Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Gundam Wing in the Wild Wild West ❯ Hanging with the Natives ( Chapter 7 )

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. We've gone into total crisis mode at work and I've been working so hard I've barely had time to write or I've been too tired. The next update may be a little slow too, for the same reason. I don't see the crisis resolving until later this month. It really sucks. Quite honestly, I'd rather be writing. If it had a steady paycheck in it, I'd bail in a heartbeat.

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Chapter 7: Hanging with the Natives

They had not quite reached the native village, which was comprised of several conical hide teepees, when they were accosted by a group of men riding bareback on tall brown and white ponies. Brandishing short spears and howling threateningly, they surrounded the group and forced them to a halt. Alexa immediately climbed into Zechs' arms.

“You are trespassing, strangers!” one of the natives declared in a loud voice. He had red stripes painted on his cheeks and his long dark hair was braided with a strip of leather and a few feathers. His chest, arms and legs were bare and only a short leather skirt kept him from being completely naked. Most of the other men were dressed similarly, although a few were wearing leather pants.

“Excuse us,” Trowa replied graciously. He lifted the staff from around his chest and straightened it deftly. Then he clasped it in one hand and leaned on it. “We were left behind by the train and are seeking the next town where it stops.”

The natives' eyes widened in excitement at the sight of Trowa's staff.

“Are you a shaman?” the one who had spoken before asked eagerly. “You are welcome in our village! Please come with us.” He turned his horse and started toward the teepees. The other riders also beckoned eagerly, wide smiles splitting their painted cheeks.

Trowa grinned. “I thought that might impress them.”

As they neared the village, a couple of riders kicked their horses to a gallop and rode ahead, shouting excitedly about the arrival of a shaman. People immediately dropped whatever they were doing and rushed to meet the newcomers. Three people emerged from the largest teepee, their shoulders draped with feathered cloaks. The lead rider swung down before these three and pointed back at the approaching group.

“This man is a shaman!” he exclaimed. “He carries a magic staff!”

The three regarded Trowa with reserved expressions. The oldest of the three spoke in a deep voice.

“Show us what powers you have, Shaman,” he said gravely.

“I'm not sure it's a good idea to summon a spirit here,” Quatre murmured. “Native Americans are very spiritual, I believe, so this area could be quite thick with them.”

“I'll ask,” Trowa said. He quickly folded the staff so that it sagged back into its snake form and wrapped it around his arm so that the head rose from the back of his wrist. “Staff, what spirits do you sense?” he hissed.

“There is a buffalo spirit watching over this village,” the staff replied, its forked tongue flickering as it spoke.

The natives watched this display in wide-eyed wonder.

“Your village is blessed with the protection of a buffalo spirit,” Trowa announced.

A flurry of excited talk sprang up and the three elders nodded slowly.

“That is so,” said the eldest. “I am Speaks-with-the-Wind. It is my duty to invoke our guardian spirit in times of need.” He pointed at the man who had first spoken to them. “This is my son, Runs-like-the-Wind. He is chief of this village. You are welcome here.”

“Thank you,” Trowa replied.

A young man whose flowing hair hung loose to his waist stepped close to peer curiously at Duo. “Are you bound?” he asked eagerly.

“Bound? What do you mean?”

“Have you a husband?”

Duo pointed at his stomach. “You see this, right?”

The young man nodded. “That means you're fertile. A fertile wife is a good thing. So if you're not bound, I would like to demonstrate my worthiness as a potential husband to you.”

A faint growl emanated from the general direction of Heero.

Duo crossed his arms. “Sorry, fellah, but I've got husbands enough already.”

“But perhaps I would make a better husband. I'm very strong!” The young man straightened up and flexed his muscles.

Duo's eyes went a little soft at the sight of the young man's rippling abs and toned biceps.

“I'm better than he is!” another young man immediately called out and he stepped forward to flaunt his buffed and toned anatomy.

Duo's mouth started to drop open.

Heero's growl got noticeably louder. He stepped forward and clamped a hand firmly on Duo's elbow. “You heard the woman,” he grated. “She has a husband.”

“You look kind of scrawny,” the first young man said, eyeing Heero carefully. “Maybe I should challenge you for the woman.”

“You can try.”

“This could get ugly,” Treize remarked.

Roku choose that particular moment to shift into his tiger form, walk around in between Heero and the native, and sit down with his tail wrapped neatly around his paws. He gaped a huge yawn, briefly displaying all of his long, sharp, white teeth.

Dead silence fell while every eye in the village fixed on the young tiger. Then every native, from the eldest to the smallest, dropped to their knees and bowed their heads.

“Blessed spirit!” Speaks-with-the-Wind cried out. “Thank you for walking amongst us. We did not know these people were your servants.”

“They're not my servants,” Roku said matter-of-factly. “They're my family.”

“Then you are all blessed spirits!” Speaks-with-the-Wind exclaimed. He climbed stiffly to his feet, assisted by his son. “Let us offer you our hospitality.”

“Wait a minute!” Another man pushed his way forward, an irritated frown on his face. “The shaman said they came in the iron monster. Why would blessed spirits travel in that?” He folded his arms across his chest and glared triumphantly at the visitors.

Speaks-with-the-Wind bit his lip worriedly. “Falls-from-Horse speaks validly. A blessed spirit would not need to travel in the iron monster of the crazy white men.”

“That's true,” Trowa agreed, “but we are not all blessed spirits. Some of us must walk like any other man and we are fortunate that our son chooses to set his pace to ours.”

Speaks-with-the-Wind accepted this with a nod and turned back to Falls-from-Horse. “That makes sense.”

Falls-from-Horse just glared and stomped away.

“You must forgive Falls-from-Horse,” Runs-like-the-Wind said. “His temper has not been good since he was named.”

“Well, I have to say his name is not very flattering,” Trowa acknowledged. “How did he come to be called that?”

Runs-like-the-Wind grinned. “He kept falling off his pony when he was learning to ride. After about the tenth time, he was given that name by his father, who had become quite exasperated.”

“I see.”

“What are your people called?” Wu-Fei asked.

“We are human beings,” Runs-like-the-Wind answered promptly, “but we are called Cheyenne by outsiders.”

Now that they had been accepted, the natives crowded around eagerly. Curious hands reached out to stroke Roku's fur, and young and old alike giggled when he licked their fingers with his rough tongue.

A young woman near Zechs patted Alexa's tangled brown curls and smiled. “Your daughter is very pretty,” she said. “I have wished for a daughter, but all I have are sons.” She gazed intently at Zechs. “You are pretty enough to be a woman, but I think you are a man, yes?”

“Yes, I am a man,” Zechs answered patiently.

Her eyes twinkled mischievously. “Perhaps you could give me a pretty daughter like this one!”

“You had better not let your husband here you say that, Running-Water,” another woman laughed. “He's proud of his three sons.”

“And well he should be,” Running-Water agreed. “They are all fine boys. But I would like to be proud of a daughter too!”

“Then you should have married Falls-from-Horse. He has sired nothing but daughters.”

“Who wants a man who can't even stay on a horse properly!” a third woman chuckled.

“Now be kind, Light-as-a-Cloud,” Running-Water said. “He hasn't fallen from his pony since he was ten.”

“My husband has never fallen from his pony,” Light-as-a-Cloud said proudly.

“That's because he isn't tall enough to get on one!” the second woman guffawed.

This brought a chorus of laughter, along with more comments about what else was short on Light-as-a-Cloud's husband, while her face got redder and redder.

“My husband is a good man and a good provider!” she exclaimed finally and flounced off in a huff.

“You should not tease Light-as-a-Cloud so, Blue-Feather,” Running-Water said.

“She needs to be taken down a notch or two every once in a while,” Blue-Feather said with a toss of her long braids. “She's a little too proud that her husband is Runs-like-the-Wind's brother.”

Zechs and Alexa had listened to this exchange in silence, but now Alexa spoke up.

“Mommy can't make a baby with you Miss Running-Water. He's already married to Daddy.” She pointed at Treize.

Running-Water and Blue-Feather both turned to stare at Treize, fairly radiating his masculinity. Then they looked back at Zechs, who had already owned up to his manhood.

“Oh, you're those kind of men,” Running-Water said with a nod. “It's good luck to have your kind in a village. It makes women more fertile.”

“In that case,” Zechs muttered, “there should be an explosion of births next year.”

“Hush,” Treize murmured.

“Well, at the very least I hope you will accept meat from me during the celebration,” Running-Water said. “Perhaps the good luck will rub off and my man will give me a daughter.”

“I would be honored,” Zechs said graciously.

“What's that about a celebration?” Duo interrupted.

“Such important visitors to our village must be celebrated,” Blue-Feather said. “A shaman alone would be worth celebrating, but to be visited by an animal spirit is a joyous event. We will have three days of dancing and feasting to thank the spirits for this blessing.”

Duo's eyes began to glow. “Three days of feasting? Will there be games too?”

“Oh yes!” Running-Water said. “There will be foot races and wrestling matches. This will be a chance for the men to impress their future wives.” She winked at Duo. “If you're looking to change husbands, now's your chance. You should see the very best our village has to offer.”

“She doesn't need a new husband!” Heero snapped. He glared at Running-Water darkly, but Running-Water lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

“He seems young and, well, a bit small. Is he really a good husband?” she said to Duo.

Duo grinned. “He's got it where it counts, Running-Water!”

“Heero looks a bit miffed,” Quatre noted. “He was never this protective when Duo was a guy.”

“Yeah,” agreed Wu-Fei. “I didn't know he had such a wide gallant streak.”

Duo looped his arm through Heero's. “I'm not trading in this gem,” he said airily. “He's way too cute.”

“Don't call me cute!” Heero grumbled. But he looked ever so slightly less annoyed.

“I'm hungry, Mommy,” Alexa announced abruptly.

“Me too!” Roku chimed in.

“Build up the cooking fires!” Speaks-with-the-Wind exclaimed. He raised his hands. “Bring out the best meats and the finest corn meal! Tonight we celebrate!”

Woops of delight rang out on all sides and everyone got to work. All manner of wild game, including thick buffalo steaks, were prepared over open fires. Flatbread made from ground corn was baked on hot rocks. Juicy cactus shoots were placed in shallow clay pots to simmer in water and spices. And while the women cooked, the men rushed to adorn themselves with bright paint and feathered headdresses, leggings and capes for dancing. In no time at all, a rollicking party was at hand.

Since Roku stayed in tiger form, he was presented with an entire buffalo shank for his supper. Eagerly, Roku clamped into the half-cooked meat with his sharp claws and proceeded to rip it apart with his teeth.

Quatre sighed mournfully. “Just when I thought he was starting to become a civilized human being, he reverts to a savage beast.”

“He was born a tiger,” Trowa noted.

“It's your fault anyway,” Duo said absently as he wolfed down an entire roast pheasant.

“My fault?!”

“You could have pushed him out while you were still human and then he would have been born human.”

Quatre glowered at Duo balefully.

“I'm sure I'll do much better,” Duo continued blissfully.

Dark storm clouds started to form over Quatre's head. Little flickers of lightning rippled across their surfaces. The natives sitting nearest to Quatre began to back away nervously.

“But then I'm just naturally good at anything I try,” Duo concluded. He smiled brightly at Quatre.

A bolt of lightning jetted from above Quatre's head, accompanied by a tiny rumble of thunder.

“This display is most unnatural,” Speaks-with-the-Wind finally spoke up. “Is the young man with yellow hair by chance a god?”

“I wouldn't say that,” Trowa said quickly. He reached out and grasped Quatre by the arm. “But he does have one or two unusual talents. Quatre, calm down. You're starting to freak people out.”

Quatre scowled at Trowa, but the clouds began to dissipate. “Sorry,” he grunted. “Sometimes that just happens.” He glared at Duo. “Usually when Duo's involved.”

“Who, me?”

Heero had been sitting very close to Duo in utter silence all this time. Suddenly, he started and a look of complete dismay crossed his face. “Oh great!”

“What's wrong?” Wu-Fei asked.

Heero just covered his face with one hand. Wu-Fei looked around. A pair of little green eyes blinked back at him from the darkness beyond the firelight.

“Is that a sprite?”

“Don't say it!” Heero groaned.

Everyone turned to look and now several pairs of green eyes could be seen glittering in the darkness.

“I was hoping they wouldn't find me,” Heero complained.

“Well, they have,” Wu-Fei stated.

“What is that?” Runs-like-the-Wind asked nervously. “Those are not the eyes of any animal I know.”

“They're sprites,” Trowa said. “They are minor spirits who have an affinity for our friend here.”

“Are they dangerous?” Runs-with-the-Wind looked like he was trying to figure out how to fight an unknown enemy.

“Not really. They like to play tricks on people, but otherwise, they're harmless.”

“Tricks? Like snapping a bowstring or dulling a knife?”

“Exactly.”

Runs-like-the-Wind's lips twitched. “That's funny.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Could they make Falls-from-Horse fall off his pony? That would be really funny.”

“I'm sure they could.”

“How does one speak to them?” Runs-like-the-Wind gazed at the little green eyes.

“Well, if they decide they like you, they'll nip you and after that you can talk to them.” Trowa nodded at Heero. “Our friend there was marked some time ago and the sprites have been following him around ever since.”

“Is that all?” Runs-like-the-Wind stood up and marched resolutely toward the sprites. The little spirits scattered as he neared them and Runs-like-the-Wind sighed. “Perhaps they don't like me.”

Heero started as a single sprite abruptly appeared right next to him. “What are you doing, Man with Many Faces?”

“Eating dinner,” Heero growled.

The sprite pointed at Duo. “Why is he female? He used to be male.”

“Ask him,” Heero nodded toward Quatre. “He did it.”

But the sprite continued to peer at Duo. “Did he want to be female?”

“He must have. He sure as hell was asking for it at the time.”

“I was not!” Duo exclaimed. “Quatre just overreacted, as usual.”

“I did not either overreact!”

“So the storm clouds just now are an everyday occurrence?”

“They are when you're as short-tempered as Quatre,” Wu-Fei whispered.

“I heard that!”

“Anyway,” Duo continued, “there's nothing wrong with being female.” He winked at the sprite. “Which are you?”

The sprite blinked back at him round-eyed. “Both and neither.”

“I'm not sure if that's good or bad,” Duo chuckled. “Either they're self-entertaining or they never get any.”

Runs-like-the-Wind squatted down in front of the sprite. “Little spirit, I would like to be your friend.”

The sprite's eyes twinkled. “The Swift Man wishes to be marked?”

Heero shook his head furiously, but Runs-like-the-Wind quickly nodded. The sprite promptly jumped forward and nipped Runs-like-the-Wind's forearm.

“Ouch!” Runs-like-the-Wind clapped his other hand over the small wound, but he was grinning broadly. He pointed at Falls-from-Horse, who was sitting some distance away studiously not enjoying himself. “Do you see that man there? Next time he mounts his pony, make him fall off.”

The sprite giggled and vanished.

“You have no idea what you've just done,” Heero groaned. “They will never leave you alone.”

Runs-like-the-Wind giggled as brightly as the sprite. “But think how funny it will be! I can't wait until tomorrow!” He jumped to his feet and stamped away to join the dancers, his body dipping and swaying in time with the drums.

“He's supposed to be the chief of this tribe?” Hadeya spoke up for the first time. “He seems much too… like Loki.”

“He does seem a tad mischievous for a leader,” Treize agreed. “But perhaps his true strengths come out in battle.”

Speaks-with-the-Wind sighed. “You are quite right, I must confess. My son is a good leader in battle and a fearsome fighter. But when we are not fighting, he is more trouble than a young child. His wife, Calm-Heart, must frequently rein him in. She is a good and patient woman.”

“With an emphasis on patient, I think,” Hadeya murmured.

“You haven't complained about the food once, Wu-Fei,” Duo said abruptly. “And you're just eating it and everything.”

“The flatbread is quite good,” Wu-Fei replied, “and the simmered cactus melts in your mouth. Or at least it would if you weren't sucking it down like water.” He grinned. “But I must say, this might be some of the best food we've had so far on one of our trips.”

“Really?” Duo stared. “You don't think the meat's a little undercooked and gamey?”

“Well…” Wu-Fei flushed. “I might have been cooking it a little bit more myself before I eat it.”

“Huh?”

“He's been breathing fire on it inside his mouth,” Alexa reported. “You can see the smoke trickling out of the corners of his mouth when he does it.”

Wu-Fei turned beet red. “You noticed that?!”

“Yeah. So did they.” Alexa calmly pointed at a group of children who were all staring at Wu-Fei and whispering among themselves.

“Oh dear!”

“Don't worry about it,” Duo chuckled. “After Quatre's storm clouds, a little smoke coming out of the mouth probably seems normal.”

Just then, Runs-like-the-Wind danced over to them. “Come, my friends! Join us! The stars have come out, so now it is time to dance in honor of the night spirits so they will know we are not afraid. On your feet! Dance!”

Resolutely, the Gundam pilots climbed to their feet, except for Heero, who scrunched down where he was sitting.

“I'm not dancing!” Heero growled.

“Didn't you dance with Relena once?” Duo asked innocently.

Heero glared at him.

“Go on and dance,” Duo nudged him. “It won't kill you to do something for no reason except to have fun.”

Heero crossed his arms and frowned. “But it doesn't serve any purpose.”

Duo leaned toward him and whispered pointedly, “Some might say that sex between two men serves no purpose.”

Heero paled.

“Maybe Wu-Fei and I should leave you to do purposeful things like hack into computers and stuff.”

Heero scrambled to his feet. “Fine! I'll dance.” He stomped away to join the rest, who were already swaying with the native men in wild abandon.

“Aren't you going to dance, Uncle Duo?”

“Not while I'm a girl, Alexa. When the women start dancing, then you and I can join in.”

“Ok.” Alexa sat down next to Duo and leaned against his side, yawning hugely.

“Getting sleepy?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it has been kind of a long day. The train robbery was excitement enough. Getting stranded and ending up at a party was not how I thought the day would end.”

“It's fun, though,” Alexa said sleepily. “It is better when stuff just happens.”