Song: Man In Black
Sung By: Johnny Cash

Based on 'Duo Turns County' by Fancy Face

It had been several weeks since Duo's little incident with the snake song.  Duo had been avoiding country as much as possible, so it was more than a little surprised when he turned on his radio and found it set to a county station.  He was just about to turn it off when a song started playing.

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

"Who cool." Duo muttered, the song seemed to be written for him.  Walking quickly across the room he grabbed a pen so he could write down the name of the song and singer.  With those he hoped to buy the CD, although Heero would kill him for getting it later.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,

But is there because he's a victim of the times.

Duo shook his head, "Man this song is so me."  He quickly got up and went to his lap top. And punched in a lyrics search engine.  Taping his fingers to the beat he waited impatiently for the site to come up.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

"This is getting freaky." He muttered while waiting for the site.  "What did he do sing about my life?" The words finally came up.

 
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.
 

Duo started singing along as soon as he got the beat of the song, and a few seconds later the empty safe house was filled with his singing.

 
I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.
 

That line made Duo pause and think of his current life.  Even if he was Shinigami killing still got old.

 
And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.
 

For the first time in years Duo started to cry.  This song was touching him more than he thought it would.  Sudden memories of the Maxwell church massacre came to his mind, even from the prison he had locked them in.  A single tear fell down his cheek.

 
Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.
 

Duo had stopped singing and sat listening to the words of the song.  He had worn black to remember his church, but after hearing these words he vowed to wear black for other people out there too.  He also planned on going out to get the CD as soon as the song was over.

 
Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,

'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

He got up and turned off the radio as the song finished.  Deep in his heart Duo decided to always dress in black.  Turning off his light as he left his room to go and get the CD it was plunged into black, the same color he would always wear.