Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Phases of Memory ❯ Two Weeks Later ( Epilogue )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Disclaimer: I never have and I never will own Gundam Wing. I’m not that fortunate. :P And of course, the “negative content” in this story isn’t too much different from PG-13 movies.

AN: I’m making a nice extended version of the epilogue. It’s more material than what I gave Midii to beta because it is kind of dry in the beginning when compared to the second half of this epilogue. Enjoy!

Gundam Wing: Phases of Memory
Epilogue-Two weeks later
By Sailor Celaeno

Everyone at Preventer Headquarters filed their reports on the entire matter. PAGE was disbanded and hundreds of members were charged with several counts of terrorist activities. Linner, Cassandra Taylor, and Hikari Nahira were confirmed dead. Since Kari and Cass had no relations, Une had given the order that the sisters would be cremated and the ashes would be buried with their respective parents. Duo said it best when he said, “With those two, I don’t want them to get all X-Files on us.”

*****

Relena closed the inquiry of Une’s conduct in regard to the recent cases. Relena also helped Une put this particular one under wraps. Just as with the case of the Raptures, the truth had to be kept a tight secret. It would be really difficult to explain the existence of people with superpowers nearly causing the Apocalypse. Just as difficult to explain was the existence people from alternate universes. It could have dire consequences that would be unforeseen.
“You know Heero, I think Duo may be on to something,” Relena said as she walked out of the meeting room.
“What’s that?” Heero turned to Relena.
“We just might need to start our own version of the X-Files,” she said with an amused smiled on her face.
Heero managed a slight smile as they walked to her office.

*****

Duo and Hilde finally planned for their wedding. The date would be next May. Hilde had more time to work things out and coordinate the wedding. Duo let her plan her heart out. It was going to be her special day, so he let her run things. He was her adoring “Yes man.”
“Are you sure you really like this?” she showed him different patterns. She wanted his honest answers.
Duo smiled at her reassuringly. “Now you know you’re better at this sort of thing than me. Whatever you decide is good because…” he leaned over and gave her a kiss. “… it’s your special day. Whatever you really want will be yours. I promise that Hilde.”
Hilde was on the verge of tears. It was such a sweet thing for him to say. And she thanked him thoroughly afterwards.

*****

Cathy inquired after Midii’s whereabouts from Trowa. She was severely disappointed in his lack of concern. “Why don’t you care? I thought you love her.”
Trowa thought for a moment. “I suppose I do.”
“You suppose?” Catherine was ready to strangle her unromantic brother. How could he be so callous about Midii? Midii wasn’t perfect, but no matter what she did in the past, she did it because she thought it was the right thing to do. “What do you mean, suppose? You either love someone or you don’t. You can’t be in between!”
Trowa looked at his sister with a quiet, sad look on his face. “Does it matter?”
Catherine’s anger softened to pity. “I think I understand.”
“Midii doesn’t exist anymore.” He stared at the ground for a moment. “I didn’t really believe that I loved her, but when I realized she was still alive…” he sighed and looked back up at his sister. “I knew that she was alive, but… seeing her in the flesh was something else all together. Seeing her staring back at me, I didn’t see Midii there anymore. Knowing she’s there, but not really there made me realize…”
Catherine had a smile. “You love her. I knew you did.” She smiled teasingly at him. “A sister knows these things.” Trowa just shoved his hands in his pockets. “But why didn’t you follow her? You could have started over.”
“I would have been starting over with another woman. That’s not the same thing.”
Cathy’s smile faded. “It really wouldn’t have been the same. I see that now.” She closed her eyes thoughtfully.
“She chose to leave. I couldn’t force her to stay. She’s going to look for herself just like I did. She’ll know where to find me.” Trowa walked away from Catherine to check up on his motorcycle.
Catherine couldn’t help smiling as she watched her brother. “My, my Trowa… You’re quite the romantic after all.” She was staring at a man, who left every famous romantic hero behind in the dust. He blew them all away like dust in a tornado. Catherine walked to some large crates, and leaned back on them. She stared at the afternoon sun slowly creeping towards the horizon. She wondered where Midii was right then and now. Maybe she’ll come back… just maybe.

*****

Wufei and Sally continued working. They were working on another relatively minor case. It mostly involved paperwork and Wufei was somewhat bored with it as was Sally. They did take advantage of the downtime for other pursuits.
Wufei’s paper basketball was improving as the hours dragged on endlessly. The piles of papers grew everyday and it made paper basketball all the more diverting. “I’d much rather chase after criminals than work on all that damn paper. Why can’t some prisoner escape from jail or something?”
Sally laughed. “Unfortunately, prison is much more secure than in the old days, Wufei.” Sally leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Staring at the papers too long would be unhealthy for the eyes so she occasionally closed her eyes or walked around the department floor.
“I hate that just because we’re higher ranking Preventers that we’re still stuck doing paperwork. In fact, more paperwork than those newbies,” Wufei grumbled. Normally Wufei wouldn’t mind doing desk job, but having nothing but desk job duties and more paper work coming in than out would drive anyone to the cliffs of insanity.*
Sally smiled at her boyfriend and partner, “Believe me Wufei, knowing our kind of luck trouble will be brewing soon enough. There’s no need invite it over so quickly. Wasn’t it already tough enough dealing with vengeance-crazed Newtypes and then covering up their existence?”
Wufei made another three-pointer as she finished. “I guess you’re right Sally. There really isn’t a point wishing for trouble when it’ll be coming soon enough.”
“My thoughts exactly. Now… have you and Duo gone tux shopping?”
“Not quite. But knowing Duo, we won’t be doing that until the day before the wedding,” Wufei smiled at the thought.

*****

Zechs and Noin began the relocation process for their move to Mars. Annie was a great concern on their minds. She didn’t exhibit any further psychic behavior. However, they were watchful just the same. They were planning to test her and themselves for Newtype factors.

*****

Quatre was going for therapy and seeing Nova to overcome his shortcomings. Now that he had more intense powers, he needed to control them better. He felt that he lost too much control.
“I don’t want to hurt people again. I just… want to be better.”
Nova understood. She gave him exercises to control his powers. He was becoming more telepathic. He could produce high intensity force fields. He had some telekinetic abilities, but the trigger involved anger. He had to use that power at will. “Don’t worry Quatre. You’re progressing and things will get better.”

*****

Preventers had little luck locating the rest of Linner’s Newtypes. Une offered to help the few that they knew of. They all chose to live as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. She hoped that she would be able to give them a new start and second chance. It did bother her that there were still a few Newtypes still unaccounted for. Not to mention the possibility of other natural born Newtypes like Quatre.

*****

Quatre left Nova’s office when he saw Heero. “Hi Heero. What are you doing here?”
“Nova’s in?” he asked getting to the point.
Quatre frowned as he sensed suspicion from Heero. “I just left her.”
Heero simply stuck his hands into his pockets. “Next time ask permission before you scan people.”
Quatre had a sheepish smile. “He must be one too. He’s too perceptive to not be a Newtype.”
Heero was soon at Nova’s office. She stared out of her office windows. There was a steaming cup of tea in her hand. She casually sipped from the cup as she watched the passers-by on the street. “Would you like a cup also, Heero?”
“No, thank you,” he walked further into the office. He could see a tea set on her desk. There was an empty cup and a pastry dish with only a few crumbs on it. “I hear Quatre is improving.”
“He’s a fast learner, and he’s a patient one as well. His progress is excelling beyond my expectations.” She turned around to face the stern Preventer.
“Are you planning to use him?” he gave a cold glance at his dubious ally.
She gave him a winsome smile. “Not more so than you or the other pilots.”
“You must be using us, especially Quatre. You’ve taken efforts to protect Quatre from suspicion, when we both know the truth. He caused the explosion in his building. His unstable behavior at our confrontation with Cassandra Taylor proves it.”
“Why must you struggle against me? I’m your ally. We’re after the same things Heero.”
“You don’t care who gets in the way.”
“You felt that way not so long ago.”
Heero was silently glaring at her on the target comment.
“You have a great deal to lose. You’re not willing to destroy anything in your way. Relena…”
Heero continued his glaring. “And I suppose your mission is too important for insects like us to matter.”
Nova was silent.
“You’re going to have us killed when our time is up,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Believe it or not, I’m expendable too.”
“You? Expendable. You’ve been given a great deal of power. More than many other senshi, much less a normal human being. How could you be expendable?”
“You of all people should understand, that anyone who is useful eventually outlives that usefulness.” She slowly walked towards the stern faced soldier. “There’s a war that most people don’t realize is happening right now. There are many like me trying to make sure that people like Relena, don’t have to get involved. But things have gotten to the point where your version of the Earth is at risk. At any given time ESUN could be attacked. More people could die than in the Eve Wars. Unlike Zechs or Treize, they wouldn’t give a second thought to destroying Earth. They’d crush every human being like bugs. It’s the choice of evils Heero. Protecting you and your friends at the cost of a few, or sacrificing the entire human population. Which price would you rather pay?”
Heero was getting worried. He always knew that Nova’s senshi duties were very important, but were they so dire? “What are we supposed to do that’s so important for your war?”
Nova smiled. “You’re a hero of the Eve Wars. You should understand the stakes. I’m making sure that you and the others are ready.”
“Are we then?” he asked.
“You still have a lot to do before the time comes.”
“How did you save Quatre?”

*****

A minute before the explosion at Quatre’s building

“You wanted to see me?” Sailor Pluto said after the dimensional portal was closed.
“Yes, I need you to pause the flow of time for a few minutes.”
Sailor Pluto frowned. “That’s not possible unless there’s a mandate that allows this.”
“Of course I have the mandate.”
Sailor Pluto was always reluctant to do anything to the flow of time. She was worried that damage could be caused. “When was this mandate obtained?”
“From the beginning when we were given instructions to deal with this universe. I was given the order that I may do whatsoever is necessary to ensure that the flow of destiny is going according to plan.” Nova looked up at Pluto with reassurance. “Besides… you know I’d never ask you to do this unless it was necessary. You realize that if anything happens to those pilots before their time, then we’ve failed. I know this is cheating, but don’t forget we are in the position to cheat. I have the carte blanche to do it.”
Pluto nodded in concession. “What exactly will you be doing?”
“Simple Pluto, I’m going to frame someone else for murder.”
Pluto frowned. “This isn’t like you. It’s very underhanded.”
Nova threw a sharp look at Pluto, “Not telling Sailor Moon the truth about Pharaoh 90 and the Holy Grail was underhanded as well. Lives were risked in the process and almost lost. I don’t need you or anyone else to preach sermons at me. We’ve all had to do tough things to save this universe and the thousands of others out there. We are expendable as other humans.”
Pluto sighed. “I know, but I was hoping you wouldn’t do this. Killing people in a war is one things, but this isn’t a war.”
“You know this is a war. It’s a secret war that has no mobile suits or swords swinging, but the costs are high. If the Newtypes aren’t controlled, they will create an apocalypse that will destroy this universe.”
Sailor Pluto closed her eyes. “I can’t believe that the Powers let things get so far out of hand.”
“It seems that we were diverted with other problems. In the meantime, we’ll have to correct the mistakes the humans in the world have made.”
“Very well.” With a flash, Nova transformed into Sailor Celaeno. They were at Quatre’s apartment building with only 30 seconds to spare. “I’ll pause Time.” With a cry and a flourish of her time key wand, time paused frozen in one moment.
Sailor Celaeno nodded as she proceeded. She quickly attached a time bomb to a pillar in the lobby. She tapped the timer for 30.01 seconds and she turned to Pluto. “I’ve set it. Let’s leave.”
“What’s your plan exactly?”
“Simply this Pluto. Right now, Quatre’s powers are surging through him. It’s as though he was an electric generator and for some reason the power flowing isn’t able to get out of him. The buildup could kill him and will undoubtedly kill others near him. However, if a bomb was to set off, their deaths will be blamed on the bomb, and his power will save him.”
“How are you so sure the powers will save him and not kill him?”
“The energy buildup is telekinetic force field energy. The force of his energy will cause the building to explode. But if the energy was diverted to prevent exploding material from harming him…”
“Then he’ll survive, so he won’t be the one that kills anyone that dies.” Sailor Pluto had to admit that the grim plan was well considered. “He’s a Newtype and just as dangerous as the ones we’re trying to stop.”
“That may be true, but Quatre can still be controlled. Not all of them can be. We’ll deal with them in time.” They had left the scene. And behind them about two miles away, there was a loud explosion.

*****

Heero nodded. “I see now.”
“Will that be all?”
“For now…”
Nova laughed. “You’ll keep searching for the truth. But you’re only going to learn what I let you know.”
Heero left the office. Nova cleared her desk before she walked towards a highly guarded facility. Nova could see Iria was stretching her arms from a long day of hard work. “What brings you down here?”
“I was coming to see Dr. Longbourne.”
Iria had a concerned look on her face. There were rumors circulating among her colleagues of what Longbourne’s latest project was. The rumors said that it was something that Nova had specifically assigned to the doctor. He was also a scientist working on the late Dr. Eichenbauer’s regeneration process. Rumors spread that Nova had a body that needed regenerating. Iria didn’t want to believe the rumors. After all Nova was a family friend and she was the deciding vote in the candidate panel that chose her for their biotech department. “I see.”
“I can see the rumors have gotten to you Dr. Winner.”
Iria blushed. “I don’t believe all that nonsense ghoulish things they’ve been saying about Dr. Longbourne’s project.”
Nova looked around the apparently empty lab. “It’s because I have the confidence in you that I’m going to ask you to assist Dr. Longbourne when he requires it.”
“I… well… I will, but my research…”
“Yes, your research is important, but this only requires two hours a week, tops. Only the doctor, myself, and two of his assistants are fully aware of what the procedure involves. The patient is recovering and responding well to the regeneration. I need your nursing skills. The assistants aren’t able to cover the entire time necessary. I hope you could spare the time until I find a more permanent third assistant.”
Iria was burning with curiosity at who this mysterious patient was. “Of course. I think this patient could divert my mind on my breaks.”
“Thank you. It shouldn’t take more than a month to find a suitable person. I’ll show you your charge.”
Iria followed Nova towards the highly secured complex that Loungbourne went into nearly everyday for months. Nova pressed her hand on the panel. The door slid open. “I’ll have this panel programmed to recognize your DNA by Monday.”
They continued down a long sterile hallway that seemed to go on endlessly. “Why the secrecy Miss Nova? I just don’t understand.”
Nova stopped and turned around to face Iria. “Dr. Winner, do you know about Plato’s belief in telling noble lies?”
“Noble… lies?” Iria frowned. What had she just gotten herself into?
“Sometimes people have to be lied to. Sometimes the truth is too big… too frightening for people to truly understand. This is one of those noble lies. I’m going to disillusion you because I know you’re not the type to runaway when you’re being confronted by reality.”
“I’m frightened now.”
Nova gave a sad smile. “You’re not afraid of the truth. You’re afraid of your preconceptions of that truth.” Nova led Iria to an unassuming door. She opened it with a small click. They entered.
“A lab. Just like the one in the biotech wing.”
“I’ve equipped this building with exact copies of the biotech equipment for the doctor to use.”
A balding, middle-aged man appeared from a side-room. “I see Dr. Winner accepted your offer.”
“Yes, she has. We should see your patient.”
The three people left the lab and walked towards another hallway that formed and “L” corner to the building. It was a row of hospital rooms. There were at least 23 rooms on that floor. “What is this building for?” Iria broke the silence.
“Ah. This building is where I perform my own research. You see there are nearly 100 hospital rooms in here,” replied the doctor.
“Are they all occupied?”
“Yes. I’m performing my regeneration research on these patients. All the families approved. A few have no families so we simply got permission from the state. However… the patient you’ll be helping us with is a special case.”
“Special? How?” Iria asked nervously.
“No one outside this building knows he is here,” answered Nova. They stopped in front of a door labeled 47. Nova opened the door. There was a figure propped up on the bed. A white shroud was wrapped around the patient’s forehead signifying he received some head injuries.
Iria, Nova, and Longbourne approached the bed. The man watched the three enter. Iria’s eyes widened as the man’s identity became clear to her. “My God! How is this possible? He’s alive!”
“I’d like you to meet Dr. Winner,” Nova spoke to the patient.
The man smiled. “I’m in capable hands I see.”

*-reference to “The Princess Bride” by William Goldman.

AN: So ends the dark story of Cassandra and Hikari. However, who is this mystery patient? If you smell a story, you’re right! In the next story I will reveal who he is! I can assure he is important in the next story. Feel free to make a guess who you think it is! ^_^

Stay tuned for “Legend of the Dream Stalker” coming December 20th weekend! Also coming up will be Duo and Hilde’s wedding! I’m even working on an AU story. ^_^;; Damn.. those muses are keeping me REALLY busy, aren’t they?