"Take my hand Shute!" Captain yelled out, stretching his hand to reach his best friend.
He, Zero and Bakunetsumaru had just broken through the General's black Soul Drive to reach their human friend. Captain could still hear Shute's screams of pain echoing throughout his audials, a sound he never wanted to hear again. A sentiment unknowing echoed by the Winged Knight and the Burning Samurai.
"Captain, Zero, Bakunetsumaru…you're all here!" Shute panted out, eyes shining happily even if his face was in a grimace of pain. The human stretched out one arm to his best friend, the other hand hugging his torso tightly.
He had been so scared in that illusionary world. For a moment he almost believed it had been real, that his world was destroyed, that his best and closest friend hated him, had even tried to destroy him. Even now Shute could still feel the pain that the black Soul Drive had been inflicting onto him.
"I got you!" Captain said, grabbing Shute's hand and holding him close. He felt infinitely better now that Shute was in his arms, hugging him tightly. "I got you buddy…its ok."
"Captain, is Shute alright?" Zero asked as the four flew higher out of the General's body. For a few moments, they could ignore it and focus on each other. The Knight Gundam placed a hand on Shute's shoulder. He frowned when he felt the flinch of pain the human gave out before relaxing at his touch.
Bakunetsumaru said nothing at first, gazing over the human to check him over. "He's badly hurt guys…" He said softly, drawing their attention. He placed his own hand on Shute's head, rubbing his hair gently.
Captain frowned in worry, feeling the minute shaking Shute was doing. He had sensed through his Soul Drive the pain Shute was going through and he had seen in those horrible holographic spheres the General was showing everyone that his friend was being mentally and physically tortured. He saw the world that Shute was being forcibly shown before the human changed it by sheer will alone. He had seen the black lightly going through his friend, felt his pain as if it was his own.
Even now, his scanners on Shute told him that the human was suffering badly from repeated electrocution attacks filled with Dark Axis energy, exhaustion and nerve damage.
"I was so scared guys…." Shute said shakily in Captain's arms, hugging him tighter. "I thought…"
"Shh, it's ok little warrior." The red armored Gundam said gently, petting him. "We know…it's going to be ok. We got you."
"We will always come for you brave one." The blue and white armored one said next, just as gently. He started to rub Shute's back above Captain's arms holding him
Their leader just hugged Shute tighter to him, his Soul Drive humming softly in response to Shute's emotions calming down from fear, pain and terror, to peace, safety and family. "We will always be here for you, little brother."
Though those words surprised not only him but the other three, all of them knew it to be true. Captain and Shute shared a bond unlike any other. More than comrades, more than allies, more than just friends.
They were family to each other, they were brothers. Always were and always would be.
Shute picked up his head from where he had it buried in Captain's neck, looking at first his best friend, his big brother who was looking at him with warmth, friendship and love in his blue eyes. His aqua gaze turned next to Zero's teal eyes, shining with protection and care at the human, only matched in strength of that by Bakunetsumaru's brown eyes.
"Thank you everyone…I know you'll always come for me." Shute said, tears drying and a smile gracing his face.
All the three Gundam's smiled, hugging the human in between them. Shute could feel the flames of Bakunetsumaru's armor covering him in warmth. He could feel Zero's wings brush against him in safety. And finally he could feel his big brother's Soul Drive filling him with love. They chased away the mental pain he was feeling to nothing more than a terror filled memory to fade in time.
They couldn't stay up there much longer, Captain and the others knew that everyone was worried about Shute and themselves, and they knew that their human needed medical attention.
Bakunetsumaru turned to Zero, "Do you think the Princess's magic can aid Shute in healing?"
The Winged Knight was shocked for a moment, knowing that the Samurai Gundam was suspicious of any type of magic and the like. For him to ask such a thing….he was willing to do anything to help Shute to ease his pain. If facing his fear of the supernatural and magic would do that, he'd become a magician himself if that was what was needed.
"I believe so. Her Highness specializes in protection and defensive magic, healing would fall under that category."
Captain shifted his hold on Shute so he would be more comfortable. The move though jarred his wounds, earning a hiss of pain as well as winces from the three Gundams. They watched as Shute seemed to curl in himself, clutching his torso tightly.
"Let's go guys. I don't want Shute in pain any longer than absolutely necessary." The blue, white and red Gundam said, holding the brown haired human close. His friends nodded and together they finally descended, having been hovering high above everyone. Zero and Bakunetsumaru took either side of Captain and Shute, holding their weapons at the ready just in case.
Nothing would get past them to hurt Shute.
Captain felt a warmth on his chest. He gazed down and saw that Shute had put a hand on it, right over his Soul Drive, feeling its warmth through him. His little brother was watching him, smiling, before shutting his eyes and let his head fall to the rest on Captain's arm.
Normally it would be uncomfortable for someone to be held up by metal arms high above the ground in the sky. To Shute however, he had never felt safer than what he did right then and there. He felt so safe, that he fell asleep in Captain's arms, surrounded by his friends.
He slept right through them landing, being greeted by everyone at first with cheers, then with quieter ones once they saw him sleeping.
He slept while they took turns explaining Shute's state and what he was going through, causing gasps to ring out in the crowd, everyone asking what they could do, offering to help the human that helped them all so much.
He slept easier when Princess Rele used her magic to ease his pain, healing the damage from the electricity from the General's attacks.
He smiled in his sleep when he felt a warm human hand on his head, slowly ruffling his hair. Even in his sleep he knew his father's touch, he always did that when Shute was hurt, to reassure him that he was there for him.
Though the silly flapping sound of metal was new…it sounded like when Chief Haro's head flaps moved up and down messing with his hat. Shute suspected he did that around him to put him at ease, to smile.
Through everything that happened to the next day, he slept on in peace, first in Captain's arms, then in Zero's, then Bakunetsumaru's, both Gundams having wanting a turn to care and hold their human, to make sure he was safe. Captain needed repairs anyway, and wouldn't trust anyone else with his precious cargo.
Everyone and everything was alright now. The lands of Ark and Lacrao could wait one more day for healing. The celebrations could wait until tomorrow. It could all wait one day, and everyone was ok with that. Preparations would be made by the others, wounded would be seen to.
The sound of three sets of metal feet echoed softly in the hallway, the only other sound was the soft breathing of a sleeping human. Captain held Shute once more while Bakunetsumaru entered a code into the door they stopped at and Zero chanted a few spells for an alert and silence. They would make sure that their exhausted friend would get the rest he needed in peace.
Forgoing the small bed at the far end of the wall, the Gundam Leader sat down against a wall, rearranging his friend to a more of a laying down position. Zero sat down beside him and helped him stretch out Shute, the human's head now resting on the Knight's legs, a pillow was summoned with magic for more comfort for him.
A large blue blanket was draped over everyone, courtesy of the Burning Samurai who then sat down on Captain's other side, letting Shute's legs rest on his own.
The three Gundam's huddled close together, smiling when Shute shifted to be closer to all of them, sighing in his sleep, a smile on his face. His hand once more found its place on Captain's chest, right over the Soul Drive that connected them.
Tomorrow could wait. Their duties could wait. Right now they were where they needed and wanted to be.
Right now, in Shute's room on the Gundammusai ship for the SDG, the human slept in peace surrounded by his friends, his family.