| Gundam Wing: Legend of Mystiks Chapter 16 � Why not Cosmos?� Duo said sharply. � You have always been more important. Your life ranked over hers no matter what. Cosmos understood that.� Duo hugged Cosmos� body. � . . . That�s why she made me stay back and wouldn�t let me fight . . .� � Hai. She made it her job to be your personal guardian. I can only thank her for that.� Tears came again. � But I didn�t want her to die!� � That couldn�t be helped, Duo. She probably didn�t want to die either. It�s just that the Ferals were too much.� Duo glanced at Cosmos� stomach and froze. The gash the Ferals had made was gone. � It�s gone!� � What is?� � Her stomach! The Ferals had tried to . . .� Duo didn�t want to finish the thought. � It�s gone!� Cosmos� body faded out and disappeared. � What�s going on?!� Shinigami reached for Duo, afraid he was going to try to follow her. � Duo!� He waited until his son was looking at him. � It�s all right. Wherever she is, she�s safe.� � I�m going to find her.� � Duo, you don�t know where she went. I don�t know where she went.� � I have an idea.� Duo glared at his father. � If you�re not coming, let me go.� Shinigami stood, pulling Duo up with him. � So where is this place?� *~*~* There was a flash of lightning, followed by a crash of thunder in the cloudy night sky. The rain fell harder. � When do you think Duo will come back?� Seraph inquired in worry. The guys shrugged. Heero finally said, � It�s impossible to tell. Every time someone he knows dies, he runs off for days, sometimes weeks. I wouldn�t be surprised if he was gone for two or three months this time.� Seraph looked at Quatre. � You�re his elemental opposite. Can you sense him anywhere?� Quatre shook his head. � I tried. There�s nothing there. It�s just blank brain space. As if he�s in a coma.� The door to the foyer burst open, revealing two figures. The shorter one wielded a scythe and was the first to come in as he pulled his cloak hood back. The others dropped their stances as they saw who it was. � Duo!� � Is Cosmos here?� Duo asked. � Nani?� � Is Cosmos here?� he repeated. � . . . Iie.� � Damn!� Duo squeezed his braid out and turned back to the other figure, more subdued. � Okay, you win. You were right.� The figure, sighed, still standing in the rain. � Duo, I don�t mean to make you upset. It�s just something I know.� � Sou, I get it.� Duo gave a tolerating sigh. � Don�t stand out there, Otousan. You�ll catch cold.� Shinigami stepped inside, closing the door behind him. � So now where do you want to go?� � Nowhere. I just want to sit in my room and wallow in misery.� Duo headed for the stairs, paying no attention when the foyer door opened again, only more slowly than before. Shinigami had moved out of the way of the door and huffed in surprise when he saw the cloaked figure leaning heavily on his scythe. The cloak was issued only to Reapers, so he helped them in. � What are you doing here? All Reapers were ordered to take leave while I took care of a personal problem.� Hoarsely, the Reaper replied, � I was looking for you, Shinigami-sama. I found your scythe outside and was worried.� � Are you injured?� � I feel as if I am, but I cannot find the wound.� Shinigami pulled the hood back and sucked in a breath of disbelief. � Duo!� Already halfway up the stairs, Duo just stopped and stood there. � Nani?� The God of Death was at a loss for words. He suddenly couldn�t remember the Reaper�s name for some strange reason.� Look!� Duo turned angrily. � I�m not going to . . .� He choked on the next word, then suddenly flew back down and enveloped the Reaper in a hug, turning his head to kiss the cold, wet cheek. � You�re . . . alive?� A gentle hug. � Iie. Gomen nasai, Duo, Shinigami-sama. I only come bearing an important message.� � Hai?� Shinigami asked, trying not to break down and cry. � Cosmos is out in the forest. I could not locate her exact position, but it was somewhere near the Fasanera border.� � You couldn�t find her?� Duo was beginning to feel panic rising in him. The Fasanera border was notorious for theives, murders . . . and Ferals. The Reaper shook her head. � Iie. I am only bonded to her through you two. It was not enough to find her.� � Can you give me a more specific area, Okaasan?� � I think she was near the Deranico Falls, demo---� � Arigatou, Okaasan!� Duo gave her cheek another kiss. � You�ll stay here, right?� � I�ll try, demo---� � I�ll be right back!� � You�re not going to go on foot, are you?!� Duo turned to answer, abruptly wincing in pain. He fell to his knees, trying to reach back to his shoulder blades. � Nan . . . da?� The Reaper started to go to Duo, but Shinigami stopped her. � Iie, Lily. Let it go. He�ll be all right. He�s strong.� Lily watched in undisguised worry. � Hai, but what if---� � He�ll be fine, Lily.� There was a ripping sound and Duo gave a cry of pain and fell onto his side. He laid still, unmoving. |