CHAPTER 28- *GULP*

<Hilde>: Thomas Walker?

<Scorpio steps back>: I am not Thomas Walker! I am Phantom Scorpio! Who the hell are you?

<Hilde>: I'm Hilde Schribrecker....I'm here with Duo Maxwell...

<Scorpio>: Hey, get this straight, Miss Schrilbreker.....I am not T.Walker. In fact, I killed him. So there.

<Hilde>:I recognize your chin and face outline. Your mask can't hide those. I can see the emotions in your face. Not like that Red Scorpion buddy of yours. He almost killed Duo!

<Scorpio>: I...am...not...Walker! (Huffs off) And Duo deserves everything he gets! Hey, Duo! You're lucky to be alive!

<Duo pushes soldier he's talking to>: You! Get over here!

<Soldier>: Hey!

Duo and Scorpio stand face to face. Even with his two inch height advantage, Scorpio stares into the eyes of the self-proclaimed

Shinegami and sees only rage. He knows Gundam pilots do not get along with Scorpions, but something's the matter here.....

<Duo>: What the hell do you people think you're doing? (Pushes Scorpio)

<Scorpio>: Leave me alone? What did I do to you?(Pushes Duo back)

<Duo motions toward bandaged chest>: This! Your people did this to me!With no warning!

<Scorpio>: No need to push me around, you little primadonna! Isn't that what you Gundams are doing all the time? Being the lone heroes?? Wanting to die, yadda yadda??? Aren't you sick of all this?

<Hilde>: Stop it!

<Quattre steps out of hatch>: Stop it! Duo!

<Scorpio yanks Duo>: Don't you EVER think it's your personal battlefield! You never know who else may be involved!! Don't lecture me about doing anything without warning! You heartlessly killed Noventa and the peace faction! You think they had a WARNING??

<Duo pushes Scorpio forward>: Get offa me! That was a total misunderstanding!

<Quattre>: That was an accident, Scorpio! Let him go!

<Scorpio>: No! I will not let him go! Of all the Gundam pilots, this one sickens me the most! He even took my nickname! All he did was kill a bunch of Alliance soldiers and mobile dolls! You, Shinegami do not deserve it!

<Hilde>: He beat Toruses equiped with Heero/Trowa data! He saved my life, damnit! Let him go, Scorpio! Before you make it worse!

<Scorpio>: I don't care! (unwraps Duo's bandages) Wow! Crimson really did a number on you!

<Hilde>: I know, the instructors at OZ academy told me all about you, Walker!! Your hand-to-hand skill was so deadly, they called you the God of Death! Even Zechs Marquise lost to you, if I recall! But this is no time to fight over a name!

<Scorpio>: Zechs himself gave me that name, Hilde! I am not going to let it be abused by some brat with a Reaper fixation! Look at him! He's half dead! I better finish the job!

(prepares to kick Duo, who is being held back by Quattre)

<Crimson blocks Scorpio's kick>: Stop it, Phantom.

<Scorpio>: Get out of my way, Crimson! I'm going to finish the job you started!

<Duo>: Bring it on! (Quattre tugs him back)

<Scorpio>: Outta...my ...way! Mardyev! Let go of me!

(Mardyev steps forward)

<Mardyev>: You don't know who I am yet, do you, Hilde?

<Hilde>: "C.C"....Crimson...Cancer! You were the guy in the hospital room??

<Scorpio breaks free>: Duo! I'm gonna whack you bad!

(Bullet hits floor, Duo and Scorpio stop)

<Sylvia holding pistol>: Stop it. Now!

<Hilde/Duo>: You...you....

<Ma enters>: She's my granddaughter. YOu know me as Mrs Noventa.

<Scorpio>: Ma! What are you doing?? This is between me and Duo! Stay out of it!

<Hilde>: What are you so worked up about!? Scorpio, what's gotten into you??

<Scorpio>: I...cannot see why the Gundam pilots are here!! Crimson, is this another one of your stunts???

<Crimson shakes head>: They all "came" here. Wufei is in the exercise room training. You have brought Quattre. Heero is in the Sanq Kingdom.

I had no say in it.

<Scorpio>: We're not working with these five pyschopaths! You're crazy enough already! (points to Crimson)

<Crimson>: FOUR psychopaths....the one with the curtain hair's lost his memory.

<Quattre>: What????What happenned to Trowa?

<Scorpio taps Duo on the shoulder>: Outside. Where it's quiet.

(Duo and Scorpio leave the room)

<Quattre>: Crimson...where is Trowa?

<Crimson>: At home, with his sister. Where else would a nice 15 year old be?

<Quattre>: I have to find him!

<Crimson>: His Gundam will find him. But if you must, you can take a colony shuttle to L3, before his circus leaves.

<Quattre>: Thank you. Tell Scorpio I have to leave again. I'll be back though.

<Hilde>: Where are Duo and Scorpio?

[OUTSIDE]

<Duo>: So you wanna talk...."Walker"?

<Scorpio takes off mask>: You don't recognize my face....do you?

(Duo shakes head): I've never seen it before.

<Scorpio>:Just what is your purpose,Duo? Quattre told me it was revenge....who are you avenging?

<Duo>: Honestly, Scorpio....I don't know anymore. Our own colonoids are against us.

<Scorpio>: More self-pity. Why is it that Gundam pilots always want to be self-rightoeus?

<Duo>: We...had nothing to lose. Until Une pointed the missiles at the colonies. Then we realized we were held back....trapped...

<Scorpio>: We destroyed the missile sattelite.....but it seems OZ destroyed your will to fight.

<Duo>; Yeah....even with Deathscythe Hell, I'm no match for OZ..

<Scorpio>: You beat Heero/Trowa data.....that alone is amazing...why the Death angle, Duo?

<Duo sighs>: It's a long story, Scorpio.....I don't want to get into it.

[ANOTHER FLASHBACK]

<Katya Mardyev>: Duo! Sister Maxwell is over there! Help us get her out!

<Elena Mardyev>: Come one...come on!

(Maxwell Church is burning)

<Duo tries helping to no avail>: Sister Maxwell! Sister Maxwell!!

<Konstantin Mardyev>: Heave! Heave!!

(They manage to lift the burning building above Sister Maxwell...but she's mortally wounded)

<Duo crying>: Sister Maxwell....SISTER MAXWELL!!!

[FLASHBACK OVER]

<Duo>: I can't believe....Mr Mardyev became that psycho Crimson Cancer.....

<Scorpio>: War changes people.....helping war come along increases your guilt.Is that what happenned to you, Heero and the others?

<Duo>: I guess so.... we all seemed to have suffered something before...or in Quattre's case, right now...

<Scorpio>: So have we.....all of us here suffered a great betrayal....

(remembers OZ units destroying Alliance units at Almaty)

<Duo>: *Sigh* Such is the fate of heroes , I guess...

<Scorpio leans on wall and exhales>: Am I a hero? What have i done for Earth lately?

<Duo>: I say you're a hero. I haven't forgotten Baghdad. You and Silver really saved our butts back then. The colony missile attack? You stopped it.Plus countless others the news station reports...you should find Treize and end it all......

<Figure hiding around corner>: I can, though....(dissappears)

<Scorpio>: I'm not up to it....Treize is now fighting his own allies in OZ.... I have no grudge against him....my grudge is against Zechs. Yet the last time I met him, we fought side by side....That's why I have no clue as to what to do....

<Duo>: Me neither.....there's no point in us fighting now, is there? What say you and I put our differences aside and work together? i won't renounce my title though....

<Scorpio>: Tell you what. I'll call you Little Death. Simply because.

<Duo>: Suits me fine, Pappa Death.

<Scorpio>: That makes me sound old.

<Duo>: Old..heheheh......*ow*

<Scorpio catches Duo>: Bandages really suck, huh?

<Duo>: Yeah! *ow*

[ON THE OTHER SIDE]

<Hilde>: There he is! Quattre! Follow me!

(Bust through the door)

<Hilde>; Duo! Scorpio! Stop ....helping each other up??

<Scorpio slings Duo over his shoulder>: Get him back in infirmary!

[LATER, IN SCORPIO's QUARTERS]

<Walker>: How do you know about me, Hilde?

<Hilde>: I can tell people's faces from behind any mask....even Duo.

<Walker>: Duo doesn't wear a mask.

<Hilde>: Not all masks are metal and bone, Walker. Some go deeper, hiding our true selves from anyone who may care....Duo is actually a caring,sweet person.....he simply hides it under his veil of sadism...

<Walker>: I can tell people as well....he's also scared.

<Hilde>: He's scared of making the wrong choice again. You saw what heppenned the moment he saw you....do you really think he really felt that he wanted to do that?

<Walker>: The frustration is unbearable...(leans back in recliner)..that was just his anger talking....

<Hilde>: It's good you understand, Phantom....not many people do...

<Walker>: I have a request, Hilde. Please don't tell anyone who I am....a great many people believe I'm dead...and I want to keep it that way.

<Hilde>: WHy hide, Walker?

<Walker>: I don't want to be made an example of by OZ as a traitor .....plus I cannot look at myself in the mirror and say that I didn't help OZ create the chaos they did.....

<Hilde>: Walker.....I mean Scorpio...please don't hate Duo or yourself..you two are very similar.....

<Walker>: I don't mean to pry, Hilde....but...are you um....

<Hilde>: Yes. I am in love with him. The real Duo Maxwell.

<Walker to himself>: Otto...I'm beginning to see what you're going through with Lady Une...forgive me for branding you so fast...

<Walker>: Does he know, Hilde?

(Hilde shakes head): No...I'm too afraid to tell him.

<Walker>: Afraid to lose him? I wouldn't worry about that.

<Hilde>:?

<Walker>: We've got his Mobile Suit. He's stuck here until we give it back. Don't worry, Hilde. Little Death is grounded. Like it or not, he'll have to tell you sooner or later.

<Hilde>: The guest instructor said you were a guy who was willing to be anyone's friend...maybe Instructor Noin was right.

<Walker>: Lucy,you won't think me such a good friend anymore if you ever find out I'm still alive....

<Walker to Hilde>: So can you keep a secret?

(Hilde nods)

[SCORPION BURROW]

<Ma races back to TV>: WHo won?Who won?

<Thugs>: Lewis. By decision.

<Ex-Bunds>: Tua got thumped!

<Ma>: Dang it....I thought he had a chance......what do you think, Bob? Bob? (Spins around chair) It's only his Yankees cap! Where did he go? Bob??

<Sylvia>: He's not in his quarters, Grandma. I was hoping he'd be at the Burrow...

(Ma scratches head)

[MOON BASE BAYS]

(Shadowy Figure steps out of the shadows)

(A sabre glows in the darkness)

(Bit by bit the figure is revealed)

<Silver>: Treize....if you have any honour left in your black heart...you will accept my challenge.

<Wufei>: Can you go through with this? I tried and lost. It took many strong people to bring me back.....

<Silver>: If I fail, I will not be coming back alive. This saber will decide my fate.

<Wufei>: If you defeat him, you will be stronger than me.

<Silver>: Not necessarily. I'll just be killing him. No better than you. Das Vadaniya, tovarsich.

(Stealth Truck floats out towards Earth)

<Wufei>: Scorpio...what strange company you attract. Myself included.

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