Disclaimers: Gundam Wing and all related characters do not belong
to me.
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Dangerous Dreams - Chapter Seven
I stopped breathing for a second.
Shinigami's curse. Shinigami's curse... Oh my God. Oh my god. My insides started trembling. There were horrible rumours and myths circulating it. Many different versions, many different and painful ways for the victim to die.
I shuddered coldly. Shinigami's curse. The words rung in my head as it simply could not grasp what it just heard - that it was here, within our very castle...
I let out the breath I was holding, and looked up sharply at Nanashi, "Are they sure? How do they know?" I sounded surprisingly calm, even to myself.
"They wouldn't believe it themselves, but they checked, and checked again... It's his magic. It's surrounding him. Prince Milliardo is going to die," the last sentence was spoken in a deep frustration and anger, it almost froze me. "And it's probably all Duo's fault - and yours!"
Before I could respond to this sudden accusation, he quickly made his way back into the barn. Still slightly confused of what he meant, I followed him.
"You!" Nanashi shot out, and pinned Duo against the wall, just as I came in. His voice was deadly and cold. "What did you do?"
Duo gasped, trying to breathe underneath the other man's strong hold. I hurried over to the two, and tried prying Nanashi off, unsuccessfully. He simply pushed me to the side with his free arm and shot me a glaring look.
"He can't breathe! You're gonna kill him, Nanashi!" I cried.
Realising I was right, he loosened his grip, and repeated, "What did you do?"
Duo took in a sharp breath, and glanced at me, confused, "What are... are you talking about?"
"The curse," Nanashi explained impatiently. "You cursed Mil.. Prince Milliardo, didn't you?"
Suddenly, Duo seemed to understand. "No, I didn't." His eyes were unreadable, but honest. However, the taller brunette didn't show any intention of letting him go, yet. He simply glared at him, stone faced.
"What makes you think it was him in the first place, Nanashi?" I cut in.
He looked at me, "The eyes - everyone knows those are the sign of Shinigami's magic! And you found him at the temple, didn't you? Everything points to him, Quatre!"
"I never thought of you as one to jump to conclusions," I replied simply and folded my arms stubbornly, "Let him go."
Nanashi and I never argued before. I was somewhat scared of his reaction, since he was always so unpredictable. Some times he was so gentle and compassionate, yet at others he was the complete opposite - like now.
After what seemed an eternity, but were only mere seconds in reality, my un-named friend reluctantly let go, and backed away a few metres, his glare burning holes into me.
I let go a nervous breath, and looked at Duo expectantly. "I guess this is a good time to tell us about yourself."
He nodded. We sat down in a circle, soft hay cushioning us, as he started to explain.
"Nanashi's right," Duo started. "I do have Shinigami's magic in me - but not enough to curse someone."
Nanashi looked as if he was about to say something, but decided to hear the braided boy out, first.
"I... I'm an..." he looked at me for a lingering moment as he spoke the next word, "...angel... I was exiled from the underworld after... after I saved Quatre's life." I blinked. This was new to me. "I was made mortal, with half of my original powers left, and given into the 'care' of Shinigami's temple, where they left me to die. That's when you found me... " He looked at me again, then Nanashi.
"What do you mean, you saved my life?" I said, utterly confused. I only hoped his answer wouldn't confuse me even more.
He took a moment's thought, then replied, "Do you remember the dream you had the night before you found me?"
"Uh, yes. What about it?" Thinking about that dream only made me realise how fresh it still lay in my memory, and how unusual that is.
"It was real. Those who tried to kill you in the dream... they were hunters from the underworld - angels like me, who collect the life force from young lives to keep Shinigami alive. That's why he kills - to survive. However, I wouldn't let you die." He paused. "I couldn't... I've been..." He looked away. "...watching you for a while... Seeing you grow up." He hesitated, as if he wanted to say more, but decided against it.
It took me a moment to let all this new information sink in, as I dumbly replied, "Oh." I remembered the dream from the night before, too, as clearly as if it had actually happened... the scene in the temple, the nursery rhyme, the footsteps... There had to be a connection.
"What about the dream I had last night?" I asked.
"What do you mean?"
"It was like the other one - it seemed, and still seems, real. It involved those monks."
He blinked, "I... don't know."
I shook my head, but before I could respond, Nanashi butted in sceptically, "If you're one of his 'angels', can you use the powers you have left to save Milliardo, or at least show us how to?"
"Yes," Duo spoke as a couple of pigeons fluttered into the barn and rested on a window ledge.
Nanashi's eyes suddenly widened, "Someone's coming!"
In a flash, Duo disappeared within the hay, and Nanashi and I pretended to be on our way out. Two soldiers walked in wearing their usual leather uniforms and boots. As soon as I recognized them, I forced a friendly smile, and walked up to them, "Heero, WuFei! Here to see your horses?"
They nodded, unsuspecting of the hiding boy. I led them out, trying to engage in a conversation with at least WuFei. They were both regularly here, unlike most soldiers, to look after their horses. We had all become a strange group of friends, although Heero tended to not talk as much as his counterpart. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nanashi come back outside and tend to one of the horses.
Heero and WuFei are a strange couple. Not very much unlike each other in some ways, but complete opposites in others. For example, both were great warriors and had similar opinions when it came to the philosophies of war, yet WuFei was the more approachable one of the two. Heero was often very sparing of his words, and was able to scare away most people with a simple glare. Not even Nanashi's could rival his. I have to admit that, at one time, I had a crush on him, but our 'relationship' didn't work out once I realised he was straight.
No-name and Heero got along famously, though, since they had the same kind of aura around them. Well, I guess not only opposites attract.
"Is it true?" I asked Heero, since I felt that I just had to hear it from someone else, just to make sure... make sure it wasn't just a rumour, "Is it true that Prince Milliardo is--"
"Yes," he replied. "So you heard? Word travels fast."
I sighed disappointed. Heero never lied. Damn it.
"Their already preparing his burial services," WuFei spoke softly, and shook his head. "He was going to be a great king... He has a way with the people... But I guess the princess will be next after the king, and it won't be long till that happens, either. He is old. Too old."
I nodded sadly. After yesterday, I wasn't really looking forward to 'Queen Relena', although most people knew nothing of her. She usually kept away from the public eye. People had always made stories up about her - about her beauty and grace. About love stories that involved her and a faraway prince in the north. About witches and sorcerers that had tried to curse her at her birth because they were jealous... the usual. But the only truth amidst this gossip was her beauty. I had to give her that.
Suddenly, Heero made his way to the barn, immediately alerting Nanashi and me. I called after him, "Hey Heero, where're you going?"
He turned around, puzzled, "I was just going to get a brush for Wing."
I stepped in front of him quickly, smiling innocently, "Why don't you let me do that for you, Heero! It's my job after all!" God, did I suck at hiding things. I looked at No-Name pointedly, trying to get him to say something - anything, to divert Heero's attention off me!
Since Nanashi didn't seem to get the hint, I just meakly repeated, "Yeah, our job..."
Heero narrowed his eyes at me for a second, then continued on his way into the barn.
"Hey! Heero! There's no need in going in there!" I cried in vain, as I followed. I stopped in the doorway, and could only hope to the dear gods that he wouldn't find Duo. Both WuFei and Nanashi had slowly approached the barn, but halted behind me.
Inside, Heero looked around, then at me, "What are you hiding Quatre?"
Damn it - he was always so darn perceptive.
Without awaiting an answer, he walked over to the far corner, where the braided boy was hidden beneath layers of hay. But before Heero could do anything, the bundle of dried grass moved and fell apart, and Duo slowly rose from within. He looked up at the surprised soldier, then at us three by the door, and decided, "I suppose there's no need to hide anymore."
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