X
It was the next morning everybody was staying at the motel in the town, they were all up ready to eat breakfast, but Daulton on the other hand was heading back out.
"Gale!"
He stopped in the middle of the street of the still sleeping town looking back to see Yukari standing just outside the entrance door.
"What'd you want, Yukari? I need to train," Daulton said frankly.
"Gale you don't need to do this, maybe if we talk to, Mr. Benette, he would change his mind if he heard it from a different perspective," Yukari tried to reason with him.
Daulton just stared at he for a brief moment before approaching her, standing almost less than a feet apart from each other, Yukari didn't know what to do almost blushing until Daulton raised his hand, and ruffled her hair.
"You're a kind person, Yukari, don't stop being you," He told her, then turned away to walking off into the distance as, Yukari, watched him disappear, and once gone Yukari had an idea, running back into the motel.
\Later/
Soon Daulton found a tent that he was told would help with his upcoming fight with, James, coming to the sight of a man that was, bent, grey, and old, working over at an anvil, bashing a hammer over a red hot blade.
"Excuse me!" Daulton called out trying to get his attention, "I've been told that you're the one to go to when it comes to these games."
The man took notice placing the hammer away, dropping the hot blade into a bucket to cool off.
"Aye, but who might you be?" the man asked.
"My name's, Peter Daulton, but some people call me, Gale," Daulton introduced himself.
"Well then, Gale, have you picked up a sword before?"
"I used a bat, swung an axe to chop up firewood," Daulton listed.
"Have you been a good brawl before, boy?" he asked again.
"Yes... probably too many than I should," Daulton answered as the old man went through a shelf filled with armor.
"What's a young lad yourself doing here?"
"James Benette," Daulton told him and the man turned back to him in surprise.
"Jimmy-Boy? you looking a picking a fight with him? he's too high up the ranks for you," the old man tried to reason with him, but he can see the unfazed expression on Daulton's face, "Why do wanna start something with, James? this lad will ground ya in a heartbeat."
"Because, James and I, have always settle things this way."
"... But why?"
"Well, seeing that his girlfriend was surprised to hear it, he probably hasn't told anyone else in this town either."
"Told us what...?"
\Elsewhere/
"I find it hard to believe you used to be a fighter pilot," Donna commented holding up an old photo James showed her. There she saw James with his old wingmen, "You looked so happy here."
"I'm happy here with you too," James said.
"Yes, but in this picture you look like you're filled with life," Donna noted seeing the giant smile on James' face, "What happened to this lovely bloke? this dashing and daring young man that used to soar through the skies?"
"Reality happened," James told her taking the photo back, "After, Johnathan, died in that crash we just drifted apart. Michael went back home and started experimenting with his sound equipment, he started a YouTube channel, next I knew he was blowing it up. Squirrel, he ended disappearing out of nowhere, I thought he was dead. Austin went in and did rally racing... he really like 'Dukes of Hazard'..."
"And your friend, Peter?" Donna asked seeing James just stop, "What did you mean when you said it was his fault?"
"It was on game day, and Peter switched planes with John because he's plane was kinda shit," James started, "We won the game, but when John tried to land the gear just crapped out on him, the plane caught fire, and blew up," Donna gasps when hearing the story, "That's why I'm mad at him."
"... After, John, died he was devastated, he stopped showing up for practice, his job, soon he fell behind on the bills, and lost the house."
"Lost the house? what'd you mean, why didn't his family help?"
"Because, Peter, is all that's left of his family, after the house was taken, he just took John's plane, and left."
"Where'd he go?"
"Anywhere... he just... rode the wind... he's not the ace pilot I used to know," James said leaving it silent.
Donna watched as James just sat on the couch his head dipped down, she walked up to him setting down on the arm of the couch resting a hand on his shoulder.
"... Why did you left...?" she then asked and James glanced up to her.
"Well... the reason I got into Dogfighting was for the thrill of it."
"The thrill?"
"Yeah the action, the danger, I was in it, to win it, baby," James remarked pulling Donna onto his laps, "And that's why I came over here. Well that and this little lady," he added kissing Donna on her cheek as she laughed, "I'm happy here with you, Donna."
"Aww, you're such a lovey dovey," Donna remarked, but then the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," James said getting up from the couch.
He opened the front door, but found no one standing on the front steps, he glanced back and forth seeing no one in sight, but he looked down he saw a small handheld camera on the welcome mat with a piece of paper with his name on it. James picked it up taking the note to read 'please play me' James glanced out one more time trying to find the person who left the camera, but he goes back inside closing the door behind him.
"Who was it?" Donna asked.
"No one, but they left this," James walked up to the t.v wiring up the camera.
James sat back on the couch with Donna scooting up next to him and watched what was on screen.
Yukari's personal logo appeared dramatically on screen and Yukari appeared on screen.
"James, isn't that the girl that was with your old friends?"
"Yeah, what the hell's, Peter, planning?" James wondered and Yukari on screen started talking.
"Good morning, Mr. Benette, you're probably thinking why I would be sending you this footage? well, that's because I hope I can convince you to call off your jousting match with, Gale. And I know you two are not really in good terms, but I thought if you heard from a different perspective you would change your mind, let me show you how the girls of the Ooarai Tankery Club thinks of your old flying buddy."
Soon the scene changed into a screen shot of a room with each of the Ooarai team taking turns of sharing their thoughts on Daulton.
"At first I'll admit I thought he looked cute, until he got mad, and started swinging a bat at us," Saori said first.
"Oh yeah, he was a total ass," Erwin commented.
"He was a complete asshole, ruining our games," Momo recalled.
"He was a jerk," Noriko said bluntly.
"I thought he looked cute when he's angry," Anzu admitted not really caring what other's might think.
While listening to the girls the couple on the couch glanced at one another with James agreeing that it really does sound like Daulton's personality rubbing off on the girls, and Donna trying to take in what there was. But what seemed like they were watching a tirade on what the girls felt about Daulton, they soon got passed to the part where after he apologised.
"After a while, Mr. Daulton came to apologise to us personally, and a second time after he cleaned our hanger one night," Yuzu recalled.
"It was a bit weird, he tried to be nice, but he was still closed off," Miho spoke.
"I invited him over to watch our next match, I pretty sure has reinvented himself with everyone," Anzu said.
"Oh yeah our match with Pravda was so awesome, he stole one of the referees' planes," Hoshino said.
Soon a picture of a newspaper was shown on the screen with the title saying 'Ex-Pilot steals and wrecks KEN III' and a picture of Daulton being taken away by authorities, his hands cuffed behind his back, Laughing at the camera as it took the picture. Donna smirked finding the picture funny and unbelieving of what was printed on it, she glances at James catching him trying to fight the corners of his lips from curling up.
"Yeah after that he had to be our personal janitor, it was fun," Erwin told.
Soon a shot of Daulton trying to mop us the hanger until a volleyball accidentally landing into the bucket splashing him all over, the volleyball team tried to contain their laughter.
"Oh you little rascals," Daulton called out then spreads his arms, "C'mon give me a hug," the volleyball team soon found themselves running away from him as he tried to catch them.
Next it showed him cleaning the barrel of the Tiger (P) only for the tank to turn on and take off with Daulton hanging onto the barrel, "You little shits!"
"It was in the heeeeeeeat of the moment," Daulton sang terribly as the clip when he sang at the karaoke bar.
There Donna actually caught James struggling to keep it in, she smiled seeing that James could maybe repair the damage between, but then the screen switched over to Yukari.
"Please, Mr. Benette, reconsider coming with us to Hawaii please," she pleaded.
Donna watched understanding the tone Yukari was giving and why she asked James to come, she felt the same way with James when she sees him play worried for him, but James just stood up and left not wanting to hear her. Donna sat silently as James just exited the room as Yukari tried to get her message across, Donna, continued to watch.
"Daulton is very sorry about everything... he still thinks back to day his brother died, you don't have to do, please," Donna continued to watch the video until it cuts off to Yukari's logo. Donna got up from the couch to look the window to see James working on his armor.
\Hours Later/
Soon it was night with the town lights coming on Yukari was walking down to the stables entering through the gate to find Daulton ridding on a horse as the old man helped to guided him along the lane as tried to hit the practice dummy. Yukari watched worryingly as Daulton was going to go through with this jousting match, she couldn't help, but still hear the wounded boys moaning in pain yesterday.
"Alright, Peter, call it quits you need to go to bed," the old man said.
Peter jumped off the horse as the old man puts the horse back to its stall.
"Beautiful creatures, aren't they?" the old man said.
"They look like hell," Daulton commented seeing the scars the horses bare as hair ceased to grow over it, much like Daulton's fresh new mark on the side of his head.
"Aye, battle harden warriors like yourself, they are bred for this," the old man said.
Almost like they were born to die, in a profession where young men die young.
"... Alright... I guess I did as much I could do," Daulton said, "Goodnight."
Walking out Daulton spotted Yukari standing alone before him under a lamppost.
"You're not gonna talk me out of it."
"Gale, it's one of the most dangerous sports in the world," Yukari tried to talk him out it.
"I'm doing this! and that's final," Daulton put down her pleas.
"YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED!" Yukari's voice exploded with fear.
There was a long pause of silence between them as Daulton unmoved and Yukari was spilling tears trying to stay calm. Daulton approached her with extended arms that wrapped around the whimpering girl, Daulton held onto Yukari as she cried into his shoulders trying to ease her worries.
"You're going to get hurt... and don't you even care?" Yukari cried.
"It's not that I don't care, Yukari..." Daulton said.
"Then what is it?" she asked.
"... I've faced death so many times... I should've died so many times back then..." Daulton told her, then brings her eyes up to meet his, "... I'm not afraid anymore."
Uncertain, Daulton, wasn't sure if he would walk away from this one as he did with so many of his close encounters with death, but all he knew that someone was waiting for him on the other side, and soon the clouds became dark and heavy that night.
\James' House/
Back in the home of James was standing over the kitchen sink cleaning the dishes from tonight's dinner, dipping the plates into the soap filled sink to scrub them off of any grease and left over stains. Entering, Donna was still thinking about the video Yukari dropped off for them wanting to avoid to could be an unnecessary call to violence, she walks up to James' side helping him to dry off the plates.
"... You don't need to do this," she spoke out.
"Hey we agreed to split the work around the hou-."
"Not that, the match with your friend," Donna corrected and that James looked over to her, "I know you have trouble forgiving for what he did, but it was a mistake-."
"A mistake that got someone killed-."
"And he's still grieving," Donna told him, "It's obvious that he still affected by all of this, and here you are still trying to slam him back into the gutter."
"What do you want me to do?" James' asked, "I've already set up the whole match, I miss, John, too and I moved on, I left that behind, especially him."
"You know James, you could be a hard and stubborn boy, but I never take you for being heartless," Donna said then turns away exiting the room without another word leaving James' to his thoughts.
\The Match/
As sun rose the gleaming light bounced of the fresh dew of the soaked town when the rain came last night, the cool moist breeze still lingered in the air, so pleasant to take in through your lungs. As everyone went find their seats in the stands, Miho, Yukari, Hana, Soari, and Mako went to see Daulton at the stables as the old man helped him onto his horse.
"Come to see me off," Daulton said ready in his fitted suit of armor.
"We're trying one last time to talk you out of it," Miho said.
"Peter, this is not like any of the other war games, you could get hurt," Hana noted
"Pfft... say the girls who drive in goddamn tanks," Peter retorted, "You think I wouldn't consider that possibility? like I have my head up my ass?"
"Just... be safe, Gale," Yukari told him.
"I'll will. I promise," Daulton said before taking his shield and lance riding off to match.
Walking out Miho and the others were confronted by Donna.
"Good morning, how was your girls' stay? you all slept well?" she asked kindly.
"As well as you can get," Mako commented.
"Um... which one of you is... Yukari?" she asked and Yukari rose her hand, "Here you go," she reached into her bag pulling out the camera, "I have to say to tell ya, I understand how you feel, these get me worried about James plenty of times, I just pray that the boys will one day to get along again," she told them before walking off.
"She's awfully kind," Saori noted.
Over at that the stands Miho and her friends joined the others sitting next to Michael, Austin, and Squirrel, seeing the anxious expression painted on their faces the heels of their feet rapidly stamping down, holding onto their breath. Hana reached out grabbing hold of Austin's hand and once his fingers wrapped around hers, Hana, felt the pressure he was putting, nervous of what will happen.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer started, "We have very special match for today as our champion jouster has a personal grudge with an old friend from the States as he traveled all the way to challenge him, give a warm welcome to, Peter Daulton."
Soon the horse came trotting out the hooves leaving marks in the mud coming up to opposite ends of their lanes facing down at each other.
"Jousters are you ready?" the announcer asked and the two rose their lances, "Alright... on your marks."
Daulton stared down the lane looking through the slit on his steel visor, the helmet almost muffled out the noise as the sound of his warm breath seemed to be amplified, he did all he could to take in all he could from last night, but he knew he only had one chance to beat James.
"GO!"
In the very instance the horses took off, their hooves digging into the mud kicking up into the air, Daulton held onto the shield as tight as he could holding it up to his chest as his mount gallops ever so faster seeing the approaching lance closing in on him. Everyone was on the edge of their seats watching intensely not even daring to blink, and in flash the next thing everyone saw was James' lance exploding into pieces. His lance shattered as it made contact with Daulton's chest, but fails to knock him off, and leaving Daulton's lance in one piece.
With that everyone let out a breath of fresh air seeing that Daulton was still on his horse and the only one with an intact lance.
"The winner is, Peter Daulton!" the announcer shouted.
Everyone in the stands roared as they jumped out of their seats to cheer.
"He did it! HE FREAK'N DID IT!" Austin shouted from the top of his lungs.
"Yes!yes!yes!yes!" Saori screamed for joy.
"Way to go Gale!" Yukari shouted down from the stands.
Down in the track James bowed his head reluctantly accepting defeat, taking off his helmet he rode over to Daulton to congratulate him.
"Well... I guess I'm coming with you," James said, but Daulton didn't respond, "What? no 'haha! I kicked your ass'speech?" still nothing which he found odd, "Hey! Peter, are you listening?"
Nothing, all he saw was Daulton dropping his lance to the ground then trying to reach to his neck, James heard him make odd noises, and the next thing to happen was Daulton falling off of his horse, slamming down hard on the mud.
"PETER!?" James' screamed in shock jumping down from his horse.
Everyone was taken away to what they saw, the happy cheers fallen silent.
"Whoa! whoa! what the hell happened?" Squirrel asked confused and scared.
"Something wrong with, Peter!" Hana quickly pointed and soon they started running down to the track.
"Peter! Peter speak to me!" James cried taking off the helmet off of Daulton, and there he saw that his friend was having trouble breathing.
"Oh my god! what's with him?" Momo question startlingly and then it dawned on James.
"It the bullet wound on his chest! he can't breath!" he cried.
"SOMEBODY CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Yukari screamed in horror.
"Peter, you have to try to breath, beath!" Miho cried out, but in the in the next second Peter just stopped.
"Peter? PETER!" everyone cried.
"No, no, No!" James cried taking taking the chest plate off of Daulton, "You're not dying, YOU'RE NOT DYING!" he shouted and started pumping his hands on top of his chest trying to get the air flowing through Daulton's lungs.
James gave Daulton CPR desperately trying to save his friend as everyone watched helplessly until finally they heard Daulton cough.
"*COUGH!* Ugh...! up yours, James," Daulton weakly cussed making everyone relieved.
"Ah thank god!" James yelled pulling Daulton in to hug him tightly, "I'm so sorry, Peter, I thought I killed you, I thought I killed my friend's little brother."
"So... are you coming to Hawaii?" Yukari asked.
"That's what I should've done in the first place," James responded picking up his old wingman.
\Evening/
Back on the carrier everyone was glad that they made it back, looking out at sea Daulton and James stood together as they both watched the setting sun.
"Hey," James called out, "Thank for letting me take, Donna, with me."
"Not a problem."
"James... I'm sorry for everything," Daulton apologised, but James shook his head.
"No... I'm sorry," James told him, "You were grieving, and all I did was treat you like shit, like you were the villain, but no you were the victim and should've been by your side when you needed me. When you needed all of us."
The two friends glanced at each other smiling that the worst between them has finally been settled and put to rest.
