Thunder Wing

Author: Anegel Trinton

Disclaimer: I don't own SM or GW. BUUUT...I DO OWN THE PLOT OF THIS FANFIC! SO HAAAA!!!

Makoto: -_-;

AT: Whaaaat?

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AN: Gyaah..another dry spell, I see..anywhoo, Here's the fic..just so you sorta understand, the title of this chapter

has a distinct sense of irony within it..but, as a certain Gundam pilot finds that his emotions DO get the best of him,

HE realizes the irony within the story's plot. What Makoto does is only by order; but does he realize that?

Or will the sweet scent of betrayal intoxicate him with lies of his own judgement?

KAMI-SAMA I'm good at confusing people, ne? ^^;

As a further note, when other people [i.e. the pilots] see Haruka, they see her as a "he", but when its between Haruka,

Makoto, and Michiru, then Haruka is portrayed as a "she". Get it? Good. Don't get it? Oh well. BAAH you people...*rolls

eyes* Anywayz, *you who have reviewed my neglected fanfic* (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU SPECIAL PEOPLE YOU! ^^) I will

answer all of your questions in due time...and if it isn't obvious already, YES it is a Heero/Makoto/Wufei fic...and no,

I do not know which male pilot Makoto will end up with...it's always changing, remember that! I might even add Milliardo

into the love triangle/square/pentagon/aaah too many shapes! in due time if reviews are not posted! ^^ Just to confuse

you all...but seriously, can someone review this fic or at least Lunar Succession? (LS is another SM/GW fic, only more

centered on orig. plot/charas...but there IS major Heero/Makoto...or there WILL be pretty soon...just after the demon

dies...)....

Dedication: TO THE GREAT FIREY OF JUPITER WHO GOT ME OFF MY ASS TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER!!! *waves banner with

"FIREY OF JUPITER IS NUMBER ONE!!!" written in large, bold letters* AND YOU PEOPLE WHO LIKE HIEI/MAKOTO/KURAMA

FICS [YYH/SM] YOU SHOULD READ HER FICS!!! I hope they're Hiei/Makoto fics...*nods fervently* yep yep.

Current Votes:

Heero/Makoto-12

Wufei/Makoto-09

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Thunder Wing: Mission 6-Why Do You Cry for Such a Man?

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Heero glanced out towards the balcony window, towards a certain pair of mysterious individuals. He noticed their exchange,

Haruka pocketing the small memory card. The only indication that the card was made for the storage of memory was the

cable, which had hung loosely on the left of the card. [Something's wrong.] He narrowed his prussian blue orbs in

frustration. He, if it was anyone else, would have already barged through the balcony lattice doors and held them at

gunpoint. Heero did not understand why he didn't. Didn't he want to complete his mission? Out of the blue, Haruka suddenly

turned in his direction, 'his' sandy blonde hair flowing freely from its lack of constraint (i.e. gel). Heero glared and

briskly turned his back, not wanting to be recognized, though he already noticed that Haruka narrowed his eyes at his

form. [Damn.] Heero walked forward, disappearing into the dancing crowds of nobility.

The engineer glowered in aggravation. "Shimatta. Yuy saW the transition. He's getting the others." She clenched her

teeth, a growl escaping her lips. "How the hell could I have been so careless?" Makoto straightened the previously

removed glove on her hand. She had seen as well that Heero had noticed the transition of the memory card, though she

did not care whatsoever. She didn't care that Heero and the other pilots could possibly kill her tonight. Makoto had

lost her true will to live; but that didn't mean that she wasn't going to put up a fight in her depression. She would

prove that she wasn't weak; that she was as formidable as Heero Yuy himself when put up in a fight. Though, Haruka noticed

her emerald eyes turn dull within the soft glow of moonlight which washed over them, her increasing anger turning into

compassionate worry. "Mako-chan, daijobu? You look a bit depressed."

Makoto shook her head. "Hai hai. I am fine. Let's finish our mission before the pilots put a halt to it." Haruka nodded.

"Milliardo's private quarters are above us." Haruka informed the female pilot, pointing above them to a room on the

third floor. The window was certainly different from the others; they were steel plated, the glass of the window

indistinctly made from glass and decorative crystal. The room within was dimly lit, giving off a soft, sea blue glow,

though there were no moving shadows, indicating that the room was [presumably] empty. Haruka narrowed her eyes in

concentration. She turned back to the pilot, who was currently reaching under her skirt, pulling out a small grapling

hook with retractable cord. The hook resembled that of Nataku's flame throwing arms, dragon in shape but metallic.

Haruka smirked as Makoto handed it to her. Makoto looked at Haruka confusedly for a moment.

"What?"

Haruka merely chuckled. "And here I thought skirts were never useful for anything." She then turned her back to Makoto,

who had then slapped her forehead in exasperation. Haruka laughed openly, aiming the hook for the window ledge of the

private quarters. Closing one eye, she pulled the trigger, calmly releasing the hook. The hook flew at an incredible

speed, grasping onto the ledge and tightening. The hook was now prepared, as was the durable black rope which connected

Haruka and Makoto to the hook. Giving Makoto a brief nod, the main engineer of Thunder Wing began her climb. Makoto then

took the end of the rope, holding it firmly as Haruka climbed. After seeing Haruka grasp the ledge with her right hand,

she briskly pulled the rope. It was still tight. Makoto picked up the fallen hook trigger, and, with a flick of her

wrist, pulled it away. The hook then released itself from its grasp, the black rope retracting swiftly into the

small compartment, the dragon-like hook clicking to the front of the gun. (AN: aah, i'm confusing trigger with gun..oh well)

The engineer overhead shook her head. [Makoto's either too emotional or too ruthless.] Haruka opened the window with ease.

[Strange. Some security Peacecraft has.]

Makoto looked towards the sky for a moment before walking towards the balcony doors. She sighed inwardly as she pushed

them open, the skirt of her dress flowing gracefully around her. [If only life was more simple. If only Wufei-] She then

shook her head fervently at the next thought. [I won't dwell on him anymore. I don't give a damn about what he thinks.

Chang only thinks of himself, no one else. He doesn't know the pain of betrayal. I'll kill him if he gets in my way.]

Smirking lightly at the thought of his death, she replaced her depressed look with a look of content and enjoyment.

Looking around, she spotted Heero glaring at her, not far away from where she stood. Makoto slowly and gracefully

walked over to the Perfect Soldier, smiling falsely against his menacing glare. "Nice evening, ne?"

Heero crossed his arms at the girl. "Hn."

She merely laughed at his defensiveness, suprising Heero. "Want to dance?" [It'll be easier to keep track of you that way.]

Makoto held her hand out to him, the other hand tucking a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear. She watched amusedly as

his eyebrows were raised as a response from the request. If she didn't know any better, Makoto could have sworn that

his cheeks had begun to redden. "Yuy?" Makoto waved her hand in front of his unemotional face.

Heero blinked.

Makoto raised her eyebrow at him. "You're acting very strange, Yuy." She then shrugged and slowly walked past him. As

she was mere inches away from getting lost in the crowd, Heero grabbed her forearm and led her to the middle of the

dance floor. His harsh, yet gentle, touch caused a small shock to course through her whole body. She shuddered slightly

as Heero raised his brow at her while continuing to walk farther into the dancing crowd of nobles and ladies. It appeared

that he felt the same shock go through his own body (AN: maybe more *the lower half* of the body rather than the upper, ne?

~_^). Makoto averted her confused gaze to the floor, suddenly feeling flustered as a familiar reddish tint appeared on her

ivory cheeks. Heero slowly turned around and placed his hand softly onto Makoto's hip. Makoto locked her eyes with his

prussian orbs as she delicately put her hand onto his right shoulder. Both were hesitant to touch the other's hand directly;

it was apparent with Makoto's blush and Heero's averted gaze. Finally, after a few seconds in awkward, unbearable silence,

Heero nudged his hand onto Makoto's. Makoto smiled shyly and put her hand onto Heero's palm.

[First time I've blushed for more than three minutes.] Makoto mused to herself as they slowly began to waltz with the

other nobles. Makoto leaned towards Heero's cheek and soon their cheeks and ears were right next to each other. Heero

heard Makoto's calm breath and slowly began to relax, his stoic facade melting with the warmth that Makoto's body pushed

onto his tanned skin.

"Why are you really here?" Heero whispered gruffily as he moved along with the music. A few strands of Makoto's chocolate

brown hair tickled his nose, indistinctly reminding him of the scents of spring rain and dusty rose. It was strangely

calming to him, although at the time he did not realize it. Makoto seemed to notice the tension begin to dissapate into

relaxation, so she took a deep breath.

"Why do you think I am here?" Makoto countered softly. She bit back a smile as Heero grunted in annoyance. [If he is

going to play hard to socialize with, so shall I.]

Heero loosened his grip on her as she turned to twirl in front of him. His arms, guided by Makoto's lithe, gloved hands,

swiftly encircled her waist. Makoto's back was to Heero's chest as her cheek was nestled in the crook of his neck. She

unintentionally breathed onto his tanned skin; doing so caused Heero to feel more shivers down his tense spine. Makoto

then moved her arms up to Heero's elbows, releasing her soft hold on his hands. They continued to dance to the classical

music, like two angelic doves in a dance of danger and beauty. As she turned around in his arms, Makoto locked her gaze

with Heero's prussian blue eyes. Heero stared at her in silence, although his mind was another matter. [First she's

cold, then she's...vivacious.] Heero mentally shook his head in exasperation. [Women.] "I think you are here to infiltrate

Milliardo Peacecraft's central computer to download the files and destroy their estate."

Makoto smirked. [Perfect Soldier lives up to his title.] Her light skirt billowed around her beautiful, lithe body as she

intertwined her fingers with Heero's. Taking a few steps forward, her chest made contact with Heero's silk shirt. She then

retreated backwards and spun around, locking Heero's arms around her waist once again. "You are wrong, Yuy." She said

that single sentence with such confidence that any other person would have been fooled. But Heero Yuy, the Perfect Soldier,

is not just any other person, is he?

Heero spun his dancing partner around abruptly and as she turned like a ballerina executing a graceful pirouette, he

grasped her right wrist and pulled Makoto back to him. He swiftly took a few steps forward and caught her in his muscular

arms. "Am I wrong?" He whispered into her ear. Makoto narrowed her eyes halfway and lazily gazed at his monotonous

expression. The soft tune of the solo violinist slowly faded into the background. "I think you're bluffing."

"You have the stubborn qualities of a donkey, Yuy." Makoto answered blandly. The music made a transition from vivacious

ballroom dancing to a slow, peaceful one. Apparently, Milliardo Peacecraft had planned it, seeing as he immediately

moved to Lieutenant Noin for a dance. The Lightning Count glanced warily at Makoto for a mere second as he lead the

blue-haired woman to the dance floor, but was brought out of his musings by the latter woman's voice. Makoto had to

smirk at Milliardo's romantic deviousness towards Noin. She also sighed in a melancholy tone, for such romantic thoughts

reminded her of a certain Chinese justice-obsessed pilot.

[If only...]

Heero, as he pulled her closer for the slow dance (AN: JEEZUS HOW CLOSE DOES HE WANT HER ANWAY? O_o), caught her sigh

and stared at her in childish wonder. For a strange reason, he seemed a bit disappointed at Makoto's depressed look, and

took the liberty to interrogate her about it. His right arm, which almost completely encircled Makoto's waist, moved

higher to her upper back and tapped it. The action caught Makoto's attention, bringing her out of her saddened reverie.

"Yuy?" Makoto turned and was met with Heero's strange gaze. [Disappointment?] She tilted her head to the side and asked,

"What is it?"

"Why are you staring longingly towards Peacecraft?" Heero questioned. His tone, betraying his mind, came off as a bit

jealous and harsher than he intended.

Makoto blinked. "If you're wondering if I like the Lightning Count, then no. I do not have any romantic thoughts about

him. Love, letting alone liking someone, is merely an intense personal attachment. I have no need for it. Of course,

someone of your stature should understand my train of thought, ne?"

Heero merely stared. [Did not expect that whatsoever.] His confused look seemed to make his dancing partner very amused.

Makoto attempted to hold back her laughter by biting her lip, but apparently it was not working. Her withheld laughter

seemed to make her body shiver uncontrollably. Finally, she caved in and chuckle insanely. Heero, had he no self-restraint,

would have sweatdropped. Makoto looked like she was going to have to be pulled into Tewksbury.

(AN: Ah, okay, time for a short history lesson. For those of you who know of Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller's blind tutor,

you should know that Tewksbury is the asylum in which people of those times put the insane, er...*unstable*, people..

*cough* but yeah...okay...uhm...I suppose you didn't need to know that..but yeah...feel smarter...^^;)

After what seemed like an eternity (for Heero) of amusing laughter, Makoto wiped the tears from her eyes. Heero looked

to be about as confused as a toddler with a spatula, and at the same time content. [She looks prettier when she smiles.]

He mused, but then brushed the emotional thoughts from his mind as Makoto gave him a large grin.

"Alright, alright, you think I'm insane." Makoto admitted, grinning like a cheshire cat. "I was laughing at your childish

expression! It's not every day you see a gundam pilot look like a toddler with a spatula." (AN: wait...didn't I just say

that? DEJA VU!) Makoto wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her face close to his. "You're really adorable when

you have absolutely no clue what's going on." She grinned.

Heero tried to ignore the burning sensation in his cheeks as Makoto got closer to him. His emotionless face seemed to

work, but his eyes betrayed him, much to his chagrin. [Why am I acting like this?] He gruffily asked himself. Ever since

he had come into contact with Wufei's ex-fiancee, Heero had begun to feel emotions that he had never felt before. It

was almost as if a light had been brought into the dark crevices of his monotonous psyche. A mere glance at her would

drive him crazy, and Heero did not necessarily know whether or not it was a good thing or a bad one. Her deep, brown

hair wafted around like a cherry blossom leaf in the morning breeze; her glittering emerald eyes shining like the moon

in its cold blanket of stars and black velvet emptiness. Her personality contrasted with his own, yet it was not as

different as most concluded. They were both trained to be pilots when they were little, resulting in the same emotionless

facade that was shown to all others. Yet, amidst the war-ridden thoughts of blood and deadly charisma, laid a soft,

childish innocence that could not be detered by any person or machine.

The monotonous pilot of Wing Zero Custom, at first, discarded the blossoming emotions for delirium and insanity from the

Zero system. But then he realized it was not possible, seeing as the Zero system was mostly used for battle and strategic

concepts than a guide of human emotions which, in his opinion, only left devastation and bewilderment. It was why he

kept his emotions in check; the deaths he had seen had increased his constitution, but it still made him sick, seeing the

blood of burned and torn carcasses. He remembered seeing a dying pair of honeymooners, in each others' arms; an aftermath

of a Rommefeller berserker that had lost his sanity when the gundams had won the war. The man had muttered comforting

words to the woman in his arms and, through a blood stained face, smiled in contentment. They died in front of his eyes.

Makoto watched as another flash of confusion and misery appeared in Heero's eyes. [So confusing, yet so readable, Heero

Yuy.] Her sparkling evergreen eyes looked worriedly at him. "Yuy?"

Heero snapped to attention. "Nani?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Makoto rolled her eyes at him. "Your eyes lie, Yuy..." She muttered.

Heero glared. "What?"

"Your eyes lie." Makoto answered him, slowly closing her eyes and moving her face to his cheek. "You may say emotionless

things, Yuy, but I can see what you really feel through your eyes. Windows to the soul, Yuy." She stated the last part

in an amused tone. "But really, Yuy. What can be so wrong that the Perfect Soldier does not know what to do?"

Heero averted his gaze.

[You really are as stubborn as a donkey.] Makoto sighed. As they turned around in each other's graceful embrace, the

Thunder-hime caught sight of Wufei looking at them in melancholic anger. His form brought back memories of her childhood.

Wufei's anger towards their engagement made her heart stop beating, the cold feeling of monotony brushing up against her

veins. She did not want to love him anymore, and perhaps she didn't. But some annoying, small voice kept telling her that

such emotions were not so easily purged. The thought made her want to cry, and his piercing gaze was not helping for the

moment, either. She mentally shook her head and scowled. [Chang doesn't give a damn about me. It does not matter any longer.

Never again...] Despite her angry scowl, her eyes betrayed her by allowing a rogue tear to slide down her ivory cheek.

As Heero glanced at her (after collecting his thoughts, might I add), he noticed her tear. Without a single thought, he

used his thumb to wipe it from her cheek. Makoto seemed to lean into his touch without her even knowing it, looking back

up towards his gaze. His eyes were inquisitive. Heero had a distinct hunch why that single tear had been freed from her

eye's hold, but did not necessarily know what to do in this situation. (AN: It's not like he knows how to handle girls,

with all the wars and whatnot..^^;)

"Yuy..." Makoto muttered his last name in a melancholic tone.

Heero casually turned their bodies and caught Wufei's eyes in a glare. Wufei scowled and glared back at the Perfect Soldier,

clearly showing that their closeness was not something that he approved of. Heero's death glare seemed to go into overdrive

in this particular moment, for Duo (who stood not far from Wufei) caught Heero's menacing look and began twitching his eye

in fear. Duo slowly moved closer to Wufei and asked him in a wary tone, "Wu-man, what the hell'd you do to He-man this time?"

Wufei growled in response. "It is what he is doing that is dishonorable. I did nothing."

"Do I sense jealousy, Wufei Chang?" Trowa Barton bit back a smirk as he joined the conversation. He had just finished getting

one of Relena's gal-pals to leave him alone. Apparently, said girl wanted the unibang to dance with her while the slow

melody lasted. Said girl, with a frighteningly bright neon pink dress that barely had enough cloth to cover up her chest,

was currently complaining to Relena, who was not far from where they were standing. Relena had a snobbish glare on her face,

although her friend's problem did not seem to concern her because her glare was pointed towards Makoto's back, which had

Heero's hand covering it. Relena pretended to care for her friend, who was now in a state of tears, and patted her on the

shoulder. The self-proclaimed 'Princess of the World' then smoothed out her dress, lowered her sleeves (at an attempt to

flaunt the breasts she *thinks* she has), and went on her way...towards Heero and Makoto.

"I do not concern myself with jealousy, Barton." Wufei barked back in reply.

"Then what is it that you find so dishonorable?" Trowa asked in an amused tone.

Wufei slapped his forehead. "It is not of your concern."

Trowa's visible eye shined with amusement and inquisitiveness. He casually leaned against the wall and placed his right hand

onto his chin. His unusual brown hair masked the grin that was on the Latin pilot's face. "Is it that you find the

closeness of their two bodies dishonorable, or is it that Heero is holding your ex-fiancee as if they are the ones that are

engaged?"

Duo, apparently, was rolling on the floor in a fit of laughter.

Heero turned away from the amusing scene of three pilots and looked at Makoto once again, taking in her saddened features.

The Japanese pilot was surprised to find that his hand had remained on Makoto's cheek and was actually caressing it.

(AN: just to interrupt for a moment...THE CHEEK ON THE FACE! NOT THE DAMN POSTERIOR!...hentais...*rolls eyes*)

"Yuy...you need not concern yourself with my tears." Makoto whispered, mesmerized in the moment. Heero blinked and took

back his hand, reintertwining it with her gloved hand. Makoto, had she been paying closer attention, would have noticed

a flash of hurt in Heero's eyes. Heero replaced his mask of indifference, but his close hold on her remained. Makoto

strangely found the position comforting and his arms warmed her skin like the living sun.

"If you find love such a waste of time, then why do you cry for him so brokenheartedly?" Heero inquired.

Makoto's seemed to widen suddenly, not expecting such a question. She then smiled sadly and replied, "Even those who wish

for emotionless monotony will not get their wish granted, because their hearts remain with those they used to love." [Or

those who still do love...] "What about you, Yuy? You act as if you do not care, but your eyes reflect sadness and pain.."

Heero tried not to stare at the empathic Makoto at that moment.

The young woman's sad smile remained. "It is true, isn't it? I know you; how you feel. You don't want to get hurt, so you

shut yourself out and stay away from people that seem to care about you. You've seen more than anyone will ever see in a

war. You feel that life is an endless battle and that there is always someone left to fight. Maybe that's true, who knows."

Makoto took his hand that she was holding and guided it towards her cheek. She placed his palm onto the side of her face

and stared straight into his eyes, as if wondering what he was really thinking. "Yuy, life may be an endless battle, but

during that battle there will always be those who wish to help you."

[Are you one of them?] Heero silently asked his dancing partner. The question seemed to go through Makoto's mind as well,

for her sad smile grew happy and understanding.

"Heero Yuy, you will be the judge of whether or not I wish to help you." From the corner of her eyes, she saw Milliardo's

door from the second floor beginning to open and sighed to herself, sad that the moment will soon be lost. Makoto took

Heero's hand off of her cheek and kissed his palm. Heero looked on in confusion. Makoto smiled and whispered into his ear,

slowly letting go of his hand and leaning to grasp the handgun in her skirt pocket. "I will help you if you wish me to."

It was then that Relena grasped one of Makoto's arms and harshly attempted to separate the two.

"You harlot! Get your filthy hands off my Heero!" Relena growled in an annoyingly peeved tone. Her dress seemed to billow

around her as she looped her arms around Heero's left elbow. Her haughty voice did not intimidate Makoto whatsoever as she

merely backed away a few inches, crossing her arms and grinning towards Heero.

"Who's this Heero? The girlfriend you never told me about?" Makoto teased in a calm voice.

Heero's eye resisted the urge to twitch and merely glared at Relena before abruptly pushing her away into an unfortunate

Milliardo Peacecraft and his blue-haired love interest. Relena ended up on top of Noin and Milliardo, sprawled out and

utterly shocked at Makoto's actions. Noin pushed the Princess off of her and stood up, dusting off her shirt and pants.

Milliardo got up seconds later, muttering curses and something about 'getting a cage for the damn blonde poodle.'

(AN: HAHAHA get it? poodles are high maintainance and...and..yeah...okay..)

Makoto quickly darted her eyes towards the door, which was now fully open. Haruka seemed to be taking her time getting out

of the damn room. She turned her attention back towards Relena, who was now standing up with her hair in tangles and her

dress disheveled. Heero was apparently trying to ignore Relena by staring at Makoto. "You little hussy!" Relena shrieked.

Thunder-hime rubbed her ear for effect. "Stop shrieking like a banshee, your highness. It isn't very becoming."

"Oooohhh! You little..."

Makoto moved to stand right in front of Relena and measured their height with her hands. "Excuse me? 'Little?' I'm sorry,

but if you haven't noticed, I'm much taller than you are." Relena was flabberghasted at Makoto's words. Well, she was right.

Relena only came up to Makoto's nose. Duo, along with the others, had come closer to see the argument and was now grinning.

Apparently, he had been waiting forever for someone to show the 'Princess of Earth' up. Trowa and Quatre were stood amusedly

behind Duo while Wufei stood to the right of the braided pilot, still a little frustrated at Heero and Makoto (and Duo :P).

"You hussy! Why, I never thought I'd meet someone so...so...arrogant and rude!" Relena fumbled with her vocabulary for a good comeback. "Not to mention someone so ugly!" The megalomaniac 'poodle' snorted.

"Arrogant and rude?" Makoto's brow raised an inch as she stared down the blonde woman. "I'm sorry to say, MISS Peacecraft,

but I don't think it's very good to try to insult someone when you're describing yourself. And for the ugly remark, I suggest

you take a look in one of your gaudy mirrors and see for yourself who is the uglier of us two."

Relena's temper flared, her face turning an interesting shade of purple and crimson. "You *DARE* come to my brother's

estate and defecate it by dishonoring me?! You should be ashamed to insult such royalty, such as myself! Ooooh! Do you not

realize that I have the power of a-"

"Field mouse?" Makoto interrupted in an amused tone. "Nah, can't be a field mouse." She gave Relena a mischevious, feline

grin. "Field mice are too adorable. You have the power of a rat; a spoiled one at that." Makoto's eyes once again glanced

towards Milliardo's open computer room door and found Haruka standing what looked like a fallen Peacecraft guard. Haruka

caught her gaze and winked. Makoto muttered to herself, "Took you long enough."

"A spoiled rat?!" Relena shrieked. "Why I never-"

"Used your brain?" Makoto turned back to look at her. "Well, I sort of figured at out a while ago. Now, if you excuse me,"

She then whirled around to look at the monotonous Perfect Soldier, pulling out a gun and releasing the safety, "I have to go

make my way out of this estate before my accomplice berates me for talking to you." Makoto then grinned at Heero, ruffled

his hair, and dashed towards the main doors. Heero growled at her running form and pulled out his own favorite handgun,

running after her. The pilots, including Milliardo and Noin, took after his example while Relena wailed on about Makoto's

insults and her 'disgraceful closeness towards her Hee-chan.'

Haruka met Makoto at the entrance hall after running down the stairs and through throngs of noblemen and women. Makoto

continued to run, Haruka alongside her. Said girl pulled out the memory card from her jacket pocket and handed it to Makoto,

who then held it with her gun. As they pushed open the gargantuan mahogany-cherrywood doors of the Peacecraft mansion,

the Thunder-hime grasped the pale fabric of her skirt and ripped the whole bottom part of her dress off, revealing black

boot-cut leather pants with a large assortment of pockets on the outer sides of each leg. She gingerly placed the memory

card into the pocket next to her hip and continued running. Michiru was outside with three motorcycles, beyond the golden

front gates and piles of unconscious Peacecraft guards. The aquamarine-haired engineer had used a mild form of nerve

gas that had the ability of paralyzing numerous amounts of people in a matter of seconds. The cloud of gas had already

dissolved, leaving only said piles of twitching men and women. Makoto and Haruka simultaneously grinned.

Heero lead the pack of soldiers out the doors, not far from Makoto and Haruka. Duo had previously noticed a clump of

fabric and recognized it as Makoto's skirt. His slightly perverted mind ran its course and as he ran, he thought up

interesting visuals pertaining to the brown-haired female pilot, voicing them out loud. He received a glare from Heero

and a swipe of the katana by Wufei. Heero shot at Haruka's legs, attempting to immobilize her or at least slow her down.

He frowned at the thought of having to hurt Makoto, but had no qualms about shooting at Haruka. (AN: can you guess why? ^^;)

But despite his heart's attempts, his emotionlessly perfect mind took over and forced him to shoot at Makoto as well.

Wufei, having an apprehensiveness for shooting his ex-fiancee, yelled at Heero and ordered him not to shoot. If there was

no gunfire at all, the judicious Chinese pilot would have heard Heero mutter, "It's not like I want to." Since he didn't,

though, Wufei grew angry and attempted to stop Heero from shooting by cutting his handgun in half with his katana. Heero

glared and merely pulled out another one. (AN: Anyone ever wonder where these guns come from?)

[Mako, why are you doing this?] Wufei wondered as he continued running towards Makoto and Haruka's fleeting forms. Trowa

had pulled out a rifle and, after noticing the motorcycles, tried to shoot one of the motorcycles' fuel tanks. Since the

rifle that he held had a wider range than that of the handgun, his shots were successful and one of the motorcycles was

losing its fuel. The motorcycle was now a time bomb. In a few moments, the shot motorcycle would burst into a large,

firey ball of flame. Milliardo narrowed his eyes at the sudden bright light and aimed his gun towards Makoto. It seemed

that his underestimation of her had caused him to be shocked at the sudden development.

[She certainly is a force to be reckoned with.] Milliardo thought with an invisible grin.

Michiru managed to move her black and aqua-striped motorcycle away from the firey ball that was once Haruka's gold-black motorcycle. Thankfully, Makoto's black and dark green motorcycle was far enough from Haruka's that it did not get damaged, save a singed rear-view mirror. Makoto darted to the side as Milliardo's bullets shot through the air, narrowly missing her by a couple of millimeters. Haruka had already reached the iron clad gates and vaulted over it. The sandy blonde-haired woman motioned for Makoto to hurry the hell up.

The Thunder-hime finally reached the gates after firing back at the gundam pilots. Wufei narrowly missed one of her bullets and groaned in frustration as a small gash made itself known on his right arm. Makoto turned and winked at her pursuitors. "Nice seein' ya. Great party!" After giving them an amusing peace sign, she backflipped into the air and landed on the other side of the gate with the grace of a crane. She ran over to her motorcycle and straddled the seat, revving the engine.

"Makoto!" Wufei yelled, trying to get her to stop in a moment of desperation (...frustration?) but to no avail as the three

female figures darted away, leaving a cloud of black smoke near the Peacecraft entrance gate.

Makoto turned towards Haruka as they rode away. "Weren't we supposed to destroy the mansion?!" She yelled over the engine noise. Haruka merely shook her head, a movement that usually meant 'forget about it.'

=======

Wufei sat in frustration. It had been two hours since Makoto and Haruka's escape from the Peacecraft estate. The judicious Chinese pilot sat on his plush black computer chair, clothed in complete darkness, save the light which was emitted from his laptop and the mysterious gleam that shined from his katana's metallic scabbard. His roomlights had been turned off and his desk lamp had been sliced in two (due to his frustration ^^;). After his angry cutting of his lamp, Wufei had changed into more comfortable clothing, which consisted of white cotton pj pants and a black t-shirt with a white dragon logo embroidered on the back.

He sat in front of his computer and discontentedly scanned through his e-mail inbox when a chat window opened onto his screen. Growling silently, apparently not in the mood for idle conversation, he closed the window. Unfortunately, the random chatter was not so easily 'removable.'

ryunolightning says: Don't you dare close that window on me, Chang.

Wufei bit back a twitch of his brow as he angrily replied.

shineosagebaka says: Who the hell are you?!

ryunolightning says: nice screen name.

shineosagebaka says: You're not answering my question.

ryunolightning says: and here i thought you'd recognize the name, Chang. Or have you forgotten the drawing I drew for you when we were children?

Wufei stared, shocked, at the screen.

shineosagebaka says: ..Mako-chan?

ryunolightning says: in the cyber flesh, Wu-man. *smirks*

shineosagebaka says: why did you and that man take the information in Peacecraft's main computer?

ryunolightning says: always so blunt, Chang.

shineosagebaka says: you were always one to avoid the question, Mako-chan.

ryunolightning says: I did it because I was ordered to. Not that it's any of your business.

Wufei narrowed his eyes and frowned.

shineosagebaka says: You've been hanging too much around Yuy, Mako-chan.

ryunolightning says: I can hang around who I wish, Chang.

shineosagebaka says: Mako-chan, why do you always call me by my last name now? We've known each other for so long...

ryunolightning says: you of all people should know why there is a need for formality, Chang. Do not play innocent with me.

shineosagebaka says: Mako-chan how the hell could I have known that you loved me when you never even hinted it?! and we were so young then!

ryunolightning says: what difference does it make?! You still loved Merrian when we were 'so young'! And besides! I'm sure that even if I still loved you you wouldn't even care!

shineosagebaka says: you were always the one to tell me not to assume. and besides that you don't!

ryunolightning says: and how the hell would you know?!

shineosagebaka says: well by the way you're acting it's like you hate me!

ryunolightning says: you know nothing, Chang. Absolutely nothing. To even think I decided to talk to you to tell you...

ryunolightning has signed off (1:36:09AM)

Wufei resignedly closed the IM window, wondering what the ending of her last sentence might have been. "What could she have told me..?" He buried his eyes into his hands, his elbows resting against the mahogany desk. "Mako-chan..." Wufei took his right hand and opened the top drawer on his right, shuffling through some files and random leaflets. He sadly rested his eyes on a paper-sized green envelope made from dyed rice paper. He laid it on top of his laptop keyboard and slowly opened the side of the envelope, revealing a cream colored sheet of thickened rice paper bordered by intricate designs of lotus blossoms. He pulled the sheet out and gazed longingly at the etherial picture before him.

It consisted of plain black ink, although the picture itself was anything but plain. It depicted a chinese dragon curving and

dancing in the heavens, smiling and grinning as it briefly gazed down at a small chinese estate which looked remarkably like Wufei's old home. The dragon looked majestic as its claws curved downwards, towards the clouds beneath him. His scales were intricately designed, each one accenting the dragon's figure. It's whiskers were long and sinewy, like thin rope strewn across water. His eyes almost seemed alive and full of mirth, despite the fact that the colors of them were coal black. The chinese dragon's royal brow was thick and bushy, like an emperor's crown above a majestic face. On the dragon's curved back was a small boy, seven to ten years old, adorned in a simple white gi and his hair tied in a simple ponytail at the nape of his neck. His eyes were wide, almost filled with excitement. Behind him was a little girl almost of the same age, with hair tied in a high ponytail held together by a silk ribbon. Her eyes were wider than that of the boy's, but was filled with just as much excitement.

Wufei, not caring about showing a weakness, allowed one tear to slide from his eye onto his cheek. "Mako-chan..." He touched the figure of the little girl with his right index finger, tracing the delicate jawline. "I miss you being close, Mako-chan...what can I do for you to forgive my sins?"

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AN: How's that? long enough? ^^; please forgiveth mee for the lack of updates...*pleads and begs* Firey of Jupiter I hope you're pleased with this chapter! I'll have the next one out once I finished my summer homework..damn sophomore year..they said it'd be hard..but it hasn't even started yet and I'm already dreading it!!!

Email: injusticepilot05@hotmail.com