DISCLAIMER: Gundam Wing belonged to Sunrise and co. I'm not making any
profits out of this, so don't sue. Oh, those you think you've never heard
before belong to me. And feedback is very welcome, people!?
TIMELINE: The story takes place after Survival of the Fittest, I'd say almost two years.
SHATTERED MIRRORS II: FACES.
By Arayelle Lynn.
Trowa watched Elena Winner glanced at the clock for the thousandth times. At the corner of the room, Erea Winner was pacing back and forth. Occasionally, she would copy Elena's movement. It was normal for their little brother to be late for dinner. He had done that on many occasions, since the boy tended to be too engrossed in his work.
But that night, something had caused them to worry.
Maybe because they had called the office and was informed that Quatre Winner had left about two hours ago. But now, it's already 1 o'clock! And there's still no sign of him. That caused them to worry, especially after what he had gone through.
Personally, Trowa didn't think that they should be panicking. He trusted Quatre enough to be able to take care of himself. His blond friend had proved that to him time and time again and on some occasions, surprised him even. And so, he waited, patiently.
"Maybe we should go search for him," Irin suggested.
"Let's not be too hasty," Trowa started to say. Suddenly, they heard the front door opened and Quatre entered, looking slightly dazed. His face was pale and his body seemed to be shaking. Relieved and concerned, the three ladies rushed to their brother.
"Are you alright?"
"What's wrong?"
"Quatre?"
They saw his lips moved to answer but nothing came out. It was as if he found that the words were stuck in his throat. There's a look of terrible wonder and lost in his blue-green eyes that scared them. His eyes had the same look once, when he was in verge of madness after his lover's demise. And now, they feared if the same madness had somehow resurfaced.
Then, Quatre's eyes laid on Trowa. Not noticing the fearful looks of his sisters, he went to his friend. "Trowa! I saw her. She's alive!" he whispered, gripping Trowa's hands so tightly that the silent pilot felt pain.
Seeing the familiar wild look in his friend's eyes, Trowa detached Quatre's fingers off him. He then ushered him to a seat. "What is it, Quatre? What did you see?" he prompted, calmly. "Who's she?" He felt his stomachs knotted, fearing his answer.
"Kylie! She's still alive. I saw her on my way back," Quatre answered, agitatedly. "She was walking about in the city." The eyes that met Trowa's suddenly glistened with tears. "I can't believe it. Kylie's still alive!" Then he was grim. "But why didn't she tell me that she's okay?"
From that, Quatre continued to ramble. Guessing and counting the reasons why Kylie kept that news from them. His thoughts went back to the first sensible reason he had established before. That maybe Kylie was involved in a mission. Maybe a mission that could jeopardize his life if he knew. And that's why she couldn't tell any of them why she was alive. After all, Kylie had promised that she would protect him, hadn't she?
So deep in his troubling thoughts, Quatre failed to hear Trowa and his sisters trying unsuccessfully to gain his attention. Unsuccessfully trying to tell him that he was seeing things. In the end, Trowa was forced to slap him across his face, hard.
"Don't you dare lose on us again!" Trowa hissed when Quatre finally quieted. He held his throbbing cheek, surprised to find himself there. And surprised to find Trowa hit him. Trowa's face was slightly red, reflecting his controlled anger as he looked down at him.
"Kylie's dead, remember? We saw the whole thing ourselves. We saw her die," he said, his voice was barely above a whisper. Then, seeing the realization and pain in Quatre's eyes, his voice softened. "She and Heero are dead, remember? Lady Une reported that they found pieces of their Gundams in the wreckage."
He brushed Quatre's head, gently. "You're tired, Quatre. You've been working so hard that you're starting to see things. Things that you wanted the most." Suddenly, Trowa's eyes misted. "Please, Quatre. I cannot lose you too. Please don't put us through that again, little brother."
Seeing Trowa's pleading eyes finally brought Quatre to the hard truth. Yes, Kylie's gone. Heero's gone too. Now, there are only four original Gundam pilots. And somehow, the two items of Kylie's that Quatre held earlier, made him start seeing her again.
Tears started to roll down his cheek. Quatre held Trowa, crying. "I'm sorry, Trowa. I'm so sorry," he said over and over again. For a few minutes, they stayed like that. But when he finally pulled himself away, he looked at his sisters, apologetically.
"I'm okay now," he said, giving them a smile. "Must've been pretty tired."
At that, he was swept into a group hug led by Erea. Then, Irin detached herself, looking slightly annoyed. "Quatre, I want you to promise us one thing," she said, as if reprimanding one of her dance students.
He sighed and then smiled. "Yes. I'll call in sick tomorrow."
"And for the next two weeks," Irin finished for him.
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THREE MONTHS LATER. (PRESENT DAY)
A beep jolted Duo out of his reverie. He checked his position and found himself approaching L4 colony cluster. His thoughts finally returned to the issue at hand. Quatre's in danger. Somehow, Winteridge had forced him to join his rank and declare war on the Earth Sphere Nation. And Duo's determined to save his friend before it's too late.
Suddenly, his shuttle shook. Duo was thrown over the controls and bumped his head, hard. His head spinning, he realized that the colony was firing on him. Fighting back rude words, Duo opened the channel. "Quatre! It's me, Duo. I'm coming for you," he shouted, hoping to stop the pouring bullets on him. As he waited for a response, a question crossed his mind.
Where had Quatre found weapons to equip the colony with?
A moment later, Quatre Winner appeared on the screen. His face was grim. "I thought it was you," he said as greeting.
"Then, stop firing on me, okay?" Duo suggested, giving him a friendly grin. He saw Quatre gestured at someone and the firing stopped. Then, the Sandrock pilot turned his attention back to Duo.
"You're not welcome here anymore, Duo," he said, nonchalantly. "Go away."
Duo blinked. "But why? Hey, Quatre, if you're in trouble we can discuss it. You know I'll help you anyway I can," he persuaded, hoping that Quatre would catch the hint and gave him any sign that he was being held against his will.
But there was none. His friend shook his head, after considering his words. "No, Duo. I don't think you would help me in this. And I don't think I want to share my victory with you." He then nodded at someone before turning back to Duo. "Leave this place, Duo. Before my men destroy you."
The controls suddenly beeped. A screen on his left warned Duo of an incoming troops of MS. Immediately, Duo's natural warning alarms went off in his head. Something's not right here! "I'm not leaving until you tell me what the hell is going on, Quatre."
'Come on, Quatre. Give me a sign!' his thoughts screamed.
The expression on Quatre's face didn't change. "If that's your answer, well, good bye Duo." The screen went dead.
"What?" was all Duo managed before he was under attack. He fought the mobile suits, all the while wondering why Quatre had done this to him. To everyone. And seeing how determined the mobile suits wanted to destroy him, Duo finally decided on one thing.
Quatre was dead serious!
But still, he had to get to the colony. Hilde's still on it. But every time he tried to get near it, he was blocked by the enemy. Since he's using a standard shuttle, Duo was unable to use his usual Deathscythe maneuvers. Soon, he was being overwhelmed by the numbers of the mobile suits, forcing him to cease his struggle to enter the colony and instead concentrate on surviving.
Suddenly out of nowhere, a series of shots rained on the mobile suits, giving Duo the exit that he needed. Quickly, he navigated the shuttle away from the colony. "Are you alright?" a transmission broke through as he was finally in the safe distance.
"What I am now is confused," he answered, looking at the face of his savior. "What's going on here, Rasid?"
Rasid, leader of the Maganac corp. shook his head, grimly. "We don't know, really. But one thing I can tell you is that Master Quatre has turned against us," he answered. The sadness in his voice was evident. All the Maganacs revered young Winner. They all adored the young man ever since he saved them almost seven years ago. But now, the pain of Quatre's betrayal was evident in his eyes.
"B.but why? How?" Duo sputtered.
Rasid exhaled. "Let's discuss it once we join the others," he answered. "Your wife and my men are all on their way to the Preventer headquarters on MO V. Maybe we'll find our answers there."
Duo looked back at L4, where his friend was. "But what about Quatre?"
Rasid shook his head, sadly. "There's nothing we can do for Master Quatre." He shuddered as he said the next words.
"He's our enemy now."
TO BE CONTINUED.
TIMELINE: The story takes place after Survival of the Fittest, I'd say almost two years.
SHATTERED MIRRORS II: FACES.
By Arayelle Lynn.
Trowa watched Elena Winner glanced at the clock for the thousandth times. At the corner of the room, Erea Winner was pacing back and forth. Occasionally, she would copy Elena's movement. It was normal for their little brother to be late for dinner. He had done that on many occasions, since the boy tended to be too engrossed in his work.
But that night, something had caused them to worry.
Maybe because they had called the office and was informed that Quatre Winner had left about two hours ago. But now, it's already 1 o'clock! And there's still no sign of him. That caused them to worry, especially after what he had gone through.
Personally, Trowa didn't think that they should be panicking. He trusted Quatre enough to be able to take care of himself. His blond friend had proved that to him time and time again and on some occasions, surprised him even. And so, he waited, patiently.
"Maybe we should go search for him," Irin suggested.
"Let's not be too hasty," Trowa started to say. Suddenly, they heard the front door opened and Quatre entered, looking slightly dazed. His face was pale and his body seemed to be shaking. Relieved and concerned, the three ladies rushed to their brother.
"Are you alright?"
"What's wrong?"
"Quatre?"
They saw his lips moved to answer but nothing came out. It was as if he found that the words were stuck in his throat. There's a look of terrible wonder and lost in his blue-green eyes that scared them. His eyes had the same look once, when he was in verge of madness after his lover's demise. And now, they feared if the same madness had somehow resurfaced.
Then, Quatre's eyes laid on Trowa. Not noticing the fearful looks of his sisters, he went to his friend. "Trowa! I saw her. She's alive!" he whispered, gripping Trowa's hands so tightly that the silent pilot felt pain.
Seeing the familiar wild look in his friend's eyes, Trowa detached Quatre's fingers off him. He then ushered him to a seat. "What is it, Quatre? What did you see?" he prompted, calmly. "Who's she?" He felt his stomachs knotted, fearing his answer.
"Kylie! She's still alive. I saw her on my way back," Quatre answered, agitatedly. "She was walking about in the city." The eyes that met Trowa's suddenly glistened with tears. "I can't believe it. Kylie's still alive!" Then he was grim. "But why didn't she tell me that she's okay?"
From that, Quatre continued to ramble. Guessing and counting the reasons why Kylie kept that news from them. His thoughts went back to the first sensible reason he had established before. That maybe Kylie was involved in a mission. Maybe a mission that could jeopardize his life if he knew. And that's why she couldn't tell any of them why she was alive. After all, Kylie had promised that she would protect him, hadn't she?
So deep in his troubling thoughts, Quatre failed to hear Trowa and his sisters trying unsuccessfully to gain his attention. Unsuccessfully trying to tell him that he was seeing things. In the end, Trowa was forced to slap him across his face, hard.
"Don't you dare lose on us again!" Trowa hissed when Quatre finally quieted. He held his throbbing cheek, surprised to find himself there. And surprised to find Trowa hit him. Trowa's face was slightly red, reflecting his controlled anger as he looked down at him.
"Kylie's dead, remember? We saw the whole thing ourselves. We saw her die," he said, his voice was barely above a whisper. Then, seeing the realization and pain in Quatre's eyes, his voice softened. "She and Heero are dead, remember? Lady Une reported that they found pieces of their Gundams in the wreckage."
He brushed Quatre's head, gently. "You're tired, Quatre. You've been working so hard that you're starting to see things. Things that you wanted the most." Suddenly, Trowa's eyes misted. "Please, Quatre. I cannot lose you too. Please don't put us through that again, little brother."
Seeing Trowa's pleading eyes finally brought Quatre to the hard truth. Yes, Kylie's gone. Heero's gone too. Now, there are only four original Gundam pilots. And somehow, the two items of Kylie's that Quatre held earlier, made him start seeing her again.
Tears started to roll down his cheek. Quatre held Trowa, crying. "I'm sorry, Trowa. I'm so sorry," he said over and over again. For a few minutes, they stayed like that. But when he finally pulled himself away, he looked at his sisters, apologetically.
"I'm okay now," he said, giving them a smile. "Must've been pretty tired."
At that, he was swept into a group hug led by Erea. Then, Irin detached herself, looking slightly annoyed. "Quatre, I want you to promise us one thing," she said, as if reprimanding one of her dance students.
He sighed and then smiled. "Yes. I'll call in sick tomorrow."
"And for the next two weeks," Irin finished for him.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
THREE MONTHS LATER. (PRESENT DAY)
A beep jolted Duo out of his reverie. He checked his position and found himself approaching L4 colony cluster. His thoughts finally returned to the issue at hand. Quatre's in danger. Somehow, Winteridge had forced him to join his rank and declare war on the Earth Sphere Nation. And Duo's determined to save his friend before it's too late.
Suddenly, his shuttle shook. Duo was thrown over the controls and bumped his head, hard. His head spinning, he realized that the colony was firing on him. Fighting back rude words, Duo opened the channel. "Quatre! It's me, Duo. I'm coming for you," he shouted, hoping to stop the pouring bullets on him. As he waited for a response, a question crossed his mind.
Where had Quatre found weapons to equip the colony with?
A moment later, Quatre Winner appeared on the screen. His face was grim. "I thought it was you," he said as greeting.
"Then, stop firing on me, okay?" Duo suggested, giving him a friendly grin. He saw Quatre gestured at someone and the firing stopped. Then, the Sandrock pilot turned his attention back to Duo.
"You're not welcome here anymore, Duo," he said, nonchalantly. "Go away."
Duo blinked. "But why? Hey, Quatre, if you're in trouble we can discuss it. You know I'll help you anyway I can," he persuaded, hoping that Quatre would catch the hint and gave him any sign that he was being held against his will.
But there was none. His friend shook his head, after considering his words. "No, Duo. I don't think you would help me in this. And I don't think I want to share my victory with you." He then nodded at someone before turning back to Duo. "Leave this place, Duo. Before my men destroy you."
The controls suddenly beeped. A screen on his left warned Duo of an incoming troops of MS. Immediately, Duo's natural warning alarms went off in his head. Something's not right here! "I'm not leaving until you tell me what the hell is going on, Quatre."
'Come on, Quatre. Give me a sign!' his thoughts screamed.
The expression on Quatre's face didn't change. "If that's your answer, well, good bye Duo." The screen went dead.
"What?" was all Duo managed before he was under attack. He fought the mobile suits, all the while wondering why Quatre had done this to him. To everyone. And seeing how determined the mobile suits wanted to destroy him, Duo finally decided on one thing.
Quatre was dead serious!
But still, he had to get to the colony. Hilde's still on it. But every time he tried to get near it, he was blocked by the enemy. Since he's using a standard shuttle, Duo was unable to use his usual Deathscythe maneuvers. Soon, he was being overwhelmed by the numbers of the mobile suits, forcing him to cease his struggle to enter the colony and instead concentrate on surviving.
Suddenly out of nowhere, a series of shots rained on the mobile suits, giving Duo the exit that he needed. Quickly, he navigated the shuttle away from the colony. "Are you alright?" a transmission broke through as he was finally in the safe distance.
"What I am now is confused," he answered, looking at the face of his savior. "What's going on here, Rasid?"
Rasid, leader of the Maganac corp. shook his head, grimly. "We don't know, really. But one thing I can tell you is that Master Quatre has turned against us," he answered. The sadness in his voice was evident. All the Maganacs revered young Winner. They all adored the young man ever since he saved them almost seven years ago. But now, the pain of Quatre's betrayal was evident in his eyes.
"B.but why? How?" Duo sputtered.
Rasid exhaled. "Let's discuss it once we join the others," he answered. "Your wife and my men are all on their way to the Preventer headquarters on MO V. Maybe we'll find our answers there."
Duo looked back at L4, where his friend was. "But what about Quatre?"
Rasid shook his head, sadly. "There's nothing we can do for Master Quatre." He shuddered as he said the next words.
"He's our enemy now."
TO BE CONTINUED.