| Gundam Wing: Legend of Mystiks Chapter 22 � Those with the Ferine magic are born with it and can ultimately control any magic better than any artificially created, toned-down magic like that considered to be Master. That control will be needed . . . and put to the test.� � Master magic is weak?� � It will always be weak. It is a pitiful human attempt to mimic Ferine magic, which humans could never control because their bodies wouldn�t be able to handle the strain.� Duo got back to the more important part. � So you�re going off to fight a war with things from another planet.� A nod from Cosmos. � You�re taking me, right?� � Iie. I can�t. Halcyon says you and the others don�t know enough yet to fight effectively. She says you�d just . . . get in the way.� Duo shook her. � I�m not letting you go out there to fight a battle you�re never going to win while I sit here and feel you die again!� � There�s no choice!� Cosmos wrenched away from him and stood, backing toward the door. � You�ll be in too much danger, even if you were ready to fight!� Duo got up and followed her. � Like you wouldn�t be?!� Cosmos seemed lost for a moment, then blurted, � I�m expendable! You�re not!� With that said, she turned and took off down the hall, taking the stairs too quickly to be safe. She ran down into the foyer, not paying the least bit of attention to where she was going. So she ran straight into someone. Stumbling back, she glanced up and then bowed. � My deepest apologies, Nurian-sama. Please excuse me.� Then she ran on--ignoring Halcyon�s yelling--intent only on getting away from the castle. Someone snagged her arm and whirled her around. She stared fearfully up into Duo�s very angry indigo eyes. � Now what?� she asked in a poor attempt at toughness, trying vainly to keep the shake out of her voice. � So you think you�re expendable, huh?� he snarled. � You think your life matters so damn little to everyone that you can just throw it around?! Then you�re wrong! My life was hopelessly fucked up and it looked like it was going to stay that way until you showed up! Then it was like some kind of puzzle had pieced itself together and I finally understood my purpose here! Now you�re leaving and that puzzle is fracturing again! The edges are getting hazy and I can�t tell what the hell any of the pieces were anymore!� He held her upper arms and shook her roughly. � Do you understand?! I�m losing focus! My aim is dissolving right in front of me! I don�t know what I�m supposed to do anymore!� Cosmos was crying heedlessly now. � What am I supposed to do about it?!� she wailed. � Tell me what to do!� Suddenly the water surged upward and drenched them both. A huge Sea Viper rose above them, then dove down into the lake again. It caught Duo�s legs with its tail and drug him under with it. Cosmos followed immediately, swimming down even when she ran out of air. She had to find Duo or Shinigami-sama would never forgive her. <I would never forgive myself either.> She finally found him floating limply in place, his eyes and mouth closed. The Viper was nowhere to be seen. She wrapped her arms around Duo and kicked toward the surface. And though it was excrutiating pain at every movement, she also used her wings to help her. After what seemed like forever, she reached the lake surface and gasped like a dying fish. Lugging Duo to the shore, she ignored the others as they came running out and began to pound on his chest. When she�d gotten no response several times she began to get angry. � Shimatta, Duo! Open your eyes! Cough, breathe, spit on me--just do something so I know you�re alive!� She again tried for a pulse, knowing in her heart what it would be. <What am I supposed to do? Tell me what to do! Onegai, Duo!> Resuming her pounding, she shouted between the pounds, � You said that my leaving was making you lose focus! That it was making your aim dissolve! Well what about me?! You think my aim isn�t dissolving?! That it isn�t making me lose focus?! I�ve stayed alive just for you and all you�re going to do in return is die on me like everyone else has?! Wake up! Wake up, damn you!� Someone stopped her, held her arm back. � Dame da, Cosmos. Nothing more can be done.� � Hanaste!� Cosmos hissed, wrenching away and whirling on the person. She was faced with the calm visage of Shinigami. She stood in shock. All this had been too much and now she�d yelled at, and almost attacked, her superior. � Shinigami-sama . . . I---� � Silence.� Cosmos winced and dropped her head. <I�m in for it.> � Cosmos Quasar Nova.� <Oh fuck. He�s using my whole name. I�m so deep in shit I�ll need a hell of a lot more than a shovel to get out.> � What were my orders to you? Iie, don�t answer. I told you to be quiet. I don�t need you to recite them to me. I know what they are just like you do. And did you carry out those orders?� � Iie---� � SILENCE!� Cosmos shrunk away and shook. <I�m dead I�m dead I�m so dead.> � You better not expect forgiveness for this!� Shinigami thundered, rage reflecting in his indigo eyes. � I will see you in the Second Chamber in one hour. If you do not show yourself, I will hunt you down and make the punishment a thousand times worse! Do you understand?!� Cosmos dared not do any more than nod, her eyes on the ground. Shinigami, satisfied with her answer, turned and stalked away, disappearing as he went as if he were walking through mist. Cosmos fell to the ground beside Duo. � I�m so sorry, Duo. This is all my fault. If I�d just moved quicker you�d be all right and I�d still have you here.� She fell over onto his chest and sobbed, stopping when she felt warm water run across her neck. Sitting up she turned and rolled Duo�s coughing form to his side to help get the rest of the water out. � Duo?!� All that replied was his coughing. Then he drew in a raspy breath and rolled onto his back again. � Oh, Cosmos. Ohayo.� � Duo!� She picked him up and squeezed him in a hug, forcing a last trickle of water out of him. � You�re alive!� � I guess so.� He lifted his arms to return the hug, thanking every god he could name that Cosmos had not been left alone. Something in him just couldn�t stop worrying about what she�d have done if he�d stayed dead. Pulling away, Cosmos sighed heavily and kissed him. � Gomen, Duo. I still must go.� Duo bowed his head. There was no point in arguing further. She�d made up her mind. � All right. I give.� He looked up and met her eye. � Just keep in touch, okay?� � I promise.� Cosmos turned and walked toward the forest. � Where do you think you�re going, Cosmos?� � Shut up Halcyon! I�m leaving and if you don�t like it, that�s too bad!� Her pace picked up and she dashed into the forest at an all-out run. Everyone looked at Duo, who shrugged and stood. � Don�t look at me. I know as much as you do.� Cosmos ran for three hours, just trying to get as far away from them as she could before night. Then she�d settle and begin her practice in the morning. When night fell she was several hundred miles from the castle; now she was on Vericon Hills. |