Saberpilot's A/N: This is the first FLCL fic I've ever written. This was an idea that kept spinning around inside my head thanks to the muses that never shut up *O.O* (stares at Genesis and Verdell, who whistle innocently when stared at).
I'm basing this fic more off the manga than the television series, just to let readers know. Most of the plot is the same, but there may be some tidbits that are confusing if you haven't read. ^_^
Anyways, please read/review and let me know what you think.
Oh, and I don't own FLCL. Only Gainax can claim that. *bows to the great animation company that is Gainax*
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They told me I'd never make it out this far. Things were too strange out in space, they said. Too many things could go wrong, too many passports, weapons, lasers, sex, drugs, crazy people driving with space guitars...
Plus there was the fact that I was riding into space on a Vespa.
It wasn't just anyone's Vespa, though- they didn't seem to get it. It was Haruko-san's Vespa, slim and yellow coated with its P-chan symbol on the side.
It had been hers, once, and now it was mine. At least, I thought it was mine. That's what her superior had told me when she'd come to visit me.
And kiss me while my arms were tied behind my back.
I remembered the day I'd decided to leave. I'd walked over to Canti and told him flat out I was going in search of Haruko. The robot had merely looked at me with that empty television screen of a face, then went about his normal duties as if I'd said nothing. Beating that rug without even showing one emotion, not caring if I left.
Stupid robot.
Father had been the most emotional of everyone I'd spoken to. He'd sat me down and had a talk. My brown hair hid half of my view of the skinny, skimpy man. I can still remember it...
"So... you're going off to find Haruko-san?"
"Yeah."
"And what will you do when you find her? Kiss her? Grope her? Smell the delicious flesh that is woman? Lick her up and down and make sweet furi kuri with her, knowing that you'll never be enough for her?"
"Da-"
"I tried to be enough of a man for her, Ta-kun. But I wasn't- I wasn't able to transport or do anything. We made sweet love- the eggs were delicious whenever we shared them, and- oh! The days of ice cream and chocolate- In short, son, you may want to be Haruko-san's man, but the truth is if I was no more use as a robot than a-"
"Dad, I'm going, no matter what you say. I loved Haruko-san."
"But what about your brother, Naota? And school? And baseball? And Mamimi? The girl whose parents are... what would you say? Estranged?"
"Leave Mamimi out of this. She has nothing to do with this- God! I'm going off to find Haruko so that she and I-"
"And why would she love you, you pirate king? Would she want to stay and... nap with you?"
"I'm leaving."
The more I thought about the conversation, the more I realized that father had been more like me than I wanted to think about- and yet he wasn't. He'd never be able to play on a souped up strapless like he was- whereas I never hit a foul ball anymore. They were always left into center field.
Grandfather had probably been the most understanding of my family. He merely nodded, then handed me a box of children's mild curry. I laughed, then hugged the man. He, of all people, seemed to understand. Not saying a word, he walked off after that, heading towards the Mechanical plant. I don't know what happened after that, as I had already started packing.
Grandpa's mild curry, a few of my old magazines that Mamini would have found absolutely wonderful to feed to the fire, and a couple of loaves of old bread. My savings of 50,000 yen. And of course, the guitar.
I had smiled whenever I picked up that old thing. It was the one thing that Haruko-san had left for me. Beautiful. I plucked a few chords, grinning, then shook my head. No way would I pack this beauty away.
It was going to travel on my back in style.
A few minutes later, I headed out the door, not realizing that a set of eyes were on me as I put my baggage into the storage compartment of the yellow Vespa. After placing them in, I finally felt that burning sensation that accompanies someone's eyes staring into you.
"You're leaving."
"Yes."
Mamimi stood behind me, watching as I continued prepping for my journey.
"Will you come back?"
I stopped, midway into checking the spark plug in the engine. I sighed, then turned to face her. Although several years had passed between then and now, I could still see those small doe-like eyes searching into my soul.
"I don't know. I have to find Haruko-san."
A pause. "Why? There's things for you here-"
"There's nothing for me here if Haruko-san isn't here."
"There's me."
Another pause. Damn it, why'd she have to be so roundabout in her feelings? Just yell at me. Spit at me. Curse me. It'd make you feel a lot better rather than just standing there on the corner, wearing that accursed leather jacket.
I sighed. "But my heart doesn't belong to you."
"Takkun-"
I shut my eyes, remembering the word coming from the lips of a woman with wild auburn hair. It did nothing for me now, coming from Mamimi. I opened my eyes, looking at her. Really looking at her.
After her parents' divorce, she'd been almost clinging to my side. Everywhere I'd go, anything I'd do, she'd hang around, watching my every step, biting her lip and hanging on every word I spoke. It was almost as if I had a puppy dog following me around... one that no matter how many times you kicked it in the ribs, it still followed you around with unshaking loyalty.
"Mamimi... you know I've told you this again and again. I- I can't. I can't be with you. We could try, and I could whisper sweet nothings into you ear, make love to you... but it would all be a lie. The most I could ever feel for you is brotherly love."
Turning back to the Vespa, I ran a few last-minute checks. The spark plug was perfect, and the coils seemed to be in perfect condition. I smiled, then walked over to look at the braking system. I sighed, realizing that the Vespa was in perfect condition, even after all the years that I'd had it.
"Are you just going to ignore me?"
"Maybe it'd be good if you just went home," I told her, continuing to check the engine and brakes.
I don't know when she eventually did leave, but when she was gone, I felt a great weight lift from my shoulders. I smiled and stood up, inspecting my handiwork, then strided across the leather seat cushion. I smiled, feeling the familiar creases go against my backside. The last time I'd ridden this scooter, it'd been with Haruko.
Smiling, I reached out and grabbed the handlebars. Their rubbery grips felt rough underneath my hands, but I really couldn't have cared less. To me, they felt like freedom.
I kick-started the engine, and smiled to hear its all-too-familiar rumbling beneath my body. It had definately been too long. I turned the Vespa towards the road, and pushed off the pavement.
Moments later I was on the road. I looked at the controls, and found the one for 'airlift'. Seconds later, I was sky-high, floating towards the stars in the galaxy. Not that I thought they were pretty or anything, just... they were out there, and each one seemed to twinkle at me, reminding me of why I was going.
Haruko-san.
*********************************************************************
"They say that someone else is out there driving a yellow Vespa, Haruko."
"Ah?"
The redheaded woman raised an eyebrow while picking her nose. "An' that should mean what to me?"
"It wasn't another Space Force person who was driving. They say it was an Earthling from the Medical Mechanica region."
"Is that so?" She stopped picking her nose and instead, went about picking her food with a two-pronged utensil.
"Didn't you say you fell in love with one of those creatures?"
"Ah?" The beads of rice met her mouth, and the green-eyed woman began to chew, at first with vigor, then swallowing. Seconds later, she was downing the whole liter of green liquid in front of her.
"Told you not to eat that spicy curry."
"Michiru-san-"
"Don't you even want to see if that person with the yellow Vespa is him? Maybe he's come for you after all these years."
The woman clanked her glass down on the table, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Who? Takkun?" She looked over towards the window of the diner where the two were eating. She then jerked away from it pointedly, and placed her fist to her chin.
"You miss him."
"Eh."
"Haruko, you can't keep hiding forever. The Space forces will eventually catch up to you. The least you can do is make good of the time you have left until you do."
"I've been running for years now."
"That's why we're here."
"Michiru, can we go somewhere more... private?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
*********************************************************************
It's funny, space. You'd think that just because there's no air, you wouldn't be able to breathe. All these crazy scientists and teachers tell you that there's no way, that your head will pop or explode or break into a thousand pieces.
Then again, these were people who hadn't met Haruko. Didn't know that the impossible was possible.
Or that robots could come out of peoples' heads.
The stars seemed to have been made from a child's construction paper cutouts; I reached out and touched one while I was riding and it seemed earthereal to me- I could feel the small fibers of the paper rubbing against my palm.
I slept, I sang, I thrilled to the ride that the Vespa gave me. Although I'd never made love to any girl, I imagined sometimes while riding that this-this speed, this motion, this rhythmn is what made people soon and fall in love. And other times, if I closed my eyes and imagined hard enough... I could feel her arms around me, exactly as they'd been years ago.
The only thing that reminded me that this space, these surroundings of mine, were not fake, was the beating of my heart, and the rumblings of my stomach.
It got to a point some time from then- I don't know how long, since in space there are no days or nights- that my stomach felt as though it would eat itself if it could.
And knowing how much I had a tendency for the eccentric, I didn't want to try the idea.
Not only was I hungry, but the Vespa was running out of fuel. I leaned forward on its handlebars, my exhaustion taking over where my common sense had been.
Haruko...
I lifted up my head, staring at the endless void I was now in. If I concentrated hard enough, I could see her gloved hand outstretched towards me, her other hand holding the guitar strapped to her back.
My guitar. My back.
I fell asleep that way, holding out with my very last piece of strength, hoping and praying that somehow... somehow I'd find her.
My last thought before I passed out was of the first time she'd hit me with her Vespa, and how painful it'd been.
Sweet memories- Haruko...
********
"Is he dead?"
"I don't think so."
"You want to kick him and find out?"
"Sounds good to me."
A sharp thrust to my ribs made me groan and curl up in pain. I blinked, an image of a red circle flashing before my eyes before I could open them completely. I put a hand against my rib cage and held it there, the feeling as though a thousand needles had been pushed in pulsing underneath it.
"Apparently he isn't dead. Told you so."
"Shut up, you."
"Wh... who are you?" I blinked, letting the ray of light that was now in front of my eyes become comfortable to them. A minute later, the two gray shapes in front of me had evolved into two humanoid figures, the light still blinding me as to their identities.
"It can speak basic?"
"Apparently."
"Huh. Human, you think?"
"Probably."
"Who... who are you?" I said again, my voice gaining strength. The two figures looked towards each other, and then the other smiled. It kneeled down to face me, and suddenly my vision was overtaken by a pair of yellow eyes.
"Can speak basic. I was right, Elsar." Purple hair swayed slightly as the person seemed to inspect me visually, moving on seconds later to inspect me... physically. My eyes bulged out of my head as I felt a warm presence run down the back of my neck, my spine, and then quickly... grab my butt.
"He-hey!" I hoarsely coughed out. The yellow eyes blinked, and I saw a smile.
"Don't get all excited. I was just making sure you weren't tagged by Mechanica, rock star." I felt that same warm presence suddenly run towards my hips, and there was strength behind it, pulling me forward. Moments later, I sat up, facing the person I'd seen before, as well as the one it had called Elsar.
"Sorry about the rough handling there," the other one said, grinning behind a set of green bangs. "You can never be too careful out here in the wild zone."
"W-wild zone?"
"Don't you know anything, Vespa boy?" the violet-haired one asked. "The wild zone is the place that the Pirate King and the Space forces had their last great battle. It turned planet Izumi into this space dust you see around here. Not worth much except for maybe expanding your soul for a few hours."
"Expanding your... what?"
"Damn kids from Earth don't know anything. I thought our agents told us that they were more intelligent than that."
"Elsar!"
I inhaled deeply, snorting the air... or whatever I was breathing out quickly. My head suddenly felt light-headed, and I saw the two people standing in front of me, their colors inverted and skewed. I held my own hand out in front of me, watching the greens and oranges dance around in circles.
I looked up at the two people again, and realized that the one woman now appeared as though she had red hair and green eyes. I gasped in recognition and held out my still-swirling hand out towards her, trying to reach across the eons.
Somewhere, someone played a B rip.
*********************************************************************
Well? What do you think? Like/hate? Review & Let me know- I reply/respond to most of my comments as long as I have some way to contact you, so feel free to be honest! ^_^ I love constructive criticism!
^_^ ~Saberpilot
I'm basing this fic more off the manga than the television series, just to let readers know. Most of the plot is the same, but there may be some tidbits that are confusing if you haven't read. ^_^
Anyways, please read/review and let me know what you think.
Oh, and I don't own FLCL. Only Gainax can claim that. *bows to the great animation company that is Gainax*
*********************************************************************
They told me I'd never make it out this far. Things were too strange out in space, they said. Too many things could go wrong, too many passports, weapons, lasers, sex, drugs, crazy people driving with space guitars...
Plus there was the fact that I was riding into space on a Vespa.
It wasn't just anyone's Vespa, though- they didn't seem to get it. It was Haruko-san's Vespa, slim and yellow coated with its P-chan symbol on the side.
It had been hers, once, and now it was mine. At least, I thought it was mine. That's what her superior had told me when she'd come to visit me.
And kiss me while my arms were tied behind my back.
I remembered the day I'd decided to leave. I'd walked over to Canti and told him flat out I was going in search of Haruko. The robot had merely looked at me with that empty television screen of a face, then went about his normal duties as if I'd said nothing. Beating that rug without even showing one emotion, not caring if I left.
Stupid robot.
Father had been the most emotional of everyone I'd spoken to. He'd sat me down and had a talk. My brown hair hid half of my view of the skinny, skimpy man. I can still remember it...
"So... you're going off to find Haruko-san?"
"Yeah."
"And what will you do when you find her? Kiss her? Grope her? Smell the delicious flesh that is woman? Lick her up and down and make sweet furi kuri with her, knowing that you'll never be enough for her?"
"Da-"
"I tried to be enough of a man for her, Ta-kun. But I wasn't- I wasn't able to transport or do anything. We made sweet love- the eggs were delicious whenever we shared them, and- oh! The days of ice cream and chocolate- In short, son, you may want to be Haruko-san's man, but the truth is if I was no more use as a robot than a-"
"Dad, I'm going, no matter what you say. I loved Haruko-san."
"But what about your brother, Naota? And school? And baseball? And Mamimi? The girl whose parents are... what would you say? Estranged?"
"Leave Mamimi out of this. She has nothing to do with this- God! I'm going off to find Haruko so that she and I-"
"And why would she love you, you pirate king? Would she want to stay and... nap with you?"
"I'm leaving."
The more I thought about the conversation, the more I realized that father had been more like me than I wanted to think about- and yet he wasn't. He'd never be able to play on a souped up strapless like he was- whereas I never hit a foul ball anymore. They were always left into center field.
Grandfather had probably been the most understanding of my family. He merely nodded, then handed me a box of children's mild curry. I laughed, then hugged the man. He, of all people, seemed to understand. Not saying a word, he walked off after that, heading towards the Mechanical plant. I don't know what happened after that, as I had already started packing.
Grandpa's mild curry, a few of my old magazines that Mamini would have found absolutely wonderful to feed to the fire, and a couple of loaves of old bread. My savings of 50,000 yen. And of course, the guitar.
I had smiled whenever I picked up that old thing. It was the one thing that Haruko-san had left for me. Beautiful. I plucked a few chords, grinning, then shook my head. No way would I pack this beauty away.
It was going to travel on my back in style.
A few minutes later, I headed out the door, not realizing that a set of eyes were on me as I put my baggage into the storage compartment of the yellow Vespa. After placing them in, I finally felt that burning sensation that accompanies someone's eyes staring into you.
"You're leaving."
"Yes."
Mamimi stood behind me, watching as I continued prepping for my journey.
"Will you come back?"
I stopped, midway into checking the spark plug in the engine. I sighed, then turned to face her. Although several years had passed between then and now, I could still see those small doe-like eyes searching into my soul.
"I don't know. I have to find Haruko-san."
A pause. "Why? There's things for you here-"
"There's nothing for me here if Haruko-san isn't here."
"There's me."
Another pause. Damn it, why'd she have to be so roundabout in her feelings? Just yell at me. Spit at me. Curse me. It'd make you feel a lot better rather than just standing there on the corner, wearing that accursed leather jacket.
I sighed. "But my heart doesn't belong to you."
"Takkun-"
I shut my eyes, remembering the word coming from the lips of a woman with wild auburn hair. It did nothing for me now, coming from Mamimi. I opened my eyes, looking at her. Really looking at her.
After her parents' divorce, she'd been almost clinging to my side. Everywhere I'd go, anything I'd do, she'd hang around, watching my every step, biting her lip and hanging on every word I spoke. It was almost as if I had a puppy dog following me around... one that no matter how many times you kicked it in the ribs, it still followed you around with unshaking loyalty.
"Mamimi... you know I've told you this again and again. I- I can't. I can't be with you. We could try, and I could whisper sweet nothings into you ear, make love to you... but it would all be a lie. The most I could ever feel for you is brotherly love."
Turning back to the Vespa, I ran a few last-minute checks. The spark plug was perfect, and the coils seemed to be in perfect condition. I smiled, then walked over to look at the braking system. I sighed, realizing that the Vespa was in perfect condition, even after all the years that I'd had it.
"Are you just going to ignore me?"
"Maybe it'd be good if you just went home," I told her, continuing to check the engine and brakes.
I don't know when she eventually did leave, but when she was gone, I felt a great weight lift from my shoulders. I smiled and stood up, inspecting my handiwork, then strided across the leather seat cushion. I smiled, feeling the familiar creases go against my backside. The last time I'd ridden this scooter, it'd been with Haruko.
Smiling, I reached out and grabbed the handlebars. Their rubbery grips felt rough underneath my hands, but I really couldn't have cared less. To me, they felt like freedom.
I kick-started the engine, and smiled to hear its all-too-familiar rumbling beneath my body. It had definately been too long. I turned the Vespa towards the road, and pushed off the pavement.
Moments later I was on the road. I looked at the controls, and found the one for 'airlift'. Seconds later, I was sky-high, floating towards the stars in the galaxy. Not that I thought they were pretty or anything, just... they were out there, and each one seemed to twinkle at me, reminding me of why I was going.
Haruko-san.
*********************************************************************
"They say that someone else is out there driving a yellow Vespa, Haruko."
"Ah?"
The redheaded woman raised an eyebrow while picking her nose. "An' that should mean what to me?"
"It wasn't another Space Force person who was driving. They say it was an Earthling from the Medical Mechanica region."
"Is that so?" She stopped picking her nose and instead, went about picking her food with a two-pronged utensil.
"Didn't you say you fell in love with one of those creatures?"
"Ah?" The beads of rice met her mouth, and the green-eyed woman began to chew, at first with vigor, then swallowing. Seconds later, she was downing the whole liter of green liquid in front of her.
"Told you not to eat that spicy curry."
"Michiru-san-"
"Don't you even want to see if that person with the yellow Vespa is him? Maybe he's come for you after all these years."
The woman clanked her glass down on the table, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Who? Takkun?" She looked over towards the window of the diner where the two were eating. She then jerked away from it pointedly, and placed her fist to her chin.
"You miss him."
"Eh."
"Haruko, you can't keep hiding forever. The Space forces will eventually catch up to you. The least you can do is make good of the time you have left until you do."
"I've been running for years now."
"That's why we're here."
"Michiru, can we go somewhere more... private?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
*********************************************************************
It's funny, space. You'd think that just because there's no air, you wouldn't be able to breathe. All these crazy scientists and teachers tell you that there's no way, that your head will pop or explode or break into a thousand pieces.
Then again, these were people who hadn't met Haruko. Didn't know that the impossible was possible.
Or that robots could come out of peoples' heads.
The stars seemed to have been made from a child's construction paper cutouts; I reached out and touched one while I was riding and it seemed earthereal to me- I could feel the small fibers of the paper rubbing against my palm.
I slept, I sang, I thrilled to the ride that the Vespa gave me. Although I'd never made love to any girl, I imagined sometimes while riding that this-this speed, this motion, this rhythmn is what made people soon and fall in love. And other times, if I closed my eyes and imagined hard enough... I could feel her arms around me, exactly as they'd been years ago.
The only thing that reminded me that this space, these surroundings of mine, were not fake, was the beating of my heart, and the rumblings of my stomach.
It got to a point some time from then- I don't know how long, since in space there are no days or nights- that my stomach felt as though it would eat itself if it could.
And knowing how much I had a tendency for the eccentric, I didn't want to try the idea.
Not only was I hungry, but the Vespa was running out of fuel. I leaned forward on its handlebars, my exhaustion taking over where my common sense had been.
Haruko...
I lifted up my head, staring at the endless void I was now in. If I concentrated hard enough, I could see her gloved hand outstretched towards me, her other hand holding the guitar strapped to her back.
My guitar. My back.
I fell asleep that way, holding out with my very last piece of strength, hoping and praying that somehow... somehow I'd find her.
My last thought before I passed out was of the first time she'd hit me with her Vespa, and how painful it'd been.
Sweet memories- Haruko...
********
"Is he dead?"
"I don't think so."
"You want to kick him and find out?"
"Sounds good to me."
A sharp thrust to my ribs made me groan and curl up in pain. I blinked, an image of a red circle flashing before my eyes before I could open them completely. I put a hand against my rib cage and held it there, the feeling as though a thousand needles had been pushed in pulsing underneath it.
"Apparently he isn't dead. Told you so."
"Shut up, you."
"Wh... who are you?" I blinked, letting the ray of light that was now in front of my eyes become comfortable to them. A minute later, the two gray shapes in front of me had evolved into two humanoid figures, the light still blinding me as to their identities.
"It can speak basic?"
"Apparently."
"Huh. Human, you think?"
"Probably."
"Who... who are you?" I said again, my voice gaining strength. The two figures looked towards each other, and then the other smiled. It kneeled down to face me, and suddenly my vision was overtaken by a pair of yellow eyes.
"Can speak basic. I was right, Elsar." Purple hair swayed slightly as the person seemed to inspect me visually, moving on seconds later to inspect me... physically. My eyes bulged out of my head as I felt a warm presence run down the back of my neck, my spine, and then quickly... grab my butt.
"He-hey!" I hoarsely coughed out. The yellow eyes blinked, and I saw a smile.
"Don't get all excited. I was just making sure you weren't tagged by Mechanica, rock star." I felt that same warm presence suddenly run towards my hips, and there was strength behind it, pulling me forward. Moments later, I sat up, facing the person I'd seen before, as well as the one it had called Elsar.
"Sorry about the rough handling there," the other one said, grinning behind a set of green bangs. "You can never be too careful out here in the wild zone."
"W-wild zone?"
"Don't you know anything, Vespa boy?" the violet-haired one asked. "The wild zone is the place that the Pirate King and the Space forces had their last great battle. It turned planet Izumi into this space dust you see around here. Not worth much except for maybe expanding your soul for a few hours."
"Expanding your... what?"
"Damn kids from Earth don't know anything. I thought our agents told us that they were more intelligent than that."
"Elsar!"
I inhaled deeply, snorting the air... or whatever I was breathing out quickly. My head suddenly felt light-headed, and I saw the two people standing in front of me, their colors inverted and skewed. I held my own hand out in front of me, watching the greens and oranges dance around in circles.
I looked up at the two people again, and realized that the one woman now appeared as though she had red hair and green eyes. I gasped in recognition and held out my still-swirling hand out towards her, trying to reach across the eons.
Somewhere, someone played a B rip.
*********************************************************************
Well? What do you think? Like/hate? Review & Let me know- I reply/respond to most of my comments as long as I have some way to contact you, so feel free to be honest! ^_^ I love constructive criticism!
^_^ ~Saberpilot