Glass Horse

Narrator: After Colony 198: There is still no rest for the gundam pilots. Even the ones who had escaped Revenge of the Lost's scheme, had suffered consequences for it. To keep everyone safe, for now, each of them has done their part. With his newfound fame, Heero has had to use the power of the Phillips family to keep Relena safe, and Duo has pretended to befriend a brother and convince him Hilde was pregnant. The Phillips power could be essential in finding Revenge of the Lost while hiding from them at the same time. Meanwhile, Wufei and Quatre have taken a different direction, choosing disguise and switched lives to keep Dorothy and Mei-Lin safe until the threat is over.

However, Revenge of the Lost itself is not an undefeatable champion. Sometimes, it just takes a single shatter for something to start falling down without recourse.

Crystalia stared at a glass horse in front of her. She'd had it for years. Having fragile glass of something so strong in nature.

"Crystalia?"

Right now, the glass seemed much more in control than the horse.

"We lost them."

The glass was in much more control. She sat back in her seat. "Lost them?"

"We had Duo's assignment to try and correct it, but he immediately found her. He's too close and suspicious."

Too fragile.

"Trowa Barton found Middie Une too."

Too breakable.

"Chang Wufei's situation at least turned out right. She didn't get pregnant, but we did manage to destroy the colony. As for the Winner son and Heero Yuy, we haven't found them yet. We also lost track of Chang Wufei again. Still, it was fitting revenge."

All the results were landing right in front of her on the desk, like it should be impressive. "We lost."

"We didn't lose," another member said. "Of course we didn't lose, just the women from space didn't take. The others will be found and taken care of, and we will find fitting revenge as a substitute."

"We don't substitute!" Crystalia yelled knocking that fragile horse off the table. "It doesn't work with them all, so it doesn't work. That is not what superior wants."

"Yes, but making them still suffer in some way-"

"-is grasping," she finished for them. "Superior never said to pull that colony trick. It hurt, yes, but she wasn't pregnant. She wasn't even on it! Do you think Superior will say, 'oh, she cried and it made him feel bad? That's good.' No! She won't be that forgiving." She held her hand into a fist. "They deserve to hurt, in the same way. The same way. Consistency. You blew it. This didn't work. We lost."

"Then, what do we do?" the little sheep asked her, like she was actually the full one in charge.

"Nothing. We lost," she said. "Let them go." They didn't look happy about that. "To pursue trying to make them suffer without consistency isn't professional. Superior will have to create another plan."

"Then, what do we do?" one of them asked. "Just give up on trying to punish them?"

"No, but it needs to be consistent." They each had someone they now knew they had to protect. Even the flaw her group created with Wufei Chang would keep him closer to a random stranger. Wherever they were, they were with the ones who are or were supposed to be pregnant still. "We can still hurt them, without children. Consistency."

"I thought we decided that they all-"

"It doesn't work, deal with it." Life sucked, they should know that. It didn't work. "Plan B. The women they are protecting."

"We don't even know where they are though."

Yes, she did. She could find all of them right now. During the surgery, she had her doctors microchip each one.

Relena Dorlain was on Earth, in some mansion. That meant Heero Yuy wouldn't be far. Hilde Schbeiker was near the same area. Dorothy Catalonia and Mei-Lin were both on Earth in the company of someone they normally wouldn't be. Most likely it was some kind of hiding deal for safety.

And of course, Middie Une was at the circus. "I know where they all are. I just don't need anyone getting ahead of themselves like they did with Mei-Lin." That was absolutely stupid, taking out an entire colony of people!

Yes, it hurt Wufei Chang and Mei-Lin but it stupidly killed many innocents as well. "Who the hell came up with the Wufei Chang thing?"

"I thought it was good," one of them said. "It was great revenge considering his past."

"This group was started for mothers and daughters who lost their families," she reminded them boldly. "That stunt just killed who knows how many innocent mothers, daughters, brother, fathers, so many families!" She took her gun from her drawer and shot the speaker straight through the head. "You lose your way, you are dismissed! Everyone remember that."

There was no way just one was involved, but it got the point across. They stepped out of place.

They were all silent.

Eventually, one raised their hand slowly. "Miss Crystalia? Madame? Uh. What do you want us to do?"

"Nothing," she answered. "I'll pick them up with a few of the best in this group. Pregnant or not pregnant, the pilots will sweat. They will come out of hiding to eventually search to find us to find them."

"Then we get them, Crystalia?"

"No. We make them sweat." They were all confused. "Yes, they'll be as confused as you are. We'll disband and go under for a little while."

"Uh?"

No, of course they didn't understand. "One of the worst things in the world is being scared and separated from the ones you love. Never knowing if you'll see them again. How old they'll be. How they've changed." She moved her finger to her brow. "Once the women know we can track them, they'll willingly stay away from the pilots."

"So? Our revenge is supposed to be satiated with these pilots, by what? Making the women they are trying to protect hide from them? What kind of revenge is that?"

"They murdered my husband! Revenge is to let them wander around searching for these women?"

"These women and their unborn children."

"I don't think this is any different," one of them bravely said to her. "Some of them will get hit with the fact their child is growing up without them. Others won't care, many of them probably didn't want to be fathers in the first place. The others that have no children in the first place, it won't bother them at all, it would just be honorable to find the women."

"Do you really think so small?" she asked them. Honestly? "First of all, this stunt with the colony just pulled a massive amount of notice to who could have done that. RTL has to go underground for at least a few years." Even Superior would have to agree with that. "So, this is the best we can do with the resources we have. Each of our best will be watching over the women. Making sure they settle down. They are safe. Everything is fine. That way, when the pilots come, they will run from them or expose them for their safety." Until they can emerge with a new plan.

"It only works for the pilots with children."

"Yes, and so the pilots will all have children. We took them once, they will eventually drop their guards, and we'll do it again. It is a slow burn revenge." Did she have to explain this in great detail? "Pilots without children lose the women. They know what we have. They will be sweating it out, knowing what is probably happening while they search. Everyone still suffers."

They nodded, but they didn't look . . . honorable about listening.

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Emerald looked toward the others as they were dismissed. "Does anyone believe that hogwash?"

"No way," another one agreed. "No way. That doesn't make any sense, it's like she's trying to backtrack from the mission. We are making them suffer, not just wonder 'oh, I wonder where someone went?'. What the hell?"

"You know, there's a rumor I heard," another one muttered. "That she's actually related to one."

"Oh, please." Emerald didn't believe that. "They all lost their moms."

"Not all of them, and she was presumed dead. That's how she got away with even starting Revenge of the Lost," they reminded Emerald.

Not all of them? "Which one?"

"Just think. We know that she said she used to belong to a circus. We know that her son Triton disappeared. We also know that Trowa Barton is in what?"

Oh. Wow. Was it? No. "She would have said something."

"Someone else would have taken charge if they knew."

"Right, right."

"She's been put in charge and mucking it up. You know what? Maybe she planned all this failure of the space women."

"It wouldn't make sense, Middie Une was chosen and she wasn't in space."

"Yeah, she was also taken hostage and beat up pretty bad," another one remarked. "None of the other women had to suffer like she did."

"You think Crystalia wanted it because Middie Une hurt Trowa? But, she gave Middie Une the baby."

"Maybe she wasn't even supposed to survive. Middie Une was supposed to kill Dorothy Catalonia and that would have made her the enemy of the pilots. Eventually her boyfriend Gin would learn the truth. She'd have no one on her side."

"To kill her own grandchild before it's born?"

"No, after. I bet she would have made sure it was safe. Once eyes were off Trowa Barton, she'd probably send it back to him."

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Crystalia watched and listened to the conversation going on in the hallway from her own private room. Damn. No matter how careful she had been, the fact they knew where she came from kept exposing the truth.

Now, she had a problem. They were going to try and find out where the women were, so they could outright handle revenge in their own ways. In fact, she could tell they were about to open her door again and-

-four of them held a gun straight at her image.

"Crystalia, we want to talk about the slow burn revenge," one of them said. "We disagree."

"Tell us where they are. The women. Forget making them die like their mothers, it's all botched, just tell us so we can kill them! That will hurt them enough."

There wasn't much time. Crystalia was already starting to leave. I can't believe this. She headed toward her car. "Damn group is just too big and out of control." She unlocked her car and took off as she heard the gunshots.

By now they would have realized she had used a hologram. Once she got a sense they were onto her, she left the room and left a hologram standing instead. I hate this. I hate this so much! She squeezed the wheel of her car.

It had started so simple. Helping others like her get the revenge they deserved for hurting them, for hurting those they loved. Losing Triton. Losing . . .

She turned the corner sharply and grabbed her shades. No time for a trip down the past. The group had become so much more than she ever imagined. Everything from controlling police to congressmen. But . . .

Why did her son have to be the enemy? No choice. She had her whole life dedicated to her group, she couldn't just say 'he can't participate, he's my son!' No, that would have killed her.

She would have died in a creative and torturous way, since it would be the same way Middie Une would die later.

So yes, her group was right about her, in a way. Middie Une wasn't her first choice, but Triton didn't make any big impression with many women, and she had to make it someone from Superior's list.

Stupid. She tried. I'm dead. She lost her group. Just because, they just really wanted . . . revenge against the wrong people. Seriously, the pilots did mess up, but they also helped so much. They were heroes.

Saying they needed punished because their actions ended up getting someone killed, forgetting the fact they saved how many? They tried. Triton was not a cold-blooded killer. Someone as good as Relena Dorlain wouldn't have befriended Heero Yuy. Hilde Schbeiker was just signing up to feel like she was protecting her colony.

When she first began RTL, they took down people that physically grabbed people, beat them, abused them, killed them without a care. Spit at their bodies, believing they were untouchable.

After Superior came, the changes could be seen and felt, and RTL had moved into more money and support than ever. That's when the targets had changed though. From single people to full companies.

Crystalia helped establish the company. The reason everyone had gem code names was because she started it. She naturally had a name that sounded fake and blended in. It was a great name from her mother, and audiences loved her name.

They loved cheering and gasping as she swung on a trapeze with her husband. Then, Catherine. So small, she did the small things still. What a smile she had. The Blooms.

Even Triton. So small, he couldn't do anything yet, but he seemed to get happy when the crowd 'awwed' him right before the other performers took him away so she could perform.

When she came back, she knew she couldn't just pretend that it'd be okay. That she could go back to the troupe, just smile and perform her tricks like life was still okay.

Triton grew up strong, and handsome, and righteous. He grew up following his own goals. He had apparently somehow found Catherine again. Found his home. "And I just impregnated a spy with my grandchild."

She shook her head. Losing her grip in the situation would have led to something worse for each of them. The spy was terrible, but no more than she in reality. Middie Une had even been trying to flip her life around again, unlike Crystalia. She couldn't hate her without hating herself too.

She'd live in RTL and die still being in RTL. That was what she believed. That's how it should have happened, but the chances? The chances her baby son would have survived and become one of the biggest enemies in the group.

She sighed. Leaving her conscience behind used to be easier. I'm going to be dying soon anyhow. Fuck it. I'm doing this.

She took a deep breath and swung her shades back off. This was for all the marbles. She picked up her phone. "Janet? Hi, it's Sarah. Yes, Sarah McGee of STL, how wonderful of you to remember. Say, I have to call in some favors now. I have a fabulous proposition that I'd like to discuss with the higher ups regarding some disenfranchised new mommies that need help. Oh, well bless you too. Bless all of us, we need it."

She turned another corner. "Uh huh. Good, sounds great, just leave the details with me. Yes, now if you could be so kind? Yes, right, burn it all. It's better not to leave any traces for anyone to hurt them and I'm afraid in my group it's getting to be too big, so . . ." She shook her head. "Yes, of course. Yes, spies get into real big things, and we don't want anyone to hurt our new mommies. Yes. Great, thanks. Thank you. Could you please let me know when everything is in place? Thanks, Hon." She hung up.

A routine help line with scorched marks afterward. It wasn't the first time she'd performed it, but it would be the last time she would get that kind of help. It was doubtful she could help all of them in time before she was cut off, but she'd help who she could.

Last piece. She called up Superior. "Superior? RTL was responsible for a colony blowing up, please come down."

Her life would be ending soon anyhow. Let one of her last actions be something good.

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Superior walked in. There was a crowd around her, demanding attention and answers. Shouting out theories. Blaming each other. "Who was responsible for the Zhang colony?"

No one wanted to accept that one. "I know that someone fucked up," she yelled. "This. Is. Important. If you don't give a damn about fixing anything. If you want me to call this group off altogether and you never get any revenge against any of them that hurt your loved ones? Then stay silent."

"Someone was already killed for it," someone spoke up. "Crystalia killed them."

Crystalia. A great leader. "Were they or weren't they? I am not going to go easy about this."

"But none of the pilots have felt a sting of revenge until-"

Dead. Everyone went silent again. She held out her gun. "This was too big. There was more than one. So?" She brought out her tablet. "I have this very personal problem with blowing up things in colonies. They are connected, small, and delicate like a woman. One thing hurts, it all hurts. I want everyone who was involved in the middle of this room right now."

No one was moving. She didn't doubt that. "This tablet I'm holding?" She showed it to them. "It's called insurance. You know that RTL is not something that you treat as your playground. You work in a place of revenge that has had no arrests since it's conception. You all have your personal information, your addresses, your loved ones working locations updated every year."

Yes, they were starting to get the idea.

"I will randomly blow someone's house or loved ones work location up every ten seconds until there are ten to twenty people shoved in front of me. Starting in five seconds. One."

Immediately, some people were starting to run, others were grabbing others, yelling, pushing, and shoving but they were getting shoved in front of her so fast.

One of them in the circle dropped to their knees. "We did what we thought was right, Superior!"

"We don't blow up anything in innocent colonies. Innocence does not get anymore mixed up in it than it has to! I will destroy every member in this group before I will let it happen again!" she scolded them. "All twenty of you. You are mine now. If you try to leave or interrupt my plans, I will kill you."

"We are going to let them live?" one of her members asked.

"Yes," she insisted. "They are going to make up for their mistake. This isn't over, we can and will correct this. Stand up." The overzealous members all stood up. "Until this is corrected, you are going to stay with me."

"Crystalia betrayed you too," one of her spared members said to her. "Superior, we believe Crystalia is the mother of Trowa Barton."

Superior just stood there. Honestly? "Crystalia lost her family from a circus. Trowa Barton is hiding within one of the Circus' and is about the age. If she isn't his mother, then yes, I believe she might have some personal interest in his future."

"But then, she's a traitor," they continued.

"How? Crystalia is my second hand," Superior reminded them. "She chose the situation and the people involved. She successfully accomplished that, and she was doing fine with her motives. Even better because she set up Middie Une to take a fall early and play the villain role. Besides, if you are telling me this, you already scared her off." She would not stick around once someone started saying it. "We do not choose our families, and she put the group first. We aren't going after her."

"She might warn the-"

"We think she set up-"

"She has to die to follow-"

"Quiet!" She yelled at them. "Crystalia was a loyal member since the beginning. She was a core founder of this group. Anyone found going after her will answer to me. I will handle her with grace when the moment comes to deal with her. Now? You." There were at least twenty-five in front of her. "You won't see your families again until our revenge is completed. Try and run, and I will make sure all of your loved ones suffer."

"Yes, Superior," each and every one of them answered.

"And don't forget," she warned everyone in there. "We are a group. A team." She watched someone's hand go up like a schoolgirl. "What?"

"Miss Superior? Permission to say something without um?"

"Speak," Superior decided. "What?"

"You're pulling 25 of us away because of an ambitious decision," she stated. "Every one of us have had to tell about our family except you. What did Heero Yuy do to you?"

Did some upstart really just ask her for that? She was tempted, so tempted to shoot her as a vision of her little girl. In her cute little hat and their new little puppy . . .

She pulled her gun and shot her. "He killed me." He killed everything she cared for. One business meeting. Away from home. One screwed up babysitter, but such a simple colony. Safe and wholesome. Home.

That home was gone. That home was taken. Everything she loved, cared about, or could have cared about. Gone. She died as a person that day. "You 25 in front of me. You better work real hard for me, or I'll do more than just kill you and your families. I'll invoke torture you won't believe."

"From now on, RTL is forbidden from being entered. All credentials are backed up so drop every piece of proof you are a member. You are simply in STL if anyone asks. You don't know other members and will not react to each other's presence if you see each other elsewhere. No purchases and member accounts are cut off. We are going underground, except for you twenty-five."

"Just twenty-five?" Someone asked.

"Just twenty-five," Superior insisted. "I will start reconnection when we reconvene."

"Ma'am?" Another hand in the air. It seemed to make them feel like she wouldn't shoot them. "Before Crystalia left, she said she knew where they were."

Oh? Oh. 

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