I just finished the DVD collection of Gundam Wing, but upon dashingto my computer to see what fanfics are available, I had difficulty finding fics about what I was really interested in, namely, what happens next. I don't mean "D and H are dating and then there R problems LOL" or the like, I'm talking about real-life issues like careers and bills. And why does no one take into account the sheer notoriety and infamy that would follow them as former enemies of, well, everyone at some point or another. This fic takes place a year or two after the war, and these soldiers are dealing with youthfulness, peers, settling in, and the not-so-normal attention of a generation taught to both hate and love them.

Prisoner of Peace

People clap and camera's flash as the man on the podium speaks. Millions of viewers sit in front of their TV screens as the man makes way for a young woman, who has a speech of her own prepared. The crowd roars in approval once she is finished, and she graciously steps down. The news channels switch to their own reporters who voice their opinions with words like "stirring", "brilliant", and "long overdue". On the other side of the TV screen, most people respond with cheers or indifferent approval, but with many miles between them, a handful of youths question this decision, not for opposition of cost or a steadfastly held grudge, but for realization of how this could affect their own lives.

Two months later, a similar scene is taking place in an earth school, except this crowd is hundreds, not thousands, and there is only one lone TV camera focused on the stage. The principal of this school has just been introduced, and he, like the entire student body which makes up the audience, is dressed stuffily in a formal out fit with the school patch on the left front pocket. He opens with his tried and true speech of the prestige of the school, the honor it is to be attending, respecting ones peers and teachers, respecting the school rules and grounds, and a word or two on school spirit and pride. By now most students have tuned him out, having heard this exact speech before (with the exception of the freshmen, but everyone hates freshmen anyway). But all faces still have the polite mask of interest, each and every one of them being the cultured (read: spoiled) rich who know the practice of manners.

Now the principle calls to introduce the faculty and counselors, and behind him the curtain on the right hand side pulls sideways, and the table-full of adults behind it stand one by one as they are introduced. The masks of a large number of students begin to fail, for the faculty look humorously stuffed behind that table, and they whisper about why the left hand curtain isn't working.

"And for my next announcement," the principle has a new tone, as excitement and smugness leak into his voice. "Most of you will have seen Vice Foreign Minister Dorlan's speech early this summer, and by now all of you should at least know the gist of it." He said this in a way that said that anyone who didn't know what he was talking about was an idiot, and not worthy of this school. "Under chapter 17 section 9 of the Recovery from War act, all soldiers are to be compensated in the form of education so that they may find steady jobs out side of military service. In light of this development and others," (the left-hand curtain proved it was not broken as it pulled slowly from the center stage) "I am proud to inform you that his school has been honored to accept among its pupils" (the curtain edged away from in front of one chair and then another and another, each chair occupied by an un-extraordinary looking teenager) "…the heroic and talented Gundam Pilots."

The principle swept his arm toward the five seated boys, his smile in place and his ear cocked to catch the applause he was expecting. However, the audience hall was completely silent, not even the polite applause the usually followed each section of his speech. Instead students stared gapingly at the young men before them, and the young men, each dressed in the gray and white guy's uniform, stared calmly back. Whispers broke out after a minute, to the dismay of the principle, who was still standing with his arm directed at the war hero's, the smile frozen in place and his eyes telling of his uncertainty. Finally, a high pitched shriek of excitement started a growing round of applause that reached deafening heights, that had the entire audience standing, and that was filled with cheers and whistles.

The principle called for order, thankful that his big announcement hadn't flopped, but the pilots made no obvious movements. They were all having combat flashbacks of avoiding attention and certain death. The uniforms of the students were easily comparable to the uniforms of soldiers.

"They're like an army." Wufei muttered just loud enough for the others to hear. He resisted the instinct to run away or start killing people, as his "enemy" stared up at him.

"You got that right." Said Duo.

"Hmm." Said Trowa.

"Maybe we're overreacting" Quatre tried to reason.

"This place is like a prison" Heero stated flatly. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"We can't just leave." Quatre lent his steady logic to the others. "This isn't some POW base that we can escape. All that's really keeping us here are all these new laws. And since we helped create the government that created the laws…" Quatre looked grim, as unpleasant thoughts roamed his brain. "We created this. We did this to ourselves."

"That Relena has a lot to answer for" grumbled Heero.