Chapter 29: Songs of the Broken Portal

Royce descended slowly from the solid iron sphere which formed the chest of Fenghuang. He supported Diana who leaned on him heavily as she walked down the steep decline.

Back on solid ground he peered back at the battered giants. Both mechs stood gleaming in the afternoon sun on the long Andross runway. Fresh steel glittered under chipped paint and battle scars on their metal exterior. Both gargantuan red and yellow beasts with thrusters that resembled wings protruding from their backs.

He turned to the massive leg of Fenghuang and placed his hand on a long jagged scratch. A gleaming steel surface buried beneath paint chips mirrored their reflections in the metal. Their faces distorted by lines of white hot sunlight spilling out from the scratches.

It's always broken mirrors that shine the brightest.

Just like broken people.

He closed his eyes and felt the warmth of the metal beneath his hand. The warmth of Diana by his side.

Thank you, for carrying me.

In the distance a small car sped across the tarmac, trailing a cloud of dust behind it that swirled into a small dust devil.

They watched as it pulled up. A tall blond bartender and an even taller crystal blue-eyed minister Hyyroc stepped out.

"Thank you," the minister bowed. Alban followed suit awkwardly, then he rushed over and shook their hands.

Alban then walked back to Hyyroc's side and awkwardly placed his arm around her.

"Cut it out!" she teased while half-heartedly pushing him away.

"Sorry," he blushed, then clumsily turned to the four battered pilots, "you've done us all a great deed. Something to be proud of." He smiled, "Minister Hyyroc suggests that we should return the radiotrophs within the Shrikes to the Earth. As some kind of- gesture." The scientist glanced over at Hyyroc who nodded, "I would disagree. I say- you can't put a price on deterrence. Since Shangyang is still posted at Genista, it's only right to keep at least one-"

He felt Diana push off from his shoulder and with a great effort limp toward their mech.

"Diana!"

She pressed a button on the leg, expanded a panel, then punched in a code. Blue fluid sprayed out of a port near the back of the mech's giant neck, and it keeled over backwards. It crashed to the ground and finally came to rest on the cracked dry earth beside the long runway.

She returned to his side and glared at Alban, "deter them yourself." She spoke clearly. Then she whispered in his ear, "let's go, darling-"

He smiled, then turned to look at Victor and Morisato who seemed just as awestruck as he was.

"I-" Alban started to say, but Hyyroc stopped him with a gentle hand to the shoulder before he could protest. "Let them be. They just saved us all."

"Are you coming back with us, Alban?" Royce held a hand above his eyes to block out the sun.

"I think I'll hang out on the mainland for a while," he smiled. "Don't worry, the Pine's still standing and I'll be back every once in a while. But I think my opto experiments are over. No more reason to keep tabs on you guys. I'll let you all get plastered in peace."

He turned toward Diana and held her close, "you ready to go?"

She smiled at him and nodded.

Victor and Morisato slung their bags over their shoulders and set off toward the idling car. In the distance he heard the engines of a small plane spooling up.

"Another pint of the Spirulager, chief?" the burly manager asked.

"Nah, I think I've had enough."

"What's wrong Royce?" Diana teased him, "I lost a pint of blood today and even I can handle more than you. Such a lightweight!"

"Hey! I just saved all your asses! Ya'll better start respectin' this intergalactic war hero!"

Victor took another bite of sauce encrusted spare rib, "oh yeah? Well if I remember right, this intergalactic war hero is footin' the bill tonight."

He pointed a wagging finger then lowered it in exhaustion. Grabbed the card from his pocket and slammed it down on the log which swayed gracefully. In his other pocket he remembered his cracked communicator. He got up and dangled the broken black mirror between two fingers.

"Anybody want to play some darts?"

"What?" Morisato looked up.

"Come on- you're all pilots! Unmatched hand eye coordination! Lightning quick reflexes! You should be able to hit it midair."

The old Victorian door barged open and he saw Cho and Kimi pace through.

"What'd I hear about lightning," he grumbled.

"Just a little game of darts, Cho!" he tossed the hunk of glass up and down in his hand. "You in?"

"Now that sounds like my kind of game. Kimi, you want to grab us some?"

"Hey now- what are you guys doing? No throwing darts off the boards!" the manager barged out of the kitchen.

"Just this once," Royce pleaded.

He gritted his teeth and refused to budge.

"After all- Dr. Stein owes us a favor," he smiled.

The manager threw up his hands and turned back to the kitchen in defeat.

"Alright everyone- Stylets' ready?"

"Ready!" came five voices in unison.

"Fire prograde!" he tossed the phone and half a dozen spikes pierced its face in midair. It fell to the floor like the heap of rubble that it always was.

He smiled and wrapped an arm around Diana, looking deep into her eyes he whispered, "it's a good thing I don't need one of those to communicate with you."

She smiled and there was the faintest glimmer in her eyes, don't forget about our date, Darling…you promised.

"Oh right," he stood up and bowed out of the Pine to much commotion and protesting. Diana followed.

They walked side by side down streets bathed in the setting sun toward Serilona's long beach. The decaying corpse of a massive klaxosaur snake still stood in the distance, dividing the beach like a massive crack down its center. He glanced over at his partner, and she at him. Every time, those captivating emerald eyes fascinated him.

His hands were still scraped and bruised from the battle and the fall, after which he found himself reborn.

I wonder what happened to that strange blue Klaxosaur girl…the one who said she'd be right behind us?

Diana's long pink hair dangled behind her, swaying back and forth in the wind. "Darling, you're staring," she giggled.

Diana Zhen: also known as the bird with poison feathers…

"Ha! Sorry, I just couldn't help think about how lucky I am. I finally found you. I guess, I found myself along the way too."

The exhaustion of the who-knows-how-long day finally started to weigh on him.

"I still can't believe you've never been to the beach before. I mean, after all you've been through, after all these years in Serilona just a mile away?"

"I didn't want to ruin it," she said matter-of-factly.

"Oh," he said. "Well, I suppose I should feel lucky then."

…she was cursed to fly alone,
until she met her prince who showed her the meaning of friendship…

They finally reached a rusted iron chain that separated the paved marmalade street from the white sand that sloped gently down into foaming tide.

He left his boots and socks by the chain and she kicked her own carelessly to the wind.

They joined hands, and slowly they came to a stop at the water's edge. She leaned her head on his and side by side they stood facing a wide sea.

A natural cloud graced the sky, casting its own long shadow in the translucent orange atmosphere. As she blinked he noticed a silver pennant still dangled from her wrist.

A small bird flew silently over the ocean. In the distance he swore he could see the corner of something massive, triangular, and white sinking slowly into the waves.

The tide was high, and a single wave brought light seafoam up between their toes. Together they looked down at the waves that crashed lightly into their feet. He wiggled his toes in the foam. She looked down and giggled at him.

…and they flew together, until they realized that they weren't characters in a fairy tale anymore.
And they decided their own destiny. For better or for worse.

With her feet dug in the wet sand, she played footsie with her Darling.

That evening, and every evening after.

Author's Note:

Hey all! Thanks for reading! I enjoyed putting my thoughts about this amazing show down on paper and glad it's finally out of my head and onto the page. If you made it to the end, leave a comment/review and let me know what you think!