Kissing the Wind

My eyes open slowly to a cloudy haze of color

I see red; the color of Eudial's hair as she stands over you

I see navy, yellow, and white; the color of your fuku in which you have fought beside me for so long.

I see your blond hair; the color of the sand on the beach where we first kissed.

I see your blue eyes, your beautiful blue eyes

When I gaze into them I can see the sky, magnificent and heavenly,

Everything you are.

At first I mistake your perfect body for the wind itself; sweeping swiftly through my sluggish mind.

A pure heart. That's what Eudial says that you have

You refuse to believe it, laying helplessly at the receiving end of her gun.

I could have told you that, Haruka.

Would you have believed me?

But I must help you, Haruka

Caught in Destiny's grip.

I break free of my unearthly bonds

And rush to be at your side.

A thousand shots rip through me.

Like a thousand teeth tearing through my flesh.

I hear my name

I hear your scream

I hear the silence as the guns stop

I remember the Mission

What we must do.

Sacrifice three nameless lives for the rest of the world

Haruka, must one of those lives be yours?

I remember what we said about if one of us didn't make it....

But, Haruka, a world without you is not worth saving.

I climb to my feet with the last of my strength

To rush toward you once more

More shots, more guns, more vicious teeth

Tearing through me in the blink of an eye

Another scream

Another cry

Flying helplessly through the air.

Another silence shattered by a single shot

I can barely feel my body hit the ground

I can barely see the shine of my heart as the darkness overtakes me.

Haruka, I tried, my love, I tried

In death I can still feel your gentle hand caressing my cheek.

Your lips against mine, like kissing the wind.

Your arms around me, keeping me safe.

And then I was alone.

Abandoned in the darkness and the stale air.

Until I felt your hand in my hand

And your eyes looking lovingly into mine

The sky