Six: Far from danger
Was it all just a dream? Or a vision? Fanelia burned, and in that choking heat, that boy and I were again wrapped in light and sent into the heavens. This is Gaia, a strange world where the Earth and Moon hang in the sky... "Hitomi"
The bright pillar of light carried Duo and Hilde away from Fanelia and into the sky, Hilde held onto Deathscythe's hand for dear life as they went into the clouds. Everything around her was bright and looked like something out of a photo negative, slowly Hilde began to loose consciousness.
She could feel Deathscythe's grip on her loosen but she could not find the strength to protest against it, his fingers fell away from her waist and Hilde began to plummet. The two were separated from each other, sent to two different areas of a bleak and unwelcoming forest. Hilde was thrown out of the pillar of light falling toward the ground almost like a shooting star.
Deathscythe collided on the ground with a thunderous boom that shook the earth beneath it. Duo was awakened from his unconscious state by the crash and amidst his grief and tears he realized his hands were open. He looked around inside the dark cockpit of his Gymelef Duo swallowed hard as he opened the hatch and stepped out of the machine. He landed on the ground with barely any strength left in his legs, piloting Deathscythe was harder than he originally thought; it took all his strength to get the machine's limbs to move even the slightest bit. He sighed staring into space. His home was gone and so was everyone he cared dearly for. Merel... Balgus, you were all I had left of my family. Now what I'm to do now that your gone? What good is a prince without its kingdom? He whipped his wet and sticky face of his tears, he looked up into the motionless face of Deathscythe with a wry grin.
"You and I are... partners now," He said, his voice was full of uncertainty. "Its strange that word 'partners' but I'll have to get used to it. I now you'll have to get used to be used as a weapon-- Kami know's you've been sleeping for... I dunno a thousand or so years? Is that right?" Deathscythe's face remained motion less but his Jade eyes illuminated for a brief moment as thought it were agreeing to Duo's question. A smile was brought to Duo's face as he laid a hand on Deathscythe's keen before looking up into the starry night sky with a grim expression on his face.
The exiled Prince's mind drifted back to Hilde; he remembered having her in his grip but she wasn't anywhere around. He moved away from Deathscythe traveling through the trees, he placed his hand onto a tree stopping to scan the area. "Judging by the stars this is defiantly Gaia," Duo muttered himself continuing onward. "So was that girl sent someplace else?" His eyes narrowed in curiosity as he ventured deeper into the forest. Something just wasn't right about forest, it was full of memories and it felt as though someone was watching him. "I'll have to keep my guard up. Treading on unknown territory is the best way to be killed," He grumbled to himself. As he continued onward a shrill scream caught his attention. "It must be that girl!" Duo exclaimed. Pushing his current worries away Duo dashed into the forest as fast as his legs could carry him.
Hilde struggled to escape her enemy that bombarded her while she was in the middle of trying to use her pendant to lead her back to safety and the strange boy. Her assailant was an old fat man that resembled a mole and poor bum on the streets of Germany, he had pinned her down beneath him restraining her by the forearms and legs. Hilde struggled to throw the heavy man off her but he remained steadfast in his goal, whatever that was.
"HELP!" She screamed as loud as she could moving her hand in front of her face. The mole-man paused in his assault long enough to eye Hilde's pink pendant, Hilde still struggled to be free of him but he paid no attention to her. He suddenly grabbed her wrist in an attempt to steal the object from her, Hilde prepared for the worst. The mole-man was suddenly attacked by a white owl that threatened to claw his eyes out, he swatted at the winged-creature until it left and returned to its master.
Mole-man looked up trembling in fear when he spotted the bird's master stand only a few feet away from him. "Causing trouble again are you Mole?" The man's voice was deep and had a foreboding tone to it that obviously frightened the Mole-man. The old fat man made sounds of protests as the tall figure dashed toward him, the next thing Hilde heard was someone's fist colliding with the fat man's chin. The mole man was sent flying off her and onto the ground two inches away from. She scrambled away from her current spot when the tall man bent down to touch her.
Where was that boy when you needed him?! "Don't worry I won't hurt you, your safe now," He said in the kindest tone he could manage without scaring the girl. Hilde stared into his slate colored eyes and saw that he was telling the truth, she stopped moving and let the man kneel down beside her. He looked so much like Heero it frightened her, the way his face was shaped his unruly brown hair, his smile, even the eyes held the same characteristic shape as Heero's.
The man wizened and mature face was replaced with Heero's boyish looks and seemingly emotionless eyes. Her eyes began to water at the memory of him and rare time she spent with him in the locker rooms of her school. "Heero-sama...," She began to sob uncontrollably against the man's shoulder. The man felt her go limp against him, he almost shook her but considered she was probably taxed over what had happened to her. He gathered her up in his arms and rose from the ground just in time to hear a young man from the sound of it shout a girl's name.
The man turned toward the origin of the sound and caught a tall lanky teenager running out into the open with a panic stricken look on his face. He watched the young man reach for his sword. "What have you done to her?!" He shouted angrily. The man frowned at his brash attitude. "I've done nothing to her--," Before he could finish Duo drew his sword in on swift movement. The man turned to Duo with a disappointed look on his face, he placed Hilde on the ground.
"That was foolish," He said in a stern voice. Duo grinned wickedly and brought his sword in front of him boasting with confidence, this guy looked to be a ladies man but he wouldn't put it past him that he knew how to use his sword just as good as Balgus did. He would have to be careful. "I, Shinigami, pay no heed to such comments," Duo said darkly. The man shook his head then drew his sword as well resting his arm by his side.
Duo's eyes narrowed in confusion as he readied himself for attack, he would have to put Balgus' lessons into play otherwise the man standing across him would knock him down quicker than he could blink. The two stood facing each other with hardened resolve as the studied their postures and the way they held their weapons. Duo flinched slightly when the short-haired man shifted his foot but he did not move. After the longest moment of standing still Duo was the first to charge, the man gracefully dodged the blade of Duo's sword stepping to the left.
Duo stumbled but regained his footing just in time to block an invisible blur that was mysterious' man's sword, their weapons were locked together beside Duo's lower torso. The Fanelian glared angrily; if he hadn't turned when he did he would been on the ground like Hilde. "Are you afraid to fight me?!" Duo sneered. The man smirked at him playfully before shoving Duo backward, the lanky teenager performed a backflip and landed in a crouched position.
Duo barely blocked the man's next assault, their swords met once more and they struggled against each other not willing to back down. "Give up, I do not wish to fight you!" The man hissed through his teeth. Duo's face grew darker by the moment as he fought to control his temper, this man who he assumed attacked Hilde wanted him to give up?! "Not likely to happen, you attacked my friend and I won't let you get away with it!" Duo snarled pushing the man away from him. The brown-haired swordsman fell onto his bottom but before Duo could strike he kicked they young man's legs out from under him.
Duo fell to his knees his sword fell to the ground beside him, the man placed his sword underneath the chestnut braided teen's chin the moment he saw him reaching for his fallen sword. "I didn't attack your friend," The man said sternly. Duo glanced up at the tall man with a look of disgust. "I don't believe you," Duo growled dangerously. "Now kill me and be done with it." The man stared into the young man's flaming cobalt blue eyes; they reflected the image of a man whom had lost something or rather everything for that matter. He noticed Duo's eyes harden their glare, the man brought himself out of his thoughts and bent over to pick up the teenager's sword. Slowly he removed his own sword from underneath the boy's chin and placing both weapons in is right hand he offered his left hand to Duo. The 16-year-old slapped it away and rose to the ground himself.
"You should've killed me. To deny me a Samurai's death is dishonorable," He said disgusted. The man shook his head solemnly before handing Duo his sword.
"I could kill someone with skills such as yourself," He said. "It would not be an honorable thing to do."
Duo could feel his temper rising. "And attacking a girl is honorable?"
"I did not attack her! Her assailant lies across from you," The man said pointing. Duo turned and stared a fat old man unconscious on the ground in a strange position. Nonetheless, it did fully convince him. placing his sword back into its sheathe He marched over to Hilde and gathered her limp form in his arms, her head fell back giving him a full look of her most annoying face. Duo's eyes twitched before glancing back up to man that stood across him. "I am Ralph Kurt of Asturia, you are from Fanelia are you not?" He asked. Duo did not bother to answer his question, instead he decided to threaten him.
"If I were you I'd keep the pleasantries at a minimum and go about your way before I decide to kill you," Duo sneered walking past him. Ralph placed a hand on his side his expression harboring one that of humor; the boy had guts but not enough skill to back him up in a fight. "I'll ignore that comment," He said sheathing his sword. "Allow me to help you. I mean no harm despite what you think of me." Duo turned and was taken aback when the man bowed to him, what was he getting at? Ralph looked up at the young boy with expectant eyes.
Duo stared for a moment before he began to feel his arms begging for relief. He sighed. Look's like I've got no choice, Duo lowered his eyes slightly before scoffing. "I am Duo Maxwell, prince of Fanelia...," He said quietly. "I'll come with you, but its only because I worry for the girl's well-being. I have a Gymelef not too far from here, if you'd be so kind as to join me I--." Ralph came up to Duo raising his hands up. "Don't worry about your Melef, we'll come back for it later. Right now let's see to you and your friend first," Ralph said ushering Duo toward the area where his horse awaited. Duo made sure Hilde was out of the brown haired man's reach as he followed him.
Flying fortress:
Inside a cold metal wall laced room stood several young soldiers, one could barely call them such for they were all still very young teenage boys and had yet to full mature mentally and physically. Three of them kneeled before their leader their heads bowed in shame awaiting their punishment. Surprisingly the leader was older than them not to mention a woman of great beauty. Her brown hair was put into two braided buns behind her, she wore glasses and a strange attire
(her OZ uniform) that showed off her womanly body, but from their stiff composure's she was not one to take lightly. She placed a finger between her teeth and bit down onto it in a way to vent her frustrations. "So, I'm to understand that you let those bumpkin samurai damage two of my Alseides units? Two!" She bellowed rising from her throne. "You are a disgrace to his excellency!"
She slapped the closest solider to him knocking the trembling young man to the ground. The young soldier climbed up off the ground and bowed low to the ground in attempt to beg for forgiveness. "Forgive us!" Two of the young soldiers, Gatti and Dallet said in unison. Lady Une sneered at their pathetic groveling and sent them all away with a simple wave of her hand, they all left hurriedly. Across from Une stood a tall young man wrapped in a floor length cape with short blonde hair mocha brown eyes and tear painted on his face.
He watched Une pace across the floor gritting frowning deeply. "Lady, there was no need to raise Fanelia to the ground. I'd like the stealth cloaks to be used more effectively," He said as he strode off into another part of the fortress. Lady Une smirked in amusement following the capped man to wherever he was going to. "I never thought Id hear that coming from you. Not a man who sold out Fanelia, Solo. An amateur like you has no business telling me how to fight a battle," Une said haughtily.
"Amateur, indeed. That's harsh," Solo scoffed as they entered a darkened room he walked into the center of three stands placing his hand onto the circular tops pushing each one down. Une looked around the void-ish darkness of the room in question, despite the strange stands that looked like something someone would use for bodiless statues there wasn't anything she recognized at first sight. "What is this room used for, Solo," Une said impatiently. Solo smirked at the woman's rudeness remembering she was never brought to this room before. "Right, this is your first time here, isn't it?" He said ruefully walking through the darkness.
Une followed after him squinting her eyes rough the dark to spot obstacles in her path, there were none and Une stopped in mid-step when she noticed a huge screen above them coming to life. A picture formed but could be barely seen because of the static from a bad connection, despite this Une knew the face of the person right away. "Lord Treize!" She immediately kneeled down on one knee bowing her head. The image of Treize Kushrendada smiled flattered by the 19-year-old woman constant use of formalities between them, he held nothing against her for it was merely something she would have to get over in time.
"My Lady, it has been a while... But my appearance to you is anything but pleasantry between friends," Treize turned to Solo Maxwell with a sour expression. "Solo, it still remains. The dragon still casts its shadow over the Zaibach Empire's future. The dragon has fled Fanelia. Capture it at all costs." Solo blinked in confusion, a mere beast that knights killed like a pastime or hobby was ailing the empire's future? He could not see how this was any concern of his and wished not to be bothered by it but he knew better than to defy the ruler with his own selfish worries. Une looked up at Solo in question wondering why he had answered his superior. Solo bowed his head obediently. "As you wish, your excellency, Treize," He said with a nod ready to leave the room believing that was all that Treize had to say to him.
"And one other matter. That pillar of light which my Destiny prognostication engine failed to predict. I sense the stirrings of a new power. Capture it so that we may remove this unknown element. The dragon can be found on the frontier of Asturia. Lady, I leave you to Capture the dragon, capture it so that we may reawaken the legendary power of Atlantis," Treize's voice calm and held no traces of anger. Une bowed her head once more. "As you wish, your excellency," She said. Treize gave her one of his subduing smiles staring straight into her brown eyes. "I wish to see you in person some time Lady...," He said no more and the room was once more swallowed by darkness.
A cool summer breeze drifted in the air blowing through the pink cheery blossom trees scattering their pedals all across the grassy meadow. Hilde was awakened by the feather touch of someone's hand against her cheek her eyes opened slowly gradually letting her eyes adjust to the soft glow of the afternoon sun. The blurs around her became solid figures, first the background then Heero who sat beside her with a most thought provoking expression on his face, she blinked in confusion. "Heero-sama...," She whispered shifting her head which laid upon her sports jacket.
Heero sat beside her his legs half bent and his hands upon his knees his upper body was leaning over in order for his hands to touch his knees. "So you're awake...," Heero whispered to her scooting closer to her. Hilde felt her blood rushing to her cheeks when he smiled at her. Hilde choked on her words she was unable to speak with him so close, so near, just like she always imagined. "You must be a little anemic. You collapsed when you were running," He stated. Hilde shook her head her eyes averting toward the cheery blossoms above her. "I...I think I was dreaming...," Hilde's voice trailed truly afraid she was dreaming this wonderful moment with her prince charming.
Heero's eyebrow's raised in question or rather curiosity as to what she meant. "Oh yeah? What kind was it?" He asked in a monotone voice. Hilde shrugged running her hand through her bangs for a the briefest of moments. "It was a scary dream... No, a sad one. I dreamt I'd never see you again," Hilde corrected herself quickly feeling foolish about telling him about this. Then again, she always felt foolish when she told anyone about her feelings or dreams thinking that they would laugh at her. He smiled placing a hand upon her head, Hilde relaxed at his touch leaning into his hand. "Don't worry about that. I'll always be with you," Heero said.
Hilde began to grow confused as the image of Heero and the world around her began to go out of focus until it could no longer be seen and was utterly replaced with that of the mysterious man that had saved her from the fat mole man that attacked her. "You finally awake…!" Ralph said almost excitedly. Hilde was almost brought to tears at the fact she was truly dreaming her moment with Heero under the blossoming cheery tree. She edged away from the short haired man that resembled Heero in fear, the boy was no where in sight which meant they must've been separated. "Where--," Hilde was stopped short by several voices talking over top of each other.
"Hey, the princess is awake," Teo proclaimed loudly.
"Mornin', cutie," Was Reeden.
Ralph stood up from Hilde's bedside sending a scowl toward his 'merry' band of knights. "That's enough. You're scaring her. Nobody wants to wake up to faces like yours," He said sternly.
Kio pretended to be hurt by Ralph's words. "Don't say that, Boss!" He started.
Reeden nodded in agreement wearing a look of actual hurt. "Yeah! Don't compare us to Piru here," He said.
Piru gave his comrade two fingers then tossed his dagger at Reeden who dogged it. "Up yours!" He shouted. All the men erupted into fits of laughter now oblivious to Hilde's presence in the room, she climbed out of the bed and headed over to the window, she placed her hands upon the window seal and frowned. The earth still hung in the clear night sky next to the moon; she was still in Gaia. "I didn't go back... That wasn't earth...Heero-sama... Sylvia... Mom..!" Hilde brought her hands up to her face and forced herself not to cry. She felt a hand touch her shoulder, she turned and looked at the man in question, he smiled at her. Why was he smiling at her? There was nothing to smile about! Hilde wanted to smack him right then and there for not noticing her plight. He turned her around so she was facing him.
"What's the matter? If you like, you can tell me. I am Ralph Kurt, a knight of Asturia. You're a guest of this castle. As her commander, Ill protect you. That is my duty as a knight -- no as a man," He finished dramatically. There were several groans of disgust behind him, he turned and glared at his comrades silencing them in an instant but mutters of how gushy he could be at times could still be heard. Hilde pulled out of his grasp and laid her back against the wall of the window. "I thank you, but I doubt even you can get me back home -- you'd probably end up dead like...," Hilde trailed off shutting her mouth. Everyone inside the room fell silent, not a word was uttered to anyone until the sound of someone coming down the hall calling Ralph's name broke the seemingly tightly woven silence that befell the room.
Ralph turned toward the door just it opened, who was at the door surprised Hilde to no end. There stood Duo with the color of his shirt in the grasp of a tall blue haired man who was frowning. Ralph arched an eyebrow in question at the smirking young man then shifted his eyes toward Gaddes. "What seems to be the problem? I did tell you he was a guest in this camp did I not?" Ralph voice was serious.
Gaddes scoffed shoving Duo into the room with a look of disgust, Duo chuckled as he regained his footing. "He sure doesn't act like we made him a guest of the camp; he slipped out of his bedroom (how I don't know) and ransacked the food storage, half of all the food supplies are gone!" Gaddes exclaimed tossing the core of an apple toward Ralph. The brown haired man caught it and tossed it out the window barely missing Hilde's face, she jumped away from the window truly disgusted. Duo flexed his fingers playfully acting as though he were bored Ralph turned and met Duo's lazy gaze. "Is this true?" He asked.
"Well, I wouldn't say the entire food supplies is gone, but there isn't as much left," Duo said imprudently. Ralph frowned all Duo did was shrug whipping his gloved hands on the back of his pants. "Hey I was hungry, and you weren't bringing any food up anytime soon. By the way, how's that girl?" Hilde watched the usually quiet teenager speak with vigorous energy and enthusiasm. Sure, she had hardly known him but the time she had spent with him explained his personality quiet well, this however, was a sudden change she was not ready for.
Duo looked over Ralph's shoulder spotting Hilde behind him, he pulled an apple from out of his pants pocket and tossed it to Hilde. The German girl caught the shining red apple in surprise, with a nod which mean thank she bit down hungrily on the fruit. Duo smirked and ased if he could be granted permission to practice his sword techniques. There were many complaints but Ralph silenced them all and granted Duo this privilege and told him he could practice outside the by the front gate of the camp. "...All right then I'll be on my way...,"
"One moment, Duo Maxwell," Ralph spoke up stopping the young man in his tracks. Duo frowned immediately and turned toward Ralph in question. "I'd like to speak to you and miss Hilde come morning time, understood?" He said. Duo nodded and marched out of the room clutching the handle of his sword. Hilde sighed in relief once he was gone: she feared there was going to be a fight between the two men but she was wrong. Bringing her hand to her chest she walked back to the window and spotted Duo just as he came outside; he drew his sword at once and began to slash at the wind madly as he were trying to kill an unseen enemy.
She noticed his clothes smudged in black soot in many places, there was a scratch on his arm that hadn't healed properly as well. Duo stopped to catch his breath before resuming his swordplay only this time he did it the way Balgus taught him. Hilde sensed a disrupted aura around him, it seemed to flicker from dark to light. More so to dark than light as if his soul was urging him to be mad, blind with rage. Hilde's heart went out to the boy she knew so little about, but for some strange reason she knew he would not accept her pity or her help as far as his emotions went anyway. He was soldier, a prince without a kingdom and she was a stranger in a strange world with no way to get back to her home.
"The mystic Moon? You're telling me that you come from the mystic Moon? You're saying that your one of the moons inhabitants?" Ralph asked, his chin rested upon the back of his right hand. Hilde who sat across from him nodded slowly her eyes transfixed on Ralph's handsome face. She could barely hide the blush on her face in front of him. Ralph's eyes glanced upward at the two planets hanging above the blue morning sky above him finding himself more intrigued with the girl before him. He sent a smile in Hilde's direction causing the girl to blush deeper.
Duo whom remained silent through their conversation, leaning against the railing of Ralph's bedroom balcony, felt his stomach tie itself in knots a hundred times over. He was flirting the shy girl! And at such a time was downright undignified and proved to him that Ralph were not that concerned with the matter they were supposed to be discussing; the invisible giants that burned his kingdom to the ground.
He barely listened on to their meek conversation as he tried to focus his mind on something else besides his long lost family members. Hilde glanced briefly over at Duo noticing the sick look he was showing, she wondered if his stomach was bothering him but said nothing to him. "What's your name milady?" Ralph asked, remembering he had not received her name when she awoke. "Hilde, Hilde Schbeiker," She replied. Ralph's eyes widened in surprise. "Hilde... that has a pleasant ring to it," He mummered. Duo could not take any more of this, rising from up against the wall he strode over toward the two his arms at his sides.
"Ralph I apologize for entering your country without permission, but I need to know where you put Deathscythe! Give me back my Guymelef!" Duo literally snapped at the older man, showing his impatience. Ralph made a grunting sound when he turned his head away from the young boy, he knew the kid didn't like him simply because he believed he attacked the girl sitting across him, but if Duo thought he was going to let him shove him around like another one of his servants he had another thing coming to him. Ralph's fingers wrapped against the side of his face.
"And what would you do if I gave it to you, dear boy?" He asked. Duo's face twisted in aggravation he could not stand any more of Ralph or Hilde, he though he was better off by himself accompanied by Deathscythe; since the older man was curious as do what he would use 'his' gymelef for Duo decided to tell him. "Return to Fanelia. I was sent here in the middle of a fight against an unknown enemy," Duo explained. Ralph stared at the symbol upon the blade of Duo's sword remembering what Gaddes had told him. "It won't do them any good," He stated bluntly.
Duo's hands balled into fists angrily, his temper was on its borderline now, he dare speak of the people of fanelia in such a manner as if they were helpless against the enemy? "Oh, and why's that?" He said sarcastically through clenched teeth. Ralph turned to meet Duo with a regretful but stern look in his eyes that made the young man wonder what he was getting at playing with his fluctuating emotions. "Fanelia's been destroyed. Everything was burned to the ground," The older man said calmly.
Destroyed...! Hilde's aquamarine eyes were wide as saucers, Duo stood with his mouth gaping opening trembling at the ill news Ralph had uttered from his mouth. It was all a lie, a bit fat lie stirred up by the older man and his band of would-be knights in a way to keep him from returning to his homeland so they could keep his Gymelef! "Y-your lying!" He blurted. Ralph shook his head in disagreement. "I tell you no lie, some of my countrymen saw your country burning. I am truly sorry for your loss but to go there now would be meaningless and to try to search for the enemy would be folly," Ralph stated, then said; "What in the world happened? If you talk to me, we may be able to help."
Duo stared into space not hearing what Ralph said. "Fanelia's-- destroyed-- its gone," The young man uttered to himself. Hilde felt an ocean of despair wash over her. Someone had killed all those people in that small amount of time? Their home burned to the very ground reduced to nothing but burning timber and stone, for what reason was the question that ailed her. Hilde blinked back tears just shouts from the knights of Asturia reached her ears. Hilde and Ralph rose from their seats while Duo rushed over to the balcony railing peering into the sky, confusion was etched across his face.
Hilde stared up into the sky at what thought resembled a large hunk of mountain floating above the camp with a most disturbing and unwelcoming look to it. She noticed several of the knights were running out of the shadow of the floating mountain. "What is that!?" Hilde exclaimed reaching to clutch her pendant but to her discovery it was no around her neck. The German teenager had no time to panic for it was stopped the moment Ralph spoke. "Zaibach Empire's floating fortress," He proclaimed narrowing his eyebrows.
"Gymelef's! Zaibach's Gymelef's are comin' down!" A running solider shouted to the others. Ralph, Duo, and Hilde's head shot toward a low screeching sound from the fortress and spotted several hideous looking Gymelef's flying down toward the camp a red Gymelef more hideous than all the others lead the others. Hilde stepped back from the balcony railing. "Its' those monsters! The giants that attacked Fanelia!!" She exclaimed. Ralph stared at her in aghast before looking back at the Zaibach Gymelefs that landed on the ground. They had attached the prince's homeland?
(TBC)
Author's note: Episode III: The gallant swordsman was not my favorite episode, some things are liable to change that would differ from the show in my story. Mainly the brief fights between Duo/Van & Ralph/Allen, because Van was a bit of a pushover (Duo isn't) in that episode (despite his inexperience in Gymelef battles and a sword combat) and Allen was too perfect of a swordsmen. Please note that I am not Anti-Allen.