@}------
A Week Later...
I would like to request two month's leave.
More a statement than a request, Ruri spoke calmly as she stood before the three admirals.
May I ask why, Captain Hoshino? Admiral Shin said.
Ruri leveled him with a veiled glare, and her voice, when she spoke, was too cold to be sarcastic.
A close friend and comrade of mine is brain-dead, Admiral Shin, she said. I need time to adjust and recover.
Admiral Misuru looked surprised.
Is he not off life support yet?
Both Ruri and his fellow admirals glared at Misuru for the insensitivity of his question. He blushed a brilliant scarlet and stammered, F-forgive me, Captain Hoshino...
No, I have not had him removed from life support, Admiral, Ruri answered. Her voice, when she spoke next, was quiet and sad. Hope is a fragile thing, but I have not yet been able to let go of it.
We understand what you're going through, Captain, but-
Admiral Munetake, who had thus far been silent, interrupted his peer.
The attack, Captain Hoshino, he said, will be fully investigated by the proper authorities.
Ruri met his gaze unwaveringly.
I have complete and utter faith in the assigned task force, she said.
Don't you dare try and stop me.
Munetake nodded, and gave his coworkers a warning glance.
Very well, then, he said. Request granted.
Thank you, Ruri replied, and, bowing, took her leave of the three.
Saburota was waiting for her outside the door.
How did it go? he asked.
I have been given two months leave, she replied.
The Jovian studied her intently.
You're going to go after the girl, aren't you? he asked bluntly.
Yes.
She turned abruptly and left, leaving Saburota in the main corridor shaking his head as he looked after her.
Oi Hari, he muttered, what have you done now?
@}------
Miles away, two figures sat on top of a building in an old cemetery, their bodies silhouetted against the moon. They sat in a warm embrace, in complete silence.
Larva? Miyu asked softly, interrupting their perfect quiet. Do you feel unappreciated?
No, he replied immediately, his arms tightening around her. Silence descended upon the two once more.
Her eyes are haunting me, Miyu admitted, so quietly Larva could barely hear her.
Whose eyes?
A girl who witnessed my feeding. A pause. She was a friend of my prey.
Why does that bother you?
Her eyes...were just like mine. She looks nothing like me, but looking into her eyes...it was like looking into a mirror. As if I had lost you. She shivered. Have I deprived someone of their Larva?
The boy was going to kill himself, Larva said reasonably. She would have lost him anyway.
But I could have stopped him! Miyu protested. I could have put him to sleep, left him there for her to find and take home, safe.
But she would not have learned her lesson, Larva replied. She would have continued hurting him, and eventually he would have tried again, and you would not be there to save him. He is living the eternal dream. He is happy. The girl will grieve, but all humans grieve. They all feel pain. It is, as they say, a part of life.
Try as I might, Larva, Miyu said mournfully, your words bring no comfort. She snuggled closer into the folds of his cloak. Her eyes grant me no rest.
@}------
The bridge of the Nadesico C. Inexplicably, it felt like home. Ruri settled into the captain's chair, her gaze unconsciously resting on where Hari would sit. Tears pricked her eyes as she looked at it.
Why'd she have to take him? she thought angrily. Why'd she have to take the only one who could make me feel...
Abruptly she turned her head forward, and with more force than was necessary slammed her hand down on the panel. The immediate presence of the Omoekane soothed her turbulent emotions.
Omoekane, she said, please search all archives for pictures and information related to this girl. Effortlessly she pictured Hari's attacker, transferring it to the computer. A picture of chibi-Ruri eating bowls of rice appeared.
Hari was the one who designed that, Ruri thought sadly, then shook the thought off. Grief is pointless. I will capture his attacker and move on. Nothing can change the fact that he is effectively dead.
It was only then that she noticed the Omoekane had been gently trying to get her attention. She quickly scanned through the results.
The only matches found were in yearbooks? she thought incredulously. How could that be? Just high school yearbooks, from different schools and with different last names. Only her first name remains the same...Miyu.
Ruri stood, breaking the connection. Question marks started popping up all around her, signaling the ship's confusion.
I can't do this, she whispered painfully, and hurried off the bridge. She didn't know where she was going, but she couldn't face what was staring her in the face.
Hari was killed by a vampire.
Her mind couldn't believe it, refused to accept it. Even though she had seen the girl drinking his blood, had seen that his body had lost much of it, she had assumed it was because the girl was crazed, psychotic. Not...inhuman.
But now she had to confront the evidence of her own eyes. Those yearbook pictures...they dated back for decades, even longer, perhaps. The exact same face, the exact same name...Miyu.
Ruri barely registered opening the door to the medbay. She didn't notice as she strode over to where Hari lay, unconscious. It didn't even hit her as she stared at Hari's lifeless face. She was living in a dream, a horrible dream. Shimmering gold eyes studied his face, his complexion almost drained of color, on his lips a faint smile. He's almost as pale as I am, she thought with sad wryness. Almost unconsciously a hand went up to cup his cheek; her thumb caressed the smooth skin lovingly.
Oh Hari...
He went to that bridge to kill himself, a voice said. Ruri's shoulders tensed, but she did not turn around. She had never heard the voice before, but instinctively she knew it was the girl who had killed Hari. Miyu.
He was standing on the ledge, looking at the water as if it held the answer to all of his problems. Her voice sounded sad, wistful, almost. I asked him why he wanted to kill himself, and he told me it was because nobody else wanted him. Because you didn't want him.
Ruri looked up, startled by the vehemence in the girl's voice, and met a pair of eyes identical to her own.
So I gave him what he sought, she continued. In return for his blood, I gave him peace, the peace found in eternal dreams of happiness.
Ruri fought back tears, and broke their gaze, returning her eyes to Hari's face.
How could he think I didn't care? she asked softly, not expecting an answer.
Even now you do not cry, the other said. As random as her answer sounded, Ruri understood what she implied.
I never showed him.
At this thought a tear did escape, trailing down her cheek with a moist caress.
I can give you a chance to bring his soul back, the vampire said softly, but understand what you'd be asking of him. To return from eternal paradise to a world where horrible things happen, where life is constant pain, and where those he loves best hurt him. If you're willing to ask that of him, I will bring you to his dream.
Ruri's head jerked up, a yes on the tip of her tongue, but the girl had vanished.
Think about it, her voice said, though its source was nowhere to be found. Think very carefully before you decide.
@}------
