Tenkuu no Ryuugekitai - IIDEN
It wasn't as if sleep was important. It was only an opportunity to die breathing for however long.
Even so, Shanti was beginning to miss it.
It had been a few weeks since they had been married, and almost every night was spent.. well, not sleeping. Normally Shanti wouldn't be able to sleep - it was strange really, as she was always tired throughout the day - but she found she was getting more exhausted.
She opened her eyes and looked blankly up at the ceiling. It was still dark, meaning it was very early. It was almost autumn. Now awake, the girl moved her eyes downward. Gatti had fallen asleep on top of her left leg with his arms around her. His head rested on her chest, and she stroked his ash hair idly. It was the quiet times like this she enjoyed the most, preferably unclothed. His skin was always so warm and soft, and feeling his body so close to her own made her feel safe. For the first time she felt alive and almost human. Not some freak or test-subject, but something that mattered to someone.
As she closed her eyes to doze, she felt a sudden churning in her stomach; her throat tightening as if to choke. Gently moving Gatti, the girl sat up and put her hand over her mouth just as her body gave a twitch. Shanti swiftly got out of bed and reached for the bowl of washing water. Seconds later she was bent over it, convulsing and choking as the remnants of her last meal filled the dish.
She leaned against the wall, gasping and sweating. Her head ached.
'Hey love.. you alright?' Gatti's husky voice murmured from the bed. Shanti swallowed and waited for the nauseous feeling to pass.
'Y.. yah.. fine.. Go back to sle-' the rest of her sentence was lost in harsh retching. Gatti peered over the side of the bed in alarm, and, seeing his poor wife bent over a bowl, quickly appeared by her side. He put an arm around her heaving shoulders, moving her hair from her sticky forehead. Within a few moments, she had finished and fell against him with tears forming in her eyes. The boy rocked her gently as she made little mewling sounds, clutching at her stomach and wiping her moist eyes on his shoulder. He asked her what was wrong in a soft, gentle voice. With a sniff, she muttered her tummy hurt.
'Come on.. come lie down,' he guided her to the bed where she collapsed onto the cool sheets, curled up in a fetal position with both hands on her stomach.
'Think I ate too much,' Which was true - ever since they had docked in Asturia their meals had been filled with rich foods that would have unsettled anyone's stomach.
'Are you going to be alright for a bit?' Gatti picked up the bowl and went to the washrooms to clean it out. When he returned, the girl was fast asleep with such a pitiful expression on her face. He dipped a washcloth into the clean water and mopped her forehead with it until the morning bell rang.
*****
Mikyla's incessant giggles were enough to drive Migel insane. They had reached Gigas two nights ago, and last night Mikyla and Dante were wed. Migel had to watch the painful ceremony from a hard wooden bench, his arms crossed the entire time. She had looked so beautiful in her clean clothes, with her face finally washed of soot and dirt. She had even bought flowers for the occasion. Dante, of course, had to be seated in a chair as he was too weak to stand. Still, Migel thought his comrade looked quite healthy with an ever-present smile on his face. They looked so perfect together. It made him sick.
Migel put down his book in frustration as another bubble of laughter issued forth from the next room. Does she not shut up? How much can a person laugh in a day?! His frown deepened considerably as the laughter stopped abruptly. They were kissing again. Since Dante was not in the right condition to be doing anything else, all they did was kiss. Migel hadn't been able to talk to either of them (not that he wanted to) since last night.
You are so conceited. You don't even see how this makes me feel. You never even asked how it makes me feel. Do you even care about anyone beside yourself? If you were smarter you have seen that Dante's going to die. He'll be dead and you'll be a newlywed widow. You are so SELFISH Mikyla! Migel threw the book across the room in frustration, causing Mikyla to poke her head in his room. She looked annoyed.
'Do you mind?'
Oh, sorry. How dare I interrupt your important time with a breathing corpse. Migel glared at her, biting his tongue to prevent his thoughts from being voiced.
'No, not at all,' he replied with an airy tone. The girl gave him a nasty look and stomped back to her room. Migel clenched his fists very tightly. If he punched a hole in the wall they'd be kicked out for sure. Leave it up to Mikyla to dump all their financial problems on him.
I hate it. You're so selfish. I guess I don't matter anymore. Fine. Be that way. I'll leave you and your lover alone. We'll see if HE can provide for you! Unable to contain his anger any longer, Migel hurriedly packed up his scant belongings and charged to Mikyla's room. Her surprised look was almost priceless.
'What the he-?'
'I'm leaving. I said I'd bring you to Gigas, and so I have. You obviously don't need me around anymore, so goodbye,'
'Wait! What about Gatti? Don't you want to see your friends again?' she attempted a sneer, but Migel could see she was worried.
'What do you care? You DON'T. You can't see past anyone but yourself. What do you care if I leave? What do you care if I see them again? I'm DEAD to them,' he shouted, and she winced. 'I might as well be dead to you. You've got you wanted, and that's all you care about. So I'm leaving,'
'FINE!' The shriek came with such ferocity Migel stopped. 'Leave. It'd make MY life a whole lot easier without having to deal with your selfishness. I tried damn hard to keep you alive, and I'm trying damn hard to keep Dante alive. Don't you DARE start saying I'm conceited, when all I've done is look after you! I don't know why you even stayed this long!' Migel was incensed.
'You want to know why? I did it for you. I've done EVERYTHING for you. You were just too busy with yourself to notice. I helped you escape, I helped you with him, and I helped you to Gigas. I've done everything just for you because I love you. I LOVE you, and you are so wrapped up with yourself you can't even notice!' Shocked, Mikyla's mouth fell open. Migel snorted and turned angrily for the door, sending one last remark over his shoulder. 'You know.. I don't know what Dante sees in you.'
The Slayer stormed out of the building, his limp slowing him down just barely. The innkeeper yelled something after him, but he hardly heard it. A few blocks away his pace slowed, but the anger still burned inside. He needed to hit something, he needed to destroy something.. he wished he had his guymelef to blow up a mountainside.
I hate you. I hate you. Everything was going fine until you screwed it up. Now she hates you Migel, and she'll always hate you. You love her? You are a disgrace. How dare you.. how dare you..
I hate me.
*****
I feel.. like crap. Shanti thought to herself as she walked down the catwalk in the hangar. Fellow Dragon Slayers ran past her, eager to get into their beloved machines. Another battle was imminent - they had found the Duke of Fried at the Temple of Fortuna. As expected, Master Dilandau was stoked. Lord Folken wanted a thing of power from the Duke, but, knowing he wouldn't give it up easily, decided to attack the remaining Freidan forces. If the Duke was dead, perhaps his child-prince would give it up.
Absolute, infinite crap. Gatti caught up to his wife just before she entered the cockpit.
'What's wrong?'
'Nothing. Abso-bloody-lutely nothing,' Shanti snipped before closing the hatch. The liquid metal filled the chamber, making her feel weightless. She breathed a sigh of relief - her feet had been hurting her all morning. The hangar doors opened, and as soon as her Alseides had reached its position in the formation, Gatti's voice came over the line.
'What's wrong?' he asked again. 'You were sick this morning, why are you coming along?'
'Oh, like Dilandau's going to let me take a day off just because of a little bug. I'm fine!' Shanti clicked off the line, and the boy didn't say a word for the rest of the trip. They soon landed on a dusty field, the Alseides moving in a line towards the horizon, where the remnants of Freid's forces waited. The girl clicked the line on again, and called out,
'Hey, Gatti?'
'Yes, my dear?' came a rather concerned voice. Shanti frowned at his tone, and didn't say anything. The boy called out to her, clearly wanting an answer. They were almost on top of the enemy guymelefs before she stated,
'It's HOT in here!' With that, she formed the metal claws in her machine's hands, and slashed the front of the brown Freidan wide open. 'No, really,' she added as she tore another guymelef apart, 'it's bloody hot in this thing. Zaibach is the most advanced civili-' She swung her Alseides' arm into an enemy cockpit, crushing it, '-zation in this whole damn world and nobody can figure out how to make a damn air-cooling system,'
Gatti decided to not say anything. His wife was scaring him. Shanti was acting rather moody, even while in the middle of a battle. However, he noticed, she was tearing the guymelefs apart with little effort.
Maybe she's just going through that.. bleeding stage.. he thought, pushing a Freidan away from him and running it through with a Crima Claw. One of those weird girl things.
'We are through the defense lines!' Guimel, ever stating the obvious, proclaimed with unbridled happiness. Shanti looked ahead - they were at the very lip of a cliff leading into a deep valley. Below them was the Freidan forces, and the Duke himself. Her heart pumping with adrenaline, she took a step over the edge and slid down the cliffside with exhilarating speed. The wind rushed through the slits in her 'melef's facemask, cooling the sweat that dripped down her face, whipping her blood-red hair across her forehead, and Shanti grinned maniacally.
'This.. is fun!' the Highlander said matter-of-factly. Gatti snorted over the intercom.
'You're insane,'
'Yep!' The grin suddenly faded. A sharp pain stabbed her stomach, arching into her back. What..? The pain intensified, and she had to force her arm out of the gears to put a hand over her mouth. She hadn't eaten since last night, so there was nothing in her stomach. Empty or not, it spasmed and she retched up a burning mix of acid and saliva. The cockpit became stifling, so hot she could barely breathe as she choked and spat into the liquid around her.
'Shanti? Why aren't you moving? You okay?' Sweat formed into beads on her forehead, falling like rain from her face. Only the pain in her shoulders matched the ache in her stomach. It was so hot.. burning hot.. everything was so blurry..
'Behind you!' Shesta suddenly called out. Shanti turned in time to see a cream-coloured guymelef impale her with a large sword.
***
Dilandau was the first to hit the valley ground, charging into a Friedan and dismembering it.
'Out of my way!' He suddenly spotted a guymelef charging towards him, and brought his liquid metal blade down onto the machine, slicing it into two pieces. The top half of the 'melef began to slide, sending sparks flying before the entire thing exploded. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of his Slayers being run through by a guymelef covered in royal symbols.
'Duke Freid!' Dilandau rushed towards the Duke, but was cut off by a Freid soldier. 'Don't interfere, small fry!' he screamed, ramming into the enemy and crushing the cockpit with a well-aimed strike. The pale guymelef turned, and ran at the pale youth. Dilandau flicked his silver bangs out of his eyes, baring his teeth in a sneer at the pitiful attempt the other was making. Swiftly he blocked the attack, slamming his razor-sharp Claw into the left of the guymelef's chest and temporarily immobilizing the Duke. Without hesitation he gripped the other's arm, and, whipping his crimson Alseides to the side, ripped it straight out of the socket. Bare wires crackled in the air, sparks flying to the ground.
'Not yet!' Removing the Clawed arm out of the guymelef, Dilandau used it to tear off the other arm, dropping it carelessly to the ground. With a sadistic smile on his pale face, he reached back and sent a crushing blow into the guymelef's facemask. The Duke seemed to stand there trapped in time, sparks airborne from the grotesque holes in the metal torso, before the cream guymelef fell in a cacophony of creaking and snapping metal.
Preparing a Crima Claw to finish off the guymelef, the Slayer rushed forward into a great blue wall. Stepping back, he saw the Scherezade - the 'melef unit of his nemesis, a Knight Caeli. The knight brandished his sword, and Dilandau was thrown into battle once more.
***
Gatti was instantly on the comm-link, calling Shanti with intense fear. The last time this had happened, she had been lucky. He couldn't ask for help - the rest of the Slayers were in the midst of fighting and couldn't lose concentration. A brown Freidan was heading towards Shanti, the soldier inside probably thinking of the high praise he would reap for bringing down one of Zaibach's elite. Gatti flew at the 'melef, his grey eyes burning in the air that rushed in, and stabbed it through the facemask. It dropped to the ground, and nothing else moved.
'Shanti! Answer me!'
Bzzt.. said the intercom.
'SHANTI!'
'Don't yell.. I have a headache,' her voice sounded pinched, and he realized she was feeling sick again.
I should never have let her fight.. I should have told Master Dilandau she was too weak. 'Are you alright? Did you black out? Is everything fine?'
'Yah.. Look, I'm alright,' Shanti cleared her throat, and the noise sounded like static on the other end. 'Seriously. I just felt really sick, that's all. My feet are killing me, though,' Gatti shook his ashen head, glad, though still a little upset, that she was fine. He mentioned that she should lie down when they got back, and he'd make her tea.
'That's good.. you make good tea. Hey, that guy got shot with arrows!'
I'm married to a nutter. Gatti peered off into the distance and saw a man fall to the ground. 'Isn't that the Duke of Freid?' Shanti replied the affirmative. 'Then the battle will be over soon,'
Thus said, the boy moved away to help Guimel, who was in poor shape from fighting a shining white machine. The Dragon.
Both of Guimel's arms had been cut off, and smoke was billowing in a twisting line from his cockpit. Just as the Dragon was about to finish his comrade off, Gatti flew at him, raising his liquid metal sword. His attack was blocked, and the enemy sword swung, about to slice him in half. Gatti dodged quickly, but the whole right side of his Alseides was sheared off. Before he could even take a step back to recover, the sword came at him again, this time piercing the cockpit. Instinctively the Dragon Slayer lifted his arm to shield himself just as the metal blade came stabbing through. Gatti squealed when the edge cut into his side one way, and cut deeper as it was pulled out. Blood dripped down his uniform, trailing dark crimson rivers on the smooth leather. His elbow throbbed where the blade had hit it, narrowly missing taking the whole arm off. Before he could be attacked again, Dalet distracted the Dragon with a blow the right arm.
'Dragon Slayers, withdraw!' Dilandau's order couldn't have come at a better time. Gingerly Gatti shifted into flying mode. The guymelef hovered for a few moments, then split and fell back to the ground.
'Damn thing!' Gatti kicked the cockpit wall, sending shots of stinging pain up his left side. Gritting his teeth he tried it again, and this time it worked. He joined the formation, and checked out all the damage of the other Slayers. Shesta seemed the worse off - Dalet and Viole were carrying his guymelef, which had been sliced almost in two. All in two. The bottom end suddenly broke off and crashed to the ground. Nearly everyone who had gone up against the white guymelef had either lost a limb or was seriously damaged. Shanti finally caught up to him, moving a little bit ahead as she made a comment about the empire becoming ever more bankrupt with each ensuing battle. Various pieces broke away from the gaping hole, and everyone so often a wire would spew out tiny fireworks.
And, although it seemed completely inappropriate at the time, Gatti could see his wife's leather covered backside through the gap.
*****
You know what, Migel?
What.
It would probably be a good idea to go back and apologize.
HA!
Well.. where else are you going to go, beggar boy?
..you have a point.
Of course I do.
Stop talking to me.
Don't like the voices talking to you?
It's a bit unnerving, yes.
Right, sorry.
..
..you haven't gone away, have you?
No, not really.
Right, there has got to be something more intellectually challenging out there in this stupid town that could amuse me more than talking to myself. In my head.
Migel sighed and shook his head. He was going insane trying to keep his mind of Mikyla. The scene played over in his mind like a wheel that kept spinning around and wouldn't stop. Now she hated him beyond all reason. There really was no use in going back, it would only further demonstrate how weak he was. He had to stand up to this woman.. prove that he didn't need her. He didn't need her. Now he was independent, all on his own.
Except that every time he turned around he thought he saw her, and every voice around him sounded like hers. He needed her. He missed her. But now Migel had completely messed up any chance he had. How like me.
There was nothing else to do. He could either wait for Gatti to rescue him, or start a new life without the Slayers. Migel could use his training to teach.. perhaps set up a fighting school. He needed money for that, though, and he doubted any of his Zaibach currency would work; nor would he exchange it for fear of being discovered as a Zaibachan and forced into exile.
I'm going to stay here, then, he thought. I'll stay here and get a job so I can still be near Mikyla, and look after her. When Gatti comes to get us, I'll stay here and open up my school. I'm so sick of this war. I don't want to fight anymore..
Migel ran a hand through his long chestnut-coloured hair. He would have to get a haircut and try and look nice when he went job searching.
*****
'Owwwsss..' Gatti hissed as antibacterial liquid stung his skin. The medical room was filled with many other variations of his pained noise - nearly half the Slayers were injured in some way. Dilandau had given them all a very, very stern talking-to about how useless they were, etc. It was all lovingly, of course..
'Nice cut you got there,' Shesta commented, getting his boots pried off to reveal a sticky red mess on the soles of his feet. He made a strangled noise in his throat when the medic poked around to see if any of the skin on the bottom of his feet was still intact. Shesta had been lucky his feet hadn't been cut off when his 'melef was sliced in two. Everyone seemed lucky, apparently.. Gatti looked around. Guimel had a cut on his head from his cockpit being crushed in, Dalet possessed a rather mean looking gash on his cheek, most likely from his cockpit being crushed as well.. He wondered how Shanti had fared, hoping she hadn't lost a leg or anything else important. He waited, somewhat patiently, to get bandaged up before tossing his torn jacket in the sewing basket and wandering around looking for the familiar shock of red hair, but to no avail. Dalet said that Shanti might have gone back to his room, as he didn't seem that bad. Thus Gatti meandered over to the upper deck where the dorms were.
Upon entering his room, he saw Shanti carefully placing a limp medic on the bed. She turned to the ash-blond boy and put a finger to her lips to signal quietness. Something in her eyes didn't feel right..
'What did you do?' he whispered. Shanti walked over to the window and sat down on the sill, bringing her knees to her chest. Sitting down beside her, Gatti looked at her downcast eyes.
'Knocked him in the back of the head,'
'Why?' Something was really not right. Shanti brought her arms close to her body and was fidgeting with her fingers, avoiding eye contact with a worried expression. Gatti waited for her to respond, but she seemed unwilling to speak. 'Does it have something to do with what happened today?'
'Yah..' she said quietly, giving him some cause for alarm.
'Is it about your back?' he rested his arm on her knee and stroked her pale cheek gently. She sniffed and shook her head, and Gatti felt a warm wetness on his fingers as a tear rolled down her cheek. 'What's wrong, hm?' he asked quietly, moving her so he could hold her closely. Shanti burst out sobbing,
'I.. I felt strange and.. I've been feeling strange so.. so.. I called him in.. s-so he could try an' an' figure out what's wrong and.. and,' Shanti sobbed into his chest, making his shirt damp and cling to his skin. He waited patiently for her to calm down, rocking back and forth, back and forth..
'I've been feeling sick for the last couple days, and my feet hurt, and I feel hungry but I don't want to eat in case I get sick again.. and he said that I probably had a bug, but it sounded strange because I only got sick in the mornings.. so I told him everything.. and he asked when I supposed to bleed again, but I haven't for a while, 'cause I was stressed out a lot.. but he gave me this test and told me what was wrong.. so I hit him in the head so he wouldn't remember anything,' Gatti seemed relieved. If the medic knew what was wrong, the medic would be able to fix it.
'So..? What's wrong?' Shanti sniffed, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.
'He.. he said I'm..' She moved slightly away from him, she hunched her shoulders, her head down, her hands folding in her lap. Gatti's mind raced as he thought of a thousand possibilities at her demeanor. He was about to coax her when she finally spoke in one soft breath.
'I'm pregnant.'
*****
'I hate him. I hate him. How can he say those things? I've worked so hard for you! For him!' Mikyla paced the floor angrily, her arms crossed and her violet dreadlocks swinging every which way.
'Calm down 'Ky,' Dante said, turning his head towards the girl. 'Migel gets.. like that sometimes. He'll be back,'
'I don't WANT him to come back! He obviously has issues,' Issues with me.
''Ky, it's okay.. come here,' Reluctantly, she complied. Dante reached out his hand weakly and held hers. 'Mikyla.. you know I love you, and I always will. I only want.. want you to be happy,'
'I know that,' Mikyla gave a half-smile and began to smooth out tiny imaginary wrinkles in the sheets. 'I will be happy. You're going to get better, and we'll find some place to live, and we'll be happy,' Why.. why are my eyes filling with tears?
''Ky,' he started sadly, his face becoming serious. 'I'm dying. You've done everything you can, and I know that, but..'
'You're not dying. You're getting better.. I know you are,' A tear fell from one dark eye. 'You're going to live..' Dante shook his head, reaching out to hold her. Mikyla rested her head on his chest, and he stroked her hair gently.
'I want you to find Migel. No, listen.. When Gatti comes for us, I want Migel to be there. I want Gatti to know Migel is alive. Please do this for me?' his voice dropped to an even lower whisper. 'I don't want to die dishonourably.. I want Migel here.. and I want you two to be happy,' Mikyla said nothing, instead staring blankly at the wall with tears spilling from her eyes uncontrollably. She was afraid to speak, afraid that if she did she would never be able to stop crying. She had lost her home, her mother, and now she was going to lose her love, her best friend..
'I love you, 'Ky,' Dante whispered, his eyes rolling as he passed out. The girl let out a tiny sound, and her face scrunched up.
'I love you too..' she mouthed, and the tears came with unbridled emotion, dampening his shirt and bandages, and mixing with his blood.
*****
I'm pregnant. Oh, how those simple words can cause so much change.. can disrupt one's life as easily as speaking them.
'How could you be pregnant?' Gatti asked, his voice, perhaps, too cold for Shanti, as she stuttered,
'I.. I didn't mean to. I.. I thought tha.. that I.. I couldn't g-get pregnant.. after all the.. the experi.. experiments,' she buried her face in her hands. 'I didn't mean to.. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry..' Gatti put an arm around her shoulders, and she lay down in his lap, whimpering and sniffing softly.
He could barely make sense of all the thoughts that entered his mind at once. Shanti was carrying his child.. his own flesh and blood. She could keep it a secret, but for how long? How long before she started showing the effects of a baby growing inside her? They would notice. Someone would notice. Master Dilandau would punish her - she could be killed for this ultimate sin - and he would be punished as the child's father. Master Dilandau would figure it out. He was the only one she spent a large amount of time with - their absences, their hushed conversations, their secret glances. Everything would be exposed for all to see, and they would be disgraced; dishonoured in front of their friends and comrades.
'Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. It's no one's fault. Don't be sad,'
'But what are we going to do? How are we going to hide this?' Shanti wiped her eyes, saying she was sorry once more.
'Look at me,' the boy softly commanded, and gave a comforting smile when she did. 'We're going to have a baby. We're going to have a family. It's okay,' he hugged her. 'We'll figure this out, alright?'
'Alright,' Shanti gave a cautious smile, then grinned when she saw Gatti wasn't upset with her. 'A family..'
'That's right. We'll live in a house with a garden and some animals..'
'But how?' she asked with a sudden somber tone. 'How can all this happen? We're in the middle of a war.. Master Dilandau isn't going to let us discharge,' Gatti paused. He had been meaning to leave. Ever since the fox he had been secretly loathing the war, the fighting, the destruction. He was tired of the war, and now he had a wife and a baby to protect. They couldn't risk staying and fighting. What if he was seriously injured? How would he be able to look after his new family?
'We'll leave. Tonight,' he said with a strange determination. Shanti looked at him, confused.
'How-'
'When everyone is asleep, we'll escape out of the hanger. We can't take our guymelefs.. they'd be too easy to track. We have some money - we can buy new clothes, or modify these ones,'
'But where will we go? If we go to Zaibach we'll be caught, and anywhere else might be attacked,' Gatti faltered. Where would be a safe place to escape to? A random thought struck him.
'Gigas.'
'Hm?'
'We'll go to Gigas. I sent Migel a letter; he and Dante are waiting for us there. We'll take one guymelef - you can fly fast enough to keep up? - and meet them. Migel can pilot it and bring Dante back as well. Perhaps we can live with his girlfriend for a little bit,' he nodded, confidant his plan would work. Shanti gave her approval with a nod.
'We'll leave tonight..' she smiled, and kissed him gently. They cuddled together, thinking about their escape, dreaming about their new lives without violence. Shanti suddenly furrowed her brow and frowned. 'What about Guimel and Shesta and everyone else? Won't you miss them?'
'Well, yes..' Gatti frowned as well. 'We'll have to visit them. This war can't last that long, can it? I'm sure they'll come visit us. I'll leave a note. Don't worry,' he hugged her.
Without warning their door slid open and Guimel bounced in. He seemed to be too excited to really notice their guilty faces when they quickly pulled apart.
'Master Dilandau says to get into your guymelef right now! We found the Dragon!' he raced off. The two looked at each other, and Gatti said,
'One last battle,'
*****
That didn't go well. Migel thought has he was thrown out of an inn. The owner recognized his accent, even though he thought he had concealed it quite well. Guess I won't be working there anytime soon.
His pride mildly dented, he limped off down the street. Someone called for him, but he ignored it. No one here knew his name, so he must have been imagining it.
..there it was again. Migel stopped, tilting his head and waiting again.
'Migel!' He definitely heard it this time, and turned to see Mikyla running towards him frantically. He turned and began to walk away. She probably wanted to fight some more..
'Migel, please!' The girl shouted at him.
I'm going to regret this. Migel turned back around and waited for her to catch up. She bent over, hands on her knees and she desperately tried to catch her breath.
'What do you want?' he asked in a cold tone.
'I.. need you,' she gasped. Migel gave a hollow laugh.
'You need me? Oh, that's funny. It really is. You didn't need me a little while ago. In fact,' he continued, ignoring her gestures for him to stop talking and listen to her. 'In fact I do recall you asking why I was still there,'
'Migel-'
'You also said on numerous occasions you wanted me to go away and or disappear,'
'Migel-!'
'AND I do remember you saying that-'
'Migel will you SHUT UP!!' his mouth dropped open like a fish. Mikyla wiped some sweat off her forehead, and said quietly,
'Dante is dying,' Migel snorted.
'Oh, I'm glad you've figured it out-'
'No, Migel,' she looked into his eyes, and he could see she had been crying. 'He's dying.' Migel stood there, stunned. He always knew the Slayer would die.. but not now. Not now. 'Please.. he wants you there,' Migel nodded, and wordlessly began to sprint back towards the place where he had just abandoned, followed closely by the girl.
Hang on, comrade.. we're coming.
*****
'So, Gatti,' Shanti's voice said over their private line. 'What should we name the child?'
'Er.. wha?' Gatti looked at Shanti in confusion, and could almost see the green guymelef's shoulders slump in exasperation.
'Well.. what if it's a girl?'
'I don't know a lot of girl's names. I think Shesta has a cousin called Millerna somewhere,' Shanti wrinkled her nose.
'What kind of name is that?' Gatti gave her a look, though he knew she couldn't see it.
'Alright, fine. What are some names you know?'
'I remember a name.. Aidenna. I think that could have been my sister or mother. I'm not sure,'
'What does that mean?'
'Aidenna? It means fire in Eyre,'
'Er.. I don't want our daughter to be some pyromaniac like Master Dilandau,' Shanti sighed loudly over the intercom. 'What about boys' names?' There was a pause, then the girl said with a note of amusement,
'Gatti II, the Sequel,'
'Ahaha.. no.'
'Alright, fine. What about Shad? Or Gatino?'
'Gatino? Sounds like my name.'
''Child of Gatti'. Gatinhi if it were a girl.'
'For a girl, that's good. I like Shad as a boy's name, I guess,' Dilandau's voice came over the line, telling them they had reached their target. In the distance was a convoy of Asturian ships. Something white flew out of the hold, and landed on the ground far below. 'We'll talk about this later, okay?'
'Aye,' The sky around them was darkening with black clouds, making the scene seem more than a little ill omened. They swooped down and landed on the rocky terrain, surrounding the white guymelef. Shanti looked at the white guymelef and felt a chill go down her spine. There was something wrong.. something about that guymelef.
'I don't feel good about this.. something doesn't feel right,' If Gatti replied, it would have been cut off by the message Dilandau said, in an eerily confidant voice.
'Guys, let's finish this dragon hunt today.'
*****
''Ky.. 'Kyy..!' Dante's raspy voice greeted them as they entered his room. His arm was out, reaching for her. The girl was immediately by his side.
'I'm here, baby. It's alright. I brought Migel here too,' Migel made his presence known, sitting down besides Mikyla.
'Hey.. how are you feeling?' Dante smiled weakly.
'Pretty.. good, considering,' he coughed. 'Migel.. please go with Gatti.. back to the Vione,'
'I can't. I don't want to fight anymore,' Dante grabbed his hand with an unexpected strong grip.
'Migel.. they'll be so happy to.. see you again.. And..' he coughed again, and his face showed the pain he was in. 'I.. tell Guimel.. I'm sorry.. I can't pay him back..' Migel forced a smile and nodded.
'I'll go when Gatti comes,'
''Ky.. come here,' Obligingly, she sat on the edge of the bed, putting her arms around him. She could feel the blood soaking through the bandages, and could see the mattress stained deep red. The very life was pouring out through the infected cuts. 'Migel.. if you could..' The chestnut-haired boy nodded slowly, and traced invisible patterns on Dante's face, speaking slowly and softly.
'Great Spirit, please listen to our request. Your warrior Dante Legatso has fought his enemies bravely, and waits to fight with you,' Dante's eyes dulled, and his breathing became less frequent, more laboured. Migel hesitated, and continued with a growing lump in his throat.
'Please allow him a safe journey to the Other Side where he may find peace. Please accept him with the highest honour,' Tears began to fall from his eyes, tracing small pathways across his cheeks. He took a breath to try and calm himself, and, tracing a symbol on the other's forehead, whispered the last line,
'Be at peace, now and forever. Farewell.' Dante smiled and whispered his thanks. He looked at Mikyla, who forced a trembling smile.
'I.. love you,' he whispered. His eyes grew dull, and with a soft sigh his body went limp.
'I.. I l-love you..' Mikyla choked out. Migel reached out, and gently closed the boy's eyes. The girl out a long, lamenting sob and hugged his body close to her. Migel put his arm around her, and together they both grieved for Dante.
'Farewell..'
*****
'Get him!' came Dilandau's order. The ominous, sinister feeling came in waves over Shanti. She couldn't stand it anymore.
'No! Don't! DON'T ATTACK!' she shouted over the line, but her words were unheeded. Three Alseides charged towards the enemy guymelef, shooting out their deadly liquid metal claws at him. To her horror, Shanti saw the Escaflowne dodge the lightening fast tendrils with inhuman speed. It drew its sword.
'Look out!!' The three Dragon Slayers tried to get out of the way, but in the blink of an eye the giant blade cut through the Alseides. The upper halves of each guymelef flew off, and Shanti heard three separate screams come in static over the intercom. The pieces suddenly exploded into blue flame, incinerating the guymelefs and the pilots inside.
'Oh my god..' Shesta whispered in horror. The Escaflowne suddenly whipped around and charged at a nearby guymelef. They heard another scream.. a familiar scream. Guimel tried to dodge out of the way, throwing his body to the side. But the white guymelef's fist came down upon him, crushing in his cockpit with demonic ease.
'GUIMEL!' Blood dripped from the crushed metal, staining it red. The Alseides stood for one long, sickening moment, then suddenly fell back and burst into blue flame.
The Dragon Slayers were barely allowed a moment to mourn, or even react before the Escaflowne came soaring right at them.
'Look out!' Shanti shrieked at Gatti. He looked to the side and saw the white demon come at him again with the sword. He tried to think, tried to order his body to move out of the way. He faintly heard Shanti's scream as the sword sliced his guymelef in half, and the fist collided into the direct centre of his cockpit.
'NO!' The girl let out a fierce battle cry and charged at the Escaflowne, slashing at it with her liquid metal cat-claws. It fended off her attacks like she was just some insect, and stabbed the blade right into her Alseides' gut. She ripped her arms out of the controls and opened the cockpit just as the sword turned and carved its way up. As Shanti threw herself out through the opening door, the sharp edge of the sword split her guymelef in two like it was paper. She felt the wind from it between her legs, and the turbulence sent her spinning. Her black wings shot out of her back, blood and shreds of the leather uniform floating to the ground. She had no time to pull up; the wings only slowed her fall fractionally. Shanti slammed into the rocky earth and heard a loud cracking of bone and a surge of pain. She tried to get to her feet, and found her left arm rendered completely useless.
'He's fast! Use the Stealth Cloaks!' came Dilandau's command from an intercom. She looked around and saw an Alseides in a tangled mess of metal. It had not yet melted to blue flame. She ran towards it, and climbed up towards the cockpit. It had been crushed, but not harshly; there was still a small pocket that remained intact. Grabbing onto the edges, Shanti pulled the door open and looked inside. Her stomach pitched and she put a hand to her mouth.
Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. No.. no nono..
'Gatti!' Without hesitation she pulled his mangled body from the wreckage, dropping to the ground. She dragged him a safe distance away, and held his head in her lap.
'Gatti.. Gatti wake up. Please wake up.. please..' Gatti's limbs were sprawled every which way, sticking out at impossible angles. A bloodied bone protruding from his right kneecap, through a hole in the leather. 'Gatti, please..'
Shanti heard a wheeze, and Gatti gasped for air desperately. His ribs were broken, the shattered pieces of bone piercing into his lungs. Now they filled with blood and fluid. He was a shocking shade of white, and his grey eyes where glazed and twitched around. He looked at her, and blood gurgled from his lips, dripping down the corner of his mouth.
'Ssh.. I'm here.. I'm here,'
From the distant, still-functioning intercom they could hear more screams. Dalet tried to shield himself, and was crushed into dust. Shanti heard Viole cry for help before his line became static.
'Sh..an..' Gatti tried to speak, but more blood came from his mouth. Shanti held him, stroking his bloodied bangs from his cut forehead. His face was scrunched up as he made a bubbly whimpering noise. Tears cleaned the blood from his cheeks. He could hear his friends dying. Shesta's voice came as a shriek as the last blue Alseides disappeared in a rush of blue flame.
'I'm here.. you'll be fine..' Shanti felt a prickling in her eyes, and her vision blurred with tears. Gatti tried to move his arms, but he couldn't feel them anymore. The pain was slowly disappearing from his body. He felt tired..
'No.. no Gatti. Gatti..' Shanti's voice cracked. 'Don't leave me.. please.. don't leave me alone.. I want to be with you..' The boy struggled to focus on her eyes, but could barely see her anymore.
'I.. lo.. ve y..you..'
'I love you.. don't leave me.. please don't..' She let out a sob, and bent down over him. Her lips met his, and she could taste his blood. His body gave a slight twitch. She opened her eyes and straightened up. He did not move.
'G.. Gatti..?' Shanti shook him gently, but she knew.. she knew he was gone. She bent over him again, holding him closely to her body, holding him tightly as her shoulders heaved with each sob. 'Gatti.. I love you.. don't leave me alone.. Gatti..' She looked skyward and unleashed a heart-wrenching scream.
Please don't leave me alone..
An eternity passed. Shanti rocked the cold body back and forth, mechanically, in a trance. She dreamed that she heard his voice and the voices of her friends calling her to join them. She wanted to die. She wanted to die.
Please don't leave me alone..
He wouldn't let her.. he wouldn't let her die. She wanted to take her sword and stab it through her body, feel her blood mix with his and be with him. But he wouldn't let her..
She vaguely remembered a word Gatti had said.. a place he wanted to go. Numbly, she placed his body on the ground, and caressed his bloodied face one last time. She stood up, unfurled her black wings, and flew to the east. She did not look back.
It began to rain.