Warnings: Yaoi
Disclaimer: Don't own GW.
Shingami Chapter 3: The Fifth Level
In no time at all, Quatre and Duo were in a large city-like place where the business of Summerland was dealt with. When they arrived at a building about 10 stories high at least, Duo finally realized something. "Quatre," he started, looking at his surroundings. "If people here don't need stuff like this, why is it here?"
Quatre turned to face Duo and smiled. "This place is built for pleasure reasons. There are things like art galleries here, museums, things like that that people enjoy seeing or doing. They know they don't need it, but it makes their time spent here a little more lively."
Duo nodded absentmindedly whilst gazing with wide eyes at an edifice down the walkway that was being built. "How do they make buildings since what you think is what will happen to you... Wouldn't it change with the different people who visit?"
Quatre shook his head and glanced down the walkway at the building also. "You see, there are certain jobs here that we couldn't really have a Summerland without." He motioned to the 10 story structure beside them. "This one which we are to visit is where the files of everyone who is to die sometime soon are kept. This is also where the files are transferred to the different levels of Summerland. But the buildings here are formed with specific people's thoughts." He pointed to the people standing around the building. "That's them, and when they all think the same thing about that building - well, they'll be done in a second, you can see it then."
Duo nodded again and watched eagerly. Suddenly, a beam from the sky shot down to shine on the space where the workers were surrounding. None made a move or noise as they formed the image of the building in their minds and slowly, the building began to build itself from the ground where the beam shone.
Quatre gave Duo a confused look when he made a small, strange squeaking noise. Quatre chuckled to himself and continued to watch the building.
In a matter of minutes, the small museum type building was complete. When the remaining light had faded, the workers standing around it smiled proudly at their work and went inside.
"Now they're going to form each room of the inside," Quatre told him. "As their minds work together as one, no one can change what they've done. It's kind of like a copyright; those who visit cannot take and change the framework and structure of the building."
Duo nodded and sighed. "Are we gonna go in, or what?" he asked with a grin, turning toward the building.
Quatre smiled and led the way in and, grasping Duo's arm, transported them to a higher floor. He glanced around and walked briskly toward a desk on the other side of the hallway. As they approached, Duo stared at the joyous expression on Quatre's face in confusion. He turned to see where he was looking and standing behind the desk, was Quatre's own Trowa Barton. Duo beamed at the sight of his old friend and quickened his pace, Quatre doing the same.
Trowa glanced up at them when they came close and smiled his usual small smile. He stepped out from behind the desk to wrap Quatre in a brief embrace. Duo stepped back and turned his eyes to the floor as a sudden wave of sadness hit him like a thousand needles. Tears welled quickly in his eyes as Quatre and Trowa spoke softly to each other - Duo assumed Quatre was informing him of all that had happened up till now.
He swallowed hard. 'You're such an idiot, Duo... You're going to see Heero soon! Get over it!' he silently scolded himself. He inhaled deeply and looked back up at his two friends. He turned crimson when he met their sympathetic eyes gazing back at him. He cleared his throat and took a step backwards. Trowa shook his head sadly and returned to his spot behind the desk.
He turned to a pair of cabinets behind him and jerked one open. Sifting through them with two quickly moving fingers, he finally plucked one out. "Here," he said quietly, handing it to Quatre.
Quatre opened the surprisingly small folder and glanced inside at the files of Heero. He glanced up at Duo quickly and then turned to Trowa, pointing at a line on the page. Trowa nodded.
Duo could hear his blood pounding in his ears. 'Wait... Blood?' Duo suddenly became very confused. How was he able to hear the pounding of his blood if he was dead? He discarded the question and focused on the folder that Trowa and Quatre were looking at. It was then that he realized how quiet it had been for the past few minutes.
He cleared his throat once again, causing Quatre and Trowa to look up. They glanced at each other for a moment before Quatre stepped around the desk to stand in front of Duo. "It's true, Heero wasn't meant to be in the Fifth Level. He was supposed to come here. It does say that he did go there, but it doesn't say why."
Trowa leaned forward on his desk. "I will take you to the Fifth Level," he said. Quatre looked at him in surprise.
"I didn't expect you to want to go with us." Trowa's eyes flicked to Quatre with an almost angered glint in them. It quickly faded.
"I hadn't known you had volunteered, but even if I had, I would still go with you." He turned his gaze once again to Duo.
Quatre glanced down and smiled faintly at that split second when Trowa's eyes had revealed what he thought of his lover going to the Fifth Level alone.
Duo noticed this too and wondered if Heero would act as possessively as Trowa had just now, had they been in Trowa's and Quatre's places. Duo sighed. He missed Heero so much, he didn't know how he would ever find him.
Trowa lightly tapped his finger on the desk once and stood up straight again. As he walked around the desk, he wrapped an arm loosely around Quatre's waist and glanced quickly down at his lover. Quatre's head was bowed slightly and he bit his lower lip nervously. How would it go in the Fifth Level? He wondered if they would ever find Heero, or Shinigami, for that matter.
Duo followed the couple out of the building and onto the sidewalk where Trowa reached out toward Duo so his fingers brushed against his arm and he transported them to an entirely different place.
Duo glanced around at where Trowa had taken them. They appeared to be in a huge field of green grass, but about fifty yards in front of them was a more shadowy place. There, the grass turned yellower and the trees more sickly. Leading them toward the border, Trowa warned Duo in a soft voice, "Changing Levels isn't as easy as you may think. You have to adjust to the new atmosphere and setting." Quatre nodded in agreement.
"How do I adjust to it?" Duo asked, eyeing the new land warily.
Trowa stopped about two feet from the next Level. "Your body will feel odd, and it will be strange to breathe for the first few minutes, but as long as you keep your thoughts on positive things, you will be fine," he said, not turning around.
Duo nodded and glanced at Quatre. He was staring into the grayish sky over the Level ahead, a blank expression on his face.
Trowa sighed and continued on. As soon as Duo stepped onto the new ground, he could feel a difference in the air around him and the feeling of the ground under his feet. The air seemed almost sluggish and inky as he breathed. As they continued to walk, Duo continued to gaze around at the field of yellowing grass around him. The trees still looked ok, but not completely healthy.
After what seemed like days walking in this same land, the three came upon a different place. This was even blearier than the last, with browning grass and bare, scraggly trees. Duo shuddered as he drew in his first breath in the new air. It felt thick as it oozed down into his lungs.
When a few hours had passed, Trowa glanced behind him at Duo and Quatre. Quatre looked fine, but a bit unhappy, but that was to be expected in the Fourth Level. Duo, however, made him stop and turn to face him. Duo's shoulders sagged and his eyelids drooped and he dragged his feet when he walked.
Trowa's alarmed expression caused Duo to straighten up and open his eyes wide. Trowa's green eyes narrowed at him. "You can't fall behind," he said sternly. He turned his face to the sky as thunder rumbled across the bleak, darkness of the day. He sighed and turned back to Duo. "I don't want to have to take you back. You're not thinking positively - The Fourth Level has gotten to you."
Duo looked down shamefully. "I'm sorry, but it's hard. I feel so heavy in this place, and we haven't seen a single soul all this time," he said, peering around him.
Trowa nodded. "Yes, I know, but that's because we're trying to avoid them. They won't make you feel any better, believe me." With that, he turned around again. Duo kept quite alert after that.
xxx
Getting through this Level seemed to take twice as long as the previous one had. And it occured to Duo that it was always thundering, but never lightning or rain. He wondered why, but kept the question to himself. Trowa was kind of scaring him.
The sky remained an ever-lasting dusky color, not day, nor night.
As they reached yet another border, Duo realized that that black, tar-like ground was in fact, water. The black body of water stretched as far as the eye could see to their left and right, as well as directly in front of them. Duo finally noticed the off-white boat that floated in the murky stuff. The thunder rumbled louder than the Fourth Level and the sky almost as dark as the water beneath it.
Duo jumped in surprise as a flicker of lightning flashed brightly in the distance, immediately followed by a boom of thunder. Trowa glanced back at Quatre and Duo again as they prepared to board the boat, simultaneously stepping into the Fifth Level.