Hey-o, and welcome to my Lil' World of Weirdness!!

I state for the record that I don't own Gundam Wing, or the wonderful characters that will be gracing this story. . . I do however lay claim to Ensign Saratone *again*, and I use him here purely as a replacement for your average Nameless OZ Minion. Other Characters I lay claim to are Faye Bloom, the wizened old man, Chang Xiao Fao Lan, and the Angels.

Let's just say . . . when my writer's block breaks, it's like a dam breaking . . . [shakes head slowly and winces]

Parings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 5xM, 6X9, 13xUne, OdinxHelen and hints of DxR and JxG – I know, I know, nobody wants to imagine it, but I kinda think it's fairly cute . . .

Okay, that's the legal stuff out the way!!

Please ENJOY AND PLEASE R&R!!! THANK YOU!!

Also, thanks to my beloved Bluegoo for her ever wonderful betareading, I thank her for the many hours that she has put in with me on this one, be it correcting my terrible grammar and spelling, or listening to me mumbling large chunks of it down the phone to her . . . You're great, Blue!! Even if you are Commander and Chief of the Apostrophe Gestapo . . . my thanks also go out to Clow'd9, your insightful reviews are fast becoming a brilliant source of inspiration! In fact everyone who has left me a wonderful review, thank you very much, I shall continue to strive to surprise you as many chances as I can. . . but Clow'd9 gets special mention because she keeps catching my hints! I'm fairly impressed and shall try harder to hide them! [giggles] I suggest you read both Bluegoo's and Clow'd9's stories, as they are brilliant!!

Thank you to Two-Mix for the lyrics, I don't own Just Communication!!

//Thinking//

"Speaking"

*Stress/Emphasis*

Writing/Dream sequence

Telepathic thoughts

:: Lyrics ::

~*~

For The Grace Of Knights And Angels

By Doctor Megalomania

Commence

"Two hundred and eighty two . . ."

Trowa Barton smirked as he looked out.

The sea of faces was blank as he strode out onto the raised platform. Behind him, lay a backdrop of stars. He nodded, and placed his hands on his hips. "Two hundred and eighty two days until we descend on Earth . . ." He turned and looked at the small dot of a planet. "Before we have our revenge . . . I know that some of you are hungry for it now . . ." he turned back to the mass of walking corpses, "I'm just like you, I yearn for it, I would love to slaughter the bastards who killed me . . . took *my* place in life . . . but we must wait. Wait until our power has grown to its full potential . . ." He grinned, a twisted leer, "And then. . ."

Trowa Barton turned slowly toward the Earth again, behind him construction on the Sesshou beginning eagerly. They were going to resurrect on of the most feared weapon of the Wars, the Balji cannon and combine the technology they had from the Libra to create their attack ship. They would descend on Earth, first by firing the Sesshou cannon, and then with their attack force, Barton grinned, this time operation Meteor would succeed, this time a Barton would claim the Earth as his own, this third time lucky. He stared at the small green and blue sphere as it leisurely rotated, its occupants completely unaware of the fate that would befall them in two hundred and eighty days. He breathed in, the number resounding around his mind like a mantra. His dark blue eyes opened slowly, as he hissed at the life-filled planet below them.

"We'll hit them so hard . . . blue, green and red will be the only colours you'll see from space."

Arch Three: Darkness, Light, Chaos, Balance

Chapter Twenty: Out of Shadows

"I will not."

Gasps filled the air as Quatrine's quiet sobs got louder, Helen broke down and pressed her face against Duo's neck as the boy growled angrily, "Then why are we even here, if you can't help us, what the hell are we here looking for your help?!"

Armbrust shook his head, "You misunderstand. You are not here to get us to help save you . . ." He looked up at Trowa, "You are here to learn to save yourselves."

Trowa nodded, and looked at his friend, "Duo, calm down. . ."

"Fuck off." Duo swore, his anger twisting as Helen's fear became more pronounced, "What the hell are we doing here, if they can't help us?!"

"Duo . . ." Trowa warned again, "Calm do—"

The group fell silent as bushes nearby Heero and Duo rustled and dark forms started to shamble forward.

Duo pushed Helen behind him and glared as the forms ambled closer to him. Heero grasped at his gun, and sought out a target, "Hold it. Don't come any closer." Odin stepped toward Helen and pulled her away as Duo ducked and pulled his knife out of his boot. Heero stalked a little closer, and motioned with his gun, "Drop to the floor."

The figures swayed slightly as if thinking, before they shuffled closer. They came out of the shadow of the trees, and into the moonlight revealing three shabbily dressed Federation officers and an Oz special. Meirin pulled up her fists as she and Wufei got into their stances, Trowa stepped closer to his mother and motioned the woman back. She paused, raising her fists and glaring at the four dead men. She sighed sharply and took Quatrine away from Quatre. The blonde boy was sombre as he quietly told Faye to fetch Rashid and his men. Quatre stepped forward, "What do you want from us?"

Their voices were muffled as if their voices had to travel through water. Four voices in complete tandem seemed to chase the last word of the other, "We want the end." They swayed for a moment, their heads rolling from side to side as they hung down, hiding their faces, ". . . End this world."

"Why?" Quatre stopped beside Duo, and raised his hand to restrain his furious friend. "Why do you want this?"

The four corpses raised their sickly pale faces. Their eyes were empty sockets, the very eyeballs had been melted, and oozed hideously from the sockets, their faces charred and burnt from obviously fiery deaths. These men wore the uniform of mobile suit pilots. Bone jutted out where skin could no longer cover. Meirin winced, and dipped her head, no! She called out, and stepped back, "I don't want to!" She barked furiously and shook her head, strengthening her resolve again, "No! Leave me alone!"

Armbrust and Jikan moved to stand beside their knights. Duo snarled at them, "Get out of here if you're not going to be any help!" He didn't notice that the figures appeared to be staring at him; they began to shuffle forward again. Not quite walking, but not quite dragging themselves. They swayed, their voices dripping from their opened throats; formless words drifting away from their mouths.

"You'll just be in the way!!" Duo frowned and glanced back at the four invaders. The first one closest to him lunged forward. Duo slashed at him, and gasped in horror as the knife struck the thing's head and it grabbed his arm. "Get off me!!" Duo growled as he went to kick the thing's feet. It swivelled its hideous head to gaze at him.

Empty sockets. Melted eyeballs.

Duo stilled.

Black lips peeling. Dried blood turning once pale skin into the devil's visage.

Duo offered no resistance.

Scorched skin cracking as a bony hand clamped over his mouth and began to squeeze.

Duo frowned inwardly, //why can't I fight?// his violet eyes widened, //I don't want to die like this . . .//

Darkness surrounded his mind. He could see nothing but the empty eyes . . . heard nothing but the dead soldiers chanting.

Death. Blood. Death. Slaughter. Death. Two hundred and eighty two days.

. . . Empty eyes . . .

He felt himself being pushed into the ground, being bent over backward until surely his spine must have been breaking. It seemed like an eternity, it was an eternity, why couldn't he fight? Why was he letting this happen?

. . . staring, they just kept staring . . .

Pain. Pain started to build; his backbone was being broken slowly. Pressure. Pain. He couldn't take much more.

. . . staring, because they knew . . .

A whimper escaped. He could dimly hear someone screaming his name . . .

"DUO!!"

He stopped by the door and spun. Sister Helen lay on the floor, propping herself up on one hand, another stretched out to him. "Come back!!" She cried out to him, "Come back!!"

He shook his head. He couldn't, he had to go . . . it was the only thing left.

"Duo, please!!"

There was a huge explosion. Children screamed everywhere. The wounded called out. There was a crack. The stained glass, it exploded inward. He glanced at Sister Helen as it rained down on her. He could go back, see if she was okay . . . he turned and ran out the church. The mobile suit. If he got the mobile suit, he could save them all.

. . . because they knew he was the reason . . .

Hands. Hands scrambled over him. Over the thing. Pulling. Pushing. Trying to pull death and the dead apart. Another whimper escaped. //why can't I fight?!//

. . . empty . . .

His name. Over and over. Someone was sobbing it. Another was calling it. Black eyes stared hard at him, fear within their depths. This one was cursing him angrily, ordering him to wake up. Blonde, blonde hair, light blue eyes. This other was shaking him, fear driving this one's eyes wide. Strong hands, sure and nimble, worked at the hand on his mouth, dark green eyes narrow in concentration.

. . . staring. . .

He couldn't breathe. His neck was bending too far. Focus. He couldn't focus on anything. Cobalt blue eyes flashed angrily, dark messy hair flopped about as the thing was hit with a hard metal object, causing thick liquid sounding thuds to ring dully.

//Heero?//

Duo grasped on to this one thought. This one line of reason. He struggled to focus, opened his eyes and stared at the locks of dark hair.

//Heero.//

Sharp bone began to dig into his cheeks; he felt blood begin to trickle down his throat. Ash. He could taste ash in his mouth. He strained to keep awake. He had to stay awake.

"Heero."

Bang. Bangbang. Bang. Used ammo bounced of his forehead hotly. Someone cursed, someone screamed. Too much sound. The blood was roaring in his head, the pain was screaming all around him. And the eyes, the empty eyes kept staring. He drew one breath, and yelled.

"HEERO!!"

Death started.

She lifted her head from his lap and stared off to the doorway. Rising slowly, as was her way, the angel uncoiled herself and walked slowly toward the door. The Angel of Warriors looked up from its writings, and stared at her. "So it begins."

She touched the doorway, feeling her long black hair pool around her. She turned back, and glanced at Mercy. He stared back at her, lowering the comb he'd been using on her hair. "There is nothing you can do, if he dies before training is complete . . ."

Death closed her eyes and shook her head. "You are both wrong . . ." She drifted back to the bed, and lay her head back in Mercy's lap. "Shinigami can take care of himself . . ."

Duo was on his knees. Bent back so far his heels dug into his back, and the back of his head touched the ground.

Noin holstered her gun somewhat uneasily. She wasn't sure what had just happened, she and Zechs had been sleeping when there was a lot of commotion outside. Some creature, too disfigured to even be called a man, was attacking Duo. The other former pilots were trying their hardest to get the thing off their friend. The strange thing was that Duo was utterly calm about it. He stared almost lazily at the creature, accepting apparently of his fate. He was completely relaxed; his arms hanging limply as the creature slowly bent him backward. Sister Helen had been screaming his name, and he didn't react.

Noin stepped closer.

The young pilot looked dead. His chest wasn't rising or falling, he wasn't breathing. He was staring blankly at the sky with dull violet eyes. No one tried to move him. Each with their own thoughts. The thing that had been attack them lay slumped over besides Duo, its head crushed and smashed from the full round of bullets Heero emptied into its head. Duo had reacted then, Heero's name bubbling and forcing its way out of the longhaired pilot, his eyes finally widening with fear and rage. Unseen energy seemed to pulse between Death and the dead, making Duo shudder suddenly, and passed this racking shudder to the dead creature. Only then had it stopped.

She, Zechs, Rashid and his men had taken care of the other three. They lay around, like their leader, shot to pieces. Noin shivered as a cool wind blew up, and the previously clear night sky filled with clouds. Rain started to fall. Light at first, and then falling so heavily it stung at her exposed shoulders. It flattened her dark blue hair against her face and ran down in rivers over her body. Noin sniffed, as she stared at the pale boy, lying prone. His mouth was slightly open, and a thin trail of blood fell from the corner of his mouth. It ran down and met with the other thin trails seeping from the punctures in his cheeks.

"Is he dead?" Noin wiped at her eyes with her arm. She looked at Heero, who stood there staring at his partner. Odin glanced at his son and sighed. Closing his eyes, he buried his face in Helen's hair as she cried. Quatre sighed and dropped to his knees by his angel. He glanced at Jikan, who observed the scene with sombre blank eyes. Trowa shook his head, and sat beside Quatre, looking up at his angel. "Now what?" Armbrust declined to answer, choosing merely to stare at his knight's fallen friend.

Faye ran out, Quatrine close behind her. The blonde woman gasped as she took in the scene and pointed at Duo with horror. "Is he dead?!"

"No. He is not dead." A gurgled dry sound muttered darkly from the former pilot's direction.

Heero took a step back, and raised his gun. He quickly changed the clips, and glared at the corpse of his friend. "Duo?"

"Now see," Duo blinked slowly as he stared at the sky, "This is why I don't do yoga . . ." He groaned and gingerly raised his arms up to push himself up with them. He winced and sat on his heels. The boy tipped his head back and let the hard rain wash his face. "It hurts like hell."

Heero knelt beside him, and reached up to touch Duo's face, "Are you okay?"

Duo lifted his hand and pressed Heero's hand harder against his cheek. Heero frowned as he realised Duo's face was cool, and pale as in death. The youth yawned and looked past Heero. "What is this?" He asked. Heero turned and frowned as he realised Duo was talking to thin air.

Helen gasped and ran over, throwing her arms around Duo, who was soaked like the rest of them, and muddy from lying on the ground. "Duo?!" She shook his hard, and squeezed him, "Duo? Are you okay? My child, my poor child!" She stared searchingly into his eyes, "Are you really okay?"

"Yeah . . ." He smiled a little then looked over Heero's shoulder expectantly, "Well?"

A small point of violet light burnt for a moment before falling into a thin puddle gathering under it. The water glowed with dark velvet purple before lifting off the ground and swirling into a whirlpool of glowing purple water. Ogama stepped through it, and demurely folded his hands in front of himself. Ogama sighed as he pulled up his hood over his hair, "I call it misjudgement." He raised an eyebrow, and stepped over the fallen body. As the black cloak brushed over the corpse, it shivered and began to wither again. At the alarmed looks, Ogama turned and glared at the body. "Stay dead." He hissed angrily. The corpse withered once more before burning with a black flame, turned to dust and was washed away by the rain.

"A misjudgement?" Repeated Duo quietly as his angel walked up to him. "What do you mean?"

Ogama glanced quickly at his fellow angels, before meeting Duo's eyes again.

"You are far more powerful . . . than we thought you were."

"This first strike was a shambles . . ." A gloved hand struck out, hitting the thick glass with a muted, irritated thud. "What a pathetic attempt . . ."

This was just an accident . . .

"An accident?" Dark blue eyes narrowed at the idea, as a thin eyebrow rose.

. . . they were attracted to the Knight's emotions . . .

Urami thought for a moment, before sighing deeply, "What do you mean?"

The Knight of Death is going to be one of your major foes, but also your greatest ally . . . the thought paused as it weighed heavy in the air.

 There is no good or evil . . . Just a set of choices . . .

Dark hair flopped on the Knight's brow as the knight's head bobbed in agreement. The thought of the Other echoed around the Knight's mind like a true voice.

Make Shinigami choose us.

"Are you okay?"

Une smiled over her morning coffee, she reached out and touched Treize's hand as he pressed it against her shoulder. "I'm fine . . . I'm dreading facing the media but . . ." She sighed and leant her head back until the back of it touched Treize and she could see his eyes. He stared down at and smiled reassuringly. Une continued, "But Zechs and Noin are due to call in . . ." she nodded as she let her head fall back into position. Treize nodded absently as he slid into a seat opposite her. "Would it be all right if I took Mariemaia out today? I think the stress may be getting to her."

Une bit her lip and nodded, "We usually visit—" she blinked hard, and looked down.

Treize frowned, "What is it?"

"We usually visit your grave on this day, every month . . ." Une shrugged, "I . . ."

Une sighed again, and glanced up as Mariemaia wheeled herself into the room. She smiled politely and took a place between her two parents, "I would like to show father his grave." She nodded and stared at her father with all the command that made her a Krushrenada, "I think you will like to see how well Lady Une has treated you and all of the war dead."

Treize smiled proudly, "I think that is a wonderful idea . . ." he placed a hand over Une's, "Will you be able to join us?" Une blinked for a moment, before smiling back. "Yes," she murmured, "I think I will."

"White Fang?"

Trowa Barton growled and stared at Quinze, "And you still failed?"

The ugly, old man folded his arms and shifted, "Those meddling scientists stopped all of the mobile dolls. . ." he growled and glared out the windows, "I want them to pay."

"Don't we all?" Another man stepped forward, he bowed and a smile, sick and insane spread over his lips. "My name is Tubarov . . . I designed the OZ mobile dolls." He grinned, "I want revenge against them . . . for my precious dolls."

Barton grinned darkly; Mueller and Alex glanced at each other and started to laugh. Quinze looked at Tubarov and nodded, as the other man started to chuckle. Barton turned away from them and glanced out the window again, the Earth still a small dot, out of their reach. "Two hundred and eighty one days, my sweet Earth . . ."

Ogama looked up, and glared at the rain.

"Stop it."

The small angel hissed in the same tone as he had hissed to the soldier. And amazingly, the rain stopped. Duo blinked as Heero helped him up, the rain slowly petered out, and finally stopped with an unnatural abruptness. "How'd you do that?"

"Rain is water . . ." Armbrust murmured quietly as he and Jikan walked past them to stand with Ogama. He sighed and looked up, "Be gone."

The group looked up as a gale far above them moved away the dark rumbling clouds. The bloated, rain filled clouds roiled and rolled away, herded by a spiteful, unseen wind to reveal the stars, sparkling and twinkling like tiny gems on a velvet, midnight cloak once more. Heero frowned as Duo sagged against him more, "Are you all right?"

He is tired, as Quatre was when he flexed his abilities.

Heero nodded, and shifted to lift Duo up into his arms. Ogama sighed and stepped up into the air. He floated near Duo's head and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead, "Take him to a bed, a warm bed . . . and in the morning, guide him toward the springs, cleanse him, wash the pain away . . ." Ogama looked at Heero again, "I trust you to take care of him."

Heero frowned, and nodded once more. He spun, and stormed back to the smallest house, which he and Duo shared with their parents. Ogama turned and looked up at Sister Helen, who stood fuming at him. "You!" She accused, "This is your fault, why can't you protect him?!"

"He must protect himself." Ogama bit back. He fumed for a moment as well before he sighed sharply, "I wish no harm against my knight, but there is only so much I can do for him . . . unless he protects himself, and the ones he love. . ."

 Jikan placed a hand on his fellow angel's shoulder, and shook his head. The blonde haired angel looked up at her, "Helen Maxwell." He began patiently, "We are here to guide, not to protect."

But you have the power to. Helen frowned, she clenched her fists, "Why can't you protect us . . . if you have the power, why not use it?!"

"As does your God."

Helen started, her eyes widening. Jikan pressed on.

"Your God has the power, according to your books, does He not?"

"But—" Helen sighed, and shook her head.

"Do not judge us because we are forbidden to assist you further than your capabilities." Jikan stepped forward, and touched her hand, "Please . . . much as it will pain us, we cannot interfere with the natural process. The knights must be able to defend themselves."

Helen nodded slowly, and wrapped her arms around her body as the cold night air flowed around them. She sighed, and allowed Odin to turn her back to their little home. Pausing, she briefly turned back, "You become emotionally involved with the knights, don't you?"

Jikan closed his eyes momentarily, a rare flash of pain crossing his youthful features. He nodded once.

"Not all of them . . ." Helen swallowed as she glanced at the other two angels, "Not all of them survived to the final battle, did they?"

Armbrust and Ogama glanced at each other, and turned away from her. Jikan opened his eyes for a moment, and smiled sadly. The expression on his young face was centuries' worth of pain. He sighed and turned away from her, walking with the others.

His voice floated back to her, as the three angels began to disappear, leaving behind them glowing gold, jade, and violet dust.

"For every time we Angels have been summoned . . ."

The three disappeared completely. Jikan's voice quietly echoed all around them.

". . . only twice, have five knights fought together."

-------

And Now It's Time To LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!

DrM: [Shrieks] EEEEEKKKKK!!!

Quinze: what?

DrM: F**K!! [Nearly pees herself]

Qunize: [puzzled] what?

DrM: My god, man!! You are so scary!!

Quinze: What do you mean? [Gets it] ah, yes, White Fang!

DrM: White what? Anyway, have you looked in a mirror recently? My god, man . . . what kind of horrific accident were you in?!

Quinze: [spams self]

DrM: [giggles] well, welcome to the Third Arch! Yes, there IS more . . . this really is turning into the story time forgot. . . or I wrote too much, I forget which, thank you all for the wonderful comments you've been leaving and I hope you leave some more, so please R&R!!

Quinze: [looking in mirror] I'm not that ugly . . .

DrM: [mutters] no. . . You're worse . . .