Authors Notes: Fifth chapter! I think this one is longer too. Finnally Duo gets to kick some butt! I put quite a long fighting scene here, but don't worry, not even close to being graphic. I'm really starting to get into this story now, especially after seeing all of the kind reviews I got! Thank you so much!! I'm tryin' ta build the suspense, but the next chapter will be up soon, I pwomise. ^_^
PS. I'm still in need of a beta-reader/editor. You know the drill.
Rating: Pg-13 (It may become R in the chapters to come)
Starring: Duo Maxwell, along with the other Gundam Pilots
Pairings: 2+1, 4+3
Other: Yes, you heard right. This story contains shounen ai/male-male/homosexual relationships. Although these encounters are not the focus of the story, they happen. And if that frightens, appals or disturbs you, you need not read any further. This story also contains blood sucking, occasional (or more than occasional) fighting/violent scenes and mild cursing. You have been warned.
Disclaimer: You've heard it before, so I won't bore you with the details again. Gundam Wing is not mine, and sadly enough, probably never will be, otherwise it would be re-released and be chock-full of shounen-ai scenes & yaoi. That is all. ^_~
"Vampires…" I said, shaking my head incredulously. "There are vampires wandering loose killing people, feasting on helpless victims, mauling innocent bystanders, and I'm here struggling with my chemistry!"
It was Saturday. Two days since I had gotten out of the hospital. We were in our dorm room, Heero was reading through a textbook and I was sitting, overwhelmed, in the middle of an enormous pile of homework. Boy, it sure did pile up while I was sick. Heero was kind enough to get it for me, I think. Although I was starting to believe that it would be kinder if he hadn't.
"So what are we gonna do about them?" I inquired, anxiously. Nobody offends Shinigami and gets away with it.
"I don't know." Heero replied quite honestly. That scared me. Heero didn't know what to do? He could blow up mobile suits by the dozen, infiltrate OZ headquarters, heck, this guy could set his own bone after breaking it. But when it came to the paranormal, he was supernaturally-impaired.
"Well, evidently some of the stuff from the movies is true. I mean, you can stake 'em, right?" I asked.
"That's true, Duo. But it's too time-consuming. Especially when they gather in such numbers." He replied.
"Yeah…It would take forever too kill off that entire room of them. Plus, they aren't exactly submissive when it comes to exterminating them. Why am I thinking mosquitoes?"
"We'll just have to research them. I doubt the school library stocks educational books on vampires, so we'll have to use the Internet." I laughed. "You use every damn excuse you get to get on that computer, doncha?" Heero only smirked.
"Do you want to destroy them or not?"
"Point taken. I'll use the school's computers in the library then." I inform him. Heero nodded. I gathered up some stuff in my backpack: my disk man, some CD's and a textbook to use as a cover story in case anybody asked what I was doing.
I pulled up a chair and logged onto the school's computer. The library was mostly empty, and the chair dragging along the ground shattered the silence. I shrugged an apology to the only guy who looked up, who was reading a thick book. I began to methodically search every good Internet search engine that I knew of for information. Lots turned up, but a good deal of it was all fictional stuff, like books about vampires, and movies. Apparently, not many people knew about them, or nobody cared to share their knowledge with the world. Each option was equally infuriating. I tapped my fingers on the desk as I listened to my music and received another harsh look from book-boy, but I was immune to those looks so I shrugged it off. Especially since it wasn't near as powerful as Heero's.
I had been searching for just over two hours now, and I was getting majorly bored. Everything I found was fictional. Finally, after a great deal of frustration, I came across an interesting little site. It was a homepage for a magick store, and the nifty thing was that it was a convenient distance from the school. Exploring the page, I found various charms, amulets, incense, candles and other witchy supplies, although nothing seemed to be for killing vamps. I book marked the site and jotted the address on my hand.
I stood up and pushed in my chair, when I felt an icy rush of air across my neck. Whirling around, I saw that book-boy had managed to move all the way across the room without my notice, and he was staring with great interest at the site on my computer screen. Quickly, I logged off before he had a chance to see any more.
"What was that, Maxwell? You a witch?" He said dully. I could've expected someone who read books 24/7 to have a dreary sounding voice, but his was…lifeless…
"Shit," I muttered softly. If he had heard, he didn't give any sign. He just continued to stare at me. I was beginning to feel awkward.
"Well, uh, you know how it is. I gotta get back to my dorm to study," I forced a practiced smile onto my face, but he didn't seem phased. "Uh…yeah." I began to walk towards the door, but he just stood there, blocking my path. He evidently didn't intend to move. I look up. I was about to tell the little bastard to get outta my way; then I noticed his face.
The meek looking nerd had a predatory look on his face as he eyed my neck. He would have almost been humorous if I hadn't known better. Much joy, what a treat. Geez, vampires aren't even inconspicuous anymore! I thought. I had no weapons. He may not have looked strong, but I wasn't fooled. There was vampire strength within those skinny arms. I began to walk around him, and he pushed me up against the wall.
"What the Hell?" I protested.
"You didn't answer me, Maxwell. What exactly were you looking for on the Internet? Information on vampires?" Bingo. I'd been caught. What could I do?
"Yeah," I grinned, assuming a clueless guise. "I'm such a big horror movie fan!" I prattled innocently. It didn't look like he was buying it. Shit. "So you think about vampires a lot then?" He inquired, that voracious look still plastered on his pale face.
"Uh…Y'know, when you touch me like that, it gives me the 'no feeling',"* I said, half-joking. I was hoping to distract him from his apparent mission: to rip open my neck.
"Is that so, Maxwell." He laughed. It wasn't a question. Suddenly his grip tightened on my neck and he literally threw me backwards onto the table. I collided with it nearly head on, and the pile of books and papers, which had been resting there, scattered to the ground. I groaned. How many times a week was I expected to get the shit beat outta me by vampires?
"Alright fang-boy, lets rumble," I said, with more confidence than I felt.
The vampire strode over, taking his time. He must have severely underestimated me. I jumped to my feet and assumed a fighting stance. He jabbed at my stomach with his fist and he only narrowly missed as I dodged to the side. I needed a stake badly, but I wasn't sure how I was gonna break off a leg of a chair without him noticing. On the other hand, I didn't want to wreck the library.
The vampire threw a powerful punch towards my face, but I caught his fist just in time. I held onto his wrist as tightly as I could, and twisted it. I laughed at the look of surprise twisted on his face.
"Mistake," I growled. "Huge, fatal, I hope your insurance is all paid up." I grunted as I gave the wrist a final yang as was rewarded with a nauseating snap. Pulling his injured wrist free, the vampire seemed a bit unsure of himself now. He looked behind himself, at the quiet red-head sitting at the table in the back of the room. She was laughing softly. Slowly she arose from the table, and strode towards me.
"You've always been weak, Ken," She sneered. "Can't even catch yourself a decent meal these days." Her laugh was husky and seductive. She turned her gaze to me.
"You've come at a bad time, Duo Maxwell," She said, slowly. I raised an eyebrow.
"I know, I know. You would've baked a cake." I chuckled. Why could I never keep my mouth shut, I thought as the re-head launched herself at me. She was definitely stronger than nerd-boy. I delivered a swift kick to her jaw, but it only postponed her attack by a second. Without warning, she slammed a hard uppercut to my gut.
"Oh fuck," I cried out, clasping my ribs. The breath was knocked right outta me. She was way strong. I stopped short, bending over slightly. I used the moment to snap the leg off the nearest chair. Now we were even: I had a weapon. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one who had taken advantage of the situation. Fang-boy had me in a headlock from behind. Somehow I managed to twist my arm around and the vamp impaled himself on my stake and exploded into blood-scented ashes which settled on the floor.
"See you in Hell!" I crowed happily. I had staked my first vamp and it had felt good. Vampires: 0, Shinigami: 1. The female vamp was behind me now, but I could almost sense her undead presence. It was like a prickling sensation across my back. My hands were tingling as I clasped the stake tightly and turned around to face her. It felt like my entire body, every individual cell was charged with a strange, almost tangible electricity, and I was psyched to stake her.
"Want some?" I taunted. She looked angry, as she ran towards me again. She managed to tackle me to the floor.
"Arrg!" I shouted. I felt the hard impact of the floor, only to have her come toppling down on top of me. Crap, she had me pinned. I struggled furiously, but she had one cold hand clamped on each arm, holding them to the floor as she perched on top of my stomach. She leaned in close, and I could feel her cold breath on my neck. Shit, not again, I thought as her head bobbed down.
I squeezed my eyes shut as hard as I could, but they were startled open by a hiss as she leapt off of me, clutching a cross-shaped blistery burn in the centre of her pale throat. Her eyes were wild, as she stared in fear at the offending object.
I almost laughed just then. My silver cross of course! It had just saved life. I dangled it in front of her mockingly as she stepped back. One more horror movie cliché come true. I could feel that strange electricity tingling through me again, and I could almost see it crackling around me. I didn't know what it was, or what it meant, but the vamps eyes widened in fear as I approached.
"Sh-Shinigami!" She whispered.
That's what got me. How did she know? Unfortunately, I didn't have time to care. I used her surprise and fear to my advantage and efficiently plunged the stake into her heart. She exploded into a swirling cloud of ashes that fluttered to the floor, and I brushed my hands off. I could feel that electric feeling leaving me then, like it soaked back into thin air, or wherever it had come from. That was when I began to feel the strains of exhaustion. I took a deep breath. Reaching in my pocket, I produced a twenty, which I hoped would cover the damages to the chair, and slapped it onto the empty counter before leaving. Luckily there were no witnesses around, so I fled the scene of the crime quickly, eager to tell Heero about the store I had found...
~Dogma~: Well? Not that bad, eh?
Duo: No kidding! I kicked ass!
Heero: Yeah, and I got to sit at my laptop for the entire time!
~Dogma~: Good. So everyone's happy.
Quatre & Trowa: No! What about us!?
~Dogma~: Ooopsie..... Guess I'll need alot of Quatre+Trowa in the next one to make up for the lacking. o_O
Quatre: You better believe it.
Wufei: What about ME!?
~Dogma~: Yeah...you too.
Wufei: I have a name, onna.
~Dogma~: Yeah. You too, Wufie.
Wufei: Wu-FEI!
~Dogma~: Ya. That.
Wufei: Say it right, onna.
~Dogma~: *goes chibi* Wu........FIE!!!
Wufei: Injustice!!!
PLEASE BE KIND AND REVIEW!!! PWEEEEASSSE? I'M STILL CHIBI-FIED, REMEMBER? YOU CAN'T RESIST ME!! ^_~
