Into the Rain

Part 5: Chains and Companions

I heard voices; they where intertwining with my dreams.

Were these the visions again?

No, something different.

I didn't get the same feeling that buried in the pit of my stomach when I got the visions.

No, this was from my own mind; it was a good old fashion nightmare. Everywhere, the distance smells
of gunpowder. It must have been like back in AC 195. That wasn't right, here was a continuing AC
195, the same as what I had gone after. Only worse. Oz was taking the initiative and there were too
many causalities. Too many.

My eyes snapped open at the sound of a horn. I looked up and the first thing that I saw
was a broken ceiling. All the soldiers where getting into their uniforms and rushing out into
the hallways, standing attention at the person walking down the hall. I stood up and
followed the crowd out into the hall. Standing at attention as I had previously learned to do,
I waited to see the captain.

"Okay, today we are going to notch up the training program. I have set up an obstacle
course outside and at the very end you will have to fight me in combat." Duo said as he
walked down, looking the soldiers over from top to bottom. He smiled to me when he
came up. "Let's head outside, I want two straight lines." As a solider I followed my
superiors order and fell back into the second line. He led us outside where it was
sprinkling droplets of rain.

"I'll give a demonstration. Each solider at the front of the line will follow, the next will go ten
seconds after the first."

"Yes, sir!" The lines called. I was fourth in the second line so I would have to wait forty
minutes. Duo started by climbing the first wall, the two first in the line waited ten seconds
and then followed. The next group went and I couldn't follow them over the wall that had to
be over thirty feet up. Then after the one ahead of me took off I counted to myself.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine.

Ten.

I ran to the wall along side the other solider who seemed to be struggling up the wall a bit.
Walls were easy; I didn't have any trouble with them. After the wall you had to swing across
from one platform to the other. As I looked at the distance I eyes the length of the rope. It
wouldn't work with that short of a rope. At the climax I would have to jump and land on the
very edge. The thirty foot drop would hurt those that didn't make it across. I swung and
noticed that there was already one person that was on the ground, they didn't notice the
short rope.

There was also a physician along side him, at least Duo was being reckless in a safe
way. I jumped to the other platform to the ground after making it down a latter. The rain
was falling more prompt and that was making the activities harder, gripping might be
affected. Yes, and of course the next event was a series of jungle gym bars. As I noticed
the pair ahead of me had swung up and was crawling on top of the bars.

As I looked down to see what they were trying to avoid I noticed that there was another
group of soldiers, more likely practicing offense, trying to pull the others down. I swung up
as well; it was safer that way. As I looked back this time, the pair behind me were pulled
off completely; they didn't act quickly enough. However, the one ahead of me was still
swinging. I think it was Ruddy. He was kicking at the other soldiers, playing offense.

With his kicking fits he sent two of the soldiers down to the ground, bleeding from the
mouth, face or body in general. "Jackass," I mumbled to myself. I picked up my pace and
decided to teach that guy a lesson. As I caught up, I stepped on his fingers and sent him
tumbling to the ground- he was out of the race.

He looked up to me and glared, I think it was at that moment that I realized my mistake. I
kept going as he shouted a number of profanities at me, leaving him as a forgotten
memory. Now there were only five individual solider in front of me, excluding Duo.

After we dropped form the jungle gym to the ground there was a track field. Straight
ahead, it looked to be one sixth of a mile. Running? What was the catch? My question
was answered as another group of solider began to throw things at us as hard as they
could, but they weren't offensive objects, more like paint balls. I got it now; if you got hit you
couldn't deny it and were out at that point. Dodging.

This was again, something that I could do.

Was the only thing lacking in me the hand-to-hand combat?

I made it to the end and that was where the solider stopped, was that the end of the
obstacle course? Duo looked at all of us. "Everyone that has more than three hits on him
leave now and run around the track seven times!" He walked up to me and raised an
eyebrow. "Heero, where were you hit?"

I shook my head. "I wasn't hit."

His eyes got a little bigger and looked to my in disbelief. "Really? I even got hit once, how
did you not get hit?"

I spun around once. "I didn't get hit. I can dodge well."

He nodded. "I guess you can, meet me over by the entrance after this is done, okay?" I
nodded. What was that about?

"Okay, all of you come at me and see if you can get a hit in." Duo shouted so all the
solider heard. Out of the fifty that where there originally, now there were only fifteen. Still,
one against fifteen were uneven odds. All of them attacked, despite that. I waited for a
moment and watched. Three at once went flying to the ground, k.o.ed. I felt dizzy; nothing
made sense.

I woke up in a bed, where was I?

I looked around; I was in an unfamiliar room. What happened? Until after the fight begun
things blanked out.

"So you're awake? Are you okay?" I looked up and saw Duo walk up to me.

"What happened?!" I demanded as I looked to his bruised and blooded face.

"You mean you don't remember?" He sounded almost scared.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean?! Heero! Why did you hide that power when we fought before!"

"...power?" I questioned; he had me confused.

He shook his head and walked up to me. "I'm through with playing around Heero. I want to
know what the hell is going on. I'm gonna give you another vision, but this time it will be
from your memory! You need to know what you did and what you were feeling, if you don't
do that then I won't get any straight answers!"

"What do you mean?" I asked again but he walked up to me, held my arms and kissed
me. One of those hazes came back...

After another six dropped out because they where injured I decided to try my
hand, even though I knew that I wasn't a problem to him. I was going to show
him, he wasn't going to boss me around again!

As two went flying backwards I snuck in between the two to a turned back. As he
spun around, I turned to the left where I was still out of view. From there, I made
my own attack, knocking him in the back of the knees- that was what I was aiming
for. As my leg met flesh I took in a breath, I hit him. I did it; no one had done that.
Why the hell where they all treating me like I was so weak? I was sure a lot
stronger then those bastards!

As I knocked his leg he fell forward, catching himself and spinning around. He
looked to me in shock and as I looked to him I gave a confident smile. He knew
what was happening, even if he didn't want to admit it. I was stronger.

All at once, I felt a surge on energy engulf my body. I quickly sidestepped a pair of
bodies being knocked down and faced him head on. He made a move to give an
uppercut but I caught him arms in a blaze. I didn't know, it was an adrenaline rush
like I had never felt. As I held his arm captive I felt my knees naturally knock him in
the stomach. Before I knew it he hunched over and I noticed the blood on his
face staining his mouth. The other soldiers stopped dead in their tracks and
watched the scene.

"What the hell-"

I heard one of them say. To the one that said that I picked Duo up and by the
arms swing him, knocking the other soldiers down. Half were unconscious and
the other half struck with fear. I threw Duo over to the side and then promptly fell
over as my world turned to black.

He drew away and turned around. "Where did you get that power? I didn't mean that I'm
mad, I just want to know why you acted to weak before!"

I shook my head. What the hell was that? What happened to me? I was still me, but a
different kind of me... Wait, why was Duo so upset? It wasn't because I was just stronger
then him, it couldn't have been.

"Duo, what's the matter? You're almost scared."

"You bet I am! You acted exactly like the old Heero! The one I knew! You where the mirror
image inside and out! He moved like that, he didn't stop once he had won he pushed.
That was what happened, if was like you were him! You don't know how scary that would
be!"

"What?"

"You heard me, Heero, are you that strong naturally?"

"Hell no, I don't know what just happened, are you sure that was me?"

"Who else would it be?!"

"Gomen." I looked to him sternly, I didn't know why I got so strong all of a sudden. I moved
like water, I felt strong, stronger then ever before. I was so confused this time. My head
was about to split in two, I looked back to Duo. His back was turned from me. Why was
he so scared if I was as powerful as the other Heero? They where on the same side, and
to top that all off he was in love with him!

I walked up to Duo and wrapped my arms around him from behind. He was shaking but he
didn't move away. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure how that happened. I was probably just
motivated that time." Duo ran a hand through his hair and turned around to look at me.
"Heero, you wanted to know earlier about what the difference between you and the other
Heero was, right?" I nodded. "And I gave you a reason but didn't expand, do you still want
the answer to it?"

I nodded again, this might have been the answer to everything.

"Well Heero would do anything for his missions. He was like an Oz solider in that aspect."
I held Duo in my arms until he spun around and kissed me again. Once again, I was
devoured in the vision that Duo was planting in my head. Now I would get my answer...

Dark.

The room was only lit by a stray light.

Bound.

By ropes to a chair.

Fear.

I felt this more then anything.

This one was different then the other ones, this was was more serious. I hadn't
felt his feelings this strong before, ever. Yes, this one was very different.

I could hear my heart in my chest.

Struggling to hold on to my body, which was shaking like a leaf in a storm.

The fear...

The fear was...

"Hn. Comfortable?" The shadowed figure asked. I raised my gaze to him, still
shadowed. "Why?" I asked through Duo's mouth once more. My body was sore,
that was when I felt it. Bruises stretched over my skin. The

pale surface that I could see was tinted with purple or red.

"You son of a... why?" I paused, slowing my breathing. "All I need answered is
that, why won't you answer me!!"

"Mission, baka."

That was... that was...

It hit me- that was me!

Behind the shadows, it was me!

Wait... did that mean that...?

He stepped out, yes. I could see it all clearly. He was the same as me, only taller
and built a little stronger. He kneed at the foot of the chair and that was when I felt
tears trickle down my face. "You always seem to leave me

crying in the end Heero, why is that?"

I saw myself smirk. Bastard!

"Because that's how it will always be, Duo." He kissed my lips roughly, cupping
my face in his palms. But it hurt, was this how Duo felt when ever I kissed him?
Did it hurt like this...

So I was the one that raped him...?

This was the reason he didn't seem to trust me...

But why does he still love this other Heero...?

I am so confused.

As the other me trailed the kisses down my body I felt my eyes close tightly and
sob. That was when it ended, I didn't want to see any more...

I looked back to him and buried my face in my hands. "I didn't... did I?" He nodded, still
looking at me. I had so many questions but didn't know where to begin. "And you still
loved him?" Again, he nodded. I shook my head. "How? Why would you love him like that
when you... when he did this to you?"

"Because despite all that, I knew who he was. I couldn't help but love him, even with how
much I ended up getting hurt."

"But then why can't you love me when I did nothing to you?"

"I'm not sure myself, I have no idea. It's so hard to think like that. And when that happened,
when you fought me, it was him. I swear it was." He looked so lost. I had nothing else to
do besides do my best at comforting him. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders,
hoping to help him some how. Even if it was useless I could still try. "Heero, you are
serious? That you don't know what happened?"

"Hai, I don't know what happened."

"I just don't know what to think any more. I thought I had it figured out, but now that I meet
you again I don't know what to think. Are there such things as miracles? I know you
haven't done anything, but I can't help but believe that you will. The other Heero, I think that
he loved me, but he did nothing but show his cold side, even when he kissed me it was
cold... Only those moments that I hardly ever got to see, those were the ones that I wanted
to keep. When it felt like it meant something. That was why I always went back to him..."

"There are such things as miracles. How else would I have been able to come here? To
see you again? You need to trust me."

"I just can't, when you showed me that flash of the other Heero I just can't..."

I pressed a soft kiss on his forehead. What could I do to prove it to him?

"The soldiers..."

I spoke softly. "What about them?"

"How are they treating you?"

I denied myself the urge to chuckle. "Ruddy is out to kill me, but besides that everything is
fine."

"Ruddy's a jackass. Don't mind him. Heero, do you still want to stay with them?" I hoped
that I knew what he was getting at. I tried to play along. "What else would I be able to do?"

"You could stay here."

"Where is here?"

"Well if you didn't notice earlier, we are in my room, baka." Wasn't that my line? It didn't
matter; I needed to prove to Duo that he could trust me. "Hm, I think I want to now. That is,
if you could trust me."

"That's what I'm hoping to discover, trust." I let myself smiled as he leaned for support
against my chest. "Don't worry. Mission accepted."

Then he smiled and pushed back a little harder so I fell backwards, him as well.

"You let your guard done. Tsk, tsk." He scolded, laying on his back on top of me. "You
gotta learn to keep more attentive."

"I'll try better next time," I replied dryly.

"Be sure you do." At least it was the bed and not the hard cement floor. Duo flipped
around as I began to relax and laid his cheek to my shoulder. Smiling, he pulled on the
blanket that was over me and not him.

"Not fair not sharing. They're mine, you know." I pulled the blanket from under him and
held it up.

"Be my guest." He pulled the cover up to him chest, still laying on me as well.

"I wanna relax now, it's not too fun being beat up by some one who doesn't even know that
he did it." I smirked to him.

I decided to catch him off guard. Rolling on top of him in a liquid motion, I looked down to
him with intense eyes. "Now you better learn to be more attentive as well." I said and
leaned down to kiss him.

As I broke away, he smiled up to me. "Hm, who is saying that I didn't see that one
coming?"

"I don't care if you did or didn't, I'm not about to complain." I kissed him once again,
lingering longer. He encircled his arms around my neck. This was one thing that I was not
going to complain about at all. "Do you lock your doors?" I found myself asking.

"It doesn't matter, what's the harm in some one walking in on us? Fifty lashes? No, they
will just get a nosebleed and run. It's not as if someone hasn't walked in on me before."

"Good point." I said softly and took a moment to gaze down to him. God, I had missed
him so much. His cobalt-violet eyes glowed up to me, his hair dangling over his face. With
my hand I brushed it away.

"You're sure I'll be able to trust you?"

I nodded. "And if you find out you can't, just beat me up. You won't have any trouble doing
that, will you?"

He shook his head. "Let's not worry over the detail, just be trust worthy and spare that
thought."

"Don't worry. I'm not going to postpone anything right now."

"Good."

No, I was never going to hurt him. I could never bring myself to do that. Maybe I had grown
soft. I wasn't going to worry about that. If he wanted some one that was soft I would be
there, and else where, I would bend myself to meet his standards.

As I paused he seized my slightly opened mouth with his and slipped his tongue inside. I
decided not to dawdle, because if I did he was going to steal the top away form me. I had
gotten it first and fight for it.

"Heero?"

I drew away for a second to ask what he was about to say. "Hai?"

"You're always going to be there, right?"

He must have been feeling self conscious about the other Heero. I wasn't going to worry
him. "Yeah, I'm always going to be here, it's a promise." I felt his joy show, physically and
mentally.

"Okay, enough talk."

"Agreed."

I heard some one walk out of the room as I woke up once again. So some one had
walked in on us. At least it was after, I'm sure Duo didn't want to clean up any blood. I felt
myself smiled to the weight on my chest. The soldier wakened me, as Duo remained
sleeping, maybe I wasn't that badly out of shape as I had thought. Duo's long hair spread
out around me like a blanket on top of the other blanket.

I moved my arm, just one of them, from his waist to stroke his hair. He began to stir and
looked up to me. "Oi, what time is it?" I looked to the clock on the wall.

"Hm, it about ten at night."

"Then why did you wake me up?"

"Because I wanted to see your eyes."

He grinned and laid his head back down on my chest. "You are too sweet for your own
good some times, did you know that?"

I shook my head. "I wasn't aware. I always looked to myself as a cold, heartless bastard."

"Well I'm not going to deny that one either."

I chuckled. "So what are we planning tomorrow?"

His voice took on a low, dark tone. "Chapter 67: Dorothy's assassination." I tried to
lighten the tone. "Sixty seven chapters? When will it lead into the third book?"

"By Chapter 68, we will be in the next book. Knocking the leaders off one-by-one is the
plot, and the title of book three is: Ending. I think that Shinigami's death will be in that book
near the beginning chapters..." He trailed off and I stopped stroking his hair.

"No, you're wrong. You're the hero of the book, you're not going to die."

He looked up to me with sad eyes.

"Ahh, but that isn't true. I think that you are the hero of the book. You of the other reality,
not this one."

"No, you are the hero, you are the one that will lead this world to peace. You are the only
one with that power."

"Power? Brute force is more like it."

"What are your strategies for killing Dorothy? What part am I going to play?"

He shook his head sternly. "You aren't going to do anything. You are going to remain
here. I'm not going to let you go out into any battle with your experience."

"Thanks a lot." I said sarcastically.

"No, it's just that I'm not going to lose you that easy. Would you let a solider that hasn't had
the proper training go out in a 25% chance victory battle?"

"Are those really the odds?"

"Hai, we are going to pull a sneak attack during the earlier morning tomorrow. Those are
going to be our best chances. All the guards will be just waking up and not suspecting.
They didn't even know that our base was here, so they won't think that we would travel from
where ever we were to get to them."

"Well if that's the case I think you better get to sleep now if you're going to need to lead
your troops."

He nodded. "I'm glad at least that you're not putting up a fight about going."

"Why would I put up a fight when there is no question in my mind that I am going?"

End of part 5

Into the Rain Index

Back to the Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index