Dual Fates Part 3
Remembrance
by
Sailor Janus
Hotaru closed her eyes as a calm feeling flooded her emotions. "My poor Shinigami. I wish I truly understood why this had to happen, but at least we can face whatever fate has in store for us together," she softly said to herself, patiently waiting for Duo to appear as she paced on the damp, green grass, which lay under her small bare feet.
The dark-haired girl found it odd however, that rather than the bloody and mutilated sailor senshi uniform which she wore taking her very last breath, instead Hotaru was dressed the same lavender dress she wore in her dream.
There was something else peculiar about everything, but the violet-eyed young woman's thoughts were interrupted by the presence of the deceased gundam pilot. "Duo." she whispered feeling so uncertain whether to hug the man or stand her ground as the man dressed completely in black walked towards her.
'Hey, there's that girl! At last I have found her!' the cobalt blue-eyed man smirked, jogging a little faster towards the melancholy looking girl. "Hey! Hotaru!"
Hotaru swallowed thickly, staring up at the pilot with the long braided hair. "Are you okay?" she lightly asked, glancing sorrowfully up at him as if trying to say 'I'm so sorry.'
Surprisingly, Duo grinned, tossing his arms behind his head in a very nonchalant fashion. "Actually I feel pretty good for a dead guy."
The girl blinked at his response before finally giggling. The Shinigami always did have the habit of changing whatever seemed so painful and uncertain into nothing more than a silly joke. "So what do we do now? Should we leave or remain here?"
The pilot scratched his head, seeming equally as confused as the young woman. It was not like they knew exactly what to do next. "Well, I do have a funeral to go to tomorrow. Unfortunately, it's my own. Wanna be my date?" he replied, lightly taking the girl's hand in an affectionate gesture.
Hotaru had to giggle. Only Duo could make death seem so unimportant. "Sure. So what's going to happen next?"
Duo shrugged, dropping his eyes down to the cool damp grass. 'Wasn't I here during my final dream?' he thought raising his cobalt eyes to meet the violet-eyed girl's in front of him. With a light tug, he pulled Hotaru's fragile form into his strong arms. "No idea. It's a little strange being dead. At least we are together once again," he whispered through the girl's dark locks, into her ear.
Hotaru released herself from the chestnut brown-haired man's tight embrace, and took both of his large hands into her two smaller ones, slightly smiling up at him. "Yeah. I wonder what it would have been like to be together. While we were still alive." Gently, she pressed her lips against his in a soft kiss.
"I guess we'll never know," Duo answered breathlessly as the young woman sat on the cool grass, pulling him down with her.
Leaning her head on his shoulder, Hotaru softly murmured, "What are you going to miss most? About life and your world?"
The pilot closed his eyes for a moment in thought. "I don't really know. Maybe talking to my friends, my Gundam Deathscythe Hell, eating, but really, I think I'll miss Heero the most. He has really come a long way since I had first met him. What about you?"
The girl sighed as she too contemplated an answer. "I'll miss all of the other Sailor Senshi. They became my second family, especially Michiru, Setsuna, and Haruka. I'll also miss the feel of rain falling gently on my skin and the bright stars shining down on me at night."
Duo nodded, as he wrapped an arm around Hotaru, pulling her in close. "Funny how we never truly hold value in the little things until they are gone."
"Yes, I agree," Hotaru softly whispered.
"At least we had time to say goodbye before sacrificing ourselves," the pilot said as the girl sat up, bringing her knees to her chest as she wrapped her thin arms around them.
A bittersweet smile graced the young woman's face as she lifted her head, to gaze into the slender of the night sky and its brightly glowing stars. "Yes, I just wish it could have been easier. Saying goodbye I mean. I could literally feel everyone's sorrow and pain as I used Fatal Detonation."
Duo chuckled slightly. "You think that is bad, try practically being ripped to shreds inside a Gundam! The thing was being sliced open as if it were made of cardboard! Not to mention that was long before I self-detonated. There was metal protruding from my body in places and ways I can't even describe!" he explained, as a playful grin appeared on his handsome features. "If I hadn't destroyed myself, I would have bled to death anyway."
Hotaru nodded in understanding as she too shared the tale of meeting her gruesome fate. "I was basically covered with stab wounds and bruises on every inch of my tattered body. My costume was torn so badly it was practically reduced to rags. Every single part of it was saturated with dirt or my own blood. Needless to say, I was in pretty bad shape. Then when Chaos impaled my gut with her sword, I knew I wouldn't survive even without your warning. So I gathered all my remaining energy, picked myself off the ground, said my goodbyes, and ended it all."
The man cringed with realization of how violent their deaths really were. "Gee, I bet the mortician had a fun time trying to touch us up!" he exclaimed, while tossing his arms behind his head.
The violet-eyed girl stared horrified at him before she broke down into a fit of giggles. "Duo! That is terrible! But yeah, I wonder how they said I died."
"Well, from the sound of it, you would probably look better if you were hit head on by a speeding garbage truck!" Duo snickered, which earned him, a very well deserved punch in the arm.
Hotaru smirked as she retaliated back. "Oh yeah? So are you in pieces or did your body stay whole after the explosion?"
"Hotaru!" The cobalt blue-eyed pilot choked, stunned at such a question, but it should have expected. "You know, I have no idea. I didn't look nor did I want to. Finding you was the only thing on my mind after that," he replied, glancing into the girl's gentle violet eyes before bending over to kiss her lightly on the lips. Pulling away he snorted. "You know, this conversation is really morbid."
Hotaru burst out laughing again, shoving Duo away as she came to the same conclusion. "You think?! We are dead and discussing how screwed up our bodies must look!"
"My thoughts exactly," Duo grinned as he playfully yanked Hotaru backwards, causing her to shriek in surprise. Carefully, he pulled her back into his arms. After that, the laughter died down.
Suddenly the dark-haired girl dropped her head as she frowned. Something was gravely bothering her but she could not put her finger on what.
"What's wrong Firefly?" the pilot calmly asked watching Hotaru struggle out of his grip, and twisted herself around to face the Shinigami.
Briefly she glanced down at her hands before meeting Duo's blue eyes with her violet ones. The next few words out her mouth seemed to freeze in the air as she explained a startling revelation. "This isn't the first time this has happened. Both of us forced to sacrifice ourselves in order to save the lives of others. The only difference between then and now is that we were together the first time."
"Wait, what do you... you're right. We have died like this before and were actually together. It was the first time we met," Duo quietly spoke as he nodded his head, taking one of Hotaru's hands in his own.
"Is history repeating itself?" she whispered, feeling his strong grip on her small hand.
The cobalt blue-eyed man stiffly nodded his head as he focused his eyes on Hotaru's. "I-I think so Firefly, except this time, we actually get a funeral."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was a pleasant day on the planet Saturn. The temperature was perfect, warm with a light breeze blowing across the land. All the same, it was still rather depressing for the isolated princess of the Kingdom of Titan.
"Yet, another forsaken day for the lonesome princess of this horrible forbidden kingdom. Why must everyone dislike and fear me so? Curse my powers!" Hotaru said to herself, sitting in the middle of a field of violets, admiring their timid beauty.
Suddenly, the princess was aware of another presence in the large field of purple flowers. Glancing up, she found herself face to face with a rather charming looking young man with a long chestnut brown braid. "Princess Saturn, I presume?" he asked in recognition to the girl sitting in front of him.
Hotaru blinked up at the man who was in a soldier's uniform. "Yes, who may I ask are you?" she questioned him while carefully climbing to her feet, trying not to trip on the hem of her silk lavender dress.
The cobalt blue-eyed soldier bowed as he introduced himself. "They call me Duo."
The princess briefly smiled as she nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Duo. What is the circumstance for your arrival to my kingdom?"
"Um, I'm a soldier who is stationed in your lovely planet so I decided to drop by and introduce myself so hi!" Duo explained as he turned a slight shade of red.
The dark-haired girl giggled at the response. "Well, I appreciate your visit greatly. I don't exactly receive much in the way of company since everyone basically fears my powers," she softly said, dropping her violet eyes to the ground.
The man scoffed as he crossed his arms in disgust. "That's really stupid because you seem like a really sweet person. They just don't know what they are missing!"
"Stop it! You're making me blush!" Saturn said as she covered her face in embarrassment. 'Why is he being so kind to me?'
"It's true. I still do not understand why people are so afraid of you," Duo grinned as he brushed a strand of hair from Hotaru's face.
The girl sighed, realizing all good things had to come to an end. "It's because I possess the power to destroy the world with three simple words," she sadly whispered, dropping her head, knowing this wonderfully, kind man was going to leave her as well. Just like everyone else.
Instead the soldier did something completely unexpected. Carefully he took her hand in his and lightly kissed it. "Really? Gee, I have to remember not to tick you off!" he grinned, lowering the princess's hand.
Hotaru looked surprised at the charming soldier in front of her. "You mean you aren't going to leave?"
Duo blinked and quickly smirked. "Just because you can destroy the world? No. It's not like intend to use your power on an everyday basis and threaten everyone that if you do not get your way, you'll demolish everything. Although a power like that does have its possibilities."
"Duo!" the violet-eyed princess laughed. "Thank you. You are really nice and truthfully, I have never laughed this much in years!"
"Glad to oblige, princess," the cobalt blue-eyed man smiled as he nodded his head and took her hand once again, kissing it lightly in respect. "I hate to say this, but I must go. Duty calls."
Hotaru actually appeared saddened at the news. "Please come and visit again soon." she softly whispered as a gentle smile graced her face.
Duo grinned as he turned away. "You can count on it." With a small wave, he departed from the Princess of Destruction and Rebirth. Both however knew that would not be the last they would see of each other. It was far from it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hotaru pulled away from Duo and frowned, ending the recollection of their past. Something still felt really off, but what?
"What's the matter? Why did you stop?" the pilot asked, looking curiously at the girl sitting in front of him.
The dark-haired young woman briefly bit her lip before answering. "I was just reflecting on our present situation. How did you know I was supposed to sacrifice myself?"
Duo blinked at the question as he stared bewildered at the girl. "I didn't."
"But you did. I instinctively can recall you telling me that your inner subconscious knew of our fates and to warn you gently. You do not remember?" Hotaru said as the Shinigami shook his head. "That's peculiar. You should... wait... how could that- this isn't real."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Notes: Sorry it took this long to update, but moving is a pain.
Thank you so much for the reviews. I'm very glad you all are enjoying this story and as you may have just noticed, I threw my trademark twist into it.
I am so happy I actually got this moving again. I hit a really bad writer's block but it crumbled after I bought Dido's cd. The song 'Here With Me' actually fit perfectly for this chapter.
The rating my change to R due to one chapter, which I just, started writing for the near future. It's nothing really bad, but the characters are acting in a way that is very unlikely of them. You'll understand this as the story continues on.
Reality is not always what it appears to be....