章 93: Reality vs. Fantasy
The bolded parts are the parts that are being affected by the zero system. Just like you can't trust reality of what you see in the show, you cannot trust it here.
Circus in the Colonies
Maybe, I should let you stay here? Trowa thought about Alec as he carried him back to the circus. He'd call Duo soon, after a little more time had passed. He at least could stay for a bit. Your mother raised you with the best love that she could under her circumstances. Be sure to know that, Alec.
As he went forward, he saw Cathy sitting around a fire with Heero and his twins. "Heero?"
"Yeah." Heero took a drank of a drink Catherine gave him.
"Relena had set up something with leader," Catherine stated to Trowa. "I guess that's why he never changed the scheduling back. Heero's gonna stay here with the twins from now on."
Oh. "That's fine," Trowa agreed. "That's smart."
"I'm staying until something happens, or nothing happens for too long," Heero said clearly. "I'm not leaving until I know I should."
"Understood." Trowa looked toward Alec. That would have been three. I don't know, Alec. Will Duo be okay enough for you? Will your presence heal or hurt him even more? Come on, Quatre.
Emergency Area 52 of RTL
Crystalia continued doing things on her end as they gassed all five ladies and started to strap them up. It would be rougher this way, a real chance of extra brain damage, but strapping them into the zero system physically with its currents really did a number on the user.
A real number on the user. No fuss, no wait. If the pilots thought the zero system was tough just into the machine, then they never endured the power when really strapped in. It was hell. It was real hell. What came out of it with so much physical contact. Was. Not the person who went in.
Crystalia watched Superior crank the settings up extra high and heard them start to scream. Everyone, including the one with the most military training. It was painful, no matter who they were.
Whether they were genuine fighters in a war, or a mother moving on and trying to find a new way to live. I have to kill her. I can't create more me's. Triton would be so-
"Where do we set her up at?" Sapphire held Dorothy along with Blue Ruby. Dorothy was unconscious.
"The Sandrock, of course," Superior snapped at them. "Hurry it up." She turned off the zero system in the other suits for them to stop and put her in.
Sapphire would let me kill her. Blue Ruby will not. I have to kill Blue Ruby too. That was twice the loss of life. In an organization, that wasn't ever meant to kill. Red Emerald came in to help too. I would have to kill Red Emerald. That's three people against one. Maybe Sapphire would join in and help? Dorothy's memory loss was already so bad. She fought so hard and valiantly. Valiantly. I never use that word.
In the short amount of time she knew Dorothy, it always felt like she was weaker against her. That need to kill her stemmed into something else. She made her feel something. Feel human? Feel pain. Even feel embarrassment. She created the trellis and the way they showed honor to these lost women and children. Not Superior. I need to kill three people.
Superior was starting up the system again. "I think we should hire someone to drop them right off to wherever they would be idenitified the fastest. It would make the news, even if the miserable pilots wanted to ignore hearing about it. It would be right in their face." She laughed. "Would they go over and kill them? Would they visit and try to make themselves feel better? Or would they just end it all, knowing the only reason it all happened, was because they were friends?"
"Mei-Lin didn't even know Wufei," Crystalia spoke up to her. Already, that was risky.
"Then it was because of similar circumstances. Just because of a name, just because of traditions, an innocent woman was chosen and lost. That's pretty good," Superior patted herself on the back.
"Not really. It's no different than grabbing some girl with the initials HY and saying it was good enough to use for Heero Yuy." Yeah, she was starting to irritate Superior.
Sapphire moved to the right some, with her eyes on her. She knew what was happening. She headed away from the gundams. "I can work on the revenge mission, Superior, I am super-efficient. I'll go look at it right away."
"We will too." Blue Ruby and Red Emerald agreed in unison as they started to leave the room.
Great. Sapphire brought it back down to one person to kill. Superior was glaring at her, but she didn't have a gun on her. Crystalia knew that.
Superior reached for the missing gun, thinking it would be there. Crystalia also knew that.
Crystalia took the gun she had stolen from Superior and shot her. It wasn't flashy. It wasn't a fight. It was pretty cowardly and sneaky, but the result was all that mattered. Superior was dead with a giant hole in her head. The sound made Blue Ruby and Red Emerald head back over. She kept the gun trained on them as she went back to the controls and readjusted them.
"I knew you would betray us," Red Emerald said to her angrily. She dived for her, but Sapphire shot her from the back. Blue Ruby stayed still.
Now. Crystalia had control. Limited help. Soon those numbers would deteriorate even further. Crystalia swiped Superior's favorite card. There would be more, but this would be a start.
She turned on the speaker to all areas of RTL. Not just the emergency areas. "Attention. Superior has been killed, therefore I am now the leader of RTL, STL, MTB, PFL, JC, B, BW, BE, BS, and all financial properties participating in such groups directly or indirectly. Your first order is to break into your proper teams, and follow emergency procedures. Groups are terminated, every member existing must now become self-sufficient with minor support. No more than five normal status members, with no more than three non-normal status numbers to each RTL area. Members who are non self-sufficient must now stay in RTL emergency areas. Follow all duties, and follow all supporter offers. All open missions have been terminated. All termination missions are still inactive until each area is completely self-sufficient according to all procedures and rules. Emergency funds will be distributed to each member to make it through until supporters attain self-sufficiency. Missions accepted?" Yes, she heard Mission Accepted amongst them all with no disagreement.
There. "That is the best I can give." Now. Crystalia went toward the Wing Gundam and looked at Relena. She had such cold eyes staring back. "I need help. People are dying."
The coldness melted away when she heard the words. "How can I help?"
Her gentle tendencies. Her leadership. That was what they needed now.
///Relena didn't know what to expect when she came out of the gundam. One minute she was saying goodbye, getting electrocuted to what she thought would be her death, and then someone came for her.
The last person she was predicting. Crystalia.
Relena was trying to figure out the facts. She was spared first, to look at everything. Once she got a good look, she talked to each of the women who were also trapped in the gundams.
Noin, Middie, Dorothy, Mei-Lin, and Hilde. They were all standing around with her, also trying to figure it out.
"The guys can definitely do this, but they can't do that," Noin was looking just as deep.
"I could do that?" Hilde pointed out. "It would be tricky, but I could."
"I don't see why Wufei would ever help," Mei-Lin pointed out.
"Um? Yeah. I know, this is tricky," Hilde agreed. "I really don't want to. I don't want to do anything with RTL. You scared me. You scarred me for life." She held out her Soldier "I'd much rather walk out that door and never see any of you again! But?"
Yes. Hilde had the same dilemma. "These are innocent people, wrapped up in something they didn't belong in."
"They were just seeking help, because the law was saying no to it. They couldn't get protection, or they felt unsafe." Noin understood it too. She looked toward the numbers. "A lot of good people already lost."
"RTL doesn't have the means to take care of this anymore," Relena said honestly to Crystalia.
"The law doesn't have an official way of helping," Crystalia came right back on her. She dropped another paper toward Relena. "No one can ever find the path to prove anything."
Relena looked at the paper and closed her eyes briefly. She sat it back down. "This whole place fell apart."
"It had to be stopped," Noin pointed out. "You guys were working outside of any book, even before this Superior got involved." She sighed. "Which saved a lot of people. Built a lot of things."
"Duo would have definitely helped," Hilde pointed at, "at the drop of a hat, if you had showed him any of this. What's going to happen, Relena?"
"How are they getting by? How are you getting by?" Relena asked Crystalia. "All the funds are gone, everything was stopped with the association. Your private reserve, what do you have?"
"Superior and I have deeds, details, and the currency. Mine and Superiors are now wrapped up in emergency mode and I pulled them together. It will sustain the women of RTL. I can save them, but I can't save others. You are good at strategy. You may be able to help."
Strange.
"Yes, because you are a good person inside," Dorothy said to Crystalia. "A very good person. Look at all this good you just did."
Dorothy almost talked to Crystalia like a child? "Dorothy?"
"Yes, Miss Relena Dorlain?" She looked at her oddly. "Strange. That didn't feel right. Oh, yes. Miss Relena?"
"Are you okay?" Relena had to ask.
"I'm . . . not a corrupted woman seeking vengeance?" she said. "Not that Crystalia is either, she is a good person."
Oh. "You've lost memories though."
"I'm still Dorothy Catalonia," she said proudly. "Quatre Raberba Winner is the father of my children. He cared. I tried to get us to him. I fanned myself with a gift that was a dress."
"You're melting her mind away." Hilde said it straight.
"No, no. Superior, not Crystalia. Please get it right," Dorothy criticized her. "Crystalia doing this saved our children, and gave all of you months of bliss."
"I wouldn't call it bliss," Middie finally spoke up as she stared at Dorothy. She had been doing that for a long time. "I did spent time with Alec. He was good."
Dorothy just glanced back at her. "I don't understand what your problem is?"
"I . . . killed you?" Middie said to her. "RTL uh-"
"RTL tricked her into thinking she killed you." There, that simple. There was more to figure out. Dorothy's memories have been tampered with. Crystalia has pangs of acting like . . . "Heero."
"I remember that," Dorothy smiled at her. "Yes, you would do that, wouldn't you? Just say Heero out of nowhere."
That made Relena smile. "Yes. I suppose I do that." Still, no time to smile. Crystalia's been through it too. Relena looked at her arms. Physically latching her into the system with some kind of IV's. How long would it have taken to change so completely?
"I will help," the woman who was Mei-Lin said to Crystalia. "I don't know what I can do, but I can help. I am a good cook. I can help fix food for those who are starving because of your incompetence."
"Her incompetence is keeping them off the streets," Dorothy warned Mei-Lin.
"Quatre Raberba Winner wants to make a deal for you," Crystalia said to her. "I had to kill Superior to make it happen. I still don't know what deal to make. You are a great leader."
Yes, a great leader, but not a magician. What am I supposed to do? Relena didn't have that much money. She had some to help, just like Crystalia, but this would take? The conditions of this, and the rules of this. "It's ridiculous! Half-hearted at best."
"Many of the watchers are shaken up, Miss Relena," Dorothy answered. "Crystalia did what she could. She isn't a great and powerful being like you. Someone that can help? You can help?"
Help. "We need this Superior."
"I thought so too," Crystalia said. "We need her. I killed her. You are a great leader. You can be her?"
"I can be her?" What in the world was Crystalia thinking?
"There is a way," Dorothy said dully. "I couldn't do it. I ran with Zara and Amira, trying to con my way into some money with their father."
Oh, Dorothy. Good memories or not, she was still Dorothy. A strange person, not really good or bad. "You are missing memories, but you are still yourself. That's good to see."
"Crystalia left the settings as low as she could," Dorothy admitted. "She is good. She's just different now. A lot of women are different because of the zero systems. However, when one is bootstrapped into the zero system, it takes on a whole different effect."
Relena could imagine that. "You said there is a way, Dorothy. What did you see?"
"We are obviously Dorothy, Miss Middie, Miss Relena, Miss Noin, and Miss Mei-Lin." Dorothy gestured toward Crystalia.
Crystalia searched through some more papers and handed them to Dorothy.
"They knew about us and the decisions they wanted to make for a longer time than you think." Dorothy handed Relena some papers. "They kept other backup plans. Backup plans behind backup plans. You really don't understand just how big RTL had been. The names given on that tablet Crystalia gave Triton Bloom were just of RTL and STL. That's like saying in an entire school of children, you took away quite a few of the classrooms. Not the whole school though."
That big still? Oh? Oh! Relena just stared at the pictures. "How?"
"Polled. Checked. Most closest got the positions," Crystalia said.
"Yes. There were several dedicated members, that had plastic surgery to look just like all of us," Dorothy pointed out. "Yet they walk freely from base to base, because they have ID's. ID's are the most important component. Even males are allowed to move back and forth, because some born as males were eventually women, and some couples who weren't heterosexual still lost children and husbands and brothers and . . . I really love to hear myself talk, don't I? It's quite familiar."
Yes, Dorothy did.
"Point being . . . I don't think I ever got to the point?" Dorothy was still shaken, but still Dorothy. "Not everyone can get everywhere, but an ID will allow anyone anywhere with communication. So."
"Most communication isn't done in person. There's too much distance between the active areas," Crystalia agreed. "You can be Superior. No one would know. Maybe with your help, we can save more people."
No one would know. "First things first. Middie, do you have Trowa's number? I don't have Heero's. I don't want him to be worried about me anymore." At that moment though, Relena froze. "Oh." She could see it around Crystalia and Sapphire. "Noin?"
"I don't have a gun," Noin told her. "I was just relaxing at home when they took me."
"It's better if you don't do this," Relena urged Crystalia. "I cannot help if you do anything drastic to me. Everyone will find a way to help people." Every single person she knew would find a way to help.
"I can't kill Sapphire," Crystalia said. "I can kill people. I used to be able to do it better. I . . . I don't want to kill Sapphire."
"Damn it, Sapphire, this is not smart!" Dorothy yelled at her. "Miss Relena will be able to help the best that she can, do not do this!"
"Don't move," Sapphire warned Noin. "You two." She moved the gun between Noin and Hilde. "Just?"
"Her reactions were too fast. She was stressed." Crystalia pushed her gun down. "Let's rewind. Your thoughts instead of gun pointing, Sapphire?"
Sapphire put the gun away. "Sorry."
Dorothy was just smiling at her Crystalia quite brightly. "Lovely good thing you did, Crystalia. Throwing us into the gundams would be a bad thing to do."
"Sapphire," Relena addressed her slowly. "Your thoughts, please?"
"If we adjust the settings, Crystalia, we can make the pilots help now. We can just turn it up slower."
"Threatening the people trying to help you is not how to handle this situation." Relena covered her face. Everyone here is affected by the zero system.
Crystalia answered her phone. "Mm." Her phone was on speaker.
"Please, look! We need help. I don't? Please? Look. My oldest is injured, he's only eight. We tried to get back into someplace safe, but it didn't work. My four year old won't stop crying. We are just in the woods outside of town, I don't know where else to go, the car is broken down. Please? Please!"
"Where are you?" Noin asked. "Give us exact directions." After giving directions, Noin and Hilde both headed back toward the gundams.
"If we can get that miserable system out of there, then we can get to them," Hilde said as she started to remove some of the wires.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Noin asked her as the others came in.
"I've worked on Deathscythe for a long time," Hilde said positively. "This won't be pretty, but as long as we can get out as soon as possible, I don't care."
"Where are you going to put them?" Crystalia asked. "They are just another trio of people we have no place for yet."
"Look, you leaders figure that out, this is an emergency," Noin warned her.
"The gundams are illegal to fly," Crystalia warned them. "We only used them for emergencies."
"A person is fleeing for their lives out in the woods, and that's not an emergency?" Noin criticized her. "We'll be back, Miss Relena."
"Good luck. Please rescue those people," Relena said. "We'll figure out where to put them before they even get back." Fighters would fight, and it was up to them to figure out the details. "We need to contact Heero's and the others first. We shouldn't make them worry. Does anyone have their friends' number?"
"I have Duo's but I am kind of busy here," Hilde said.
"Same over here, Princess, we need to get this stuff out before we can fly them," Noin said as she pulled out more from the Tallgeese.
Princess? Odd. "Mei-Lin. Middie. Do you have numbers to . . . the guys." The guys. "The former gundam pilots."
"I know Wufei. I don't have my phone, and I don't remember the number off the top of my head," Mei-Lin admitted.
"I know Trowa's. I hardly called it, but I knew it." She tried to recite it, but kept getting stuck. "Having a phone remember the number for you is easier."
Oh. "Noin. Hilde. We need numbers before you go." Hilde came down and took the phone while she continued ripping out the zero system. "Ask him if he had Heero's number."
"I have Quatre Raberba Winners," Crystalia said. "It's my number. He took my phone. The main phone is what he called on."
"Hey, Duo." Hilde was still ripping out more. "It's okay, I'm okay. I'm actually about to take your old gundam on a mission of my own." She grunted. "I'm trying to rip out a zero system. Du . . . Du . . . Duo, let me speak. Hang on. First of all, I am okay. Crystalia took control and got us out of the gundams, but I have to get to somebody fast, so I have to leave the phone with Relena. She's okay too. We are all okay." She seemed to stop for just a few seconds. "It's . . . it's okay. Sorry, I have to give the phone to someone who's not going. Here."
She handed it to Relena.
"Duo?" Ooh. She could tell from his overexpression he was excited, and emotional. "I'd really like Heero's number, so I can make him feel better." Yes, of course he would tease. "Yes, the number."
"Princess, I think we are ready," Noin said toward her. "Where are we being sent to again?"
Relena stared at Noin. "Are you okay?"
"I've got the coordinates," Hilde said. "Let's go."
"Right." Noin got in the Tallgeese. "It should work fine now."
Relena watched the top of the hangar area open and they left. "I'm still waiting for Heero's number, Duo. Duo?" He didn't know the number? Damn. "Okay, then let me speak to Quatre Raberba Winner. Do you have his number?" No? Why wouldn't either of them have Heero's number? They would stay closely connected. "Well, who's number do you have? You have to have more than one number, Duo."///
Crystalia woke up, hearing sounds in the room. The women were talking to each other. They are influencing each other in the gundams? That's new. She turned on her back. No, she couldn't. No, she hadn't just woken up.
She was in the Wing Zero. "Well, fuck."
Blue Ruby and Sapphire were right on her screen. She started to get out of the gundam, feeling not good.
"I'm glad that you snapped out of it," Sapphire said toward Crystalia. "I had to put you in after you killed Superior with the help of Blue Ruby."
Why? "Superior is dead. Get them out. It's not needed anymore. They are going to figure it out anyhow. You shouldn't have done that. How did you do that? How did you do the papers and . . .?" Oh. "You. You really did that?" She looked at the gundams. There were chords moving freely around. She looked over to the next room.
Relena was looking at the papers, still attached to the zero system's chords.
"Only with one," Blue Ruby stated. "She's gotta be partly in the waking world to help."
Then, Deathscythe and the Tallgeese took off. They just took off? "Why did you leave it all functioning?"
"Oh, they were strapped in. Nobody ever tries to fly," Sapphire reasoned.
"None of them knew how to fly mobile suits. Those are actual pilots. You forgot to freeze the functions." Mm. Bad. "Hilde and Noin can't be out like that in their condition."
Crystalia went over to the control panel for the rest of the connected gundams and adjusted the settings. Like she thought, the Deathscythe and Tallgeese were now too far. "This is stupid, this is bad, this is not what a good person does." She groaned, trying to see straight. "Sapphire." How dare. "One of my oldest members."
"We're dying," Sapphire said to her. "You need to make a deal or something. Look, we have them."
Make a deal. "I am leader. I call." I am affected by the zero system more now. "I need to call Quatre Raberba Winner." Even strange, she would be better at this than both of them. "I'll make the deal. What deal?"
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