Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Shade Darker ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: All rights and privileges to Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing are trademarks and
property of Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties. The characters of these works
are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is
not meant for sale or profit.


Author's Note: This is an alternate reality fanfic where vampires, witches, werewolves,
zombies, etc. exist. The events of this story take place after the Gundam Wing series last
episode and before "The Endless Waltz". Thanks. Please send all comments to Jennifer
Bratcher, at slaybrat@aye.net and/or slayerbrat@yahoo.com. Thank you very much. I hope you
like my serious stuff as much as my comedy.


A Shade Darker

Prologue


Trowa Barton wrapped his jacket against the chill wind. Winter had fallen in the Carpathian
Mountains, currently where the circus was at right now. The tall, slender boy made his way
across the small village. He really didn't know where he was going, but he felt that he needed a
walk to clear his head.


He passed a vidscreen. He paused and listened to the news report. The reporter was an
attractive redhead and she smiled brightly. She said, "Relena Peacecraft had just made final
negotiations between the L3 colonies and Earth today. Miss Peacecraft reassures the citizens of
both Earth and the Colonies that this is a new dawn, a new beginning."


Peace has finally been made at home, Trowa thought, relieved, as he started to walk again.


The reporter went on, "And in other news, Quatre Rebaba Winner had just finished negotiations
to rebuild Space Fortress Barge to become a weaponless space research point. Mr. Winner, the
young CEO of Winner Enterprises, also plans to help find homes and carriers for the former Oz
soldiers as soon as possible."


Quatre, always too kind for your own good, Trowa thought fondly of his friend as he looked
back at the TV. A photo of Quatre's cherubic features was now on the screen. Trowa smiled
and softly said, "I hope everything is well for you, my friend." With that, he started to walk
again.


He walked past a dark ally. A pale hand whipped out of the shadows and grabbed him. Trowa
didn't remember anything after that.



******

He was known as the God of Death to both humans and the Forces of Darkness. To his friends
he was known as Duo Maxwell, Deathscythe HELL pilot. To the Forces of Darkness he was the
God of Death, the Hunter, the Exterminator, whatever the hell they called him that week.


Right now he was taking up his true calling once again, being the God of Death for the undead.
He smiled as he pulled his black cap over his eyes as he walked down Louisville, Kentucky's
busy streets. He had gotten a call from the Church saying that a group of vampires had sprung
up here and were taking control.


"Can't have that, can we?" Duo asked with a manic smile as he slid into an ally.


There were two of them, bent over a young woman with long black hair. They looked up at
Duo, the teenage boy with the meter long chestnut braid, huge violet-blue eyes, dressed in a
priest's garb and with a silver cross swinging wildly from a chain on his neck. His duster to
ward off the cold and hide his weapons moved like bats' wings behind him.


The vampire's red eyes glowed in the darkness, blood dripped off their fangs as they looked at
him. Duo said, "Okay boys, you had your fun."


"Get the hell away, kid," the first vampire snarled between bloody fangs.


Duo drew the weapon out of his duster. A Gundaminum scythe. He spun it over his head then
knelt on the ground, leaning on the weapon. He smiled and said, "Aww, come on now, Fang
Face, you don't wanna disappoint the God of Death, now do you?"


"It's him," the second vampire hissed in fear.


"Exactly," Duo said cheerfully as he waited for the vampire to spring. They always attacked
him. They were just stupid that way.


"Lets be the ones that kill the God of Death," the first one snarled as he sprang. Just like Duo
predicted. The God of Death spun on his heel, catching the vampire with the scythe's blade
right across the gut, spilling blood and intestines. The vampire screamed in pain as Duo spun
back around and cut the vampire's head off with his scythe.


The second vampire snarled and rushed him. Duo cleanly moved out of his way and swung the
scythe in one clean motion. The vampire's head rolled on the pavement and they exploded into
ash as one. He dusted his hands off and said, "Not bad, but you could have tried harder."


"Help me," the girl stammered. Duo rushed over to her side and gently helped her off the
ground. Twin puncture wounds marked each side of her throat, blood dribbled out of them in a
tiny, scarlet trickle.


"Are you okay?" Duo asked her, moving her slowly out of the ally.


She shrugged and answered, "I think so, at least. Where they?"


"Vampires, yeah," Duo answered her as he rested her body on a bench.


"Vampires are real," she murmured in disbelief.


Duo nodded and said, "Well, you should be okay here. I've got work to do." He stood up, not
wanting to flirt because he had Hilde. Or he hoped that Hilde still wanted him anyway.


She reached out a hand and clutched his duster. She said, "Thank you very much."


Duo grinned and replied, "Hey, my pleasure. It's my job." With that, he tilted his hat and
walked away from her, ready to hunt again.


******

"My lovely Trowa," a soft voice crooned to him, "Wake up and experience forever."


Trowa slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he thought of was pain. His whole body felt like
it was on fire, an all consuming, suffocating pain. He had trouble moving. He had been hurt
before, but the pain wasn't even half as bad as this.


He moaned and tried to sit up. A lovely young woman with midnight black hair smiled at him.
She was dressed in a red bodice and black leather pants. He blinked and looked into her face.
Her eyes kept changing color. Once they were blue, and now they were as black as obsidian.


His mouth felt dry. His throat was constricting and burning, his body asking for something that
his mind couldn't comprehend. The Heavyarms pilot asked, "Where am I?"


The girl moved from his vision. The room was candle lit, the light flickering almost painfully.
It hurt Trowa's eyes to look at it. He closed them and turned his head away. He knew he was in
danger; he just didn't know how to get out of it.


She answered in her soft, husky voice, "Why, you're at my cabin, my lovely Trowa." Trowa
didn't like the musical purr of her voice. There was something wrong with the girl, but strangely
familiar.


He got images of what happened after the hand grabbed him in the ally. A beautiful girl holding
him like a lover, dipping her head into his neck. He felt a sharp prick there then a languid
warmth as she stroked his face, his arms.


He stood up, wobbling, and said, "No . . . They're not real."


She smiled and leaned her face on her palms. Her eyes turned bright green as she looked up at
him. She said, "My name's Lilith. Welcome too forever, Trowa."


"What are you talking about?" he hissed. He hurt all over. He had trouble moving, he was
weak.


"Why, my dear Heavyarms pilot, I just made you into a vampire," she told him with a chuckle.


"That's impossible," he hissed at her, the pain increasing, threatening to knoll at his insides and
burn him from the inside out.


She smiled and said, "Trowa, you're feeling the hunger right now. And it's too bright in here,
isn't it?"


It was. The light was still hurting the Gundam pilot's eyes. He was squinting as he looked at
her. His canine teeth felt heavy, throbbing for something. He ran his tongue over his lips to find
fully extended fangs poking his lips.


"What did you to me?" he asked her. He was about ready to colaspse. The pain was that much.
He was a Gundam Pilot. He was Trowa Barton. If Heero Yuy could survive being blown up,
then he could face this.


She stood up and held her hand out to him. She told him, "Come, my pet, we'll feed."


Trowa took one last look at her and ran.