Disclaimer: Do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters ^_^

Dawn and Moon Wars

Chapter Ten

"My Moon!" Fists pounded at Millardo's bedroom door and he grumbled as he forced himself out of the feather bed with its soft silk sheets. He threw the door open, not bothering to grab his robe. He glared at the two guards.

"What the hell is it?!"

"The traitor! He's escaped!"

"WHAT?!" Millardo stormed back into his room, keeping the door open so the guards could follow. He began to dress as they revealed what had happened.

"We were guarding the prisoner like you ordered us to, sir, when a robed figure threw a strange dust in our faces. We were asleep before we could even call a warning and when we awoke the bars had been destroyed and the prisoner was gone."

Millardo pushed past them and walked down the hall, igniting fear among all that saw him. The soldiers at the doors opened them quickly at his approach and he didn't stop till he reached the destroyed prison. A quick probe told him what he wanted to know... Then he kneeled and scooped up some of the dust the guards had mentioned. He rubbed it between his fingers and his eyes narrowed.

"My Moon?" The guards had followed him.

"Bring me the healer."

    *

Sally yawned and ran a hand over her forehead. Mother, she was tired... So many of the soldiers needed her help and she'd quickly run out of medicine and herbs... She had convinced Wufei to accompany her to gather more in the woods and had returned late... Which had caused many of the soldiers to yell out loud and rowdy suggestions at what the two had been doing in the woods...

Wufei had glared the men into silence while Sally blushed and laughed at some of the remarks. Like her and the silent soldier would ever do anything like that!

Footsteps sounded nearby and she looked up with a smile as three soldiers walked toward her. She knew at least one of these men. "Good day, Otto! How's your wound? You've been applying the lotion to the cut like I told you to, haven't you?"

Otto paled and blushed slightly, "It's fine, miss... And yes, I've been following your instructions."

"Enough small talk!" One of the other soldiers yelled, his mouth set into an ugly smile. "You are hereby arrested by order of the Moon." He grabbed her arm and squeezed it painfully, nearly twisting the arm behind her.

"Alex, don't be rough!" Otto shouted, but the younger soldier ignored him and turned to his friend.

"Hey, Mueller, how do you suppose a traitor should be treated?"

Mueller returned the nasty grin as he shoved a fist into his other palm. "Maybe we should show her." He took a step toward Sally and she watched with wide eyes as his fist came toward her... It slammed into her stomach and she gasped.

Sally wasn't a fighter... She knew basic skills, but the idea of killing or hurting others seemed impossible to her. She was a healer and she didn't want to inflict the pain that she healed in others...

 The fist reared back and the two young soldiers laughed as a tear slid down her face. Otto was still yelling at them when Mueller made another fist and...

Mueller screamed as his hand fell to the ground; the fingers still curled in a fist. He grabbed at his bloody stump of a wrist and wide eyes fell upon the blood-covered sword. Cold black eyes met his and the sword swung through the air in a graceful arch and Sally swallowed a scream as Mueller's head rolled across the ground, the eyes staring up at the sky unseeing. She forced her heaving stomach to calm and it was actually quite easy. Sally had seen worse things in the gladiator ring.

Wufei turned on Alex and Sally was shoved to the ground. She coughed as she swallowed dirt, then looked up to see Wufei's sword slash across Alex's stomach. The soldier grabbed at the wound, trying to keep from spilling his intestines on the ground... Then his eyes glazed over and he fell.

He turned toward Otto.

Sally jumped to her feet, "No!"

The sword stopped an inch from Otto's neck. Wufei turned toward her and Sally watched as a strange glow seemed to recede from his eyes and he nodded. He kneeled beside Mueller's headless body and wiped his sword off on the soldier's shirt. Wufei sheathed the Sword of Truth and watched as she walked toward Otto.

Otto looked up at her then at Wufei and whispered only one hoarse word. "Run."

But it was too late... For in the distance Wufei could see Millardo with five more guards... He unsheathed his sword and leaned against it. Sally stood beside him, her eyes watching those coming also. Otto stood a few feet aside from them, his eyes darting from what was left of Alex and Mueller to the Moon.

They waited.

    *

"Stop." Lady Pluto ordered as she watched one of Sylvia's globes. It had taken awhile for the summoned globes to make the journey to the Galaxy Court and both were anxious to watch them... Now they had gone through three and Pluto was shocked at the scenes of battle that she had witnessed...

Sylvia stopped one of the globe's scenes and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Who are they?" The globe had been positioned in the shadows... And the scene was focused on two people, the Spy Mistress and a strange young man with green eyes.

"That is the Spy Mistress." Sylvia knew Lady Pluto already knew the woman. It was a well-known fact that Lady Pluto and the Spy Mistress kept their distance from each other. "And that..." She squeezed her eyes together, trying to remember... "The acrobat! He's some slave acrobat that must've started wandering when the battle started... Why?"

Lady Pluto eyed the green-eyed slave and swallowed. "Could it be... Could it truly be... Both of them..." She ignored Sylvia and instead continued to stare at the scene including the Spy Mistress and acrobat. A knock on the door finally forced her to tear her eyes away.

"Good day, ladies. Lady Sylvia, may I speak to Lady Pluto in private?" The young seer walked into the room and Sylvia quickly nodded and left, not liking the company of Jaclyn.

"Miss Jaclyn... How are you?" Pluto turned her attention back to the scene and Jaclyn walked toward her,    also staring at the acrobat and Spy Mistress.

"Not well, Pluto, not well at all." The young seer sat in a cushioned chair and Lady Pluto noticed the obvious pain etched along the seer's face.

"What's wrong? Are you ill?"

"Yes... And no... I come here to tell you something and ask for your help." She closed her eyes, "You must leave this place, Pluto. You must pack some food and clothing and the Cup of Sorrow and leave the Galaxy Court. You must find the others and help them."

"Leave the court?! I can't do that!" She shook her head, "Are you prophesying, seer?"

"I always prophesize." Jaclyn raised harsh eyes, "Listen to me and listen well. Leave this place now or you will never leave it..."

"What does that mean?!"

Jaclyn lunged forward and grabbed Pluto's wrists with surprising strength. "Death! Death awaits those that stay and you must live! Leave this place before death takes you! Take the Cup and leave! LEAVE, Catherine Bloom, the eldest descendant of the Cup's possessors!"

"How? How could you know?" Catherine trembled under the fierce gaze of the younger woman and Jaclyn nearly snarled.

"Foolish questions! Idiotic questions! Do as I say!" She released Catherine and took a step back, one leg slamming against the chair. "And that help I mentioned..."

Catherine reached out and grabbed the globe with its special scene and wrapped it with a magical cloth to protect it. She swallowed and turned toward Jaclyn. "Yes?"

"I am dying, Pluto... My visions are too powerful for my frail body... I grew to my power at too young an age and cannot handle the power. However, my prophecies are needed... The Dawn and her warriors must know what to do if we are to defeat the Moon and bring a new order to this world... The right order... I need you to take on my power of prophecy."

"What?! I can't!" She shook her head, "The price... it's too much..."

"To save your brother you must."

"Trowa..." Catherine didn't bother to ask why or how the girl knew these things. Instead with widened eyes she faced Jaclyn. "He's in danger?"

"He will be. He is one of the warriors in the Dawn prophecy. The silent clown with the tear-filled cup of sorrow. You must take the Cup to him and help him and the Reborn Dawn."

Catherine was silent and Jaclyn's voice lashed out like a whip.

"It doesn't matter whether you agree or not. You will take my powers no matter what you choose. You will survive and you will help the Dawn and her warriors."

Lady Pluto or Catherine Bloom as she'd once been known as slowly nodded and Jaclyn leaned back with a smile.

"Let it begin..."

    *

Quatre watched as the healer was led through the soldiers... Led to her death for freeing Trowa... He winced as he watched a soldier spit near the woman. He didn't want to get her in trouble, but it had been the only choice left open for him without having his own head removed...

He raised an eyebrow as a soldier with a shining sword walked alongside the healer... The group reached Millardo and he stared at them. Quatre strained his ears to catch what was being said.

"Like all women, this one has finally shown her true colors! She has freed the traitor, Trowa, and for such an act the sentence is death."

"You cannot do this, Millardo. I was with her all last night." Wufei spoke and the Moon turned his attention toward him.

"My second-in-command... It seems even you can be seduced by a treasonous woman... Do not worry, Wufei, with her death we will set you free from her poisonous spells of seduction."

"Listen to yourself, Millardo! She has done nothing! Her magick is too little to destroy those bars! It is merely an extra boost for her healing aids! There is no way she could've broken your spells!" He turned angry eyes toward the crowd. "Where's your little bard? Where is he during this? Why don't you ask him what he was doing last night?!"

"The magick was feminine. Take her." Millardo motioned toward his men and Wufei raised his sword.

"This is wrong, Millardo! My sword never lies and it says this is wrong! This is not true justice!" He grabbed Sally's arm and pulled her close, trying to shield her from Millardo's rage.

"Don't just stand there! Grab her!"

Wufei started to cut through the crowd as the soldiers advanced on him... But even with his magical sword he couldn't stand up against so many for long...

A sword stabbed through the soldier to his left and he heard Sally gasp. "You!"

"Move, healer! Move as fast as you can!" The voice was female, but Wufei nodded and started to barrel through the crowd. His sword like lightning in his hand while the female fighter let out a battle-cry. They reached the edge of the illusion and the three ran into the woods.

*

Dorothy opened her eyes and groaned, her hand quickly going to the sheath that held the blood dagger. It had awakened her with its need... 'Just like an annoying lover.' Dorothy thought as she allowed the dagger to drink a bit of her blood. She was getting quite used to the dagger's wants and needs. She barely even felt the sting as the blade cut through the skin anymore.

"I do believe you love that thing more than me." A decidedly unwelcome voice chirped from behind her and she snorted.

"I love an arrow in the heart more than you." She sheathed the blade and turned to face the fire, which Duo was reviving. She wrinkled a nose at the pheasant he had already de-feathered. "Again?"

"Sorry, milady, but we've no worldly spices or delicious twelve meal feasts out here." Duo rolled his eyes at her and continued to blow on the embers.

"Oh give me a break. Just use magick already."

Duo frowned at her, "Wasting magick like that isn't a good idea. You never know when you might really need it." Dorothy shrugged and watched as he continued... Finally the fire flared into life again and he smiled smugly. "See. Magick isn't needed for everything!"

He tensed and Dorothy raised an eyebrow, "What is it now? Is the land singing to you now?" She scoffed and reached for a tuber he'd found during his hunt of the bird. She frowned at the dirt covering it and reached for Duo's canteen. They had reached a small lake yesterday so it was full.

"Quiet!"

Duo slowly stood and lunged into the woods. Dorothy jumped to her feet only to find a strange sword at her throat. She stared at the thin blade, then slowly toward the holder... A woman with brown hair and brown eyes... But it was more the pointy ears, sharp teeth, and claws that caught Dorothy's attention.

"Remove that sword." A familiar voice spoke, but it was regal and commanding and Dorothy couldn't trust her ears. The sword did not move and the voice hardened. "NOW!"

Une slowly lowered her sword and sheathed it. "My King." She bowed and now Dorothy could turn to see that a tall male elf stood beside Duo. She stared back and forth between the two new elves and raised an eyebrow.

"Who are they? Did you invite company and not tell me?" Her sarcastic tone caused the female, Une, to raise and glare at her. The blond sorceress merely smirked while Duo sighed.

"Lady Une and Lord Solo, this is Lady Dorothy."

"She is human, your highness." Une hissed, still glaring at the impertinent sorceress who was now rolling her eyes at Duo.

"I know, believe me, I know. What are you two doing here?"

"Cousin, your father..." Solo began, but Duo shook his head.

"Dead... I know... You come to take me back?" He smiled, "I can't, not yet. I have promised this woman my protection till we can reach the rightful ruler of this human realm."

"You have done no such thing!" Dorothy smiled smugly as Duo glared at her. "Go ahead, princeling. I do not mind parting with you. Now, go, shoo." She motioned for him to be off, "Do take your king back."

Duo growled at her, "Stick a dagger in it, Dorothy."

"Bastard!"

"Bitch!"

The two glared at each other while Une watched, stunned speechless, and Solo placed a hand on his forehead. This was going to be a lot harder than they had planned.

    *

"Mother! Mother, where are you?" Relena ran through the Dawn castle halls, her footsteps echoing harshly against the marble floors, bouncing off the cold, white walls. She turned a corner, her long white dress flowing behind her, and nearly slammed into a door. "Mother!"

Someone screamed behind the large, wooden door and Relena gasped. "MOTHER!" She threw her body against the door, but it was useless... And soon the screams stopped.

The door opened and Relena stumbled backward, nearly tripping in her panic. Dorothy stood before her, her long white blond hair wild around her, her silver dress covered in blood. She held a dagger in one hand and in her other... She tossed the other object to Relena.

Relena caught the bloody Dawn crown and stared as blood seeped from its intricate gold design onto her hands. She tossed the crown aside and sobbed as she tried to wipe the blood off. Dorothy raised an aristocratic eyebrow, "What's wrong, Relena? The crown is yours. You are the Dawn." She smiled, "Her blood is on your hands. What your people do now is for you, you are a part of everything."

"You humans... You destroy the land, hunt my kin, kill more than you could ever eat... Yet, your hunger is fathomless and now you turn against your own kind. You will never be satisfied till you rule it all... And destroy yourselves in the process."

"You!" Relena spun around to face the new speaker.

"The beast..." Dorothy was now behind her, her voice whispering right in her ear. "Look at him, my Dawn. Look at what our kind has done... Yet, even in your sorrow for his unwanted change you still don't understand what exactly it is he misses... You see the lines of a near-perfect male and not even you are unaffected. You are the Dawn. Whether you accept that responsibility is your choice. Just as it is your choice whether or not to change him back."

"I trust no human." The Panther turned and started to walk away, disappearing into a darkness that slowly swallowed the hall.

"Wait!" Relena took a step toward his retreating back, then stopped, and faced Dorothy. "What am I to do!?"

"You ask me?" Dorothy reached up and pushed a strand of hair back from her face. Her hand grazed her left cheek, leaving a smudge of blood behind. "Friend and enemy. Advisor and traitor. Two faces and you don't know which to choose for me... Till then I can answer no questions."

"I don't know! You killed my mother!" Relena clenched her hands into fists and cried. "You have been my friend, sometimes my only true friend, my whole life! Which face do you deserve?!"

"Find me, Relena... Find your closest and faithful friend. Find the traitorous murderer of your mother. Find answers in those around you. Seek. Find." Dorothy's face seemed to waver and Relena nearly turned to run... Then the blond woman disappeared and the darkness surrounded Relena.

"Seek, my Dawn. Save this world and its people. Show them the truth. Show them..." All Relena could see of the strange speaker was a pair of moon-shaped spectacles. "Remember... This dream... is controlled by you. Remember it and its warnings and meanings... Live."

Relena sat straight up, gasping for air, and clawing at the ground. A hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder. She turned to see the Panther staring at her with some concern... For a second a wild hope rose in her, then she realized that he probably was only worried because he needed her alive to change him back. Relena pulled away from his touch and stared at the ground instead.

"Leave me be."

"Live."

 'Who was she? What meanings could a nightmare hold? Mother, I'm so confused and tired... Tired of running, of thinking, of crying... Tired of watching my life be put into place by prophecies that I do not understand or truly care for.'

'I am tired of running from my responsibilities.'

"Come, Panther. It is time we move."

The Panther raised an eyebrow at her sudden mood change. "Where to?"

"To people. To my people. It is time I stop running and meet this Moon."

He shook his head, "That's too dangerous. You'll get yourself killed."

"Mayhap... But do I truly have anything to lose? My home, family, and most of my friends were lost in that first battle... I have no one to truly live for, but the people and if I die for them... Then I have served my purpose and prophecies be damned."

She will walk straight into her death if you allow this.

"You promised me. I will help you and protect you, but this foolishness of walking right into the Moon himself... It shall be your death and then you have broken your word."

Relena turned toward him and a fire burned behind those blue eyes, "Aye. I shall keep my word with you, Panther... But I must see my people." Her voice turned into a whispery plead, "I must be with my people... Even if you have me go in disguise... I need to be near them... I'm not so daft to walk right up to the Moon and shout that I am the Dawn, but if he is there I want to see him... To at least know whom my enemy is. For now, I can save talking with him for later, but I will do anything in my power to keep from what happened at the Dawn's Capital from happening anywhere else."

The Panther seemed close to refusing, then slowly he nodded and looked down at the catriffin. "Can you sense any human settlements close by?"

There is a town a day's journey from here. You should reach it by mid-morning tomorrow.

"Come, human. We shall reach your people tomorrow morn."

Relena watched him as he snuffed out the fire and softly whispered, "They could be your people, too, if only you wished it..."

Galea purred and rubbed against Relena's leg, but her thoughts were on the girl's words. 'She is right man-cat... You are of both races now... You are a gateway that has never existed between our two species for all this world's life. Yet, you are too surrounded by bitterness and hate to realize this. But soon... Soon you will be forced too and I fear what that realization will do to you. Can you accept it? Or will the truth destroy you?'

Troubled thoughts traveled with the three.

    *