AN: O my God... O my God... it's the final chapter! THE FINAL CHAPTER! O my God... O my God... I'll finally finish it... After this there will never be a day when I say, "Oh, crap, I've got to finish my story, X!" and tell people about it, and how awesome it's going... And now it will be all over soon? I feel very strange... like when I'm done something will be missing from my life... My story, my wonderful story which I've worked so hard on will be finished! Bitter sweetness... I'm happy and sad. But enough of my ramblings... on with the final chapter, the conclusion to X! (Warning, this will be a very long chapter.)
X
Chapter 15:
Final Overture
"Don't do this, Sakio! Please!" They'll all die! I don't care if everyone who's died before is brought back... Sumare, Kyo, Yuna, Z, X... they'll all be gone forever! "NO!"
Lea pounded again and again against the door to her cockpit. "NO!"
"Hold on, Lea!" Trowa yelled and fired off a round in Sakio's direction. The bullet barely grazed his leg.
"Foolish boy! It's too late, don't you understand? Give up!"
"No! I'll never give up on Lea, or on anyone else!"
Sumare stood staring at the four boys, all willing to risk their lives for one single girl... How can this be? Is it possible for those four to care so much? Sumare shook his head, banishing any last thoughts from his mind. Kyo watched him from the cockpit of his suit.
"Sumare, are you sure we should go through with this? I mean... maybe Lea's right. Maybe this isn't the right thing to do..."
"Shut up." Sumare said suddenly, silencing Kyo as the two both started to climb into their cockpits. Sumare stopped, though, when he heard a strange sound. It was like... a cracking noise. He spun around only to see the robot, X, pulling off the door to his cockpit. Sumare could hear his screams inside his mind, and it made his blood curdle.
Lea, panting and flinching at the sudden pain, tumbled out of the cockpit and landed at Sakio's feet.
"No! My robot... my plan... it's ruined!" Sakio yelled and kicked Lea hard. "I'll kill you... I'll kill you! How dare you take my wife from me! My beloved... It's all your fault! I'LL KILL YOU!"
A single gunshot rang out through the entire building. The four gundam pilots held their breath, as did Kaori, Sumare, and Kyo.
Lea opened her eyes, which she had shut at the thought of being shot. Standing in front of her was none other than Heero. Sakio was on the ground, a wound in his side, not moving.
"Heero!" Lea exclaimed.
"It has begun. You must get X out. Sumare, Kyo! You both must also remove the people from your robots!" Heero bent down and pulled Lea to her feet.
"No!" Sumare yelled suddenly, turning back to his cockpit. "I will bring my parents back!" and with that, Sumare began to climb into his cockpit when he felt somebody hugging him from behind, holding him back.
"Sumare! Don't do this, please! I love you, brother, and I'm so sorry. It's all my fault, if I didn't keep blaming you for our parent's death, then maybe you wouldn't be so cold, be so cruel. I loved my parents, but I always loved you more! Please don't give up your life! I'll be miserable without you!" Kaori said, tears falling down the sides of her face. "Don't go..."
Sumare's eyes grew wide.
"You see, Sumare?" Lea said. The five pilots, Lea and Kyo were all watching Sumare and Kaori.
"I... don't understand..." Sumare said and grabbed Kaori's hands and gently slid out of her grip.
"Well, try to. I lost my brother, the one person I loved more than anything in the whole world, and I would do anything to get him back, but killing myself and other people won't make him happy. Please try to understand that a brother's love is something powerful, something that can't be broken or sold or lost, it'll always be there. So start thinking about someone besides yourself, and be there for your sister." Lea said and smiled slightly.
Just keep living. Sumare thought and turned to his sister. "I'm so sorry... I promise, from now, I'll be there for you. Always."
Kaori hugged her brother tightly.
"So, are you gonna get that girl out of your suit?" Kyo asked, suddenly appearing beside Sumare. He nodded in response.
"Yes. Let's free them."
And with that, the three pilots, Kyo, Lea, and Sumare, all began to disassemble the lower parts of their machines. Green, warm liquid spilled everywhere as Lea fought her way through hundreds of colored wires until finally she found the body of a young boy with silver hair. It looked like he was asleep. Lea quickly removed the wires from his body and pulled him out and laid him gently on the ground, his head in her lap. His clothes were faded and ripped up.
It would seem that Yuna and Z were also in similar conditions. Kyo lightly poked Yuna's forehead.
"What's wrong with them? Why don't they wake up?" Kyo asked and put his head on Yuna's chest. "She's got a heartbeat..."
"Maybe their in a coma or something..." Kaori said, looking over Z.
"X... X... come back to me, X..." Lea said, and began pulling her fingers through his silky hair. "Please... please be okay... you're free, X... You're finally free..."
X stayed silent, and then, he blinked. Lea gasped.
"X? X, are you alright? Speak to me!"
X looked around and then slowly sat up. "I'm... I'm alright." He sounded exactly like he did in Lea's dreams.
"X, you're free! You're here with me, right where you should be!" Lea exclaimed happily and hugged X.
Slowly, Yuna and Z also rose up. Yuna's hair was a platinum blonde color, her eyes were a soft gold color. Z, in contrast, had black hair and dark eyes to match.
"I'm... I'm here... This isn't a dream?" Z asked, looking around. Yuna and X were also amazed that they could move their hands and see clearly.
"I don't believe it! You did it, you idiot! You did it!" Yuna yelled and threw her arms around Kyo's neck. Everyone laughed. But their laughter was quickly interrupted.
"You... you took her away from me... how dare you take her away from me."
Lea turned around. There, apparently still alive, was Sakio. He was slowly returning to his feet.
"You'll pay for that... I'll kill you... I'll kill you all!" Lea gasped, but found that she was to afraid to move when Sakio drew his gun and pointed it at her.
"Lea, no!" Trowa yelled, but Lea didn't hear him. All she could see was X suddenly standing in front of her. He was shielding her, protecting her from Sakio.
The gunshot reverberated off the walls.
X collapsed to the ground.
"Lea!" Heero yelled.
Lea sat staring at the boy in front of her. Blood stained his shirt, a bullet wound right to his heart.
"X! NO!" Lea yelled and grabbed X and held him tightly. "Don't die, don't die! You're free now, X, so please... please don't leave me..."
Sakio aimed the gun again, but then put it away. "I'll blow you all to kingdom come!" he yelled and pulled a controller out of his pocket.
"Lea... it's alright... I'm not in any pain... Besides... I wouldn't have made it very far in the world anyway."
"Yes you would have, with me by your side!" Lea said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"It's okay. It's alright. But you have to get out of here... Sakio's put several bombs throughout his compound." X said and lifted himself out of Lea's grasp.
"Come on, Lea..." Trowa said and pulled Lea away. Yuna and Z also stood.
"Yes, you all have to go." Z said and nodded to Sumare.
"Thank you for saving us, but now do us a favor and save yourselves." Yuna said. Kyo lowered his head, but then nodded.
"Go, Lea! This is for the best..." X said and held Lea's hand for the very last time. "We can't live for very long if we're not in the suits... Don't be sad. Just remember I'll always be with you."
The five gundam pilots, Lea, Kyo, Sumare, and Kaori all left the compound quickly, right before it exploded.
"X..." Lea said quietly to herself. "I pray that you'll be happy... wherever you are."
Just promise me one thing, Lea.
Anything, X.
Don't be sad. I'm right here.
Lea dried her tears. "Okay. I won't be sad."
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!
Lea rolled over in her bed and banged hard on the alarm clock.
"Rise and shine, kiddo! I made your favorite for today, ham and eggs!" Mai yelled happily from the kitchen. Lea opened up her eyes and got out of bed.
Almost 1 year ago, Lea decided she would take up Mai on her offer and come to live with her. Mai was enthralled and accepted. Lea has been living in Mai's small apartment ever since.
Lea yawned and sat down at the dining table as Mai plopped down a large plate of scrambled eggs and ham in front of her.
"Eat up!"
"Thank you, it looks delicious!" Lea said and wolfed down the ham and eggs almost as quickly as Mai did.
"Well, it's Sunday so... you wanna go out and do something fun?"
"Mm... no thanks. I have something already planned." Lea said, dumping her and Mai's dishes into the sink.
"Oh, really? Are you finally going out on a date with that adorable boyfriend of yours? What was his name?" Mai said, walking into her bedroom and began rummaging around for something.
"Trowa, and no, not really." Lea answered and turned to the calendar hanging up on the East wall of the kitchen. It's been 1 year since that day...
"Here." Mai said, presenting a small celtic-styled silver pendant to Lea.
"Oh, my pendant! Thank you!" Lea said and put the pendant on. "Oh my gosh, is it 12 o'clock already? I have to go, bye Mai, thanks!" Lea cried happily, grabbed her small purse and headed out of the apartment.
Mai smiled. "Be careful now!"
"Lea, you finally made it!" Kyo yelled and hugged Lea tightly. Lea smiled.
"Sorry I'm late, I set my alarm clock 2 hours ahead..."
"You sleep to much, Lea." Sumare said, smiling. "It's good to see you."
"You too! So, where are the fabulous five?"
"Over here." Trowa said and waved from a little farther off. "Great, now we're all here."
Lea smiled and nodded. A warm breeze blew. It was summer, but today was a bit cooler, mainly because it hadn't quite gotten to mid-day. All 8 people were at the cemetery.
The 8 walked a little ways until they came to a series of graves. 4, exactly.
"So, did you guys ever find Sakio's body?" Sumare asked, and laid a bouquet of flowers onto one grave which gravestone had the letter 'Z' on it.
Heero shook his head. "No, not even remenants of his body were found."
"Could he have gotten away, maybe?" Duo asked. Lea shook her head.
"No, I'm sure he didn't."
Trowa put his hand in hers.
Kyo stepped forward and put a bouquet onto the another grave which gravestone had the name 'Yuna' written on it.
"Even in death she wanted me to call her Yuna." Kyo said smiling and sighed. Kaori suddenly ran up.
"Sorry I'm late, everyone! Did I miss anything?"
"Not really..." Sumare said and hugged his sister. Lea smiled and presented her own two bouquets, one by the gravestone marked with the letter X, and another bouquet of daisies by the gravestone with name 'Damon' written on it.
I miss you both, but I won't be sad any more. I'm going to make you two proud and keep on living.
Lea closed her eyes and heard music. Beautiful music. A piano was being played, gracefully, gently... And Lea saw their faces. X and Damon. They were smiling, they were happy.
You be happy, too, sis!
Yes, live your life to the fullest!
"I sure will, you guys." Lea said and smiled. "I sure will."
THE END
AN: MORE RAMBLING! O MY GOD! That's it, I'm done, I'm finished! PARTY! PARTY! I'm going to throw a little party for myself in honor of the completion of my story! HURRAH!
And here's my list of all supreme Thank You's to everyone who helped me-
Grandpa, your books on writing and writing know-how really helped! Thank you!
Mom, your love and compassion and over-all silliness helped to inspire the character Mai, Thank you so much!
Dad, the stories you brought home from work helped out a ton! Keep the funny stories coming! Thank you!
Big brother, ah, my big brother. I love you, Onii-chan! Thank you so much for being my big brother!
Kyo-chan, my best friend! Thanks a bunch for your random craziness! It helped whenever I had writer's block!
Uncle R., thank you for inspiring the care-free 'you've just got to live' theme for this story!
All my peeps at the anime club, you inspired me to not give up on my story and keep on going! Thank you!
And finally, to everyone who reviewed my story, thank you so much for sticking with me 'till the end:tears of joy:
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! You helped make this story what it is, with your stories about things that happened and things you liked and disliked, it all came together so wonderfully!
This is Maruchan LE, saying thank you all my characters, and I hope I can work with you again! Bye bye!
