Hello minna-chan, this is another song fiction I've written. I love doing
song fiction and I hope you enjoy it. All of the fictions under this
title, each chapter will be a different song and story to go with it, but
they all tie together. The character, Rei, is the only one of the 'Gundam
Girls' that looks like her character. The others are actually based on my
friends and I made them look like them. I hope you don't hate that too
much, but I couldn't bear to change Rei's look. Please read and review!
But most importantly…ENJOY! ^_^
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Duo unconsciously pulled his jacket tighter around him as the piercing winds proceeded in trying to rip it from his body. The numbing cold bit mercilessly at his face, turning his nose a light pink and causing him to lose the feeling in his ears. On any normal day he would have laughed at the thought of trudging so far in the cold by himself…but it wasn't a normal day, and he definitely wasn't laughing. The only thing that was helping to ward off the low temperature, strangely enough, was his braid, which he had wrapped around his neck like a scarf. Things definitely weren't looking up in his favor, but he really didn't think about that at the moment. No. Duo Maxwell's heart was too heavy to feel much of anything anymore. Well, except pain…
The war was raging on as if it would never stop, and it didn't help that the girl he loved, Bunny, was informed "missing" in battle. The others, namely the girl pilots, were frantically looking for any sign of their comrade, but had come up with nothing. He couldn't stand it anymore, he had to get out for a while and that's how he ended up here. Cold, broken hearted, and lost. No, scratch that. He wasn't lost. Upon looking around he realized he recognized his surroundings all too well.
It was funny how life has ways of throwing your pain right back into your face. The braided boy, who had not been paying any attention what so ever on where he was going, had stumbled across a place that brought memories to flash through his mind. Memories he had tried to bury deep inside his heart so that he would no longer have to face them. Memories of a young woman who had been the only mother figure he had ever known.
Rubble lay scattered around the street, none bothering to clear the damage since no one lived in this area anymore. Tears burned the violet eyes of the young pilot, but he refused to allow any to fall. Kami, it looked exactly the same as it did all those years ago. Stepping forward, he slowly approached the large section that was completely demolished, no longer taking note of the winds or coldness. With gentle hands he lifted up a small sign that was partially buried beneath loads of debris. Looking closely he could still make out the golden letters, "Maxwell Church."
He could still remember. In fact, he remembered too clearly. It haunted him in his dreams to the point that he was afraid to sleep at night. Her soft, gentle smile. The caring blue eyes that always shone clearly for him. So much of the past he wished he could redo, he could have saved so many lives…including hers.
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A young, chibi Duo ran breakneck speed down the street. His hair was fanned out behind him as a man in his early thirties chased after him, yelling curses and threats. But this didn't scare him. He was actually quite used to it in fact. Seeing as how people didn't usually like to be stolen from he got this reaction a lot. But what else was he to do? He was an orphan, no one wanted him, no one cared, no one even noticed that he was a boy.
The small seven year old grinned wildly as he dodged around a corner. The fat man was no match for his speed, nor his agility, meaning that he was home free. All he had to do was get this bread back to Solo and…BAM
Duo went sprawling, as he suddenly made contact with an extremely hard obstacle, but his reflexes wouldn't allow him to release the precious food. Looking up he came face to face with an elderly man in a funny black collar and suit. He had never seen someone in such a weird get up before, he would have to ask Solo about it later, but right now he had to get away. Without pausing, he quickly jumped to his feet and darted away from the man, just in case he wanted to try and stop him. Luckily for him the man didn't seem to want to chase him, he only gave him a sympathetic look as Duo turned toward the sweeper's hide out.
Soon after that Duo found himself alone. Solo, his only friend and mentor, had been infected with a deadly virus that had spread rapidly over the colony. In order to save his friend the small boy had broken into the lab in which they had kept the antidotes and stolen some for them, seeing as how they had no money to buy it. His relief, however, had been short lived as he returned to find the older boy already dead, too weak to fight off the infections any longer. Everything he knew was taken from him. He was left by himself, wandering the streets, not really caring what happened to him anymore. But it had been by some great miracle that he had stumbled upon Father Maxwell, who turned out to be the man he had ran into. Yes, that was where he had gotten his name. "Duo" since Solo had told him he would always be with him, and "Maxwell" because of the only home he ever knew.
And yes indeed the Maxwell church had become his home. He had been brought in with a few other orphans on the colony and was to be brought up with schooling, and maybe even get adopted, although that was rather unlikely in these times of war. And that was were he had met Sister Helen. She, like Solo and Father Maxwell, was the only thing close to a family he ever knew. He still remembered how he had almost had a heart attack when she had wanted to cut his hair. She had finally given up and gotten him to agree to let her braid it. She was always so kind and soft hearted to everyone around her. She was an angel in his eyes.
The Sister said
There's only one way
1 Sweet angel boy
Narrow and straight
She would always go to extra lengths to try and be a mother to the little Duo. After she had braided his hair for the first time he had said that he didn't believe in God. He could still see the befuddled expression on her face after he had explained his thoughts.
"Thank you, Sister Helen!" Duo exclaimed happily as he bounced of the blonde woman's lap.
A small laugh escaped her as she watched the boy look at him self in the mirror. He was obviously quite fond of the rather long braid. He had such spirit for someone who had lost so much, it made her happy to know that she could be there for him.
Duo looked at her, then at the cross that hung around her neck. He understood, sort of, what Sister Helen was, but he wasn't quite sure how they could believe so fully in a god who allowed so much pain to happen. And being the curious kid he was, he decided to ask about it.
"Sister Helen?" He said looking up at her, moving so that he was back in the safety of her lap.
It was a new feeling, safety was, and he liked it. He liked it a lot. That was why he stayed so close to the motherly nun as possible. She looked down into his eyes, smiling softly at him.
"Yes, Duo?" She asked, showing he had her attention.
The small boy pointed to the silver cross and gave her a questioning look.
"Sister Helen? Why do you believe in God?"
The young woman looked a bit startled but covered it with a kind smile, knowing that the concept was quite hard for someone so young to understand. She put her arms around the small form that was sitting comfortably in her lap, almost like one did to a child that they were explaining the working of the universe and yet knew it was impossible for them to fully comprehend it.
"Our father, is the one who created us. He made everything, Earth, space, animals, insects, everything alive is because of him. And that is why I believe in him. His love was so great he gave his only son to us to wash away our sins." She informed slowly.
Duo looked rather doubtful, he couldn't see how God made everything. Humans had made the colonies, why did they need someone to make them? He thought that was mammas and daddy's job. They were the ones who had babies, not God. How could God have a baby if he was a guy? It was all just too confusing, he liked his outlook better, it atleast made sense.
Sister Helen seemed to feel his wavering as she gently turned his to the side so she could see him better. As he looked up into her eyes again they were still the soft, caring ones he had always seen from her, she didn't seem mad by his misunderstanding, and looked like she was curious herself.
"Duo? Do you not believe in God?" She asked, still not in the slightest mad.
The young, now braided boy shook his head quickly as a grin plastered across his face. His eyes twinkled merrily as he jumped off her lap.
"Nope! I believe in Shinigami!" He stated proudly, chest puffed out and his closed fists on his hips.
She looked slightly startled, wondering how he could know about a Japanese god. And why exactly he believe in him.
"Why is that?"
"Because! I've never seen a miracle, but sure have seen a lot of dead people!" He said, still in his proud stance.
The young woman couldn't help it, she laughed softly at the small boy's actions. Her eyes softened on him.
"Well, that does make sense I guess. But promise me something Duo. Promise me you will be a good little boy. I don't want you to be hurt alright, and if something ever happens, you must stand up for what you believe in." She said sincerely.
Duo watched the woman for a moment, he saw her eyes shining with unshed tears as she laid her hand gently on his shoulder. He didn't mean to make her cry! That was the last thing wanted to do! He hurriedly scrambled back into her lap and hugged her tightly.
"I promise Sister Helen! I promise I'll be a good boy! Just don't cry, please!" He begged, burying his face into her front.
Her pale blue eyes shone as she hugged the little boy. He was such a little angel. Rubbing his hair gently, she smiled down at him, forcing her tears to disappear for his sake.
"It's alright Duo, I'm not going to cry. Why don't you go off and play with the others, sweet angel boy." She encouraged, not really noticing the new nickname she had given the chestnut haired child.
He watched her for a moment to make sure she wasn't going to cry. Upon seeing she was fine his famous smile came back and he bounced off her lap and down the hall to were the other kids were at the moment. It never acured to him to go against her wishes. He would do anything for her, and if being a good boy was what she wanted, then that was what he was going to be…
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Time it has passed
Teachings they fade
Now her angel boy
Has gone astray
He still held the guilt for not being the little angel she had always made him out to be. But times had changed. He had changed. He was a soldier now, one that had the blood of hundreds on his hands. Hands that he had promised her would only do good. But he couldn't stop now, even if that's what he wanted. No, he was a gundam pilot, one that was bound to his missions and the war. He knew the kind woman would be ashamed to see him know, but what else could he do?
OZ was evil, that's all there was to it. And he had to stop them. Nothing he could do could change what he's done. He just hoped she would find some way to forgive him. Sure, some would say that it was God he should be trying to get forgiveness from, but he couldn't can two flips what God thought. God hadn't been there to stop the soldiers from destroying the church. God hadn't been there when Solo had died. God hadn't been there when so many innocent people had been hurt by the Romefeller Foundation. No. All he cared about was that if Sister Helen and Father Maxwell could find it in their hearts to forgive him. To forgive him for not being able to save them, or stop OZ. To forgive him for becoming the killer he was now.
To many, he seemed like a carefree person. One that looked forward to the future and always held a bright smile. Yeah…well, they were wrong. He couldn't look as his hands anymore without seeing them dripping with crimson blood. Blood that he could never be cleansed of. Bunny was the only one he found reassurance in anymore. At night she would hold him tightly, warding off the nightmares. He found sanctuary in her arms and when she wasn't there with him he didn't know if he could take it. Sleepless nights, fitful daydreams, bloody hands. It was all too much. Of course the others noticed, or at least he thought they did. He was pretty sure they had an idea of what he was going through, seeing as how they were soldiers as well. But even though Rei and the others would try to cheer him up when his rabbit and him were apart, it didn't do much besides make him pull more into himself and break off from them. He never meant to do it. It was an unconscious thing. He would hide it with a smile and turn to pranks and jokes to try and keep his mind off of it, but that only last for a little while. Soon the dreams would be back, and they would always be worse than before. Some of the worst were about past missions, having to resee all the evil things he had done. Sure, the doctors tried to tell them it was all for the good of the colonies, but he didn't think any of them believed the old crackpots anymore. Murder was murder, and they had all done their fair share of it.
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I've held the hand of the Devil
Felt his breath on my skin
Dip me into the water
Wash me again
Can I still be forgiven
For all of these things
Or have I gone too far now
Have I lost my wings
1.1 Duo, the self proclaimed "Shinigami", snuck stealthily around the guards that were on patrol around the west side of the base. It was pitch black outside, but that didn't stop him. He was a master of the night. Muwahahaha! Nothing could come up against the GOD OF DEATH!
The braided pilot snickered to himself silently as he surpressed those ideas and thought over his plans. This was to be his first real mission and he was determined to not screw it up. It was an easy "in, get info, out, destroy base, no survivors." Yeah, he could handle this.
With the agility of a cat, the black clad boy dodged around the corner of the building to where he was clear of prying eyes that might interfere. Easily picking the lock to the secured door, he slipped in unnoticed by all. This was going to be easier than he thought. He smirked as he ducked into the shadows, right before a soldier walked right past him, not once noticing the intruder. Man…these OZ people were really stupid!
Once the man was out of sight he turned and raced towards where he knew the main computer would be. If everything went well he could be back home, er…his base, within the hour. Duo, however, wasn't one for remembering details. He had rounded another corner before he realized he forgot the exact location of the room. If he went into the wrong room he could trip an alarm and that was something he definitely didn't want to do that. Slowing till he was slipping sneakily down hall, trying with all his might to catch anything that was familiar. But no such luck.
The braided pilot was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't realize someone was coming down the hall till they were practically ontop of him.
"INTRUDER!" Came a sudden cry, making the unsuspecting pilot to almost have a heart attack.
Yeah, that would be good, die on his first mission…not by bullets but by heart failure! He cringed slightly as he felt himself be jerked around then slammed into the wall. This was SO not good. The blue eyed boy looked up to come face to face with a rather older aged soldier. His hair was graying slightly, and the beginning of wrinkles were quite clear, but Duo was more worried about the gun that was currently being pressed to his head. Dr. G was going to have a FIELD DAY when he hears this!
The man's yells hadn't gone unnoticed as about fifteen guards suddenly filled the hall, all of which had their guns trained on his head. Like he said, this was SO not good. He quickly plastered a huge smile across his face as he pretended that nothing was wrong.
"Hey guys! What's up?" He asked cheerfully.
Oh boy did that ever NOT work…
Biting back tears, Duo grunted as he felt the hot iron being pressed against his back for about the thirtieth time. These OZ people were heartless and cruel! He had been there for almost three days and all they did was torture him for information…which of course he never gave. Did they really expect him to tell them anything!? He would sooner die! He felt the burning of his flesh as the metal was pushed farther into his back. It was like his brain was on fire from the pain. He couldn't stand this for much longer, he could feel two of his ribs broken, bruises and gashes decorated his body while his clothes were now drenched in the crimson blood…his blood. But he had an idea. He wasn't going to be held there forever, in fact, last time they had drug him back to his cell they hadn't bothered to shackle him because of his weakened state. Maybe, if we could act that hurt again he could escape and blow the place up. It was his only hope…
Black smoke surrounded the young pilot as he surveyed his work. His back and arms hurt like slag, as did his legs or any part of his body for that matter, but his mission had still been a success. He had broken away from the soldiers before they had shoved him into the small, metal room and managed to fight them off. Taking their guns he had forced his way into the control room and gotten the information he needed and had "blown that popsickle stand"…literally. The fire was enormous as the flames licked the night sky. That had been his first mission. And it had been his first sight into what he had gotten himself into…something he would regret for the rest of his life.
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I found a priest
I spoke my mind
Asked if I'd sinned
One too many times
Duo carefully propped the sign up against a pile of rubble, making sure it wouldn't be left hidden away. He wanted everyone to see how hate destroyed lives. Tucking his hands deep into his pockets once again, he trudged down the street, hoping to escape the memories. And yet knowing he would fail to do so.
He lost track of time again, till he found himself at the front steps of a grand cathedral. A giant statue of the Virgin Mary stood looking down with her arms reaching out, as if calling for him. Tearing his eyes away from the motherly woman, he slowly made his way up the many steps and to the giant, looming doors. Pulling on the old fashioned knob, he gently guided it open till he could slip in. Silently closing it behind him he began to make his way towards the confession booths. If he was there he might as well get some things off his chest. Maybe it would make him feel better.
He waited patiently while a young, brunette woman, who had obviously been in confession previously, shook the priest's hand gratefully before picking up her purse and heading for the doors. After the young lady had left, the kind faced man turned his attention toward him.
"Umm…I'm kinda here for confession." Duo muttered softly, suddenly wondering why he had wanted to do this in the first place.
The man sensed his discomfort and placed a firm and reassuring hand on his shoulder. Looking up, the amethyst eyed boy locked gazes with the elder's pale green.
"Do not worry, my son, you will feel much better after you cleanse your soul." He said gently.
With a wordless nod Duo opened the door to the small booth, sitting himself on the bench and leaning back against the wall so he was watching the ceiling. Yes, very interesting ceiling. He let out a silent sigh as he gathered his courage for what he was going to do. Why did this half to be so hard? Oh yeah, because he was a murderer.
"So, my son, shall we begin?" the braided boy heard the man say through the small, carved window.
"Forgive me father, for it has been seven years since my last confession." Duo slowly began.
"And why is that my boy?"
"I lost faith, I guess I still have, but I needed to talk and get some of these things off my chest before they kill me." He said, keeping his gaze at the ceiling.
"Alright, please continue."
"First off I have killed." He said quietly, almost afraid the priest hadn't heard him and he would have to repeat it. But thankfully the old man hadn't lost his hearing.
"Did you do this out of self defense?"
"Yes…and no. Some I did, some I did to prevent others from getting hurt." He answered truthfully, remembering all the times OZ had targeted innocent bystanders.
The man seemed to be thinking to himself as he "hmm"ed softly.
"You did not take lives for pleasure?" He asked.
"Of course not!" He gasped, wondering just how anyone COULD kill for the 'fun' of it.
The man chuckled softly, making Duo calm down.
"I did not mean any offense, my son, please continue, you are forgiven."
"Second, I have slept with a girl who I am not married to." He said with a slight blush tainting his cheeks.
"Do you love her?" He asked gently.
"Yes."
"Does she love you?"
"Yes."
"Do you plan on marrying her?"
"Yes." He replied definitely, not wanting anyone to think he had doubts about his Bunny.
"May I ask why you did such a thing at your age?"
There was a pause as Duo squeezed his eyes shut tightly.
"I…I had been assigned a suicide mission earlier that day. I did not think I would be coming back to her, and I didn't want to die before I proved to her how much I loved her." He managed to force out, his voice breaking slightly at the end.
"But you did come back."
"Yes, amazingly. Somehow Shinigami was watching out for me again." He muttered to himself, the last part very soft, for he did not wish to insult the kindly old priest.
"You may continue, you have been forgiven."
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He said my son
You're only a man
Then I said sir
You don't understand
This went on for a while till Duo had poured his entire soul out to the man, but making sure not to give him information that would lead him to believe he was a gundam pilot. He made it sound as if he was just another nameless soldier drowning in his sorrows and sins. But he actually, felt a lot better after talking with someone about it.
"Father, do you think I have gone so far I can not go back?" He asked, thinking over all the deeds he had done.
"My son, you are only a man. A young man who is fighting to protect the innocent people of the Earth and the colonies. You are not perfect, but no one is, except God himself." The gray haired priest stated gently, trying to show the boy who seemed to be on the bring of darkness that he could still be saved.
Duo sighed as he stood up and put his hand on the door.
"You don't understand." He said sadly, stepping out of the booth and heading towards the door.
His heart was lighter, yes, lighter than it had been since Bunny had gone missing, but he still felt tainted. Tainted horribly.
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I've held the hand of the devil
Felt his breath on my skin
Dip me into the water
Wash me again
Can I still be forgiven
For all of these things
Or have I gone too far now
Have I lost my wings
Tears slid silently down his cheeks as he thought of the first time he had met the odango haired pilot of ArkAngel. They had gotten along great from the start and it didn't take long for that to grow into full fledged love. He needed her back in his arms now, but she wasn't there. He would never give up on her. Not until he saw her cold, dead body with his own two eyes would he ever admit she was gone. She would not give up on him, and he was not going to lose her trust now. He just hoped that God wasn't secretly plotting on taking her from him because of everything he had done.
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God help us all
For what we have done
We've lost our way
We can't find the sun
Thinking back, the braided boy tried to remember how it had felt during that brief time he had been at the Maxwell church. The warm, comforting feeling, the friendly smiles of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen, the knowledge that he had a home for the first time in his life. Unfortunately it hadn't lasted long. It had been soon after that 'Maxwell Massacre,' as the people called it, that his life had been snatched away from him and plunged into a darkness that he would never find his way out of for years.
But he had finally seen the sun. After Bunny had come waltzing into his life, everything had changed for him. He had realized what he had been fighting for for all that time. She gave him a reason to fight…but more importantly, a reason to live.
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We make our beds
We seal our fate
Is there still time
Or is it too late
Stopping in his tracks, Duo Maxwell stared straight ahead, his eyes wide as he got a sudden flash of understanding. What they were fighting for WAS right, they were fighting for the innocent and good people. The moment any of them had touched the gundanium shield of their fighting partners, their fate had been sealed. It had been the same with the Second opts. group as well. Bunny, Rei, Jen, Hotaru, and Sammy were pilots just like they were. The girls had always said that as long as you never give up, anything is possible. He had never really believed that till now, he was NEVER going to give up. He was going to find Bunny, and make Sister Helen and Father Maxwell proud. He was going to sure no one else had to become a soldier. He just hoped he hadn't realized this too late.
With that, the braided pilot of Deathscythe Hell Custom darted down the street, racing back towards headquarters and his gundam.
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We've held the hand of the devil
Felt his breath on our skin
Dip us into the water
Wash us again
Can we still be forgiven
For all of these things
Or have we gone too far now
Have we long our wings
Zipping up the black and red space suit, Duo rushed to get ready. Thanks to Quatre, their gundams were all fixed up and prepared for battle. The blonde Arabian's fortune came in handy some times. This being one of them.
He was about to put his braid into the helmet and pull it on when he heard someone calling to him. He turned around to see Rei, Bunny's best friend and leader, rushing towards him, her ebony hair flowing out behind her and her crimson and gold piloting suit already geared up. Her smile was cheerful, but her eyes were serious as she stopped in front of him.
"It's about time you came to your senses. I was beginning to think I might have to knock you over the head a few times." She joked, adjusting her scanner.
Duo mearly smirked, pulling the helmet on over his head and giving her a thumbs up.
"Yeah, I'm ready. Lets go!"
Rei nodded before climbing up to her gundam 'Phoenix' and strapping herself in.
The two amethyst eyed pilots started up the giant mechas, checking systems and ammunition. They were ready for anything and they were on a mission…a mission to save a bunny. They were going to do this without the others, because it was their duty. Bunny was Rei's best friend in the entire world, and she was Duo's only family left. Neither was whiling to let her go and god have mercy on those who stood in their way.
'Thrusters, check. Optics…on, check. Wings…' Duo paused his thoughts as he saw the shadow of his gundam creeping across the ground, along beside Phoenix's. Dark, evil looking bat wings spread out to their fullest while Rei's resembled Wing Zero Custom's, only of crimson and gold.
Have we lost our wings
Wings…he hadn't lost his wings…he had simply gained new ones. Ones that would help him to save the girl he loved…Sister Helen would be proud…
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Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoy! Please review at the bottom and tell me what you think. I LOVE hearing from you! Ja ne.
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Duo unconsciously pulled his jacket tighter around him as the piercing winds proceeded in trying to rip it from his body. The numbing cold bit mercilessly at his face, turning his nose a light pink and causing him to lose the feeling in his ears. On any normal day he would have laughed at the thought of trudging so far in the cold by himself…but it wasn't a normal day, and he definitely wasn't laughing. The only thing that was helping to ward off the low temperature, strangely enough, was his braid, which he had wrapped around his neck like a scarf. Things definitely weren't looking up in his favor, but he really didn't think about that at the moment. No. Duo Maxwell's heart was too heavy to feel much of anything anymore. Well, except pain…
The war was raging on as if it would never stop, and it didn't help that the girl he loved, Bunny, was informed "missing" in battle. The others, namely the girl pilots, were frantically looking for any sign of their comrade, but had come up with nothing. He couldn't stand it anymore, he had to get out for a while and that's how he ended up here. Cold, broken hearted, and lost. No, scratch that. He wasn't lost. Upon looking around he realized he recognized his surroundings all too well.
It was funny how life has ways of throwing your pain right back into your face. The braided boy, who had not been paying any attention what so ever on where he was going, had stumbled across a place that brought memories to flash through his mind. Memories he had tried to bury deep inside his heart so that he would no longer have to face them. Memories of a young woman who had been the only mother figure he had ever known.
Rubble lay scattered around the street, none bothering to clear the damage since no one lived in this area anymore. Tears burned the violet eyes of the young pilot, but he refused to allow any to fall. Kami, it looked exactly the same as it did all those years ago. Stepping forward, he slowly approached the large section that was completely demolished, no longer taking note of the winds or coldness. With gentle hands he lifted up a small sign that was partially buried beneath loads of debris. Looking closely he could still make out the golden letters, "Maxwell Church."
He could still remember. In fact, he remembered too clearly. It haunted him in his dreams to the point that he was afraid to sleep at night. Her soft, gentle smile. The caring blue eyes that always shone clearly for him. So much of the past he wished he could redo, he could have saved so many lives…including hers.
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A young, chibi Duo ran breakneck speed down the street. His hair was fanned out behind him as a man in his early thirties chased after him, yelling curses and threats. But this didn't scare him. He was actually quite used to it in fact. Seeing as how people didn't usually like to be stolen from he got this reaction a lot. But what else was he to do? He was an orphan, no one wanted him, no one cared, no one even noticed that he was a boy.
The small seven year old grinned wildly as he dodged around a corner. The fat man was no match for his speed, nor his agility, meaning that he was home free. All he had to do was get this bread back to Solo and…BAM
Duo went sprawling, as he suddenly made contact with an extremely hard obstacle, but his reflexes wouldn't allow him to release the precious food. Looking up he came face to face with an elderly man in a funny black collar and suit. He had never seen someone in such a weird get up before, he would have to ask Solo about it later, but right now he had to get away. Without pausing, he quickly jumped to his feet and darted away from the man, just in case he wanted to try and stop him. Luckily for him the man didn't seem to want to chase him, he only gave him a sympathetic look as Duo turned toward the sweeper's hide out.
Soon after that Duo found himself alone. Solo, his only friend and mentor, had been infected with a deadly virus that had spread rapidly over the colony. In order to save his friend the small boy had broken into the lab in which they had kept the antidotes and stolen some for them, seeing as how they had no money to buy it. His relief, however, had been short lived as he returned to find the older boy already dead, too weak to fight off the infections any longer. Everything he knew was taken from him. He was left by himself, wandering the streets, not really caring what happened to him anymore. But it had been by some great miracle that he had stumbled upon Father Maxwell, who turned out to be the man he had ran into. Yes, that was where he had gotten his name. "Duo" since Solo had told him he would always be with him, and "Maxwell" because of the only home he ever knew.
And yes indeed the Maxwell church had become his home. He had been brought in with a few other orphans on the colony and was to be brought up with schooling, and maybe even get adopted, although that was rather unlikely in these times of war. And that was were he had met Sister Helen. She, like Solo and Father Maxwell, was the only thing close to a family he ever knew. He still remembered how he had almost had a heart attack when she had wanted to cut his hair. She had finally given up and gotten him to agree to let her braid it. She was always so kind and soft hearted to everyone around her. She was an angel in his eyes.
The Sister said
There's only one way
1 Sweet angel boy
Narrow and straight
She would always go to extra lengths to try and be a mother to the little Duo. After she had braided his hair for the first time he had said that he didn't believe in God. He could still see the befuddled expression on her face after he had explained his thoughts.
"Thank you, Sister Helen!" Duo exclaimed happily as he bounced of the blonde woman's lap.
A small laugh escaped her as she watched the boy look at him self in the mirror. He was obviously quite fond of the rather long braid. He had such spirit for someone who had lost so much, it made her happy to know that she could be there for him.
Duo looked at her, then at the cross that hung around her neck. He understood, sort of, what Sister Helen was, but he wasn't quite sure how they could believe so fully in a god who allowed so much pain to happen. And being the curious kid he was, he decided to ask about it.
"Sister Helen?" He said looking up at her, moving so that he was back in the safety of her lap.
It was a new feeling, safety was, and he liked it. He liked it a lot. That was why he stayed so close to the motherly nun as possible. She looked down into his eyes, smiling softly at him.
"Yes, Duo?" She asked, showing he had her attention.
The small boy pointed to the silver cross and gave her a questioning look.
"Sister Helen? Why do you believe in God?"
The young woman looked a bit startled but covered it with a kind smile, knowing that the concept was quite hard for someone so young to understand. She put her arms around the small form that was sitting comfortably in her lap, almost like one did to a child that they were explaining the working of the universe and yet knew it was impossible for them to fully comprehend it.
"Our father, is the one who created us. He made everything, Earth, space, animals, insects, everything alive is because of him. And that is why I believe in him. His love was so great he gave his only son to us to wash away our sins." She informed slowly.
Duo looked rather doubtful, he couldn't see how God made everything. Humans had made the colonies, why did they need someone to make them? He thought that was mammas and daddy's job. They were the ones who had babies, not God. How could God have a baby if he was a guy? It was all just too confusing, he liked his outlook better, it atleast made sense.
Sister Helen seemed to feel his wavering as she gently turned his to the side so she could see him better. As he looked up into her eyes again they were still the soft, caring ones he had always seen from her, she didn't seem mad by his misunderstanding, and looked like she was curious herself.
"Duo? Do you not believe in God?" She asked, still not in the slightest mad.
The young, now braided boy shook his head quickly as a grin plastered across his face. His eyes twinkled merrily as he jumped off her lap.
"Nope! I believe in Shinigami!" He stated proudly, chest puffed out and his closed fists on his hips.
She looked slightly startled, wondering how he could know about a Japanese god. And why exactly he believe in him.
"Why is that?"
"Because! I've never seen a miracle, but sure have seen a lot of dead people!" He said, still in his proud stance.
The young woman couldn't help it, she laughed softly at the small boy's actions. Her eyes softened on him.
"Well, that does make sense I guess. But promise me something Duo. Promise me you will be a good little boy. I don't want you to be hurt alright, and if something ever happens, you must stand up for what you believe in." She said sincerely.
Duo watched the woman for a moment, he saw her eyes shining with unshed tears as she laid her hand gently on his shoulder. He didn't mean to make her cry! That was the last thing wanted to do! He hurriedly scrambled back into her lap and hugged her tightly.
"I promise Sister Helen! I promise I'll be a good boy! Just don't cry, please!" He begged, burying his face into her front.
Her pale blue eyes shone as she hugged the little boy. He was such a little angel. Rubbing his hair gently, she smiled down at him, forcing her tears to disappear for his sake.
"It's alright Duo, I'm not going to cry. Why don't you go off and play with the others, sweet angel boy." She encouraged, not really noticing the new nickname she had given the chestnut haired child.
He watched her for a moment to make sure she wasn't going to cry. Upon seeing she was fine his famous smile came back and he bounced off her lap and down the hall to were the other kids were at the moment. It never acured to him to go against her wishes. He would do anything for her, and if being a good boy was what she wanted, then that was what he was going to be…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Time it has passed
Teachings they fade
Now her angel boy
Has gone astray
He still held the guilt for not being the little angel she had always made him out to be. But times had changed. He had changed. He was a soldier now, one that had the blood of hundreds on his hands. Hands that he had promised her would only do good. But he couldn't stop now, even if that's what he wanted. No, he was a gundam pilot, one that was bound to his missions and the war. He knew the kind woman would be ashamed to see him know, but what else could he do?
OZ was evil, that's all there was to it. And he had to stop them. Nothing he could do could change what he's done. He just hoped she would find some way to forgive him. Sure, some would say that it was God he should be trying to get forgiveness from, but he couldn't can two flips what God thought. God hadn't been there to stop the soldiers from destroying the church. God hadn't been there when Solo had died. God hadn't been there when so many innocent people had been hurt by the Romefeller Foundation. No. All he cared about was that if Sister Helen and Father Maxwell could find it in their hearts to forgive him. To forgive him for not being able to save them, or stop OZ. To forgive him for becoming the killer he was now.
To many, he seemed like a carefree person. One that looked forward to the future and always held a bright smile. Yeah…well, they were wrong. He couldn't look as his hands anymore without seeing them dripping with crimson blood. Blood that he could never be cleansed of. Bunny was the only one he found reassurance in anymore. At night she would hold him tightly, warding off the nightmares. He found sanctuary in her arms and when she wasn't there with him he didn't know if he could take it. Sleepless nights, fitful daydreams, bloody hands. It was all too much. Of course the others noticed, or at least he thought they did. He was pretty sure they had an idea of what he was going through, seeing as how they were soldiers as well. But even though Rei and the others would try to cheer him up when his rabbit and him were apart, it didn't do much besides make him pull more into himself and break off from them. He never meant to do it. It was an unconscious thing. He would hide it with a smile and turn to pranks and jokes to try and keep his mind off of it, but that only last for a little while. Soon the dreams would be back, and they would always be worse than before. Some of the worst were about past missions, having to resee all the evil things he had done. Sure, the doctors tried to tell them it was all for the good of the colonies, but he didn't think any of them believed the old crackpots anymore. Murder was murder, and they had all done their fair share of it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I've held the hand of the Devil
Felt his breath on my skin
Dip me into the water
Wash me again
Can I still be forgiven
For all of these things
Or have I gone too far now
Have I lost my wings
1.1 Duo, the self proclaimed "Shinigami", snuck stealthily around the guards that were on patrol around the west side of the base. It was pitch black outside, but that didn't stop him. He was a master of the night. Muwahahaha! Nothing could come up against the GOD OF DEATH!
The braided pilot snickered to himself silently as he surpressed those ideas and thought over his plans. This was to be his first real mission and he was determined to not screw it up. It was an easy "in, get info, out, destroy base, no survivors." Yeah, he could handle this.
With the agility of a cat, the black clad boy dodged around the corner of the building to where he was clear of prying eyes that might interfere. Easily picking the lock to the secured door, he slipped in unnoticed by all. This was going to be easier than he thought. He smirked as he ducked into the shadows, right before a soldier walked right past him, not once noticing the intruder. Man…these OZ people were really stupid!
Once the man was out of sight he turned and raced towards where he knew the main computer would be. If everything went well he could be back home, er…his base, within the hour. Duo, however, wasn't one for remembering details. He had rounded another corner before he realized he forgot the exact location of the room. If he went into the wrong room he could trip an alarm and that was something he definitely didn't want to do that. Slowing till he was slipping sneakily down hall, trying with all his might to catch anything that was familiar. But no such luck.
The braided pilot was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't realize someone was coming down the hall till they were practically ontop of him.
"INTRUDER!" Came a sudden cry, making the unsuspecting pilot to almost have a heart attack.
Yeah, that would be good, die on his first mission…not by bullets but by heart failure! He cringed slightly as he felt himself be jerked around then slammed into the wall. This was SO not good. The blue eyed boy looked up to come face to face with a rather older aged soldier. His hair was graying slightly, and the beginning of wrinkles were quite clear, but Duo was more worried about the gun that was currently being pressed to his head. Dr. G was going to have a FIELD DAY when he hears this!
The man's yells hadn't gone unnoticed as about fifteen guards suddenly filled the hall, all of which had their guns trained on his head. Like he said, this was SO not good. He quickly plastered a huge smile across his face as he pretended that nothing was wrong.
"Hey guys! What's up?" He asked cheerfully.
Oh boy did that ever NOT work…
Biting back tears, Duo grunted as he felt the hot iron being pressed against his back for about the thirtieth time. These OZ people were heartless and cruel! He had been there for almost three days and all they did was torture him for information…which of course he never gave. Did they really expect him to tell them anything!? He would sooner die! He felt the burning of his flesh as the metal was pushed farther into his back. It was like his brain was on fire from the pain. He couldn't stand this for much longer, he could feel two of his ribs broken, bruises and gashes decorated his body while his clothes were now drenched in the crimson blood…his blood. But he had an idea. He wasn't going to be held there forever, in fact, last time they had drug him back to his cell they hadn't bothered to shackle him because of his weakened state. Maybe, if we could act that hurt again he could escape and blow the place up. It was his only hope…
Black smoke surrounded the young pilot as he surveyed his work. His back and arms hurt like slag, as did his legs or any part of his body for that matter, but his mission had still been a success. He had broken away from the soldiers before they had shoved him into the small, metal room and managed to fight them off. Taking their guns he had forced his way into the control room and gotten the information he needed and had "blown that popsickle stand"…literally. The fire was enormous as the flames licked the night sky. That had been his first mission. And it had been his first sight into what he had gotten himself into…something he would regret for the rest of his life.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I found a priest
I spoke my mind
Asked if I'd sinned
One too many times
Duo carefully propped the sign up against a pile of rubble, making sure it wouldn't be left hidden away. He wanted everyone to see how hate destroyed lives. Tucking his hands deep into his pockets once again, he trudged down the street, hoping to escape the memories. And yet knowing he would fail to do so.
He lost track of time again, till he found himself at the front steps of a grand cathedral. A giant statue of the Virgin Mary stood looking down with her arms reaching out, as if calling for him. Tearing his eyes away from the motherly woman, he slowly made his way up the many steps and to the giant, looming doors. Pulling on the old fashioned knob, he gently guided it open till he could slip in. Silently closing it behind him he began to make his way towards the confession booths. If he was there he might as well get some things off his chest. Maybe it would make him feel better.
He waited patiently while a young, brunette woman, who had obviously been in confession previously, shook the priest's hand gratefully before picking up her purse and heading for the doors. After the young lady had left, the kind faced man turned his attention toward him.
"Umm…I'm kinda here for confession." Duo muttered softly, suddenly wondering why he had wanted to do this in the first place.
The man sensed his discomfort and placed a firm and reassuring hand on his shoulder. Looking up, the amethyst eyed boy locked gazes with the elder's pale green.
"Do not worry, my son, you will feel much better after you cleanse your soul." He said gently.
With a wordless nod Duo opened the door to the small booth, sitting himself on the bench and leaning back against the wall so he was watching the ceiling. Yes, very interesting ceiling. He let out a silent sigh as he gathered his courage for what he was going to do. Why did this half to be so hard? Oh yeah, because he was a murderer.
"So, my son, shall we begin?" the braided boy heard the man say through the small, carved window.
"Forgive me father, for it has been seven years since my last confession." Duo slowly began.
"And why is that my boy?"
"I lost faith, I guess I still have, but I needed to talk and get some of these things off my chest before they kill me." He said, keeping his gaze at the ceiling.
"Alright, please continue."
"First off I have killed." He said quietly, almost afraid the priest hadn't heard him and he would have to repeat it. But thankfully the old man hadn't lost his hearing.
"Did you do this out of self defense?"
"Yes…and no. Some I did, some I did to prevent others from getting hurt." He answered truthfully, remembering all the times OZ had targeted innocent bystanders.
The man seemed to be thinking to himself as he "hmm"ed softly.
"You did not take lives for pleasure?" He asked.
"Of course not!" He gasped, wondering just how anyone COULD kill for the 'fun' of it.
The man chuckled softly, making Duo calm down.
"I did not mean any offense, my son, please continue, you are forgiven."
"Second, I have slept with a girl who I am not married to." He said with a slight blush tainting his cheeks.
"Do you love her?" He asked gently.
"Yes."
"Does she love you?"
"Yes."
"Do you plan on marrying her?"
"Yes." He replied definitely, not wanting anyone to think he had doubts about his Bunny.
"May I ask why you did such a thing at your age?"
There was a pause as Duo squeezed his eyes shut tightly.
"I…I had been assigned a suicide mission earlier that day. I did not think I would be coming back to her, and I didn't want to die before I proved to her how much I loved her." He managed to force out, his voice breaking slightly at the end.
"But you did come back."
"Yes, amazingly. Somehow Shinigami was watching out for me again." He muttered to himself, the last part very soft, for he did not wish to insult the kindly old priest.
"You may continue, you have been forgiven."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
He said my son
You're only a man
Then I said sir
You don't understand
This went on for a while till Duo had poured his entire soul out to the man, but making sure not to give him information that would lead him to believe he was a gundam pilot. He made it sound as if he was just another nameless soldier drowning in his sorrows and sins. But he actually, felt a lot better after talking with someone about it.
"Father, do you think I have gone so far I can not go back?" He asked, thinking over all the deeds he had done.
"My son, you are only a man. A young man who is fighting to protect the innocent people of the Earth and the colonies. You are not perfect, but no one is, except God himself." The gray haired priest stated gently, trying to show the boy who seemed to be on the bring of darkness that he could still be saved.
Duo sighed as he stood up and put his hand on the door.
"You don't understand." He said sadly, stepping out of the booth and heading towards the door.
His heart was lighter, yes, lighter than it had been since Bunny had gone missing, but he still felt tainted. Tainted horribly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I've held the hand of the devil
Felt his breath on my skin
Dip me into the water
Wash me again
Can I still be forgiven
For all of these things
Or have I gone too far now
Have I lost my wings
Tears slid silently down his cheeks as he thought of the first time he had met the odango haired pilot of ArkAngel. They had gotten along great from the start and it didn't take long for that to grow into full fledged love. He needed her back in his arms now, but she wasn't there. He would never give up on her. Not until he saw her cold, dead body with his own two eyes would he ever admit she was gone. She would not give up on him, and he was not going to lose her trust now. He just hoped that God wasn't secretly plotting on taking her from him because of everything he had done.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
God help us all
For what we have done
We've lost our way
We can't find the sun
Thinking back, the braided boy tried to remember how it had felt during that brief time he had been at the Maxwell church. The warm, comforting feeling, the friendly smiles of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen, the knowledge that he had a home for the first time in his life. Unfortunately it hadn't lasted long. It had been soon after that 'Maxwell Massacre,' as the people called it, that his life had been snatched away from him and plunged into a darkness that he would never find his way out of for years.
But he had finally seen the sun. After Bunny had come waltzing into his life, everything had changed for him. He had realized what he had been fighting for for all that time. She gave him a reason to fight…but more importantly, a reason to live.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We make our beds
We seal our fate
Is there still time
Or is it too late
Stopping in his tracks, Duo Maxwell stared straight ahead, his eyes wide as he got a sudden flash of understanding. What they were fighting for WAS right, they were fighting for the innocent and good people. The moment any of them had touched the gundanium shield of their fighting partners, their fate had been sealed. It had been the same with the Second opts. group as well. Bunny, Rei, Jen, Hotaru, and Sammy were pilots just like they were. The girls had always said that as long as you never give up, anything is possible. He had never really believed that till now, he was NEVER going to give up. He was going to find Bunny, and make Sister Helen and Father Maxwell proud. He was going to sure no one else had to become a soldier. He just hoped he hadn't realized this too late.
With that, the braided pilot of Deathscythe Hell Custom darted down the street, racing back towards headquarters and his gundam.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We've held the hand of the devil
Felt his breath on our skin
Dip us into the water
Wash us again
Can we still be forgiven
For all of these things
Or have we gone too far now
Have we long our wings
Zipping up the black and red space suit, Duo rushed to get ready. Thanks to Quatre, their gundams were all fixed up and prepared for battle. The blonde Arabian's fortune came in handy some times. This being one of them.
He was about to put his braid into the helmet and pull it on when he heard someone calling to him. He turned around to see Rei, Bunny's best friend and leader, rushing towards him, her ebony hair flowing out behind her and her crimson and gold piloting suit already geared up. Her smile was cheerful, but her eyes were serious as she stopped in front of him.
"It's about time you came to your senses. I was beginning to think I might have to knock you over the head a few times." She joked, adjusting her scanner.
Duo mearly smirked, pulling the helmet on over his head and giving her a thumbs up.
"Yeah, I'm ready. Lets go!"
Rei nodded before climbing up to her gundam 'Phoenix' and strapping herself in.
The two amethyst eyed pilots started up the giant mechas, checking systems and ammunition. They were ready for anything and they were on a mission…a mission to save a bunny. They were going to do this without the others, because it was their duty. Bunny was Rei's best friend in the entire world, and she was Duo's only family left. Neither was whiling to let her go and god have mercy on those who stood in their way.
'Thrusters, check. Optics…on, check. Wings…' Duo paused his thoughts as he saw the shadow of his gundam creeping across the ground, along beside Phoenix's. Dark, evil looking bat wings spread out to their fullest while Rei's resembled Wing Zero Custom's, only of crimson and gold.
Have we lost our wings
Wings…he hadn't lost his wings…he had simply gained new ones. Ones that would help him to save the girl he loved…Sister Helen would be proud…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoy! Please review at the bottom and tell me what you think. I LOVE hearing from you! Ja ne.