" I knew you'd come back to me baby" she purred, pouting sweetly and leaning forward, reaching out shapely arms to him.
"Don't"
Duo's eyes remained ice as he seized her wrists lightly bringing her up short. Hazel widened in surprise as the woman flinched before composing herself once more, jerking her hands free of duo's iron grasp and studying him through heavy lidded eyes.
Taking a step back a hungry smile seemed to crawl across her features, tossing her head she slid her cool delicate hands up over duo's lean chest, licking her lips.
" Playing hard to get lover?" she whispered, pressing against him and letting her lips ghost his ear lightly as she snaked her arms round his tense shoulders.
" You want me," she breathed, her vermilion lips tracing slow searing kisses down duo's neck
The god of death smirked as he leaned against her, licking her ear gently, making her shiver before growling softly, deep within his throat
" Pandy I never wanted you! I was just bored, bored of a not life and desperate for any sensation I could get "
The harpe froze, eyes flashing molten silver as her claws ripped from their sheath in temper, hot needles pricking her skin in rage as she gauged bloody grooves down his back. Her previously pouting lips now twisted in fury as she shrieked
" YOU LOVE ME!! …ME!!"
Her face contorted, the smooth white flesh giving rise to scales, the skin rippling and taking on a serpentine appearance. Unfazed and unimpressed Duo chuckled darkly, breaking her grasp; he pushed past the furious demon
" I didn't even have a heart, how could I love ya? " he murmured, before turning his face to hers, letting his lips nearly brush her own before adding
" I love now though, but it ain't you babe"
"All men love me," she hissed glaring at the gods back. She still wanted him, the dark seductive death god she remembered. But she had no power over him now; it was as if a warm protective shell had been cocooned round his mind and heart, blocking her cold manipulative charms. She hated to admit it, but for all he now held mortal form duo was somehow stronger.
He just shrugged, causing his braid to shiver and continued to walk away from the creature
" I'd consider a career change then babe, cuz ya ain't that good" he paused briefly, the glimmer of sadistic glee shinning deep within those violet depths, before adding innocently
" Or maybe ya just getting old"
The feral scream was almost ear piercing as the harpy lunged, bringing her right hand, down hard across his back. Her claws biting deep into the flesh and drawing scalding rents through the delicate layers of tissue, scraping the back of his ribs with a stomach churning, grating noise.
In shock duo could do little more than suck in his breath violently, the agonising scream dying within his throat as he struggled to breathe. Her little finger had gashed the soft mass of his lung, even now bubbles gurgled within the blood issuing from the wounds on his back as he fell forward chocking, already drowning within his own crimson warmth.
Pandora stalked over to his fallen form, a scowl marring her elegant brow.
" I was told to bring you back to the fold or in pieces Shinigami" she snapped, placing delicate hands on her ample hips " my way would have been more fun" she growled, drawing back her foot and aiming a savage kick at his ribs, channelling all the fury of her wounded pride into the blow.
" Duo" her croaked, coughing as he caught her foot and wincing as the impact jarred his damaged body. He glared up from the floor with venom filled orbs at the harpy before adding with more determination
" My name is Duo Maxwell"
" Your name is death, once who you were, now just what you're going to be," she snapped, jerking her foot free and making him sprawl in the dirt more.
Stepping back a little as duo got slowly to his feet, she gestured in the air, pulling a sickle from nowhere, turning and impaling it into his shoulder. With malicious glee she twisted it brutally, rasping once more heard as steel scraped over the bone. Causing him the shudder violently, a blood sweat beading his forehead, streaking his bangs red.
This time the scream came, despite the pain that shot through his lungs, the agony was too great to stay silent as the demon used the blade to try and pry Duo's shoulder blade from his body.
But the cry called forth with it protection. As his human body began to die, his control over Shinigami slipped, the essence surged up from deep within him, exploding outwards in ebony fire, throwing Pandora away with neck breaking force.
" I dun die so easy Pandy" he laughed maliciously, his voice rich like chocolate as he watched the dazed harpe, rise to her feet, through cold obsidian eyes.
" Just as long as you fucking die" she screamed, tossing aside the sickle and running head long at duo, an axe brandished high in her slender hands, her mind set on decapitation.
He didn't move, he waited, cat like till the last moment before raising his hand, a chalky hue creeping across his flesh. His fingers closed round what had been thin air, but was now the symbol of his power, the scythe, it's blade still glowed red from his own blood spilled at Setsuna's bedside.
Once Pandora was close enough he swung it down and round, knocking her and the axe away to one side before turning and spinning the scythe between experienced fingers, a shadowy look brooding about his eyes.
He met her gaze, cold and annoyed as she circled him like a vulture round a rotting corpse.
The underworld was at war; blow for blow the sound of metal on metal rang through out the yawning caverns of death like thunder. The darkness punctuated by screams, snarls and vicious cursing in their native ancient Greek
The gloom became as day, lightening arching from their weapons and grounding in the others body. Illuminating, blood drenched bodies, panting frames that had become walking dictionaries of wounds, each a testimony to the others violence.
Pandora was loosing, demon she may be but duo was a god in flesh, Even as a human he was formidable. In desperation she spat in his face making him stumble back shaking his head. There was powerful venom contained within her saliva, it caused his eyes to burn, his vision wavering in front of him.
" Now kneel," she hissed triumphantly, delicate beads of poison hanging from her fangs. Without warning she thrust her hand deep into his abdomen, shredding the soft warm, beating organs. Raking through the network of veins, she sent a warm shower of living blood over her milky skin.
Duo's eyes widened as he fell to his knees, hiccupping in an attempt to breathe. From the corner of his eyes, tears of pain and failure drawing pale tracks through his blood marred cheeks, as he fell face first into the dirt. As he did so the barely audible whisper of
" Heero" passed his lips before the last of his humanity spilled onto the ground beside him from his blueing mouth into a sparkling pool.
Pandora giggled insanely, her hazel eyes shinning as she licked his blood from her fingers with all the enjoyment of chocolate, not missing a single drop with her pale pink tongue. With twisted pleasure she listened to the sound of duo's heart straining to live even as it slowed, and slowed, and stopped.
Duo Maxwell was dead, a braided child, alone in the land of the dead, face down in his own blood, on the doorstep of his father.
"DUO!" the voice of raw fear shattered the early morning still, a cry of agony ripped from the soul as Heero collapsed on the floor of the shower. Clutching his chest in pain, gulping air, as the tightness round his heart increased. His own anguished howls mingling with the steady beat of the shower, raining indifferently upon the prone boy, sprawled beneath it.
Duo was dead. Ask him how he knew and if he could of formulated words he would of replied, how do you know if your leg becomes amputated? There is unbearable pain, and you realise part of you is gone and you'll never be whole again.
" IIE YOU PROMISED!" he screamed, black tears streaking his face, as he lay trembling on the ground.
" YOU PROMISED" this time his voice was not human; it resounded out from another world. He raised his head; his dark bangs dripping water onto his hands, as he glared opaque white eyes into thin air. His grip denting the bath, the metal buckling beneath his fury with a tortured groan.
"I will pay, " he hissed, wincing as Duo's crucifix began to burn his chest, raising blisters and scaring the skin in an angry purple. Through Duo's dead eyes he saw Pandora stalking off, her honey hair rippling behind her. He didn't understand where Duo was, he didn't know who the woman was but it didn't matter to him.
" Live" he whispered desperately " use me". Closing Prussian eyes, he felt ice slipping through his veins, chilling him to the core, the cold hand of death fastening onto his life force and pulling at it as he gave himself to Shinigami. Death rose again.
Like waves the muscles along duo's back rippled, rising and falling, what little skin remained to cover the bloody sinews, strained as if something was trying to push it's way out from beneath the surface. His fingers twitched, an eerie glow shinning in the night from his vacant dead eyes.
Bones began the crack and realign throughout his body, silently he rose up, arms outstretched, tiny black spikes protruding from his dripping, gored back. The unholy scream he let loose echoed across the cavern, black forms exploding from his back, flooding the ground with his blood, throwing the quaking boy to his knees gasping.
At the noise Pandora turned, her narrowed eyes wide with fear as Shinigami grinned up at her sadistically, his fangs clearly visible as the leather rags on his back unfurled.
The blood across the ground began to move as if alive, droplet-to-droplet, rivulet-to-rivulet, flowing into each other and back up his arms, legs and face. Pouring back into his body as the wounds healed like closing mouths.
Standing with feline grace, the blood began to rush down the spidery veins threading the leathery surface of his wings. As the tubules fattened the wings became stiffer, framing the gods body in clawed vampiaric elegance. He wasn't human, he wasn't alive, and he was the Shinigami, living by his own power and the stolen sliver of life from Heero. Duo Maxwell was dead but Shinigami lived.
The harpe purred excitedly, her eyes roaming his body hungrily
" You're back?"
" Yes Pandy I'm back" he smirked, stretching out his muscles before rising off the ground with a beat of his wings. His face then turned harsh and stony as he added
" You wanted me back? I'm here bitch, time to pay the reaper" he enjoyed seeing the colour drain from her cheeks as she stumbled back, shaking her head and screaming.
"NO"
Darkness seemed to gather round the god; with a gesture he seized from the air a black hourglass. Silver sand ran like a river through its narrow neck, while on the base in cold fire burnt the name PANDORA.
He landed swinging it casually in one hand, watching with amusement as Pandora knelt before him, trembling, her hair curtaining her face.
" Forgive Me," she whimpered, clutching his leg desperately, with open disgust he kicked her off.
" Forgive ya? You killed and drove insane millions, visited immeasurable suffering on man and you want forgiveness?" shin sneered at her " what do I look like a priest?" he smirked laughing darkly " ya just killed that part Pandy. I am Shinigami, god of death and this was your life," he whispered, raising his hand and smashing the glass into crystal shards on the rocks below.
She went to save it, spreading her wings; she went to scream, but most of all she went for his throat. She never managed any of these however because as the glass fractured, she ceased to be. Her body dissolving in front of him like ghostly mist.
" Ashes to ashes, dust to dust " he hissed through clenched teeth bitterly, he was back to being that which he'd tried so hard to leave behind. With glowing eyes he turned to the monstrous iron doors at the entrance to the palace of Hades
" Quatre"
Brandishing the scythe like a warrior he smashed it off the omega symbol scorched into the panels, flinging the doors wide, nearly twisting them off their hinges in rage.
He cared not for the high arched beauty of the palace he stormed through. His feet beat out an angry tattoo across the black marble floor, his mind locked solely upon the blonde cherub. His boot heel made short work of the throne room doors, the wood splintering under his assault, the occupier seemingly unmoved by the aggressive entrance into his home.
Hades turned to Shinigami slowly, removing the great horned crown of the under world from his brow as he reclined back against the throne of blackened bones and granite, an amused look on his face.
" Ahhh the prodigal son returns and see how disrespectfully he treats the king of this realm" he chuckled deeply at the furious death god, his black eyes still shining dangerously.
" And to what do we owe the pleasure?" he continued
Shinigami glared, tossing the scythe at Hades feet and striding over to the throne, gripping the arms tightly, his knuckles going white in temper as he hissed through clenched teeth.
" Cut the bull shit dad, where the hell is Quatre?!"
To see the picture of this scene go to http://www.kjkemp.fsnet.co.uk/images/shinigami_rebirth.jpg
It's worth it believe.
Elspeth Chang WYTHCES CAVERN HTTP://WWW.KJKEMP.FSNET.CO.UK
"Don't"
Duo's eyes remained ice as he seized her wrists lightly bringing her up short. Hazel widened in surprise as the woman flinched before composing herself once more, jerking her hands free of duo's iron grasp and studying him through heavy lidded eyes.
Taking a step back a hungry smile seemed to crawl across her features, tossing her head she slid her cool delicate hands up over duo's lean chest, licking her lips.
" Playing hard to get lover?" she whispered, pressing against him and letting her lips ghost his ear lightly as she snaked her arms round his tense shoulders.
" You want me," she breathed, her vermilion lips tracing slow searing kisses down duo's neck
The god of death smirked as he leaned against her, licking her ear gently, making her shiver before growling softly, deep within his throat
" Pandy I never wanted you! I was just bored, bored of a not life and desperate for any sensation I could get "
The harpe froze, eyes flashing molten silver as her claws ripped from their sheath in temper, hot needles pricking her skin in rage as she gauged bloody grooves down his back. Her previously pouting lips now twisted in fury as she shrieked
" YOU LOVE ME!! …ME!!"
Her face contorted, the smooth white flesh giving rise to scales, the skin rippling and taking on a serpentine appearance. Unfazed and unimpressed Duo chuckled darkly, breaking her grasp; he pushed past the furious demon
" I didn't even have a heart, how could I love ya? " he murmured, before turning his face to hers, letting his lips nearly brush her own before adding
" I love now though, but it ain't you babe"
"All men love me," she hissed glaring at the gods back. She still wanted him, the dark seductive death god she remembered. But she had no power over him now; it was as if a warm protective shell had been cocooned round his mind and heart, blocking her cold manipulative charms. She hated to admit it, but for all he now held mortal form duo was somehow stronger.
He just shrugged, causing his braid to shiver and continued to walk away from the creature
" I'd consider a career change then babe, cuz ya ain't that good" he paused briefly, the glimmer of sadistic glee shinning deep within those violet depths, before adding innocently
" Or maybe ya just getting old"
The feral scream was almost ear piercing as the harpy lunged, bringing her right hand, down hard across his back. Her claws biting deep into the flesh and drawing scalding rents through the delicate layers of tissue, scraping the back of his ribs with a stomach churning, grating noise.
In shock duo could do little more than suck in his breath violently, the agonising scream dying within his throat as he struggled to breathe. Her little finger had gashed the soft mass of his lung, even now bubbles gurgled within the blood issuing from the wounds on his back as he fell forward chocking, already drowning within his own crimson warmth.
Pandora stalked over to his fallen form, a scowl marring her elegant brow.
" I was told to bring you back to the fold or in pieces Shinigami" she snapped, placing delicate hands on her ample hips " my way would have been more fun" she growled, drawing back her foot and aiming a savage kick at his ribs, channelling all the fury of her wounded pride into the blow.
" Duo" her croaked, coughing as he caught her foot and wincing as the impact jarred his damaged body. He glared up from the floor with venom filled orbs at the harpy before adding with more determination
" My name is Duo Maxwell"
" Your name is death, once who you were, now just what you're going to be," she snapped, jerking her foot free and making him sprawl in the dirt more.
Stepping back a little as duo got slowly to his feet, she gestured in the air, pulling a sickle from nowhere, turning and impaling it into his shoulder. With malicious glee she twisted it brutally, rasping once more heard as steel scraped over the bone. Causing him the shudder violently, a blood sweat beading his forehead, streaking his bangs red.
This time the scream came, despite the pain that shot through his lungs, the agony was too great to stay silent as the demon used the blade to try and pry Duo's shoulder blade from his body.
But the cry called forth with it protection. As his human body began to die, his control over Shinigami slipped, the essence surged up from deep within him, exploding outwards in ebony fire, throwing Pandora away with neck breaking force.
" I dun die so easy Pandy" he laughed maliciously, his voice rich like chocolate as he watched the dazed harpe, rise to her feet, through cold obsidian eyes.
" Just as long as you fucking die" she screamed, tossing aside the sickle and running head long at duo, an axe brandished high in her slender hands, her mind set on decapitation.
He didn't move, he waited, cat like till the last moment before raising his hand, a chalky hue creeping across his flesh. His fingers closed round what had been thin air, but was now the symbol of his power, the scythe, it's blade still glowed red from his own blood spilled at Setsuna's bedside.
Once Pandora was close enough he swung it down and round, knocking her and the axe away to one side before turning and spinning the scythe between experienced fingers, a shadowy look brooding about his eyes.
He met her gaze, cold and annoyed as she circled him like a vulture round a rotting corpse.
The underworld was at war; blow for blow the sound of metal on metal rang through out the yawning caverns of death like thunder. The darkness punctuated by screams, snarls and vicious cursing in their native ancient Greek
The gloom became as day, lightening arching from their weapons and grounding in the others body. Illuminating, blood drenched bodies, panting frames that had become walking dictionaries of wounds, each a testimony to the others violence.
Pandora was loosing, demon she may be but duo was a god in flesh, Even as a human he was formidable. In desperation she spat in his face making him stumble back shaking his head. There was powerful venom contained within her saliva, it caused his eyes to burn, his vision wavering in front of him.
" Now kneel," she hissed triumphantly, delicate beads of poison hanging from her fangs. Without warning she thrust her hand deep into his abdomen, shredding the soft warm, beating organs. Raking through the network of veins, she sent a warm shower of living blood over her milky skin.
Duo's eyes widened as he fell to his knees, hiccupping in an attempt to breathe. From the corner of his eyes, tears of pain and failure drawing pale tracks through his blood marred cheeks, as he fell face first into the dirt. As he did so the barely audible whisper of
" Heero" passed his lips before the last of his humanity spilled onto the ground beside him from his blueing mouth into a sparkling pool.
Pandora giggled insanely, her hazel eyes shinning as she licked his blood from her fingers with all the enjoyment of chocolate, not missing a single drop with her pale pink tongue. With twisted pleasure she listened to the sound of duo's heart straining to live even as it slowed, and slowed, and stopped.
Duo Maxwell was dead, a braided child, alone in the land of the dead, face down in his own blood, on the doorstep of his father.
"DUO!" the voice of raw fear shattered the early morning still, a cry of agony ripped from the soul as Heero collapsed on the floor of the shower. Clutching his chest in pain, gulping air, as the tightness round his heart increased. His own anguished howls mingling with the steady beat of the shower, raining indifferently upon the prone boy, sprawled beneath it.
Duo was dead. Ask him how he knew and if he could of formulated words he would of replied, how do you know if your leg becomes amputated? There is unbearable pain, and you realise part of you is gone and you'll never be whole again.
" IIE YOU PROMISED!" he screamed, black tears streaking his face, as he lay trembling on the ground.
" YOU PROMISED" this time his voice was not human; it resounded out from another world. He raised his head; his dark bangs dripping water onto his hands, as he glared opaque white eyes into thin air. His grip denting the bath, the metal buckling beneath his fury with a tortured groan.
"I will pay, " he hissed, wincing as Duo's crucifix began to burn his chest, raising blisters and scaring the skin in an angry purple. Through Duo's dead eyes he saw Pandora stalking off, her honey hair rippling behind her. He didn't understand where Duo was, he didn't know who the woman was but it didn't matter to him.
" Live" he whispered desperately " use me". Closing Prussian eyes, he felt ice slipping through his veins, chilling him to the core, the cold hand of death fastening onto his life force and pulling at it as he gave himself to Shinigami. Death rose again.
Like waves the muscles along duo's back rippled, rising and falling, what little skin remained to cover the bloody sinews, strained as if something was trying to push it's way out from beneath the surface. His fingers twitched, an eerie glow shinning in the night from his vacant dead eyes.
Bones began the crack and realign throughout his body, silently he rose up, arms outstretched, tiny black spikes protruding from his dripping, gored back. The unholy scream he let loose echoed across the cavern, black forms exploding from his back, flooding the ground with his blood, throwing the quaking boy to his knees gasping.
At the noise Pandora turned, her narrowed eyes wide with fear as Shinigami grinned up at her sadistically, his fangs clearly visible as the leather rags on his back unfurled.
The blood across the ground began to move as if alive, droplet-to-droplet, rivulet-to-rivulet, flowing into each other and back up his arms, legs and face. Pouring back into his body as the wounds healed like closing mouths.
Standing with feline grace, the blood began to rush down the spidery veins threading the leathery surface of his wings. As the tubules fattened the wings became stiffer, framing the gods body in clawed vampiaric elegance. He wasn't human, he wasn't alive, and he was the Shinigami, living by his own power and the stolen sliver of life from Heero. Duo Maxwell was dead but Shinigami lived.
The harpe purred excitedly, her eyes roaming his body hungrily
" You're back?"
" Yes Pandy I'm back" he smirked, stretching out his muscles before rising off the ground with a beat of his wings. His face then turned harsh and stony as he added
" You wanted me back? I'm here bitch, time to pay the reaper" he enjoyed seeing the colour drain from her cheeks as she stumbled back, shaking her head and screaming.
"NO"
Darkness seemed to gather round the god; with a gesture he seized from the air a black hourglass. Silver sand ran like a river through its narrow neck, while on the base in cold fire burnt the name PANDORA.
He landed swinging it casually in one hand, watching with amusement as Pandora knelt before him, trembling, her hair curtaining her face.
" Forgive Me," she whimpered, clutching his leg desperately, with open disgust he kicked her off.
" Forgive ya? You killed and drove insane millions, visited immeasurable suffering on man and you want forgiveness?" shin sneered at her " what do I look like a priest?" he smirked laughing darkly " ya just killed that part Pandy. I am Shinigami, god of death and this was your life," he whispered, raising his hand and smashing the glass into crystal shards on the rocks below.
She went to save it, spreading her wings; she went to scream, but most of all she went for his throat. She never managed any of these however because as the glass fractured, she ceased to be. Her body dissolving in front of him like ghostly mist.
" Ashes to ashes, dust to dust " he hissed through clenched teeth bitterly, he was back to being that which he'd tried so hard to leave behind. With glowing eyes he turned to the monstrous iron doors at the entrance to the palace of Hades
" Quatre"
Brandishing the scythe like a warrior he smashed it off the omega symbol scorched into the panels, flinging the doors wide, nearly twisting them off their hinges in rage.
He cared not for the high arched beauty of the palace he stormed through. His feet beat out an angry tattoo across the black marble floor, his mind locked solely upon the blonde cherub. His boot heel made short work of the throne room doors, the wood splintering under his assault, the occupier seemingly unmoved by the aggressive entrance into his home.
Hades turned to Shinigami slowly, removing the great horned crown of the under world from his brow as he reclined back against the throne of blackened bones and granite, an amused look on his face.
" Ahhh the prodigal son returns and see how disrespectfully he treats the king of this realm" he chuckled deeply at the furious death god, his black eyes still shining dangerously.
" And to what do we owe the pleasure?" he continued
Shinigami glared, tossing the scythe at Hades feet and striding over to the throne, gripping the arms tightly, his knuckles going white in temper as he hissed through clenched teeth.
" Cut the bull shit dad, where the hell is Quatre?!"
To see the picture of this scene go to http://www.kjkemp.fsnet.co.uk/images/shinigami_rebirth.jpg
It's worth it believe.
Elspeth Chang WYTHCES CAVERN HTTP://WWW.KJKEMP.FSNET.CO.UK