Title: Stained Glass
Author: Ami-San Solo, contact at Humanpeep1@aol.com (or reviews are always nice…)
Date: 04-25-01
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, it's Characters, Episode Zero, etc. Insert witty little remark about not owning things here The story is mine. The plot is half mine. If you've read the Episode Zero thing, you'll see that I connected it and I took direct quotes and tied in that storyline for my ending, therefore that half of the plot is not mine. Confused yet? I am.
Background: I wrote this because I hadn't seen any like it and I think the Episode Zero plots are really intriguing and all that. I came up with my original ideas to elaborate some of Duo's time at the Maxwell Church and then incorporated Episode Zero with it so chances are, if you read poor dialogue, it was taken from the wonderful speech in the manga cause we all know how that goes. Hehehe. If you have any discrepancies or find anything wrong, lemme know. -I'm more of a comedy person but alas; here's my attempt at this somewhat sad story. Please read and review…
Stained Glass
"Dear Lord, please watch over Duo and guide him to understand…Protect him from the harsh life he's had and lead him to a new one free from the horrors a child should not face. Help me to help him. Give Father and I the strength, the wisdom, the patience, and understanding to do so under your guidance-"
"Are you praying again?"
Startled by the interruption, Sister Helen murmured a hurried amen of closure before she allowed her eyes to flutter open where she was met with a curious purple gaze.
"Duo?" she lifted her bowed head to look at him, still kneeling in the pews of the church.
"What were you praying for this time?" the boy asked, voice tainted with disbelief as he folded his arms over the back of the pew he sat backwards in, to face the nun.
Sister Helen looked over the braided child, a look of sad amusement on her face as she thought over his question.
"I was praying for you," she answered after a moment of consideration.
"What for?" Duo asked, looking a bit taken aback and apprehensive towards the thought.
"What do you mean Duo?" Helen coaxed him to elaborate.
"I mean, I don't need anyone's prayers," the boy explained defensively.
"Everyone needs prayers Duo," the nun insisted patiently, used to dealing with Duo after so much time of having him around. "You'll find you will at some time or another too."
The braided boy moved his folded arms from the pew to lie across his chest and ignored the statement with stubborn silence, refusing to accept the statement as truth.
Helen smiled lovingly at him and ran a hand motherly over his head that Duo couldn't help but soften under.
He unfolded his arms and hopped off the pew to wander into the aisle as Sister Helen raised from her kneel and stepped out of her own pew to meet him.
Together they headed down the aisle towards the back of the church, the soft scuffle of their shoes echoing against the marble floors of the empty cathedral.
"After all this time here, you still don't believe in God Duo?" Helen asked after a moment, a little troubled by the fact, her heart sinking slightly.
It'd been a great deal of time since Duo had last spoken of such skepticism and both Sister Helen and Father Maxwell had hoped that maybe in the absence of such statements, Duo had quietly been coming to accept things in his own way.
Duo shook his braided head.
"I told you before," he explained indignantly with a hint of annoyance for having to repeat himself, "There's no reason to. When your God shows that he has the power to stop the war, then maybe I'll believe in him. But until then-"
"You'll continue to believe in Shinigami," the nun sighed knowingly, finishing his statement.
Sister Helen shook her head in silent exasperation and let her hand drop down to rest comfortably atop Duo's head.
She gave the child's scruffy hair a loving ruffle which he raised his arms in a defensive shield against, squirming from her touch and giving a whine of protest as he turned around to give her a defiant scowl that she couldn't help but stifle a giggle at.
Duo's expression softened into embarrassment seeing the nun muffle a laugh behind her hand and he realized there was no point in trying to feign dignity in front of her. As usual she knew him too well and soon the young boy found himself smiling lightly in spite of himself.
"C'mon Duo," the kindly Sister broke into a genuine smile, her amusement now contained in sympathy for the braided child's feelings. "There's much to be done around the church today."
Duo obediently followed after the familiar black robes that flowed behind Sister Helen as she led the way down the aisle, her steps light and delicate, the soft click of her shoes against the marble floors; the only sound, echoing against the empty walls of the cathedral. Duo followed after, making sure that his shorter strides kept up with that of the nun as she walked to a small wooden door that concealed cleaning supplies behind it.
Opening it, Sister Helen reached in and gathered a few buckets and rags together and placed them by her feet. Duo watched peculiarly as the nun still wasn't satisfied and again, reached into the closet, rummaging for something. Letting his eyes wander, Duo took it upon himself to examine the buckets and was quite intent with doing so when the Nun turned around again, a mop in her hands.
"Are you going to help me?" she asked curiously, her voice catching Duo off guard as he hurriedly straightened and tried to act casually.
Folding his arms behind his back nonchalantly, he shuffled a foot in thought, trying to come off as aloof.
"I guess," Duo shrugged uncaringly.
Sister Helen looked at him thoughtfully and could tell he had hoped for her to ask him for his help.
Smiling with a nod, she stooped down and handed him a bucket with a bottle of cleaning solution inside and a few rags.
"Thank you," she said gratefully as he took his load and she reached down to pick up her own bucket.
Again, Duo shrugged indifferently, but the nun could tell he was pleased as she turned and led him towards the large stained glass windows that decorated the walls of the cathedral.
The intricate panels of the windows were dull, the once colorful glass obscured with a murky film of dust, and Duo knew what to do without having to be told, quickly stepping up, rag in hand, eager to do his job well.
After returning from filling her bucket with water, Sister Helen noticed that Duo had already gotten a nice start on the windows and the early morning sunlight was beginning to beam through the glass, shining beautifully on the marble floor, which she began to mop.
Scrubbing at the floor in silence, Sister Helen smiled inwardly, closing her eyes.
~"He's a wonderful child Lord and I'm sure you've put him through hardships for a reason, but surely it should not be at the expense of his faith in you. Help him as he helps me; so unquestioning and eager. I know he'll show the same loyalty towards you once he sees…I can't always guide him. He needs the love and protection of the highest power."~
When she opened her eyes again, Duo was still intently at work, determined to wipe clean every portion of glass he could manage to reach, morning rays playing upon his face in response to their freedom from the grime as his braid swayed with each scrubbing motion.
As the boy cleaned, he peered with intrigue at his reflection, which was staring right back at him and he smirked lightly in amusement. Refocusing on the window, Duo was startled by movement on the other side of the glass.
"Huh?" he murmured absently as he leaned forward so that his nose was almost pressed against the window in an effort to make out the figures through the colored panes that distorted the view. His soft breaths fogged up the window and with a little show of frustration, Duo quickly swiped the rag over it to re-clean the window though his gaze never left the window.
He could make out some rough silhouettes and it seemed that there was a good number of people coming towards the church, some being carried or helped along, but there was no mass to attend and an uneasy feeling spread throughout the young boy.
Alerted, Sister Helen moved forward, stepping behind Duo and squinting through the tainted glass to see what was bothering her young helper.
"Oh dear," she half-whispered to herself as she found the sight troubling, knowing well what it was from experience.
Duo looked up curiously at her for explanation but before either could say a thing, a familiar voice called from the back of the church.
"Sister Helen?" Father Maxwell's calm was tinted with a frantic tone. "They have wounded, they need help."
The nun nodded in agreement and hurried after the priest without hesitation.
Duo blinked in shock, putting things together and figuring things out for himself before he threw the rag down behind him and raced to try and catch up.
The great heavy doors of the church had opened and Duo saw the figures clearly now; soldiers.
It seemed they were some sort of resistance faction from the colony, and they had taken a beating. Of the number that had arrived, it appeared that more than half of them were wounded, only 6 still untouched by battle and trying to help their comrades into the church.
"Hang on," a young man pleaded with a grunt, trying desperately to keep supporting his wounded friend with his shoulder as they walked past Duo.
The soldiers wandered past the boy without a second glance as Duo watched in confusion, standing amidst the chaos and not knowing what to do.
~"What happened? Wounded soldiers means battles have started again. But why? I thought everyone liked peace."~
Turning from his thoughts, Duo found Sister Helen and Father Maxwell were already in motion, helping wounded.
Helen was kneeling on the floor at the side of a pew they'd turned into a makeshift cot for an injured soldier. Her hands were moving swiftly and effectively, applying bandages from a first aid box that lay on the floor beside her to the man's wounds.
Duo's violet eyes watched with admiration and he yearned to do something to help too.
"No matter what… We've got to capture the base at point G2! That's the only option we have left!"
Duo looked up, his attention caught by the angry passion in the man's tone and found a soldier had taken it upon himself to stand in front of the alter and rally his fellow soldiers.
The young boy's confusion faded into defensive anger. These soldiers were breaking the peace and they had the nerve to bring their aggressiveness into the church that was trying to tend to the wounded their ignorance had caused.
~"It's starting all over again. We were all living happily until just yesterday."~
Duo glared in the direction of the soldiers, unaware that his fists were clenching as he listened to them continue.
"Just one mobile suit! If we can get that, then freedom will be ours!" the lead soldier said raising an urging fist in front of him.
Duo stared carefully at the dark haired man, anger boiling inside him as his eyes traced the man's black moustache to his scowling mouth that words of revolution come so freely from.
~"Revolution is costly. I'm just a kid and I can see that. Why can't he? Why is such an ignorant man going to cause a war?"~
Never one to think things through was about to voice his angry opinion when Father Maxwell brushed past him on his way up the aisle, calm and collected as always though his face was drawn in grim seriousness.
"Haven't we had enough of this?" the priest asked, sadness in his strong but aged voice.
He was tired; Duo could see that, but the Father was still devout to his morals and determined to try and put out the sparks of war before it caused a fire.
"What did you say?!" the leader of the soldiers growled, taken aback by the elderly priest's direct challenge of his plans as his followers murmured in shock.
"Didn't Heero Yuy once say…'We the people of the colonies, didn't come to live in space so we could fight'…No matter what happens, we must not fight."
Duo wasn't sure who Heero Yuy was; or why he was significant, but his fury calmed down hearing the powerful words spoken by the priest he respected so much and he turned to see if the soldiers had understood too.
Instead they just looked more enraged.
"Bastard! I dare you to say that again!" a brown-haired man stepped forward threateningly, finding Father Maxwell's attitude traitorous to their cause.
But the priest wasn't daunted and was steadfast in his beliefs.
"I'll keep saying it over and over," he said tranquilly. "We must not fight."
"Y…You…" the soldier's face turned red with a mix of embarrassment and ferocity, lashing out with his rifle butt. "Shuddup!"
Father Maxwell gave a groan as the gun landed upon him and he fell to the floor unconscious."
"Hey!" Duo cried out, his anger returning in defense as he moved forward, despite the fact that no one paid any attention to his outburst.
Sister Helen beat him and was standing between the downed priest and revolutionaries; arms outstretched her face pleading.
"Stop it! Please!" she cried out desperately and then allowing her voice to quiet and repeat herself with quiet sincerity. "Please, no more."
Her request was denied, as the soldiers were deaf with newfound rage and Duo watched as a female soldier, her blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, charged forward to confront the nun.
"Shut up! We've got to have total solidarity!" the attacker cried out, swinging out violently.
The blow sent Sister Helen recoiling, and knocking her off balance to the point that she fell to her knees.
The nun looked up in alarm, lifting a hand to touch the stinging handprint forming on her cheek, her eyes confused and hurt as she looked to the female soldier.
~"Damn them!!!"~
Duo cringed, his heart aching to see the people he cared so much about being hurt. Sister Helen had too much faith in the human spirit, she expected these soldiers to have mercy. Duo knew there was no such thing in war and he pitied her, his rage and desire to protect the people he'd come to know as family becoming too much to handle.
The female soldier put a confident hand on her hip, staring down at Helen with a cold accusing glance.
"Why are you confusing people with useless talk of peace at a time like this?!"
"They might be Alliance spies," a soldier suggested before the nun could explain.
The woman looked back down at Sister Helen with scornful suspicion, humming in thought.
"Hm…It's possible."
"B…But…" Helen stammered, hurt and frightened, still crouched on the ground in front of Father Maxwell's limp form.
"Shall we make 'em confess?" an eager red-haired soldier asked, grinding a fist into his palm and looking towards the leader for permission.
Duo's eyes grew wide with shock. He knew the soldiers were merciless but he hadn't expected them to be so ignorantly twisted and his mind was racing frantically.
~"This has gone too far. The time to act is now. I have to change this. This can't happen."~
"HEY WAIT!" Duo yelled before he was conscious of what he was doing, his mind clouded with distress and anger. "All you want's one mobile suit?!"
The group of soldiers looked up in confusion, finally acknowledging the young boy's presence and the leader stared at him oddly in disbelief.
"Huh?"
"I'll go steal one for you!" Duo proclaimed with confidence in himself and hatred towards the intruders. "And in return, I want you guys to get out of here!"
His eyes narrowed accusingly, his tone sounding dangerous.
"This is supposed to be a peaceful place!"
The dark-haired leader immediately scoffed.
"Hmph. The brat's talking nonsense."
Duo clenched his fists, standing straight and dignified, his priest robes hanging on his proud shoulders, and sincerity burning in his young violet eyes.
"I may run and I may hide…But I don't tell lies like you guys."
"Say what?!" the soldiers yelled, taking offense to the disrespectful child's remark and seeming to lurch forward.
"Duo! Don't…" Sister Helen spoke up in desperation, afraid to see him hurt, not wanting him to get mixed up in the awful situation, knowing the boy was sincere and capable despite the soldier's scorn.
Duo only glanced at her, avoiding her beseeching eyes and focusing on the red hand mark that stained her cheek to assure himself that what he was doing was right and fuel his determination.
"One mobile suit!" he cried out, turning towards the door and glaring one last time at the soldiers. "Coming right up!"
The small boy raced down the aisle of the church, braid flying behind him as Sister Helen yelled out with utter horror and panic, watching him leave, her heart breaking.
"DUO!"
Duo closed his eyes tightly, blocking out the desperate plea along with hot tears that had formed in his eyes and he flung himself through the heavy church doors full force, determined not to turn back.
He had to try. He had to succeed.
He would save the ones he cared about this time.
He had no idea that he was leaving the Maxwell church for the last time, for when he returned, he'd find an even more tragic scene than the one he'd left…