Second Gold Bolt [Locked to AU!Duo and OU!Heero]

[last_lombax]

He's been trapped in the darkness for who knows how long. The Lombax certainly doesn't know. He remembers coming in and out of consciousness a few times, seeing only the dark before sleep reclaimed him. This time though he knew he couldn't go back to sleep. He'd been in here too long and his body felt heavy. Ratchet bit hard on his lip, using the pain to try and banish the fog from his mind. He could feel the blood running down his chin. Okay, that was enough pain. He began to wiggle, trying to free his arms from their restraints. It didn't work too well though.

"H-Help..." He voice was hoarse from lack of water and he winced when he used it. But he couldn't give up, not yet. "H-Help...someone!" Again it wasn't too loud. He had to get himself out. It was then his phone went off. Oh wait, he still had it. He kept it in one of his gauntlets just in case. He wiggiled his wrist, pushing the small out-of-date communicator out of his armor and grabbed a hold. He listened to the message...it was Duo! He only had the light of the phone to go by and right now he was feeling the grips of sleep on him again. He could only type back two words and wait for the pilot, hoping he knew that they meant.

Comments

[stoicperfection]

Cellphones in an old castle setting were just one of the things Heero just accepted. Really, after dealing with the move to said castle with older/younger duplicates and people you knew, shadow monsters, and sarcophagi, cellphones were the least strange thing in this entire place.

As Duo moved urgently down the hallways towards Ratchet, he followed behind as fast as he could. Even with the potion and feeling as well as he did, it still wasn't any near what he was capable of. His walking was even slowed, and his quick pace faded fast with exhaustion. Best not to push it. Who knew what could be waiting for them when they found Duo's friend?

[stillshinigami]

Duo stopped at the entrance to the sarcophagi room. He was running on fumes himself. After the attack he'd had with his double and Toph? He was still walking a little funny. And he was still exhausted.

He dialed Ratchet again. Come on buddy. If he didn't answer? Just listen for the ring tone. He looked around. Quiet. Listening.

[last_lombax]

The ringing didn't happen though. Instead if he listened closely there were vibrations, metal moving against metal and reverberating inside stone. The Lombax was too tired to even hit the accept button again, the sleep creeping over him again. All he could do was press the phone to his armor and hope the sound was loud enough to be heard.

[stoicperfection]

Heero stopped a little ways behind Duo and stood still, watching the older man dial and then trying to listen for the sound of the phone ringing. The sound was faint once it had started, but he did manage to pick up on the sound of it after awhile. Once he managed to isolate it, he moved as quickly as he could over to the sarcophagus it was coming from.

"Duo, here." He called out, placing his hands on the lid and beginning to push at it. No doubt this would take the both of them, for sure. When he had first woken up here it had taken a bit of time to do it himself.

[stillshinigami]

Duo watched Heero and resumed dialing every time it ran out, following his lead and treading near silently. His hearing was good, but Heero's was excellent. He climbed the stairs and pocked the phone once they found what they were looking for, grabbing for a hand hold so he could push the lid up.

He pushed in unison with Heero and it began to give way to their combined efforts. Duo could even see Ratchet in his shiny armor once they managed to get it a foot open. But he was turned away from them, standing and slumped over.

"Oi! Ratchet! Still alive in there?" Not so much a joke as much as he wanted a response from the lombax.

[last_lombax]

Ratchet was silent for a moment, unmoving, just slumped there with his hands bound. After a minute though his ear twitched and his tail back to move. He slowly looked over his shoulder at Duo and Heero, his eyes glossed over and nearly completely empty.

"Took...you long enough..." Even when he was having his life force stolen he could make snarky comments.

[stoicperfection]

He pushed hard against the lid, it giving way as Duo helped him. Pushing it off about a foot, he pulled back to give himself a bit of a rest. So this was Duo's friend and he looked worse for wear. If they waited any longer, things wouldn't turn out well for Ratchet.

"Hn." Not much of a response, but he was too busy looking at the contraption holding Ratchet in place in order to free him.

[stillshinigami]

"Pft. We could always let you wait a while longer if that's what you want." Duo said in a slightly more jovial tone. He pushed the lid up farther and looked to Heero as he examined the stocks which held Ratchet's wrists.

"Looks like wood. Is there a lock?" He brought his club. He handed it to Heero while he held the lid open.

[last_lombax]

"I think I've had a long enough vacation. Get me out." Ratchet's voice was a little stronger now, the sarcophagi losing some of its hold on him. He still felt drained and tired though. The faster he got out of this thing, the better.

[stoicperfection]

After getting a good look at the restraint, he couldn't see any visible lock. It could have been located elsewhere. However there was really little time to find it. Ratchet looked like hell.

Taking Duo's club in his hand, he thought about the easiest way to free Duo's friend. Using the club like a lever was an obvious choice, but he also should be strong enough to break the wood by hitting it. So he tried that, swinging the club to try and break the stocks.

[stillshinigami]

He watched and held the lid fast as Heero swung down. He winced at the noise of the club smacking against the wood. Just hope that one worked. Now with the lid stuck in it's position, Duo was free to take Ratchet if he were to fall from the stocks.

"Just hang on, Ratchet. We're doing all we can."

[last_lombax]

Ratchet winced when the sound hit his sensitive ears. The wood cracked and split after being hit with the club. The weapon was sturdier than the retrains. The Lombax tried to pull again and managed to free one of his hands from the breaking wooden restraint.

"One down. Hit it again..."

[stoicperfection]

If the sound of the club striking wood bothered him, he didn't show it. Instead he watched as Ratchet worked out one of his hands, partially freeing him from the trap.

Giving a nod of his head, Heero raised the club again before striking the wood as hard as he had before. If he were lucky, the material would give way again and Ratchet would be completely free.

[stillshinigami]

Duo winced only slightly, watching Ratchet as he pulled away, ready to support him if he needed it. One more good whack'll do it. Just get this done and over with.

[last_lombax]

With that whack Ratchet was free, but the club went through the restraint and smacked right into one of the wrist guards of his armor. Luckily the metal won out but it made the Lombax pull his hand back hard and he lost his balance, falling backward from exhaustion and the pull. Someone please catch him.

[stoicperfection]

That wasn't supposed to happen and it was rather fortunate that Ratchet did have armor on. Heero dropped the club the moment the saw the Lombax pitch backwards and moved behind him to help catch him. Duo was already in position, but the suddenness and force of Ratchet falling might be a bit of problem when catching him.

[stillshinigami]

No worries. Duo was there, having moved in after the first arm was freed. He caught Ratchet and pulled him free and clear from the sarcophogi.

"There we go... you gonna be ok?"

[last_lombax]

Ratchet looked up at the two of them with tired eyes. This entire thing had sucked from start to finish. And right now he just wanted to go to bed and sleep for a week.

"Get me some strawberries and alcohol and I'll be fine."

[stoicperfection]

Heero took a step back once Duo catch Ratchet and pulled him free. He looked him over quickly, looking for any signs of injury and found none. The sarcophagi had just drained him.

"Take him to the rooms. I'll head back in a bit." Duo would have no problem getting him back there alone. He headed for the sarcophagi that he had woken next to. Some sort of clue had to be there.

[stillshinigami]

"I'll see what I can do, pal." Duo said, pulling Ratchet completely clear from the casket and holding him in his arms. With Heero's request, he nodded slowly.

"Just watch your ass, and don't be long." He said warningly. The shadows were no joke and you didn't want to be alone anywhere around here. However, seemed like Heero had something on his mind, something he'd have to ask about later.

Guess being taken advantage of him got to him more than he had thought.

[last_lombax]

Ratchet slumped against Duo and nodded. Damn was he tired. Did he fight an entire army of robot pirates again and he forgot? That's what it felt like. That and being sick. Not a fun combination.

"Let's go...I need a nap."

[stillshinigami]

A nap, among other things. Duo nodded down to his friend and started off, clicking his hover boots on to hurry along. No need to waste any time.

"Best invention ever, Ratchet. All aboard Maxwell express."

[last_lombax]

"You're welcome. At least you're putting them to better use...than...Alister..." Ratchet closed his eyes and just turned his face into Duo's chest, letting the exhaustion overtake him.

[stillshinigami]

Well, there's one answer. The thing that's been bugging Ratchet all this time?

He reached over and tweaked Ratchet in the ear.

"It's a bad habit to dwell on things, Ratch'. And you're letting this thing weigh you down like a twelve ton weight. There's an old saying back in my world. Turn the other cheek. Live your life, man."

[last_lombax]

Ratchet was quiet for a while. He didn't want to answer. He didn't want to be awake even. He just wanted to sleep and forget any of this happened. But he couldn't. Not with that ear tweak and those words.

"...Can we just talk about it later? I'm tired..."

[stillshinigami]

"Yeah. Sorry Ratchet." He said, shaking his head with a sigh as he carried Ratchet along. He pushed the hover boots harder till he got to the store room. He grabbed that chain and used the hover boots to scale it effortlessly but with a bit of a wobble. And soon they were on their way back to the common rooms.