Once a Lifetime
Author's Rant: This chapter has a little bit of a change of pace to it. It's not really told from anyone's POV. This is solely to establish certain events that are currently taking place while Heero and Duo are getting reacquainted.
Chapter Eleven; God POV:
Standing in a rather large, almost plain office, a man with long platinum hair awaited a meeting with his superior. The walls were all a pristine white while the desk was a startling contrast in black. The chairs were a lovely shade of gray that seemed to bring a persons attention to the fact that only the desk and three chairs were in it. The man waited patiently, knowing that the person he waited for would arrive on time, as they always did.
The large silver door soon opened to reveal a woman with long, glorious black locks that seemed to flow around her slender body down to her ankles. A soft smile rested on pert, full lips, even though it didn't come close to reaching her lips. Her cool red eyes watching everything with an almost always-distant quality. She motioned for the man to take a seat and then took one across from him.
"How are things? All is going well I hope." The man glared at her, his cool blue eyes showing his dislike of her.
"As well as can be considering the circumstances. Did you truly have to agree to this curse? Couldn't you have asked Kami-sama and Satan to calm themselves and just drop the whole thing?" She watched him casually, those red eyes haunting.
"There was nothing else that we could of done, Zechs," she answered in a matter-of-fact voice, her tone neutral. "Kami-sama speaks through me. As his right hand angel I pass on what is to be done. They must fulfill the terms of the curse or they shall return without memories of the other. That is how it is. That is how it shall always be. You know that as well as I do. That's why we allowed you to go to Earth and aid your brother. We knew you didn't wish for Relena to win once again."
Zechs glowered at her, his hated clear while the woman took it all without flinching. He had been reborn in this world to help those cursed by Kami-sama until things mirrored their real life. Being Relena's brother in this time had made things easy to keep her from becoming to crazy in her pursuit of Heero. Yet even he couldn't control her completely. Not even as her brother.
"But it's not enough!" He shouted, becoming frustrated. She raised one dark eyebrow at him, her expression unchanging.
"That's why we also allowed Quatre and Trowa to help. Trowa was close to Duo while Quatre was more a calming presence for all involved. Wufei is also there this time, so I don't see where we haven't been doing enough. Zechs, you are the current Angel Master of Water and you are also the temporary Angel Master of Wind until Heero returns. You alone know the great importance of your task."
"But why did you have to allow Relena to be reborn?! She's constantly getting in the way!" She sighed, her eyes settled easily on him.
"Thus is the way to have worlds mirrored. This is the time. There will be no other chances. If Heero cannot love Duo before he is called to the next world, there is nothing I can do. Kami-sama would then have to bring them back to their true roles. Duo will soon realize this as well and I'm certain he will not tell Heero about it. He is not the type to force someone to love him. Not even with the threat of never knowing the person again."
"How can he realize that? He's had the memories of this time erased."
"True, but he is actually stronger than Kami-sama and Satan had expected. He's slowly recalling his real life, his true life. He is the son of the current Satan's son. Therefore it is very likely that both his angel blood and daemon blood are too powerful for just one of them to truly control. Not at least while some memories must be left open. Should Heero fail to love him, all but his true path in life shall be forgotten, leaving nothing to trigger his memories, not even those who've been dear friends."
Zechs stared at her. How could the woman remain so clinical when speaking of people's lives? Their hearts? It was downright worrisome that she could be so cold. Why would Kami-sama have chosen someone like this as his mouth, ears, and eyes in his realm, Zechs didn't know. His cool eyes hardened and glared at the woman once more. "Why had Kami-sama and Satan become so hard on these two while Trowa and Quatre are perfectly fine in a inter-racial relationship." She watched him, no emotions crossing his features.
"It was because Relena had to come ranting to him about it. In time, if Kami-sama and Satan had been given the chance to learn about all of this casually, as they had with Kokuyo and Hisui, things would have been different. They wouldn't have had to become so strict. Yet after seeing what happened to them after the first lifetime, Kami-sama resounded his ban on angel and daemon relationships. He knew there was no true way to keep soul mates apart. So now you see where the current laws apply. Yet Duo is different. He's a Daemon who could enter the Angel realm and not die. He is the first and only one who can. At least as far as I've been told. His features are decidedly angel-like in appearance, his gift from his mother. His power, however, is a mix of the great power of Satan's own and Kami-sama's light. That makes him unusual, unique."
"Can't you help them at all?" Zechs pleaded, sounding lost.
"I can do nothing. When the call comes in for me to collect Duo's soul, I shall. If, within that time he hasn't won Heero's love, then things shall return to as they were, end of story. You know this well Zechs."
"You are cold hearted. You care nothing for them."
"I am the Angel Master of Death. I alone am able to see to it that lives are sent where they need to be. There isn't anything I am supposed to care for. Yet I shall tell you this, Zechs. Create a situation where Heero will either have to deal with his feelings or lose Duo. You are in the perfect position to do that. Quatre and Trowa have yet to realize you are a part of this realm, or that you are trying desperately to aid your brother. Wufei suspects something, seeing as most people around those two seem to always have a way of making things happen and will possibly try to stop you. I would suggest you have Treize detain him."
"You. . .you are suggesting I be the evil one this time? You want me to be the one who darkens their life? I can't do that to my brother!"
"If you do not then they shall be forced to a life of eternal loneliness and shall never again be allowed to know their soul mates warmth. If you wish that then by all means stay out of it. We are through with this conversation, Zechs. You may go. Please show Quatre and Trowa in as you exit." She leaned back in her chair, her eyes distant. Zechs glowered at her and stormed off, refusing to look at her again. The door opened wide as he stormed out and briefly muttered to her secretary to allow Trowa and Quatre in before vanishing, not allowing the pair to see him as he left.
Quatre offered the woman a soft smile while Trowa inclined his head. "Nice to see you once again, Shuishi-san. Is all well with Kami-sama?" Quatre asked. She nodded, her eyes warming just slightly.
"All is well. How are Duo and Heero? Surviving I hope. I am sorry for the discomfort you must be in Trowa, in being here, but this meeting couldn't be put off any longer." Trowa nodded.
"It's quite all right. This is only temporary," he answered, his green eyes noting the strain around her deep red eyes. "She's been harsh toward you again."
"Hmm, she does that often enough, Trowa. Do not concern yourself over it. She worries for her brother. She doesn't realize we all want to see a happy ending."
"Is it finally the final incarnation?" Quatre asked, knowing their time here would be short. Shuishi nodded slowly, her head descending slowly.
"It is. You cannot force things. Heero must come to Duo of his own choice. It is what he would want above all else. Simply remain the steadfast friends you have been to them, as well as true lovers to each other and he will have to come around to realizing that there is a place for love in war. Love tends to bring one a calm that would otherwise never be realized. That is how life copes with the darkness the daemons bring into it. This has constantly been how things have been. We all know that here."
Trowa once again nodded while Quatre smiled sadly. "When are you to collect Duo's soul?" She watched him, although her expression was more closed off than Heero's had ever been.
"I can not tell you. But know that it is soon. Things are in motion for the final chance. Love will either triumph or find defeat. There is nothing else that can come from this. Forgive me for having nothing better to say."
"You've told us plenty, Shuishi, as well as shown you too care what happens to them, even though you shouldn't. We shall take our leave then and return to our duties," Trowa remarked. They bowed and left her to her work, her red eyes watching as the vanished. She did want them to succeed. She especially wanted to see Duo happy. As long as he was able to find that true happiness he was searching for, then she could find peace. If things failed, she would forever morn for the vibrant violet-eyed young man who would someday be the next Satan. For no one else would remember their once great and destined love but herself on that day.