The Mercenary and the Perfect Soldier
A/N: Thanks for reviewing. I am glad you like it. I'd also like to say that I will eventually change POVs but not anytime soon. Also, I update pretty much sporadically, but I'll try my best not to keep you waiting.
Chapter Three: Forgiveness is Not Enough Pt. 2
(Third Person POV, Battle of Marseilles)
"Sir! It worked, I got the system to unfreeze!" Reiki yelled after five minutes of tampering with the control system. There had been one too many close calls for the mercenary's liking and when the ability for movement with the Aries was possible, she had to contain the joy she felt.
She started to pilot the aerial weapon, barely managing to get out of the way of a wayward rocket, which managed to give the suit a nasty scratch. She hovered for a few minutes as she awaited her orders from the commander.
"Good work," Seize praised her. "Now we need suppressing fire on the enemy. There aren't enough of us left to go on the offensive! Surround the Gundam and protect it at all cost!"
With the order given, the soldiers did as told. An imperfect semi circle soon formed around the empty mobile suit.
(Third Person POV, Sylvia and Heero)
"Where do you want me to take you, Sylvia Noventa?" Asked Heero. Sylvia looked at him for a second. The boy turned to look at her, giving her a questioning look.
"We- I want to go home." She said after a minute. Even though he seemed nice, the cold look in the boy's eyes unnerved her quite a bit. The boy nodded and increased the speed of the vehicle.
"Wait, you don't even know where it is...do you?" Asked the stunned girl as the boy made a beeline to her family manor.
(Third Person POV, Battle of Marseilles)
"This is hopeless! There's no way we can win...we're all gonna die!"
"We're only supposed to protect the Gundam now..." Said a defeated Seize.
"To Hell with that," Said the same soldier. "Hey OZ! I am on your side now. I'll take out the Commander for you as proof!"
"WHAT!" Said Seize. "You son of a bitch!"
"Coward!" Said Reiki and a couple of other loyal Federation soldiers. The traitor attempted to shoot down Seize, only to go up in a flaming ball of death...shot down by the Gundam!
"When did he get here!" Seize and Reiki asked at the same time. The two looked as the impressive piece of weaponry lurched up to its full height and fired at the opposing OZ mobile suits. Within minutes, the last of the five Aries mobile suits were destroyed.
"Thank you," Trowa said coolly. "For protecting the Gundam while I was away."
The Federation soldiers stared, awestruck, as the Gundam took off.
"...You're very welcome." They all answered to no one in particular.
"Humph, thanks for savin' our collective asses." Reiki added as an afterthought. "Well my work is done here. We had an agreement, $300,000."
"Huh, right. $300,000. as promised..." Said Seize. 'How can she ask for money so callously and so soon after a battle. Mercenaries, they're all alike. They only care about money and sell themselves to the highest bidder without concern for anything... I thought you were different Reiki.'
"Hm? What was that?" Reiki asked indignantly. "Look, I'm in no mood to deal with another one of those 'high and mighty' speeches about morals. Just pay me, I know I am breaking our contract though."
"What?" Questioned Seize stunned.
"I am gonna follow that Gundam pilot. I see a lot of money coming my way..." Reiki answered quickly.
"Yeah, sure, but I am taking out $50,000. The contract was for five months and you've only been here for three." He stated, suddenly in a foul mood.
"Whatever, just pay me."
(Third Person, Later On That Day at Noventa Manor)
"So, you see, it was I who shot down your grandfather's shuttlecraft." Heero admitted, keeping his eyes on the floor directly in front of him.
He heard the girl give out a cry of complete and utter anguish. "Wh-What?" Sylvia asked him, stuttering over the word. "You...but why? Why did you shoot down my grandfather's shuttle?"
In place of the grief and anguish, only rage and hatred could be detected. Sylvia stood there; she looked like an annoyed cat about to take its anger out on a defenseless mouse. Trowa looked on at the scene as if he were disconnected from the world, completely. Seize, again, had taken on a look of empathy for Sylvia, but this time it had a mixture of rage in it.
"You... General Noventa was just starting to demilitarize the Alliance! If he was still here, there's a strong possibility the war would be over now and the Colonies would have their independence! You fool!" He said harshly.
"We received inaccurate information saying that the shuttle was carrying top OZ officials. However, once the mission was completed, we found out that the shuttle was actually carrying top Federation officials. That is why, I've come to offer you my life." Heero answered solemnly, ignoring Seize's earlier comment.
The reaction was instantaneous. Everyone, even Trowa, was shocked by the revelation. He took out the gun he had hidden on himself and offered it to the shocked girl.
'Surely, he can't be serious...' Thought Seize. He looked at Heero, then to Trowa, and finally at Sylvia. 'Damn...'
'I understand now. He can never do anything to atone for killing Noventa, so he's putting his life in the hands of Noventa's loved ones.' Trowa thought. 'I can't understand though. The action is valiant, yet cowardly at the same time.'
A slap resounded through the room.
"How can you even think of something like that? Taking your life would be meaningless! It won't bring back my grandfather!" She yelled at Heero, before storming out of the room.
Silence ensued for a few moments.
"Marshal Noventa had a wife. She lives in Sicily..." Seize said after a few moments. "I think it would be best if you told her what you told Miss Sylvia..."
Neither pilot replied as they filed out of the lavishly decorated room.
Shortly after, another person entered the room. Seize turned his full attention to Reiki, surprised to see her.
"Reiki, I thought you were gone." Said Seize.
"Well," Reiki started. "That's what you get for thinking."
Seize rolled his eyes in annoyance, as Reiki continued. "So, they're going to see Marshal Noventa's wife."
Even though it was a statement, Seize interpreted it as a question, nodding his head. Reiki turned to exit, pausing for a moment.
"Hey, do me a favor. Take care of yourself and be strong. Until then..." She said, walking out into the hallway.
A/N: Thanks for reviewing. I am glad you like it. I'd also like to say that I will eventually change POVs but not anytime soon. Also, I update pretty much sporadically, but I'll try my best not to keep you waiting.
Chapter Three: Forgiveness is Not Enough Pt. 2
(Third Person POV, Battle of Marseilles)
"Sir! It worked, I got the system to unfreeze!" Reiki yelled after five minutes of tampering with the control system. There had been one too many close calls for the mercenary's liking and when the ability for movement with the Aries was possible, she had to contain the joy she felt.
She started to pilot the aerial weapon, barely managing to get out of the way of a wayward rocket, which managed to give the suit a nasty scratch. She hovered for a few minutes as she awaited her orders from the commander.
"Good work," Seize praised her. "Now we need suppressing fire on the enemy. There aren't enough of us left to go on the offensive! Surround the Gundam and protect it at all cost!"
With the order given, the soldiers did as told. An imperfect semi circle soon formed around the empty mobile suit.
(Third Person POV, Sylvia and Heero)
"Where do you want me to take you, Sylvia Noventa?" Asked Heero. Sylvia looked at him for a second. The boy turned to look at her, giving her a questioning look.
"We- I want to go home." She said after a minute. Even though he seemed nice, the cold look in the boy's eyes unnerved her quite a bit. The boy nodded and increased the speed of the vehicle.
"Wait, you don't even know where it is...do you?" Asked the stunned girl as the boy made a beeline to her family manor.
(Third Person POV, Battle of Marseilles)
"This is hopeless! There's no way we can win...we're all gonna die!"
"We're only supposed to protect the Gundam now..." Said a defeated Seize.
"To Hell with that," Said the same soldier. "Hey OZ! I am on your side now. I'll take out the Commander for you as proof!"
"WHAT!" Said Seize. "You son of a bitch!"
"Coward!" Said Reiki and a couple of other loyal Federation soldiers. The traitor attempted to shoot down Seize, only to go up in a flaming ball of death...shot down by the Gundam!
"When did he get here!" Seize and Reiki asked at the same time. The two looked as the impressive piece of weaponry lurched up to its full height and fired at the opposing OZ mobile suits. Within minutes, the last of the five Aries mobile suits were destroyed.
"Thank you," Trowa said coolly. "For protecting the Gundam while I was away."
The Federation soldiers stared, awestruck, as the Gundam took off.
"...You're very welcome." They all answered to no one in particular.
"Humph, thanks for savin' our collective asses." Reiki added as an afterthought. "Well my work is done here. We had an agreement, $300,000."
"Huh, right. $300,000. as promised..." Said Seize. 'How can she ask for money so callously and so soon after a battle. Mercenaries, they're all alike. They only care about money and sell themselves to the highest bidder without concern for anything... I thought you were different Reiki.'
"Hm? What was that?" Reiki asked indignantly. "Look, I'm in no mood to deal with another one of those 'high and mighty' speeches about morals. Just pay me, I know I am breaking our contract though."
"What?" Questioned Seize stunned.
"I am gonna follow that Gundam pilot. I see a lot of money coming my way..." Reiki answered quickly.
"Yeah, sure, but I am taking out $50,000. The contract was for five months and you've only been here for three." He stated, suddenly in a foul mood.
"Whatever, just pay me."
(Third Person, Later On That Day at Noventa Manor)
"So, you see, it was I who shot down your grandfather's shuttlecraft." Heero admitted, keeping his eyes on the floor directly in front of him.
He heard the girl give out a cry of complete and utter anguish. "Wh-What?" Sylvia asked him, stuttering over the word. "You...but why? Why did you shoot down my grandfather's shuttle?"
In place of the grief and anguish, only rage and hatred could be detected. Sylvia stood there; she looked like an annoyed cat about to take its anger out on a defenseless mouse. Trowa looked on at the scene as if he were disconnected from the world, completely. Seize, again, had taken on a look of empathy for Sylvia, but this time it had a mixture of rage in it.
"You... General Noventa was just starting to demilitarize the Alliance! If he was still here, there's a strong possibility the war would be over now and the Colonies would have their independence! You fool!" He said harshly.
"We received inaccurate information saying that the shuttle was carrying top OZ officials. However, once the mission was completed, we found out that the shuttle was actually carrying top Federation officials. That is why, I've come to offer you my life." Heero answered solemnly, ignoring Seize's earlier comment.
The reaction was instantaneous. Everyone, even Trowa, was shocked by the revelation. He took out the gun he had hidden on himself and offered it to the shocked girl.
'Surely, he can't be serious...' Thought Seize. He looked at Heero, then to Trowa, and finally at Sylvia. 'Damn...'
'I understand now. He can never do anything to atone for killing Noventa, so he's putting his life in the hands of Noventa's loved ones.' Trowa thought. 'I can't understand though. The action is valiant, yet cowardly at the same time.'
A slap resounded through the room.
"How can you even think of something like that? Taking your life would be meaningless! It won't bring back my grandfather!" She yelled at Heero, before storming out of the room.
Silence ensued for a few moments.
"Marshal Noventa had a wife. She lives in Sicily..." Seize said after a few moments. "I think it would be best if you told her what you told Miss Sylvia..."
Neither pilot replied as they filed out of the lavishly decorated room.
Shortly after, another person entered the room. Seize turned his full attention to Reiki, surprised to see her.
"Reiki, I thought you were gone." Said Seize.
"Well," Reiki started. "That's what you get for thinking."
Seize rolled his eyes in annoyance, as Reiki continued. "So, they're going to see Marshal Noventa's wife."
Even though it was a statement, Seize interpreted it as a question, nodding his head. Reiki turned to exit, pausing for a moment.
"Hey, do me a favor. Take care of yourself and be strong. Until then..." She said, walking out into the hallway.