KC: *yawn*
Quatre: What's wrong?
KC: Late nights, as usual. Class work takes up so much time I have to work to get any writing in, especially when I lose the urge to write.
Duo: Urge? You mean you have to be in the right mood?
KC: Yup. Maybe with all the writing in class that I've been doing these past few semesters, I'm getting burned out.
Treize: So...no urge?
KC: I'm working on it. Our little conversations help.
Duo: *whispers to Heero* If she doesn't get that urge quick, we'll be stuck in fic hell forever!
Heero: Mission accepted. *grabs Wufei and Trowa and runs off stage*
KC: Hey, where they going? I need Heero for the first scene.
Quatre: I'm sure they'll be back. So, you said your classes are hard?
KC: Uh-huh, I've got seven essays to write before Thursday. Fortunately I don't have to read anything else for Political Science now, since I got out of that class a little early. Instead I just have two books to read this weekend so I can write the essays before the semester ends.
*doors suddenly burst open and Heero, Trowa, and Wufei strut in. Yes, strut. Heero has a pitcher of water, Trowa has a towel, and Wufei has...shampoo?*
Heero: She's got the urge!
Trowa: She's got the urge...to herbal!1
KC: o.o
Wufei: *reads directions on bottle and mumbles* Lather, rinse, repeat...lalalalalalalala!
Duo: I can't believe he forgot the lyrics.
Heero: Lalalalalalalala! *whips off his tanktop*
KC, Duo: O.O
Trowa: She's got the urge!
Wufei: Natural botanicals! *both remove their shirts*
KC, Quatre, Treize: @.@
Heero: *pours water to rinse* She's got the urge!
Heero, Wufei, and Trowa suddenly start doing a can can across the room, kicking their legs, then jump on the table tops. Heero takes Wufei's left arm, Trowa the right, and Wufei does a little backwards flip to land while kicking his pants off and leaving him in tight black boxers with red dragons.
All: (@).(@)
Treize: :P
KC: *pop*eyes explode*
Duo: Um, I think you guys overdid it.
KC: Ay, mis ojos...
Quatre: She knows Spanish?
KC: Ay, Dios mio...
Duo: Mexican. She's not a pretentious New Mexican afraid to be brown.2
KC: Yo quiero Taco Bell...3
Wufei: I think that's the extent of her Mexican language abilities.
KC: No, really. I wanna bean and cheese burrito.
Trowa: No food for you. You're already pushing 135 pounds and you're only five three.
KC: *cruel comment makes new eyes bug out* Trowa Barton, how dare you say that! *smack*
Trowa: My hair!
Quatre: Ooh, electric blue suits you!
Trowa: But it's true...
KC: I don't care! Everyone, disregard his last comment.
Heero: I guess you're out of your depressed funk.
KC: I guess so...good thing, this conversation was long. But first, food...
Duo: Fatty fatty two by four can't get through the kitchen door!
KC: Ooh, stop it! *chases Duo, then stops* Oh, I have a better idea.
Duo: Huh?
KC: *evil cackle* I'll just set you up for some angst later on! *sits down*
Duo: Argh...
Heero: You want the fic to end, right?
Duo: Bite me, Heero.
Two seconds later.
Duo: Ow!
*
Duo woke up with sunlight streaming in through the window and birds singing on the balcony. A few fluffy clouds dotted the sky, and he could hear light strains of the louder merchants in the market. With a muffled curse, he turned on his side and closed his eyes again.
"Still tired?"
Duo didn't have to look up to know that Heero was already out of bed. "Yes, very. How can you be up? Weren't we awake an hour ago?"
"No," Heero shook his head and stepped close to the bed. "You've been asleep for seven or eight hours now."
Duo cracked one eye open. "Really?"
"I let you sleep in."
Duo heaved a particularly heavy sigh. "So I have to get up now?"
Heero nodded.
Duo groaned as he forced himself to sit upright. "Fine, I didn't wanna sleep anyway."
Heero smirked and tossed him a small bundle of clothing. "Don't worry, a bath should wake you up."
The slave picked up the clothing and the black towel that accompanied it. "More likely I'll feel even sleepier."
"Don't forget the hairbrush," Heero reminded him.
"Huh? Oh, right..." Eyes half shut, Duo scrounged around the table top and curled his fingers around the brush's hand, stuffing it into the clothing. "Got it."
"Mm, maybe it'd be best if I carried you to the baths," Heero smiled. "You might drift off in the hall."
Duo grinned. "Ha...got you to smile, at least." He held his hands out like a child waiting for a piggy back ride.
Heero bent and scooped his slave into his arms, making sure Duo placed his bundle on his lap and that the towels decently covered the right amount of skin. "I think you're getting spoiled."
Duo kissed Heero's cheek and settled against his shoulder, closing his eyes to drowse. "Is that bad?"
"Spoiled slaves have a reputation for being willful." Heero kicked the door shut and started down the hall, turning left.
Duo blinked and stared at him before allowing a little smile to creep over his face. "I thought a little willfulness was fun."
Heero glanced sideways at him, and his eyes darkened with something other than anger. "True...still, I could put you in chains and toy with you for awhile, just to be sure." Thoughts of a nude Duo in chains, his ankles hobbled, hands locked behind him and leashed to the bed, reminded Heero that he was only wearing a loose and rather revealing robe. He turned down another hall.
Duo frowned and stared ahead of them. "Where're we going? I don't recognize this place."
"It's just a different route to the baths," Heero answered. "I wanted to avoid seeing anyone."
"'Cause...of last night?" Duo asked, stopping himself just before he mentioned the old monarch's passing.
Heero nodded once. "Very few people know about the king's death," he said, switching subjects. "But I wouldn't be surprised if Wufei is all right now."
Duo groaned and lay his head back on his master's shoulder. "I guess that means more tutoring."
Heero smirked. "Yes, but I'll need you to do something for me before you start that. With J dead, the king's bed chambers are now mine. I need you to clean it out so the servants can bring our things in."
"You want everything out?"
Heero shook his head and turned another corner, finally at the baths. "No. Just the things you don't think we'd need. Quatre and Wufei will help you."
"Um...you don't think there'll be anything...you know..." Duo twisted his braid nervously. "Like in the lab?"
"I don't know," Heero answered. "But Wufei can handle just about anything." He hesitated. "So can you."
Duo stared at Heero, puzzled by the odd answer. Once they were inside the private bath and the door locked, Heero set his slave down on the edge of the pool and shoved the clothing to the side. He sat down and slipped into the water, then turned and put his hands on Duo's waist, helping him in after. Regardless of his prior experiences, Duo maintained a tight grip on Heero's arm until he felt his feet touch bottom.
"What do you mean?" Duo asked as he leaned on the tiled side.
Heero took a moment to reply, using a dripping wet hand to push some of his hair out of the way. "Duo, what do you think of Wufei?"
"Huh?" Blinking at the subject change, he narrowed his eye. "What?"
"Is he a good person or a bad person?"
"Good," Duo said in a tone that implied that was obvious.
"Despite your religion's taboo on magick?"
Duo lowered his eyes, but he could still see himself in the pool's reflection. "I dunno...Sister said it was poison, and that poisoners shouldn't live...but he's not hurting anyone." He sighed irately. "Besides, he doesn't have much choice in the spells he casts." 4
"Then you don't think that magick is evil?" Heero prodded.
Duo shrugged, unwilling to continue the conversation. "I...maybe it depends on how it's used."
That's not promising, Heero thought. "And Quatre's fortune-telling? I know you haven't had a chance to see him do it yet."
"How's he do it?" Duo asked, suddenly lively again. "Does he use cards? Down at the market, there's a woman who uses big cards with weird pictures on them, but she never let me look and she never let them out of her hands, so I couldn't snatch 'em. Or maybe dice, I've seen those--he doesn't sacrifice animals, does he? There was a beggar who said he'd seen a wizard cut up a lamb and look inside the guts--"
Heero clamped his hand over Duo's mouth, breaking off the nonstop flow. "Don't you ever need to take a breath?" he wondered out loud. He felt Duo's lips purse into a kiss on his palm, and he lowered his hand as he moved closer.
"Only after a kiss," Duo grinned.
"Then let's give your voice a rest." He pressed Duo's body against the cold tile and put his arms on either side of him, blocking him in for a lingering kiss.
*
Treize paced back and forth in his room, occasionally pausing to look in his mirror and straighten his already impeccably straight uniform before resuming his pacing. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Wufei yawned and undid the first button on his long white coat. Sunlight streamed in through the window and made the room warmer than usual, and Wufei wondered how his master could stand wearing that uniform without showing any signs of discomfort.
"Must we wait here?" he asked. "I'm sure they could use our help."
Treize didn't even break step. "No, better to stay up here for now. If Oz sees me there, they might panic and try to run off. Zechs and Noin can handle it."
"Every single guard?" Wufei scoffed.
"And once again, my slave proves he wasn't listening to me," Treize griped, staring at him.
Wufei smirked and leaned down, letting the loosened coat expose a little skin. "I was a bit more intent on your lips than your words, love."
Treize raised one eyebrow. "Not now, Wufei. I can't be distracted right now. Too much is riding on this."
"Relax, you'll do fine." Wufei raised one arm and conjured up a tiny spark of light in his palm. "If any of those traitors tries to hurt you..." The spark flared into a shower of flames that exploded in all directions and vanished before they burnt anything.
"I'm counting on that," Treize said, halting his steps. "You'll have to be ready if they attack." His words trailed as Wufei smiled and gave a little, private laugh. There were few times that his slave unnerved him, but once in awhile he would be reminded that he'd brought a clever little mystery back from the war.
Wufei stood up and beckoned his master to the window, pointing at the walls that ran around the palace. "There, at the corner."
Treize followed his look. "What? I don't see anything."
Wufei chuckled and waved a hand at the plain white surface. A glimmer ran along the wall, reflecting the palace and the garden, then faded. "All the magick I need is already embedded in the rock, already structured. It only needs to be told what to do."
Treize gazed down at him. "In the wards?"
Wufei tilted his head. "Partly." He sat down on the window sill, extending his arm so he could hold Treize's hand. "Do you know where magick comes from?"
Treize sat down beside him and shook his head. "You told me once it isn't created or destroyed. Just transformed."
"That's true enough, but I never told you where it hides when it's not in use. Its resting place."
"Like...a grave?"
"No, not a grave," Wufei laughed. "Not that kind of resting place. It's like a fruit tree, actually. It bears magick, which is used, but then that magick immediately returns to the tree after it's done working. You can see the effects of magick just about everywhere, except few people know where to look. Even fewer know where the tree is."
Treize narrowed his eyes. "Are there more sorcerers in this city?"
Wufei blinked. "What?"
"You said magick's working everywhere. Who's using it?"
A light of recognition entered the sorcerer's eyes, and he grinned. "Oh...not sorcerers, love. Earth. The land itself uses magick, although not in such a contrived fashion as humans do. Earth does not need spells, only the raw magick. And it's been spread through everything, all the rivers and oceans and mountains." He gave a wistful sigh. "All the mountains."
Treize lay his hand on Wufei's cheek, brushing the loose strands back. "You miss them, don't you?"
Wufei shrugged. "I grew up there, in the forests on the mountainsides. In the mornings, you could see mist over the tree tops and mossy rocks. You could hear the waterfalls if the day was clear." He covered Treize's hand with his own to hold it steady. "It's so flat here. Sometimes, though, when I look outside, I can imagine I can see them just because it's so flat. I can almost hear wind rushing through the crevices. But illusions fade, and I'm left with sand and dry wind and my...love."
He'd almost said master.
Someone knocked on the door, and Treize had his hand on the hilt before he stood up. "Yes, who is it?"
"Me," Noin called. "We've got most of the guards assembled in the training yard, sir."
Treize rushed across the room and threw open the door. "You left Zechs with that small army?"
She shook her head. "No, sir, Quatre's maganacs are standing with him, along with the guards we're sure are loyal. He sent me to tell you everything's ready."
Treize paused, then nodded once and turned to his slave. "All right. Let's go."
Wufei held his hand up, and his ebony staff leaning against the opposite wall jerked to attention and flew obediently into his grip. "Nataku, come."
From her comfy pillow, she looked up and puffed a bit of smoke. Still sleepy. You kept me up last night.
Wufei snorted. "And you didn't help with the pain."
Don't argue, she snapped. They're your stupid human customs, obeying people, letting them lock you up.
"Now, or I'll let you hunt for your food like a wild dragon."
Her scales fluttered on her back at the insinuation, but she flew to his shoulder and curled her tail almost painfully around his throat. Keep the insults up and I'll leave another dead mouse in your bed.
Wufei merely rolled his eyes and moved to stand beside Treize.
"Is she all right?" the master asked.
"Physically, at least." Wufei gave no hint of how dangerous baiting a dragon could be, especially when said dragon's sharp teeth lay not an inch from his face.
Noin backed away to let Treize take the lead, and Wufei followed just a step behind his master. After a minute he noticed that Treize's nervous rush and longer legs were giving him a sizeable lead, leaving Wufei farther and farther back. A tiny puff behind him told the sorcerer that Noin was also having a hard time keeping up. Instead of distracting Treize and mentioning it, however, he held his staff vertically as they walked. A few seconds later, his feet left the floor and he floated just a few inches off the ground, matching his master's pace.
"Show off," Noin breathed as she took a few quick steps to catch up.
Wufei held back his smirk.
Just ahead of them, Treize suddenly halted at the door leading to the courtyard. "Are you ready?" he asked.
They both nodded.
Without another word, Treize opened the door and stepped through.
*
Duo splashed his hands on the water's surface, trying to get a little water on his master behind him, but Heero had wrapped one arm around Duo's waist and trapped his arms against his sides. His other hand, meanwhile, lathered up the long hair swept in front of Duo, his fingers brushing his chest occasionally.
"Duo..."
Purple eyes tilted around to look into his. "Yes?"
"Do you remember when you first came here? What you said about the water?"
Duo shook his head. "No, not really."
Before he answered, Heero dipped him to the side so the water would soak the soap out. Duo's fingers dug into Heero's arms and nearly bruised the prince until he was brought back upright. Heero brushed his bangs aside and let him hang onto the side of the pool.
"You said there wasn't enough water for anyone to bathe in. That it was all for drinking." Heero pushed himself out of the water and sat on the edge beside his slave. "Did you mean that?"
Some of Duo's cheerfulness subsided with his nod. "Uh-huh. We always got some at the church, but then when Father and Sister died, we had steal water jars from people's houses."
"But the rain reserves are still full, and the aqueducts bring in water from the ocean," Heero argued.
Duo looked up at him. "I always wondered how that worked. I mean, how many miles is that? All that work just to get it here, and then you gotta--"
"Later, Duo," Heero replied, laying his hand on the brown hair. "But why steal water? There are bath houses in all parts of Lagrange."
Duo frowned when he said that. "Well, yeah, but no one's allowed in them. You gotta pay to go in."
"Pay?" Heero repeated unbelieving. "Those are public houses!"
Certain his master's anger focused on him, Duo ducked down into the water until he was up to his chin, more worried about Heero's fists than slipping underwater. Heero noticed how his slave shied away and frowned, which only made Duo submerge until just his eyes showed. The prince eased back into the water and stretched his hands out towards Duo, who tensed as he came closer.
"Calm down," Heero snapped, irritated. He gently seized Duo's shoulders and pulled him against his own body. "I'm not angry at you."
Duo obediently set his head on Heero's shoulder, but his muscles didn't relax and they both felt it.
"Duo...I promise, I won't ever hurt you again." Calling on sexual techniques he'd been taught years ago, he began tiny little kisses along the base of Duo's throat and worked slowly up to his jaw, moving to the back of his ear before coming back to his shoulder again. He paused to see if his ministrations were working, but Duo's body had loosened only a little.
"I won't hit you," Heero murmured. "You're safe with me." He set his hands on Duo's sides, just beneath his ribs, and lightly squeezed. Duo made an indecipherable sound and shuddered, and when he stopped, his muscles had relaxed a bit. Heero placed his fingers at the top of Duo's back and pressed firmly, drawing his fingertips down to the end of his spine. His slave groaned and arched into Heero's body, and his arms sagged as he relied more and more on Heero's strength to hold him above water.
"You're not angry?" Duo whispered, tentatively circling his arms around his master's waist.
"Not with you," Heero replied. "But those baths...they belong to the city. Everyone is supposed to have free access, that's part of why they pay the taxes. Do you know who keeps people out?"
Duo frowned in thought. "They look like the city guard. They're real big, and you can only get in with twenty denars. But sometimes, I've seen people try to get in, and then they charge a whole nari!"
"Do they make everyone pay?" Heero asked. If it's just the guards, then I need only change them out for uncorrupted--
"No. I've seen some go in for free, when there's someone else with them. It's usually some old guy with a beard. I used to keep an eye out 'cause his wallet was easy to snatch."
"Did you know their names?"
"I think the old guy's called Dermil, or something like that. Usually he'd be with some guy with a metal nose."
Heero furrowed his brow. "A metal...? You mean a prosthesis?"
Duo blinked, not recognizing the long word. "Um...like when it's cut off, and they put a fake one on. Like my friend Howard, he's got a fake tooth."
"Dermil?" Heero whispered to himself. "Duo, could the name have been Dermail?"
A light of recognition sparked in his lover's eyes. "Yeah, that's it! How'd you know?"
"He's supposed to supervise part of the city," Heero replied. "He's a duke, so he also funds part of our army. If he's turned traitor...this could be a lot more serious than just one faction..."
"You mean...war?" Duo murmured.
"Civil war," Heero clarified. "And if...the Bartons...damn...I can't do anything here just guessing." He idly ran his fingers through Duo's hair, not registering how the tension left his body. I haven't even told him what he can do yet, he complained quietly. And it doesn't sound like he's going to take it too well. He sighed and closed his eyes. He could give him one more day of blissful ignorance before hitting him with that information.
"Heero?"
Heero opened his eyes.
"Are...are you ever gonna tell anyone about...last night?" Duo backed up a bit so he could look into Heero's face.
Heero nodded once. "Not yet. No one knows that I'm in control. I can use that." He took a deep breath. "Duo, I'm going to need your help."
His violet eyes widened and he grinned. "Anything you want."
"Come with me to the city. I've still got the Romafellers and the rest of the court here. Sneaking into their own little palaces now shouldn't be difficult, and I could find a lot more information there."
If it was possible, Duo's grin widened. "Really? Can I keep what I find?"
Heero smiled softly. He couldn't help it. "Yes, if I don't need it."
*
At first the abrupt burst of daylight overpowered Wufei's eyes, but following in his master's shadow, he had an excuse to keep his eyes low until they adjusted. He heard a communal gasp from the guards, most likely because of his unusual method of traveling. Coming to a halt beside Treize, he looked up and gave his own little gasp.
Half of the guard stood before them, Zechs in front without his mask. Wufei vaguely recalled that the fight in the dungeon had destroyed it, and he wondered if he should help create a new one. The soldier's eyes were so piercing and the hair so distracting that the mask might actually make him less daunting.
Beside Zechs, a line of Quatre's Maganacs circled around the grouped guards, swords still in their hilts. Nevertheless, their sheer size intimidated most of those guards deemed loyal who had to stand with them to spread out their ranks. The head of the Maganacs towered over just about everyone else, and his sword was already halfway out of its hilt.
"Good to see you again, little one," he greeted Wufei.
The sorcerer smiled and tilted his head respectfully. "It's been awhile, Rashid."
Treize slowed his step until he stopped beside Zechs. "This all of them?"
Zechs shook his head. "No, we couldn't get some of the city guards, and I'm sure that they've run off by now. Most of the palace guard is trustworthy, but the real problem seems to be the newest recruits."
Treize nodded once and looked out over the circled crowd. "Has anyone told you why you've been gathered here?" he called out.
Some replied with a shake of their head, but most lowered their eyes or looked away.
"You are standing here," Treize continued, "because you are suspected of belonging to an organization called Oz! Oz has already made attempts on the lives of our prince and Queen Relena. Attempts have also been made to discredit those closest to them." He paused to take a deep breath. "Normally the penalty for associating with traitors and assassins is death. However, the prince has mercifully allowed me to extend a full pardon for any mercenary Oz agents who become true guards, without fear of losing their heads. All you must do is receive a geis. All the spell requires is that you swear loyalty to the king and our prince, exactly the same as every guard must take."
For a few seconds, nothing was said. Everyone scanned the suspected group, wondering if the mercenaries would take the offer. Zechs lay one hand on his hilt and started breathing shallow. The tension slowly rose. If something didn't happen soon, a fight could easily break out. Their worst fear would be anyone's desperate bid for escape.
"A full pardon?" one man finally asked, raising his eyes slightly.
Treize nodded, realizing with a start that he'd never have thought this man would be a traitor. "Yes. With full pay and privileges accorded to every guard."
The man, a blonde nearly as tall as Zechs, stepped forward. "I'll take the spell."
Before Treize could say anything, Wufei came close and brought out a strip of paper from some hidden pocket. Covered with a few black symbols, the paper was pressed to the man's heart.
Wufei stared into the man's eyes, noting the man's aversion to his presence and Nataku's grinning teeth. "Do you swear loyalty to our King J and Prince Heero, and all their decrees and decisions?"
The blonde nodded. "Yes."
The paper disappeared without any burst of light or lightning. It merely evaporated. Nataku darted her head out and licked up the remaining particles in the air, startling the new soldier.
"Was that so frightening?" Wufei smirked.
Treize smiled softly. "What's your name?"
"Walker, sir."
"Walker, join the circle." While the blonde merged with the rest of the guards and Maganacs, Treize looked back at the crowd. "Well, who's next?"
With the ice broken, a slow and steady line of men formed to take the spell. Not one mercenary lingered, and Treize realized that Zechs and Noin had done a very good job indeed of finding the Oz spies.
An hour later, Treize, his slave and his two officers headed back inside the palace, their muscles throbbing with dull pains. Noin leaned on Zechs in a rather unmilitary fashion, but he didn't shrug her away. Beside them, Wufei floated next to his master, eyes shut as he leaned on the staff. Treize kept one hand on his slave's waist, gently guiding him down the hall and away from corners and other people.
"I've never cast so many spells," Wufei grumbled. "Not one after another."
"At least you haven't fainted," Zechs said in a neutral tone. "Yet."
Wufei narrowed his eyes at him before he understood he was being teased. "Treize, may I turn your second into a peacock?"
Zechs rolled his eyes, but Noin grinned. "Aw, that'd be cute. I'm sure Une could dig you some worms, dear."
"Perhaps you should be the bird," Zechs offered.
"She doesn't have the hair for it," Wufei chuckled.
They passed into another empty hallway, and now the sounds of servants and guards bustling about were distant and faint. Zechs waited until he was positive that they were alone, then turned and put his hand on his captain's arm. "Treize, I didn't say anything before, but you called Heero 'prince.' One of my men on royal watch duty told me last night that King J di--"
"Quiet," Treize whispered, looking around quickly. "Not here, it's too open. We have to discuss this somewhere private."
"The clearing in the garden," Wufei offered, not bothering to open his eyes. "It has a silence spell on it. No one will hear you outside of it."
"Silence spell?" Zechs wondered aloud. "What're you doing that you need to hide?"
Wufei shot him an irate glare. "Turning living things to stone. Or would you like everyone to know how to turn you into a big diamond statue?"
Zechs held one hand up to placate him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to suggest anything."
"It's a good idea," Treize said. "Wufei, did Heero tell you--?"
"To help Duo in the bedchambers?" Wufei finished for him. "He did. Shall I go now?"
Treize nodded. "I'll see you in a few hours. Be careful." As he turned to leave, however, Treize turned back. "Wufei?"
The sorcerer glanced over his shoulder. "Yes?"
"Will anything in there turn me into a duck or a mouse or something?"
Wufei couldn't help his mischievous smile. "No, master. No spelled fruit today."
Zechs groaned. "Oh, that's reassuring."
*
Author's Notes
1. I did not write the Herbal Essence Shampoo commercials, that's where some of the lyrics from the top conversation come from. I don't own H.E. Shampoo. I wish I did.
2. Duo mentioned New Mexicans afraid to be brown. For those of you who don't know, plenty of civilians in New Mexico, the state between Arizona and Texas, don't like to be called Mexican or Native American. They think being called that is insultive. They like to pretend they are all "Spanish" and that their ancestors came from Spain. If they admit to having an Indian in their ancestry, it is always an "Indian Princess." Never a commoner. Pretentious bastards. Like the Spanish brought a lot of white women with them to watch the enslavement and torture. Let me say right now I am an American mongrel. I only know my ancestors back to great grandfathers on either side of the family. One branch came from Wales as coal miners and later were enlisted army personnel, while the other half came from deep Mexico with Indian blood. Unfortunately, we don't know the tribe, but every time I look in a history book at a picture of a Southwestern Native American, it looks like they could be family.
3. Neither did I write the Taco Bell commercials. I'm glad I didn't. I'm also glad I don't own them or the chihuahua.
4. Exodus 22:18, the infamous "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" line is not the original meaning and is a false translation. A full explanation of Duo's mention of poisoners can be found at "http://templeofbast.com/WitchToLive.html".
*
KC: Hey, I just realized something!
Duo: She can be taught!
Wufei: Hallelujah!
KC: *grrr* Anyway, I was thinking--
Heero: Did it hurt?
KC: --thinking about what I read in a review awhile ago, about how just about all the main characters here are homosexual, and what the odds were on that. Now, I had thought it was just one of the weird things about gundam wing yaoi stories where everyone's gay, but at least in this story it's not so far-fetched!
Trowa: What do you mean?
KC: Well, the idea that everyone would be homosexual has some statistical odds against it, but the characters here aren't from the same area or class! Wufei's from China, Quatre's from Corazon, Trowa's not related to Heero, Duo's from the city, and Heero...well, good question. Sally and Une and Relena and Dorothy are the only lesbians I've put here. So that's...*mumbles*...Sally, Une, Heero and Duo from one country, and not even the same socioeconomic class, while Trowa's family are traveling circus performers from God alone knows where, Wufei and Quatre are from two entirely different countries, and the same for Relena and Dorothy.
Quatre: So?
KC: So, that's about ten gay people out of...China, Corazon, Sank, Lagrange and a wandering family. So, if you really are attracted to people of the same sex, and there aren't that many other people out of the closet, wouldn't you not settle down until you found them? And then wouldn't it be easier to survive if you were in a position where you were either somewhat above the social laws or where your skills were so vital that they wouldn't get rid of you? It seems like Heero and Duo met by chance, same for Trowa and Quatre, and definitely for Wufei and Treize.
Trowa: Meaning?
KC: A plot about a bunch of gay people in the past like this isn't so far-fetched at all! In fact, the most outlandish part is the magick! And you know what? Wouldn't the same go for the series itself?
Duo: Keep going, I think you're on to something here!
KC: Yeah! All the boys are from different backgrounds, so each of them would have the same chance of being gay, character-wise. It's not like they were all born to one colony. It's possible mathematically! After all, the sequence 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, is just as random as any other sequence. The idea that all of them could be gay is just as probable as all of them being straight. After all, this is only one handful of people here. Anything could be possible!
Quatre: I like this conversation!
KC: So, can I get a demonstration of what I've just half-proved?
Heero: You've already violated all of our privacy.
KC: Huh?
Wufei: Woman, go find a man and get laid.
KC: I'm trying, dammit!
Back to Heero + Duo
Back to Quatre + Trowa
Back to Wufei + Other
Back to Multiple Pairings