Chapter 3
'Jezus!' Duo called out, in a flash he sat upright and gave Java a mad-man stare. 'Ever heard of privacy'
'Sorry. Now come on! Get out of bed'
Duo yawned and looked around, only now noticing there was no clock in his room. 'What time is it'
'Does it matter'
'Well, if it seven am then Hell YEAH it matters!' He fell back down again and pulled the soft covers over his head.
Java sighed and like an impatient mother he pulled the covers off Duo and threw them away.
Duo dared to open one eye and used it to glare at the grey haired man with all his might.
'It ain't gonna work kiddo. Get out, I have a lot to show you'
Groaning Duo came up slowly and forced himself to stand up. Seeing his reflection in the mirror on the wall he groaned again. His hair was everywhere.
In the mirror he saw that Java sat down in the glass chair. 'Why don't you go take a shower? There are already fresh clothes for you in the bathroom'
Duo sighed, giving his reflection one last disapproving look before taking Java's advise. He muttered annoyed when he noticed the bathroom door also didn't have a lock. What was with these people!
On a plastic chair lay his clothing. Loose, thin, linen clothing. White, for if you really wanted to know. He gently pulled the white hairband out of his hair and began the tedious task of unbraiding his stubborn hair before stepping into the large shower with an unlimited amount of hot water. After not having a shower for many years he felt like he could stand there all day under the hot stream, but he was afraid that if he didn't hurry Java would come barging in, while he was standing there butt naked.
After drying himself off he slipped into the clothing and was pleased to see that, unlike the clothing of yesterday, this was a little more form fitting. They were actually kinda stylish. White pants, not at all as loose as he had expected and the long sleeved T-shirt fitted perfectly. He quickly braided his hair and left the bathroom.
'Did you pick this out'
Java shook his head. 'It was actually Quatre's idea, he thought you were uncomfortable in the ridiculously loose clothing'
Duo laughed and asked with mock shock: 'Did he read my mind'
Duo gave the paper in front of Java a curious look. Java held it up.
'The directions to some rooms you might need'
He nodded thankfully. The shower had fully woken him up and he was eager to leave. All depressive thoughts from last night had vanished.
'Well, let's get going then'
As they walked through the halls Java talked about how it really was very easy to find your way, but Duo really wasn't able to understand how he called it easy. Even listening to him talk about how to find your way he got lost.
'Now, this might be handy to know: all of this is block S1. There are no doors, no corridors to other blocks. To get to a different block you have to go back to the main stairway that brings you to the main hall. Signs at the bottom of each main stairway tell you to which block they lead'
Duo nodded, this he understood.
'I'll show you some of the public places.' They went down the main stairs and though the hall to an even larger hall. After five minutes of walking they reached a large square, Duo recognised it immediately, it was the square he had watched all night when he first arrived here. He looked up, trying to find his window, but there were so much, he wasn't sure which was his.
'This is one of the smaller squares, the largest one is the size of about two football fields. There is a play field for tennis, football and basketball and some small cafes, much like a square you will find on earth.' Java said, his tone was proud for some reason.
'How far is the main square from here'
'A half an hour walk'
'Hey, another question. Do you have any cars here? Or bicycles'
'No'
'Then, if this place really is so big, how do you get from one side to the other'
Java smiled and they walked on 'We don't. I mean, if you really want to go, you can go, But it's about a days walk through all the corridors. Not that you don't have time.' He added with a wink.
He showed him a basketball court fifteen minutes away from his room and told him that he wrote down the directions to it for because he knew he liked basketball.
He also showed him a large ballroom where they held parties. When Duo gave him a strange look Java laughed.
'Yes Duo! Even in Heaven we people party'
Before they continued their tour they first went back to the S1 dining room to have a late breakfast and then walked on till it was about two o'clock. But Duo really couldn't be sure, even after being here for just two days, he had already totally lost track of time. Java had introduced him to some of the people they ran into.
'Oh, I almost forget! There is someone I want you to meet!' They left another square, far from Duo's room and slipped into a hall. Duo was surprised to hear soft music. The first opening (no door) lead to a rather large round room. The middle circle, with a diameter of fifteen meters was three steps lower then the four meter wide circle around it, with every few meters a pillar.
In the centre of the room, lightened by sunlight that came in through the window in the roof, was a messy haired boy playing the harp. His fingers gently brushed the strings making soft music fill the room. His eyes were closed and he seemed lost in the music.
Duo smiled as this was the picture he used to have of angels when he was small, before Solo died. Playing soft music in a white room, lightened by the sun. The only thing the picture before him was missing where feathery wings on the boys back.
When he looked to the side at Java he was surprised to see a proud look on his face, a fathery glow around him. That reminded him.
He turned to look back at the boy, who hadn't noticed their presence. The collar of his loose shirt was gold. Maybe Java was his father?
'Heero.' Java finally spoke up.
The eyes opened and turned to look at them, stopping his song. His blue eyes really stood out in his face and in the colourless room. Dark blue, with, in this lighting, a bit of a frosty centre around the pupil.
'This is Heero'
'Your son?' He couldn't help but ask.
Java laughed 'No, Thank god for Heero he isn't'
When he turned away from Java he noticed Heero had rose from his seat and was standing a few feet away from them. As a matter of greeting he had seen more angels use that day the boy bowed slightly.
'Hi! I'm Duo Maxwell.' He reached out his hand and Heero gently shook it, nodding friendly with a smile that could match Quatre when it came to kindness.
'Duo is new here, I'm showing him around. Would you like to join us'
Heero shook his head and duo started to wonder if he was mute or something. But he didn't dare to ask such a question, it sounded so offensive.
'I didn't saw you at dinner last night, you're not skipping meals again are you?' Java asked, his tone a little warning.
Heero shook his head furiously, making Duo even more curious as to why he didn't speak.
'Well, you continue, I'll show Duo further around.' He gave Heero a peck on his forehead and guided Duo out of the room. Before they left the hall the soft music could be heard again. When they were out of hearing distance Duo gathered up the courage and asked: 'Why doesn't he talk'
'Because he took the Vow Of Silence'
Duo frowned, not really understanding. Java sat down on a stone bench and he sat down next to him, waiting for an explanation.
'You see, if an angel makes an mistake they either get punished or have to leave their duty of Angel. And with punishment I mean that they have to give up something that is very precious to them till the Supreme court forgives them. Heero made a mistake and because he was a singer the Supreme Court decided that he should take the Vow Of Silence. It's such a shame, he hasn't said a word for almost a thousand years by now'
'A thousands years! How old is he?' How could anyone be silent for a thousand years! It went beyond his comprehension.
'Heero is almost 3722 years old'
Duo whistled 'That'll be a lot of candles on his birthday cake'
Java laughed 'We also count by human standards and that means he'll be 20'
'Oh...' He couldn't really understand. He did a sum in his head and figured that it took them more then 180 'angels years' to reach 1 'human year.
As if Java had read his mind he explained a little further 'Years take very long here and we elder very, very slowly. And between out forties and sixties, which is different with every individual we stop ageing completely. To prevent us from becoming useless old men. A few lucky cases stop ageing at the age of thirty and stay young and pretty forever. I have to live through eternity with this face.' He pointed at himself with a smile.
'What did heero do wrong?' Duo asked curiously.
Java stood up again and pulled Duo up. 'Can't spent our days talking about the sins of others, let's continue the tour. When you look to your right...' Java blabbered on and it was more then obvious that he was not going to tell him anything more about Heero. And finding out himself would be very difficult since the boy didn't talk. That only made his curiosity grow.
Instead of eating dinner with the younger ones like he had done the day before he sat at the table with Java and some other, older men and one older woman. They laughed as Java told crazy stories about when he still lived on earth and about the few times he came to visit.
'You can visit earth after dying?' Duo asked, his eyes wide, mouth open.
'Sure, I'll show you someday. Now eat!'
Duo looked down at his plate, he wasn't really hungry, he and Java had enjoyed a late lunch, only an hour ago and he had eaten his fill then. He scanned the large dining room, watching all the angels walk by, chatting friendly with eachtother, it looked like a school during lunchbreaks. Though never having the 'pleasure' of experiencing what it's like to attend school, he did peek in on numerous occasion. Organised Chaos, he had dubbed it.
He spotted Quatre, sitting with the same people at a table as yesterday, only this time, the seat he had occupied was occupied by the boy Java had introduced him to this afternoon. Heero, if he remembered correctly. His ciriosity flared just thinking about the boy. He really wanted to know everything about him. Actually, he wanted to know everything about everyone and seeing as he will stay here for quite a while, he might as well try to figure them all out. The messy haired youngster at the top of his list.
When Quatre caught him staring at him and his company he waved enthusiastically with both hands. Shyly he waved back. He saw Quatre leaning over the table and say something to the others. Making the ones that didn't face Duo already turn around to look. When he locked gazes with Heero, the boy shyly lifted his hand and waved softly before turning back to his dinner.
At first he felt a bit nervous, thinking Quatre had said something mean about him, but thinking about it, he highly doubted it. He highly doubted the boy was even capable of saying mean words!
Using the directions Java had written down he found his way back to his room, Java was coming along with him, but forced him to find his way on his own.
'You have to learn one day or another.' He said with a smile, reminding Duo to the fact that he'll be here for quite a long time. But that didn't scare him as much as it did yesterday. This place was way better then earth, thus far of course.
'Tomorrow we will pray.' Java informed him as they reached his door.
'What a cliché, praying on sunday. What's after that'
'Then it's monday'
Duo stared at him while he left, his mouth dropping open, did that mean they'll be praying all day long!
I'm really not satisfied with how this came out. Don't het attached to this chapter, I might change it... just felt like posting it, otherwise it'll be sitting here... forever.
Tell me what you think.
Happy newyear!
Crimson