MIZUNO'S SONG
I felt cold, truly cold. My mind was blank. For the first time since my mother had left me, the warmth had disappeared. Marino had disappeared. The words still rung clearly in my head, they felt cruel and sharp.
"Even if Marino wasn't here, you'd be just fine."
I felt helpless. I couldn't do anything without Marino by my side. As if to prove how helpless I truly am, I was tricked. I tried to shake the thought from my mind, but it relentlessly took hold of my emotions. Marino was a clone? The majority of my being had denied this when the masked lady told me that. I wouldn't accept it! But what is this feeling?
I'm helpless, completely helpless.
It felt like my consciousness was starting to drift. Time felt like it had stopped. I was floating in a space filled with rich and radiant colours. It felt so empty though. So lonely…
But even with my mind in this state, I couldn't rest for a moment. Marino wouldn't have given up. What is this machine I'm in? Is this a Cybody?
It was only moments later that I spotted a tall, blue and white machine. It looked similar to the one I was in, with its humanoid shape at least. It hurtled towards me with a blue sword clutched in its right hand. It was glowing ominously and sent a great chill down my spine.
It charged over the length of the space towards me. The platform it was standing on was now rising, drawing closer to my position. I felt fear at this moment. I let out a hoarse scream and stretched my hands out in front of me. The machine I was in, the Cybody, reacted in the same manner.
It was too late though. The sword broke through my Cybody, wiping it from this timeless existence. I was falling now, slowly. The surroundings were starting to warp and the frozen time felt like it was being distorted. I closed my eyes and hoped this was all a bad dream. I wasn't able to leave the island. Marino was gone. The girl had tricked me. This was too much for me. I just want things to go back to the way they were.
Katami, Wakachita, Yagadanse.
As I continued to fall, I felt sudden warmth embrace me. "Mizuno!"
A familiar voice echoed through the space. A thunderous roar responded to the voice and I started to feel chills down my spine once more. A cold, unfamiliar voice boomed out, as if claiming a victory.
This is when my thoughts started to flow once again and my vision came into focus. The one who had caught me was a familiar boy with red hair. "Takuto." This was all I could say. Was he really here with me?
"Oh, good." Takuto beamed a relieved smile at me. He was always smiling. It was the same smile that always made me love him all over again.
"Apprivoise!" The unfamiliar voice cried out from where Takuto's gaze was now focused. "Did you really think you were the only Galactic Pretty Boy?"
The words fell on me and I repeated them, "Galactic…Pretty Boy?" Takuto looked upon me once more, his face filled with concern.
"Can you stand?" he said to me as he tried to lift me to my feet. I had so many questions at this moment, but the state of my mind wasn't making it easy to get them in order. "Takuto, are you involved in this too?"
He was like my knight at this moment. He stood proudly and said, "It's going to be dangerous. You'd better leave." With this, a bubble formed around me and I started to drift away from Takuto's warmth. It was like everything was being taken away from me. "Takuto!" I tried to scream out to him.
I watched as he stood firm in front of the Cybody that had attacked me. "Apprivoise!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. His entrance was magical, changing his appearance in a dazzling display right before my eyes. He was now piloting his Cybody, which he had called Tauburn.
"Takuto," I mumbled to myself as I watched helplessly. The battle was furious. Takuto engaged the enemy Cybody with two of the glowing swords, each clash of the blades felt like it shook the area, but time continued to stand still around us.
As I watched on, it was clear to me that Takuto was fighting a losing battle. The blue Cybody was too strong. It was matching every one of his moves and dodging his attacks with ease. I couldn't stand watching this. I didn't want Takuto to lose.
I continued to watch on in horror. There was nothing I could do. The blue Cybody pinned Takuto to the ground. The great blue sword that had destroyed my Cybody was now pulsing heavily as the enemy Cybody lifted it high above his head. He was about to finish off Takuto. If I lost Takuto as well, I couldn't go on. My chest started to hurt.
A strong glow pulsed from Tauburn, so bright that it brought tears to my eyes. I could only mumble to myself, "It's Takuto's radiance…"
The brightness faded and I now found myself sitting on the wing of some kind of flying machine. The location was unfamiliar to me. Three people were here, but my presence was ignored completely. I soon came to realise that I was viewing a scene from Takuto's past.
He was watching on as his friend, the boy he referred to as Natsuo, was preparing to take flight. He would fly this machine across the lake.
The three friends spoke warmly to each other, and they were obviously very close. For once, I saw admiration in Takuto's eyes for the boy named Natsuo. The people at school had always looked at Takuto with the same eyes, and his cheerful demeanour caught the hearts of almost every girl, including me.
Natsuo took off down the slope in the flying machine, my heart raced as if it was my own memory. I watched in awe as the machine glided through the air for a while, and fell into the lake soon after. His presence shone brightly over the vast lake. It must have truly been a magical moment for him.
Natsuo had passed away due to an illness at a later date. Takuto repeated the same situation I had seen before, taking the flying machine down the slope towards the lake. It was a wonderful sight. Takuto felt so full of life and free of worries, like he was truly shining. Takuto's radiance felt like it was filling the sky with joy.
The next thing I know, I'm standing in a room. Takuto's covered in bandages and he's talking with his grandfather. He spoke clearly of his admiration for Natsuo, and how he had wanted to shine like he had. His grandfather seemed impressed and spoke up, "Takuto, do you want to see the father who abandoned you?"
These words resonated with me clearly now. "Takuto was abandoned by his parent… Just like me." I felt pain at that moment. I wanted to be there for him. But like always, Takuto stayed cheerful and said, "Yeah. I'll go to that island. I won't be able to heal until I give him a good punch."
My heart stirred with these words as his past faded away. The frozen time now came back into focus and Takuto's words echoed out once again, "When what you want to do is what you have to do, you can hear the voice of the world!"
Tauburn started to change its form, and shined brilliantly through the area. He drew his hand back and threw one of his blades through the enemy Cybody's chest. He danced through the air elegantly and cut down the Cybody in his path. With a huge explosion, the timeless space started to dissolve around me.
When the real world faded in once more, I found myself on the bus. Takuto was sitting on the back seat with his legs crossed. I called out to him. "Takuto!"
His face brightened up at this moment. Takuto was always cheerful. "Mizuno! Do you feel better?"
I sat down next to him. "What do you mean?"
"Wako was worried about you too," he replied.
I was now able to put my thoughts into words. The feelings I had felt that day when I saw him from the bus with Wako. "I should have seen it sooner."
"Huh?"
"You always treated me like a kid. You don't speak to me like how you speak to Wako. But you're still the Takuto I know. You've always been cool because you were honest."
The bus comes to a halt and I get to my feet. I felt a sudden pressure in my throat at that moment. I felt sad, but I knew I had to say the words. "I'm glad I met you. See you."
"See you tomorrow."
His cheerful smile made me feel warmth. I stepped off of the bus and walked towards the boat. I didn't look back. I don't think I'd have to strength to look at Takuto's smile again. All I could mutter was, "Goodbye."
This is perhaps the first time I felt truly free. I was scared of what the future might bring, seeing my mother again. I was also scared because Marino wasn't around. But seeing Takuto's past, and how he felt. I knew I couldn't back down now. I will go and see mother for my own, and Marino's sake.
I listened to the waves crash off the side of the boat. It looks like I'm able to finally leave the island. I closed my eyes for a moment. Then my phone started to ring. I opened it up and felt a sudden swell of emotions. "Marino?" I answered as quick as I possibly could. "Hello?"
"Auntie told me." The voice on the other end of the line was calm, but it was definitely Marino.
"Marino? Is it you, Marino? Are you really there?"
"If the illusion never disappears, it's real. I'm really here. You decided to see mother, right?"
"Yeah. I'm going to see her. I'll talk to her and give her a good punch."
"Heh? At least it'll be honest."
My emotions started to get the best of me at that moment. My eyes started to sting and I felt like I was about to break down. "But I decided to go and talk to her for you, Marino."
"Huh?"
"I feel like if I don't tell her I'm leaving, I'll never see you again." I couldn't stop the flow of tears at this point. My words were cracking up. "Marino, I want to see you again. Where are you?"
"Right behind you." My eyes widened with disbelief and I turned around. My tears felt like they dried up at this moment. Marino was standing there; her dress and her hair were swaying in the breeze. She smirked slightly and said, "I really don't know what you'd do without me."
I tried suppressed my emotion. I was so happy. I smiled at her and said, "Cut that out." I suddenly felt strong once again. With Marino by my side, I know I can see mother now. I will be strong, just like Takuto! The boat continued to sail further from the island.
A/N: So I decided that I wanted to write a Star Driver fan fiction. I love this series so much, but it had been a while since I'd written anything. I started to get some inspiration whilst listening to Innocent Blue, Mizuno's maiden song.
Even though I usually enjoy having some original ideas go hand-in-hand with my fan fiction, I decided that I'd go through some of the events of episode sixteen, through the eyes of Mizuno. This was probably my favourite episode so far. It was really the first time seeing Mizuno in such a state, as well as some of Takuto's past. I still don't think I have the feel for writing in first person perspective. It was fun though.
I'd just like to point out that I'm aware they're called Starswords and not just glowing swords. I wrote it that way because I thought that Mizuno probably wouldn't know what a Starsword is.
It was a short piece and probably not my best, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! I want to write more Star Driver fiction in the future.