OK. Here is part two of The Beast and The Beauty. No Duo as yet. Yes I know I promised, but the baka is not being very cooperative. To anyone who thinks Treize is too wimpy in this fic:
1. How would you react if you saw a werewolf like creature that talked? Me: Can we say ZOOM? I'd be three states away before it even knew I was there.
2. Treize is way out of his depth here. Just wait till he comes to save his child from the terrible "monster."
Finally, I don't hate Relena. The girl just annoys the heck out of me. "Heero, come and kill me." OK not an exact quote, but you get the idea. Girl, get a life! She endangers Heero, claims to be his girlfriend (right after he tries to kill her), follows him around, acts like a hypocrite, and annoys me. No, she is not evil, manipulative, or stupid as she is often written. But gosh, she makes such an easy target. I love the word gosh ;)
I know. I know. Get to the fic.
Dawn slowly chased the shadows from the castle and its grounds. Outside, a monstrous form convulsed in an orchard. Fur shortened and softened, claws became fingers, and fangs transformed into teeth. It was a very impressive change. Finally, a young looking man stood; his naked form covered with dark, soft fur. Clothing floated toward him as if brought by ghosts.
"Who is the man?" The former monster wanted to know as he dressed.
"No one of consequence, Your Majesty," Une's voice floated to him.
"Just a stranger who got lost and sought shelter here. We fed him. He never saw us."
"Good. Keep it that way. You know the rules of the curse as well as I."
"Of course." She just sounded like she was bowing. The rules of the curse stated that as long as the only thing a person took from the castle was hospitality, and those things that were given as part of that hospitality, the curse would not affect them. If they took anything else, or even attempted to remove something from the castle, the curse would demand a victim. This man was not the one everyone had been waiting for, so he had to be watched. Not that he looked like a thief or anything. Temptation could strike anyone, however.
"Take care of it. I don't wish to be bothered with him." As the Prince left the orchid, a calm, sure voice spoke from his left.
"You know Heero, it wouldn't kill you to be nice to Une. She's doing her best. We all are."
"Trowa," the exasperated Prince began and stopped. Trowa was his best friend. Usually silent, when he did speak, the advice he gave was generally perfect. Even after all these years, the young man never blamed him for what happened or betrayed that friendship.
Unlike some others, and Heero, himself.
"I'll try to be nicer."
"Thank you. Now about that man." Leave it to Trowa to bring up a closed subject.
"I already said to let him be." There, he closed the subject even further.
"Sally believes he might be useful." Oh, that got Heero's attention.
Sally had been his parents' sorceress and while not strong enough to break the wizard's spell, she often had visions that were frighteningly accurate.
"What did she say?"
"The man is not the one we want, but he seems to be connected to at least two innocent souls. Two, Heero."
So it was all laid before the Prince. If they could somehow use the man to lure those people to the castle, maybe the curse could be lifted.
"No."
"Heero." Trowa might have said more, but his Prince suddenly spun and faced him. Invisible and formless or not, Heero had an uncanny sense of where everyone was.
"I will not drag anymore innocents into this. The man is not to be hindered or harmed in any way. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes. Your Royal Highness. I must return to my duties now. With your kind permission." Heero knew Trowa was insulted and hurt.
Still, he let the other man go. Why couldn't they understand? Too many innocents had been dragged into this already. Noin, Solo, Rashid, Howard, Catherine, Abdul, and so many others. The castle was full of people who had nothing to do with this mess. He'd free them all if he could. Didn't they know that? Twice Heero had tried to take his life, but the curse wouldn't let anyone die. Not even him.
Now they wanted to involve more people in this? As long as Heero had a say in the matter, no more innocents would be hurt.
Even as those thoughts crossed Heero's mind, the man in question was awakening. He was stiff from sleeping in the chair, but the lack of crippling hunger told him the food hadn't been a dream. Strange hosts indeed. All Treize wanted was to get his horse and leave this haunted place; however, magic and fate change everything. As he left the room he had slept in an unusual sound broke the silence. It was unusual only because the castle had been so still during his stay.
The sound was laughter. Several people at least. Led, almost against his will, by the sound, Treize soon found himself in one of the orchards that covered the castle grounds. The trees were in bloom. Yet, the man knew they had been bare yesterday. A chill ran up his spine, yet he continued deeper into the small forest. Finally, Treize came to the center of the orchard. In the middle stood a single rose bush. On the entire bush only one rose was blooming. It was a beautiful violet rose. The same color as Duo's eyes.
Treize was enchanted. In more ways than one. He had promised his son a gift. What could be more perfect than this rose? Stretching a hand forward, Treize grasped the rose. Just as he was about to snap the stem an angry shout caused him to spin around.
"Stop!" The speaker was a monster. It stood just a little shorter than Treize, was covered in fur, and looked like it had fangs. In his shock, and no mild fear, Treize's hands clenched into fists and the rose stem snapped.
"No!"
Treize felt the world tilt and would have fallen if the monster hadn't caught him.
"You fool. Do you know what you've done?" Heero watched the man regain his balance and didn't resist when he was shoved away.
He knew he looked terrible. Treize looked at the creature before him. A strange mix of anger and regret in its eyes. Extending its claws, the creature advanced on him.
"I am really sorry about this."
"Wait," the human begged, "I didn't mean any harm." With stumbling words, he told the monster all that had happened in the past year. For once, Heero felt actual pity for someone he didn't know. This poor man had suffered so much. Heero planned to kill him, though. Better that than a life as a shadow.
"I'm sorry," Heero growled at the frightened man, "but there isn't any other choice."
Treize thought about fighting, but he had only just begun to grasp his sword when the creature moved with incredible speed. He felt himself spun around and his wrists grasped behind his back. At the same time, Treize felt sharp claws dig into his throat. The creature was going to rip out his throat and there was nothing the businessman could do to stop him!
"I'm so sorry Zechs," he whispered. A sob in his voice. It was obvious the man felt these would be the last words he ever uttered. "I never told you how much you truly meant to me. Wufei, Quatre. My poor children. Please Duo, don't blame yourself." Then the claws were gone and his wrists were free. Slowly, half fearing this was some sort of trick, Treize turned and faced his almost killer.
The monster's claws seemed to be melting back into hands even as he watched. But that wasn't the most stunning part. What stunned Treize the most was the compassion in those eyes. This was no ordinary beast.
"Why?" Treize had to know. If this last year had taught the businessman anything, it was that everything came with a price. He didn't know if he'd be willing to pay this one.
The creature's response was just as unexpected as his eyes. Extending a furry hand, Heero handed Treize a ring.
"You have three days to say goodbye. Get on your horse, close your eyes, and when you open them, you will be where your heart most desires. Do this a second time to return. Do not put the ring on until you are ready to come back here. If you stay longer than three days, I will come for you and I will kill everyone you love. Do you understand? Don't think you can beat me." The last sentence was punctuated by a low growl as if to remind the older man of how dangerous the individual before him could be. Treize needed no reminders.
"I will do as you say. Thank you. For this chance, I mean. You can't know how much it means to me."
The monster's face twisted in rage and he advanced on Treize.
"Oh, I can't? And why do you say that? Do you think I want to look like this? That I enjoy the animal side of my nature? Do you think I don't understand that no one could ever love me because of what I am? That I enjoy being alone? Knowing I will never know love or comfort? Get out! Leave! Begone!" The last three phrases were almost howled in agony and Treize fled the orchard. He ran all the way to the stables and didn't even try to saddle the horse before he jumped on its back and closed his eyes; praying all the while that the magic was real.
Even as the man faded from sight, Heero lay curled up in the orchard. His entire body was shaking as he desperately struggled to control all the emotions that burned through him. It was never a good idea to lose his temper during a full moon. The moon made it harder to control the beast and anger feed its hunger for flesh.
Finally, the shaking stilled and the young man rose unsteadily to his feet. Trowa appeared and offered his hand. An offer that Heero furiously pushed aside.
"Heero." What ever else Trowa might have said was lost. Heero just wasn't in the mood.
"Did you all enjoy that?" the prince shouted. Although his voice contained no anger, it held something even worse. The tone dripped bitterness, self-hate, and despair. Perhaps he had been pushed to far< this time.
"We didn't mean for it to be like that, Heero."
"Oh? How did you mean it? You deliberately trapped another person here."
"We just want to be free."
"And I don't?"
"He is connected to two innocents."
"Innocents. Do you really think anyone will ever love me, Trowa?" Heero gave a bitter laugh. "After all these years, do you truly have any faith left? I don't. When the man returns, I will kill him. No more innocents will be condemned to a not even half life."
"Heero, you can't mean that."
"Oh, but I do Trowa. You and all the others are banished. Understand? None of you can have physical form until after I deal with him. Now go."
The last was a command and the curse stole everyone's ability to talk, their shapes, and forms. They became true ghosts. Unable to interact with world around them or each other. Trowa didn't feel any anger toward his Prince though. None of them did. The pain he had shown after the confrontation with Treize surprised them. Only Trowa had ever had any idea of how deeply Heero felt their pain and how deeply his own ran. Now they understood, but it was far too late. The damage had been done and the likelihood that they could undo it was almost nil. Heero was in hell, and they had put him there.
End Part 2
Part Three Duo meets Heero. Oh my. ;)
Phoenix
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