Interlude 02
Tada hiza wo kakaete ochikonde ite mo
Kotae wa mienai Jibun wo shinjite
Tabun umazu iku ze Da kara umaku iku ze
Chansu wa me no mae
Daijoubu Kitto OK!
Tabun umazu iku ze Da kara umaku iku ze
Chansu wa me no mae
Daijoubu Kitto OK!
Itsu mo yume wo mite 'ru Nani mo ki ni shinaide
Dame demo kamawanai
Kanpeki ni OK!
Itsu mo yume wo mite 'ru Nani mo ki ni shinaide
Machi ni matta nami ni norou
Upon the colony L2, resided a war torn area where buildings that were once full of artistic beauty and life were now toppled like dominos and destroyed halfway. Rubble riddled the once clean streets, and majority of the buildings were nothing more than small apartments along with small houses only big enough for two or three people which posed a problem for big families. However those without family, mainly children would have a tougher time trying to stay arm in abandoned houses and cardboard boxes. Poverty was sweeping over the colony like the cold hand of death itself.
Although somewhere deep within the ruins of the L2 colony inside a dead neighborhood resided an abandoned Gingerbread house surrounded by dead trees, grass, soot and ash. Inside many children took refuge from the cold and Alliance soldiers. There was a curfew on the L2 colony; anyone be it a man, woman or child would be shot on sight in suspicion of helping any rebel faction within the colony past midnight. Many thought this curfew was absolute madness and wanted it revoked but there was nothing anyone could do. However this did not sway a certain fourteen year old boy from bringing in wandering children past the midnight hour.
His appearance was that of a rebel. His eyes were Mocha brown, his hair was blonde, his skin was fairly pale but the brown eyes kept anyone from noticing this, and he stood at the height of 4'9''. His clothes were a mess; he wore a green down vest, a faded sweatshirt, jeans with holes in the knees of the pants, and thick hiking boots with a red bandana to keep his hair out of his face. His name was Solo. He had no last or middle name, one name suited him fine. He stared out the window of the Gingerbread house with a look of disdain.
The neighborhood looked like something out of Stephen King novel, not that he had read any books through the span of his lifetime by the author, but he did watch movies based on SK's books. Sighing the fourteen year old turned away from the window and stared at the sleeping figure in his bed. A small boy with long hair that would sometimes get a person confused and mistake him for a girl. Solo smiled sympathetically at Duo with a twinkle in his eye. A thunderstorm had just blown over, Duo had come into his bedroom wrapped in a wool blanket trembling at the sound of the thunder.
Solo wanted to tell the boy to toughen up because there was no way for him to out run a storm but instead he let him stay inside the room and sleep on his bed while he kept watch. It was the softer side of him that was talking at that time though. Solo walked over to the bed with curious expression at the current position the boy was lying in. Duo's hand rested underneath his face as he slumbered, his legs were spread out like an eagle's wings and his other arm was tucked underneath his stomach.
Solo found this image to be absolutely funny but he reframed from laughing for he knew it would awaken the young boy. Flopping down beside Duo he pulled out a small music box that belonged to his mother who was killed during a raid on the very neighborhood he and all the orphans resided in. Despite his young age, Solo buried his mother's corpse in the back of the yard and visited her every so often. Turning the crank as far as it would go, he awaited for the sweet melody to begin but nothing came out.
The box opened revealing the small plastic figure he recognized as his mother sitting at her vanity with a ball decorated in stars in her hand and a mirror in the other. Two beautiful angel's wings resided on her back, but this meant nothing to Solo if there was no music to complement her beauty. Growling, Solo tossed the music box across the room in anger burring his face in his hands. He sobbed thinking how cruel life was being to him and wanted so much to die so he escape from the harshness of the world. "Solo-sama, what's wrong?" Solo looked up startled by the sudden voice that seemed to bring life to his heart.
Shifting his eyes toward the origin of the sound he discovered a drowsy Duo sitting beside him with bed's sheet wrapped around him. "Did the storm scare you too?" Duo asked curiously. Solo stared at the little boy in disbelief before whipping his face dry and wrapping an arm around the small figure. "Nah, I was just thinking about my Mom......," Solo trailed off. Duo's face softened and he leaned his head against his friend's arm. "I don't remember my Mom, what was yours like Solo-sama? I bet she was real pretty wasn't she??" Duo asked. Solo looked away from Duo. He stared sadly at the music box on the floor before he gathered the courage to speak. "She was beautiful, and she was a pacifist," Solo sighed. "She took pride in helping others, even wounded rebels. Although she spent most her time with me, playing and reading to me. She was like an angel to me and my family. But whenever she was alone in her bedroom, she always looked so sad." Duo blinked in utter confusion.
"How come?"
"I dunno kid. I guess the war was taking its toll on her."
"How sad."
"Yep kiddo. It was sad, but she never showed that to anyone or they'd start babying her thinking she was weak. And that was something she didn't want anyone to think of her as."
Duo smiled at Solo's admiration of his mother and pleaded the older boy continue. And Solo did. "By the time I reached Eight-years old, my mother grew ill and the living conditions of the colony began to worsen. People were getting sick all the time and none of the hospitals would do anything about it because they thought this colony was over populated. But my mother's illness didn't stop her, she continued to take of me and what was left of our family that didn't die from this sudden sickness that was spreading in the colony." Solo paused for a moment to halt the tears that began to brim in his eyes from falling, he didn't want to change Duo's perception of him; strong and unafraid of anything, not even the alliance.
Taking a deep breath he continued before Duo could question his silence. "Four months past, and the last of my family (consisting of my father, two sisters, and uncle) died of that horrible sickness no one would do anything about. My mother's condition got worse with each passing day but she continued to take care of me and help out the wounded that came to our door step until a man named Brigadier General Daigo Ongell came to house and ordered that everyone helping out the rebels on the colony be killed with them. My mother and I were upstairs at the time but the soldiers had already began to kill off all the wounded rebels."
Solo paused once again and gasped at the dull ache in his heart. He tightened his grip around Duo and continued. "Acting with cunning and wit my mother was gifted with, she revealed a trap door hidden in the wall and hid me inside. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and a loudest meanest voice I had ever heard and then I heard shooting. My mother screamed so loud, I wanted so badly to go out there and help her but my legs would move. I was frozen with fear. After hours of hiding, I realized no one was inside the house anymore. I stepped out and found my mother with shot dead on the floor. I will never forget what I saw, I'll never forgive the alliance!! They killed my Mother!"
Duo watched Solo bury his face in his knees and sob bitter tears. Duo placed his hand on Solo's back and began to rub it in an attempt to comfort the crying teenager. Once Solo stopped crying he looked up and discovered he had cried in front of the very person that looked up to him like an older brother. Holding his throbbing head he looked away in shame. "I'm s-s-sorry kiddo. I guess I'm weak huh?" Duo shook his head in disagreement. "Nope. I used to cry all the time because I didn't have a family. But now I do," He said cheerfully. "You and the other kids are my family. You look after us and take care of us Solo. We wouldn't be here without you. If it wasn't for you, we'd all be lying dead in the streets someplace." Solo turned to stare at the young boy in disbelief.
Duo continued. "Crying isn't a sign of weakness, crying means your human and alive!" Duo declared. Solo continued to stare at the little boy in disbelief, all of that was on the kid's mind? He though in awe. "Where'd you learn this kid?" He sniffled with gasp. Duo's brow wrinkled in utter confusion. "I dunno. I remember hearing some lady say it in a dream of mine. She was really pretty; she was a strange blonde, with blue eyes and a kind smile. She made me feel safe when I sleep. Just like you do Solo-sama." Solo blinked in utter disbelief before be broke out and laughed confusing the smaller boy even more. He continued to laugh with no remorse in his heart when he felt a tug on his shirt. Looking down he stared at a slightly annoyed Duo. "Hai?" He chuckled.
"What was your mom's name, Solo?" Duo asked. Solo sighed and stared into space with a smile. "Her name was Ellen," He replied. Duo's eyes sparkled. "That's a pretty name. Was she really an angel?" He asked. Solo picked the boy up from off the bed with a grunt, Duo protested for a moment but settled into the boy's grasp. Solo stared out the window wishing more than anything to stare into the stars that decorated outerspace. "Yeah she was." Duo smiled at this. Resting his head upon Solo's chest he proceeded to sleep.
Chance encounter change even the future
Believe in miracles Go on well
It's gonna be OK!
There is only one thing anyone won't hand over
Chances come only once Sieze them Tomorrow's too late
Forget the yesterday
When you only clutch your knees Believe in yourself
Maybe you can go on well So go on well
The chance is right before you
It's all right It's surely OK!
Maybe you can go on well So go on well
For the endless dream
If you have fun even when under pressure
It's gonna be OK!
There's only one rule Those who are scared are no good
The gamble's only once Try putting life on the line
One only continues running on the rails for someone
One ought not to settle for satisfaction
Always dreaming Never mind everything else
I don't care if it's no good
It's perfectly OK!
Always dreaming Never mind everything else
When you only clutch your knees
Answers won't be seen Believe in yourself
Maybe you can go on well So go on well
The chance is right before you
It's all right It's surely OK!
Maybe you can go on well So go on well
The chance is right before you
It's all right It's surely OK!
Always dreaming Never mind everything else
I don't care if it's no good
It's perfectly OK!
Always dreaming Never mind everything else
Let's ride the waves I've waited for
Interlude 02: [Fin] Disclaimer: "Kitto Ok! [Surely Ok!]" belongs to that of Sunrise(?) and Seki Toshihiko.