Galaxy Angel Dark

Chapter 3: Angels, Demons and Conspiracies, Oh My!

"Boss, you want we ice them now?"

The voice on the other end chuckled lightly. "No, no. Just wait a while. Let them....let them stew for a while. They have some issues to deal with. When I give the word, then you can have your twisted idea of fun." The voice sounded disapproving.

"You don't like us, boss?"

"No, I do not. However, you have a use in my plans, and so here we are. Don't make me regret my decisions." The threat was implied by his tone.

"R-right, boss."

------------------

The Angels flew over in their ships, searching for any signs of civilisation, or of Lost Technology.

So far, all they found were trees. Hundreds and hundreds of trees, from all around, stretching out into the horizon.

Forte sighed, and looked over towards Milfeulle. She was worried about the little ditz, who hadn't said a word since they had arrived.

Forte believed that she was in a state of shock and despair. The crimson haired gun-nut didn't blame her one bit. The others hadn't reacted so well at her bit of 'news'.

------------------

"You're DATING!?"

Forte covered her ears. Ranpha's screech had been LOUD. She worried idly about the damage to eardrums, and then she looked over at the holo-screens in front of her.

Ranpha was white, and a little green. Mint was frowning. Vanilla.....was apathetic as always. Normad was unable to make an expression.

Forte gazed lingeringly at Milfeulle's nervous, almost frightened face. The redhead hoped that, no matter what, the younger girl would be okay.

Ranpha was still making a fuss. "Th- th- th- th- that's so DISGUSTING!" She made as if she was throwing up. "What's wrong with you two!?"

"B-but...I mean...Isn't it okay?" Milfeulle said, hopefully. "I mean, sure she's older than me by quite a margin, but surely that doesn't matter? I mean, you've fallen in love with older men, right Ranpha?"

"Age has nothing to do with it!" Ranpha cried. "You're both girls! It's...it's unnatural!"

Mint nodded glumly, eyes closed in consternation. "I have to agree. This sort of relationship goes against natural law, and I personally am somewhat uncomfortable with it." She shook her head. "I just....I can't see any reason in it."

Milfeulle was pale, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "But....but surely it's okay, as long as we love each other? Right?" Her voice cracked from fear and a little sadness.

"Love!?" Ranpha spat. "That's not love, that's.....that's just wrong!"

"Milfeulle, this sort of thing is......not right." Mint said. "I....just leave us alone, okay? We can't....we can't deal with this. Just....Just.....Please reconsider this arrangement of yours, please. It....it wouldn't do for you to continue and have others find out."

"God is displeased."

The three Angels flew on ahead of the two lovers, their piece said.

Forte looked over at her beloved, who had her head bowed, hiding her face. "Look, Milly-chan, it's okay. I'm sure they'll come around. And besides, who cares what they think? As long as we love each other, that's what counts, right?"

The holo-screen vanished, and Forte's face fell. She knew that Milfeulle couldn't handle it if the others objected, were even disgusted by their relationship, but she hadn't beleived that it would hurt her this much.

"Milly-chan? Please, talk to me. Say something. Milly-chan? Please, don't ignore me. Milfeulle? Milfeulle!? Please, answer me! What's wrong!? Why won't you say anything!?"

"........Leave me alone."

And that was the last thing Milfeulle Sakuraba said to Forte Shtoll.

--------------------

Forte flew beside Milfeulle, confused and concerned. Whatever the reason, Forte knew that her beloved's behaviour was caused by those three harpies.

They would pay for this. Oh, they would pay.

Sometime later, and they had all regrouped. They were talking amongst themselves.

However, they didn't include Forte in their conversation.

"So, you decided to get out of that....freakshow you had going with Forte?" Ranpha asked. "Good for you. Nice to know that it was just a lapse in judgement, and not anything serious! I mean, people like that are just....abnormal, y'know?"

Mint nodded. "You made the right decision here, Milfeulle."

"Yeah, sure." The pink-haired girl said dully, without any hint of emotion.

It was as if she was empty, devoid of all that made her herself. But, the others did not notice.

Normad said nothing, pondering things.

Behind them, Forte sighed. It seemed that she had been abandoned, and that Milfeulle had believed the trash coming out of those other jerks' mouths.

It was just like Milfeulle to believe the lies of others, she thought with a wry smile. Stupid, stupid, beautiful Milfeulle.

She idly looked to her side, and paled, her eyes narrowing in shock. She quickly turned her comms to the others.

"GET DOWN!"

The others just looked at her strangely as the red-head charged forward, as if readying an attack.

"See, Milfeulle!?" Ranpha yelled angrily. "People like that are insane freaks, incapable of being around normal folk like us!"

Forte gritted her teeth. "You stuck up, bimbo bitch! If you'd care to look, you'd notice an ambush!"

Eyebrows quirked as Forte flew staright past all four of them and fired her laser cannons, taking down a few trees. And then something flew out, firing back.

It looked like a flying, bipedal mecha robot, with a large cannon arm. It blasted red orbs of energy, which exploded upon contact with anything. Soon, portions of the unending forest were burning.

Forte glared. "Blast Napalm? That's not been used since--"

"The Great War 15 years ago, right?"

Her eyes widened, turning slowly.

'It can't be.' She thought. 'He's dead.'

Behind her was a giant mecha, 5 times the size of her other opponent. One arm was a large sword, the other a laser rifle. In its chest was a large round hole, perhaps a thrid weapon.

"Renard." Forte gasped out.

Inside the cockpit of the mecha, Renard grinned maliciously. "Correct, mon ami. Been a long time, non?"

"Not long enough." The woman said through gritted teeth, eyes filled with hate.

"Aw, you wound me." Renard said in mock tone of hurt. "I see you are not alone. That is good, cause neither am I."

"Why are you here, Renard? Why are you targeting us? And don't think I haven't figured out that you're after us. Just tell me why."

"Because, mon ami, it is our job. We are the Galaxy Devil Brigade, and we have been hired to kill every single one of you Galaxy Angels and take your remains to the boss."

"Why?"

He grinned. "Does it even matter?"

----------------

Milfeulle stared off into space.

Forte had flown off to attack.....at first, she had thought that the weapons otaku was after the four of them, but then it turned out that she had spotted an enemy.

And now, a second enemy was chasing her.

"Wh-what the hell was that!?" Ranpha screamed. "A robot!? We're being attacked by a robot!? And Forte saw them!?"

"It's worse then that." Mint said, looking behind them.

Ranpha turned. "How so?" She gasped.

Milfeulle turned to look, and gasped, paling.

Three mecha were flying towards them, weapons armed. And a fourth was flying around from the side, ready to join in.

And, for once in her life, Milfeulle felt true terror.

She felt the fear of the death.

Forte's death.

------------------

President Gelatin Veza Transval turned as the door opened. It was Director Hungari. He looked angry.

"And what can I do for you, Director?" Veza said, smiling.

Hungari was not calmed. "You can explain this, for one thing." He laid down a piece of paper on the president's desk. "What the hell is the meaning of this!?"

Veza calmly picked up the sheet, and read what was written on it. "Finances Account. 1.2 million R&D department. 1.8 million Galaxy Angel Brigade finances. 2 million technologies repair work. 3 million Devil Brigade finances." He looked up. "So?"

"What the hell is the 'Devil Brigade'?" Hungari asked. "And don't think I haven't found other anomalies in our finances. Money disappearing, some areas getting more than is required. And then there is the recent recruitments. But this was the kicker." He pulled out another sheet. "Just what is 'Project Judgement', and why have you spent so much man hours and money on it? And don't tell me it's official military business, cause I know better." He was sweating, but his anger allowed to overcome his nervousness. "Is it a weapon? Because, by your own law, you had outlawed weapons development of any kind, save for the arms we currently have, which are made to be non-lethal. I want the truth."

Veza sighed. "You caught me out, Hungari-kun. Project Judgment is something I've been working on for the past 15 years, and it's all thanks to the Angel Brigade that I am nearing its completion. It will allow me to better control the galaxies of our universe, and end all suffering. Now, what, pray tell, are you going to do now?"

Hungari pulled out a handgun. "President Veza, you are under arrest on suspicion of conspiracy of treason, and for disobeying Article 337 of Transval Law." He gulped. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, sir."

"As am I, Hungari-kun." Veza frowned sadly. "As am I."

-------------------

Milfeulle watched with growing tension as the enemy approached. Four flying, humanoid mecha robots flew towards them at a steady pace.

"Why are they coming at us so slowly?" Ranpha wondered. "Surely they can go faster?"

Suddenly, Forte's face appeared before them all, her image broadcasted from a holo-vid.

"YOU!" Ranpha screeched, pointing her finger at the image. "How did you do that!? We blocked out your sgnal!"

The crimson-haired woman smirked. "Please, I can get around a computer better than Mint. Sure, it's not my best skill, but hacking does have its uses on the battlefield." She frowned. "But now's not the time. I've got data on the enemy."

"What kind of data?" Mint asked sceptically."

Forte chuckled. "You find out I'm gay, and suddenly you give me the cold shoulder, even think me capable of attacking you guys. Unbelievable. Anyway, these guys were once a mercenary unit employed during the Great War 15 years ago. They were absolutely ruthless, using any and every means necessary to achieve victory." She frowned, glancing to her right. "These guys are pros, and are completely without morals or an honour code. And, what's more, they're killers. One thing you should know though: they like toying with their prey."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ranpha asked.

"It means that they will gang up on you, injure you within an inch of your life, and then torture you in the most brutal, painful and sadistic manner imaginable." Forte smirked without hurmour. "And that's only the first few minutes. DON'T let them get a fix on you, or you're finished." She scowled. "And if you let ANYONE hurt Milly-chan, then I will kill you!"

"Forte..." Milfeulle whispered, tears gathering.

Forte's expression softened as she looked at her beloved. "Milfeulle. I know you want to be accepted by everyone more than anything. And I don't blame you. I won't condemn your actions, and I will stop seeing you, if that is what you wish." She tried hide her face as she started to cry. "I just...I just want you to know how much you meant to me, but it's so hard to express with words. And.....and I'm sorry I caused you trouble."

"Forte-kun!" Milfeulle cried, tears streaming. "I'm the one who's sorry! I....I ignored you, and listened to the tohers, instead of my heart. Oh god, you don't know how much it hurt, treating you like that. I just....I just believed them, that it was wrong and immoral, and went against nature and...and all kinds of other things I don't really understand. Point is, they told me that what we were doing was wrong, that you were....a bad person....and so I....so I tried to follow them.... But they were wrong, and so was I! I....I love you Forte Shtoll, and there's noone else I'd rather be with!"

Forte smiled, her own tears freely falling. "Thank you, Milly-chan. Forgive me."

Milfeulle gasped as Forte, alone, tired to take down the four Devils. Unfortunately, her firepower wasn't enough to scratch them. They quickly turned and rushed after her. They blasted her, but she dodged and weaved through their attacks.

"Come and get me, you bastards!" She yelled. "Or are you pathetic cowards now, who hide behind guns?"

That seemed to hit a nerve, as the Devils dropped their guns and pulled out their melee weapons. One (painted red) threw two chains with a weighted blade at the end. The the two blades imapled the wings of Forte's Angel Frame, and she was pulled towards the Devil. She was quickly surrounded by the other three; a yellow Devil armed with a large spiked club, a green one with a halberd and a purple one which held two sickles. They all dug their weapons into the sides of the Frame, hoping to instill Forte with fear before they started their 'fun'.

Inside the cockpit of her Angel Frame, Forte smirked regretfully.

"You idiots. Have you forgotten who I am, after all these years. I am your former commander, I taught you most of what you know. However, you never could spot a trap when its right in front of ya. One of your many, many weaknesses." She opened a channel on her comms to the Angels. "Okay guys, when I give the signal, run. Just run away. Believe me when I say that you canNOT take these guys on. So run."

"But...." Milfeulle choked out tearfully. "but what....about you?"

"It was nice.....being with you. You allowed me to forget my sins, for a while." She smiled, honestly and without any remorse or bitterness. "Sayonara."

Forte flicked the switch, setting off the charges lined throughout her mode of transport.

The Devils realised the trap too late, as they were caught in the massive explosion.

Milfeulle stared at the sight, disbelievingly. She slowly shook her head, not wanting to even register what happened. And, finally, she screamed.

"FORTE!"

-----------------

I hope you guys are enjoying this, because I won't stop till it's finished.

Again, I apologise for all the OOC behaviour. Hopefully, this will be....not quite as pronounced in future installments, if not repaired outright.

I apologise for ending on such a dramatic cliffhanger, but it cannot be helped. It seemed the best place to stop.

I also apologise for any inaccuracies contained herein (such as names, backstory and whatnot). But, it's what the story demands, so there.

Man, I've just been apologising this time. Oh well, hopefully I have your understanding. If not.....I'll be very sad. :(

Well, I hope you continue to read, and please review!