Disclaimer: The characters and situations of Galaxy Angel are the creation of and property of Kanan and are used here without permission. This story may be freely distributed, but it should not be altered or used for profit.

Quid Pro Quo

By Megami no Senshi Yami

A land of peace and prosperity created by the blessing of a Goddess. Transbaal Empire could be easily defined like that; nonetheless as there is light there is darkness. And said darkness had a name—or to be more exactly, two names: Eonia Transbaal and the Black Moon.

Consumed by hate, the exiled prince came back and engulfed the galaxy in flames with the aid of a super weapon whose power gave the impression it was crafted by Lucifer himself. In a desperate attempt, the Moon Goddess Shatoyarn entrusted the safety of Shiva Transbaal to her loyal guardians: the Angel Troupe.

With the help of Takuto Mayers, the best pupil of Luft Weizen the former commander of the Elsior, the Angels fought battle after battle. Even when Eonia dispatched an elite team of mercenary pilots known as the Hell Hounds, they still emerged victorious and peace was restored once again…

A young girl walked thru the halls of the ceremonial flagship and towards and remote section of the same. Her pace was quick, her muscles were stiffened and there was a clear expression in her face: a mixture of dread and nervousness yet courage and self-sacrifice.

She was very pretty, with long, soft pink hair and sky blue eyes. Her uniform was the standard one for the female soldiers yet with a pink colored skirt matching her hair and a flower adorned headband on her head. Her hands clutched a small notebook stiffly.

"Good evening" she said politely upon reaching her destination. The door of a small room turned into a maximum security cell. "I am Milfeulle Sakuraba. I have come to see him" she informed. The two armed guards looked at each other. "Very well, Miss" nodded one of them and added. "Do not touch the glass".

"Thank you very much" she replied as the door slid open before her. And with a deep breath, she stepped inside. "This is it…I have to do it…everybody is counting with me…including Takuto-san".

Shortly after the end of the war, a single survivor was found from the enemy lines. The man who led the mercenary team hired with the only purpose of sending Milfeulle and her teammates to Hades. His wounds were healed and a proper approach was attempted…yet it didn't come out good. After killing three crewmembers and injuring other five, he was locked in this cell. From there several people had tried to interrogate him without success, including the Angel Troupe.

Mint Blancmanche was the first since her intelligence and telepathy would be of advantage but when the girl made her first scan she saw things that could be described as disturbing in the tamest of ways. He replied that his job was a complicated one and she shouldn't be poking her nose into somebody else business.

Ranpha Framboise and Forte Stollen made their own attempts in less amiable ways yet in both cases it was like talking to a wall. Last but not least, Vanilla H also talked to him but everything ended into a philosophical discussion about life and death. Apparently he was depressed about the loss of his teammates.

Now, after Takuto had failed, Milfeulle had become their triumph card and last hope.

The cell was very small and sported only a small bed between its white walls and behind the indestructible glass. Resting on it was a young, tall male with long aqua colored hair that sprawled beautifully like azure waves. Milfeulle licked her lips and took another breath before calling stiffly. "Good morning" there was a pause before he replied without standing up or even moving a muscle. "It is basic of good manners to address people by their names when talking to them…" he added then. "Ma Cherie"

The pink haired girl frowned at the sole pronunciation of those two words. "I have a name you know" she scoffed. "Ah yes…" said the man while raising his index finger slightly. "You are Milfeulle Sakuraba. Second Lieutenant of the Angel Troupe and pilot of the GA-001 codename Lucky Star. Am I right?" he inquired with a soft yet accentuated voice.

Milfeulle didn't reply but rather sat down on the small chair in front of the cell. Why did he have to survive out of all the members of the Rebel Army? If she felt threatened before him inside her Emblem Frame, now it was almost like being naked. Her silence was enough reply and a smirk appeared across the lips of the man. He stood up, dressed with a simple grey uniform and looked at the Angel whom glared at him. "My name is Camus O. Laphroaig, it is a pleasure" he bowed in a rather exaggerated way.

Trying to avoid the penetrating gaze of his aqua blue eyes, Milfie opened her small notebook and took out a pen. "I believe you already know why I am here…" she said with coldness completely unlike of her. No wonder since right now she had to act like a soldier instead of a woman. "Indeed…" the man of the rose gazed upwards with an expression of boredom.

"Paperwork and bureaucracy the most well-know traits of the Army…their lack of simplicity is such a nuisance" he said distastefully.

"Are you going to talk with me or not?" sharply inquired the Angel. "Of course I will" replied Camus and added with a sugary tone. "Anything for you Milfeulle" said tone made the pink haired girl shiver. "However, I am surprised your superiors would resort to such a cruel method of interrogation…by taking advantage of my feelings"

A faint blush appeared over her cheeks as she tried again to avoid his eyes. Those lustful orbs that feed on her emotions without even blinking. "What makes you think I know something? After all, I'm nothing more than a simple mercenary hired to battle…" declared Camus with fake innocence. "Because you seem to be the kind of person who knows more than it seems" she replied icily with both eyes narrowed. "And space roses have thorns"

The Hound gave a wide chuckle of pride. He sat down on the bed and crossed his legs without taking his eyes off her. "Very well, Milfeulle. It shall be Quid Pro Quo then" he informed at which she frowned and tilted her head puzzled. "Quid Pro Quo?"

Camus nodded. "Something for something. You want to know about Eonia and I want to know about you. I believe it is quite reasonable, don't you think so?"

Milfeulle gave a long considering look. She didn't want to give anything to him except for a shot of her Hyper Cannon…but Takuto-san had asked her…and if he asked anything out of place she could simply refuse!

"Alright…but you go first!" she pointed sternly and he laughed. "Very well."

"As you said before, I know many things…for example that Shiva Transbaal is a girl, the daughter of the Moon Goddess Shatoyarn and the only person besides her who can open the seal of the White Moon…" a smile of expectancy appeared across Camus face yet it soon changed after seeing Milfeulle's unfazed expression. "We already knew that" she informed dryly. "We want to know about Eonia Transbaal motives"

Camus paused for a second and declared. "It was more than just vengeance"

"What else…?" inquired the Angel only to found the Hound had crossed both arms over his chest. "It is your turn now" he demanded softly. Milfeulle sighed in defeat. "What would you like to know?" she inquired ready to reject his questions rather than answering them.

"Tell me about your luck"

Milfeulle gazed down thoughtfully. What could she say about her luck? It was a double edged sword, a gift and a curse at the same time. It had brought her happiness and sorrow. It wasn't something she asked to be born with. "It made me happy but also caused me some troubles" she answered plainly. "Now's your turn!" she demanded quickly. Obviously unsatisfied, Camus leaned against the wall and tilted his head towards her. "Is that so? You should not treat me as a helpless individual, Milfeulle, for I know many things…"

"I know the specialists had defined your luck as the ability to fail all probability measures and cause one outcome to be hundred percent. I know the "happiness" it brought you was only material, something that cannot be said about the "troubles"…envy, hate and loneliness. A power that distanced you from other people no matter what course of action you took…"

"Am I right…?"

The way her hands pressed the notebook came as the answer. She could feel the tears accumulating behind her eyelids and the pain that constricted her chest. He had no idea about what she had suffered, but she wasn't going to give up! Not after Takuto-san asked her personally to do this. "It is your turn to talk" she said while suppressing said tears.

Camus nodded and pretended to massage his temple in order to conceal the devilish grin across his lips. What a sublime experience! He wouldn't mind being locked here forever if he could repeat this experience only once in a week. "Like I said before, Eonia wanted more than vengeance. He fought for the sake of the woman she loved the most…"

With both eyes closed the Mercenary reminiscence with a hint of amusement. "He had a holographic picture of her inside the Black Moon. I remember having seen him sitting for hours before it while muttering under his breath with both eyes filled with sorrow, only to extend his hand towards her figure and discover it could pass thru…"

Milfeulle listened carefully with her sky blue eyes widened and grasping the notebook and the pen tightly yet without writing a single word. "And what happened?" she inquired like a curious child. Camus looked at her with a smile and replied. "Quid Pro Quo".

The Angel snapped out and cleared her throat. "Right…so, what do you want to know?"

"I want you to tell me about one of those troubles you said your luck caused you…" said Camus then added sternly. "A real trouble" the words made Milfie sigh in exhaustion before starting. "There was this time when I took part in a race competition in the Military Academy for which I trained very hard and when it started I ran with all my strength…"

"Before I realized it I had crossed the line and won…but then…then I saw something happened to all other participants…the majority of them trip and fell while others stumbled against each other…one girl even hurt his leg…"

Camus took every word and asked with a serious expression. "Did they say something?"

"Yes…" replied the Angel while looking down. "They called me all sort of horrible things…"

"Nobody was on your side…?"

Suddenly, Milfeulle's expression changed and she looked at Camus with a gleam of courage in her eyes. "There was somebody: Ranpha-san! She helped me and accepted me like I am just like every single one of my friends did after me" the declaration was so full of hope and love that it would be able to inspire even the most miserable of the humans. But the Hound was not miserable by any means. "I see…" he smirked. "And what did Miss Framboise do?"

"She defended me" replied the Angel. "Only that?" inquired Camus with malevolence at which the pink haired girl frowned and asked fiercely. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh nothing…" said the Mercenary as he licked his lips. "I was just wondering…she spoke sweetly to you? Perhaps she stroked your hair and kissed you on the forehead? It wouldn't be something bad, you know. After all, women have such special warmth…"

A loud noise echoed in the room as the notebook clashed against the glass along with the pen and followed by the chair. Milfeulle breathed heavily with her face red like a fresh apple.

"You monster!!" she raged. "I will never--!!"

"It was the Moon Goddess Shatoyarn"

"What?!"

Beats of silence followed as Camus leaned forward on the bed while lacing his fingers under his chin. He had played his triumph card and the results were as he had expected. The Angel calmed down, her face recovering her natural color and her interest having been caught again. She put back the chair in its place and took the pen and the notebook again before sitting. "Are you saying the truth…?" she inquired meekly at which Camus nodded. "Yes"

"Eonia Transbaal was in love with the Moon Goddess. He started a war not only to get revenge on those who vanquished them but also to release her from the White Moon…"

Milfeulle frowned in disbelief and shock. "H-How…? Even if this was true how could he kill so many people? What made he thought he could get somebody's love by doing something like that?!"

Camus smiled in a way that looked like a father discussing with his child. "Love is something very complex. It makes you sense everything around you in a different way and do things you would never do normally…things that others would consider to be evil or incorrect yet they forget that love demands all and has a right to all…"

"Just like you are doing now Milfeulle…"

The pink haired girl frowned and asked sharply. "What do you mean?!"

"Simple" said the Hound as he stood up and started to walk around. "I know that, to you, I am a disgusting existence. A thorn in your wing, a nightmare in your world of dreams, the opposite of everything you have been taught and the antithesis of everything you love…"

"What are you talking about?!" she asked, this time even more fiercely. "Why are you here, Milfeulle?" inquired Camus as he stopped walking and leaned forward while pressing his hands against the glass. "Because he asked me to do so…" she replied softly. "Takuto-san is my friend and commander…and he asked me to…to come here…"

The Mercenary pressed his forehead against the glass to the point his breath stained it with every single word. "No…it wasn't only that. Just like Eonia made others suffer and suffered himself to obtain somebody's love, you are now suffering and struggling to get his love but I believe that is impossible…am I right…?"

Once again there is silence as Camus watched with a dead serious expression and Milfeulle's gaze fell down. "E-Even when I smile and wish for their happiness…I-I c-can't…"

Her fists clenched at the same time than her teeth, prompting more tears to come out…

Memories from the past flood her mind. She saw how they looked at each other and knew each other's thoughts without even having to talk. There was no way for her to surpass that bond. "M-My heart hurts—so much…I-I want to tell him how much I love him—how much I want to be with him…I'll do everything even if it doesn't change anything!!"

Finally, she fell on her knees and buried her face on her hands in a deep sorrow and an endless sobbing. The man of the rose kneeled down in silence while feeding on her. Feeding on her sight, on her scent, on her cries. It didn't matter if he was going to be executed soon for nothing else existed in the universe right now…nothing but her.

END

Author's comment: I believe many of you already figured out I took the inspiration for this fic from a very famous movie starring certain cannibal and certain FBI agent, including the warn of not touching the glass. I hope you enjoyed it.

"Love demands all and has a right to all" Ludwig van Beethoven.