*I Want to Hear 'I Love You' from the Person I Hate Most*
Paato Chuenchinain;
*Zettai kirai na hito de, watashi wa 'daisuki' o kikutai yo*
Part Twenty-nine;
*I Want to Hear 'I Love You' from the Person I Hate Most*
Paato Chuenchinain;
*Zettai kirai na hito de, watashi wa 'daisuki'
o kikutai yo*
A thousand years, a thousand more
A thousand times, a million doors to eternity
I may have lived a thousand lives, a thousand times
An endless turning stairway climbs
to a tower of souls
If it takes another thousand years, a thousand wars
The towers rise to numberless floors in space
I could shed another million tears, a million breaths
A million names but only one truth to face
A million roads, a million fears
A million suns, ten million years of uncertainty
I could speak a million lies, a million songs
A million rights, a million wrongs
in this balance of time
But if there was a single truth, a single light
A single thought, a singular touch of grace
Then following this single point, this single flame
This single haunted memory of your face
I still love you
I still want you
A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves
Like galaxies in my head
[##]
Wufei didn't know how it had happened. The last hour had been an absolute rush of incomprehensible events. He'd fought the traitor, but they were interrupted. Somehow, his opponent had been overpowered by impudent others, and Wufei ushered off. They took him to Nataku, where mechanics were frantically working to finish. Wufei was given new clothes and food, and when the Gundam was repaired, he was rushed into it, and launched into space.
He hung there, not understanding, his shoulders quivered with barely contained rage.
A crackle of static, and the com came to life.
" Wufei... I'm sorry, " it was Master Lo's sorrowed voice that reached his ears, " but you know, this old colony isn't worth much anymore anyway. It was you who saved us this long, and it is you who will carry our memory on.
" Find a new life... Wufei... it's the only way. "
Golden fire erupted from the darkness of space, and rendered the colony to nothing before Wufei's glistening black eyes. His whole body shook, no longer with rage, but with something incomprehensible, unfathomable, a deep sadness rooted in Wufei's entire being. His voice quivered, a horse whisper that formed the question, " How can I find a new life... when every other life I touch is destroyed before my eyes? "
In the blink of an eye, space disappeared and was replaced by the sight of another Mobile Suit that filled his vision. It was strange, yet familiar, and as awe inspiring as it was frightening.
" Gun.... dam...? "
" Get away... " stammered a tear-filled voice over the com.
Wufei gave a start. " Quatre?! "
" GET AWAY FROM ME!!!!! "
The other Gundam dashed back on powerful engines and leveled a double beam cannon directly at Wufei.
[##]
The sky turned many shades of blue, before sweeping back around him like a curtain, and revealed the effortless blackness of outer space.
[##]
Rilina walked alone down the corridors back to her rooms. She was contemplative; the reactions to her first speech as Queen were mixed. There were those in the Romafellor Foundation that supported her ideas, and then there were those who opposed them outright. She didn't know what to do from here on in. What exactly did 'Queen of the World' mean if she was just a figurehead.
How had Treize managed it?
She'd never met the man and still she was in awe. He must have been a powerful man to be able to act out his own intentions under such stress. Here she was, thinking she could take on his position and do it herself.... but she still wished for Hiiro. If he was here, she'd have the strength. If only to prove to him that fighting was not the way to peace.
She set her chin with absolute firmness. She would prove it to him. It didn't matter if it was here or there, or in space itself. She would prove that war was futile.
[##]
He wondered, vaguely, what to do now that he was here.
[##]
" Sally! "
Sally looked up at the soldier who had run in. He was out of breath, probably from running here. The make-shift communications tent they'd set up was far across the encampment. " Sally! " he said again, " we just intercepted a message from Oz. They've recovered a Gundam they say, one that was apparently abandoned, ma'am. "
Sally stood. " Get everyone together. We can't let Oz get ahold of that Mobile Suit. "
" Roukai! " he turned and ran back across the encampment.
Sally was about to follow at a much slower pace when her patient spoke for the first time in days. It was little more than a moan, but it was enough to make Sally pause. She moved back to the bedside and said softly, " Nara? "
Nara cracked open eyes that glistened with fever and managed to rasp, " thirsty... "
Sally quickly pulled a mug of water and lifted Nara's head to drink. As the younger girl finished and Sally set her back down, Sally explained, " It's been five days since you and Wufei left. Two since you staggered back into my encampment. Do you remember what happened? "
Nara's hand travelled up to her head. " I got shot... aitsu... " She looked at Sally sharply, despite the weakness and fever. " Wufei wa... ? "
Sally smiled gently. " In space, as far as Oz reports go. "
" Aah... " she rested her head back and closed her eyes. Within seconds she was asleep again. Sally stood and watched her for a long moment, a small, fond smile gracing her lips.
" You know, you're lucky. Not just because you're still alive, but because, I think, that maybe he's worried about you as much as you are about him. "
[##]
" Unidentified Mobile Suit: state your business please. "
Whether he was ready or not, now was the time to decide.
[##]
Treize stood back and admired his work.
He was done. Several days of almost non-stop work had pulled off, and he'd made the Talgeese into something better than it had been. It stood, majestic in blue and white, before him. It was a Mobile Suit worthy of a soldier returning to the stage. Now all he had to do, was wait for the events to unfold to the point where he was needed.
As he left to clean up, he knew that wait would not be a long one.
[##]
" My name is Milliardo Peacecraft. I am an ambassador from the Cinq Kingdom. I come in the name of Queen Rilina to promote peace in the Colonies. "
It could have been scripted, how easily the words came from his lips.
[##]
Hiiro scowled all the way from the hanger to the barracks. He was led past cell after empty cell, until two where the autolocks glowed red to signify that they were locked. At the second door they paused, but not before the occupants of the first got a glimpse.
" Hiiro? " Doctor J inquired with awe, coming to the window in the door.
Hiiro glared at him briefly before being led into the other cell.
[##]
There was a long pause of deliberation over the com. Finally it was followed by; " Proceed "
[##]
Duo sat up on the bunk as the door opened. His eyes grew to the size of saucers as he saw who his new cellmate was.
" Hiiro?! "
Trowa leaned forward as he undid Hiiro's handcuffs and murmured, " Wait here for further information. " He then stepped back and let the door slide shut.
Duo watched the door close, then turned to the other boy. " Hiiro! How in the world did they catch you?! "
Hiiro glowered at him. " Trowa has a plan. "
[##]
The Epyon landed in the docking bay, and waited as the space doors closed and the room was pressurized.
[##]
Trowa turned to Lady Une and asked, " How long until the Mercurious is repaired and completed? "
A satisfied smile spread on her face. " I'll have the doctors start on it at once. We need it to be finished. I just got word of a renegade Gundam destroying one of the L5 Colonies. "
There wasn't a hint of surprise on Trowa's face or in his voice as he said, " Really? " Who could that be? It couldn't be Quatre... and she didn't name a specific Gundam... " Which Gundam was it, Lady? "
" We don't know, " Hilde answered, coming up and handing him a file folder. " It's not any of the ones which appeared on Earth. We've captured both Zero-One and Zero-Two's pilots, which leaves it to be one of the other three. "
" Ah, " Trowa studied the readouts and the surveillance photos. Whoever it is, this looks like Wing Gundam... only much more powerful... He furrowed his brow. " Thank-you, " he handed the folder back to Hilde. " Is there anyway we could get the doctors to build a third Mobile Suit for us? "
" It's possible, " Lady Une surmised, " what do you have in mind? "
" This new Gundam is a real threat, I can tell from the information in that file. It will take three M.S. to take it down, and even that may not do it. "
" Who's gonna pilot the third suit? " Hilde asked skeptically.
Trowa pointed to the cell that held Hiiro and Duo. " One of them will do. "
[##]
" Milliardo Peacecraft? " a soldier inquired, walking up to him as his feet touched the floor.
" Yes? "
" This way please, Lady Une wishes to speak with you. "
[##]
Sally dropped quietly to the ground and rolled. Coming up on one knee, she leveled her revolver and quickly aimed in different directions. Seeing no one, she quickly moved to the corner, flattening her back against the wall and peering round it.
Still finding no one, she beckoned to her companions and ran around the corner ahead of them.
At the hanger in question, she knocked out the guards with the butt of her gun and some help from the others with her. Before any other Oz soldiers could come, they pulled open the door and stole inside.
" Leave the lights, we don't want to attract attention, " Sally ordered quietly. The moonlight was enough to see anyway, glistening along Wing Gundam's edges.
" It's a beautiful sight, I must say... " one of the soldiers commented.
Sally smiled. " Th-- "
" That it is, " cut off an outside party. Sally and company turned to aim weapons at the woman in the doorway, and watched as she smiled when they did so. " I'm sorry, but I cannot let that Mobile Suit enter war again without its proper pilot. "
Sally lowered her weapon and scrutinized the intruder. " You're Lucretia Noin. "
" Yes, I am. It looks like neither of us want that suit in Oz's hands. "
" Looks like it. " Sally looked back at Wing wistfully, " and it seems we both have the same opinion about this suit and its pilot. " Walking over to Noin, she offered her hand, " I'm Sally Po, why don't we both get this suit out of here, and worry about the details later? "
Noin took the hand readily. " Sounds good. "
[##]
The soldier led Zechs out of the hanger and through the corridors purposefully.
" Oh, that's right, " he said when they reached the room that was their destination, " There was a man named Quinze who wished to speak with you later on as well. "
" Seems I'm popular already, " Zechs murmured. " Is there a room anyplace where I can change clothes? It doesn't seem proper to greet Lady Une in my pilot's suit. "
" There is a room adjoining this one you can use, sir. "
" Thank you, " Zechs entered the room and the soldier closed the door after him. He looked around with mild interest, it wasn't a meeting room, it was a greeting room. Someone must have picked the room for Lady Une to meet him in. He suspected she knew who he was; him arriving in the Epyon was clue enough.
But out here, there was nothing she could really do about it.
Moving to the adjoining room, Zechs shed his pilot's suit and pulled a more appropriate suit from the bag he'd brought with him. Howard had thought of everything, ordering formal military dress similar to that of the Cinq Kingdom's style. Zechs quickly put it on, and ran his fingers through his waist length hair.
Looking at himself in the mirror, wearing a pristine white suit and without the mask, he couldn't quite bring himself to believe that that was him. It had been so long... so long since he'd considered himself a ~part~ of the Cinq Kingdom. For years he had been its avenger, waiting patiently for the day when his home would rise again.
Now it had, but peace was still a long way off.
Zechs re-entered the first room, and went to the window to wait for Lady Une.
[##]
I may be numberless, I may be innocent
I may know many things, I may be ignorant
Or I could ride with kings and conquer many lands
Or win this world at cards and let it slip my hands
I could be cannon food, destroyed a thousand times
Reborn as fortune's child to judge another's crimes
Or wear this pilgrim's cloak, or be a common thief
I've kept this single faith, I have but one belief
I still love you
I still want you
A thousand times these mysteries unfold themselves
Like galaxies in my head
On and on the mysteries unwind themselves
Eternities still unsaid
'Til you love me...
***
[O.o where the hell did I get that title from? Well, Quatre did go crazy.
Kowai yo! Is he going to kill Wufei? Will the doctors build a 3rd MS for
Oz like Trowa suggested? What will Zechs' meeting with Lady Une be like.
Which Lady Une will the meeting be with? What are Sally and Noin going
to do with Wing? Find out in Chapter 30 of Mugen no Dansu. (hopefully,
maybe)
ja!]
[Song: "A Thousand Years" by Sting
[Lyrics taken directly
from the CD Jacket of 'Brand New Day' and marks the first non-Japanese
song I've used. gah...]