Dark Shadows Arc

Part One

 

          Wufei’s head pounded and somewhere in the distance he heard a voice.

          “Jean-Claude, he’s waking up.”

          “Good Jason, merci.”

          He felt a hand on his arm and almost immediately his training kicked in.  Eyes flying open, he yanked his arm out of the grasp and rolled to the side barely getting his feet under him he stumbled backwards till his back was against a wall.

          The room around him spun but he slowed his breathing down until everything settled.  He found himself in a bedroom.  On the opposite side of the bed stood a fairly tall man with black hair, tight black pants, pale skin and a white ruffled shirt.  Over next to the fireplace, curled on a rug was wearing skin tight leather pants and a dog collar, blond hair falling across eyes that watched his every move.

          Leaning against the wall was another blond haired man, along with a ruff looking brown male, a small curly-haired female and a group of two men and a woman who clustered together.

          Then man across the bed spoke to him, and he focused back on him.

          “We won’t hurt you.”

          Wufei felt his lips twist into a sneer.  “I am not naïve enough to believe everything a strange person tells me.  Now, I deman you tell me of where my companions are.”

          The man’s eyebrow twitched, “Demand?”

          Wufei eyed him coldly.  “You don’t understand?  Perhaps you are more stupid than I thought.”

          A low growl made him divide his attention, placing it on the man on the rug who reminded him of a wolf.  “I suggest you tell your wolf to heel before I teach him proper respect.”

          “How do you know he’s a wolf?”

          Wufei frowned, ignoring pain.  “You mean how do I know he’s pretending or acting to be a wolf?”

          The blond man on the floor moved forward on all fours, slowly.  “No.  I’m not pretending kid, I’m a real werewolf.”

          Wufei stared at him, then laughed.  “Of course.  And I’m REALLY a Dragon, Duo’s REALLY The God of Death, Heero’s PERFECTLY sane, Trowa’s a chatterbox and Quatre’s a mass murderer.”  He placed his hands on his hips turning slightly to face him.  “Oh and there’s no war, my colony and clan weren’t blown up and my Gundam is pink and green… I may spout off about justice and honor but I’m not just a warrior I’m a scholar and I refuse to…”  He stopped as he saw the eyes change and reacted, pulling his sword out and holding it at the ready.  “But… perhaps…”  He moved forward intrigued.  “Would you run as the Hyenas did?… Would you fight as a beast or a man?…”

          “Jason, back down.”

          Wufei watched him back up and grin as he sat on his haunches.  Wufei didn’t turn but spoke to the man in ruffles with the French accent.  “So you’re the leader…”  He lowered the sword as he eyed the blond.  “And you’re his dog.”

          The blond grinned, “I am Jean-Claude’s.”  He laughed and Wufei had to back up a step blinking.

          “Jesus, you’re nearly identical to Duo…”  He let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes upward.  “There IS no God… or maybe he just likes torturing me.”

          There was a slight knock at the door.

          “Come in.”  Was Jean-Claude’s soft reply.

          The door swung open and another blond, slight young man stepped inside but it was the woman with curly, black hair who spoke.  “Stephen?  What’s wrong?”

          But Stephen’s eyes seemed trained on Wufei.  “Are you Chang, Wufei?”

          Wufei narrowed his eyes, “Perhaps… why do you ask?”

          “There’s a braided boy named…”

          Wufei didn’t let him finish.  “Duo… what of Maxwell?”

          Stephen blinked.  “H-he came out of no where.  Helped me and Gregory out of a bad situation but…”

          Wufei crossed his arms over his chest.  “He got hurt?  Captured?”

          Stephen rubbed his hands.  “Hurt, but he won’t let anyone help him, but I can smell blood and… he keeps mumbling about others… dimensions… Gundam… death… he had a picture he dropped of you two and some others and he stared at it saying he had to find you…”

          Wufei was at the door in two seconds, shoving Stephen through.  “Take me to him.”  When he hesitated Wufei glared, then growled.  “You may be both beset and man but I am only a Dragon.  If he dies, YOU die.”

          Stephen’s eyes got big.  “I hope he doesn’t.”

          Wufei blinked.  “Good God!  Why is it every damn person here seems to be so ignorant of war and life?  Forget it, I’ll find him myself…”  But Stephen had taken his hand, dragging him down the hall.  Everyone from the room following.

…………………………

          Wufei stumbled into a large room, similar in set up to a throne room, and spotted Duo leaning up against a wall.  “Maxwell?”

          The braided pilot looked up, and Wufei cursed.  Not many could have seen that duo was in pain, he hid it too well, but Wufei had gotten used to it.  Without realizing it he’d crossed the room to stand in front of him, hands on hips.

          Duo grinned, showing dimples.  “Hey Wu-man.  Happy to see me?”

          Wufei snorted, “Thrilled.”  He paused a moment.  “You’re hurt.  Badly.”

          Duo laughed, pushed off from the wall and did a cartwheel, Wufei’s gaze following him.  “Do I look hurt to you, Wu-man?”

          “Don’t call me that.  And to most, except Quatre, Trowa, Heero and myself you’d look healthy as a horse but in case you’ve forgotten I’ve treated your injuries before and know what to look for… you may be near immune to pain Maxwell but even YOU can’t laugh it ALL off.”

          Duo laughed, “Maybe not but you don’t look so hot yourself, Wu-man.”

          Wufei resisted the urge to groan.  “DON’T call me that, and my wounds are minimal compared to yours, now sit still and I’ll see what I can do to help.”

          Duo’s face became serious suddenly.  “Not yet.  Haven’t suffered enough yet.”

          Wufei frowned, “What?”

          Duo’s face was suddenly shrouded in shadows.  “I crashed Wufei, don’t know what happened.  One second I’m battling ten Leos and two Aries, the next my controls are frozen up and I’m coming down.”

          “So?  We’ve all crashed a few times.”

          He walked over to the window, fingering the curtain.  “Not that simple Wu-man.  Not by a long shot.”

          “Duo…”  This time he sighed.  “I know you don’t lie but you’re giving me the run around and I don’t appreciate it.”

          The braided pilot looked up, hat pulled down and for a brief second his eyes seemed red.  “We’re not home Wufei.”

          Wufei stared at his fellow pilot, confused.  “Oh?”

           “We’re in another dimension.  Not just you and me but Heero, Quatre, and Trowa too. It’s because of a temporal rip and destiny…”

          “Duo… what on Earth has gotten into you?”

          Duo looked up again and smiled, “You’ll see.  I know where to find everyone.  And if the Master of the City…”  He looked RIGHT at Jean-Claude.  “…will give us some help we can find them all twice as fast.  Stephen has already said he’ll talk to his Ulfric and Gregory to the head of the shapeshifting Leopards.  Do we’re set…”

          “Duo you’re not making sense.”  Wufei grumbled, rubbing his forehead.

He looked up as he felt a hand on his shoulder, he’d never heard Duo move.
          “Wufei, we’re surrounded by vampires, werewolves, wereleopards, a necromancer… and they’re others too.”

Wufei met his violet eyes.  “And how do you know Duo?”

Duo smiled slowly, “I’ll let you know when we get the others.  Quatre has a touch of it.”

“Duo sometimes I feel like wringing your blasted neck!”

He bashed his eyelids at him.  “Luv ya too Wu-man.”

……………………………….

          Anita watched the two boys and noted Jean-Claude’s intrigue and Richard’s uncertainty.

          Clearing her throat she got their attention.  “Why should any of us, help you?”

          The boy named Duo flashed a grin at her and despite herself she felt her heart melt a little.

          “You help us.  We help you.  Fair trade.”

          Richard shifted “What makes you think you can help us?”

          Duo tilted his head to the side,  “Wufei and I alone could do numerous things.  He’s trained in swordsmanship, martial arts, many mechanical abilities, terrorist training, explosives, etc.  And me, I do infiltration, assassinations, explosives; land , air, and sea vehicle operations… like hot wiring and stuff…, small weapons, terrorist training, robbery… etc.  You get the idea.”

          Anita didn’t let her shock show on her face but did let a note of disbelief enter her voice.  “Boys like you?”

          The boy named Wufei snorted, “Typical woman response.”

          Anita ground her teeth, “Excuse me?”

          It was the braided boy who interrupted.  “Wufei I know you only do that ‘cause of what happened to your wife…”

          The Chinese boy frowned, “You know nothing Maxwell.”

          She watched Duo smile sadly, “She died protecting you Wufei, and I know you do what you do to honor her memory, but not every female is going to die on you…”

          The fist came out of nowhere sending Duo back a step.

          “I SAID ‘shut-up’ Maxwell!”

          Duo moved forward catching both fists as they flew.  “You were only twelve, Wu, there was nothing you coulda done. It’s been two years… you gotta let it go.”

          The Chinese boy sneered, “At least I wasn’t a boy toy.”

          Duo paled but kept smiling.  “Touche, Wu-man.”  He let go and stepped back.

          Wufei blinked, “God Duo, I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t…”

          Anita felt her heart go out to Duo as she heard his hollow laugh.

          “Nah, Wu.  You’re right.  The past should be left in the past, not dredged up.”

          “But you had not control over what the guards did to you!”

          Duo peered at him from heavily, lashed eyes.  “Neither did you.”  He turned back, violet eyes focusing on Anita.  “Are you going to help us or not.”

          It was then that she realized she’d protect both of them no matter what.  They’d made it onto her list.  She didn’t look at either Richard or Jean-Claude.  “Yes.  I’ll help you.”