by Sunsinger

Duo is the son of Earth people. He was born on Earth. His father had a sister who decided to emigrate to the L2 colony. They decided to visit Duo's aunt so she could see him. While they were on L2 there was a plague. Just one of the many plagues that ripped through the colonies. Duo's parents died. So did his aunt. Solo found him wandering around. He was about five years old and feverish. Solo him brought him back to… well it's sort of an orphanage. The street kids would take in orphans and raise them. Each sector had it's own street orphanage. A lot of kids were orphaned. For about another five or six years we raised Duo. We raised the entire orphanage. We were thieves, beggars, grunt work, anything and everything. Up to and including selling our bodies for sex, medical work, or anything that was needed. Anything to make sure the younger ones had food. That they had water to drink and wash in at least once a week. I can't tell you how many times I stole so I had money to buy medicines and vaccines for the young ones.

Now, if our sector had a surplus we would trade or give the surplus to another sector. It was family, the closest thing to one we had. When the plague came back, it hit harder. Solo fell ill. So did many of the Inner Colony heads. The Inner Colonies are what we called the orphanages. They predicted that this time the plague had a mortality rate of 97.825%.

The government of L2 made a huge mistake. Last time the plague came through they developed a vaccine and a cure but simply gave it to the rich and middle class with what was left over to the poor. The poor had more need of it. Also they forget there are a lot more poor people than the rich or middle class. By depriving us of it, they allowed it to live longer. This led to riots.

They didn't learn. They did the same thing. We would break in and steal it, after all anything for the children. Solo did a noble thing. Noble, yes but stupid. Even though it had hit him hard, he refused all medication. When we finally got enough we vaccinated everyone. There were two doses left. The only ones who had not been injected were Duo and Solo. Both of them refused. Well once, I told Duo that everyone had been taken care of, he took his. What he didn't see was that Deci, one of Solo's second in commands, had brought in another child. The child was feverish. Solo gave her his dose. Later we broke in and got more. We got back about 3 hours after colony dawn. Solo died at dawn. We thought for the longest if we hadn't had to wait to break in then it would have been ok.

After that Duo was way hurting. I do think... in a way... that he was in love with Solo. Solo was his everything, anything, and mostly his only thing. Solo ruled in his world. Back then Duo was Deux as in two. After Solo died he called himself Duo. Well, since most of the IC leaders were dead, I and others decided to take advantage of the fact that after the plague a lot of the worst bigots in the government got booted. All of a sudden they noticed the large amounts of orphaned children. I got Duo sent to Maxwell Church. It was in a rural area. As different from L2 as I could get. There was trees and a sky that went on forever. His parents wanted him, he was supposed to be an earth child. Circumstances forced him to live on L2. Once I made sure he had snuck onto a certain ship, I paid the cargo master to 'not find' him. Then I contacted someone on Earth. They made sure he was eventually led to the Maxwell church. I sent him to Earth.

You don't know how much I regretted it. I discovered no one in any of the colonies had a child missing or presumed dead that matched Duo, so he had to be Earth born. I sent him home.

Then Maxwell church was attacked. When Duo found out that what the attackers wanted was a mobile suit. He told them if they left the kids and the priest and the nuns alone then he would get them a mobile suit. Duo is, was, and always will be, a thief extraordinaire. He got onto a base, stole a mobile suit. Only to get back to find that the attackers had shot everyone in the head and destroyed the church. Duo died for the second time that day.

I heard about it and sought to come get Duo. I wanted to take him back. I knew others could take care of the IC so I hopped a freighter. I came to Earth. Many times I came close to Duo only to miss him. Soon the authorities caught up to him. They placed him in some kind of foster care and sent him to school.

I took the time to steal his files and learn more about Duo's time away from me. They all mentioned his hair. His beautiful golden brown hair. Since Solo died, I knew Duo had been growing it. Duo knew that memorials are built and destroyed, so he made a memorial that won't be. His memories and his hair. That luscious length of chestnut.

Duo is not betraying you. Leave him be. Or you will find out who he is exactly and what he can do.

More importantly, leave him be or I'll kill you.

* * *

During his recitation no one spoke. Hex, looked around and saw the other four Gundam pilots. Staring at them trying to communicate trust. He turned towards the inspectors; Hex looked up at them.

"Duo has some family on Earth, but they don't know he exists. Until he fails to turn up on his twenty fourth birthday he will be considered missing, if he doesn't show up then he will be presumed dead and his inheritance will be given away. Right now, he's considered missing. I know his true name. I know his true god, the god he was consecrated to. I know his birthday. I had hopes to tell him all this in time. I thought I could wait and let him find out bit by bit. Now that's moot.

"I do not liked being rushed, gentlemen. You rushed me. Duo, I ask you in the name of the love you once had for me, do not ask about your past yet. Take what I have just told you and get comfortable with it. Will you?"

"Yes. Hex?"

"Yes, hun?"

"Why don't I remember my parents?"

"Your brain got fried. Duo, you were running a 103.7 fever. It blocked your past from you. It took me ten years to find out this much. Give me a break."

"I have a family?"

"A third cousin several times removed. Wasn't close to your mother. Didn't know you were born. Found out when they couldn't claim your inheritance. Now relax, Duo and just don't ask any more, ok?"

"Tell me my name and I will not ask anything else."

"Damn you, brat."

"Please?" It takes a harder person than Hex to resist the large limpid eyes that Duo turned to him. "Hex, please."

"OK, that's it, ok?"

"Yes."

"Duval Anthony Misha. And no you don't need to know your last name. All I can say is that people who have money give kids such pretentious names. Lunch is over. Go to class." Hex picked up his lunch tray and dumped it in the trash. Leaving a stunned audience behind him he headed out. When he passed Heero, he whispered, "Tonight, six Gundams."

* * *

That night, the five pilots met in the lobby of the school. They often made it a point to attend general meetings on Thursdays since it was considered the most popular meeting of the week, including Fridays and Saturdays.

Every night there was a general meeting that would last until a quarter to ten. Lights out was at ten. Everyday had a different theme.

Monday- General info on what would be happening this week at school. Announcements.

Tuesday- Game night, this night they played games in the lobby.

Wednesday- Talent Night. This night was to showcase any and all talents of the students, save storytelling

Thursday- Story Night, this night was reserved to tell stories.

Friday- Party Night, this night the school sponsored trips to clubs that would last until 2 a.m.

Saturday- Dance Night, the school would have a dance that night.

That night was Thursday, and it was story night, an absence during story night would look very suspicious. So they attended every Thursday, even though none of the Gundam pilots ever told a story. That changed today.

* * *

Hex walked up to the huge ottoman in the center of the lobby and sat down in a cross-legged fashion. The fireplace was to his back and the warmth made him relax. Turning to face the crowd of students, he flashed a brilliant smile.

"OK, I wouldn't be here, but Duo asked me to. He claims I told him the best stories. I never did. I only told him one story but it has many parts. It's a story that has over 15,000 episodes but I will only tell you the beginning now. If you like the story, thank Duo. If you hate it, blame me.

Hex sat straightened his back and smile out at his audience. Raising his voice, he started out in a half chant.

"This is the story of the powers
and the child they raised,
the child they gave to this world
to make our lives easier.
"This is the story of Shi no Musuko,
the son of death.

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