AN: Well, thank you all that decided to drop a nice little review in my mailbox. I wuv you all lots. Some people decided to ask a few questions and I've decided to answer them or comment evilly how you'll never find out until that chapter comes out. By the way, this chapter is dedicated to Gackt Camui, thanks a lot for reviewing without that extra little push from me.
Gackt Camui: hmm...who is she? That's one of those 'hahaha, you'll never make me tell under threat of torture' questions. Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough. Very soon in fact...What is Destiny planning? Um, she's not really planning anything. She's just making sure everything is being carried out so the 'big conclusion' will occur. I suppose, now that I think of it, she really IS the female Hiiro. Lol. I never thought of it that way. Anyway, I personally want Fate AND Destiny to weave. I dunno, maybe it's just me. I think they both should be able to control lives, ne? And, YES! Mamoru is a crazed physco who I'll be beating up at the end of the fic. You'll find out what happened in Usagi's relationship with him.
Moon Mage Goddess: I'm glad to know I'm on your Author Alert. And I love my new ficcie Snubbed too. It's such a fun idea. ::holds up little Inuyasha puppets:: kukukukuku
lil kawaii doom: Love your name. It's so cuuuttee! ::squeals:: Thanks for letting me know that I'm appreciated.
WereWolf: Unfortunately, renangel is my nasty sister who hates any idea she considers not original. Well guess what, Serena?!? I don't CARE if you hate this idea! So there! :P
Airlady: Thanks for your constructive criticism. Yeah, I'll be adding more. Maybe I'll make it more detailed than I was originally planning. I'll delve more into Duo's dark past as well as Usagi's and Hiiro's.
Kitty: You'll find out soon enough about how Usagi's tied to Hiiro. Very soon, this chapter in fact.
Paru-chan: YES! We will save the not-really-a-main-character! She will be saved! Very very far into the future...
Twist of Fate
by
Iris
Usagi moaned, grimacing as her eyes slid open. Sun streamed in from one of Duo's windows, the bright annoyance that had woken her up in the first place. She made a face as a sour taste filled her mouth, that's what she got for not brushing her teeth.
Sluggishly, she threw off the heavy blankets, barely hearing the muffled protest as half of the blanket slid to the floor. She glanced at the lump to the right of her as she slid off of the bed.
"Usa-chan, you're letting in all the cold air."
Oh, so the lump talked and complained too? A brilliant little idea popped into her mind and she eyed Duo evilly. Turning to face the bed, she gave one mighty push and Duo toppled right off of the bed and onto the floor. Moments later, a tousled head of chestnut hair was peering above the bed and glaring at her. Usagi laughed as she headed towards the bathroom. Behind her, Duo grumped as he pulled the blankets back around him, too lazy to climb back on the bed.
In the bathroom, Usagi snagged her borrowed toothbrush and quickly cleaned up. Darting out, she cast an amused glance at the newly established lump on the floor. Rummaging around in Duo's closet, she came up with a dry towel and headed back to the bathroom.
One hour later...
Usagi emerged from the steam filled bathroom and stalked over to the boy fast asleep on the floor. She nudged him none to gently with her foot and a pair of sleep-filled, violet eyes appeared from the black blanket.
"Yes, Usa-chan?" Duo questioned, voice muffled.
"Clothes, Duo. I need clothes."
"You can wear anything you want from the closet." Duo replied, satisfied with his answer, he burrowed back under.
Only to be disturbed moments later, this time with a kick to his side.
"All you have is black. I want something decent. Quatre has sisters. I would like girl clothes." Usagi insisted.
Duo's head appeared once more, "One floor down. Second floor."
"I can't go out in a towel!" Usagi hissed, "What if someone sees me?"
"No one will care." Duo answered back, unconcerned, "They know you're taken."
"You're missing the point!" Usagi practically screamed at him.
Finally, Duo sat up, "Fine, fine."
Groaning, he got up and pressed a wall panel near his desk. A section of wall slid to the side and a passageway appeared.
"Just go straight ::yawn:: and make a right at the fork. And then the second left. You'll be there." Duo said sleepily.
Usagi was about to speak when a small vidphone in the corner of the room flickered to life. Quatre's face appeared on the screen.
"Duo, I just wanted to...tt..."
Duo watched amused as Quatre took in Usagi's lack of apparel and blushed beet red. However, Usagi was not so amused. She shrieked and snatched the gun from the bedside table and fired three consecutive shots at the innocent vidphone. A very broken circuit and shards of glass later, Duo cautiously got off of the floor where he had thrown himself. He glanced at Usagi who calmly placed the gun down and huffed her way through the passageway.
o.O
In the kitchen, Trowa watched with hidden amusement as Quatre turned the most interesting shade of red. Hiiro had glanced up at the first gunshot but when he saw the slightly fizzing phone, he returned to hacking into top secret files. Wufei's eye twitched, he had been the only other pilot to see what had transpire in Duo's room.
Silence reigned for a few moments before the patter of small feet sounded in the kitchen wall. Wufei stiffened, hand automatically going to his katana. Nothing was heard except for the clickity-clack of Hiiro's laptop.
Silence.
More silence.
Finally, Wufei got up, obsidian eyes narrowed in annoyance, "Maxwell! Come out right now! We all know you're there!"
Silence.
Cautiously, Wufei edged towards the door and slid out into the hallway.
"Maxwell!"
Silence.
Until the rest of the Gundam pilots heard a resounding slap in the hallway. Followed immediately by the sound of metal breaking.
"Don't you ever threaten me with this katana again, Wufei Chang!" Usagi snapped, her eyes glittering with anger.
"How can I, onna?!?" Wufei roared right back, indignation in his voice, "You just snapped it in half!"
Quatre winced in sympathy as another slap was heard, "What did I tell you about calling me onna, Chang?!?" Usagi yelled, her voice echoing in the hallway.
And then a third person entered the scene with a, "Hey, Wu-man, what's up?"
A short scuffle, then, "Baka Maxwell! Your weak onna just broke my katana in half!"
"Wu...Wu..Wu-man..." Duo choked out from the choke-hold Wufei now had him in, "L...Let g-go."
"Chang!" Usagi's warning rang out.
A thud as a body hit the ground. Minutes later, Usagi stalked into the kitchen followed closely by a sulking Wufei and a slightly blue Duo.
As Usagi sat down to her breakfast, she spoke, "I have to get going after I eat. The roads should be cleared up by now."
Duo stopped shoving food into his mouth, "I...I thought you decided to stay!"
Usagi seemed startled, "Stay? Are you sure?"
Quatre nodded.
"Well, then I have to get back anyway and make arrangements with my landlord."
"Oh. Okay."
Hiiro noted this exchange without anyone noticing that he noted the exchange. This would definitely make everything much much easier.
--flashback--
"You're sure, 01?"
"Hai. It's her."
"Well then, keep an eye on her. When the time is right, we'll take her back."
"Ninmu ryoukai."
--end flashback--
"I'll see you soon, D-chan!" Usagi cried as she waved at Duo who was standing just inside the door.
Smiling brilliantly, she climbed into her car as Duo waved back. With a croak, her engine started and she was backing out of the driveway. Minutes later, she was out of sight and the Gundam pilots disappeared back into the mansion.
"There's something you need to know about Usagi." Hiiro stated quietly, catching the attention of all of the pilots, "She's not who she says she is."
Duo's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean she's not who she says she is?"
Hiiro looked him straight in the eye, "Exactly what I said. She's a Gundam pilot. She just doesn't seem to know it at the moment."
"So what is she, 06?" Duo questioned sarcastically, "You expect me to believe that bullshit? If you don't like her just say so."
"She's Pilot 02." Hiiro continued on, seemingly ignoring Duo's statement, "Gundam SilverWing."
"Hiiro, you have to be making a mistake." Quatre said softly, "Duo's 02 and his Gundam is Deathscythe Hell Custom."
"Duo's only 02 because Usagi...disappeared when she was ten." Hiiro replied calmly, "That would make you 03, Duo."
Duo drew in a sharp intake of breath, "You're not going to make me believe this shit, Hiiro. You don't have any proof. None. And since you don't have anything to back you up, I'm not going to let you drag Usa-chan into this mess."
In response to Duo's half-threat, Hiiro pulled out two pictures. One was of a Gundam. It was like Wing and Deathscythe fused together, half of it was black and the other half was white. Each half had either a bat wing or a regular angel one. The second picture was of an emotionless looking girl that bore an eerie resemblance to Usagi.
"I've got proof."
Something in Duo snapped, "I don't give a damn, Hiiro! What are the crack jack doctors gonna do, huh? She doesn't remember a thing! They can't force her to remember anything! And even if they could, I wouldn't let them! You got that, buddy? I. won't. let. you. I won't have them turn her into a second you! I won't let them turn her into a cold-blooded killer!"
Despite all his training, Hiiro flinched at Duo's tirade. He had never been trained to react in a situation such as this. He didn't know what to do.
"Fuck, Hiiro." Duo spat out angrily, "All the perfect soldier cares about is his goddamn mission! As long as he completes that mission, he doesn't care about who he hurts along the way! Does he? Does he, Hiiro?"
--flashback--
It was his first mission in the colonies. He had one day to enjoy L1 and then at night he would destroy the base. But that was later. Right now, he could just relax on the artificially grown grass.
"Are you lost?"
The innocent voice questioned him as a shadow blocked out the sunlight above him. A small girl appeared, smiling brilliantly underneath her wide-brimmed hat. Distinctly, he heard a small bark.
"I've been lost my whole life."
He sat up carefully and the girl leaned back.
"That's sad. I'm not lost though! I'm taking a walk with Mary!"
The tiniest of smiles broke free from his emotionless mask. It was hard not to smile with the bubbly girl next to him. Suddenly, he found himself staring into the yellow petals of a flower.
"Here, you can have this." the girl said happily, "I hope you find your way soon."
Mary chose that moment to tug at her leash and dart away.
"Mary, wait for me!"
The flower dropped into his lap as the girl ran after the exuberant puppy.
--flash--
"Ninmu kanryou."
The base exploded in a flash of light and he turned his back on the quickly burning building. His only warning was a creak and as he whirled around, it was already too late.
Time seemed to slow as a mobile suit, unbalanced by the explosion, began to descent onto a nearby civilian building. As it connected, the building crumpled and parts of it caught on fire. Hiiro's hand clenched around the flower that the girl had given him as he heard the screams.
"No."
He threw the detonator to the ground, "NO!"
--flash--
It was snowing. Earlier, it had been raining as the colony's weather system put out the fire. But now it was snowing.
Silent, he approached the remains of the building. The stone had rapidly cooled under the falling flakes. He winced as he saw a slightly burnt teddy bear and then...it was a puppy.
'Mary. The little girl...she lived here.'
--end flashback--
Duo's blow found its mark even if Hiiro's expression didn't change. Even if he barely showed it, he considered Duo a friend, his best friend at that. To hear those words coming from him added a thicker layer of ice on his already cold heart.
Duo, however, seemed to be done talking to all of them. He snatched his leather jacket off of the coat rack and slammed the door behind him as he disappeared into the garage. Moments later, the sound of a motorcycle starting up was heard and it was moving steadily away from the mansion.
Hiiro turned away from the rest of the pilots and began to move towards his room. Only to be stopped by Quatre's hand on his shoulder.
"Hiiro...you know Duo didn't mean it."
Hiiro brushed Quatre's hand off brutally, "He did."
And with those two parting words, he disappeared into a hallway and eventually his room.
o.O
Out on the road, Duo headed towards Usagi's apartment complex, heart filled with fear.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon.