Seven men ran through the dark towards a fenced compound. The truck behind them had three in reserve and behind them were two helicopters. A small boat waited at the coast.
According to pre-planned actions, the seven surrounded one of the entryways to the main building. Four entered in pairs, looking very Chinese. In short order the staff on hand were sleeping soundly, the facility was being searched, and data capture and elimination began.
"Purrcy, it's not very good. It looks like Bo Ran and his cabinet are all here, and have been since only about a month from returning. There are others from Theldesia as well."
"Mm. That isn't good," she responded. "Here in this country it's hard to know if they're willing helpers because they're loyalists or if they're being forced into it unwillingly. Asking them could get you into a lot of trouble, but it's your call. Does the documentation say anything about if they were able to do magic? Maybe we could contact one of the minor ones from inside."
There was silence as Michael scanned through the documents he had. "Mi Lin's brother is here, with positive results," he said, in a bit of surprise it sounded like.
"We'll try him, then, without letting him know where we're from."
"Go carefully," he cautioned. "We haven't set anything off yet, but we've not been inside yet."
"Always. You, too." Purrcy turned to Stiletto and Gareth. "Gareth, anchor us. Shields on you are doubled so they can't trace our path back to here physically. Use mirrors and mirage as much as possible to distract. Stiletto, walk us in carefully. What might feel solid on entry might be an inescapable trap to exit from. Try to feel the exit before you move."
Stiletto gave a nod and the two of them slipped out, Purrcy sitting as a little fly on Stiletto's shoulder and looking like a sparkly fairy from Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Of course, her sparkly was just an addition to his own sparkly so she was camouflaged well.
Purrcy kept her focus and intent on Mi Lin's brother. Stiletto used her beacon to the brother to walk them closer. They both kept watch for the traps they did understand. They reached a point where two different steps could be taken. The right one felt more open, while the left one felt heavy and like an enclosed box. With some brief deliberation, they went right.
Upon landing on that spot, Stiletto began to feel as if he was being pressed down. "You're suddenly very heavy, Hahaue," he whispered quietly. She immediately lifted up off his shoulder and flitted back and up.
He could feel his feet slip out from under him. It felt like they were in quicksand and were being pulled inexorably down with the sand. The sensation moved up his legs slowly. "Oh, dear," he complained.
"Hang on, Stil," Purrcy said. "Relax with it to save up your power. It's dragging the power out of you. But don't let go of our connection."
"Okay." He held on to the bit-wise line, knowing it was usually ignored by whatever other magics were in effect. It felt like he was being pulled thin and down a plumbing pipe. It didn't hurt, it was just an odd sensation of being stretched. There was a sudden tension to the line he was holding and he instinctively tightened his hold on it.
"Roll left!" Stiletto gathered up all his energy and flipped himself to the left. There was a bit of a slurp and a light "pop" at his feet as they came loose last. He was up on some kind of firm surface and not feeling like moving from where he lay.
He was back to not being stretched thin, which was nice. His sparkles were mere flecks of faint light around him now. That was both sad and good. He might not be quite so visible if anyone was looking for sparkles.
A winged creature settled down next to him and he realized his line to Purrcy was lying loosely next to him. The wings were wide and soft and one of them was all it took to cover him. Looking up, he could see Purrcy looking at him with a kind smile.
"Rest. It won't take you long to recover what was taken." Stiletto nodded and closed his eyes. With just a little bit of effort, he changed to be a tiny moth hiding under the wings of the larger moth that had settled over him. He was quite sure that he was pale grey and she was black-winged with large bright gold swirls to scare away predators. It was a comforting place to rest for a bit, actually.
-:-:-:-:-
Gareth sighed in relief. His bit-line was bringing back video as well as keeping tabs on where they were. He was glad Stiletto hadn't been swallowed up by the black hole that was trying to make him disappear. Purrcy had used a fairly simple spell to help him out of it.
The problem now was that they weren't in the clear yet. Purrcy had made them a place to rest for a moment, but it wasn't going to stay fixed very long and then they'd be falling into the odd black hole again. It almost looked like they were moths resting on a pile just above the waterline.
Gareth crafted a spell then sent it out, carefully tying his end off to a location that wasn't where he was, but would anchor them. The other end wrapped around their resting place as if a thick rope.
That made their location more like a barrel floating in the water since it wasn't really anchored any more. He'd caught them just in time. Slowly the rope spell reeled them back towards the anchor point. Slow enough to hopefully not set off any warnings in or around the black hole.
He wasn't sure if it had been that, or something that was part of the original magic of the trap, but something came out of, or from next to, the black hole, like a long black whip, seeking the barrel. It lashed out a time or two, not finding its source of energy that it had been slurping up. If it hit the barrel it would likely be smashed.
Gareth crafted another spell - a modification of one of the attack spells of the Eagles - and lobbed what looked like a charcoal grey rock towards the whip. He'd put a whisper of the scent of energy on the surface of it and the whip struck out and snatched the rock out of the air.
In short order, the black whip started to steam and a fifth of it fell off and was slurped up into the black hole, the rock rolling after it. He waited until the rock was in the opening - it wasn't quite large enough to block it off - and made it explode on the inside of the opening. It had actually been one of the larger purification bombs.
The barrel rocked as the magic realm in that area heaved and there was a brief moment of loud keening. It was odd to find a sea monster in the middle of the magic realm, but Gareth supposed you could find anything there that was imaginable. He waited to see if things would calm down. Sometimes a single massive internal high-damage attack like that was sufficient to get them to go away, if not die.
The larger moth on the barrel fluttered her wings and a sparkling scattered from them, as if it were shaking off glittering bits of water. They settled all around the barrel and he smiled. Purrcy had made the barrel very unappetizing if whatever it was didn't like purification.
He increased the speed on the retrieval line just a very slight notch. It didn't get anything to bite so he left it there at that speed. "Weave a net," Purrcy said in his ear.
Gareth nodded. He could do that. He quickly wove a glowing white net of purification and weighted the outer corners with similar rocks to what he'd just sent, though the little ones. As he cast the spell, the web flowed out and opened just past the barrel to float gently down over the black hole. It looked like Purrcy had done something to assist so it wasn't just sucked down the hole, but really spread out around it.
He'd added in a bit of her spell from the China Maze of Eternity and as things were pulled down the constant stream into the black hole, they were being purified so that only purified material was making it through the maw.
There was a cry, and this time it sounded more human, like a person in pain. "Be calm," Purrcy said and Gareth wondered if it was to Stiletto since they were on a party chat. "Rest and wait."
Gareth obeyed, too. There wasn't much else to do until they understood and the barrel had reached the anchor point. It was very close now so he looped the rest of the rope up so that it went around the barrel and his anchor point, slowly tightening around both to tie them together firmly once they were docked together.
The black moth moved, but behind her she left a shadow image of her to continue to cover Stiletto, protecting him still. Purrcy walked to the top of the barrel - the two of them being on the far side of it from the black hole originally. She watched the netted black hole, tasting the air.
The energies of the area were slowing down, now. The amount of energy being pulled into the hole was decreasing enough that it looked like the water was starting to rise and stabilize. When the area was finally calm and even in tempo, back to what the magic realm should be, the moth lifted up from the barrel and flew in randomized flapping and soaring towards the net.
"Stiletto, stay put, but you're now first backup. I'll let you know if you need to move." Gareth informed him. He got the single click affirmation.
Gareth was glad when Purrcy went around the net instead of into it. He watched the net being slowly closed from the opposite side. The black hole wasn't any more. It was more of a dot, but the net was around something of larger size that became something of slightly human figure, although perhaps curled up. Purrcy started to croon and her wings fluttered more purification down on the figure caught in the net. It shrank until it was normal human size and a sigh sounded in that space.
There was the sound of speaking, with tears behind it. "Can either of you translate Chinese?" Purrcy asked quietly. A pinkish-purple spell lifted from Stiletto's position and became a haze that covered their area. Purrcy waited until it was absorbed by the three in that location. "Are you okay now?" she asked gently.
"Who? Who is it?"
"Someone who thought you needed helping," she answered. "I do hope you're feeling better now."
"Thank you." The person was tired, but should be if his center of magic had been turned into that kind of gaping maw of a trap.
"Are you in this facility because you volunteered to be? Do you still want to be here?" Purrcy asked gently.
"I did volunteer, as did others, but we didn't understand what they would really do. If there is an escape, I want to leave," the man was still crying, begging without believing he would receive.
"If you had to go to another country to escape, would you do it?" Purrcy asked. She added sadly, "I'm sorry to say it but your only other escape is death."
The person sighed and was silent for a while. Finally he said, "I have already lived in a place not like my home, not like China. Surely it can't be any more or less difficult."
Purrcy took her turn to sigh. "Well said. It will be that difficult, but it surely won't be more." A yellow light went out from her and the person was in tears again. Gareth understood that. Hahaue hugs were like that. "I'll send out a retrieval request for you. Have you been able to talk to others in this place? Would they also do the same, or would they turn you in as a traitor?"
Gareth listened with half an ear as he sent out the retrieval request to Michael, putting a marker on the man so that it would appear on the map of the facility the magic users of the group were using to keep track of each other and what was going on.
"I don't know. Some cry at night. Others are mad that they are weak."
"Thank you. We will do our best. Please rest and do your best to help us help you. To have been used this way when you only wanted to come home is so sad," Purrcy said with gentle sympathy.
"I was angry. I didn't think properly, but I have come to regret my decision. It would have been better to have refused from the beginning, even if I couldn't have stayed there," he was sadly forlorn.
"It is understandable," Purrcy soothed him. "In anger we demanded to come home and we brought those emotions trailing after us. We've learned much since then. If you're ready to change again and find your peace within yourself, you're in a good place. We will help you."
The man whispered, "Thank you," and then was silent. Gareth was pretty sure he was sleeping restfully, although that would have to change again soon if he was going to be taken out.
It was the harder part to these missions - to retrieve as many as they could. None of them wanted leave fellow Adventurers imprisoned and tortured. They hadn't come home for that. They hadn't fought that hard, been tromped into the mud that deeply, only to have it happen again, unendingly here on Earth. It was the worst nightmare of all the Adventurers.
They left the net around the man. It would now be his comforting blanket until it dissipated. Purrcy flew back to Stiletto, landing lightly next to him. She dispelled her image over him. "Are you feeling better now?" she asked him.
"Yes," Stiletto said, sounding better too.
"Keep the energy tucked in tighter this time," she said with a smile in her voice. "We'll fly for a bit, shall we?, until we find the next one. However," she opened up the chat a bit more, "I think a general purification on the building or on the floors with the rooms they're in would be beneficial. We haven't got all that much time to do this for every inmate.
"Since I've still got healing to do, I can add a small boost to someone else, but we'll either have to make it a group spell, or someone healthy will have to do it. Gareth give the summary report from what he said. We're going back to silent."
-:-:-:-:-
The computer expert with Michael - the one who knew how to find and circumvent security systems - shook his head, his look resigned. "We'll set off warnings even pulling one of them out."
Michael gave a nod. It wasn't his favorite. As a matter of fact, it was going to be the fall-back to the fall-back. If they could even get one out, though, that would be enough to bring pressure on the Chinese government.
He looked at the team of two that was working on getting the copies of the names and numbers of the people who were in the facility. They'd been working feverishly since they'd found the files. They looked close.
He sent back to Gareth, "We're going to have to snatch what we can get and run. Get the truck ready to head for the rendezvous point. They've got the place locked down too tightly."
There was a pause that spoke disapproval, then, "Yes, Sir."
Michael gave his orders to the men with him. "As soon as you've got the files done, set the detonators and get out. A minimal break-and-enter team will go with me. We'll have to use brute force and get out as fast as we can."
His eyes flicked to two of the men with him. "Second floor. Get the door ready to blow." He got salutes and they disappeared. "Wipe the computers as far as you can reach, then get out," he ordered the man on the computer.
Michael moved to stand at the door the two had gone through and watched the three doing the data gathering. As soon as they moved to head out the side entrance to the building, he headed up the stairs.
The other two were waiting for him at the second floor landing. He got a thumbs up and signed the order. As soon as he was standing where he could see, they detonated the det-cord on the cipher door. "Meet me outside," he ordered them both. They headed down the stairs as he headed for the hallway door that was open now.
"Incoming," was warned from the outpost watch. Michael had rather thought that would be the case. He moved quickly, watching his internal map, until he was outside the room with Mi Lin's brother in it. He checked the handle on the door. It was locked - of course. He phased through the door. There was a prickle on his skin as he did. That didn't bode well. It might be bad to transform in the room, and he might not get out if he did.
Mi Lin's brother was curled up on a thin cot. The wall it was up against was an outer wall. That was relieving. Michael picked the man up as best he could, wrapping his arms under the arms of the Chinese man. He backed up to the outer wall, then phased through it, pulling the man with him.
As soon as he was outside, his wings were out, and he was flapping with a strong downward stroke. They were free of the building and he fluttered down to the ground. The two men waiting for him ran over and helped him get the man on Michael's back. Then they were running, following behind the others of their group.
There were explosions in the building. Sirens and searchlights went off just as they left the edge of the barbed-wire grounds they'd cut a hole through. That would give their location away eventually. They heaved themselves and their booty into the back of the truck and Michael gave Gareth the code-realm, "Go!"
"Mrs. Purrcy's still inside," Gareth informed him. "Stiletto's pulling her back out as best he can."
Michael went inside along his own link to her and ordered her to return. "What about the rest of them?" she asked him.
"We're already too late," he said. "We were able to get the first one, but the rest I'm afraid we can't or we'll be caught. Come home."
He was suddenly inside, full demon form. His swords came out and purification arcs shot out of them as he sliced in four simultaneous arcs. The darkness trying to trap Purrcy's psyche was cut into pieces of ribbon. She slipped out of the one that had been holding her and flew to him.
It would have been a slam that would have rocked Michael if they'd both been physical. Purrcy just slapped onto him and clung to his chest, as if a wet piece of paper, although she was more moth or butterfly in form. That was just fine by him. She wouldn't be in the way and she was in the safest place he could think of for the moment.
He pushed away from the area and fled, making sure he caught up the other smaller moth that sparkled. "Right then, call me back," he said to Purrcy.
This time, instead of just instantaneously returning, he purposely flew along the "feel" of the call until he could drop Stiletto off pretty much inside his own body, then do the same to Purrcy, before he re-entered the back of the truck. He made sure to clean up their pathway before he left the magic realm altogether, however.
"Sounds like we've been detoured," one of the men with him said quietly after about five minutes of driving. Michael listened and the sound of helicopter blades became apparent, increasing in volume as they drove.
He frowned. "Gareth, is it a pickup, or are they providing cover?"
"It's a pickup," Gareth replied. "Air radar says jets are headed this way from inside the country."
Michael's frown went to a bit of a scowl. "Do we have backup to chase them off?"
"Headed in, but we'll have to stay ahead of them until we're in international air space."
Michael growled in irritation. With a click of his tongue, he ordered, "Tell the sea hopper to wait until we pass overhead, then become another distraction as it heads out into deeper waters."
"Yessir," Gareth answered, then was silent on their internal communication line as he passed a coded message on to the waiting transport boat.
The truck slowed down, then bumped up a slope, then came to a full stop. The tailgate of the helicopter was pulled closed and latched from the inside and four of the men in the back of the truck hopped out to lock down the wheels of the truck.
The other three worked together to get the man they'd brought with them out of the truck and onto a gurney that they also locked down after strapping him into it. All ten people who were part of the operation strapped down on the bench seats on either side. Evasive maneuvers (and other worse possibilities) would make for difficult seating if they weren't held down.
Michael made sure he was sitting next to Purrcy. He checked her straps after his were properly latched. Only when he was satisfied with that, did he make sure she was okay physically.
Purrcy patted him on the knee to reassure him, then frowned at him. "I'm sorry, really, Purrcy, but it's the best we could do this time. We've got enough evidence to poke the Chinese government with. That will have to do for now." He put his hand on her cheek softly, then pulled her to leaning on his shoulder. He wanted her to rest as much as possible.
-:-:-:-:-
The helicopters did have to do some rather fancy evasion as three Chinese fighter jets caught up to them just as they reached beach and then ocean. It got really close, with one jet flying above them, trying to push them down into the ocean.
There was suddenly a new noise and five jets came roaring overhead from oceanward. Two flipped overhead in vertical circles and came back around to face the one pushing their helicopter down. Gun ports opening made the Chinese jet decide to lift upward rather suddenly, nearly vertical themselves.
The other new jets chased off the other two Chinese jets. Four stayed guard at the boundary of international airspace and one escorted the helicopter out over the ocean until they were finally landing.
The men (and Purrcy) on board the helicopter stayed put and with a sudden roaring that stopped short, the escort jet landed nearby. Purrcy looked at Michael quizzically. The littoral ship they'd been on before wasn't big enough for regular jets to land on. He smiled back.
The helicopter pilot gave Michael the thumbs-up and he unlatched his straps, then helped Purrcy out of hers. Two Eagles unlatched the hatch of the helicopter while Life Support and Ground Safety unstrapped the gurney. They pushed it out of the helicopter, following Michael who had a tight hold on Purrcy's hand. Stiletto and Gareth stayed with them, Bowie sticking close by as well.
The hatch on the helicopter was closed up again as the party moved quickly away from the helicopter. The wind from the rotors picked up and it lifted up from the deck of the ship they were on. Purrcy looked around, her eyes very wide. "This isn't the ship we left from," she said.
Michael smiled at her. "No. Welcome to the USS Ronald Reagan, our home aircraft carrier."
Purrcy's wide eyes stared at him, then around the ship again. She squeezed his hand in both of hers. Her excitement was gratifying. "Can I see it...all?"
"Sure," Michael kissed her temple. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kept them moving. They moved quickly indoors where the gurney was taken to the medical bay. The rest were met by the captain of the ship. He welcomed them formally and officially, then went with them quickly to the boardroom where they had a debriefing meeting.
When it was done, Purrcy - who'd sat quietly except when it was her turn to report - had one request: "Michael, can we please sail as close to Japan as possible as we pass by?"
-:-:-:-:-
Shinkou lifted her head. Shiroe glanced at her and she lunged to her feet, staring at him earnestly. He quickly finished the last stroke of the word he was writing on his current cartography project and turned for her, worried. Her nose was in his face. "Shiroe," was whispered.
He put his hand on the side of Shinkou's head, holding it as the other hand reached for the intercom button on his phone. "Akatsuki, I'm not available for a bit." He got his reply, but he was holding Shinkou's head in both hands now. "What is it, Hahaue?" he asked very quietly.
"Some of the missing Adventurers aren't on Theldesia. Earth's governments are holding them captive and performing horrible experiments on them, trying to be the first countries to find magic to use as another weapon to throw us into another world arms race. We've recovered one who can testify to the truth of it. My guess is that most of them are ones who were loners without family to complain, and I'm willing to bet it's every nation, not just a few."
Even more quietly Shinkou said in Shiroe's ear, which he'd bent down closer to hear, "If you want to call up the Adventurers to war and action against the facilities, I'll get their locations for you."
Shiroe's hands clenched down into Shinkou's fur as the shock turned into anger - a cold anger that flamed suddenly. He had worked so hard to get hurting people home. To have them return to such abuse wasn't what any of them had wanted at all. "Send it," he said softly with all his anger. "We'll use that angle at the India press conference, after we've seen if their movie will support us or go counter to us."
"Okay. We'll see you there." With a quick lick, Purrcy was gone again. Shiroe pet Shinkou a few times, then had her settle back to her post at his side. Twenty minutes later an unmarked manila folder appeared on Shiroe's desk where one hadn't been before. He casually reached for it and opened it. Inside was a sheet of paper listing addresses all the world over.
He slumped back in his chair. Really, it was rather a lot of places. How many Adventurers? Even one was too many - even the five he'd had to watch walk back to their own as they left his building, and they were the ones he cared about the most. But this was why they'd gone - because they knew they wouldn't be the only ones in that situation, and it would be easier to get the data from the inside.
Shiroe's hands clenched again, slapping the folder closed. He set it carefully on his desk in front of him, then put his elbows on the desk and leaned over the folder, resting his head on his clasped hands as his grim emotions overwhelmed him. In his heart he prayed that he would have the capacity and inspiration to properly correct this horrible atrocity while at the same time walk the path that wouldn't destroy what he was trying to protect.
His soul was chilled and his burden heavy. He put his head down on his arms and wept at this official confirmation of their worst fear. Never had any of the Adventurers who'd wanted to get home foreseen how terrible the peoples and governments of Earth would react to such an event. Only knowing the Eagles and Purrcy were moving against such a terrible outcome gave Shiroe comfort in that moment, as they had when he'd first learned what the final boss in Purrcy's seventh level was.
-:-:-:-:-
Michael held Purrcy down as long as he could the next morning for more than one reason. Obviously, he'd been worried for and about her all the night before they'd arrived on board the aircraft carrier and needed his own reassurance. She'd had to use too much magic again for not being completely healed up, and the physical threat to them - emotionally distanced while on the mission - had been very real.
There was also the reason that as soon as they walked out of their cabin they were celebrities on show again, even if the sailors and pilots were polite about it. He wanted to relax as long as possible before having that on his plate again.
And then there was the main reason: Purrcy was so excited to be on the very aircraft carrier her family called home, she kept quivering in excitement at the thought of getting to explore it. Michael could only sigh. They were going to get underfoot, he'd have to edit what she could see and not see, and they would likely end up a general nuisance.
Even if not, her rubber-necking would draw humor and likely more social media fodder. And in the end ...he wanted to jealously keep all that to himself: her happy excitement at getting to do something that would make her eyes light up and her bright smile blossom.
However, given Michael really did want to see that again for himself, and they did want to show that kind of face to the public generally and in the media specifically, and that they had to eat some time, he finally relented. He strictly made her promise to be immediately obedient to him, though, so that if they needed to get out of someone's way they could, and so he could keep her safe in the areas that were potentially more dangerous.
"Michael," Purrcy almost-whispered as she held on to his elbow tightly, "this is absolutely immense." Just the walk to the wardroom was taking them more than five minutes. "How many people are aboard?"
"The USS Ronald Reagan carries a ship's company of 3,532, and can carry an air wing of 2,480. That includes support, not just pilots, though. The Eagles are one squadron of three in the current air wing. It's one of the largest at twenty-four pilots."
"That's ...like ...at least as many people as lived in the Gate of Time, if not more!" Purrcy gasped at him. "But, they're on a three-shift rotation, right?"
Michael nodded and kept going, knowing from their tour of Kyoto that the details interested her. "In full length of the deck, it's 1,092 feet, or just about a fifth of a mile long, and it's 252 feet across - we call that beam, by the way - or about fifty feet less than a football field is long, excluding end zones.
"It can carry ninety aircraft, including helicopters." Purrcy blinked at him, still impressed. He kept up the detailed descriptions as they walked, being sure to simplify or define the terms she wouldn't know.
He'd worn his Naval uniform - as was appropriate on board - and made her wear her nicer suit, although he'd let her wear her more comfortable shoes. They were going to be doing a lot of walking.
She was just about to ask a question, her mouth open, when from behind them came a familiar voice. "That's a very familiar-looking event - the escorted walk to the wardroom, that is."
Purrcy spun around, her mouth staying open, as Michael smiled. Her eyes took in the uniformed man behind them, then she was stepping to him to embrace him. "Reed! It's so good to see you!"
Reed gently embraced her back. "It's good to see you also, Mrs. Purrcy. Welcome aboard."
As they parted, Michael gently put Purrcy back on his arm and extended his hand to Reed. "Commander. Glad to have you run into us ...before we walked through the door."
Reed gave Michael a smile and handshake. "I figured that to be the better choice as well."
Purrcy wrinkled her nose at the both of them. "Thanks, I guess," she answered as well, "but then congratulations are in order, Reed. Congratulations on your rank advancement."
"Thank you," he answered politely.
"Did you take Michael's place, or are you over a different squadron?"
"Replacement for this tour of duty," he answered, confirming yet another repeat, and moved to open the wardroom door for them.
The three entered the dining room, which was rather large all considered. They requested permission from the Captain to sit to the tables for lunch and were granted permission, being seated as close to the Captain as there were seats for them - Michael and Purrcy on one side of the table and Reed across from them. They placed their orders for the meal, and Purrcy kept both Commanders busy answering questions and telling her stories.
"Reed," Michael interrupted during a break in the flow, "when we're in quiet waters, may I take Purrcy up with a flight?"
Reed paused, then gave a slight shrug. "It's irregular, but an expected request. Let scheduling know when you want to go and they'll calculate for the best timing. You'll have to take an F though."
Michael nodded and answered Purrcy's quizzical look. "The Eagles typically fly the F/A-18Es, but only the Fs have dual cockpits. No touching anything, though, for you."
She obediently shook her head. "No thanks. I'll sit and enjoy it, though! I'm sure it's a very rare treat." She looked back at Reed. "What will I have to concede to get the privilege?"
Reed sighed at her. "As suspicious as always."
"I'm rarely wrong," she pointed out.
"True." It was said slightly sourly, but Reed didn't expound, nor did he answer the question.
-:-:-:-:-
Dressed in flight clothes, with helmets and microphones on, Purrcy and Michael climbed aboard a dual cockpit F/A-18F. While the ground flight assistant got Purrcy buckled in and final security instructions properly said, Michael set his phone to camera mode and attached it to his panel in such a way he could see Purrcy's face behind him.
That was going to be the hardest thing. Michael really wanted to see her expressions. Her helmet would obscure a lot of it, but he'd still get to see some of it using his phone's camera.
Purrcy sat silent as Michael walked through the pre-take-off procedures with the control tower. H/R and P/R took off before them in their 18Es, then it was Michael's turn. They'd be followed by Life Support and Compliance to round out the wing, and Purrcy's standard four guardians.
Stiletto and Gareth still were grounded, but had asked Michael very humbly if they could ride along as ikiryō. They weren't likely to ever get to fly the jets again, so this would be their last opportunity to. Purrcy had overheard, and Michael couldn't say no to the face of a mother pleading for her sons.
It really somewhat felt like the time she and Tetorō had hitched the ride at Shrine Mountain when he'd been flying with Gareth, which was what he wanted to recreate anyway - that and all the other times he'd seen her fly, which had also been shared by others.
Rising into the blue of the sky off the deck of the ship, feeling the acceleration push him against the seat, then slowly release him to be sitting in the middle of the air, floating between the blue below and the blue above, relaxed Michael like he hadn't relaxed in a long time.
He caught up to the two already in the air and they flew in a circular pattern around the ship below them until the final two aircraft of the wing arrived. Calmly he called for the first pattern and they turned for open ocean airspace.
Michael watched Purrcy gaze out over the ocean, seeing her relaxing as well to be out in the open, nothing in that moment to make her worry. Once they'd rested enough, he called for the flight maneuvers they practiced - wing turns, rolls, loops - starting with the more gentle ones and working their way up.
He wasn't going to make Purrcy go through the drop spins which were a bit strenuous on the body, but he did want her to experience the joy of the flight the pilots all felt at the controls of their angels. After one of the later slightly higher-g maneuvers, he looked at her in his phone to see her eyes closed. "You doing okay?" he asked her.
"Mm." She sighed. "Really, how do any of you go back ever? To stay in the sky like this forever wouldn't be too long."
More than Michael chuckled at that. "Because we run out of fuel," Michael answered very practically. "Landing in the ocean isn't all that fun. Airplanes do eventually sink, and then we can't fly anymore."
"Well..., I guess that's true," Purrcy admitted sadly. She sat silently for a while, then said quietly. "Thank you for this memory. It will be one of my favorites."
As he watched the tear drip from her jaw, his own tightened slightly and his throat constricted. "Mine, too," he agreed quietly. If she had to stay a Summon, memories of moments of freedom that she could relive when she was locked down were surely precious and what he wanted to gift her with the most.
For just an instant, Michael wanted to have the Amerka story of Theldesia told - just so the world could see what the indomitable American Spirit really was. Purrcy's story told it so well.
He frowned as his heart was suddenly in conflict. He'd have to think that one through when he was on the ground. "Gareth," he coded a text chat, "put your brain to it. If we told the story of the American Theldesian Pioneer Woman, how would it play out?"
"Seriously, Sir?" Gareth asked in what was likely a private chat. "You'd do it?"
Michael was silent for a bit, then wrote, "If it could be the next Last Boy Scout to show to the world what we've come to respect...maybe."
After a pause, Gareth said respectfully, "I'll consider it."
Michael took a deep breath and went back to focusing on the flying. He wanted to be able to remember this flight forever, too - his last one as the pilot of a military jet with the wonderful bonus of having his wife along so he could see the joy of it through her wonder-filled eyes that always fully appreciated the momentary joys of life. Even if he did return from retirement, they were grounding him after this.
-:-:-:-:-
Back on the ship, it was impossible to go inside for a while. Michael gave Purrcy the outside tour. She learned her sea legs almost as fast as he did, although he was surprised she had. "Michael, dance the one I showed you at the wedding with me, please?"
Michael was a bit surprised, but she'd said it was her favorite of the medieval dances and he knew why, even though it was a bit energetic for them at their ages. He danced her through it once they were in a long enough out of the way spot. "Why?" he asked her.
"Because I'm still flying and it's a good one for that," she answered back. She was a bit lost in her head.
He smiled, though. He loved this Purrcy, too. The one who wasn't self-conscious and did what pleased her because it was a physical need almost. She'd come back to ground if she could get it out of her system. This one dance by itself should tire her out enough to bring her to the present at least. It was stately, but had a lot of stepping and turning, with most of it skipping along instead of just moving gracefully.
They reached the end and she curtsied as he bowed, then he firmly tucked her hand into his elbow again. Recovery was needed. They were both breathing hard. He engaged her brain in the details of the ship until they were at the prow and the wind was blowing their hair back from their faces.
Purrcy sniffed at the air, then looked all around the ocean waters. "Yes, I can see why Navy men and sea men find it hard to go home, even if the work and space they live in might be small."
Michael tickled her. "You saw that on Theldesia," he scolded her.
"Well, yes, but I didn't really get to enjoy it this fully, you know," she answered. "I was either being dragged around, or fighting, or distracted. I don't have to be any of that right now."
"No," he agreed softly, "and I hope it stays that way." He held her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her. She was shorter than him by enough they could both look out over the water. He was quite pleased when a few whales breached, exciting her to no end. A small school of flying fish appeared a while later. That kept their attention for a while.
In the middle of their quiet reverie, a siren went off on the ship. Michael sighed and moved to let her go and take her hand. "That's the 'come inside' warning. A storm of some level is coming. We've likely got time, though. They'll see it on radar long before we can see it from the deck. I'll give you the inside tour until it gets too rough to keep walking."
Purrcy raised an eyebrow at him. "Can we hide with the sailors in the hammocks? On a bed is ridiculous."
He chuckled at her. "Yes, you'd not likely forget that, would you?"
"No," she wrinkled her nose, "and Izanami made me live that without her. She wasn't interested in learning what nausea was. Plus it made her too worried that we would drown, even though she knew well enough by then you knew what you were talking about.
"It was a good test of how much faith in you she'd learned - although she still tested it before and after anyway." She let out a good scowl then went back to calm.
Michael didn't comment. It would be better to just let that one go. "Were those manholes, too?" he asked, remembering the two dungeons they'd passed on either side of the storm.
"I think a special challenge, and I think there were four, one in each cardinal direction. I'm not sure if they were programmed in or put in later." Purrcy shivered. "The level of storm around them matched her frustration and anger, though.
"I almost wondered if it was where she'd left her emotions since she couldn't have them much herself. It would have definitely been an appeasement to have done all of them and won."
Purrcy's head turned left and right, like she would do when testing the winds of knowledge. "I wonder if there was an equivalent for Izanagi on the opposite side of the world from there? That would be an interesting parallel." Michael let that one go, too. He wasn't going to ever find out personally.
They walked through hall after hall, passing room after room. The more rooms he told her existed on the ship, the larger her eyes got. When they reached the one he'd been saving, but wanted to get to before the storm really hit, he was quite rewarded by her expression. "They have a music room?"
"Listen," he said. They were very quiet and through the steel door they could hear the choir practicing a song. Purrcy stepped right up and put her ear on the door, closing her eyes to hear.
Finally she opened her eyes and looked at him. "Why? Is it just the ones who want to, or everyone?"
"It's sometimes an assignment, sometimes volunteer, but generally everyone gets their turn on a ship. It's something new to do when the boredom hits. Besides sometimes there are times where it become a necessity and is very handy to have in our back pocket," he teased her.
She rolled her eyes, but nodded. "I appreciated it."
He put out his hand and gently rested it on her head. "Shall we let them know we're here? They might be persuaded to sing you one song at least."
"I don't want to interrupt ...but can we?" she looked very hopeful.
Michael turned the handle on the door and opened it. He escorted Purrcy in and made sure the door was fastened again. It wasn't good for doors to be swinging around when sea states got over about two or three. By the time he got turned around again, members of the choir had gotten the conductor's attention and he was turning to them.
"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt," Purrcy humbly said, her hands clasped in front of her. "Michael's been giving me the tour and -"
Michael had put his hand on her shoulder. "And I've said we could ask for one song, if you're willing." He smiled at the conductor.
They got a tolerant smile back. "It's an honor to be asked, I'm sure," they were answered. "Do you have a request?"
Purrcy shook her head. Michael thought about it. "I think whatever you think is their current best."
The conductor named one and raised his hands. Michael got to enjoy the song through Purrcy's eyes, all on his own, and was quite pleased to do so.
When it was over, Purrcy was most grateful. Michael politely thanked them as well and led her back out. They left smiles behind, since of course they all knew how much she loved to hear it. That had been left in the movie, although not the reason why it had been important, since that part of the story hadn't been told.
"Sir, it's about time. Bring her to our room and we'll keep company. You two can have my hammock and I'll sit with Stil," Gareth said on a chat.
Michael turned his and Purrcy's feet in that direction. Purrcy's guards were also officer status, but they were bunked together and would have put up their hammocks already. Michael wasn't going to question Gareth's intuition either. Those on duty would have to do their best at their stations. He was relieved that wasn't going to be him this day.
"So, how do they handle storms on ships like this?" Purrcy asked him as they walked, since he'd stopped talking the tour.
"As soon as the siren went off, they started pulling everything on the deck into the bays. They'll all be locked down now and the surface clean since anything left on it gets washed off otherwise. Those on duty stations have to stay at their posts. They've locked down anything loose by now as well.
"All deck duty is on hold with everyone being inside. Those not on duty are finding places to batten down and hold on until it's over. Those sleeping this round will sleep through it unless the emergency klaxon goes off.
"Then everyone gets to run around until the problem is fixed, or we're all on the emergency boats hoping they can keep us alive. We always hope to not have to do that since the larger ship is safer to just stay in and with until it's for sure going down. The engines usually put us through a storm rather quickly." Purrcy nodded. "Just stay with me and obey immediately. We'll be fine," he finished.
"Okay," she said, holding his sleeve a little tighter.
Michael made sure he had the right door before he knocked on it. Bowie answered it and let them in. He pointed to the hammock for them and they went. Michael boosted Purrcy up into it. "Hold still and balance. I've done this lots, too," he told her. When she gave her nod she was ready, he jumped up into it next to her. He readjusted it around them both, then pulled her to lean on him.
She stopped paying attention to the swaying hammock and looked at the other three. "Oh. Well, it's nice to have everyone together for this part, this time."
"Did you enjoy your afternoon, Hahaue?" Gareth asked.
"I did," she answered, then launched into a retelling, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. They let her go on her long soliloquy. It would pass the time and they were all enjoying getting to see the young Purrcy.
When she wound down, they took turns telling her stories of being on the ship out on duty and the funny things that Navy men would do to keep occupied. Michael kept half an eye on Gareth as the storm reached full fury. He would know first when it was starting to die down, or if it was going to be more dangerous than they wanted it to be.
Purrcy eventually closed her eyes, as Michael had figured she might. While they felt like they were just swaying gently, the room itself was heaving in awful ways and none of it consistent. One had to very much ignore the visual, or turn it off altogether to not get sick regardless.
"I think we could take a little nap," Gareth finally said.
Michael raised an eyebrow. That was going to be a rather long storm, but it wasn't going to get any worse. Gareth shrugged and got comfortable, being a bit cozy with Stiletto, but they were both small so it wasn't bad.
Michael was okay with a nap in a hammock with Purrcy, so he rearranged them to lie down. Lots of good memories to take away from this day, as far as he was concerned.
They missed the roll-call siren and had to be fetched from the room to a scolding, though. Michael made sure he explained to Purrcy why they'd gotten into trouble and what they should have done. It was important that everyone be accounted for after a storm.
As guests on the ship, they couldn't be punished, but they all trooped down to the mess for KP duty anyway. It was just one more way to stay busy and show Purrcy what ship-board life was like in a way she could actually help with.
They made that duty lively for everyone else who was required to be there and that was even better, since Michael also happened to like watching Purrcy in the kitchen being the mother to everyone.