Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam, wish I did. DO own Rofis, yay! Standard disclaimer….
Timeline: About 3 week after Quatre's destruction of the Colony (he should be on earth now with Heero, at the Sanc Kingdom).
Life Beyond Life
Chapter 2
By: Yuy Ren
It was all a bad dream Rove realized none of that ever happened, I'll wake up in my bed, ready to go to school he concluded.
Then he realized he was soaking wet, and heard the sounds of cars passing by. His hopes were once again crushed.
It had been 3 days since the "accident", or so the news stated. Accident my foot! Rove thought angrily that was a little BIG for an accident. I bet it's the same kind of "accident" that occurred three weeks ago where an entire colony exploded. Rumor has it, it was a Gundam, whatever that is.
He crawled out from his cardboard "house" between the buildings, which had been his home for 3 days now, and watched the passing cars. He had never missed his home so much. He even longed to be with his grandfather, a former alliance leader, General Cablinor. The old man was constantly trying to put the Former Alliance back together to fight Romefeller but failed. Rove had hated the old man for always causing trouble, but now he missed him.
Cold, moist wind blew by his neck, sending a shiver down his back. He was not used to this short hairdo that he hastily created. He had taken Blake's advice: to stay away from the authorities, especially when one tried to shoot him down that day…
******************
The day of the incident
"Blake, come on! Tell me you'll be all right!!" Rove shouted, shaking Blake hard. "No, don't stop breathing!! HELP, SOMEBODY HELP ME!!! SAVE MY BROTHER!! PLEASE!!!"
Blake jerked.
What? Rove thought as new hope entered his heart. Then the hope was crushed as blood seeped though the small circle in Blake's chest. Someone just shot Blake!!! Quickly gazing around, Rove spotted the guilty man. It was an officer, running towards him, gun in hand.
Not knowing what to make of it, Rove just sat there, stunned. The officer raised his gun, pointing directly at Rove's chest.
He pulled the trigger.
Acting on reflex, Roves raised his hands in front of him, as if to stop the bullet.
It did. He stopped the bullet. Because Rove was still holding on to Blake.
Shocked as he was, Rofis willed himself to move. He got up. And ran away. Away from the officer, who stopped chasing him to make sure Blake was dead. Away from that block and many others. He didn't stop running … until he simply collapsed.
*************************
Rove shook his head in a sorry attempt to shake away the horrid memories. He was still overwhelmed at the fact that he had used his BROTHER'S body to shield his own!! He would never forgive himself for doing such a selfish act. He also cursed himself for not realizing his actions until the next morning!
He looked up as his nose picked up a scent. A man was eating a slice of pizza. He stared at Rove as he passed by him. Then he glared at him and wolfed down his pizza, as if afraid that Rove would steal it away.
Rofe shook his head, he has gotten used to the preposterous reactions that the citizens make as they pass by him. There was nothing he could really do about it.
I'm hungry. He stated flatly and limped his way back into the cardboard box. He fumbled through his school backpack, looking for the last bit of lunch money.
He had used his study notes as fuel for the little fire that he created in an attempt to warm himself up. That worked well. He thought with sarcasm as he stared at the washed out fire. He turned his attention back to the backpack.
He pulled out something that felt like money. 5 credits. Enough for two more cheap meals. This thought brought him sorrow, he had to think of something to do! He needed a plan.
But first, food he ordered himself. He put on his orange tinted sunglasses, so no one may recognize him, and limped towards the closest convenience store.
+ + +
Man, what do we have to do to get all that Verneai Fuel for the Deathscythe? I've been looking for days, but nobody seems to sell them! I suppose it's not good business because not many civilians own Mobile Suits….. Oh well, better keep looking Hilde continued to flip through the "Auto Part's Catalogue" hoping to find the Verneai Fuel that Duo highly demands.
--------------------------
"This is no good! Nobody sells that stuff!!!" Hilde threw the tattered catalogue at the open door of the trailer.
"Oww! Hey, what's the big idea?"
Hilde turned around at the familiar voice and her confused expression turned into a guilty one.
"Sorry Duo, didn't know you were coming in." Hilde said apologetically as she picked the catalogue of Duo's head, where a red bruise is threatening to form a bump.
"Ow! Geez, I come back after a day of hard "parts-stealing" and this is what I get?" Duo complained, rubbing his throbbing head.
"You know, if you continue to disturb Romefeller's Mobile Dolls production line by intercepting the Virgo transport shuttles, they WILL eventually notice!" Hilde always hated the idea of stealing from Romefeller, but she had to admit that they had the best parts one could ever wish to find. If Duo wants to hurry up and fix Deathscythe, then that was actually the only option.
"Ah, you worry too much!" Duo gave her the trademark grin as he stared at the catalogue in her hands, "And I suppose you were so successful in finding Verneai Fuel, that you didn't even need the catalogue, so you used it as a weapon against me instead!"
"Haha" Hilde stated in a dry tone, not one bit amused. She shook her head after remembering WHO she was talking to and left the trailer. "I'm gonna go buy something for us to eat, be right back!" She answered before he had time to ask.
+ + +
Rofis flipped through a newspaper when some small print caught his attention:
Reward!
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND CREDITS
For the capture of Rofis Jayce Cablinor
Dead Or Alive
For details and photograph, call 666-66L6M
"Sir! Hey Sir! Are you gonna buy that or what?"
Rofis looked at the man at the counter. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was at the convenience store and reading a paper that was meant to be bought. He shook his head to clear it.
"No Sir, I'm not buying it."
"Then put it back on the stand so someone else will!"
Rove did as he was told. He walked down the isle and picked up a box of cheap crackers, wondering if he could sneak it past the counter guy. He decided against that thought when he noticed the many security cameras hanging from the ceiling. Can't afford to mingle with the authorities.
He placed the crackers at it's original resting place and walked to the back of the store to think. Who wants to find me? I mean… wait… who did I make enemies with?Rofis couldn't think of anyone that he had distrurbed. Brennan? That guy hated me, no doubt about it, but he wouldn't go put a Wanted ad just to get me out of the Academy. Nah, can't be him. But who else? Heck, I don't know anybody here! Well, first things first, let's just stay away from whoever wants to find me. But I gotta think of a new name…
"Rofis?" questioned a familiar voice.
"Jayce! It's Jayce!" He blurted out before seeing who it was. Darn it, does it have to be my middle name? Well, too late now.
He looked up… and saw Hilde. She was definitely confused.
"Hi, my name is Jayce… uh … Jayce… Ronilbac." Rove stammered and hoped she would play along. He could not afford to have suspicious people all over the place, the ad wasn't big but 1 000 000 Credits can catch attention no matter how small it's written.
He tried to look calm but he could not help glancing at the man by the counter, hoping he hadn't heard Rove's real name.
Hilde didn't know what to make of it. But she was sure he had good reason. Rofis or Jayce, I know it's still the same guy. Well, might as well play along!
"Well, "Jayce", what are you doing here? Hiding from Brennan?"
"No, not Brennan"
Hilde was shocked at the serious expression on Rofis' face. She had seen it before….. on Duo! Duo had the same sorrowful expression when he talked about his past. She had known then and there that Duo was hiding his past, it was probably too painful to confront. Are you hiding something too, Rofis?
"Ro…Jayce, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. No problems!" But his series of coughs contradicted his words.
"Well, wanna come to my place for dinner?" and then maybe Duo can find out what's wrong with you she added mentally.
"Sure!" He said, almost too glad that someone was willing to help. she could be dangerous he crushed that thought right after another appeared. or I could endanger her!!
But he had no other choice, his lunch money ran out yesterday.
+ + +
"It's 2100 Hours!" Duo muttered to himself, "Where is that girl? I'm hungry."
Just then, Hilde opened the trailer door and entered. Followed by Jayce.
"What! You said you'd get something for us to eat! Hilde, I'll have you know that I'm not a cannibal… anymore." His face was serious but Hilde caught the joking tone in his voice.
Jayce however, didn't. He screamed and turned to run.
Hilde grabbed his arm and stopped him from bolting out the door. She started to laugh, Duo joined her.
"Kid, chill, I was kidding. Geez, can't even take a joke!" Duo exclaimed joyfully. "Hey, I'm Duo, nice to meet you, what's you're name?"
"J..jayce….R…Ronilbac." Jayce managed to say before he exploded into a fit of coughs.
"Yo, kid, you don't look too good!" Duo stated worriedly. He motioned Jayce to an empty chair and asked him to open his mouth.
Jayce was too tired to object and did as he was told.
Seeing that Jayce was in good hands, Hilde left to prepare a light meal.
Living in the street taught Duo a thing or two about sicknesses and he was glad it had come in handy.
"You're fine kid, just stay away from the cold for a couple of days and take some of this, it should help." he handed Jayce a bottle of medicine.
"So, kid, what brings you to our stronghold?"
"Hilde invited me for dinner."
"She did? Well, that's cool with me. Speaking of which, what is for dinner?" Duo left to check up on Hilde.
Jayce looked around, it was an ordinary trailer. A couch, a bed, and a sink. There was a half open curtain that revealed another bed behind it and a small desk beside the bed.
He got up and walked towards the desk. The low ceiling made him feel tall, something he was not used to. He smiled, then realized it was his first smile since the incident. Then he smiled at that.
The desk was unusually small with a laptop on it and a plate of what seems to be a piece of four day old baloney sandwich. The smell gave away it's age. Then, A piece of paper caught his attention:
"Hey Hilde! I need the Verneai Fuel! Deathscythe ain't gonna run on it's own you know! PLZ find me some!!!
Thnx, you're the best!! BTW, what's for dinner?"
The note was dated a few days back. Verneai Fuel? Isn't that fuel for mobile suits? Was "Deathscythe" a mobile suit?
"Hey Jayce, what are you looking at?" Hilde asked as she walked up to him. She saw the note. Oh, Darn it! How careless of me! He didn't read it did he?
"What's Deathscythe?"
He did
"Nothing, come on, dinner's ready."
--------------------------
"That was delicious," Jayce exclaimed with shining eyes.
"Kid, it was just Beans! You'd think you just had an all you can eat buffet!"
Ignoring the comment, Jayce dared a question.
"What's Deathscythe?"
As soon as he said that, he could feel the tension in the air. Duo's expression turns unreadable and he stares at Hilde, who was looking back with an equal cold face.
"Where'd you hear that?" Duo demanded.
"I didn't, I read it from the note inside."
Not knowing how to respond, Duo decided to keep it to the minimum.
"Deathscythe is a name…..for a Mobile Suit."
"Oh, that's why you need Verneai Fuel, right?"
"That's right."
That was it? He could have just said so! Jayce didn't know what the big deal was.
"Well, thanks for the meal, I…. was ….wondering ….ificouldspendthenighthere." He mumbled.
"Come again?"
"I know it might be too much to ask, but couldIspendthenighthere?"
"Huh?"
"COULD I SPEND THE NIGHT HERE??"
Silence.
"Why?" Duo knew this kid was in trouble from what Hilde had told him, but he never expected him to ask such a request.
"Sure, take the couch." was all Hilde said before anybody could protest.
-----------------------
Duo typed away at the laptop. Trying to find any information on "Jayce Ronilbac", he had been at it for hours but still no success.
****************
"Why'd you let him stay?" Duo demanded. "Don't you think the kids parents will be worried?"
"Duo, " She said calmly "did you take a close look at him? He's in a lot of trouble. He's hiding something, you can tell! When I first met him, Rofis wasn't like that! Oh for goodness sake, he even smells! If he has a home he wouldn't smell!"
"What are you suggesting?"
"Think about it." was all she said before she left to go to sleep. Duo didn't need to think about it, he already knew.
****************
Duo gave us search for "Jayce Ronilbac" and looked for "Ronilbac" . He found out that that last name did not exist.
I'm not surprised he thought the kids smart enough to not use his real name.
Next he simply looked for "Jayce". He got 254 listings. He narrowed down the choices to just males, then age 10 to 15, then Famous/Wanted people, he was left with 4 listings:
Jayce Anderson (Famous young pianist)
Norman Jayce Hartgeld (Famous young artist)
Rofis Jayce Cablinor (wanted by Romefeller)
Hilman Steven Jayce (Championship hockey player, youth division)
Didn't Hilde say, the kid said his name was Rofis the first time they met? But where does Cablinor come in? he was confused for a second, then smiled, Kid, come up with something better that just flipping your last name backwards. Now, why would Romefeller want this kid?
He hacked into Rofis Jayce Cablinor's confidential file:
Name: Rofis Jayce Cablinor
Nationality: European
Location: Last location was 32 Crest Ave. On L2 X45-5LH
Status: Missing, possibly dead.
Age: 14
Birthday: June 28th AC 181
Description: 164cm. Auburn Hair. Hazel eyes. 109lb.
Family:
Siblings- Blake Cablinor, deceased AC 195.
Kendelle Dilane Cablinor, possibly deceased AC 185
Biological Parents- Mary Cablinor and Henry Cablinor, both deceased AC 195.
Grandparents- General Cablinor of the Former Alliance, deceased AC 195.
Margarita Cablinor, deceased AC 187
Other- no other relatives known
Miscellaneous Information:
Any knowledge of the boy's whereabouts should be reported to the Romefeller Foundation, the boy will be an asset to the Foundation. The capture of the boy will be rewarded.
Note: Supposed to be the only survivor of his family after the Crest Avenue Bombing Incident.
Interesting
Duo turned off his laptop and looked over his shoulders at the sleeping boy. Well, "Jayce", looks like you're running away from the same enemy I'm fighting!"
________________________________________________________________________
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's note: 2100 is 9pm, 1800 is 6pm and so on.