Disclaimer: I do not own or have any title, interest or right in either
Gundam Wing, Sailor Moon or Shadow Skill. This fanfiction is not being
used for commercial purposes. I own all other rights (to the extent
legally permissible) in connection with this writing.
CHAPTER 2: ACCEPTING DUTY
* * * * *
Haruka's footsteps echoed down the enormous hallway of the Kuruda castle. She was accompanied by two guards that flanked her on either side. The Writ of Summons was clenched in her hands.
The Writ of Summons was a special order from the King of Kuruda to the most elite warriors of Kuruda, the Sevalles. A Sevalle was expected to respond immediately and without hesitation to the summons of the King of Kuruda. In times of peace, it was rare for such a writ to be issued. This was the first Writ of Summons that she had ever received and she was still quite surprised about it.
Eventually, the hallway opened up into a large throne room. A few simple decorations kept the room from being completely bare. A large, gilded throne rested on an elevated platform at the end of the chamber. A tall, powerful looking man sat calmly on the throne.
The King Vy Low of Kuruda was the 57th High Sevalle. Vy Low was considered one of the most powerful Sevalles in the history of the kingdom of Kuruda. He had gained the title of Sevalle at the age of sixteen and was the second youngest male to claim the title of Sevalle. He had the stern face of a warrior, with a long scar on the side of his left cheek. This mark had earned him the fighting name of "Scarface". Fighting names were only given to tested warriors.
Haruka noticed a young girl meekly standing to one side of the king. The young girl had short, black hair that appeared blue under the light of the torches. She had a soft expression on her face. The girl's deep blue eyes went immediately to the ground when Haruka entered the throne room.
"Greetings, King Vy Low, 57th High Sevalle and hero of Kuruda," Haruka greeted in a formal voice. She kneeled down and lowered her head.
"Greetings, Ten'nou Haruka, Sky King, 63rd Sevalle of Kuruda," Vy Low responded. "Please rise and come forward."
Haruka walked up until she was a few yards in front of the throne.
"I must bestow an urgent task upon you," Vy Low informed her in a grave voice. "We have just received a message from the Sui Rame of the Ashliana Court."
Haruka nodded. It was not uncommon for urgent messages to be sent by Sui Rame. The Sui Rame were sorcerers who cast their magic through special talismans. Haruka was more than familiar with the Sui Rame. After all, Michiru was a full-fledged Sui Rame, and Hotaru was an apprentice learning the magical art.
"The princess of Ashlianna has fallen gravely ill, and the King of Ashliana has requested our assistance. I hereby order you to escort one of my most skilled healers to the capital of Juliannes," Vy Low stated.
"Yes, your majesty," Haruka bowed.
"This is healer Mizuno Ami," Vy Low announced, pointing at the young girl to his side. "You will see to it that she arrives safely in Juliannes. You will listen to her orders as if they were mine. Understood?"
Haruka's eyes narrowed and she stared at the unassuming young girl named Mizuno Ami.
"Of course, your Majesty," Haruka answered.
* * * * *
Lord Treize Kushrenada calmly sipped a glass of rich, red wine. He was a tall, elegant man with fair hair and aristocratic features. He appeared to be focused on his meal, as he carefully cut another small piece of steak. He was calmly consuming his dinner at the table in the throne room.
The only other person in attendance was a young girl with long, raven hair. She had beautiful violet eyes and skin like flawless ivory. Her slender hands were gracefully clasped together and were resting on her lap. She simply stared at her food.
"Not enjoying your dinner, milady?" Lord Kushrenada asked with mild amusement.
"I am not hungry, my lord. Please forgive me," she responded coolly.
Lord Kushrenada merely raised an eyebrow, but did not press the matter. He continued to deliberately work on his meal, occasionally taking a sip of wine.
There was a soft knock on the door.
"Koumafuin Trowa Barton is here to see you," the guard's voice announced from the other side of the door.
"Let him in," Lord Kushrenada ordered.
The door was opened. The tall, striking figure of Trowa Barton slid into the room with effortless grace. The young Koumafuin bowed briefly before standing at attention.
"Koumafuin Barton, it's been a while," Lord Kushrenada remarked in a casual voice. "How have you been?"
"I have been well," Trowa responded politely, his emerald eyes focused on the ground.
"That is good to hear," Treize said with a smile. "And how is your sister?"
"She is fine," Trowa replied curtly.
"Good. I am glad her condition has not gotten any worse..."
"She is fine," Trowa reiterated, his voice slightly strained.
"I hope that her illness will not prevent you from serving our kingdom. I have an urgent favor to ask of you. I need you to escort this lovely young lady to the capital of Juliannes," Lord Kushrenada spoke in a smooth voice.
Trowa's eyes turned to look at the stunningly beautiful woman sitting next to Lord Treize Kushrenada. Trowa noted that she had a very guarded look about her.
"Yes, my lord," Trowa answered.
"I am grateful that you are able to assist us in our time of need," Lord Kushrenada smiled. "Let me introduce you to Lady Hino Rei. She is one of the Holy Kingdom's most powerful Sui Rame. Please take care of her and make sure she arrives in Juliannes safely..."
* * * * *
"I can't believe this!" Wufei fumed, as he stalked down the hallway. The young man's face was turning an unhealthy shade of red.
Minako and a tall, brunette girl were walking a few paces behind the unhappy young man. The group had just departed the Si-Fu's chambers.
"Is he always like this?" the brunette asked nervously. The young girl's brown hair was pulled up into a long pony-tail, but it still reached down to her shoulders. She wore a dark, green silken outfit.
"Umm...yeah," Minako admitted with a small smile. "But don't worry, Makoto. You eventually get used to his occasional outbursts."
"This is an outrage!" Wufei continued ranting. He turned to cast a pointed glare at the brunette named Kino Makoto. He quickly returned to storming down the hallway.
"I guess he doesn't like me," Makoto observed with a slight frown.
"It's nothing personal," Minako reassured the other girl. "I don't think he likes the idea of taking orders from someone younger than him. It kind of goes against tradition."
"Oh, I see," Makoto stated with some relief. "And I thought it was because he didn't like taking orders from a girl."
"Umm...well, that too..."
Makoto paused briefly and glanced at Minako. "Is this going to be an uncomfortable trip to Juliannes?"
Minako grinned cheerfully and clapped the other girl on the back.
"He'll get used to the idea. After all, you're a rare and talented Raze Rame. And hopefully, you'll be able to help cure the princess of the Holy Kingdom!" Minako smiled warmly. Minako was clearly impressed with the fact that Makoto was a Raze Rame. The Raze Rames were warrior-magicians who could harmonize with the mysterious energy known as Sohma, and allegedly could create miracles.
"I suppose..." Makoto mumbled. "But I still think this trip will be somewhat awkward."
"Don't worry! Si-Fu gave us strict instructions to escort you to the capital and to follow your commands. Si-Hing would never disobey Si-Fu!" Minako chirped.
"But your Si-Fu didn't tell him to be happy about this arrangement," Makoto pointed out.
"Hmm...I can go back and ask Si-Fu to make that an order!" Minako suggested brightly.
"Uhh...no, that won't be necessary..."
* * * * *
"So you picked up another stray?" Michiru teased, before Haruka could even make introductions.
Haruka had returned to the Green Octopus Inn with Mizuno Ami. The shy, young girl kept her head down and was carrying a small satchel. She was standing timidly next to the tall, powerful blond Sevalle in one of the rooms of the inn. Michiru was leaning against a wall, while Hotaru was quietly sitting on a chair.
Haruka glared at Michiru, before making a quick round of introductions.
"The King has asked me to escort Ami to Juliannes," Haruka explained. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning."
"Is this a private affair, or are we allowed to come along?" Michiru inquired.
Haruka snickered. "You're always welcome, my dear Michiru. Hotaru as well. I suppose we can drag Heero along with us..."
Michiru nodded. She turned to Hotaru.
"I think Heero is out practicing at the back of the inn. Why don't you inform him that we'll be leaving to Juliannes early tomorrow morning?" Michiru suggested.
Hotaru nodded and quickly slipped out of the room.
"You know that I don't like her hanging around with him alone," Haruka growled.
Michiru waved a dismissive hand. "You always complain about Heero, but you still keep on training him."
"That's an entirely different matter," Haruka retorted. She turned to look at Ami. "Stay here with Michiru. I'll be back."
Haruka stalked out the door.
Michiru shrugged and turned to look at Ami.
"Hello, dear. How are you doing?" Michiru queried politely.
"I am fine, Miss Michiru," Ami smiled shyly. "I don't mean to be rude, but may I ask what you meant about picking up another stray?"
Michiru laughed lightly.
"Don't worry about that, dear," Michiru assured her. "I didn't mean that to be offensive. Haruka and I have been together a long time, and it seems that Haruka has made a habit of picking up people along the way. Haruka and I basically adopted Hotaru seven years ago. But I was quite surprised when Haruka decided to take in Heero. That must have been four years ago..."
"She must be a very kind-hearted person," Ami observed.
"She can be," Michiru agreed with a small smile. "But she is still first and foremost a warrior at heart. And that will never change."
* * * * *
Hotaru stepped quietly out the back door of the Green Octopus Inn. Her violet eyes caught sight of a familiar young man a couple yards away.
Heero's muscles strained as he gripped a large bucket of water. With the bucket of water held firmly in his grip, he dipped into a squat and stood up. He continued working on his leg squats as Hotaru drew closer.
"Michiru-mama asked me to tell you that Haruka-papa has been sent on a mission to Juliannes. We will all be leaving early tomorrow morning," Hotaru said in a quiet voice. Hotaru referred to Michiru and Haruka as "Michiru-mama" and "Haruka-papa", respectively. The nickname "Haruka-papa" seemed to have stuck, even though Haruka was a woman.
Heero continued his exercise, not bothering to acknowledge the young girl.
Hotaru looked at him with a small frown on her face. "Heero..."
"He heard you, Hotaru," Haruka's gruff voice called out. "I want you to go back upstairs now."
Hotaru cast Heero a small glance, before she hurried back into the inn.
Haruka was standing with her arms folded across her chest. She continued to glare at the young man.
Heero barely cast a glance in Haruka's general direction, as he tirelessly persisted in his exercise.
"Don't let her get too close to you," Haruka told him in a low voice. "It is bad enough that she already looks upon me like a parent. I don't want her becoming attached to you, as well. As warriors, we are destined to burn our lives away quickly. Hotaru may mourn for a warrior once, but I do not want her to mourn twice."
Heero paused for a moment from his workout.
"Understood," he said without a hint of emotion.
* * * * *
Responses/Comments/Notes to Reviewers:
As a general note, I am not revealing any pairings for this story (it allows me to make twists and changes in pairings, and still preserve the element of surprise). I hope no one is too disappointed.
anonymous - Glad you like the story. As far as this story is concerned, I am not disclosing anything regarding pairings. With respect to Heero/Usagi stories, I'm not really against it (actually, I'm not against any pairings). You will learn more about the "gravely ill princess" in upcoming chapters.
Celeste - I'm happy to hear that you find this interesting so far. Hopefully, this chapter was a little better. As I indicated before, I won't reveal pairings. But I can really see Hotaru having a crush on Heero (will it be returned...?). Thanks for your kind words. I do occasionally get writer's block, but so far, I've been fortunate to get over it with a good dose of anime and lack of sleep.
Sadie Joyce - Myst Lady - It's always great to get reviews from Myst Lady! :) Glad you like the adventure story, though I'm pretty sure that my story is a mere shadow compared to the LOTR. Don't worry, no Usagi/Legolas pairings here (okay, so that's the only non-pairing that I will officially disclose, but Legolas isn't in this story, unless I decide to give him a brief cameo). I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Kaiya - I'm always happy to get a review from you, Kaiya! It's good to hear that you like this so far. Shadow Skill is actually quite an interesting series (manga, OVA, and TV series). Only the OVA series has been officially released in the U.S. (Of course, there are those fansubs...)
yana - I'm glad that you like it. I hope you liked this chapter as well!
Dan Inverse - Yes, definitely a GW/SM/SS crossover. Not sure if anyone has done this before, but I'm sure someone has. Again, I won't reveal any definitive pairings (but if you like Heero/Minako, you can check out my fanfiction "The Missing Truth of War" (in progress)). There are also several other Heero/Minako fanfictions out there (see fanfictions written by Serenity-Kaiba, transcendent, and Venus of Love). As far as bashing Relena or any other character, I generally don't do that in my serious fanfictions (of course, I reserve the right to senselessly bash any and every character in my humor/parody fanfictions).
I'd appreciate any reviews and comments!
CHAPTER 2: ACCEPTING DUTY
* * * * *
Haruka's footsteps echoed down the enormous hallway of the Kuruda castle. She was accompanied by two guards that flanked her on either side. The Writ of Summons was clenched in her hands.
The Writ of Summons was a special order from the King of Kuruda to the most elite warriors of Kuruda, the Sevalles. A Sevalle was expected to respond immediately and without hesitation to the summons of the King of Kuruda. In times of peace, it was rare for such a writ to be issued. This was the first Writ of Summons that she had ever received and she was still quite surprised about it.
Eventually, the hallway opened up into a large throne room. A few simple decorations kept the room from being completely bare. A large, gilded throne rested on an elevated platform at the end of the chamber. A tall, powerful looking man sat calmly on the throne.
The King Vy Low of Kuruda was the 57th High Sevalle. Vy Low was considered one of the most powerful Sevalles in the history of the kingdom of Kuruda. He had gained the title of Sevalle at the age of sixteen and was the second youngest male to claim the title of Sevalle. He had the stern face of a warrior, with a long scar on the side of his left cheek. This mark had earned him the fighting name of "Scarface". Fighting names were only given to tested warriors.
Haruka noticed a young girl meekly standing to one side of the king. The young girl had short, black hair that appeared blue under the light of the torches. She had a soft expression on her face. The girl's deep blue eyes went immediately to the ground when Haruka entered the throne room.
"Greetings, King Vy Low, 57th High Sevalle and hero of Kuruda," Haruka greeted in a formal voice. She kneeled down and lowered her head.
"Greetings, Ten'nou Haruka, Sky King, 63rd Sevalle of Kuruda," Vy Low responded. "Please rise and come forward."
Haruka walked up until she was a few yards in front of the throne.
"I must bestow an urgent task upon you," Vy Low informed her in a grave voice. "We have just received a message from the Sui Rame of the Ashliana Court."
Haruka nodded. It was not uncommon for urgent messages to be sent by Sui Rame. The Sui Rame were sorcerers who cast their magic through special talismans. Haruka was more than familiar with the Sui Rame. After all, Michiru was a full-fledged Sui Rame, and Hotaru was an apprentice learning the magical art.
"The princess of Ashlianna has fallen gravely ill, and the King of Ashliana has requested our assistance. I hereby order you to escort one of my most skilled healers to the capital of Juliannes," Vy Low stated.
"Yes, your majesty," Haruka bowed.
"This is healer Mizuno Ami," Vy Low announced, pointing at the young girl to his side. "You will see to it that she arrives safely in Juliannes. You will listen to her orders as if they were mine. Understood?"
Haruka's eyes narrowed and she stared at the unassuming young girl named Mizuno Ami.
"Of course, your Majesty," Haruka answered.
* * * * *
Lord Treize Kushrenada calmly sipped a glass of rich, red wine. He was a tall, elegant man with fair hair and aristocratic features. He appeared to be focused on his meal, as he carefully cut another small piece of steak. He was calmly consuming his dinner at the table in the throne room.
The only other person in attendance was a young girl with long, raven hair. She had beautiful violet eyes and skin like flawless ivory. Her slender hands were gracefully clasped together and were resting on her lap. She simply stared at her food.
"Not enjoying your dinner, milady?" Lord Kushrenada asked with mild amusement.
"I am not hungry, my lord. Please forgive me," she responded coolly.
Lord Kushrenada merely raised an eyebrow, but did not press the matter. He continued to deliberately work on his meal, occasionally taking a sip of wine.
There was a soft knock on the door.
"Koumafuin Trowa Barton is here to see you," the guard's voice announced from the other side of the door.
"Let him in," Lord Kushrenada ordered.
The door was opened. The tall, striking figure of Trowa Barton slid into the room with effortless grace. The young Koumafuin bowed briefly before standing at attention.
"Koumafuin Barton, it's been a while," Lord Kushrenada remarked in a casual voice. "How have you been?"
"I have been well," Trowa responded politely, his emerald eyes focused on the ground.
"That is good to hear," Treize said with a smile. "And how is your sister?"
"She is fine," Trowa replied curtly.
"Good. I am glad her condition has not gotten any worse..."
"She is fine," Trowa reiterated, his voice slightly strained.
"I hope that her illness will not prevent you from serving our kingdom. I have an urgent favor to ask of you. I need you to escort this lovely young lady to the capital of Juliannes," Lord Kushrenada spoke in a smooth voice.
Trowa's eyes turned to look at the stunningly beautiful woman sitting next to Lord Treize Kushrenada. Trowa noted that she had a very guarded look about her.
"Yes, my lord," Trowa answered.
"I am grateful that you are able to assist us in our time of need," Lord Kushrenada smiled. "Let me introduce you to Lady Hino Rei. She is one of the Holy Kingdom's most powerful Sui Rame. Please take care of her and make sure she arrives in Juliannes safely..."
* * * * *
"I can't believe this!" Wufei fumed, as he stalked down the hallway. The young man's face was turning an unhealthy shade of red.
Minako and a tall, brunette girl were walking a few paces behind the unhappy young man. The group had just departed the Si-Fu's chambers.
"Is he always like this?" the brunette asked nervously. The young girl's brown hair was pulled up into a long pony-tail, but it still reached down to her shoulders. She wore a dark, green silken outfit.
"Umm...yeah," Minako admitted with a small smile. "But don't worry, Makoto. You eventually get used to his occasional outbursts."
"This is an outrage!" Wufei continued ranting. He turned to cast a pointed glare at the brunette named Kino Makoto. He quickly returned to storming down the hallway.
"I guess he doesn't like me," Makoto observed with a slight frown.
"It's nothing personal," Minako reassured the other girl. "I don't think he likes the idea of taking orders from someone younger than him. It kind of goes against tradition."
"Oh, I see," Makoto stated with some relief. "And I thought it was because he didn't like taking orders from a girl."
"Umm...well, that too..."
Makoto paused briefly and glanced at Minako. "Is this going to be an uncomfortable trip to Juliannes?"
Minako grinned cheerfully and clapped the other girl on the back.
"He'll get used to the idea. After all, you're a rare and talented Raze Rame. And hopefully, you'll be able to help cure the princess of the Holy Kingdom!" Minako smiled warmly. Minako was clearly impressed with the fact that Makoto was a Raze Rame. The Raze Rames were warrior-magicians who could harmonize with the mysterious energy known as Sohma, and allegedly could create miracles.
"I suppose..." Makoto mumbled. "But I still think this trip will be somewhat awkward."
"Don't worry! Si-Fu gave us strict instructions to escort you to the capital and to follow your commands. Si-Hing would never disobey Si-Fu!" Minako chirped.
"But your Si-Fu didn't tell him to be happy about this arrangement," Makoto pointed out.
"Hmm...I can go back and ask Si-Fu to make that an order!" Minako suggested brightly.
"Uhh...no, that won't be necessary..."
* * * * *
"So you picked up another stray?" Michiru teased, before Haruka could even make introductions.
Haruka had returned to the Green Octopus Inn with Mizuno Ami. The shy, young girl kept her head down and was carrying a small satchel. She was standing timidly next to the tall, powerful blond Sevalle in one of the rooms of the inn. Michiru was leaning against a wall, while Hotaru was quietly sitting on a chair.
Haruka glared at Michiru, before making a quick round of introductions.
"The King has asked me to escort Ami to Juliannes," Haruka explained. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning."
"Is this a private affair, or are we allowed to come along?" Michiru inquired.
Haruka snickered. "You're always welcome, my dear Michiru. Hotaru as well. I suppose we can drag Heero along with us..."
Michiru nodded. She turned to Hotaru.
"I think Heero is out practicing at the back of the inn. Why don't you inform him that we'll be leaving to Juliannes early tomorrow morning?" Michiru suggested.
Hotaru nodded and quickly slipped out of the room.
"You know that I don't like her hanging around with him alone," Haruka growled.
Michiru waved a dismissive hand. "You always complain about Heero, but you still keep on training him."
"That's an entirely different matter," Haruka retorted. She turned to look at Ami. "Stay here with Michiru. I'll be back."
Haruka stalked out the door.
Michiru shrugged and turned to look at Ami.
"Hello, dear. How are you doing?" Michiru queried politely.
"I am fine, Miss Michiru," Ami smiled shyly. "I don't mean to be rude, but may I ask what you meant about picking up another stray?"
Michiru laughed lightly.
"Don't worry about that, dear," Michiru assured her. "I didn't mean that to be offensive. Haruka and I have been together a long time, and it seems that Haruka has made a habit of picking up people along the way. Haruka and I basically adopted Hotaru seven years ago. But I was quite surprised when Haruka decided to take in Heero. That must have been four years ago..."
"She must be a very kind-hearted person," Ami observed.
"She can be," Michiru agreed with a small smile. "But she is still first and foremost a warrior at heart. And that will never change."
* * * * *
Hotaru stepped quietly out the back door of the Green Octopus Inn. Her violet eyes caught sight of a familiar young man a couple yards away.
Heero's muscles strained as he gripped a large bucket of water. With the bucket of water held firmly in his grip, he dipped into a squat and stood up. He continued working on his leg squats as Hotaru drew closer.
"Michiru-mama asked me to tell you that Haruka-papa has been sent on a mission to Juliannes. We will all be leaving early tomorrow morning," Hotaru said in a quiet voice. Hotaru referred to Michiru and Haruka as "Michiru-mama" and "Haruka-papa", respectively. The nickname "Haruka-papa" seemed to have stuck, even though Haruka was a woman.
Heero continued his exercise, not bothering to acknowledge the young girl.
Hotaru looked at him with a small frown on her face. "Heero..."
"He heard you, Hotaru," Haruka's gruff voice called out. "I want you to go back upstairs now."
Hotaru cast Heero a small glance, before she hurried back into the inn.
Haruka was standing with her arms folded across her chest. She continued to glare at the young man.
Heero barely cast a glance in Haruka's general direction, as he tirelessly persisted in his exercise.
"Don't let her get too close to you," Haruka told him in a low voice. "It is bad enough that she already looks upon me like a parent. I don't want her becoming attached to you, as well. As warriors, we are destined to burn our lives away quickly. Hotaru may mourn for a warrior once, but I do not want her to mourn twice."
Heero paused for a moment from his workout.
"Understood," he said without a hint of emotion.
* * * * *
Responses/Comments/Notes to Reviewers:
As a general note, I am not revealing any pairings for this story (it allows me to make twists and changes in pairings, and still preserve the element of surprise). I hope no one is too disappointed.
anonymous - Glad you like the story. As far as this story is concerned, I am not disclosing anything regarding pairings. With respect to Heero/Usagi stories, I'm not really against it (actually, I'm not against any pairings). You will learn more about the "gravely ill princess" in upcoming chapters.
Celeste - I'm happy to hear that you find this interesting so far. Hopefully, this chapter was a little better. As I indicated before, I won't reveal pairings. But I can really see Hotaru having a crush on Heero (will it be returned...?). Thanks for your kind words. I do occasionally get writer's block, but so far, I've been fortunate to get over it with a good dose of anime and lack of sleep.
Sadie Joyce - Myst Lady - It's always great to get reviews from Myst Lady! :) Glad you like the adventure story, though I'm pretty sure that my story is a mere shadow compared to the LOTR. Don't worry, no Usagi/Legolas pairings here (okay, so that's the only non-pairing that I will officially disclose, but Legolas isn't in this story, unless I decide to give him a brief cameo). I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Kaiya - I'm always happy to get a review from you, Kaiya! It's good to hear that you like this so far. Shadow Skill is actually quite an interesting series (manga, OVA, and TV series). Only the OVA series has been officially released in the U.S. (Of course, there are those fansubs...)
yana - I'm glad that you like it. I hope you liked this chapter as well!
Dan Inverse - Yes, definitely a GW/SM/SS crossover. Not sure if anyone has done this before, but I'm sure someone has. Again, I won't reveal any definitive pairings (but if you like Heero/Minako, you can check out my fanfiction "The Missing Truth of War" (in progress)). There are also several other Heero/Minako fanfictions out there (see fanfictions written by Serenity-Kaiba, transcendent, and Venus of Love). As far as bashing Relena or any other character, I generally don't do that in my serious fanfictions (of course, I reserve the right to senselessly bash any and every character in my humor/parody fanfictions).
I'd appreciate any reviews and comments!