They began the tour in the center of downtown which was simply a few one level houses that offered food and drinks.
Other than that there really wasn't anything in this small town they were in.
"Wow you weren't kidding, there's really nothing here." Haru commented with a small chuckle as the three walked down the road. Nami nodded as Renton looked around at the few buildings and occasional person.
Haru looked to the other side of the road where one of the people who lived here was glaring at them.
"You guys don't really like outsiders hm?" Haru asked in a hushed tone.
Nami looked at him confused then saw the person across the road.
"Yeah sorry about that, we don't get visitors here." She apologized with a small chuckle.
"I don't even know where we are." Renton commented as he looked at Nami.
"I'm sure you still wouldn't even if you had a map, the military bastards don't like people to know about us after we openly fought against them." Nami replied as she continued down the road.
Haru's eyes snapped on the back of her head then quickly looked to Renton. Shit, he's going to tell her isn't he?
Haru frowned slightly when he saw Renton looking across the road at more buildings. What is he planning?
"Don't like the military?" Haru asked following her.
"Not at all, those bastards killed my mother...I'll never forgive any of them." She growled.
Haru looked back over at Renton but he simply looked straight ahead.
Suddenly Nami stopped causing Haru to run into her.
"Sorry." He apologized as he backed up from her.
"Watch where you're going next time." She said with a small smile causing Haru to chuckle.
"Well this is it, our 'grand town'. What do you think?" She asked looking between the two.
"It's...not very...bad." Renton muttered scratching the back of his head causing Nami to look at him with an arched brow.
"Don't be so modest Renton just say it, this town sucks." Haru chimed in as he crossed his arms. Nami looked at him and laughed.
"Glad to see you're honest about th-" She was cut off by the chiming of her phone. She brought it up in front of her and read her message then looked up as she put it away in her pocket.
"Good news, your friends are awake." She said with a smile.
Haru's eyes shot open as his heart skipped a beat.
"A-Anemone's awake?!" He whispered as he turned and began sprinting down the street, back the way they came.
He hadn't noticed Renton running beside him with Nami trailing behind them.
The only thing in his mind, the only thing that mattered to him was seeing her.
. . . .
Haru barged through the door and sprinted straight upstairs followed by Renton and Nami.
The door upstairs flew open as Haru stood within the door frame panting and scanning the room.
The room was dark with a bed to the left and one to the right which held Anemone and Eureka, while in the middle the old man who let them in sat on a stool.
"You got here fa-" He tried to speak to Haru but Haru spotted Anemone laying on the bed to his right and sprinted over.
He knelt before her bed panting.
"Anemone?!" He whispered.
She opened her purple eyes and looked over at him with a weak smile.
"Haru! Where am I?" She quietly and weakly spoke in a dry voice.
Haru smiled widely as he jumped up and hugged her tightly.
"I'm so glad you're awake!" He whispered as he clung to her.
He could feel the heat from her face against his.
"H-Haru!" She whispered with surprise.
He finally let go and knelt back down beside the bed with a smile.
"Sorry Anemone I'm just happy you're ok." Haru chuckled scratching the back of his head.
"The way you clinged to me people would think we're dating." Anemone weakly said with a small chuckle. Haru's face was immediately ablaze.
"Wh-No sorry! I just...oh dear..." He sighed shaking his head as she weakly laughed.
"Good to see she's recovered." The old man said suddenly beside Haru causing him to jump.
"I...yes thank you...for everything." The old man smiled and nodded.
"It's no problem really. Though I imagine Nami will be disappointed that you will be leaving so soon. She's really taken a liking to you, you know." Haru chuckled lightly.
"Well can't really run from the military they tend to dislike that kind of thing." There was a small gasp that came from the doorway accompanied by the sound of glass shattering. Haru looked over and froze over as he saw Nami standing there with a look of horror on her face.
She heard!
"Nami I-" She took off running down the stairs. Haru took off after her.
When he stepped outside he saw she was standing there with her back to him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She whispered.
"You said you hated them so I didn't want for you to get angry." She was shaking with rage keeping her back to him.
"You're one of them! Right here talking with me! One of those bastards" She turned as she screamed and poked a finger at Haru's chest.
"One of those 'bastards' saved me! It's because of one of those 'bastards' I'm not being tortured in a lab or starving on the streets while you're living here safe from all the troubles of the big bad world!" Haru yelled back causing Nami to look down at the ground.
"I'm sorry Nami you're a good person but I can't change what the military did. We're leaving today and I'd like you to be there to see us off." Haru stood there a moment then finally walked back inside and knelt by Anemone's side.
. . . .
Haru held Anemone in his arms while Renton helped Eureka limp down the road with her arm across his neck.
The group walked outside the town and went to the crater where they'd both crashed.
The moment they got there the two LFO's seemed to emanate an aura of joy at the sight of them.
Haru looked around but saw they were the only ones there. He sighed quietly and looked at Renton who looked right back at him.
They both nodded to each other, a nod of understanding one that said they knew that next time they saw each other they'd be enemies again.
Renton took Eureka and got into Nirvash and got it running.
"Gekko this is Renton and Eureka we're downed and need to be picked up." Renton began to communicate over his headset as the Nirvash got up and began going the other way.
"Haru?" Anemone asked once they were gone.
He looked down at her as she stared into his eyes.
"Thank you for being there for me." Haru chuckled with a blush spreading across his cheeks.
"It's nothing really, I don't know what I'd do if I were to lose you." He replied with a smile as his face burned.
"You're the first person that I've ever..." She trailed off with a blush of her own.
"That you ever what?" He asked in confusion.
Rather than reply she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up, planting a kiss on his cheek.
His face went blank as he stared straight ahead.
"That was my first..." He trailed off as he blinked and shook his head.
"L-Let's go home." He said as Anemone smiled.
Haru climbed up Redemption and laid Anemone down on the floor of the cockpit while he hooked himself in.
Redemption arose and lifted theEND up in it's arms.
"Alright let's go!" Haru smiled as Redemption jumped up and connected it's bored riding the oncoming wave and riding up into the sky.
Down below Nami stood on the ground watching Haru soar off into the distance.
Tears streaked down her face as she turned and began walking back to town.
. . . .
"We've finally found you two! Where the hell have you been!" The Captain yelled the moment Haru jumped down with Anemone in his arms.
"We got downed by Nirvash and had to recover before we called for aid." Haru reported as he began walking to the infirmary with the Captain walking beside him.
"Well at least you two are ok. Now you'd better get some rest before the next mission. I'll see you two when you're fully healed." Haru nodded and went into the infirmary, setting Anemone on the nearest bed. He pulled up a chair and saw she was already asleep.
Get better Anemone...
