Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Shinigami's Stage; Behind the Jester's Mask ❯ Chapter four ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Date posted: Saturday, September 19, 2004
Pairings: 1x2 :: 3x4 :: 5x? Surprise. ::hint 002:: It is not someone who's name means 13.

If this becomes hard to read, please got to my yahoo group to finish the story.
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Shinigami's Stage: Behind the Jester's Mask
By: Mira Watanabe


:.: Chapter Four :.:
Day ONE of the Reunion:

Nine days later.
Wednesday, May 26, AC 201

.................................................................... ........................
We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hinds our cheeks and shades our eyes-
This debt we pay to human guile;
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask.

::Paul Lawrence Dunbar::
.............................................................. ..............................

Heero looked out the space transportation shuttle. Through the circular windows, he could see the blue sphere called Earth vastly growing bigger as they approached their destination. It looked like one gigantic marble suspended in mid-air, rotating on its axis. Harmless, yet frightening.

'Why now,' he wondered, 'why after all this time?'

Subconsciously he put a hand on the cold four-platted glass. If he spread his fingers like so, he could fit the entire Earth in his starched hand. His eyes felled with longing and sadness, and then perhaps, loss.

He gave a half smile remembering all the stupid antics the braided baka did back during the war and after. He started to chuckle a little - more like a soft snort - as he remembered the time Duo tried to cook on the stove. He had had scared the living hell out of Quatre by making the frying pan into something resembling a miniature bonfire. He even remembered the order of their reactions; surprised, confused, and then horror.

For a gundam pilot, Duo Maxwell could never use the kitchen. He would always look at it as if it were some strange machine -- like a three year old. After the bonfire incident, no one would let Duo within ten feet of the stove or oven. He was a little put down for a minute before he brightened up and laughed. His replay was, "What? Afraid I'll blow something up?" That was exactly it.

His musings stopped as he spotted the ring on his wedding finger. He pulled his hand away from the glass and toyed with it with a sign.

He had lived with Duo for two years and six months. He never knew that the day he left would be the last day he would ever see him. Maybe if he had that knowledge before hand, he would have never left. It is always after the bad happens when you what to change it. It started a couple of months after he left, six of seven, that Quatre came bursting through his door worried and nearly driven to tears. He was stationed in one of the guest room in Queen Relena's estate working on the security unit when he was interrupted by the news that no one could seem to find Duo. He just disappeared.

Heero didn't remember much after that, maybe some shock and then a bit of denial. But it all ended up the same. Duo was gone and there was no way they could find him. They all knew that if Duo didn't want to be found, then he wouldn't be found. That was all there was to it.

But that never stopped him from trying.

'If only I hadn't ran away.'


All four ex-pilots exited the shuttle, followed by two girls; Catherine and Iran. Each person held either a black or green carry-on bag, one that held two weeks worth of clothes. Because of paranoia, they never check in their bags. Even if the war is at an end, there will always be people that would love too see them dead.

Quatre laughed nervously at the energy that crackling around them. Trowa put a hand on his shoulder and he took it into his own palm, feeling better then since the day Solo made his appearance.

Wufei snorted while still grumbling about how he wished this 'family reunion' won't be like the ones Quat holds, where 20-something onnas hanged off him cooing.

Heero stood indifferently, before moving to the pick-up section of the spaceport, "Let's go." No stopping the inevitable.

The others nodded their head in understanding and without a word the moved threw the building and out the automatic doors.

Outside was cool for the beginning of summer, around 80 degrees. The sky was a baby blue with scattered clouds and plains coming and going. In front of them laid three rows of cars and two rows of buses in the back.

In the middle lane Solo Maxwell stood leaning against a red van. He smiled and waved a hand wildly above his head, "Hellooo! Glad you could make it!"

He wore another green short sleeve shirt with a button up front. The top three buttons were undone and showed a triangle of creamy flesh at the throat. He also wore a pair of faded-dimi pants. He was practically bouncing up and down as they walked up to him.

Once within reaching distance, Solo pounced on to them, giving Quatre and Wufei a big hearty bear hug. Quatre couldn't help but laugh as Wufei started grumbling again.

"Onna! Get-off-of-me before I kill you!" Fei growled, and the girls cough-laughed, causing the little dragon more embarrassment.

Solo pouted, "Fine, fine." He went around and opened the trunk. Quatre, Trowa, and Cathy set their green bags on the bottom and the other three stacked theirs on top. They closed the back and got in. Solo sat in the driver's set and Heero road shot gun. Kat and Trowa sat in the first two seats and 'Fei took Second row with the two girls.

Traffic was bumper to bumper, but that was nothing new. The music inside the vehicle was down low, making a soft beat. Solo taped his fingers on the black steering wheel unconsciously, flashing his wedding band in the sun.

"So how long have you known Duo?" Quatre asked. Trying to start a conversation and get some information at the same time.

Solo crossed his eyes in thought, "I don' know. Forever… I think Duks was about four or five at the time."

Everyone looked at him in polite curiosity, "I don't remember him mentioning you before."

"Of course," he said to the blond, "It probably was a touchy subject with him, seeing that I practically died in his arms." He shook his head, "Poor Kid. Only seven at the time."

"Well anyway," Solo said warming up to a new subject, "I'm glad you guys could make it to our Family Reunion. We have one ever six weeks or so. Sorry you couldn't be invited to come sooner. We just wasn't ready for ya." He didn't elaborate.

He turned on to the fetter road passing the town sight, "You are now entering Willow Wood." Fifteen minutes later, he turned down Luetta and again into the neighborhood called Lakeview. "Home, sweet home."

Outside the window was a white house with medium gray roofing. It stood on a corner in the middle of a huge lot. Oak and Maple trees were scattered everywhere, and a few Crape Myrtles were in full bloom - the flowers showing off its white splendor like winter's snow.

Solo parked two feet from the mailbox and honey bricked fence. He turned the car off, popped the trunk, and got out, the others following. Walking to the mailbox, he took out today's bills, buying time for his new friends. He then bent down to pick up the news paper, brushing back his shoulder length hair as it fell over his eyes, and smiled at their nervousness, "Relax. We're here to have fun." He gave a suggestive wink. The group made a conscience effort to calm down as Solo opened the fancy black gate.

Like a bazaar phenomena, a black and white husky burst out of seemingly thin air, barking in a deep loud voice. His bushy tail wagged faster than a propeller on an airplane. He jumped on Solo with a thunderous 'ROOF,' toppling them both as he licked his master's face madly.

Solo made an 'ooph' sound as the air left his lungs. "Tails," he tried to speak with a heavy dog on his chest, "Tails, off!'

The dog barked and gave one big long lick on the side of Solo's mouth before following the order. Solo sputtered, wiping his mouth on his hand as the mutt sat strait backed with his tongue lollied out to the side, tail still wagging happily.

Solo patted him and scratched behind his ears, "Nice to see you too Tails." Tails gave another 'Roof,' and his crystal blue eyes moved to new friends. He gave another happy bark, tail going double time.

Quatre petted the husky, who got considerably happier if it were possible.

"Tails where's Duks?" Solo watched the dog get up, shake itself off, and bounce to the front door. He did a fast donut in front of the door and barked.

Solo laughed and opened the door. Tails burst threw the door like a torpedo, barking loudly, announcing their presence.

"You can put you things in here," he said walking across the small foyer to the closet, opening it. They stacked their belongings on the shelves without a word.

Just then Solo's nose twitched at the smell of something good. Smiling, he ran around the corner to the kitchen, yelling, "Shrimp fried rice! Thank you, Duks!" The other part of the group walked over to see what the entire ruckus was about and got around in time to see Solo latch on to someone's back like an excited kid.

The attacked person laughed and Solo peeked his head around from under the other's arm. He rolled his eyes upward like a begging dog, "Can Solo have a Kiss? Solo missed Duks so much!"

Laughing some more, the person complied by turning around and pecked him on the lips - more brotherly than anything. Solo looked liked he was in Heaven.

"Welcome home Solo," violet eyes shined softly.

"Happy to be home Duks," Solo rubbed the side of his face on Duo's shoulder like a cat.

A happy coo came from his side and everyone turned, even the bewildered guest, to see a baby in a highchair covered head to toe in Apple Sauce. Solo laughed, "Yes Chi I'm happy to see you too, but if you're asking for a kiss then we have a problem." He wiped some apple sauce off her forehead and let her suck it off his finger.

Duo made an exasperated sound, "Chi. Not again. You're supposed to eat your food not wear it." He took the small blue bowl off her cranium and some apple sauce fell free in gooey chunks. "I already have to remind Solo this," he continued.

Solo gave an indignant 'hey!' and Chi kicked her feet happily, her arms flying up and down as she laughed.

"Oh, by the way, here you go," Solo handed the bills and paper over to Duo, who just set it on the counter away from Chi for later.

"Duo?"

Duo looked to the kitchen door.

Solo took this opportunity to still a shrimp from the skillet previously used by Duo. Tails looked at him from the right and Solo stuck out his tongue at him. He mouthed 'mine' and plopped the treat into his mouth, licking his lips. Tasty.

Stolen food always tasted the sweetest.


End Chapter: To Be Continued.


Annoying Author's Notes:

Okay so I haven't updated in two months. Don't worry about trying to beat the snot out of me, I'm already doing in. I had this chapter for about a month, but never go the chance to type it. I just kept adding things in, forgetting to add things in, changing things, editing, not to mention I had deleted four chapters to picked up a new approach, got pissed off, threw the book across the room, scattered all the papers, had to put them back in order. Had trouble with It didn't do what I wanted to...Yadda yadda yadda. But I got it to you now. So smile with me. XDD Or at least try to.

I hoped you liked the poem I found. It seemed right to put it there.

Don't worry guys Solo will calm down eventually, but he still gets weirder and weirder in future chapters.

And poor Duo is going to seem girly for a while too. I really hate that.

I love you Tails and Chi!

Coming up in the next chapter - Meet Sam and Eric -- the reincarnations of Duo and Heero -- as they hit you upside the head and knock you dead.

FYI: PLEASE and REVIEW have the same number of letters. XDD (take the hint)