Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets ❯ the chicken or the egg ( Chapter 14 )

SECRETS 12: the chicken or the egg

 

Duo sighed and stretched, rubbing against the bodies of his two lovers, the dragon and the elf. He felt like purring, but wisely decided to try to extract himself from the tangle of arms and legs.

 

“Duo?”

 

Duo sighed and froze. Smiling he looked at a sleepy Trowa and shrugged. “Bathroom.”

 

Trowa nodded and fell back on the rumple sheets. Duo laughed lightly as he slip off the foot of the bed. When he turned back he saw Wufei enfold Trowa in his arms and both sigh back to sleep.

 

After taking care of his shower, he tied the end of his braid off and stepped into the living room. Heero was sitting on the couch, his face glued to his computer. Quatre was in the kitchen, puttering, the smell of breakfast filling the air.

 

“Duo!” Quatre smiled and waved at him over the bar. “How many eggs can I make you?”

 

Duo laughed. “Just two, Cat, I'm trying to watch my figure.”

 

Quatre laughed and turned back to the stove.

 

“Une, wants us in the office today after lunch.” Heero said quietly, his eyes never leaving his laptop.

 

Duo frowned and leaned over the couch to see what he was doing. “What's that?”

 

Heero frowned as he felt Duo's braid fall over his own shoulder before answering. “I'm doing a background search on the members of the faction we arrested.”

 

“Didn't we all ready do that?”

 

Heero sighed and picked up the end of the heavy braid. “I wanted to double check a few things.” Rubbing the end, he sniffed it's scent. He could smell the dragon woven into the strands and see the touch of life the elf had left behind. Smiling, he gave the braid a jerk before standing. “We need to know if they were just a part or the whole thing.”

 

Duo nodded, absently stroking his injured hair.

 

“Breakfast!” Quatre called from the kitchen.

 

The door to Duo's bedroom opened. Trowa and Wufei stepped out, both freshly showered and dressed, and joined them at the table.

 

Mid-way through eating, Trowa dropped the bomb.

 

“Duo can see us.” He said softly as he passed Heero the rice.

 

Duo froze, surprise coloring his bright amethyst eyes.

 

“The true us?” Quatre asked, excitement making his eyes shine as he looked at his friend and brother. Trowa nodded. “That's good!”

 

“Huh?” Confused Duo swallowed and stared at his little blond buddy. “What do you mean `that's good'?”

 

Quatre ignored the look and the question. “We should go on the office and spend a little time in the lab. We need to access our abilities and weaponry. We can't go up against any new enemy blind.”

 

The others nodded ignoring Duo's sputtering.

 

“Eat up, Maxwell.” Wufei smirked. “You need your strength.”

 

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The ride to PHQ was uneventful, Heero drove with Quatre next to him, Duo, Wufei, and Trowa in the back. It was, for once, a silent trip, Duo too caught up in Trowa's revelation to the others. While he hadn't asked the elf to keep it a secret, he'd sorta hoped that it would be awhile before he had to confront them.

 

“Come on, Duo, we have work to do.” Wufei's voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he took the hand offered him.

 

The trip down to the lab was quick and Duo barely had time to process the morning when Trowa wrapped his arms around him and kissed him on the neck.

 

“It's time, Duo.” He whispered into his ear making him shiver.

 

Quatre smiled at him and nodded. “We need to do this now, Duo. Soon the factions will get stronger and we'll be wishing that we still had the Gundams.” He stepped forward, grabbed Duo's hands and led him into the center of the room. “We don't want wars any more. We need to be smarter, stronger, and faster than the bad guys. We need to quit hiding. I've seen too much to let the innocent hurt anymore. I need to do something about it. We need to do something about it.”

 

Duo looked at the other ex-pilots. “Guys?”

 

Trowa, Wufei, and Heero all nodded. “It is time for us to know our truth, Maxwell.”

 

Duo nodded and looked into Quatre's sad eyes.

 

“You're immortal not omnipotent.”

 

Duo's softly spoken words made them all freeze. The glow around Quatre surged then settled about him like a great halo. His whole body seemed to grow both in stature and musculature; his became brighter and his hair turned white.

 

Quatre smiled so sweetly and stepped back. “I am an immortal and I have lived many lives for many centuries.” Quatre voice sounded deeper before all of it just seemed to vanish in a blink.

 

“Quatre?” “Winner?”

 

Quatre turned and faced the other pilots with a sheepish smile. “This is going to take some getting used to; being known and exposed.”

 

Trowa took a tentative step toward the small blonde only to stop a foot before him. “How long have you known?”

 

Quatre's eyes dropped and his voice lowered. “My father always suspected, but I only truly found out when we all woke. Dreams became memories and things I thought were just guesses became true knowledge. I've been around a long time.”

 

Duo's laughter shook all of them. He could see the relief in Quatre's face as his secret was revealed. Power released inside of him as he turned to the others.

 

Heero's eyes narrowed as he watched the braided boy shake and suddenly his wings expanded around him.

 

“Duo! Wings!” Trowa shouted.

 

Duo blinked before he grinned. “Trowa! Elf!”

 

Trowa gasped as Duo named him and he found himself stepping back. Images of forest creatures and fabled crystal cities crashed through his mind. He heard a language that sounded like music and saw, floating about the room, a small pixie. Giggling, she gave him a wave and a wink before soaring up to the lights, making him blink.

 

“You always liked the theatrics, Maxwell.” Wufei stood with his arms crossed, his glare daring Duo to speak.

 

Duo, literally, skipped over to the stern Chinese boy and with a quick flick of his wrist he released the tight pony tail. “Drag-on. Heal-er.” He said in a quick singsong way.

 

Wufei frowned as he tried to catch his hair only to find his fingernails elongated, claw-like. His eyes narrowed as he felt the heat rise in his body and a sharp pain along his back. He growled as he arched back before falling to his knees in pain. His white tunic shredding as bat-like wings of green, red, and gold unfolded from within him. His pupils slitted as his mind was assaulted by images of fiery mountain ranges and crisp cool air. He could feel the wind against his body as he soared far above the land and then he roared.

 

“Holy shit!” Duo jumped and darted away as a half transformed Wufei slowly rose from the floor.

 

`You are so handsome, my husband.'

 

The soft lyrical voice tickled Wufei's mind and he turned to see the shadowy form of a woman warrior smiling at him. “Meirian?”

 

`I approve of your choice and I will always walk by you.' She whispered before slowly fading away from sight.

 

“Cool wings, Fei.” Wufei glared at Duo before closing his eyes and willing the wings back where they belonged.

 

 

“Jealous, Maxwell?” He asked the bouncing baka, his eyes twinkling as he caressed his new lover's cheek.

 

Duo smiled and shrugged before bouncing over to Heero.

 

Heero stood still as he watched the winged boy approach him. He'd observed how Duo was going about revealing the things they had hidden from themselves. Whatever had happened on that base had awakened their dormant powers and somehow Duo was the catalyst.

 

“Heero.” Duo nodded to his friend.

 

“I all ready know.” He told the bouncing boy, the power his friend exuded caressing his body. “Synshi told me.” With a motion of his head, he indicated the small girl who still held his sword and shield.

 

She smiled at Duo and gave him a small finger wiggle as Heero's self burst forth in full warrior regalia. The armor was samurai in design with intricate etchings along the shoulder cuffs and back plate. The color was not white as one would think, but silver, tarnished with age. The helm covered most of his face and there were dents and scratches from long use, but it still radiated the aura of power.

 

“Cool.” Duo breathed and reached out to touch Heero's shoulder, caressing the kanji .

 

“Duo, what about you?” Quatre asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. “Are you truly Shinigami?”

 

“Naw.” Duo laughed as he turned to face his friends. He expanded his wings and released his power. He was brilliant. Where his wings had been black shadows, they were now iridescent, solid with feathers, and they began to glow.

 

Once again they were all blinded by the bright light he cast. With eyes shut, they heard a voice so beautiful it made them want to weep.

 

“We were born during the first age of man. We walked among them and we learned from them. In time we became like them and gathered them to us. Our fires warming them and keeping them safe for the centuries of our lives. When our time came to pass, we were re-born in flames and were given the power of sight.”

 

Quatre gasped and opened his eyes, startled at the sight before him. Above their heads Duo hovered, his body surrounded by a softened red/orange glow. His violet eyes were glowing with a power that hadn't been seen since the first age of man. The wings, which had gone from shadow to white, were now alive with flames. H is hair had come loose again, making him so much more beautiful than any could imagine.

 

“The Phoenix child.”