So it's there my homage's due
Clutched by the still of the night
Even the distance feels so near
All for the love of you
-Lyrics to 'The Mystic's Dream' performed by Loreena McKennitt
Elements of Great Design Part 19
"Heero..."
A long pause before the voice called a bit louder the second time, "Heero!"
Blinking his cobalt eyes, the Fighter turned his head to lock on concerned violet eyes... the same eyes belonging to the person that he had only recently realized that that he had fallen in love with.
No matter how he'd tried to deny his feelings ever since they were first discovered, there simply was no point in avoiding that which could no longer be doubted. Simply the way that Duo was watching him in worry was enough to churn his very soul.
Gathered around the lowly burning campfire, the rest of the Alliance looked onto their usually alert friend in confusion.
Quickly regaining his wit and running a hand through his unruly hair, Yuy peeled his gaze away from Maxwell as he shook his head, "Sorry. I did not sleep very well last night."
An understatement, considering how following his watch all that the soldier could do was stare up at the 'ceiling' of his tent as his thoughts ran amok. Scanning the faces surrounding him, he asked, "What were you all discussing?"
Lowering his emptied breakfast plate, Trowa replied, "We were considering how we might be able to find our Elemental Stones."
He nodded to the archer across from him, continuing, "According to Anna, Dekim is very concerned that we might find a way of retrieving them. There must be others in Gaia who know where they are and why they might be so important in a war like the one we are facing. It would only be wise for us to be as prepared for the fight ahead as we can be."
"Ah. Yes, that would be best. I suppose that we can always ask around in the next city that we come across," Heero shrugged, silently hoping that the new topic would keep his comrades from further dwelling over his earlier state of distraction. "And we keep questioning for as long as we must until we have the answers we need."
Winner bit his lip, "I may already have one possibility of someone specific to seek out." Instantly, the lot around turned to focus on him.
Drawing a deep breath, the Onrac native straightened himself and said, "There is Howard, an Elder White Mage. Few of my kind have ever come to actually know him, however it is common knowledge amongst us that he lives alone this side of the Provaka Mountains. He has been in Gaia for centuries and his powers in light magic are unmatched. Perhaps in his long experience in the world he may know of the Elemental Stones and where we can find them."
"Well, that's definitely a clear direction to take!" Duo cheered, his wide smile returning in full force. "If he is somewhere in these corners of Gaia, somebody is sure to know how we can find him."
Slapping his would-be enemy's back, he winked, "Good call, Quat. I knew you would finally be useful at some point." The veiled gifted snickered with a brilliant grin to the chorus of the amused chuckles from their friends.
As they all rose to their feet in preparations of taking down their camp and gather their horses, Heero faced the Dragoon's emerald gaze to inquire, "Do you know the closest city that we will be heading to?"
Nodding, Trowa replied, "Gysahi. If we leave now, we can make it there by nightfall."
* * * * * *
So another day of solid riding had begun... and another round of verbal debating between the Fighter and the Black Mage had begun.
"You are only biased towards magic being the more commendable way of fighting because you are gifted," Yuy snorted in the middle of his current argument with the hooded teenager riding beside him.
Shaking his head, the soldier patted the satchel bearing his armor sphere at his waist as he stated, "The blade is the truest judge in battle. Spells and other tricks come about by a simple wave of a hand and a few chants, where it takes skill to take on an enemy man-to-man."
From behind the pair, there was the sound of a throat clearing loudly. "Sorry, Anna," Heero smiled sheepishly to the archer riding Wufei's tall back. "Man-to-woman or woman-to-woman as well." The corner of her lip curling up in a pleased smirk, Fraise bowed her head of long, red curls in appreciation.
Returning his cobalt eyes to the snickering son of Shinigami, the Fighter declared, "I just have a strong belief that using magic is far less impressive than actual strength and endurance that only come with long years of training and patience."
His large head lifting, the black wolf listening in let out a throaty bit of a bark that could only be translated as a seconding of the sentiment. It would only make sense that the Monk, one who was well taught in the ways of combat, would side with Yuy in that.
A smug grin on his face, the soldier nodded back to the beast with a sincere, "Thank you, Chang." He received a grunt in response as Anna rolled her eyes with a giggle.
Duo shrugged, "Dead is dead. Whether that end was brought on by the stab of a blade or a falling boulder that was cast to do so through a gifted's power, the means to bring another soul down in battle make no difference to me." Pointing back to the rest of the team he added, "Let's not forget that the four Elemental Stone Keepers can not only bring about great destruction but they can heal this entire world as well."
"Yes, but they also appreciate the importance of defending themselves through direct combat," Heero scoffed. "Every one of them is skilled in some form of fighting technique as well as weapons. That alone only proves..."
As the pair continued their animated squabble, Trowa snickered under his breath to his fellow Keepers at the back of their team, "I love that we are being thrown into this as if we are not right here." The others laughed quietly and nodded their heads as they simply rode along, only half-listening to the continuing debate.
Peering over to the White Mage and the Dragoon riding to her right, Anna asked Winner specifically, "How much longer do you two suppose until they finally stop dancing around their true feelings for each other and get along as they both want?"
Aquamarine eyes blinked widely at her. Chuckling, the redhead smirked, "One does not need empathic powers to know what is going on there." At the word 'there,' she gestured with her head towards the sparring pair ahead of them. "But at the rate that they are going, Heero and Duo will be the last ones to realize what is so glaringly obvious to the rest of us."
Trowa and Quatre laughed. "Well, there would need to be a few more guards let down first," the blonde confided as he leaned towards the thief. "We are dealing with two very stubborn individuals. Hopefully they will figure things out before we reach Mariemaia's forces."
Fraise shrugged, "I have hope, then." Eying her fellow Keepers, she grinned, "After all, the pair of you wasted no time in getting together."
Taken aback, the Air and Water wielders straightened upright in their saddles. Eyes wide and jaws falling open, they exchanged their disbelief before Barton asked the redhead, "How... how did you ever find that out?"
"We thieves have our ways of finding what we want to know," Anna beamed in pride. Winking, she stretched towards the blushing couple and smirked slyly, "I also had a little help last night at the end of my watch since you are moaners." Surprise melted away to blushing faces and undignified glares.
Laughing full on, the archer gripped the fur in her grasp and called to her lover, "Protect me, Wufei!" Rumbling out a chuckle, the black wolf shot forth with Sand Rock and Heavy Arms giving chase.
At the sight of the Keepers shooting past them, Heero and Duo blinked widely at the interruption to their argument. Watching the rest of the Alliance charge ahead with their voices raised in howls of laughter, the Black Mage asked, "What do you suppose that's about?"
Since there was nothing chasing them and their friends seemed to be enjoying themselves, the soldier shrugged, "Who knows." Folding his arms across his chest, he looked over to his partner once more and grumbled, "Now, what were you just saying about Fighters looking like glorified tin cans?"
Just when he was about to open his mouth and defend himself, Maxwell spotted the backs of their companions atop their steeds and stopped himself as he raised a finger in the air to end their conversation for the moment.
Frowning, Yuy gazed ahead to come into a state of alert at the sight of their frozen, silent Keeper acquaintances. Silently climbing to the top of the hill where the rest of their team was perched, the Fighter and the braided Mage peered down onto the grassy planes below.
With a sharp gasp, Heero took in the large flock of orange-and-yellow, two-legged birds that had their long necks lowered to graze on the greens around them. In the light of the setting sun, those feathers glistened brilliantly enough that the floor appeared like a sea of fire.
Never before had the young man seen birds as tall as horses before. With large plumes of back feathers that rose nearly as high as the top of their heads crowned with a similar tufts, the softly clucking animals nearly covered the whole stretch of land.
"What are they?" Yuy inquired, unable to take his wide cobalt eyes from the sight.
Equally mesmerized by the birds, Maxwell replied, "They're called Chocobos." [1]
Trowa added, "They are not uncommon in these parts since they love Gysahi Greens." Shaking his head, he muttered almost worriedly, "But they do not normally gather in large masses like this. They are ones who prefer to stick only to their families as to not draw too much attention from potential predators. The darkness must have scared them into taking strength in their numbers now."
Grunting an affirmative, Duo responded, "That is my theory as well. They have more lookouts this way to alert the rest of the flock."
He lifted his hooded head to take in the distant black ring in the sky that was still many days of travel away from there they were. "Even from this far away, the animals are sensing the danger that is coming," he all but whispered.
Quatre bit his lip and turned towards his fellow Mage to ask, "Or do you think that there may be a closer threat that they can sense and we cannot?"
A new tension shot through the group at that, chills running up their spines to tingle the icy dread that perhaps there might be something out there that they were not aware of. Recalling Dorothy's warning that there were dangers already spreading ahead of the darkness, Yuy swallowed roughly.
Up until that moment, he had completely forgotten those words once he found Duo. With the presence of the son of Shinigami, Heero feel safer than he ever had even within the walls of Romefeller.
However... he suddenly felt exposed and in a great deal of danger even with his best friend and the four Elemental Keepers when even the ground seemed to crawl with possible dangers the likes of which they had never seen before.
Turning towards the Dragoon at her right, Anna asked anxiously, "Um... Trowa... as an experienced Dragoon who has obviously come across these birds before, would you happen to know how skittish and defensive Chocobos are when they do feel threatened?"
"I cannot think of another species that scares more easily or that turns more vicious when they need to protect themselves from a predator," Barton shrugged.
Deep blue eyes closing slowly, the archer raised her finger up and down to point at her lover beneath her, as she frowned deeply, "You mean they would protect themselves from a predator... like a wolf?"
Freezing with eyes enlarged anew, the rest of the team gaped at the blinking, furry Keeper that they had completely forgotten out of their complacency for his current form. His ears drooping and onyx eyes widening, the beast let out a surprised whimper at the simple realization of the trouble that they might be in.
"Oh, dear Creator," Quatre breathed as his face paled in fright. Along with his friends, he gauged the height of the hill where they were standing to note how little height they actually had to their advantage should the massive flock decide to fight for themselves.
Taking a deep breath, Fraise whispered urgently, "Alright, Wufei. Just start backing away slowly to not draw any attention. There must be a way around those birds without-" But her hopes were dashed before she could ever finish voicing it when a shrill cry rose from the sea of gold and orange below.
Her mouth falling open, the archer caught a head stretched up in the middle of the flock with its narrowed eyes locked onto the Alliance as it released another desperate bellow that had the whole it its company peering up in a snap of necks craning skyward.
At those fiery glares staring up at them, Duo muttered a panicked, "Not good." That was as far as he was able to speak before the hoard of birds opened their beaks to deafening screams as they charged forth to attack their onlookers.
The team's horses reeled onto their back hooves, screeching wildly at the rush of tall animals that was stampeding their way. Unable to grip his reins tight enough, Maxwell cried out as he was knocked from Deathscythe's saddle. Collapsing onto his back in a violent slam, his hood fell away from the hard blow that the back of his head took.
Stricken at the sight of his best friend collapsing as his black steed was about to crash his front hooves down on him, Heero cried, "Duo!" Acting on his instinct, he jumped from Wing's back and hurled himself atop the Black Mage's body to completely shield him with his own.
As their wide eyes locked, the pair could hear Anna scream, "Too late to run now! They're right on top of us! Trowa, Quatre, we need to get a shield up... now!" Even though Fighter knew that the thief was only a few feet away, if felt as though they were separated by miles.
Those dazed violet eyes beneath Yuy grew just as Duo yelled, "Heero! No-!"
Heero didn't feel the pain of whatever it was that came down on him... but that desperate cry and the sheer terror on his heart-shaped face was the last conscious thought before the whole world went black.
* * * * * *
"...all happened so fast.... couldn't have handled that better."
"You saved his life, Duo. If you hadn't cast that spell when you did... been much worse."
"I hardly broke a sweat using my healing powers.... he is going to be fine thanks to you."
Trowa, Anna and Quatre. Heero recognized those voices in that order as he slipped in and out of some state of awareness. While there was a softness to their tones, there was also a sternness to the words for the person that they were spoken to.
Only able to catch part of what the Keepers were saying, the Fighter's confused mind reeled to pull together what was happening when he flashed back to the image of that stampede... back to seeing his best friend being flung from his steed to come close to being trampled.
Fright washed over Yuy as his eyelids suddenly seemed weightless against his demand that they open in a snap as he cried, "Duo!"
Before any of his other senses kicked in, he felt a hand gently rest against the side of his face in a comforting touch. "Try and take it easy there, pal. Your body took a pretty good beating back there," Maxwell urged softly as he came into sight when cobalt irises turned towards the braided teenager sitting close beside him.
When their gazes met, the son of Shinigami's violet eyes relaxed along with his sagging shoulders at the deep sigh that resonated from deep in his chest. Smiling, Duo greeted quietly, "Hey, 'Ro. Welcome back."
Drinking in the sight of his friend, the Fighter made sure to run his focusing vision over every visible inch of the Black Mage to be certain that he was alright. Aside from a redness to what should have been the whites of his eyes and the slightly overall frayed appearance that he bore, the other boy appeared in perfect form.
Those whispered reassurances came back to Heero as he regarded the haggard look of his best friend. The Keepers had been working to reassure and calm the shaken gifted through what must have been a difficult ordeal for him while the soldier was unconscious. To further prove that fact, Quatre rushed in to crane his head in close for a deep look into his patient's deep blues.
With a wide grin curling his lips, the White Mage pulled back to slap Duo on the back. "See," he announced, "all patched up like nothing happened." Nodding his braided head shallowly, the child of Death returned the pat as well as a small grin of profound appreciation.
Finally coming wholly into the world of the living, Yuy glanced over his surroundings as the hand on his face fell away. Overhead, he found the cloth 'ceiling' of his tent hung high over where he lay on his back atop his bedroll. A faint glow from a couple of candles within his haven that cast large circles along the sides of the canopy revealed how night had already fallen.
And hovering close behind Duo were the Keepers. Seated cross-legged on the floor, Anna smiled and waved to the Fighter as Wufei raised his furry head from the ball that he was tightly curled in at her side. Trowa was standing just within the door with Quatre, smirking as he gave a firm nod of his head to their friend.
"What happened-?" the soldier managed to croak, stoppeing short as he fell into a rough fit of coughs. Maxwell produced a canteen against his lips that he reached up to take in hand for a greedy drink until his parched throat was no longer sore. Panting heavily, he handed the offered container back to his partner.
The son of Shinigami sighed, "Shinigami managed to get in a good blow to the back of your head before any one of us had time to react to everything that was happening at the start of the Chocobo stampede." A shudder running through his whole body as though a cold breeze had rushed by, he all but whispered, "I used my black magic to keep you from being hurt with the next kick."
Gesturing back to the elemental gifted behind him, Duo smirked to them, "At the same time, this incredible bunch managed to form a shield that kept the flock from trampling us." The Keepers beamed.
Unable to contain his excitement, Quatre's hands waved animatedly in the air as he cheered, "It was remarkable! I had no idea what our powers working together like that might do, but there was a definite dome that we had managed to pull together even without any experience in creating such a thing!" Looking to his fellow elite, he laughed, "I never experienced anything so exhilarating before!"
Anna giggled as she hopped to her feet. Patting the White Mage's arm on her way towards Heero, she winked, "I am looking forward to working with the two of you more so that we can discover what else we are capable of." Moving for Heero's bed, she suggested, "But for now, a certain Fighter needs his rest so that his body can finish rejuvenating since your healing spell has run its course."
She crouched by the Fighter's head to press a quick kiss against his temple and told him, "You gave us one hell of a scare back there, friend." Reaching out to squeeze his shoulder, the corner of her lip curled in a smirk. "Try to not make a habit of that if you can help it," she requested.
Chuckling deeply, Yuy rested a hand over hers to grasp it back just as tightly. "I'll do my damnedest not to." Softly, he grinned, "Thank you, Anna." Bowing her head, the thief righted herself and buried a hand into the fur at the back of Wufei's head when he fell in step beside her to take their leave.
Handshakes and kind sentiments were exchanged by Quatre and Trowa before they followed after the cursed lovers. Duo, however, made absolutely no move to leave the soldier's side when they were alone. And the relief that had so overwhelmed him had turned into unexpected anger in the wake of his narrowing violet eyes.
Very slowly bending down towards the widely blinking cobalt eyes watching him, the braided teenager gritted through his teeth, "What in the Creator's name were you thinking when you shielded me like that? I was surprised by being flung off, but I would have had total control before I would have been in any real danger. There was already a spell in the works when you threw yourself on top of me."
Frowning, Heero replied, "I... I was only acting on my instincts. You were hurt... were about to be hurt so much worse if I did not do *something*. There was no time for reason, only action. What I did was the only option that I could take to made sure that you stayed safe. Fighters always put the safety of others before their own."
There was more. So much more than just that, but he simply could not bring that up when he was still so lost in understanding how to handle his deepening affections.
Several things flashed in those almost glowing irises of lavender fields. Not all of those emotions could be read, however, the ire was quickly fading from Maxwell's cold stare and his hard expression. Sighing deeply, the gifted lowered himself in a rush to loop his arms around the Romefeller native in a tight embrace. "And you call me the idiot," he mumbled, a hint of a snicker in his voice.
Melting in his own reassurance that all was well between them again, Yuy closed his eyes and clung onto the warm body settling against his own. Silently reveling in the feeling for the brief moment that it lasted, he fought the urge to protest when Duo pulled away to straighten himself once more.
"Thank you," the Black Mage breathed sincerely. Smirking, he snickered, "But next time give me a moment to defend myself before you risk getting yourself killed like that again."
Heero smiled, "Fair enough." His eyelids drifted closed again at the hand that ran through his unruly hair in a soothing gesture. When those fingers disappeared, he peered over to watch his best friend blowing out the candles set atop flat rocks.
When the tent was completely dark, the Fighter swallowed roughly and called, "Stay?" the sound of footsteps that had reached the tent flap came to an abrupt halt. Pulse racing in his panic, Yuy explained away, "There will not be a watch tonight, so better to have us at least paired off together than on our own if anything should happen."
A warm chuckle from the other teenage filled the air and those soft steps approached the bed roll just before a comfortable presence settled down beside Heero to take up what space there was left of the blanket.
"Not a bad idea," Maxwell admitted, a bit of humor brightening his timbre. Settling onto his side facing his partner, he yawned and mumbled, "G'night, 'Ro."
Completely relaxing at last, Yuy released the breath that he had been holding. Never one to have had shared his bed before, it was oddly... natural how it felt to have the infectious boy so close in such an intimate space. Drawing another breath, he replied just as quietly, "Good night, Duo."
Those salutations shared, the pair closed their eyes to drift off into a deep, easy sleep highlighted by the comfort that their company provided.
TBC...
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocobo
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