Mage vs. Guard Part 2
"I thought you could conjure fire." Duo shivered in the cold air of the cave.
"I can," Heero finished pulling the wet tack off of his horse and glared at his guard. "I just can't do two things at once."
"I can." Duo leered. "Want me to demonstrate?"
"Not at the moment." Heero rolled his eyes and snapped out a quick incantation. A mage fire ignited in the center of the cave, sending waves of warmth over the occupants.
"That's really handy."
"Yeah, makes me popular at parties too."
"Weird how that storm came up right when the sun went down," Duo said as he started to unload the horses.
"Not weird. Magic." Heero pulled out his bedroll and frowned at it. "He knows that I'm on my way and he's trying to stop me."
"Who?"
"The mage I was sent to deal with."
"So he sent a storm? Does he think a little rain will stop you?" Duo frowned. "Unless you melt when you get wet..."
"Do I look drippy around the edges?" Heero lifted an eyebrow. "No, but he knows it will slow my progress. If I have to watch out for mudslides and flooded areas it will take me longer to reach him, wear me down before I get to him."
Duo frowned. "That doesn't sound fair."
"We're mages, we don't play fair." Heero looked out at the storm. "We may have to travel in that tomorrow."
"As long as it's light, we should do okay in it." Duo finished his tasks and looked at the fire. "Can we cook on that?"
"Of course we can."
"Won't do anything weird to the food?"
"Not unless you burn it."
"Me? Why am I cooking? Can't you?"
"No."
"Fine, fine, but you owe me for this." Duo dug in the saddlebags.
"Okay, I won't turn you into a rabbit."
"That's not what I had in mind."
"I'll tend to the horses while you cook."
Duo sighed as he sat down next to the fire. "Again, not what I had in mind."
"Frog."
"But it does seem like an even trade when you put it like that..."
~*~
Heero stared into the fire. Across from him, Duo was curled up in his bedroll, one hand on his sword. Heero had to give the guard some points; he wasn't the usual type of idiot Chang usually foisted off on him.
Outside the storm had died down to a light shower. How had the other mage known that Heero had been sent out? He must have some kind of watch on the School...
Glancing once more at his guard to make sure that he was really asleep, Heero got to his feet and went to the mouth of the cave.
Closing his eyes he murmured an incantation and waited...
Damn. He was closer than Heero had expected. He'd get his boots and see if he could go force a confrontation.
Heero turned around and nearly collided with his guard.
"What is it?" Duo's voice was soft.
"The Mage is nearby." Heero sat down and pulled on his boots. "I'm going to go see if I can get close."
Duo nodded, sheathing his sword and picking up his quiver. "Okay."
"You aren't coming with me."
"I am your guard."
"This is a mage duel. You'd just get in the way."
"No I won't."
"Been around a lot of them?"
"I do work for the school, remember?" Duo lifted an eyebrow. "The Captain told me to keep you safe no matter what. I don't want to go back there and tell him that I just let you wander off."
Heero frowned. "He scares you more that I do? I must be slipping."
"Nah, I just think you're cuter. That takes the edge off the scary."
"I'm not cute." Heero finished with his boots and got to his feet. "Look- this is going to get bad. Really bad. You'll be much safer here."
"See? Trying to keep me safe. That's cute." Duo picked up his cloak and wrapped it around his shoulders. "I'm ready."
"You aren't going to give up are you?"
"Nope."
"Fine then. If you get maimed, transformed or dead, I am so not responsible."
"I know. I signed the waiver before we left."
Heero pulled his cloak on. "Fine, let's go."
The rain had turned the ground into mud, sucking at their boots as they slogged through it. Heero cursed as he nearly lost one of his boots in a bad patch.
"I thought you were kidding about him using the weather against us," Duo snorted under his hood. "I used to like mud..."
"Do I even want to ask why?"
"Nope, but I'll be happy to demonstrate if you survive the battle."
"You never give up do you?"
"Nope. I'll wear you down eventually."
"And what do you mean if I survive? What if you don't survive?"
"I'm an optimist. I know I'll survive."
Heero stopped, tilting his head to the side. "He's very close. You might want to stay here."
"I'm not good at waiting."
"Try."
"I have a better idea."
"I don't..." Heero didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. His guard suddenly grabbed him, pressed a kiss on his astonished mouth and then slipped away into the trees.
Heero snorted and continued on his way.
The other Mage was waiting for him in a clearing lit with mage-light. The ground was firm under his soles, the rain wasn't falling here.
Show off, Heero thought and pulled back his hood. "Otto," he said to the dark clad figure on the other side of the clearing.
"Heero. So they sent you did they?"
"Of course. Otto- we don't have to do this- you can come back with me to the school..."
"The school!" The Mage tossed his head back, his black cloak unfurling like the wings of some giant mutated bird. "I will never go back there! They wouldn't listen to my ideas! They laughed at me!"
"Well, you know how hard it is to change their minds about some things..." Heero tried.
"They didn't respect my brilliance! They refused to listen to my ideas! They mocked my fashion sense!" Otto glared across the clearing. "Black is always in!"
"Of course it is." Heero mentally prepared his shields. "They just felt it was... you know... kind of evil."
Otto snarled and lifted his hands. "Then it suits me very well! Now my minions!"
Heero's shields flared to life around him as he prepared for an attack.
Nothing happened.
"Minions!" Otto shouted again.
Again, nothing happened.
Heero snapped out an incantation and Otto fell to the ground, struggling against his invisible bonds, his mouth working soundlessly.
A moment more and he was unconscious.
Cautiously dropping his shields, Heero walked over to the felled mage and frowned. Otto had obviously expected some kind of help.
"All done?" Duo asked, stepping out of the trees beside him.
"Mostly." Heero shook his head. "It was easier than I expected. I'm not really sure what happened."
Duo shrugged. "No idea. I had a hell of a time. There were a bunch of guys in all the trees- armed to the teeth I might add. The School is going to owe me extra for this one."
Heero started laughing. "I daresay they do."
"So, we have to take him back?" Duo sighed.
"Afraid so."
"Damn, that puts a crimp in my after-battle seduction plans."
"Maybe next time." Heero consoled him.
Duo lifted an eyebrow. "You're assuming there won't be a next time, aren't you?"
"Only if you piss Chang off again."
"Damn... then again, it might almost be worth it."
Heero shook his head. "Come on, let's get back."
~*~
Relena folded her hands on the desk and smiled happily at Heero. "You did very well."
"Thank you, my Lady."
"I understand the guard was quite helpful?"
"He was," Heero allowed.
She smiled wider. "I'm glad you found him so. The Captain has suggested that he be permanently assigned to you."
"What?!" Had being beaten made Chang that mad?
"All Master Mages are allowed to have a guard as part of their personal household. We've never assigned one to you, because well, no guard wanted the position." Relena tilted her head to the side. "I understand Guard Maxwell leapt at the opportunity."
He would. "Is there any point in complaining?"
"Not in the slightest." Relena said cheerfully. "He's already been assigned quarters in your tower and his pay adjusted accordingly."
Heero sighed. Damn it. "Can't someone else take him?"
"Nope. Everyone else has already been assigned a permanent guard." Relena's expression turned slightly depraved. "He's all yours." She waved a hand at him. "You're dismissed. Go help that guard of yours settle in..."
Heero stalked back to his tower. What had he done to deserve this?
He cautiously opened the door to his rooms. No sign of the guard... maybe he was upstairs in one of the empty rooms settling in?
Heero breathed a faint sigh of relief and headed for his bedroom. He was exhausted. He'd be able to deal better with things after a good rest.
He opened the door and stopped dead. "What are you doing in here?"
"Settling in." Duo grinned. "They assigned me to you, can you believe it? I didn't even have to ask!"
"This is MY room!"
"I know." Duo leaned back against the pillows. "You have a very comfortable bed."
"You aren't sleeping in it."
"But I'm your bodyguard. How can I guard your body if I'm not near it?"
"I don't think anything bad will happen to me in my bedroom."
Duo rolled his eyes. "Please- that's where most mages get attacked! And no one is going to attack you on my watch." He grinned wider. "Unless it's me of course."
"Rabbit."
"You aren't allowed to transform your personal guard- unless he agrees to it."
Heero rubbed his forehead. "I don't remember that."
"It's in the contract." Duo settled back against the pillows. "I guard you 24/7 and you can't do anything nasty to me."
Damn it. "I just want to sleep."
"Of course." Duo pulled back the sheets and patted the space next to him. "You need your rest. You've been up for hours."
"You'll let me sleep?"
"Yes."
"You won't try anything?"
"Not until you wake up."
Heero tossed himself down on the bed. "How reassuring." He frowned at the guard leaning over him. "Nothing nasty?"
"Nothing harmful."
Heero smiled. "Got it." An incantation later and he was alone in the bed.
"Nice transportation spell," Duo called through the door.
"I like it," Heero called back, turned the lock on the door with another spell and closed his eyes. He was fast asleep a moment later.
A few minutes later, the door handle jiggled a little and Duo snuck in, shaking his head and tucking his lock picks back into his vest. The mage was going to be a tough one...
But Duo always enjoyed a challenge....
TBC...
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