There She Is

[Duo]

His braid flutters with the wind as Duo stood near the edge of the docks, waiting for a specific someone. A ship just landed there, and currently, there are A LOT of people hustling and rustling out of the boat. Duo balanced himself on his toes, craning his neck as high as he can to search for her.

'Now a reliable source just told me it's her birthday today...and after confirming it with those two fighting monkeys, I guess it's right. She's supposed to be here..' Stretching himself through the crowd, Duo tries very hard not to get himself swept by the current of moving people off the port.

Then, he saw a bright golden top for hair, and Duo immediately smiled at the sight. He IS her chaperone for today, after all. Just for today, because it's her special day.

"There she is."

[Tag Mitsuko]

[Deleted]

"Here I- Wait... I know that voice And that wonderfully braided hair ,and that smile, and that cheerful personality! Let us go say hello Milo."

The angel carefully wheeled her suit case off the boat and Milo who accompanied her on her trip to France for the month flew beside her, and once the dove saw and heard Duo's voice she flew over and sat on his shoulder. Mitsuko went over to Duo and gave him a friendly hug, with one arm. She was a little surprised that Duo was there at the port and alone no less, .

It was of course a long trip back, especially on the boat but she was glad to be home. While she was finishing her studies to become a nurse she did miss those that are dear to her. There were smiling faces that she missed seeing, one of those smiling faces that she missed was Zero's. Even though he was serious a lot of the time, whenever he smiled it touched her heart. It touched her heart because she knew that she had helped Zero, and even changed him.

Mitsuko smiled at Duo and then at the baby eagle that she had with her, that was in a cage, and had a bandaged wing. She wasn't fond of caging birds, she felt that birds should be free, but since this little guy hadn't been trained yet, and also recovering from its injury when she found him, the angel had no choice but to keep him in a cage for now.

"It's so great to see you Duo. Have you been well? And what brings you to the port? Are you waiting for someone? Can I do anything to assist you?"

[Duo]

"WAH!!" Duo was caught by surprise when there's a bird suddenly perching on his shoulder, but seeing that it's white and not some evil magpies that loves to make a nest in his precious hair, he calms down.

"Miss Mitsuko~!" Once he realizes that the angel noticed him too, Duo returned the half-hug cheerfully. "How are you??" He questioned first once he pulled himself back, "And how's France?" Duo was quite busy with his deliveries (plus the trouble he had at Veyyard that almost costs his life) that he never knew that the angel went to study overseas.

It was until he chanced upon a little girl with the most unruly red hair that he gained most of the information he missed. It's that same girl who told him to wait here at the docks since the ship arrives today. 'Strange that I didn't even catch her name...'

His eyes then caught sight of the cage along with her luggage and paused to stare at it, "I didn't know there are eagles in France." He commented with a smile, before answering her questions. "Ah, yea. I'm good, good! I'm actually assigned to be your chaperone for today, Miss Mitsuko. And I'm here to assist YOU, birthday girl."

He felt like laughing when the angel asked him if she can help with anything when she had just returned from a long boat-ride. "Hahah, here, c'mon. I'll carry your luggage for you, my dear." He held out his hand for Mitsuko to give him her baggage. "Oh yea, and this tiny redheaded girl, whom I have no idea of her name, wants me to congratulate you on your studies from her, and a very happy birthday. She seems to know a lot.. So I take this chance to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU as well!"

[Deleted]

"Hahahaha! I'm well. It's great to be home actually, France was amazing, however as they say home is where the heart is right? Besides France has such a huge time difference so when it's early evening here, it's the next day there. It was a little tough to schedule in my video chats with my sister, and Zero and Hunter, but the experience was worth it.. and now that I have completed my international studies.. I'm a registered nurse in France too so I can easily work there if I wish to.. but for now I want to work at home."

"Thank you for the congratulations Duo, it was hard work but I saw it through."

Mitsuko smiled at him and when he suddenly started helping her in carrying her things due to the fact that he mentioned that he was her chaperone today, she didn't make a fuss instead she allowed Duo to assist her.

"And thank you for the birthday wishes... I'm so excited for some reason... Although if I may ask where are my other two smiley faces? Um.... One of them is my sister with black hair and her red cloak, and Zero that is about this tall and has his gun with him?"

She motioned with her hands to try and demonstrate Zero's height.

"I'd thought they would be here too... but.... It's alright..."

Mitsuko had a gentle but sad face form, since she had no idea that Zero and Syani were busy preparing for her return back at the inn. Eventually Duo mentioned a little girl with red hair.

"A little girl with red hair? Does this little girl have cute chubby cheeks too? If so that is my friend Myyra please tell her thanks for me, and if she wants to visit me, then she is more than welcome to. "

"And this eagle haha I had no idea they had eagles in France either but... I guess it goes with the term: expect the unexpected right? This little guy is actually a present for my spiritual husband Zero. I figured that if we take care of this little guy and trained him after he gets well... then this beautiful bird will be a worthy companion for him. In bounty hunting you always have to scan an area to see if there are any enemies lurking about... and what faster way to get help with that then by an animal that flies?"

[Duo]

Duo can't help laughing, he has a tendency to do that a lot when he's really that happy. "Is that so? Ahahah, that's nice! Excellent job with your studies then, NURSE Mitsuko~" The man emphasizes the word 'nurse' on purpose with a wink.

The braided man then motioned for the angel to begin walking with him towards their destination, Duo leading the way a bit but allows Mitsuko to walk with him side by side. "Who? ..Oh, you mean Miss Nonconformist and Sir Swears-a-lot?" Duo wants to laugh at his own namecalls for them, because those namecalls apparently fits them, but he settled with a chuckle to save his energy.

As he turned to look at the blonde angel, he's became glad that he didn't laugh at the moment because Mitsuko's expression suddenly drops slightly. "Uh..they're... They're around, Syani prancing over bullets and Zero tittupping through explosions. They uh... they're kinda..getting ready for something." Duo has to remind himself to NOT spill the beans and just go with the plan.

"Don't be down about it, they'll make it up for it. I promise," He flashes his most brightest grin yet. He's grateful he mentioned that little red-haired girl, because the information somehow made Mitsuko happy about it.

"Yea, yeah! She's too cute, I kinda almost want to pinch her cheeks, but she looks sorta jumpy and nervous too, so I don't wanna scare her.. Eheh.." Duo never knew who that little girl is though, she just appeared and disappeared after the message is delivered. So sending Mitsuko's thanks to that kid might be a bit tough, yet he'll do so if he found that girl again.

At Mitsuko's explanation of why she brings this eagle from abroad, Duo stared unbelievably at her. "A p.. A present?! You sure the dude's gonna like it?" Duo has never seen Zero's softer side towards Mitsuko, so he was a bit alarmed. "He looks like more of a...destroyer..than a..preserver...in my opinion."

[Deleted]

Mitsuko giggled a little, and took out her phone to see if there were any text messages, but before she opened her phone to check she politely gave Duo an excuse me out of respect before they continued their conversation. Sadly though her phone ended up freezing due to the fifty messages that she got on each side, Zero's complaints versus Syani's complaints, so the angel couldn't even see if either of them texted her for her birthday yet.

"You don't think they forgot.. that I was coming home today right Duo? I know Zero has a good memory but if they are as busy as you say he and Syani must have forgotten. That's alright though I can always surprise them! ^_^. And yes Zero will like this present. He is very soft and gentle when we are together. And it isn't just because he has respect for me.. It's because.. he loves me. ^_^. He has only said it once when I was very injured.. but I still remember that day when he said it. Can I show you something before we continue on Duo?"

Mitsuko stopped and sat down under a tree to rest her feet, and smiled. She put both hands on the clasp of her locket and took it off to show Duo, and opened the locket which has the picture of Zero genuinely smiling.

"See? There is way more to his personality then his first impression that he gives off to other people. I'm very thankful and grateful that I know his heart. And I know that his heart is genuinely good. He has this tough exterior to him because of what he has been through.. It's like his form of strength, as well as proving to others that he is making it. He truly isn't a person to be messed with, but he sure can love. I remember when we were little, he cried. he cried because he was in so much pain, and so to avoid me from seeing his tears he would turn away and face the wall... since he knows that with me seeing him cry or anyone cry would break my heart."

"But when he did that I hugged him from behind as he did cry. I didn't say anything I just held him tightly."

She glanced at the locket and smiled.

"I owe him for bringing so much love and enrichment into my life. You know when he gave me this locket on our anniversary haha I was so happy. And you see those wings on the locket? It reminds me that we both set each other free from all that bothers us. Despite Zero's anger... He's my angel. The one I love to the moon, stars and the sky."

She then slowly put the locket back around her neck.

"I never ever take this locket off for anything but I feel I had to show you this.. First impressions do tell us a lot about people.. but... We never truly know someone's heart unless we get to know that person or have a bond with them."

[Duo]

Duo git panicky when Mitsuko began to misunderstood the situation and that's when he accidentally spit out the truth, "No! No no no~ That's not it! Of course they remember your birthday..!! They're preparing it right now--!!" Immediately, Duo slapped his hand on his lips. He can't believe he just spilled it.

"...Oh....snap. ...Miss Mitsuko, please don't tell 'em.." Clasping his hands together in a begging position, Duo fell on his knees right near the tree Mitsuko's sitting and sports his best puppy dog eyes. The bags that he's holding for her are now safe on the ground the moment his knees had touched a single blade of grass.

Only Duo can be that goofy and careful all at the same time.

When the angel showed him the locket did he stopped his dramatic absurdity scene. "Is that a trick of the eye or something..?" Was Duo's first comment upon seeing the picture of that smiling Zero. "Hey hey hey~! Look at that! Aha! Just look at that! He looks like a human here! Aaaww, no wonder he doesn't smile too often, it makes him look absolutely adooorablleeee~ And only reserved for the love of his life."

Duo nodded his head towards Mitsuko as if motioning said lover to her. "You've been talking about the kid since you step out of that boat. I can tell when someone's in love, y'know." Mitsuko can perfectly describe that boy in the inside without a pause and with such a prideful tone. She's proud to know and understand this guy's heart.

That much is easy to tell.

Duo could only smile gently as Mitsuko finished speaking about this man named Zero he just recently met and now knew everything of what's in his heart. The braided man just stared at the angel near him with that same smile and then puts a hand on his cheek, almost as if he's daydreaming, "My... Must be nice to be married already since the start of fate itself.."

He's part teasing, part envious, but completely happy for both of them.

[Deleted]

“Oh Duo, surely you have someone that cares for you, do you not? I’m sure everyone has someone special that they can talk about for hours on end. I believe the reason why people talk about those that are dear to them is because they are the most influential in his or her life. You are no different. I am sure you are so special to someone. The reason why I spend so much time with Zero and talk about him when I am with others… is because he’s important to me. As I mentioned he has made such an impact on me. He saved me. Not once or twice either…But numerous occasions. A lot of people have come and gone but he came back.”

“I wanted to ask you something. I had this in mind ever since you left so quickly back when Saiya, you, and myself was preparing for the reunion party. Are you afraid to get close to anyone? I sense that behind your cheerful aura, you are struggling with something internally. Perhaps my words will help. Everyone has fears, and sometimes we don’t admit them to other people. You know… my fear currently is losing Zero. I’m a temporary bounty hunter and I signed up for that job to of course help but to also stay close to him, because I want to protect him, just as he is doing for me.”

“Duo having a fear or a struggle is not a sign of cowardice. It is something that reside within all of us. Please don’t forget that. And don’t forget that you are special to someone. You may not know who it is yet, but I know one day someone will embrace you and welcome you into their life just as I embrace Zero everyday. And one day you’ll probably be in my position in talking about that wonderful person and describing how they enriched your life.”

The angel put a hand on Duo’s shoulder and nodded as she smiled.

“And a birthday party preparation huh haha! Oh so that is what they are up to. Well then, I won’t tell them that you told me, but if you don’t mind act as my mirror as I practice my surprised facial expression.”

The angel did so. She practiced her surprised facial expressions as Duo watched.

“I can go like this... Or like this!”

But there was a problem with her faking the surprised expression. Zero would be able to see right through her and know that Duo blurted the secret out, but Duo didn’t mention what the themes were so there was still a high chance of Mitsuko being genuinely surprised.

(The facial expressions that Mitsuko practiced since the secret was leaked out XD I found these images scattered on the internet, there are some that are normal expressions and some that are just funny XD)

[Duo]

Duo could only smile with his eyes slanted close of her claim that someone must have cared for him all these while. "Hahah, of course! I'm THAT loveable~! No one can resist me!" He grinned even wider. Duo certainly prides himself of his upbeat (yet terrifyingly annoying) personality.

"Aahhh, NOW I see!" Duo looked at the angel with wide eyes. "The boy came back when others haven't, you say? Huh, well Sir Swears-a-lot might swear a lot, but he's a good judge of character to have you as his influential factor." The braided man smiled honestly, "You have no idea how often he talks about you, good God! Even to a stranger like myself."

When Mitsuko brings up the subject of his sudden flight earlier during their meeting with Saiya about the reunion party, Duo's smile seemed constant but he cleverly closed his eyes in an excited manner to hide whatever darkness that may delude the glint in his eyes.

Internally, that sort of hurt him a little bit. The only reason he travels so many times is because he realizes that he's getting too close to someone. It always happens, because he can't live without a friend. Yet, whenever he gets too friendly with someone to the point that he can't even keep his happy mask on, then he'd run away. He would run very far away, for the sake of his friend.

Because Duo is never alone. He's DUO after all, there's always a Solo somewhere in his mind, and Solo just spells bad. Good thing Duo's good in pretending.

"Yep! You're absolutely splediferously right! Gotta work in overcoming the fears, or it'll haunt you forever, haha~!" Duo puts a hand behind his head and laughed, oh he can't even count how many times he laughed to deceive even himself, just in case Solo doesn't got a chance to get out. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Mitsuko, but really! I'm more worried of you signing in as a bounty hunter! Did you know that a member of a any organization that maintains law and order dies every day? I don't want to scare you, but it's the statistics! It scares me just as much as the numbers are.."

Duo rubs his chin a bit as he blinked downwards on the ground, but then bounced up both emotionally and motionally, "But that's alright! That kid Zero's with you~! And according to how much you both are so in love with each other, I know you and him are going to be just fine together."

He respects her sole purpose of even entering said job, people in love do crazy unpredictable things all the time. So Duo left it as that.

When Mitsuko started practicing all these different reactions, Duo burst out laughing, "Ahahahah!! That's good, that's very good! I like that first one, it seems more genuine...!"

[Deleted]

"I'll always have Zero with me.. No matter where he decides to go in the future, as you never know where bounty hunting can take you. But I made a promise to myself. That promise if I ever am expecting to be a mother in the future, I'll give up bounty hunting. It wouldn't be safe for me or my unborn child. The most I can do is continue on in being a nurse. I have already thought about it and that will be my decision if I am ever expecting a child. That will be one of those times where I won't be stubborn."

"Then my adoptive father Jean will have to find someone else to help out Zero and Hunter... But I know, they will all understand and respect my decision. After all when a woman gets pregnant with beautiful child.... The mother has to do all she can to take care of herself and her baby, and bounty hunting in the future will not be an option for me if I have a baby."

"Duo I see you becoming stronger. And I see someone embracing you and keeping you close to a very special person. Everyone wants to be close to someone.. There is just no other feeling in the world then by being accepted by someone who wants to give you warmth and kindness. Trust is a very sensitive issue for a lot of people, but I learned its okay to gradually open your heart. I mean with Zero and me, he may not always see things the way I do, but we love each other anyway despite our minor difference in opinion. He'll stand by me always and protect me."

"He's someone I always want to be around... I can't be away from him for too long since I do get a little sad. When I was studying to be a nurse I knew in my heart that Zero supported me all the way. I had to get my foot in the door for an actual career choice then just waiting tables.. The other reason why i went back to school and did nursing was because I want to help people. Money is important yes for us to survive, but I didn't even think about how much money I would be making in this career path. I just went for it."

"Now that I have returned and completed what I set out to do in school, I can work and relax a little bit now."

[Duo]

Duo only politely listens with a smile to everything Mitsuko has to say. There's not much he can reply to, because most of what she said, he responded by agreeing with a nod. There are truth in her words, she's an angel after all. "A mother, huh? That sounds...lovely." Duo has never even thought that far. Well, he has, but it sounds impossible for him to live that long to even have a child, so he just casts off the idea the first time he thought about it. And he never really thought about it ever again.

"Eh? Huh? Wait, what? Since when did the topic changed to me now?" He was surprised, to say the least, when the angel noted of his life so far. Duo could only scratch the back of his head with his normal goofy smile on, "Ah, there's no one like that in my life...yet. I think. So far. But yes, being fully accepted by someone is......nice. Heh." He lacks words for it, because Duo never actually felt that before...yet. He thought. So far.

"S-so anyway, I was confused about this actually. Why did you study nursing when you can already...you know...heal, and..stuff like that." Duo was desperate to change the topic, he always feels uncomfortable when people began to talk about his life, mainly because he didn't want to accidentally awaken Solo. Again.

[Deleted]

“Because I have always had an interest in medicine. Please don’t get me wrong I love healing and helping people but not everyone has this ability.. I… for once wanted to experience the life of a fully fledged human being, for me to understand their pain, their struggles.. I wanted to see it through their eyes.

People who don’t have this gift of healing they… I feel that they suffer more then I could possibly imagine. I wanted to do something. So becoming a nurse was the way to go. And also not that I am complaining Duo but if I use my healing abilities everyday for a full day I’ll get very weak and it would take me a while for me to recover. But I would use my abilities to save someone’s life.”

“Life is so precious I learned that through my loved one’s experience. I.. I tear up just remembering it. While people may not agree on my views of life, I know what I believe. I know what I hold dear and people’s lives is something I hold dear, as well as my feelings for others. I love everyone that comes into my life. There… is that one person that has a special part of my heart, and he always will. Even when he dies out of old age, he’ll always have a hold on my heart that he can take with him to heaven… My greatest wish Duo is for people to be happy.”

“Do you have a dream?”

Mitsuko asked him softly as she put a hand over her locket that Zero gave to her.

[Duo]

"How noble..!" Duo was literally beaming with twinkles around him and his enlarged eyes as he listened to Mitsuko's explanation. Even his hands are clasped together in a sort of admired way towards this angel. "You're an angel, indeed~!"

It made Duo wonder if it always works like that. Kinder souls are meant to be angels, and evil souls are meant to be demons. It's rather close-minded to even thought of such things, but Duo was forced to contemplate of the legitimacy of such random musings. Like Solo, for example. He was a human before, a terrible power-hungry human who had destroyed many lives of others, and now, he's trapped as an evil soul.

Come to think of it, pain doesn't have anything to do with determining how kind or evil a soul is. It's how they manage through the pain that influences how their soul seemed as. "How many people have told you that you're kind and sweet, Miss Mitsuko?" Duo questioned all of a sudden, suddenly eager to know the answer. "How many people have you attracted in your life that benefits you in a way?"

A strange smile curves up from Duo's lips. He's standing right on a fence right now mentally, if he were to fall on the wrong side, that Solo might just overtaken him. He had to re-balance himself when Mitsuko asked him if he has any dream.

"No, not really. I can't afford it." He answered almost immediately, within a split second after the question was asked. It took him a moment to realize that he's about to fall from the fence with that sort of blunt overly honest answer, so he rephrased his words.

"I, I mean! Of course I have! I may not have an ability that can save lives like you do, but I do try to make every passing soul in my life to smile. Even temporarily." He remembered that time when he went in Corpora Slums for the very first time and the atmosphere of the people around him with no hope whatsoever present in their eyes shocked him.

It shocked Duo so much, he automatically began playing his keyboard to return back even a slight spark to live in their eyes. It scares him how some people can give up on their lives so easily, and though he can't touch their hearts and souls as well as Mitsuko here, he tries to at least remind them the beauties of life using the one thing he knows; music.

"Heh. I guess....that's pretty short-viewed of me to place that as my dream."

[Deleted]

Mitsuko smiled while she was listening to what his dreams are, and almost automatically she finished his sentence, as she picked up on what his dream is.

“You make people happy with your music. Never give up on that dream Duo, it’s a part of you and only you can make it come true. I support you and your dreams. Take away the financial aspect of making a dream come true for a second. If you stop and focus on the dream itself you’ll realize how special it is.

A dream is special because it means the world to an individual, but again it’s up to us to make that happen. For me it’s all about making people feel better, healing them in all ways possible. I’m not perfect Duo, but I do my very best. Sure I may make mistakes but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever give up in helping other people.”

“You know who the toughest critics are, that tend to judge us so harshly? It’s.. it’s ourselves. But while we do live in a very judgmental world, it doesn’t mean the world is less beautiful. And people will judge our dreams and us but we shouldn’t give up. There are some people that wanted to be a astronaut, or a baseball player etc. And while some people view these dreams as childlike that’s the whole point of having a dream, because they’re yours. I look forward to where your dreams take you.”

The angel nodded and smiled at her friend, she didn’t know Duo very well but he was indeed her friend—the thing is she considers a person a friend even minutes just after them, and WHILE that can put her in danger because of vulnerability that comes with opening herself up like that, she couldn’t change that about herself, it was a part of her. The angel hugged Duo. She hugged him gently without hesitation, and told him:

“You will always be my friend Duo.”

She then released him and continued walking with him. She was glad that she and Duo were chatting and breaking the ice to become better friends.

“Never doubt yourself, as you won’t know on what you can accomplish if you just try. I didn’t expect to be a bounty hunter on the side but you know as long as I can help Zero and everyone else then my life is complete. I mean these words. If Zero was on the verge of death and he needed a heart just to live.. I’d give it to him.

I’m an angel so the doctors wouldn’t have to worry about finding a match that would be compatible for that person. People may say that this sacrifice would be foolish and unfair, but this is what I would do. An angel heals, I’m his guardian angel, and I’d give him the greatest gifts of all if there was no other way to save him, if he was dying, and that would be life.”

“I’d give him my heart if he needed it to live.”

“Now you know how much he means to me. My role in life is to help other people, I’m specifically a guardian angel to Zero, however I believe that I am allowed to spread that to ALL people. A lot of people struggle daily for their lives, and as a nurse I also learned why it’s so important to help as much as you can, even if it means giving some of your blood. Because that blood could save someone’s life, the same thing for people who need an organ donor. Now not EVERYONE can give blood or be a donor because of health reasons.”

"If I was a full human I wouldn’t be able to donate my blood to those that need it because I have a history of cancer, there are exceptions but one must wait one year until the completion of treatment."


“Since I am an angel though this rule doesn’t apply despite my human blood line. My angel half of me outweighs the human part of me, because of my gifts. The gifts I want to share with others, which is healing.”

“I’m sorry, I have a habit of talking a person’s ear off sometimes… I really apologize, that part of me was my nurse self talking.. I have seen a lot of people that are sick… so..”

The angel turned red a little bit embarrassed that she just talked and talked poor Duo’s ear off. She does the same thing to Zero, however she wanted Duo to get to know her better, instead of being strangers she wanted them to be friends.

The angel then wanted to call Zero on his cellphone and so she stopped for a minute to do so, but she got his voice mail.. But it was one of the most funniest voicemails she has ever heard, all because Zero’s partner Hunter tampered with it.

‘Hello~ You have reached the cute pair’s line, we are very sorry that we aren’t able to take your call at the moment, but please leave your name and number, and we’ll get back to ASAP~ Keep smiling! Have a nice daaaaaaaaay~’

She immediately hung up and broke into laughter.

“Oh my gosh, hahahaha! That’s unprofessional; Zero is going to be mad that Hunter tampered with the voicemail again. Duos please listen to this, and tell me if that’s professional? I know my sweetie would never leave something like this for people to leave a message to.”

Mitsuko called back Zero’s phone and of course she didn’t get through but went straight to the voicemail, and made Duo listen to it.

“And here is mine:"

Hello you have reached Mitsuko Cross- registered nurse, and intervention officer at the bounty hunter’s HQ. I am unable to take your call at the moment but please leave your name, number, and a brief message after the tone and I’ll be sure to get back to you.

“If this is an emergency please call 911, or head to your local hospital. If you want leave a tip on a crime, please contact Jean Cross at the following extension. Thank you.”

[Duo]

Duo slanted a grin as Mitsuko caught his dream almost immediately, "Ahahah, was it that obvious? Heh, I've been trying to make people happy with my music since I was a little kid!" He was born because of a war and in the midst of ware, of course a lot of people died.

So a lot of the boys in the church was pulled into depression, so Duo decided he wanted to make a change, so he did. He played the organ, to remind them all that life is still worth living. He's been playing the keys as if it's his escape from the cruel reality of the world.

"Ahh, Miss Mitsuko, I'm afraid you misunderstood, haha. It's not the financial aspect that worries me, it's just....me." He shrugged with a nervous laugh, honestly meaning to blame Solo for constricting his limits and dreams so much.

Duo winced at Mitsuko's comment that the toughest critic of oneself is their own, "Ohhhh yeeeaaah. You have no idea how much I agree with you on that one..." That is so true in every sense of the word for Duo. He'd love to see where his own limited dreams takes him as well.

Duo feels like he's binded by an invisible chain that no one could see, he's just another human being looking for the way out to be free. Yet, in his condition, he has no idea if that door to freedom even exists. So Duo stopped looking a long time ago, and simply adjusted himself with his situation.

'At least the chains are invisible, right? So no one can see me suffering~'

He turned to look at Mitsuko and replied her smile with his own. He understood that she's trying to help him, and he appreciates her gesture to understand him more, but Duo won't let anyone in. He won't ever let anyone in his dark little world, he does not want to accidentally harm Mitsuko. He especially does not want Solo to harm Mitsuko.

Suddenly, the angel moved forward and entrapped Duo in a hug. It surprised the lad so much, he just froze there on the spot, his eyes widened over her shoulder.

"Y-yeah.. hahah, and as a friend, I'll look out for you to the best of my abilities." He responded before she released him, and they started walking again.

Mitsuko has the uncanny ability to detect when something is wrong, and only now realizing this, Duo reminds himself to never allow himself to slip his guard when Mitsuko is around. He doesn't want Solo to overshadow him when she's in the perimeter, the result would be disastrous.

Duo simply smiled when Mitsuko talked more about Zero and how willing she is to sacrfice herself for him. Such is the power of love, and such power Duo would never understand. Yet. It's lovely to be hearing this from her, since Duo might not be able to feel what she's feeling, so its nice to know what normal is for once.

He blinked his eyes once when he heard a strangely alarming word, then blinked his eyes again to process it in his mind, and then quickly turned his head to face the angel in shock and alarm. "CANCER?!"

Duo outbursts in utter disbelief. "You have CANCER?! Where?! Which organ?? Is your dad or your mom who had cancer?!"

Duo is an idiot in the topic of the human body and health, and because he doesn't know, he's quite alarmed by even the smallest sign of disease. Angel or not, that's still something that could be considered as fatal.

But seeing how calm and relaxed Mitsuko is, Duo thought it wasn't as serious as he asumed, so he cooled down as well. "I thought angels could never die, because they're made of light, and they were made to guide humans. ...Man, cross-breeding is confusing."

Yes, Duo is an ingenious mechanic and is a master in robotic parts, but he's utterly pathetic in biology and anything to do with genetics. "This hurts my head.. Topic change!"

He announced with a hand gesture, and that's when Mitsuko decided to call someone for a bit, so Duo puts her luggage down for a bit and rests his tired arms. While he's flexing his limbs to relax them a bit, Mitsuko broke into laughter and made Duo listen to a voicemail.

An amused grin crept up Duo's lips as he listened to the comical voicemail and chuckled at it. Then she made him listen to her own voicemail, and Duo could tell how absolutely contradicting those two different voicemails are.

"Yours sounded so professional, yet the other sounded so funny, hahah. I didn't know your last name is Cross though, so ahaha, nice to meet you, Miss Cross." He did a little bow to her before breaking into a chain of chuckles.

"You wanna listen to mine?" He asked before pulling out his own phone, but as he switched it on, he saw a message being displayed on his screen. "Eh? I got a new message."

When he opened it, it was from an unknown number. The message reads, 'They have not finished readying for the birthday party yet. Stall her longer please.' Duo quickly flipped close his phone, in case Mitsuko saw the message.

It's probably from that little red-haired girl from before, since she refers the guys back at the inn as 'they' instead of 'we'. With a sigh, Duo then turned to Mitsuko and asks, "Are you thirsty? We could stop for a short drink on the way to the inn~! Since we're still near the port area and there's lots of gift shops and food shacks littering all over here.."