Title:The Hero
Author: AstroKender
Pairings: 1+2
Rating: mild shounen-ai
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: Follows the series.
Notes: I Need a Hero is by Bonnie Tyler
Disclaimers: I own nothing...not even my computer. So obviously GW isn't mine. Don't sue.
I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night.
The star shone brightly down upon the solitary figure resting peacefully upon a machine of war. Duo laid on DeathScythe's canvas covered leg, looking up at the gentle curve of the full moon. The air was chilly tonight, but not so cold that the braided boy wanted to leave his comfortable perch. He heard voices coming towards him and swore softly, hoping that they wouldn't notice him. He really didn't feel like putting on the mask tonight.
"Hey Duo!" Duo sighed. So much for privacy.
"Duo!" Another sweeper called.
Duo reluctantly rose from his reclining position. He looked down to see Howard shooing the two men away. The old man turned and looked up at him.
"What's up Duo? What're ya doin' up there?" Howard called up softly.
Duo tried to find his trademark grin. "Nothing. I just found that the moon looks much more beautiful from the Earth."
Howard nodded sagely. "The moonlight on the calm sea..."
Large violet eyes turned back to stare at the glowing orb. After a moment, he spoke, his words seeming to be absorbed by the darkness.
"The moon looks so clear from the colony, I always thought of it as a huge graveyard."
"Hmm..." Was all Howard said. "Graveyard, huh?"
Duo found himself becoming irrationally angry for some reason. "I'm sure that guy doesn't have the soul to look upon the moon this way." He spat. He doesn't care about anything but the mission. "You should let yourself go over the edge every once in a while and enjoy your life!" I wish he would look at me. Just once, really look at me. I don't want to be alone anymore...
"Especially while you're still alive..." Duo blinked away the sudden moisture that appeared in his eyes.
"Being rational is one thing; reality is another..." Howard said consolingly. "It's a sad human saga..." The old man slowly walked back towards the hanger.
Duo lay back down on the cold metal of DeathScythe's leg. He gazed at the stars as if he were trying to divine the future. After a moment he sighed and spoke his thoughts aloud.
"I wonder what he's doing now..."
I pray the mountains meet the heavens above,
Heero sat in the cockpit of the hijacked cargo jet. He began flipping a number of switches, preparing to start the engines. On the third switch, a red light blinked warningly at him. The cargo door's still open, he realized. Just then, a shudder rocked the plane.
"Who's back there?"
Heero raced out into the bay area, pistol in hand. There, a frustratingly familiar Gundam rested. A head of chestnut hair popped out of the hatch, followed by a slender, black-clad body.
"Hey! You should load yours up, too." The cheerful voice stated. "I'll take care of the cockpit." Heero's gun did not waiver.
"Duo..." Heero looked down at the braided boy incredulously. What are you doing here?
Duo grinned up from beside of DeathScythe. "You don't wanna screw up this mission, do you? Leave it to me."
Heero stared at him. He wants to come with me? To work together? Heero tried his best to make his voice seem normal, but he knew his eyes betrayed him. He lowered his gun.
"Do whatever you want."
"This is gonna be a great mission."
Heero looked over at the braided boy in irritation. He's having fun? "Do you really know the importance of this mission?"
Duo glanced over for a moment, hands still steady at the controls. He's a good pilot. Heero thought. Violet eyes met cobalt.
"Of course, I do. This is gonna be our best opportunity to destroy OZ once and for all."
Heero broke the gaze, turning to stare out at the blue sky surrounding them. He spoke quietly. "This is unlike anything else we've done so far. We can terminate the heads of OZ all together." I'm using 'we' now...'We', not 'I'...
"Aa...And then I'll be able to go home."
After this mission, he'll be gone...Heero stared at the braided boy, his eyes like open wounds. Duo remained oblivious, concentrating on piloting the cumbersome cargo plane. The Japanese boy watched him awhile longer, memorizing each feature of the fey creature beside him, then he reluctantly looked away.
I pray the lightning splits the sea.
Wing fell to the ground, transforming back from bird form. The Gundam stood quickly, to dispatch its attackers, but DeathScythe struck first. Raising its buster shield, Heero watched as it shot towards the enemy, a thermal blade igniting from the tip. The enemy exploded in a fiery inferno that was reflected in the ocean's water around them. Heero looked at the black Gundam with new respect.
Duo's face popped on his view screen, looking uncharacteristically grim.
"Defenses are really heavy!" He grunted at more shots connected with DeathScythe. "This may be too much."
"Ten times more than I expected." Heero stated, cursing himself for putting them both in danger due to his underestimation.
He watched Duo's eyes harden. "We've gotta take them more seriously today!" His scythe stuck out, slicing an oncoming enemy in half.
Heero brought his beam rifle to bear. This was going to be a difficult battle.
"It's taking too long!" Heero shouted.
Duo watched as the white Gundam discarded it's beam rifle and pull out it saber. This is gonna be messy. Duo thought. His lips firmed. I have to help him out as much as I can. Turning on his thrusters, he jetted into the attacking mass.
"I'll break through the center!" Duo cuts a swath of destruction through the ranks of mobile suits.
Hearing his name called out in warning, Duo struck out blindly. The butt of his scythe slammed into the MS behind him and it fell towards the ground. Growling, Duo turned, slicing it in half.
I can swear there's someone somewhere watching me.
"Damn. They just keep coming!" Duo shouted into the com-link.
Heero could hear the other pilot's frustration...and the undercurrent of fear. He was just about to order him to pull back, when they struck.
Heero watched helplessly as a volley of missiles headed towards the black Gundam. He opened his mouth to call out a warning, but it was too late. DeathScythe was engulfed in flames.
Forcing Wing backwards numbly, Heero braced himself as the aftershock of the explosion washed over him. Wing was flung to the ground. He peered through the blaze intently, foolishly hoping for a miracle.
DeathScythe knelt in the middle of the wreckage as if in prayer, scythe held up in offering. Heero closed his eyes in relief. Somehow, Duo had avoided the brunt of the missiles.
Heero watched the black Gundam rise and turned to face their attackers, murder in his eyes. What he saw made his eyes widen.
"Are they OZ's new mobile suits?"
"But they're attacking the Federation's mobile suits!" Duo's voice sounded staticy through the communicator. Heero had lost visual status when the missiles struck, so he couldn't see the braided boy's face.
The four suits faced off grimly. Heero's eyes narrowed. There. The red one. That was the one who fired on them.
"There just like us..." Duo said in awe.
They attacked us...they're our enemies...
Suddenly a jet flew overhead, the OZ symbol prominently displayed on its hull.
"Go!" Duo commanded.
"That's it." He forced Wing to transform, and took to the skies. He glanced back once, and then concentrated on the plane looming ahead.
I've got a mission to complete. Now is not the time to think of feelings and braided bakas.
Through the wind and the chill and the rain,
"We've been tricked by Treize...?" Duo asked softly in disbelief.
"Completely and perfectly..." The stranger's in the suit beside him mumbled.
No. God! How could I have been so foolish! Duo eyes blazed with rage. "We have no choice! Let's go after Treize!" He warmed up his thrusters. "We can still catch up to him!"
"You're not thinking straight!" The boy yelled.
"Stay out of my way. Or I'll shoot you!" We can't let this Treize guy get away with this!
"We're only good at guerrilla tactics." The strange new Gundam turned towards him. "But right now, OZ's defenses are almost faultless!"
Frustrated, Duo tried DeathScythe's hidden machine guns, but they were out of bullets. Closing his eyes, he sighed.
"I guess you're right."
Gunfire came from the right, slamming into the black Gundam. Gritting his teeth, Duo turned to face the new threat.
"Are there still survivors?" Haha! Here was something he could take his frustrations out on!
"Let's get out of here for now."
"Aa." Duo said.
DeathScythe and the new Gundam split in two different directions, trying to confuse the enemy. Duo glanced back to check on the Japanese boy, but he hadn't moved.
"Wake up! Move out!" He shouted. The com-link remained silent.
Duo moved back in front of the Gundam, taking the brunt of the assault. Hit after hit jolted him in his harness as he fought to shield the both of them. He hit the com-link irritably, trying to get a visual.
"What the hell is he doing?" He growled out.
A blast from a beam rifle shot out towards the immobile Gundam. Cursing, Duo threw himself in front of it. His head smacked against the console and Duo fought to stay conscious.
"Hey! Stop giving me a hard time!" He gasped to his still-silent partner. He felt something trickle down his cheek and wiped at it absently. Looking down, he saw his fingers stained with blood.
"Your friend seems to be in shock from what he's done." Duo slammed his fist onto the control panel and a blonde haired boy popped up on his view screen.
Who can blame him? If I had just destroyed the world's only hope for peace, I'd be dead inside, too.
And the stars up above.
Heero floated in a haze of numbness; seeing nothing, feeling nothing. He was vaguely aware of the black Gundam in front of him, protecting him. There was someone in that Gundam...someone important...but Heero couldn't remember who.
A cannon blast shot forth, one that the black Gundam couldn't block, and slammed into Wing. The mobile suit crashed to the ground. Heero lay there, shaking his head, trying to clear it.
"Heero!" A voice called from nowhere. "I know you can hear me! Listen to me! Heero!"
A familiar voice floated through the com-unit. "Heero...is that his name?" I know you...
"The missile self-destruct system has been activated at this base!" The woman over the intercom continued. "OZ is trying to blow you up along with the whole base!"
"I've confirmed it." Another voice added. This one seemed to come from the mobile suit beside him. "There are 47 high-yield nuclear warheads, and if all of them went off at the same time...everything in a 180-mile radius will be destroyed!"
"What are you waiting for then? Let's get the hell outta here!" Duo...
"We have less than 10 minutes to get away." The unfamiliar voice stated. "There's no way we can fly 180 miles in such a short period of time!"
No escape...Fine...I deserve to die... He heard Duo cursing weakly. But, Duo...
"You could possibly escape from here in time, but let me ask you for a very selfish favor..." The woman begged. "Don't let them go off, Heero!"
I can feel his approach like a fire in the blood.
Duo leaned back in the confiscated cargo jet, showing casualness he did not feel. Sweat poured down his forehead as he mentally ticked off the minutes. Everything was riding on this boy.
"Heero...I'm counting on you!"
The blond looked at him reassuringly from the view screen. "There is only a 10% chance of success...but I know he can make it."
Duo looked out the window nervously. I hope so...for all of us.
Like a fire in the blood, like a fire in blood, like a fire in blood.
Heero stood on the roof of the missile hanger, watching the two shuttles take off into the night. He would meet up again with Duo, at a previously planned location. The wind brushed softly through his hair, reminding him that he was still alive. At least more innocents didn't die at his hands...
"What a horrible mistake...It's my..."He whispered brokenly. "It's all my fault!"
His Gundam was the only witness to his anguished scream.
End Part Three
(:./astrokender/hero3)
