"NDS: Book 11: Chapter 77: Return"

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Just to make one thing clear about the Jet-Nobuo battle. Jet didn't win, and now, he can never win that battle. To win that battle Jet had to kill Nobuo, just like Nobuo told him in his last moments, and so, without having killed Nobuo, Jet can't ever win. Even if he beats Nobuo-Eon, he still can't defeat Nobuo, because the two are separate beings. So, it's always probably going to be that dark spot on his flawless battle chart. It seems sort of sad that the hero can never defeat the villain, but it sort of makes for more story, which is why I actually came up with Books 12-15. Because it will have to eventually deal with this issue.

Now then, let's begin the final moments of Book 11 as the heroes find their last bit of hope and Jet gives a speech that will leave Virginia hurt. Still, let's do it anyway.

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Jet stood weakly atop the Eon in confusion. He felt powerless now. He was so close to having victory, and now he could never have it. He lost the battle. There was no excuse. And he still could not believe Nobuo's greed. Nobuo's desire was all that the Winslett man was made of in the end. He would give his life to see it through, and he did. "How…could he have gave his life to power Eon so easily. How could he just die like that?"

Silence was soon broken by a echo-filled voice, "Not quite, Jet." Jet became numb when he heard the voice of Eon and Nobuo from the sandcraft he stood upon. "The being known as Nobuo is now part of us. We are Nobuo-Eon."

Jet shook his head to make sure he was not going delusional. "No…that voice…coming from Eon…it…it was Nobuo's."

"The battle we had is over now Jet. Watch helplessly now as your world is destroyed, starting with the Ark of Destiny." The charged blast in the main beam cannon of Nobuo-Eon let loose upon the headquarters of the Ark, blowing away half of the base and leaving most for dead. The large cloud of sand fell over the land and the people.

"Monster!" Jet cursed. He calmed himself realizing words that he could throw at Nobuo would be no use against the sandcraft he stood upon. "I can't fight him. Not like I have been. Not from here…"

As the cloud settled Adven could clearly see the destruction from the rooftop of the sandcraft the Maxwell Gang used. He trembled in fear. "It…so…easily destroyed the Ark." Adven's thoughts were broken when Emilia landed on the roof followed by Gallows who held Carole in his arms. She was too weak from the news of her husbands death to be jumping from Eon to here. "Emilia, and…you two." Adven lingered. "What of Jet?"

Emilia looked to Nobuo-Eon. "He must still be fighting, or…he's…er,"

"My brother-in-law would not so easily perish." Carole stated as she left Gallows' arms. It was that moment that the gray-headed Drifter with wounds to share dropped down right upon Adven. "Speak of the Devil…"

Adven sprung up enraged by Jet's landing. "I'm glad you're alive, but why did you do that?"

Jet calmly scratched his chin looking up to Eon and then back to the roof of their sandcraft. "I guess the wind messed me up…"

Before Adven could respond Emilia cut in, "Did we win?"

Jet shook his head. "No. I beat Nobuo, but before I could win…"

"Nobuo became a martyr for his cause." Carole interrupted.

"In a way. But…to be more clear…Nobuo is Eon, and Eon Nobuo. They are one and the same."

"I…can't even begin to tell you how messed up that is." Adven remarked.

"What can we do about this, Emilia?" Jet wondered.

"I think I have an idea, but let's get inside first."

Soon enough the group was in a circle on the bridge as they stared at Emilia who was collecting her thoughts. She nodded to herself and withdrew the Twilight Lone from her pouch. "This is the Twilight Lone, a single gem that has been with us all along." She simply stated and the rest sort of felt like she was babying them. They all obviously knew what it was in her hand and that it was in their ship all along. "I haven't told any of you this, but I have a theory. It seems that when people within distance of this gem believe in togetherness, that together they can do anything, the gem reacts and produces an energy that could very well exceed that of Nobuo-Eon."

"Wait…I thought you had no clue about the Lone being on our ship?" Virginia wondered.

"That's right, I didn't. But, I have always known that moments when we fought together aboard this ship and we believed we could win there was an energy pike. In other words, we had more power coming to us then normal, and I think it was from this gem. That's my basis for my theory." They all nodded dumbly not totally getting it but waiting for her to continue. "After Twilight Sun, I noticed that we lacked all this excess energy, and that also helps prove my belief. At that moment, following Twilight Sun, we were all distant and had a morale problem. As we overcame that the energy output came back to normal."

"Okay, so…what does this all mean?" Jet questioned. "What can we do with all that power? It seemed useless."

"If we gather enough of it, we can win. I can increase the engine output within fifteen minutes and I already have a beam cannon equipped to the craft, I just always lacked the power, but with this power source now identified, all I have to do is hook up the key to the trigger and we're all set."

"Key to the trigger?" Jet wondered.

"Yes, you Jet."

"What?" He, as well as the others remarked loudly.

"Remember back during the Leviathan disaster? I needed that chip, and I also took some of your blood?" She questioned.

"Yeah…what about it?"

"Well, the beam cannon can only work like your Aigert-Lahm, so…I made it with you in mind. You can only use the Aigert-Lahm after all."

"Uh…so you mean to say…that this beam cannon is just a huge version of his gun?" Adven questioned.

"Exactly." Emilia enthusiastically answered. "Well, no, it's not HUGE, but it is bigger than the average gun, and…he can't hold it…plus, it's equipped to the ship."

Jet had his eyes closed seriously, but he finally opened them with a nod. "If this is our only chance, then I will do it. Just show me what to do."

"Hold on." Clive interjected. "Will it harm him? Also, is this beam cannon strong enough? Strong enough to pierce Nobuo-Eon's armor?"

"It should be stronger if not equal to the beam cannons Eon used earlier." Emilia replied. Silenced fell after.

"Wait," Virginia slowly said, "But what about Jet?"

"I can't say for sure. He will most likely be fine, but I have no definite response." She replied calmly. "This is all very experimental after all. There are risks involved."

"Jet, you can't go along with this." Virginia pleaded.

He dismissed her. "I have something to tell you all. Something that I've always wanted to tell you in the past, but could never. I tried once before, and failed. But this time, if I don't even do the action, I have to at least tell you." He stopped to take in a breath. "I have to tell you all good-bye."

"What?" Adven was the first to reply. "Don't even think about dying on me without us ever finishing our business!"

"Listen!" Jet erupted to silence everyone. "I…I mean, just in case I go. I'm not trying to break everyone's confidence or anything. Would it be acceptable if I called it a 'pep talk'?"

"That's better than saying good-byes!" Sakura replied.

"Ahem." Jet cleared his throat. "Listen, I'm going to say them whether you like it or not, so listen up. I've known most of you for too long. It's beginning to feel like forever in fact. All I know is that it's been too long for me to be left with you all." He looked to Emilia. "Emilia, I can't give you memories. I don't even have my own. The only reason I've been able to get along with you so well is probably because we are in the same boat. Still, even though I can't give you back your memories, I think I have allowed you to have new and far better ones. I know you gave me some like those."

"Stop sounding so corny" she laughed.

"Anyway, I'm glad you showed up when you did." He looked over at Clive. "Clive, you've been like a father to all of us, as much as I bet you'd rather us be peers. You're just too wise and too easy to look up to. I'm not sure why you ever easily put up with me, maybe it was because you knew more about me and what I felt, but still, I'm glad you stayed with me."

"Jet…I always saw something in you that you seemed oblivious to. It wasn't hard to see. It was better following you to this moment, just as you followed us before." The older man remarked waving off the good-bye.

"I don't see why anyone would want to follow me. Looking back I think I was sort of hopeless." Jet remarked, with a grin.

"You may have been hopeless," Sakura began, "I don't know about the rest of you, but when you're with me, you make me feel safer. You complimented my food and even stole it twice! How I couldn't believe in you…" She left her statement unfinished but smiled to him anyway with her pink lips and eyes shut.

"Is that how it goes?" Jet questioned. "Is that why you aren't so shy and distant now, Sakura?"

"I, I think meeting you, and then having Adven following me, even meeting all of the rest of you, and coming to terms with Virginia….yes, that all changed me and made me better."

Jet laughed. "That's good. As much as I hate it, knowing that makes me feel better about myself." Jet looked to the brunette with the green headband wrapped around his head. "Adven."

"Jet." The man replied with a nod. "Don't tell me some useless jargon with corny mushy feelings and tones to it. I know what you think about me, and you know what I think about you. We may be rivals, and frivals, but those are all just colorful terms for best friend. In the end, you helped me, and I helped you. And it's only because of you and Sakura that I am a better person." Adven paused. "I never gave up on you. So…don't give up on me, got it?"

Jet nodded and gave him a smile. "It was still good to hear it anyway." He looked to Gallows who wore an angered look. "Pervert." He baited.

Gallows took the bait. "You stupid punk! Always stopping me from getting a girlfriend!" He angrily shouted. "You just shut up fool! Stop being so sentimental…it isn't you, and, y'know, I hate stuff like this."

The two of them laugh out loud. He came back down to a serious face. "With that all said, Emilia, let's get to work installing the Twilight Lone and while you do that you can tell me how to do what I hafta do." The woman nods and they leave down the stairs for the lower deck with the engine to reinstall the Twilight Lone.

"Wait, Jet!" Virginia came to the stairs as he slowed. "Nothing, for me?" Jet and Emilia continued to walk forward and left her sight. The girl in her green dress, now beginning to fade and hold damage as well as covered over damage, stepped backward and leaned against the wall as the others decided to leave her alone. "Why…did…he exclude me?" She questioned nearly on the verge of tears.

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Just so you know, this chapter was hard to write. It had to be different from the original in so many ways, from what is said, to the whole beam cannon thing. In the original the beam cannon was simply powered by Twilight Lone, and the whole belief in the ship was still present, but now the Aigert-Lahm thing. The main character still gives the good-bye speech, and leaves out a person much like Virginia. There is only one chapter left, really. The one after that will be a short aftermath, and then there will be the epilogue that can't be called an epilogue now that I have made Book 12, but still, it's there, and it will help span the distance between the two books.

Oh, and don't fame me about Virginia at the end of the chapter. Just wait and see what comes of it before you hate me for one instance.