| Gundam Wing: Legend of Mystiks Chapter 33 Cosmos shifted against the warmth at her back. <Feels good. I�ve never felt this safe before, besides when I�m with Duo or Shinigami.> Opening her eyes, she discovered Duo asleep on her stomach and chest. <Well there�s Duo.> Turning her head, she saw a rough-textured black sleeve. <Huh?> She twisted her head up and saw a familiar chin. <Nani?! Oh . . . It doesn�t matter. I like this feeling. I think I�ll just stay here.> � Cosmos?� � Hm?� � So you were awake.� � Just now.� � Your back feeling better?� � Lots. What did you do?� � Nothing much. Your back wasn�t broken, but many disks had popped out and were causing the pain. I popped them back in for you.� Cosmos blushed. � Domo arigatou.� � Don�t thank me. It hurt you. You cried.� � Well it doesn�t hurt now and I�m not crying now!� � Okay, okay! Mou, you�d think I�d just cussed you out.� � Gomen. It�s that that sometimes your worry and self-loathing amazes me.� � Nani?!� � Telling you how it is, is she?� asked a new voice. Both looked over. Shinigami snorted at the man in blue. � Urusai, Nurian. You have plenty of the same thing.� The Water Controller laughed. � But not as bad! Halcyon is quite a bit more respectful about it!� Shinigami�s grip tightened around Cosmos. � I like them when they think for themselves. Besides, it�s necessary. Unlike you, I have many disciples to keep track of. The more intelligent they are, the better. That way I don�t have to worry about them blending in with regular humans. They can handle it themselves. The last thing I need is mindless shells of people to do as I tell them.� � He has a point, Nurian,� a man in white put in. � I can relate to his position. The rest of you only have your Mystiks to bother with. But Daric and I have to worry about our Mystiks, our helpers, or �disciples� as Daric put it, and most of all, the souls.� Shinigami groaned. � Souls. So scared they can hardly talk without stuttering. Do you have that problem, Salin?� he asked the white-clad man. Kami shook his head. � Iie. Not usually. You calm them down for me--which I am eternally grateful for--and only rarely is one frightened.� � I�m glad I do my job so well. At least that hard work is doing something good.� � How do you think Duo will adjust?� the man in red inquired. � Easily. He�s been here so much it won�t surprise him when his time comes to take my place.� Shinigami looked down, discovering Cosmos asleep. � And I�m sure,� he continued, never taking his eyes off of Cosmos, � that she�ll be at his side every moment.� � Have you told her?� Shinigami looked up. � Dare, Cosmos?� � Hai.� � About what?� The other man rolled his eyes. � About her blood.� � Oh . . . Iie.� � You better tell her, Daric. We�re going to tell the other girls soon. They need to know before they find it out themselves and get upset.� � Why would they get upset?� � They might . . .� He shook his head. � Never mind. My mind is telling me that they�re too young to understand, but they�re not. They won�t have a tantrum, as my brain says they will, because they have all that they need in one flesh-and-blood package.� � True, Resak. Very true.� Cosmos rolled in Shinigami�s embrace, dumping Duo onto his father�s stomach. Duo humphed and looked around, then crawled up to where he was even with Cosmos� face and returned to his personal little dreamland, slipping off his father�s side into the crook of the Death God�s arm. Shinigami chuckled. � They always used to fight over who would sleep in my lap while I did my work . . .� The Fire Controller laughed. � Calling up memories, huh?� � They make me smile when I�m sad, Resak. They are some of my most precious possessions.� � What are your most precious?� the man in yellow asked. Shinigami gave him a look. � Three guesses, Idon, and the first two don�t count.� The Wind Controller sighed. � Hm, I wonder . . .� he mused in feigned thought. The Earth Controller, the only one who hadn�t spoken yet, did so. � You seem to be taking Duo�s . . . predicament . . . rather well. The rest of us were rip- ping our hair out. What do you think of the boys turning into babies?� � Well firstly, Eravur, I would never rip out my hair. Secondly, I can only assume that the boys� becoming babies was a result of their dramatically increased power in such a short time. They could not handle it and so became babies, which can adapt at amazingly fast rates.� He gestured at Duo�s new shiny violet-black dragon wings that were currently only large enough to spread to the end of the child�s shoulders. � I also assume as much that, since their wings are there, they will one morning wake up and be themselves without having to wait fifteen or twenty years to get back to normal.� � The girls will love that,� Idon muttered. � Why didn�t the same thing happen to the girls? Their power jump was almost as much as the boys�,� Resak pointed out. � I think that because they are used to fluctuating between being stronger and weaker when carrying a child, their bodies reacted naturally to compensate for it so they weren�t bothered,� was Shinigami�s theory. � What about Cosmos� wings?� Kami inquired quietly, abruptly changing the subject. Shinigami sighed and thoughtlessly nibbled on the end of his braid. � I�ve tried everything,� he replied, disheartened. � There doesn�t seem to be anything that can be done.� He looked down at the top of Cosmos� head. � I�d say that the muscles were just pulled and that all they needed was a good flight, but it causes intense pain for Cosmos to move them the slightest bit. And direct touching, no matter how light, will cause enough pain to make her unconscious.� � Are you sure it isn�t just her imagination?� Shinigami closed his eyes and put his nose against Cosmos� head. � I�m sure of it. I�ve killed an angel.� |