Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Weather and Haul Wind ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Gundam Wing Fan Fiction by White Wings

 

AU Fan Fiction

 

Rated for language and violence

 

Disclaimer:

 

“I refuse to write anything here concerning the fact that the names of the characters belong to someone else!

It's ridiculous; all the readers KNOW that already! Sheesh!”

 

Weather and Haul Wind

 

Chapter 8

 

 

“What...” Heero asked in a voice that was suddenly cold and icy like a winter storm “... did you say?”

 

May stood and as she was just about his height she looked him strait in the eye, meanwhile all the others seamed to have gone into a nervous silence. Even Captain Blackwater, who seamed to be an eternally lighthearted type, like Duo, kept quiet.

 

“I said: your little friend Quatre is a Lunar Guardian.” May looked at Heero with the same expressionless face and suspicious eyes.

 

This time everyone heard her and the crew of the Wing all suddenly closed off and went into a defensive mode, behind May Captain Blackwater groaned and rubbed his temples as if he'd suddenly been hit with a migraine. Poor Quatre looked confused and was glancing over everyone's faces in a vain attempt to understand from where he hid behind Heero. All the noise of the surrounding tavern seamed to fade out; they were all focused on one thing, what the other would do next. Finally Captain Blackwater broke the tense silence.

 

 

“Alright, we seamed to have hit that particular subject poorly. May, I am afraid you are much too direct, stop that glaring it's very unbecoming.”

 

May rolled her eyes in apparent annoyance but at the same time her tense shoulders relaxed and she stood up out of the slightly crouched position she'd taken as a defensive precaution. Heero, along with the other members of his crew loosened up a bit too but still warily stood in a protective circle around their youngest member.

 

“Care to explain?” Wufie asked, giving the odd pair a mistrusting look.

 

“Certainly, but perhaps in a more privet place. My shi...”

 

“An area neutral to both parties would be best sir.” May cut in as her Captain spoke.

 

“Quite right, quite right; a neutral area would be best. Do you have any suggestions, Mr. Yuy.”

 

“I know were we can go.” Duo piped in and then with a wave of his hand he motioned them all to follow.

 

And so all seven of them filled out of the tavern following the braided thief along the stone streets though a few narrow alleyways and up a rather well hidden hill to what looked like a rundown mansion of some sort. The once elegant iron gates were twisted and bent as if they'd been slammed though. The house was two stories tall with every one of its windows broken, some were boarded up, some weren't and the structure looked as if it would fall over if the slightest wind blew. Duo lead them around the decrepit building to what had been a spacious, well cared for garden. It was now overgrown and the weeds had strangled out some of the transplanted flora. But in the center of the garden was a huge gazebo, the chipped and faded white paint only showed though in a few places where the thick vines of climbing roses and honeysuckle parted. It smelled wonderful and the isolated nature of the place made it quiet, only the chirping of the birds who'd made their homes in the huge overgrown flowing trees and the buzzing of the insects broke the silence as the followed Duo into the center of the Gazebo.

 

“So what cha think? Pretty nice ey?”

 

“When on earth did you find this place?” Wufei asked looking around himself at the scenery

 

“When I was wanderin' around town, after I ran into Capin' Blackwater an' May.”

 

“This'll do nicely” Blackwater smiled with a nod of his head

 

“So then...” Heero found a seat on one of the rundown benches that lined the walls of the gazebo. “... it would seem its time for you to explain.”

 

Quatre took a seat next to Trowa on the floor while Wufie and Duo took up positions on banisters that weren't hidden beneath a foot of tangled, thorny, vines. Eduard Blackwater took a seat on the opposite side of the gazebo from Heero and May took up a position near the center of the structure, and she began her story.

 

“We, my Captain and I, are here in Daphar investigating the sudden lack of Lunar Guardian sightings in the area. Up until about three months ago the people of this city were blessed with seeing at least one Guardian flying over the city a day, but those sighting suddenly stopped and a concerned citizen asked us to look into the matter.”

”What dose this have to do with Quatre?” Trowa asked calmly

”Yea, how'd ya know he was a Lunar whats-it-not?” Duo chimed in

 

“Simple: the color of his eyes. Lunar Guardians all have crystal blue eyes, it is true, but there is something special about those eyes of theirs that makes them even more recognizable. You there, Duo was it? Look in my eyes and tell me what you see.”

 

“Uh, brown with a black circle?” the thief stuttered, confused by the request.

 

“Refwect!” Quatre chirped and grinned

 

May turned away from the long haired brunet and set a soft smile on the little blond who just beamed at her.

 

“That's right, a reflection. In the eyes of Lunar Guardian however, there is no reflection. You will never be able to see yourself in their crystal blue eyes.”

 

“Why?” Heero asked, and Trowa nodded in agreement

 

“The eyes of a Lunar Guardian are not like ours, though their eyes they can see something that no other being on earth can. The flow of energy that circles around out world, changing and making the weather, that is what they see at all times through those eyes. Those eyes also give them the power to change that pattern and so change the weather. That is why they are revered by sailors; to have the blessing of a Lunar Guardian is to have favorable winds and clear, storm less skies.”

 

“Is that true?” Wufie asked Quatre “Can you see the energy of storms to come?”

 

“Mew.” Quatre answered, nodding his head

 

“But we've experienced storms even with Quatre onboard my ship, has his ability to control weather just not manifested yet or must he learn to do that from another Guardian?” Heero looked at May for answered

 

“Guardians have the ability to change the weather at birth, so he has yet to be trained to do so.” May answered

 

All was silent for a moment, except for the chirping of birds and the buzz of insects, as the crew of the Wing pondered this new information. Duo was the first to speak again.

 

“So we have ta find another Guardian so Quat can control it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Were do we find one?”

 

“Weren't you listening Maxwell? There are Lunar Guardians here on Daphar.”

 

“There WERE Lunar Guardians here.” Trowa corrected “They've all vanished remember.”

 

Silence again, May turned and took a seat next to her Captain on the bench before Heero spoke up.

 

“You said that you were here to investigate that disappearance, what have you found out?”

 

It was Blackwaters turn now, he nodded in agreement with Heero's statement, and they were indeed here to investigate the disappearance of the local deities. The question was, could they trust Heero and his crew...

 

“First tell me how the little one came to be with you.” He asked Heero

 

“You think I had something to do with the disappearance of the rest?” Heero asked flatly, not liking being held in suspicion

 

“I didn't say that, I only wished to know your side of the tale, now that you know ours.”

 

“I see...” Heero paused for a moment and the rest of his crew all looked at him. None of them had heard this story either and Quatre sure wasn't saying anything. Now was their chance to find out just how the little blond came to be their crewmate.

 

“... I met Quatre on Lunar Port, my home town, the night before I left that place to go sailing. He stowed away in the cargo hold and after I found him he simply made his home with me. He could have left any time but he seems to have chosen to stay.” He glanced down at the blond who nodded enthusiastically at the blue-eyed sailor.

 

“Do you like it on the ship with Heero and the others?” May asked the little blond.

 

“Yesh!” Quatre piped happily at the woman which earned him another soft smile

 

Blackwater laughed and slapped his knee.

 

“Its settled then, I'll tell ya what I know...”

 

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Captain Blackwater and May took all of an hour to relay what they had discovered over the last week to Heero and his crew. The had cross referenced the last sighting of the Lunar Guardians with anything new or anything that had recently begun in Daphar and the only thing that came up on the suspicious list was the statue that sat in the center of the shrine. Their sources told them that an artist who lived like a hermit on the other side of the Island had “donated” it to the shrine shortly after the vanishings.

 

“We've yet to go looking for the hermit.” Eduard finished with a shrug of his shoulders

 

“I see, so you suspect that the hermit has something to do with the vanished Guardians.” Heero said after a pause for thoughtful silence

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find the hermit!” Duo said, jumping down from his perch on the railing

 

“I hate to be the barer of bad news, but I agree with Duo. The only way were going to be able to accomplish getting Quatre trained is to follow whatever leads we can grasp at.” Wufie followed suite and jumped down from his rail.

 

“Are you also in agreement with Duo, Trowa?”

 

The scholar took a moment to think, mentally weighing each option against another before he silently nodded, his long sweeping bangs swaying ever so slightly over his green eyes. Captain Blackwater let his gaze rest on Trowa for a moment before turning away and looking at Heero.

 

“Then we can count on you for help in this matter?”

 

“Aye.”

 

“Then I suggest we get a more accurate idea of where this hermit lives, yea?”

 

“Duo?” Heero glanced over his shoulder at the young thief

 

“Yea?”

 

“Can we leave that up to you?”

 

“Me? All by myself?... Yea alright.” The braided young man said warily

 

“I'll send May with you then.” Eduard said, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder “She's good at tracking down useful tidbits.”

 

This comment earned the tall, curly haired captain a glare that rivaled Heeros' for iciness but she nodded and then motioned for Duo to follow and the long haired pair wound their way down the broken garden path and out of site in search of more accurate directions.

 

“If we're going to do this then we'd best make some preparations.” Wufie said and the rest of the party broke up Heero and his crew made to return the Wing to make preparations for the trip, and Captain Blackwater to his Aldwin to make his.

 

The tall man hung back a little though as a thought struck him and as Trowa, the last of the Wings crew to file out, reached the entrance to the gazebo he called out.

 

“Trowa, may I have a word?”

 

Heero turned around and looked at his green eyes crewmate as Trowa looked from Captain Blackwater to Heero and then back before once again catching the gaze of his own captain and nodding, signaling them to go on ahead without him. So it was that Trowa Barton and Eduard Blackwater stayed behind as the rest of the group left the dilapidated garden.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Your name is Trowa Barton, that's correct?”

 

“That is the name that was given to me, yes.”

 

“I see... then you're the adopted son of the late mythological researcher?”

 

“Yes... where is this going, if you don't mind me asking.”

 

“Oh no, it's nothing dire. I was a friend of your fathers... a very close friend, and along with my condolences I have something for you.”

 

“For me?”

 

“Yes, though I never thought I'd meet you here of all places. Would it be too much trouble to ask you to come back to my ship with me?”

 

“... not at all.”

 

“Right then, follow me.”

 

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Trowa followed Eduard all the way back to the harbor and down the dock were The Aldwin floated. It was an impressive ship, easily twice the size of Wing, she housed more then fifty sailors not including her Captain and Buffer. As Eduard lead the way across the deck every sailor stopped what he was doing, saluted the tall dark man and gave a respectful “Welcome back Sir.” in greeting. Trowa almost though he was on a military ship with the manners displayed by the crew but then he realized that the crew of The Aldwin were all much to gruff and ruff-cut to be enlisted men, they simply had a great respect for the man they call their captain.

 

Below deck The Aldwins captain lead Trowa into his own quarters and shut the door before opening the curtains on the windows that looked out the stern of the large craft. The entire room was crafted of well polished Black Oak, from the table and beds to the bookshelves that lined the lined the entire east wall. His host offered him a seat at the table in the middle of the room and Trowa took it graciously while his host moved to the bookshelves and began scanning over their contents. His hand stopped on a book thick enough to be a world languages dictionary, Trowa was actually surprised that it wasn't. It turned out to be a box disguised as a book and when Captain Blackwater took a small golden key from his pocket and unlocked the tiny lock hidden within the fake pages a sudden wave of sickness made Trowa double over in his chair.

 

“Whoa! Hey!”

 

Eduard rushed over from his side of the table and put a protective hand on the young mans shoulder. Trowa looked up and Eduard instantly let go of his shoulder and backed up a step Trowas' almost always hidden eyes met his and faded from the brilliant red they'd become back to their normal placid green right before his eyes. After Trowa regained his composure and calmed his breathing he hung his head and refused to look up at the older man.

 

“So it is true then, what your father told me. You're a...”

 

“Yes...I am...” Trowa cut him off, not wanting to hear that horrible word said

 

“Now I understand. I understand why your father wanted me to give this to you.”

 

Eduard crossed back over to the open box and lifted out an amulet about the size and shape of an egg. It was a brilliant emerald color and around it the twisted gold that held the large jewel in place formed what appeared to be a pair of hands. One was soft and almost human the other was jagged and crew with claws at its finger tips. Eduard held it out to Trowa and the young man reach out to take it with his left hand but as his fingers brushed across it his right hand grabbed hold of his wrist and jerked it away. Eduard was stunned for a moment as was Trowa, a least the left half of his face anyway. Beneath the curtain of brunet hair that was his bangs Trowas right eye shone red again; an angry red. With as much courage and speed as he could muster Eduard moved forward and slipped the amulet around Trowas neck. The red of his right eye immediately changed back to green as the heavy gold encrusted amulet came to rest on the young mans chest.

 

“Well your father was definitely an odd one.” Captain Blackwater said, giving Trowa a good-natured smile while the green-eyed scholar panted in his chair.

 

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Heero noted Trowas return to the Wing with a thoughtful silence. The scholar looked trouble and Heero thought it best to let him be for a while. Duo on the other had, who had returned to the Wing just before the green-eyed man went bouncing right over to him to tell him the good news. He and May had been able to find out the exact location of the hermits home while they were in town and the thief was quite excited about it. May had apparently won Duo over unconditionally and now he referred to her as one of his best and dearest friends. Trowa managed a weak smile and a word of congratulations before claming to be very tired and telling his overenthusiastic crewmate that he was going to bed. Duo waved him off with a grin and then bound off to finish his preparations for their trip to the other side of the island in the morning.

 

They were going to hike around on a trail that branched off from Daphars main city around to the other side. Wufie was below deck in his kitchen with Quatre preparing a meal that could easily be packed away for a mid-day feast while Heero and Duo were checking their equipment: backpacks, ropes, canteens for fresh water and of course their weaponry. Heero wasn't sure what they were to expect on this trip so he thought it would be best to be prepared for everything, and he had every intention of doing so.

 

Everyone retired early that night. Trowa first, followed by Duo, then Wufie, then Heero. But Quatre felt the unease wafting out of Trowas room and could not bring himself to go to sleep when his friend was feeling so miserable. So the little blond Guardian quietly opened the door and slipped inside the scholars' room.

 

Trowa was laying with his back to the door on his bunk. He didn't seem to notice the entrance of the little blond until Quatre let out a questioning mew from where he stood right next to the mans bed. Trowa nearly jumped out of his skin but calmed quickly when he saw that it was Quatre and not some creature of his overactive imagination standing next to his bed.

 

“What is it Quatre? Shouldn't you be in Heeros' room sleeping?”

 

“Sad?” The little blond asked, climbing up onto the bed and plopping down next to the tall brunet.

 

“What? Me? Sad? Whatever made you think that?”

 

“I feel it, you sad?”

 

“No Quatre, I'm not sad.”

 

“Then you hurt?”

 

“...” Trowa was surprised by the questions Quatre asked. Was the little one empathetic perhaps? “No Quatre, I'm not hurt either.”

 

“Right?” the little blond furrowed his eyebrows; he didn't believe Trowa one bit. He could feel how miserable the scholar was and he was determined to find out why.

 

”Quatre...” Trowa sighed. Why was he being so adamant? Why didn't he just leave Trowa alone to deal with it himself like everyone else had always done? Why wouldn't he just leave? “What is it you want?”

 

“You feel better.” Quatre nodded for emphasis, a motion he'd seen Heero do when he wanted something to be the final word on a matter.

 

Trowa was dumbfounded. What was he going to do? He hung his head in his hands for a moment, trying to think of a way to reassure Quatre that he was fine, but before he could come up with anything two small warm arms wrapped themselves around his chest.

 

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The morning came too soon for Duo, it always did. Even as the nights were growing longer there still wasn't enough darkness to sleep though for him. He heard Wufie roll out of bed in the bunk beneath him and he groaned as he knew that meant he to would have to be up and about soon to. Well, he was already awake, he might as well. So Duo threw his legs of the side and let his body slip gracefully to the floor. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and yawned. Something, or rather, two something's rubbed against his legs and scoffed sleepily.

 

“Mornin' ya trouble makers.”

 

Shin and Scythe mewed in response and followed the long haired boy out of the room towards the galley as he half consciously re-braided his chestnut hair. He pushed the door to the galley open with his foot and let Shin and Scythe rush in before he stepped though. He yawned again and saw that Heero was already there with his morning cup of coffee. How Wufie had made it so fast and how Heero managed to drink that stuff black were both mysteries to the long haired thief. Mysteries like that could wait until later, however, and he sat down next to his captain on the hand carved wooden bench.

 

“Hey Heero, I was thinkin'...”

 

“Well that's new.” Wufie pitched in from the kitchen

 

“Ya, ha ha very funny.” Duo raised his hand and stuck up his middle and index fingers in a cursing gesture at the cook, who only shook his head and scoffed, before he returned to what had been the beginning of a, for once, serious conversation with Heero. “So I was thinkin' that if were going to go to this hermits place ta find out what happened to all the Guardians, wouldn't it be a good idea if Quat stayed here? I mean if what if somethin' happened to `im?”

 

Heero seemed to think it over for a moment; giving the valid point Duo had brought up some serious thought, before answering him with another point that was just as valid.

 

“That's a rather astute thing for you to say but I think it better that Quatre come with us. He's to young to stay here alone and theirs no one I trust with his secret that can stay behind and watch him.”

 

“I see...” Duo quieted to ponder this, snatching a piece of ripe fruit from the bowl Wufie always kept full on the table and taking a large bite out of it.

 

Quatre came in the door now, gliding over to the table with his fuzzy little white wings and plopping down on Heero's shoulders.

 

“Ro!”

 

“Finally decide to get up you lazy tot?”

 

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Trowa rolled over and sat up. He hadn't realized that he had fallen asleep but he felt much better now. He stood slowly and rubbed his head, reaching into a pair of dresser drawers for a fresh shirt and slacks before running a carved wooden comb through his messy hair. What had happened last night started filtering back though his mind. After Quatre had given him a hug he had broken down into tears, an action which had shocked the little guardian. Quatre had obviously never seen anyone cry but even still the little Guardian had stayed right next to him, lightly patting Trowas head with a soft compassionate hand. He must have fallen asleep some time after that, which would explain why he'd woken still wearing his attire from yesterday.

 

He touched the heavy amulet where it hung on his chest. Now that Blackwater knew he wondered if he should tell Heero and the others. The captain of the Aldwin didn't strike him as the keeping secrets kind but he sincerely hoped that he was wrong. He didn't want to have to go though that much pain again... ever.

 

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The whole crew of the Wing assembled in the town square where May had told Duo to meet and they waited. It wasn't long before the stark white garb of the long haired woman was spotted in the crowd and beside her a dark figure who was her captain Eduard Blackwater. They said their “Hello”s and then the seven were off. Duo and May took point as they were the ones who had exact directions, behind them Heero and Quatre followed. Eduard flanked the young blue-eyed captain and he in turn was followed by Trowa and Wufie who brought up the rear.

 

Everyone in the party, Quatre being no exception, was armed with a sword. Though Trowa found it more fitting to carry two pistols he also carried a pair of daggers in his sleeves just in case. Quatre was too small to carry a full sized sword so he too had a dagger strapped to his belt. Wufie, as a mage, need not have carried a weapon at all but the weight of the well balanced steel felt good on his hip.

 

By noon the party had reached their halfway point. Daphar was a small island and most of its inhabitants stayed within the city itself though there were a few well placed farms on the outer reaches of the city once they got around to what was considered the backside of the island there were no houses or dwellings of any kind to be found. The trail became small and narrow to the point were it was almost nothing more than a game trail. Still the seven marched on until Duo's insistent howling and Quatres rumbling stomach stopped them for lunch.

 

So far the journey had been no more unpleasant then a recreational hike but Heero was still wary of what was to come. He had his own thought about what they would find at the hermits, doubtless the others all had their own speculations and if so they too were keeping those thoughts to themselves. He nibbled lightly on a slice of bread on which rested a generous slice of cheese. He watched as the others eat as well, Duo and the man called Blackwater were almost mirror images of each other when it came to personality, though the older of the two had much more material to work from in the telling of outlandish stories and crude jokes. But it was a happy enough moment, even he himself and quiet, solemn, Trowa aloud themselves a snicker at the antics of their companions. They couldn't stay and eat forever, eventually everyone ate their fill and Wufie wrapped up what was left of their provisions and placed them back in his pack, once he was done the group continued on their way.

 

The sun was till high in the sky when the cabin, rather shack, of the hermit came into view; Heero stopped and looked down on it from where he stood. A swift spell of illness rippled though his abdomen but he quickly fought it off, this was no time to get cold feet... but somewhere in the back of his mind something whispered that it wasn't cold feet his body was warning him of.

 

The party made their way down the hillside to the cabin and collected about twenty feet from the door. Quatre was clinging tight to Heero's pant leg as if he feared some great beast would lash out and take him; he wanted to go no further. Heero felt the same, and it was evident by the expressions on the faces of Trowa and Wufie that they too felt “wrong.” If May was under any stress or feeling any discomfort she showed none of it, her posture was a strait and noble-like as it always was, with no hit of any emotion on her stony face. Blackwater and Duo didn't seem to feel anything either but then again, they didn't seam to be the most observant of people. May took charge after a few moments when it became evident that no one else was going to. She strode up to the door and politely rapped on it with the back of her right fist, her left resting nonchalantly on the hilt of her rapier.

 

“I wish to speak with the master of the house.” She said in a calm, clear voice

 

There was no answer so she knocked again and more loudly repeated her claim, never once changing the tone in her voice. When still no answer came she reached out and turned the handle, finding the door unlocked, pushing the door open and disappearing into the dark recesses of the old house for a moment before appearing again and motioning for the rest of them to follow, and they did... though reluctantly.

 

Heero walked in slowly, following May further into the house. Once all of them were inside they searched for candles or lanterns, it was dark within the walls of the hermits' home. Duo was the first to find a candle and he lit it quickly, as he was beginning to feel uneasy in the darkness, but sorely wished he hadn't once the yellow flame flickered to life and filled the dark room he was in with a orange glow.

 

“By the gods.... HEERO!”

 

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::Note from the Author::

“Thank you every one who has reviewed so far. I really appreciate it.

 

Hope you liked this chapter as much as the others. Keep reading and keep reviewing.”

 

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