Tekkaman Blade – Takaya Aiba & Blue Earth's navigator - Aki Kisaragi
Is there life after the battle?
Chapter 1, The battle with the Radam is at an end, but what is left? (Aki's POV)
Watching the sunset with Noal and Takaya I feel a huge sense of relief, but I can't help wondering what the future holds for us now? I thought we'd never see another sunset, I'd never envisaged the final battle with the Radam being so hard – for God's sake we nearly all died !
"Aki…" I hear Takaya say – so I crouch down beside him.
Listening to Takaya's voice calling my name, I really wonder whether he's remembered me for just a moment – I keep hoping - even though the Commander says it's highly unlikely that he'll ever remember anything.
What do we do now, there are so few Humans left now that it seems impossible to rebuild our civilisation, but we have to - we saved the earth now we have to save our race. But where do you start?
Noal has been quiet up until now –
"What are you going to do now Aki?" Noal shrugs, "I know you have no feelings for me - all your love belongs to the Dangerous Boy – even though he will never remember how much."
"I however; have made a decision - I think I may go and look for other humans left, there must be more of us surely and we need as many as we can find, I have made plans to go and explore for one year and then I will return to see how everyone is." (And to make sure you're all safe he adds to himself silently).
I feel like Noal going will feel like another piece lost, another person we know and love will disappear – I know he says he'll come back – but will he…..? There is no Blue Earth now so maybe he'll think we won't need a pilot anymore, but he's the best there is.
Levin, Milly and Honda are trying to salvage what they can and stockpile it all, we'll need all we can to rebuild our lives, The Commander is collecting as much information about the Radam war so it will not be forgotten - everyone is so busy – all I have left is Takaya and he's not even a 100% aware that I exist. He may be able to breathe unaided, and just about manage to feed himself - but what else can he do? He cannot walk, fight, even just talk a whole sentence to me – it's so….Lonely.
I know I love Takaya Aiba, I knew I loved him when I first met him; I knew I still loved him when he started to forget and I always will. But he can't love me back.
I squeeze Takaya's hand and turn to Noal
"Take care, and don't forget us," I say with a sad smile.
Noal smiles back and says "I won't, you can count on that" he touches my face and then puts a hand on Takaya's shoulder.
Then with a last wave – Noal turns and walks back into the shelter.
Many things would change before his return.
Night has drawn in and I am trying to sleep – but sleep eludes me yet again.
I look at the monitor and see that Takaya is asleep, with all the medication he's taking it's not surprising. Sometimes I find myself checking the monitor just to make sure he's still alive.
He looks like he did before, when Noal and I first found him but less angry than he was then – more peaceful – almost like he was dead.
But he's not; I wonder if he dreams…..?
Chapter 2 – Why? From Takaya's POV.
IT'S A NIGHTMARE!
OH MY GOD, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME?
I CAN'T REMEMBER…
ANYTHING
EXCEPT
AKI.
OH AKI, WHY DIDN'T I TELL YOU I LOVED YOU WHEN I STILL COULD?
WHY?
I AM LOST
I MAY AS WELL BE DEAD.
YES DEAD
OR AM I DEAD ALREADY?
WHAT HAPPENED?
I AM LIKE A SHELL OF MY FORMER SELF, JUST A SHELL
AKI.
SHE TAKES CARE OF ME
SHE TAKES GOOD CARE OF ME
I LOVE HER SO MUCH, I SHOULD HAVE LET HER KNOW
I SHOULD HAVE MARRIED HER
NOW NO-ONE WILL TAKE ME,
I AM NOTHING.
NOTHING
I HAVE TO SURVIVE, I HAVE TO
…..FOR AKI.
I FEEL A SILENT TEAR ROLL DOWN MY FACE
BUT I HAVE NO STRENGTH TO WIPE IT AWAY.
Chapter 3 – Hope?
It is a week since Noal left the shelter, things seem much quieter without him around, I am sitting working on Takaya's therapy. Although it seems hopeless we do this every day because we have to.
The Commander told me to show Takaya pictures of things that could jog his memory – his family all together, Miyuki smiling, a picture of a white amaryllis - Miyuki's favourite flower, etc.
But nothing that might make him remember all the things he'd wish to forget – the Radam, the destruction of his family, the death of Miyuki, etc.
Sometimes when we look at the pictures of Miyuki I'm sure i see a hint of a smile as though he has a distant memory tugging at his consciousness.
But It's so fleeting I'm sure I just imagine it.
I lean my head over to Takaya and whisper to him, "Oh Takaya, oh my D – boy, I wish you could talk to me, I miss you."
I drop the cards and lay my head on Takaya's lap and a tear falls before I can stop it, then another, then another. I am ashamed I am crying, but there is no one to hear.
Suddenly I feel a movement, as Takaya's hand touches my face and I hear a broken stilted whisper;
"Don't…. Cry…. Aki….."
I sit up with a sudden jolt as though I have been hit by lightning,
"Takaya!"
Slowly, ever so slowly, he turns to look at me, "Aki…..My Aki".
He has never called me his, he has never looked at me with the flicker of love that I now see register in his eyes.
I drop to my knees and look into his eyes, suddenly so much more like the dark brown eyes I knew; not the glazed glassy stare I've got used to seeing since the final battle.
"Oh Takaya, I have missed you so much!"