Author's note: Wow! People liked my story! It makes me feel all fluffy and happy inside! I'm sorry for the first chapter being so short—it wasn't really considered a chapter considering that it was more like an introduction.
Liebe, Red Tail
Chapter Two, Moonshine
"'Ey G." Duo saluted the older man, the Elder of the Pixies as he strode past him jovially with his trademark smirk plastered on his face.
"Going to wreck havoc on the humans again, I presume." G cackled evilly, shaking his head as he laughed.
"How did ya guess?" The outgoing prince of the Pixies commented with a mock frown, fluttering into the air before lightly landing on the ground once more as he bowed to the Elder.
"Get one for me, God of Death." The older man commented, walking away from the demonically evil Pixie ruler.
"As always, Pestilence." He shouted down the halls, getting the nod of a head in response. Duo laughed as he remembered thinking so many times how much the man resembled a white mushroom. He wore a lab coat and his hair was fashioned so it looked like the top of a shroom.
Then again, Duo sighed, he was one of the closer doctors to Dr. J, whom his best friend was living under. He glared at nothing in particular, knowing the older man was treating Heero coldly. Taking a deep breath, he forced the thoughts away. He would have to deal with them later.
His boots made no noise on the marble floor, his stealth and small amount of training helping him to be one of the best mischief making Pixies in all of the world. He had the metal to prove it. Throwing the large cedar doors open, he stepped out into the forest and took a deep breath.
The sun was shining brightly, it always seemed to on this enchanting afternoon as the Moon Festival was once again going to be held. Contests, power rejuvenating, and much more would be hosted at the festival for all magickal beings. Including food. He licked his lips at the thought, closing his eyes as he could imagine the sweet morsels melting in his mouth.
He opened his eyes once more and lifted his hands above his head. He needed a strategy for his little 'adventure' this time. Luckily, he had a companion this time to make things faster. They did need to prepare for the party tonight after all.
Human's were on the move again through his forest, messing with some unicorns to try and steal their horns. After killing the beautiful creatures. Sure unicorns had magickal powers, but you didn't have to kill them—or steal their horns. In fact, without their horns they were dead and couldn't do magick any ways.
"Duo?" Another pixie, one that he had befriended over the years and learned to trust almost more than any other of his kind, turned to caller. He put on a smile and jumped over to her, floating in mid air with see-through wings.
"Ready to go, Hilde?" He questioned the dark hair girl who grinned maliciously as she jumped into the air with him gracefully after he tried to unsuccessfully trip her.
"Yep." She replied with a grin, running a gloved hand through her bluish colored hair. "There won't be any fairies this time, will there?"
Unlike fairies, pixie's were much more—well, malicious you could say. Fairies blessed, as well as cursed things, with their powers and loved nature. They were a mackical essence by themselves one could say. Not to mention they were very vain and possessive. Jealousy was common in the fairy world on bad days, some even had tempers that could compare to dragons.
Pixies… Well they were something else. They played pranks, living with and being one with the forest like fairies also. Snickering in a forest, getting lost in the Wood, or even a freshly baked pie that had been cooling off on your window sill that was now missing were pride pranks of the Jesters with Wings. Pixies were certainly not ones to get on your bad side, for their curses and pranks lasted for generations like fairies.
"I dunno." Duo replied, his braid hanging in the air as he turned so he was upside down. "Heero's pretty mad with them messing with the unicorns. The fairies will help us this time if anything."
"Good." Hilde sighed with relief, "It took me forever to get all that fairy dust out of my hair!"
Duo fell to the ground laughing, Hilde angrily launching herself at him for his laughter and jesters of being a 'drama queen'.
She fell to the ground with a sigh, Duo managing to suppress giggles behind his hand as he plopped down near the high-strung girl.
"What's up, Hild'?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side as he stared quizzically at her.
"I'm worried," She confessed and ignored Duo's even more questioning look with her words out in the open. "About Heero."
Duo's eyes lowered to the ground. "…Yeah." He sighed, looking up at the sky as some green leaves twirled around him before falling to the ground.
"He's withdrawing even more into himself than normal." Drawing her legs up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them, feeling the soft threads of the leaves strung together to make a natural cloth, with a little bit of magick in it to hold the threads tight and strong.
"Well, it's kind of to be expected." Hilde shot him a glare, which he didn't respond to. "The anniversary is coming up after all."
Hilde let out an exasperated growl to her companion, and Prince. "Yeah, but he's worse every passing year."
"I know." He replied, closing his eyes. His cobalt, almost violet at times, eyes always had a sparkle of mischief in them, but he truly was worried over his long time friend.
"We have to do something." She declared, "The Gods and Goddesses are beginning to get worried over their—what is he, demi-god? Niece?"
"I don't exactly know how many bloodlines it's been but I don't think it exactly matters to those immortal." The wonderful thing about being of the magickal race was longer life spans than those of the human's. "Wait a minute!" He looked at Hilde sharply, "How did you know about the Gods and Goddesses being worried?"
"Oh come ON!" She rolled her eyes and slapped him upside the head. The Gods had made clear warnings and messages about how foul tempered they were due to the moods of Heero. Quatre was hit the hardest, being not only a Nymph but also a empathy, very rare. "You really are a idiot as Heero always manages to prove."
"Yes," He grinned, "But I'm your baka!" He giggled madly as Hilde flushed deeply at the words, growling as she felt her whole body get giddy.
Punching him, and none too lightly on the side of his face, he jumped out of her reach as he went racing off into the forest.
"It's payback, mortals!" Duo shouted, animals looking up and some unicorns racing along side of them. Their white coats gleamed, making them look like silver slipping between the two trees easily.
Neighing, they took off in the opposite direction after escorting the pixies close enough to the camp.
Now normally, people expect Pixies to be small, but that would be fairies. Pixies are able to change their forms to those of smaller ones, retaining their strength if they were normal size, which was also equivalent to the human size. Except for the pointed ears, wings behind their backs, and more cherubic features, they would look like normal humans.
Flashing his eyes towards Hilde, he smirked coldly. He was no longer Duo now, he was Shinigami.
Nodding her head, Hilde tried to fight off the bile climbing through her throat. The smell of blood stained the forest, creeping through her nostrils and even Duo looked somewhat sickened. The human's would pay for slaughtering innocent unicorns for their horns.
Stepping lightly into the human camp, Duo couldn't help but notice how oddly quiet it was. Too quiet. He narrowed his eyes when he heard laughter and the fluttering of wings.
He felt a familiar presence, a golden aura surrounding the place despite the chill he still had. Human bodies of gruff and haggard hunters littered the floor as he stepped into the circle of sloppily put together tents.
A crouched figure swarmed with small, tiny and giggling sparkling miniature human's looked up at the mischievous Pixie's presence.
"Heero…?" He questioned, frowning as he raised an eyebrow. The other teen picked up his sword from the earth as he wiped the blood off with one of the nearby linens. The white cloth was stained almost instantly, the blood soaking up and congealing on the cloth.
"Duo." Heero faintly said, nodding his head as one of the nearby fairies perched on his shoulder. The little pixie snickered at him, smiling sweetly before sticking it's tongue out at him.
Duo frowned at the small hole dug, a sort of shrine erected over the mound which was colored darker than the rest of the earth. "What did you do?" Hilde came out, smiling sweetly at Heero who nodded at her in return.
"Nothing." He replied non-chantilly, "I merely gave the Earth back it's magick to cleanse the land."
Lunging forward, Duo grabbed Heero's arm and pulled the sleeve up sharply, despite the glares and hissing noises by the other fairies for messing with their Prince. "How much?" He questioned, referring to the blood Heero gave back to the earth.
Human blood stained the land and the five princes were able to give back to the land some of their blood to cleanse the land. Then magickal creatures and beings would be able to once again live on the soil and land.
"Not a lot," The brown haired teen replied, his dark prussian eyes narrowing as he yanked his hand away from the worried Pixie.
Hilde was crouched on the soil, "The Earth is crying." She whispered with her eyes closed.
Duo turned to her and all the fairies stopped their mantra. "For what?"
"It…" She frowned, taking a deep breath as she tried further to find the need the Earth had at the moment. "It want's more blood, more of Heero's."
"It's already had enough." Duo snapped, turning to his reckless friend who already turned away.
"I'll see you later!" Duo protested, "At the festival! I'll hunt you down if I have to!"
The light bob of Heero's head made him stand a little easier as the stoic teen disappeared easily back into his Wood. The familiar golden light fleeted from the area, the power of the magickal being dispersing.
"Damn you, J." Duo said, loudly cursing the Elder that he suspected caused all of this to happen. He closed his eyes and clenched his hands as the fairies dispersed, "Damn you." He said softer this time as he clenched his eyes closed so tight that they had tears sprinkled on his lashes.
"Duo," Hilde lightly said, touching Duo's forearm. "What are we going to do now?"
"Get ready for the festival I suppose." He shrugged, tilting his head back and forth as he worked out the knots in his muscles there. He flexed his dark colored wings and yawned as he stretched his body.
"Heero makes things so easy some times." Hilde said as she took up into the air, hovering over the dead bodies of the human's with disgust. "I should have assumed he would take care of everything. They were his in the first place." She gestured sadly to the glimmering horns of the creatures.
"Grab 'em Hilde. We need to get out of here." Duo crouched on the ground, looking at all the blood Heero had given to the Earth.
Good thing he stopped the teen from giving more. The Earth always wanted more of their blood, even after thirst was saturated and quelled. It wasn't that it was greedy, no—the earth gave more to them than they could. Somehow their blood became addicting, Heero's especially. Each blood had a different taste, Duo's like fire with a sweet aftertaste, Heero's like the wine of the gods, Quatre's like honey, Trowa's having a forest flavor and Wufei's like acid before cooling down and mellowing out to a sweet water taste.
"Let's head back before the Moon Festival starts." Hilde nodded, Duo taking off into the woods with Hilde following closely behind.
They didn't notice the cold eyes watching their every movement, hidden cautiously behind a tree in the looming Wood.
Ice blue eyes narrowed as they glared at the two dispersing forms, looking back to the bloodied soil of the Wing Clan. Taking a vial out, she scooped the soil up, the wind blowing against the cloaked woman's petite form.
Standing straight again, the woman grinned devilishly, turning around as she headed back to the path.
Wait until her grandfather heard about this! A festival and they weren't invited. Pity, and an outrage. Perhaps they would be able to get an invitation…
Looking at the high sun, the girl rushed to her neighing mare and quickly saddled herself for the short ride. She had to get changed for her tea visit with Miss Darlain.
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Lifting her many skirts and under garments, a blonde haired girl seemed to glide down the stairs of their castle. "Father?" Relena pulled the strands of her hair that managed to make it out of her tight bun away from her face. The many curls and spirals of her intricate hairstyle seemed all of the fashion.
The tight bun had taken forever to put on and she had been given the liberty to fasten a rose in the middle of it, making her hair seem even richer, Her governess had complimented her about the wise choice in fashion.
Slipping on the velvety slippers, the young woman fastened her hood tightly around her small frame. The green and black riding gown hugged her frame but gave her enough room to move around on the saddle.
"Boots, my lady! Boots!" Her governess cried out, Relena sighing as she gently took off her slippers and slipped on some fashionable boots—always the best for Relena from her father.
"Perhaps…" Relena grasped the governess' hands and covered them with her own delicate ones.
She smiled softly at the older woman who sighed and nodded, understanding the girl. She didn't need all the things life had given her like fancy coats and rich leather boots. "Gloves." She ordered to the younger lass and slipped them on her fingers.
"Thank you," Relena said, walking over to the open door. "I shall not take long."
"Godspeed, M'lady!" The Governess called from the stone steps of her father's castle, waving towards her as the horse seemed giddy to enter into the looming Wood, "Godspeed!"
Saddling onto her white mare with the crest of her family marked into the leather, the maiden threw off her cape's hood. It would fall off anyway. Her golden tresses spilled out over the hood, glittering in the sun and waving wildly in the wind from their speed.
Enteringinto the magickal Wood, Relena wondered what she would see this time. Last time, she had caught the glimpse of a unicorn and coaxed it out to sit with her while feeding the creature some of her carrots. People always did say that young maidens some how had the power to meet them.
She smiled at the memory and closed her eyes while letting the wind blow her hair free of the bun even more. She could ride all day if she had to.
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"What do you mean Lady Relena is not here?" The Lady Dorothy questioned, glaring at the maiden's governess.
"She went out for a ride shortly ago—" The governess, stubborn herself stomped her foot roughly at the door. "I'm sorry, but she will be back at the arranged time for your arrival. We didn't expect you"
"Come, Scarlet." Dorothy mildly said, glaring at the short woman before walking over to where the stables were. She didn't miss the shadow of the governess trailing her to make sure she was all right. Opening the wooden door, she touched her horese and tried to sooth the ill-tempered mare. She stood there, patting the giddy horse's mane even more asScarlet tried unsuccessfully to rip the reins out of her hands. Dorothy tried using more calm words to sooth the flustered beast.
Scarlet jerked, taking off into the woods, Dorothy trusting her horse to take her somewhere important and not lead her astray. If her horse really didn't like her she would try bucking the lady off.
"Ride Scarlet," Dorothy laughed, enjoying the wind whipping her hair in streams behind her. "Ride."
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"Where am I?" Relena questioned, her mare padding the ground with her hooves as she slowed from her canter to a paced walk.
Lightly sliding from her saddle, Relena fell to the ground lightly, looking around the enchantingly beautiful clearing that she managed to find. The leaves were like a canopy, the sun sparkling through cracks in the green ceiling,
"It's beautiful." She breathed, closing her eyes as she heard the trickle of water.
Pulling her obedient horse with her, Relena pushed some bushes away so she could get a better look at the stream, a river glistening at her. She smiled and let her horse drink some water as she cupped her hands to drink also.
She heard another neighing that didn't come from her horse and she frowned, looking around for the source.
Her breath caught in her throat when she saw magickal animals such as fairies merrily playing in the grass, a unicorn rubbing it's muzzle against a handsome young man.
"…If I had words to make a day for you… I'd give you a morning, golden and new. I would make this day last for all times, and fill you deep with moonshine…"
Relena closed her eyes, feeling enchanted by the soft voice of the teen. She sighed and the bushed rustled under her when she moved closer.
Thehandsomely toned teen with well-defined muscles and bangs hanging over his intense prussian blue eyes, heard the rustling of leaves snapped his head towards the sound, a elfish looking blade in his hands. He glared at the bush where Relena was hiding.
He stood and glared at the shocked Relena with cold blue eyes, the unicorn standing close to him as well as all other magickal creatures. An awkward silence fell over the clearing and activity stopped.
His gruff, yet handsome low voice broke through the silence like a knife through butter. His voice was just as cold as his eyes when he said, "Who are you?"
TBC
Author's note: Thanks everyone once again for the great reviews!
Liebe, Red Tail
