Chapter 14: Heroic

Vyse walked along the hallway, his eyes focused upon the novel he was deep into, as he sidestepped one of the ladies carrying a few of the decorations for the party. He blinked, as he looked around, seeing people already carrying several supplies around. He stopped as one of the girls walked passed him.

"Excuse me, but what's with all the party supplies?" Vyse asked as Bel stopped, glancing over to him, as she frowned.

"An arm broken and you still don't listen to whats going on around you… your just like-"

"Direct question, direct answer please!" Vyse bellowed, Bel's face going sour.

"Your being rude y'know?" She scowled, Vyse only giving a weary glance.

"The supplies are for a surprise party Vyse." Cel mentioned, walking over towards them.

"Cel, I'd hug ya, but my arm is full and Misty might kill me." He replied, chuckling softly.

"Your jokes are getting real old Vyse." She mentioned, as Bel nodded.

"Uh-huh, anyway, who is this party for?"

"Are you planning to help?" Bel demanded with a stern glance.

"Do I look like I can help?" Vyse remarked, motioning to his arm.

"You can still 'lend a hand' y'know." Cel remarked, as Vyse shook his head.

"Enough with the puns…" He depressingly remarked.

"Promise you won't tell Meia?" The two asked cohesively.

Vyse remained silent, blinking as the thought about this.

"You're setting a surprise party for her?" He asked, his eyes narrowed in speculation.

"Yes, and we don't want it-"

"Somehow I don't think she wants such a thing… but considering most of the crews involved, I'm just gonna remain neutral to this." Vyse stated walking past the two, who looked on in confusion.

"JUST DON'T TELL MEIA!" The two remarked.

"I'm sure she can hear you two." He commented with a snicker.

The only gasped as they covered their mouths, fearing Meia had heard them.

Early as things were, the Café was still busy as ever, with a few of the crewmates getting a meal during their break. At one of the tables, the three bridge members along with Pai and Dita were busy plotting the surprise party for Meia.

"Yeah, but that way she'll find out for sure." Amaro mentioned in despair.

"But if she runs away, then theirs no point in doing it." Cel noted.

"We always wind up doing the same thing every year." Amaro stated sadly.

"Hmm." Dita thought for a second, for once using her brain to her fullest, as the doors slid open, as Meia entered inside the area.

Looking up from where she was leaning, Dita immediately panicked.

"Oh, it's Meia?" She cried out, the five girls immediately leaping up, acting suspiciously normal, as Meia glanced over towards them.

"Oh hi, it's really nothing." Paiway said, waving her hands to Meia, Cel shushing her.

Meia sighed, ignoring the group as she walked over to the coffee machine to get her early morning dose. Just as she was, Barnette walked into the room in her cooking outfit, a dish in her hand as she stirred the batter slowly in the bowl.

"Hey bel, if you want something special in the cake tell me now, otherwise I'll-" She stopped, seeing their hands wave furiously in the air.

"Huh, what?" Slowly she glanced to her side, her eyes widening as she noticed who was in the room. "MEIA… oh, your… here… aheheh…" She spoke, as she smiled nervously. "Well, gotta let off a little steam now and then. Cooking is such a stress reliever." She mentioned, walking back into the kitchen, Meia only sighing as she already knew what everyone was up to.

"Ah, that's right, I have to go back to the bridge." Amaro mentioned, as she turned running off.

"Me too." Bel stated, following Amaro's lead.

"Uh-huh." Cel stated, as she followed directly behind Bel.

"Yeah, me too!" Dita said walking after them.

"Why are you going to the bridge Dita?" Pai asked confused.

"I dunno, I just am." Dita mentioned, as Meia only sipping her cup of coffee.

"Whats all that about? Isn't everyone acting strangely, what do you suppose it is?" Misty asked, holding her tray in her hand, peering over toward Meia, who glanced over to her with her usual poker face.

"Tommarow happens to be my birthday." She answered with an unwelcoming tone.

"Apparently this isn't the first time by the way things are either."

Misty and Meia turned to find Vyse sitting nearby, a book in his left hand, his legs pursed up onto the table, crossed

"You got that right." Meia answered annoyed. "I am not into parties, especially when I'm the reason for it. It's nothing but a nuisance."

"Sounds like your anti-social Meia." Vyse said with a snicker.

"And just what are you getting at Vyse?"

"Simple, she isn't up for all that social gatherings, especially birthday parties." Vyse answered, turning the page in his novel.

"You know something, don't you?" Misty demanded.

"My lips are neutral to this… as far as I'm concerned; I'm staying out of this."

"I swear, ever since you got that cast on your arm, you've become more and more of a pain in the ass Vyse." Misty shouted, slamming her hands on the table.

"It's fine by me," Meia said standing up, "I just better get out of here while I still can." She said, as she walked slowly out of the room.

"Vyse, that was rude of-"

"Mist, between Meia's stoicism and the crew's reluctance, it is better to remain neutral." He said with a sigh.

Misty remained silent for a while before she took a sigh of relief.

"You win." She said shrugging.

Walking within the Dread team hanger, she glanced up with her eyes widening to find Parfet and the others working upon her Dread.

"Parfet, what's going on? I never heard anything about a major overhaul being done?" She said aggravatingly.

"I'm sorry, but I just had the opportunity. I'll make sure we get it all done today." Parfet replied apologetically.

"Yes, but…" Meia stopped, she knew it was already useless trying to negotiate and she knew she wouldn't be able to make an escape by her dread.

Turning around, she walked out of the hanger, as Parfet watched her leave, taking deep breath, her heart rate slowing down to normal.

"Hanger one reporting, I stop her escaping in her dread." Parfet reported over her communicator.

"Great work Parfet!" Dita replied cheerfully.

"Gee.this is bad for my heart." She mentioned, setting the communicator aside.

Dita cut the communication line with Parfet, as she brought her arms together, looking to Hibiki.

"Okay, great, we finished phase one." She said gleefully.

"It's too early to take it easy just yet." Hibiki stated, as his thumb and index finger rested upon his chin, thinking what to do next.

"That's quiet an interesting site, two genders huddled together in some secret alliance." Duero stated, looking down at the three sitting together.

The three glanced to one another with dumbfounded glances, Hibiki being the first to respond.

"Don't jump to any weird conclusions, there's a good reason for all of this." Hibiki denied, as Duero looked at him oddly.

"Reason?" Duero asked.

Vyse casually walked towards the door leading within to the paksis core, as his right hand slowly reached towards the panel, about to tap a few keys.

"Vyse! What are you doing trying to enter that room?" One of the engineers demanded, as he turned towards her, a solemn glance on his face.

"I'm going to speak with paksis." He said, as he tapped the open key upon the panel, the doors immediately sliding open.

"Do you remember what happen last time you went near paksis!" She remarked angrily, as Vyse sighed.

"So I fainted, but I think I know why." He said, as he stepped inside.

She was about to stop him, but he walked inside, as the doors shut behind him.

"Ugh, that idiot?" She remarked, as she ran off, deciding to alert Parfet of this.

Vyse slowly walked over, looking to the glowing blue sphere located in the center, surrounded by several metallic parts keeping it in place. He leaned onto the railing looking down at the paksis, as it glowed a bit brighter for a second, as Vyse remained on the railing, tapping his left hand on it.

"It's been a while since we last met." He said, looking down at the huge round sphere.

"So it has…"

"Tell me paksis, was it my dark side that turned you against me?"

"No… it was the paksis within you…"

"The micro paksis?"

"Yes… I felt that it was bound within you."

"Bound? You mean as in locked within me?"

"Correct."

"Why would you think that?"

"It has happened to the other paksis."

"The other… the Earth Paksis."

"Yes… originally paksis fused and separated at its own will, we split up during the research of space in this dimension."

"In this dimension? Then where are you originally from?"

"Unknown."

"Damn… wait, so what happened to the other paksis?"

"Encountering a research ship from earth, paksis entered a dormant stage… as of several decades ago, it was used to create the harvest fleet."

"And it's still on Earth, right?"

"Current location unknown… while we are interacting, however, the other paksis is connected with an earthling."

"The Earthing, what are they like?"

"Dark, a closed off feeling of anxiety that has turned into a cluster of negative consciousness."

"So the other paksis has become corrupt by the earthlings."

"Correct."

"Even though you are against your friend, you still have the Nirvana, the crew to keep you company."

With that the paksis glowed, the howling wind sound that always seemed to echo through the area.

Sitting on her bed, Meia glanced down at the sleeping Kahlua within the pod like crib. She slowly turned, looking to the now complete picture within the chest her Fuma once gave her. Once it was of only had her Fuma and herself within, but after her near death experience she finally forgave her Ohma for abandoning her. Her memory trip lasted only a short while as the cries from Kahlua gained her attention. Glancing over to where Kahlua was, she gulped, as she stood up from where she sat, her right hand on her cheek.

"What should I do?" She asked, looking down at the crying child.

"How do you stop her from crying?" She asked herself.

Walking through the hallway, she held the crying Kahlua out in her arms, searching around for anyone to help her with Kahlua.

"What do I do?" Meia asked herself, as she walked once more through the ships hallway, as one of the surveillance team members watched her pass by from a distance.

"Heads up everyone, Meia's heading your way." She announced through the communicators.

Meia continued walking, as another member of the surveillance team saw her passing by from above.

"Cargo hold reporting, Meia and Kahlua passing by." The second alerted, as the people ahead quickly scattered and moved out of sight, as Meia entered the abandoned hallway.

Meia only could look on in the tear drenched face of the crying Kahlua, feeling a bit sorry for her.

"Oh dear, what could be making you so upset?" Meia asked, seeing Kahlua still bursting into tears.

She turned, taking the left route, still searching for anyone that could help her.

"Well, I suppose your not going to tell me, are you?" She said, as she walked onward, still searching for help.

Several blasts erupted forth from the external area of the ship, rocking it violently from the inside. Trotting through the hallway did Meia run at full speed towards the hanger area, still carrying Kahlua.

"This is perfect timing?" She mentioned to herself, as she lost her balance with another shaking aftershock, she fell towards her left of the life, her right arm slamming into the glass panel, as she fell directly into the escape pod, being shot out into the endless bounds of space.

The violent shaking threw Vyse over the railing, as he fell all the way down into the paksis.

"Not good!" Parfet mentioned, watching as Vyse vanished within the paksis. "What's the reading of the paksis at the moment?" She asked one of the engineers.

"Output is normal, energy management at a hundred percent." The engineer replined.

"Keep a close eye on it, we may have a rough boundry." Parfet ordered.

"Roger." The entire staff replied.

"What's the use of even knowing this stuff?"

"A true adventurer must know how to calculate physical equations."

Vyse slowly opened his eyes, hearing the voices, as he recognized it merely as a flashback.

"Paksis… where am I?"

A low humming could be heard, as Vyse felt already a worried feeling coming from it.

"Your troubled… why?" Vyse asked, as the Paksis hummed once more.

"Meia… your saying she's in danger?" He asked, as the Paksis hummed once more in a wind howling way.

"I see… so what should I-"

He stopped, when he remembered the vision, as he smiled.

"Okay then, give me all the data, I want the GR of the escape pod, at what point it was launched and the resistance within space." Vyse mentioned, as the information was listed in front of him.

Calculating each of the variables involved with the pods ignition. He took into account the factors of space that would slow down the escape pod, taking into account of the time that was passing. Soon enough did the hypothesized location make is mark.

"That should be its location… better a-"

White light showered over him, as he covered his eyes with his right hand, appearing outside of the paksis, as he slowly got up, looking to his right arm, gasping as the cast was gone, as he lifted his arm up, noticing he was now back in control of it.

"Guess I owe you for this one Paksis." He mentioned, as he took a deep sigh.

He turned running off, knowing he would be able to control.

"Where? Where? Where can you be?" Ezra mumbled, searching through the outer fields of space for any sign of the pod that was missing from the ship.

"Pyoro 2…" Pyoro called out sadly.

"The gas clouds are affecting us too much! It's tough trying to find a small pod in such a big area!" Misty stated, as she searched the area for the pod.

"There may be tons of space debris out there, but there's only one Pyoro 2, and we've got to find her." Pyoro mentioned loudly waving his robotic arms.

"Oh please god, please, save my baby. I swear I'll stop being so weak about everything." Ezra begged, as she continued scanning the area for Meia.

Misty knew how worried Ezra was, especially when someone like Meia was out there, defenseless with the enemy just nearby.

"Dear sister, where are you?" She mentally asked, indeed worried greatly about Meia.

Vyse dashed forth, heading to Vanguard Zero, as he climbed up the stairs, hopping within to the cockpit. He quickly placed his helmet on his head, assembling the other mechanical arms and boots upon their rightful places, as he then linked with the machine, his eyesight now one with the robots, as they flashed a bright blue, as he charged off, heading out of the hanger.

"Commander! Vanguard Zero has just launched from its hanger!"

"Vyse Gunlash, what the hell do you think your doing going into battle with your-"

"Let me make this brief, my arm is good as new and I have a good idea where Meia's pod is located." He said, as he rocketed off, heading to the left port bowel of the ship.

"What did you just say?"

Moving at a full speed did Vyse reach the area of the pod, as he looked around, spotting the bots already closing in upon the escape pod.

"Damn! Vyse to Barnette, several cubes have surrounded the pod, I can't risk fighting." He said, scanning the pod.

"SHIT! Hurry your ass on over, the damn pod has an air leak!" He demanded, as Barnette growled, as she screamed back.

"ALRIGHT ALREADY!"

Moving away from the pod, Vyse took a few shots, as he growled feeling the electric feedback run through his body.

"Dammit, what I wouldn't do to have may enhancement armor right now!" He mumbled, as he continued to get blasted a couple more times.

"Hang on Vyse!" Came a voice, as he was suddenly latched up by the hooks of the delivery shuttle, taken inside of the ship.

He panted, as he disconnected himself from the Vanguard.

"Thanks Barnette… gwah!" Vyse mentioned, holding his chest, as he loud out several rapid coughs.

"Vyse, are you hurt?" Misty asked, running to his side, as she placed her left hand on his back.

"Just a few after blasts, a good nights sleep and some pain reliever should make me good as new." He replied with a weary smile.

"Pyoro-2!"

"No, let me hold her!" Ezra demanded, pulling her child from Pyoro's grasp.

"I was so worried about you!"

"Yes, well I'm her mother!"

"Pyoro 2 is my darling little baby."

"I keep telling you her name is Kahlua."

"Oh, she's starting to cry, hand her over!" Pyoro demanded, as he took hold of Kahlua once more.

"No! I won't!" Ezra replied, as Meia immediately interfered, taking hold of Kahlua, as she cradled her in her arms.

Slowly did Kahlua cease her crying, as she reached out, giggling in babble, as she looked up into Meia's not innocent eyes.

"Oh, I see. You like me do you," She said, with a smile, "Well of course you do, because we lived through our very own life or death situation." Meia remarked, as she closed her eyes innocently.

"There you go!" Meia mentioned, laughing. "Good girl!"

"She smiling." Pyoro said, as he watched in amazement, "That face, it's the most beautiful one of them all!" He whispered.

Meia only smiled, hearing Pyoro's compliments, as she looked over to the two with her still beaming face.

"Thank you!"

Arriving back at the ship, the team stepped off, as Vyse looked to Meia.

"Well, looks like someone's mood has changed." He said, as Meia glanced to him with a raised brow.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, with her serious glance on her face.

"Forget it… anyway, i'm gonna get some rest, so see you bright and early!" He remarked, walking off.

"You do that." She remarked, as Vyse walked off, as Misty remained behind with Meia.

He only took a few steps before Ezra called his name.

"Vyse, wait up!"

He turned, finding Ezra running up to him.

"What is it?" He asked, seeing Ezra glance up at him.

"I want to thank you… for helping find Kahlua." She said, smiling to him.

"C'mon, it's Meia who's the real heroine. I just located her and took the punishment the cubes gave off." He replied modestly.

"You should be greatful, you're a true heroine." She stated, as she took a step towards him.

"Actually, the correct term… is hero." He replied, with a keen smile.

Authors note: I know it's a late update, but like most, I have a lot of other things to deal with in real life, and getting back to working on the chapters is a bit harder then when I had time off. Still, I will continue it until the end.