Chapter Nine: Unexpected Invitation

The library was dead silent save for quiet whispering. Tracing his finger along the books, Duo searched for books on Egyptian mythology while carrying a small selection he had already found. Over by the large windows was a cluster of tables. Yume was taking haste notes at one of the tables; quickly flipping through the pages of the books Duo brought her. Dark clouds hung overhead outside. The rain has ceased for the moment but threatened to continue. Biting into her pencil while pausing momentarily, Yume sighed. Mr. Jones made the deadline for the report on Tuesday, only a couple days from now. Examining her notes and getting to her feet, Yume glanced around for Duo.

"Duo!" She whispered insistently.

"What?" Came the quiet reply from a nearby book aisle.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go." She said quietly while not making eye contact with Duo. "I think I've got enough notes so I'll just try and type up the report at home."

Waiting a little bit before replying, Duo noticed something different about Yume. "Okay… are you sure you're okay? You look really down."

"It's none of your god damn business, rat!" Yume raised her voice defensively.

"Shhh!" snarled the librarian.

"Whoa, sorry. You do what you want." Duo raised his arms and backed away.

Yume picked up her books and left the library in a hurry. The library was fairly peaceful and Duo was bored, so he decided to just hang out. But at the back of his mind he couldn't help but wonder about Yume. Then again, he didn't know what it was like to be in her shoes so he couldn't justify judging her.

"Shindou! Bring me that book!" A small girl voice ordered.

"Okay!" another girl replied cheerfully. "But you can just call me Satori-chan."

Behind him were two young girls, about nine or ten. One of them wore a sophisticated dress that made her look very mature while the other just wore a cute elementary level school uniform from Yukiro Academy.

The mature girl scoffed. "I don't address you like that in public because you are my slave, remember?"

"Really Naoko-chan?" Satori brought the book Naoko wanted. "But why am I your slave? Can't I just be your friend?"

"Baka! I said only in public." Naoko snapped.

"Only what in public?" Satori wondered.

"You're only my slave in public." Naoko explained slowly as if talking to a child half her age.

Two chestnut brows furrowed together, Duo didn't really like the way Satori was getting treated. "Hey you!" He pointed to Naoko. "That's not very nice, the way you're treatin' that girl."

Naoko examined Duo with a bored expression. "Mind your own business, peasant. I am just commanding my slave." Satori smiled like a gullible fool.

"What did you call me!?" Duo yelled while people around him shushed.

"Peasant! Peasant! Peasant! Nyah!" Naoko stuck her tongue out at Duo.

"I'll have you know I'm called the Prince at Yukiro academy!" Duo boasted while once again getting shushed.

"But this isn't Yukiro academy, now is it? So I can walk all over you, peasant." Naoko turned back to Satori. "Let us go, we must have afternoon tea."

Satori jumped for joy then followed Naoko like a lost dog. "We are? Does tea taste good?"

"Baka! I was using the royal 'we'." Naoko sighed. "I must find a smarter slave. It's hard to believe you are ten while I am only nine."

"That's just not right! Using a poor girl and taking advantage of her-" Duo cut off because for one a nasty thought crossed his mind and two, he started to follow the two girls but tripped on a stray book. "Oof!" Duo fell forward and instantly grabbed the nearest object for support… that just happened to be Satori and Naoko. Falling on top of the two girls, Duo panicked because one, he might've crushed the poor girls and two, people around them were whispering and calling Duo a pervert, and three he practically hugged them and he couldn't transform in public! Naoko gasped and sat straight up. Six surprised eyes met as the realization dawned on Duo that he wouldn't transform and it hit him like the book about to fall off the shelf. "Wait! You two must be, ouch! Damn it! Where'd that book come from?" Told ya. "You two must be cursed by the zodiac two!"

"That's wonderful!" Satori smiled and hugged Duo.

"To think that I share the same curse as a peasant, how terrible." Naoko complained.

"Don't make me hurt you, brat!" Duo clenched his fist. "So what year are the two of you?"

"The horse for me, tee hee." Satori giggled.

"The ram for me." Naoko sighed. "Well, now that you know, we must be on our way!" Naoko stood, dusted herself off and left the library with Satori at her heels.

"Very strange indeed… I just keep meeting more and more people cursed by the zodiac." Duo finally decided to leave the library too. He needed to do some stuff at home anyway.

Cunning Prussian blue eyes followed Duo as he left and decided to make a quick call on his cell phone number. (A/N: What is Heero? Duo's stalker?! o.O;;)

At Duo's house…

Duo dragged a large bag of trash outside, grumbling. "Why do I have to do all the friggin' chores around here?" He heaved the bag into the garbage can on the curb. A cold drop of light rain landed on his hand and rolled off. More started to follow in a downpour while Duo lifted his eyes to the cloudy skies.

"One shouldn't stand idly in the rain." Someone said quietly and tapped on Duo's shoulder.

Jumping and whipping around, Duo came face to face with Trowa Barton. "Trowa?! What're you doing here?"

"Delivering an invitation." Trowa lifted the collar of his gray trench coat.

"Invitation?" Duo repeated and scratched his wet head in confusion.

Trowa's green eyes stared off into space while he recited his message. "Quatre invites you to spend the night at his house. Heero and I will also be attending. Heero insists that you come." Retrieving something from his trench coat pocket and placing it in Duo's hand Trowa turned and walked off. "The address is on that card." His back disappeared in the now pouring rain.

"Duo! Get back in here before you catch pneumonia!" Duo's mother called.

TO BE CONTINUED

Hey, thanks for reading! Sorry for the shortness. For those of you who enjoy my stories, go to: read my original stories. I'm in a writing slump, but reviews really inspire me. So please review on your way out!