Genie of Mine
By Carol Edwards aka Eternal Spark
Email: dreamerisle@hotmail.com
Revised: Tuesday, April 10, 2001
Pairings: As of this moment, 1x3, 6x4, 5+Sally Po, ?x2
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine!! WAAHH!! THE HORROR!!! But the other characters are! HEHEHE
Warning: ^^ Nothing yet but I must work for lemonade! I know that for sure! Ah the injustice of not having it!!
Dedication: Yes! I'm dedicating this chapter to Novea Rikuo, who is currently my muse!!! (Seeing Novea getting embarrassed!! Giggle)
Chapter 2- Lions and Tigers and Panthers! Oh My!!
Quarte patted Duo on the back as he watched his friend slink up the stairs.
Duo was tired which was a new one in their book. Totally exhausted from cleaning the attic, all Duo wanted to do at the moment was have a nice hot shower accompanied by a long soak in the tub before dinner. You would think with all his energy that nothing could exhaust him. Yeah right. Try a very hyper Quarte with caffeine in his system. It was around three when they took a break and Trowa being the nice person he was, made a special brew for Quarte-Expresso Latte' Supreme.
Not a wise choice. Quarte was running around the attic like a wind up toy, ordering him to move this box there and another box here seconds at a time.
He had to giggle thinking about it. Quarte look possessed! Walking over to the mirror, staring at his complexion, Duo saw that his hair was an absolute mess. Most of the strands already coming through the tangled braid and beginning to unravel.
"Sigh...Bath...Bath..." he began to chant as he moved around the room looking a change of clothes.
Duo knew there was some time left before dinner and right now was the perfect time. He was going to use this much-needed break wisely. Peeling off a sweat soaked shirt that clung to him like a glove, he continued on to his pants, then to his socks and finally shoes. Duo then grabbed the black towel hanging off the bathroom door and venture in his sanctuary.
The bathroom resembled your typical bathroom: Long deep black porcelain tub, deep enough to fit four people, black fixtures for hot and cold water, black ceramic tile. The ensemble was just perfect for Duo's unusual taste. The shower was specially made also, separate from the tub, having eight heads aligned in specific areas to give the occupant ultimate massages!
Yes...Duo lived in that shower.
While his fellow pilots thought he was a water hog, Duo thought that this was one of God's simple luxuries. Growing up was hard for a street brat and there were times as he remembered from his past, that he had to fight just to wash his face. Water was such a commodity on L2. Yes. Life's simple pleasures that people often take for granted...pleasures he cherished and would cherished for the rest of his life.
He shook his head, trying to get out of his melancholy mood. Unbraiding his hair, letting it hang like a cascading waterfall, he walked over the shower, turning on the hot water. He then turned on the cold, adjusting the temperature until it was just right.
Showertime was also his quiet time. Though he was still on his guard, he allowed the water to soak into his lithe frame taking all the evil away. Warm liquid caressed his body like a lover's hands. Would he ever get the guts to tell Quarte the truth? Where his heart truly was? He knew Quarte cared about Zechs...a great deal in fact. But who wouldn't! The silver blonde lightening count was incredible: strong, self assured...masculine...
He looked down, his body agreeing with him. "Oh brother! Give me a break! I am not playing today!" Ignoring his body's response, he took the soap, scrubbing gently on his delicate skin.
Pale roses.
That was what someone had told him while he was growing up...about his complexion that is. It reminded people of pale roses and autumn. He couldn't help have feminine colorings or even looking like one. There were many a time he had to punch unwanted attention on his part. It was a miracle he was still a virgin. But his strange coloring didn't get him any parents. No...Just Sister Helen and Father Maxwell...Who were the best parents anyone could ever have! It was a pity they went away to heaven. Touching the silver cross, his only other heirloom from them, he relaxed as the water pounded on him, shaking his head like cat, grabbing the shampoo to commence on his hair.
Meanwhile, back in the bedroom, the ebony toy panther which always remained on Duo's bed was suddenly no where to be seen. Usually, the stuffed toy lay right alongside of Duo's black satin pillow, since he slept with it every night. It was the only gift other than the cross that linked him to his past.
Large glassy gold eyes blinked into awareness. The toy's fur tickled as she stretched wondering where the heck was she. All she remembered was that her master Duoseque was running again from trouble and he started getting sick...coughing terribly...like he couldn't breathe.
From the look of things...she was in a room, a very big room...
"Why the heck was everything black?" She thought out loud, looking around the spacious room.. "And the room is too big! Why is the room so big?!"
Duo was coming out of the shower at that moment. He could have sworn he heard something. Looking around, he shrugged going back into the bathroom to search for a hairdryer and a brush to detangle his mane.
Shini looked up from her hiding place from underneath the bed. She smiled in excitement! "Yes!" she exclaimed mentally. "He's fine! My prince is fine!! Look at him! He's still so beautiful after all these years! It's hard to imagine that even if he keeps dying...but I won't fail this time!! Not this time!! It is my sworn duty to protect my master and find his soulmate! Else we will be cursed forever!!!" It was only so many time you could die only to be reincarnated.
It was unfair about their exile and the circumstances surrounding her lord were unjust but she wouldn't leave his side and would kill anyone who attempt to betray her master. Duoseque was the most kind hearted and the most loving human she had ever met and she knew she loved him with all her heart. Why would she do what she did if she didn't? He practically raised her from a kitten when she herself was abandoned on the streets, newly born. Luckily that day, his father found her and gave her to Duoseque as a present.
"It had to be love at first sight." She giggled in remembrance. It wasn't so long ago as she remembered how his father, the king of Araba would always come in the room before they went to sleep saying they were two of a kind...His little prince and the little death.
Yes...She knew that she was named Shinigami, Dusoseque's godmother which seemed kinda odd for even her to comprehend.
How could the Goddess of Death be the godmother to a child of light?
Beat me. But Duoseque's father had many friends including Nataku, the god of the Dragon Clan who was his heart. From conversations she could understand when she learned to read, Nataku and Michel were best friends but because Nataku was a god of the human realm, while Michel of the forbidden realm...they could only see each other on neutral ground. This was a very hard feat and as the two princes grew older, they made sure they saw each other as much as possible. They would not let the rules of their countries effect their friendship. But because of this simple fact...Michel had to make Shinigami, also deeply connected as his first cousin the godmother of his only son...the last of his children when he wanted Nataku as the godfather. Nataku had respected his wishes, explaining to his friend that night that little Duoseque would always be under his protection....
"Protection he said..." she began, scrunching up her face in annoyance. "He didn't protect us when that witch framed my master."
The pain was still bitter in her mouth. Feeling your body change, having limits on your power when you were the greatest warrior cat of them all.
She sighed in annoyance. Getting worked up about the past was not going to help the situation nor save her beloved prince. Looking down on her current appearance, she also notice that her present form was not gonna help either as she glared at the rounded paws. "I look a mess." She exclaimed. "This will not do. As Royal guardian of his majestic Dusoeque Michel Maxellus, I must be presentable at all times!" Giggling for laying on her proclamation a little too thick, she concentrated, her hazel eyes turning violet as she began the transformation.
Duo didn't notice the strange light coming from underneath his bed as he walked out the bathroom again with his hairdryer and brush in tow. He knew wasn't crazy. Someone was in his room but the moment he looked on his bed....he screamed....
"SHINIGAMI!!! WHO STOLE MY SHINI!!!"
Four sets of ears perked up and like the speed up light, raced up the stairs towards Duo's room. Heero arrived first, kicking down the door followed by Trowa then Quarte and last by surely not least Wufei, who was at the present time wearing an apron. It was his turn to cook tonight and since he was the only other one who could besides Trowa, he was starting early when he heard the ear splitting scream. So now there stood four deadly gundam pilots with the fifth unmoving, staring into space.
Quarte was the first to speak, kneeling down as he approached his best friend. "Duo-kun! Are you alright?"
Silence. Duo sat on the floor, in a black robe and a towel on his head, catatonic, holding on to a collar with a cute bell, seemingly ripped from something. Heero cautiously inched closer, wiping his hand in front of Duo's face.
"Hn.."
Trowa, blinking his one visual eye, couldn't believe the talkative boy was still silent. "Okay...now this is scary."
"I'll say." Wufei replied, wiping his hands on his neko apron trying his best to ignore the braided boy's nakedness without bleeding. "The baka finally went and done it. He's lost his mind...whatever was left."
Quarte glared at Wufei, causing the Chinese lad to back up in fear. Looking back on Duo, Quarte proceeded to talk Duo back into consciousness.
A lonely tear fell from Duo's eyes.
Now they knew something was wrong.
Duo blinked as another tear fell. "Shini..."
"Huh?" Trowa replied. "Who's Shini?"
"It's his panther, Trowa." Quarte answered. "It never leaves this room and from the look of it...that's all that left."
"Well..." Wufei began, sarcastically, "Who would think a missing toy would shut him up. I have to make a note of that..."
"SHUT UP WUFEI!"
"What?!?" His chocolate eyes widening as he threw up his hands. "It was a joke!"
"You know Duo is senstive about certain things!"
"Maa Maa...I know...Don't touch the hair, the cross or the panther else you suffer the wrath of Shinigami..."
"Precisely..." Quarte replied. " And if we don't find out what actually happened to it, Duo's gonna go on the war path!"
Even Heero shivered, backing away. Duo was ruthless when it came to revenge, each prank worse than the next. He was still traumatized from the last one. That's while Duo had his own room now while he shared his with Trowa. Oh no...that baka was going to get his toy back...even if it killed him.
"We could go to the toy stores to get another one."
"That wouldn't work..." Quarte explained, "It has to be the exact copy of it."
"So what are we going to do, Oh majestic one!"
Blonde hair ruffled. "Wufei, ever since you've been dating Sally, your attitude has be stinking!"
"It has not!" Wufei yelled." And don't bring Sally into this!"
Trowa felt an argument swelling between the two friends and Wufei was not going to win against the blonde bomb. Not when it came to protecting his friend. ""Guys! Chill a sec. Let's not assume that the thing was destroyed..."
It is not a thing...it's a panther." Quarte replied respectively.
Trowa sighed. "Excuse me...panther. It has to be around here somewhere. Maybe it fell off the bed or something." He kneeled down in front of Duo. "Duo...did you check under your bed?"
Violet eyes, reaming with silver tears blinked into green and gold orbs. "No...I didn't get a chance to cause it was there before I went in the bathroom."
"So let's check under the bed. "Will that make you feel better?"
Duo nodded as Quarte held him while the guys began to search for the elusive Shinigami panther.
Shini, who was still under the bed, not totally finished her transformation into her cat humanoid form had to change back. Wufei blinked as he pulled up the cover and saw the blasted toy among the comics, sneakers, Duo's Thermal Scythe and other objects of Duo's playtime. He blushed when he saw old playgirl magazines under there.
"Is this it, Baka?" He grumbled shoving the stuffed animal in Duo's face.
Duo squealed! "SHINI BABY!! Where were you!!!!"
Everyone sweatdropped. After shaking their heads, Heero and Trowa left leaving Wufei, Quarte and Duo still in the room. Duo stopped a moment, blushing as he remembered he wasn't alone in the room, still cuddling the panther in his arms, looking like a satisfied little boy. Quarte giggled at him, about to leave when Wufei made another sarcastic remark. Duo had to hold Quarte back as Wufei left out the room laughing.
"I don't believe you screamed for Shini, Chester?"
"She's my good luck charm. I can't lose her, Blondie." He yawned. "I'm gonna take a nap before dinner. Wake me up, ne?"
Nodding, Quarte left leaving Duo alone about to jump into his bed for a well needed nap. It wasn't long before Duo's soft snores echoed in the room and Shini grumbled. "Just you wait, master...I will protect you from the mean man! Now I have to transform to protect you." And as she changed, Duo slept...soundly...without any idea of how his life was about to change....
TBC
