T.D.K- Hello all! You're getting a treat today! I've uploaded chappies 2 and 3!
Heero- She thought she'd already uploaded 2.
T.D.K- -glares- I hate being related to you sometimes. Anyway, I don't own GW or anything Laby, but Meg's mine. Lyrics belong to David Bowie, and anyone else who helped with Laby's music. Enjoy!
Heero stopped by the outer most wall, trying to find the way in. He spotted a figure farther down, and ran toward it. His common sense said stay the hell away, especially since he wasn't home any more. As he got closer to the figure, Heero could tell it was a dwarf. He didn't know how, but his instincts told him so.
The dwarf wasn't as short as Heero thought a dwarf should be. In actuality, he was only an inch or so shorter than Heero. His ebony hair was tied back into a tight ponytail; the black tail ending just below the line of his shoulders. He wore white clothing that appeared to be oriental in design, and two sturdy dark slippers clad his feet. The dwarf's skin was the same shade as Heero's own.
"Excuse me, Mr. Dwarf." The dwarf turned to him, studying the teen with black as night oriental eyes.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
"Could you tell me where the entrance is?"
"No, I cannot."
"Oh, so you don't know. I'm sorry that I bothered you."
"It is not that I don't know. You just haven't asked the right question." Heero crossed his arms, then looked at the ground. He went into himself to think. So I haven't asked the right question. What would the right question be?
"How do I get into the labyrinth?" Heero asked, after thinking for minute or two. The dwarf's lips lifted into a smile.
"Simple. Through those doors." Heero followed the dwarf's gaze. Those were sonot there before! The teen thought as he saw a set of high foreboding doors, which had not been there seconds earlier. "I think the king finally noticed you. Let me warn you now. This labyrinth and everything within obeys the king's commands."
"Thank you. If you don't mind, could you tell me your name? I feel stupid referring to you as 'Mr. Dwarf." Heero could tell his question had startled the dwarf. Black eyes looked at him shocked.
"No one has ever asked for my name in a very long time. I am Chang Wufei. And you, my friend, what is your name?"
Yuy Heero. Thank you again, Chang-san." The teen took off into the labyrinth, not noticing the look the dwarf shot after him. It was a knowing look, as if the dwarf knew something or someone the teen did not.
"This one is up to your challenge, Little Brother." Wufei said as he turned. Behind him the Goblin King had appeared, Heero's sister in his arms. The dwarf's eyes lightened as he took in the girl. "Why, hello there. You are such a young one!" Wufei said, making himself seem as nonthreatening as possible. He knew the girl was the teen's main prize for winning.
"This is little Megan," Duo said, in answer to one of his adopted brother's unasked questions. "She is Heero's sister." The king made a face at the girl, who burst out crying instead of laughing. Normally, Duo was very good with kids. He had been raised by the dwarves after all! The braided goblin sighed before summoning a crystal with Heero's image inside. At the sight of her brother, the girl calmed slightly.
"Let me see her. We dwarves are naturally good with children." Duo made a face, wanting to say that he knew, and that he had been raised by Wufei's clan. He handed the girl over. Wufei started singing a lullaby that their mother had sang. It was ancient, even by Underground standards. The girl's sniffling calmed, and Wufei had her laughing minutes after. "Try singing to her next time."
Heero looked around, wondering a few things. The first thing he wondered was where all the damn glitter had come from. Secondly was how Duo had managed to get so much damn glitter. The last thought was where the break in the wall was, and why the labyrinth hadn't turned. He sighed, slumping against the wall.
The chill of the stones sank through his trusty green tank and into his back. The teen shivered, wrapping his arms around his frame. It had suddenly gotten too cold to be wearing black shorts and a tank. At least he had enough sense to wear his old yellow sneakers. Something heavy and very warm was draped around his shoulders. He stared up dumbly at the grinning Goblin King.
"Are you cold, Angel?" The king cocked his head to the side as his voice washed over the teen.
"Thank you. Is my sister o.k?"
"Yes. Somehow we managed to make her stop crying. Tell me, why ask about her, when you should be asking other questions?"
"What should I be asking?" Heero replied, pulling the cloak tighter around him.
"A 'why me, Duo' would be a nice start or 'why are you doing this to me.' Questions that pertain to you and your situation not your sister's."
"I cannot be selfish. I would do anything to get her back, even when she's making me angry. She and I have no one we can truly depend on. Our step-mother treats me like shit, but knows we will never call her mother. I have to get her to know she's got me when everyone else turns away."
"Who would you turn to when that happens to you?"
"Meg. I can't turn to my father because he takes the bitch's side. My sis sees and knows it's not right."
"Heero, don't turn yourself into a minor martyr. It is alright for you to be selfish. You've lost your mother, your trust in your father, your trust in anyone close to you. You can be selfish with me. If you chose to stay in your sister's place, you could be selfish all you wanted. Anything you want, it would be yours." Heero chuckled darkly. The king didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
"I cannot be selfish for the rest of my life. I have to protect my sister. It was my mother's last wish."
"While it may be your mother's last wish, you can still be selfish to an extent. Alas, you're not going to budge, so let's turn the conversation to something better. How exactly do you get the little monster to stop crying?"
Heero chuckled before replying; "Little monster, eh? She's only good for me; sometimes my dad, but never anyone else. …Did you make it this cold?"
"I'm going to give you a hint." Duo said, turning Heero's attention away he could have a moment alone with him. "Do you see this wall? Well, there is an opening right in front of you."
The braided goblin chuckled as the teen stared at him. Heero was leery of the hint, but his instincts told him the goblin king wasn't steering him wrong. "Why?" He asked, simply wanting to know.
"Angel, you have enslaved my mind. I can barely concentrate on ruling the idiots who call me king. There is more than just your precious sister at stake." The king sighed, his hand molding to the side of Heero's face. "Keep the cloak, as you may or may not need it later. The royal blue suits you well."
"Thank you."
"Till next we meet, Angel." With those words, the goblin disappeared. Heero pushed his thoughts and feelings the king's touch caused aside. I must not be selfish. His mantra coursed through him, allowing him to act on the king's hint.
The teen passed through the wall, confirming that the king hadn't lied. For the first time in his entire life, Heero ignored his heart. A consciously unknown reason made him afraid to go left, as his heart wanted. He went right instead. Sorry. He thought to himself.
Duo sat on his throne, wondering why Megan had started to cry, yet again. He summoned a crystal, turning it to Heero. The king stood, his brown hunting boots made no sound as he walked across the stone floor. The girl's wails could probably be heard across the labyrinth and were enough to wake the dead.
Duo had changed out of his earlier clothing, not liking the feeling of magic that had clung to him. The white poet's shirt contrasted his dark hair and eyes. Another pair of black pants clothed his legs, warm despite their appearance.
He let his crystal orb fall from his fingers, and into the girl's tiny hands. "Do my goblins scare you?" He asked after her wails had stopped. She nodded. The goblin king grinned.
"You remind me of the babe."
"What babe?" One brave goblin asked.
"The babe with the power." He replied simply.
"What power?" Another goblin asked.
"The power of voodoo."
"Who do?" A third voiced.
"You do!" Duo replied, pointed to the goblin.
"Do what?!" Asked the first goblin.
"Remind me of the babe!
I saw my baby
crying hard as babes
could cry. What
could I do? My
baby's love had gone
and left my baby blue!"
The king smiled, knowing his word play had gained the girl's attention. She watched him in rapt fascination as he spun and danced about. His sing was supposed to be complete nonsense.
"Nobody knew
what kind of
magic spell to use."
He lifted her into his arms, twirling her about as he and his goblins continued to sing. The castle was now filled with goblin music and the girl's laughter.
"Slime or Snails!"
"Or puppy dog tails!"
"Thunder or lightening!"
"Something frightening!"
"Dance, magic, dance!
Dance, magic, dance…"
Heero was slumped against the labyrinth's wall again. I'm lost! How am I going to get to the end? "I'm stuck here too!" He growled, gripping the dark blue cloak's fabric.
"No, you're not! You're just not looking in the right place!" Heero's head shot over to the two statues. Both were guarding two doors that had not been there mere seconds before. Both looked like they were gundams, one was mostly red and the other was mainly white and blue, with a little red. "There you go!" The white and blue one said.
"I didn't know statues could talk and move. That's amazing!"
"Freedom and I are not statues; we're gundams. We and our pilots take turns guarding these doors. One of us always lies and the other always tells the truth." The red one said.
"Yep. You get one question, that you can ask us both. Justice here will get mad at me though, because I'll be really tempted to answer all of your questions." Heero smiled. The white and blue gundam, Freedom, seemed to be rather silly and friendly at the same time. I bet he and his pilot are really similar.
"Alright, which door leads to the castle?" Heero's smile turned into a grin. He knew how this went. The teen asked both gundams; Justice answered Freedom's door, and vice versa. "Both of you are full of bullshit. I know how this scenario plays out. You're both lying. The right door changes constantly, doesn't it?"
"Wow! No one but the king's ever figured that one out! He doesn't lie, so he's really good at telling when others lie."
"Freedom, shut up! Our job's done so just shut up! God! You're as annoying as Kira. Why he and Athrun are friends, I'll never understand!" After speaking, Justice started to mutter lowly; the only audible words were "pilots", "idiots", and "gallivanting". Freedom shrugged, used to the other gundam's tendencies to rant randomly.
"Heero, do you like Underground so far?"
"Why?" Heero asked, an eyebrow lifting.
"I'm curious, that's all. Wing Zero, my older brother, is looking for a pilot. You seem perfect for him."
"I'll think about it. Zero's my favorite gundam, but I can't leave Meg by herself. Anyway, thanks for talking to me. I don't feel so lonely." Heero reached for the door handle beside Freedom. "Do you mind?"
"Nope. Good luck, 'cause the door really does change constantly." Heero nodded, took a breath, and walked into the hole in the ground.
T.D.K- -runs and hides- Duo hates when I write cliffys. Anyway, I might be up here for a while, so R&R and I'll work on chappie 4.
