Legal: I still own nothing.
Empty: The Aftermath, Part 2
Wufei could not believe his ears. 'This is worse than I expected. Duo's begun to see Heero's face everywhere.' Then again, Wufei had no solid proof that the grumpy store manager wasn't their missing friend. 'This charade has got to stop. I've got to prove to him that this man is not Heero.'
For his size, the wiry clerk could carry the whole order with ease. "That'll be $24.50."
Wufei pulled out his wallet, but as he laid the payment down on the counter, he casually added, "Sir, what is your name?"
The man gave him a glare that could kill an ocean of fish. "What's it to you?"
"It was just a question. So I reiterate, what is your name?"
The man paused, as if trying to recollect, and growled, "Hiroshi Yung."
Wufei turned back to the defeated Duo. "Sorry, Duo."
"It's okay. It was just a whim."
Smiling slightly, Wufei led Duo to the door, only turning back to take a second look at the now preoccupied clerk. "H... Y... Heero Yuy..."
At the sound of that name, Hiroshi twitched slightly. 'Heero?' Wufei had to wonder. 'Is that really him?' "Duo, go ahead to the car, I'll be right back," he called back to the dejected pilot. 'Why the big cover-up? It just doesn't add up.' He shrugged. 'But if finding Heero will bring the old Duo back, it'll be well worth it... I must admit, I even miss how loud and obnoxious he used to be.'
He could sense the clerk grow tense as he approached. Hiroshi made no suspicious movement, but Wufei could pick up a nervous aura from the grumpy shopkeeper. "Heero Yuy," he growled with a smile as he sauntered toward the counter. "You thought you'd had us for a moment there, didn't you?"
Hiroshi's breath began to grow faster and Wufei thought he heard the man's heart beat with frightened vigor. "I don't know what you're talking about. I've never heard that name before."
Wufei smiled, exposing his gleaming canines. Even if this man wasn't Heero, it brought him great pleasure watching him quaver like a child at midnight. "The long hair, the shabby getup, even Duo could see right through it all." He placed his hands on the counter in an intimidating fashion. "So, why don't you just give it up and come back with us?"
The man paused, then quickly dashed out the door. Pretty confident that he would achieve justice, Wufei chased him like a hound after its quarry: with quick stride and primal eyes. They ran down the wooden back steps, along the short boardwalk and finally came to a halt at the end of pier. Hiroshi glanced out onto the water, and appeared like he might jump, but stopped and turned to look at Wufei instead. "Fine, you caught me. Are you happy now?" Hiroshi grumbled, pulling his hair out of his face to reveal two, shining, Prussian eyes.
*~*~*
Heero sighed. 'I was stupid to let down my guard. I just assumed they'd never try to find me.'
"Why?" Wufei asked, glaring at the exposed cobalt eyes of his former comrade.
"Why what?" Heero knew damn well what Wufei wanted to know, but still refused to give him any unnecessary information.
"Why didn't you come back? Why the big cover-up?" Wufei paused. "Why did you have to torture Duo like you did?"
Heero recoiled slightly. 'What does he mean 'torture Duo'? Did my supposed death really mean that much to him?' Looking back at Wufei, he knew he'd have to answer each question in full at the risk of being sent to a watery grave.
"I guess I should start by telling you what happened during and after the explosion." He sighed. "After I knocked Duo out, I made a run back to the control room, intending to seal my fate there. But as the clock continued to count down, I began to doubt the purpose to my mission; something I'd never done before. All I could think of was Duo and his incessant attempts to save my life. If the God of Death were trying to save me, my life must have some sort of purpose, right? To reassure myself that I was going ahead with this mission, I made a statement over the intercom telling Duo to go on with out me, but deep inside," his voice grew soft, "I wished he'd come back and save me."
"That still doesn't answer any of my questions."
"I'm getting to it. I escaped easily through ventilation system, seeing as it is heat proof. When the base blew, I felt like a coward. My mission was not completed. I could not go back."
"We wouldn't have cared if your mission were completed or not. It would've been easier for all of us just to know you were alright."
Heero shook his head. "I didn't say I didn't think you'd take me in; I couldn't go back to that life knowing my hands were still bloody. So, like a coward, I escaped that life and came here." He turned and looked wistfully across the sapphire bay. "The sea knows no right or wrong, it is the cleanser of all the sins of the world."
"Alright, now answer my final question: Why did you have to torture Duo? Why did you send him that note if you weren't going to return?"
"Deep inside, I knew that Duo would be hurt somehow by my absence, but I could not bring myself to face him. I sent him that note as a way of telling him that he was still pure and could go on, while avoiding confrontation. Those eyes of his, I knew they'd draw me back. Back to a life I no longer wanted to live. Deserting him once was hard, doing it again would be harder."
"So I guess that means you're not coming back with us."
Heero again looked back to the water and nodded. "I've started a new life here. A life free from the battle field, free from any more ruthless massacres, free from all the sin I've brought to this world."
"One question remains: How do you expect Duo return to a normal life while still unsure where, in Heaven and Earth, you are?"
Heero pulled out a piece of paper and began writing feverishly on its flaxen surface. When he was finished, he folded it and gave it to Wufei. "Give him this and tell him you found it on the beach."
Wufei began to object but quietly obeyed. "It was good to see you're alright, Heero."
"Come back to the shop if you still need confirmation."
*~*~*
Wufei opened the door and climbed into the driver's side of his car. 'I hope Heero's plan works.'
Duo looked back at him and forced a smile. "What took you so long?"
Wufei inhaled slowly and exposed the note. "I found this on the beach. I think it's to you."
The American pilot looked at it skeptically but opened it slowly and read the perfect handwriting.
Duo ~
If, by some odd twist of fate, you happen to find this, please promise me you'll never be sad. That's not the Duo I want on this Earth. Never give up faith, and know that I am finally at piece with this world and my own, restless heart.
~ Heero
Duo closed the note and smiled.
"So?" Wufei inquired.
"I'm just glad he's finally free... Wu-man."
The End
*~*~*
(Phew) That was quite a challenge! I hope this didn't disappoint anyone (seeing as how I've never written a sequel to anything before, let alone bring a character back from 'the dead'). But please, review and tell me what you think! Comments, questions, and CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms will be appreciated and kindly addressed. Flames, however, will be used to roast marshmallows and make s'mores, m'kay? This is Cherubic Sasami, signing out.
Empty: The Aftermath, Part 2
Wufei could not believe his ears. 'This is worse than I expected. Duo's begun to see Heero's face everywhere.' Then again, Wufei had no solid proof that the grumpy store manager wasn't their missing friend. 'This charade has got to stop. I've got to prove to him that this man is not Heero.'
For his size, the wiry clerk could carry the whole order with ease. "That'll be $24.50."
Wufei pulled out his wallet, but as he laid the payment down on the counter, he casually added, "Sir, what is your name?"
The man gave him a glare that could kill an ocean of fish. "What's it to you?"
"It was just a question. So I reiterate, what is your name?"
The man paused, as if trying to recollect, and growled, "Hiroshi Yung."
Wufei turned back to the defeated Duo. "Sorry, Duo."
"It's okay. It was just a whim."
Smiling slightly, Wufei led Duo to the door, only turning back to take a second look at the now preoccupied clerk. "H... Y... Heero Yuy..."
At the sound of that name, Hiroshi twitched slightly. 'Heero?' Wufei had to wonder. 'Is that really him?' "Duo, go ahead to the car, I'll be right back," he called back to the dejected pilot. 'Why the big cover-up? It just doesn't add up.' He shrugged. 'But if finding Heero will bring the old Duo back, it'll be well worth it... I must admit, I even miss how loud and obnoxious he used to be.'
He could sense the clerk grow tense as he approached. Hiroshi made no suspicious movement, but Wufei could pick up a nervous aura from the grumpy shopkeeper. "Heero Yuy," he growled with a smile as he sauntered toward the counter. "You thought you'd had us for a moment there, didn't you?"
Hiroshi's breath began to grow faster and Wufei thought he heard the man's heart beat with frightened vigor. "I don't know what you're talking about. I've never heard that name before."
Wufei smiled, exposing his gleaming canines. Even if this man wasn't Heero, it brought him great pleasure watching him quaver like a child at midnight. "The long hair, the shabby getup, even Duo could see right through it all." He placed his hands on the counter in an intimidating fashion. "So, why don't you just give it up and come back with us?"
The man paused, then quickly dashed out the door. Pretty confident that he would achieve justice, Wufei chased him like a hound after its quarry: with quick stride and primal eyes. They ran down the wooden back steps, along the short boardwalk and finally came to a halt at the end of pier. Hiroshi glanced out onto the water, and appeared like he might jump, but stopped and turned to look at Wufei instead. "Fine, you caught me. Are you happy now?" Hiroshi grumbled, pulling his hair out of his face to reveal two, shining, Prussian eyes.
*~*~*
Heero sighed. 'I was stupid to let down my guard. I just assumed they'd never try to find me.'
"Why?" Wufei asked, glaring at the exposed cobalt eyes of his former comrade.
"Why what?" Heero knew damn well what Wufei wanted to know, but still refused to give him any unnecessary information.
"Why didn't you come back? Why the big cover-up?" Wufei paused. "Why did you have to torture Duo like you did?"
Heero recoiled slightly. 'What does he mean 'torture Duo'? Did my supposed death really mean that much to him?' Looking back at Wufei, he knew he'd have to answer each question in full at the risk of being sent to a watery grave.
"I guess I should start by telling you what happened during and after the explosion." He sighed. "After I knocked Duo out, I made a run back to the control room, intending to seal my fate there. But as the clock continued to count down, I began to doubt the purpose to my mission; something I'd never done before. All I could think of was Duo and his incessant attempts to save my life. If the God of Death were trying to save me, my life must have some sort of purpose, right? To reassure myself that I was going ahead with this mission, I made a statement over the intercom telling Duo to go on with out me, but deep inside," his voice grew soft, "I wished he'd come back and save me."
"That still doesn't answer any of my questions."
"I'm getting to it. I escaped easily through ventilation system, seeing as it is heat proof. When the base blew, I felt like a coward. My mission was not completed. I could not go back."
"We wouldn't have cared if your mission were completed or not. It would've been easier for all of us just to know you were alright."
Heero shook his head. "I didn't say I didn't think you'd take me in; I couldn't go back to that life knowing my hands were still bloody. So, like a coward, I escaped that life and came here." He turned and looked wistfully across the sapphire bay. "The sea knows no right or wrong, it is the cleanser of all the sins of the world."
"Alright, now answer my final question: Why did you have to torture Duo? Why did you send him that note if you weren't going to return?"
"Deep inside, I knew that Duo would be hurt somehow by my absence, but I could not bring myself to face him. I sent him that note as a way of telling him that he was still pure and could go on, while avoiding confrontation. Those eyes of his, I knew they'd draw me back. Back to a life I no longer wanted to live. Deserting him once was hard, doing it again would be harder."
"So I guess that means you're not coming back with us."
Heero again looked back to the water and nodded. "I've started a new life here. A life free from the battle field, free from any more ruthless massacres, free from all the sin I've brought to this world."
"One question remains: How do you expect Duo return to a normal life while still unsure where, in Heaven and Earth, you are?"
Heero pulled out a piece of paper and began writing feverishly on its flaxen surface. When he was finished, he folded it and gave it to Wufei. "Give him this and tell him you found it on the beach."
Wufei began to object but quietly obeyed. "It was good to see you're alright, Heero."
"Come back to the shop if you still need confirmation."
*~*~*
Wufei opened the door and climbed into the driver's side of his car. 'I hope Heero's plan works.'
Duo looked back at him and forced a smile. "What took you so long?"
Wufei inhaled slowly and exposed the note. "I found this on the beach. I think it's to you."
The American pilot looked at it skeptically but opened it slowly and read the perfect handwriting.
Duo ~
If, by some odd twist of fate, you happen to find this, please promise me you'll never be sad. That's not the Duo I want on this Earth. Never give up faith, and know that I am finally at piece with this world and my own, restless heart.
~ Heero
Duo closed the note and smiled.
"So?" Wufei inquired.
"I'm just glad he's finally free... Wu-man."
The End
*~*~*
(Phew) That was quite a challenge! I hope this didn't disappoint anyone (seeing as how I've never written a sequel to anything before, let alone bring a character back from 'the dead'). But please, review and tell me what you think! Comments, questions, and CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms will be appreciated and kindly addressed. Flames, however, will be used to roast marshmallows and make s'mores, m'kay? This is Cherubic Sasami, signing out.