Vandread Fanfic - Slayer of God Duology Part 2: Together Forever
Chapter 3 - Always Be With You...
Rating - G / Romance / Sci-Fi
Can't stop heart
All my heart can get no doubt to love
In your eyes, I see the light for love
I wanna take your heart, can't never wait tonight so now just hold on me
Can't Stop Love International by TWO-MIX from the album BPM Cube International
Rick was closing on towards Nirvana, with more than a dozen of 'generic' Vanguard on his tail.
"Shoot, their attacks are getting more and more dangerous. Xero to Nirvana. Request to open the main Vanguard hangar."
After a few static sounds, a female voice came out.
"Request granted. However, we could only open it for a few moments. You must hurry."
"A few moments? More than enough. C'mon buddy, let's go!"
The Vanguard X then stopped and spread its wings. The other Vanguards were closing in.
AFTERBURNER ACTIVATED.
Then, the Vanguard X turned into a ball of white flame and sped towards Nirvana at breathtaking speed, leaving the Tarark Vanguards in
their wake.
"OH YEEAAAHH! THIS ROCKS!"
"Mom..? Is...that...you?"
Meia blinked a few times. Axel, who stood beside her said,
"Mom? Do you know this pretty lady? Do you?"
Meia turned to him and replied,
"No. Of course not. I'm sorry. We haven't met before."
"Mom, it's me, Aya. Remember?"
Axel looked at Aya. Aya looked back at him in the eyes.
"Your eyes..."
Raymond interjected.
"Wait, Aya. She said she didn't know you. Then this woman is probably the one your father talked about."
"She...she's...Meia?"
Meia nodded.
"Yes. I'm Meia Gisborn and this is my son, Axel. And you must be Rick's daughter."
Aya mumbled for an apology.
"I...I'm sorry. I..."
"There's no need for you to apologize. Your father was shocked too when we first met."
"Then this little boy..."
"Yes. He's Rick's son and your brother."
Axel tugged his mother's suit.
"Mom, what are you talking about? This pretty lady is my sister..?"
Meia smiled.
"Yes. She's your big sister."
Axel then hugged Aya, to her surprise.
"I've always wanted a sister! My wish came true!"
Aya, still surprised about the whole thing, hugged him.
"Now, now. Axel, isn't it? I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I should've believed what my father said. I'm sorry..."
Raymond, who tried to contain his tears but failed to do so, comforts her.
"Aya, don't worry about it. I'm sure your father understands."
Axel got out from the embrace and said,
"Then, can I call you onee-san?"
Aya wiped her tears and smiled.
"Of course you can, little brother."
Suddenly, BC interrupted.
"Ah, sorry to interrupt. Boss, Vanguard X is now inside."
Magno grinned.
"Good. Bart, let's head out of here. Course: Earth."
Bart, who is inside the navigational room, sighed as he tries to figure out the buttons in front of him.
"Darn, still not used to this. Guess I'm rusted over the years."
BC winked at him and said,
"Let's go, great helmsman."
Those simple words stirred something inside him.
"Here goes nothing!"
With that, Nirvana sped forward, leaving everything behind.
Rick got out of the Vanguard X and took off his white coat.
"Let's not do that again. I almost fried in there. Thankfully this thing is still in good shape."
Rick strummed his guitar.
"Well, it still working."
Vanguard X hummed.
"Hmm? What's so important about this guitar? This is the only thing that binds me and my past."
Rick looked up to the ceiling. He remembered Sara's will.
(Rick, promise me. Promise me you will go on without me. I want you to promise...)
"Sara, I hope I'm doing the right thing..."
"DAD!"
Aya ran towards him and hugged him tightly. He felt that his daughter is crying on his chest.
"Aya..? What's wrong?"
"Dad, I'm sorry. I should've believed you..."
"It's alright, dear. I understand. Don't worry, okay?"
"ONEE-SAAN!"
Rick looked at the little boy.
"Onee...san? Aya, who's this squirt?"
His daughter grinned.
"Dad, he's your son. My little brother."
Rick looked at the boy, blinking a few times.
"Huh? This..."
"Axel, this is my father. Well, it's your father too."
Rick smiled and ducked to the boy's height.
"Axel, eh? That's a good name."
Axel stepped backwards, looking at him nervously. Rick smiled once again.
"Okay, I know this kinda shocked you. Guess you need some time..."
"Rick..?"
Rick heard a familiar voice. He looked up and sees Meia standing a few meters away. Rick stood up and looked at her, didn't know what he should do. He glanced at Aya. She smiled and nods.
"Meia..."
Meia approached him. She narrowed her eyes and threw a punch to his gut. Rick clutched his stomach in pain. Suddenly Aya remembered. Her mother did the same thing when she met her father.
"Hey, urghh...what's that for?"
"You owe me pain, Rick. Big time."
Rick grinned.
"Guess now we're even, eh?"
Meia then threw herself at him and cried. She beat his chest repeatedly.
"MAVERICK XERO! MY LIFE IS A LIVING HELL WITHOUT YOU! A LIVING HELL!"
Rick wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head.
"I'm sorry. I really am."
Aya cried when she watched the scene. The same scene she watched ten years back. Suddenly she felt a strange feeling around her. Then, the next thing she saw is Sara standing next to her. She's watching Rick and Meia.
"Mom..?"
She turned and smiled at her. Then she's gone into thin air. Aya then heard her
mother's voice.
I don't have to worry about your father anymore. Aya, please watch them for me. Tell your father that no matter which path he chose, I'll always be with him.
"I will, mom. I will."
"Onee-san?"
"Ah? Yes, what is it, Axel?"
"You're talking to whom?"
"No. No one. Just talking to myself."
Jura, Barnette, Dita, Hibiki, Anton, Ezra and Kahlua were watching the events from the other side. Hibiki and Anton leaned against the wall while Dita and the others were still peeking. Hibiki sighed.
"C'mon, how long do you want to watch that?"
Dita turned to Hibiki and said,
"Oh, he still hasn't changed over the years. I mean his appearance."
"Yeah, considering the fact that more than ten years had passed on his world."
Jura stared at Hibiki in disbelief.
"Ten...ten years? But he's like...didn't aged at all."
"Maybe Master Xero is blessed with eternal youth."
"Hey, there's no such thing as 'eternal youth' or 'immortality'."
Meia finally stopped crying and looked at Rick in the eyes.
"Rick?"
"Yeah, what is it?"
"When the last time you took a bath?"
Rick mumbled for an answer when he heard the question.
"Err...let's see...duh. Beats me. Maybe a long time ago..."
Meia narrowed her eyes and drove her knee at the same spot she punched a while ago. Rick collapsed to his knee, clutching his stomach.
"Urghh...not again..."
"MAVERICK XERO! You stink! Come with me and have a bath!"
She then pulled his ear and dragged him out of the hangar. On their way out, Jura, Barnette, Dita, Hibiki, Anton, Ezra and Kahlua were laughing at him hysterically. Rick covered his face in embarrassment.
"Man, this is bad for my rep. Hey, stop laughing you guys!"
"Sorry, Master Xero. We just...can't...do...it. HAHAHAHAHA!!"
"Anton, you're gonna regret that..."
Meia then screamed into Rick's ear.
"STOP WHINING!"
Aya and Axel too, were laughing at the hilarious incident. Aya then remembered. Her mother and Meia have the same personality and characteristic.
(Meia. Not only she looks a lot like mom. She acted just like mom did.)
"Onee-san?"
"Yes. What is it?"
Axel pointed at Vanguard X.
"Is that the Vanguard X?"
"Why, yes it is."
"Whoa, it looks a lot cooler than I thought."
He then touched the surface of its foot. He quickly pulled his hand away.
"What's wrong, Axel?"
"This thing is hot."
"Hmm? Let me see..."
Aya then touched it. She pulled her hands as Axel did.
"Yow! That burns! What happened to you?"
The Vanguard X hummed. Axel stared at it in pure amazement.
"Onee-san, did...did that thing alive?"
"Uh, yeah. Kind of. Now I get it. You have used much of your powers to get here and you need to cool off."
"You knew what that thing says?"
"Surprised, huh?"
Meia still dragging Rick by his ear, causing laughter from the ship's crew on the way and total embarrassment on his part. She finally stopped at the door labeled: Jacuzzi Bath.
"J...Jacuzzi? Hey, I've had 'sauna' back there and I'm not going to have another 'hot bath' session."
Meia let go of his ear and opens the door. She then pushed Rick into the room.
"Ohh, stop whining and get stuck in! You can't see boss this way!"
"HEY----!"
Before him, there's a few Jacuzzi pools with steams coming out of it. Rick sighed in resignation.
"Fine, fine. You win. Here, hold this for me."
Rick handed Meia his guitar and his white coat.
"Okay now let me enjoy the bath, okay?"
She smiled and got out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Man, I always hate hot bath..."
Meia was leaning against the wall, holding Rick's coat and guitar. She then noticed a photo lying on the floor. She picked it up. Rick, Sara and a little girl, sitting on Rick's shoulder, stretching his cheeks wide.
(This is Rick. This must be Sara and this must be Aya when she was little. Sara...she looks so happy. Can I...can I be as happy as her?)
Raymond was at the cafeteria, drinking all by himself.
"Hey miss. Can I have another one of these?"
The woman at the counter shook her head.
"I'm sorry. There's only one bottle left and it is reserved for Gasco of requisition department."
"Re...Reserved? Ah, nevermind."
A short while later, a tall woman with a lead in her mouth came in and approach the counter.
"Ah, Gasco. Here's the wine you reserved."
"Thanks."
"By the way, that man over there wants to have the wine but I tell him off."
Gasco looked at Raymond and grinned.
"I see. Well, I'll see what I can do."
She approached Raymond and put the bottle on the table. Raymond looked up and smiled.
"Well, hello."
"Hey, would you like to have this wine?"
"Yes, I would like to. But what's the catch?"
Gasco smiled.
"A bright one, aren't you? Okay, here's a deck of cards. Whoever has the stronger card gets the wine."
"Okay. Very well."
Gasco shuffled the cards and put it on the table.
"Okay, Me first."
She pulled a card and grinned.
"Okay, it's your turn."
Raymond nodded and pulled a card. There's no reaction on his face.
"Okay, I've got an 'ace of spades'. How about you?"
She turned the card so that Raymond could see.
"I see. Unfortunately, you lost. Here, take a look."
Raymond threw his card to Gasco. She looked at the card and grinned.
"A 'joker', huh? Ah, well. Guess you've won. Enjoy your drink."
She got up and about to leave the cafeteria when Raymond called her.
"Excuse me. Would you like to have a drink with me?"
Gasco considered the offer and smiles.
"Yeah, I would like to."
Aya was lying on the ground at the park, keeping an eye of Axel and Kahlua who is playing together. Then, she heard a male voice.
"Miss Aya?"
She turned and sees Anton standing beside her.
"Oh, Anton. What's up?"
"Your father. He looks happy. I envy him."
"Yeah, he always like that. He's 'enjoying life'. That's what my mother said about him. Despite his nature, he's a man that sticks to his word. However, he can be really mean when he had lost it."
"I see."
"But I'm sure deep down inside; he still can't get over my mother's death."
"Is Chief Meia really resembles your mother?"
"Yeah. It really shocked me at first. But why do you call her 'chief'?"
"She used to be a Dread chief pilot on this ship. She's outstanding with her Dread fighter."
"I see. No wonder they attracted to each other..."
Suddenly, Kahlua called Aya.
"Aya onee-san!"
"What's the matter, Karu-chan?"
"Wanna play hide and seek with us?"
"Umm...I don't know about that..."
Axel pulled her hand.
"It'll be fun! You too, uncle."
Anton suddenly gasped. Aya laughed.
"Hey hey. Don't call me 'uncle'! Am I that old?"
"Sorry. I'll call you Anton onii-chan then."
"That's more like it. Okay the three of you go and find a place to hide. I'll count to 100 and find you before you know it."
"Let's go, Karu-chan, onee-san!"
"Axel, I know the best place to hide."
"Shh. Aya onee-san, he'll hear you!"
"1,2,3,4,5..."
A woman with round spectacles wiped the sweat off her forehead.
"Those junior engineers really are lazy! The Paeksis was not properly maintained. Sure could use his help here. Pyoro, go and find Duero for me."
The small, white robot gave a salute and said,
"Yes. I'll find him right away."
Pyoro hopped out of the engine room and bumped into Duero.
"Ah, sorry."
"Duero, good timing. Parfet needs your help in there."
Duero nodded and entered the engine room.
"I've heard you need my help."
"Duero, can you help me over here? The current need to be neutralized but I can't do it alone."
"Okay, I'll help you out."
"Pyoro, get out of the way. You might get electrified."
Hibiki was lying on his bed, trying to get everything out of his mind. He's already halfway there when Dita suddenly interrupts him.
"I've never seen Leader that happy."
"Ah, you're right. What's the matter?"
"Can you make me as happy as her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Since we're living together, our relationship were going nowhere. Why? We've known each other for such a long time."
Dita started to cry. Hibiki got up and held her tight. Dita is surprised at his sudden reaction.
"Ah, Uchuuji-san..."
"Please stop calling me that. I grew sick and tired of it. And yes, I would like to take this relationship farther than it is. But why do you have
to keep calling me that? Really, it turns me off."
Dita blushed deeply when she heard Hibiki's answer.
"U...no. Hibiki. Hibiki, do you...like me?"
Hearing that, Hibiki smiled.
"Heh. Of course I am, silly girl. If I don't, why do I have to put up with your constant pestering and such for years? Okay, that's enough.
Stop crying, okay?"
"Emm..."
"I promise I'll try my best to make you happy. If I don't, punch me in the ribs, okay?"
She smiled.
"That's the first joke I've heard from you."
"Better watch out then. More are on its way."
With that, the couple laughed out to their heart's content, knowing that their relationship will go further than just 'living together'.
Rick got out of the room, all cleaned up after the 'torture' and sees Meia crying by herself.
"Hey, what's wrong? I'm all clean. See? No more of that stinky smell...."
She looked up and handed him his guitar and coat. She then wiped her tears. Rick shrugged.
"Thanks."
Rick slipped in his coat and slung his guitar at the back.
"Okay, tell me what's wrong. Don't tell me you're not through with me."
Meia shook her head.
"No. Not that, silly. It's just that...I...I'm sad about Sara."
Rick raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, Aya told you all about it then?"
She nodded.
"Yes. I'm...sorry. It really must've hurt you so much."
"Come on now, Meia. It's not your fault. Sara wants me to go on and that's what I've intended to do."
Rick hugged her tight.
"Rick?"
"Yeah?"
"Please stay with me."
Rick hesitated. Suddenly he saw Sara, standing a few meters away, smiling. She gave a nod, as if she had approved their relationship. She then vanished.
(Sara...Thank you. Thank you.)
He then caressed her hair softly.
"Don't worry Meia. I'm here for you."
24 hours a day with you
I just wanna hold you
24 hours a day of love my baby
24 hours a day with you
You're burning inside my heart
Now it's the time
I'll be 24 hours a day with you
24 Hours a Day with You by Ace Warrior from the album Initial D Battlestage
