| Gundam Wing: Legend of Mystiks Chapter 27 � Evidently.� Shinigami observed Duo�s energetic crawl across his desk and to the other side. He snagged the long braid and held it as Duo peered over the edge of the desk. � Stay on my desk, Duo.� The baby immediately turned and went to the center of the desk, then plopped himself down and began wrinkling and ripping up the huge wall calendar situated on the desktop. Luckily, it was only the one from last month. Cosmos picked him up and removed the torn calendar from his tightly clutching fists. Well, tried. � Give it to me, Duo.� Nothing but a little pout. � Give it to me now, Duo.� She finally just jerked it away from him and threw it in the trash. Shinigami focused on Duo�s back, then felt the baby�s shoulders. � What�re those dark spots? Those weren�t there before and they�re bumpy.� Cosmos rolled Duo onto his stomach and mimicked Shinigami�s motions. � I think those are his wings.� She peered closer and brought her dragon sight out. Her eyes went cat-like as she focused the amazing sight of a dragon on the spots. They were indeed tiny, barely-formed wings. She pushed the dragon sight aside. � Yep. That�s exactly what they are. Little wing buds.� � They won�t hurt him, will they?� Cosmos rolled Duo onto his back again and he immediately reached for the braid hanging over Shinigami�s shoulder, just a few tantalizing centimeters above his head. � Maybe when they break through they�ll hurt extra, but after they come out they�ll grow with him so he�ll barely feel it. We�ll just have to make sure he doesn�t roll onto them wrong or he�ll hurt himself then.� Just then a new Reaper appeared from some unknown errand. The girl, seeming to be in her late teens, saw the baby and squealed, � Oh, how cute!� Duo stopped playing with Shinigami�s braid long enough to glare at the girl as if to silence her and then returned to drooling and chewing on the rope of hair. She went over and stood looking at the child. � It�s so adorable! Is it yours, Cosmos?� � Iie. Not mine. I�m just caring for him.� � Then who�s is he?� � Mine,� a different, much deeper voice replied. The girl looked up and ducked. She hadn�t realized the God of Death had been that close. She made a slow retreat. � You have another, Shinigami-sama?� � Iie, this is the same one.� � Nani?!� She came forward again, her surprise making her bold. � But I thought Duo-sama was Cosmos� age!� � He is. Anou, was. Something happened and turned him into a baby.� � Will he be okay?� � He�ll be fine.� Cosmos frowned. � Something�s wrong. Halcyon is very upset.� She looked at Shinigami. � You won�t mind if I leave Duo here, will you?� Shinigami quickly relieved Cosmos of the baby. � Ja!� He said in a much too pleased tone. Cosmos giggled and returned to the castle. � All right, Halcyon,� she called as she left Duo�s room and went down the stairs, � nan da?� As she entered the officer�s lounge, she was met with a huge shirt containing a small child with long, platinum blond hair and ice blue eyes. � Look!� a voice behind the shirt and baby ordered. � He�s a baby! Like Wufei and Heero and Trowa and Quatre!� � What do you want me to do about it?� The baby was lowered and Halcyon peeked over the child�s head. � Is Duo okay?� � Duo�s fine.� Halcyon craddled Zechs and stared at Cosmos. � Then why did it happen to them and not Duo?� � Who said it didn�t?� � You just said Duo was fine!� � He is. But don�t you think I�d be a bit more surprised if he were still the size he should be?� � Then he�s not fine if he�s a baby too!� � He . . . is . . . just . . . fine,� Cosmos enunciated every word clearly. � He�s not hurt, he�s just a baby. There is a difference.� � All right. Duo�s a baby too and he�s fine. So what are you doing out here without him?!� Cosmos sighed. � Where do you think I�ve been for the past�--she glanced at her watch--�twenty minutes?� � Sitting in Duo�s bedroom gawking at him--I don�t know!� Cosmos gave another sigh and checked around the room. � Am I the only one not overly worried about all this?� She was answered with five nods. � Well I don�t know what you want me to do about it, but I�d suggest getting some diapers, formula, powder, stuff like that.� She turned. � Where are you going?� Halcyon snapped, for once annoyed with Cosmos� calmness. � Back to Shinigami-sama. Duo�s waiting for me.� � You�re not going anywhere!� � Don�t worry, I�ll come back and help you. Right now you should learn their temperament. It might not be the same as it is when they�re grown.� She nodded at Heero, who was currently playing with Airia�s topaz Wind pendant. � As it can be so plainly seen, Heero is not his usual �I�m an iceberg� self.� She smiled and disappeared before anyone could ask any more. Halcyon growled and stomped her foot. � I�m going to strangle Cosmos the next time I see her and that�s a promise!� Seraph sighed, playing nervously with her diamond pendant. � Halcyon, calm down. She has her own to take care of, remember, and she�s never said that she�d come back and then didn�t. Shinigami-sama�s probably tearing his hair out trying to keep Duo under control. I certainly wouldn�t want to raise someone as energy-abundant as Duo. I think Cosmos has her work cut out for her and she�ll need as much patience as she can get.� Seraph paused and then added slowly, � Unless you want Cosmos to fall asleep and not wake up before Duo leaves the room and tears up something of yours.� Halcyon growled, but didn�t say anything. |