All characters/abilities/weapon/and others marked with '*' are under the ownership of Emerald Sonata.
All casts from Clannad and certain elements from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, belongs to the production company of Key and Gainax respectively.
天元突破クランナドー
「Tengen Toppa Clannad」
The Ninth Lock:
'Kiitekureru?'
[Will You Listen to Me?]
VVV
"SWEET!" Akeppa took a hard right on his motorcycle, winding through the jagged curbs like it was nothing. He revved the engine and sped straight down the tracks, letting nothing stop his path. "THIS IS AWESOME!"
I laughed, "I'm glad you're enjoying it."
In the middle of the video arcade, Akeppa rode across the wheel-less motorcycle replica as he sped through the virtual realm of the arcade game. I too sat on one, rather casually at that, and was racing against him. I was glad he was having fun, so I didn't tell him that he was losing rather badly. He was the two laps behind me because he crashed into virtual objects more than staying on track. But, he was just a child at heart.
It was the weekend and I wanted to bring Akeppa into the commercial district of the town, to have some fun with shopping and at the arcades. I was wearing a black wool vest with a thick collar and a long brown skirt. I found it very interesting to be with Akeppa, this Agyle. Just like an almost-one year old boy, he was enjoying everything to his heart's content. I could not help a laugh at this particular cuteness about him.
"UWAH!"
THUD!
"Hmm?" I turned to look at the bike next to me, rider-less; save for a raised foot over the seat. I leaned over, enough to peer over the other bike's side, "Tengoku-san!"
It seemed that Akeppa took a too sharp of a turn, lost his balance, and had slipped off. Swirls circled in his eyes as he lay strewn across the ground. I couldn't hold back a light laugh as I shook my head.
[******]
"Well, that was a lot of fun!" cheered Akeppa. Donned in his usual attire of a dark myrtle-green jacket with his fire-skull and sunglass emblem, red bandanna around his neck, along with his goggle-like sunglasses resting above his forehead, he folded his arms behind his head. Together, he and I sauntered through the busy streets.
"Yes, yes it was…but you should be more careful," I replied.
"No problem!" Akeppa laughed and he thrust his right index finger into the sky as he kept walking with me, "I kick all reasons into the bending curbs even if I skew off the tracks! I defy all logic that always crashed into me for some unknown reason! I surpass all limitations of the interesting arcade game to slip across the goal of impossibilities!" He folded his arms again with a wide grin, "Ore wo dare to omottei yagaru?"
"Heh-heh…someone who doesn't know that he lost by four laps…" I quipped.
"HEH? I lost? How did I…Hmm?" Akeppa trailed off and came to a stop. A second later, I followed with curiosity.
"What's wrong, Tengoku-san?"
The boy pointed past me, his expression blank, "There." I turned about…meeting a peculiar sight.
Skipping to an unheard rhythm was a girl. Not just any girl I might add…but possibly someone who time-slipped from the '70s. She was clad in a strange assortment of clothing: a thin sweater with a turtle-neck collar, a vest on top, long pants with small bell-bottom leggings, 1.5 inch platform shoes with heels, and a white beret with a cap-beak. Her clothing was really unique, as each were a blend and mesh of colourful swirls and splashes. She had long silky blonde hair that reached down to her waist and had sparkling magenta eyes. As for her height, she was a head taller than me. As if listening to music, she lightly danced her way down the sidewalk and enjoyed the mute beat.
I stared at her, while Akeppa did the same with his posture frozen in step. The girl danced by us, humming a tune that sounded something I would've heard from…what was that foreign band called again? Ah, yes, the BeeGees. I turned about, but Akeppa did not. He looked stunned though.
"Do you know her, Tengoku—"
"Feva?"
The girl stopped, her humming went silent. She spun on the spot, with a bright smile.
"Eh? You must be Akeppa," she grinned.
Huh? They knew each other? How?
Akeppa finally turned about, a perplex look still on his face, "Your name is…Feva?"
The girl, nodded, "Yup!"
"Tengoku-san…" I whispered, "Have you met her before?"
"No," he answered. Hmm? I turned to the other girl.
"Miss, have you met Tengoku-san before?"
The girl shook her head, "Never."
How in the world…
"Tengoku-san…who is she?"
A smile slowly stretched across Akeppa's lips, "AH! You're an Agyle?"
Huh?
"That's right!" giggled the girl.
Eh?
How did they…How could…
How was anyone able to tell?
"Sakagami-san!" I snapped out of my thoughts, only to jump back with surprise from the look of gleeful excitement and shining hope in the boy's eyes, "I can't believe it! I finally meet another Agyle!"
"Wh-what? H-how did you know?"
"I'm Feva Saturday*!" hopped the girl towards us. She grinned just as excited as Akeppa, "It's so nice to meet you two!"
"Ore wa," and Akeppa jabbed a thumb to his heart, "Tengoku, Akeppa! Yoroshiku na!"
I blinked.
The girl, named Feva, giggled again, "Groovy!"
"Huh? W-wait Tengoku-san," I uttered, perplexed beyond imagination, "You know her name but you're making an introduction…How come?"
"Eh…" said Akeppa. He innocently grinned, "No clue," I staggered on the spot, "But her name popped up into my head when I first saw her."
"Say, Akeppa," called Feva, "How old are you?"
The boy raised up one finger with a smile, "Almost one."
"Oh, now I get it." She straightened, resting her hands to her slender hip, "You may not know it yet, but Agyles can instantly recognize one another on sight. Names and who they are automatically processed into our minds so we can know each other faster, as well as identifying other comrades…But it's quite ungroovy and rude if we don't properly introduce each other, right?"
Akeppa tapped a fist into his palm with enlightenment, "Oh, so that's how it works!"
I was left in the dark…but somehow I managed to understand.
"So…Agyles can tell who each other are by close contact?" I asked.
"Groovy! You got it…but…" Feva leaned in real close into my face, blinking with curiosity, "How come I can't tell who are you?"
"I-I'm human…My name is Sakagami, Tomoyo."
"Eeh!" Feva reared back, "Really?" I nodded, "GROOVY!" Without warning, I was bear-hugged by her. "You're such a cute human!"
"C-cute?" I coughed.
"Sakagami-san! Sakagami-san!" I struggled to glimpse at the second voice, finding Akeppa hopping on the spot, "I found one! I finally found another Agyle! This is sweet! Now I can have another friend!"
"T-Tengoku-san?"
That's right. He mentioned that he was only by himself for almost a year. He was always occupied in fighting the Niel Geiza and never had a chance to meet any other Agyles. I guess…this was a dream come true for him…I grinned.
Why don't I make it even more special for him…
"S-Saturday-san!" I gagged.
"Call me Feva!"
"F-Feva…would you…" I took in a deep breath, "like to have a nice drink…with Tengoku-san and I?" In a flash, I was released.
Feva cupped her cheeks with glee, eyes sparkling like diamonds, "Really?"
Akeppa and I nodded, smiling.
"WUAHAHA! Groovy!"
This girl, this Agyle…was just as peculiar as Akeppa.
[******]
"Gurren…Lagann?" Lazielghan turned about across the top of the chamber's raised platform, casting his eyes downward. "Is that what the Agyle called himself?"
"HA!" Enkuudaidu was curled up in a human bow, hands to the ground and fore-head on top. Shamefully, he did not dare to look up, "The Agyle was greater than we expected and I underestimated his abilities…please forgive my incompetence…"
"Gurren-Lagann?" wondered Sheizhaika, stroking a finger under his chin, "A strange name…"
"Heh," chortled Buyaddho, smacking his knuckles together, "Weird or not, every Agyle will be the same once I pummel them into their graves…"
"This could be a problem…" muttered Sieyirhain, arms folded, "I've received – very late, I might add – reports that several Niel Geiza in the past were eliminated by him…In Athens, Germany, Iceland, America, and so on…"
Lazielghan listened to them carefully, his hands folded behind his back and hood over his head.
"Again, forgive me Lazielghan-oudono! I will not fail again!" urged Enkuudaidu.
"You've have done nothing wrong, Enkuudaidu," said Lazielghan in a cold tone, "You've done what you've been asked to do. At least, we know who we are dealing with…" Lazielghan fully turned to look down on Enkuudaidu, "How are your injuries?"
"Thanks to Naia-ojousama," Enkuudaidu straightened from his bow. The sight frightened Sheizhaika, Sieyirhain, and Buyaddho. Enkuudaidu's head was tightly wrapped up in thick bandages, only his left eye was spared, "My wounds have been treated fairly well…I really have to thank her for her hospitality."
["Ojousama": 'Milady']
"I know she'll be glad that she could help," replied Lazielghan, unfazed.
Buyaddho grinned, "Now that we know that this Agyle has a funny name like 'Gurren-Lagann', it would be easy pickins to find him!"
"HAH! If I gave you a map and GPS, you'd still get lost in an open meadow!"
Veins combined to form one big one as the Commodores turned to the third party voice. Their eyes levelled with the Phantom Falhsgard Abyssal, Havel, as he was sitting sideways within a single couch and the other, Lorith, seated across its top rim.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" growled Buyaddho.
"Like I said, ape-boy, you can't even get out of this room without having to teleport via the Black Labyrinth system…" chuckled Havel, "You're just as good as lost!"
"WHY YOU!"
"And what makes you so sure that we have no power in ascertaining this Gurren-Lagann?" debated Sheizhaika.
"Oh-hoh-hoh," smiled Lorith, "It took all of you this long to figure out who this Niel Geiza destroyer was…Even that scout of yours failed to find him that quickly…You're intelligence system is really…unique…"
Sieyirhain and Sheizhaika instantly cast glaring daggers onto Buyaddho. The said Niel Geiza flinched, before he turned away to struggle a shaky whistle. Enkuudaidu's good eye narrowed on Havel and Lorith.
"And you two would be?"
Havel flicked a salute, "Phantom Falhsgard Abyssal, Havel!"
"Phantom Falhsgard Abyssal, Lorith," lightly waved Lorith.
"Geh? A-Abyssals? Here?" gagged Enkuudaidu.
"That is correct…" Enkuudaidu whirled about to the voice behind him, cold and soulless. Another figure had entered into the chamber through a portal of swirling black-violet smoke, stepping into the dull light and sweeping off his hood to release deep silver hair and crimson eyes. "Head of the Abyssals…Kahmil."
Enkuudaidu literally fell back to sit onto his bottom, "Th-the Dark Master's personal bodyguards?" Ignoring everything, Kahmil sauntered over towards Havel and Lorith. Instantly, Enkuudaidu curled back up into a humble ball again, "Please forgive my impertinences!"
Kahmil loosely waved over his shoulder, "That's fine…We're used to it since we've arrived here."
"Kahmil," nodded Lorith, rising from his seat.
Havel raised a wave, "He-hey, Kahmil. Anything new for us to—"
SMACK!
"GRAH!" A karate-chop diced into Havel's head and sent him reeling off the couch onto the floor with a thud. Kahmil sighed, brushed the dust from his recently used hand and plopped down into the emptied seat. With a deep sigh, he rested his forehead into a hand and lightly tapped it with a fist.
"Tired?" smirked Lorith.
"Naia tried to make me taste-test her newest cake…" Kahmil uttered, "She kept assuring me that there is no human heart or soul inside…"
"Ah."
"HEY!" Havel bolted up onto his knees, fire literally blazing in his eyes, as he sported a red bruise across his forehead, "THAT'S MY CHAIR!" The Commodores snickered. "OI! KNOCK IT OFF!"
"Any progress so far, Sir Laziel?" wondered Kahmil, rubbing the queasiness from his mind.
"We have only been successfully in claiming a few more…but the chances to find a purely formed Soul Key have become slimmer…" answered the Niel Geiza lord.
"We'll just have to keep looking then…"
"But what of this Gurren-Lagann?" asked Sieyirhain.
"Gurren-Lagann?" raised Kahmil's eyebrow.
"He is the one responsible for the slain of our brethren in this world…including the loss of our 2nd Commodore, Gheimbiu," answered Lazielghan.
"I see…"
"Oi! Kahmil! I'd say we hunt him down and kill him!" proposed Havel.
"…That's your plan?" wondered Kahmil.
"No freaking duh! What, wait it out until he dies of old age – which, may I remind you, Agyles are naturally immortal like us!"
"Then you may want to rethink your strategies, Havel…I've done a short analysis over him…" Everyone's interest was taken and they listened carefully, "With the systems here, I detected a power spike…possibly from the fight that this Gurren-Lagann and your scout took part in…"
Enkuudaidu, respectively, snarled, "I'm not just a Scout! Boku wa Enkuudaidu!"
["Boku wa": '(Male speech) I am']
"…Anyways, I've checked the power levels of this Agyle you talked about…it's surprising…"
"What?" grumbled Havel.
"We somewhat got a second Heaven's Gatekeeper* to worry about…"
"What in Grim's name are you…WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?"
Even Lorith was surprised, "What do you mean…Another Nexus Brigade*?"
"Unfortunately," sighed Kahmil, "yes…"
"This Nexus Brigade," said Lazielghan, "He's the Ultimate Agyle?"
"Yes…From the original Earth dimension, he was formerly an Archangel in charge of guarding the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven…Thus the christening of Heaven's Gatekeeper…but he fell in order to save the angel my Dark Master captured long ago…" Kahmil rubbed his temple, "We've encountered Nexus many times before…however, it didn't turn out well in our last encounter and ended up all of us dead; our Master defeated, a second time…Luckily, we Abyssals can never truly die and a year later we'll be reborn…providing it is not Judgement Day yet…"
"He sound's like trouble…" replied Lazielghan.
"More than you could ever imagine…He's the first of the Agyles and the strongest of them all…Now that we have a Nexus-double…things might get complicated…"
"…I see…"
"Tch! Still, I think we should just find this kid and kill him on the spot before he even knows it!" snapped Havel.
"A wise tactic to head for your grave my friend…" Lorith chuckled. Havel shot a glare at him.
"Lazielghan-ou…" called Buyaddho, "What should we do now?"
"Continue in finding as much Soul Key as possible…We will try to avoid the Gurren-Lagann until we know how to deal with him…" Lazielghan then cast a glanced onto the Abyssals, "That goes the same for you, Abyssal Havel."
"Hey!" Havel bolted up, straight up and in Lazielghan's unfazed face, "Don't look down on me because I'm the only Phantom Falhsgard that looks like a kid! I'm three hundred times older and more experienced than you, so you should respect me as your senior! Furthermore, only the Dark Master can give me orders! You? If I could I'll beat the living daylights out of – YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU,UUUUUUUUUUUUUUU,UUU!" His last word ended into a squeal…as a familiar dagger hovered over his throat. With a nervous look, he turned to the source.
Naia stood by their sides, dagger in hand against Havel's throat, and had a pleasant grin on her face.
"I won't let you talk to Lazielghan-sama that way, Havel-san." The Commodores gulped, wondering how did she enter without their notice. Havel urked as he could see a silent firestorm raging behind Naia's lovely façade. "Or else…" The dagger inched closer and sweat-like-rain drenched the Abyssal, "I will do everything within my power to make you regret your actions in your following rebirths to come…" A twisted smile of fear stretched over Havel.
"G-got it…" With that, he bolted and shrunk behind the couch where Kahmil was sitting at. Lorith covered his mouth from laughing, but flinched when he received a hard kick to his shins. Kahmil sighed, his headache growing even worse.
"Naia…" said Lazielghan. His maid withdrew her dagger and turned to her master with a graceful bow, but looked ashamed.
"Forgive me, Lazielghan-sama…I couldn't hold myself back from Havel-san's rudeness…Please pardon my impulsive behaviour."
"That is fine…" nodded Lazielghan, "he was asking for it, after all." He earned a glare from Havel, before it went silent when Naia 'glimpsed' at him.
"Ah, Naia-ojousama!" And Enkuudaidu bowed, "I wish to thank you for your healing. I am extremely grateful for your aid!"
"Heh?" Naia did a perplexed blinked, "Ojousama?"
"HA! That is correct!"
Naia casually waved it off, "Please, I'm no ojousama. I am just a simple maid to Lazielghan-sama and I am content to be of assistance to him."
"I understand!" nodded Enkuudaidu, "But, thank you again for your treatment, Naia-ojousama!"
"No, not at all," grinned Naia. She then turned to everyone, "Everyone, I've prepared a nice lunch for everyone. Please make your way to the dining hall!"
"Ooh," cooed Sheizhaika, "I wondered what scrumptious meal will we have today?"
"Alright!" laughed Sieyirhain, "My favourite time of the day!"
"Oh-oh!" bounced Buyaddho, "Did you make your special fruit punch, Naia?"
Naia giggled, "Of course."
"Then excuse us, Lazielghan-ou," bowed Sheizhaika, on behalf of the others. With that, they bolted out of the chamber door.
Enkuudaidu too rose up to his feet, but staggered. A pair of hands captured him, and by instincts, he wanted to snap at the one who held him like before. He choked, in time to avoid letting his words out when he saw Naia was the one helping him.
"Enkuudaidu-san. Let me help and change your bandages before we go and eat."
"Uh…h-hai, Naia-ojousama…"
"Please, Naia is just fine."
With that, Naia led a dishevelled Enkuudaidu towards the door. The Niel Geiza wobbled in every step, counting on the use of his right eye, "Uh…Naia, I should warn you that I have extremely—"
BONK!
"GAH!"
Naia gasped and turned. Enkuudaidu's limited vision cause him to bump his head into the wall, right next to the doorway. He stumbled about, disorientated.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she squeaked.
"N-No, it's not your fault…it's just my accursed…" Enkuudaidu tripped over his own feet, "MISFORTUNE!" And tumbled forward over the threshold, unintentionally pulling Naia down with him.
"Ah!" A hand shot out and gripped Naia's arm, stabilizing her in time. Enkuudaidu on the other hand, hit the floor with a nasty crack. Naia sighed, saved from her fall and turned about to the helper. "L-Lazielghan-sama?"
Lazielghan held onto her arm, tight but gentle. His expression did not change, but she saw a certain flicker within his yellow and red eyes.
"Naia…are you alright?" he asked in a quiet tone.
"I-I am…" Naia grinned, her cheeks slightly pink, "Thank you…Lazielghan-sama…"
"I'll help you with Enkuudaidu…"
"Hai! Lazielghan-sama!"
Together, they picked up the silent and limp Enkuudaidu and walked down the halls. The chamber door slid to a close, leaving the Abyssals to themselves.
Havel exploded a sigh, "Geez! I've never seen a girl so terrifying than her! Just what is she?"
Lorith laughed, "This is what you get for enraging a fine maiden as Naia…I do enjoy her fire towards you."
"Oh shut the—"
Kahmil interrupted the two Abyssals with a quiet sigh, "Another Gatekeeper…how quaint."
The two behind him stopped their argument. Then, they flanked Kahmil by his sides.
"This Gurren-Lagann…is sort of like that kid, Nexus, huh?" asked Havel.
Kahmil quietly blinked, exhausted like, "Not sort of…but close-to-being exactly."
"EH? WHY DID YOU SAY SOMEWHAT BEFORE?"
"To minimize panic…"
"LIKE THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT WAS GOING TO DO THAT!"
Lorith shook his head, "Another Nexus…another Heaven's Gatekeeper…This is a little…"
"Far-fetched, I know…" muttered Kahmil.
"Like this universe would ever have its own Nexus Brigade…this isn't possible!" retorted Havel.
Lorith, "Well this universe is, after all – how should I put it…oh yes – unique…"
Kahmil closed his eyes, his breath slowing.
"But still," hissed Havel, "Another Heaven's Gatekeeper! The other universes didn't have anything like this!"
"Not that you know of, that is…" smirked Lorith.
Havel grimaced, "Whatever! We need to make a plan to take this guy down or things get real ugly from here on out…" He snapped his glare onto Kahmil, "Oi, Kahmil! You're good with the devising, think of…Oh, you're freaking kidding me…" Lorith snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Kahmil as well.
With a hand balancing his head, Kahmil was fast asleep.
"Ah…he's having one of his moments again…" smirked the pale blue-haired one.
"GRAH! KAHMIL! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS FALL ASLEEP WHENEVER YOU DEVISE A CHAOS-UPBRINGING-IDEA?"
Lorith chuckled, "It's his nature…and one of his key abilities…Besides, it makes things easier for him to formulate strategy and predict outcomes while in slumber…Plus, he's loves napping…"
"GERAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I HATE BOTH OF YOUR FREAKING GUTS!" Havel growled as his body shook with bottled rage, "Alright, fine! I'll handle things my way!"
"…Your way?"
"Of course my way! Obviously not your way, creep!" Havel then marched off to a corner of a chamber, a black portal of swirling black-violet smoke now rippling.
Lorith watched him go, "Oh-hoh-hoh…Where do you think you're going?"
Havel waved a hand over his shoulder, "Hunting!" and disappeared into the sealing black portal.
Lorith shook his head, before glimpsing at the slumbering Kahmil.
"It's official: Havel's going to die again. Mind if I can have his things before he's reborn?"
Kahmil just kept sleeping on.
[******]
"How old are you, Feva?" I asked.
The newly acquainted Agyle grinned, "47!"
Strange, I thought. She looked like coming 19…only a head taller than average.
Together, Akeppa, Feva, and I sat around a small round table in front of a small café. Our drinks were served before us as we tried to strike up the conversation. I grinned, knowing that this was a good chance for Akeppa to know other Agyles other than himself.
"This is so cool!" he chuckled, like a little boy, "Have you always been here?"
"Nah," waved Feva, "I just came to this world this morning."
"…From…where…" I asked.
She opened her mouth to answer, but silence came out instead. She nervously giggled, "Ah-ha-ha…I'm sorry but I was born with a memory that easily forgets certain things at certain time…so where I came from sort of…slipped out of my head…My bad…" With a small sweat-drop, I forgave her.
"Feva! Have you met any other Agyles before?"
"Eeh…Several ones, like Chaos Burgandaish*, Gospel Rainmoore*, Arpia McCarter*, uh…Ah, Vain Truesdale*, and lots more! What about you?"
"Uh…none…"
"Heh?" Feva blinked as she watched Akeppa shyly shrivel up in his seat.
"I…haven't met anyone else but you…"
"What? Why…why that's so ungroovy!" I could already see tears swelling in her eyes, "It must've been hard for you…"
"Na-ah!" Feva was taken aback as Akeppa brightened, "Because I fight to rip open the darkness and return the lost light! I'm an Agyle and proud to be one…" He then sheepishly grinned and rubbed the back of his head, "I…try not to let my loneliness bother me…"
I grinned at Akeppa. He was indeed a strong boy.
"You're amazing!" said Feva, "You're really, really, amazing! I'll work hard to be like you too!"
Akeppa smiled widely, "Thanks!"
Together, we shared out laughter. These Agyles were very peculiar beings. They looked like everyday people…more or less, but they possess powers beyond my imagination. Celestial beings in form of humans, living amongst our society to protect it from darkness and the Phantom Falhsgards. Were their lives drastically different from ours? It was hard to tell…it seems that they enjoyed dwelling in such lifestyles as I watched Akeppa and Feva share a bit about themselves. It felt nice somehow.
"Hey, Feva!" asked Akeppa, "You said you just came here today? Could you tell me why?"
"No problem! I was called by Commander Michael," she grinned. Akeppa urked and I clearly know why. So I simply kept my lips sealed, "Yeah, I'm called to counter-balance the loads of Phantom Falhsgards…Today, I'm here to meet with another Agyle to partner up with him."
"Another…Agyle?" I uttered. Were there even more in this world?
"EH? Really? Sweet! Could I meet him too?" bounced Akeppa.
Feva nodded, "Sure, why not! I plan to meet up with him soon…" She then gagged with a blanching face-fault, causing both Akeppa and I to blink, "Oh no!"
"What?" I asked.
"I forgot when and where!"
Silence. Then three sweat drops, plus one worrying aura over a cap-beret, appeared above our heads.
"Don't worry…" I spoke out, "we can help."
Feva was taken aback. Akeppa added, "Yeah! I'll be happy to help you too!"
"R-really?" wondered the girl.
We shared a nod. It really brightened up Feva's day.
"Thank you! Thank you so—"
Lances suddenly appeared and crossed about our bodies, caging us. The screaming from other people finally made me realize it. Slowly, Akeppa, Feva, and I looked about.
Multiple suits of strange silver armor surrounded us at our table. They were tall, bulky, and had a pair of ram-like horns made into their helmets. Their visors were hallow except for lines of pulsing red that glittered over the grills of their face-guards. They were armed with lances and large diamond-shaped shields. Their very weapons hovered over every vulnerable spots over out bodies.
"Aree?" blinked Akeppa, finally realizing it himself.
"What…what is this?" I uttered.
Feva, on the other hand, looked past my shoulder with a grin, "Hi-yah!" Akeppa and I too turned, only our heads though.
"Three lousy Agyles, huh? Well, guess this makes my day…" A young man clad in a long black cloak strode towards us from behind the columns of armored knights. He had fire-red hair, with long locks of hair that hung over the sides of his head, and had fiercely unhappy crimson eyes.
"Phantom Falhsgard…" muttered Akeppa.
"Another one?" I wondered. This time though, this Phantom Falhsgard didn't have any silver streaks.
"Can we help you?" asked Feva, casually.
The young man grimaced, "Alright, talk. Anyone here know where this Gurren-Lagann Agyle is?"
"How did you know we were Agyles?" I demanded.
"You guys were talking so loud even a deaf man could hear you a mile away…" he rolled his eyes, "you guys never cease to amaze me with your discreteness…So, anyone knows this creep?"
"I do."
The young man turned onto the one who answered, "Who?"
Akeppa, confused, pointed at himself with a blink, "Ore wa koko da."
The young man instantly snapped his fingers.
The lances aimed at the boy's head and thrust forward.
A confident smirk ripped across Akeppa's face, as he merely craned his neck to one side. All lances missed, piercing through the wielders in rapid succession. Like cheap tin-foil, the armored knights crumbled into a heap.
I blinked…
Feva applauded…
The young man eye's twitched…before shaking with rage, "ARMORLOIDS*!" His right hand was swallowed in flames and he slapped it to the ground. Hundreds of portals of enchanted magma opened up, spewing out new armored knights; my guess called Armorloids. They stood at attention, lances levelled and shields ready. The young man snarled, "You know the drill!" As that for a command, they lunged straight for us.
"Let's boogie!" Feva was the first to get up from her seat, giggling as she flicked a kick with her heel behind her to flip up her chair. It flipped uncontrollably and it smacked into an Armorloid's head, crushing it. Altogether, it reared back to crash into several more and they crumbled into scraped metal.
"TAIGA – DOUBLE BISHOPU!" I leapt out of my seat, one hand planted across the chair's spine, and flipped about. I smashed a double kick into an Armorloid before it could strike its lance at me from behind. I sent it flying into more enchanted armors and they were history.
"'I-WON'T-LET-YOU-CREEPS-RUIN-THE-BEST-DAY-OF-MY-LIFE'!" Akeppa had flipped out of his seat and in mid-air, he gripped the chair's leg, "SWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII,IIIIIIIIIIIIIIINGU!"
With a single spin, he hurled the chair through the air. To my shock, the projectile did not fly straight; instead it zipped in curving S line as if it drove through a winding road. It ploughed through every Armorloid and everything in its wake, kicking up dust and a small whirlwind before it came to an end with impaling the chair, whole, into a stone wall.
The red-haired young man's jaw dropped.
Though just as shocked, I couldn't help a sigh and grin, "Well done, Tengoku-san."
"WHOA!" breathed Feva, "That was so groovy! Could you do that again?"
Akeppa chuckled and gave us both a thumbs-up, "Sure!"
"An interesting turn of events…I'll give you that…" muttered the attacker.
"Who are you?" demanded Akeppa.
"Someone who made a mistake in underestimating the likes of you, Agyle…" growled the young man. "I'm—"
A projectile screamed right over his head with a blast of jet scream and he physically flinched. Akeppa, Feva, and I tracked down this projectile as it soared back into the air and soon curved back.
"WAH! Down!" screamed Feva. We ducked, the figure shrieking over our heads and kicked up a gale of air into our faces. We tracked it down once more as it swerved about to hover down next to the attacker.
The young man shook with rage, teeth gritting. He then roared at the top of his lungs.
"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR, LORITH?"
"Oh-hoh-hoh…did I give you a scare, Havel?"
Akeppa, Feva, and I faced the attacker, paired up with another stranger. This one was also clad in a black cloak, similar to Havel's, and had no silver streaks. He had long pale blue hair tied back in a pony tail, a sly and playful smirk, and crimson eyes. He was riding across a strange machine, some sort of winged glider with VTOL engines that only supported him. It felt like he was standing upon a silver magic carpet, only in the shape of a metallic blade-winged bird.
"How did you know I was here?" barked the red-haired one.
"Come now, how long have I known you?" shrugged the blue-haired one, "I followed you here. I knew you'd be itching for a fight ever since we've arrived to this world." He laughed, "Besides, you're the type to waltz into your hot-headed death."
"SHUT UP! I HAD EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL!"
"They're really Phantom Falhsgards…" called Feva, recognizing them. She then gagged, "Wait, Lorith? Havel? Oh no…They're the Abyssals!" Akeppa choked on his breath too, stunned.
"Abyssals?" I wondered.
"They're like the Niel Geiza, a different group and breed…" replied Akeppa, "the problem is Abyssals are the elites among all the Phantom Falhsgards…" he gulped, "their prime leader's, Dark Master Oiluj, bodyguards…"
I gasped. Oh no.
"That's right!" huffed the attacker with red-hair and a snarl, "I'm the one and only Havel!"
"Nice to meet you all," called the blue-haired one with a slight bow, "I am Lorith…a pleasure to be your executioner…"
"What do you want with us?" demanded Akeppa again.
"Well it is within out nature to wipe out Agyles like you…" smirked Lorith and shrugged, "as well every living human being in all the universes."
"Oi, Lorith. Guy with dark green jacket with the skull on his back is the Gurren-Lagann those Commodores are worried about…"
"Oh-hoh-hoh…this is the double Kahmil mentioned? He looks even younger than the other…or maybe equal age…"
"Well, since you're here, let's take him down together!"
"As much as I wish to disagree, I guess partnership is in order for this situation…Don't get overboard, though."
Havel's hand sparked fire again and he slapped the ground once more. This time, more than a hundred Armorloids were summoned and stood at attention. With a clattered, they prepared themselves in an attack stance, lances levelled.
"Oh I won't…yet…"
Back to back, Akeppa, Feva, and I grouped together.
"Kiitekureru?" Akeppa and I perked out heads up, turning to Feva. She grinned, "Can I fight together with you?" Both Akeppa and I cracked a laugh and returned a firm nod.
"Alright then! Let's take these scrap heaps out, so we can help you find the next Agyle!"
"I'll be your support, Tengoku-san, Feva."
"Groovy! Let's boogie all night long!"
In a flash, the assault commenced.
つづく