Hell's Angel
By: Ice_Queen
Chapter 2: Just Like Shirley Manson
AN: ) Hi! It's me again! Like the title? Ya see, right now I'm blasting Garbage. Who, by the way, rock. Sorry it took me awhile to get this up. I've hardly been home for oh.... about the past month. Well, I'm writing now, so enjoy. I hope.
@---/---- 2 da fic ----\---@
Duo's POV
There is something familiar about that girl, thinks Duo as they walk towards his car. Maybe I have seen her around, he rationalizes. Little things about her make him think that maybe he's seen her somewhere else. The way her hair flows wildly, but still perfectly in order. Her violet eyes that remind him of the color of irises. Her every angelic feature. He has a flash of Camille standing in front of him wearing black leather and wings extending from her.
Whoa, is all Duo thinks. "Hey, why is everybody so quiet?" Hilde asks suddenly. Oh my God, I totally forgot Hilde was here, Duo thinks to himself. "I'm just waiting until we get to the cafe to jabber," Camille answers her. "Oh." Hilde says in response. We finally arrive at my car. I see Camille eyeing it. "Nice car." She finally says.
"Thanks." I reply, bright and chipper as usual. I open the door to the passenger seat. "Hilde, you take front seat. I'll ride in back." Camille says diplomatically, and knowingly. "Okay. You sure you don't want any company in the back?" Hilde asks. "Yeah, I'm sure." Camille answers. With that she hops in the back seat and Hilde sits down in the front. I close Hilde's door and walk around to the other side of the car. Then I hop in and take off towards Cafe Lunari.
Hotaru's POV
I am so elated that I just might burst! It's really him! Right here in front of me! I'm so happy I can hardly sit still and contain it. I can't wait to tell Setsuna! She'll be so happy too and I'll be so happy. We'll all be happy! Yay! Oh, we're here.
I wait patiently until Duo parks the car. Then the three of us simultaneously get out and walk in the Cafe. The hostess gives us a table outside in the bright sunshine. I look over my menu and hold a light conversation with Hilde and Duo. I decide on ordering a pot of green tea, a side salad, and a club sandwich. I eat light.
The waitress finally comes and we all order. I notice that Shinigami still has a huge appetite. As we wait for our food we talk about such things as working for the Preventors, peace, war, and revolution. The food finally comes and we concentrate on eating. Jeez, he is still such a pig
Flashback
Stupid, stupid, stupid, I think to myself as I search frantically through the battlefield. I was stupid to take my eye off of him for a second. He went into battle with the rest of the soldiers. I just know it. I pray that I won't find him dead.
As these thoughts fly through my head my body moves an autopilot through the masses of the dead. The colors of uniforms blend, black to silver or white. The soldiers of Hell in black and the soldiers of Heaven white or silver. My eyes check the dead for a man with a long braid, but I still cannot find him. I check the dying and the living as well. Still there is no sign of him.
I move farther out in the field. Farther, and farther away from my Lord's home. Closer to the front line, where the first of the armies clashed in battle. Finally I see a braid. Thank the Gods, is all I can think as I run to him. He is lying on the ground next to a dead man of Heaven, probably the army leader. I fall to my knees beside him. "My Lord." I say while shaking his shoulder. "Shinigami…" I say again. "Duo!" I yell.
Finally his eyes crack open and I breathe a sigh of relief. Then I notice his pallor. So pale, I think, the pale of death. He's dying, I realize. How can you kill death? That is what I think. "Hey," he chokes out, "how'd everything go?" "Just fine Duo." I tell him, reverting to the name I referred to him as in my childhood. I stanch his wound with a cloth I called in.
"What happened?" I ask him. "I came out here… to fight… and I killed the leader… but not before I managed to get severely wounded." He answers me in between labored breaths. "Hey, Firefly?" Duo asks me. "Yes, Duo?" I reply. "You know I'm dying… so take care of Hell for me… until I get back… Deal?" he says stopping several times. "Deal. But when will you be back, and how will we know?" I ask, my brow crinkling. "Just trust me… you'll know… and Taru… you're my best friend… I hope you know that… and I wouldn't trust anyone else… with this job." He tells me. I feel tears come to my eyes. "I know Duo. I'll rule it like you would. You're my best friend too." I say chokingly. With that I kiss his hand for the very last time. He draws a shuddering breath, and dies. I get up and walk away with tears streaming freely down my face.
End Flashback
I remember it so clearly. It haunts me even today. For the longest time I thought I had failed to protect him, and that it was all my fault. We all finish eating and continue to talk for awhile. After we finish talking Duo leads us back to the vehicle and drives me back to the parking garage for the Preventors. He escorts me to my car, and I wave him off. He and Hilde drive away. Then I enter my vehicle and head home.
#Hotaru's Home#
I pull into the driveway and park my car. Getting out I book inside my house, and quickly run upstairs. I then peek outside my windows just to be extra cautious. Going to Hell, I think to myself. I walk into a closet and transform magically into my true form.
I still have the same body, but I have black wings extending from my shoulder blades. Also, instead of wearing my previous dress I am now wearing something way more revealing. It's a leather bikini-ish top, and a short leather mini skirt. I mean come on, what else am I going to get to go around my huge wings, and have it fit properly. I'm also wearing leather high-heeled boots that extend 3 inches above the knee.
I smile to myself and think another busy day in the life of moi. I send my body a message and I feel it. The power. It rises up to the top, and flows outward. So cold, and so dark. I take the energy I have gathered and form it into a portal. This portal connects with Hell. I laugh, and step through into my domain. Into my home.
#Hell-Throne Room#
I smile as my surroundings come in to focus. This is my true home, I think as I look around. A simple throne is at the back of the huge room on a slightly raised dais. Other than that there's not much in here except for some plants, paintings, and sculptures here and there. The walls are a white color with gold detailing upon it. The floors are a dizzying white marble. This is where you would come if you were granted a formal audience with the leader of Hell. It strikes fear into your heart, doesn't it? Probably not, but that's because my Lord doesn't want people to fear him. They do enough of that already without his help.
"Setsuna," I call out, knowing that she is there. "Yes, Mistress?" she answers me. "Oh come, now's not the time for formality." I say, kind of irritated. "Of course." Setsuna replies appearing from the darkness. "Guess what?" I ask. "What?" she replies, "You know I'm no good at these guessing games." I let out a delighted squeal. "I saw him!" I yell. "I saw him, I saw him," I sing repeatedly, jumping around in circles. "Now there's a surprise. God, I haven't seen you this happy in centuries." I laugh. "I know," I say," but I saw him, and he's well, so that makes me happy." "Good." Setsuna says to me. "Just think, only a little while until he's back here, with us, where he belongs. I can't wait! Plus, I'm getting so sick of ruling." I get out all in one breath. "Yes, it will be a joyous time for everyone," she says calmly," Wait. What do you mean you're sick of ruling?" "I mean I'm tired of the stress and responsibility that no one else has." I answer her. "Oh." She simply says.
"I have some things you need to go over, and you have a meeting with the other generals in an hour," Setsuna tells me. I sigh. "Alright. Let's start with the paperwork…." I say with a total lack of enthusiasm. We settle down on the ground and start going through documents. An hour later after my hand is cramped and my butt's asleep we get up. "Well, time for another meeting on defense and attack strategies," I say. "Yes, Mistress. I can see joy overwhelming your features already," Setsuna says with a wry smile. The two of us exit the room and walk down the corridor to another large room. The meeting room. I take a deep breath and push open the heavy door. I walk in with Setsuna following me. As soon as I enter all the other generals rise. There are eight generals including myself.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen," I proceed calmly to my seat. Actually it is my Lord's seat, but since he has left I have been put in charge. I sit and observe the other generals as Setsuna sits. There are four men and four women. The women are Setsuna, Michiru, Haruka, and myself. The men are Malachite, Zoisite, Nephrite, and Jedite. They were originally generals of Hell before Beryl turned them. After each of them died we reclaimed them. "What's our status?" I ask. "We're holding them at bay on the North, but they're pushing," Malachite replies. "They've got us to move 1/4 of a mile back," Jedite tells me. They must have a better general in the south army, I think. "We're holding them off, but we need more people!" Haruka, General of the East, says. "I have them giving way slightly, but, as with Haruka, we need reinforcements," Michiru, West General, tells me with her usual stoic demeanor. "I will try to get reinforcements out to each of you, but we cannot leave the Keep unprotected." I say with a sad glance at the table. "Any other reports?" I ask, wanting to leave. "We're doing fine in the North-East," Setsuna says. She is an excellent commander, never loses her cool. "We've got the situation under control in the South-East," Zoisite says, with his usual confidence. "Up in the North-West we need reinforcements." Nephrite tells me. "I will ship reinforcements out to all sectors ASAP. And just for the record the SouthWest is fine. Meeting adjourned." I say while getting up and walking out of the room.
I am tired of listening to the same things over and over again. I want my Lord to come home. I want him to take control with his bright attitude. I'm tired of ruling! As soon as he gets back I'm taking a 40-year vacation! Period. End of story. I turn down an older hallway, and halt in front of a light fixture. I look both ways to be safe, and hit a pattern of bricks on the wall. Behind me I hear stone shift and know that the door to my hideaway has opened. I turn and enter with the door closing behind me. I walk down the steps, feeling the air become cooler as I go. Finally I get down to the bottom and go into my room. I immediately go up to a bookshelf and pull out our records. We have 1,000,000 unstationed soldiers. I will send 400 to each sector. Let's see 400 x 8= 3600. There. I randomly pick out 3600 names and divide them into 8 equal parts. I mail the list of names to Setsuna, knowing she'll take care of it.
I exit my room, and find myself wandering down the corridors. I finally find myself in front of a door made of oak and simply carved. Without a second thought I enter the room. It is my Lord's room. It's filled with his psychic scent, a dark, powerful, seductive scent. No wonder why he had so many women hanging all over him. I look around my surroundings and remember the first time I came here.
Flashback
It was my fifteenth birthday. My parents had put together an elaborate party and invited hundreds of people. Most of them I didn't even know. I knew a few though. The Princesses, both inner and outer. A few of my father's co-workers. But that was about it. I was being dragged around most of the night by my mother, "mingling," as she calls it. By the time the party was truly underway I was already on my 6th drink. God I hated it. My idea of a birthday party was just having a few close friends over. I hadn't even seen the person I truly wanted to see, my best friend Duo. Ever since the other night I had been terribly worried about him…. but that's another story.
Anyway, I had felt like I was being watched the entire night. Finally while talking to Setsuna he came up to me. "Hello, princess," he said whispering in my ear," I have a present for you." I turned and there was Duo looking absolutely stunning with a big bright smile on his face. I laughed and held out my hands. He took them in his own. "Oh, you came! I was so worried," I cried, delighted. Setsuna had been observing this exchange silently and suddenly decided to leave. I hardly took note. "Of course I came, Taru!" he said with a smile. "By the way, you look gorgeous," he said, completely open and honest. "Thank you," I replied, blushing slightly," so do you." Behind us the orchestra finished their song and started with a waltz. Duo smiled down at me. "May I have this dance?" he asked. "Of course," I replied. He led me out to the floor and we started dancing. The steps came so naturally to me that I was able to talk as well. I told him how bored I had been, and how I wished mother would have thrown a quiet, little party. After the dance we walked outside and down the stairs on the balcony to the garden.
We walked silently for awhile, the both of us content. Finally I broke the silence. "So how are you?" I asked with meaning. "I'm better," he answered honestly, "I've been learning about my duties, so on and so forth." "Oh. Well I hope things turn out good," I said with a worried expression. He must have seen my face because suddenly he smiled and sat me down on a bench. "Now, how about the present I promised?" he asked with a smile. "Oh all right," I said smiling back.
Out of his pocket came a long, thin box, and out of thin air came a bouquet of violets. I smiled. I hadn't realized he knew what my favorite flower was. "Here you are," Duo said, handing me the bouquet. "Thank you," I told him. "But wait there's more!" he said handing me the box. I stared at it for a few seconds. "Open it," he encouraged. I flipped the top up and gasped. It was the most beautiful piece of jewelry I had ever seen! A thin silver chain hung down to reveal an amethyst gem the size of a pencil eraser, and a little obsidian gem right next to it set it silver. My two favorite colors. Duo smiled and walked behind me, plucking the necklace from my hand. He fastened it around my neck.
I felt so overwhelmed with emotion that I felt tears come to my eyes. I knew I couldn't say anything at the moment so I got up and hugged him. When I pulled away I saw a look in his eyes that had never been there before. It was… something very primal and basic. Before I knew what he was doing my head had been tilted, exposing my neck. I felt his lips on my neck. At first I thought it was some sort of kiss, but then I felt a sharp prick on my neck. I realized that he had bit me and was draining away the very thing that kept me walking. Yet I felt no panic. Only a desire to yield. We stayed in that position for awhile with him slowly draining me of life. I felt myself getting drowsy and becoming more aware of the pain. My system was gradually slowing. Getting slower, slower, slower. I realized I was close to death. Finally Duo released me, and looked at me in fright. "Oh my God," was all he said.
Still somewhat in his trance he lay me down on the ground. At this point my vision was getting fuzzy, but I can still somewhat see. Duo rolled up his sleeve and slit his wrist. Slowly but surely his blood came oozing out. I felt a sudden pang of desire for that source of life. Duo lowered his wrist and propped me up with his other hand. He pressed his wrist to my mouth and I latched onto it. I sucked out his own life in a frenzy. After awhile I could see clearer than ever, noting Duo's expression of ecstasy. I also felt a new breed of pain in my system. I released his wrist and fisted my hands into my stomach. I was still dying. I also saw something above my head floating downward. Some sort of light. A spirit, a cold, dark spirit. Duo held me while I died, and finally I blacked out.
When I woke up I was lying in a set of totally different surroundings. I slowly remembered the events of last night. "Duo…?" I croaked out. He was at my side in an instant. "I'm so glad you're okay," he whispered while stroking my hair. "Am I dead?" I asked. "No. Not really. I'll explain later. Get some more rest," he told me and I fell asleep in an instant.
End Flashback
That was the first time I had ever been in this room. It was also the first time I had been in Hell. I still didn't know what I had become yet, but I would soon find out. Then, it would be the end of the shy, little girl named Hotaru, and the beginning of a jaded warrior. Oh well, I think, that was in the past. I should let it lie there. My Lord is here now, and everything will be okay. It has to be. It just has to…
AN: ) So… what did you think? I thought it was spiffy while I was writing it, but now I'm not so sure. I'm still posting it though, because it took me a long time to write it. Now we get to see some of the Hotaru/Duo romance. Mostly it's been about Hilde and Duo so far. (That will change though.) Oh yeah. And I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. The plot is mine though! Hope you liked it! (I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner.) By the way, I am just starting to work on Chapter 4(?) of Twist of Fate. (Let's pray that gets done soon too.)