Title: Akuryou
Author: hoshi-tachi
Category: (Gundam Wing/Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: TWT. Profanity and violence, yaoi/slash pairings.
Summary: Duo has a yami, and his name is Shinigami…
Disclaimers: I own nothing pertaining to either Gundam Wing or Yu-Gi-Oh!. I do own any and all original characters.


The streets of L2 were crammed with pedestrians, as merchants canted their wares and hookers stood on every street-corner, keeping an eye out for the lonely. Busy with their own lives and concerns, no one could be bothered to glance up at the rooftops. If they had, they might have caught the occasional flash of long, chestnut hair. The growth-stunted young boy it belonged to scanned the crowd for an easy mark, indigo eyes never resting.

Catching sight of a well-dressed man striding confidently down the busy avenue, he signaled to another, older boy just down the street. Dressed in the best clothes their small gang could steal, the other walked confidently into the path of the chosen victim. Brushing gently against his prey, the boy apologized and walked nonchalantly to the store where his partner was hiding. As he turned into the alley between it and the building next door, the young lookout dropped down to the ground in front of him.

"So, what did ya get?" the child asked eagerly, violet eyes wide.

Solo laughed. "How'm I s'posed ta know when I haven't even looked yet, silly?" He dug into his pocket, pulling out a small leather wallet. Peering inside, he let out a low whistle. "Damn, Duo, ya sure know how ta pick 'em," he said, as he dumped a fistful of credits out into his hand.

Duo almost let out a whoop of delight, remembering just in time that they were trying not to gather attention. Instead, he settled for a wide grin. That big a haul would feed their entire crew for a week.

"Does that mean we get the rest of t'day off?" he asked hopefully, making his eyes as large and appealing as he could.

The older boy considered his request for a moment. Just as Duo began to droop in disappointment, Solo nodded, amused. His young friend hugged him and took off into the street.

With a chuckle, Solo headed back to their hideout.


His long, chestnut hair trailing behind him, Duo walked down the crowded boulevard, peering into display windows. Window-shopping was one of his favorite hobbies; although he could never buy anything, he could and did occasionally steal something that caught his fancy.

And sometimes, if he tried really hard, he could almost remember doing this with his parents. Almost.

He walked past a store of women's clothing, something he could not imagine any sane human being would be interested in, and stopped in front of a shop for antiques. Although he normally didn't care about the "finer" things in life, something about this shop wouldn't let him walk away.

Searching curiously through the objects on display in the shop window, he found what seemed to be calling to him: a golden, winged scepter, imprinted with two curved lines in the shape of an eye.

Duo's eyes narrowed as he looked at it, and he came to an abrupt decision that owed little to logical thought and much to the possessive feelings growing inside him. He glanced around carefully and checked out the tiny shop's security, only having a few seconds before being chased away by the proprietor. Muttering under his breath, the longhaired boy clambered up to the rooftop and settled in to wait for dark.

Night had fallen hours before when the streets at last cleared. The lights of the various stores had winked out, one by one, until there were only the scattered street lamps illuminating Duo's path as he picked his way down the side of the building. Falling the last meters to the ground, he landed lightly, springing back to his feet. Duo kept to the shadows as he walked quietly towards the antique shop, avoiding the front door, as it was the place where alarms would be thickest. Instead, he crept around to a side door, pulling out a bent bit of wire.

Then the door was open, and Duo was inside.

The boy crept through the darkness, dodging the looming stacks of old furniture and trinkets that lined the center of the small establishment. Wishing the shopkeeper could be less of a pig, he made his way towards the front window. Never a cautious child, Duo most likely didn't wonder at the strange lack of alarms and security systems that he encountered. If he did notice it, it was only to thank his luck.

At last he was at the display, and he could see the golden wand waiting for him, gleaming in the light of the streetlamps. As Duo reached for it, one last vestige of prudence made him pause, warning him that once he made his decision, there would be no returning. Suddenly afraid, he almost turned and left, resisted the strange pull. Then, he shook himself, the fear evaporating as if it had never been, and his hand made contact with the scepter.

There was a burst of light, and only one other set of eyes watched as Duo folded to the ground. The other watched, as Duo seemed to wake, opening his suddenly crimson eyes and looking around. He watched, as the crimson faded back to their usual violet, and he made no move to stop Duo as he left the store.

The turbaned man smiled as the boy disappeared, before fading into the shadows himself, satisfied that his task was completed.


She was falling, plummeting down through darkness. She didn't panic, long used to the sensation, but she was surprised that the Tauk had chosen to send her a vision, the first in over a century. Patiently, she waited until at last pictures became clear. Before her, two hands grasped a winged staff of gold, and above them a pair of serene indigo eyes gazed outwards.

Isis Ishtar awoke and, gathering her strength, rose to tell the others of the Tauk's message.

The Sennen Rod had chosen its Master.


Chapter Edited 7/27/07. If you find any further spelling/grammar errors or inconsistencies, please contact the author.

Original A/N: Before anyone asks, Malik Ishtar died in Battle City for this fic (I asked my friend about that, and was so happy when she said he died. Not that I wanted Malik-sensei to die, it's just that I didn't want to have to kill him myself. This way, the series did it for me.)

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