Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!
**The Original Age Part 12 – Discovery
By Espion
Thanks for the review, Dark Vengeance, and I've just spotted where I called you a girl…sorry! At least I know why I'm sorry now *hits self* Baka.
Because I haven't said it before, this fic is dedicated to all my friends, without whom I am nobody. I love you all.
This Chapter is also dedicated to Arthur, a horse I rode in Wales, upon whom (in addition to the character in the real series) the character of Suvius is based. Pure Magick.
Felflowne xx
Hayley walked as calmly as possible down the corridor to the hangar where Eron and Doloria were waiting for them. Kaia walked beside her, her eyes not straying from the ground. Hayley didn't know who this strange little tiger cub was, or why she was even here, but having her around was…comforting, somehow.
'Hey.'
Kaia's voice made Hayley, and Heero, who was walking just behind her, start a little.
'This girl, she's okay.'
'How could you possibly know that?'
'I remember her.'
'What?'
'I don't really wanna explain. You know her too, right? That's pretty obvious.'
It was interesting how not a single one of her words stood out from another. Had she been anyone else, she'd've sounded dull, but that aspect just wasn't there.
'You're a puzzle Kaia,' said Hayley, as the three of them walked into the hangar. Duo was talking to Trowa, and Quatre was looking up at Eron and Doloria.
{As always in my fics, Wufei has conveniently vanished off the face of the earth…Heehee.}
Kaia had to admit that the events of the past few days were confusing. She knew she was dangerous, so why hadn't these assassins disposed of her? She was still no closer to finding her brother. She didn't even have a picture of him. She supposed that he would look a bit like her, only older, and male. Damn.
She waited behind as Heero and Hayley began to descend the stairs. Then Hayley stopped.
'Sod this,' she said happily, and vaulted over the handrail. Heero blinked, then blinked again as Kaia moved towards the rail. He quickly grabbed her.
'Oh no you don't. You'll break your neck.'
Kaia scowled, but as she looked over the drop to where Hayley was now walking towards Quatre, she realised that it was higher than she'd even jumped from before. She may well have broken her neck. Heero released his grip on her and began to walk down the stairs again. Kaia thought for a second then ran after him.
*
Emma knew she had every reason to be afraid, but she just couldn't bring herself to be. Hayley was here. Hayley was the most kick-ass girl she'd ever met, everything had to be okay, right? She looked out, and saw a small blonde boy pointing out similarities between Eron and Espion. Periodically, Hayley nodded in agreement. Emma then proceeded to nearly choke as Heero and Kaia walked up to join her old friend and the stranger.
Heero looked up into the large curved viewscreen. Could it be true? Was she really alive? Or would it be another dashed hope on the large pile he'd accumulated since the Termination.
//Dare to hope…No…Not this time…Never again…//
Don't ever think too loud, you never know who's listening.
Heero wasn't empathic, so he couldn't answer, only stare up at the mech he'd never seen before in shock. None of the others noticed, because, as we all know, Heero's shocked face was the same as every single other one of his faces.
How've you been? Goddamn! I can't believe it! We're all alive! We didn't die! IN YOUR FACE, WORLD!
Despite years of intensive conditioning, Heero looked up at the huge mech above them all, and smiled. Not a grin, his mouth didn't even move, but a genuine smile with his eyes. Emma saw it and grinned.
Who's the rugrat?
Heero looked at Kaia, who was stood next to him, chewing on the end of her plaited dark brown hair and looking disturbingly like a female mixture of him and Duo. He looked back at Eron and gave a hardly perceivable shrug.
She's lost, looking for someone. Ask her about it.
Heero shuddered slightly. She was asking him to instigate conversation; not something he excelled at. He, of course, had no idea about Kaia's search for her brother. But this was Emma, his sister, asking him.
'Who are you looking for?' He asked. Kaia's head shot up in surprise, then her eyes saddened, and she reached into her pocket for the only photograph she had to guide her life. Heero took it. It was definitely a PI Gundam, but he'd never seen it before. It could be…
Heero turned the picture slightly so that Emma could see it.
No idea, what does it say on the back?
Heero turned the photo over. Emma read what was written, and began to seethe.
Keep her busy? KEEP HER FUCKING BUSY?! Cold-hearted swine. She's a lost little girl, for God's sake!
Heero looked at Kaia again. Lost? He'd've never thought about using that word to describe her, but that's exactly what she was, lost.
I'm getting out.
Heero nodded slightly to show he'd heard, and then said to the others, who were still chatting-
'They probably wanna get out now. Want to give them some space?' Behind the small group, the Gundam developers entered the hangar.
Quatre and Duo walked backwards quickly as Eron lowered its huge head to the floor, the hatch opened, and a girl about three inches taller than Hayley got out. Her hair was longer than Hayley's, and reached down to about her shoulders. It was chestnut, with that kind of sheen to it that all the shampoo companies flog. Her eyes were brown and all-forgiving. She looked around and gave a small smile. Duo suddenly realised, seeing this new girl, that Hayley really didn't seem to smile all that much.
Heero coughed.
'Emma Kentley?' He asked. Although it was obviously a question, the question inflection was lacking. She turned and looked at him.
'That's correct,' she said. She wanted to hug him so much, but she knew that the time that had passed was just too great.
'What's keeping her?' asked Duo, pointing to Doloria.
'Erm, nothing, she's just…not in there.'
'What?!' Duo stepped forward to try and intimidate Emma, but found his way blocked.
'Heero, what are you doing?' Heero just glared at him, and he squeaked and scuttled away. Emma looked at Heero thankfully, and continued-
'She got out just after I joined you.'
'But why?'
Emma looked at the blonde boy who had spoken. An Empath! She hung her head slightly.
'She wouldn't tell me.'
'Hang on,' said Duo, who had recovered from his earlier shock magnificently, 'my radio was on the same frequency as yours the whole time, there was no conversation between you.'
Emma felt trapped in a corner. Heero was still standing between her and her accuser, but he couldn't protect her from the braided boy's curiosity.
'I…can't tell you, not yet.'
'Well,' said Duo, folding his arms, 'when can you tell us?'
Emma suddenly snapped out of her daze. She wasn't gonna take this from anyone.
When I'm fucking ready, okay?
Duo stepped back, looking terrified.
Glad that's sorted.
Hayley broke away from the group and threw her arms around Emma's neck. Quatre looked at Duo, who was gaping like a goldfish.
'Ems, oh thank God you're ok.'
Emma didn't reply at first, and just buried her face in her best friend's shoulder. When she straightened, there was an unusual look in her eyes. Rage.
She looked at the group of men behind Trensa and said slowly-
'You never told us completely what was going on. We trusted you with our lives, goddamnit! What's that, eh? You never told us about that!' She pointed to Doloria.
'I know this isn't like me before you all start spewing slimy crap, and it won't last long, but while I'm good and angry, I am demanding to know exactly where we stand, okay?'
It was the kind of "okay" that you didn't say "no" to. Dr G coughed.
'I think a short talk is in order…' he began, but Emma cut him off.
'However long it takes,' she said dangerously. Hayley nodded.
'I think that would be a good idea.' she said.
*
Sod this, thought Relena angrily, as she stole back into the school, Sod this dumb war. This isn't me! This isn't who I am! I'll have nothing more to do with this. Sorry Emma, you're a nice, kind girl, but I'm not the person you are.
Starting from tomorrow, she decided, she would simply act as if nothing had happened. She'd go back to being who she was. The headmistress of the school. No one else. No one more. Doloria wasn't her responsibility. What could she do for it that a Gundam pilot couldn't? Exactly, now shut up.
*
Emma had finished being angry now. She was currently sat on the floor with her arm around Kaia, watching detachedly as people she didn't recognise swarmed around her. They'd basically told her what was going on, had gone on, and so on, but she still didn't have the answers she wanted. Why was everyone calling Trensa Heero? That was damn confusing. Wasn't Heero the name of the late Overseer of the Colonies who'd been assassinated? And who was Relena? Where did she come into this? She'd picked up an air of unfriendliness between the two groups, school and warriors, but Hayley seemed to get on all right with her.
Emma overheard Hayley's angry voice from somewhere, yelling at some random person that they couldn't put that there, it would block a gas vent, stupid prats. She smiled a little as she saw that Hayley could still scare the crap out of anyone she wanted to.
Kaia didn't know why she had been drawn to the newest arrival to the base, but she had. She had made the comment to Hayley and Heero about her remembering, but that was a very vague remembrance. She never met her mother, or her father, and this new girl was very comforting to be around. Kaia sighed and forgot all about what was going on around her for a while, content to be a little girl being cuddled.
*
Heero felt a stab of guilt as he looked over towards Emma and Kaia. He should have told Hayley that he was still alive. Emma would assume that he had already. Damn. He stepped out of the way as pieces of machinery, outer space upgrades for the two equine tetra mobile suits, were moved around. Doloria stood immobile in the corner. It didn't need any such upgrades, as space was what it had been designed to navigate. Heero walked over to Emma, while his colleagues were busy, and crouched down briefly. She looked up, but Kaia didn't move. She'd fallen asleep.
'All those lies they told us. Do you think that Felflowne was actually built, and that's what she has a picture of?'
Emma looked at Kaia, who was now snuggled into her.
'Why would she have been given the picture if it hadn't? Yes, Fel's out there, somewhere.' She turned back to Kaia, and continued, 'but why does she have the picture?'
'I don't know,' said Heero.
*
Duo watched everything going on around him. A few months ago, there were five Gundams. Now there were eight, and there was the possibility of a ninth. What the hell was going on? He decided to go through everything he'd been told about Operation Umbra, Operation Shadow.
Hayley, Emma and a boy called Trensa had been trained as Gundam pilots when they had been around twelve. Their mission had been aborted when all of them were presumed to have perished. He understood that. That was easy. He turned to look at Espion.
Espion was like Gundam Wing, the instigator. He guessed that back in its time, there would have been no other mobile suit that could touch it, a bit like the Gundams now. He also understood the changes in design. The developers had realised that to win the war, their creativity had to be squashed.
Eron was different again. It looked more dangerous than Espion, but Duo knew that it was the pilot that made a Gundam dangerous, no matter how many weapons it had. The sharp spikes down its neck and on its legs could probably rip another suit apart.
Lastly he looked at Doloria. Here was a puzzle. No weapons to be seen, so why the huge long body? He decided to check it out.
Since its pilot was not around to prevent him, Duo opened the main hatch by pressing a pad. Then he stared. The suit was almost hollow! There were about fifty seats bolted to the floor, and rings on the wall. This wasn't just a cargo bay; He spotted, nestled into a corner of the huge room, a life support system. So this was how Gundam Omega was supposed to evacuate citizens. He shut the hatch and stepped back. He had to tell someone about this.
*
'Oh yeah, Heero?' Heero turned to see Hayley trotting over to him, her ponytail swinging slightly. She stopped and said, 'I know this probably isn't the best time to ask, but you don't seem to be doing anything right now, so, why are you named after the colony leader?'
'Heero Yuy isn't my real name,' said Heero quietly, 'it's my code name, you know, for security.'
Hayley grinned.
'Okay, but why bother having a code name when you can blast the shit out of anyone who finds out who you are?'
Heero didn't laugh, and Hayley groaned.
'Uhh…wasted! I'll have to find Duo and tell him that one, ja ne!' She spun around and jogged away, giggling.
Heero turned to look at Emma. She was shaking.
'You didn't tell her? How could you? Trensa! I always feared that they were trying to dehumanise us! I knew this would happen…No!' She moved suddenly and Kaia woke up, and was instantly gone, before anyone else could see her in a moment of weakness. Emma looked after her, tears threatening to fall. A loud noise dragged Heero's attention from her at that moment.
Eron had suddenly swung viciously at the nearest person, and pinned them to the ground with its nose. The trapped person yelled loudly. It was Duo.
{A.N. I couldn't think of anyone else who would be yelling loudly, tee hee.}
'Emma!' cried Hayley, trying desperately to pull Duo free. He groaned.
'Shit, that hurts,' he whimpered.
Heero pulled Emma to her feet.
'Stop it. Now. This solves nothing.' Emma began sway gently, shut her eyes, and in the same awful calm voice she had used to Tsudiko before she had killed him, said-
'Or what? What will you do to me? Kill me? All right. Death could be better than this. No worries. No fears. Free at last.'
Duo stopped moving.
'Duo!' cried Quatre, trying to help Hayley free him, although his limp state made it much more difficult.
'Move Eron!' yelled Hayley. At first no one knew to whom she was speaking, but then it became apparent as Espion shouldered Eron hard, knocking it over. Hayley darted forward as Eron crashed to the ground and rolled Duo over. She looked up.
'He's still breathing, just…'
Everyone looked towards Emma, just in time to see her pass out, and be caught by Heero. Kaia ran forward and pulled Emma's arm over her shoulder, pushing Heero away.
'Get off her! I don't know what's going on, but it has something to do with you, get away!' she retreated quickly, and no one thought of stopping her.
*
Treize Khushrenada sat behind his desk and stared thoughtfully out of the window of his large house. After a pause, he tapped the desk, and a translucent screen shot up, projected by two mini cameras which doubled up as pen-holders. He leant back into his chair and sighed.
'Is it true?'
'Yes, Lord Treize, there have been many external reports of mobile suit activity in Eoar. I have despatched assassins to kill the ringleaders of the rebel forces.'
'That plan lacks the elegance I expect of someone such as yourself, commander,' said Treize, almost lazily.
'I shall inform you of its progress. Septum out.' The screen darkened. Treize smiled. That was one way of dodging his remark. To just ignore it.
*
'That's great! Try and stay straight now… Well done Sunjammer!
Relena was glad that she had an active part in the teaching body of the school. Apart from these, and Hilde's defence classes, they were basically regular pupils, having to attend all Science and Maths classes.
She watched from her viewpoint atop Autumn as the next pupil approached the jump. She was riding Suvius. His ears were pricked, and his eyes were focused straight ahead. Suddenly, and without any warning, he dived to the left of the jump, and his rider toppled off into the water. Relena gasped and leapt off of Autumn, running forwards to help the small girl up. Suvius nudged her with his nose, having returned. The girl was shaken badly, and was on the verge of tears. Relena felt sorry for her, but knew that her accident was her own fault. Suvius would never refuse or run out, but he must have been forced to by a sudden frightened tug on the left rein.
'I hate riding, I never want to ride again!' she cried, as Relena checked for broken bones. None.
'Hey, listen. Let Suvius look after you. He knows what he's doing. He taught me to ride, let him teach you.' The girl looked up, confused.
'How can a horse teach you to ride?' she asked, reddening slightly as she realised the whole class were staring at her.
'Trust me Hannah, he did. Are you gonna get back on?' The girl shook her head.
'Not now. Not ever,' she said vehemently. Relena sighed.
'Would it make you feel better if I led him?'
'Over a jump?'
'If you like, just so you know that what I'm telling you is true.'
The girl sniffled, still not really having recovered from her hurt pride. Then she nodded. Relena suddenly looked up.
'We'll leave it here for today. Get up early tomorrow, we're going to hack across the valley.'
This drew whoops of joy from the other riders, who turned their horses towards the paddock gate.
'Hannah, I have a better idea. You can't make it tomorrow, can you?' The girl shook her head, and then smiled. She mounted Suvius with some difficulty, and then the pupil and teacher began to walk towards the school gates.
*
'This was always a danger,' said J calmly, as Hayley and Trowa tried to lift Duo, 'that the machine may accidentally pick up extremes of emotion, which is why we try to eradicate them.'
Emma moaned.
*
As Relena and Hannah walked through the forests towards the valley, Relena became aware of something wrong. Not here, but quite a long way away. It was as though some long ago forgotten beacon was trying to send her information. No. Stop it. Leave me alone.
'Miss Darlian?' Hannah was one of the few people in the school who honoured her request not to call her by her true name, but by the name held by, she believed, her true parents.
'Yes Hannah?'
'I just want you to know that… It wasn't Suvius' fault. I pulled him out.'
'I knew that Hannah. I've seen Suvius jump four feet from a near standstill before.'
Hannah gasped.
'How did you manage to stay on?'
Relena laughed.
'Oh, it wasn't me riding him at the time.'
'Who then?'
'It was a guy who used to go to my old school, St. Gabriel's,' said Relena.
'What was Suvius doing there? How did he get here?'
Relena sighed.
'After the school was nearly destroyed, the decision was made by the board of Governors to sell all their horses and use the money for repairs. The vast majority of them went to great homes, but then I found out how cruel the board really was.
'They told us that if no one bought the last three horses, they would be shot, so I bought them.'
'Which ones apart from Suvius?' asked Hannah. Relena didn't answer at once, but put both reins into her left hand and craned around to look behind them. What was that? Probably nothing. She turned back to face the front.
'Ohki and Atlantica,' she said, 'but enough about that. D'you wanna try a gallop?'
Hannah looked apprehensive, but then said, 'I trust Suvius.' Neither of them spotted the darkly clad figures staring at them from out of the bushes.
*
'Why did you do that!' cried Hayley, 'what the hell were you thinking!'
Emma didn't answer, and Kaia stepped between the two older girls.
'Leave her alone! That wasn't her fault. They said that stuff like that happens when the empathic pilots get upset. Emma wouldn't hurt anyone intentionally unless she had to, I just know it!' Suddenly Duo coughed loudly and began to try and sit up. He groaned quietly and coughed again. Emma looked over at him with pity in her eyes. She'd done that. Lashed out through another channel. That wasn't right. Duo wasn't who she was angry at. She hung her head.
'I'm so sorry. I'm not safe, you should have killed me.'
*
The vast open flat expanse seemed to echo as Autumn's and Suvius' hoofbeats tore up the grass. Relena felt better now. They were in a large open space and no one could sneak up on them. Alternatively, they were in the open, and anyone could shoot them. Pants.
'Hannah, collect him up a little. If he does have a fault, it's rushing.'
*
'What the hell's going on?' There're horse riders in the valley! What should we do?'
Septum growled. Stupid fools.
'Drive over them, fool.'
'But Sir-'
His speech was cut off as Septum's Aries spun around and slashed viciously with its beam sabre, separating the Leo's head from its body. It blew up.
'Does anyone else have any conscientious matters they wish to discuss?' Septum asked the large group of all terrain vehicles, foot soldiers and mobile suits.
No one did.
'Good. Onward.' The foot soldiers split up and dissipated into the trees, and the jeeps headed off towards the school. The mobile suits advanced towards where sources had indicated Andronia flare activity.
*
Hannah screamed as she saw the metal monsters.
Relena whirled around. Shit.
'Hannah, Hannah listen to me,' said Relena, 'take Autumn and ride home, alright? I'm going to be right behind you. If anyone tries to stop you, throw this.' Relena handed her a small black ball.
They swapped horses quickly.
'Thanks Hannah, you're very brave. Now go!' Relena slapped Autumn on the flank, and the jumpy Arab leapt forward and away at a gallop.
Relena felt safer on Suvius anyway, in a way Hannah wouldn't understand.
*
'Hey! What now?' cried Hayley as Doloria's viewscreen glowed blue, and it's SBGs began to orbit it. Five seconds later the shock wave hit them.
*
Relena blinked. They'd fired some kind of weapon, but nothing seemed to have been destroyed. The base was still out of view behind a hill. She never remembered what she did afterwards, only that it happened…
*
'There're about twenty Aries and Leos out there,' said Heero, 'we'll have to get rid of them…'
'Hey Espion won't move!' shouted Hayley.
'Neither will Sandrock!' called Quatre from inside his Gundam.
'The Gundams have been stunned…' said Emma. Suddenly a movement made them all jump. Doloria swung its head around and it crashed into the huge doors. Without seeking permission, Kaia hit the control and opened them. The seven Gundam pilots, Kaia and the developers ran after the Dragon as it began to run.
'Look! There's someone there!' said Duo, pointing, then pulling his arm back toward him and wincing. He wasn't exactly 100% yet.
*
Relena didn't know what to do. She was transfixed. Why hadn't she gone with Hannah? What was she doing? Suddenly she knew.
You shouldn't be here! It's wrong! You have no right to disturb our peace!
Suvius began to panic as the machine drew closer, but she quietened him. As she had predicted, they stopped. Probably to gloat. Great. She didn't know why her plan would work, or even how, but she knew it would.
'I'm afraid your only crime is being in the wrong place at the wrong time,' sneered a cruel voice, amplified by the com. system.
She knew that she'd be heard.
'I don't think that I'm the one in the wrong place.'
*
Doloria stopped moving and crouched behind the hill. It was only metres away from the attacking forces.
'What's happening?' said Kaia, 'why didn't D get knocked out as well?'
'The shield must have protected it,' answered Heero.
'Oh Allah!' moaned Quatre, peering out across the valley, 'there's somebody standing in their way!'
*
'You won't be left to argue for long!' Septum lunged, and his centre of gravity shifted, making him vulnerable for about five seconds. Long enough. Relena dug her heels into Suvius' sides and yanked his head to the left. He reared up and snorted as if to tell her that what she'd just done wasn't correct equestrianism.
Sod it this time.
As Suvius twisted to the left and galloped away, Doloria's powerful legs sprung and the huge mech shot over the hill and hit Septum's Aries in its weak spot, its centre. Suvius cleared the area just as the huge Aries crashed down, and squealed as shrapnel whizzed at him.
How did I know that would work? Why did I even think of that? What's wrong with me?
no answer
*
'What!? Are they trying to get themselves killed?' Kaia muttered as she saw the rider yank their horse around again. This time they headed it straight towards the supposedly renegade Gundam Omega.
'Grr…I feel so helpless!' cried Duo, as the double shock of losing his Gundam and becoming injured began to take its toll.
*
They'll never expect this, thought Relena as she and Suvius ran under Doloria and out the other side. Then she stopped. This was a better viewpoint.
You're letting it control you, just like you were afraid would happen.
Nobody else is here!
The Gundam pilots could…
They're not HERE!
As if to mark the end of her argument with herself, she told Doloria to get rid of the attackers. He did.
*
'I never realised quite how powerful Omega was,' said H quietly, 'but with all the claws and the strength we gave it, I suppose it shouldn't count as any great surprise.
'Oh God… That's not… That's not Relena is it?' asked Hayley, squinting at the small figures standing behind Omega.
*
Good D. Can you detect where the other Gundams are?
in hangar freeze
What do you mean, freeze?
no move
Where are the pilots?
watching
Relena gulped, despite herself.
Okay D, wrap it up, then return to the hangar.
can't run forever
I know, but for the meantime I can. See if you can unfreeze the Gundams.
will
Goodbye D, said Relena as the last Aries was destroyed. She really hadn't liked doing that, but no one else had been there, and it had HAD to be her. Where was everyone? This wasn't her responsibility.
*
'We need to acquire that person,' said J.
'Why?' muttered Hayley mutinously, 'how many more innocent people d'you wanna drag into this?'
'Listen!' yelled Kaia, 'listen to yourselves! What way is this to sort anything?'
*
Emma can you hear me?
I don't really wanna talk…
Well, I'm guessing you're pretty interested in what D just did.
The others are.
What's wrong?
What's right?
I wish I could answer that.
So what happened?
I'm not sure, but I think it was my fault.
*
Hayley noticed Emma's brief detached state, and prodded Heero.
'She's speaking to another Empath,' she whispered. Heero looked at Emma. Her eyes were almost closed, and her mouth twitched a little.
'It's coming back, move away,' said one of the developers, as Doloria walked heavily back into the hangar, and then swung its head around towards Eron, which was still lying on its side. The enormous head lowered and the jaws opened.
'Hey! Stop that!' Hayley's shouts were ignored, if they were even heard. Emma watched impassively. Doloria wasn't going to damage her MS, only fix it.
'Emma, what is it doing?' Heero asked, as Doloria suddenly leant down quickly and gave some part of Eron's shoulder a quick yank. Emma concentrated, and was successful in bringing Eron to its feet through telekinesis.
'Fixing…' said Emma vaguely.
After Doloria was satisfied with Eron, it fixed Espion, then paused, and looked and Sandrock, who was next to Espion, before taking a step forward and grasping a tiny lever on its shoulder and pulling it. Without pausing, the Dragon moved around all the other suits, 'fixing them', before retreating to where it had been before, sinking down onto its belly, and shutting itself down.
For a minute no one said anything.
*
Relena and Suvius walked slowly back towards home, through the forest. That nagging feeling hadn't gone, Relena noted, even though she knew Doloria had been successful in un-stunning the other Gundams.
An involuntary shiver ran down her spine. Something wasn't right. Had she been a terrorist, she'd've known to leap into the bushes and hide, but as it was, she shrugged the feeling away, and concentrated on getting home.
*
'All the suits are gone!' whispered one of the concealed hit-men in the bushes around the school.
'I know, and now our mission is to destroy the person responsible,' growled his colleague.
*
Relena didn't even have time to cry out before she was attacked. Six men appeared out of nowhere, and wrestled her from Suvius' back. Before they managed to get a hold on her friend, she kicked him hard, sending him galloping back the way they'd come. Shots rang out in the forest as the men tried to hit the animal, but her ran on, snorting and screaming.
One last shot sent a flock of birds out of the treetops.
*
'That thing is weeeeeird!' said Duo accusingly, glaring at Doloria, but then he lightened up, 'but it did mend Deathscythe.'
'The weapon worked by throwing the handbrake effectively,' said Dr J., 'because Doloria just went round all of your suits and took it off.'
'I hope that person got away okay,' muttered Kaia, but even before she'd finished speaking, a clattering sound hit their ears like a mallet. Heero and Duo spun round, weapons raised to kill the deadly…
Horse.
The poor thing had obviously been chased. Its eyes bore the hollow look of a thing chased, and the bullet scrapes signified near misses by its pursuer, who had been quite plainly armed.
Quatre and Kaia slowly approached the shaking animal, avoiding walking through the blind spot straight in front of it. Kaia found the brand on its back. SG-Z.
SG?
'This is a personalised brand,' she said, 'which means that SG must stand for something.'
'What's a goddamned horse doing here?' moaned Duo.
'Saint Gabriel's,' said Heero unexpectedly. The others looked at him.
'What?' asked Trowa.
'Saint Gabriel's. I'm sure it's what the brand stands for.'
The animal began to act strangely. It took Kaia's sleeve in it's teeth, and pulled gently towards the door.
'I think its trying to tell me something,' muttered Kaia. Duo made a face.
'Huh? What's that boy? You say that Billie and Sue are trapped on the runaway train and its about to explode? Lead the way!' He laughed.
Hayley glared at him.
'It might be the same horse that that person was riding, and it may want to take us to them.'
'I'm going with him,' said Kaia.
'I'll come too,' seconded Heero.
'I'm in,' said Emma.
'We'll stay here. If you find anything, beep me.' Duo waved his pager, and Heero rolled his eyes so only Kaia saw, and gave a tiny giggle, which luckily Heero didn't notice.
*
Relena opened her eyes. She was still in the forest. Good thing number one. She was alone. Good thing number two. Suvius had got away. Good thing number three. She couldn't move. Ah.
She tried to sit up, but it felt as though someone had stabbed her with a six inch kitchen knife, then walked off and left her. She touched her left side gingerly, and her hand came away sticky. Her eyesight seemed to be playing up; she couldn't focus. She could feel herself slipping away, but there was no pain anymore. Good thing number…number…number…ohh…never mind…time to sleep…
*
Kaia, Emma and Heero followed the horse as he walked further into the forest, then they saw where he was leading them. About fifty yards away, a girl was sitting propped up against a tree, but leaning to the left, with her eyes closed. Her arms were crossed so her left hand was on her right hip, and her right hand was between her body and the tree.
Kaia ran forward and touched the girl on her right shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at her, but Kaia could she that she wasn't focusing.
'Hello,' said the girl dreamily, before shutting her eyes again.
'Hello,' said Kaia, 'are you hurt?'
'Hmm…don't know, that's too hard…'
'What is?' asked Kaia, as Emma walked up behind her.
'Questions…I want to sleep…'
This statement set alarm bells ringing in Heero's head. It was never good when someone was like this and wanted to sleep.
Relena, is that you? asked Emma, and then was shocked at the reply of-
'Stop it…head-talking…too tiring…'
'It is Relena,' muttered Emma to Heero, who didn't say anything.
Emma sat down next to Relena and asked, 'what happened 'Lena? Your horse found us.'
Relena smiled, and opened her eyes again, although her voice was still dreamy and detached.
'Suvius is safe? Good. No…we were…hmm…attacked…'
'By whom?' asked Heero, and Relena looked confused for a second at the new voice, whose owner she couldn't even see.
'They were angry…so angry…'
'Yes, but who?'
'I don't know, but they were…angry about…what D did…'
'D?' asked Heero.
'D…Doloria…it wasn't his fault…it was my fault…'
Emma blinked. She had said something similar just after Doloria had destroyed the MS.
The girl sitting against the tree seemed to be fading, her energy dropping.
'Relena, we aren't going to blame you for anything. Just tell us where you're hurt.' Emma said.
Relena didn't say anything, which frightened Kaia.
'Relena…listen…give me your hand…' said Emma gently. Relena lifted up her left arm weakly, and Emma took it.
'Now give me your other hand…I'll help you up, and you can go home.' Relena looked at Emma.
'I can't give you my hand.' She stated eventually.
'Why not?' asked Heero, getting a little tired with this.
'Otherwise I'll die.'
*
'What do you mean?' asked Emma, but all Relena did was to sigh, then offer Emma her other hand, before slumping against the tree and blacking out.
*
Emma looked at Relena's right hand in horror. It was covered in blood, al the way up to her wrist, but it wasn't cut. Heero helped Emma to roll the unconscious girl over, and then they saw the wound on her left side, undoubtedly caused by a firearm. The shooter had missed her stomach by a few inches, and had nearly blown her entire left side off. It was a horrific wound. Heero found himself at a loss for words, as did Emma and Kaia. Suvius stepped forward and gently nudged the silent, still woman on the ground. She didn't move. Suvius nudged her again. He gave a low whinny as Kaia stroked his neck, and Emma and Heero carried away his mistress, who was still completely silent and limp.
In the uncomplicated way that animals do, he wondered if he'd ever see his mistress again.
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Ooooh! Aren't I evil! Here's the next chapter for you all! Note apology attached for reviewer *^_^*
Okay, first some stars to deal with…
* Sunjammer is a wicked track from Tubular Bells II by Mike Oldfield. *goes mad and dances round the room*
** '…shouldn't count as any great surprise' is a lyric from a Tenchi theme called 'Love will leave you crying.' You would not beeeeelieeeeeeeeve how catchy the english version is! *yay*
Okay, sorry I'm getting slow, but I have a romance fic to work on now as well… :P Ta to all reviwers Me hearties!
Ja ne
Felflowne xx