The Trip from Hell

The Trip from Hell

(Part Duo)

            Meanwhile back at the hotel…

            "What?"  Wufei asked at the knock on his door.

            "You hungry?"  Trowa asked his voice muffled by the thick door.

            Wufei had not thought about it before, but when Trowa mentioned food, his stomach gave an involuntary grumble.  "Yeah."  He replied as he got off his bed and walked to the door.

            The two boys made their way to the kitchen.

            "What do you want?"  Trowa asked Shenlongs's pilot.

            "What is there?"  He replied.  After a few minutes of searching the boys came up with two items to eat, Macaroni and Cheese, and Top Ramen.

            "I guess I will have the Top Ramen."  Wufei said, and then mumbled something about Macaroni and Cheese not being honorable.  Trowa smiled at Wufei's comment and shook his head.

            "Are you going to burn this, or shall I?"  Wufei questioned.

            "I will that way you don't have to compromise your integrity."  Heavyarms's pilot said and barely managed to keep from laughing.

            "Thanks."  Shenlong's pilot said flatly as he left the kitchen.

            With the sound of banging pans and running water in the background, Wufei sat down on the couch and picked up a book.

*          *          *

            Back to the Empire State Building…

            The small group paused at an elevator door.  Heero pressed the call button and stepped back.  After a few seconds, when the doors did not open Duo stepped up.

            "Hey open up!"  Duo exclaimed and pressed the button repeatedly.  "Do you know who's talking to you?!"

            "Does it care?"  Moria mumbled.

            Duo did not hear her and continued to press the button.  "Open up for the God of Death!"

            Other occupants of the building began to give the group strange looks and gave them a wide birth when walking by.

            "Duo," Nikana said softly as she came up behind Deathscythe's pilot.  "People are staring at us."

            "Anyone who sees me has got a date with his maker!"  Duo called.  Everyone scurried from the building as fast as possible.

            "Baka."  Nikana said under her breath as she grabbed Duo's braid and pulled him away.

            "Itai!"  He yelled and Nikana quickly clapped her hand over his mouth.

            Just then, they heard a ding and the elevator door opened.  A group of people walked out giving Nikana a strange look.  She smiled back, and then after everyone was out she pushed Duo in and the rest of the group followed.

            Duo hit the far wall of the elevator with a slap of his hand.  He immediately spun around to face Nikana and found himself smashed between the wall and Quatre.

            "Hey, Quatre, can I have some breathing room?!"  Duo exclaimed.

            "Gomen."  Quatre said and tried to give Duo some room in the crowded elevator.  Duo instead pushed Quatre aside and stepped to the front of the elevator next to Heero.  Wing's pilot pressed the top floor button and they were on their way.

            As the elevator started moving, Beethoven's fifth symphony started playing.  Duo fell to his knees and curled into a ball with his hands over his ears.

            "Ahh!"  Duo screamed.

            "What's his problem?"  Quatre asked keeping time with the music.  Moria shrugged also keeping time.

            "Stop the insanity!"  Duo exclaimed.

            Heero grabbed Duo by the back of the collar and lifted him to his feet.  "Shut up!"  Heero yelled in his face.

            Duo visibly paled and looked over at Nikana.  "'Kana make the bad man stop!"  Duo promptly found himself on his face on the floor.  "Ow."

            "Heero, I told you not to hurt him."  Tiger's Blood's pilot said.

            "He deserved it."  Kimiko pointed out.

            "Yeah you're right," Nikana replied.  "But it would be better if he could learn his lessons with a little less brain damage."

            "Don't worry there's nothing there to damage."  Moria piped in from the back of the elevator.

            "Hey, I'm on the floor, not deaf."  Duo said.  "I can hear you, Ice Queen."

            "That's why I said it."  Deepfreeze's pilot replied.

            "Can we please have some silence!"  Kimiko demanded.  "I am getting a headache!"

            "Yes ma'am."  Duo said sarcastically as he got off the floor.

            "Oh, Duo, you got up."  Moria said disappointed.  "I kind of liked you on the floor."

            "Yeah, sure, Ice Queen."  Duo replied.

            "How many more floors?"  Heero complained.  He looked up at the counter and found that they were only about a quarter of the way to the top.  "Help me."

            The elevator went deadly silent at the comments they heard from Heero.

            "Wow."  Moria said in total shock.  "That was so totally not Heeroish."

            Kimiko smiled as if she already knew this side of Heero; as everyone else laughed, all except Heero that is.

            "I didn't think I would ever hear a comment like that from Heero, until after the Ice Queen's heart melted."  Duo said and quickly sidestepped Kimiko's elbow as she struck out.  "Man!  I've got to be careful.  Now I have two psychotic pilots after me!"

            Unfortunately, for Duo, he could not avoid two attacks at once and again found himself on the floor.

            "Itai!"  Duo exclaimed as he hit the floor with a loud thud.

            "You know, Heero, they might have security cameras in the elevator."  Nikana stated.  "They just might call the police because you're assaulting Duo."

            "Not likely, 'Kana."  Heero replied coolly.

            "Why is that?"

            Heero pointed to the upper right corner.  "The little red light isn't on."

            Nikana rolled her eyes.  Moria and Quatre laughed uncontrollably from the back of the elevator.

            "What is so funny?"  Nikana asked a little irritated.

            "Quatre told a joke and it wasn't lame this time!"  Moria exclaimed getting control of her laughter.

            "Okay, so what is it?"

            Quatre composed himself.  "Two blonds walk into a building…you would have thought one of them would have seen it."

            Nikana spun quickly on her heel and struck out with her left fist.  Quatre sidestepped to the right and collided with Moria.  The two pilots tumbled head over heels and ended up in a pile in the corner.  Fortunately for Quatre, Nikana missed and did not attempt to strike again, because she was laughing hysterically.

            Heero turned around to find Quatre lying diagonally across Moria, their legs hopelessly tangled.  A slight smile crossed his face.  "Hey, no rough-housing in the back of the elevator."  Heero said sarcastically.

            "Quatre," Moria said sweetly.  "Could you please get off of me!"  She ended her statement by pushing Sandrock's pilot off her.  Quatre rolled onto his back and quickly got to his feet.  He offered his hand to Moria, who accepted it gladly and got to her feet.

            Moria rubbed her right shoulder, the one she had landed on, as she spoke.  "Man that hurt.  Good thing I didn't dislocate it."

            Duo, still on the floor, looked up at her.  "If you had, Heero could have reset it for you."  Expertly he rolled away form Heero's well-placed kick and got to his feet.  "Whew!  That was close!"

            Just then, a tango came on over the elevator speakers.

            "Now this is more like it!"  Duo exclaimed.  He grabbed Nikana and after she got over her initial shock, the pair began to tango in the elevator.  Granted there was barely enough room to go more than a few steps, especially with Heero and Kimiko standing like statues in the front.  As the song reached its climax Duo and Nikana glided in front of Heero and Kimiko.  At the last beat Duo dipped Nikana and leaned forward to kiss her.

            Then the elevator door opened.  A rather large group of people stood there shocked, most of them were tourists and there was a guide in front of them.

            Duo looked up at all the strange faces and proceeded to drop Nikana, who landed on her back.  Tiger's Blood's pilot acted quickly and grabbed Duo's legs with her own making him fall.  With payback accomplished, Nikana quickly got her feet back under her.

            "Um…we'll take the next elevator."  The tour guide said and let the door close.

            "Yeah, good thing too, or Duo might have driven some more people insane."  Kimiko said.  Most of the occupants in the elevator laughed.

            As the elevator resumed going up towards their destination, Duo reclaimed his spot next to Heero.  The God of Death watched the floor counter and every floor he would say "ping".  After about five floors, all the pilots began to slowly surround him.

            Oblivious to everything, Duo continued to say, "ping".  Moria was the first to snap she grabbed his braid and made him look back at her, bringing him down to her height.

            "Do that one more time and I will drop you from the top floor."  Moria said through clenched teeth.

            "Sure thing, Ice Queen!"  Duo exclaimed.

            That last comment was a big mistake on Duo's part.  Moria stepped back and gave Duo's braid a firm tug.  Duo fell back unable to keep his balance, but he had something else in mind.

            Moria did not move away in time and Duo grabbed her ankles, jerking her feet off the ground.  Moria rounded her back to absorb the impact, but something stopped her before she hit the floor.  Deepfreeze's pilot looked up and found Quatre looking down at her.

            "Thank you."  Moria said, glad that someone had stopped that fall. 

            "It's the least I could do, since I caused what happened earlier."  He said kindly.

            Moria, then, looked down at Duo who still had a hold on her ankles.  "Duo let me go!"  She ordered and tried to kick him in the head.  Duo held fast and Moria's attempts were in vain.

            Then the elevator door opened.  A smaller group of tourists stood there quite shocked.  Moria, who was still suspended between Duo and Quatre, glared at them.

            The tour guide saw this and said, "This elevator looks full, we'll wait for the next one."  With that, the elevator doors closed leaving the six Gundam pilots alone.

            Kimiko turned to Heero.  "I'm surprised they haven't put holes in the walls yet."

            "Don't put it past them."  Heero replied.

            "I told you to let go!"  Moria yelled.  She gathered up her strength to strike at Duo one last time.  Duo felt her tense and let go at the last second.  Moria and Quatre flew into the back wall.

            Moria quickly scrambled to her feet with Quatre right behind.  "Duo, I am going to kill you!"  She threatened.  Quatre quickly restrained her, hearing the agitation in her voice.

            Duo opened his mouth but snapped it shut quickly when Nikana looked at him.

            "Quatre let me go."  Moria ordered calmly, the agitation still thick in her voice.  Quatre, knowing better that to believe her false calm, held tight against her efforts to free her arms.

            "That's enough!"  Heero said finally snapping.  He pulled out his gun and aimed it at Moria first.  Deepfreeze's pilot immediately backed down, but Quatre still did not release her.  Heero then turned his attention to Duo.  "You will be quiet for the next five minutes, or you will be decorating the sidewalk once we reach the top of the building"

            Duo decided it was in his best interest to stay quiet.  For the next several floors, Duo fidgeted, until Heero again pointed his gun at the other pilot.

            Then the elevator door opened.

            Heero quickly made the gun disappear as a man in am suit stepped into the elevator, else it might look like a hostage situation.  Well, in a way it was…everyone was trapped with Duo with no escape.

            Quatre also let Moria go, who had regained a semblance of control over herself, so no question would be asked.

            The man ended up standing next to Duo.  Deathscythe's pilot crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the man in disgust.  Duo then moved to the far corner of the elevator with a great show, making sure he got the suit's attention.

            The suit looked at him curiously.  "Are you some kind of priest?"  He asked.

            Everyone held their breath to hear Duo's response.

            "I repudiate you, demon!"  Duo exclaimed in his best southern preacher accent.  "Be gone from me!"  With that, Duo fell on the floor twitching.

            Since Moria was the closest to him, she kicked him firmly in the stomach and took great pleasure in doing so.  Now Duo twitched with real pain.

            "That should teach you."  Moria said under her breath so that only Duo could hear.

            At the next floor the man quickly scrambled from the elevator.  No one blamed him.

            "That was interesting."  Nikana said as she glared at Duo.

            Deathscythe's pilot was slowly getting off the floor, gasping for breath.  "That could have hurt a little more, Moria."  Duo whispered harshly.

            "I'm glad you enjoyed it."  Deepfreeze's pilot replied.

            "One of these days you two are going to put each other in the hospital."  Kimiko pointed out.  "And then who will be laughing?"

            "I will!"  Heero blurted out.  Everyone but Kimiko stared at Heero as if his body had been taken over by aliens.

            "Man if Heero keeps this up, we're all going to need psychiatric help."  Nikana stated.

            "Or medical attention, for heart attacks."  Quatre agreed.

            "Ice Queen, did you go down and freeze Hell?  Is that why Heero is acting like this?"  Duo questioned Moria and made sure he was a safe distance away.

            Moria took notice of this.  "You know, Duo, I do know where you sleep and where you keep your Gundam."  She stated coldly and crossed her arms over her chest.

            Duo opened his mouth to say something but Quatre cut him off.  "Does red hair mean anything to you, Duo?"

            "No, should it?"  Duo replied.

            "Does hot temper on a short fuse mean anything to you?"  Sandrock's pilot asked to God of Death.

            Duo did not have the opportunity to respond before the elevator stopped and the door opened to reveal a woman, or at least what looked like a woman.  She wore a gas mask, thick rubber gloves, and carried a can of disinfectant spray.

            "Germs!  Germs they're everywhere!"  She exclaimed her voice muffled by the gas mask.  She stepped onto the elevator and sprayed the disinfectant everywhere.  The Gundam pilots blew arousal fumes away from their faces and a few coughed when they accidentally inhaled the fumes.

            "What kind of psycho is she?!"  Moria asked Quatre, who was again beside her.

            "A clean one?"  He offered.  Moria rolled her eyes, but still she smiled at Sandrock's pilot's humor.

            Duo slowly approached the woman, slinking up next to her like a snake.  He stood right next to her, shoulder to shoulder, and crossed his arms nonchalantly.  He slowly turned his head to whisper in her ear.  "You are right…they are out to get you."

            The woman began screaming hysterically.  Duo quickly jumped away to avoid her wildly flapping arms.  When the elevator opened on the next floor, she ran off still screaming and dropped her can of disinfectant.

            Duo picked it up.  "Hey, lady, you forgot something!"

            "What did you do that for?"  Kimiko asked as she smacked Duo in the back of the head.

            "She was a freak!"  Duo exclaimed.

            "So are you."  Moria pointed out from the back of the elevator.

            "But I was getting fixated off her fumes!"  Duo replied defensively.  Everyone in the elevator laughed.

            Heero again looked up at the floor counter.  "We're almost there, just a few more floors, then freedom."

            Moria leaned on Quatre, who was propped up against the elevator wall, and put her head on his shoulder closing her eyes.  Quatre, in turn, closed his eyes and rested his head on Moria.  She began humming the song "White Reflection" softly in Quatre's ear.  Soon Quatre joined in and a slow smile crept across Moria's face.

            "Ooo…Quatre," Duo said sarcastically.  "You'd better be careful."

            "Huh?"  Quatre questioned without shifting his position.

            "You might melt the Ice Queen's heart!"  Duo exclaimed.

            Moria's eyes snapped open and she gave Duo a look that could have easily sliced through Gundanium.  The God of Death grabbed his chest and fell to the floor feigning death.

            Moria rolled her eyes and glanced at the floor counter.

            Time seemed to slow as last second thoughts raced through each pilot's mind.

            Duo is going to be sorry the next time we are in space.  Moria thought coldly.

            Moria better not lay a finger on Duo.  Nikana thought and glared at Deepfreeze's pilot, getting a glare in return.

            If only I was taller…  Moria contemplated.

            I wonder if I should have brought some roses for Treize?  Kimiko wondered as she looked around, everyone seemed lost in thought.

            Earth is beautiful.  So very, very beautiful.  Quatre pondered.  Do they know how beautiful earth is?

            Heero posed himself to leap out of the elecator once the doors opened.  Not even the dogs of war could keep me from getting out of this elevator.  He thought firmly.

            The elevator was very silent and everyone was savoring it.  Duo's stomach growled involuntarily, as he lay the floor.  Man, I'm starving!  He thought.  I haven't eaten for at least an hour!

            There goes Duo's stomach again, like always.  Nikana thought.

            All thoughts stopped and all eyes turned to the floor counter as it approached the top floor.  The seconds felt like hours, and then finally they heard it.

*          *          *