Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Burnout ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Burnout

By Weissangel24

08/14/03

The boring legal stuff:

Warning: This fic contains violence, mild language, light Ooc, and Shounen-ai. If such things bother you either don't read it or keep your comments to yourself.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of the characters. This fic was written purely for the enjoyment of crazed fans such as myself. I'm not getting rich off of this, so please don't sue me. I need what little money I have to get married.

Comments and Criticisms are welcomed, but please don't be nasty about them.

I am the self nominated Queen of Sap.

You have been warned.

^-^

Timeline: AU. This story happens before Quatre builds Wing Zero. All of the pilots know each other and have become trusted comrades, if not friends.

Author's note: This is early on in the story and difficult to give an accurate timeline at the moment.

Warning: Timeline may subject to change.

Arigato.

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Prologue

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The sounds of explosions echoed through the stormy night, rivaled only by the clash of thunder. Despite the torrential downpour, many large fires burned out of control through out the city. Screams of terror from civilians filled the night amidst the sounds of enemy mobile suits.

Quatre Raberba Winner watched all of this pan out from the cockpit of his Gundam Sandrock. He felt so helpless. People were dying and there was nothing he could do. Every injury sent an ache through his heart. Every death, a pin prick of pain. Every tormented heart grieving the deaths of lost loved ones sent pure agony through him, leaving him incapacitated. The blonde was paler than usual. His skin felt cold and he found breathing difficult, for the confines of the cockpit were suffocating.

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"Colonel, the Gundam 04 is not retaliating. It's just standing there." A young lt. reported, "Orders, Ma'am?"

The cold image of Lady Une blipped on the screen, //Destroy it of course!// she ordered.

"Ma'am!" The lt. acknowledged maneuvering his black Aries to attack.

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// Q-man!// Duo's frantic voice yelled over the com. // You've got incoming!// The braided Gundam pilot got no response from his subdued partner. //Damn it, Quatre! Snap out of it or you're going to be destroyed!//

The blonde was hunched over, his thin fingers tearing at his heart trying to find some relief from the horrors he was sensing. "Oh, Allah…" he whimpered.

//QUATRE!// Duo screamed as Deathscythe slashed at a land Leo with its thermal scythe. //WATCH OUT!//

Slowly, almost surreally, the smaller pilot registered the desperateness of the warning and looked up to see a large missile headed directly for him. For a moment, the traumatized boy simply watched it sail towards him. Then, some small sense of realization struck him and in a panicked attempt, he tried to move his trusted Sandrock out of the way. However, the pain from the frightened people bombarded the empathy and he became instantly paralyzed.

//QUATRE!//

The only thing left for the Arabian pilot was to watch his impending doom come and scream…

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"TROWA!"

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A crash of thunder followed by a flash of blinding lightening filled the room. Once died, the only remaining sounds were the steady pitter patter of rain from the roof, and the near hyperventilating rhythm of the terrified boy's breathing, as he jolted awake.

Blinking away sleep, the disoriented blonde began to get his bearings. `I'm alive…' He thought with a shudder, his fingers tightly wrapped in his sweat soaked sheets. `I'm in my room…' Another wave of thunder and lightening boomed in the night. Quatre jumped, "It was a nightmare?" He pondered aloud.

"One of the strongest you've had in a long time." A stoic boy said with a note of concern. He set down a lit candle on the nightstand and sat on the bed next to the dazed boy, "Power is out." He explained.

Mutely, the Arabian nodded, the emotions and visions of the dream still seeming too real. "Was I loud?" He whispered, his thin form shivering with left over fright and adrenaline.

"A little." The taller boy admitted honestly. "You woke me, however, Hiiro has of yet to burst in here, weapons drawn, so I don't think you were too bad." Again the blonde mutely nodded. "Are you okay?"

The blonde's blue eyes glistened in the dim light of the candle. No matter how he replied, Trowa knew that he was still shaken up. "I… I will be…" Quatre answered in all honesty.

"It was THE dream?" The banged boy cocked an eyebrow.

The blonde pondered the question. The taller boy was referring to another dream, similar to the one he just had. One that repeatedly haunted his sleepless nights. "Iie…" He answered quietly, "This is another…I'm sorry to have woken you."

"It's alright." The taller boy said looking at the cream colored carpet, "You saved me from my own nightmare."

"Oh…" the smaller boy murmured.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a long while just listening to the raging storm. After a time, the banged boy blinked his visible green eye as if fighting off sleep while stifling a yawn that threatened to escape him.

"Oh!" The blonde gasped, "Gomen, Trowa! I didn't mean to keep you up! You have a mission in the morning too! Oh- Gomen ne!" Quatre's fingers curled into his covers, "I wasn't trying to be selfish…"

Trowa watched the smaller teenager with mild amusement as he began to worry himself into a frenzy. The stoic teenager even allowed himself a small smile towards the blonde.

"You should go back to bed!" Quatre insisted, "You might get hurt if you're not rested for your mission! Please, Tro-." His pleading was silenced as Trowa covered Quatre's mouth with his fingers. The blonde blinked startled, "T…Trowa?"

"Don't worry about me." He said standing. "I couldn't sleep, even if I wanted to." He glanced at the old fashioned coo-coo clock that hung by the door, "Besides, I'd have to get up in twenty minutes anyway." He offered another faint smile towards the smaller boy, "What about you? It's your day off, you should sleep in."

Another wave of thunder bellowed followed by an exquisite display of lightening. Quatre flinched away form the mighty acts of God. "Me?" The blonde shook his head slowly, his eyes down cast. "Iie, sleep will not return to me, not tonight anyway…"

Trowa raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Is that so?" Quatre nodded. "In that case, why don't we have some tea or something before the others wake?"

Quatre's blue eyes met the banged boy's visible green. "I…I'd like that… very much… thank you…"

"Then come along." Trowa gestured to the candle.

The blonde reached for the burning stick of white wax and after donning his slippers, padded across the plush carpet to where the taller boy waited. The smaller boy looked up and smiled gently, before a rage of thunder startled him, making him yelp and almost drop the candle.

Quatre leaned against the wall, avoiding Trowa's inquiring look, his cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I…I'm sorry…"

"You're afraid of thunder?"

Quatre frowned, "It's childish, I know…It's just…"

"It sounds like artillery fire." Trowa supplied.

Quatre looked up at him amazed, "Exactly…How did…" Trowa shrugged. "You won't tell?"

"Why would I?"

"Don't you think it's a weakness?" Quatre asked. "That I might freeze during battle?"

Trowa looked down at the smaller boy, as the thunder rolled again, though this time it sounded farther away. Still, the blonde cringed against the sound. "It never crossed my mind."

Again the blonde looked up at him in awe, and then he humbly bowed his head, "Thank you, Trowa."

The taller boy took the candle from his friend, "Come on. The storm is almost over, and I could really use some coffee." Quatre nodded and followed him down to the kitchen.

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Both pilots were surprised to see that the kitchen already had occupants.

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To be continued…