AN/ sorry for the delay, FF.net was messing me up… but, it was ready… I just had to move it over to notepad and save it as txt. So... here it is!
A Childhood Promise
Chapter 3
Sometimes you learn, sometimes you don't. And it's funny, when so many people have made the same mistake, yet it's still there…
Hilde slumped up against Duo, who was checking her over and over, until he was satisfied that she wasn't really hurt. Wufei stood a little ways away, watching the two as Duo finished up.
"Alright, you're okay, just tired." He lifted her lithe body in his arms, bridal style, and walked towards the meeting point, where Dorothy was about to land to pick them up.
"Isn't that what I said?" She chuckled at his tenderness…
They had met when he was going to fight, nearly over a year ago. Duo had been leaving with her father, and brothers, off to war. Hilde watched the plane sadly as it began its lift off, and then he had bumped into her. Of course, Duo had missed the plane, and waited the five hours with her for the next one. They talked, and got to know each other, and became friends in the end. Now, in the war, he was her most trusted comfort…
"I can't believe they sent you in there!" He grumbled, obviously ignoring what she had said. "It's, what? Your second week? What idiots!" rolling her eyes again, Hilde hit him playfully in the chest.
"I told you! I'm alright! I escaped, no harm done, now will you shut up?" He looked down, and she looked up, before they grinned cheerfully at each other, what they usually did after one of their few precious, peaceful moments. Wufei cleared his throat behind them, pointing into the distance.
"Dorothy." Short and sweet, only he and Heero were like that. But she couldn't blame the guy… his girlfriend, Meiran had died in battle only a few weeks back. Wufei had grown sullen and dark after then.
But Hilde was snapped out of her thoughts when a ship flew in and landed a long ways away, right at the spot. A look passed between Duo and Hilde, then they began to walk towards the ship. How Duo would ever manage to get the Chinese boy to lighten up was going to be a miracle.
*~*~*~*~*
It was going to take a whole day to get back to Mars, and Hilde loved the time to rest and think. Which she did. Her thoughts were on Relena, and how things had gone so wrong… why did things have to complicate so much? Now that she knew she was going head to head with her best friend… could she do it? How had the war started even?
Thoughts trailed back through time… during the Mars Terra forming project. They were looking for other planets to populate, and Mars had long since been seen to have signs of life once. Even water. The project had commenced, making water by mixing atoms and other building blocks of the world, and had succeeded. Grass was grown, samples were taken, and experiments were done before they finally realized how they could turn Mars into another Earth.
By the time she had been born, there was already an announcement of the project, and it had started sometime back then, fifteen years back to be exact. After six years, very quick for everything that was needed, but science had evolved quite a lot since the days of penicillin. They were ready for the first pioneers. Hilde's family had been among them, but Relena and she were already close friends.
That was how they were separated; her family wanting to move into the new age, were the earth would hang in the sky and the entire world was like that of earth, except with some changes, of course. Though, it was expected that in fifty to one hundred years, it would be safe to take off the glass layer of the atmosphere and everything would be set for the new generations. How it was possible was not of Hilde's knowledge, but those scientists sure did seem like they knew what was going on.
And, finally, the war. There was a dispute about the government of the still developing planet, Earth and Mars didn't agree. One was for monarchy, and the other was going for democracy. No one could settle the two opposing forces, and a war broke out. How it had even gotten so far was beyond anyone's conception, and it was understood that the Martians were fighting for freedom.
And then… how could they of had gotten tangled up in all this, Relena and she? Whose idea was it to set the two up against each other? What good would it do? It was absolutely ludicrous. And, how had that one simple promise, one made in hopes of finding each other again and be happy, caused her to be so miserable? And from what she saw, Relena too.
"Hilde? You in there?" Duo's voice seeped through the door, and Hilde turned towards it, smiling slightly.
"Of course, you wouldn't let me move." He chuckled, pushing the door open and slipping in.
"How do I know you'll listen?" he replied, moving to sit in the cot next to hers. The ship hit a bit of turbulence as he lowered himself, making him fall into the dark red material. He fell with a grunt and she giggled. "Well I'm glad you can still have a laugh or two in my expense."
His sloppy, half-hearted grin fell away and he regarded her seriously. "Hilde."
"Yes?"
"You seem, to be acting differently. Is there something wrong?" The dark haired girl hesitated, before remembering that Duo was her friend.
"W-" she began, but her tongue failed her, and forced her to take a deep breath. "What would you do, Duo, if the one person you always looked forward to seeing… suddenly wasn't the same anymore?" she fumbled for the words, careful not to give anything away.
"I… I don't quite understand, Hilde." Duo looked at her with the most innocent expression she had ever seen on him, and gave her a helpless shrug. "Babe, you know I'm better at listening than to answering questions." She sighed, then grinned, her eyes closed.
"And you know how much I hate being called 'babe'." Unlike usual, he stood up and walked closer, when he usually would've scampered off at her subtle threat. And hand smacked his leg lightly, and he patted her head.
"Got your knife, ya' know?"
*~*~*~*~*
The engine whined softly as it slowed to a stop, and a slight rumble under their feet signaled that they had landed. Hilde unstrapped herself from the seat and stood, wavering slightly. On her left, Duo held her steady, as Dorothy did on the right.
"Thanks, but I'm alright." She smiled at Dorothy, who looked back at her sternly, furrowing her forked eyebrows. "Really."
"Don't know what you did, Hilde, but it must've really drained you. You'd better take a day or so off."
"Negative, I'm fine, and I'm definitely not backing up now." She walked to the door, completely unaided. Dorothy hadn't, but Duo had seen the slight twinge of hurt as the doors opened heavily, and the wind blew across her face, where a bruise was forming. She still wasn't out of her odd state. Wufei jumped out after her, and Duo followed.
"I take it she found something?" Dorothy whispered into his ear, making him turn. She watched him expectantly, but he shook his head.
"Hasn't told me if she did."
The slight wind, now natural in the artificial atmosphere refreshed her, making her feel rather good. Her hair whipped around, being short as it was. She breathed in the slightly cleaner air, made by the trees implanted in the now fertile soil. The young soldier hurried out of the hangar, eager to see the patches of grass and shrubs on red soil.
Home, her home.
"Hilde!" Duo half tackled her, catching her before she actually hit anything. "Jeez, you're eager to see home again." He said with his big, goofy grin. She punched him playfully, and turned to see Heero and Midii appear from the hangar. Midii hugged her, happy to see her back, but Heero stood there, leaning against a tree with his arms across his chest.
"Did you find anything?" No beating around the bush… that was the typical Yuy style. Hilde hesitated again, this time knowing that Heero wasn't a friend to confide in. but, this was business, and she had to tell him.
"Yes. But, I'd rather be telling everybody at once instead of one at a time." He uncrossed his arms and headed back inside, probably to call up a few higher ranking officials.
"Fine."
*~*~*~*~*
Relena watched the sky as the glitter that was Mars hung in the air. Sylvia stood beside her, not talking, but waiting for her to start. She wouldn't, though, and continued to watch the still slightly bright sky.
Hilde… she was there right now… at least, if she made it to someone. No, she had, there wasn't much doubt in her mind. Hilde was strong, and always had been, she had made it.
But hell, everyone had a weakness, and a breaking point. Memories of the two girls laughing and playing filled her head, and, despite being on opposite sides of a war, she found herself hoping that her friends would make it out alright. Yet, still, she was determined to win.
Relena knew that she had better make up her mind soon, or else she could be coasting dearly with her life. It was either Hilde, or the war. Neither one would be easy giving up, but she would have to choose, sooner or later. Hadn't Sylvia been there, she would've started to talk to herself by now.
"Relena?" The young blonde turned, seeing an old friend at the door. Smiling, she stepped away from her balcony and into her room, facing the slightly older woman. Funny, didn't it seem like she was always around older people?
"Yes Catherine?"
"Kushrenada and Une wish for your presence downstairs; dinner's ready."
"Thank you." No mess ups, no time to relax. Her role in this play was demanding, but she had to be strong enough to take it, or else the two worlds could collapse again into a second war. And, if Hilde made it out the first, she'd surely die the second time around.
*~*~*~*~*
If any of you are confused, Hilde just went back home to Mars, and Relena wants to get through the war to prove to herself that she's strong, but a little part of her conscience wants her to do this to protect Hilde too. Hope you enjoyed! And I was sent a couple of questions, which I will post right here:
What is this fanfic about?
Well, Right now, cause I don't want to give too much away, Relena and Hilde were the best of friends back when they were just children. Eventually, they got split up, and once promised to meet each other. Now that they have, though, they two are a little bit more confused; they want to stay friends, but will being on both sides of the war let them?
2. Where & when does it take place? There's no specific time here, because it's AU. But the people of earth are satisfied with their creations, and they wanted to extend. Eventually, they went with a Mars Terra Forming project. Any other details will appear, eventually. Just be patient ^^
3. Just how old is everyone that is in this fic? As they were in the series, though some ages have been changed to match the plot. For example, Sylvia's a couple of years older now, to be Relena's counselor.
4. What was going on when this fic begun? Mars and Earth are in a war, it was hinted in chapter two it was something about politics. The reason will be revealed later.
5. Where did it open up at? The fic began with Hilde rolling thoughts around in her head (red and blue, mars and earth, etc. etc.) she was made a spy and was sent to try and find an advantage over the Earthlings, since they're leading the war.
A Childhood Promise
Chapter 3
Sometimes you learn, sometimes you don't. And it's funny, when so many people have made the same mistake, yet it's still there…
Hilde slumped up against Duo, who was checking her over and over, until he was satisfied that she wasn't really hurt. Wufei stood a little ways away, watching the two as Duo finished up.
"Alright, you're okay, just tired." He lifted her lithe body in his arms, bridal style, and walked towards the meeting point, where Dorothy was about to land to pick them up.
"Isn't that what I said?" She chuckled at his tenderness…
They had met when he was going to fight, nearly over a year ago. Duo had been leaving with her father, and brothers, off to war. Hilde watched the plane sadly as it began its lift off, and then he had bumped into her. Of course, Duo had missed the plane, and waited the five hours with her for the next one. They talked, and got to know each other, and became friends in the end. Now, in the war, he was her most trusted comfort…
"I can't believe they sent you in there!" He grumbled, obviously ignoring what she had said. "It's, what? Your second week? What idiots!" rolling her eyes again, Hilde hit him playfully in the chest.
"I told you! I'm alright! I escaped, no harm done, now will you shut up?" He looked down, and she looked up, before they grinned cheerfully at each other, what they usually did after one of their few precious, peaceful moments. Wufei cleared his throat behind them, pointing into the distance.
"Dorothy." Short and sweet, only he and Heero were like that. But she couldn't blame the guy… his girlfriend, Meiran had died in battle only a few weeks back. Wufei had grown sullen and dark after then.
But Hilde was snapped out of her thoughts when a ship flew in and landed a long ways away, right at the spot. A look passed between Duo and Hilde, then they began to walk towards the ship. How Duo would ever manage to get the Chinese boy to lighten up was going to be a miracle.
*~*~*~*~*
It was going to take a whole day to get back to Mars, and Hilde loved the time to rest and think. Which she did. Her thoughts were on Relena, and how things had gone so wrong… why did things have to complicate so much? Now that she knew she was going head to head with her best friend… could she do it? How had the war started even?
Thoughts trailed back through time… during the Mars Terra forming project. They were looking for other planets to populate, and Mars had long since been seen to have signs of life once. Even water. The project had commenced, making water by mixing atoms and other building blocks of the world, and had succeeded. Grass was grown, samples were taken, and experiments were done before they finally realized how they could turn Mars into another Earth.
By the time she had been born, there was already an announcement of the project, and it had started sometime back then, fifteen years back to be exact. After six years, very quick for everything that was needed, but science had evolved quite a lot since the days of penicillin. They were ready for the first pioneers. Hilde's family had been among them, but Relena and she were already close friends.
That was how they were separated; her family wanting to move into the new age, were the earth would hang in the sky and the entire world was like that of earth, except with some changes, of course. Though, it was expected that in fifty to one hundred years, it would be safe to take off the glass layer of the atmosphere and everything would be set for the new generations. How it was possible was not of Hilde's knowledge, but those scientists sure did seem like they knew what was going on.
And, finally, the war. There was a dispute about the government of the still developing planet, Earth and Mars didn't agree. One was for monarchy, and the other was going for democracy. No one could settle the two opposing forces, and a war broke out. How it had even gotten so far was beyond anyone's conception, and it was understood that the Martians were fighting for freedom.
And then… how could they of had gotten tangled up in all this, Relena and she? Whose idea was it to set the two up against each other? What good would it do? It was absolutely ludicrous. And, how had that one simple promise, one made in hopes of finding each other again and be happy, caused her to be so miserable? And from what she saw, Relena too.
"Hilde? You in there?" Duo's voice seeped through the door, and Hilde turned towards it, smiling slightly.
"Of course, you wouldn't let me move." He chuckled, pushing the door open and slipping in.
"How do I know you'll listen?" he replied, moving to sit in the cot next to hers. The ship hit a bit of turbulence as he lowered himself, making him fall into the dark red material. He fell with a grunt and she giggled. "Well I'm glad you can still have a laugh or two in my expense."
His sloppy, half-hearted grin fell away and he regarded her seriously. "Hilde."
"Yes?"
"You seem, to be acting differently. Is there something wrong?" The dark haired girl hesitated, before remembering that Duo was her friend.
"W-" she began, but her tongue failed her, and forced her to take a deep breath. "What would you do, Duo, if the one person you always looked forward to seeing… suddenly wasn't the same anymore?" she fumbled for the words, careful not to give anything away.
"I… I don't quite understand, Hilde." Duo looked at her with the most innocent expression she had ever seen on him, and gave her a helpless shrug. "Babe, you know I'm better at listening than to answering questions." She sighed, then grinned, her eyes closed.
"And you know how much I hate being called 'babe'." Unlike usual, he stood up and walked closer, when he usually would've scampered off at her subtle threat. And hand smacked his leg lightly, and he patted her head.
"Got your knife, ya' know?"
*~*~*~*~*
The engine whined softly as it slowed to a stop, and a slight rumble under their feet signaled that they had landed. Hilde unstrapped herself from the seat and stood, wavering slightly. On her left, Duo held her steady, as Dorothy did on the right.
"Thanks, but I'm alright." She smiled at Dorothy, who looked back at her sternly, furrowing her forked eyebrows. "Really."
"Don't know what you did, Hilde, but it must've really drained you. You'd better take a day or so off."
"Negative, I'm fine, and I'm definitely not backing up now." She walked to the door, completely unaided. Dorothy hadn't, but Duo had seen the slight twinge of hurt as the doors opened heavily, and the wind blew across her face, where a bruise was forming. She still wasn't out of her odd state. Wufei jumped out after her, and Duo followed.
"I take it she found something?" Dorothy whispered into his ear, making him turn. She watched him expectantly, but he shook his head.
"Hasn't told me if she did."
The slight wind, now natural in the artificial atmosphere refreshed her, making her feel rather good. Her hair whipped around, being short as it was. She breathed in the slightly cleaner air, made by the trees implanted in the now fertile soil. The young soldier hurried out of the hangar, eager to see the patches of grass and shrubs on red soil.
Home, her home.
"Hilde!" Duo half tackled her, catching her before she actually hit anything. "Jeez, you're eager to see home again." He said with his big, goofy grin. She punched him playfully, and turned to see Heero and Midii appear from the hangar. Midii hugged her, happy to see her back, but Heero stood there, leaning against a tree with his arms across his chest.
"Did you find anything?" No beating around the bush… that was the typical Yuy style. Hilde hesitated again, this time knowing that Heero wasn't a friend to confide in. but, this was business, and she had to tell him.
"Yes. But, I'd rather be telling everybody at once instead of one at a time." He uncrossed his arms and headed back inside, probably to call up a few higher ranking officials.
"Fine."
*~*~*~*~*
Relena watched the sky as the glitter that was Mars hung in the air. Sylvia stood beside her, not talking, but waiting for her to start. She wouldn't, though, and continued to watch the still slightly bright sky.
Hilde… she was there right now… at least, if she made it to someone. No, she had, there wasn't much doubt in her mind. Hilde was strong, and always had been, she had made it.
But hell, everyone had a weakness, and a breaking point. Memories of the two girls laughing and playing filled her head, and, despite being on opposite sides of a war, she found herself hoping that her friends would make it out alright. Yet, still, she was determined to win.
Relena knew that she had better make up her mind soon, or else she could be coasting dearly with her life. It was either Hilde, or the war. Neither one would be easy giving up, but she would have to choose, sooner or later. Hadn't Sylvia been there, she would've started to talk to herself by now.
"Relena?" The young blonde turned, seeing an old friend at the door. Smiling, she stepped away from her balcony and into her room, facing the slightly older woman. Funny, didn't it seem like she was always around older people?
"Yes Catherine?"
"Kushrenada and Une wish for your presence downstairs; dinner's ready."
"Thank you." No mess ups, no time to relax. Her role in this play was demanding, but she had to be strong enough to take it, or else the two worlds could collapse again into a second war. And, if Hilde made it out the first, she'd surely die the second time around.
*~*~*~*~*
If any of you are confused, Hilde just went back home to Mars, and Relena wants to get through the war to prove to herself that she's strong, but a little part of her conscience wants her to do this to protect Hilde too. Hope you enjoyed! And I was sent a couple of questions, which I will post right here:
What is this fanfic about?
Well, Right now, cause I don't want to give too much away, Relena and Hilde were the best of friends back when they were just children. Eventually, they got split up, and once promised to meet each other. Now that they have, though, they two are a little bit more confused; they want to stay friends, but will being on both sides of the war let them?
2. Where & when does it take place? There's no specific time here, because it's AU. But the people of earth are satisfied with their creations, and they wanted to extend. Eventually, they went with a Mars Terra Forming project. Any other details will appear, eventually. Just be patient ^^
3. Just how old is everyone that is in this fic? As they were in the series, though some ages have been changed to match the plot. For example, Sylvia's a couple of years older now, to be Relena's counselor.
4. What was going on when this fic begun? Mars and Earth are in a war, it was hinted in chapter two it was something about politics. The reason will be revealed later.
5. Where did it open up at? The fic began with Hilde rolling thoughts around in her head (red and blue, mars and earth, etc. etc.) she was made a spy and was sent to try and find an advantage over the Earthlings, since they're leading the war.