Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Masquerade ❯ Chapter Twenty ( Chapter 20 )

Chapter Twenty

Morning came too soon, and Sage dragged herself to the kitchen to start breakfast. Depressed and a little withered, she cooked and ate before the pilots got there, then left for the city. She needed a walk. Maybe a cup of coffee.

She heard someone-probably Duo-crashing down the stairs, and hurriedly flew out the door. Her tears were meant for herself, and only herself. She didn't feel like answering questions. Sage zipped up her coat, and then unzipped it again. Passerby was scarce, but each and every person looked her over twice, as if she was carrying a bomb or something.

Welcome to war, Miss Bennington.

And doomed to stay a Miss? He hadn't asked, but in a way, hadn't he? Her head hurt. Sage passed under the arched doorway of the small coffee shop and ordered a latte, sitting down in Duo's favorite chair. A few raised eyebrows came her way, but she ignored them. Her fingers twiddled with the communicator tied around her wrist, her mind muddled. She knew what she had to do.

The lady in the office took one look at her and sighed.

"State your name, age, and preferred college." Sage blinked.

"Sage Maria Bennington, seventeen, and... Um…" The lady raised a brow.

"Here's a list. And take your time-college is important. What do you want to study?"

"Chemistry, Medical School.. Or, I guess Engineering." The lady circled several schools on the sheet. Sage looked down with a sigh.

"Send applications to L73, X1783, and A89." She smiled and talked a little bit more-about the war, things like that. Superficial things. It didn't matter anymore-the war was going to be over soon, and then she would run. It would cause less painful heartbreak for Quatre, and now that she thought of it, herself. Her communicator started beeping incessantly, and she excused herself, grabbing her jacket and briskly walking outside. Now that that's done…

Her eyes widened at the message on her communicator, and she dropped her jacket and started at a dead run for the base.

"Sage!" Duo snatched her by the arm and pulled her into the hangar. She was vainly trying to pull on her shoes and turn off her communicator at the same time. The other four Gundams came to life slowly, eyes lighting. Duo sighed in exasperation, ripped Sage's communicator off her wrist, and grabbing her by the arm, pulled her towards Epyon and The Deathscythe.

"Who did it this time?" Sage struggled not to trip, and jumped into the cockpit, quickly strapping herself in.

"Some resistance forces-can't seem to learn that they already lost…" And then he was gone, with Sage close on his heels in bird mode.

Heero, Quatre, and Trowa were already working on driving the OZ forces back. Sage hovered a minute, surveying the battleground. Lovely. Right in the middle of what *used* to be a park! She cursed under her breath, and went back into MS mode with Epyon, unlatching the hot rod. In three swipes, several hundred suits were slashed right through into a melted heap on the ground, and the Epyon touched down behind the group, as the other five Gundam pilots surrounded OZ.

"Surrender-Your commander is dead." Heero's voice cut loud and clear through everyone's COM systems. Sage bowed her head for a minute, closing her eyes. How could someone be so heartless? Oh yes, she remembered now. She was heartless.

What have you become, Sage Bennington?

"We will never surrender! Our forces outnumber yours by four hundred times…"

Death…

Heero slashed through a couple of suits to his right just to make a point.

Destruction…

The Gundams slowly closed in, the mobile suits readied themselves.

Innocent Lives…

Sage's eyes shot open as the command came. The Zero system rippled through her veins, and she flashed into the dead center of the mob, killing right and left.

I don't want to be Sage Bennington anymore!

It was over in a moment-but not without its cost. All the Gundams were severely damaged, and Sandrock was nowhere to be seen.

Oh my God…

Sage snapped out of the belts-and jumped out onto the ruined ground below. She recognized the area.

No! Please, no!

The other pilots had come down also, searching for Sandrock's radar signal. Sage knew exactly where Quatre was-she stumbled through the rubble, crying.

Don't do this to me! Why couldn't it have been me? Why? Dammit!!!!!

She slammed to her knees by a large boulder, and she knew this was it. He couldn't have survived, but vainly she threw herself at the rock again and again in hopes of moving it. In a minute she felt someone's arms wrap around her and hold her back.

"Easy there. We'll get him out. Don't worry." Sage turned and sobbed into Duo's shirt.

"I hate war!!! I don't want to do this anymore-I quit!" She was shaking, gritting her teeth. Duo hugged her close.

"Shhhh…"