Night’s Child

Part One

 

          Duo grumbled to himself as he walked down the shadowed street.  Dr. J’s stupid experiment to breech dimensions had shipped him to well… wherever he was nearly, he glanced at his watch, three hours ago.  He was still mumbling to himself when he heard the scream of pain.  His feet were moving in the direction before his mind had a chance to process the information.

          Turning into an ally he approached stealthy, not showing his pace.  A teenage girl with black hair, wearing a martial arts outfit was backed in a corner, blood seeping from a cut on her leg, three large men approaching her menacingly.

          “What?  You didn’t ask me to join in the fun?  How rude!”  He chirped cheerfully as all four looked up at him and he could have sworn the girl said idiot.

          One, with a jagged cut across his face, probably inflicted by the girl sneered.  “Who the hell are you?”

          Duo blinked, then grinned, “Hell?  Hmmmm.  Nice place, a little hot though… but I’m being rude.  You asked my name.  It’s Shinigami, The God of Death.  And no I don’t care to know your names.  But you should know that if you get to close to me, you will become dead very quickly.”

          The big one, next to the thug who was out, actually growled.  “Not if I kill you first, kid.”

          Then he moved, quicker then Duo had expected and his first punch landed on his jaw, hard.  But he refused to feel the pain and instead smirked at him, “Bad move.”  There was a snapping sound as the collapsible scythe Quatre had bought him appeared in his hand.  He moved with it like it was part of his body, carving a ‘z’ into the guy’s shirt.  At the stunned look his would-be assailant wore his grin grew larger and the gleam he got while piloting Deathscythe entered his violet eyes.  “I always wanted to do that.  Get it?  Z for Zorro, neat huh?”

          The man growled but a calm voice came from the smaller man left over laughed.  “Luis, watch the girl I’ve got the God.”

          As they traded places the man smiled, “Look into my eyes, boy.”

          Duo did, “Wow!  Your eyes are nearly demonic, cool.”  He said impressed.

          The comment took the man by surprise, “You aren’t under my spell but that’s impossible.”

          “Yah right!  Heero always glares at me like that when he’s threatening to kill me.  If I can stand that yours isn’t going to scare me.”  He moved forward, braid swinging along his back.  “Have you ever danced with Death?”

          Fangs showed when the man… creature smiled.  “What would a child your age know of death?”

          Duo’s manic grin didn’t falter, “Why don’t you find out?”

          It moved fast but his body was on full alert and he countered, moving just a little faster but the sheer force of the blow was a shock, though he hid it.  The… thing… seemed surprised and tried again using a succession of moves this time, which Duo blocked.

          It looked up, “Impossible!  You can’t be Human!”

          “Well I am but you obviously aren’t.  Not even Heero is as fast as I am in Death Mode.  So, care to tell me what you are?  I’d guess, by the teeth, a Vampire?”

          He hissed.  “I’ll see you dead.”

          Duo’s face lost the cheerfulness, replaced by a serious, concentrated face.  “Too late.  The war saw to that.”

          “War?”

          “Oh silly me.  That’s right, I’m in another dimension, so no war.  You wouldn’t know about me or the other Gundam pilots, would you?  Well here’s a run down.  I don’t fear death, pain or torture, I’ve been through each so much I probably have an immunity and if I have a mission, like I do know, there’s only one way to end it.  You have to kill me.  Mind you, if I can handle six guys at once, you’d better be good or do me a favor and quite wasting my time.”

          Once of the burly guys moved forward but the Vampire stopped him.  “You really don’t fear us do you?”

          “Nope.  I’d only be afraid if Heero decided to call himself Angel and prance around in a bright pink tutu.  From the perfect soldier, that would be… bad.”

          “You’ll allow us to leave?”

          Duo eyed him warily.  “I usually don’t let people live but… I could make an exception…”

          “No!”  Luis roared, his body’s shape changing into that of a boar and he lumbered forward.  He tackled Duo, his weight crashing down on his chest.  Using his surge of adrenaline Duo tossed him off, bringing the scythe around at the same time, severing his head.

          Looking up Duo met the Vampire’s gaze coolly.  “Unlike Quatre.  I only give one chance if any, yours was just used up.”  He pulled a gleaming gun from his clothing and shot the other goon between the eyes before turning to the Vampire, gold cross dangling in full view.  Turning the scythe around he used the wooden handle to pierce his heart, “I’ll see you in hell.”

          He pulled the handle out before looking at the girl.  She was standing, the gun he’d dropped pointed at him.  Others seemed to emerge from the shadows.

          “Rashel.”

          “He ruined the trap.”  Her hand never wavered.

          Duo laughed as he dropped his weapons.  “Go ahead.”

          “What?”  Came a voice from behind the girl, a blond haired man.

          “I said shoot!”  Duo leaned against the wall watching them.  “It’s not like I’ll get back to my dimension or anything and your world doesn’t need Duo Maxwell, Shinigami, Pilot of Deathscythe, trained terrorist,  thief, explosives expert, street rat, orphan…”  He cupped his hands behind his head.  “’Sides I’ve killed so many people that it’s about time I went to hell.  Most of them not even sure why they’re fighting.”

          “What about you?”  This came from a curly, red head.

          Duo smiled, “Me?  I fight for the colonies, for the dead and… for the children who are left without families, and for the children who still live in blissful ignorance.  I fight for peace… but peace will never come…”

          Rashel held the gun straighter, “How’d you fight like you did?”

          Duo blinked and lowered his hands.  “Do you want my life’s history?  Or are you going to kill me?”

          “Just answer the question?”

          “On the streets, when I was captured by OZ, when I joined the rebels, training with Doctor G, Wufei, Heero, Trowa and even Quatre… Mind you he also tried to teach me manners and failed miserably.”

          The red-haired girl stepped closer, “Captured?”

          Duo stiffened and stared at Rashel.  “Rashel?  That’s your name?  Good!  Will you just shoot me!”

          “Answer Poppy.”

          Duo’s eyes closed, “No.”

          “No?”

          With his eyes still closed he nodded, “That’s right.  I didn’t tell the other Gundam Pilot’s about my past… I won’t tell you.”

          “You were nine-years-old.  They tortured and raped you for a month before you escaped.”

          Duo’s eyes flew open and he found himself starring into unseeing eyes.  “Duo Maxwell, welcome to Night World.  I am Acadia.”

          “How…?”

          Acadia smiled, “I see the future, it’s called Second Sight.  Rashel please lower the gun, Duo has enough injuries as it is.”

          “Injuries?”  The group seemed to eye Duo is disbelief.

          “Oh yes, two broken ribs, sprained ankle, badly bruised forearm, a mild concussion, a nasty cut on his side and numerous cuts and bruises.”

          Duo’s mouth dropped open, “Half of those I got when I fell the five stories off that building when I got here.  You couldn’t have seen… Witch?…”

          “Yes.  I am the Maiden of the Witches.”

          He shook his head in amusement, “Okay, but I gotta tell you I feel like I’m stuck in a movie, ‘The God of Death meets the Witch Maiden’.”

…………………………

          Her dark head tilted to the side, “Do you believe you’re the God of Death, Duo?”

          A flicker of pain crossed his face before his mask fell in place.  “I think that if I was it would be an edge, because where I come from you kill or are killed.  Unfortunately I’m kinda special because not everyone can fly a Gundam so I gotta try and stay alive despite the fact that most people want me dead.”

          “Well Duo, you have allies now, we’ll look after you.”

          Duo shrugged, “Whatever, even if you were lying it’s no big deal.  Like I said, pain doesn’t mean much and as for torture… I doubt there’s anything you can do that I haven’t been through so… Take me to your leader.”

          “This… child is going to be a good addition to the circle?”

          “Thierry.”

          The old Vampire turned away from his soulmate and eyed the braided boy.  “How old are you?”

          The boy ignored him deftly and Acadia put a hand on his shoulder, “Duo please?”

          Duo turned in his direction, his expression a grin.  “Ah, is Maxwell not playing nice for the big, bad Vampire.  Poor Baby.”

          Someone moved before Thierry had a chance to reply.

          The boy grabbed the Vampire’s arm and broke it over his knee before throwing him across the wall.  “Oh, did I forget to mention you have to be really strong to handle a Gundam.”  The offending Vampire stood and Duo eyed him jovially, “You still want to dance with Death Vampy?”

          But Acadia interrupted further action, “Duo you should sit down.”

          “Why?  I can handle myse…” He stood still, gun locked in place.  “Ouch.”

          “I told you to let the witches heal you…”

          He shrugged, “I don’t mind pain, it let’s me know I’m still alive.”