirin." Zero hissed. "But what do I get from all of this?"
Kirin's eyes became little slits. "You know what you'll get. Don't I always keep a promise?"
Zero's green eyes jumped with joy. "All right. Just give me the word and I'll spread some chaos for everyone."
"Set off your gun three more time. At different intervals. At the last one, send your pirates back to the ship and make your departure. Before you leave, set off one last bullet. Hopefully by then I'll be ready to finish Relena off."
"Gosh, you sure are good when it comes to spur-of-the-moment things."
"I know." Kirin said, arrogantly. "That's why I'm a General. Now...count to thirty, shoot, and follow my plan."
"Got it."
Kirin peered over the table. Quatre had just turned his back, the anxiousness showing in his demeanor. She needed to pin point the five pilots before she went off on her own. Trowa was by the stage, out numbered four to one. Duo and Wufei were back to back, facing off at least twenty pirates. Quatre was still defending Relena and Heero...
Kirin felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Where was Heero? Had he gone inside? Was he on the floor? She searched long and hard and jumped when the gun set off behind her. She eyed Zero who shrugged.
She decided to take a wild leap. She stood and ran towards the garden, jumping over the thick bushes. She lay on her back a few moments, still listening to the sounds of guttural grunts and cries of battle. She peered over the bushes and found Heero pounding the face of one unfortunate pirate.
Taking the time to gather her skirt, she ran to the side of the house and found the black bag hanging from a strap. She searched for anything to climb on and substituted it for a tree. She climbed quickly and soundlessly and jumped onto the second floor balcony. She stood on the railing for a moment then put her physical strength and endurance to the test. Using her upper strength for the strenuous task, she climbed the side of the building with only a few centimeters for her to grip and made her way to the roof. She heard another gun shot.
She climbed onto the other side of the roof and saw the entire scene unfold before her. Zero was already making her way back up to her ship. A few of the other pirates were following in her lead. Soldiers who had found their backbones, chased after the retreating pirates. Kirin turned and grabbed the heavy bag. She propped it on her leg and removed the seemingly similar sniper rifle she had lost only hours ago. This rifle was special. After three bullets-Kirin made sure three bullets was enough to kill Relena, the gun would fall apart. It was all thanks to her augmented mind and modern technology that allowed it to happen. She grabbed the scope and placed it onto the rifle. She wasn't going to miss this time. Everyone was doing their part to fend off the pirates that no one would even notice the young girl aiming directly at the Vice Foreign Minister. She moved into a comfortable position. She propped the rifle onto her shoulder and aimed.
Relena was searching everywhere, calling out Heero's name. Amongst all the chaos, would her voice even reach his ears? All Kirin knew that once the bullet pierced her skull, her blood would reach as far as the front gate. She locked the gun into place and closed one eye. After hours of planning, everything would be over in one moment. Her hand slipped into the grip and her finger rested on the trigger.
"Good bye...Miss Relena Peacecraft..."
The mental alarm inside Kirin's head started screaming at her. Finish the kill! Finish the kill and don't look back! Finish the kill and kill whoever is watching you! Finish the kill...or be killed...
"What?" Kirin said to herself. She slowly turned her head and bit back a scream.
The click of the gun made her focus her eyes into the cold, consuming black hole. Her eyes moved down the barrel, to the trembling hand, up the tense arm, and into the face of the man named Heero Yuy.
"You..." he said quietly. "It was you all along."
Kirin's hand itched to pull the trigger. Even without looking she knew Relena was on her sight. One pull of the trigger and she could kill her. One pull and...it was good-bye...to Heero.
"I trusted you." Heero said, taking another step towards her. His hand was now visibly shaking; trying to pull away from Kirin. "I confided in you. I told you everything I couldn't tell anyone else. And for what?"
Kirin swallowed hard. "This is my last mission. Once I was finished with this, they'd lead me straight to Lee. I'd avenge my parents."
"Your life's mission." Heero spat. "You intentionally got close to me, to blind me, all for your life's mission? You preached to me that I should throw out everything that I learned as a child. To forget the mission. And here you are...killing for your own needs? Killing to meet the man who murdered your parents? This is your mission?"
Kirin sat up quickly, the gun still aimed between her eyes. "You and I are soldiers. I know I'm contradicting everything I told you, but it all came from the heart."
"Heart?" Heero repeated. "What heart?"
Kirin stood and walked carefully towards Heero, well aware the gun that was now aimed to her chest. She pushed the gun away and placed her free hand where his heart beat. "This. Your heart." She took his free hand and placed it over her own. "My heart. Everything that happened between us was true. I didn't lie to you. I only hid the truth from you because I know that if you found out-"
"I'd stop you." Heero finished. "If you knew this was inevitable..."
"I'd still do it. Once a solider, Heero...always a soldier. Neither one of us could block out protocol. We follow orders no matter what happens. Even if it means losing someone you care about."
Heero's hand gripped the gun. "But you still lied to me."
"About what?" Kirin asked. "What did I lie to you about? I told you who I was, I explained where I came from. I told you about the final mission in my life. The only thing I failed to mention was that I'm Relena's assassin. Now, how did I lie to you?"
Heero raised the gun and pointed the gun into Kirin's head. "Why..."
Kirin took a step back, releasing Heero's hand. "Do it, then. If this means you'll be at peace with yourself then do it. Kill me."
She dropped the rifle and turned around. "I've failed my mission. I don't deserve to live."
Heero's finger slipped onto the trigger. It rested there for a long minute. He heard a gunshot go off. He didn't flinch. He took in a small breath and pulled the trigger.
The gun clicked, donating it was empty. He dropped his arm, his gun and got onto his knees. "Why did it have to be you?!"
Kirin spun around and rushed into Heero's arms. "Heero! It doesn't have to be this way. Please, Heero...don't let this one mission screw up everything. You'll go through so much more crap in life that it would distinguish you from a true soldier to a human being. Don't give up on me, now. Please...?"
Heero gripped Kirin's shoulder's. He pulled her away and stared at her. If he asked her a question, would she give him the same answer? There was so much he needed to learn from her...about her. Would he be patient and allow himself to give in? Would he open his heart and let her in? One question he needed to ask, one answer he needed to hear. "Will you stand by me?"
Kirin's smile melted his heart. She pushed herself past a cold barrier that kept out all emotions. She pushed herself into his arms and lodged herself somewhere in his heart. Her laugh made him holder her even tighter. "Of course, Heero. You can't get rid of me now. Everything's changed because of you, and whether you like it or not, you and I are going to try and live a normal life."
Heero shut his eyes. This was all a dream, wasn't it? This woman that was in his arms had changed his life. His entire outlook on life? Was it possible to ever find someone like that in another lifetime? He may be the Perfect Soldier, but he was also a human being. A human being capable of loving someone-something other than the mission.
There was a cry of triumph as Zenith gave out a defiant blare and sped off into the night sky. Heero stood up and grabbed the rifle. Kirin jumped up and shook her head. "No...don't."
Heero stared at her. "They're associates of yours?"
"You could say that." Kirin replied. She took the rifle from his hands. "They're the ones that sent the messages. They had no idea I was the assassin. Though, I do wonder how they found out about it..."
"That's not important." Heero replied. He turned, looked over the edge, and started towards the other end of the roof.
Kirin stood beside herself. That was it? Her mission was a failure. And now what? Was Heero easily going to accept her after all that had happened? She stared at his back as he got into position to jump down to the second floor balcony.
"Wait a second, Heero. How did you get up here?" Kirin demanded.
"Same way as you." Heero replied. He neared the edge of the roof. He gazed at her. "Do you want help getting down or do you want to get down yourself?"
"Such a gentleman." Kirin replied dryly. She walked towards him carefully and leaned on him. "You're learning..."
"Learning what?" Heero asked as he helped Kirin onto the second floor balcony.
"Forgiveness." Kirin answered. She dropped onto the balcony and began to swear softly. She looked at the torn edges of her skirt. "I paid a whole lot for this skirt..."
Heero dropped onto the balcony beside her. He eyed the slit on her skirt. He decided to not say anything. Guaranteed he wouldn't sound like himself if he said what was on his mind.
Kirin looked at him and he simply nodded his head. "We should see how everyone is doing."
They made their way outside of the second floor room. Guests who had ducked into the house were all still huddled in groups. The silence was annoying and tense. Duo stood at one end of the doorway while Trowa was walking alongside the other end.
Quatre was still with Relena and Wufei was standing on the staircase. Heero descended the staircase and met with a questioning look from Wufei. Ignoring the look, Heero took a quick look around the house. "Are there any casualties?"
"No." answered Wufei. "The pirates only stole valuables. They claimed no lives."
Heero made his way to Quatre and Relena. Relena was crying, terrified, with the effect of the surgery still in her head. She seemed relieved when she saw Heero. "Oh, Heero! I was so frightened!"
Eyeing the shoulder and leg cast, Heero had to silently applauded Kirin's shooting skills. Though he didn't like that he was lied to, her marksmanship was as sharp as a knife.
Shin and Yume came behind Heero. "Hey, where's Kirin?"
Heero turned and searched the house. He looked up at the second-story and saw Kirin simply leaning on the railing, though her beautiful skirt was torn, she still looked ravishingly beautiful.
Shin followed Heero's gaze and nudged Yume. "She's up there. Damn it, Kirin! Your dress is ruined!"
"I got caught." Kirin called.
Shin and Yume eyed each other then at Heero who smiled grimly. He nodded slowly. The two young girls gazed up at Kirin but found that she was gone. "Kirin!" They left in search of their third associate.
A few of he guests who had gotten enough courage to fight back, were the first to leave. "It was a lovely party..."
Relena's horrified expression got her no straight answers. They just thanked her for a beautiful party, hoped she enjoyed their gift, and a 'get well soon' statement. Before long all five hundred guests or so had left, more so on foot than in limo. The five pilots gathered around for-somewhat, a mission complete.
"Relena lived." said Duo. He wiped the dirt from his cheek. "Now what?"
"You don't seriously think they're done with us, do you?" Wufei asked. "They're bound to come after her again."
Heero kept his face neutral. He eyed the upstairs bedrooms. Where did Kirin go? "I don't think they'd come after us or Relena again."
"What makes you so sure, Yuy?" Wufei demanded. "They're obviously upset that they didn't finish their job."
"Trust me." came Heero's reply.
He looked around, seeing the attendants coming out of the shadows. They began cleaning up all that they could. A few looked sadly at the ruined birthday cake, others were glad it was all over. Overall, it wasn't much of a party. The circus performers couldn't perform, the music system was destroyed, the food was covered in dust and dirt. No one drank much. For one of Relena's ravishing parties...it was a failure.
"We can't do anything anymore." said Quatre. "At least the worst is over. How late is it?"
"It's only eight." said Trowa.
"Already?" Quatre asked, incredulously. "Only five hours. If we weren't so involved in finding the assassin, we could've enjoyed the party more."
"Maybe next time, Q." Duo said, yawning. "But I'm beat. I need some sleep."
"It's so early." Quatre protested. He stifled a yawn and blushed. "I guess it did take a lot out of us."
"We can't find her!" came an exasperated Shin. She came down the stairs, carrying her skirt. "We've looked in every room of the house!"
Yume was still on the second-floor. "There are some locked doors that we can't get into. I don't think she could get in there, could she?"
Heero tipped his head to the side. Kirin wouldn't try killing Relena, even after telling him she was the assassin. Would she? He turned on his heel and ran upstairs. Shin and Yume looked after him.
"What's up with him?"
Heero went into the hallway of locked doors. He knew they were locked because he locked them himself. He directed himself to his room, which was located at the end of the hall and quickly snapped the handle off the door. He entered the room and stopped dead.
Kirin lay in his bed, covered up in the plush white covers. Amongst the white covers were her silver hair and her pale face, her gold eyes stared at him, unblinking and a little annoyed. "I'm tired."
Heero leaned on the door. "You could've warned me."
"That I'm tired?" came Kirin's muffled voice. She moved the blanket and sat up. She still wore her ruined silver/gold dress. She shook her head gently, her silver tresses softly falling over her shoulders. "So...did you tell anyone about my little secret?"
"They didn't ask. I was almost afraid you'd try to kill Relena."
Kirin's gold eyes widened in shock. "You don't trust me?"
"I didn't say that."
"Yes you did." Kirin insisted.
"When?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Up on the roof."
"That was on the roof." Heero replied.
"Are you arguing with me?" Kirin asked.
"No."
"Good." She laughed, seeing Heero's frustrated expression. She moved over the bed and patted the space beside her. "Are you going to sleep or what?"
"It's only eight." He protested.
Kirin covered herself again. "Ok. When you're tired just pry the covers away from me. I'm sure I won't hurt you if you do."
"I didn't say I wasn't tired."
Kirin opened the covers again and waited. He came towards her slowly and took off his shoes. He settled into the warm bed and sighed as he lay down. The bed felt very different when someone else was in it. He crossed his arms.
"Would you relax?" Kirin asked. "I'm not going to bite you."
Heero allowed himself a little comfort. He sighed and stared at the ceiling. "Don't you think it would be questionable if they saw us like this?"
Kirin laid her head on his shoulder, her arm over his chest. "Saw what?"
"Me and you sleeping together." Heero stated. He shifted, Kirin's perfume making him feel even more drowsier.
"No." she sighed. "If they thought anything happened, they're more perverted than I expected."
Heero chuckled. "That's something I never imagined you saying."
"Oh, really?" Kirin asked. She shifted closer to him and closed her eyes. "I'm really tired. Did you know that I jumped out of the hall, landed in the water, and swam back to shore? Then I had to ride my motorcycle back to my hotel?"
Heero scoffed. "I was unaware that the hall was so close to the water. The wind was on your side."
"Uh-huh." Kirin mumbled. She gave one last sigh before becoming silent.
Heero moved his arms and tried to find a more comfortable position. He knew that when he slept, he'd always sleep on one side of his body. With Kirin in the bed with him, he had to get himself comfortable in order for him to sleep. He moved his arm around Kirin and turned on his left side. Kirin's arm still draped over his side, so he rested his other arm on her hip.
His eyes traced the contour of Kirin's sleeping face. He memorized every curve and every part of her face. His eyes lingered at her lips then moved to her open eyes. She stared back at him, a smiling playing on her lips.
"Do you usually stare at girls who you think are sleeping?"
"No." He replied. "Just you."
She laughed softly and gave him a sweet goodnight kiss. "Goodnight, Heero."
"Goodnight...Kirin..."
