The Other Side of Paradise
Part 9
Author: Nyneve da Sorceress
Wow. I am so good. I'm updating. Yayishness (about to be copyrighted, don't you even think about stealing my word!). NYNEVE IS A SAINT!!!! Okay, enough shameless self-promotion. Well, a lot of you guessed right. Our last boy is coming home! Or something like that. Well, I will just let you read on now. Don't own the anime.
-Nyneve
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Hecate roared as she was surrounded by hot lava. She found it very soothing to smother oneself in molten rock, especially when your former best friend just took back one of the last tools you needed for conquest.
"Damn that bleeding heart Pluto! Such a fool," she muttered.
"Mama?" Janus asked, popping his head in. "You shouldn't stay in there too long."
"BEGONE INSOLENT BEAST! I HAVE NO WISH FOR YOUR 'OPINION'!" Hecate bellowed, throwing a glob of lava at her son. He yelped and darted away.
"Don't you think that you should be attending to the last Gundam Pilot? He's not going to do any good just sitting around!" Janus murmured.
"As if that matters anymore. Without his comrades, he no good to me. I'll just kill him as an example to the others," Hecate remarked.
"Mama…" Janus paused questioningly.
"Speak boy, or begone," Hecate snapped.
"I'd like to make a suggestion. The mortals call it 'Playing the Psychological Card'," Janus began.
A spark of interest appeared in Hecate's eyes. "Continue."
"The pilot has been trained as a killer. He refuses to acknowledge his emotions. However, it is plain to see that his heart belongs to the Queen of Venus. The plan is to manipulate him into thinking he ought to kill Venus," Janus explained.
Hecate let out a sardonic laugh. "My dear, have you been spending your time under a rock? Is this not the plan we've been using?"
"But Mama! He'll do it! I know he will do it! All it takes is persuasion. Which I'm sure," he smiled slyly, "you can do with little trouble."
Hecate sighed. "Why not? If he doesn't kill her, I'll just follow along and kill them both."
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Mina lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. The guys were coming back to their side. Despite what Neptune and Uranus thought, she knew that they were good.
In a way, she envied Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter. Even if they weren't being allowed to see Quatre, Duo, and Wufei, they could get comfort in knowing that they were at least in the same vicinity. But Heero…
He never said he loved her. He never even said they were friends. All he did was kiss her forehead and instruct her to kill him. What did that mean?
Mina sighed then walked out into the hallway. As she walked down it, she looked outside. Gray skies. Looked like it was going to rain again. It seemed so long since she'd seen the sun. Maybe it was to reflect her feelings.
She paused as she passed Trista's bedroom door. She smiled weakly. At least she could relate to being separated from her loved one.
"Well, if I'm gonna be bummed, may as well be bummed with Puu," she muttered to herself, then knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" came the hesitant response of Trista.
"It's Mina, can I come in?" Mina asked.
Again, Trista's reply was slow. "What do you need?"
"I just wanna talk!" she answered. "What's going on with her? Puu's never like this."
Suddenly, the door opened and before she knew what hit her, Mina was inside the room with Trista standing sternly in front of her.
"You tell anyone what you see and I will throw you in the Jurassic Period and leave you there," she threatened.
Mina raised an eyebrow and looked around. "What's up with y—oh my god."
Trowa looked up at her from the bed, then raised his hand in greeting. "Mina."
"What the Hell Trista? Where'd he come from?" she cried, looking at the older woman.
"I brought him back. And you can't tell anyone, do you understand? Not even Serenity," Trista replied solemnly.
"Yeah, I get it. But you've got to explain how he got here, and where he was before then!" Mina said, sitting down on the carpet and looking up patiently at Trista.
She sighed and sat down on the bed next to Trowa. She then proceeded to explain about Hecate, and her threats, and bringing Trowa back to the palace. But she made sure not to mention her past relationship with her "friend".
Mina listened to every word, then looked at Trowa. "Is Heero still there?"
"I couldn't bring him back, Mina. I'm sorry," Trista apologized.
"So you just left him there with that…demon?" Mina cried, standing up.
"If anyone can survive her, it's Heero. Trust me," Trowa said.
"Where's this Temple? I'm going to bring him back myself," Mina declared.
"Are you insane Mina? Hecate shows pity to no one! She'll kill you!" Trista exclaimed.
"I don't care. Tell me Trista, or I might have to let something slip," she glanced at Trowa.
Trista glared at her. "So be it. The Temple's on the other side of the city. Cut straight through, you'll get there quicker. Get going."
"All right then," Mina replied, then walked out the door.
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Wing Zero flew a few hundred feet from the ground. Heero paid careful attention as he scanned the ground for any sign of Mina or one of her friends. But as he did, the conversation he'd had with Hecate echoed through his mind.
"You are a killer. Emotion is useless. Kill the girl, and I'll let you go free. Not that you will belong in this world. This is your punishment. If you'd prefer to escape, do so. But you will have nowhere to run. Go. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you," she had said.
"I'm sure you will," he muttered to himself, then stopped as he saw something about fifty feet away.
In the middle of the street was none other than Mina herself. "Heero," she called, although she knew that he couldn't hear her inside his Gundam.
"The sooner I kill her, the sooner she stops haunting me," he thought, then carefully aimed. In truth, the woman he feared was not Hecate, but Mina. He didn't like how she could make him feel things, make him doubt who he was. Hecate was cruel and evil, but he was used to these. Kindness and affection were the alien traits Mina was showing.
"You're going to kill me, aren't you Heero?" Mina whispered. "Don't. Please don't."
He closed his eyes so that he couldn't see her, took a deep breath, then fired. As the shot from the rifle hit the building next to her, a wall began to fall. Screaming, Mina darted into the building on the opposite side of the street.
Heero opened his eyes. All that remained was a pile of rubble where Mina had stood. No doubt she had been buried.
He landed Wing Zero and climbed out. However, he did not walk to the rubble. He just stood there and stared at it.
Meanwhile, Mina emerged from the building. She watched Heero for a moment, then walked over and touched his shoulder.
Reflexively, Heero whirled around and grabbed her wrist. He gasped when he saw it was Mina.
"You're alive? But that shot…" he trailed off.
"Heero, if you really wanted to kill me don't you think you would've?" she asked.
"I have to kill you. It's the only way I'll be able to control who I am," Heero countered, letting her wrist go.
She rubbed it. "Who are you, Heero?"
He froze. What had she asked him?
"Are you really a killer? Is that all you think you're good for?" she asked. Her voice cracked as tears slipped out of her eyes. "That can't be true."
He turned away. "It is. Don't waste your tears on it."
She didn't pay attention. "Heero, you're not a killer. You're a thinking, feeling, living human. I've seen so many who weren't, but I know that you are."
"What would you know about it?" he asked not looking at her.
"More than you think Heero. Don't do this. Come back," she cried.
Heero winced at her words momentarily, then returned to his solemn manner. It had to end now. He pulled his gun and pointed it at her.
"Fine then Heero. Kill me. That will show you what it is to be human. I don't want to see you like this. So kill me now," she sobbed, falling to her knees.
He looked at her. He could see her tears falling to the ground even in the growing darkness. Her wind-blown blond hair was swept off to the side, leaving a clear picture of her tormented profile.
He couldn't do it. He lowered the gun.
"I'm…sorry," he murmured. "Get up."
Mina looked up at him. Was he coming back to her.
But as she rose to her feet, a ball of energy whizzed past. Hecate emerged from an alley.
"Figured this would happen. You mortals are all the same," she remarked, tossing another energy ball. "So boy, if you don't mind, I'll just kill you and your precious princess. But since I've had to put up with you longer, I'll start with you."
A spear of black energy appeared in her hand. She aimed, and launched.
"No!" Mina cried, jumping in the way. She felt the spear enter her side just before she blacked out.
Heero was taken aback as he saw Mina fall to the ground. She had just saved his life.
"Blasted girl. Threw off my order. Oh well," Hecate shrugged, launching another spear. Heero dodged it expertly, then picked up Mina and carried her inside the still standing building. After laying her down in an empty room, he ran to the roof, where he was able to get back into his Gundam.
"This is for her," Heero said, as he looked down at Hecate, who was laughing maniacally.
"You think that little thing can—" she was cut off by a loud blast as she was hit. Her body ripped into a thousand pieces and her blood began to fall like rain. A black smoldering patch of asphalt was all that remained of her.
Taking the ultimate risk, Heero abandoned his Gundam and retrieved the fallen woman. He lifted her up and looked out the window towards the illuminated Crystal Palace. This was where he had to go.
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Michelle looked up from her painting as Amara walked in with her hand on the stolid Heero's shoulders.
"So you caught the last one?" she asked. Amara nodded.
"Yep. Guess Venus went out after him. Found him too. He brought her back half dead," she replied.
"Is she going to be okay?" Michelle asked, disregarding Heero.
"Yeah, Mercury says it's just a flesh wound. She'll be in pain for a while, but she'll live. Now, what to do with this one?" Amara asked, pointing to Heero. "Restraints like the others?"
"Yeah probably. Hey!" Michelle looked beyond Amara. Standing in the doorway was a little boy around seven or eight with curly blond hair and brown eyes.
"He killed my Mama! Now he's gonna pay!" the little boy yelled, then cupped his hand as a laser shot out.
"Hold on sir!" Michelle grinned, pulling out her mirror and reflecting the beam. "Are you talking about this man?"
"Yes! Now he shall feel the wrath of—" PLOP!
A laundry basket fell on top of the boy. Rini jumped out. "Yeah! We caught Janus!"
The boy looked up. "How'd you know my name?"
"Pluto told me all about you, and how bad you are. So now I've caught you!" Rini said triumphantly.
Amara and Michelle sighed. Then, Heero spoke. "Kid, I don't think a laundry basket's gonna keep him in there."
"I know. But Pluto said not to hurt him," Rini smiled then removed the basket. Then she took his hand.
Janus looked at her oddly. What was she doing?
"Come on. Mommy will wanna talk to you," Rini said, then glanced back at the others. "Oh, and bring him to the throne room. All the boys are going on trial."
When would it end?
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Yayishness (My word, you no take!). No more Hecate no more Hecate! But we're far from over friends, oh yes, far from over. R+R!!!!
