"15 seconds until self-destruction."

"F-cking hurry up," he muttered through cracked, bleeding lips. Why did he make the self-destruction sequences so long? His sight blacked out for a moment, air slowly being replaced by smoke in his lungs. He wondered if he would feel the explosion, but as conciousness began to slip, figured he'd be out by then with any luck at all. The small bare spot of floor that was his refuge kept shrinking, the ravaging flames eating more of the ship by the second.

"13 seconds until self-destruction."

Meira heard this as her feet touched the smooth, red-hot floors, her boots clicking on the surface softly. Raising her head, she stared at the flames which surrounded her. Her hands went out, and the fire parted like water, moving from her path. She lowered her arms and walked boldly foreward, eyes narrowed slightly. Her aqua kimono seemed inappropriate for such a hellish scene, fluttering around her in a supernatural wind as she searched. The cat-like intensity of her gaze flickered about, until she found her target.

Rubeus raised his head, sensing something. A presence...? Doubt flashed through his mind, his spirit numbed to any spark of hope. But what he saw next snapped unconciousness to the side...a girl, walking through the fire. The two's eyes met and locked, and in seconds she was kneeled before him.

"Can you hear me?" she asked calmly. Too calmly.

"Of course!" he rasped, vision clouding again. "I'm dying, not deaf."

The girl chuckled slightly. "You won't die," Miera assured, standing and holding out her hands. "Up."

"I can't..."

"I SAID, UP!"

At this barked command, he stirred, reaching out to grasp her wrists. Rubeus was sure he would have pulled her over, but she held sure, her iron-strength surprising him. A hint of a smile twitched at her mouth, one hand moving to steady him as the other brought out something from her pocket.

Ruebus looked at the midnight-colored crystal. "What--"

"7..." the robot droned.

"I'll explain later," she said hurridly. Miera felt a stirr of panic at the countdown. The crystal began to pulse, and she focused on her energy. "You have to trust me, for now, if you want to survive."

"6..."

"I don't even know you," he replied.

"5..."

Her hand grabbed his, and she touched his fingertips to her temple. Ruebus blinked rapidly, images suddenly filling his mind. The girl was Miera, and she loved cats. Her parents were dead, and she was a...His hand flew back from her skin, shocked.

"WHAAAAAAT!"

"4..."

Miera grimaced. "Now you know me...Do you really want to die?" she whispered, eyes reflecting a hint of fear. "I don't think you do, and I certainly don't. So either trust me, or we both perish."

She...is risking her life, he murmured to himself. Even if...

"3..."

Rubeus closed his eyes again, choking back a mix of self-loathing and hatred. "Do what you have to do," he sighed, wincing as she touched his charred arm.

"2..."

Her voice sprung from her lips, a chant that vibrated through her body and seemed to engulf them both. The crystal began to flicker and flash a deep blue, swirls of energy rising from the ground and around them to form an orb. A crack formed in the floor, and fire flooded the room. Her green eyes widened slightly, but she kept the chant and the orb began to solidify.

"...1."

A loud roar drowned her voice as the ship exploded, the two suddenly clinging to one another as the floor imploded under them, stone and flames smashing down. Another explosion, and Miera could barely see through several blinding flashes of light a huge chunk of metal fly at them, before hearing a sickening crack and a yelp of pain.

"DOUSOJIN!" she cried, and suddenly the orb rippled. With an indigo flash, she felt a lurch as the spaceship flickered around them. Suddenly, she felt them drop, having no time to scream as her mind was engulfed in darkness.