castleinthemist | 008 | What lurks in the dark.

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gundam wing: duo maxwell [au1]

008 | What lurks in the dark.

Duo sat on his couch, thankful for the sliders on the legs of it. It took him some effort, but he finally had a nice piece of his property from back in the hanger, complete and in piece except for a tear in one of the pillows. Oh well.

So he sat there, hand against his chin as he watched the rest of the room, watching for Harth. He wanted to see that little runt just to see exactly who he was dealing with. After about an hour of sitting and waiting, drawing with some chalk on the wall he'd pushed the couch against, he saw him. They met eyes briefly and Duo forced himself to have a straight face, deliberately shrugging at the boy who seemed intent to look at him. Look at him like he was his next meal.

Well, there was gonna be none of that.

But as far as who he was, Harth wasn't showing signs of being one of the undead, so once the man went outside into the hot and humid sun he relaxed, laying against the armrest of his couch.

"We're boned... Goddamn... Someone get me outta here."

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"It's pointless." And that was all he would say about it. This wasn't the sort of conversation he wanted to get into. Despite the war having ended, there were splinter groups trying to disrupt things. He had to keep tabs on all of them.

As Duo got off the couch, he grabbed his scabbard and stood to strap it back on. This was important, he knew. It was easy to see how angry even thinking about it made Duo. "What?"

"No it isn't, but it is pointless to argue with you about it." Duo protested as he moved into the room he had called home for the last four months.

Once the door was closed, he sat on the bed and looked up to Heero. "I know what happened to Toph."

"Hn." It's the best response to give Duo. Anything else would have been too personal and weak.

Toph's name peaked his interest. How had Duo found out what had happened to her? He spent days searching the castle grounds for a clue and even resorted to using Toothless as a bloodhound for clues. "What happened to her?"

"Harth killed her." Duo said flatly, grimacing and shaking his head.

"He's a vampire. Killed her, sucked her blood." He throws his hands up.

"A fucking vampire, Heero! And... to make matters worse? He... He did something to Haku. She died some how and he revived her and turned her human. I don't know if that's a bad thing but he's planning to use her as food!" And it's as if he wants to be caught!

A part of him wanted to say something about vampires being myth, but in this place it made sense. It better explained the lack of heart beat than the artificial heart story and the unusual control he had. The weakness seemed almost too perfect now that he thought about it. So Harth had killed Toph and done something to Haku. It seemed like the vampire was trying to pick at the group one by one. But for what purpose?

Looking down at his arm, he looked at the two small scars he'd earned after waking up in the sarcophagous. He couldn't remember any of it, but something had attacked him then and left him weak. It had to of been the vampire, and knowinfg that he mentally kicked himself. He had actually followed Harth onto that rooftop when the Shadows attacked. If they hadn't, would Harth have taken the opportunity to attack him there and kill him like Toph.

"Something has to be done about him."

Edited 2012-04-26 03:46 (UTC)

Duo nodded at that, but he didn't know where to start. He was only telling Heero because he needed a plan. He needed someone to lead him into this. Because he was afraid. Fighting a war was one thing, fighting a vampire? A magical creature?

It was completely out of his depth. Everything here was out of his depth.

And maybe that was why he was failing so completely, like the life was just draining out of him bit by bit.

"You can't go alone. We need a plan. The usual weaknesses don't work for him. He can walk in the sunlight."

Duo wasn't the only one out of his depth. It was just that Heero seemed better able to adapt to these strange circumstances. Not that he had done much good so far, but he wasn't falling apart yet.

As for his suggestion, he didn't see that going over very well. Duo wasn't in much shape to do anything at the moment. Too tired, stressed -- whatever the hell it was making him look and act that way.

"Of course." That didn't mean he wasn't going to comply.

That didn't mean he couldn't fight. Don't even suggest such a thing. Duo eyed Heero, looking at his hand and counting off a few things.

"Sunlight is out. Stake to the heart, holy water, and a cross." Duo pressed a hand to his sternum where his cross hung around his neck.

"I say, start with a stake and go from there. I'll go with you, but first we have to find a place to ambush him and a reason for him to come out to us."

No it didn't, but how well could he fight feeling as lousy as he did?

"Vampires are strong, correct? Do you think you could physically withstand an attack from one?" That was another concern. Vampires usually had supernatural powers that came with the weaknesses. Super strength and speed according to some media and Heero wasn't sure just what the older pilot could take. Hell, he was betting on barely being able to take a bit himself.

The more they talked, the more sure he was that Harth had been the one who attacked him. The wound on his arm was enough indication of that. From what he could vaguely remember, someone struck him at least once.

"He's been hunting us systematically. First me, then Toph, and then Haku. He could be after you next. Get you out in the open to lull him into a false sense of security."

"I can take as much as you can." He boasted, talking himself up in hopes that he can actually pull himself up by his boot straps.

"Right. Strong, fast and deadly. But whose to say we can't beat im' if we out smart him?" That was the key. They needed an edge and that's what it was going to help them win.

"Maybe he thinks we're easy targets. And really, that's not a bad plan." Even if it did mean he was at risk, being used as bait.

"Could work, if we do it right."

"Can you?" His tone is quite serious. This isn't the time to exaggerate abilities to inflate low self esteem. Going up against a vampire was dangerous -- very dangerous. Maybe he's just used to being slightly better than everyone else at surviving impossible odds. He was "designed" that way.

"We need to bring the others into this. The more of us, the better our chances."

"Of course I can." Duo replied, shooting Heero a look from his place on the seat. "I can do something. I'm not helpless, Heero. You know that." Don't even start with him, bro.

As for bringing others into this? "My double already knows. He's keeping quiet about it. I don't know if I can convince Toph that he's a threat. Ratchet can help."

"I'm not saying you're helpless. I'm aware of that." It wasn't his intention to start something. Either he had phrased his English wrong or Duo was just overly sensitive. After all, all he wanted was an honest answer from him. "Depending on Harth's level of strength, could your body withstand a direct hit?"

His (though slightly older) version of Duo and Ratchet would be useful, he knew that. Having the two of them would be valuable. "What Quatre? Could he feel Harth out?"

It was possible he was a tad on the irrritable side of things. He sighs, looking up at Heero and nodding.

"I can do it. We have a tactical advantage here even so. Strength in numbers and...hell. Heero, we have a dragon." He smiles as he realizes this.

"But if it's all the same I can sake a few punches." Unless it's to the head.

"I don't actually know. Quatre has been here long enough and he hasn't said much about Harth."

The thing was, did they really have an advantage? Yes, people wise they had more than enough to outdo a normal person. Way more actually. But Harth wasn't normal by any stretch. They didn't know what he could do beyond his strength. Heero didn't know Harth controlled the memory invading either.

"If he knows about Harth, he might be able to sense a difference."

"I don't know how that'll help unless he can tell us who we're uo against." Duo remarks, shaking his head.

"Ratcher with his weaopons, Phantom with his ghost powers, our pet dragon..." He can't help but smirk, but it fades quickly.

"What are we gonna do with him? If he dies he'll become a shadow. He can just come back to the fountain and revive himself."

"We'll have to find some place to secure him." There was that cage, but no one could get to it. There was also the crate outside, but without knowing what the vampire was truly capable of it would be hard securing him.

"And something to secure him with. OZ's standard restaints might work." Duo says, scratchinf his chin as he thinks back to what heero was dragged off inafter attacking them.

OZ restraints were probably the same between the two universes, so he nodded his head in agreement. They were pretty tough. So the thing to do was go to the fountain and wish for a set to appear.

"Could Toph make a set?"

Just in case these cuffs didn't appear for when they needed them.

"Hmm. Maybe! Not if she thinks we're going to capture Harth with em." Duo winces, turning his head down.

"She's taken a shine to him."

"She doesn't know what he did?" It was a little hard to believe that Toph could be friendly with Harth.

"Maybe she's under one of his magic spells." Duo scoffs, shaking his head and speaking with a bitterness reserved for only the worst that the universe had to offer.

That was a problem then. They needed Toph to be a part of this and if she really was under his spell, it would make everything more complicated.

"We'll break her of it."

Heero headed for the door, deciding that he needed another quick look around before he could come up with a better plan to deal with Harth. As far as the vampire knew he didn't know he knew, so he could feign that strained acquaintanceship they had going. But he wasn't going anywhere alone with him again.

Duo moved to stand, following Heero to the door and leaning against the door frame once Heero left.

"I'll talk to Sokka and Quatre. Could you go make that wish on the fountain?" Duo said, looking either way. Wonder if Sokka would even believe him?

"Yeah, I can." He replied, looking back at Duo while he leaned against the door. The man looked so run down.

"Take care of yourself too." Don't just talk to the two of them Duo.

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008 | What lurks in the dark.

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