Standard Disclaimer!
Wow, been to long since I last updated this story. I've been meaning to for a while but, well to be honest didn't think I could concentrate enough on the task at hand as I was panicking about projects and such. Sorry. Hope you think the wait was worth it and continue to read/enjoy my rendition of Nadesico.
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Anata no Ichiban Ni Naritai Chapter 12 – Coming Together
Two days into the dark twirling vortex that was the boson tunnel, Ruri received a letter from her captain. After reading Akito's letter from Kyoko, Ruri wasn't in the state of mind to do anything let alone what Yurika had just asked her to do. Lying on her bed with the letter in hand she just stared out into space.
"You'll put a hole in the hull if you keep that up," Inez said trying to get her sullen friend to smile. Slowly beginning to worry about the mental state of her young ward, Inez couldn't help but wonder what the letter Akito had so meticulously cared for and delivered only a few days ago. 'Ever since she's read it she became this zombie.'
Her voice again reminiscent of her deadpan self responded with a simple sorry as she turned her head back to the letter. 'Why couldn't things have been different? Why did this whole thing have to happen?' She would have continued to curse fate for her troubles had Inez not ripped the letter away from her.
'I'm tired of this. She needs help and only I can do that right now.' Going over the well-written lines of text, Inez came to the conclusion that Ruri was taking things better than she would have anticipated. Taking a moment to look at Ruri, Inez found that the blue haired woman had yet to move from her position. Taking a seat herself next to Ruri, Inez read the letter again in earnest.
' Dear Ruri-chan,
Things on Earth are wonderful, I'm so glad you suggested it. I am upset however, with you. I shouldn't have to write to Miss Hoshino anymore should I? I've seen you and Akito-chan grow up together and I know you'll make each other very happy. You may not know it but I do, Akito loves you deeply, just like you feel for him. Akito is very important to me, he became a son to me and I want him to be happy, and he will be with you. Stop fighting with yourself and listen to your heart. Tell him!
Well I better stop prattling on about this. And Ruri, I would love to have you 'in the family.' Hope you two are happy together and well this is selfish but we wouldn't mind being grandparents.
Love hopefully your soon to be mother-in-law Kyoko Takeshi'
Folding the letter in half and placing it on the nightstand by Ruri's bed, Inez reached out and hugged the poor girl. That letter symbolically ripped her heart into pieces. 'A weaker person would have exposed themselves to their love by now. Yet she hasn't.'
Breaking down in Inez's arms, Ruri cried again. She was ashamed of herself for it, but it was comforting to say the less. After a few minutes they separated and Ruri smiled a tiny bit as she looked at Inez. "Thanks I needed that."
Waving off the thanks, Inez focused a little bit more now that Ruri wasn't so withdrawn. "Glad you're feeling better. Back to business, how long are we to be in this thing?" Her hands gestured to the simulated window showing the utter blackness surrounding them.
Wiping the last of her tears away, Ruri climbed over to the side of her bed and took a sitting position. Thinking back all those years, she found it hard to come up with an actual figure; it was hazy in her mind. "Honestly I can't tell you. I think we have another two weeks in this tunnel then we all blank out. Outside of the Nadesico however I think three months pass by."
Accepting Ruri's answer, Inez went to the next important issue, "What did the captain have to give you?" Frankly the captain of the Nadesico puzzled the blond doctor. 'She's flighty and air-headed one minute then totally focused the next. And when she IS air-headed it seems a ploy, she is truly something else.'
Worry showed its face in Ruri's expression. "She wants Akito to train 'Nakushita' how to pilot an Aestivalis." Ruri fully expected Inez to understand the implications of such a request. She didn't know if Yurika would accept disobedience from her or what would result if she did learn to pilot.
"So she wants a replacement I bet," Standing and walking over to Ruri's helmet and taking the heavy mass of plastic in her hands. Tossing the item of concealment over to her protégé, "She is a very conniving woman isn't she."
Again finding herself lost by Inez's logic, Ruri needed clarification. 'Inez is a genius in the truest sense. I can never follow her way of thinking.' Running her hand over the smooth surface of the mask, her only means of leaving her accursed room. "What do you mean?"
With a small smirk Inez went into her explanation. "Think about it. Why stress having Akito train you and not one of the more experienced female pilots? The answer is by having the two 'guys' together he won't be able to train with the other women, and he won't have time to be followed by Megumi."
Ruri nodded Inez had a point, the other pilots could have, if she were to be trained, do a better job of instructing her. Yurika was using Nakushita as a way of keeping the other girls from latching their claws into Akito. It was a well-planned ruse that wouldn't even seem out of the ordinary unless analyzed.
Ruri would have stopped needing an explanation at that point but Inez continued. "And once Nakushita is on par or better than Akito, Yurika pulls him from the flight roster. She'll start out by saying you need practical experience or that with only four Aestivalis their needs to be rotation. But he'll never be put back on, but no it doesn't stop there he'll stay on board as a cook. Eventually he'll be her 'private' cook."
"That can't happen though! The time-line...he has to pilot!" panic searing into her mind at the concept of non-existence. Ruri took Yurika's letter in hand and was fully intent on ripping it into shreds before Inez stopped her.
"I know it's a risk, but you can use this to your advantage. If you never get good enough to replace him, you can spend time with him." Inez knew the risk of even that much contact with Akito, but she also knew that the inability to even talk to Akito was killing Ruri.
Donning her helmet, Ruri smiled, "You know what. It's been to long since Akito and I last had a chance to play a game together." Her voice didn't depict her inner emotions however. Doubt, fear, love, and even lust entered her mind. 'Can I be trusted to do this and not let Akito know I'm me?' Her body was already moving to the bridge to tell Yurika that 'he' would accept, the doubt was pushed back deep into her mind. She simply couldn't pass up the chance.
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Wanting to collect his thoughts and calm down after his 'incident' in the mess hall, Akito had taken to his room. Mentally a wreck from the stress of the Nadesico's situation and the steadily growing attempts by both Megumi and Yurika to gain his favor, he really needed the two days away from everything.
But with all things, it had to come to and end as his door chimed. Turning off this remote controlled Gekiganger, which he didn't have out of his sight since he reclaimed it, he strode over to the door. Once opened, he found Yurika looking nervously into his room.
Having not liked angering Akito the last time she used her master key to gain entrance, Yurika had patiently waited for him. His absence the past few days had taken its toll on her as well. After he had re-entered her life, not having him around or knowing how he was doing was abstract torture to the highly intelligent woman. "Akito, are you feeling better?"
'So they told her about my outbreak, guess she does need to know. She is the captain after all.' His lips turned upwards slightly as he stepped aside allowing her to enter, which she happily did. "Yeah, I'm better now. Thanks for not making me report in or anything." Shutting the door behind them, the pair entered Akito's small and darkened room.
Allowing her fantasies to overtake her for a moment, Yurika envisioned Akito wrapping his arms around her in the darkened room. A few fresh tears trickling down his face as he turned her around, he'd say something about missing her all these years and then...the light turned on and her face turned a faint shade of pink. "Anything for you Akito," her voice chipper but Akito almost believed that she did mean 'anything.'
Sitting down on his bed, Akito looked into Yurika's deep blue eyes, "Guess I was a little out of it after finding out about the Admiral. Sorry if I missed anything." As Yurika sat right next to him, her legs brushing up against his own he wondered briefly why she was there.
Reveling in knowing Akito didn't shrink away from her close proximity, Yurika was tempted to put her arm around the man she loved in a consolation move. 'That would be to fast, Akito was really hurt on Mars. I was a fool to think he hadn't known anybody before finding me again. Even I had a thought about men in passing.' She knew that the others weren't Akito however, and that he was the only love in her life. "You didn't miss anything. I just wanted to check on you and make sure their wasn't anything I could do to help, and if I could make a small request."
'If she asks me to kiss her again I'll scream,' Akito thought as the adjusted position much to Yurika's chagrin to face her better. "Like I said, I'm better now," at the dazzling smile Yurika bestowed upon him after his comment he found himself matching it. "So what do you want to request captain?" He had a little playfulness in his tone that did much to offset Yurika's mental state.
'Does he know how he affects me? It's hard to believe that he does but...but my damn need to act vacant in front of the crew must give the impression that I'm normally this open.' Cursing the path she had chosen to keep the crews moral high, she turned back to path. "Could you train Nakushita to pilot an Aestivalis? I can get Uribataki to set up some simulators for the two of you if you want to."
Thinking that some exercise would do him some good and he did say he wanted to spend more time with the unfortunate man, Akito nodded. "You know what, I'll do it. That is if he wants to."
Feeling a great weight leave her shoulders Yurika wanted to scream out in victory. 'He'll be away from those harpies, Megumi won't be able to snatch at him, and soon, soon he won't have to risk his life.' Getting up from her bed and heading to the door, Yurika turned one last time to look at her truest love, "He agreed earlier today to it. Starting tomorrow you will training our newest Aestivalis pilot."
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Rushing to the bridge to 'discus' the alteration of the training regimen, Ryoko was very pissed off. To the uniformed she seemed upset that her squad was to be receiving a new member without her involvement, to the informed however she was upset that she was to lose 'temporarily' a certain member. "Where the hell is that nut-bar captain?"
From her position at the helm, Minato was laughing inside. 'This ship is always so full of entertainment. Megumi's upset because Akito's been holed up for the last few days, and now that Yurika has made Nakushita a pilot, Ryoko's upset. Ah to be young and in love.'
Now Minato knew she wasn't that much older than them, but she didn't really see Akito for anything overly special. Sure he saved them and was energetic, but she liked her men a little older. But that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy what she was watching now.
Having grown tired of listening to the static over the comm. system, Megumi had taken to reading to pass her time. Looking up from a rather passionate novel and over to the green haired tomboy, "Yurika went to tell Akito about his current assignment."
"You mean she hasn't told him yet? That flier seemed to be have been made ages ago!" Ryoko's voice growing in decibels. Storming over to Megumi's station, she stopped briefly to pat Ruri's head as she walked by. An event that happened more often than the child would have liked.
'All but Tenkawa-kun look down on me for my age. Why must they judge me based on my stature?' the small girl thought as she reconnected to Omaikane and an escape from the world of 'adults.'
Agreeing with Ryoko that Yurika seemed overly confident that Akito would bend to her will wasn't something to be happy about. Neither of them openly stated Akito was the source of their agitation but it was easy to see. "I don't know what she's thinking about with this. We don't even have enough Aesti's for another pilot," Megumi's head dropping in thought.
Ryoko took Megumi's question to heart. 'If we get another pilot, she might want to...' Her thoughts stopped, "We'll probably get another suit once we get back to Earth space." She dismissed the thought that Yurika would endanger the ship by taking Akito away from active duty. 'She can't be that crafty.'
Of handedly Megumi let out a languished, "I wonder how Akito is doing."
"That dork, I bet he's fine. Just wants people to worry about him that's all." The words sounded hollow in her opinion but she couldn't possibly like him, there was no way she could. Absolutely none, she kept telling herself.
From her place across the room Minato recounted Akito's little bout of hysteria, "He did cry out that 'That bastard killed her,' though. Wonder who he was talking about."
Both women did wonder exactly who Akito was referring to. Megumi had her suspicions that from her earlier talks with Akito that he had lost someone very close but never knew the circumstances. Ryoko's thoughts were similar to Megumi's but without the prior knowledge of her lance mate.
A silence lulled over the bridge, only Ruri who had partially been listening to the conversation spoke, "Bakas."
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With no other reason left to stay hidden in his quarters, Akito returned to his duties aboard the Nadesico. Houmei wasn't at all upset with him for not showing up for his previous shifts. She had been witness to what caused it. After a little cook-party things carried on as if he hadn't been gone from this post.
Megumi was another matter for Akito to deal with. Before he had gone into his seclusion, the two of them would talk a little in the mess hall or on the observation deck, but now Megumi was actively seeking him out. Usually after he'd return from teaching Nakushita how to pilot, he'd find Megumi standing outside his door. Megumi would take him to the VR room and while he didn't always agree with what simulation she picked out, he found that he really enjoying the girls company.
Dealing with Yurika was slowly driving Akito insane. With her master key in tow, Akito was starting to think that his warning about knocking was going to be ignored. After the seclusion ended, Yurika often found it necessary to 'check up on' her crew. Akito doubted she'd ever checked on the rest of the Nadesico's crew. The saving grace for Yurika was that Akito just couldn't stay mad at her. Her overflowing emotions would stem his temper and make him forget why he was upset in the first place.
Unknown to Akito, both Megumi and Yurika weren't happy with just the small bouts of time with him. They wanted, needed more from him and when they saw the other leaving with him or going to see him, anger and bitterness began to enter them. Akito wasn't blind to their feelings, but he was too afraid to try something. Memories of his Ruri kept entering his mind whenever he contemplated trying a relationship with either woman.
His mantra for 'putting the girls off' was simple. "I just can't help but be afraid. Everybody that gets close to me dies. If it were to happen again I don't know what I'd do."
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According to Ruri's estimate, they crew had one more day left in the tunnel before they arrived on the outside. Re-adjusting her helmet, she walked into the training room and found Akito already there. Waving to him as she often did, she climbed into her simulated cockpit.
Grinning at his now combat buddy, Akito opened a comm. channel to Nakushita's pod. "I think your ready for a combat exercise. I don't really have anything else to teach you, the rest you get with experience."
Fighting the growing urge to rip off her disguise, Ruri nodded. "Don't expect me to go easy on you sensei." Her hands gripping the stirrups of the simulator as the internal light dimmed and was replaced with a mountain landscape.
True to form, neither combatant was slacking. Akito was thrilled to have some male bonding, because it helped to keep his mind off of the past and his current romantic problems. Discharging his rifle at his opponent, he marveled at how quickly Nakushita picked up the controls.
Reminded of her times battling Akito in their tiny Martian apartment, Ruri could still read Akito like a book. She'd easily learned the controls of the mecha, but it wasn't her skill that gave her an advantage, it was that she truly knew her opponent. 'I could finish this now but I don't want to, I want more time with him.'
Her training meetings with Akito were a blessing. She was honestly surprised that Inez hadn't forbid her from doing them, 'She must trust me a lot I guess.' Just being in his presence filled her with nostalgia. She remembered all his faults and perks. She remembered why she had her crush on him on the Nadesico and how she fell in love with him on Mars.
Falling back into her memories, Ruri forgot one thing. Akito remembered Ruri's playing style much as she had remembered his. So as he battled against Nakushita, his memory tried to recall exactly why he could remember the moves, how he could predict what was going to happen next. Then it hit him metaphysically like a ton of bricks. "Ruri."
An avalanche of memories that he'd tried to repress again came flooding to the surface. The confession by the admiral did much to resurface them again but the battle did the rest. He wasn't even aware that Nakushita had just speared his simulation Aestivalis and claimed victory. Akito was only aware of the pain in his chest and the salty tears tracing his face.
Ruri had noticed Akito's drop in performance as she won and became worried. Rushing over to his pod, Ruri found Akito with his legs drawn tightly against his chest and his head buried in them. Again grateful for the voice modifier, "Tenkawa-san is something wrong?"
Shaken by the ruff voice, "Oh, oh sorry just. Bad memories I guess." Akito tried to push the feelings down again but failed as Nakushita pulled him out of the simulator and over to a set of viewing chairs that Yurika had added in case of spectators. "You fight a lot like somebody I used to...to know."
Without a moments hesitation Ruri responded, "Maybe it would do you good to speak about it. Get those feelings out." Only after she had spoke did she think that having him do just that might not be the best thing. 'Can I handle what he would say if he does?'
Much to Ruri's dismay, Akito actually did think it would help. Nakushita was a man; maybe he has some advice for me. "Before the attack on Mars. I was living with a girl. She wasn't just a girl I guess. I loved her."
Heart pounding in her ears, Ruri never expected Akito to have mirrored her feelings. Sure they kissed that one time but she had initiated it. Her throat finding words hard to pronounce, "Go on."
Looking blankly into his hands, "I never told her my feelings. Things were confusing in the end and I don't know how she really felt but it just ended. The Jovian's attacked and she was killed. After my parents died when I was a child she was there for me, and I just let her die without a word of thanks, appreciation, or love."
Ruri was to stunned to talk. All her hopes and dreams were real, but out of her grasp. Unable to find the ability to speak she just put her arm around his shoulder and cursed the heavy suit she wore that stole all sense of feeling. After a short time Akito apologized for being selfish and bothering Nakushita and left Ruri.
Watching from the security cameras, Yurika had witnessed the whole thing. Her own tears falling as she soaking in all of Akito's pain. Rushing to his room from her post, much to Jun's confusion, Yurika went right into Akito's room without prompting again. "Akito? Akito are you hear?"
The darkness and silence that answered Yurika's question wasn't much to deter her. "Akito please talk to me. I'm sorry but I was listening to you talk to Nakushita."
A sad broken voice was heard from Akito's bed, "You, you heard me?" Akito didn't want anybody to know of his pain. It was selfish of him to put his pain on so many others who had pain of their own.
Using his voice as a beckon, the captain found and enfolded her arms around the source. Hugging Akito tightly she let her own feelings out as she felt his arms wrap around her. Feeling a few straggling tears on her uniform she shushed Akito as he tried to talk. 'I'll be here for you Akito. I'll help you forget her. I love you and in time you'll love me again.'
In the darkness of the room, Yurika kissed Akito again after his tears subsided. She kissed him deeper than back in the washroom. Emotionally drained, Akito just reveled in the soft texture of his childhood friend's lips against his. Before Yurika could deepen her kiss, Akito pushed her gently away. "Thank you Yurika. Thank you."
She could feel him smiling at her and replied, "Anything for you Akito." A few more moments of silence passed before a call from the bridge caused Yurika to leave.
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The next day Akito met with Nakushita for his training and was in greatly improved spirits. Akito apologized again for any troubles he caused Nakushita with his breakdown. Akito was relieved when the usually silent man nodded and said it wasn't a problem.
Other events on the Nadesico happened normally until suddenly all was black. Ruri was the first to recover and called the other crew members out of their slumber. She wouldn't have minded them sleeping, but a battle was going on around them and she couldn't handle the ship alone.
Finding the captain, Akito, and Inez in the recroom was a surprise, finding Akito and Inez holding hands and almost snuggling was a greater shock, but that was one Yurika put a stop too.
As the trio rushed to their respective places, nobody noticed a shorthaired blue haired woman rushing out of the room after the others left. The elder Ruri was terrified, 'this didn't happen before! Why did I end up there this time? What's happened to me?'
Nobody answered her question as the crew was to involved with the impromptu battle.
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Author notes
Again I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I hope you don't think I'm making Yurika to bold. I still think if she had reason, say Akito having a crisis, she'd try to help him and well forward her relationship with him.
Its your opinion if you agree with me or not though. Hope you liked it and will review my chapter. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I try to catch them all and grammar check does help a lot but can't get them all.
Wow, been to long since I last updated this story. I've been meaning to for a while but, well to be honest didn't think I could concentrate enough on the task at hand as I was panicking about projects and such. Sorry. Hope you think the wait was worth it and continue to read/enjoy my rendition of Nadesico.
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Anata no Ichiban Ni Naritai Chapter 12 – Coming Together
Two days into the dark twirling vortex that was the boson tunnel, Ruri received a letter from her captain. After reading Akito's letter from Kyoko, Ruri wasn't in the state of mind to do anything let alone what Yurika had just asked her to do. Lying on her bed with the letter in hand she just stared out into space.
"You'll put a hole in the hull if you keep that up," Inez said trying to get her sullen friend to smile. Slowly beginning to worry about the mental state of her young ward, Inez couldn't help but wonder what the letter Akito had so meticulously cared for and delivered only a few days ago. 'Ever since she's read it she became this zombie.'
Her voice again reminiscent of her deadpan self responded with a simple sorry as she turned her head back to the letter. 'Why couldn't things have been different? Why did this whole thing have to happen?' She would have continued to curse fate for her troubles had Inez not ripped the letter away from her.
'I'm tired of this. She needs help and only I can do that right now.' Going over the well-written lines of text, Inez came to the conclusion that Ruri was taking things better than she would have anticipated. Taking a moment to look at Ruri, Inez found that the blue haired woman had yet to move from her position. Taking a seat herself next to Ruri, Inez read the letter again in earnest.
' Dear Ruri-chan,
Things on Earth are wonderful, I'm so glad you suggested it. I am upset however, with you. I shouldn't have to write to Miss Hoshino anymore should I? I've seen you and Akito-chan grow up together and I know you'll make each other very happy. You may not know it but I do, Akito loves you deeply, just like you feel for him. Akito is very important to me, he became a son to me and I want him to be happy, and he will be with you. Stop fighting with yourself and listen to your heart. Tell him!
Well I better stop prattling on about this. And Ruri, I would love to have you 'in the family.' Hope you two are happy together and well this is selfish but we wouldn't mind being grandparents.
Love hopefully your soon to be mother-in-law Kyoko Takeshi'
Folding the letter in half and placing it on the nightstand by Ruri's bed, Inez reached out and hugged the poor girl. That letter symbolically ripped her heart into pieces. 'A weaker person would have exposed themselves to their love by now. Yet she hasn't.'
Breaking down in Inez's arms, Ruri cried again. She was ashamed of herself for it, but it was comforting to say the less. After a few minutes they separated and Ruri smiled a tiny bit as she looked at Inez. "Thanks I needed that."
Waving off the thanks, Inez focused a little bit more now that Ruri wasn't so withdrawn. "Glad you're feeling better. Back to business, how long are we to be in this thing?" Her hands gestured to the simulated window showing the utter blackness surrounding them.
Wiping the last of her tears away, Ruri climbed over to the side of her bed and took a sitting position. Thinking back all those years, she found it hard to come up with an actual figure; it was hazy in her mind. "Honestly I can't tell you. I think we have another two weeks in this tunnel then we all blank out. Outside of the Nadesico however I think three months pass by."
Accepting Ruri's answer, Inez went to the next important issue, "What did the captain have to give you?" Frankly the captain of the Nadesico puzzled the blond doctor. 'She's flighty and air-headed one minute then totally focused the next. And when she IS air-headed it seems a ploy, she is truly something else.'
Worry showed its face in Ruri's expression. "She wants Akito to train 'Nakushita' how to pilot an Aestivalis." Ruri fully expected Inez to understand the implications of such a request. She didn't know if Yurika would accept disobedience from her or what would result if she did learn to pilot.
"So she wants a replacement I bet," Standing and walking over to Ruri's helmet and taking the heavy mass of plastic in her hands. Tossing the item of concealment over to her protégé, "She is a very conniving woman isn't she."
Again finding herself lost by Inez's logic, Ruri needed clarification. 'Inez is a genius in the truest sense. I can never follow her way of thinking.' Running her hand over the smooth surface of the mask, her only means of leaving her accursed room. "What do you mean?"
With a small smirk Inez went into her explanation. "Think about it. Why stress having Akito train you and not one of the more experienced female pilots? The answer is by having the two 'guys' together he won't be able to train with the other women, and he won't have time to be followed by Megumi."
Ruri nodded Inez had a point, the other pilots could have, if she were to be trained, do a better job of instructing her. Yurika was using Nakushita as a way of keeping the other girls from latching their claws into Akito. It was a well-planned ruse that wouldn't even seem out of the ordinary unless analyzed.
Ruri would have stopped needing an explanation at that point but Inez continued. "And once Nakushita is on par or better than Akito, Yurika pulls him from the flight roster. She'll start out by saying you need practical experience or that with only four Aestivalis their needs to be rotation. But he'll never be put back on, but no it doesn't stop there he'll stay on board as a cook. Eventually he'll be her 'private' cook."
"That can't happen though! The time-line...he has to pilot!" panic searing into her mind at the concept of non-existence. Ruri took Yurika's letter in hand and was fully intent on ripping it into shreds before Inez stopped her.
"I know it's a risk, but you can use this to your advantage. If you never get good enough to replace him, you can spend time with him." Inez knew the risk of even that much contact with Akito, but she also knew that the inability to even talk to Akito was killing Ruri.
Donning her helmet, Ruri smiled, "You know what. It's been to long since Akito and I last had a chance to play a game together." Her voice didn't depict her inner emotions however. Doubt, fear, love, and even lust entered her mind. 'Can I be trusted to do this and not let Akito know I'm me?' Her body was already moving to the bridge to tell Yurika that 'he' would accept, the doubt was pushed back deep into her mind. She simply couldn't pass up the chance.
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Wanting to collect his thoughts and calm down after his 'incident' in the mess hall, Akito had taken to his room. Mentally a wreck from the stress of the Nadesico's situation and the steadily growing attempts by both Megumi and Yurika to gain his favor, he really needed the two days away from everything.
But with all things, it had to come to and end as his door chimed. Turning off this remote controlled Gekiganger, which he didn't have out of his sight since he reclaimed it, he strode over to the door. Once opened, he found Yurika looking nervously into his room.
Having not liked angering Akito the last time she used her master key to gain entrance, Yurika had patiently waited for him. His absence the past few days had taken its toll on her as well. After he had re-entered her life, not having him around or knowing how he was doing was abstract torture to the highly intelligent woman. "Akito, are you feeling better?"
'So they told her about my outbreak, guess she does need to know. She is the captain after all.' His lips turned upwards slightly as he stepped aside allowing her to enter, which she happily did. "Yeah, I'm better now. Thanks for not making me report in or anything." Shutting the door behind them, the pair entered Akito's small and darkened room.
Allowing her fantasies to overtake her for a moment, Yurika envisioned Akito wrapping his arms around her in the darkened room. A few fresh tears trickling down his face as he turned her around, he'd say something about missing her all these years and then...the light turned on and her face turned a faint shade of pink. "Anything for you Akito," her voice chipper but Akito almost believed that she did mean 'anything.'
Sitting down on his bed, Akito looked into Yurika's deep blue eyes, "Guess I was a little out of it after finding out about the Admiral. Sorry if I missed anything." As Yurika sat right next to him, her legs brushing up against his own he wondered briefly why she was there.
Reveling in knowing Akito didn't shrink away from her close proximity, Yurika was tempted to put her arm around the man she loved in a consolation move. 'That would be to fast, Akito was really hurt on Mars. I was a fool to think he hadn't known anybody before finding me again. Even I had a thought about men in passing.' She knew that the others weren't Akito however, and that he was the only love in her life. "You didn't miss anything. I just wanted to check on you and make sure their wasn't anything I could do to help, and if I could make a small request."
'If she asks me to kiss her again I'll scream,' Akito thought as the adjusted position much to Yurika's chagrin to face her better. "Like I said, I'm better now," at the dazzling smile Yurika bestowed upon him after his comment he found himself matching it. "So what do you want to request captain?" He had a little playfulness in his tone that did much to offset Yurika's mental state.
'Does he know how he affects me? It's hard to believe that he does but...but my damn need to act vacant in front of the crew must give the impression that I'm normally this open.' Cursing the path she had chosen to keep the crews moral high, she turned back to path. "Could you train Nakushita to pilot an Aestivalis? I can get Uribataki to set up some simulators for the two of you if you want to."
Thinking that some exercise would do him some good and he did say he wanted to spend more time with the unfortunate man, Akito nodded. "You know what, I'll do it. That is if he wants to."
Feeling a great weight leave her shoulders Yurika wanted to scream out in victory. 'He'll be away from those harpies, Megumi won't be able to snatch at him, and soon, soon he won't have to risk his life.' Getting up from her bed and heading to the door, Yurika turned one last time to look at her truest love, "He agreed earlier today to it. Starting tomorrow you will training our newest Aestivalis pilot."
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Rushing to the bridge to 'discus' the alteration of the training regimen, Ryoko was very pissed off. To the uniformed she seemed upset that her squad was to be receiving a new member without her involvement, to the informed however she was upset that she was to lose 'temporarily' a certain member. "Where the hell is that nut-bar captain?"
From her position at the helm, Minato was laughing inside. 'This ship is always so full of entertainment. Megumi's upset because Akito's been holed up for the last few days, and now that Yurika has made Nakushita a pilot, Ryoko's upset. Ah to be young and in love.'
Now Minato knew she wasn't that much older than them, but she didn't really see Akito for anything overly special. Sure he saved them and was energetic, but she liked her men a little older. But that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy what she was watching now.
Having grown tired of listening to the static over the comm. system, Megumi had taken to reading to pass her time. Looking up from a rather passionate novel and over to the green haired tomboy, "Yurika went to tell Akito about his current assignment."
"You mean she hasn't told him yet? That flier seemed to be have been made ages ago!" Ryoko's voice growing in decibels. Storming over to Megumi's station, she stopped briefly to pat Ruri's head as she walked by. An event that happened more often than the child would have liked.
'All but Tenkawa-kun look down on me for my age. Why must they judge me based on my stature?' the small girl thought as she reconnected to Omaikane and an escape from the world of 'adults.'
Agreeing with Ryoko that Yurika seemed overly confident that Akito would bend to her will wasn't something to be happy about. Neither of them openly stated Akito was the source of their agitation but it was easy to see. "I don't know what she's thinking about with this. We don't even have enough Aesti's for another pilot," Megumi's head dropping in thought.
Ryoko took Megumi's question to heart. 'If we get another pilot, she might want to...' Her thoughts stopped, "We'll probably get another suit once we get back to Earth space." She dismissed the thought that Yurika would endanger the ship by taking Akito away from active duty. 'She can't be that crafty.'
Of handedly Megumi let out a languished, "I wonder how Akito is doing."
"That dork, I bet he's fine. Just wants people to worry about him that's all." The words sounded hollow in her opinion but she couldn't possibly like him, there was no way she could. Absolutely none, she kept telling herself.
From her place across the room Minato recounted Akito's little bout of hysteria, "He did cry out that 'That bastard killed her,' though. Wonder who he was talking about."
Both women did wonder exactly who Akito was referring to. Megumi had her suspicions that from her earlier talks with Akito that he had lost someone very close but never knew the circumstances. Ryoko's thoughts were similar to Megumi's but without the prior knowledge of her lance mate.
A silence lulled over the bridge, only Ruri who had partially been listening to the conversation spoke, "Bakas."
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With no other reason left to stay hidden in his quarters, Akito returned to his duties aboard the Nadesico. Houmei wasn't at all upset with him for not showing up for his previous shifts. She had been witness to what caused it. After a little cook-party things carried on as if he hadn't been gone from this post.
Megumi was another matter for Akito to deal with. Before he had gone into his seclusion, the two of them would talk a little in the mess hall or on the observation deck, but now Megumi was actively seeking him out. Usually after he'd return from teaching Nakushita how to pilot, he'd find Megumi standing outside his door. Megumi would take him to the VR room and while he didn't always agree with what simulation she picked out, he found that he really enjoying the girls company.
Dealing with Yurika was slowly driving Akito insane. With her master key in tow, Akito was starting to think that his warning about knocking was going to be ignored. After the seclusion ended, Yurika often found it necessary to 'check up on' her crew. Akito doubted she'd ever checked on the rest of the Nadesico's crew. The saving grace for Yurika was that Akito just couldn't stay mad at her. Her overflowing emotions would stem his temper and make him forget why he was upset in the first place.
Unknown to Akito, both Megumi and Yurika weren't happy with just the small bouts of time with him. They wanted, needed more from him and when they saw the other leaving with him or going to see him, anger and bitterness began to enter them. Akito wasn't blind to their feelings, but he was too afraid to try something. Memories of his Ruri kept entering his mind whenever he contemplated trying a relationship with either woman.
His mantra for 'putting the girls off' was simple. "I just can't help but be afraid. Everybody that gets close to me dies. If it were to happen again I don't know what I'd do."
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According to Ruri's estimate, they crew had one more day left in the tunnel before they arrived on the outside. Re-adjusting her helmet, she walked into the training room and found Akito already there. Waving to him as she often did, she climbed into her simulated cockpit.
Grinning at his now combat buddy, Akito opened a comm. channel to Nakushita's pod. "I think your ready for a combat exercise. I don't really have anything else to teach you, the rest you get with experience."
Fighting the growing urge to rip off her disguise, Ruri nodded. "Don't expect me to go easy on you sensei." Her hands gripping the stirrups of the simulator as the internal light dimmed and was replaced with a mountain landscape.
True to form, neither combatant was slacking. Akito was thrilled to have some male bonding, because it helped to keep his mind off of the past and his current romantic problems. Discharging his rifle at his opponent, he marveled at how quickly Nakushita picked up the controls.
Reminded of her times battling Akito in their tiny Martian apartment, Ruri could still read Akito like a book. She'd easily learned the controls of the mecha, but it wasn't her skill that gave her an advantage, it was that she truly knew her opponent. 'I could finish this now but I don't want to, I want more time with him.'
Her training meetings with Akito were a blessing. She was honestly surprised that Inez hadn't forbid her from doing them, 'She must trust me a lot I guess.' Just being in his presence filled her with nostalgia. She remembered all his faults and perks. She remembered why she had her crush on him on the Nadesico and how she fell in love with him on Mars.
Falling back into her memories, Ruri forgot one thing. Akito remembered Ruri's playing style much as she had remembered his. So as he battled against Nakushita, his memory tried to recall exactly why he could remember the moves, how he could predict what was going to happen next. Then it hit him metaphysically like a ton of bricks. "Ruri."
An avalanche of memories that he'd tried to repress again came flooding to the surface. The confession by the admiral did much to resurface them again but the battle did the rest. He wasn't even aware that Nakushita had just speared his simulation Aestivalis and claimed victory. Akito was only aware of the pain in his chest and the salty tears tracing his face.
Ruri had noticed Akito's drop in performance as she won and became worried. Rushing over to his pod, Ruri found Akito with his legs drawn tightly against his chest and his head buried in them. Again grateful for the voice modifier, "Tenkawa-san is something wrong?"
Shaken by the ruff voice, "Oh, oh sorry just. Bad memories I guess." Akito tried to push the feelings down again but failed as Nakushita pulled him out of the simulator and over to a set of viewing chairs that Yurika had added in case of spectators. "You fight a lot like somebody I used to...to know."
Without a moments hesitation Ruri responded, "Maybe it would do you good to speak about it. Get those feelings out." Only after she had spoke did she think that having him do just that might not be the best thing. 'Can I handle what he would say if he does?'
Much to Ruri's dismay, Akito actually did think it would help. Nakushita was a man; maybe he has some advice for me. "Before the attack on Mars. I was living with a girl. She wasn't just a girl I guess. I loved her."
Heart pounding in her ears, Ruri never expected Akito to have mirrored her feelings. Sure they kissed that one time but she had initiated it. Her throat finding words hard to pronounce, "Go on."
Looking blankly into his hands, "I never told her my feelings. Things were confusing in the end and I don't know how she really felt but it just ended. The Jovian's attacked and she was killed. After my parents died when I was a child she was there for me, and I just let her die without a word of thanks, appreciation, or love."
Ruri was to stunned to talk. All her hopes and dreams were real, but out of her grasp. Unable to find the ability to speak she just put her arm around his shoulder and cursed the heavy suit she wore that stole all sense of feeling. After a short time Akito apologized for being selfish and bothering Nakushita and left Ruri.
Watching from the security cameras, Yurika had witnessed the whole thing. Her own tears falling as she soaking in all of Akito's pain. Rushing to his room from her post, much to Jun's confusion, Yurika went right into Akito's room without prompting again. "Akito? Akito are you hear?"
The darkness and silence that answered Yurika's question wasn't much to deter her. "Akito please talk to me. I'm sorry but I was listening to you talk to Nakushita."
A sad broken voice was heard from Akito's bed, "You, you heard me?" Akito didn't want anybody to know of his pain. It was selfish of him to put his pain on so many others who had pain of their own.
Using his voice as a beckon, the captain found and enfolded her arms around the source. Hugging Akito tightly she let her own feelings out as she felt his arms wrap around her. Feeling a few straggling tears on her uniform she shushed Akito as he tried to talk. 'I'll be here for you Akito. I'll help you forget her. I love you and in time you'll love me again.'
In the darkness of the room, Yurika kissed Akito again after his tears subsided. She kissed him deeper than back in the washroom. Emotionally drained, Akito just reveled in the soft texture of his childhood friend's lips against his. Before Yurika could deepen her kiss, Akito pushed her gently away. "Thank you Yurika. Thank you."
She could feel him smiling at her and replied, "Anything for you Akito." A few more moments of silence passed before a call from the bridge caused Yurika to leave.
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The next day Akito met with Nakushita for his training and was in greatly improved spirits. Akito apologized again for any troubles he caused Nakushita with his breakdown. Akito was relieved when the usually silent man nodded and said it wasn't a problem.
Other events on the Nadesico happened normally until suddenly all was black. Ruri was the first to recover and called the other crew members out of their slumber. She wouldn't have minded them sleeping, but a battle was going on around them and she couldn't handle the ship alone.
Finding the captain, Akito, and Inez in the recroom was a surprise, finding Akito and Inez holding hands and almost snuggling was a greater shock, but that was one Yurika put a stop too.
As the trio rushed to their respective places, nobody noticed a shorthaired blue haired woman rushing out of the room after the others left. The elder Ruri was terrified, 'this didn't happen before! Why did I end up there this time? What's happened to me?'
Nobody answered her question as the crew was to involved with the impromptu battle.
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Author notes
Again I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I hope you don't think I'm making Yurika to bold. I still think if she had reason, say Akito having a crisis, she'd try to help him and well forward her relationship with him.
Its your opinion if you agree with me or not though. Hope you liked it and will review my chapter. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I try to catch them all and grammar check does help a lot but can't get them all.