Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Chance to See ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Title: A Chance to See - Prologue
Author: Emily, roguegirl@att.net
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: shonen ai in the forms of 1+2+1 and alluded 3+4+3, language, contemplations of death, weird time-shifts and alternate universe situations, EW-OVA paraphrasing -=sweatdrop=-, angst (almost forgot that one)
Notes: "Speech" - 'Thought' - *Emphasis* - [Flashback]
Comments: While I am writing the story, the idea is actually Sharon's. Visit her site at www.zerotwofan.com and take a look around. -=coughdoujincoverscanscough=- It's sorta-kinda a fusion with "It's a Wonderful Life", but since I never saw the second half of the movie, there is no way in hell I could follow it. ^_^ If you like this genre, check out Yamato's "No Need For Heero" in the serious fic section of www.heerosferret.com (it's good; trust me). Without further ado, enjoy.

"One man's life touches so many others, when he's not there it leaves an awfully big hole."

"You've been given a great gift, George. A chance to see what the world would be like without you."

~Clarence, "It's A Wonderful Life"

*~**~*

Heero Yuy clenched his teeth together and manuevered Wing ZERO's beam saber to block the attack of Nataku's trident. Wufei had said that he always wanted to face him like this, and their battle had moved from L-3X18999 to just above the very edge of Earth's atmosphere, and were getter closer and closer to the Earth with each attack and dodge. The only difference was before Heero had been piloting a Leo[1] and now he was in his customized Wing ZERO.

"I won't acept Relena pacifistic ideals! It's a mistake to believe that you can achieve peace just by laying aside the weapons and putting away the soldiers!" Wufei pressed his Gundam for another thrust of the beam trident, and Heero's beam saber was right there to block it.

ZERO seemed to be having a hard time deciding whether the other Gundam was an enemy or not. It clearly recognized that Wufei wasn't *supposed* to be an enemy, but his actions were making him seem like one. "Does that justify Mariemaia's dictatorship?"

"She'll act as an anchor to the souls of warriors!"

'He can't seriously believe that,' Heero thought. 'Wufei of all of us shouldn't be this naive.' "It might be acceptable for now, but all Mariemaia can do is repeat history! A history full of sorrow and misery... If we don't stop it right now, solders like us will be needed again. When that happens, this tragic history will go on forever." When Wufei didn't respond, Heero continued, voice changing from harsh to melancholy. "Tell me, Wufei: How many more do we have to kill? How many times do I have to kill that little girl and her dog? ZERO won't tell me anything. Tell me, Wufei..."

Heero killed the propulsion, switching off the thrusters and folding in the gigantic, Gundanium-feathered wings of Wing ZERO. He was in free fall that slowed slightly when the Gundam hit a surface of water, slowly sinking to the oceanfloor.

["Niisan, are you lost?"

"I've been lost ever since the day I was born."]

Heero slouched forward in the restraints, closing his eyes to fight the images, but they kept coming.

["Niisan, are you lost?"

"Niisan, are you lost?"

"Niisan, are you lost?"]

He had failed, and because of that, an innocent little girl died. She had done *nothing* to deserve to meet the early death Heero gave her. A death caused by his own miscalculations and stupidity.

["Life's cheap. Especially mine."]

["Niisan, are you lost?"]

"What now, ZERO?" Heero asked, slightly opening his eyes so a sliver of Prussian blue was peering out through messy, chocolate hair. "Yeah, we can stay here for a little bit. The others won't need our help; they never did."

He reached forward and flipped on the viewscreens. Murky blue-gray water filled his vision with silvery fish darting back and forth in front of the Gundam - a strange, new object in their world. 'They never did,' Heero mentally repeated.

["Heero *please*!" Duo was begging him to go to a holiday celebration slash pilot reunion that Quatre was holding. Heero had been extremely intent on not going, but Duo was trying his hardest to pursuade him otherwise. "Kuso, Heero, you're *expected* to go. It wouldn't be a pilot reunion if only four of the five guys showed up! C'mon, it'll be fun!"

Heero levelled the best glare he could summon at the braided American. He hoped it would be enough and the boy would leave him alone, but Duo didn't seem fazed at all. His amethyst eyes took on a more solemn expression. "Onegai? We need you there, Heero. Damn it, *I* need you there."

The Japanese pilot felt his attention shift to Duo at the last sentence. 'What is he saying?' "Nani? Naze?"

Duo looked away abruptly, refusing to meet eye contact with the other former-Gundam pilot. "I..." Duo seemed apprehensive. It was like he suddenly found a difficulty with words that had always seemed to come so quickly, easily, and practically pointlessly before. "I... Suki da, Heero."

"Aa..." Heero heard himself reply dumbly. His mind was a wash of emotions, some he didn't like and others that he couldn't even identify. It took all of his control to will them down, more or less come up with a more decent response.

Duo was blushing furiously. "I got to go," he said quickly and hurried out of the room.]

The party had never happened because a couple days later Relena was kidnapped and soon after Mariemaia, with the Barton Group in tow, began their militaristic campaign to take over the Earth Sphere United Nations.

"We're not needed, ZERO; we just get in the way. If only I hadn't been born. Then...

["Niisan, are you lost?"]

...then the world would have benefitted from it."

The cockpit suddenly filled with a bright, yellow light, and when it faded, Heero was no longer submurged in Wing ZERO. He was standing in the middle of an intersection in a city he didn't recognize. He slowly turned in a circle, taking in his surroundings. There were inactive Mobile Suits and what looked like war monuments. The building that had been behind him had an elaborate, granite staircase leading to the main entrance, and it took Heero a moment to realize that it was Romefeller Headquarters.

What he had said just moments before in ZERO's cockpit dawned on him; he knew where - when? - he was, and that ZERO was trying to show him something.

*~**~*

Tsuzuku

[1] IIRC...I'm 99.999% sure he was in a Leo. Too lazy to check. ^_~