X
Back in the Pacific the girls grew excited as the carrier drew closer to its destination to the small tropical island.
"Alright I got the boys back together, you have my plane or what?" Daulton questioned over the phone seeing if the Federation will keep their end of the bargain.
"The Mustang will be returned to you in perfect condition after the event, til then see you there," Ami said.
"Fuc-," before Daulton can tell Ami off she hangs up mid-sentence.
Hanging up the phone Daulton walked off trying to pass the time til then.
Sitting in the hanger Squirrel was playing one of the games the History Buff girls always played with Squirrel's forces being surrounded by Caesar's.
"It's your move, Squirrel," Saemonza said with a confident smirk.
"You know you can always admit defeat," Oryou advised.
But instead, Squirrel, pulled out an uno reverse card.
"That's not part of the game!" Caesar detested.
"Never underestimate the power of the uno card!" Squirrel shot back.
Over where a blanket was laid down James, along with Donna, was showing an old photo album he brought along filled with pictures of the days the team was together.
"Whoa, Mr. Daulton, look so happy in these photos," one of the girls commented pointing at the pictures with surprise.
"He was a smug little shit that's what he was," James retorted flipping to the next page.
There the girls saw the boys dressed as cowboys for a Halloween party, spending time at the lake with Squirrel swinging off a stripe of rope, Austin part taking in a race in the General Lee, and what looked like the boys hanging out at a bar made for teens with other pictures showing a fight breaking out and their mug-shots in the next page. The boys looked like they were so filled with life and happiness seeing pictures of their victories, their greatest highs til the day they hit their lowest point of their Commander's death. There the girls just saw a blank page that never came to be which pretty much marked the end of the team's piloting careers.
Yukari steps away seeing her friends too busy to notice her wandering off, she walked off campus walking down the street all to herself til she came to the spot Daulton spends his time to ponder alone ever since he crashed onto the carrier.
"What do you want?" Daulton asked, but in a more genuine tone rather than his usual annoyed one.
"I just wanted to check up on you," Yukari told him pulling out a chair to join him on watching the broad horizons.
"Well aren't you so caring," Daulton quipped.
"Oh shut up," Yukari blushed.
They both sat quietly as they took in the calm ocean air as it passed by with the sun's rays glistening off the peaceful waves.
"... Gale...?" Yukari called to him, but not taking her eyes off the sea, "Why did you become a pilot...?"
"Hm?" Daulton hummed not sure he understood what she meant.
"Like, why did you chose to take up dogfighting?" she asked more specifically.
"Well... It wasn't for my family name, if that's what you're asking," Daulton said first and continued, "No... I didn't do it for the chance to become famous, I didn't do it because all my friends were doing it too, not because of famous pilot aces of the past, or anything like that."
"Then what was it that made you choose it!" Yukari asked curiously, with that Daulton glanced over to her staring right into her eyes.
"... I wanted to be like, Superman," he answered.
"What?" Yukari said trying to hold back a giggling smile, "Superman? the comic book superhero?"
"Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings a single bound, look up to the sky, it's bird, it's a plane, it's Superman," Daulton quoted confirming what Yukari heard right as she giggles into her hand.
"Superman is what made you get into dogfighting?" Yukari chuckled.
"Not dogfighting, flying," Daulton corrected leaning back in his chair to look up to the clouds, "Almost every Saturday morning when I was a little kid I would throw the cover off me, jump out of bed, race down the stairs, jumping in front of the t.v, and turn it on to watch him kickass," Daulton recalled sharing a cherished moment of his life. "Everyday I watch him soar through the skies like no other, and when my dad came home on his plane I snuck in, and I apparently found out how to start a plane on my own."
With that Yukari gasps in surprise just trying to conceive the thought of a small, little child just taking a plane for a joy-ride, but she guess she should've known with someone as crazy as Daulton.
"I took off like bat out of hell," he again quoted, "I climbed higher and higher, and when I was above the clouds I felt a rush I never thought possible... that's why I did it."
"That's... That's truely is something..." Yukari said with a spark of wonder in her eyes, reaching over to move a length of hair out of Daulton's eyes, "You've been through a lot, but you finally managed to pull it together."
With that Yukari got up to leave until Daulton stopped her.
"Yukari!" Daulton called out turning to face her, "Do you... would you like to go to the event with me...? you know... like a..."
"Like a date?" Yukari finished for him blushing yet again.
"Y-yeah, like a date."
"... Uh... yes, yes I would kindly accept the offer, thank you," Yukari said bowing her head running off before she gets even more flustered.
She walked off down the street turning into the next street corner and when she was out of Daulton's sight Yukari became overwhelmed with a strong sense of joy.
"Ohmygod!ohmygod!ohmygod!" she cried out ruffling up her own hair, "A boy asked my out! a boy asked me out!"
"He asked you out! he asked you out!"
"I know..." Yukari agreed until seeing Saori's excited face along with Miho, Hana, and Mako standing by in Yukari's sight making her face turn red from embarrassment, "How long were you standing there!?"
"The whole time," Mako responded bluntly.
"We saw the whole thing," Miho added scratching the back of her head.
"Sorry for spoiling such a moment," Hana apologized.
"But hey you got a date, I'm so jealous," Saori complimented.
\A Day Before The Event/
The carrier has finally made it to its destination to the small island state of, Hawaii, pulling onto port the Ooarai girls saw the beautiful scenery of the tropical island.
"I can't believe we're here," Saori expressed in excitement as they boarded off the carrier and were greeted by the people of the town.
"Aloha! welcome to our home," the man boomed with a happy smile giving the girls each a Lei necklace.
"Pretty," Hana commented seeing the colorful peddles of her necklace.
"Thank you," Miho thanked.
But they weren't the only ones there as carriers from the other schools were also present.
"Hey guys!" looking down the boardwalk the girls could see Kay and her friends walking down the wooden path, "This place is a amazing, aren't I right?"
"It quite is," Darjeeling agreed coming from the other side as she and her friends were dressed in their bathing suits, "The beaches are quiet the ideal spot to have a cup of tea, it's so peaceful here."
"So have you girls seen any cute pilots?" Saori asked eagerly.
"No we haven't," Naomi broke it to her.
"It seems they haven't arrived yet," Darjeeling guessed.
"It's a day before the event, you think with people in planes they'll be over in a heartbeat," Assam gave her thoughts.
"That's pretty much it, they can show up whenever they want," looking over the girls spotted Michael, Austin, Squirrel, and James.
"Hey there, name's Michael," he started inducing himself, "This here my wingmen, Austin."
"Pleasure to meet you," Austin responded.
"That there's Squirrel," Michael then moved on pointing to his friends that seems too busy hula dancing in a grass skirt to pay attention.
"And James," Michael finished.
"Good to meeting you all," James said his hellos.
"So what team are you guys apart of?" Orange asked.
"They're Daulton's old teammates," Miho answered first.
"Oh, so these are our host for the event tomorrow," Kay realized, but then at that moment a large shade flew over head catching the girls' attention.
Looking up the girls finally saw the rest of the guest coming to the island, flying high above in the air everyone looked up in awe as planes great and small flew in. The German team landing in the water in the Heinkel He 115, The Japanese landing in their squadron of Mitsubishi A6M Zeros, the Russians in their Yakovlev Yak-3s, the French in a Amiot 143, the British in their Supermarine Spitfires, the Italians in Bell P-39 Airacobras, and many more.
The girls were amazed of how the boys formed up like a flock of migrating birds with the number of bees, when they touched down the boys started filing out with their bags over their shoulders, marching down the walkway they saw the girls each team stood wondering what the boys were thinking. After a moment one boy gave out a quick loud whistle to the girls, and all the boys erupted into cheers as they waved and shouted hello to the girls.
"Hallo, die damen," one german boy shouted.
"Pleasure to meet such beautiful, ladies," a boy from the British team said waving at them.
The girls then responded back each too eager to meet the pilots, waving and blowing kisses to the other side with one of boys going as far to treat it as if it were real jumping off the dock to catch the metaphorical kiss diving right into the water.
"They look like they're getting along," James noted and then Donna comes up from behind wrapping her arm around his.
"C'mon you bloke, we need to get ready for tomorrow," she told him pulling him away from the others.
"Wait, I didn't know we can bring dates," Michael cried out.
"You don't need a date to go," Mako said.
"Yeah, but Daulton's taking Yukari," Saori reminded.
"Wait, you mean plane-jacker Daulton asked your friend out?" Naomi repeated wondering if she head right.
"That's right," Miho confirmed.
"So where are those two?" Darjeeling brought up and the girls just realized it.
\Some Barn/
Out to some farming field Daulton brought Yukari to show her something very special.
"O.K what's so special about this farm?" Yukari asked curiously.
"This ain't it," Daulton told her, and Yukari tilted her head, "I didn't brought you hear to see some field."
He walks over to the barn where an old man sat in a rocking chair watching the peaceful day go by.
"Hey there mister, are you the kid who called earlier?" he asked.
"Peter Daulton, that's me," Daulton confirmed pulling out a hundred dollar bill to give to the man.
"She's ready when you are," he told him pocketing the bill into his pocket.
"Gale?" Yukari called.
"You're gonna love this, c'mon," he encouraged grabbing her hand to guide her into the barn.
Inside she saw a large tarp blanketing over in the middle of the barn, Daulton grabs one end and pulls it off revealing it to be an old World War One biplane with the guns taken off, and was pretty much converted to be a crop duster.
"Gale, this isn't funny," Yukari told him getting could shoulders.
"It's not meant to be funny," Daulton told her giving her a jacket and a pair of goggles, "it's chilly up there so put these on."
As Yukari put on the jacket Daulton ran over pulling on the propellers to start the engine.
"I don't know about this, Gale," Yurkari said getting scared, but then Daulton holds her hands.
"Don't worry, I got you," Daulton told her softly, pulling her closer to the plane.
Daulton picks her up helping her into the plane, he then climbs in next getting behind the controls.
"There's only one seat," Yukari pointed, but Daulton patted his lap.
She hesitates, but settles down into Daulton's lap as he fasten the seat belt over them making her feel very close to him.
"Alright here we go," Daulton said moving the plane forward.
The plane comes out of the barn rolling out to the dirt path that is their runway, the motor came to life as it ran down the blades spinning ever so faster where you can just see through it. The plane went faster and faster til Yukari no longer felt the dirt road underneath the wheels hanging right over the ground and now the ocean. Yukari now felt the cold breeze blowing passed her face as Daulton yanked back on the stick to pull them higher over the island, but Yukari buried herself into Daulton's chest too scared to look out.
"C'mon... don't be scared, you're gonna miss the best part," Daulton told her.
"No I'm good," Yukari told him.
"It's gonna be alright, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," Daulton told her.
After a second Yukari lifted her head out of Daulton's chest looking up to see the kind hearted smile that she only saw in photos long ago, she slowly turned to face what was around her seeing the view of the island so far away where even the carriers looked small. Daulton pulled on the stick again pulling the plane higher to the clouds, they passed by small ones lingering alone in the air then growing larger and larger the higher they went up til they disappeared into the barrier above. Yukari couldn't see a single thing as clouds surrounded them in all directions until a bright light came flooding in as Daulton brought the plane onto the other side.
There Yukari saw in wonder as the sun came into full view and the cloud now beneath them looking like an ocean as the sun's rays shine down on them, Daulton reached over grabbing a harness that tied around the stick keeping it in place.
"What are-," Yukari was about to asked but Daulton stopped her.
With the plane evened out and flying still in the air Daulton un-do the seat belt, there Daulton stood up on the plane as Yukari sat low looking up to Daulton as he took in a deep breath and just lets out the loudest scream Yukari heard, crying out to the world over head. He shot his arms out wide as he laughed for joy. Yukari didn't understand, but as she finally pulls herself up and out to see the sun setting the sky turning gold, it took her breath away, she now understood why Daulton flies, up high in the air she felt like a bird riding the wind... she felt free.
Sitting back down Daulton pushes on the stick making the nose of the plane dive into the clouds, there Yukari felt the rush of the wind whipping pass as the engine roared. Crossing back down the clouds the two saw the island again, but Daulton wasn't done, he swoop down over the line of carriers flying passed each one with the residents looking in surprise, coming up to the BC Freedom Academy carrier Daulton spotted the, Arc de Triomphe, instead of going over he went right through it, as the plane swiftly squeezed through the arc, Daulton spiraled around the Eiffel Tower.
Everyone watched in awe as the the lone plane soared ever so free in sky flying across the night air.
"Like it?" Daulton asked her.
"I do..." Yukari replied laying back onto him as they flew back to the barn.
\Day Of The Event/
Today was the day everyone had gathered around to the Dogfighting league Headquarters, the girls fashioned nicely in their dresses looked over in wonder as planes were parked and hung up to the ceiling.
"It is truly marvelous that these machines are handled with such care," Hana noted carrying a bouquet of pale red roses.
"Hana, why did you bring flowers?" Miho asked.
"Did a handsome boy asked you out?" Saori asked jumping to conclusions.
"No, they're for me," Daulton stepped in all dressed in a suit along with James, Michael, Austin, and Squirrel, "Thanks Hana."
"You're welcome," handing over the flowers to Daulton's arms.
"Gale asked you for flowers? why?" asked and Hana pointed towards a hall with all the boys were heading first.
The girls soon followed Daulton wondering what was the reason, when entering the girls saw a wall that was pure white, covered in frames with small golden plaques nailed underneath them. Each frame was a photo, a photo of boys with their names etched into the wall, showing the day they were born, and day they died. The girls looked in shock seeing how high the wall rose and spread across it was all filled with the youth that once graced across the sky, young men that died young.
"There's so many," Miho uttered.
Walking passed the crowd of pilots Daulton finally came to his brother's spot his picture surrounded by flowers the other teams brought to pay their respects, but leaving the bouquet holder for him, Daulton placed in his flowers stepping back to take in a moment of silence for all who lost their lives.
"Such respect," Yukari commented.
When the moment was over the other teams said they're sorry to Daulton as he remained silent leaving the hall.
\Later/
Everyone has gathered inside chairs and tables set up accordingly for each team, sitting down a man came up on stage welcoming everyone.
"I would love to welcome you all to the Dogfighting League Headquarters, to celebrate the years of great sportsmanship to across the land and skies," he said giving Ami the spot.
"For now have fun," she encouraged and the all the students errupted for joy and the music started to play echoing in the open room for the boys and girls to dance to.
Some girls were a bit shy like Orange, Nina, Fukuda, and Aki to approach, so the boys came to them instead, one boy from the German team came up up to Koume, even though he was twice her size he gave her a warm friendly smile.
"Guten tag, Meime Dame, would like to dance with me?" he kindly asked.
"Uh, I would love to," she responded taking the German pilot's hand.
In another part of the room Austin was busy catching up with the French team, telling them about his time racing.
"Austin! long time no see," one of them greeted leaning in to give a hug.
"I know, how's it been?" Austin replied.
"Hey we heard you took up racing?" another asked.
"I have, I have," Austin confirmed.
With James he was talking up with the British team along with Donna.
"So how's, England, treating ya because you look like it's been treating you well," one of them asked talking about his girlfriend.
"What can I say, I'm a lucky guy," James remarked.
"How's everything with Peter?" another asked.
"Yeah, where is he? I haven't seen him since the accident," they noted.
But before James could answer them the main door opens catching everyone's attention pulling their sights towards the doors where they all saw, Yukari, beautiful in a pale green dress, a white hairband keeping her hair neat with small flowers decorating it, and her arm wrapped around Daulton's.
"She looks amazing," Miho commented happily.
"I never seen Daulton smile like that," Mako noted.
"I know, he's always so angry all the time with us," Saori agreed as the Ooarai girls never seen Daulton happy happy.
"I guess that little flight really bonded them," Miho figured.
As the former pilot ace and the loader of Anglerfish Team walk down Daulton was again greeted by the other teams.
"It's good to see you alive and well Mr. Daulton," the Commander from the Russian team said shaking his hand.
"Well I've been around, Ivan," Daulton told him.
"Hey," Ivan stopped him before he left, "He was a great man."
"... I know... he was my brother," Daulton said waking off with Yukari in his arm.
"Man and I thought Daulton was a total punk," Momo commented.
"You always underestimate people, Momo-chan," Anzu said.
\Hours Later/
As the night drew closer the young pilot and tankers took their seats after much dancing mingling of what goes on with their lives, but right now they all saw Daulton walk up to the podium, Fixing the mic, and cleared his throat before speaking.
"Hello everyone," Daulton started, "As you can all see I am not dead," he remarked making the boys laugh and then Austin came up.
"I see a lot of familiar faces, and I gotta say it's been a real pleasure catching up with every single one of you," he said and James took a turn.
"Much has changed since we were gone, glad to see that all you still kicking," he spoke and Michael walked to the stand.
"So a piece of advise for a healthy team is trust, team work, and-,"
"SHUT UP!"
"GET THE HELL OUT HERE!"
"FUCK YOU!"
"YOU IDIOT!"
The guys yelled at him to his face, but the audience know that it was all a joke.
"... Yeah..." Michael finished.
With that Daulton took back control of the microphone, he looked over the whole crowd seeing the faces of all the people he got to know.
"Hmm... You all know who I am, what I've done," Daulton brought up and the boys suddenly became silent, "Gale, the Wind of Cold Mountain, you all called me, I've won duels, air races, and championships... but in truth I was losing more than I was winning. I lost my dad. My mom. My grandfather. My brother. My home... And I was losing my hope," he said in sorrow then continued.
"I used the fame and glory to distract me from the reality around me, until it finally caught up to me showing how much of a fool I was. I wandered aimlessly through the air until the day I met the Ooarai girls, as I saw that ground getting closer that was where I just didn't care," he admitted, "At that moment I thought this is it. This is the end, but faith had a different plan, again I slipped passed death, and I met the biggest group of dorks I ever met," he put it and the girls from the other team quietly giggled.
"Stranded with the girls that wrecked my brother's plane I took the next logical step... revenge," and the boys gave out an "ooooo" in the room, "I always wondered, who will win a fight? a team of highly skilled tankers there is...? or a twenty-five dollar toy car rigged with C4?" Daulton reminded, "I blew them up, took apart their tanks, held teddy bears hostage, tank-jacking, but along the way I grew a little soft spot," and everyone started to awe, "Shut up!"
"Anyway long story short, I tracked down my old wingmen, and each and every one of them forgave me... all, but one and I gotta say this one was the hardest to convince," and everyone leaned in to know who was this one person was, "... Me..." he admitted, "I couldn't look myself in my own eye, this washed up has-been that wallowed in his despair. I blamed myself and I let my anger hate the game that brought me here to this point of my life, but it was that game that got me to meet all of you. All of you brave, great, wonderful people, and I have to say... I'm done feeling sorry for myself," Daulton then brought up his gloved hand grabbing the finger tips, and pulls it off.
The scars weren't as red or noticeable the last time it was revealed at the bath house, it healed since then with fades of pink on the palm, and with that Daulton threw the glove away, "Thank you for listening," with that Daulton stepped down joining his wingmen at their table.
But as he did the Anglerfish Team shot glances at each other before shooting up and running up the podium taking the mic.
"We have something to say," Miho stated then hands it off to Yukari.
"What the hell are they doing?" Daulton asked.
"Gale, we may have gotten off the wrong foot in the beginning," Yukari started, "At first we all thought you were this good for nothing bully, but you used to be this great fighter ace, the best there is, but life knocked you down. More than once. It kicked you, it punched you, and it kept beating you even if you were on the ground, but even through all those hardships you didn't let it stop you from flying," Yukari said walking down towards Daulton taking the microphone until she stood over him, "Despite all those rough edges, your imperfection, inside you're a beautiful person," she finished.
Standing up Daulton looked Yukari in her eyes.
"Never in my life I would ever hear any pilot say this, let alone me," Daulton spoke into the microphone, "But getting shot down by a tank was probably the best thing to ever happen to me because I got to meet you," with that Daulton took the mic setting off on the table, he pulled in Yukari closer to him, and planting a kiss on her lips.
At that very moment the crowd was taken away by the sight, the girls cheered and the boys shouted as the pilot and tanker lose to each other in the moment.
\The Next Week/
The days passed and with the event over everyone headed home saying goodbye, they all had fun knowing their counterparts, even Daulton's wingmen hopped up in went home however Daulton still had some business to take care of.
"Well, Mr. Daulton, a deal is a deal," Ami said opening up the hanger to reveal the Mustang back in one piece.
"She's good as new," Daulton commented, "Thank you."
"What? no quick or annoying remarks?"
"... No, just... thanks," Daulton repeated surprising Ami.
"So... what are you gonna do now?" she asked and Daulton already had the answer to that.
\Dogfighting League Headquarters/
Standing in proudly among the others Daulton spotted his brother's Mustang in its new home.
"Are you sure about this?" Yukari asked standing by his side.
"I am," Daulton stood firm on his decision.
"But you went through so much to get it back," but Daulton shrugged.
"I have to let go," he said, "I have to move on, besides you're all I need."
"Well... at least you're happy," she concluded leaning in close to Daulton as they head back to the carrier, or as they call it, home.
\Years Later/
In a house where a loving couple lived, it was beautiful day as the sun's light poured though the windows, the father came home from work, greeted by his wife.
"How's was your day?" she asked.
"It was great," he replied.
"Dinner is almost ready," she said but then crying was suddenly heard from up stairs.
"Don't worry I'll get that," the man said walking up the steps.
He came up to a room where the whimpering sounds of an infant can be heard opening it to see the crib off to the side of the room, the father walked up to the crib seeing his small baby boy letting out tears.
"Hey, don't cry, daddy's here," he told him taking his son into his arms and started to smooth him back at ease singing the song his mother once song to him.
"Little bird, little bird"
"Flew through my window"
"Little bird, little bird"
"Flew through my window"
"Little bird, little bird"
"Flew through my window"
"Find molasses candy"
The baby grew calmer recognizing his father's voice and as he looked up the little joy that lay in his arm replaced his cries with laughter, the father filled with happiness rose his son up kissing him on soft forehead before placing him back down in his crib, He grabs the key on his son's mobile twisting it to play soft music as small toy planes circled over him.
"I love you Johnathan," Daulton said.
"And mommy loves you too," Yukari added snuggling up to Daulton to watch their son fall to sleep.
And they all lived happily ever after.
Thee End
A/N: This story was a tribute to my dad
Alfredo Macias
August 26, 1971 - December 27, 2019
and to my Uncle
Adrian Macias
June 10, 1955 - February 22, 2020
