If I were you
Newsflash – I don’t own Gundam
Wing. Well Duh. I also don’t own Wrangler jeans…although I’d
love to own a guy that looks good in them.
Oh sorry…I digress. *cough* Hopefully those
kind and loveable people who do own Gundam Wing won’t sue me. I’m sure they have much better things to
do…like maybe animating Blind Target *hint hint*. I am but a poor defenceless little fan girl. Really. Truly.
Now on with
the sad attempt at fan fiction. C+C welcome at melodrama1@bigpond.com. Flamers –yeah righto, whatever, I could do
with the laugh.
Prologue
I couldn’t honestly tell you the first time I saw her. I mean really saw her. She’s hardly the most low profile personality
on the planet, being the Vice Foreign Minister and all, but who could truly say
they knew who she was? I guess I had
fared a little better in the notoriety department – being an ex-Gundam pilot
who had never really been “exposed” to the public. I had simply blended back into the background
when the Gundams had outlived their purpose.
Not her though. Not
Relena Peacecraft. Or is it Relena
Dorlian? I’m not sure. Does she even
know? No, the fates seemed to have other plans for our former Queen of the
World, a higher calling perhaps.
I remember Heero telling me how Treize had once declared Relena
to be stronger than Heero. It was a
statement that obviously annoyed him.
And amused me. Probably because
we both knew that Treize was right. If
not for her, I doubt Heero would have survived either wars. I just wonder if he realises that too. I’m pretty certain he’s not that obtuse. But then again…
He doesn’t
deserve her.
************
So we destroyed our Gundams.
And like the smoke that rose from the twisted remains, we scattered to
the four winds. After all, we all had
homes to return to.
Wufei was lured into the Preventers, not so surprising although
it took a very patient partner to deal with his on-going justice rants. Sally deals with it, although we still marvel
at her self-control.
Duo returned to L2 and Hilde.
His better half. Actually, make
that his MUCH better half. One thing we
all agreed on was that Hilde was one hell of a girl. Looks, personality and style. We just didn’t get her taste in men. But in Duo’s case, we all hoped she wouldn’t
get over that minor flaw. The guy adores
her and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy. She brings him peace. None of us deserves it more.
Quatre still makes full use of his gift for strategy, only now
he applies it to the cutthroat business world rather than the battlefield. Since taking the helm of Winner Enterprises
at Eighteen years of age, he has gained notoriety second only to the most
prolific rock star of the moment. I
think we’ve all become adjusted to seeing the boy wonder’s face splashed over
some media publication, although I much prefer seeing his face on the Business
Review Weekly than Women’s Scandal Mongering Weekly. The local tabloids seem more anxious to marry
him off than his own sisters.
Only a few weeks ago, Quatre was photographed with an “unknown
brunette”, who was proudly sporting a diamond engagement ring, resulting in
speculation of an impending elopement.
Quatre was bemused, Hilde in hysterics.
Duo was simply said to remark “Cat, man, if you really wanted to run off
with my fiancée, you could at least have bought your own ring.”
And Heero. Well, there’s
a mystery. No one seems to know where he
is. It’s been five years since the Mariemaia
incident, and he seemed to vanish almost straight after. It doesn’t surprise me that much, but I do
wonder if he has any idea of how many people he has left behind. I saw him once; at least I think I did. I had just finished the lion act, and spotted
him amongst the crowd. He met my gaze
for a moment, raised his hand in a brief gesture and then seemed to disappear
again. That was about six months ago,
two weeks before I went from close acquaintance to close friend to Relena
Peacecraft.
*************
The annual Christmas Ball had
become somewhat of a tradition for us, one that I actually looked forward to
with some anticipation. For Relena and
Quatre it was, of course, somewhat high profile. But for the rest of us pilots
and our close circle of friends it allowed us to celebrate in style without any
question of who we were. We were simply
faces in a considerable crowd.
So it was five years after
the Mariemaia incident, at the afore mentioned ball, that found Duo, Wufei and
myself seeking relief from the loud music and crowded ballroom on one of the
expansive balconies outside. Leaning
back against the railing, I silently watched my former comrades in arms and
marvelled at how far we had come. Duo
sat hunched over on a nearby deck chair, elbows on his knees, watching as he
trickled champagne from his glass and onto the tiled floor. His gaze was intent, as though he were hoping
to find the answer to a question in the flow of the liquid.
“So I see you have filled your quota of business transactions
for the evening, my friend,” remarked Wufei, as Quatre slid softly out into our
little alcove.
“Not exactly,” replied Quatre, with a self-conscious smirk, “But
if you don’t give me away, I’m sure no-one need ever know.”
Slumping down onto the floor, he loosened his tie and ran a
manicured hand through his blond locks.
He sighed and watched us, assessing each of us in his customary
perceptive gaze.
“And the topic of tonight’s discussion is…” he ventured.
That was another tradition that we seemed to have developed over
the years. We didn’t seem to discuss
what had transpired during the Gundam years at all. Not until we met at the ball. And then we would…share, speculate,
discuss. I don’t know how it came to
happen that way; it was never a conscious decision. I guess none us wanted to dwell, to rehash
old memories, and resurface old pain. We
weren’t boys anymore, not that we ever really were. But once a year, every anniversary, it seemed
right to remember, and to help each other.
I liked it this way and I think the others did too.
Duo finally upended his glass, splashing the last few drops into
the small puddle he had created at his feet.
With a sudden flick of his wrist, he sent the empty flute sailing over
the railing and onto the cobblestone pathway below, where we could hear it
shatter with a sharp pop.
“Heero Yuy.” He spat, glaring at each of us in turn, seeming to
challenge one of us to respond. I
quirked my eyebrow at him, entreating him to continue. He shook his head; a sharp, impatient movement.
“It’s been five years.
Why the hell can’t any of us even seem to say his name? Why do we seem to leave him out of every
discussion, like he was never even there?
We’re treating him like he’s dead.”
“Maybe he is dead.” Wufei’s voice rose softly from his darkened
corner, almost forlorn, “We couldn’t really know. He disappeared quite effectively. I should know. I’ve used every contact I
have, within the Preventers and without, with no success.”
I shot a look across at Quatre, who returned my glance with a
small, almost imperceptible nod. I
sighed, shifting my weight and glancing over my shoulder at the silently
flickering stars.
“Heero’s not dead.” I
murmured, and glancing at the doorway, I frowned. “But you already knew that…. didn’t you
Relena?”
There was a stunned pause, as my three companions were made
aware of our taciturn observer. She
stood there, her posture that of a creature trapped between the urge to turn
and take flight or stay and perhaps invade our exclusive circle. A faint blush seemed to spread across her
cheeks, and she ducked her head in apology for her intrusion. Duo was the first to move.
“Rel! How did you
manage to slip away from all the stuffed shirts?” He
almost seemed to bounce up from his seat, as he moved forward to take Relena’s
hand. The Vice Minister seemed to
visibly relax as she leant forward to kiss Duo’s cheek.
“I’m so relieved. You had
all disappeared, and I was so worried that I had missed the chance to see each
of you.”
There was a pause as Relena accepted the chair that Quatre
offered her, smoothing out the skirts of her elegant ball gown. We settled into an uncomfortable
silence. Our new addition to the group
seemed to take a vested interest in her perfectly polished fingernails before
finally looking up and locking me in a steady, intense stare.
“When…” she paused to clear her throat, before beginning
again. “When did you see him?”
Wufei and Duo both turned to look at me, Wufei with eyebrows
raised and Duo with jaw dropped. I
scuffed my foot and shrugged, perhaps not unlike a chastised schoolboy.
“I can’t be sure it was him,” I offered “I could have imagined…”
“It was Heero, Trowa, you know it was.” Her interruption was
soft, yet firm “When did you see him.”
“Two weeks ago. At the circus. Two
weeks today.”
I shifted self-consciously, uncomfortable under the measured
stares of my friends. Quatre smiled
softly, with his familiar expression of understanding. Wufei simply looked mildly annoyed but Duo
was obviously pissed off.
“Were you planning on sharing that little piece of information
at any stage, Tro? “ he
muttered mutinously. Relena merely
smiled serenely and leant across, squeezing Duo’s hand gently.
Gracefully, she vacated her seat, stepping towards me. Pausing beside me, she looked into the night
sky. Almost as if on cue, a shooting
star flashed across the satin sky.
Eyelids slid down over aquamarine eyes, as perfect lips moved in silence
and I found myself wondering just what she was wishing for.
Wish made, Relena turned those eyes up to mine. I felt a lump form in my throat as I was
confronted by the sorrow those eyes bore.
With poise, she reached up and pressed slender fingers against my cheek,
cupping my face. Leaning up, she pressed
her lips against the line of my jaw, before whispering,
“I would be so happy if you would come
visit tomorrow. I would so like to hear
all about how your life has been.” She paused, before resuming, voice even
softer than before. “He’s around. He’s
always around. He’s here now, he just doesn’t think I know it.”
Relena stepped back again, leaving my senses reeling from the
gentleness of her touch and the scent of her perfume. She turned to look back out over the balcony,
her voice suddenly rising; it’s edge heartrending.
“He thinks I’m so stupid!”
There was no mistaking the tremble in her tone, and she dropped
her chin to her chest, as she seemed to fight back her anger. Then resolutely, she straightened the elegant
fingers that had curled to grip the wrought iron and drew her shoulders back to
regain her normal posture.
“I really must return to the fray, I’m afraid, before my absence
is noted and all hell breaks loose. Duo,
I expect to see you very soon. Hilde and
I have already made dinner plans, so don’t even dream of depriving me of your
company.” Duo grinned openly, Relena’s charm melting away his previous dark
expression. She turned to Wufei,
pressing his hands in hers,
“And my dearest Wufei, I have just finished that marvellous
novel that you loaned me and I am so impatient to discuss it with you.” she
laughed briefly, seeing the warmth in the Chinese man’s appearance at the
mention of his beloved literature.
Turning to Quatre, Relena clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“Mr Winner, I do believe you are working too hard. If we have to cancel one more lunch
appointment, I believe I will have to sell my shares in your company. It is surely no way to treat business
associates?” she said with mock severity.
Quatre laughed before bending to kiss her offered hand.
“Your wish is my command,” he announced “anything for my
favourite shareholder.”
And with a swish of silk, she was gone.
“So what the hell kind of game is he playing?” snapped Duo.