Author's Note: Hey there again. Two updates in one day. Seriously? That's a new record for me. Anyway, here's the second chapter I promised. There'll be a third one. I promise. Anyway, one thing to say. I love this chapter. I worked exceptional hard on this, and it took me about a week to finish, unlike the piece of crap for a first chapter. I might go back and rewrite it then, since I hate it so much. But anyway, I got inspiration for this chapter form "Dancer in the Dark" by: Megurine Luka and "Sayonara Memories" by: Supercell, and finally "Ursa Minor (Electron Mix)" by: Cedweller. I encourage you to listen to those songs. They'll really help as far as understanding goes. Anyway, I'll write more description tomorrow. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gurren Lagann, Yoko Littner, Simon, SimYoko, or any of the other characters mentioned in the chapter. I guess that means I don't own Death either. Hehe. "The Darkest Kiss" (I think...My mother reads that book...) reference..."Flowers"...Ha. I don't own that either. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! I OWN NOTHING AT ALL! I DON'T OWN ANYTHING AT ALL!
I lifted my head upward at the sound of it, the crimson colored flash landing in front of me with a slam as I struggled to my feet in a breathless rush. My long red ponytail blew in the wind around me, my bangs shielding my widened amber eyes from the storm of terrifying power that buckled and boiled in front of me. This was Simon's power. Gurren Lagann.
I could feel it, surging upward from the feet of the large, armored gunman, the swirls of green light flying up toward the sky in a spiraling pillar, starting from the feet, all the way to the head, where my precious friend was. Fighting. For Team Dai-Gurren. For me. My irises shook as I realized that, my heart fluttering in my chest, my rifle falling limp in my trembling hands. Simon was fighting for me. To protect me. Just me.
The tempest of energy whirled up into the sky, shattering the sun with its brilliance, as it continued flowing, like the river of time that was slowly, but surely consuming me. I don't know how long I stood there, watching Simon square off with the Beastmen. It was just him. Rossiu was quivering behind Kittan, explaining the situation over and over again about how Simon had just jumped in, not bothering to wait for Rossiu. But it didn't matter. Simon was fighting, and he was angry.
My legs shook, urging me to move, my knees violently trembling, as I lifted my face to the top of Gurren Lagann, the head of it turning to look back at me, our eyes meeting. I knew he was in there, watching me. I knew he was waiting for the right moment to strike. But despite the fact that I was in the middle of the danger zone, he didn't seem to care. The spiraling power continued flying up into the sky, steadily growing brighter and brighter, as Simon grew angrier, and angrier. When he turned back around, my breath caught. The chill was staggering.
I could hear voices, the voices of my teammates calling me, urging me to get back, but I couldn't move. My legs remained where they were, my feet not even budging or moving an inch. I was stuck where I was, glued to the ground I stood on. There was no moving me. Not now. Not while Simon was angry like this. I have to help him…My voice drifted across my mind lightly as my eyes closed, letting the wind cradle me, my lips curling up into a gentle smile. I have to protect him…For you, Kamina.
I gripped my rifle tighter, wrapping my fingers around it, and lifting it up, holding it out to my right, as I slid my legs a few spaces away from each other, taking up my stance. I had to help him, I had to protect him. I couldn't let him die, I couldn't let him die. I couldn't lose him like I lost Kamina. Simon was all I had left. I wouldn't let him leave me so easily. Not now, not ever. My left eye fluttered closed as I held the scope up to my right pupil, leveling the rifle at the nearest enemy gunman. I won't let him die.
"Yoko!" I jerked my head up, surprised, lowering my rifle as I lifted my face to Gurren Lagann.
"Simon, what's-" I started, as the gunman turned around, the hatch sliding open, the small little head of Simon poking out, black-blue hair blowing in the wind.
"Yoko, I'll handle this. You stay back. It's too dangerous for you out here." I narrowed both eyes and grimaced.
"What? You think I can't handle this level of combat simply because I am a girl?" I retorted sharply, attempting to keep a slight lightness in my voice to let him know I was teasing. But he didn't catch it. He was serious.
"No, that's not it. I just have a hunch. I have a bad feeling about letting you fight alongside me." I widened my eyes. A bad feeling about me?
"Well, what if I acted as a sniper and guarded your back? Simon, it doesn't matter what you say to me, I'm going to help whether you like it or not." I answered, his eyes hardening.
"Yoko, listen to me. Even if you keep your distance..." The hatch closed as he sat back down inside the gunman. "I can't guarantee that I won't hurt you by mistake."
My eyes widened. Even wider than they already were, if that was possible. He wasn't the same Simon as before, back when Kamina was here. He was stronger, darker, fiercer. Nia was right. He had closed his heart off to everyone he was closest to. I narrowed my eyes, and swallowed. There was nothing I could do about the pieces right now. I had to help out as best I could. I had to provide support from behind. Or above. Or from wherever I could get a clear shot. He wasn't going to deter me. I was fearless. And he knew that.
"Just who the hell do you think you are, ordering me around like that? I can handle this. Just let me fight." I answered firmly, his black eyes like chips of ice. He wasn't going to surrender.
"I don't want to put you in harm's way." I smiled and took a step forward, then another, and another, Gurren Lagann watching me closely. Even the Gunman could see that I wasn't giving up.
"Regardless of what you have to say, Simon, I'm covering the rear. Got that?" I answered, looking up at him, one of my amber eyes shut playfully. Simon and I's eyes met for a split second, pain shooting across the distance between us to stab me in the heart, the pain so great, I nearly dropped to my knees.
"Yoko?" I shook my head at his concern.
"It's nothing. Just get ready, and be careful. Keep facing forward. I've got your back." I replied, lifting my rifle one more time, Gurren Lagann taking a step backwards to be right in front of me, his feet spread wide enough for me to be able to get a clear shot at the enemies.
"You ready, Yoko?" Simon called down to me, anger boiling from the Gunman he was piloting. It ruffled my red hair, blew it into my eyes, my line of vision, the green sparkles a dark, thick emerald. He was furious. Despite my fear, I nodded up to him.
"Ready when you are, Simon." Gurren Lagann stanced. I shut my left eye, starting the countdown. Three seconds…Two…One…
"LET'S GO!" Simon and Gurren Lagann rushed forward, my bullets following close behind.
The enemy gunmen fell to Gurren Lagann's drills, each thrust and slice cutting down more and more, fire exploding along the deck of the ship, as Simon vented all of his anger out on the enemies without mercy. My eyes shook, my rifle limp in my hands as I watched, spellbound, Simon's power dancing across the air toward me in luminous green waves. War cries roared through the air, ricocheting across the empty land, reflecting back at us, bouncing off of the horizon. Simon's war cries rose, Gurren Lagann's insane power spiking. I was in the middle of it, right in the middle of the fire zone, bullets whizzing past my head.
My eyes widened as I quickly moved my head to the left, the bullet sliding along my right temple, pieces of luminous red hair falling to the deck only to get picked up and swept away by the fierce wind. I noticed more attacks coming my way, knowing that Simon was too busy to even think about helping me out, but then again, this was what I had asked for. But, I was an open target to the enemy; an easy kill. I narrowed my honey eyes. I was going to prove them hopelessly wrong. My irises focused on a pile of boxes in front of the railing that sectioned off the deck and front of the ship. I had to get there.
I leapt up, grabbing a hold of my rifle tightly and started running, ignoring the voices behind me, screaming for me to come back. I kept going, rolling and wheeling through the attacks, pieces of red hair falling to the wind, as I barely managed to dodge the bullets and miniature missiles that headed toward me from the front lines that Simon was still cutting through there being too many for him to handle on his own.
I lifted my arms up at my sides as I came back up from a somersault, unable to stand still long enough to take aim, but knowing that if I found a way to get behind cover long enough to take a shot, I'd be able to successfully take out at least one enemy. One less for Simon to fight. I cart wheeled again, as the wings on one of the bullets cut open my calves on both of my legs, my left eye closing from the pain. Keep moving, Yoko. Don't stop.
I landed in a crouch, lifting my rifle up in a split second, pulling the trigger without so much as a peek through the scope; my bullet shooting through the air to blow right through the gunman that had wounded me's shoulder. I smirked, but rumbling to my left startled me, as a knight-like enemy came up from the side, his sword level and poised to kill. My eyes widened. I didn't have enough time to get away. I flung all of my weight onto my right arm as I cart wheeled out of the way, only to feel a staggering pain flash up and down my left arm like a flash fire. Blood spurted from the wound, my eyes closing as I screamed.
"YOKO!" Simon and the others cried, Gurren Lagann turning around, his face agonized. I'd been wounded, but I wasn't dead yet.
"GET AWAY!" I lifted my gun as I pushed off with my right hand, flying freely through the air, on my back, holding my gun on my chest, my right eye sliding in front of the scope for a split second before my finger pulled the trigger. Direct hit, straight through the heart. But I couldn't stop here.
I started running again once my feet touched the ground, sliding out of the way of a missile, lifting my arms up once more, focusing on everything around me, paying attention to where I was at all times, when the bullets would hit me, timing my dodges perfectly to what my mind was calculating. I was built for the battlefield. You didn't need a gunman to fight. I was proving that right here, and right now. I heard Gurren Lagann step up beside me, looking down at me as I ran.
"Yoko, are you alright?" Simon asked, as I winced. I slowly lifted my head, looking up at him, giving him a thumbs up as I ran.
"I'm alright! Just worry about yourself, Simon!" I advised, turning back to the enemy, my lip curling up as my eyes glowed with a hell-born firelight. "Because it's payback time."
I watched the enemy slid into a huge line in front of me, ready to face and kill me with their lifted guns and swords. I took a deep breath, and lifted my gun, firing a few shots and rounds to provide me some cover, the cover that I desperately needed in order to reach where I needed to go. My red bangs blew into my eyes as I continued, narrowing my amber irises into thin slits as I shot bullet after bullet, our attacks colliding in mid air.
The ground underneath my feet shook as one of Simon's drills shook the deck violently, my back hitting the ground under me, my spine sliding along the grated metal painfully. I stifled a scream and lifted my rifle once again, looking through the scope and taking aim. Right for their throats. Three of the four shots I fired hit their mark, the last one bouncing off the shiny teeth of the gunman that chomped down to avoid the blow. I cursed, and rolled backwards, my feet sliding across the deck, my body hunched over as I held my left hand down, my right extended to my side, as I regained my balance.
I jerked my head up at a thunderous crash, and gasped. Gurren Lagann was slicing through more enemies, the pieces of broken robot flying down toward me, my eyes widening. I couldn't dodge that fast. I wasn't gifted with speed. Sure, I had long and beautiful legs, but I wasn't fast. I narrowed my eyes as pieces of metal flew past them. I would have to. I would have to move as fast and as quickly as I possibly could, like a flash. I nodded once. Time to move.
I leapt forward, the onslaught of metal surging toward me, my teammates screaming in horror, Simon turning toward me, averting his attention for a split second before being forced to focus on the enemy he'd neglected. I jumped, and flipped, and cart wheeled, doing anything I could to avoid getting hit, cuts opening up on my legs and arms, my cheeks barely getting scratched as I somersaulted forward on the rolling piece of metal, before jumping from piece to piece, landing daintily on each chunk of metal I landed on, my red hair blowing around my face, my ponytail loosening.
I kept at it, jumping around as I fast as I could, all to get to the top of the deck before the ship flipped over onto its side, before I got crushed as a result. I focused my eyes on a metal pole jutting out from the surface of the deck, a fallen sword from a slain enemy gunman, my free hand reaching toward it, my fingers grasping the handle of the sword just as a piece of metal cut into my right side, blood flying out of it. I heard my teammates and Simon gasp, as I turned my head, looking down at the ruby crimson blood that threaded from the wound and into the air, the wind carrying the drops and ribbons away into the wind, the pain all but accompanying them.
I screamed as I swung myself upward, flying up toward the enemies, firing my gun as I front flipped through the air multiple times, entering the danger zone, the elastic sliding from my hair as I moved my head to the side, freeing my long red locks into the wind. I narrowed my eyes, holding my rifle up to my shoulder, kneeling in the wide open, not caring about cover now, as Gurren Lagann stomped over to my side, the two of us ready to face the opposing forces, my blood dropping to the deck like raindrops. I watched the enemies begin to close in, start to circle us.
"Damn it! I told you this was too dangerous! Get out of here, Yoko! Before your wound gets worse!" Simon cried, blocking the bullets coming at me as I faltered, dropping my rifle to the deck as I held my right side, bracing myself up on my left hand.
"I'm…Alright…Don't…Worry…Simon…" I panted, sweat and blood pouring down my face, my red hair blowing around my face as the wind raged. Simon swung his cockpit toward me, Gurren Lagann's face looking down at me.
"But you're hurt, Yoko! Get out of here while you still can!" I smiled, and lifted my face up to him, my honey amber eyes glowing.
"Just who the hell do you think I am? I don't quit, and I don't run, you got that?" I yelled back, tossing my head. Simon paused, analyzing my response and carefully thinking out his own. I held my breath.
"Yoko…I don't want you to get hurt, so please-" I gritted my teeth, and flung him a fierce glare.
"Look, Simon! You can't handle all of these enemies all by yourself! Just let me stay! I won't get in your way, I promise you!" I called back, my long red hair rippling in the wind behind me, cutting through the air with streaks of scarlet. Simon nodded, Gurren Lagann nodding as a result.
"Just stay sharp, alright?" I smiled, and lifted my thumb up to him.
"You got it, Simon." I turned back to the enemies, and lifted my gun from the deck, holding onto it tightly in my right hand, kneeling on the ground, my left hand keeping me balanced. The countdown started once again in my head. Three seconds…Two…One second…
"NOW!" I ran forward, Gurren Lagann drawing a drill out of his right hand.
I continued running forward, firing my gun every which way, heedless of where the shots were going, only taking half a second to aim each time, my long hair blowing into my eyes, making it even more difficult to shoot accurately. And this is why I liked having it in a ponytail so much. So that way I wouldn't be as blind as a bat.
My eyes narrowed, as I continued firing, jumping up and over swords and arms, claws and feet, rolling, flipping, cart wheeling, everything possible to avoid getting hit a third time. If I got hit once more, I would be dead. No questions asked. Even Leeron wouldn't be able to save me. My legs and arms flew through the air, a curtain of scarlet veiling my back from my teammates' view, the ruby drops that flew from it letting them know that I was in fact wounded. I dropped my head when I landed in a neat crouch, gritting my teeth. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't leave Simon alone.
I shot three more rounds, two gunman falling backwards as my bullets hit them in their hearts, another three getting sliced in half by Simon, my bullets shooting down several more. I lifted my gun up, my lip curling upwards as I smirked, leveling it at the last gunman's cockpit. This was my final shot, and the final monster that stood in my way. I pushed off from one of the fallen gunman's cockpits, and front flipped over it, holding my rifle level in my hands.
"Go to hell, creep." I muttered, as I pulled the trigger, front flipping one last time, touching the deck's surface in a crouch at the front of the exploding gunman, the electricity crackling from the heart as it shot up into flames last.
"We did it, Simon." I sighed, dropping to my knee again, holding myself up with my left hand as I panted, Simon coming up behind me.
"Yoko…Are you alright?" I panted in response, unable to respond. I needed more oxygen. I was on my last legs.
"Simon…I told you didn't? I told you…Don't worry…About me…" I answered in between deep, labored breaths, Simon jumping down from Gurren Lagann's cockpit, running toward me the instant his feet touched the deck's surface.
"Yoko!" The others started to run toward me as well, but Simon reached me first.
I watched the sweat and blood mix at the tip of my nose, then fall to the metal deck in one, single luminous drop. My vision blurred, the metal floor of the deck swimming in front of my eyes as I panted through burning lips, my throat and lungs on fire. My side was flaming as well, my face twisting into a bitter smile. I wasn't ready to give up yet. I could still move, couldn't I?
"Yoko, are you…?" Simon asked, putting his hand on my shoulder lightly as I gripped my right side, blood threading through my fingers. I jerked my head upward suddenly.
"Something's coming." I muttered, watching the front of the ship shake, seeing the tips of sword blades coming up over the front. More gunmen. I wobbled to my feet, Simon holding onto my arm to keep me balanced.
"Yoko, you go get some rest, please. You're too injured to fight any longer." I turned my head toward him, and looked into his black eyes deeply.
Deep down, despite what I wished I would think, I knew he was right. But I just didn't want to give up. After all, the gunman had brought artillery and infantry along with them. I could at least cut them down. I tightened my right hand into a fist. Even though I no longer had my rifle, I could still fight using my fists. I wasn't completely helpless. I met his pained gaze evenly.
"Simon, I told you already. I'm not giving up. I'm going to pierce the heavens, right alongside you." I replied, letting go of my side, and bracing myself as I hunched over, touching my right fist to the ground. Simon widened his eyes when he figured it out.
"You're going to fight without your rifle? That's crazy, Yoko!" He cried, his eyes bulging out of their sockets in shock. I smirked, and turned away.
"Oh relax. I'm not going to get hurt this time. I'm not going to be taking on giant tin cans with just my hands. That would be suicide. What do you think I am, stupid?" I demanded playfully, Simon blinking a few times, not knowing how to respond to that. I rolled my eyes. Boys.
"Yoko…" I lifted my blood encrusted right hand, and poked his forehead firmly, Simon rubbing his brow, slightly perturbed. I smiled.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright. Let's just finish this, okay?" I murmured to him gently, the others preparing their gunmen as Simon and I spoke. I could hear the clanging of the metal against the sound of Simon's beating heart.
"Please…Just don't put yourself in harm's way." I rolled my eyes.
"This is a battle, silly. I'm already in harm's way." I replied knowingly, and lightly shoved him toward Gurren Lagann, where Rossiu was waiting.
"Hey, Simon! I'll hop into the Gurren, okay? I'll help you out." He called, waving to Simon from where he was standing on the ladder. Simon nodded, and smiled back, the enemy gunmen and forces getting impatient.
"Are you blasted humans ready yet? I'm getting old over here, damn it." Simon snapped his teeth together, as I narrowed my eyes. It was time to move.
"You're getting old huh? Well then, how about we finish this quick, for old time's sake?" I asked innocently, smirking slightly. That did it. The front line roared and moved forward, infantry and all. I slammed my right foot in front of me and jumped forward.
"Simon, I'm going! Watch the rear!" I cried from over my shoulder, as I ran forward, toward the dozens of foes that ran toward me, my bloody body. Simon ran a few steps forward.
"NO YOKO, WAIT!" I ignored him, instead aiming a cross at the first opponent that came at me.
I slid down to the ground on my back to avoid the bullet fired at me, and sliced my foot across the air, taking the front enemy off of his feet in a split second. The others alongside him then tripped, and fell forward, my lip curling up as I pushed off of their shoulders, a fully loaded gun in my hand, front flipping above their heads, and firing it off with one eye closed, my legs up above my head, smiling all the while.
The gun fired well, each shot flying through the air faster than my rifle's bullets could, each blow an instant kill. I laughed to myself, pulling the trigger. This was way too easy. I somersaulted through the barrage of bullets, and landed on the ground in a crouch, firing more shots, more infantry men falling to my gun's wrath as Gurren Lagann wrecked havoc on the gunmen that accompanied the infantry.
I rolled backwards, crawling behind a few boxes to use as cover, peeking out and around it every five seconds to fire one more shot at the enemies, each of my blows killing or injuring the enemy I fired at. I was dominating the enemies with my gun, while Simon took out the enemies I couldn't handle with Gurren Lagann. We were a perfect team, perfectly in sync. Fighting like this, it was a breeze.
I leaned out from behind my cover of a stack of boxes, and closed one of my eyes, taking aim at the closest infantry men, resting my finger on the trigger, taking a deep breath. Only ten of the forty that had come left. After these creeps, I'm helping Simon. I pulled the trigger, one of the remaining ten falling to the deck, dead. The other nine turned and faced me, firing their long range missiles, threatening to blow themselves up at the same time.
I widened my eyes, and hid behind the stack of boxes as fire blew past my sides, the scorching heat from the flames burning my already sensitive abdomen, my red hair flying over my shoulders as the fire carried wind to my hiding place, the gust wrapping itself around me, drying my blood with warmth from the sun's celestial beams of heat. I smiled, even as fire raged beside my head, the entire deck beginning to explode.
I covered my ears as a huge blast echoed across the entire barren wasteland we were fighting on, the ship shaking as the missiles rocked it from side to side, the after effects damaging the Dai-Guren. I sighed as I looked back, seeing no more infantry men to fight. But still plenty of gunmen. I looked around, grabbing for a gun, a rocket launcher, something, anything to help Simon out.
"DIE HUMAN!" My eyes widened, as I turned, and looked over my shoulder, seeing the enemy punch Gurren Lagann across the face, pulling its head off, as well as shattering the protective hatch that shielded Simon from all damage.
"Simon!" I cried, running out into the open as he flew across the width of the ship, arcing perfectly to fly over the side. He was going to fall. He was going to die if I didn't help him. "SIMON!"
I ran toward the edge of the deck, looking around as I went, Rossiu fighting the enemy gunman by himself, the others getting into their gunmen, as I picked up a latch hook, and loaded it into my gun I was holding with hardly any trouble at all. Leeron knew what I was going to do. As did Nia. I was going to take the plunge.
I ran across the deck, blood falling to the floor from my side, ruby tears glistening. I had to make it in time, Simon couldn't die. Simon absolutely could not die. I needed him, I realized. It had taken so long to figure that out. I continued running, as fast as I could. Only to save him, the one I held closest to me. I couldn't let him die. I just couldn't.
"Please don't die. Don't die, Simon!" I cried, tears falling from my eyes. "You can't leave me!"
I ran to the edge of the railing, and looked down, as I frantically turned my head, searching for rope. My eyes, my blurry eyes found none. I looked down once more, the remains of my bikini top fluttering in the wind. An idea popped into my head. I reached behind me, my crimson hair blowing in the wind, wet with blood and tears.
"Yoko, what the hell are you thinking?" Kittan cried, as I tugged on the tie that held my bikini together.
My top fell away, as I pulled it off, holding my right hand out, my long hair brushing against my bare back. I ignored all of the whistles and nosebleeds, as I hopped over the railing, grabbing a fallen sword and tying my top to the handle with my teeth, and attaching it to the gun as I loaded it into it. This was my only option. Either this idea worked, or we both would die. I ran faster, as my teammates screamed for me to comeback, to leave Simon. I couldn't do that.
I slid on my butt down the side of the ship, Simon falling steadily, as I front flipped off the edge of the metal deck, beginning to freefall. The wind was terrible at first, and I wobbled a little, until I held my arms close to my sides, increasing the speed of my fall. I had to catch Simon. I couldn't let him die.
"Simon!" I reached my free hand down toward him, Simon falling headfirst, down toward the ground.
I gritted my teeth, and reached farther, grabbing at his fingers with mine, our fingertips brushing against each other's as I steadily fell faster, my eyes narrowed against the wind, my enemy. The wind was doing everything it could to keep us separated, to make it so that Simon fell to his death. I kicked, and screamed, and fought like hell, but my speed didn't increase. Simon's did.
"SIMON!" I screamed, tears falling from my eyes, as I reached forward with both hands, my arms outstretched, my red hair blowing around my face as I kicked one last time. I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could, smiling through tears as I buried my face into his black-blue hair. "Simon…"
We started to fall toward the ground a bit faster, the wind now whipping my scarlet hair around my face more violently, lacing across my stomach, my side wound, my chest, my back, my legs as I shielded Simon from the blows, holding him close. I couldn't let him die. He meant more to me than he could ever know. Even more than Kamina did. But that was only because; Simon was the only one I had left. The only one I had left to hang onto, to not let myself forget Kamina, my first love. And for that, I'd sacrifice my own life, to see him live.
With tears falling from my eyes into the soft raven-navy cocoon I'd erected around them, I aimed the gun loaded with my bikini top and sword up toward the ship railing, intending to create somewhat of a bungee cord with what I had gathered. Simon… Blinking away one last tear, I pulled the trigger, betting my life on this one, final shot. You have to live!
The sound of the "bullet" rang out, a sharp metal screeching screaming into my ears, as the sword flew from the gun, shooting through the sky like a comet, stretching my bikini top out into what I'd hoped for, an elastic rope. The sword flew through one of the holes in the guard rail of the deck, and slammed into place, jerking my arm up with it, my surprised scream echoing across the barren wasteland, my other arm holding Simon as tightly as I could so that he didn't fall. I sighed in relief, smiling through ceaseless tears, washing the blood from my face.
"Simon…" I murmured, looking down at him, as my teammates ran to the edge of the guard railing, looking down at us.
"Yoko! Are you guys alright down there?" Kittan shouted, holding his hands to his mouth. I nodded once.
"Yeah, we're alright! More or less!" I answered, blinking. I could barely see Kittan's form shift.
"Good! We'll have you guys up here in a few! Hang tight until we can!" I nodded back, and smiled.
"You got it, Kittan! We'll still be…here…" My voice trailed off, as I felt myself slide downward a little bit. I looked up, and saw the reason for my steady decline. The rope was breaking. "Kittan, hurry! The rope is-AGGGHHHH!"
My bikini top snapped in half, my right hand releasing the gun I'd been clinging to in surprise, our only hope of survival heading to the ground faster than us. I watched the gun streak downward toward the ground with sad and despaired eyes. My plan hadn't worked. We were going to die, I was sure of it now. There was nothing left to do but wait for death to come for us.
I turned back to Simon, my amber eyes, my bleeding ambers eyes, glistening with crystalline blood as I gazed at him lovingly. He meant more to me than he could ever know. I would never tell him how I felt about him. He was more than a leader to me. He was a precious friend. One I couldn't bear to lose. One that I would give up my life for, drop my heart into the palms of his hands.
Nia.
I jerked my head backward, my eyes throbbing. That was true. He didn't just have to live for me, and the other members of Team Dai-Guren. He had to live for Nia as well. She loved him, and I knew it. It wasn't that hard to figure out. I noticed how her gaze always lingered on him for a few seconds longer than normal. I heard the gentleness of his voice whenever he spoke to her. They were falling for each other, that much I could tell.
And I was the lonely knight, the one without someone to love, hopelessly trailing after a dead man who was never coming back, as well as a boy who was already in love with someone else. I was crying deep inside myself, I was still crying for Kamina, grieving for his death, the loss of his touch, his embrace.
But the light that poured into me now, as I looked down at Simon, it was urging me to move on. It was urging me to stop crying, to stop pining for Kamina. He wanted me to move on. He wanted me to be with Simon. And with that realization, the rain inside my heart started to weaken, slowing down as the sun and warmth burned inside.
"Simon…" I hugged him closer to me, burying my face into his hair with a slight shake of my head. "I'm here for you…I won't leave you, I promise…"
Simon didn't stir, or answer. But I simply held him closer, crying silently, as we grew closer and closer to the ground, Death staring us right in the face. Its teeth glowed, its breath smelling of the most beautiful flowers, the very same flowers Simon and I had left on Kamina's grave after we'd finished paying our respects, the white face of Death smiling a bitter smile. It didn't want to take us. It didn't want us to join Kamina this soon after him leaving us. Death was crying.
I felt my eyes flutter closed, as the ground and Death came ever closer, the pale white face and luminous blossoms wrapping the two of us in its tender embrace, brushing across the wounds I'd received from the angry wind, the softness of the blossoms soothing the aching pain, as well as doing what they could to dry my tears. They were reassuring me. They were telling me that I wasn't going to die yet, that their master was crying over what was written on my heart.
I loved Simon.
I loved Simon, and I would do anything to save him, even jump off the side of a ship and fall to my death if it meant that he would live. The strength of my feelings pulsed inside, beating along with my heart, the soft silkiness of my scarlet curtain of hair caressing my cheeks as the blossoms wove through it, carrying it through the wind as they healed me, Death looking down at us, its tears raining down on my bare back, falling to the Earth under us.
I tightened my grip on Simon, and looked up at Death, my amber eyes sympathetic, as I cried tears of my own, the pale white face twisting into a pained grimace as it sobbed, the bottomless black eyes narrowing with sadness and agony. It didn't want to send us up into the skies above, where Kamina was waiting. I buried my face back into its soft cocoon, closing my eyes with a slight and faint smile on my face, and waited for Death's final decision.
The amount of tears increased. It didn't want us to join him just yet. Death didn't want us to follow in Kamina's footsteps by dying an early death. It didn't want us to hit the ground in a gory heap. The tears were cold, and burning at the same time, raw with Death's staggeringly strong emotions. Death was lamenting. Death was suffering because of who I was holding so closely. Simon, the one whose drill was going to pierce the heavens. Death knew this. Death couldn't take Simon just yet.
"YOKO! SIMON! CATCH THEM LEERON! DAMN IT!" I didn't react. I didn't look up. I didn't move from where I was. Death's tears kept falling.
"I'm doing all I can Kittan! Dai-Gurren's hand will crush them if we catch them in that!" Leeron shouted in reply, as Kittan cursed loudly, loud enough for me to hear it as clear as day.
"CAN'T YOU TRY HARDER? AT THIS RATE, THEY'LL BOTH DIE!" Death flinched. It didn't want to take us just yet. The ground was unbearably close. We were going to die.
"YOKO! SIMON! DON'T GIVE UP! I BELIEVE IN YOU WITH ALL MY HEART! SIMON!" At the sound of her voice, I lifted my head, my eyes widening. Nia. Nia was calling to him. He'd surely wake up now.
But his eyes still didn't open. He still didn't stir. I held him closer to me once more, and looked down at the ground, screwing my eyes shut as tightly as I could, as I flipped over onto my back, clutching Simon closer to me, baring my vulnerable spine to the earth under us, only one tiny thought shooting across my mind like a gun shot. You have to live! Simon!
"Gotcha!" Leeron exclaimed, as a seemingly out of thin air pillowed hand flew toward Simon and I, intending to catch us.
I braced myself, and held Simon close, so that we wouldn't separate at the moment of impact. My back slammed into the pillow-like material, the softness doing little to stop the pain in my back from burning, as I screamed, bouncing up into the air from the Dai-Gurren's palm, so sure that my back was broken since the pain was staggering, until finally dropping to the hand that had saved us with a exasperated exhale, my grip on Simon falling away as I dove into unconsciousness.