Final Hikari here! I was working on my Valkyrie Profile fan fiction and opened the dictionary on Microsoft Works Word Processor and was surprised to see "seraphic" was in my spell checker. I looked at the surrounding words and it had seraphim, and I came across an interesting bit of information! The description of Seraphim was as followed:
ser·aph
n
angel: an angel of the highest rank in the traditional medieval hierarchy of nine categories of angels. In the Book of Isaiah they are described as having six wings.
Who remembers the picture of chaos from Episode I with the six wings? On the picture of chaos on the inside cover of the Episode II guide I think he has six wings too. Hmm…Episode III is by absolute favorite game but I keep feeling chaos didn't get much attention or any confusion-provoking art.
But as a part time chaos fan girl I feel happy to have noticed that. XD Okay, now for the chapter… Yeah, chaos finally made a real appearance in the last chapter…
Also, this chapter goes to FullMetal909! Thanks so much for all your encouraging reviews!
Xenosaga IV
Chapter 10
Soon Is Now…But You're Not Really Here
I hadn't noticed I hadn't been on pain on the beach. When a wave of pain hit me in a barely-conscious stupor I really noticed. I could still here Airi's shrieking, KOS-MOS' slightly worried tone; the only addition was Midori talking in the background.
I opened my eyes slowly, greeted by Airi pouncing forward and enveloping me in a hug. My vision start to clear after the initial pang of agony she sent over my body from the hug. KOS-MOS was kneeling beside me and smiled, looking revealed. We were in KOS-MOS' lab and I was sitting in the corner near the door.
Midori was standing near Airi's decimated computer terminal. Not only were they a few huge scratches and shattered glass everywhere, but at some point during a fight the metal below where the holographic keyboard was produced, there was a huge hole ripped into the unit. It was easy to see it would never function again. Midori had her connection gear out and was now repeating "yes sir" and few other things as my father's voice could be heard over the sound of gunshots in the distance.
I smiled drowsily at the android saying, "Good morning, KOS-MOS."
She looked surprised before returning the smile saying, "Good morning, Hikaru."
Airi removed herself as Midori hung up and turned to us saying, "We're to evacuate to the Dammerung."
"What?" I snapped, my focus getting a little closer to reality.
"They're just outside Earth's gravitational pull. We have ten shuttles ready for use and a large cargo ship that will evacuate the city."
"Who's attacking us?" I asked, pain screaming in my head as I tried to bring my thoughts to order.
"According to the insignia on their ships, it's the U-TIC Organization." KOS-MOS explained. "They used to support Ormus, but now that it has been in the hands of Uzukis for nearly two generations, it makes sense they feel no need to ally themselves again."
"What's the status of the city?" I asked.
"They're just starting to attack the Forth District." Midori replied. "The evacuation started when the attack on Ormus began. The Forth District's survivors should be getting ready to board the ship.
"Shit…" I muttered to myself. "Why Forth District…?"
I grabbed the edge of the console with my injured left arm to pull myself to my feet, but not only did my arm go limp when I tried to use any muscle, KOS-MOS gently pulled my arm away.
"Hikaru, you're hurt!" Airi objected, "And when that soldier dropped you, you hit the floor really hard. You could have a concussion!"
"I probably do." I said simply, trying to remember the signs of a concussion but promptly failing. The irony…I'd say that's a concussion.
I was vaguely aware of Airi rubbing a familiar, thick cream over my numerous scratches that would disinfect them and temporarily stop the bleeding.
"I need to know of Rukiro's okay." I started, "We both lived in the Forth District."
Midori and Airi exchanged unhappy looks, though Midori's was irritation rather than concern. Airi turned to face me again, biting her lip as she did.
KOS-MOS leaned forward, pulling my right arm over her shoulder and hooking her other arm around my waist, gently pulling me to my feet. The height contrast wasn't too bad and I practically leaning my full weight against her.
"Hikaru and me shall go to the evacuation center while you progress to the shuttles for the crew. Do not wait for us, worst case of scenario I will make sure they both board one of the shuttles meant for the civilians."
"Those shuttles won't get priority." Midori said curtly.
"I'm sure we could alert the Dammerung of the change in plans." KOS-MOS stated simply. "Or does such a request fall out of the range of abilities one in your status is allowed to make?"
Midori looked like she was sucking a lemon at the android's insult masked in polite banter and large words.
"Well," She huffed, "I will contract Chief Uzuki and arrange it that way. How about you try doing your part of the job so that doesn't have to happen?"
"I intend to." KOS-MOS replied simply as turned, leading me through the door.
"Midori's a bitch, eh?" I asked quietly once we were out of earshot.
KOS-MOS smiled slightly saying, "She reminds me of a few people I disliked."
I was curious to know if it was KOS-MOS or Mary that disliked the unnamed people, but I didn't know how much of Mary's memories KOS-MOS held. It was a complex question and fragile matter. I doubted having any memories from another person in your mind would be cheerfully discussed.
Especially if you're always greeted with disappointment when you explain you aren't that person…
Despite how little exertion I was getting was, I felt my lightheadedness and overall weakness increasing. KOS-MOS noticed the speed of my breathing and promptly scooped me up, her left arm under my knees and right behind my shoulders.
"I'd imagine this would look strange to anybody who thought you were human."
"Probably, but Shion passed out a lot so it's not all that unusual for me."
"Who's heaver, me or her?" I asked randomly, not giving my words much though.
"Shion was eight and three-eights heavier than you." KOS-MOS said in a very, 'yep, she has a concussion all right…I suppose I'll just go along with her little delusions.' sort of tone.
We continued through the halls in silence. There was notable damage in many places, everything from bullet holes, bodies, shells, and other metal debris. The bodies were mainly soldiers from Ormus' army or U-TIC's invading forces. There were a few researchers and even two dead civilians from the city as we got closer to the evacuation center.
To my surprise, the evacuation center was outdoors. KOS-MOS had kicked the unresponsive automatic door off its tracks and it fell outward with a crash. I blinked up at the night sky, unhappy to see large red lights over the forests that stretched past the large landing area. There were lines of ammo and torpedoes passing overhead and numerous human-piloted A.G.W.S. I had remembered reading about Ormus' laser cannons in the forest near the base but seeing the large cylindrical beams of white light firing upward confirmed their existence.
The area was like parking lot on steroids. It was all paved and small square escape pods were launching from the seemingly endless lines of them off to the right. The rest of the base was filled with panicky civilians, many injured, being pushed into lines for the pods by all different types of Ormus workers.
The matter should have been handled by Ormus' security unit, but it looked like most of them had been forced into the platoons of foot soldiers. There were mechanics, computer technicians, doctors, nurses, and even a few low-level pilots guiding the people to the escape pods and making sure none were overloaded.
"Put me down." I requested, KOS-MOS obliging wordlessly.
I scanned the crowd of hundreds of people unhappily, a feeling of futility washing over me. There was no way to spot one single person in the mess of bodies before me. KOS-MOS didn't look as crestfallen though.
"What part of the Forth District did Rukiro live in? My database indicates those who lived on the outskirts of the area will be boarding sooner than those from the center. The edge of Forth District that lead to the ocean was attacked and the survivors are toward the front of the lines."
"Both Rukiro and me lived on the edge." I relied grimly.
KOS-MOS looked lightly deterred but didn't give up. She scooped me up once more, to my slight objection, and hurried over to the lines of escape pods. We stood by the first line of pods closer to the wall of the Ormus building, not far from the door we'd exited from.
I scanned the lines of people in the fronts of the ten lines unhopefully. A young man in a trainee pilot uniform hurried over to the eleventh line of escape pods and signaled for some of the people to create another line. Civilians reacted quickly as he pulled the door of the shuttle open and ushered eight passengers in.
The pod activated and hovered a few feet off the ground and glided over to the launching runway. The line progressed further to the pod that rested behind the one that had taken off and three people hurried on, but one dwelled to ask the guard a question.
I barely wanted to believe my eyes, a relieved smile that didn't fit the situation around me spreading across my face. KOS-MOS saw where I was looking and let me hop out of her arms as I hurried through the lines of people. Many of them yelled or swore at me as I pushed through the lines, but I didn't pay much attention them. I barely felt the numerous scratches I'd sustained from my battle earlier.
"Look, I don't have any means right now to get the status of other Ormus employees!" The trainee pilot said, holding his hands up in defense. "Now please get in the shuttle, only more
people are getting here."
"She's Arku Uzuki's daughter, surely you could find out!" Rukiro argued.
"Rukiro!" I called loudly.
He looked up quickly, his eyes meeting mine in seconds. I hurried forward, flinging my arms around his neck. I relaxed as I felt his arms around my waist and let my body's great objection to running rush over me and went limp as he gently guided me out of line so the other people in the line could enter the shuttle. My knees liquefied under me and I smiled peacefully and let the darkness overtake my mind.
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Rukiro blinked in confusion as Hikaru collapsed and he gently lowered her to the ground. Deepening the annoyance of the same people Hikaru had pushed though, I followed the same path without much regard to their displeasure.
"She'll be fine." I said, passing in front of the baffled trainee pilot. "Her wounds have received basic treatment so she only passed out from blood loss and exhaustion."
For a brief moment Rukiro looked nearly as confused at the trainee pilot.
"KOS-MOS?"
I nodded saying, "Correct. I haven't been awake for very long. Please take Hikaru and leave on the next escape pod."
"What happened though?" He asked, gently scooping Hikaru up in the same position I'd carried her before. "I mean, to make you awaken."
"I'm sure Hikaru will tell you everything when she wakes up." I said flatly, holding my arm in front of the third person about to board the escape pod. Rukiro didn't look satisfied with my answer but entered the small pod.
"Exactly who are you?" The pilot trainee asked abruptly, spreading his arms out before me to stop me from entering.
"Eleutherios KOS-MOS." I replied simply. "Weapons android resigned by Hikaru Uzuki. If there are no defects in your vision you juts saw with her beau."
"That's the Commander's daughter?" He asked, lowering his arms and turning around to glance within the pod.
"Correct." I said, grabbing the young pilot by the back of his shirt and pushing him forward. "You go too."
"Wait a moment--ah!"
He tumbled forward and onto the floor of the pod as I closed the door and entered the code for it to launch on the control panel below the handle. He didn't have time to object or even get back to his feet before I'd entered the launch code. The pod began to hover and slid toward the launching strip.
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"Don't worry. When we disappear the speed of this universe's destruction will slow down. But we can't stop the destruction itself. At best, this universe will last another few tens of thousands of years before it perishes. Listen to me Shion. The key to saving all that lies in the land of origin, Lost Jerusalem. I, and the Gnosis, and the wills of countless people will al return there. For mankind to survive, you must do what must be done in this universe…and then come find Lost Jerusalem. Shion, I know you and the others can do that."
Shion looked a little confused at the information she'd just been given, but dismissed it for the time being. She stepped forward, and looked into KOS-MOS' eyes with a mixture of sadness and resolve.
"Here you are." She started, "After all this time I finally found the real you. And now, we are going to be apart, again."
KOS-MOS brushed her hand against Shion's cheek saying, "The time we'll spend apart will be an instant in the flow of universal time. I know…" She trialed off, closing her eyes, "we'll meet again. So please don't be sad." KOS-MOS added, although she herself looked to be getting emotional, "Shion…"
Shion smiled and placed her hand over KOS-MOS' saying, "That's unusually vague coming from you, KOS-MOS." Shion intertwined her fingers in KOS-MOS' and laughed a little.
"I think it is the most natural thing for me to say. That too, is because of you." KOS-MOS said kindly. "Shion, thank you."
"No." Shion said, "Thank you for everything. You've given me so much, KOS-MOS."
KOS-MOS smiled saying, "I'll see you soon."
"Yeah, see you soon." Shion said, hugging KOS-MOS.