Follow Your Heart:
chapter four
by YamiHikari
Disclaimer- I DON'T OWN GUNDAM WING!! GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEADS!! Stupid lawyers...
YamiHikari's Note- Hehe, listening to 'So Far Away' by Staind. Does anyone else just think 'Heero' when they hear that song? Yeah... don't you hate it when you get these really awesome ideas [this is the smile/That I've never shown before] yep, definitely Heero. Anyway, continuing on my sentence before I interrupted with part of the lyrics, is that don't you just hate it when you come up with really nice music videos for a song... and you know you can't do it, because you don't have an animation studio OR the skills OR the money!!! AHH! TOO MANY IDEAS INSIDE MY LITTLE HEAD!! It'll explode someday, I swear... -_-;; anyone who reads these, thank you SO SO SO much for putting up with my little rants and random insanity. It's people like you who keep me going, so... if you read this, and don't review... I'll cry... because I feel so neglected... boohoo... (jk, don't review unless you want to. ^_^ it's a free country, kinda)
- - - - - - - - - -
Heero woke when the light shining in his eyes became too much to bear, even in his dream-state. The jacket flopped off of him, and he rubbed his eyes and tried to remember the dream he'd had. It was an answer to some question asked and unanswered before. Something about mirrors and gray and isolation and sorrow. He couldn't remember any more.
"Geez, I don't even have to drug a sandwich, you just conk out by yourself!" Violet eyes glinted with laughter, reflecting the mood of their owner. "Wu-man's still sleeping, but he said you were sleeptalking... or mumbling's more like it. Whatever you did, you stopped before I came down, so I wouldn't know."
Sitting with his face to the sun, Heero pondered this for a moment, then something occurred to him. He suddenly turned, over-balanced, and nearly fell. "The storm stopped- where'd she go?!"
Duo laughed outright at this, so infuriatingly calm and assured. "We already called while you were sleeping, as soon as the storm let up. Trowa went with them to answer some questions; they won't be able to tell if he's lying or not. That man has the best damn poker face I've ever seen."
"Oh." Feeling ever so slightly foolish, Heero resumed his former position, the bracelet on his right wrist jingling faintly. Wait... He turned again, but slower this time, and remained upright. "What about Quatre?"
A faint wisp of a cloud passed over the sun, darkening the sun and Duo's face. "They said he's unconscious, just like her. It's a coma, but they don't know _why_. It's really screwing with their heads. I've been trying to figure it out ever since we got the news, but I still can't, other than the fact that it must be something on these." He held out the metal guard for the forearm.
"The blades in them have got to have something to do with it."
Heero reached behind him and took the object in his hand. After bringing it back around to his face, he examined it. The American continued. "I still can't see how she gets the blade out..."
Without replying, his companion put the guard over his own arm, adjusting it slightly to fit the image in his mind of how the girl had worn it. The metal band that went across his palm was cold to his touch at first, then as the minutes passed, warmed. The question 'How? How? How?' nagged at him. What had she done, or been doing while the blade was out.
He clenched his hand into a fist in frustration and with a quiet 'shnk', the lethal blade slipped out. In surprise, his hand relaxed and unclenched, and it slide back in. Duo was mumbling something.
"What?"
"First you go out and find her while it's snowing, then you come forging back through the forest in the middle of a friggin' BLIZZARD, and _THEN_ you somehow figure out how that thing works. HOW THE HELL DO YOU DO IT!?" he demanded.
With a small half-smile on his face, Heero shrugged, knowing Duo could see the gesture. There was some more mumbling behind him, but he was pretty sure he didn't want to hear what it was. Nothing he could do now but wait and hope and pray. He relaxed.
~
Now there were dreams... or were they really visions? Or perhaps some hallucinations created by her delirious mind? Whatever it was, there was one lone figure walking unsteadily towards her, and when she could make out some features, but not all, it seemed almost painfully familiar.
She waited until it had come close enough that she could see its face. It was just that person... the blond one. He smiled wearily when he saw her.
"Hey. Do you know where this all," he motioned around him to the environment surrounding them, "is? I mean, I've been walking around for, oh, it seems like hours, but I'm still not quite sure where it is. Do you know? Do you know how to get out?"
Tajima shook her head. No. No, she didn't know where this was. If she was, she'd have left, long ago.
But he didn't look disappointed. In fact, his expression still didn't change, even at that news. He still gave her that same drained smile, then added, "Since you're here, we could just travel together. I mean, two heads are better than one, right?"
"Two heads are worth nothing if they're not attached to anything else," she replied. Then she started walking away into the endless sands.
He followed after, not really in need of a direction, but of company. "What's your name anyway? You never told us."
"If I didn't tell you then, why should I now?"
"We're in the same predicament, aren't we? We should at least know each other's name. Let's do this together[1]."
"Tajima, then. Tajima Ryuka."
"Ah. I'm Quatre. Quatre Winner[2]."
They walked on in silence for what seemed days upon days, though it probably couldn't have been. They never rested.
"What is this place?"
"Don't ask me. I don't know."
The scenery still didn't change. Quatre ventured another question. "How long do you think we'll be here?"
"... I don't know that either..."
There was no end to the blindingly bright sand.
~
"She's one of Duo's friends from another colony; just came down a couple days ago," Trowa lied while still looking relaxed and almost bored.
"Do you think he'd mind if we asked him what her name was and where she's from?" The cop's sweet tone and fake, meant-to-be reassuring smile sickened him. If you're going to do something, do it _right_. And- oh damn. Maxwell was one of the worst liars he knew, if not the worst. Damn, damn, _damn_.
"I think it would bother someone if they were asked trivial things about a close friend when they're not sure if their friend is going to die or not," he said blandly, with a carefully measured undertone of "you- callous-insensitive-monster".
The middle-aged female cop didn't wince. Trowa gave her that much credit. Unfortunately for him, the wince that wasn't there could mean that it was going to be bad. Maybe very bad. He'd have to be careful.
"Well, Mr. Barton, I'm should think that Mr. Maxwell would be eager to assist in something that would help us get more information on her and perhaps we could help her better with the information."
"I see. Is this the start of some sort of new therapy, calling the name of someone who's in a coma until they wake up? It seems rather idiotic to me." Open war had been declared.
She refused to acknowledge his challenge and insult. "No, just..."
Aha. She was stuck and she knew it. The cop couldn't very well just say out loud that they just plain wanted to know. Maybe it was time to end this.
"Do you have any further questions for me?"
"No. You're free to go."
He noted the use of the term often said to prisoners when they were bailed out or had served their sentence. Still, he left.
~
"We don't understand it ourselves," the receptionist explained patiently when queried again for the cause of Quatre being in a coma as well. "But the heartbeats are almost exactly the same, and it's just...
"It's strange," she concluded. "And like I said, we don't understand it either," she added, about to be asked again by Duo, who shut his mouth and looked faintly sheepish.
"We're allowed to see them, right?"
The receptionist seemed slightly startled. "Oh, yes, of course. You have an hour until visiting time ends."
Heero inclined his head to her briefly. "Thank you."
Then they were gone, just like that. She blinked, then went back to answering calls and telling more people directions.
~
Finally, they had stumbled into another area. However, rather than being blindly bright and hot, it was gray, murky, cold, and dismal.
"I think I liked the desert better," Quatre said mournfully. He turned to go back, then stopped as he saw that there was no desert behind them, but more swamp. Taking a shuddering breath, he turned back. Already the place was sapping at what spirit and energy that they had left the desert with.
Tajima went on with a grim determination; the fading hope that if she walked far enough, she'd get out. Already, she wanted to stop, to let feelings overcome her, and call to see if anyone could hear her. Behind her, she heard Quatre follow, then mumble something as his left foot went with a 'squelch' into a small pond well-disguised by the dull green junk growing on the top.
He yanked his foot out – the pond surrendered it with a disgusted 'blorp'- and trudged after. She waited for him, then continued onward. An unspoken agreement was formed: that they would stay together through this place and keep each other from harm as best they could.
~
"You have the sappiest expression on your face right now, I'll have you know."
"... Omae o korosu."
"Oooh! Big scary death threat! I'm so frightened. Wu-man, save me from the big scary "Perfect Soldier"!"
"Actually, he has a point. You do have a..."
"I do not."
"Yes, you do."
"OH! See, even TROWA agrees with me, and you know the man never talks! You can't deny it." Without waiting for a reply, Duo danced about chanting a childish rhyme about sitting in trees, with some modifications.
"Shut UP, Maxwell. You're making me feel ill..."
"Come on, artistic license! Don't tell me they don't have that in China, China-man."
"If you call me one more idiotic name..."
"'If you call me one more idiotic name'," mocked Duo, "'then I'll have to turn into a big scary dragon and BITE YOUR HEAD OFF!'"
"Now he's messing with Nataku. Kill him for me, will you?"
"MAXWELL!"
"AAAGH!! THAT'S NOT FAIR! FIGHT YOUR OWN BATTLES, YOU COWARD!! YOU CAN'T JUST TELL SOMEONE ELSE TO FIGHT FOR YOU!"
"I just did."
"But- NO! NOT THE BRAID! TOUCH THE BRAID, AND YOU D- GACK!"
Five minutes later, they had finally settled down. Well, Duo had toned it down, but he still hadn't shut up.
As they sat around doing nothing but watch the two seemingly lifeless forms, the American – who hadn't suffered any hurt to his braid, but some to his neck – suddenly spoke up.
"Did you know that in the original version of 'Sleeping Beauty', the prince really just rapes the girl and when she gives birth to twin boys, it's only when one of them crawls up and sucks the poison needle from her finger that she wakes up[3]?"
More silence greeted this remark. Then, "What did that have to do with anything?"
This time it was Duo that was silent, leaving everyone else to work it out for themselves.
"You... I can't find words for this being..."
"Ecchi."
There was the scrape of chair legs against floor. Trowa had quit the room.
"Haha, one down, two more to go."
"What exactly is on your mind, Maxwell?"
More silence.
"Ugh..." Wufei followed.
After the sounds of footsteps had faded away, Duo grinned slightly, and gestured towards the prone form between them. "You want a go? I won't stop you."
"You're joking, right?"
"Actually..."
Heero waited.
"Yes. Except about the legend. I'm pretty sure it was the original..."
"Hnh. And how would you know this?"
"It was in a Sandman."
The Japanese teen gave the friend sitting across from him a disbelieving look. "You get your information from comic books."
"Hey, this stuff's actually got meaning." He raised his right hand solemnly. "I swear."
"Right."
"Honest! I'm not joking!"
"Okay..."
"REALLY!"
"Uh-huh."
"Tch. No one believes me!"
"Maybe if you wouldn't say such stupid things..."
"Hell no. Give me the right to say stupid things or GIVE ME DEATH!" He swung back in his chair, tipping up on two legs, then slammed it back down for emphasis.
It was at this point a nurse came in with a big fake smile and informed them that visiting hours were over, though they had only been in there for 10 minutes, tops.
On their way down to the lobby, where they should meet Trowa and Wufei, Duo suddenly grinned again, struck by an idea for more mischief.
"Betcha that if we pretend I wasn't joking, they'll buy it. I would laugh so hard..."
"No."
"Come _on_."
"No."
"Pleaase?"
"_No_."
"You suck."
"Same to you."
The braided one thought this over, then groaned. "You're as bad as me sometimes."
"It's all in your mind."
"Yeah right."
"See, I'm right."
"Just shut up."
Suddenly, an expression similar to the one that Duo had had earlier when being ecchi stole over Heero's features. He projected his voice to the two others waiting in the lobby by the door. "Hey, guess what Duo di-"
"SHUT UP!"
- - - - - - - - - -
[1]- This is a quote, Quatre said this before to Trowa in their first attack on an OZ base.
[2]- Just goes to show how conscientious Quatre can be of other people's feelings. He didn't add his middle name since Tajima didn't have a middle name, and this way he didn't, in a sense, rub it in her face that he had a middle name. Even if it wouldn't have offended her, he still took the chance that it might have.
[3]- Yes, this WAS in a book of Sandman. I don't know, I think my friend is rubbing off on me... @_@;;
YamiHikari's Note- Well, that certainly ended on a light note. Eheheh... now I have nothing to say... except that I want to draw... my friend suggested an entire series of assassins –they are MAD COOL! Sry- and I think I might do something like it. Ah, to work, to work... it's funny... For a couple days, I was just having writer's block and then it just all came together. Hm... ah well, ja!
chapter four
by YamiHikari
Disclaimer- I DON'T OWN GUNDAM WING!! GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEADS!! Stupid lawyers...
YamiHikari's Note- Hehe, listening to 'So Far Away' by Staind. Does anyone else just think 'Heero' when they hear that song? Yeah... don't you hate it when you get these really awesome ideas [this is the smile/That I've never shown before] yep, definitely Heero. Anyway, continuing on my sentence before I interrupted with part of the lyrics, is that don't you just hate it when you come up with really nice music videos for a song... and you know you can't do it, because you don't have an animation studio OR the skills OR the money!!! AHH! TOO MANY IDEAS INSIDE MY LITTLE HEAD!! It'll explode someday, I swear... -_-;; anyone who reads these, thank you SO SO SO much for putting up with my little rants and random insanity. It's people like you who keep me going, so... if you read this, and don't review... I'll cry... because I feel so neglected... boohoo... (jk, don't review unless you want to. ^_^ it's a free country, kinda)
- - - - - - - - - -
Heero woke when the light shining in his eyes became too much to bear, even in his dream-state. The jacket flopped off of him, and he rubbed his eyes and tried to remember the dream he'd had. It was an answer to some question asked and unanswered before. Something about mirrors and gray and isolation and sorrow. He couldn't remember any more.
"Geez, I don't even have to drug a sandwich, you just conk out by yourself!" Violet eyes glinted with laughter, reflecting the mood of their owner. "Wu-man's still sleeping, but he said you were sleeptalking... or mumbling's more like it. Whatever you did, you stopped before I came down, so I wouldn't know."
Sitting with his face to the sun, Heero pondered this for a moment, then something occurred to him. He suddenly turned, over-balanced, and nearly fell. "The storm stopped- where'd she go?!"
Duo laughed outright at this, so infuriatingly calm and assured. "We already called while you were sleeping, as soon as the storm let up. Trowa went with them to answer some questions; they won't be able to tell if he's lying or not. That man has the best damn poker face I've ever seen."
"Oh." Feeling ever so slightly foolish, Heero resumed his former position, the bracelet on his right wrist jingling faintly. Wait... He turned again, but slower this time, and remained upright. "What about Quatre?"
A faint wisp of a cloud passed over the sun, darkening the sun and Duo's face. "They said he's unconscious, just like her. It's a coma, but they don't know _why_. It's really screwing with their heads. I've been trying to figure it out ever since we got the news, but I still can't, other than the fact that it must be something on these." He held out the metal guard for the forearm.
"The blades in them have got to have something to do with it."
Heero reached behind him and took the object in his hand. After bringing it back around to his face, he examined it. The American continued. "I still can't see how she gets the blade out..."
Without replying, his companion put the guard over his own arm, adjusting it slightly to fit the image in his mind of how the girl had worn it. The metal band that went across his palm was cold to his touch at first, then as the minutes passed, warmed. The question 'How? How? How?' nagged at him. What had she done, or been doing while the blade was out.
He clenched his hand into a fist in frustration and with a quiet 'shnk', the lethal blade slipped out. In surprise, his hand relaxed and unclenched, and it slide back in. Duo was mumbling something.
"What?"
"First you go out and find her while it's snowing, then you come forging back through the forest in the middle of a friggin' BLIZZARD, and _THEN_ you somehow figure out how that thing works. HOW THE HELL DO YOU DO IT!?" he demanded.
With a small half-smile on his face, Heero shrugged, knowing Duo could see the gesture. There was some more mumbling behind him, but he was pretty sure he didn't want to hear what it was. Nothing he could do now but wait and hope and pray. He relaxed.
~
Now there were dreams... or were they really visions? Or perhaps some hallucinations created by her delirious mind? Whatever it was, there was one lone figure walking unsteadily towards her, and when she could make out some features, but not all, it seemed almost painfully familiar.
She waited until it had come close enough that she could see its face. It was just that person... the blond one. He smiled wearily when he saw her.
"Hey. Do you know where this all," he motioned around him to the environment surrounding them, "is? I mean, I've been walking around for, oh, it seems like hours, but I'm still not quite sure where it is. Do you know? Do you know how to get out?"
Tajima shook her head. No. No, she didn't know where this was. If she was, she'd have left, long ago.
But he didn't look disappointed. In fact, his expression still didn't change, even at that news. He still gave her that same drained smile, then added, "Since you're here, we could just travel together. I mean, two heads are better than one, right?"
"Two heads are worth nothing if they're not attached to anything else," she replied. Then she started walking away into the endless sands.
He followed after, not really in need of a direction, but of company. "What's your name anyway? You never told us."
"If I didn't tell you then, why should I now?"
"We're in the same predicament, aren't we? We should at least know each other's name. Let's do this together[1]."
"Tajima, then. Tajima Ryuka."
"Ah. I'm Quatre. Quatre Winner[2]."
They walked on in silence for what seemed days upon days, though it probably couldn't have been. They never rested.
"What is this place?"
"Don't ask me. I don't know."
The scenery still didn't change. Quatre ventured another question. "How long do you think we'll be here?"
"... I don't know that either..."
There was no end to the blindingly bright sand.
~
"She's one of Duo's friends from another colony; just came down a couple days ago," Trowa lied while still looking relaxed and almost bored.
"Do you think he'd mind if we asked him what her name was and where she's from?" The cop's sweet tone and fake, meant-to-be reassuring smile sickened him. If you're going to do something, do it _right_. And- oh damn. Maxwell was one of the worst liars he knew, if not the worst. Damn, damn, _damn_.
"I think it would bother someone if they were asked trivial things about a close friend when they're not sure if their friend is going to die or not," he said blandly, with a carefully measured undertone of "you- callous-insensitive-monster".
The middle-aged female cop didn't wince. Trowa gave her that much credit. Unfortunately for him, the wince that wasn't there could mean that it was going to be bad. Maybe very bad. He'd have to be careful.
"Well, Mr. Barton, I'm should think that Mr. Maxwell would be eager to assist in something that would help us get more information on her and perhaps we could help her better with the information."
"I see. Is this the start of some sort of new therapy, calling the name of someone who's in a coma until they wake up? It seems rather idiotic to me." Open war had been declared.
She refused to acknowledge his challenge and insult. "No, just..."
Aha. She was stuck and she knew it. The cop couldn't very well just say out loud that they just plain wanted to know. Maybe it was time to end this.
"Do you have any further questions for me?"
"No. You're free to go."
He noted the use of the term often said to prisoners when they were bailed out or had served their sentence. Still, he left.
~
"We don't understand it ourselves," the receptionist explained patiently when queried again for the cause of Quatre being in a coma as well. "But the heartbeats are almost exactly the same, and it's just...
"It's strange," she concluded. "And like I said, we don't understand it either," she added, about to be asked again by Duo, who shut his mouth and looked faintly sheepish.
"We're allowed to see them, right?"
The receptionist seemed slightly startled. "Oh, yes, of course. You have an hour until visiting time ends."
Heero inclined his head to her briefly. "Thank you."
Then they were gone, just like that. She blinked, then went back to answering calls and telling more people directions.
~
Finally, they had stumbled into another area. However, rather than being blindly bright and hot, it was gray, murky, cold, and dismal.
"I think I liked the desert better," Quatre said mournfully. He turned to go back, then stopped as he saw that there was no desert behind them, but more swamp. Taking a shuddering breath, he turned back. Already the place was sapping at what spirit and energy that they had left the desert with.
Tajima went on with a grim determination; the fading hope that if she walked far enough, she'd get out. Already, she wanted to stop, to let feelings overcome her, and call to see if anyone could hear her. Behind her, she heard Quatre follow, then mumble something as his left foot went with a 'squelch' into a small pond well-disguised by the dull green junk growing on the top.
He yanked his foot out – the pond surrendered it with a disgusted 'blorp'- and trudged after. She waited for him, then continued onward. An unspoken agreement was formed: that they would stay together through this place and keep each other from harm as best they could.
~
"You have the sappiest expression on your face right now, I'll have you know."
"... Omae o korosu."
"Oooh! Big scary death threat! I'm so frightened. Wu-man, save me from the big scary "Perfect Soldier"!"
"Actually, he has a point. You do have a..."
"I do not."
"Yes, you do."
"OH! See, even TROWA agrees with me, and you know the man never talks! You can't deny it." Without waiting for a reply, Duo danced about chanting a childish rhyme about sitting in trees, with some modifications.
"Shut UP, Maxwell. You're making me feel ill..."
"Come on, artistic license! Don't tell me they don't have that in China, China-man."
"If you call me one more idiotic name..."
"'If you call me one more idiotic name'," mocked Duo, "'then I'll have to turn into a big scary dragon and BITE YOUR HEAD OFF!'"
"Now he's messing with Nataku. Kill him for me, will you?"
"MAXWELL!"
"AAAGH!! THAT'S NOT FAIR! FIGHT YOUR OWN BATTLES, YOU COWARD!! YOU CAN'T JUST TELL SOMEONE ELSE TO FIGHT FOR YOU!"
"I just did."
"But- NO! NOT THE BRAID! TOUCH THE BRAID, AND YOU D- GACK!"
Five minutes later, they had finally settled down. Well, Duo had toned it down, but he still hadn't shut up.
As they sat around doing nothing but watch the two seemingly lifeless forms, the American – who hadn't suffered any hurt to his braid, but some to his neck – suddenly spoke up.
"Did you know that in the original version of 'Sleeping Beauty', the prince really just rapes the girl and when she gives birth to twin boys, it's only when one of them crawls up and sucks the poison needle from her finger that she wakes up[3]?"
More silence greeted this remark. Then, "What did that have to do with anything?"
This time it was Duo that was silent, leaving everyone else to work it out for themselves.
"You... I can't find words for this being..."
"Ecchi."
There was the scrape of chair legs against floor. Trowa had quit the room.
"Haha, one down, two more to go."
"What exactly is on your mind, Maxwell?"
More silence.
"Ugh..." Wufei followed.
After the sounds of footsteps had faded away, Duo grinned slightly, and gestured towards the prone form between them. "You want a go? I won't stop you."
"You're joking, right?"
"Actually..."
Heero waited.
"Yes. Except about the legend. I'm pretty sure it was the original..."
"Hnh. And how would you know this?"
"It was in a Sandman."
The Japanese teen gave the friend sitting across from him a disbelieving look. "You get your information from comic books."
"Hey, this stuff's actually got meaning." He raised his right hand solemnly. "I swear."
"Right."
"Honest! I'm not joking!"
"Okay..."
"REALLY!"
"Uh-huh."
"Tch. No one believes me!"
"Maybe if you wouldn't say such stupid things..."
"Hell no. Give me the right to say stupid things or GIVE ME DEATH!" He swung back in his chair, tipping up on two legs, then slammed it back down for emphasis.
It was at this point a nurse came in with a big fake smile and informed them that visiting hours were over, though they had only been in there for 10 minutes, tops.
On their way down to the lobby, where they should meet Trowa and Wufei, Duo suddenly grinned again, struck by an idea for more mischief.
"Betcha that if we pretend I wasn't joking, they'll buy it. I would laugh so hard..."
"No."
"Come _on_."
"No."
"Pleaase?"
"_No_."
"You suck."
"Same to you."
The braided one thought this over, then groaned. "You're as bad as me sometimes."
"It's all in your mind."
"Yeah right."
"See, I'm right."
"Just shut up."
Suddenly, an expression similar to the one that Duo had had earlier when being ecchi stole over Heero's features. He projected his voice to the two others waiting in the lobby by the door. "Hey, guess what Duo di-"
"SHUT UP!"
- - - - - - - - - -
[1]- This is a quote, Quatre said this before to Trowa in their first attack on an OZ base.
[2]- Just goes to show how conscientious Quatre can be of other people's feelings. He didn't add his middle name since Tajima didn't have a middle name, and this way he didn't, in a sense, rub it in her face that he had a middle name. Even if it wouldn't have offended her, he still took the chance that it might have.
[3]- Yes, this WAS in a book of Sandman. I don't know, I think my friend is rubbing off on me... @_@;;
YamiHikari's Note- Well, that certainly ended on a light note. Eheheh... now I have nothing to say... except that I want to draw... my friend suggested an entire series of assassins –they are MAD COOL! Sry- and I think I might do something like it. Ah, to work, to work... it's funny... For a couple days, I was just having writer's block and then it just all came together. Hm... ah well, ja!
