Chapter 7
SYSTEM ALERT … SYSTEM ALERT … SPACE GATE ONE ... CAPACITY REACHED
SPACE GATE TWO … CAPACITY NINETY NINE PERCENT
"Chief! Space gate three reports, that they are almost overrun. What should we do?"
"Get me Akashi on the goddamn intercom! Furihata, call gate four and five. We need to know how it looks there."
"Chief Aida! Akashi called."
"Finally!", Aida breathed relieved and snatched Momoi's wristband from her. "Do you have news from General Harasawa?"
"No, not yet." Momoi tapped frantically on her screen, scanning her mails.
"C-Chief!", Furihata stammered.
"What now?", Aida roared over.
"S-Something is happening there." Furihata pointed to the big screen on the wall.
The screen flickered, showed static noise and suddenly a man with dark eyes, strawberry-blonde hair and little fang teeth appeared on the surface.
"Ahem … ahem … test … test … is this thing working? Mah~ whatever. Hello, there!" The guy waved into the camera and grinned gleefully, showing his fangs. "I think, I will introduce myself first. Name is Hayama Kotarō. Origin … mah~ you don't need to know.", he cuckled. "First off … no, it's the second already ..." The guy scratched his head and continued. "I apologise that we will never met in person." He bowed slightly and then a sudden evil gleam appeared in his dark eyes. "Because as of tomorrow you won't be alive anymore. We, the Mukan no Goshō, think that it's time to play a bit. The bid has been already sent to your leaders. But much to our regret, we haven't heard any good news from them since then. I guess this leaves us only one option …", he paused and seem to tap onto something. "Mah~ our much beloved cannon is almost fully charged, but we would be really sad when our golden egg would be lost in a battle. So, I will give you one last chance. Find this guy-" Kagami's picture popped up on the screen. "-and bring him to us. You still have … hmm … six hours left. Ah! And if you wonder, we didn't talk about earth days." He smirked mirthful. "Good luck, let the game of tag begin!" The guy waved one last time and the screen closed, showing a small white point as afterglow until it completely went black.
Heavy silence befell the head office. One could've heard a pin falling. "What the hell was that?", Chief Aida breathed aghast and suddenly everyone snapped out of it.
"Chief, General Harasawa is on the line.", Momoi screamed and pushed the emergency receiver into Chief Aida's hand, snatching her still online intercom from his other.
"Sei-chan?", she ushered. "Did you hear everything?"
Akashi looked into the serious faces of his team and growled. "Yes, we have heard and seen." Chief Aida's hand dropped, when the foreign man had popped up on the screen, letting Akashi and his team witness the whole message. "Satsuki, get your ass over to Kagami's apartment. We have him located and maybe need you on location for intel."
"But Sei-chan.", Momoi's protesting voice rose from the device.
"No. I will have you at my side, if the worst comes down. Inform the Chief, that we try to catch Kagami and that we need you here. Then instantly move. We will be there." Akashi switched his wristband off and looked once more into the round. "You know what to do. Let's go!"
"You're really a little devil, Kotarō. Don't you think it was mean, to only now sent it to the higher ups of the earthlings?"
"Och, Reo-nee that makes it so much more fun! I'm curious how fast they will notice, that the video was broadcasted five hours ago."
"I'll give you that, you really know how to manipulate satellites."
"Woah, Hanamiya praised you. Is the world coming to an end?"
"What are you talking about, Nebuya-kun? Hanamiya always recognises other peoples talents."
"Yeah, Kiyoshi. And he don't like yours."
"This is really after my taste. So, how many hours are left?"
"Hours? Are you kidding? You mean minutes."
"Hahaha! Perfect!"
"Someday you need to show me how you did that, Kotarō."
"It's easy. You only need to locate every outer space being, leave out the one you want to catch, and link the datastream to their devices. The rest handles itself."
"Uah~ look at this! I guess we will soon have our golden egg."
Kagami made a full braking and looked baffled out the dirty windshield. "What …?"
"There he is!", a voice snarled and as if on command, an angry alien mob stormed over to the truck.
"What the fuck?", Kagami found his voice again. Realising that they were after him, he ripped at the gear shift to get into the reverse gear. But too late. The old machine didn't work as swiftly as the new technology and suddenly sharp claws scratched over the window at his side. "WheRe 'o Ya thinK ya're goIng?" Three purple telescope eyes rolled wildly at him as they peeked over the rim of the drivers door. "Fuck!" Kagami jerked away from the door and frantically tried to get the reverse gear in. "Goooooooooolden Eeeeeeeeeeeeggggg.", something howled deeply and landed with a loud bang on the driver's cab roof.
"Catch him, catch him, catch him." A green leprechaun continuously shrieked, as he hopped on the hood and left deep bumps in the metal. His shaggy orange hair waved angry in the motion and drool dripped from his tusks. Something crashed into the front and shook the whole truck, making Kagami fly up from his seat and painfully hitting his head at the roof.
Ignoring the stinging bump, he looked through watery eyes out of the windshield. That didn't look good for him. More and more aliens were closing up on the truck, whetting their sharp claws and fangs. "Sorry.", he murmured and moved his hands with lightning speed.
"WhAt?", he heard the surprised shriek from the Karashian snail beside his door and then everything went white.
"What the fuck happened here?" Aomine stopped in his running and gaped at the scene. Charred alien cadavers laid everywhere on the ground, some of them still smouldering from the heat wave they apparently had hit with. He moved over to a still twitching figure and leaned down. But every help was too late. The twitching only an afterglow of the dying life. "Fuck!", Takao snapped behind him and Aomine peeked over his shoulder. His team had finally closed up to him. They, like him before, let their eyes roam over the massacre and were lost for words.
"Urg." Kise stumbled against a house wall, looking green in the face and clapped a hand over his lips to hold in the bile in his mouth.
"That's horrible.", Himuro whispered, walking around one of the corpses.
"Crispy.", Murasakibara drawled, poking a burned figure with his long finger.
"Atsushi! Really?" Himuro shot him an appalled gaze and pulled an disgusted face.
"Akashi-kun."
"Yeah, I know Tetsuya. We need to be really careful." Akashi looked through slitted eyes ahead to the building, where Kagami Taiga's apartment was. "Seeing this, you all know to not underestimate him. Form up!", he called out and his team assembled around him, standing at attention.
"Atsushi, Tatsuya, Shintarou, Kazunari you go through the cellar entrance. Tetsuya, Ryouta, Daiki and I go through the front door. In view contact you shoot these stunning bullets." He handed over some bullets with a green cap, which he had pulled out from his black hip belt. "Shouldn't be someone go over the roof?" Akashi stilled for a moment at Takao's suggestion. "Hm …" Akashi eyed Aomine appraising. "Do you think you can do that jump again?"
"Ha? Hell, no! That was pure luck last time." Aomine shook his head. "But let me take the outside stairs. I can climb up to the ladder, that's no problem and will be faster than controlling every floor."
"Okay, we do it like this. In view contact you shoot and break the news immediately. Not the other way around. I don't want casualties." Akashi leaned back as he noticed Momoi's silver-pink hover bike. "Sei-chan~!" She wiped the helmet from her pink hair, which whooshed over her back down in soft waves and flung her slim leg over the the hover bike seat. Her skin-tight black motorcycle suit had cutouts over her hips, showing off her cream colored flawless skin and left not much room for imagination. The front zipper was slightly pulled down and gave deep insights into her cleavage, which was pushed up by the tightness of the suit.
Aomine, like the others, looked over, but for the blood rush southwards and the dry mouth feeling, which he would have had previously at viewing a sexy woman, he waited in vain. Nothing. Absolutely nothing stirred in his lower regions and even Akashi shot him a weird gaze. "What?", he snapped and glared at seven pairs of eyes, who stared back at him.
"Uhm … we're waiting that you catcall or make another lewd remark, like always. Is everything alright with you?", Kise quizzed unbelieving.
"Shaddap!", he snapped once more and turned on his heels to walk closer to Kagami's building.
"It's weird.", Takao mused looking curiously after their blue-haired teammate.
"More like a miracle, I would say.", Midorima corrected, adjusting his spectacles.
"Aominecchi has fallen ill. What do we do Kurokocchi?" Kise shook his partner in exasperation.
"Calm down Kise-kun.", Kuroko uttered, head lolling from one side to the other.
"Does Mine-chin not like meat buns anymore?" Murasakibara seemed dismayed.
"I hope you talk about the food, Atsushi.", Himuro murmured from the side of his mouth.
"I guess the mating bond gets stronger." Akashi ignored the comments of his team, gaze directed to the tanned male's back.
"Hey, what's up? Did something happen to Aomine-kun?" Momoi was close enough to notice the weird looks the team was giving the bluenette. "No, nothing. Good that you are here." For a short moment, Akashi pulled his fiancé closer and pressed a chaste peck on her cheekbone. Then he explained their plan and requested for her to stay back and observe the building.
"Understood? If you see the slightest movement in Kagami's apartment or elsewhere, contact us.", he honed into her. "Yes."
"Good. Team! Move out!", Akashi gave command and the team split up to do their tasks.
"Ouch, goddammit."
"This here and this … uhm … here … where the fuck goes this cable? Shit! Ah! Here.", Kagami murmured while trying to fix the super nova drive to his spaceship. A few cuts mered his hands, but were already closing with a slight sizzling sound. It really was a surprise for him, that Miron had upgraded the light drive on his own. But like the alien had told him, he would need it, of that he was sure.
"Zzzzaaaaaggggaaaaamchiii?" Quirouxish was really a pain in the ass, but Kagami plastered a fake smile to his lips and turned around to greet Mrs. Barixta. "Hey there. Can I help you?"
"Y castid te schaf reedwfi.", Mrs. Barixta said and pressed a miracolouse fruit into his palm. "You're also going? Good. Thanks for all, Mrs. Barixta. I will miss you." His faked smile morphed into a true one as she clasped her tentacles around his back and hugged him tight. With a last clap, she turned and staggered away, hanging her finn. Kagami's words were truly spoken, what surprised himself a little. He really had taken a liking to his neighbor and hoped she would be sound and safe. But there wasn't time left to think any longer about it. He turned, put the miracolouse on top of the trolley with the tools, and continued to link up the cable network of the drive.
"Cellar. Clear."
"First floor. Clear."
"Second floor. Clear.
"Roger."
"Assemble on the second floor. Daiki how is it looking at yours?", Akashi whispered into his device.
"The front door is open."
"Wait for us. That seems fishy."
"I go in."
"No, Daiki!", Akashi urged, but only rushing noises came from his wristband.
"Fuck!"
"Sei-chan …. anno~ I don't know what it is, but from sixty degrees north east is something coming up to us. And it's fast." Momoi's voice rose through the device, distress riding high in her voice.
"What is it?", Akashi barked harshly back.
"I don't know. It seems as if the street becomes alive. The dirt bucks and convolves as if something wants to break out of it. There is a huge dust cloud blocking my view."
"Get out of there Satsuki. Meet with us in Kagami's apartment.", Akashi ordered, trying to hide the worry which creeped into his eyes. He looked around. Eventually, in those short moments he talked to his fiancé, his team had assembled around him and was waiting for instructions.
"You all heard what Satsuki said. Lets be quick. I don't want to deal with whatever is happening outside."
Aomine crept into the dark of Kagami's house. He pressed his back close to the wall and checked his dimly lit surroundings. Walking into an ambush was the last thing he wanted to do. He peeked around the corner, but only silence and the standby lights from some devices stared back at him. Sprinting in a crouch over to the redhead's bedroom, he pushed the door open with the tip of his gun and peered inside. The room was neat, except for the open drawers and cabinet doors. Kagami seemed to have packed everything he needed and was nowhere to be seen. Aomine turned his attention to the kitchen. Slowly, but with swift motions, he moved forward and lined his body with the half high wall. He inhaled deeply, calming his taut nerves, and looked around the corner. When no one was seen, he rose to his full high, still at attention and walked completely into the room. Here also, drawers and cabinets were open and the content cleaned out. It seemed as if the man made his homework. It was as if he had expected something like this.
Aomine approached the fridge and opened the door. Likewise, nothing was in there. He closed the door and once more looked around and then on his device. The small red blinking point was still there, showing the position of the super nova drive. Kagami had to be here. Somewhere … maybe laying in hiding and observe what he was doing next? No. Aomine shook his head. Something seemed strange. The position didn't change, but his team hadn't found a trace of the redhead. Where was he? Aomine once more inspected the kitchen and was about to move back into the guy's bedroom - maybe he had overseen something - when he noticed a fine square line on the side of the fridge, where normally nothing should be.
He ghosted his fingertips over the lines and then pressed in the middle. Instantly he heard a hiss and the small square sunk in and moved aside, giving way to a key lock. "What the …?" Aomine's eyes narrowed, inspecting the lock. No fingerprints were to be seen, which meant he had a problem here. He was sure it meant something and pressed the reconnect button on his intercom. "Akashi, report." It crackled in the line, but no one answered. "Akashi?" Aomine tipped again on the reconnect button. Suddenly his wristband glowed up in a ominous red tone, unimaginable heat burning his skin. "Ahhhhrg." Aomine teared the device from his wrist and hurled it away. "What the fuck?" Every electric equipment in the kitchen glowed red and the stinging scent of charred plastic and burned cables filled the air. The dark glowing subsided a moment later and he stepped closer to his intercom, poking the tip of his shoe against it. Leaning down, he held a hand over it. It wasn't hot anymore, but also showed no live. "Shit, its done for. What now?" Aomine turned around to the fridge. Hopefully the key lock hadn't taken damage by the electrical overload. But much to his dismay, it had. The plastic had thrown bubbles and run in ugly streams down over the surface. "Fuck!" Aomine roared and slammed both his hands against the useless fridge.
He heard a metallic crunch and looked aghast at the bumps his palms had left in the surface. "What …?"
Before he could find his voice again, the floor suddenly convolved like a living, breathing beast, smacking him from his feet and against the wall in his back.
"Sei-chaaaaan!" Momoi's voice screeched out from the living room and a lot more cursing followed, as his team untangled their limbs from the heap, they had been thrown into, in front of the kitchen entrance.
"What was tha-", Takao's voice got drowned out by a booming roar and an explosion outside the building. Everyone's head whipped around to the window and time seemed to stop.
Like in slow motion the glass detonated into thousand shreds and rained down on them. But that didn't stop their gaping mouths from hanging slack. They never had witnessed such a horror before. Outside on the street, something massive scaly rose and a dark furious eye, of the size of a caterpillar work machine wheel, stared through the window. Burning them with the sheer mass of wrath oozing from its depths.
"DUCK!", Akashi hollered, noticing something evil flash through those snake like eye, not a second too late.
Something clashed heavily into the building and separated the upper part of the house easy from it. Debris rained down on everyone and a painful scream escaped Himuro's throat.
"System on? Check. Drive fully loaded? Check. Coordinates … yep, Torifos.", Kagami got mentally through his checklist and pressed some buttons on the console in front of him, flipping through the programs on the hologram screen.
He looked up when the turmoil outside reached new heights. "What the fuck is going on?" He was safe in his camouflage bubble, but curiosity got the better of him and he enlarged a window on his screen.
"Holy crap. What the-?" His apartment was wrecked beyond recognition. The sun blinded the camera for a moment through the newly made sunroof and Kagami blinked and then blinked again. Wasn't that Akashi he just saw rolling over the ground, escaping the ultrasound wave of … "What the fuck is that?" He zoomed the camera to a wider angle and gasp. "How is that even possible?", he breathed aghast out. The image showed a nearly 30 meter high green-black shingled beast. He appreciated the length to approximately 500 meters. The tail ended in a sharp blade and the ugly dragon skull whipped through the air, biting through stone and wood, trying to reach the people in his apartment, who looked like ants next to the huge snake body. A Xylinthix? On earth? "Fuck!" This could mean a problem for him. Those beasts, if fully fledged, could sprout wings. His only hope was, that it wasn't fully grown. But wait! If Akashi was there, that meant … He tapped on the screen, widening the view even more and his heart leaped up to his throat, pulsing frantically, as he saw Aomine to hairbreadth escape the sharp blade, that had tried to decapitate him. His held breath whooshed relieved out of his lungs, as he saw Aomine standing up, only a few scratches visible on his handsome face.
Wait! What? Kagami felt the strings of the bond tuck on his body and clenched his teeth, shutting his eyes. He shook his head. He couldn't … no shouldn't go out there. The Mukan no Goshō where close. If they caught him … No. He didn't want to think about that. He closed the window, in try to get the image of a nearly beheaded Aomine out of his head and pulled around. He had to initialise the start sequence and it would be anyway better for him if the bluenette simply died right here right now. Then this nauseating feeling, what churned his guts, would go away. He was sure of it. But even if he tried to not think about it, he still glanced back over his shoulder at the empty screen, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.
A sudden pang slit thought his chest and he faintly heard the wrath filled roar of the beast outside, as he toppled to his knees. Air was failing his lungs, as he clutched at his shirt and tried to not lose consciousness. What had happened? He crawled over to the screen, still pressing his fist against his hurting heart and flicked the window into full view. Red pain clouded his eyes as they ran over the image, desperately searching for the black figure with the midnight-blue hair.
There was Kise in a kneeling position. He seemed to shield a body laying on the ground. Kuroko? No. The smaller man was with Akashi, protecting Momoi from a soundwave shot in their direction. Murasakibara's mouth was open in a howling motion and even through the silent monitor, Kagami could make out the deep despair, which rolled in huge waves from the purple-haired giant's body. Midorima and Takao tried to reach Kise, leaping over smashed furniture and rocks from the destroyed walls. Which meant … it was Aomine. He was down, with only Kise there to protect him.
Kagami smashed his fists onto the console. Horrible, breath robbing, all-consuming pain rolled in waves over his body, mirroring what the bluenette was going through. Kagami's face contorted; eyebrows furrowed and teeth gritted. He tried to will away the feelings, which came crashing down on him. He wanted to help. Needed to save his mate. The ominous feeling grew by the minute, sending violent shivers through his spin. He was torn between saving his own live and coming for aid for his mate. His unwanted mate.
The thought snapped him back. Yes, Aomine was unwanted in his live. It was complicated enough. He couldn't care for others. Not even, if this someone, was bound to his soul.
Kagami relied heavily on the console and stood up on shaky legs. He had to go. Now. There was no time left to save anyone. Having once witnessed, how the Mukan no Goshō worked, he knew that they played underhanded. It was only a matter of time until they broke their own regulations. And Kagami didn't want to be caught, no matter what. He could only guess, what it was, that they wanted. And he wasn't willed to answer their demands.
He walked up to the middle console and fastened the straps of the leg holders around his limbs. Gingerly, he placed his fingertips on the whitish-blue glowing ball, which floated over a column with a beveled surface. The surface of the sphere felt like liquid and Kagami's digits sent little shivering waves over it by the touch. He instantly felt it linking to his consciousness and twitched as white sparkling, slim tentacles moved up his arms.
"Welcome Kagami Taiga. What is your desire today?" The female voice raising from the sphere, asked in a soft tone, dimming his worries with the caring tone.
"Too much for you to grasp.", he murmured, but then straightened his resolve. "Activate all shields, set fire power to maximum. We will leave this planet as fast as possible." He moved his fingers slightly, dimming the camouflage shield.
"Is your mate coming with us?", the voice asked and Kagami's head snapped back. Anger rose in his red eyes as he stared at the small figure, what had emerged and now floated over the sphere. "He isn't coming with us. Stay out of it.", he growled and moved his fingers fiercer to underline his decision.
"It's not advisable to leave him behind. He will die."
"Then let him! Not my problem.", Kagami snapped, glowering at the white figure.
"Don't be so sure. A soul link was made. If one dies, the other will live but with half a soul."
"Like I care. Stop your ranting and activate the engines."
"It will be your miserable life, not mine."
Now she was getting smart with him and he could have sworn, he saw her shrugging her slim shoulders. "Don't let me start. In the first place it was your fault, that this whole fiasco began. Who makes notes so small, that it's certain, that someone doesn't sees it?", he growled and poked into the sphere.
The figure twitched. "Aww~ Taiga are you pouting? I thought you wanted to leave this planet?"
Kagami gritted his teeth. Every fucking time she got the better of him. Annoyed him, as if it were her most beautiful pastime. If only he could chop her to pieces, his life would be much more peaceful. But that wasn't an option. "Exactly. So, would you please stop your bitching and do as I said? We don't have time for this."
"Alright alright. Your loss."
"Alex!"
"Yeah, I know. Stop barking." The ship started to vibrate as the engines roared to live. The sound of the cannons loading got drowned out as Kagami pushed his hands upwards over the sphere's surface, in doing so, giving the command to ascension.
The camouflage shield flickered one last time, before it vanished. The ring around the ship started to rotate and in an instant it shoot up into the air, leaving a big gaping hole in the ground, where once were seen abandoned buildings.
As if on cue, an wrath filled screech vibrated through the nacelle, as the Xylinthix whipped his ugly head around and shot a sound wave in Kagami's direction. "Fuck!" The shields had intercepted the most damage, but he was shaken vigorously, only the straps around his legs holding him in place. The ship tumbled rotating on its own axis through the air and suddenly Kagami had a clear view on the events in his beheaded apartment.
Four men were down, the others trying in vain to shield their teammates from further harm and the Xylinthix, in his wrath, tore buildings down, left and right, with his thrashing tail.
The snake like beings next attack was again directed at him and Kagami could barely avoid being hit by the sharp blade as it whipped through the air. "That was close.", the figure floating over the sphere commented with interest. "I know that! No need to tell me.", Kagami growled and again needed to tear the ship out of the way, escaping the Xylinthix's furious tail.
"Didn't you want to leave as fast as possible? What are you still doing here?" This was a legitimate question, what Kagami didn't wanted to answer.
"It's him right? You can't leave him.", the voice smartassed with a superiore tone, with the 'I told you so'-feeling to it, which let Kagami grit his teeth.
"What the fuck should I do? He only will make my life more complicated. Better I shot him now and be over with it.", Kagami hollered in distress, once more feeling torn.
"Lingering here will soon get too dangerous. Now decide already, Taiga."
"Damn you little bitch. That doesn't help me in the slightest." His eyes flicked over the view, gaze instantly catching the midnight-blue hair, which slowly soaked in the tanned males blood.
"Fuck!"
"You swear too often Kagami-kun."
An unmanly shriek escaped Kagami's throat as Kuroko's voice reproved right into his ear. Held in place by the straps around his legs, he couldn't spin around so his upper body did an unnatural bend, causing the ship to roll over the sky. "God dammit!", the redhead cursed and frantically tried to get the control back. The ship came swaying to a standstill and finally Kagami could gaze over his shoulder, to stare in two winter-blue eyes watching him appraising.
"Are you going to help or are you a cold-blooded bastard, who lets his mate die? Beside the others would also appreciate it, if you save their lives." Kuroko seemed unfazed, but a certain pressing tone could be register in his voice.
"How-?, the redhead started, but got cut off.
"We don't have time for long explanations. My team is going to die, if you wait any longer." Pale-blue eyes drilled holes into his red ones and Kagami swallowed around the lump in his throat, knowing that it was only a matter of time until he had the icy burning string around his neck again. Nevertheless, his anger flared to live. "Why should I help them? Since I met you lot, my life is in complete riot and that will only worsen the longer I stay in your … his company! I had a quiet life, until he burst into it and devastated my apartment.", Kagami growled, gaze mulishly directed at the raging Xylinthix.
"First, it's probably your own fault that your life is messed up. You were always like that. And really, it wasn't a satisfying life you had here, right? To scrape a living by making food for others. With your talents? It's a shame. I wouldn't have thought, the day would come, that I see the little boy of yore, who once was so full of hope and adventurousness, end up in a shit hole like this and be satisfied with it." When Kuroko was done with his ranting, he shot Kagami an incredulous look and vanished right before his eyes.
"W-Wait!", Kagami hollered, taken aback by the light-bluenette's words. Kuroko knew him? Since when? From where? Disbelieving Kagami stared at the small, pale figure, who materialized beside Aomine's body and dashed forward, protecting the unconscious man, without a gaze back at the spaceship, still hanging in the air.
An amused chuckle rose from the hologram. "Should I open the loading dock? You want to know more, right?"
Kagami clucked his tongue. "Do as you please." He was beautifully wrapped around more than one little finger and would have spit on the ground, if it wasn't him who had to clean it afterwards.
The spaceship slingered through the air, loading dock fully open, directing the biggest cannon on the Xylinthix.
"Boarding begins now. Hurry up!" The ship's female voice squawked through the public address system, while several red-hot bullets hit the giant snake-beast's body in a rapidly sequence.
"Go fetch your mate, Taiga. I have everything under control."
"Yeah, sure you have.", Kagami rolled his eyes sarcastically and unlocked the straps from his legs. He skidded over the metal ground and almost fell off the ladder to the open rear. "Take my hand!", he screamed against the horrible noise from the cannon and the wounded beast in the background and leaned out to grab Takao's outstretched arm.
Fast, he pulled one after another inside, even the unconscious ones which were handed to him, not caring where they landed. As soon as it was done, he spun on his heels and stormed back to command control. "How does it look like?" He fastened the belts in a hurry and laid his hands back to the sphere. "The Xylinthix, isn't fully grown. But I fear it's an early starter. See the little wings? They were hidden beneath the big back scales and just unfolded. I guess it can follow us to the atmosphere. There is no other way around it, Taiga. Use the drive on full speed and guide us out of here."
"Now you tell me to save our asses? I thought you had everything under control!" Another whip from the Xylinthix's tail, let Kagami shut up and race his fingertips over the sphere in a hurry. "I will plug every leaf individually from your branches, I swear!", Kagami's voice boomed in distress through the room, a thick layer of sweat on his forehead, while he curved around the bigger buildings and steadily rose higher and higher.
And suddenly the world seemed to end.
A glowing blue flash of light shot only millimeters past Kagami's spaceship and vaporized everything on the ground within a radius of 500 kilometers, with a blinding white, retina-searing flash.
"ARRRRRRRRG! DAMN! I missed."
"You better missed, shithead! That is our golden egg you are shooting at."
"Oh wow, Reo-nee. A swear word from your mouth, the world is coming to an end."
"You nearly ended our golden eggs life there, Kotarō."
"Oh c'mon, Reo-nee. He won't die so easily."
"Hey, Hayama let me this time. This shitty tower goes on my nerves with its blinking."
"Just stop zooming in on it, Nebuya-kun."
"No, I want to zoom where I want without getting my eyes poked out by a shitty human symbol. Step aside Kiyoshi, let mankind meet my wrath."
"What are you a kid? But this looks fun. Let me see … huh huh … I like this white city floating in the air. It looks so beautiful shiny in the sun and the erased city in the background. Let me take a picture. Ahahaha! As if! Get this nuisance down."
"Hanamiya …"
"What Kiyoshi, you want to shot it? Here do it. Ha! As if I would let you."
Kagami pressed his lids tightly together as another flash drowned the world outside. "Alex! Get us out of here!", he screeched and clutched his hands around the slightly oblique surface over which the sphere floated. The ship was bucking from left to right, completely thrown out of control by the detonation wave.
"Kagami-kun."
"Geeh, Kuroko." Kagami flinched and glared at the small man. "Just use the warp."
"No."
"Why not? This world is done for."
"No. You don't know that."
"Taiga.", Alex urged.
"No, goddammit. Just bring us out of here."
"Fine. But I can't guarantee anything."
"JUST FUCKING DO IT!"
TBC
Authors note: Quirouxish: Y castid te schaf reedwfi = I came to say goodbye.
