Sutoomu/dances in utter joy/ This chapter has taken me forever. This was my first fanfic, but now I got sixteen. 'Course, only the good ones are posted. But, yeah, I posted like six more before I remembered this fanficcie and I was like, 'I so have to write another chapter!' And I had a complete inspirational writing time this very early morning at 5 am.
Duo: And kept me up.../whines/
Sutoomu: You were quite happy when we decided to play twister, Duo.
Duo: Well, I ain't happy now/sticks out his tongue at Storm and pouts/
Heero: That's because you broke your wrist, baka.
Duo: I didn't break it. It was Quatre's fault!
Trowa: Quatre didn't hurt you intentionally.
Duo: I know, but he still brought all of you guys down on me.
Quatre: I lost, and I broke your wrist. Please don't rub it in. /blinks sadly/
Wufei/tsks and shakes head at Duo/ Dishonorable...
Duo/blinks nervously as they all stare fiercely at him/ Hey, hey, alright, already! It ain't your fault, Quat. It was the fault of my weak wrist. It shall be punished. Die weakling/laughs/ C'mon, Changles, help me! Weakling!
Wufei: MY NAME IS WUFEI, MAXWELL, YOU BAKA/chases after Duo who runs laughing insanely/
Sutoomu: And now that the insanity has left the room, we shall conclude with reading this very late update. I apologize profusely. And now to thank my reviewers!
Thank you, Red Tail! Thank you, Hitokimi! Thank you, silvershark1987! Thank you, HolyMistress! Thank you, dae! And thank you, tyleet88! I love you all! WOOTS for you!
Oh, and I'm not doin' the D-claimer anymore, 'cause it's annoyin' me. If you want it, it's on the first five chapters and is inaffect forall chapters. Please rest, relax, read, and review. Oh, and enjoy!
Potential Summary: The GW boys have suddenly been summoned by a figure of golden light, named the Lady. Now, they've been transported back through Time and Realm to Coiraia, a land of humans and Phantoms, and have been given the task to save the world from the three 'Sha'edes'. But more has changed than simply Time and Realm. The GW boys have changed, to that of Phantom Knights, along with gaining an incredible power! Will they be able to control it and defeat the 'Sha'edes'?
ooooOoooooOoooooOoooooOoooooOooooo
"You would think that you had never been on a horse before, from the looks of you," Storm tilted her head.
"It hasn't exactly been a hobby of mine, onna!" Wufei growled.
"What does onna mean?" Akisu asked in her high voice, a giggle accompaning the sentence.
"There are lots of things we'll say that you won't understand," Duo grinned. "And most of them, you don't want to know what they mean."
"Which generally means that their insults or unsuitable," Naito replied with a glance at Wufei, who was muttering profanities in Chinese. He truly did look awkward atop the horse.
Storm, Naito, and Akisu had brought them to a clearing, where five grand horses stood. Ironically, each was the matching color for each pilot. And, they had each named them after their gundams, which the Trio did not understand in the least. But, as Duo had chattered on about, in the old fantasy type world, horses were a man's best and most helpful companion. Just like their gundams, in their sci-fi time.
Duo had bounded upon his black Deathscthye, which is certainly an odd name for a horse, and began trotting around, if a little shakily from his bound side, as soon as he knew it was his. Heero had gotten upon his grey Wing and Trowa upon his golden Heavyarms and both had mastered the art to near perfection within a few moments. Wufei had not been made for his auburn red Shenlong and had eventually had to threaten Duo with certain pain if he didn't stop laughing. Quatre was opposite Wufei, made for his white Sandrock. He was the best one on a horse out of all of them, the Trio included. He explained he had been on horses quite a bit and just blamed it on that. Truly, though, he did look perfectly natural and at home atop a horse whose back was almost as tall as he was.
As soon as the Trio had them all mounted and ready, they had set forth, Storm explaining that they were heading for a town a day and a half's ride away, where they would purchase some supplies for the boys and purchase a pony for Tear, whom Duo insisted was coming along. Even when the Deathscythe pilot had half of himself in white wraps, he could still create that dangerous Shinigami look in his eyes and look deadly. The effect was, of course, slightly ruined when he suddenly switched back to happy Duo and winked at Tear.
They had been riding for more than half the day, Trowa silent, Heero cold and wary, Wufei grumbling, Duo chattering, and Quatre talking pleasantly with anyone. Akisu, though passing herself off as a stupid flirt, was actually quite intelligent, and had engaged Wufei in a scholars talk. He had complied only for the reasons of a distraction and a good argument with a woman, as Duo said. Tear had sat with Duo at first, then complained about his riding. The little girl had switched riders until settling in with Quatre, claiming he was comfortable, which brought a twinge of blush into Quatre's cheeks. She sat, cradled in his lap, sleeping peacefully.
"And vice versa," Storm added. "Naturally, of course. We've never been in your world, and you've never been here until now."
"Your world is very beautiful," Quatre smiled warmly, breathing in. "It's very natural."
"And very bloody, right now," Naito commented.
"I have yet to know a place that isn't," Wufei said, a twinge of sadness in his voice. Quatre's eyes saddened and he rubbed at his chest in memories. They rode in silence for a moment.
"But, hey, that's why we're here!" Duo laughed, easing the tension. "To get rid of the Sha'edes."
"Yes," Naito looked off into the distance. "To bring peace…"
"I want to personally see them die," Akisu laughed as though watching death was funny, and the look in her eye promised blood. "They have no right to kill innocent people and Phantoms."
"I'll swear to this, Aki," Duo smiled, eyes glinting Shinigami mode momentarily. "This little group o' Phantoms is gonna kick those bastards round right. Say, Storm, you are a Phantom, right?"
Storm blinked. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
"You don't look like one," Duo said. "I mean, we all have either wings or claws or fangs or…tattoos, I guess, except for you. You look completely human."
"I wouldn't call her white braid human," Heero pointed out logically.
"Yes," Quatre agreed. "It's even longer than yours, Duo."
"My braid is, as you say, Heero, the only visible sign of my being a Phantom," Storm smiled. "But that's only because I cannot stay in my true form for long, as it taxes on my energy."
"True…form?" Trowa repeated. It was the first words he had said since they started riding.
"Yes. Sometime I'll show it to you," she continued.
"She's quite radiant when she transforms, too," Naito added.
"Like a goddess, only goddesses have better attitudes," Akisu teased. Storm blushed from Naito's compliment and glared at Akisu the next second, creating an amusing look on her face.
"So when do I get to get off?" Duo asked casually. "My rear's going numb." Quatre laughed as Heero smirked. "It's almost night, anyways. Don't tell me you ride through the night?"
"No, Duo, we don't ride through the night. We're not immortal," Storm smiled. "We should set camp up now, though. Naito, can you find us a good spot?" Naito nodded and dug his heels into his horse's flanks, spurring him forward. The horse jerked to a stop and bucked its head in surprise as an arrow whizzed past its nose at an extremely high velocity. A shout of pain came a split second after from behind Naito as he leaped off to the side and rolled. He ended up behind some bushes with a quarterstaff in hand and throwing daggers at the ready. He relaxed his tense position as he saw their attackers were only a group of mercenaries. That didn't mean, however, that he was going to go easy on them.
Two daggers entered the throats of two of the mercenaries, and he shot out a thread of darkness. It slithered through the air like a snake and then shot straight through three mercenaries chests in succession. They fell to the ground as Akisu downed four of her own with the blade whip that appeared in her hand. Storm held up her hands at the attack and closed her eyes as if praying. A white light shone at the base of the remaining three soldiers, and then the ground suddenly opened up and swallowed them whole, cutting of their screams of fear. Quickly checking there were no more, Naito relaxed and put on a true grin.
"I win!" he crowed. "I got five, and you only got four and three."
Akisu scowled at him fiercely. "Yeah, well you got a head start. They were all ahead of us."
"Doesn't matter," Naito responded, then the grin vanished and he became darker eyed again, turning to the gundam pilots. Heero was glaring his evilest glare at the dead soldiers. Wufei was growling in his throat as he looked at Duo, who was gasping on the ground with Trowa and Quatre. Trowa's spiked tail twitched and snapped behind him, as though it had a mind of its own, complete with eye, since it turned toward Storm as she drew near.
"Where is he hurt?" Storm asked.
"Everywhere!" Duo shouted. "Every damn fucking place! Argh!"
"The arrow went into his shoulder," Trowa explained. "The injured one."
Akisu sucked her cheeks in for a moment, then blew the air out heavily. "That must hurt!"
"You think!" Duo snapped, then sighed. "Sorry!"
"Let me help," Storm offered, kneeling beside Duo. "I can heal him."
"You can?" Quatre blinked in surprise and wonder.
Storm set her hand around the arrowhead and pulled it out. Duo hissed and tried to pull away, but he couldn't for some unseen force holding him still. Storm closed her eyes and set her hands on the wound. Blood seeped through immediately, but her hands remained there firmly. She opened her eyes, and a white, luminescent glow shone from them. The same glow suddenly shone around her hands, and to the five boys utter surprise, the wound began to close. When it had entirely healed over, leaving only a small, faintly pink scar, she removed her hands and slumped backwards into Naito's arms, who had moved behind her as she started.
Duo breathed for a moment, stunned, then sat up, still wincing. He rubbed the scar as though it was itchy and looked at Storm in thanks and confusion. "What did you do to me?"
"She healed you," Akisu sighed. "And, from what she looks like, she healed nearly all of you."
"Oh," Duo said. "Thanks. But why didn't you heal my wing before?"
"Healing takes up a lot of energy, as you can see," Naito replied. He held Storm close to his chest, and she was breathing heavily. It looked like she was sleeping, though. "You seemed to be able to function well enough earlier. But you probably would have nearly died if she hadn't healed you now."
"She has our thanks," Quatre said. His brows suddenly furrowed and he looked up. "Where's Tear?"
"Tear?" Duo gasped, looking around wildly. "My Tear is gone? You lost my Tear?"
Quatre rolled his eyes, then put his fingers to his mouth and whistled five high notes. Sandrock came galloping up to them soon after, Tear upon him, holding the horse's mane in fright. Duo grabbed Tear off as soon as she came near enough, hugging her.
"Can't...breathe...erk," Tear gasped, and Duo released her.
"Sorry, namida houseki," Duo apologized. "I was just worried."
"I was left all alone on that horse when he hopped off," Tear said, looking accusingly at Quatre, who smiled innocently. "And now I'm hungry!"
"I guess we get to make camp here!" Akisu giggled, and she set about unpacking her saddlebags. She and Naito made a bed for Storm and laid the sleeping phantasm upon it, covering her with a blanket.
"She'll sleep it off," Naito explained as he began to make his own bed. The gundam boys had observed them, then began to set up their own sleeping areas as well, Tear watching attentatively.
"So she'll be okay?" Quatre asked, and Naito nodded. "Good."
"So what were those moves you used?" Duo asked ten minutes later when they were opening up the food packs. He hadn't been too injured to pay attention to the fighting, it seemed.
"We were gonna tell you all about that stuff," Akisu smiled. "But Storm wanted to do it."
"Go ahead an' tell them, 'Kisu," Storm mumbled from her bed. "I'll listen."
"Stop doing that!" Akisu accused. "We can never tell if you're sleeping or not. How are we supposed to share secrets, Naito and I?"
Storm laughed weakly. "I know all your secrets, Aki. Can't keep anything from me..." She trailed off.
"Anyways," Akisu huffed. "Every phantom or phantasm is a certain type. Naito, here, is a darkness phantom. I'm a wolf phantasm," she growled in example. "And Storm is a crystal phantasm."
"So what are we, then?" Wufei asked, knowing where this was going.
"You, Wufei, are a dragon phantom, if you hadn't guessed," Akisu replied. "Trowa is a feline phantom, that's cats, and Quatre is a spirit phantom. Heero, you are a weather phantom."
"Weather, hn," Heero said.
"And you, Duo, are a death phantom..."
Duo: Why am I always associated with death? I'm not dark. Why can't I be life for once?
Sutoomu: Duo, you're Shinigami/stares in utter disbelief/ You're the freaking God of Death. And, yes, you are dark. I can see right through that happy mask of yours...
Duo: Riiiiight!
Sutoomu: Poor little boys, forced to fight a war, forced to kill at such a young age /sniffles/straightens up and smiles/ Sad moment is gone. The next chapter might take a while again. I'm working on the plot, piece by piece by piece! I have so many stories, so many ideas, so much stuff crammed into my mind. Shut up, mind!
Quatre: Trowa, go get the pills! She's talking to her head again/Trowa's eye widens and he leaves quickly/
Sutoomu: Pills? Noooooo! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Quatre: Storm, come back here/everyone starts chasing Storm/
Sutoomu: AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! PLEEEASE REVIEEEWW! AAAAAAH!