*peeks out from behind curtain* eheheh…^^;; minna…hehe…^^;;; Gomen nasai for getting this out so late..I finished typing it out but then my computer crashed and everything was wiped out.. *cries* ^^;; Eh..anyways…

Lilaclight- ^^;; Hai, I completely agree with you.  ^^; *blush* I'm glad you like my writing style..oo..gomen!  I didn't mean to let anyone wait so long for my next update ^^;;;

Crystalstorm21- heheh ^^;; *innocent* IT WASN'T MY FAULT! SHE MADE ME DO IT! SHE MADE ME DO IT! *points to Relena* *fetal position and rocking back and forth* Relena is queen..Relena is the best…Relena and Heero forever..AHH!! *in pain*

Authoress*Crest- ^^;; wow..*ego inflating* lol…words of wisdom? Eh…oh, I got it!  Never have bread in your hand in the presence of hungry ducks! *they bite* ECCHI DUO!! *snf* Duo-chan…I thought you were better than that….o.O…well..I think I did anyways… O.O…YOU'D LET DUO LOOSE IN MY ROOM!? *looks at Duo* Well…..^~

PrincessYueSerenity, Lady-Tomoya  - ^^V I'm glad you like my work…

Darcey- *beaming* ^^;; YOU LIKE MY STORY!!! *jumping up and down* ^~  Cothlou?

Starfall13- ^^V You like this fic! *again, jumping up and down*

Note- Please remember Mamoru is only part of Chaos, and so Chaos will look different from him.

Disclaimer- Don't own either shows…

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Chapter Fifteen

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Recap:

"Yu'ain na, doj-ai…dojai, le limai…" Chaos groaned, falling off his throne, his vision dimming.  (Forgive me, please…please, my light)

"Yu'ain na, le limai…wai'nai-ne…" He whispered, and all grew dark.  (Forgive me, my light…I love you.)

======

"Wazhita oi sha'ma.  Li'ua sim'wad ba, Harmony." (It is time.  You die now, Harmony.)

======

"I'm pregnant."

---End Recap------

Silence reigned for a  good five minutes within the halls before a squeal of delight shattered it.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" And instantly, Hope and the rest of the girls were embracing Hana, save Harmony and Destiny.

"Whoa, Q-man…I never thought, that is, I mean…" Duo paused, searching for the right words.  "When you were…you know…" He stopped again, trying to decide how to phrase the next part.  "Well…I mean…How did you manage to stop blushing?"

Quatre, or rather, Sol stayed silent.

"Hehe, congratulations, man.  I never thought you'd be the first to be called daddy…I mean, with  your blushing and all," Duo slapped Sol on the back in jest,  "Just think, now we're going to have a Duo Jr. running around…ah…I can see it now.  He'll look up to his Uncle Duo and come to him for advice on the girls and I'll help him when them over.  Of course, he'd never be as charming as me but he'll probably be pretty damn close!  And then there will be others…Duo III, Duo IV, a girl--Duet, and Duomister, Duone, ah yes…all the little Duos running around…" Duo beamed, not noticing the paling of Sol's complexion.  He continued to ramble on, before finally noticing Sol's pale face.

"Eh…Q?  You okay?  You look like you're going to--"

Thump.

"…faint…"

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A seemingly endless number of dark minions stood in a circle, all prepared for battle.  The thousands of hissings and angry growls that were let loose melded together into one almighty roaring sea.  Each individual minion had only one purpose:  Obey the master.

And the master said that as long as he was around, all creatures of the light must be killed.

And so, armored and energized, as prepared as ever for what promised to be a long and grueling battle, they awaited for the master's order.  Grouped in a circle, they growled, hissed, and snarled at each other, baring fangs, claws, and any sort of sharp devices they may have had on them, which the more skimpily clad ones made sure to keep away from.  And in the center of it all, a lone figure stood, tall, silent, and proud.

A black wind blew by, tousling long ebony hair that reached mid-back.  Elfin-like ears framed a sharply-accented face with a strong jaw and nose.  Stormy eyes the color of turbulent ocean churned the restlessness of a storm, a small circle of red surrounding the pupils. Bronze skin shone with an unnatural glow, adding an unearthly beauty to the tall six foot five inch figure.

Chaos smirked deviously, his stormy eyes glowing with the thirst for blood.

"Cosmos……"

A low, if sexily dark, chuckle.

"The end has come……"

And insane laughter ripped through the lair, as large gusts of black wind whipped through the lair.  When the wind finally died out, the lair was empty.  And where a man once stood moments earlier, there was only two crimson rubies, in the shape of tears.

----------------------

"Chaos."

With that one name, Harmony halted all sounds and activities in the room, which, just moments ago was filled with overwhelming joy and concern over a certain unconscious male.  As all eyes turned to her, Harmony's own eyes closed in concentration, her lips set in a grim line.  After an eternity that lasted seconds, her eyes snapped open, the metallic sheen of it cold.

"Hope, it is time." Her voice was cold, her eyes emotionless and her lips, set in a cool frown.

"Too soon, it is too soon…" Destiny argued as Hope nodded her agreement.

"Iie.  It must be done, NOW." Harmony's voice echoed around the room, a powerful bellow.

"I don't want--" Hope was cut off by Relena, whose eyes grew a vacant glowing blue.

"It is time." The voice that came out was not Relena's, sounding more like Hope's, though this voice held a more aged tone.

"Time for what?" A flustered doctor asked.  Relena's face turned to face him, her hair blowing back in the nonexistent wind, her eyes glowing with vacancy.

"Time for the joining.  Time for Relena to die."

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Fate grinned, cupping the metallic thread in her hand, surrounded by an electric blue light.  Looking at the tapestry before her, she cackled, picturing the events that would take place.

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"What do you mean it's time for Relena to die?!" Millardo stood up abruptly, Noin following suit.

A safety clicked off.

"Omae o koruso." Heero aimed his gun at Hope, who cocked her head to the side, her eyes that of a child.

"Relena has, within her, part of Hope.  The Hope you see before you is the child, the soul within Relena is the aged soul…a weathered soldier." Harmony's voice was cool and collected.

"What?!" By now, all was on their feet, including the newly conscious Sol.  Harmony growled, but complied, giving them a brief explanation.

"You all know Hope was trapped in a broken dream, and managed to send a part of herself out to be reborn in Relena.  To do this, however, she had to split in half, one half--the child within her, and the other--the experienced and seasoned soldier--the soldier who fought to be freed from the broken dream.  However, the time has come for them to rejoin, and to do that, the host of the warrior must be sacrificed."

"WHY?!" Duo demanded, his eyes serious, a contrast to its usual teasing appearance.

Harmony sighed in annoyance, one hand massaging her temple.

"Relena's sole purpose of being created and born was to house the seasoned soldier part of Hope--now that it is time for one UNITED Hope, she no longer has a purpose.  Therefore, she dies.  Doctors," she turned to face the doctors, "That is where you come in.  When Relena dies, her body shall remain.  We will not let her death go without the customary ceremony that you chikuu-jins so strongly believe in--especially since her  sacrifice, her death, shall be to aid the coming of a peaceful time.  You five are charged with the responsibility to see to it that Relena's body shall safely journey and arrive on Earth.  You are to make sure this shall all remain a secret, until the time comes.  You will know when the time comes.  Get it?  No?  Too bad!  We haven't time--" Harmony stopped as a loud crash echoed like thunder throughout the palace.

"OH COSMOS!! COME OUT AND PLAY WITH ME!!!" The dark almost singing voice of Chaos was heard.

"Chaos!" Cosmos growled, her outfit instantly changing into her fuku, her staff tightly gripped in her hands.

"Whoa…" Duo whistled appreciably, as Sol and Kiyoshi glowered at him.

With an outstretched arm, Cosmos willed a sword to appear.

It never did.

"Nani?!  Why won't the Shi Blade appear?" She gasped, eyes wide.

"Simple, child."  Harmony's voice was as even as her knowing gaze as she faced Cosmos.  "The Tsuyosa no Toushin has returned to proper form.  You shall have to fight without it."

Another thunderous boom raced throughout the palace, and with a silent curse, Cosmos left.

"It is about time, Cosmos." Chaos lazily drawled.

-------------------------

Fate scowled, as the metallic thread in her hand refused to go through the eye of the needle.

"Damn you, Harmony.  How am I to thread your part of the tapestry if you will not be threaded?!" She snarled.  In a fit of rage, she made to rip the thread, only to have the thread give off a blinding flash of light, throwing her across the room.

In a fearful awe, she made her way on unsteady feet back towards the thread.  In midair, the thread steadily pulsed a metallic blue light, as if in sync with something.

------------------------

It seemed to be nothing but emptiness.  Everywhere, there was nothingness.

Save for four pulsing lights.  Looking closely at the center of the pulsing lights, you would see three tear-shaped jewels.

The jewel on the right glowed a warm white--the tsukai-jen. (Tear of Light)

The jewel on the left glowed a cool yet smokey crimson--the daa'ka-jien.  (Blood of Darkness)

And in the middle, the jewel glowing a metallic silvery gold--the haitsu'aan-jei'caan. (Hope of Harmony)

And hovering above the haitsu'aan-jei'caan, a soft blue light shone.  At the center of that light, was a small crystal, shaped into a sword no bigger than one's thumb.--the Tsaiiyousa-jei'caan.  (Heart of Harmony)

All four lights pulse together, in sync with one another.

----------------------

"Hope, do it now." Harmony ordered, as the building shook once again.

"Omao o koruso." Heero stood protectively in front of Relena, only to have Relena place a comforting hand upon his shoulder.

"Iie, Heero."  Her voice was knowing, her eyes a silent gratitude.  "This has to be…onegai, try to understand."

"Hn." His grunt held resistance.

"Heero…you…you will always be my unattainable," and her lips captured his for a brief moment in goodbye.  Using his shock to her advantage, she stepped in front of him, facing Hope.

"Do it now!" Her voice was strong and determined, holding such a will that Hope could only nod in childish obedience and clasp her hands in front of her in praying motion, her hand bowed and eyes closed.

Speaking in an ancient tongue, she began to glow a smoky silver, her glow pulsing in sync with the glow coming from Relena.  Gusts of wind began to blow, getting stronger and stronger, and everyone save for Harmony, Destiny, Cosmos, Hope and Relena were blown back.

"Noin, Millardo, I hope you lead a happy life.  Sol, Hana, congratulations.  Duo, Trowa…don't ever change.  Wu--Kiyoshi, I wish you happiness.  Heero, I hope you find your humanity.  I love you all, minna, and I'll always watch over you.  Sayonara!"  The gusts of winds and the glow around both Relena and Hope were rapidly trying to reach its highest peak, and Hope's silent chant seemed to echo soundlessly around them all.  Relena's back arched, her head thrown back, her eyes clenched in pain and her mouth opened wide, in a silent scream of her pain.

"RELENA!!" Noin and Millardo tried to reach her, each thrown back by the fierce winds.  Finally the light around Hope and Relena reached its peak, its intensity blinding, and with one final eruption of light, the winds and the glow died out.

Hope laid on her knees, her hands in prayer motion, eyes still closed, though tears ran down her cheeks.

And Relena…

Surrounded by a bed of white lilies and pale pink roses, with small glowing orbs of dim light hovering around her, Relena laid on her back, her hand clasped beneath her chest.  She was adorned in an empire-waist creamy dress with billowy sleeves that hung just off her shoulders, ending just before her fingers.  Two simple chains of white gold, one around her neck and another around her right wrist, and a simple crown of white lilies that rested upon her head served as her only embellishments.  Her eyes were closed and a small content smile rested upon her peaceful face.

She looked as if she was only sleeping, her dreams filled with merriment, contentment, and a bright lively future.

But looks can be deceiving, and this was proof of it.

For Relena Darlian Peacecraft, former Queen of the World and new Vice-Foreign Minister, sister and friend to many, idol to so many more, and one of the strongest thread that held together the fragile tapestry of peace that she helped weave upon Earth and the colonies, was dead.

And the Earth lost its former queen and new Vice-Foreign Minister, and with sharing its lost, the delicate tapestry of peace, woven with the blood, lives, sacrifices, and hard work of so many lost one of its most important and strongest threads that held it together.

And a whole population, spread throughout the Earth and perhaps even scattered around the colonies, lost one of their most treasured idols.

And to a group of people, a dear friend and sister, in blood or spirit, was lost.

And all because Relena Darlian Peacecraft made one of the ultimate sacrifice for the betterment of the future.

Relena Darlian Peacecraft was dead.

----------------------

"Chaos!" Cosmos hissed, glaring at the figure before her, on the other side of the protective bubble that surrounded her lair.

"Cosmos.  It has been a while, hasn't it?" Chaos drawled out lazily.

"Chaos.  You will not leave here victorious." Cosmos's voice was venomous.

"My, aren't we arrogant.  Or perhaps this is just an act to hide one's weakeness?" Chaos raised a lazy eyebrow.

"If I remember correctly, Chaos, it was I who remained standing after our last encounter."

"Yes, and if I am correct, you were the only one.  No silly friends or senshi by your sides.  No precious 'Mamo-chan' or 'Chibi-Usa'." Chaos smirked at the anger and pain that flashed through his opponent's eyes.

"Chaos.  That is enough!"

"Aww…did I hit a soft spot in the little queen?"

"Chaos, I will rid the cosmos of you once and for all!"

"What?  And destroy the balance?" Chaos laughed coldly.  "Oh no, little queen.  I, like you, am needed for existence to continue.  And so, you cannot kill me.  If you, by some great miracle, manage to, I shall only be reborn…or have you forgotten, little queen?"

"Screw the balance!" Chaos raised a slightly alarmed brow at Cosmos's statement.  "I shall be rid of you once and for all, Chaos, and anytime you are reborn, I shall merely rid of you before you become a problem!"

"So you would kill an innocent?"

"You will never be an innocent, Chaos."  Cosmos smiled as Chaos's eyes clouded with anger, her smile cool and collect.

"You would do no such thing, little queen.  You're emotions will not let you."

"Time changes even the strongest, Chaos.  And time has not proved to be quite kind to my soul."  Midnight eyes shone with a pained truth.

"You will not win, Cosmos.  You have no chance." Chaos grinned.

"I'm not sure if you remember Chaos, but Harmony is fighting on my side."

"That has yet to be seen, little queen, that has yet to be seen." Chaos turned to his minions.  "Destroy the shields.  Remember, the little queen is mine."

-----------------------

In hopeless shock, all save for three gaped at the prone body of Relena, unmoving even as jolts ran throughout the palace, seeming to avoid the body at of respect for the dead.

And Relena was dead.

Never to rise again.  Never to urge for peace or pursue the imagined love of the perfect soldier again.  Never to see another sunrise.  Never to love again, to live.

For Relena was dead.

Dead.

An animalistic cry rang out, before a round of bullets were fired.

"Agh!!!!"  Hope was barely able to choke out before blood pooled out of her throat, mixing with the blood spilling forth from her abdomen, arms, and legs.  Her eyes were wide with shock and alarm, shining with horror.

"Hope!" Sol and Hana was instantly at Hope's side, Destiny not far behind them.  Harmony's eyes darkened.

"Doctors."

"Hai?" The doctors turned fearful eyes upon the tall woman.

"Take the body of Relena.  Leave this room and go straight down the hall before taking a left.  Go straight and enter the last room on the right.  There, a ship shall be waiting, prepared to journey to Earth.  Take Relena's body with you.  Your journey shall be safe, I have seen to it."

"Demo--"

"Now!"  There was no room left for argument in her voice, and fearfully, the doctors complied to her wishes, picking up the dead body of Relena.  It was not until after they left that any more words were exchanged.

"Heero."  Harmony's voice was cold, "I hope you realize what you have done.  You have just injured one of the few allies of Cosmos fighting in this battle."  Harmony's gaze cut through Heero's own emotionless gaze, never leaving it even as she made her way to Hope, crouching down to heal her.

"Hn."  His grunt held hidden anger.

"Heero."  Sol's voice was quiet, dangerous.  "Heero," he stood up, soaked in his sister's crimson blood.  "SHI NE!!!"  His voice was dangerous, insane… "SHI NE!!!" Distraught.  Tears pour down his eyes, his nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed.  "SHI NE!!!"  He lunged for Heero, only be held back by Kiyoshi.

"Iie, Prince." Kiyoshi's voice was calm.  "Not now.  We have a larger battle first."

"Yeah, Sol-chan.  Don't you know," Hope grimaced in pain as all the bullets unlodged themselves from her, courtesy of Harmony's healing, "That violence is not the answer?" She finished weakly, the last of her wounds fading to nothingness as the glow surrounding her and Harmony faded.  Her eyes darkened, and the smile left her face.

"This a trying time.  It would seem there is no longer any hope for a peaceful solution to this." On steady feet she rose, her outfit changing into a white gold dress.  The dress was sleeveless, flowing in a slant to just above her knees, with silver armor at the shoulders that attached the white cape that flowed to the ground. Mid-thy heeled boots of white adorned her legs, and a simple silver band adorned her right arm and neck.  A simple white gold band adorn her forehead, meeting at the center in which two eyes, criss-crossed in such a way that a 't' was formed, above her silver crescent moon symbol, which held a circle in the middle.  One gloveless arm was outstretched, as if waiting for something to appear.

"Sol…where is my staff?" She asked, Sol's own clothes changing into a white gold armor, with gold designs of two eyes criss-crossed into a 't', and a flowing pure white cape.  He grew taller and his own figure grew more defined.  On his brow, a silver crescent, a circle in the middle, rested.  In his arms, he held two staffs identical in design, though where one was silver, the other was a brilliant gold upon white gold.

"Here, sister.  No one has touched it since that day…when you were trapped." Sol handed her the silver staff, and she weighed the staff for a moment, a sad smile upon her face.

"Minna, perhaps you should depart now.  With every passing second, the shield grows weaker and I doubt it will hold for very long."  Harmony placed a hand on Sol's shoulder.

"And you, little Sol.  Perhaps you should talk to your wife, before you decide to fight.  Destiny, Kiyoshi, go join Cosmos.  The rest of you, whether you fight or not is up to you--though this is hardly your battle."

---------------------

"Hana," Sol held his wife's arm.  "Hana, I need to go."

"Iie!" tears threatened to pour from Hana's eyes.  "Iie!  What about our child, Sol?"

"Our child," Sol's eyes softened as he placed a hand over his wife's still flat abdomen. 

"Doushite, Sol-koi?  Doushite?!"  Hana's voice cracked, her cheeks wet with her tears.  Still, however Sol kept his gaze on his wife's abdomen and his hand on her abdomen.  When he looked into his wife's eyes again, his eyes shone with determination.

"This is why I must fight, koishii.  For you, for our unborn child.  For all those who dream of peaceful times…koishii, this is why I must fight--" His own eyes shone with pain as Hana stepped away from him, out of his reach.

"Then go."  Her voice was flat and as he stepped towards her, she stepped back, away from him.

"Hana," he implored, only to have her turn her back to him.  "Hana," he pleaded, "please, understand.  I have no choice."

"You always have a choice!" Her bit back.  "And your choice seems to be making a habit of leaving me!"  Her strangled voice came out harsh.

"Now Hana, koishii, that's not true--"

"It is!" Hana spun around, her eyes red with tears, her voice grating.  "You decided to go the Earth and leave me!  And now you decide to leave me again to go and fight.  Don't you understand?!  You might not come back alive, koibito!  You might not return to me this time!  You might never get to know your child!  Koibito, onegai, don't go!  Don't leave me!!"  By now, Hana was sobbing.

"Hana…"In an instant, Sol had his wife in his arms, her head buried in his chest.  "Hana…" his own tears mixed with hers, as he tried to comfort his wife.  "Don't cry, onegai…onegai, Hana-koi, don't cry."

"I can't help it," Hana sniffed, burying herself deeper into his embrace.  "The tears won't stop," her voice came out muffled, and Sol could not help but crack a smile, a sad one, but a smile none the less.

"Hana…I'll come back.," He looked down at Hana who had slightly pulled back from his embrace in order to see his face.  Her teary gaze bore into his own warm gaze, and he brushed away a stray tear with his thumb, only to have her place one of her hand over his, rubbing her face against his hand.  "For you and our child, I'll come back," and for reassurance, "Alive."

"Promise?" Sol laughed at Hana's slightly childish reply.  Pulling back a few strands of her stray hair, he smiled lovingly at her.

"I promise."

"Iie, I want you to say it all."  Had the situation not been so heart wrenching, perhaps Sol would have laughed at his wife's childish antics.

"I promise I will return to you safe and sound, alive and as well as possible, Hana, for you and for our child."

The two shared a tender embrace, simply soaking in the feel, the scent, the comfort, of the other.

"Aishiteru, koibito."

"Aishiteru, koishii."

A tender kiss followed.

"Aishiteru, koibito, and don't you forget it."  Hana whispered breathlessly as they broke apart.

"Aishiteru, koishii, aishiteru."

A loud resounding echo echoed around the palace, stronger than all those before it.  Sol and Hana looked towards the battlefield.

"Hana," Sol looked at his wife, only to find her looking down.

"Go," Hana's voice was strong.  "Go now, koishii," She looked up, tears making a crystalline stream down both cheeks.

"Hana," Sol's voice was soft.

"Iie, Sol-koi.  Go now, they need you." She smiled tearily at him.  "I will be alright, Sol-koi, but if you don't go now, I don't think I will be."

"Hana….ai…aishiteru," tears coursed down Sol's cheeks.

"Aishiteru, Sol-koi." Hana embraced him once more.  "Onegai, hurry and return to me though."

"For you, Hana, for you." Sol murmured, breathing in the scent of her hair. 

Another echo, this time followed by thousands of thunderous roars and the shaking of the grounds beneath their feet.  Sol and Hana looked up towards the battlefield.

"Looks like the shield is down…" Sol murmered.

"Hai, koibito…go." Hana urged him softly, though her eyes pleaded with him to stay, to stay with her.

"Hai, koishii." Sol made to leave, only to spin around.

"Sol--" Hana was interrupted by Sol's fervent lips upon hers, though it slowed to become gentler, sweeter.

"Aishiteru, koishii.  Aishiteru forever and beyond." His breath tickled her skin.

"Aishiteru, koibito, forever and beyond, aishiteru."

And then he was gone.  Looking despairingly at where her husband had stood just moments before, Hana made no move to brush away her tears.

"Come back to me koishii…aishiteru…"

A shadow fell over Hana, forcing her to look up, startled.

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End of chappy…eh..gomen for the looooong wait for this chapter to come out ^^:;; and for it's lack of quality ^^;;; ehhee…..*edging away from readers* Eh, review?