Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Elven Mage ❯ Of Pain and Remembered Loss. ( Chapter 5 )

Warnings: Shounen-ai, eventual yaoi, OOCness, weirdness maybe… You know, the usual.

Pairings: Need I say it? Not telling!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Gundam Wing characters or anything to do with them, however I do own Shiakara and the whole concept of the OtherKin. I also own the mentioned character, Nihrana.

Nihrana: Woo! I get an appearance in the fic!

Author's note: Uhm… well I don't think there's all that much to say about this bit aside from enjoy and please review! ^_^ I'll love you forever!

* * *

Wufei slid one wary ebony eye open and looked about without a moving a muscle. Something was very wrong. He didn't know what it was and he didn't know how he knew, but something was wrong.

"Noin…" he said out the side of his mouth, his voice somehow conveying to her the need for stillness. She mimicked his action, opening only one eye.

"Wufei…?" she asked, her voice saying he'd better have woken her so early for a decent reason.

The sun was only just beginning to appear over the horizon and deep within the forest where they were, the only way to tell was the sharpening of outlines of objects instead of everything blending into one blur.

"I do believe we-" Wufei's words came to a halt as his back arched and he let out a scream of utter pain, followed closely by Noin.

Quatre and Trowa jerked awake at the sound and the former of these two was instantly thrown into the same pain as the two centaurs.

~Aaaaaai… Trowa! Painpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpain!~ Quatre's frenzied thoughts bit into Trowa's mind, making the pantherin wince.

Quatre writhed on the ground, unable to do anything but scream.

Ah… Quatre! Quatre! What can I do? Trowa thought to himself, laying a hand on Quatre's shoulder.

Quatre registered more pain in his shoulder. More than that which encompassed his entire being and he fought Trowa's hand off, unable to work out what made him hurt. All he knew was pain and wherever Trowa tried to touch him, the pain increased ten-fold.

Trowa looked wildly about him. What could he do?

* * *

No… the green-eyed does not respond!

Tcha! He is only one. Fear him not. He is nothing.

Perhaps…But be wary. Mr. Khushrenada would not like it if one of them escaped…

Aye, aye, but there is naught to fear! He carries no magic. This is why he does not respond.

I was under the impression all creatures carried magic within…

But this one does not. He is a Nothing.

A Nothing? Surely not. Nothings are naught but fairytales!

Nonetheless he is one. Come, brethren. Let us take these four and keep them safe for Mr. Khushrenada. He will reward us well…

* * *

"Trowa… Trowa… something… something's coming… Go… get out of here and… and save yourself…" Quatre finally managed to form words through his alternate whimpers and screams.

Trowa shook his head, emerald cat's eyes wide with fear. He took Quatre's hand, forgetting he caused more pain where he touched.

"I can't leave you here," he said, voice catching.

"You ha-have to, Trowa! If you get taken along… with the r-rest of us… There won't be anyone to get us back… Go… Run! You know… h-how to track me… Go!" Quatre accompanied his final word with a mental shove, which caused Trowa to yelp, but also galvanized him into action. He clambered to his feet and began a stumbling run into the trees, Changing as he went. Once he was on all fours, he was far harder to see as the patterns on his coat blended with those caused by light and shadow. He could move much faster too, and he let his feline instincts take over so he didn't have to think about Quatre back there… alone… in pain…

~Take heart, Quatre. I'll be back for you,~ he thought to the faery just before he moved out of sensing range.

He got a soft, pain filled acknowledgement, then silence as he moved too far for either of them to send thoughts to one another.

He ran, unstopping, letting his feline instincts guide him, until he couldn't hold his panther form anymore. He continued stumbling on in his human form, then, until he fell and couldn't muster the energy needed to get to his feet again. He curled up into a ball and lapsed into a restless sleep, filled with strange dreams of people and panthers he'd never seen before in his life.

* * *

"Like that…" Heero said with a slight smile as he set Shiakara back on her four paws with a gentle lowering of his hand. She grinned toothily at him as she came back to the ground and rustled her wing feathers.

Duo shook his head.

"I'm not going to Lift Shiakara! What if I drop her? Can't I do it with something else first? Like a blanket…? Please?" he said, violet eyes wide at what he'd just seen.

Shiakara laughed softly and shook her head, eyes alight with humour. Her ears perked forward and she spread her wings, twitching the ends.

"If I do fall, I'll be fine, but I trust you not to drop me!" she said, tongue lolling playfully out the side of her mouth.

"No. No way. This is the first time I would've done this and I'm not going to do it with you! I'll Lift the bed if I have to, but not you."

"Don't worry about me! I can just fly if you drop me!"

"No, dammit!"

"Alright… It's fine. Here, do the chair first, Duo. But then you'll Lift Shiakara, because a live something is harder than an inanimate object. Now, like this," Heero said. He lifted his hand, fingers spread and palm towards the chair then waited for Duo to mimic the gesture, which the elf did. "Now just concentrate and raise your hand, like I did before. It shouldn't be overly difficult. You have the Talent. Once you get better, you won't have to use such big hand movements"

Duo snorted slightly, but did as he was told, narrowing his eyes in concentration.

~You don't think he'll Lift it,~ Shiakara stated in Heero's head.

~Seldom does an apprentice Lift well on their first try. Never has one actually raised anything higher than a finger length,~ Heero replied knowingly.

The tip of Duo's tongue peeked out the corner of his mouth as he concentrated and began to raise his hand. The chair shuddered once, then shot from the ground and hit the roof with a thud before falling again with yet another thud.

"…Oops…" Duo said, eyes wide as he turned to Heero and Shiakara, the tips of his elven ears turning pink with a blush.

Shiakara fought valiantly not to laugh, but inevitably failed and made that odd chuffing sound which was her version of suppressed laughter.

Heero just stared.

"But no one… Even I… I don't… It can't… You can't… It's not…" He eventually gave up trying to say anything and shut his mouth.

"Eh… Aren't you glad that wasn't you, Shiakara…?" Duo said eventually, tugging on his braid.

That was it as far as the OtherKin was concerned. She couldn't even suppress her laughter anymore and simply howled with it, rolling about on the floor with her paws waving in the air.

"Duo… Control is of the utmost importance… and I think you would do well to practice it with a blanket or a pillow for now…" Heero said.

"Uh, yeah… Lucky it's a strong chair, huh?" Duo went redder and Heero found himself wondering how far below the neckline of the elf's robes the blush went. That thought went on to his wondering what it would be like to find out. That thought went on to his wanting to find out, which led to one flustered Heero.

"Hn… Practice, Duo. I'll be back later." With that, Heero turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving Duo staring after him.

"See, now what did I do wrong, Shiakara? He didn't seem angry with me, then he stalks off like he can't stand me. I could understand if he was angry about the chair, but I don't get why he left! If he's angry, why didn't he just yell at me?"

The OtherKin sighed and blinked at him, shaking her head and rustling her wing feathers again, this time in agitation. She looked hard at Duo, blinking, then shook her head again.

"I'm not going to tell you. Either you'll figure it out or he'll tell you, but I sure won't. It wouldn't be fair. Just… try not to worry too much, okay? And practice! A blanket won't injure anything! I'll show you again if you'd like. I can Lift a bit."

Duo shook his head, giving a sly smile.

"It's not the lifting, it's the control. I know what I have to do!"

Shiakara grinned and nodded, then settled down to watch Duo practice.

* * *

Heero sat by himself in a large chair in the library, staring pensively into the fire blazing in the fireplace. Why these thoughts? Why? He didn't want the elf like that! He knew he didn't. He wanted Milliardo like that, not Duo. Not Duo! He put it down to his being frustrated by the loss of the other mage and nothing to do with any feelings he had for Duo. He gave a slight nod. That must be the reason.

He certainly wasn't attracted to Duo Maxwell…

* * *

Milliardo's nose twitched and he smiled slightly at the aroma which reached it. He opened one eye and sure enough, there sat a steaming plate of meat and vegetables. He quickly came to the conclusion that he'd slept most of the day. He opened his other eye and gave a long-suffering sigh when he realized what else was in the room aside from the food.

He deftly checked his energy stores as he sat up, very glad to find them full again.

He finally lifted his eyes to meet Treize's.

"What?" he asked darkly, reaching for the plate and bringing it to his lap.

"Now, now, my dear Milliardo. Is that any way to greet your host?" Treize asked silkily, watching Milliardo eat.

Milliardo gave a sarcastic snort and didn't dignify the question with an answer, but concentrated wholly on his food, which, he grudgingly admitted, was very good. When he was done, however, there was nothing he could do but meet Treize's eyes again.

"I've done what you wanted, Mr. Khushrenada-"

"Treize."

"Mr. Khushrenada, now can I go home?"

"No," Treize said simply, accompanying the word with his most glittering smile.

"You've no further reason to keep me here," Milliardo said, standing and walking to the window. He looked out over the roses and beyond to the gentle hills, as though he could see all the way to the opposite end of the continent and hence, the University.

"Oh, but I have…" Treize said softly as he, too, stood and walked over to Milliardo, lifting his long hair aside and dropping father-light kisses on his neck.

"Get your hands off me…" Milliardo growled warningly, a small ball of energy appearing above one hand. "Now."

"I wouldn't ever hurt you…" Treize whispered softly into Milliardo's ear, then let his tongue slip out to trace the shell of the mage's ear.

"I do not want this," Milliardo said.

Treize stepped back and regarded the tall form of his latest prey. The robes left much to his imagination, but he was sure Milliardo was beautifully built underneath them.

"You will…" Treize said softly, then gently turned Milliardo and kissed him lightly before turning and walking to the door, halting as he reached it and looking back to the fuming mage. "You are free to do what you wish here, Milliardo. If you would like to talk to me, just ask one of my little friends and he will bring you to me or me to you." With that, he turned again and swept out of the room, his royal blue robes hissing along the stone.

Milliardo shook his head and put two fingers to his lips, grimacing. There was no way he would ever sleep with that man. No way at all.

He wondered again if his apprentices were all right, then his thoughts drifted to his sister and then to Heero. What had possessed him that day in the corridor? He'd never felt that way inclined about Heero Yuy. Perhaps it was that he hadn't kissed anyone like that for a long time, not since Nihrana had left the University…

"Oh…" Milliardo said softly, closing his ice-blue eyes. It had been a long time since he'd had a direct thought about his winged lover. Nihrana, with his feathered wings and big, dark, dark blue eyes. Nihrana, with his thigh-length red-brown hair and his teasing smile. Milliardo could hardly believe he still missed the sorcerer. Nihrana had been named sorcerer because of his use of a magical object to aid his spell casting and everyone had loved him, but none so much as Milliardo. It had hurt when he'd left, whispering the name of another, Arikendl, his… what was the word…? Iana'alee…

But enough of that. It was no excuse for his loss of control with Heero. He needed to work on that, get himself back under control again if he were to play his part in what was to come in the elf, Duo's life.

It was strange, Milliardo thought, that he hadn't Seen his own kidnapping. Then again, perhaps not. He hadn't sat down for an open Seeing in a while. They'd all been focused Seeings on other people and things, never open on himself.

"Hmm…" he said softly, then wandered back to his bed and settled cross-legged on it.

"Sir…?" whispered one of those creatures as he began to close his eyes. They flew open again in shock - he'd forgotten it was there.

"Yes?"

"Is there anything you need…? I've seen Lady Une about to go into a trance and that's what you're about to do, isn't it? I was wondering if there was anything you wanted before you did. Or if you just want me to keep everyone out until you call me? Lady Une once told me it's bad for you to be interrupted during one of those things and the last thing Mr. Khushrenada would want is for you to be hurt. Did you want me to tell Mr. Khushrenada you're going to do this thing? Or did you want me to tall someone else? What if I-"

"No, it's fine. Just keep everyone out," Milliardo cut in, realizing the thing wouldn't stop talking if he didn't forcibly stop it.

"Very well sir," it said quickly, then scurried to the door to stand guard there.

Milliardo laughed at the little thing despite himself and shook his head slightly, then closed his eyes. It took him longer than it usually did to trance. His thoughts kept floating between Heero and Nihrana, and it took him a long time to clear his mind completely. Once he had, it was easy to fall into the casting of the Seeing and think of nothing else.

* * *

Trowa forced his eyes open and yelped as he found himself looking into the yellow eyes of a tan-colored panther. He scrambled back a little and reached quickly for the Change, forcing himself hurriedly into panther form and hissing dangerously at the panther looking at him, which was slightly smaller than him.

~Fear? Why should I sense fear from one of my own? Surely you are not feared of me…?~ a sprightly female voice spoke in his head and Trowa's emerald eyes widened.

~Y… You're like me…?~ Trowa asked softly and the other panther nodded, then turned, waving her long tail in the air.

~Come. I will take you to see Shaman… She will know who you are and why you did not grow up with us.~

Trowa's eyes widened further. He was going to get all his questions answered in one hit? Surely that was too good to be true. He must still be unconscious and dreaming an exhausted dream.

~Oh, no. You are not dreaming, kin, I was sent to find you. I am glad you chose to start coming this way. It meant I did not have to go all the way to the elven living place where Shaman first felt you were. It is good. I will be thanked greatly, more so because I have brought you back quicker than was thought.~

Trowa lifted his tail high above him as he walked behind the other panther, keeping it from getting caught on fallen logs and tangled in bushes. He couldn't comprehend everything she'd said, so he settled for a simple question.

~What is… your name?~

~Tia'ara. I was sent to find you.~

~You said that already… But why?~

~Because Shaman said I must. It is simple. You are Trowa, I know because she told me. That is not the name you were given by your mother, Shaman said, but you may keep it, as it is what you are used to.~

~Why did my mother leave me with the elves…?~ Trowa asked, excited at the prospect of finally getting an answer to that question which had been plaguing him for as long as he could remember.

~Patience, kin, Shaman will tell all.~

* * *

"Uhn… Tr… Trowa…?" Quatre's voice came out as little more than a croak and he sat up with a wince. Though whatever that pain was had not been physical, but magical, everything in him ached as though he'd been physically beaten. He forced his blue-green eyes open and looked around him, gasping softly when he saw two heaps of fur and legs in one corner of the damp cell they were in.

"Wufei! Miss Noin!" he cried and fluttered over to them, realizing suddenly he didn't have his willow wand and not liking the loss of its slight weight in his hand.

Wufei groaned and shifted uneasily and Quatre wisely shot back out of his way just before he kicked out with his front legs and bounded to all four feet.

"I will kill them!" he snarled, looking around wildly.

"They're gone, Wufei… They left us here and took my wand…" Quatre said quietly, cowering away as Wufei turned his angry obsidian eyes on the faery as though it were his fault.

"Injustice! Cowardice! Dishonour! We had no warning and no chance! They ambushed us with that… that… spell before coming for us! Dishonourable!" he cried, pawing at the stone beneath his hoof with a silvery ringing sound that only centaur hooves seemed to make.

"But… it did work…" Quatre pointed out softly, tugging nervously on the bottom of his tunic.

"Injustice!" Wufei roared, rearing up on his hind legs and coming back down with a frighteningly loud sound.

"Oh…" Noin said softly as she came around, making it only to her knees before she had to hold still and put a hand to her spinning head. It quieted in a moment and she made it the rest of the way to her feet with a little help from Wufei.

Quatre was very glad he didn't have to deal with Wufei alone anymore. He smiled up at Noin and Wufei who glared derisively back down at him, again as though it were all his fault they were stuck there.

"Uh… At least they didn't kill us…" Quatre said with false cheer, then yelped as a lump of bread as hard as a rock hit the side of his head and he saw stars a moment. There was a sniggering from the other side of the cell door and the small window that had been opened without their noticing was closed again.

"Yet…" Wufei finished, looking angrily at the door as though he could knock it down with his thoughts.

Quatre foresaw much useless battering of hooves against that door. Useless because whoever had captured them would know two of them were centaurs and would have made sure the door would withstand their kind of punishment.

Wufei evidently didn't realize that, as he pelted over to the door and predictably began battering at it.

Quatre sighed and sat down, poking the unappetizing bread with one finger and wondering if Trowa's absence meant he'd escaped, been put somewhere else, or been killed and hoping it wasn't the last of those three.

* * *

Author's note: Hm… I think that wasn't such a good chapter… Oh well. The next one will be better! I promise! ^_^ Oh, the word Milliardo said Nihrana used, Iana'alee, it means "life-mate". It's only used in reference to one or both of a pair who were destined to be together by a goddess. ^_^ Poor Milliardo.

Nihrana: I had a thing with Milliardo? Since when?

Kitty: Since I said so, so sit down and wait for the rest of the story, kay? Maybe you'll get another appearance…

Nihrana: Oo!