Deathsycthe was totaled. Duo had managed to survive the explosion but he knew he wouldn't be alive much longer several of his ribs had snapped and two had punctured a lung.
Strong arms cradled him gently against a hard chest.
"Heero. I'm sorry." He repeated.
"Shh baka. You're going to be all right." Heero replied his cobalt eyes dark with emotion.
"Tell the guys I'll miss them." He winced damn. It hurt so much to speak. Hurt so much to breathe.
Already darkness rimmed the edge of his vision.
"You're going to be all right." Heero repeated as if trying to convince himself.
Duo gathered his strength and placed a soft kiss on his lover's mouth.
"Heero I.." He tried to say the last two words but darkness took hold of his vision and his heart ceased beating.
The last thing he heard was Heero scream out, "Duo!"
The mist faded away and he found himself standing on the bank of a large river. There was a dim light approaching him the mist cleared all away and a large flatboat gently bobbed in the waters in front of him. The pilot of the boat was a young boy a bit older than Duo.
"Climb aboard." He ordered.
Duo hesitated," where does it go to?" He asked.
"The land of the dead."
Duo climbed automatically out of the boat and followed the other passengers to a sort of ticketbooth where everyone was lining up. The line was long but he didn't care he didn't' think at all just looked around. The colors seemed wrong it was if someone had decided the only colors allowed to be used were gray and black. In other words everything was gray and black.
He sighed in relief as he stepped in front of the guy in the ticketbooth thing.
"Duo Maxwell?" The man asked.
Duo nodded, "yes sir." He felt as if he was in some Tom and Jerry cartoon.
The man looked at his piece of paper and made clucking sounds with his tongue.
Duo shifted uncomfortably.
"Follow me." The man said getting out of the ticketbooth thing.
Duo did.They walked for a few minutes until they came upon a large grayish white building. It looked like one of those fancy hotels. The man didn't even pause just walked through on of the doors. Duo followed him through. As he stepped through the door it was as if someone had turned on a light. He could see colors again.
And boy did he need to change. His black shirt was blood stained and dirty (and that was saying something because it was black)! his braid was encrusted with dirt and blood and all sorts of grime he didn't even want to name. His pants were ripped up almost beyond recognition.
Finally after going past hallways of doors (no the place reminded Duo of a lawyer firm). They came upon a large golden door. The man knocked once and a loud booming voice ordered, "come in."
The man entered with Duo close on his heels and bowed to the man sitting in one of those whirly chairs in front of a large desk heaped with mountains of papers. The man handed the one sitting Duo's paper and said, "He's an Earlier."
The other man groaned, "just what we don't need. We're more overworked than in centuries with all the people dying from that war."
With a sigh he turned toward Duo,"My name is Memkar I am I guess you could say the person in charge of this station that lets dead people go to their resting places whether it be Heaven or Hell. You died before your time so you will have to be reincarnated."
Duo's eyes lit up, "great!"
"But there is a catch," Memkar went on, "you will not be allowed to return to you're body since three weeks have all ready passed since your death. Instead you will have to be reincarnated in a different body. The body will be the same age you are so you don't have to worry about being reincarnated in a younger or older body." He said seeing Duo's face.
"Also if you get in contact with anyone from your past life you are not allowed to tell them who you are unless they figure it out for themselves."
"What!" Duo started.
But Memkar cut him off," those are the rules."
Duo glared at him, he could match Heero with the force of his glare sometimes and this was a time.
"Now let's get you reincarnated before we waste anymore time." He said getting up and motioning Duo to follow him through a door.
All that was in the room was a sort of operating table.
"Now what do I do?" Duo asked warily eyeing the table.
"Lie on your back on the table." Memkar instructed.
Duo lay on his back on the table a tingling spread all over his body as he did.
"Close your eyes." Memkar ordered.
Duo did and felt himself falling he screamed.
He looked around he was in some sort of hospital room.
"Ugh must've bumped my head piloting Deathsycthe. Sheesh what a weird dream."
He stumbled out of bed and went into the bathroom. Running the water on warm he splashed his face until he felt totally woken up. As he did he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and screamed.
He was a girl! He stared in horror at his reflection in the mirror.
Thick jet black hair that fell to midback, dark midnightblue eyes, pale creamy skin, high cheekbones and a scattering of freckles across her/his nose.
"You idiots gave me a girl's body !" He screamed.
"Is there something wrong miss?" Asked a voice behind him.
Duo whirled around to see a young nurse looking at his strangely.
"I know you've lost all you're family in the bombing a few weeks ago miss but please try to keep it down." She said softly.
Duo nodded," uh sorry."
The nurse nodded and left.
Duo sighed and sat on the bed, wonder what her name is? He thought twisting the plastic hospital bracelet on his arm, Rowens, Ainsley, it said.
"Who the heck would name a girl Ainsley?" He grumbled.
"Gotta get out of here." He muttered.
Now where are some clothes to wear?
He combed his/her hair and braided it. He found some clothes a pair of jeans and a red tank top. After trying to figure out how to put on a bra he discarded it in annoyance.
He opened the window in the room and found it was close enough to the ground to jump down. He landed on his feet and took off.
After running about an hour he stepped into a gas station and bought a candy bar with some money he had found in a jeans pocket and threatening to beat up a couple of boys who were staring at her as if they could imagine him naked. He started running again.
After running for another fifteen minutes he came across a sign that said, 'Red Oak Village six miles'. Duo's face split into a grin.
The guys were not far by just on the outskirts of the town with luck he'd be back with them before nightfall.Finally just before dusk he saw the compound where they were staying at.
He opened the door with an access code he remembered and let himself in. The first room he came to was the kitchen.
He whirled around and a first connected with his temple.
Back ~+~Onto Part 2