Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, Bandai, and any other companies I forgot to mention.
Warnings: Bad language, lots of violence, and lots of flashbacks. Ano... this is a very long chapter and I'm sorry, but try to think of it as a mini movie.
A.N: This is the final battle to decide the fate of the future. If the Gundams and Preventers fail then the desires of a man who wishes a return to the beginning will become a reality. In a world where peace and hope are so fragile, can the efforts of so few be enough to maintain such a balance? Friendship, loyalty, trust, and love will all be thrown into the fray where the possibility of survival is close to zero. As Heero said in the previous chapter, "Failure means death and death is the only thing to hope for if OZ wins." Who will be the victor; who shall claim the future as their own? More importantly, will the essence of war die with this battle or will it be doomed to repeat again in a different form?
ZERO SOUL
Chapter 15: A New Dawn
Part 2: Freedom: Mind, Body, and Soul
By: Vegie-kun
"Is everything ready?" Quatre quietly asked from the cockpit of his carrier plane.
"Yeah, but Heero's not here yet," Duo replied over the com-link from his own carrier. "What's taking that guy so long anyway?"
"Don't worry about that," the blond calmly reassured, "he'll be joining us once the battle starts. He told Lady Une he had to retrieve something first."
"Whad'ya suppose he went to get?" the Deathscythe pilot mused.
"I'd tell you," Quatre began, hearing Duo shuffle closer to the transmitter, "if I knew."
"Man, you really know how to shoot down a person's hopes, don't you, Quatre?" the other pilot wailed, feigning hurt. Hearing the Arabian chuckle in response he pouted, leaning back in his seat. The youth turned his head in the direction of the pilot, a Preventer agent assigned to transport him and his Gundam to the destined site. The man gave him a sympathetic look before turning his attention back to piloting the aircraft.
"How much longer?" the American asked, a bored expression adorning his handsome, youthful face.
"About another hour or so, I'm afraid," the man replied, trying to sound comforting, but failing miserably. They'd left the Preventer base at 1300 hour and had already been flying for an hour. At this rate, they would reach the Siberian area at 1500 hour. Duo sighed and placed his chin in his hand and stared out the window. The terrain beneath them was nothing but white, made blinding by the sun's reflection off the snow, yet it was peaceful and somehow satisfying.
In a strange, dark compartment, a lone figure in a black flight suit sat, strapped to the seat, waiting for something that only time would bring. Its face was hidden behind a darkened, black helmet, similar to the ones worn in space. Gloved hands gripped the controls of its mobile suit, unwilling to let go or loosen up. All the power had been turned off, blanketing the space in silence not unlike a tomb. There was nothing but the accursed quiet yet even that was disturbed by the faint, metronomic sounds of a heartbeat.
*doki* *doki* *doki* *doki* *doki*
The suited figure's head budged slightly, facing the blank screen in front of it before lowering again. "Huff... huff... huff... huff..."
They managed to reach the area right when the OZ mobile suits, consisting of Tauruses, Virgos, and Geminis, were leaving the underground Siberian base. That was their cue to take action; the doors to the carriers flew open and the Gundams, Tallgeese III, and Maganacs plummeted to the inevitable battle. The suits descended with incredible speed, like angels come to deliver the final judgment upon OZ. Activating their boosters and thrusters they landed on the ground with a resounding thud and froze. The opposition stilled; OZ knew the likelihood of the Gundams showing up was highly probable, but they thought they'd at least get out in time. Damn, they hadn't. There was an eerie silence looming over the field, challenging both sides to make the first move.
"Well, I guess this is it," Captain Dereks remarked with a grin on his face. "So, Julian..." he swiveled his head to the picture on the screen, "you ready?" He queried lightly over the com-link before his face turned grim.
There was a moment of silence before the older man answered back in a resolute voice, "Es ist Zeit."
With that, the first shot was fired, coming from the beam rifle of Whitenburg's Gemini II, aimed at the menacing silhouette of Sandrock. Within a fraction of a second the Preventer mobile suits dispersed into their respective teams and returned fire. A shower of bullets from the Gundam's vulcan guns made impact with a few enemy suits, throwing some off balance. Quatre and Duo quickly regrouped and flew off to the right while Wufei and Trowa rushed into a group in front of them. Wind was left to fend for himself, muttering curses at Heero for his lack of consideration by not showing up on time. However, those thoughts were quickly severed as he encountered a few Gemini IIs heading in his general direction. The Maganacs were resigned to battling the Tauruses and Virgos knowing they wouldn't stand long against the Geminis with their suits.
"Don't let any of them leave the area!" the Arabian pilot yelled to the others with a single-minded resolve as more suits continued to fly out of an area a few hundred meters away. This didn't make matters any better, and soon the entire land began echoing with the sounds of battle. The sky was a golden orange haze filled with haphazard clouds lazily strewn about. The sun would set in an hour or so and a night battle at night would bring about too many obstacles. It wasn't an option, and they weren't going to make it one.
Two women stood quietly within the forest of the Siberian land, hiding behind an enormous evergreen tree, monitoring the entrance to the enemy base. The last of the suits had left not more than five minutes earlier. They could hear the fighting, even from where they stood, and it made them worry. Everything would be up to them and, in a way, that was what scared the two; no one likes having the fate of something, anything, riding on their shoulders. The wind was chilly and the woman with sandy blonde hair wondered if it would rain.
"Is it time yet?" she asked her partner who snuck occasional glances at the clearing.
"We'll know when Lady Une cracks the code and opens that doorway for us," Noin replied, eyes never shifting from their target. "How deep is the drop going to be?"
"Heero said that it was at least a hundred meters," Sally answered, walking closer to her comrade. "Do you have your grappling hook ready?" The other nodded a 'yes' in response.
*CLICK* *CLICK* *CLICK*
The locks on the hidden metal barrier were heard and the two women prepared themselves for the plunge. With cat-like agility, they ran over to the opening portal, wary of the traps that may have been hidden nearby. Before the metal door was even a third of the way open, they leapt into the welcoming darkness that eagerly consumed them. Inside the vertical shaft they fell, motionless in their freefall. They wanted to make sure they had enough cable line to make it all the way down; stopping early was out of the question. Of course, if they miscalculated their landing then they would end up as Preventer pancakes on the cold metal floor.
"Now!" Noin yelled pulling out the small device tucked in the back of her waistband. Positioning the thing in front of her, she took aim, shot, and hit the metal shaft. The sudden jerk threatened to make her lose her grip, but she managed to hold on and reel herself in with Sally following suit. They landed without much trouble, taking time to store away their equipment safely before they proceeded with their assigned tasks.
"I guess this is where we split up," Sally mused jokingly with a smile. "Be careful while you're looking for them."
"The same goes for you," the raven-haired woman replied with an equally hearty smile. With one last look at each other they parted, heading in opposite directions; Noin going left while Sally headed straight ahead. /Let's see… if I remember this… the medical facilities are located in the northwestern sectors of this base. That means that I have to head 200 meters down this corridor then turn left, go another 125 meters, then right and go up another 75 meters. I'm going to get a real workout out of this; I hope there aren't many soldiers left to monitor this place./
Glancing at her watch she estimated the time she'd need to find her target, meet up with Water, and exit the base. If she made it through without any complications, then she'd only need forty-five minutes at the most. Her grip on the gun tightened, ready to deal with any obstacle that chose to interfere with her mission. Hearing approaching footsteps, she unlatched the safety and held the firearm close to her body. Wanting to keep the upper hand, Fire pressed her body to a nearby wall, breath held to prevent detection.
A shadow came into her field of vision, and she trained the weapon on it; it was a guard that looked to be no older than seventeen. She lowered the weapon and decided to let him pass, as long as he didn't see her. Luckily for him, he didn't catch sight of the woman who proceeded on to her destination. /If all they have left are children, then... dammit! I can't fight them, OZ or not. How can people as young as they are just throw away their lives like that? Guess I shouldn't be one to talk; I was already fighting when I was even younger than them. God, I feel sick now./
Twenty minutes later she arrived at a large complex, barred from the other side by a looming, metal doorway. She stepped closer, removing the terminal card Heero had stolen from her jacket pocket. Sliding the small object into a slot, she waited a few seconds before the panel began smoking and the door slid open. Taking another breath, she whipped her body into view and was greeted by the sight of four very startled doctors.
"Freeze!"
The Gundams, Tallgeese III, and the Maganacs were presently preoccupied with the endless numbers of mobile suits coming at them. They had been told to prevent any from leaving the base and although it seemed easy at first, it soon became a rather daunting task to accomplish; made worse by the fact that they were trying their best to prevent any casualties on both sides. All were exhausted; they doubted they could last much longer considering the fact that more than half the OZ troops were mobile dolls.
In a far corner of the field, Wind was mulling over how he had managed to let himself be surrounded by a mob of Geminis. They hadn't even been in battle for forty minutes and already he was cornered. His mind filled with curses as he fought with unbridled strength, fueled by his desire to get back the only family left to him. He lashed out with his heat rod daring the enemy suits to come closer and meet his wrath; they answered that challenge with beam sabre at the ready. Tallgeese took a hit to its right side and nearly stumbled as a metallic fist caught its left cheek. In less than a second he regained his composure and shot at the suits with his mega beam cannon. The OZ suits instinctively flew out of the cannon's pathway but one was unlucky and lost an arm as punishment for its sloppy maneuvering.
The suits backed off and Wind thought they had finally given up until an earth shattering blast caught him in the back. The force of the impact sent him down on one knee, and he bit his lip to prevent the sound of pain from escaping his lips. He cocked Tallgeese's head to the side and caught a glimpse of a Gemini II with a beam rifle. Before he was able to process this new information, the Gemini II's engines flared and it descended upon the Preventer's mobile suit.
"Zechs Merquise," Whitenburg addressed the other pilot, "I thought you had given up playing soldier to play God on a dead red planet."
"Whitenburg!" the younger man hissed, anger building by the second. "You can't even begin to imagine my surprise when I found out that you were the one responsible for Operation ZERO and Relena's current state."
"Really now?" the General mused mockingly. "I would have never guessed that the great Zechs Merquise could ever be surprised or that he would care so much."
"You're going to see firsthand that I'm full of surprises," he stated with an eerie calm, extracting his beam sabre from its hidden compartment.
"Oh, I'm looking forward to that," the other exclaimed as he whipped out his own beam sabre. "Did you really think you could atone for your past just by giving those greedy bastards in space a new planet to live on? Nothing is ever that easy; everyone has a price to pay if they want peace."
"Hn. So what did you sell in order to gain your 'peace'?" Wind queried while they sparred.
"My soul," he answered ruthlessly, taking another swing at Tallgeese. "Rei!"
Upon command, the terrifying figure of Neo Epyon shot out of its forest confines in a magnificent display of power and speed, trees and shrubbery the victims of such a violet outburst. The Preventer's eyes widened when he realized just who piloting that monstrous beast, but it was too late. The creature was fast and before the young man could blink, the beast was only a Gundam's length away.
*CRASH*
"WingZERO!?"
Like an avenger sent from heaven, the angelic WingZERO fell from the skies to intercept the devil sent from hell. The two suits tumbled on the ground, locked in a deadly embrace that neither was willing to relinquish. Rolling until they were a good distance away from the two men, they broke apart simultaneously. Both drew their swords, beam sabre and finely tempered Gundanium, in one swift motion that mirrored the other. Both waited a moment or two, sizing up their opponent. Not wasting a second more, the two took off towards each other at a blinding pace.
"This is Water, have you acquired the targets?" She queried over her communicator. The Preventer had been wandering around the base for about thirty minutes now, and though she was provided with a floor plan of the area, the facility proved to be more of a labyrinth than she could've imagined. She knew the battle above ground had been going on for over half an hour now and there wasn't a thing she could do to make things easier. They were depending on her, and she was very well aware of it.
"Target acquired," Fire reported to the blonde woman, a muffled protest was proof of that, "I'll meet up with you in about ten minutes, stay safe till then." She switched off leaving the other alone yet again.
Rounding the corner, she came upon a metal doorway and upon closer inspection she located the control panel. With caution, she proceeded to extract the terminal card from her pocket and slipped it into the slot. With a resounding click, the door unlocked and slid open. Gun in tow, she swung around and was surprised to find only two soldiers at the control and communications terminal. "Freeze!" she shouted firmly, the two froze upon command and lifted their hands, surrendering.
Their problem was that inhuman pilot of Neo Epyon, Rei; the one who had no soul to call her own at the moment. It took all they had to try to keep her at bay. The two who concentrated their efforts to her in check were Wind and Heero; both knew what to expect from a machine born from Epyon and were putting that knowledge to good use. As Heero fought Rei, Wind kept the Geminis, along with Whitenburg, from interfering or getting into their fighting vicinity. In battle there were no longer any hostilities between them and for that, the other Preventers were happy, not to mention relieved.
The fiery sky was going to darken in less than an hour, and it seemed as if the clouds were starting to gather; they had to hurry but they couldn't do much until Fire and Water finished their missions first. "Dammit!" Wufei cursed as he took the full brunt of a beam rifle from a Gemini II. Extending his dragon fang, he disarmed the machine and proceeded to strategically disassemble it.
"Wufei, stay focused, you're going to overexert yourself if you keep this up," Trowa remarked to his partner.
"I wouldn't have to if those onnas would just hurry up and finish their missions," the furious Chinese youth retorted.
The stoic pilot smiled to himself and switched his communication to his comrades on the other side. "Quatre, Duo, how are you two handling your end of things?"
Over static and muffled groans of pain came a familiar laugh. "What do you think, Trowa?" the braided, maniacal pilot responded as he swung his twin beam scythe at a mobile doll, "We're up to our necks in these things."
"Yeah," Quatre chimed in, agreeing with his partner, "Duo's right; we're barely an hour into the battle but if we continue on like this, we'll lose the war before the sun even sets. Trowa, keep an eye out for any mobile suits that look like they're going to break away from the fighting zone and take them out. And Wufei make sure to provide Trowa with enough coverage while he's doing that."
"Roger that." They affirmed.
"How's Heero doing anyway?" The blond inquired, having lost track of him some time ago.
"By the looks of it, not well," Trowa replied grimly.
The Neo Epyon took another swing at ZERO with a savageness that almost bordered on desperation. That was how the Seele units worked, causing its bearer to fight as if their life were on the line, as if this would be the last battle, as if there would be no more tomorrow. Tomorrow. The WingZERO pilot was looking forward to that, very, very much: a tomorrow where OZ no longer existed, where he no longer had to fight. However, there were some things he had to take care of first before he could take another step into the future he was imagining; he had to take her down.
"Shit!" the Japanese pilot cursed when he failed to dodge the red beast's heat rod, taking the blow to WingZERO's head, causing him to shift violently in his cockpit. He was getting nowhere; the girl had the Seele units and the ZERO system on her side while he was still held back by human weariness and reflexes. /Why did I ask them to make the ZERO system's activation manual? Dammit!/ If he didn't activate the ZERO system in his own suit soon, he would lose the fight and everything else along with it.
*CLANG*
Their two swords came together; beam sabre against finely tempered Gundanium in a series of sparks and clashes. It was a strange dance that took place both on land and in air. WingZERO lashed forward with its familiar green blade only to have it deflected by that of Neo Epyon's. The angelic Gundam's wings flapped to gain more altitude in an attempt to put some distance between them; however, Epyon was fast and it tailed the other in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. As they soared through the glowing orange sky, the others glanced up now and again, keeping tabs on what transpired between them.
Flying over a particular area of land, the two soon attracted the attentions of about a dozen or so Taurus mobile dolls. They gave chase, a hail of gunfire the only thing acknowledging their presence. With the added threat the WingZERO pilot had no other choice but to seek assistance from the menacing and mentally hazardous program. /No other paths left open./ As the ZERO system came to life, it seemed as if time had slowed; mere moments became an expanded lifetime as the youth's mind was being connected to the machine. Once the process was complete, the Gundam took off in an unexpected burst of speed, spiraling in its flight to avoid another shower of artillery shells aimed in its direction. It was like a shooting star, bright, beautiful, and unknowingly dangerous. Personally, the Japanese pilot didn't need the system to accomplish such tasks, but the weariness was taking effect, and he didn't need that factor to drag him down.
Every single shot fired in his direction missed, and the now machine-driven soldier fired a volley from his machine cannon in response, destroying many on impact. /I have to be able to stay calm. I can't let this thing take hold of me. I have to keep her impressions at bay./ Doing a U-turn; he made his way back into the fray. Positioning his twin buster rifle, the pilot took aim and unleashed oblivion onto the mobile dolls. Before he was able to confirm his hit, Neo Epyon collided into him, knocking the buster rifle out of ZERO's grip and interlocking their fingers together. In such a situation there was only one thing the two could do: plummet and crash onto the Earth below them.
Down, down, down, they went, still in their dangerous embrace. It was sad that neither felt the impact when they made contact with the ground, sending clouds of dust and pieces of earth into the sky. Both their minds were now wrapped within the confines of the destructive ZERO system. Shaking it off as if it were nothing but a mere scratch, the two got up again. Their swords drawn once more, they resumed their deadly dance. Inside WingZERO, Heero fought with all his might against the images of the crimson-eyed soldier that flooded his psyche. He saw her, dead eyes, pale skin, golden hair, and the small lips from which he wanted words to pour forth. After being inside the Neo Epyon for nine months, Heero knew the ZERO system would acknowledge her as its rightful pilot. It would know which brainwaves belonged inside the suit and which ones didn't and there was nothing familiar about this pilot. To make up for that fact, the system barraged the current pilot with memories, or rather data collected during flights, to see if any would register. None did.
As their swords locked once more, WingZERO kicked Neo Epyon in the midsection, causing it to stagger back several meters. Before the other could recover, it let out a few rounds of fire from its machine cannons, hitting the beast all over. The youth was about to charge again when a transmission interrupted his assault. "Heero?! Heero?!" this quickly snapped the pilot out of his trance and he acknowledged the sender.
"Hn."
"Good," the feminine voice let out a sigh of relief, "this is Water, mission accomplished."
That was all Heero needed to hear. A smile, somewhat sadistic and menacing, crept its way onto his face. Giving a sideways glance to the monitor he saw the mobile dolls deactivate and fall silent. It was now time to really put on the pressure; he had to make her go to her limits, and maybe even beyond. In one swift motion he lunged forward, the attack unexpected, and brought her to the ground. Neo Epyon attempted to get up but was brought down again by a hail of ammo from WingZERO's machine cannons. The assault didn't last long and before Heero was able to close the gap, Neo Epyon burst into the air. The other gave chase, once more resuming their dogfight. /You won't get away; I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth if I have to. You're mine!/
What was wrong with her? Only mere moments ago she was in control. In the blink of an eye her mind had paused, and for the briefest of seconds, everything stopped, only to come back to reality and find that the tables had turned in his favor. There was something wrong. Her mind, it was slower than before, and her reaction time had decreased about 5 percent from its original standings. Something definitely wasn't right, but she couldn't place a finger on it; she was too busy trying to dodge WingZERO's attacks. Adding to the problem was a dull ache in the back of her head that steadily increased as she concentrated harder on maintaining control of the ZERO system.
She cocked her head to the side and caught a glimpse of the accursed Gundam a few meters away. With a quick flick of her wrist, her Gundam spun around and lashed out with the heat rod, catching WingZERO in the face. Her opponent staggered briefly but quickly recovered, opening its machine cannons to deliver a volley of ammunition. Rei was tossed violently inside her cockpit and upon checking the gauges, knew that she had been hit in critical areas. Balance had been lost and while she fought to regain it, she failed to notice that her opponent was dangerously close. Time seemed to have stopped as the two Gundams collided with one another once more.
Off in the distance, their comrades ceased in their attack to watch in silent awe the events that had just transpired. At this point neither side was sure who the victor would be anymore. With the mobile dolls out of service, the numbers became reasonable enough for the Preventer force to deal with. The sound of the two Gundam's hard landing broke them out of their trance and they resumed combat.
Back where Heero and Rei landed, the two proceeded to get up, both their weapons lost in that atmospheric collision. Inside their respective cockpits, both breathed heavily, exhaustion finally setting in... maybe not. They rushed forward, locking hands in a test of strength. Pushing against one another, hoping that the other would relent; both soon realized they were evenly matched. In Heero's mind it was now or never.
"Relena." His deep, soft voice called out.
The name registered in her head, but she wasn't able to discern where she had heard it.
"Relena." It was firmer this time, but still gentle as well.
Who was this pilot calling to? Was it her or was he addressing another one of his comrades?
"The name is Rei," she replied with the same amount of emotion that went into her everyday speech.
"Relena!" The pilot sounded almost as if he were pleading.
What was he trying to do? /Pain./ That dull ache residing in her head increased into a throbbing. /What's going on?/ It was difficult keeping her mind on her enemy while trying to block out the pain at the same time. /Enemy! He must be the one causing all this pain./ Her mind conjured his image and she immediately honed onto his deep Prussian blue eyes. A chill ran up her spine and she winced at the feeling. Feeling. It was a strange sense of recognition like the time in the prisoner's cell. She was feeling him again, that odd sensation of trust, strength, and hope. His face appeared again, smiling, or showing something that could possibly pass as a smile. She felt warmth, happiness, and a tinge of sadness. /What's... happening... to me?... Pain./ Again, her mind was barraged with that throbbing pain, but still she fought on for control. "Wha-Ahhh!"
*FLASHBACK*
There was an audience of what looked to be diplomats and aristocrats sitting in a large room, staring at a young girl in a formal white dress with a red sash across her chest and abdomen. It was silent and her eyes shifted, on accident, to the balcony. She came face to face with HIM. He had donned an OZ uniform and was aiming a gun in her direction. /Heero./ Her mind acknowledged with regret and fear, her eyes almost pleading with his to shoot her.
*END FLASHBACK*
"Relena." The voice sounded concerned, but if this was the same person in that scene then it shouldn't have sounded so.
"What are you doing to-Unhhh!"
*FLASHBACK*
The two youths were walking down a dark corridor when the boy suddenly halted. His head moved to the left and right, sensing something. The girl asked him what was wrong, but before she could say anything more, he shouted, "Get down and cover your head! Peacemillion is about to crash into us!" Before the girl had time to react, the area shook violently and a body covered hers, acting as a shield. Minutes passed before the girl shifted, and the weight on top of her lifted. She turned around and her eyes took in the handsome and stern face of the boy, his concerned Prussian blue eyes before they darted to the wound on his arm.
*END FLASHBACK*
Her breathing was labored and the girl frantically tried to sort out the distorted images and feelings flooding her mind.
"Fight it." This time there was determination underlining his words.
"You are the enemy! Ugh!"
*FLASHBACK*
At the balcony of a school a boy stood with his back and arms against the stone rails. His face seemed to stare off into space while a group of girls watched him from the side. One of the girls, a blonde with blue-green eyes, walked up to him and handed him a card. The words the girl said were unheard as he took the invitation from her hand. Suddenly, without warning, the boy ripped the paper in half. Tears threatened to form in the girl's eyes as she asked him 'Why?'. Before a single drop could fall he reached out his hand towards her face and took it away.
"Omae o korosu."
*END FLASHBACK*
"Relena, please..." He was pleading again.
"Who are you talking t-Argh!"
"You're stronger than this. Fight it. Break free."
*FLASHBACK*
A youth with unruly dark brown hair was typing away at a computer terminal, exchanging words with a blonde-haired girl sitting nearby. His concentration solely on his work; his face tensed when the girl spoke. Getting up, he turned to address her.
"Don't make me repeat it; I'm nothing compared to you."
*END FLASHBACK*
"What are you trying to d-Ahhh, my head!" Neo Epyon's body slumped but desperately held its ground.
"Come back to us, Relena... Come back to me..." The last few words trailed off into a whisper.
*FLASHBACK*
As WingZERO stood in the middle of a large and empty room, the only occupants that could be seen were that of a young boy and girl. They both stood in front of the Gundam's open cockpit, staring into each other's eyes as they exchanged words. The girl held a look of worry while the boy held one of reassurance.
"If you live through this, there will be peace," the boy said as he brought his helmet closer to hers. If not for the helmets one could have sworn that their lips would touch, even if it were the slightest of butterfly touches.
The boy smiled once more and without warning he pushed the girl away. As she floated further from his presence he mouthed a few words only she was able to hear.
*END FLASHBACK*
"Believe in me," the girl breathed out softly, recalling those words clearly.
"I do," Heero reassured in a soft voice just as he had done when they were on Libra.
Rei's eyes widened then everything seemed to turn a blinding white. "AAAAAHHHHHH!"
Unknown to the two their conversation had been tapped into by the Preventers, Whitenburg, and Dereks. When the blood-curdling scream pierced their com-links, everything seemed to stop. Sandrock ceased his attack and dropped the hands that held the heat shotels. Deathscythe Hell responded in kind and lowered his twin beam scythe, pivoting its head in the direction of the scream. On the other side of the field, Heavyarms turned its head towards Altron, the other retracting its dragon fang in response. Yet again, in another area of the battlefield Tallgeese III and a Gemini II froze; their pilots paralyzed with fear.
"Rei!" "Relena!" They shouted simultaneously, thrusters and jet engines flaring they raced to reach the destination in time.
Heero sat quietly in his cockpit closely monitoring the Neo Epyon. He was afraid after he'd heard her death cry. His brows furrowed in deep concern and he was about to call to her again when he caught sight of Neo Epyon's cockpit door opening even though its chest was pointed towards the ground. The Japanese pilot saw hand movements and the truth dawned on him. Quickly undoing his own straps with frantic anxiety, he opened the cockpit door, but it was too late. The girl had managed to undo her safety straps and tumbled out towards the ground. She desperately tried to shift her body in order to land on her feet, but failed miserably. Her legs gave out beneath her and she fell on her side, rolling a meter or so away before the snow cushioned and halted her tumble. With his cockpit door now open, Heero jumped down to join her on the ground, landing with the grace of a cat. He ran towards the girl and saw her slowly getting up, staggering a bit as she did so. Her hand on her helmet, she was trying to push back the pain that continued to rack her psyche as she wobbled on unsteady legs. Then the icy rains came, unexpected and unwanted - even more so when the sleet turned into snow.
He tried to reach out for her, but she lashed out with a punch, which he dodged easily. She came back with a kick to his head but he just ducked to avoid it. Both her hands were now on her helmet, suppressing the images, the pain, the emotions that she was feeling from his presence. In anger, something that she shouldn't have felt, she threw another punch. He dodged it, but failed to do so again when she swung her arm backwards, giving him a harsh backhand that sent the both of them sprawling to the ground. As they got back up, both drew their guns from their waist holsters and trained them on each other. The two stood there, daring the other to shoot, to end it all. The silence was nerve-racking and Heero couldn't take it anymore.
"It all ends here!" Heero spat out vehemently through his clenched teeth, but there was pain in his eyes, "One of us will not leave this battlefield alive! Whether or not you or I live, there will be a tomorrow! There will be an end to this bloodshed."
"Acknowledged," the girl replied emotionlessly. Her grip on the gun tightened and her finger moved to pull the trigger. /::NO!::/ The voice inside her head screamed and, unconsciously, she threw the gun away from her, both hands now on the helmet. The girl staggered a few steps backwards and forwards and then threw her helmet off violently, hands now directly on her head. Her fingers dug through hair as she let out a silent cry. Weak from the fight her arms fell to her sides while her knees buckled once more, collapsing forward. Faster than one could have imagined, Heero ran and caught her before she could hit the ground. The girl shivered and he whispered soothing words, brushing aside the golden strands of hair that stuck to her face.
They just sat there with her cradled in his arms, while the explosions and gunfire lit up the sky behind them. Slowly, the girl's eyes fluttered open, and Heero gasped at the sight. Even as the sun neared the horizon, bathing their battleground in darkness, there was still enough light to discern a few things; one of those being the color of her eyes. They were no longer the empty blood red but a sad marine blue. "Relena," Heero choked out as he gripped her body tighter.
"He-Heero?" she responded, still dazed and confused; her eyes went wide as realization came upon her. "Oh God, w-what have I done?" She brought her hands up to look at them while tears flowed unbidden down her pale cheeks. "AAHHHHH!" another scream tore from her throat and she pushed the Japanese pilot away. She got up and tried to run away but only managed to stumble after a few steps. Then everything went black.
They were almost there, Wind and Whitenburg, ignoring the fighting that continued on around them. Their minds solely focused on the Epyon pilot; they were unaware of the third party that joined them; a Gemini II that had broken from its fight with Sandrock to trail the two. All three were pushing their mobile suits to the limits, engines blazing at full force, driven by fear, anxiety, desperation, anger, and need.
The first thing that came into her field of vision was a soft brown haze. Focusing more closely she was able to make out button eyes and a small red ribbon. /Where am I?/ Her stomach twisted and she feared that she would fall forward, unconscious. Surprisingly something held her back; looking down at her body she saw herself strapped to the seat inside a mobile suit. Fear. She couldn't be back inside the Neo Epyon! Could she? Frantically looking to her left and right, her gaze suddenly rested on the seat in front of her. /Wait a minute, mobile suit cockpits only have one seat inside of them./ Studying it more closely she made out chocolate brown spikes; she knew she was inside WingZERO. "Heero?"
"Hn?"
"Why?" she asked in a quiet voice.
"You're still needed... and I can't control WingZERO with Epyon's ZERO system in it. You'll neutralize the effects while I pilot it," he stated matter-of-factly.
"No," was the quick response, "the bear."
"... I thought it would help calm your mind."
"Oh... Thank you, Heero."
"..."
Somehow Whitenburg managed to get to the spot first, quickly taking in the scene before him. Next to him was Neo Epyon, cockpit door open, pilot absent, dead; to the left WingZERO was coming back to life as its green eyes flared. His jaws tightened and without a second thought, he opened Gemini II's entrance, unfastened himself and in one amazing leap, he crossed the gap that lay between him and the sleeping red beast. In another minute the man was inside and everything was turned on; he'd awaken the monster. Unaccustomed to the feel of the ZERO system, he allowed the program to take over his mind. Seconds too late were Wind and Dereks who could do nothing but watch as the Neo Epyon moved towards them.
/What is he doing?/ Heero wondered when he saw the other man's action. /There's no way he can control the ZERO system, especially since it's mine. He's going to get himself killed! What the hell is he thinking?/ Taking a quick glance back to check on Relena, he moved to intercept the General. Unaware that the com-link between his Gundam and the other was still active, he was caught by surprise when the other man spoke.
"Where is she?!" Whitenburg demanded throwing a punch at the angelic Gundam. WingZERO dodged but its pilot remained silent. "Give her back!" the OZ General ordered as he swung the heat rod at his opponent.
"She doesn't belong to you," Heero countered delivering a kick to Epyon's midsection as he fired his machine cannons.
Whitenburg made to lash out at WingZERO again with Epyon's heat rod but Tallgeese intercepted the attack, blocking it with his shield. Assessing his situation and realizing he was outnumbered, Epyon took to the air in an attempt to put some distance between them and to also find its discarded heat sword. Tallgeese and WingZERO soon gave chase.
"Don't think that I'll let you escape!" Zechs yelled as he fired his Vulcan cannons.
Epyon spiraled in its flight, dodging the bullets by a hair's width. Scanning the ground he soon spotted a large shinning object on the ground and flew down to retrieve the wayward weapon. Noticing that WingZERO was about to overtake him, he swung the heat rod back and knocked the other Gundam off its flight course. Mere moments later, he reclaimed his sword along with his fervor for the fight.
Tallgeese ejected his spare beam sabre and threw it to WingZERO who caught it deftly before activating it. The three of them came to a standstill as they each worked to strategize a way to win the battle.
Inside WingZERO, Heero turned back to look at Relena as she clutched the stuffed bear, mind concentrating on the ZERO system. Having her there had greatly reduced the strain the system had placed on his psyche and he renewed his resolve to end this war. "We're giving you one last chance. Surrender now or be destroyed."
Whitenburg answered by swinging his heat sword at Heero who parried with his beam sabre. "I'm never going to surrender!" He shouted furiously. "Now I'm going to ask you once again. Where is she!?" He saw Tallgeese preparing to strike and made ready to block when a Gemini II performed the task for him. "About time you showed up Dereks."
The other man snorted as he fired his double beam cannon at the Preventer. "You really need to learn how to say 'thank you'."
Leaving his friend to Tallgeese, Whitenburg resumed his assault on WingZERO. It was clear to all that he possessed unparalleled piloting capabilities and he relentlessly drove WingZERO back, refusing to give him any quarter. However, for all his efforts he could tell the ZERO system was starting to wrest control of his sanity away from him. As time continued to tick by both remained unrelenting as they moved to swing, block, and parry, having run out of ammo long ago. Frustrated at the stalemate he'd found himself in he flew at his opponent; thrusters roaring, he rammed into WingZERO.
"AAHHHH!" Relena's frightened scream caused the other man to cease in his assault.
"Rei?!"
"Stop this now!" Heero commanded in his dangerous voice. "You've lost! So why are you still doing this?"
"... Anna," he whispered subconsciously, remembering the girl of his past.
"..." For the first time since the battle began, Heero recalled what Dorothy had said to him the previous night.
*FLASHBACK*
"He's a man still in mourning, Yuy," Dorothy said with a stern expression, "the Gundams took from him the only thing he had ever considered important."
"And what's that?" the youth sounded annoyed.
"His hope, Yuy," her voice contained something akin to compassion though he was doubtful of it, "Anna Weilheilm was his hope, the only thing that kept him going during his life. They'd been together since childhood, protecting and caring for one another. He loved her more than his own life and would have done anything to see her happy. When she died during the battle at New Edwards, the most important part of himself died as well."
"What does that have to do with me?" came the cold reply.
"... When Commander Une delivered that speech on L1, she said something about not losing hope."
"So?" he was getting really impatient.
"Think about it, Yuy," she quickly snapped, "Miss Relena is hope, isn't she? What would you do if you lost her?" There was silence. "I thought as much."
*END FLASHBACK*
Heero felt his heart constrict as he reached a new level of understanding for his enemy, and suddenly, he didn't want to fight anymore. There had been too much bloodshed already and he wanted to partake of it no more. Looking back at Relena, sad eyes smiling at the girl clutching the stuffed bear close to her form, he powered down the Gundam with the exception of the com-link.
"What are you doing?!" Wind yelled, "You're supposed to be protecting Relena!"
"I am," the Gundam pilot retorted, his voice lacking its usual edge.
"Fight me, Heero Yuy!" Whitenburg screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Are you going to risk losing her again?" Heero quickly interjected, somber.
"... Unh!..." The images of the young Foreign Minister cascaded into his mind; the smiling face of a young girl handing a card to the person in front of her, eyes radiating hope. Another image of the same girl, now sad and on the verge of tears as she watched a scene in front of her, popped up. Many more appeared as well, all provided from memories courtesy of WingZERO's pilot. Whitenburg couldn't say anything as his knuckles turned white from his death grip on the controls. Soon her face was replaced with that of a similar but more mature blonde with shorter hair and smiling eyes.
"He's right Julian," Dereks voice joined in, "... I hate to say it... but we've already lost..." It was hard to mistake the bitterness in his voice. "The mobile doll unit has been taken out of commission and we've already lost more than half of the remaining mobile suits..." He closed his eyes as he lowered the Geminis weapons. "... It has to end... this has gone on for far too long... It's time to let go... before history repeats itself."
"..." Whitenburg shut his eyes as the memories bombarded his mind. It was starting to become too difficult to fight back though he tried desperately to hold on. He swung the sword a few more times in an attempt to destroy an unseen enemy. The others easily dodged his haphazard movements and continued to maintain their distance.
"Anna never wanted you to end up this way..." the OZ Captain continued. "I'm sorry that I never saw the light earlier, but now I have... There... there has been too much heartache... too much pain... for all of us."
And yes, it had been too much and his mind was finally accepting that truth. Unsuccessfully he tried to hold back his tears as he halted Epyon's movements. Minutes flew by and all four mobile suits were at a standstill, unsure of how to proceed with the present situation. Inside Epyon's cockpit he cried silently, contemplating the future that lay ahead of him but soon realized with bitter clarity that he had no desire to live in a future that didn't have her in it. /Anna... Es tut mir leid... ich liebe dich.../ "... You're right..." Whitenburg finally announced with restrained sorrow. "It will end... alles... I suggest you all leave... unless you want to join me," the older man serenely stated.
"What are you talking about, Julian," Dereks' voice wavered as the truth dawned on him, "You couldn't mean... Mein Gott, Julian, no!"
"We have to get out of here!" a serious Wind commanded as he activated his engines and thrusters. Heero did the same, but remained silent as he departed.
"Julian, you don't have to do this!" the brown-eyed man pleaded. "Scheisse! Just walk away!"
"... I've tried," the man's voice choked out, "but all I've ever wanted was to be with her. You have no idea how many nights I've spent dreaming of her warm body next to mine only to wake up to the cold reality of her death." His once intimidating persona had finally crumbled as he unleashed all the pain he'd held over the years. "We'd promised to build a life together… I have no future if it's not with her… Go, you need not be a part of this... this is my path... Please, Samuel, live."
"But I promised her I'd make sure you'd stay alive until the end! I'm not going back on my word to her! Come on, just let go!" Samuel screamed in desperation, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
"It's already the end... " Whitenburg replied calmly. "And I want... I want to thank you for accompanying me until this time. Now go, before your life is frivolously wasted."
"But-"
"I won't change my mind."
"... Fine," he answered bitterly and remorsefully. Starting up the engines again, he flew away, still gazing upon the form of Neo Epyon. Tears flowed down his cheeks, but he made no attempt to wipe them away, his face set in stone. Through the tears he remained unfazed when the red monster glowed before exploding, sending up fire and smoke that could be seen a kilometer away. A beautiful, smiling face with warm blue eyes and shoulder length golden hair was the last thing the General saw before everything became white then black. The remaining OZ suits ceased to move, finally surrendering now that their charismatic leader was gone. The sun had set as well, bringing to a close the final chapter of a sad life.
"Auf Wiedersehen die Ewigkeit... mein freunde."
The sky was a dreary shade of gray, mixed in with the off whites of passing clouds. The icy sleet was relentless though the land gladly welcomed its arrival. There wasn't a living creature in sight, save for the few pedestrians running to seek shelter under anything they could find. Among them was a lone, lithe figure, dressed in a white blouse and a long Burgundy skirt. The small form was unprotected from the assaulting shower, having no umbrella in its possession.
A few honey blonde tresses clung to her face while the rest hung at her back. Her clothes stuck to her body like a second skin and she received a few off-handed glances from passersby. She was definitely a strange sight to behold. Even disregarding the lack of sunlight and the distorting effects of the rain, the people still wouldn't have been able to recognize their Foreign Minister. Regardless, she continued on her unknown path, eyes downcast, seeming to ignore the downpour. She felt nothing; not the searing cold, not the pounding raindrops, not even the stinging winter wind that normally sent chills down one's spine.
She was no longer the same person prior to the whole ordeal. This young leader had changed so much, both physically and mentally. Normally, she would be running about seeking sanctuary like the rest, but things were different now. Her body was now hard, toned, and impervious to whatever Mother Nature would throw her way. The training she unknowingly endured during the nine and a half months of her captivity had paid off, to her liking or not. Though her body had become stronger, her mind was a different matter. The storm raging outside was nothing compared to the turbulent one residing within her. It was full of sorrow, despair, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and all the other monsters released from Pandora's box.
The time she had lost was something she could never regain. Time she could have used to further her cause in bringing peace, in strengthening the relationship with her brother, her friends, the time she could have used to organize her life... gone. If she could, she would have cried and let the tears roll down her face, but she couldn't. She'd already cried enough during those sleepless nights when snippets of her secret life came to the forefront. They had stolen so much from her and had given her superficial things.
As she continued in her slow and silent vigil, ignoring more sideway glances, a bench came into her field of vision. She wasn't tired, but decided it was useless to go on with no destination in mind. Decision made, she resigned herself to sit down on the rain-drenched furnishing. Sitting squarely in the middle, her form held still; hands clasped together in her lap, eyes downcast. /Who am I? I don't even know anymore... Zechs and Noin say that everything will be alright; that I just need some time to re-adjust to this new situation... but it's not that simple. How can they still look at me that way when they know about all the people I've killed... all the lives I've taken... all the pain I've caused?... How can I still look at myself?/Subconsciously, she turned to the side to stare at her reflection in a nearby puddle. Her face was somber, her lips set in a frown, her eyes... marine blue... sad...
Six hours earlier at an E.S.U.N. conference...
Though the immense auditorium was filled to high capacity level, not a murmur was whispered between them. The people were giving their full attention to the man behind the podium. When the members of the E.S.U.N., diplomats, representatives, and the press entered, they had no idea what to expect. They'd caught their breaths, stunned, when the President of the E.S.U.N announced that their beloved Foreign Minister Darlian had been found and would address them all that very same night. He had been discreet on the details, probably as unsure about the entire thing as they were, and stuck with the usual introductions and routine summation of the state of affairs. After twenty minutes, the man's speech finally came to an end.
"I know the past eleven months or so have been a time filled with much tension and regrets for all of us. I'm sorry to say that it was a reflection of how we, as human beings, can sometimes lose control of our own senses and judgment," he paused to straighten his tie and shuffle his papers. "Before I let the Foreign Minister take the lectern, I would like to impart a few words of advice to all of you. Although there has been much disagreement in the past, and many things have been done that cannot be easily forgiven or forgotten, I hope that these matters can still be settled amicably. We are at a crossroads now and must ask ourselves: do we want to be shackled down by the past or do we break free to explore the possibilities ahead. We no longer need to hold grudges over past disputes and should instead work together to forge a new future for humanity. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen."
As the audience clapped with approval, the President bowed and stepped away from the podium. He waited until a young woman dressed in a light blue suit appeared from the side curtains. The older man walked over to embrace her, giving her a peck on the cheek, like a father to his daughter. "I'm glad to have you back. Don't worry, you'll do fine." The man whispered those words of encouragement in her ears, unaware of all the turmoil that she had been through. She knew he meant well so she gave a forced smile in return. Her few, but heavily crammed, years in politics allowed her to effectively mask her true feelings. The girl wasn't proud of that fact, but she was glad of the useful purposes it served.
After they parted, the Foreign Minister took her position behind the podium, giving a reassuring glance at the older man once she was there. Her eyes were downcast as she adjusted the microphone and tidied her papers. Giving a soft sigh, she forced her face into that of a stern politician and began.
*FLASHBACK*
"Relena, are you sure about this?" Zechs inquired with concerned eyes. "They don't have to know; it doesn't concern them and their lives won't be affected in any way if you choose not to say anything." Both his hands were on her shoulders: firm, gentle, and comforting.
Relena looked up into his kind face and she frowned sadly. "They need to know, Milliardo. Those people trust me to ensure the peace and they are the ones to decide for themselves whether or not I am worthy of that trust. In order for that to happen, they have to know what kind of person I am; what I've been through and what I'm capable of," she stopped and averted her eyes when she felt the tears threaten to spill. The lithe girl looked back up, her eyes almost pleading with her brother's. "They deserve to know, Milliardo. They put so much of their trust in me; I have to make sure it's well placed. If I don't tell them, then it's the same as lying. They don't need that, not after all they've gone through."
"But what about everything you've been through?" the elder Peacecraft's question stung and pained her heart. She hung her head low, longer holding any value or respect for her own life.
"One life, especially mine, does not matter compared to the lives of the many," she whispered so softly that those around her weren't able to register it. "I've always been a puppet to peace, whatever they decide for me, I will comply. That's what's best for everyone..."
*END FLASHBACK*
"Ladies and gentlemen," she began firmly; setting all fears, "I know that you all have questions concerning my whereabouts during the last eleven months or so. I will not lie to you, because I know you deserve much more than that; however, what I have to tell you might turn you against me… and I am willing to deal with that, but I hope that you can also forgive me." Relena halted in her speech, taking a deep breath to calm and steady her body.
"As you all may have known, during the past month or so, there have been numerous reports of a Gundam attacking several military bases situated around Earth," she raised her hand to quiet the audience when they erupted with gasps and whispers. "Please do not jump to conclusions as to who was behind the attack. They were not the actions of the Gundam pilots that took part in the Eve Wars and subsequently saved our lives when Libra threatened humanity."
"How do you know that?!" an unknown voice shouted from the seats in the auditorium.
"I can assure you that they were not the party responsible... because I was the one who carried out those attacks." Unsurprisingly, the crowd gasped, shocked by what she had said, and started to converse amongst themselves. Relena waited, knowing they needed time to absorb the news. Once they had hushed minutely she continued, no matter how difficult it was to do so. "Approximately eleven months ago, I was kidnapped by an OZ faction that had yet to be disbanded. From then on I become the subject of one of their experiments which I will not go into detail as of now. I have already submitted that data to the members of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, and I'm certain they are eager to look at it, especially after what I have just said. They will disclose everything to you once they've read it over… I'm sorry for not being strong enough to prevent this from happening, but I'm even sorrier for letting them capture me in the first place..." She stopped as another memory bombarded her.
*FLASHBACK*
"... you're too careless when you do things like this. If I were an assassin you'd be dead by now."
*END FLASHBACK*
"A friend once told me that I was too careless with my actions and I'm sorry to say I only realized it after I was captured," the young Minister tried to force another smile, but her eyes betrayed the false sentimentality. "I guess I was being selfish; I should correct that flaw of mine." It came out sarcastically and she hoped no one picked up on it. /Maybe I'm not as ready for this as I originally thought... I still harbor too much resentment and despair... they probably see through this false bravado... I still need time./
"Foreign Minister Darlian," it was the President of the E.S.U.N. who had spoken up from his seat in the front row, "I think that I speak for a majority of the people here by saying that it doesn't matter. To us you are still Foreign Minister Darlian; you've given us hope just by showing everyone how much the new generation desires peace and hard they're willing to achieve a brighter future for us all. I'm ashamed by the fact that we've done nothing but burden you with responsibilities a young woman your age should not be thinking of. We've unfairly placed the task of maintaining peace upon your shoulders without real thought or consideration. Instead of worrying about the lives of those both in space and on Earth, you should be enjoying the peace you've helped earn." The sudden sounds of agreement made him stop for a moment.
"Whatever that OZ faction did to you, it doesn't change who you really are; we can see it in your eyes. If you had meant to cause any harm then your eyes wouldn't be showing the sadness, regret, and pain I am seeing right now. You were obviously turned into something against your will and we understand that you feel unworthy to hold your office because of that. Well, it doesn't matter to us; we would be truly happy to have you retain the position of Foreign Minister, if you wish to continue. We trust that you will make the right decision about your position-"
"I disagree!" Came a shout from the back of the auditorium, followed by a growing murmur of consensus. "There's no telling what OZ has done to her! For all we know, she could be some sort of sleeper agent! If we let her do as she pleases there may come a time where she'll turn against us and potentially destroy our government!" The whispers grew louder and louder and soon the room was filled with competing choruses; those for and against the Foreign Minister's resignation.
The President stood up and faced the crowd. Staring into the sea of faces he stood, unwavering, demanding silence from all those in attendance. "I understand the concerns that many of you harbor even though I may not agree with them. So in light of this situation the E.S.U.N. shall hold an emergency meeting and vote in regards to Foreign Minister Darlian's term in office." He surveyed the audience and saw no signs of objection. He shook his head and sighed. "I really wish it hadn't come to this. I had hoped that we could have united together in solidarity and give support to the one person who, more than anyone else at the moment, needs it. I personally believe in Foreign Minister Darlian's strong spirit and sense of resolve. I trust her completely."
"You shouldn't!" The young woman in question suddenly snapped. "You shouldn't trust me because I don't think that I can even trust myself... I am no longer certain of what I am capable of... the only thing I really know for sure is that I can kill..."/Why can't you people understand that?/
The rain had not ceased its assault, but the Minister remained stationary on the park bench. She'd lost track of the time and no longer knew how long it had been since she had changed out of her blue suit and left the hotel. She was at a loss, the clouds sprawled across the sky made it difficult to discern the time of day. She was like a child that had strayed off the path set for her. /I can't believe they voted to keep me in office... Fools... What am I going to do now? I'm still their Foreign Minister, but not the same as the one over ten months ago... How can they still trust me?... How?/ It had been several minutes before she realized that the rain was no longer pelting against her body. Shifting her gaze from the hands she held in her lap to the pavement, she took in a pair of brown boots and dark blue jeans. Looking higher still, she saw the familiar Preventer jacket covering a white V-neck sweater. Higher yet she saw HIM, holding an umbrella over her soaking form.
"It's dangerous to be out here alone."
/He's becoming too predictable for his own good... Oh Heero, how can you still protect me knowing what kind of person I've become?/ Relena was silent and averted her gaze from his. "I know, but I just… needed some fresh air." She lied. The girl had really wanted to get away from the people who'd bombard her with endless questions while giving her pitying looks.
"C'mon." He held out a hand to her and waited. Relena looked into his eyes and saw something she had not previously seen before. A minute passed before she hesitantly took his offered hand and was pulled off the bench. He looked deep into her eyes, searching for something, before he started to lead her in the direction the she'd originally headed in. She waited a second before following closely behind him.
"You didn't need to bother with the umbrella, you know," she stated noncommittally. "The wind and rain… I can barely feel them… or anything for that matter..." Her voice became bitter and her face seemed set in stone. Her insecurities swirled tumultuously within her mind and he was the last person she'd wanted to bear witness to her mental breakdown. "Why are you here, Heero?" She questioned impatiently, desperate to be alone and away from what she felt were judging stares. "I'm more than capable of protecting myself nowadays; the training I endured guaranteed me that much."
"…Just thought you might like someone to talk to." The voice was the familiar cold and monotone one she'd remembered. "I'm here if you're willing." A slight tinge of compassion.
"Are you really?"
"Yeah." His tone was softer this time.
The girl waited, contemplating, before she resigned to confide in him. Despite what she had thought earlier that morning, she really needed someone to comfort her. "I really appreciate that." She received a grunt in reply. "I'm not sure who I am anymore, Heero… After everything that's happened, I can no longer distinguish Relena from Rei… Everything she went through, I went through; the fact that I am unable to clearly remember is irrelevant."
"Are you scared that Rei could become a hidden part of you?" He inquired patiently. "That she would stay dormant inside you and come out without warning and harm people? Or are you afraid of the fact that you've become capable of harming others, with or without Rei's influence? Or are you scared of the new abilities that you've acquired?" His questions seemed to touch at every corner of her brain and she nodded, a 'yes' to all of the above.
"I never thought I would be capable of hurting people… of killing them, but my time with OZ has set aside all doubts I ever had on that subject." She held her arm out in front of her as they continued to walk and slowly motioned her hand open and close. The muscles that moved beneath her skin set her mind aflame with anger.
"You just have to control yourself and be more careful about how you handle things from now on," he replied with his back still turned to her. "Of course, you never really had a problem with that before."
"What if I can't!" she screamed with distress.
"I'm able to do so; I know that you can as well." Heero's voice sounded aloof though he tried hard to be sincere.
"I haven't had the years of experience that you have," she countered back still a few steps behind him. "Besides, the experience that I've acquired, I can barely even recall. My mind's in such a state of chaos and the people still think that it's not a matter they should concern themselves with. They don't know the danger I pose to them..." She laughed bitterly as a thought occurred to her. "Maybe they do know and they're just waiting for me to make a mistake that will bring about my ruin..." Shaking her head she knew that wasn't the case. "They're putting too much of their trust in me... they're doing it blindly... and I know that one day they'll regret it."
Heero didn't answer right away, instead he just kept walking, not bothering to look back to see if she was still following behind. "I agree with them, Relena," he finally spoke, unable to see the look of surprise on her face. "If you can barely remember what you did then it's not a part of you. You are still the same person that you were before OZ. If you were never told about what had transpired, then you wouldn't have suspected anything out of the ordinary."
"You're saying that you would have preferred that I remained ignorant about this?!"
"No." He corrected her. "Just that you wouldn't have pursued the matter any further if you had been spared the details."
"But I killed, Heero!" a soundless sob escaped her lips. "I killed so many people! I know because when my memory crossed with Rei's, I saw all the death and destruction I'd wrought onto the world. Their screams still reverberate through my ears whenever I sleep. I can't get them out of my head… and I'm scared of them."
He whirled around without warning, surprising Relena. His eyes transfixed themselves on hers, holding her gaze. "You weren't the one doing the killing." He declared firmly but harshly. "You were just a vessel for that monster OZ created."
"That doesn't make it justified! Killing is never justified!" she yelled in protest. "Killing is killing... and I killed so many..." The young politician could no longer hold his gaze, deciding that it was better to look upon gray concrete instead of Prussian blue. A warm hand grabbed hers and her head shot up in surprise, realizing that it was Heero's.
"Come with me." The Japanese pilot said gently, tugging at her arm. She nodded and allowed herself to be led away. The two proceeded to walk in silence to a destination known only to the WingZERO pilot. Neither knew what to say to diffuse the tension, but the youth refused to release his hold on her hand. A lifetime seemingly passed by before the young man decided to press the issue. "Are you disappointed in me... because I've killed?"
Her eyes widened in shock, and she quickly objected his statement. "No! Of course not! Why would you think that I'd be disappointed in you? You killed because you had no other choice-"
"There is always a choice, Relena," he cut in, remembering Zechs' words. "I chose to fight; I chose to kill. Like you said before, killing is never justified."
"But... you only did it because of your desire to help the colonies," she lowered her voice as well as her gaze. "You've sacrificed so much for the people... you've done nothing but sacrifice yourself ever since you became a Gundam pilot… ever since the wars began."
"And you've done the same." He remonstrated. "You've practically sacrificed your own happiness in order to give the people theirs. How is my case different from yours?" He waited patiently for her answer.
"It just is..." It was a weak response and she knew it.
"Relena," he gave her hand a gently squeeze. "The hardest thing to do after a war is learning to let go. Healing is never easy but it's not impossible. Nothing is impossible… you showed me that. The people are more than willing to support you and so are the Preventers and pilots... and me... We're here." His last words caught her by surprise and she saw that he leading her off the pavement and onto grassy grounds. The rain had stopped half an hour earlier and the sky was beginning to clear, though still a hazy mixture of grays and lavender. It took some time, but she was able to distinguish the area as one of the hills that overlooked the former Sanc Kingdom. He continued to pull at her arm until they reached a spot near a tree that hung over the hill's edge. Though still bare it was already starting to show signs of new life as young buds lay scattered on its thin branches.
Setting down the umbrella, Heero took off his jacket and neatly set it on the moist grass. With a slight gesture, Relena wordlessly moved to take a seat on the makeshift blanket, drawing her knees up. The Japanese pilot followed and sat right behind her; his legs enclosing her thin frame as his arms made to wrap around her narrow shoulders. She was enveloped by a sense of comfort and leaned back into his chest, feeling the warmth of his body. Until that point she hadn't realized how cold it had been; his body pressed closer to hers to give what little heat he had. Her mind, for the first time in days, felt at peace as her fears were kept at bay.
"Heero, I don't know what to do," she finally admitted. "I've never felt so lost before..."
"People are never truly lost until they run out of choices," he chided gently. "Life was never easy for any of us. We both gave up so much to ensure that others wouldn't have to follow in our footsteps. At times the choices we made and the things we surrendered only served to cause more problems. There were times where I'd question whether my fighting was all in vain... if the life I was living really mattered to anyone…" He paused briefly, memories cascading inside his mind. He sighed.
"I'd always believed that from the moment I was born, I was lost," Heero confided in her. "With no direction to go and nothing to offer I felt that my only worth laid in becoming a pawn to be sacrificed to the war. However, during the war I realized that I could do so much more… I'd unknowingly discovered a path that led to a future I'd originally thought was denied to me. This was a path that you made possible, Relena." He tightened his embrace and lowered his head onto her shoulder. "Remember back then in the garden when I told you that if you ever needed help, I would be there...? That I would do all I could to make your dreams and visions come true… that when they did, I would do everything within my power to protect them as best I can. I meant it when I said those things. I believe in your abilities, Relena... I always have… However long it takes, I'll be there for you… I promise."
The girl held her breath, her mind awash with indescribable feelings of warmth that chased away all her insecurities. Seconds passed before she managed to reorganize her thoughts and emotions. Once calm, the young politician assessed what the young man had declared moments earlier. /Heero... I-if you're really willing to walk this path with me... then.../ "Where do we go from here?"
He smiled and moved his right hand to point forward towards the city before them. She followed the length of his arm to gaze upon what had captured his attention. Right there in front of them, the sun had finally broken through the barrier of clouds, splashing them with its heavenly light: oranges, reds, yellows, and whites. The fiery orb lit the sky with blazing colors and with it, the city seemed to come to life. It was the signal for the start of a new day, another chance at life. "To the future of your dreams," he replied with a smile on his lips.
She turned her head to face him. As she did so her lips accidentally brushed against his for the briefest of seconds. Surprised and embarrassed, she drew back with wide eyes, a light blush adorning her cheeks. He saw her reaction and smiled gently to reassure her that he hadn't minded which caused her to return a smile of her own. The girl closed her eyes and shook her head. Confused he made to ask for clarification but she opened her eyes once more to answer his unspoken question. "No, Heero... if we're to go anywhere... it'll be to a future built on both of our dreams."
-owari-
Author's Note: If you're wondering about the teddy bear in WingZERO's cockpit it's the one that Heero originally gave to Relena for her birthday. Remember when Quatre told Duo that Heero wouldn't show up until the fighting started because he had something to do? Well that something was going to Relena's residence and appropriating the stuffed bear. Why? Because Heero knew that it held great sentimental value for her and that it would distinctly remind Relena of him so she'd be able to adapt to the situation more quickly.
I also changed a lot of dialogue because honestly speaking it was kind of crappy. I must have written the original at like 4 am in the morning or something because a lot of it did not flow right.