Authors Notes: I DID NOT WRITE THIS CHAPTER! The VERY talented and intelligent Tenshi-Neesan did! (Another of my Oneesan's.) SERIOUS Ririna and MAMORU bashing ahead so don't read if that would offend you.
***
Chapter Twenty: The Solitary Dragon
Wufei stared at the motinless body ignoring Ririna's laughter. Memories of his
time with this girl flashed quickly and violently through his mind.
*
"What are you crying for, Onna?"
Usagi turned startled and saw a Chinese boy with his hair pulled into a painful looking ponytail. "Who?"
Wufei glared at her. He had went to Quatre's mansion to inform him and Trowa that Hiiro felt a mission coming up but he couldn't find anyone at all. He had decided to come to Quatre's training gym and hadn't expected to see a woman practicing a complex yet beautiful kata. "I'm Chang Wufei."
Usagi bowed her head slightly wiping a small amount of sweat off her brow. "My name is Usagi. Are you another friend of Quatre-san's?"
Wufei nodded his eyes distracted. "Where did you learn that kata?" Parts of it were similar to some of the secret moves of his now gone tribe and he was determined to find where a mere woman had learned it.
"A friend taught me long ago and I modified it to suit me."
Wufei frowned, "Who?"
Usagi glanced at him interest lightly shining in her eyes. "I'll only tell if you take your hair down. That looks painful..."
Wufei glared at her but did as requested and let his hair down. He saw her cheeks turn pink and scowled more. "Come on, Onna I'm waiting."
Usagi pouted at him, "My name is Usagi. U-S-A-G-I.
*
'Usagi....' Wufei couldn't tear his gaze away from her still form. She had been so full of life such a short time ago.
*
Wufei's head jerked up as he heard someone open the door next to his room. He
quietly climbed out of the shower throwing his pants back on. As soon as the
person entered his room he grabbed them and slammed them against the wall. As
he realized who it was he scowled and then he realized what she was wearing.
Usagi blushed brightly as she stared up at Wufei. "Ummm could you let go?" She asked her cheeks as pink as her towel.
Wufei glanced down and saw where his hand was. His face turned as red as a tomato and he hurriedly pulled away. "I..."
Usagi pulled the towel tighter around her. "It's all right I shouldn't have barged in like that. You wouldn't happen to have any extra clothes would you?"
Wufei stared at her for a long moment. Since he had been thinking of her earlier and admitted he felt an attraction towards her he now studied her in detail. His eyes focused on her lips and he noticed water pearled there. Before Usagi could comprehend what she was doing he leaned forward and in a feather soft kiss erased the moisture. His hands gently grabbed Usagi's shoulders and he leaned forward once more his lips touching her forehead and then slowly trailing to her cheek and finally to her rosebud red lips.
Usagi trembled water from her bath cooling on her skin. Wufei was a heck of a lot different kisser then she would have imagined. She let her eyes close as he continued the soft caresses of his lips against her skin. She shivered slightly as he pulled her closer to him.
Wufei stared at the girl's closed eyes. He wondered if she was attempting to pretend he was someone else and he felt himself frown at even the thought of it. "Usagi," he whispered softly.
Usagi's eyes slowly opened. "Ha... hai, Wufei?" She whispered shakily.
Wufei smiled slightly and kissed her again. "Keep your eyes open, Usagi.
I want to see you when I kiss you."
*
'Usagi.' Wufei thought his body starting to tremble as he stared at those same lips he had kissed that were now covered in red blood.
*
Wufei listened to the conversation for a moment but his thoughts were on his
own foolish acts with Usagi. He knew he shouldn't have kissed her but her showing
up at that exact moment was too convenient. He watched her for a long moment
his dark eyes clouded with his thoughts. "I'll buy you some better clothes
tomorrow, Usagi."
Usagi turned and grinned, "Arigato, Wufei-chan," She squealed
hugging him. She backed away and flashed a dazzling smile at both Wufei and
Trowa before she went to her room.
*
Wufei closed his eyes. It had been the first time she had called him any sort of endearment. Ririna's laughter seemed to fade away even more as another memory came upon him.
*
Wufei frowned and Usagi caught it. She giggled, "Are you jealous, Fei-chan?"
*
Wufei stared down at her. She'd never call him that again. He'd never hear her
giggles or see her smile. 'Usagi.'
*
"Fei-chan" Usagi looked up at him her eyes pleading.
*
Wufei swallowed. 'Usagi don't.'
*
"Fei-chan!" Usagi scolded.
*
Wufei felt tears start to appear in his eyes. 'Iie I can't.. I shouldn't.
I won't cry.' He shook his head slightly, 'I didn't mean it Usagi'
*
"Fei-chan?" Usagi whispered softly her eyes looking up at him confusion
shining in her eyes.
Fei-chan!
Fei-chan...
Fei-chan?
*
Wufei shook his head attempting to end the memories. Ririna's laughter seemed to fade back in, bouncing off his mind, and his eyes flickered in reaction. It was as if he became somebody else. He wasn't Chang Wufei, the solitary dragon who found women weak nor the pilot for Nataku. He was only Chang Wufei, the man who had just watched the woman he loved die in front of him.
He stared at Ririna with unbelievable hatred for taking away the only thing that mattered to him. In one swift motion, he was the embodiment of grace and ruthlessness. Leaping through the air, his katana flashed out in a series of slashes in the direction of Ririna before somehow ending up buried to the hilt in her shoulder. Ririna screamed in pain, as Wufei felt the flames of his soul rising to claim yet another victim. She was responsible. She had taken the only thing that mattered in his life.
"Feel that you stupid onna? Feel how that pain just hits you, making you want to hunch over and die?" He whispered harshly with a strange gleam in his eyes that almost looked as if his eyes had changed colour. He ignored her whimpers, and the shocked gasps of the other pilots behind him. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else but this burning urge for revenge.
With a cruel jerk of his hands, the blade twisted in her shoulder as Ririna screeched once again, her voice ending in a moan of pain as her hands came up to the katana.
"Does it feel worse? I assure you, a sword death can be much more painful, and much slower than bullets. I'll make sure of it," he promised grimly, with a slightly crazed smile on his face.
He felt as if he were teetering on the edge of his sanity. He could not describe the devastation that swept through his soul. He wanted to hurt Ririna so badly. He wanted her to feel every ounce of agony that was in him. He wanted her to SUFFER like he was now, like he was somehow dying. Usagi was his blood. Without her, it didn't matter anymore. He closed his eyes momentarily, thinking of the way her blue eyes used to sparkle at him when she teased him, or the determination she showed even as he tried to push her away. He missed the look in Ririna's eyes as she grabbed the blade of the sword and shoved him away with surprising strength.
He jumped back a few steps, watching in astonishment at the light that flared into her eyes.
"You can't kill me with that stupid sword," she breathed harshly, clutching at her wound at her shoulder.
"Watch me," he whispered, his eyes ignited with the agony and hatred
in his heart. It was as if someone completely took over at that moment, and
he was no longer himself. All he saw was Ririna Peacecraft, the one who had
taken the one light of purity in his life.
Ririna pulled her gun out once again, aiming for him as he charged straight at her. She laughed maniacally as she was about to fire, only to have her mouth fly open in shock as he seemingly disappeared into thin air and reappeared right behind her. His katana was right at her throat, his mouth next to her ear.
"Shi-ne."
With one clean slice, she never got a chance to even scream as her throat was slit. He allowed her body to crumple lifelessly to the ground, watching with deadened eyes as the blood pooled around her.
Nothing mattered.
Nothing mattered anymore.
There was no satisfaction in the moment, and something was still dying within him. Blood trickled from the blade of his katana, and he looked at the red mixed with the silver, dripping onto the ground. The katana clanged onto the ground as he released his grip on it. The emptiness echoed in his soul as he stared at Usagi's body just laying there. Kneeling next to her, unbearable rage suddenly filled him as he grabbed her body and shook her.
"Wake up, onna! Damnit! Just wake up!!"
He refused to believe that he would never get to taste those lips, or feel her skin beneath his, or how incredible every single moment was with her. Simply because he was with her. Simply because she made his life worth living once again. Suddenly, he wanted so badly for her to run her fingers through his hair that she loved so much. He had tried so hard to fight his feelings for her. He didn't want them, didn't need them. But she made him realise how he hadn't been living until he had met her.
All the fighting and the killing in the world could not bring her back to him.
She was gone. Just like that.
"Wake up, onna. I need you so badly," he whispered, the pain evident in the hoarseness of his voice.
He needed to hear her laugh, that which soothed his soul. He needed to see her smiles, that which made him feel alive. He needed her love, that which made him feel complete.
He remembered each time he'd tried to push her away, and he wished so desperately
that he could go back in time and change those moments. Iie. He could not think
like that. She wasn't dead. This was some cruel trick that one of the guys were
playing on him.
"Which one of you bastards did this?" He called out, his voice almost
unrecognizable at this point.
Delusions and fantasy had sunk in. In his mind, Usagi was smiling beautifully, beckoning him with open arms. In his mind, Usagi was alive. He visualized her, and he could almost feel her breath against his face, the soft touch of her hands on his skin. She would smile at him, feeling like sunshine upon his face. "Fei-chan, feel our baby. Can you feel him kicking?" His child. Something within him broke at the thought. Where on earth had that thought come from?
He looked at the lifeless body in his arms, her lips losing none of its rosyness even in death, her face losing none of its allure. He could only feel the emotions at never being able to spend another moment with her, basking in her warmth, and sharing their love. She had shown him all that. He could swear he could still feel the life beating within her, and he shook his head, trying to fight the insanity that was setting upon him. Grief. Pain. They all were a part of his soul, for nothing was important anymore. Not since she was gone.
"Our baby, Fei-chan."
He blinked. He swore that sound came from somewhere. Had he sunk so far in the depths of his miseries that he'd taken to imagining things in his mind? He suddenly sensed another presence near him, her smile sad, and her red eyes reflecting a shared pain.
"She was pregnant, wasn't she?" He demanded fiercely as Setsuna stared at him in surprise.
"Does it matter now that she's gone?"
"I..."
He didn't want to believe. The question... the voice in his mind seemed to suggest otherwise. Surely he hadn't gone insane. If he had, he wouldn't be questioning himself this way. He had to cling on that one last hope. If he could do anything possible, he'd have her by his side. But if it meant his life in exchange for hers, he'd do it in a heartbeat. The world deserved to have her in its life, and the child he knew for a fact to be growing in her.
"What do I have to do to get her back?" He asked flatly.
"She's dead, Wufei."
"I know you're keeping something from me. You've seen the future, so you must've known this would happen. You'd be fighting heaven and earth to keep your princess alive if this was truly the end, just like I would."
The grief in the room was palpable as Haruka choked back a sob. Tears were shimmering in everyone's eyes, and Mamoru merely smirked off to the side.
"That mission certainly went well didn't it?" He called out irritatingly, and Wufei was burning with anger. First, the psycho Ririna and her equally insane son. Now the ex-husband who didn't seem to understand the meaning of the word. They were all going to pay.
A faint humming sounded in the room, distracting everyone including him. Whirling around to find the source of it, he found himself staring into the dark eyes of an extremely beautiful onna. She was dressed impeccably, her dress like air, wispy layers that seemed to float around her. A hood hid the rest of her hair and her face was hidden within the shadows.
"Who the hell are you?" He demanded, more out of shock than anything else. He'd been so ready to kill, and risk his own life if needs be.
"I'm sorry this had to happen," she said softly, her voice filled with untold sadness. She nodded her head at Setsuna who stood not too far away from them.
"Are you responsible for this?" He yelled angrily, as the others just stared at her in confusion.
"Where did you come from?" Hiiro asked coldly, his gun drawn at her. She met his gaze unflinching, displaying a strength of character that somehow seemed all too familiar.
"Does it matter? I'm here to clean up the mess I made. I... it pains me
to see... Usagi die as well, demo Ririna needed to die first before I could
do anything. Heero
stole things that did not belong to him. He called upon things he knew nothing
about and thus upset the balance of the world. In my carelessness, I had allowed
him to do all that. I should've known better," the woman said with a strange
calmness.
"You mean to say this is all your fault?!" Wufei nearly shouted at her, though she simply glared at him right back.
"In a manner of speaking, it is. Demo, it's not her fault that Heero turned out as crazy as his mother," Setsuna explained.
She frowned slightly, taking in the people gathered in the room. Shaking her
head, she sighed. "I guess I was too late to save Heero, ne? Mom's not
going to be
pleased with that part."
Shrugging her shoulders, an odd light had begun surrounding her as she began chanting incantations in a strange language that nobody understood. The air around her began to stir, and the electricity that hummed through the air was eerie. None of them knew how to react, though Wufei just sat there staring, trying to digest what was going on. The power levels of the mysterious onna who had just shown up exceeded the boy's, and he could even feel a certain amount of restraint as her eyes suddenly flew open, golden and almost feral in nature.
A tempest had begun in the room, and a startled shout came from Mamoru as he found a puff of smoke forming at the bottom of his feet. It began spreading upwards, and by some strange unknown means, it somehow just enveloped him. When the mist cleared, he wasn't there anymore.
"Did you just kill Mamoru despite the speech you just gave?" Wufei asked dumbfounded.
She grinned at him. "That's just cleaning house. Mom's okay with stuff like that."
She paused slightly as everyone turned to look at her, fascinated and astonished
by what they had just seen.
"If you just did that..." Duo began to ask.
Compassion shone from her dark eyes, and she hung her head sadly.
"Can't you revive her??" Hiiro demanded.
"Iie. I cannot. Not without..."
"Without what??" Wufei immediately leapt back into the conversation.
"I'll do anything for her, including
give up my own life."
The sea of nods behind him made the woman take a step back. "Nothing as
drastic as that. If I used all your lives, I could recessitate (revive) a dozen
Usagis. Although I'm sure none of you here would mind," she said with a
mischievous gleam in her eyes.
Setsuna made a tsk'ing noise from the back, and the woman spun around to glare
at her. "You always spoil my fun, Setsuna."
"You know what happens when you interrupt the time stream and stay here for too long."
The woman let out a deep sigh, and shook her head. "This is the thanks I get for trying to save the day, ne?"
"Hello? Dead Usagi on the floor?" Duo prompted, and she smiled at them.
"It makes me so happy to know that there are that many people who are
there for her, and who will protect her for always. My solution is simple. What
I will do is
draw on a bit of your life force, combine it all, and return the Usagi you all
know."
"Do it then, onna."
Her eyes flashed at him, and everyone swore there was a scowl on her pretty face. Her features, though somewhat hidden by the hood, had displayed a pert nose, and strong cheekbones.
"I hate it when you call me that," she muttered. "It may sting a little so don't cry."
Shouts of indignation rose as Setsuna covered a chuckle behind her mouth. If only they knew what she did...
The wind stirred once again, as the young woman closed her eyes in concentration. Her arms outstretched to either side of her, fingers performing an intricate dance, sweat began beading on her forehead as the light enveloped her.
For each person present, they felt a strange warmth suffusing their blood, and a sudden unexpected pain shooting through their bodies. Hiiro, Wufei, and Haruka managed to contain their shouts, and although faint sounds came from each person, the loudest came from Duo, who was howling. Brows furrowed in disgust at the braided pilot, and a laugh sounded from the back of the room.
A bright light exploded, and when everyone present had recovered, they were shocked to see a beautiful glowing ball hovering above Usagi's body. The sorceress, or whatever she was, was staring at the ball in awe, fascinated beyond belief.
"You look at it like you've never seen it before," Seiya commented.
"Well I haven't. It's my first time attempting such a spell."
"NANI?!" They chorused angrily, as she put her hands up as if to silence them.
"Hey, would Setsuna let me proceed if I didn't know what I was doing? Now be quiet, and let me concentrate."
Eyes narrowing, with her palms in front of her, she began lowering her hands, and the ball began following suit, entering Usagi's body slowly. A sudden unexpected rush of air swept through the room upon the ball completely disappearing into Usagi, sending her hood flying back.
They all watched Usagi expectantly, crossing their fingers, hoping, praying anything. Wufei began wishing feverishly. He'd hoped that this crazy woman could somehow bring back the only one he loved. As minutes passed by, nothing happened. She still lay there as still as death, not an ounce of breath puffing through her rosy lips.
He gave her a deadly look, for giving him false hope, and that look should've sent her cowering. Instead she met his gaze dead on, raising her eyebrow in question.
"I don't know how long it takes before it works. Yes, it's magic but it doesn't always work the way you believe it should. I don't believe she was fully dead anyway. A part of her still lived. And you knew that. That's why you hoped."
Shock went through him. How on earth could she have known that?
Suddenly, a shout came from the supposedly dead body next to his. "FEI-CHAN!!!"
He immediately turned his gaze to find Usagi staring at him blankly and in confusion.
"Fei-chan?" She said with an adorable look on his face.
Happiness unlike anything he'd ever known flooded through him. The sense of wonderment, of completion, that the one he loved had returned, and had said his name. He paused, blinking his eyes at her in astonishment. She. Said. His. Name.
"Did you just say what I think you just said?"
"I said your name, Fei-chan."
The young woman giggled beside them, drawing the attention of the other people who were relieved at the sight of Usagi being alive, and rendering them all speechless by what they saw.
He was oblivious to everything else except the woman who sat up cross-legged in front of him. Beautiful. Never had she looked so beautiful, so precious, and so damned alive. He thanked every God he knew off the top of his head, and to several others he might've offended as he cursed them all for taking away his love. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but the fact that she was marvelously alive.
With two quick steps, he closed the distance between them, crouching down briefly to lift a startled Usagi into his arms. Crushing her in his arms, he could feel her own slender ones wrapping themselves around his neck as he buried his face in her silky hair.
"Don't EVER do that to me again, onna."
She pulled back slightly and gave him a pout. "Usagi. Can you say that? USAGI. Come on now."
He wanted to scowl at her, though a smile was threatening to break on his face. Deciding it would be too much for the other members present, he scowled at her instead, though his black eyes were twinkling at her. His hand reached out to brush a few strands of hair that had fallen forward, obstructing his vision of her. He could stare at her forever.
"I love you, Usagi."
She grinned at him. "Did I hear you correctly? Did you just call me Usagi?"
He couldn't help it. The happiness that was swirling about his heart, the relief at seeing her back in his arms again, and the simple fact that she loved him broke the barrier that had kept him the solitary dragon all these years. Shocking the living daylights out of everyone, he chuckled. Actually that had been an understatement. Stunning them into silence would've been more accurate.
"Did Wu-man just laugh?" Duo uttered.
"Don't call me Wu-man!" He roared out, and Usagi giggled in his arms.
"H..hai, I think so." Quatre replied slowly.
"..."
Trowa just blinked at him as silvery laughter sounded in the room.
"You make it sound like it's the first time this has happened," the woman's voice sounded out.
"Shouldn't you get going?" Setsuna asked, worry lacing her voice, trying to shoo the woman out before anyone else caught on.
Usagi turned around slowly, as did he, and for the first time, they caught a glimpse of Usagi's saviour. As it turned out, she was a lot younger than they had first assumed her to be. Maybe thirteen at most, her most impressive feature was perhaps her mass of silvery-purple hair, or her incredibly dark eyes. Or the fact that she bore a remarkable resemblance to... Wufei couldn't control his jaw as it fell to the ground.
"Onna, is that your relative?" He demanded incredulously.
An all-knowing smile lit up her face as she caught the eye of the young woman in front of her. The other woman grinned in return as she took a step back, ignoring the confounded look on everyone's faces.
"Onna???"
"Uhh right, she's my err cousin."
Setsuna, one of the only few to catch on to the joke, began laughing as did
the other young woman. Haruka merely shook her head, though a smile had broken
out on her face. Seiya chuckled, having gotten used to such events happening
in their world. But perhaps for now, it was best that this baka didn't know
what was
going on.
"Arigatoo for everything," Usagi said beside him, as she moved forward out of Wufei's arms. Giving the woman a swift hug, she whispered, "I'll be seeing you soon."
"In about nine months or so," the young girl replied impishly with a wink. "Part of my duties in returning here is to also return Ail to his time. Setsuna will bring Haruka and Seiya back to their time. Are you ready yet, Ail?"
He smiled at Usagi, giving her a brief hug, and ignoring Wufei's scowl. "You take care, Usagi-chan. Promise me, if anything bad ever happens, you'll find me."
He glared at Wufei in warning before following the young girl to a spot near the middle of the room.
"Well minna-chan, it's been fun, demo it's time for me to leave!"
She gave a bright sunny smile, and not for the first time, Wufei found himself
wondering who on
earth she reminded him of.
"I suppose I should thank you before you leave. You did well for an onna," he said grudgingly.
She glared at him before rolling her eyes, muttering something about inheriting the right traits. Closing her eyes in concentration, the same humming that had penetrated the room earlier resumed, and they just disappeared.
"I guess it's our turn to say goodbye, ne?" Haruka stared at Setsuna who gave her a nod. She gave Usagi a big hug, nearly crushing her with her strength. "If you ever need me, koneko-chan, you just need to holler. I'll be there for you. And you," She turned around to give Wufei a dirty look. "You were not my first choice, but if she loves you, I support her decision. If you ever hurt her though, you'll have my fists to answer to."
He grunted, not really trusting himself with a response, only to find himself nearly growling as Seiya approached Usagi. He seethed as he watched him pick up her delicate hand and press a kiss to it. "Odango, if you ever change your mind about that baka, promise you'll come find me first." His hands fairly itched to pick up that katana lying close by, so within reach. All he had to do was stretch his fingers out a little. Usagi giggled and hugged him tight.
"You know that's never going to happen, Seiya. But arigatoo minna, for everything." Her eyes were bright with unshed tears of gratitude.
"As always Princess, the honour was entirely ours." Setsuna said with a bow, before they took a step backwards into the dark hole that enveloped them.
"You care to tell us what that was all about Bunny?"
Usagi shook her head, though she gazed at them inquisitively. "What happened to me anyway?"
No one spoke up and she pouted. "Won't anyone tell me?"
"It's not important, Goddess. All that matters is that you're back with us."
"Be happy, Usagi-hime."
"Your happiness is all that matters."
"And if Wu-man upsets you, you know where to find four very available
bachelors," Duo added mischievously, edging towards the door for the explosion
soon to
come. "Although I'm a limited time offer..."
Usagi smiled at them, and she knew somehow each and every one of them had been
involved with bringing her back. Each man would forever hold a special place
in
her heart, and she had enough room for all of them, even though it was the man
beside her that had her love.
"You have done so much for me. You've been my friend, and you've always been there for me. I don't deserve this..."
"Don't say that," Quatre protested.
"Just be sure to invite to the wedding, and save us some cake, Bunny!"
She blushed, and Wufei scowled at them all. "Don't you have some place better to go?"
He felt a moment's guilt and he knew the heartbreak that they would each need to get over in their own way. But he also realised that none of them would've ever regretted ever having met her, or having them in their lives. He would feel the same way if the situations were reversed.
With the last of the goodbyes finally done, he couldn't wait to finally get her in his arms once again. Brushing his lips softly against his own, he held her tight, murmuring into her ear, "I don't know what I did to deserve you, demo I'll spend the rest of my life proving to you that you made the right choice."
"There was never any choice," she whispered, as his hands began wandering
towards her stomach, trying to feel for something. She giggled and swatted his
hands
away. "Fei-chan! You can't feel anything yet. The baby's too young..."
"It better be a boy," he growled, though his heart was secretly yearning for a girl as beautiful and as remarkable as her mother was.
She only grinned at him impishly and he found himself struck by that smile as he narrowed his eyes suddenly. "Wait a minute..."
Her giggles floated in the air as she pressed her lips against his, making him forget whatever thought that had been in his mind, and losing himself in her.
Nine months later, a beautiful, silvery-purple haired baby girl was born to
Wufei and Usagi Chang. They named the dark-eyed child FengLing. (Feng = Phoenix,
Ling = tinkling sound of pendants) Even from a young age, the child was said
to possess mysterious powers of sorcery, but neither parents ever made mention
of
it. And if Wufei remembered the events of what happened the day he nearly lost
his wife, he never once let on. All he knew was that he was the happiest
man alive, and he was alone no more.
***
Authors Notes: AGAIN this was written by the great Tenshi-chan (Chibi Tenshi)
if you like her style of writing be sure to look up her author name on my favorites
list and read some of her work.
