Duo: Wow, you weren't kidding.

Me: About?

Duo: Short updates.

Me: Shut it! But this chaper is longer in pages! It's like, 18 pages on my document. Not including the entrances and endings.

Duo: Yeah. She was at the computer, and next thing she knows, it's 15 pages.

Me: I feel special! :3

Duo: Sylph owns nothing! Except the select few, which I think you can easily pick out. :D

Chapter 2

Day Two

"Wow, nice place you got here, Duo," Quatre looked around the apartment.

Even though it was a little small, Duo made it more comfortable. He had brought in one or two plants, had two bedrooms, but one he used for a file room, with his 'important stuff' and his computer. He had a nice, long sofa and a wide screen TV on top of an entertainment center. He had some random things hanging on the wall. As he walked into the small kitchen, Duo shrugged, "Eh, it's okay. Big enough for me and some company. I don't want anything fancy; like you do."

"Those days are somewhat behind me. I live in an apartment a little farther down the street; it's about this size," Quatre told him.

"What about Rashid and the others guys?"

"They went back to their own country. They visit from time to time."

"Wow...you mean they went without a fuss?"

"Of course not. They wouldn't stop protesting, but I finally won them over."

"Huh. Weird bunch, that group. C'mere, Aurea. Here's some food for you," Duo knelt down and placed two silver bowls on the floor with food in one, water in the other. Aurea instantly dug in, wolfing the food down, and drinking plenty refills of water. Then, Duo looked around in his lower cabinets for something, while saying, "You can sit, if you want, Quatre."

"I'm okay. Do you need some help? What are you looking for?"

"A little something a little friend gave me- here it is!" Duo triumphantly held up a brush with two sides, one being hard, the other being more soft. "She needs a good brushing, don't'cha think?"

"I suppose she does," Quatre grinned.

"I can give her a bath later..."

Former pilot 04 pointed out, looking at his friend from across the counter, "Do you know if she's trained?"

"She probably isn't. Aurea," the dog's ears perked, already knowing its name, "sit, girl!" Duo pointed downward.

She stared at him with blank eyes, wondering what she should do. Duo sighed, "Yep. Gonna need some training. But I can bet within a month, or maybe when you even see her next, she'll be rollin' over for you!"

Aurea sneezed and continued lapping up water.

"Well," Quatre looked outside, seeing it was getting a little darker, "I need to stop by the store and buy something for dinner."

"If you want, you can eat here," Duo offered.

"It's okay, I wouldn't want to intrude like that!"

"It's not a problem, Quatre, you should know that. Besides, you know me better than that! I have PLENTY of food!" The former pilot 02 opened his fridge, and Quatre's face...was...well, priceless. "HOW can you afford all that, Duo?"

"Aren't the Preventers paying for your stay?"

"N-no..."

"Oh...huh. That's strange. When I told Sally where I was headed, she gave me some money and said that the Preventers were going to pay for our stay for high school."

Quatre sat in a chair that was across from Duo, "No, they haven't done anything like that for me."

"When we see Heero and Wufei tomorrow, we can ask them."

"Yeah..."

"Now, you're staying for dinner! What would you like, ol' buddy, ol' pal?!"

"D-Duo..."

--

After they finished, Duo (and Aurea) bid goodnight to Quatre, and the blonde Arab headed home. Duo made a small makeshift bed out of old blankets for Aurea. "Just until I can go and get you a real bed, okay?" he looked down at her from his bed.

Aurea circled once or twice before settling down. She looked up and licked his face. Duo sputtered, "Hey, I've already taken a shower!"

To prove she didn't care, Aurea continued licking him.

"Aw, c'mon, girl! Stop!"

Once they both settled down, they were both fast asleep.

--Duo's Dream--

"Duo Maxwell. Do you know why you've volunteered to pilot this mobile suit?"

"Yeah. I know it's going to be used against OZ and the Romefeller Foundation. I'd rather be dead, rather than live under OZ's rule."

"Uh-huh...Well, so far, you have been very impressive in your training. Soon enough, we shall go ahead and send you to Earth along with my masterpiece, Deathscythe."

"I understand."

--

"What?! You're nuts! I'm not about to do something like that!"

"Duo, the point of Operation Meteor-"

"-is crazy! I'm not about to use my Gundam for massacre!"

"Duo, come back! What do you think you're doing?"

--

"So long...ol' buddy."

...

"What happened?! Why won't it explode?! Grr...what did I do wrong?"

"Duo..."

"Huh?"

"Deathscythe is an excellent piece of art! Think of a better way to use it rather than destroy it."

"Heh. I'm not about to use my buddy here as a tool for a massacre."

"Hmm...I see you were planning to kill me once you destroyed Deathscythe."

"I was gonna kill everyone here, including myself. If it meant peace for this colony, I'd be the God of Death any day."

"If you're prepared to go that far, try and outwit me."

"What?"

"Duo, why don't you steal Deathscythe?"

"Huh?"

"Take it to Earth now. Just ignore Operation Meteor. There's a man called Howard on the Pacific Ocean. You can rely on him. -Of course, go as the God of Death."

"...The God of Death. Well, it's a lot better than being the hero of a massacre. Heh. Well, let's go, ol' buddy."

I'm sorry, Father. I'm going to have to disobey your teachings to me. I'm really sorry. But...I have to do this. It won't only be revenge for Heero Yuy. I'll also do it for you.

--End Dream--

Duo's eyes snapped open. He looked around and sighed. He was still in his apartment. He looked at the clock beside him. It read 5:17. His heart thumped loud in his chest. May the seventeenth...that was when...he died...Father Maxwell...

Ignore it, ignore it. It's just a coincidence...nothing more, nothing less. The dream, the time...all a coincidence...

--

Trowa yawned as he stretched and got out of bed. Man, you'd think that the manager would be a LITTLE nicer, considering how early he had to get up three hundred and sixty five days ago. But no. He wanted to get practice in early so they'd have more time to recite throughout the day. He got into his costume once he took a quick shower, and walked out into the tent. Catherine ran up to him, "Trowa, you're finally up! I was about to get you! Could you come and get the lion into the ring?"

"Yeah, sure," Trowa nodded.

The former pilot of Heavyarms approached the lion's cage, the beast growling fiercely at the tamer. It's wild eyes caught sight of Trowa, and it quieted down. Trowa put his hand in the cage, "Hi, old friend. How're you doing?"

He led it into the ring, and as he shut the door, the tamer laughed, "Ya know, Barton...you should've gone out for tamer 'stead o' me!"

Trowa cracked a rare grin.

--

The next morning...

Quatre spluttered as a wet lick greeted him in the morning. A dog?!

He flew up in bed. "Aurea...?" he muttered.

Duo came in, "Sorry 'bout this."

"Duo...? How'd you get in?"

"Your code is easy. 19-1-14-4-18-15-3-11. S-A-N-D-R-O-C-K."

"Oh...heh."

"Sorry, but I gotta hang out with you before school."

"How come?"

Duo peered out the window through the closed blinds, "There were some suspicious looking guys outside my place. I snuck out the back."

"Sure. Bring your trouble here to me. Thanks," Quatre growled playfully, and threw on a shirt.

"Besides..."

"Something wrong, Duo?"

As if he forgot Quatre was there, Duo muttered, "That dream..."

"A dream?"

"Ah, nothing...don't mind me."

Quatre stared at him questionally as Duo quietly left the room, Aurea chasing after him. Remembering, Quatre called, "What about Aurea?"

Then, the braided man returned to normal. He popped his head back in the room, and grinned sheepishly, "Actually...heh...if you don't mind..."

"Oh, geez. Duo...you owe me for this."

"Of course! Thanks, Q-man!"

--On the way to school...--

Heero grumbled as he held onto his jacket, waiting on the light to change. His foot impatiently tapped without his knowing. Finally, the light changed. He walked with haste across the road, and he caught sight of his two comrades: Duo and Quatre. Heero sighed. He knew he had slept in later than he meant to today, but that also meant...those two would more than likely see him. Maybe if he tried to blend in-

"Oh, morning, Heero!" Quatre cheerfully waltzed up, Duo right beside him.

Heero managed to grunt out a 'morning' and kept walking. Duo instantly brought up the subject, "Heero, are the Preventers paying for your stay while you're here?"

"Hn? Yeah. Why?" Heero looked at him with slight confusion.

"They aren't paying for Quatre."

Just then, Wufei decided to pop up randomly, "Probably because he already has enough money, not even adding in what his sisters all probably send him."

"Whoa, Wu! Nice entrance!" Duo cocked his head and grinned.

"Shut it, Maxwell."

"Well...someone's grumpy this morning. What's wrong, Wu?" Duo watched the Asian carefully, ready to sprint. "Wake up on the wrong side of the cave?"

Wufei chased after the fleeing American as if his life were on the line. Heero and Quatre's eyes twitched as they watched them run off. When Quatre glanced at Heero, he noticed that his friend was quite occupied with thinking about something. "Is...something wrong, Heero?"

"No."

"It looks like it."

"Is it...that obvious?"

"No," Quatre turned his head back to watch where he was walking, "...you just have to look close enough."

"Hn..."

"Is it something you can tell someone?"

"I'd prefer to keep it to myself."

"Okay. But if you need to tell anyone something...I'm always open to listen."

"Hey, Quatre!" The two turned and saw the new American student running up to them. Raechel caught her breath and grinned, "What's up?"

"Oh, morning, Raechel. Nothing much. How are you this morning?" Quatre smiled.

"Not too bad...who's your friend?" Raechel looked at Heero with interest.

"My name's Heero Yuy. Pleasure," Heero nodded his head.

"Not to sound like Duo, but don't mind him. He's always like this."

Heero shot the blonde a look, "You've been hanging out with him too much."

Quatre and Raechel laughed a little.

Heero's eyes twitched again, "Don't laugh."

That only made them laugh more and louder.

They eventually got to the school and climbed up the flights of stairs, parting at their different homerooms. Quatre and Raechel walked in their classroom only to find their friend was panting in his chair, leaning back in it. He waved, "Nice to know you two are alive."

"He not catch you?" Quatre inquired, pulling up a chair next to him.

Duo's hand twitched and slowly raised to his head. "He grabbed my braid, and Ms. Greenweld caught him, and lectured the hell outta him. That freakin' hurt, though!"

Kelda walked in, a sly grin on her face, and used her nickname for Duo, "Duo-chii! I saw that between you and that friend of yours in the other classroom."

"Oh, Kel-chan! That wasn't funny!"

"Yes, it was!"

"Not."

"Too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Oi, Raechel, do you mind if I call you Rae?"

"You coward! You changed to subject!"

Raechel flushed a little, "I don't mind."

Duo started naming off nicknames, "Rae-san...Rae-chan...Rae-chii...Rae...Hmm..."

Raechel frowned, and pointed at Quatre, "Hey, what about him?"

"I've got enough for him. A couple. Q-man...Quat...Spoiled Little Rich Kid..."

Quatre slapped the brown headed teen on the back of the head. Duo rubbed the spot, "Itai, Quat...so cruel...so cold..."

"Oh, that didn't hurt," Quatre scoffed, "Stop showing off."

Duo shook his head, "No, that's from where it aches when Wufei pulled my hair."

Kelda chuckled evilly, "That wouldn't happen if you-"

"Hell no. Get away from me," Duo hissed.

Kelda twirled her scissors on her left index finger, "You're right. Hell will freeze over before you cut your hair."

"Damn straight it will," Duo nodded, "Hell will also freeze over when I finally miss avoiding death."

"Duo, don't talk like that," Quatre ordered harshly.

--

Heero stumbled in, and looked in Wufei's direction. Ms. Greenweld was still giving Wufei a 'hell of a lecture'. As Heero sat down, the english teacher finished and walked away. Heero observed that Wufei's head was hanging down. He tapped Wufei. The Asian's head snapped up. "Oh...is she finished?"

"Yeah. I'm guessing something happened?"

"I had that bastard in my grasp and she," Wufei glared at the teacher's back, "had to go and stop me. After all the times I have to chase him, I had him..."

Heero grinned. "I'm sure there will be another time when you catch him."

Wufei grumbled.

--In gym class...--

"...and now that we have all the rules set down, you may begin!" Their gym teacher, Mr. Horne, barked, blowing his whistle. He threw balls toward each side, two teams divided by the yellow line going across the gymnasium.

At first, everyone was hesitant. In their hands were soft, yet effective, dodgeballs. A few turned them in their hands, and others moved forward slowly. Duo, Quatre, Kelda, and Raechel each had one. Each team had about eight balls to throw. Eventually, when no one had still thrown, a person at the back of the gym (CHICKEN!!) shouted, "Hey, are you all scared like little girls?!"

A few girls punched him pretty hard, but the teen's shout was effective. Heero threw one towards a random person, and the battle began.

Quatre was a little hesitant to get into the game, but loosened up. No doubt, he thought, someone is going to leave today injured.

Wufei's main target: Duo. the poor American. However, the Asian decided to pick off the weaklings first. The same tactic was true for the other four on the other team. Duo cackled wildly as he pulled a silly manuver. He ran up a few feet from the line dividing the teams, and, with one ball in each hand, threw himself on his back on the floor. A few from the other team were slightly confused by this action, but mercilessly threw the balls at him. The American gracefully flew up by somehow flipping up backwards, and he landed on his feet. He blocked the other balls flying towards him with his own. When Heero and Wufei's team realized that they were out of ammo, they all backed up, save for the two former Gundam pilots. The other team acted innocent, as if they didn't have the balls. Both teams took note that both were about half-way through their fighting comrades. They approached the division line and when the eight with the balls were all in line, Kelda roared, "Now!"

They unleashed their fury. The balls all flew fast towards the others. And all eight hit a target. It was about another ten minutes until it was down to two others with Heero and Wufei and the fav four on the other side. Now, each team (if you can call it that) had only two balls. Duo threw one hard towards Heero, but he dodged it, and it hit one of the boys behind him. The other teen left fell to his knees dramatically, "Bob? Bob, no!! Don't do this to me!"

Bob weakly begged, "Win...for me...Fred..." and he fell unconscious.

"Bob!!"

The others in the gym stared oddly at them. Then, the ones on the battlefield regained their senses, and continued on. Each threw a ball, each dodged easily. Eventually, Kelda's luck ran out, and Duo, being such the gentleman, swore vengence. Dispite not being a former Gundam pilot, Raechel held up her own end rather easily. However, Wufei, tired of messing around, threw a curveball which barely scraped her right arm. She growled and took a spot on the bench. After a while, Mr. Horne had gotten tired of the remaining four being...well...'acting like girls.' He called on a tie, and the bell had rung. Wufei cursed, "Damn it. I knew I should've just taken him out when I could've."

"But then, he'd just get you back with a prank," Quatre pointed out as they walked on toward their next class.

Wufei punched his locker, and it swung open.

Duo: My braid?! Man, what's your problem?

Me: Oh, don't whine and be a baby about it!

Duo: So...are you doing all 180 days of school?

Me: I know I'm going to skip quite a couple days. But...I need a lot to make sense of what's going to happen next. Muahaha!

Duo: ...Ahh?

Me: What?

Duo: Read and review!

Me: Hey! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!