Angelic Revolution Part 1
I.: The Rules of Life and Death~
"I found it! I found it!"
Duo and Taiyo both leapt out of their seats and flew to where Tsuki was squealing loud enough to wake the dead. The ex-Gundam pilot was so excited he was jumping from foot to foot.
The tiny death nymph began announcing the information on the computer screen as if the others couldn't read it for themselves.
"According to the Rules of Life and Death, volume ten, 'Resurrection', chapter five hundred seventy-two, category J, subcategory fourteen, section eighty-one, number ninety-six, C, there is one way for the dead to return to the world of living--well, they really have no choice. But that method only applies to crooks, politicians, etcetera."
"It doesn't say anything about assassins or war heroes," Taiyo pointed out, worrying her bottom lip.
"But it does mention 'etcetera'," Tsuki countered.
Both she and Taiyo eyed the fidgeting boy up and down.
"Close enough," they declared in unison.
"You have to somehow get approved to become an angel."
Duo's eyelids slammed up against his brows bone. "A-an ANGEL?!" HE was anything but an angel, that had been decided long ago when he had let Father and Sister and Solo die.
Taiyo nodded with her usual enthusiasm. "Hai!" she caroled.
"And what's this 'get approved' thing?" he questioned, suspicious. "I don't have to go through a trial, do I?"
Tsuki shook head. "Nope."
Duo relaxed.
"But remember, the true purpose of becoming an angel is to repent for one's sins by doing a good deed, so you'll have to agree to that. Although the Rules of Life and Death, volume ten, 'Resurrection'--"
The American waved his hands to interrupt, large sweatdrops forming on his head. "Eh, no need to strain yourself repeating that."
Tsuki blinked. "Oh, ok. Anyways, although assassins and war heroes weren't mentioned in the Rules of Life and Death, we believe you are qualified to return to the world of the living. You DO have many things you must repent for, ne?"
Duo nodded, glad for once of his stained hands.
"But you also have to retrieve something from the realm of the living that might link you to the other world. ...Something that was on or at least with you when you died."
"??!" The idea of playing tomb raider didn't appeal to the American, even if--no, *especially* when the grave was his own. But...but Heero...
Taiyo seemed read his mind. Actually, it wasn't too hard, considering the interesting shade of green Duo was turning. Her expression turned sober and shut off. She and Tsuki both seemed to have split personalities, a small part of Duo's mind noted. Like they were light bulbs and had switches or something.
"You haven't been buried yet," she told him, uncharacteristically quiet.
"What?"
"You haven't been buried yet," she repeated. "Your friend, Heero was it?, still keeps your body in your room."
Duo felt his heart constrict painfully in his chest and his breath grew ragged. He raked a hand through his bangs and let it slide down his face. //K'so.// He had to go back...he couldn't leave Heero on his own like that, especially not after...
"You're going to have to do it, Duo. It's only a matter of time before Kami-sama finds out about you and your sins, and sends you to Hell, the land of Eternal Suffering, for not trying."
"All right, tell me how to get to my body."
Tsuki shook her head dejectedly. "That's the hard part--well, one of them anyway. Only three people have been able to do it in all of history. You have to somehow reach two live people mentally and ask them to bring that object to you. Plus you get only one try."
"That's not very comforting," Duo muttered darkly.
Taiyo shrugged. "The point is to test if your mental and physical capabilities are strong enough to endure the transformation into a celestial being."
"What happens if I fail?"
Both death nymphs looked away.
"Then your soul will be shredded during the process and your body will awaken to walk the cemeteries as an Undead," from Tsuki. "And you will take with you the souls of those you tried to connect to."
"Undead? A zombie?" Duo echoed. So those old folklores and horror films weren't so baseless after all.
It suddenly occurred to him just how powerless he was at this point, and how little his opinion mattered, not with this Kami-sama ready to banish him to Hell. So now it all boiled down to one key question.
Could he do it?
~*~
He hadn't eaten in four days; really, as far as Quatre could tell, he hadn't *moved*. Just sat there, propped up by pillows and staring at the ceiling. Almost as if he was trying to reach something--or someone, far, far away, beyond this space deep into his imagination and memory.
The thought made the blonde shudder, and he firmly told himself that Heero was not...going, despite what the therapists had been hinting at.
Duo's death had hit all of them hard, but Heero had taken the brunt of it, having uncovered the American's body amongst piles of burnt sheet metal that had once been a Gundam. The magnificent black monster that had claimed hundreds of lives with its glowing scythe, piloted by the smiling boy known as Shinigami.
Heero had shut himself off after that, not saying a word to anyone and refusing to touch the food left at his door. Relena had tried to move him to a hospital, pleading to the full extent of her persuasion skills. But he had not budged, just continued to sit and stare.
Quatre approached the bed and knelt down beside its occupant, feeling his Uchuu no Kokoro clench tighter and tighter with each step.
"Please, Heero," he tried for the last time, "don't do this."
The fiery cobalt-blue eyes had lost their fuel, and could no longer stay aflame.
Quatre felt his chin quiver and bit down hard. Heero wasn't dead, but he wasn't alive, either. His mind and soul had left him, leaving only a cold, empty shell to deteriorate.
"Don't do this," he whispered again, setting down the food try and beginning to stand. He laid a gentle hand on one muscled shoulder. "Duo wouldn't want you like this."
Whatever the magic word, even though the blonde knew it, his heart flew as he walked towards the door, feeling Heero's half-hearted gaze on his back all the time.
TBC...
I was getting depressed by this chapter. *sighs* I'd meant for the mood of the fic to be constantly changing and switching, so it's not really a bad thing, but I feel so sorry for Hee-chan!
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