TEN: Fusion

Duo tumbled through what felt like space, the void beyond the world of Gaia, the light was still around him. He had his still burning muscles to provide for that proof. He had no idea where Deathscythe, Hilde, or Merle had gone before that beam of light hit him. Duo had no clear idea of where he was at the present moment either. When he blinked, it did nothing to clear his muddled vision or chaotic thoughts they were not his own. He kept seeing flashes of a large building, surrounded by wires and a large been of light reigning over its rooftop. Duo also sensed the presence of a familiar person, however, it was cold and distant. No longer the soft and kind soul he once knew.

The pain in his body slowly started to ebb, he could feel exhaustion seeping through him and all he wanted to do was sleep. He felt himself being lowered from the high altitude he had been sent up into, Deathscythe materialized below him and Duo felt himself seated, his arms were extended outward and his hand grasped two handles attached to reigns. The light faded, he looked down at its form and realized it was in the form of a winged beast — a dragon.

Hilde and Merle had held onto each other for what seemed like forever before the light around them vanished and the two found themselves behind Duo. "Duo-sama, your safe!" Merle cried happily. Duo turned his head so quick. It was spinning afterward. Hilde looked around their surroundings; It was a bleak world below them, washed out and outdated from the looks of it, but more modern than the world that she had seen so far in Gaia. Duo pulled on the reigns of Deathscythe, the black dragon's wing's straightened and caught the wind that rushed below it. Hilde and Merle screamed when Deathscythe soared higher into the black sky, high above the city above them.

Hilde grasped Duo's waist, the higher they went up, she could hear the wings of Deathscythe's long and sleek body batting against the wind that rushed against them. "Where are we, Duo?" Hilde cried, over the rush of wind. Duo shook his head, his braid was helplessly swinging in the wind, becoming more messy than it had been originally. He looked down below him. Merle had stationed herself in a corner big enough for her, beside his left leg. "I have no idea," He replied. As he looked for a place to land his Deathscythe Gymelef. When he spotted a dense forest below, right next to the wall that blocked out all the buildings of the olive green appearing world below, Duo pulled on the reigns and veered hard to his right. Deathscythe moved swiftly through the air, he amazed that no one had noticed them so far as he directed Deathscythe-dragon toward the vast world below him outside the city. He also wondered what had happened to him during that time he was transported. Hilde sensed Duo's distress as he began to lower to the ground, she also found herself sensing his erratic heartbeat that followed rhythmic beat of Gymelef's demonic wings, it was strange.

Hilde could not find herself in a relaxed state. Her pendant kept pulsing against her chest. Duo landed Deathscythe in a cluster of trees surrounded by large bushes, the Gymelef transformed back into original form. Duo lowered its arms and let the two girls climb down, Deathscythe kneeled down and its chest opened. The braided teenager climbed down quickly, joining Hilde and Merle on the ground. "Duo-sama!" Merle cried, jumping onto him. The young man grunted upon impact but returned the eager hug in return. Hilde watched them for the moment before letting her presence known. "Do you mind telling me, what happened?" She proclaimed, loudly. Duo looked up from Merle. "Huh?" He said, as if he never heard her. Hilde's face puffed in annoyance, she could not believe she was worried about him. "I said, 'do you mind telling me what happened'?" She repeated. Duo gave the young woman a shrug as he pried himself out of Merle's loving embrace and strode over to Deathscythe, he slid down to the ground laying against it. "I don't know what happened, Hilde," He replied, twiddling with his braid. "I'm about as lost as you are." Hilde sighed, pulling against her blue skirt.

Maybe her pendant had something to do with their sudden transportation from Austria, maybe. The German native strode across the grass, scratching the back of her neck, her eyes briefly watched Merle trod over to Duo on all fours. "Don't stray too far," Duo called after her. Hilde waved her hand absentmindedly as she began to walk around in a circular motion. Duo kept a watchful eye on her. "Duo-sama, are you all right?" Merle asked. Duo turned his attention to his childhood friend with a brief smile, he placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "I'm okay, Merle," He replied. Merle smiled, her eyes sparkling with relief, she lay on the ground, propping her head up on his stomach.

Hilde found a nice even spot on the ground just a few feet away from Deathscythe, she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "Aren't worried those guys will find us?" Hilde asked. Duo looked upward into the sky, his eyes marveling the sparkling stars and the two worlds hanging above them. When he looked down at Hilde, he found her still staring at him, awaiting an answer. He cracked a smile that seemed to tug on his aching face muscles. "Don't worry, Hilde, I doubt they'll be looking for us here . . . wherever "here" is," Duo replied. Hilde nodded but still looked uncertain, as she lowered her head against her knees and closed her eyes. The sounds of the forest and the world behind the wall (they were a considerable mile away from) echoed through her subconsciousness as she slowly drifted off to sleep. The tree branches swaying in the wind, the far of smell of flowers, and the cawing of birds above her.

(Earth)

The winter sea, I can see it outside the window. The white waves, slowly approaching the beach. The cars on the highway next to the beach, maybe I could get on one of them and drive far away from here. The winter sea, steadily, the sunlight shining on it with white light, glittering light. The warm sunlight of the summer days is far away. At my feet with my textbooks packed into my bag, I'm just . . . looking out the window. My sixteenth year's . . . Winter.

Hilde laid across the roof of the school, out in the sunlight. Her hair spread across the white stone rooftop. Her eyes were closed as she listened to the world below and above her carry on with their lives. She had no life. It almost felt as though she should be nonexistent, but it was never that simple as she would have liked it to be. Her legs remained closed and her arms were sprawled out above her head, across the rooftop a figure came waltzing out of the emergency level and onto the roof. She looked around with an unsure expression on her face until she spotted Hilde lying on the ground some ways off from where she was standing. With a smile, Sylvia Noventa tiptoed across the rooftop until she reached Hilde. The German teenager showed no signs of acknowledging her presence, so, Sylvia kneeled down beside her. "Skipping classes, again, Hilde?" Sylvia asked with a hint of humor in her voice. Hilde opened her aquamarine eyes, she sighed and pushed herself up into upright position, she extended her neck a bit as she brushed her hair behind her ear. "I was daydreaming," Hilde replied sleepily. Sylvia looked taken aback by the reply.

"Daydreaming? About that place you were spirited away to and met those strange characters?" Sylvia asked. Hilde nodded her head, her mind playing back the previous events of her vivid dream, the boy and the mysterious suit of armor that transformed into a winged demon and the annoying cat girl. "Why would I dream about that, though?" Hilde asked herself. Sylvia groaned in mock-vexation as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "It means you to go out and get a life. The overembellished dream is just a way of saying of," Sylvia stated as though she were a doctor. Hilde shoved her friend away from her as she stood up and walked over to the wall of the roof. Sylvia followed after her with a somber expression on her face, she noticed the way Hilde walked and kept her shoulders slouched, clearly indicated something was wrong. Another moment of silence past, teenagers below, walking out of the school building laughing and gossiping could be heard below. It only seemed to make Hilde's depressed mood worse.

Sylvia decided to speak again. "Hilde, did you get to see the guidance office?" She asked. Hilde's shoulders hunched at the question, she kept her gaze away from her friend. "Not yet," Hilde replied quietly. Sylvia scoffed in anger at the girl's hesitation. "What's wrong with you? Mr. Saeki's been looking for you," Sylvia said. Hilde shrugged with little concern in her friend's comment. "Saekisensei. I don't like him," She replied. Sylvia decided to change the subject, hoping it would make Hilde cheer up a little. "Did you decide on college yet?" She asked. Hilde shrugged again. "I don't like studying as much as you. It's not even spring break yet. It's not realistic," Hilde retorted.

Sylvia rolled her eyes at the response. "Now what are you saying! You'll soon be a third year! You have to figure out where you're going!" She declared. Hilde moved away from the wall and started to walk away. Sylvia followed after her. "My brain's not as good as yours," Hilde spoke with no self-confidence. Sylvia waved her hand at the German, she jumped up beside her and wrapped her arm around Hilde's shoulder. "Bah! You're not a very logical child, Hilde," The teenager joked. Hilde managed a laugh. She kept in sync with her friend's long strides toward the rooftop door. "It's not like that! I'm just not academically oriented like you," The German laughed. Sylvia hopped up and down with a sort of exuberance she hadn't shown since she had caught Heero leaning over Hilde in the nurses' office. "Oh that's right! Hey, I told Saeki that I wanted to go into science!" The girl decided to announce. Hilde had to smile at the news. "Cool . . . ," Hilde said, looking off to the sky.

Time's passing so fast. My thoughts are so confused, and time is passing so fast. I wake up in the morning, see the blue sky, and decide that today I won't go to school. Waiting on the platform for the train, I board an express train, and pass up my usual stop. Clicketyclack. Clicketyclack. The sound of the waves draws farther and farther away. The glow of the ocean fades in the distance.

(FIN)