As before, Heero received the necessary paperwork an hour later. Harriet took the envelope from the courier as Heero was at Relena's office, catching up on current events. Relena needed Heero's input on a few cases they were both working on, and she couldn't resist asking him about Quatre Winner. She didn't ask for details about the case due to confidentiality, but she wanted to know if Winner was really as polite as tabloids insisted, despite him being besieged by opportunistic businessmen and gold-digging women.
After exchanging some other news - Relena's husband Mark was taking his election race for mayor very seriously - Heero returned to his own office, spotting the envelope waiting on his desk. He opened it and took out the content: the promised witness statement reports and three cards on embossed, heavy paper.
"What's this?" Folding the cards open, Heero realized what they were: invitations to the party hosted by Treize Khushrenada, invitations the average man/woman would kill for, as Khushrenada's parties were luxurious, amazing and the place to be. Despite being a playboy and type-casted as the strong, mysterious and most handsome of all men, Khushrenada had a good heart: this party was a fundraiser for cancer research. The man might never win an Academy Award, but he didn't use his influence and riches only for himself. Heero called Duo first then Wufei to let them know about the invitations. He mentioned the date and place and stressed that they better show up in time. This was an opportunity they couldn't afford to miss.
Duo Maxwell showed up at exactly ten o'clock. He looked stunning in a black tuxedo with a pristine white shirt, and a black, silk scarf was intricately woven into his braid. His violet eyes matched with the deep, rich purple tie he was wearing, and his smile was astounding. Heero had a hard time keeping his eyes off of him.
"No Wufei yet, huh?" Duo said and he took a glass of champagne from a waiter's serving tray. "Don't worry, he'll show up… or better yet, he's probably already around somewhere, hiding in the shadows. That guy can move like a ghost himself."
"Are you picking up something yet?" Heero asked.
"I should've brought Shini," Duo said. "He can sniff out Slimer in a freezer bag."
"Who's Slimer?"
"Never mind." Duo smiled. "Don't worry. I do sense something, but it's not out of the ordinary. And as far as I can see, no materials that conduct spiritual matter have been used. It's all modern stuff, concrete and plastics. As far as I know, this property wasn't built on a burial ground."
"I can ask Barton to send me layouts of the property," Heero suggested. "Maybe there's something left, a residue or presence…"
"You're getting into it," Duo said, smiling joyfully. "Ever considered a change of job?"
"No, thank you." Heero hid behind his glass of champagne, feeling awkwardly hot. He chalked it up to the crowded party, too many people moving around and talking, while the music was too loud and the laughter too fake. Duo was standing out in every way, not only because of his good looks. Compared to all the plastic and fake attitudes around them, Duo was refreshingly down to Earth. And good looking. Way too good looking.
"There's Wufei." Duo pointed him out. His fellow spirit hunter was dressed in all white, with another golden embroidered dragon on his chest, its tail waving out over his back. The pattern was handcrafted, and Heero could see the details of the shimmering scales, reminding him of Shinigami.
"Slight disturbance, but nothing out of the ordinary," Wufei said, cutting right to the chase. "I have been here before to perform a cleansing ritual. Unfortunately, the presence is obnoxious and persistent - just like you, Maxwell. It always returns."
"What is it?" Heero asked.
"I don't know," both Duo and Wufei answered and exchanged a grumpy look.
"There's an entity in this house, and it won't go away. It worries me a little," Duo said, ignoring Wufei's haughty look. "A long-lingering presence like that can grow in strength and cause trouble in the long run."
He had barely finished his sentence when Quatre Winner came to stand with them. After introductions and mutual handshakes, Quatre heaved a small sigh. "I don't visit many of these parties. If I'd accept every invitation I was offered… but I have to show my face in public every once in a while, or the tabloids will write that I'm dead. Fortunately, Khushrenada doesn't party only for the pleasure. I'm here to donate to the good cause."
"Cancer research, right?" Duo said.
"Exactly." Trowa Barton joined the circle with two glasses of champagne, handing one to Quatre.
Duo's eyes went wide all of a sudden, it happened so fast that Heero doubted the others noticed it, but then he saw the surprised look on Trowa's face. Did they know each other? But how?
For the first time, the calm and stern business associate seemed to be thrown off guard. His hand trembled a little, the champagne sloshing in his glass. Heero quickly looked at Wufei, but he wasn't looking at Trowa and didn't seem to notice something was off.
The moment was gone quickly, just in a blink of an eye. Quatre talked to Duo about philanthropy like old friends and Wufei was listening into the conversation. Heero was still in doubt whether he should say something about it, when a ripple went through the crowd, buzzing with excitement.
"What's going on?"
The answer to Duo's question came into plain view: Treize Khushrenada had arrived at his own party, mingling with the guests, all smiles and friendly nods. The playboy actor moved around like he was the king of Hollywood himself. As usual, women fainted in his presence and men were jealous of his appearance. With large steps - and taking his sweet time to smile at the ladies - Khushrenada walked to the large center stage and took the microphone from the ceremony master.
"Dear friends, family, fans," he spoke dramatically, "I'm so glad you could come, all of you," - a large smile, and Heero could hear the ladies swoon - "to be together at this important event. Life's not all about glitter and glamour, and we all know how hollow and empty our lives can be without love and attention. It's time we think of the people who are affected by…"
Heero shut out the man's voice and looked around, his eyes automatically focusing on Duo, who had just been staring at him; when caught, the spirit hunter smiled and winked - winked! Heero didn't blush quickly, but now he felt like his entire face was a screaming red.
He tried to focus on the speech again, but he was too busy replaying Duo's wink over and over again in his mind. Had it been an I'm-interested wink or just a teasing, don't-think-of-it-much wink? And why was he even contemplating what kind of wink it was? He wasn't some kind of high school girl who went giddy at just a wink!
Heero shrugged brusquely and waited patiently until Khushrenada had finished his speech. As soon as his last words had rung through the room, people moved forward to donate. Quatre was about to excuse himself when Heero heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Heero! I didn't know you enjoyed this kind of event!"
He didn't need to turn around. Relena was standing behind him, arm in arm with Mark. He should've known that the society couple would be invited to an event like this.
"Relena, Mark, may I introduce you to Chang Wufei and Duo Maxwell? Wufei, Duo, this is Relena Peacecraft and her husband, Mark Wilkinson."
"Ah, the new candidate for mayor," Wufei said, acknowledging him with a slight nod of his head.
"Accompanied by a lovely and beautiful princess," Duo flattered Relena, taking her hand and pressing a kiss upon it. She blushed slightly but was immensely pleased with Duo's compliment.
"And…" Heero continued, but Relena was faster.
"Mister Winner doesn't need any introduction," she said and extended her hand gracefully. "I'm very happy to finally meet you in person, Mister Winner."
"So am I, Mrs. Peacecraft." Quatre mimicked Duo's gesture, and Relena's blush darkened. "I started my business awfully young, but I wasn't as successful at your age, to be partner in such a successful law firm."
Relena inclined her head, smiling at another compliment, and introduced her husband to Quatre. Mark was more than happy and impressed to meet him.
"May I introduce my business associate to you, Trowa Barton?" Quatre said, and another round of introductions followed. Mark attached himself to Quatre and Trowa, engaging the men into conversation. Relena turned around and tapped Heero lightly on his arm.
"It's incredibly difficult to get an invitation for a Khushrenada party," she whispered. "We only got one because of Mark's political position. How did you get one?"
"I was invited by Winner," Heero said. "Sort of."
She was impressed. "You're making friends in the right places, Heero. Now that's what I call networking." Relena's eyes went over Duo, standing a little to the side, as if in thought. "Maybe you'll meet someone to your fancy here," she teased Heero gently.
"Who knows," Heero answered, a little too airily.
"Relena, dear," Mark called out to her, saving Heero from further conversation, "are you coming with us? Mister Winner wishes to donate to the good cause."
"But of course." Relena smiled at her husband. "See you tomorrow," she said. "Have fun tonight."
"Fun tonight?" Heero protested, but he was staring at her retreating back, as the tail of her cocktail dress disappeared into the crowd.
"Now that's one gorgeous lady," Duo commented. "Her husband is running for mayor? He has to earn big bucks to afford all that Dior on her."
"Politics," Heero said dismissingly. He wasn't interested in Mark Wilkinson's paycheck.
He was about to ask where Wufei had gone off to, when the press, present to report about the fundraiser, flocked together to take pictures of the celebrities donating to the charity. Quatre held up a large check for half a million dollars, withstanding the cruel flashlights so close to his face with a kind smile. Relena and Mark posed for pictures as well, holding a check for a hundred thousand dollars.
"Son of a bitch," Heero heard Duo mutter under his breath. He looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just some minor hell spawn," Duo answered, gritting his teeth. "I thought nothing had changed."
"You mean that presence that won't go away?"
"No." Duo was cautious. His eyes darted around. "No wonder Wufei high-tailed it out of here. This place is a mess."
"What are you talking about? So suddenly?"
"So suddenly, yes." Duo sounded bitter. "What did you think, mister fancy-pants-lawyer? That ghosts and spirits announce themselves with trumpets and drums? Especially the dark world can shift, move and change within seconds, milliseconds. That's why I said I should've brought Shini with me. He's a creature of the otherworld himself, he knows."
Heero was fairly shocked at Duo's casual confirmation that his pet was a creature of darkness, even though his rational mind had already known that Shinigami couldn't have been of this world. He shivered lightly.
"What is it you see, then?" He asked. "What kind of… minor hell spawn?"
"Not worth mentioning." Duo shrugged. "Not a real threat, more just a nuisance. However, if there's a concentration of minor hell spawn, it's very likely that there's a boss around somewhere."
"A boss." Heero repeated. He stared at Duo as if the other had grown a second head. He had a sinking feeling what the other was talking about. Someone organizing and being in control of the dead, of angry spirits, of vengeful spirits, accumulating to the Gods know what.
"I'll be back soon." Duo left quickly, making his way through the crowd. Heero had no other choice but to watch him leave.
He waited for a while, but it didn't take long for him to grow impatient. Where had Wufei and Duo gone off to? They shared knowledge and experience that Heero didn't have any access to, and he oddly felt left out. It wasn't any of his business, he kept telling himself. He was just doing the research, as the lawyer he was, not some kind of Ghostbuster, a spirit hunter, or an exorcist.
But as time went by, Heero grew not only impatient, but also worried. Duo had said that he'd be back soon. What was soon? He never told Heero not to follow him. Heero decided to go into the same direction Duo had went to, and carefully searched his way through the crowd, ignoring celebrities and other attendants.
Finally, he ended up in a large hallway, with the kitchen to the left. Waiters and waitresses walked in and out, carrying dirty dishes, plates filled with food or drink, hurrying along and too busy to notice him. Heero tapped on the shoulder of a young man rinsing dirty plates.
"Excuse me, have you seen a man pass by, wearing a tuxedo, with a long braid?"
The young man looked a little confused, as every waiter was clad in a tuxedo, but the braid seemed to ring a bell. "I think he went through the back door," he pointed with a hand full of suds, "to the pantry."
Heero thanked him and went to the pantry, using all his strength to open the heavy door. The lights were on, revealing the large stock of the Khushrenada kitchen. With large freezer units and storage shelves to keep vegetables cool and fresh; wooden racks holding a gigantic liquor collection; and metal racks with shelves piled with boxes, cans and cartons, the pantry itself was the size of a space colony. Heero heard voices, faintly, in the distance. Without making much noise, he moved through the metal racks.
"How do we patch it?" Duo sounded worried.
"I have to contact Master Long." Wufei's voice was neutral. "I have not seen a rift like this in a long time."
"We have to take precautionary measures. We can't let it continue to fester like this."
"Did you bring anything along?"
A snort. "Do I ever come unprepared?"
"Yes, you do."
"Spoilsport."
"Just do it, Maxwell."
"Fine."
Heero chose a hiding spot behind a huge stack of boxes. It wasn't exactly elegant to spy, but he had the distinct feeling neither Duo nor Wufei would appreciate his presence right now. Duo pulled something from his pants pockets: green, round shapes, like beads. He started to crush them in his hand, mashing them with his fingers, turning it into a green paste. Wufei dabbed his fingers in the green paste as well. If he didn't know any better, Heero would say the touch was almost gentle. He shivered - and not only from the cold temperature in the pantry.
Suddenly, Wufei started to talk, but it wasn't in any language Heero could recognize. It wasn't talking, he realized: it was chanting, a recital of a mantra. Duo moved, his braid slipping over his shoulder as he crouched down, next to a freezer unit.
While Wufei kept chanting, Duo worked with his hands, but Heero couldn't make out what he was doing. After a while, Wufei went silent. Heero was holding his breath.
"This will have to do," Duo said. "You're going to consult Long, I'll…"
"Master Long," Wufei corrected him.
"Master Long," Duo repeated. "I'll see what I can do."
"All right. What did you see with Barton?"
Heero would have gasped if he hadn't been holding his breath already. So Wufei had noticed after all!
"I'm not sure. This is a tough one," Duo said. "I'll have to investigate. I don't like it being so close to Winner."
"I can see why it chose to open a rift here, though," Wufei said.
"Khushrenada is a gate to the demon world," Duo confirmed.
"Fortunately he is not a gate large enough to give way to anything but the weakest." Wufei snorted again, but not with as much vehemence as before. "The question is, is he acting willingly or unwillingly as a gate?"
"I think Khushrenada knows a lot more than you give him credit for," Duo said. He stared at the spot next to the freezer unit. "Have you seen his library?"
"Maxwell, have you been touring his house?" Wufei sounded incredulous.
"Hey, it wasn't like anyone was paying attention or something."
"That is trespassing, Maxwell. Your lawyer boyfriend can tell you all about it."
"He's not my boyfriend, sweetheart. How's Meiran doing nowadays?"
"Asshole!" Wufei punched Duo against the shoulder and turned around to walk away.
Quickly, Heero crouched even lower, pressing himself to the floor, hoping that they wouldn't notice him. Wufei passed the metal racks, looking aggravated, and Duo shivered dramatically, complaining about the cold.
Heero waited until they were gone. He had to force himself to get up, his body stiff from the cold, and he stretched before walking over to the freezer unit where Duo and Wufei had been standing. He couldn't see anything strange about it. The green stuff was gone. He kept staring for another five minutes. Nothing happened. Heero decided to leave the pantry and snuck a few canapés with him from the kitchen before he mingled with the crowd again. For once, he was glad for the warmth provided by all the people together; the cold pantry had chilled him to the bone.
He searched out Duo, and he found him, without Wufei, standing at the buffet. Duo was sipping a tropical juice cocktail and he looked at Heero, squinting his eyes a little before smiling like he usually did and said: "Great party, right?"
"It's not bad. Not that I have much experience with parties."
"All work and no play makes for a very dull boy," Duo said. "It's no shame to relax."
"You're right."
"So, how many hours of work do you pack a week? Sixty, eighty?"
"If you prepare correctly and have a good, dependable secretary, lawyer work shouldn't be as excessive as John Grisham makes it out to be."
"True. I'm sorry if I come off as rude. I don't know much about the lawyer business. I'm a little biased."
"Biased how?"
"I don't have many good experiences with them." Duo shrugged. "Many of them stiffed me on the bill, and a lot of them tried to make me look like a quack or a deranged loon in court. 'Ghosts, Mister Maxwell? Really? Do you have any pictures of them? Fingerprints? Are they waiting for you on the other side?'" He imitated a low, arrogant tone of voice. "You've been the only one to treat me professionally, the only one who has taken me seriously. You won't believe how many would like to make fun of me. 'So Mister Maxwell, is there any ghost that you can describe present in this room?'" he used the same low, arrogant voice again, "or 'do you see dead people too, Mister Maxwell?'"
"Well, do you?" Heero couldn't help himself and immediately added "Sorry."
"No, it's okay." Duo heaved a sigh. "I do see them. But it's not like you think, and it's not like in the movies. I don't want to talk about it. This property is clean for now, but it's only a temporary fix. We need to think about a permanent solution. I have to do some research before I know for sure."
"Have you any idea who's targeting this property? Or Winner?" Heero was curious to learn if Duo would say something about Trowa.
"No, that's why I need to do some research. Enjoy the party, Heero Yuy."
Relena had managed to score autographs of Treize Khushrenada and was happy to give one to her own secretary and to Heero's. Harriet all but melted at the large picture with the autograph on it, and it was actually funny to see his overly calm and composed secretary make googly eyes at the framed picture. She wrote a thank-you card to Relena, and Heero delivered it himself, using the opportunity to ask Relena out for lunch. She happily accepted, but due to her busy schedule, she couldn't make it this week. She looked tired.
In his office, Heero performed Internet searches on Duo Maxwell and Chang Wufei. He only found one Duo Maxwell, a forty year old beer-guzzling hillbilly with a tribal tattoo on his wrist and barely a hair on his head. No Duo Maxwell with a braid and involved in supernatural activity. The many Chang Wufeis didn't yield the one Heero had met.
Out of curiosity and with the overheard conversation in the pantry in his mind, Heero searched on Khushrenada. Ignoring all the gossip on relationships and love interests, movie releases, parties in general and a lot of uninteresting stuff, Heero came across articles talking about Khushrenada's belief in the spiritual. Rather innocent at first, but when he delved deeper, he found articles on the actor theorizing about the existence of spirits and demons, and how his interest in the supernatural had come to grow.
What had Duo called him? A gate. A gate to the demon world. How could that be?
He read an article in which Khushrenada admitted that, ever since he played with an Ouija board as a kid, he was fascinated. His father had passed away at a very young age, and he believed he could talk to him with help of the board.
"I just wanted to see my father again," Heero read out loud, "I knew for sure he was a friendly ghost, and that there was no danger to it. It was an innocent wish of an innocent boy."
Heero left it at that. A quick research query for Trowa Barton left him dissatisfied; virtually nothing but his company profile existed. Apparently, he had studied law and business administration, but his resume didn't mention when and where. His official title was 'Executive Assistant to Mister Winner'.
What had Quatre called him? Business associate. Drumming with his fingers on his desk, Heero frowned. Wufei was right. He was far more involved in this than he could ever imagine.
Apart from the 'Ghostbusters'-case, as the entire office had dubbed it, Heero had a lot of other work on his plate. He had to prepare his defenses and talk to his clients and experts. Harriet had scheduled a murderous agenda filled with court visits, and his workload seemed to double by the hour. The paparazzi had spotted Quatre Winner visiting Darlian, Peacecraft, Merquise and Yuy, and Relena was overwhelmed with questions and interviews. It was amazing how one case could bring about such an avalanche, and Heero and the other partners all felt like their lives had been turned upside down.
Despite being buried with work, Heero found himself looking forward to hearing something from Duo. It had been two days, and the spirit hunter had been oddly silent. Heero wondered how long it was going to take the other to do his research.
Just as he was contemplating calling him, Harriet knocked on his door, entered, and put a sticky note on his desk. It wasn't usual for Harriet to enter his office like this; their interaction was mostly by e-mail or phone. His eyes went to the bright yellow note, and read her large handwriting: "Mister Maxwell has invited you for dinner tonight."
The corners of his mouth curled up in a smile, until he noticed that Harriet was still standing in front of his desk. She was gauging his reaction!
"Something I can do for you, Harriet?" he asked her, sickly sweet. She didn't even bother to pretend.
"Do you want me to call Mister Maxwell to accept the invitation or decline it?"
He had to admit: the woman had balls - exactly why he had hired her.
"I will take care of it, Harriet." His neutral face might be a little disappointing to her, but she didn't press matters and left his office. It took Heero the rest of the afternoon to work up the courage to actually call Duo; he left a message on his voice mail, as usual. He couldn't wait to hear the warmth in Duo's voice again, not a pre-recorded message.
Heero didn't want to arrive empty-handed. This was the second time Duo treated him to dinner without expecting or asking anything in return. He didn't want to come across as someone who abused his hospitality. The question was however, what to bring him. Heero didn't know Duo that well. A bottle of wine? Liquor? Duo hadn't drunk anything stronger than tropical juice at Khushrenada's party.
After giving it a long and hard thought, Heero couldn't come up with anything else but a bottle of expensive whiskey after all. It was easier to find something suitable for Shinigami: a bag of meat. The dragon.. gargoyle… dragoyle might be obnoxious, he was valuable to Duo.
He expected the creature to jump at him as soon as he knocked on the door of Duo's apartment, but to his surprise it was the spirit hunter himself who opened the door.
"You have excellent timing," he said. "Dinner is just about to be served! You have a very nice secretary, by the way. Harriet, right? When I told her I wanted to invite you for dinner, she started to give me all kinds of tips on what food I should prepare you. I didn't know you had Japanese ancestry, though I should've noticed!"
Heero stood confused, processing the waterfall of words. Harriet had been giving tips? Since when was his Iron Secretary meddling with his private life? She buried him with files and work, not with culinary advice.
"Your expression is priceless," Duo continued mercilessly, "but you look cute when you're flabbergasted. Come on in!"
Heero stepped inside, looking around for the dragoyle. Duo waved with his hand.
"Don't worry, he'll show up somewhere," he said.
"I'm not all that fond of seeing him again," Heero grumbled. Duo guided him through the hallway. The scents coming from the kitchen were delicious, as before. "I brought something for you."
"For me?" Duo took the bottle of liquor, packaged in a rectangular box. "How chic!" he exclaimed when he took out the bottle and stared at the label. "Oh wow, amazing! That goes great with coffee!"
"Real coffee, that is," Heero reminded him of his habit to overload his coffee with cream and sugar.
"Or ice cream," Duo said. "Thank you. That's very kind of you."
Heero liked the smile on Duo's face. He handed him the bag of meat. "This is for your pet."
"You thought of Shini too? Fresh meat? You'll be his best friend forever!"
Duo walked into the kitchen to put the meat into the refrigerator. Heero followed him, still confused and amazed about Duo's words and the tiny kitchen, completely stuffed from floor to ceiling with pots and pans, utensils and dinnerware.
"Can I help?" he asked.
"Can you take those pans to the table?" Duo pointed to two pans, one with rice, and one with potatoes. It looked like he'd cooked for an entire army, Heero thought. Duo carried a frying pan with several thin slices of meat and a huge dish with fresh, steamed vegetables and mushrooms.
"I'm sorry, I don't have any chopsticks," Duo apologized.
"I have some Japanese ancestry in me, Harriet was right about that, but I'm not living according to Japanese customs," Heero said dryly. "I'll do fine with knife and fork."
They set the table and Heero couldn't do anything but to compliment Duo on his hard work: he had made beef teriyaki, udon, gyoza and harashi rice. Heero scratched the back of his head.
"Are you expecting more eaters?"
"Oh no, just the two of us," Duo said. "You know I can pack quite some food away, and the previous time you had no difficulty cleaning your plate either."
"True," Heero said as he sat down. "I'm not used to such delicious home cooking."
"Why thank you," Duo beamed. "I was taught the basics, but I developed my own style through trial and error." He rubbed his hands. "It's time to dig in!"
"Itadakimasu," Heero said formally. He got such a bright smile in return that he was glad he was sitting down, because otherwise his knees would've given out on him.
Heero helped himself to a little bit of every dish. It was Duo's first time to venture into the Asian kitchen, much to his own satisfaction.
"You mentioned your American heritage earlier," Heero remarked. "How does an American like you end up in Sanq Kingdom?"
Duo munched on a few mushrooms and swallowed before answering. "Believe it or not, but Sanq has a very high concentration of supernatural activity," he said. "Mysterious activity. Not just poltergeists and ghosts, but beings like a gwynnfyr, or a qullu'an. Ancient, ancient entities who shouldn't be around nowadays."
"I know Sanq has a rich history." Heero racked his mind for details. He hadn't spent much time on studying history, as his preference for law had been obvious since his youngest days. "A rich and a violent history," Duo said. "Today, Sanq profiles itself as one of the most peace-loving and pacifistic countries in the world, but its chronicles are filled with war and massacres. It happened a long, long time ago, but I do believe it might be a reason why so many dark entities are manifesting here. The world revolves around energy, and nothing attracts dark entities as much as negative energy… and believe me, war generates a lot of negative energy."
"And you got somehow attracted to it? I mean, you could feel that energy?"
"Exactly." Duo poked at a piece of beef. The scrunching sounds from under the table reminded Heero that Shinigami was eating its meal.
"Amazing," Heero said.
"You're not calling me delusional, or crazy, or stupid," Duo said. "That's what I like about you."
Heero almost dumped his scoop of rice next to his plate. "Well, I'm a lawyer," he said, rather brusquely to cover up his mishap, "I was taught to think rationally and logically."
"So if there's a crime committed in any of the other worlds, will you defend it according to the law?"
"According to the law pertaining to that world, yes," Heero said. "But I don't know if there are any laws for other worlds. Demon worlds, that is… That's your territory. I only deal with the people's world. Heaven and Earth, plain stuff like that."
"If only it was just plain heaven and Earth," Duo said, "but I told you before: there are many other worlds and dark creatures, angry entities and powerful demons. But don't let me to spoil your appetite - or my own, for that matter. Hand me that bowl, please?"
They continued to eat, exchanging pleasantries instead of talking about entities or creatures. Heero waited patiently for Duo to bring up the Khushrenada party. He figured Duo would mention it as soon as they had coffee. He was right; Duo settled into the seat opposite of him, Shinigami perched on his right shoulder, licking its plump snout as it smacked on the last remnants of its dinner.
"So, about Khushrenada," Duo said pensively. "His house is like a gathering place for dark entities. A party site for minor hell spawn: satyrs, tricksters. A nuisance, but any nuisance can turn into a big problem. Especially when dark entities are involved."
"You called Khushrenada a 'gate'," Heero reminded him. "Do you mean he's all but welcoming the dark entities?"
"He means well, in a twisted way." Duo licked off his spoon. Shinigami snorted, a puff of smoke leaving its nostrils. Its red eyes were still gauging Heero, who concentrated on the end of Duo's braid to avoid the creature's glare. "Some people have a natural link to another world. They can sense demons or are able to see them. Some people search them out. They buy an Ouija board and think they'll be having a good time. I won't go into detail about the naivety they display, or about how much trouble they can cause if they, in their ignorance, meddle with forces and powers one shouldn't be meddling with. Many dark entities are of the suave, manipulative kind, and before you know it you can have an onslaught on your hands, just because you believed an entity."
"Why do people search out dark entities?"
"Who knows?" Duo shrugged. "People believe there's more between heaven and Earth, or they're interested in everything dark and unknown just because, or they feel attracted to monsters and demons just like others like fairytales, or cooking, or drawing… who knows?"
Shinigami snorted loudly again, as if wanting to disagree with Duo. It flapped a little with its wings before settling on Duo's right shoulder again, nuzzling its head in the crook of Duo's neck. Heero didn't realize he was giving the creature a jealous look and sipped too much of his coffee, nearly scorching his tongue.
"It's not all malicious intent. You wouldn't believe how many people do things out of sheer curiosity or plain ignorance… anyhow, Wufei discovered a small rift in Khushrenada's villa," Duo continued. "Sometimes, the borders between the normal world and the otherworld are thin and sometimes the borders even overlap. When that happens, it's easy for any entity to slip through and make contact with the real world. Those rifts always occur in the home of someone who's very much open to the other world. That's why we call them 'a gate'. Rifts are extremely dangerous. When not fixed properly, they can tear and cause a permanent opening between human and demon worlds. I don't think I have to draw you a picture on what could happen then."
"Those rifts… Do they happen very often?"
Duo took his time to answer and scratched Shinigami's nose. "I have noticed that the borders are wearing thin, lately. Slowly, but still… That's why people like me and Wufei are necessary. Not only to cleanse and heal, but also to check upon the defenses of our world, and repairing it when needed."
Heero couldn't help himself; as much as he was repulsed by the thoughts of demons and dark entities, he was also fascinated by them. Or was he fascinated by Duo talking, and listening to his warm, kind voice? He liked the way Duo was casually reclining in his seat, and he tried to imagine what it would be like to sit next to the other and hold and cuddle him. It wasn't the first thought about Duo to pop up in his mind, but it was the most intimate so far. Heero clenched his mug. It was a good thing that Duo couldn't read his mind. He quickly continued the conversation.
"Are the entities of the other worlds aggressive? Mean? Do they want something from our world?"
"There are so many entities, creatures and beings, if I were to explain them all, we'd still be here somewhere around next year," Duo chuckled. "But no, not all entities are aggressive or mean. Some of them are just confused. Some of them are kind and friendly. But as with every society, large groups can be organized. A demon itself is a creature, a being, unable of coherent or logical actions. A stronger demon, one with the capability to think, can give orders to the lower class demons. He, or she, can put his/her will onto them."
"I didn't know rational thought or willpower was possible in a demon world," Heero said. "Like I said, there are many entities, creatures and beings. Demons often come into existence when… No, let me explain it differently. Demons are ghosts who don't realize that they're dead. They can't move on and don't understand why not. They want to return to the real world, but they can't. Their anger and sadness turns into aggression, and so a kind soul can corrupt itself into a demon."
"Your work is scary."
Duo allowed Shinigami to drink the last drops of his sweetened coffee. "I know. But it's what I do, and frankly, I don't want to do anything else. It can be very satisfying and rewarding work, Heero. Like I said, not every entity is aggressive. Most of them are just sad and grieving, not for their own lost life, but because they miss their loved ones. Sometimes their love is so strong, that they're still hovering in limbo, looking for a chance to return. They can't, of course. The dead do not return to the world of the living. I can help them move on."
Heero was about to say something, when his smartphone went off. He excused himself and pulled the Blackberry out of his pocket. Duo stood up and went to the kitchen to get more coffee. Heero looked at the display of his phone. Unknown number.
"Yuy," he all but barked into the receiver.
"Heero, I'm so glad you picked up." Quatre Winner's voice didn't sound as smooth and composed as usual. In fact, he sounded rather panicked. "Do you have the phone number of Duo Maxwell? I… Something has happened, and I would've asked Trowa, but it's his evening off and I can't find him anywhere."
"I happen to be right here at Duo's," Heero answered a little stiffly, but Quatre wasn't worrying at the least about the implications.
"You are? Thank God! Please, I need to speak to him!"
Heero put him on the speaker, and his voice was so loud that Duo easily overheard him, even all the way from the kitchen. With the coffee pot in his hand, Duo called out loudly: "I'm right here, Quatre. What's going on?"
"Please come to the Khushrenada estate," Quatre begged. "Something has happened. Not over the phone. Get your stuff; a car is on your way." He disconnected promptly. Heero's surprised look matched Duo's.
"I've never heard him so upset like this," Duo said. "What's going on?"
"I don't know," Heero said. "But we better do as he says."
Chapter 2 | Chapter 4 |