Title: Bara wa Tsuki no Hikari (Roses in the Moonlight) - Revision 2.0
Author: Noa (utenakat@yahoo.com)
Archive: GW Addiction and if she will, Darkflame
Category: Fusion, Shounen Ai
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: 1+|x2/2+|x1, 5+M,13+5, 3+2, 3+4/4+3, 11+6, 11+13
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Warnings: Death (J)
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Spoilers: Utena movie & series.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is for fun and enjoyment, no money is being made. Please don't sue me, as I am poor.
Feedback: Yes please. All flames received will be used to light the fire under my ass and get me to write more fics that are against your liking, so there.
NOTES: I took this idea from La Fillette RŽvolutionnaire Utena (TV & Movie). Let me see if I can do this!
Bara wa Tsuki no Hikari (Roses in the Moonlight)
---------------------------------
-Prologue-
Duo looked at the boy across from him. The briefing was long and boring, as usual, but he was enjoying the view: Heero Yuy, the object of his affection, sat in his chair at what could only be described as 'attention'. It was a very humerous sight and Duo found himself surpressing laughter as the human rock refused to move.
"... you will all be send to Ohtori Academy. There is suspicion that Oz is basing a training unit there." Said the scientist, his wisker laden face twitching with irritation when he looked at Duo. "Duo Maxwell, do you understand the mission peramiters?"
Duo blinked, realizing that he was being spoken to. "H-hai, Dr. J, I understand..."
"Good, you will all embark seperately... Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei are to leave this week... Heero, you will leave the week after..."
"Why am I leaving later, if I may be permitted to ask?"
"You are needed here to hack their system. It is thought to take almost a week to crack, unless you are faster... we are unsure of their system."
"Ryokai."
"Ok, move out... get ready to head out on your missions."
-----
-Bara wa Tsuki no Hikari-
Two figures stood silhouetted against the blue sky. One standing, one sitting/kneeling. Rose petals littered the air adding to the surealness of the scene.
-----
A boy with messy brown hair stood at the gates of the school. He was to meet up with his companions, but for some strange reason... he could not remember who they were or what the 'mission' was. Only that he was to come to this school and enrole.
Shrugging off a feeling of ill at ease, he trugged on into the school.
-----
The quiet boy sat looking out the window of his classroom. There was a girl in the courtyard. She was quite lovely, with her long brown hair, and long legs. She was meticulously watering the roses around her. Her delicale feet bare of any covering, stepped neatly around the bushes and cobblestones. He was so enthralled with the scene presented before him that he didn't even notice the you boy who came over to him until he spoke.
"Heero Yuy-kun?" the blond asked.
"Aa..." he answered, looking the boy up and down. 'Kawaii,' he thought.
"How do you like the school, ne?" the blond was positively glowing with life. Heero resisted the urge to laugh. The boy was the epitome of youth and exuberance.
"I think I am gonna like it a lot..." he said, smiling slightly.
"Good! Let me give you a tour!" the blond smiled welcomingly.
"O-namae wa?" Heero asked as he stood to follow the boy where ever he may lead.
"Quatre Raberba Winner," the boy chirped, tilting his head slightly to the side.
-----
Heero turned his head as he heard the sound of swords clashing. "Quatre?" he said, turning his head to look at the blond boy who was chattering on about this and that.
"Hmmm?" Quatre said looking back over his shoulder. Heero just pointed at the people gathered around a center pavillion. "Oh, that's the fencing club... it's really popular. It's the Prince's turn now..."
"Prince..." Heero murmured.
"Mmmm," Quatre smiled happily, "The Prince is really popular, he's the best fencer in the school! That's why he's the captain..."
'Makes sense,' Heero thought.
"The ones dueling now are Treize-sempai (the Prince) and Wufei..."
'Their good...' he said, watching the two clash against one another.
"Wufei's really mysterious... he was married before he came here, but she somehow died... he's really a meloncholly fellow... though he's really cute! They're both members of the student counsel."
Heero made a noncommittal noise as Quatre continued on talking. "Rumor has it he and the Prince are together, though neither one will say whether they are or not..." he pouted cutely and Heero couldn't help but laugh. "What?"
"Nothing... you're just really cute when you pout..." he said, smirking.
Quatre blushed and giggled a bit. "A-anou...."
A cheer went up and they both turned to see the Prince make the kill, winning the match.
"Sa~a! He did it again! Way to go Treize-sempai!!!"
Heero looked up from the mat and stopped. In the window above the dueling grounds stood a girl with long chestnut hair worn in a braid. The one hed seen from the window earlier that morning. For some reason, he felt drawn to her... he didn't know why, but he felt like he knew her from somewhere...
'Only one way to find out,' he thought as he slipped away from the pavillion with out a sound, leaving the chattering boy talking to thin air. Once the blond boy noticed he was gone he began to call for him, "Heero-kun? Heero?" but by then he was long gone.
-----
Heero raced around the corner, heedless of anything or anyone. Why did he feel he had to find that girl? What was she to him?
The image of her watering the flowers in the courtyard. He mentally rans his eyes along her figure from her bare feet to her violet eyes. How he knew they were violet was bayond him.
He reveled in the image of her. Her long hair, her long legs shown off by the short skirt of her uniform, her delicate feet, her slender frame, her heart shaped face... all of this and more.
Skidding around a corner Heero ran into a familiar presence. An old aquaintance of his, Zechs Marquis.
"Heero..." the tall man said in a deep voice.
"Zechs," Heero said, nodding in the platinum haired man's direction.
"What brings you to this school?" He asked, raising an eloquent eyebrow.
"Certianly not you, but if you must know... a... mission, I guess you would call it..."
"Hmmm, interesting... what is the... uh, mission?"
"I'm not sure, but I think it had something to do with being a Prince..." Heero said, turning to look out into the courtyard in front of him.
"Being a Prince, eh? Can't imagine Heero Yuy as a Prince..." Zechs chuckled.
Heero scowled at him, "Laugh all you want, I'll fulfill my mission at all costs..." he didn't know why he said it, it just popped from his mouth, but it felt adn sounded right, so...
Zechs pulled the rose from his breast pocket, "Here's to your high ideals," he said.
Heero noticed the glint of a ring on the man's left ring finger. "I see you got engaged to someone..."
"This is what led me here, to this school... this Rose Signet."
"Rose Signet?"
-----
After he and Zechs parted ways, Heero found himself wandering around the school. Still looking for that girl.
"Sa, the roses are beautiful... so beautiful..." he said to himself. Gazing at the garden he noticed a single white bud. "Shiiro bara?" [1]
The rose began to bloom before his very eyes. For an unknown reason he held out his hand as the bloom dipped, dropping something into his hand. A ring... a Rose Signet.
Standing up he found himself looking up a stair well to a large platform. It called to him, he found himself drawn up and into a mass of roses. The entire platform was covered, every square inch...
"Kirei..." he whispered, his eyes wide. He slowly maneuvered his way to the edge of the platform, looking over the edge.
"Kowai ka nain desu ka?" came a soft alto voice.
"Eh?" Heero said, turning to look at the speaker. It was the girl he'd been searching for, the one from the courtyard. He looked at her, she looked the same as she had earlier this morning except for the fact that she now had on shoes.
"I said, looking over the edge like that, aren't you afraid?"
"No, why should I be? What is this place?" Heero asked. He kept his voice level and kept himself in control of his questions. He really wanted to ask her who she was and whay the hell did he feel like he knew her from somewhere.
"My garden," she answered simply.
"Really? Yours?" He asked, eyes wide.
"Yes, what are you doing up here?" She asked, looking out over the edge.
"I... I..." Heero looked at the ring he held.
The girl's eyes widened and she lept for the ring. "Oi! This is mine... this Rose Signet..." Heero grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her to keep her from getting away or falling of the edge.
"How do you know that name?" she asked, her eyes held a tinge of fear.
"What are you doing to the Rose Bride?" said a quiet voice.
"Rose Bride?" Heero asked, letting the girl go. She ran over a few paces then stopped and turned back to them.
Heero turned to see a boy with brown-auburn hair in a unibang. "Only Duelists are permitted up here." The boy's voice was quiet, but it held an edge that Heero couldn't quite place. He felt the promise of violence in the tone.
As Heero completed his turn, the tall boy noticed the ring he held between thumb and forefinger. "Aa, sou ka. You are a Duelist..." he said his voice, a monotone, no longer the edge it had before. He then turned to leave.
"Duelist..." he murmured to himself, then... "Matte! What is it... this Rose Signet?" He held the ring out for the other boy to see, though he knew the boy knew what he was talking about.
"This is not an 'it'... the Rose Signet shows that you are a Duelist who can duel to win the Rose Bride..." the tall, unibanged boy said, walking closer to the girl deemed the Rose Bride. Once he was behind her, he began to play with her hair.
"Win you..." Heero mumbles looking at the Rose Bride. The tall boy pulled the girl close, yanking her by the neck. Heero winced, his blood heating at the way the tall boy treated the girl. He didn't know if it was anger, jealousy, or both.
"Maybe you're not a duel opponent after all..." he said as he inhaled the small girl's scent and narrowing his visible emerald eye at the short brunette.
Heero stared back as he slowly slid the ring on to the ring finger of his left hand. The tall boy smirked at him and spoke to the girl beside him, "Duo, do the honors."
The girl, Duo, knelt down and picked out a red rose, placing it on the tall boy's chest. The tall boy grabbed her by the chin and kissed her softly. This time, when Heero's blood boiled, he knew it was from jealousy, but why?
She then turned around and walked over to where Heero waited. As she placed the rose on Heero's chest she said, "If your rose gets knocked off, you lose. Where's your sword?"
"Sword?" he asked, looking into her amathyst eyes.
The tall boy laughed, his soft chuckle loud in the silence of the garden. "It won't be much of a duel if you don't have a sword..."
"If you don't know what that ring means, you'd better take it off now..." Duo murmured to him. Her face showing concern.
"A sword..." Heero mumbled as he stepped forward.
"Chotto..."
Heero walked over and stepped on the end of a broom that was lying among the roses, making the sweeping utensil leap up into his waiting hand. "There's no problem now, right?" he asked.
"This should be interesting..." the tall boy said, his voice filled with amusment and anticipation.
"Trowa-sama, what if he's--" Duo didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Before she knew it, she was looking up from the ground... her cheek sporting a bright red palm-mark.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to begin this duel now... Stay out of the way, Duo!" Trowa said, his voice quiet and slightly menacing.
"Don't hit our own girlfriend!" Heero yelled, his voice screaming fury. This time it was anger that made his blood turn to molten fire. Anger at the violence done to the beautiful girl, by her boyfriend none-the-less.
"Girlfriend? He's the Rose Bride... nothing more, nothing less... As I am the current winner of the duel, he is my... property." [3]
"PROPERTY?!?!?!?!"
Trowa lunged forward giving Heero little time to block the move.
"You really win her by winning the duel? What about her feelings? Don't they matter? ANSWER ME! Does everyone with this ring duel to win her?" He was mad, mad that this boy would consider Duo an object to be possessed, and mad that he did not possess her as his own.
"Feelings? What are you talking about?" Trowa said, swinging again.
Trowa used his greater strength to force Heero back, sending the boy flying through the air. Heero landed on his feet and skid to a halt. As they battled on, Trowa continued to force Heero further and further back. Closer and closer to the edge.
Duo sat there where he had landed, watching the ongoing duel in a daze.
"You don't understand... he's the Rose Bride!" Trowa screamed. His voice raw, sounding as if it had never been raised above a whisper.
"You're the one who doesn't understand!" Heero yelled back.
"Nani?"
"How could anyone possibly be happy about being won in a duel?"
"Oh yeah?!" Trowa's eyes narrowed.
Duo turned to look at them as they passed closer to the edge. Trowa pulled back, readying a powerful swing. The sword came down and cut Heero's broom stick in half. The smaller boy fell back into a crouch. "I won't let anyone hit a girl!"
"Let's end this," Trowa said, his voice calm, "You just don't understand anything." He swung suddenly, knocking the rest of the stick from Heero's grasp. Trowa raised his sword into a sweeping arch. Bringing the weapon down to find... that Heero was gone. "DUO!!!!"
Duo had lepped forward, knocking Heero and himself onto the lower platform. "If you don't have a sword, it's not a proper duel..." she said as she closed the distance between them.
"Oi..." Heero mumbled just before Duo silenced him with a kiss.
As their lips met is a passionate kiss, Duo's school uniform became a glowing high necked gown of white. She leaned back, her head thrown back and back arched. An earthreal glow surrounded the violet eyed girl, emitting from her chest.
Heero looked on in curiosity as a sword sprung forth from the glow. He leaned forward, taking a hold of the sword. He pulled the sword from Duo's chest, his uniform, too, transforming into something different. He found himself wearing black spandex and a green tank top. 'Odd, yet familiar,' he thought.
Duo laid back against the carpet of roses and Heero saw his opening. He lunged forward...
Red rose petals scattered in the wind as the bell tolled.
-----
Heero sat in his room unpacking. He placed his clothes into the dresser and closet. Sighing, he turned back to his bed.
A knock sounded at his door. "Who is it?" he called.
"It's me, Duo Maxwell," an alto voice called out. Heero opened the door and Duo waltzed on in. "Konban wa!" she said as she plopped down on Heero's bed. "You just moved in, and you're settled already," she indicated the clean room with all it's belongings in place.
"I was just about to go to bed... And I'm not much into sleep overs..."
"Ok, I'll leave then..." Duo got up to leave... but found herself falling back toward the bed with Heero's arms around her.
"Baka. You're not going home like *this*," Heero said.
"I guess not."
Heero brought up his hand, taking a moment to revel in the feel of Duo in his arms , "What is this?"
"The Rose Signet. Don't you know? Only people that have them can participate in duels." She told him, her voice quiet.
"That Trowa... he says everyone wants to win you, that's why they duel... What do you do when they win?" Heero refused to let his mind wander into the gutter as he asked the question.
Duo made an undescribable sound, "You're unusual... Heero Yuy-san." Duo said as she clutched Heero's hand to her chest.
"Just Heero is fine..."
"Ok... Heero. I think we'll suit each other." Duo kissed his knuckles, the tender move sending electric shocks through Heero's body.
"Do you always do this to the winner of the duel?" Heero said, once again controling his voice as best he could.
"I'm the Rose Bride. As long as it is the will of the one I am engaged to... You're pretty slim." She said as she ran a hand over his side.
Duo leaned in to kiss him, playing with the collar of his school shirt. A trail of soft kisses made their way down his neck. Heero swung himself off the bed.
Heero consiedered for a moment. He wanted this, but something stopped him... something he couldn't quite pinpoint yet. "Stop! Quit foolin' around. Just go back to your own room!" Duo looked put out for a minute, then smiled. She got up from the bed and walked over to Heero's closet.
"Ara! You have so many handsome outfits!" she said as she pulled one from the closet.
"So what?" Duo pressed the outfit to him, leaning against him in doing so. "I said stop!" Heero said, moving to where Duo was no longer in contact with him.
Trying to regain her balance, Duo took a few steps across the room. Turning around she clasped her hands behind her back, giving Heero an 'innocent' look.
"What are you thinking? You're not normal!" Heero said as he put the uniform back into the closet.
-----
Heero stood at the water spigot. It was their class's turn to clean the pool. He hated it, but he resigned himself to doing the best job he could do... 'Consider it part of the mission,' he told himself. He glanced over his shoulder at Duo who was scrubbing the pool.
The blond that had led him around on his first day was across the pool. He swung his broom like a sword, battling with a girl about his size.
'Hn. He'll end up on his face if he keeps that up...' Heero thought to himself.
Sure enough, Quatre ended up on his face. "Itai!" He cried.
"Daijoubu, Quat?" Trowa asked the boy as he walked up.
"Hai! Tro, I'm alright now!" Quatre said batting his lashes at the tall boy.
Heero turned his attention back to the girl scrubbing the pool.
The girls all wore a windbreaker over their swimsuits. Duo had her sleeves pushed up and her jacket collar unzipped, looking like she was enjoying cleaning the pool.
'That's odd...' he thought, then wonder why he thought that. He hardly knew the girl, after all, why should he think it odd of her to enjoy work?
Heero went back to drinking. A flash of black caught his eye and he looked up to see Zechs walking up to him.
"So, you've chosen to be a Duelist, have you?" as he ran his hand through his long hair, the sun glinted off his ring.
"You said this ring led you to this school... does this mean that you're... after her, too?" Heero asked, glancing over at Duo, his eyes glinting almost possessively.
"I suppose so." Zechs answered.
"Why?" Heero asked, it came out as a growl.
"Why? Because she's charming," he said, a hint of smile in his voice.
"Do you know what kind of girl she is?" He looked back at the tall blond.
"What kind of girl?" Zechs asked, arching an eyebrow.
"She's weird!" Heero said, trying to put the right feel into his voice. He knew how he should feel about the way she acted, but the fact was he didn't feel that way at all.
"And...?"
"No matter who wins the duel, she'll..." Heero felt a pang of hurt at expressing-- acknowledging this. He didn't want to think of her being with anyone but him, and he didn't know why.
"She'll what? She's the Rose Bride. She'll spend the night with whoever she's engaged to," he stated plainly, as if it were widely known.
"Have you ever won a duel? Have you ever been engaged to Duo, or..." Heero questioned, ready to hate the man if he had,
"That's none of your business..." Zechs said, then he turned to the pool, "Duo Maxwell."
Duo walked up, smiling as usual, "What will you be doing tonight?" She asked Heero.
"I told you yesterday! I don't have any business with the Rose Bride!"
"Really?" Duo asked, appearing to be unfazed by Heero's words. In truth, Heero could see the bearly concealed hurt in Duo's eyes.
"After all the trouble of winning you, he's not much of a Prince, is he?" Zechs commented.
"I guess not." Duo sighed.
Suddenly the hose on one of the water spigots came loose, spraying them.
"Ara!" Duo said, stepping back. Zechs walked over with a handkerchief, "Look at me... I'm soaked!"
Zechs laughed, "It's only natural to get wet when you're by the pool."
"Mou... Zechs-sempai."
Heero turned and walked away, a sad look on his face. He didn't like to see Zechs flirting with Duo, he didn't like it at all.
-----
"What...?" Wufei asked.
'You're hiding something...' Meiran replied. [4] 'You're up to something you haven't told me about.'
"We can't go back to that time the two of us spent in that garden. But, you'll always be special to me." He told her.
'Traitor...' she hissed.
-----
Duo closed the gate behind her.
Heero looked out his window, watching the girl leave. "Where's she going this late? The 'Rose Bride', huh?"
-----
Treize and Wufei walked down the dark corridor.
"This darkness leads to the End of the World." Treize told the young man beside him.
"It's kind of scary... I feel like I'll be swallowed up." Wufei shivered, stepping slightly closer to Treize.
Both men stopped as a light unexpectedly came. In the eerie glow they saw a phantom, all too soon he faded into nothingness.
"It'll begin soon... The Revolution." Turning toward a wall, Treize spoke again, "Why are you a duelist?"
"Of course, because I was chosen."
"But you could have refused..."
"I've always wanted more power..."
"You're a *boy*, after all..."
The light faded and the corridor became dark once again.
"What about you? As much as you hate the Rose Bride, why are you in the game?" Wufei asked, looking over at the tall man, ignoring the insult.
"I want the power to break free from everything."
"Everything?"
"Everything that has a hold on me." Treize leaned over toward him, "Here we are all alone, but this conversation isn't very spicy..." he said as he put an arm around Wufei's shoulders.
They look up at the sound of footsteps coming toward them.
"Une!" Treize breathed. "This place is off-limits to ordinary students."
"I'm sorry!" Une said, "I'm bothering you, aren't I?"
"What's wrong this late?"
"I was lonely... I just wanted to see your face, Treize-sama!"
"Did something happen?"
"Treize-sama, you're a Duelist, right?"
"How do you know that?"
"I know lots of other stuff, too."
"Lots...?"
"Like... about that Heero Yuy guy."
"What about him?" Wufei asked.
"He likes the Rose Bride... really likes her, and he's trying to take your place as Prince, Treize-sama!"
"He's playing the Prince for a boy?" Treize said, more than asked.
"A boy?" Wufei blinked at the tall man. "What?"
"For him to have the power to Revolutionize the world is wrong, right?"
"Well, he is kind of a stick-in-the-mud." Trieze conceded.
"You can win, right? The one to will will be you, right?"
"Yeah, the next duel, I'll kick his ass."
'... the one who's got a hold on Treize-san, huh?' Wufei thought to himself. 'And what's this about Yuy-kun playing Prince for a 'boy'... Hm, a new light on things...'
-----
Heero walked up the stairs to the dueling platform. Duo, who had been standing on the edge, turned and went back to watering the roses.
"What brings you out so late at night?"
Heero stared at the boy as the wind blew Duo's loose hair around. She tucked some of the hair back as she looked up at Heero.
"Why are you watering the roses so late?" He asked back.
"I *am* the Rose Bride," when she saw the look on Heero's face she stoped watering, "Ara, I've said something troublesome again. Perhaps, I should--"
Heero stepped forward and slapped the watering can from Duo's grasp. "Stop it! Tell me what you are... who you are, really..." He growled as he clenched Duo's fine boned wrists in his fists.
Duo whimpered slightly at the pain.
"Tell me!" Heero growled again.
"Fine..." Duo said, and Heero let go. "I am Duo Maxwell... the Rose Bride... that you already know... Contrary to what most think... I am a boy... odd, ne? The Rose *Bride* being male? I don't mind so much cause the person I love... well I know I love someone... I just can't remember who... Ever since I came to this place I can't remember anything from before... I know I love someone with all my heart, but I don't know who... and when you showed up at the school... well it just felt right... so I was happy to let you win the duel..." the boy paused for breath. "I know you can help... I don't know how, I just do..."
Heero stood silent, digesting this infomation.
Duo stiffled a small sob, "I just want to leave this place and find the one I love... I miss him..."
Heero, on instinct, pulled the crying boy into his arms and rubbed his back to placate him. They stood like that for a long time.
-----
The next day, Heero sat looking out the window (again). Vaguely he heard the teacher giving instructions for their art assignment. Blinking, he looked over to see Duo (in his girl's uniform, hair flowing around him) standing next to his desk with a smile on his face.
Heero followed Duo out of the room... to where they were going to work on their assignment.
The boy was quick.
"Duo!"
Heero had a hard time keeping up with the pace Duo had set.
"Ne, matte! Duo!"
They crossed bridges and climbed stair wells. All the while Duo kept a head of him, heedless of his request.
"Duo! I SAID WAIT!!!!!"
Finally they came to an elevator. Heero placed his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.
"This takes us to the observation deck..." Duo commented as they waited for the elevator to finish ascending.
The elevator stopped and with a 'ping' the doors opened. Heero's breath left him as he looked out the open balcony.
"Are you sure we're allowed up here?" he asked.
"Yes, cause no one else will come up here..." Duo replied.
-----
They sat opposite one another. Heero sat on the bench on the balcony, sketching a rather impressive picture of Duo.
"I'm sorry about last night..." Duo said, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Don't tease me..." he said, slightly irritated, "... for holding me and not being disgusted when I cried..."
"It wasn't anything... just a friendly gesture..." Heero said.
"But it meant something to me... even though we're engaged--"
"Stop with the engaged shit! Look, I don't want to fight any duels... I think they are stupid and those who want to play Prince can for all I care!" he said pulling the ring off his finger.
"You don't like me after all?" Duo said, his voice and face crestfallen.
"It's not that..." he replied as he continued to draw.
"Then what?" Duo asked, turning a sad face to look at him.
"I... I just don't know how to help..."
'Ninmu...' a voice in his head whispered... 'Ninmu...'
Heero shook his head trying to figure out what was with that.
'Ninmu...' With a jolt, everything clicked in Heero's mine.
Images of his mission, his friends, his lover... flashed through his mind.
Trowa. Quatre. Wufei... And Duo... the boy that sat in front of him, looking confused and worried.
Heero looked up at the boy and smiled. He went over to the boy and wrapped his arms around him. "Duo!"
"Ne, Heero... you ok... I--" Heero cut him off with a kiss.
Duo pulled away. "What's gotten into you?" Duo looked scared, unsure of what was going on.
"I found a way to get your memories back and get out of here..."
"Heero Yuy?" said a familiar voice. Heero turned to see Treize standing in the doorway of the balcony. "I challenge you to a duel... now!"
-----
The bells of another duel tolled.
*Silhouette of Heero kissing Duo, then drawing the sword from within him.*
*Silhouette of Treize taking the sword from Une.*
They careened toward one another. Each longing to come out victorious.
Thrust. Parry. Jab. Block. Thrust. Parry. Parry. Thrust. The battle raged on. Heero got in close and pressed his advantage. He produced an on slaughter of attacks, driving Treize back. The school watched in fixed fascination as the two dueled on.
On the balcony, Wufei stood watching the battle. "Treize-sama's being pushed back? That guy's... pretty good."
Oblivious to the gathering crowd, they battled on. Thrusting, parrying, pushing forward, drawing back.
Une, who was watching the battle, turned and left, a small smile curving her face.
Treize laughed, "Your form is pretty good. If I were any other fencing club member, this would be a good fight."
Heero suddenly thrust forward.
Seeing it coming, Treize easily steped clear of the blow.
"But I wonder how much your playing the Prince halfheartedly will cost you... I don't think you know."
Again Heero came in for a killing blow, and again Treize easily dodged it.
"That Rose Signet doesn't suit you!" Treize said, going on the offensive. His thrusts drove the smaller boy back. Each thrust coming close to knocking the sword out of Heero's hand.
"I... can't... lose!" Heero said.
"Do you love Duo that much?" Treize said.
Wufei looked at the dueler, his face showing shock. His head spun. 'Ninmu... Duo... Heero... Quatre... Trowa... Oz...'
Wufei blinked, clearing his suddenly fuzzy vision. He looked at Heero, "Yuy'd better win this... otherwise, we'll never finish this mission..."
Duo watched silent and transfixed as they battled on.
Treize thrust up and out, wrenching the sword from the boy's grasp. Heero gasped for breath as he hit the wall hard. "Have you had enough, Prince?"
Heero stood up, determination showing on his face. He lent down to pick up the fallen sword. Only Duo saw what transpired next. As Heero picked up the sword, he appeared as the Prince (whom the school is centered around). "That's..." Duo mumbled.
"Oiya, oiya... Are you still going to play the Prince, Yuy-kun?" Treize asked, his voice filled with humor.
He looked at the sword, then chose a stance that seemed weak to the fencing team captain.
"You're brave, Yuy-kun. Do you think you can win with that pose?"
Heero thrust forward, the power behind it removing the rose from Treize's uniform and nearly sending him flying back.
The victory bells tolled, signaling Heero's win.
"You looked like... just now... " Duo murmured. 'Like my love...'
A scream drew Heero's attention to the courtyard below. Someone had excavated a body... the body of Chairman Solo. Duo's older brother. Mrs. Solo screamed her pain at the top of her lungs.
'Hn... this place is a damned illusion... Duo told me about Solo... this cannot be him... but...' Heero thought, watching the scene below.
Seeing Heero (and everyone else) was distracted by the sight of his dead 'brother', Duo fled.
"That's the chairman." someone said.
"Yeah, it's the chairman." another replied.
"I thought I hadn't seen him in a while."
"Oh my, her husband was in the ground."
"I wonder if her was killed by someone..."
"After all, he was buried."
"Then, I wonder who the culprit was?"
Une stepped out from behind a column. "It was the owner of the flower bed! The reason she was raising roses was... to hide the corpse of her brother. If you want proof, here it is: Take a look at this video!"
Heero looked on as the people gathered in the main pavilion to watch the tape. "Duo..." looking around he noticed that Duo was no where in sight. "Duo...? Duo!" He ran to the exit in search of the boy.
Treize watched him leave... He blinked to see if his eyes were deceiving him. They weren't. "The Prince..."
-----
Heero ran through the building, searching the only course he thought the boy would take. To the rose garden.
"Duo!!! Duo!!!!! Duooooo!"
-----
*The tape*
A handsome young man (Solo) kneels over a naked body sprawled on the floor. He reaches forward, then retracts his hand as if it had been burned.
"You... weren't asleep? When? ... when did you realize? ... weren't you always asleep? Were you just pretending to sleep? Oi?!" He asks as he backs away.
Duo sits up and groans a little. "Don't worry. You're my Prince. You can do whatever you want."
"Don't say that! I'm not that kind of person!"
-----
Heero came across a corridor of doors. Somewhere down the line a door closed, Heero ran in the direction of the sound. The sign on the door reads: 'Consultation Room'. Heero opened the door and was presented with another corridor of doors.
"Duo?"
-----
"Key! Key! Key! Key! The Key! I can't find the key!"
"Key? What do you mean?"
"A car with no key will rust because it doesn't go anywhere. Key! Key! Where's that damn key!"
"Calm down, Solo-sama. You're my Prince, so you can do whatever you want."
Solo stalks forward, wraps his hand around Duo's neck and pushes the boy to the floor. He takes the knife he picked up and stabs the boy in the chest. "What would you know?" Having done this, he stands up and stumbles around the room... throwing a curtain aside he falls out the window.
*End Tape*
-----
Running, Heero came to a sign that read: (-) [5]. Looking to his right, he spotted another sign. Following the signs he came across a scrawling message. It read: 'To the one engaged. Please wait inside.'
Inside, Heero sat in the chair provided. The room is small and there is another person there. Zechs.
"Heero."
"Zechs. Where's Duo?"
The elevator takes them down. "Why do you want to see him? Do you want the power to create miracles now, too?"
"No, I want to leave this fucking illusion with MY Duo and get this fucking mission over with..."
"Heero. What kind of meaning do you think the game at this school has? This whole place was created to revolve around the Prince... though the Prince is not here in the flesh. So this game is necessary to fill that void. When he became the Rose Bride... the castle which contains eternity appeared. That's right... the same time he killed his 'brother', the Prince."
"There is no fucking Prince... this is just some really fucked up illusion and I want out NOW!!!"
Zechs remained silent.
"I finally remembered," Heero said, breaking the silence.
"Remembered what?"
"Why we're here... in this school... why J wanted us to be here... he only told me... none of the others..."
"Oh, and why are you here?"
"He said there was a power here... a power that he and the other doctors wanted to try and use for their own purposes... He screwed with our minds... and I am gonna fucking kill him when I get out of this fucking place..."
"Hmmm..."
"And you, Zechs... you're just a fucking illusion congured by this fucking school..." as if to prove him right, Zechs faded leaving nothing in his wake.
-----
The elevator arrived at the garden's level. Taking a deep breath Heero prepared to get Duo back... talk to the boy. Make him remember.
He walked up the stairs with determination in his stride.
"Heero..." Duo whispered as he saw the boy coming toward him. Shimmering tears made their way down his cheek as he turned around.
Heero made his way to Duo, but suddenly stopping mid-stride.
"Duo..." Heero took a breath, looking up at the next plat form to see Quatre and Trowa looking at them. Then he spoke loud enough for all of them to hear. "Ninmu! The Mission!!!!!!"
Duo blinked at him, realization slowly coloring his face. Quatre and Trowa looked at one another, relief written all over their faces as they spied one another.
"H-heero..." Duo said, looking at the boy. Blinking away tears, he ran to the boy with messy brown hair. Pulling back slightly, he looked questioningly at Heero, "What the fuck was going on??? Why am I dressed like this?"
Heero just smiled.
-----
"Omae o korosu..." Heero growled as he walked into J's office.
"Ah, Heero, you're back... did the mission go well...?" J said turing to look at the boy. The instant he laid eyes on him he paled. "I take it it did not go as planned...?"
"Oh, it went like you fucking planned it alright... Only you could have screwed us for life if we hadn't come to our senses..." Heero said, stretching the truth a little.
"W-what are you talking about?"
"The school fucking brainwashes you... You remember nothing of your past..."
"Oh my..." were the last words out of the old mans mouth as his head snapped to the side and his body went limp.
-----
Heero shut the door quietly, so as not to disturb sleeping beauty snoring like a lion. Obviously not quiet enough for Duo sat up un the bed, rubbing his eyes.
"Ne, Hee-chan, how did your... debriefing go..." Duo said inbetween yawns.
"It went fine... but I don't think J will be giving us anymore missions..." Heero said, smirking at the gaping boy on the bed.
"Hmmm... that's... uh... good... I guess..." Duo said, trying to rehinge his dragging jaw.
Heero smiled at him, a predatorial gleam in his eyes.
"Uh, Hee-chan?"
"Hm?"
"What are you planning?"
Heero's grin turned even more evil than before. "To screw you silly..."
Duo eeped as Heero came down on him, pressing him to the bed in wild passion.
Needless to say, the other occupants of the small safehouse did not sleep that night. But really, did you think Quatre and Trowa'd sleep anyway? Poor Wufei though...
END
-------------------
Notes:
[1] White rose
[2] Yes, most of them think Duo is a girl. Watch for those who don't.
[3] Yes, Trowa knows Duo is a guy... *sighs*
[4] Meiran is a ghost, just so you know.
[5] I don't know exactly what that sign means... it was there in the movie...
I hope you all liked it... I am not the greatest at fusions, but I tried...
Author: Noa (utenakat@yahoo.com)
Archive: GW Addiction and if she will, Darkflame
Category: Fusion, Shounen Ai
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: 1+|x2/2+|x1, 5+M,13+5, 3+2, 3+4/4+3, 11+6, 11+13
()()()()
Warnings: Death (J)
()()()()
Spoilers: Utena movie & series.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is for fun and enjoyment, no money is being made. Please don't sue me, as I am poor.
Feedback: Yes please. All flames received will be used to light the fire under my ass and get me to write more fics that are against your liking, so there.
NOTES: I took this idea from La Fillette RŽvolutionnaire Utena (TV & Movie). Let me see if I can do this!
Bara wa Tsuki no Hikari (Roses in the Moonlight)
---------------------------------
-Prologue-
Duo looked at the boy across from him. The briefing was long and boring, as usual, but he was enjoying the view: Heero Yuy, the object of his affection, sat in his chair at what could only be described as 'attention'. It was a very humerous sight and Duo found himself surpressing laughter as the human rock refused to move.
"... you will all be send to Ohtori Academy. There is suspicion that Oz is basing a training unit there." Said the scientist, his wisker laden face twitching with irritation when he looked at Duo. "Duo Maxwell, do you understand the mission peramiters?"
Duo blinked, realizing that he was being spoken to. "H-hai, Dr. J, I understand..."
"Good, you will all embark seperately... Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei are to leave this week... Heero, you will leave the week after..."
"Why am I leaving later, if I may be permitted to ask?"
"You are needed here to hack their system. It is thought to take almost a week to crack, unless you are faster... we are unsure of their system."
"Ryokai."
"Ok, move out... get ready to head out on your missions."
-----
-Bara wa Tsuki no Hikari-
Two figures stood silhouetted against the blue sky. One standing, one sitting/kneeling. Rose petals littered the air adding to the surealness of the scene.
-----
A boy with messy brown hair stood at the gates of the school. He was to meet up with his companions, but for some strange reason... he could not remember who they were or what the 'mission' was. Only that he was to come to this school and enrole.
Shrugging off a feeling of ill at ease, he trugged on into the school.
-----
The quiet boy sat looking out the window of his classroom. There was a girl in the courtyard. She was quite lovely, with her long brown hair, and long legs. She was meticulously watering the roses around her. Her delicale feet bare of any covering, stepped neatly around the bushes and cobblestones. He was so enthralled with the scene presented before him that he didn't even notice the you boy who came over to him until he spoke.
"Heero Yuy-kun?" the blond asked.
"Aa..." he answered, looking the boy up and down. 'Kawaii,' he thought.
"How do you like the school, ne?" the blond was positively glowing with life. Heero resisted the urge to laugh. The boy was the epitome of youth and exuberance.
"I think I am gonna like it a lot..." he said, smiling slightly.
"Good! Let me give you a tour!" the blond smiled welcomingly.
"O-namae wa?" Heero asked as he stood to follow the boy where ever he may lead.
"Quatre Raberba Winner," the boy chirped, tilting his head slightly to the side.
-----
Heero turned his head as he heard the sound of swords clashing. "Quatre?" he said, turning his head to look at the blond boy who was chattering on about this and that.
"Hmmm?" Quatre said looking back over his shoulder. Heero just pointed at the people gathered around a center pavillion. "Oh, that's the fencing club... it's really popular. It's the Prince's turn now..."
"Prince..." Heero murmured.
"Mmmm," Quatre smiled happily, "The Prince is really popular, he's the best fencer in the school! That's why he's the captain..."
'Makes sense,' Heero thought.
"The ones dueling now are Treize-sempai (the Prince) and Wufei..."
'Their good...' he said, watching the two clash against one another.
"Wufei's really mysterious... he was married before he came here, but she somehow died... he's really a meloncholly fellow... though he's really cute! They're both members of the student counsel."
Heero made a noncommittal noise as Quatre continued on talking. "Rumor has it he and the Prince are together, though neither one will say whether they are or not..." he pouted cutely and Heero couldn't help but laugh. "What?"
"Nothing... you're just really cute when you pout..." he said, smirking.
Quatre blushed and giggled a bit. "A-anou...."
A cheer went up and they both turned to see the Prince make the kill, winning the match.
"Sa~a! He did it again! Way to go Treize-sempai!!!"
Heero looked up from the mat and stopped. In the window above the dueling grounds stood a girl with long chestnut hair worn in a braid. The one hed seen from the window earlier that morning. For some reason, he felt drawn to her... he didn't know why, but he felt like he knew her from somewhere...
'Only one way to find out,' he thought as he slipped away from the pavillion with out a sound, leaving the chattering boy talking to thin air. Once the blond boy noticed he was gone he began to call for him, "Heero-kun? Heero?" but by then he was long gone.
-----
Heero raced around the corner, heedless of anything or anyone. Why did he feel he had to find that girl? What was she to him?
The image of her watering the flowers in the courtyard. He mentally rans his eyes along her figure from her bare feet to her violet eyes. How he knew they were violet was bayond him.
He reveled in the image of her. Her long hair, her long legs shown off by the short skirt of her uniform, her delicate feet, her slender frame, her heart shaped face... all of this and more.
Skidding around a corner Heero ran into a familiar presence. An old aquaintance of his, Zechs Marquis.
"Heero..." the tall man said in a deep voice.
"Zechs," Heero said, nodding in the platinum haired man's direction.
"What brings you to this school?" He asked, raising an eloquent eyebrow.
"Certianly not you, but if you must know... a... mission, I guess you would call it..."
"Hmmm, interesting... what is the... uh, mission?"
"I'm not sure, but I think it had something to do with being a Prince..." Heero said, turning to look out into the courtyard in front of him.
"Being a Prince, eh? Can't imagine Heero Yuy as a Prince..." Zechs chuckled.
Heero scowled at him, "Laugh all you want, I'll fulfill my mission at all costs..." he didn't know why he said it, it just popped from his mouth, but it felt adn sounded right, so...
Zechs pulled the rose from his breast pocket, "Here's to your high ideals," he said.
Heero noticed the glint of a ring on the man's left ring finger. "I see you got engaged to someone..."
"This is what led me here, to this school... this Rose Signet."
"Rose Signet?"
-----
After he and Zechs parted ways, Heero found himself wandering around the school. Still looking for that girl.
"Sa, the roses are beautiful... so beautiful..." he said to himself. Gazing at the garden he noticed a single white bud. "Shiiro bara?" [1]
The rose began to bloom before his very eyes. For an unknown reason he held out his hand as the bloom dipped, dropping something into his hand. A ring... a Rose Signet.
Standing up he found himself looking up a stair well to a large platform. It called to him, he found himself drawn up and into a mass of roses. The entire platform was covered, every square inch...
"Kirei..." he whispered, his eyes wide. He slowly maneuvered his way to the edge of the platform, looking over the edge.
"Kowai ka nain desu ka?" came a soft alto voice.
"Eh?" Heero said, turning to look at the speaker. It was the girl he'd been searching for, the one from the courtyard. He looked at her, she looked the same as she had earlier this morning except for the fact that she now had on shoes.
"I said, looking over the edge like that, aren't you afraid?"
"No, why should I be? What is this place?" Heero asked. He kept his voice level and kept himself in control of his questions. He really wanted to ask her who she was and whay the hell did he feel like he knew her from somewhere.
"My garden," she answered simply.
"Really? Yours?" He asked, eyes wide.
"Yes, what are you doing up here?" She asked, looking out over the edge.
"I... I..." Heero looked at the ring he held.
The girl's eyes widened and she lept for the ring. "Oi! This is mine... this Rose Signet..." Heero grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her to keep her from getting away or falling of the edge.
"How do you know that name?" she asked, her eyes held a tinge of fear.
"What are you doing to the Rose Bride?" said a quiet voice.
"Rose Bride?" Heero asked, letting the girl go. She ran over a few paces then stopped and turned back to them.
Heero turned to see a boy with brown-auburn hair in a unibang. "Only Duelists are permitted up here." The boy's voice was quiet, but it held an edge that Heero couldn't quite place. He felt the promise of violence in the tone.
As Heero completed his turn, the tall boy noticed the ring he held between thumb and forefinger. "Aa, sou ka. You are a Duelist..." he said his voice, a monotone, no longer the edge it had before. He then turned to leave.
"Duelist..." he murmured to himself, then... "Matte! What is it... this Rose Signet?" He held the ring out for the other boy to see, though he knew the boy knew what he was talking about.
"This is not an 'it'... the Rose Signet shows that you are a Duelist who can duel to win the Rose Bride..." the tall, unibanged boy said, walking closer to the girl deemed the Rose Bride. Once he was behind her, he began to play with her hair.
"Win you..." Heero mumbles looking at the Rose Bride. The tall boy pulled the girl close, yanking her by the neck. Heero winced, his blood heating at the way the tall boy treated the girl. He didn't know if it was anger, jealousy, or both.
"Maybe you're not a duel opponent after all..." he said as he inhaled the small girl's scent and narrowing his visible emerald eye at the short brunette.
Heero stared back as he slowly slid the ring on to the ring finger of his left hand. The tall boy smirked at him and spoke to the girl beside him, "Duo, do the honors."
The girl, Duo, knelt down and picked out a red rose, placing it on the tall boy's chest. The tall boy grabbed her by the chin and kissed her softly. This time, when Heero's blood boiled, he knew it was from jealousy, but why?
She then turned around and walked over to where Heero waited. As she placed the rose on Heero's chest she said, "If your rose gets knocked off, you lose. Where's your sword?"
"Sword?" he asked, looking into her amathyst eyes.
The tall boy laughed, his soft chuckle loud in the silence of the garden. "It won't be much of a duel if you don't have a sword..."
"If you don't know what that ring means, you'd better take it off now..." Duo murmured to him. Her face showing concern.
"A sword..." Heero mumbled as he stepped forward.
"Chotto..."
Heero walked over and stepped on the end of a broom that was lying among the roses, making the sweeping utensil leap up into his waiting hand. "There's no problem now, right?" he asked.
"This should be interesting..." the tall boy said, his voice filled with amusment and anticipation.
"Trowa-sama, what if he's--" Duo didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Before she knew it, she was looking up from the ground... her cheek sporting a bright red palm-mark.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to begin this duel now... Stay out of the way, Duo!" Trowa said, his voice quiet and slightly menacing.
"Don't hit our own girlfriend!" Heero yelled, his voice screaming fury. This time it was anger that made his blood turn to molten fire. Anger at the violence done to the beautiful girl, by her boyfriend none-the-less.
"Girlfriend? He's the Rose Bride... nothing more, nothing less... As I am the current winner of the duel, he is my... property." [3]
"PROPERTY?!?!?!?!"
Trowa lunged forward giving Heero little time to block the move.
"You really win her by winning the duel? What about her feelings? Don't they matter? ANSWER ME! Does everyone with this ring duel to win her?" He was mad, mad that this boy would consider Duo an object to be possessed, and mad that he did not possess her as his own.
"Feelings? What are you talking about?" Trowa said, swinging again.
Trowa used his greater strength to force Heero back, sending the boy flying through the air. Heero landed on his feet and skid to a halt. As they battled on, Trowa continued to force Heero further and further back. Closer and closer to the edge.
Duo sat there where he had landed, watching the ongoing duel in a daze.
"You don't understand... he's the Rose Bride!" Trowa screamed. His voice raw, sounding as if it had never been raised above a whisper.
"You're the one who doesn't understand!" Heero yelled back.
"Nani?"
"How could anyone possibly be happy about being won in a duel?"
"Oh yeah?!" Trowa's eyes narrowed.
Duo turned to look at them as they passed closer to the edge. Trowa pulled back, readying a powerful swing. The sword came down and cut Heero's broom stick in half. The smaller boy fell back into a crouch. "I won't let anyone hit a girl!"
"Let's end this," Trowa said, his voice calm, "You just don't understand anything." He swung suddenly, knocking the rest of the stick from Heero's grasp. Trowa raised his sword into a sweeping arch. Bringing the weapon down to find... that Heero was gone. "DUO!!!!"
Duo had lepped forward, knocking Heero and himself onto the lower platform. "If you don't have a sword, it's not a proper duel..." she said as she closed the distance between them.
"Oi..." Heero mumbled just before Duo silenced him with a kiss.
As their lips met is a passionate kiss, Duo's school uniform became a glowing high necked gown of white. She leaned back, her head thrown back and back arched. An earthreal glow surrounded the violet eyed girl, emitting from her chest.
Heero looked on in curiosity as a sword sprung forth from the glow. He leaned forward, taking a hold of the sword. He pulled the sword from Duo's chest, his uniform, too, transforming into something different. He found himself wearing black spandex and a green tank top. 'Odd, yet familiar,' he thought.
Duo laid back against the carpet of roses and Heero saw his opening. He lunged forward...
Red rose petals scattered in the wind as the bell tolled.
-----
Heero sat in his room unpacking. He placed his clothes into the dresser and closet. Sighing, he turned back to his bed.
A knock sounded at his door. "Who is it?" he called.
"It's me, Duo Maxwell," an alto voice called out. Heero opened the door and Duo waltzed on in. "Konban wa!" she said as she plopped down on Heero's bed. "You just moved in, and you're settled already," she indicated the clean room with all it's belongings in place.
"I was just about to go to bed... And I'm not much into sleep overs..."
"Ok, I'll leave then..." Duo got up to leave... but found herself falling back toward the bed with Heero's arms around her.
"Baka. You're not going home like *this*," Heero said.
"I guess not."
Heero brought up his hand, taking a moment to revel in the feel of Duo in his arms , "What is this?"
"The Rose Signet. Don't you know? Only people that have them can participate in duels." She told him, her voice quiet.
"That Trowa... he says everyone wants to win you, that's why they duel... What do you do when they win?" Heero refused to let his mind wander into the gutter as he asked the question.
Duo made an undescribable sound, "You're unusual... Heero Yuy-san." Duo said as she clutched Heero's hand to her chest.
"Just Heero is fine..."
"Ok... Heero. I think we'll suit each other." Duo kissed his knuckles, the tender move sending electric shocks through Heero's body.
"Do you always do this to the winner of the duel?" Heero said, once again controling his voice as best he could.
"I'm the Rose Bride. As long as it is the will of the one I am engaged to... You're pretty slim." She said as she ran a hand over his side.
Duo leaned in to kiss him, playing with the collar of his school shirt. A trail of soft kisses made their way down his neck. Heero swung himself off the bed.
Heero consiedered for a moment. He wanted this, but something stopped him... something he couldn't quite pinpoint yet. "Stop! Quit foolin' around. Just go back to your own room!" Duo looked put out for a minute, then smiled. She got up from the bed and walked over to Heero's closet.
"Ara! You have so many handsome outfits!" she said as she pulled one from the closet.
"So what?" Duo pressed the outfit to him, leaning against him in doing so. "I said stop!" Heero said, moving to where Duo was no longer in contact with him.
Trying to regain her balance, Duo took a few steps across the room. Turning around she clasped her hands behind her back, giving Heero an 'innocent' look.
"What are you thinking? You're not normal!" Heero said as he put the uniform back into the closet.
-----
Heero stood at the water spigot. It was their class's turn to clean the pool. He hated it, but he resigned himself to doing the best job he could do... 'Consider it part of the mission,' he told himself. He glanced over his shoulder at Duo who was scrubbing the pool.
The blond that had led him around on his first day was across the pool. He swung his broom like a sword, battling with a girl about his size.
'Hn. He'll end up on his face if he keeps that up...' Heero thought to himself.
Sure enough, Quatre ended up on his face. "Itai!" He cried.
"Daijoubu, Quat?" Trowa asked the boy as he walked up.
"Hai! Tro, I'm alright now!" Quatre said batting his lashes at the tall boy.
Heero turned his attention back to the girl scrubbing the pool.
The girls all wore a windbreaker over their swimsuits. Duo had her sleeves pushed up and her jacket collar unzipped, looking like she was enjoying cleaning the pool.
'That's odd...' he thought, then wonder why he thought that. He hardly knew the girl, after all, why should he think it odd of her to enjoy work?
Heero went back to drinking. A flash of black caught his eye and he looked up to see Zechs walking up to him.
"So, you've chosen to be a Duelist, have you?" as he ran his hand through his long hair, the sun glinted off his ring.
"You said this ring led you to this school... does this mean that you're... after her, too?" Heero asked, glancing over at Duo, his eyes glinting almost possessively.
"I suppose so." Zechs answered.
"Why?" Heero asked, it came out as a growl.
"Why? Because she's charming," he said, a hint of smile in his voice.
"Do you know what kind of girl she is?" He looked back at the tall blond.
"What kind of girl?" Zechs asked, arching an eyebrow.
"She's weird!" Heero said, trying to put the right feel into his voice. He knew how he should feel about the way she acted, but the fact was he didn't feel that way at all.
"And...?"
"No matter who wins the duel, she'll..." Heero felt a pang of hurt at expressing-- acknowledging this. He didn't want to think of her being with anyone but him, and he didn't know why.
"She'll what? She's the Rose Bride. She'll spend the night with whoever she's engaged to," he stated plainly, as if it were widely known.
"Have you ever won a duel? Have you ever been engaged to Duo, or..." Heero questioned, ready to hate the man if he had,
"That's none of your business..." Zechs said, then he turned to the pool, "Duo Maxwell."
Duo walked up, smiling as usual, "What will you be doing tonight?" She asked Heero.
"I told you yesterday! I don't have any business with the Rose Bride!"
"Really?" Duo asked, appearing to be unfazed by Heero's words. In truth, Heero could see the bearly concealed hurt in Duo's eyes.
"After all the trouble of winning you, he's not much of a Prince, is he?" Zechs commented.
"I guess not." Duo sighed.
Suddenly the hose on one of the water spigots came loose, spraying them.
"Ara!" Duo said, stepping back. Zechs walked over with a handkerchief, "Look at me... I'm soaked!"
Zechs laughed, "It's only natural to get wet when you're by the pool."
"Mou... Zechs-sempai."
Heero turned and walked away, a sad look on his face. He didn't like to see Zechs flirting with Duo, he didn't like it at all.
-----
"What...?" Wufei asked.
'You're hiding something...' Meiran replied. [4] 'You're up to something you haven't told me about.'
"We can't go back to that time the two of us spent in that garden. But, you'll always be special to me." He told her.
'Traitor...' she hissed.
-----
Duo closed the gate behind her.
Heero looked out his window, watching the girl leave. "Where's she going this late? The 'Rose Bride', huh?"
-----
Treize and Wufei walked down the dark corridor.
"This darkness leads to the End of the World." Treize told the young man beside him.
"It's kind of scary... I feel like I'll be swallowed up." Wufei shivered, stepping slightly closer to Treize.
Both men stopped as a light unexpectedly came. In the eerie glow they saw a phantom, all too soon he faded into nothingness.
"It'll begin soon... The Revolution." Turning toward a wall, Treize spoke again, "Why are you a duelist?"
"Of course, because I was chosen."
"But you could have refused..."
"I've always wanted more power..."
"You're a *boy*, after all..."
The light faded and the corridor became dark once again.
"What about you? As much as you hate the Rose Bride, why are you in the game?" Wufei asked, looking over at the tall man, ignoring the insult.
"I want the power to break free from everything."
"Everything?"
"Everything that has a hold on me." Treize leaned over toward him, "Here we are all alone, but this conversation isn't very spicy..." he said as he put an arm around Wufei's shoulders.
They look up at the sound of footsteps coming toward them.
"Une!" Treize breathed. "This place is off-limits to ordinary students."
"I'm sorry!" Une said, "I'm bothering you, aren't I?"
"What's wrong this late?"
"I was lonely... I just wanted to see your face, Treize-sama!"
"Did something happen?"
"Treize-sama, you're a Duelist, right?"
"How do you know that?"
"I know lots of other stuff, too."
"Lots...?"
"Like... about that Heero Yuy guy."
"What about him?" Wufei asked.
"He likes the Rose Bride... really likes her, and he's trying to take your place as Prince, Treize-sama!"
"He's playing the Prince for a boy?" Treize said, more than asked.
"A boy?" Wufei blinked at the tall man. "What?"
"For him to have the power to Revolutionize the world is wrong, right?"
"Well, he is kind of a stick-in-the-mud." Trieze conceded.
"You can win, right? The one to will will be you, right?"
"Yeah, the next duel, I'll kick his ass."
'... the one who's got a hold on Treize-san, huh?' Wufei thought to himself. 'And what's this about Yuy-kun playing Prince for a 'boy'... Hm, a new light on things...'
-----
Heero walked up the stairs to the dueling platform. Duo, who had been standing on the edge, turned and went back to watering the roses.
"What brings you out so late at night?"
Heero stared at the boy as the wind blew Duo's loose hair around. She tucked some of the hair back as she looked up at Heero.
"Why are you watering the roses so late?" He asked back.
"I *am* the Rose Bride," when she saw the look on Heero's face she stoped watering, "Ara, I've said something troublesome again. Perhaps, I should--"
Heero stepped forward and slapped the watering can from Duo's grasp. "Stop it! Tell me what you are... who you are, really..." He growled as he clenched Duo's fine boned wrists in his fists.
Duo whimpered slightly at the pain.
"Tell me!" Heero growled again.
"Fine..." Duo said, and Heero let go. "I am Duo Maxwell... the Rose Bride... that you already know... Contrary to what most think... I am a boy... odd, ne? The Rose *Bride* being male? I don't mind so much cause the person I love... well I know I love someone... I just can't remember who... Ever since I came to this place I can't remember anything from before... I know I love someone with all my heart, but I don't know who... and when you showed up at the school... well it just felt right... so I was happy to let you win the duel..." the boy paused for breath. "I know you can help... I don't know how, I just do..."
Heero stood silent, digesting this infomation.
Duo stiffled a small sob, "I just want to leave this place and find the one I love... I miss him..."
Heero, on instinct, pulled the crying boy into his arms and rubbed his back to placate him. They stood like that for a long time.
-----
The next day, Heero sat looking out the window (again). Vaguely he heard the teacher giving instructions for their art assignment. Blinking, he looked over to see Duo (in his girl's uniform, hair flowing around him) standing next to his desk with a smile on his face.
Heero followed Duo out of the room... to where they were going to work on their assignment.
The boy was quick.
"Duo!"
Heero had a hard time keeping up with the pace Duo had set.
"Ne, matte! Duo!"
They crossed bridges and climbed stair wells. All the while Duo kept a head of him, heedless of his request.
"Duo! I SAID WAIT!!!!!"
Finally they came to an elevator. Heero placed his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.
"This takes us to the observation deck..." Duo commented as they waited for the elevator to finish ascending.
The elevator stopped and with a 'ping' the doors opened. Heero's breath left him as he looked out the open balcony.
"Are you sure we're allowed up here?" he asked.
"Yes, cause no one else will come up here..." Duo replied.
-----
They sat opposite one another. Heero sat on the bench on the balcony, sketching a rather impressive picture of Duo.
"I'm sorry about last night..." Duo said, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Don't tease me..." he said, slightly irritated, "... for holding me and not being disgusted when I cried..."
"It wasn't anything... just a friendly gesture..." Heero said.
"But it meant something to me... even though we're engaged--"
"Stop with the engaged shit! Look, I don't want to fight any duels... I think they are stupid and those who want to play Prince can for all I care!" he said pulling the ring off his finger.
"You don't like me after all?" Duo said, his voice and face crestfallen.
"It's not that..." he replied as he continued to draw.
"Then what?" Duo asked, turning a sad face to look at him.
"I... I just don't know how to help..."
'Ninmu...' a voice in his head whispered... 'Ninmu...'
Heero shook his head trying to figure out what was with that.
'Ninmu...' With a jolt, everything clicked in Heero's mine.
Images of his mission, his friends, his lover... flashed through his mind.
Trowa. Quatre. Wufei... And Duo... the boy that sat in front of him, looking confused and worried.
Heero looked up at the boy and smiled. He went over to the boy and wrapped his arms around him. "Duo!"
"Ne, Heero... you ok... I--" Heero cut him off with a kiss.
Duo pulled away. "What's gotten into you?" Duo looked scared, unsure of what was going on.
"I found a way to get your memories back and get out of here..."
"Heero Yuy?" said a familiar voice. Heero turned to see Treize standing in the doorway of the balcony. "I challenge you to a duel... now!"
-----
The bells of another duel tolled.
*Silhouette of Heero kissing Duo, then drawing the sword from within him.*
*Silhouette of Treize taking the sword from Une.*
They careened toward one another. Each longing to come out victorious.
Thrust. Parry. Jab. Block. Thrust. Parry. Parry. Thrust. The battle raged on. Heero got in close and pressed his advantage. He produced an on slaughter of attacks, driving Treize back. The school watched in fixed fascination as the two dueled on.
On the balcony, Wufei stood watching the battle. "Treize-sama's being pushed back? That guy's... pretty good."
Oblivious to the gathering crowd, they battled on. Thrusting, parrying, pushing forward, drawing back.
Une, who was watching the battle, turned and left, a small smile curving her face.
Treize laughed, "Your form is pretty good. If I were any other fencing club member, this would be a good fight."
Heero suddenly thrust forward.
Seeing it coming, Treize easily steped clear of the blow.
"But I wonder how much your playing the Prince halfheartedly will cost you... I don't think you know."
Again Heero came in for a killing blow, and again Treize easily dodged it.
"That Rose Signet doesn't suit you!" Treize said, going on the offensive. His thrusts drove the smaller boy back. Each thrust coming close to knocking the sword out of Heero's hand.
"I... can't... lose!" Heero said.
"Do you love Duo that much?" Treize said.
Wufei looked at the dueler, his face showing shock. His head spun. 'Ninmu... Duo... Heero... Quatre... Trowa... Oz...'
Wufei blinked, clearing his suddenly fuzzy vision. He looked at Heero, "Yuy'd better win this... otherwise, we'll never finish this mission..."
Duo watched silent and transfixed as they battled on.
Treize thrust up and out, wrenching the sword from the boy's grasp. Heero gasped for breath as he hit the wall hard. "Have you had enough, Prince?"
Heero stood up, determination showing on his face. He lent down to pick up the fallen sword. Only Duo saw what transpired next. As Heero picked up the sword, he appeared as the Prince (whom the school is centered around). "That's..." Duo mumbled.
"Oiya, oiya... Are you still going to play the Prince, Yuy-kun?" Treize asked, his voice filled with humor.
He looked at the sword, then chose a stance that seemed weak to the fencing team captain.
"You're brave, Yuy-kun. Do you think you can win with that pose?"
Heero thrust forward, the power behind it removing the rose from Treize's uniform and nearly sending him flying back.
The victory bells tolled, signaling Heero's win.
"You looked like... just now... " Duo murmured. 'Like my love...'
A scream drew Heero's attention to the courtyard below. Someone had excavated a body... the body of Chairman Solo. Duo's older brother. Mrs. Solo screamed her pain at the top of her lungs.
'Hn... this place is a damned illusion... Duo told me about Solo... this cannot be him... but...' Heero thought, watching the scene below.
Seeing Heero (and everyone else) was distracted by the sight of his dead 'brother', Duo fled.
"That's the chairman." someone said.
"Yeah, it's the chairman." another replied.
"I thought I hadn't seen him in a while."
"Oh my, her husband was in the ground."
"I wonder if her was killed by someone..."
"After all, he was buried."
"Then, I wonder who the culprit was?"
Une stepped out from behind a column. "It was the owner of the flower bed! The reason she was raising roses was... to hide the corpse of her brother. If you want proof, here it is: Take a look at this video!"
Heero looked on as the people gathered in the main pavilion to watch the tape. "Duo..." looking around he noticed that Duo was no where in sight. "Duo...? Duo!" He ran to the exit in search of the boy.
Treize watched him leave... He blinked to see if his eyes were deceiving him. They weren't. "The Prince..."
-----
Heero ran through the building, searching the only course he thought the boy would take. To the rose garden.
"Duo!!! Duo!!!!! Duooooo!"
-----
*The tape*
A handsome young man (Solo) kneels over a naked body sprawled on the floor. He reaches forward, then retracts his hand as if it had been burned.
"You... weren't asleep? When? ... when did you realize? ... weren't you always asleep? Were you just pretending to sleep? Oi?!" He asks as he backs away.
Duo sits up and groans a little. "Don't worry. You're my Prince. You can do whatever you want."
"Don't say that! I'm not that kind of person!"
-----
Heero came across a corridor of doors. Somewhere down the line a door closed, Heero ran in the direction of the sound. The sign on the door reads: 'Consultation Room'. Heero opened the door and was presented with another corridor of doors.
"Duo?"
-----
"Key! Key! Key! Key! The Key! I can't find the key!"
"Key? What do you mean?"
"A car with no key will rust because it doesn't go anywhere. Key! Key! Where's that damn key!"
"Calm down, Solo-sama. You're my Prince, so you can do whatever you want."
Solo stalks forward, wraps his hand around Duo's neck and pushes the boy to the floor. He takes the knife he picked up and stabs the boy in the chest. "What would you know?" Having done this, he stands up and stumbles around the room... throwing a curtain aside he falls out the window.
*End Tape*
-----
Running, Heero came to a sign that read: (-) [5]. Looking to his right, he spotted another sign. Following the signs he came across a scrawling message. It read: 'To the one engaged. Please wait inside.'
Inside, Heero sat in the chair provided. The room is small and there is another person there. Zechs.
"Heero."
"Zechs. Where's Duo?"
The elevator takes them down. "Why do you want to see him? Do you want the power to create miracles now, too?"
"No, I want to leave this fucking illusion with MY Duo and get this fucking mission over with..."
"Heero. What kind of meaning do you think the game at this school has? This whole place was created to revolve around the Prince... though the Prince is not here in the flesh. So this game is necessary to fill that void. When he became the Rose Bride... the castle which contains eternity appeared. That's right... the same time he killed his 'brother', the Prince."
"There is no fucking Prince... this is just some really fucked up illusion and I want out NOW!!!"
Zechs remained silent.
"I finally remembered," Heero said, breaking the silence.
"Remembered what?"
"Why we're here... in this school... why J wanted us to be here... he only told me... none of the others..."
"Oh, and why are you here?"
"He said there was a power here... a power that he and the other doctors wanted to try and use for their own purposes... He screwed with our minds... and I am gonna fucking kill him when I get out of this fucking place..."
"Hmmm..."
"And you, Zechs... you're just a fucking illusion congured by this fucking school..." as if to prove him right, Zechs faded leaving nothing in his wake.
-----
The elevator arrived at the garden's level. Taking a deep breath Heero prepared to get Duo back... talk to the boy. Make him remember.
He walked up the stairs with determination in his stride.
"Heero..." Duo whispered as he saw the boy coming toward him. Shimmering tears made their way down his cheek as he turned around.
Heero made his way to Duo, but suddenly stopping mid-stride.
"Duo..." Heero took a breath, looking up at the next plat form to see Quatre and Trowa looking at them. Then he spoke loud enough for all of them to hear. "Ninmu! The Mission!!!!!!"
Duo blinked at him, realization slowly coloring his face. Quatre and Trowa looked at one another, relief written all over their faces as they spied one another.
"H-heero..." Duo said, looking at the boy. Blinking away tears, he ran to the boy with messy brown hair. Pulling back slightly, he looked questioningly at Heero, "What the fuck was going on??? Why am I dressed like this?"
Heero just smiled.
-----
"Omae o korosu..." Heero growled as he walked into J's office.
"Ah, Heero, you're back... did the mission go well...?" J said turing to look at the boy. The instant he laid eyes on him he paled. "I take it it did not go as planned...?"
"Oh, it went like you fucking planned it alright... Only you could have screwed us for life if we hadn't come to our senses..." Heero said, stretching the truth a little.
"W-what are you talking about?"
"The school fucking brainwashes you... You remember nothing of your past..."
"Oh my..." were the last words out of the old mans mouth as his head snapped to the side and his body went limp.
-----
Heero shut the door quietly, so as not to disturb sleeping beauty snoring like a lion. Obviously not quiet enough for Duo sat up un the bed, rubbing his eyes.
"Ne, Hee-chan, how did your... debriefing go..." Duo said inbetween yawns.
"It went fine... but I don't think J will be giving us anymore missions..." Heero said, smirking at the gaping boy on the bed.
"Hmmm... that's... uh... good... I guess..." Duo said, trying to rehinge his dragging jaw.
Heero smiled at him, a predatorial gleam in his eyes.
"Uh, Hee-chan?"
"Hm?"
"What are you planning?"
Heero's grin turned even more evil than before. "To screw you silly..."
Duo eeped as Heero came down on him, pressing him to the bed in wild passion.
Needless to say, the other occupants of the small safehouse did not sleep that night. But really, did you think Quatre and Trowa'd sleep anyway? Poor Wufei though...
END
-------------------
Notes:
[1] White rose
[2] Yes, most of them think Duo is a girl. Watch for those who don't.
[3] Yes, Trowa knows Duo is a guy... *sighs*
[4] Meiran is a ghost, just so you know.
[5] I don't know exactly what that sign means... it was there in the movie...
I hope you all liked it... I am not the greatest at fusions, but I tried...