01-Nov-2000
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. I'm poor. Oh man am I poor. This story is for entertainment only. It has violence, yaoi, the supernatural, and some of the guys' family cussing. If you can't deal, don't read.
The two years following the last war were very hard for the Gundam pilots; including Zechs. More than one groups was determined to make a name for themselves by using the fighters. A reporter bribed a few key people in the Preventers and managed to find the pilots' names. Out of pure spite and malice, and seeking phenomenal ratings, he published them all.
Lawsuits poured in to law offices. Tabloids made up story after story about the boys. Some described them as poor lost children used by evil men. Other claimed they were vicious, soulless killers. One went so far as to suggest they were a danger to all life so long as they ran free. More than a few people took up this call.
Several "documentaries" popped up. Some were more accurate than others, but most choose sensationalism over fact or truth.
The worst of them were downright cruel. When it was discovered that Heero, Wufei, Quatre, and Duo were raped while imprisoned by OZ, the studios began including "dramatizations" of the event. Some suggested that the boys had deserved the actions, maybe even invited them.
The final blow came in the form of a movie. The film was big budget with grand special effects, but the plot couldn't have been more sadistic. It opened with Doctors adopting the boys and speculated on how they were raised. The scientists were sex crazy pedophiles bent on revenge for imagined slights.
Howard was portrayed as a pimp who sold his prize whore to G as a slave and the man found an even better use for him. Trowa became a masochistic slut who couldn't get enough of the mercenaries. Wufei was a cold, evil little man who murdered his wife because she was chosen to pilot Shenlong and later blew up his colony after they discovered his crime. Heero looked like an assassin trained to do nothing more than destroy and let J screw him. And poor Quatre. His father's toy and whipping boy who willingly accepted an older man's advances because he craved love.
It even portrayed the rape as the boys' seduction of Oz personnel to escape and they killed the men after having sex with them. They laughed as they killed innocent civilians. Blew up targets with no care for those hurt by the attacks. Even threatened dear Queen Relena.
After the movie, which claimed it had no basis in reality so no one could sue them, the general population of both Earth and the Colonies called for the boys to be arrested and tried for war crimes. Then, all of them just disappeared. For months the witch-hunt howled in pursuit of the pilots, fueled by those who stood to make money from the trial.
Eventually, Halloween came. As the sun set, the boys could be found at the center of the Sank Kingdom in Relena's Palace in the den watching horror films. The young Queen had provided them a safe place to hide and shared her greatest secret. Treize had not died in the final battle. He'd been found floating in the remains of the Tallgeese II. His legs could not be salvaged, but his mind was still intact and he used it to help the Preventers. Zechs and Wufei were overjoyed to see him again. The other pilots respected the man enough to give him a chance.
The joy of the reunion was not enough to undo all the stress of what the two years had done to them. Wufei and Quatre had nervous breakdowns. Duo had constant nightmares about his rape, suddenly unsure if of the amount of blame he carried. Heero's nightmares focused on the innocents dead by his hand. Trowa, Zechs, Relena, and Treize did everything they could to heal their loves wounded souls. Noin, Une, and Sally ran the Preventers and made sure no one found them.
This night saw them cuddled together pretending to enjoy the horror films. Treize leaned against the corner of a big couch with Zechs in his lap, Wufei in Zechs', and their daughter in the young pilot's. All four had adopted Treize's child and loved her with unmatched devotion. Duo sat wrapped in Heero's arms. Trowa held Quatre on his lap. Despite the closeness none of them looked happy. Revenge would be theirs however.
When the last rays of sun disappeared from the sky a strange woman suddenly appeared in the office of the reporter who started the whole mess. Startled his looked up. The woman, obvious from her ample bosom, was dressed all in black with a veil that covered all of her face expect smiling carmine lips. She wore a long gown that overflowed onto the ground and the sleeves came far past her hands. Pale, flawless skin surrounded her lips and promised to be smooth to the touch.
"Who are you?" the man purred. Someone must have sent him a gift and he loved unwrapping gifts.
"You're the one who started everything," she purred. Her voice was sultry and those lips turned upward even further. Soft swishing sounds accompanied soft steps toward him and a lock of chestnut hair brushed her chin.
"I love starting things, baby." It was his smoothest line.
"And I love finishing things." A pale, long-fingered hand, with black nails reached out to caress his cheek. At the last second, just before they left his skin, those nails became claws, ripping his flesh. A scream echoed through the room. "You hurt my son and his friends, you careless, fucking monster. Now learn what happens when you mess with me!" The last thing the man saw were a pair of glowing indigo eyes burning through the fabric of her veil.
Screams of incredible pain soon turned to shrieks and filled the entire building. After an hour they became sick, wet gurgles. Then there was only silence. The woman, covered in blood, calmly walked into the shadows, vanishing.
Fifteen minutes later, the woman visited the owner of the biggest tabloid. Soon after, scream came from his den. No one was able to open the door until the sounds of torture stopped. What they found inside sent even the strongest man running for the bathroom.
Person after person received a visit from the dark woman and scream after agony filled scream echoed across the Earth. Blood soaked walls, carpets, and ceilings. The writer of the Gundam movie, owners of tabloids, ambulance-chasing attorneys who hound the pilots for money and glory, and producers of the documentaries died. Horribly. Pieces of the victims were sometimes found ground into wall sockets.
Their business caught fire mysteriously and no amount of water could drench the blue flames. Nothing was left by dawn, not even ashes. It was as if they had never been. Finally, the woman stood at the center of a park, the grass around her wilting as crimson liquid dripped from her. She made a short move with her right hand and the blood faded into nothing. Looking up, the veil fell back revealing a woman of striking beauty with short chestnut hair and burning violet eyes.
"I'm going to need some help with this one guys."
As if in answer, four balls of light came from nowhere and gently struck her. A deep breath steadied the woman.
"Now for the world to learn it's lesson." Throwing her arms up, the woman called out a single, unintelligible word.
At exactly midnight, all over the world and through every colony, all power cut out. EXPECT in one particular palace in a certain kingdom. No one would ever be able to explain how patients on life support and in operations did not die that night. Indeed, none died but those killed.
The dark lasted for fifteen minutes and then ended just an unexplainably as it had begun. By morning though, people began to see what had happened in the dark. All copies of anything about the Gundam Wing pilots or Zechs were blank. Any book about them burned to ashes. A message had been sent and everyone knew, deep in their guts, their souls, what it was.
"NEVER HURT OUR CHILDREN AGAIN!"
So, no one continued looking for the pilots. Lawsuits were dropped, stories no longer told, and no further videos made. The pilots were left to heal in peace. People forgot their names and what they looked like. They stopped caring about supposed crimes or lives. In time, the word Gundam even ceased to exist in the language.
Relena got the boys help and the lack of outside interference guaranteed progress. They lived full lives. The love they shared eased the wounds inflicted. Though none would ever feel comfortable in public again, they found peace with each other in a cabin deep in the woods.
Far away, on the same night their destinies changed, the woman vanished from the park and reappeared in a room filled with light. A quick look around showed four men walking toward her. One man had waist length raven-black hair and eyes. Another, short brown hair and glowing green eyes. The last two moved like predators. One with golden hair, sky blue eyes, and the other with dark hair and cobalt eyes. Two more came out of nowhere by her side. The shorter had forked eyebrows and the taller platinum hair that brushed the ground.
Turning to the men, a happy smile spilt her face. Bowing deeply, she spoke.
"Greetings Lords Justice, Compassion, Peace, War, Honor, and Faith. How did I do?"
"You were cruel." Justice said.
"Cold." Peace proclaimed.
"Evil." War grinned.
"Perfect." Lords Faith and Honor chorused. Compassion was silent. By his very nature it was hard from him to feel satisfaction at the events.
"Lady Death," he said at last. "I thank you for doing what I could not."
"For what none of us could do," War grumbled.
"They deserved every second of their suffering. No one hurts my son like that." For a second her eyes glowed dangerously, but it soon passed.
"Any of our children." War growled deep in his chest. Death nodded. They all did.
"I wish their mortal parents had survived." Peace whispered.
"We all do," Death said.
"Come," Honor gestured. "We should rest."
Death found herself sandwiched between War and Peace and being drawn toward a doorway.
"I believe he said rest." She laughed.
"We can rest later," War nibbled on her ear.
As they left, Honor and Faith paired off, as did Compassion and Justice. The room was silent again with only an occasional moan of pleasure shattering the quiet. For the first time in two years, the Hall of Spirits knew serenity.
The End
So? Did you like it?
Happy Halloween all!
Phoenix
Please send comments to: lina.inverse@verizon.net