Author's Notes: I don't own them. Don't sue. I do love my beta readers and reviewers though!!! Keep my ratio under 30 to 1, and we all go home happy (and the next chapter gets up faster.)
And to the 16 people who have me on Author Alert - If you like my writing, I'd appreciate a review. I'm sure that as an author you can appreciate the intense desire for feedback. If you've decided you don't like my writing, take me off of author alert so that I won't get my hopes up. Thank you.
Quote of the Week: "Getting Rose angry really isn't something you want to do - who knows how secure her mental institute really is?" ~ I have no idea who first said this, so I give credit to everyone who's ever seen me annoyed.
This chapter is dedicated to my beta reader Cheryl, who is currently in the hospital for reasons unknown to me. *hugs* Get better soon!!!
That's What It Takes - Chapter 2
By: Eternal Rose
"Heero." Trowa said, his eyes widening in shock. They continued to stare at each other, although both lowered their guns.
"Trowa." Heero replied, nodding his head. He stepped calmly closer, heading towards the door. "What are you doing here? The plan specifically stated that I would infiltrate the base."
"We weren't sure you'd be here." Heero glared at him, and Trowa shrugged him shoulders casually. "Someone had to take up the slack left by your disappearance for the past few months."
An eyebrow arched, but Heero said nothing as he motioned for Trowa to follow him. Now was neither the time nor place to discuss such things. The two cautiously sneaked out into the hallway, and back through the base to the entrance. The trip was completely uneventful, save one or two random soldiers who died long before they realized what was about to happen.
When they reached the mouth of the cave, Trowa immediately headed towards his rope, intent on climbing back to his Gundam and helping the others. Heero, on the other hand walked right over to the edge of the cliff and jumped off it. Had it been in Trowa's nature to scream, it is likely he would have at that moment, watching his friend jump into a pit that had already killed five or more men that day. However Heero, in his usual style, released a parachute at the last possible moment and landed precisely in the water. Trowa shrugged and continued climbing.
The rest of the battle was pretty typical. Scythe, beam cannon, and all of the other usual weapons were used to destroy the other mobile suits until the remaining ones gave up and ran away. It was only after the battle that the pilots had time to talk amongst themselves…
"So Heero, where have you been buddy?" Duo asked, curiosity ringing in his voice. Heero rewarded him with the traditional "Glare of Death Say Another Word and I Will Kill You" look. Each pilot inwardly sighed, half relief and half despair, although none gave any outward indication of it. Relief was for the fact that Heero was still alive, and better yet that he could still fight and fight well. Despair came from the emotionless look on his face as they headed back towards Quatre's mansion.
"Heero, do you think you could come back with us?" Quatre asked. "I'm sure that the others will be glad to see you again."
Heero grunted what sounded like an assent, and the pilots relaxed slightly. It had been agreed without a word that Heero would be coming back with them even if they had to resort to dragging him. However, it made life easier if he came of his own accord. This way they wouldn't have to worry about him doing whatever was necessary to escape.
The rest of the flight passed without incident, none speaking but all aware of the others presence.
~* The Astral Realm *~
"Mother!" Serenity called loudly. "Mother!"
"Relax, my darling, I'm here." Queen Serenity appeared before her daughter, and smiled at her. Serenity, however, was too busy shaking to calm down. In a move she had learned from her beloved, Serenity glared at her long dead mother.
"Remind me to not make both you and Heero mad at the same time." Said the Queen, a hint of humor in her voice. "I don't think I'd survive receiving that glare twice at one time."
"Mother, this situation is not in the least bit amusing." Serenity said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why am I here? And what was that dream about? I could hear your voice towards the end, telling me that the girl I dreamed I was and the boy I was with were destined to become myself and Heero."
"Serenity, do you remember what happened just before you entered that dream?" The elder woman asked, watching her daughter's face cautiously. This crucial piece of information that seemed to be missing could destroy her precious child. No one wants to hurt their own child.
"Well…" Serenity's voice trailed off as she tried to recall. Her face screwed up as she searched her memory. "I was battling against Endymion. He and Metallia had managed to corrupt Beryl's mind. Heero was fighting Endymion with a sword, but Heero's leg was wounded and wouldn't support him. Endymion raised his sword to strike the last blow, but I couldn't let him, and so I used the Crystal to fix everything and then I was in the dream."
"I am sorry to tell you that there was more to it then that." The queen said, a note of pain in her voice. "Serenity, you used the Crystal far too often that day. You are aware that it all happened over the course of a single day, aren't you? From the time you defeated the youma until the time you destroyed Endymion, a mere day had passed. You were drained and running out of energy. So much so as to cause your body to dissolve when you finally saved your friends."
"Did I… did I die?" Serenity's eyes were wide. She looked at her mother, trying her best not to cry. The queen's heart went out to her, and she took her daughter in her arms.
"The events I have told you about took place three months ago." Serenity gasped.
"Heero…" she whispered, and looked up imploringly. "Is Heero all right? What about the others? Do they know what happened to me? Am I going to be reborn again, so that I can be with them again? Mother, tell me, please!"
"The others watched your body disappear." The sad look filled the eyes of both mother and daughter, and the princess began to sob at her mother's next words. "Heero is not all right at all. A few days after the battle, Heero tried to kill himself. Unconsciously, you knew he needed you and sent your spirit to talk him out of it."
"He hasn't been the same since, has he mother?" The queen shook her head in response. "I've caused him so much pain… You still didn't answer my question, though. Will I be reborn to be with them again?"
"No."
~* GW Dimension - Quatre's Mansion *~
"I wonder what's taking them so long." Minako pondered aloud. The pilots had said that they would only be gone for a short time, but that had been hours ago. Their missions, as they called them, sounded so dangerous that it was hard to believe they'd been doing them for so long it was hard to believe that they were still alive.
"Well, given the distance from here to the base, as well as factoring time to defeat all of those mobile suits, sneak into the base, retrieve the data, and fight their way back out again, it is physically impossible for them to have returned by now." Ami said. For the past three months, her mind had been a veritable sponge, soaking up all of the new technology and ideas available. The others rolled their eyes slightly.
Since the death of their princess, all of the senshi had remained together in the hopes of being able to move on from her death. At first, there had been a slight tension between the outer and inner senshi, but it had faded to the point of non-existence as they all came to realize who was to blame for Serenity's death - no one. She had once again chosen to die to save them all, and their was nothing to be done save getting to be allies and friends as she had wanted them to be.
Each of them still felt the pain of her loss and Heero's disappearance, and it manifested itself in each of them differently. Haruka and Michiru had thrown themselves into their music, most of it losing its once joyous tone and becoming melancholy and sad. Together they wrote a beautiful song titled, "For the Princess", which they dedicated to Serenity.
Minako's bright, cheerful nature had dimmed slightly, and she and Motoki had drawn strength from one another. Quatre had gladly taken up the task of showing Ami everything about his dimension, and both were grateful for the distraction from their problems. The beloved brothers of Serenity visited her memorial every other week, each always bringing along a peach rose.
Rei and Wufei had both turned to higher powers to find a reason for their troubles. Many hours were spent meditating on the subject at first, as well as physically training to release their pent-up emotions. Wufei also occasionally instructed Ami in their world, for his past as a scholar had left him with a vast supply of knowledge. Setsuna and Zechs had once again disappeared into a time portal, taking Chibi Usa with them.
Makoto had taken over the kitchen, and kept herself busy teaching Duo how to cook a million different things without destroying the kitchen. Surprisingly, the firemen had only been called in once or twice. Meanwhile, Hotaru and Trowa had been wrapped up in searching for new and more unique lamps to add to their collection.
All the while, they had worried and fretted about Heero. There had not been a single day that passed when he was not thought of or mentioned, in hopes, in prayers, in longings. Fear was the most overpowering emotion experienced when they dwelled on Heero - the fear that he had followed the one he loved into oblivion by taking his own life.
"Hey, is that them?" Hotaru asked, pointing at the sky. The others joined her at the window, and watched as the flying blob slowly separated. One, two, three, four mobile suits they counted. Shock spread across their faces as the fourth suit spread apart and became two distinct shapes.
"You don't think that…" Makoto's voice trailed off hopefully, staring at the approaching five.
"I hope so." Michiru said, concentrating hard on the mobile suits. Ami had whipped out her computer and was scanning them. "I really hope so."
"You guys," Ami said, and a smile had appeared on her face. "Heero's with them. He's still alive, and he's coming back to us!"
"Thank Goddess!" Rei proclaimed. "I hope whatever he was looking for out there he found. Even if he didn't, at least we can help him while he's here with us."
"Hmmm." Haruka murmured. The others turned to look at her, and her face showed a hint of ironic amusement. "At least now Koneko-chan won't have an excuse to be angry with us for not taking care of him for her."
As the suits landed, they all hastened out to the hanger. One by one, the pilots opened the doors of their suits, and climbed from their suits, until only Heero remained hidden from view. Slowly, the door to his cockpit opened, and he slid to the ground.
"Omae o korosu." Heero's monotone filled the room immediately as he raised his gun and leveled it at the girls. The other pilots turned to stare at him.
"Heero?" Quatre asked uncertainly, looking at his sister's love closely for the first time. There were huge bags under his eyes that hinted at sleep deprivation, and he was thinner than he had been previously. His face was cold, and every bit as emotionless as his voice. Fear slid into Quatre's heart.
"Who are these people?" Heero asked, his gun never wavering for a second, not even as they all continued to stare at him. "What are they doing here?"
"You don't remember, do you? You don't remember who they are." Trowa asked quietly. Heero glared at him, and the entire room froze when Heero responded.
"Remember what? I've never met them before in my life."
~* End Chapter 2 *~
O.o;;;; What was I on when I decided how to write this chapter? And what does Heero mean, he doesn't remember them? O.o
*grins nefariously* You'll all find out soon enough, but I already know and I'm not telling yet! Review and you get the next chapter, ne?
~Rose
And to the 16 people who have me on Author Alert - If you like my writing, I'd appreciate a review. I'm sure that as an author you can appreciate the intense desire for feedback. If you've decided you don't like my writing, take me off of author alert so that I won't get my hopes up. Thank you.
Quote of the Week: "Getting Rose angry really isn't something you want to do - who knows how secure her mental institute really is?" ~ I have no idea who first said this, so I give credit to everyone who's ever seen me annoyed.
This chapter is dedicated to my beta reader Cheryl, who is currently in the hospital for reasons unknown to me. *hugs* Get better soon!!!
That's What It Takes - Chapter 2
By: Eternal Rose
"Heero." Trowa said, his eyes widening in shock. They continued to stare at each other, although both lowered their guns.
"Trowa." Heero replied, nodding his head. He stepped calmly closer, heading towards the door. "What are you doing here? The plan specifically stated that I would infiltrate the base."
"We weren't sure you'd be here." Heero glared at him, and Trowa shrugged him shoulders casually. "Someone had to take up the slack left by your disappearance for the past few months."
An eyebrow arched, but Heero said nothing as he motioned for Trowa to follow him. Now was neither the time nor place to discuss such things. The two cautiously sneaked out into the hallway, and back through the base to the entrance. The trip was completely uneventful, save one or two random soldiers who died long before they realized what was about to happen.
When they reached the mouth of the cave, Trowa immediately headed towards his rope, intent on climbing back to his Gundam and helping the others. Heero, on the other hand walked right over to the edge of the cliff and jumped off it. Had it been in Trowa's nature to scream, it is likely he would have at that moment, watching his friend jump into a pit that had already killed five or more men that day. However Heero, in his usual style, released a parachute at the last possible moment and landed precisely in the water. Trowa shrugged and continued climbing.
The rest of the battle was pretty typical. Scythe, beam cannon, and all of the other usual weapons were used to destroy the other mobile suits until the remaining ones gave up and ran away. It was only after the battle that the pilots had time to talk amongst themselves…
"So Heero, where have you been buddy?" Duo asked, curiosity ringing in his voice. Heero rewarded him with the traditional "Glare of Death Say Another Word and I Will Kill You" look. Each pilot inwardly sighed, half relief and half despair, although none gave any outward indication of it. Relief was for the fact that Heero was still alive, and better yet that he could still fight and fight well. Despair came from the emotionless look on his face as they headed back towards Quatre's mansion.
"Heero, do you think you could come back with us?" Quatre asked. "I'm sure that the others will be glad to see you again."
Heero grunted what sounded like an assent, and the pilots relaxed slightly. It had been agreed without a word that Heero would be coming back with them even if they had to resort to dragging him. However, it made life easier if he came of his own accord. This way they wouldn't have to worry about him doing whatever was necessary to escape.
The rest of the flight passed without incident, none speaking but all aware of the others presence.
~* The Astral Realm *~
"Mother!" Serenity called loudly. "Mother!"
"Relax, my darling, I'm here." Queen Serenity appeared before her daughter, and smiled at her. Serenity, however, was too busy shaking to calm down. In a move she had learned from her beloved, Serenity glared at her long dead mother.
"Remind me to not make both you and Heero mad at the same time." Said the Queen, a hint of humor in her voice. "I don't think I'd survive receiving that glare twice at one time."
"Mother, this situation is not in the least bit amusing." Serenity said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why am I here? And what was that dream about? I could hear your voice towards the end, telling me that the girl I dreamed I was and the boy I was with were destined to become myself and Heero."
"Serenity, do you remember what happened just before you entered that dream?" The elder woman asked, watching her daughter's face cautiously. This crucial piece of information that seemed to be missing could destroy her precious child. No one wants to hurt their own child.
"Well…" Serenity's voice trailed off as she tried to recall. Her face screwed up as she searched her memory. "I was battling against Endymion. He and Metallia had managed to corrupt Beryl's mind. Heero was fighting Endymion with a sword, but Heero's leg was wounded and wouldn't support him. Endymion raised his sword to strike the last blow, but I couldn't let him, and so I used the Crystal to fix everything and then I was in the dream."
"I am sorry to tell you that there was more to it then that." The queen said, a note of pain in her voice. "Serenity, you used the Crystal far too often that day. You are aware that it all happened over the course of a single day, aren't you? From the time you defeated the youma until the time you destroyed Endymion, a mere day had passed. You were drained and running out of energy. So much so as to cause your body to dissolve when you finally saved your friends."
"Did I… did I die?" Serenity's eyes were wide. She looked at her mother, trying her best not to cry. The queen's heart went out to her, and she took her daughter in her arms.
"The events I have told you about took place three months ago." Serenity gasped.
"Heero…" she whispered, and looked up imploringly. "Is Heero all right? What about the others? Do they know what happened to me? Am I going to be reborn again, so that I can be with them again? Mother, tell me, please!"
"The others watched your body disappear." The sad look filled the eyes of both mother and daughter, and the princess began to sob at her mother's next words. "Heero is not all right at all. A few days after the battle, Heero tried to kill himself. Unconsciously, you knew he needed you and sent your spirit to talk him out of it."
"He hasn't been the same since, has he mother?" The queen shook her head in response. "I've caused him so much pain… You still didn't answer my question, though. Will I be reborn to be with them again?"
"No."
~* GW Dimension - Quatre's Mansion *~
"I wonder what's taking them so long." Minako pondered aloud. The pilots had said that they would only be gone for a short time, but that had been hours ago. Their missions, as they called them, sounded so dangerous that it was hard to believe they'd been doing them for so long it was hard to believe that they were still alive.
"Well, given the distance from here to the base, as well as factoring time to defeat all of those mobile suits, sneak into the base, retrieve the data, and fight their way back out again, it is physically impossible for them to have returned by now." Ami said. For the past three months, her mind had been a veritable sponge, soaking up all of the new technology and ideas available. The others rolled their eyes slightly.
Since the death of their princess, all of the senshi had remained together in the hopes of being able to move on from her death. At first, there had been a slight tension between the outer and inner senshi, but it had faded to the point of non-existence as they all came to realize who was to blame for Serenity's death - no one. She had once again chosen to die to save them all, and their was nothing to be done save getting to be allies and friends as she had wanted them to be.
Each of them still felt the pain of her loss and Heero's disappearance, and it manifested itself in each of them differently. Haruka and Michiru had thrown themselves into their music, most of it losing its once joyous tone and becoming melancholy and sad. Together they wrote a beautiful song titled, "For the Princess", which they dedicated to Serenity.
Minako's bright, cheerful nature had dimmed slightly, and she and Motoki had drawn strength from one another. Quatre had gladly taken up the task of showing Ami everything about his dimension, and both were grateful for the distraction from their problems. The beloved brothers of Serenity visited her memorial every other week, each always bringing along a peach rose.
Rei and Wufei had both turned to higher powers to find a reason for their troubles. Many hours were spent meditating on the subject at first, as well as physically training to release their pent-up emotions. Wufei also occasionally instructed Ami in their world, for his past as a scholar had left him with a vast supply of knowledge. Setsuna and Zechs had once again disappeared into a time portal, taking Chibi Usa with them.
Makoto had taken over the kitchen, and kept herself busy teaching Duo how to cook a million different things without destroying the kitchen. Surprisingly, the firemen had only been called in once or twice. Meanwhile, Hotaru and Trowa had been wrapped up in searching for new and more unique lamps to add to their collection.
All the while, they had worried and fretted about Heero. There had not been a single day that passed when he was not thought of or mentioned, in hopes, in prayers, in longings. Fear was the most overpowering emotion experienced when they dwelled on Heero - the fear that he had followed the one he loved into oblivion by taking his own life.
"Hey, is that them?" Hotaru asked, pointing at the sky. The others joined her at the window, and watched as the flying blob slowly separated. One, two, three, four mobile suits they counted. Shock spread across their faces as the fourth suit spread apart and became two distinct shapes.
"You don't think that…" Makoto's voice trailed off hopefully, staring at the approaching five.
"I hope so." Michiru said, concentrating hard on the mobile suits. Ami had whipped out her computer and was scanning them. "I really hope so."
"You guys," Ami said, and a smile had appeared on her face. "Heero's with them. He's still alive, and he's coming back to us!"
"Thank Goddess!" Rei proclaimed. "I hope whatever he was looking for out there he found. Even if he didn't, at least we can help him while he's here with us."
"Hmmm." Haruka murmured. The others turned to look at her, and her face showed a hint of ironic amusement. "At least now Koneko-chan won't have an excuse to be angry with us for not taking care of him for her."
As the suits landed, they all hastened out to the hanger. One by one, the pilots opened the doors of their suits, and climbed from their suits, until only Heero remained hidden from view. Slowly, the door to his cockpit opened, and he slid to the ground.
"Omae o korosu." Heero's monotone filled the room immediately as he raised his gun and leveled it at the girls. The other pilots turned to stare at him.
"Heero?" Quatre asked uncertainly, looking at his sister's love closely for the first time. There were huge bags under his eyes that hinted at sleep deprivation, and he was thinner than he had been previously. His face was cold, and every bit as emotionless as his voice. Fear slid into Quatre's heart.
"Who are these people?" Heero asked, his gun never wavering for a second, not even as they all continued to stare at him. "What are they doing here?"
"You don't remember, do you? You don't remember who they are." Trowa asked quietly. Heero glared at him, and the entire room froze when Heero responded.
"Remember what? I've never met them before in my life."
~* End Chapter 2 *~
O.o;;;; What was I on when I decided how to write this chapter? And what does Heero mean, he doesn't remember them? O.o
*grins nefariously* You'll all find out soon enough, but I already know and I'm not telling yet! Review and you get the next chapter, ne?
~Rose