Here we go again! This chapter is the most spectacular one of all. Why? Because it's almost to the ending third war and on to the next season. The next season has some great stuff in store for you so keep reading!
I don't own Vandread. P.S. If Gonzo is making another Hellsing, why not vandread?
Vandread stat sheet: Hikaru Kashino-
Hikaru is pretty much unknown about his past or anything around him. Right now, we know that he flies the red vanguard and has devoted his life as a soldier. Hikaru seems to be always in a cranky mood but is he truly like that?
Chpt.12 Release
"The Castilians had the upper hand this time." BC sighed as she looked at a status report…it had nothing good on it.
Magno agreed, "They were prepared this time. They started splitting us up once again, they used new dirty tactics and Bart couldn't even use the secret weapon."
BC could only look down at the damage below. The pilots were sitting in the garden all bandaged up watching the sky for hope.
"I talked to Lucas; he thinks it's an em-Peixis cannon. Much like the one that stops dreads, but this one stops weapons on ships activated by peixis."
"We stood no chance, and Yuki had to take the fall for us."
Meia looked at all the faces in the garden, she couldn't believe that there were so many injured. They certainly had gotten stronger. It made her stomach turn just to think of them coming back. It was thanks to Yuki that they left…but for how long and would she see his face again?
"You alright?" Amarone asked the icy haired woman. Amarone only suffered a scratch on the cheek thanks to her immense fighting skills.
"Why wouldn't I be? We just need to train some more and soon we'll be able to defeat them."
"I wasn't talking about the fight I was talking about you."
Meia felt a little bit confused. Sure she would be alright like every battle, she'd just put them under more training. But something was different. Yuki was gone, and a part of her as well.
"Is it about that guy?" Amarone asked.
Meia couldn't get his smiling face out of her head. That moron always drew her and fought bravely in battle and watched his friends die…and…and…"He was just like me." Meia whispered, "He felt the greatest amount of pain and saw his parents die. He wanted to protect those around him."
Amarone almost thought Meia would sob but she realized that she was talking about Meia; she wouldn't shed a tear, not a crisis like this.
"He's fine I know it." The red head smiled receiving a nod, "I'll see you later then."
Being left alone in the garden, Meia moved her eyes where Yuki last stood on the nirvana. His sketchbook was still there, nestled in the grass. Her hands flipped through the pages going further into the back where the last picture was. The last picture was of her and Yuki together, she wasn't Athena this time, and she was herself. His arms were wrapped around her body and she had her hand on his cheek. It was breathtaking and emotional for her. She immediately held it close to her. 'If Yuki was to come back, I hope he still would be the same.'
"Yuki's gone!" Hibiki couldn't believe what he was hearing from Misty's mouth with Q-Chan by her side. Hinoki sat beside her at the mess hall hiding her face but making fists with her hands. "It can't be true!"
"Its true Mr. Alien," Dita said softly, "Mr. Lone traded himself to make sure we lived."
"It's still not right! We could have done something!"
"What do you think we could have done!" Jura growled.
"There must have been something we could have done. And that idiot had to go and get himself captured. It won't be fun and game where he's going."
"DON'T YOU THINK HE KNEW THAT?" Hinoki shouted, finally making a stand. "He knows what will happen but he did it anyway. Right now…he could be dead." Her head sank lower.
"Don't worry," Misty assured putting a hand on her shoulder, "I know he's still alive."
Hinoki shook her hand off and slowly walked away. "Feh. If he is still alive he's probably a mindless drone."
No one could blame her. Her brother had just come back to her and now he was gone again. It was too much for that poor girl.
Hinoki wasn't the only one feeling pain. The woman from Hibiki's last dream was going through pain as well…physical pain.
She tried to hold it all in without screaming but it was failing. Trapped in a glass dome, no one would know that she screamed…only the person giving her this much pain.
"Why not tell me?" the person cooed as his palm, glowing purple, touched her head bringing more suffering to the woman, "Who was that other boy?"
"There was no other boy." She murmured.
The person gave out an evil grin, "Highly unlikely." He then smacked her face making her roll across the grass inside of her glass prison.
"It's true. And if I did talk to someone else…what difference would it make?"
"…None. You have no hope so don't bring others into it."
"I didn't."
He clenched her neck and began to let the purple aura cut off her breathing. "I saw the other boy. I stopped Hikaru but I couldn't stop him. He tried to find out who you were. WHO WAS HE!"
The woman didn't struggle but she did say one thing. "You can't stop me Amith."
Amith looked at her with fury in his eyes but let go of her neck anyway. He preferred it more when she struggled a bit.
"That boy he's your cousin sin't he?" Amith chuckled making the woman realize how awful the ties of fate were, "Heh...I knew it.
He went to the glass, touching it with a single finger, and it meted a passageway for him. But once he left, the glass remolded and left a solid wall. By his side was a strangely familiar woman enveloped by the lightless part of the room. Amith gave a greasy smile as he left the imprisoned woman to her fate.
'That boy…' Amith depictured him in his mind, "There was something different about that boy. I should ask master." He then turned to the woman next to him, "People will worry without you around, and you go back to your place on the ship. I'm going to do some errands."
The woman bowed without question and left in the other direction.
Both left the caged woman alone. She slowly stood up from where she was left woozily at first. She pulled back a sleeve from her shirt revealing a strange red tattoo that branched all around her neck and back.
"I can't live like this any longer." She whispered to only herself, "Hikaru, it is up to you to save me."
In the mess hall, Hikaru was thinking of that dream. His mind couldn't put it away. 'Andrea…why? Why were you the one contacting me when you're here? Is there something wrong?'
"HIYA!" Greeted a cheery girl, it was the new recruit name Sheena. "How's it going?"
"Huh? Oh, its fine." Hikaru went back to his little world.
"Hm? Whatcha thinking about?"
"A dream I had."
"….? Why are you thinking about that?"
"Don't know it was just so realistic."
"Well enough about that, you should go repair your machine, it still looks pretty bad."
Hikaru nodded and was just about to walk out the door when the oddest thing happened. The electronic clock began to write something for Hikaru to see. 'Hikaru, Vile needs help!"
"What the?"
Sheena's eyes glared at the clock with fury but turned to Hikaru with a cheery face on and said, "It's probably some trick or malfunction. Last week it said it was going to kill Lord Maxwell."
"It did? Gees, someone's gotta look at that thing." Hikaru then walked on out leaving Sheena and the dumbfounded soldiers to look at the clock.
Sheena's eyes glared once again. "Let me fix this." She announced unraveling the wires of the clock. She turned her back to all and held out an index finger which was now glowing purple. She placed it on the connection circuit spreading a purple aura throughout that wire.
"Eeeyahhh!" A little girl screamed from inside a prison cell collapsing on an older woman. The older woman tried to shake her awake as good as she could.
The clock returned to normal bringing back on the time and the whole place cheered for Sheena's mechanical art.
"Can you believe that?" One man asked another, "She's so young and yet so resourceful."
"The Castilian Military is graduating them younger each year." A woman pointed out.
Behind them was a blonde with spectacles looking at the girl with unease. He knew something was not right about her and that was no malfunction on the clock. It was a distress signal. He moved his glasses higher to his face as he glared at her.
"Something wrong Lord Maxwell?" Sheena asked but received a cold reply.
"No, nothing's wrong. Just enjoying the show."
"Vile! Vile, wake up!" The woman shook the lifeless body of the red headed girl until her blue eyes shown. "Oh thank God! Are you alright?"
"Laviene…" Vile whispered to the woman whose outfit was torn and face dirty with blood, "Will Hikaru…come for us?"
Laviene smiled at her with sad eyes showing, "I don't know."
"Will Lucas save us then?"
"…I doubt that that drunk will be able to. But we will find a way out of here I promise. I won't let you die here Vile." Laviene spotted a man watching them the whole time snickering at their pitiful attempts of hope.
"What's so funny?" She barked, "If I had my gravity power, I'd kill you!"
"The man snickered as he went out of the cells."
"Laviene?"
"What is it Vile?"
"I'm sorry, if I wasn't so…"
"Hey it's okay, you're just a kid. Lucas wouldn't want you to exert yourself too much anyway."
The little girl nodded, "I hope they come soon…I'm loosing hope."
When Hikaru walked into the hangar bay, he already saw the mechanics working on his vanguard. One noticed him and said, "Sorry Hikaru, it still needs a little more time till its up and running again. Give us three hours and it will be in top shape."
"Thanks." He replied, "I'll comeback then."
Still Hikaru had nothing else to do and all he could think about was that dream he had. Could it truly be real? 'No it can't be,' He said in his mind, 'Lordeth Andréa is here on the ship. No one has captured her."
And speak of the devil; Lord Andréa stopped him right in his tracks to greet him. "You look pretty down."
"Gyeh! My Lord!"
"Don't tell me you're going to bow to me too! It gets pretty annoying!" She huffed.
"Sorry, I'm just used to old customs."
Andréa giggled at this, "You are a weird one aren't you. Speaking of which, you look troubled. What's the matter?"
Hikaru had a strange feeling not to speak about it to her. "I'm just thinking about my vanguard. It's been in shop for a while."
She looked at him with a kind smile. "Alright, I'm going to the bridge." She left a trail of people bowing in her place.
'Good old Andréa. She couldn't have been really in my dream. It must have been a mistake.' He thought to himself. Someone tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned to see Maxwell staring at him with a serious look on his face.
"Hikaru, I'd like to have a word with you." Lord Maxwell said.
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing you can't handle but it's very secret. I need you to talk to someone about this but the place is off limits to even your stature." Maxwell pulled out a strange card from his pocket and placed it in the boy's hand. "This key card will grant you access to the room."
Hikaru was unsure about this but he knew Maxwell very well and knew about his kind and gentle ways so it must be something about city protection or something. He bowed to the lord of war accepting this.
"Good, arrive there at nine. He's waiting for you."
Hikaru gave a very hard look at the object in his hands before putting it in his bag. "I wonder what this is all about."
Later that night, Hikaru walked the halls beside the Pyoro copy, 37-9 that traveled with him to the planet with the giant harvester. His yellow eyes peered at its metal outside.
"It's been a long time since we hung out like this eh?" He asked the orb…no answer.
"…why the hell am I talking to you anyway? You can't answer back." Hikaru scratched his head at this as he neared the door. Three steps away from it, he looked at the key card he was given. It wasn't like the other keys around the ship. It was jagged with an unknown symbol on it. "What is this?" He asked himself but found no answer again, "Well…there's only one way to find out."
He slid the card through the slot hearing a tiny click and a green light up for access. With that he stepped towards the door which opened silently revealing a hallway. Hikaru entered and the door immediately shut.
Hikaru and the orb walked through the dim light halls. "Someone needs to change the lights." He sighed as it seemed to not change. There was only an endless hall that seemed to go on forever. It bored him to tears and also made him very cautious. A sudden noise came from the dark distance. He let his hand slowly go to his gun. His eyes glared the determined look he gave to all intruders.
"Hold your fire." A familiar voice said. Hikaru immediately let his hand sink away from the gun.
"I told you to arrive at nine," Maxwell crossly huffed, "Your ten minutes early."
"Does it make a difference?" Hikaru asked.
"It actually does. I don't want anyone to find out were here."
"It won't happen again."
Maxwell gave out a sad sigh, "I fear they won't be a next time for this…Come on then, I need you to meet him."
Hikaru immediately followed the lord through. Soon Maxwell brought him out of the wretched hall and into a stranger room. A little brighter but still no help to him at all. It was covered with rusty doors left to right with locks on them.
"A…a brig?"
Maxwell nodded, "This is an unknown room on the beast. We keep people here that we need to keep their mouths shut. But sadly, some shouldn't be silenced." Maxwell typed an inscription on one of the door's locks. It immediately opened revealing a figure in a shadowed room. Maxwell gestured Hikaru to enter but Hikaru did ever so slowly.
"How's it going?" The figure asked with a smile on his face. Not evil, just a plain smile.
"Hikaru, allow me to intro duce you to Yuki Dove."
"!"
Yuki gave out another smile on his bruised face, "Well, you came all this way. Would you like to talk?"
Hikaru's hands shook into fists and he charged at the battered prisoner.
"Hikaru, NO!" Maxwell cried out but the blow was already struck...and missed.
His fists instead hit the wall a foot away from Yuki's head. Maxwell sighed in relief and Yuki gave another grin.
"Dammit!" Hikaru growled, "I want to hit you as hard as I can…and yet…I want to know. I want to know why the Hell I was dragged here and I won't get any answers out of you two by beating you."
Maxwell gave out a smile, "Hikaru, I brought you here for a very important reason and I think that this man can help us."
"He's nothing more than a traitor to our planet!"
"It doesn't matter now," Maxwell stood up, "we are all in great danger. There's a problem with the royals at this moment and someone needs to fix it."
"Meaning us huh?" Yuki yawned.
"You're not afraid?"
"No, I knew something was up and I guess I was right."
"Now it's your turn Maxwell," Hikaru growled, "Tell us what this so called problem is."
Maxwell was given a moment to push up his glasses before he began, "Lord Andréa is no longer with us."
"!"
"We are being fooled by an imposter."
"WHAT!" Hikaru grabbed Maxwell's neck and lifted him above the ground. "How dare you say that to Andréa? She's been trying to run a good economy and you come in here and accuse her of being a phony!"
"Hikaru, you must calm down!"
"NO! Apologize for your stupidity! Your ruin the good name of Castile by your own ignorance!"
"Hikaru," Maxwell could barely breathe now, "Please listen. If you don't like what you hear, you may arrest me for high treason."
Hikaru tightened his grasp for a few moments staring into the innocent man's eyes. With one last look of disgust, he let Maxwell drop to the ground.
"Make it quick. I want to get this over with as soon as possible."
Maxwell nodded, "I have seen her act so strangely. You two noticed this too?"
Hikaru nodded sadly. He didn't like the fact that he was agreeing with HIM!
Yuki's eyes showed a bit of surprise in this. "This could be the reason that she betrayed the resistance force."
"Yes, and maybe why she's even been commanding us such violent tasks."
"Do you even have any proof that this is true?" Hikaru grumbled. "Or maybe I should just leave now."
"Yes I actually do." Maxwell pulled out a small disc and placed it one the floor. "This is a picture that was delivered to my computer two months ago. I then downloaded it to the portable projector for you to see."
The image soon revealed itself to them. A young woman in a giant container, covered in a vast garden, as if she was a bug in a jar. The woman was banging on the glass trying franticly to escape. Her eyes watered as she saw there was no escape. She then silently said help me…then a sudden shock came to her face as a blast hit her making her tumble to the ground. A hooded man's hand outstretched to her neck and grasped it tightly. He then said some words to her and with his empty hand, smacked her across the cheek…the hologram turned off after that.
"This was taken by a surveillance camera from the room." Maxwell informed readjusting his glasses, "It probably wasn't supposed to be on but how did it turn on then? And how could I have been given this message? I came to one conclusion…"
"Only a lord's tattoos could do something like that." Yuki gasped a little, "So it must be her."
"Do you believe me now Hikaru?" Maxwell asked the young boy still staring at the projector.
Hikaru's head kept showing the image of the hooded man hitting Andréa. How dare that man! Hikaru's face showed a look of hatred as he smashed the projector with his boot. The tiny pieces flew all around them.
"…Lets go…" Hikaru revealed his determined face to them, "Let's go save her…right now."
"I can't believe I'm hearing this from you." Yuki laughed.
"You don't know a lot of things about me."
Yuki gave out a grin in agreement.
Georgia stood on the metal path beneath Progma. She smiled sweetly as she hummed a tune. Parfait soon met her and stared at her in awe.
"I wish I had your positive outlook." Parfait moaned. "I'm still worried about our loss."
"I can't be worried…when were about to have company."
"Huh...Company?"
"Yes…peixis progmma senses relief in the green."
"And who is this company?"
"Probably the Castilian forces going to blast the rest of us to pieces." Sei spoke.
Mar began to shiver, being wimpier than his sibling. "Th-they won't kill kids right? I'm only ten and I have a whole life ahead of me."
"It's not the army." Georgia said closing her eyes as if showered by the light of the blue orb. "It's a friend."
Two soldiers were walking down the hall of the mighty Castilian ship, both complaining about how they could fly dreads better than the other. They turned their heads away from the other to see a respected pilot in their midst accompanied by a lord and a soldier in a strange uniform. Both bowed before their lord.
"G-good morning Lord Maxwell." The male soldier greeted. "I didn't think we'd see you around these parts.
Maxwell gave a chuckle. "Does this mean that I cannot go wherever I please?"
"Nonono! You may go wherever you'd like!" The female soldier assured, "Were the ones that should apologize for that mistake."
"Not at all. You were just doing your humble duties. At ease."
Both bowed one last time and let them pass. Maxwell halted them toward a locked door which he opened with his key card. Once inside all three gave a deep sigh of relief.
"I almost thought we were in trouble." Hikaru slumped.
"Of course not." Maxwell assured, "They can't be suspicious of the higher ups."
"They would be because of this stupid get up." Yuki growled pulling his helmet off, "How do any land soldiers breathe in this thing. I was suffocating!"
"Put that back on before anyone sees us!" Hikaru snapped, "If we get caught, this will be your entire fault!"
Yuki gave a growl but put it back on. "Fine, ya happy!"
"Please this isn't the time to quarrel." Maxwell insisted re-fixing his glasses. "We need to work together on this. Lady Andrea is somewhere here and we need to find her."
"How long will we have before the guards catch us?" Hikaru asked.
"The good news is that the surveillance cameras around here are all shut off to keep what shouldn't be seen hidden."
"Are their any guards around here though?" Yuki questioned but only got a shrug. "You don't know!"
"If they are any we can use our berserkers at them. It's the only way. If were already going against our planet, we are allowed to use them."
Both nodded. "Good, now that this is settled lets get on our way."
All three took extreme precaution to not make a single sound as they crossed into strange territory. Yuki halted them as he noticed a long shadow coming from across the hall. He gestured them behind another passage leaning ever so slowly to catch a glimpse, he noticed it was a woman: aqua hair and green eyes.
"Andréa…" Yuki gasped, "It's her!"
Maxwell pulled his head back before they were spotted. "We can't be seen by her. She's not the real one!"
The woman turned to a door with a strange symbol on it. She touched the symbol with her palm and the door began to open.
"This is our chance," Maxwell informed, "We'll follow her inside."
"Too risky," Said Yuki, "We need a plan, there could be traps inside. We should wait for her to come out again."
"Screw you guys!" Hikaru yelled and charged at her, "I can't wait for your ideas all day." He dashed straight towards her.
The woman was about to turn her head when it was smashed by a burst of Hikaru's foot. She immediately tumbled to the ground…out cold.
"See, that's how you get something done." Hikaru gloated.
"Don't be too sure of yourself hothead." Yuki snapped, "You were lucky, she could have called for guards."
"Guys not now." Lord Maxwell whined, carrying the fake Andrea on his back. "We still have to find the real Andréa. Settle this argument later."
"Whatever." Hikaru sighed as he darted into the room followed by the others.
They were once again in another hallway but without any other passages…only a single door. Hikaru smirked as he released 37-9 from his pocket. It began to hover around the door showing shades of orange.
"37-9 will find how to open this door in no time." Hikaru grinned, "It seems to be an easy way in, probably just a password or something."
Yuki stared at the imposter for a moment, grabbed her hand and placed it on the wall. The door began to open.
"Or we could just do that." He laughed, "I saw her do it on the other door. It was pretty obvious."
The door opened revealing a gigantic room. Markings in red traveled across the floor and up the walls. They also noticed a glass dome surrounding it.
"How strange." Maxwell said in awe, "How could we not have noticed a chunk of the ship, this big, was missing from our sight?"
Yuki examined the markings and realized what they were. "Tattoo markings." He gasped, looking at the faint ones on his hand. "These are tattoo markings that soldiers have."
"But the designs are a little different," Hikaru informed tracing it with his finger, "Green peixis tattoos are more round and curvy. These on the other hand are more jagged. These are not green peixis tattoos…it's another peixis."
"They don't look like any other's that I've seen." Maxwell said but his eyes widened as he realized, "Does this mean…"
Hikaru moved toward the dome. "The trail seeps out from here. We'll find our answer in that dome." Hikaru tried to make an attempt to break the glass with his fist but failed. It bounced off leaving a throbbing pain in his hand.
"Hikaru, you must be more careful." Lucas scolded.
Hikaru looked dumbstruck, "That wasn't supposed to happen. It feels like glass." He grabbed 37-9, "Maybe I need something harder."
Yuki immediately grabbed it from him. "Are you insane! You're just going to break it."
They soon got into an argument that left Maxwell in an awkward position. "I really hate it when this happens." He sighed to himself not noticing the arm of the imposter moving. He soon found himself in an awkward position. He soon found a knife beneath his neck.
"You three have found yourself in a dangerous situation." The woman snickered making herself noticed by the other two. "You shouldn't have come here. This is a lordeth's sanctuary. No one can enter but me."
"Stop with the act! We know that you're an imposter! Quit pretending and tell us who you really are."
"How could you possibly think I'm lying?" The woman gasped.
"The real Andréa would never stoop so low as to kill hundreds for power!" Maxwell snapped at her only to see saddened eyes.
"How could you not believe me?" She began to cry, "You were my dearest friend." She turned to Hikaru, "Hikaru…you know its me, right? I could never betray you. You're my dear sweet little Hikaru."
The words sank into him. "Please Hikaru; you're the only one who can believe me. You know me better than anyone else." His hands shook. He didn't know what to believe.
His feet suddenly began to move to her, a stern look upon his face. He stared at her for a moment…and kneeled before her. "I'll always protect you." He announced to the woman who then gave out a wicked smile.
"Traitor!" Yuki yelled holding up a gun.
"Enough out of you!" Andrea snapped throwing him against a wall with a flick of her hand. She smiled sweetly at Hikaru, "You know what must be done." She said handing him the knife.
He nodded slightly grasping the metal in his left hand and holding it high in the air. "May you rest in peace?" He whispered.
Maxwell turned away and braced for the impact. The knife swooped down; a yell in agony was heard. Blood dripped down to the floor. Maxwell reopened his eyed to see his captor released him. He also felt no pain from the blow. He turned to see his captor with a bloody cut across her face.
"W-why?"
Hikaru cleaned the blade with his sleeve as he spoke. "I promised to always protect Andrea from any possible action that would fall upon her…and you are not her. You were right, I know Andrea the best and I can tell the real one from the fake." He now pointed the knife at her, "The real Andrea is kinder, sweeter, gentle, and braver than a bitter woman like you. I can see in your eyes that you have fear. Lord Andréa has none!"
The woman gave out a nasty grin. "How sweet of you to care that much for her. But it is not fear in my eyes. IT'S HATREAD FOR THE HUMAN RACE!"
With a whisk of her hand, she threw Maxwell right into Hikaru. They tumbled a few feet away, giving her a bit of time to run.
"Hey! You get back here!" Hikaru hollered then turned his attention to the orb. "37-9 maneuvers 3/bb!"
The orb spit out a strange wire that began to wrap around the woman's legs making her fall to the ground.
"Grrh! Damn you all!" Before she could even untie the wires that bound her legs together, Hikaru grasped the top of her shirt and hung her in the sky.
"If you value your life so much, I would suggest that you tell me where you are keeping our ruler."
The woman chuckled from this remark, "You have no clue do you? There so many secrets about you and yet you haven't found out about one."
"What are you talking about? You better tell me where you're keeping Andréa before I kill you!"
"No one has told you, have they? About your weakness, your underground power, the truth about your existence? Are they all secrets to you?"
"That's it I've had enough from these dumb games!"
"You don't believe me do you?" The woman gripped onto his arm. "Let me show you." The purple aura from her arm slithered to Hikaru's whole body making him let out shrieks of pain.
"Hikaru, what's wrong?" Maxwell cried out to the boy while putting a gun to the woman's head. "You bitch! What have you done!"
She let out a cold smile that brought a chill through his spine. "I just revealed to him something that was inside him all this time."
"It's like fire." Hikaru cried, "It feels like something's trying to escape my body!"
"Yuki, tend to Hikaru!" Maxwell commanded, "I'll deal with this witch."
Yuki nodded and ran to the boy. The purple aura evaporated as Yuki touched his body confusing him. He saw that Hikaru's shirt was burn from the back. "What the…"The shirtbegan to burn off, revealing a large red phoenix tattoo on Hikaru's back. It glowed a bit, like peixis tattoos did but touching it, it dimmed letting Hikaru ease a bit.
'It must be because of my tattoos' Yuki thought.
"KRRFF KFF KFFF!" Hikaru spewed out bits of blood from his mouth like he did on the marooned planet.
"Hikaru's not doing too well." Yuki called out to Maxwell. "We'd better make this quick. He may need to se a doctor."
"N-no…I'm fine." Hikaru insisted as he slowly stood back on his feet. "We have more important things to attend to."
Maxwell nodded, "Now if you could be so kind Madame, we'd like you to open that glass chamber for us."
The woman's eyes glared at him in disgust. "I'll do no such thing!"
"Then I guess I'll just have to kill you then."
"That gun has no ammo. Look for yourself."
Maxwell turned the gun to its side seeing a red light blinking, meaning it needed to be recharged.
"UGH!" The two others moaned, "How could you forget to recharge your weapon."
Maxwell gave out an embarrassed laugh and put his right hand behind him. "Eh he…I've never really used one of these things so it's an easy mistake." He then gave the woman a cold stare like she did, "But my berserker doesn't need any recharging."
"That doesn't mean a thing to me! I still won't tell you!"
"Hold on a minute!" Yuki said examining the floor, "I think I understand these markings…They are here to open the dome."
The woman's eyes widened.
"How can you be so sure?" Hikaru hoarsely said.
"Well, these marks are somewhat like the one's that were on those two doors we went through. These markings also are spreading to the dome. Add the two together, and I think we have an answer."
"I guess we could still use you." Maxwell sighed carrying her on his back as if she was a sack of grain.
"Put me down you brute!" She demanded.
"Hmmm…there must be a keyhole somewhere…" Yuki began to examine but found none.
'Let her touch the glass…' a voice said, that sounded as if it was in pain. 'She has the power to break the wall.'
"Did…you guys hear that!" Hikaru asked dumbfounded.
"I think so." Yuki replied.
"It sounded…Like Andréa
Maxwell grabbed the woman's hand and placed it on the glass, "I'm running out of options I say we go for it." The hand glowed purple as a piece of the dome melted away.
The three of them (With the woman still on Maxwell's shoulder) entered he area. The smell of fresh flowers came to their noses and a bright light from above seemed to be just like the sun.
"It's…like a garden." Hikaru exclaimed.
"And by the looks of these plants, they've been well taken care of." Yuki said peering at the sorts. "Hmmm…I've never seen this kind of flower on castile before."
Hikaru's eyes widened, he had seen that kind before. "It's called the 'forget me not'. It's Andréa's favorite kind. She's somewhere around here."
"Where do you suppose?" Maxwell asked.
Hikaru stared at the trail of the flower leading off the stone road. He immediately dashed toward the grassy meadow it went to.
"Hikaru, we have to stay together!" Maxwell called out and began to follow with Yuki by his side.
'She's here!' Hikaru said in his mind, 'She has to be! She just…' His feet stopped by a stone slab with red designs all around it. Andréa sat in the middle.
"Andréa!" He cried out to her but she did not move. He ran over to her and began to shaker her. "Andréa, it's me! Hikaru!"
Her body tipped and her head landed on his chest. Her body was covered in red tattoos.
"Andréa!" The boy cried, "What's wrong? Come on, open your eyes!"
Yuki and Maxwell walked over and examined the situation. Yuki looked at the young woman with confusion. She too had red tattoos but it spread all over. It was like a disease or something.
"Don't worry," Maxwell assured, "She's just unconscious. What we really need to worry about is getting her out of her."
"Alright then, I'll carry her out." Hikaru announced and began to struggle to just put her on his back.
"Uh…No offense Hikaru, but I think that someone bigger should do the job." Yuki held the woman in his arms.
"I'm not small! I just grow a little slower!"
"No one was saying you were small Hikaru."
"YES YOU WERE!"
"Please you two, we can't sit around and bicker all day." Maxwell sighed.
"I'm not the one bickering!" Yuki growled, "It's the BRAT that's bickering!"
"I am not!"
Maxwell gave out another hopeless sigh. "Save this for later you two. Have you forgotten we have to get Miss Andrea out of this ship?"
The two of them gave each other on last look of disgust then nodded back to Maxwell.
"Good, now let's go."
"I don't think you're going anywhere." Came an old voice. All of them new this voice, one that they thought they wouldn't hear in a place like this.
"Lord Amith, what are you doing here?" Maxwell asked.
Amith gave out an evil grin. "What I always do. Feed my master." He waved his purple glowing hand over them making Andréa scream in pain.
The tattoos on her body seemed to glow as they spread. The more they weaved through her, the more pain she seemed to be in. The three of them watched in horror.
"STOP IT!" Yuki cried, "YOUR KILLING HER!"
Amith waved his hand once more, releasing the woman.
"Heh…I won't kill her yet, she's a food source to my master."
"YOU…BASTARD!" Hikaru was about to charge at him but was held back by Yuki.
"Careful Hikaru," Amith teased, "I may need her for my master's meal…but I could get another morsel."
Hikaru stared at him with such disgust but stood still.
"That's a good boy. Now, let my precious flower go." He pointed to the woman that Maxwell carried on his back.
Maxwell released her from the restraints and laid her on the grass.
"Pleasure doing business with you." The woman snickered at them as she went to Amith's side. "But we really can't let you live. You've seen too much. How can we run an empire with rumors like this getting out eh?" She turned to them pointing a gun at their faces.
"YOU DOUBLE CROSSER!" Hikaru yelled.
"We never said anything about letting you live." Amith chuckled, "What did you think we were going to do. Lock you up? Don't worry; I'll keep the precious Lordeth alive…for now."
"ARGH!" Hikaru snapped. He charged at Amith with tremendous speed. His yellow eyes showed furry that didn't singe a single bit of Amith.
Amith flung his hand in front letting the purple aura return. It blasted from his hand and through Hikaru's body like the last time. Hikaru fell to the floor in agonizing pain.
"YEEEARGH!"
Amith gave out a huge laugh.
"Stop it! Release him." Maxwell cried, "He's only a boy."
Amith laughed. "He needs to learn where he stands. A warrior should not engage in battle so quickly. They must think before they act or perish. He has fallen into my trap and if he wants to learn, he must suffer the consequences for his actions." Amith grabbed the boy's neck and hung him in the air, "It's only a matter of time Hikaru. You will soon give in to the master and bring in a new era."
"B…bite me!"
"He has no idea what revolves around his life." The Andréa copy laughed, "He's so stupid. All the lords know and yet you don't. Poor Hikaru."
"?"
Amith gave out his evil smile. He blasted another dose of the aura into Hikaru's body making him scream out in agony.
"HEY! Quit it!" Yuki hollered, "You'll kill him!"
"Stand your ground if you don't want the boy or your Lordeth to die."
"Do as he says." Maxwell ordered, "We don't need senseless bloodshed."
Yuki stared a Maxwell for that moment then huffed out, "Like hell I will! I promised myself if I could do something to save lives, I'd do it!"
"You won't be playing hero today." The lady smirked. She placed her hands on the ground burning symbols that flowed to them. Once the symbols rushed to their feet, they began to glow and spread their accursed magic.
"I-I can't move!" Yuki cried.
"Me too!" Maxwell seconded.
"It's a wonderful move isn't it?" The woman smirked. "I call it 'Spellbinding' very helpful move."
"That's enough Serenity," Amith hissed, "Finish them."
"Right." Serenity held out her gun and aimed it at their heads. She gave an evil look at them just before she pulled the trigger and…
"What in the…"
"What's wrong!" Amith demanded.
"My hand! My hand's stiff, I can't pull the trigger! Eh?"
Serenity turned her head toward her captives to see a huge green blast hit her. It sent her hurtling to the farther reaches of the dome.
"Ha! Nice one Yuki!" Maxwell complimented.
"I-it wasn't me." Yuki replied.
"EH? Then who."
"Have…you…forgotten…me…already?" Asked the hoarse panting voice of Andréa. She could barely stand but still managed to keep her body up straight. She wiped the sweat from her face as she sent another blast straight at Amith making him fly a few feet away.
Hikaru fell to the ground with a cry in agony. Yuki immediately rushed over and examined him. The red tattoo was once again spreading all around his back, but with one touch of his hand, it eased.
"Can you stand Hikaru?" Yuki asked.
"Kff…kff…yeah, just…kff…give me a minute."
Hikaru's head turned to Andréa and his eyes widened. "Is…that really you?"
"It's good to see you too." She faintly said giving him a weak smile before collapsing on the soft grass.
Maxwell immediately rushed to her side. "She must be exhausted. We'd better go. Amith and that woman won't be on the ground for long." He scooped the woman into his hands.
"Kff…kff!" Hikaru coughed up some more blood.
Yuki frowned by this. "Hikaru, you're in no condition to be standing. I'll carry you."
But Hikaru refused, "I still have some dignity left." He struggled to stand but managed. He somehow was able to keep up with the others as they ran to the edge of the dome.
"CRAP!" Maxwell cried, "I suddenly realized that we have no way out! That woman was the one that got us in here. How do we get back out?"
"We…need a red…tattoo holder…to open…the dome." Andréa managed to say.
Yuki turned his head to Hikaru and Hikaru stared blankly at the glass wall.
"But I already tried it. It won't work for me…unless." Hikaru pulled out his bracelet from his pant's pocket and placed it on his wrist. A sudden surge of energy flew through his body as he placed his hand on the glass. The dome opened. Once all of them got through Hikaru shut the entrance and began to open the two doors ahead of them.
"How did you gain so much power Hikaru?" Maxwell asked the boy.
"The bracelet," Hikaru said, "It boosts up my red tattoo's power." Once they entered through the last door, Hikaru tore off the bracelet and began to gasp for air. "It's pretty exhausting though."
"Who gave you that?" Maxwell questioned.
"Amith did." Hikaru gasped, "He wanted me to defeat Hibiki."
"…Get rid of it."
"Huh?"
"It could be dangerous if Amith gave it to you. You're just a guinea pig to him for all we know. From the way he treated our Lordeth; do you really want to trust him?"
Hikaru nodded and left it where he once stood before running down the hall with the others. It laid there for only a few seconds until it was picked up by a staggering man…Amith took it in his hand and made his nasty smile appear. He then pulled out of his pocket a communicator.
"Call the guards," He spoke, "We have traitors in our ship."
"Why aren't we going the regular route to the hangar?" Hikaru asked.
"It would look too suspicious with a convict and injured leader with us." Maxwell replied. Were taking this underground route no one uses it"
"HALT! STOP WHERE YOU ARE!" A dozen soldiers burst into the hall pointing their laser guns at them.
"Eheh…There's always a chance I'm wrong."
"At ease men!" Hikaru commanded, "We are just recapturing the dangerous criminal that has hurt our lord."
"Hey!" Yuki growled to Hikaru.
"It's less suspicious if we use this story." Hikaru whispered.
"Ha! Don't make up lies Hikaru!" The main guard snarled, "We already got the message from Amith, we know you've betrayed us."
"WHAT! That's a lie! Amith was using Lord Andréa for some kind of cult ritual and…"
"Best to keep that tongue of yours in your mouth, boy!" The voice of Lord Amith snapped. Amith passed a group of guards and now stood behind the first row.
"Ergh! How could you believe that man! We have Andréa with us."
"That's enough Hikaru." Another voice snapped. All the guards bowed before the figure…the copy.
Hikaru flinched, "She…she's just a copy! Her name's Serenity! She's just a look alike."
"You're not well Hikaru." The woman cooed, "She's really the copy, Maxwell and that traitor are deceiving you. Come back to me my sweet little Hikaru."
Hikaru's eyes flared with fury he was about to attack but halted as he felt the warmth of Andréa's weak hand grasping his arm.
"I-it's not worth it." She faintly said, "Please, surrender to them. I don't want you to die."
"My lady."
"The enemy is spreading more lies through our pilot's mind!" Serenity hollered, "Kill her!"
"NO!" Hikaru pushed Maxwell and his lord out of the way letting him take the blast.
Maxwell hit the left wall hard making him drop Lord Andréa. Hikaru still managed to stand but now had a nasty burn on his back.
"Heh…that all you got?" Hikaru chuckled as his burn began to heal.
"Whoa. That's amazing!" One soldier gasped.
"Its told that Hikaru's berserker lets him heal extremely fast, but I never thought it was true." Another solder whispered to another.
Once the burn healed, Hikaru turned to the crowed with a nasty smile that screamed blood lust. It suddenly faded as he began to go into a coughing fit.
'So it seems that once his injuries are healed, his tattoos must recharge letting his condition get worse.' Serenity pondered, 'This makes it easier for us.'
"Capture them now!" Serenity ordered, "We mustn't let them escape."
The soldiers positioned their guns again. And then…
"BRAM!" a section of the wall burst sending a mountain of debris between the two groups. Yuki and the others now had a gaping whole beside them…but who made it.
"That's why no one laughs at me!" A voice bellowed out from the wall. The voice was particularly known by Hikaru.
"Laviene!"
Laviene poked her head out of the whole. Her wavy orange hair looked like it could use somewhat of a brushing but besides that and some cuts, she looked alright.
"Hey Hikaru! Long time no see." She ran over to him carrying something piggyback. "Hey you don't look too good."
"I could say the same for you." He teased, "When's the last time you brushed your hair or took a bath!"
This was followed by a hit on the head. "For your information, I've been in a holding cell for a while. It seems that we are all being deceived."
"Yeah, we already know." Maxwell grunted getting to his feet, "But how did you escape then?"
"I used my gravity berserk to conk out a guard. My tattoos miraculously recharged."
"How could that…" Maxwell suddenly turned to Andréa on the floor. Her hands glowed. "So that explains it." He then ran over to her and scooped her up.'
"OHMYGOD!" Laveiene cried, "That's Andréa! WHAT THE HELL!"
"Long story," Yuki interrupted, "But we have no time to chat. We need to get the hell outta here."
"We were heading to the hangar bay anyway." Laviene gestured to the young girl Vile she was carrying on her back. "So Vile, where to?"
"If we take a left and go through the armory, we should get their faster." The young girl weakly said.
"Good work! So ya guys coming or not?"
The others nodded and followed Laviene to the hangar where they met up with a bunch of uneager engineers. Luckily they were stopped by Laviene's gravity attack giving them time to get in their shuttles and run off.
"They got away!" Amith hollered when he heard the news.
"Y-yes…we are terribly sorry about this but we are doing all we can to…"
"That's not good enough! You all shall be punished for your ignorance!"
"Please Amith, your being too hard on them." Serenity soothed placing a hand on his shoulder, "You tried your hardest and that's all I could ask for."
The man bowed to the woman with relief. "Th-thank you're my lord!" Then went back to his station.
"You have another idea Serenity?" Amith asked her once all had left the room.
Serenity smiled, "Of course I do."
The lights began to dim as three shadowy figures emerged from thin air.
"You called us Serenity?" The smallest one asked.
"Yes I did Sheena. Four people have learned about master and now have escaped you're mission is to retrieve Master's food source and Hikaru, you may destroy the others if you'd like."
"We'll retrieve the parcels back to you."
"Good. Sheena, Anita, Rave, do not fail me."
All three bowed. "We understand." Then suddenly disappeared as soon as they departed.
I'm finally done with this one. Took me forever! Looks like my Christmas special shall be delayed till February so I guess I'll make a one shot Christmas special. Next episode: Hikaru and the others travel in search of the Nirvana.