Dual Fates Part 4
Broken Reality
by
Sailor Janus
Duo blinked at Hotaru's latest revelation. "Huh? What do you mean this isn't real? You mean we didn't die?"
The dark-haired girl bit her lip. This was going to be a little more complicated to interpret than she previously thought. "We did die, many to times to be exact, but are not deceased in our present lives. You as a Gundam pilot and myself as a Sailor Senshi, was one world but not our current one. In our present reality, someone is manipulating us with our past lives and memories, drawing those events out of us. In our own reality, we are not dead," she answered, trying earnestly to explain as clearly as possible.
"But... damn. You're right but how is this even conceivable?!" the pilot frustratedly said. It wasn't making sense like it should.
The violet-eyed young woman contemplated how exactly to put everything into words. "Nothing we remember is a lie. We are actually reliving past lives... and deaths, but each time we affected each other. Someone is studying us but I can't seem to be able to recall our reality. This is surreal."
"Freaky. So we are basically soul mates who have died together?" Duo inquired with a small laugh.
Hotaru giggled as she nodded her head. "Yes. Do you remember the other lives? I mean since we can't remember the present, why not the past?"
The chestnut brown-haired man practically jumped up as he realized exactly what the girl was saying. "I get you! If we jog our memories of the past then maybe we'll remember the present!"
"Yeah! So are you ready? This may become too disturbing. After all, we'll witness our numerous deaths all over again," the violet-eyed girl, admitted as she dropped her head. "I don't really know how much this may affect us. It could be more than we can handle."
Duo reached over and gently took Hotaru by the chin lifting her head as he brought his head close to hers, joining their lips together in a soft kiss before he began to speak reassuringly to her. "Don't worry. We'll be in this together. That fact will give us the strength we need to face whatever horrors we once met in our pasts."
The girl smiled as she held out her hands, gazing deeply into her Shinigami's eyes. "Give me your hands," she whispered as Duo too, united his larger hands with her own, meeting his blue stare with her violet one.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
'I cannot believe this is happening. The war will destroy everything if it does not halt soon. Too many innocent lives are being destroyed because of the selfishness and plain carelessness.' Princess Saturn thought as she stood in the middle of the wilted violet garden. The planets were in a middle of a very callous war against a woman called Queen Beryl. Unfortunately it seemed to be a losing battle. "Sadly, I believe this is one war no one will survive."
Duo glanced sorrowfully at the Titan castle. He despised the idea of saying goodbye, but had no choice. He was a soldier and as a soldier he must fight, live, and unfortunately die. Briefly the chestnut brown-haired man hung his head low while closing his cobalt blue eyes. Why did everything have to be so difficult?
Taking a deep breath, Duo began his descent up to the castle, desiring to see his princess one last time. They had grown so close and knew almost everything about each other. Hotaru even knew of his nickname Shinigami, and even speculated that perhaps, he really was the God of Death after all.
His friends thought he was crazy for falling in love with a princess. It was very likely they could never be together. The Princess of Saturn wedding a servant boy was more believable than a soldier. It could never happen.
Then he saw her. The princess's bright violet eyes staring out into the distance as her dark hair blew gently against her pale face. The lavender gown clung to her body as the wind swept through it, making her appear as if she were nothing more than a specter, haunting Duo with her radiant beauty.
"Hotaru," The soldier murmured, gazed up at the girl standing in the middle of a dying flower garden.
Upon recognition, she dropped her eyes to the bottom of the hill. In amazement, she dropped her jaw as tears began to flood her eyes. "Duo!" The princess cried out as she sprinted down the hill, trying earnestly not to trip, heading towards the man she loved. "Oh Duo! I thought I would never see you again!" she exclaimed, throwing her thin arms around him before placing her pale pink lips on his.
Abruptly, the soldier pulled away, staring mournfully into her eyes. "Hotaru, what about the people? What if someone sees us?! You know we can't ever be together."
"Then so be it. All I want is for you to hold me and be here right now, before we must say goodbye one last time. I don't care what is expected of me anymore. You are here and that is all that matter," The violet-eyed girl sternly said dropping her head down on a very stunned Duo's chest.
Stiffly, the cobalt blue-eyed soldier reached a hand out, smoothing back his princess's hair. "Hotaru, before I go... I want you to know that... I ...love you." he softly said unable to believe the words that just fell out of his mouth, but was glad they were now out in the open.
The dark-haired princess of Saturn glanced up the long haired man, stunned that he actually said the three little words. With a small smile, Hotaru kissed him lightly on the lips before whispering softly in his ear. "I love you too, Duo."
Just then, Duo caught sight of Heero and sighed. His best friend was courteous enough to stay quiet over the last meeting. Maybe that was why Duo liked being friends with Heero some much. The Perfect Soldier felt that whatever was someone else's business should remain that way, no matter what it involved.
The braided-haired soldier sighed as he pulled away once again. "I can't leave you, but I must," he said as he brushed his lips against Hotaru's.
Tears fell from the princess's violet eyes as she stared deeply into Duo's cobalt blue eyes. "I know. I just hate having to say goodbye. It's such a final word. Please try to be safe."
"I will," the brave soldier whispered as he departed with on final, tearful kiss. "Goodbye my Goddess of Destruction and Rebirth."
"Till we meet again my Shinigami," Hotaru murmured as he watched her true love, walk away from her for the last time.
Heero nodded to the princess out of respect before turning his attention to Duo. "I hope you know what you doing," he said in a monotone as they headed off the meet with the other soldiers.
"Yeah," the long haired man simply said, refusing to look over his shoulder as he felt his heart shatter like glass.
The Princess of Saturn wrapped her arms around herself, as she silently watched the two soldiers leave. 'If they must die, then please let it be quick and painless. I can't bear for anyone to suffer,' she thought to herself before turning to enter her castle for one last time.
Suddenly the image of Queen Serenity appeared in front of the young princess, startling her out of surprise. "Saturn. Please listen to me. This war we are fighting is a losing one. There have been many casualties and more shall come. I hate saying this but there is no hope left. We have no choice. You must destroy this world, Princess. I will use the power of the crystal to revive everyone for a later time, including you," the melancholy woman sternly commanded as the girl in front of her bowed her head.
"Queen Serenity, your majesty, how could this have happened?! It makes no sense! We are using the strongest armies from over nine planets yet we still can cannot win?" Hotaru inquired as a slight glimmer of fright appeared in her eyes.
The queen sighed as she shook her head. "I do not understand this myself. Please end this turmoil we now live and die in," Ever so slightly, the queen of the moon's image began to fade.
Hotaru sighed deeply, feeling a mixture of determination and fear course through her body. Quickly, she transformed into Sailor Saturn and summoned her glaive in the same instant.
If she was going to end the world, then the princess wanted to see her love one last time. She knew Serenity would forbid it, but at the same time, it was very likely she already had acquired the knowledge. The rumors had spread that the princess was in love in a soldier, but no one dared to confront her.
With one last glimpse at her kingdom, Saturn set out to find Duo. She knew it was very perilous, but her heart commanded her body at this moment, out of dread of never seeing him again.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Duo fought as hard as he could but the image of Quatre's death, continued to haunt him. The blonde had been taken by surprise, slaughtered at the hands of those bastards. Relentlessly, they stabbed the young soldier through the back. He couldn't believe his eyes. Little, sweet Quatre was dead. He was the only who had a chance at a normal life if they were to survive the war, but that was ripped away from him by those cold-hearted fiends!
Duo, Heero, Trowa, and even Wufei all made sure they avenged their friend's passing. Unfortunately, the next to fall was Wufei. He went into such a wild rage over the death that he began fighting carelessly, losing his life as well. The braided-haired man didn't even look to see how the black-haired man had died, the amount of blood proved his speculation.
Now it was only up to the three of them to protect the kingdom of Saturn. In spite everything, it seemed the death card had been drawn by fate.
Duo tried to shut off his hearing when Trowa cried out in pain as he battled head on with his trusty sword. He was the Shinigami. Anyone who met him would die with a violent death. That was they way it had to be.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Saturn searched frantically for Duo. 'He can't be dead yet. He has got to still be alive!' Hotaru knew she was cutting it close. As soon as she found him, she would have to use her forbidden power before someone decided to choose her as a target.
Suddenly a loud scream rang through the cool air. "Duo," she breathlessly whispered, running as fast her legs could carry her to the site of the battlefield.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Duo shuddered at the lifeless form of Trowa, sprawled across the blood soaked grass. He only had one friend left. Was fate mocking him by killing his friends off one by one and pointing it's cruel finger at him pronouncing that Duo was the next to die?! How could reality be so savage and spiteful?! First it takes away the one he loves by guaranteeing that they would never be able to stay together and then rips away his friends one by one leaving only with his humility and a blood-stained sword. Well, he was not about to let his best friend die. This time, he was going to be next to fall.
It was strange how slowly everything happened next. One of the Negaverse soldiers attempted to run Heero through, but instead the cobalt blue-eyed man shoved his best friend out of the way, taking the blade of the sword into his own gut.
The Perfect Soldier could not understand it. Why did Duo save him, giving up his own life for Heero's?! "Duo, why the hell did you do it?!"
The solider grinned. "I didn't want to watch you die, so I figure. It wouldn't hurt to be the one to go next. I was wrong. This is pure agony!"
Just then Sailor Saturn arrived. 'Oh no, please don't let me be too late,' she thought, racing towards her fallen love. "Duo! You're hurt!" she cried out, practically throwing herself down to the ground at his side.
"And probably dying. Sorry I can't stay for too long," he smiled, clutching on his wound. Slowly Hotaru reached out and placed her hand on top of Duo's blood stained ones without even the slightest cringe.
Tears fell from the princess's eyes as she smiled down at Duo. "Promise you'll wait for me after this world ends?" she softly asked with a small smile across her lips.
"Always. I will never leave you, Firefly. You have my heart," the soldier whispered as he began fading fast. Reaching up, he lightly stroked her cheek and quietly said, "I...love... you."
Saturn bent her head down and joined her lips with his in a final kiss, separating only after she felt he was no longer kissing her back. Slightly shaking as she pulled away, the young woman brushed her hand against his face. "And I love you my handsome knight. I'll see again soon."
Abruptly, Sailor Saturn stood up, briefly bowing her head as she witnessed the death of Duo's best friend Heero, who was covered in blood. After recollecting her composure, the senshi of destruction and rebirth, held her head up high and gathered all of her strength. In order to affect not just her own planet but the entire solar system, she would have to use everything she had. But would it be enough?
Just then Queen Serenity appeared in front of her, "I understand that you had to say goodbye, but now it is time. You must take these ten crystals representing the nine planets and the moon when you use your power. This way, the entire solar system will be destroyed and reborn. Make haste, princess, you have only seconds left."
Saturn stared at the crystals in her hand briefly before powering up, clutching them tightly in her hand. In a flash of light, she was once again in her princess form, holding her deadly Silence Glaive. 'I'll see you soon my Shinigami.' Spinning the weapon once she yelled, "DEATH RIBBON REVOLUTION!" Quickly, she plunged the blade into the ground. Suddenly, there was silence.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hotaru pulled away from Duo trembling immensely as a cold sweat washed over her. Slowly she wrapped her arms around herself and began rocking back and forth as she dropped her head.
"Oh man.... that was intense," the pilot stated, unable to recognize his own voice or breathe for that matter. Taking a glimpse at the girl in front of him, she wasn't doing too much better. Sensing she was on the verge of a panic attack, Duo reached out and grabbed her from behind, pulling Hotaru into his arms. "Shh, it's over now. We're both...well dead or whatever living status we are in, but we're still together."
Duo could feel Hotaru nodded her head underneath his chin, as she seemed to relax a little. "May I suggest we wait awhile before trying again? I had to watch you die and there was so much blood and we could never be together and .."
"Shh, Firefly, we can take as much time as you like. That really shocked me up too. I could actually feel the sword impale me and damn that hurt!" the chestnut brown-haired pilot quietly said. "Tell you what, why don't we do our Sailor Senshi and Gundam Pilot bodies some honor, and attend our funerals. It might be fun!"
The violet-eyed woman giggled at the pilot's idea. "You know Duo, I think you really are demented sometimes, but okay. It might be a very unique experience. After all, how many people can say that they have actually attended their own funeral?"
"That's the spirit!" Duo smirked as Hotaru snickered before they both became quiet once again. Lost in thoughts of their previously lived life together. Even though that reality had some harsh points to it, they had to agree, there were some nice parts as well.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Notes: That you for all the reviews! Wow, I am so glad that you like my twisted story. I wanted to write something completely unique and I believe that this perfectly qualifies. Bet no one was expecting the twist I threw in. Yes I can be very unpredictable, but it keeps the story interesting.
If anyone was a little upset over the fact I killed off the Gundam Wing pilots, well, Saturn would have killed them anyway when she destroyed the world. The other Sailor Senshi were not in this because no one associated with Saturn around that time frame. She was basically isolated which is why she was so surprised when Duo wanted to meet her.
And that should clear up any confusion.
Next Chapter out next week. ^_^
And so the cycle of death continues...