A Holiday of Death and Demons
Part 1
By Sefilin
Duo slumped into the nearest chair, having just fallen through the door of the latest in a long line of safe houses, followed by the other four pilots, all exhausted by yet another mission, chipping away at the Romefeller controlled bases scattered in large numbers across the world.
A sigh drifted from his chest, as he considered how things didn't seem to be getting better. Ever since Relena had been made Queen of the World and set up as a figurehead for Romefeller, ever since she had been drugged into accepting directions from Dermail and began advocating certain measures of violence that became more and more heartless, the world had been going downhill. At least people were once again on the side of the Gundams though, that was something to be thankful for.
It had been two years since then, two years of non-stop war and terrorism and death. He shook his head, he may be the God of Death, but he didn't require this many souls and he knew things would be hectic in the afterlife. He doubted things had ever been this bad before.
Wufei had managed to stumble into the kitchen and acquire some tea, which he thoughtfully bought back out, pouring steaming cups for each of them. Murmurs of thanks were heard from each of the other pilots as they gratefully wrapped numb hands about the cups, breathing in the steam and sipped the hot liquid slowly. Duo followed suit, grinning tiredly at Wufei as the Chinese pilot finally served himself and dropped onto the couch next to Trowa.
Someone decided to choose that particular time to knock on the door.
Duo groaned heavily, echoed by the expressions in everyone's eyes as they stared at the door balefully, wanting nothing more than to ignore it. And they managed to for a short while until the knocking began to come continuously.
Then everyone bent stern gazes on Duo, whose seat just happened to be closest to the door. He tried glaring back but was outweighed four to one and managed to finally drag himself up from the comfortable chair and hobbled across to the door, throwing it open with a growled, "What do you want?"
"Ohaiyo, Duo-chan!" came the cheerful reply and his jaw dropped open before he slammed the door shut, and with a sudden burst of energy locked it and scrambled for the chair, shoving it up against the wooden portal, to make sure it stayed shut. Then he backed some few steps away, breathing heavily and watching it as if it was about to jump out and attack him.
Silence reigned in the room behind him as the other pilots stared at him.
"Um, Duo...?" Quatre inquired tentatively.
Which had the effect of making Duo jump, "AAAHHHH!" The wild violet-blue eyes landed with a thud on the blonde and recognition finally entered them and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Um, did any of you see a girl with blue hair at the door?" he whispered nervously, and almost panicked again when they nodded.
"Of course they did, Duo-chan. They're not blind." The blue-haired girl they'd all seen outside the door short moments ago stood in the door that led to the kitchen, "But really, I'm sure I taught you better than that. Don't you know it's rude to slam doors in people's faces?"
Three guns were levelled at her, Heero, Wufei and Trowa all equally trigger-happy after two and a half years of living on the run.
She blinked cutely and her eyes widened, "Duo..."
The braided boy looked at her for a moment, contemplating, until her eyes hardened, promising something unpleasant if the situation didn't change. And soon.
"Ah, it's okay guys," he muttered reluctantly.
"You know her?" Wufei demanded incredulously, still wondering how the heck she'd managed to get inside.
"Um..."
"Of course he does! I'm his mother," the girl proclaimed, walking up to the American and pecking him on the cheek. "You know, dear, your Father's looking for you and he's rather, um, annoyed that you've been hiding for this long."
Duo swallowed and began to reply, "Um..."
"What!" The other pilots interrupted, at a volume that would have done Duo proud.
A sweatdrop appeared on the side of Duo's head as he lifted a hand to set it behind his head, now looking at his fellow pilots nervously, "Um..." he began once again.
"Oh yes, he is. And Duo's Father has a terrible temper, he should know better than to take off and fool around like this."
That managed to break whatever wall had been keeping Duo from talking, "Fool around! I've been fighting for Earth! You think that's fooling around?"
The blue haired girl shook her head sadly, "Honey, that's what's got your Father so upset. He didn't need the increase in work that your own is causing him. And you know how much he hates his work as it is."
"Uh..." Duo went back to speechlessness as he realised that was true.
The other pilots, who still had no real idea of what was going on, decided it was time to find out.
"You're Duo's mother?" Wufei demanded to know.
The blue haired girl smiled widely and nodded happily.
"But you're so young!" Quatre broke in. And he was right. She looked barely eighteen, surely not old enough to have a seventeen-year-old son such as Duo.
The girl giggled, "I'm glad you think so."
"Okaachan, Otousama asked you to come?"
Duo's mother nodded, "Yes. He would like you to go home and help him out with his work. He thinks it's only fair given the number of souls you're sending there yourself."
Duo nodded slowly.
"Duo, what's going on?" Heero asked, glaring at the braided idiot with angry Prussian eyes. "I thought you said you were an orphan."
"Eheh, Heero. I guess I'm not, ne?" he giggled nervously and backed away from the advancing pilot.
"Omae o korosu," he said, feeling somewhat betrayed by his friend.
"Oh, please do! That would make things so much easier," the blue haired girl exclaimed, clapping her hands in emphasis and smiling approvingly at Heero.
"Okaachan!"
Even Heero was a little shocked by the apparent callousness of this girl that claimed to be Duo's mother. He gave up on the idea of strangling Duo in favour of staring at the girl, an activity being indulged in by the other pilots also.
She shrank a little under the looks and muttered defensively, "Well, it's true!"
Duo clapped a hand to his forehead and groaned.
"Besides, if you don't go back, Koenma says he'll send the Reikai Tantei after you, and you know they won't be pleased if they're pulled away from their territories."
"T-the... Hiei-jisan too?" Duo's voice had reverted to nervous.
The girl nodded, "And Hinageshi too."
"Hinageshi?" Duo mouthed, horrified. "Well guys, in that case, I gotta go, take care of Deathscythe for meantime and I'll try to be back sometime soon...ish," he added the last after a glare from his mother's orchid-coloured eyes.
"Wait," Wufei grabbed a hold of Duo just as he was about to move out the front door that had been miraculously cleared of its barricade. "What... what's going on, Duo?"
The braided pilot looked at them for a moment, then shrugged, "It would take too long to explain."
"You could invite them. They've been working hard too, you know and I'm sure they wouldn't mind a holiday, and your father would also appreciate the break. Besides, the Makai is wonderful in spring."
Duo looked at his mother incredulously, "Are you insane? The Makai's as dangerous in spring as any other time, if not more so; everything's looking for mating partners just then!"
"But..."
"I'd like to come," Quatre stated, determinedly. There was no way he was going to let Duo get away with not explaining all this to him. Trowa, Wufei and Heero nodded in agreement.
Duo stared at them then shrugged, "Suit yourselves, but if you get yourselves killed by talking to the wrong things, I am not responsible."
"Oh good! I've been wanting to get to know your friends, I've heard a lot about them and they seem to be such nice boys," which statement gave her a new set of five looks that flowed right off her.
"I swear," muttered Duo, "She's more air headed now than ever. And I thought people were meant to get less so in old age. Maybe it's senility."
Fortunately his mother didn't seem to hear as she ushered the pilots outside. She held out her hand and an oar, such as those used to row boats, appeared in her hand, "It's going to be a little crowded, I think, but I've done had five passengers before."
"I think I'll make my own way there, Okaachan, I can still remember the last time you gave me a ride somewhere," Duo said and stood back from the other pilots who were too busy wondering where the oar came from to hear the subtle warning he had voiced.
"Okay, dear, we'll see you there."
"Um, Mrs...?" Quatre realised he had no idea what to call the girl. From the kimono she wore, she didn't seem to be American, and he didn't want to offend her by calling her Mrs. Maxwell.
"Hmm? Oh! Just call me Botan," she replied. "Now, hop on and we'll get going." The oar she was carrying began to levitate and she hopped on, sitting easily on its narrow and uncomfortable width.
The four pilots automatically climbed on when she waved her hand, too bewildered and confused to refuse. None of them noticed that Duo had disappeared and none of them were in condition to a second later.
Hardened Gundam pilots and soldiers they might be, but a ride on Botan's oar was the most nerve-racking experience any of them had ever had.
An ear piercing 'AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhHHHHH!' followed them all the way to the Reikai.