Serena walked home from school late one Friday afternoon, daydreaming of sitting under the moonlight with Darien and the fireworks they would see during their date to the Spring Festival that night.
I can't wait until tonight. She thought to herself, smiling and squinting as the sun threw out it's dying rays for the day over the mountains. Food, music and dancing, no nasty Nega-monsters to bother me... it's almost too much to ask for.
As she daydreamed, staring into the sky, she saw a shooting star, and stopped, staring in disbelief.
Wow, even I know there's no shooting stars in the daytime... are there?
Though as she watched it, it grew larger and more defined, and soon became a round, red ball moving with incredible speed, growing extremely loud as it quickly grew larger and shook the ground slightly with it's massive size alone.
"Somehow, I think maybe this isn't good." she said aloud as she looked for a place to hide.
As she glanced behind her, she noticed a door, slightly open, probably where some residents had evacuated as they saw the meteor. She wasted no more times wondering about it and sprinted for it full tilt, the huge object thundering toward the ground behind her, howling it's arrival with authority.
Serena quickly dove for a table and rolled under it as the expected crash filled her ears.
The building she had dove into was a spice shop, and little beakers and small jars crashed to the floor with the aftershock from the huge explosion. Dust and strange smells filled the air, and Serena's eyes watered and she coughed as the air filled with many different aromas.
After a few minutes, and a coughing fit, Serena carefully eased out from the ruins of the table and picked her way outside amid broken glass and damaged furniture.
She carefully stuck her head outside to see a huge metallic robot, easily six or seven stories tall, holding a huge gun in one hand and a shield on the other.
As she looked on in shock, it merely stood there amid the damage it had created, looking like a huge toy her little brother might own, only in a massive size.
Just then, the street filled with hundreds of small explosions and flashes of some sort, and as she followed what she imagined to be gunfire, she saw three huge, black flying battle machines diving toward the robot that still hadn't moved.
The three flying machines drew closer, and Serena saw the huge robot finally move with surprising swiftness for something that size
It drew up the shield in front of it's massive face for a moment, deflecting the oncoming bullets like water off an umbrella. Then it dropped the shield and raised it's massive gun in one swift and fluid motion, firing and taking out two of the three flyers with a massive energy beam.
The third flyer was lucky, and dove past the robot, extending feet of it's own and landing behind the massive metallic war machine, smoke rolling out of it's engines.
Before his enemy could even set both feet on the ground and turn around, that large shield had swung around and connected with the upper part of the flyer, staggering it sideways. In that same movement, the shield withdrew and the gun barrel flew forward so blindingly fast that it seemed to just magically appear in the chest of the black flying robot an split-second before the blast from the massive barrel completely obliterated it in a hot flash of raw energy.
Serena squinted through the last explosion, heat rolling over her as the smoke cleared and there were no traces of the enemy robots left at all. As she continued to watch, the huge robot looked around for a moment, almost as one would watch a flock of sheep from a hilltop. Then, it slowly lifted into the air, converting into a secondary plane form and flying off over the mountains.
Only waiting a few minutes to make sure it was truly gone, Serena began to sprint toward the area of the destruction to see if she could help anyone...
And because Molly's mother's store was in that area.
In another part of town, in a crumbling, half ruined jewelry store at the edge of the massive crater left by the impact and the ensuing battle, a woman and her daughter lay huddled together in a small office in back. As the girl finally opened her eyes and looked out from under the desk, she realized the fighting was over and turned back to her mother, who opened her eyes as well, smiling.
"Mama!" Molly exclaimed, looking at her mom, suddenly concerned.
"I'm fine Molly" she said "I think my ankle got twisted though, but I'll be OK."
As Molly dusted herself off and went rummaging through the rubble to see if she could find a first aid kit, she heard a crunching sound from in the showroom.
"Who's there?" she asked, grabbing a broom from a nearby pile of debris.
"It's me Molly, Serena." a familiar voice said from over a section of ceiling.
"Serena?" Molly said, dropping the broom and scrambling toward where the front doors once stood.
"You OK?" Serena's caring voice echoed through the ruined store.
"I'm OK, but my mom twisted her ankle." Molly replied.
"I'll try to find some help to get you two out of there."
"Be careful Serena!"
As she heard her friend scramble off through the rubble, Molly knew it was going to be a long day.
A few days later found Molly living with Serena and her family while her own mother spent some time getting the store fixed.
"Come on Serena, we're going to be late again!" Molly yelled from downstairs as Serena stumbled into her clothes, beginning the first week school since the attack by the strange giant robots. The news had called it a 'gas explosion due to a military weapon going out of control during a routine test mission'.
Serena hopped down the steps and grabbed a piece of toast as she and Molly raced out the door for school.
As they ran, Molly looked at Serena, smiling.
"Now I see why you're always late Serena, you're a sleep-a-holic."
Serena smiled around her toast and ran on.
As they got to school, there was a small crowd gathered around their classroom door.
"What's going on?" Molly asked a boy she knew standing on the outside of the crowd.
"There's a new student," he replied "He just transferred from Brighton Academy... really creepy guy too."
"Creepy?" Serena asked, confused.
"Yeah, they say he hardly ever talks, and no one's seen his parents yet."
Serena politely excused her way through the gathering and headed for class, Molly close behind.
As they got to their seats, just beating the bell, they noticed the focus of everyone's curiosity.
"OK class, if we can all be seated and quiet please, we have a new student." Ms. Haruna said, smiling as the new boy walked to the front of the room.
He was about average height and weight for someone his age. His brown hair and slightly long bangs wouldn't have gained much notice, except for the look in his eyes.
It was an eerie look, very cold, almost... evil.
"Class, This is Heero,"
As a group, the class replied, "Hello Heero."
"Heero just transferred from Brighton Academy, top of his class there." She continued, "I hope you will all make him feel as welcome here as he was there."
As Heero returned to his seat, he paused to look at Serena, his eyes darkening slightly before he sat down without a sound.
It's like he looked right through me. she thought, suddenly getting the chills.
The day dragged by, and as Serena sat in class awaiting the final bell, she thought about this Heero and where he came from.
Brighton Academy she thought Wait a second... that's where Amy came from!
Serena turned to Heero, who sat quietly, looking out the window.
"So, Heero." she began, trying to act casual.
"Yes?" he asked, not moving.
"Ms. Haruna said you came from Brighton Academy."
"Yes, what's your point." he answered without turning.
"I was just curious how you liked it here compared to there." she smiled as best she could.
"It's the same here as there, just different uniforms."
He sat quietly for a moment, then turned to look at her.
"What's with all the questions?" he paused, leaning closer and staring seemingly into her soul. "You're the only one who's asked me anything since I got here, looks like everyone else is too scared of me."
She leaned back a bit, and thought quickly.
"It's your eyes..." she began, staring at the floor, hastily reforming her thoughts into useable sentences. "Not your eyes exactly, but... more the look in them... no offense, but... it's so... cold."
She slowly met his gaze with an underlying sense of compassion, not knowing why.
"When you've seen the evil that men do as I have, you could understand the look in my eyes." he stated simply.
Serena smiled as best she could. "If you need a friend... I'm here." she said, standing slowly and walking back to her seat.
Heero sighed and turned to look out the window once more, wondering when the next mission would be, eager to get it over with and move on, yet also not wanting to leave at all.
That evening, Serena was again rushing around the house, only this time, she was getting ready for her date with Darien.
"Wow" Molly said, watching her get ready "They go and re-schedule the festival and you still aren't ready for it."
As Molly began to giggle, Serena stuck her tongue out before dashing down the stairs to find her shoes.
Darien quietly cruised up on his motorcycle, stopping a shutting off the engine. He popped off his helmet and stared at the house.
As he got off his bike and started walking toward the front door, a sudden chill swept over him, and he quickly whirled to see a strange boy across the street wearing a green tank top and black shorts, silently staring at the upstairs window... Serena's window.
He started to say something to the boy, to maybe ask him who he was, but before he could think of what to say, the boy turned and walked off into the darkness.
Strange he thought, but eventually decided it was just another strange occurrence on this night of the full moon, and he walked to the front door to see if his date was ready yet, smiling at the thought of her running around at the last second trying to get ready.
He knocked on the front door and chuckled to hear the expected crash from just inside the door and Serena mumbling as she disappeared, upstairs he imagined, probably asking her mother to 'stall him for me'.
The door opened to Serena's mother, smiling, despite the usual, yet controlled chaos that was erupting behind her.
"Hello Darien." she said, letting him in "Serena's almost ready."
"Thanks" he said, smiling as she offered him a chair.
"Would you like anything while you wait?" she asked as a resounding crash echoed through the house.
"A soda would be nice, thanks." he replied as he slipped off his suit jacket.
Just then, Molly glided downstairs, giggling madly.
"Hello Molly." he said, offering her a seat as Serena's mother poured three glasses of diet soda.
"Hi Darien." Molly replied, stifling another giggle as she sat down next to him. "Serena's just about ready."
"So I hear." he replied, chuckling while, as if on cue, another dull crash filled the house.
"How's your mom?"
Molly sighed, a warm smile filling her face.
"She's fine, and I should be able to go home soon." she caught herself, and quickly added "not that I don't like it here..."
"I understand Molly." Mrs. Tsukino said over her glass. "You're excited to go home, and I can't say I blame you... it must be peaceful at your house."
As the three laughed downstairs over their sodas, Serena had just finished getting dressed behind a changing screen in her room, silently remembering to pay her little brother back for hiding her other outfit.
She finally descended the stairs in a gorgeous, white, silk dress with silver trim, matching sandals with silver ribbon ties, and a beautiful silver wrap, which seemed to flow with an almost liquid appearance as she placed it over her shoulders.
"How do I look?" she said, twirling as if in a dance.
"Absolutely stunning" Darien replied.
"Wow, you look great Serena." Molly said, walking over to take a closer look.
"Serena."
"Yes Mom?"
"Where did you get that dress?" she asked, eyeing it carefully.
"I've been saving for it for a long time... out of my allowance."
Serena took the wrap off and folded it over her arm so her mom could examine the dress more closely.
"Is that real silk?" she asked, kneeling to examine it.
"Yup, and I remembered everything you told me, 'just above the knees, half-inch straps, one piece, not two, no velcro'..."
This sent a smile across her mother's face and she hugged Serena with surprising fierceness.
"Serena dear, you're old enough now to make your own choices... I just..."
"I know mom, I know."
Darien politely turned around and walked into the living room, standing quietly as they talked girl talk in the kitchen.
As he watched out the window, he thought he saw a flash and a light beam come from the other side of town, heading skyward, and shook it off as his overactive imagination.
"Darien" It was Molly.
He turned to see her smiling, a few stray tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong Molly?" he asked, genuinely concerned.
"It's just... I dunno, with the way Serena and her mom are talking... I miss my own mom I guess."
He made her sit next to him on the couch. "I understand... I miss my mom too sometimes... I guess everyone does."
"Yeah" she replied in a whisper.
"Tell you what." he said, handing her his handkerchief after he wiped a few stray tears from her face. "Why don't you come with us? It would get your mind off your troubles for a while at least."
Molly smiled and just shook her head slowly.
"Nah, this is your night alone with Serena, I wouldn't want to spoil it for you two."
"Come on Molly, don't be so down." Serena said from the other side of the room. "You know you're always more than welcome."
"No, it's OK, really... you two go ahead, I'll be fine, I just need to be alone for a while."
"You sure Molly?" Serena said, sitting down next to Molly and putting an arm around her friend as Darien stood up and walked over to get his jacket.
"I'll be fine Serena, really..." she sighed "but I do wanna talk to you before you go."
Darien smiled again. "I'll start the bike Serena, you two take your time."
As he disappeared out the front door, Serena's mother close behind, Molly looked at her close friend and suddenly began to cry as Serena hugged her tightly and tried her best to calm her friend.
"I just know something's wrong Serena... I dunno how I know, but I know."
"I know, I feel it too, something just doesn't feel right about tonight, I feel major bad vibes."
"What do you mean Serena?"
"Molly, I have something I wanna tell you... I've always wanted to tell you, but I never knew if I should."
"You know you can tell me anything Serena." she replied, wiping tears away again on her already damp sleeve.
Serena leaned over and silently whispered in her best friend's ear.
"I am Sailor Moon."
Molly said nothing for a few minutes, then just hugged her friends as she understood everything finally "Somehow I always knew..." she yawned, smiling "Do me a favor..."
"Anything Molly."
"Promise me you'll watch over me."
Before Serena could lay her down and cover her with a blanket, she was deep asleep.
"I'll never let anything happen to you Molly." she smiled, a single tear rolling down her own cheek. "I promise."
"Slow down Darien!" Serena yelled through her helmet as they cruised through the darkened streets on their way to the festival.
"Relax Serena, you just aren't used to riding on a motorcycle yet... especially in a dress like that." he replied, smirking under his tinted visor.
Serena rode behind Darien, having to sit sideways on the motorcycle as they cruised, a bit slower then usual, but not so slow as to worry.
"You sure you're not going too fast?" Serena said again, a little softer as she worried about her dress.
Darien just chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"Serena, relax, I'm only going thirty-five and I'm taking all the back roads... just for you."
"Why the back roads?" she asked, and as soon as the words left her lips, a wind gust blew by her and she was suddenly glad she had the helmet on her face, even going through the trouble to take her hair down to put it on in the first place. It helped hide the fact she was turning red in the cheeks, and not just from the cold either.
After a few minutes, Darien glanced in his side mirrors to check on Serena, who had grown quiet all of a sudden.
"You OK?" he asked.
"Her helmet turned slightly to face the mirror, as if she knew he was looking at her.
"Yeah, just thinking."
"Molly will be fine..." he began.
"No, not about Molly..." she interrupted, and then became silent.
Darien decided not to push the point any further, as much as he wanted her to be happy, getting between a teenage girl and her emotions was a risk no one should take too many times in a single night.
As they turned a corner though, he pulled the bike over gently, but quickly, killing the engine and popping off his helmet.
Serena took her helmet off, the full moon lighting up her confused face like a billboard.
"Why did we stop?" she asked, fear gripping her soft voice in a vice.
He silenced her with a quick kiss on the lips and pulled her behind the bike in a sudden hurry.
"Darien!" she exclaimed, frightened.
"Quiet..." he said, placing a hand over her mouth.
As she struggled for a moment, he realized how this must look to her, and released his grip on her shoulder, but as she started to get up and speak, he just pointed over the bike seat and she was quiet again.
There, over the hill, a massive robot in gleaming black armor looked around the area.
"Another one?" she murmured quietly as Darien hugged her for support, noticing she had begun to shake.
The robot, turned to face the bike, and spotlights flared up on each side of it's massive head as it looked all around the hillside.
Serena gasped silently as the lights passed over the bike a few times, and Darien just held her tight, trying to figure out why this thing was here.
Suddenly the giant searchlights shot skyward and the robot pulled out a huge staff, twirling it once as one end flared to life in a green energy blade.
"Deathscythe" Darien mumbled as the huge black robot flew skyward to battle two, smaller flying robots.
"Darien. let's get out of here." Serena said, her voice iced with raw fear.
"Yeah, lets go." he said, hopping on the bike
Just then, a huge blue ball of energy flared around them in a flash, and as they both awaited an explosion, nothing else happened.
While Darien tried to start the bike, Serena stared skyward at they fought high in the nighttime sky.
As she watched, Darien hopped off the bike and crouched to see why it wouldn't start.
"Darien." Serena said, pointing.
He turned to look at what she pointed at, and noticed one of the destroyed flyers had decided to fall directly toward them.
"Time to run Serena." he said, grabbing her by the arm.
The two ran as quickly as they could, and as the reached a ditch, Serena tripped over a rock and fell into a rolling dive, Darien following her instantly as the explosion claimed his bike and most of the area around it in a massive rush of flame that only missed them by inches.
Before he could ask if she was OK, he saw Serena looking down at him and then darkness claimed him in a silent rush.
Serena rolled and thumped heavily into a tree as the blast went off, singing her wrap and the ends of her hair.
After the heat and flames had done what they could do, she crawled over to Darien on her hands and knees, finding him just as he passed out.
"Darien?" she whispered, shaking him gently, but to no avail.
As she began to stand up, she noticed the massive robot she had seen the other day, standing and staring down at her.
"Don't hurt us." she said, slowly dropping back to her knees beside Darien in the dirt.
Just then, the metallic sound of huge footsteps filled the air, and the second, black robot walked up and stood next to the first, turning to face it.
"Everything taken care of on your end?" the black machine said over a loudspeaker.
"Mission complete." the white one replied, still staring at the scared, dirty and slightly singed young girl in the ditch at it's feet.
The black robot followed the white one's gaze down to Serena, and silently crouched to one knee.
As Serena watched in sheer terror, thinking this was the end for sure, the black robot's chest plate opened to a small cockpit and a young boy not much older than herself, standing and smiling at her.
"You can relax now, we're the good guys." he said, grabbing a rope and winch and lowering himself softly to the ground.
"Her friend is hurt." the white robot stated, kneeling now too, the chest plate opening as well to reveal Serena's classmate, Heero.
"Heero?" Serena said, standing and staggering backward in a blind fear.
"Hello Serena." he replied, slowly lowering himself slowly down from his robot and walking toward her slowly.
The second boy chuckled and walked over to Serena as she stared at Heero is shock, grabbing her hand gently.
"I guess you know Heero, so I'll introduce myself, My name is Duo Maxwell, pleasure to meet you."
"But... the... those..."
"Our Gundams? don't worry, we only shoot down the bad guys with those."
"Gun...Gundams?" she stammered, trying to make sense of it all.
"Hey Heero, help me with her boyfriend." he said, ignoring her totally. "Let's get him back to H.Q. for now."
Heero nodded and the two Gundam pilots helped the injured Darien into Duo's shiny, black Deathscythe, and then they piled Serena into Heero's Wing Gundam, before taking off for their temporary H.Q.
Serena sat in a daze, throughout the ride in the Gundam, to the time they arrived at their temporary base and took Darien to a makeshift Infirmary. Everything was just a blur of color and sound until she could take no more and fell into a deep sleep.
When she awoke, she found herself very comfortable, but in a strange bed.
She was wrapped in beautiful scented sheets and fluffy blankets, her hair was neatly brushed and recently washed, smelling of flowers, and she had her shoulder and part of her chest wrapped in bandages, though they caused her no pain, they were slightly stiff.
Must be from the tree I hit... she thought for a moment, sitting up and suddenly remembering everything clearly.
"Darien?" she asked out loud, looking around in panic.
"He's fine," a female voice replied from a side room "I just sent him out for a short walk when I cleaned you up."
"Where am I?" Serena asked quietly, settling down a little bit.
"All you need to know right now is that you are safe." she said, smiling as she walked into the room.
She was beautiful, with medium length blonde hair and blue eyes, she wore a two piece maroon bathing suit and was drying her hair with a towel.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting down next to Serena and pulling back the covers and checking her bandages with careful grace and skill.
"Who are you?"
"I believe I asked the first question..."
Serena winced as the girl placed the blankets back over her.
"Sorry." she said. "I'll answer first... My name is Rileena, and I'm a friend of Heero's. He brought you here yesterday."
Serena sat up. "Yesterday?"
"Careful, you'll irritate your wounds."
Rileena carefully eased Serena back down and covered up once more.
After a few moments of looking into her eyes, Serena felt she could trust this strange girl.
"My name is Serena, and thanks for taking care of me."
"My pleasure, a friend of Heero's is a friend of mine." she replied, standing and drying her hair once more.
"Well, I wouldn't call us friends exactly." Serena said, settling down and enjoying the comfort.
Rileena laughed, and that set Serena to smiling.
"So, you said Darien was walking? How is he?"
"He's got a bit of a headache, but nothing major I assure you."
As she relaxed, Serena thought for a moment.
"But why..."
"Why did I send him away?" Rileena replied, finishing Serena's question easily. "Well, it's hard to bathe you with your boyfriend watching."
Serena blushed a fiery red and Rileena sat next to her.
"Don't worry, no one saw anything except me, I made sure of that." Rileena pointed to a small gun laying on the nightstand next to the bed. "Keeps the bed bugs away." she smiled.
Serena talked to Rileena for a few hours, and the two hit it off well, they shared some common interests, and being close to the same age, they understood one another rather well.
After a few hours, Serena remembered how long she had been here.
"I have to call home! My mother will be worried sick about me."
Rileena handed her a small, portable phone and walked from the room to give her what privacy she could.
Serena dialed quickly, anxious to hear her mother's voice again.
Darien strolled around the area, now dressed in a clean shirt and jeans. He watched the mechanics work on these massive Gundams and wondered why and how they got here in the first place.
"Your name is Darien, right?" a voice said from behind him, and he turned to see another young kid, straight brown hair, all the bangs going over one eye.
"Yeah, I'm Darien." he replied.
"My name is Trowa Barton, pleasure to meet you." he said, extending his hand and Darien shook it.
"I hear you gave Heero and Duo a good hunt trying to find you."
"Well, if you call hiding behind a motorcycle while a seven story robot looks for you with searchlights, sure." he smiled, Trowa nodding.
"Maybe I should explain why we're here." he began smoothly.
"I guess you're from the future?" Darien guessed.
"Correct, We come from the year After Colony 195."
Darien just stood there, as if he didn't understand.
Trowa continued. "Anyway, we have come back to this time to try to destroy an evil organization before they get a foothold and start a war in the future."
"Well, whatever your motives, I'd like to help." Darien added quickly.
"Then the first thing you can do is follow me to the training center... you need to learn a few things about piloting a mobile suit."
"Sounds like fun." he replied.
Trowa led him to a huge robot, though this one looked more plain, it was painted a dark blue.
"That's a captured enemy Leo mobile suit." Trowa put in. "We equipped it with two seats and was going to use it for a decoy, but that didn't work and it was almost destroyed, so we turned it into a two seat training suit."
"So who's my instructor?" Darien said, catching on quickly.
Trowa pointed, and as expected,.another young boy, this one blonde, walked out of a door near the suit and was talking to another boy, this one had black hair, put back in a ponytail.
Darien followed Trowa as he introduced him to Katra and Wu-Fei, pilots of the Sandrock and Shenglong Gundams respectfully.
"So Trowa, where's your Heavyarms?" Wu-Fei asked as he had pointed to the two Gundams in turn during the introduction.
"Heavyarms is over there, under that netting, the color stands out." he replied fluidly.
"So Darien, ready for your first lesson?" Katra asked.
"I have something to do first, if that's OK." He replied.
"Your lady friend I assume." Katra said, smiling. "I understand, meet me back here when you are ready."
Darien nodded and walked off, leaving the three Gundam pilots talking as the other two walked up.
"What's wrong Katra, he get scared?" Duo piped in, trying to act fearful himself, sending Katra into a huge grin.
"He had something to take care of first, or so he said." Wu-Fei added.
Heero smiled at that, and the other four pilots all grew quiet as they saw him do so.
"Serena is her name." Heero said as he watched Darien walk into the house she was staying in with Rileena. "And she is a wonder indeed."
"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Duo shot back,crossing his arms and staring at Heero as he began to laugh and walk away, which was a little strange to say the least.
Wu-Fei just smiled himself, turning an walking the other way, leaving the three other pilots alone with their thoughts.
Meanwhile, as Serena slept soundly in the beautiful bed, Rileena sat with Darien as they talked over spiced tea.
"So Darien, tell me, what do you do for a living... not to pry, but I'm just kinda curious."
Darien smiled mysteriously. "Oh you know... this and that."
Rileena just looked back over to Serena and said nothing.
"She's lucky, you know." she said to no one in particular.
"Nah" Darien said, sighing and standing. "I'm the lucky one I think."
He flashed her a smile before walking out the door, leaving her amid a flood of her own thoughts and feelings, and she sipped her tea as she tried to sort them all out.
"OK Darien, you're doing good, now remember... feel the movement and react, don't force it." Wu-Fei's radio communication echoed in his cockpit as he struggled to learn how to pilot the captured Leo mobile suit he was using, Katra sitting behind him watching carefully in case anything went wrong.
The Shenglong Gundam took a step back and stretched out it's right arm, Darien's own Leo dodging aside and tripping the Gundam.
"Good technique" the radio crackled as the Gundam Shenglong rose in a flash of jet thrusters and attacked Darien full force, easily taking the Leo down in a few powerful blows.
"Easy Wu-Fei, he's still new at this." Katra replied.
"Maybe you should have Duo or Trowa sparring in one of their Gundams, I overdo everything it seems."
"I can see it now, Trowa's Heavyarms filling this Leo full of bullets or Duo's Deathscythe slicing it clean in two, that wouldn't help much." Katra replied again smoothly. "Besides, what better way for you to work on that then to pull your punches for a while?"
"Good point."
"Anyway," Katra continued "Let's let him try the gunnery trials, maybe he'll do better there.
"Never had a use for guns really." Darien replied quietly "But I'll give it a try."
"Well, the only weapon system this thing has is the gun, so you'll have to get to use it."
"You said this thing can do pretty much anything I can do, is that right?" Darien asked over his shoulder.
"Yes, with practice, it can move like you do." Duo's voice said over the intercom.
Darien turned to see the Deathscythe walk up and stand a little way off.
"Then I have an idea." he replied, smiling and bending the Leo down on one knee to get out of it.
A few minutes later, Darien walked out of the mechanic's warehouse and smiled.
"What's up?" Duo asked him.
Before he could reply, the base alarm went off and everyone started to scramble to their Gundams.
Katra paused for a moment, smiling.
"Good luck my friend." he said to Darien "You're on your own."
Darien waved him along and sprinted to his Leo as the first volley of gunfire erupted from the flying black suits he was told about.
As he hopped in and fired up his mobile suit, his Radio went off and pictures of the 5 Gundam Pilots appeared on screens to either side of him.
"OK Darien, all you have to do is take it easy and take out anything that gets too close to the base, we'll do most of it."
"No problem Trowa." he replied, turning to look at the mechanics roll out a transport truck loaded with stripped and old ruined gears.
"Truck full of old parts?" Wu-Fei's voice sounded confused.
"Watch and see." he replied aloud, then thinking to himself They aren't roses, but they should work.
By this time, Deathscythe and Heero's Wing Gundams had already dispatched multiple targets as the other three Gundams arrived and started to do some real damage.
Trowa in the Heavyarms stood at ground level and started mowing down enemy Leo's like so much grass, while Wu-Fei and the Shenglong fired up his flamethrower and put up a wall of flames to hamper enemy fire from hitting the base before pulling out his staff and dashing off to battle.
Airborne, Deathscythe slashed it's mighty energy scythe and destroyed two flyers as Heero blasted three more with his beam rifle.
Katra's Sandrock, still on the ground, had just sliced two Leo's neatly in half and moved to take on two more, as Darien saw a third sneak around from the forest and come toward the base.
Wasting no time, he grabbed three giant gears from the truck behind them and tossed them like frisbees, smashing the enemy Leo to pieces. with the first two, the third striking an enemy tank and smashing it flat as well.
"All right!" Duo exclaimed. "Nice shots."
Darien turned to the truck and retrieved four more, smaller gears, and as he did, the cockpit shook and he felt the Leo fall to it's side.
As he checked his radar and cameras, a sixth communication window opened and Serena's face appeared.
"He's above you Darien, it's a flying thingee!"
He instantly rolled his Leo to the side and to it's knees before the second shot, and it went wide and hit the truck.
"OK, so I'll fight you fair then." Darien said to the enemy flyer, not knowing or caring if it heard him or not.
To his surprise, a strange voice replied in a snarl "Too bad I won't you traitor!"
Darien laughed as the flyer grew feet and walked toward him.
"I'm no traitor." he replied. "and the way I see it, you owe me for my motorcycle."
As the flyer aimed his rifle, Darien simply ducked, and the shots went over him as he stuck his Leo's foot out to trip the enemy, who in turn, sent a few dozen shots skyward, shooting down two of his friends.
Frantically pushing buttons to find the gun controls, Darien flipped a switch and his main cockpit window suddenly showed him a close up of his radar.
He saw the five orange dots for the Gundams, twenty or so black dots of the enemy flyers as they were regrouping from heavy casualties. He also saw the ten or so enemy Leos scattering from Heavyarms still raging gunfire, and, to his surprise, he saw a white dot far off but heading this way at incredible speed.
"Um guys.'" he said to everyone "We got company."
"Damnit, Tall Geese!" Heero said and streaked off, knocking two more flyers from the air before he went.
As he watched, his Warning sensors went off, and he remembered his own problems and fired his thrusters barely being missed by another laser burst.
"Die traitor!"
Darien simply landed and smacked the black robot in the head with his gun barrel, and it staggered backward.
"Darien!" Katra said over the intercom. "The weapon controls are to your right, the switches next to the console."
He quickly flipped a few switches and an a light lit up that said 'Weapons Armed'.
As he turned to see where his enemy had gone, his cockpit shook with unbelievable force, sending the Leo to it's knees and numerous warning lights going off everywhere.
"Darien!" Serena gasped.
"Duck!" a strange voice yelled over his intercom, and Darien did just that, a massive laser bolt dispatching the enemy behind him with a massive explosion that knocked him out as well.
When he awoke, he saw Serena staring at him, wearing her beautiful silk dress. She was slightly dirty, but otherwise unharmed.
"Are you OK?" she asked quietly as the sounds of the night filled the sky.
"Fine." he answered, confused. "But what about..."
"The robots? they went back to their own time... but I don't know how we got back here.
"Time Space Displacement." a voice replied behind them, and they turned to see a small silver box laying next to a tree stump, a holographic image waved at them from it.
It was Rileena.
"Sorry we had to leave like this, but if we stayed any longer, we would have messed with time, and that would have only made things worse."
Darien leaned back against Serena, and she smiled herself to know it was real.
"Anyway, this message will be short, and will destroy itself when it finishes, so I wish you both well..."
It flickered, and Duo appeared.
"Hey you two. Nice work Darien." he said, the hologram warping slightly as he flipped a thumbs up. "Great shooting there."
Another flicker and Katra was visible.
"Just have to say, you taught em a lot Darien, and I only regret not meeting Serena in person."
"Who's that?" Serena whispered quickly as the hologram flickered again.
"I'll explain later." he promised.
Wu-Fei appeared next, and just smiled and bowed, disappearing just as quickly before Trowa's image appeared.
"Darien, thanks for everything, and be careful, no matter what you do with your life."
As he faded from view, Heero seemed to appear from a shadow.
"Sorry I couldn't explain in person Serena, but I hope you understand why it had to be this way."
"I do." she whispered to herself.
"Well, it looks like this hologram is almost full," he paused for a moment, then smiled.
"Glad I had the chance to know you... princess."
And with that, the hologram faded and was gone, leaving only the silver box, which Serena picked up and held in her arms, smiling.
"I miss something?" Darien said, standing up and and helping her up as well.
"I'll tell you later." she said softly, as he lead her back to his...
"Porsche?" he stammered, and even Serena gasped in amazement.
As he looked over the sparkling new dark blue sports car, he found papers for it in his name, keys in the ignition, and a note on the dashboard.
'You piloted it, you should keep it.' - Katra
Darien laughed, opening the door and helping Serena into the car.
"So, where were we headed again?" he asked, starting the car and looking over at Serena.
"Somewhere where we can talk, and be alone for a while... I need to tell you some things."
"How about over an ice cream?" He smiled and drove off into the night, wondering how he was going to explain Serena's ruined dress to her mother.