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Becoming Human	By : soul2singer Category: Gundam Wing/AC > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1774 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing/AC, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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It was, Duo thought, a perfect day for a picnic. The white sun above beat onto the grey rock plains surrounding them, becoming a giant griddle upon which the lizards of all sizes would let themselves bake. The family was rarely all together at once, and it was never this relaxed. But Mom and Dad and his brothers and sisters were here, laying out to catch some solar rays before munching down on Mom's snacks.

Duo watched, amused, as one of his little brothers chased a scorpion across the dust. This sun was so relaxing. His eyes drifted shut as he savored a faint breeze. Darkness began to swirl, closing in softly, and then�

His eyes snapped open. He wasn't sure what had brought him back like that, but something was wrong. Looking aro he he noticed that all his family was present. No one missing. Hm, musta just been my paranoia. He started to lay back down when it came again, snapping him back upright in less than an instant.

No. It can't have been.

It was.

He could feel it in his finger tips, now. A faint, periodic trembling in the ground.
Duo screamed.

"Mom! Dad! Everyone! We gotta go now!" He scooped up the youngest of his siblings, Karick, and started running for the canyons off to their northwest.

The rest of the family quickly caught up.

"Duo Maxwell, what is the reason for this upset?" Mom asked, concern in her golden eyes.

"Feel the ground," Duo panted, "I know that leathery skin isn�t that insensitive. Can't you feel it?"

Mom and Dad both cocked their heads, concentrating of the ground beneath their feet. Both their eyes got suddenly wide.

"No," Mom murmured. Dad, of course, got to the point.

"Give me Karick," he said. "He's weighing you down and won't be as much of a hindrance for me."

Duo nodded, passing the bewildered boy to his father. He then risked a glance behind to make sure the others were there. They were, but through the mirages in the distance he could start to make out a form that haunted his nightmares. He looked back in front with a small whimper. They were almost at the cliffs.

There was a faint roar behind them, and then they were leaping down the canyon walls, minor rockslides following in their wake. Duo reached the bottom last, but was off like a rabbit, pulling his sister's hand. He thought quickly as he ran. When we reach the end of this passage, we'll be at Leathery Town. They need warning, if we can make it fast enough. Hm, they'll also have guns, maybe places to hide. Either way, it's our best hope.

Dad seemed to notice their direction.

"Leathery Town?" He asked. "Have you been there before?'

Duo nodded, saving his breath.

"They know about you?"

A nod.

"They okay with it?"

Duo gave a wry grin. "They accept it, and considering the circumstances, I don't think they'll waste too much time on it."

Dad nodded as another, much louder, roar echoed through the canyon.

"How much further?" he asked.

Duo looked up at the canyon walls racing by, noting their decreasing height.

"Not far. The town is surrounded by canyons on three sides, but the forth looks onto the flats."

Dad considered this.

"You gonna make it?" He asked.

Duo grinned. Yeah, his legs were starting to burn, as were his lungs, but he knew the sound of that screaming roar raining down on them. There was no sound like it in the world. It was one of his earliest memories. "I have a score to settle with that bastard."

Dad looked somewhat taken aback. "How do you know he's the same one?"

Duo pulled back one of his sleeves, exposing a long, jagged scar. Running his thumb along it, he said "Every rock-crusher has a different voice, like human voices, only different. That sound is one I will never be able to mistake."

That sound came yet again, this time from nearly above them. Around another curve, and there lay the collection of one story wooden buildings called Leathery Town. People were milling around in a panic from hearing the roars, but the configuration of the surrounding canyons confused the direction. However, the sight of one human with a family of cliff-hoppers soon gave evidence of where not to run to. And the appearance from above the walls of the source of the noise also helped out some. Soon the entire town was fleeing away into the canyons. One small cricket skink approached Duo and his family.

"Duo Maxwell?" it asked Du Duo grinned. "Hey, Solo, you're running the wrong way!"

Solo fidgeted while running ahead. "There are hiding places in these canyons, little caves. I'll show you and your family to one."

"Thanks, Solo," he said. Solo ran into one of the narrow winding passages, then began climbing up a wall. Duo's family followed, but Duo stayed on the bottom. It was his elder sister, Litza, who noticed first.

"Duo, what are you waiting for? I kyou you can climb this!"

Duo shook his head with a self-mocking grin. "Of course I can. That's not the problem."

"Then what the hell is?"

"You've all been masking your scent, right?"

She nodded, as the rest of the family except Mom and Dad disappeared inside a crevice.
"Well, I forgot, I can't do that. I've laid a scent trail as wide as Texas all the way here, and if I go up there, I'll lead him right to us. Kinda defeating the point of hiding, huh?"

Litza growled, bue soe sound was swallowed by the ear-splitting roar that came over it. Looking back the way they came, she saw the rock-crusher coming their way. He had a point, she conceded, but damned if she was gonna let her little brother get eaten. Leaping down, she grabbed him by the arm and started climbing again.

"Wha?!" He exclaimed.

"We'll figure something out," she growled, baring her teeth. They were almost at the crevice when it was covered up by a giant hand-like claw.

"Well, well, well," said a deep, hollow voice. "It looks like I finally found you boy. You've grown since the last time we met." Duo turned his head and looked into the eyes of the rock-crusher. There was no doubt now. They were indeed only acquaintances.

"Do you know," he continued, "I searched the whole desert looking for where you�d gone. You're mother hid you very well. And to think, you've been with the cliff-hoppers, a species to dumb to know the difference between mammal and saur. Well, we'll fix that mistake for them and spare them the chagrin of finding out on their own, won't we?"

Duo was so shocked looking at his own reflection in an eye half as tall as he was, that he never saw the grin on the rock-crusher's face. He did, however, catch the movement to his left, as Solo came leaping out of the crevice to land on the 'crusher's snout.

"You leave Duo alone!" he yelled, and then bit the shocked saur's eye. Blood sprayed everywhere as the rock-crusher lifted it's claws to it's face, roaring in surprise and pain.

"Solo!" Duo cried out, struggling against his sister's grip. But she wasted no time and took the chance Solo's courage had given them, leaping into the crevice and loosing themselves in the shadows.

The roaring outside began to subside as Litza found the rest of the family. She murmured lowly into Mom's ear, who breather a quick assent. Then, the two of them were curling around the silently weeping Duo. From the cave entrance came the sound of something large sniffing, searching for a scent, but after a few minutes, it went away. A little while after that, they heard the roaring again.

"I know you're in one if these caves hiding, human boy! I've found you once, and I'll find you again. None of my prey ever escapes!" Then another wordless roar, and slowly, the trebling of the ground was diminished. Even so, they lay within the cave, panting, the cliff-hoppers curled up around the human member of their family, comforting and protecting. After a time, they heard a small voice at the cliff entrance.

"Umm, Elder Petre says that we can all come out now. The sun is heading down, so he won't be back anytime soon."

Duo got up, because the voice was human, so it was for him to respond. With his family trailing, he stepped into the light, to see a small, dark skinned girl waiting patiently. Duo scrubbed his tear streaked face as he looked out, and down. There, on the canyon floor he saw a few dark splotches. He turned to look at the girl.

"Yeah," he sighed. "We'll be right down." She nodded then scampered down.

Duo turned to look at his family. "It seems," he said, "That the bastard hasn't forgotten me either. How flattering." And then promptly collapsed into Mom's arms, passed out from shock and exhaustion.

Dad carried Duo back to the town, where the locals were gracious enough to clear off a table in the central eating area to lay him on. Mom looked at the sky, and turned to Dad.

"There's no way we'll be able to make it back to the den before nightfall," she said, "and I don't want Duo traveling at night after the day he had today. He needs a good sleep, but he'll be having nightmares as it is."

Dad was about to reply when they were approached by a blanket bearing skink. Hopping up on a bench next to the table, she shook out the blanket and draped it gently over Duo's supine form, tucking it in around him to ward off the chill of the desert night. Then, turning to Mom, she spoke in low, hushed tones.

"My Mother offers her hospitality and the shelter of her den to Duo and his family for this night." She said.

Mom and Dad ed aed at each other. They had both noticed the family patterning on her spinal ridge, and unless they were very much mistaken, this girl was a sister to Solo. If that were so, then this offer gave indication of how close they were. Cricket skinks were very territorial�give hospitality to another was always a mark of great trust. Such an offer from a grief stricken family as theirs was unheard of.

�Let me speak to your mother, child.� Mom said. The girl turned and lead Mom over to where her family stood clearing debris. As the girl approached, the elder female lifted her head in greeting.

The girl stopped and spoke. �Mother, Duo-mama has come wishing to speak with you.�

The female nodded, saying, �Thank you, Shouna, you may help your father now.� The girl scampered off, and her mother drew Mom to the side. There was a moment of silence, as the two regarded each other. Mom was easily twice as tall as the skink, but the smaller female stood calmly with an air of authority. She was used to having her way�skink families were matriarchal, like cliff-hopper families, only even more so. Within her den, her word was law.

It was Mom who spoke first.

�Your daughter is a very polite youngster.� Shy gave a wry grin. �She will grow to be a strong mother, one day.� She shook her head slightly. �But I forget myself. I am Heren, mother of six and one. But everyone just calls me Mom.�

The smaller woman sighed. �I am Marin, mother of eight, less one.� Heren could hear the grief tingeing her voice. �Your son, Duo, and my son, Solo, they were close. Duo is always welcome in our den. He has always been a perfect guest.� Heren was surprised�there were few higher compliments that a cricket skink could give after that. Marin continued. �It is getting dark, and it would not be wise for your family to travel at night, not after today�s proceedings. We skinks like to have very tall ceilings for our dens, so I know there will be enough room for you to stay. Please, accept my hospitality.�

Heren was silent for a while. �Your son it was who gave our boy his name.� She started, �among our people, this is a very great honor. It is hard for a human raised among saurs to make friends, due to prejudice and bigotry on both sides. But your Solo not only became a friend to Duo, but my son named himself after him. Usually, a boy-child will find a mentor, like a great warrior, hunter, or artist. So you can imagine how surprised I was when he came back from this town one day telling me he had a name, and that he was named after a skink. But, I figured he had a reason. He spoke often of Solo, how he taught him the human language, introduced him to the humans in town and stuck by him no matter what they said. He said he often wished he could be as courageous as Solo.�

Marin looked at her. �Courage? Hm, I never thought of him that way. Somewhat foolhardy, yes, but I never saw it as that. . .� she trailed off, in thought.

Heren realized that she may have missed some details. �You do know how he died?� she asked.

Marin shook her head. �No, we just know that he didn�t come back after the rock crusher left, and Duo was passed out from shock. It didn�t take much for us to figure out that our boy was gone.�

Heren smiled. �Well, did you see the rock-crusher leave?�

Marin nodded. �Yes, someone had gotten his eye real good. . .�

�That was your son who did that.� Heren replied. At the look of surprise on Marin�s face, she revealed the whole story, from when Solo had first come to them, to his attack to give his friend a chance. �My son is now in debt to your family,� she concluded, �for in return for your hospitality, he has brought you death. Or, at least, I know that is the way he will see it.�

Marin sighed. �That is not how I see it. I hold him in no debt to us. Solo was grown up, he was in charge of his own decisions.� There was a pause. �So, will you accept my offer?�

Heren nodded. �Yes, and with gratitude. I fear Duo may have some unpleasant dreams tonight, and waking in a familiar den will be a comfort.� As if on cue, the sound of a faint moan drifted over to where they were standing.

�Oh dear,� Heren whispered. �Excuse me,� she murmured as she headed back to where Duo lay, moaning and starting to move in his sleep. The rays of the setting sun splashed red across his face, seeming to wash him in blood. She was torn over whether to wake him. He needed his rest, but he didn�t seem to be enjoying it too much. The decision was taken out of her hands with the sound of an approaching truck. She hovered protectively over her boy as Dad and the other townspeople went to see who it was.

Duo shook his head as he pushed himself to his elbows. "Mom?" he croaked.

She reached down and pushed his bangs out of his eyes. "I'm here, Duo."

He wrapped his arms around her middle. "I happened again, didn't it? This time he took Solo."

She held him close. "I'm so sorry, dear."

He looked up at her. "How come he couldn't find me?"

"Because," she replied. "Your sister and I masked your scent for you. She realized she could also project a scent. So, when he sniffed, all he smelled was something dying."

"Oh," he sighed.

Looking up, she saw the group approaching in the waning light. She began to growl protectively, until she saw that it was just Father Maxwell.

"Miss Heren," he said respectfully. "I was over at Big River picking up the mail for our colony when I saw the alarm for Leathery Town. I remembered that you all were picnicking near here, so came as quickly as I could to check on you." He looked down at Duo. "Is he hurt?"

She shook her head. "Only his heart."

Duo pulled away, sniffling. "It was him, Father. And this time he took Solo. And he knew who I was. He remembered me. Damn curse." Duo shuddered, then shook his head, collecting himself. "So, any mail for me?" He customary grin was back in place, shocking the townspeople with its sudden appearance. But Father Maxwell and Mom took it in stride.

"Well," the priest said, "after weeks of pestering me every time I come back, you finally have a box. A rather long one." Duo's eyes lit up, but Mom noticed that the light wasn't just the happiness that comes with mail. No, there was something decidedly. . . feral about that light.

Dad laid a long cardboard box on Duo's lap. Duo tore it apart, revealing an almost as long plastic case. Lifting himself to his knees, he slid it onto the table, flipping the catches as he did so. He slowly lifted the top, sighing with reverence when he saw what was nestled within.

"A Elkingham 450I Sigma Class, with laser sighting, level six kickback control, bayonet attachment, and explosive rounds." He plucked one of the three bullets out of the foam padding. It was almost six inches long, tapered to a point in front. Mom gasped as she realized the size prey it was meant to bring down.

"Duo Maxwell," she growled. "You're not thinking of going out there and�" she was interrupted as the alarm in the central tower went off. A man appeared at the door of the tower.

"Hey Father Maxwell!" he yelled. "Looks like he went straight to your colony after he left here." The priest swore as he vaulted up the ladder to the tower, and Duo began to chuckle grimly.

"No, Mom, I'm not going anywhere," he said. "He'll come to me. Not tonight," he added, looking Venus and her shining sisters. "No, tomorrow, or the next day. But not any longer." He chuckled again. "Seems this came just in . To. Took me years to save up for it, and then I worried it would never get here." He leaned his head against Mom's chest. "Don't worry, Mom. It's just something that's got to happen sooner or later."

She sighed. "I know, but I'll worry anyway."

Images poured through Duo's mind. He was small, held to the chest of a woman with a braid. A horrible noise surrounded them, and he started to cry. Then he was bouncing in her arms as she ran. A giant talon surrounded them, but the woman managed to wriggle out, though not before one of the claws grazed his little arm. The bouncing got faster, but the noise followed. Then the bouncing stopped, and he was placed in a small hole surrounded by rocks. The woman covered him quickly with the blanket to ward off the merciless sun, but he kicked it off as she ran away. The noise came again, and he saw the woman pick up a stone and throw it at the big monster, screaming at it, then running away, the monster following. She was fast and agile, running one way, then another. But all too soon, as he watched, the monster dipped it's head, and when it lifted, the woman was gone. Where did she go? He didn't understand.

But then he was being picked up, held against hard, warm skin. More bouncing, then darkness. Darkness that never knew light. Then that voice.

"I've found you," he whispered. "I always knew I would. They call me insane, but I was right the whole time." Duo wanted to yell back at it, tell it to go away, but he found himself unable to make a sound. "We are cousins, you and I," the voice continued. "And They're looking for you. They've been watching me, you know. They think me mad. Perhaps I am." The voice giggled, then resumed. "They made me incomplete. As They did to you. My other is in you, and your other is. . . elsewhere. So, for me to be complete, one of us must die." A chuckle now. Duo found his voice.

"What the HELL are you talking about?"

The voice sighed, now melancholy. "You will know, soon enough. In the meantime, I send my regrets about that dear Sister Helen. She was quite tasty, though still not enough. But you will be enough, I think. And now, I have no doubt as to where you are." The giggling returned.

Duo felt the darkness tilt around him. "You bastard!" he yelled. "I will kill you!" The giggling broke into open laughter.

"You're not supposed to say that! He is!"

"WHAT?!"

Duo's eyes opened suddenly, looking up at the form of Karick hopping on his chest, calling out his name.

"Duo, Duo, wake up!"

The familiar walls of Solo's den surrounded him, and Karick stopped his hopping when he saw his big brother's eyes open.

"Hey, Duo, you ok?" he asked, concern framing his wide golden eyes.

"Yeah," Duo replied. "Just a nightmare."

Karick hopped down to the side. "That was some nightmare. You were yelling and twisting and turning and�"

Duo turned on his side to face his little brother. "Did I wake up everybody or just you?"

Karick shrugged. "Dunno. They're all in the main room. They maybe didn't . As. As soon as you started to yell is when I woke you up." Karick laid back down and snuggled up to Duo. "They said I should come get them only if you couldn't wake up. Otherwise, you need rest."

Duo wrapped a protective arm around his little brother. "Thanks for waking me up," he said. "You're much better company than the fella in my dream." And with that, they both closed their eyes and slept once more.

The mid-morning sun slammed down through the slit in Solo�s den, smacking straight onto Duo�s eyes. He moaned, weakly flinging his arm over his face. But it was too late, he was already awake. Blinking eyes that felt like they were packed with sand, he pushed himself up of the ground, joints popping and muscles complaining. It had not been a good night. His little brother had had to wake him up five more times after the first time, and once had to enlist the help of Mom and Dad.

Dusting off his clothes, he checked his braid for unwelcome night inhabitants, then stumbled out into the main room, still rubbing his face to try to wake up more. Litza and solo�s big sister, Kael, glanced over in concern, but Karick snagged a mug of coffee and brought it over.

�How d�ya feel?� he asked.

Duo grinned, sipping the mug. �Like I spent the entire night talking to a guy who wants to kill me.�

�Is that what you were dreaming about?�

�Yeah,� Duo closed his eyes. �He said he killed Sister Helen, that we were cousins, that there are people looking for me, ya know, insane people�s talk.� He opened his eyes again. �So, where�s Solo-mama and family?�

�They�re outside, making breakfast. We offered our help, but were told to just relax, she�d handle things fine.�

Duo nodded, then walked out into the morning sun. Squinting, he saw Mom and Solo-mama over by the stove, which was really a half-circle of stones supporting a large sheet of metal over a few fires.

�Mmm, Solo-mama,� he said as he walked over, �those wouldn�t be your famous griddle-cakes, would they? Oh, and bacon too?�

Mom and Solo-mama looked up as he sauntered over, bending down to give latter a peck on the cheek, then getting to his toes to do the same for his Mom.

�Yes, Duo-boy,� Solo-mama said. �I know how much you love them, so I figured it would be nice after the rough night you had.�

�Oh, thanks, did I wake you up?�

�No, but I asked this morning and your Mom told me. They sounded pretty bad.�

�Yeah, I guess so. They were more weird than anything, though.�

�Hm,� Solo-mama turned her attention back to the stove. The Mom spoke.
uo, uo, you should go talk to Father Maxwell.� Duo looked at her, there was something about the tone in her voice.

�What about?� he asked.

She looked at the ground. �It is for him to tell you.� Was all she said.

His eyes flew wide as the implications hit him. Looking around, he spotted the priest over by the central tower, looking out into the flats. Trotting over, he saw that his eyes were red and he seemed to have aged about ten years.

�It�s Sister Helen, isn�t it?� Duo asked as he stopped at Father Maxwell�s side. The priest looked over, startled.

�How�d you know?� he asked. �I know none of the saurs would have told you.�

Duo shuffled his feet, watching as little dust clouds poofed up then disappeared. �Uh, he told me last night in my dream.� The look on Father Maxwell�s face told Duo he knew exactly who he was. After a few minutes of silence, Father Maxwell spoke up.

�What else did he tell you?�

Duo thought for a moment, fingering the end of his braid. �Well, he said we were cousins, that part of him was in me, and part of me was in someone else. He said there were people watching him, and looking for me. He kept saying that, every time I went to sleep. At one point, he was trying to convince me that I wasn�t human, and then in the last dream, he said something about them creating the Z.E.R.O. System, and how they underestimated it.� Duo sighed. �None of it made sense. It was probably just something I ate.�

Father Maxwell looked out toward the haze on the horizon. It all made sense to him, though if he were the boy he would have dismissed it thusly as well. He wanted to explain it, but all the essentials were locked away where he couldn�t reveal them. Well, he�d tell the boy wha cou could.

�Duo,� he began, �I don�t think it was a dream. I can�t tell you a lot of things, things I�ve never really understood anyway. I can�t tell you them because they�re locked under the Seal of the Confessional. But I can tell you this. Rock Crushers are known for being telepaths. Everyone always thought that this particular one went mad because he wasn�t, but I think maybe he was maybe only half-insane, and hiding his talent all along. And I think that you and he really were conversing last night.�

Duo was frozen in shock. �What?� he whispered. �Are you as crazy as he is?!�

The priest looked over at the boy. �No, but I�ve heard some of that before, from a very reliable source. If what that person said was true, which I have every reason to believe it was, then it makes at least half of what he said true.�

More silence followed, broken with Mom�s calling to the two humans. �Breakfast is ready!�

The two walked back into the shaf thf the eating area, both lost in their own, troubling thoughts. Solo-mama�s griddle cakes and bacon made Duo feel a little better, as they always did, and the second, third, and forth mugs of ce ale also did their part. Duo was in the middle of his second serving of griddle cakes when out of nowhere he spoke.

�He�s awake.� His face looked surprised, as though the words had come flying out without thought.

Mom frowned. �Who�s awake, and how do you know?�

Duo frowned, tucking a stray hair behind his ear. �He is, and damned if I know how I know.�

There was silence as everyone within earshot froze. Karick swallowed his piece of bacon, then spoke, slowly and softly. �You�ve got a mind-link with him? But, I thought he wasn�t telepathic. . .�

�Maybe he is,� Litza mused, �and he�s insane for some other reason. That would explain those dreams you had last night, Duo.�

Father Maxwell nodded, �Yeah, that�s what we were talking about over there. . .�

Duo shook his head. �When would he have done it? I know it wasn�t there this time yesterday. . .�

Dad grunted. �Probably yesterday after Litza dragged you into the cave.�

�Then why couldn�t he find me?�

Marin then spoke up. �Because I imagine your eyes were shut, and your mind was so clouded with emotion that he couldn�t sort through it to get information on your location.�
�But wouldn�t he have felt where my mind was?�

�From what I understand, �she replied, �Telepathy doesn�t work that way. Unless he had some leanings toward the telekinetic, he can�t place thought-energy in three-dimensional space other than �close� or �far�. He would have found your mind easily, because you were probably broadcasting your emotions like radio tower gone out of control. However, to place them without their containing concrete logistical data, he could do little more than form the bond and wait until you were quiet enough that info came through. By the time that happened, though, you were thinking about other things, the location just there at the back of your mind, where he couldn�t reach it until last night, when you slept, when the mental functions of humans change, and many of the natural shields lower for a time. However, a mind-link works both ways. He is aware of you, and you of him.�

Duo pushed his plate away�he had lost his appetite�and started playing with the end of his braid. �So I can look through his eyes and see where he is?� he asked.

Marin nodded. �You should also be able to converse with him, if you wish. What other information you could gather depends on how strong the bond is, how strong your natural shielding is, and what your inherent capabilities are.� She paused. �Where is he right now?�

Duo�s eyes lost focus as he concentrated on that point of awareness. Gradually images came to him, greys and reds, blue of the sky, and crack in the earth. Some hills off in the distance. �He�s out on the flats, near Hawkmoon Canyon,� he said, keeping his awareness in that other place. �I wonder. . .�

Summoning up his courage, he aimed a thought at the point in his mind where the saur was. Good morning. I hope you had as restful a sleep as I did.

A chuckling came back to him. Indeed I did. Such concern for my well being is quite surprising, considering what you said last night.

Duo smiled. Just �cause I�m gonna kill you doesn�t mean I have to be a poor sport about it.

True. Duo could feel the nod that accompanied the statement.

Speaking of which, Duo sent, I don�t know what to call you. If I�m gonna die, I like to know who my killer is. And if I do the killing, I�d like to know who I killed.

Ah, the saur replied, a good question. They named me Shinigami when they made me, the first among those who bring death. You may call me that, if you wish.

Duo sensed a certain sadness with those words, a sort of regret tinged with fear and sorrow. And I, he replied, am called Duo Maxwell. Solo the Cricket Skink was my best friend, and Father Maxwell was the first human I ever remember speaking to.

The was a pause, as they both looked out one the flats. So, Duo sent, you comin� to kill me today or tomorrow?

There was a puzzling roil of . . . protest(?) from the other�s thoughts. Today, Duo Maxwell, though it may not be the death you expect> Th> That regret, again. I should be there in about three hours. Now leave my mind, and attend to your business.

And with that, Duo felt a barrier slide into place between their minds. Shinigami was still there, but there was no interaction. He sighed, turning back to his family and friends.

�His name is Shinigami,� he said, �And he�ll be here in three hours.�

Two and a half hours later, Leathery Town stood empty, the inhabitants having fled deeto tto the caves. Only two remained outside, sitting on a ledge on a cliff face, a priest and a young man with a braid and a gun.

�So,� Duo was saying, �You�re saying that I should try and keep the mind link open the whole time? But he�ll know exactly what I�m thinking!�

�Only what you�re thinking consciously.� Father Maxwell replied. �And you�ll also know what he�s thinking. You�ve got the advantage here because humans are better at separating their thoughts�you can have your strategy in the background, where he can�t see it except in occasional glimpses when your conscious mind refers to it, but be thinking about other things on top of it. He won�t be as good with that, so you�ll end up knowing more about his strategy than he will about yours. You�ll also be learning about him. One should never pass up the opportunity to learn more about a person. Remember that.�

Duo sighed, leaning his head against the stone behind him. �Thank you, Father, I will. You should go now, he�s getting close.�

They shook hands as the priest stood. �You�ve only got three shots, so make them count.�

�I will Father.� Duo replied. �I�ve got a plan. And when it�s over, I�ll have leather for a new pair of boots.�

Father Maxwell smiled. �Good then. I�ll see you after. God be with you.�

�And with you, Father.� The young man said as the priest vanished back into the canyons.

Duo turned back to his contemplation of the flats, arranging his thoughts and observing the link. It wasn�t long before he felt the barrier in the link tremble, then slip away.

Immediately the two were in each other�s mind, knowing where the other was. With an oath, Duo leapt of the ledge, only to have it crumble beneath Shinigami�s weight as he landed on it. Duo hit the ground as the saur let out an ear-splitting roar, falling down to the ground as well. Shinigami quickly recovered, and they both stood there for a moment, looking at each other.

�Why is it so important that you kill me?� Duo called out.

The other growled. �Ask me again when this is almost over. I will tell you then.�

�Fair enough,� Duo replied, then leapt out of the way as Shinigami lunged, landing partway up the opposite slope. Look boy, he heard, No human can move like that. I should know. But Duo ignored this, refusing to be distracted. The saur gave chase, and Duo near flew over the face of the canyon walls. Halfway round Leathery Town they ran, until Duo suddenly doubled back, trying to get behind the saur.

Seeing a good shot, he lifted his weapon to his eye as Shinigami turned, only to be hit with an image of himself raising his gun, only his eyes weren�t his�instead of their usual violet, they were now bright gold and slit vertically! The shock was enough to make him hesitate, giving the saur a chance to reach up and pin him, his gun clattering to the ground below.

�See!� the words echoes in mind and ear. �What human-child has eyes like that? What man or woman of your kind can run along the canyon walls as you just did? Tell me!�

Duo shook his head, fear and anger battling within. �How the hell should I know! Just eat me already!�

Shinigami laughed. �No, Duo Maxwell, if I kill you, it will not be when you are disarmed. That would be a stain upon what little honor I have left.� He lifted Duo off the cliff face, and set him down by his gun, bac backed up a few steps. �Now,� he said. �Let�s try this again.�

Duo stared at the giant, still seeing himself through the other�s eyes. Slowly, he slid his toe beneath the barrel of the Elkingham, then lifted his leg until his hand closed over the weapon. Without breaking eye contact, he slid his hands over the gun, checking for damage, finding none. A moment more they stood in silence, the Duo sprinted beneath Shinigami�s legs, surprising the saur with his boldness.

Duo made it out from beneath the giant�s legs only to dodge his amazingly agile tail, leaping away. Again the tail came, but this time he leapt toward it, landing near its base. Leaping again, he made it to Shinigami�s lower back. He quickly got to his stomach to lower his center of balance. The saur thrashed about, trying to dislodge him, but he hel to to his gun with his teeth and gripped the skin of the saur with both hands, then slowly began climbing up the spinal ridge, until he was just above the hips. Shinigami�s forearms weren�t long enough to reach him here, nor were his hind legs flexible enough. Duo got a good grip with his left hand, then with his right lifted the gun and plunged the bayonet into the giant�s back. The saur roared in frustration as the metal slid in. Duo inched his hand up to the trigger, pulling himself up at the same time. As soon as his hand reached its goal, it pulled. Duo leapt off at the explosion shattered the air, landing two feet behind the now quiet tail. Shinigami roared again as he found his bottom half no longer responding, slowly falling to the ground.

Duo panted. It was almost over, but not quite. Again he leapt into the saur�s back, working his way forward until he was just out of reach of the forarms. Again he lifted his weapon, a small red dot appearing on the skin before him. Aiming carefully, he hit the spine again, paralyzing the giant from the shoulders down. He now had perhaps ten minutes before he died. Then Duo walked up and over the headm until he stood atop Shinigami�s snout, where Solo had stood just the day before.

�You said you�d tell me when it was almost over,� he said, looking into the large eyes before him. �Well, I�d say it�s almost over. Tell me now?�

It will be easier if I just give you everything I have in this mind. I don�t know everything you�ll need, and I don�t know the answers to many of the questions you have now, but there�s bound to be something helpful in here. But I�ll have to dump it all into you�every memory, every thought. Are you willing to take this?

Duo thought a minute. He knew what Shinigami was proposing. If he agreed, he would become Shinigami�s successor. It was dangerous, but Father Maxwell had told him to take advantage of anything like this. If he went mad, well, he�d be a lot easier to take out than the one before him. He set the gun down.

Okay, he replied, I am willing.

Duo lost touch with the world around him as images and sounds and feelings flooded through him. There was a brief eternity where he understood everything Shingami had done, then it all flew down into the recesses of his subconscious.

Shinigami spoke again. You are Shinigami.. Much of this knowledge I have burier nor now. As occasion warrants, it will arise. But your mind needs time to digest it all, and a lifetime of memories can take quite a while. But, do you understand now?

Yeah, Duo sighed. You never were insane, just a little psychotic. You never meant to kill me�you came for your own death. But you were right. It was a different Death that found me.

Good. Now, there is nothing left for me to do. Perhaps you will find ways where I did not. But that�s up to you. There was a pause. So, you gonna let me just suffocat dea death, or will you finish me off as you planned?

Neither. Duo bent down and detached the bayonet. Kneeling down on the saur�s snout, he drew the edge of the blade along his palm, blood welling up in its wake. He then reached up to feel the skin between the giant eyes, searching for the soft spot. Finding it, he slid the blade through the skin, then pulled it out again, putting his bleeding hand over it.

I�m not sure why I�m doing this, he sent, but it seems right. As their mingled blood ran down the saur�s face, similar tracks were made on Duo�s face, only transparent instead of red. After a moment, Duo pulled up something from his new memories, and quested into Shinigami�s mind. Finding what he was looking for, he sent a word of farewell, and plucked.

A few minutes later Duo was aware of the townspeople coming back out. Mom reached up to him and pullim oim off the now dead saur.

�You did it, son� she whispered into his ear. �Shinigami is dead.�

�No,� he said, pulling away, rubbing his face now streaked with dust and tears. �Shinigami lives. I am Shinigami. I�m still Duo, but now I�m also Shinigami� Those close enough to hear gasped at the implications of the statement. �But that�s not important right now.� He continued. �Mom, I have to leave the desert, and I�d like it if the whole family could come with me.�

�But,� she said. �Where to and why?�

�It�s very important. I think it has to do with the old Shinigami. I have to find something. I don�t know what, but it�s in the east. And that�s where I have to go. East.�

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Becoming Human