Four: Girl from the mystic moon
Hilde gripped Duo's arm fearfully as the shadowed creatures rose from the ground surrounding them. Her teeth chattered against each other in complete fear, Duo raised his sword in defense knowing it would be near impossible to fight and protect Hilde at the same time. He awaited their attack when his eye caught sight of another creature coming up from behind the others in a casual walking pace.
Duo cocked an eyebrow in suspicion as the creature came out of the shadows revealing his face. Duo's mouth hung open in relief and he lowered his sword. "Eh?" Hilde exclaimed in confusion watching the braided young man in front of her lower his defense.
Is he mad or just stupid?! Those things are gonna eat us alive! Hilde thought in panic gripping his shoulders. Duo shrugged her delicate hands from off his shoulders and his smile grew more once he learned who it he was staring at. The humanoid creature with onyx eyes, wolfish ears brown and light tan fur smiled back at Duo then glanced curiously at Hilde with an innocent look in his eyes that made Hilde uncertain about being quick to trust him like Duo had.
"Please follow me," The creature said stepping out of the light making its way down the hill. The other humanoid creatures resembling him followed suit. Hilde had no choice but to follow Duo as he dragged her across the grassy hill top by the wrist. The night couldn't get any weirder than it had already.
"So this girl, is from the mystic moon?" Ruhm exclaimed in curiously turning his head toward Hilde who sat on her legs with her hands in her lap. The creature shifted his eyes toward Duo who just shrugged stealing a glance at the short haired girl across from him. "Yeah, she sorta followed me home," He said tiredly propping his elbow up on his leg. Hilde was confused by all conversation the two were having, deciding she might as well trust them since they probably knew the way back to her home Hilde spoke up.
"Uhh excuse me but, what's the mystic moon?" She said timidly raising a finger. Both men stared at her as though she grown two heads, before Ruhm spoke up to break the unsettling since that befell them. "The blue moon that hangs above us little lady," He said pointing up to the sky. Hilde's aquamarine eyes shifted skyward falling upon the supposed blue moon that was none other than planet Earth shinning in all its blue glory.
Then that same cold feeling that came over her when she had visioned the young man being impaled by the point of the dragon's tail. Only this time it was of something else; the boy with the braid was no where in sight. Instead two men wearing armor holding spears in their hands stood before an invisible enemy before they were both severed in half.
"Oi, something wrong?" Duo's voice broke the trancelike she was in but the feeling from the vision remained with her. She turned her head toward him with a questing expression on her face. There was a moment of silence between them before she responded. "No, nothing," Hilde bowed her head tightened the grip on her pants in embarrassment. Duo shrugged and returned to his star gazing.
By morning time Hilde was fast asleep in a curled position with head propped up against the duffle bag. However her slumber was disturbed by the howl of the oxen appearing creatures and Duo softly nudging her with his booted foot. Hilde rose from her sleeping position rubbing her eyes smiling barely at the morning sunlight that warmed her shivering body. "There it is little lady," Came Ruhm bringing the cart to a halt.
Hilde crawled up to his side dragging the duffle bag with her. "Faneila," He finished. Hilde arched an eyebrow in wonder. The small kingdom below her looked like something out a fairy tale story her mother used to read her, now Hilde was beginning to wondering if she was still unconscious from the first vision that assaulted while she was practicing for the track meet. Sighing she flopped down on her bottom and prayed that the small kingdom would have a nice comfy bed for her to sleep in.
The streets of Faneila were bustling with energy as its residents crowed around on all sides as they awaited the return of their beloved prince, Duo Maxwell. The guards reached out and grabbed the large handles on the massive wood door, they pulled it open with all of the strength inside of them. Little by little the large doors open to make way for the arrivals, young girls held their breath as they caught sight of a cart rolling in through the doors while men wore their proudest faces in honor of the prince. Once the cart came to its final halt, Duo grabbed the drag energist and leapt from out the cart landing on the ground in a crouched position with the grace of a wildcat. Hilde looked down from the height he had jumped from suddenly feeling queasy as she searched for a safer way down.
Duo smiled and waved to the town peoples as he wiped his face of the sweat that plagued it. He began to walk forward toward the castle when a high pitch cry of joy caught him in mid-step. Duo cringed knowing exactly who it was that made that sound, he turned to the crowd; several people were jumping out of the way as the unseen person barreled through them at top speed. Please don't make a scene here, please Merel, Duo pleaded mentally just as the small figure jumped out of the crowd rushing toward him like a flash of lightening.
"Duo-sama!" Merel cried happily jumping into the stunned prince. The weight from his humanoid-cat friend almost knocked him off his feet, nevertheless he was overjoyed to see her. "Merel!" Duo exclaimed in amusement as the cat-girl licked his face. Merel stopped for a brief moment to stare into the mysterious coalbolt eyes of Duo before she spoke. "Duo-sama I was so worried you wouldn't come back!" She cried dramatically. Merel resumed her grooming session and Duo fought the urge to laugh aloud from the tickling sensation of her sandpaper tongue. "Oi, stop it Merel!" Duo snickered bitting down on his lip.
"Prince Maxwell!" Came a commanding voice. Duo turned to face the three knights, one of them being his respected and most trusting friend Balgus, who bore a distinctive scar across his left eye. Merel's cat-eyes shifted back and forth from the knights to Duo before she removed her arms from Duo's neck. She backed away from them before bowing down while in the knights presence. Duo's stone expression frightened the villagers, they also bowed leaving Hilde (who had managed to get down from the cart) the only one standing but no one noticed her.
Reaching into his shirt Duo revealed the drag energist causing a whispering and gasping uproar. All the Knights looked upon the shining stone in awe as they tried to acknowledge the fact that Duo had done what his oldest brother could not do. "I, Duo Maxwell of Faneila have completed the task of Dragonslaying and retrieved this drag energist," The young man proclaimed almost in a proud tone of voice. The knight on the left believed what the young prince had said but he could not believe his eyes as he stared at the marvel that resided in Duo's hand.
"That's the real thing all right," He muttered. "A drag engerist!" The knight on right said breathless. Balgus just stared proudly at the prince who dared not to crack a smile in front of them. All three of the knights kneeled down before Duo which surprised the young man nonetheless. "We Samurai verify this to be true, Prince Maxwell," Balgus announced in an obedient tone of voice. Duo just smiled vainlessly and nodded his head to them. "Thank you I'm honored," He replied happily.
Hilde stared at the back of the braided teenager in disbelief and denial. He's a prince? She thought gripping the straps of the duffle bag.
Once Hilde had gotten settled in castle with help from one of the sheild-maidens who her knew way around about as well as Duo and Merel did, she began to wonder if she was in a coma and if everything that happened up this point was merely just a projection of her subconscious mind. Then why couldn't she wake up from it all? Sighing the short haired girl tossed her track outfit into her duffle bag that resided on the bed that was considerably comfortable and flopped down on a bench near the window.
Hilde pushed the window shutters open to let in the midmorning sunlight before propping her elbows onto the window seal holding her head in the palm of her hands. Heero... Syliva... Images of her times with her friend Syliva and too-breif moments with Heero Yuy flashed through her mind. Syliva's smile always seemed to cheer her up and Heero's eyes made her stop breathing completely. Tears fell from her eyes as she buried her face into arms to muffle the sounds of her crying when a dark looming shadow appeared blocking the sunlight.
Hilde looked up and screamed in horror presuming it was a creep but realized it was just the weird cat-girl, she fell off the bench crashing onto her bottom with a thud. "Haven't you ever heard of using the door!!" Hilde cried angrily. "Don't get too comfortable with him," Merel stared at her snootily before she began to lick her wrist modestly. Groaning Hilde climbed from off the floor rubbing her behind. "Say what? Who are you talking about??" She blurted in question.
Merel glared at her; this funny dressed girl really thought she was dumb! Well, she had another thing coming to her! "Duo-sama you baka. Stay away from him," Merel growled revealing her claws. Hilde was becoming a bit nervous around the humanoid cat, when the creature leap off the window seal and hopped across the floor toward the duffle bag on the bed. Hilde began to wonder what the girl was up to until several objects came flying out of the bag right at her.
"Hey, what are you doing!? Get outa of my bag!" Hilde cried out in aghast. Merel ignored her the entire time she rummaged through the duffle bag in search of something interesting, when a glint of pink caught her eye. Turning around Merel's line of sight landed on Hilde's pendant hanging on the glittering gold chain clasped in the German girl's hand. "Ohh!" The cat-girl cooed at the mere sight of the pendant. Hilde backed away a bit wondering what was going through the humanoid cat's mind before she realized her pendant was missing from her hand.
She looked up and was surprised to find Merel with the pendant in her hand swinging it back and forth, her eyes following its every movement. "Pretty...," Merel muttered before tossing the object in the air. Hilde watched her grandmother's prized pendant soar high and get snatched out of the air by the devious cat-girl. "I think I'll keep it!" With that Merel clamped the chain of the pendant between her teeth before racing out Hilde's bedroom on all fours laughing all the way out.
Hilde dropped everything that was in her arms and dashed out of the room after Merel pacing herself. "Get back here you cat-burglar!!" She cried angrily rounding the corner. Merel's tail wagged back and forth with excitement as she ducked around the corner passing the an open door. She never got this much of a rush from chasing a mouse, but this human was the perfect toy she needed to save herself from boredom.
Hilde dashed around another corner searching for the horrid excuse for a crossbred creature when the open door Merel had passed caught her attention. Bringing herself to a halt, the German girl trotted quietly back over to the door to take a look's-see inside. When she poked her head inside the room she was surprised to find Duo and the gray-haired knight inside the dimly lit area wielding swords. Careful not to make a peep of any sort Hilde watched the two men with interest.
Duo watched Balgus' movement with a sharp eye as the elderly man positioned the handle of the sword near his left shoulder, the blade was a bit above Duo's head. Duo placed his sword in front of him with the blade pointing skyward, he kept an eye and an ear out for any movement from Balgus. Okay, I've gotta time this just right, He thought.
The sound of Balgus turning his foot to the side caused Duo to jump into action, with a battle cry he lunged forward wielding his sword like a bat. Their swords clashed, Duo fought to push Balgus back with all his might but the elderly man stood still as stone never budging. The prince gritted his teeth in frustration, pushing off from Balgus he brought his sword back over his head and charged once more at Balgus aiming for his abdominal. Balgus came at Duo in the same manner but with more agility. There was a flash of light from the swords meeting, Hilde almost jumped back but managed to stay still through all of the commotion.
She stared at the two men who now stood with their backs facing each other before Duo moved to place his sword back into its seethe with a irritated sigh. He turned around to meet the disappointed face of his master. Balgus looked down at the young man with a stern gaze before speaking. "Prince Maxwell, you don't charge agressively enough," Balgus scolded him.
Duo rolled his eyes in annoyance. Balgus knew he was nothing like his brother, so why in the world did he push to be just as good as sword play like his brother? And why did he have to take the crown? Everything that was happening to him was not something he wanted willingly, he had to do it for the sake of the kingdom and because of the absence of his mother, and brother who everyone presumed dead. "I don't see why I have to practice Balgus," Duo retorted with a glare. "I already know how to use sword, I don't need anyone telling me how to use it." Duo's swordmaster frowned in disappointment at the young boy's additive. "It is wrong for a furture king to harbor such weak comments." The braided teenager scoffed in disagreement, placing a hand on his side he looked down at the ground with resentment. "It's not like a want to be king. Nothing that happens to me is ever my choice! I have no say in my own damn life," Duo snapped angrily.
The 16-year-old turned his back to his master. Balgus continued to stare in disappointment before he noticed Hilde standing outside the doorway. "We have a guest," He stated clearly. Hilde looked around before stepping into the door way completely with a bashful look on her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snoop," She apologized with a bow. Duo shifted his body toward the door and met eyes with Hilde. "Oh its you," He said in annoyance. Hilde just frowned at him, feeling a bit embarrassed.
There was a laugh behind her, Hilde turned around and found Merel sitting on the floor with a causal look about her. "You foreigners have no manners at all," She grumbled tossing Hilde her pendant. The German girl caught it with ease. Just as she opened her mouth to say something to the humanoid cat girl, Merel had already zoomed passed her and Balgus, and jumped on Duo. "Duo-sama!" She cried happily, her tail wagging back and forth. Duo just sighed wondering if there would be a time when Merel wasn't hanging on him.
Hilde rolled her eyes, the creature acted like a scotch tape; she was constantly attached to Duo whenever he was around. Hilde was snapped out of her train of thought when Balgus came up to her, he stood over her like a huge building. His face was full of gentleness and truth, Hilde felt comfortable around him. "I hope your enjoying your stay. You may be here for a while, but we'll do everything we can to get you back to your home," Balgus explained. Hilde's eyes lit up for the first time since she had been in faneila.
She smiled at the elderly man. "Thank you. It means a lot to me," Hilde replied. Balgus nodded and with a bow he turned to leave the room, Hilde stepped out of the way. The tall man venture down the hall. Great, not even they know how to get me home... I'll be stuck here forever! She thought in despair. Duo on the other hand watched her body language carefully, she was the strangest girl he had ever encountered before, she wasn't swooning over him or flirting constantly with him either like all the other girls in the village below would do.
Which sorta bothered him. Pushing the thoughts aside Duo began to walk forward ignoring the fact that Merel was hanging on him still. "Merel leggo would ya'!" Duo grumbled. Merel huffed for a moment before finally letting go of Duo and skipping off out of the room on all fours. Hilde turned around and stared at Duo curiously as she came closer toward him. "So your human?" Hilde asked placing a finger on her chin. He looked down sheepishly at his feet before answering.
"You can say that," Duo replied. Hilde looked him over as she circled him. There didn't seem to be anything different about him, his body parts appeared to human and there was nothing out of place on him except the outrageously long braid. Hilde couldn't find anything wrong with him. "Are you human?" Duo asked looking her up and down. Hilde scowled at him in anger. "Yes, I'm human! I'm from planet Earth buddy. Unlike you," She proclaimed. Duo arched an eyebrow at her. "Earth? That's what you call the mystic moon?" Duo blurted in disbelief. Hilde nodded having to remind herself that this boy is an alien ... not of planet earth. "What's the name of your planet?" She asked.
Duo sighed folding is arms across his chest. "Gaia," He responded. Gaia? Such a beautiful name for a planet, Hilde thought to herself.
Outside the castle, the townsfolk gathered around the entrance and stairs awaiting to be let inside. Many of them talked amongst eachother mostly on the topic of the mysterious girl the prince had brought back with him and where she came from. Merel stood amongst the many townsfolk with a frown on her face. "Awww, I want to see Duo-sama all dressed up...," She sulked.
Inside the coronation ceremony was beling held, Hilde stood on the side outside a beautifully designed circular painted on the stone floor watching with Duo with interest as the priest rambled on about kingly-hood and his obligation the people of Faneila. Hilde marveled at the costume he wore; The flowing fabric of his dark blue cape overtop his white armor with a strange symbol on the center of the chest. Underneath the white armor was what Hilde thought to be chain-mail outfit. His braid laided against his back while the rest of his hair was underneath a strange shaped helmet that matched with his outfit.
She frowned sympathetically at the expression his face. It almost seemed blank, void of any emotion except that of the look imprisonment. He really dosen't want to be king of his own people..., She thought. "Duo Maxwell, king of Faneila, I bestow upon thee this sword of proof of thy accusession," The priest announced finally. Hilde watched as the new king extended his arms outward with his palms facing upward, the priest placed the sword in his procession and watched as Duo clutched the weapon tightly. Duo looked to Balgus then to the priest before focing a greatful smile on his face, he shifted his eyes toward Hilde who looked away immediately in fear that he would question her staring at him. "Excuse me for a moment Balgus," Duo muttered swiftly turning toward Hilde. Balgus watched with interest as his pupil made his way over to the panicking teenage girl before returning his conversation with the priest.
Outside, atop the gates of Faneila, two men stood up on a balacony watching for intruders from time to time while talking. "I'm really lookin' forward to t'night's party," The long haired man chuckled. His short haired friend smirked as he whipped his browl of the sweat that plauged it. "So you gonna ask that girl out or what?" The short haired one asked wagging an eyebrow. "Who knows what the night will bring my friend," The long haired man laughed before returning his attention the setting sun. There was a breif moment of distortion that appeared to be heat waves from what the two could tell.
"Nani? Heat waves?" The long haired man uttered. "What's up?" The short haired man said. The long haired man blinked several times to make sure his eyes weren't palying tricks on him; and his surprise they were. The surrounding area was as still as stone. "It's nothing," The long haired man replied. They returned to their conversation, their guard completely down and out of thin air a arm shot out three spears from it's hand demolishing the watch tower and the guards along with it. The metal twisted itself into a strange object and began to trip through gate in a downward motion before it stopped and yanked itself out of the gate destroying it. The comotion from the attack caused half of the all the soldiers to head toward the gate. They stared at the demolished area with their weapons in hand. "What is it? What's coming??" One soldier said in panic at the sound of loud footsteps. The footstepts grew louder in volume as they continued forward with no signs of stopping.
"An invisible enemy?" Balgus exclaimed in confusion. A wear soldier nodded in comfirmation clutching his side. The elderly man looked down in confusion as he pondered what the solider had told him just as Luva came up to him with a look of concern. "Balgus," The samurai said. Balgus turned to his fellow comrade and friend with a knowing glance turning his attention to the Aruging pair Duo and Hilde, they obviously had to learn to get along while the young girl was with them. "Balgus!" Came another voice.
Balgus looked away from the two adolescents in time to meet the faces of Asona and Yurizen, all five samurai stood around eachother as they tried to block out the arguing behind them. "Hold the enemy off with your Melefs. Luva. Asona. Yurizen. I'm counting on you all," Balgus said sternly unable to shake the bad feeling in his stomach. "Yessir," The samurai said in unison. Balgus gave them a curt nod and the three were off to where their resprective Gymelefs were situated. Balgus sighed in confusion staring into space for a breif moment. Duo turned away from a rambling Hilde and made his way over to his swordmaster, he sensed uneasiness from the scared man.
"What should I do?" Duo said suddenly surprising his friend. The elderly man turned to the young man with a uncertain gleam in his eye, Duo blinked cocking his head to the side careful to keep the helmet on his head. Resting a firm hand on Duo's shoulder Balgus said; "Take your guest, the lady Hilde, with you to the shrine." Duo blinked in confusion at what exactly the elderly man was trying to tell him. "The shrine...?" Duo repeated in confusion. Balgus nodded noticing the young man's dismay. "Yes, majesty. Should it prove necessary, take Deathscythe and flee," Balgus said in a stern but soft tone of voice.
Duo was now more confused than ever; he had heard stories about the Gymelef, Deathscythe from his brother and father but he never expected the magnificent machine to be real. "Deathyscythe...," Duo trailed off. Balgus did not hear him, he directed the briaded teenager to where the shrine was and sent him on his way. Hilde watched the bewildered and confused young man dash off toward the location of the shrine with a uneasy feeling growing inside her and before Balgus could order her to follow the braided teenager, Hilde was off in a flash trailing behind Duo.
Outside, soldiers directed fleeing villiage people of Faneila toward the mountains behind the castle. "First cavalry unit, to the castle gates! Third squad! Guard the western road!" A soldier on horseback shouted riding off. Merel fought with all her might to catch up with the horseback rider in hopes that he would lead her toward Duo and the pestilence of a girl named Hilde. "Duo-sama! Duo-sama! I'll stay with you and fight!" Merel cried pushing her way through the panicking crowd. She could almost see where the horseback rider had gone when a round villiage woman grabbed her by the waist taking her along with her. "What're you doing, Meruru?! We have to get out of here!" The woman cried. Merel fought her hardest to escape the woman's grasp on her waist but to no avail. "Duo-sama!" She shouted desprately.
(TBC)
Authors Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll be writing another one soon! Sakura123