Authors note: *Bounces happily onto the stage* I'm back again, sorry I haven't updated for so long, but I have now, so be happy ok? ^_^ Ok, answering questions time, Kasra of course you can have 3+4 I'd love to write it! (But for those of you that are 1+2 fans, well, you won't be disappointed either! *Knowing grin*)
Everybody nice! Everybody nice!
Only meeting and parting again and again…
Everybody chance! Everybody chance!
Until you find the answers carry on…
Although not that hard enough to hurt,
He's biting his lip hard…
He's staring off into the distance
And won't show his heart…
"OH MY GOD!!!" The loud shriek echoed throughout the woods, bouncing off the mountains behind and resounding back, wickedly imitating the boy who had just shrieked.
Duo couldn't care less about the annoying echoes, or the fact that he'd probably alerted all the guards in the area to his presence, what mattered to him was his dinner had just turned into a human being.
Three pairs of eyes stared into a wide pair of blue ones as deadly silence ensued. The new comer was the first to break the silence. "Um…hi. I'm Quatre Raberba Winner…who are you?"
Trowa, being the only one who's wits hadn't completely left him, soundlessly pointed at Heero before croaking out, "Heero Yuy." The boy/deer nodded, Heero merely glared. "Duo." Quatre turned to find a pair of wide violet eyes drilling into him, the blond observed Duo closely, this boy was not as daft as he had first sounded, behind the wide grin and innocent face lay a sharp mind.
"And I'm Trowa." Quatre turned back to the tall boy with a sweet smile, "I'm so pleased to meet you all." The blond-haired boy said, his smile growing wider. For some reason that was quite beyond Heero and Duo, Trowa blushed.
************
"Hey Q man?"
Quatre sighed, he had been with the odd group for less than half an hour, and already Duo had adopted him as "one of them" nicknaming him "Q man." It was a little annoying. "What Duo?"
"How did you turn into a deer?" Duo asked, genuinely curious, after all, it's not every day you come across a boy that can do this transformation.
"Well…" Quatre paused, "This may take a little time, as I have to start as far back as I can remember."
"That's ok Q man, we can talk while we walk…it'll get me out of Heero's hair for a while…right Heero?"
"Hn."
Duo rolled his eyes, before turning back to Quatre, "You know all, so come on…tell all!"
"As far back as I can remember, I've always been looked after by the hermit who lived in these woods. As a child I used to play all day on my own, talking to the animals…"
Here he was interrupted by an excited Duo, "You can talk to animals! Cool!"
"Yes…well…anyway, as I began to grow, the hermit saw I had this power, and taught me to use it, blocking out all I didn't need to hear, leaving me so I talked to only the ones I wanted to. For years I studied under him, until one day I discovered my other power…I was coming home from walking, when I smelt smoke, running I found our hut on fire, the hermit was dead, soldiers were standing around, waiting for me it seemed because as soon as I appeared they tried to grab me. As they laid hands on me, I felt rage building up…white-hot rage…and then…the next thing I remember I was alone…and all the ground around me was charred and black. I wandered around for ages, before finding a new place to set up a hut. And so I've continued to live here with my animals, but now you know my secret, I guess I'll have to go along with you to make sure you keep my secret."
Trowa who had been listening as well looked at the smaller boy, "You must know, we're being hunted by the official guard."
Quatre appeared to consider this for a moment, before replying to the banged boy, "I'll still come along, you might need me to help, and besides, it's not like I have anything to stay behind for."
**************
The sun was just sinking in the west when they reached Quatre's hut in the heart of the forest, having agreed earlier to stop off there for the night so they could all sleep comfortably and Quatre could pack his stuff.
Hardly saying a word to one another they fell asleep instantly, Quatre curled up beside Trowa, Duo stretched out near Heero.
**************
They were back at the stream they had met Quatre by,
except this time it was different, it was night time, the stars were shining
brightly and the moon was out in full. They were all standing there…unsure of
what would happen, why…or if anything would happen.
Suddenly ripples began to grow on the surface of the calm
little stream, spreading and spreading until in a quick movement the water
spouted upward twisting and shaping itself into a form.
It was a woman, she had long honey coloured hair that was
done into two little braids on either side of her head. Cornflower blue eyes
stared out of a pretty face as she regarded the four boys.
"Finally, your paths have crossed." She said, her voice
sounding like the rushing of water, or a bubbling stream. "You took your time
about it."
"Excuse me ma'am," Said dream Duo, "but I think you've
got us confused with someone else, we're nothing special."
"Nonsense!" the woman snapped, "you four are the children
of the future, the one's who will change the world."
"Well, that's all very well, but we're not taking orders
from a water sprite!" Snapped back Duo, "Who are you anyway?"
The woman put her hands together and bowed, hair swinging
one either side of her face, "I am Relena Peacecraft, and like it or not, you
are all stuck with this prophecy, particularly you," She indicated Duo, "Your
path will be a hard one, but walk it with pride."
"Huh?"
Heero, never one for polite comments said, "If you aren't
going to tell us anything, go away."
The woman gave him a slightly startled glance that quite
plainly said she was not used to people talking to her like this, but replied
with perfect civility. "I have come to tell you, you are all needed, the gods
have once more decided that humans are becoming to corrupt and deceitful, so
they plan to extinguish all human life and start afresh. You four are the only
one's who can save the human race."
"But we're not special!" Argued Quatre, "We're just four
boys who happened to meet up…we don't even have proper powers!"
The woman looked slightly smug, "Ah, but you do, and each
of you has a power you are not even aware of, a power so great it alone could
fulfil your utmost dreams, or destroy them…"
She paused, as if listening to someone, head cocked on
one side, before she sighed slightly, "And now, I must go, remember what I have
told you and take comfort from one another's presence, and for heavens sake,
save the world, it's wrong to let all this work go to waste."
"But…" Trowa began to protest, but go no further.
The woman had vanished, the only sound left was the sound
of the wind that sounded almost like a voice sighing, saying, "I will be with
you…"
Duo looked around puzzled, "Ok, that was weird, what
happens no…"
*************
Four boys sat bolt upright, breath coming in short little gasps. Bewildered Quatre looked around, "What are you guys doing awake?" He asked, bemusement showing through in his voice.
"Dream." Heero replied shortly, and was about to lie down again when a slender hand grabbing his shoulder stopped him.
"You had a dream?" Duo queried, violet eyes wide, "What about Hee-chan?"
Heero glared at the other boy, "Don't call me that!" He growled.
Quatre smiled slightly, it was obvious to him that despite the fact that Heero growled and snapped at the smaller boy, he was very fond of him in his own way. Looking around he saw Trowa staring at him, a small smile on his face.
Blushing he looked away and back at the now arguing pair by his bed.
"I will no tell you my dream, it is of no concern to you."
"Oh come on Heero PLEASE!?"
"No."
Duo pouted, sulking slightly, "Come on Hee-chan."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!!"
"Fine, I'll stop calling you Hee-chan if you tell me your dream."
"…"
Duo's eyes caught the slanting moonbeam that came in through the open window of Quatre's hut, making them look almost black. "Please." He whispered.
Heero felt himself weakening; the boy was just too cute for his own good sometimes. [1] "Fine." He snapped irritably, not letting any of the new emotions show through. "There was a woman coming out of the stream we were at this morning when we met Quatre, she said her name was Relena Peacecraft and only we could save the world…" He trailed off as he saw the other's all staring at him.
"What?"
"Uh…um…well…I dreamt the same Heero." Duo managed to stutter out, "and by the looks on their faces…" here he indicated Trowa and Quatre, "They also had the same one."
Quatre could only nod; Trowa did nothing.
"Oh hell, that means either we're all loonies, or we're going to have to save the world." Duo rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, "Why me oh lord of the dark? I'm a decent guy, instead of rewarding me you give me the impossible task of saving the world!" Duo's voice rose to a near shriek, "I don't want to save the world, I'm a normal human being!" He didn't seem to be calling on the dark lord anymore, instead he seemed to be yelling at all the people who had hurt him or called him demon in his life.
"Duo clam down." Soothed Quatre, "We're all in this together, so we're going to have to work together."
"While dodging guards." Heero pointed out.
From Duo's reaction the others gathered he had said precisely the wrong thing.
"Just damn PEACHY!!" The braided boy screamed, "not only do we have to save the world, but we have to dodge guards as well…and if there was the slightest chance we'd escape those armoured fiends, we have NO CLUE how to save the world…" he finished his little rant, panting slightly.
Suddenly the three other boys began to get the feeling that something was very, very wrong, as Duo continued panting, and before anyone could ask what was wrong, a blinding flash issued from Duo's fingertips, violet light bounced off the ceiling, reflecting off a mirror that broke at the contact, before hurtling out into the night.
Through the ceiling.
When everyone had picked themselves off the floor, they saw, not Duo, but a slightly taller version, violet eyes glimmering steadily, with no apparent pupils. Instead of the customary braid the boy wore his hair in, the chestnut mane was loose, whipping round his head in a wind that was not touching anybody else, in fact there wasn't even a breeze, yet Duo's hair looked like it was in the middle of a hurricane.
"Duo…?" Trowa took an unsure step towards their friend.
Pure violet eyes turned on him, "Stay back." He hissed. His voice, this was another thing, his voice was different, stronger, richer, and deadly serious.
Trowa took another step forward. "Duo…"
A scythe appeared in the being's hand, Duo's customary clothing seemed to seep and melt together into a flowing black robe. "I said stay back!" he hissed, the scythe's blade beginning to glow a steady pale violet, sparks crackling along the edge.
Trowa took the last step towards his friend, only to find he was thrown back by such a strong force that he cracked his head on the opposite wall.
Several things happened at once, Trowa slid to the floor unconscious, Quatre leapt to his side, "TROWA!!"
Heero also jumped forward, grabbing the violet-eyed beings shoulders. "Duo snap out of it, Duo please you're hurting your friends!!"
The being blinked, for a second reality seemed to wobble, then it was Duo, Heero was holding Duo.
"Heero?" the voice was barely above a whisper.
"Oh Duo!" To his shame, Heero felt tears welling at the corners of his eyes. He hugged his friend tightly.
Duo looked around in shock, the smashed mirror, the hole in the roof, and finally the still out of it Trowa.
"Oh no." he whispered in shock, "it happened again didn't it?"
Before Heero could reply to this question and ask what "it" meant, violet eyes rolled backwards into Duo's head as he collapsed.
To Be Continued…
[1] No this will not turn into a "worship Duo everybody" fic.