The Perfect Soldier Arc

Book One: Trigger

"Triggers are words, phrases, or sounds set deep in a person's subconscious. They're usually tied to a different personality. When someone speaks these triggers the person changes." Heero, Chapter Three

Rated: R

Pairings: 3+4

Warnings: angst, shonen-ai, violence, language, OOC

Arc Summary: Doctor J succeeded in making the Perfect Soldier, complete with genetic enhancement and a little fail safe known throughout the military as a "trigger". But he never counted on his comrades not following his example to the tee. The result? You read to find out! Eventual 1+2, 3+4. Far off 1x2, 3x4. Definitely AU. Told from various points of view. All characters are OOC, if only a little.

Book One Summary: It all begins with a forced meeting and turns into a friendship fuelled by hardships and camaraderie. Heero meets the pilots and goes through a horrible experience that brings the five pilots closer together.

Notes: Words in bold type are flashbacks, words in italics are emotions felt through Quatre's empathy.

Disclaimer: Take a good long look at me. Do I look rich to you? If I do then maybe you need glasses. If not, it's because I'M NOT! I don't own any of the Gundam characters or the "trigger" idea. Hell, I barely know what a trigger is. Everything I used in this fic is based on what I learned in Buffy the Vampire Slayer during season seven.

Prologue – Meeting Heero

Wu Fei POV

A harsh wind rustled the leaves of the large oak tree positioned strategically outside my window. The tree had grown there naturally, so I could not curse the thing, but I am sure that the builder of the house had built the house just so. Thus committing the next several (thousand) occupants of the room to various practical jokers who decided that climbing said tree to scare the living daylights out of the occupant was a good idea of fun.

To my displeasure, one such practical joker was living in the house with me. And he must have worshipped the man - whom I felt justified in cursing - that built the house, for he made good use of that tree almost daily.

Duo Maxwell was the biggest practical joker that I ever had the displeasure of meeting. He was loud, crude, touchy-feely, and – even though I loathe admitting or believing it - a formidable opponent. I suppose one had to be in order to pilot a Gundam. I sighed.

"Is there something wrong?" I looked up from my musings to see the fair-haired pilot of Sandrock standing in the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame. Quatre Raberba Winner was the most tolerable of the three other pilots currently living in the house, next to his tall uni-banged lover Trowa Barton. The fifth pilot – rumored to be the first trained - had yet to make an appearance at the house, so I wasn't quite sure what he was like.

"I was just wishing that the builder of this house was still alive so I could throttle him to death." Quatre frowned. I had almost forgotten that he disliked any unnecessary violence, even if it would never come to pass. Quatre's questioning gaze was answered when I glared at the window, and the tree outside it.

"Did Duo do something again?" He sounded exasperated, but I don't know if it was at me or at Maxwell.

"Not yet." Winner sighed. "And I do not need another of your 'give Duo a chance, he's just venting his boredom and doesn't mean it' lectures." I snapped when he opened his mouth. He snapped it shut with a small huff. "He's a nuisance." I almost regretted saying that; the look on Winner's face was that of a whipped dog.

"Glad to know I'm well loved!" Winner let out a small squeak as a pair of arms wrapped around his neck from behind and a body slammed into his, nearly toppling him into my room. I quickly quashed my guilt as the object of our discussion made himself known.

Violet eyes blinked happily, and he grinned as he rested a chin on Winner's shoulder. He had to lean over a little to accomplish this as he was a good few inches taller that the blond Arab.

"Duo! Please don't jump on me like that." He pleaded for what I knew was the hundredth time. Maxwell pushed away and put a hand to his head, scratching lazily and making his braid swing. He gave a sheepish grin that made me scowl.

"Sorry Q-man, forgot you don't like that cuz you're short." Winner gave a little frown.

"Maxwell, didn't anyone ever teach you any manners?" I asked. "You don't make fun of someone because of their physical appearance! It is unjust, not to mention unfair!" Unfortunately, by opening my mouth I turned the braided boy's attention to myself. Oops.

"Aww, Q knows I'm just fooling around!" He clapped a hand on said boy's shoulder. "Besides, I'm short too when you put me by Tro!" Winner sighed, but he had a small smile on his face and I realized that he was enjoying Maxwell's playful banter. I snorted. "Hell, Godzilla would look short next to him."

"I highly doubt that would be the case." I retorted. "Should Godzilla have been real of course." Maxwell stuck his tongue out at me and I returned my attention to Winner, successfully blocking out the braided fool. "Now what are you doing in my room?" Winner's face brightened and I prepared to tune him out - that look usually meant that he was about to talk about his lover and I had no desire to hear his mooning tone.

"Trowa's on his way back from a mission. He picked up the final pilot." This caught my attention.

"Picked him up?" I enquired.

"Yes. Quite literally apparently. The boy was captured on his way to earth and was being held at the base Trowa was targeting. I guess he was on his way out when Trowa attacked. The boy was knocked out by the explosion and Trowa picked him up."

"And his Gundam?" I asked.

"Is he okay?" Maxwell cut in.

"Trowa is fine. The boy is beat up pretty bad. And as for his Gundam, I don't know. It wasn't at the base and I didn't pick up anything in any of the systems so I'm guessing it's safely hidden." I nodded. "I came up to ask for your help."

"Yeah, sure." I nodded. "What do you need?"

"I need you to fill up the bath with some of your medicinal herbs while I ready his bed and Duo gets the kits. I figured your medicines would hurt him less…" I was already up and in my closet, rummaging through the bottles of liquids I had packed in a leather case.

"I won't be able to use some until I know for sure what's wrong with him." I said, pulling out the basics: mild soothers and bruise softeners, disinfectants. I put a few different kinds of painkiller bottles in the pile, and one that acted as a tranquilizer.

"That's fine. You can always get more." Quatre said softly before retreating with Duo. I gathered the pile of little bottles into a small bag and made my way to the bathroom.

The bathroom itself was plain: white tiled floor and creamy colored walls, small light fixtures, a decent sized sink. But the bathtub was a shower/tub/Jacuzzi combination that could easily fit three people.

I stashed the bag on the counter and knelt down to turn on the faucets. I left the bubbler lever alone and adjusted the temperature of the water until it was lukewarm. I could hear Winner in the other room, and Maxwell downstairs. It sounded like a mini-tornado had touched down in the living room.

Once the tub was full I took out the bottles and added the liquids one at a time, stirring the water with my hand until it smelled like a garden. I stashed the unused bottle, the tranquilizer, under the cabinet in case it was needed and made sure there were plenty of soft towels within reach.

Then I retreated to the hall, where Maxwell – arms filled with medical kits - nearly bowled me over as he practically skipped into the unoccupied bedroom. I rolled my eyes and made my way down the stairs. The living room looked like a tornado had hit down, just like I figured it would.

While the other two were busy upstairs I kept an eye on the window facing the caves where our Gundams were stored. It wasn't long before I saw a lumbering object land in front of them, and then proceed in. I got up and made my way outside, stopping at the mouth of the cave to let my eyes adjust to the poor lighting.

When my vision corrected itself I could see Heavyarms hatch open, and its large hand lower. The fingers uncurled and a figure dropped gently to the ground. I raised an eyebrow – I guess Winner wasn't kidding when he said Barton had 'picked up' the other pilot. I slowly made my way over to the still figure and Barton leapt gracefully down.

"Be careful." He warned in that quiet tone of his. I paused. "He may look unconscious…." He never got to finish his sentence. The figure gathered his legs under him and launched himself at me with a feral snarl. I dodged a poorly aimed punch – which seemed more like a swipe - and he went flying over my shoulder to land miraculously on his feet. "Don't let him escape!"

"I don't plan on it." I growled, incensed that this boy attacked me. I flew after the surprisingly agile body as it took off out of the cave….and right into a shocked Winner.

"What…?" Winner yelped as the boy collided with him, sending them both flying into the dirt with the blond on the bottom frozen in shock. The new pilot froze. Barton froze. And I froze, thinking:

'Now what in the hell do we do?'

TBC

Yeeeaaaa! My first fanfic! The idea was put in my head during one of my many chats with Erin over messenger during my economics class. Go figure, i think about the fun stuff in the most boring class ever.

Beta Read by: My best friend Erin (Childe of Darkness).