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Maybe Angels Part 6-7 by Makoto Sagara
part 6	part 7	part 8	part 9	part 10
Part 6
Title: Maybe Angels - Part 6/? - It's You Author: Makoto Sagara Archives: www.afallenangel.net/makotosagara/frames/fanfiction.html, www.wufeiduo.net, www.foreverfandom.net, www.fanfiction.net, www.sailorsandco.crosswinds.com/gundamwing/fanfiction/fanfiction.html; Anywhere else, just ask Category: Supernatural, Angst Pairing(s): 2+5, 1+2, 3+1, 4+3, 4+2, H+4, 6+9, S+C, R+OC, 13x5, eventual 2x5x2 Rating: PG-13 Warnings: Shonen ai, OOC, AU, language, skewed views of a few different religions Disclaimers: Boy, if I owned Gundam Wing, the things I would do. But, alas, I sit here and lament the fact that I am poor and still living in the USA. Ok, yeah, I don't own the lyrics to 'It's You' by Michelle Branch either. That's her honour. I just buy her CDs. A/N: So, who likes Solo? Is anyone confused by the angels' *real* names yet? I plan on adding the list of names ASAP. I *do* have one, I just have to work out a few more kinks with them. ^^;;; Gomen. Now, as far as the Wufei part is concerned, TRUST ME, I plan on bringing him back shortly. I just have a few more things to get out of the way before Duo can actually interact with him on a permanent basis. Patience, please? Dedication: To Duo-chan, for your idea about Solo and Duo's kiss and the instant taking to Solo's description. Yuki-chan, for going all gaga over Baby Wufei in chapter 3; it was adorable. To Jade-sissy, welcome back after a long time gone; I missed you, and you know it! ~_^ Symbols: *~*~* change in scene, POV, or time *~~~* minor change in scene or flashback ~ blah ~ remembered quotes *~~~~~~~* If tomorrow never comes I would want just one thing I would tell it to the stars and the sun I would write it for the world to see And it's you The light changes when you're in the room Oh it's you Oh it's you If tomorrow never comes I would want just one wish To kiss your quiet mouth Trace the steps of my fingertips And it's you The light changes when you're in the room Oh it's you Oh it's you Oh it's you Oh it's you Oh it's you Oh it's you Oh it's you... ~ It's You, by Michelle Branch *~~~~~~~* *It's You* After the exhausting scene with Solo, the subsequent crying of tears that had been pent up for over three million Earth years, and the tiring conversation with God and my friends, I could barely make it to the region of Heaven where the others were situated. No sooner had I arrived, by my own will, when I fell to my knees and let my being lay prone on the cloud-cushioned ground. There were cries of surprise from not far away, but I couldn't tell who was whom, until two sets of familiar hands picked me up and moved me over to a spot to sit up. "Duo?" Heero said, sounding worried, which disturbed me a little. "What happened?" "Give his some space, Heero," Quatre said, his blond hair seeming to shine and blind my blurry eyes. "He just had that confrontation with... *him*." The blond angel's voice dripped venom as he said that last word. "He may need to regain energy levels." "Q, Heero, everybody... Just... Let me be for a while. Need some space," I managed, closing my eyes and shutting down my mind. Mercifully, they allowed me my space, and after a while, I fell asleep. *~~~~~~~~* A gentle, soothing presence awoke me a while later. I didn't know who it was, for it wasn't someone who I had constant contact with. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and saw long curly blonde hair and a straight back in front of me. There was only one being who would bother to sit next to me with those features. "Sal?" "Well, you are finally awake, sleepy head. Nice to see you alive now," she said, a smile crossing her sharp face and even reaching her deep blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Diachriel," she whispered. "For what?" I whispered back. "For... all the trouble with Solo. For Heero. For Quatre. For well meaning friends who put you in dangerous situations, and your new charge. I'm sorry for Wufei as well." I shot up, fear gripping my very soul. "Something happened to Wufei?" "Calm down, Diachriel. Wufei is fine. I was just apologizing for the way that he was threatened. Soliriel has crossed one too many lines as of late, and added a human into a personal fight between 'Good' and 'Evil' was low." "Sasiriel?" I said after a while, using her full name. "Yes, Diachriel?" "Why are you here? Where's Quatre, Heero, Hilde and the other three that should be swarming around me now that I'm awake," I asked, no humour in my voice at all. "I told them that if they even *thought* of disturbing you while you slept, I'd rip their wings off myself." She gave me a cold smile that said she meant it. "I know what it's like to break a soul-bond. It drains you..." She turned from me, and pulled out her book for Relena, writing furiously. Sighing, I put my head back down, closed my eyes, and enjoyed the peace, as well as the sensation of being free for the first time in over three million years. The freedom scared me a little. After being tied for a very long time to someone else's soul the way I was with Solo, being free was something I would have to get used to. There was only one other being I knew who had to break soul-bondage. That was Sally, and I had to think of a way to get her to talk about it. "Um, Sally?" "Yes, Duo?" she asked, not looking at me, and the sound of her quill on the parchment sheets in the book got louder. "Er, I don't know how to ask this..." "How did I deal with breaking my bond with Mirael? Is that what you want to know?" she asked, her voice rather sad and her face reflecting the misery in her tone. All I could do was nod. "It hurt for a while. I won't lie to you. He and I had been close before we drifted, slowly, apart. The worst part, I think, was to see him with his new companion... But, then, I became close to Cathy. The rest, you know, is history." "Are... Are you and she bonded?" I asked, not really wanting to pry, but my curiosity got the better of me. "Not yet, although we have talked about it." She closed her eyes and smiled. "I never thought I would be close to any being after the soul-breakage, but Cathy surprised me. All of us, really." "Thanks, Sasiriel. I needed this." "You're welcome, Diachriel. I need to go check on Meiran now, and I suggest you catch up with the others before they start to tackle you." She rose, putting her book under one arm and walked away, leaving me alone to think. She was right. Underneath the feeling of relief, a sharp pain of loss was eating away at me. Soliriel and I had been bonded for over four million years, almost since we were created, and now we were as distant as was Heavenly possible. I knew that it would hurt as I said the words, but it didn't when I said them. Shock, I suppose. And yet, something else was gnawing at me. There was something that I was forgetting, and it disturbed me. I tried to figure out what it was, and then, the Guru's words came back to me. ~ Perhaps, Duo, that this child is your new soul-companion, or what we humans refer to as a soul-mate. ~ Could he have been right, I thought. Could Wufei be my rightful soul-companion? Would I be able to bond my soul with another being again? Could I do it again? I shook my head. Wufei was only a child, and I was his personal angel. My job was to watch over him and keep him company until the day he died, not try and force my affections upon him when he was still growing. But, some part of me felt intrigued by the new thought, and I knew that I would be in trouble if I didn't watch myself around him. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "I just want to see how he is doing, Aloniel. It's partly my fault for this whole mess," Noin's quiet voice said, waking me from another nap. It seems my energy supplies were lower than I had anticipated. "Gerindial, it is *not* your fault. Soliriel is insane! He has been ever since the Division. It's just time that Diachriel realized it and got the bond-breaking over with," Zechs yelled, totally interrupting my peace. "So, Aloniel, if I went insane, would you break our bond?" Noin asked, her voice full of sorrow. "That's not fair, Gerindial. We are two different beings than Duo and Solo." He lowered his voice. "I... I love you, and I would never do that." "Then you understand how hard it was for me, Zechs," I said, sitting up. "It wasn't anything I particularly wanted to do, but I *had* to do it." I looked at Noin as I stood up to my full height. "Noin, don't worry your pretty little head about it. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there." I moved over to her, and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Thank you for your concern and help, my dear friend." A lone tear fell from her eye and rolled down the cheek I had kissed. "You're welcome," she whispered, as I caught the tear. "Don't cry for me, Gerindial. An angel's tears are much too valuable to waste, especially not on something as unimportant as a daemon's former connection to myself. You wanted to help, and in a way, you have. Zechs, make her happy," I whispered, leaving the two soul-bonded angels alone to talk. I walked until I was about three meters of the others, and watched how they interacted. Trowa and Heero sat back-to-back, scribbling away diligently in Relena and Wufei's life books. Sally wasn't far away, doing the same thing, only Cathy seemed to be somewhat close to her and they were talking while Sally worked. Quatre and Hilde were whispering and giggling like human teenaged girls off to one side, stealing glances at Heero and Trowa every once in a while. I smiled warmly at my friends, and walked silently over to where Quatre and Hilde were. They were still deep into their whispering when I knelt down and placed my head on Hilde's shoulder, which caused her to jump. "DUO!" she screamed, knocking me in the cranium with her own. "Duo! You're back!" Quatre yelled, jumping up to give me a hug. "Sheesh," I muttered, rubbing my sore head. "I expected surprise, but not to get beaten to near-death. Hilde, your head is harder than Napoleon's during Waterloo." "Same old Duo," Cathy said, coming over to give me a hug. She lowered her voice and whispered in my ear. "Congratulations on your new won freedom and welcome back to us, Diachriel. Be careful, and know that I'm proud of you." "Th-thank you, Kidieal," I whispered, feeling strangely warm from those simple words. No one had ever told me they were proud of me, not even God Herself. "Duo, no whispering to Cathy. I want to talk to you privately," Quatre said, pulling on my arm, dragging me to my feet and away from the others. "Now, tell me *everything* that happened with Solo," he exclaimed as soon as we were out of hearing distance of our friends. I sighed, and sat down, feeling tired again. "Must I, Karemiel? I'm not entirely replenished, and well, this isn't the most comfortable subject for me." "Duo, you *broke* your soul-bond with Soliriel," he said, cringing at the daemon's name. "Tell me *exactly* why, and I want to know why everyone is worried for Wufei?" "He is no longer the Soliriel we once knew, and something inside me told me it was time to move on. Quatre, he was upset afterwards, and he threatened Wufei and myself. Although, he won't get very far if he tries," I said, my voice cold and devoid of any emotion, except hatred for my one time soul mate. "He is a daemon now, and hence, mine, yours and everyone else's enemy. I'd rather not talk about it." "But Hilde said that he kissed you." "And so he did. I reciprocated it, as a last farewell." "You... you kissed him back?" He sounded as if he was shocked, and the expression on his face was priceless. "Karemiel, he *was* my soul companion. That is what some of us do," I said, feeling very tired once more. "Look, Quatre, I know everyone will want to talk to me when I get back. May I please go, get glared, glomped, lectured and cried at so I can go back to sleep?" A cute bottom lip was stuck out at me, and the blond's face scrunched up into a pout. "Fine! Go then! But I'm talking to you later!" "I know, *mother*. I am looking forward to it, Quatre," I said, walking back towards the others where I was hugged again by Hilde, who was profusely apologizing for her role in the ordeal. "Hilde! Calm down. I don't blame you. I heard your explanation earlier, and I'm fine now." I sighed in frustration. "Ok, Duo, I'm sorry again," she whispered, walking away to talk to Quatre again. She was replaced by Trowa, who was frowning deeply. "Welcome back," he said lifelessly. I don't know, even now, if he actually meant what he said, but he was a bit nicer afterwards. But, there I go again, getting ahead of myself. Wufei is going to be rather upset with me when he reads this over. I promised him I would stick to the timeline, and I've ventured off. Oh, God, I've done it again. I'm really sorry. Back to the story, I swear. So, Trowa gave me his cold greeting, and all I could do was smile and hope that he wouldn't be pissed at me because of Solo's threat to Wufei's safety. And, much to my surprise, he didn't. Trowa just stood there, running one hand absently through his awe-inspiring hair style before turning around and going back to his writing. I was shocked. He should have said... *something*, dammit! Then, to make my day even more heart attack worthy, Heero dropped his book, swiftly walked over to where I was standing, wrapped me into a large hug, and kissed me in front of everyone. I didn't react. I couldn't. I didn't know what to do. Heero had never kissed me in front of anyone before, and I wasn't sure of my emotions after all that had transpired before all this. When he finally let me go, the look on Trowa's face was one that would have made my blood run cold, had I had need of blood, but it wasn't directed at me. He was glaring daggers at *HEERO*! I stepped back and saw that Quatre was glaring daggers at Heero as well. Moving away quickly, I walked away from the others, trying to find somewhere to gather my thoughts. I wasn't allowed my peace though, because Hilde followed me. "Diachriel! WAIT!" she called, running to catch up with me. "Yes, Hildariel?" "I wanted to talk to you privately about some things. It's kinda hard to talk to you around Quatre, Heero and Trowa." She blushed a little as she said that. "Yeah, it kinda is," I said, sitting down on the ground, and she followed suit. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* We sat there staring at one another for God only knows how long, and after a while, I gave up on Hilde making the first move. "So, Hilde, you wanted to talk to me?" "Yeah..." she said, running a hand through her short black hair. "Um, do you remember the conversation we had about soul-companions, old charges, and wishes?" "Yes... It made me go talk to Gandhi again," I said, smiling at the remembered conversation and creating a longing to visit with him once again. Then, I looked over my friend's disposition. "Hilde? Why do you ask? Is there something wrong?" "Not... exactly..." She lowered her head, and started staring at her nails. "Duo, what did you feel when you met Solo again?" "I... I don't know. I was... in disbelief at first. He was so changed, and yet, there was something there left of the old Solo. It was like looking at an abstract version of him, I guess." "Did... did the old feelings rekindle?" she asked tentatively, the fear showing in her eyes, but fear of what I couldn't tell. "For a moment, yeah, they did. Hilde? What are you beating around the bush about?" I took her hand and made her look at me again. "I want to break bond from Olga! I've spent as long as you have sulking over my loss, and..." she broke off, shoulders shaking in near-tears. I tried to comfort her the best I could, even if my reserves were rather low. "Hildariel, if you are going to do the soul-bond breaking, do it now. Meiran and..." I caught myself before I called Wufei my own, "Wufei are already close to two years old now. I don't know how long it's going to take me to get my energy levels back to proper levels, and if it's this bad for me, I'd hate to see what it's like for you." "I know that the charges are growing rapidly... but I'm afraid," she cried, resting her head on my shoulder. "I'm just so afraid." "Hilde? Why now?" "Because... I think I want to be with someone else now," she whispered. I smiled. I knew who she was talking about, and the thought made me happy for her. "Talk to God, and let me know so I can help you, okay?" "Thank you, Diachriel." "No problem, Hilde, but do you think I could have some time to myself?" "Oh, wait, I was going to check on Meiran. Do you want to check on Wufei at the same time?" Her head popped up, a bright smile plastered across her face. I tried to reject her question in my mind, but it had been too long since I'd seen *my* Wufei. "Why not?" The other angel wasted no time in preparing a viewing pool for our use. All it took was for our collective thoughts for the surface to swirl and then clear, leaving us with a perfect view of our charges, playing with a curly-haired blonde girl and a black haired boy, who I had never seen before. "Who's that?" I asked, pointing to the other boy. "I have no idea. Maybe we should ask Heero, Sally or Trowa," Hilde said, watching Meiran as the little girl scrunched up her face, and starting screaming 'no' in Cantonese at the top of her lungs at the blonde girl. "No, Meiran, don't do that! Relena didn't do anything!" "I don't think Meiran likes Relena very much," I said, snickering while I watched Wufei and the other boy play with a puzzle that was supposed to be for children more than three times their age. "You don't say," Hilde said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Not that I really blame her. Relena is forever giving Zechs a headache. I think it's because she is an only child." "No, it's because the child is spoiled rotten. See how quickly her mother runs in to calm her down." "Yes, and just imagine her when she's older," another voice cut in. Looking up, I saw Noin, smiling once more and looking as if she and Zechs had had a nice long talk. I raised one eyebrow in a silent question, and she nodded once. They had. "Well, you two are lucky. I think, anyway." She sat across from us, on the other side of the pool. "Or, Duo is lucky. Wufei's such a sweet child." "Yes, he is," I whispered, watching my charge with the other boy. Their dark heads where close together as they slaved over the puzzle pieces that surrounded them. Silently, they worked well, knowing exactly what the other was doing. It scared me. I had heard of twins doing that, but never totally unrelated children, especially that young. My attention was drawn from Wufei from Meiran's sharp voice calling out to her 'Baba', which is Daddy in Mandarin. I was amazed that she was able to switch from one dialect of the complicated Chinese language to another, but remembered that the father, Xu, was a language professor at the university near their house. /And think of the devil,/ I thought as I saw the tall Chinese man sweep into the room. I was about to comment on spoiled children when an all too familiar tug pulled at my being, and my eyes snapped onto the form of Wufei, who was staring up at the ceiling. His dark eyes were extremely thoughtful and intent, sending a shiver throughout my body and resulted in a shifting of my wings. "Duo! NO!" Hilde yelled, snatching my hand back from where it was poised above the pool, almost touching the slightly cloudy surface. I shook my head, and rose, walking away from the temptation. "What is *wrong* with me?!" I yelled to myself. I ignored the calls of the other angels, walking until I didn't know where I was exactly. Looking around, I found a few familiar faces. It was then that I realized that I had wandered back into the realm of the deceased human souls, and staring at me was the Guru. TBC...
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Part 7
Title: Maybe Angels - Part 7/? - Sunny or Stormy Skies Author: Makoto Sagara Archives: my site, wufeiduo ml archive, Jadeduo's site, Forever Fandom, and ff.net, Anywhere else, just ask Category: Supernatural, Angst, Romance Pairing(s): 2+5, 1+2, 3+1, 4+3, 4+2, H+4, 6+9, S+C, R+OC, 13x5, eventual 2x5x2 Rating: PG-13 Warnings: Shonen ai, OOC, AU, language, skewed views of a few different religions Disclaimers: *sigh* No part of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, or it's characters, belongs to me. Any references to Dogma are just made because I adore the movie and Kevin Smith, and are meant only out of love and affection for both. Not a single cent was made off of this piece of fanfiction. Suing would be inevitably pointless, seeing as how I have no money. Flames *will* be used to keep my hands and feet warm for the rest of this bitterly cold winter. A/N: Yes, yes, where is Wufei? What happened to Duo and Wufei interacting? When is Wufei going to be old enough for Duo to play with? These questions have been asked, and eventually, I will answer them. Just as soon as Neko lets me know. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. *hugglz and chocolates for everyone* Dedication: To Leela, for listening to certain people's 'suggestions', and reading my fic. Welcome to the dark side (AKA, my mind). To Duo-chan, because she's just a cutie. To Yuki-chan, new chapters are good, aren't they? *gigglz* Symbols: *~*~* change in scene, POV, or time *~~~* minor change in scene or flashback ~ blah ~ remembered quotes *~~~~~~~* Boy today I saw you smile And I wondered if you knew That you are the one that took my heart away from me I can't get you off my mind Cuz I'm falling for you boy All my dreams and all my thoughts are all for you I feel you day and night Whether its black or white There's nothing more to me Than you boy cant you see? I just want you to know You are the one for me And I cant stand to live my nights with you boy I dont know just what to do Just cant take my eyes off you I can hardly breath when you come walking close to me I sit home and cry at times Thinking that we'll never be Will you love me like the way I do for you? Sunny or stormy skies My love will never die I'll be right by your side Run to you when you cry Boy if you feel the same Please come and call my name I see me searching high and low to find you boy ~ Sara (English), BoA *~~~~~~~* *Sunny or Stormy Skies* So, just when I thought things were fucked up, I ended up in one of the lower sections of Heaven, looking upon the face of the Guru, who I had only left about ten or so days before. I nearly wept in relief. I needed to talk to him. No distractions, no thoughts about the other, no Wufei. Just the Guru and myself, sitting on the ground talking. I didn't know what I would talk to the man about, but at that point I really didn't care. I made my way wearily to him, ignoring all the other souls who stared as at my near-drunken state. As if I could consume alcohol. God has decreed that alcohol can not be imbibed by angels. Humans and demons were welcome to it; I hadn't had a drop at that point in time. I paid attention to only Mahatma, searching his face for any sign of disappointment, encouragement, fear, love, anything. I needed to talk to a human, and right away. "Duo?" he asked, his face a mess of confusion and fear. "Guru..." I whispered, before collapsing at his brick-red feet and losing consciousness. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I don't remember waking up clearly. One minute, I was standing in front of Mahatma. The next, I was awake, feeling refreshed, but still incredibly tired. I looked around, and nothing seemed familiar. All I could see was the blinding serenity that is so easy to find in Heaven. I was alone, and that scared me a little. "Hilde? Quatre? Trowa? Noin? Heero?" I called, trying to find *anyone* familiar. "They are not here, Duo. You would be in the wrong place for that company," the Guru replied, his thickly accented, but warm-honeyed, voice calming my frayed nerves. "Guru?" I looked around for the source of his voice. I found him sitting off by himself, in a meditative position. "What happened?" "I was hoping that you could tell me that, old friend. You appeared in front of me, looking quite distraught, and then you collapsed at my feet. I had to have someone help me move you to a more comfortable position." "Thank you," I whispered, my senses returning to me fully. "I'm free..." "What?" "I... I'm free," I stated, tears welling up in my eyes. I think it was then that everything truly hit me. The whole scene with Solo, the talk with God, the homecoming from my friends, the conversations with Sally, Quatre, Noin, and Hilde. I was free, and it scared the hell out of me. "You're free? What do you mean, Duo?" "I broke my soul-bond with Solo finally." "You... did?" He stood and moved over to sit next to me. "And how did it go?" "Abysmally. He was understandably upset, and when he found out I wasn't going to change my mind, he threatened Wufei." I looked at him, seeing encouragement for me to continue in his warm brown eyes. "Heero and Quatre... I think they will try to move and ask me about bonding with them. But I can't. I feel no great connection to their souls." "Then do not bond with them. That would be worse than staying bonded with Solo, would it not?" "Yes," I replied, looking for the correct words for what I wanted to say to him. "Guru, do you remember what you said about my new charge maybe being my new 'soul-mate'?" "Yes, I do recall that," he said, a smile crossing his face. "Do you think it could be possible?" "Anything is possible, my friend. A word of advice. Do not try to seek him out as a new soul-mate. Let things proceed as they will. Be patient, and if you and he are meant to be tied to one another, then it will occur. Do this for me?" "Okay..." I whispered. "You know, he looks totally different now." "Whom?" "Solo. His wings, hair, and eyes are inky black. In fact, his wings look like he plucked them off a rather large bat. And his face is so cold. Not to mention his voice is full of bitterness and pain." "How did it make you feel?" "I... I pitied him. I saw what his choices had made him, and all I felt was an overwhelming sense of pity. His anger and resentment rolled off him in waves. All I wanted to do was comfort him and talk to him. There was no amorous feeling anymore. Just the same feeling I get around a non-charge human in pain. He wasn't *my* Solo any more." A few minutes of silence stretched out between us. I was trying to process everything that had happened, and a look into his soul told me that he was trying to make sense out of what I had said. (Yes, angels can still do that with charges that are in Heaven. It's part of our 'gift', you might say.) "God told me that when she created the bonding ceremony, she made it so when two souls were no longer compatible, or they became tired of one another, that the two beings in question to break free from one another. What she failed to tell me is that one of the pair can break the bond, even if the other doesn't want the sever. It just takes a whole lot more energy than it normally would," I said, trying to get that out. "So, this is what you did with Solo?" "Yes." "Then it explains why you collapsed before me." "Guru, how long have I been out?" "In Earth time?" I nodded an affirmative, and he sighed. "I'd say about two weeks, closer to three. I also spoke with Quatre, who was quite worried about you. He said that before you came here, you had slept for about a month, Heaven time, trying to replenish energy sources." "You... you mean, I have been asleep for almost five Earth months?" I asked, scared about what I could have missed. That meant that Wufei and Meiran were over two years old, that Quatre had been worried sick the whole time, and that I had been very neglectful of my charge for the first time in... well, forever. I could have cried. "It explains everything though, my friend. Do not worry about it. Why not... speak with old charges once more. You were welcome the first time, and still are. We miss you, you know," he said, his warm voice sounding almost saddened. "I'm sorry." "Don't be. You are a busy angel. Now, come and play with me. I have a plan to get Olaf Ericsson from Sweden to blush," he said, winking conspiratorially and elbowing me softly. "Ok, you have my full attention." *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I stayed with my former charges for a much longer time that time around. I couldn't even stand to be around the other angels. Not until I couldn't get out of having to be around them. It wasn't that I didn't like them any more, far from it... I just couldn't take Heero and Quatre's feelings, Hilde's clinging, Sally and Cathy's aloofness, Noin and Zechs' cute bonding, and Trowa's cold and bitter dislike. Nor did I want to be around Giselle and Jean-Paul. It was time for me to not depend on them to entertain me. I had to do it by myself, and the Guru and my former charges helped me do that. The whole time I was there we pulled pranks on other angels and human souls. I couldn't have asked for better company. When we weren't being infamous, we were sitting around talking. Occasionally, I would check in on Wufei, but only while I was around other people. I needed the extra lifeline to keep my defiant being in check. Not that I didn't see any of my friends. Quatre would steal away with Hilde to help me pull pranks. Cathy would sometimes drop by while Meiran and Wufei were sleeping with amusing antidotes about what Quatre did to Trowa, Heero, or Sally. The Grigori came by to check on me, but never alone. They always came by all together. Heero looked as if he was lonely, but a few words from Trowa in his ear seemed to perk the chocolate-haired angel up a bit. To be honest, Trowa's whole attitude changed towards me. When he stopped by, he shook my hand, embraced me loosely, talked to me like we hadn't in a few millennia, and seemed to consider me a friend once more. I believe he felt my distance was a blessing for him to pursue Heero all he wanted, and in fact, I wished him luck with his fellow Grigori. As far as Wufei was concerned, the boy was growing up quite nicely. His father, Xu, allowed him to grow his hair as long as he wished, study all the time, practice many forms of the martial arts, and to have whomever he wished as a friend. Wufei seemed to be rather close to his sister and two of the neighboring children, Relena and the boy from before, Takai Hiroshi, and in essence, Hiroshi's little sister, Yukari. The five were nearly inseparable, Wufei and Meiran the most attached, as was expected. A few times I caught the two children conversing about how their aunt and uncle, who had come to live with them after their mother's death because their father was busy with his work at the university and helping out Relena's father with foreign affairs, were out of line. It seemed that there was talk of an arranged marriage between Meiran and Hiroshi, although Meiran had no use for the boy besides as only a friend. Wufei seemed to think that his sister should do as she was asked by the family for the sake of honour, but a look into his soul told me that he wished to never be parted from his sister. They were both growing into enchanting creatures. They were slight of figure, fair of face, striking in appearance all over, and, totally, gorgeous. I was glad that the Guru, or Hilde, or both, was with me when I watched over him. Occasionally, if I had been watching too long, Wufei would start to look up, pulling his gold-rimmed reading glasses off of his nose, to find the source of the disturbance. He had not forgotten me, as a few times, he would write down glimpses of memories that he could recall, although he assumed they were nothing but scraps of dreams. I didn't reach out for him, but to tell you the truth, it was very hard. His eyes remained that almost blackish brown and they were still as riveting as they had been as a child. They made me almost weep more than once. After a long watching, I would become more restless, and found that pulling pranks on Une and Dorothy were the only remedy. Needless to say, I had become their number one enemy soon enough, and it was fine with me. I cut Dorothy's hair every chance I got, and eventually, I had enough of the mass to make a nice golden noose to slip around her throat. I made a mental note to leave it with Quatre when I descended to Earth. *~~~~~~~* Finally, the time for me to leave the Guru came, and I felt apprehensive. I knew what it meant, and while I was thrilled, I was terrified to be left alone with Wufei. But, I was an angel, and I had a job to do, so I sucked it up, hugged Mohandas with a kiss, and left to go see God before I left. I arrived to see the throne area empty of everyone, even Metatron, and I was worried. "My Lord? You called me?" I said, trying to fight down all the fear and trepidation that was threatening to take over me. "Ah, Playful One! How I have missed talking to you," God said, smiling widely, and opening Her arms to embrace me. I could never have refused Her, and found myself sitting in Her lap, smiling and kissing Her beautiful face. "I have missed speaking with you as well, My Lord," I whispered. "So, are you ready to visit with Wufei yet?" She pulled me against Her chest tighter. "I am... not sure, My Lord. I knew that this day would come, but it seems that time has passed by too quickly for me to remember anything." "Oh, no it hasn't. Diachriel, there have been reports about you, Karemiel, and Hildariel. It seems that you three have been exceptionally misbehaving around Dionyzial and Uniciel. Would you like to tell me about it?" "My Lord, Une and Dorothy are mean, bitter, and just plain nasty. I know that they must be good at their jobs because they are still here, but that does *not* make them pleasant. From what I've seen, Dionyzial's charges are more likely to turn evil than stay good. She's just not nice. Besides, she goes out of her way to antagonize both Quatre and myself, while saying nasty side comments about Hilde, Noin, Zechs, and anyone else she feels the urge to. Une is... insane." "I am aware of Dionyzial and Uniciel's attitudes and track records. They are under review by Raguel as we speak. Do not worry about it now. So, tell me how Gandhi and the others are doing?" *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I spent as much time as I could with God before I left. I needed her guidance to keep me grounded and focused. By the time for me to leave had come, Metatron was there, wishing me luck with the enigmatic charge that was ahead of me. I should have known that at that time, there was something fishy with all the attention I had been getting, but I paid it no mind. I went back to my friends, found Hilde fidgeting and chatting with Sally and Trowa. "I'm kinda scared. She's such a tomboy, and look at me?" she nearly yelled. "Hilde, I've seen you handle men easily. There's no way *one* human girl is going to get in your way," I whispered in her ear as I moved behind her. "DUO!" She spun around, wrapping me in a large hug. "You've come back!" "Of course, silly. You thought I wouldn't?" I said, smiling as widely as I could. Heero's head started out of the corner of my eye, and Zechs moved over to the small cluster where we were standing. "Ready yet, Duo?" Zechs said, his smooth bass voice making me tremble a bit. "I... I'm not quite sure, but it's not like I have much choice, do I?" "No, you don't. Noin will be grateful for the company though. She's missed you the time you were away. It seems that Relena is starting to become a young woman, and well, Noin never did take well to girls." The blond finished with a hearty laugh at his soul-companion's expense, but I knew that the moment that Noin came back crying or complaining, he would be taking care of her. I stole a look at Trowa, who had his book out and was looking at me. "Are you ready, Diachriel?" "More than I will ever be, Traiel," I replied to the green-eyed angel. "Are you ready to write down all the horrible things that I encourage my charge to do?" "Haven't I always?" he said with a laugh, which was so uncommon then, and everyone gaped at him. "What? Am I not allowed that simple pleasure?" He looked around the group. "That's not it, Trowa," a familiar female voice cut in. "Of course not, but I think they have forgotten what your amused laughter sounded like," a familiar male voice added. "Bien sur, mon frére.[1] It *has* been a rather long time since it occurred." Giselle's form came into view, two seconds before I was swamped. I landed on my arse, with the two identical muses on top of me. "We came to wish you luck with the boy," she whispered, kissing me on the cheek. "Thank you." "De rien,[2]" Jean-Paul replied, standing and helping his sister and I to stand. "Would you two *stop* speaking in French all the time?" Hilde asked, sounding as if her nerves were as frayed as my own. "It gets rather old quickly." "We're sorry," they said at the same time. "Giselle! We need to get back to Treize! He has to write that darn play for class, and we haven't be *any* help," Jean-Paul yelled, panic evident. "Merde! Au revoir, Deux! Bon chance![3]" Giselle yelled, dragging the other away with her. I shrugged at Hilde, took her hand, and looked around. "Well, it's time for us to leave. We promise to send Quatre and Cathy back," I said, looking at Sally and winking. The blonde Grigori smiled and waved back to me. "See you all later," Hilde and I chorused, focusing our minds on the rooms of the children we were bound to. I saw Quatre for a few moments before he left. He only gave me a hug, told me that Wufei was asleep, and then he was gone. And I was alone with the boy who I hadn't truly seen in over eleven years. Swallowing, I sat down in the comfortable leather chair at Wufei's desk and watched the boy as he slept. He was peaceful, and I felt some of my nervousness died as I looked at the gorgeous creature before me. Slowly, I started to drift off, but I was awakened by a sword pressed to my throat. "Who are you? And what the hell do you want?" a deep voice growled in my ear. The very sound of the voice made my body tremble. "My... My name is Duo." "What are you doing here?" "Can you please put the sword away? You can't kill me, you know?" I said, turning my face to look at the Chinese boy who held the sharp blade against my throat. "What are you?" he asked, stepping away from me slowly and sitting on his bed. "You... you look familiar..." he whispered, disbelief painted across his delicate features. "I am Duo, your Personal Angel. Didn't Quatre tell you about me?" "You are the one who will take his place, are you not?" "I am." "So, you have wings just like he does?" "Of course! Would you like to see them?" I asked, feeling a little better at this turn in events. "That is not necessary," he said, looking totally pensive for a moment. "So, Duo..." "Yes?" "I... I have met you before now, have I not?" I took a deep breath. This was going to be a long morning if all he did was question me. Besides, how could I explain to him that I had been attracted to him since he was born? Not to mention the fact that his ageless, wizened eyes were focused sharply upon me. "You have..." I whispered. TBC... Notes: [1] Bien sur, mon frére - French, "Of course, my brother" [2] De rien - French, "You're welcome; It's nothing." [3] Merde! Au revoir, Deux! Bon chance! - French, "Shit! Goodbye, Duo! Good luck!"
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