Author: Karen, The Huntress
Rating: R
Warning: Angst, language, violence, adult situations.
Pairing: 1x2, 3x4, Wufei and Zechs alone.
Feedback: Always appreciated.
Archive: DHML Archive
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or its characters.
Author's Note: Hello. Here is a new offering for your reading pleasure. I decided that since Zechs doesn't get included in many stories that he should have a part in this one but don't worry Duo and Heero are still together. Please enjoy your reading. Take care. Hugs. Karen, The Huntress.
Metamorphosis Part 1
Metamorphosis: A Tale of Transformation
Metamorphosis--A striking alteration in appearance or character.
Transformation--To change in nature, disposition or heart.
This is a story of individuals who, by fate's intervention or perhaps intercession, face trails and by those tests of character find strength, hope and peace. And discover that we do not always find love, sometimes it finds us.
*********
Heero Yuy paused short of the tree line. A glint of sunlight flashed across the pistol pressed to his chest as the weapon's silver finish shone in stark contrast to his dark jacket. In fact, his totally black outfit blended perfectly with the forest's shadowy border surrounding the OZ compound.
Just a month ago if someone had told Heero he would be risking his life to rescue Zechs Merquise, he would have said they were crazy. He would have never considered such an act.
"Merquise can rot in the depths of OZ Detention." Heero would have declared. Yet here he was, barely outside of "no-man's land" wondering how in the hell he came to be there in the first place.
To add another odd twist to the plot, Quatre and Wufei were also lurking at other locations along the Compound's perimeter. And Trowa, acting as rearguard in his Gundam Heavyarms, hid behind the hillside on the northern edge.
Heero's fellow pilots were also asking themselves the same questions and each, no doubt, had different answers concerning their involvement with the Lightning Baron.
What was stranger still---How Zechs became a prisoner of his own organization.
*********
Flashback
Zechs' turning from OZ Officer and Ace Pilot to aiding the Rebel Forces had not happened overnight. Over many months he had slowly become disillusioned with OZ policy. Political favor-trading and treachery among high ranking Officials, as they vied for power and position, had eaten away at Zechs' commitment just as the in-fighting in the ranks had long ago eroded the original purpose for which OZ was established.
When through dubious means Treize Khrushrenada, Zech's Commander and friend, set himself up as one of the most influential men in OZ, Zechs questioned the ethics involved in the promotion. Still his loyalty to the cause came first.
But when Treize put his thirst for power before loyalty and withheld his aide leaving Zechs at the mercy of Mobile Suits dispatched by the Romefellar Foundation...helpless in space to fight and die alone. Yes, after that ultimate betrayal, Zechs vowed he and Treize's friendship was void forever. Now Treize was his enemy, someone that he had sworn to destroy.
With the shattering of the mask Zechs wore to separate the Oz Soldier, Zechs Merquise and the Pacifist, Millardo Peacecraft he had begun a new life that would turn his world upside down.
*********
Zechs knew that it would not be easy to earn the five Gundam pilot's confidences. He silently suffered through weeks of their cool contempt, endured their mistrust, their doubts concerning his real motives for coming over to their side. He could not blame the pilot's skeptical suspicions for Zechs, himself, had initially questioned his own reasons for the unnatural alliance.
Heero had been the staunchest member refusing to even consider that Zechs was sincere. "A leopard does not change its spots." he believed.
But unexpectedly, through fate's harsh intervention, the rebel colonists whom Zechs once viewed as traitorous enemies became reluctant allies.
Duo had willingly accepted a solo mission for his commitment to ending the escalating conflict went beyond mere duty. Duo Maxwell had experienced firsthand the destructive power of prejudice and those past events has firmed up the self-proclaimed Shinigami's resolve to free the Colonies.
But when the mission went sour Duo was captured, beaten and turned over to OZ. After days of unreliable recon reports Duo's heartsick comrades had little hope that they would ever see him alive again. It was then that Zechs had, without pause, offered to exchange himself for the young man who he knew had so much potential.
Even if the braided boy had been nothing more than a simple Mobile Suit pilot, without his Gundam Deathscythe's awesome power, Zechs would still have made the same choice.
The Lightning Baron had not purposed the exchange to impress anyone and it was not a death wish although there was a time, when Zechs felt himself unworthy to claim the Peacecraft name, that he had entertained the idea of death. Once during a battle he had strongly considered shutting down his weapons and letting the end come mercifully in a single fiery instant.
No, Zechs' surrender to those in OZ who labeled the rogue ace a defector was the fulfillment of his subconscious need to show that he had indeed changed. He needed to confirm that the OZ puppet who blindly followed orders maiming and killing anyone who dared to oppose him was indeed sincere. To prove that the man who once believed that the end justified the means was capable of a genuine transformation.
If risking Court Martial and possible termination for treason meant he could save Duo then that was how Zechs Merquise would prove to the others and himself he had truly become a better person.
Of course none of the Gundam pilots trusted the OZ Officials to keep their word. There was no guarantee that they would not take Zechs then keep or kill both men. It was only after Heero announced his intensions to bring Wing Zero along as backup did the High Command, not wanting their compound leveled, give into Heero's quite sincere threat of destruction and only then did the pilots believe Duo would be safely returned.
End flashback
*********
Now as Heero knelt in the wood's dim fringes he remembered how he had sat in Zero's cockpit and watched Zechs Merquise voluntarily step through the stronghold's main gate. He vividly recalled how bravely the Lightning Baron faced OZ's wrath. That fateful day Heero's doubts of Zechs' loyalty began to fade.
As two sentries led him passed Duo the former OZ Ace paused to touch the freed but unresponsive prisoner's shoulder. Zechs was visibly shaken to see Duo's face so badly bruised and swollen. He pushed back Duo's sweat-damp bangs only to find his usually bright violet eyes veiled, like clouded windowpanes, in a foggy curtain of pain and confusion.
Heero shut his eyes as he also remembered how his own heart ached for Duo and then for Quatre as he ran to meet his brother-in-arms. Duo didn't turn towards the sound of Quatre's voice calling his name and in Heero's mind's eye he could still clearly see Quatre's shock when his comrade's blank expression showed no sign of recognition.
Numbly Duo offered no acknowledgement that he felt Quatre's arm encircle his waist as he supported and guided the dazed shell of his friend to a waiting vehicle.
During the days and nights that followed Duo's rescue all the pilots hurt together whenever he would suddenly rouse from his catatonic stupor into soul-gripping panic. They shared their helpless frustration each time he woke up from a night terror screaming and crying and begging someone to "Make Them Stop!"
Knowing "them" were OZ Interrogators who enjoyed their job too much, no one wanted to imagine what agonizing torture that Duo had suffered by their hands.
Duo Maxwell had always been the "easy going" Gundam pilot, the only one who had appeared to conquer the lonely and chaotic childhood that they all had in common. Of the five young men Duo was the most vocal of the sometimes manic group. Unfortunately, his acid tongue and stubborn disposition also made him the most vulnerable, the one most likely to become the target of OZ's abuse.
Heero and Trowa, upon finding themselves "guests" of OZ, would have employed their training's cold detachment to shut down and resist any brutal questioning.
Quatre's intellect, his ability to "think" his way out of trouble, would have served to perplex the OZ lackeys who were easily befuddled.
Wufei would have withdrawn into a deep meditative state. This transcendental trance taught by his Clan could easily block all of his inquisitor's efforts to pry into his thoughts.
But Duo Maxwell's reaction to any undesirable situation was to happily "go-with-the-flow", never give a straight answer and usually receive a beating for his insolent attitude.
Although Duo was equipped with both the physical toughness and mental tolerance to ward off the majority of OZ's interrogative techniques, even Shinigami could not withstand the debilitating effects of inhuman medical examinations and painfully intrusive mind probing. And knowing the average Security Captain's inclination to absolutely break a prisoner's will, Duo would have endured sexual violations as well.
*********
The pilot's worse fears concerning OZ's policy of forced submission was affirmed soon after Duo's return. One afternoon as Heero smoothed out the rumpled bedcovers twisted and snarled from Duo's constant agitation, his hand brushed lightly across Duo's genitals. This ever-so-slight touch sent his partner into a full-blown fit of terror.
Drawing his knees together, Duo bent at the waist curling into the tightest "ball" he could manage. Throwing his arms up to cover his face he desperately tried to shut out what he perceived as another attempted rape.
"NO! PLEASE!" he screamed breaking into a cold sweat. "PLEASE!" he implored again.
The more Heero tried to calm Duo's alarm, the more fear-induced hysteria set in. Heero could do nothing but keep a watchful distance by the bed until Duo's feeble strength gave out. Then in quiet consolation Heero eased down beside his partner and embraced Duo's trembling body until he slept.
*********
Heero had insisted on being Duo's principal caregiver but the pressure of his daily duties, his nightly interrupted sleep and his resistance to let the others help quickly took its toll. Finally giving into his own pain, his rage at Duo's endless suffering, Heero lost his temper.
Pounding the wall with both fists until his knuckles were bloodied, Wing's Master screamed and cursed wildly. "Damn them!" he exploded, "Damn them all to hell!"
When Trowa tried to intervene, as blood splattered everywhere, the Japanese madman took a swing at his friend. It took both Trowa and Wufei to tackle and pin their enraged comrade on the floor.
Struggling and swearing, Heero fought to free himself but his colleagues held firm. "I'm going to get Wing and kill them all. I will have my revenge!"
"Zechs is there." Trowa replied hoping to give Heero a reason not to follow through with his destructive intensions.
Heero tensed pushing against Trowa's firm grasp on his wrists, "Zechs is probably dead my now." he hissed, "Probably better off than we are."
"We don't know that." Trowa answered hoping against hope that Zechs was alive.
"As soon as you calm down," Wufei stated wrestling with Heero's flinging boots, "we will formulate a rescue plan. We have to for both Duo's and Zechs' sake." he added.
"Duo?" Heero questioned, "What can Zechs do for Duo?"
"Zechs put his life on the line for Duo." Trowa stated, "We cannot abandon him now."
Wufei picked up Trowa's line of thought. "Zechs has been with OZ from the beginning he might know something we can do to bring Duo back."
With each passing hour Duo was withdrawing further into his own private hell. His increasing unresponsiveness was plunging him into a mental void and his physical fortitude was fading fast.
Trowa drew in a shaky breath, "If we don't do something soon we are going to lose him."
Heero's glaring sight locked with Trowa's green eyes, "Lose Duo! NO!" he yelled as the fury within boiled up again, "No." he repeated weakly as the last of his strength gave out.
As mental fatigue joined his waning energy in its swift retreat, Heero collapsed in Trowa's arms. Hard sobs shook his worry-worn body. Trowa tightened his embrace. "It's going to be all right." he whispered rocking back and forth.
*********
The sunset tinted room was eerily quiet. Trowa lay on the floor staring up at the ceiling's dim light panel as he struggled to come up with a feasible rescue plan. Wufei, too, was lost in contemplative planning as he kept his silent vigil beside Duo's bed.
Heero had finally become too exhausted to cry. Numbly he shifted onto his side, draped an arm over Trowa's chest and buried his tear-tracked face in his comforter's shoulder. Even though Trowa couldn't see Heero's face he guessed from the rhythmic rise and fall of the Perfect Soldier's breathing that he had finally fallen asleep.
Trowa had always known that Heero had a softer side and that Duo was the only person who had ever broken through the stoic man's harden façade thrown up against the misery of his shattered world. But now Heero Yuy's lifeline in his sea of turmoil was being swamped by rapidly rising physical and mental deterioration and a former enemy might be Duo's only hope of recovery.
Trowa knew if Zechs was not rescued, if he could not turn the deadly tide, that Duo would be forever lost like the sailors who could not resist death's Siren Song.
TBC...
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