Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Outlaw Star Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction / Zoids Fan Fiction ❯ All Death's Children ❯ Chapter 3

Note: I tried to choose only characters that revolve around death or darkness, but you have to make allowances sometimes. Wynn is the "ageless" kid from a little-known (partially because Cartoon Network skipped it in the first run) episode of Cowboy Bebop, called "Sympathy for the Devil." Everyone else should be easily recognized…if you've been following my stories or watching CN & the WB regularly.

The base was unlike anything Vega had ever seen before. The walls were basically black…most of the time, anyway. They seemed to swirl into different shades of red and violet every few minutes.

And then there were the people.

Well, "people" was a bad word for it. "Warriors" was a more precise term. Everyone that Vega saw looked as if they'd been born to fight. Everyone, that is, except for Hotaru.

"What is it exactly that you people do here?" he asked.

"Your questions will have to wait a few more moments, Vega," Hotaru replied. "There's someone here who can answer them better than I can."

"It's not Duo, is it?"

Hotaru giggled. "No, of course not. I meant our Queen."

"You have…a queen?"

"Well, she's a queen to me. I guess others would consider her a mother or a goddess. She's different things to different people. It gets confusing after that."

Vega blinked a few times. "Okay. You've lost me, so I'll just be quiet now."

* * * * *

Duo stared down at his plate, then decided he wasn't hungry.

"You gonna eat that or paint a picture?"

Resisting the urge to growl, Duo just shook his head.

His chicken leg was instantly speared by a fork and yanked off his plate.

Yugi watched in awe as Ryoko demolished the chicken leg in one ravenous bite. "Geez, Ryoko-san. Don't you chew?"

Ryoko looked at him, a puzzled look on her face. "Chew?"

Yugi sighed and shook his head. "Never mind." He pointed at Duo. "What's wrong with him?"

Ryoko chuckled. "Woman trouble, kid. New recruit's moving in on his girl."

The words were barely out of her mouth when the blade slammed into her plate, slicing it in half. Ryoko fell out of her chair, a few tufts of her hair floating to the floor beside her.

At the other end of the scythe, Duo's eyes were an almost midnight black. Gradually, they faded back to cobalt blue. As if nothing had happened, he yanked the scythe out of the table and walked away, his face blank and pale.

Yugi offered Ryoko a hand. "I guess it's really getting to him."

Ryoko accepted the hand and pulled herself up. "Never thought I'd see the day when Braid Boy turned into Mr. Perfect Solider."

"Well, you shouldn't tease him when he's in one of his moods. You know that."

Ryoko shrugged. "Can't be helped. It's so much FUN…"

* * * * *

Heero Yuy was not, nor had he ever been, a mentor.

Yet, Wynn was his protégé in every way that mattered.

They understood each other.

Heero was a soldier.

Wynn was an immortal.

Somehow, it all worked out quite nicely.

Heero taught Wynn everything a soldier would ever need to know, and some things that no one should ever know (like how to pull a man's beating heart out of his chest and crush it before his dying eyes).

Wynn taught Heero every card game that had ever been invented. Not that they were terribly important or anything of that sort. It was just a way to pass the time. And when you were immortal, you REALLY needed a way to do that.

"Well, what do you have, Heero?"

Heero laid down his cards. "Two pairs."

Wynn smiled. "Too bad. I have a flush."

Heero grunted. He hardly ever won, and when he did, it was usually because cheating had become boring for Wynn at the time. He almost expected to lose each game, which was probably why he did so often.

Wynn slipped the deck back into his pocket. "Up for some target practice?"

Heero shook his head. "No time. We've got a meeting, remember?"

"Right. The new recruit. I hear he's young."

"Or maybe he only looks it."

Wynn smirked. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning maybe you have some competition."

Wynn scoffed and stood up. "I seriously doubt it. He's probably just a Seeker."

"Duo says he's a Pilot, at least. He's got some kind of mobile suit."

"Then maybe you're the one with competition."

Heero narrowed his eyes. "I have no competition."

"If that's what keeps you sharp, you keep telling yourself that." Wynn looked up as the door slid open. "Oh, Duo. Heard anything about the new recruit?"

For a moment, Duo looked as if he might snarl, then frowned instead. "No," he said stiffly, coming to join them. "And I don't want to hear anything about him."

"What'd he do to you?" Wynn asked.

"To me? Absolutely nothing."

Heero was the first to piece it together. "Firefly-related, then."

"Ah." Wynn patted Duo's arm sympathetically. "Not to worry, Duo. I'm sure Hotaru was only doing her job."

"I'm more concerned with what he might do to her."

"I know you're upset, but now I think you're overreacting. Has Our Lady ever recruited someone that wasn't worth the risk?"

"She would never put Hotaru in unnecessary danger. You know that," Heero added.

Duo sighed in frustration. "Yeah, I know. But why'd it have to be a guy her age?"

"Well, maybe it's just me," Wynn said, "but I'd rather have my girlfriend stolen by a guy instead of a girl."

Duo glared at him.

"Ryoko always seemed to be interested in you," Heero pointed out.

"Don't even go there," Duo growled.

Wynn shook his head. "That's your problem; you're too into the cutesy-innocent girls. You need a demon summoner."

"Space pirate," Heero corrected him.

"WHATEVER she is, you should go out with her," Wynn said.

"Look, guys. Hotaru is MINE. If you like Ryoko so much, YOU go out with her."

"She only wants you," Wynn muttered, looking slightly embarrassed.

Duo stopped frowning and grinned. "She shot you down?"

"Said I was too young-looking," Wynn admitted. "She said it'd be illegal, even for her."

Duo snickered and burst out laughing.

"Well, at least HE'S feeling better…"

* * * * *

Vega's jaw dropped. "THIS is your queen's throne room?"

They were standing in what looked more like a normal living room. There was even a TV in the corner.

"She doesn't have a throne room. She doesn't need one. And I told you, she's not a queen to everyone."

"So…she isn't rich?"

Hotaru shrugged. "Only in spirit…or something like that."

Vega stared at her. "Hotaru, you're starting to scare me. I thought you were the one sane person here."

"You'll understand once you meet her, I promise."

Without warning, several other people appeared around them.

Vega wasn't surprised to see the one standing closest to Hotaru was Duo. He noticed they were all wearing black of some sort, and was suddenly glad he was, too.

Hotaru poked his arm, and Vega turned to see a woman sitting on top of the TV. She was holding a fishbowl in her hands and peering at the two fish inside. "Hello, boys," she said cheerfully. "Did you miss me?"

"I've never met her," Vega muttered.

Hotaru shook her head. "She's talking to her fish."

Vega frowned. That certainly didn't make him feel better.

The woman put down the fishbowl and walked over to them. She frowned and looked at Duo. "What's wrong?"

Duo looked startled for a moment, then replied, "Nothing."

"You're lying," she said, sounding hurt. She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. "Oh, I see."

At Vega's side, Hotaru stiffened but remained silent.

"Firefly?" the woman called, sounding amused.

Hotaru blushed. "Yes, Majesty?"

"Did Vega offend or upset you in any way?"

"No, Majesty."

"Vega?"

Vega blinked and looked up. "Yes?" He wasn't really sure what to call her.

"You wouldn't do anything like that to our precious Firefly, would you?"

"No," Vega said slowly, starting to wonder if everyone had a nickname but him.

"There, you see?" She smiled at Duo. "All better. So where's that smile I'm so fond of, hmm?"

Amazingly enough, Duo broke into a charming grin.

"There's my boy. Be sure to apologize to Ryoko later." She patted his cheek and moved away from them. "Come with me, please, Vega."

Vega slowly followed her over to a couch in front of the TV.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked, turning to look at him.

Absently, Vega took a step back. There was something very familiar about her eyes. "No."

"Do you know what I am?"

Vega continued to stare at her. "Should I?"

"Not necessarily. You'd only know me indirectly, unless, of course, you don't." She paused and smiled at him. "Would you fight for me?"

"Why would I do that?"

"The same reason you did it before: you enjoy battle. Only this time, it would be for a good cause."

"But…I'm dead," Vega pointed out.

"Being dead only keeps you from living. It doesn't keep you from existing. Anyway, everyone here has died at least once."

"What do you mean, at least once?"

"Some people can be reborn, Vega." Her eyes drifted to Hotaru. "Others have to be."

Vega didn't like the way that sounded. "So what would I be fighting?"

"Anything or anyone that decided to mess with the order of things. Literally, beings that try to cheat death."

"So…you want me to kill people."

"No, Vega. I want you to keep them from living forever. There's a huge difference."

"Which is?"

"Anyone can exist forever, that's easy. In fact, most do. But living forever is something only certain beings are allowed to do. Unfortunately, some humans think they were meant to live forever, and we're here to prove them wrong."

"So are you…were you…human?" Vega asked.

"That's for you to decide, Vega. I am what you think of me. That's all I can say."

"And do I have a choice?"

She smiled. "Of course. Though if you don't join us, I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Where would I go?"

"Wherever your soul was meant to go." The woman sighed. "But don't forget, Vega. I called to you, and you answered. Everyone is brought here for a reason. Not everyone joins us, but those who do have never regretted it." She offered her hand to him. "You have a warrior's spirit inside you. Are you really going to pass up a chance to feed it? You may have achieved great things while you were alive, but the good you could do with us will far outweigh them. Think carefully before you decide."

For some reason, Vega reached for her hand, but she stepped out of his reach.

"Give your answer tomorrow. For now, you should rest and think." The woman turned away. "Firefly?"

"Yes, Majesty?" Hotaru asked.

"Show Vega his room, and answer any further questions he has."

Hotaru slipped her hand into Vega's. "Come on," she said, pulling him to the door.

Vega glanced over his shoulder to see the woman embracing Duo. Though he couldn't explain it, he felt a twinge of jealousy, and realized Hotaru was still trying to pull him away.

"You didn't want to leave her, did you?" Hotaru asked later.

"No," Vega admitted. "It was a very strange feeling."

"You'll get used to it. Once your heart learns to accept her for what she is."

"And what is she?"

"I can't tell you that, Vega," Hotaru replied. "You have to decide what she is for you. No one can tell you but yourself."

"Are there any straight answers here?" he asked.

Hotaru smiled. "Only the one you'll give tomorrow: yes, or no."