Chapter 10
"What are you doing here?" Relena stared at the man who had been as a second father to her. So many questions came to mind.
"I am the one who sent the communication for you to meet us here at the castle, my dear." Her Godfather gave her an ornery grin.
"But then… you're from this world… Of course you are!" She felt so foolish. How could she not have seen it sooner? The stories had to have come from somewhere. "You… you're one of the five, aren't you?"
"Yes, my dear. I am sorry to have kept such a thing from you but I think you understand why." Relena nodded, still trying to handle the new revelation.
"Godfather, that voice I heard, was it the Sugarplum Fairy? is she here? Is she still alive?
"Calm down my dear, one question at a time. Yes, the voice appeared to be that of the Sugarplum Fairy but to my knowledge she is not here." Her Godfather paused and put both hands on his cane. "And as for whether or not she is alive: you were able to receive the powers from the stone, were you not?" Relena felt her heart sink. She had felt the powers flow into her when she touched the stone… She nodded. A round, ginger-scented hand touched her shoulder. She looked up into reassuring violet eyes.
"Hey, princess, don't worry. There's still a small chance she's alive, I'm sure of it." Duo smiled. "After all, If she's half as resourceful as you've proven to be, then she surely thought of something."
"I agree with Duo." Quatre added with a gentle smile. "We shouldn't give up hope just yet." She tried to return their smiles.
"I suppose there could be a chance," J stated. "However, discussing the possibility of her current existence will not get us any closer to our goal of defeating the RAT's." He turned away, metal leg clicking on the marble floor. "Now, follow me. The other four are waiting with specialized gifts for each of you men." She watched her Godfather hobble with his cane from the room. Duo and the other followed him. Heero and Dorithy remained behind.
"Miss Relena… I-" for the first time since their meeting at the party, Relena felt as if the other woman truly was at a loss for words.
"Yes, Dorothy?"
"Back there… You could have… agreed for her to kill me…" She paused as if still trying to find the words. "But you did not…"
"Of course not."
"But why? You had your chance at revenge." Relena frowned.
"Nothing can be accomplished with revenge, Dorothy. If I had offered you as a sacrifice for the power then I would be no better than those who would see me dead."
"I suppose…" Relena watched the older girl as she continued to process it all.
"I have said it before. You are not responsible for the actions of your Grandfather. There is no point in trying to get even, especially when I have already begun to value you as a friend." Relena smiled and saw the surprise in the other woman's eyes. "I hope, in time, you will see me as one as well." A smile, genuine and warm, formed on Dorothy's lips. Relena could not help but return it.
"I already do, Miss Relena." Dorothy reached out and grasped her hands. The two smiled at one another for a moment before Dorothy released her. "Well, shall we see what these 'gifts' of theirs are?" Relena nodded and began to follow Dorothy when a wooden hand grabbed hers.
"Relena…"
"Heero?" She turned to him, his deep blue eyes locking with hers. She wished she could understand what she saw there.
"That test..." She offered him a small smile and shook her head.
"I know." She sighed and felt a shiver run up her spine. "I was... horrified… to be asked to make such a decision-" she felt a chill go up her spine as the vision flashed of six of them in those cages.
"You should have chosen me." His words stung her, pain gripped her heart like a vice.
"What?" Relena could not believe what she'd heard.
"This time, the choice was a test-"
"Yes, it was. And I passed."
"But if it had been a real scenario; if a sacrifice really had to have been made, then you, as the leader, would have to make that decision."
"The leader?" Heero nodded and Relena felt her head begin to throb. She never saw herself as the leader. Heero was the one they followed. He did, on occasion, ask for her input but overall, they followed him. How could he say she was the leader?
"Sometimes hard choices have to be made for the good of the rest. If that ever happens, then you must act." Heero's eyes hardened into unreadable blue crystals. "And if that time does come, then you must sacrifice me." Relena's breath caught in her throat as her lungs turned to ice.
"How… how can you say that?" She pulled her hand from his. "Even if it hadn't been a test. Even if everything truly hinged on such a terrible choice, my decision would be the same!"
"This can't be just a story to you anymore, Relena!" The seriousness in his tone matched his eyes.
"A story?"
"This is serious! We're at war. The fate of the kingdom depends on your actions. You must be willing to do whatever it takes!"
"How dare you!" Her voice was low and strained. She felt her frustration, exhaustion, pain and anger boiling to the surface only to be blocked by a lump in her throat. "This place is more real to me than anything I've ever known! And it is because I take this seriously that I could never sacrifice any of you!" She felt hot tears prick her eyes but held them back. "I would rather die than lose anyone I love. Not when I can save them. Especially you!" His eyes widened and she realized she had spoken those last words out loud. A blush burned her cheeks, matching the heat from her frustration but… she meant every word.
She loved them all. And.. she was in love with him. The realization made the grip on her heart tighten as her eyes met his. Confusion and frustration swirled in those deep blue depths.
"Relena, I-" she didn't want to hear it. She needed to get away from him before she said anything more that she might regret.
"My godfather is waiting. I suggest we see what he has for you." She didn't look back to see if he followed. She knew he would.
Heero watched her leave. The confusion he felt paled in comparison to the guilt for upsetting her.
"I would rather die than lose anyone I love. Not when I can save them. Especially you!"
What did she mean? Especially him? The look in her eyes when she spoke those words: the fire, the hurt, the determination, the worry… made his chest tighten. There was something else there as well, something he didn't recognize from anywhere but his dreams. It was softer; warm and welcoming… but he had hurt her. The pain and betrayal in her eyes at his words cut him nearly as deep as his words has cut her. Maybe deeper.
'Things were so much simpler before her.' He sighed.
She had changed him. He was the perfect soldier; calculated and unfeeling. He was trained to handle any obstacle to his mission with tactful precision. And yet hearing her say that…
"I would sooner offer myself as a sacrifice than trade the life of another."
She meant it. He knew the moment those words left her lips that she was determined to die for them if need be. The thought terrified him. And he had lashed out at her from that fear.
He needed to fix this; to tell her… to somehow explain why. But it would be hard to explain why when he didn't understand it himself.
Without another thought, he followed her through the corridors until he reached the expansive room at the end. Relena was not too far ahead but it appeared, Dr. J had stopped with the rest of the crew, clearly waiting for the princess. Heero came up behind her and felt her stiffen. Her reaction cut him. He had angered her-that much was clear- but she had never tensed around him. When he could get her alone, he would try his best to fix… whatever this was.
"Ah, there you both are. We've been waiting and-" the old man paused, his eyes studying Relena. "Are you quite alright, my dear?" Relena nodded.
"I'm fine, Godfather. Just… still a little shaken up from earlier I suppose." The old man did not seem to buy into her explanation, but he nodded in response.
"Very well then. Let us continue. I think you will find what we have for you to be most helpful." Jay pushed a panel on the wall and a large door Heero had not noticed before opened up in front of them. "This way." J led them through the door and down a winding stairway. By his estimate, they had descended at least three floors. Possibly more. Finally, they reached another large door. J smiled and reached out, touching an identical panel the same as before causing the door to open.
The room was large and seemed to be a hidden arsenal. Suits of armor bearing the crest of the royal family lines the walls for several rows. At the center of the room were five tables, all facing each other and in the middle of them were five, large tubes, each a different color. At four of the five desks sat the men Heero knew to the be other guardians of the lands: Professor G of Candyland, Doctor S of Entertainment Land, Instructor H of Toyland and Master O Tradition Land. Heero watched as each man stood and made their way over to greet the group. Simultaneously, the four bowed before Relena who, in turn, blushed. He didn't know that someone so humble would ever get used to such signs of respect.
"Your highness." Professor G started and stared up at her under his mop of gray hair. "We have long-awaited this day."
"Indeed, you highness." Master O continued. "It is an honor to finally meet you." The tall, bald man straightened his posture.
"We are all pleased to see that the boys succeeded in their mission and brought you here safely." Instructor H smiled warmly.
"If you are all quite through, We have important matters to discuss." Dr. J interrupted. Dr. S nodded.
"We should be getting down to business anyhow." Dr. J took his position in the middle of the four men and leaned on his cane.
"Now that you are all here, it is time we discuss what lies ahead. The journey will not be easy. And I will be quite frank with you." J turned to Relena. "Even with the powers of the Sugarplum Fairy it will not be an easy fight."
"We scientists have compiled all of our knowledge of magic and technology-such that it is in this land-" J continued. "To make for you your individual suits of armor. Specialized and designed with each of you five boys in mind." With that, Instructor H pressed a button and the five tubes sank into the ground revealing five glorious suits of armor. Each one was as intricate and different from the first as J had said.
"Each suit has a name, and with the name comes the enchantments. It will be up to you how to learn to use the various strengths and skills equipped to your suits, but I feel that, given the training you have already received and the skills you naturally possess, it will not take you long to figure out the secret of each suit."
"And are the emblems embossed on the chestplate a symbol for the suits' abilities?" J chuckled warmly, a sound Heero had never really heard before her.
"No, my dear. Each symbol represents the homeland of each of the wearers. You see, although you are the Princess overall, each of these young men are the equivalent of a prince in their own right." Heero thought he saw her eyes widen, could swear he felt her eyes shift to him. He met her gaze and she abruptly averted her eyes.
"Oh yeah! That means the black one is mine!" Duo's childlike giddiness amused Relena. Heero saw the small smile on her face as the giant cookie seemed unable to contain his excitement.
"Indeed. The black is Deathscythe, for Duo, the red is HeavyArms and is Trowa's, the green is Shenlong and belongs to Wufei, and the gold, Sandrock, is Quatre's. The white one, Wing, belongs to Heero." Duo gave a whoop and ran to his suit, hugging his arms around it. Suddenly, Duo turned, frowning.
"Uh… Doc… not that I'm not grateful for this awesome suit but uh… aren't you overlooking one tiny detail?" He pointed to himself and gestured up and down. "I'm a giant cookie! These suits are made for humans! How are they gonna help us?" Dr. J turned to him and smiled.
"After the princess changes you back to your former selves you will have no trouble using the armor. Or have you forgotten the powers of the Sugarplum Fairy already?"
"Well… uh…" Heero saw Relena tense again before her shoulders slumped.
"What is it?"
"Godfather…. I…" Relena seemed to take a deep breath as if preparing for the disappointment Heero knew she feared. "I can't change them back… I tried." Dr. J's face fell.
"Whatever do you mean child? I know of the woman at the village and her child that you restored. Surely you can do it again?"
"I don't know how."
"Well, you achieved that feat before acquiring the power in its entirety. You must try again." Heero could not see her face. He had no way of knowing what was going through her mind. She stood up straighter, and nodded.
"I'll try." Relena stepped forward. "Duo?"
"Yeah, princess?"
"I promised you first, didn't I?"
"You sure did!" He walked over to her and stood, grinning. She reached out her hands, placing one over his heart and the other on his head.
"I'm not sure if this is how it's done.. But…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaled and they waited. And waited. But nothing happened. No glow as before. No sign that anything was going to occur.
"I'm sorry… I can't." Relena's head dropped and Heero felt his heart twist in his chest at the defeated tone in her voice.
"It's alright, my dear." J walked forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You just received these powers. It's only natural that you might have trouble accessing them. I should not have put you under so much pressure. Besides, you're all most likely hungry and tired from your journey and such exhaustion cannot possibly be helpful. We will get you some supper and then show you to your rooms for the night and in the morning, we can plan out our next move." Heero watched as J put his arm around Relena and the five scientists led them off to supper.