Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing but I'm saving up for the box set of the series…dreams of holding it in her arms lovingly Oh, where was I? Right. . .the story. . .um, yeah, enjoy. . .goes back to dreaming
Chapter 37
"Who wants to have powers next?" Rachel announced, particularly out of nowhere.
"What do you mean?" Heero asked, giving a side glance/glare to Chang who ignored it.
"Well, since Quatre has successfully gained powers like mine, I thought if I could recreate the moment that caused the transfer to happen, then I could give others powers as well, if anyone wanted to give it a try."
"I would, since you get older when it happens!" Duo grinned.
"You just don't like the fact that I'm older than you, Duo." Rachel rolled her eyes.
"Duh, and I might get taller!" Duo grinned at the thought of not being a midget anymore.
"Alright, anyone else?" The group was quiet as they pondered the offer and looked at each other in wonder and confusion. Quatre looked at the ground, saying, "I'm going for a walk, I'll see you guys later." He flew off out of the cavern and disappeared into the darkness.
"I guess he doesn't want to be around for this. . ." Relena commented.
"Who would blame him, he's changed so much I wouldn't be surprised if he has some identity crisis going on." Milliardo said, looking off into the blackness after Quatre.
"Maybe if we gain powers like him, he won't feel so strange and alone. . .maybe?" Noin suggested.
"Noin, it could be dangerous. . ." Milliardo looked concerned.
"I can take care of myself, don't worry." Noin winked, reaching over and squeezing his hand.
"I would like to see how your powers work, I am willing to take part." Chang announced.
"Of course you do, since it was your idea." Rachel winked.
"This was your idea? Figures. . ." Duo muttered.
"Excuse me? What's wrong with it, you were all for it just a second ago!" Chang argued.
"Because my girlfriend aged unnaturally and I don't want to spend the rest of my life younger and shorter than her. , .you just want the power."
"It's useful." Chang narrowed his eyes.
"It's risky." Trowa spoke softly. Everyone looked his way and blinked, just now noticing his presence.
"In what ways?" Heero asked.
"Haven't you noticed the drastic change in Quatre's moods? He's usually the cheerful people pleaser but ever since that incident he hasn't been the same. Plus, he's gotten sick from something and has been hiding how bad it's gotten, so no one gets concerned. He also won't talk to me, every time I try to ask him how he feels he just says fine and finds some way of getting away from me. I think he's afraid of getting those feelings again if you try to help him, he's really scared inside, I can see it in his eyes. . ." Trowa said, a deep concern set in his voice.
"Poor Quatre, what can we do for him? I feel so bad that everyone's been ignoring him lately. . ." Relena said, a frown on her face.
"Maybe he'll talk to me. . .well, maybe not, since I caused this. . ." Rachel pondered.
"He will, he wanted to earlier." Heero commented.
"He did? When?" Rachel sounded surprised.
"Before the big fight, I stopped him but he told me his reasons for approaching you."
"Oh. . .now I feel bad, I yelled at him along with Trowa and Duo and he didn't even deserve it." Rachel sighed in sadness.
"Well then go talk to him, I'm sure he would appreciate the personal attention." Noin commented with a slight smile.
"Alright, I'll take care of that and then we'll work on this power thing. I'll be right back." Rachel stood and flew off out of the cave, searching for Quatre. As she left the cave and flew out into the open air, she looked back at the rocky cliff surrounding the opening and spotted a flash of white disappearing behind some rocks. She paused before taking off toward it, quietly approaching the rock pile as to not alert Quatre to her presence. She landed softly by it and tiptoed around before popping around the corner and saying, "Hi! Why ya hiding from me?" Quatre jumped a little and stared wide-eyed at her, saying, "How'd you find me?"
"I saw your wings out of the corner of my eye." Rachel pointed to his fairly new appendages. He looked at them in disgust and said, "I wish they'd go away, it's difficult getting around with these on my back. I can't even take off my shirt because the wings are in the way!" He frowned aggravatedly and looked off into the distance to avoid eye contact. Rachel leaned against the rocks and sighed, saying, "Well, I could show you how to take care of that, if you want some help." Blinking, Quatre looked at her and said, "I can make them go away? They're not permanent?"
"No, I don't think so, you just haven't gotten true control over your powers to do that yet. Come out and I'll show how to make them disappear." He shyly leaned farther back and said, "That's. . .okay, maybe later."
"Why, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just. . .I want to be alone."
"But Heero told me you wanted to speak with me earlier, I'm here now so we can talk."
"I don't feel like talking now, I've forgotten what I wanted to say."
"Oh. . .well, we could just talk. . ."
"Can I please be alone?" Rachel looked sadly at him and said, "Do you really want to be alone or are you scared of me?"
"What? Why would I be scared of you?"
"I don't know, you tell me." He stared at her for a second before looking at the ground shamefully. He remained quiet as Rachel waited for a response, afraid of telling her the truth. Finally, he stepped forward and walked toward the cliff edge, flapping open his wings. Rachel grabbed his hand and said, "Quatre, please don't run away! I just want to help!"
"I think you've helped enough already, let me go!" Quatre said coldly. Rachel looked surprised by his sudden mood swing, slowly releasing his hand as she backed away from him. He paused, his face sinking into a sad expression as he said, "Rachel, I'm sorry. . .I. . .I just can't do this." He turned to go but Rachel spoke softly, "Do what?" Quatre kept his back to her as he stared down at the steep drop to the ground below, quietly pondering whether to take his life or not. Seeing his sadness, Rachel sat down on the ledge and said quietly, "What do you believe in, Quatre?" Confused, Quatre looked back at her, staring silently into her eyes. She stared back, saying, "I've been wanting to ask you that for a while now, since every time I talk about God you give me some blank stare or you're curious to ask about it but too scared to for some reason."
"I was wondering what you meant by 'planks in our eyes' when we started bickering."
"It's a chapter in the bible about hypocrites."
"What exactly does it say in the bible about it?" Quatre sat down on the edge of the cliff and looked curiously at her, waiting for her to explain further. She smiled and put out her hands, a small book appearing there. She flipped it open and began to read the verses with Quatre listening intently to her.
" 'Judge not, and you will not be judged: condemn not, and you will not be condemned: forgive, and you will be forgiven. . .And why do you behold the speck that is in your brother's eye, but perceive not the beam that is in your own eye? Either how can you say to your brother, Brother, let me pull out the speck that is in your eye, when you yourself do not behold the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the beam in your own eye, and then you will see clearly to pull out the speck that is in your brother's eye.' It's basically saying that if you accuse someone of something and are as guilty as them, you have no right to do that until you fix your own faults. Like if I told you that you were a freak for having those powers I would be a hypocrite because I have them too and I shouldn't even be mentioning it unless I get rid of my powers, which I don't think is possible. Does that make any sense?"
"Sure. Thanks, that clears up a lot of questions I had about earlier. Do you really believe in what it says in there?"
"Of course."
"And. . .you're a Christian?"
"Yes."
"How do you get to be one?"
"It's very easy, really. All you have to do is give your heart over to God and believe that his son, Jesus, died on the cross to pay for your sins and mean it."
"Why would someone die to pay for my sins? I don't get it, that seems kind of a lost cause if I never believe."
"He did it because he loves you and doesn't want you to spend your life in Hell, but his sacrifice can only work if you believe, or else it was all for nothing."
"Hmm. . .but, how can I tell him that I believe? If I do. . .which I'm not sure if I will, sounds a bit strange. . ."
"Just pray, speak to God with your heart and He'll hear you. Doesn't take long, just a few minutes and you're saved for an eternity. Seems like a fair trade, yourself for an eternity in Heaven?"
"I suppose. . .I'll have to think about it."
"That's alright, don't rush it unless you really think you're ready."
"Thanks. But. . .why would you want me to live forever after what happened?"
"I forgive you, it wasn't your fault in the first place. Besides, it would be stupid to hate you forever when you're such a nice person." Rachel smiled. Quatre smiled too and said, "You're nice too." They just smiled at each other for a while until Quatre looked away, saying, "Shouldn't you be getting back? I'm sure Duo's anxious to get those powers."
"I'm sure he is." Rachel laughed, "Are you going to stay out here?"
"Yeah, I just feel like being alone for a while. Is that okay?"
"Of course, I have my alone times now and then, why shouldn't you! Well, I'll see you later, don't stay out here too long or I might start to get worried about you." Rachel winked. She stood to leave and Quatre looked up, saying, "You don't have to worry about me."
"I can't help it, I worry about all my friends. See ya!" Rachel took off and flew back inside the cave as Quatre watched her leave.
I feel like I've known her all my life. . .but really she's just a stranger with a good heart. I'm glad we crossed paths. . .Quatre looked down at the ledge and saw the bible still laying open to the page last read. Blinking curiously, he picked it up and began to flip through the pages, reading some of the marked verses to himself.
"Alright, I think I'm ready to do this, are you ready?" Rachel looked at Duo who seemed slightly nervous about the upcoming experience.
"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" Duo laughed nervously, grinning with a fearful look in his eyes that he quickly covered with an eye roll.
"Just remain calm, it will all be over in a few minutes. . ."
"That's what I'm afraid of. . ." Duo muttered, swallowing hard. Rachel nodded to the others, ready for anything to go wrong. Closing her eyes, she let the feelings of earlier wash over her body, filling her with the same morbid solitude that caused the storm to strike her in the first place. Finally, she exploded with a burst of white light, illuminating the entire cave with her brilliance and blinding everyone. The light slowly faded and left her glowing form floating over the ground, waiting for Duo to take the intense power from her. Cautiously, Duo approached, a little afraid of what might happen as he stretched out his arms to take her from the air. The second his hands rested on her body, she dropped down and into his arms, briefly looking into his eyes before passing out. He held his breath, waiting for his body to explode with wings and extreme growth spurts. But nothing happened.
"Duo, do you feel any different yet?" Chang asked, looking confused.
"Not really, did something go wrong?" Duo said, looking up and then back down at Rachel. He touched her cheek gently as he thought, Does this mean it was just a fluke? That we're stuck this way forever, separated by ages unnaturally forced upon us? I don't know if I could live like that. . .He sighed and pulled her up against his body, resting his head on her shoulder as he felt like crying out of frustration.
"I guess it was a one time thing. . ." Relena said, feeling sorry for Duo. Heero watched quietly, feeling that it wasn't quite over yet.
"Rachel. . .why. . ." Duo whispered, a single tear rolling down his cheek. As if fell, silky soft caresses of pure white touched his face and he gasped. Looking up, he found wings forming around them and hiding the world from him.
Are those. . .mine? Angel wings? I would have figured I'd have bat wings or something. . .Duo thought, feeling a bit dizzy suddenly. He began to swoon when Chang walked up to him and held him up, saying, "So it did work. . .amazing. . ."
"I hope. . .I'm at least taller after this. . .ugh." Duo let out one last humorous comment before going unconscious.
"So if she passes out every time she gives someone powers, that means that it will take at least 6 days to give everyone powers. This is going to take far too long." Heero commented.
"Treize has most likely sent out an excavation team by now and our cover will be blown before she's completed her task at hand." Zechs said.
"Don't worry, I can keep guard while she's busy, if I can just figure out how to do that first." Quatre appeared in the room, landing softly and walking toward them. Trowa blinked and stared at him, noticing the odd presence of perspiration on his face since the room was at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit at the moment and not hot enough outside to cause it. He walked toward him while the others seemed to ignore his presence as they discussed the possible attack to come.
"You can't do that." Trowa said quietly, looking emotionless. Quatre looked him in the eyes and said, "Why not? You don't think I'm as strong as Rachel?" Trowa reached up and rested his hand on Quatre's forehead, saying, "That has nothing to do with your physical condition, which is my main concern." Nervously, Quatre backed away from Trowa's hand and said, "I'm fine, it's just a cold."
"Colds don't give you burning fevers and fitful rests, Quatre. You're sicker than you think and it's not good to just ignore that fact."
"Stop worrying about me, I'll be fine, okay?"
"Why do you suddenly close out everyone who's concerned for you? Why are you hiding from us?"
"Who's us? No one cares about me so what's the big deal?"
"I care, Noin cares, Relena cares, Rachel cares. . .pretty much everyone cares but they might not show it all the time." Quatre looked away and said, "It doesn't matter, I'll be fine so just stop talking about it like I have some life threatening disease."
"Maybe you do, we won't know unless you tell someone and get it checked out."
"Just drop it."
"How long do I have to drop it? Until you drop? Until you're half dead and convulsing on the floor? Tell me, how long?" Quatre stared at him blankly for a second before Trowa said quietly, "I might not show it all the time but I am concerned for my friends' well beings. So don't tell me not to care cause I can't do that." He turned to walk away, but heard Quatre moan and turned back to look at him. Quatre looked sick to his stomach as he finally conceded to his illness, his legs getting weak beneath him. Trowa stepped over to him, coming to his side just in time to catch him as he fell.
"T-Trowa. . ." Quatre gasped, his eyes narrowed painfully.
"You'll be okay, I'll get someone to check on your health for you, perhaps Noin or Zechs has some medical training." Trowa said, holding Quatre's overly heated body tightly and securely.
