Chapter 32: The final plan
Hey, hey! This author's note is going to be a bit long because I should probably explain a few things. First, for those who didn't get the last scene (the images on the wall), let me explain. They guys were upset over what Relena showed them, not because of the painting nails thing, but that the girls were 'consorting with the enemy' as Heero would put it. They thought the girls had betrayed them. Next, I'm sorry I haven't given all the couples their deserved spotlight time, but Duo/Venus and Wufei/Mars happen to be my favorite pairs. Anyway, each of the under appreciated pairs will get the spotlight for a while here. Well, here is my new chapter!
Mercury P.O.V.
Mercury sat in the lab until late in the night, wondering about the chip. Serenity had taken it to give the Scouts some rest, but Mercury couldn't help feeling tense. (Something bad is going to come out of that chip. I know it.) She swiveled in her chair at a light tap on her shoulder. Quatre stood behind her with a steaming mug in his hands.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked softly.
Mercury shook her head. "No. I can't stop thinking about that chip."
Quatre held the cup out to her. "Drink some. It helps."
Mercury smiled up at him and took it. Looking down into it, she let the vapors warm her face. "Hot chocolate. Thanks." She tilted the mug up and took a long sip. She smiled again and handed it back to him.
Quatre smiled back and sat down in the chair next to her. They sat in the feathery silence of the lab. Quatre closed his eyes and sighed, making the steam from the cup blow away momentarily. "What will happen?"
Mercury looked over at him. "To what?"
"With everything." He leaned his head back and looked at the high ceiling. "This chip, this kingdom, the others, us." His eyes dropped down to his cup.
Mercury smiled softly. "What happens, happens." She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. "That's the way it always goes. It's the enemy's turn." She sighed, which worked its way into a yawn. "They will probably attack tomorrow. But without their crystal, they are powerless." She closed her eyes. "Well, maybe not powerless. The chip might not control the power for the crystal. If I had to guess, it only regulates power coming and going..." She yawned again and wrapped her arms around Quatre, who brushed her hair back in a slow, steady movement. "Either way," She continued. "The crystal is unlikely to be able to do anything without it..." She drifted off, and finally fell into sleep.
Quatre smiled and put his chin on her head. "Good night..."
Jupiter P.O.V.
Heero and Jupiter laid on their backs, staring up at Heero's ceiling. Heero blinked slowly. "17."
Jupiter looked over at him. "Really? I could have sworn you were around 16, or even 15. Maybe it's because you're so thin..." She poked him playfully in the ribs.
Heero caught her hand and squeezed it. "Hn."
Jupiter rolled her eyes and looked back up at the ceiling. "How can you take it?" She asked after a moment.
"The killing?" Heero asked.
Jupiter nodded. "With us, our enemies are always clear cut, they are plain evil, come to our planet to either destroy us, or our people. But you, you fight other humans." Her eyes drifted. "For you, evil isn't so plain cut..."
"Where we come from, beings from other planets don't come down and try to destroy us. We may not be fighting pure evil, but for me, anyone who stands before me with a desire to fight is my enemy. Those who try to take my life are my enemies. Those who toy with my life are my enemies." Heero looked away.
"So when we fight in the training room, am I an enemy?" Jupiter rolled over and put her head on his chest.
He looked down on her. "No. When we fight there, it is training. Not battle."
Jupiter smiled. She pulled her head up and kissed his neck. She suddenly giggled. "You are just so thin..."
Heero smiled barely. "Hn."
Jupiter rolled her eyes. "I'll get some weight on you eventually." With that, she pulled his chin down and kissed him for a long moment.
When they separated, Heero's mask dropped for a second, and Jupiter saw something too quick to identify it. She smiled again and leaned her head back on his chest. She almost laughed to feel his heart beating wildly against his ribs. Leaning up over him, she pulled her face inches from his and breathed slowly, one hand over his now frantic heart, the other on his shoulder. "Heero Yuy, you had better get control over your heart beat. Someone might actually think you were happy." Her coy smile was suddenly cut off as Heero leaned forward and stopped thinking so much.
A few hours later~~~ Trowa P.O.V.
Trowa awoke at what would have been dawn, except the dark clouds that had been present ever since they came back, were blocking the sun. Looking down at Laytha sleeping soundly next to him, Trowa smiled. (Once there is peace...) His mind trailed off suggestively as he pulled on his clothes. (We just talked and slept.) He reminded himself sternly, but he couldn't help blushing in the dark.
He heard stirring behind him and turned to see Laytha brushing out her wavy red hair. "Morning." She said over her shoulder, before pulling on a long t-shirt. Her stomach rumbled loudly. Trowa looked at her and smiled.
"Are you hungry?"
Laytha nodded fervently and took his arm to help her up. Then, without warning, she pulled his head down and kissed him. "Yeah. We have a big day today; let's have breakfast." She pulled Trowa along with her, while he touched his tingling lips and smiled.
A little bit later~~~
The Scouts and boys went to Serenity after breakfast, to see what the plan was with the chip. Serenity nodded and greeted them all. "Now, as for the chip, I managed to get all the dark energy out of it and disassemble it enough that they won't be able to put it back together in weeks. But we won't give them a few weeks. Once they figure out we have destroyed two of their people, and have taken the chip, they'll mount an attack. They will most likely pull out all their forces to destroy us before we can get into their core. Boys-" Zechs cleared his throat audibly. Serenity smiled. "And men. You will work your way in from the front, destroying anything you come across. You will focus on mobile suits, but anything else you see is good. The majority of youmas would be destroyed by now, so that would leave ships and the remainder of their officers. Relena is the only one that gave us real trouble, and she's gone, so they shouldn't be much of a problem. Scouts, you will pull an attack on the crystal itself. You'll work your way in-"
"Wait, the girls are going into the middle of the enemy force?" Heero tensed. "That would be-"
"Dangerous?" Jupiter finished. She smiled and shook her head. "We've been in worse. Don't worry about us. Just concentrate on your mission."
Serenity nodded. "Yes. Jupiter's right. Just concentrate on your part. Now Scouts, once you get to the heart, destroy as much as you can, but the second you get a free chance, get a planet attack with the Scouts near you. Don't all of you group together; that will make you an easy target. Anyway, break down the crystal as much as you can, but don't launch a direct attack on the energy crystal. It would be fine if you just glance it, but take care of everything else, before you take that down."
"But if the crystal is their source of power, why shouldn't it be destroyed?" Zechs asked, crossing his arms.
"Because," Mercury answered. "The energy in that crystal is enough to wipe out the entire kingdom. If we were to unleash it without restraint..." She looked away.
The others nodded. "Looks like that's the plan." Venus stood up and smoothed her uniform. "Should we wait for them?"
"If it is possible to fight the enemy closer to their base, it is always better." Heero closed his eyes and straightened.
"Especially if we have allies entering enemy territory." Wufei added.
"Then it's settled." Uranus pronounced.
"Let's go. They could already be mobilizing." Saturn said in her small voice.
Serenity nodded them farewells. "Good luck."
Ten minutes later, ten Scouts stood scattered across various buildings, and six Gundams stood across the streets.
"Where are they?" Venus wondered aloud.
"Maybe they are trying to lure us in." Trowa suggested.
"Well, then we should go meet them." Mars said gravely, before leaping off a few more rooftops towards the dark crystal. The others cautiously followed. Mars stopped, sighting something a few roofs away.
"It's Diamond." Venus spat.
"And Emerald, and Rubius." Laytha observed.
Diamond's voice carried over the short distance. "I believe you have something that belongs to us."
"We want the chip back!" Emerald shouted.
"And you will pay dearly for what you did to Sapphire and Relena!" Rubius continued.
"What you didn't bother to make a spare chip?" Rini mocked.
"And Relena and Sapphire had it coming to them!" Jupiter yelled.
"Just as you have this coming to you!" Mars yelled, gathering energy.
He he he... Nice place to leave off don't you think... Well, I know this is really short but I really have to think about what's going to happen next. Like I promised, all the other couples got some time to themselves. Sorry Trowa was a little cut short, but they just are a little hard to write for... Oh, and just letting you all know, I have a feeling this story is nearing its end. Or maybe not, I might add a new twist in the next few chapters. Anyway, R&R, 'kay!
Hey, hey! This author's note is going to be a bit long because I should probably explain a few things. First, for those who didn't get the last scene (the images on the wall), let me explain. They guys were upset over what Relena showed them, not because of the painting nails thing, but that the girls were 'consorting with the enemy' as Heero would put it. They thought the girls had betrayed them. Next, I'm sorry I haven't given all the couples their deserved spotlight time, but Duo/Venus and Wufei/Mars happen to be my favorite pairs. Anyway, each of the under appreciated pairs will get the spotlight for a while here. Well, here is my new chapter!
Mercury P.O.V.
Mercury sat in the lab until late in the night, wondering about the chip. Serenity had taken it to give the Scouts some rest, but Mercury couldn't help feeling tense. (Something bad is going to come out of that chip. I know it.) She swiveled in her chair at a light tap on her shoulder. Quatre stood behind her with a steaming mug in his hands.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked softly.
Mercury shook her head. "No. I can't stop thinking about that chip."
Quatre held the cup out to her. "Drink some. It helps."
Mercury smiled up at him and took it. Looking down into it, she let the vapors warm her face. "Hot chocolate. Thanks." She tilted the mug up and took a long sip. She smiled again and handed it back to him.
Quatre smiled back and sat down in the chair next to her. They sat in the feathery silence of the lab. Quatre closed his eyes and sighed, making the steam from the cup blow away momentarily. "What will happen?"
Mercury looked over at him. "To what?"
"With everything." He leaned his head back and looked at the high ceiling. "This chip, this kingdom, the others, us." His eyes dropped down to his cup.
Mercury smiled softly. "What happens, happens." She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. "That's the way it always goes. It's the enemy's turn." She sighed, which worked its way into a yawn. "They will probably attack tomorrow. But without their crystal, they are powerless." She closed her eyes. "Well, maybe not powerless. The chip might not control the power for the crystal. If I had to guess, it only regulates power coming and going..." She yawned again and wrapped her arms around Quatre, who brushed her hair back in a slow, steady movement. "Either way," She continued. "The crystal is unlikely to be able to do anything without it..." She drifted off, and finally fell into sleep.
Quatre smiled and put his chin on her head. "Good night..."
Jupiter P.O.V.
Heero and Jupiter laid on their backs, staring up at Heero's ceiling. Heero blinked slowly. "17."
Jupiter looked over at him. "Really? I could have sworn you were around 16, or even 15. Maybe it's because you're so thin..." She poked him playfully in the ribs.
Heero caught her hand and squeezed it. "Hn."
Jupiter rolled her eyes and looked back up at the ceiling. "How can you take it?" She asked after a moment.
"The killing?" Heero asked.
Jupiter nodded. "With us, our enemies are always clear cut, they are plain evil, come to our planet to either destroy us, or our people. But you, you fight other humans." Her eyes drifted. "For you, evil isn't so plain cut..."
"Where we come from, beings from other planets don't come down and try to destroy us. We may not be fighting pure evil, but for me, anyone who stands before me with a desire to fight is my enemy. Those who try to take my life are my enemies. Those who toy with my life are my enemies." Heero looked away.
"So when we fight in the training room, am I an enemy?" Jupiter rolled over and put her head on his chest.
He looked down on her. "No. When we fight there, it is training. Not battle."
Jupiter smiled. She pulled her head up and kissed his neck. She suddenly giggled. "You are just so thin..."
Heero smiled barely. "Hn."
Jupiter rolled her eyes. "I'll get some weight on you eventually." With that, she pulled his chin down and kissed him for a long moment.
When they separated, Heero's mask dropped for a second, and Jupiter saw something too quick to identify it. She smiled again and leaned her head back on his chest. She almost laughed to feel his heart beating wildly against his ribs. Leaning up over him, she pulled her face inches from his and breathed slowly, one hand over his now frantic heart, the other on his shoulder. "Heero Yuy, you had better get control over your heart beat. Someone might actually think you were happy." Her coy smile was suddenly cut off as Heero leaned forward and stopped thinking so much.
A few hours later~~~ Trowa P.O.V.
Trowa awoke at what would have been dawn, except the dark clouds that had been present ever since they came back, were blocking the sun. Looking down at Laytha sleeping soundly next to him, Trowa smiled. (Once there is peace...) His mind trailed off suggestively as he pulled on his clothes. (We just talked and slept.) He reminded himself sternly, but he couldn't help blushing in the dark.
He heard stirring behind him and turned to see Laytha brushing out her wavy red hair. "Morning." She said over her shoulder, before pulling on a long t-shirt. Her stomach rumbled loudly. Trowa looked at her and smiled.
"Are you hungry?"
Laytha nodded fervently and took his arm to help her up. Then, without warning, she pulled his head down and kissed him. "Yeah. We have a big day today; let's have breakfast." She pulled Trowa along with her, while he touched his tingling lips and smiled.
A little bit later~~~
The Scouts and boys went to Serenity after breakfast, to see what the plan was with the chip. Serenity nodded and greeted them all. "Now, as for the chip, I managed to get all the dark energy out of it and disassemble it enough that they won't be able to put it back together in weeks. But we won't give them a few weeks. Once they figure out we have destroyed two of their people, and have taken the chip, they'll mount an attack. They will most likely pull out all their forces to destroy us before we can get into their core. Boys-" Zechs cleared his throat audibly. Serenity smiled. "And men. You will work your way in from the front, destroying anything you come across. You will focus on mobile suits, but anything else you see is good. The majority of youmas would be destroyed by now, so that would leave ships and the remainder of their officers. Relena is the only one that gave us real trouble, and she's gone, so they shouldn't be much of a problem. Scouts, you will pull an attack on the crystal itself. You'll work your way in-"
"Wait, the girls are going into the middle of the enemy force?" Heero tensed. "That would be-"
"Dangerous?" Jupiter finished. She smiled and shook her head. "We've been in worse. Don't worry about us. Just concentrate on your mission."
Serenity nodded. "Yes. Jupiter's right. Just concentrate on your part. Now Scouts, once you get to the heart, destroy as much as you can, but the second you get a free chance, get a planet attack with the Scouts near you. Don't all of you group together; that will make you an easy target. Anyway, break down the crystal as much as you can, but don't launch a direct attack on the energy crystal. It would be fine if you just glance it, but take care of everything else, before you take that down."
"But if the crystal is their source of power, why shouldn't it be destroyed?" Zechs asked, crossing his arms.
"Because," Mercury answered. "The energy in that crystal is enough to wipe out the entire kingdom. If we were to unleash it without restraint..." She looked away.
The others nodded. "Looks like that's the plan." Venus stood up and smoothed her uniform. "Should we wait for them?"
"If it is possible to fight the enemy closer to their base, it is always better." Heero closed his eyes and straightened.
"Especially if we have allies entering enemy territory." Wufei added.
"Then it's settled." Uranus pronounced.
"Let's go. They could already be mobilizing." Saturn said in her small voice.
Serenity nodded them farewells. "Good luck."
Ten minutes later, ten Scouts stood scattered across various buildings, and six Gundams stood across the streets.
"Where are they?" Venus wondered aloud.
"Maybe they are trying to lure us in." Trowa suggested.
"Well, then we should go meet them." Mars said gravely, before leaping off a few more rooftops towards the dark crystal. The others cautiously followed. Mars stopped, sighting something a few roofs away.
"It's Diamond." Venus spat.
"And Emerald, and Rubius." Laytha observed.
Diamond's voice carried over the short distance. "I believe you have something that belongs to us."
"We want the chip back!" Emerald shouted.
"And you will pay dearly for what you did to Sapphire and Relena!" Rubius continued.
"What you didn't bother to make a spare chip?" Rini mocked.
"And Relena and Sapphire had it coming to them!" Jupiter yelled.
"Just as you have this coming to you!" Mars yelled, gathering energy.
He he he... Nice place to leave off don't you think... Well, I know this is really short but I really have to think about what's going to happen next. Like I promised, all the other couples got some time to themselves. Sorry Trowa was a little cut short, but they just are a little hard to write for... Oh, and just letting you all know, I have a feeling this story is nearing its end. Or maybe not, I might add a new twist in the next few chapters. Anyway, R&R, 'kay!