Chapter Eleven
"""Do you remember when I mentioned my method of keeping my eyes open-preventing
my abilities from being visible? How these measures kept my friends from
realizing everything? Well, let's just say that they were times when that wasn't
enough, when instincts and ingrained reflexes took over. I will tell you now of
one of those times. Being the highly methodical person I am, I have dubbed this
incident the 'Hilde Incident'.
It took place some time after we had all reunited on the ship. Everything began
when I finished the repairs on Deathscythe after Quatre's Zero battle. I floated
over to Quatre and had a short discussion with him concerning the system when
Heero appeared to take it. When I looked at him, delved into his eyes, I could
almost see the determined strength. Heero wouldn't, couldn't allow himself to
fail. If the Zero system could help him reach that goal, so be it.
Heero's feelings worried me badly. In fact, they worried me so much that I let
it slip. I cautioned him about the system. Because I knew it, know it. It tells
you things about yourself that you might not want to believe. Could Heero truly
live with that for the time needed? The look I shared with him then told me
everything. He would do everything, could do everything needed to save the
world, including giving up his own life. At that moment, he gave me strength.
A couple of hours later I was in one of the common rooms for the crew, playing
chess with Trowa. I like chess. Those strategy games are fun. They suit my
personality well. Play defensively; build up a couple of walls and surround.
Then WHAM! Instant victory. Wufei didn't seem to like that strategy though.
Heero didn't have an opinion at all. He was still stuck in his thoughts. Not
surprising, I would as well if I hadn't been able to manipulate Trowa into
playing with me. Then, the alarms went off and we had to split.
The fight went on as usual. Slashed a couple of dolls here and chopped a couple
of dolls there. However, that was abruptly brought to an end when a distress
call came from a nearby Hilde. It was obvious that she was between a rock and a
hard place. A few words with Quatre and I was away. The fun began.
When I reached my shorthaired friend, she was just about to be blasted into
oblivion. I dove to save her, of course, and so, in my opinion, it was
forgivable that I didn't notice the strange things about those all too lovely
suits. Not that it mattered since I noticed it very quickly after seriously
joining the battle. Those two ugly mobile dolls were much faster than any other
I had stumbled on. Not to mention that they could take a great deal more hits.
It took all of my willpower not to slip into superior mode right then and there.
The words that actually broke the camel's back were 'two gundam pilots'. The two
fucking dolls were programmed with data about gundam pilots. The pieces of the
puzzle easily slid together then. I could see who was behind the suits. I knew
how they thought. I knew how to win.
At that moment, I severed the visual link with Hilde and let loose. I wasn't
about to lose to dolls. I wasn't about to lose. Period. I fought with my
abilities. I won with my abilities. And it was at that moment I realized just
how much I had changed and how stupid OZ was for not using my data when they had
the opportunity to. Their loss."""
I am tired. Not physically, but mentally. So utterly tired. All I want to do is
shut down my mind and let my body do whatever he pleases. Why should I be able
to do that, though? The world is conspiring against me at the moment. It's in
these times I truly hate to be an empath. Everyone's worried, everyone's
nervous; everyone's feeling too damn much. Do you think I have the time to have
a mental breakdown? Just a little one? Didn't think so.
Leaning back in my comfortable armchair, I think of the day that has gone by. It
began well by waking up in Trowa's arms after a pleasant night. Then, a nice
breakfast with an interesting newspaper before having a chauffeur drive me to
the mansion to pick up the thing Duo wanted to. It was then everything went
downhill. I had forgotten about my sisters.
Now, let me tell you, sisters are nice. They're even a gift to have most of the
times, but not when they are worried about you, especially not in groups of
twenty-nine. Remind me of never getting close to as many as that at the same
time ever again. It is hazardous for one's health.
When I finally managed to disappear and get the thing I needed, I found out that
Heero, the sometimes most irritating bastard and mister paranoia, had himself
protected the damn thing from being copied. So, I needed to decrypt and hack
into Heero-encrypted files, which is hard enough at normal times, but apparently
he had been innovative this time. Since I have a headache, I'm not going to
elaborate. Let's just say it took me several hours. I'm never letting Heero
encrypt anything we might need again, at least not without getting the pattern.
Far past midday, when I finally got out of there, I got stuck in traffic. In a
seven mile tailback to be precise. Now, that isn't pleasant even without having
information you need to protect with your life on you. Guess how it was for me.
I'm telling you, you're not even getting close. This afternoon, I came close to
contracting a permanent condition of paranoia. I was justified.
Of course the day wasn't over when I came back. No, when I had managed to speak
with Duo, my day was destroyed even further as the news informed me that there
had been an assassination attempt on Relena, whom Trowa is guarding today. The
coming hours were spent worrying about the man I love. My nerves were a wreck
when he arrived back here with Relena, completely unharmed I may add.
Summary: I'm a knotted wreck with a migraine the size of Mount Everest and a
butt that aches like nothing else. That's what you get for sitting down for most
of the day I guess. The only good thing about this situation is Trowa massaging
my back. He's a talented man.
"Do I even want to ask what has made you so tense?" Trowa quietly says in that
half amused tone of his.
I try to muster the energy to glare at him.
"No!" I mutter as ferociously as I can. "Don't even go there."
The bastard chuckles and attacks another knot in my back, reducing me to a
puddle of goo. I'm so blessed to be loved by this man. Somehow, I almost feel
like writing a 'thank you' note to Hel Inc. for bringing us together again. Only
almost though.
Letting my thoughts drift, I let my eyes survey the room. I notice that's it's
very tastefully decorated. Wonder who has done it? Maybe I should try and find
out. Good interior decorators are hard to find. Smiling as I see my formerly
impeccable white shirt lying on the ground in a wrinkly mess, I realize how much
I've changed under the influence of my fellow pilots. Duo taught me about life,
about death. Heero taught me how to lead. Wufei made me appreciate these
massages. Trowa showed me love.
Reminiscing those happy times, I stare emptily into the air; just to stiffen as
my eyes notice a small, black object nestled in my shirt. It's blinking.
I have Trowa on the floor behind the sofa I was lying on within a second. Sadly
enough, I didn't manage to get myself to safety. An explosion rocks the room and
justifies my fears as heat and light flows towards me. Then everything goes
black.
I react at the same moment as I hear the explosion. My mind immediately analyzes
the situation and tells me from approximately where it came. My feet carry me
there and nothing else exists until I reach the place where the bomb went off,
which takes about two minutes.
The bomb exploded in the living room outside Relena's quarters, where Quatre and
Trowa said they would be for the rest of the day. Even from the other side of
the corridor, I can see that the door has been blasted off its hinges. Sharing a
worried look with Wufei who arrives from the other side of the house, I run
towards it, hoping against hope that no one has been hurt, that no one is dead.
The room is a blackened mess. I can immediately see where the explosion
originated from because of a blackened spot on the floor. Thankfully enough, I
can see from only the look of the room that the bomb wasn't strong enough to
kill a human being if it wasn't in extremely close proximity to it. With no body
lying around the spot in question, I quickly deduce that no one has been killed.
While I was surveying the room, Wufei had apparently already found our friends:
behind the sofa, of all places. Stalking over, I give a slightly ruffled Trowa a
grim look.
"What happened?" I ask, glaring at him with what Duo dubbed the 'mission look'.
Trowa looks back and gestures towards Quatre in his lap.
"I was massaging Quatre when he cried out and threw me over the sofa," he simply
states, smoothening Quatre's hair. He's unconscious. Or was. The fluttering of
his eyelashes indicates that the former isn't the case anymore.
"What was it that laid on the floor approximately three feet from the sofa, on
the floor?" Wufei ask even as he returns with Relena, who had been wise enough
to stay in her room until someone came.
Trowa's eyes darken at his question, immediately realizing why he's asking it.
"Quatre's shirt," he spits out, even as he helps a groggy Quatre to sit up.
"Someone must have tagged him during the day."
A shirt. Close enough to kill. Someone tried to kill Quatre. Someone tried to
kill Relena and Trowa. Quatre, Trowa and Relena have been outside the building
today. Assassins have targeted all of us. Duo is still out there.
I run.
Hitting the number Duo gave me for emergencies on my cell phone as I drive; I
wait for him to answer with my heart in my mouth, clattering against my teeth.
Pick up! Pick up! I refuse to even think about the possibility that someone
might already have killed Duo. It's impossible. I can't believe that. It isn't
so.
"It's Duo." He picked up! I'm thanking every god I can think of.
"Where are you?" I'm growling. I'm going hysteric. The Perfect Soldier can't get
hysteric.
"The slum," Duo answers. He sounds confused and a bit worried. I don't think he
has ever heard me hysteric before. I'm not hysteric. I can't be hysteric. That
everything seems to be going to hell isn't a reason to be hysteric. My friends
being nearly killed isn't a reason to be hysteric. I'm hysteric. Dammit!
"Be more precise," I snap. "They are assassins out there. Trowa, Relena and
Quatre have already been targeted. I'm getting you home."
"Wagner Street-Little Hangman," Duo says, realizing the importance of the whole
thing. "By the phoney statue."
I nod, even though Duo can't see me. I know the place. Making an abrupt turn, I
take a corner on two wheels. Scratch that. I know a short cut. Grabbing around a
bit under my seat, I manage to find a Preventers' siren and fasten it in on the
roof. I don't have time to be caught for speeding. I'm sure Wufei won't mind.
Nearly ploughing over a little lady, I turn into an alley and get rid of the
car. Little Hangman won't be accessible by car this time of the day. Besides,
now that I'm out of the house someone is bound to come after me as well. A car
with the WEI logo is too recognizable.
Kicking in a door, I take the shortest way through an apartment building and
come out at Wagner Street. Just two blocks left now, and I'll reach the square
known as Little Hangman. Naturally, the streets are full with not so nice
people. The slum is also a good shopping place for everything that might not
have found its way into the country completely legally.
I shove a beefy man out of my way and round the corner. There it is. Now, where
is the damn statue? Looking around, I try to spot it. However, just as I do, I
realize it wasn't needed because in the middle of the street, a wide circle has
opened around two fighters pummelling each other. The long braid swirling around
one of them easily tells me who one of them is. Duo. And he is using moves I
never thought a human being was capable of doing.
TBC
"""Do you remember when I mentioned my method of keeping my eyes open-preventing
my abilities from being visible? How these measures kept my friends from
realizing everything? Well, let's just say that they were times when that wasn't
enough, when instincts and ingrained reflexes took over. I will tell you now of
one of those times. Being the highly methodical person I am, I have dubbed this
incident the 'Hilde Incident'.
It took place some time after we had all reunited on the ship. Everything began
when I finished the repairs on Deathscythe after Quatre's Zero battle. I floated
over to Quatre and had a short discussion with him concerning the system when
Heero appeared to take it. When I looked at him, delved into his eyes, I could
almost see the determined strength. Heero wouldn't, couldn't allow himself to
fail. If the Zero system could help him reach that goal, so be it.
Heero's feelings worried me badly. In fact, they worried me so much that I let
it slip. I cautioned him about the system. Because I knew it, know it. It tells
you things about yourself that you might not want to believe. Could Heero truly
live with that for the time needed? The look I shared with him then told me
everything. He would do everything, could do everything needed to save the
world, including giving up his own life. At that moment, he gave me strength.
A couple of hours later I was in one of the common rooms for the crew, playing
chess with Trowa. I like chess. Those strategy games are fun. They suit my
personality well. Play defensively; build up a couple of walls and surround.
Then WHAM! Instant victory. Wufei didn't seem to like that strategy though.
Heero didn't have an opinion at all. He was still stuck in his thoughts. Not
surprising, I would as well if I hadn't been able to manipulate Trowa into
playing with me. Then, the alarms went off and we had to split.
The fight went on as usual. Slashed a couple of dolls here and chopped a couple
of dolls there. However, that was abruptly brought to an end when a distress
call came from a nearby Hilde. It was obvious that she was between a rock and a
hard place. A few words with Quatre and I was away. The fun began.
When I reached my shorthaired friend, she was just about to be blasted into
oblivion. I dove to save her, of course, and so, in my opinion, it was
forgivable that I didn't notice the strange things about those all too lovely
suits. Not that it mattered since I noticed it very quickly after seriously
joining the battle. Those two ugly mobile dolls were much faster than any other
I had stumbled on. Not to mention that they could take a great deal more hits.
It took all of my willpower not to slip into superior mode right then and there.
The words that actually broke the camel's back were 'two gundam pilots'. The two
fucking dolls were programmed with data about gundam pilots. The pieces of the
puzzle easily slid together then. I could see who was behind the suits. I knew
how they thought. I knew how to win.
At that moment, I severed the visual link with Hilde and let loose. I wasn't
about to lose to dolls. I wasn't about to lose. Period. I fought with my
abilities. I won with my abilities. And it was at that moment I realized just
how much I had changed and how stupid OZ was for not using my data when they had
the opportunity to. Their loss."""
I am tired. Not physically, but mentally. So utterly tired. All I want to do is
shut down my mind and let my body do whatever he pleases. Why should I be able
to do that, though? The world is conspiring against me at the moment. It's in
these times I truly hate to be an empath. Everyone's worried, everyone's
nervous; everyone's feeling too damn much. Do you think I have the time to have
a mental breakdown? Just a little one? Didn't think so.
Leaning back in my comfortable armchair, I think of the day that has gone by. It
began well by waking up in Trowa's arms after a pleasant night. Then, a nice
breakfast with an interesting newspaper before having a chauffeur drive me to
the mansion to pick up the thing Duo wanted to. It was then everything went
downhill. I had forgotten about my sisters.
Now, let me tell you, sisters are nice. They're even a gift to have most of the
times, but not when they are worried about you, especially not in groups of
twenty-nine. Remind me of never getting close to as many as that at the same
time ever again. It is hazardous for one's health.
When I finally managed to disappear and get the thing I needed, I found out that
Heero, the sometimes most irritating bastard and mister paranoia, had himself
protected the damn thing from being copied. So, I needed to decrypt and hack
into Heero-encrypted files, which is hard enough at normal times, but apparently
he had been innovative this time. Since I have a headache, I'm not going to
elaborate. Let's just say it took me several hours. I'm never letting Heero
encrypt anything we might need again, at least not without getting the pattern.
Far past midday, when I finally got out of there, I got stuck in traffic. In a
seven mile tailback to be precise. Now, that isn't pleasant even without having
information you need to protect with your life on you. Guess how it was for me.
I'm telling you, you're not even getting close. This afternoon, I came close to
contracting a permanent condition of paranoia. I was justified.
Of course the day wasn't over when I came back. No, when I had managed to speak
with Duo, my day was destroyed even further as the news informed me that there
had been an assassination attempt on Relena, whom Trowa is guarding today. The
coming hours were spent worrying about the man I love. My nerves were a wreck
when he arrived back here with Relena, completely unharmed I may add.
Summary: I'm a knotted wreck with a migraine the size of Mount Everest and a
butt that aches like nothing else. That's what you get for sitting down for most
of the day I guess. The only good thing about this situation is Trowa massaging
my back. He's a talented man.
"Do I even want to ask what has made you so tense?" Trowa quietly says in that
half amused tone of his.
I try to muster the energy to glare at him.
"No!" I mutter as ferociously as I can. "Don't even go there."
The bastard chuckles and attacks another knot in my back, reducing me to a
puddle of goo. I'm so blessed to be loved by this man. Somehow, I almost feel
like writing a 'thank you' note to Hel Inc. for bringing us together again. Only
almost though.
Letting my thoughts drift, I let my eyes survey the room. I notice that's it's
very tastefully decorated. Wonder who has done it? Maybe I should try and find
out. Good interior decorators are hard to find. Smiling as I see my formerly
impeccable white shirt lying on the ground in a wrinkly mess, I realize how much
I've changed under the influence of my fellow pilots. Duo taught me about life,
about death. Heero taught me how to lead. Wufei made me appreciate these
massages. Trowa showed me love.
Reminiscing those happy times, I stare emptily into the air; just to stiffen as
my eyes notice a small, black object nestled in my shirt. It's blinking.
I have Trowa on the floor behind the sofa I was lying on within a second. Sadly
enough, I didn't manage to get myself to safety. An explosion rocks the room and
justifies my fears as heat and light flows towards me. Then everything goes
black.
I react at the same moment as I hear the explosion. My mind immediately analyzes
the situation and tells me from approximately where it came. My feet carry me
there and nothing else exists until I reach the place where the bomb went off,
which takes about two minutes.
The bomb exploded in the living room outside Relena's quarters, where Quatre and
Trowa said they would be for the rest of the day. Even from the other side of
the corridor, I can see that the door has been blasted off its hinges. Sharing a
worried look with Wufei who arrives from the other side of the house, I run
towards it, hoping against hope that no one has been hurt, that no one is dead.
The room is a blackened mess. I can immediately see where the explosion
originated from because of a blackened spot on the floor. Thankfully enough, I
can see from only the look of the room that the bomb wasn't strong enough to
kill a human being if it wasn't in extremely close proximity to it. With no body
lying around the spot in question, I quickly deduce that no one has been killed.
While I was surveying the room, Wufei had apparently already found our friends:
behind the sofa, of all places. Stalking over, I give a slightly ruffled Trowa a
grim look.
"What happened?" I ask, glaring at him with what Duo dubbed the 'mission look'.
Trowa looks back and gestures towards Quatre in his lap.
"I was massaging Quatre when he cried out and threw me over the sofa," he simply
states, smoothening Quatre's hair. He's unconscious. Or was. The fluttering of
his eyelashes indicates that the former isn't the case anymore.
"What was it that laid on the floor approximately three feet from the sofa, on
the floor?" Wufei ask even as he returns with Relena, who had been wise enough
to stay in her room until someone came.
Trowa's eyes darken at his question, immediately realizing why he's asking it.
"Quatre's shirt," he spits out, even as he helps a groggy Quatre to sit up.
"Someone must have tagged him during the day."
A shirt. Close enough to kill. Someone tried to kill Quatre. Someone tried to
kill Relena and Trowa. Quatre, Trowa and Relena have been outside the building
today. Assassins have targeted all of us. Duo is still out there.
I run.
Hitting the number Duo gave me for emergencies on my cell phone as I drive; I
wait for him to answer with my heart in my mouth, clattering against my teeth.
Pick up! Pick up! I refuse to even think about the possibility that someone
might already have killed Duo. It's impossible. I can't believe that. It isn't
so.
"It's Duo." He picked up! I'm thanking every god I can think of.
"Where are you?" I'm growling. I'm going hysteric. The Perfect Soldier can't get
hysteric.
"The slum," Duo answers. He sounds confused and a bit worried. I don't think he
has ever heard me hysteric before. I'm not hysteric. I can't be hysteric. That
everything seems to be going to hell isn't a reason to be hysteric. My friends
being nearly killed isn't a reason to be hysteric. I'm hysteric. Dammit!
"Be more precise," I snap. "They are assassins out there. Trowa, Relena and
Quatre have already been targeted. I'm getting you home."
"Wagner Street-Little Hangman," Duo says, realizing the importance of the whole
thing. "By the phoney statue."
I nod, even though Duo can't see me. I know the place. Making an abrupt turn, I
take a corner on two wheels. Scratch that. I know a short cut. Grabbing around a
bit under my seat, I manage to find a Preventers' siren and fasten it in on the
roof. I don't have time to be caught for speeding. I'm sure Wufei won't mind.
Nearly ploughing over a little lady, I turn into an alley and get rid of the
car. Little Hangman won't be accessible by car this time of the day. Besides,
now that I'm out of the house someone is bound to come after me as well. A car
with the WEI logo is too recognizable.
Kicking in a door, I take the shortest way through an apartment building and
come out at Wagner Street. Just two blocks left now, and I'll reach the square
known as Little Hangman. Naturally, the streets are full with not so nice
people. The slum is also a good shopping place for everything that might not
have found its way into the country completely legally.
I shove a beefy man out of my way and round the corner. There it is. Now, where
is the damn statue? Looking around, I try to spot it. However, just as I do, I
realize it wasn't needed because in the middle of the street, a wide circle has
opened around two fighters pummelling each other. The long braid swirling around
one of them easily tells me who one of them is. Duo. And he is using moves I
never thought a human being was capable of doing.
TBC
