Previously on Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED…
"Maybe you're no longer a holy knight, but you must still have the honourable spirit of the warrior inside of you." The statement brought the young warrior to an impromptu stand. "A warrior exists to serve the people and protect them with everything he or she has. I had taught you the very fundamental code of the warriors, didn't I?"
Alex was speechless. A warrior exists to serve the people. A warrior lives to protect the people. When the people die, so do the warrior's soul. Once everything the warrior owns is gone, his or her purpose of life is nothing. He, the fallen soldier, was a dead warrior, a result of failure, betrayal, distrust, hatred and pain.
"I don't know what happened to you for the last ten years, Alex, but what's gone is gone. The present you are facing now is far more important than everything else," Aoshi uttered. "And if you're still a warrior by heart, you surely have someone to protect at this time, at least. Get over it, Alex."
Alex shut his eyes tight. He may have failed as a holy soldier, but he is still a warrior. He may have lost the Gears he vowed to protect, but there are still many people waiting for his honourable service. He may have lost Hikaru, but his heart is still open to love and never closes itself from the world. Yet with the people of the present avoiding and isolating for the act he had committed in the past, along with his unforgivable sins, will he be able to stand up the way he should be?
-x-
The holographic projection disappeared from view. Lone Wolf clutched the PDA, almost crushing the device in his hand before threw it to the floor. "DAMN THAT PWAB! DAMN THAT BUREAU AND EVERYONE WORKING WITH THEM! DAMN THEM!!"
"Lone Wolf-san, please calm yourself," Hisui spoke.
"How can I ever calm down when the bureau… ARGH! They've gone too far. I can't forgive them…!" he snarled.
Silence lurked inside the corridor, as the housemaid stared at the author before she bowed and took her leave. A loud bang echoed inside the empty alley, enough to bring Hisui to a halt. Not taking a glance at Lone Wolf who had punched the wall, she sighed and continued walking.
"You want a war, huh?"
x-x-x-x-x
Guilty Gear
Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED
Written and conceived by: Lone Wolf NEO
Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.
Chronological Note: Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED takes place scarcely half a year after Guilty Gear versus SNK 2: Battle Revolution, and currently runs roughly in parallel with Guilty Gear: The World Within and Without written and owned by Sheo Darren.
Quotations from Chapter 19: The Midnight Blossom named Aurora and Chapter 33: Truth and Denial from Guilty Gear versus SNK 2: Battle Revolution, edited and rewritten and paraphrased.
Chapter 24
The One Arc Part 4
A Memory, a Blossom Petal and an Oak Leave
"The report you gave to me showed that Mithril has located a manufacturing plant of Robo-Ky Mark II at the western coast of Northern Borneo, wasn't it Tessa-chan?"
"Haii. I will relay satellite images of the industrial complex to you, Lone Wolf-san."
"Send it here. ………I see. The production of the units is taking place in a massive scale."
"Then should we launch a pre-emptive attack on the site, Lone Wolf-san?"
"No. Not yet."
"Eh? Sonna, I thought you…"
"Three more days, Tessa-chan. Three more days until the battle is taking place. At least, that's what Mark 2 foretold me."
"But if we don't do anything fast, the bureau will…"
"Yes, I know. The consequences are unavoidable, at this rate."
"Demou…"
"I know you're concerned of the global peace, Tessa-chan. You're not alone in this matter, we all do."
"Sou…"
"Hey, don't worry about the invasion too much. I recently received news from my acquaintance that she has sent in their best warriors to this city. They should arrive here before the outbreak of the war… I hope so."
"I hope they will, Lone Wolf-san."
"Thank you for the report. It was very valuable and appreciated."
"I was just doing my job as your friend, Lone Wolf-san. I'm very glad if I've done anything useful to you."
"You already have, Captain Tessa. You already have. Well, captain, I have to go now."
"Send my regards to everyone, ne Lone Wolf-san?"
"Haii. Lone Wolf NEO roger and out."
Lone Wolf NEO turned the P900 handheld communicator off and took a deep breath, exhaling everything out of body and mind. He watched at the city park, admiring the as yet untainted beauty of the environment. "Three days more… I better ease off my brain first before the day comes," he whispered and began walking down the pavement, enjoying the peaceful and silent night as much as he could.
"Wait." He halted and closed his eyes. From the video footage relayed to him, he realized that Mark 2 was dead serious on the invasion matter. He could tell that the robot was determined to drag humanity to another war history had long wanted to avoid. "But… why did Mark 2 attack South Town? What triggered it to commit that kind of act? Why it declared war against us?"
Slow as he was, he opened his eyes and gazed at the star. Somehow, the memory of the Battle of Kiev emerged in his very mind, knocking every door of his memory. He shook his head; it was the battle that almost took everything away from him (or rather, he was almost taken away from everything). Everything that once belonged to him, in the sense that it was owned by the lone wolf of the author's universe.
-x-
"Impossible…" Mriya groaned in her heavy breaths. She had unleashed a powerful Chrono Storm and caught both Lone Wolf NEO and Nagalintar with the godly overdrive. So strong it was that the Dragon of Time was almost defeated; Lone Wolf was, however, unaffected. "My Chrono Storm has failed… IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!"
"Surprised?" was the answer the author warrior responded, lazily yawning. "That was utterly boring…"
The command Gear could say nothing. She had trapped him with Chaos Drones. She had slowed him down with Chaos Spikes. She had considerably counterattacked and attacked him with the combined force of Time and Imperial Revolt. She even used the signature attack of the Chrono warriors, the Chrono Storm, feared for its destructive force. Yet she failed. She failed to even leave a single scratch on her opponent.
"Let me tell you something, Mriya Falken," the author told her, "everything and anything you're going to do are predictable, to quote Geese Howard. So it's kind of useless. If you're going to release another flock of Chrono Drones, forget it."
Mriya was offended by the proclamation. "How… how did you know? How did you know everything about me?" she demanded.
"Oh, please. You know me already, don't you?" he said, shaking his head in disappointment. "You cant even deny the truth of who I am."
For the time being, she was staring at the lone wolf of author's universe, before she snapped and held her head, groaning in pain. Her mind was invaded by an incoming flash back of a memory. The memory of a ten-years-old-event which had resulted to the current event, and she struggled not to subdue to the invasion of the flashback.
Finally she stopped trembling, and took a glance at him. "Masaka… Lone Wolf…?"
"Finally remembering my name, huh?" Lone Wolf spoke. "That's quite a surprise from a Gear who doesn't care of everything."
"Why are you here, Lone Wolf?" she snarled. "I thought you'd leave me for good and never to return. You lied to me."
"Hey, it wasn't my decision in the first place," he insisted. "After all, it was you who agreed to… give yourself to the research team, right?"
"ENOUGH WITH THAT!"
-x-
Mriya.
The woman who was once his girlfriend before he was taken away from her by a cruel destiny. Once a neo command Gear whose intention was to destroy humankind, Mriya now lived as a human, whose childishly happy personality often caught her in most of her unexpected interactions with people. He wondered of how much she had changed along these passing times, especially her astounding persona. He was even amazed by how affectionate she was toward both Chrono and himself, much to the dismay of the scandalized Ky and dissatisfied Hibiki. Yet he didn't mind with it; Mriya was always a child at heart, and is always be one.
-x-
It was over. Now, the lone wolf was drifting in the endless space, heading toward a destination he had yet to discover. Having defeated to the replicated fire warrior in the duel, he was in great despair and disappointment. He had no idea of where he was heading nor the place he was in. Even his head was feeling torturously heavy.
"Am I dead…? If I am, I should've been at the heaven by now but… why is everything so dark inside here? Where am I now? Where's everybody? Hibiki… where is she? Where is she?" Trying to wake up, he felt his body stiffened and paralyzed, as if been chained to prevent any perseverance. "No! I can't die here. I still have task to do. I still have the world to take care of. I still have everybody to worry of. I can't die in place like this… I can't!"
Silence as he was, he eased off and let himself drift away in the pitch darkness. "But… I've lost… what should I tell them if I managed to return? What should I…?"
"This aroma… the scent of midnight blossom… it smells so heavenly… wait. I'm not really dead, am I?"
"The Chosen One cannot, and will not easily, be defeated even by the strongest enemy. The only opponent he must consider is his own weakness. It can be his greatest failure if he takes it for granted."
"Who… who is that?" Slowly he opened his shut eyes and looked upward. A pair of tranquil sapphire eyes was looking down at his face, staring with full content and gentleness. Trying to figure out what happened to him, the lone wolf realized that he was lying inside a secret garden, his head being supported on warmth, supple lap. He, and the mysterious woman who rested his head on her lap, was shun by the silver ray of the moonlight lighting the night sky.
"I am your saviour, Chosen One. I'm the one who rescued you from the heartless warrior of fire," the owner of the eyes spoke, whilst her hands softly rubbed and cupped his bruised cheeks. "You are safe now."
"You mean… Sana didn't kill me at all?" he asked, still gazing at the blue eyes.
The woman smiled at him. "Yes. I brought you into this dimension before he managed to land his Destroyer upon you, and I had put him into an illusion that he did."
The lone wolf tried to persist. "But… everyone… what about them? What about Hibiki? What will she think of…"
A soft finger touched his lips, purposely silencing him and his troubled soul. "Hush, Chosen One. There's no need for you to rush yourself; take a rest."
"But…" He was mesmerized. A serene voice echoed out of her mouth as the woman claiming herself as a saviour sang a chant, and it echoed through the secret garden, methodically caressing and calming every living creature living in the garden. He looked at the woman in admiration, as she flawlessly chanted the song of the Portuguese origin.
"You… you have a lovely voice, as lovely as an owl singing to the moon it's admiring," he spoke.
The woman stopped singing and smiled. "Why, thank you, Chosen One," she replied and soothingly caressed his scalp. "I always sing whenever I am alone. Would you like to hear another song?"
He turned around, breaking his eyesight with her. "No… thanks. The song… it reminds me of…"
"The one outside there?" she asked.
He could only nod to answer.
"Chosen One, please don't despair yourself. I know you want to return, but it isn't the right time. Not for you, not for them."
"Then what should I do? Just laying here and doing nothing?" His voice was sombre. "Though you're too eternally warm for me to resist… curse. What am I talking about? I'm not supposed to say things…"
The woman giggled and bent down, placing a soft kiss upon his cheek and brought his face to its upward position. "It's alright, Chosen One," she spoke, her radiant smile carved upon her face.
"What… what's your name, saviour?"
She smiled. "My name is Aurora."
"Aurora… that's a very beautiful name," he said, trying to reach for the eyes, "I kind of like the name already."
She just giggled at the response the lone wolf of author's world gave. "Thank you, Chosen One. I'm very flattered to hear that."
-x-
Aurora
The Handmaiden of Fate. The Gentle Saviour. The Radiant Light of Heaven. The one whose warmth, maternal smile every heart cannot deny. It was unfortunate for the two of them not to meet and interact with each other, after being together. Yet he realized that inside her heart, Aurora still remained loyal toward him, and he knew that she would forever be faithful. Not that he wasn't devoted toward his girlfriend, but he owed the woman for keeping him company and cheering him with her songs. "And besides," he whispered, "who can resist the warmth smile she always has?"
-x-
He put back the NEO Dagger and approached the iaijitsu warriors. "Tadaima, Hibiki," he greeted and smiled.
The swordsman was speechless. Before her, the man who was believed to be dead was standing in front of her, smiling with the warmth she used to see and admire. Unable to contain her emotion, Hibiki ran toward him and fell into his arms. "Okaerinasai, Lone Wolf-san…" she whispered, embracing him tightly. "What took you so long? I… I've been worried ever since…"
"Gomen," but it was a long story to tell," the author replied and embraced her in return. "Whatever it is, I'm back. Is that enough for you, Hibiki?"
"Haii…" she replied, burying her flushed face in his arms.
Lone Wolf looked around, noticing someone missing. "Where's Hikki?"
"Hikki-san… Hikki-san is fighting with…" She felt his arms pulling her off his body and stared at him. "Lone Wolf-san?"
"Just as I thought," he uttered and walked toward the battlefield, but not before she seized his arms. He glanced at her and saw the sorrowful sight coming from her eyes.
"Don't leave… onegai…"
"I must go stop the battle before…" He was silent. Tears were streaming down her cheek, as he noticed. "Don't cry. I can't go if I see you like this…" She went into a bitter cry and buried her face on the trench coat. "Damn it… not like this…"
"Lone Wolf-san, don't go… I beg of you…" she begged, clinging onto him very tightly.
He sighed and lifted her face, staring at her satin eyes. "Truly, I'm very sorry, but I've made a promise with someone, and if I don't keep it… everything will be brought to nothing, please, Hibiki. You have to understand."
Hibiki was staring deep into his eyes before she broke the eyesight. "Baaka. Lone Wolf-san baaka…"
"I know I'm a baaka," he spoke, "that's why I have this responsibility to prevent everything in this universe from going out of control. I'm also responsible for all people under my protection, including you." He bent forward and softly pressed his lips against hers. It was a light kiss yet for a woman who had never kissed before, Hibiki was taken by the author's surprised action and could do nothing to resist it. Later she submitted, returning the kiss with the same passion as his, wanting the kiss to last a little longer.
-x-
Hibiki.
The woman he never expected to end up becoming his girlfriend, and of the most possessive type he had. He never thought that his relationship with the iaijitsu swordswoman would last this long. In fact, he wished for the elegant woman to stay by his side forever, no matter what happened between them.
"Heh." He grinned and looked up at the night sky for the second time, his hands tucked inside the two pockets of his trench coat. "I don't only have these three woman, but everyone else is also… under my watch. Why should I care of everything else? This is my task, this is my job, this is my passion, this is my life." He breathed out and continued his interrupted stroll, occasionally watching at the scenery. "So beautiful… but this beautiful might be the last."
"What are you talking about, Lone Wolf-san?" He looked at the direction of the voice and saw Hibiki standing not far from him. "Of course, it will last forever because it has you to protect. Ne?"
"What are you doing here, Hibiki? I thought you're still at the mansion," Lone Wolf asked.
"Ah, gomennasai," she apologized and bowed, "it was kind of bored back there. Everyone's busy training for the upcoming war, so…"
Lone Wolf chuckled and approached her. "So you think you don't want to train because I'm not present? Ne?" he asked, running a hand through her silky smooth hair. Hibiki blushed in response and turned around, not wanting him to see her reaction. "Aw, come on. I'm not that kind of guy who would chase another girl while you're absent."
"Lone Wolf-san hidoi," Hibiki said and pouted. "Lone Wolf-san always likes to tease when everyone's here. Mou, I don't like it."
The author laughed and pulled the woman into his arms, hugging her in the closest embrace he could. "Ahou. Why you think I'm doing it? It's because I have you," he said and softly placed his lips on her scalp, "and besides, nobody can replace you in my heart. Honestly, I am."
"That… that was so sweet of you, Lone Wolf-san," she said and rested her body upon his firm figure. "Ne."
"What is it, Hibiki?" he asked.
"About what you said earlier," she spoke and took a hold of his hand, "were you planning to have a flower watching?"
"Umm…" he replied and kissed her scalp. "Hope it will be the most memorable flower watching before the war takes place."
"Sou…"
Lone Wolf pulled the woman away from him. "Hey, while we're at it, why don't we take a walk around this park? It's been a while since we're having a stroll together," he suggested and took her hand. "Saa, ikimashou."
"Lone Wolf!" The author turned to the direction of the call and immediately became the glomping victim of Mriya. So rough the pounce was that both of them crashed on the pavement, the lithe woman on top of him. "Where have you been, Lone Wolf? I'm so worried of you when you left the mansion," she squealed and tightened her arms around his neck.
"Ouch, ouch, and more ouch!" was the reply the lone wolf cried out, as he struggled to keep the pain away from him. "Mriya! How many times I've told you not to fling and glomp at me like this! ITTAI!"
"Aw, are you mad at me Lone Wolf? I hope you're not," she said and rubbed her cheek against his face. "And don't leave me without letting me know, Lone Wolf! You're always making people worried! You haven't changed at all… THEREFORE I WILL PUNISH YOU!" she excitedly declared and chocked him.
"Mriya, stop choking me! You're killing me! Hibiki-chan, taskette!" he yelled, helplessly waving his hand in distress. The iaijitsu woman stared at the two ex-lovers in surprise before she giggled. "Hibiki-chan! Don't just stand there, help me!" he cried between his choked voice.
"Anou…"
The three of them watched at the voice and saw a young girl wearing songstress outfit in white/pink colour scheme, accompanied by another young girl in all-white uniform wearing a headband, and a schoolgirl whose yellow ribbon was tied on her scalp, slanting downward. Standing between them were two fellows; the first wore a nun uniform which looked awfully like Bridget's. Heck, she even looked like one. The second of the fellows had a pair of pointed ears and a certain backpack which looked nothing more than a phone booth.
"Are you, by any chance, Lone Wolf NEO?" the earlier girl asked.
"Uhh… yes, I'm Lone Wolf NEO," the author spoke, pointing at his confused face. "Is there something I can do to… help?"
The girl let out a relieved breath and bowed before them. "Hajimemashite. We were asked by Yuuki Darren-san to assist you in the upcoming you as humanitarian team," she spoke.
"And you are…?"
The young girl stood back and smiled. "Azmaria Hendrick, and these are my friends: Sarasa Ruri-san…"
"Sarasa Ruri desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu, minna-sama," politely she greeted.
"…Ikusawa Ruriko…"
"Anou… ettou… Hajimemashite! Ikusawa Ruriko, yoroshiku," the schoolgirl spoke, a bright smile carved upon her face.
"…and these are our guardians: Chrno-san and Sister Rosette Christopher," Azmaria spoke.
Lone Wolf blinked when he took a look at the Magdala Sister. "I thought I had seen the true girl form of Bridget…?" before Hibiki bopped him with her tessen. "Hey! What was that for, Hibiki-chan?"
"Uhh… well, I kind of miss that crossdressing bounty hunter," Rosette uttered and outstretched herself. "That was so freaking tiring… shoot, I didn't think we'd end up fighting those replicated soldiers who kept on calling out Fuhrer's name."
"Masaka… you had fought the Mark II units?" Lone Wolf asked in surprise.
"Stupid replicated soldiers who wanted to attack these girls," Rosette mumbled, "sheesh, didn't they have anything else to do besides attacking people?"
"Are you alright, you guys?" Hibiki asked.
"Daijoobu, daijoobu," Chrno confidentially spoke. "Those wimpy robots couldn't even beat us anyway."
"Lone Wolf-sama," Ruri called him, "Yuuki-sama told us that we were to help you in the war, so we'll try our best to help everyone."
"That's very good of you. Now we need to inform the rest of the people about…"
"NOT SO FAST!!!!!!"
Immediately, three damaged Robo-Ky Mark II's appeared from the air and landed in front of the gathering. "YOU-BZZT-STUPID-BZZT-CROSSDRESSING-BZZT-NUN-BZZT-AND-BZZT-BRAT-BZZT-WITH-BZZT-POINTED-BZZT-EARS-BZZT-AND-BZZT-PHONE-BZZT-BOOTH-BZZT-CANNOT-BZZT-ESCAPE! PREPARE-BZZT-TO-BZZT-BE-BZZT-OWNED! BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH! BZZT!!!" the robots shouted between their distorted voices.
Rosette grumbled and took out her costume-built handgun. "You replicated freaks never want to give up…" and opened fire, hitting one of the damaged Mark II's directly on his head. The remaining Robo-Kys screamed in anger and pounced toward them when Chrno jumped in front of them.
"Who's going to be owned? You or I?" the young demon spoke and punched the robots' Solar Plexus, instantly destroying the mechanical soldiers' internal parts.
Lone Wolf, Hibiki and Mriya blinked and gasped in surprise. "How… how the heck you managed to defeat Mark II easily? And did they copy your moves?" the author asked.
"Copy? What copy?" Chrno spoke and yawned out of boredom. "Miss Yuuki told us not to give those robots any chances of duplicating our moves. Huh, even if they did, they wouldn't stand a chance against us. They were so bored to fight against."
"Anyway, everyone," Azmaria spoke, "since we've met Lone Wolf and his acquaintances, let's get our task started, since we're on a mission to save Earth from destruction."
"Well, actually, Azmaria-chan," Lone Wolf spoke and coughed, "the war is in three days, and my friends are still having trainings. I was thinking of having a flower sighting with them, so…"
"Stop using the suffix –chan, Lone Wolf-san!" Hibiki pleaded and poked him with her shirasaya. Lone Wolf yelped in pain and rubbed his poked midsection. "Stop using the suffix or I'll call you Lone Wolfie-chan."
"Hibiki-chan hidoi desu…" he sobbed.