Ah, yes. Yet another chapter. I hope you're all enjoying this. It's the one and only cross-over that I've ever written, and I"m not really sure if I'll ever do another.
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Moon's Eclipse by Foenixfyre
Chapter Four Ghosts
Usagi fell backwards onto her bed and stared out the window. Ugh, I stink. I need to shower. She had just spent an exhausting four hours with the Gundam pilots, trying to access their Senshi powers.
I don't know what to do. I tried everything, from sneak attacks to straight-out combat to playing with their heads. But they just keep bashing their way through each other's attacks with mechanical weaponry. Not even Quatre can comprehend the idea of soul-bound energy.
And they were running out of time. It wouldn't be long before the Evil regained its full strength, and began lashing out.
In fact, I don't even know what my own new attacks are. Nothing came to me today. Crystal Gundam is a formidable weapon in her own way, but I know something's missing. Luna, I could really use your advice right now. Or yours, Mother . . . Are you even here anymore? I don't know if you're here, or if you still belong in my own universe. I miss you. Curling onto her side, Usagi slipped away into dreams. * * *
Trowa hoisted his long body over the beam and flipped into a reclining position. I don't get it. What the heck is she trying to teach us?
He held the glistening blue crystal up toward the ceiling. Its light blue facets reminded him of Quatre's eyes, beautiful, willing to share everything. That's just not how I work. I'm amazed Quatre can put up with me, sometimes. He's so open and generous, and I'm . . . well, I'm not.
His vision blurred, and Trowa squeezed his eyes shut. Wow, I'm really exhausted. Think I'll take a page from my lion friends' book, and try a small catnap. And closing his eyes, Trowa drifted . . . * * *
Inside the mansion's spacious, well-lit dojo, Wufei folded into the comfortingly familiar lotus position. It's been a while since I meditated. That woman's disrupted everything, with her "Evil," her energy . . . everything.
The Mars crystal lay in front of him, and its red secrets taunted him. I don't know how you did . . . whatever you did. I don't understand you, and I don't like you. How's an inanimate object supposed to improve my fighting skills? Nataku and I are a perfect team. I don't need anything else.
So saying, Wufei sent his thoughts deeper into his subconscious. The sleep that caught him there left no chance for escape. * * *
Duo tossed a pillow across the room. Bored! Tired! Ugh! Several more single syllable words crept through his head, and he slipped his little green star from its pouch around his neck. Dumb rock. Don't get it. Twinkle, twinkle, little star . . . I really need to know how powerful you are.
The problem is, this thing is meant for somebody with a pure soul. Usa made that pretty clear when she was talking about her friends. Pure is the last word anyone'd use to describe me.
Stuck in his own dark reverie, Duo had no inclination of fighting the slumber creeping over him. * * *
Quatre let the final notes fade into a comfortable silence before placing his violin on the table. Pretty. Trowa would like it. I'll have to write an accompaniment for him.
Inevitably, his gaze moved from the instrument to the pale orange crystal that lay on a near-by cushion. It's alive. I can feel it, but I can't quite touch whatever is trying to speak to me.
Crossing the room, he flopped into a cushioned chair and regarded the small star. Venus is a beautiful planet. I've always enjoyed visiting its colonies. Maybe there's something in that for me.
So involved in his thoughts, Quatre was completely unprepared for the wave of sleep that overtook him. * * *
Just outside, Heero closed the last panel of Wing and patted his companion before bending over to grab a towel for his sweaty brow. The movement reminded him of the golden crystal of Earth that sat in the back pocket of his jeans. Digging it out, he stared into its facets, as if he could out-stubborn it into revealing its secrets. Usagi doesn't understand. Magic comes so naturally to her.
Relena would have liked her. The memory of her gentle smile teased his thoughts, as it did countless times every day.
Relena . . . you would comprehend this, I'm sure. You felt so much love for the Earth, for its people. I'll protect it with my last breath.
As with the others, unconsciousness hit him unexpectedly, and no one was there to catch him as he slipped to the ground. * * *
Where am I? Trowa stared around himself at the rolling fog. What happened to the gym?
"Trowa . . ."
The voice, strangely familiar, sent him whirling around. "Who's there?!"
A wall of ice grew before him, the surface hard and shiny enough that he could see his reflection. Trowa reached out to touch his face. Is that really me? His image looked so cold . . . so unreachable.
"Well, no. Not really." Trowa cried out and fell backwards as the reflection lengthened. His face changed, his hair became short and blond. "What's wrong, Barton? Isn't this how you see yourself?"
"How . . . no," he stammered. This was all wrong!
"Sorry, little man, but it all seems pretty right to me." The wall flashed. "I'm quite sure that this is what I, the real Trowa Barton, looked like. Before you became me, that is."
"That's not . . . I'm not . . ."
"In fact, be honest with yourself. The real you was buried away deep so many years ago, you can barely even remember your real name, right?"
"Get . . . get away from me." Trowa's heart pounded, and his skin grew icy.
"Oh, no. Not this time." A pale, elegant hand reached out from the ice, followed quickly by a man killed many years ago. * * *
"Wufie . . . where are you . . . "
Wufei opened his eyes and tried to throw off the dream. It had been years since he heard that voice . . . wait a sec . . . "Where am I?"
The dojo had disappeared, to be replaced by clouds of dense mist. A flash of heat against his chest brought his attention to the star suddenly clinging there. My crystal? How'd it get here?
"Pretty pathetic, Wufie. You're too afraid to face me without some little toy to protect yourself with."
Bracing himself, Wufei turned, prepared to see a face he'd thought long gone.
"Meiran." Years of death hadn't changed her a bit. Perfect, straight ebony hair was styled high on her head. The silk kimono was wrapped without a wrinkle, disguising the wiry strength underneath, and her scarlet obi emphasized her slender waist. "How did you get here?"
"Fool." Meiran's jet-black eyes narrowed, as did her small mouth. "No thanks to you. You killed me!" The kimono disappeared and was replaced by a soft black gi, and a katana came to rest in her hand as she descended upon her prey. * * *
"Wake up, Demon-child."
"Ugh." Duo sat up and rubbed his head. "Must have fallen off the couch." A quick glance around sent him to his feet, for he'd left the den far behind. "Where . . ."
"Toy land, toy land, beautiful girl and boy land." The singsong voice circled around him laughingly. "Wanna play, Duo?"
"Who's there?! This isn't funny, guys!"
Confused by the fog swirling around him, Duo was totally unprepared for the figure that swooped down from behind him, buffeting him with a hard black wing.
"What's wrong, buddy? Don'cha want to play with me?" The braided American pushed himself up off his face, and saw a pair of black boots. Next to follow was a familiar pair of black pants . . . black shirt with long sleeves rolled up to the elbow, white undershirt peeking out at the collar . . .
"No!" Duo Maxwell stared up at himself.
An evil smile revealed two white, pointed fangs, and the sooty wings growing from his shoulders flexed. "Wrong answer." * * *
Quatre awoke to the haunting melody of a flute. "Huh? What's going on?" A tendril of mist wrapped around his wrist, calling the blonde's dazed attention to his surroundings. "How did I get here?" Wherever here is.
"I brought you, Quatre."
"Trowa!" The small Arabian spun around to face his tall beloved. "Why, Trowa? What is this place?"
A thin smile grew on Trowa's face. "It's nowhere, little one. And I brought you here so that the others won't be able to help you."
"Help me?" Confusion covered his face. "Why would I need their help?"
"Because . . ." Trowa drew the sentence out, "Because you'll never be able to beat me alone. Because, dear Quatre, I'm going to kill you."
Quatre stumbled back a step, afraid of the look on his love's face, afraid of the words he was hearing. "Why?" The word trembled as it left his lips.
"I want to return the favor. I want you to know what it's like be helpless, to be hurt by the one you care the most for. Just like you did to me, Quatre."
"No!" Quatre fell to his knees, unable to bear the harsh words. "I didn't mean it! You know I didn't mean it, Trowa! I love you!" * * *
"Coward . . ."
Staring cautiously around him, Heero reached into his back pocket for his gun. Instead of touching cool metal, his fingers closed around the golden star Usagi had given him that afternoon. Damn. This thing'd better be good for something, Usa. I'd rather have my pistol.
"You're such a coward, Heero . . . "
"Who's there?!" he barked.
"Who do you think?" Her fragile form materialized from out of the flowing vapor. "It's me. It's always been me, Heero. Why didn't you ever see that?" Her beautiful pink lips bowed and shook. "You only hurt me, Heero."
"Don't come any closer." Although his senses screamed that it had to be her, had to be his Relena, Heero clung to the memory of yesterday. Usagi's voice floated through his mind; The Evil can know your greatest dream, or your most horrible nightmare. And It won't hesitate to use them to destroy you.
"Oh, no, Heero. I don't need to." Relena -or whatever she was- folded her arms and grinned suddenly at him. "I can destroy you quite easily just standing here." Her eyes widened, and Heero felt himself lifted up and thrown, landing quite painfully on his back. * * *
"Mamochan, NO!!!" Usagi tore herself out of the nightmare with a scream and rushed downstairs, unmindful of her disarray, to find the guys. They were in trouble. The Evil was back. Thirty minutes later, she dropped to her knees by Heero. Just like the others, he had been caught totally unawares. Now, they were all trapped inside of their minds, being attacked and hurt by whatever ghosts the Evil had dredged up. Maybe . . . just maybe. Usagi laid one pale hand on either side of Heero's face. There was no time to contact each individually; Heero was their leader, so by entering his mind, she should be able to use that bond to reach the other pilots. A single thought connected her to Crystal Gundam's power. Then, using the extra bust, she sent her mind into Heero's. Normally, I would never even consider such an invasion of privacy. But right now, I don't have much choice. * * *
Heero wiped at the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Relena, please!"
"Please?" The beautiful young woman laughed harshly. "Tell me, Heero, how many times did I use that word with you? Please, Heero, stay with me. Please, Heero, love me. Please, Heero, protect me! And you failed, every single time!"
With a single gesture, Heero was thrown back again. And again. And again, until he could feel his grasp on reality slipping into unconsciousness.
*Fight her, Heero. Remember how much she really loved you.*
"Wha-?" He found enough energy to raise his head and peer into the fog. That sounded like Usagi.
"Probably because it is Usagi." And so saying, she appeared out of nowhere, dressed as he had last seen her, in an over-sized T-shirt and shorts, her hair loose around her. She held up a hand, and Relena froze. "This isn't your Relena, Heero. But I think you know that already, don't you?"
"How . . . get here?" Heero gasped out.
Her face saddened. "It tried to attack me in the same manner, using Mamochan against me. Problem was, I know too well how much we loved each other. That gave me the strength to break free and wake up. We have to hurry, Heero; that paralysis isn't going to last much longer, and I don't have enough power to stay here in your mind. I need your help to contact the others."
"Right." Heero pushed himself into an upright position. "Tell me how."
Usagi knelt beside him and grasped his hands tightly. Just think about them: their perks, their little habits, their strengths, all the things that draw you to those four people. I can follow that link directly to their minds. Now, hurry"
Heero closed his eyes and thought about his teammates. Trowa's silent strength, Wufei's unbreakable sense of honor, Duo's perspicacity, and Quatre's gentleness. Hurry.
* * *
Barton's -the real Barton- large fist caught Trowa directly under the chin, adding another bruise to the growing assortment. I can't take much more of this. All of his attempts to defend himself and fight back had been beaten brutally down. "Little Nanashi, right? That's all you really are. Weak little boy, no good for anything more then machine maintenance. But no, you just had to go and play righteous soldier boy. In fact-" He froze. *Don't listen!* * * *
In the same instant, each pilot's assailant froze in a similar manner. Each young man searched around for the owner of the voice, an odd combination of Usagi and Heero. *Guys! It's not real; you can beat the Evil, but you have to believe in yourselves. Use the crystals, and trust in them! Trust in yourselves.* There was no reason to believe the voice. How were they to know it wasn't some other attack? Yet as one, Heero, Trowa, Wufei, Duo, and Quatre held out their star-shaped crystals and sought inside themselves. There was a sharp crack, and each heard a soundless scream tearing at them. Somehow, they managed to cling to their concentration, and . . .
Trowa opened his eyes and stared at the tall man before him. "I have no past to rely on. I took your name, and your weapon to use for its rightful purpose," he whispered. "I am Trowa Barton, and I have no guilt over what has been done." Standing, he held out one strong hand. "MERCURY ICE LION!"
Wufei gazed with longing at Meiran's ghost. "I loved you, once, although I could not tell you. But there is no justice in your actions now. Rest." He paced forward and laid his hands on either side of her frozen face, then kissed her forehead once before stepping back again. "MARS FLAMES OF JUSTICE!"
Duo lifted one eyebrow as he looked at his doppelganger. "You know," he quipped, "I'm really much handsomer then that. The wings are a nice touch, but I've never really been into the vampire thing." He pointed one finger at the creature hanging in midair. "JUPITER THUNDER OF DEATH!"
Quatre wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "I know you don't hate me, Trowa. What's done is done, and I'm sorry for what I did to you." The blond briefly caressed the face of the worst demon his soul could conjure. "VENUS MELODY OF PEACE!"
Heero glanced at Usagi once for reassurance. When she nodded, five words slipped from between his lips. "I still love you, Relena." A strange feeling of serenity settled over him, and power surged from deep inside his heart. "EARTH SWORD OF PROTECTION!" A golden sword appeared in the warrior's outstretched hands, and its beauty and strength stole his breath. Without another word, he plunged it through the heart of the ghost before him. * * *
Heero opened his eyes at stared at the sky. "Did that really just happen?" he whispered. A soft hand briefly clasped his, and he turned to look at Usagi. "You won, Heero. You all won the first battle, and that's more then we ever managed in my world." He tightened his fingers around her delicate fingers. "Only with your help. And we'll win the next. And the next, until this thing is destroyed." He stood up. "Now let's go find the others." He helped her to her feet, and then the two teammates entered the mansion to find their friends. There was a war approaching, and it would take every bit of strength they had to win. * * *
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So, what'd ya think? Please Review! Your thoughts on my writing are all very important to me, even if you hated the story.
Moon's Eclipse by Foenixfyre
Chapter Four Ghosts
Usagi fell backwards onto her bed and stared out the window. Ugh, I stink. I need to shower. She had just spent an exhausting four hours with the Gundam pilots, trying to access their Senshi powers.
I don't know what to do. I tried everything, from sneak attacks to straight-out combat to playing with their heads. But they just keep bashing their way through each other's attacks with mechanical weaponry. Not even Quatre can comprehend the idea of soul-bound energy.
And they were running out of time. It wouldn't be long before the Evil regained its full strength, and began lashing out.
In fact, I don't even know what my own new attacks are. Nothing came to me today. Crystal Gundam is a formidable weapon in her own way, but I know something's missing. Luna, I could really use your advice right now. Or yours, Mother . . . Are you even here anymore? I don't know if you're here, or if you still belong in my own universe. I miss you. Curling onto her side, Usagi slipped away into dreams. * * *
Trowa hoisted his long body over the beam and flipped into a reclining position. I don't get it. What the heck is she trying to teach us?
He held the glistening blue crystal up toward the ceiling. Its light blue facets reminded him of Quatre's eyes, beautiful, willing to share everything. That's just not how I work. I'm amazed Quatre can put up with me, sometimes. He's so open and generous, and I'm . . . well, I'm not.
His vision blurred, and Trowa squeezed his eyes shut. Wow, I'm really exhausted. Think I'll take a page from my lion friends' book, and try a small catnap. And closing his eyes, Trowa drifted . . . * * *
Inside the mansion's spacious, well-lit dojo, Wufei folded into the comfortingly familiar lotus position. It's been a while since I meditated. That woman's disrupted everything, with her "Evil," her energy . . . everything.
The Mars crystal lay in front of him, and its red secrets taunted him. I don't know how you did . . . whatever you did. I don't understand you, and I don't like you. How's an inanimate object supposed to improve my fighting skills? Nataku and I are a perfect team. I don't need anything else.
So saying, Wufei sent his thoughts deeper into his subconscious. The sleep that caught him there left no chance for escape. * * *
Duo tossed a pillow across the room. Bored! Tired! Ugh! Several more single syllable words crept through his head, and he slipped his little green star from its pouch around his neck. Dumb rock. Don't get it. Twinkle, twinkle, little star . . . I really need to know how powerful you are.
The problem is, this thing is meant for somebody with a pure soul. Usa made that pretty clear when she was talking about her friends. Pure is the last word anyone'd use to describe me.
Stuck in his own dark reverie, Duo had no inclination of fighting the slumber creeping over him. * * *
Quatre let the final notes fade into a comfortable silence before placing his violin on the table. Pretty. Trowa would like it. I'll have to write an accompaniment for him.
Inevitably, his gaze moved from the instrument to the pale orange crystal that lay on a near-by cushion. It's alive. I can feel it, but I can't quite touch whatever is trying to speak to me.
Crossing the room, he flopped into a cushioned chair and regarded the small star. Venus is a beautiful planet. I've always enjoyed visiting its colonies. Maybe there's something in that for me.
So involved in his thoughts, Quatre was completely unprepared for the wave of sleep that overtook him. * * *
Just outside, Heero closed the last panel of Wing and patted his companion before bending over to grab a towel for his sweaty brow. The movement reminded him of the golden crystal of Earth that sat in the back pocket of his jeans. Digging it out, he stared into its facets, as if he could out-stubborn it into revealing its secrets. Usagi doesn't understand. Magic comes so naturally to her.
Relena would have liked her. The memory of her gentle smile teased his thoughts, as it did countless times every day.
Relena . . . you would comprehend this, I'm sure. You felt so much love for the Earth, for its people. I'll protect it with my last breath.
As with the others, unconsciousness hit him unexpectedly, and no one was there to catch him as he slipped to the ground. * * *
Where am I? Trowa stared around himself at the rolling fog. What happened to the gym?
"Trowa . . ."
The voice, strangely familiar, sent him whirling around. "Who's there?!"
A wall of ice grew before him, the surface hard and shiny enough that he could see his reflection. Trowa reached out to touch his face. Is that really me? His image looked so cold . . . so unreachable.
"Well, no. Not really." Trowa cried out and fell backwards as the reflection lengthened. His face changed, his hair became short and blond. "What's wrong, Barton? Isn't this how you see yourself?"
"How . . . no," he stammered. This was all wrong!
"Sorry, little man, but it all seems pretty right to me." The wall flashed. "I'm quite sure that this is what I, the real Trowa Barton, looked like. Before you became me, that is."
"That's not . . . I'm not . . ."
"In fact, be honest with yourself. The real you was buried away deep so many years ago, you can barely even remember your real name, right?"
"Get . . . get away from me." Trowa's heart pounded, and his skin grew icy.
"Oh, no. Not this time." A pale, elegant hand reached out from the ice, followed quickly by a man killed many years ago. * * *
"Wufie . . . where are you . . . "
Wufei opened his eyes and tried to throw off the dream. It had been years since he heard that voice . . . wait a sec . . . "Where am I?"
The dojo had disappeared, to be replaced by clouds of dense mist. A flash of heat against his chest brought his attention to the star suddenly clinging there. My crystal? How'd it get here?
"Pretty pathetic, Wufie. You're too afraid to face me without some little toy to protect yourself with."
Bracing himself, Wufei turned, prepared to see a face he'd thought long gone.
"Meiran." Years of death hadn't changed her a bit. Perfect, straight ebony hair was styled high on her head. The silk kimono was wrapped without a wrinkle, disguising the wiry strength underneath, and her scarlet obi emphasized her slender waist. "How did you get here?"
"Fool." Meiran's jet-black eyes narrowed, as did her small mouth. "No thanks to you. You killed me!" The kimono disappeared and was replaced by a soft black gi, and a katana came to rest in her hand as she descended upon her prey. * * *
"Wake up, Demon-child."
"Ugh." Duo sat up and rubbed his head. "Must have fallen off the couch." A quick glance around sent him to his feet, for he'd left the den far behind. "Where . . ."
"Toy land, toy land, beautiful girl and boy land." The singsong voice circled around him laughingly. "Wanna play, Duo?"
"Who's there?! This isn't funny, guys!"
Confused by the fog swirling around him, Duo was totally unprepared for the figure that swooped down from behind him, buffeting him with a hard black wing.
"What's wrong, buddy? Don'cha want to play with me?" The braided American pushed himself up off his face, and saw a pair of black boots. Next to follow was a familiar pair of black pants . . . black shirt with long sleeves rolled up to the elbow, white undershirt peeking out at the collar . . .
"No!" Duo Maxwell stared up at himself.
An evil smile revealed two white, pointed fangs, and the sooty wings growing from his shoulders flexed. "Wrong answer." * * *
Quatre awoke to the haunting melody of a flute. "Huh? What's going on?" A tendril of mist wrapped around his wrist, calling the blonde's dazed attention to his surroundings. "How did I get here?" Wherever here is.
"I brought you, Quatre."
"Trowa!" The small Arabian spun around to face his tall beloved. "Why, Trowa? What is this place?"
A thin smile grew on Trowa's face. "It's nowhere, little one. And I brought you here so that the others won't be able to help you."
"Help me?" Confusion covered his face. "Why would I need their help?"
"Because . . ." Trowa drew the sentence out, "Because you'll never be able to beat me alone. Because, dear Quatre, I'm going to kill you."
Quatre stumbled back a step, afraid of the look on his love's face, afraid of the words he was hearing. "Why?" The word trembled as it left his lips.
"I want to return the favor. I want you to know what it's like be helpless, to be hurt by the one you care the most for. Just like you did to me, Quatre."
"No!" Quatre fell to his knees, unable to bear the harsh words. "I didn't mean it! You know I didn't mean it, Trowa! I love you!" * * *
"Coward . . ."
Staring cautiously around him, Heero reached into his back pocket for his gun. Instead of touching cool metal, his fingers closed around the golden star Usagi had given him that afternoon. Damn. This thing'd better be good for something, Usa. I'd rather have my pistol.
"You're such a coward, Heero . . . "
"Who's there?!" he barked.
"Who do you think?" Her fragile form materialized from out of the flowing vapor. "It's me. It's always been me, Heero. Why didn't you ever see that?" Her beautiful pink lips bowed and shook. "You only hurt me, Heero."
"Don't come any closer." Although his senses screamed that it had to be her, had to be his Relena, Heero clung to the memory of yesterday. Usagi's voice floated through his mind; The Evil can know your greatest dream, or your most horrible nightmare. And It won't hesitate to use them to destroy you.
"Oh, no, Heero. I don't need to." Relena -or whatever she was- folded her arms and grinned suddenly at him. "I can destroy you quite easily just standing here." Her eyes widened, and Heero felt himself lifted up and thrown, landing quite painfully on his back. * * *
"Mamochan, NO!!!" Usagi tore herself out of the nightmare with a scream and rushed downstairs, unmindful of her disarray, to find the guys. They were in trouble. The Evil was back. Thirty minutes later, she dropped to her knees by Heero. Just like the others, he had been caught totally unawares. Now, they were all trapped inside of their minds, being attacked and hurt by whatever ghosts the Evil had dredged up. Maybe . . . just maybe. Usagi laid one pale hand on either side of Heero's face. There was no time to contact each individually; Heero was their leader, so by entering his mind, she should be able to use that bond to reach the other pilots. A single thought connected her to Crystal Gundam's power. Then, using the extra bust, she sent her mind into Heero's. Normally, I would never even consider such an invasion of privacy. But right now, I don't have much choice. * * *
Heero wiped at the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Relena, please!"
"Please?" The beautiful young woman laughed harshly. "Tell me, Heero, how many times did I use that word with you? Please, Heero, stay with me. Please, Heero, love me. Please, Heero, protect me! And you failed, every single time!"
With a single gesture, Heero was thrown back again. And again. And again, until he could feel his grasp on reality slipping into unconsciousness.
*Fight her, Heero. Remember how much she really loved you.*
"Wha-?" He found enough energy to raise his head and peer into the fog. That sounded like Usagi.
"Probably because it is Usagi." And so saying, she appeared out of nowhere, dressed as he had last seen her, in an over-sized T-shirt and shorts, her hair loose around her. She held up a hand, and Relena froze. "This isn't your Relena, Heero. But I think you know that already, don't you?"
"How . . . get here?" Heero gasped out.
Her face saddened. "It tried to attack me in the same manner, using Mamochan against me. Problem was, I know too well how much we loved each other. That gave me the strength to break free and wake up. We have to hurry, Heero; that paralysis isn't going to last much longer, and I don't have enough power to stay here in your mind. I need your help to contact the others."
"Right." Heero pushed himself into an upright position. "Tell me how."
Usagi knelt beside him and grasped his hands tightly. Just think about them: their perks, their little habits, their strengths, all the things that draw you to those four people. I can follow that link directly to their minds. Now, hurry"
Heero closed his eyes and thought about his teammates. Trowa's silent strength, Wufei's unbreakable sense of honor, Duo's perspicacity, and Quatre's gentleness. Hurry.
* * *
Barton's -the real Barton- large fist caught Trowa directly under the chin, adding another bruise to the growing assortment. I can't take much more of this. All of his attempts to defend himself and fight back had been beaten brutally down. "Little Nanashi, right? That's all you really are. Weak little boy, no good for anything more then machine maintenance. But no, you just had to go and play righteous soldier boy. In fact-" He froze. *Don't listen!* * * *
In the same instant, each pilot's assailant froze in a similar manner. Each young man searched around for the owner of the voice, an odd combination of Usagi and Heero. *Guys! It's not real; you can beat the Evil, but you have to believe in yourselves. Use the crystals, and trust in them! Trust in yourselves.* There was no reason to believe the voice. How were they to know it wasn't some other attack? Yet as one, Heero, Trowa, Wufei, Duo, and Quatre held out their star-shaped crystals and sought inside themselves. There was a sharp crack, and each heard a soundless scream tearing at them. Somehow, they managed to cling to their concentration, and . . .
Trowa opened his eyes and stared at the tall man before him. "I have no past to rely on. I took your name, and your weapon to use for its rightful purpose," he whispered. "I am Trowa Barton, and I have no guilt over what has been done." Standing, he held out one strong hand. "MERCURY ICE LION!"
Wufei gazed with longing at Meiran's ghost. "I loved you, once, although I could not tell you. But there is no justice in your actions now. Rest." He paced forward and laid his hands on either side of her frozen face, then kissed her forehead once before stepping back again. "MARS FLAMES OF JUSTICE!"
Duo lifted one eyebrow as he looked at his doppelganger. "You know," he quipped, "I'm really much handsomer then that. The wings are a nice touch, but I've never really been into the vampire thing." He pointed one finger at the creature hanging in midair. "JUPITER THUNDER OF DEATH!"
Quatre wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "I know you don't hate me, Trowa. What's done is done, and I'm sorry for what I did to you." The blond briefly caressed the face of the worst demon his soul could conjure. "VENUS MELODY OF PEACE!"
Heero glanced at Usagi once for reassurance. When she nodded, five words slipped from between his lips. "I still love you, Relena." A strange feeling of serenity settled over him, and power surged from deep inside his heart. "EARTH SWORD OF PROTECTION!" A golden sword appeared in the warrior's outstretched hands, and its beauty and strength stole his breath. Without another word, he plunged it through the heart of the ghost before him. * * *
Heero opened his eyes at stared at the sky. "Did that really just happen?" he whispered. A soft hand briefly clasped his, and he turned to look at Usagi. "You won, Heero. You all won the first battle, and that's more then we ever managed in my world." He tightened his fingers around her delicate fingers. "Only with your help. And we'll win the next. And the next, until this thing is destroyed." He stood up. "Now let's go find the others." He helped her to her feet, and then the two teammates entered the mansion to find their friends. There was a war approaching, and it would take every bit of strength they had to win. * * *
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