Disclaimer: I am a fifteen year old kid. Therefore it should be pretty damn obvious that I don't own Gundam Wing or any affiliated characters. Enjoy.
Duo: The Great Destroyer Never Again
Chapter 5
A young man stood on the street corner. He was probably about eighteen but there was something about his eyes that made him seem older. They were haunted, as if they had seen too much and could not forget. A gust of wind ruffled his brown hair. It had been cut recently. It was not a clean cut, it appeared as though someone had cut it swiftly with a knife. He wore faded jeans and a scratched brown leather jacket. Hidden from view in his jacket was a silver cross. A black duffel was hanging from one shoulder. He seemed to be waiting for something.
The pedestrians walking down the street all walked clear of him. He had a dangerous quality to him. It could not be seen in his expression, or the manner of his stance. Just some cold lethal power seemed to radiate off of him. People walked by him quickly, a disturbing feeling twisting in their stomachs. As if they had seen death.
After a few minutes a man wandered purposefully over to him. Greeting him, the man pulled back his sleeve, revealing a tattoo. The young man's eyes tightened and a cold smile flitted quickly to his face. The man pulled down his sleeve and gestured to a waiting car. Smiling again, Duo followed.
________________________________________________________________________
Lucresia Noin Peacecraft stretched. Glancing over, she saw that the bed beside her was empty. The rich aroma of Coffee drifted into the room. There were, she reflected, advantages to being married to an ex-military man. Early riser, excellent cook, wonderful coffee. Yes indeed it was good. Slowly she gathered her legs beneath her and stepped onto the floor. Her feet easily found the slippers that Zechs had dutifully laid there. She smiled again, thinking how wonderful it was that her husband put so much thought and love into their marriage. After what she had seen in the war she would not have expected it from him. But he had changed. He never talked about the war...
Shaking her rambling thoughts away she wandered into the kitchen. Zechs sat at the table reading the paper and starring outside. When he heard her come in he turned and smiled warmly. Smiling back she walked to the counter and poured herself a mug of coffee. She was about to go join him at the table when the phone rang. Sleepily she punched the receive button.
Quatre Rabberba Winner appeared on the screen. "Good Morning Misses Noin." He looked awful and sounded worried.
Noin came awake instantly, "Quatre, what's the matter?"
"Duo's gone."
"What?!" Noin reeled in shock. If any one could have gotten through to him it would have been Quatre. "But, How?"
"I don't know." Quatre sounded terrible.
Noin thought he must have been feeling somehow responsible. "Look Quatre. You couldn't do anything."
Quatre laughed bitterly, something Noin had never heard before. "You know," he said, "I gave Duo that same line two weeks ago. He's right, it doesn't help."
Noin looked at him sharply, "Quatre, how could it possibly be your fault?"
Quatre sighed, "When I went to try and talk to him, I got angry. I snapped. We had an argument and he threw me out of his hospital room. When I went back he was gone."
"Oh no. Quatre, what will we do now? We've got to find him before he hurts someone. More importantly, before he hurts himself."
Quatre shrugged. "I was hoping you might have an idea. Is Zechs there?"
Noin bit her lip. "He's here, but Quatre..."
"What is it?"
"I don't think he wants to fight any more. Sparring with Heero is the only combat he's engaged in since the war. I don't think he can fight anymore. And it's starting to sound like we'll need to fight. Please Quatre, I'll fight, Lord knows I'll fight. But Zechs, Zechs can't any more. Please leave him out of this."
"Quatre bowed his head, "I understand. Thank you for your help."
The transmission cut. Troubled, Noin walked to the table and sat down. Zechs looked up, "Was that Quatre?" he asked.
Noin nodded.
"How's he doing?"
"Fine," Noin lied, "Just fine." Smiling again Zechs turned back to his paper. She loved him, Noin thought fiercely, and she would protect him in any way she could. Any way she could...
________________________________________________________________________
The room was dark. Shadows stretched up to the vaulted ceiling. Duo could tell that the room was immense from the echo his steps made on the cold tile floor. A flood light shot from the gloom, surrounding him in harsh light. Duo did not flinch, did not throw up his arms to cover his eyes, did not squint.
The PA system crackled, a familiar cultured voice filled the room, "Very good. So you wish to join the wraiths hmm?" Duo nodded, "Very well. You are quite young, you must prove yourself."
A gun fell to the floor a foot in front of him with a clang. Duo dove for it and rolled. Gunfire filled the spot where he'd just been standing. Coming up into a crouch, Duo expertly traced the source of the bullets. Another salvo cut the gloom, Duo leaped to the side to evade. Tracking again he fired one shot. There was the sound of shattering glass. An old model Leo stumbled into view, its viewer plate shot in and sparking. The pilot jumped clear just before it fell to its knees and disappeared in a roiling explosion. The pilot looked up, to find Duo's gun firmly pressed into his forehead.
Duo looked up into the spotlight and said in a loud voice, "Have I passed?"
The cold laughter filled the room again. "The first test," came the voice, "But only the first." The spotlight shifted, Across the room Duo could see another Leo. The voice returned. "You have thirty seconds, now!"
Immediately Duo began sprinting across the room, ticking off the seconds in his head. He quickly came to the Leo. Ignoring the ladder he sprang up and grabbed the bottom of the hatch. Pulling himself into the chair he slammed the hatch close button.
Thirty second mark. A napalm flair dropped from the ceiling. Had Duo not been in the Leo, He would have been severely burned. In the light of the flair Duo could see four other Leos, all rust red. None of them showed up on his targeting computer. The eyes flashed, Mobile Dolls! Duo targeted on visual with his cannon and began blazing away. He hit the first with deadly accuracy. Turning to track the second he found that it was no longer there, It was closing fast with beam sword upraised. Duo unleashed his shoulder vulcans, ahnialating the second target. The third and forth attempted to catch Duo in a cross fire, Using his shield to deflect the bullets he opened fire again with the vulcans. The smoking torso of the third Leo fell back. The fourth stood ready.
It drew its beam sword in a warrior salute. In the cockpit, Duo nodded and drew his sword as well. The Doll surged forward slashing downward, Duo parried and brought around a stunning back slash. The blades crackled as they rebounded off each other. Duo feinted and cut upwards. Then he used his retro rockets to boost backwards. The tactic confused the enemy long enough for Duo to hurl the beam sword. It spun at the Leo and struck it in its chest, slowly melting through till it fell to the floor with a clatter. The bisected suit fell back wards and exploded.
His comm crackled, "Very well done, May I ask whom I have the honor of addressing?"
Duo walked over to the still glowing beam sword and picked it up. Then he turned to the spot light source and gave a salute. Smiling at the comm he said, "You may call me Drake. Drake Walker."
Duo: The Great Destroyer Never Again
Chapter 5
A young man stood on the street corner. He was probably about eighteen but there was something about his eyes that made him seem older. They were haunted, as if they had seen too much and could not forget. A gust of wind ruffled his brown hair. It had been cut recently. It was not a clean cut, it appeared as though someone had cut it swiftly with a knife. He wore faded jeans and a scratched brown leather jacket. Hidden from view in his jacket was a silver cross. A black duffel was hanging from one shoulder. He seemed to be waiting for something.
The pedestrians walking down the street all walked clear of him. He had a dangerous quality to him. It could not be seen in his expression, or the manner of his stance. Just some cold lethal power seemed to radiate off of him. People walked by him quickly, a disturbing feeling twisting in their stomachs. As if they had seen death.
After a few minutes a man wandered purposefully over to him. Greeting him, the man pulled back his sleeve, revealing a tattoo. The young man's eyes tightened and a cold smile flitted quickly to his face. The man pulled down his sleeve and gestured to a waiting car. Smiling again, Duo followed.
________________________________________________________________________
Lucresia Noin Peacecraft stretched. Glancing over, she saw that the bed beside her was empty. The rich aroma of Coffee drifted into the room. There were, she reflected, advantages to being married to an ex-military man. Early riser, excellent cook, wonderful coffee. Yes indeed it was good. Slowly she gathered her legs beneath her and stepped onto the floor. Her feet easily found the slippers that Zechs had dutifully laid there. She smiled again, thinking how wonderful it was that her husband put so much thought and love into their marriage. After what she had seen in the war she would not have expected it from him. But he had changed. He never talked about the war...
Shaking her rambling thoughts away she wandered into the kitchen. Zechs sat at the table reading the paper and starring outside. When he heard her come in he turned and smiled warmly. Smiling back she walked to the counter and poured herself a mug of coffee. She was about to go join him at the table when the phone rang. Sleepily she punched the receive button.
Quatre Rabberba Winner appeared on the screen. "Good Morning Misses Noin." He looked awful and sounded worried.
Noin came awake instantly, "Quatre, what's the matter?"
"Duo's gone."
"What?!" Noin reeled in shock. If any one could have gotten through to him it would have been Quatre. "But, How?"
"I don't know." Quatre sounded terrible.
Noin thought he must have been feeling somehow responsible. "Look Quatre. You couldn't do anything."
Quatre laughed bitterly, something Noin had never heard before. "You know," he said, "I gave Duo that same line two weeks ago. He's right, it doesn't help."
Noin looked at him sharply, "Quatre, how could it possibly be your fault?"
Quatre sighed, "When I went to try and talk to him, I got angry. I snapped. We had an argument and he threw me out of his hospital room. When I went back he was gone."
"Oh no. Quatre, what will we do now? We've got to find him before he hurts someone. More importantly, before he hurts himself."
Quatre shrugged. "I was hoping you might have an idea. Is Zechs there?"
Noin bit her lip. "He's here, but Quatre..."
"What is it?"
"I don't think he wants to fight any more. Sparring with Heero is the only combat he's engaged in since the war. I don't think he can fight anymore. And it's starting to sound like we'll need to fight. Please Quatre, I'll fight, Lord knows I'll fight. But Zechs, Zechs can't any more. Please leave him out of this."
"Quatre bowed his head, "I understand. Thank you for your help."
The transmission cut. Troubled, Noin walked to the table and sat down. Zechs looked up, "Was that Quatre?" he asked.
Noin nodded.
"How's he doing?"
"Fine," Noin lied, "Just fine." Smiling again Zechs turned back to his paper. She loved him, Noin thought fiercely, and she would protect him in any way she could. Any way she could...
________________________________________________________________________
The room was dark. Shadows stretched up to the vaulted ceiling. Duo could tell that the room was immense from the echo his steps made on the cold tile floor. A flood light shot from the gloom, surrounding him in harsh light. Duo did not flinch, did not throw up his arms to cover his eyes, did not squint.
The PA system crackled, a familiar cultured voice filled the room, "Very good. So you wish to join the wraiths hmm?" Duo nodded, "Very well. You are quite young, you must prove yourself."
A gun fell to the floor a foot in front of him with a clang. Duo dove for it and rolled. Gunfire filled the spot where he'd just been standing. Coming up into a crouch, Duo expertly traced the source of the bullets. Another salvo cut the gloom, Duo leaped to the side to evade. Tracking again he fired one shot. There was the sound of shattering glass. An old model Leo stumbled into view, its viewer plate shot in and sparking. The pilot jumped clear just before it fell to its knees and disappeared in a roiling explosion. The pilot looked up, to find Duo's gun firmly pressed into his forehead.
Duo looked up into the spotlight and said in a loud voice, "Have I passed?"
The cold laughter filled the room again. "The first test," came the voice, "But only the first." The spotlight shifted, Across the room Duo could see another Leo. The voice returned. "You have thirty seconds, now!"
Immediately Duo began sprinting across the room, ticking off the seconds in his head. He quickly came to the Leo. Ignoring the ladder he sprang up and grabbed the bottom of the hatch. Pulling himself into the chair he slammed the hatch close button.
Thirty second mark. A napalm flair dropped from the ceiling. Had Duo not been in the Leo, He would have been severely burned. In the light of the flair Duo could see four other Leos, all rust red. None of them showed up on his targeting computer. The eyes flashed, Mobile Dolls! Duo targeted on visual with his cannon and began blazing away. He hit the first with deadly accuracy. Turning to track the second he found that it was no longer there, It was closing fast with beam sword upraised. Duo unleashed his shoulder vulcans, ahnialating the second target. The third and forth attempted to catch Duo in a cross fire, Using his shield to deflect the bullets he opened fire again with the vulcans. The smoking torso of the third Leo fell back. The fourth stood ready.
It drew its beam sword in a warrior salute. In the cockpit, Duo nodded and drew his sword as well. The Doll surged forward slashing downward, Duo parried and brought around a stunning back slash. The blades crackled as they rebounded off each other. Duo feinted and cut upwards. Then he used his retro rockets to boost backwards. The tactic confused the enemy long enough for Duo to hurl the beam sword. It spun at the Leo and struck it in its chest, slowly melting through till it fell to the floor with a clatter. The bisected suit fell back wards and exploded.
His comm crackled, "Very well done, May I ask whom I have the honor of addressing?"
Duo walked over to the still glowing beam sword and picked it up. Then he turned to the spot light source and gave a salute. Smiling at the comm he said, "You may call me Drake. Drake Walker."