Reunion

By Starling

 

Noventa Cemetery

A.C. 197

 

                Heero Yuy walked among the gravestones, eyeing the various epitaphs that passed before his gaze. 

                “Beloved father…   Dearest wife… Treasured daughter…”  The list of loving words went on and on before his eyes.  Most of the ones buried here had died during A.C. 195, the year of war.  And he had contributed to their deaths.  He passed a polished white headstone, marble doves perched on the cross adorning it.  Heero turned to look at it and saw that it was the grave he was looking for.  He knelt down to touch the name engraved in the stone.

                It was the name of a man he himself had killed.  He would never forget that day two years ago when he had taken the lives of the very ones he had been sent to protect.  He had been the victim of a deceitful plan orchestrated by Treize Khushrenada.  No, he had been the messenger and the Alliance leaders had been the victims. 

                A soft footstep behind him.

                Years of training honed to perfection went into action as he leaped to his feet and whirled around.  His hand immediately went to his belt, but there was no gun there.  He had gotten rid of it long ago, after Mariemaia’s attempt to take over the Earth Sphere.

                “I never thought I would find you here again.”  The cultured voice held a ring of annoyance. 

                Heero lowered his hand to his side and relaxed.  Sylvia Noventa stood before him, the sorrow on her face mixed with a buried anger.  Two years had matured the girlish face to match the voice.  

                “I see that they renamed the cemetery.” He held up some flowers.  He watched as her gaze took them in.  The sorrow remained, but the anger vanished. 

“A few months ago.  A good friend of his wished it.” She sighed.  

                “So you aren’t here to ask me to kill you?”  She stepped forward to take the flowers from him.   Then, she knelt to place them gently in a stone vase at the base of the headstone.   She paused before rising again to touch the engraved name.  When she stood to her feet, Heero saw tears sparkling in her eyes.

                “I forgave you long ago, Heero Yuy.  Why did you return?”

                Heero shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.  He motioned to the gravestone with a turn of his head.  “To ask for his forgiveness.  And to pay my respects.”

                Sylvia gave him a hesitant smile.  “I’m sure that you had that forgiveness long before you asked for it.  I appreciate your coming though.  You have a heart after all.”

                Heero shook his head.  “He is the only one I have killed who has a final resting place in a cemetery.  He represents all those I have killed… in the name of peace.”

                “A peace that you helped bring about, Heero.”

                He glanced at her, surprised.

                “I saw what you did in outer space, when the Libra was about to crash into Earth.  You saved the lives of so many people, including mine.”  She bowed her head.  “And for that I thank you.”

                Heero stepped back, appalled at the gesture.  “It was my duty, my mission.”

                “Yes, I know,” Sylvia replied.

                “Miss Noventa!  Miss Noventa!”  A voice called from a car parked on the road nearby.  A uniformed man, her chauffeur apparently, waved at her.

                “I’m coming, Robert!” Sylvia shouted back, waving her hands in return.  She turned to Heero.  “Farewell, Heero Yuy.  May you find the peace you search for.”  She curtsied, bowing her head slightly as she did so, and then quickly walked away, somehow managing to look dignified as she made her way to the car.

                Heero watched Sylvia leave.  “Goodbye, Sylvia Noventa,” he whispered. 

 

 

 

 

 

MO-II

Annual memorial celebration

A.C. 198

 

                Heero leaned against the banquet table, taking in the sight before him.  Sparkling white lights hung down from the ceiling like lit icicles, converging at the top of the Christmas tree in the center of the room.  The tree itself was a masterpiece.  Christmas balls hanging from the green boughs reflected the lights hanging from the ceiling, infusing the room with a shimmer of gold.  Christmas music played softly in the background, giving the room even more of a holiday atmosphere.  There were people everywhere.  Some mingled in small groups, conversing about current events.  Others stood back as he did, observing. 

He could see Relena surrounded by various dignitaries.  Lucrezia Noin Peacecraft stood nearby, guarding her charge faithfully.  Her husband, Milliardo Peacecraft, stood in the shadows.  Even now, he preferred to mask his face, though the terraforming project on Mars was a complete success.  The couple had come back from Mars to attend the celebration.  Heero smirked to himself.  He would never be able to think of Relena’s brother by any other name than Zechs.

Relena was gesturing animatedly as she spoke.  She had an enraptured audience.  Who wouldn’t be enraptured by the flashing blue eyes, the emerald ballgown that shimmered whenever she moved, the wisdom that came from her lips?  The Voice of Peace.  That was what many in the Earth Sphere called her.  As indeed she was. 

                Heero glanced at Zechs again and noticed that one other person stood in the shadows.  He moved slightly to get a better look and was surprised to recognize Sylvia Noventa.  Without thinking, Heero walked toward her.  Dressed in navy, with her blonde hair pulled up into a sophisticated twist, a few stray strands hanging loose to frame her face, Sylvia looked stunning.  But why was she hiding?  And why was she alone?

                Her eyes widened when she saw him coming toward her, and she made a move to flee.  Zechs saved her from the need.  Heero resisted the urge to push past him and continue toward his target.

                “Heero Yuy…”  The deep voice had not changed, nor had the patronizing tone he always used on him.

                “Zechs Marquise…” Heero replied, not quite sure how to reply to such a greeting.

                “It is good to see you here, but I must confess that I do not enjoy these functions.”

                Heero glanced at Sylvia and noticed that she was listening to their conversation.  He looked back at Zechs.  “Same here.”

                Zechs smiled at him.  “I am glad I found a fellow who shares my opinions.  I’m going to see if I can drag Noin away for a few minutes.”

                The former pilot strode away, his gait still stiffly regal.  Heero wondered how Zechs could still call his wife Noin.  Old habits die hard, he supposed.

                He felt a swish of air as Sylvia came up beside him, the scent of jasmine tinting the air around him. 

                “I was hoping that no one would notice me,” she said softly.

                “You are here alone.  Where is your grandmother?”  Heero asked, still watching as Zechs spoke to Noin.

                “She has been ill the past few months.  So I came alone, as a representative of the Noventa family.  I am like you and Milliardo Peacecraft.  I do not enjoy these parties very much.”

                “I came to see Relena.”  Heero saw Relena glance his way, her eyes seemed to invite him to come and join the group.   She had never really understood him.  He hated attention; his only satisfaction in life was to complete his mission, then to remain in the shadows.  Being with her would take that away from him.  He would constantly be surrounded by people.   He would always love her, but he could never be with her as she wished.

                “I see.”

                “And to see you.”

                He sensed her surprise.  “Yes, I knew you were coming.  And I knew you were coming alone.”

                Heero turned to her.  “Last year, when you left the cemetery, you said, ‘May you find the peace you search for.”  I never had a chance to ask you.  Have you found that peace?”

                Sylvia shook her head, her diamond earrings throwing out shafts of light as they dangled.  “What is peace, Heero?  If you’re asking if the world is at peace, my answer would be yes, I have found that peace.”  She looked down at the floor, hiding her eyes, and Heero suspected her tears, from him.  “…but if you’re asking if I am at peace, my answer would be no, I have not found that peace.”

                “Your grandmother has it.” 

                “And I am unable to share it with her.  Everyday, I walk around the house and see my grandfather.  I still miss him even though he has been gone for nearly three years.”

                Heero looked over his shoulder to the center of the room.  Couples had begun waltzing around the Christmas tree to the music played by the string ensemble.  He glanced back at Sylvia to see surprise in her eyes.  He almost laughed.  Somehow, she already knew what he was going to ask her.  He held out his hand to her.

                “Dance with me.”

                Sylvia stepped back from him, something akin to fear in her eyes.  “I am not Relena.”

                Heero sighed.  “I know that you aren’t.  But we are friends now.”

                She nodded.

                “And friends can dance together…”  He held his hand out to her again.

                This time, she accepted it. 

Heero led her out to the dance floor.  He settled into the rhythm of the music easily, taking Sylvia with him.  He could feel her relaxing, the tenseness in her shoulders fading away as they waltzed around the tree.   The song ended.  

Sylvia looked up from her feet to smile at him.   The smile reached her eyes, lighting them with happiness.  “One more?”  She asked hopefully.

“Why not?”  Heero teased her gently. 

The music started up again, this time the song was a slow waltz, changing the whole atmosphere of the dance floor.  Gradually, couples gave in to the music, drawing closer together.  Sylvia looked around at the other dancers and then at Heero.  He dispelled the uncertainty in her eyes with a small smile. 

“I don’t mind if you don’t,” he said.

She replied by moving closer and leaning her head on his shoulder.  Heero held her a little tighter, touching her hair just slightly with his chin.  The scent of her perfume was sending his head into a spin.  Why did girls always have this effect on him?  

After a few more minutes of dancing, the song ceased, the room hushed for a moment.  Sylvia pulled away from him, and Heero had to mentally slap himself to keep from gathering her back to him again.  It wasn’t possible…  Sylvia was not Relena.  Yet, he knew that he felt something…  Heero gazed into her eyes for a few moments, until he realized that she was blushing. 

“What’s wrong?”

She stared down at the floor again.  Heero glanced around to see that the other dancers had vanished from the floor, leaving them as the only remaining couple on the dance floor.  The rest of the partygoers had gathered around them in a circle, bright smiles on their faces.  Then, a few of them began to clap.  The applause spread through the crowd like a wave.  The sound echoed off the ceiling, bouncing around the room as if it were an echo of triumph.

                Heero took Sylvia’s hand.  “Curtsy,” he whispered to her.

                As they received the applause, it only grew louder.  Heero led Sylvia off the dance floor, back to the shadows.  Gradually, the dancing began again.  Heero went to get Sylvia a glass of punch as she sat down.  He came back to find that the blush was receding from her cheeks.  She took the glass gratefully and sipped the cold drink.

                “Thank you.”

                “I hope I didn’t tire…”

                “No, thank you for dancing with me.” 

                She handed the glass back to him.  “I should go back to my room now.  I’m afraid that I can’t stay up until one in the morning like the rest of you.”

                “I’ll take you.”

                She put a hand on his arm.  “No, you’ve done too much for me already.  A girl you’ve only met three times.”  She stood to her feet.  “But I will allow you to escort me to the door.”  She motioned to Relena.  “Besides, there is another who wants to dance with you.”

                Heero nodded and walked her to the front door of the banquet hall.  He paused at the door, unsure of how to say goodbye to her, not wanting to say goodbye to her.  There was only one way to ensure that he would see her again.

                “May I come to visit you once in a while?” he asked.

                “Of course.”  Sylvia stood in front of him, hands clasped behind her back, eyelashes shyly lowered.   “Grandmother would like it if you came to visit.”

                Heero studied her thoughtfully.   “Would you like it?”

                Finally, she looked up at him, and Heero struggled to hold himself together as he saw the tears gathering in her blue eyes.  But her smile was genuine and grateful.  “Yes, Heero, I would.”

                “Good.”

                Goodbye, Heero.”  She leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek and then turned away, walking down the hallway, her heels clicking on the hard floor. 

                Heero watched her until she turned a corner, the navy dress swishing out of view. 
                “Goodbye, Sylvia.”  Heero leaned against the wall with one arm.  He touched his cheek with the fingers of his other hand, smiling slightly.  If he listened closely, he could still hear the sound of her footsteps.  

“Until we meet again,” he whispered.