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"The Negotiator"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU/Fantasy/Adventure, Angst, Fluff,
Sexual favors from a dragon? ^0^ (non graphic), Eventual Lemon, Mild
violence, My corky humor lol ^-^ Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM Beta’ed by the wonderful Mechante Fille *hugs*
You’re the best baby! ^__^ Summary: Duo Maxwell finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime when he is hired by the future king of Lagrange to aid in dealing with an encroaching Dragon. However, he quickly discovers that not everything is as it seems. Wizards, Dragons and magic abound in this epic tale of adventure and discovery when one young man finds himself between two worlds and suddenly the future depends solely on his skills as The Negotiator. View art work commissioned
by SkyLark and drawn by t_shirt for "The Negotiator" - Click
HERE "The Negotiator" Ch 10 ”There,” Hiiro pointed out a small circle of wagons surrounded by a sparse crowd. Some obviously housed animals as Duo could see the bars on the cages from high above and young and old alike pointed and spoke excitedly. Hiiro took them low enough to see the face of a young girl that danced on a round stage in the center of the throng, her many colored skirts swirling as she turned and tapped a tambourine on her shapely hip but no eye saw the dark shape of the dragon in the blackened sky. “A lively tune,” Duo grinned, tapping his hand against Hiiro’s neck in time to the steady rhythm of the accompanying band. “Can you smell anything?” ”Too many things,” Hiiro replied. ”I need to get closer.” “Not yet,” Duo advised. “Let me go have a look first.” ”You will call me at the first sign of trouble,” the dragon insisted, narrowing his eyes. ”I don’t like the look of it. Something feels strange.” “Yes, Daddy,” Duo chuckled. ”Duo…” “Geez, just trust me,” the braided one sighed, already digging in his pack for the things he would need. For many years Duo had traveled the land facing men and beasts and all manner of mayhem long before he ever stepped foot in the dragon’s den. He walked into the milling patrons of the small carnival with full confidence in his abilities. His fine coat he had left in his bag, choosing a plain, black cloak for this evening’s attire. Wearing a hood usually drew some small amount of attention but no where near the amount he would receive without it in a crowd like this. For all his denials, he knew from past experience the eyes of men are easily star stuck, any pretty face will do once a lonely man has had enough ale and he had no desire to draw that sort of company at the moment. He wandered for awhile, checking out the animals and shows. A young woman with curly auburn hair caught his attention when she suddenly threw three knifes at her helpless assistant but nothing more happened than a sigh of relief and the happy applause of her audience. On down the line was a wire walker that was dressed all in green and did a daring back flip on the thin cord showing off his skill. The sword swallower was just pathetic, even the children could see the fake blade but he lost his amused smile when something prickled along his skin. He couldn’t place it, in all his wanderings he’d never felt anything quite like it but nothing seemed amiss. The odd sensation grew as he rounded the circle of wagons but filling his stomach with candy covered apples and wine didn’t seem to help. The feeling became acute when he spotted a group of people around a cage, the oddity being that none of them appeared to want to get to close to it. He couldn’t imagine what it could be since all the other animals were old and weary and glad to have free meals and someone to clean their dens. However, the uneasiness grew as he approached, a mixture of excitement and disdain filling his chest as the scent of the ages tickled his nose. The sound of the band and milling crowd slowly ebbed away as he neared the cage, a strange wind playing with his bangs and stinging his eyes as a fear so terrible settled in his chest he wanted nothing more than to turn and run but he had to know, he had to see with his own eyes but when the creature came into view he wished he’d never laid eyes on it. His apple fell forgotten to the ground. “Fowl stench, away with thee,” she graveled in a tone as old as time, her clawed feet causing the thick branch beneath her to creek and groan as she shifted her weight and turned her half naked body from Duo eyes. Duo swallowed and for a moment was mildly stunned that no one else seemed to want to dig a hole and hide but the people around him just kept pointing and jabbering about magical creatures and the wonders of the world. Didn’t they realize a death angel sat in that cage? It took him all of two minutes to recall what she had said and relate it to himself. “Off with you!” she suddenly growled, hissing and spreading tattered feathers as long as his forearm in the air and the small gathering suddenly decided it would rather be somewhere else. “Do you mean me?” Duo asked, unable to force his feet to carry him any closer to the harpy. “Wretched creature has no ears,” she hissed. “Be gone, rancid stink!” Duo’s brow rose as he paused to sniff himself. “You’re manners leave much to be desired,” he informed her, planting his feet firmly as they tried to turn and run away. This had to be what was making Hiiro so jumpy but what was a harpy doing in a little, two bit carnival like this? “Manners are wasted on dragon spit such as you,” she replied. So that’s what she smelled. Hiiro’s scent was frightening her. Good. He took a step closer. “Away!” she shrieked, flapping violently in her small prison. It was fairly obvious the cage wouldn’t hold her by itself, it had to be charmed in some way and he said a silent thank you to whoever the sorcerer was. “Perhaps we can help each other,” he began but her deep brown eyes did something oddly red so he changed tact. “How did you end up a side show?” “It fancies itself interesting,” she grumbled, preening the feathers under her wing near her left breast. “He finds me amusing,” he grinned. “Heee the putrid worm of thieves!” she hissed, rocking her cage again before she finally settled and glared with brazen eyes. “I have no need of thee, dragon whore.” “Hey!” Duo snapped. “There’s no need to be rude.” Guess she smelled that too but there were other things on his mind. “You sound as if you know him?” She hissed and clawed her branch, grumbling in some language he couldn’t comprehend before finally stilling again and turning to him with a calculating gleam. “Has Azu Auk not killed him yet?” “What?!” Duo gasped. “Of course not!” What the hell was she talking about? The phoenix was his friend. She cackled loudly, seeming most pleased with herself then turned her back on him and shit on the floor of her cage. That seemed to scream dismissal to him so he listened to his feet and moved on around the circle but he couldn’t put what she’d said out of his mind. It took a little while but he finally conjured up memories of tales he’d heard long ago, tales of dragons and phoenix going head to head in battle, tales of wars being waged on the wings of pure hatred as mortal enemies clashed and he realized Hiiro was hosting his worst enemy within his own skin. He made a mental note to inquire as to how this had come about and voice his disapproval when he rejoined his mate, but he had to finish his mission first. There had been no sign of the girls which didn’t sit well. If they had been picked up by the carnival it stood to reason it wasn’t by choice and if that were true, as was the case with Gypsies sometimes, then he wasn’t going to find out anything simply by asking either. It pained him to consider it but there were other games carnivals such as this usually offered, games that the general public was unaware of, games that required a heavy purse and the darkness of the night. It was time to up the ante. He made another round, stopping to drop some cash, enough to call attention to himself without seeming obvious. When he was certain most of the men and women were following his progress he headed for the center stage where another young girl of high hips and heavy bosom was prancing and whirling like a lustful flame. She danced over to him, having also kept track of his spending, the lure of a possible gratuity bringing her shapely hips to gyrate before his eyes for a moment before she moved away. He grinned beneath his hood and tossed a silver piece onto the raised stage that she quickly scooped up. He had her full attention now and went for broke tossing another that she caught deftly in her deep cleavage before shaking her amble breasts at him. He smiled again and dropped his hood and she slipped and fell flat on her bulbous ass. The crowd laughed not unkindly but her eyes were fixed on him as he reached out to offer his hand. One reassuring smile later had her attached to his hip so firmly he couldn’t have pried her off with a stick but that was sort of the whole point so he played along. “We don’t get many elves,” she told him coyly as they walked along the edge of the light. “I’m not an elf,” he smiled, allowing her to cling to his arm. She laughed as if he were just the cutest thing on Earth and peeled another pistachio nut with her teeth. He watched with adequate interest hoping to hell Hiiro wasn’t up there somewhere watching as he let his eyes travel down her neck to her round, mostly exposed breasts. Her smile grew and he knew the hook was set. “Traveling alone must get very lonely,” she purred, moving closer to bat, thick, sooty lashes at him. It was difficult not to smirk but that would have ruined the game so he smiled instead and let his hand come to touch her dark hair. “Oh, not me,” she giggled. “But there are others, if you have need.” Bingo. “I’m afraid I have other business to attend to tonight,” he told her, drawing her hair near enough to inhale the scent. “Perhaps tomorrow?” She smiled widely and leaned in to kiss his cheek but he pulled back, not wanting to try to explain to Hiiro why he had the scent of a woman’s lips on his face. “Do not tempt me, fair lady,” he said by way of explanation when she sulked. “My journey has been long. Let us leave it for the marrow.” It seemed to be enough as she blushed prettily and promised him a night he wouldn’t soon forget should he choose to return. He had every intention of returning, but next time he wouldn’t be alone. Hiiro was waiting for him at the campsite they had chosen some three miles down the beach and welcomed him with a smile and a hug that quickly turned into a search and seizure. “Will you let go?!” Duo giggled, forcing himself free to go warm his hands by the fire. ”You smell like a woman,” Hiiro informed him, snorting distastefully as if to free his nostrils of the scent. “You need to relax,” Duo smiled. ”What did this woman have to say?” the dragon persisted. “Which one?” Duo replied, snickering at the incredulous expression on his mate’s face before he clued him in. “The Gypsy or the harpy?” ”Harpy!?” Hiiro sneered, suddenly standing to glare down the beach toward where the carnival was set up. “Yes,” his mate confirmed. “But you needn’t worry, she is housed in an enchanted cage.” ”There is no magic that can hold a harpy,” the dragon growled, looking as if he were preparing to take flight. “Down boy,” Duo sighed, plopping down in the sand. “I spoke with her, she’s not gong anywhere.” ”Did she tell you her name?” “No,” Duo replied, helping himself to one of the potatoes roasting over the fire. “But she seemed to recognize your scent.” Hiiro paused and tried so hard to hold in the snort of laugher that small flames spit out his nose and he collapsed, roaring with mirth in the sand. “What?” Duo inquired. “You know her?” ”Dineal,” the dragon chuckled. “Well, she’s a bitch,” Duo informed him. Hiiro laughed again then lowered his head to speak with his mate, “Don’t be too hard on her,” he grinned. “She called me a whore,” Duo sulked. Hiiro’s eyes softened but the amusement did not fade. ”It isn’t you she means to harm,” he explained. “Then why does she hate you so much?” ”It is justified,” the dragon sighed. ”It was I who sealed her magic after all.” Duo blinked, took a deep breath and tried again. “Someday you’re going to have to sit down and tell me all about your life,” he sighed. ”Not much to tell,” Hiiro shrugged. ”She committed unforgivable sins. There was no other choice.” “That explains how they were able to catch and contain her,” Duo nodded. ”Yet it sheds little light on why you smell like a woman,” Hiiro grinned. “There was no sign of the girls,” Duo informed him. “I had to pose as a patron to get information.” ”And?” Hiiro prompted, seeming less than pleased. “They have a stable of whores somewhere nearby. I’m supposed to visit tomorrow but…” ”Absolutely not!” the dragon snapped, turning his scaly nose up in the air. ”I will not have you handled and pawed…” “Hiiro.” ”No. You stink of perfume and female stoke already…” “I’ll let you bathe me.” The dragon’s rant stalled as his mouth curled into a slow smile but Duo laughed and smacked his nose when he came for him. “I have no intention of patronizing them,” Duo informed his sulking mate. “But I will need a sensitive nose.” ”At your service, my love,” Hiiro bowed. Duo laughed and tossed the skin of his potato in the fire. “Like I could sneak you within a thousand feet of their camp,” he chuckled. “I need someone a bit less conspicuous. There is a chance that if they did take the girls they might have already sold them somewhere in their travels. I don’t want to take the chance of tipping them off to what we’re after just yet.” ”Beauty and wisdom,” Hiiro purred, nuzzling his arm. ”Am I not a lucky dragon indeed?” “At least as lucky as me,” Duo smiled, leaning into the tender touch. Duo awoke the next morning just before dawn and slipped silently out of his dragon cradle. He knew no matter how hard he tried no animal within a hundred miles would answer the call if he reeked of dragon so he collected his soaps and wandered down the beach a little to bathe. The sea would wash away any dragony residue and he smiled as he wandered into its briny depths. The water was chilly even this far south and made him shiver with delight at first but as he freed his hair and washed his skin he became accustomed to it and laid back in the rolling waves as the sun rose and warmed him. It was nice just to lay back in the cradle of the sea, his mind drifting lazily as images of his dragon mate swirled in his mind and he grinned up at the crying sea birds, completely unaware until the sky suddenly disappeared. He had just enough time to gasp a breath as he was snatched beneath the surface, his mind racing frantically in its need to regain the air but he just kept going deeper, unable to free himself from the insistent force. There was a moment he wondered if he were to be a meal for some hungry ocean beast but his skin was intact, the only true pain that of his burning lungs as his meager breath quickly failed him. He scrabbled desperately as the darkness closed around him and knew it was futile in these watery depths even as he vainly screamed Hiiro’s name, the sound lost in the bubbles of releasing air as his world faded to black. Opening his eyes had come as a surprise, it wasn’t something he had expected to ever do again but the novelty of it was quickly lost as his burning lungs suddenly decided to purge themselves and he rolled over on the sharp rock coughing and hacking horribly. He was naked still, he knew that before his eyes had cleared enough to confirm the reason his wretched heaves had echoed was because he was in some sort of cave. Something told him this cave was not located anywhere near the land of men and he tried to gauge just how deep in the sea he might be but his thoughts were shattered and he jumped nearly two feet off the ground when a giggling, red head suddenly popped up in the pool beside his feet. “He’s sooo pretty!” the red headed young maid enthused, grinning happily as more girls surfaced around her. “Do you think Father will let us keep him?” a blonde mused, swimming around to get a better look at Duo’s ass. He groaned inwardly and kicked himself for his lack of good judgment as another of the mermaids lifted her amply bosomed upper half from the water to peer at him. “Would you like to play a game?” she grinned. “Are you in the habit of stealing men unaware?” Duo groused, looking for something to cover himself with as his manhood appeared to be of particular interest to the fish tailed creatures. “We saved you!” the red head chirped, rising suddenly from the pool to sit beside him, her brilliant red and yellow tail splashing excitedly in the water. “We couldn’t let you drown,” the raven haired one purred, letting her words blow small bubbles on the surface as she lazed about. “I was bathing,” Duo informed them. “Ut oh,” the blonde sang contritely. “Father will not be pleased.” “Father doesn’t have to know,” the raven grinned. Shit. “Where am I?” he tried. “A cave,” the red head replied unhelpfully. “Can you take me back to the surface?” “Why?” the blonde squeaked, flopping up onto the rock to wriggle toward him. “Don’t you like us?” “I have a friend,” Duo explained inching back, his hand coming into contact with a bit of seaweed by the stone wall that he quickly grabbed and dropped between his legs. “He’ll be worried.” “He’s shy,” the raven giggled delightedly also crawling up onto the rock. “Oh, that’s so cute!” the blonde squealed, trying to remove his meager covering. “Ladies, please,” he chuckled nervously. Mermaids were only just this side of animals and quite easily taken with anything shiny or new. They also seemed to have a fascination with male genitalia that was beginning to boarder on molestation. “Ewwwwwwww!” the red head suddenly screamed. “Get it away!” The blonde’s suddenly reverberating cry left his ears ringing but he was glad that they had retreated to the safety of the water, he just wasn’t so sure he wanted to know what could scare a mermaid into diving for cover. “Kill it!” the raven haired gleamed excitedly. “It’s hideous!” the blonde agreed. Duo turned to look around and chuckled when he spotted a frightened looking, half drowned rat skulking in the far corner of the cave. “Are you all right?” he asked making it blink stupidly but then it smiled and nodded but refused to come out. “Kill it!” “Don’t be absurd,” Duo snipped, tucking his soggy cover a bit tighter around him. “If you don’t kill it we’ll leave you here,” the raven threatened with narrowed eyes. “You have much to learn about kindness,” Duo scolded, offering his hand to the terrified rodent. “Let’s go,” she snipped. “But Myrdal?!” the blonde gasped and Duo’s lips curled slowly into a wicked grin as the raven angrily dunked her and they disappeared. “You’ve done it now,” the rat tsk’ed in a thickly foreign accent coming out of hiding. “You’ll never see the surface again.” “How did you get down here,” Duo asked, relenting in his effort with the seaweed. “My ship went down,” the rat explained. “Thought I was a goner but ended up here. Nice place if you don’t mind a sea bug diet.” Duo wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Well, you’re welcome to come along if you like,” he offered. “And just where do you think you’re going?” the rat snorted smugly. “I’ve been down here nigh on two moons by my thinking. There’s no way out.” Duo just grinned as he cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, “HIIROOOOOO!” The rat waited, listening carefully then snickered and dusted his hand. “You’ll need a better spell that hissing, mate.” “Just try not to have a heart attack when he arrives,” Duo told him. “I need a favor.” “Sure, sure, mate,” the rat nodded sadly. “Anything yo…WAAAA!” he screamed, darting behind Duo’s leg as a huge reptilian head burst from the pool. ”How in the hell did you get down here?!” Hiiro growled. “Long story,” Duo sighed. “DRAGOON!” the rat screamed just before he promptly passed out. ”Who’s that?” Hiiro inquired, sniffing toward the tiny creature. “The answer to my problem,” Duo grinned, picking him up gently. ”You went to the bottom of the sea in search of a rat?” the dragon groused. “That was entirely the mermaid’s idea,” Duo defended. ”Mermaids?” “I’ll explain later,” he promised, asking as he considered the possibility that he or the rat might drown on the way back up, “How’re we going to do this?” Hiiro grinned and Duo started when his massive jaw suddenly popped allowing him to spread his jaws enough to accommodate his smaller mate. “You make me very happy I’m not a cow,” Duo chuckled, climbing into his cavernous mouth. By some misfortune the rat suddenly stirred the moment they were under weigh. “Are you all right?” Duo asked kindly. The creature blinked up at him dazedly then rolled his beady little eyes this way and that. “Is it gone?” “No,” Duo chuckled. “But he won’t harm you.” That was all it took to alert the tiny rodent to his current predicament and he again screamed… “DRAGOOOON!” and made a mad dash for the tangle of Duo’s long hair. “Whoa! Calm down! He’s not going to eat you!” “He already has you nit!” the rat screeched, shaking violently within the thick tresses of wet hair. Duo sighed and let him hide. “We’ll be out in a minute; he’s not going to swallow.” “Oh, noo,” the rat chattered through shivering teeth. “He’ll be sure to cook us first!” “He won’t harm us,” Duo chuckled patiently. “He’s my… my mate,” he confessed, turning only a slightly pinker shade of pale. The rat blinked then blinked again. “You’re mate?” “Yes,” Duo confirmed. The rodent paused to consider this, coming out to perch on his shoulder. “You mean your mate, as in your friend or…” “My lover.” “Oh, that is just wrong,” the rat groaned, sliding down into his lap. “How in the world did he ever coerce an intelligent beauty like you into something like…WAAAAA!” he suddenly screamed as the huge mouth opened to reveal a bright, sunny beach. Duo laughed and climbed out, letting him cling to his hair where he buried himself and shivered at the sight of the Great Blue Dragon. ”Our love life is none of your concern,” Hiiro informed it in a low growl that had it nodding vigorously and digging deeper into the safety of Duo’s hair. “Be nice,” Duo scolded gently. “I need his help.” The rat grinned and stuck his tongue out at the dragon as Duo turned, earning himself a snort of black smoke that made him scurry deep into the chestnut sanctuary. He was none too happy when Duo decided to weave his cover into a thick braid and even less amused when the braided one explained his role in the plan. “No,” he stated stubbornly. “Oh, come on,” Duo coaxed. “She won’t eat you once she’s seen me. It’ll only take a few minutes…” “No way, no how.” “What’s your name?” Duo smiled kindly. “As if I’d tell it to a dragon!” the rodent balked. Duo huffed in frustration then something set resolutely in his amethyst eyes. “I’m sorry,” he sighed regretfully. “But I’m afraid you leave me no other choice. Hiiro?” he hissed, catching both of their attention. “Do you happen to have a silver plate?” “What’dyu need that for?” the rat asked swallowing nervously. “You’re going to have to help us whether you like it or not,” Duo informed it. “Here now,” he gulped, stepping back as Duo advanced. “I said I didn’t want to.” “I saved you’re life,” Duo reminded him. “Never asked you to,” the rat countered, jumping when Hiiro’s flame roared softly in the distance. “What’s he doing?” ”Will this do?” Hiiro asked holding out a smoldering pile of silver pieces he’d used his fiery breath to fuse together. Duo grinned wickedly and replied, “Perfect.”
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