Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Maxwells and Maxwells ❯ One-Shot

Maxwells and Maxwells

By: Authoress K. C.

~~~

Its bothering me, I have family fics about my RP chara Shingami Maxwell and my brother Duo and all our friends, but, I have nothing really going on. I'm going to write out a REAL fic about us. Meeting, how we came to be, our 'power', it'll be explained. I dun care if ya like it or not. He's MY 'Niichan.

~~~

A pair of indigo-violet eyes gleamed out of a dark crack in the side of a building. Long chestnut brown hair, thick with filth so that you'd never know it was really brown, hung over thin shoulds clad in tatters and remains.

A cute heart-shaped face, round with a childs features, as it was a child, finally peeked out and the tiny figure, lithe, thin, and dirty, crawled out. Then turned.

"Ne, 'Niisan, c'mon, they're gone now. Le's go!"

A hand just as filthy reached out an an exact replica of the child, dressed in differant rags, crawled out and smiled at the other.

"Hai! Le's go, 'Neesan."

The two ran out of the alleyway, and into the dirty street, covered in filth and stinking of old death. Their eyes were the most brilliant feature left too see, intelligent and bright. They lived in that hole.

"This-a-way!"

The girl, known only as 'Neesan' pulled the boy, 'Niisan', along as they hurried towards the shopping district.

"HIDE!"

'Niisan pulled the other into a shadowed doorway to a small sweater shop, and a group of men in uniforms passed by. Police. They would be taken and seperated. They would never seperate. That had to take care of each other.

Once they were clear, 'Niisan pulled 'Neesan from the doorway before the woman could shoo them away like so many dogs. They ran to a bakery that never sold anything to anybody. But they kept it running. The old baker had a soft spot for urchins. They kept his stock from going old.

'Neesan pulled 'Niisan around the side door and into the small back room.

"Ne, Giivvani? Are you home?"

Her voice was a childs treble and the old man stuck his head in.

"Ah! My gemini! Hello, are you well? Hungry? Hoho! I've got a new bread. Cheddar! Want to try a peice?"

"Hai!"

They were so cute, eyes shining. 'Neesan took the bread first, and broke it into two uneven halves, giving 'Niisan the bigger half. She sat on the floor, shivvering for a moment from the cold, before she took a small bite. 'Niisan sat next too her, pressing his own thin body against his sisters. 'Neesan wrapped her free arm around him, hugging him to keep him warm.

When she finished, 'Niisan was only one-third of the way through. He broke off a peice and held it out too 'Neesan.

"You're still hungry, hai?"

"Iie, you eat it. I'm okay. I don't want it."

"Why, Girl! You are but skin and bones! Here now, I will not have you starving yourself for your brother younger, here, you take all that you wish from these shelves here, and stuff yourself well, Girl. No sense cutting off noses to spite faces."

"Nani? Cutting off our noses?"

"Never you be of any mind. You two do as I say, and you take those back tunnels, and get you home safely with your breads. Take what you wish. Here are two satchels to stuff as much as you can into. Don't get caught now, or I might be revoked, but you take as much as you can carry. *insert French word for goodbye here* Take care!"

'Neesan smiled at the old man who went out into his shop while they attacked the bread shelves. 'Niisan hurried to finish his then hurried and topped off 'Neesan's bag as well.

"'Neesan, are you going to cut off your nose?"

"No, baka. He means, its silly for me not to eat enough so I can feed you. But don't worry, I eat plenty. If getting you too Earth is the last thing I do, it's WORTH IT! Hai?"

"HAI! But, you'll go with me, right? RIGHT?"

"Lets go 'Niisan, before someone finds us!"

"'Neesan, you won't leave me alone, will you!"

'Neesan grabbed her brothers hand and they hurried in silence. Finally, 'Neesan pushed him into the crack of the huge building, the smallest space between the dumpsters and the end of the alleyway. Once they were in, 'Neesan picked up the oil lamp and a match, tipping some oil onto the half burnt wood and starting their small fire. It was clogging and stifling, but it was warmth and light.

"'Neesan, answer me! When I go to Earth, you'll be there too, won't you?! WON'T YOU! SAY SOMETHING 'NEESAN!"

'Neesan smiled at her brother and hugged him gently.

"Don't worry yourself about it so much, 'Niisan. No matter if I'm with you when YOU go or not, I'll get there too, eventually. Its not a big deal, so don't worry about it."

---

'Niisan went out to talk to the other kids, while 'Neesan hid behind their dumpster that shadowed their home. He talked quietly, scaredly, and kept shifting back towards home.

"No, don't lead them here, 'Niisan...."

She prayed. She had to make him strong. He would never make it if she hadn't been born with him. They weren't born one after another, they were born together, and they would stay that way. Their okassan died because of their birth, their father was never an known entity, and they were all they had. Together.

"'Niisan, don't lead them here.... Go towards them..."

She prayed under her breath, urging him silently forwards. She had cried first, and then, 'Niisan, who had been twined around her began to cry, as if she had triggered the sound. She was the strong one, the leader, the one who worked hard to keep their family as it were from falling apart like those others that they had known. The pretty boy with the strange green eyes. The rich little boy in the park that day with innocence radiating from him and so many oneesan's.

She kept their family together. 'Niisan and 'Neesan. The only family. At least, the only ones that stayed together. The pretty one with green eyes was gone with the mercs. Those awful terrible men. They would have hurt 'Niisan instead of beating up on her and the pretty one if they hadn't both interviened. Even when she said 'Niisan was a boy, they didn't care.

-A warm body's too damn rare. Can't waste a purfecly good'n.-

'Neesan shuddered then heard a yelp and started to lunge up before she saw 'Niisan take a swing at the tall blonde boy with dark green eyes. He was almost the same as the pretty one, but his hair had been funny, and brown, with lighter eyes. She smiled proudly and hunkered back down, watching the bigger boy fall on his butt, his cheek bruised. The boy was laughing, and the softness of it carried.

"Go 'way! I don't wanna go with anybody! I'm gonna stay here, and someday, I'll be on EARTH! And won't nobody never get into my way! Or- OR ELSE!"

'Neesan started to giggle and covered her mouth, ducking back. The other two were laughing too, although it was obvious they didn't believe him. 'Neesan was laughing because she couldn't see 'Niisan being all that violent to anyone. That was the first violent act he'd ever performed.

"Or else huh? Well, we'd better leave you alone then, Tough Guy, you might really hurt us."

The girl was laughing through her whole sentance. The boy elbowed her and shook his head. 'Neesan got suspicious and came up, and made the noise of a scuttling rat. 'Niisan looked back then narrowed his eyes. He glared at the two.

"You stay right there, and don't be comin' followin' me! I hear a rat, an I don't like rats!"

'Neesan waited until 'Niisan was inside then hugged him and turned.

I'm gonna go out there now, and take over, they won't know nothin's up. You stay outta sight, hear me?"

'Neesan scrambled out and walked out with a small live rat in her hand. She pitched it at the boy and made a noise of dissmissal.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go to EARTH, and no one'll stop me. OR ELSE! I donno what the or else is yet, but I'll think of something as it goes. Now, get outta my territory, you hear me! GET OUT! I ain't gonna go nowhere with nobody! I don't depend on no one but myself!"

The boy nodded, sollomnly and turned, the girl gave her one last look then vanished into the street with the boy. 'Neesan crept back in and 'Niisan hugged her tightly.

"You're so brave! I couldn'ta thinked of what ta say!"

'Neesan smiled and patted his hair lightly, knocking off some loose dust. Then she sighed and pulled out the half broken comb and untied the rags holding his hair back. She knocked off the clumped dirt roughly then stubbornly tugged the comb through his hair.

"Itai! 'Neesan!"

"Don't yell. Someone could hear you. Besides, if you get used to it being brushed hard, later it won't hurt."

"H- hai..."

'Neesan smiled and gentled her hand with the comb, trying not to pull so hard.

"See, no worries!"

"Ne, ne! Tough Guy! Come on out here, we gotta propposition for ya?"

"Whassat mean?"

'Neesan yelled in annoyance, clapping her hands over 'Niisan's mouth. The boy yelled loudly, too loudly.

"Its a deal."

"Go."

"Demo-"

"Go! Its you they want!"

"Hai.... I'm coming out now.... Just don't try ever going in here again."

'Neesan smiled. She never thought he'd leave her first.

---

"Duo? What's that mean?"

"You know, it like saying, two people. Like, one person singing is a solo, but two people singing is a duo, three is a trio. Well, my friend's name is Solo, and so, he named me Duo. Cause there's the two of us now."

"Well, okay. You needed a friend. Duo. You'll always be MY 'Niisan."

"Hai! I'm your brother. And no matter what, you'll always be MY 'Neesan."

"So, what'll they call me?"

"I dunno."

'Neesan sighed and hugged DUO akwardly, trying not to filthy him any more. He was so clean.

"Where'd you get so clean?"

"Solo has been collecting rainwater, there's a big drum full, they use it for bathing, and drinking, and cooking. They cook! But, they give everyone one bath a week. Solo taught me to take a bath. You scrub EVERYTHING."

"Everything? Like, even your hair?"

"Yeah, and look, he taught me how to braid."

Duo held out the rope of shining brown. 'Neesan gasped. It was like gold almost, it was so bright and clean.

"Thats a braid? I never knew our hair was so long, and that colour, its pretty. Take me back with you."

'Neesan smiled. Family. They were still together, he just had moved out. She'd sure had an easier time, but it was real lonely. There was more food for her, more time for searching for it. But, she had no one to talk too. It was very lonely.

"Onegai? Take me with you? I'm lonely without you here, Du-chan."

"H-hai! I was hoping you'd come with me!"

Duo took her hand and she smiled as they emerged into the light and he pulled her along. People never looked their way before, but now, seeing this grubby little thing with this clean little boy was making them take notice. Then they shrugged. Duo turned a corner and they walked into a smaller building, height wise, but larger in total floor area.

That blonde boy came over, green eyes shining.

"Whoa, where'd you get the robot?"

"HEY! I'm NOT a robot. I'm DUO's 'Neesan."

"Oh, you're his sister, I thought you two looked similar."

She looked at Duo and smiled. Duo smiled back and she reverently reached out and fingered his shinging hair.

"Is this really his hair?? I never seen it look so pretty."

"Solo taught me how to wash it."

"Oh.... Uhm, can you teach me to wash MY hair?"

"Oh, we'll let Minako take care of you."

"Who's Minako? Is she a cop?"

"No, Mina's another kid, just like us. Kinda like a den mother."

"Den mother?"

"Don't worry about it. HEY! MINA! MINA-CHAN! C'MERE?"

"ON MY WAY!"

A tall black girl walked over from a corner full of real small kids.

"Who's, WHOA! A mirror image, perfectly."

"Yeah, this is Duo's 'Neesan."

"Oh, nice ta meetchya Girl. Doesn't she have a name."

"Nah. We'll think a something eventually. She wants to learn to wash her hair. Teach her hygine."

"Right, hopping too it. Come on Girl, you really need a bath. As bad as Duo, you are. Don't you two ever try and keep cleaned up?"

"Never grew up with no one but ourselves. Ain't we met before?"

"No, can't say that we have..."

"Yeah, I know you, you laughed at him when he said he was goin' to Earth. I had to come out and get you gone."

"But... Well with as much alike as you two are, you're probably more correct than me."

"Phft. Of course I am. I was there after all. I made the signal call and he came running. Then 'Duo' walked out with a small rat and threw it at the pretty one with the green eyes."

"But if that was you-"

"Duo was hiding in the building."

"But-"

"There was a really tiny crack in the wall. Only we could fit in."

"Oh. Gee, you really are his big sister."

"No. We're twins. We were born at the same time. See, our mother died when we was born, she died just as we come out. And Duo was wrapped around me, and I was holding him. When I cried, he started ta cry. Like I was the one ta trigger it, ta says okay, we can say we're okay now. Since I was first to cry, they always say I'm older, but we're the same. No older no younger. We come out together, we'll go out together."

'Neesan nodded desisivly. The black girl smiled and opened the door. There was writting on it. 'Neesan pointed.

"Whats that say?"

"Huh? You can't read?"

"Duo can't neither. He don't like to ask questions a nobody but me. He won't hardly trust nobody else."

"This says WASHROOM. Here, trace the letters while I say them.... W. A. S. H. R. O. O. M. WASHROOM... See?"

"Washroom. Minako.... Teach me how to read. I need to know. Because someday, Duo WILL go to Earth, and I'll make sure that happens. He thinks I'll be going with him, but I know better. It'll be too hard just to get him onto a shuttle, forget about myself. As long as he goes, I don't care about me."

Minako smiled at her and nodded inside.

---

"Gya!!!! Solo!!!!!"

Duo came running out. 'Neesan had been named Trio, for the time being. It was Duo's idea. Trio held him tight as he ran too her.

"He's, no!!!!"

"C'mon.... You should leave with me. Lets go to see this big building of yours."

"Oh, okay.... But, Solo-"

"He's fine. He'll never be sick again. He'll always be the way you remember him, laughing and full of happiness."

"Yeah..."

Duo took her hand and smiled weakly. Trio hadn't been so close to Solo, so it didn't matter as much, but it hurt Duo too loose him, so that stung her a bit. He took her hand and bit his lip.

"Do we keep our names??"

"Of course! We have to have some identifying qualities others can recognise us for. Now come show me your big building. Tell me all about it."

"Well, its made outta huge gray stones, and they're real smooth, with a big iron spike fence around it. There's all these real nice ladies in black dresses and white hats running around with beads around their hands. And there's this one guy in black with a white collar, it really looks neat, Trio."

"One guy an all those women?? Duo-"

"No, no, they're not bad people. They said the place was, a CHURCH. A house of GOD."

"Oh! Its a church okay! Then those women are NUNS, and that man is a PREIST."

"Right. Nuns, and one Priest. Anyhow, and they have all these things to play with, and these kids that live there. And some kids come there for the day and then people come and pick them up and take them home, but they come back the next day, except for two days."

"They must have classes there, where they teach you things. Like a school."

"Oh. Well, yeah. But, its really nice."

They came to the gates and wrapped their hands around the bars. A woman came over and crouched down. Her hair was covered with a white veil, and it came out the sides, like it didn't want to be trapped that way. Her eyes were soft carmel coloured.

"Hello. My, aren't we the Gemini Twins. Who're you? Would you like to come in and play with the other children?"

Duo gripped her hand desperatly. Trio smiled at him and hugged him.

"Duo told me, you let kids stay here... Like to live.... And we don't have anyplace else... The place we were.... The others are all gone..."

"Oh, did you come from an house group? A bunch of you living together to make it easier?"

Trio nodded and the nice woman motioned them down to the gate and held it open.

"Of course, we have a small orphanage here. You're welcome to stay. We only have a few rules. You must play well with everyone, you must attend classes, you must keep clean, and you must not disobey the Ten Commandments of the Lord. Those Ten items are most important. Among them are do not steal, do not lie, and do not take life. You'll learn them quickly."

Trio smiled and looked at the building. Then she laughed.

"Maxwell Church. I've passed this place before, and never knew its name."

"Trio can read! And real well too! Can't you, 'Neesan?"

"Oh, can she? How about you, dear girl?"

"BOY! I'm a BOY!"

"OH! My sincerest appologies, boy, its just your hair threw me off guard. Thats another thing I'm adding to YOUR list young man. We must cut your hair, incase you've brought any dirty little friends with you."

"You mean like lice? He doesn't have them. We made sure with both of us having such long hair."

"Still, its so unbecoming."

Trio laughed as Duo clutched his braid, his indigo eyes huge.

"You can't cut off all my hair! I've never let anyone cut it before, and I ain't starting now! Its the only thing I got thats really mine, asides from 'Neesan, and I won't loose it, not to nobody! Trio! Don't let her do it! Don't let her take my hair!"

Trio smiled and hugged him as he trapped both their braids between them.

"See, you can't cut it. We get everything taken away by somebody, and our hair's the only thing we've ever managed to keep. We keep it clean, no matter what and we count the braid bumps as trophies, each bump is an accomplishment."

"Oh, each time you braid it, you count the small peices, I see. Well, if you're both that ADAMENT about it-"

"Whats that word mean? ADAMENT.... A. D. A. M. E. N. T. Adament. Whats it mean?"

"Very good. You're a smart girl. It means vocal, so stubborn about it. But, to my former question. Can you read, my boy?"

"I don't need to. Everything I know, Trio taught me."

"Well, we'll teach you to read. How did Trio learn?"

"Minako taught me. She knew and so she taught me starting with the word WASHROOM. Then, she just kept teaching me new words, the finally the whole alphabet. Duo doesn't need to read. As long as I'm there-"

"But will you always be? Don't you have any aspirations?"

"Ya mean dreams? Yeah, of course. I dream that Duo goes to Earth someday, to do better there than we can on the dumb colony."

"But what is your dream for YOU? You say you want, Duo?, Duo to go to Earth, won't you go with him. After all, he won't go far without reading. Not even on Earth."

"Well..."

"Trio's gonna be there! Even if it takes a few years, ain't that what you told me when I asked you before? Ain't it?"

"Yeah, yeah, he's right, Sister, ma'am, I'll be there. Eventually. I hope..."

"Of course, but what about when you're not there?"

"There ain't no WHAT ABOUTS! NO WHAT IFS! I'LL BE THERE! WE'RE FAMILY AND WE'LL ALWAYS BE TOGETHER! NO MATTER WHAT! WE WAS COME INTO THIS WORLD TOGETHER AND WE WE'LL GO OUTTA IT TOGETHER!"

The woman smiled and stood up, taking their hands.

"I'm Sisten Helen. Its nice to meet you, Trio and Duo. Trio, you must be older. You seem to take good care of Duo."

"We was born at the exact same time, but she cried first. She let me know we was okay, and she keeps it that way."

"The same time?"

"Yeah, I was hugged around her and she had her baby arms around me, holding me too her."

"I remember a pair of children born this way. Their mother was a beautiful woman.... And sweet. After her- Well, it wasn't much of a good thing. She wanted to be a nun, so this place took her in, and when she gave birth.... She passed into the arms of the Great Father. And she resides their in the Gardens of Heaven, watching over the two beautiful children she placed on this plane... Why, you two look so much like her..."

"Was she-"

"No, wait, her eyes were blue, not such an unusual shade of purple. Oh well, it was just a memory anyhow. So, how about some sleep, it's getting dark. We'll get you some clothes and things tomorrow, and you can take that day to get settled. We'll start your teaching on Monday."

Duo clung to Trio's hand tightly and looked up at her, whispering.

"Trio, what'll we do, I've never seen adults that are nice...."

"We're family."

"Right! Will you share my bed with me tonight."

"Hai, I won't let you sleep alone if it scares you. And beeedah on the adults."

"Yeah, beeedah!"

---

"Run away! Go now! PLEASE!!!"

"But-"

"GOOOO!!!! ah!"

Duo's violet eyes welled with tears as Trio was captured by the uniformed men chasing them. There was a rip of fabric and a high pitched scream. Duo put his head down and ran. He ran and ran and ran until he felt he would die, but he kept running.

There was a deep explosion, and he stopped and looked back. Trio wasn't visible in the light of the explosion, it encompassed seveal city blocks, and towering in the center, he made out a mobile suit.

"I hate those mobile suits.... I'll never touch a mobile suit, I'll never like war."

Duo turned and ran away. He ran until he tripped and someone grabbed his arm. He jerked it away and something stuck the side of his head. As he passed out, he caught a glimpse of gray hair.

Duo woke on a hard cot that was almost like the floor. He sat up, hearing typing in another room. There were voices. He clamped his lips shut and crept up onto his feet, making his silent way too the door. He pushed gently, then pulled just as easily. It opened when he pulled and he slid out, braid slithering out behind him. He didn't remember anything of how he got here, or anything else. But it didn't matter. He was getting out. He wanted....

WHAT.

What was his goal.

To go to Earth.

He nodded too himself. He would go to Earth. And get rid of all mobile suits. But... How....

"I found a boy, running away----- No, he has a natural instinct, there was an explosion and he threw himself forward and down, arms over his head and neck----------- I'll teach him of course. Someone must pilot it. I think this boy might do well----- Of course I have extra choices, if he doesn't work out for it, I'll get rid of him.---- Right. 02. Perfect for being from L2 Space Colony."

Duo halted as something metal creaked and a door whooshed open. A short, slightly stooped man with a mushroom of gray hair stepped out in a white lab coat. All Duo could see was an extreamly large nose, part of an eye and a large scar.

"So your up. I thought I'd hit you harder. I suppose you heard my conversation. Well, maybe it will give you the incinitive to work the more harder to avoid being eliminated. Whats your name boy."

"Duo, Duo Maxwell. I run and hide, but I never tell a lie."

"Duo Maxwell. Right. Well, Duo, lets start training you to pilot my Masterpiece."

---

"Faster, you're not fast enough Duo Maxwell!"

"I'm tryin' my damnedest!"

Duo ran faster, still looking ahead, like he was trained to do. No matter what, never loose visual of where you're at. It could be crucial to your survival. His feet barely touched the treadmills pad, and it was flying under him.

"Run faster. Bah, you're practically useless. I ought to dispose of you now so I can concentrate on your replacement pilot."

"Shut up old man! I'll pilot your damn Gundam and I'll make it through this damn war!"

"Then run FASTER!"

Duo's feet had wings, and he could feel himself being pushed off the treadmill by the air. He was running too fast, he'd never last in a mission going this fast. He slowed the machine to a crawl.

"Running like that will never make it in a mission. You'd get hit by bullets."

"Of course! Whatever it takes to protect the work of art!"

"What about ME!"

"You can be EASILY replaced. I am training your replacement much harder than I train you. Your replacement is also as worthless as you are. I even have a replacement for your replacement. I don't take chances with my master work in life."

"You're a crude old geezer."

"Perhapse, but I am your trainer at the moment! Now run, Duo Maxwell!"

---

"Run faster, Shingami. You'll never make it as a pilot. Never. You're a failed experiment. Women are useless, why do I bother."

"Because, I asked you too.... Because I've never been good enough, I've never been good at anything, and I'll be good at war. War takes beautiful and turns it into dead things. Dead things could be beautiful."

"You're not beautiful, you're average."

"I don't, care!"

Shingami ran faster, her feet lightly hitting the pad of the treadmill. He could never dissuade her. She was never good enough at what she did. She'd almost lost everything in one moment in her life and now, now she had to attone for what she'd never accomplished. Duo would never go to Earth. Her dream for him had vanished in the explosion.

Now she would go to Earth in his stead, make that dream come true, and she would vanish, she would change her name, and no one would know her. She picked up her speed, out running the machine. Damn him, saying she was a REPLACEMENT, for his first choice pilot, saying she was about as useless as HE, whoever HE, was. She grit her teeth, seeing red before her. She never paid attention to anything before in her life. Except Duo.

Duo was dead. She hadn't been good enough to save him from the blast. She'd told him to go and he'd hesitated. He hadn't listened. That had cost her her entire lifes work.

"Slow down! My machine!!!"

Shingami ran faster until there was a small explosion and she rammed her stomach into the front of the tredmill, the pad flying off the back, skidding halfway across the floor in a heap. Her feet were on the rollers and the back ones were smoking and the ones in the center were crushed.

Dr. G was standing there staring at her. She heaved for air for a long moment before she faced him, feeling as if she were back to something like normal.

"What now."

"You broke my machine! Maybe I should send you in my master work instead of sending HIM."

"HIM! HIM! WHO THE FUCK IS HIM?!"

"The pilot. The one I prechose for this job. You are his replacement. If he is killed, which I think he will be, you will be sent to Earth to do his job. And I have a replacement for you as well, so no need to worry about your own life."

Shingami shoved Dr. G aside and ran from the room, seeing red once again. Her face felt contorted in an angry snarl. Her life was important now.

---

"That will never do in a war."

"I'm doing my best."

Duo's fingers paused and then resumed typing as he stopped to figure out the words flying across the screen. There was a haughty sniff and he worried faintly that he was going to end up with his left shoulder being green. He hoped Dr. G. wouldn't sneeze.

"That pause would cost you the base, Gundam and your life. I don't HAVE a replacement Gundam you know."

"So build one. If your so Goddamn smart."

"HAH! It took me my entire life to build just one! You think I can build another in just a few hours! Like snapping my fingers! You ought to just cut your nose off to spite your face! Insolent boy. When I come back, you better not have lost to that simulation."

Dr. G walked out and the door wooshed closed. Duo swore as the game thwarted him again, by shutting off three areas of access.

"DAMN SIMULATION!"

---

"You're hopeless."

"You're an old man. Don't talk to ME about useless. See, he can't hardly get past me."

"You left one open. If you can't close them all, then you'll never make a soldier. Getting pathways closed as well as open is the key to success."

"Well, fuck. Here."

Shingami drummed the keys quickly, eyes never leaving the screen as she typed. She shut off all systems and closed all computer codes to be traced back and short out the board. The 'simulation' was tough, but she would beat anything to go to Earth.

"Not bad, not bad at all. Print that out."

She hit the button and leaned back, rubbing her hands over her eyes, flicking back strands of hair. She heard the sheet tear off and she pulled her braid out from behind her back, the band was irritating her spine. He left the room with the print out and an dismissing wave of the hand.

"Leave. Your free for today. Just this simulation to determine who I send down first."

Shingami rose and left, red clouding her vision. She was going to go out on the town. She'd hit a few bars, get a bite to eat... She smiled and her hair cascaded down her back from a ponytail. Her partner, Death, walked at her side, shrouded from others in the blackness of his countinance. She walked in a constant rain of red. As long as people came to know Death, there she would stand at his right hand. The Red Sea. The Red Death. Blood.

---

Duo smiled at the girl. She looked amazingly similar, but she wore a red tank top and red leather pants with a bag, sunglasses and a camera. She sat on the counter and dug casually behind the bar.

"You want a drink?"

She looked up at him with his own face. He nodded and she pulled out a bottle of clear liquid. She grinned and kissed the cool glass, laughing.

"HAPPY HALELUJIAH!"

She plunked the bottle down, found two small glasses and topped them both with it. She downed hers in a moment and Duo glared at her then downed his. He started sputtering indignantly and the girl was about to roll off the counter laughing.

"Didn't you ever drink Everclear?!"

"What is it?! A fancy name for paint stripper?! Its like acid!!"

"Its like, 120proof. Or some really high number. I get my alcohols mixed. I keep every record I know straight in my head except alcohol.... Maybe because everytime I ask I'm drunk?? I dunno. Want another shot. It ain't so bad once you've done it once. Just gotta watch that first shot, its doozy!"

She grinned and flicked her long chestnut hair behind her. He nodded and she topped his glass.

"So, where ya from."

"L2 colony. The Maxwell Church. My names Shingami. How about you?"

"Same.... My names Duo. Duo Maxwell. I run and hide-

"-But never tell a lie... The Maxwell Mantra... Ya wanna take a look at this?"

The girl downed her shot without a blink and then dug a crisp photo from her bag, putting it on the table.

"Careful, its all I've got of him. There I am, and there's my brother... His name was Duo too.... We called ourselves Maxwells, because we pretty much lived at that orphanage. Father Maxwell-

"-And Sister Helen took care of-"

"-Us and while I was out stealing-"

"-A mobile suit-"

"-My brother was out buying fruit for dessert and some soldiers came and destroyed the Church. Then they grabbed me and I told him to run. He hesitated, but it was only for a second... But that cost him everything. There was an-

"-Explosion that took up three city blocks, but I was thrown free of the initial blast and all that hit me-"

"-was Dr. G's fist in my temple. Then I woke up on-"

"-A hard cot that wasn't much better than the floor and was told that I was a pilot-"

"-Replacement and that HE, who ever HE was would go to Earth, and that HE was expendable. Useless practically and that so was I. I had to run a simulation to block off-"

"-Open-"

"-The security codes of the major OZ bases and it was really difficult, like playing-"

"-Against someone who knew these things as well as I did... Shingami? How do we have almost the exact-"

"-Same memories? I don't know. But we both know the Maxwell Mantra. It was what my Brother and I swore by, we would run and we would hide, but by the scripture of the Lord, we could never-

"-Lie. It breaks one of the major Ten Commandments given to Moses by the Lord himself."

Shingami looked pensive, then she looked at him.

"You don't.... Remember?"

"Bits and peices, things I was told. I was told I stole a mobile suit and got the church destroyed, that I was an orphen with no one else."

"So was I, but I knew better."

"So we're-"

"-Related. Yeah."

---

Shingami burst in the building her brother was in, sobbing for air, and dripping blood. Her red shirt was shreaded in the back, and her boots were ripped into nothing but soles. She collapsed to the floor on her hands and knees, red blood streaming down her arms from her back and shoulders. Her bag was hanging over her side and her indigo eyes were wild with panic.

"Shin! What happened?!"

"IT, something, attacked me.... I don't know... I had to run..... I can't fight back.... It knows about..."

There was a black flash infront of a window and piercing red eyes gleamed in. A voice with a hiss sounded low and clear.

"Ssso ssshe isss not alone. I ssshould have known. Blood never is without Death for very long. I will have that ultimate power, and I will ssslay you both."

There was a grinding laugh, it was really irritating. Duo was instantly on alert, his shadows wrapping around him and cradling his sister who was starting to freak out and try and get away from whoever was out there. Duo sent his shadows out to catch it, but it was gone and he felt his arm go numb.

"Your ssshadowsss will never catch me!"

"Make it leave... Duo, please..."

"Don't worry, I won't let it hurt you."

The thing was gone, but it would be back. Duo looked down at his sister who was huddled on the floor and he sat down and held her.

"Shin, whats wrong? I've never seen you scared of anything in my life. Why don't you just kill it?"

"I can't! Its too strong! Oh god!"

The girl huddled into a ball sobbing. Duo gingerly put his arms around her, trying to avoid hurting her any more.

"Its all right. I'm here now, and it doesn't seem to like light much."

"Duo?"

Duo looked up at Heero who looked mildly concerned. If Shin being afraid upset HIM, there was a problem.

"Something attacked her, and it showed up here. It wants her. It said something about an ultimate power. Shin, whats that thing mean, ultimate power?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Shin screamed, clenching her fists in her hair, tears rolling down her face.

"I don't know I don't know I don't know! I don't know what it wants from me!"

Duo hugged her again and she clung to him desperatly. Heero sat on her other side and enfolded her as well. Teena popped in sitting on the back of a chair.

"Whats wrong with her?"

"We don't know. Something is after her."

---

Shingami Maxwell was running. It was after her again. It didn't have a name, and it was going to kill her. She saw an abandoned church and she ran for it. One door was closed and the other was slightly ajar. Half the windows were busted but had been partially nailed over. She slid into the building and then put all her weight against the door. Then she said a prayer and ran to the alter.

The windows busted behind her and then she lept into the alter, huddling down, her violet eyes luminous. Her power had already failed her. She was breathing hard and she shrieked when the thing burst in the nearest window and landed awkwardly on the back of a bench.

It was a bulky black shape. The only features she could make out were a pair of huge leather and steel wings, those torturous red eyes and rows of gleaming serrated teeth. Its voice was still that growling hiss.

"Ssso do you sssurender, Red Death?"

"I-"

"NO!"

Heero was infront of her. Shin sat up straight.

"H-Heero! You're going to get killed!"

"I won't. There is a good reason for my being alive."

He turned and flashed a smile at her. His eyes were glowing and his teeth had fangs.

"A, demon?"

"Hai, but thats not the point right now. The idea is to save you. I am engaged to your brother after all."

"Arigato....."

The thing laughed. Then it hopped to the floor and scuttled close. Its feet scraped noisily on the cold stone floor and it was slow and awkward.

"Do I frighten you, Red Death? Would you rather I looked beautiful?"

Its form twisted into a tall man with long white hair and those same piercing red eyes. He wore gray and a long cloak that came to his ankles. He held out a hand, with the voice of a human.

"Come on then, I won't hurt you."

Shin started to move but the thing's smile widened and those teeth flashed. She shook her head, covering her eyes.

"DAMN YOU! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

It hissed and the man twisted into the thing again.

"You wretched girl! Ssso you cannot be ssswayed by a pretty face?!"

"A pretty face won't mask the WORST KIND of evil! I know evil that smiles like an angel!"

The thing hissed and those wings beat furiously. It lifted off the ground and flew at her and Heero. Heero threw out his arms and the thing was repelled slightly, flying back to land on the bench.

"What are you doing, Boy! Trying to die!"

"I'm protecting my sister!"

"You're a FOOL!"

The thing flew at them again and it crashed through Heero's barrier, throwing him into a stone wall, the thing on top of him. Shin was on her feet in full blood form.

"HEERO!"

Her fingers ached and the rest of her tingled. Suddenly she was almost flying and she came back to herself tearing the thing off Heero, blocking him with her body, shrouded in blood again. Heero was staring at her.

"Shin?"

"Hai?"

"You, were glowing... You weren't, red. You were-"

"That isss what I want! Girl, that power of yoursss! Give it too me!"

Shin screamed and and held up her hands and everything was crazy again. The thing screamed and she found herself standing up watching the thing fly away, screaming its threats.

"I'll have that power!!!!!"

---

"White? She wore white? And her hair was down?"

Shin blinked, sitting on the floor tiredly. That thing wasn't after her now, but it was scary to think that not even holy places would keep her safe. Duo looked at her and she blinked.

"Nani?"

"Do you know what happened?"

"Sort. I've figured it out since then. There's some kind of latent power in me, and it doesn't come out with the blood power, its like a higher force."

Heero nodded.

"Yeah, she was glowing, wearing this long white dress and she wasn't walking on the ground, she was flying in the air, and she just picked it up and threw the thing, then suddenly she was she collasped protecting me in her blood power. Then it tried again and she just sent it packing in that white dress again. It was like it just surged through her."

"Then how do you harness a power like that?! I thought she was my companion, ya know, Death and Blood. The Black Plague and Red Death. The Black Sea and the Red Sea. The Grim Reaper and the Red Card."

Shin shrugged, and shook her head.

"I can't explain it either. I don't know. I know that what possess us as Death and Blood, has also been possessed in me by something else."

"And you'll never sssee itsss true potential!"

Shin lept too her feet. The lights went out and the thing appeared in their midst. Teena screamed a bit and Duo wrapped the thing in his shadows, while Heero barriered everyone. The thing hissed its laughter, tearing up Duo's shadows and shattering Heero's barrier. Then its piercing eyes connected with Duo and a tendril of red light seeped out and threaded its way into Duo's eyes. Duo was immobile. Shin was stunned.

"Duo... Duo.... Duo! DUO!!!!!"

She couldn't let this happen, she had too.... too....

TO WHAT?!

Calm down. She wouldn't accomplish anything by freaking out. She closed her eyes and took one large deep breath. She could feel the energy within her. All that pent up energy. She let it out slowly, letting it pervade her body. Then her body was shrouded in white light that lit the room. Her eyes opened and she looked around with a better awareness. She was four inches off the ground. Her long chestnut hair swept behind her as she never moved but floated to the space between the thing and Duo.

"You won't hurt him. You'll never hurt the ones I love."

Her voice was as cold as ice, but warm like roaring fires of home. She reached out calmly, grasping the red light and tearing it apart through the light itself. The thing howled and Duo tumbled back. He looked up at her.

"Shin??"

"Shhh, Duo. Let me help you now. I won't let him get you again."

Duo stared up at her as she turned, her smile never leaving her face. Her power radiated out from her, as if she wasn't big enough to contain it all. She cupped her hands, and then pulled them apart, a thin looking clear bubble expanding between her palms. She fastened her glowing eyes on the thing, that was nothing but a mass of black, red, steel and teeth.

"You have terrorized me, and my family. You have attacked my brother and my brother's fiancé. I cannot extend forgiveness for any of that."

She kept her smile as the ball became a turning mass of clear and red, her anger striping it in red. She let it leave her hands and it floated out and wrapped itself around the thing. The thing turned and struck and screamed within it.

"I cannot extend forgiveness.... Die."

She smiled, as the thing within screamed in terror now. The ball was slowly shrinking. Teena was staring in horror at her.

"What are you doing?! Just kill him and be done!"

"I am delivering him to mercy. I have no fogiveness for what pain he has caused."

She never stopped smiling, and her violet gaze never left the ball. Teena ran over to Duo and yelled.

"She's gonna squish him! Do something!"

"He deserves it. Teena, that bastard was in my head! He was messing with my mind! It was all I could do to stay sane!"

She smiled as the ball got smaller. He couldn't get enough capacity to scream. She lifted a hand and laughed gently, like the wind.

"Enjoy forever."

She waved once and the ball shunk in, smashing him, then expanding before he burst so that you saw him die, the spattering of his black blood, the parts flying to peices. She pulled the ball back to her hands and it hardened. She opened the top and reached in, diping her fingertips in the blood of the thing.

"Its done..."

"Shin, can you please stop now?"

The ball vanished and suddenly Shin was unconcious, dressed in red again. She fell towards the floor.

"YIKE! CATCH HER!"

Heero beat him too it as he caught her before she met the floor. He lifted her and and carried her too the couch. Duo hovered anxiously, no long shadowed either. She was pale, and clammy. Her lips were turning blue and purple, and Heero looked worried.

"I think that took a lot out of her.... It looks like she spent more energy than she had."

"Is she gonna make it?! Heero! She's not gonna die is she?!"

"I- Duo, she might. Look, she saved your ass at the cost of her own life. She's your sister, and when you were little, you told me she was always looking out for you first. She did it again. When you were in deep shit, she pulled your balls outta the fire. Her pulse is almost nonexistant. She has nothing left to give. She gave you all she had."

"Then.... I'll give her mine."

Duo sat down, gathering his sister too him. Duo went to Death and closed his eyes.

"Shin...."

His shadows wrapped around them and shut out all light. Shin's breathing was staggered and she was almost dead.

"You can't die now, you can't... I still need you... You have to live, this has to work... Please."

He gulped in air and then forced his power into her, letting it soak into her body. It penetrated her and she took in a sharp breath, her body arching as if she were in pain. Her skin was slowly coming back to colour, and her breathing was evening out. Her pulse was returning and slowly, an eye opened.

"Duo...."

"Shin! You're-"

"Tired.... Can I please just sleep... I've just saved your ass again.... You owe me buster."

"Whatever you say, just don't ever do that again"

Shin smiled at him as the shadows receeded and she rolled over, snuggling up to her brother like he was a big teddy bear and going to sleep.

"Ahou...."

Duo snorted.

"This may complicate things."

~OWARI~

NE! Its finished! This actually didn't take me forever! Only six months! *bounces in rapture and joy* Now, Duo knows this whole story too, and he did keep me from dying, and I did kill that thing with the bubble, the church thing is true, we played out a lot of this with just our friends, so DemonHeero really exists and is Duo's fiancé. BEEEDAH! Yer all outta luck there. I don't always get every detail, but I scoured my brain with an S.O.S. pad to get up every bit I could. Our charcters actually start at the part with the alcohol, I had to get real creative with the history.

Is it good? Teena, don't kill me! *runs for her life from Teena who might very well give it a try* JA!

K. C. *muah!* =^.^= *Mew!*