Chapter 9
"Soa Maxwell . . ." Soa whispered, they had relocated back to the pilot's house and were now contemplating what to do next. Soa was in the bathroom, he had come there to wash his hands for dinner, but now. . . seeing his face in the mirror . . . was odd. This face . . . it didn't belong to him It belonged to someone else. He slid his hand over the surface of the mirror, confused about the image it reflected. Simple hazel eyes, an easy going face, and of course, his black jacket, white shirt and jeans. His smooth fingertips brushed over the surface of the glass on the mirror.
"No. I'm not this . . . Soa. I'm not him. I'm someone else." He muttered, then scowled, his face turned to one of fury. "I'M NOT SOA!!" He screamed and slammed his fist against the mirror, it shattered beneath the impact and left the teen with a bloodied hand. He stared at it dumbly as little droplets fell into the sink, mixing with the broken shards.
"I'm not Soa . . ."
"Soa?! What was that crash?!" A call sounded, he turned. His eyes narrowed, Rya gasped softly and rushed forward.
"Are you alright?" She asked quickly, grabbing a towel she wrapped it around his hand and brought him out into the kitchen where the others were, all preparing supper. Duo took one look at Soa, Heero read Soa's and Rya's mind. Both dropped what they were doing, Duo pulled a chair out for Soa, Heero grabbed the first aid box from a cupboard.
"Geez! The hell are you doing moron?" Duo demanded removing the towel and wincing upon seeing the bloodied mess. Heero only shook his head and began to clean off the blood and . . . that was odd. There was supposed to be mirror shards in his hand, why wasn't there? No need for an disinfectant either, the wound looked very clean. That was odd. Heero looked up. Was it possible that Soa still had his god powers? After all, his roots ran for over 7 million years, powers like that don't just vanish. Heero promptly resolved to find that out, AFTER.
"What were you thinking Soa?!" Rya demanded.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
Silence, even Heero had stopped to look up at him.
"What?" Duo whispered.
"Don't call me that name. It's not mine." Soa snapped harshly, his eyes narrowed with hidden pain and suffering. Duo shook his head and took a breath.
"Then, how about . . . . . Chrysaetos?" Soa jerked a bit.
"Still not mine." He growled.
"Yojii."
Silence reigned once again. Everyone looked at Heero who had spoken the name.
"What?" Soa whispered.
"Yojii. Do you remember me?" Heero asked, he looked up at Soa with clear eyes, a piercing gaze. Soa flinched. Before he even knew what he was doing, he opened his mouth and whispered;
"Alex." Heero smiled and nodded. Duo's eyes widened.
"What about me?" He asked eagerly, if Soa could remember his best friend, then he HAD to remember his brother! Soa looked at him, anger suddenly flared across his face.
"Traitor." He spat without knowing why, then the anger fled leaving him with a throbbing head. Duo had taken a step back.
"Traitor?" Wufei looked at Trowa and Quatra, who looked just as lost as them. Heero finished tying the knot on the bandage and stood. Putting the box back into the cupboard he sighed heavily.
"Duo. Living room. Now." He ordered and walked out of the kitchen. Duo followed. Soa stared after them, still clutching his throbbing head.
~~~
"What happened?" Heero snapped as soon as the door closed.
"What?!" Duo demanded.
"What happened in the high court!"
"High c-?"
"The place where Soa took that crystal from his body and threw it onto the ground!" Duo raised an eyebrow.
"If you already know that, then you already know what happened."
"No, I know that at least because that was Soa's focus point. And a god's focus point must come from somewhere in the body. What happened." Heero demanded. Duo paled.
"Alright. . . . it's . . . . . it's not pretty." He whispered and began from the beginning.
~~~
Heero slumped into a cushioned arm chair.
"So that's it. He remembered." Heero said tiredly and brought a hand up in hopes to quell his throbbing temples.
"Remember what?" Duo snapped crossly. Heero sighed and looked at Duo in the eye.
"As the god of death, I retain all my memories from my previous lives. In time grant you, usually it take around 50 years for a god to fully regain his memories. Do you remember when Soa . . ."
"Soa what?" Duo asked raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"When he committed suicide?"
Duo stiffened.
~ Flashback ~
Duo remember that time, he had been by his mother's side, in shock, but also mostly, curiosity.
"Mama! Where's Soa! I want to play with him." Duo said tugging at her skirt. She didn't pay any attention to him. "Mom!" He cried. She looked at him.
"Not now Duo . . ." She whispered. Duo pouted heavily, from the corner of his eye, stood a man robed in armor, a sword clasped to his belt and a golden band around his forehead, unruly dark brown hair went down his back in a ponytail and was messily scattered over his eyes. Gallantry, god of Courage. He spared a glance and Duo, before shaking his head and walking out of there.
~:~
"Do you think what Cyprus said is true?" Lila asked Tarn.
"It can't be! It CAN'T! I refuse to believe, it, this was merely . . . a cry for attention. Yes, that's it. When Soa is reborn, we will keep the thought of death away from him. That's best." Tarn said softly. The door opened slowly.
"It is time." Jepson declared easily. Tarn and Lila both looked at each other, then nodded and walked out.
~:~
It was done, the cycle complete. After three days of waiting, he had come back. Light cleared and was absorbed by a shadowy figure in the middle of the light. He closed his hands around the last trails of it. Then opened his palm slowly and stared at it for a moment, it was a few more minutes before he looked at them. And the first thing he did . . . was smile.
"Heh, how's it going?" Soa asked grinning. His newly formed body as very much the same as the last, slim, flawless skin, golden eyes, and dressed in his usual garb of a white silk shirt and black pants. He raised an eyebrow when no one said anything.
"Uh, hello?" Lila was the first to move. She suddenly dashed forward and gripped her son tightly.
"My son . . . . oh my boy. I'm so sorry, I will never neglect you again." She whispered.
"Um . . . . okay." Soa said softly patting his mother on the back. Tarn shook his head. All an act. Duo grinned.
"Soa! Now we can go play!" He said grinning. Soa stared.
"Um okay, who're you?"
"Duo you idiot! C'mon!" Duo said and dragged the miffed boy off to the sword area. Cyprus watched them go.
'Pretend all you want Soa, you have your memories. You know why you died, and what you must do.' He thought silently.
~ End ~
"You see, there is a reason you two were called the Rivals of Heaven. No matter what happened you were always fighting, competing, doing anything that involved proving which one was better." Heero said calmly. "Then one day, because of a simple incident, both of you were sent to earth to cool off. I suspect Soa was taken back to heaven because they didn't want the two of you on earth for too long just in case you started fighting again. Therefore you would have caused damage to the Earth, and in doing so, weakening Jepson's cage."
"HEERO! DUO!" A voice called. Both pilots looked up as Quatra entered the room. "There's a man here to see you, he said his name was . . . A-Acouga. . . .marrow?" Both Duo and Heero paled, Heero leapt to his feet first.
"Show me." He said quietly.
~~~
Soa was starting to get freaked out, seriously, why wouldn't his guy stop STARING at him?!
'Shit, who the hell is this guy? He's freaking me out.' Soa thought warily. Suddenly the man chuckled.
'I should prod into Master Soa's mind, but still . . . I can't help but thank the fates Soa did this, I finally get to see him, as a normal teenager human, without having to worry about duties, or his family, or . . . anything. It's . . . . comforting.' Kouga thought softly. That was when Heero walked into the room. He stood.
"Gallantry, a pleasure to see you again."
"Why are you here?" Heero asked softly. Kouga chuckled.
"Straight to the point I see, well, I came to . . . . to give you back Destruction." He said softly and handed Heero a tiny object wrapped in black silk.
"Give me back-?" Heero asked in curiosity, before feeling the objects that were hidden by the cloth, wincing as he pricked his finger on one of the edges, he stared at the blood in fascination, before it came to him.
'His focus point?! You STOLE his crystal focus point?!' Heero demanded creating a mind link between the two of them.
'Easier then I thought, which I'm not sure to be thankful for, or insulted by. He was one of the GREAT gods! And only one measly pathetic excuse of a soldier to guard it. Pathetic I tell you.' Kouga replied in the same way.'
"So, this is the group you're hanging out with? I'm surprise, fate has interesting hobbies." Kouga said easily outside of the mind link.
"Yeah. . ." Heero said dazedly before coming to a realization, he snapped his head to face Kouga. "YOU TOO?? YOU knew about this TOO??" Kouga blanched.
"Oops, think I let something slip . . ."
"DAMN RIGHT YOU DID!" Kouga would've replied something if the floor hadn't started moving signaling another earthquake. He slipped and lost his footing. Heero however was forced to grab the edge of a counter, sending the content of the package flying across the room, and into Soa's lap.
"Wha-?" The teen managed out before they reacted to him. Their once lifeless shards, began to glow a bright azure blue, like before. He picked up on shard and looked at it in awe.
"This is-!"
"The end." Another voice broke in, and before anyone could move-
"Urk!" Soa gasped out as he felt pain spring up from his stomach. Turning his head up slowly he winced a bit. Cyprus smirked and jerked his sword out from Soa's gut, causing the teen to fall to the ground, the crystal fell around him.
"BASTARD!" Kouga shrieked in fury and dove for Cyprus, drawing a dagger. Had the god been thinking, he would've known he could never take on one of the great gods, but rage blinded his thoughts and he flew at the assailant, Cyprus never flinched. One quick swing of his sword and Kouga was on the ground, a great slash on his chest, he was bleeding very badly. Heero scowled, white light flared, before he was back in his god clothes, black coat and all.
"METORA!" (You die!) He screamed and drew his own sword.
"Kiyen mosuke arones donna." (I have no time for you) Cyprus replied easily, and vanished before Heero could strike. Heero swore viciously and headed for Soa. Duo crashed into the kitchen looking worse for wear, he was pale and his braid was an utter mess.
"Who the HELL casted a shadow freezing spell around-!" He began before he blinked, clearing his vision and stared. "Soa-?" Rya, face pale, dropped to her knees, Wufei was working fast to stop the blood, to no avail. Heero held the boy's lap on his head. Trowa and Quatra were working with Kouga, but fairing no better. Duo took all of this in, but couldn't understand.
"How could this-?" He never finished.
"Cyprus. Cyprus did all of this." Heero managed to croak. "Cyprus . . . . killed the former Gallantry, he killed Ortiz, Neruka, Kaddar, and Talia. 5 gods of the past. Now he's killed Lila and he's going to add Soa to that list." Heero whispered. Duo fell to his knees.
"No . . ."
Disclaimer: I won all the gods except Heero and Duo. That and the plot. Yeppers.
"Soa Maxwell . . ." Soa whispered, they had relocated back to the pilot's house and were now contemplating what to do next. Soa was in the bathroom, he had come there to wash his hands for dinner, but now. . . seeing his face in the mirror . . . was odd. This face . . . it didn't belong to him It belonged to someone else. He slid his hand over the surface of the mirror, confused about the image it reflected. Simple hazel eyes, an easy going face, and of course, his black jacket, white shirt and jeans. His smooth fingertips brushed over the surface of the glass on the mirror.
"No. I'm not this . . . Soa. I'm not him. I'm someone else." He muttered, then scowled, his face turned to one of fury. "I'M NOT SOA!!" He screamed and slammed his fist against the mirror, it shattered beneath the impact and left the teen with a bloodied hand. He stared at it dumbly as little droplets fell into the sink, mixing with the broken shards.
"I'm not Soa . . ."
"Soa?! What was that crash?!" A call sounded, he turned. His eyes narrowed, Rya gasped softly and rushed forward.
"Are you alright?" She asked quickly, grabbing a towel she wrapped it around his hand and brought him out into the kitchen where the others were, all preparing supper. Duo took one look at Soa, Heero read Soa's and Rya's mind. Both dropped what they were doing, Duo pulled a chair out for Soa, Heero grabbed the first aid box from a cupboard.
"Geez! The hell are you doing moron?" Duo demanded removing the towel and wincing upon seeing the bloodied mess. Heero only shook his head and began to clean off the blood and . . . that was odd. There was supposed to be mirror shards in his hand, why wasn't there? No need for an disinfectant either, the wound looked very clean. That was odd. Heero looked up. Was it possible that Soa still had his god powers? After all, his roots ran for over 7 million years, powers like that don't just vanish. Heero promptly resolved to find that out, AFTER.
"What were you thinking Soa?!" Rya demanded.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
Silence, even Heero had stopped to look up at him.
"What?" Duo whispered.
"Don't call me that name. It's not mine." Soa snapped harshly, his eyes narrowed with hidden pain and suffering. Duo shook his head and took a breath.
"Then, how about . . . . . Chrysaetos?" Soa jerked a bit.
"Still not mine." He growled.
"Yojii."
Silence reigned once again. Everyone looked at Heero who had spoken the name.
"What?" Soa whispered.
"Yojii. Do you remember me?" Heero asked, he looked up at Soa with clear eyes, a piercing gaze. Soa flinched. Before he even knew what he was doing, he opened his mouth and whispered;
"Alex." Heero smiled and nodded. Duo's eyes widened.
"What about me?" He asked eagerly, if Soa could remember his best friend, then he HAD to remember his brother! Soa looked at him, anger suddenly flared across his face.
"Traitor." He spat without knowing why, then the anger fled leaving him with a throbbing head. Duo had taken a step back.
"Traitor?" Wufei looked at Trowa and Quatra, who looked just as lost as them. Heero finished tying the knot on the bandage and stood. Putting the box back into the cupboard he sighed heavily.
"Duo. Living room. Now." He ordered and walked out of the kitchen. Duo followed. Soa stared after them, still clutching his throbbing head.
~~~
"What happened?" Heero snapped as soon as the door closed.
"What?!" Duo demanded.
"What happened in the high court!"
"High c-?"
"The place where Soa took that crystal from his body and threw it onto the ground!" Duo raised an eyebrow.
"If you already know that, then you already know what happened."
"No, I know that at least because that was Soa's focus point. And a god's focus point must come from somewhere in the body. What happened." Heero demanded. Duo paled.
"Alright. . . . it's . . . . . it's not pretty." He whispered and began from the beginning.
~~~
Heero slumped into a cushioned arm chair.
"So that's it. He remembered." Heero said tiredly and brought a hand up in hopes to quell his throbbing temples.
"Remember what?" Duo snapped crossly. Heero sighed and looked at Duo in the eye.
"As the god of death, I retain all my memories from my previous lives. In time grant you, usually it take around 50 years for a god to fully regain his memories. Do you remember when Soa . . ."
"Soa what?" Duo asked raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"When he committed suicide?"
Duo stiffened.
~ Flashback ~
Duo remember that time, he had been by his mother's side, in shock, but also mostly, curiosity.
"Mama! Where's Soa! I want to play with him." Duo said tugging at her skirt. She didn't pay any attention to him. "Mom!" He cried. She looked at him.
"Not now Duo . . ." She whispered. Duo pouted heavily, from the corner of his eye, stood a man robed in armor, a sword clasped to his belt and a golden band around his forehead, unruly dark brown hair went down his back in a ponytail and was messily scattered over his eyes. Gallantry, god of Courage. He spared a glance and Duo, before shaking his head and walking out of there.
~:~
"Do you think what Cyprus said is true?" Lila asked Tarn.
"It can't be! It CAN'T! I refuse to believe, it, this was merely . . . a cry for attention. Yes, that's it. When Soa is reborn, we will keep the thought of death away from him. That's best." Tarn said softly. The door opened slowly.
"It is time." Jepson declared easily. Tarn and Lila both looked at each other, then nodded and walked out.
~:~
It was done, the cycle complete. After three days of waiting, he had come back. Light cleared and was absorbed by a shadowy figure in the middle of the light. He closed his hands around the last trails of it. Then opened his palm slowly and stared at it for a moment, it was a few more minutes before he looked at them. And the first thing he did . . . was smile.
"Heh, how's it going?" Soa asked grinning. His newly formed body as very much the same as the last, slim, flawless skin, golden eyes, and dressed in his usual garb of a white silk shirt and black pants. He raised an eyebrow when no one said anything.
"Uh, hello?" Lila was the first to move. She suddenly dashed forward and gripped her son tightly.
"My son . . . . oh my boy. I'm so sorry, I will never neglect you again." She whispered.
"Um . . . . okay." Soa said softly patting his mother on the back. Tarn shook his head. All an act. Duo grinned.
"Soa! Now we can go play!" He said grinning. Soa stared.
"Um okay, who're you?"
"Duo you idiot! C'mon!" Duo said and dragged the miffed boy off to the sword area. Cyprus watched them go.
'Pretend all you want Soa, you have your memories. You know why you died, and what you must do.' He thought silently.
~ End ~
"You see, there is a reason you two were called the Rivals of Heaven. No matter what happened you were always fighting, competing, doing anything that involved proving which one was better." Heero said calmly. "Then one day, because of a simple incident, both of you were sent to earth to cool off. I suspect Soa was taken back to heaven because they didn't want the two of you on earth for too long just in case you started fighting again. Therefore you would have caused damage to the Earth, and in doing so, weakening Jepson's cage."
"HEERO! DUO!" A voice called. Both pilots looked up as Quatra entered the room. "There's a man here to see you, he said his name was . . . A-Acouga. . . .marrow?" Both Duo and Heero paled, Heero leapt to his feet first.
"Show me." He said quietly.
~~~
Soa was starting to get freaked out, seriously, why wouldn't his guy stop STARING at him?!
'Shit, who the hell is this guy? He's freaking me out.' Soa thought warily. Suddenly the man chuckled.
'I should prod into Master Soa's mind, but still . . . I can't help but thank the fates Soa did this, I finally get to see him, as a normal teenager human, without having to worry about duties, or his family, or . . . anything. It's . . . . comforting.' Kouga thought softly. That was when Heero walked into the room. He stood.
"Gallantry, a pleasure to see you again."
"Why are you here?" Heero asked softly. Kouga chuckled.
"Straight to the point I see, well, I came to . . . . to give you back Destruction." He said softly and handed Heero a tiny object wrapped in black silk.
"Give me back-?" Heero asked in curiosity, before feeling the objects that were hidden by the cloth, wincing as he pricked his finger on one of the edges, he stared at the blood in fascination, before it came to him.
'His focus point?! You STOLE his crystal focus point?!' Heero demanded creating a mind link between the two of them.
'Easier then I thought, which I'm not sure to be thankful for, or insulted by. He was one of the GREAT gods! And only one measly pathetic excuse of a soldier to guard it. Pathetic I tell you.' Kouga replied in the same way.'
"So, this is the group you're hanging out with? I'm surprise, fate has interesting hobbies." Kouga said easily outside of the mind link.
"Yeah. . ." Heero said dazedly before coming to a realization, he snapped his head to face Kouga. "YOU TOO?? YOU knew about this TOO??" Kouga blanched.
"Oops, think I let something slip . . ."
"DAMN RIGHT YOU DID!" Kouga would've replied something if the floor hadn't started moving signaling another earthquake. He slipped and lost his footing. Heero however was forced to grab the edge of a counter, sending the content of the package flying across the room, and into Soa's lap.
"Wha-?" The teen managed out before they reacted to him. Their once lifeless shards, began to glow a bright azure blue, like before. He picked up on shard and looked at it in awe.
"This is-!"
"The end." Another voice broke in, and before anyone could move-
"Urk!" Soa gasped out as he felt pain spring up from his stomach. Turning his head up slowly he winced a bit. Cyprus smirked and jerked his sword out from Soa's gut, causing the teen to fall to the ground, the crystal fell around him.
"BASTARD!" Kouga shrieked in fury and dove for Cyprus, drawing a dagger. Had the god been thinking, he would've known he could never take on one of the great gods, but rage blinded his thoughts and he flew at the assailant, Cyprus never flinched. One quick swing of his sword and Kouga was on the ground, a great slash on his chest, he was bleeding very badly. Heero scowled, white light flared, before he was back in his god clothes, black coat and all.
"METORA!" (You die!) He screamed and drew his own sword.
"Kiyen mosuke arones donna." (I have no time for you) Cyprus replied easily, and vanished before Heero could strike. Heero swore viciously and headed for Soa. Duo crashed into the kitchen looking worse for wear, he was pale and his braid was an utter mess.
"Who the HELL casted a shadow freezing spell around-!" He began before he blinked, clearing his vision and stared. "Soa-?" Rya, face pale, dropped to her knees, Wufei was working fast to stop the blood, to no avail. Heero held the boy's lap on his head. Trowa and Quatra were working with Kouga, but fairing no better. Duo took all of this in, but couldn't understand.
"How could this-?" He never finished.
"Cyprus. Cyprus did all of this." Heero managed to croak. "Cyprus . . . . killed the former Gallantry, he killed Ortiz, Neruka, Kaddar, and Talia. 5 gods of the past. Now he's killed Lila and he's going to add Soa to that list." Heero whispered. Duo fell to his knees.
"No . . ."
Disclaimer: I won all the gods except Heero and Duo. That and the plot. Yeppers.