NOTES: Alright! I am actually getting somewhere. Lina and gang make their appearance here (Lina was not pleased that I totally dissed them especially her in the last chapter). This is from Lina's prospective…(hey the girl is pushy, Zel got a turn, so she has to have one too!). Valgaav gives his opinion of Bane.
O.O ooooaaaaah
THE WAY HOME
PART IV
Lina sat languishing on the couch, bored out of her mind, and not at all pleased with Amelia. The hyper Princess of Justice and Love had dragged their three new reluctant friends into the nearest clothes store, stating that it was improper for them to travel with them without proper traveling attire, and…ahem…means of protection.
Lina gnashed her teeth at this last thought. When Amelia had motioned protection she had given Lina a look that screamed 'and we know whom we need to protect ourselves from'. The nerve of that girl! After all Lina had done for her!
"Stop." Said Zelgadis, who was sitting next to her, pushing off a dozing Gouarry. "Its annoying."
Lina gave Zelgadis a dirty look. "Shut up."
Zelgadis gave Gouarry a defeated look when the tall young man fell off the couch and did not wake up. Sighing he asked her, "What's wrong?"
Lina looked away and bit at her lip angrily. "Its them. Those three boys."
"What about them? They seem very nice."
Lina looked at him. "That's it, Zel. Since when do we just welcome in total strangers…not including Xellos or Martina...those two just wouldn't leave. I'm just too comfortable around them." She paused and looked Zelgadis straight in the eye, "And since when are you so trusting?"
Zelgadis blinked at her, for a moment, his face thoughtful. "I understand. Do you think its some kind of spell?"
Lina groaned, "Didn't you see them? They had no clue that there was such a thing as magic! If I keep on thinking about it my head is going to hurt!"
"Stop."
Lina looked at Zelgadis again. "Stop what?"
"You're yanking at your hair. You've been doing that since we met Valgaav. If you keep on doing that, you're going to go bald."
Lina blinked then looked at her gloved hand entangled in her orange flamed hair. Slowly placing her traitorous hand on her lap, she said quietly, "Why does everything have to get so confusing and complicated?" She then gave him another serious look, "I think they also have something to do with my dream."
Zelgadis shrugged and said, "Hopefully Philia can help you out, Lina. After all, she does practice Holy Magic, one of the oldest sources of magic."
"Do you believe in the dream?" Asked Lina hopefully. Though she did not want to admit it, Zelgadis's opinion was important to her. She considered Zelgadis like a brother; after all, she was the one to get him to smile, right? Zelgadis was wise and level headed…except when it came to finding a cure for his…affliction.
Zelgadis looked away. "My dreams have never been anything but a reminder of my mistakes, Lina. So don't ask me about what I think your dream means and why it is reoccurring."
Lina suddenly glared, "You think I ate too much before I slept, don't you."
Zelgadis suddenly stood and stepped over Gouarry's still sleeping figure, heading for the door.
Coward.
Lina fidgeted on her seat impatiently, and gave Gouarry an annoyed nudges with her boot. The Swordsman snorted and rolled to his side. Lina had enough. Standing she yelled, "Amelia, will you come out already!"
Amelia ran into the room from the dressing room she had been working in. If anything, she too looked slightly annoyed. "Will you please be patient, Miss Lina. Those three are being difficult!"
"Tell them to hurry up or I'll blow the whole place up with them in it!" Yelled Lina, feeling like a vein of was near popping. "It's been two hours! And I wanna secure and inn and get some sleep so we can leave early tomorrow!"
Amelia looked about to protest, but Lina gave her a fangy leer that promised fire and death. With a small squeak the young girl ran in and minutes later the three boys were ushered out.
Trowa and Wufei were dressed similarly in off white clothes that had a hint of shamanism in their design. Both had cloaks, but Trowa's had a hood and cowl. Lina felt the hairs rise on her arm as the both cut a familiar look. She wondered if Trowa was aware that he was starting to disturbingly look like Zelgadis?
As for Heero, he had remained in his green sleeveless top, but he had changed into light baggy pants and black traveling boots that went up to his knees. He wore no cloak and in his hands he held a slim sword.
Lina cocked an eyebrow, "Can you use that?"
Heero glared at her as if she had insulted him. "I can fight with anything." He stated with an almost smug tone.
Lina decided that she did not like Heero that much. She then turned to Trowa and Wufei and asked, "Did you guys find anything you can use?"
Wufei snorted, "I do not need any weapon. My fists are good enough for now. All those weapons that were given to me were unworthy and cheap."
Lina blinked. What is up with this guy? "Yeah…right…whatever." Sighing, she gave Trowa a small smile; at least he seemed semi human. "So Trowa, did you get anything?"
Trowa smiled back and opened his cloak, revealing nearly twenty small sharp knives secured to his body. Lina gave the boy an awed look, "Are you any good?"
"When the time comes, you can judge for yourself, Lina."
Lina decided that she liked Trowa. Turning she kicked Gouarry gently, rousing him. "Come on, Sleepy Head, we're going to an inn." She turned to the three boys and a slightly beaming Amelia. "We'll leave tomorrow at dawn, is that okay?"
The three simultaneously nodded, while Amelia looked slightly ill. "Umm…Miss Lina?"
Lina looked at the girl.
"Are we going to share a bed again?"
Lina glared, "What are you saying?"
The girl looked pitifully up at her, "You move around a lot, Miss Lina. I don't want another black eye."
Lina was about to tell the girl quite rudely that she talked in her sleep, when Zelgadis appeared at the door and said impatiently, "Are we going to spend the night here?"
Lina saw Zelgadis give Trowa a look, and knew that he too noticed the similarity. As they started walking, Lina stalled back to talk to Amelia. "Amelia," she whispered. "Who chose those clothes?"
Amelia blinked, "Why, they did, Miss Lina. I showed them a bunch of different outfits, but they rejected everything, till finally I showed them those."
Lina felt the hairs rise on her arm, and a shiver made her clench her teeth. This was creepy. The boy's themselves were fine, but there was a connection between them. Something was not right, or was it that it just seemed right. There were too many coincidences. Everything was too perfect.
Letting Amelia walk ahead, Lina felt her stomach knot. She did not want any more trouble. She was tired of Monsters, Dragons, and reincarnated Dark Lords trying to kill her. But her dream was important. She knew it. Philia probably could help her in understanding it, and she would help the three boys find their missing companions.
But then, Philia was also in the dream.
So were Valgaav, and Xellos.
Why was it that she was sure beyond a doubt that these three boys and their missing companions were also connected to it? Why?
Lina snapped out of her frustrated thinking when she felt
someone standing next to her. "You
shouldn't do that."
Lina looked into the deep green eye of Trowa.
Lina blinked up at him then asked, "Do what?"
"You're pulling at your hair. If you keep on at it, you'll later go bald…or at least that is what they all say."
Lina looked at her hand and once again there it was, tangled up in her long hair. She let her hand drop and stared dazedly at Trowa, who merely gave a small quiet smile and turned to follow the others.
Lina had a sudden sense of de ja vu. She wrapped her arms around herself and started following.
***********************************
It was dark, and the temperature had dropped slightly. Not enough so that it was unbearable, but enough so that it was uncomfortable.
It brought back too many bad memories to Duo.
Both he and Quatre had been able to start a small fire, and now both were huddled around it, with Duo sitting on a fallen log. They had not said much after 'Bane' had left. They had wanted to cross ground fast. Far away from that cave, Xellos, and the freak that wanted to kill Duo. Quatre was mostly the one who kept on urging Duo on, as if he somehow knew that the enemy was not far behind.
Of course with Quatre, he just really might know.
Duo's stomach growled, then was answered by Quatre's. Both looked at each other with a sheepish grin. They had not eaten since coming to this place, wherever and whenever they were. Actually, that Fish Monster was stating to be appetizing in Duo's mind. If only Xellos had fried the trout closer to them.
Sighing, Duo looked at Quatre. The other looked exhausted, and sick. His shoulders were hunched, and his eyes were dark with contemplation. Swallowing one imaginary Fish Monster, Duo asked softly, "So…what do you think of this mess?"
Quatre looked up at him.
"Everyone thinks I'm a real Monster. I already know that I'm a Monster, cause I am the damned God of Death. I kill people, so what else could I be, right?"
Quatre looked away. Duo glared, "And that sociopath, Xellos…is he my…are we related?"
Quatre, if anything seemed to be trying to disappear. Duo felt sick to his stomach. "He is. You know, don't you."
"I…I could be mistaken…"
"That's bull shit, Quatre, and you know it! You saw us together! You see it now! I'm his spawn! His little Monster! His…" Duo stopped, realizing that he was yelling at the small blond. He had been doing that a lot lately.
Quatre looked up at him and said softly, "It doesn't matter. You are still the same, Duo. So what if Xellos is you ancestor and that you are part Monster."
"Its sick." Said Duo in disgust. "To think that I come from…that! I never knew my parents, Quatre. I keep on wondering now if my father was like him! Was my mother psycho too? Did they even care about me, cause Xellos sure as Hell didn't!"
Quatre suddenly looked up at him, his eyes blazing angrily, "Does it matter so much to you, Duo?! If so, should I start thinking about the fact that Monsters killed my people…or…or that my people killed Valgaav's. Does it matter?!"
Duo looked at Quatre for a moment and looked away. "No. But it still makes me sick. I want nothing to do with him."
Quatre nodded. Suddenly, he frowned and sighed, "If you are going to continue watching us, you might as well show yourself."
Duo was thinking that Quatre had lost it when Valgaav materialized next to Quatre. Duo yelled, and fell over backwards on the log. Scrambling up, he stared in awe at the horned man, and then at Quatre, "You knew he was watching us?"
Quatre nodded. "I've been trying to loose him this whole time." He looked up at Valgaav. "You may stay, as long as you leave Duo alone."
Valgaav gave Duo a superior look that made Duo feel like spitting in his face. "I won't harm him." He then lifted his hand, and Duo saw what he was holding.
Two hares.
Two delicious looked hares.
Two hares that would fill up his stomach.
Quatre spoke. "Thank you."
Valgaav merely sneered when Duo practically snatched the dead animals out of his hand, already salivating over the lifeless corpses. Duo sneered back before throwing himself onto the floor, pulling out a small knife from his boot (a special little thing that he had kept after his little encounter with the Psycho), and deftly skinning and gutting the hares.
Dinner. Dinner. Dinner.
Quatre asked softly, "Do you need help, Duo."
Duo waved a bloody hand and without looking up, "Nah, I can do it. You just relax and keep your other half as far away as possible."
Valgaav frowned down at Quatre, "Does he speak of the one called Bane?"
Quatre nodded and looked away. "Why are you following us? I can sense that you sincerely meant it when you said you wouldn't harm Duo…"
Valgaav shrugged. "It was either Xellos or I follow you."
Duo immediately stiffened, his voice icy when he asked over his shoulder, "Why is that freak of nature following us? And you didn't answer Quatre's question."
Valgaav crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at the braided boy who had now finally finished skinning and gutting the hares. Valgaav finally said, "Xellos was speaking the truth when he said that he was there to help you."
Duo snorted rudely.
Valgaav glared but continued, speaking straight to Quatre who sat quietly with a worried expression on his face. "But Xellos is a Monster, and cannot help but spread chaos wherever he goes. So I volunteered to go in his stead, that way you survive."
Quatre frowned, his light blonde brows furrowing, his eyes sharp. "But why? You hate Monsters. Why would you help him in helping us? There has to be a reason."
Valgaav nodded his head and cast a short glance at Duo who was staking the hares and placing them over the fire to cook. Valgaav said, "I don't care about Xellos, or his little spawn…"
"For the last time Horny, I ain't his spawn!"
"What I care about is you, Golden Dragon. Though your race slaughtered every last one of my kind, I cannot take the life of one of their children. The Golden Dragons are very few now. One of them is a young one named Philia. She is kind, and aided me in her own way some time ago."
"I see." Whispered Quatre. "By helping me, you would be in a way helping Philia."
Valgaav sneered, "Take it whatever way. But the main thing is, Philia might be able to help you find your missing companions. She also might talk some sense into you for befriending a filthy deceiving Monster."
Duo nearly cracked his teeth as he leaped up from his cooking. "That's it! I've had it with you! I'm not that kind of a Monster!"
"A Monster will always be a Monster."
"Son of a …."
"Duo! Stop it!" Quatre came in between the two. He glared up at Valgaav. "Is that all?"
Valgaav leaned closer, showing the small blond his fangs as he hissed, "Also making sure Xellos doesn't influence you any more than his spawn has."
"Quatre!" Yelled Duo. "Get out of the way! I'm gonna kill him!"
"ENOUGH!"
Valgaav turned and sat on the floor, while Duo went back to his burning hares. Quatre stood, quivering angrily, his eyes flashing, and his cheeks flushed. After a few moments he also sat, not looking at either of his angry companions.
Duo suddenly handed him on of the hares, and said, "I ain't nobodies spawn."
Quatre nodded understandingly and held the wooden stake with the charred dead hare on it. He then looked to Valgaav, his eyes dark and speculative as he said, "Its not only that. You want something else."
Valgaav looked at the boy and nodded. Duo suddenly had goose bumps on his arms, his food forgotten and he looked at the horned man and the small Empath. Duo blinked when Valgaav laughed, not liking the sound at all.
"Your powers are stronger than I assumed. Weak and untrained, but still strong. But it's not your strength I'm interested in."
There was a long pause, before Quatre hissed, "Bane."
Duo had just taken a bite from his hare, when he heard what Quatre said and spat the meat out of his mouth. "Bane?!" He gasped, looking at Valgaav then at Quatre. He prayed that Quatre was not about to have another identity change. Once a day was already too much for Duo's nerves.
Valgaav nodded. "He intrigued me. He was a Golden Dragon, just like you are now, but he is different."
Quatre frowned while Duo stared at the two not knowing what to expect, but absolutely sure that something was going to happen.
"Bane is the Golden Dragons in their darkest of nature. The Golden Dragons who slew my race, the Ancient Dragons. The ones who would have sent an evil so powerful to another world, knowing that the evil would kill the inhabitants of that world, just to protect their own. The selfish, self-righteous murderers and savages who care for nothing but their own welfare. That is who is Bane, that is why I am intrigued by him."
Duo said, "I don't get it. He reminds you of your races slaughter, what's so intriguing about that?"
"Because, little Monster, Bane is the same as Quatre. Quatre is the Golden Dragons like Philia. The ones who care about life, even those as disgusting as you." He paused, watching for Duo's reaction. "They are the same. Yet, ironically, Bane, the one who represents everything that is evil, is far stronger than Quatre."
Quatre paled, and Duo found himself speechless.
Quatre spoke, his voice shaking, "That is not true, Valgaav. We are the same in power."
Valgaav cocked an eyebrow.
"We are the same. Bane…he chooses to use everything that he has, not caring who he injures or kills in the process. I always hold back. If I carelessly used my powers, Bane and I would be at a draw."
Valgaav shrugged, and Duo sighed, relieved at least by one thing in this mess.
There was a long silence, in which Duo returned to his hare, and devoured it. Quatre ate some, and then gave the rest to Duo. Duo offered to take first watch while Quatre rested. After threatening to knock the blond out, Quatre agreed to sleep first. In minutes after resting his head on the grassy ground, the Sandrock pilot was sound asleep.
Duo watched him, making sure that the other was in deep, before looking at Valgaav. "Leave him alone. He's been through enough without you coming around and upsetting him."
"As if a Monster would care."
Duo swallowed the rage that welled up within him. "Whatever. Just leave him alone, got it."
Valgaav shrugged.
Duo was silent for a moment before saying, "You know, we are kinda alike in a way."
Valgaav gazed at him and demanded, "Are you comparing me to a Monster?"
"No, you stiff assed freak! I'm comparing you to me, Duo Maxwell, a human boy! Dammit!" Hissed Duo. "Why the Hell to I even bother! You know what, why don't you keep your trap shut and save me the trouble of trying to be sociable."
Valgaav chuckled. "You may be a Monster, but you are part human."
"Oh really. And how many times have I mentioned that fact?" Asked Duo condescendingly.
Valgaav ignored the other's tone. "You temper. A Monster is incapable of anger. They hate and are disgusted, but those emotions bring them pleasure. You are repelled and agitated by them, like a human."
"Yeah, what do you know." Duo's words burned with sarcasm.
Valgaav sighed. "You mentioned that we are alike. I find it hard to swallow that."
Duo contemplated talking to the other, for fear of loosing his temper and attacking the horned man. But after staring at the other, he had to rub at his eyes. Valgaav sang of self-confidence and strength, but at what cost. He was bitter and angry at the world. He was tired. He reminded Duo of Heero in that.
Duo made up his mind then, "The only people who ever cared for me were slaughtered, too. I was just a kid then, but I've never forgotten that day."
"These people…they were human." Valgaav knew this for a fact.
"Yeah, the best. One of them was a Priest." Duo laughed. "Who would have guessed it? My original bastard father is also a priest."
"Xellos."
"Bastard."
Both looked at each other in silent understanding. At least for that moment, they were in truce.
TO BE CONTINUED….
ACK! What the heck was up with fanfiction.net? No fanfiction to read, means (in my case) no motivation to write! I could have had more chapters up, but I was sooo not motivated to finish this one up.
Hey people…I have a question. Should I delete Kingdoms' Masks or not? I have always strived to write something with an original plot, but in Kingdoms' Masks….need I say more? Same cliché'ish plot!
Need some outside input.
Thanks.