Companions of a kind – Duo
Trowa had lived for as long as he could remember in his mercenary band. His life had been far from easy but he had always had clothing and food. For those reasons and only those reasons had he requested to room with Heero instead of Quatre. Emotions did not come easily to Trowa, and the blond seemed to bring them out of him while Heero was also a fighter and the two shared an understanding that others could no comprehend.
Trowa had been hurt by the hurt in the blond's eyes, but had buried it. He felt connected to Quatre but buried that also, connections only led to hurt. Trowa left their relation ship as friendly coworkers, which Quatre eventually seemed to fit into as well. Trowa exchanged his robes for dark blue genes, that hugged his legs and a dark blue turtle neck that kept his body warm on the cold ship.
It only took three days to finish the map of 03 and in Trowa's spare time he found himself helping Quatre to make the ship look more lived in. Although it had been functional before the blond insisted that it was depressing.
Trowa had been surprised when it was Quatre who gave the orders on the ship and not Cassandra, sense it was obviously her ship. But like Quatre had told him he rarely ever saw the woman and never heard her speak. Quatre told him that she mentally communicated with Heero but Trowa could never feel it and only Quatre's slight frown would tell him that it was going on.
Trowa adapted easily to the computer system so it was no surprise when Quatre paired him with Heero to work the scanners for 02. Another padded chair had been added to the little shuttle but Trowa seated himself at the helm with Heero, leaving the chair empty for Cassandra. Her silent presents easily slipped into it without complaint as Heero and Trowa maneuvered the ship toward the extremely dark spear of 02.
There seemed to be little atmosphere for the shuttle to plow through and soon Heero put down the shuttle on the dark crusty ground of 02. The dry texture of dust and soot filled the ship as the main door opened and the four spilled out to go about their given tasks. Trowa watched Quatre's form as it got smaller and smaller along the black ground that stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. He tried to bury the worry that filled him at seeing the blond leave alone... but Quatre could take care of himself and Trowa had already promised him self that he didn't care.
"What is your opinion of Quatre," Trowa suddenly asked. Heero didn't even break from what he was doing as if he had been expecting the question. Trowa slightly admired Heero's ability to not be fazed by anything.
"Bright and capable," Heero dead panned. Trowa's face remained passive. He had wanted to know if Heero had more feelings toward Quatre than he had let on. Obviously Heero was loyal to the blond and the two had been working together for a while, but then again Heero had a closer connection with Cassandra. But he had some how found Quatre and 'saved' him back on 03.
Heero was oblivious to Trowa's inner turmoil as he finished setting up the scanners and then sat down in the door way to the shuttle. Trowa turned to continue questing Heero but a chill ran along his back and compelled him to glance around first. And he was glad he had when his eye caught movement off to his left. Heero had reflexively looked as well and stood, his staff pulled out from under his leather jacket. Despite the black ground the planet was cold.
Trowa felt Heero step up beside him, his jacket left with the shuttle, as the ghostly form of several bodies approached impossibly fast.
"Leave now and Shinigami will spare you!" A loud voice boomed over the area. Trowa and Heero spared each other a glance before Heero summoned his crystal of pure power and erected a shield around the two and the ship.
//Quatre, stay away from the ship for a while// Trowa used his mental crystal to send in Quatre's direction.
//What's wrong?// Quatre asked back, his mental voice concerned.
//We're not sure, just don't come back until I tell you to// Trowa firmly stated. He cut the link before Quatre could argue and turned his full attention on the clear grayish yellow bodies that surrounded them.
"Necromancy," Heero stated his grip on his staff white. "My shield will come down; they are absorbing its power." Trowa nodded, that is why the spirits looked yellowish. Trowa knew as did Heero that the best way to combat sprits was with mental powers, nothing else affected them.
"On my count," Heero stated. Without a word Heero and Trowa turned back to back and Heero began a slow count down. Trowa could hear Heero muttering between numbers as he began to surround his physical weapons with mental essence of him self... life was the only thing that could kill death.
Trowa was doing the same with his few weapons but also reading several mental spells, neither of them had mind as a specialty but Trowa had more than Heero. As Heero's voice said one, the shield completely dropped and Trowa began throwing spells at the shimmering appertains that charged him.
His first spell hit one in the chest and it gave an empty soundless scream before disappearing. Trowa didn't dwell on his first kill as he hurtled spells at the ghosts until there were too close. With a yell he pulled his bow knife out of his waist band, it shimmered with the power of the mind, and charged into the fray. His lethal body twisted and flipped, cutting through ghosts. He ignored the cold burns that he got as the ghosts brushed his body. His breathing was hard by the time the ghosts thinned.
"Duck," Trowa heard Heero's voice yell. Trowa dove for the ground as she felt the air of several knifes fly where he had just been standing. When he looked up again the last of the apparitions had vanished. He pushed his sweaty body off the ground as the cold wind tried to freeze his sweat.
"You two are better than you look," Trowa turned toward the direction the voice had come from. It was the same booming voice as before but at a normal volume. Trowa studied the young man now in front of him. He was not particularly tall with his form hidden in the folds of a layered black robe. His staff was almost hidden in its folds, the dark wood twining as it held in some of the most powerful crystals Trowa had seen.
The bottom crystal was the smallest, but by no means small, purple of healing. Next up was the dark brown of earth; its color was so dark that it almost looked black. The red-orange of fire stuck out followed by the pure white of mind. Trowa's eyes widened as they rested on the dark black of necromancy, the rarest form of magic.
"So you want to leave now, or do I have to kick you out?" The voice laughed, with one eye brow raised. Bright purple eyes twinkled out from under thick auburn eye brows which were the same color as the long rope of braided hair that went down past the young man's waist.
Heero brought his staff out in front of him all of the balls glowing as they began to prepare for battle. The figure laughed and did the same with his staff; Trowa began to follow when he suddenly heard a cry from behind him.
"Don't fight!" Quatre's voice rang out. Trowa felt himself tear between his instincts and his want to please the blond. Quatre's foot steps were loud as he ran in between the fighters, his staff still strapped to his back.
"Quatre," Heero's voice hissed.
"Put it down Heero, we should not be fighting each other!" Quatre yelled with out looking behind him.
"I did not instigate," Heero dead panned, his staff still glowing.
"It doesn't matter," Quatre yelled. Trowa saw Quatre's head scan the ground; He couldn't miss the mass amount of Heero's knives that littered the ground, the few that missed their targets still glowing with mind energy.
"Why did you attack my friends?" Quatre asked once his head was once again addressing the youth. Trowa watched the braided youth as he narrowed his eyes and looked at Quatre suspiciously, his staff still out in front of him and glowing with power.
"Why did you stop them from fighting?" The youth returned.
"Because there is no reason to fight, we are explorers mapping your planet and nothing else," Quatre answered his voice was firm but kind. "We will be gone before the day ends."
"Right, so your not here to take my land," The braided youth said as his crystals slowly lost their bright glow. Next to him Heero's staff went completely dark. Trowa felt Heero move but he didn't take his eyes off Quatre to see what he was doing.
"Hey, don't move mister," The braided youth said. Trowa heard Heero's blank disregard for he youths words as his soft foot falls continued.
"My name is Quatre," Quatre said his hand held out in friend ship. "Behind me are my friends Trowa and Heero, also explorers like me," Quatre explained taking the braided youth's attention off Heero. The braided youth narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Quatre as if knowing that that was the point of the quick introductions.
"Shinigami, but my friends call me Duo. He may run and hide but he never tells a lie... that's Duo in a nutshell," Duo said his fighting posture finally dropping completely. Trowa let him self relax as Duo walked up to Quatre and shook his hand with great bravado.
Trowa backed up to Heero, who was fixing the scanners that had all been knocked over, and a few broken during the fight with the ghosts. They would have to go back up to the ship for replacements.
Trowa glanced at Quatre for the hundredth time to make sure that Duo was indeed as safe as he now seemed.
"Cassandra will get replacements," Heero dead panned. Trowa looked over at him and nodded before watching Quatre and Duo again. Duo's manner had dramatically changed; even his eyes were different now. The bright purple was wide opened and like Quatre his face was readable like a book cover. The two boys laughed at something and Duo began rapidly talking, his hands flying in all directions, he even almost dropped his staff once.
Trowa didn't notice Cassandra's presents until Heero directed him out of the way of the ship as it took off to get supply parts. Quatre and Duo were over in a minute.
"What's going on?" Quatre asked.
"Replacement parts," Heero dead panned. He quickly began gathering up his knives from the surrounding area, reabsorbing the power that had not been used.
"We'll Mr. Personality made a lot of sense," Duo said dramatically. Quatre laughed slightly.
"Cassandra has gone back to the main ship to get replacement parts of the equipment that broke," Quatre explained. "It takes a while but you get used to the way he speaks."
"Cassandra?" Duo questioned. "Sounds like a girl."
"Cassandra is the owner of the ship we are working out of," Quatre explained. Duo must have seen something in his face.
"You don't like her much do you Cat?" Duo asked seriously. Quatre bit his lower lip.
"No," he admitted. Trowa wasn't surprised but it was good to have his suspicions confirmed. He didn't trust the woman either; Heero seemed to be the only one.
"So you live all alone here?" Quatre questioned.
"Ya, I used to live in an orphanage in town but that was before my powers of necromancy developed and I was run out of town," Duo said his voice cheerful the entire time.
"Duo that's awful!" Quatre exclaimed. Duo shrugged before showering Quatre with questions and then shooting off with his own stories. Trowa quickly got tired of the noise and joined Heero at the scanners.
The ship soon landed back on the ground and Cassandra came out with a basket full of replacement parts and scanners. Trowa took the basket from her and began shifting through it. He looked up just in time to see Duo walk to up Cassandra and Quatre's voice trying to get him to come back.
"Well, you're the only one I haven't met in some way yet," Duo said cheerfully, a hint of a challenge in his voice. Trowa would bet anything that Quatre had warned him about Cassandra's habit, but even if he hadn't it was too late the minute Duo chose to attack them.
Trowa looked back down at the scanners as he heard Duo's in take of breath. He was surprised that no negative memories of feelings came up as Cassandra once again mentally raped another. But the more he thought about it the less he thought that that was exactly what she was doing. Duo didn't seem to think that deep because a moment later Trowa felt immense power in front of him and he looked up just in time to see Duo hurl a massive ball of fire at Cassandra.
But Cassandra was already gone by the time the ball got to where she had just been standing and the fire ball went off across the ground, its red from getting smaller until it disappeared from sight.
"Quatre, Cassandra will complete your collection. Duo has been given permission," Heero suddenly stated. Trowa watched Heero as he studied Quatre for a moment before going back to the scanners which were almost completely fixed.
"God damn it!" Duo shouted. "You even warned me at she still did it, but it wasn't really mental rape. I would know... any way what's this 'given permission' shit about He-man," Duo suddenly asked.
Heero looked up, his cobalt blue eyes slightly narrowed. Heero grunted some syllable and pointed at Quatre. Duo sauntered over to Quatre.
"OK, Q-ball, I want some answers," Duo proclaimed. Quatre nodded.
"Would you walk with me?" Quatre asked.
"Will your watch dogs let me?" Duo asked sarcastically. So Trowa and Heero's watchful eyes had not gone unnoticed. Quatre looked at Heero and Trowa.
"Yes, they won't have a problem wit it," Quatre said as he took Duo's hand and the two walked in the opposite direction as Cassandra.
Trowa defiantly didn't like Quatre leaving with the necromancer that they had just met. But truthfully if Heero trusted Duo that meant that Cassandra did and sense the woman had just seen everything about Duo laid out on a table it was logical to trust her instincts, this time.
The scanners were going fine so Heero and Trowa sat in the shuttles door drinking water and recuperating from a battle that seemed like ages ago. Cassandra came back first. She set Quatre's basket down and helped her self to water.
It seemed like hours before Quatre and Duo came back. Duo had a big bag slung over his shoulder and Quatre was carrying a few items. Trowa stood when they got closer and took his seat at the front of the shuttle. Everyone piled into the shuttle; Duo's conversation with Quatre never stopped as Heero lifted off and took the shuttle back to its parent, another member added to their quickly growing crew.
mtc
Trowa had lived for as long as he could remember in his mercenary band. His life had been far from easy but he had always had clothing and food. For those reasons and only those reasons had he requested to room with Heero instead of Quatre. Emotions did not come easily to Trowa, and the blond seemed to bring them out of him while Heero was also a fighter and the two shared an understanding that others could no comprehend.
Trowa had been hurt by the hurt in the blond's eyes, but had buried it. He felt connected to Quatre but buried that also, connections only led to hurt. Trowa left their relation ship as friendly coworkers, which Quatre eventually seemed to fit into as well. Trowa exchanged his robes for dark blue genes, that hugged his legs and a dark blue turtle neck that kept his body warm on the cold ship.
It only took three days to finish the map of 03 and in Trowa's spare time he found himself helping Quatre to make the ship look more lived in. Although it had been functional before the blond insisted that it was depressing.
Trowa had been surprised when it was Quatre who gave the orders on the ship and not Cassandra, sense it was obviously her ship. But like Quatre had told him he rarely ever saw the woman and never heard her speak. Quatre told him that she mentally communicated with Heero but Trowa could never feel it and only Quatre's slight frown would tell him that it was going on.
Trowa adapted easily to the computer system so it was no surprise when Quatre paired him with Heero to work the scanners for 02. Another padded chair had been added to the little shuttle but Trowa seated himself at the helm with Heero, leaving the chair empty for Cassandra. Her silent presents easily slipped into it without complaint as Heero and Trowa maneuvered the ship toward the extremely dark spear of 02.
There seemed to be little atmosphere for the shuttle to plow through and soon Heero put down the shuttle on the dark crusty ground of 02. The dry texture of dust and soot filled the ship as the main door opened and the four spilled out to go about their given tasks. Trowa watched Quatre's form as it got smaller and smaller along the black ground that stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. He tried to bury the worry that filled him at seeing the blond leave alone... but Quatre could take care of himself and Trowa had already promised him self that he didn't care.
"What is your opinion of Quatre," Trowa suddenly asked. Heero didn't even break from what he was doing as if he had been expecting the question. Trowa slightly admired Heero's ability to not be fazed by anything.
"Bright and capable," Heero dead panned. Trowa's face remained passive. He had wanted to know if Heero had more feelings toward Quatre than he had let on. Obviously Heero was loyal to the blond and the two had been working together for a while, but then again Heero had a closer connection with Cassandra. But he had some how found Quatre and 'saved' him back on 03.
Heero was oblivious to Trowa's inner turmoil as he finished setting up the scanners and then sat down in the door way to the shuttle. Trowa turned to continue questing Heero but a chill ran along his back and compelled him to glance around first. And he was glad he had when his eye caught movement off to his left. Heero had reflexively looked as well and stood, his staff pulled out from under his leather jacket. Despite the black ground the planet was cold.
Trowa felt Heero step up beside him, his jacket left with the shuttle, as the ghostly form of several bodies approached impossibly fast.
"Leave now and Shinigami will spare you!" A loud voice boomed over the area. Trowa and Heero spared each other a glance before Heero summoned his crystal of pure power and erected a shield around the two and the ship.
//Quatre, stay away from the ship for a while// Trowa used his mental crystal to send in Quatre's direction.
//What's wrong?// Quatre asked back, his mental voice concerned.
//We're not sure, just don't come back until I tell you to// Trowa firmly stated. He cut the link before Quatre could argue and turned his full attention on the clear grayish yellow bodies that surrounded them.
"Necromancy," Heero stated his grip on his staff white. "My shield will come down; they are absorbing its power." Trowa nodded, that is why the spirits looked yellowish. Trowa knew as did Heero that the best way to combat sprits was with mental powers, nothing else affected them.
"On my count," Heero stated. Without a word Heero and Trowa turned back to back and Heero began a slow count down. Trowa could hear Heero muttering between numbers as he began to surround his physical weapons with mental essence of him self... life was the only thing that could kill death.
Trowa was doing the same with his few weapons but also reading several mental spells, neither of them had mind as a specialty but Trowa had more than Heero. As Heero's voice said one, the shield completely dropped and Trowa began throwing spells at the shimmering appertains that charged him.
His first spell hit one in the chest and it gave an empty soundless scream before disappearing. Trowa didn't dwell on his first kill as he hurtled spells at the ghosts until there were too close. With a yell he pulled his bow knife out of his waist band, it shimmered with the power of the mind, and charged into the fray. His lethal body twisted and flipped, cutting through ghosts. He ignored the cold burns that he got as the ghosts brushed his body. His breathing was hard by the time the ghosts thinned.
"Duck," Trowa heard Heero's voice yell. Trowa dove for the ground as she felt the air of several knifes fly where he had just been standing. When he looked up again the last of the apparitions had vanished. He pushed his sweaty body off the ground as the cold wind tried to freeze his sweat.
"You two are better than you look," Trowa turned toward the direction the voice had come from. It was the same booming voice as before but at a normal volume. Trowa studied the young man now in front of him. He was not particularly tall with his form hidden in the folds of a layered black robe. His staff was almost hidden in its folds, the dark wood twining as it held in some of the most powerful crystals Trowa had seen.
The bottom crystal was the smallest, but by no means small, purple of healing. Next up was the dark brown of earth; its color was so dark that it almost looked black. The red-orange of fire stuck out followed by the pure white of mind. Trowa's eyes widened as they rested on the dark black of necromancy, the rarest form of magic.
"So you want to leave now, or do I have to kick you out?" The voice laughed, with one eye brow raised. Bright purple eyes twinkled out from under thick auburn eye brows which were the same color as the long rope of braided hair that went down past the young man's waist.
Heero brought his staff out in front of him all of the balls glowing as they began to prepare for battle. The figure laughed and did the same with his staff; Trowa began to follow when he suddenly heard a cry from behind him.
"Don't fight!" Quatre's voice rang out. Trowa felt himself tear between his instincts and his want to please the blond. Quatre's foot steps were loud as he ran in between the fighters, his staff still strapped to his back.
"Quatre," Heero's voice hissed.
"Put it down Heero, we should not be fighting each other!" Quatre yelled with out looking behind him.
"I did not instigate," Heero dead panned, his staff still glowing.
"It doesn't matter," Quatre yelled. Trowa saw Quatre's head scan the ground; He couldn't miss the mass amount of Heero's knives that littered the ground, the few that missed their targets still glowing with mind energy.
"Why did you attack my friends?" Quatre asked once his head was once again addressing the youth. Trowa watched the braided youth as he narrowed his eyes and looked at Quatre suspiciously, his staff still out in front of him and glowing with power.
"Why did you stop them from fighting?" The youth returned.
"Because there is no reason to fight, we are explorers mapping your planet and nothing else," Quatre answered his voice was firm but kind. "We will be gone before the day ends."
"Right, so your not here to take my land," The braided youth said as his crystals slowly lost their bright glow. Next to him Heero's staff went completely dark. Trowa felt Heero move but he didn't take his eyes off Quatre to see what he was doing.
"Hey, don't move mister," The braided youth said. Trowa heard Heero's blank disregard for he youths words as his soft foot falls continued.
"My name is Quatre," Quatre said his hand held out in friend ship. "Behind me are my friends Trowa and Heero, also explorers like me," Quatre explained taking the braided youth's attention off Heero. The braided youth narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Quatre as if knowing that that was the point of the quick introductions.
"Shinigami, but my friends call me Duo. He may run and hide but he never tells a lie... that's Duo in a nutshell," Duo said his fighting posture finally dropping completely. Trowa let him self relax as Duo walked up to Quatre and shook his hand with great bravado.
Trowa backed up to Heero, who was fixing the scanners that had all been knocked over, and a few broken during the fight with the ghosts. They would have to go back up to the ship for replacements.
Trowa glanced at Quatre for the hundredth time to make sure that Duo was indeed as safe as he now seemed.
"Cassandra will get replacements," Heero dead panned. Trowa looked over at him and nodded before watching Quatre and Duo again. Duo's manner had dramatically changed; even his eyes were different now. The bright purple was wide opened and like Quatre his face was readable like a book cover. The two boys laughed at something and Duo began rapidly talking, his hands flying in all directions, he even almost dropped his staff once.
Trowa didn't notice Cassandra's presents until Heero directed him out of the way of the ship as it took off to get supply parts. Quatre and Duo were over in a minute.
"What's going on?" Quatre asked.
"Replacement parts," Heero dead panned. He quickly began gathering up his knives from the surrounding area, reabsorbing the power that had not been used.
"We'll Mr. Personality made a lot of sense," Duo said dramatically. Quatre laughed slightly.
"Cassandra has gone back to the main ship to get replacement parts of the equipment that broke," Quatre explained. "It takes a while but you get used to the way he speaks."
"Cassandra?" Duo questioned. "Sounds like a girl."
"Cassandra is the owner of the ship we are working out of," Quatre explained. Duo must have seen something in his face.
"You don't like her much do you Cat?" Duo asked seriously. Quatre bit his lower lip.
"No," he admitted. Trowa wasn't surprised but it was good to have his suspicions confirmed. He didn't trust the woman either; Heero seemed to be the only one.
"So you live all alone here?" Quatre questioned.
"Ya, I used to live in an orphanage in town but that was before my powers of necromancy developed and I was run out of town," Duo said his voice cheerful the entire time.
"Duo that's awful!" Quatre exclaimed. Duo shrugged before showering Quatre with questions and then shooting off with his own stories. Trowa quickly got tired of the noise and joined Heero at the scanners.
The ship soon landed back on the ground and Cassandra came out with a basket full of replacement parts and scanners. Trowa took the basket from her and began shifting through it. He looked up just in time to see Duo walk to up Cassandra and Quatre's voice trying to get him to come back.
"Well, you're the only one I haven't met in some way yet," Duo said cheerfully, a hint of a challenge in his voice. Trowa would bet anything that Quatre had warned him about Cassandra's habit, but even if he hadn't it was too late the minute Duo chose to attack them.
Trowa looked back down at the scanners as he heard Duo's in take of breath. He was surprised that no negative memories of feelings came up as Cassandra once again mentally raped another. But the more he thought about it the less he thought that that was exactly what she was doing. Duo didn't seem to think that deep because a moment later Trowa felt immense power in front of him and he looked up just in time to see Duo hurl a massive ball of fire at Cassandra.
But Cassandra was already gone by the time the ball got to where she had just been standing and the fire ball went off across the ground, its red from getting smaller until it disappeared from sight.
"Quatre, Cassandra will complete your collection. Duo has been given permission," Heero suddenly stated. Trowa watched Heero as he studied Quatre for a moment before going back to the scanners which were almost completely fixed.
"God damn it!" Duo shouted. "You even warned me at she still did it, but it wasn't really mental rape. I would know... any way what's this 'given permission' shit about He-man," Duo suddenly asked.
Heero looked up, his cobalt blue eyes slightly narrowed. Heero grunted some syllable and pointed at Quatre. Duo sauntered over to Quatre.
"OK, Q-ball, I want some answers," Duo proclaimed. Quatre nodded.
"Would you walk with me?" Quatre asked.
"Will your watch dogs let me?" Duo asked sarcastically. So Trowa and Heero's watchful eyes had not gone unnoticed. Quatre looked at Heero and Trowa.
"Yes, they won't have a problem wit it," Quatre said as he took Duo's hand and the two walked in the opposite direction as Cassandra.
Trowa defiantly didn't like Quatre leaving with the necromancer that they had just met. But truthfully if Heero trusted Duo that meant that Cassandra did and sense the woman had just seen everything about Duo laid out on a table it was logical to trust her instincts, this time.
The scanners were going fine so Heero and Trowa sat in the shuttles door drinking water and recuperating from a battle that seemed like ages ago. Cassandra came back first. She set Quatre's basket down and helped her self to water.
It seemed like hours before Quatre and Duo came back. Duo had a big bag slung over his shoulder and Quatre was carrying a few items. Trowa stood when they got closer and took his seat at the front of the shuttle. Everyone piled into the shuttle; Duo's conversation with Quatre never stopped as Heero lifted off and took the shuttle back to its parent, another member added to their quickly growing crew.
mtc