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Kyuuketsuki Duo
Flipside : Episode 1
New Kid on the Block
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	A flexing of thought, a twitch of the will, and it was no 
problem to get him into the public school.  It was across town from 
where he had taken up residence, so it was likely the best place for him 
to enroll for anonymity.  There were fewer people that would be able to 
claim that they were from the area, fewer people that he might run into 
around his home that he might know.  Besides which, there wasn't really 
any school that was closer to him than this one, nowhere he'd want to go 
in order to get in touch with mainstream culture, anyway.

	Surreptitiously, he tugged slightly on the tie of his uniform as 
he trailed the stodgy instructor to his first class.  It had been a long 
time since he had been condemned to wearing such restrictive clothing, 
and it would take a little getting used to.  Until then, he loosened the 
collar just a bit, not enough for anyone to notice but him.

	::If no one can notice, then why not just keep it that way?::  
Heero's thought rang out in his mind, unheard by any but himself.

	Duo considered it.  ::Why not, indeed?:: he thought back 
silently.  ::Bah, but institutionalized life is already getting to me.  
Keep me sane, okay?::

	::As always.::  Duo could easily sense the mocking bow behind 
the words, just as he could sense the fierce devotion and total truth 
behind the mocking bow.  ::However, I hardly think that you are in any 
danger of being brainwashed by the institution.  It shall be difficult 
for you to forget yourself and your duties, I would imagine.::

	Duo returned a mental smirk.  ::The institution doesn't make me 
forget.  You do.::  Indeed, often as it was Heero who was the one 
reminding him of his duties, Heero was also the one who could help turn 
his mind away from his onerous burden, and help shoulder the heavy 
responsibilities.

	The instructor indicated that they had arrived at their 
destination, and opened the door and stepped in first.  From beyond the 
open portal, Duo could hear the sounds of a rowdy classroom settling 
down, sounds that had not changed since the last time he had stepped 
foot in a classroom.

	::Ready?::  The thought came equipped with support and 
reassurance.  Heero wasn't there at the moment, not physically, but he 
was always with him, one way or another.  Duo never looked forward to 
this moment, meeting all of these people he knew he would eventually 
leave behind again.

	He took a deep breath and schooled his expression into a 
pleasantly neutral one, if somewhat distant.  ::As always.::  He stepped 
through the door with resolve.

	The moment he passed over the threshold, he felt a tingle along 
his otherworldly senses.  It wasn't sending him any danger signs, just 
an alert of something not quite normal, and he felt Heero respond to it 
himself as he casually swept the classroom with his eyes, looking for 
anything out of place.  They both fixed upon the same thing at the same 
time, although Duo was careful to act inconspicuous and normal.

	Duo pointed to the blonde boy seated by the window with a mental 
finger as he listened to the teacher with half an ear.  ::There?::

	Heero was already checking it out, investigating the boy's 
strangely off-kilter aura from the shadows.  ::He has some power.::

	"...picking him up from the headmaster's office," the teacher 
droned on.  "This is our new student."

	"Hello, my name is Duo Maxwell.  Pleased to meet you all," he 
introduced himself to the generally uncaring class.  He couldn't bring 
himself to utter any more meaningless nonsense about how he was looking 
forward to getting to know each and every one of them.  It would have 
been a lie.

	There was one person paying very close attention to him, 
however, even though the boy was taking great pains to pretend that he 
was not.  ::It's not Shinma-related, nor demon-related,:: he observed to 
his lurking partner.  The teacher indicated that he should take a seat, 
across the room from the strange boy, and he did, feeling the boy's 
studiously nonchalant scrutiny follow him.  ::And he might be on to 
me,:: he added, ignoring that twinge of discomfort he got along his 
spine whenever he was being watched like he was at that moment.

	::He doesn't know what he's on to,:: Heero judged.  ::The boy's 
power sleeps.  Uneasily, perhaps.  But it is very definitely untrained.   
I do not believe he is quite aware of it.::

	A textbook was handed down the row to him, and he took it 
automatically, flipping to the correct section for today's lecture.  
::But what is it?  I don't recognize this sort of signature.::  Great, 
the lecture covered material he had lived through.  At least he wouldn't 
have to spend too much time studying, although he did like learning 
something new, every once in a while.  ::It's ... earthy.::  He could 
come up with no better explanation for it.  The power truly seemed tied 
to the earth, something very natural.

	::It seems familiar.  Let me dwell on it.::  Heero discreetly 
withdrew to ponder where he had seen it before, and Duo turned his mind 
mostly to the lecture, trusting his partner to be able to reach a 
conclusion better than he himself.  Maybe he'd catch a bit of 
revisionist history.

                              ************

	::Got it.::

	It was the middle of fourth period, and Duo didn't look up from 
his notes at the voice in his head.  He was well used to multitasking 
like this, and to covering up reactions to things only he could see or 
hear, and very used to having Heero in his head.  He could carry on two 
conversations at once, and return a minor Shinma stray, with a blindfold 
and both hands tied behind his back.  Well, maybe just one hand.

	:: ? ::

	::It's spiritualist energy.::

	:: ? ::  Communicating mind to mind was great.  No need for all 
those unnecessary words.

	Heero's mental tone took on the flavor of a lecture.  
::Spiritualists are humans with power, mostly reactive or 
counteractive.::  Reactive powers were passive, usually sensory 
abilities, although they could include defenses against foreign 
energies.  Counteractive powers were similar, in that they also could 
not be used freely and aggressively.  They were powers that worked only 
against certain other energies, and usually didn't involve anything 
flashy or explosive.  ::I haven't dealt much with their kind.  There 
aren't too many of them, but many of those that are make a living doing 
exorcisms, blessings and the like.  There are many who might claim to be 
spiritualists.::

	::But he's the real thing,:: Duo completed the thought.  
::Inherited, most likely?::

	Heero confirmed it.  ::He should have been trained.  Humans will 
typically come into their power around the onset of puberty.::

	Duo raised a mental eyebrow as he turned the page.  ::And he's 
been wandering around untrained for years, now?  I wonder why his 
parents haven't taken care of it,:: he mused.  He well knew how 
dangerous untrained powers could be, to themselves or others, even 
reactive or counteractive ones.  They could be controlled, if not always 
used at will, and those with uncontrolled sensitivity often went insane 
from extra sensory input coming from an unknown source.  It also made 
him a prime target for abuse or possession by Shinma, demons, or 
whatever other supernatural creature with the proper affinity that might 
wander by.  ::I'll keep an eye on him.::

	::As will I,:: Heero responded, an ominous edge coloring his 
mindvoice.  He was obviously going to be determining whether or not the 
boy was a threat to them, while Duo was more concerned about keeping the 
boy from threatening himself.  All in all, it was a good balance.

                              ************

	Duo sat casually beneath a tree in the far corner of the field, 
where he could easily watch over the grounds.  It was lunchtime, 
although he hadn't brought anything to eat.  There was nothing of any 
particular sustenance that he'd want to be feeding upon in the middle of 
an open field, surrounded by hundreds of blissfully ignorant humans.  He 
could eat 'real' food, if he wanted to, which he might end up having to 
do, just to keep up appearances, but he didn't need to.  It didn't do 
anything for him, nutrition-wise.

	::He's coming.::  Heero had insisted on observing the 
spiritualist boy until the boy was somehow proved not to be a threat.  
He made a mental note to himself that they would have to be circumspect 
once more in exercising their powers, now that there was someone 
sensitive around.  Living among humanity tended to make one complacent 
about that sort of thing.  ::And he's bringing a friend.::

	Duo's outer expression didn't change as his mind wandered over 
to the approaching boy, but his eyes did widen the moment he noticed the 
boy's unobtrusive friend.  ::Heero!  Is that...?::

	A moment of closer analysis.  ::It appears to be so.::  He 
hadn't noticed the blonde's silent friend earlier.  He had been occupied 
with studying the spiritualist himself, and the taller boy seemed to 
have a talent for going unnoticed.  It might have been something to do 
with his brush with power, so many years ago.

	Duo's demeanour did not reflect the incipient panic that was 
waking within him. ::Well, what the heck is he doing here?  I dropped 
him off at an orphanage nowhere near here!::

	Heero reached out and steadied his thoughts gently.  ::Relax.  
He won't recognize you, not consciously.::

	Duo would have shrugged off the comfortable anchoring weight of 
Heero's mind, if he hadn't been clinging to it so tightly.  ::I'm not 
worried about blowing our cover,:: he replied irritably.  ::He bothers 
me!  I've had nightmares about the guy, you know.  But I haven't really 
let it get to me because I always thought that was that, nothing I could 
do about him anymore.  And here he is!  Right where I can do something 
about him.  And I don't know if I should.::

	::Don't go mucking with him again, Duo,:: he warned.  ::It's not 
healthy.::

	::Well, I don't have to go mucking with him directly....::  Duo 
sensed that they had reached his place beneath the tree, but he did not 
acknowledge them overtly.

	::Look at him, Duo.  He seems to be fairly well adjusted.  He's 
got a friend.::

	Duo mentally snorted.  ::And I get practically no emotional 
reading off of him, too.  And I know exactly what happened to all those 
emotions!::

	::He appears to be a functional member of society,:: Heero 
responded reasonably.  ::What more could you possibly want?::

	::But --::

	::It's too late, Duo,:: his partner insisted.  ::His formative 
years are over.  It's too late for him to be forging a new identity.::

	A polite cough interrupted their conversation.  "Excuse me?"

	Duo composed himself carefully.  ::At least study him before 
coming to any conclusions,:: Heero advised.  Duo acknowledged the 
suggestion with a small bit of resignation, then finally looked up at 
the visitors with the same pleasantly neutral face that he had worn for 
most of the day.  He noticed the small blonde react nervously when their 
eyes met, and he considered turning down his power all the way and 
shielding it safely away from his fledgling senses, but decided that he 
could do that later.  For now, he would leave it as it was and observe 
the depths of the boy's sensitivity.

	"Hi.  My name is Quatre Winner," the boy introduced himself, his 
voice not betraying the anxiety which Duo could clearly detect.  "We 
have the same first and fourth period class."  He held out his hand in 
greeting.

	Duo looked down at the hand, weighing the risks.  Physical 
contact would magnify the power of a reactive skill, and he was pretty 
sure he didn't want the boy, Quatre, to be caught up in anything beyond 
his untrained ability to deal with.  He carefully kept his power to 
himself, letting just a tiny hint leak through when he reached out and 
took the boy's hand.  "Duo Maxwell."  He smiled amiably and released the 
hand, noticing that the boy had jumped almost imperceptibly at the 
contact.

	::Stop playing with him.::

	::Just testing his mettle,:: he replied calmly.  "Pleasure to 
meet you."

	Quatre recovered quickly enough, breaking, with a little 
difficulty, the covertly power-laden gaze that Duo had been leveling at 
him.  The boy turned to his friend, who until now had been hiding 
halfway around the tree trunk, and Duo braced himself for contact.  "And 
this is my friend, Trowa.  Trowa Barton."

	Trowa stepped around the tree and met his eyes, and there was no 
denying that this was indeed the boy he had met years ago, the one he 
had freed from Shinma influence, and then taken blood from.  He had 
grown quite a bit since then.  Duo analyzed the boy's aura carefully.  
There was a little bit of his own power mixed into it, but surprisingly 
enough, there was also some of Quatre's.  ::Could he be exerting it 
subconsciously?::

	::It's possible,:: Heero conjectured.  ::But what for?::

	Quatre nudged his silent friend into mumbling a greeting.  Duo 
smiled unthreateningly and nodded back a greeting.  ::I think he's been 
helping him, somehow.  Look.::  He pointed out a few spots in Trowa's 
aura.  ::He's been smoothing off the edges, and it even looks like he 
may have reshaped it a bit.::

	::Then you have nothing to worry about,:: Heero stated mildly.  
::He's being taken care of.::

	Duo sighed at him, but ceded the point.  ::I don't like just 
foisting my problems off on other people.  I think I'll be keeping an 
eye on them, anyway.::  Then he remembered his manners, and tucked his 
power away, indicating that the pair should seat themselves.

	The two arranged themselves.  Duo couldn't help but notice that 
Trowa wasn't so helpless anymore.  Granted, he still hovered in the 
background, but he wasn't cowering anymore, so much as taking up a 
supporting position behind his friend, much like Heero often did for 
him.  He also liked the way Trowa moved with confidence and grace, even 
if he didn't seem quite all there.  But heck, Duo himself was hardly 
completely anywhere, so who was he to criticize?  Whoever Trowa was, 
however, he seemed comfortable with it, and Duo's heart was lightened.

	"So are you new to the area?" Quatre asked.

	Duo suppressed a small laugh.  "Not entirely," he answered 
honestly.  "I'm just coming back to the area.  I've been away for quite 
a while."  He had lived here with his parents for a few years, once, 
very long ago.  He didn't even bother counting the years, anymore.

	"Oh?  Where do you live?"

	He declined to be too specific, gesturing vaguely with his right 
hand.  He was trying to be as truthful as he could without betraying his 
desired anonymity.  "Northern part of town."

	Quatre frowned slightly.  "I didn't think anyone lived out 
there."

	He chuckled lightly.  "Oh, there are a few people out there, if 
you know where to look."  That was right.  There was practically no one 
out there, but if he was lucky, then maybe Quatre would assume that he 
was with one of the shopkeeper families.  The northern district wasn't 
the best neighborhood, consisting as it did of the slums on the one 
side, and the small business district on the other.  His current home 
actually lay a little beyond what was normally considered the northern 
part of town.  It was on the very outskirts, considerably off the main 
road leading out of town, and obscured by some tall trees.

	When he had made some discreet inquiries about his family's old 
estate, he had found rumors of a haunting and a curse, and no one 
interested in the house or land.  After confirming for himself that 
there was nothing otherworldly about the home, besides the once powerful 
wards that his parents had erected, he had moved in.  He had since 
strengthened and reinforced the reactive barriers surrounding the 
estate, shielding that was almost undetectable until it received a 
stimulus.  There was nothing worse than being unable to feel completely 
secure in one's own home, and to be sure, Duo would be quite pissed if 
anyone or anything were ever to trash his home.

	He was saved from evading any further questions by the school's 
bell, signaling the end of lunch.  They stood.

	"I don't suppose you have math next period?" Quatre asked, 
brushing the grass from his pants.

	"Afraid not," he replied, idly stretching his limbs as they 
gathered their things.  ::So what do you think?:: he sent his partner, 
knowing he would have been observing the conversation carefully.

	::They seem okay,:: Heero ventured.  ::But I would still advise 
caution.::

	They started back towards the main campus.  ::Of course.  But 
I'm still going to make nice with them.  Friends close, enemies closer, 
right?::

	Heero grudgingly agreed.  Sometimes the boy listened to him a 
bit too well, but he wasn't going to argue if it kept Duo alive and 
well.

_________________________________________
This piece of fiction is the intellectual 
property of the little turnip that could.  
The basis for this fic, i.e. Gundam Wing, 
Kyuuketsuki Miyu, et al., is the property 
of someone else.  The author can be con-
tacted at jchew@myrealbox.com.  This has 
been an entirely automated message.
http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~jchew/misc/gw.html

last modified : 1/26/2001 23:44:40 PST