Categories > Anime/Manga > Gundam Wing > Life Callings
Chapter 5a: Day One aka Why Starr and Duo shouldn't be allowed to ride to school together or be IN the same school
0 reviewsDuo reunites with a childhood friend, setting chaos into motion
-1OOC
See previous chapters for disclaimer and warnings
Chapter 5a
~~Dream moment~~1)
"Wait up, Roe!" A tall redhead carols out merrily, racing after her friend. `Blasted skirt.' she complains to herself, tying up her skirt. Its mid summer, and the woolen skirt she has to wear is suffocating!
"Hurry Lahna, we canna' miss the Beltane!" Roe calls back, his deep baritone echoing in the hills. He turns back and grabs her hand. They then both race off, red and silvery blond hair streaming behind them. Through the forest and green mountain grass they fly, silver and red blurs against the midnight blue of a setting sky. Reaching the mountain edge, they rest to breathe.
"Think you Karn and the others will be mad that we're late?" She asks worriedly.
"Nay, `tis but only a few minutes." He puts his arm comfortingly around her shoulder. She sighs softly, leaning into his embrace.
"Aye," she says. "But we should start down `fore they send the hounds after us." Bounding from rock to rock like mountain goats, they travel swiftly to the glen of Frandi'sharr. Suddenly, the rock Lahna is on crumbles...
And two people suddenly jerk awake.
*
"Good morning everyone." Starr carols, bouncing into the kitchen. All the guys are already up and sitting at the table. Duo and Heero are eating their usual breakfast, pancakes, eggs, and Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter2) cereal. Wufei was reading the paper while nursing a cup of coffee. Trowa and Quatre were talking quietly over their tea and coffee. They all wore what looked like a school uniform. Navy cords, White dress shirt under maroon blazers.
"Are you always this damn cheerful?" Wufei asks/complains.
"Naw! Usually only when I'm excited are mornings good. Normally, it's `give me coffee, and leave me alone'." She demonstrates this by pouring herself a cup.
"And since 9 times outta 10 she's excited, prepare for some serious suffering!" Duo inserts, giving her a hug. The others grimace in horror at the thought.
"Aww shuddap!" She thwaps him upside his head. "Sooo, what's it like at Jusenkyo3) High?" She looks at everyone curiously.
"It's great, " Duo exclaims. "As far as schools go. You'll love it!"
"It's acceptable." This from Heero, the efficient bore.4) "Here." He tosses her a package.
"What's this?"
"Your uniform."
"UNIFORM?!" He just nods. She takes the package and heads to her room to change clothes. She then notices the name on the package. :: Starrfyre MAXWELL, Duo?::
:: Yeah, we figured it'd be easier ta say you're my twin sister, since we look alike an all.::
:: Oh. So does this mean we can't have fun?:: She giggles, imagining the look on Duo's face.
:: Very funny.::
:: At least the school uniforms are cool.:: She comments, hastily pulling on the maroon skirt and navy cheerleader style shirt. Brushing her hair as quickly as possible, she styles it in her customary two French braids. Then she gets an evil idea. Quickly unbraiding her hair, she rebraids it into one long French braid. Looking in her mirror, she grins at the result :One female Duo Maxwell. Grabbing a black duffle bag she managed to get from her house, she bounds down the stairs. "All right, I'm read, let's book it peeps!" She chirps, catching the spare helmet Duo tosses her. They all file out the door, heading towards the garage, Starr and Duo racing ahead. "I win!" Starr cries jubilantly. "That means I get to drive." She smirks.
"Do you even know HOW to drive a motorcycle?" Duo asks.
"I see someone forgot who TAUGHT him, and was in a cycles show."
"Who, me?" Duo asks innocently, "No way." She just snorts.
"We better go guys, " Quatre says. "It'd be bad luck to start the new school year with a detention for being late. Especially your first day ever, Firefly." Everyone nods and hops on their own cycle, Duo and Starr doubling up on his. They rev up their engines and peal out.
"YEEHAW!" Starr and Duo yell as Starr executes an amazing wheelie before speeding ahead.
::Starr, You even know where we're goin?::
:: Nope, I thought I'd just switch with you at the first light or when I'm ready, whichever came first.::
"You do realize we have comm units in our helmets, right?" Duo's voice enters the shell of her helmet.
"Oh well." ::This is funner!:: Her giggles echo in his head.
"Starr, turn left here, we're almost there." Quatre's voice sounded.
"Okie Doke, Skoke!" She replies. ::Hey Duo, it's time for the ol' switcheroo. You up for it?::
::Of course. You do all the hard stuff, I just gotta hold steady.::
::On three!:: They suddenly speed up, and Starr slowly loosens her grip on the
bars "Ready?" Starr calls out.
"As ever!" Duo replies.
"One." Star counts, letting go of the handlebars. At the same time Duo lets go of her waist, reaching around to place his hands where hers were.
"Two..." Duo calls out, moving just a little forward along the seat. Starr brings her legs under her body, balancing barely. Slowly, she starts to stand up.
"What are you two crazy idiots doing?!" Heero and Wufei yell.
"THREE!" They both yell. Starr stands upright and Duo scoots right up behind her, holding the bike steady.
Taking a deep breath she screams "BUNNY HOP!" Bending down as far as she can, she suddenly springs up and back in a perfect aerial back flip. Catching Duo's shoulders at the peak, she hangs in a handstand for a while, before swinging down and landing snugly behind Duo.
"By Allah!" Quatre breathes. "That was amazing, you two!"
"I'm impressed." Trowa states.
"You could've just stopped and traded places like normal people." Wufei grates out.
"But you forget, " Heero comments. "They're Maxwells, they AREN'T normal people."
"That hurts Hee-chan!" Duo cries. Starr just blows them raspberries.
"Besides, I ain't a Maxwell." Starr reminds them.
"But for all purposes you are." Heero replies. At that time, they start to pull into the schools parking lot. Finding parking spots close together, they all dismount.
"C'mon sis, " Duo says, "I'll show ya to the office." Grabbing her arm, they head into the building. The others follow soon after. Duo leads her into the school, heading straight down the main hallway. Lots of students cried out to him, and he waved or hollered hello in response. Turning down one of the branching hallways, he stops in front of a pair of glass doors.
"This is the office I take it?" Starr asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, c'mon. I called earlier, Mrs. McGinnis is expecting you, or rather, us." Duo pushes through the doors and heads to the first door on the right. "Hello, Mrs. McGinnis?" He knocks on the door. "It's me, Duo, and I have my sister with me, your new student!" He winks at her. The door opens slowly, revealing a smiling blond woman of about 25 years.
"Come on in." She widens the door and they both slip in.
Later
"Thanks Mrs. McGinnis!" They call, running out of the office.
"So, where to now?" Starr breathes.
"Well, since we have most of the same classes, I thought I'd just hit my locker and we could bust it to class!"
"By the way, what IS our first class?"
"Modern Art!" By this time they have reached a classroom door. Catching their breath, they straighten their windblown clothes and hair before entering the room.
"So class, today's assignment will be, OH MY!" The teacher stops when she sees who's entered the room. There stands a madly grinning Duo, with an exact female copy standing behind him, smirking.
"So sorry, to be late, ma'am, I was showing my sis around the school." Duo blurts in a rush. She blinks.
"Well, welcome to Jusenkyo, Miss...?"
"Starrfyre Maxwell, younger twin of Duo Maxwell!" Starr pipes up. "And cuter, too!" She impishly adds, grinning.
"Please have a seat Mr. and Ms. Maxwell." She gestures to the rows of chairs. They choose a pair in the back. "Now, back to our assignment. Today class, we're going to focus on landscapes..." The teacher continues.
:: That wasn't so bad.:: Starr comments.
:: Sure, if you don't mind the fact everyone's STARING at us like we're some kinda spearmint.::
:: Get over it, bro! Besides,:: she thinks slyly, :: I thought you LOVED being the center of attention!:: That effectively shuts him up for awhile. Grabbing easels and paint, the class starts on their landscapes. Starr concentrates hard, recreating from memory a scene from her dreams. Soon, a whole crowd of people is standing around her, staring in awe at her painting.
"What kind of landscape is that?"
"It's not landscape." Starr corrects, "It's dreamscape."
"You must have some crazy dreams then."
"Who said the scene was from my dreams?" Before he could answer, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. "So, what you're next class bro?" she asks.
"Math. You?"
"Chemistry."
"Oh. Heero's in that class!" he starts to say more, but notices the time. "Oh shit! If I don't run I'm gonna be late to class, which isn't a good thing to do on the first day." He runs off. Starr shrugs.
`I'd run too, if he had told me where my class was. Oh well, guess I'll just ask.' She asks directions to her next class, chemistry. Entering the class, she sits in the back right behind Heero. She soon realizes the class is cake, so she spends it studying Heero. ` Damn, this boy really needs ta relax! I mean jeeze; you could break a fucking cement wall on his back. He's so tense.' At that notion, she begins to formulate a plan to remedy that.
Before it was fully established the class ended. Next comes another cake class, Philosophy. She spends the whole class period arguing with the teacher and half the class about the ethics of the Mobile Suit Wars. Luckily, none of the pilots were in this class, because Starr seems to know as much or even more about the suits and wars then they do.
Then comes lunch. Stacking her tray as full as she can, she searches for her friends. Finally spotting them in the courtyard by a cherry tree, she heads out to sit with them. "How're y'all doin?" She asks.
"Fine."
"K. I guess."
"..."
"Fine."
"Hn."
"How are you holding up so far?" Quatre asks.
"I'm peachy-keen jellybean! Ain't nothing I've never done before, so RELAX!" She sends that last word in Heero's direction, who ignores it. She sighs and lays back into Duo's arms. ::Why haven't ya got Heero ta relax yet?::
:: It ain't from lack of tryin, TRUST ME!:: Suddenly a pair of feet appear in front of their eyes. They look up to see a handsome redheaded muscular guy. His open grin turns into a smirk when he sees Starr.
"Hey Duo, who's the-" He stops when he gets a look at Starr's face. Totally unnerved at the sight of two Duos, he stammers. " Oh man, I'm so sorry..." He stops when they both start laughing.
"Lou, this is my twin sister, Starr." She nods. "Starr, this is my friend Lou." He points at the now beet red boy.
"So this is the Lou I've heard SO much about!" Starr exclaims. He blushes.
"Only the good stuff, right Duo?" he asks.
"Of course, man!" They spend the rest of lunch talking it up and introducing Starr around. The rest of her classes are easy, with one or more of her friends in each class. Quatre and Trowa in music, Wufei in Trig, All six have the same gym class. The most interesting part though, was her English class homework.
"Class, I want you all to write a poem to be presented in front of the class tomorrow." The teacher calls as the bell rings. Grabbing her books, Starr hurries after Heero, who yet again is in one of her classes.
"So, what're you gonna write `bout?" she asks him.
"Hm?" He asks, slightly startled. He hadn't realized that she was next to him. `Girl's as quiet as Duo, maybe even more so.'
"The poetry assignment! Whatcha gonna write? I can help if ya wanna."
" I'll be fine!" he states curtly, heading to where their bikes are parked.
At home
"Where's Starr?" Quatre asks later.
"She's working on some class project that's due tomorrow. It's writing a poem or something like that." Duo replies.
"Oh." He says.
"Well, where's Heero?"
"Prolly with Starr. They have that class together." Suddenly, a piercing cry echoes through the house. Starr comes charging down the stairs paper in hand.
"I finished it! WAHOOOO!" She's so excited that she performs a set of cartwheels, two backhand-springs and a full standing back flip.
Upstairs
Heero is toiling with a poem. `One line left...' he scribbles a little. `There! `Melancholy Soldier' is finished!"
TBC
1) This is where it gets kinda strange. All will be made clear, though. ^_~
2) My FAV!!! ^________^
3) Sorry y'all. Channeling Ranma ½ here. The ending theme's stuck in my head! randomly bangs her head on her desk
4) I love my Hee-chan. Really!
Heero: Then why am I a bore? Sniffles
Aww. You know I don't mean it! Huggles
After a maybe 4 year break I will be attempting to continue this fic which may result in the revision of previous chapters. Until then, enjoy what I've written do far!
Chapter 5a
~~Dream moment~~1)
"Wait up, Roe!" A tall redhead carols out merrily, racing after her friend. `Blasted skirt.' she complains to herself, tying up her skirt. Its mid summer, and the woolen skirt she has to wear is suffocating!
"Hurry Lahna, we canna' miss the Beltane!" Roe calls back, his deep baritone echoing in the hills. He turns back and grabs her hand. They then both race off, red and silvery blond hair streaming behind them. Through the forest and green mountain grass they fly, silver and red blurs against the midnight blue of a setting sky. Reaching the mountain edge, they rest to breathe.
"Think you Karn and the others will be mad that we're late?" She asks worriedly.
"Nay, `tis but only a few minutes." He puts his arm comfortingly around her shoulder. She sighs softly, leaning into his embrace.
"Aye," she says. "But we should start down `fore they send the hounds after us." Bounding from rock to rock like mountain goats, they travel swiftly to the glen of Frandi'sharr. Suddenly, the rock Lahna is on crumbles...
And two people suddenly jerk awake.
*
"Good morning everyone." Starr carols, bouncing into the kitchen. All the guys are already up and sitting at the table. Duo and Heero are eating their usual breakfast, pancakes, eggs, and Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter2) cereal. Wufei was reading the paper while nursing a cup of coffee. Trowa and Quatre were talking quietly over their tea and coffee. They all wore what looked like a school uniform. Navy cords, White dress shirt under maroon blazers.
"Are you always this damn cheerful?" Wufei asks/complains.
"Naw! Usually only when I'm excited are mornings good. Normally, it's `give me coffee, and leave me alone'." She demonstrates this by pouring herself a cup.
"And since 9 times outta 10 she's excited, prepare for some serious suffering!" Duo inserts, giving her a hug. The others grimace in horror at the thought.
"Aww shuddap!" She thwaps him upside his head. "Sooo, what's it like at Jusenkyo3) High?" She looks at everyone curiously.
"It's great, " Duo exclaims. "As far as schools go. You'll love it!"
"It's acceptable." This from Heero, the efficient bore.4) "Here." He tosses her a package.
"What's this?"
"Your uniform."
"UNIFORM?!" He just nods. She takes the package and heads to her room to change clothes. She then notices the name on the package. :: Starrfyre MAXWELL, Duo?::
:: Yeah, we figured it'd be easier ta say you're my twin sister, since we look alike an all.::
:: Oh. So does this mean we can't have fun?:: She giggles, imagining the look on Duo's face.
:: Very funny.::
:: At least the school uniforms are cool.:: She comments, hastily pulling on the maroon skirt and navy cheerleader style shirt. Brushing her hair as quickly as possible, she styles it in her customary two French braids. Then she gets an evil idea. Quickly unbraiding her hair, she rebraids it into one long French braid. Looking in her mirror, she grins at the result :One female Duo Maxwell. Grabbing a black duffle bag she managed to get from her house, she bounds down the stairs. "All right, I'm read, let's book it peeps!" She chirps, catching the spare helmet Duo tosses her. They all file out the door, heading towards the garage, Starr and Duo racing ahead. "I win!" Starr cries jubilantly. "That means I get to drive." She smirks.
"Do you even know HOW to drive a motorcycle?" Duo asks.
"I see someone forgot who TAUGHT him, and was in a cycles show."
"Who, me?" Duo asks innocently, "No way." She just snorts.
"We better go guys, " Quatre says. "It'd be bad luck to start the new school year with a detention for being late. Especially your first day ever, Firefly." Everyone nods and hops on their own cycle, Duo and Starr doubling up on his. They rev up their engines and peal out.
"YEEHAW!" Starr and Duo yell as Starr executes an amazing wheelie before speeding ahead.
::Starr, You even know where we're goin?::
:: Nope, I thought I'd just switch with you at the first light or when I'm ready, whichever came first.::
"You do realize we have comm units in our helmets, right?" Duo's voice enters the shell of her helmet.
"Oh well." ::This is funner!:: Her giggles echo in his head.
"Starr, turn left here, we're almost there." Quatre's voice sounded.
"Okie Doke, Skoke!" She replies. ::Hey Duo, it's time for the ol' switcheroo. You up for it?::
::Of course. You do all the hard stuff, I just gotta hold steady.::
::On three!:: They suddenly speed up, and Starr slowly loosens her grip on the
bars "Ready?" Starr calls out.
"As ever!" Duo replies.
"One." Star counts, letting go of the handlebars. At the same time Duo lets go of her waist, reaching around to place his hands where hers were.
"Two..." Duo calls out, moving just a little forward along the seat. Starr brings her legs under her body, balancing barely. Slowly, she starts to stand up.
"What are you two crazy idiots doing?!" Heero and Wufei yell.
"THREE!" They both yell. Starr stands upright and Duo scoots right up behind her, holding the bike steady.
Taking a deep breath she screams "BUNNY HOP!" Bending down as far as she can, she suddenly springs up and back in a perfect aerial back flip. Catching Duo's shoulders at the peak, she hangs in a handstand for a while, before swinging down and landing snugly behind Duo.
"By Allah!" Quatre breathes. "That was amazing, you two!"
"I'm impressed." Trowa states.
"You could've just stopped and traded places like normal people." Wufei grates out.
"But you forget, " Heero comments. "They're Maxwells, they AREN'T normal people."
"That hurts Hee-chan!" Duo cries. Starr just blows them raspberries.
"Besides, I ain't a Maxwell." Starr reminds them.
"But for all purposes you are." Heero replies. At that time, they start to pull into the schools parking lot. Finding parking spots close together, they all dismount.
"C'mon sis, " Duo says, "I'll show ya to the office." Grabbing her arm, they head into the building. The others follow soon after. Duo leads her into the school, heading straight down the main hallway. Lots of students cried out to him, and he waved or hollered hello in response. Turning down one of the branching hallways, he stops in front of a pair of glass doors.
"This is the office I take it?" Starr asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, c'mon. I called earlier, Mrs. McGinnis is expecting you, or rather, us." Duo pushes through the doors and heads to the first door on the right. "Hello, Mrs. McGinnis?" He knocks on the door. "It's me, Duo, and I have my sister with me, your new student!" He winks at her. The door opens slowly, revealing a smiling blond woman of about 25 years.
"Come on in." She widens the door and they both slip in.
Later
"Thanks Mrs. McGinnis!" They call, running out of the office.
"So, where to now?" Starr breathes.
"Well, since we have most of the same classes, I thought I'd just hit my locker and we could bust it to class!"
"By the way, what IS our first class?"
"Modern Art!" By this time they have reached a classroom door. Catching their breath, they straighten their windblown clothes and hair before entering the room.
"So class, today's assignment will be, OH MY!" The teacher stops when she sees who's entered the room. There stands a madly grinning Duo, with an exact female copy standing behind him, smirking.
"So sorry, to be late, ma'am, I was showing my sis around the school." Duo blurts in a rush. She blinks.
"Well, welcome to Jusenkyo, Miss...?"
"Starrfyre Maxwell, younger twin of Duo Maxwell!" Starr pipes up. "And cuter, too!" She impishly adds, grinning.
"Please have a seat Mr. and Ms. Maxwell." She gestures to the rows of chairs. They choose a pair in the back. "Now, back to our assignment. Today class, we're going to focus on landscapes..." The teacher continues.
:: That wasn't so bad.:: Starr comments.
:: Sure, if you don't mind the fact everyone's STARING at us like we're some kinda spearmint.::
:: Get over it, bro! Besides,:: she thinks slyly, :: I thought you LOVED being the center of attention!:: That effectively shuts him up for awhile. Grabbing easels and paint, the class starts on their landscapes. Starr concentrates hard, recreating from memory a scene from her dreams. Soon, a whole crowd of people is standing around her, staring in awe at her painting.
"What kind of landscape is that?"
"It's not landscape." Starr corrects, "It's dreamscape."
"You must have some crazy dreams then."
"Who said the scene was from my dreams?" Before he could answer, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. "So, what you're next class bro?" she asks.
"Math. You?"
"Chemistry."
"Oh. Heero's in that class!" he starts to say more, but notices the time. "Oh shit! If I don't run I'm gonna be late to class, which isn't a good thing to do on the first day." He runs off. Starr shrugs.
`I'd run too, if he had told me where my class was. Oh well, guess I'll just ask.' She asks directions to her next class, chemistry. Entering the class, she sits in the back right behind Heero. She soon realizes the class is cake, so she spends it studying Heero. ` Damn, this boy really needs ta relax! I mean jeeze; you could break a fucking cement wall on his back. He's so tense.' At that notion, she begins to formulate a plan to remedy that.
Before it was fully established the class ended. Next comes another cake class, Philosophy. She spends the whole class period arguing with the teacher and half the class about the ethics of the Mobile Suit Wars. Luckily, none of the pilots were in this class, because Starr seems to know as much or even more about the suits and wars then they do.
Then comes lunch. Stacking her tray as full as she can, she searches for her friends. Finally spotting them in the courtyard by a cherry tree, she heads out to sit with them. "How're y'all doin?" She asks.
"Fine."
"K. I guess."
"..."
"Fine."
"Hn."
"How are you holding up so far?" Quatre asks.
"I'm peachy-keen jellybean! Ain't nothing I've never done before, so RELAX!" She sends that last word in Heero's direction, who ignores it. She sighs and lays back into Duo's arms. ::Why haven't ya got Heero ta relax yet?::
:: It ain't from lack of tryin, TRUST ME!:: Suddenly a pair of feet appear in front of their eyes. They look up to see a handsome redheaded muscular guy. His open grin turns into a smirk when he sees Starr.
"Hey Duo, who's the-" He stops when he gets a look at Starr's face. Totally unnerved at the sight of two Duos, he stammers. " Oh man, I'm so sorry..." He stops when they both start laughing.
"Lou, this is my twin sister, Starr." She nods. "Starr, this is my friend Lou." He points at the now beet red boy.
"So this is the Lou I've heard SO much about!" Starr exclaims. He blushes.
"Only the good stuff, right Duo?" he asks.
"Of course, man!" They spend the rest of lunch talking it up and introducing Starr around. The rest of her classes are easy, with one or more of her friends in each class. Quatre and Trowa in music, Wufei in Trig, All six have the same gym class. The most interesting part though, was her English class homework.
"Class, I want you all to write a poem to be presented in front of the class tomorrow." The teacher calls as the bell rings. Grabbing her books, Starr hurries after Heero, who yet again is in one of her classes.
"So, what're you gonna write `bout?" she asks him.
"Hm?" He asks, slightly startled. He hadn't realized that she was next to him. `Girl's as quiet as Duo, maybe even more so.'
"The poetry assignment! Whatcha gonna write? I can help if ya wanna."
" I'll be fine!" he states curtly, heading to where their bikes are parked.
At home
"Where's Starr?" Quatre asks later.
"She's working on some class project that's due tomorrow. It's writing a poem or something like that." Duo replies.
"Oh." He says.
"Well, where's Heero?"
"Prolly with Starr. They have that class together." Suddenly, a piercing cry echoes through the house. Starr comes charging down the stairs paper in hand.
"I finished it! WAHOOOO!" She's so excited that she performs a set of cartwheels, two backhand-springs and a full standing back flip.
Upstairs
Heero is toiling with a poem. `One line left...' he scribbles a little. `There! `Melancholy Soldier' is finished!"
TBC
1) This is where it gets kinda strange. All will be made clear, though. ^_~
2) My FAV!!! ^________^
3) Sorry y'all. Channeling Ranma ½ here. The ending theme's stuck in my head! randomly bangs her head on her desk
4) I love my Hee-chan. Really!
Heero: Then why am I a bore? Sniffles
Aww. You know I don't mean it! Huggles
After a maybe 4 year break I will be attempting to continue this fic which may result in the revision of previous chapters. Until then, enjoy what I've written do far!
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