Author: Dae Yuy
Disclaimer: Do you really think I own Gundam Wing? The story's mine though so hands off!
Author's Note: Big news folks! I'm back and once again excited about my story! So the updates should be a little more frequent now. I'm so very sorry that I kept you all waiting so long. I hate when author's do that, well I never said I wasn't a hypocrite.
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Chapter Eight: Meet the Family
Duo bounded threw the corridors, glancing in various open rooms for the missing pilot. The braided boy was practically radiating happiness, in anticipation of the zoo. Duo always loved to watch animals, ever since his first trip to the zoo back at Maxwell Church, he quickly discovered his favourite animal was the black leopard sometimes mistaken for the mythical panther. Duo grinned and continued his search. He abruptly stopped at hearing a familiar voice come from behind a closed door, and knocked hesitantly.
"Come in." Heero called from beyond. Duo re-plastered his infamous grin and pushed open the door with unneeded exuberance. He saw Heero barefoot and cross-legged holding a small creature with leathery wings. Heero looked up and half smiled.The room was empty aside from a few pillows, a deep blue rug and a large dark wooden cage stowed away in the corner.
"No way, do not tell me that is a bat." Duo said fighting a real smile of wonder.
"It is. Her name is Midnight." Heero nodded.
"So it ain't one of your flunkies?" Duo inquired coming over to sit in front of the boy and the pet.
"No it isn't," Heero said with a Transylvania nian accent, "but it tis a creature of de night!"
"Heero you're insane." Duo shook his head.
"Vut ever do you mean?" Heero inquired.
"Shut up will you." Duo said good-naturedly, "Midnight is so kawaii." The braided boy cooed as he pet the soft wings.
"What kind of bat is she?" Duo asked.
"Vhy she tis a Vampire Bat uv course!" Heero proclaimed.
"No really." Duo said.
Heero's returned his voice to normal, "She is a Vampire Bat. Punctures skin of animals then laps up what come out of the wound, in the wild of course. Here she's perfectly content with drinking pre squeezed live stock blood."
"Well like pet like master. That's not saying you drink the blood of live stock." Duo shrugged. After a few more minutes of watching and holding the bat, Duo's reason for Heero searching finally resurfaced.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Duo began though nothing was said within the last five minutes, "I was thinking of maybe taking a trip to the zoo. Swing by the timbre wolf enclosure maybe." Duo shrugged nonchalantly.
"Who revealed my secret pastime?" Heero asked seriously but not angrily.
"Solo may have let it slip. Noticed you were feeling a bit down. Suggested something to cheer you up. So you up for it?" Duo replied.
"Sure." Heero nodded rising to his feet and placing the bat back into her open cage. Heero took Duo's offered hand and left the barren room shutting the door behind himself and Duo.
~*~
Heero led his four companions into the wolf enclosure. He placed his right index finger to his lips briefly, signalling for silence. The four readily obliged. Heero opened the heavy, locked gate and entered the enclosure. He scanned the area for a minute and headed deeper in motioning for the others to follow. Mamoru was a good wolf and would not attack without being provoked, but he was generally protective by nature, hence the name. The reason for the wolf's civil nature was because Heero had raised the creature when it was abandoned as a pup. The wolf was actually raised inside the fortress for the first year.
"Mamoru is in the makeshift cave with his mate at the moment." Heero stated.
"So should we leave?" Quatre inquired worriedly. Heero shook his head in the negative and showed a secretive little smile to the former pilots. Heero rose his fingers to his lips and let out a long piercing whistle. A bark sounded and a large black wolf came shooting from the underbrush to pounce on Heero. The vampire prince fell down on his back from the tackle.
Duo gasped quietly and rushed over to the silent former pilot. The wolf jumped off of Heero and stood protectively in front of him growling and snapping at the braided boy. Duo halted in his movements and stayed very still. Heero crawled over on hands and knees so he was beside the wolf. Wing's ex-pilot whispered something into the creatures ear and he immediately calmed.
Heero stood again brushing off his knees and moved further in, until they came to the cave. The prince gestured for the four to stay where they were and walked over to the cave crouching beside the entrance making quiet whistling sounds. A tiny yip echoed in the cave and a small grey and white pup raced out of the entrance almost stumbling over its large paws.
"This," Heero addressed the pilots, "is Sasha. One of the four pups of Mamoru and Sere. The others are Magnum, Chaser and Chasm." Quatre moved forward to stroke the pup but was stayed by Mamoru jumping in front of him. Trowa immediately moved forward and gently pushed Quatre aside. The tall boy offered a hand to the wolf, who promptly snapped at it. Trowa withdrew his hand before he lost any fingers. Duo tried this time, he walked up to Mamoru and tentatively reached out a hand to pet him. Mamoru allowed the treatment but did not cease growling at the other boys.
"You have to earn his trust." Heero called out not looking up from where he was playing with the pup. This made Wufei get an idea. The Chinese boy slowly moved forward and knelt down in front of the wolf, resting his hands on his thighs. Mamoru moved forward and sniffed the Chinese and gave him a little lick on the cheek. Wufei smiled slightly and reached up to pet the wolf.
"Two down, two to go." Heero called, "Try again Quatre. Trowa don't jump in the way, I won't let Mamoru do anything. When you went to protect Quatre, Mamoru sensed you as a hostile presence." Trowa nodded once in understanding, it did make sense. Besides the silent clown's expertise was oversized cats, not protective alpha male wolves. Quatre followed what Wufei had done and Mamoru 'accepted' him after hesitating only momentarily.
"Okay Trowa, you're up." Heero said looking up slightly. Trowa nodded and stepped a little closer to the wolf, he then sat cross-legged, placing his hands palm up on his knees and began to hum softly. Mamoru sneaked closer and sniffed Trowa. After a few minutes of inquisitive snuffling Mamoru enthusiastically licked Trowa's face.
"I have a question Yuy." Wufei said stroking a snowy white pup who magically found its way into his arms.
"Yes." Heero prompted, "That's Chaser by the way."
"Hn. How come Mamoru accepted Maxwell so quickly?" Wufei asked shifting the pup. Heero actually looked down a slight colour of pink staining his cheeks.
"Because, Duo... um... carries my sent. It goes unnoticed by humans, but my people and animals can smell it." Heero answered quietly.
"Why?" Quatre asked the innocent question.
Heero knowing what the 'why' was actually directed at chose to ignore it and answer differently without lying, "Because animals can smell things better, and vampires can 'see' it."
"No I meant why does Duo carry your sent?" Quatre clarified.
Heero inwardly sighed before looking up and answering, "Well you see, I marked Duo. A vampire ritual to protect a mortal." Heero knew that his answer was vague but he didn't really want to get into the details.
"Well that helps a little but I still don't understand." Quatre said.
"I'll tell ya later Q, 'kay?" Duo told the blond, picking up Heero's distress. Quatre nodded and turned to the pups, there was three near them right now.
"Who's missing?" Duo asked glancing at the little animals.
"Magnum and of course Sere. Sere will be out soon, but we'll say Mag is a bit shy." Heero smiled. Just as Heero finished speaking a snowy head emerged from the cave. The female wolf moved to Heero and sniffed him delicately and did the same with each boy.
"Hey you must be Sere." Duo said gently scratching the wolf's head. He was surprised to find the wolf lay down and rest her head on his folded knee.
A few minutes later a quiet yip was heard from the cave and a tiny grey head peeked out from it. At seeing the people he ducked back in then sprinted with amazing speed over to his father who was resting next to Heero.
~*~
Xochi stood over looking the gardens. A plan for the capture of the Silver Wing prince all ready formulating in his dark twisted mind. A curt knock on the bedroom door jolted Xochi from his musings.
"What!?" he barked.
"Sir, an invitation from Miss Relena Darlian for the anual Peacecraft Costume Danser Soirée." a servant said quietly. Xochi motioned for the servant to place the invitation on the table by the door and waved him away. With a quick bow the servant left the room. With a sigh Xochi turned from the window and crossed the room, half-heartedly picking up the pink tinted envelope and skimmed its contents. A truly unpleasant smile swept across Xochi's features and he immediately wrote his R.S.V.P. His chance to make the prince his had come. Heero Zero-Lowe-Yuy would belong to him sooner then expected. Xochi chuckled darkly before turning from the room, humming the Funeral March quietly to himself.
~*~
A stern look swept across a figure's face from the other side of the street. He turned from the window shoving his hands in his leather jacket pockets. The black haired eighteen year old kicked a pebble on the sidewalk and turned down an alley. Hawke would not like this in the least. The midnight blue eyes of the teen took on an angry gleam directed at the Demon Overlord and he gritted his teeth as he turned onto the sidewalk again.
"Hey Xander, what's the matter?" a light brown near blond haired boy called. The midnight haired teen looked up and smiled slightly.
"Hey Andy. Just bad news for Hawke." Xander replied.
"About Heero?" Andy asked sobering.
Xander looked up and nodded before returning his gaze to the sidewalk, "To do with Heero, yes."
"Damnit! Don't tell me that bastard is at it again." Andy cursed ice blue eyes glaring ahead of him. Xander just gave his friend a look before turning down another alley, Andy at his heels.
"And it looks like Xochi got an invite to that thing the stocker chick is throwing. We should keep a close eye on Heero when him and his friends go to it." Xander said.
"Heads or tails?" Andy asked with a heaved sigh.
"Nani?" Xander asked raising a confused brow.
"We have to find out who will play escort for Kikki-chan." Andy smirked.
Xander shook his head, "Heads." Andy snatched the coin from the air and slapped it down on the palm of his hand.
"Congratulations Mr. Alexander you won." Andy smirked flicking the coin at his friend. The brown haired boy glanced down at his watch, "Gotta fly friend. Tell me how the shindig goes. Ja!" Andy waved then floated into the air and landed on a nearby roof top before taking off. Xander shook his head and continued on his way shoving his hands in his pockets once again.
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TBC...? There ya go. The next chappy will have lots of action! Please review!