Chapter Nineteen         

Heero slipped into OZ's base in EverlastVille. Treize could be there. And if he were there, he would kill him. These days, there were countless of rumours about OZ, from the soldiers never washing their feet to the possible locations of their headquarters. It was stupid. How did these people find out that the soldiers do not like washing their feet? Besides, war does not give you much time for personal hygiene. It was a piece of rubbish that must have been started by the kids.

But someone had spotted Treize around. In fact, two people had saw him walking around. Heero hoped Treize would still be here, so that he can kill him once and for all. Heero had explored almost the entire base but there was still no sight of Treize. Could he have left already or was it another false piece of news?

Hide-and-seek was my favourite game when I was young. I'll find you, Treize. Just you wait.

" Let me go! I told you I know nothing!" a familiar voice reached his ears.

" Shut up!" a man yelled. There was a sound of slapping.

Heero peered round the corner. Relena…

Relena's face was red from the slap. She glowered at the ground as the two soldiers dragged her outside. The chain on her hands prevented her from using any magic. They shoved her onto the rough ground. Four soldiers were lined up in a straight line, hands stretched out, fiery flames on their palms.

Relena shut her eyes. Heero, where are you? I want to see you again before I died. Heero…

There was an explosion, followed by shouts. " Intruder! Get him!"

Relena's eyelids flew open. The four soldiers in front of her were all dead. Someone cut her chain. She looked up. " Heero." She cannot believe her eyes. " Am I dreaming?"

" If you want to live, stick by me," he told her.

Using his Twin-Beam Buster Rifle, he efficiently killed all his attackers. He grabbed Relena's wrist and together both of them escaped. She stared at Heero's back, then at his hand holding on to hers, and smiled meekly. To tell the truth, no boy has ever touched her before, not counting her brother. Heero was the first.

It was a good thing they had PE at school, if not Relena would not be able to hold out for so long. They finally collapsed by a river like two jaded horses, panting. Neither spoke for a while.

" I finally found you, Heero," she said, breaking the silence. " Or should I say you found me."

He turned to her and she put on her warmest smile.

" It was an coincidence," he said. " Why were you in there?"

" It's a long story. It all started after I left Magic Town to find you…" she related her story.

Heero listened attentively, which was very unlike his cold nature. Deep inside, he was glad that he had happened to be there and saved her. Though he failed to find Treize, he found her. It was all fated. His eyes never once left her as she told her story and by the time Relena finished, she was already blushing.

" Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, embarrassed.

Heero turned his gaze away abruptly. " So Zechs is your brother?" he said instead.

" Yes. Who would have expected it? Up till now, I still can't get over the fact that I have a brother."

" What are you going to do?"

" Pardon me?"

" Your brother. He's in OZ."

Relena stood up and walked to the edge of the river. " He wants me to kill him," she answered.

Heero nodded. " I would have done the same. Ask my sister to kill me. Rather to die in an enemy's hands, it is better to died in the hands of your family."

" But surely there is another way. There must be another way to free him from OZ other than death."

Heero rose to his feet. He joined Relena at the edge of the river, a meter away from her. " Zechs killed too many people. His hands are stained with countless of blood. He knows it too but before he met you, he did not care at all. Now he has you. Everything isn't the same as before. A father would rather died than let his son know that he is a murderer and not a hero the boy thinks he is. He also wants to protect you.  If people discovered that you are siblings, they can use you to threaten him. His purpose in life is to rebuild his kingdom and to find a suitable ruler. Now he has done it, he has no other worries. He has passed the barrier of death. He no longer cares about himself."

Relena turned to him. Her eyes were wide. " I never thought about it that way." Then on a lighter note, she said, " Great minds do think alike. He is your enemy, yet you are speaking up for him."

" I am just analyzing his situation," he countered.

" Heero," she began, and then paused.

He cocked his head at her, willing her to speak her mind.

The sides of her lips curved upwards. " Thank you. Thank you for everything."

" I did nothing," he said, looking at the river.

On a silent note, in her heart, Relena added I really like you very much.

" Relena," he suddenly spoke.

She panicked. Don't tell me he heard what I was thinking!

" Do you want to go to Magic Kingdom?" he asked.

She almost heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. " Magic Kingdom? Sure, I would like to go. I have only very vague memories of it. Would you go with me, Heero?"

Yes, to protect you, he admitted in his heart. Aloud, he said, " I have something else to do."

" But…" she was disappointed. " I really need you. I came out to find you and now you're leaving."

" I didn't say I am leaving."

She brightened up. " You are coming with me?"

" I'm only sending you to Magic Kingdom. After you have decided what to do next, then I will leave."

" It's good enough."

Relena had never felt so fortunate in her life before. And neither did Heero, though he would never admit it.

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Wufei entered an unknown village. He was tired after a long hike and hoped to find a place to rest and eat. One look at the town though, told him that it was deserted and he would not find any food, only plenty of resting places. He broke open a door and sank onto the floor, cross-legged. But fate just refused to let him rest. Outside, a blood-curdling scream announced that the village is not entirely empty.

" Help! Please! Someone help me please!" a girl screamed as three MDs surrounded her.

Without a word, Wufei leaped into the circle to protect the girl. She stopped crying and gaped at him. He glanced back at her. How dare those bastards disturb his rest!

Wufei activated his Shenlong tablet and using his Flamethrower, destroyed the three MDs easily. Too easily, in his opinion. He kept his tablet and turned to the girl with a frown. The girl had stopped shaking and was looking at him in awe and wonderment.

" You are one of those five guardians," she whispered.

" What are you doing here? Why are those MDs after you?" he asked.

" I don't know. I just returned home, you see and I found this place empty. My family's gone and no one's around. Then I saw those…things. They chased me. I can't fight them and then…you saved me," she said.

" You just return?"

" After the war broke out, my parents sent me to my aunt's house for safety. One day my aunt went out to buy groceries and did not return at all. I was afraid. I heard the OZ was coming. So I came back here, hoping to find my parents but…they are gone too." She started to sob.

Wufei winced. He hated to see a girl crying. It gets on his nerves. " Stop crying. It's no use crying now. It won't help you," he retorted unsympathetically.

The girl sniffed. " You are right. I got to be strong." She managed a feeble smile. " I haven't thank you yet. What's your name?"

" Does it matter?"

" Of course! You are my saviour. Are you hungry? I don't have anything good to offer you…my bag!" she exclaimed and ran to retrieve her brown bag that had fallen onto the ground. She rummaged through it and brought out two apples, a water bottle and baked potatoes. She offered it to him. " Thank you so much."

Wufei eyed the food carefully. The girl chuckled. " Don't worry, I didn't put any poison in it."

His stomach told him he cannot refuse it. He accepted it and bit into the apple gratefully. It was delicious. Seeing his satisfying looks, the girl could not help but giggle. Wufei glared at her. She stopped immediately.

" What?" he asked her.

" You look so cute," she replied.

Wufei choked. The girl patted his back as he coughed and tried to clear his airway. " What do you mean by that?" he demanded in a croaking voice. 

This set the girl off again who quickly stopped herself under his hawk-like expression. " I mean, the way you eat is so funny. You must not have eaten for some days already. You look like a…" she gulped when he moved his head forward. " …Starved dog?"

He stood up, finishing his apple and tossed the core aside. " Don't you want more?" the girl asked.

After such an insult, who could eat more? " I'm full," he declared. He began to walk away.

" Where are you going?"

" Does it concern you?"

" Can I follow you? I have no place to go."

He stopped and turned to her. She cringed a little, then recovered and drew to her full height. She was a petite girl with light brown hair and greenish-coloured eyes. Her pink dress was dirty with dust. " I won't be a trouble to you."

" No," he said.

" Why? Please, I will be good. I won't trouble you. I really have no place to go," she begged.

" I don't want a girl tagging behind me. I'm sure you'll find a place to go to. If not, take refuge at the nearest village," he said curtly.

She held her quivering chin high as Wufei turned his back on her. She picked up her bag and followed. Wufei ignored her at first, thinking she would go away but after half-an-hour of tailing and she still behind him, he finally spun round to confront her.

" Look, I told you – " he began but she interrupted him.

" I have food."

He maintained his pride. " So what?"

" You can share it with me."

" No."

" Please! I really have no place to go…" Tears rolled down again and she covered her eyes with her hands. " I know you don't like girls. I promise I'll keep my distance but just let me follow you. If you don't want, I won't say a word and you can pretend I'm not here. Please…"

Wufei had had enough. " Do what you want. Just don't cry." He was not an unkind guy. And no, it definitely was not for the food. He gave her an annoyed look and continued walking.

The girl wiped her tears and smiled triumphantly. " My name's Sylvia. Sylvia Noventa. What's your name?"

" Chang Wufei. And keep your distant from me."

" No problem. I don't want the apple, you want it?"

" I am taught not to waste food."

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Lady Une watched from her window. OZ has been recruiting more and more people. Some people had this glazed look in their eyes, as if they were under a spell. Lady Une was happy for Treize and that OZ is growing day by day into something bigger. But somehow, there is something tugging in her mind, some important thing she has to recall…

The headache hit her again, like a tsunami. She clutched her head in agony, her mouth forming a silent O shape. The pain was terrible. It was as if something was smashing at her brain, something strong and powerful. She dropped to her knees and rolled on the ground. She knocked her glasses aside and the two buns on her head came undone. Her body wrung.

Something… Something is wrong…ARGH!!! My head! Stop! Please stop! Stop it! Someone help me…No, OZ…What about OZ? What about it? Treize…Master…Something is wrong!!! But I don't know what! Something…Her thoughts whirled in confusion.

She let out a scream.

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Trowa was standing in a clearing in a forest. The night was exceptionally tranquil and peaceful. He took out his flute and put it to his lips. He had not played it for a long time. He promised Quatre he would play a duet with him. He should at least practice first.

The music floated through the misty air, like a lady ghost in white array. The wind took up this mysterious sound and brought it to the animals in the forest. And these creatures of the night came scurrying to him, eager to hear his concert. They formed a circle, tilted their heads and listened. The babies lay on the ground, as if listening to a bedtime story. The lady ghost of his music wafted through their minds and hearts, sweeping all their uneasiness away with gentle fingers.

There was nothing Trowa yearned more for than this precious moment of peace. It was something no money can buy, no words can describe, and no picture can portray. He continued playing, his fingers moving gracefully over the holes, weaving tales from his music that all the animals can understand and feel at ease with.

Meanwhile, the Maganac people are busy. The same night, the same moon, the same stars, under the same sky, they raided one of OZ's recruitment camps. They roared defiance into the ears of the OZ and all innocent people, urging them to fight back for their rights and freedom.

And these people, sensing that the righteous power would one day win, took up the weapons which they had hidden under their beds and inside their closets. They raised it high, but not too high, lest they would not be able to keep it in time if the righteous force proved otherwise. Women quietly supported the men and prevented the children from going into battlefields. Their voices rose in harmony, only to be broken into a cacophony of shrieks by the OZ soldiers. But the Maganac people pushed them from the back and they recovered quickly. But still OZ persisted in breaking them up.

Some gradually threw down their weapons, disheartened. But many still hoped, still pressed on relentlessly, believing in justice and the Gundam boys, their guardians. They will not give up so easily. For themselves, for their homes, for everyone, this battle has to go on till one falls down into the dirt and get trampled on. This is war.

Dorothy, who has been observing all these, only laughed. Her laughter echoed throughout the land, mocking at both the winner and loser. So what if you lose? So what if you win? All you'll own is pieces of earth and an evolved form of the apes. Such is the stupidity of the people.