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Atonement: Chapter 1

Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2003 2:24 am
by Kenhime
Title: Atonement: To Love, Protect, and Forgive

Author: Kenhime

Genre: Drama/Romance/Action

Disclaimer: -_- I don?t own Gundam Wing, but I do own the new characters in the story.

Summary: What is atonement? For five young men who bloodstained their hands for peace, they can't find the answer. In AC 197, one vengeful man strips Heero away his certainties and the girl he loves, leaving him to search for the answer to atonement.



Author?s Note: This one is the second chapter. Please read the prologue before this one. ^_^





Chapter 1: Discord



It was late morning and wonderful weather, with the sun shining above and a few clouds moving idly about. Duo was walking the dog at that time of day, enjoying the mild breezes and greenery of the park. He was especially cheerful because while Hilde did catch him the other day, she only managed to cut off one inch of his three-foot-long braid. While it was a loss on his part, it was a small one and besides, his hair could grow another inch in a couple of months.

?Nice day, eh, Buddy?? Duo grinned at his furry pet, who barked in response. ?Livin? here on Earth is sure nice.?

?Mr. Duo Maxwell, pilot of Gundam 02, Deathscythe HELL,? a voice behind him bluntly spoke, causing the owner of the title to stop abruptly and turn around in the direction of the voice with a glare. Five men in black suits and sunglasses stood with hands folded in the back. Duo couldn?t help snorting. He has seen too many bad guys dressed in that kind of outfits and looking like the CIA.

?Former pilot,? Duo corrected in a clipped tone. ?What do ya want??

?Your life.? The same man spoke, cocking his gun straight at Duo. Unflinchingly, the Shinigami looked straight into the other man?s eye.

?Then come n? get it.? As if on cue, they blurred into action. One man aimed a punch at Duo, but he ducked and countered with a vicious uppercut, the dog leash still gripped in one hand. Right after, Duo dropped to the floor and did a low kick, tripping the man as he recovered from the punch. Duo gave him a nasty kick to the head to silence the felled man. The leader himself let out a good amount of expletives as he tried to aim at the former Gundam pilot, but he was too fast.

The dog took part in the fight as well, biting the second man?s ankle. Cursing, the man took out a pistol, intending to kill it, when Duo punched him hard across the face, making him reel and fall. Stealing the pistol from his hands, the braided soldier swung the gun across the man?s head, taking him out. The last man, the leader, still stood with his gun raised and smirked. He pulled the trigger, but ex-Gundam pilot was too quick, for he ducked and one-handedly shot the man in the leg.

?Looks like you can?t have it, bastards,? he smiled wickedly. The stunned men could only painfully moan in reply. He then took the rest of their guns and threw it in the park?s small swamp, saving only one for his use.

?Come on, Buddy, we gotta go home,? he told the dog, breaking into a run. The dog followed closely behind. He was panicking and utterly furious, hoping desperately that Hilde was safe at home. He kept telling himself that those men were just after only him, no one else, but the nagging feeling of dread came over him.

As he reached the apartment complex, he noticed an unusual black Mercedes parked on the street and a muttered curse passed his lips before he sped up the stairs, almost choking the dog along the way. The door was slightly ajar and he flung it wide open, panting and eyes wide as he saw the scene before him. Three men, identically dressed as the group earlier, stood around the enormous man that held Hilde up in the air by the neck. They all glanced at his direction, startled. Barking, the dog ran past him and ambushed the large man, distracting him. With a grunt of pain, the man released Hilde and she fell to the floor, gasping heavily. If he wasn?t enraged and Hilde wasn?t so beaten up, Duo would have given his girlfriend?s fighting skills credit. Most of them sported bruises in the face and one even limped, his hand covering what made him a man. Apparently, they underestimated her by bringing no weaponry. However, no matter how good she was at fighting, Hilde was outnumbered.

Howling, he lunged at them, his fury engulfing him. He punched them, kicked them, and tore their hair and limbs until they couldn?t even move. He wasn?t so lenient with the strangler however and he continued to wildly attack him, blow after blow until the man was on the edge of death. The punishment wasn?t enough, not enough for the God of Death. He took out the gun and aimed it at terrified man, feeling sadistic pleasure as the massive man weakly pleaded to spare him.

?P-please...don?t kill...me...!?

Duo glowered. ?You don?t deserve to live.?

A shiver went down Hilde?s spine as she gazed at the appalling image of Death. This...this was not Duo. She reached her bruised hand out weakly at him, choking out as another wave of pain seized her, ?Duo!?

At the sound of his mortal name, the God of Death became Duo once more. Forgetting about the strangler, who had by now passed out in emotional stress, he lowered his gun and ran to his girlfriend?s side. He didn?t notice as the injured men struggled to pick up their unconscious colleague and escape the apartment before any more beatings ensue. All he saw was the badly beaten up Hilde, feeling his heart stop in pain. Her face was swollen with the beating and a small river of blood flowed down her temple. When he helped her into an upright position, he felt her side sticky, oozing with the blood he had hoped would never be shed again since Libra.

?Hilde?? he called her name, his voice small and trembling.

?Duo...? she smiled, her voice hoarse. She began to cough violently, more blood coming out of her mouth. Duo wiped the blood off with his sleeve. ?I think I?ve broken a rib.?

?Don?t worry. I?m gonna take you to the hospital...Just hang on,? he spoke quietly, scooping up her petite form in his arms. ?Stay here, Buddy,? he ordered the dog as he went out the door. He ran down the stairs as quickly as he could and arrived at the ground to call a taxi. A taxi didn?t come and Duo desperately looked for some other kind of transportation. Across the street, he spotted a man languidly sitting in an open red sports car, listening to loud techno music. Shifting Hilde?s weight on his arms, he approached the car.

?Hey, what?re you doing?? the bewildered man exclaimed. Ignoring him, Duo gently laid Hilde at the back seat of the car and jumped into the front seat. The driver looked at Hilde and let out an expletive.

?Take us to the hospital,? he snapped, sparing no glance at the man next to him.

?What the hell??Duo smoothly took out the pistol he had saved earlier and pointed the barrel at the man?s thigh.

?NOW,? he threatened. The man raised his hands in surrender and while shaking his head, turned on the engine.



~~~***~~~



The circus was in chaos. Ear-splitting screams, cries of lost children, and shouting calls were filled everywhere as people tried to flee from the area as possible. The civilians rushed out in teeming masses, pushing down equipment and leaving food scattered on the floor. The rest of the circus group was frantically packing up the equipment they were able to spare, their cars screeching away to safety. However, the calm ex-pilot of Gundam Heavyarms stayed to wait for his sister and assess the fear. A mobile suit stood menacingly at the front of the circus, aiming its powerful beam gun at the arena. Catherine was a few feet away, evacuating as many of the circus attendees, trying to be composed in the face of peril like her brother.

?A Serpent mobile suit,? he identified the threat thoughtfully. Why it would be here was not a difficult question to answer, but who sent it to wreck the circus performance made him curious. Trowa frowned a little. With his Gundam already destroyed, he would not be able to fight off the mobile suit. The use of conventional weapons like bombs and guns would be of no use in harming the thick armor made of Neo Titanium alloy. After all, a lightweight material was almost as strong as Gundanium alloy.

?Trowa!? Catherine shouted, fear flashing in her blue-grey eyes. ?The people have left already! Let?s go!? Turning around, Trowa was about to join her and escape, when he looked back and saw the machine?s finger slowly pressing the trigger. Narrowing his eyes, he ran to Catherine and hastily grabbed her wrist. Shooting a quick glance at the weapon as they were running out of the arena, he could see the heat energy forming around the barrel of the blaster gun. He pulled Catherine along faster, his heart pounding in his ears as he fervently hoped they could escape it. The shot was fired, pushing the suit backwards in recoil. Force of the blast sent Trowa and his sister flying to the ground. He covered her to protect her from the flying debris. The ground rumbled in the explosion and smoke engulfed them. He pulled Catherine up once the flare-up settled down and looked at the crater that had almost reached them by inches. They both ran out of the smoke, coughing out the smoke that had filled their lungs. The edges of their clothes were burnt and Catherine?s sleeve was torn off, but they got away with so much as a bruise or cut.

?Catherine, are you all right??

?I?m fine. Thank you, Trowa,? she rasped out. ?Let?s leave.? He didn?t reply as he stared at the mobile suit, which motionlessly stood a couple feet away from the crater. She touched his arm hesitantly. ?Trowa??

?The pilot of that mobile suit wants to deliver one more message.? Sticking his thumbs in the pockets of his green pants, he began to walk to the Serpent. ?Stay here, Catherine, I?ll be back in just a few minutes,? he shot her a meaningful glance over his shoulder. She opened her mouth to protest and then let out a sigh instead.

?That boy,? she muttered in annoyance as she crossed her arms. ?When he gets back, he better have more than ?stay here, Catherine, I?ll be back in just a few minutes? to say to me! I want answers, dammit!?

When Trowa approached the machine, the entrance door was released, the pressure steam surging out of the opening. Out of the shadows, the black-suited pilot appeared and stood near the edge of the small standing platform. The pilot glanced down at Trowa?s relatively small form on the ground, both of them watching each other. There was something he felt familiar about the mysterious pilot, like if he had seen him before. The former Gundam pilot narrowed his eyes, silently demanding the pilot to reveal himself.

Then, as if finally coming to a thought-out decision, the Serpent?s pilot slowly pulled off his helmet, revealing a young woman?s face. Strands of dark blonde hair cascaded down her neck from its holdings in the helmet and two long bangs fell to frame her face. And although Trowa immediately recognized her, nothing betrayed any emotion in his bottomless emerald eyes. However, wearing the indifferent fa?ade of a soldier did not stop a faint shudder from going down his spine as he felt the immense hatred and bitterness that lurked in her icy grey depths. She spoke the next words, quietly but loud enough for his acute sense of hearing to pick up. To an ordinary person, she may have sounded nostalgic in her greeting but laid beneath her calm words were venom and cold fury that only Trowa could detect.

?Seven years pass... And now you are no longer the traveler looking for a home... Now you are no longer without a name...? Her silver eyes narrowed slightly as a grim smile played about her lips. ?But are you no longer with a past??



~~~***~~~



The school hall was completely empty when Heero burst open the entrance doors, striding toward the double doors at the end of the hall. Sounds of applause could be heard from the auditorium and the lucid voice of its powerful speaker resonated in high-quality speakers, the people inside unaware of what would take place. He looked at his watch and let out a curse; there wasn?t much time left. Slamming the auditorium doors open, he ran down the middle isle, paying no attention to the startled high school students or the intercepting teachers. The Preventer guards present at the site walked on the stage, puzzled at Heero?s sudden appearance. Heero Yuy was a well-known but rarely seen member of the group.

Relena was startled at first to find a familiar brown tousle-headed man coming in her direction in the middle of her speech, but it clicked in her mind that there could be someone committing an assassination. From her experience, she knew Heero never comes except in times of trouble. As that thought left her, Heero had jumped up the stage and pushed her down, the sound of a bullet whizzing past them. He was just in time. Students screamed in fright as the panicked teachers hurriedly escorted them out of the room. With the ease of a perfect soldier, he fired back another bullet, Relena still underneath him. She could barely comprehend what was going on, her heart beating rapidly in trepidation. In the background, the leader of the bodyguards shouted out orders.

?Mr. Yuy, how did you know about the assassination?? the leader asked as he approached him.

?Instinct,? Heero curtly replied as he got off the young woman and helped her up with a hand. ?You failed to protect the Vice Foreign Minister.?

The guard glanced away, unable to meet Heero?s accusing gaze. ?Yes sir,? he mumbled reluctantly. ?However, we did find a would-be assassin earlier. I sent in two to watch the area, making sure no other attempts would be made.? Heero did not respond as he whipped out his cell phone and dialed a number.

Turning away from Heero, the Preventer glanced at Relena, who was listening wide-eyed. ?Miss Dorlian, are you all right?? She nodded silently, rubbing the bruised spot on her head that had come in contact with the ground from the shove.

Something was amiss. If what the man said was true, then the assassin must have been one or both of the Preventers sent to guard. Although Heero was reluctant to admit it, a spy?a very skillful spy?had infiltrated the impenetrable Preventers. He tapped his foot impatiently until Lady Une picked up the call.

?Lady Une, I want data of all the Preventers,? he ordered. ?Put all them at site right now under detention. I?ll explain later. Now get me through to Quatre?s conference. As he waited for the second call to go through, he turned to face the bodyguard captain.

?All those under your command as of right now are under detention for the suspicion of spying. Report to the main branch right now and any person who fails to report will be arrested. Orders from the Lady Une,? he said sharply to the appalled man. ?Relena is now under my protection. Go now.? With that, he gestured for Relena to follow him before walking away. By the time Quatre received Heero?s call, the two were already in Heero?s black civic and driving.

?Are you at the conference right now? ...I see. I?m going to send Relena under your protection. Contact the others with your cell and report to Preventers HQ. ...I?ll be there in ten minutes. ...Relena will tell you.? He ended the call and glanced at Relena. ?Have you talked to Quatre??

She furrowed her eyesbrow pensively, ?I met him at the airport. Why??

?He was almost killed at conference.? She let out a small gasp and he continued on. ?A man interrupted the meeting and aimed a gun at Quatre, but one of his Maganacs pushed the man down before he fired. He was arrested, but somehow he escaped from the car.? Relena shook her head, wearily covering her eyes with her forearm.

?I can understand why some would want to kill me. But to kill Quatre...? Heero didn?t reply and they were silent for the some long moments until Relena asked, ?Tell me, how did you know I was about to be killed?? A faint spark of wry humor touched her eyes as she added, ?No matter how good you are it couldn?t have been instinct, Heero.?

?It wasn?t. A warning was given to me from an anonymous caller.?

She couldn?t find another word to say than ?Oh.? For the rest of the ride, not another word was spoken. At times, Heero would glance at her with the corner of his eyes, always finding her absorbed in watching the passing scenery. For a short time, he wondered what was in her thoughts or how she was reacting to his sudden appearance, but he reminded himself that there were serious matters to consider. That email he received the other day alarmed him. How he wasn?t prepared for the warning the message held or the events that had taken place today, especially the fact that a spy had gotten into the Preventers Agency without his notice, infuriated him. If he hadn?t been ignorant, this wouldn?t have happened. He wouldn?t have to immediately leave for Earth from the colonies and rush to save Relena... Well, it was not like he didn?t want to see her; he just didn?t like the current circumstances in which he had to see her. Anyway, back to the subject, he had a dreading suspicion that Quatre and Relena were not the only killing targets. The two kanji the message held was proof that it wasn?t those bitter soldiers who weren?t used to peace or greedy men who lost a fortune in making mobile suits or whatnot. It all had to deal with something more than that. And what it was?Heero didn?t want to think of it.

Meanwhile, the subject of Heero?s thoughts continued to stare out the window, her fingers touching the glass as the outside world passed her by. In spite of the appalling events that took place that day, it felt like time has stopped in the car. It was always like this when she was with Heero. She closed her eyes, feeling the steady beat of her heart go quicker.

?I am Relena Peacecraft Dorlian, Vice Foreign Minister of United Earth Alliance Nations and the former Sanc Kingdom?s Princess Peacecraft,? she remembered her own words. You would think Relena would mature after those two years, and get over a childish crush. But it became more than a crush. He was her pillar of strength, the Gundam pilot who changed her to a better person and he didn?t even know it.

Slowly, Relena turned her head to observe Heero directly. He had not changed at all and it seemed that the Prussian blue eyes were even more intense than before. Reminded of their first meeting, she smiled faintly. As if replying, he cocked his head at her, his hardened eyes interrogating her, but she said nothing. Unable to get an answer from the young woman, the Gundam pilot brought his eyes back on the road and allowed Relena to continue her reflection and scrutiny.

I don?t need him to love me, but I am happy to just love him like this. This will always be a secret, Heero, because I?m afraid to wreck this connection we both share. But all I want is to see you smile one day...if only this had not happened...

Soon after, the car came to a stop and Heero turned off the ignition. ?Let?s go,? he shot her a look before he got out of the car. Sighing, she opened the door and climbed out, slamming the door behind her. Heero was already walking ahead of her, but she had no trouble catching up with his fast pace despite wearing high heels. After all, having been with Heero several times, she was used to walking quicker than her usual gait. Having no patience for the slow underground parking elevators, he went up two flights of stairs, his light footsteps making a faint echo followed by the shrill clacking of Relena?s heels. He waited for Relena to catch up with him at the top before he pushed the steel door open of her. A little out of breath, she muttered a thank you to him as she walked through the door.

The main headquarters of the Preventers was one of the most breathtaking modern architectures of the time. A world-famous architect volunteered to design the building in appreciation for the peace the Preventers were protecting. Made with steel beams, there were two curved buildings with a dome-like building in the middle. It represented two hands protecting the world, the symbol of the Agency.

Heero flashed his ID at the front desk security man as he passed by. The man didn?t even both to ask for her identification. She followed him numbly into the elevators, through doors and corridors, until they arrived at Quatre?s office. Relena wondered how Heero could remember the directions to the office. In her case, she would have probably forgotten and ended up lost in the maze. Heero turned the gold knob and pushed the door open, revealing a worry-stricken Quatre. He had been pacing the floor so much Relena could almost see the trail his feet wore on the red carpet.

?Heero, Miss Relena!? Quatre stopped in mid-pace, stepping forward to greet them. ?Please, come in!? he hastily gestured at the two quest seats before seating himself behind the desk.

?What?s worrying you, Quatre?? Relena asked, beating Heero to the question.

His face was grim and he absently brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. ?Trowa and Duo were under attack as well. A Serpent demolished Trowa?s circus tent. Hilde?s in the hospital.? Relena grasped the arm holder tightly, her face filled with worry. ?And it seems that Wufei hasn?t had trouble?yet.? He frowned as he met Heero?s gaze. ?What do you think this is, Heero?? There was an unusual hesitation in the other young man before he answered back.

?It?s not like the other missions we had. It?s...? There was another pause. He unusually slumped back in his chair, his elbows propped up on the chair?s arms and half of his face was hidden behind his joined hands.

The last word was barely a whisper. ?Revenge.?

Quatre paled and bowed his head in silence, his blond bangs obscuring his turbulent aquamarine eyes. Relena watched them sadly. She understood that although the Gundam pilots brought peace, which was their original intention, they had to slaughter. Taking the lives of soldiers was just the same as taking the lives of the people and now it was time they had to atone.

Why did these boys, no older than seventeen, have to carry the heavy burden of guilt? Because, she thought bitterly, they were kind, just too kind that they would rather fight than let others do it.

?I wonder... Why now?? Quatre asked quietly. His question was left unanswered when Heero abruptly stood up from his chair, his hands shaking and clenching.

?I need...? He let out a sigh, trying to soothe his rattled nerves. ?I need to take a walk. Stay here with Quatre, Relena.? With that, he left the room. For moments, the remaining two sat in silence.

?I guess...he?s taking it harder than I thought.? The former Gundam pilot smiled weakly.

?Quatre...? Relena hugged him, holding his head to her shoulder. He turned his face into her comfort.

?I can?t find the answer, Miss Relena, the answer to atonement. I don?t think any of us know.?

?I?m sure that the answer will come to you. Now is the time to atone and there?s no way stopping it. But,? Relena held his face with her hands, her voice firm and unyielding, ?if you kill yourself now just to satisfy someone?s revenge, then all the lives you have taken away would all be in vain.?

?I know...? He closed his eyes briefly before he opened them. ?Thank you.?

Relena smiled, but she frowned in worry for her hospitalized friend. ?I need to leave to visit Hilde.?

?But?Heero just told us to...?

?I know, I know. But I need to see her.? She shrugged, adding dryly, ?And it?s not like he had ever stayed when I told him to.?

The last statement convinced Quatre enough to consent, even though he didn?t want to be at the wrong end of Heero?s gun when he would find out. ?Fine, but I?ll escort you.?



~~~***~~~



Sally Po walked into the lounge room to get a cup of coffee when she found her partner resting on a couch with his arms crossed and eyes closed. She shook her head, smiling, as she took a paper cup and filled it with the black bitter liquid. After mixing in the cream and sugar, she sat on the opposite couch from her associate, sipping the coffee.

?Exhausted from today?s scouting, Wufei?? she asked, amused.

He opened an eye wearily to look at her. ?No. Just thinking.?

?I see.? They sat in silence before a Preventer rushed into the room. Sally set down her cup on the coffee table and Wufei sat up from his inclined position on the couch. ?What is it, Xi??

?Sally, Wufei!? he called breathlessly. ?Yang Heung has urgent news at the main computer room!? The two others jumped up from their seats and followed the other man in haste.

?What?s up, Heung?? Sally asked as they entered the computer room and reached where the man she called Heung sat. He was engrossed in the screen, typing furiously.

?I?ve found the organization that backed up behind the Barton Foundation, the supplier of the Serpents,? he responded.

?At last, we tracked them down!? Wufei crossed his arms and smirked. ?What?s the name and how did you find it??

?It doesn?t say the name here, sir. I was just back from lunch when I saw a code typed on the screen. I decrypted the code and found this information linking to the Barton Foundation.? Heung snapped his fingers in triumph and took off his glasses to clean them. ?We?ve found the base. All we need is the location and then it?ll be gone.?

The former Altron pilot frowned, ?It couldn?t have just popped out of nowhere. Try hacking into the source of the code and get the location.?

?Sir!? Hueng proceeded in hacking into the source code with no problem at all. Wufei and Sally glanced at each other. This was getting suspicious. ?Sir, I see?what?? The screen turned blank and two large blinking kanji appeared. A timer was set to ten seconds.

?Get out!? Sally roared as she grabbed Heung?s uniform, pulling him out of the chair. The four Preventers scrambled out of the room, just barely reaching the hallway when the bomb exploded and shoved them violently to the ground. Coughing and spluttering, they struggled to get up, their eyes staring in disbelief at the flaming computer room.

Sally wiped the sweat off her brow and shot an authoritative glance at Xi. ?Call the fire department. Now!? She turned to Heung, ?Call for evacuation of this building!? Swiftly, they ran to do their upset superior?s bidding. She saw her partner stand silently before the computer room, the licks of the flames reflected in those obsidian eyes. ?Wufei, what does that kanji mean?? He met her stare with a foreboding calmness.

?It says ?Jinchuu?. It means... ?If Heaven spares you, then we will bring you to judgment.? I?m guessing that would be the name of the organization,? he answered quietly, a shadow crossing over his face. ?And it?s probably the purpose of it as well. They want to bring justice by their own hands to me, and most probably the other former Gundam pilots, who have killed many but received no punishment from Heaven.?



~~~***~~~



Jinchuu?that was all it said in the email and he immediately knew the other Gundam pilots and Relena would be in danger. Heero punched the brick wall of an outlet building, leaving a noticeable denture. He ignored the pain and the trickle of blood that went down his bruised knuckles. It was not supposed to be happening. Peace had arrived, yet people still can?t forget the misery of war. True, he had killed many and he, along with the other four, still carry the guilt... But, like Quatre said, why now? He bent his head down and dug his fingers into his palm, making his knuckles turn white.

He continued to walk down the street, absorbed in his own dark mood. Cars screeched as the irritated drivers slammed on the brakes, shouting expletives at the careless young man in front of them. But Heero didn?t hear them as he crossed the street into the park.

?Hey!? exclaimed a girl as his shoulder collided with hers, but the complaint died on her lips when she saw his bland eyes. He wordlessly passed her by and she stared at his back dumbly, wondering what was wrong with the young man.

He had told himself to mourn for the deaths in the war after the war had ended. There was no need for kindness in battle and that there would be another time where he didn?t have to be a soldier. The war was now over and he no longer had to be a soldier, but the fighting still continued...in himself. These uncertainties were in him since the day he said he didn?t have to kill anymore. It circled in his mind repeatedly as he walked until he fell to his knees, clutching his head in frustration. He felt like going insane.

He heard footsteps, the person?s shadow blocking him from the light. He glanced up and raised a hand to shield his eyes against the blinding orange-red rays of the setting sun in which surrounded the shadow. When his vision focused in on the figure, his Prussian eyes widened. There a young man dressed in all white stood in front of him, a psychotic grin on his pale face. A picture of a boy in rags came to Heero?s mind and he recognized the person before him, uttering the name numbly.

?Akito...? Then a girl, the same girl he saw in his dream, appeared beside the young man with the same impassive look on her face. Heero?s face paled and he was visibly trembling. Heero extended his hand, as if to make sure she was real, but the girl faded away. He turned to stare incredulously at Akito.

?What?s wrong, Heero Yuy?? His voice was acerbic and taunting as he continued to grin. Akito?s hazel eyes were madly lit with odd amusement and burning hatred. ?You look like you?ve seen my sister?s ghost.?



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*dodges rotten potatoes and screaming DuoXHilde fans* Errr...it was for a purpose, readers! Really! I?m not sadistic! It?s just part of the plot! *barely escapes from a scythe* Hey! I won?t be able to write some fluff for them if you kill me! And don?t worry; nothing comes as bad as this one!



Fierysable ? My beta! ^_^ Thank you even though I was annoying you a lot just to get it done! I?ll keep on working on the show vs. tell thing! Man, it?s difficult, but I?ll try!

The Black Rose - You weren?t harsh, but those words about keeping on a story stayed with me for a long while. As of now I have seven chapters done, but I?ll be updating one chapter for a chapter I finish. I finished Chapter Six last week, but took me another week to edit. But I?m glad to speak with you again. =)



My other readers! Thank you for your kind reviews and stay tuned for more chapters!