*Mission of Peace*
Paato Fuochiifuoo;
*Heiwa no misshon*
Part Forty-four;
*Mission of Peace*
Paato Fuochiifuoo;
*Heiwa no misshon*
The darkness of night covers all
And you can’t see anything
But I never lost sight
Of your warmth
yoru no yami wa subete
o tsutsumi
nanimo mienaku shiteshimau no
dakedo kimi no nukumori dake wa
miushinau koto wa nakatta
Now In your smile
Thousands of tears are hiding
ima kimi no hohoemi ni
wa
ikusen no namida ga kakureteiru
Let’s walk
The two of us together
The darkness of night continues but
Don’t give up
Don’t turn away
Don’t let go of our connected hands
aruiteyukou
futari de yukou
yoru no yami wa tsuzuku keredo
akiramenai de
sei o mukenai de
tsunaida te o hanasanai de
Can’t do anything with words
Overflowing with feelings
I’m glad that
I met you
kotoba ni dekinai
kimochi de afureteru
meguriaeta no ga
kimi de yokatta
While lost While hurt
Someday, far off, the two of us will be like this
Because you were there for me
I wasn’t afraid of anything
mayoinagara kizutsukinagara
itsuka futari konna ni tooku
kimi ga soba ni itekureta kara
nanimo kowaku wa nakatta
Yes I’ll surely change your smile
Into a true one from your heart
sou kitto kokoro kara
no
hontou no egao ni kaeteageru
[##]
Nara settled into place in the Aquarius' cockpit. Pushing her hair behind her shoulders, she powered up the suit and opened a link to HeavyArms Kai beside her.
" Ready, Trowa? "
" Hai. "
" Yousha! Let's go!! " That said, she shoved both thrusts as far forward as they would go and shot out into space. There was nothing more thrilling than going fast, be it herself or her machine, Nara never did things halfway. She'd been an army brat, a saboteur, an Oz Soldier... and now what was she? She glanced at HeavyArms Kai as it overtook her and flew ahead. A revolutionary? A rebel? Or still a soldier?
" Ne... Trowa? " she asked tentatively, " What are we? "
" Ningen desu, " came the answer without hesitation.
She smiled grimly. " Sou... "
[ningen = human]
[##]
Howard and the crew had scattered, spreading out across Libra to set the charges and evacuate anyone they came across, by force if necessary. But Sally and Rilina had a much different purpose. They ran down the curving hallway, Sally slightly ahead with a rifle held in her capable hands. Rilina ran next to her with nothing on her but a grim expression set across her face.
No one else was going to die today. She'd make sure of it.
Coming to a junction, they paused, guageing their positions and looking this way and that. Finally Sally pointed right and they continued down a narrow pathway that ended at an electronic doorway. Sally motioned with her hand for Rilina to stay back and hit the keypad.
The door slid open to the main control room and Sally took two running steps inside before sweeping the room with her rifle. " Nobody Move! "
Rilina stepped in around Sally and gazed around at the members of White Fang. " I am Rilina Peacecraft, I hereby order you all to stand down and release your possession of this Space Fortress. "
" Oh? " Dorothy emerged from the Captain's seat and turned to face Rilina and Sally haughtily. " What a surprise, Rilinasan. Tell me, what will you do if we refuse? Are you going to let your friend shoot us? How very un-peaceful of you. "
Rilina paused, her fingers curling slightly at her sides.
Sally didn't miss a beat though. " I'm not going to shoot anyone, " she said, and aimed her rifle at a console across the room, " but that doesn't mean I won't shoot something. "
" Y-You wouldn't! " One soldier protested, " That's the console that houses the main controls! Air support and stability! We'd lose all control over everything! You'll just kill us all!! "
Sally smirked. " There would be ample time to evacuate. "
" I don't want to hurt anyone, " Rilina said firmly. " I just want the fighting to stop. "
" That's why you crashed into Libra with your spacecraft? " Quinze sneered.
" Yes, but that was only the beginning. Sally? "
Sally kept the safety off the rifle but lowered it. Placing her other hand on her hip she announced, " Even now the crew of the Peacemillion is placing charges around Libra at strategic points. Under the order of Queen Rilina of the Cinq Kingdom and, indeed, the hearts and wishes of everyone in the Earth Sphere, the last military outpost in Uchuu is going to be destroyed. "
[##]
Halfway to the Libra, Treize paused as if remembering himself. He smiled faintly. It was so easy to forget himself out here. He turned to what remained of the force he'd brought to Outer Space with him. Indeed, they were soldiers searching for peace, searching for a world in which they were no longer required to exist.
" We came to space today to fight an enemy. But more than that, we came to ensure the future for our children will not be the past we have experienced. The Gundams are the future. " He paused, letting those words sink in before he gave the order, " Anyone who believes what I have said, and who wants to be a part of that future, follow me! "
He was not disappointed.
[##]
" Oz's forces are on the move! They're heading for the area where the Gundam Zero-Two and the Vai-eight are fighting the Virgos. Gundams Zero-Four and Zero-Five have just entered that area, followed by Talgeese II. The Gundam that destroyed the colony just engaged Epyon in battle, and Aquarius and Gundam Zero-Three are approaching from MOIII. " The soldier turned from his console to Quinze and Dorothy. " Any orders? "
" Yes! " Dorothy ran for the other door not occupied by Rilina and Sally. " Deploy the rest of the Mobile Dolls, I'll be in the auxillary control room. After that, you're free to do as you like. Either fight for the freedom in Uchuu you so desire or give in to Rilinasan and watch that dream perish. " Then she was gone.
" Dorothy! " Rilina cried, but her move to follow was stopped by Sally.
" Let her go, Rilinasama. "
Rilina stopped and watched the door close after the other girl. Her eyes glistened in misunderstanding. Why? Why was Dorothy so intent on a war? She couldn't understand that sort of willful suffering.
[##]
" Libra just sent out more Virgo, stay alert everyone. We can't expect aid from Hiiro, but on that same note there will be no interference from the Epyon. Do not, I repeat, do not engage Oz, they are on our side this time. " Quatre remarked, taking natural control of the chaotic situation.
" Funny how things work out, huh? " Duo remarked.
" I think we all share that sentiment, " Nara commented, using the Aquarius' beam rifle to neatly slice a Virgo in half. Two other Mobile Dolls used this distraction to get her from behind. She cried out as the force threw her forward, the seatbelts cutting into her. Baring her teeth, she turned the suit around and slashed at them both.
Treize moved in to back her, bringing Talgeese II up against Aquarius' back. " I told you, you aren't ready for taking on Mobile Dolls. "
" Urusai. "
Trowa careened through a feild of suits, firing round after round of brilliant orange bullets into the fray. He crushed the head of a Virgo with his hands just as it was about to fire on a Space Leo. Hovering over the Oz suit he'd just saved, he inquired, " You okay? "
" Yes, thank you. "
Quatre watched the battle go on as he kept Virgo away from him. ~Something's not right here,~ he thought critically, ~The Virgos' tactics have abruptly changed. It's like they changed controls a few seconds ago...~ Aloud he announced, " I'm switching back to the Zero System. " Entering the command, he kept his eyes open as the computer quickly read information on the Virgo and fed it back to him. ~It's certainly someone controlling them now. They have more of a purpose, and their focusing on the weaker suits of the Oz Soldiers.~ He shut the computer off. " Cover me, everyone, I'm going in to Libra to see if I can shut down the Virgo's power source. "
" Roukai, Quatre. " Duo cruised over and preceeded him towards the Libra. Scythe drawing green patterns in the darkness, Deathscythe Hell cut a path straight to the Libra. " You be careful in there, buddy. "
" Hai, arigatou. " Quatre assured him, latching onto a docking point on the ruined Peacemillion and putting on his helmet.
" Wait, " HeavyArms arrived there as well, and landed across from Sandrock. Trowa opened the cockpit and floated down the surface of the craft. " I'll go with you. "
" Hai. "
[##]
She could remember this... from a dream she'd had long ago. The feel of the helmet, the feel of the power. She could see everything, and nothing could see her. This was what she'd been searching for her whole life, that thrilling chill up her spine, that held breath of antisipation, that taste of impending victory on her lips, and the knowledge that one small occurance could throw it all awry.
One wrong step and she could die.
She loved it. Her head was pounding along with her heart, her hands shook, and her knees felt weak, but she was strong: and it was a feeling she never wanted to let go of her whole life.
[##]
Wufei hollered a battle cry as he shot through a group of Mobile Dolls, spinning the trident as he went and leaving a string of explosions in his wake. He twisted the staff skillfully and took out three more that attacked him.
He had to finish, had to stop the fighting, had to know.
How was Nara still alive? How had she survived? If she was alive- then what? What purpose did he have? Did that mean he could find peace or that it just hadn't been her time to die?
" Nataku... " he whispered hoarsely, " Nataku, show me the way. Show me the Truth! Show Me Justice! " He twisted Atlon's body and fired a column of fire that took out even more of the enemy. But they were still out numbered, it still didn't look like they'd win. Still... " Nataku... show me... show me hope. "
[##]
WingZero came in low and collided with the Epyon. The force carried them both off the surface of the Libra and out into space where they could fight with out hindrences.
Noin watched them as they engaged in combat.
I always knew it would come to this. Ever since that first confrontation it's all been building up to this. I should feel priviledged to be able to witness this first hand... but I don't. I don't feel anything at all.
I do know that whatever the outcome of this battle, it will decide the outcome of everything. Just- Just...
Zechs...
Please don't die on me.
Both the combatants had drawn sabres and were fighting hard from the start. They would clash, then dart apart to watch for another chance before repeating the motions.
Neither of them should have to die. But that's what they're both fighting for.
They're fighting to die, and that isn't right.
Noin bit her lip nervously. But what can I do but watch as things unfold the way they are?
[##]
Because we run with all of our might
Because we don’t hold back a bit
Because we’ll believe until the end
If we’re together
It can become our power
We can become kinder than anyone else
hashirikiru kara
oshimanai kara
doko made mo shinjiteru kara
futari de ireba
chikara ni nareru
dare yori mo yasashiku nareru
At any time
You supported me
When I want to cry
I thank you
donna toki datte
sasaetekitekureta
nakitaku naru hodo
kimi ni arigato
**
[Waiii!!! So much good stuffs in this chapter! And better stuffs to come! yousha!! On to Chapter 45! Ikimaaaassssssu!!]
[Written by Inseiko, 2001]
[Lyrics: "Stay" by Tsujitani Kouji and Hayashibara Megumi from
3x3 Eyes
Lyrics taken from The Memorial Hall of Translations with permission
from the translator, Mina P]