The Shoot  (Part 2)

"This afternoon, two o' clock, at Gabriel Arcade Centre. Are you coming with us?"

Duo looked at the two girls who asked him that question with a confused expression on his face. "What? Arcade? I mean .... why?" These girls were always finding weird places to drag him to.

Doyce took three coupons out of her pocket and presented them in front of Duo's eyes with a flourish. "I got these from my brother. Free entry and unlimited games. The offer is only until today. Come on, school ends early today and I'm sure you don't have anything on this afternoon."

"But I don't play well." He had planned to investigate some areas in the school during that period of time. He was there on a mission after all.

"I don't too but it doesn't matter! Just come! You must!" Both Laila and Doyce were flashing those 'Bambi-eyes' at him and Duo could feel his resolve crumbling. Damn! He just couldn't harden his heart to reject their good-willed invitations.

"Okay, I'll go." The girls cheered and did a high-five. "But I'll need to get something first..."

Sly looks began to spread on their faces. "From your darling Hojo Tsukasa?"

Duo flushed a pale pink. "He's not my...!" His outburst caused the people around him to stare in his direction. With much effort, Duo tried to lighten his tone. "I wish you two will stop pairing me up with him! He's just a friend."

Laila and Doyce both nodded their heads sagely. "We perfectly understand. Just friends. Yes, definitely. How foolish of us to think that there could be anything more in that relationship ...."

Duo blocked off the rest of their jeering remarks by cupping his hands over his ears.

* * * * * *

Hojo Tsukasa - or rather, Heero - was already waiting at the main gate of the school when the trio arrived. Seeing that Katherine was not alone, Heero immediately became tongue-tied. He silently cursed himself for not foreseeing this probability. He had spent half of last night tossing and turning in his bed, thinking about what to say and how to behave during his meeting with Katherine. He had not expected company.

She stopped three paces away from him, appearing unsure of herself. Her companions rudely shoved her forward, causing her to stumble the last few steps towards him. Her face nearly collided with his and she quickly drew back to put a comfortable distance between them.

"I ... er ..." Just give her back the ribbon and get it over with! He obeyed the command unthinkingly, mainly because his mind was too busy thinking of other things - the brush of her hair against his cheek, her warmth, her scent ........ Heero grimly disrupted that train of thought.

"Here's your ribbon." Heero tried to make his voice as cold and impersonal as possible.

Katherine deftly took the ribbon from his outstretched palm without touching his skin. "Why, that's very… thoughtful… of you. Thank you." She smiled feebly at him.

Just as Heero was about to escape, one of Katherine's companions rushed forward to tug at his arm. He remembered her to be the brunette who was talking with Katherine at the canteen.

"Don't go yet. We're planning to go to an arcade in town. Care to join us?"

"Wait a minute!" Katherine burst out. "We have only three coupons, remember? He can't come with us."

"He can have mine. I suddenly realize that I have some unfinished business in school, so I won't be able to join you two."

"Laila...." growled Katherine menacingly, but Laila merely stuck a tongue out at her. She turned to Heero. "Besides, a girl gotta need a male escort. How about volunteering yourself?"

"I ...." Heero's mind was still too muddled to think properly. Laila quickly clapped her hands during his hesitation. "It's decided! He'll be going with you and Doyce. That solves the problem of that extra coupon."

Laila was gone before either Katherine or Heero could protest. Doyce secretly admired Laila's finesse in handling the match-making role.

* * * * * *

"You really don't have to accompany us if you don't want to," whispered Duo harshly under his breath. The three of them were standing in a monorail heading towards the town centre. Doyce stood some distance away from the two of them, straining her ears but trying to appear uninterested at the same time.

Heero did not answer him for what seemed like an infuriatingly long time. When he did, Duo was stunned to silence. "But I do want to." Both of them were quiet for the rest of the journey.

* * * * * *

"I think I"m starting to get the hang of this." The score climbed higher and higher as Duo efficiently gunned down the zombies that were trying to get a piece of him. Those nasty-looking things exploded in blood and gore every time his shots hit home.

Doyce stood beside him, the colour slightly drained from her cheeks after watching the too-realistic graphics. "That's amazing. I thought you said this is your first time here."

"It is." Doyce looked skeptical. "Maybe I just have a natural talent for these things." He blew the head off the shoulders of one of the vile creatures that was getting too close.

Heero was leaning against a wall nearby, as still and cold as a statue. He had not attempted to play any of the games, seemingly contented with doing nothing. Getting tired of the game and Heero's continual inactivity, Duo handed the simulator gun to a surprised Doyce and approached the Japanese boy.

"Are you going to vegetate here or something? Why don't you busy yourself with one of the machines over there?" Duo jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"I don't see the purpose of such activity" was Heero's monotonous reply.

Duo clicked his tongue in annoyance. Trust Heero to come up with a stupid reason like that! "Must everything you do serve some purpose? I suppose you have never considered doing something for the sheer act of doing it." Heero looked at him with uncomprehending eyes. "There is a word for it - it's called F-U-N."

"Fun...." The word sounded strange coming out of Heero's mouth.

"Yes, fun. When was the last time you did something just for fun?"

Heero thought for a while and discovered that he could not remember anything he had ever done for 'fun'. He had been obeying orders ever since he was a toddler, with other people dictating what he should do, and when. His life was never completely his own, but he had never resented that fact. He just accepted it meekly because that was expected of him. The burden he must bear as a Gundam pilot - a killer - did not allow him to enjoy the pleasures of normal people.

"Can't think of any, can you? Well, this is your chance. Get over there and experience some entertainment." He did not resist when Duo manhandled him towards the playstations.

* * * * * *

A large crowd of awed spectators had gathered around one of the most popular games in the arcade - 'Warlords Of The Air'. A blue Aries mobile suit was seen carrying out a fierce duel with a black Gundam holding a scythe-like weapon. The miniature mobile suit skillfully dodged the missiles and laser fire of its opponent, emerging victorious almost unscathed after the battle. The Gundam was no more than a pile of burning scrap metal in the background.

"Wow, Shang, you're unbeatable!"

"Yeah, and the difficulty level was adjusted to the highest! Even the computer is no match for you."

Shang smiled - a concave bending of the corners of his mouth which was barely discernible. Although this game was no longer a challenge to him, he never chose to play any others. Only this game provided him with the sense of satisfaction and exultation. It allowed him to wreak the vengeance denied to him in reality.

"Anyone here dares to challenge the master?" One of Shang's followers was busy collecting bets. "Defeat him and we'll triple your money back!"

One burly, broad-shouldered youth stepped out of the crowd, his face set in a stern countenance. "I have thirty credits on me saying you're going to lose." He then fixed his hard stare on Shang.

Shang nearly laughed at the youth's futile attempts to cower him. To test his mettle, Shang reciprocated the youth's stare with intense, azure eyes. The battle of wills did not last long as the youth hastily averted his eyes and took his position in the second player's seat. Fool. You've admitted defeat before the fight has even begun. The youth scowled when he saw the bored look on Shang's face but Shang merely ignored him. His opponent was not worthy of his attention.

* * * * * *

The game immediately caught Duo's attention the moment they came up the stairs. After Heero was forced to try out almost every single playstation at the ground level, Doyce had suggested that they go to the second floor where a greater variety of games harboured. The sight that welcomed them was a holographic battle raging across the skies. What really caught Duo's attention was the image of a Gundam - Trowa's Heavy Arms - in that game. Whoever designed the game had taken great pains to find out in detail, the appearance and the artillery of each Gundam. Heero was silent beside him. Maybe he's just as surprised as I am .... Duo dismissed that probability after some thought. Heero was always as mute as a brick. His silence did not mean anything at all.

The Gundam Heavy Arms blew up in smoke and flames, marking the end of the duel. One large youth, apparently the loser, got up with a face as dark as a thundercloud and stormed off. The victor was promptly surrounded by four loud, flattering boys. Duo frowned - he had seen those boys before .... but where? His question was answered when he recognized the boy on the player's seat. Shang. Duo had a voodoo doll with that name nailed onto a wall in his room.

Duo found the supercilious smile on Shang's face highly offensive. His hands itched to wipe it off. Puncturing Shang's ego was the closest thing to revenge that Duo could do to the boy for what he did at the pool - and he would do just that. Duo moved towards Shang with the intention of challenging him, not realizing that his actions would have far-reaching consequences.

* * * * * *

After toweling her wet hands, Sheila left the restroom. She grumbled to herself as she made her way to the spot where the stupid ‘Warlords Of The Air’ game was located - the place where she would definitely find Shang. Why does Shang find the game so amusing? He plays that game at least once every week! Playing, when he and I should be ...... Sheila froze in her tracks. Her beloved Shang was confronted by the most venomous, wicked, base ..... scum to ever walk the surface of the earth.

Katherine Kane! Sheila cursed that name at least a hundred times before going to bed at night ever since that very first day Kane stepped into her class. What is that girl doing here?! She quickened her steps.

* * * * * *

Shang was more than a little surprised when he saw who his next challenger was - the girl responsible for the fading bruise on his chin. Arms akimbo, the Kane girl met his eyes easily. He could detect no fear or admittance of defeat in those violet pupils. Did she really think she could best him in the game?

One member of Shang's group spoke out. "So, what are you willing to bet?"

The Kane girl looked puzzled. "Bet?"

"You can't challenge the master without setting down the stakes. It can be money or..... a kiss."

The girl was visibly startled by the suggestion but she regained her composure in a split second. She smiled - not an entirely pleasant smile - and glared at Shang's companions with so much heat in her eyes that the four boys involuntarily huddled closer behind Shang. Those were the eyes of a worthy opponent.

"Okay, I'll accept. A kiss it'll be then. But what if he loses?"

"Uh ... if that is the case ... then ... uh ... we'll pay ...."

The red head standing beside the Kane girl interrupted excitedly. "Set dinners in the most expensive restaurant in town for three!"

The four boys looked at each other before nodding their heads in agreement to the terms. A kiss with Katherine was worth any number of set dinners. Besides, Shang could not possibly lose. It was a win-win situation.

* * * * * *

With the bet settled, Duo turned around to take up his position in the player's seat. He nearly bumped into Heero's unmoving body. The boy had been so quiet that Duo had not realized that he was standing so close behind him. He tried to sidestep Heero but the Japanese boy extended an arm to block his path.

"What do you want?" spat Duo. He was getting irritated and even a bit frightened by Heero's unexpected actions.

Heero looked steadily at him, his face laden with ..... worry? "Can you win?"

Huh? Why is he asking me this? "Of course I'll win! What kind of stupid question is that?" No matter how well Shang could control that mobile suit in the game, Duo was sure that he would be no match for a real Gundam pilot. It was then that Duo realized, to his dismay, that Heero would be able to recognize him through his fighting tactics. Panic rose up in him. Heero must not be allowed to watch his duel with Shang!

Like an answer to his prayer, Sheila appeared, positioning herself between him and Heero. Her attempt at forming a fake smile only made it look more like a snarl. "Hello Katherine." Her sickly sweet voice dripped venom.

A plan was already forming in Duo's head. He could make use of her malicious nature to distract Heero. Duo smiled. "Nice to see you here, Sheila. I suppose you haven't met my friend - Hojo Tsukasa." He gestured to shift Sheila's attention to Heero.

"A pleasure to meet you." Sheila offered a handshake but Heero did not heed her. His eyes had not left Katherine. Fuelled by anger and spite, Sheila sidled closer to Heero so that he had no choice but to look into her eyes. Her eyes were predatory.

Yes! She has taken the bait. Hopefully Sheila would be able to keep Heero distracted until he finished the duel with Shang.

* * * * * *

The Kane girl chose the black Gundam - Deathsycthe. Shang's eyes narrowed imperceptibly when the choice was made.

At the beginning, Shang took on a leisurely attitude in making his moves. He was sure that the girl would last no longer than ten seconds if he really took the game seriously.

In a few moments, Shang was fighting for his life. The scythe in the Gundam's hand seemed to have a life of its own, snaking and slicing in different directions at once. It was used as a shield and a weapon at the same time. Her timing was flawless. The missiles he launched were cut down before their explosions could cause any damage to the Gundam. Even the computer could not do that continuously. When his energy gauge showed a dangerously low level, she homed in for the finishing kill.

Two arcs of fire, forming the shape of a cross. Shang's blue mobile suit was sectioned into four pieces before it exploded in a yellow-orange brilliance. Shang's heart skipped a beat when he saw that last move. His eyes possessed a haunted look.

* * * * * *

It took all of Heero's self-control to stop himself from clubbing the pestering girl over the head. She had been outrageously flirting with him, preventing him from witnessing the fight. The outcome of that duel was important to him. Heero was not sure how he would react if he saw Katherine kissing another guy. The annoying girl began breathing on his neck. Heero's temper snapped and he rudely shoved her away, disgust plainly written on his face. At that moment, the battle concluded. Heero felt as if a tonne of bricks was removed from his chest. She had won.

* * * * * *

"Shang, are you okay?" The four boys looked at Shang worriedly. His face and his eyes were .... not normal. Shang had not released his grip on the joystick, his knuckles were white with strain. "Shang. Snap out of it!"

The mist that shrouded Shang's eyes lifted and he was abruptly aware of his surroundings. Without uttering a word, Shang got up and walked briskly towards the exit door. His friends did not dare to stop him. Sheila, who was about to hit Heero for his incivility, immediately followed Shang when she saw him leave.

* * * * * *

"Katherine, you did it! You're wonderful!" Doyce hugged Duo so tightly that he had difficulty breathing. "Free dinners! And all thanks to you."

Duo was about to get up from his seat when Heero settled down on the seat which was previously occupied by Shang. In answer to the bewildered look on Duo's face, Heero said "How about playing a game with me?"

                                                                                                                             < To Part 3 >