Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters nor do I make any money off of this.
Unceasing Melody
By Sailor Star
Duo smiled intently, sitting comfortably on the very top of a pile of cargo crates recently brought onto the ship. The ocean spread wide, glittering from the noonday sun. A slight breeze ruffled his long, sweaty bangs. He tilted his head slightly upward, gazing at puffy white cumulous clouds inching across the azure blue sky. He couldn't help wondering which was more beautiful; the Earth, or the man-made atmosphere of the L2 space colony. It seemed uncomprehensive.
Either way, Duo could care less. He was perfectly happy with the complete whole of his life in the colonies now.
"After I rest a bit," Duo deliciously thought, rubbing a sore shoulder, "I'll go find Hilde." Then he linked his fingers behind his head and layed down, closing his eyes against the brilliant radiance of the sun. Any passer-by would probably stop to look at the lean boy sprawled out haphazardly with a long chestnut colored braid, and a wild, carefree grin splitting his childish face. It would be a wonder why he would be on top of vegetable crates, anyhow. No one seemed to mind his minister's clothing. Well, once in a while he did wear something more casual. Some civilians might even shout a brief "Hello, Duo!" Most everyone in the area had been aquainted with him one way or another.
Finally, after three months, the salvage ship Duo was aboard had docked at the old millitary base to unload it's carry and refill with much needed supplies. Although the base wasn't necissarily needed anymore, the Sweepers Group happily used it frequently, so the colony granted them permission to keep it intact as their own private marina.
The soldier's quarters occupied the dozens of of crew members now, most of them heavily sleeping. Duo preferred to rest where he was now after loading and unloading, always somewhere outside, before retiring in the dormatory. Even if he did enjoy company, he could never break the habit of independance. Once in while, it was nice to be alone.
Duo sighed with relief, letting his taught muscles relax. The comforting warmth of the sun at it's zenith high overhead easily soaked into the all too familiar black minister's clothing he repetitively wore. He began thinking about what happened a year ago...and smiled again. For now, at least, peace is finally obtained and he could resume a happy life in the L2 colony. No longer having to kill spontaneously, eliminating every poisonous vein belonging to OZ...or anyone else obstructing the path to peace. It seemed uncanny to him that right after the war, he had found perfect happiness. Maybe he was just easily pleased.
When he wasn't called on duty, Duo spent the little extra time he had with Hilde. She had somehow managed to find a small apartment a few miles inland recently, despite her young age. Before, she had lived with her parents. The odd jobs she found working after school provided just enough. Sometimes Duo aided Hilde with her volunteer work at the local orphanage.
Slowly, Duo reached into his left pocket, feeling for a small piece of folded paper. Unfolding the tightly creased paper, he lifted it to his face, shielding his eyes from the sun. Then he opened his eyes, re-reading the letter and memorizing every line for what seemed like the hundreth time. He never noticed a head capped with red hair peek over his shoulder.
"C'mon, Duo! You should know how to get to Hilde's apartment by now, I've seen you read that thing a least ten times!"
Jason's sudden presense caught Duo offguard. He snapped into a sitting position, spun around, and scowled at Jason.
"Geez, Jason! Don't scare the shit out of me anyomore! Besides, I was just....uh.....shielding my eyes from the sun, anyhow."
"Sure you were." Jason teased, disregarding the threat in Duo's voice.
Duo shoved the paper back into his pocket, headless of neatly folding it up again.
"Alright, what do you want?" Duo rolled his eyes, throwing his arms up as if surrendering.
"Actually," Jason frowned, "I have a letter for you."
"A letter?" Duo's eyebrows raised, more in bewilderment than question. Hilde had just written a few days ago, so it couldn't be from her. He really didn't expect anyone else to write. Although, it could be Quatre asking him to the Winner Residance for that pool party....
"Who's it from?"
"There's nothing on it except your name," Jason shrugged, awkwardly handing the letter up to Duo, scraping his arm on a crate, "Here."
Duo snatched up the letter, checking every inch just to be sure. There was no stamp, no address; just Duo Maxwell scrawled in blue ink. It seemed bare and misplaced. He didn't show his disappointment that it wasn't from Quatre.
He stared at Jason while whipping out a small pocket knife. /This could just be one of Jason's little tricks./ Duo enjoyed a good laugh now and then, but Jason went to far. He didn't know what wasn't a joke, or when to stop. Jason eyed the blade carefully, squirming under Duo's Deathstare. He knew Duo enough to know that if you had no business with him, you stayed well away.
/Is he really gonna kill me? What did I do this time? Can he tell just by looking at me?/ Jason's mind raced.
Just to faze Jason even more, Duo slowly turned the blade, catching the sunlight. He glanced sharply sidways, making sure the blade was angled at Jason's shock-still face. He snikered, trying to hold his explosion of laughter in, seeing how vulnerable his little tag-along really was.
/Geez, look at 'em, quaking like an aspen leaf! And Heero thinks I'm the baka..../
/Heero. Heero's the only one who hasn't spoke to me since that final day of fighting./
Cursing under his breath, Duo slit open the envelope with a quick slice of the small blade, hardly noticing Jason flinch. He couldn't resist resurfacing a thought deep inside, something he always knew was irking him, and yet, the empty void remained a part of him. There was no reason to question it. Since his sad childhood took a turn for the worse, lonelyness was usually his greatest ally in times of need. Heero's name brought back the memory.
/I am Shinigami, will always be. What is my purpose now? The war was my passion. Yes, but my desire is happiness....fighting brings despair..../
Satisfied, Duo let his train of thought go. It truly was that easy.
"Just let me read this alone okay?" Duo ordered. He didn't wait for Jason to answer. Instead, he gingerly unfolded the piece of notebook paper that was clutched in his hand, letting the tattered envelope fall to his lap.Unfortunatley, Jason still hadn't left. Duo peeked over the top of the paper and scowled.
"Didn't I tell ya to leave?? Get outta here Jason!"
"Okay, but the Captain isn't going to like this!"
Reluctantly, Jason ran off towards the dock. Duo watched him run, making absolutely sure Jason disappeared into the dormatory far off in the shore's distance, to the right of him. Then his eyes swept the scene, surveying. There seemed to be no activity on bow or stern. When he was sure the only movement was a cool breeze rifting the air, only then did he settle his gaze back on the mysterious letter.
02-
I have a mission for you. I want you to come back to earth.
Recently, I've had terroristic messages sent to me. Whoever sent them belongs to the former OZ. The Sanc Kingdom has been attacked also. I think the two incidents are connected.
Nontheless, you're needed to join me on this mission.
Oh yeah, and it would really help if you brought along Deathscythe H.
-01
Heero couldn't be more subtle if he tried. It had to be very serious if he decided to use code names and the least amount of information as possible.
"Well, Deathscythe," Duo proclaimed, " looks like we've gotta go battle again." Deathscythe had been in storage safely in the base. Jumping off the pile of crates, he remembered with a start what Jason had said a few minutes earlier...
"Okay, but the Captain isn't going to like this!"
/Damn that little bastard! He always lets his curiosity give way./
Later, while he was moving quickly along the sidwalk, occasionally glancing at street signs, Duo realized what he had actually decided. And yet, all of it seemed strange. Unordinary. Perhaps his life was being proded with, changed again. He used to like changes because he had to be ready for anything, but since his life had been settled, there was no need for all of that. He wasn't a professional killer anymore.
With a toss of his head, he shook it out of his mind. Whatever Heero wanted him to do, he would do it. Eventhough he couldn't really piece any of the information together. Obviously, it had to be bad with someone attacking the Sanc Kingdom. Not that it hadn't been attacked before, but battles in itself were unheard of. It just didn't happen anymore. True, the Sanc Kingdom had set the keystone example of pacifism. OZ would be the one to go straight to the source. But why the terroristic messages?
"Duo! I'm so glad you found me!" Hilde chided when she opened her front door. She greeted him warmly by throwing her arms tightly around him. Suddenly, Duo regretted having to leave soon. It just wasn't fair to Hilde.
"I'm really happy to see you, too," Duo replied, "how are the kids at the orphanage?"
"Eager to see you, as usual!" Hilde said. "Come on in! It may not be spacious, but it's just enough for me."
While Duo toured himself around the small apartment, Hilde was in the kitchen preparing some lemonade and ham sandwitches. The front door opened into a living room, which connected to a small kitchen ahead. Down a hall to the left was a tiny bathroom and two bedrooms. The walls and carpets were dressed in shades of green and blue, and an occasional lamp, accesories, or furniture complimented with creams or gold. She noticed that Duo had carelessly left his pack on the floor by the door.
"Arigato!" Duo said, flopping down in a chair at his place at the table, "I'm so hungry, I could eat a lion and maybe a bear or two!"
"If you did that, you would be so fat," Hilde giggled, "that when you walked down the street, people would think you were the start of a parade!"
"Me? Eat too much? Nah!" Duo remarked, taking a huge bite out of his sandwitch. He continued eating like that, never stopping even for a sip of the lemonade. Hilde watched, amused by how Duo's puffy cheeks and bright eyes reminded her of a chipmunk. She couldn't hold back her laughter for much longer.
"Nani?" Duo asked, perplexed that Hilde hadn't starting eating yet.
If she thought he had looked like a chipmunk before, now the imitation was even better. He just stared at her, puffy cheeks and all, like he had just been caught stealing acorns. Finally, Hilde burst out laughing. Duo swallowed his food hard, and said, "Gomen ne! I can't hold back the urge to splurge!"
Hilde was probably one of the few people that would listen to Duo's endless stream of chatter... and appreciate it, too. The two of them finished their sandwitches and continued conversing until around 5:00. As quickly as he had come, Duo knew he would have to leave just as fast. Maybe even the next morning.
"Aaa... Hilde..."
"Yes, Duo?"
Duo's mouth went suddenly dry; he really wished he hadn't drank all of his lemonade. For a moment, he stared at the tiny chips of ice left in his glass. Nontheless, he found enought voice to state his case.
"I have to leave for a mission tomorrow; Heero asked me to come."
At first, she almost made to speak. Then for a while, Hilde lowered her head and didn't dare look at Duo. What he had said was a very hard blow. Not just because he had to leave, but it could mean the start of a new war. She didn't want to think about that; it seemed impossible to happen now. Asking Duo the "why's" and "how's" would just be rhetoric. It didn't matter what the mission was about or where. The obvious was it was bad. A mission, in the era of peace.
Duo aknowledged Hilde's silence. She had learned early on not to question him about missions, no matter what. He could see her frustration, though. Deep blue pools of sorrow replaced sparkling prisms of delight.
Unannounced, the front door creaked open slowly. Duo jumped up from his chair, ready to strike. The scraping noise of his chair alerted Hilde. In the darkened hallway, a tall, hunched figure was all to be seen.
Then into the room, into the light, emerged a boy, clothed in tattered, colorful clothing with light brown hair cascading down half of his face.
"Trowa?! Is that really you?" Duo shouted, "What happened?"
Hilde rushed to Duo's side. If the person really was Trowa, he was in bad shape.
"Gom....Gomen ne.....aaaa.....I didn't knock first," Trowa horsely whispered, "yes, it is I, Trowa....Barton."
"What happened to you?" Duo asked again, making to move towards him. Before Trowa could answer, or Duo take a step, Hilde grabbed Duo's arm, making him stop.
"Please, let him sit down first," she whispered, "He needs first aid, anyhow."
Duo ran to Trowa, letting him lean on him for support as he urged him to sit down. As they made their way to the couch, Hilde left down the hall to the bathroom to get first aid supplies.
Trowa really was in bad condition, but nothing a little rest wouldn't cure. Duo offered to let him lay down, but Trowa refused, asking Duo to sit beside him instead. Upclose, Duo could tell what the colorful clothing was. It was actually Trowa's clown suit, terribly mangled and torn. Several cuts and bruises covered mostly his arms and face, but actually all over his body.
"What happened is..." Trowa grimaced, then continued, his speech slow and deliberate, "what happened is, our traveling circus was stationed here, in the harbor area of the L2 colony. It was a week extravaganza, being that we had to travel to another colony. Today was our last day...not just because of the explosions. I was one of the last acts, on the high wire. The crowd was just the same as usual, enthusiastic and large. Nothing new. When I was about half...way across, is when the bombs went off. It had to be bombs.....one after the other, all around the tent. A resounding, horrible, trembling. I had no chance of getting across. I was just about ready to... fall to the safty net below, when a blast sent me early. I hit the wire pretty hard..."
Trowa paused and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. "...and fell to the net. I hurried out as fast as possible, but blasts from all sides and smoke made it difficult."
At this remark, Duo noticed a good sized burn on Trowa's neck. /So that's why he has difficulty breathing/
"I don't know what happened to anyone, all I saw was people screaming, hurrying away. I knew Hilde's apartment was close by because she had written to me. So....I came as fast as I could go. The circus was sabotaged."
Duo had never heard Trowa ever talk so much in his life. /Hilde must have written everyone, cheerful and generous Hilde..../
Hilde dashed into the living room, carrying a large white box. She swiftly set it on the floor, opened it, and began sorting out what she needed.
Duo held her eyes for a moment, and the two nodded in silent agreement.
"Trowa, I want you to just rest okay? We're going to fix you up," Duo said.
"Alright," Trowa agreed, seeming relieved, "Arigato."
First, Hilde cleaned Trowa's wounds carefully with hydrogen peroxide, gingerly dabbing ointment on each one with a cotton ball. Some needed bandaged, which Duo took care of. Last, was the burn blistering on his neck. There wasn't much that could be done there, it was best just to leave it alone. Duo wrapped gaze around Trowa's neck, so that if the blister broke, it wouldn't become infected. By the time they had finished, it was close to 8:00.
"Man....this is really not good...what about his clothes?" Duo asked Hilde.
"He can change into a pair of your clothes tomorrow." She answered, throwing a light blanket over Trowa.
Trowa responded by shifting to a more comfortable position. Duo and Hilde moved into the kitchen again, leaving the first aid supplies scattered on the living room floor.
"I'll have to leave tomorrow, you know," Duo sighed.
"I know," Hilde said, "but what about Trowa? Shouldn't you tell him about it?"
"I'll still have to leave tomorrow," Duo said, remorseful. It was completely unlike him to not elaborate on the subject, let alone repeat himself.
Hilde was talken aback by his decision. It seemed too final, too set in stone. She knew he had to leave, but so soon? Surely Trowa's story would change his plans?
"Why don't you..." she ventured on, "find out what happened at the circus? There could be a connection."
"That's all the more reason for me to leave."
"Nani?"
Duo was getting impatient. He knew Hilde understood why he had to leave. Or so he figured she did. Ever so gently, he took her hands in his, clasping them tight, and stood firm and tall.
"Please," he said, "Don't make this more diffulcult than it already is."
For a long moment, deep vilolet orbs shared the same thought with bright blue ones. The current situation finally fully formed in each other's minds. There could be endless possibilities, but they had contemplated the same one. It was odd, and yet a warm, comforting new communication. Just standing in each other's presence brought their feelings and minds together as one. Hilde was always eager and willing to help him, like a sister; she knew when he was in trouble or something wasn't as it should be.
"You know," Duo whispered, "don't you?"
"Yes."
"Tell me....what that is."
"Someone...." Hilde swallowed hard, then continued, her voice a little louder, " is trying to kill the five Gundam pilots who have brought peace to the world...."
"Why," Duo wanted to be reassured she understood, so it was more of a demand than a question.
"Because....because not only were their plans for military rule eliminated, but...so was their twisted dignity...sanity."
"Good, " Duo released Hilde's hands, "now, we still have some time left. let's leave Trowa alone and go have some fun!" Neither of them dared to expand on the tragity. Hilde noticed his eagerness, his longing to escape his mission just a little longer.
"Wait a minute...just how do you plan on getting Deathscythe and yourself back to Earth?"
"Well...I hadn't thought of that." Duo said scratching his head, clearly looking embarrassed. He really hadn't thought of it.
"I said I'd help you with everything, remember? In the morning, I'll have it all worked out for you. Now, lets go!"
And with that in mind, Hilde and Duo quietly left the apartment so as not to wake Trowa.
The next morning, Trowa, Hilde, and Duo all sat at the small kitchen table eating pancakes and toast Hilde had prepared for them. Trowa learned the current situation, simply nodding in agreement. The previous night had drained everyone's energy, therefore talk was minimal. He usually didn't consent much, anyhow. No seemed to mind that everyone was half dressed, either.
"You can leave anytime you want, " Hilde was saying, "There's a carrier ready at the local airstrip. I already had Deathscythe loaded, too. Just remember this is a hijacked flight."
"No problem, I've done this kinda stuff before," Duo boasted. He truly was amazed with what Hilde had done, though. He decided he would think about how to thank her later.
"I'm going to stay here," Trowa stated, "You can contact me through video phone."
"Well then, I better get going!" Duo bounced out of the room over to his forgotten pack by the front door, and made his way down the tiny hallway to the right into the bathroom. Truthfully, he just wanted to stay as long as possible.
Throwing the abused pack on the bathroom floor, Duo turned the cold metal shower knobs and waited a few minutes for the water to heat up before hopping in. The warm water and soap felt wonderful, seeming to wash away not only dirt, but dissolve his doubts about the mission.
/In and out, that's all it'll be. No one will know but us. People will go about their lives without knowing the danger. Piece of cake! Damn, I forgot my shampoo!/ He searched the shelf of the small steamy shower stall for Hilde's shampoo. Snapping open the cap, he sniffed it apprehensively. Satisfied, pouring a rather large amount in his hand, he worked a sudsy lather into his extremely long hair. The scent of it was Sun-Ripened Raspberry. /No wonder Hilde always smells so good..../ He quickly rinsed off, realizing how long he had spent showering. Wrapping a white towel around his waist, and leaving a pair of black jeans and a red long sleeved shirt on a dry spot on the floor, he grabbed his pack and made for the kitchen again.
"All yours, Trowa," he cheered, popping into the kitchen. Hilde blushed, dropping her eyes to the floor. Duo didn't mind it; it wasn't like he was completely bare. Then he ran down the hall to the spare bedroom, noticing the puddle around his feet his dripping hair had made. "Whoops! Gomen ne, Hilde!"
Trowa followed behind Duo down the hall, turning into the steamy bathroom. Duo entered the spare bedroom, closing the door. He hurridly dressed in his usual black clothing, then gathered up his belongings he had scattered on the floor last night. Finding his brush thrown in a corner, he carefully pulled it through his hair, then plated it into three sections. After he had braided and secured it with a band, he posed in front of a full-length mirror. "Hmm," he said, straitening his damp bangs, "look'n good!"
Absentmindedly, Trowa let the soothing bath water run over his body. He couldn't move very well, anyhow. He noticed a bottle laying on it's side oozing purple shampoo on the floor. /baka/ With much strenuous effort, he rigidly bent over to pick it up. Since he had gotten some if it on his hands anyhow, he set the bottle on a shelf and worked the shampoo into his hair. He found out that is was a good idea after seeing grayish soot rinse out of it. Soon, the freshly scabbed scratches on his arms and legs were uncomfortably burning. It was important to wash away the dried blood crusted all over him, though. After a few minutes, he heard Duo running down the hallway out side the door. /What shall become of this....I hope nothing more than a mere showdown/ Then he delicately touched the burn on his neck and screamed in pain, but no so loud that anyone could hear. His flesh was on fire, and raw. The hot water must have burst the blister.
"Well," Duo gestered towards the door, "looks like I better be going now." Hilde had been tidying up the kitchen when Duo appeared. She tossed a soiled dishwashing cloth into the sink filled with soapy water, and rushed over to face Duo.
"Okay, please be careful, and come back as soon as you can."
"Ah, of course I'll be back!" Duo flashed a wild smile, placing his hands firmly on his hips in proud manner. They suddenly fell limp at his sides. "I forgot to check in on the kids at the orphanage," he said.
Hilde wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Don't worry about them," she assured Duo, "I'll just tell them you're busy. Which is true. You need to concentrate on what Heero needs you for."
"I know, " Duo replied, clinging tight to Hilde's small back, "but this seems so stupid. I don't want to fight anymore."
"Don't be ignorant of the cruelties in this world," she cut off, knowing he would just continue doubting himself, which was unusual, "You're one of the few people who can stop them. Trowa and I will be here to back you up."
"Alright. Thanks Hilde."
Duo released Hilde and made for the door. It was no longer apparent that he was frustrated. Opening the door, he turned around and gave a cheerful wave before stepping into the dim hallway.
"Ja ne!"
Unceasing Melody
By Sailor Star
Duo smiled intently, sitting comfortably on the very top of a pile of cargo crates recently brought onto the ship. The ocean spread wide, glittering from the noonday sun. A slight breeze ruffled his long, sweaty bangs. He tilted his head slightly upward, gazing at puffy white cumulous clouds inching across the azure blue sky. He couldn't help wondering which was more beautiful; the Earth, or the man-made atmosphere of the L2 space colony. It seemed uncomprehensive.
Either way, Duo could care less. He was perfectly happy with the complete whole of his life in the colonies now.
"After I rest a bit," Duo deliciously thought, rubbing a sore shoulder, "I'll go find Hilde." Then he linked his fingers behind his head and layed down, closing his eyes against the brilliant radiance of the sun. Any passer-by would probably stop to look at the lean boy sprawled out haphazardly with a long chestnut colored braid, and a wild, carefree grin splitting his childish face. It would be a wonder why he would be on top of vegetable crates, anyhow. No one seemed to mind his minister's clothing. Well, once in a while he did wear something more casual. Some civilians might even shout a brief "Hello, Duo!" Most everyone in the area had been aquainted with him one way or another.
Finally, after three months, the salvage ship Duo was aboard had docked at the old millitary base to unload it's carry and refill with much needed supplies. Although the base wasn't necissarily needed anymore, the Sweepers Group happily used it frequently, so the colony granted them permission to keep it intact as their own private marina.
The soldier's quarters occupied the dozens of of crew members now, most of them heavily sleeping. Duo preferred to rest where he was now after loading and unloading, always somewhere outside, before retiring in the dormatory. Even if he did enjoy company, he could never break the habit of independance. Once in while, it was nice to be alone.
Duo sighed with relief, letting his taught muscles relax. The comforting warmth of the sun at it's zenith high overhead easily soaked into the all too familiar black minister's clothing he repetitively wore. He began thinking about what happened a year ago...and smiled again. For now, at least, peace is finally obtained and he could resume a happy life in the L2 colony. No longer having to kill spontaneously, eliminating every poisonous vein belonging to OZ...or anyone else obstructing the path to peace. It seemed uncanny to him that right after the war, he had found perfect happiness. Maybe he was just easily pleased.
When he wasn't called on duty, Duo spent the little extra time he had with Hilde. She had somehow managed to find a small apartment a few miles inland recently, despite her young age. Before, she had lived with her parents. The odd jobs she found working after school provided just enough. Sometimes Duo aided Hilde with her volunteer work at the local orphanage.
Slowly, Duo reached into his left pocket, feeling for a small piece of folded paper. Unfolding the tightly creased paper, he lifted it to his face, shielding his eyes from the sun. Then he opened his eyes, re-reading the letter and memorizing every line for what seemed like the hundreth time. He never noticed a head capped with red hair peek over his shoulder.
"C'mon, Duo! You should know how to get to Hilde's apartment by now, I've seen you read that thing a least ten times!"
Jason's sudden presense caught Duo offguard. He snapped into a sitting position, spun around, and scowled at Jason.
"Geez, Jason! Don't scare the shit out of me anyomore! Besides, I was just....uh.....shielding my eyes from the sun, anyhow."
"Sure you were." Jason teased, disregarding the threat in Duo's voice.
Duo shoved the paper back into his pocket, headless of neatly folding it up again.
"Alright, what do you want?" Duo rolled his eyes, throwing his arms up as if surrendering.
"Actually," Jason frowned, "I have a letter for you."
"A letter?" Duo's eyebrows raised, more in bewilderment than question. Hilde had just written a few days ago, so it couldn't be from her. He really didn't expect anyone else to write. Although, it could be Quatre asking him to the Winner Residance for that pool party....
"Who's it from?"
"There's nothing on it except your name," Jason shrugged, awkwardly handing the letter up to Duo, scraping his arm on a crate, "Here."
Duo snatched up the letter, checking every inch just to be sure. There was no stamp, no address; just Duo Maxwell scrawled in blue ink. It seemed bare and misplaced. He didn't show his disappointment that it wasn't from Quatre.
He stared at Jason while whipping out a small pocket knife. /This could just be one of Jason's little tricks./ Duo enjoyed a good laugh now and then, but Jason went to far. He didn't know what wasn't a joke, or when to stop. Jason eyed the blade carefully, squirming under Duo's Deathstare. He knew Duo enough to know that if you had no business with him, you stayed well away.
/Is he really gonna kill me? What did I do this time? Can he tell just by looking at me?/ Jason's mind raced.
Just to faze Jason even more, Duo slowly turned the blade, catching the sunlight. He glanced sharply sidways, making sure the blade was angled at Jason's shock-still face. He snikered, trying to hold his explosion of laughter in, seeing how vulnerable his little tag-along really was.
/Geez, look at 'em, quaking like an aspen leaf! And Heero thinks I'm the baka..../
/Heero. Heero's the only one who hasn't spoke to me since that final day of fighting./
Cursing under his breath, Duo slit open the envelope with a quick slice of the small blade, hardly noticing Jason flinch. He couldn't resist resurfacing a thought deep inside, something he always knew was irking him, and yet, the empty void remained a part of him. There was no reason to question it. Since his sad childhood took a turn for the worse, lonelyness was usually his greatest ally in times of need. Heero's name brought back the memory.
/I am Shinigami, will always be. What is my purpose now? The war was my passion. Yes, but my desire is happiness....fighting brings despair..../
Satisfied, Duo let his train of thought go. It truly was that easy.
"Just let me read this alone okay?" Duo ordered. He didn't wait for Jason to answer. Instead, he gingerly unfolded the piece of notebook paper that was clutched in his hand, letting the tattered envelope fall to his lap.Unfortunatley, Jason still hadn't left. Duo peeked over the top of the paper and scowled.
"Didn't I tell ya to leave?? Get outta here Jason!"
"Okay, but the Captain isn't going to like this!"
Reluctantly, Jason ran off towards the dock. Duo watched him run, making absolutely sure Jason disappeared into the dormatory far off in the shore's distance, to the right of him. Then his eyes swept the scene, surveying. There seemed to be no activity on bow or stern. When he was sure the only movement was a cool breeze rifting the air, only then did he settle his gaze back on the mysterious letter.
02-
I have a mission for you. I want you to come back to earth.
Recently, I've had terroristic messages sent to me. Whoever sent them belongs to the former OZ. The Sanc Kingdom has been attacked also. I think the two incidents are connected.
Nontheless, you're needed to join me on this mission.
Oh yeah, and it would really help if you brought along Deathscythe H.
-01
Heero couldn't be more subtle if he tried. It had to be very serious if he decided to use code names and the least amount of information as possible.
"Well, Deathscythe," Duo proclaimed, " looks like we've gotta go battle again." Deathscythe had been in storage safely in the base. Jumping off the pile of crates, he remembered with a start what Jason had said a few minutes earlier...
"Okay, but the Captain isn't going to like this!"
/Damn that little bastard! He always lets his curiosity give way./
Later, while he was moving quickly along the sidwalk, occasionally glancing at street signs, Duo realized what he had actually decided. And yet, all of it seemed strange. Unordinary. Perhaps his life was being proded with, changed again. He used to like changes because he had to be ready for anything, but since his life had been settled, there was no need for all of that. He wasn't a professional killer anymore.
With a toss of his head, he shook it out of his mind. Whatever Heero wanted him to do, he would do it. Eventhough he couldn't really piece any of the information together. Obviously, it had to be bad with someone attacking the Sanc Kingdom. Not that it hadn't been attacked before, but battles in itself were unheard of. It just didn't happen anymore. True, the Sanc Kingdom had set the keystone example of pacifism. OZ would be the one to go straight to the source. But why the terroristic messages?
"Duo! I'm so glad you found me!" Hilde chided when she opened her front door. She greeted him warmly by throwing her arms tightly around him. Suddenly, Duo regretted having to leave soon. It just wasn't fair to Hilde.
"I'm really happy to see you, too," Duo replied, "how are the kids at the orphanage?"
"Eager to see you, as usual!" Hilde said. "Come on in! It may not be spacious, but it's just enough for me."
While Duo toured himself around the small apartment, Hilde was in the kitchen preparing some lemonade and ham sandwitches. The front door opened into a living room, which connected to a small kitchen ahead. Down a hall to the left was a tiny bathroom and two bedrooms. The walls and carpets were dressed in shades of green and blue, and an occasional lamp, accesories, or furniture complimented with creams or gold. She noticed that Duo had carelessly left his pack on the floor by the door.
"Arigato!" Duo said, flopping down in a chair at his place at the table, "I'm so hungry, I could eat a lion and maybe a bear or two!"
"If you did that, you would be so fat," Hilde giggled, "that when you walked down the street, people would think you were the start of a parade!"
"Me? Eat too much? Nah!" Duo remarked, taking a huge bite out of his sandwitch. He continued eating like that, never stopping even for a sip of the lemonade. Hilde watched, amused by how Duo's puffy cheeks and bright eyes reminded her of a chipmunk. She couldn't hold back her laughter for much longer.
"Nani?" Duo asked, perplexed that Hilde hadn't starting eating yet.
If she thought he had looked like a chipmunk before, now the imitation was even better. He just stared at her, puffy cheeks and all, like he had just been caught stealing acorns. Finally, Hilde burst out laughing. Duo swallowed his food hard, and said, "Gomen ne! I can't hold back the urge to splurge!"
Hilde was probably one of the few people that would listen to Duo's endless stream of chatter... and appreciate it, too. The two of them finished their sandwitches and continued conversing until around 5:00. As quickly as he had come, Duo knew he would have to leave just as fast. Maybe even the next morning.
"Aaa... Hilde..."
"Yes, Duo?"
Duo's mouth went suddenly dry; he really wished he hadn't drank all of his lemonade. For a moment, he stared at the tiny chips of ice left in his glass. Nontheless, he found enought voice to state his case.
"I have to leave for a mission tomorrow; Heero asked me to come."
At first, she almost made to speak. Then for a while, Hilde lowered her head and didn't dare look at Duo. What he had said was a very hard blow. Not just because he had to leave, but it could mean the start of a new war. She didn't want to think about that; it seemed impossible to happen now. Asking Duo the "why's" and "how's" would just be rhetoric. It didn't matter what the mission was about or where. The obvious was it was bad. A mission, in the era of peace.
Duo aknowledged Hilde's silence. She had learned early on not to question him about missions, no matter what. He could see her frustration, though. Deep blue pools of sorrow replaced sparkling prisms of delight.
Unannounced, the front door creaked open slowly. Duo jumped up from his chair, ready to strike. The scraping noise of his chair alerted Hilde. In the darkened hallway, a tall, hunched figure was all to be seen.
Then into the room, into the light, emerged a boy, clothed in tattered, colorful clothing with light brown hair cascading down half of his face.
"Trowa?! Is that really you?" Duo shouted, "What happened?"
Hilde rushed to Duo's side. If the person really was Trowa, he was in bad shape.
"Gom....Gomen ne.....aaaa.....I didn't knock first," Trowa horsely whispered, "yes, it is I, Trowa....Barton."
"What happened to you?" Duo asked again, making to move towards him. Before Trowa could answer, or Duo take a step, Hilde grabbed Duo's arm, making him stop.
"Please, let him sit down first," she whispered, "He needs first aid, anyhow."
Duo ran to Trowa, letting him lean on him for support as he urged him to sit down. As they made their way to the couch, Hilde left down the hall to the bathroom to get first aid supplies.
Trowa really was in bad condition, but nothing a little rest wouldn't cure. Duo offered to let him lay down, but Trowa refused, asking Duo to sit beside him instead. Upclose, Duo could tell what the colorful clothing was. It was actually Trowa's clown suit, terribly mangled and torn. Several cuts and bruises covered mostly his arms and face, but actually all over his body.
"What happened is..." Trowa grimaced, then continued, his speech slow and deliberate, "what happened is, our traveling circus was stationed here, in the harbor area of the L2 colony. It was a week extravaganza, being that we had to travel to another colony. Today was our last day...not just because of the explosions. I was one of the last acts, on the high wire. The crowd was just the same as usual, enthusiastic and large. Nothing new. When I was about half...way across, is when the bombs went off. It had to be bombs.....one after the other, all around the tent. A resounding, horrible, trembling. I had no chance of getting across. I was just about ready to... fall to the safty net below, when a blast sent me early. I hit the wire pretty hard..."
Trowa paused and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. "...and fell to the net. I hurried out as fast as possible, but blasts from all sides and smoke made it difficult."
At this remark, Duo noticed a good sized burn on Trowa's neck. /So that's why he has difficulty breathing/
"I don't know what happened to anyone, all I saw was people screaming, hurrying away. I knew Hilde's apartment was close by because she had written to me. So....I came as fast as I could go. The circus was sabotaged."
Duo had never heard Trowa ever talk so much in his life. /Hilde must have written everyone, cheerful and generous Hilde..../
Hilde dashed into the living room, carrying a large white box. She swiftly set it on the floor, opened it, and began sorting out what she needed.
Duo held her eyes for a moment, and the two nodded in silent agreement.
"Trowa, I want you to just rest okay? We're going to fix you up," Duo said.
"Alright," Trowa agreed, seeming relieved, "Arigato."
First, Hilde cleaned Trowa's wounds carefully with hydrogen peroxide, gingerly dabbing ointment on each one with a cotton ball. Some needed bandaged, which Duo took care of. Last, was the burn blistering on his neck. There wasn't much that could be done there, it was best just to leave it alone. Duo wrapped gaze around Trowa's neck, so that if the blister broke, it wouldn't become infected. By the time they had finished, it was close to 8:00.
"Man....this is really not good...what about his clothes?" Duo asked Hilde.
"He can change into a pair of your clothes tomorrow." She answered, throwing a light blanket over Trowa.
Trowa responded by shifting to a more comfortable position. Duo and Hilde moved into the kitchen again, leaving the first aid supplies scattered on the living room floor.
"I'll have to leave tomorrow, you know," Duo sighed.
"I know," Hilde said, "but what about Trowa? Shouldn't you tell him about it?"
"I'll still have to leave tomorrow," Duo said, remorseful. It was completely unlike him to not elaborate on the subject, let alone repeat himself.
Hilde was talken aback by his decision. It seemed too final, too set in stone. She knew he had to leave, but so soon? Surely Trowa's story would change his plans?
"Why don't you..." she ventured on, "find out what happened at the circus? There could be a connection."
"That's all the more reason for me to leave."
"Nani?"
Duo was getting impatient. He knew Hilde understood why he had to leave. Or so he figured she did. Ever so gently, he took her hands in his, clasping them tight, and stood firm and tall.
"Please," he said, "Don't make this more diffulcult than it already is."
For a long moment, deep vilolet orbs shared the same thought with bright blue ones. The current situation finally fully formed in each other's minds. There could be endless possibilities, but they had contemplated the same one. It was odd, and yet a warm, comforting new communication. Just standing in each other's presence brought their feelings and minds together as one. Hilde was always eager and willing to help him, like a sister; she knew when he was in trouble or something wasn't as it should be.
"You know," Duo whispered, "don't you?"
"Yes."
"Tell me....what that is."
"Someone...." Hilde swallowed hard, then continued, her voice a little louder, " is trying to kill the five Gundam pilots who have brought peace to the world...."
"Why," Duo wanted to be reassured she understood, so it was more of a demand than a question.
"Because....because not only were their plans for military rule eliminated, but...so was their twisted dignity...sanity."
"Good, " Duo released Hilde's hands, "now, we still have some time left. let's leave Trowa alone and go have some fun!" Neither of them dared to expand on the tragity. Hilde noticed his eagerness, his longing to escape his mission just a little longer.
"Wait a minute...just how do you plan on getting Deathscythe and yourself back to Earth?"
"Well...I hadn't thought of that." Duo said scratching his head, clearly looking embarrassed. He really hadn't thought of it.
"I said I'd help you with everything, remember? In the morning, I'll have it all worked out for you. Now, lets go!"
And with that in mind, Hilde and Duo quietly left the apartment so as not to wake Trowa.
The next morning, Trowa, Hilde, and Duo all sat at the small kitchen table eating pancakes and toast Hilde had prepared for them. Trowa learned the current situation, simply nodding in agreement. The previous night had drained everyone's energy, therefore talk was minimal. He usually didn't consent much, anyhow. No seemed to mind that everyone was half dressed, either.
"You can leave anytime you want, " Hilde was saying, "There's a carrier ready at the local airstrip. I already had Deathscythe loaded, too. Just remember this is a hijacked flight."
"No problem, I've done this kinda stuff before," Duo boasted. He truly was amazed with what Hilde had done, though. He decided he would think about how to thank her later.
"I'm going to stay here," Trowa stated, "You can contact me through video phone."
"Well then, I better get going!" Duo bounced out of the room over to his forgotten pack by the front door, and made his way down the tiny hallway to the right into the bathroom. Truthfully, he just wanted to stay as long as possible.
Throwing the abused pack on the bathroom floor, Duo turned the cold metal shower knobs and waited a few minutes for the water to heat up before hopping in. The warm water and soap felt wonderful, seeming to wash away not only dirt, but dissolve his doubts about the mission.
/In and out, that's all it'll be. No one will know but us. People will go about their lives without knowing the danger. Piece of cake! Damn, I forgot my shampoo!/ He searched the shelf of the small steamy shower stall for Hilde's shampoo. Snapping open the cap, he sniffed it apprehensively. Satisfied, pouring a rather large amount in his hand, he worked a sudsy lather into his extremely long hair. The scent of it was Sun-Ripened Raspberry. /No wonder Hilde always smells so good..../ He quickly rinsed off, realizing how long he had spent showering. Wrapping a white towel around his waist, and leaving a pair of black jeans and a red long sleeved shirt on a dry spot on the floor, he grabbed his pack and made for the kitchen again.
"All yours, Trowa," he cheered, popping into the kitchen. Hilde blushed, dropping her eyes to the floor. Duo didn't mind it; it wasn't like he was completely bare. Then he ran down the hall to the spare bedroom, noticing the puddle around his feet his dripping hair had made. "Whoops! Gomen ne, Hilde!"
Trowa followed behind Duo down the hall, turning into the steamy bathroom. Duo entered the spare bedroom, closing the door. He hurridly dressed in his usual black clothing, then gathered up his belongings he had scattered on the floor last night. Finding his brush thrown in a corner, he carefully pulled it through his hair, then plated it into three sections. After he had braided and secured it with a band, he posed in front of a full-length mirror. "Hmm," he said, straitening his damp bangs, "look'n good!"
Absentmindedly, Trowa let the soothing bath water run over his body. He couldn't move very well, anyhow. He noticed a bottle laying on it's side oozing purple shampoo on the floor. /baka/ With much strenuous effort, he rigidly bent over to pick it up. Since he had gotten some if it on his hands anyhow, he set the bottle on a shelf and worked the shampoo into his hair. He found out that is was a good idea after seeing grayish soot rinse out of it. Soon, the freshly scabbed scratches on his arms and legs were uncomfortably burning. It was important to wash away the dried blood crusted all over him, though. After a few minutes, he heard Duo running down the hallway out side the door. /What shall become of this....I hope nothing more than a mere showdown/ Then he delicately touched the burn on his neck and screamed in pain, but no so loud that anyone could hear. His flesh was on fire, and raw. The hot water must have burst the blister.
"Well," Duo gestered towards the door, "looks like I better be going now." Hilde had been tidying up the kitchen when Duo appeared. She tossed a soiled dishwashing cloth into the sink filled with soapy water, and rushed over to face Duo.
"Okay, please be careful, and come back as soon as you can."
"Ah, of course I'll be back!" Duo flashed a wild smile, placing his hands firmly on his hips in proud manner. They suddenly fell limp at his sides. "I forgot to check in on the kids at the orphanage," he said.
Hilde wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Don't worry about them," she assured Duo, "I'll just tell them you're busy. Which is true. You need to concentrate on what Heero needs you for."
"I know, " Duo replied, clinging tight to Hilde's small back, "but this seems so stupid. I don't want to fight anymore."
"Don't be ignorant of the cruelties in this world," she cut off, knowing he would just continue doubting himself, which was unusual, "You're one of the few people who can stop them. Trowa and I will be here to back you up."
"Alright. Thanks Hilde."
Duo released Hilde and made for the door. It was no longer apparent that he was frustrated. Opening the door, he turned around and gave a cheerful wave before stepping into the dim hallway.
"Ja ne!"