Title: Dragon Knights
Author: FalconIce
Pairing: 1x2, 5x13, 6+OC
Rating: PG
Genre:*sweatdrop* Fantasy, humor, Adventure…*scratches head* AU?
Warnings: TWT, Slight OOC…as of the moment may get really weird later. * Nod nod*
Disclaimer: don't own GW or any of its characters. Err…have no mula, money, cash nor dough so if you sew me you're liable to only get a few holes in my skin with your needle…* laughs at her pun* Sew…needle…You get? * Crickets in the background* Well, I tried. *Shrug*
Reviews: Is my food and my soul! Review to me so that this fic can be improved and if no one says there's nothing wrong then the mistakes will never be corrected, neh? ^.~ Or vice versa, if no one sez its good then it'll stagnate and I might never write again! * big wobbly eyes * You wouldn't want that to happen now would you?
Notes: Pirate_Burn is just a big meanie desu but a really good writer! Go check out her fics, you'd be surprised! ^.^
9:00 A.M.
Two days later
Saunq Castle
Locke's/Zechs' Chambers
The blonde shifted stubborn red locks from the sweaty countenance of their host. It had been two days and Locke was still unconscious. They, the Gundam Pilots, Treize and Zechs, had all been clamoring for ideas on what to do with their only guide to this unknown world incapacitated.
Blue eyes scanned the smooth bronze plane that was the redhead's skin and with a hand, he caressed the unblemished and almost perfect contours of the mysterious man's face.
He, Zechs, had taken the role of caring for their out-of-order teacher.
He looked down at his hands and sighed heavily. Heero, so typical of him, had taken to training ever harder for attacks like which had taken out the redhead. Duo meanwhile was worrying his ass off which only irritated the already nervy pilot of Shenlong. This of course only built on the stress the former General of OZ was steadily piling up and simply compounded to making Treize wound tighter than lute stings. The ginger-haired man had become so jumpy of late that almost anything could set him to snap.
Out of all of them, Zechs had oddly remained calm. Undoubtedly this had something to do with the fact that the platinum haired man had started to feel for their unconscious host.
Zechs reached out once again and swept yet another wayward lock from the redhead's forehead.
Locke had definitely grown on him these past few days. There just was no other doubt about it. This lonely and not so young man just touched his being. He couldn't explain the feeling he was having only that he would agree with anything the young redhead would say. He would even go so far as to say that he would defend the redhead's life with is own.
Acquiring a washcloth from the bedside table, Zechs wiped the sweat that was leaking from the redhead's forehead. Even in sleep Locke was troubled. It seemed that there was no rest to be had for this long lived youth.
It just hooked Zechs' born honor to protect such a sad and vulnerable person no matter how impossible the task would be.
The blonde was soon shaken out of his thoughts and the lone door to their chambers was slowly opened by none other than Shenlong's irritable Asian pilot.
"Any improvement on Locke's condition Zechs?" Wufei asked before pulling up a stool and sitting beside him.
The former lieutenant looked at the sloe eyed young man and shook his head." Still the same…" He stated tone filled with sadness.
"I wouldn't count on that."
Both men were astonished and they quickly darted their gaze to the half opened amber eyes regarding them.
"Locke!" Zechs exclaimed only to be received with weak chuckles.
The redhead then proceeded to examine himself and found out that he had been dressed in simple night wear which consisted of a simple and loose shirt and pants pair. Slowly, he ran a hand across his abdomen at the site where he had been gruesomely impaled by a spear. He looked up to his two caretakers and smiled winsomely.
"Good thing you didn't mistake me for dead." He sniggered some more.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!?" Wufei hit the roof and stood up with much energy from his seated position.
Locke blinked and sat up." What I neglected to tell you is that I'm a true immortal. Basically, what this means is that I can't be killed no matter what you do. Chop me, burn me or eat me…I doubt that would end my existence." He winced, his face wrinkling in what Zechs could only perceive as disgust." Tried getting eaten once just to see if it would kill me…" Locke looked up to both astonished faces lingering on his own." Only to end up reviving inside a churning stomach of acid and having to hack my way out-hurt like a bitch and smelled like crap." The redhead rolled his eyes.
He couldn't help it. Zechs smiled." Well…glad to have you back to the world of the conscious." He announced and clapped the redhead good-naturedly on the back.
The Chinese pilot could only sputter uselessly as he took his seat heavily beside Zechs.
"Ah…I'm still not up to snuff though so you guys will be alone for a few weeks…" Locke grinned and poked at his abdomen." Being impaled gets a lot out of you." He winked at the now recovered and glaring Wufei." Have to regenerate my guts back ya know!"
The black haired young man ground his teeth in silent fury and focused a lethal Death Glare on the youth on the bed." What do you expect us to do then?" He grit out before continuing with the same anger in his tone," You've been downed by something we couldn't sense not to mention the fact that we have absolutely NO information on our enemy and you expect us to do WHAT?!"
The redhead seemed to shrink on the beddings that had been piled on him. "Anou…" Locke began timidly as he raised a finger from underneath the blanket that had now come up to his chin.
"WHAT?" The vexed Asian screamed.
"Um…did they attack yet?" The bedridden youth squeaked out. Just as Wufei was about to burst out a reply, Zechs halted the action with a look and took it unto himself to reply.
"No." He remarked. "Nothing's happened ever since you were injured." Amber eyes blinked and nice kissable lips pursed into a thin line.
"They've clearly underestimated the factor of my immortality." He explained and looked at Zechs and Wufei." You've been training hard with your mounts and assigned weapons then?" He asked amber eyes scrutinizing them penetratingly.
Sloe eyes narrowed. "I would say so." Zechs nodded in agreement.
"Good." The redhead smirked." Then I think you're ready for your first guerilla attack." He then began to move energetically on the bed." And then we'll attack the army that's in Salogel then we'll go to Sarim before sailing to the next continent…"
12 Noon
Same Day
Saunq Castle
Throne Room
"Welcome one and all to the quite dusty and haven't been used for ages, throne room!" The redhead announced as he slowly made his way to the only slightly cleaner looking throne.
In fact, to Wufei, the whole room was a remarkable haven for spiders and dust mites. He could almost swear that the dust and grime in this room was about ankle deep and this was clearly doing havoc on the noble nasal passages of his self-claimed lover.
Treize was rising up a veritable storm of sneezes, sniffles, and mucus.
"Ay 'ant beliebe bat I'mb a'ergic 'o bust!" A sneeze. Sniffles.
Wufei snorted and eyed the suffering ginger haired man who now had his face buried in a clump of tissues. Where the redhead had come up with the pile of the modern hygienic accessories, he wouldn't know.
"Weak." He stated and huffed away from the poor man drowning in a flood of sneezes. He wasn't sure, but Wufei thought he saw hurt in those deep blue eyes. Treize was strong. He would survive. Besides, Wufei didn't want to get infected by being near the allergic former General. Mucus after all may house more things than dust.
"Hn." Yuy muttered as he looked with obvious distaste around the grime filled room.
The braided pilot, in the meanwhile, was trying his utter best to find a dust clear space to sit upon and having found none trying his still utter best to clean himself one. It was a hopeless case; Maxwell was loosing the battle against the centuries old dust.
The redhead chuckled as he sat himself on the throne.
"How can you sit amidst all that dust?" Aghast, Zechs questioned with a grimace on his aristocratic face.
The redhead only sniggered more but winced in pain as the action roused an ache from his unhealed wound." Damn. That Magic nullifying spear really went and hay wired my insides…" Locke screw up his face.
"So…what are we all doing here then?" Wufei asked as he eyed the place.
"We are here to ask my friends about the situation at hand so that we may be able to properly formulate ourselves a plan for the first attack on our enemies." He elucidated.
"What frie-"He started only to be answered by a rising sound around them which closely resembled that of insectiod buzzing and chittering. The group was soon caught unawares as an authentic swarm of insect bodies began to file into the room from several wide opened windows.
Wasps, flies, gnats, locusts, spiders and several thousand other creepy crawlies Wufei couldn't put a name to. Some were exact duplicates of insects on their home Earth and others were as alien as they came. Who ever thought of insect Octopi?
"THIS IS JUST GROSS!" Maxwell was running around the room trying to protect his chestnut mane from the evil clutches of the insect army swarming from the windows. Even Heero, the ice king, had grown a small tick on his right eyebrow as he eyed the insect invasion.
Wufei on the other hand was trying his simple best to keep from running and hiding behind Treize. He was a man yes and insects were not meant to scare him but when they came in such terrifying numbers it certainly gave him a new perspective. The numbers of them as well as the fact that he'd just seen a particularly large fanged bug about the size of a small dog scurry just past his legs with an enormous amount of venom dripping from the aforementioned elongated fangs and it was at that point that his nerves had started twitching.
The mass insectiod army slowly made its way to the throne upon which the redhead sat. It was even more shocking as the swarm was all too suddenly absorbed into the body of Locke who had rolled his eyes from the acceleration of the swarm's absorption into his being.
"'is is just bong." Treize uttered as he gazed wide eyed at the spectacle before them his nose still wrapped around a tissue paper.
Wufei felt his lip twitch and he couldn't help but draw closer to the comfortable presence of his…lover.
A few moments more had passed before the buzzing miracle of nature stopped and the room quieted down to a hush. Locke was limply hanging from the throne and miraculously, the throne room was now clean and devoid of any of the earlier mounds of dust.
"That was some shit." Maxwell gawked and clutched his braid in a death grip. Yuy though had taken to freezing into a steely-eyed statue in the middle of the room. Treize was still hopelessly sniffling into tissues and Zechs was approaching the limp form of Locke.
Holding his breath, the black haired pilot looked on as the Platinum haired man advanced on listless form and just as a white hand shot out to touch-
"Don't" A soft voice stated and amber eyes once again gazed across the throne room.
"Locke-are you alright?" Zechs asked as he slowly withdrew from the raised dais.
The redhead flicked nervous eyes around the space and licked his lips.
"I'm fine." He stated and seemed to revive himself." The situation has grown worse than I had anticipated." He drawled out, his earlier energy seemingly drained." They have dug up ancient devices to null magic so I am now in greater need of your services than before." He then lay back against the throne and sighed." Though I cannot provide you with an army…I must count on the fact that in your home world you worked well in small groups. However, before you start your questions I will give you the first view of your or shall I say, our enemy." With a flick of his hand a multitude of tiny arachnids descended form the ceiling and began to weave a large tapestry of silk that spanned almost the entire length of one of the throne room walls.
"Let the world come into mine as we seek that silk that bind. Sink into the clutches of space time and reveal all to those we deem blind."
All too suddenly the tapestry became competition to even the most expensive vidscreens back in their home time.
The army they were against was vast beyond imagining. It spanned continents and race. They seemed to stretch along the plains like an endless tide of grass. If only they had their Gundams with them…Wufei thought and absently licked his dry lips.
They were horribly outnumbered and no matter what corner the Asian Plot saw, they all seemed well trained and disciplined. It was as if the campaign to eradicate them had been going on for years while they had had only a few days of training and well, useless knowledge of how to operate Gundams.
A group of six, no matter how highly trained could not in any terms be a good offensive force against what could be millions of infantry, cavalry and Kami knows what!
It was not unusual for Maxwell to exclaim first and that was what he did," You expect us to fight those things!?"
Did he forget to mention the fact that their enemy had about a whole battalion of top alchemists-which means top quality gunpowder-as well as null mages who did exactly that-null magic in the respective areas around them.
Wufei felt crushed and hopeless. How were they ever to go against something that endless?
Locke looked up form his throne and smiled eyes twinkling mischievously even if tired. "The might of magic is great. We only have to wake my friends and we assured of victory."
To Wufei, the hope of adding only two to their small group was a huge disappointment. Surely, they were going to perish in this stupid battle they weren't even truly part of.
"Dragons could be useful," Zechs began as he eyed the dull faced from on the throne." But even their might cannot go against as many as that. It is an entire world that we are up against!" The platinum haired man exclaimed aghast." Such odds are too much against us!"
"Too true." Wufei couldn't help but agree. None sided against them and they truly were alone in this impossible fight. If Locke wanted to fight this war and win, then his intelligence must be lower than the Chinese Pilot earlier realized.
"No matter." The redhead proclaimed and made a motion to stand only to clutch at his abdomen in pain." Scheist, Does this hurt."
11:00 A.M.
The next day
Saunq Province
Eternal Forest
Duo couldn't believe himself. He and the others were actually going through with this foolhardy mission. True, he was intrigued by the fact that the redhead seemed utterly confident of their victory.
The green canopy above them proved hardly a comfort from the heat and humidity around them. Even his ebony dragon Shinigami was feeling the bite of the tropics.
"I wish Master wouldn't be so hard on this thing. It wouldn't be so bad if Master Mark and John was here." The dragon murmured to itself as it lazily flew beside the trekking party.
Duo looked up with curiosity at what the warm blooded reptile said." What do you mean by that Shin?"
Softly glowing violet eyes met his." Master was not alone before. He had two friends." The dragon looked far away, in a world of his own in fact." The others in this area remember a time long ago where Master was happy and not so lonely. He and his two friends would play around the kingdom everyday." The flying dragon sighed almost seeming wistful." It is very sad that the Master is like this now. He was so much nicer and happier before."
Duo looked on as Shinigami, reminded of his Master's past, flew high into the canopy." I wonder what was so bad?" He said to himself as he continued to trudge on.
Locke had been leading them through this forest since the crack of dawn. He insisted they walk instead of ride. The redhead reasoned that it would be easier to conceal their presence as well as their motive from the enemy.
The Gundam Pilots weren't hard-pressed since they had done this a few times during their career as terrorist but the two aristocrats with them were suffering.
Zechs looked even paler as his hair was plastered against his face from the humidity. The man, having been raised in Saunk-a cold temperate country-was not adapted for the searing tropical heat. He was literally sweating buckets. The tiny canteen they had brought with them seemed to hardly cover the fact that the platinum blonde was slowly dehydrating.
"Oi! Locke!" Duo called out halting their progress." I think we need to rest and refuel. Zechs here is looking a bit lathered and so is Treize. We've been walking for hours and these two aren't built for it!"
"Alright." Locke relented and led them to a clear patch of forest where a stream was slowly trickling through it.
The party broke through the tree line and found themselves in a wide forest clearing. There were a couple of dead tree stumps that could be used for impromptu chairs as well as a few fruiting trees for their mid-trek nourishment.
Zechs took the opportunity to collapse boneless on one of the aforementioned dead tree stumps. He was soaked through with sweat and his previously beautiful pale complexion was redder than a tomato from the heat. Treize didn't look any better, worse if that was possible.
"I may have military training…" Zechs trailed off wiping sweat from his brow," But this is just too much."
Treize took the opportunity to respond from where he was lying on the grass in the clearing," I concede to agree. I am a General and not a Field Marshal!"
Duo looked at the two sweaty aristocrats as if to say something only to be beat as three identical snorts rang in the clearing.
Locke, Wufei, and Heero looked to each other with surprise before turning all three contemptuous gazes back to their former subjects.
"I cannot believe that such a man as you Treize could be so weak. I am thus disgusted at the fact that Oz thought you were a good leader…"
"Only proves the fact that Oz is the weaker faction." Heero retorted as continuation to the Chinese man's rant.
Amber eyes twinkled and turned to regard Duo's amused amethyst." Neh Duo?"
"Aa?" Duo responded a smirk on his lips as he saw the happy glint in those golden orbs.
"Should we leave these two weaklings here to fend for themselves?" At this, both previously fatigued figures started up.
"What do-!"
"That is atrocious-!"
The redhead ignored the exclamations and proceeded as if unhindered," After all, this would be a good lesson in survival skills." The man turned his head and met agreement in the eyes of the other two people standing.
He beamed." That decides it then!" Duo blinked and started to laugh uproariously at the two broken faces of Zechs and Treize.
The General sputtered for awhile before anything truly understandable came out of his mouth." How can you even think of leaving us here?!?" He roared.
This of course was almost simultaneously followed by Zechs whose speaking prowess was no better." We'll be killed by God-knows-what's in this forest!" The platinum man exclaimed in indignation.
This was waved away nonchalantly by the redhead whose eyes continued to twinkle mischievously." No matter you two." Amber eyes met two pairs of furious orbs." I am after all the Master of Nature in this world. I will tell all not to harm you…" The twinkle turned into a blaze." But of course this doesn't mean that they'll altogether stay out of your way…" The sides of his mouth twitched. This action was reciprocated by both Wufei and Heero. Duo was already leaning against a tree laughing his guts out." After all, training need obstacles to be counted as training…"
Both older men's jaws dropped." You have got to be kidding." The lieutenant said shell-shocked as Treize beside him was opening and closing his mouth in what appeared to be a good parody of a goldfish.
The redhead merely shook his head, this of course sent up new howls of laughter from the braided boy and a smile and snicker from the other two pilots across the clearing." As a matter of fact I am completely serious." He smiled angelically and innocently but this was of course neutralized by the fact that his eyes were practically burning with evil intent.
"I refuse to be left behind like some greenhorn cadet!" It seemed the General finally found his voice. It was the Chinese pilot who replied.
"You ARE a greenhorn Treize." The fact was simple and curt but Duo could see, through tear blurred eyes, that the General's blue eyes were literally popping out of their sockets.
"WHAT?"
Cobalt blue eyes looked at the two emotional weak figures and snorted." What Chang said is true." Heero looked from one shocked face to another." Both of you need to condition yourselves for this war. We cannot have weaklings such as you are now in such an endeavor. It would only lower our efficiency level."
"Spoken like a true computer you are Hee-chan!" Duo commented through giggles. The Japanese boy only snorted.
Zechs slapped his forehead." I can't believe this is happening to me." He moaned out.
"Fate is cruel indeed." Treize sighed and slumped down on the grass floor with resignation.
"Don't worry guys!" Locke exclaimed." I'll be here to watch your progress and see that you don't lag far behind while the others range out first…"
"Good decision." Heero replied." But how do we know where to go?" The redhead raised a cupped hand and revealed a small Emerald green bird in his hold.
"You only have to follow Zal and he will lead you." The bird fluffed itself up happily before taking off into the forest and was soon followed by Heero, Wufei and last but not the least, Duo.
" Ganbatte!" The braided Shinigami called out cheerfully at the two longing faces turned his way before he too disappeared into the forest.
TBC…
FalconIce: Gomen ne! * bows down * I suck at writing and it takes me forever to write a chapter. Thank you for your patience! I finally whipped my lazy butt to continue this thing!
Author: FalconIce
Pairing: 1x2, 5x13, 6+OC
Rating: PG
Genre:*sweatdrop* Fantasy, humor, Adventure…*scratches head* AU?
Warnings: TWT, Slight OOC…as of the moment may get really weird later. * Nod nod*
Disclaimer: don't own GW or any of its characters. Err…have no mula, money, cash nor dough so if you sew me you're liable to only get a few holes in my skin with your needle…* laughs at her pun* Sew…needle…You get? * Crickets in the background* Well, I tried. *Shrug*
Reviews: Is my food and my soul! Review to me so that this fic can be improved and if no one says there's nothing wrong then the mistakes will never be corrected, neh? ^.~ Or vice versa, if no one sez its good then it'll stagnate and I might never write again! * big wobbly eyes * You wouldn't want that to happen now would you?
Notes: Pirate_Burn is just a big meanie desu but a really good writer! Go check out her fics, you'd be surprised! ^.^
9:00 A.M.
Two days later
Saunq Castle
Locke's/Zechs' Chambers
The blonde shifted stubborn red locks from the sweaty countenance of their host. It had been two days and Locke was still unconscious. They, the Gundam Pilots, Treize and Zechs, had all been clamoring for ideas on what to do with their only guide to this unknown world incapacitated.
Blue eyes scanned the smooth bronze plane that was the redhead's skin and with a hand, he caressed the unblemished and almost perfect contours of the mysterious man's face.
He, Zechs, had taken the role of caring for their out-of-order teacher.
He looked down at his hands and sighed heavily. Heero, so typical of him, had taken to training ever harder for attacks like which had taken out the redhead. Duo meanwhile was worrying his ass off which only irritated the already nervy pilot of Shenlong. This of course only built on the stress the former General of OZ was steadily piling up and simply compounded to making Treize wound tighter than lute stings. The ginger-haired man had become so jumpy of late that almost anything could set him to snap.
Out of all of them, Zechs had oddly remained calm. Undoubtedly this had something to do with the fact that the platinum haired man had started to feel for their unconscious host.
Zechs reached out once again and swept yet another wayward lock from the redhead's forehead.
Locke had definitely grown on him these past few days. There just was no other doubt about it. This lonely and not so young man just touched his being. He couldn't explain the feeling he was having only that he would agree with anything the young redhead would say. He would even go so far as to say that he would defend the redhead's life with is own.
Acquiring a washcloth from the bedside table, Zechs wiped the sweat that was leaking from the redhead's forehead. Even in sleep Locke was troubled. It seemed that there was no rest to be had for this long lived youth.
It just hooked Zechs' born honor to protect such a sad and vulnerable person no matter how impossible the task would be.
The blonde was soon shaken out of his thoughts and the lone door to their chambers was slowly opened by none other than Shenlong's irritable Asian pilot.
"Any improvement on Locke's condition Zechs?" Wufei asked before pulling up a stool and sitting beside him.
The former lieutenant looked at the sloe eyed young man and shook his head." Still the same…" He stated tone filled with sadness.
"I wouldn't count on that."
Both men were astonished and they quickly darted their gaze to the half opened amber eyes regarding them.
"Locke!" Zechs exclaimed only to be received with weak chuckles.
The redhead then proceeded to examine himself and found out that he had been dressed in simple night wear which consisted of a simple and loose shirt and pants pair. Slowly, he ran a hand across his abdomen at the site where he had been gruesomely impaled by a spear. He looked up to his two caretakers and smiled winsomely.
"Good thing you didn't mistake me for dead." He sniggered some more.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!?" Wufei hit the roof and stood up with much energy from his seated position.
Locke blinked and sat up." What I neglected to tell you is that I'm a true immortal. Basically, what this means is that I can't be killed no matter what you do. Chop me, burn me or eat me…I doubt that would end my existence." He winced, his face wrinkling in what Zechs could only perceive as disgust." Tried getting eaten once just to see if it would kill me…" Locke looked up to both astonished faces lingering on his own." Only to end up reviving inside a churning stomach of acid and having to hack my way out-hurt like a bitch and smelled like crap." The redhead rolled his eyes.
He couldn't help it. Zechs smiled." Well…glad to have you back to the world of the conscious." He announced and clapped the redhead good-naturedly on the back.
The Chinese pilot could only sputter uselessly as he took his seat heavily beside Zechs.
"Ah…I'm still not up to snuff though so you guys will be alone for a few weeks…" Locke grinned and poked at his abdomen." Being impaled gets a lot out of you." He winked at the now recovered and glaring Wufei." Have to regenerate my guts back ya know!"
The black haired young man ground his teeth in silent fury and focused a lethal Death Glare on the youth on the bed." What do you expect us to do then?" He grit out before continuing with the same anger in his tone," You've been downed by something we couldn't sense not to mention the fact that we have absolutely NO information on our enemy and you expect us to do WHAT?!"
The redhead seemed to shrink on the beddings that had been piled on him. "Anou…" Locke began timidly as he raised a finger from underneath the blanket that had now come up to his chin.
"WHAT?" The vexed Asian screamed.
"Um…did they attack yet?" The bedridden youth squeaked out. Just as Wufei was about to burst out a reply, Zechs halted the action with a look and took it unto himself to reply.
"No." He remarked. "Nothing's happened ever since you were injured." Amber eyes blinked and nice kissable lips pursed into a thin line.
"They've clearly underestimated the factor of my immortality." He explained and looked at Zechs and Wufei." You've been training hard with your mounts and assigned weapons then?" He asked amber eyes scrutinizing them penetratingly.
Sloe eyes narrowed. "I would say so." Zechs nodded in agreement.
"Good." The redhead smirked." Then I think you're ready for your first guerilla attack." He then began to move energetically on the bed." And then we'll attack the army that's in Salogel then we'll go to Sarim before sailing to the next continent…"
12 Noon
Same Day
Saunq Castle
Throne Room
"Welcome one and all to the quite dusty and haven't been used for ages, throne room!" The redhead announced as he slowly made his way to the only slightly cleaner looking throne.
In fact, to Wufei, the whole room was a remarkable haven for spiders and dust mites. He could almost swear that the dust and grime in this room was about ankle deep and this was clearly doing havoc on the noble nasal passages of his self-claimed lover.
Treize was rising up a veritable storm of sneezes, sniffles, and mucus.
"Ay 'ant beliebe bat I'mb a'ergic 'o bust!" A sneeze. Sniffles.
Wufei snorted and eyed the suffering ginger haired man who now had his face buried in a clump of tissues. Where the redhead had come up with the pile of the modern hygienic accessories, he wouldn't know.
"Weak." He stated and huffed away from the poor man drowning in a flood of sneezes. He wasn't sure, but Wufei thought he saw hurt in those deep blue eyes. Treize was strong. He would survive. Besides, Wufei didn't want to get infected by being near the allergic former General. Mucus after all may house more things than dust.
"Hn." Yuy muttered as he looked with obvious distaste around the grime filled room.
The braided pilot, in the meanwhile, was trying his utter best to find a dust clear space to sit upon and having found none trying his still utter best to clean himself one. It was a hopeless case; Maxwell was loosing the battle against the centuries old dust.
The redhead chuckled as he sat himself on the throne.
"How can you sit amidst all that dust?" Aghast, Zechs questioned with a grimace on his aristocratic face.
The redhead only sniggered more but winced in pain as the action roused an ache from his unhealed wound." Damn. That Magic nullifying spear really went and hay wired my insides…" Locke screw up his face.
"So…what are we all doing here then?" Wufei asked as he eyed the place.
"We are here to ask my friends about the situation at hand so that we may be able to properly formulate ourselves a plan for the first attack on our enemies." He elucidated.
"What frie-"He started only to be answered by a rising sound around them which closely resembled that of insectiod buzzing and chittering. The group was soon caught unawares as an authentic swarm of insect bodies began to file into the room from several wide opened windows.
Wasps, flies, gnats, locusts, spiders and several thousand other creepy crawlies Wufei couldn't put a name to. Some were exact duplicates of insects on their home Earth and others were as alien as they came. Who ever thought of insect Octopi?
"THIS IS JUST GROSS!" Maxwell was running around the room trying to protect his chestnut mane from the evil clutches of the insect army swarming from the windows. Even Heero, the ice king, had grown a small tick on his right eyebrow as he eyed the insect invasion.
Wufei on the other hand was trying his simple best to keep from running and hiding behind Treize. He was a man yes and insects were not meant to scare him but when they came in such terrifying numbers it certainly gave him a new perspective. The numbers of them as well as the fact that he'd just seen a particularly large fanged bug about the size of a small dog scurry just past his legs with an enormous amount of venom dripping from the aforementioned elongated fangs and it was at that point that his nerves had started twitching.
The mass insectiod army slowly made its way to the throne upon which the redhead sat. It was even more shocking as the swarm was all too suddenly absorbed into the body of Locke who had rolled his eyes from the acceleration of the swarm's absorption into his being.
"'is is just bong." Treize uttered as he gazed wide eyed at the spectacle before them his nose still wrapped around a tissue paper.
Wufei felt his lip twitch and he couldn't help but draw closer to the comfortable presence of his…lover.
A few moments more had passed before the buzzing miracle of nature stopped and the room quieted down to a hush. Locke was limply hanging from the throne and miraculously, the throne room was now clean and devoid of any of the earlier mounds of dust.
"That was some shit." Maxwell gawked and clutched his braid in a death grip. Yuy though had taken to freezing into a steely-eyed statue in the middle of the room. Treize was still hopelessly sniffling into tissues and Zechs was approaching the limp form of Locke.
Holding his breath, the black haired pilot looked on as the Platinum haired man advanced on listless form and just as a white hand shot out to touch-
"Don't" A soft voice stated and amber eyes once again gazed across the throne room.
"Locke-are you alright?" Zechs asked as he slowly withdrew from the raised dais.
The redhead flicked nervous eyes around the space and licked his lips.
"I'm fine." He stated and seemed to revive himself." The situation has grown worse than I had anticipated." He drawled out, his earlier energy seemingly drained." They have dug up ancient devices to null magic so I am now in greater need of your services than before." He then lay back against the throne and sighed." Though I cannot provide you with an army…I must count on the fact that in your home world you worked well in small groups. However, before you start your questions I will give you the first view of your or shall I say, our enemy." With a flick of his hand a multitude of tiny arachnids descended form the ceiling and began to weave a large tapestry of silk that spanned almost the entire length of one of the throne room walls.
"Let the world come into mine as we seek that silk that bind. Sink into the clutches of space time and reveal all to those we deem blind."
All too suddenly the tapestry became competition to even the most expensive vidscreens back in their home time.
The army they were against was vast beyond imagining. It spanned continents and race. They seemed to stretch along the plains like an endless tide of grass. If only they had their Gundams with them…Wufei thought and absently licked his dry lips.
They were horribly outnumbered and no matter what corner the Asian Plot saw, they all seemed well trained and disciplined. It was as if the campaign to eradicate them had been going on for years while they had had only a few days of training and well, useless knowledge of how to operate Gundams.
A group of six, no matter how highly trained could not in any terms be a good offensive force against what could be millions of infantry, cavalry and Kami knows what!
It was not unusual for Maxwell to exclaim first and that was what he did," You expect us to fight those things!?"
Did he forget to mention the fact that their enemy had about a whole battalion of top alchemists-which means top quality gunpowder-as well as null mages who did exactly that-null magic in the respective areas around them.
Wufei felt crushed and hopeless. How were they ever to go against something that endless?
Locke looked up form his throne and smiled eyes twinkling mischievously even if tired. "The might of magic is great. We only have to wake my friends and we assured of victory."
To Wufei, the hope of adding only two to their small group was a huge disappointment. Surely, they were going to perish in this stupid battle they weren't even truly part of.
"Dragons could be useful," Zechs began as he eyed the dull faced from on the throne." But even their might cannot go against as many as that. It is an entire world that we are up against!" The platinum haired man exclaimed aghast." Such odds are too much against us!"
"Too true." Wufei couldn't help but agree. None sided against them and they truly were alone in this impossible fight. If Locke wanted to fight this war and win, then his intelligence must be lower than the Chinese Pilot earlier realized.
"No matter." The redhead proclaimed and made a motion to stand only to clutch at his abdomen in pain." Scheist, Does this hurt."
11:00 A.M.
The next day
Saunq Province
Eternal Forest
Duo couldn't believe himself. He and the others were actually going through with this foolhardy mission. True, he was intrigued by the fact that the redhead seemed utterly confident of their victory.
The green canopy above them proved hardly a comfort from the heat and humidity around them. Even his ebony dragon Shinigami was feeling the bite of the tropics.
"I wish Master wouldn't be so hard on this thing. It wouldn't be so bad if Master Mark and John was here." The dragon murmured to itself as it lazily flew beside the trekking party.
Duo looked up with curiosity at what the warm blooded reptile said." What do you mean by that Shin?"
Softly glowing violet eyes met his." Master was not alone before. He had two friends." The dragon looked far away, in a world of his own in fact." The others in this area remember a time long ago where Master was happy and not so lonely. He and his two friends would play around the kingdom everyday." The flying dragon sighed almost seeming wistful." It is very sad that the Master is like this now. He was so much nicer and happier before."
Duo looked on as Shinigami, reminded of his Master's past, flew high into the canopy." I wonder what was so bad?" He said to himself as he continued to trudge on.
Locke had been leading them through this forest since the crack of dawn. He insisted they walk instead of ride. The redhead reasoned that it would be easier to conceal their presence as well as their motive from the enemy.
The Gundam Pilots weren't hard-pressed since they had done this a few times during their career as terrorist but the two aristocrats with them were suffering.
Zechs looked even paler as his hair was plastered against his face from the humidity. The man, having been raised in Saunk-a cold temperate country-was not adapted for the searing tropical heat. He was literally sweating buckets. The tiny canteen they had brought with them seemed to hardly cover the fact that the platinum blonde was slowly dehydrating.
"Oi! Locke!" Duo called out halting their progress." I think we need to rest and refuel. Zechs here is looking a bit lathered and so is Treize. We've been walking for hours and these two aren't built for it!"
"Alright." Locke relented and led them to a clear patch of forest where a stream was slowly trickling through it.
The party broke through the tree line and found themselves in a wide forest clearing. There were a couple of dead tree stumps that could be used for impromptu chairs as well as a few fruiting trees for their mid-trek nourishment.
Zechs took the opportunity to collapse boneless on one of the aforementioned dead tree stumps. He was soaked through with sweat and his previously beautiful pale complexion was redder than a tomato from the heat. Treize didn't look any better, worse if that was possible.
"I may have military training…" Zechs trailed off wiping sweat from his brow," But this is just too much."
Treize took the opportunity to respond from where he was lying on the grass in the clearing," I concede to agree. I am a General and not a Field Marshal!"
Duo looked at the two sweaty aristocrats as if to say something only to be beat as three identical snorts rang in the clearing.
Locke, Wufei, and Heero looked to each other with surprise before turning all three contemptuous gazes back to their former subjects.
"I cannot believe that such a man as you Treize could be so weak. I am thus disgusted at the fact that Oz thought you were a good leader…"
"Only proves the fact that Oz is the weaker faction." Heero retorted as continuation to the Chinese man's rant.
Amber eyes twinkled and turned to regard Duo's amused amethyst." Neh Duo?"
"Aa?" Duo responded a smirk on his lips as he saw the happy glint in those golden orbs.
"Should we leave these two weaklings here to fend for themselves?" At this, both previously fatigued figures started up.
"What do-!"
"That is atrocious-!"
The redhead ignored the exclamations and proceeded as if unhindered," After all, this would be a good lesson in survival skills." The man turned his head and met agreement in the eyes of the other two people standing.
He beamed." That decides it then!" Duo blinked and started to laugh uproariously at the two broken faces of Zechs and Treize.
The General sputtered for awhile before anything truly understandable came out of his mouth." How can you even think of leaving us here?!?" He roared.
This of course was almost simultaneously followed by Zechs whose speaking prowess was no better." We'll be killed by God-knows-what's in this forest!" The platinum man exclaimed in indignation.
This was waved away nonchalantly by the redhead whose eyes continued to twinkle mischievously." No matter you two." Amber eyes met two pairs of furious orbs." I am after all the Master of Nature in this world. I will tell all not to harm you…" The twinkle turned into a blaze." But of course this doesn't mean that they'll altogether stay out of your way…" The sides of his mouth twitched. This action was reciprocated by both Wufei and Heero. Duo was already leaning against a tree laughing his guts out." After all, training need obstacles to be counted as training…"
Both older men's jaws dropped." You have got to be kidding." The lieutenant said shell-shocked as Treize beside him was opening and closing his mouth in what appeared to be a good parody of a goldfish.
The redhead merely shook his head, this of course sent up new howls of laughter from the braided boy and a smile and snicker from the other two pilots across the clearing." As a matter of fact I am completely serious." He smiled angelically and innocently but this was of course neutralized by the fact that his eyes were practically burning with evil intent.
"I refuse to be left behind like some greenhorn cadet!" It seemed the General finally found his voice. It was the Chinese pilot who replied.
"You ARE a greenhorn Treize." The fact was simple and curt but Duo could see, through tear blurred eyes, that the General's blue eyes were literally popping out of their sockets.
"WHAT?"
Cobalt blue eyes looked at the two emotional weak figures and snorted." What Chang said is true." Heero looked from one shocked face to another." Both of you need to condition yourselves for this war. We cannot have weaklings such as you are now in such an endeavor. It would only lower our efficiency level."
"Spoken like a true computer you are Hee-chan!" Duo commented through giggles. The Japanese boy only snorted.
Zechs slapped his forehead." I can't believe this is happening to me." He moaned out.
"Fate is cruel indeed." Treize sighed and slumped down on the grass floor with resignation.
"Don't worry guys!" Locke exclaimed." I'll be here to watch your progress and see that you don't lag far behind while the others range out first…"
"Good decision." Heero replied." But how do we know where to go?" The redhead raised a cupped hand and revealed a small Emerald green bird in his hold.
"You only have to follow Zal and he will lead you." The bird fluffed itself up happily before taking off into the forest and was soon followed by Heero, Wufei and last but not the least, Duo.
" Ganbatte!" The braided Shinigami called out cheerfully at the two longing faces turned his way before he too disappeared into the forest.
TBC…
FalconIce: Gomen ne! * bows down * I suck at writing and it takes me forever to write a chapter. Thank you for your patience! I finally whipped my lazy butt to continue this thing!
