Once Upon The Night Of Death
By: Moonlit Love
Disclaimer: You know this by now, but Gundam Wing isn't mine.
Thought of the Chapter: Can Death cheat death? (I'll leave you with that thought as I
continue on.)
Chapter Four: Final Battle
"Heero," Relena breathed, the sound inaudible to those who didn't strain to hear
it.
"Ah, my lad. You may speak words and make them the truth, but what is
inscribed on your heart may only be erased by true hatred," Death mocked.
Both Heero and Relena turned to lay hateful eyes on the mist floating before them.
"Whatever is wrong?" Death mocked.
"You have disrupted our lives, you have taken love, what else do you want?"
Relena demanded, her blue-violet eyes becoming hard and taking on the tone of a vivid
steel.
"I like your strength, maybe the others should let you fight. To answer your
question in a word: Death. You see there is something fun about it. It is my life style,"
Death replied, his voice calm.
"Just because something is your life style doesn't mean you can't change," Relena
countered, her anger focused solely on the shifting mist before her.
"I don't want to change."
"You don't always get a choice, you get what you get. This time they will make
sure of it."
"I will see about that. Are you ready for your turn, now?"
Relena blinked slowly, deliberately. "I am."
She took a brave step forward to stand just a foot away from Death. "So, am I the
last you are taking, or will you take more?"
"I will take as many as I like."
"Then I am not going to make this easy," Relena promised as her soft eyes glowed
with intensity, "Hope you've done your homework, 'cause I definitely have done mine."
"What do you mean? How could I possibly study on whatever it is you want.
And if you are talking about subjects based on me, then why study?"
"Each victim of Death has something which may just defeat you."
"How did you find out about that?" Death asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"Like I said, I have been doing my homework, how about you?" Relena stated as
she boldly took another step closer to the mist.
The mist shifted backwards, its dark eyes gazing uncomfortably at the woman in
front of him who began to glow with a pale aura. Her aura glowed brighter, turning into a
pale blue which matched her eyes almost perfectly. It sparkled with lightning, glowing
blue-green at times. Her eyes went blank, only dark depths could be seen. "Let's fight."
Death seemed to almost be afraid of something, afraid of the woman who was
looking more than possessed. Relena brought her hand up and out, pointing her flat palm
at Death. "Pop goes Death."
She shot a ball of pure electricity at the mist, sparks zipping around from cell to
cell. "Who said you couldn't cheat Death," Relena taunted, preparing to fire another ball.
"You can't beat me! I'm invincible!" Death cried as he fizzled out as the next ball
connected with him, drying his misty form from the searing heat.
Relena's eye color came back and her aura faded. She swayed on her feet, trying
to recover from the impressive attack she had launched. Heero moved over to support
her. "You didn't mean what you said earlier did you?" Relena whispered, her voice
minute.
"No, I was just trying to save you, I had to try," Heero comforted, his voice soft.
Relena nodded slowly, trying not to use to much of her remaining energy. "Thank
you, but Death isn't dead. He has sibling mists who are just as dangerous. You, Trowa,
and Duo have to learn your protector powers and fast."
"How? How do we learn the powers and what they are?"
"I can't tell you what power you have, but you just have to believe in yourself to
get the hidden powers deep within you. There are powers you have which can stop Death
and its siblings, but you all must team up together and I'm not sure the three of you can
all live after that battle."
"Three of us? Aren't you going to be there as well?"
"I don't know if I'll be strong enough. We can only hope."
Heero nodded mutely. "How do we get the powers, Lena?"
"You must focus on an emotion, anger being the one I used. If you are focused on
that emotion, intensify it until there is nothing but that one emotion for you to live for.
Let the emotion flow through you, taking over all other functions. From there it just kind
of happens. I would tell you to try it, but I think the siblings of Death will be here soon
and I don't want you to waste your energy before the battle. That will be the final battle,
and it will decide the victor."
"How many?"
"Two recorded."
"Heal quickly while I tell the others."
Relena nodded weakly as she closed her eyes and let the tension seep out of her.
She was soon calm and felt strength come back to her, slowly making up for the losses it
had suffered when she had used her power. "I won't be strong enough to make it, Heero.
Find a way beat the others while I wait for you beyond life."
~~
"How did Relena find all this out?" Trowa asked, curious as to where the
information had been found.
"She didn't say where she had found it, but I know it is true. When the two
siblings of Death come, we have to be prepared. You guys know how to get your
emotions to give you the strengths you posses."
"So, can we test it out now and see what they are?" Duo wondered.
"She advised against it. You can see all the energy you waste when you do it.
We'll just have to wait and see."
"Trowa and I will take on one and you and Relena can take the other."
"Got it. Now, remember to focus on one emotion. The time will come soon
enough to use them."
~~
Three days had passed and there was still no sign of the others to come. Relena
was glad, just one more day and she was sure she would be able to last a whole round,
maybe even beat the other mists and still live. Duo, Trowa, and Heero had decided to test
their strengths that day, and had discovered the powers they possessed.
Heero possessed the power of heat. It included fire, and all other things of great
warmth. Duo possessed the power of water, of course, it included ice, snow, and
anything which dealt with water. Trowa possessed the power to control things with his
mind. He could easily move something heavy, or create something with which he could
use as a weapon. Relena discovered she also possessed the power to 'see' into the future.
She couldn't actually see anything, but she got feelings of things she could not explain. If
she knew she had to be somewhere, something important happened that only she could
stop.
Each power was one which would help them face off with the Dark mists, but
they would take the final test soon, the test which would tell them just how deep their
powers ran. Only time would tell them if they had the strength to fight for what they had
lost and may loose. When the test came was a question no one could answer, but it was
something which would soon be answered when the mists would show up.
~~
Heero was standing in the demolished kitchen watching the sky turn pink. It was
moments before sunrise and he was anticipating the flash of color the sun would bring.
There was nothing about mornings he didn't like. There was less people around, there
was less activity, and there was the calming solidity he enjoyed. Of course Relena had
taught him to enjoy the sunrises even though she had always been one to rise late.
The sky was soon painted with the brilliance of orange and it contrasted the
darkened sky to the west. Tiny sparks of radiant sun rays splashed up to dance in the
beautiful colors enriching the sky. Soon, the round top of the sun peaked over the
horizon. A new day had come, and with it was a new destiny.
~~
Trowa sat on a bar stool in Duo's club. The club had remained mostly intact and
it had become a refuge for Trowa. He was seeking to escape the things which haunted
him the most.
His past, Catherine's death, and his life as a Death protector. He had never really
wanted any of these to happen; but he couldn't escape his past and his life as a Death
protector had been written for him. His life was what had led up to Catherine's death,
and there was no way he could have beat Death. Nothing seemed to go right in his life
right now.
He had been happiest with Catherine, but she was gone and he was forced to
accept it. Not because he wanted to, but because he still had a job to do, and one he had
to do well. 'When will this nightmare be completely over? We have defeated Death, but
he has two siblings which must be defeated. Will it never end?'
~~
Everyone had gathered in the kitchen to think. It was another day, and yet another
time when they may be attacked. A cool, spring-like breeze blew by and Relena looked
up to see wispy clouds floating overhead. All her strength had not returned as of yet, but
she was feeling stronger than she had in quite a while. "Any signs?" It was Duo who
broke the dense silence.
"I don't know what the signs are for the two new mists. Relena?" Heero ventured,
not sure whether she knew any signs or not.
"They aren't like Death. There will be no chill wind and they can come at any
time. The only problem is they can appear silently and attack when you are caught off
guard. I read there may be warning signs, but I did not find any information which might
have led me to believe in any certain ways.
"Some articles mentioned a darkening sky, some mentioned something bad
happening previously, which is the attack Death threw onto us. But it will never come
when it is expected, only when the minds are at rest and they cannot properly prepare for
their attack. Only ten attacks have happened all together."
"So, if we are expecting it today, it won't come until tomorrow? But what if we
expect it tomorrow as well?"
"We just always have to be on guard. If we think for even a moment it won't
come, then it will come. No matter what, always believe the bad until we can prove
good."
"Sounds kind of dark for you, Lena."
Relena laughed at Duo's comment. The thoughts did seem dark to her. "They are
kind of dark, but what can we do except wait. I read something once which stated the
following line. I can't remember the exact wording, but 'something something something
is contained in these words: Wait and Hope."
"'All human wisdom is contained in the words 'Wait and hope!'' Although there
was more to the line," Trowa spoke up. (line taken from The Count of Monte Cristo by
Alexandre Dumas)
"'K, so now we just wait and hope for an attack on us?"
"No, we wait for things and then hope for good things to come to us after the
attack," Relena replied, her tone lightening up.
Duo still had a slightly puzzled look on his face but he shrugged his shoulders and
took a sip from the can he held. "Do we just want to get the attack over with? I mean it
isn't like we can prevent it from happening anyway. So why don't we just make
ourselves busy while having a mental note to be prepared. Then we can fight and things
can't go to wrong then, right?" Duo asked as he set his drink on the battered counter.
"What happens if we get too busy doing those things? Then how will we be
ready?"
"Good point."
"It would still be nice," Heero spoke up as he turned his eyes to look at the clouds.
"Yeah. So like do you think they would attack us now? I mean we are having a
conversation about the mists them, and they won't attack us when we are prepared.
'Cause I mean we are ready for them, are we not," Duo spoke up as he popped the tab
from his cola can.
Relena just shrugged as she followed Heero's line of vision upwards. The sky
was still nice, was this a sign there would be no attack soon? "Wait, did you say the mind
was at rest. If that is the case, then can we ever sleep?" Duo asked, his face grimacing
with the thought.
"I don't know. Maybe," Relena replied, the answer not coming to her.
"Then we will just have to keep guards posted. We will all sleep in one room and
two will remain awake while the other two sleep. We will do four hour shifts throughout
the night," Heero suggested.
Relena carefully studied Heero's face while the others gave their suggestions.
Something about the expression on his face told her he knew something, or had some sort
of bad feeling about all of this. "Relena? What do you think about that?" Duo asked,
curiosity tingeing his features.
"About what?"
"Weren't you paying any attention? We were going to follow Heero's plan, sleep
in the mostly indestructible infirmary."
"Sounds good. Now let's eat, I'm starving."
"I like that plan!" Duo stated as he stood.
They went out to eat somewhere, hoping they wouldn't get attacked when there
were so many people around. Nothing did happen then, and they all settled back into the
house that night.
~~
Heero and Relena were on watch first, one stationed outside the open door with
the other inside. Relena had chosen outside, preferring not to be tempted to let her guard
down and nod off. She was resting against the door frame, her legs drawn up to her and
her arms hugging them.
Thoughts spun through her head at a dizzying rate, not letting her enjoy the
peaceful quiet of the night. She let her eyes close for a brief second, letting herself
straighten out the mess she couldn't help thinking. When she opened her eyes again, the
sky was tinted with orange and pink.
But she knew it had not been but a few seconds since she last had looked at the
sky. She blinked once more and once more the sky was its deep, midnight blue with
silver stars speckled carefully across an almost endless expanse. The moon was rising, its
soft light giving touches of orange to the sky. Then, she suddenly knew she had to stay
up and see the morning. Something would be out of place, but who knew what it would
be.
~~
"Relena, it's your turn to rest," Trowa stated as he came out of the room.
"I can't. I need to stay up and see something. Something will happen when
morning comes."
"Get in here, Relena," Heero warned from inside.
"Fine, wake me up when dawn breaks," Relena relented, anger slightly evident in
her tone. She trudged to a cot, rolling out a fresh sleeping bag. Almost immediately she
fell asleep.
~~
Trowa had taken Relena's place on watch, the early morning dew settling over
him and everything else around him. Dawn was an hour away, but he would not be
waking Relena. Heero had left him a strict message to let her rest, and he knew better
than to challenge Heero. Although he knew he would regret his weakness when she did
awaken. Relena was almost as bad as Heero. He was at odds with the decision he had to
face. He had never thought of Relena's confrontation as much as he had Heero's.
He knew Relena could sense things that were impending, but would she be
accurate this time? Did they want to know what she sensed? "Relena, dawn is breaking."
~~
Trowa's voice startled Relena from her sleep. A haunting dream had been playing
continuously in her mind and she was glad to have awoken. She sat up and felt the tired
stiffness to her limbs. She was going to regret this in a few hours.
She stiffly walked out of the room, noticing Duo had fallen asleep on his watch.
A small chuckle escaped her lips as she saw the thrilling pinks and oranges accenting the
lighter blue sky. She squinted hard as she looked at the horizon, something off in the way
it looked. Then she saw it.
A dark, gray fog was slowly shifting towards them, extinguishing the sky above
them from the light colors to depressing, dark ones. "Duo! Heero! Time to get up,"
Relena warned as she saw the undulating mists creeping closer.
Heero emerged seconds later, but Duo's light snoring still continued. "DUO!"
Relena yelled again, trying to break him from his slumber.
"Wha...? I don't wanna go to school, mom," he whimpered out as his head fell
back to lean on the wall.
Relena went into the room and began to shake him for all he was worth. "Wake
up, now!" Relena said through clenched teeth with each shake.
"I'm up!" Duo muttered after a few moments, his arms stretching above his head.
"You better be. We will have visitors soon."
That got Duo up. He sprang from the chair, accidentally pushing Relena to the
floor. He scampered out of the room to see a gray cloud corrode the remaining front of
the house. Relena came out of the room a few moments later, a slight limp in her stride.
~~
The mist stopped in front of them, slowly separating into two, then four. "I
thought there were only two mists," Duo whispered to Relena.
"So did I."
"Oh, shity."
"Why hello there. You must be the Death protectors. And the little girl must be
the one needing protecting," a mocking voice from the darkest mist came.
"Who are you all?" Heero asked, his instinctive leadership coming through.
"I am Disaster, older brother to Death," a plain, gray mist replied.
"Desolation," a bellowing voice came from the pale gray mist spoke, "Older
brother to Death, younger brother to Disaster."
"Demise," a richly accented, feminine voice from a light gray, almost white mist
stated, "Youngest sibling to Death."
"Destruction, oldest sibling," the darkest, almost black mist, greeted in a deep
tone.
"Do we get to fight them?" Demise wondered, her voice almost eager.
"Yes, of course. Only they get to choose who they fight. After all we are the
challengers and they are the challenged," Destruction informed everyone.
"I'll take Destruction," Heero said, his voice falling back to monotonous.
"Disaster," Trowa claimed.
"Desolation," Duo declared.
"I guess I got Demise, then," Relena shrugged as she stepped one step forward
until she was shoulder to shoulder with Heero.
The four had unintentionally created a line to counteract the mists' line. "Ready,
fight," Destruction said as the mists charged forward.
~~
The final battle was ensuing, the intensity of strengths and powers filling the room
with a thickness no one wanted. Trowa had taken Disaster into the garden, a place where
he knew well. He wasn't sure of his odds against his opponent, but he was willing to die
here where he and Catherine had spent a lot of time, or defeat his enemy and make this
place even more sacred to him. He had found love here, lost love, and now he was going
to do one last battle here for love.
Instantly he was overcome by anger, resentment, and grief. He had to choose one
emotion, and he went with resentment. This emotion would fuel the resources he needed
to fend off the enemy. His resentment rolled through him, his control leaving his body.
Then Trowa felt the familiar power source within him explode. It was time.
An aura of green the same tone as his eyes shot up like wood on gasoline when a
match was thrown in. His eyes slowly faded to a vacant look as he took a step forward.
"I like to play with knives," Trowa stated bluntly.
He closed his eyes for the briefest moment and when he opened them once more
he had twin knives in his hands. Disaster soon had its arm extended and in it a twisting
sword resembling a tornado. "You chose the right mist to battle. We each have the
power to make and move objects. Ready, fight!"
Trowa clashed his sword against the 'tornado', sparks and water flying as they did
so. Disaster made a move to thrust his sword in Trowa's stomach, but Trowa swiftly
dodged the attack and thrust his sword at the mist. The sword swept through the mist,
leaving no visible damage. "Too bad I'm going to win. No puny little weapon you can
create will ever be able to hurt me."
Trowa frowned, trying hard to think of what might hurt this beast. Nothing was
coming to mind. But he didn't have time to think before the sword of his opponent came
rushing towards him once more.
~~
Duo was pinned up against a wall, the mist leaning closer to him. His attack was
useless unless he did something quickly. "I hear you lost your wittle girlfriend thanks to
my big bwover," Desolation taunted, not knowing Duo knew how to get his power.
"She was more than just a girlfriend to me! She was my wife and my love.
Thanks to your 'big bwover' she is gone! Now you will pay for this!" Duo shouted, anger
welling up inside of him.
He couldn't stop the flow of emotion coursing through his veins. He was not
going to let the nothing of a mist make fun of Hilde in front of him. An aura of vivid
violet surrounded him, and his head shot up. His violet eyes were blank, but anger was
evident in the depths. Duo called two daggers made of ice to fill his hands. "Pay for the
sins of your brother!" Duo shouted as he rushed at the mist.
(AN: You can probably guess their auras match their eye colors by now...)
He flew right through the mist, but the daggers were no longer in his hand. He
turned around and saw the two daggers stuck fast in the mist. Small bolts of electricity
flitted around the two spikes. The ice then began to melt, and with it the mist slowly
began to dissipate.
He smiled sadistically at the few remaining strands of mist and swiftly walked
from the room. There were other battles he knew would come, the surface of water he
used was not smooth, but rather rough. Something bad was going to happen, the looking
well was not agreeing with happiness.
~~
Relena slowly backed away, reluctant to use her powers to quickly. If she used
them and Demise was still able to fight, she knew she would not survive the fight. "What
is the matter, little Relena? You feel as if you can kill my brother, but when it comes to
me, you can't?" Demise taunted as she kept shifting forward.
"You know I would do anything to make sure all of you are forever gone, but I
know I must wait," Relena replied through gritted teeth.
"You killed my brother in two shots, but I am not as weak as he. You will soon
see the true depths of the powers of a mist," Demise stated, stark white appearing in what
seemed to be her mouth.
Relena slightly inclined her head, letting the mist know she was well aware. The
mist took a small step back and clapped her hands together, a large wind filled with
treacherous screams of angst and horror rang out from it. Relena flew back against the
wall, the wall crushing on the impact.
She slowly slid to the ground, biting her lip to contain against the pain. "You see,
Little Relena, I really am not as weak as my brother. I guarantee you will not defeat me."
Relena stared defiantly up at the shifting mist before her. "Pain, suffering,
anguish, horror, you caused all of this and more. I will not be contained within the weak
boundaries you have set for me. Be prepared to meet my powers."
Relena stood, placing her hand against the wall for support. She slowly let the
chanting cries of horror fill her mind. She wasn't going to go on anger this time, she was
going to go on revenge. She let the cries wash over her in nauseating waves. She let the
last words ring loudly in her ears.
But most of all she focused on how she was going to strike revenge for all the
lives this mist had taken. She felt electricity swell within her, a reassuring aura engulfed
her in its delicate colors. She opened her eyes, each the color of her aura but void of all
emotion. She blinked twice, electricity crackling in her aura. "Wanna play with me?"
Relena asked, her voice soft and innocent.
She tilted her head as she stared at the pale mist. "Listen here, little girl. I don't
have time for any of your childish games," Demise said, her voice becoming almost
mechanical with a small trace of fear and uncertainty.
"But I want to play a game of catch. Can you catch a ball?" Relena wondered.
Demise just stared in disbelief at Relena. Relena smiled briefly as she took a step
forward. "Here you go," Relena stated as she lifted her palm and shot a blast of lightning
at the mist.
Her voice had been soft as she gave the blast, almost like a school teacher giving a
child a toy after it had been taken from the child. Demise opened her eyes just a little
wider. She didn't have time to react before the crackling ball connected swiftly with her
stomach. The air and mist sizzled with the power and heat of the electricity Relena had
thrown.
"That hurt, you little brat!" Demise shrieked after a few moments.
Stray whips of yellow continued to sparkle in the mist. The mist's eyes flashed
red, but soon the mist dissipated from sight. But from some reason Relena knew better
than to relent her powers just yet.
~~
Heero didn't have to exert himself to defend against the mist standing before him.
Never mind how mind bands of fire shot out from the monster's hand. Heero knew he
didn't need his strength to defeat this creature, not yet anyway. "Monster, you are weak!"
Heero yelled as he thrust his fist into the bowels of the mist, the mist groaning in pain.
"That may be true, but I will have all the power I need soon enough. My sister
will come to join me and my brothers will join together. Than you will not be able to
fight me!" the mist laughed as it slowly blended to nothing.
~~
Hi, Moonlit here. Finally a chapter from me after a much too long hiatus! Hope you
enjoy and please review! (It will make my next chapter come out even sooner, I
guarantee it!)
The rest of the story is all 'epilogue'. The story ties in with the end and I just decided to
have the rest of the match and the ending combine into this. Once again, please review!
By: Moonlit Love
Disclaimer: You know this by now, but Gundam Wing isn't mine.
Thought of the Chapter: Can Death cheat death? (I'll leave you with that thought as I
continue on.)
Chapter Four: Final Battle
"Heero," Relena breathed, the sound inaudible to those who didn't strain to hear
it.
"Ah, my lad. You may speak words and make them the truth, but what is
inscribed on your heart may only be erased by true hatred," Death mocked.
Both Heero and Relena turned to lay hateful eyes on the mist floating before them.
"Whatever is wrong?" Death mocked.
"You have disrupted our lives, you have taken love, what else do you want?"
Relena demanded, her blue-violet eyes becoming hard and taking on the tone of a vivid
steel.
"I like your strength, maybe the others should let you fight. To answer your
question in a word: Death. You see there is something fun about it. It is my life style,"
Death replied, his voice calm.
"Just because something is your life style doesn't mean you can't change," Relena
countered, her anger focused solely on the shifting mist before her.
"I don't want to change."
"You don't always get a choice, you get what you get. This time they will make
sure of it."
"I will see about that. Are you ready for your turn, now?"
Relena blinked slowly, deliberately. "I am."
She took a brave step forward to stand just a foot away from Death. "So, am I the
last you are taking, or will you take more?"
"I will take as many as I like."
"Then I am not going to make this easy," Relena promised as her soft eyes glowed
with intensity, "Hope you've done your homework, 'cause I definitely have done mine."
"What do you mean? How could I possibly study on whatever it is you want.
And if you are talking about subjects based on me, then why study?"
"Each victim of Death has something which may just defeat you."
"How did you find out about that?" Death asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"Like I said, I have been doing my homework, how about you?" Relena stated as
she boldly took another step closer to the mist.
The mist shifted backwards, its dark eyes gazing uncomfortably at the woman in
front of him who began to glow with a pale aura. Her aura glowed brighter, turning into a
pale blue which matched her eyes almost perfectly. It sparkled with lightning, glowing
blue-green at times. Her eyes went blank, only dark depths could be seen. "Let's fight."
Death seemed to almost be afraid of something, afraid of the woman who was
looking more than possessed. Relena brought her hand up and out, pointing her flat palm
at Death. "Pop goes Death."
She shot a ball of pure electricity at the mist, sparks zipping around from cell to
cell. "Who said you couldn't cheat Death," Relena taunted, preparing to fire another ball.
"You can't beat me! I'm invincible!" Death cried as he fizzled out as the next ball
connected with him, drying his misty form from the searing heat.
Relena's eye color came back and her aura faded. She swayed on her feet, trying
to recover from the impressive attack she had launched. Heero moved over to support
her. "You didn't mean what you said earlier did you?" Relena whispered, her voice
minute.
"No, I was just trying to save you, I had to try," Heero comforted, his voice soft.
Relena nodded slowly, trying not to use to much of her remaining energy. "Thank
you, but Death isn't dead. He has sibling mists who are just as dangerous. You, Trowa,
and Duo have to learn your protector powers and fast."
"How? How do we learn the powers and what they are?"
"I can't tell you what power you have, but you just have to believe in yourself to
get the hidden powers deep within you. There are powers you have which can stop Death
and its siblings, but you all must team up together and I'm not sure the three of you can
all live after that battle."
"Three of us? Aren't you going to be there as well?"
"I don't know if I'll be strong enough. We can only hope."
Heero nodded mutely. "How do we get the powers, Lena?"
"You must focus on an emotion, anger being the one I used. If you are focused on
that emotion, intensify it until there is nothing but that one emotion for you to live for.
Let the emotion flow through you, taking over all other functions. From there it just kind
of happens. I would tell you to try it, but I think the siblings of Death will be here soon
and I don't want you to waste your energy before the battle. That will be the final battle,
and it will decide the victor."
"How many?"
"Two recorded."
"Heal quickly while I tell the others."
Relena nodded weakly as she closed her eyes and let the tension seep out of her.
She was soon calm and felt strength come back to her, slowly making up for the losses it
had suffered when she had used her power. "I won't be strong enough to make it, Heero.
Find a way beat the others while I wait for you beyond life."
~~
"How did Relena find all this out?" Trowa asked, curious as to where the
information had been found.
"She didn't say where she had found it, but I know it is true. When the two
siblings of Death come, we have to be prepared. You guys know how to get your
emotions to give you the strengths you posses."
"So, can we test it out now and see what they are?" Duo wondered.
"She advised against it. You can see all the energy you waste when you do it.
We'll just have to wait and see."
"Trowa and I will take on one and you and Relena can take the other."
"Got it. Now, remember to focus on one emotion. The time will come soon
enough to use them."
~~
Three days had passed and there was still no sign of the others to come. Relena
was glad, just one more day and she was sure she would be able to last a whole round,
maybe even beat the other mists and still live. Duo, Trowa, and Heero had decided to test
their strengths that day, and had discovered the powers they possessed.
Heero possessed the power of heat. It included fire, and all other things of great
warmth. Duo possessed the power of water, of course, it included ice, snow, and
anything which dealt with water. Trowa possessed the power to control things with his
mind. He could easily move something heavy, or create something with which he could
use as a weapon. Relena discovered she also possessed the power to 'see' into the future.
She couldn't actually see anything, but she got feelings of things she could not explain. If
she knew she had to be somewhere, something important happened that only she could
stop.
Each power was one which would help them face off with the Dark mists, but
they would take the final test soon, the test which would tell them just how deep their
powers ran. Only time would tell them if they had the strength to fight for what they had
lost and may loose. When the test came was a question no one could answer, but it was
something which would soon be answered when the mists would show up.
~~
Heero was standing in the demolished kitchen watching the sky turn pink. It was
moments before sunrise and he was anticipating the flash of color the sun would bring.
There was nothing about mornings he didn't like. There was less people around, there
was less activity, and there was the calming solidity he enjoyed. Of course Relena had
taught him to enjoy the sunrises even though she had always been one to rise late.
The sky was soon painted with the brilliance of orange and it contrasted the
darkened sky to the west. Tiny sparks of radiant sun rays splashed up to dance in the
beautiful colors enriching the sky. Soon, the round top of the sun peaked over the
horizon. A new day had come, and with it was a new destiny.
~~
Trowa sat on a bar stool in Duo's club. The club had remained mostly intact and
it had become a refuge for Trowa. He was seeking to escape the things which haunted
him the most.
His past, Catherine's death, and his life as a Death protector. He had never really
wanted any of these to happen; but he couldn't escape his past and his life as a Death
protector had been written for him. His life was what had led up to Catherine's death,
and there was no way he could have beat Death. Nothing seemed to go right in his life
right now.
He had been happiest with Catherine, but she was gone and he was forced to
accept it. Not because he wanted to, but because he still had a job to do, and one he had
to do well. 'When will this nightmare be completely over? We have defeated Death, but
he has two siblings which must be defeated. Will it never end?'
~~
Everyone had gathered in the kitchen to think. It was another day, and yet another
time when they may be attacked. A cool, spring-like breeze blew by and Relena looked
up to see wispy clouds floating overhead. All her strength had not returned as of yet, but
she was feeling stronger than she had in quite a while. "Any signs?" It was Duo who
broke the dense silence.
"I don't know what the signs are for the two new mists. Relena?" Heero ventured,
not sure whether she knew any signs or not.
"They aren't like Death. There will be no chill wind and they can come at any
time. The only problem is they can appear silently and attack when you are caught off
guard. I read there may be warning signs, but I did not find any information which might
have led me to believe in any certain ways.
"Some articles mentioned a darkening sky, some mentioned something bad
happening previously, which is the attack Death threw onto us. But it will never come
when it is expected, only when the minds are at rest and they cannot properly prepare for
their attack. Only ten attacks have happened all together."
"So, if we are expecting it today, it won't come until tomorrow? But what if we
expect it tomorrow as well?"
"We just always have to be on guard. If we think for even a moment it won't
come, then it will come. No matter what, always believe the bad until we can prove
good."
"Sounds kind of dark for you, Lena."
Relena laughed at Duo's comment. The thoughts did seem dark to her. "They are
kind of dark, but what can we do except wait. I read something once which stated the
following line. I can't remember the exact wording, but 'something something something
is contained in these words: Wait and Hope."
"'All human wisdom is contained in the words 'Wait and hope!'' Although there
was more to the line," Trowa spoke up. (line taken from The Count of Monte Cristo by
Alexandre Dumas)
"'K, so now we just wait and hope for an attack on us?"
"No, we wait for things and then hope for good things to come to us after the
attack," Relena replied, her tone lightening up.
Duo still had a slightly puzzled look on his face but he shrugged his shoulders and
took a sip from the can he held. "Do we just want to get the attack over with? I mean it
isn't like we can prevent it from happening anyway. So why don't we just make
ourselves busy while having a mental note to be prepared. Then we can fight and things
can't go to wrong then, right?" Duo asked as he set his drink on the battered counter.
"What happens if we get too busy doing those things? Then how will we be
ready?"
"Good point."
"It would still be nice," Heero spoke up as he turned his eyes to look at the clouds.
"Yeah. So like do you think they would attack us now? I mean we are having a
conversation about the mists them, and they won't attack us when we are prepared.
'Cause I mean we are ready for them, are we not," Duo spoke up as he popped the tab
from his cola can.
Relena just shrugged as she followed Heero's line of vision upwards. The sky
was still nice, was this a sign there would be no attack soon? "Wait, did you say the mind
was at rest. If that is the case, then can we ever sleep?" Duo asked, his face grimacing
with the thought.
"I don't know. Maybe," Relena replied, the answer not coming to her.
"Then we will just have to keep guards posted. We will all sleep in one room and
two will remain awake while the other two sleep. We will do four hour shifts throughout
the night," Heero suggested.
Relena carefully studied Heero's face while the others gave their suggestions.
Something about the expression on his face told her he knew something, or had some sort
of bad feeling about all of this. "Relena? What do you think about that?" Duo asked,
curiosity tingeing his features.
"About what?"
"Weren't you paying any attention? We were going to follow Heero's plan, sleep
in the mostly indestructible infirmary."
"Sounds good. Now let's eat, I'm starving."
"I like that plan!" Duo stated as he stood.
They went out to eat somewhere, hoping they wouldn't get attacked when there
were so many people around. Nothing did happen then, and they all settled back into the
house that night.
~~
Heero and Relena were on watch first, one stationed outside the open door with
the other inside. Relena had chosen outside, preferring not to be tempted to let her guard
down and nod off. She was resting against the door frame, her legs drawn up to her and
her arms hugging them.
Thoughts spun through her head at a dizzying rate, not letting her enjoy the
peaceful quiet of the night. She let her eyes close for a brief second, letting herself
straighten out the mess she couldn't help thinking. When she opened her eyes again, the
sky was tinted with orange and pink.
But she knew it had not been but a few seconds since she last had looked at the
sky. She blinked once more and once more the sky was its deep, midnight blue with
silver stars speckled carefully across an almost endless expanse. The moon was rising, its
soft light giving touches of orange to the sky. Then, she suddenly knew she had to stay
up and see the morning. Something would be out of place, but who knew what it would
be.
~~
"Relena, it's your turn to rest," Trowa stated as he came out of the room.
"I can't. I need to stay up and see something. Something will happen when
morning comes."
"Get in here, Relena," Heero warned from inside.
"Fine, wake me up when dawn breaks," Relena relented, anger slightly evident in
her tone. She trudged to a cot, rolling out a fresh sleeping bag. Almost immediately she
fell asleep.
~~
Trowa had taken Relena's place on watch, the early morning dew settling over
him and everything else around him. Dawn was an hour away, but he would not be
waking Relena. Heero had left him a strict message to let her rest, and he knew better
than to challenge Heero. Although he knew he would regret his weakness when she did
awaken. Relena was almost as bad as Heero. He was at odds with the decision he had to
face. He had never thought of Relena's confrontation as much as he had Heero's.
He knew Relena could sense things that were impending, but would she be
accurate this time? Did they want to know what she sensed? "Relena, dawn is breaking."
~~
Trowa's voice startled Relena from her sleep. A haunting dream had been playing
continuously in her mind and she was glad to have awoken. She sat up and felt the tired
stiffness to her limbs. She was going to regret this in a few hours.
She stiffly walked out of the room, noticing Duo had fallen asleep on his watch.
A small chuckle escaped her lips as she saw the thrilling pinks and oranges accenting the
lighter blue sky. She squinted hard as she looked at the horizon, something off in the way
it looked. Then she saw it.
A dark, gray fog was slowly shifting towards them, extinguishing the sky above
them from the light colors to depressing, dark ones. "Duo! Heero! Time to get up,"
Relena warned as she saw the undulating mists creeping closer.
Heero emerged seconds later, but Duo's light snoring still continued. "DUO!"
Relena yelled again, trying to break him from his slumber.
"Wha...? I don't wanna go to school, mom," he whimpered out as his head fell
back to lean on the wall.
Relena went into the room and began to shake him for all he was worth. "Wake
up, now!" Relena said through clenched teeth with each shake.
"I'm up!" Duo muttered after a few moments, his arms stretching above his head.
"You better be. We will have visitors soon."
That got Duo up. He sprang from the chair, accidentally pushing Relena to the
floor. He scampered out of the room to see a gray cloud corrode the remaining front of
the house. Relena came out of the room a few moments later, a slight limp in her stride.
~~
The mist stopped in front of them, slowly separating into two, then four. "I
thought there were only two mists," Duo whispered to Relena.
"So did I."
"Oh, shity."
"Why hello there. You must be the Death protectors. And the little girl must be
the one needing protecting," a mocking voice from the darkest mist came.
"Who are you all?" Heero asked, his instinctive leadership coming through.
"I am Disaster, older brother to Death," a plain, gray mist replied.
"Desolation," a bellowing voice came from the pale gray mist spoke, "Older
brother to Death, younger brother to Disaster."
"Demise," a richly accented, feminine voice from a light gray, almost white mist
stated, "Youngest sibling to Death."
"Destruction, oldest sibling," the darkest, almost black mist, greeted in a deep
tone.
"Do we get to fight them?" Demise wondered, her voice almost eager.
"Yes, of course. Only they get to choose who they fight. After all we are the
challengers and they are the challenged," Destruction informed everyone.
"I'll take Destruction," Heero said, his voice falling back to monotonous.
"Disaster," Trowa claimed.
"Desolation," Duo declared.
"I guess I got Demise, then," Relena shrugged as she stepped one step forward
until she was shoulder to shoulder with Heero.
The four had unintentionally created a line to counteract the mists' line. "Ready,
fight," Destruction said as the mists charged forward.
~~
The final battle was ensuing, the intensity of strengths and powers filling the room
with a thickness no one wanted. Trowa had taken Disaster into the garden, a place where
he knew well. He wasn't sure of his odds against his opponent, but he was willing to die
here where he and Catherine had spent a lot of time, or defeat his enemy and make this
place even more sacred to him. He had found love here, lost love, and now he was going
to do one last battle here for love.
Instantly he was overcome by anger, resentment, and grief. He had to choose one
emotion, and he went with resentment. This emotion would fuel the resources he needed
to fend off the enemy. His resentment rolled through him, his control leaving his body.
Then Trowa felt the familiar power source within him explode. It was time.
An aura of green the same tone as his eyes shot up like wood on gasoline when a
match was thrown in. His eyes slowly faded to a vacant look as he took a step forward.
"I like to play with knives," Trowa stated bluntly.
He closed his eyes for the briefest moment and when he opened them once more
he had twin knives in his hands. Disaster soon had its arm extended and in it a twisting
sword resembling a tornado. "You chose the right mist to battle. We each have the
power to make and move objects. Ready, fight!"
Trowa clashed his sword against the 'tornado', sparks and water flying as they did
so. Disaster made a move to thrust his sword in Trowa's stomach, but Trowa swiftly
dodged the attack and thrust his sword at the mist. The sword swept through the mist,
leaving no visible damage. "Too bad I'm going to win. No puny little weapon you can
create will ever be able to hurt me."
Trowa frowned, trying hard to think of what might hurt this beast. Nothing was
coming to mind. But he didn't have time to think before the sword of his opponent came
rushing towards him once more.
~~
Duo was pinned up against a wall, the mist leaning closer to him. His attack was
useless unless he did something quickly. "I hear you lost your wittle girlfriend thanks to
my big bwover," Desolation taunted, not knowing Duo knew how to get his power.
"She was more than just a girlfriend to me! She was my wife and my love.
Thanks to your 'big bwover' she is gone! Now you will pay for this!" Duo shouted, anger
welling up inside of him.
He couldn't stop the flow of emotion coursing through his veins. He was not
going to let the nothing of a mist make fun of Hilde in front of him. An aura of vivid
violet surrounded him, and his head shot up. His violet eyes were blank, but anger was
evident in the depths. Duo called two daggers made of ice to fill his hands. "Pay for the
sins of your brother!" Duo shouted as he rushed at the mist.
(AN: You can probably guess their auras match their eye colors by now...)
He flew right through the mist, but the daggers were no longer in his hand. He
turned around and saw the two daggers stuck fast in the mist. Small bolts of electricity
flitted around the two spikes. The ice then began to melt, and with it the mist slowly
began to dissipate.
He smiled sadistically at the few remaining strands of mist and swiftly walked
from the room. There were other battles he knew would come, the surface of water he
used was not smooth, but rather rough. Something bad was going to happen, the looking
well was not agreeing with happiness.
~~
Relena slowly backed away, reluctant to use her powers to quickly. If she used
them and Demise was still able to fight, she knew she would not survive the fight. "What
is the matter, little Relena? You feel as if you can kill my brother, but when it comes to
me, you can't?" Demise taunted as she kept shifting forward.
"You know I would do anything to make sure all of you are forever gone, but I
know I must wait," Relena replied through gritted teeth.
"You killed my brother in two shots, but I am not as weak as he. You will soon
see the true depths of the powers of a mist," Demise stated, stark white appearing in what
seemed to be her mouth.
Relena slightly inclined her head, letting the mist know she was well aware. The
mist took a small step back and clapped her hands together, a large wind filled with
treacherous screams of angst and horror rang out from it. Relena flew back against the
wall, the wall crushing on the impact.
She slowly slid to the ground, biting her lip to contain against the pain. "You see,
Little Relena, I really am not as weak as my brother. I guarantee you will not defeat me."
Relena stared defiantly up at the shifting mist before her. "Pain, suffering,
anguish, horror, you caused all of this and more. I will not be contained within the weak
boundaries you have set for me. Be prepared to meet my powers."
Relena stood, placing her hand against the wall for support. She slowly let the
chanting cries of horror fill her mind. She wasn't going to go on anger this time, she was
going to go on revenge. She let the cries wash over her in nauseating waves. She let the
last words ring loudly in her ears.
But most of all she focused on how she was going to strike revenge for all the
lives this mist had taken. She felt electricity swell within her, a reassuring aura engulfed
her in its delicate colors. She opened her eyes, each the color of her aura but void of all
emotion. She blinked twice, electricity crackling in her aura. "Wanna play with me?"
Relena asked, her voice soft and innocent.
She tilted her head as she stared at the pale mist. "Listen here, little girl. I don't
have time for any of your childish games," Demise said, her voice becoming almost
mechanical with a small trace of fear and uncertainty.
"But I want to play a game of catch. Can you catch a ball?" Relena wondered.
Demise just stared in disbelief at Relena. Relena smiled briefly as she took a step
forward. "Here you go," Relena stated as she lifted her palm and shot a blast of lightning
at the mist.
Her voice had been soft as she gave the blast, almost like a school teacher giving a
child a toy after it had been taken from the child. Demise opened her eyes just a little
wider. She didn't have time to react before the crackling ball connected swiftly with her
stomach. The air and mist sizzled with the power and heat of the electricity Relena had
thrown.
"That hurt, you little brat!" Demise shrieked after a few moments.
Stray whips of yellow continued to sparkle in the mist. The mist's eyes flashed
red, but soon the mist dissipated from sight. But from some reason Relena knew better
than to relent her powers just yet.
~~
Heero didn't have to exert himself to defend against the mist standing before him.
Never mind how mind bands of fire shot out from the monster's hand. Heero knew he
didn't need his strength to defeat this creature, not yet anyway. "Monster, you are weak!"
Heero yelled as he thrust his fist into the bowels of the mist, the mist groaning in pain.
"That may be true, but I will have all the power I need soon enough. My sister
will come to join me and my brothers will join together. Than you will not be able to
fight me!" the mist laughed as it slowly blended to nothing.
~~
Hi, Moonlit here. Finally a chapter from me after a much too long hiatus! Hope you
enjoy and please review! (It will make my next chapter come out even sooner, I
guarantee it!)
The rest of the story is all 'epilogue'. The story ties in with the end and I just decided to
have the rest of the match and the ending combine into this. Once again, please review!