Once a Lifetime
Chapter 18; Duo POV:
I awoke slowly, feeling groggy and clammy. When I got a hold of G I was personally going to introduce him to Hell. My home would make the poor scientist green in fear, but it would be worth it. I looked around the room to see myself on a cot, stuck in a room without being tied up. This must mean I wasn't gonna be able to move. Checking to see if I could, I realized I was right, I couldn't.
"Don't move, you'll only make things worse," a soft voice spoke beside me. Looking over I could see a woman with long black hair and red eyes. Someone I hadn't been able to remember in a long time.
"Shuishi, what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice calm and cool despite the fact I knew her being here wasn't a good thing. After all, she was the Angel Master of Death, and that usually meant she was only around because she had a job to do.
"Looking after you, Duo. You're time on this earth is almost at a close." I sigh and watch her look at me with sadness in her eyes. I know she knows this is my last time here, my last chance. She seems so sad though; I can't help but remember more of a past I wasn't supposed to be able to recall.
Flashback
I watch as Kokuyo, my father speaks with Satan, my grandfather. Beside them is a young girl with long black hair and red eyes as my father once had. After meeting my mother, he had given one up to her, sharing his power. I didn't understand why I was here. I only knew it was important.
"Duo, this is someone I want you to meet. Someone you will have to deal with a lot when you take over in my place," Satan said in a deep rumble. Kokuyo nodded, holding a book in his hands.
"This book lists the names of every person and when they are to die. Only Shuishi, here, can read every date and name. She is my daughter, and your half-sister. She will be in contact with you a lot as you lead our people," Kokuyo said softly, looking warmly on Shuishi. Shuishi smiled softly, one of the few she ever allowed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Duo-sama," she said in a soft voice. I smiled at her.
"It's an honor to meet my sister," I answered, moving over to her and hugging her. She froze in my arms. It was obvious she was very much unused to having anyone do such a thing. I grinned. She'd get used to it. After all, everyone got used to my odd ways, eventually.
"Now, we will leave you to get acquainted. Farewell," Kokuyo said, following Satan out of the room. I graced her with a grin.
"So, you're my sister. Are you just like me? Or are you all daemon?"
"I am like you, the daughter of an angel and daemon. Kokuyo and an angel whom God had chosen came together to make me. I was supposed to be the only one. Seems I wasn't. Now one shall watch over Hell while the other watches of life and death. A fitting job for each of us, is it not?" I nodded. She was rather straight foreword. I liked it.
"Very much so, Shuishi. Although, I think you got the better job. Not so much paperwork as mine." She laughed and we shared a knowing smile. Both of us would always be very busy, that was a certainty.
"Yet you must not tell anyone. At least, not at the moment. Those whom you deem worth it should be told only. No others." I realized what she had said was important and I nodded in agreement. What kind of brother would I be if I couldn't do as she asked? Not a very good one, in my opinion.
"I'll do as you ask, sis. Just call me brother when we are alone, all right?" She grinned once more and nodded.
"Hai, I do believe I will, brother," she answered, a smile very much like my father's crossing her lips. She was most definitely my sister and my father's daughter.
End Flashback
"So what happened to make my life so short?" I asked, keeping my voice light. I knew if I showed how much knowing I was soon to die bothered me, then she would be saddened as well.
"The experimental drug G came up with is flawless. . .against humans," she said softly, watching me with sad red eyes.
"Meaning, that to daemons, it can hurt us," I guessed.
"It's deadly to daemons. It uses a mineral that humans can handle but that daemons can't in its pure form." I knew instantly what she was talking about.
"He has pure silver nitrate in there, doesn't he," I said, not even phrasing it as a question. She nodded.
"Yes, he does. Zechs will not give you the cure in time. You are already dying. There is nothing that can stop it."
"Why is Zechs even bothering with me? He's always been after Heero."
"Because Zechs is really Meridiana, Heero's sister. She came here to protect her brother from Relena and to make certain you two found one another. I, myself, told her to kidnap you. I knew this would bring about your death but I didn't inform her of it. Instead, I told Wufei that things would be coming to a head. He's the only one who can get Heero here in time. If he says he loves you before it kills you, then you'll be saved. If he doesn't. . ." she trailed off, her voice full of unshed tears.
"If he doesn't, I return to the daemon world, never to know him as my other half again," I answered, my voice low. She once more nodded, this time tears falling from her eyes.
"Brother, I can't let you die. I don't want to return you to a life I know you will hate!" Shuishi cried out suddenly. I pushed myself to the limit and raised a hand to press against her cheek.
"You can let me die. Just as you've had to in the past, you can do it again. I shall live with whatever happens. I know my heart will never be the same, but at least I shall still have Trowa and you. You two are my family." She watched me, red eyes full of shimmering tears that had yet to fall.
"You remember everything then?" I nodded.
"Of course. Kami-sama and grandfather couldn't keep me in the dark forever. Especially with so many close friends near-by. Yet for the moment, I'd like to be alone. Stay close by in case Heero doesn't make it in time. Right now, I want to sleep."
"Right. Good-night, brother." I nodded and drifted off; after all, I was still pretty drugged up. Why not sleep while I could? Soon, nothing would be able to wake me up anyway, not even Heero, my Heero.