Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Wing ❯ Broken Wing - Chapter Nine ( Chapter 9 )

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

Authors Notes: IMPORTANT



Authors Notes: IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! This is a rewritten version of chapter nine. Someone pointed out in a review that Quatre couldn't possibly have overheard Duo in the last scene, because Quatre had already left with Hiiro! Baka me! So I've changed it in this one, so it will make more sense.

Disclaimer: Stupid lawyers . . . I don't own Gundam Wing. I don't own Sailormoon. Please . . . don't sue me. All you'll get is a few notebooks and maybe a Lifesaver or two.


Broken Wing ~ Chapter Nine



The door opened, much too early for Usagi's liking, and the guards returned to carry her to her doom. She even helped them, able to walk somewhat after the rest. She wanted this over as soon as possible. She wanted to be in the Afterlife, calm, without pain, waiting patiently for her Mamo-chan to be with her again.
Gomen nasai, Chibiusa . . . it looks like your existence will be erased now.
The journey down the corridor was as silent and as long as ever. She spent these minutes, the last of her life as she saw them, remembering her home and her family and friends. Then she thought of the pilots, who apparently had failed to rescue her, for whatever reason. Her heart, in its kindness and trusting nature, wouldn't allow her to believe that it was because they hadn't tried.
Without warning the building shook as though in a vicious earthquake, and Usagi was flung from the guards unprepared fingers. Her head hit the corridor wall, but she barely noticed. It was only another pain added to that which already burned through her body. She didn't even try to get up and run away.
"What was that?" she heard one guard ask the other before another intense tremor shook them to their knees again.
They had a point; what was it causing the shaking? She really didn't care.
"What are you idiots doing?" called the impatient and rather unpleasant voice of the stick-wielding officer from behind them, "Don't you realize that we're under attack?!? Pick her up and take her to the interrogation room! We'll get that information from her before they find her, or kill her first!"
Yes . . . kill me.
She hadn't even noticed the other words he spoke.
"It's a Gundam. Those pilots must be here for her! She said she had friends who were coming to rescue her."
"B-but a Gundam, sir?" stammered a guard.
"That's what I said, isn't it?" the officer shrieked with a whap of his stick on the guard's shoulder. Then he prodded the other less than gently, "Go on, pick her up!"
The guards obeyed, lifting a barely conscious Usagi from her place on the ground. They rushed as fast as they could with their burden and within moments had plopped her into the lone chair that sat in the all too familiar room. Usagi was almost happy to see it, like an old friend.
"Konnichiwa . . ." she murmured, although she didn't know whether it was morning, afternoon, or evening.
"Quiet!" The sharp command was followed by the crack of the stick connecting with her jaw. She even winced at this new pain, but something instinctual told her that no matter how hard he seemed to have hit her, her jaw wasn't broken. Not yet. If he broke her jaw, she wouldn't be able to speak, and he wasn't ready yet to let her off that easily. "Now, for the last time, little girl, tell me what your weapon was! If you don't tell me, your friends will have come to save a corpse!"
She kept her head bowed and didn't say a word.
"Fine!" the officer seethed, raised his arm, and this time Usagi knew there would be no pause.
The distinct sound of a gunshot resounded through the small room, and a bullet hole sprang from nowhere in the wall near the officer's head.
"Not to sound cliché or anything," came a unique voice, one that registered in Usagi's mind slowly, "but I won't miss next time."
"Who the hell are you?" growled Lieutenant Stick, face contorted into an expression on pure rage. Usagi lifted her head gently and turned it to see a shadow in the doorway, features blurred by the light from behind it or from her own failing vision, or perhaps both. At either side of the door lie the bodies of the two guards.
"Don't you know? I'm Shinigami, asshole."
The officer scoffed, which seemed to be his favorite gesture.
"Shinigami . . . right. Well, Sir God of Death, here's a gift from me to you."
With that, and a cold, cruel grin, he brought his stick arm hurtling downwards towards Usagi's head.
Another shot, and she saw the form of her tormentor fly backwards, weapon propelled through the air as his grip loosened.
"Told you I wouldn't miss," said the mysterious figure, and the voice became more and more familiar, "See you in Hell," he muttered, and at last a name came to her.
"D-Duo-kun . . ."
"Hey," his voice softened, and she opened her eyes again to see him kneel in front of her. His eyes grew dark as he gazed on her bruised and battered face. Then he scowled, "Damn them, how could they do this?" She felt his arms push behind her back and underneath her knees and suddenly she was being lifted again, only this time in a gentle cradle.
"How is she?" came a quieter speech from the doorway.
"Beaten pretty bad," Duo replied to the person Usagi couldn't quite make out. Stupid light. "You were right, Quatre, he was going to kill her. If we'd waited any longer . . ."
"No time for that, we have to get her out of here so the others can retreat."
"Right."
Usagi relaxed in Duo's arms, even though in her mind there was the image of a man, cruel but human, falling backwards, with blood spurting from his chest.


~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~


Duo dared to peer downwards at Usagi again, and flinched at the sight of her. A blossom of dark purple surrounded her right eye, and a cut that was never cleaned left a trail of dry blood down her cheek from her eyebrow. More, smaller bruises decorated her pale skin, and an angry red welt was beginning to rise where Duo imagined that officer had hit her with his stick.
"Duo," Quatre called to him softly, and the braided one snapped himself from his angry trance.
"Yeah, I'm coming."
Another shock wave went through the building, sending Duo hurtling into the nearest wall. He managed to turn so that his back would hit and Usagi wouldn't, but he saw her wince with the impact anyway.
"I think Hiiro's getting a little carried away up there," he growled, "he's forgotten that we're in here too!"
"It's possible."
It was then that they broke into the air outside, evening air, the setting sun casting an eerie pinkish orange glow over the chaotic battle scene before them.
OZ soldiers were running and stumbling all over the place, some of them with sense enough to grab for guns, but most of them were just rookies who were too green to know any better than to run around in a panic. Duo almost felt sorry for them. Almost. They WERE OZ, after all. They'd chosen this destiny for themselves.
"It's too thick," Quatre said, holding his gun with an expertise one wouldn't expect of this quiet, polite boy unless they really knew him, "Too many soldiers who know what they're doing. Trowa and Wufei aren't going to be able to hold them all back. Even Hiiro can't; he has to be too careful about where he's shooting," on cue a bright yellow bolt shot through the sky and exploded down upon the base, "We'll have to fight to get through."
"Luckily the truck isn't too far away," Duo said, referring to the vehicle he had managed to borrow from one of the villagers.
"I'll go ahead of you and clear a path. You can't shoot with her in your arms."
Duo nodded in agreement. He crouched as well as he could, ready to sprint through the upheaval after Quatre. Two seconds passed as the blonde waited for the perfect moment . . . three . . . four . . .
At second five, Usagi suddenly gave a cry and squirmed from Duo's grasp, heading out across the battle on her own, towards who knew what.
"Usagi-san!"
But she wasn't listening to him.
"DAMN!"


~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~


Wufei never knew what happened, why he tried to swipe his blade when he should have ducked. It wasn't a mistake he normally would have made; it was amateurish really. Perhaps it was fate, though.
When he found his wrist caught in his opponents hand, he knew that somehow he had lost this fight. A growl began to rise but was cut off when the soldiers elbow came crashing into his throat. His dark eyes widened and he fell, choking miserably, unable to breathe for the pain that lanced through his neck. He knew he had to get up or this would be the last battle he would ever see. But he couldn't seem to make his limbs work; all he could do was cough, choke, and try to pull air past his screaming throat into his lungs.
"Heh, I'll get a promotion for this for sure," rumbled the deep voice of the soldier from above. Through pain blurred vision Wufei looked up and saw a gun barrel pointed straight at him. In a second his face would be a mess of blood and bullets. "Dead Gundam pilot, comin' right up."
Wufei glared up at him, refusing to shut his eyes like a coward at his own death.
Then a pale golden bundle crashed into the soldier, knocking him to the ground. Wufei heard a THUD that could be mistaken for nothing other than the soldier's head hitting the hard concrete. Then a horribly battered face moved to hover over him. With the chaos still humming around them, Usagi reached forward to help him.
"Stop moving," she murmured to him gently, only to have him slap her hand away violently.
"Leave me alone, Onna!" he choked on the words, sending him into another coughing fit. He felt her hands grab his shoulders and push him back down to the pavement. He tried to growl, but only ended up with a strangled sound that was nothing like what he'd wanted. He felt her touch at his throat, ever so light, and the muscles relaxed, leaving him free to breathe without effort again.
"I know you don't like me," she said, and he sensed the exhaustion and pain in her voice, "I'm not quite sure why, though." She extended a hand to him, but he refused, pushing himself up on his own. "And I've never understood how a man can be so stupid as to refuse help, just because it's from a female."
"Onna . . ." he began, but thought better of it, and turned to the fallen soldier. The rise and fall of the man's chest showed him to be still alive. Wufei retrieved his katana from the ground and prepared to finish him off.
A strong hand on his wrist stopped him.
In shock he looked to Usagi. He never thought she had such strength in her small, feminine body, especially in her current condition. But there she was, standing beside him, hand clenched tightly around his wrist, bruised face set into a hard, determined expression.
"Don't kill him."
"What?!?"
"I said don't kill him," she repeated, slowly, firmly, "I have never in my life killed a human being, and while I'm here, neither will you."
Wufei's mouth fell open in utter amazement. How dare she tell him not to kill! It was his mission, his duty as long as OZ was in power or he died, whichever came first. But she stared at him with her electric blue eyes, eyes that held in them secrets and power and ever so much more than Wufei had ever thought could be within the eyes of a woman. He wondered for a moment if she even realized the power of her gaze. This was a girl who, despite her age, was used to her orders being obeyed. Neither of them moved even as Duo and Quatre finally made their way through the battle towards them. Both of them stood in silence, waiting to see who would win this battle of wills.
At last he nodded, a barely perceptible movement, but she saw and released him. Usagi sighed, then fell forward in a dead faint. Wufei caught her, more out of a natural reaction than any actual desire to do so. After a surprised moment he bent down to pick her up properly, cradling her limp form much the same way Duo had earlier. Speaking of the braided one, he glared at Wufei in something akin to jealousy.
Trowa ran up to them, placing a hand on Quatre's shoulder.
"I'm out of bullets," he said softly, "If we plan to leave, now would be the time."
"I've still got ammo," Duo said, turning back to the crowd of soldiers, some of them converging on the pilot's meeting place, "You guys make a run for it and I'll keep 'em back." Trowa pulled Quatre away as an agreement, but before Wufei could follow, Duo gripped his arm, "She'd better get there alive," he said, voice sharp, "If she doesn't, you'll find out what I can really do."
Wufei jerked his arm away and didn't even bother to respond. He turned away and ran towards the waiting truck to the sound of Duo's gunshots behind him. A few times he was barely missed by enemy bullets, seeing the trees that bordered the base take the shots for him. And he cursed Duo each time that happened for not paying enough attention.
When he reached the truck he handed Usagi up to Trowa, then climbed into the back himself. Quatre sat behind the wheel, waiting for Duo, who was just now appearing through the trees, shooting off the last of his ammunition. The braided one fired his last bullet then turned and ran full force, leaping into the truck bed just in time to avoid getting shot in the leg. Instantly Quatre stepped on the gas pedal and they went flying through the trees, travelling over the path the pilots had cleared earlier.
Duo sat up and leaned against the upright tailgate, looking back over the fiery remains of the OZ base. He grinned.
"Chaos. Panic. Disorder. My work is done here."
Wufei groaned.


~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~


They arrived at their own base approximately five minutes after Hiiro returned in Wing, and they found him waiting outside standing alongside Setsuna. The woman was dressed strangely, however, in a short-skirted sailor outfit, with a tiara perched on her forehead. In her right hand she held a large key-shaped staff. Her expression was hard, set into what Quatre thought was anger, though he couldn't be certain. She was so difficult to read. Things looked even worse when Duo picked up the unconscious Usagi and carried her from the truck.
"What happened," Setsuna asked, and Quatre became positive beyond a doubt that she was definitely angry. Incensed was more like it. Her voice was so cold, unlike before when it had been kind.
"It's my fault," Duo immediately spoke up, and from the look on his face he believed in his guilt, "She was captured by OZ," his voice cracked a bit, and he cleared his throat, "They beat her. I don't know why."
"I do," she said, stepping forward to examine the girl. Her expression grew darker with each bruise that marred Usagi's face.
"Why?"
"Nothing that is important to you," Setsuna spat at him. Instantly she looked sorry for her outburst, but she didn't apologize. None of them asked her again. "I should have known better . . ." she sighed and turned away.
"Better than what?" Wufei stepped forward, looking none too pleased himself, "Than to bring a weak and utterly untrained girl into the heart of a war? Is that it? She has absolutely nothing to give to us, she can't even protect herself against two men! What on Earth where you thinking when you brought her here, Onna?!?"
"WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?" Setsuna thundered, and for a moment it seemed her anger echoed off of the valley walls and intensified, "I was thinking that I would save your lives! You have no idea what Usagi-chan has gone through! She has seen and done much more than any teenager should ever have to, much like the five of you! And as for her not being able to protect herself," she growled, then stalked right up to Wufei and stared down at him, maroon eyes flashing with an odd and enraged light, "Did you ever think of teaching her how to protect herself? You've had a month here with her, what did the five of you do with that time? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! I'm disappointed," she sighed, resting her forehead in one hand, "How are you ever going to save a world and colonies if you can't even think to teach ONE person how to defend themselves?"
They didn't reply, merely looked at her. Even Wufei and Hiiro quailed under this assault, knowing the woman to be right. Duo cursed under his breath and Quatre nearly burst into tears from guilt. Only Trowa remained completely stoic, perhaps only because he was so practiced at it.
"You can't stay here anymore," Setsuna finally said when she spoke again, "OZ will be looking for her and for you now that you've taken her from them. They'll search this entire area."
"Where do we go?" Quatre sniffled, yet to regain control over himself.
Setsuna paused and tapped her staff against the ground thoughtfully before replying.
"Quatre, you and Hiiro must go into the Sanch Kingdom and ask the princess for political asylum."
"WHAT?!?"
"It will work, Duo," she turned to the braided one, "trust me."
"But why Quatre and Hiiro?" Wufei asked, having quickly regained his mask of arrogance.
"I say again, trust me. It's the way it must be." Setsuna took a deep breath and offered them a rare smile, "Hiiro, Quatre, leave tonight and you will arrive at the palace by morning. Ask to see the princess, and Hiiro, only you give your name."
"But-"
"Do I have to say it again?"
"No . . ."
"Good. The rest of you keep Usagi here until you here word from them. If OZ comes close, hide in the trees-"
"We know how to hide," Wufei snapped impatiently. This time Setsuna didn't shout or even frown at him. It seemed she'd lost most of her anger.
"Good. I expect Usagi to be alive and safe next time I return." She turned to leave, then, as if caught by some last minute thought, she spoke over her shoulder, "Oh, and don't think that you can threaten me into telling what I know."
Quatre saw both Wufei and Hiiro scowl at that, but he had to smile. Setsuna had known about their plan to try and kill her all along. When he looked back to ask her a question, the woman was gone. He sighed. If only they could come and go like that, infiltrating and escaping OZ would never be a problem.


~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~


As instructed by their mysterious benefactor, Quatre and Hiiro left that night to sneak into the Sanch Kingdom and ask the princess for political asylum. It had taken some convincing on Quatre's part, but at last Hiiro had agreed to go. But before they left, the brown-haired boy had made a very good point.
I thought there was no royalty in Sanch Kingdom. When did they get a princess?


~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~


Long into the night Duo stayed up in Usagi's room, tending her wounds, making a cold cloth to go over her bruises for comfort, and merely assuring himself that she was back, and alive. He'd seen Quatre and Hiiro leave from her bedroom window, and now he watched the moon as it trekked across the sky in its invisible pathway. He didn't know exactly when, but perhaps somewhere around four in the morning his indigo eyes finally began to droop. He jerked his head up, determined to stay awake and protect her, like he hadn't been able to do in the village.
To keep himself busy, Duo decided to take the time to go down to the kitchen and trade the old bowl of warm water for a fresher, cool one. He carefully removed the cloth from her head and quietly left the room, closing the door only partially behind him.
Outside he stretched his limbs and neck, working out the kinks that were the result of sitting in a chair for hours on end. Once his legs were useful for walking again, Duo journeyed through the halls and corridors, arriving in the kitchen with a large yawn. A short, sharp pain went through his head to remind him that he himself wasn't exactly in tip top shape yet either. The pain also brought back the memory that plagued him: turning around too soon, getting himself hit and Usagi captured.
He dropped the bowl into the sink in disgust. Placing his hands on the counter, Duo hung his head and squeezed his eyes shut tightly against the guilty tears that sprang up, screaming to be released.
"Damn it," he muttered, "It's my fault. Me and my stupid self!"
Without thinking, he swiped his arm across the counter top, sending glasses, bowls, and plates flying through the air and crashing to the floor. A moment passed in silence when he realized that he might have woken the others. He stood perfectly still for a minute, and when he decided that all was still quiet, he turned and sank to the floor, resting his arms on his bent knees. At last, he began to speak again, but this time not to himself.
"God . . . I know it's been a while . . . hell, I've never prayed, have I? Well . . . uh, could you forgive me for that just long enough to listen for a while? If you're even there," he quickly amended, for it was difficult to go from disbelief to belief in a moment's time, "I just . . . I feel so guilty about Usagi-san. I know it was my fault, and I'm not begging you to forgive that or anything. No . . . I deserve whatever punishment I'm going to get for being stupid. But . . ." he paused, wondering what he was doing, sitting in the middle of a kitchen floor amongst broken dishes praying to a God he'd never believed in before. Should he even continue? "Please God, if you're there, if you have any compassion at all, let me be stronger next time! Let me be able to protect her, to make up for my stupidity now! Please!!"
He fell into silence, waiting. He didn't know exactly what it was he waited for. Confirmation, perhaps, that his prayer had been heard and answered. He waited a very long time on that kitchen floor, and there was no bolt of lightening or booming voice, or even a sense of overwhelming peace. There was just . . . nothing.
"Ah, fuck God," he snarled, pushing himself up from the ground.


~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~


Wufei stood outside the kitchen door. Perhaps he'd been the only one to hear the shattering of dishes, but he doubted it. He was simply the only one paranoid enough to have to get up and see what it had been. He caught himself wondering briefly about Trowa's skills. If the tall boy was willing to let anything suspicious happen without investigating . . .
"Ah, fuck God."
Duo's last, angry words brought Wufei out of his thoughts.
To hear the braided one pray . . . it was extremely odd. Each of them knew a bit about each other's pasts, but not enough to truly understand each other. Wufei knew that Duo wore his hair in that braid and wore that ridiculous looking collar for a specific reason, but it had never been through faith in God, the black-eyed boy was certain of that. The only god that Duo seemed to believe in was himself as Shinigami. So what was going through that braided baka's head that caused him to pray? Was it the girl? Why was she so important to him?
As his mind trailed to Usagi, Wufei suddenly realized something, and cursed under his breath.
Setsuna didn't know what had happened to Usagi! Even her vision of the future was distorted! Otherwise she would have seen Usagi's capture and moved to stop it. It made him extremely uneasy that even the Guardian of Time was completely in the dark about the future.
What did that mean for them?


End Chapter Nine.