Author: Tori Sakana
Summary: If you could see the future, what would you do? Would you start a war to save your friends? Or let them die to win peace? When all the paths lie in shadow, Heero must make a terrible choice...
Warnings: blood, violence, POV
Time frame: Five years after Endless Waltz...no, this isn't an AU.
Pairings: none
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters or plot or anything.
Wow, it's been forever since I updated. Not my fault though! Internet difficulties and the complications of a summer job in another state. Well, here it is, the last chapter of Nexus. It's been a long ride, but it's been fun. Thanks to all my loyal reviewers! Wouldn't have made it without you!
Sorry it's so short, this is more of an epilogue than a last chapter...
********************
Nexus
Part 5: Clarity of Vision
********************
Who in their right mind would have their birthday party in the same room where they were nearly assassinated?
Who else? Relena Peacecraft.
Naturally, she decided to make a statement of our 'refusal to cower in fear in the face of terrorism' or similar nonsense by holding her 22nd birthday party here.
So I'm in uncomfortable clothes, standing against the wall bored out of my mind in this godforsaken room..._again_.
If explosives were legal, this room would be dust.
I don't think my new boss would approve of such violent thoughts. Lady Une seems determined to wipe out the military mentality of the past era, but it's an uphill climb - Duo loves to pick a fight. Truthfully, so do I, but the rest of the former pilots are smart enough not to pick fights with our commanding officer.
Actually, it sounds like he's at it again. There's a loud shouting argument going on at the punch bowl, and I would bet money that Duo started it, Relena is trying to stop it, and Lady Une is on the verge of turning Colonel.
I wonder if she regrets hiring us.
Still, the addition of the Gundam pilots certainly boosted the morale and public image of the Preventors, so she's stuck with us.
But she still hasn't accepted our explanation of the events of the Anniversary Party, as the media has called it. Then again, we're not really sure what happened that night either.
From what Duo's told me, I can't match up the events to any of the paths I foresaw. Apparently my collapse distracted everyone, including the rebels. When the leader turned to look at me, Duo saw his hand and stopped him from taking the gun by slapping on the cuffs. But the other rebels didn't notice until it was too late, so the gun battle never started. After that it was a 'piece of cake'.
The problem is, no one really knows why I passed out in the first place. Sally couldn't find any medical reason, and it certainly wasn't stress. So that leaves a few less mundane possibilities.
Duo thinks the sudden appearance of thousands of new paths caused some sort of overload and my mind shut down to deal with it. Quatre thinks it was just the stress of seeing such terrible visions. Trowa kept his opinion to himself, but Wufei quite vocally asserted that I was 'weak' until I challenged him to prove it.
I know Duo is probably right, but I just have this feeling...that maybe Zero knocked me out on purpose.
After all, my collapse wasn't in any of the visions but it was the only path that didn't end in death or worse. In all the other visions, it didn't help that I could see the paths. I know that there are paths that only exist because you see them.
Maybe there are paths that only exist because you _can't_ see them.
Maybe Zero knew that and knocked me out...but Zero would have had to know that one of the paths showed me collapsing, and that would mean that Zero saw the path, so it wouldn't exist...
I get a headache just thinking about it.
The strange thing is, I haven't heard Zero since. Not a sarcastic comment or a snide remark. Not even a whisper. No visions either.
It's as if it just disappeared...
I don't miss it, exactly. I used to live without seeing the future, and I can do it again. It's just...Zero saved my life. All our lives really. And I don't even know what happened to it...
*Did you miss me, Soldier Boy?*
*Zero? You're back!*
*Of course. I was just giving you a break. If you thought you were rid of me, you've got another think coming.*
*I couldn't possibly be that lucky.*
"Hey, Heero! You're zoning out again man. What's up?" Duo appears at my side, hiding worry under a carefree grin. Nowadays I can't even daydream without my friends panicking.
"It's nothing, Duo. Zero was just saying hello."
"The machine's back? Cool! Tell him thanks for all of us, ok? We really owe him one."
*You're welcome, Duo.*
"Um, he says you're welcome." All right, this is downright weird.
*I am not your answering service, Zero.*
*Come on, lighten up. He's right, you do owe me one.* He sounds downright smug.
*I do? So you were the one who knocked me out?*
*That isn't for you to know. Sorry, Heero, but I really can't tell you.*
*I guess I can live with that. Either way...thanks, Zero.*
*Whoa, the great Heero Yuy actually _thanked_ me? What is the world coming to?*
I crack a smile as I follow Duo back to the buffet table. *Shut up, Zero.*
All right, so maybe I don't know what really happened that night. Maybe Wufei will continue to taunt me for the next thirty years about fainting. Maybe I'm stuck with a sarcastic computer program talking in my head until I die. Maybe I'll spend the rest of my life at boring formal parties in this damn ballroom.
But right now, I'm watching my closest friends simultaneously drinking the punch and arguing over who spiked it in the same room where we faced down death. No war, no visions. No worries, except maybe over whether going on a mission tomorrow with a hangover would be a good thing.
Good friends, a good job, peace, and spiked punch.
What more could anyone ask for?
*A real social life?*
*Shut up, Zero.*
********************** The END **********************
So. That's it. Like it? Let me know!
Have a great summer!
Summary: If you could see the future, what would you do? Would you start a war to save your friends? Or let them die to win peace? When all the paths lie in shadow, Heero must make a terrible choice...
Warnings: blood, violence, POV
Time frame: Five years after Endless Waltz...no, this isn't an AU.
Pairings: none
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters or plot or anything.
Wow, it's been forever since I updated. Not my fault though! Internet difficulties and the complications of a summer job in another state. Well, here it is, the last chapter of Nexus. It's been a long ride, but it's been fun. Thanks to all my loyal reviewers! Wouldn't have made it without you!
Sorry it's so short, this is more of an epilogue than a last chapter...
********************
Nexus
Part 5: Clarity of Vision
********************
Who in their right mind would have their birthday party in the same room where they were nearly assassinated?
Who else? Relena Peacecraft.
Naturally, she decided to make a statement of our 'refusal to cower in fear in the face of terrorism' or similar nonsense by holding her 22nd birthday party here.
So I'm in uncomfortable clothes, standing against the wall bored out of my mind in this godforsaken room..._again_.
If explosives were legal, this room would be dust.
I don't think my new boss would approve of such violent thoughts. Lady Une seems determined to wipe out the military mentality of the past era, but it's an uphill climb - Duo loves to pick a fight. Truthfully, so do I, but the rest of the former pilots are smart enough not to pick fights with our commanding officer.
Actually, it sounds like he's at it again. There's a loud shouting argument going on at the punch bowl, and I would bet money that Duo started it, Relena is trying to stop it, and Lady Une is on the verge of turning Colonel.
I wonder if she regrets hiring us.
Still, the addition of the Gundam pilots certainly boosted the morale and public image of the Preventors, so she's stuck with us.
But she still hasn't accepted our explanation of the events of the Anniversary Party, as the media has called it. Then again, we're not really sure what happened that night either.
From what Duo's told me, I can't match up the events to any of the paths I foresaw. Apparently my collapse distracted everyone, including the rebels. When the leader turned to look at me, Duo saw his hand and stopped him from taking the gun by slapping on the cuffs. But the other rebels didn't notice until it was too late, so the gun battle never started. After that it was a 'piece of cake'.
The problem is, no one really knows why I passed out in the first place. Sally couldn't find any medical reason, and it certainly wasn't stress. So that leaves a few less mundane possibilities.
Duo thinks the sudden appearance of thousands of new paths caused some sort of overload and my mind shut down to deal with it. Quatre thinks it was just the stress of seeing such terrible visions. Trowa kept his opinion to himself, but Wufei quite vocally asserted that I was 'weak' until I challenged him to prove it.
I know Duo is probably right, but I just have this feeling...that maybe Zero knocked me out on purpose.
After all, my collapse wasn't in any of the visions but it was the only path that didn't end in death or worse. In all the other visions, it didn't help that I could see the paths. I know that there are paths that only exist because you see them.
Maybe there are paths that only exist because you _can't_ see them.
Maybe Zero knew that and knocked me out...but Zero would have had to know that one of the paths showed me collapsing, and that would mean that Zero saw the path, so it wouldn't exist...
I get a headache just thinking about it.
The strange thing is, I haven't heard Zero since. Not a sarcastic comment or a snide remark. Not even a whisper. No visions either.
It's as if it just disappeared...
I don't miss it, exactly. I used to live without seeing the future, and I can do it again. It's just...Zero saved my life. All our lives really. And I don't even know what happened to it...
*Did you miss me, Soldier Boy?*
*Zero? You're back!*
*Of course. I was just giving you a break. If you thought you were rid of me, you've got another think coming.*
*I couldn't possibly be that lucky.*
"Hey, Heero! You're zoning out again man. What's up?" Duo appears at my side, hiding worry under a carefree grin. Nowadays I can't even daydream without my friends panicking.
"It's nothing, Duo. Zero was just saying hello."
"The machine's back? Cool! Tell him thanks for all of us, ok? We really owe him one."
*You're welcome, Duo.*
"Um, he says you're welcome." All right, this is downright weird.
*I am not your answering service, Zero.*
*Come on, lighten up. He's right, you do owe me one.* He sounds downright smug.
*I do? So you were the one who knocked me out?*
*That isn't for you to know. Sorry, Heero, but I really can't tell you.*
*I guess I can live with that. Either way...thanks, Zero.*
*Whoa, the great Heero Yuy actually _thanked_ me? What is the world coming to?*
I crack a smile as I follow Duo back to the buffet table. *Shut up, Zero.*
All right, so maybe I don't know what really happened that night. Maybe Wufei will continue to taunt me for the next thirty years about fainting. Maybe I'm stuck with a sarcastic computer program talking in my head until I die. Maybe I'll spend the rest of my life at boring formal parties in this damn ballroom.
But right now, I'm watching my closest friends simultaneously drinking the punch and arguing over who spiked it in the same room where we faced down death. No war, no visions. No worries, except maybe over whether going on a mission tomorrow with a hangover would be a good thing.
Good friends, a good job, peace, and spiked punch.
What more could anyone ask for?
*A real social life?*
*Shut up, Zero.*
********************** The END **********************
So. That's it. Like it? Let me know!
Have a great summer!