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"Time Walker"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU/Fantasy/Adventure, Angst, fluff,
sap, WAFF *g*, mild language, light lemons or perhaps more like mention
of lemons. Pairings: 1x2, eventual 3x4, unrequited Rx1, eventual
6x9, eventual 13xU (can’t really put 1 now can we? O.o), Summary: When a historic timeline is thretened a celebrated Time Walker is called in to correct the problem. However, when he meets a beautiful young thief everything he has ever believed in begins to shift and change as he faces the adventure of a lifetime and fights against the complexity of his own willful heart. Unbetaed " Time Walker"
“Double and triple checked,” Trowa cut in stalling Relena’s forth attempt to run down the check list one more time as he stepped in between her the departing agent. “You’re gear’s ready to go,” he informed Hiiro who moved with practiced ease into the departure chamber. “The assignment is fifteenth century European aristocracy,” Hiiro commented taking a small watch from a table beside the shimmering gateway that would lead him to his next destination. “You’re power cell is fully charged?” Relena butt in. “I don’t believe this mechanism fits into the mission profile,” Hiiro said tossing the watch back onto the table. “It’s a back up,” the girl bulled forward smiling sweetly when he turned an indifferent gaze on her. “You put that there!” Walters, a man anyone associated with the Society knew was infinitely more intelligent than he behaved, accused snatching the watch up indignantly. “Hiiro,” he sniffed turning to the agent who was summarily inspecting and collecting the remaining objects on the table. “My apologies. Rest assured my team would never have…” “It’s only a watch,” Relena sighed. “You know as well as anyone sending items into an era that are not indigenous of the time could result in circumstances that might alter the course of history!” he snapped. “Hiiro is, himself, an item out of place the moment he steps through that portal,” she countered smoothly. “And you know as well as I that his beckon is his only hope of returning home. There’s no harm in having a backup in case something should go wrong with…” “Beginning sequence initiated,” the cool voice of Lady Une alerted them. “Hiiro!” Relena gasped realizing only belatedly that the agent had finished his preparations and taken his place at the edge of the portal. “You’re one of twenty eight for communications,” Trowa informed him stepping up to check the leather straps on his pack. “Gears good to go and you know all you have to do is call and we’ll come after you,” he told him looking him intently in the eye. “My contact?” Hiiro inquired unable to show his gratitude but it had always been a given between them that they both understood without words. “Half a day south in Cherryton, as requested.” “Don’t wait up,” Hiiro smirked his usual goodbye. “Don’t get dead,” Trowa smiled slapping him firmly on the shoulders just as Une alerted them the final sequence had begun. Trowa stepped away as the portal shimmered more brightly and Hiiro took a silent breath knowing how he hated the feeling of passing through the gate. It left him feeling ill at ease, almost as if he’d sidestepped the eyes of God. The landscape of a different time and place slowly became visible through the hazy sparkle and he gazed wondrously once again into the past. How many times had he stepped over this threshold? He couldn’t really recall but the youthful light in his eyes belied the years his consciousness had been awake. Time travel had its drawbacks but the anti aging effect had come in quite handy over the years. “Gateway secure,” Une spoke softly. “Good luck, Agent Yui.” “Hiiro!” Relena suddenly wailed throwing herself on him, her arms clinging desperately around his neck as she pleaded, “Please! Please come back to me. Promise me!” “Relena,” Trowa sighed moving forward to extract the girl, his smirk firmly in place as Hiiro stood rigidly without the slightest idea of what to do with his hands. “I’m sorry,” the girl sniffed chuckled modestly as she retreated. “It’s just every time you walk through that gate I’m so scared you’ll never come back.” “That is a reasonable possibility,” Hiiro replied. “Come on,” Trowa sighed again dragging the stunned girl from the departure zone. Hiiro gazed at him for a moment not entirely certain as to why he had rolled his eyes at him but there was a mission under weigh and he had exactly 5.7 seconds till rebound. “Hiiro!” he heard Relena cry as he stepped through the portal, the riff tugging at his insides like a thousand tiny barbs, each intent on taking some small bit of him to some other place and time until finally he pulled free and stepped into the blessedly cool air of the balmy countryside. This was the best part of being a Time Walker. Once through the portal there was nothing left of the world he had been born in. It didn’t exist yet. There were no massive buildings or sprawling cities, the sky was still blue and the air as sweet as summer rain. He smiled as he hiked his pack higher and began the journey south. The mission was unclear but that wasn’t really uncommon. Most times all they knew was that there was something strange going on that indicated someone might be trying to tamper with the future by altering the past. This had become a problem of great importance in his present as the ability to travel through time became more common place. Governments kept strict control of all legal applications such as supplementing the spoiled water supply with clean sources from the past but these types of activities had to be regulated with the utmost restraint. Vacations for the elite were also popular though the limitations beset upon the industry were strenuous in the extreme. More recently the dangers of time travel had become more difficult to deal with as factions who would very much like to change history to suit their needs gained the power and forced the creation of the Society. Hiiro had been recruited at a very young age, trained and experienced in the ways of a Time Walker, an agent specifically designed to enter past era’s and correct or preempt the interference of any who would attempt to exploit it. Once a problem had been detected scouts were sent in to assess the credibility of the possible breach. Walkers didn’t get involved unless there was sufficient reason to believe a situation actually existed. Hiiro paused dropping his pack on the damp bank of a small creek that laughed and bubbled over stones worn smooth by the undisturbed passage of time. He loved places like this, regions as yet unspoiled and pure and smiled as he knelt down and tasted the honey sweet water of the stream. Cherryton was a small municipality of no more than three thousand but was a metropolis to anyone who lived near its boarders. He knew from experience it would be one of the few places a stranger could appear and not be instantly tagged as an outsider so he’d insisted on meeting his contact there. He arrived early in spite of the four hour trip but the air was so clean he found it frightfully easy to run on for hours. Blake’s Inn was a respectable establishment suited for a young man of means and though he was in no way sorry for the absence of vending machines and electric lights he was grateful he could afford to stay somewhere that at least had a clean out house. He was posing as a young gentleman looking for an opportunity to expand his fathers business, not the most wealthy of families but well enough off to garner the proper respect and he held himself accordingly as he approached the innkeeper and offered an aloof frown. “Good day, Sir,” the portly man smiled looking him up and down. “How may I be of service?” “I am to meet an acquaintance here,” he informed him scanning the large common room again. “Have you a name?” “Yui,” Hiiro replied. “Hiiro Yui.” “Ah, yes,” the man smiled ushering him to a nearby table. “You’re companion has already arrived.” A snap of his fingers brought a busty barmaid bustling over with a tankard of ale and a plate of bread and cheese. “You must be weary from your journey,” the man grinned pouring the ale. “Eat, drink and I will fetch your company.” “Be quick,” Hiiro commanded thankful that he wasn’t stuck posing as a beggar again. The ale was warm and sweet, the cheese aged in the open air and it only took one hard ass glare to send the bar maid into the arms of her nearest admirer so things were going fairly well when the innkeeper returned with a young woman in tow. “Mr. Yui,” he smiled turning to present the young woman. “Miss Lucretcia Noin, niece to the Great General Noventa and…” “Off with you,” she cut in brushing him aside to take a seat. “You’re younger than I thought you’d be,” she stated pouring herself a tankard of ale. “What is your station?” he asked coolly. She eyed him for a moment then smiled. “Like the man said, I’m the niece of the King’s General… several times removed,” she grinned flashing him a cocky gaze over the rim of her cup. When he simply stared at her she sighed and continued. “I’ve been here three months. The locals accept me as a liaison between the people and the palace. Noventa seems suspicious but so far hasn’t questioned my story about being the long lost daughter of his deceased sister.” “What makes you think there’s a breach?” “Last time I visited the palace there was a man there,” she explained and Hiiro considered her thoughtfully as her eyes drifted far away. “I’ve never seen anyone like him.” “Is he a Walker?” “No,” she replied shaking her head. “I don’t think so, he’s too… regal.” Again Hiiro considered her momentary pause. “They said his name is Zechs Marquise. I researched it but haven’t found any reference to the name yet. I think maybe I’m not supposed to but if he makes good on his claims he’s going to show up in the history books for sure.” Hiiro raised a brow. “He laid claim to the crown,” Noin explained. “And this implies a breach…how?” Hiiro deadpanned. “Well,” she fidgeted scratching at the back of her neck. “It doesn’t by itself but… I found this in his room.” Hiiro watched as she discreetly produced a small mechanism that he instantly recognized as a tracking device from his own time period. “Who are his patrons?” he asked quickly snapping the device up and tucking it away. “I’m not sure,” she sighed. “I haven’t been able to get close enough to him to find out. He’s staying at the palace until he can prove his claim or they prove him wrong.” “You appear to favor the former,” he observed. “I have to admit,” she smiled taking another long draught of her ale. “It’d be a damn shame for that pretty head to part with such a nice body.” “If he proves to be a Walker,” Hiiro stated rising from the table. “There will be nothing left to sever.” Noin scowled but held her tongue as she watched him leave with one thought on her mind. Walkers were a royal pain in the ass. Hiiro scowled at the small tracking device that lay on the rough wood table by his corn husk mattress. It was so small an item to harbor such nefarious secrets. A tiny red light blinked inauspiciously on its underbelly declaring it’s validity in this realm with rhythmic determination. There was definitely a breach and one of malicious intent considering the developments thus far. He would need to investigate further to assess the extent of the infiltration. That meant he needed to find a way to get closer to this Zechs Marquise, a task that might prove more difficult that he cared for considering the nature of his presence in the castle. If he was, in fact, of royal blood security would be tight however; if it proved to be false he would quickly find himself in a prison cell facing execution for hearsay. In any case, it was Hiiro’s first priority to infiltrate the palace and thanks to Trowa’s insight he was well equipped to do so. It wasn’t the time for covert midnight maneuvers so he sent for a page the next morning charging him with delivering the letter he’d written to the king and waited for the inevitable invitation. ** “Bring another round!” Noin piped up jovially waving her half empty tankard of ale about in the air. Hiiro didn’t care for the rowdy crowd but it was necessary to socialize on some level to maintain his cover. He watched as his contact buddied up to some of the other patrons of the tavern feeling just a tad envious of her ability to fit in. She had proven to be a valuable asset over the past three days showing him around the small city and introducing him to some ‘prospective’ clients. Trowa had set him up as the eldest son of a far eastern importer looking to set up shop with wares brought from over the sea. Spices and gems were always easy to peddle but the true treasure of his lot was the gunpowder Noin had made and stashed away. This was his trump card and a sure fire way to gain both the King’s interest and his respect but first he needed an audience and so far that had not been forthcoming. Instinctively, he snagged his cup just before a couple of drunken patrons, one Sicon Bard and his partner Trellon crashed into the table when a dance step went awry. “Sorry, there mate,” Sicon laughed pushing his beefy friend off of on top of him where they lay in the splintered remains. “This lout never could lead.” Hiiro tipped his cup amiably but stood without a word to find safer haven leaving the trappers to sort themselves out. Noin breezed by laughing heartily as she was passed from this man to that, Pattle, the bar maid mirroring her movements on the opposite side of the room while the rest of the men took to dancing with each other until it was their turn. This was the norm in places like this where men were not so fragile as to worry after their manhood. Hiiro was fairly certain Sicon and Trellon were more than simple partners once behind closed doors but during this period it wasn’t really an uncommon way of life. This being the case he didn’t think any further than mild irritation when he was snatched up by an exuberant dancer on his way across the pub and twirled about but when the man’s hand slipped boldly around his waist it left him feeling ill at ease and violated in some way so he took the lead by a subtle shift in weight and turned the slight body in his arms until he was bent back in a low dip. This accomplished two very interesting things, one being that the move had dislodged his partner’s hood in turn revealing the single most striking eyes he had ever seen. The face wasn’t too bad either, young and vibrant and filled with mischievous life. Momentarily stunned he held the boy firmly as he looked down upon him and let the world spin about them unnoticed. This moment proved somewhat more revealing than he cared to admit when the young man slowly smiled, those violet eyes beginning to dance happily in tune with the merriment all around but before Hiiro could shut down the windows to his soul a long, brown braid slipped from under the boy’s cloak falling heavily to the plank floor. His distraction cost him dearly when the boy took advantage of it and lurched forward kissing him full on the lips. It was his own reaction that bewildered him the most as instead of pulling away or possibly gutting the upstart boy he felt himself draw him closer. The thin body under the cloak was narrow but lean, strong and fit and so very pleasing to the touch. It became apparent why he’d never had any trouble turning away the working girls that often approached him during missions as the boy’s hungry kiss began to take its toll and he felt his loins stir. The thought occurred to him that if this was the same sort of proposal this trip might not be so bad after all as the boy’s mouth nibbled and sucked at his own but then suddenly he twisted free and flashed a wide grin before disappearing into the throng. Hiiro blinked still feeling the tingle of his kiss and wondered for half a second if he would see him again then suddenly his senses kicked in and his hand shot for the back pocket of his trousers. Damn it! How could he have been so blind?! It was gone, the one item on his person that could possibly change the course of history should it fall into the wrong hands and he’d allowed it to be pick pocketed for the sake of a pair of pretty eyes! He turned angrily on the room searching for the thief and felt his blood go cold in his preparation for retribution then suddenly stopped and smiled. The device had still been on. The foolish boy had stolen an active tracker. “Hiiro?!” Noin gasped when he suddenly slid
by but he had no mind to consider her.
~ * ~ tbc... |
