Brief Synopsis: The events in this fanfic take place shortly after the final between the White Fang and the Earth Sphere, but before the last scene in the final episode where Relena finds the teddy bear and note from Heero.
Disclaimer: Wow! I can’t believe I finally get to write one of these. First of all, this is my very first attempt at Internet fan fiction, so be gentle I beseech thee. Secondly, I do not own Gundam Wing, nor am I affiliated with Bandai, though in my wildest fantasies I would sell my soul to lay claim to the smallest piece of it. So please don’t sue me, I don’t have much money, and what little I do have goes toward buying Gundam Wing toys, models, etc. And lastly, I tend to get a bit graphic in my description, so if you don’t like seeing the G-boys subjected to all kinds of bruising, battering, bleeding, and the like…I suggest you bail out now… Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!!!
So…without further adieu…I give you Legacies of Victory and Defeat.
Legacies of Victory and Defeat by Luvspook
Episode 1: Re-emergence of Bloodshed
The launch had been flawless, Quatre noted, staring blankly out at the vast blanket of stars that had so recently become his home. He spared a selfish glance at the distant sphere that would forever lay claim to his heart, and closing his eyes, released a burdened sigh of loneliness and longing.
He could still remember Operation: Meteor and his first, yet lasting, impression of the Earth.
"So beautiful…" He whispered, in fond reminiscence.
"Did your friend return to the Earth, Quatre?" A voice broke through the silence.
He turned, slowly, at the sound of his older sister’s voice.
"Ireya. Yes. She wanted me to thank you again…for everything…" He added with a smile, but his eyes told her a much different story.
"You always look so sad when you talk about the Earth, my dearest little brother." She replied, stepping up beside him to look out the enormous glass window and the expanse of space beyond. "You loved it there, didn’t you?"
"The Earth was very kind to me…to all of us…" He stated, suddenly overwhelmed with memories of the battles, his friends-the Gundam pilots, and Sandrock.
"I understand." She soothed, sympathetically, silently apologizing inside her own mind for his martyred innocence.
…Oh, Quatre…Someday I’ll find a way for the colonies to repay you for the sacrifice you made for their freedom… Her mind and heart promised, in unison.
Quatre gasped suddenly and her eyes flew open just in time to catch the bright flash of light streaking towards the colony. Before either could react, the entire satellite rocked with shocking force, knocking Ireya off her feet. Quatre quickly helped her back as the lights flickered menacingly overhead, another barrage lighting the black void of space outside.
"Quatre!…"
"The colony is under some kind of attack!" He yelled back, bolting for the door as another blast hit home. "You stay here where it’s safe. I’m going to find out what’s going on."
"No!" She screamed, protectively reaching out to pull him back. "Quatre!"
The hallway was flooded with people, screams of panic mixing with the harsh blare of alarms, as red light bathed the satellite’s already dim interior.
"What’s happening?…" Quatre screamed, trying to brace himself at one of the small doorways as several workers rushed past him. "Who’s firing at us?…"
No answer came, and another volley tore into their side, throwing Quatre mercilessly against the wall. He struggled shakily to his hands and knees, as debris rained down all around him. The bodies littering the wrecked hallway swam into his vision as he wiped the blood from his eyes, which immediately brimmed with tears. He collapsed back into the rubble as a spasm of pain struck him, his last conscious thoughts of peace, devoured by darkness.
* * * * *
The kaleidoscope of explosions illuminated the darkness, but could do nothing to fill the empty void in her heart. She watched the explosions rock the vast colony, with the fascination and awe of a small child mesmerized by a fireworks display.
…When did I lose the ability to empathize with people?… She wondered briefly, turning from the window. …The day he died… She reminded herself. …The day they took him away from me…
"Pity is for the weak." She chided to herself aloud, stepping over to the instrument panel to call off the attack.
"Dasenya…" She hailed, waiting for the image of her comrade to appear on the small screen before continuing. "Cease your attack. I’m quite certain the damage to the colony is significant enough to warrant action from the Gundam pilots."
"Are you certain that news of the attack will reach them?" The young, but dangerously ruthless, female officer questioned sharply.
"Oh they’ll come…After all, they would never desert one of their own."
* * * * *
He was drifting.
Cold.
Alone.
Everywhere he looked, a visage of empty corridors haunted him-void of all but devastation and death.
The hollow echo of screams assaulted his ears…silenced in a single, momentous burst of light. Light void of comfort or warmth. Void of answers.
It was the light of the stars and a hope for the future-for peace.
The cold penetrated his body and soul as the light began to fade, the chill of death surrounding him.
The voices, no longer silent, beckoned from the darkness.
Voices so distant, yet strangely familiar…
Heero was the first to notice it, his eyes shifting swiftly under the cover of his disheveled brown locks. The tiny fluctuation that anyone else would have overlooked as insignificant, triggered something inside his mind, which instantly set to the task of analyzing each detail of Quatre’s condition.
…Brain waves…Heart rate…Breathing…all returning to normal…
"He’s waking up." Heero announced, matter-of-factly, just as Quatre’s eyes began to flutter.
His eyelids felt so heavy, but there was a strong sense of urgency tugging at him, screaming at him to wake up. He struggled and tiny slivers of light seeped through his eyelids as they parted, the blurred image of chestnut brown hair, piercing green eyes, and a concerned expression on a very familiar face, greeted his return to consciousness.
"Trowa?…" He asked, half-heartedly, his voice noticeably strained and considerably weakened. "Is that…really you, Trowa?"
The genuine, yet uncharacteristic smile that lit Trowa Barton’s face was enough to bring Quatre back to full consciousness, his body surging with newfound enthusiasm. Turning his head, he instantly spotted the distinguishing image of Heero Yuy, his lean frame rested against the windowsill in the opposite corner of the room.
"And Heero?"
"Hey, don’t forget about me, Quatre!" A third voice piped in, with a chuckle.
"Duo!…What are you all doing here? How did you?…"
His excitement was cut short by the shock wave assault on his ribcage as he tried to pull himself upright, Trowa quick to stop him.
"You better take it easy, Quatre."
The pain in his midsection quickly brought him back to the attack.
"Ireya!…Is she?" Quatre asked, his mind and heart ignoring the limitations of his body as he bolted upright, his right arm still hugging his battered ribs.
"She’ll be fine." Heero stated, keeping all emotion from his voice. "But the colony has been virtually wiped out. The resource satellite, too."
"What reason would anyone have to go attacking the colonies, now? I thought we were supposed to be at peace?" Duo interrupted, a hint of bitterness evident in his tone.
Quatre could hear the other pilots arguing, each debating whatever theory they held, that might provide the answer to Duo’s question. But Quatre couldn’t ignore the nagging sensation that he already had that answer. That she had been the reason.
"Miss Relena…"
Heero could feel his blood run cold at the mere mention of her name. She was the one person- the only person- who had managed to break through his defenses, smoothing the edges of his stone heart- rendering him vulnerable.
At times, he could almost resent her…almost.
"Relena?…" Heero repeated, a mixture of confusion and concern masked within his typically abrasive tone.
"Yes." Quatre replied quickly, meeting the strange intensity in Heero’s eyes. "She was visiting the colony just before the attack came. Maybe whoever did this was after her…and not the colony at all."
"As the leader of the World Nation, Relena had become a symbol of peace for both Earth and the colonies. Destroy her and you also destroy the idealism that she created." Trowa stated simply, mentally noting the subtle changes in Heero’s behavior since the newly appointed Vice Foreign Minister’s name had been brought up.
…That girl still has some effect on him… Trowa thought to himself. He didn’t know Heero to have many weaknesses, and he would never have viewed her as such, but to the enemy…Relena Peacecraft could prove to be his Achilles’ heel. …Heero’s involvement in this will be unavoidable now…
"But who would want to do something like that?" Duo interrupted, his memory quick to remind him of the lives lost to a lifetime of meaningless battles. "Nobody wants war…especially not the colonies. Besides, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to go starting up trouble again. They’ve come too far to turn back now."
The room fell into an uneasy silence, each of the four young pilots lost in their own thoughts.
"Do you think OZ has regrouped somehow?" Trowa asked, his eyes turning to face the others.
All eyes returned Trowa’s gaze, save for Heero, whose thoughts had strayed to the probability of yet another war, the return to battle, and his mission- still unfinished. Trowa’s inquiry had not gone unheard however, and Heero knew, with certainty, it was his response that the others were waiting for.
Trowa Barton was a superior soldier, with skills most comparable to his own. He had long ago removed himself from the everyday burden of emotions that stood in the way of carrying out their missions, severing all ties to his past…so others wouldn’t suffer. Yet, Trowa could never deny his own heart. He could never deny those whose lives he had touched.
…The only way to live a good life is to act on your emotions…
Those words… His own words… returned to memory as he struggled to remain focused.
…The others are trusting in your instincts... He reminded himself, harshly.
"This isn’t OZ." Heero stated finally, his eyes downcast. "OZ was an organization built on deliberation and oppression…but they never had to hide their actions from anyone. Their methods were always direct. Whoever this new threat is, isn’t ready to make their intentions known to anyone, yet."
"That’s because they are cowards." A familiar voice concluded, the slender outline of the fifth Gundam pilot lingering in the now open doorway of Quatre’s hospital room.
"Hey, Wufei!" Duo exclaimed, never one to conceal his near-zealous enthusiasm and all-around good nature. "Word travels fast. Looks like we all made it."
"Maybe that’s exactly what they’re after." Wufei Chang replied, his clipped, no-nonsense tone, quickly removing the smile from Duo Maxwell’s face.
"What who’s after?" Duo asked, innocently.
Without hesitation, Wufei made his way over to the small table beside Quatre’s bed and scooped up the television remote control. Within seconds, the words of the newscaster broke through the static, as the room once again fell silent, the five young men both mesmerized and horrified by the display of images flashing across the screen.
"…including the recent attack on space colony R-2137. These images, taken from a satellite in close vicinity to the colony, reveal what is believed to be Earth mobile suits. As of this time, Earth delegation members deny all knowledge of the recent attacks on the colonies, but can offer no explanation for the presence of these mobile suits here in outer space…"
"There’s been another attack!?" Quatre shouted in disbelief, again forcing the limitations of his injured state, but too agitated to remain prone any longer. His questioning cut off in a stifled cry of pain, his body trembling with the effort to pull himself upright.
"Quatre!" Duo yelled in obvious concern. "You better not overdo it…"
"Don’t worry about me!…" Quatre screamed bitterly, clutching his stomach in an attempt to silence the pain. "Miss Relena…could be in danger…"
"I don’t think this was about her." Heero replied calmly, his piercing blue eyes meeting the determined fire in Quatre’s, stopping him cold. "At least not the way you think it is."
The others turned as well, at Heero’s statement, both unsure of its implications and concerned by its tone.
"I’d be willing to bet that whoever is behind these attacks, needs her to make sure that the Earth is blamed. The only way they can guarantee that, is by centering the attacks around her. It’s only logical for the colonies to be suspicious of Earth’s intentions, now. If they really do want her dead, then they’re being awfully careless."
"But we still don’t know who is attacking the colonies…if it’s not Earth…" Duo replied quietly, stopping short as he noticed Heero heading for the door. "Hey! Where do you think you’re going? If we gotta fight again, don’t you think it would be a good idea if we all stayed together?"
"Stay if you want." Heero countered, icily. "Where I’m going you’d just stick out anyway. The last thing we need is to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves."
"But Heero…" Quatre started to argue, before falling back against the pillows, his energy spent.
Heero met Quatre’s concerned gaze, knowing- without words, exactly what he wanted to, but could not say. "Stay here and rest. If we are going to have to fight again, it will take all of us…"
END
Well, that's all for Ep. 1. Please review it as honestly as possible. I won't bother working on this storyline unless the readers want more Episodes. Be seeing you soon, I hope!