Ryu By Shenlong

~*~*~*~

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is dedicated to KC, as a sidefic to her Willing Slave series. Consider it a thank-you fic for Willing Slave and Corazon, though I wasn't quite sure about the timeline and might have messed some stuff up. *nervous laugh* Hehe…sorry… Oh, and the 'flashback' is taken right out of Willing Slave II: Corazon, Chapter 4.

FEEDBACK is welcome, in the form of comments and constructive criticism. Flames will be used to warm me up in this Artic climate. >< Yes, I consider Ohio to be Artic. You get that way after living in FL. My email address is <the_solitary_dragon@hotmail.com>.

RATING: PG at most

WARNINGS: Er…mild violence…mention of yaoi…slight angst

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing, Sotsu/Sunrise/Bandai or whatever do. No profit is being made off this, though I hope other people will enjoy it.

~*~*~*~

My eyes slowly opened as I was awakened again. Memories flit through my mind, of those I have been familiars throughout the centuries. Gods, demi-gods. Human sorcerers. My last master—yet he was not my master—I left when his magic left him. And now, it seems, it is time to become a familiar once again.

~*~

Chang Wufei cursed as he helplessly watched his colony blow up before his eyes. Tears threatened to spill down his cheeks, as sobs were wrenched from his throat. "Meiran…you were never meant to die…I was supposed to die…but even that escape was denied me…"

~*~

I watched through widened eyes, invisible in the cockpit of the Gundam Shenlong. Could it be? This boy—for, surely, he was no older than 15—reminded me so much of the last human I was familiar to. The same black hair, the same slender frame that gave no hint of the hidden strength his body possessed. He turned around and I caught my breath. The eyes—the window to the soul. The same onyx eyes, flashing with the determination to bring justice to the world.

And yet…I recalled that fateful day, years, decades, perhaps centuries ago, when I had to leave my Wufei…

[Flashback]

The sound of flapping leather and a weight on the pillow made him smile and open his eyes. "Nataku..."

Wufei, she said, nuzzling him as if afraid he might disappear in front of her. My little lost sorcerer...

"And where have you been?" Wufei asked.

Recovering from that spell you cast, she said. Ripples went everywhere and I couldn't fly. I came as soon as I could. Such a sloppy spell,

"Sloppy?" he whispered. "What do you mean?"

Your aim encompassed everything You didn't just include your mate. She stretched her wings fully and curled them against her back again. Using so much magick, too.

"Nataku, I don't--"

It crosses times, dimensions. You didn't just change how time flows, you've made it so it has always flown that way. And so much magick… She nuzzled his cheek and closed her eyes. I'm lucky I got here so fast. We don't have much time. When it all dissipates from you, I'll have to leave.

"Dissipates?" He felt for the tingle of magick he'd felt before and found it even less. He forced his hand up, stroked the ridges above her eyes, burning the image of her scales into his mind. "Must you...?"

Foolish boy. I leave because I have always left. I will always leave you. She nuzzled him again, her muzzle caressing his throat. And you'll forget. Time and death will take this from your mind. But I'll remember, even if the gods do not see fit to remind me.

He strained to hear her as her voice grew faint, turning more into chirps than words. "I hate losing friends." Since he couldn't sit up, he settled for touching her head as she wrapped her tail around his throat one last time, just so she'd remember how it felt. "Must you leave?"

You've always had me, and you'll always lose me. But you won't lose everyone. Her voice was nothing more than a whisper, a cool wind, and she stretched her wings again, now beating her way back into the air. And I will remember...

"I won't forget..."

Her voice was lost to him. She chirped once, flipped her tail, and soared into the sky, a green spot in the darkness until she disappeared into the storm clouds.

{End flashback]

Yes…this boy was almost an exact copy of the boy I had left, so long ago. And yet one thing was different…

I frowned. Where was the magic, the slight tingling that told me I was in the presence of a human sorcerer?

It wasn't there.

~*~

Later, I tried to puzzle it out. There was no doubt that this was the young man I was sent to be a familiar to—but now I was not so sure that I was to be a familiar at all. Yet, what else was there? As I was curled under the pilot's chair, the answer came to me—in the form of a battle.

~*~

Wufei easily defeated the Leo's with his Dragon Fang, but was unprepared for the sudden attack of two Aries from behind. "Kuso! Attacking without honor like that…"

He whirled the Gundam around and managed to dispatch the Aries without much trouble. He noticed afterwards, however, that Shenlong had gotten hit in the back, but not enough to be a major worry. 'Hm…I'll get that fixed next time I get supplies.'

Then, his attention was drawn to his shoulder. Somehow, being caught unprepared by the mobile suits, a screwdriver had been left out—and had hit his shoulder, breaking the skin and causing a small, yet painful flesh wound. He winced, then reached for the first aid kit, when a green blur suddenly launched itself from under the chair and attached itself to his shoulder. He yelped, and tried to shake it off.

~*~

After the battle, I caught the faint smell of blood wafting around in the cockpit. A quick look let me know that it was coming from Wufei's shoulder. ' So this is what I'm supposed to do…' I thought. I flew out from under the seat and latched on to the wounded shoulder.

~*~

After unsuccessfully trying to get the little green creature off from his shoulder, Wufei sighed, and took a closer look. He gasped as he took in the pearly sea-green scales, the serpentine frame, the fragile wings, and the glittering onyx eyes, so similar to his own. "A dragon…" he whispered.

Stay still, a cross voice said in his head.

Almost unconsciously, he obeyed. The dragon seemed to whisper a charm, of sorts, and the pain in his shoulder receded. A moment later, the wound closed over completely, leaving only a faint red mark.

"Who are you?" Wufei asked softly, almost reverently.

I, the dragon replied, rearing up proudly, am Nataku.

"Nataku…?"

Yes. Consider me a—a guardian spirit, of sorts, if you will. But…keep in mind that I won't always be with you, and never take me for granted. And remember, dragons can not be tamed. The dragon—Nataku, Wufei reminded himself, smiled slightly at this, at the double meaning.

"Um…I will."

Good. Nataku's gaze softened slightly. By chance…do you remember anyone like me? At all?

"A dragon? No…but there was Meiran. She was my wife. She got killed fighting mobile suits, but she called herself Nataku…"

Hm… Nataku sighed. Very well, don't forget to sleep.

~*~

…don't forget to sleep, I said. Pretty stupid words, I guess, looking back. He was a warrior, and wouldn't forget. But, no, he didn't remember me. Not any of his past life, I'd say. I'd figured out that it was reincarnation by this time. Not many people believed in it, and I had no reason to, being a dragon, but looking at this youth in front of me, and looking at my memories, I found it hard not to.

So…my favorite human and I meet again.

~*~

My position, as time flew by, became clearer. I learned more about the times, about my pilot. I learned about the 5 Gundam pilots, so like the Heero, Duo, Trowa, and Quatre I used to know. I met Noin, Zechs, Master O—good in this life, thank the gods—people who were reincarnated, I suppose, with Wufei. I learned about Wufei's past, how close it was to his life before Corazon, yet how different.

I was with Wufei when he leapt out of his Gundam to challenge Treize Khushrenada. I was with him in defeat, and I was with him when he, once again, fell in love with the enemy.

It would have been hard to not notice—history was repeating itself, yet it wasn't. The people now, in different roles compared to before, new people on the scene that were never there the first time. I got lost trying to figure out who was 'good', who was 'bad', and ended up putting things in simpler terms—who was on my side, Wufei's side, and who wasn't.

I was with Wufei during the last battle. I was with him when he struck the fateful blow that killed Treize Khushrenada. And I was with him, that night, when he cried out all of his sorrows.

I was with him when he joined Mariemaia's army. I was with him when he turned on Dekim Barton and joined his fellow pilots once again. I was there when peace returned to the Earth Sphere, finally opening the prospect of happiness up to thousands, millions of people.

But, then, it was time to leave. ~*~

"Nataku…do you have to leave?" Wufei sat on his bed, looking at me.

I told you, when I first met you, that I would leave. Now the time has come. I perched on a small trinket box upon the dresser and flared my wings.

Wufei sighed. He had been sad when Treize had died. The other pilots were happy, Duo and Heero living together, Trowa and Quatre doing the same. He knew that he had an open invitation to reside with any of them, but he really didn't want to impose upon them…and now he'd be alone…

Wufei…try to remember. Before this life…do you remember any others?

"You mean reincarnation? No…" He frowned, trying, searching areas of his soul never before noticed. "I'm sorry, Nataku. I can't remember…"

It's okay…but…in your last life, too, I left you. History repeats itself, but the outcomes are never the same. Last time, you still had Treize…this time…well, you'll find happiness, Wufei. I promise.

"Hm."

Nataku rose a few inches off the trinket box. And…remember. I will never forget you… She flew up, nuzzled Wufei one last time, and flew gracefully out the window.

The Solitary Dragon stared after her until she was out of sight, a single tear trailing its way down his unflawed cheek.

~*~

It was hard to leave him again. Of all the 'masters' I've had, he was my favorite. No, don't mock me. His sense of righteousness and justice never failed to astonish me in both of his lives—his soul was totally committed to righting the wrongs of the world. In all situations, he always did his best. And I, his guardian dragon, of sorts, could never have asked for anything more.

~*~

The story doesn't end there. But time is truly a cycle—neverending, and always repeating itself. Soon after I left, joining the Jade Emperor in his Sky Palace [1], the humans held a ceremony to honor those who died in the war, for the Chinese clans.

Paying tribute to his own clan, Wufei asked for a bit of happiness to ease the burden of being the only survivor to his clan. So, being what I am, I persuaded the Jade Emperor to send him Treize Khushrenada as a reward.

And from what I hear, they're still happy today…

~*~

[1] – A bit of Chinese mythology for you. It comes from the story of the Monkey King, Sun Wu Kong. One of my favorite myths of all time, it's WAY too long to retell here, so if you're interested, look for Journey to the West in a library or something.