Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Gundam Wing on Mount Olympus ❯ Mount Erymanthos ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7: Mount Erymanthos

Hercules heaved many long soulful sighs during the long chariot ride to Mount Erymanthos. Heero put up with it for as long as he could, which was about ten minutes. He finally clouted Hercules on the back of the head.

“Would you just shut up already? Geez!”

Hercules rubbed the back of his head sadly. “Have you no heart? The loss of my sweet Iolaus pains me deeply.”

“I'm gonna pain you deeply in a second if you don't get over it,” Heero growled. “If you need to work off some nervous energy, kill somebody. That always settles me down.”

Hercules sighed again. “No amount of meaningless slaughter will soothe my heartache,” he exclaimed dramatically.

Heero rolled his eyes. “So what's up with this boar, then?” he asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Ah!” Hercules brightened immediately. “It is a monstrous creature of prodigious proportions that strikes fear into the hearts of mortal men! But I, Hercules, shall vanquish this dreadful creature and bring it to heel!”

“I see. So is it ravaging the countryside?”

“Indeed it is!” Hercules was warming to the subject. He became even more animated. “It lays waste to the farmers' fields and scatters their herds! When dogs are set upon it, it tramples them underfoot and rends the poor beasts with its mighty tusks! Any man unfortunate enough to stand before it suffers the same gruesome fate! Countless men have fallen before it! Not even innocent children are safe!”

“That's not good.”

“Indeed not! That's why I, the mighty Hercules, shall catch and bind this beast and present it humbled at my feet as proof of my achievement.”

“Modest, aren't we?” Heero muttered.

“It would be immodest to present myself as less than I am,” Hercules confessed nobly.

“I suppose that's fair. So we're not going to just kill it?”

“No. What prowess would that display? I have it in my mind to capture the beast in a clever trap.”

“What kind of trap?”

“I admit I have not fully fleshed out that part of the plan.”

“Why not just stand in front of it, wait for it to charge you and then knock it unconscious?”

“Hmm…” Hercules rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “That might work, but what if I should inadvertently strike too hard? I might kill the beast without meaning to.”

“True.” Heero thought for a minute. “I know. You could just grab it by the tusks, wrestle it to the ground and hold it there until it gets tired and accepts that you've won.”

“Aha!” Hercules cried brightly. “I like that plan. It pits brute strength against brute strength. That is the sort of contest I shall ultimately win.” He blinked tears from his eyes. “My dear Iolaus will be proud of me.”

“There you go.” Heero patted his shoulder. “The prospect of a good fight always puts things in the right perspective.”

Hercules nodded, but his eyes remained a little teary.

When they arrived at the foot of Mount Erymanthos, dozens of villagers crowded around the chariot.

“Hercules!” they cried. “Have you come to save us from the boar?”

“Yes, I have!” Hercules declared dramatically. He struck a pose with his fists on his hips and raised his chin. “I will capture this beast and free your lands of its depredations!”

“Yay!” A general cheer rose up and people clapped each other on the back happily.

Since it looked like the celebration might start before any work was actually done, Heero interrupted. “So where is it?”

“Where is what?” someone asked, a little confused.

“The boar,” Heero said with exaggerated patience.

“Oh, that.” The speaker pointed up the mountain. “It lives up there, but every few days it comes down to run amok through the fields.”

“What amok?” someone else spoke up. “It comes down to eat your pumpkins, Stavros. If you didn't set your dogs on it every time, it wouldn't cause any trouble at all.”

Stavros stiffened in offense. “So I am supposed to just stand back and watch the wretched beast eat my livelihood?”

“You could grow something else.”

“But I am the only farmer in these parts who grows pumpkins!”

“And you still haven't figured out why? You're thick, Stavros.”

Stavros' mouth worked angrily as he tried to come up with a retort for that.

“Never mind!” Heero growled. “Where's your farm, Stavros?”

Stavros pointed. “It's that way, on the slopes of the mountain.”

“Fine. Get up here and show us the way.” Heero hauled the suddenly apprehensive Stavros into the chariot. “Let's go,” he said to Hercules. “You can stand in the middle of this guy's pumpkin patch and wait for the boar to come down.”

“Oh, I see!” Hercules shook the reins. “You are most quick-witted, Heero, like my dear Iolaus.”

Heero just snorted.

Stavros' pumpkin farm was in a rolling field whose far side was demarked by the forested slope of the mountain. A half dozen large rangy dogs loped suspiciously out to meet them, regarding Hercules, Heero, the horses and their chariot with notable disfavor.

“Guard dogs?” Heero asked.

“Yes!” Stavros quickly jumped down to quiet the dogs, although like good attack dogs, they had not been barking. Instead, deep throaty growls rumbled from their chests; the sort of growls that managed to bore straight into one's fight or flight response and tip it in favor of sudden, panicky flight.

Heero jumped down and grabbed the nearest dog by an ear. “Listen up. We're here to capture the boar. We don't need any interference from you dogs. Stay the hell out of my way and I won't have any reason to rip your ears off. Got that?”

The dogs all stared at him in surprise and their ears and tails drooped.

“Good.”

Stavros stared in astonishment as his big, vicious guard dogs slunk off to settle in the shade of the barn.

“What... I… How did you…?”

“I have a way with animals,” Heero said shortly. “Why don't you tend to the horses and get us something to eat? Hercules needs to keep his strength up.”

“Of course, sir! Of course!” Stavros grabbed the bridle of the nearest horse and led them into the barn.

Hercules clapped Heero on the shoulder. “Nicely handled, my friend! You have my gratitude. Iolaus is better at understanding people than I am. He often smoothes the way for me. But now it is time to deal with the beast!” He turned toward the forest. “Do you think we will have to wait long?”

There was a thunderous crash in the forest and startled birds flew up into the air with raucous cries.

“No, I don't think so.” Heero retreated to the shade of the barn by the dogs. “I'll leave you to it. Have fun.”

Hercules grinned broadly and strode purposefully out into the pumpkin patch. A moment later, the trees at the forest edge split apart and a massive boar appeared, shouldering between the tree trunks. It stood nearly twice the height of a normal boar and probably outweighed Hercules by three times. Its tiny eyes glittered with outrage as they fixed on the man in the middle of the field. The boar emitted an angry squeal and charged straight at him.

Stavros dashed out of the barn in a panic. “The boar!” he cried. “Look out!”

“Relax, man,” Heero said. “That's why we're here.” They both watched as the boar thundered toward Hercules, its mighty feet throwing up chunks of earth and scattering pumpkins right and left. It crashed into Hercules at full speed and Hercules skidded backward, his sliding feet digging long gouges in the earth. But he grasped the boar by its thick, sharp tusks and held on, bringing the boar to a standstill.

“That's amazing!” Stavros cried.

“It's no more than I expected,” Heero remarked. “I thought you were getting some food.”

“What? But Hercules…”

“He's fine, but it looks like this might take a while. I could use a snack.”

Stavros stared at him.

“Bread and cheese would be fine. Maybe some grapes, if you have any. And I wouldn't say no to a cup of wine.”

Stavros stared for a moment longer and then hurried off toward the farmhouse, shaking his head. The dogs, which had jumped to their feet at the appearance of the boar, huddled a little closer to Heero, whining unhappily.

Heero patted the nearest two dogs on the head. “Now, now, don't fret. You've been getting to play with the boar for months. Let Hercules have a turn.”

Stavros returned with his food and wine, and Heero leaned back comfortably against the barn, munching contentedly. Hercules and the boar remained locked in combat, neither able to overpower the other for the moment. The boar's feet dug slowly at the earth as it tried to push forward. Hercules' muscles bulged in his arms and legs as he resisted the boar's push. His shoulders humped up as he struggled to twist the boar's head sideways and force the creature off of its feet. Ridges stood out in the boar's neck as it resisted Hercules. It was a magnificent contest of pure strength and will. It was clear the loser would be the one who tired first. Heero plucked grapes, popped them into his mouth and nodded approvingly.

The sun climbed up to the zenith and started its descent toward the western horizon while Hercules and the boar moved not an inch. Heero finished off a roast chicken and another cup of wine. Stavros finally couldn't take it anymore.

“Why do you not help your friend?”

“What for? He's got it under control.”

“But should he flinch even the slightest amount, the boar will rend him and then turn on us!”

“Don't worry about it,” Heero said calmly. “Hercules is winning.”

“How can you say that?” Stavros tugged at his hair wildly. “They haven't moved for hours!”

“The boar's getting tired. I can tell from his breathing. But Hercules could keep going past sunset easily.”

Stavros stared from Heero to Hercules and back again. “So you're just going to sit there?”

“Yup.” Heero held out his cup. “How about another cup of wine? And would you have any sweets, by any chance?”

“Sweets?!” Stavros yanked at his hair again. “You want sweets?!”

“I don't normally eat sweets,” Heero said conversationally, “but I think a little dessert would be tasty right about now. You know, like a berry tart or something like that.”

Stavros turned back toward the farmhouse muttering to himself. Words like “He's mad!” and “We're all going to die!” drifted back to Heero's ears.

Heero just smiled. “I'm acting a little like Duo,” he remarked to the dogs.

The sun was just sinking onto the horizon when the boar's head rotated ever so slightly to the right.

Heero sat forward, excitement appearing on his face for the first time. “Here we go.”

With a sudden sharp jerk, Hercules yanked the boar over onto its side. The boar squealed in pain, rage and fear as it crashed to the ground, thrashing wildly. But Hercules drove a thick knee into the side of the boar's head, pinning it firmly in place. With a final sharp kick, the boar went still.

Stavros leapt into the air with a shout. “By the gods!”

Heero stood up. “Get some rope. The sturdiest you have.” He walked across the field to Hercules. “Good job.”

“Thank you,” Hercules panted. “He was a mighty opponent.”

Heero squatted down to stare into the boar's tiny red eyes. The look of panic in those eyes showed that the creature had been cowed. Were Hercules to let it up, the boar would undoubtedly have raced away in terror. But for the moment it lay still, too frightened to move.

“If we truss it tightly,” Hercules said, “we should have no problem transporting it back to show King Eurystheus to prove I have completed this labor.”

“We'll need a wagon.”

“True.”

Stavros arrived with the rope, but he was afraid to come too close to the boar, so Heero had to retrieve it from him. Deftly, he lashed the boar's feet together and then looped the rope around the animal's tusks to restrain its head. When he was satisfied with the knots, he stepped back and Hercules released the boar. It strained briefly against its bonds, but it was clear there was no escape. The creature went still with a pitiful grunt.

“Well, that didn't take too long,” Heero noted. “You know, if you butchered it and sold the meat, you could pay Duo back.”

Hercules sighed. “Alas, I cannot do that. My task was only to capture the boar. I must show its living body to King Eurystheus.” He heaved another long sigh. “Sadly, I have no idea how I might earn back my dear Iolaus from your friend.”

“Although it pains me to say it, Duo is not completely heartless, even when it comes to money. You might try begging him to give Iolaus back.”

“Beg?!” Hercules was scandalized. “The mighty Hercules cannot beg! I would be left with no manly pride at all!”

“Would you rather be left without your `dear Iolaus'?” Heero growled. “And anyway, it's pretty unmanly to gamble when you haven't the money to back it up.”

Hercules' shoulders slumped. “You're right! Too right! I have behaved dishonorably and now I and my dear Iolaus must suffer for it.”

“I'm glad you finally figured that out,” Heero snapped, entirely sick of the subject. “So, let's go show the boar to that king of yours and get back to Olympus. You can grovel at Duo's feet for awhile. I'm sure he'll eventually take pity on you.”

“I will take your advice to heart!” Hercules declared. “I will bow low and offer up my sincerest entreaty for Iolaus' return.”

“Good. I'm going to get a wagon. You stay here and keep an eye on that thing.” Heero marched purposely toward the worried Stavros. He hooked a thumb over his shoulder at the boar. “We need a wagon for that.”

Stavros went pale. “But I only have the one wagon for hauling my pumpkins to market!”

Heero shrugged. “You'll probably get it back. We'll leave you the chariot as collateral. Or would you rather we let the thing go?”

“No!” Stavros shook his head vigorously. In no time at all, he had Hercules' horses hooked to the wagon. Heero drove it out into the field where Hercules waited and between them, they manhandled the boar into the bed of the wagon.

“We'll return your wagon after I have completed my labor,” Hercules said to Stavros. “It may be a few days.”

“Just don't bring that thing back!” Stavros continued to watch the boar fearfully.

“Have no fear!” Hercules exclaimed dramatically. “You will be troubled by this beast no more!” And with that, he lashed the horses into motion.

As it happened, Trowa and Quatre were picnicking with Apollo and Artemis on the other side of Mount Erymanthos.

“This mountain is sacred to me,” Artemis proclaimed proudly. “All the beasts living upon it are protected.”

“So no one hunts here?” Trowa asked.

“Not unless they wish to earn my wrath.” Artemis frowned. “Although that does not stop certain annoying gods, like Ares, from hunting here.” She shook her finger angrily. “It is one thing to hunt for food to feed one's hungry belly. Hunting for sport serves no purpose and I take a dim view of it.”

“As well you should,” Trowa agreed.

“But tell me, sister,” Apollo inquired with a straight face, “what would you have men do to entertain themselves? You disapprove of sex, gambling, drinking and now hunting. What, pray tell, is left?”

Artemis glared at him. “You left out scholarly pursuits.”

“Ah, yes.” Apollo nodded slowly.

“And athletics,” Trowa added.

“Quite true.” Apollo winked at Quatre. “But for myself, I prefer reading pornography, which gets me excited, and wrestling is only satisfying if it ends in climax.”

“You are disgusting!” Artemis exclaimed. “I can't believe you are my twin.”

“It does boggle the mind.”

Quatre intervened by flashing his sweetest smile. “Perhaps it is fair to say there is a place for all such pursuits.”

Trowa returned his smile. “I would have to agree that the close companionship of another person is a joyous experience. And on such a pleasant day as this in such beautiful surroundings, one is certainly inspired to share the moment in intimate conversation with a loved on.”

“Conversation?” Quatre lifted an eyebrow.

“There would probably be talk,” Trowa replied with a faint smirk. “Afterwards.”

“Oh ho!” Apollo exclaimed. “Should we leave you two alone for an hour or two?”

Trowa grinned. “I never say no to the chance to be alone with Quatre.”

Quatre dropped his eyes and blushed prettily. “Now that would hardly make us good guests if we sneak off from our hosts like that,” he purred.

Apollo grinned at him. “But you are assuming that I would not be entertained by observing your tryst in secret. I may not indulge in the companionship of boys myself, but that doesn't mean I don't like watching.”

Artemis flushed bright red. “Th… That is disgusting! It is bad enough to engage in promiscuous conduct, but to derive enjoyment from watching others…” Her mouth worked silently for a moment. “I cannot believe…”

“Oh, come now, sister,” Apollo interrupted her. “Can you honestly say that you would not find it pleasant to see two such beautiful young men unclothed?”

Artemis appeared for the moment to have lost the power of speech. She stared at Apollo with such a scandalized expression that it was almost comical. Trowa and Quatre had to fight the urge to burst out laughing.

Trowa quickly grabbed Quatre's hand. “Perhaps we should let Apollo and Artemis discuss this privately.”

“You just want to get me alone,” Quatre said with a coy smile.

“Who, me?” Trowa led Quatre away into the shielding green foliage of the trees.

“Use positions that allow the penetration to be observed!” Apollo called after them. “I find that most titillating!”

Artemis made a strangling noise.

Off in the trees, Quatre flushed a little bit. “Do you think he's really going to watch us?”

“I wouldn't put it past him.” Trowa leaned close and whispered into Quatre's ear. “So we should really enjoy ourselves. Make lots of noise.”

“I never knew you had this exhibitionist streak in you.”

“I'm a performer, Quatre. Sex is just a different kind of acrobatics. And now I feel challenged to achieve something new.”

Quatre paled. “What do you mean?”

“Interesting positions…” Trowa murmured thoughtfully.

“Wait a minute…”

Trowa stroked his chin with his free hand and a smile blossomed on his face. “Ah! That might be interesting.”

“What?!”

“I think you could do it. You're pretty flexible.”

“Just a damn minute…!”

Trowa stopped and embraced Quatre. “Don't worry. I'll warm you up first. The foreplay can get you horny and loosened up at the same time.”

“What are you planning to do?!”

Trowa whispered his intentions into Quatre's ear.

Quatre went pale. “No way! I cannot possibly do that!”

“Yes, you can. You're a Gundam pilot. We rise to every occasion.” He lifted his eyebrows, giving his last statement a double meaning. “Why don't we get started?” He kissed Quatre warmly.

“There's no way I can possibly…” Quatre mumbled against Trowa's lips.

“Trust me, my love,” Trowa murmured back. “You'll love it.”

“I'm going to be so stiff later,” Quatre groaned.

“We'll soak in the bath when we get back. But that's for later. Right now…” Trowa began unbuttoning Quatre's shirt.

Quatre moaned. “Dammit! Why can't I ever say no to you?”

“For the same reason I can't resist your pretty face. Now let's get naked. I want to play with your pretty bottom.”

Much later, Quatre lay on the ground, groaning. “I can't believe I did that!”

“But you did and it was damn good. I'm exhausted.” Trowa lay stretched out on the ground beside him, staring up at the patches of sky visible through the tree branches. “I'll have to remember that one.”

“I'm never doing that again!” Quatre declared. “I think my hip joint came out of the socket.”

“I pounded it back in.”

“Which is why I now have bruises on my butt!”

“There are no bruises!” Trowa interrupted with a laugh. “Quit being silly and just admit you enjoyed it.”

Quatre looked away, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Well, perhaps it was somewhat enjoyable.”

“Somewhat enjoyable? So that enormous puddle over there is not your…”

“Trowa!” Quatre glared at him sternly, but then he smiled. “Oh, very well. I admit that was some of the best sex we've had in a while. Now I think it's time we rejoined the others.”

They dressed and made their way back to the waiting chariots. Artemis was sitting primly beside her chariot, apparently engaged in conversation with a large badger. Apollo was lying in the grass, fanning himself with one hand. When the two Gundam pilots appeared, he sat up with a grin.

“Gentlemen, I salute you! Your display has given me a deep respect for the passion of male love. I may have to try it for myself now.”

Trowa put his arm around Quatre's shoulders. “Just make sure you have the right partner.”

Artemis, who had been diligently pretending not to listen, finally jumped to her feet, startling the badger. “If you don't mind, I've had quite enough of this and all related discussions!” She stormed to her chariot. “Shall we go?”

“I guess we're leaving,” Apollo remarked.

“Apparently.” Trowa climbed into the chariot with Artemis and Quatre went with Apollo.

When they arrived back on Mount Olympus, they found everyone but Heero and Wu-Fei gathered at their lodging.

“How was the picnic, Mama?”

“It was very nice, Roku. We'll take you with us next time. How was grape-picking?”

“Yummy. Uncle Zechs made us take baths, though.”

“They weren't picking grapes, they were rolling in them,” Zechs remarked.

“That's not true!”

“Then why were you both purple?”

“Well…”

“Anyway,” Zechs continued, “they've only eaten twice since lunch, so they're probably ready for dinner.”

“Dinner!” Roku and Alexa chorused.

“Why don't the rest of you go ahead? I want to soak in the bath for a little while,” Quatre said. He tried to make it sound innocent.

Duo peered into his face curiously and his eyebrows shot up. “Man, I've never tried that one! I'm impressed.”

Quatre flushed. “Mind your own business!”

Duo clapped Trowa on the back. “Good job! Creativity keeps the sex fresh.”

“Um…” said Trowa.

“Shut up!” growled Quatre. “Go to dinner!”

Treize looked at Trowa. “I'm curious to hear about this. I like new techniques.”

Zechs frowned. “Don't you start. There are children present.”

“Maybe later,” Trowa said.

Duo grinned at Zechs. “Start limbering up now.”

“Shut up, Duo!” Quatre and Zechs snapped in unison.

Duo chuckled. “Don't blame me! I'm not the one who thought of it.” He grinned pointedly at Trowa.

“Maybe we should go to dinner,” Trowa said quickly. “Come on, kids!” He grabbed Alexa's hand and a tuft of Roku's fur and hurried them away.

Zechs fixed his deep blue eyes on Treize. “I'm not doing anything kinky.”

“It wasn't kinky!” Quatre exclaimed.

“Just athletic,” Duo added.

Quatre flushed.

“You're very athletic,” Treize said, smiling seductively at Zechs.

“I'm going to dinner!” Zechs said archly. He marched away.

Treize smiled after him. “I love the way he walks. Doesn't it just turn you on watching him move?”

“He's pretty hot,” Duo agreed. “Let's go eat. You can quiz Trowa for details on how to get him into that position. The images I'm picking up aren't completely clear.”

Quatre watched them walk away with his arms folded. When they were out of sight, he went over to the bathing pool, stripped and slid into the warm water with a contented sigh. Then he giggled. “Circus acrobats sure are fun!”