Epilogue
Caution
Duo sat quietly in the rain, while the funeral service droned on. He was empty. He felt so alone that even his hair ached. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes…
…-~+~-…
Somehow, he had managed to get up off the ground, away from the wreckage. He re-entered Death scythe hell and put it on auto pilot towards the Winner Mansion, which was home base to the other three pilots. When he arrived, he wasn't even shocked at the carnage that lay before him. The forty maguanacs had been murdered, and their mobile suits were everywhere. Quatres many servants lay dead, children, women, men, elderly people. It didn't matter. Tara hadn't shown any compassion. He walked inside what was left of the mansion.
…-~+~-…
His head snapped up. Hilde sat beside him, a concern clouding her eyes. He shook her hand off and closed his eyes again... Hilde frowned, and motioned to a weepy Relena that no one should bother him. Relena had been crying since the news of Heeros death had reached her. Zechs had tried to comfort her, but he was new to having a sister still, and his attempts helped little if none...
…-~+~-…
The mansions ruin was empty, and as he turned to leave, something caught his eye… A picture. A picture of the day when all six of them had gone for a picnic on the beach; all of them were smiling, and Heero and Tara held hands, their fingers intertwined. Quatre and Trowa stood near each other, touching, but not daring to show their affection as boldly as Heero and Tara did. Wufei was standing still, his face cracked by a rare smile. Duo Put the picture in his pocket, and walked out.
…-~+~-…
As he searched the fields surrounding the Winner Ruins, he eventually found Wufei and Quatre. Quatre had managed to make it to his gundam, but he wasn't prepared, and he had suffered for his lethargy. Nataku was scarred, and had obviously put up quite a fight before succumbing to Tara. Duo walked towards the wreckage of both Gundams, and opened the hatches. Nothing of Wufei was left, but Quatres body had survived, but was badly burned. Duo left as he had come, and began his search for Trowa.
…-~+~-…
All of Quatres sisters, and most of his cousins and such had managed to make it to the funeral. All of the dead were buried near each other. Tara was buried along side them too. It had been duos idea, but almost all had protested it. When someone finally told him that they weren't going to allow Tara to be buried along side the other pilots, he had replied,
~"I don't want her there either. I want her to be here, crying for us, and I want to be there, with my family…" That had settled the matter with every one, no one wanted to deal with someone grieving as he. Often Duo thought about suicide, but something always made him stop at the last minute. A piece of poetry came back to him,
'-My heart is like the river Styx,
Guardian of This world beneath,
That could not without survive.
King of dead to hide them away,
Keeper of river to usher 'way from day,
A boat to fall to pieces,
Without the river guide.
An underworld for essence
Eternity more to ride."
~He smiled emptily, and knocked the umbrella off of his chair. The rain poured down on him, and he was glad for an excuse to get up and walk away from the ceremony. He walked though the graveyard until he couldn't see the black umbrellas of the attending, and he sat down beneath a great stone angel. He stare dup at the angels face, and let the rain blur its features. 'Looks like Heero…" he mused and closed his eye.
…-~+~-…
He found Trowa eventually. Trowa had killed himself, but not in the way Duo had thought. Trowa had to visible wounds, and Heavy arms was nowhere to be found. Trowa had lain down and died of a broken heart. Dr. J. told Duo that Trowa simply smiled at the news of quatres death, went to the back room and died. Duo refused the doctors help, and left the facility. He felt dead, and his thoughts were consumed with questions. 'Why didn't she kill me? Why was I spared? He couldn't focus on anything. He found Relena and told her everything in a toneless, uncaring voice. Relena slapped him, and asked him why he had no tears for the dead. He had walked to the door and spoke quietly over his shoulder. "Sometimes your hurt is beyond tears…" After a couple of suicide attempts, and a long period of time where everything was blank, a funeral was arranged, and he was forced to attend.
…-~+~-…
The rain chilled him, and he opened his eyes. A tiny girl stood in front of him. Shoeless in the pouring rain; He managed a smile, ~"Are you lost? Where's your mommy, Sweetie?" The girl glared at him, reminding him oddly of hero. Her blue black ringlets were plastered to her head, and the over –sized t-shirt she wore was completely soaked. She looked as if she had been wandering for days, and she had the eyes of one familiar with the horrors of the streets.
~"I aint got mommy. She Come here, die, and ducker leave me here. Look for you." Duos eyes narrowed. He felt something in his chest.
~"What do you mean?" The girl walked up to him and looked at the angel for a long moment.
~"Are you Mr. Duo? Ducker said to find you, cuz I aint got mommy." The little girl climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood up and cradled the girl. She couldn't have been more than 3, but she weighed almost nothing. He felt something stir in his chest. The girl stared into his eyes.
~"Was your 'duckers' name Tara?" He asked.
~"No. That was my mommy. But I aint got mommy now. She go die." The girl stated this and buried her head in Duos chest. "Ducker said you take care me. He say you be new mommy."
…-~+~-…
As he arrived back at the funeral, the rain had lessened, and the service was over people were wandering off. He approached Relena first. She looked up at him through her veil.
~"Yes?" She looked at the little girl. Duo smiled.
~"This Is Charon." Charon looked at Relena, the turned her face back to duo. "This is Tara's daughter." Relena frowned.
~"Is this your idea of a sick joke or something?" Duos face clouded.
~"This is Tara daughter. Tara's Doctor dropped her off on this colony when he found out about Tara's death I suppose. He told Charon to find me." Charon turned to look at Relena.
~"Ducker said you Queen. You really a queen?" Relena reached for Charon, but neither child nor man moved towards her. She shrugged,
~"Yes, darling I am. Are you cold, would you like some food?" Duo stopped her.
~"I will take care of her. Tel the others, I am leaving now. See ya Lena…" Duo walked off, Charon huddled against his chest. 'This is my reason for being spared.' He thought. 'This is my penance for living…' he looked down at Charon curls and closed his eyes. She looked up at him and smiled too. Now they could live, both of them.
You're all welcome…
The end came to me in a dream.
I guess it was waiting…
~The Brat Prince.
Caution
Duo sat quietly in the rain, while the funeral service droned on. He was empty. He felt so alone that even his hair ached. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes…
…-~+~-…
Somehow, he had managed to get up off the ground, away from the wreckage. He re-entered Death scythe hell and put it on auto pilot towards the Winner Mansion, which was home base to the other three pilots. When he arrived, he wasn't even shocked at the carnage that lay before him. The forty maguanacs had been murdered, and their mobile suits were everywhere. Quatres many servants lay dead, children, women, men, elderly people. It didn't matter. Tara hadn't shown any compassion. He walked inside what was left of the mansion.
…-~+~-…
His head snapped up. Hilde sat beside him, a concern clouding her eyes. He shook her hand off and closed his eyes again... Hilde frowned, and motioned to a weepy Relena that no one should bother him. Relena had been crying since the news of Heeros death had reached her. Zechs had tried to comfort her, but he was new to having a sister still, and his attempts helped little if none...
…-~+~-…
The mansions ruin was empty, and as he turned to leave, something caught his eye… A picture. A picture of the day when all six of them had gone for a picnic on the beach; all of them were smiling, and Heero and Tara held hands, their fingers intertwined. Quatre and Trowa stood near each other, touching, but not daring to show their affection as boldly as Heero and Tara did. Wufei was standing still, his face cracked by a rare smile. Duo Put the picture in his pocket, and walked out.
…-~+~-…
As he searched the fields surrounding the Winner Ruins, he eventually found Wufei and Quatre. Quatre had managed to make it to his gundam, but he wasn't prepared, and he had suffered for his lethargy. Nataku was scarred, and had obviously put up quite a fight before succumbing to Tara. Duo walked towards the wreckage of both Gundams, and opened the hatches. Nothing of Wufei was left, but Quatres body had survived, but was badly burned. Duo left as he had come, and began his search for Trowa.
…-~+~-…
All of Quatres sisters, and most of his cousins and such had managed to make it to the funeral. All of the dead were buried near each other. Tara was buried along side them too. It had been duos idea, but almost all had protested it. When someone finally told him that they weren't going to allow Tara to be buried along side the other pilots, he had replied,
~"I don't want her there either. I want her to be here, crying for us, and I want to be there, with my family…" That had settled the matter with every one, no one wanted to deal with someone grieving as he. Often Duo thought about suicide, but something always made him stop at the last minute. A piece of poetry came back to him,
'-My heart is like the river Styx,
Guardian of This world beneath,
That could not without survive.
King of dead to hide them away,
Keeper of river to usher 'way from day,
A boat to fall to pieces,
Without the river guide.
An underworld for essence
Eternity more to ride."
~He smiled emptily, and knocked the umbrella off of his chair. The rain poured down on him, and he was glad for an excuse to get up and walk away from the ceremony. He walked though the graveyard until he couldn't see the black umbrellas of the attending, and he sat down beneath a great stone angel. He stare dup at the angels face, and let the rain blur its features. 'Looks like Heero…" he mused and closed his eye.
…-~+~-…
He found Trowa eventually. Trowa had killed himself, but not in the way Duo had thought. Trowa had to visible wounds, and Heavy arms was nowhere to be found. Trowa had lain down and died of a broken heart. Dr. J. told Duo that Trowa simply smiled at the news of quatres death, went to the back room and died. Duo refused the doctors help, and left the facility. He felt dead, and his thoughts were consumed with questions. 'Why didn't she kill me? Why was I spared? He couldn't focus on anything. He found Relena and told her everything in a toneless, uncaring voice. Relena slapped him, and asked him why he had no tears for the dead. He had walked to the door and spoke quietly over his shoulder. "Sometimes your hurt is beyond tears…" After a couple of suicide attempts, and a long period of time where everything was blank, a funeral was arranged, and he was forced to attend.
…-~+~-…
The rain chilled him, and he opened his eyes. A tiny girl stood in front of him. Shoeless in the pouring rain; He managed a smile, ~"Are you lost? Where's your mommy, Sweetie?" The girl glared at him, reminding him oddly of hero. Her blue black ringlets were plastered to her head, and the over –sized t-shirt she wore was completely soaked. She looked as if she had been wandering for days, and she had the eyes of one familiar with the horrors of the streets.
~"I aint got mommy. She Come here, die, and ducker leave me here. Look for you." Duos eyes narrowed. He felt something in his chest.
~"What do you mean?" The girl walked up to him and looked at the angel for a long moment.
~"Are you Mr. Duo? Ducker said to find you, cuz I aint got mommy." The little girl climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood up and cradled the girl. She couldn't have been more than 3, but she weighed almost nothing. He felt something stir in his chest. The girl stared into his eyes.
~"Was your 'duckers' name Tara?" He asked.
~"No. That was my mommy. But I aint got mommy now. She go die." The girl stated this and buried her head in Duos chest. "Ducker said you take care me. He say you be new mommy."
…-~+~-…
As he arrived back at the funeral, the rain had lessened, and the service was over people were wandering off. He approached Relena first. She looked up at him through her veil.
~"Yes?" She looked at the little girl. Duo smiled.
~"This Is Charon." Charon looked at Relena, the turned her face back to duo. "This is Tara's daughter." Relena frowned.
~"Is this your idea of a sick joke or something?" Duos face clouded.
~"This is Tara daughter. Tara's Doctor dropped her off on this colony when he found out about Tara's death I suppose. He told Charon to find me." Charon turned to look at Relena.
~"Ducker said you Queen. You really a queen?" Relena reached for Charon, but neither child nor man moved towards her. She shrugged,
~"Yes, darling I am. Are you cold, would you like some food?" Duo stopped her.
~"I will take care of her. Tel the others, I am leaving now. See ya Lena…" Duo walked off, Charon huddled against his chest. 'This is my reason for being spared.' He thought. 'This is my penance for living…' he looked down at Charon curls and closed his eyes. She looked up at him and smiled too. Now they could live, both of them.
You're all welcome…
The end came to me in a dream.
I guess it was waiting…
~The Brat Prince.