Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Innocent ❯ From the Mouth of Shinigami ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 01: From the Mouth of Shinigami

AC 198

“Audio record, ID number 375.”

The computer screen blinked, signaling that it was ready to start recording.

“Start recording now.”

The computer obeyed the command.

“Audio recording three: Journal of Duo Maxwell. October, AC 198.”

Duo paused for a second before he started to speak.

“It's been about ten months since we self destructed our Gundams. No matter how much I miss my DeathScythe, I'm happy to finally have a chance at a normal life. I remember the Professors saying that we would have a hard time integrating back into society, but I don't think I'm having that hard of a time. I guess it's because I've never really had a normal life so I don't have anything to compare this life to. I decided to come to L1, and I've been here for about eight months. I have even started school. I'm about a year behind where I should be, but that's to be expected. I've never been to school. What I know now is from being a Gundam Pilot. I wish I could have thanked G for starting my education.

“I've kept only a few things from my days as a pilot, and I've learned that I have to hide them very well. I kept the self destruct button from DeathScythe; I also kept some mission reports from the first war and about the original Operation Meteor. When the government talks about Operation Meteor, they are talking about the 5 Gundams that descended to earth, but only a few people realize that it was initially something completely different. The original Operation Meteor involved a colony. The rotation of a colony would be increased. Then, the balancing mechanism would be destroyed at La Grange Point, throwing the colony toward Earth. During the chaos on Earth, the Gundams would have been sent to take over. Luckily, none of the Gundam Pilots wanted to that. From what I understand, we were all told to disregard the mission, and do what we thought was best as long as we limited our attacks to OZ.

“It was hard explaining things to my roommates. They just think I'm one of those geeks who tracked the war. One of them asked if I had relatives in the army. I just answered with “something like that.” How would I explain that I was one of the people who saved their asses; that at age fifteen I was in a mobile suit with my life on the line, fighting in the name of the colonies?

“I also had to explain why I had a basic outline of DeathScythe's abilities. I loved my Gundam and it fit my personality perfectly. It used the stealth capabilities of its hyper jammers to attack the unsuspecting mobile suits. After its capture by OZ, it was rebuilt by who I like to call `the five'. The remodeled DeathScythe Hell featured a radar-absorbing, beam deflecting `active cloak', which not only enhances its stealth features, but protects it from enemy fire as well. Its main weapon, the lethal beam scythe had also been upgraded. It was my baby! I have a scythe tattoo on my left arm in remembrance. A little morbid I know; I'm a morbid person. Even after everything that changed, I will always be the loud American with the unusually morbid personality.

“Because I couldn't be recognized, when I got to L1, I did something that I thought I would never do: I cut my hair. It's not as short as Heero's was, but it is shorter that Wufei's. I couldn't afford to be recognized and my braid was the one thing that everyone remembers about Pilot 02. I have had a few people come up to me and tell me that there is a `striking resemblance'. My hair is what people would call `shaggy'. It took some getting used to, but I like it.

“I've also changed my name. I now go by the name James Maxwell. I would never give up my connection to Solo, Sister Helen, or Father Maxwell, but I had to blend in. I remember that both Solo and Sister Helen liked the name James, so I took that name as my own. It's probably not a smart move (people may try to find me), but I will never give up the name Maxwell. I'll deal if I get found.

“Still, I can say that for the first time that I can remember, I'm actually enjoying life. Before, life was survival. I always had to make sure that I had enough food, or that I didn't have OZ trying to off me, or I had had to make sure that everyone was well, warm, clothed, and fed. I do miss my `street rat' days, but I don't think I would trade my life now and go back. I haven't been back to L2 since the war; I don't think I'm ready to see what has happened to my old home. I don't want to run into people I used to know and practically abandoned.

“I do wonder how the others are doing. Noin and Zechs are doing that Terra Formation project on Mars. Wufei has joined the Preventers. Quatre is most likely running the Winner Corporation. I think Trowa is back at the circus where he had been after he lost his memory. I guess Heero is doing okay. He's probably treating this time of peace as a mission. I wonder if he is protecting Relena, who I hear is doing just fine. She is still a major part of the Earth Sphere Government.

“I've lost touch with Hildi. I think she may be back on L2. I saw her before I left for L1, and she gave me a letter from Quatre that I have yet to look at. I guess a lot of people expected me to team up with Heero after the war, but in reality we're not close `friends'. The Gundam pilots had no safe house, or great bonding experience; we all acted independently of each other. Once the war ended, I went back to L2 until I found out about Mariemaia.

“After the second `war' ended, I treated myself through some key hacking. I set up a bank account for myself, and transferred a large amount of money into it. I don't consider it stealing. I guess it's something like compensation for fighting for the majority of my life. I do deserve something, right? Everyone else has a place to go to, except for possibly Yuy, but he's probably doing something with the Preventers. I had to start off from scratch. I had nothing and no one.

“Now on L1, I'm living the good life. I have a part-time job at a garage. My co-workers are in awe of my mechanical abilities. It's insanely cool. I have a few friends at school. I actually share an apartment with three of them. We get along pretty well. They know not to piss me off. When I first arrived at school, an upperclassman called me a `dumb faggot'. The last thing he saw before he passed out was my fist. After that and a week's suspension no one dared to pick a fight with me. I have to constantly remind myself to keep my anger in check.

“Besides the few reflexes that I have from the street and from my Gundam days, I can pass for a perfectly normal, healthy person. I'm still a little underweight and short, but that's about it. I have always been a `late bloomer' so I hope that I will gain a few inches in height. It would really suck if Heero ended up being taller than me.

“As of recent events, there's nothing much happening. I read that Relena may be visiting to discuss living situations on the Colonies. They're having some sort of meeting. I think I'll keep out of sight the week that she is here. They say that she may go around to different schools and places of employment to observe education and work conditions. I know that my fear that she'll recognize me is most likely irrational. There's almost no chance that we'll be in the same building at the same time, and there's much less of a chance that she'll know me if she does see me. We only ever talked a few times. Still, I don't want to take that chance.

“End recording.”