CHAPTER ONE:

 

Duo Maxwell. An all American kid with long (too die-for) chestnut-colored hair that was done in a braid, that kissed an ass that was just too cute for words…

 

As, I was saying, Duo Maxwell, on this glorious summer afternoon, felt like he must have done something to make the gods extremely, I mean extremely angry this time. Wide-eyed amethyst depths stared at the towering figure above him with worry, confusion, trepidation and downright terror. How could this be happening to him?!

 

In seconds, he was staring into a blue-colored orb, shifting backwards, as the lips before him parted into a wide smile.

 

“It will wear out soon enough,” the laughing voice proclaimed. “This should teach you never to laugh at me in the middle of a séance.”

 

“But…”

 

“But nothing! You never believed that I was a real psychic and witch now, did you? You thought I was a fake, didn’t you? You came with all your doubts ready to laugh me off, ne? Well you got what you deserve, Duo. Curiosity always killed the cat and in your case…shrunk it!!”

 

Duo winced and held on tightly to a pole…uum…pencil as the woman’s bellowing laughter threatened to send him flying off the table.

 

Yes, my dear friends and neighbors, Duo Maxwell, once a strapping five foot something, young man had been reduced to nothing more than a pixie. A very cute pixie, if I might add.

 

“And for added measure,” the mean woman said (well, she really wasn’t mean, but we are seeing this from Duo’s POV). “I think I will just add a cute little tail and ears for you.” And with a ‘swish’ of her fingers, Duo felt his cute butt gain something furry and bushy and his impeccably kept hair, sprouting twin cat-like ears. Could his day possibly get any worse?

 

The woman leaned down again and stuck out a finger to tap his nose gently. “Don’t worry, this should wear off in about….three months…”

 

“THREE MONTHS?!!!” (Surprisingly for someone so tiny in size, his voice still had the capability of sounding like an elephant in heat)

 

“Hai, three months. One month for each time you kept calling me a quack.”

 

“This isn’t fair,” the kitty…uh…Duo protested with a whine. “I have to be in Cancun with the guys next month. How am I going to go like this?!”

 

“I am sure they could fit you in somewhere. And besides, they wouldn’t need to worry about paying for an extra seat, ne? You could easily fit into one of their bags or pockets now!! Mwahahahaha!!!”

 

“I did apologize to you, you know,” Duo tried to make his case as he got to his feet and placed his hands on his hips, features turning into a scowl. “I apologized a million times over but you wouldn’t listen. Hey!! Get back here!! I’m talking to you!! Don’t you dare leave me here on my own!!”

 

The sound of the door slamming shut caused him to wince and fall back on the table…

 

“Ouch!”

 

He would have to get used to his new ‘attachment’.

He pursed his lips and placed his chin upon his hand, eyes narrowing in thought. He was in a pickle that much was certain. At this size, he couldn’t do anything much, except to hope that someone walked into the room and got him out of there.

 

“Heero??” He whined again. “Where are you??”

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Heero Yuy, a stoic Japanese boy with dark brown hair that looked as if it needed a comb as its friend, slipped the hardbound book – A Day in the Life of Karl Marx (Socialism and Politics for Dummies) – into his black bag. He glanced at the watch that his friend and constant annoying companion…you know who…had bought for him last year.

 

Duo was late.

 

Not that that was any news. Duo could be late for most things…well, except for when his favorite TV show came on, or when his favorite dinner was set, or when the mail came in with his annual supply of manga, or when…

 

“Hn.”

 

Oh, yeah…Heero was currently waiting for Duo to show up after they had split ways earlier in the day. You see, Duo had wanted to go visit the new ‘Psychic Phenomenon’ in town and Heero…had not. So, Heero, being the practical guy that he was, had decided to allow Duo to go on his own. Well, actually, Duo had whined and complained throughout the train ride and had given Heero a headache in the process.

 

Anyways, Duo happily left and Heero was quite content to remain in the library. He looooooooved the library. It would be safe to say that it was the only place…asides from his laptop…that he cherished to death. To be surrounded by books of every imaginable size, color, shape. The smell, the feel, the…

 

Ahem… so Heero was now waiting for Duo to show up after promising to meet beneath the large city clock in the middle of downtown. He leaned against the wall and tapped his fingers impatiently against his thighs in a light staccato. His already scowling face darkened with growing annoyance. How long did it take for a séance to be completed anyway? If Heero’s guess was correct, then Duo was probably at some fast food place stuffing his face with food.

 

I had better go check up on him.

 

Walking with determination, words of admonishment that he planned to rattle off to the other boy forming in his ever clockwork, computer-minded brain, Heero finally came to the small shop that had the sign…

 

Madame Toussand’s Psychic Experience – Prepare To Be Blown Away

( Notice: A down payment of $50.00 is required at every séance. If the dead refuses to speak to you, there will be no refunds. Sorry.)

 

Heero knocked on the door and waited…and waited…and waited some more. Now, the normal human patience level ranges from around five-ten minutes per knock. However, we must remember that we are talking about Heero Yuy here and so his patience level was at a whopping two point five seconds.

 

About to raise his hand again to possibly knock the door to the ground at this point, he was surprised to find said door opening up on its own accord. Snorting in wariness, Heero walked into darkened room and stood for a moment, indecisive.

 

The room was empty.

 

Or so it seemed.

“Hello?”

 

His only reply was the sound of an antique clock, ticking away in the far corner of the room. The furnishings were a motley mix of Indian silk curtains and Arabian pillows. A large circular table stood in the middle of it, a faint lingering smell of incense still in the air. Only the faint light of a small table lamp illuminated the room.

 

Sneezing lightly, Heero walked around the place, eyes taking in each statue of some kind of god or goddess or …

 

“Heero!! You came for me!!”

 

“What the hell?? Duo?!” Heero spun around quickly, frantic blue eyes searching the room for the familiar shape of his friend. He blinked as he saw no one. “….Duo…??”

 

“OVER HERE, HEERO!! I AM RIGHT OVER HERE!!”

 

“Where?! I can hear you but I can’t see you!! Show me where you are!” Being practical and rational, a part of the Japanese boy’s mind told him that Duo was up to one of his many tricks. That Duo could be hiding behind some of the doors, or that he could be under the table or that he could be….

 

“I AM ON THE TABLE!! THE SÉANCE TABLE!!”

 

Heero stood back upright with a bewildered expression on his face (for he had been on his knees about to search under said table.) “Na…Nani??”

 

“I AM ON THE TABLE, HEERO! SHEESH!! TURN YOUR HEAD TO THE RIGHT A LITTLE BIT!”

 

Heero did as he was told and had to blink again as he noticed something white and furry…and then the familiar black outfit…

 

“Duo?! What the hell are you doing?!”

 

Both boys stared at each other for several minutes, trying to digest the stupidity of the question. Heero leaned closer to the table, having to kneel down as he came to eye level with his…thumbelina Duo.

 

The braided boy/kitty pouted as he watched Heero’s expression go from bemusement to amusement in a matter of seconds. “Laugh and you die,” he growled.

 

That did it.

 

For the first time in months or years…Heero Yuy collapsed onto the floor with laughter. His body shook with the intensity of it, eyes tearing up as the incredulity of the situation sunk in.

 

“STOP LAUGHING AT ME!!” Poor pixie Duo cried, as he hopped to his feet and began to jump up and down. Narrowing his gaze, he measured the distance between he and Heero’s head and decided that he didn’t want to risk breaking anything just yet. “STOP LAUGHING, DAMN IT!!”

 

Heero placed a hand over his mouth, although the giggles continued. He got back on his knees and crawled back to the table, blue eyes now sparkling. “Ano…Duo. But what did you do to deserve this? Eaten something you shouldn’t have?”

 

“Gee…can’t believe you are actually making a joke, Heero. Forgive me if I don’t find the situation very funny.”

 

Heero giggled and reached out a finger to caress the furry tail lightly. He smirked at the reluctant shiver from Duo and shook his head. “Well, you will tell me what happened later, ne? I can’t wait to show you to the guys.”

 

“I AM NOT A TOY OR SOME KIND OF DISPLAY…”

 

Heero picked him up by the scruff of his shirt and balanced him on his palm, chuckling lightly at how pouty and yet adorable his friend looked. “Don’t worry about a thing, Duo. I will take good care of you?”

 

“I would rather sleep on hot coals for a week.”

 

“That could be arranged.”

 

“……..”

 

Heero, yes the same frowning, scowling boy that we all know and love, was in an awfully good mood right now. For the first time, since he had met the vivacious, loud-mouthed American, the Japanese boy felt like he had the upper hand and advantage. He could do whatever he wanted to do and not have the constant troubles…

 

“WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME TOO? HOW AM I GOING TO RIDE ON YOUR BACK? HOW DO I…MMMPPHHFF!!”

 

Heero patted the side of his bag gently. “Shssh…you had better be quiet now, Duo and be a nice little kitten, okay? If you promise not to talk anymore, I will let you out.”

 

He made his way out of the shop and opened up his bag to see if Duo was still alive or not, since he hadn’t exactly received any reply from him. “Duo?”

 

And sure enough, curled up in a fetal position, and snoring softly, kitty Duo had fallen fast asleep.