standingalonechibi5 Standing Alone

Disclaimer: Ya know I get so tired of posting this I just copy and paste it. Shocking isn't it? Okay so not really... Oh well! 1. Don't own 'em 2. Don't ask 3. Don't
sue

Author's Notes: I'm back! You thought I fell off the face of the earth didn't you? Have a little faith! I've been trying to connect what I've written to Endless Waltz. I was completely stuck until... I got Blind Target! Now I'm on a roll!!! }: ) Try not to get lost k? I will be using the outers' Japanese names. I refuse to use the dubbed. Amara? I mean come on! Does Haruka look like an Amara? Of course not cuz she's Haruka! *growl* They ruined the outers' names!

Collie: Hello, I'm chibi-chan's useless muse. *double checks notecards* Hey! I am not! I'm your darling little brother.
Chibi: Uh-huh just keep talking stupid!
Collie: Anyway for those who don't know Blind Target is the prequel to Endless Waltz and is sold at most book and comic stores.
Chibi: -_-() Are you advertising or defining?
Collie: Both.
Chibi: Stupid useless muses...
Collie: *yelling in background* I'm not your muse!!!
Chibi: By the way Serena is 14 and the g-boys are 16. I screwed the ages up so they're most likely not going to fit what I wrote in the previous chapters.
**WARNING!** This is a depressing chapter. Very sad. If you like animals it's best not to read Heero's past. ^^()

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Chapter Six: Death, Rebirth, and Time
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"How was your walk?" Luna asked hopping on to Serena's bed.
"Good! I met Catherine again, and I think Trowa understands me a little bit better... hopefully," Serena replied staring at the ceiling from her laying down position on the bed.
"Catherine's Trowa's sister, correct?"
"Yeah. She used to live at the orphanage. She was like a big sister to Missy and I. Then she decided to apply to a job at the circus. She made it, but never found the person she was looking for before she left. That person was Nana- Trowa," Serena said correcting herself.
"Hmmm..."
"Why? Did you talk to Trowa?"
"Yes. Well he talked to me, and I meowed in response. Do you know how aggravating it is to listen to something so serious and important and only be able to meow to comfort the person?" Luna asked stomping her small paw on the mattress. Serena giggled and hugged Luna. It was good to have a friend who knew about her past and wasn't troubled by it.
"So we're here now... Chaos hasn't made any move. What do I do?" Serena asked her mentor.
"I want you to meet someone..." Luna started. She walked to the shadowed corner of the room. A strange mist filled the single corner and the silhouette of a cat shape shifted to that of a human's. Luna in human form slowly stepped from the mist smiling. She took Serena's hand and gently guided her in to the mist.

* * * * *

"Oh! I didn't realize you were back, Trowa," Quatre said walking to a wooden chest on the ground. He lifted the polished lid and pulled out a glistening violin. He tuned the strings and watched Trowa to see his reaction. Trowa stood up and opened the glass door to the cabinet. He pulled out the same silver flute he always used...

* * * * *

Serena looked around at her foggy surroundings. A door with unique engravings on it stood tall penetrating the mist.
"The Gates of Time..." Serena murmured looking around.
"Princess Serenity," a silhouette whispered before bowing immediately.
"Pluto?!" Serena gasped.

* * * * *

The beautiful music flowed through the long halls of Quatre's mansion. Duo slowly walked to the source of the flowing melody. He leaned against the door frame and watched Quatre and Trowa finish the song.
"Mind telling me exactly when did you two have time to become musicians during the war?" Quatre laughed as Trowa placed the flute in his lap.
"My father made me take music lessons to preoccupy me from the war. I ended up fighting anyway," Quatre said sadly.
"Aw, sorry Q-man!" Duo said sympathetically. Quatre nodded, accepting the apology.
"Do you play an instrument?" Trowa asked, quietly changing the subject.
"Nope. I had to take care of the kids at the orphanage," Duo said proudly. Quatre smiled and nodded while the three continued the conversation.

* * * * *

"PLUTO!" Serena shrieked running to the other woman. She went to hug Pluto but her arms passed right through her. "P-Pluto what happened?"
"I am the guardian spirit of the Gates of Time. Technically I am Sailor Pluto but my body died. Since I haven't been relieved of my duties as guardian, my spirit came immediately back to the gates to keep guard. But I would like you to meet some one who is alive in spirit and flesh."
"Serenity-sama?" a small child-like voice asked from the inside the shadowed doorway of the gates.

* * * * *

"I still don't see how you two became pilots and musicians..." Duo said trailing off while listening to the hypnotizing music.

* * * * *

"Hotaru-chan? Y-you're alive!" Serena exclaimed hugging the younger girl. "How?"
"I am the senshi of death and rebirth. If I die I will just be reborn," Hotaru said explaining her situation as best she could.
"What about your star seed doesn't Chaos have it?" Serena asked puzzled.
"Chaos has a shell of my star seed. Because everyone is born with a star seed mine was taken from Chaos's collection. As soon as Chaos touches the shell it will shatter into a fine dust."
"Serena we better get going or the pilots will start worrying," Luna said.
"Hang on... Setsuna-san can I ask you a favor?" Serena asked.
"It depends on what the favor is."
"Can you show me the gundam pilots pasts?" Serena pleaded. Setsuna frowned trying to decide.
"Well if you're going to live with them... then I suppose it's necessary to know what they've gone through," Setsuna decided finally. "First I will show you Quatre's past." Serena awaited the images.

*Flash*
"Good bye my little baby boy..." A young lady whispered before passing on.
"Quatrina Winner. Time of death..." the doctor's voice faded as a new image came.
* * *
"Come on Quatre! We will force you if me have to!" an older girl yelled at Quatre.
"Yeah Quatre! Get dad's papers or we'll lock you in the closet!" the second girl said threateningly.
"No! Dad said never touch those papers!" Quatre said worried what they would do.
"You always were a goody two shoes," the third muttered shoving the three year old Quatre in the closet. Quatre slammed against the back wall of the closet before sitting and banging his tiny fists on the door for half an hour. Another girl walked down the hall and past the closet humming.
"Iria? Iria is that you?" Quatre yelled. Iria paused before running to the door.
"Quatre?! Hang on!" Iria said fiddling with the lock. She swung the door open and helped Quatre into the light. Quatre's right arm was slit down the side and bleeding. His right shoulder was bruised and tears were streaming down his face. "Quatre what happened?" Iria asked taking him into the bathroom to bandage him up.
"Ashley*, Sinead*, and Angelica* threw me in the closet for not getting dad's papers," Quatre explained wiping away his tears as Iria started to wash his cut.
"How did you get this though?" Iria asked using her finger to gently trace over the open cut. Quatre grimaced.
"I hit the back wall of the closet. It had a nail sticking out and I hit it. Then I slid down the wall and it made the gash," Quatre whispered. Iria finished bandaging Quatre. She took his uninjured arm and led him out of the bathroom.
"You'll have a scar, but it shouldn't be infected," Iria explained. "Let's get something to eat."
* * *
"Quatre has twenty nine sisters. He's the youngest and only boy of his family. He was also told he was a test tube baby, but in fact his mother died giving birth to him," Setsuna's voice interrupted.
* * *
"Mr. Winner we're being taken hostage what should we do?" the pilot asked urgently.
"I'm going to take a nap. You may do as you please..." Quatre replied.
"B-but Mr. Winner!"
"Good night!" Quatre said annoyed.
* * *
The spy in the Magnaac forces broke free from his bindings and shot at Rashid. Quatre pushed Rashid out of the way but his efforts were futile. Both Quatre and Rashid were hit by the bullet. Rashid was hit in the chest and Quatre in the shoulder.
* * *
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO! FATHER!" Quatre yelled trying to get his father to come back. He was gone. Now he was rightful owner of the Winner corporations. No father or mother. It was just his sisters and him now. He didn't even know if Iria was going to live through this...
* * *
"Trowa's dead. He can't be found any where. Forget Trowa and your emotions. Concentrate on your mission!" the scientists barked at Quatre.
*Flash*
"This is Trowa's past..." Setsuna said.
* * *
He didn't know who he was. He had no name so he was called Nanashi. He didn't know his age, therefore, he estimated he was about ten years old. He didn't know his family. No one mentioned relatives around him. He was a nameless soldier in a nameless rebel group. Then Midii came... She was bitter and envious. Though she seemed willing to help the rebel group. But she didn't. She had been betraying the rebel group from the beginning. Using the mini video game that hung on a necklace around her neck she transmitted all their secrets and plans. She said she did it because if she didn't her brothers and ailing father would be killed. She watched him walk away. They haven't met again... yet. It's an unmistakable feeling. They will meet again for better or worse.
* * *
When Trowa met Quatre the hit off right away. They were so different but are best friends now.
* * *
Trowa then got amnesia after he fought Quatre in the ZERO system. He met Catherine who refused to let him fight. She finally found her baby brother and he went to go fight in the war again.
*Flash*
Duo's past...
* * *
Duo was a street wise orphan. He'd steal to get food for himself and the other orphans. After Solo, the previous leader of the orphans, died telling Duo how he wished they had gotten to know each other better, Duo named himself Duo. He was taken in by Sister Helen and Father Maxwell after being caught stealing from the soldiers. Sister Helen acted like a mother to him. She was the one who taught him to braid his hair after he refused to cut it.
* * *
"I don't believe in God," Duo stated one day.
"And why as that?" Father Maxwell asked curious.
"Well if God is real why doesn't he stop the war?"
"People created this war and, therefore, should end it."
"I believe in a god!" Duo said boldly as Father Maxwell smiled down on him.
"Oh?" Sister Helen said.
"I believe in Shinigami!" Duo said grinning happily.
"Why is that child?" Sister Helen asked a little taken aback.
"Well I've never seen a miracle, but you see dead people almost every single day!" Duo said choosing a logical answer.
* * *
Duo was a very intelligent child. He was top student in his school, but often beat up the other kids for picking on him. Father Maxwell told Duo he didn't care how many times he had to apologize for Duo disagreeing with the federation school's ideals as long as he kept his grades up and studied hard.
* * *
One day Duo went out one day to go get a mobile suit so the soldiers would leave. He came back to find Father Maxwell dead. He held Sister Helen during her last few minutes on Earth. She told him how the federation attacked while he was gone to. "Duo, I'm so glad you're all right. M-may God bless and keep you-you..." were Sister Helen's last words.
* * *
Duo then adopted the name Maxwell to avenge Father Maxwell's death. For weeks Duo wandered the streets aimlessly before Sister Mary brought him to the orphanage she was in charge of. Then about a year after that Duo found you and Professor G...
*Flash*
"Wufei's past..."
* * *
"It's a boy."
"Good. He'll become head of the Dragon clan by marrying the girl, Meiran."
* * *
"You're that scholar boy," Meiran said watching her husband.
"Are you dissatisfied?" Wufei asked disgusted.
"A person like you has no right to carry on the line of our proud clan," was all that was heard from Meiran.
"Oh? Well, it certainly wasn't my idea," Wufei said angrily throwing his marriage garbs on the ground. He walked out of the room with out any regrets.
* * *
Wufei sat on a hill reading. Meiran walked up and put her hands on her hips. "Why don't you practice fighting like the others, scholar boy?"
"There's no point to fight..."
"Yes! For justice!" Meiran told him, her voice laced with pride.
"There is no such thing," Wufei said plainly.
"I'll show you!" Meiran charged at Wufei and dealt a flurry of punches and kicks. He dodged them all with ease. Realizing he was more advanced in skill he let his guard down. That's when he felt his mistake. Meiran dealt a swift kick to his stomach. She was proud and slowed her attacks down, plus the rain that had started pour after the sparring started wasn't helping her balance. Wufei was angry with himself for letting her get a blow in. He took his anger out on her. One kick to her unprotected neck sent her sprawling into the mud. He was shocked to find she was conscious. She pushed herself onto all fours and panted for breath. "It can't be... I'm the strongest of the clan..."
"A fight based on justice is meaningless because there is no such thing," Wufei said as Meiran drug herself to her feet.
"I know that, but I have to fight... It's the way of the Dragon clan," Meiran whispered tears streaming her face. Wufei felt bad but didn't let it get to him. He spun on his heel and walked away. "Wufei..." he heard her whisper.
* * *
The mobile suits started attacking without warning. Meiran ran to the new mobile suit in the hangar. She shoved Master D out of the way and jumped into the cockpit.
"NO! A woman isn't strong enough to pilot a mobile suit!" Master D shouted to her.
She stuck her head out the open cockpit door and shouted, "From here on I give up being a woman!!! I am Nataku!" She fired up the engines and took off towards the other mobile suits. Wufei growled.
"Woman you're not strong enough to defeat them!" Wufei shouted at the retreating figure before jumping into Shenlong and taking off after her.
* * *
The enemy mobile suits were gone because of her, but her life was gone too. She had asked him to take her to the small field of flowers she protected. He smiled grimly at her while carrying her to the small hill they had fought on. The flowers and hill were untouched, but the land and buildings around it were smoldering reckages. "You're so much stronger than I give you credit for," Wufei said looking around to see every flower untouched.
"But you're stronger," Meiran whispered. Wufei looked down at her smiling face.
"Meiran? Meiran?" he asked shaking her. "MEIRAN!!!" he yelled, his voice full of anger and grief. He always acted so stuck up around her. He never got to tell her how he really felt...
*Flash*
"Heero's past..."
* * *
Heero walked through the rubble slowly, looking for casualties. He passed up bricks, shattered panes of glass, and a tattered teddy bear. He kept walking until he heard a soft groan. He kicked a piece of rubble over to find the small kitten from this afternoon underneath. He scooped her up into his arms, holding her protectively. He thought back to earlier today, "Come Luna!" echoed through his mind. "Luna... Luna wake up," he said quietly. The small bleeding cat stirred in his arms but didn't wake. Heero went and sifted through the debree. He found the girl's parents, neighbors, and the landowner all dead, bloody, and bruised. The girl was gone. He had lost her. His careless actions had caused the death of a young, innocent girl. Heero shook his head, disgusted with himself, before turning and walking off into the rising sun with Luna and the flower the girl had given him in hand.
* * *
He had managed to sneak Luna passed Odin, but how long could he keep her here? Heero asked himself this repeatedly while gently bandaging the kitten's wounds. Heero remembered bandaging his puppy like this. Ookami played rough and always got hurt. Odin Lowe, the assassin training Heero, had given Heero Ookami saying he was gift. Poor Ookami didn't realize he was anything but. The puppy was a test. A test on Heero's emotions. To see how far Heero would go before snapping. Ookami was used to see what push Heero to the brink. Odin would beat Ookami while Heero wasn't looking, then Ookami would come limping back to Heero with a broken leg or sprained ankle. One day Ookami wised up and attacked Odin. Heero heard Ookami struggling and rushed to see what the matter was. He got there in time to see Odin throw Ookami across the room into a wall. Odin then brought his revolver from his belt and shot five bullets. All five shots were dead on and the small pieces of metal embedded themselves into the tiny dog's body. Odin was about to shoot a sixth bullet, but Heero beat him to it. Heero had picked up the pistol off the dresser and shot the revolver out of Odin's hand. Odin dropped his gun and stared at the dead animal's body for a bit before turning and smiling a cruel smile at Heero.
"Don't get so attached," he said walking out the door, leaving Heero to clean up the mess.
* * *
"A good man... ugh... lives by his emotions... remember that," was the last thing Odin Lowe said to Heero before he died. Heero nodded silently before uttering his famous words...
"Mission accepted." He bent down and snatched the remote off the ground. He calmly walked down the street as though he didn't have a care in the world. The explosives went off. Sirens followed. Heero kept walking, and didn't look back. His past laid back there. Back in the flames with Odin Lowe... Now all he had to look forward to was Luna waiting for him.
* * *
Luna was sleeping. She knew she could talk, but hadn't before in this life. "Serena!" she said aloud while waking up. She blinked at her surroundings. Heero sat smiling at her. She gulped nervously.
"Who's Serena?" he asked curiously.
"M-meow..." Luna stammered. Heero smiled again and held his arm out. Luna jumped on his arm and sat on his shoulder.
"How come you don't talk to me?"
"I'm not supposed to talk at all. I'm a cat," Luna said thinking aloud. She immediately realized her mistake and jumped on to the bed. She slowly backed into a corner ashamed of herself. Heero walked up to her and held his arm out again. Luna backed away. Heero bent over the bed and picked Luna up. She struggled and tried to wiggle free from his grasp. Finally she calmed down. Heero laid down on the bed and placed Luna on his chest. Both stared at each other a bit before Luna asked, "Where's Odin Lowe?"
"He died in the mission."
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Luna said ashamed again.
"Hn."
"You don't care do you?"
"I'm an assassin. I'm not supposed to care. He did what he could."
"If you don't care about those you've killed then why did Serena's death effect you so much?"
"Who's Serena?" Heero asked, his eyes hardening.
"My mistress. The little girl that gave you the flower. Why did her death effect you so much?"
"Hn. Did you see the scars on Odin's hands?"
"Yes."
"Ookami and I made those. Ookami was my dog. He bit Odin right before he was killed. Odin shot Ookami five times. He was about to use his sixth bullet, but I shot him in the left hand..." Heero stood up clutching Luna to his chest. He grabbed his coat and put it around the both of them.
* * *
"Ookami..." Luna murmured reading the rotted wood grave stone. Luna looked up at Heero. "Ookami was a test. You thought Serena was like you before you became an assassin."
"You're wise for a kitten," Heero said turning away from the grave stone.
"I'm wise but... I'm forgetting something important..." Luna said before looking at Heero before licking his cheek.
* * *
"I will... I will... I will... I WILL SURVIVE!!!" Heero shouted destroying Libra. The pilots started heading back home. Everyone was busy chatting while Duo and Heero stayed quiet. 'I wonder who he has waiting for him...' Heero thought referring to Duo.
* * *
"Where are we going?" Luna asked watching Heero delete any trace of himself ever renting the apartment.
"Hn."
"Just my luck. The one time I decide to speak freely he doesn't answer," Luna muttered walking away from him to the end of the bed. Heero shut off the computer, and picked up Luna.
"Come on loud mouth. We were invited to stay at Quatre's for a while." Luna blinked letting the information soak in. She meowed and lick Heero's cheek. Heero smiled at her. "Happy?" Luna nodded.
* * *
Heero sat in front of a computer deleting any information on the gundams, scientists, and pilots. He was in a guest room, which he and Luna shared at Quatre's house. Luna awoke at the sound of Heero typing. She yawned quietly and pounced on his shoulder. "Why are you up so late?" she asked staring at the computer screen. When she didn't get a reply she crawled on to the top of his head and leaned over so all Heero could see was her face. He leaned back in his chair and stopped typing.
"Yes?"
"What are you doing up this late?" Luna asked starting to fall forward. She tumbled off of his head and landed in his lap.
"You still act like a kitten," Heero said picking her up and setting her on his pillow. "Go to sleep." Luna sighed.
"G'night."
"Night."
* * *
Each blast weakened the shield around the building, but also destroyed the Wing Gundam. The final blast shattered the shield, and the ZERO system. Wing started to plummet to the Earth, while the panicking soldiers ran in circles trying to make some sense of their situation. Heero opened the cockpit, and climbed out of his gundam. He plummeted to the ground with the burnt piece of gundanium alloy.
* * *
Serena thought back. Heero's voice echoed through her mind. "Stop this! It's insane! The death is pointless! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I LOSE THE LITTLE GIRL?!" he had shouted while shooting the shield.
"Heero..." Serena said aloud. She lifted the Silver Crystal and concentrated. White feather wings shimmered to life on her back. She was Princess Serenity now. "I'm so so sorry. I was the cause of all your pain. Please forgive me..." she whispered catching him in midair. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she slowly leaned in and kissed him softly. She smiled sadly at him as she set him down on the ground next to his mobile suit.

* * * * *

Serena fell to her knees gasping. Setsuna was panting slightly, and using the garnet rod for support. "S-Setsuna... What were those last i-images?" Serena asked shakily.
"There is a fine line that separates the past from the future. Forgive me Princess, for I have let you see beyond it," Setsuna said bowing. "It is time for you to leave." Serena nodded and stood up slowly. She took Hotaru's hand and smiled at Setsuna.
"Thank you Setsuna."
"Good bye Setsuna-mama!" Hotaru said happily waving at her guardian.

* * * * *

Serena's hanging head snapped up as soon as she heard the soft melody of the song 'For the Princess'. Hotaru's eye widened, and Luna, in cat form, bounded out the door.
'It couldn't be Michiru and Haruka... Could it?' Serena asked herself increasing her speed.
______________________________________________________________________
Jeez! Long chapter! Okay the next chapter might take a bit longer to get out because:
A. I have a cold.
B. I have to play in the basketball tournament.
C. We have Terra Novas (those stupid standardize tests used to see how smart the students
are) all next week.
D. I'm searching for this stupid virus that's in my laptop's disk drive. (It caused my laptop to
crash numerous times that's why this wasn't out sooner.)
E. St. Patrick's Day is coming up! I'm near 75% Irish so I'm gonna be partying!!! ^_^
So now that my small list of excuses is over I guess I gotta go work on 'When the Mirror
Shatters'... Ja ne!!! ^_~*

~~ chibi-chan