DISCLAIMER: Gundam Wing belonged to Sunrise and co. I’m not making any profits out of this, so don’t sue. Oh, those you think you’ve never heard before belong to me. And feedback is very welcome, people!☺
TIMELINE: This is my first attempt at a Christmas fic, so be nice. Oh, I would say that this is also a prequel to everything.
By Arayelle Lynn.
CHRISTMAS EVE, AFTER COLONY 185.
LA GRANGE POINT 2,
He made his way through the alley, his eyes wildly searching and hoping for a victim. But there was none he could see. The alley, even the streets, was all empty, void of a single living presence but his own. The chilling wind bit his bone-thin body as he tried as much as he could to warm himself up with the piece of rag he was wearing, the only thing he owned. His tiny feet was numbed by the frosting ground but still he continued on, hoping that he could at least have something to stop the growling in his stomachs and the other hungry mouths he left back at his lair.
‘Who in the right mind would be out here in the chilling cold?’ he chastised himself. But he had no choice. Unlike other kids, there were no parents who would give him something to eat. Or give him something that could warm him from the chilling cold. He was on his own.
“Someone like me, of course,” he said aloud, answering his own question. He tightened his hold around himself. “Only someone like me would be wandering in the streets on Christmas Eve.”
Something akin to a pang struck him right then. He had never celebrated Christmas before, as long as he could remember. Heck, he never knew what Christmas was until one of the boys in his homeless group described it to him. But even then he found it difficult to understand what was the fuss all about.
“Sheesh, I wish someone would decide to drop by at the groceries so I could help myself with the purchase,” he scowled after been walking for a long time. “That would certainly make me feel merry on this special occasion.”
His wish fell on dead ear. Nobody answered his call.
Shivering, he continued on. He gritted his teeth to keep them from chattering, uncontrollably. “Well, Duo. Looks like you’re going to be hungry tonight. But it’s better than being cold to death,” he told himself, turning into another alley that would take him straight back home.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of laughter. Curious as to what could be the cause of amusement, he peered through a window. A boy was running around a room, his hands were waving a wrapped box. Sitting on the carpeted floor, smiling, were two adults, a man and woman. Both held each other as they watched the boy jumping around excitedly. Then, the boy jumped onto their laps, saying something that the adults shook their heads to and then he placed the box under a beautifully decorated tree near a burning fireplace. The boy then went back to his parents and the father started a tickle fight. The boy laughed, trying to escape his father’s wrath. Fortunately, his mother was there to rescue him as she gathered the boy into her arms. Then, there was more laughter.
Duo watched the whole scene, his mind recalling what his friend said about Christmas. Far in his mind, shrouded by a thick grey mist, a memory long gone flashed. But it was just in an instant. He tried to grasp on it but like a real mist, it shattered before he could keep a strong hold.
A sudden wave of cold jarred him from his memory.
‘Nah, I’m wasting my time here,’ he thought, continuing his journey.
As he made his way, he suddenly heard something that he had never heard before. Mesmerized by the beautiful sound, he found himself standing before a huge building that he had never paid attention to before. A group of people were singing inside the building in a melodious tune, as a white haired man in black made his way across a huge hall filled with benches. He greeted some of the occupants, smiling as he went around. The scene was so mesmerizing that Duo almost stepped forward.
Almost. He stopped before he could take a second step. A snowflake fell onto the pavement, right where he was going to land his second foot. He looked up and saw that it was already snowing. All of the world forgotten, Duo found himself staring skyward. He stood there for some time, unaware that his lips were moving in a silent wish.
Then, the sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. He turned his head towards the two figures at the far end of the street, his eyes eyeing them carefully. When he finally spotted what he was looking for, his heart jumped.
As the figures neared, Duo prepared himself. As soon as he was ready, he ran, purposely colliding with the two. Both figures, one small and short and the other tall and burly, cried out in surprise. Before both had time to recover, Duo snatched the warm loaf of bread from the small one’s hand and ran for his life.
He heard the tall one shouted and he laughed at his good fortune.
“Thank you,” he shouted back at the cursing man. “And Merry Christmas.”
He looked back at the loaf of bread in his hand, grinning in satisfaction.
Looks like he’s not going to be hungry after all.
>>>@@<<<
LA GRANGE POINT 4,
“Master Quatre, I truly am sorry. I should’ve seen the brat earlier,” the servant apologized for the thousandth times. The little boy continued to walk as if nothing happened. He had tried unsuccessfully to convince that it was okay but the servant felt so guilty that he wasn’t hearing what his young master was saying.
So, as he walked along the marble hallway of his father’s mansion, he tuned out the servant’s pleas, hoping that he would tire himself out.
“Quatre Winner, what happened?” a voice echoed throughout the hallway as Quatre cringed. Making her way towards him was his eldest sister, Liah. “What’s this I heard about some thief attacking my little brother?” she demanded, taking in Quatre’s mud-smeared shirt and the cut on his knee. She glared at the servant. “Well?”
The servant trembled. “I… I’m sorry, Mistress Liah. I took the young master to the fair on L2 because he said that he was bored. When we were coming back, some thief snatched the master’s snack and ran off. It’s my fault. I should’ve seen the brat earlier.”
Liah threw him a look that could have wither a flower. But that look softened when she regarded her brother, who was looking at her fearfully. “Are you alright, little brother?” she asked, kneeling before him.
He nodded mutely. He could never stand Liah’s temperament and was scared of her. But the fear eased when Liah blew on his cut gently. “There, there. Go find Lila and clean yourself up, okay?” she said, gently. Quatre nodded again and ran off.
Liah called out to him. “Don’t go and disturb, father. He’s on a very important meeting.” The little boy didn’t acknowledge her and she turned her attention back to the servant. She crossed her arms as the severe look reappeared on her face.
Half and hour later, Quatre found himself wandering along the empty hallways again. He wished that his nanny was there, so that she could tell him more stories. But the old woman had returned home to be with her family for Christmas, leaving Quatre utterly alone in the big house.
He sighed to himself, skipping off the marble tiles alternately. He was bored. The mansion seemed even emptier without the servants rushing in and there doing their days chores. Although Quatre had always felt alone even then, this particular day made the silence and emptiness even unbearable.
Why does he feel so alone?
He often asked himself that question. After all, being the heir of a very rich family should’ve surrounded him with more people than normal ones, right? Being born in a family consists of a loving yet stern father and 29 caring sisters should be enough to make a boy feel secured, if not overwhelmed, right?
Wrong. For when he was surrounded with eager servants, ready to do as he ordered, he found himself talking to no one but himself. For when he was surrounded by his father’s acquaintances in parties, he found himself standing alone in the banquet hall. Even when he was surrounded by the loving arms of his sisters and father, he found himself retreating back into the corner and hugging himself in darkness.
Why such great loneliness exists in a five-year-old boy?
Suddenly, Quatre stopped. Looking up, he found himself at the door of the servants’ quarters. His arm was half-raised to knock when he instantly remembered that his nanny wasn’t home. Head low, Quatre turned around and started to walk away.
Then, he heard voices coming from the room. The occupants were talking in such low voices, except for one. His voice was raised as if something had agitate him. Peering through the crack at the door, Quatre saw the servant that took him to the fair, talking to a couple of others. Breathing easily, Quatre realized that they were the ones that were not granted leave for the holiday.
Quatre was about to leave when he suddenly heard his name was mentioned. Curiously, he drew his ear nearer to the door. “It’s all entirely the little brat’s fault. I can’t believe that I got fired just because the rich brat got a stain on his shirt!”
“Calm down Gunther, before you said things that you’ll regret later,” said a servant, a female.
“I’m fired, remember? I don’t have to watch out for what I said about this family anymore,” he growled, thrusting a handful of clothes into his suitcase. “Good riddance, I say. I’m getting tired of the boy anyway. The way he looks at us as if he is above everyone just makes me sick!”
“I mean, who does he thinks he is?” he continued with his rant. “It was his idea that got me fired in the first place. And did he has any conscience to admit it and come to my rescue? None! I should’ve let the thief do away with the brat then the world would be rid of one arrogant, spoilt rich brat!”
“Gunther,” another servant, a male, tried to calm him. But he wouldn’t listen to them.
“But then again, what do you expect from a kid that was born from test tubes? Maybe the doctors forgot to include modesty genes when they grew the babies. I mean, look at all Winner’s children. They’re all heartless!”
“Gunther!” the female servant admonished, surprised by his harsh words. “You shouldn’t say that about them. It wasn’t the Winners’ fault that they couldn’t give birth to their children naturally.”
“Yeah, whatever, Simla,” Gunther muttered, shutting his suitcase with a loud click. “But I sure wish that I could tell the little brat to his face that the reason he exists is because his father needs someone to be his heir. Or else, why would he have 29 elder daughters and one baby son?”
Quatre covered an escaping gasp with his hand. Slowly, he backed away from the door. His legs were shaking so bad that he leaned against the wall for support. Finally, the truth dawned on him. The reason for the strange loneliness that had been consuming his heart for a long time.
Then, he turned around. He was surprised to find a girl, with a teddy bear in her arms, standing in the hallway. She was the same age as him and had long honey-colored hair. She was looking at him as if wondering why a well-dressed boy like him doing in the hallway.
Thinking that she might be one of his father’s guests, Quatre stood straight and gave her a slight bow of greeting. With all the strength that he could muster, he walked gracefully passed the girl. When he finally reached his room, Quatre released the uncontrollable tears.
All the while, he made a silent wish that he was not so alone.
>>>@@<<<
LA GRANGE POINT 1,
“Did you have a pleasant time, Relena?” asked Mr. Darlian, as they made their way out of the shuttle. The little girl nodded, without any enthusiasm. Darlian saw this but mistook her lack of enthusiasm. “I’m sorry you missed the Winner boy at dinner. He could’ve entertained you while his father and I discussed our terms.” He shook his head. “Poor boy. His father told me that he’s not the healthiest boy.”
“He wasn’t sick. He was crying,” Relena whispered, thinking about the boy she met at the Winner’s mansion.
“What’s that?” Darlian asked, bending closer to hear what his daughter had said.
Relena looked at him and smiled. “Nothing. I’m just glad that we’re nearing our journey’s end.”
Vice Foreign Minister Darlian nodded. “Me too, Relena. It won’t take very long. I’ll just have a few words with the representatives and then we’ll be home on Earth before the Christmas countdown.”
“Vice Minister Darlian?” a man approached them. He shook hands with Relena’s father. “I’m David. Mr. Knowles sent me to pick you up and show you straight to the waiting room.”
“Very well, David,” said Darlian, turning to his daughter. “Relena…”
“I’d like to wait out here, please?” she said, couldn’t take the long adult discussion anymore. Darlian smiled in amusement and nodded. He knew Relena to be more mature beyond her years. “Very well, Relena. Don’t wander off too far.”
As soon as she was left alone, Relena made her way around. Her eyes observed everything around her. The hangar was a little packed, being a holiday season. There was not a place where she could settle down her weary legs.
A roar of laughter to her left drew her attention as she saw a man, carrying a little boy on his shoulder. The boy was laughing and clapping his hands as his father tickled him. Next to the man, a woman was laughing holding onto the man’s arm as they waited in the line.
Seeing them reminded Relena of her father and mother. She could barely remember when was the last time they had been together like that. Usually, her father would be off on a diplomatic tour, leaving her and her mother behind. And occasionally, her mother would be out too having to meet delegates due to her husband’s absence. Relena would usually find herself alone in the house with her tutors, waiting for the time when her parents to return. And usually, her parents tended to be exhausted when they finally reached home and would only give Relena a little time to spend with them.
This was actually the first trip that her father allowed her to come. He had hoped that he could spend more time with his daughter these few days because he will be gone for a while once the year ended.
Suddenly, Relena’s gaze fell onto the screen where the late news was reporting an incident on Earth. She listened as the newscaster reported a guerilla attack on one of the Alliance military base. She watched as the screen showed the battle and the aftermath of the attack. A strong feeling rose inside as she unconsciously clenched her fists.
Then, the screen changed as the newscaster reported about the devastation of a battle between the Alliance and the rebels in China. She saw people, young and old, hugging each other against the terrible cold of the early winter. She watched children with their bodies shrunken, lying at the feet of their equally hungry parents, their eyes praying for a small crumb of food to last them through the winter.
As she saw these, she couldn’t help the tears from trickling down her cheeks. She finally understood what she was sacrificing, understood what her parents were sacrificing. These were the things that her father was trying to prevent. The battles, the sufferings, the anger and the pain were what her parents were trying to extinguish. They were straining their own happiness so that the world would be a better place for others.
And she also understood that in time, she would play the same role as her parents were. Her only wish was that she was strong enough to play it.
“Relena?” said a voice as she turned around. For the first time, she saw the weariness in her father’s eyes, not the strength that he managed to portray so well in front of others. “Let’s go home, honey.”
Quickly, Relena grabbed his arms, as if assisting him in his walk. His father smiled and held her closer to his side. They began to walk when suddenly Relena bumped into a boy.
“Sorry,” said Relena, releasing her father to help the boy. The boy, in his part, muttered his apology as well. He was about the same age as Relena, though his eyes were far too intense for a five-year-old. Behind him, stood a man. His father, most probably.
“I’m sorry for my son’s clumsiness,” the boy’s father was saying. “He wasn’t looking where he was heading.”
“That’s alright,” said Darlian, noticing the way Relena looked at the boy.
Then, the boy bent down to pick up something. “You dropped this,” he said, thrusting Relena’s teddy bear to her. Relena looked at it and then back at the boy. Suddenly, she pushed the teddy bear towards him.
“No, you take it. It’s Christmas after all,” she said, hoping the gift of innocence could melt away the ice in his heart. The boy looked at it before tucking it into his knapsack. Then, he and his father walked away.
“Why did you do that for, Relena? That teddy bear was your favorite,” asked Darlian.
Relena looked up to her father. “I know, father. But from now on, I decide that I need to grow up.”
Touched by her words, Darlian picked her up and placed her over his shoulder. Then, they made their way towards the shuttle, laughing. Just before entering the shuttle, Relena returned her gaze back to the boy. She made a silent wish.
>>>@@<<<
EARTH, THAILAND,
He’s an assassin. His life had always been about killing and watching people getting killed.
He had no name. He never had a family. He never even remembered being born. All he remembered was the killings. All he remembered was the cries of death of his victims. All he remembered was stalking his next target.
The earliest thing that he could remember was waking up with the man that had always been there in his life. The earliest thing he could remember was camping in the wilderness as the man explained to him the job description of an assassin. The earliest thing he could remember was his tiny fingers holding a gun, which was bigger, and shooting at targets at a nearby creek.
That was just about everything that he could remember about his life. That and the fact that his life had always been about survival. Killed or be killed. Kill a target or another assassin would come to kill you. All he knew about his life was blood and death and weapons.
Was his life doomed to this forever?
He didn’t know the answer. He never find himself asking the question before. But that morning, something strange happened. As soon as he and Adin Lowe reached their hotel room in Thailand, he felt the need to take a little stroll.
‘In this rain? Crazy thing to do,’ the man that raised him had said, staring out of the window where a heavy monsoon downpour pelted the windows. But he went out any way, did not even bother taking an umbrella or a raincoat.
The air was cold and windy and the rain was hard. Strangely enough, they didn’t seem to affect him as much. Nothing could compare to the cold that lay in his heart. Not even the Artic. And that had been hours ago. Now after the rain ceased, he found himself sitting on a bench, overlooking the lightening horizon.
With a teddy bear in his hand.
Strange how a small thing like that could disturb him so. How a small thing like that made him think about his family, his life before all these had happened. Surely, he must’ve a family or at least a parent at some point of his life. Adin had said so earlier that he was not his son and he had never sire one.
So, who was his family? Was his life doom to kill until he himself is killed by another?
‘Let your heart tells you what to do.’ Adin had told him one time. But what did his empty heart want? Was it to kill and to continue to kill? Or was it to live alongside the world until he faded in the mist of time and age? Or was it to set up a family of his own and disregard the one that he had lost?
Or to find his origin so he will at last find a name for himself?
He didn’t know. His heart wasn’t telling him anything.
Love. Throughout his life, he had always been deprived of that until he didn’t even know what it meant. He recalled the strange look the girl at the airport gave him. Was it love? Or compassion? Or both? Would having a name and family give him the love that he never knew?
Sighing, he rose to his feet and started to walk. He and Adin had both agreed that they would meet in the evening market. That’s where Adin’s contact said they should meet. The evening was quiet but he could see people milling about, some still hunting for their late Christmas gift. Luckily, because of time difference, people there still have a few hours left for Christmas shopping, unlike the colonies. And as usual, he discarded this thought as irrelevant because the occasion meant nothing to him except that it was one of the days when he and Adin would be in high demand.
He saw Adin even before he reached the market square. The man was talking to a merchant, as if deeply involved in a business transaction. But the way the ‘merchant’ was carrying himself about told him that this person was indeed their contact.
Suddenly, a little bolt of red hair crashed into Adin, toppling the man over. The ‘merchant’ leaned over his cart, fist punching the skies, shouting insults to the kid that had crashed into Adin and bolted. But that wasn’t the thing that caught the little assassin’s attention. It was a little incident that happened almost unnoticeable when the kid and Adin hit the ground. He had seen the little runt; his fingers slipped into Adin’s pocket and pulled something brown and leather. It all happened in just a split second that most people would’ve missed it.
Except for this well-trained young assassin.
Quickly, he took off after the kid. The little thief was indeed quick on his feet, having almost disappeared into the crowd. Luckily, he was trained well-enough to spot the red headed kid and soon, he was quickly gaining on him.
He turned to the right, into a small alley. He ran, listening to the sound of the running footsteps ahead of him. Then, he turned into a corner and stopped. It was a dead end. And there was nobody there!
He cursed, kicking the earth below his feet.
A series of footstep behind him made him whirled around. “Did you get him?” asked Adin, hardly panting after the little exercise. His protégé shook his head. “Never mind. Most of our money is in the hotel room anyway.” He then looked up at one of the windows above. “Perhaps, the money could be of some help for a poor soul such as the kid.”
The boy’s followed his gaze, his eyes locked onto a pair of winter blue eyes. It was then, he felt a strange pang inside him. Instead of pursuing the owner of the eyes, he held himself in check. He knew that the chase was over when the thief disappeared from the alley.
Adin clapped the his shoulder, leading him out of the alley. “Let’s go, kid,” he said. The boy reluctantly tore his gaze away from the window. The assassin then handed him a piece of paper. “We have our orders. Feel like traveling to Africa? There’s going to be a Christmas banquet there that we don’t want to miss.”
The boy nodded, knowing exactly what the man was saying. That was their next destination. “Affirmative.”
Adin squeezed the nameless boy’s shoulder. “Oh, and one more thing, kid.”
He looked at the man, puzzled.
“Merry Christmas.”
>>>@@<<<
EARTH, THAILAND,
She watched as the man and the boy disappeared from the alley. She waited a little bit more, just to make sure that they were not doubling back. Her grip on the leather wallet tightened as she recalled the strange pair.
She knew that she was well hidden so it took her by surprise when they saw her. But what really unnerved her was the pair of Prussian blue eyes. She felt compelled by them. It was as if something inside her knew the eyes and she could feel her soul reaching out to them. It took her whole will not to jump down and reveal herself.
Now that the boy and the man were gone, so was the feeling. Once her guts told her that it was clear to go, she leapt onto the window and slid down the drainpipe. She smiled in satisfaction as she pulled out ten five hundred Thai’s Bhat notes from the wallet.
But she didn’t throw away the wallet. Instead, she pocketed it along with the other expensive leather wallets. She could sell the wallets for a handsome sum of money. And she could use the money to please Alonso enough not to hit anyone that night.
Her short moment of bliss shattered just then. Just thinking about the drunk ruined her good mood. Her whole life the only adult that she had ever known was Alonso. He was her father, her mother, her teacher and her tormentor. To her, he was everything that represent the attitude of an adult.
Which was why she would never trust an adult as long as she live.
As she walked back to her lair, she found herself contemplating on things. She knew that Alonso was not her real father. She knew that at some point in her earlier life, she belonged to another adult who had abandoned her just so she would not get into his or her way. That’s the way of the adults.
And the way of the children like her would be different than the lucky ones. Abandonment, pain, suffering, starvation, death were all part of their life. Come the day until the last shred of night, those were the things that embraced them. While others lived on basking in pleasures, children like her put their whole efforts on one thing, survival.
And that including protecting her ‘little group’ from Alonso’s ravenous hunger.
“Kylie!” a voice whispered. She was jarred awake from her deep thoughts and saw a dirty boy peeking from a small crack in a wall. Eyes darting about, she then climbed over the wall and landed on the other side.
Three boys and two girls greeted her. They were all as dirty as her, as taking a bath was never in their everyday routine. All of them were about the same age, ranging from five to ten years old. But they seemed to be looking up on her, even the older ones.
“Did you get anything?” asked one of the boys.
Kylie showed them the wallets. “You?”
One by one they showed their loot. A couple of them came up empty-handed. None of them came near as her success. “We’re dead,” said a girl, fearfully. She was the one who came empty-handed. “Alonso is counting on a big loot tonight since it’s Christmas Eve and all.”
“What are we going to do?” said one of the boys, also empty-handed. He looked at Kylie, pleadingly. “You got to help us.”
She nodded. She had always been willing to share her loot with the others so no one would get beaten up by Alonso. Sometimes, Alonso could see through their little deception and punished her for it. But Kylie was willing to take the beatings, especially if the weaker ones in her group were involved. She knew that she was the only one who dare enough to challenge Alonso.
“Where’s Terry?” she asked, noticing that someone in their group was missing.
“Captured. There was a raid and the police grabbed him and Rema,” told one of the older boys.
Kylie swore. This will not bode well with Alonso either. Then shaking her head, she took out all her loot and handed them over to her friends. “Divide these among yourselves,” she ordered. Her friends stopped, their mouth agape.
“What about you?”
She waved away their concern. “I’ll scout for some more.” She started to move to the other side of the alley. And stopped.
Standing at the end of the alley, listening to their entire conversation, was a well-dressed stranger.
Kylie took a defensive stance, shielding her friends with her body. The stranger, realizing that his presence was known, turned his head to look at her. Kylie was startled to find that he was just a boy. He looked to be the same age as her, though the arrogant look in his eyes made him look older, defiant.
Before she could challenge him, they heard the sound of running footsteps. A girl about four years old ran into the alley. Her wild eyes focused on Kylie the second they set on her. “Kylie! Dante! It’s Jimmy. Alonso is doing something to him!”
Kylie swore, throwing a fist into the wall. Then she ran out of the alley, passed the stranger. The other kids followed behind her, their faces clearly wrote the fear in their hearts. It was obvious that their ‘benefactor’ had a bad day. And as usual, one of them would suffer his unjustly wrath.
When she finally reached the old shack known to them as home, she stopped short. A gasp escaped her lips as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. There, lying on a pool of blood, was a boy. His eyes were open, lifeless.
She ran to the boy’s side, her breath caught in her throat. She pulled him into her arms, shaking him, hoping that life would return to one of her oldest friends. But he was long gone. Kylie choked as found her voice again. “Noooo!” she cried, as tears poured down her cheeks.
She buried her face into his dark hair, barely hearing the sound of her friends crying behind her. She cried out for all of the friends that she had lost over the years. She cried out for all of the suffering that they had all endured in their young life. She cried out for all of the black fate that was bestowed upon them.
She turned to look at her remaining friends. Hassan, Dante, Soo Lin, Maria, Francis and Grace. All of them had different names and ages. Different stories. But they all shared the same fate. To wither away in torture of mankind’s cruelty. To suffer until they all met their death on the streets. Alone.
She looked at Jimmy again. The one who had been like the big brother to them all. His clothes in tatters, his torso revealed a large gap where blood was spurting out. His pants were down, showing ugly bruises on his pale thighs.
‘Why? Are we doomed to this fate? Why has everyone abandoned us? Don’t we also deserve a kind life?’ The questions played in her mind as she wept. She cursed their fate, cursed the parents who had brought them into the world and abandoned them. Her chest heaved as she made a silent prayer. ‘Is there any escape for us?’
Then her eyes landed on something shiny. She saw Jimmy’s prized dagger, the one that had already broken and yet he kept it because it belonged to his father. The dagger was drenched with blood, telling her that Jimmy had clearly put up a fight and lost.
Her eyes then darted on the other room to her left. Its door was closed, indicating that someone was inside. Someone who was responsible for this. A burning hatred filled her mind as she scooped up the dagger and stood.
“Kylie?” she heard Hassan called out, there’s concern in his voice.
“Leave,” she said, firmly. Her voice was filled with resolution.
The others quickly scrambled out. They had never heard that dangerous tone in her voice before.
Then, Kylie was all alone.
She marched on.
It was this day that her life would change forever.
>>>@@<<<
EARTH, THAILAND,
He stepped out of the car, pointedly ignoring the apologies of his driver and his assistant. And instead of staying close with them, he made his way into the woods, a thick book clutched firmly in his little hands.
“Little master,” the assistant called out. “It’s not safe for you to wander in the forest alone.”
He turned around. “What? And stay here, listening to the noises you’ll be making?” As if on cue, the driver dropped some of his tools and they landed with a crash. “If it could offer you any comfort, I won’t be going far. Just enough to read my book without interference.”
Without another word, he entered the woods.
As he walked, he snorted at his lack of luck that day. First, their car ran into some engine problem in the middle of a busy market. He had to wait for hours until they rent another one. Throughout all that, he was left all by himself, which was fine with him. Now, when they finally thought that they could make to the airport on time, the rental car had a flat tire, stranding them on a freeway in the middle of nowhere.
He snorted again. At least, the day hadn’t been too much a waste for him, not that he was so eager to go home. While he was in the market, he had overheard a very interesting conversation. And just thinking of that, left him feeling empty and disgusted.
“Weaklings,” he spat, recalling the street thieves. Despite of that, he couldn’t help himself from recalling a certain fiery pair of eyes.
“Then again, no one could be as powerful and strong as you, Wu Fei,” he said to himself as he sat onto a big boulder and opened the book. However, his eyes refused to read the words as another trail of thoughts entered his mind.
Chang Wu Fei knew his duty as the future master of the Long clan very well. He was well aware what his parents had installed for him the second they tied the knot between their families. Even after they were both dead, Wu Fei was reminded of his duty time and time again. And he obeyed his duty, without any word.
It was a Chinese tradition to select the strongest male to lead a clan and Wu Fei knew it was him. And that strength did not only lie in his martial arts skills but also his mind. Which was why at five, he was sent to Earth to a very prestigious learning center. The Long clan, like their namesake ‘the Dragon’, wanted a leader who, not only skilled, but intellectual as well. Just like the ancestors before them. They wanted to live up to their namesake as the Dragon is the wisest and most powerful animal of all, according to the ancient legends.
Which was fine with Wu Fei. He had always been told of the stories of the Dragon since he was a little child. And he was prepared to fulfill what was required of him and uphold the clan’s name.
So, why the sudden feeling of remorse?
He tried to shake the feeling away. Being five years old, he knew that these thoughts were suppose to be beyond him. As a child, he was suppose to be running around the field, splashing in the mud. None of the adult’s world, especially one about leading a clan, should be any of his concern.
But that was not so. At three, he had already been made aware of his duties.
And he’s stuck with it as long as he lived.
Suddenly, he felt envious for the street thieves.
Wu Fei sighed, shutting the book with a bang. There had to be more to his life. His life can’t just revolved around the Long clan. What was his purpose in life? Why was he born? Was it only to lead a clan, which had been existed for centuries? Did he even know the girl that he was suppose to marry?
Long Meirang. The only thing he knew about her was that her grandfather was the current leader of the Long clan. Because of her father’s early demise, the Long clan did not have any immediate heir. Except for Wu Fei.
And that was when Wu Fei was forced to carry such burden. That was when his role in life was decided.
With another sigh, Wu Fei rubbed his tired eyes and opened the book again. Although, school was closed for the holidays, he was never the one to miss a chance to gain some knowledge. It had pleased his teachers to see their youngest student so acute in learning. As for Wu Fei, reading was his favorite past time even more than his passion for the martial arts classes. He seriously thought that he needed his mind more than his skills as martial artist to lead his clan.
Besides, he had always hate fighting.
As he was just turning the page, he heard a crunching sound. There was a rustle of leaves as a boy emerged from the woods. He was wearing a forest green shirt, which was obviously too big for him. His brown hair fell onto his eyes, almost covering the side of his face. A semi-automatic was held firmly in his little hands.
Their eyes met and for a moment, they stared at each other.
“Hey, No Name!” a voice echoed throughout the forest. They broke their gazes as their heads turned to one side. Then, the boy regarded Wu Fei carefully. When he saw the book in Wu Fei’s hands, the boy backed away.
Wu Fei watched as the boy disappeared. He then jumped off the boulder and started to retrace his steps back to the car. His mind recalled the boy’s green eyes. There was no life in them!
>>>@@<<<
LA GRANGE POINT 2,
He was empty.
He had always been empty.
In fact, he believed that he had been empty since the day he was born.
Who was he?
What was he?
There was no answer.
So, he continued to walk.
Just a few hours ago, he and his guerilla group were in the jungle of Thailand, packing up their things after a successful raid. Then, new orders came in and they found themselves on a shuttle en route to L2 colony. Being too young to join in the discussion, he was told to take a walk.
And he did.
He looked around himself. The place would never be an impressive site for tourists. In fact, it would be quite the opposite. The streets were empty and lifeless. The buildings were all in ruins, charred by fire and explosions. There were even faint traces of blood plastered on the crumbling walls.
It was obvious that this place had seen a terrible slaughter of its residents. And by the look of the dusts and moss that covered some of the area, he could guess that it had happened a while back. Probably two or three years ago.
So, why did he come to this place?
It was obvious that no one was living there. Most probably because it would remind a person of the terrible incident. There wasn’t even a trace of stray animals wandering about. The land was barren, a wasteland.
Which was precisely what he had been feeling in his heart.
He walked on. His small feet trudged through the white snow as his heart looked on, unfeeling. He knew that this was hardly a place for a five-year-old. In fact, a ghost town is hardly a place for anybody. And yet, here he found a sense of peace. A rarity for him.
The snow continued to fall but he walked on, the biting chill didn’t affected him as much. Nothing could compare to the coldness in his heart. Not even as he stood in a place where blood had been spilled and many had suffered.
He looked at his hands. He couldn’t remember exactly when he had started wielding a gun. He had always believed that he had been a soldier since the day he was born. He had long ago gotten used to the blasts of guns, the ear splitting explosives and the cries of the dying. They had all became part of his life that he sometimes wondered if he could ever live without them.
‘Or if I ever want to live without them,’ he thought. ‘Maybe I am born to kill.’
But deep inside, he knew that that wasn’t true. Somewhere deep, deep inside him yearned for a day when he would throw away the gun and would be enveloped in a tight embrace. And have someone to fill that strange emptiness in his heart.
And bring him home.
“You are all so lucky,” he said, looking at the ruins as if the ghosts of the residents were all there. “You had a home and you’re already home,” he continued, looking towards the heavens. “You are all complete.” He whispered the last words.
Then he recalled the Chinese boy he met in the woods. He wondered why he hadn’t alerted the others of the boy’s presence like he was suppose to. He knew that if the boy had seen their former camp, they would be in serious trouble with the Alliance.
But somehow, he saw something in the boy’s eyes. He saw the great weight that the boy was carrying on his shoulders. And that wasn’t the only thing that intrigued him. It was the loneliness in the boy’s eyes. It was the same as the one in his heart.
Suddenly, voices broke his trail of thoughts. Surprised that there were still people in the area, he walked towards the voices. Although the voices grew clearer as he walked, he failed to see anyone among the ruins.
“… Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way…” came a singing voice from his right. He turned to see an old house. It was just like the others, cracked and charred, waiting for its moment to crumble onto the ground. But at this moment, it still held on its ground.
A light came from one of its windows.
Gingerly, he made his way through the snow covered rubble, wondering who would be brave enough to live in such a precarious place. Once he was there, he stood on his toes and peeked in. What he saw beyond the window startled him.
They were all children, sitting around a fire close to each other for warmth. They had no blankets, except for the rags that they put around each other. But even that couldn’t stop them from chattering from the chill. They were all dirty-looking as well as starved.
“Come on, one more song!” said a long-haired boy. He was standing on top of a big rubble, waving a mistletoe. Obviously, he was trying to cheer his friends up. And failing miserably.
“I’m hungry,” said the smallest of the children.
The boy’s face fell, his happy façade crumbled. He jumped down and went to his youngest friend. Without a word, he fished something out of his shirt and handed it to him. “Here, take this. It’s something that I save up from last night.”
His friend looked at the small crumb of bread. “But this is your share! I can’t take it, Duo.”
The boy, Duo, pushed the bread back to him. “Take it. Think of it as my Christmas present for you.” Hearing that, the little boy hungrily devoured the bread. The boy then winked at the others. “Tomorrow when the grocery opens, we’ll eat something that tastes better than a bland bread.”
They cheered. Their hunger was forgotten momentarily.
Suddenly, there was a sound. All eyes turned to the window.
The long-haired boy gathered his group behind him. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he glared at him. “Who are you?”
Seeing that he had been discovered, he came into the light. The children seemed surprised to find that the intruder was someone their age. He raised his hands. “I haven’t a name,” he answered. “But if you must call me something, you can call me No Name. That’s what they called me.”
“What are you doing here then?” asked the boy. Then his eyes narrowed even more. “Are you with the Alliance?”
No Name looked at his military outfits. He shook his head. “Far from it.” He nodded at the small boy behind. “ I heard you are all hungry. I have something that might help.” He then dug into his pockets as the children looked at him warily.
He took out several wrapped bars. “It’s some nutrient rations that they gave me,” he said, handing them to the long-haired boy. The boy snatched them from his hand, ripped one of them open and took a tiny bite from it. When he was satisfied, he handed the rest to his friends.
Seeing that the homeless children had forgotten about him in their moment of satisfying their hunger, he turned and walked away. He felt a kinship with the children already, having no place to call home.
However, that strange emptiness in his heart felt even heavier than before.
>>>@@<<<
CHRISTMAS, AFTER COLONY 185.
It was the breaking dawn of mankind’s new era. Ten years from now, the greatest battle in mankind’s history would take place. And the future shall lies in the hands of children, who was suffering the worst fate mankind has to offer.
Seven of them, unaware of the roles they would be playing. Unaware of the suffering that they would endure in the future. Unaware of the tests that they would undertake, which would bring others to their knees, but not them for they have the greatest strength in their will.
Seven of them, from different background and different path in life. Who had different wishes in life. One for love, another for friends, others for happiness, family, freedom, purpose and a home respectively. Yet in the end, they will have all. And they will no more feel alone.
Seven, who will share one common goal.
Peace.
On the same day, ten years from now, they would prevail. After all the hard-won battles, the agonizing loss in their part, the sacrifices, they would come up as survivors. They would save mankind from the terrible devastation and lead them into a new era of peace.
They would be known by many names.
Gundam Pilots and Vice Foreign Minister.
Traitors and Queen.
Heroes and heroines.
But in the end, there’s only one name that is perfect enough for them.
Champions of peace.
THE END
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
Author’s note: *sigh* I thought I would never get this done. Can you believe that I started this last year? Anyway, sorry if the story is all so gloomy and dark (it’s suppose to be cheery, right?) But I have a knack for dark, gloomy stories and since the G-boys’ pasts are all dark and gloomy, well, the story ended up like this. Let’s just say that the story is a reminder to us all that not everyone is all cheery and happy during the holidays. There are those who are still suffering while we’re enjoying ourselves (geesh, I have to ruin everyone’s day, right?) Let’s pray that they all , regardless any religion, will someday find the peace and the happiness we all crave for.
Have a nice holiday.
