Fallen Angel.
By Julie Bolt

Standard disclaimers apply.

Okay, this is an AU fic, so I'm gonna have to explain a few things.  It still takes place in the Gundam universe, where the colonies are still at war with OZ, but it will follow a different storyline entirely.  Heero is still a gundam pilot, along with all the other G-boys, but the story that follows has nothing to do with the series.  Am I confusing you yet?  Just remember: Alternate Universe.  Some things will be different, some things will stay the same.  And with that, on with the story...


FALLEN ANGEL
Prologue

The light from the tiny laptop bathed the room in an eerie green light, casting everything into shades of black and pale white-green, giving the apartment the look of a bad science-fiction flick.  Silence filled the empty air, except for the soft, rhythmic clicking of laptop keys, coming from an old desk in the corner.

Heero Yuy paused a moment in his relentless typing to give his eyes and stiff muscles a short break.  Granted, he could remain of his laptop longer than any human he knew, but even his body had it's limits, and he had been sitting in the same position for about six hours now.  He needed to rest, if only for a moment, and besides, his battery was about to run out.

Rising, the lean, wiry teenager stretched with nonchalant grace and walked over to the broken window, gazing out onto the night.  L2's artificial moon blazed down with mock authenticity, it's silver light spilling over the city's rooftops, unable to pierce the darkness below.  Heero's cobalt blue eyes suddenly flickered in the direction of an old, abandoned warehouse at the end of the street.  Housed inside, sitting amid rats and dust and cobwebs, was his newest tool for destruction; the Gundam Suit O1.  His last mission had brought him into the company of an old scientist, Dr. J, and somehow, he had ended up with the old man's latest invention.  Dr. J. had given him strict orders to use O1 for the colonies; to help them turn the tide of the war with OZ and the Romefeller foundation.  He had agreed, but it was ironic that he had already been told to do so by the organization he was presently working for.   He had simply "appeared," as the perfect soldier Dr. J. needed so badly.

Heero's eyes clouded over as he let his mind drift.  O1 was everything it was supposed to be; strong, fast, deadly, the perfect tool for war.  It's beam saber could cut through even the tough armor of OZ's mobile suits, and the huge buster rifle was something to be admired, and feared.  In capable hands, it would be a powerful, unstoppable force; a perfect pawn of mass destruction.

Heero sighed, banishing the dark thoughts gathering at the back of his mind.  'Soldiers aren't supposed to think during times of war,' he reminded himself, turning back from the window.  'If you don't think about your missions, you can't torture yourself over them.  Standard rule of warfare.  Even the humans know that, baka.'

"Agonizing over your precious humans again, Heero?"

Even before the first word was finished, Heero had spun around, and had his weapon pointed at the intruder's face.  He was shocked and furious that someone had been able to sneak up on him like that, until he saw who it was.  And then, he was just furious.

Bright violet eyes gleamed back at him, openly amused, as they stared down the muzzle of the gun.  "A bit jumpy tonight, aren't we Heero?" the one named Duo Maxwell asked, smirking in that infuriating way of his.  "Go ahead, pull the trigger if it makes you feel better.  I won't mind."

Heero withdrew the gun, narrowing his eyes at the other boy, wishing he COULD pull the trigger if it would get this nuisance out of his life.  "What are you doing here?" he growled, stalking back to his laptop to make sure there was no information on it Duo could use.  Duo grinned back at him, obviously aware of what he was doing, but made no move towards the desk.

"I can't catch up with an old friend?" he asked, and snickered when Heero turned on him, bristling with anger.  "Okay, okay.  I was just informed that you got your pretty hands on something big and shiny and capable of blasting a colony into the afterlife.
How does it feel, having that kind of power under your fingertips?  Like God bringing judgment down upon the--"

"That's enough, Duo."  Heero's voice wasn't loud, but the warning in it was plain enough.  Duo shrugged, and grinned in a way that made the other's skin crawl.

"Just wanted to let you know, if you happen to see a black Gundam suit slicing through OZ ranks like a great big God of Death,  you're not the only one out there with "talent."

Heero almost blanched.  "How did YOU get your hands on a Gundam?"

Duo smirked.  "Oh, come on, Heero.  Weapons of mass destruction are my boss's specialty, after all.  He doesn't care a scrap about who wins this war, as long as there's a ton of violence along the way.  OZ seems to be the heavyweight here, and there can't be a long war if one side totally dominates the other.  That's where I come in.  We'll be fighting side-by-side one day; isn't that ironic?  I just know you're as thrilled about that as I am."

Heero took a deep breath.  "Get out," he ordered, fighting to stay calm, to reveal nothing.  That would make Duo's night if he knew just how much he had gotten under his skin.  "Get out of here, Duo.  Before I send you back to hell with your tail wrapped around your neck."
   
Duo's eyes glowed an eerie violet in the darkness.  Cast against the faint light of Heero's computer screen, his shadow appeared, black and menacing against the far wall.  He shrugged, and his sillouhette's dark, leathery wings rippled with the motion.
"Have it your way, then.  See ya on the field, Wingboy."  And with that, he simply turned, walked into his own shadow, and disappeared.  

Heero let out a slightly shaky breath, raking his hands through his wild brown hair.
He started when his laptop let out a small beep, indicating there was a message waiting for him.  Sitting back down, he glanced at the screen and scanned what it said.

To: Heero Yuy
From: Mission Earth

You have recieved the Gundam Mobile Suit as directed.  Proceed to Earth on schedual to await further orders.  As to the visit from Duo Maxwell, take no action against him until further notice.

--Gabriel

Heero nodded, and typed his reply, sending it off just before the battery went completely dead.

"Mission accepted."

*******************


Well, that was the prologue.  Hope it was interesting.  As always, comments are welcome and appreciated  ( Please give feedback!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I can't live without feedback!!!!!!!!!!!! )  'Scuse me while I go slap my alter ego; it's so spoiled sometimes.
^_^

Arigato!
Julie B.