30-Jun-2000
This one's for relenapeacecraft. (That's the userid of the first person who responded to a post on the ML. I don't really 'know' the person but I had a lot of fun talking anyway!)
Presenting a Broken Shards special.
Wufei's POV. YAOI. OOC. AU. 5x1, 1x4, 2x4, 3+4 (unrequited, sigh) - GW/Storm Riders (HK movie) fusion
Foreword: This is an unusually long fic in this series. I had to break it into two parts. I also paid a lot of attention to a reader who complained that I had too much Heero in my fics. So I asked myself, could this role be played by any other Gundam pilot? I'm afraid there's still a lot of Heero but blame the movie for that one. I swear the actor in his part really reminded me of him. ^_^ And I also wanted to thank someone who asked how Duo felt about the whole Priest affair. It made me rethink parts of this fic and I think I liked it better afterwards. I just hope that it's not a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. ^_^;; But seriously folks, I do care about your comments and I want to write fics that other people will enjoy, not just something for me. Also, in a post I sent to GWML a while ago, I raved about a Hong Kong movie called 'Storm Riders' and at least one person enjoyed it. Well, I used the storyline from that movie to create a special world for 'Broken Worlds'. Please check the bottom of this fic for more information regarding the movie.
'So what kind of a story would you like?'
The children looked at each other then at the smiling man sitting on the wide rock. The old man tugged gently at one of his own long white braids, an old habit, as he waited for the children to make up their minds.
'A love story.' Piped up the little girl with her hair worn in buns, peeking shyly from behind her older brother.
'Bleah.' Her brother, two years older, who considered himself to be a man at thirteen and would have died before admitting how much he loved the old healer's stories, stepped forward and announced in a clear, ringing voice, 'I want to hear the story of Conquer and how he was defeated by Cloud and Wind.'
The old man blinked a little, looking a uncharacteristically hesitant as he stared at the bold youth then grinned at the shy young boy who tugged at his sleeves.
'And what would you like, little one?'
'Magic. Lots of fighting and, and,' the small boy crinkled his nose, 'I want some funny people. Make me laugh Grandpa Muse.'
Muse laughed out loud and picked up the small boy and sat him on his lap, then his face turned dreamy, his eyes lost in another time, another place. The three children immediately hushed each other, having learned from experience that any interruptions from this point meant they wouldn't get to hear the end of the story.
A long, long time ago. the old man's black eyes misted over as he returned to a time when he had been a young man, when his braids had been black as ebony. When the martial arts world was still in disarray, with one clan vying to gain dominance over another, there lived a powerful lord named Conquer. The older boy sat up intently, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Lord Conquer was an ambitious and greedy man who wanted to be the ruler of the martial arts world. He had three disciples, Cloud, Wind and Frost. They were all in love with his only child, Charity. The little girl's eyes brightened while the other two boys looked disgusted. But this isn't a story about them. The old man laughed to see the confused expression on the children's face.
This is a story about five strangers who came into their lives.
The children looked at each other with uncertain faces as the old healer's eyes grew distant and his voice took on a tone they had never heard before. They waited silently, sitting quietly at his feet as Muse began telling them about what had happened the day the sky opened and brought five young men into their world.
On the day of Lord Conquer's death, I had been sitting on the stone steps of his castle, waiting for Cloud. Hoping and praying that he would survive his duel with the powerful lord. After all, I had already replaced one arm after his last duel with Conquer, this time I was terrified that he might not be able to get away with just sacrificing an arm. The sky rumbled ominously and I saw black clouds gathering over the tall grey towers of Conquer's castle then a brilliant beam of green light spat upwards into the roiling heavens and I shrank as the storm stuck. The cold wind whipped freezing raindrops mercilessly around me and I knew that this was but a reflection of the battle within. Cloud and Wind must have been fighting for their lives. When the skies finally cleared, my heart was in my mouth. You see, I didn't know at the time whether it had been a sign of their victory or their deaths. I sagged with relief as I saw the heavy iron doors swing open and Cloud and Wind walked down the steps, their long hair caressed by the gentling wind.
The two men stopped in mid step as the sky screamed and a brilliant circle of light appeared overhead, dropping five bodies. The three of us stared at the falling figures then of one accord, Cloud and Wind leapt up into the air. Cloud caught the man who closest to the ground and brought him down safely, cradling him gently in his arms. I saw Wind twist his body and generate a small whirlwind that caught hold of two of the falling bodies, managing to land them safely, though not very gracefully. But that still left two other men. Even as I started to run towards Cloud and the three men who were now on ground, I heard a loud cry from Wind and turned my attention back to the sky, trying to clear my vision against the blinding light. I stood stunned, my eyes shielded by my hands as I saw that one of the falling men had sprouted large white wings and had managed to swoop down and catch hold of his companion's hand, then used his wings to slow their descent.
I stared openly, my mouth dropping open, not just because I had seen a man with wings. It was because I recognised him. He looked exactly like Cloud, except his hair was down to mid waist while Cloud had shoulder length hair. And at that point I blinked and rubbed my eyes, because then I got a good look at the man holding this new Cloud's hands as the pair swooped down. He looked exactly like me! We looked at each other, then my other self sighed and rolled his eyes. 'Please close your mouth.' He said politely, in my voice. I swallowed and nodded jerkily. I think my eyes were threatening to bulge out of my head as I looked around at the new arrivals. Because I now saw that the two men Wind had saved, looked just like Wind and Frost. While the man that Cloud had saved...
Ah, that was when I knew that I was in love with Cloud, for the very first time. I can still remember the pang of agony that shot through my heart as I saw them standing there. Cloud was spellbound as he slowly dropped the stranger to the ground, his eyes unable to leave the teal green eyes staring out of the same exquisite beautiful face, framed by the pale gold hair. Except that his hair had been cropped short, and this man was very much alive, he was Charity. The fair haired stranger smiled at Cloud, whose eyes remained locked on his, then looked bewildered when Cloud turned away his face with a bitter scowl.
I learned that our new friends had their own names. It was a bit confusing at first, trying to remember that this new Cloud was to be called Heero and instead of Wind, I had to get used to saying, Duo. Frost was easier to keep separate in my head because the new Frost looked quite different with his long fringe and short hair, from the Frost I was used to, with his swept back hair falling to his waist. He was called Trowa. The one who looked like me, except he kept his hair very short and pulled back at his neck in a short, stubble of a ponytail was Wufei. That was very peculiar, being next to someone who looked identical to me. I was never quite sure what I was supposed to feel when I was near him.
And then there was Quatre. The stranger who had the same golden beauty and bewitching smile that Charity had used to capture Cloud's heart. Except Charity was dead.
With the death of Lord Conquer, the martial arts world was in chaos. Since Cloud and Wind were adamant in refusing to take over his leadership of the Storm clan, it fell to Frost, the last of the three disciples to re-establish order and control as soon as he recovered from Conquer's attack. Frost had always been the most serious and responsible of the three disciples, Wind being too carefree and pleasure loving to have much interest in politics or power and Cloud was moody and unpredictable. So the Storm clan accepted Frost's leadership with relief and with the death of Conquer, the martial arts world soon returned to peace. Apart from the three of us who had been present from the beginning, Frost was the only other who knew that the five strangers had come from another world.
Frost was very quiet when he met the five strangers, unable to tear his eyes from Quatre's delicate face for a long time. Frost, Wind and Cloud had all grown up with Charity, having been taken from their parents in early childhood by Conquer who wanted them, for their potential power. Frost had always been in love with the sunny golden youth, but had decided to step aside for Wind, his best friend, when Conquer chose him as the most suitable candidate for Charity's heart and his heir. They had all been in love with Charity, not that I could blame them really.
The first time I had seen Charity, wearing the rich white wedding suit, his long gold hair clasped at the nape with a glittering ruby pin and smiling so happily as he walked down the aisle to where Wind was waiting, I had been stunned speechless by his beauty. I tugged at the raven black braids at my side wishing that I had soft golden strands like the locks that streamed behind Charity's back, glittering in the sunlight. But when my amused neighbour who noticed my gaping admiration of Charity's radiant beauty asked if I wished I had been the one marrying Charity, I shook my head vigorously. Instead, I muttered, out of his hearing, that I wished I could be standing in his shoes. Because I had seen Wind, as he stood at the alter waiting for Charity, a wide beaming smile on his handsome face. I was dazzled by the brilliant violet eyes shining like living jewels and admired the long chestnut hair rippling down to the knees as Wind stepped forward, holding out his hand.
Of course this was before I saw Cloud.
Cloud had been absent from the wedding. By choice, I learned a long time later. He had taken the announcement of Charity and Wind's wedding badly and Conquer had excused him from attending. But when Charity stood by Wind's side, a gentle smile teasing the corners of his lovely mouth as he took Wind's trembling hand, the doors of the hall burst open and Cloud came striding in, his dark hair whipping wildly around his face from the rising ki energy in his body. I blinked, feeling breathless as I stared helplessly, alongside the assembled most powerful lords and ladies of the martial arts world, at Cloud, whose dark eyes blazed defiantly in his pale face as he held out his hand towards Charity.
Charity blushed, then paled as he looked first at Cloud, with his intense wild beauty then at Wind, who stared wide eyed at his friend, stunned by Cloud's bold daring. Then with a final look at Wind, Charity turned and ran down the aisle and clasped Cloud's hand. I'm afraid the only thing in my head at the time was how unfair it was that Charity would have the love of two such incredibly gorgeous men. We all just stood there and stared as Cloud clasped Charity's hand to his chest and looked into his eyes, as though there had been no one else in the hall except the two of them. Not even Conquer was able to move until the two lovers had fled outside the hall. Then with a roar of rage, the tall bronze haired lord commanded Wind and Frost to his side and ran after them. I followed behind as soon as my legs stopped shaking.
Once outside, Wind attacked Cloud and the two began fighting, generating a miniature whirlwind as they called on their elemental powers. Then all of a sudden, Charity flew towards them with a loud cry, just as a green ball of energy was hurtled at the fighting pair by his father, and it struck him in the back. Lord Conquer stared at his hands with disbelief, anguish and horror etched on his elegant features. Cloud gathered up the crumpled man in his arms, so tenderly and lovingly that I almost burst out into tears. When Wind moved towards them, shock and pain written all over his face, Cloud cried out and told him to stay away, that he and Charity had already been together. I felt sorry for Wind when I saw the way his face changed at Cloud's words.
I've never forgotten what Charity said when Wind asked him to confirm Cloud's claim.
'Yes. We were together.' Charity smiled sadly, blood trickling from his mouth as he tried to answer the angry Wind, who was unable to stop himself from blurting out a second question. Asking why Charity had agreed to marry him. 'Because I do love you. I love you Wind. Please believe that. I couldn't choose between the two of you. I thought.. if I married you, I could have you. Both.'
Wind just staggered back, his eyes dulled with shock. I think he was more in shock from what Charity had told him, than Charity's death, at that time. Charity's beautiful eyes dulled as his breathing dragged to a stop and I saw the life force ebbing from his body. Even though I was a healer, it had all happened so fast, the damage was too extensive and I knew that there was nothing that I could do.
Cloud looked down at the dying man in his arms and smiled sweetly, then smoothed back few glittering strands of hair that had escaped the clasp from the flawless face he held close and whispered huskily, 'I don't care if you love Wind. I don't care even if you don't love me. I love you more than life and you are mine. Even in death.' Charity managed to curve his paling lips into a small smile and closed his eyes. I don't think I was more envious of anyone in my life as I was that moment of Charity.
I immediately regretted my brief surge of petty jealousy when I saw Cloud's face as he held Charity's cold body, that same day. When I saw the look of empty bitterness in Cloud's eyes that day, I wished with all my heart that I could have saved Charity for him.
And here he was again. Alive and vital. The same beautiful eyes and the same warm smile. I didn't stand a chance with Cloud. I looked at Quatre with trepidation and resentment as I saw him get down from Cloud's arms. Of all of them, why did it have to be him that Cloud saved? But, I couldn't help wondering, why didn't Cloud look happy? Why did he turn away from Quatre and refuse to look at him? Wasn't this what he had been waiting for?
I think finally understood a little of how Cloud felt when he looked at Quatre, the day Heero, who looked exactly like Cloud, told me about his relationship with someone called Priest.
The five strangers adjusted very quickly to finding themselves in our world. Apparently they were quite experienced at finding themselves in new worlds. The biggest problem, according to Duo, was the way they kept on falling from a considerable height, each time they arrived in the new world. Since only one of them could fly, one of these days, he hinted glumly, they would find themselves splattered all over the countryside when their luck ran out. Ours had been a second world where they had been saved by their counterparts and other times, they had managed to survive somehow, though more than one of them had already risked a broken bone once or twice. So, they were very interested in finding out how and why Wind and Cloud could fly, without any obvious mechanical or magical assistance.
The strangers, who told us that they were something called Gundam pilots in their world, decided that they would stay in our world for a while, to learn the secret technique of Cloud palms and Wind kicks from Cloud and Wind. I was staggered by their presumption but Wind agreed to try to teach them in his usual good natured way while Cloud, for some reason, decided that he would also lend his assistance. By this time, Frost had also met them and despite misgivings, had been convinced to offer his services as a teacher. The Gundam pilots were fascinated by the prospect of being able to control wind in particular and all five had a go at working with Wind. I watched the 8 men happily as I stayed on the side, waiting to patch up small injuries that the Gundam pilots incurred during their tryouts with Wind, Cloud and Frost.
Wind was kind but it was obvious from the start that only Quatre showed any affinity for what he was trying to show them. It was decided that Quatre would train intensively with Wind, so that he could at the least pick up the barest minimum of the technique, hopefully enough for him to generate the small whirlwind that Wind used to propel himself through the air. Duo was very annoyed at being rejected as a candidate and continued to follow after the two, insisting that he should be the one to learn the technique, since he looked like Wind. According to Wind, it wasn't so much that he didn't show talent or ability, Duo simply lacked the patience to learn to draw on his ki energy, preferring always to look for easier and faster solutions. He did manage to pick up a few tricks during his stay in my world by the end.
Cloud tried to teach Heero how to manipulate water with his ki but found that Heero did not seem to be able to call on his ki at all. The two gave up after a while when it was clear that Heero was unable to access the ki energy, no matter how hard Cloud tried to teach him. Cloud found a more responsive student in Wufei. Cloud was a harsh and severe teacher but Wufei didn't seem to mind that. The two of them would often go off together to train. When I wanted to find them, I knew all I had to do was to go to the waterfall. Some days, when I went to the woods to gather more herbs for my medicine, I would drop by the waterfall and just sit and watch as the two men fought and trained, their bodies gleaming wet as they sparred, using fist, feet and ki manipulated water. I saw how Wufei learned to form a shield, shaping the water into a gleaming arc enshrouding his body and to channel his ki into the water, to form the liquid into a snaking whip that sliced and tore at rocks. Cloud didn't seem to notice my presence though I saw Wufei stare at me, every now and then.
As for Trowa? He and Frost just started to train together one day. Trowa seemed to pick up the Frost fist technique almost instinctively. He learned how to ice over his opponent with a single strike and to use his own ki to propel his body, so that he could move almost instantaneously from one place to another. I found that I got confused at times when I talked to them. It was as if Frost and Trowa shared one mind as well as one body. At times, they would even finish each other's sentences. It was no wonder that Frost took such a risk to help the Gundam pilots to leave our world. He understood, more than any of us, how important it was to them, to Trowa.
Heero, alone of the Gundam pilots showed no ability in learning the martial techniques, no matter who tried to teach him. So he asked me if I would teach him my healing techniques instead and I was more than happy to oblige him. I found him very soothing, not at all like the intense, brooding Cloud. When I said that to Duo, he didn't stop laughing for hours. I never told Duo, or any of the Gundam pilots what I had found when I examined Heero's ki aura while I was teaching him how to draw on his own energy to aid the healing of another. The black energy that I had found roiled around the silver ki lines in his back where he sprouted his beautiful wings. I didn't have to tell Heero. After he learned to read the ki auras, he saw it for himself. And I realized that had been the reason why he couldn't learn the martial techniques from Cloud, because his ki was contaminated.
Since he wasn't training or studying like the others, Duo was assigned to look after Widget, a small white ball that they insisted held the magic power to send them from one world to another. Which he interpreted to mean, nagging me until I gave him a cloth sack, and tying it around his shoulder, after dropping Widget inside. Apparently Widget needed what Quatre called an energy source, and they weren't sure how or where they could find such a thing in our world. Still, they weren't too unhappy about being with us.
I talked a lot with Heero while we worked together. Heero told me that their world was very different. A world where metal giants fought with each other, wreaking devastation on everything around them. He also said that they weren't used to being surrounded by so much greenery and he tried to explain a little about how they lived in big stone and metal buildings where there was no sun or natural air. It sounded very unpleasant to me. Heero was an excellent student, very attentive and quick to learn. He was kind to me from the first. I think he knew how I felt about Cloud even though we never discussed it.
I was happy in those days. I liked the Gundam pilots though sometimes they talked about things I couldn't understand. I especially, rather liked having two Clouds. I wasn't too certain how I felt about Quatre though. While I liked him, I was worried about how he would affect the three men who became very special to me. Especially Cloud, though I didn't admit that to myself for a long time.
I saw the way Wind sometimes looked at Quatre when they talked or trained together. For some reason Duo didn't seem to like Wind's interest in Quatre and did his best to interfere with them, trying to make sure they didn't spend too much time together away from the others. Luckily Wind was amused by Duo's constant antics, and the two became firm friends, though I thought that Quatre looked somewhat annoyed by Duo's persistent presence at times. I never found out what Quatre thought of Wind or Frost, but I always suspected that he liked Wind more than he admitted. The two of them grew closer by the day. In my memories, I always remember them laughing together, the brown hair bent close to the gold, when I think of Wind and Quatre. Duo started fighting with Quatre more and more as the warmth shared by Quatre and Wind became more noticeable.
Heero got worried whenever he saw Duo deliberately picking a fight with Quatre. I asked him idly once why he didn't try to stop Duo if he was that concerned and was startled by the sadness I saw in his eyes.
'Because it's my fault.' Heero said softly.
I waited silently and Heero reached out and gathered one of my braids in his hands, stroking it gently as he spoke.
'In another world, I fell in love with someone called Priest. Priest was that world's Duo Maxwell.'
I gasped involuntarily but Heero didn't seem to notice, his eyes lost in another place and I suddenly knew that he still missed Priest. I waited with hushed breath for Heero to continue.
'I think I hurt Duo badly when I fell in love with Priest. He saw it as rejection. Rejection of who and what he is.' Heero sighed heavily. 'I can't explain why I fell in love with Priest and not with Duo. It's hard trying to sort out your feelings when you have two people who look exactly the same.'
I nodded, remembering the way my heart sometimes pounded when I was near Heero. And bit my lips as I thought of Cloud and Charity. And Quatre.
'Well, in a way, he's afraid that it's happening again. He doesn't want Quatre to fall in love with some one who looks like him. If Quatre falls in love with Wind, in Duo's eyes, yet another friend is rejecting him. So he's angry with Quatre. I'm not sure how to help him.'
Heero sighed deeply and I realized that he cared very deeply for his friend. I wondered why Heero didn't just fall in love with Duo instead but knew even as the words formed in my mouth that he was still in love with Priest. I knew, because I was hopelessly in love with Cloud. I didn't ask him why he loved Priest. And Heero fell silent after that. I found that in spite of what Heero had told me, I felt a tug of envy when I looked at Duo afterwards. At least, Heero cared.
I didn't even have that consolation with Cloud.
My other self, Wufei seemed to get along better with Cloud than even Wind and Frost ever had with the silent, temperamental man, despite having grown up with Cloud. I wished that Cloud gave me even a small portion of the painstaking attention he took in instructing Wufei in the technique of the Cloud palm. I used to hang around the waterfall, day after day, my basket of herbs forgotten on a rock, while I sat and waited silently, ignored by the two while they trained wordlessly. I could sympathize with how Duo felt when he tagged after Quatre and Wind.
Duo often visited the clinic where I was teaching Heero and would try to make himself helpful. Heero was always very patient with Duo, although sometimes he drove me crazy. Duo was always touching things, even when I yelled at him not to, trying to warn him before he stung his hands on puissant herbs. And always breaking things, no matter how carefully I put away any fragile, breakable items. Whenever Duo visited me, he managed to sit on one of my instruments, or step on a precious flask, or just plain go out of his way to drop the delicate glass bottles that held my carefully distilled essence of herbs. He usually picked up minor scrapes and cuts when he got in the way during Wind and Quatre's training. So one way or another, he was a regular visitor. When the Gundam pilots left my world, to my surprise, I found that one of the things I missed the most, was seeing the cheeky grin on his face as he popped his head in through the doorway. I missed them all.
One day, when Heero was working with Quatre and Frost, exploring Conquer's archives for clues to finding a suitable energy source, Duo came by to see me. He plopped down on the seat next to me and immediately jumped up with a loud scream. I shook my head even as I got out the basket of bandages. I told him to look carefully before sitting down but he never seemed to remember. I scolded him thoroughly while I patched him up, annoyed by the unrepentant dancing eyes. When he ignored my fussing, without thinking I blurted out, 'why can't you be more like Wind? He's always thoughtful and considerate, unlike you.' and stopped. I could have bitten my tongue when I saw the stricken look in his eyes.
Duo swallowed hard before managing to drag out a small smile and I felt terrible. He dropped his eyes to the black shoes he wore and all of a sudden, he asked about Cloud. He asked me to tell him how I had met Cloud.
So I told him about Charity's wedding day. Then I told him how a week after the wedding, I had returned home to my small clinic at the foot of the Storm mountains. And how I had found Cloud, face down, in the river, his blood welling out around him to form a reddish pool surrounding his body. Duo looked up, his violet eyes round with wonder in his face and I knew that he had already forgiven me for my careless words.
I described how I dragged the unconscious Cloud out of the river and found that he was missing his left arm. I cauterised the dreadful wound and managed to staunch the bleeding then waited. Any normal person would have died from the loss of blood and shock. But Cloud was a high level martial arts master and I knew that his ki was very strong. Duo listened to my tale with bated breath and I was charmed to have such an attentive listener.
During their stay, I had taught Heero how the use the same herbs I had used in cleansing and healing Cloud's arm. And the way I had used my own ki to replenish and heal Cloud. I had warned Heero that he had to be careful when using his own ki to heal another, as it was possible to drain yourself so much that both you and your patient could die.
I never told Duo how close I had been to death when I helped Cloud.
I continued my story, describing that it was three days before Cloud recovered consciousness.
The first word on his mouth had been 'Charity'.
Duo looked at me then and I saw that his violet eyes were glimmering with unshed tears and I knew he understood how I felt at that moment.
I ignored the silent interruption and explained that I just waited silently until Cloud's eyes cleared and he saw me. Then Cloud dropped his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes, remembering his loss. I waited patiently for another two weeks, waiting until Cloud's ki had recovered enough before I used the forbidden technique to graft another's arm in place of his missing left arm. Then I drugged him to sleep and gave him the arm, marked with the seal of the fire beast. Praying that I hadn't made a mistake.
When Heero asked me to show him that procedure after reading about it in my books, I had refused. The seal of the fire beast kept the flesh from rotting but it worked by increasing the ki of the detached limb and the Healer's guild had forbidden its use for good reasons. There was a possibility the bearer of the fire beast arm could suffer horrendous side effects if his body rejected the artificially boosted ki in the treated arm. I had offered Cloud the choice to risk pain and death for his arm, knowing that he needed to be whole if he wished to fight with Conquer. But I had no intention of teaching Hero such techniques. I had some principles after all.
Duo looked thoughtful when he heard how Cloud had lost his arm.
Cloud had stolen the Dragon's Gem from the Phoenix and her husband, and had used it to revitalise Charity's corpse, keeping the body fresh and living in stasis. He took Charity's body to a small cave and there, Conquer had confronted him. Cornered, with no source of water close by, Cloud had at last been driven to tear off his own arm and use his warm red blood instead of water, to use his cloud palm technique and flee. He was determined to face Conquer again, as soon as he was well enough.
Duo sighed wordlessly when I described how Cloud was so desperately in love with Charity that he couldn't bear to be separated, even from his living corpse. But that's the pity of it, we can't control the way we feel and I had fallen deeply in love with Cloud while caring for him, though I didn't fully understand it at the time. I would have walked into hell itself for Cloud, whether he wanted me to or not. So when he left for Conquer's palace, I was at his side. Scared, worried but determined to stay with him and look after him.
'What if he falls in love with Wufei?'
I started when Duo spoke suddenly, breaking the long silence that had fallen at the end of my story. I felt my cheeks burning hotly as I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the image that flashed before me. Of Wufei and Cloud, together at the waterfall.
'How would you feel if you found out that Cloud had feelings for Wufei?'
Duo's voice tugged at me, insistently. I felt angry, then sad, when I realized that he had already had to live through the experience.
'If you found out that Cloud fell in love with someone who looks like you. But isn't you. And can never be you.' Duo's voice grew harsh and brittle, I opened my eyes at last and saw the deep anguish inside the violet coloured depths. 'Could you bear that? Would you forgive him? What would you do? What can you do.' Duo was no longer looking at me, his voice, no longer questioning. 'I don't know what I'm supposed to do or be any more. It's like I'm not good enough. I hate him. I hate them both. And I don't want to hate him.'
I didn't ask Duo who he was. I knew. I saw the thick sploshes of wetness gathering at his feet and put my hand hesitantly on his back, and started to stroke it slowly. I thought about Cloud. Then I knew my answer.
'I would wait. I would love him, no matter who he fell in love with. And I would stay with him. Because that's what I want.'
Duo stirred a little at my confident words. Then he murmured softly, 'even if he never looks at you with love in his eyes?'
I suppressed a wince of pain that shot through me at his words.
'Even if he never looked at me, the way he looked at Charity, I would love Cloud.'
And as I said those words, I knew with a blinding clarity that I meant every word. I don't know why I fell in love with Cloud. Maybe it was because he was so beautiful and I desired his strong body. But it was more than that. I saw the vulnerability hiding inside the silent, cold face that Cloud showed the world. I saw the love that glowed inside the heart he guarded so zealously. And I wanted him. I wanted Cloud more than I wanted anything before in my life. And I knew that as long as I could near him, I was happy.
Duo shook his head solemnly as he closed his hand around the cross that he had taken out of his pocket.
'I can't do that. Whatever it takes, I'm going to make him see me, and no one else when he sees me.'
I smiled to myself as I patted Duo's back. He was such a fighter. I became very close to Duo after that. The others noticed that our relationship had changed and all reacted in different ways. Wind seemed to approve of the new friendship between Duo and me and I began to spend more time with him as well as Duo, noticing how different the two men could be despite their identical appearance. I think Heero was a bit surprised but accepted Duo's increased presence in our clinic without a word. Quatre looked relieved on the whole, since Duo no longer spent all his time trying to annoy him. But Cloud was angry when he saw how much time I spent with Duo. I didn't know whether to be worried or delighted in those heady days.
Duo and Cloud didn't get along from the beginning. I did notice that Duo went out of his way to annoy Cloud, like the time he pulled Cloud's hair, hard, when he accused Cloud of being deliberately spraying water in his direction. I couldn't really tell whether it had been an accident or not, but Cloud was too harsh in retaliating by hitting Duo in the stomach with the ball of hard water that he created. The two bickered every time they were together. Duo's constant complaints about our world definitely irritated Cloud. Since I didn't really understand most of what Duo said, I wasn't finding him upsetting. I just wished he could be more comfortable in my world.
He kept on complaining that we didn't have any vid tv, whatever that was, or soft drinks (that was very confusing, how can drink be soft?), or some mysterious food material called chocolate, which sounded disgusting. Who would want to pop square chunks of brown something that got soft when heated? He also got very sullen over things like having to bathe in the river and kept on protesting that he would die if they didn't leave for a world with plumbing, soon. I did manage to make some liquid stuff that he insisted he had to have for washing his hair, once he described some of the ingredients that were in it. He called it shampoo. I couldn't get the mixture for the conditioner right, no matter how many times I tried.
Cloud got very cross when he found out what I did for Duo. I didn't see why I shouldn't try to oblige him, even the other Gundam pilots liked my shampoo. Then he and Duo got into a bad row when Duo asked Wind if he could teach him the wind technique so that he could use it to blow-dry his hair. Quatre had actually started the fight, since Wind didn't mind, though he didn't understand what Duo wanted. But when Cloud had walked in on the fight between Quatre and Duo, he snapped at Duo and for some reason, Duo got very angry. All of a sudden, he just lunged at Cloud and the two of them went rolling in the dirt. Cloud deliberately refrained from using his martial arts in the fight. But that was about all the restraint he showed.
Wind tried to pull the two apart and only got a bleeding nose as his reward. He then wisely stayed away from the flailing limbs and pulled Quatre back when he tried to intervene. I got called to the scene a long time afterwards. Heero had finally stopped the fight when he and Frost walked into the courtyard, looking for Quatre. Heero just walked and grabbed hold of Cloud and Duo and pulled them apart, calling for Wufei and Frost to hold on to them when they struggled against his grip, trying to claw at each other still. I had to patch up one bleeding gash on Cloud's forehead and told Heero to apply the poultice I had brought on Duo's cheek, where the skin was turning a nasty shade of green and purple.
Duo told me later what Cloud had said. I saw Cloud and told him to apologize in a tart voice.
Cloud looked at me with furious eyes for a long minute then dropped his gaze when I stared back frostily. He nodded reluctantly and I know that he did apologize to Duo. Because after that incident, Duo and Cloud, though they never got close, stopped fighting. Cloud also stopped ignoring my presence. I saw him look at me when I walked past him from then on. I smiled at him when he came to help me carry the heavy water bucket to the clinic and he blinked at me. I almost died of shock the day he dropped the small bunch of herbs on my lap, with that solemn look he wore. I still treasure the little dried spring of herbs. I kept it until the day it finally crumbled away.
Frost came to see me that winter. He had decided that it was time for the five strangers to leave our world. Heero, Quatre and Frost had spent hours poring over Conquer's books and they believed that they had found a way to recreate the tower of green energy that had been released when Conquer died. He came to see me privately because he wanted me to persuade Cloud to co-operate. If I had known then the price that Cloud would have to pay for his assistance, I would have never agreed to help convince him, no matter how much I wanted to help the Gundam pilots. But none of us knew then. Frost asked me to convince Cloud to join them in journeying to the fire beast's cave to collect the fire berries.
I grew pale at the mention of the fire berries. I refused.
Frost looked at me and sighed, then left without trying to persuade me any further. Then they sent Duo to talk to me. I wish Duo and I had never become friends. Duo didn't talk to me about the mission or about the fire berries. He just talked to me about his life in his world. And about how lost he felt in mine. He talked to me about the various other worlds that they had visited. He told me of the wondrous magic of the Shadowlord and how Heero got a set of wings. He described how much fun he had, being a clown in a world where they met another Trowa, and lived with him in a circus. Then he told me about Priest.
In the end, I gave in. I don't think anyone could outtalk Duo once he set his mind on something. And I didn't have any idea then of what would happen when Cloud ate the fire berry. For the second time.
The old man sighed and blinked his eyes, suddenly realising that the sun was about to set. He creakily moved off the warmed rock and shook his head tiredly when the three children broke into a loud clamour around him.
'It's late and I have to be getting home. As should you. Your parents will be cross with me if I keep you out any longer.'
Muse shooed the complaining children home, a gentle grin on his weathered face. He rubbed his sore back and stretched luxuriously, hearing his dry old bones creaking loudly in protest.
'But the story! Tell us what happened next tomorrow! Don't forget!'
Muse grinned as the children called back to him anxiously, even as they began running towards their home, nervous of the lengthening shadows as the light slowly dimmed around them. He picked up his pack and took a long slow drink of the cold, sweet water from the bottle that he had been cooling in the river, before capping it carefully and placing it inside.
'Tomorrow.' He whispered softly, smelling the spicy scent of the trees as he turned his feet towards his own home in the mountains. 'He'll be home tomorrow.' Muse smiled to himself, his feet treading lightly on the soft grass. 'I'm afraid the children will have to wait a little longer to find out the ending of their story.'
TO BE CONTINUED...
Katana: Storm Riders is a live action Hong Kong movie. A must see if you like magic, martial arts and most importantly, seriously gorgeous men. It is not a yaoi film! Charity and Muse were played by actresses in the movie. But I thought they worked just fine with bishonens. ^_^ I'm afraid that I hadn't mentioned even half the storyline from the movie, it turned out to be even more dense than I realized. But anything pre Gundam pilots' appearance is either directly from the movie or based on something that happened in it. Okay? I really hope people like this fic.
Katana
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