Woo next chapter! Not much to be said about this. i will be working as much as i can as usual.

This is the twenty-ninth installment of Believe in Me. Makeing the Thirtieth the start of the battles. no i didn't plan it that way, it's just ironic.

Story

"Talking"

Thinking

Emphasis

(Me)

Enjoy!


Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 29: Promises

When nervous about an upcoming event, the time between it and the present seems to fly by like a bullet. Time did just that at the resistance base. Before anyone could think about the inevitable approaching conflict, only one day remained. All the workers and soldiers were bustling about the complex making ready for the attack. In the command center Zero, Ciel, Cerveau, Harpuia, and Leviathan sat in a circle around a projection of the resistance base in the middle of a round table.

"If we station soldiers on the ramparts along these key areas…" Cerveau began as he pushed buttons to highlight points on the image. Harpuia quickly cut him off.

"They'd be dead men… the skill of the enemy that we face is of high caliber, we'd only be adding avoidable casualties."

"In that case…" Ciel pressed a combination of keys, "…We'll clear the ramparts and move every body into the base, leaving you three to do battle within the area without worrying about any soldiers. Any damage to the base can easily be repaired, so you don't have to worry about the ramparts. In fact you could use the ramparts to your advantage."

"We'll still have to be careful about the main building though…" Zero pointed towards the diagram. "I know this base has been through a lot but we should avoid any damage that could possibly cause harm to those within." Everybody nodded in agreement and the meeting came to a close. The battle was drawing closer, and last minute preparations were to be completed.

Harpuia sat outside in the area cursed by Zero's story. He wanted a quiet place to run his final check on his weapons. He examined each Saber carefully from tip of the hilt to tip of the blade. Leviathan watched him from the doorway to the base.

Are you wondering as I am Harpy? Do questions to which you know not the answers haunt your mind as well? She sighed to herself. She wanted to go talk to him about it, but she also didn't want to disturb his preparation.

"Is something on your mind Levi?" She jumped at his sudden statement. She stepped out of the doorway and out into the courtyard.

"How did you…"

"You and I are closely linked Levi… It was either you come to me or I come to you, but I knew it would've happened eventually one way or the other."

"But, then…"

"I heard you sigh."

"Oh…" Harpuia put down his saber and faced her.

"Are you wondering if we will only be in Zero's way?"

"Yes… among other things as well…"

"Like what?"

"We face enemies that all gave Zero trouble in the past… Do we even stand the slightest chance?" Harpuia remained silent. "I mean, we were defeated utterly when they attacked the city… Do we even have a place in this battle? Not to mention we have no part in its origin."

"It's incredible…"

"What is?"

"The way we think alike… I too have thought this over, but have reached no conclusions. One difference about this battle though, is the fact that the attack is planned. Those cowards took us by surprise in the city. Unfortunately, if I run into that tall reploid again, as much as I want revenge, I doubt I could match a fraction of his true speed."

"I guess that means we are left with only one thing."

"What is that?" Leviathan sat down next to Harpuia and took his hand in hers.

"We can only believe in each other." Harpuia stared into her eyes and a small smile appeared on his face. "Make me a promise…… Sage?"

"Of course…… Fairy."

"If I make it through alive, will you as well?"

"I promise."

Zero stared off into the sunset as a soft cool breeze caught his ponytail, playing with it as it waved. He was on the roof of the base. (Again.) However, instead of his usual pose against the walls of the air conditioning unit, he was sitting on the ground up against the side of the stair case entrance. He had removed his helmet, exposing his blonde hair and pony tail as he watched the sunset one last time before the confrontation. He heard light footsteps coming up the stairs. The light steps meant one of three people, Leviathan, Alouette, or Ciel. Zero could detect Leviathan's energy close to Harpuia, and Alouette was scared of the roof, so there was only one possibility.

"Zero…?"

"Right here." Ciel shut the door and walked around it to find him sitting. It was strange for her to see him like that, in the past he was always standing the same way, in the same place, looking in the same direction. She sat down next to him and looked out into the sunset as well.

"I figured you'd be up here."

"Figured?"

"Well, if I can't find you in five minutes I know where to always look." She giggled lightly. Zero smiled.

"Well… nothing beats the roof when it comes to a quiet place for thinking." Ciel tucked her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Zero… I'm afraid…" Zero averted his eyes from the sunset to her. "This is the first time I've fought an enemy that isn't set against me… This enemy only wants you and for some reason I can't figure anything out."

"This is the first battle you will witness that has nothing to do with you."

"Yes… but I feel useless…"

"How so?"

"I've never been able to fight. I've always been behind the lines where it is safe… sometimes… sending you, Harpuia, and Leviathan out into action made me feel responsible for anything and everything that happened to all of you. It just seems like you were always able to fight for me, but I would never be able to fight for you."

"There is no need to worry about that… people choose their battles, you've chosen yours and I've chosen mine, as for the fighting, you chose and fought your battled your own way. Fighting physically is not the only way." Ciel though over those words carefully. "You will not need to worry about a thing tomorrow. This time the fight was caused by me, so anything that happens to anybody will fall onto my shoulders and mine alone." Ciel's thoughts shifted immediately, she didn't want to hear Zero say that.

"I can't let you bare that!" Ciel stood up and walked a couple paces away. "I can't let you take all the blame for possible casualties… I…" Ciel heard Zero rise and approach her. "I don't want you to bear any more… after all you've been through…" Zero knew she was talking about the unfortunate events that had been revealed through his story of the past.

"But… Ciel… It…" He gathered himself. "It is a burden I am willing to bare."

"Zero…"

"I've been holding heavy responsibilities on my back my whole life; this will be the last, hopefully."

"Zero! You need to think of yourself as well!" Zero didn't quite follow her, which he made apparent by the blank face he wore. "I know you're considerate… I know you never put yourself before others… But that isn't the bad thing… you never give thought to your own state!" Zero didn't know what to say. It was the way things had always been with him, so the words coming from Ciel's voice now were things he had never put any thought into. None the less, Zero tilted his head down.

"I see where you are going Ciel… but it's what I was built for… I'm sure Harpuia would say the same thing…" The Ciel made a bold move… if not for the circumstances; Ciel would have never entered the "zone". She moved closer to him, their faces no more than a foot apart.

"No! I don't care!" She grabbed his forearms. "Zero please listens to me!" She was almost shouting. "You need to look after yourself as well! All the fighting for peace and humanity would mean nothing if you let yourself waste away in the process! Harpuia would not agree with you! I'm sure he knows how important it is to look after himself! He has people that are important to him and people that he is important to!" Zero couldn't believe how straight forward Ciel was being, but, as much as he wanted to deny everything she was saying, he knew she was right. She let her head droop as she continued, "You are just like Harpuia…" Zero noticed a small tear run down her face.

"Ciel…?" She looked up at him with her lightly watered eyes,

"You have things to come back to… And…" She squeezed his arms. "And… you have people that you are important to… people that can't live without you…" Then something sprung into Zero's mind.

"I hope you have also realized why I used this situation to awaken the power."

"I know… because I too have figured it out; that the will to live is the most powerful driving force."

"Good… you aren't as dumb as I thought."

"Think not of it… the choices we make throughout our lives have their reasons behind them… I chose love over grudges… as did you…"

"I think I should go back to the resistance base."

"Zero… No matter what happens never forget the lessons I taught you."

As the conversations from the not so distant past played back through Zero's head he came forward and locked Ciel in a warm embrace. Ciel's tears immediately stopped and the redness of her eyes transformed into a blush. Brother… Zero thought. What you taught me held more wisdom than I could at first see……

"I will fight and live Ciel…" Ciel snapped back to reality and listened to Zero. "No matter what happens tomorrow, I will not be killed and neither will anyone else. Everybody will survive… But most importantly… you will be protected from any harm… I promise."

"Oh… Zero…" She began to cry once more, but the tears were not those of concern, but those of happiness. She felt as though she was getting through to Zero and maybe, just maybe, she could finally tell him afterward.

Neither were in the mood to separate, in fact both were enjoying the close company of the other. Ciel was within Zero's arms, the only place she ever truly wanted to be, and Zero was in a position he had long forgotten the happiness of. The two stayed together until the sunset slowly disappeared over the horizon, then finally breaking apart to finalize their preparations, for the next day was going to put promises to the test.

The sun rose gently over the horizon, shining the bright morning light upon the dark silence of the Resistance base. All civilians and soldiers were tucked safely away in the underground bunkers, leaving only six above. Ciel, Cerveau, and Croire had stationed themselves in the security building next to the main gate, within the large walls. These three were meant for healing purposes. Cerveau had set up two medical tables in case of emergency… The other three… stood steadfast inside the large entrance courtyard near the main gate. Leviathan, Harpuia, and Zero waited patiently, weapons in hand and ready to fight.

"Are you two ready?" Zero questioned his comrades.

"Of course." Zero turn to Leviathan. "We'll support you the best we can."

"Feh… Zero can worry about his own skin… I have some special payback to attend to." Zero chuckled at Harpuia's comment.

"Heh… just watch your back then tough guy." Zero looked over his shoulder to see Ciel staring out into the soon to be battlefield. Zero knew what she was thinking. Don't worry Ciel… I will take care of myself and be wary of my own condition… but most of all I won't allow them to get near you. A loud beep from Zero's scanner interrupted his thoughts. "Energy readings closing in!" Harpuia's sensors suddenly went off.

"I've picked them up too… but… wait… what the…" Then Leviathans sensors caught them.

"Wait… Harpy… something isn't right! These signatures……"

"How many…… Levi there are…" Harpuia and Leviathan's sensors were picking up more and more signals. Zero was silent, his eyes closed and mind prepping for battle. His eyes opened when he found his focus and he took a stance with his saber ready for attack.

"There are eight signatures……"

---To be continued---


Alright! the stage is set and the cards have been dealth, how exactly are the three warriors going to fight off eight? Well i guess you'll find out next time.

To tell you all the truth this chapter was originally just going to be a filler because i wanted to put in a couple more things before the battle. Mainly the conversation between Harpuia and Leviathan. That scene had some research put into it. I've heard that in Japan calling somebody by their first name is only done with family, close friends, and loved ones. So i inrtegrated a bit of that culture into the scene where the two of them call each other by their first names instead of their usual nicknames for each other. The scene between Zero and Ciel was going to be just another, "oh ciel comes to the roof to find zero and talk to him briefly" scene, but halfway through writing it i decided to delete it all and give this scene for power and give it a reason.

So there you have it!

Once again i thank all those who review this story, you guys are great.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!