Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Paint it Black ❯ Land meets Sea or Fish Sticks ( Chapter 3 )

The third part of Paint it Black, thanks to my Roomie and Cat who helped me with this chapter. I don't own Gundam Wing but I do own the original characters I bring to the story. Again thanks for the reviews from everyone, I had originally thought of this idea for an RPG I was thinking about running but it failed to get off the ground.

Duo surveyed the borrowed clothes Trowa had given him. The sleeves were a little too long and the pant legs swallowed his feet but they were warm. Looking up at Trowa he watched the tall man who seemed to be at war with himself. He had agreed to sit down and wait patiently while Trowa packed up the tent. It would be a bad idea to dwell in the Ice Kingdom for too long. Those who did usually ended up dead; he would have been that way to if Trowa hadn't come along.

Trowa shoved the furs back into his pack irritably, thinking about how easily he had cracked. Why wasn't his will stronger? Why did he blurt that out? "If you stop crying I'll help you find this Heero guy!" Why did he say that? Sometimes it was overrated to be a man of honor, someone who kept his word. Turning he looked at Duo but quickly looked away again. Looking into those doe eyes made him crumble instantly. //I'm such a weak man.// he thought pitifully.

"Lets go," Trowa said over his shoulder as he hefted his pack and started across the icy terrain at his usually fast pace, but stopped when he remembered that his charge couldn't move at the same rate. Slowing down he waited for Duo to catch up him.

"Trowa?" Duo called, stalling.

"What?"

"You're going the wrong way…."

"No I'm not."

"But Heero's that way…you promised…." Duo said with a teary whimper.

Moving to stand in front of Duo he lifted the boys chin so that he could look into his eyes. "I didn't forget my promise, we need to go someplace a bit more safe and stable to discuss a plan of action. If we lurk around here too long the Ice Queen is going to make sure we never leave this place."

"So we'll come back?"

"As soon as you're healed up and in fighting condition we'll come back and look for him. All I need is to face her soldiers with you in the condition you're in, we'll both be dead."

"Fine! Lets go, the faster I'm healed up the faster we can come back!" Duo said cheerily as he marched off.

Trowa marveled at how fast Duo's moods changed; it went from sorrowed to rampant in five minutes flat. Shrugging his pack further up his shoulder he joined his new travel companion. It would take several hours maybe even a few days until they were back on stable ground, he worried if Duo would hold up that long or if he would have to carry all of his supplies and the boy. "Slow down, if you expand all your energy now I'll have to carry you."

"I'm fine, I'm fine just a little cold…"

"It's going to be that way until we can get out of the Ice Queen's domain."

"How long do you think that'll take?"

"A few days maybe…"

"That long?" Duo whined.

"Yes that long."

"Boy you talk a lot, don't you?" Duo said sarcastically.

"No."

Duo gave Trowa and ominous look but continued walking beside him. This continued for several hours until Duo's body started to complain. Unwilling to stop Trowa rigged a sled made from his tent and pulled Duo. He knew he couldn't keep up his maddening pace for long but he was determined to reach Aurora. They could rest there and he could refresh his supplies in that sleepy seaside town.

By the time they had reached Aurora Trowa was drenched with sweat and his body shook from exertion but he stilled tried. A gentle arm on his shoulder stopped him as his feet finally stepped on unfrozen land.

"It's okay Trowa, take it easy, we can rest for a bit here."

When did Duo get up, it was like he hadn't felt him move from the sled. "No, not until I know we're in a safe place."

"Trowa it's the middle of the night, I'm sure it's okay if we rest now."

Trowa managed a to walk a bit more before he had to sit down. "Okay we can rest here."

Duo sighed and peeled away a few layers of clothing wrapped around Trowa. What a difference a few miles made. Looking back he could still see the blistering snow and ice storm that surrounded the Ice Queens domain, but the place they were in now was warm and pleasant.

Aurora was a beautiful place, well known for its import of Canistas, a very sweet tasting fish. Thinking of food made Duo's mouth water and his stomach growl but his concern was brought back to Trowa who was battling to get out of a few more layers of clothing.

Trowa managed to strip down until he was comfortable using his outer shirt to dry the sweat from his face and chest. "Thanks."

Receiving a compliment from the usually stoic boy made Duo smile.

"Let's set up the tent and get some rest, tomorrow I'll go hunting and then we can eat."

"Deal."

Together they put the tent together and laid down together but this time it wasn't because they need to keep warm but because of the friendship developing between them.

Trowa awoke early, as the sun washed over the land, no matter how tired he was it was impossible for him to sleep in though it seemed to be a different situation for Duo. Leaving his companion to sleep he grabbed his nets and headed down to the seashore hoping to catch some fish. A light breakfast would be easy for Duo to keep down.

*********

Meanwhile down the shore and into the sea…

Quatre watched miserably as his sister swam around him laughing gleefully. He swatted her tail away from his face. "Go away Iria…"

"Aw, come on little brother, cheer up a little bit please? Going to the surface will be fun."

"WHAT? YOU CAN'T GO TO THE SURFACE! THEY'LL EAT YOU!"

"Will you calm down and stop screeching or I'll rip your tongue out." Iria said menacingly.

"You can't go up there Iria, dad will gut you. He forbids the interaction between humans and mermaids."

"Then you go," she said as she pushed him towards the surface, "you're a merman. Dad didn't say anything about a merman interacting with humans, and when you're done come back and tell me everything that happened."

"Iria this is ridiculous, I am not going to the surface just to satisfy your curiosity."

"Fine be that way!" she grumped and took off towards the surface at full speed.

"Iria wait! You can't go up there!" Quatre called as he swam after her but she just laughed and shook off his clutching hands as he raced to grab her before she could breach the surface. //This was a bad idea,// he thought but it was confirmed when he saw the net descend into the water. Putting on another burst of speed he pushed his sister out of the way but couldn't keep himself from becoming entangled in the confines of the net.

*********

Trowa swirled his net around, hoping to snatch up a hefty catch. He wanted to have enough so that he and Duo could eat until they were full but when he tugged at his net an odd feeling came over him. Why was it so heavy? Maybe it was something good. Pulling it in he readied himself for a fight since whatever was on the other in was thrashing wildly. Stopping he stared at the contents dumbfounded.

"You're not food," Trowa said looking a bit disappointed.

"Of course I'm not food! You have no right doing this! Let me go!

"If you stop squirming I'll get you out." Trowa said pulling the net onto the shore and bending over the thrashing merman so that he could cut him loose. "Be still or I'm going to cut you. And if you die from losing too much blood I'll eat you anyway, it's bad to let things go to waste out here."

Quatre's eyes widened for a moment then narrowed in rage. Humans were all alike, lying, murderous creatures that just took from the sea and gave nothing back now they were threatening to eat him. His father was right. Using his tail he swung it around and smacked the human where he could.

Trowa fell back, stunned as he was impacted in the side. Damned overgrown fish, all he was doing was trying to help. Looking up he could see Duo standing on the top of his bank trying hard not to laugh at him outright but he failed and he groaned as he heard Duo's laughter.

"Did you find breakfast?" he heard Duo call to him.

"Shut up," he called back. //I'm going to starve to death…..//