To find your flower
A Madlax fanfiction by regie27
Standard disclaimers apply
Amidst the heat and humidity that enveloped the jungle, Vanessa Rene felt all of a sudden inexplicably cold. It wasn't a gust of cold breeze; it was a jaw clenching coldness so pervasive it brought shivers to her skin and chills to her bones. Time seemed to have slowed around her making everything move in slow motion as if her life had been suddenly spliced over celluloid. Snippets of memory began to fill her mind as the rush of adrenaline that had drenched her nerve endings began to subside. She could clearly see the gleam of Limelda Jorg's barrel menacingly pointing at Madlax. Then she saw herself like if she were on an out of body experience, resolutely pointing the gun she clutched at the Gazth Sonikan sniper as an immediate reflex to the threat. The explosive bangs of two bullets leaving the chambers of their weapons and speeding towards their targets echoed inside her head. Vanessa held her breath again, playing back the scene of the sniper being hurled back violently by the impact. Vanessa let out a sigh, glad that she had been able to deflect the bullet before it got Madlax. But then it hit her, the realization that something wasn't right because instead of relief, the agent's face contorted in a grimace of shock and disbelief. And then it all made sense. The sticky warm moisture she felt on the hand that had held the weapon but now desperately clutched her abdomen. Vanessa lowered her green gaze towards her shirt and noticed how a red stain quickly expanded, tainting everything bright red. She blinked once and when she opened her eyes again, she realized she was lying on her back over the moist jungle soil, seeing the world through red-tainted glasses, feeling herself fade away. She gasped, painfully grasping for air, unable to sense any warmth around her anymore as the shroud of death began to embrace her with its stark coldness, promising with an eerie whispering tone that the pain was soon going to be over. Everything was becoming dark now. All around her was shadows and tones of gray, all light vacuumed by the encroaching blackness. All of sudden, a flicker of glimmering violet caught her attention. She smiled, noticing how the eyes of her bodyguard and newest friend shimmered with tears that seemed to have frozen on her eyes, as if they waited for the right moment to fall. She stared forever at those enigmatic eyes that had intrigued her so much until she could see them no more.
"Goodbye Madlax" she mumbled faintly.
And then, it was all over.
The jeep took a steep curve and the long haired blonde sitting at the passenger's seat glanced at the driver while with effortless elegance, she gripped the seat, barely displaying any discomfort the rather rough terrain and rougher driving might have been inflicting upon her. The woman at the wheel denoted no discernible expression but Madlax could perceive a myriad of emotions stirring underneath the mask of stoic detachment of the former Elite Guard leader.
"And you say she was taken to the village?" Limelda Jorg asked casually while maneuvering the jeep through a particularly difficult patch of road. It was obvious this part had been continuously heavily impacted by mortar fire and grenades. It was quite challenging for any driver but Limelda soldiered on, struggling to maintain her speed without risking the vehicle to flip over. Her hand applied the shifts of the 4X4 gears with dexterity.
"Aha. I received word from Nahal confirming she was still alive when she was taken away" Madlax replied keeping her sight on the road. "Some villagers who apparently also collaborate with Lady Kuanjitta kept tracking us on our path, and when they found her and realized she was still breathing, took her with them for treatment. I'm glad Elenore was able to know that before she left in search of Margaret Burton" she added as she recalled the tragic end of Margaret's companion and friend.
"I see" Limelda commented, sensing soreness on the muscles of her neck and shoulders. The rough terrain was taking its toll, as well as the realization of all the things she had gone through and the things she had done on her quest to defeat the agent. For a while, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of the wheels against the road and the roar of the engine.
"Thank you Limelda" the agent said softly, breaking the silence.
"Don't mention it Madlax. I'm glad I can assist you somehow…"
"I know it wasn't your fault" Madlax asserted with serene yet firm voice.
Limelda's head snapped towards the girl. "How can you be sure of that?"
"Because you never pointed your weapon with the intention of hurting her" Madlax replied with calm assurance.
Limelda remained silent for a few moments, shifting her concentration to the road ahead, glancing every now and then at her passenger, still perplexed on how the girl had tackled the issue that hung between them and put it aside so easily.
"I'm sorry" the sniper muttered.
"I know" Madlax replied as a faint smile curved on her lips.
"There" the brunette said as she pointed towards a small village that seemed to spring from out of nowhere. Concealed by the thickness of the jungle and by the peaceful, almost mystical air that permeated its surroundings, so out of place on a land plagued by war and violence, the village resembled an oasis amidst a harsh, unforgiving desert. The jeep hadn't stopped moving when Madlax hurled herself off the vehicle and rushed towards the first villager she encountered in search of information. Limelda remained at the wheel as she followed the girl's almost frantic search for her friend until she disappeared inside a hut. Limelda's first instinct had been to follow her but after some thought, she opted to wait instead. Intentional or not, it would have been very disrespectful to be there like nothing had happened, especially when she was the one to blame for Vanessa Rene's current condition.
After following an elder's directions, Madlax entered a large wooden house with many rooms. The sound of her boots echoed inside the empty rooms she examined and she began to grow impatient and worried. Could it be that…? "No!" she said to herself on her mind while she shook her head in negative. Her ears caught a sound from the opposite side and she began pacing in that direction.
"Madlax, I'm glad you've finally made it" greeted a familiar voice as the agent entered a modest yet clean room that still had the peculiar scent of blood hanging in the air.
"Nahal, how is she?" Madlax blurted as she laid her eyes over the resting figure of Vanessa Rene and then on the white haired woman who carefully tended her wound. Hard to imagine that the young woman with the peaceful demeanor and wisdom on her eyes way beyond her real chronological age had been the person who have been the closest to succeed in killing her, to then be the one to give her reassurance when she had needed it the most.
"Stable, Vanessa was found just in time but she lost a lot of blood and she will need abundant rest before she can fully recover. But she has a strong spirit and a stubborn will and I'm confident she'll be okay soon" Nahal said.
"So reckless…" Madlax murmured as she observed with concern the paleness that had set on the woman's face and the slightly shallow rhythm of her breathing. Yet she looked peaceful but most important of all, she was alive. Relief crossed Madlax's face.
"You are welcome to stay on our village for as long as you need. Your friend too. There's an empty room right beside this one you can use. I'm sure Vanessa will be glad to have you around while she gets better."
"Thank you."
The young sage observed the agent with knowing eyes. "And congratulations, I can sense a significant change in you."
The blond agent nodded. "Yes, I don't have to doubt my existence anymore."
Nahal smiled in acknowledgment as she finished applying new bandages over Vanessa's wound.
"Some people never doubted it even when you did. Even if your origin stems from Margaret Burton's childhood traumas, for them you were as real as any ordinary human being." Nahal stood up carrying a bundle of the bandages she had just changed.
"I'll return in the morning to check on our patient. Make yourself at home, okay? And don't forget about your friend, although it seems she has been already welcomed by the villagers."
Madlax smiled as her eyes glanced through the window, realizing just now her companion had remained outside. Limelda was talking to some children who appraised the visitor with a mixture of interest and suspicion. A girl stood a little further from the group, watching the scene shyly with curiosity. Limelda noticed the girl and smiling, bent so she was on the same level. A couple of minutes passed and the girl was giggling happily at the wheel of the vehicle as the former lieutenant now found herself with a noisy crowd of kids who all wanted to board the jeep and drilled her with all sort of questions.
"Okay, okay, everybody can have their chance. Let's make a line, okay?"
"Guess you've found yourself some volunteers here lieutenant" Madlax quipped, grinning at the unusual scene after approaching the group inconspicuously.
"Yeah, and very enthusiastic I might add. Don't touch the antenna!" she exclaimed as one particularly bold boy started to fiddle with the antenna of the radio.
"Okay kids, the pretty lieutenant needs some rest now. You can get a ride on the jeep some other time." Madlax's admonition was replied by the children with a loud "owwww!" of disappointment but within minutes, the group had dispersed. The last one to leave was the shy girl. She tugged at Limelda's jumpsuit and when she knelt again, she gave the officer a quick peck before running away, waving happily.
"Cute fan you've made" the blond agent commented, watching in amusement how a slight blush spread over the cheeks of the seemingly impassible Limelda Jorg.
"She is very cute. I hope that now with the leader of Enfant gone and the truth behind this conflict is revealed, we can spare her of a future of war and sadness" the sniper replied as she watched the little girl run away until she was embraced by her father.
"I'm sure it will be that way" Madlax replied reassuringly.
"So, how's your friend doing?" Limelda asked, with deliberate caution on her words.
"She's fine now. She lost blood but she will make it. She can be quite stubborn and determined."
"I see…well, I guess I should better get going."
"Aren't you staying?" the agent asked, genuinely surprised by Limelda's decision.
"No. I've heard rumors of an encampment not too far from here of deserters from both sides that now keep busy protecting the villages from attacks from bandits and marauders. I'm sure they won't mind having a good shot among their ranks" the former officer said as she prepared to board the all terrain vehicle again.
"It seems you have found yourself a new calling Limelda Jorg."
"Aha…and one more thing…" the former Elite Guard leader searched the pockets of her jumpsuit and brought out a disk. Without words, she placed the disk inside the right pocket of Madlax's jacket.
"But why…?" Madlax questioned, pulling the disk out and watching it as she held it.
Limelda offered her a smile. "It was never mine to begin with and I'm not sure if with my current status I would have been able to do much with it, but I'm sure she can and she will."
"Will I ever see you again?" the agent asked earnestly.
Limelda started the jeep. "If I need a gun for hire, I'll know who to look for. Goodbye Madlax."
"I'll see you around, Limelda Jorg."
Madlax watched the jeep on its way out until it was barely discernible among the lush vegetation. The sky began displaying the hues of orange and red that precluded the sundown and Madlax decided to return to the house to for some much needed rest. She removed her jacket and the gun holster and placed both items on a chair. Not feeling particularly sleepy, she decided to return to Vanessa Rene's room. She leaned on the frame of the door for a few minutes with her sight lost in thought, recalling the way Vanessa had stared at her before going unconscious. She closed her eyes as a sigh escaped her lips. Madlax relived that moment over and over, yet found no way to make sense of the role reversal that had taken place on that fateful moment, how the protector once again had become the protected. Madlax was stumped. She had never experienced something like this before. She had always been the one risking her life for someone else's sake, and to have someone do that for her was something that still mystified her deeply, and she still wondered how she was supposed to react to it. How she would thank the dark haired woman who was willing to brave bullets and danger to protect her loved ones.
"So, this is what friends do for each other then. You'd always said you were my friend, and you were always so eager to prove it that it almost cost you your life. Such silliness Vanessa Rene but still…" Madlax paused and offered Vanessa a grateful glance.
The agent finally stepped inside and after pulling a chair, she sat beside the bed. It still seemed almost surreal to see her alive in front of her and yet, she felt she needed proof of her existence, of the fact that the bullet did not take her away like she had seen it happen over and over again to so many people. Just when she had begun to take interest in them, she endured the pain and frustration of having to see them sacrificed to the insatiable altar of a false war. The girl took her right glove off and with utmost care and reverence as if she were handling something fragile and priceless, she held Vanessa's left hand. It felt soft and warm, undeniable proof that within that battered body, life still stirred. Suddenly, Madlax gasped. To her greatest surprise, Vanessa's elegant fingers began to stir until they curled around her own.
Madlax beamed. "Hang in there Vanessa Rene" she whispered as she kept on holding the hand of the one who she called friend, her first real friend. "I am here to protect you."
Vanessa Rene struggled to open her eyes, as if her eyelids were suddenly weighting a ton each. Slowly, she finally managed to pry them open and she wondered why it took her longer to adapt to the light and why it even bothered a little. She gasped lightly, suppressing the urge to ball up due to the inexplicable pain on the left side of her abdomen. She carefully ventured the fingers of her right hand to run over the aching area and discovered that the area lay covered by gauzes and bandages. Her mouth felt pasty and dry and her throat was patched and itchy. She ran her tongue over her lips and was appalled to sense the roughened, dry surface that seemed to have replaced soft, moist skin. The dark haired woman took a deep breath as she tried to incorporate out of habit but the pain from her abdomen hurt so intensely it made her wince and her eyes tear up. She blinked, giving herself a few moments to recover before resuming the assessment of her present state. While her body worked on regaining its strength, her mind began putting together the scattered pieces of the recollections of her last moments of consciousness. She heard the gunshots again and recoiled instinctively, feeling again how Limelda's bullet pierced her body. She remembered losing a grip of the present, of the shocked expressions on Elenore's and Madlax's faces, and finally, of the sensation of being taken away and yet feeling that somehow, she remained anchored to the world of the living. "Margaret!" she exclaimed with a grunt. The exertion made her gasp in pain again. As she tried to vacate her thoughts in order to keep the pain at bay, Vanessa heard another gasp but this time, it did not originate from her throat.
"Vanessa! Don't move! You're in no condition to be trying to move around!" exclaimed a voice that Vanessa remembered quite well. She turned her head towards the voice while steadying her aching body as much as she could because could felt how even the slightest movement accentuated the soreness of her injury.
"Madlax…" Vanessa murmured with raspy voice. The elder woman suddenly saw another vision with her mind's eye. It was of a mane of blond hair spread in disarray beside her, sunk in deep slumber over her left hand. Vanessa smiled inwardly. "Now that explains the numbness I sometimes felt on my hand" she commented to herself.
"Don't speak, let me get you some water" the agent said. She turned around and grabbed a pitcher from the nearby table and poured to the convalescent woman a tall glass of water. She sat down and firmly placed her arm underneath Vanessa's pillow while holding the glass close to the elder woman's face.
"If it hurts too much just let me know. I don't want to hurt you."
Vanessa nodded slightly and eagerly fastened her lips over the glass. The water was cool and refreshing and it felt like a balm to her sore mouth. She coughed and Madlax pulled the glass away, her long eyebrows lifting in worry.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…are you okay…?
Vanessa offered a grateful glance. "I'm fine Madlax. It wasn't your fault. It's just that I felt really thirsty and swallowed more than I should."
The girl looked downright contrite. An apology seemed to hang from her lips.
"Vanessa Rene, I'm sorry. You should not be here."
"Madlax, that's okay…"
The agent kept rambling on. "I should have been more aware of your safety, I was hired to protect you and now look at you. You've almost died…!"
"Madlax stop it!"
The agent stopped abruptly. She could not remember Vanessa ever using that tone of voice before.
The elder woman sighed. "Stop apologizing Madlax, you're making things worse. You did all in your power to protect me. You even tried to persuade me to leave when things started to get ugly but I refused to listen to you. If I had done so, I wouldn't be here and Elenore and Margaret would have never risked their lives to search for me."
Madlax listened attentively to Vanessa keeping a respectful silence. She rearranged the brunette's pillow and searched for her left hand. Vanessa gripped the agent's hand firmly in return.
"Madlax…" Vanessa's piercing green gaze was focused on the girl again. "If I'm in this situation it is my own fault and no one else's. If I had listened to you when you advised me of the danger I was getting myself into, none of this would have ever happened. I said I was your friend and yet, when you as a friend gave me your advice and offered to help me, I stubbornly refused because my quest was more important than everything else. More important than Margaret, than Elenore…" Vanessa paused and murmured: "Than you…. In the end, this is the doing of my own selfishness…"
"Don't say that Vanessa! Your friends came to help you because they cared about you and they were worried about you."
"Then I should have been as worried for them as they were for me, even if they did not care for their safety, I should have. No Madlax, I can't go on justifying my recklessness."
Madlax bit her lip, offering silence as her only reply.
"Madlax…"
"Huh?"
"I can see that you and I've made it…what about Margaret? The last thing I can remember is that we were frantically looking for her."
"Margaret Burton is okay. She's at the capital right now making the arrangements to leave the country with Laeticia. She still doesn't know you're alive but Nahal has been trying to contact her these past days."
"I'm so glad to know Margaret is okay, but who is Laeticia?"
Madlax gave her a lopsided smile. That's right. You haven't met Laeticia. In fact, there are a lot of things I need to tell you."
"I'm sure you have but and I suppose Elenore must be with them driving Margaret crazy now" she commented with a chuckle.
Madlax's features suddenly sobered and before she was able to mask her initial reaction, Vanessa was already drilling her with an inquisitive glance. Madlax turned her head away, unable to withstand the anxiety and the pain so evidently displayed in Vanessa's eyes.
"Madlax, look at me."
Slowly, the blond agent dared to look at the elder woman's face.
"Tell me, what happened to Elenore. Is she…?" Vanessa's voice trembled, unable to even spell out the rest.
Madlax nodded as sole reply lowering her head. "Vanessa, I'm sorry…she was finally able to find Margaret Burton but…"
Vanessa's lips curved into a sad smile. "She left happy… I'm sure of that because she was able to see Margaret one more time but…I would have liked her to relax and to live for herself just a little more…" Vanessa made a long pause as she stared at the nearby window. Suddenly, loud sobs shattered the quietness of the room as long tears poured down her pale face. Madlax stood up for a moment and returned with a white handkerchief and silently, began drying Vanessa's tears until they ceased and Vanessa seemed to have calmed down. Vanessa stared at the girl and noticed on her face the telltale clues that hinted that the girl had stood guard all the time she had been unconscious. No, she wasn't alone. Someone else still cared for her.
"I'm okay now Madlax…and thank you for taking care of me" Vanessa let out a weak smile.
"That's the least I can do for a friend" the agent replied. "I bet you must be hungry and eager to eat on your own. You've been in and out of unconsciousness for about a week now. The doctor wasn't too happy when the village medicine woman told him you did not need the IVs anymore but he couldn't disagree with the results. Even he had to admit that the way you have recovered under the care of the village elders had been short of miraculous."
"And I'm glad for that. To be honest, I've never been too fond of doctors and needles."
"Hehehe, you silly. You dared to face Enfant's goons and yet you're afraid of needles. You're funny Vanessa Rene."
"So I'm funny?"
"Yeah…try not to move around too much. Even the shamanistic medicine of the mystics has its limitations. I'll be back soon with soup and some fresh fruit." Madlax stood up and walked towards the door.
"That sounds really good and Madlax…?"
"Aha?"
"Thank you. I mean it."
The girl flashed a big smile and replied. "I know, but this is what friends are for isn't it?" And with that, she disappeared towards the kitchen.
A bright grin remained on Vanessa's face long after Madlax had left on her quest for food. Again, the image of a sleeping Madlax holding her hand filled her mind and invaded her senses with a warm, soothing sensation. As she closed her eyes, she mumbled inwardly.
"Yes, I guess so too Madlax."
Vanessa Rene was on the verge of finding out the identity of the murderer when a sudden change of illumination distracted her momentarily. The dark haired woman glanced upwards to notice that the culprit for the sudden change of natural light was a large patch of clouds that covered her source of sunshine on that precise moment. She sighed, enjoying the wisp of fresh breeze that made her hair slightly flutter. A basket with a half-eaten sandwich and some fruits lay close and she took the momentary distraction as a cue to stretch out her limbs and her current position underneath a large tree. She put a bookmark on the page she had been reading and tossed the book beside the basket. The murderer could wait but the cotton candy shaped cumulus on their cavalcade across the sky caught her fancy. So distracted was the woman with the celestial display that she failed to notice the presence of a certain golden haired agent who taking advantage of her friend's absorption, sneaked behind the foliage and climbed a nearby tree.
"I wonder what you seem to find so interesting about the sky today Vanessa" the agent commented as she sat comfortably at a large tree branch.
"Madlax?"
"I'm here" the agent waved with a giggle from her vantage point.
"What in heavens are you doing up there?"
"Trying to find out what you have found so interested but so far I have only seen clouds and the occasional bird, but no flying saucers and certainly no angels either."
Vanessa had the immediate impulse of retorting that a certain Gazth Sonika agent looked downright angelic when she donned a white dress but decided to keep the comment to herself. "Nope, no UFOs or chubby cherubim on sight, just the clouds, but when I was a girl, I used to love watching the shapes the clouds made."
"Really? Tell me more" Madlax replied as she began to climb down from her tree and proceeded to sit down beside Vanessa.
"Sunday was my favorite day when I was a girl. My dad, my mom and I used to go to a park every Sunday and we would take with us a kite, a big picnic basket, and a checkered blanket to spread over the lawn. After eating lunch, I loved lying down beside my father as we would watch the clouds and we would point at them and say out loud what we thought they resembled while my mom got ready to read me my favorite storybook."
Madlax stared at Vanessa as she narrated her story, silently observing the twinkle of nostalgia on her eyes, perceiving on the pleasant lilt of her voice how happy she must have been back then. For her, that sort of feelings, of recollections was something alien to her, to the amnesiac war orphan trained to become an assassin. She found it fascinating to witness through someone else's eyes how a normal childhood must have been like, to be able to contrast how different her lives had been and yet how destiny had twined their threads until they met amidst the chaos and perils of a manufactured war.
"You miss them a lot…I mean your parents."
Vanessa let out a sight and turned her head towards her companion. "I sure miss those days. And I miss my parents terribly. I just hope I'll be able to find more evidence to prove beyond doubt that they had nothing to do with the war."
Madlax's hand instinctively went to the left pocket of her jacket. The disk that she had once given Limelda and that the ex officer gave her back still remained on the same pocket the sniper had placed it. "I'm sure you will" the agent commented while asking herself for the umpteenth time why she still held on to the disk instead of returning it to Vanessa. "But now that you're better, you should concentrate on recovering the life you left behind on Nafrece."
Vanessa gave a curious glance at Madlax. "You want to see me off so soon?" A slight hint of reproach and disappointment laced her words.
Madlax shook her head and offered a small smile. "None of that but you used to have a home and a life and friends back there. Don't you miss it? Don't you wish to return home after all you've been through?"
Vanessa let out a wistful sigh as her eyes returned to the sky and to the sheep shaped cloud that seemed to follow the dog shaped one. "These months here at Gazth Sonika but especially these past two weeks have sure given me a new perspective on how I see life now and how to appreciate what's most important, and I've learned that friends come at the very top of that short list of what's of real value."
"So, what you have decided?"
Vanessa grinned as she glanced back at Madlax. "That I will do my best to let my friends know how much I care for them."
"That's not what I've meant…"
"I know, but at least for today, I am in no hurry to decipher what my new life will be like or to decide what to do. I do know I want to go home but maybe not just yet. For one thing, I must be out of a job now…"
"But you used to tutor Margaret. You can most certainly tutor Laeticia now."
"And I'm sure that with Elenore now gone, Margaret will need me the most but to tell you the truth, it's becoming hard to decide anything because I'm torn…"
"Why?"
"Because returning home means leaving you behind Madlax."
Madlax blinked twice, her mouth agape. "Vanessa…"
"You are my friend too and I care for you. I don't want to leave you behind."
Madlax sighed. "I will miss you too…"
Vanessa scooted closer beside Madlax and placed her hand over the girl's shoulder. "Then why you don't come with me to Nafrece? You have no family and nothing ties you to Gazth Sonika. The war will be over soon and you will be out of a job too."
Madlax stared at Vanessa in silence. It sounded so simple. To leave everything behind and start life anew. If only it were so simple.
"Madlax" Vanessa added softly "you could leave your life of mercenary for once and for all. You could live a normal life of a girl your age, just like Margaret. Wouldn't you like that, to live a normal life without having to worry about killing and dying?"
"Vanessa I don't know…all I know is this…this country, this jungle, this life…I don't think I'll be able to do anything else."
"Of course you can! Listen, I know this is something you can't decide overnight but at least think about it. Now that you know the truth you have the opportunity to choose what you want to do. And Madlax…?"
"Aha…?"
"I need you. You're still my bodyguard you know" the brunette quipped with a wink. "I can still use your services because I'm far from fully recovered and there are things I need to finish" she added with a more solemn intonation.
"Okay. I'll think about it then…"
"Great! I wonder what kind of student you'll make. At least I'm sure you wouldn't end up falling asleep all the time like Margaret used to when I tutored her" Vanessa added with a chuckle.
Madlax chuckled too. Her mind wandered off for a few moments over the possibility of Vanessa Rene's proposal. She attempted to see herself as a normal girl on Nafrece doing normal things, enjoying normal interests but her image of herself remained empty, a void, a blank canvas. Was it so hard to turn a teenaged mercenary who happened to be someone else's living embodiment of sin into a normal girl? Before she could continue dwelling on of such thoughts, she noticed Nahal approaching them with a brisk pace.
"Ah! Vanessa…Madlax, glad to find you both. I have great news! I contacted Margaret Burton and she informed me that she just finished all the arrangements to travel back to Nafrece. I'll be heading to the capital this afternoon and we will be returning in two days."
Vanessa glimpsed at Nahal, the surprise evident on her face.
"Two days?" she muttered.
"We'll make the trip back on a helicopter. Now that the anti-air artillery is no longer a risk due to the current truce between the warring factions, we can travel by air safely and swiftly. It will also spare you the hazard of traveling by land due to your current condition."
"I'm better now. I think I could endure the land trip."
"Margaret did not want to take any unnecessary risks. Besides, she wanted to come down here as fast as she could. I know the villagers had taken a liking of you but we all understand that you must be eager to return to your own country."
"They have been really kind to me, and you too Nahal. I truly appreciate your hospitality and generosity."
Nahal smiled at Vanessa in return and turned towards Madlax with a more serious expression. "Madlax, could you come with me? Since I'll be away, I think the village might need of some protection in my absence."
"I understand" replied Madlax. The agent and the sage left together leaving behind a smiling Vanessa but a hint of worry on her eyes betrayed the overall look of enthusiasm she had displayed in their presence. Recovering her place underneath the tree, she placed the book she had been reading on her lap and brought a fruit out of the basket. She took a bite and as she flipped through the pages of the book, she commented inwardly with a determined voice:
"I don't have too much time then. This might call for some more persuasion on my part."
And with a wistful expression, she returned to her reading, glancing occasionally to the blond-haired figure that embodied her single greatest attachment to this exotic country.
One day had passed since Nahal had left but Vanessa felt somewhat frustrated and restless because Madlax had been so busy on her role as protector of the village that they had barely been able to share no more than a few words during dinner. It hadn't helped either that during the day she had been feeling tired and sore and spent much of the day resting and that at nighttime Madlax decided to take a long walk with some of the villagers to inspect the surrounding areas. She had planned to make up for the lost day by sharing breakfast with the agent before she busied herself with miscellaneous tasking that would most likely meant she would not see her for a good part of the day.
The brunette was still dwelling on those thoughts when she noticed that the children from the village were gathering at the same direction Madlax was heading to. A moving object approached the village until it stopped at the same place the expectant group had gathered. The glare from the sun made it difficult for her to discern what caught their attention but it resembled a vehicle. Straining her eyes, she noticed that indeed, it wad a jeep pretty much identical to those used by the Gazth Sonika Army. Madlax greeted the visitor with familiarity. A pang of recognition surged over Vanessa. There was something eerily recognizable about the newcomer. And then she remembered her. The woman who had haunted her, hunted her, menaced her and Madlax every step of their journey. It was the one who had almost killed her.
"No…it can be!" The raven-haired woman felt a cool shiver running down her spine. Her hand went out of reflex to her side, sensing her wound throbbing as if imaginary needles were all of a sudden pricking the tender flesh. Vanessa felt her head spin and her innards churn. She bent and nothing came out of her stomach but a bile taste lodged on her mouth. She reached for the nearest wall for support and stood there for a few minutes until the overwhelming discomfort subsided.
"How…how can this be! I-I shot her and she fell down. She should be dead!" Vanessa spewed, anger and disbelief drenching her words. She wiped of the sweat that crowned over her forehead. She was momentarily distracted by the sudden sting of a stray drop of sweat inside her eye and when she dared to stare again, it was Madlax's violet eyes she found watching her with concern.
"Vanessa…I'm sorry I did not tell you before…"
"So you knew it then."
"Yes, but I didn't thought you needed to know that just yet. You've been through a lot already and I Nahal and I agreed that you did not need to know all of it while you were still recovering."
"I see, sparing the sick woman of more traumas…" Vanessa sighed, annoyed. "But now I know and there's nothing you can do about it. My question now is what the hell is she doing here?"
Madlax inhaled deeply. "Vanessa, Limelda has come because she will help me to protect the village."
Vanessa scoffed loudly as she rolled her eyes."Protect…I didn't thought you could be naïve Madlax. What does that woman know about protecting someone?"
Madlax ignored the sarcasm drenching the elder woman's words and calmly continued.
"I did not tell you because I didn't wish to worry more than was necessary, but before Nahal left, there had been rumors that a band of marauders have been raiding the nearby villages. It turns out that the rumors were true and they have been spotted a few miles east of the nearest neighboring village."
"That still doesn't explain why she is here. She's not even a soldier anymore. In fact she's nothing more than a common…"
"Murderer? Yes Vanessa. Limelda is a murderer just like me."
"Don't you dare say that Madlax! You can't pretend to compare yourself with her. You're different! You protect people!"
"And in order to protect people I slay people. In the end a murder is a murder. People who have never held a weapon on their hands might philosophize for hours about what can separate a hero from a murderer but here in the jungle, the dead are still the dead no matter how you put it."
Vanessa listened to the young woman in front of her feeling deeply ashamed, regretting that she had brought out a subject that remained as explosive as a minefield.
"But I don't have the time to talk about that now" Madlax dismissed the subject to Vanessa's relief. I just came to tell you that I'll be leaving on a mission."
"Mission? But what about the village? I thought you had assured Nahal you were going to protect us."
The agent smiled as she cocked her head to the side. "That is my mission. I will stop the bandits before they reach the village. Limelda knows were they are heading now so she came to warn us. That's why she is here."
Vanessa glimpsed at the jeep and back at Madlax, mentally assessing the urgency of their current situation. "When are you leaving?"
"Now" the agent replied. "I just came here to let you know. I'll be returning tomorrow before Margaret Burton arrives."
Reality sunk in. Tomorrow, Margaret was coming for her and she will be at last leaving Gazth Sonika behind. And Madlax too…
Madlax noticed the somber expression in the brunette's face and quipped with a lopsided smile.
"Don't worry, I'll make just in time to wave you goodbye."
"No!"
"Vanessa?"
But as sole reply, the elder woman reached for Madlax's face and before the agent could react, Vanessa held her face close and brought her lips against hers. The brunette perceived the agent's hesitation, so she caressed her hair while slowly deepening the kiss until she sensed the girl yielding to her silent urging.
"Madlax" Vanessa whispered against the younger woman's lips "it's too early to talk about goodbyes, okay?"
The agent nodded, still taken aback by the unexpected caress. Vanessa bent her head and with a playful grin, gave her a soft peck on the lips.
"Now go and protect us but promise you will come back."
Madlax inhaled deeply, making a conscious effort to gather her breath and her wits still in disarray. "I promise."
Vanessa gave the girl a tender glance as she brushed a stray lock from her forehead aside. "Take good care of yourself."
Madlax smiled as she began to walk away. "You too Vanessa Rene."
The crisp crackling of the fire made a distinctive sound against the backdrop of the cacophony of noises that serenaded the nighttime at the jungle. Madlax sat cross-legged in front of the fire, listening to the crackling of the fire consuming the wood. A half eaten can of rations remained forgotten beside her left boot. The agent was exhausted. It had taken her and Limelda almost half a day to track the marauders on their retreat. Apparently, they had heard that a former Elite Guard sniper was on their tail and that had been more than enough to scare the living begeezus out of the ragtag band of bandits. But in the end, the two former rivals caught up with them, giving them a hard lesson for their cruelty against the defenseless villages they had raided.
"You've been very quiet this evening. You were far more talkative when we rode together three weeks ago" the former lieutenant commented, placing a heap of firewood close to the campfire.
"I'm okay, just a bit tired" the agent replied with a shrug.
Limelda sat down while grabbing her canteen. "We sure gave those crooks a good scare huh? That ought to teach them to mess with someone their size" the sniper added with a dose of cockiness and swagger in her demeanor.
"Your reputation alone did the trick nicely" Madlax replied while grinning playfully at Limelda.
"And if they had known the identity of the cute girl who was pointing two guns straight at them without even breaking a sweat, they would have sure soiled themselves" Limelda added with a boastful laughter. She took along gulp from her canteen and offered it to Madlax. The girl observed the canteen for a few seconds before finally drinking from it unhurriedly. "How's the leg doing?" the former soldier asked.
"Fine" the agent retorted as her eyes inspected the bandage at her right leg.
Amidst the confusion, one of the bandits had managed to wound the girl with his bayonet but a timely rifle-butt to the head by the sniper put him to a deep sleep. It had been just a scratch but judging by the livid and surprised expression on the girl's face, Limelda understood that it had been her ego the one thing that had been hurt. From that moment on, the agent's attitude changed and for a few glorious minutes, Limelda observed with sheer pleasure the Madlax she had come to know, fear, and admire display the talents that had gained her the reputation as the most dangerous agent of all Gazth Sonika.
"Madlax, I don't know you that much but judging from how you fought today, something must been disturbing you because what I saw today certainly wasn't the Madlax I used to face not too long ago."
Madlax glanced at Limelda, intrigued at how little flames seemed to glimmer and leap rhythmically inside her dark orbs. "Guess I'm getting out of shape but we can't let the bad guys know that" she added with a wink.
Limelda stared at her in silence for a few moments before breaking the pause.
"And how is she doing?"
Madlax let out a sigh. "She's doing fine. In fact, she has been recovering at an astonishing pace. Give it a month or so and no one will be able to tell she had been badly wounded."
Limelda lowered her head, absentmindedly twirling dry branches on her hands as she threw the pieces to the fire.
"She saw you when you arrived at the village. She did not take it well" the agent commented soberly.
"I'm sure she didn't. I can't blame her. I would have reacted the same way had I been on the same situation." A larger branch fell into the fire and with a hiss, it was consumed almost instantly by the flames.
"Limelda…?"
"Yeah?"
"Why did you come back?"
The sniper burrowed her dark eyebrows together. "You're really asking me that? I came to warn you about these guys because your village was on their path. The mere question offends."
"But you could have come with the rest of your group, even send out the word of warning with someone else, but you decided to return personally. Why?"
The dark haired women let out a sigh. "Always very perceptive Madlax, you've duly earned every bit of your reputation. The truth is that I came to warn you about the bandits, but I also wanted to see how you were doing."
Madlax smiled as she observed Limelda's expressions with keen eyes. "Then I must thank you, not only for the warning but also for taking interest in me. I must admit it was strange having you fight with me instead of against me, but it felt good, don't you think?"
"Yes, I must agree. It's better to have you for an ally than for a foe. Even distracted you can be quite dangerous."
"I believe you're still the more dangerous of us two, kowaii hito, but I agree too that I'd rather be your friend than your opponent."
Limelda arched an eyebrow in mock dismay at the moniker but chuckled. "I think we can continue this conversation tomorrow. How about we catch some sleep now. The day sure has been long and you commented something about wanting to return early tomorrow." The former lieutenant stood up and walked towards their jeep in search of their sleeping gear.
"Aha" the girl replied absentmindedly. Moments later, they were lying over their sleeping mats keeping a respectful distance, their attention transfixed by the mesmerizing tranquility of a Gazth Sonikan night devoid of any gunfire and blasts erupting out from every corner of the jungle.
"It's so peaceful and quiet out here now. I had forgotten about how the jungle really sounded at night because I'd used to be too busy concentrated in listening for footsteps or voices" Limelda commented, a true sense of awe filtering the words of the battle-hardened veteran.
"It is peaceful. I can't recall experiencing a moment of true peace in the jungle before. All I remember is the war."
Another pause engulfed them. Madlax shifted to her side and observed her companion. Her lids were closed but the steady rhythm of her breathing told her the sniper wasn't asleep yet.
"Madlax…" Limelda's voice was soft and it sounded like it came from afar. "I wanted us to share this moment because I will be leaving this area soon. I'll be heading south along with the rest of the mercenaries. Our work here is done but there are other towns and villages that are requiring our help. And after that, I'm not sure what I'll be doing. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that if you ever leave the country, you will still have a friend here."
"Limelda…"
"Not that you might want a deserter for a friend but people like us don't have that many friends anyway" the former officer commented with a rueful grin. Limelda opened her eyes and noticed that the blond agent had moved beside her. Their glances met and the sniper observed how the girl began to slowly bend her head towards her. Mere inches now separated their faces when the elder woman suddenly turned away her head. Madlax gave her a confused and despaired look.
"I saw you, the two of you…I saw you kiss" Limelda murmured hoarsely.
The agent felt a blush spread over her cheeks as her right hand rose to touch her lips. The sniper offered her a small smile.
"Don't worry, we will make it on time tomorrow so you can meet with her and catch your ride."
"Limelda, it's not what you think. I haven't decided anything yet" the agent blurted out hurriedly.
"You don't need to give me any explanations." The sniper let out a long sigh and added with a slight sharp edge on her husky voice: "It's late and both you and I have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Good night Madlax." And upon saying this, the elder woman engulfed herself on her blanket and turned her back towards the agent.
Madlax stood up in silence and returned with a slow pace to her side. The agent gave a last look at her companion and murmured as she closed her eyes:
"Good night Limelda Jorg. Sweet dreams to you too."
The trip towards the village had been a quiet, uneventful experience. Madlax leaned against her seat with arms crossed over her chest, observing the signs of the new times that were beginning to dawn on the once war torn country. Their jeep crossed a few vehicles along their path, but instead of the green military jeeps that used to own these roads, they were trucks and civilian vehicles transporting people and goods from one point to the other. Now that the menace of armed conflict had subdued, more Gazth Sonikans felt confident enough to travel again in an attempt to restore the once buoyant economy they enjoyed before the war broke out. It was a humble effort but it was a start. It was a signal that people were willing to leave the past behind in order to heal their country. The long yawn that seemed to emerge from the driver interrupted the blonde's trail of thoughts for a moment.
"You look tired. You should have allowed me to drive as I had offered" Madlax cautioned, watching the incipient dark circles that had lodged under her companion's eyes.
"It's no so bad. I got enough rest but I don't think you did. I don't believe you slept at all" the former officer commented. She had sensed the girl's restlessness. In fact, when Limelda woke up, Madlax had already packed her things and had cooked breakfast for the two of them.
"I woke up a couple of times during the night, but it's mostly out of habit. I don't need that much sleep anyway" the girl stated neutrally. Her face was a mask of impassible coolness.
"I do that too. That's how I know you didn't sleep because you did a lot of tossing and turning as if you were unable to relax."
Madlax raised an eyebrow at the comment and smiled inwardly. It seemed none of them had been able to sleep at all that night.
"I guess you're still observing me, even in your sleep" Madlax quipped with an impish grin.
The officer straightened up startled as a hint of pink lodged on her cheeks before letting out a nervous chuckle. "I can be very dedicated to my duty Madlax" Limelda finally replied, relieved to see how the girl's features began to light up. A distant noise caught their attention. They recognized the sound since both of them were very familiar with the threat it used to evoke. Madlax directed her glance towards the sky, scanning the limpid light blue sky. In the distance, a small shape began to grow with the distinctive roar of rotors as a helicopter soared towards its destined location. Suddenly, the former officer pressed on the gas pedal and after some perilous instants and stomach churning driving, the jeep stopped at the outskirts of the village.
"We've made it and with time to spare. The chopper is still a couple minutes away" said the former Elite Guard leader as she glanced at her wristwatch.
"You know, I think you should consider "stuntwoman" as a possible career path lieutenant. That was quite the ride" replied the agent letting out long sigh of relief.
"I promised you were going to be here on time. I'm glad I was able to keep this promise too."
A large shadow loomed over them all of a sudden. The surrounding trees and lush vegetation began to shudder as the helicopter began to make its way downwards on its way to the village. Limelda ran her left hand over her hair, pushing back the long strands of hair pulled in disarray at the chopper's wake. She casually turned her head towards her passenger but something startled her. A hand went to embrace her right one which still gripped the shift stick of the vehicle. Before she could utter a word, Madlax closed in on her and kissed her. It took Limelda a few seconds to understand what was happening and when she hesitantly pulled back, she was greeted by the expectant glance of the agent. Limelda liberated her hand and ran it over the girl's disheveled hair. The agent leaned her head against the sniper's hand and then proceeded to take it and lead it until its fingers brushed her lips. Her purple eyes shimmered with a wordless request. Limelda sighed and captured Madlax's mouth, sensing how the agent's arms snaked around her neck, pulling her closer in a possessive and inviting gesture.
"Limelda…" the agent whispered "I've made my decision."
The former officer nodded, the full meaning of the girl's words sinking in. Not without regret, she released the agent's hand.
"I'll be here."
Madlax jumped out of the jeep with a soft smile as she headed towards the village with a confident stride and a resolute expression shimmering on her eyes. She noticed the crowd that had gathered at the nearby clearing where the helicopter had landed and couldn't help the lone tear that rolled down her cheek when she witnessed the heartfelt embrace between Margaret Burton and Vanessa Rene. Little Laeticia looked at the scene with curiosity but the laughter of the village children caught her attention and soon she was playing with them. Madlax's first impulse had been to join them but she decided against it, allowing the friends the time and space to reacquaint with each other. Instead, when Vanessa returned to pick up her belongings with Nahal, they found the agent leaning against the wall with her hands inside the pockets of her trademark green jacket.
"Madlax!" Vanessa exclaimed "what are you doing there all by yourself? Don't tell me you didn't realize Margaret had arrived. With the infernal ruckus that helicopter made, I'm afraid it woke up the whole village."
"I saw it but it just seemed best for you to enjoy that moment without any distractions."
"Always so considerate, don't you think Nahal?"
"I heard you encountered a bit of trouble with some bandits or was it the other way around?" Nahal commented with a knowledgeable glace.
"You can be sure they will not pose any threat to you or any other village in the area."
"I would have not expected less from you. Thank, and if you excuse me, I'll would like to spend some more time with Margaret Burton before you leave" the young sage said with a bow. She
turned around, sharing for an instant a look of complicity with the agent that was imperceptible to Vanessa before making her way back towards Margaret Burton and her companions.
"You look happy" Madlax said.
"I am happy!" replied the elder woman excitedly. "Margaret is still herself and yet, she looks different. It is like she finally became who she was supposed to be after all these years and I'm fascinated and intrigued by the change. And Laeticia, she's so cute! And there's something so enigmatic and mesmerizing about her. I can't wait to get back home and get comfortable so we can talk and just enjoy being everyone together again after all this time being apart."
"Yes, I bet you have many things to want to talk about."
Vanessa sensed something unsettling about the way Madlax spoke to her and behaved.
"Madlax, I'm glad you made it back but is there something wrong?"
The agent gave her an inscrutable glance as she searched her jacket's left pocket while simultaneously grabbing Vanessa's hand. Vanessa noticed that a small plastic object was being deposited on her palm
"I believe this is yours."
"But how, where did you find this? I thought you'd given it away."
"I did but it was given to me with specific instructions that it should be returned to its rightful owner. You will not need to search for more evidence to clear your parents' names."
Vanessa held the disk up with her fingers staring at it almost reverently. That seemingly harmless piece of plastic contained the information that would clear beyond any doubt the innocence of her parents, and would allow the authorities of two countries to legally prosecute the real culprits behind the conspiracy that sunk a whole nation into a fratricide war and destroyed the lives of so many. A sob chocked on her throat.
"Mother, father…at last, justice will be done."
"You have found your sense of purpose again Vanessa Rene. You still have a mission to complete and you will not be alone because you have friends that will support you every step of the way."
"You mean that…?"
Madlax took her hand and held it tightly. "And you will always have a friend in me here in Gazth Sonika."
The dark haired woman let out a small gasp. "But Madlax, with us you will have friends and a future. You have nothing left here!" her voice began to quiver.
"You're wrong. I have my whole life here. It might not be as pretty and comfortable as the one you have back home but it is still my life and this is my home. Now that the war will soon become just a bad memory, I want to do something to turn this place into what it once used to be. Even if I am unable to remember how it was before the war, I would like to be here to make sure peace and truth prevails. I won't let the sacrifice of so many go to waste and if I turn around and pretend none of this ever happened, I am not honoring their memory. You might see it as foolishness on my part but I prefer to see it then as atonement for my sins."
Vanessa bit her lip, struggling to keep the tears at bay. She opened up her mouth as fingers glided delicately down the agent's face but the resolute expression perched on the girl's face made the words awaiting at the tip of her tongue to remain there, unpronounced. Instead, she brought her hands over her hips and retorted: "but you still owe us a pasta dinner! Goodness, Margaret will drive me positively insane now. I've been raving nonstop about the wonderful pasta you cook."
The agent couldn't help but to giggle at the despaired look Vanessa displayed at the thought of Margaret pleading daily for pasta.
"I promise I will soon visit the three of you in Nafrece and I'll cook a huge pasta dinner. Of course, I know I risk being kidnapped by Margaret to become her pasta-cooking slave, but I'm willing to take that risk for you" she quipped with an impish grin.
Vanessa erupted with an uproarious laugh with the agent chuckling too. "But it should better be soon. You don't know how particular Margaret is with her pasta. The only other human being that can compare to her is of course…"
"Me" completed Madlax. "I'm a fragment of her existence after all."
"But you are more than that Madlax…you are my friend and you'll always remain special to me." Again, the moisture in her eyes menaced to betray the elder woman.
"And you were the one who taught me what friendship is. You'll always be special to me too Vanessa Rene."
Vanessa couldn't contain herself any longer and as she engulfed the agent on a firm embrace, she allowed her tears and the heartache of the impending goodbye to pour out. Madlax brought her arms around her too, caressing the woman's back with a soothing motion until she sensed the hiccups and the sobs had calmed.
"My face must be a disaster now" the dark haired woman murmured as she dried up the remaining tears that moistened her cheeks.
"You look as beautiful as always but I believe we should be joining the others now."
"You're right, and Madlax?"
"Hmmm?"
"I'm unable to feel much sympathy towards that woman now but you can let her know that I appreciate what she did because it really means a lot to me."
"Okay, if I see her again I will let her know."
Vanessa stared at her suspiciously and mumbled something unintelligible.
"I am not a liar" murmured the agent with a crooked grin.
Vanessa smiled as sole reply as their made their way towards Margaret and her group. Moments later, the blades of the helicopter started to whir as the machine began its ascent. Madlax looked on waving enthusiastically until the aircraft was nothing more than an indiscernible dot in the distance. She gave a last quick glance to the village and slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she began to walk away. She couldn't help but feel a certain sense of sadness and emptiness lodged inside but she knew she had made the right decision. A cool breeze made her hair flutter and the sunshine made the colors of the lush tropical vegetation come alive like she had never noticed before. It seemed Nature was also right on its path of healing, purifying itself from the taint and damage humans had inflicted the jungle and to themselves. When she caught sight of the jeep, she noticed that Limelda had switched to the passenger's seat and was sunk in deep slumber as her right arm firmly draped her sniper rifle. Madlax occupied the driver's seat and turned on the ignition. The former Elite Guard leader opened an eye and murmured groggily:
"Where are we going? I don't think I have given you the directions yet."
The girl turned around and glanced at her companion enigmatically.
"We have plenty of time for that later but first, we need to stock up on some supplies."
"Supplies?" the sniper replied, both eyes fully open now.
Madlax flashed an impish smile. "Have I told you I cook a mean pasta primavera?"
Limelda chuckled as she settled on the seat. "Sure beats army rations. Let's get you your supplies then."
"And Limelda?"
"Uhuh?"
"Vanessa wanted me to tell you that she appreciates what you did. With the disk back, she will be able to clear her parents' names and reveal the truth about the real instigators of the civil war. Her father used to be a diplomat from the Nafrece government and when the war broke out, he was accused along with his wife of conspiring against the Gazth Sonika government. They were imprisoned and later, they…disappeared without a trace."
"An euphemism for illegal execution. I've heard many rumors throughout my career of countless summary executions without fair trials. I resented that. I'd always believed that if our cause was right, there was no need for that, but I had presumed that it was the work of overzealous functionaries. Now, I know better."
"Now you understand why it was so important for her to reveal the truth?"
"I do. She wanted justice. I once thought I wanted justice but realized it was revenge what I wished for."
"The war made us all stray away from our paths and it tainted our ideals. Don't be so hard on yourself."
"I'm glad that for once in a very long time, I'm sure I've done something right and that it will contribute to a greater cause."
"You see? There's still hope for you Limelda Jorg."
The sniper grinned. "And for you too Madlax, but let's hurry and get those supplies. You've got my mouth watering just by the thought of real food."
Madlax nodded as she stared at the former officer with an enigmatic edging on playful glance that inexplicably made the sniper blush but she dismissed as a figment of her imagination. Or wasn't it? Limelda smiled inwardly. She would now have plenty of time to find out the true meaning for sure. And as two former enemies traveled together, a new day unfurled in Gazth Sonika with a promise of hope.
- Fin –
Author's notes:
If you're reading this, that means you've made through that long oneshot. When I first conceived the initial central premise behind this story, I would have never imagined it would stretch to a whopping 11,000 word count because it sure seemed shorter in my head. Anyway, humongous word count aside, I hope you've enjoyed it because for me it was quite a blast penning it. Special thanks to my beta Carrie who is my other creative half. Her ideas always end adding the right input that will generate a story for you to enjoy. Sure earned your dues with this one, eh? :-b
Till the next one.