| Gundam Wing: Legend of Mystiks Chapter 14 � . . . Was . . . Was I an . . .� � A what?� Duo swallowed and finally got it out. � Was I an accident?� � Iie! Not at all!� Shinigami chuckled. � You were nothing of the kind! To be truthful, you were half surprise, half expected.� � Nani?� � Your okaasan was a Reaper, a very good one, as most females turn out to be, and a Death Mystik. I�d had my eye on her ever since she�d become a Reaper and noticed how she made sure all the souls were comfortable. She calmed nervous ones and treated the process as a game with the children to keep them from getting scared because believe it or not, every soul is terrified when they return to me.� He paused there, frowning thoughtfully. � Hm . . . Anyway, one night I put everything on hold and broke the monotony by going to a tavern I�d heard was a good place. The bartender had a nice sense of humor; very refreshing. He looked at my robes and scythe and said with a friendly smile, �You must work for the execut- ioner.� As he got my water, I saw your okaasan moving around the place, ducking all around. She tried to slip by me finally, but I caught her and asked her what she was doing there. � She made up this elaborate story about getting lost and when she looked at me she stopped, knowing I didn�t believe her. She eventually came out with the whole truth and asked if I was angry. I wasn�t, since �just wanting a drink� was no reason for punishment, especially since it was only cider and not alcohol. � Then one night I unknowingly sent her out to get her father. She did the job, but was in tears for days afterward. I comforted her as best I could, avoiding the subject lest I made her more upset. After five months of tip-toeing through conversations with her, she asked me for leave. I gave it to her even though she refused to tell me why, saying it was personal. I figured it was about her father and didn�t pressure her futher. � Not quite four months later, one of your okaasan�s friends appeared in a panic. She kept babbling about Ferals and attacks, all of which meant nothing to me. I had to make her calm down and tell me all over before I understood. But when I got there, it was too late. Two Ferals were there . . . I killed them, however much good it did, and was about to leave with your okaasan�s body when I heard the strangest sound. It seemed to be a whimpering of some sort. I traced it to a pile of thistlebrush and found you, wrapped tightly in cloth and trying to get attention without calling the wrong kind, as if you knew what was going on. Maybe you did. I must�ve gotten hundreds of scratches just trying to get you out of there without hurting you. I even got poked in the eye once. � I buried your okaasan in her favorite place, but there was no time to reflect and mourn. You demanded my constant attention because you refused to let anyone else do anything with you. And being a man, I couldn�t feed you on my own so I had Reapers get the things you needed. They didn�t mind because it got them out of work and you were adorable even if you were totally attached only to me, so they were only too happy to help. I had you at my desk in a crib of darkness and it was very amusing to the souls who came in at that time. Death taking care of a baby. � I cared for you until you were two, then took you to the Maxwell Church in L2. I chose them because they could give you a normal life, something I couldn�t give. At first they were afraid of me, which is only natural, but when I brought you out of my cloak and explained my problem, they relaxed and even helped me a bit. They asked for your name and I had to fall silent. I�d never thought up one for you since it hadn�t occured to me. I named you Duo because I could�ve sworn that your okaasan was peering over my shoulder at every single diaper change and feeding--and laughing at me each time--and decided that her spirit was following you. � I asked Father Maxwell and Sister Helen not to tell you about me so you could live as carefree as pos- sible. It hadn�t occured to me to check ahead to make sure . . .� Shinigami faltered. Duo�s eyes were saucers. He�d heard more about his life in five minutes than he�d been told ever. � So where�s the �surprise/expected� part?� � Anou, your okaasan was expecting you, but I sure as hell wasn�t.� Duo looked over and instantly felt awful for searching through the past while Cosmos had lain in the dirt. He broke the embrace and held Cosmos tightly. � I . . . Gomen nasai, Cosmos.� He felt a hand on his shoulder. � Let�s put her beside your okaasan.� Duo nodded. He lifted her, starting when he heard a gasp. Jerking his head up, he saw his friends and the rest of the female Mystiks staring at Cosmos. Inexplicably terrified, he took a step back and was calmly enveloped in his father�s cloak. � N . . . Nan da?� � It�s okay, Duo. It�s just shock. Stay calm. That�s right. Relax. I�ll take care of you.� Hearing a question, the God of Death raised his head. � Nani?� A woman with blue eyes and hair stepped forward in front of the others and knelt in front of him. � Excuse us, Shinigami-sama.� � Hai?� She stood. � I am Halcyon of Water. My companions and I are acquaintances of Duo and Cosmos. Is it acceptable if we ask where they are going?� Shinigami narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, his previously dormant protective side reappearing at full-force. � Cosmos is dead.� There were the expected murmurs and tears. � And Duo is going with me.� One boy shoved past the rest. He glared up at the Death God much as Duo had done on their first re-meeting. � Duo�s not going anywhere. I don�t care who you are. No one in my unit leaves without my permission.� Shinigami laughed. � You think you can stop me?� A girl with light brown hair ran forward and grabbed the boy�s arm. � Heero! You don�t talk to the God of Death like that! You�re just asking to be sent to Hell!� � Airia.� The girl looked up at Shinigami and cringed. � Hai, Shinigami-sama?� � Where did you hear such an idiotic thing?� � Uh . . . Anou . . . Around?� � Well stop it. I�m not going to punish someone for worrying about a friend. It�s not justice.� He returned his focus to Heero. � Duo is going with me. He wishes to visit his okaasan and help bury Cosmos. I will not deny him.� |