Gundam Wing: The Sword, ch. 2

Act I

Episode 2: Jen’s Story

Captured on the frozen water was the reflection of a snow covered garden. There was stillness in everything, and that stillness was the patience to be born again with new life. He looked down at her for the longest time. The bitterness in Heero’s Prussian blue eyes was gone. And looking deeply in that young woman’s eyes, he saw a soldier.

She blushed, feeling unsettled from the way he gazed at her, and spoke softly. “Heero?”

He pulled his eyes away from her, saying, “Jen. You’ll ruin your clothes playing around like that.”

“I think I tore a hole in my trousers,” she stated matter-of-factly, being at once both candid and silly.

Heero’s head and shoulders slumped somewhat in reaction. It wasn’t easy to stir a response like this from him. “Let’s go inside,” he said, figuring they had been outside long enough as it was. Without another word, he slowly rose up from his seat and left for the house, treading silently through the snow. He did not look back, letting her go along at her own leisure.

Jen did not move immediately, lying at the foot of the stone bench. She was staring upwards at the sky as the white powder drifted down to earth, relishing in the expanse of this frozen garden. The sky was vast, swallowing her up, and the earth underneath her seemed to vanish, leaving nothing but this curious feeling inside. She was in wonder at where life had taken her—at how she could have suddenly been thrust into these rare circumstances. Where else in the entire Earth Sphere could she have found a place where her heart felt as open as it did then? It was a small and quiet happiness she valued to be worth a hundred lifetimes.

Jen unwound her scarf and slipped out of her coat as she came through the doorway. A mild flame was stoked in the fireplace, kindled prior to her arrival. The hot wisps danced hypnotically, throwing a warm orange glint onto the room. She stood in the entrance for a time, drawing into herself the warmth of the room until her skin stopped tingling from the cold. Kicking off her boots aside the door, Jen left to her room to change into another pair of pants.

Heero had since turned on the television, but simply for the background noise. He was busy preparing a light snack for them to have: two apples cut into slices and mugs of hot chocolate to keep them warm—with a marshmallow in hers. Things were kept simple for his sake. Heero looked again at the apple slices with some discontent. They were crudely peeled and cut into large chunks. The sight of them frustrated him somewhat. If Jen had done it herself, she would have peeled the apples with a single cut, leaving the skin as a long corkscrew-shaped strand, and then the apples would be sliced into neat little wedges. Heero was supposed to be good with a knife, being a soldier with years of training in close quarters combat and knife techniques, but something about peeling an apple with such extravagance simply escaped him. Combat could only take one so far.

The apples, too, had been grown in his garden, harvested before winter drained the plants of life. Many other sorts of fruits and vegetables were cultivated in the garden as well, and Heero was almost convinced to plant a rice crop before he realized how ridiculous he would look planting and harvesting the grains. The last suggestion was only half-serious to begin with. And she was the rhyme and reason behind all of it. He was astounded by how she transformed everything around her. When Jen first came to the house all she found in the kitchen was a can of beer and a spot of mold, and Heero was simply living off of powdered military rations. The packs were deemed so reliable that they didn’t carry an expiration date, to which Jen did not know to be glad for quality or fearful of old age.

Heero knew he could not expect another human being to eat (let alone live) day to day the way he did, and so he allowed himself to be convinced that his gardens should be used to grow food. Not only would they be beautiful, but they could be a source of sustenance and work for him as well. It was another idea he was open to in his attempts to settle into a more ordinary life, but even then he was no one to judge what was normal or not. There was little motivation for him beyond the fact that it was all slightly more productive than doing absolutely nothing. Between contracts for his business, all Heero had was time to kill. It was not as though gardening was a bad thing at all, so he tried it out much like a hobby in which he could invest his energy. Working alongside Jen, putting in time and ideas, Heero eventually grew quite attached to the land and his home.

But starting to cook was a different undertaking altogether. Heero lived in a worrisome manner, to put things simply. Although he enjoyed a reasonably high standard of living, he did very little to care for his own well-being, as though tomorrow would not be missed if it never came. It was not his health to be concerned about, but his state of mind. Who needs to cook well when survival was enough? His life was very mechanical. There was little joy or self-fulfillment in his days—only work and time left to burn. Jen could not help but worry for her gracious host. Seeing Heero’s haphazard and self-destructive way of thinking only convinced her more that underneath all of it, Heero needed something more in his life to hang onto. She did not feel she had very much to offer, but she felt obligated to do some good and pay him back in whatever way she could. And so she started small, and he would cook for them once in a while.

Heero Yuy would be a terror to have in the kitchen. He liked to skip steps and was impatient. It was a ruinous mood for cooking. Pressure cookers erupted, oils burst into flame, and the countertops would be covered in blood when he fumbled and cut himself. All of this would cause Jen to dive for cover or go into frenzied dashes for fire extinguishers and bandages that weren’t there, but Heero never did as much as blink. He merely grunted at those little "set backs". But as mercy would have it, he was a good learner, understanding recipes quickly, and had solid retention and execution. But still, he kept things simple, his ingredients lacking refined cuts, and the recipes stayed rigid and lacked experimentation. He had cooked their dinner just the night before. She deemed his meals passable, but it was more than just the food to her. Heero Yuy was cooking. For her of all people. He’s never thanked her out loud, but they both knew he appreciated the good she had done for him. It made him feel normal.

Jen was already settled in front of the television when Heero came with the apple slices and her hot chocolate. They drank from their mugs in slow gulps and chewed on the fruit thoughtfully as they watched a documentary made about the Eve Wars. The presentation of the events seemed too condensed and melodramatic to Heero, and even then the role of the Gundams remained a spotty, misunderstood mystery. Bothered, he would sigh lightly or clear his throat quietly from time to time while watching this. Jen noticed this uneasiness, her eyes shifting slightly between the screen and Heero, but she found herself unable to do anything for it or bring it up in conversation. She knew in the back of her mind it was one of the things she would be unable to fully empathize with, and she felt her throat tighten a little from her lament. Those who didn't fight simply could not know.

The program continued with an interview with a man who was a Tragos pilot during the wars, and years after, he still appeared to be dumbfounded by his close encounter with a Gundam. He proceeded to explain that the monstrous suit, later to be identified as 01, had jumped off of his Tragos like a springboard, crushing the head part, and went on to completely obliterate the base he was defending.

“I remember that,” Heero said thoughtfully.

“I guess you didn’t scare him enough so he wouldn’t embarrass himself on TV?” Jen inquired jokingly, making best of the situation by trying to keep their mood light. Heero huffed to stifle a laugh and gave a small smirk in response.

They turned back to the screen when the signal suddenly cut and a reporter appeared. “Further development on what appears to be a terrorist bombing on the Preventers mobile suit facilities. In a damage assessment, it appears that all of the mobile suits inside the hangar were either disabled or destroyed by high grade explosives. Several groups have claimed responsibility for the bombing, including radicalist peace factions that call for the elimination of all mobile weapons, but the legitimacy of these claims has yet to be determined. There is still no official word on the number of casualties, but several dozen workers are already being treated for injuries. Investigation continues, so please tune in to your local news station for further coverage. We now return to your normal broadcast.”

“…so I charged at it from behind with a beam saber. Ho boy, that was a mistake!”

Heero’s brows immediately furled. Did they get the Tallgeese? Even if it was for the sake of eliminating all weapons from the Earth Sphere, crippling the Preventers, our first line of defense, could turn into a disaster.

This was the first the two of them had heard of the situation, being rather isolated from the rest of the world where they lived, and even then, they made little effort to keep up with current events. In the old days, Heero would have had the entire situation figured out two days ahead of time, and would have had the perpetrators at gunpoint by now, but in recent times he became largely withdrawn from that kind of involvement. Heero Yuy wasn’t the same man he used to be. It wasn’t his responsibility anymore.

But he could sense the inner turmoil that this news had created in Jen. She seemed as though she wanted to say something, though nothing came out after several moments. In her thoughts she wanted to know what Heero was going to do, now being aware of the situation. Would his sense of duty come before everything else? Was he going to run off, to fight, to go kill someone? Could he die a sudden and senseless death? What if he meant to leave her on her own? Jen became entangled in many thoughts like these, unable to sort through them on her own. She wanted desperately to keep him where he was, but Jen could say nothing because she had no reason to excuse that selfishness. She couldn’t justify protecting her own wants and needs when there were people being hurt. Who was she to stop him?

“I won’t go,” Heero said suddenly. Jen turned and looked at him in near astonishment, but after a moment he just pulled her close and rested her head under his chin. “They won’t need someone like me,” he assured her. “Not yet, anyway.” They sat together like this for a time, not speaking again. Under his embrace, she did her best to believe in those words he spoke, but understood also the lack of assurance in his promise.

Uncertainty haunted him. Today’s fragile peace could dissolve at any time, and the world would return to its history of fighting and bloodshed. It was all too imperfect. The burden of maintaining peace rested entirely on the people, but he had chosen to isolate himself and live in a manner that was completely separate from the world. How much longer can he afford to ignore reality, and even then, would he even have the ability to make any difference?

In his thoughts, Heero’s eyes drifted to the empty mugs and the plate they had finished with. There was still another load of tableware untended in the kitchen. The sight reminded him of where he really was. He laughed on the inside, thinking how he could afford to live so casually and frivolously, free from responsibility. It wasn’t very soldierly at all.

“Jen,” he started carefully. “We’re done with these dishes, and there is still the mess I made from cooking the other night. Ignoring them any longer won’t do much good. How about you clean them up for us?”

She had just gotten comfortable as he was holding her, but she pushed him away, playfully but firmly. “You did cook for us, but I don’t know why you insist on me cleaning them every time. I really don’t like cleaning plates!” Really. The grime, the soap, the splashing water! “Isn’t there any other way?”

Naturally he knew that she hated it. He only insisted every time to get a rise out of her. It may be somewhat mischievous, but it amused him greatly to poke fun at her. Even with her pleading, Heero looked completely unfazed by the young woman’s argument. Her eyes got really wide.

“Fine!” she huffed, finally breaking under pressure. “But only if you can beat me in the simulator and best my machine! If that happens, I’ll wash the dishes for a whole week!”

A devilish smirk curved his lip as he heard those words. Just as I planned.

She was doomed.

The machine she was referring to was Rekka-Kimi, Prince of Raging Flames, the combat mech Jen used in their home simulator (which was a simple home console that was self modified to ridiculous lengths.) Though it was only part of a game, she always spoke of it proudly like a favorite son, having invested a lot of time and practice into it. Heero’s frame was unnamed, but it was the prototype for the Rekka-Kimi—they just happen to use different weapons. The two used the same frames because as a base, this design was the quickest and most efficient one produced by the simulator, but mostly because they insisted on challenging each other on an even field. Their fingers worked the controls furiously but fluidly as they both set up, checking over weapons and tuning in the parts. It was formal procedure that had become an effortless process over time. As soon as their systems were fired up, the living room became a war zone.

The Rekka-Kimi used a pair of twin pistols and had a blade tucked away in its holster. Though they lacked the punch of most other weapons, the handguns were light, fast, and accurate. When used in close assaults, they could dissolve an opponent’s armor in only a few passes. Heero’s nameless frame used a pair of arm-mounted energy blades—one to each arm. They limited him severely in range, but transformed him into a complete monster in close combat. It was the mark of an ace.

Heero used his thrusters in short bursts. The high accelerations and sudden stops were just enough to evade the hails of bullets and still leave him in position to strike. Jen tried to match his movements, using a similar thrusting routine, but on top of all that, she had to keep close enough to acquire locks with her pistols, but still stay out of her opponents striking range, and this was an extremely narrow margin. It was a lot to juggle all at once, but piloting was all about multi-tasking and micro management. The two machines weaved and danced around each other, trading blows that the other strained to dodge. Jen could keep up this pace for a time, but it was pushing her to her limits. Soon enough, her pistols were spent and Jen dropped them for her blade. But as soon as she had a weapon to defend herself properly, Heero had closed the gap and delivered a slash from his left-arm blade, then the right, and finished his assault with a soul-crushing cross slash with both blades. Jen clenched her teeth as the simulator delivered her message of defeat.

PWNED.

Heero sat at the kitchen table and sipped his tea from a mug as he watched Jen stand over the sink. She would be stuck with this for a week now. He could tell she was irritated from the way the young woman’s arm jerked as she toiled. What a ridiculous way to say it. Why not just have it say “Lose”? The plates squeaked terribly as she attacked a spot that refused to dissolve under the sponge. Didn’t he ever go easy on her and let her win? Even though it was all fun and games, it would be unlike the Perfect Soldier to be dishonest in that way—to give a person false hopes. Jen understood this well. In the hundreds of tries she had made, she was yet to best him. It became like a nonsense ritual between the two of them. She would always challenge him and be hopelessly crushed, but that was all why Jen admired his honesty.

Heero admired her determination. He wondered why any girl would be foolhardy or hard headed, let alone, aggressive enough to challenge him in this manner. As unnatural as it seemed, he figured it must have been for the bragging rights. Anyone who could best the Perfect Soldier, even at something like a simple combat simulation, could go on bragging for the rest of history. And hell, it was fun. With these musings in mind, his gaze passed over her carefully. It was not that he had been raised to have an eye for such things, but Heero found her beauty to be quite remarkable. It was not something that was overly obvious, but something that grew more apparent with time. He followed the lines and shapes of her slender frame, seeing how they seamlessly blended together to become that memorable figure…to become Jen. Somewhat breathless, Heero thought back to how life came to be this way.



It was early spring of After Colony 197. Heero had left his “transportation” a few blocks away from his new client’s home and was making his way there on foot. It was the only way he could avoid causing any glaring commotion or attracting unwanted attention. His pace was steady as he made no haste, enjoying the crisp spring weather. He was clad in a navy blue dress shirt with dark slacks, Italian shoes, and a tie. Over this Heero wore a Preventers jacket that Sally Po had given him in a fruitless attempt to entice him to join their organization. He shamelessly wore the jacket as a gift even though he declined to provide his help. In one hand he also carried a briefcase that contained his laptop and paperwork. Yes, he cut quite an impressive look, but no one who caught a glance of him knew he had a pistol hidden away on his person.

The client was a young woman who got in contact with him by e-mail. Heero’s services as a bodyguard were requested. A man who had assaulted the client was released from prison not long ago, and a surprise encounter with him left her paralyzed with fear. It was the kind of situation that left a bad feeling in his stomach. Heero agreed to meet with her to flesh out the details of the case and make a contract. It wasn’t the most exciting job in the world, but he figured it would be putting his time to better use than lounging around at home waiting for a larger contract.

Jen sat motionless on the edge of her bed, her senses and memory becoming numb and blurred together. She was beginning to grow too exhausted to even think. That bodyguard was supposed to arrive to talk today. How in the world could this be happening to her? Everything was coming together nicely, and then suddenly there he was. That sicko was just sitting there at one of the back tables at her work, watching her with a crooked look in his eye. What the hell was the meaning of this? The police let her know that the little stunt he played was a direct violation of his parole, and they would be on the lookout for him, but it was rather obvious to her that this wasn’t one of their higher priority items. Ever since then, Jen had been ducking out of her work shifts at the shop to avoid the possibility of anything happening. She had been missing out so much that she was, in reality, fired some weeks ago. She would have explained her reasons to her employers, but it just felt too degrading to talk about. Only about a month or more before her bills eat up the rest of her meager savings.

It had to be then of all times. It had to be her of all people. She was beginning to think she was finally on top of things. Though Jen did not make much money and her work was difficult labor, she had finally paid back all of her debt. She did not owe a thing to anyone, and there was nothing to hold her back from doing anything she wanted. Though exhausted, she was satisfied with her accomplishments. But she wasn’t done being tested. Jen was greatly shaken when she was taken victim. Despite getting away unhurt, the event left a terrible impression on her mind. And now that man was on the loose again, free to do what he would with her. Jen did not know what she could possibly do in this situation. She had absolutely no power. Never before had she felt so weak or fearful, and because of this fear, everything was beginning to unravel. How could she be such a coward that she could not go on working and living like anyone else could? She was too scared to make a move. Jen despised her inability to gain control over her fear. She hated this weakness that consumed her.

It was not long before Jen’s friend could no longer stand to watch her remain in such misery. Jen was told she should do what she could to take power into her own hands, and the suggestion to find a bodyguard was made. It was an awkward idea at first, but with no where else to turn, Jen finally consented. The search for a protection service was long and filled with misgivings. It was difficult to find reliable information or to know who was trustworthy. Eventually, they came in contact with a man who said he was willing to take a job with them. His resume included contracts with company presidents, government officials, but also small cases with families and everyday people. Jen and her friend had little saved up between the two of them, but were curious to ask about the fee for the service. They were written back simply with a message that said, The money is not so important. When the job is done, you can pay what you feel is fair. This man’s job history and means of selecting cases seemed rather eccentric, but however, Jen sensed he was trustworthy and agreed to meet him for a contract. Still, she was not completely confident in her instinct at the moment, but all she can do at this point was wait to see how things unfold.

Heero came up to the steps and rapped lightly on the door. He had to check himself and make sure he wasn’t wearing a face that was too severe on whoever answered. A pretty girl opened the door a smidge and poked her head out to meet Heero face to face. She had violet eyes and her raven hair was cropped very short.

“Are you Jen Aoki?” Heero inquired. The girl did not answer but opened the door further and looked the young man up and down, causing Heero to raise an eyebrow with a puzzled look. She took him by the hand and pulled him inside, pushing him down onto the sofa. Before Heero could understand what was happening, she had straddled him with a bit of a contented laugh and began undoing his tie with her teeth. Heero was beyond surprise or confusion, and could only manage to curse to himself. The hell is this?

A voice called out from the other room, “Ramone, was there someone at the door? Oh…!” she cried out of shock, seeing what was unfolding. The young woman shielded her eyes from the sin. “What are you doing!” Ramone jumped to her feet, wide eyed and embarrassed.

Heero stood up as well and fixed his tie neatly. “I’m here to see Jen Aoki about a bodyguard contract.”

“Oh!” Ramone burst out in a nervous laugh caused by her embarrassing realization. “It’s my birthday today, you see, and I thought you might have been here for a little play-date!” She received a fierce scowl from Jen that caused her to flinch. “But I was wrong! Dead wrong. Really really really wrong. So, I want to apologize for the confusion and the whole violation of your comfort zone there, Mr. Bodyguard.” Ramone pushed Heero’s arm playfully to further demonstrate that she was just fooling around, but it just came across awkwardly again as he stared back at her blankly. She was hiding her panic behind an uneasy smile, backing slowly away from the other two. “I just thought that since it was my birthday and all Jen here might have arranged a little surprise for me. Very wrong. But I ought to be on my way now—I gotta go. Really sorry. Bye!” The door slammed abruptly and the girl was gone.

And all this time Heero was thinking civilian life was supposed to be filled with people that were less eccentric. His first instinct was to lock the young woman’s arm behind her back and toss her across the room out of self defense, but he had strained himself greatly to suppress that urge. Jen let out a sigh after Ramone had completed her escape. “I’m sorry about my friend. She’s not exactly the shy type, and probably not the best person to have around at times like these.” She shook her head, still uneasy and vexed by the earlier debacle, and extended her hand. “I’m Jen Aoki.”

He took hold of the young woman’s hand in a firm handshake. “Heero Yuy. It’s a pleasure.” Heero got his first good look at his client. Her hair was a very dark brown—nearly akin to black—and it fell down to the small of her back. Though she appeared tired from her ordeal, her eyes were still very bright. They had an incredibly dark color that was brilliant in the way it completely absorbed all the light it did not reflect.

After exchanging the usual pleasantries, Heero got out his laptop to begin his work, and they sat down to go over the case. The man who was now clearly stalking Jen was released from prison, and his original arrest happened after he had pinned down the client and attempted to have his way with her. He was sentenced due to his continuous record. Jen explained that he was an eerie regular from her workplace. Heero agreed to stay until the man was captured again, and in the meantime would be conducting his own remote investigation. That left one thing to question.

“He’s got his freedom now. What would compel him to go after you again and risk another arrest? What happened during the first incident?”

Jen was uneasy having to summon a memory she had willfully forgotten, but was able to formulate her thoughts with some time. “I left work alone that night. He grabbed me and…well, you know why. I fought him off and maced him when he dropped his trousers.” Heero coughed uncomfortably, but tried his best not to be rude. She continued, “When I got to my feet I just lost my mind and started kicking him. I couldn’t stop. He wasn’t able to get away by the time the police arrived.” Her listener nodded gravely. “When the guy caught sight of me the other day I was sure he was insistent on hurting me from the way his eyes were. He was mouthing words to me across the way, and of course I couldn’t hear them, but they felt cold and sharp like daggers. It was horrible. I’ve told you before that I reported what happened, but it could take a while before the police find him, if they ever come around to it. He has a forgettable face.”

A forgettable face? Heero pondered.

The two signed a contract, and Heero stayed there with Jen for some time. At first the days were uneventful. Heero kept his distance from the client, busying himself with tireless investigation via his laptop. Jen was astonished because he appeared to never eat or sleep. She also received regular calls from Ramone who insisted on visiting, which was more than likely just an attempt to catch another glimpse of the bodyguard. The client burned away her time in the kitchen trying new recipes or cooking techniques, though what was truly on her mind was getting her job back or finding new work. Ever since she was laid off, Jen took up cooking to try to busy her hands and ease her mind. She was no great chef, nor was she all that passionate about cooking, but she simply needed something to devote her energy into, and in the least it seemed slightly more productive than doing nothing at all.

Ramone was invited over on some occasions to try out some of the cooking as she had been doing even before Heero had arrived, but she joked that she was going to become morbidly obese if she kept it up. Jen would also invite her bodyguard to eat with them, but he would decline out of modesty and professionalism. Still, she insisted upon treating him until he agreed. He did so to avoid all the commotion. To support her efforts, Jen and Heero would on occasion risk a few ventures outside the house in order to find ingredients for recipes.

Heero got to wondering how a young woman like Jen would be living by herself, in a house, no less, at such an early age. She was no older than he was, after all. She was apparently a very intelligent person, and could have gone places if she were to apply herself, but with no schooling or formal study of anything in particular, she wound up seemingly ordinary. He learned that when Jen was younger she was orphaned when her father was killed in an Alliance campaign. Her mother had already passed on in her early childhood. She had lived with a foster family for a short time, but as soon as she was old enough, she took up the small inheritance left behind by her parents and struck out on her own. Admittedly it was a brash decision, but a feeling compelled her to leave her past all behind, and eventually she wound up living in this house. Jen told him that these were far-away memories that no longer burdened her. But even as she said so her eyes seemed distant. Heero never imagined that in meeting a seemingly ordinary young woman that he would again find another person scarred by the wars of the earlier era. War truly was harsh--its reach knowing no limit.

The client’s state of mind seemed to be improving in the next few days. With Heero Yuy present she no longer needed to feel anxious or be on constant guard. Jen was not completely relaxed around him either, but she began to recover the peace of mind she needed to concentrate on what she would do for the future. She did her best to be friendly around the man, but did not want to pester him and distract him from his work, either. She was unsure of the proper etiquette to have around one's bodyguard. On the last night, however, this ominous feeling took hold of her. It was so unusual. Her skin was beginning to crawl, and desperate to shake the feeling, Jen took a shower to try to get a handle on things. Maybe the water would calm her nerves.

Heero was far away in the living room, behind his laptop again, and his intense research was beginning to show promise. By now he had pulled up every known document on the man: driver’s licenses, schooling records, medical papers—the works. Heero pored over the files carefully in the hopes of finding a helpful detail. Apparently he often got in trouble in grade school for picking his nose. And the felon certainly did not remain inactive. He was difficult to track, not having a registered address, and stayed at the homes of friends.

In constant contact with other known criminals and thugs, he probably owned a small arsenal of weapons, which was high-profile where the modern day government was trying to get rid of weapons altogether. The Perfect Soldier almost worried that he could be outgunned. Not only that, but it seemed that the man was ex-military as well. Was the man violent enough to retaliate with such brutality? Heero couldn't rule out the possibility. This was getting more dangerous than he thought, and he was likely ill-equipped to deal with the situation as it was. And then by chance Heero was able to hack into some personal communication that was going through the man’s circle of contacts. Breezing through the recent messages, there looked to be some kind of payback hit being set for... Tonight?

He came through the door in a flash. “You have to get out of here. They’re going to come after you tonight.” Jen looked up to find her bodyguard whose eyes were suddenly fixed on her. She had leaned to the side to let the water drip out of her hair, and her bath towel was wrapped around her and tucked in like a little makeshift dress. The intrusion was so sudden and his expression so serious that she still did not understand what was happening and was oblivious to being caught at a bad moment. Heero’s heart skipped a beat and then began to race. Though his painstaking training as a super soldier was supposed to allow him to willfully regulate his heart rate and grant him extraordinary mental acuity, he found that he suddenly could not check himself. The unexpected loss of control was both infuriating and frightening to him.

And they both turned as they heard it: a car coming to a screeching halt, a fit of shouting, and the sound of a half dozen guns being cocked. Heero’s reaction was instantaneous. “Get down!!” He leapt forward and tackled his client to the ground, cradling her head. The next moment of time stretched into whole ages. Everything was splintering apart. Lead and shrapnel was flying every which way. The noise overwhelmed them so greatly that it was not so much heard as it was felt in their bones. Her eyes were shut as tight as they could be, and she could only hope that the bullets would not find their mark.

The gunfire ceased as suddenly as it came, and the roar of bullets left behind a silence so intense it was unreal. Bits and splinters skittered to the floor as the dust finally began to settle. Opening her eyes cautiously, Jen came out of her shock to find Heero still pressing her to the floor. She wanted to speak up, but the intensity she could sense from him kept her silent. He was completely still; eyes locked straight forward, ears listening for the slightest movements.

The Perfect Soldier stood up, grains and dust rolling off of his shoulders, and shot a death glare through the wall full of bullet holes. Now it was his turn. The car broke out in a hurry, leaving behind one man possessing a menacing presence. He stood with an air of invincibility about him, returning a glance, then turned and leisurely made his way around to the side of the house. Heero drew his pistol and exited the room leaving Jen with one order: “Hide.”

Heero came into the garage and raised his weapon. The man was covered head to toe in body armor and had a military issue machinegun slung around his shoulder. Ever confident in his overwhelming advantage, he did not even bother to raise the machinegun back at his opposition. He was definitely the one.

“Excessive if you’re just after the girl. Why all the trouble?”

There came a slow disturbing snicker. “She humiliated me…ruined my reputation and destroyed my pride as a man. It doesn’t even work any more….” Heero cringed at that extra bit of information but tried not to let it distract him. He continued, “but that bitch is gonna get what’s coming to her.”

“That doesn’t explain the body armor.” Heero smirked sarcastically. “She couldn’t be that dangerous, could she?”

“It’s not just about her anymore. You stand out in a crowd, Gundam Pilot. I recognized you when you were with her. This place isn’t too hard to find.” He definitely had Heero’s attention now. “You and I were both on X18 last season. Your buddy lobbed a grenade at me.”

He was with Mariemaia? Heero thought. That explains the forgettable face.

Heero waited for further explanation from the other man. “You’re a Gundam pilot, that I’m sure.” He huffed, “I’ll kill you and earn back the repute I lost, and I’m going to take my time with the girl once you’re out of the way. I’m gonna torture that piece of trash until she wishes I had killed her the first time around. It’ll be fun. Then I’ll be the only one laughing.”

“Gundam.” Was that word all that is giving this meaning? “This is a waste of your time. I left that title behind a long time ago.” Even as he spoke, Heero was looking for a way to somehow overcome his opposition. “Asides from the two of us standing here, no one else would recognize me as a Gundam pilot. It wouldn’t prove much to anyone. Killing me would mean nothing.” There was no way a handgun could stun him enough for Heero to move in. The machinegun would only mow him down the next instant. Then, he saw it, but his eyes did not waver to betray his intentions. “All I know is that you’re not going to get your hands on her.”

The man took his machinegun in hand now. “You won’t stop me. You won’t talk your way out of this either. You’re done for.” His finger tightened over the trigger on his weapon. Over the other man’s shoulder Heero could see a tank of pressurized propane. If it were shot open and ignited Heero could have a chance of knocking out his opponent or at least a chance of creating enough of a shock to make an opening. However, if the explosion was too much they could both be killed, or if the tank does not ignite Heero would waste his opportunity and be wide open for a punishing volley of machinegun fire. It was quite a gamble for the Perfect Soldier. He laughed under his breath, amused at the odds, and pulled the trigger.

***



“You blew up my house!!” She was kicking and screaming. Heero was dragging the man away from the burning abode by the man’s foot, and he had Jen slung over his other shoulder.

“I blew up your garage. The rest caught fire on its own.” She screamed at him again.

That was a long night. Firemen scrambled about the property. Emergency workers cut the wretch out of his melted body armor before he was sent back to prison, several more charges being added to his record. Heero filed the report with the police officers and argued with insurance agents. Jen sat alone on the curb, helpless. She was still wearing the same bath towel, though Heero had given her his Preventers jacket to put on over it. She had nothing to change into. She never imagined that she could lose everything so quickly. Not a thing was left. The fire destroyed it all. How was it that she came through this with another loss?



Heero came by and sat down with her. “It’s over now," he said in an apologetic voice. "I guess my contract’s complete.” He looked at the poor girl for a moment. In the darkness, the fire gave her complexion a soft melancholy glow. She looked pitiable and lost. “What are you going to do now?”

Her eyes were downcast, her voice quiet. “I don’t know. I don’t have anywhere to go.”

Heero tried his best to think of some solution or consolation. “What about staying with your friend?”

She laughed some at that. “That’s not such a great idea. There is only so much space at Ramone’s place. And being around each other too much may not be good either.”

“I can pay for the repairs to your home. Insurance won’t cover the damages because the fire was somewhat intentional on my part. I’ll do it. It’s the least I can do.” Jen turned to Heero, finally responding to his efforts. “It won’t be too long before they rebuild it. This is going out on a limb, but I suppose you could stay with me in the mean time, if that’s what you want. You can do that if there is nowhere else to go.” She gave him another long look. “There’s a lot of space there. I’ll stay out of your way.”

Jen Aoki thought for a long time and considered the young man’s unusual gesture of hospitality. It was striking to come across someone so straight forward and sincere. She nodded meekly. “Where?”

Unable to borrow a pair of shoes from anywhere, Heero was forced to carry her most of the way, while she held his suitcase for him. He did offer to give his shoes to her, but Jen didn’t agree with Heero having his feet torn up, either. It was very humiliating. She was a grown woman, not having been carried like this since she was a child. What it gave her was some time to think. Perhaps they should have seen Ramone before leaving, but events prior had already been draining. Her friend likely would have objected due to uncontrolled envy, or may have even decided to go along. The night had already been long enough.

As soon as they came to a lot of soft grass, Heero let Jen walk on her own to save some face. He gestured towards the tree-line which he explained they would need to go through to find what he referred to as their “transportation.” Maybe he had a really terrible sense of humor. She didn’t even have a pair of pants to wear, and he expected her to follow him into the woods in the middle of the night? Heero seemed somewhat vexed, having not thought that part of the situation through, and was a little embarrassed to think that it all made him come off as some creepy pervert. What he did was let Jen hang onto his handgun, which was the most direct solution he could ponder, and even went as far as showing her how to check the safety and make sure it was loaded.

Heero lead the way with his suitcase in one hand and a pen lamp in the other. It was surprisingly bright for such a small gadget, but lit their path very well. Jen was just thinking that he must have had in his possession all sorts of neat gizmos, but as soon as they reached a small clearing, she knew she had spoken too soon. What lay ahead of them was a Leo mobile suit with stunning white armor. It rested on one knee to keep its head below the tree-line, putting off the impression of a powerful and chivalrous knight. This was the first time Jen had come this close to a mobile suit. The sight was awe-inspiring, but she soon came to the realization that there would likely be all sorts of trouble for being associated with a person in the possession of a mobile weapon. Looking back at him, she wondered what he would do.

Approaching the Leo casually, Heero noticed a pink slip tacked near the cockpit hatch. Picking the slip from the mobile suit’s armor, he examined it with an air of tedium. “‘Parking violation’?” he wondered aloud, and flicked the piece of paper away. “It doesn’t even have a license number….” Heero opened the hatch to the cockpit, which unlocked with a hiss, and looked back at Jen. “Let’s go.”

At that moment, she knew that Heero Yuy was different. He was above the influence of the ordinary world, a man who forged his own life and made his own rules. Following him would mean she, too, would take control as he had done. Locking eyes with him, she could feel the confidence he exuded. Jen nodded firmly and stepped forward. Not long after, a Leo appeared above the tree-line, and rising into the sky, disappeared into the night.



***



Jen sat down at the table across from Heero, the back of her hand pressed on her forehead as she exhaled a sigh of relief. Behind her a stack of plates and pans sparkled, all of them set neatly into organized racks. He offered her a mug of tea; she took it mouthing a “thank you.” They sat together for a while, enjoying each other’s silent company.

He was thinking again before he collected the proper words to convey his thoughts. “Jen, the reconstruction of your house was finished some time ago. Why didn’t you ever go back?”

The young woman smiled softly, looking into the mug of tea he had offered her. She remembered what life was like before she ever came here. There was hardship, isolation, and sorrow. Life was so directionless and obscure. Surely, if she had continued walking that path, Jen Aoki would have simply faded into oblivion. But from the simple chance of meeting him, all of this was turned around. In a fragile world of uncertainty, Heero Yuy offered the weak and the innocent a fighting chance. It was that simple fact that assured her, and she knew what she would say. Still, Jen was shy to give her answer. “I’ve grown to like it here, Heero. Would it be too much trouble if I stayed here with you?”

The young man was quiet for some time, understanding the gravity of this seemingly commonplace conversation. Before now, everything had just been happening without need for rationality nor definition. It was just the two of them, alone in this house, set apart from the world. Neither of them had questioned it, being lost in the hours, relishing in uneventful days, doing what felt right. Things were what they were, and no one had stopped to give it a name or define what it was. But the answer Heero would give now will make it official.

“Do as you please.”

By Seraphic