Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Hating a Phoenix ❯ Chapter 16.0 Epilogue ( Epilogue )

Hating a Phoenix

Final Epilogue

By: Firey Angelwings

 

***I feel like I'm making peace with myself, or something along those lines. I'm sort of blocking out the information that decrees that this is the LAST part of HaP. It's like I've been writing this for a long time and now it's coming to an end. Oh well, there's always the sequel, right?

Disclaimer: Just in case you haven't noticed the disclaimers in all the previous chapters, I first recommend that you get your sight checked by a qualified optometrist. Also: I don't own Gundam Wing, it's characters, blah blah blah. But if you take my story, then I'll take your money.

 

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     Just over an hour ago, the regular stillness and bleak blankness of space had been transformed into a melee of activity. Every direction was peppered by explosions, sophisticated machines firing by like gnats in a swarm, weapons upon weapons.

 

     That was before.

 

     It seemed to have returned to its regular state; space, that is. As it always does, ageless through time and transformation. Countless battles it had seen, and probably more to come in the pending millenia.

 

     Once the odds had been equalled, skill had won over quantity. In blunt terms, it translates to: the Purifiers and their troops lost.

 

     Defeat had been obvious from the time that Wing Zero had delivered the crushing final blow to the main battleship. The remaining Taurus suits had put up a valiant and worthwhile effort, but the lack of a leader and a leader's orders proved to be too much. Yet more proof for the need of independance, whether in battle or on one's own.

 

     And now, residing once more in the large mansion on Mars' red earth, the battle's, nay, the war's heroes stilled their celebration. They waited for news, they waited for hope, because one of their ranks was in a dire situation, and for all they knew, she could be dead.

 

     Even Trowa, the mysterious and silent of the group began to fidget nervously, which was a normal characteristic of a bored Duo Maxwell. The God of Death, however, was far past that point in his boundless worry for Relena, and for his own Hilde.

 

     And though he didn't allow any of his internal emotions to pierce through the titanium of his mask, Heero Yuy's insides were writhing; a sensation he had never actually experienced before. He didn't like it.

 

    His mind was ever working, trying to figure out just were Relena had actually gone to have her operation take place. Dr J had been very vague to Heero when he had asked for him to deliver his message to Relena.

 

     “She'll know where to go.” Had been the doctor's exact words. It bothered Heero to no end, and now he could do nothing if Relena needed him. Horrible situation, and he prayed (in his own private way) that he should never find himself in a similar situation ever again.

 

     All the occupans of the room, the habitants of the mansion, had their own private theories racing through their brains. They all were slightly afraid to break the silence, as if it were a sacred and holy relic that must be maintained.

 

     The single door on the east side of the room slid open with a hiss.

 

     Each and every single head in the room shot in that direction with an attentiveness that a teacher could only dream of from her students. But they were hardly gratified when the person they least wanted to see waltzed into the room.

 

     The menace was evident on all of their features as they laid eyes upon Milliardo Peacecraft. He, in turn, stopped his walk and regarded the group with a slight puzzlement. Before he could pose a question, however, Wufei stood up and declared, “I cannot believe that you can show your face to us so easily, coward.”

 

     Confusion was almost oozing from Milliardo's pores as he scratched the back of his head wearily. “Excuse me?”

 

     Duo shot out of his chair quickly, with fury untamed. “What the hell? It's not like you aren't aware of how you just packed up and left when the going got tough back in the heat of battle. And you call yourself a warrior! Pathetic!”

 

     A smirk pasted itself to Milliardo's fine features as one eyebrow arched delicately. He chuckled softly, which appeared to enrage them all, but spoke quietly, though with supreme confidence. “Do not talk to me like that. You are guests in my house, please remember.”

 

     All the rest of the men in the room, with the exception of Heero, who seemed to be asleep, got up to protest. Before they could make valid accusations, two more people swept in the room. One of them waved her hand easily and snapped playfully yet firmly, “Shut up. All of you. Do not make accusations before you know all the facts.”

 

     There was a silence of astonishment that filled the room, but it was cut short by the joyous cry of the others. “Relena!”

 

     Most of them stood up and vyed for the position to embrace her slight frame wholeheartedly. She laughed aloud and pushed most of them away, embarrassed at the attention. She rubbed her forehead and muttered innocently, “Gee, I didn't know that you all cared so much.”

 

     Some laughed at her comment as they approached Hilde and hugged her as well. When Duo finally pushed his way to his lady, he had no trouble planting a sweet kiss on her lips, his anxiety disappeared.

 

     Quatre pulled up to chairs for the women to sit in. Relena slid into hers, smiling. Hilde followed suit.

 

     They wasted no time, when Cathy inquired eagerly, “What happened?”

 

     As Milliardo rested his arms on the bacl of Relena's chair, she began her short tale. “Well, we went for the operation. I'm told it all went well until the very end, where there was a disruption of sorts and Dr J accidentally hit a major artery. Hence, there was a hell of a lot of bloodloss.”

 

     Sally put a hand over her gaping mouth, but Relena continued on steadily. “He managed to sew the artery before I bled to death, and finished the operation. Unfortunately, a natural reaction upon loss of too much blood is going into a coma, which I did. The only way to get out of it is a normal blood level, which makes the patient strong enough to recover. The catch was....”

 

     She rolled her head in Milliardo's direction, behind her. “Phoenix blood is completely different from human blood, therfore I couldn't have a transfusion. Luckily, Milliardo sensed this and left your battle. I let him know my position and he came to the place where this all was happening. From there, he just...well...gave blood to the cause. So there's your justification.”

 

     There was a collective round of “Oh”s from the room. Each of the people who had spoken harsh words to Milliardo caught his eye contact and said the necessary apologies. He shrugged them off with an elegance all his own.

 

**************

 

(Two hours later)

 

     The group sat huddled around the television. They were only missing Milliardo, Noin, Heero, Wufei and Sally. In all bluntness, they were personifying laziness, and thoroughly enjoying it, at that.

 

     Periodically, there would be sporadic bursts of laughter as they conducted their own conversations with each other, though sometimes involving the entire group in a serious discussion.

 

     In the middle of a long chain of advertisements, thre appeared a commercial for Artemis' new CD, with its impending tour. When Quatre caught Relena's attention and motioned towards the screen, a visible, carnal blush streaked her cheeks and throat.

 

     There were chuckles at this. Duo impishly asked, “So where does Artemis' career go from here, Lena?”

 

     She pondered the question for a few moments, but answered confidently. “Up, I hope. It's not as if I'm quitting the business or anything. I'm not sure that you realize this, but the rest of humanity thinks Relena Peacecraft is dead, and I intend to keep it that way.”

 

     Trowa turned towards her and questioned seriously, “So you're going to keep making music under the guise of Artemis.”

 

     Laughing, Relena tossed a pillow at his head. “It's no `guise'. It's just my middle name. If anything was a guise, it was being Relena Dorlain, with the fake face and the fake hair. But yes, I will continue. I love it. It makes me feel alive.”

 

     They all left the topic, some admiring Relena's confidence and forthrightedness. She smiled to herself, considering all the good songs she could write, especially now that she was in better spirits and better company.

 

     But they all never leave the entire category of teasing, so the topic eventually came up of Duo and his leading lady. Cathy inquired slyly, “So....Duo. Let's get to the bottom line.”

 

     Bewildered, Duo shot back, “What?”

 

     She grinned triumphantly, ignoring Hilde's frantic gestures which clearly conveyed the message of `shut up'. “Truth time. What's up with you and Hilde.”

 

     Duo looked like a tomato when the blush turned fullblown, but then determined. He got to his feet, pulling Hilde along with him.

 

     The others were clearly amused, as Relena began to clap softly. Hilde evidently was not, but Duo was stronger then her, therefore, she could not break free of his vice grip.

 

     He held her hand up and said in a comedic yet sensitive tone, “I now pledge my eternal love and devotion to thee, Hild-ee. Hey! That rhymes!”

 

     Rolling her eyes noticeably Hilde pulled her wrist away, spitting back at him as she exited the room, “You're a fool, Maxwell!”

 

     He acted mock-alarmed and hurt, throwing out his arms exagerratedly, “Wait, my love! Where are you going? Don't leave me! I cannot live without you, my dearest! WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY FOOL? That's a love term, right? Hey!”

 

     Following her exit, Duo rocketed out of the room, giggling crazily. The entire room burst into laughter and returned to their normal distraction: television.

 

*************

 

     Alone and watchful, Wufei leaned against the wood railing of the main upper west balcony of the mansion. Through his time on Mars, it had been his favorite spot to stand and ponder whatever he'd like. It had not gone unnoticed under Sally Po's eyes.

 

     She leaned casually against the open doorway to the French doors that led out to the balcony. The semi-transparent curtains from inside blew in random directions with the breeze. Sally watched Wufei watch the stars.

 

     Continually fascinated by this man, she never gave up trying to get to know him. And recently, he had been all the more approachable. It was a welcome change, but she wasn't sure in what direction, though it definitely was positive, she liked it.

 

     Startling her out of her private thoughts and considerations, Wufei's voice cut clear through the peaceful (literally and figuratively) night air. “Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to join me, Ms. Po? I'm not sure that I like the scrutiny.”

 

     With an almost tender look in her eyes, Sally walked slowly towards his right side, already apologizing softly. “I'm not trying to invade your privacy. I didn't mean...”

 

     She trailed off in her new sense of confusion as she came upon the small, pleasant smile curling Wufei's lips. Sally cocked her head to the side and finally made it to the railing, her head turned towards him. “You should smile more often, you know. It's nice.”

 

     Pausing at this, Wufei regarded her out of the corner of his eye and laughed aloud and with a powerful abandon. It was yet another change in his demeanor, an once more, Sally was puzzled.

 

     It was as though she were a mouse running through an never-ending maze of swirling colors. But it was an undeniable pull that kept her trying to finish the maze. The maze that was Wufei's persona.

 

     “What're you going to do, now that the war with the Purifiers is over?” She asked respectfully, for she was indeed curious.

 

     He had truly turned over the question time and time again now in his mind. Even at this moment, a long time after his first second of consideration, Wufei was no closer to an answer.

 

     When he didn't answer, Sally switched her tack. “Are you tired, Wufei?”

 

     Her light tone, surprised him. It showed that she wasn't asking a deep question, just a regular conversation. He was grateful for the change. “Not really.”

 

     She smiled and tugged his upper arm. He looked mildly confused, searching for answers in her eyes. Sally started to pull him towards the doors. “What? I asked if you aren't tired and you're not. Therefore, I deem that you are fully able to come out with me to get a coffee. I'm thirsty and I don't want to go alone.”

 

     Relaxing, Wufei shook his head in amusement, but allowed himself to be pulled away from his spot. Apparently, tonight he would not be alone with the stars. But was that a good thing? Only time would tell.

 

***************

 

     Silence seemed to always be the best communication between the Peacecraft brother and sister. It was as though they understood each other without words.

 

     Or so they would have all other persons believe. The truth was that though Relena had her brother's psyche mapped out perfectly, well enough to predict his every move, Milliardo still found his younger sister to be an enigma. One that would only give up information if she wished it to be so.

 

      A frustrating position he held, but Milliardo did not pay very much attention to it, for there really was nothing he could do. Besides, did he really want to know everything about his sister? The answer to THAT question was a big neon `No'.

 

     And so, Relena and Milliardo remained in silence in the heart of the mansion's extensive gardens. The older of the pair stood like a marble statue, looking into the reflective water of a nearby fountain, while the younger sat tentatively on a stone bench.

 

     In time, Relena looked up, the faraway moonlight which rarely ever graced the surface of Mars in the way that it did to Earth, traced the curves of her cheekbones and strong jawline. Her eyes were almost wistful; an unreadable expression of affection present in their fiery depths, her long eyelashes so close together that they almost touched.

 

     She tipped her head to the side ever slightly, smooth hair falling lightly over one shoulder. Finally, Relena spoke quietly. “Thank you, brother.”

 

     He barely acknowledged this statement for quite a while. But when Milliardo eventually turned away from the cool fountain, his face revealed the undisguised sufferings of a tortured soul. He answered with the same piano dynamics. “What is there to thank me for, Relena? This whole time, I have done nothing to aid you, nothing to advise you, nothing to help you through the times where you might have lost your very sanity. Please tell me, what is there to thank me for?”

 

     Concern and understanding transformed her eyes into smoldering embers. Leaning forward, Relena replied to his question firmly, “It is not what you have done physically, Milliardo. That means nothing to me in the end, when I look back upon what I have done.”

 

     He chuckled, but it was the light laughter of a man who neared the fearful edge0 of going mad. He faced her completely and motioned extravagantly. “Well, what else is there then, pray tell.”

 

     Flinching mildly at his mocking and cocky tone, Relena elaborated, “You have been there. That is all that matters to me. When I know that you are there, that you are close to me, that is when I am confident. That is when I have the means to do what must be done.”

 

     An expression of desperation crossed her features. “Don't you see?”

 

     He watched her, noting how she reached out to him, trying to save him from falling to eventual madness. Going mad from his greatest fear: that he would never be needed, that he would someday become useless. To her, to Noin, to everyone...

 

     Bolting from the stone bench upon which she sat, Relena went before him and took his hands. They were cool, like the night breeze. She held his icy gaze. “Don't you see that I draw my strength from you? And if you are lost, then I most certainly would be lost with you, Milliardo my brother.”

 

     Disbelief flickered on his face. Oh, but how he loved the way Relena said his name. Milliardo, he cried for the life that he and his sibling could never have had. He cried for his parents which she couldn't remember. He cried for the lost life, where Relena would never have had this harsh way of living. Yes, yes he did cry, with such an abandon that if any should have seen it, then the rest of existence would have cried along with him and his sorrow.

 

     But Milliardo wouldn't let her see that. He supposed that he was destined to be tortured, and he could go along with it as long as Relena as not the same as he. And if he had to live this life, let it be for her, for her future, her descendants.

 

     “No.” Relena examined him sadly, her own tears rivering on her lower eyelashes. To see such pain....what was the cause? “Let it not be for me. It is for you, Milliardo, it is but a test, and when it passes, you shall live in a happiness that none have ever known. You need someone to draw your strength from, just as I draw mine from you. I see that it drains you, the way I depend, and you must find your own life source.”

 

     Confused was his main emotion now, blocking the sadness. Tragic sadness. Would it remain evermore? Or would it dispel as Relena decreed it would? Milliardo repeated softly, as if a child might, “My own life source.”

 

     Nodding slowly, Relena shared a bit of her private information. She touched her brother's cheek with the tips of her fingers. “And you know...I think you've already found that person.”

 

     His head shot up and caught her eyes curiously. A corner of his mouth twitched upwards and he inquired lazily, “And who might that be?”

 

     Relena maintained her serious stare, but answered him. “Someone you do love, but you do not trust enough see your private emotions. You fear to draw your strength from hers, because you believe that she isn't strong enough.”

 

     Whispering sharply, Milliardo hissed, “Noin.”

 

     Smiling sadly as before, Relena nodded, drawing a few steps back. “Yes, Lucrezia. But you must see that she nor I are glass dolls. We have our own strength. Worry about yourself for now, not for us. We are adults, and you must come to realize it.”

 

     Looking for guidance, Milliardo rose from his depressed state and started. “What must I do?” He asked in a hushed inquiry, eager.

 

     Now her smile turned serene as Relena completed. “Go to her, Milliardo. And don't hold back.”

 

     He rose to his full height. Milliardo nodded, and in an oldfashioned manner, he bowed to her ever slightly. He took leave of her, passing through one of the doorways in the nearby hedges, focusing on something.

 

     Standing in the eerie silence of the night, Relena tipped her head up and fully savored the beauty of this night, this one peaceful night. A harsh and bitter peace, perhaps, but it was peace. For now.

 

     And after all these events apertaining to Maxwell Pavey, she had gained a new outlook on life. She took in the surrounding loveliness as if it were a delicious drink.

 

     Suddenly, an amused grin wound its way to her lips, curving them into a devilish smile. She whirled and called out in a challenging voice, “Do not stay in the dark. I am alone. You can emerge from your hiding spot.”

 

     There was the sound of a throat clearing itself behind her. Relena turned around sharply, almost losing her balance. There, upon the stone bench where she had previously sat, was Heero Yuy.

 

     Analyzing him, Relena came upon the truth that Heero looked all the more dark and mysterious in the night. It caused some interesting sensations to well up inside of her. In a reprimanding tone, she demanded, “And what do you want?”

 

     He shrugged in his trademark careless manner and stood. He was indeed taller then her, and his eyes were intense beyond words. His voice was low. “Nothing. I was walking and I stopped here.”

 

     Rolling her eyes, Relena stretched out her arms behind her, working out the kinks. “How...convenient. But, this does provide a perfect opprtunity.”

 

     Raising an eyebrow, Heero questioned warily, “For what?”

 

     She grinned and retorted, “To figure out our situation. I was dreading to go and find you, as that would have been near-impossible, but here you are.”

 

     Not letting his puzzlement show, Heero simply asked again. “Situation?”

 

     Groaning and almost dropping to the floor at this question, Relena finally ansered back to him, “Well. I think it's qualified to be called a situation after our...incident in the forest yesterday.”

 

     He closed his eyes, crossed his arms and started walking. “Incident? I suppose you could call it that. What's to figure out? It...happened.”

 

     Walking alongside him easily, Relena answered back smartly, “Yes, it did happen. But we have to figure out where to go...from there.”

 

     Heero stopped and let his inner smartass show for a bit. “We're going somewhere? I wasn't aware of that.”

 

     Looking surprised at his change of attitude, she put a hand on her hip and gave him a withering glance. “Ok. I suppose for Heero Yuy's first attempt at humour, that was pretty good. But on any other scale, it was damn pathetic.”

 

     Starting his purposeful walk once more, Heero said, “Who said that it was humour?”

 

     She started to follow him again, ignoring his previous statement. “I'm not just going to forget about the whole `forest thing'.”

 

     In a dangerous voice, Heero answered her, “And do you think I would?”

  

     For a moment, Relena looked mildly disgusted and then completely disbelieving. “I can't believe you're acting like such a guy!”

 

     Reverting back to the expressionless voice made his next sentence more amusing. “Well spotted, Relena.”

 

     She started walking ahead of him, her arms crossed. She called back to him, “It's not like things like that are just going to keep happening.”

 

     A small smile found its way on Heero's face, but she couldn't see it; her back was to him. Heero said,  “Now I'm disappointed.”

 

     Eventually, Relena stopped. When Heero made his way to her back, she turned around and faced him. An embarrassed and sheepish smile accented her features. She laughed softly, almost biting one of her nails before stopping. Then she asked of him, “What's your favorite food?”

 

     NOW he was surprised. That was a complete topic change. He answered her question with a question of his own. “Why do you want to know?”

 

     Relena gave him a look that told him a particular sentence: YOU'RE AN IDIOT. She finally answered him, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Well, if we're going to go out, then we'll have to eat. And if we hae to eat, the we have to coordinate what restaurant. And if we do that, we need to know each other's favorite and non-favorite foods. So here I am taking the first step.”

 

     He was really surprised that she would take such a bold step forward. When he siad nothing and donned his normal mash of non-expressions, she tugged his arm. Grinning back at him, she laughed between her next words. “Alright. Of course you're not going to make this easy, but there really isn't any other way. Now, let's go, or else I'll kick your ass. We have a lot to talk about.”

 

     It began in good spirits and it ended in good spirits: this short story of sorts. Though in the beginning, it was a sweet pain that started it all: the chance to be who Relena truly wanted to be. And in the end, she was revealed to all that she had hidden herself from, but it was they that made her and each other happy in the end. And isn't that the way that it should be?

 

END

 

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***Author's Final Notes***

 

   Wow. Hey, it's been a journey, writing this fic, which was my first official fic in the fantasy/action genre. More specifically, in the Gundam Wing universe. I think I've grown to love it, and I've gained a much deeper understanding of the human psyche from all the different personalities that I have delved into during the writing.

 

  I'm not going to write a lot here. I'll save it for the thank-yous, which will be up on my site soon. I hope you've enjoyed it, to read thus far. If you have, please take a few seconds out of your day and review it, tell me so. This is the end y'know.

 

  Stay tuned for the sequel.

 

  Much love and cheers to y'all,

 

~~Firey