A Childhood Promise
Chapter 6

 Things aren't always as they appear... don't judge on contact.

 "I was going to kill her, Commander, why didn't you let me?" Hilde trailed after Zechs, who was holding his bandaged head tightly, trying to keep from falling. Noin looked over her shoulder, watching her little cousin curiously. On her other hand, she was half supporting Zechs, who was trying to keep on his own feet.

 "There were some… difficulties." Was he ever going to tell her? Noin must know… she was with him the entire time, but Hilde doubted she felt like talking. Something wasn't right… Hilde noticed that he had closed himself off, somewhat more than usual, not leaving any room for conversation. She faintly remembered doing the same things once… a little recently.

 "Commander, were the highest ranking killed, at least?" There was a slight falter in his step, one Hilde only noticed because she had been watching him closely; his attitude was much like hers after her trip to Earth…

 "No, they weren't killed." Then it hit her. Sure, it had taken a little longer than she would've been comfortable with, but still, she'd gotten it. He had seen someone he knew there… someone he couldn't kill…

 "Trieze…" The name escaped her lips before she could help it, and this time, Zechs stopped completely. Still, the platinum blonde did not turn around. Nor did he speak, but it didn't matter to Hilde; she was already speaking. "That's it! You know Trieze… from before, and you can't kill him now!" He turned now, a menacing growl on his face, but Hilde still did not back down.

 "I never knew that scoundrel and I will never have the chance to do so because he will be dead by the end of this!" Zechs turned on his heel and clumsily staggered away, leaving Hilde behind, completely dazed at his outburst. Noin was trying to catch up to him, and when she did, she tried to get him to slow down. So she had been right…

*~*~*~*~*

 Noin sat in Zech's chambers, right beside the soldier's cots. This was a tangled web that had yet to be worked through…

 Zechs and Trieze were now on the opposite ends of the battle fields, as were Relena and Hilde. What's more is that Zechs was related to the young Mistress… and her best friend wanted to kill her. Noin sighed; wars were nothing but trouble, and she had to admit that, despite her position. The only trouble was getting the stronger leaders of this all to realize that too, namely Relena, Trieze, and Zechs.

 And what had happened with Hilde and Relena that day? When she and Zechs had arrived to get Hilde out, the two of them were at each other's throats. Then… in the end…. Relena had hurt her brother badly with that well-aimed throw. It was ironic, that things were to turn out this way. The battles weren't just against foes anymore…. There were friends against friends, and kin against kin. And here, only Noin knew of all these major ties between the leaders of Mars and Earth. Part of her knew that there was only to be more…

 Zechs came into the room, after just having a walk out to the deck. He opened the port and looked out, and Noin could see lights illuminating his pale skin. Without looking, she could tell it was the battle currently going on outside of Mars, the one where the Gundams, highly advanced Mobile suits, were being brought out into the battlefield for the first time. But, there had been five made, and only three on Mars able enough to operate them. Duo, Wufei, and Heero. In fact… Heero should be entering the Earth atmosphere soon to go undercover.

 Her thoughts trailed back to the web at hand. Hilde had figured out that Zechs was in the same predicament as she… but she didn't know that she was serving under her best friend's brother right now. Nor did she know that Dorothy was fighting against family too, and that her cousin was Trieze. Actually, only she, Trieze, and Dorothy actually knew that. And that Midii had fallen in love with one of the higher ranked officers in the Earth's field.

 She knew all of this, of course. It was the reason she didn't fight. Besides, she had known both Lady Une and Trieze… and the top spy and medic on the blue planet. It was why she didn't fight as much as she was support to those who needed her. A shadow passed over Zech's face, and Noin cringed. It was no doubt part of a mobile suit… or what was inside. A half of Lucrezia wanted her to stop the war now, but it wasn't her battle. It was the others… they had to realize their mistake or else they would pay…

*~*~*~*~*

 Relena paced up and down the halls, and then finally decided that the estate was too stuffy for her to think. She needed to go outside. Sylvia stood beside her, like always, and Relena simply turned to tell her that she was leaving the protected estate.

 Sylvia nodded, and the younger of the two pulled her hair up into a messy bun, like a soldier's. There was a cap placed over her head, and her bright, blue eyes protected but small sunglasses. They were just big enough to cover her eyes. Most of her badges were ripped off, and placed into a protected case. Finally, she glossed her lips and left, looking barely anything like the regular Mistress Dorlain.

 Out side the Estate, she was Relena Peacecraft again… and she didn't know if there was a better thing for her to be. The streets were mostly deserted nowadays, even if there weren't many around here. Relena decided to look like a wanderer, simply checking the beautiful coastal view. Despite the fight earlier that day, Relena didn't have anything to do but think. Trieze and Lady Une did it all. The young blonde rolled her shoulders and began to walk the huge distance to the beach.

 Her mind drifted back to the conversation that day… with Hilde. They had agreed to support each other, in life or not. Relena idly wondered if anyone else would've done that… if anyone else would've realized that a friendship could not be risked by fighting each other, and if anyone else would realize that it wasn't worth it. They were friends, and would always be.

 No matter what. Even if the worlds were going to fall apart, even if it was by the other's hand, they would always remember that it was their duty. It didn't make much sense in words, but in her mind… it was as clear as day.

 The chain link fence between her and the beach was so close that now, she could weave a couple of fingers in it.  Beyond the fence, was the beach, with golden grains of sand and water gently lapping up into it. A few shells and scrap metal lay on it, but Relena looked beyond that, into the sea.

 It was a while before she noticed that there was a man on the beach, looking as if he was just drying off. Relena noted his uniform: it was one of Earth's, but torn and bloody. The man stood looking out into the sea, the wind blowing at his totally unmanageable hair. He looked rather unscathed… but his uniform… she walked out to the place where the steps hit about her ground level, and the Fence gave way long enough for people to fit through.

 Relena vaguely recalled playing on this very same beach with Hilde as children. In fact, f she took the time, she would find the same rocky outcrop that the two of them had always played around.

 "I don't know if it just the part of me that's poetic, but you look like a dead soldier, looking out to sea for the last time, remembering something, before going onto the next world." The man turned as she spoke, to see her leaning against the metal poll. Her eyes were glazed as they stared out into the sea, watching the waves rise and fall.

 Relena received a rough grunt for her "greeting", but she supposed she couldn't have expected more from a young soldier like herself. Her boots moved over the sand and Relena moved closer to the odd man, and sat on a smooth, nearly horizontal piece of metal.

 "I take it you feel drawn to the sea as well?" He didn't answer, which suited Relena just fine; she hadn't come out to talk. Why she had, though, was beyond her conception.

 Leaning back on the metal and propping herself up on her elbows, Relena struggled to find a position that suited her. She settled for turned a full ninety degrees and holding her back up by her elbows.

 "Come here often?" she hadn't expected an answer, and was surprised when she got one.

 "S'pose so. Come here tomorrow?" She smirked.

 "Sure, why not?"

*~*~*~*~*

  Catherine looked at Earth, only far enough from it so that she would be sucked into it by the forces of gravity. Trowa and Quatre were to her left, both of their faces on the side screens of the mobile suit. Hundreds of thousands of scattered material floated around them, some falling towards the earth, other inching towards it inch by inch.

 "Tiring battle?" Catherine smiled and nodded, already feeling her eyes go heavy. She was disappointed she hadn't hard head or toe of and old friend at all, again. She had never arrived on the battlefield, even as Catherine waited, battle after battle. Perhaps she had been killed long ago, yet she didn't know it?

 "Hey Trowa, any comments on today's?" Her brother smirked, and Catherine knew from the look in his eyes that he had been looking for a certain suit again. She had a sudden urge to stay there, and never go into another battle, and end it all right there, but it went just as quickly. Trowa had met a girl while fighting in one of these space battles, and held an interest in her. However, she was on the other team. It raised complications, but probably nothing that would make any of them stop.

 Quatre seemed to be the only one who didn't have a tie to Mars. Catherine mused that maybe on of his sisters were there, even though she knew they all served earth. There were a couple who were neutral, but that was it.

 Well boys," Catherine started as the last of the Earth Mobile suits entered the atmosphere, "I suppose we go home now. Go tell them about how there was so much blood, we didn't even know if there were any left…"

 "Hn…" Trowa grunted. Catherine rolled her eyes and braced herself for the long ride home.

 "I guess I'll see you all there."

*~*~*~*~*

 11:36?? Gahh! I'm so tired!! Oh, and before I forget, things have been getting more and more hectic, and time for myself is getting sparse. This updating schedule may have to go, but I'll still try for it. I promise once a week though!! Thanks to Mama-sama  for the Reviews :3