WOOT for quick updates. You know… it's funny. You write something for someone… And they DON'T READ IT! Oh well, there loss, my gain! Well no one gains. Anyway, I've slaved away, ignored my college homework, put off studying for tests, because you know, when an idea pops into your head, you just have to go with it. You have to just let the creative juices fly and don't let anything interrupt you flow. And besides, procrastinating is fun, though not always a good thing.
((IMPORTANT)) Ok, just so you all know (This is a very important note) I don't like chronological order very much. No I haven't got anything against writing the beginning, middle, and then end in that order, I just like to spice things up every once and a while. So what I'm saying is, please pay attention to the date given at the start of each section. Sometimes I'll jump backwards in time and sometimes I jump forwards, only to come back later on. If you skip the date and location information, I guarantee that you shall be one very confused reader. ((IMPORTANT))
On that note, I leave you to go and work on chapter 4 or perhaps another story, while you go on and read. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. And… And… I proof read this time so hopefully I caught a majority of the mistakes.
Year: After colony 232
November 10
Early Morning
Location: Colony cluster L5; Colony 46FJX8
Hauruko Yuy sat amongst his comrades at a small diner of the hotel outside the main entry onto the colony. His face was scared from the harsh fighting he had been involved in for the past year. He looked to all of the other worn faces of his friends. Those that had stood with him in the last battle. Those that survived. He stifled a laugh as he observed them. Well, it didn't exactly surprise him. They were all similar to him. One he had known for a majority of his life. The others; well, they were raised just as he had been. They knew the ins and outs of an MS. They had been taught from birth, just as he had been. Who knew there were more of them? Who knew that other than Haru and Tarak Barton, there were other sons of Gundam pilots. Who knew in deed?
Their faces told stories of the past year. Trevet Maxwell. The eighteen year old son of Duo Maxwell, pilot of the Gundam Deathscythe. He had his father's eyes, but his short blond hair could only belong to his mother, a trait he shared with his younger sister. Trevet's laugh was intoxicating and highly contagious. Haru watched as the younger man leaned back in his chair, propping his legs up on the table, only to receive dirty looks from the waitresses. He blew them kisses, winking at them. Haru wondered which of the young women would be sharing the young pilot's bed that night. Trev laughed at a joke one of the other's had told and Haru saw the happy young man hidden behind the rough exterior of a hardened fighter. Did they all look like that now? Rough. Older. Cold. Haru shook his head and turned his attention to another of their number.
Twenty one year old Yul Chang. Son of the Gundam pilot 05. He was the quiet one. He had a hard exterior. He always had. It didn't come from the fighting they had all faced. No. It came from his family. His father and mother. Wufei Chang and Relena Peacecraft. He had the ability to almost disappear. It frightened Haru sometimes, that one man can be so much like another. While Haru knew very little about his own father, the man not being one to tell much, Haru knew plenty about the other pilots, and could see that Yul was almost his father's exact twin, except for the fact that his eyes were his mother's. Haru met his eyes and got a small smile from Yul. So maybe he isn't exactly his father.
The last member of the group, besides Tarak and himself, was Ayman Winner. The son youngest son of Quatre Winner, pilot of the Gundam Sandrock, and the person who had suffered the most. Ten year old Ayman was the youngest member of the group, and if not for his last name, no one could tell the boy was even the off spring of 04. Ayman was born out of a one night stand. His father had thought he was in love after the death of his first wife, the mother of his other three sons; but after making love to Ayman's mother, she deserted him, only to leave Ayman on his doorstep nine months later. Ayman was extraordinarily intelligent. Haru watched him. Deprived of a normal childhood, Ayman had been forced to grow up that year. Why couldn't one of his older half brother's take his place? Simple. They didn't want to. None of them really seemed to care. Haru rested his hand on Ayman's shoulder and gave the boy a small smile. Ayman smiled back, knowing that even if the other's didn't accept him as a pilot, Haru and Tarak did.
Tarak tapped Haru's shoulder, knocking him from his trance when their commander appeared in the hotel diner and walked over to them, his long braid swinging behind him. Duo Maxwell look tired and worn. He had left his family to do this. "Did you all eat enough?" Duo asked them, a grin on his face. The years since the destruction of Deathscythe hadn't seemed to effect his spirit.
They all nodded in unison. "Then you are excused." He said, a bit of sadness in his eyes when he met Haru's and Tarak's. He knew they were mad at him. They stood up with the other three and pushed their chairs in, letting them scrape against the floor as they glared at 02.
"Tarak… Haruko… wait!" He called after them as they wandered out into the streets of the colony.
Haru turned around for a second, glaring at him as if he wished to stop his heart. He was the one who had taken him from his apartment after shooting Nikki. He had shot her. And Haru didn't know whether she was alive or not. Why? Why? So he could put the five of them, his own son and even Ayman, through a year of torture. All for what? "Training!" Haru recalled his words as they stood on the fields of what they thought was a real battle. Gazing around at the dead bodies of their fallen comrades and enemies. The enemies they had willingly killed, under the impression that they were the real enemies. Not knowing that they were just innocents. Innocents that Duo had paid to fight the sons of the gundam pilots and their "allies". The allies who turned out to be paid as well. And none of them would get their money. No. Why? Because they were all dead. Dead at the hands of Haru and the other's. "Weak." He said to Duo. "Pathetically Weak."
Duo hung his head as he watched the two boys leave the diner. He turned to the other three who watched him. They had come willingly. No threats necessary.
"We'd better follow them." Trevet suggested, getting a nod from Yul, and Ayman jumped up instantly to fetch their coats from the hotel rooms upstairs.
Year: After colony 232
November 10
Late Night
Location: Colony cluster L5; Colony 46FJX8
Ayman sat beside Yul on a soft couch in front of the room's fire place. Trevet had locked him out of the room they shared yet again. Duo paced back and forth in front of the fire, as if he was waiting for something. Haru and Tarak had managed to get their commander's permission to disappear for the evening. Ayman smirk. Permission? Hardly likely. But they were supposed to be back by now, and Trev was definitely going to hear it from his father for kicking Ayman out once again, as well as being very very late for the meeting.
The ten year old brown haired, brown eyed boy yawned. He was the only one that knew what the meeting was about. He was the only one who could possibly have skipped the meeting, and yet, aside from Yul, Ayman was the only one present. He laid back on the soft cushions of the sofa.
"Oi! Baka! Don't fall asleep!" Yul commanded, smacking the younger boy's leg. He yawned a bit himself. "See! Now you've got me doing it!"
The door creaked open and Trevet stumbled in wearing nothing but a pair of boxer's and a lop-sided grin. He ran a hand through his blond hair and covered his mouth with the other as he let loose his own yawn.
"Wonderful evening, isn't it?" he asked with a laugh as he pushed Ayman off the couch and took the now empty seat. Ayman rolled his eyes, sat up and glared at the older pilot. "Wanna make something of it, kid?" Trev mocked, knowing that Ayman would never try and take him down. Duo turned his attention to his son.
"You're late."
"So are Yuy and Barton." Trev pointed out, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He matched Shinigami's stare with his own. "Relax. They'll be here. You said so yourself. They're too much like their fathers."
"I know. That's why I'm curious as to why Tarak isn't here and why I even expected Haruko to return."
"Because you don't know us like you think you do." Haru said from where he stood in the door frame. Tarak leaned against the edge, his ankles crossed and his arms folded over his chest. For a moment Duo could have sworn it was Trowa, not his son. The ex-pilot shook his head.
"It's about time."
"Sorry we're late." Tarak said, trying to be polite as possible as he walked past his commander to sit in one of the arm chairs. He ruffled Ayman's hair as he passed. Duo waited for Haruko to do the same.
"We're waiting for you." He said, raising his eyebrows as if he were addressing a child.
"Hn" Haru muttered as he walked past Duo, glaring at him. The young man reminded him so much of 01. You've always been too soft. And now you're even softer. Duo shuddered. No. It wasn't possible. It couldn't… could it. Duo placed his hand on his waist, touching the gun that always sat in his holster. The gun that had nearly been his end, a year ago. Before this started. Before Duo knew exactly what lay ahead of him. He ran his hand along it's curves.
"Dad!"
02 looked up to see Trev staring at him, Tarak and Ayman looking on with concern, Yul expressionless, and Haru seated with his leg of the arm of his chair looking as if he could have cared less if Duo had just jumped out the window.
"Right. The reason you are all on this mission?"
"Yeah."
"That would be we're all waiting for." Haru spat. Tarak elbowed him in the gut. "I mean, yeah."
Duo rolled his eyes. So much like Heero. "As the off spring of 01-05 you have been chosen as the only people who may possess any skills required for the mission that you all have been asked, or forced in some cases, to undertake. Due to the lack of a need for the MS, the colonies' regular pilots lack the necessary training for such a dangerous trip. You however, were born and raised with the power to take on just about anything, just as your fathers were."
"What do you know about my father!" Haru snapped.
"Plenty, Yuy!" Duo snapped back, his braid flying behind him. "I know he raised you better than that."
"Hrmph!" Haru folded his arms over his chest and looked back up at the ceiling.
"As I was saying. You will all have a week to get your affairs in order now that we are back in the colonies. On November 17th you go on a rescue mission."
"Us?" Trevet spat, looking at his father with interest. "What about you?"
"Do I look like I'm fit to pilot a Mobile Suit anymore? Let alone an Mobile Suit made of Gundanium?" Duo's eyes flashed in anger.
"You're more fit that Ayman." Yul suggested, keeping his voice calm and collected.
"Don't you think I know that!" Ayman said, jumping to his feet, his eyes welling in tears. "Don't you think I wish one of my brother's had come in my place? Don't you think I know that commander Maxwell doesn't think I can handle this? I know he wants to go in my place. He wants to but he can't! No one but us can rescue my father!" The youth breathed out slowly, his anger with the older boys had grown so much during the meeting that he couldn't even suppress it anymore. He was even mad at Haru and Tarak. They had been acting selfish all day. Ever since they saw those girls at the café that afternoon. "I'm sorry." he stammered, meeting Duo's eyes. "I didn't mean to lose my temper."
"So 04 has been captured?" Tarak asked, looking up at Duo. The man nodded, and laid a calming hand on Ayman's shoulder.
"Yes."
"And you want us to rescue him?" It was Yul's turn to question.
"Why don't you and the other pilot's do it? I mean you've been on rescue missions before." Haru suggested, still looking unflustered, even after Ayman's display.
"If I knew where they all were, I'm sure they would help. Unfortunately, 03 and 05 are both currently in the hospital due to injuries from a minor mission, and there are only certain people who know the where a bouts of 01, so unless one of those people wishes to speak, I'm afraid you all are 04's only hope." Duo said, gazing at Haru meaningfully. The young man spat on the floor in front of him, a sign that he would never tell 02 where his father was unless directly told to by Heero himself.
"But again. You want US to rescue him?" This time it was Trevet's turn. Ayman glared at him. "You've got to be kidding. Yeah, you trained us for a year, Dad. But that's all it was. A year. You've been training for much longer. If we went on a mission like that, we'd be killed."
Yul nodded. "It's suicide."
Ayman had had enough of their bellyaching. Was he the only one willing to do this ? "What? Are you all chicken? Don't think you handle an itty bitty mission of rescuing an ex-gundam pilot?"
Trevet stood up and grabbed Ayman by the collar of his shirt. "Just who do you think you're calling chicken?" He had Ayman braced against the wall.
"Put him down, Maxwell!" Haru's voice cut through the air like a knife.
"You gonna make me, Yuy?"
"That's enough! All of you!" Duo's voice instantly became commanding. His eyes flashed with anger. Shinigami looked down on all of them. "Now are you going to do this or not?"
"Do we have a choice?" Tarak asked sarcastically.
Duo looked as his feet, his hand again retreating to his gun. If they don't, I'll have to kill them myself.
"Didn't think so." Tarak added, standing up and stretching. "All right then boys. You heard the commander. We've got one week, and I for one would like to use some of it to catch up on a little sleep." The boys all moved to follow him, an air of lightness returning to the room.
"I thought you needed that little blond girl for that, Tarak," Yul teased as they left the room, each headed back to the rooms granted to them, Yul sharing with Haru and Tarak, and Ayman sharing with Trevet.
"Yeah, Tarak. She was kinda cute. Does she have any sisters? Single friends?" Trev's voice cut through. "I'm not picky."
"Don't forget Yuy's girl."
"Oh yeah! We'd you pick that babe up, Haru?"
"None of your business, Maxwell."
"Are you guys talking about girls?"
"You'll understand when you're older, Ayman. I promise. For now, just ignore them."
Duo shook his head. And if they had refused, could you have shot them? He stared at his feet, letting his hand slide over the surface of the gun. You couldn't have done it!
You've always been too soft. And now you're even softer. Duo pulled the gun out of the holster and examined it. He gulped as he turned it and looked at the base of the handle. Clearly inscribed on the silver metal were two numeric symbols: 01.
OOOOO…. Creepy! LOL! There are so many interesting ways to add twists to the story. I'm sure that chapter has the reels in your mind going. Exactly who are they rescuing Quatre from? What type of mission caused Trowa and Wufei to become incapacitated? Where is Heero? And why does Duo's gun say 01? Grins well now, wouldn't you all like to know? skips around singing I've got a secret! Oh well, keep checking back for future chapters… you never know when I might just answer one of those questions.
