Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ ...I am Shinigami ❯ One-Shot
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: RurouniTriv 
What if the end was just the beginning?
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 04.24.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.2K | Visits: 732 | Status: Completed
What if the end was just the beginning?
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 04.24.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.2K | Visits: 732 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: Not mine. No harm, no profit, dont sue.
...I AM SHINIGAMI
By RurouniTriv
March 21, A.C. 201 was a Thursday. It started out as a perfectly ordinary, rather nice day on the L2 colony of 84623-uyj, called Bastion by its inhabitants. The sun was shining outside (but then, being a colony, the sun was always shining outside except when it was in eclipse), the weather was nice (the end of the war had freed up certain areas of funding that finally allowed the colony to repair its atmospheric controls) and all seemed right with the world. The war was over, there was peace between Earth and the colonies, and Bastion even had its own (semi-)tame hero, a former Gundam pilot whod grown up in the L2 colony cluster and returned after the Mariemaia incident, one Duo Maxwell. Hed come to the colony and had been a major part of turning things around, using his notoriety as a Gundam pilot, the money hed returned from the war with (this being an L2 colony, no one was inclined to look too closely at the source of that money) and his undeniable charm to help improve conditions on Bastion. Hed been living on the colony for three years, and the standard of living had skyrocketed from being the dregs of the already poor L2 cluster to the shining star of the clusters ascent from grinding poverty to a reasonable place to live and raise a family.
Which made it all the more tragic that when the regular shuttle between Earth and the L2 cluster suffered a fatal engineering failure due to a hit from a micrometeorite, it slammed directly into Bastion, shattering its hull and killing 87% of Bastions unsuspecting inhabitants.
Among the bodies recovered was that of Duo Maxwell.
PART 1: CHANG WUFEI
SEPTEMBER 9, A.C. 219
The remaining Gundam pilots had assembled, as they had after the death of Duo Maxwell almost 20 years before, to support one of their own.
I hate hospitals, Quatre said quietly, rubbing his chest. His empathic abilities his spaceheart as he called it always gave him trouble in highly emotional situations, especially when someone he cared about was in pain. And right now, they were all in pain. Of them all, Wufei was actually in the least pain, because he was comatose. Hed chased a former White Fang member turned freelance terrorist through one of Kyotos less reputable areas and wound up getting shot in a narrow, filthy alley. The doctors in the emergency room had cleaned the wounds as best they could, but something had gotten into his system and was tearing him apart from the inside. The doctors had induced a coma to keep him from feeling the pain, but they were anything but optimistic about his chances.
Trowa moved with his usual silence to support Quatre, hands resting on the smaller mans shoulders. Quatre leaned back with a sigh, resting his head on the quiet ex-pilots shoulder. Quatre had only grown a few inches taller than he had been when they were in the war together, although hed gained a much more solid build.
Its times like these that I miss Duo, Heero said. As he had when Duo had died, hed somehow heard about what had happened to Wufei and had emerged from whatever shadows he lived in to stand by his old comrades. Hed have had us rolling on the floor by now. Granted, wed probably be down there trying to strangle him for being so blasted irreverent, but at least we wouldnt be moping around. His voice was oddly wistful, not something that one associated with the stoic ex-pilot of Wing Gundam.
There was a low, rich chuckle from the doorway behind them, and they whirled. They hadnt heard the door open, hadnt heard anyone come in.
Leaning back against the door was Duo Maxwell. Not an older version of him, but rather the exact same young man theyd known in their twenties, taller and more heavily built than hed been when they were teenagers, but still unmistakably Duo. Nice to know youve missed me, Heero. He grinned at them, his usual cheerful expression, but to anyone who knew him as well as his fellow pilots, he showed a subtle tension in the way his arms were crossed, the way that the foot propped up against the door twitched slightly like he wanted to tap his foot, a hundred little things that only a friend could see.
The same thing erupted out of three throats at the exact same time. Duo?!?
His grin grew a bit wicked at the surprise in their faces. Hey, I run, I hide, but I never lie, remember? I am Shinigami. And you cant kill Death.
We saw your body, Trowa said, still trying to grasp it. We even had a DNA scan done to confirm it... it was you!
It was. I was Duo Maxwell, in that incarnation. A human boy, with human limitations... mostly. Call it a vacation, a chance to experience life from the beginning instead of just being there for its end. Now Im Shinigami again. Im back on the job. He looked almost sad for a moment. I thought Id have a little talk with you guys since Im here, he shrugged.
Heero walked up to him, eyes narrowed. He didnt say anything, just cataloged the face hed known 18 years before, that hed never thought hed see again, gaze darting from the eyes to the mouth to the thick braid draped over one shoulder. Then he leaned in and kissed him.
Duos eyes went wide for a moment, before he melted against Heeros body. He drew back after a long moment. Whoa. Where did that come from?
Heero smiled. I missed you.
Duo scowled. Well why the hell didnt you miss me when I was still human, you baka? We couldve done a lot more than just stealing a quick kiss here, you know? He pushed the other pilot away gently. Too busy being the Perfect Soldier, and then you just made like the Cheshire Cat only you didnt even leave a smile. Numbskull. His words were hard, but there was a warm affection in his tone and expression. Lifes for living, and it doesnt last forever. You were a soldier long enough to know that.
I didnt want to think about it during the war. And then after....
After you were so sick of killing and death that you ran as far as you could get from anyone who reminded you of them, including me, Duo said gently. I understand that. He bopped Heero lightly against the head, the only one of them who could get away with such things when they were young. But its still stupid!
Duo, Quatre said hesitantly, why are you here?
The braided young man looked affectionately at the blond Arabian. You know why, Quatre. You just dont want to admit it.
Wufei, Trowa said flatly.
Hai. Its his time. Ive chosen this aspect to come for him. Figured itll be easier if he sees a familiar face, huh?
I dont understand, Heero said.
Duo smiled. Look. He gestured, and a faceted globe of crystal suddenly appeared in his hand. Think of this as Shinigami. The whole Me. The me you see here before you is the Duo aspect, the one that lived as a mortal among mortals during your lifetimes. This me is like a single facet on this crystal if you were a little ant or something crawling on the crystal, you might see just that facet. What you see is really me, but its not the whole Me. Thats bigger than you can see. And dont bother asking me to show you the whole Me, because the only way you can see that is to step outside of life... and that means dying. Its not your time, so I cant show you, and I wouldnt if I could. There are very very few who get more than a glimpse of My Reality and live to tell about it, and those few generally come back... different. Very different. Think Jesus of Nazareth. He shook his head. In any case, I just figured that Id see if you guys wanted to say your goodbyes before Wufei left. Its not going to be much longer.
Hes in a coma, Trowa said with a frown. The doctors induced it medically, its not something that hes going to come out of on his own. And if he is not aware, then why bother?
Duo snorted. Trowa, youre talking to the God of Death here. If I say hes going to be awake and at least temporarily be strong enough to talk to you, he will be. I cant not take him, thats not a choice I have and anyway, the damage hes taken could never be healed, but I can choose to block the pain for a little while, I can choose to wake him up and give him the strength to talk to you. Thats part of why I chose to be the one who came for him and why I chose to reveal myself to you. His smile twisted. It gets kind of old, ferrying souls across, and most people just want to get where theyre going and get the hell away from me. Not many of them stick around long enough to talk.
And when our times come, will it be you who comes for us as well? Quatre asked quietly.
Unless you specifically ask otherwise, yes. Like I said, it generally helps to see a familiar face. He pulled the door open. Come on, we dont want to keep him waiting. He may not be conscious, but he is aware enough to realize theres something very wrong with his body, and Im pretty sure hes been having nightmares. Besides, Meiran is waiting for him, and shes never been the patient sort. He walked out of the waiting room and down the hall toward the intensive care unit.
His first wife? Trowa asked quietly.
Yeah. He called his Gundam Nataku after her, you know. She was even more obsessed with justice than he was. And considering some of the late-night ranting that Wu-chan used to do... especially after a bit of sake... thats a pretty scary thought.
They followed the laughing, chattering God of Death down the corridor, noticing that no one else seemed to see any of them, and walked right by the Preventer guards posted outside Wufeis door. Heero looked speculative for a moment as he poked the oblivious guard, but Duo reached back and grabbed him, hauling him in. Come on, Heero! Time waits for no one, and Wu-chans reaching the end of his. They entered the ICU ward.
Wufei lay on the bed, face pale with an ominous bluish undertone visible under the faded bronze of his skin. He looked so small, so fragile. Like Quatre, hed never grown very tall, but unlike Quatre he hadnt added much in the way of muscle mass, remaining whipcord lean. Indeed, of them all he had changed the least from their days in the Gundams. Always driven, cool, and intelligent, always counting justice higher than his personal feelings. Hed worked his way up through the ranks of the Preventers, but hed refused to get stuck behind a desk. He had always declared that he was a warrior, not a bureaucrat usually at length when people tried to convince him to take a desk job. He wanted to be in the thick of the action.
He had been. And now, he was out of the game for good.
Oi, Wu-chan, Duo said with a grin, reaching down to muss the sleek black strands of Wufeis hair. Wakey-wakey. Were going on a little road trip.
Go away Maxwell, he grumbled, half asleep.
No can do, Wu-man. Up and at em, we got things to do. Promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep, and all that stuff.
Wufei opened his eyes in a glare. Dont call me Wu-man, he snapped, and then he came awake. His eyes went wide as he took in the tall form of the braided ex-pilot. Maxwell? Im dead. Im dead, and this is Hell.... But there was a faint trace of a smile around his face.
Duo stuck his tongue out. You arent dead quite yet, and the guys want to talk to you before you are. Try to be nice.
The dying man looked past his resurrected friend and smiled at the other ex-Gundam pilots. So, have you come to see me off on my journey to the west? he asked with a smile.
Hai, Heero said quietly. The baka said that you dont have much time and we wanted to say goodbye.
Hn. Well see each other again, I think. If not in this life then in another. He struggled to sit up, sweat popping out on his face. I thank you all for the gift of your friendship, he said, bowing as best he could despite his obvious pain. Know that you all have my deepest respect, and that I shall think of you often. May... may we meet again soon. He began to sway, and Duo eased him down.
Baka, he chided fondly. Are you trying to make your life shorter? That could have waited until you were out-of-body, you know.
Ah, but would they see? And would it mean so much that I did it when it was easy as it does that I did it when it was hard? He was panting for breath as he spoke, and Duo retreated. Ill be over by the window. You guys say whatever it is you have to say, but make it fast. Its almost time.
Duo stayed by the window, looking out over the city and fiddled with his braid while the others spoke to Wufei. They took turns by unspoken accord, allowing each other a bit of privacy.
Heero was the first to speak to him, and gave way to Quatre, who took the longest and was predictably the most emotional of them. Trowa joined him, as they had been joined since their days as Gundam pilots, and spoke quietly with them both while Heero melted back, distancing himself emotionally and physically. Hed said his goodbyes. Now he watched Duo, seeing how the sun streaming through the window both struck him and passed through him. The braided man cast an odd shadow, almost as if he bore batlike wings on his back.
Heero could hear Wufeis breath grow more shallow and labored and knew it that it wouldnt be long now. He started as Duo, who had been standing unusually close to still, turned and walked toward the bed. Its time, guys, he said gently. I cant block the pain any more, and hes got a very impatient lady waiting for him.
There was a part of Heero that wanted to protest, wanted to fight for his friends life. But then he saw how Wufei reached out for Duo, how Duo looked at Wufei not like a conqueror or a thief but as a friend, and saw how Wufeis face, tense with the effort of taking another breath, relaxed, and the impulse died utterly. Duo shone from the inside with a light as bright as the crystal that hed summoned from thin air only minutes before, eyes warm and caring, and Heero let go of his old friends, both of them, letting them fly.
Wufeis physical hand dropped lifelessly off the edge of the bed, but his spirit still held onto Duo, who pulled slightly as Wufeis soul shed his body like a snake sheds its outgrown skin. The Wufei who swung his legs off his deathbed wasnt the rather tired and jaded career Preventer whom they had known, but rather something closer to the warrior spirit they had known in younger days, the fiery little dragon of his pilot days merged with the fierce guardian of his maturity.
They gazed at each other, the living and the dead, for a long moment. Duo, predictably enough, was the one to break the silence. Ill be seeing you guys again. And it better be a long time from now, you hear? Im gonna want to hear about all the stuff you guys did, so make sure theres a lot for us to catch up on! he scolded with a grin, then threw his arm over Wufeis shoulder. Come on, Wu-chan, you got a hot date waiting for you. We gotta move. Ja ne! he said with a wave to the others as the two of them moved toward the unknowable, walking through the wall and fading from view.
The three surviving Gundam pilots looked at each other. Well, that was interesting, Heero said after a long moment of silence.
The guard, hearing someone speaking in the room he was guarding, hurried in just as the medical alarms began to sound Wufeis death-knell. In the confusion that resulted from the medical team rushing in to try to resuscitate him, the trio managed to slip away.
They got very drunk that night.
PART 2: TROWA AND QUATRE
JUNE 19, A.C. 237
Trowa woke feeling distinctly odd. It was a good kind of odd, mind you, but still odd. He tried hard to place in his mind exactly what it was that was strange, but hed been sleeping most of the day... hed been sleeping more than most of the day, actually. During one of the trips that he and Quatre had taken to L3, hed been exposed to a particularly nasty disease. It wasnt particularly contagious, fortunately, but it was painful, debilitating, and ultimately fatal. Only a small percentage of people were vulnerable to its effects. Trowa was one of them. Quatre was not. The short Arabian had been taking care of Trowa for months now without a rest, and it was rather odd that he wasnt here now.
He understood a bit better when a shadow detached itself from a corner of the room. Hey, Trowa, Duo said with his characteristic cheerfulness. Welcome to my world. He reached out, as he had to Wufei, and like Wufei, Trowa reached out to him, slipping the bonds of his body with the same gratitude that a prisoner might slip his shackles.
It doesnt hurt any more, Trowa said in surprise as he turned to look at the wasted, aged body that hed shed so willingly.
Yeah, I know, Duo said. For some reason that always confuses people. Come on, lets go downstairs. We can chat a little more comfortably down there. He bounced out, moving through the door as if it werent there. Trowa followed rather hesitantly.
You came earlier to Wufei, the tall man said quietly.
Wufei didnt have a chance to say his goodbyes to you guys before. You did. You knew I was coming, after all, and Wu-chan figured that hed have loads of time. Duo shrugged. He didnt. Thats why I try to tell people to show their loved ones how they feel while theyre alive, when Im in a mortal incarnation. Not that Im always that good about it myself, mind you, he said with a grin and a wink, but then, I know that I will get a chance eventually.
Quatre... can I talk to him, one more time before we go?
Duo grinned, but there was an edge of wistfulness to his smile. Actually, hes the one were waiting for. He should be along shortly.
Trowa whipped around from where he was standing by the music rack. He and Quatre had spent many happy hours in this music room, losing themselves in the music and the harmony they created. Waiting for... you cant take him! Hes not even sick! Without even realizing hed moved, he found himself slamming Duo into the wall. I will not let you....
Enough . It was the voice of Shinigami, God of the Dead, and it stopped Trowa cold, as did the flashing eyes that glared at him. Hed seen that look before in Duos eyes, but never directed at him. Very few who had ever gotten him that angry survived the experience. Calm down. Im glad youve learned to express yourself, but I dont choose who lives or dies. Thats not my job. I merely ferry souls to their destination, and I am not allowed to pick and choose who I take where. Thats decided by powers far greater than mine. His voice gentled as he brushed the thick bang away from Trowas face so that he could see both eyes.
It immediately fell forward again and Duo sighed and rolled his eyes. Listen, Trowa. From the moment you two were born, you were destined to meet. From the moment you met, you were bound to each other, soul to soul. The more time you spent together, the stronger that bond became. Wherever one of you goes, the other follows. I will not force him to die. I have played no part in his decision to die. If he were utterly terrified of Me, he would still follow you.
In other words, hes dying because of me. The expression in Trowas eyes was terrible.
You gave him a reason to live this long. Without you, the loneliness would have killed him ages ago. Hes the kind that needs someone to give himself to heart and soul, who needs to have someone do the same to him. His abilities allow him to know without a doubt just how much of his feelings are returned, and the... depth of his soul means that he needs someone just as deep to match him. Most people dont have what he needed. Theyre too shallow. Youre both old souls, Trowa. Youve been around for many incarnations youll see that when we get to the Outside. And some of those incarnations you died first, and some he died first: violence, disease, simple old age, it doesnt matter. Where one goes the other follows. I dont know if hes aware of the other incarnations you have had on a conscious level, but he knew that he wouldnt outlast you by more than a few hours even if he tried. And he didnt want to try.
Trowa wet his lips. Hes already done it then?
Duo nodded. Hai. Hes coming downstairs now.
Trowa frowned. I would have thought you would have come to him personally the way you did for Wufei and I, rather than make him come to you.
Duo chuckled. I did. The laws of nature say that a corporeal form can only be in one place at a time. But we arent corporeal any more. The last sentence came out in stereo as a second Duo walked in, followed by Quatre. The two Duos walked directly into each other and merged. Now, any goodbyes to be said, anything left undone?
I sent Heero an email, Quatre said, and Im sure hell make certain that the letters I wrote for our family and the Maganacs and some of our other friends are given to them. Wills have been drawn up for years, servants have been cut down to just a couple who come in every two days... I think Ive gotten everything.
Duo shook his head. You are incredibly organized, you know that?
Quatre shrugged, his once-more blond hair shining brightly in the shadows of the darkened music room. Force of habit. I have been running the family business for the past forty years or so, after all. And with twenty-nine sisters and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to look after, even our family fortune needed to be watched over carefully.
Duo chuckled. Your family does tend to go for large reunions when you can get them all together.
Trowa laughed quietly. Last time we got them all together we had to rent a small colony.
Yes, well, you were the one who insisted on bringing Catherines circus, Quatre said mildly. The entire circus.
Trowa looked innocent. Well, can you think of a better way to keep the little ones entertained?
Duo chuckled. Hes got my vote on that one, Q-man. Come on, weve got to get moving here. He wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders. I think youre going to like it where were going.
PART 3: HEERO
LATER THAT NIGHT
Heero heard the baby fussing and got up, yawning. Im too damned old for this, he grumbled, wishing that Maya hadnt left the infant with them for the weekend. He loved his grandson, but at times like these he wished the boy was old enough to sleep through the entire night.
He walked over to the spare room and picked up his grandson and checked his diaper. After changing it, Heero carried him over to the rocking chair in the corner. Settling down in it, he started humming a lullaby. He wasnt much of a singer, especially when only half-conscious, but the familiar voice and the rhythmic movement of the chair was enough to lull the baby into sleep. He was very close to drifting off himself when he felt a sudden cool breeze that smelled of greenery and freshly-turned earth.
If youre here for me, can I at least put the baby back in his crib first? he asked quietly, not wanting to wake the little one. And if you could hold off until Monday, that would be even better. Mayas supposed to come pick him up Sunday evening.
Im here strictly as a messenger, Duo chuckled. Quatre thought that youd rather hear from me than see it in the email tomorrow morning.
Trowa?
Both of them, actually. Trowa was rather annoyed about that, but he got over it once he realized that it was natural causes rather than me deciding Id rather just make one trip.
Heeros eyes narrowed in thought as he stood and placed the 16-month-old back in his crib. Quatres spaceheart? Hes always had a special link with Trowa.
Duo nodded. Got it in one. Mind you, Tro-chan was more than a little peeved before he got that through his head, but like I told him, I just captain the shuttle, Im not the one who assigns the seating and picks the destination. Speaking of which, your daughters going to be a little late picking up the munchkin there.
Heeros head snapped around. Nani?!? Duo, omae o....
Whoa, hold on there Heero, dont do anything rash. Shes fine. Its just that while she was headed to well, wherever it is she was headed to she ran across a train wreck and stayed to pitch in. Hippocratic Oath and all that. Now calm down before you wake up the kid, will you? He gestured placatingly. Yeesh. Youd think that youd have quit threatening to kill people all the time by now.
Heero gritted his teeth. I make an exception for you. Besides, its 3 a.m. and Im not as young as I, he yawned, losing his annoyed expression, used to be.
Duo grinned disarmingly. Right. Ill let you get back to bed, then.
Duo? Shinigami turned, looking curious. Stay a little longer, please? I really am glad to see you. I just... Im not ready to go, you know? Not ready to lose my family, and I dont want to hurt my wife. Shes been through enough with losing her first husband all those years ago, and I dont want to leave her to deal with Duo-chan alone. His lips quirked in a sideways smile. I should have known better than to name him after you, hes as much a hellraiser as you were. But I couldnt resist it when I realized there were twins, you know? It just felt so right. Solo and Duo.
Duo chuckled. Yeah, I know. I think youll find that hell calm down though, if you can just keep from killing him until he outgrows that teenaged rebellion. For what its worth, unless you do something spectacularly stupid or get very unlucky you should be around for years yet. I can... sense health problems, you know? And youre in better shape than most men half your age. He jerked his head. Come on, lets talk somewhere we dont have to worry about waking up little Jake-chan. Ive got a little time to spare, it didnt take as long to get Trowa and Quatre settled as I thought.
Heero looked as if he was going to ask something, then shook his head. If I ask about where you took them, you arent going to answer, are you?
Duo shrugged. I cant. No human language can explain it, and itd mess up your mind if I tried. Simpler just to say that theyre safe and happy and together. And there shall be no weeping nor wailing nor gnashing of teeth and all that.
And Death shall have no dominion? Heero finished the quote.
Duo chuckled. Well, since Im Shinigami and Im not in charge over there, I suppose thats true enough. Im a bit surprised that you recognized the quote though. I wouldnt have thought youd be interested in Christian theology.
Im not really. But you always wore that cross, you know? It got me curious.
They arent any closer than anyone else, actually. Mortal minds simply arent equipped to comprehend whats outside of this world.
They talked for almost an hour, of times past and times yet to come, joking and smiling and enjoying a chance to be together after so long apart, before Duo stood reluctantly. I gotta go, Heero. Places to go, people to lead Outside. Take care of yourself, willya? I dont want to come here on business any time soon. He gave a faint smile.
Ill do my best, Heero said, one hand reaching up slightly. He wanted to touch his friend, but he wasnt sure if it would be permitted. Wasnt entirely sure that it was right or honorable to want it so badly when he was married to someone else.
Duo saw the aborted movement and pulled Heero into his arms. Live long. Live well. Ill be waiting, no matter how long it takes.
PART 5: HEERO
AUGUST 7, 289
Heero gazed up out of the viewscreen into space, dark blue eyes still sharp, though they were surrounded by a mass of wrinkles. Outside, the darkness of space was shattered by the birth and sudden death of a tiny new star as the last of the invading aliens was destroyed. Say hello to Shinigami for me, he chuckled, the faded echo of the mad cackling that hed been known for in his teenaged battles. He hadnt been as infamous as Duo for his mockery of their foes, but hed definitely enjoyed unleashing his repressed pain and anger on his enemies back in those days. Now, only the faintest trace of that all-consuming wrath remained. Just enough, as it turned out, to defeat the most deadly foe that Earth had ever faced.
He shivered as he felt a cool draft, one that smelled oddly of green plants and fresh-turned earth.
General Yuy? his aide asked worriedly.
Im fine, he answered a bit testily. Im just tired. He stood with an effort, and his aide hurried over to bring him his cane. Im a hundred and nine years old, I think Im entitled to that.
Of course, sir, his aide said, all admiration as always. Now that weve defeated the Harknasai, Im sure that youll be able to rest.
Oh, I know I will. Ensign Hakamura, open up communications with the World Council.
The main viewscreen flickered from its former view of the now-empty starscape to show a group of men and women seated at a semi-circular table in an palatial hall. Ladies and gentlemen of the World Council, I bring you victory. Use it well, and remember the lessons that my generation taught you and your ancestors in how to rebuild your lives, better than they ever were before. I wish this world peace and freedom. Good luck. Youll need it. A gesture to the communications ensign, and communications was cut.
He looked around the bridge of the U.S.S. Duo Maxwell with a faint smile, then back to the ensign. Patch me through to the fleet. All stations. A moment of activity on the ensigns part, and the ensign nodded confirmation. He could hear himself faintly as he spoke, the sound of his voice transmitted through all the corridors of all the ships and bases on Earth and off it. You all know Im a man of few words, so Ill make this short. Youve done well, soldiers. Time to go home. The bridge crew cheered, weary as he was of battle.
He nodded farewell to them and walked carefully to the elevator, which took him to his quarters and settled down in the one real luxury that he allowed himself, a comfortable chair built specially to conform to his old and aching bones. Mission log 2573. Last enemy ship defeated. The war is over, and the wheel has turned. As my life began in a time of war, so it shall end with the end of another war. I only hope that if such an enemy returns, there might be someone who will be strong enough to lead the world in defending itself. Shinigami knows that I was very nearly too old and weak to accomplish the task. So many lost. So many dead. My son Duo, three of my grandchildren, and even I cant keep track of all my great-grandchildren who died in this invasion. My only comfort lies in knowing that Duo will take care of them and lead them safely to whatever lies outside this life. Ill be finding that out soon enough, I know. In any case, mission complete. The task of rebuilding falls to others. I hope that theyll be successful. He clicked off the computer and settled back into his chair.
Sir?
Heero started. Hed forgotten his aide was still there. Yes, Max? And you can call me grandfather, you know. I wont report you. Wouldnt even if we were still at war, as long as you didnt do while we were on-duty.
I know that, sir. But you are my commanding officer. I was just... are the stories true? Did you make a deal with Death not to take you?
Heero chuckled. Ask Shinigami for eternal life? Gods, no. Hes on his way now, in fact. I just knew him when he was a mortal for a while. We were friends back then. Still are, I suppose, we just havent seen each other since... well, since your grandfather Duo died. Weve both been rather busy after all, me killing people and him collecting the souls. He only comes when someone dies, someone close to me. There arent many these days who fit that description though. He sighed. I think I would have welcomed him much sooner than this, but I dont like to leave a mission incomplete.
Max frowned. Sir? You...welcome death? His voice was as worried as his eyes.
Max. You are my great-grandson, and probably the most ardent member of my fan-club, Heero said dryly. As such, Im sure you have at least some idea of the kind of life Ive had. I literally cannot remember a time before my combat training began. I was twelve when the closest thing Id ever had to a father died in my arms, after teaching me how to be an assassin. I was fifteen when I went to Earth to fight the OZ/Romefeller War. I was seventeen when I fought the Mariemaia War. I lost the love of my life by the time I was old enough to legally drink. I married your great-grandmother when I was thirty, and took on the responsibility for her two children. I have had three careers, not counting my military career, and was called upon to lead this war when I was ninety-one because I was quite literally the only person alive who had any real combat experience. The friends of my youth have been dead longer than youve been alive, and so have most of my enemies. Ive had a long, hard life. So no, I dont fear death. I didnt when I was young and a soldier because I had nothing to live for. I dont now because well, pick up that bible on the counter there and open it to where its marked.
The young man picked up the plain black book and opened it to the page marked by a black ribbon holding a rather battered golden crucifix. The highlighted text seemed to jump off the page and onto his tongue. For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.... He looked over at Heero.
A time to be born and a time to die, a time of war and a time of peace. And my time is very nearly up. Dont mourn that. The wheel turns, my young friend, and death is nothing to be feared. Shinigami can be dark, but hes not evil.
Max bit his lip. You were serious when you said that he was a mortal. Those stories that my mom used to tell me, they were real?
As real as you or I. You were named after him, you know. Duo Maxwell. Quite possibly the least likely candidate for an incarnation of death that ever walked the Earth. He smiled softly. The most loud-mouth, obnoxiously cheerful guy Ive ever met, and just what I needed to teach me how to live instead of just survive. I just wish that wed had more time together. If I hadnt been such an idiot, Id have cuffed us together with gundanium and lost the key permanently.
There was a low chuckle from one corner of the room. Now wouldnt that have amused Wufei? Remember how he laughed when Trowa and Quatre finally told us they were sleeping together? Violet eyes rolled in amusement.
Heero chuckled at the young man who emerged from the shadows. I remember. It only took them three years to admit it.... Max, put the gun down, its just Duo.
That is not my grandfather.
No, the braided stranger said, Im Duo Maxwell, your grandfathers namesake and yours. Your family knows me as Shinigami. Violet eyes danced as the gun in Maxs hand sagged and his eyes bugged out. He walked over to the stunned young man and gently closed his mouth with one finger.
The shock was only momentary, and Max snapped his gun up under Duos chin, prussian blue eyes almost identical to his great-grandfathers blazing with anger.
Max! Put it down!
My job is to protect you!
Your mission is complete, Heero said quietly. And successful. The war is over. We won. And now, its time for me to go with Duo. Stand down, soldier.
Sir... grandfather...
Do it. Im tired, Max. So very, very tired. I miss my friends. I miss my wife and children. Im ready to go. Dont make this harder on both of us.
Max looked torn, then defeated. Grandfather. He put his gun back in its holster, shoulders slumping.
I know, you cant understand this. Cant understand how I could want to go with him. But I do. A time for every purpose, remember? Now come here. He beckoned the young man close to him and reached up to give him a hug, feeling very tired. Give my love to the family, will you? And dont worry about me, Ill be just fine with Duo. He chuckled quietly. And just think, youll be able to tell your grandchildren that youve seen Shinigami in the flesh and lived to tell the tale.
Ill miss you, the younger man whispered.
Of course you will. And Ill miss you. But well meet again. Make sure its not too soon, you hear? Max nodded, eyes shimmering with tears, and Heero reached up with one withered hand to cup his great-grandsons cheek. Be well and blessed, Maxwell Yuy. Remember me, and carry on. Of all my descendants, you are the one I think most like I would have been had my life been an easier one. He patted the smooth cheek. Goodbye, child.
Duo moved quietly to stand on Heeros other side. Time to go, Heero-chan. His face was very serious for once, gentle and caring. He reached out his hand just as the hand which had been cupping Maxs face pulled away and clutched at his chest, his other hand reaching out to Duo as he gasped against the sudden pain that seemed to be squeezing his heart. Duo grasped his hand, and Heero slumped forward lifelessly. Max was barely able to catch his discarded body before it fell, and looked up in awe.
Duo Shinigami shone from within as he stood there, hand in hand with a man that Max barely recognized. Heero looked no older than thirty to the eyes of his stunned great-grandson, a man in the prime of life, with the erect carriage that had always been his trademark before age had caught up with him. Prussian-blue eyes, so much like Maxs, looked down at him, a radiant smile on his face. Take care, Max. Tell the family I love them, and Ill see them all on the Outside. He turned to Duo. We going somewhere or not?
Duo laughed. And you call me impatient. Come on, self-destruct boy, weve got a long trip ahead of us. They turned and walked away, through the wall and into the unknown, trading insults like the old friends they were.
Tired. She smiled slightly. I had a funny dream. I was laying there in the surgery room and I was watching the doctors operate on me. And then this tunnel opened up and it had this light in it so I went into the tunnel cause it was pretty. There were these two men in this place that was really bright, and one of them had a braid, and the other had eyes just like yours, Daddy, and the one that looked like you picked me up and gave me a hug and said that I was supposed to come back here and tell you that Duo and Heero said hi. Do you know a Duo or a Heero?
Maxwell Yuy blinked, then smiled. I used to, honey. Let me tell you a story, one that your grandfather used to tell to me, and his father told to him. Its about a young man named Duo Maxwell, who used to call himself Shinigami....
...I AM SHINIGAMI
By RurouniTriv
PROLOGUE
March 21, A.C. 201 was a Thursday. It started out as a perfectly ordinary, rather nice day on the L2 colony of 84623-uyj, called Bastion by its inhabitants. The sun was shining outside (but then, being a colony, the sun was always shining outside except when it was in eclipse), the weather was nice (the end of the war had freed up certain areas of funding that finally allowed the colony to repair its atmospheric controls) and all seemed right with the world. The war was over, there was peace between Earth and the colonies, and Bastion even had its own (semi-)tame hero, a former Gundam pilot whod grown up in the L2 colony cluster and returned after the Mariemaia incident, one Duo Maxwell. Hed come to the colony and had been a major part of turning things around, using his notoriety as a Gundam pilot, the money hed returned from the war with (this being an L2 colony, no one was inclined to look too closely at the source of that money) and his undeniable charm to help improve conditions on Bastion. Hed been living on the colony for three years, and the standard of living had skyrocketed from being the dregs of the already poor L2 cluster to the shining star of the clusters ascent from grinding poverty to a reasonable place to live and raise a family.
Which made it all the more tragic that when the regular shuttle between Earth and the L2 cluster suffered a fatal engineering failure due to a hit from a micrometeorite, it slammed directly into Bastion, shattering its hull and killing 87% of Bastions unsuspecting inhabitants.
Among the bodies recovered was that of Duo Maxwell.
PART 1: CHANG WUFEI
SEPTEMBER 9, A.C. 219
The remaining Gundam pilots had assembled, as they had after the death of Duo Maxwell almost 20 years before, to support one of their own.
I hate hospitals, Quatre said quietly, rubbing his chest. His empathic abilities his spaceheart as he called it always gave him trouble in highly emotional situations, especially when someone he cared about was in pain. And right now, they were all in pain. Of them all, Wufei was actually in the least pain, because he was comatose. Hed chased a former White Fang member turned freelance terrorist through one of Kyotos less reputable areas and wound up getting shot in a narrow, filthy alley. The doctors in the emergency room had cleaned the wounds as best they could, but something had gotten into his system and was tearing him apart from the inside. The doctors had induced a coma to keep him from feeling the pain, but they were anything but optimistic about his chances.
Trowa moved with his usual silence to support Quatre, hands resting on the smaller mans shoulders. Quatre leaned back with a sigh, resting his head on the quiet ex-pilots shoulder. Quatre had only grown a few inches taller than he had been when they were in the war together, although hed gained a much more solid build.
Its times like these that I miss Duo, Heero said. As he had when Duo had died, hed somehow heard about what had happened to Wufei and had emerged from whatever shadows he lived in to stand by his old comrades. Hed have had us rolling on the floor by now. Granted, wed probably be down there trying to strangle him for being so blasted irreverent, but at least we wouldnt be moping around. His voice was oddly wistful, not something that one associated with the stoic ex-pilot of Wing Gundam.
There was a low, rich chuckle from the doorway behind them, and they whirled. They hadnt heard the door open, hadnt heard anyone come in.
Leaning back against the door was Duo Maxwell. Not an older version of him, but rather the exact same young man theyd known in their twenties, taller and more heavily built than hed been when they were teenagers, but still unmistakably Duo. Nice to know youve missed me, Heero. He grinned at them, his usual cheerful expression, but to anyone who knew him as well as his fellow pilots, he showed a subtle tension in the way his arms were crossed, the way that the foot propped up against the door twitched slightly like he wanted to tap his foot, a hundred little things that only a friend could see.
The same thing erupted out of three throats at the exact same time. Duo?!?
His grin grew a bit wicked at the surprise in their faces. Hey, I run, I hide, but I never lie, remember? I am Shinigami. And you cant kill Death.
We saw your body, Trowa said, still trying to grasp it. We even had a DNA scan done to confirm it... it was you!
It was. I was Duo Maxwell, in that incarnation. A human boy, with human limitations... mostly. Call it a vacation, a chance to experience life from the beginning instead of just being there for its end. Now Im Shinigami again. Im back on the job. He looked almost sad for a moment. I thought Id have a little talk with you guys since Im here, he shrugged.
Heero walked up to him, eyes narrowed. He didnt say anything, just cataloged the face hed known 18 years before, that hed never thought hed see again, gaze darting from the eyes to the mouth to the thick braid draped over one shoulder. Then he leaned in and kissed him.
Duos eyes went wide for a moment, before he melted against Heeros body. He drew back after a long moment. Whoa. Where did that come from?
Heero smiled. I missed you.
Duo scowled. Well why the hell didnt you miss me when I was still human, you baka? We couldve done a lot more than just stealing a quick kiss here, you know? He pushed the other pilot away gently. Too busy being the Perfect Soldier, and then you just made like the Cheshire Cat only you didnt even leave a smile. Numbskull. His words were hard, but there was a warm affection in his tone and expression. Lifes for living, and it doesnt last forever. You were a soldier long enough to know that.
I didnt want to think about it during the war. And then after....
After you were so sick of killing and death that you ran as far as you could get from anyone who reminded you of them, including me, Duo said gently. I understand that. He bopped Heero lightly against the head, the only one of them who could get away with such things when they were young. But its still stupid!
Duo, Quatre said hesitantly, why are you here?
The braided young man looked affectionately at the blond Arabian. You know why, Quatre. You just dont want to admit it.
Wufei, Trowa said flatly.
Hai. Its his time. Ive chosen this aspect to come for him. Figured itll be easier if he sees a familiar face, huh?
I dont understand, Heero said.
Duo smiled. Look. He gestured, and a faceted globe of crystal suddenly appeared in his hand. Think of this as Shinigami. The whole Me. The me you see here before you is the Duo aspect, the one that lived as a mortal among mortals during your lifetimes. This me is like a single facet on this crystal if you were a little ant or something crawling on the crystal, you might see just that facet. What you see is really me, but its not the whole Me. Thats bigger than you can see. And dont bother asking me to show you the whole Me, because the only way you can see that is to step outside of life... and that means dying. Its not your time, so I cant show you, and I wouldnt if I could. There are very very few who get more than a glimpse of My Reality and live to tell about it, and those few generally come back... different. Very different. Think Jesus of Nazareth. He shook his head. In any case, I just figured that Id see if you guys wanted to say your goodbyes before Wufei left. Its not going to be much longer.
Hes in a coma, Trowa said with a frown. The doctors induced it medically, its not something that hes going to come out of on his own. And if he is not aware, then why bother?
Duo snorted. Trowa, youre talking to the God of Death here. If I say hes going to be awake and at least temporarily be strong enough to talk to you, he will be. I cant not take him, thats not a choice I have and anyway, the damage hes taken could never be healed, but I can choose to block the pain for a little while, I can choose to wake him up and give him the strength to talk to you. Thats part of why I chose to be the one who came for him and why I chose to reveal myself to you. His smile twisted. It gets kind of old, ferrying souls across, and most people just want to get where theyre going and get the hell away from me. Not many of them stick around long enough to talk.
And when our times come, will it be you who comes for us as well? Quatre asked quietly.
Unless you specifically ask otherwise, yes. Like I said, it generally helps to see a familiar face. He pulled the door open. Come on, we dont want to keep him waiting. He may not be conscious, but he is aware enough to realize theres something very wrong with his body, and Im pretty sure hes been having nightmares. Besides, Meiran is waiting for him, and shes never been the patient sort. He walked out of the waiting room and down the hall toward the intensive care unit.
His first wife? Trowa asked quietly.
Yeah. He called his Gundam Nataku after her, you know. She was even more obsessed with justice than he was. And considering some of the late-night ranting that Wu-chan used to do... especially after a bit of sake... thats a pretty scary thought.
They followed the laughing, chattering God of Death down the corridor, noticing that no one else seemed to see any of them, and walked right by the Preventer guards posted outside Wufeis door. Heero looked speculative for a moment as he poked the oblivious guard, but Duo reached back and grabbed him, hauling him in. Come on, Heero! Time waits for no one, and Wu-chans reaching the end of his. They entered the ICU ward.
Wufei lay on the bed, face pale with an ominous bluish undertone visible under the faded bronze of his skin. He looked so small, so fragile. Like Quatre, hed never grown very tall, but unlike Quatre he hadnt added much in the way of muscle mass, remaining whipcord lean. Indeed, of them all he had changed the least from their days in the Gundams. Always driven, cool, and intelligent, always counting justice higher than his personal feelings. Hed worked his way up through the ranks of the Preventers, but hed refused to get stuck behind a desk. He had always declared that he was a warrior, not a bureaucrat usually at length when people tried to convince him to take a desk job. He wanted to be in the thick of the action.
He had been. And now, he was out of the game for good.
Oi, Wu-chan, Duo said with a grin, reaching down to muss the sleek black strands of Wufeis hair. Wakey-wakey. Were going on a little road trip.
Go away Maxwell, he grumbled, half asleep.
No can do, Wu-man. Up and at em, we got things to do. Promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep, and all that stuff.
Wufei opened his eyes in a glare. Dont call me Wu-man, he snapped, and then he came awake. His eyes went wide as he took in the tall form of the braided ex-pilot. Maxwell? Im dead. Im dead, and this is Hell.... But there was a faint trace of a smile around his face.
Duo stuck his tongue out. You arent dead quite yet, and the guys want to talk to you before you are. Try to be nice.
The dying man looked past his resurrected friend and smiled at the other ex-Gundam pilots. So, have you come to see me off on my journey to the west? he asked with a smile.
Hai, Heero said quietly. The baka said that you dont have much time and we wanted to say goodbye.
Hn. Well see each other again, I think. If not in this life then in another. He struggled to sit up, sweat popping out on his face. I thank you all for the gift of your friendship, he said, bowing as best he could despite his obvious pain. Know that you all have my deepest respect, and that I shall think of you often. May... may we meet again soon. He began to sway, and Duo eased him down.
Baka, he chided fondly. Are you trying to make your life shorter? That could have waited until you were out-of-body, you know.
Ah, but would they see? And would it mean so much that I did it when it was easy as it does that I did it when it was hard? He was panting for breath as he spoke, and Duo retreated. Ill be over by the window. You guys say whatever it is you have to say, but make it fast. Its almost time.
Duo stayed by the window, looking out over the city and fiddled with his braid while the others spoke to Wufei. They took turns by unspoken accord, allowing each other a bit of privacy.
Heero was the first to speak to him, and gave way to Quatre, who took the longest and was predictably the most emotional of them. Trowa joined him, as they had been joined since their days as Gundam pilots, and spoke quietly with them both while Heero melted back, distancing himself emotionally and physically. Hed said his goodbyes. Now he watched Duo, seeing how the sun streaming through the window both struck him and passed through him. The braided man cast an odd shadow, almost as if he bore batlike wings on his back.
Heero could hear Wufeis breath grow more shallow and labored and knew it that it wouldnt be long now. He started as Duo, who had been standing unusually close to still, turned and walked toward the bed. Its time, guys, he said gently. I cant block the pain any more, and hes got a very impatient lady waiting for him.
There was a part of Heero that wanted to protest, wanted to fight for his friends life. But then he saw how Wufei reached out for Duo, how Duo looked at Wufei not like a conqueror or a thief but as a friend, and saw how Wufeis face, tense with the effort of taking another breath, relaxed, and the impulse died utterly. Duo shone from the inside with a light as bright as the crystal that hed summoned from thin air only minutes before, eyes warm and caring, and Heero let go of his old friends, both of them, letting them fly.
Wufeis physical hand dropped lifelessly off the edge of the bed, but his spirit still held onto Duo, who pulled slightly as Wufeis soul shed his body like a snake sheds its outgrown skin. The Wufei who swung his legs off his deathbed wasnt the rather tired and jaded career Preventer whom they had known, but rather something closer to the warrior spirit they had known in younger days, the fiery little dragon of his pilot days merged with the fierce guardian of his maturity.
They gazed at each other, the living and the dead, for a long moment. Duo, predictably enough, was the one to break the silence. Ill be seeing you guys again. And it better be a long time from now, you hear? Im gonna want to hear about all the stuff you guys did, so make sure theres a lot for us to catch up on! he scolded with a grin, then threw his arm over Wufeis shoulder. Come on, Wu-chan, you got a hot date waiting for you. We gotta move. Ja ne! he said with a wave to the others as the two of them moved toward the unknowable, walking through the wall and fading from view.
The three surviving Gundam pilots looked at each other. Well, that was interesting, Heero said after a long moment of silence.
The guard, hearing someone speaking in the room he was guarding, hurried in just as the medical alarms began to sound Wufeis death-knell. In the confusion that resulted from the medical team rushing in to try to resuscitate him, the trio managed to slip away.
They got very drunk that night.
PART 2: TROWA AND QUATRE
JUNE 19, A.C. 237
Trowa woke feeling distinctly odd. It was a good kind of odd, mind you, but still odd. He tried hard to place in his mind exactly what it was that was strange, but hed been sleeping most of the day... hed been sleeping more than most of the day, actually. During one of the trips that he and Quatre had taken to L3, hed been exposed to a particularly nasty disease. It wasnt particularly contagious, fortunately, but it was painful, debilitating, and ultimately fatal. Only a small percentage of people were vulnerable to its effects. Trowa was one of them. Quatre was not. The short Arabian had been taking care of Trowa for months now without a rest, and it was rather odd that he wasnt here now.
He understood a bit better when a shadow detached itself from a corner of the room. Hey, Trowa, Duo said with his characteristic cheerfulness. Welcome to my world. He reached out, as he had to Wufei, and like Wufei, Trowa reached out to him, slipping the bonds of his body with the same gratitude that a prisoner might slip his shackles.
It doesnt hurt any more, Trowa said in surprise as he turned to look at the wasted, aged body that hed shed so willingly.
Yeah, I know, Duo said. For some reason that always confuses people. Come on, lets go downstairs. We can chat a little more comfortably down there. He bounced out, moving through the door as if it werent there. Trowa followed rather hesitantly.
You came earlier to Wufei, the tall man said quietly.
Wufei didnt have a chance to say his goodbyes to you guys before. You did. You knew I was coming, after all, and Wu-chan figured that hed have loads of time. Duo shrugged. He didnt. Thats why I try to tell people to show their loved ones how they feel while theyre alive, when Im in a mortal incarnation. Not that Im always that good about it myself, mind you, he said with a grin and a wink, but then, I know that I will get a chance eventually.
Quatre... can I talk to him, one more time before we go?
Duo grinned, but there was an edge of wistfulness to his smile. Actually, hes the one were waiting for. He should be along shortly.
Trowa whipped around from where he was standing by the music rack. He and Quatre had spent many happy hours in this music room, losing themselves in the music and the harmony they created. Waiting for... you cant take him! Hes not even sick! Without even realizing hed moved, he found himself slamming Duo into the wall. I will not let you....
Enough . It was the voice of Shinigami, God of the Dead, and it stopped Trowa cold, as did the flashing eyes that glared at him. Hed seen that look before in Duos eyes, but never directed at him. Very few who had ever gotten him that angry survived the experience. Calm down. Im glad youve learned to express yourself, but I dont choose who lives or dies. Thats not my job. I merely ferry souls to their destination, and I am not allowed to pick and choose who I take where. Thats decided by powers far greater than mine. His voice gentled as he brushed the thick bang away from Trowas face so that he could see both eyes.
It immediately fell forward again and Duo sighed and rolled his eyes. Listen, Trowa. From the moment you two were born, you were destined to meet. From the moment you met, you were bound to each other, soul to soul. The more time you spent together, the stronger that bond became. Wherever one of you goes, the other follows. I will not force him to die. I have played no part in his decision to die. If he were utterly terrified of Me, he would still follow you.
In other words, hes dying because of me. The expression in Trowas eyes was terrible.
You gave him a reason to live this long. Without you, the loneliness would have killed him ages ago. Hes the kind that needs someone to give himself to heart and soul, who needs to have someone do the same to him. His abilities allow him to know without a doubt just how much of his feelings are returned, and the... depth of his soul means that he needs someone just as deep to match him. Most people dont have what he needed. Theyre too shallow. Youre both old souls, Trowa. Youve been around for many incarnations youll see that when we get to the Outside. And some of those incarnations you died first, and some he died first: violence, disease, simple old age, it doesnt matter. Where one goes the other follows. I dont know if hes aware of the other incarnations you have had on a conscious level, but he knew that he wouldnt outlast you by more than a few hours even if he tried. And he didnt want to try.
Trowa wet his lips. Hes already done it then?
Duo nodded. Hai. Hes coming downstairs now.
Trowa frowned. I would have thought you would have come to him personally the way you did for Wufei and I, rather than make him come to you.
Duo chuckled. I did. The laws of nature say that a corporeal form can only be in one place at a time. But we arent corporeal any more. The last sentence came out in stereo as a second Duo walked in, followed by Quatre. The two Duos walked directly into each other and merged. Now, any goodbyes to be said, anything left undone?
I sent Heero an email, Quatre said, and Im sure hell make certain that the letters I wrote for our family and the Maganacs and some of our other friends are given to them. Wills have been drawn up for years, servants have been cut down to just a couple who come in every two days... I think Ive gotten everything.
Duo shook his head. You are incredibly organized, you know that?
Quatre shrugged, his once-more blond hair shining brightly in the shadows of the darkened music room. Force of habit. I have been running the family business for the past forty years or so, after all. And with twenty-nine sisters and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to look after, even our family fortune needed to be watched over carefully.
Duo chuckled. Your family does tend to go for large reunions when you can get them all together.
Trowa laughed quietly. Last time we got them all together we had to rent a small colony.
Yes, well, you were the one who insisted on bringing Catherines circus, Quatre said mildly. The entire circus.
Trowa looked innocent. Well, can you think of a better way to keep the little ones entertained?
Duo chuckled. Hes got my vote on that one, Q-man. Come on, weve got to get moving here. He wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders. I think youre going to like it where were going.
PART 3: HEERO
LATER THAT NIGHT
Heero heard the baby fussing and got up, yawning. Im too damned old for this, he grumbled, wishing that Maya hadnt left the infant with them for the weekend. He loved his grandson, but at times like these he wished the boy was old enough to sleep through the entire night.
He walked over to the spare room and picked up his grandson and checked his diaper. After changing it, Heero carried him over to the rocking chair in the corner. Settling down in it, he started humming a lullaby. He wasnt much of a singer, especially when only half-conscious, but the familiar voice and the rhythmic movement of the chair was enough to lull the baby into sleep. He was very close to drifting off himself when he felt a sudden cool breeze that smelled of greenery and freshly-turned earth.
If youre here for me, can I at least put the baby back in his crib first? he asked quietly, not wanting to wake the little one. And if you could hold off until Monday, that would be even better. Mayas supposed to come pick him up Sunday evening.
Im here strictly as a messenger, Duo chuckled. Quatre thought that youd rather hear from me than see it in the email tomorrow morning.
Trowa?
Both of them, actually. Trowa was rather annoyed about that, but he got over it once he realized that it was natural causes rather than me deciding Id rather just make one trip.
Heeros eyes narrowed in thought as he stood and placed the 16-month-old back in his crib. Quatres spaceheart? Hes always had a special link with Trowa.
Duo nodded. Got it in one. Mind you, Tro-chan was more than a little peeved before he got that through his head, but like I told him, I just captain the shuttle, Im not the one who assigns the seating and picks the destination. Speaking of which, your daughters going to be a little late picking up the munchkin there.
Heeros head snapped around. Nani?!? Duo, omae o....
Whoa, hold on there Heero, dont do anything rash. Shes fine. Its just that while she was headed to well, wherever it is she was headed to she ran across a train wreck and stayed to pitch in. Hippocratic Oath and all that. Now calm down before you wake up the kid, will you? He gestured placatingly. Yeesh. Youd think that youd have quit threatening to kill people all the time by now.
Heero gritted his teeth. I make an exception for you. Besides, its 3 a.m. and Im not as young as I, he yawned, losing his annoyed expression, used to be.
Duo grinned disarmingly. Right. Ill let you get back to bed, then.
Duo? Shinigami turned, looking curious. Stay a little longer, please? I really am glad to see you. I just... Im not ready to go, you know? Not ready to lose my family, and I dont want to hurt my wife. Shes been through enough with losing her first husband all those years ago, and I dont want to leave her to deal with Duo-chan alone. His lips quirked in a sideways smile. I should have known better than to name him after you, hes as much a hellraiser as you were. But I couldnt resist it when I realized there were twins, you know? It just felt so right. Solo and Duo.
Duo chuckled. Yeah, I know. I think youll find that hell calm down though, if you can just keep from killing him until he outgrows that teenaged rebellion. For what its worth, unless you do something spectacularly stupid or get very unlucky you should be around for years yet. I can... sense health problems, you know? And youre in better shape than most men half your age. He jerked his head. Come on, lets talk somewhere we dont have to worry about waking up little Jake-chan. Ive got a little time to spare, it didnt take as long to get Trowa and Quatre settled as I thought.
Heero looked as if he was going to ask something, then shook his head. If I ask about where you took them, you arent going to answer, are you?
Duo shrugged. I cant. No human language can explain it, and itd mess up your mind if I tried. Simpler just to say that theyre safe and happy and together. And there shall be no weeping nor wailing nor gnashing of teeth and all that.
And Death shall have no dominion? Heero finished the quote.
Duo chuckled. Well, since Im Shinigami and Im not in charge over there, I suppose thats true enough. Im a bit surprised that you recognized the quote though. I wouldnt have thought youd be interested in Christian theology.
Im not really. But you always wore that cross, you know? It got me curious.
They arent any closer than anyone else, actually. Mortal minds simply arent equipped to comprehend whats outside of this world.
They talked for almost an hour, of times past and times yet to come, joking and smiling and enjoying a chance to be together after so long apart, before Duo stood reluctantly. I gotta go, Heero. Places to go, people to lead Outside. Take care of yourself, willya? I dont want to come here on business any time soon. He gave a faint smile.
Ill do my best, Heero said, one hand reaching up slightly. He wanted to touch his friend, but he wasnt sure if it would be permitted. Wasnt entirely sure that it was right or honorable to want it so badly when he was married to someone else.
Duo saw the aborted movement and pulled Heero into his arms. Live long. Live well. Ill be waiting, no matter how long it takes.
PART 5: HEERO
AUGUST 7, 289
Heero gazed up out of the viewscreen into space, dark blue eyes still sharp, though they were surrounded by a mass of wrinkles. Outside, the darkness of space was shattered by the birth and sudden death of a tiny new star as the last of the invading aliens was destroyed. Say hello to Shinigami for me, he chuckled, the faded echo of the mad cackling that hed been known for in his teenaged battles. He hadnt been as infamous as Duo for his mockery of their foes, but hed definitely enjoyed unleashing his repressed pain and anger on his enemies back in those days. Now, only the faintest trace of that all-consuming wrath remained. Just enough, as it turned out, to defeat the most deadly foe that Earth had ever faced.
He shivered as he felt a cool draft, one that smelled oddly of green plants and fresh-turned earth.
General Yuy? his aide asked worriedly.
Im fine, he answered a bit testily. Im just tired. He stood with an effort, and his aide hurried over to bring him his cane. Im a hundred and nine years old, I think Im entitled to that.
Of course, sir, his aide said, all admiration as always. Now that weve defeated the Harknasai, Im sure that youll be able to rest.
Oh, I know I will. Ensign Hakamura, open up communications with the World Council.
The main viewscreen flickered from its former view of the now-empty starscape to show a group of men and women seated at a semi-circular table in an palatial hall. Ladies and gentlemen of the World Council, I bring you victory. Use it well, and remember the lessons that my generation taught you and your ancestors in how to rebuild your lives, better than they ever were before. I wish this world peace and freedom. Good luck. Youll need it. A gesture to the communications ensign, and communications was cut.
He looked around the bridge of the U.S.S. Duo Maxwell with a faint smile, then back to the ensign. Patch me through to the fleet. All stations. A moment of activity on the ensigns part, and the ensign nodded confirmation. He could hear himself faintly as he spoke, the sound of his voice transmitted through all the corridors of all the ships and bases on Earth and off it. You all know Im a man of few words, so Ill make this short. Youve done well, soldiers. Time to go home. The bridge crew cheered, weary as he was of battle.
He nodded farewell to them and walked carefully to the elevator, which took him to his quarters and settled down in the one real luxury that he allowed himself, a comfortable chair built specially to conform to his old and aching bones. Mission log 2573. Last enemy ship defeated. The war is over, and the wheel has turned. As my life began in a time of war, so it shall end with the end of another war. I only hope that if such an enemy returns, there might be someone who will be strong enough to lead the world in defending itself. Shinigami knows that I was very nearly too old and weak to accomplish the task. So many lost. So many dead. My son Duo, three of my grandchildren, and even I cant keep track of all my great-grandchildren who died in this invasion. My only comfort lies in knowing that Duo will take care of them and lead them safely to whatever lies outside this life. Ill be finding that out soon enough, I know. In any case, mission complete. The task of rebuilding falls to others. I hope that theyll be successful. He clicked off the computer and settled back into his chair.
Sir?
Heero started. Hed forgotten his aide was still there. Yes, Max? And you can call me grandfather, you know. I wont report you. Wouldnt even if we were still at war, as long as you didnt do while we were on-duty.
I know that, sir. But you are my commanding officer. I was just... are the stories true? Did you make a deal with Death not to take you?
Heero chuckled. Ask Shinigami for eternal life? Gods, no. Hes on his way now, in fact. I just knew him when he was a mortal for a while. We were friends back then. Still are, I suppose, we just havent seen each other since... well, since your grandfather Duo died. Weve both been rather busy after all, me killing people and him collecting the souls. He only comes when someone dies, someone close to me. There arent many these days who fit that description though. He sighed. I think I would have welcomed him much sooner than this, but I dont like to leave a mission incomplete.
Max frowned. Sir? You...welcome death? His voice was as worried as his eyes.
Max. You are my great-grandson, and probably the most ardent member of my fan-club, Heero said dryly. As such, Im sure you have at least some idea of the kind of life Ive had. I literally cannot remember a time before my combat training began. I was twelve when the closest thing Id ever had to a father died in my arms, after teaching me how to be an assassin. I was fifteen when I went to Earth to fight the OZ/Romefeller War. I was seventeen when I fought the Mariemaia War. I lost the love of my life by the time I was old enough to legally drink. I married your great-grandmother when I was thirty, and took on the responsibility for her two children. I have had three careers, not counting my military career, and was called upon to lead this war when I was ninety-one because I was quite literally the only person alive who had any real combat experience. The friends of my youth have been dead longer than youve been alive, and so have most of my enemies. Ive had a long, hard life. So no, I dont fear death. I didnt when I was young and a soldier because I had nothing to live for. I dont now because well, pick up that bible on the counter there and open it to where its marked.
The young man picked up the plain black book and opened it to the page marked by a black ribbon holding a rather battered golden crucifix. The highlighted text seemed to jump off the page and onto his tongue. For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.... He looked over at Heero.
A time to be born and a time to die, a time of war and a time of peace. And my time is very nearly up. Dont mourn that. The wheel turns, my young friend, and death is nothing to be feared. Shinigami can be dark, but hes not evil.
Max bit his lip. You were serious when you said that he was a mortal. Those stories that my mom used to tell me, they were real?
As real as you or I. You were named after him, you know. Duo Maxwell. Quite possibly the least likely candidate for an incarnation of death that ever walked the Earth. He smiled softly. The most loud-mouth, obnoxiously cheerful guy Ive ever met, and just what I needed to teach me how to live instead of just survive. I just wish that wed had more time together. If I hadnt been such an idiot, Id have cuffed us together with gundanium and lost the key permanently.
There was a low chuckle from one corner of the room. Now wouldnt that have amused Wufei? Remember how he laughed when Trowa and Quatre finally told us they were sleeping together? Violet eyes rolled in amusement.
Heero chuckled at the young man who emerged from the shadows. I remember. It only took them three years to admit it.... Max, put the gun down, its just Duo.
That is not my grandfather.
No, the braided stranger said, Im Duo Maxwell, your grandfathers namesake and yours. Your family knows me as Shinigami. Violet eyes danced as the gun in Maxs hand sagged and his eyes bugged out. He walked over to the stunned young man and gently closed his mouth with one finger.
The shock was only momentary, and Max snapped his gun up under Duos chin, prussian blue eyes almost identical to his great-grandfathers blazing with anger.
Max! Put it down!
My job is to protect you!
Your mission is complete, Heero said quietly. And successful. The war is over. We won. And now, its time for me to go with Duo. Stand down, soldier.
Sir... grandfather...
Do it. Im tired, Max. So very, very tired. I miss my friends. I miss my wife and children. Im ready to go. Dont make this harder on both of us.
Max looked torn, then defeated. Grandfather. He put his gun back in its holster, shoulders slumping.
I know, you cant understand this. Cant understand how I could want to go with him. But I do. A time for every purpose, remember? Now come here. He beckoned the young man close to him and reached up to give him a hug, feeling very tired. Give my love to the family, will you? And dont worry about me, Ill be just fine with Duo. He chuckled quietly. And just think, youll be able to tell your grandchildren that youve seen Shinigami in the flesh and lived to tell the tale.
Ill miss you, the younger man whispered.
Of course you will. And Ill miss you. But well meet again. Make sure its not too soon, you hear? Max nodded, eyes shimmering with tears, and Heero reached up with one withered hand to cup his great-grandsons cheek. Be well and blessed, Maxwell Yuy. Remember me, and carry on. Of all my descendants, you are the one I think most like I would have been had my life been an easier one. He patted the smooth cheek. Goodbye, child.
Duo moved quietly to stand on Heeros other side. Time to go, Heero-chan. His face was very serious for once, gentle and caring. He reached out his hand just as the hand which had been cupping Maxs face pulled away and clutched at his chest, his other hand reaching out to Duo as he gasped against the sudden pain that seemed to be squeezing his heart. Duo grasped his hand, and Heero slumped forward lifelessly. Max was barely able to catch his discarded body before it fell, and looked up in awe.
Duo Shinigami shone from within as he stood there, hand in hand with a man that Max barely recognized. Heero looked no older than thirty to the eyes of his stunned great-grandson, a man in the prime of life, with the erect carriage that had always been his trademark before age had caught up with him. Prussian-blue eyes, so much like Maxs, looked down at him, a radiant smile on his face. Take care, Max. Tell the family I love them, and Ill see them all on the Outside. He turned to Duo. We going somewhere or not?
Duo laughed. And you call me impatient. Come on, self-destruct boy, weve got a long trip ahead of us. They turned and walked away, through the wall and into the unknown, trading insults like the old friends they were.
EPILOGUE
The little girl opened her eyes, much to her fathers relief. Shed barely made it through the surgery to repair her defective heart valve and had been in a coma for three days, but now she was awake and her prognosis was good. He brushed her hair back, smiling down on her tenderly. Hey, sweetie. Howre you feeling?Tired. She smiled slightly. I had a funny dream. I was laying there in the surgery room and I was watching the doctors operate on me. And then this tunnel opened up and it had this light in it so I went into the tunnel cause it was pretty. There were these two men in this place that was really bright, and one of them had a braid, and the other had eyes just like yours, Daddy, and the one that looked like you picked me up and gave me a hug and said that I was supposed to come back here and tell you that Duo and Heero said hi. Do you know a Duo or a Heero?
Maxwell Yuy blinked, then smiled. I used to, honey. Let me tell you a story, one that your grandfather used to tell to me, and his father told to him. Its about a young man named Duo Maxwell, who used to call himself Shinigami....