AN: Here's the next chapter in my ZOE fanfiction. And a long one as I
promised. At the request of the readers of this story, as well as for my
own reasons, I am going to drop the sibling thing with Crim and Viola. My
top reason being that it's getting in the way of the story development.
Well don't worry, this chapter should fix that problem, so sit back and
enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own ZOE. Need I say more?
Chapter 6: Crim's Decision
Elena casually handed the confiscated camera to Thunderheart before turning toward Crim and Leo, both of whom were wondering what punishment they'd get. Elena paused for a moment as if she were considering what to do, while secretly enjoying keeping the two pilots in suspense.
"The two of you will accompany me to the LEV hangar," she said firmly. "Immediately."
Then she exited the room and the two pilots reluctantly followed her. When they got to the hangar, she turned around and spoke to them.
"Relax," she said. "I don't have any punishments for giving the crew a few harmless laughs; just don't tell any of them that I said that. However, the reason that I asked the two of you to come here was important."
Elena turned to Leo.
"Leo, I need you to have Jehuty conceal itself," she said. "And by that, I mean make itself undetectable by any means."
"I'm sure that I can get ADA to do that," Leo answered. "Is there a reason for this?"
"Yes," Elena replied. "An hour ago we received word that the commander of that BAHRAM battleship docked at this colony is none other than Colonel Nohman, the pilot of the orbital frame Anubis."
Silence dominated the room for a few minutes. Images of the horrible fight with Anubis flashed through Leo's mind when he heard the orbital frame's name, as well as the cold yet calm voice of its pilot.
Crim just stood where he was, deep in thought.
(Nohman, here?) Crim thought. (Damn it! This changes everything!)
Leo suddenly broke the silence.
"Call the group that Celvice left with back!" Leo said, his voice rushed and panicked.
"Leo?" Elena asked, surprised by his expression. She had never seen him this panicked or concerned about anyone before.
"Just do it!" Leo shouted.
"Hey, Leo, calm down." Crim said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder to calm him. "The group will be back in less than an hour; there's no point in calling them back now. Besides, you're probably worrying about nothing; I'm sure that Celvice is fine."
"Do you have any proof on that?" Leo asked, turning to Crim. "Have you physically gone and checked? I didn't think so. So why don't you just- ."
"Leo that's enough." Elena interrupted. "Instructor Graves has made a good point; it would be pointless to call the group back now. They're probably on their way back now, as we speak, or they will be shortly."
Before Leo could make another objection, Crim spoke.
"Let me ask you a question, Leo." He said, his tone of voice a serious one. "Why are you acting like this? You're usually not this vocal about things."
Leo turned his face away from Crim as it started to redden.
"I'm just concerned about Celvice's safety, that's all." Leo answered. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"No, there isn't." Crim replied. "But you haven't answered the question properly. Why are you so concerned about her safety? Well? Answer."
"Because I-I..." Leo began, but he stopped speaking and was silent for a couple of minutes before speaking again. "I'll tell you later. I'm going to go give those instructions to ADA now, and then I'm going to go to the ship's lobby to wait for Celvice." Leo then walked off to where Jehuty was.
Crim and Elena watched Leo give the instructions, and then he exited the room without saying a word to either of them.
Elena smiled before turning to Crim.
"He really cares a lot for Celvice, doesn't he?" she said.
"Yeah, he sure does." Crim agreed. "Actually, I'd even venture to say that he loves her, and I'm sure that Celvice feels the same way. The only problem is, the two of them are too shy towards each other to admit it."
"Well, I hope that what happened almost a year ago to those two doesn't happen again." Elena said, her tone of voice turning sad.
Concern showed on Crim's face.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"It was on Antillia Colony." Elena explained. "When Leo landed Jehuty in a secluded area to meet with Thunderheart, Celvice was with him. While they were talking, one of BAHRAM's frame runners, I think her name was Viola, ambushed them and shot Celvice from behind."
Crim's eyes widened in shock as Elena continued.
"She aimed specifically for Celvice. Viola was trying to get Leo to fight her for real, without any qualms against killing her. Thunderheart told me it was one of the saddest things that he had ever seen. Watching Leo hold the body of someone dear to him in his arms, too shocked to even cry. I'm just glad that the wound wasn't fatal."
"So am I, Elena, so am I." Crim said, and then changed the subject. "Well, I'd better get back to fixing up Iblis."
"Are the damages to it really that bad?" Elena asked. "It looked alright to me when I saw it."
"To someone who isn't familiar with orbital frame mechanics, that's probably how it would look." Crim answered. "But believe me, that frame was a complete mess. Those BIS guys screwed us real bad. There are a ton of key parts for this frame that are missing that I've had to replace using parts that best fit in their place, the AI was fried and had to be completely rewritten, and tons of other stuff. It's like someone blew this thing up, glued it all back together, and then used paint to cover up the damages. Like I said, this thing's practically just a piece of crap that can fly."
" Could you possibly be able to pilot it if we ended up in a space battle?" Elena asked.
"Yeah, I could." Crim answered. "I've fixed some of its weaponry, which I must say is pretty powerful. Unfortunately, if this thing took two or three major hits, it would either fall apart or blow up. If we get into a space battle, I'll just stick with Crescent as my main orbital frame."
"Alright, I understand." Elena said. "Now about the weaponry on this frame?"
"Well, it has a dash blade and homing laser attack, like Jehuty." Crim replied. "And it also has this large laser cannon that it can fire. But if I used it, the frame itself would probably malfunction like there's no tomorrow."
"Well, it certainly sounds like you've got your work cut out for you for a while." Elena noted. "By the way, how did you get so knowledgeable in orbital frame mechanics anyway?"
"In the space pirate business, knowledge of that stuff is a key requirement to success," Crim answered. "Especially in the case of selling parts of enemy frames that you defeat."
"Well, I guess that does make sense," Elena said. "Anyway, I'll be getting back to the bridge now. Good luck on Iblis."
"Thanks, I'm gonna need it." Crim said as he watched Elena leave. He then turned and began working on repairing Iblis.
As he was working on the frame, Crim contemplated what he had heard from Elena.
(She went that far just to be put out of her misery). Crim thought. (I guess Radium and Dolores' death had more affect on Viola than even I could see; that was probably why she abandoned me a few years after that incident. It seems what I said over four years ago was right. The one who I had known as my sister truly was dead.)
Flashback: 4 years and 11 months before:
A fifteen-year-old Crim walked down the hallways of the BAHRAM base, all the while reading a printed out sheet of paper. He turned and walked towards where the rooms for the base's pilots were located. After a while, he found the room number that he was looking for. After taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a woman's voice answered. "If it's from the commander, tell him I'm busy."
"It isn't, "Crim answered. "I'm here on business, personal business."
"I don't really care," the woman answered. "Unless you have a reason that's good enough for me to see you, then get the hell out of here."
"I have a good enough reason," Crim replied. "It concerns your family."
There was silence for a few minutes before the woman answered him.
"I don't have any family," she said. "They're all dead. Now go the hell away before I call security!"
"Well I happen to have proof that you have one family member that is still alive." Crim said. "Are you sure you want me to leave?"
Another few minutes of silence followed and the door to the room opened, revealing a red haired woman in her late twenties.
The woman looked at Crim, studying him for a few minutes before speaking to him.
"And what would an academy trainee know about my family?" she asked suspiciously. "Well, tell me."
"Apparently you don't recognize me." Crim said. "Not very surprising, considering that you haven't seen me for about half a decade, Viola."
The woman suddenly pulled out a gun from a pocket in her uniform and pointed it at Crim's forehead.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"It's me," Crim said. "Don't you remember your little brother, Crim?"
"Crim?" Viola said and her eyes seemed to flash with recognition, then she shook her head and pressed the barrel of the gun against Crim's forehead. "Don't be stupid, I don't have a brother."
"Not even a half brother?" Crim asked, causing Viola to press the barrel of the gun harder against his forehead.
"If you've got any definite proof that you're who you say you are, then show it to me!" Viola said. "If you don't, then I'll pull this trigger."
Crim calmly reached into his pocket, took out his wallet, and handed it to her. Viola took it and read the identification card inside.
"It looks genuine enough," she commented. "But that isn't good enough for me."
"Fine, then question me." Crim said. "Ask me any question from the time before Radium and Dolores died and I'll answer it."
"Very well," Viola said. "But if you answer one question wrong, I will kill you."
"I'll take that chance," Crim said. "Now ask me."
And so Viola asked him a series of questions, some turning out to be trick questions using made up events, others being questions concerning family members. But whichever one was asked, Crim always answered correctly, and, with each answer, Viola's grip around Crim's wallet tightened. Eventually the questions ended with Viola throwing the crumpled up wallet onto the floor in frustration.
" Well, was that proof enough for you?" Crim asked. "Now that you know who I am-."
"Shut up!" Viola shouted, a shadow passing over her face. "Get out of this base now! And don't ever come back or talk to me ever again!"
"Hold on, sis, you can't mean that!" Crim objected with a genuinely hurt look on his face.
"Don't call me that!" she shouted. "I have no brother, nor do I know anyone named Crim Graves. Now leave!"
Crim backed away from her, his face a mask of sadness. Then that feeling of sadness was replaced by anger.
"Fine!" he spat. "I'll leave, but answer this one question I have for you! Why did you abandon me five years ago?"
Viola looked at Crim but said nothing to him. She only turned and walked back into her room.
"Answer me, damn you!" he shouted, but she ignored him and the door closed. "Fine! From this day on, you're dead to me!" And he turned and stormed out of the hallway.
As he did, Crim bumped into a taller man standing in front of him.
"Maybe you should watch where you're going, kid." The man said coldly. "So what was your loud conversation with Viola about?"
"None of your damned business!" Crim said angrily. "And I think that you should be the one who should watch where he's going!"
The man suddenly grabbed Crim by the neck and then shoved him against the wall.
"Now you listen to me, you snot-nosed academy brat!" he said in the same cold tone of voice. "If I ever here you speak to me, Colonel Nohman, in that manner ever again, I'll kill you for insubordination! Also, stay away from Viola. She happens to be my favorite soldier, so I can't have you complicating things for me. Especially if that whole sibling bit that you were talking about with her was true."
"You don't have to worry about that." Crim answered giving Nohman a hateful look. "I don't even have a sister anymore, she's dead. As of today."
"Good." Nohman said releasing Crim. "Now get out of my sight!"
End Flashback
Present:
(And a few month's later, I left that damned academy and became a space pirate.) Crim recalled. (For two years I waged my own little war against BAHRAM under the flag of piracy. Then I heard that Viola was killed for real in some battle on the Antillia Colony, and when I'd discovered that that same Colonel from before, Nohman, was the commander, I decided that he was the one most responsible for her death and promised to kill him. Then, after a strange turn of events, I end up being the instructor for the very one who killed my sister, Leo Stenbuck. By all rights, I should be going after him and not Nohman, but I couldn't possibly do that. I'd sooner cut off my right arm than harm someone that I consider to be a true friend.)
Crim paused from his work and then continued to ponder the subject.
(I guess I'm just not cut out for this revenge thing. There doesn't seem to be much point to it anymore.) Crim thought. (After all, it won't bring my sister back, it won't change the fact that she still abandoned me, and I don't exactly have an blood obligation to do it. Since we were only half-siblings anyway; her father married my mother five years after his first wife, Viola's mother, died of cancer. And what will I do after I kill Nohman anyway? I won't have a purpose for fighting anymore, and people who fight without a purpose almost always lose it and become killers. Just like my sister.)
Crim then looked at Jehuty and a thought came to him.
(Maybe revenge doesn't have to be my purpose anymore,) he thought. (It's obvious what Leo fights for, and for some reason, it seems more appealing than mine is.)
Crim then took a pocket-sized version of the picture of Radium, Dolores, Viola, and himself that he had in his room out of his pocket. He looked at it for a few minutes and then smiled.
(I think that I've found a better purpose now.) He thought. (And it for some reason, it feels more right than revenge.)
He took one last look at the picture .
"Rest in peace, my old family." Crim said as he put the picture back into his pocket. He then turned toward Iblis. "Now it's time to get back to work on you, you oversized piece of scrap metal."
And he continued to work on the frame, having no idea that he would have to pilot it soon. To protect his friends.
AN: Well, did that take care of the problem while at the same time make the relation seem plausible? Don't worry, I'll move on with the story in the next chapter. Though I've had to do a complete rewrite of them due to a certain last minute change. You see, originally I was going to have Crim leave the ship in secret to fight Nohman on his own. But since that idea doesn't go along with this chapter very well, I've decided to have Crim stay on the ship instead. I'll update as soon as I can so please be patient and also review. Thank you!
Anime Quote of the Day: (this one's a double quote):
"For the sake of the world I will defeat you, I am Megaeria." (Megaeria introducing himself to Demon-Eyes Kyo) or (Benitora imitating Megaeria (tries to imitate the Russian accent as well, but ends up sounding like a Mexican instead)) (Samurai Deeper Kyo)
Disclaimer: I don't own ZOE. Need I say more?
Chapter 6: Crim's Decision
Elena casually handed the confiscated camera to Thunderheart before turning toward Crim and Leo, both of whom were wondering what punishment they'd get. Elena paused for a moment as if she were considering what to do, while secretly enjoying keeping the two pilots in suspense.
"The two of you will accompany me to the LEV hangar," she said firmly. "Immediately."
Then she exited the room and the two pilots reluctantly followed her. When they got to the hangar, she turned around and spoke to them.
"Relax," she said. "I don't have any punishments for giving the crew a few harmless laughs; just don't tell any of them that I said that. However, the reason that I asked the two of you to come here was important."
Elena turned to Leo.
"Leo, I need you to have Jehuty conceal itself," she said. "And by that, I mean make itself undetectable by any means."
"I'm sure that I can get ADA to do that," Leo answered. "Is there a reason for this?"
"Yes," Elena replied. "An hour ago we received word that the commander of that BAHRAM battleship docked at this colony is none other than Colonel Nohman, the pilot of the orbital frame Anubis."
Silence dominated the room for a few minutes. Images of the horrible fight with Anubis flashed through Leo's mind when he heard the orbital frame's name, as well as the cold yet calm voice of its pilot.
Crim just stood where he was, deep in thought.
(Nohman, here?) Crim thought. (Damn it! This changes everything!)
Leo suddenly broke the silence.
"Call the group that Celvice left with back!" Leo said, his voice rushed and panicked.
"Leo?" Elena asked, surprised by his expression. She had never seen him this panicked or concerned about anyone before.
"Just do it!" Leo shouted.
"Hey, Leo, calm down." Crim said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder to calm him. "The group will be back in less than an hour; there's no point in calling them back now. Besides, you're probably worrying about nothing; I'm sure that Celvice is fine."
"Do you have any proof on that?" Leo asked, turning to Crim. "Have you physically gone and checked? I didn't think so. So why don't you just- ."
"Leo that's enough." Elena interrupted. "Instructor Graves has made a good point; it would be pointless to call the group back now. They're probably on their way back now, as we speak, or they will be shortly."
Before Leo could make another objection, Crim spoke.
"Let me ask you a question, Leo." He said, his tone of voice a serious one. "Why are you acting like this? You're usually not this vocal about things."
Leo turned his face away from Crim as it started to redden.
"I'm just concerned about Celvice's safety, that's all." Leo answered. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"No, there isn't." Crim replied. "But you haven't answered the question properly. Why are you so concerned about her safety? Well? Answer."
"Because I-I..." Leo began, but he stopped speaking and was silent for a couple of minutes before speaking again. "I'll tell you later. I'm going to go give those instructions to ADA now, and then I'm going to go to the ship's lobby to wait for Celvice." Leo then walked off to where Jehuty was.
Crim and Elena watched Leo give the instructions, and then he exited the room without saying a word to either of them.
Elena smiled before turning to Crim.
"He really cares a lot for Celvice, doesn't he?" she said.
"Yeah, he sure does." Crim agreed. "Actually, I'd even venture to say that he loves her, and I'm sure that Celvice feels the same way. The only problem is, the two of them are too shy towards each other to admit it."
"Well, I hope that what happened almost a year ago to those two doesn't happen again." Elena said, her tone of voice turning sad.
Concern showed on Crim's face.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"It was on Antillia Colony." Elena explained. "When Leo landed Jehuty in a secluded area to meet with Thunderheart, Celvice was with him. While they were talking, one of BAHRAM's frame runners, I think her name was Viola, ambushed them and shot Celvice from behind."
Crim's eyes widened in shock as Elena continued.
"She aimed specifically for Celvice. Viola was trying to get Leo to fight her for real, without any qualms against killing her. Thunderheart told me it was one of the saddest things that he had ever seen. Watching Leo hold the body of someone dear to him in his arms, too shocked to even cry. I'm just glad that the wound wasn't fatal."
"So am I, Elena, so am I." Crim said, and then changed the subject. "Well, I'd better get back to fixing up Iblis."
"Are the damages to it really that bad?" Elena asked. "It looked alright to me when I saw it."
"To someone who isn't familiar with orbital frame mechanics, that's probably how it would look." Crim answered. "But believe me, that frame was a complete mess. Those BIS guys screwed us real bad. There are a ton of key parts for this frame that are missing that I've had to replace using parts that best fit in their place, the AI was fried and had to be completely rewritten, and tons of other stuff. It's like someone blew this thing up, glued it all back together, and then used paint to cover up the damages. Like I said, this thing's practically just a piece of crap that can fly."
" Could you possibly be able to pilot it if we ended up in a space battle?" Elena asked.
"Yeah, I could." Crim answered. "I've fixed some of its weaponry, which I must say is pretty powerful. Unfortunately, if this thing took two or three major hits, it would either fall apart or blow up. If we get into a space battle, I'll just stick with Crescent as my main orbital frame."
"Alright, I understand." Elena said. "Now about the weaponry on this frame?"
"Well, it has a dash blade and homing laser attack, like Jehuty." Crim replied. "And it also has this large laser cannon that it can fire. But if I used it, the frame itself would probably malfunction like there's no tomorrow."
"Well, it certainly sounds like you've got your work cut out for you for a while." Elena noted. "By the way, how did you get so knowledgeable in orbital frame mechanics anyway?"
"In the space pirate business, knowledge of that stuff is a key requirement to success," Crim answered. "Especially in the case of selling parts of enemy frames that you defeat."
"Well, I guess that does make sense," Elena said. "Anyway, I'll be getting back to the bridge now. Good luck on Iblis."
"Thanks, I'm gonna need it." Crim said as he watched Elena leave. He then turned and began working on repairing Iblis.
As he was working on the frame, Crim contemplated what he had heard from Elena.
(She went that far just to be put out of her misery). Crim thought. (I guess Radium and Dolores' death had more affect on Viola than even I could see; that was probably why she abandoned me a few years after that incident. It seems what I said over four years ago was right. The one who I had known as my sister truly was dead.)
Flashback: 4 years and 11 months before:
A fifteen-year-old Crim walked down the hallways of the BAHRAM base, all the while reading a printed out sheet of paper. He turned and walked towards where the rooms for the base's pilots were located. After a while, he found the room number that he was looking for. After taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a woman's voice answered. "If it's from the commander, tell him I'm busy."
"It isn't, "Crim answered. "I'm here on business, personal business."
"I don't really care," the woman answered. "Unless you have a reason that's good enough for me to see you, then get the hell out of here."
"I have a good enough reason," Crim replied. "It concerns your family."
There was silence for a few minutes before the woman answered him.
"I don't have any family," she said. "They're all dead. Now go the hell away before I call security!"
"Well I happen to have proof that you have one family member that is still alive." Crim said. "Are you sure you want me to leave?"
Another few minutes of silence followed and the door to the room opened, revealing a red haired woman in her late twenties.
The woman looked at Crim, studying him for a few minutes before speaking to him.
"And what would an academy trainee know about my family?" she asked suspiciously. "Well, tell me."
"Apparently you don't recognize me." Crim said. "Not very surprising, considering that you haven't seen me for about half a decade, Viola."
The woman suddenly pulled out a gun from a pocket in her uniform and pointed it at Crim's forehead.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"It's me," Crim said. "Don't you remember your little brother, Crim?"
"Crim?" Viola said and her eyes seemed to flash with recognition, then she shook her head and pressed the barrel of the gun against Crim's forehead. "Don't be stupid, I don't have a brother."
"Not even a half brother?" Crim asked, causing Viola to press the barrel of the gun harder against his forehead.
"If you've got any definite proof that you're who you say you are, then show it to me!" Viola said. "If you don't, then I'll pull this trigger."
Crim calmly reached into his pocket, took out his wallet, and handed it to her. Viola took it and read the identification card inside.
"It looks genuine enough," she commented. "But that isn't good enough for me."
"Fine, then question me." Crim said. "Ask me any question from the time before Radium and Dolores died and I'll answer it."
"Very well," Viola said. "But if you answer one question wrong, I will kill you."
"I'll take that chance," Crim said. "Now ask me."
And so Viola asked him a series of questions, some turning out to be trick questions using made up events, others being questions concerning family members. But whichever one was asked, Crim always answered correctly, and, with each answer, Viola's grip around Crim's wallet tightened. Eventually the questions ended with Viola throwing the crumpled up wallet onto the floor in frustration.
" Well, was that proof enough for you?" Crim asked. "Now that you know who I am-."
"Shut up!" Viola shouted, a shadow passing over her face. "Get out of this base now! And don't ever come back or talk to me ever again!"
"Hold on, sis, you can't mean that!" Crim objected with a genuinely hurt look on his face.
"Don't call me that!" she shouted. "I have no brother, nor do I know anyone named Crim Graves. Now leave!"
Crim backed away from her, his face a mask of sadness. Then that feeling of sadness was replaced by anger.
"Fine!" he spat. "I'll leave, but answer this one question I have for you! Why did you abandon me five years ago?"
Viola looked at Crim but said nothing to him. She only turned and walked back into her room.
"Answer me, damn you!" he shouted, but she ignored him and the door closed. "Fine! From this day on, you're dead to me!" And he turned and stormed out of the hallway.
As he did, Crim bumped into a taller man standing in front of him.
"Maybe you should watch where you're going, kid." The man said coldly. "So what was your loud conversation with Viola about?"
"None of your damned business!" Crim said angrily. "And I think that you should be the one who should watch where he's going!"
The man suddenly grabbed Crim by the neck and then shoved him against the wall.
"Now you listen to me, you snot-nosed academy brat!" he said in the same cold tone of voice. "If I ever here you speak to me, Colonel Nohman, in that manner ever again, I'll kill you for insubordination! Also, stay away from Viola. She happens to be my favorite soldier, so I can't have you complicating things for me. Especially if that whole sibling bit that you were talking about with her was true."
"You don't have to worry about that." Crim answered giving Nohman a hateful look. "I don't even have a sister anymore, she's dead. As of today."
"Good." Nohman said releasing Crim. "Now get out of my sight!"
End Flashback
Present:
(And a few month's later, I left that damned academy and became a space pirate.) Crim recalled. (For two years I waged my own little war against BAHRAM under the flag of piracy. Then I heard that Viola was killed for real in some battle on the Antillia Colony, and when I'd discovered that that same Colonel from before, Nohman, was the commander, I decided that he was the one most responsible for her death and promised to kill him. Then, after a strange turn of events, I end up being the instructor for the very one who killed my sister, Leo Stenbuck. By all rights, I should be going after him and not Nohman, but I couldn't possibly do that. I'd sooner cut off my right arm than harm someone that I consider to be a true friend.)
Crim paused from his work and then continued to ponder the subject.
(I guess I'm just not cut out for this revenge thing. There doesn't seem to be much point to it anymore.) Crim thought. (After all, it won't bring my sister back, it won't change the fact that she still abandoned me, and I don't exactly have an blood obligation to do it. Since we were only half-siblings anyway; her father married my mother five years after his first wife, Viola's mother, died of cancer. And what will I do after I kill Nohman anyway? I won't have a purpose for fighting anymore, and people who fight without a purpose almost always lose it and become killers. Just like my sister.)
Crim then looked at Jehuty and a thought came to him.
(Maybe revenge doesn't have to be my purpose anymore,) he thought. (It's obvious what Leo fights for, and for some reason, it seems more appealing than mine is.)
Crim then took a pocket-sized version of the picture of Radium, Dolores, Viola, and himself that he had in his room out of his pocket. He looked at it for a few minutes and then smiled.
(I think that I've found a better purpose now.) He thought. (And it for some reason, it feels more right than revenge.)
He took one last look at the picture .
"Rest in peace, my old family." Crim said as he put the picture back into his pocket. He then turned toward Iblis. "Now it's time to get back to work on you, you oversized piece of scrap metal."
And he continued to work on the frame, having no idea that he would have to pilot it soon. To protect his friends.
AN: Well, did that take care of the problem while at the same time make the relation seem plausible? Don't worry, I'll move on with the story in the next chapter. Though I've had to do a complete rewrite of them due to a certain last minute change. You see, originally I was going to have Crim leave the ship in secret to fight Nohman on his own. But since that idea doesn't go along with this chapter very well, I've decided to have Crim stay on the ship instead. I'll update as soon as I can so please be patient and also review. Thank you!
Anime Quote of the Day: (this one's a double quote):
"For the sake of the world I will defeat you, I am Megaeria." (Megaeria introducing himself to Demon-Eyes Kyo) or (Benitora imitating Megaeria (tries to imitate the Russian accent as well, but ends up sounding like a Mexican instead)) (Samurai Deeper Kyo)