Disclaimer: I do not own the Mechas used in this story. Although it would
be pretty cool to own a Valkyrie.
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Chapter III: The fair
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"I love the smell of jet exhaust in the morning," Chris said as he inhaled the air in the fairgrounds. Nathaniel looked at him incredulously and looked around. It was just the crack of dawn and no one was in the air yet.
Everyone was making final checks on their Valkyries for the big day. But for Nat, it was just a day.
But maybe it would turn for the better.
"Now what?" Nat asked.
"Well," Chris said thoughtfully. "In an hour some of them will be rolling their Valkyries out for the presentation and an hour after that the viewing will commence."
"Tell me, why are we two hours early?" Nat said irritated at his friend.
"I wanted to get good seats?" Chris tried earning him a hard glare from his friend. Nat would have believed him but the fact that they had reserved box seats hindered that belief.
"Try another," Nat said but smiled after a while. "Go on. Have fun," he waved him off. "I'll be on the runway, we'll meet up in the hangar later."
Smiling like a kid, Chris ran off. Nat just shook his head and walked towards the runway.
Nat had a strange custom he made. He would walk the entire length of a runway with his hands gliding along the way. He would extend his thumb and pinky while the others were close together making an airplane.
It seemed childish but it relaxes his mind.
And today, he NEEDED to relax.
*** ***
Aimee went to the airfield early. She always did that before a performance. It helped her clear her mind. The early winds seemed to have an effect over her. And she liked it.
She was nervous today for some reason. She hadn't felt like this in a long time. And it was unnerving.
Especially when all she thought about was Nathaniel.
At first she thought of him as simply a Valkyrie enthusiast who knows how to fly. But as she pondered, he really knew how manage a Vf-11, making her wonder about his skill.
Then she found that she was looking forward to seeing him again.
And then there's the white Lightning. He had the skill that could match her in any flight. She wanted to know who he really was and get her revenge.
But she had today's performance to think of and didn't want to get side tracked.
"Are you okay?" Clarissa said as she came behind her. So much for tranquility, Aimee thought.
"Fine," she smirked. "Just nervous."
"What's wrong?" Clarissa asked.
"Who said anything was wrong?" Aimee defended.
"Aim, the last time you were nervous was the time when you made the squad," there was mirth in her eyes. "So?"
"I was just thinking," Aimee answered.
"About what? Does this have something to do with a certain young man you took to the sky?" Aimee quickly turned at her friend abashed.
"What are you talking about?" she asked but her blush betrayed her.
"What was his name?" Clarissa smiled as she gazed into her friend's eyes.
"Why are you asking me?" Aimee looked back at the runway.
"Because you spent an hour with him in the two seater," her friend said teasingly.
"How did..."
"We saw you with him," Clarissa said.
"You followed us," Aimee glared at her friend.
"No. I just peeked at the flight logs. Nothing major."
"I just showed him how the VF-11 worked," Aimee blushed. Clarissa smiled at her friend.
"You know we won't let up with this," she said. "But we do it because we care about you."
"I know," Aimee sighed. "But you can stop now. I don't think ill be seeing him again."
"Oh?" Clarissa smirked.
"It was a chance encounter. I doubt our paths will ever cross again," Aimee sighed. She didn't notice Clarissa waving someone over as she had looked at the ground.
"Why give up?" Clarissa asked but Aimee was silent. Then it dawned on her. "You didn't."
"I waited for him at the café but he never returned," Aimee sighed. "I asked around but he seemed to have disappeared." Like a good dream that never lasted, she thought.
"Are you avoiding her?" Clarissa asked in a raised voice. It took a moment for Aimee to register that the question wasn't directed at her. The question was directed at someone BEHIND her.
"I am truly sorry if I had troubled you," Aimee froze at the sound of the voice. Slowly she turned around and to her embarrassment was the object of their discussion.
"You came," came her soft voice. The VF-11 pilot blushed as she desperately tried to salvage the situation.
"I did, didn't I?" Nathaniel smiled softly. "I had to, my friend threatened not to talk to me anymore if I didn't come with him."
"Really?" Aimee tried not to sound hurt.
"Plus I would have loved to see you perform in the great stage," his smile widened as he looked at the sky. Aimee blushed furiously now. She wasn't going to hear the last of it from her friends.
"I would be happy if you were up there with me," she said before she could stop. She then noticed Nat blushed and look at the ground.
"What's your favorite animal?" he suddenly asked. Blinking in surprise, Aimee looked at him.
"It's not actually an animal but a mythical creature. A Phoenix. Why do you ask?"
"A creature who rises from the ashes of his death to be reborn into eternal life," Nat mused. "So be it."
"So be what?" Clarissa asked.
"Nothing," Nat blushed. "It'll start soon. I'd better be going."
"It was nice to see you," Aimee said blushing. Nat bowed and smiled.
"That Valkyrie you were looking for will be in the presentation and the obstacle course," Nat said. "Just watch the sky."
"I will," Aimee smiled.
*** ***
"I heard that the captain of Macross 20's defense force will attend the air show," Chris said as he helped Mr. Newmann tune the Valkyrie.
"Him?" the shopkeeper spat. "He's as arrogant as the day I met him."
"You know him?" Nat asked from the cockpit, double checking every system.
"Quite," Mr. Newmann growled. "He almost destroyed my baby with the stunts he pulled."
"Baby?" Chris asked.
"He calls his creations his children," Nat said. "I remember him calling his glider his baby."
"I'm in the dark," Chris said. "How did you know him?"
"He used to be a test pilot for one of the Valkyries in Project Super Nova," Mr. Newmann sighed. "He banged up my precious in every way possible. Imagine, landing her in Gerwalk mode in full throttle."
"Was he that bad?" Nat asked.
"As a pilot he was the best but his cockiness made him worse," Mr. Newmann sighed. "I can't believe he made captain of Macross 20." Mr. Newmann looked at Nat and smiled. "You have the same skills but your attitudes were way off. I know I can trust you with the Lightning." Then he looked at Nat suspiciously.
"I can, can't I?" he said in a low voice.
"You can trust me to bring your baby in one piece," Nat said sincerely.
"Why do I have the distinct feeling that everything will go wrong?" Mr. Newmann sighed.
"Don't worry," Nat said as he leaned back on the seat. "You're not alone in that feeling."
"Good," Mr. Newmann seemed relaxed.
"What's his name anyway?" Nat asked. But before he was answered the loudspeakers blared around the airfield.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! It is my honor to present to you our special guest for today's much awaited festivities! May I present to you the Captain of Macross 20, Captain Isamu Dyson!"
Nathaniel blinked and looked at Mr. Newmann.
"Still can't believe he made captain," he sighed and went back to work.
Nat smirked and closed the canopy.
*** ***
"That was a great show!" Captain Dyson said as he clapped his hands. The team of the Red Rubies blushed and saluted. Returning their salute the captain offered them a seat.
"Thank you, Captain," Aimee said as she sat. She sighed as she looked at the audience box but couldn't find the person she was looking for.
"I sense disappointment," the Captain smiled.
"She can't seem to find someone in particular," Patty said teasingly. Aimee blushed and hid her face from Captain Dyson.
"She found someone that matched her in flying?" he asked exited.
"Well, yes. But she had eyes on another," Clarissa said.
"First things first, who matched her?"
"We were doing some runs in a canyon nearby and he kind of showed off," Patty said.
"What did he fly?" he asked intrigued.
"That," Aimee said as she pointed at the runway. There, rolling slowly was a shiny white VF-4 Lightning. Captain Dyson mused as he saw it. It was the only Lightning in the field so it attracted the most attention from the crowds.
"That matched your Thunderbolt?" he asked.
"I don't know how but it did," Aimee sighed. "It's quite humiliating."
Taking his binoculars, Captain Dyson looked at the cockpit but he discovered that it was tinted. Who would tint a cockpit?
"Is he any good?" he asked.
Patty and Clarissa gave him a knowing look.
Aimee watched what he would do.
.
End of 3
.
Chapter III: The fair
.
"I love the smell of jet exhaust in the morning," Chris said as he inhaled the air in the fairgrounds. Nathaniel looked at him incredulously and looked around. It was just the crack of dawn and no one was in the air yet.
Everyone was making final checks on their Valkyries for the big day. But for Nat, it was just a day.
But maybe it would turn for the better.
"Now what?" Nat asked.
"Well," Chris said thoughtfully. "In an hour some of them will be rolling their Valkyries out for the presentation and an hour after that the viewing will commence."
"Tell me, why are we two hours early?" Nat said irritated at his friend.
"I wanted to get good seats?" Chris tried earning him a hard glare from his friend. Nat would have believed him but the fact that they had reserved box seats hindered that belief.
"Try another," Nat said but smiled after a while. "Go on. Have fun," he waved him off. "I'll be on the runway, we'll meet up in the hangar later."
Smiling like a kid, Chris ran off. Nat just shook his head and walked towards the runway.
Nat had a strange custom he made. He would walk the entire length of a runway with his hands gliding along the way. He would extend his thumb and pinky while the others were close together making an airplane.
It seemed childish but it relaxes his mind.
And today, he NEEDED to relax.
*** ***
Aimee went to the airfield early. She always did that before a performance. It helped her clear her mind. The early winds seemed to have an effect over her. And she liked it.
She was nervous today for some reason. She hadn't felt like this in a long time. And it was unnerving.
Especially when all she thought about was Nathaniel.
At first she thought of him as simply a Valkyrie enthusiast who knows how to fly. But as she pondered, he really knew how manage a Vf-11, making her wonder about his skill.
Then she found that she was looking forward to seeing him again.
And then there's the white Lightning. He had the skill that could match her in any flight. She wanted to know who he really was and get her revenge.
But she had today's performance to think of and didn't want to get side tracked.
"Are you okay?" Clarissa said as she came behind her. So much for tranquility, Aimee thought.
"Fine," she smirked. "Just nervous."
"What's wrong?" Clarissa asked.
"Who said anything was wrong?" Aimee defended.
"Aim, the last time you were nervous was the time when you made the squad," there was mirth in her eyes. "So?"
"I was just thinking," Aimee answered.
"About what? Does this have something to do with a certain young man you took to the sky?" Aimee quickly turned at her friend abashed.
"What are you talking about?" she asked but her blush betrayed her.
"What was his name?" Clarissa smiled as she gazed into her friend's eyes.
"Why are you asking me?" Aimee looked back at the runway.
"Because you spent an hour with him in the two seater," her friend said teasingly.
"How did..."
"We saw you with him," Clarissa said.
"You followed us," Aimee glared at her friend.
"No. I just peeked at the flight logs. Nothing major."
"I just showed him how the VF-11 worked," Aimee blushed. Clarissa smiled at her friend.
"You know we won't let up with this," she said. "But we do it because we care about you."
"I know," Aimee sighed. "But you can stop now. I don't think ill be seeing him again."
"Oh?" Clarissa smirked.
"It was a chance encounter. I doubt our paths will ever cross again," Aimee sighed. She didn't notice Clarissa waving someone over as she had looked at the ground.
"Why give up?" Clarissa asked but Aimee was silent. Then it dawned on her. "You didn't."
"I waited for him at the café but he never returned," Aimee sighed. "I asked around but he seemed to have disappeared." Like a good dream that never lasted, she thought.
"Are you avoiding her?" Clarissa asked in a raised voice. It took a moment for Aimee to register that the question wasn't directed at her. The question was directed at someone BEHIND her.
"I am truly sorry if I had troubled you," Aimee froze at the sound of the voice. Slowly she turned around and to her embarrassment was the object of their discussion.
"You came," came her soft voice. The VF-11 pilot blushed as she desperately tried to salvage the situation.
"I did, didn't I?" Nathaniel smiled softly. "I had to, my friend threatened not to talk to me anymore if I didn't come with him."
"Really?" Aimee tried not to sound hurt.
"Plus I would have loved to see you perform in the great stage," his smile widened as he looked at the sky. Aimee blushed furiously now. She wasn't going to hear the last of it from her friends.
"I would be happy if you were up there with me," she said before she could stop. She then noticed Nat blushed and look at the ground.
"What's your favorite animal?" he suddenly asked. Blinking in surprise, Aimee looked at him.
"It's not actually an animal but a mythical creature. A Phoenix. Why do you ask?"
"A creature who rises from the ashes of his death to be reborn into eternal life," Nat mused. "So be it."
"So be what?" Clarissa asked.
"Nothing," Nat blushed. "It'll start soon. I'd better be going."
"It was nice to see you," Aimee said blushing. Nat bowed and smiled.
"That Valkyrie you were looking for will be in the presentation and the obstacle course," Nat said. "Just watch the sky."
"I will," Aimee smiled.
*** ***
"I heard that the captain of Macross 20's defense force will attend the air show," Chris said as he helped Mr. Newmann tune the Valkyrie.
"Him?" the shopkeeper spat. "He's as arrogant as the day I met him."
"You know him?" Nat asked from the cockpit, double checking every system.
"Quite," Mr. Newmann growled. "He almost destroyed my baby with the stunts he pulled."
"Baby?" Chris asked.
"He calls his creations his children," Nat said. "I remember him calling his glider his baby."
"I'm in the dark," Chris said. "How did you know him?"
"He used to be a test pilot for one of the Valkyries in Project Super Nova," Mr. Newmann sighed. "He banged up my precious in every way possible. Imagine, landing her in Gerwalk mode in full throttle."
"Was he that bad?" Nat asked.
"As a pilot he was the best but his cockiness made him worse," Mr. Newmann sighed. "I can't believe he made captain of Macross 20." Mr. Newmann looked at Nat and smiled. "You have the same skills but your attitudes were way off. I know I can trust you with the Lightning." Then he looked at Nat suspiciously.
"I can, can't I?" he said in a low voice.
"You can trust me to bring your baby in one piece," Nat said sincerely.
"Why do I have the distinct feeling that everything will go wrong?" Mr. Newmann sighed.
"Don't worry," Nat said as he leaned back on the seat. "You're not alone in that feeling."
"Good," Mr. Newmann seemed relaxed.
"What's his name anyway?" Nat asked. But before he was answered the loudspeakers blared around the airfield.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! It is my honor to present to you our special guest for today's much awaited festivities! May I present to you the Captain of Macross 20, Captain Isamu Dyson!"
Nathaniel blinked and looked at Mr. Newmann.
"Still can't believe he made captain," he sighed and went back to work.
Nat smirked and closed the canopy.
*** ***
"That was a great show!" Captain Dyson said as he clapped his hands. The team of the Red Rubies blushed and saluted. Returning their salute the captain offered them a seat.
"Thank you, Captain," Aimee said as she sat. She sighed as she looked at the audience box but couldn't find the person she was looking for.
"I sense disappointment," the Captain smiled.
"She can't seem to find someone in particular," Patty said teasingly. Aimee blushed and hid her face from Captain Dyson.
"She found someone that matched her in flying?" he asked exited.
"Well, yes. But she had eyes on another," Clarissa said.
"First things first, who matched her?"
"We were doing some runs in a canyon nearby and he kind of showed off," Patty said.
"What did he fly?" he asked intrigued.
"That," Aimee said as she pointed at the runway. There, rolling slowly was a shiny white VF-4 Lightning. Captain Dyson mused as he saw it. It was the only Lightning in the field so it attracted the most attention from the crowds.
"That matched your Thunderbolt?" he asked.
"I don't know how but it did," Aimee sighed. "It's quite humiliating."
Taking his binoculars, Captain Dyson looked at the cockpit but he discovered that it was tinted. Who would tint a cockpit?
"Is he any good?" he asked.
Patty and Clarissa gave him a knowing look.
Aimee watched what he would do.
.
End of 3