Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Warrior Children ❯ I Found Him ( Chapter 19 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 19: I FOUND HIM!

Duo-

Duo followed Heero and Trowa into the adjoining room, but he had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that Ryou was awake, his big brothers had come back for them (even if only Naaza-san remembered them), and Heero was only about three feet away from him. 'I am so happy!' Duo thought blissfully, gazing intently at Heero's lean backside.

Really, Duo had no idea what was going on, he just wanted to be with Heero. Trowa had said the word, ‘meteor’ as if it were significant, but nothing else. Why should Heero and Trowa be concerned with meteors? Why would they have to talk in private? Duo worried, for a moment, that perhaps Trowa was someone special to Heero. If it turned out to be that way, then Duo wouldn’t get in the way…much. After all, if he could manage to convince Heero that he would be happier with Duo, then it was just bad fortune for Trowa, right?

Fortunately, Duo had nothing to worry about on that account.

"What do you want?" Heero faced Trowa after closing the door firmly behind him. Duo stood just behind Heero, for once being very quiet. Duo figured that it was one of those times that Rajura san had told him about when silence was better than talking.

Trowa gave a significant glance to Duo. "He shouldn't be here. He should not hear this."

"Don't mind me." Duo smiled from behind Heero. "Just pretend I'm not here. I only came to be with him, anyway." Duo cheerfully threw his arms around Heero's shoulders and snuggled up, pressing his nose against Heero's neck. Duo honestly didn't know why he loved Heero, he just did. It felt right and, therefore, Duo went with his feelings.

Heero stiffened in the embrace, but didn't pull away. Duo, thinking that the reaction was a bit odd, looked over Heero's shoulder at his face. Heero was pale and his eyes were closed. Heero had bunched up his fists at his sides and his lips were pressed firmly together.

Duo asked, concerned, "What's the matter?"

Trowa retreated to a corner of the room to watch discreetly.

Heero didn't move or speak or even open his eyes.

"Hey, if you don't want a hug, you just have to say so." Duo let go of Heero and was getting worried. Duo's big brothers hugged and kissed each other all the time and none of them reacted like this! Everyone in Duo's family was very tactile, they enjoyed touching and being touched, so naturally, Duo had picked up the habit. He liked having his loved ones touch him and the fact that Heero didn't want to be touched was very disturbing.

Heero's eyes slowly open and, without moving the rest of his body, Heero slid his eyes to look at Duo. He looked cautious and guarded.

"What's the matter? Please talk to me." Duo was practically begging. He just had to know what was going on. Heero hadn't seemed to mind when Duo had held his hand in the other room and he didn't object when Duo called him 'koibito', so what was the problem?

Heero said nothing, but moved away from Duo before turning to see him better. "I don't like being touched."

"Why?" Why would anyone not like being touched? How was Duo supposed to show his love for Heero if he wasn't allowed to touch him?

Heero seemed to think about this for a moment, as if he didn't know how to answer.

"Training."

Heero and Duo both turned to look at Trowa, who'd spoken, still standing in the corner of the room. "What do you mean?" Duo asked, but Heero remained silent.

"Touching means pain." Trowa elaborated. "Heero and I were, I believe, trained in...similar fashions."

Heero's eyes widened as he looked at Trowa. "You mean you...?"

"No. I have heard about doctor J's methods and my trainer was not so...demanding. However, I was subject to similar treatments. Duo, if you want to touch Heero, let him know before you do anything. Do not approach him from behind, he will take it as a sign of..."

"No!" Heero demanded. "I'll tell him." Then added as an after thought. "Later."

Trowa nodded, respecting Heero's wishes, but Duo was still frustrated. Why wouldn't they tell him what was going on? What could have been so horrible? "Why are we all back here anyway?" Duo asked, to change the subject. "And why are you so interested in Ryou's friend, Seiji?" Duo hadn't actually met Seiji at school, but he seemed nice and Ryou wouldn't like someone who was awful.

Heero turned completely away from Duo and addressed Trowa, instead. "What do you know about Operation Meteor?"

"You're sure you want Duo to hear this?"

"He'll find out anyway. He's too clever for his own good."

Duo scowled. "I'm still in the room, guys!"

Trowa continued as if Duo hadn't said anything. "As you wish, Heero. I am 03." This seemed to have meant something to Heero, whose eyebrows raised only slightly. "04 has vanished. Information is limited as to why 04 has vanished. I am ordered to find 04 at all costs, I was given the orders just before reaching Earth two days ago. You are to help. Get confirmation from doctor J if you need them."


Heero-


Heero nodded and pulled a tiny cell phone out of an inner pocket of his pants. He dialed quickly and the phone only rang once before the familiar voice rasped out, "Yes?"

"03 has contacted me. Orders?"

"Find 04." Doctor J ordered without hesitation. "03's trainer has been communication with me, everything is in order. 05 was ordered to help find 04, but has refused this order for unknown reasons. Find the missing pilot."

"Mission accepted." Heero was about to hang up the phone when doctor J asked,

"Before you go, Heero, tell me about your current mission."

Heero remained silent.

"You have not reported in for many days and I wondered if you'd managed to find Hiro in all this time."

Heero walked to the door that separated them from the rest of the room and peered out. Seiji sat on a bed with Ryou at his side, sitting very closely together. The two sat with three others Heero didn't know and the four men and Seiji's sister had gone out into the garden.

It made Heero angry that Ryou sat so close to Seiji, but there was little he could do about it. They spoke with their friends for a moment and Heero watched Seiji take Ryou away somewhere so the others could talk privately.

Ryou's innocent expression and pretty face only fueled the boiling blood to surge in Heero's veins. Heero struggled to find a name for this emotion. He knew love (he loved his friend Seiji), he knew sadness (when he'd seen the students in the school yard and realized he'd never be normal), he knew fear (that night when the soldier's had come into his and Seiji's room...) but this was something new. When he looked at Ryou, Heero wanted to pull out his gun and just blow Ryou's little head off his shoulders.

Hate.

Yes, Heero hated Ryou for no better reason than that he had Seiji's good favor. If things had just been a little different, it would be Heero that Seiji looked at so fondly. Then again, if things had been different, Heero wouldn't have met Duo. Heero looked over at the still very confused Duo with such bright eyes and the beautiful, flawless face. The sunny laugh and the fact of how Duo could turn cold blooded at a moment's notice were very attractive to Heero.

"Heero? Are you there?" Doctor J's voice rang in his ear, bringing him back to his responsibility. "What has happened to Hiro?"

"Hiro is dead." Heero said, not hesitating.

"Excellent. Move to your next mission and find 04."

Heero turned the phone off and slowly put it back. He'd never lied before. Never directly and never to doctor J. A sudden feeling of lightheadedness overtook Heero, like he was flying. Freedom! It wasn't exactly a lie, though. Hiro was a trained killer, a machine that had no emotions. Seiji was the person outside, walking toward the decrepit dojo with Ryou and a large tiger at his side. Seiji had clearly held onto his humanity better than Heero had managed to.

Hiro is dead. Long live Seiji.

Heero got his mind back to his new mission and turned back to Trowa. "We will look for 04. Do you know what he looks like?" Heero had known that there were other pilots being trained as he and Seiji were, but he'd never been allowed to meet any of them. Doctor J had feared that it would distract Heero from his training.

"Yes. He was keeping Shin safe for me, but disappeared mysteriously only a day or so ago."

Duo leaned against a wall. "I'm still confused. What's going on..." He got no further when he stiffened and his lavender eyes grew wide. "Oh, dear." He said quietly, going quite pale. "Oh, this is not good, not good at all."

Heero and Trowa both stepped toward him, but Duo rushed passed them to the window. The sky, Heero noticed for the first time, had gone quite dark. Nearly black, in fact.

"We're in trouble." Duo whispered, getting down on his knees in front of the window. He was actually trembling with fear.

"What are you doing?" Heero asked. This didn't seem like usual behavior for Duo. Duo reached up and grabbed both Heero and Trowa by the fronts of their shirts and pulled them down beside him, showing off greater strength than Heero would have thought Duo had.

"Don't say a word, don't breath unless it's absolutely necessary." Duo told them, very seriously even as he raised himself up just enough to peer through the window. Heero and Trowa did the same, unable to bear the idea of a threat they couldn’t see. "We don't want it to know we're here." Heero saw Duo's four older brothers standing very stiffly as if they were in formation.

"It?" Heero asked in a whisper.

"I...I don't know what it is. I just know it's very bad, very evil."

Heero looked at Duo and the odd tone. His voice had changed slightly, back into the experienced fighter Heero had encountered in the alley when he'd woken up. Not the insane maniac, thankfully, but someone cold and used to the seriousness of fighting. Heero wasn't sure he liked this aspect of Duo's personality. He rather liked Duo smiling and happy.

In the garden Sh'ten, Anubisu, Rajura, and Naaza all stood at silent attention. Right arms were crossed over their chests in a salute and their heads were bowed. Above the four men, in the darkened sky, appeared a large pink mask with floating white hair all around it, throwing what little remained of Heero's sanity out of the window. He didn't believe in magic of any sort, yet… there it was. Heero wanted to ask Duo about this thing, but Duo still looked grim as he listened to the conversation going on outside.

Across the courtyard garden, in the dojo, Heero saw, over the edge of the window, brilliant gold hair along side dark black hair. The other two were listening and Heero wondered if the others in the house had noticed the visitor outside.


Sh'ten-


Sh'ten and his brothers had been cornered in the neglected garden by the little woman, Noin. Noin was looking at Anubisu like a wolf who'd scented prey, with a hunger in her eyes that had nothing to do with food. She wanted something and she wouldn't stop until she'd gotten what she wanted. Surprisingly, Noin had grabbed Anubisu by the arms, completely unafraid of him. "Tell me who took my brother!"

Anubisu opened his mouth, then froze. They could all feel Arago's presence making itself known and Anubisu said quietly to Noin, "Go back inside. Do not let the children come outside, whatever happens."

"Why?" Noin looked around, trying to find the source of danger. "What's going on? All I want is one name, is that too much to ask?"

"This is no time for questions, do as you're told." With a rough shove, he propelled her towards the door of her home. "No matter what you hear do not come out, you will be killed if he sees you."

Noin gave him a suspicious look, but did as she was told. For a moment, Sh'ten had been sure she wasn't going to do it, but once inside, she closed the doors firmly behind her.

They tried to calm themselves, getting ready for the visit that had been inevitable. They had hoped that he would forget about them for a little while, but it was a faint hope. LET ME EXPLAIN. Sh'ten told his brothers and everyone nodded in agreement. As their general, it was Sh'ten's place to speak with their master.

High overhead, the clear sky darkened, black clouds appearing as if from nowhere, and blotting out the sun. They all looked up at the clouds, expectantly and prayed Noin would do her part to keep the children inside the house where they might be safe. Only a moment passed before the despised voice of Arago could be heard, echoing around them.

"My Ma-Sho," The mask of Arago appeared, ghost-like, as usual, in the sky, looking down at the warriors. "Why have you not reported in?"

Sh'ten stepped forward, and bowed with one arm across his chest, touching his shoulder. "Master..."


Ryou-


Seiji led Ryou out the back door of his house to where the dojo stood and then inside the ancient seeming building. Seiji went to a wall display of many different kinds of weapons and Ryou thought about the huge change that had taken over his life. Strangely, he found that he really didn't mind.

I wish that I could still feel them all in my head, like before.
It had been sort of comforting to know he wasn't alone. Byakuen's large head rubbed against Ryou's leg and he smiled, reaching down to pat the affectionate tiger. "Yeah, I wasn't alone, was I? I had you, after all." Byakuen sat at Ryou's side, silent as he usually was and Ryou had to wonder again, where did Byakuen come from? The dream had seemed so real, the one just before he'd woken up.

A man, with bright green hair, had let Ryou sleep on his hard, warm bed because Ryou was so cold. It had been a dream, though. Not real. Except that the man with green hair happened to be out in the garden with Seiji's sister. He'd been there when Ryou woke up, looking down at Ryou with his purple lidded eyes.

Unfortunately, that was all of the dream that Ryou could remember. When he’d woken up Seiji had been dressed in weird green yoroi along with two strangers. One of them had been the red headed guy he remember from that fancy party Noin had brought them to, but there was also a green haired guy who seemed to know Ryou. Then there was Duo who insisted that he was Ryou's brother and said that these strange guys raised us both. Even Seiji, Xiu, and Touma said they remembered Duo as Ryou's brother. 'So why can't I remember him?'

Seiji chose two wooden swords, bokten's, off the wall display. One he handed to Ryou and the other one he took for himself. "Will you spar with me, Ryou?"

Ryou smiled and was going to say yes, when he got a sudden chill. Seiji must have felt it, too, because they both looked at the window at the same time. The four strangers, the ones who said they were Ryou's brothers, were standing stiffly. Their heads lowered in a slight bows, except for Sh'ten who had bowed low at the waist and was now staring at the ground, as if he didn't dare to look up.

Something told Ryou that they shouldn't go out there. Something horribly evil was out there and Ryou definitely didn't want to meet it. Seiji and Ryou quietly crept to the window and knelt down on the floor so they could peek over the edge and not be seen.

"Master, we are coming to report immediately, of course." Sh'ten said, his voice sounded slimier than it had before, more of a groveling submissiveness.

Ryou couldn't see whom Sh'ten's talking to, but a very loud voice answered, "See that you do, Sh'ten. I will be expecting you shortly."

Ryou's breath caught. 'I know that voice!' Ryou carefully moved around Seiji to get a look at whatever was talking. Filling the sky, swirling with black clouds, was a bodiless mask with a wicked looking helmet and wild tendrils of hair swirling around the mask. Ryou felt his heart stop for just a moment and his blood go cold.

"Ryou?" Seiji was shaking Ryou's arm slightly.

"I...I know that thing." Ryou raised a shaking finger, pointing at the demon. Memories broke through the barrier that had been put in his mind by the monk. "Arago." Sudden images invaded Ryou's mind, memories of running through the plains of the Youja-Kai, learning to fight from his beloved brothers, that demon trying to kill Duo while he slept. 'Oh, please, this can't be happening!'

The sense of evil slowly vanished when the mask disappeared and the sky went back to normal. When it had completely gone, the four men, Ryou's family, stood up straight and looked at each other grimly.

Ryou stood up slowly, looking at his brothers. They served that thing. They wanted Ryou to serve it, that thing that tried to kill Duo. 'Never!' Ryou had never been so angry in his life and the fire inside of him wanted to get out badly. They saw the thing trying to kill Duo and they were STILL serving it? How could they?!

The fire built in Ryou's mind and it was then that he saw it, red yoroi with two swords standing in front of him. CALL TO ME, MY SOUL. CALL AND I WILL GIVE YOU MY STRENGTH. BUSSO REKKA.

"Busso Rekka." Ryou whispered and he knew it was the right choice. He wouldn't let that demon thing have Duo and Ryou knew he'd need all the strength he could get to fight it. Red light flared around Ryou for a moment and he could see Seiji watching without expression. After it was done they both turned silently back to the scene outside.

The four men were all staring at where Seiji and Ryou now stood at the window. Rajura took one look at Ryou and closed his eye, concentrating. Ryou felt the touch of another person in his mind and knew without a doubt that Rajura was fiddling about in his head. Ryou tried to shout out to him to keep out of his mind, but a sudden pressure and Ryou felt like he was naked in front of a hundred staring people. So...vulnerable.

Seiji had grabbed Ryou and held him up when his legs would have failed, his hands were so cool against Ryou's skin, yet Ryou felt like he was burning at Seiji's touch. Ryou looked up and heard,

RYOU, IT'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

SEIJI?

Seiji just looked at Ryou with his icy lavender eye and Ryou knew him as surely as he knew himself. It was sort of like the first time they'd touched and all their memories had merged together, but now, it was slightly different. In the mix, Ryou could feel another person. So sad and scared at having his yoroi interrupt his life. Ryou could see this third person's family that he left behind and the children who had left this world.

Xiu?

YEAH, Xiu replied. I'M HERE, RYOU. WEIRD, ISN'T IT? DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, SEIJI AND I ARE ALREADY SORT OF USED TO IT. SO, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT THING WAS? Xiu sent Ryou an image of Arago that he'd seen from the windows of the room where he still was with Shin and Touma.

YEAH.

But before Ryou could say more, Naaza said, "Come out, I think we should explain a few things. We have a crisis that needs to be taken care of."


Elsewhere-
Zechs-


Zechs and Trieze were walking to Noin's home, the one she'd moved back into when her brother had come back, seemingly from the dead. They'd all assumed that Seiji had died when he vanished for so many years and for him to turn up on the doorstep of their old house was something of a miracle. Zechs hadn't seen Noin so happy in years, even if she had recently become rather obsessive about her computer. It was understandable. After all she was looking for the one who'd taken Seiji.

They were going to check on their friend and make sure that she was all right with her unusual house guests. Even though she'd assured them over the phone that she was fine and that her guests had been perfect gentlemen - for the most part - the two still tended to worry about her.

Zechs' mind was brought back to the present by a hacking cough at his side and he turned to look at his companion. "Are you all right, Trieze?" Since they'd left Trieze's mansion that morning, Zechs had noticed his friend looking paler than normal and coughing every so often.

No one who saw them would have recognized the two as they walked casually down the streets. Trieze was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses to hide his face. He was also in his most grubby sweat suit, the one that had paint splatters all over the front of it. Zechs had his long hair in a ponytail and wore black jeans with a black tank top shirt. Around his neck, Zechs wore a half a dozen silver chains that Trieze had talked him into wearing. No one even took a second look at them and this was sort of the point. Neither man wanted the outside world to know to much about their personal lives.

Trieze nodded at Zech's concerned question while he coughed, finally wiping his mouth with his handkerchief when the coughing fit had subsided. "I haven't been feeling well for a couple of days."

Zechs frowned. "You didn't say anything at the party." It was almost an accusation. Trieze normally told him everything and for him not to was unusual.

Trieze gave Zechs a sly leer. "Well, I was rather preoccupied at the party, in case you don't remember."

Zechs looked away, blushing furiously. How could he forget something like that? He'd pounced Trieze the minute he'd had the chance, with a little encouragement from Noin, only to be horribly interrupted.

"Don't look so embarrassed." Trieze told him, still smiling. "I enjoyed it, didn't you?"

"Um...well, yes. Anyway," Zechs tried to change the subject quickly, before he died from a nosebleed the memory was giving him. "Have you seen your doctor? Is it just a cold?"

"My old doctor retired, but Lady Une suggested a new one. He seems competent."

Before their conversation could go any further, Zechs happened to look up. "What's all that?" He pointed in the direction just over Noin's house, where they were headed. Thick black clouds formed from out of nowhere, growing to a ridiculous size.

"Fire?" Trieze suggested, though he didn't sound like he believed it. No fire would leave the smoke so concentrated over just Noin's house. Without another word, both men took off running to their friend's house to see what was going on.


Rajura-


TELL THEM. Sh'ten ordered telepathically while they all stood in Seiji's home with all the children looking at the Ma-Sho expectantly.

WHY DO I HAVE TO DO IT? Rajura complained.

BECAUSE YOU'RE THE TEACHER, REMEMBER? Anubisu teased. I THOUGHT YOU LIKED TEACHING.

Rajura snarled at him before and turning to the boys who were looking at them with mixed emotions, confusion and suspicion, along with hope. Everyone had seen Arago appearing in the sky and heard what he'd said to the Ma-Sho. Unfortunate for the Ma-Sho as they'd wanted to tell the boys themselves.

Ryou was standing away from them, a betrayed and angry look on his face, and still in his full yoroi. He'd refused to take it off. Seiji stood at his side, as usual, but Ryou hardly seemed to see him. Now, three of them had the yoroi, leaving only Shin and Touma to get theirs. That meant we were still in danger until those two got their yoroi and the Elemental Yoroi would be at their strongest.

Well, no better time than the present. "Sit down, children." Rajura said loudly. They all looked at Rajura, somewhat surprised. "Sit down, we won't begin the lesson until you are all seated."

"What lesson?" Touma asked even as he sat back down on the bed. They'd all gone back into the large room, where Seiji and Ryou had been sleeping, for the explanations.

Once everyone was seated, Rajura began. "Let me first welcome you all into our family. We are very pleased to have you. I want you to pay attention as I hate repeating myself." Rajura waited until they'd quieted down. "Allow me to explain." Rajura did his best to tell them everything, baring what they was trying to hide from Arago. Rajura couldn't say that sort of thing out loud, or Arago might hear. "First off, as soon as the yoroi comes to you, you will become ageless and bound to each other for all time. I do hope you can get along together as nothing can change that aspect of your new lives."

The boys all looked at each other, uncertainly.

"The yoroi you will receive will give you all tremendous power, we'll help you learn to use them, if you like, and we'll demonstrate our power at a later time. I have no idea what sort of power you will have. You are the first to bear the Elemental Yoroi, so there is no telling what you will be able to do. The being you saw outside was our master, Emperor Arago, lord of the Youja-Kai. He is the one you will be expected to serve, also."

Shin raised his hand like he was in school.

"Yes, Shin?"

"Do we have to? I really didn't like the way that thing felt." He did look quite unhappy with the idea; all of them did, which only proves they have good sense.

"I'm afraid so. There really is no choice. Look on the bright side, when we conquer the Ningen-Sekai, you'll pretty much be able to do anything you like." It was a lie, but necessary. They couldn't tell the children the truth without risk of Arago overhearing and punishing them or worse.

Touma cleared his throat before asking, "What, exactly, is the yoroi?"

Rajura looked at Sh'ten as this is his area of expertise. He didn't move from where he was standing, but said, "We're not entirely sure. From the study I've been able to do, I know that the yoroi was created from Arago."

Xiu started at this. "What!? You mean that...that thing made this?" He looked at Ryou's yoroi and was no doubt thinking of his own.

"Yes," Sh'ten answered. "It was created from his own body. You must remember, though, most of the information I have comes from Arago, himself, so we can't be to sure of how accurate it is. The yoroi have great power individually, but I have found rumors and hints say, when all the yoroi are gathered together they can be joined for a purpose the power can be magnified several fold. Arago refuses to answer any questions about this, so I can't be more specific."

Ryou stepped forward, his eyes narrowed, showing how terribly angry he was. Naaza touched Rajura's mind warningly, WE DID SOMETHING JUST BEFORE OUR MEMORIES GOT WIPED AND I THINK HE'S SEEING US AS ENEMIES, NOW. BE CAREFUL, WE TRAINED HIM VERY WELL.

Ryou asked bitterly, "Why was Arago trying to kill Duo?"

"I'd like to know that, too." Duo said, twisting his braid in his hands. He'd come back with Heero and Trowa and the three mortals stood in a corner when Rajura had started trying to explain everything. "All I can remember is you guys telling Ryou that you had something for him to see, then you," He pointed at Rajura, "Reached out and I think you touched me. When I woke up, Ryou was going nuts and there was fire everywhere. That demon was in the room with us and he was trying to kill me. Then I was in the Ningen-Sekai, again. What was that all about?"

"I honestly can't remember." Rajura told them. It was true, even though Naaza was, at that moment, telling them all exactly what had happened.

"I won't do it." Ryou growled. "I don't care what you say, I won't do it!"

"What?" Sh'ten asked, stepping forward. This could get ugly.

"I won't serve that monster that tried to kill Duo! He's evil and I'll kill him the first chance I get!" Ryou's hands flew over his shoulder and grabbed the swords that hung on his back. He drew them quickly and held the swords in front of him to show he was willing to fight us here and now. Well, Rajura had to admire Ryou's spirit. Still, Sh'ten never could stand anyone questioning his authority.

"You will do as you are told, boy. You don't have a choice in this matter." Sh'ten didn't bother to draw his weapons, no matter how good this child was, he was no match for Sh'ten's experience.

Ryou asked, "What about Kay? Where is she or have you abandoned her, too?" He was still very angry, but he makes no further move to attack or threaten. It's a good decision on Ryou's part as Anubisu had moved to stand near enough to Ryou that he could easily tackle the boy to the ground and secure him, if necessary.

It was Naaza who jumped forward. "We have abandoned no one! Kay was taken from us just as you were. We don't even have a way of finding her. Put your swords away, Ryou, we aren't your enemies."

Kay must be the third child, the little girl, we've been looking for. Rajura thought, his mind going back to the half-painting picture Naaza had shown him and he thought about the little girl with long black hair.

Ryou opened his mouth, but before he could talk, the argument was interrupted by a loud buzzing. Touma's hand went to his pocket and he pulled out a small...thing. What was that thing?

Touma spoke into it, "Yes? Rashid, it's good to hear from you, sir, but I've having some problems right now... what? What do you mean he's been kidnapped?!" Touma's voice raised to a high pitched scream. Touma seems to have forgotten all about everything else and he nearly ran to Noin's computer. "Excuse me, ma'am, but I have to borrow this for a minute." He started to tap on it, making the image on the box change and words appear. After only a moment, a picture appeared, some child with blood all over him, and Touma dropped the thing he'd been talking into in his shock.

"Kitty." Touma mumbled in shock.

The boy on the screen was in horrible condition, parts of his skin ripped away and general marks showing that he'd been beaten. Sh'ten, as usual, was untouched by the signs of torture and asked, "Who is this child?"

"My brother." Touma answered through clenched teeth. On the screen the boy was being held upright by large, beefy hands though the faces of these people were out of sight. An unseen person said,

"We are looking for Trowa Barton. He was seen in the company of this boy and we'd very much like to see him again. We will be contacting you soon and you had better be able to tell us where Trowa is unless you want this poor kid to die. He may die anyway, but I can make it very painful. Imagine my surprise when I looked through this kid's wallet and found out he was none other than the Winner heir? How nice that his family will be able to pay for his hospital bills if he survives. That also means that, of course, they'll be able to pay his ransom. I want Trowa as ransom and a mere two million dollars. That's not too much to ask, is it? I sure hope not, this kid doesn't look too well. We will call back in one hour, unless, of course, the little Quatre dies first." The voice laughed unpleasantly.

The image froze, apparently the message was over, and Touma was shaking violently as he stood. Touma backed away from the screen with the blonde boy's face frozen on it. Staring at the face of his brother for several tense seconds, Touma went still very suddenly.

"Busso Tenku." Dark blue light surrounded Touma and then Tenku was on Touma. The helmet of the yoroi was tall and conical and a collapsible bow was on his back along with a quiver. Touma almost didn't seem to notice his transformation at all and his eyes slowly turned to focus on Trowa. "You!" Touma hissed hatefully, taking one step toward Trowa.

Shin instantly stepped between them. "It's not Trowa's fault! He only met Quatre because he was trying to help me and he only got those mercenaries angry because of me. If you're going to blame anyone, blame me!" He stared defiantly at Touma, daring him to attack.

Trowa, though, gently moved Shin aside, out of Touma's path. "I can fight for myself." He said softly and faced Touma.

Touma looked as though he'd attack, but then took a deep, ragged breath. "We need a plan." Touma turned his back on Trowa. Rajura could tell that Shin and Xiu were both surprised at Touma's reaction. It was like they hadn't expected him to be so rational.

"I can find him. The voice on the message was Mayers, a former associate." Trowa said, cold as ice. "How did you get this image?"

Touma replied, as calmly as he could. "It was emailed to my home and my foster dad sent it here. He's on the warpath and if he finds whoever took Kitty before I do, there won't be enough of them left for the police to identify." He gave a dark look to the screen. "If I find him first, this Mayers guy will wish Rashid had found him."

Trowa examined the email for a short while, motioned for Heero to join him, and together the two of them silently worked out the source for where this message had come from.

When they'd finished, Trowa looked at Heero and said, sounding very sure of himself, "04."

Heero examined the information and the nightmare image of Quatre's face. "You're sure?"

Trowa nodded.

Then Heero turned and looked at the rest of the room. "The email was sent from an OZ warehouse approximately seventy-eight miles due east."

Noin blurted out, "OZ?" Everyone looked at her, knowing full well what uniform she was wearing at that very moment. The uniform that she was very proud of. "No," She shook her head. "Trieze wouldn't do anything like that. I know he's done some questionable things in the past, but he'd never stoop to kidnapping a child!"

Xiu stood up, "Lady, don't give me that! Your OZ destroyed an entire colony, or didn't you hear about A0206?" He said bitterly. "Nearly my entire family died there and I saw the OZ mobile suits, so don't give me that crap about OZ!"

Noin tried to keep calm. "There was a mistake..."

"A mistake?!" Xiu shouted, losing his temper entirely. "How many thousands of people died for that mistake?"

"I don't know who ordered it, but it was NOT Trieze!" Noin shouted back at Xiu. "I never said OZ was all fun and happiness, but there would be no reason for OZ to kidnap that child and torture him just to get their hands on him!" She pointed a finger at Trowa. "Unless he's involved in something..." She turned a questioning look to Trowa.

"They want me because I was once apart of their mercenary group. I decided to leave and in doing so, I humiliated Mayers by beating him in a fight. He just wants revenge." Trowa replied with a perfectly straight face. "I am not involved in anything against OZ."

Shin, this time, looked at Quatre's unconscious face and put a finger on the image of Quatre's cheek. "They're doing this just for revenge against a little embarrassment. That night in the street?"

Trowa nodded, causing Shin to wail, "Then this is all my fault!"

"What?" Touma asked, confused about Shin's change in attitude.

"Trowa didn't embarrass them, I did. They got me angry and I beat a couple of them up. I'm so sorry, Touma!" Shin threw himself into Touma's stunned arms. "But they were going to kill Trowa and they killed my fish and I just couldn't stand it!” He was sobbing uncontrollably into Touma's now thoroughly soaked shoulder.

Sh'ten leaned over to Naaza. "Are you sure he's one of us?"

Naaza only shrugged. "He's still a child, give him a break, 'Ten-chan."

Touma patted Shin's back, comfortingly. He was, it seemed, more willing to forgive Shin that Trowa. "Don't worry, Shin. I'm sure Kitty's all right. He's a lot tougher than he looks, trust me."

Rajura had no idea what they are talking about and, though mortal matters really didn't concern him, Rajura had to admit that he was curious. The boy who'd been tortured could not have been more than sixteen. Rajura's instincts were screaming, telling him that there was a mystery, a secret someone wasn't telling him. ‘I do love solving mysteries.’

Another mystery was why Arago hadn't been able to detect the yoroi. He was the one who had told them that the children were waking up, so why didn't he know that they'd found the children? Perhaps there was more going on in the Youja-Kai than they'd thought. Maybe Arago had been distracted by something.

Sh'ten motioned at Rajura suddenly, a hand sign that told Rajura to cast an illusion around everyone, something to hide them from Arago. It wasn't very difficult, just a shield so they could talk freely for a few moments.


Sh'ten-


"We are planning a rebellion against Arago. We are going to kill him once we have all the yoroi together, but we still have to wait for Shin's to come to him. In the mean time, we wanted to find the memories Arago took from us." Sh'ten looked at Ryou and Duo. "We don't have the power to defeat him alone, but with all of us together, we might stand a chance."

"Without Yoroi, no mortal can survive in the Youja-Kai, now that you have the yoroi, Touma, you can come with us to Youja Kai and search for Kay..."

"No."

"What?" Sh'ten was not used to such disobedience and he really didn't like it.

Touma told him stubbornly. "I'm going to find Kitty."

"I'm going with Touma." Shin said. "I wouldn't be any use in that demon world, anyway. Besides, I feel guilty. It's partly my fault that Quatre's been hurt.

Sh'ten, knowing that he couldn't change Touma's mind, sighed. "Fine. You go with Naaza to look for the boy. I am going to face Arago and try to pacify him. When I open the gateway, I want the rest of you to go through and see if you can find Kay. Naaza remembers her being sent to a different part of the Youja-Kai, so she must be there somewhere. If we all pass through the gate together, Arago shouldn't be able to tell that you've even crossed the gateway. I'll just tell him you're still in the Ningen-Sekai looking for the yoroi."

Rajura frowned. "We are together in this, Sh'ten. We will face him together or not at all. There's no need to separate us."

Sh'ten scowled at his eldest brother. "I am the general, Rajura. Do not forget that. I take responsibility for our actions and I will take punishment for us."

"We don't need your protection, 'Ten-chan." Naaza told him, sounding angry. "We are all warriors..."

"You forget your place!" Sh'ten snapped, irritably, before he started to bark orders at Naaza. "You are to stay with Touma and Shin and keep them out of harms way. You," He pointed at Anubisu and Rajura, "Will go to the Youja-Kai and search for the girl, Kay."

"You're not going to change your mind, are you?" Naaza asked, subdued. "You know he's going to punish you. He'll make you suffer for all of us."

"That is my responsibility. We've been gone too long and he's angry. We should have reported in days ago. We all knew it would come to this when we didn't report to him."

Another moment of silence, tense as everyone knew what Sh'ten was facing. "You're our general, Oni." Rajura grabbed Sh'ten in a tight hug. "We need you, so make sure you come back to us."

"I promise." Sh'ten returned the embrace. "I will always come back to you."

"He won't kill you." Anubisu said, trying to sound certain. "You're too valuable as a bearer of the Yoroi."

Sh'ten shook his head. "No one is indispensable. He wants only the yoroi, not us. We've known that for a long time."

Anubisu swallowed hard. "I think I know how I can get my memory back."

Everyone turned to him. "Just give me a few minutes." He turned and walked out of the room, a silent request for Byakuen to follow him. Ryou didn't even try to stop Byakuen as he walked out with Anubisu. Something made Ryou understand that this was important.


Byakuen-


Byakuen and Anubisu went to one of the other rooms and Anubisu closed the door, giving them needed privacy. Byakuen knew what Anubisu wanted and how much it would cost them both. The human sat crossed-legged in front of Byakuen before he made his request. "I need my memories. How can I be of any use unless I can remember?" He told Byakuen. "Will you let me drink your blood?"

'This will hurt us.' Byakuen reminded Anubisu. 'And it will cost you more than pain, in the end.'

Anubisu nodded. "I understand, but I must do this. I want to know my family again. Will you help me?"

How could Byakuen deny him? Anubisu would help Ryou and bring Byakuen back to his brother in the end. Byakuen nod and slowly approached Anubisu. Anubisu had always been close to Byakuen, the Ma-Sho who reveled in nature even as his yoroi compelled him to kill. Anubisu was not a hateful man, but one who does as his nature compelled him to. He enjoys the cold of winter, though in Youja-Kai, there is no winter. No season of any kind, just a stillness that made it seem as if nothing ever changed.

Byakuen sniffed near Anubisu's neck, breathing in the heavy scent of this man he'd known all of his life. Anubisu had been there when Byakuen and Kokuen-Oh had been born to the tiger-like demon and he was the one who fed them after their mother had left them. How much Byakuen owed this man could never be repaid and never be counted. He had given Ryou, the joy of Byakuen's life, to him when he was a cub.

Byakuen licked Anubisu's throat, trying to numb the skin at least a little before he did what had to be done. It won't help much, but maybe a little. Anubisu closed his eyes and Byakuen took Anubisu's neck in his jaws. Being as gentle as he could, Byakuen broke Anubisu's skin and let his blood run down his neck and onto the floor.

Anubisu gasped and clutched at Byakuen's ruff, trying not to cry out. Byakuen lowered Anubisu to the floor, his neck still in Byakuen's mouth. Anubisu was growing weaker, his color fading even more than was natural for him. As soon as he was safely on the floor, Byakuen released his neck and put his own throat near Anubisu's face. Anubisu's had lost enough of the polluted blood, now he needed fresh blood to cleanse him of the pollution from that demon.

Byakuen told him, 'Now, Anubisu. You must do it, now!'

Anubisu heard and bared his fangs. Small though they were compared to Byakuen's, Anubisu's fangs were enough to bite deep into the tiger's throat. Byakuen could barely feel it, at first, but while Anubisu let his own blood leak onto the floor, he was drinking Byakuen's blood. Sucking the blood out of the wound he'd created, Anubisu's tongue lapped at Byakuen's fur to get as much of the blood as he could to replace what he'd lost.

Byakuen was fine for a while, but then started to feel weakened. Finally, he had to lay down and let Anubisu drink from him like a newborn cub suckling from its mother. It seemed like forever until Anubisu pulled away from Byakuen and Byakuen found that he couldn't find the strength to even stand.

Anubisu still sat by Byakuen's side on his knees and carefully licked the blood from his lips. "Thank you." He told Byakuen, and kissed the wound on his neck, making it heal almost instantly. "Your pure blood has healed me, Byakuen. I am honored and I have my memory back. Don't worry, I'll find Kokuen-Oh and tell him that you're worried about him." He stood and Byakuen saw that the wound on Anubisu's neck that he'd made had healed completely. "I'll tell Ryou that you want to stay here and take care of that girl, Noin. He'll understand, I think."

With that, Anubisu left Byakuen to recuperate and he went back to the others. It shouldn't take long. In the past when Kokuen-Oh or Byakuen had given blood for Anubisu, they had healed rather quickly. Even now, Byakuen could feel the small wound at his throat sealing itself. With Byakuen's blood Anubisu was able to shake off the demon's influence and know himself again. 'I'm glad,' Byakeun thought as he lay down his head to sleep. 'But it's a pity that this may change him.'


Noin-


Noin watched it all, keeping herself quiet and in the background. Her logical mind insisted that none of it could be real, but she'd seen it with her own eyes. It was real and Seiji was a part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she'd imagined.

They, all but Shin, all filed out into the garden and changed into their heavy yoroi, calling out the words that brought the yoroi to them. Noin didn't like the sound of this yoroi very much. The way they talked about it, made it sound alive. That was just too weird to think about.

Trowa was going with Touma and Shin to lead them to the OZ base. Noin had to say that she was not at all sure she should be letting them go, but what could she do? Noin had seen the boy, Quatre, and she just couldn't let him stay a prisoner or die. If OZ really had authorized this, then Noin knew she'd be handing in her resignation very, very soon.

Xiu was torn as to where he should go. He wanted to go help save Quatre and make sure Touma and Shin were safe, but there was another child lost in a world of demons and they really needed his help. In the end, Touma had managed to persuade Xiu that he should go to rescue the little girl, Kay. They insisted that they could find Quatre easily and, with Trowa and Naaza to help, the rescue should be easy.

A minor argument came when Duo moved to stand with the armored men who were going to the Youja-Kai. "You can't come." Sh'ten told Duo firmly.

Duo looked at him annoyed. "Why not, Mama Sh'ten?"

"You don't have any protection. I just said no normal mortal could survive the Youja-Kai. Weren't you listening?"

Duo put his hands on his hips. "I lived there for years, I think I know my way around! Kay is my sister, too, and I won't be left out just because you can't remember that I do actually know how to survive!"

Sh'ten sighed. "If you get yourself killed, boy, don't come crying to me."

"You got it, Mama Sh'ten. Are you coming Heero?"

Heero paused and looked at Trowa. "You can rescue 04?"

Trowa nodded confidently.

"I will go with you, Duo." Heero went to stand with Duo. He gave no explanations as to why he was coming. He had no real connection with the Youja-Kai, but he'd made up his mind and Sh'ten seemed tired of arguing with foolish mortals.

As Noin thought of Seiji, she looked at the Ma-Sho, making plans for their subterfuge and return to a placed called Youja-Kai. Anubisu had earlier made the off hand comment that he knew who'd hurt Noin's dear baby brother only about an hour ago and now he wanted to leave without tell her everything? No way!

Noin turned to Anubisu, just went he came out of the room he'd gone into with Ryou's tiger friend, before the man could go outside with his friends.

"What?" Anubisu asked, apparently uncomfortable with how forward Noin was.

"You said you know who took Seiji. Tell me now! No more delays or I'll lose my mind." Noin said to Anubisu, shaking her finger under his nose.

"I know who trained Heero, anyway. I had a job interview to train a boy. They showed me Heero through a one way mirror so I could get a look at him." Anubisu shook his head. "Now that guy was one crazy loon. I believe he's the one who probably had your brother."

Noin grabbed Anubisu's arm urgently. "Give me a name!"

"I believe he said his name was doctor Jurad."

Noin quickly sat at her computer and started tapping. After a few minutes, she sat back with a defeated look on her face. "No good. It must have been an alias. I can't find anyone named doctor Jurad."

"Why don't you go by physical description? There can't be to many mortals with a mechanical arm, after all."

Noin blinked. "A mechanical arm? What else do you remember?"

Anubisu gave her a frown, insulted. "Everything, of course. It was only a few years ago. He was about fifty years old, five foot four inches tall, shoulder length white hair, and a long mustache. He also never took off a pair of goggles." Anubisu broke off suddenly, noticing that Noin was giggling and tapping at her computer. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just fine." She said, still giggling. "Does this guy look familiar?" She pointed at the screen and Anubisu saw the face of a man with darker hair, but still very familiar.

"Yeah, that's him." Anubisu nodded. "You'll excuse me, miss, but I really must be going." He left the room to where the others were waiting for him outside. Noin followed solemnly and went straight to Seiji. He, naturally, decided to go with Ryou to the Youja-Kai and looked for the missing little girl. The two were rarely separated since they'd met and Noin knew she'd better get used to having Ryou around as it looked like he wasn't going anywhere soon.

Noin worried about Heero almost as much as she did Seiji. The two had gotten the same training as children, but Heero seemed to have been more deeply wounded than Seiji. Still, Duo had attached himself rather firmly to Heero so maybe Duo would be able to help Heero as Ryou had helped Seiji.

Trowa, Shin, Touma, and Naaza all left in search of that poor boy, Quatre. Naaza left only after kissing Sh'ten passionately and saying, "Don't die, 'Ten-chan. I can't live without you."

"Seiji," Noin went to her brother and took him in her arms. "I don't really know what's going on, but please be careful. I just got you back, I don't want to lose you, now."

Seiji leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I don't understand everything, either, but I will be careful."

Sh'ten raised his arms and in Noin's garden appeared a large set of red lacquer doors. A wave of his hands and the doors slowly creaked open. As one, they all stepped through and the doors suddenly vanished leaving Noin alone in her garden.

"Please, any god that's listening, take care of Seiji. I just can't lose him again."

With that prayer, Noin went back into her home to wait for Zechs and Trieze. They'd promised to come visit today and she had big news to tell them. On her computer was the face of the man who'd taken Seiji and done God knows what to him.

Noin smiled at the picture. "Just a little while and I'll have you."


Trieze-


By the time they'd arrived at Noin's house, the black clouds that had alarmed them both had vanished as mysteriously as they'd appeared. The house was very quiet and when they knocked Trieze was surprised to have the door answered by a large white tiger. Oh, yes. Byakuen. Byakuen stared at them for a minute, as if trying to remember who they were and then stepped aside for Trieze and Zechs to enter.

'What a curious beast.' Trieze thought. Trieze rather thought he was more intelligent than most tigers.

Zechs and Trieze walked into the house and Noin tried very hard to control herself. Unfortunately, it wasn't working very well. When her two friends walked in, she was laughing, "Bwahahaha!!!"

Trieze raised an eyebrow and Zechs wondered what had happened to Noin.

Noin jumped up from her computer and screamed triumphantly. "I found him! I found him! I found him!"

Trieze watched, amused, while Noin danced madly around the room. She stopped in front of him, grabbed the lapels off his coat and pulled him down, kissing him hard on the lips. Then she was gone; wrapping her arms around the stunned Zechs' throat and pulled him down for a passionate kiss, too.

Noin danced around the room once she'd released Zechs and pranced around the room singing, "I found him! I found him! I found him!"

"Who?" Trieze asked, trying to maintain some dignity, even though the three friends were alone. The kiss had shocked him almost, but not quite, speechless.

"The guy who kidnapped Seiji. With a little help from a friend, I found him!!!" She shouted this last part of the sentence. "Whoo! Hoo!"

Zechs, touching his lips, looked at her. "So, what are you going to do? OZ has the troops to arrest him and we have enough evidence that he's a kidnapper at least once and probably twice, from what that diary told us."

Noin glared at him. "Don't you do anything. This guy is mine." Her dark smile was like a feral grin. "I will have him!"