Chapter 5
Hi everyone! this chapter tells about Rick's dreams during his induced coma due to the VF-4 accident that occurred in chapter 4.
The chapter opens and closes at the end of the this previous chapter. For convenience I indicated each time a dream starts.
Their fingers intertwined.
At that very moment Rick experienced an intense dejavu, that almost made him shiver. He was holding tight to Lisa's hand at that very moment. He could still feel her soft, warm skin. He could feel her reassuring presence next to him. But it had happened before, some time very close by. And he felt the same way. But... it couldn't be.
It had been so long ago when they had held each other after his return from Apollo. And then... there had only been miscommunication and a cold war, between them.
Maybe it was a dream, it was just a dream...
FIRST DREAM
-Rick... Rick! You hear me? The alarm has gone off three times now!
-Wha...? What?
Rick Hunter tossed and turned in the soft sheets, one arm dangling under the bed as is his habit...
-Rick!
-Mmmh?
The mattress was so comfy and the sheets so snug and fragrant that sleep wasnot going to leave him so easily.
But all of a sudden, a sharp jolt made him jump and roll over onto his back.
With great effort he opened his eyes wide, and the sleep fog started to clear up.
-Rick, come on! It's 7 o'clock! If my uncle finds you here, we' re in trouble!
He is gonna lock you down in the kitchen!
-Ehhh?
Standing before him in a belligerent stance, with her pretty pouty face and messy hair, was no less than Minmay.
Rick's eyes got so wide he felt like they were coming out of his skull.
Miinmay was in her bedroom and wait, omg she was only wearing a top and a pair of micro shorts! WHITE! Every curve of her body was exposed. The faint sunlight graced her pale skin sprinkled with tiny blue veins.
Rick blushed wildly. What was Minmay doing in his room and hey, wait a minute, that wasn't his room!
With a rapid turn of the head he took a 360 degree view of his surroundings. A bedroom, sure, but it wasn't his! It was definitely a girl's room... the bed... the furniture, the soft pink dye on the walls... Teen Idol trophies on the shelves and flags from Sacred Heart High School ? What?... and then... a keyboard with a microphone... and it looked like professional stuff...
-Wha... wha...what?
That must have been Minmay's room! Oh, my God, Why was he there? Had he... had he been sleeping there? At the very thought his heart started pumping like crazy. He had... she was... basically naked so, uh, had they... made... that?
Rick quickly pulled the sheets over his head and flushed even more.
He tried to remember but he just couldn't.
Can it be I got so drunk?!
-Oh god...
he mumbled
-Rick Hunter! Are you serious!? I told you to get up and get the hell out of here!
Rick swallowed hard. Pointless to hang on . He peered with one eye through the fabric of the sheets. Minmay's long beautiful legs were still in front of him.
He pulled himself up onto the bed.
He looked at her with a gaze she just could not decode.
Then Minmay's scowling face softened. She laid a hand on his shoulder... He shuddered at her touch and glanced at her small hand. her nails were manicured and decorated with sakura flowers.
-Mi..Minmay...
-Rick, I gotta go to school and so do you... you didn't tell me you have a class with a UEG Captain today?
At those words Rick's eyes and mouth opened even wider.
-Captain? But ... I'm the captain... I mean, I...
Minmay burst out laughing, but immediately covered her mouth with both hands.
-Hahah! Rick but... hello again? You okay? What did you and Max do last night? Should I worry? I thought you guys were testing for soft drugs!
- Soft drugs? Huh? Max? He... he was with me?
-Sure. And with me. We spent the evening at the restaurant... but ...Rick, what's wrong with you?
The young man had jumped out of bed. He was only wearing navy blue underwear and a white shirt.
He walked warily to the window.
-So we're in your room?
Minmay stared at him puzzled.
-Above the restaurant?
Rick shifted the pink curtain and gazed out on the street.
The city was already in turmoil even though the sun had barely risen. Strange, New Macross looked so different to him.
-But... how is everything so... refined?
Minmay stared at him as if he was throwing up on the carpet.
-Rick! What the hell are you babbling about!?
He beckoned her over to look at the window herself.
-I mean...
he whispered
-The streets are so neat and there are lots of people, its not dangerous for radiation? Plus...where the hell is the snow? And what about the SDF1?
Minmay staggered and stepped away from his side.
-The SDF1? What is that? Rick...you're scaring me!
At that time a gentle knock made them both wince
-Minmay are you up? Time for breakfast!
Rick felt a cold trickle running down his spine.
Minmay motioned him to shut up. She brought her finger to her lips
-Yes, Aunt Lena, yeah! I'm on my way down!
she shouted and then she whispered
-Move out of here!
He looked at the window and then back at her angry face.
-Should I? ... Jump out the window?
Minmay was steaming
-Rick! As if you've never done before! Oh and... get dressed first!
Rick Hunter found himself in the middle of the street just outside the Chinese restaurant. He had worn dark Rayban sunglasses that he dug out of his jacket. Was this his jacket? It was very similar to the Skull Squadron's one but it only featured the RDF logo on his right arm.
He took a few blind steps. Something didn't quite convince him, but he couldn't say what. Of course the Nyan Nyan was always the same. He caught sight of uncle Max hustling on the counter in the lobby.
He could feel the hunger pangs piercing his stomach.
Shrimp dumplings...
-Hey Hunter! Rick Hunter!
A familiar voice made him wince.
It was a young man riding a bicycle, waving at him from across the street.
Rick realized that there were actually MANY different model cars on the street. He was enthralled.
Then he walked to the opposite sidewalk trying to dodge the passing traffic.
It was really him: maybe it would clear up some of his little doubts.
-Max!
-Hey bro!
Rick stared at him carefully: there was something odd in him.
-Where your glasses?
Max raised his eyebrows in suspicion.
-Glasses? You mean I need to wear glasses like you?
Rick put his hand over his face and took off his raybans.
-Weel, I... no, ehr nevermind...
-you didn't go back to the dorm tonight did you? I'm not surprised... and... look, Minmay is even dumber than you! But if I was you I would watch out for her cousin. I mean she's beautiful but... is it worth it?
Rick stared at him openmouthed as if he was listening to a tirade in some foreing language.
-Well, don't know about you, but I'm off, I got my test prep in the simulator.
Rick smiled sincerely
-You don't need the simulator Max. You could fly a VT with your eyes closed and upside down.
Max tilted his head.
A VT? What game you talking bout?
-Eh? Not ...uh... yes, what are you,,, actually saying Max?
Max shook his head.
-And yet I know all the new Playstation and XBOX releases..You... can you talk about that later? Get going! See ya at school!
With that, he mounted his bike and got lost in the traffic like a bolt.
-At school?
Rick jumped on a bus despite not knowing how there could be buses in the city. The sky was so clear, the sun was warm. He had to take off his jacket. Indeed, the weather had changed drastically.
I wonder if Dr. Lang do have an explanation for this?
The driver, dressed in a stylish navy blue suit, turned from the driver's seat.
-Students, we are at Robotech Academy*. All other travelers, please stay on your seat!
Rick widened his eyes and ran a hand through his hair several times.
-Robotech Academy?
The sumptuous Northern European-style building towered in front of him, standing in the middle of a huge park beautifully landscaped. The surprise was so great that he remained open-mouthed for a few moments, his face completely turned upwards, his arms detached from his body...when a set of blows to his arms and shoulders made him wince
-Hey, get out of the way!
A bunch of boys heading for the school entrance slammed him from side to side.
-Uh?
In a moment he found himself under the stairway.
Up there were three girls wearing their blue and white school uniforms. they smiled at him leaning on the railing
-Hello Rick!
Said the taller one. He felt like he knew her but wasn't sure.
He passed a hand under the nape of his neck and walked over at them.
-Hello...hm...
She actually looked like Vanessa Leeds, even if she didn't wear glasses. Obviously that day everyone had decided to get rid of their eyewear at the same time... Just at that moment another person approached from the opposite side: Rick found himself suddenly in front of her.
It was as if he was wrapped in layers of bubbles and cotton candy. The sun hurt his eyes while a wave of floral scent filled all his senses.
When he managed to focus, he shuddered.
It was her, no doubt about it...she was so young and so beautiful Rick felt blushing hard. He stared at her from head to toe, repeatedly.
She was wearing a school uniform. Her skirt was exaggeratingly short. He glanced at the white skin of her legs, the perfect shape of her knees lapped by thin blue yarn socks. Her hair was styled with little pearl hairpins.
-Lisa! I mean Captain Hayes!
he stammered
He immediately brought a hand to his brow trying to recompose his posture. He squared his shoulders and clicked his heels.
The three girls from earlier burst out into giggling.
But not her. She looked at him with hatred and outrage. He knew that look so well
-Rick Hunter!
Her voice was quivering with anger
-I already told you to stop bothering me...or better
She moved closer to him. She pointed a finger at his chest and pushed on his rib cage.
-You must stop teasing me!
Suddenly her eyes blurred and for a moment Rick felt like she was going to cry.
Lisa pulled back her hand and clutched the books tightly. Then she glanced at the girls who were still sniggering and then back at him. Her eyes were so sad
-Why you enjoy making me suffer, so much?
In an instant she had flown into the large gateway. Rick was simply astonished: what had he said that time? He glanced again at the girls, who were smiling mischievously, and then raised a hand to his chest just where she had touched him. He could still sense her scent.
-You are such a jerk Rick!
He turned around and looked at them, frightened
-Yeah, how old are you?
Rick stared in disbelief, they were teasing him!
-But I didn't do... anything!
he babbled.
The T,rio for all reply, dropped him on the staircase .
-He's so immature!
-I don't know what Lisa finds in an idiot like him!
-Well, he's kinda cute!
-I've been told he already has a girlfriend anyway...
their giggles faded into the hallway. Rick clenched his fists and headed down the same way.
The main hall was entirely lined with wood paneling. A grand staircase also made of wood dominated the entrance. Display cases and paintings embellished the room.
Rick mirrored himself in the large glass window where the school's sports trophies were on display.
-Principal Hayes has been captain of the baseball team since 1940...
he muttered, reading
But it' can't be...
Principal Hayes? Principal Donald Hayes...
-Mr. Hunter.
A piercing male voice made him wince.
-Y...es?
Rick turned around to face a massive 6'3" man with a black mustache and deep blue eyes.
-Ca...Captain Gloval!?
He wastempted bringing a hand to his brow but luckily both arms were paralyzed. Soon the man was joined by a young woman of an elegant bearing. She wore a blue and sand suit and a scarf around her neck.
-Claudia!
he gasped
She glanced at him reproachfully
-Rick! It's Ms Grant when we're at school.
-Tea... teacher ?
-How come you're not still wearing your uniform?
Said Gloval
-And yet we were clear last time with you Hunter!
Rick looked down at himself. Along with his leather jacket he was wearing some black jeans, the white tshirt from earlier, and a pair of rather battered sneakers.
-I...well...
-Mr Hunter I sympathize with your loyalty to the Air Force squadron but when you have class you must wear your school uniform.
Said Gloval wearily.
Claudia glanced at him menacingly and as they left she made an unequivocal gesture with her hand.
Rick was starting to get scared.
What the heck is going on with me? Why is everyone so weird? What am I doing in Hogwarts* ? Where the hell am I!?
He felt an unnatural heat pressing on his head.
He spotted a drinking fountain releasing a trickle of water.
He bent down to rinse his face, ran both hands over his cheeks and eyes then instantly started to feel better.
Soon the bell made his ears flicker
He noticed a bunch of students rushing up the stairs and toward the classrooms.
And me, where should I go?
He found himself sitting at a school desk in the middle of at least thirty people.
He looked suspiciously around, trying not to get noticed.
A dude in a military uniform was speaking from the teacher's desk. There were some airplane drafts hanging on the wall.
-As Professor Lang has been called back in Germany, I shall be finishing his course in quantum mechanics applied to Robotechnology!
A series of mumblings spread among the class.
-For those who don't know me yet, you can find my resume on the class website. I'm Professor Riber, Karl Riber!
Rick almost choked on his spit
he started coughing. His face was congested
-You all right down there?
Rick buried his head into his shoulders but it was too late. The teacher was coming toward him. For a moment he thought he saw a threatening look flash across his calm face.
-You all right? Ahhh!
Suddenly his face went dark: now the teacher was really looking at him with suspect and distrust
-Richard Hunter. Again you? Are you up to something else this year, or do you feel you have to be a little quieter?
-EH? ...What? I dont...
Rick met Riber's pale blue eyes: he stared at him as if seeing a ghost.
-We all know that by the end of junior year, you stole a prototype fighter to take a girl on a date!
-What I...don't, I...
Rick was blushing and paling out of control. He ran a hand through his hair multiple times.
-First of all, I... I didn't steal it! It was Roy who made me try it... I mean, if I hadn't taken her with me, she would have got killed by the Zentraedis!
A roaring laughter spread among the other classmates.
Rick was appalled. He looked around as his friends mocked him.
-I apologize. I request permission to exit!
A shrill voice cut off the giggles.
She had stood up and with a dignified stance walked toward the door. Rick could see her thin back and her long wavy hair sway as she left the classroom.
Rick gasped as Professor Riber spoke an inch from his face.
-I'm only going to say this once loud and clear Hunter. Make her suffer once more and you will have to deal with me...
His voice pierced his ears and made them hiss. It was as if he had been punched hard in the breastbone. Rick slumped, sensing the soft, springy floor.
-Come on, man! Get your goddamn knees off the floor! Rick!
Pheeeeew!
A high-pitched whistle had trailed the angry words being thrown at him. Rick was on the tatami, barefoot.
He was wearing his blue judogi. He had not recognised him. His adversary, had just delivered a fatal blow to his stomach. He coughed a lot. It hurt like hell
-So you wanna get up sissy?
But that voice...that voice was unmistakable. No, it couldn't be him. Taking a hard breath, Rick pulled his long hair back from his forehead and cast a glance around the room. -Should I train you with the girls? Do you fancy Rick?
-Oh God Roy! Oh my God! Roy!
Rick jumped to his feet, in a daze and ran across the gym until he found himself in the arms of the coach.
Almost six feet tall with long blond hair and a whistle around his neck. In all reply he pushed him away with one big hand
-What the hell is the matter with you kid?
-Roy! you' re alive me! I can' t believe it!
He could see him as back in the flying circus days. Young and suntanned. And his eyes were blue, crystal clear as ice.
-Roy!
Rick's heart was pounding.
He repeatedly turned to his fellow students but no one seemed to be interested. He tried to hug Roy again but he was pushed back.
-But... big bro...
Rick stared at him in disappointment.
He felt a hand gripping his shoulder firmly.
-Come on, buddy. You lost .
-Max... what'up?
-You've been shot down again. Yeah. Coach Fokker is really upset with you.
Max downed his gaze, but Rick saw that he was smiling slyly.
-As usual, I bested you in all disciplines. I wonder why Lisa and Minmay have not fallen in love with me yet?
Rick gave him a disgusted look:
-What the f*ck you talking about Max! And also... you' re supposed to be my friend! What are you gonna do with Minmay? And Lisa? And then ... You... you, you are married to Miriya!
Max tilted his head
-Who is Miriya?
Rick felt a rush of sickness taking hold of him.
-In addition to the prototype theft, Principal Gloval knows that your GPA has lowered considerably.
A petite red-haired man was looking down at him.
He was extremely thin and accomplished in his gestures.
-E...Exedore?
Rick couldn't believe the micronized zentraedi was handing him a mop and bucket. What...what was he doing over there?
-Maybe it will be good for you to clean the library. Here's your punishment Rick Hunter!
Rick walked sadly toward the entrance. The library was dark, lined with wood, like everything in the school, and lit only by a dozen or so green lamps.
How in the hell can you clean a room with such low lighting?
Rick huffed loudly, and most of the students lifted their heads from their books.
Grudgingly slamming the cloth down upon the table he started to dust.
I got punished again.
It's almost night and I haven't ate a thing. I wonder why I am not dead yet. Ah damn it's all so crazy.
Rick was busily cleaning the marbled table surface.
Soon it was so clean that you could reflect in it.
-Wow, you're so good at this. It's so clean I can mirror myself in it.
A voice he knew very well, and it was as if she were reading his mind.
-Li... Lisa
he mumbled
She was standing right behind him, her books clutched to her chest. She had taken off her jacket and was wearing a really tight shirt that showed off her slim waist and her perfect breasts.
Rick eagerly breathed in her scent.
-Hello Rick
she said gloomily
-You are such a mess...
then she turned around completely as if hiding her tears
No, again!?
he thought
For being in the head of the Command Center she does cry quite often.
He decided not to tell her, though. At some point he knew she was crying for him and didn't want to have Mr. Professor Riber punishing him.
-Look Lisa...
Suddenly the room was empty. There were only the two of them in that huge book-stuffed parlor.
-Lisa...
he called out again, resting his trembling hand on her shoulder.
He was right, she was crying. She turned around slowly revealing her damp eyes. They sparkled, like stars.
She looked at him in expectation.
-I know you're in love with Minmay but I... in spite of everything... I...
Rick shivered. It was true he was in love with Minmay... but now it was as if he had forgotten all about her.
Lisa sniffed.
-In spite of that... I KNOW you love me!
Rick felt a surge of heat coursing through his body. It was as if all his blood was pooled down there. She was looking at him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen.
Her red lips were parted, and the first three buttons of her shirt were unfastened, as well. Rick felt the bulges of his eyes pop open at the sight of her white skin.
-hmmm..I...
he babbled
his mouth was dead dry.
-Rick, tell me that you love me...
Lisa's fine hands rested on his chest, her fingertips running up and down rubbing his white shirt.
-Well, I... I do, of course I do...
At that moment Lisa raised an eyebrow, took her hands off Rick's body and suspiciously gazed at him.
-Did you see me naked didnt you?
Rick was now chasing her through the schoolyard. He didn't see why but it was broad daylight again, the sun shining high. A trail of F-4 fighters streaked across the sky leaving a white, shimmering cloud above them
-NO! I swear I didn't! I didn't do it on purpose!* your friends were pestering me and I...
-That's right! Mr Lingerie*! That's why they called you that! Is it the reason you asked me out!?
-HUH? No, what...wait
Lisa carried on walking and he barely held her pace.
He could see her skirt sway at every step and her hair swirling in the air. He reached out a hand, grabbed her shoulder roughly, and turned her around.
-Look miss Supergirl, okay I've been eyeing your ...breasts multiple times! And also your ... backside! But it's not my fault if you wear such skintight space suits! It's like saying "Here! look at me!" You are doing it on purpose!
Lisa stared at him in outrage.
-Spacesuits? Maybe you're confusing me with your friend from the Chinese restaurant! She is a cosplayer isnt' she?
-Uh? Minmay? What the hell does she have to do with it now, we're talking about us!
Rick was amazed at his own words.
-I mean, well...
he ran a hand over and over the back of his head. Then unwittingly he glanced again at her body.
Her cleavage was drawing him in like a magnet. He vividly remembered her soft body in his arms at the Alaska base. When she had sat in his lap, inside the canopy of his VT. Now, he could feel himself bursting with desire.
Of course he couldn't hug her there among his schoolmates and teachers, right there in the backyard of Hogwarts.
-Lisa, how about going out ...or to my place, or to your...place?
-Oh stop it Rick! You don't have a place, you are staying in the dorm, correct? And what is this, another one of your stand-up dates?
-Eh? what you mean?
-Are you going to stand me up for hours again? -Sammie and Kim both told me. Sammie and Kim told me. You were off to see Minmay!
Rick was in a cold sweat -it was true- But ...when had that happened?
-You told me to go to the restaurant- you did, damn it!
-Well I thought you wouldn't go!
Rick felt like his head could explode at any moment.
-It doesn't matter anymore. I asked my dad if I can date Mr. Riber and guess what? He said yes!
Lisa looked at him triumphantly.
Rick was shocked.
I gotta tell her he's dead, or she will suffer even more.
-What? -I... I won't... I won't let you!
Rick wrapped his hand around her wrist. He felt his fingers sink into her soft flesh: felt her as she succumbed to his touch. Her eyes were looking at him with such surrender that Rick felt melt inside.
-Lisa...
he pulled his face closer to hers, catching the scent of her hair and of her skin.
-I... won't let you get hurt, ever again!
Their lips were so close
I could kiss her now...after all, we've already kissed...twice...on Breetai's ship. Principal Gloval can't punish me for this again!
Rick stared at her intently. A few very light freckles shaded across her pink cheeks. He could see that she was blushing. Should he say something first, or just kiss her?
-Mr. Hunter!
A shrill voice made him shudder. It was the voice of the janitor Exedore, he could have bet it.
-What are you doing here? You were supposed to be cleaning the library!
Rick buried his head in his shoulders, a drop of sweat running down his back.
He awkwardly turned around, running a hand behind his head again.
-Miss Hayes! I can't believe it! what you doing with this maverick? ! If your father finds out about this...!
Lisa moved forward, clearing her throat.
-It's my fault janitor Exedore. I asked Rick Hunter... to... come out and pump up the tires on my bike!
she lied
Rick stared at her in awe, she had faked it well...
Exedore bought it, but he didn't let slip one last touch
-If so... in any case you could have asked anyone else but him: he's been shot down so many times that I doubt he could pump up a bike's wheels
-What?!
Rick grimaced at hearing his devious logic. It simply didn't make any sense. In fact, he couldn't even remember who had defeated him at the Judo match. He hoped Lisa had missed it; either way, the kissing moment was lost.
She winked at him, conspiratorially.
-I'm sorry I'm so lame...
-That's okay Rick. You always get to come out on top in the end. She smiled encouragingly and took his arm. It was just perfect the way their bodies fit together. He could feel Lisa's hip pressing against his with each step, the skin of their bare arms brushing. Rick inhaled the scents of spring from countless flowers and plants and trees whose names, blooms, and origins he had come to know, and carefully listened to the insect noises that flooded the air. They started to walk through the garden.
-Is the Earth going to be that beautiful again?
He said suddenly
Lisa turned her eyes to him, a sweet smile hovering on her lips.
-Yes Rick, the Earth will return to us...
Suddenly the red alarm sound overtook the schoolyard. Lisa and Rick gasped and immediately emerged from the dream bubble they had been in for a few minutes
-It's REDCON 4 Alert!
Her face lost all its color
Rick instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulder to protect her. Flocks of students rushed around them, running like a mad herd of sheep.
-What the heck is going on!?
-Warning!
A well known voice screeched from the speakers set up on both sides of the tower
-Warning to all the students of the Robotech Academy! Vice Principal Maistroff speaking! Everyone go to the main gym I repeat to all students go to the main gym!
-Maistroff?
Rick opened his eyes wide: he looked at his senior, or better yet, his classmate
-Lisa what that means?
She was as confused as he was
-I...I don't know? Maybe it's an anti-seismic drill?
Rick took her hand abruptly and they ran to join the trail of students rushing to the gym.
When Rick, still holding Lisa's hand, stepped in, he was blinded for a moment by the bright sunlight. At that time the small stage w was occupied by a small group of people. Because of the opposing light he couldn't see them.
Max appeared at his side
-Well Bro, it seems we have all been called up?
He glanced at Lisa and at the group of girls in front of them: it was the Bridge Bunnies and the Pin Point Barrier ladies. Rick frowned and squeezed Lisa's hand a little tighter. Something just didn't convince him.
-Something doesn't sit right with me Max. There are no quakes here in Macross!
Max tilted his head in puzzlement
-What is Macross? A new game?
-Forget it man...
at that very moment the mic hiss made the whole audience gasp. It was unbelievable, the whole gym, from the stands to the huge field was packed with kids, the future officers of the Defense Force.
-Hey! Can you hear me?
Vice principal Maistroff's booming voice was twisted with feedback.
A buzz rose from all sides.
-Yes!
shouted the students in the crowd
-Well guys, as you can see there are no earthquake drills ehhe!
Rick frowned, the sun was slowly fading away from the window and he could finally focus on the other people, who held the stage along with Maistroff
-Ehh? What the hell?!
-Rick! what up?!
Lisa muttered in concern.
He glanced at her and bit his lip.
-They were summoned to meet the new CEO of Stonewell Bellcom, the company that will be producing RDF's new variable fighter prototypes.
A roar ran through the audience, cheers and whistles of appreciation flowed through the rows.
Maistroff cleared his throat
-And that you will one day be able to fly... not all of you, and let's be clear!
Suddenly the young man next to him literally snatched the mike out of his hand: he was in his late 20s, with long straight brown hair.
-What!
Lisa gasped and let go of Rick's hand.
His palm was slippery and sweaty: he stared at her, confused
-He... he looks exactly like Mr. Riber!
Rick couldn't believe his eyes: that was Lynn Kyle! What was she doing in school, thick as thieves with Maistroff?
-Hi, I'm Lynn Kyle the Prosecutor of this city: I'm here to introduce you to the head of the society that will be developing the new Varitechs, Mr. Kamjin Kravshera!*
Rick couldn't believe his eyes: that was Lynn Kyle! What was she doing in school, thick as thieves with Maistroff?
At that point a third person came onto the stage: he was imposing, with a martial gait. He wore a long purple and black cloak. The whole audience hushed
Rick saw him: his heart started beating unsteadily, an unnamed terror washed over him. He recognized him, it was him! Those empty, evil eyes, that horrible grin... they were in a trap.
-Noooo!
His devastating scream made everyone look in his direction: but Rick, after catching his breath, shouted even louder
-NOOOOOO! He is not who he claims to be! That's a micronized zentraedi! He is Kyron the backstabber!
Upon hearing those words a buzz of worry and disbelief spread among the kids
-Rick Hunter what the hell are you saying!?
It was Lynn Kyle again, yelling into the microphone. He was pointing his finger at him; Rick didn't know how, but he felt the eyes of 100,000 people upon him.
-Zentraedis cannot be micronized!
Rick glanced around in despair.
Lisa, Max and the bridge girls eyed him warily, in disgust. Far away in the bleachers he could spot Roy, in his gym clothes shaking his head, deeply disappointed.
-Noooo!
He couldn't let that happen! He couldn't!
He took Lisa by her shoulder and started to shake her.
-Lisa, you must believe me! That guy is a scammer, Max, Roy... you must believe me!
Lynn Kyle's voice was like a horrible apocalyptic cry.
-Rick Hunter you are no match for me! You are just a failure! You've been shot down countless times!
Soon two security guards came to handcuff him and he tried to fight back as best he could with kicks and punches.
-Lisa!
he screamed
-Lisa! Don't believe him, he's not who he claims to be! He... he's not Riber!
The last thing he saw was her pale, distraught face. Her eyes wet with tears. She brought both hands to her face. Rick felt a dull thump on the base of his head and then there was... nothing.
SECOND DREAM
For a moment he felt he was floating, in the atmosphere. He remembered well, his Varitech had exploded... into a thousand pieces. And now...now he was gliding through space. Weightless. He thought back with a little longing and sadness to what he had left behind. It wasn't much, true, but it was all he had.
Suddenly his body turned upside down with no weight or gravity.
Hunter closed his eyes and slipped to the floor.
That was easy
he thought
And suddenly he started to hear the noises, so loud. He sensed extremely well the firmness of the ground, under his feet.
But... but how?
He slowly opened his eyes and an icy gust of wind swept over him, making him shiver.
Then he wasn't dead.
The skyline of the city stretched out, never-ending, before his eyes. It was new Macross. The sun was setting and the sky was of incredible shades. Brushstrokes of pale blue, yellow and deep red. Flocks of black birds formed changing shapes in the air. Rick felt his hair being mussed by the wind. He ran a gloved hand over his head, trying to tame it. The smell of the air was so vibrant and real. A mix of fuel and fumes and bright pollen, of evergreen trees. In the chill of the evening Rick could sense them.
-You're here...
said her voice
Rick felt his heart skip a beat. He turned his body, swaying the flaps of his long coat. The wind was also blowing her hair, tossing it mercilessly against her shoulders.
She was wearing a fur-lined coat and a bolshie-like hat.
Rick assumed it was the same hat she wore on the base that day, and he regretted not telling her that in that hat, she was just beautiful.
-Lisa...
He murmured. his lips were dry, but he managed to smile
She smiled back, in defeat.
-I've waited so long to meet you again, all these years...
He spread his eyes wide. They were several meters apart and he didn't know if he could walk through to reach her. Suddenly he was afraid to move. She was still staring at him, looking shy... But something had toughened in her, a severe line was crossing her forehead. Her face was white as wax. Yet she was still so beautiful. Rick's heart was pounding: he felt his palms moisten. He was nervous and at the same time prey to an intense excitement.
Lisa What should I do?
Then she moved, took a few casual steps around the lawn. Yes there was a meadow under their feet. It was... it was a cemetery!
Rick froze instantly. Lisa was carrying a small bouquet of flowers in her arms: they were plain flowers, a pale shade of pink.
-You know, it's hard finding flowers nowadays...
she appeared to read his mind
Rick grinned relieved, and wondered if he should come over to her.
She kept moving, not really going anywhere.
He felt his breath hitching. As if he was fighting a race against time.
-Lisa!
he called out to her, again
-I hoped... I longed to meet you, but you never came...
-What, I...
She glanced at him with such sad eyes: it ached. Rick knew he'd gotten it all wrong, and though he didn't know in what precisely, he was sure of that.
-You said you would never hurt me... that you wouldn't let anyone hurt me!
she said with a little sob
-It's true!
He blurted out
-I said it! Lisa, I meant it!
She shook her head, slightly swaying the fur on her hat.
-It doesn't matter anymore!
Rick felt a pang deep in his chest, deeper than any stab wound.
-But...I'm here now...
he said weakly
-I'm not sure you're happy about it though...Captain Hayes.
At that very moment she burst into a desperate sob: he slowly raised his eyelids and saw that she was crying. Like that time, on Breetai's ship, when she told him he should let her die...
-Oh Rick...
she whispered
Then, he snapped out of the numbness that had trapped him and rushed towards her, with wide strides. In a few seconds he was in front of her, so close he could feel her warmth, her scent inebriating him.
Her eyes sparkled in the last rays of sunset.
-Now you're here...
she said in a soft voice
Rick nodded, deeply moved. He felt that if he had spoken he would have broken down crying the same way.
-Rick...
Then he shut the distance between them, grabbing her by the waist. He quickly ran a hand to her shoulders brushing through the soft texture of the fur with his fingers. He grazed her jaw and cupped her soft cheek. With the other hand he clutched her waist, pressing her to his body.
A blast of wind made them shiver. And then again, the glow of the dying sun fell down on them.
Lisa...
She squinted her eyelids and tilted her face toward him. He knew now that he could kiss her.
Yes, he had done it before, that's true, but now it was as if his entire system was processing it again a thousand times more intensely.
Rick Hunter felt his body literally explode in flames, devoured by the urgency.
He squeezed her waist even tighter as he worked the tip of his tongue his way between her rosy lips. He sucked greedily on the flesh of her mouth as his fingers penetrated the thick, silky mass of her hair.
He grasped the back of her head, deepening the kiss. He felt he had never kissed like this, not even in his wildest dreams.
Lisa clung to his neck with the same passion stroking his hair and holding onto him desperately. He felt the pressure of her body so true. He wanted to touch her, he wanted her in an almost savage way. He knew she wanted the same.
When they parted they were both panting. Nevertheless Rick took her back in his arms immediately and kept kissing her face, forehead and eyes. Then he hugged her tightly
-Let's go away.
he said breathing on her hair.
-Let's go somewhere we can be alone.
Lisa lifted her face gently, their eyes met.
-Do you want me to go in a hotel with you?
Rick was going to say yes
Sure, a hotel, or any place, any place that wasn't that wind-whipped cemetery.
-Rick... I...
she swallowed hard
-I'm married. And so you are.
-What?!
He slightly pulled out of her embrace and stared at her in dread.
Lisa was still smiling sadly, even her eyes were so sorrowful...
She took his left hand and gently brought it up to their faces.
A gold wedding ring glittered in his finger.
Rick turned pale. He couldn't believe it
-But...but...how...when...
-I asked you to tell me if you loved me and you said yes
Rick nodded...he remembered it so clearly.
-But then, but then...you married Minmay!
She pulled away from him but kept holding his hand. She started walking slowly. By now the horizon was at twilight.
-And you... you...
-I...
-I married Alex Louan!
She cried out in despair. The wind tousled her hair incessantly: her honey brown hair almost dark in the dim light..
Rick squeezed her hand and pulled her back, holding her close again.
-This can't be! Why would you do this!?
He was bewildered
He squeezed her wrist tightly. He felt his fingertips dig into her soft flesh. Lisa let go a hurt sound but did not move.
She looked up at him from down below, totally succumbing to his touch. She looked at him with love, and with a terrible sadness.
-Why did you marry him, Lisa...! Why?
-I didn't want to be alone anymore, I... I just couldn't live anymore since... since you died!
Lisa tugged from his grip and raised both her hands to her face. A cry of pain ran through her throat.
Rick looked at her back and shoulders shaken by sobs: she was trembling from head to toe, overcome by a pain beyond remedy: then suddenly she collapsed on the grass and she passed a hand on a marble slab stuck in the ground, tenderly.
Instinctively he squatted beside her. startled. He brought a hand to her shoulder but then...
His heart skipped a beat when he saw what was inscribed on the slab.
Captain Richard Hunter
November, 4th 1990
December, 22 2010
For Valor and Loyalty to Planet Earth
in Perpetual Memory
Rick felt his strength leave him. He wanted to tell her that not all was lost, that he was there for her, and that it was true, he did love her... but his strength left him almost immediately. His heart ceased to beat. Lisa's flowers were carried away by the wind and ruined, and their petals were lost...into the distance. Rick closed his eyes.
THIRD DREAM
The night was peaceful, bugs never stopping tuning their chant in the warmth of the summer night. An ensemble of night birds was letting go a hypnotic cry in the fresh countryside
Rick Hunter cracked his eyes open with a small tug. In the fall he had slammed his shoulder and arm in a specific spot where an old memory still ached. Rick swallowed and ran a hand through his hair, kneeling on the soft, cool grass.
He inhaled with delight the sweet scent of the surroundings.
Everything felt so heightened, smells, colors, sounds... he heard a voice
-Hey! That' s really you! Hey!
Rick turned three-quarters squinting into the darkness.
-It's definitely you boss!
Rick sharpened his ears. A slight chill ran through his skin.
That voice... could it be?
-Be... Ben?
he stammered: his tongue was numb.
A tall, imposing figure was making his way through the thick trees. He was dressed in white, and when he was in front of him Rick could see that he was still in his flight suit.
With a leap he got to his feet, standing firmly on the grass.
-I'll be darned... Ben Dixon! Is that you man!?
Rick was sincerely shocked
-It's me, boss! Took you long enough! How you doing?
Ben stood at attention squaring his shoulders and placing a hand to his forehead.
-I mean, welcome...here... Commander Hunter!
Rick grinned with joy, and rushed towards him. As he approached he noticed that his subordinate was fully dressed in his spacesuite and also wearing gloves. His feet, however, were completely bare and covered in mud up to the ankles. This detail made his back froze... yet he said nothing.
-It's so good to see you boss!
Ben Dixon grabbed him by the waist and lifted him up to a hug.
At that moment Rick could clearly see the patch of the starry sky above his head. The stars were so bright and still, motionless in the blackest sky.
-But... but... I do know this place.
He looked all around. The fresh vegetation gave off an intoxicating scent. Newly cut hay and an never-ending fields of corn
-Of course you know it!
Ben slapped him on the back, making him wince. Rick groaned but didn't stop looking around.
-But this... this is...This is Alice's farm!
He exclaimed excitedly
-I can't believe everything is still here!
He glanced back at Ben Dixon with delight.
-Come on buddy... here there must be an old bench where...
Rick walked on, inciting his friend to chase him. He crouched down in the middle of the grass and bushes. Soon a small bench of wood and iron appeared behind a rose grove. The roses were small and pale, covered with dew.
-This...this is the bench where I hid my arm!
Rick carefully rummaged under the seat, feeling the ground. Then he lifted himself up and pulled it out! It was a human arm, broken off at the level of the elbow: it was perfectly preserved. It looked mostly like a teenager's forearm.
-Look at it! I got fractured it during a riot between the anti UEG supporters and RDF* soldiers... I hid it here not to scare my dad! And... and... it's incredible, it's still here! Check out Ben!
Ben looked at him and nodded encouragingly, several times.
-Everything is still here.
He said enigmatically.
Then he pointed with his index finger to a glow, a few miles outside the garden.
A lamp light swayed with the breeze at the entrance of the shed. Rick widened his eyes and mouth
-What... is that possible?
He took a few steps toward that green light that mesmerized him. It was the shed, the old shed at Alice's place where... where he and Pops used to keep their planes!
Isn't everything supposed to be destroyed? And if it isn't, how is it possible there is still someone down there?
He could hear voices, some laughter. A noise of scrap metal and tools being banged.
Tailed at a distance by Ben Dixon, Rick finally reached the entrance of the huge shed.
The smell of diesel and fuel ignited his nostrils and eyes, making them water.
The doorway was dimmly lit. Yet he could already see the old orange muzzle of his partner in so many adventures. The glass on the canopy was upturned and he could also catch a glimpse of the aged blue seat.
The Mockinbird...*
he thought
my Mockingbird...
Rick walked ahead into the lamplight, his hands outstretched. He wanted to touch it to believe it: he placed his palms on the battered frame and then slowly, rested on a cheek.
His old banger. Yet he thought he had lost it in the depths of the SDF1...
-Hey little brother! What you up to? A sudden love attack?
On hearing that voice, his heart leapt even faster.
-What... Roy?
cried in a shrill voice
He was in front of him, in one of the jumpsuits they used in the workshop. His sleeves were patched up to the elbow and he, like Ben, was barefoot and his feet were smeared with mud.
Rick paled, unable to speak.
-What's the matter? You look like you've just seen a ghost. Come on, get dressed, we're fixing the old mockinbird!
Roy twirled the monkey wrench in the air. The tool made a perfect circle around his head and landed in his own fist.
-But I...
-Roy... Rick has just arrived. Let him in the house at least, to take a little rest...
A sweet female voice made him wince.
Rick blinked a few times.
-A... Aries?!*
he mumbled
The young doctor was wearing one of those shapely dresses that Roy was so fond of. Her small eyeglasses sparkled on her little nose. It had been a thousand years since he had last seen her.
-What's up little brother?
She said warmly. She took a step toward him, and Rick saw that she, as well, had dirt and mud all over her feet.
Aries ran a hand over his face, carefully stroking his hair.
-You've grown...
-He's really grown up, you know? He got to fly my plane. The Skull 1!
said Roy mockingly.
Rick blushed. He clenched his fists-he was ashamed.
-I...I didn't do it because I just wanted to! I had to do it because... because...why?
Why did I have to do that?
His memories were fading. He could see Roy, Aries and Ben, with their bare feet, smiling at him so gently.
And then Rick saw it. The porch of Alice's house, lit by a thousand lamps of different shapes and lots of candles. The house was wooden, painted a pale shade of blue. Above, almost under the roof, the window of his room was lit felt his heart pounding. He smiled, showing a small dimple along his left cheek. He looked again at Roy and he nodded his head in approval. Then Rick started to run, along the cobblestone, winding his way along the path he had taken countless times as a boy, before the war broke out, before the Zentraedis attacked.
When he was so happy, when life was so easy...
He ran at breakneck speed until he was almost under the steps leading to the front porch. He gasped, resting his palms on his knees, desperately trying to catch his breath.
There, on the rocking couch was Pops. Mitch Hunter, his father. He still wore that Jolly Rogers hat, worn out by the wear and tear.
Mitch smiled, and from under his hat a blue eye glowed.
-Son, take a breath!
-Pops!
Rick couldn't believe his eyes!
He felt his heart race. He could hear his own deafening pounding in his ears.
-Dad...
he murmured again
-Hey! You' out of practice?
Mitch stood up
-Get over and sit down here boy... Alice!
he shouted to the door
-Get Rick a beer! He's about to choke to death! Hahahah!
Rick couldn't trust his eyes. He wanted to hug his father. How long had it been? Yet it seemed like not even an hour had passed for Mitch. He sat shyly beside him in the rocking chair. With sorrow he noticed that his father's feet too were bare and covered in wet dirt.
-Rick!
Alice Fisher* popped up on the ledge, resting both hands on her hips.
-You were running through the fields again, weren't you?
-Get him a beer, he's fine!
cut off Mitch
-Forget it... I'll bring you an iced tea!
-A...Alice...
murmured Rick
Then he heard her shouting from the far end of the room.
-Jessica!* Jessie honey, come downstairs!
Rick blushed severely.
What?
-What?
he babbled
-Jessie's in here?
Mitch burst out laughing hard.
-Boy, you gotta get her out of your head! You are still into her huh?
-He put a hand on his head, making him get nervous.
-What the hell... no, of course not Pops! I have another girl now.
Mitch looked interested. He placed his glass on the table and gazed deeply into Rick's eyes.
-Ah well. That must be her, the girl who has come asking for you!
Rick winced
-She came asking for me?
Who could be? Did Minmay come all this way to Sacramento...or...?
Alice and Jessica walked out onto the porch. They were carrying a tray each, full of drinks and fruit.
-I heard that fruit is radioactive... where you live.
said Jessie
Rick eyed her over and over, from head to toe. She was stunning. She had on one of her light floral dresses that showed off her cleavage. Her long legs were tanned and filled with freckles...not to mention her feet, were covered in sludge.
-Hey Hunter, don't look at me like that, it's a rumor... and... I didn't mean to offend your friend, anyway.
-Ah yeah, Jessie, tell him who's the girl who came for him!
Jessica sat down on a step of the staircase and passed a strand of hair behind her ears.
For a moment she looked sad. Then she glanced down the street.
-Rick I'm sorry!
She snapped
-She was in uniform, and you know I hate the military!
Alice swiped a hand over the top of her head.
-This behavior of yours is gonna cause you problems. Rick, I'm sorry Jessie has been rude to your girlfriend!
Rick stood up. So it was Lisa! It was Lisa who had come all the way to Sacramento to see him...so...why? At the very thought his entire body started to warm up. He could feel the palms of his hands sweating. He clenched his fists
-Where is she now!?
-We chased her away
said Roy sharply as he emerged from the darkness.
-But... but why?
Rick's eyes widened, he couldn't believe that after her long trip from Alaska, they had simply dismissed her at the door.
-But... oh, come on! What kind of way is that? Roy!? Dad? Alice? That's not fair!
Rick took a few steps across the floor. The wooden boards creaked.
Mitchell breathed heavily, exasperated.
-You're always the same old thick head.
-What you mean, Dad?!
-We just want to be with you!
-Yes! yes, we do!
Jessica blurted out.
Her eyes were filled with tears. She hid her face in her knees and burst out crying.
Aries and Ben too had a disappointed look on their faces.
Mitch let out a painful sound. Then he struggled up and placed a hand on Rick shoulder. He squeezed slightly and Rick felt all the love from his father in that grip.
-Boy, at least go upstairs and say hello to your mother. Will you?
What?
-My...mother...?
Mitch glanced at him confidently, nodding a couple of times.
-What do you mean? Is she ...
-Come on boy! Go upstairs!
Rick ended up in the front room of the ancient house: all the lamps were on. Every corner was enlightened. He climbed the steps quickly, two by two. The light, falling from the large dormer window on the roof, was dazzling and everything was covered in a luminous dust.
Rick pulled open the door of the bedroom, her bedroom. How could he remember that?
And yet he could.
He saw a black-haired little boy climbing into bed. She was there, wrapped in the covers. They were both blurred in a glowing slime. He could not see her face.
It was painful. Seeing her face was all he had always wanted.
-Rick.
Her voice was pure happiness. It was inside him.
The boy held a glass of water with both hands. She lifted her tiny hand and grabbed it.
-Rick, my sweet Rick.
-Mommy...*
His voice overlapped with the child's. Then they both turned to look at him.
The boy and the woman stared at him but he could not see their faces because of the light. He tried to take a few steps toward them but the door started to rattle on its hinges, gave a yank and shut with a big bang.
Rick gasped in surprise. And for a moment he couldn't breathe.
Now he was alone on the large balcony. Then he felt the touch of a hand... small, smooth fingertips that shyly searched for his hand.
-Rick.
Her breath on his ear made him shiver. Goosebumps spread down his entire arm, all the way to his back and the nape of his neck. He looked back abruptly
-Lisa! Captain Hayes, is that you?
She was fully dressed in her yellow and white flight suit. Her long, mussed hair brushed her waist. She wore no makeup and Rick could clearly see the tiny little freckles on the top of her nose. He gazed at her again for a long time. Unlike everyone else, she was not barefoot but had on her regulatory anti-gravity boots.
-What you doing here?...
he said, dropping his voice
She stared at him in surprise, as if the question was rhetorical.
-They told me... Roy and Dad, they...they told me you were gone.
Lisa shook her head resolutely and her hair, split into thick, heavy locks, swirled in the air.
-I'm not going... without you.
Rick felt his heart fill with joy. He was happy to be there, with his family and all, but he had a feeling Lisa Hayes was incredibly much more real. She was looking at him with such hope, so sweet and so inviting.
When a sound like wood smashing, made them both turn, she reached for his hand. Her palm was soft and warm. Her touch gentle. Their fingers intertwined
-But what's going on...?
The balcony with the large staircase was slowly crumbling before their eyes. A cloud of dust surrounded them.
-Rick, we have to go out from the back.
Without letting go of their hands, they hurried down the stairs, while the top of the house fell apart bit by bit, soundlessly.
They were close. Rick walked through the dimly lighted kitchen, still holding Lisa's hand in his. He cast a regretful glance at every single piece of furniture, and fixture, and picture in the room.
He recalled everything so clearly...
Rick grasped the worn knob and stepped outside.
The noise of the crickets flooded his senses. It was a hypnotic sound as compelling as the stillness of space. Yet he sensed her presence. She had not let go of his hand
-Rick!
His father's voice was imperious, and also a little sad.
He turned, trying to cover Lisa's body with his own.
-Dad...
-So you decided to leave, huh?
Rick felt a trickle of icy sweat running down his neck...
Pops, Alice, Jessica... and Roy and Aries and Ben, even that little boy from just before, were all lined up in front of him, staring at him with extreme sorrow and regret.
He could feel Lisa, at his back, trembling with fear.
-Stay with us little brother...
Roy said: his eyes moist
-Yes, you're here now...
Rick was sorely tempted. That was his home. His family. Finally a place to rest. But then he felt her hand. She desperately clutched at him
-Rick...oh, Rick...
she looked at him, begging.
-Please come back...
-Captain Hayes...
She took both his hands and clasped them between hers. Then she stared at him again. It seemed to Rick that the sun had risen, or some strange bright planet had shown up on the horizon, behind her. Her hair was burning a wild shade, like flames and embers, and her green eyes glowed bright.
-Rick... come back... come back to me...
He looked over his shoulder once more, silently waving at those fading figures in the darkness.
Then he returned to rest his gaze on her.
She stroked his hands lovingly, he could feel her touch. She was real.
Yes he had decided. He wanted to go back.
He felt gravity violently dragging him from its center. He felt his body being pulled down to the core of the Earth. He could still feel her hand. A noise like a waterfall escorted him in his fall. Then slowly, one piece at a time, his soul returned.
His consciousness lifted like a sheet and lay back on him. He squinted, his eyelids trembling.
-Lisa... Captain Hayes... is that you?
Aside from the occasional hazy flashes and fleeting sensations Rick could remember nothing about those coma-induced dreams.
That Christmas Eve, as New Macross was being battered by a new round of snow, he and Lisa were together.
He was happy.
-Oh come on, you can't eat it all!
Lisa burst out laughing, waving a plastic fork in the air. She had taken off her fur jacket and was curled up on the bed. She looked chill and relaxed. The cake wasn't too bad either, considering it was made of lyophilized ingredients.
Rick was scooping out the full rim of the whip cream with his spoon.
-Heyyy, let me feed! I'm a miserable war veteran, after all!
-Is this the last of your new excuses, Captain Hunter?
Lisa burst into a giggle. Rick stared at her as she squinted her eyes in too much laughter... In a way he felt proud to have made her laugh like that. He thought haughtily he was the only one who could do it.
Commander Hayes... She looked so pretty in that red dress.
Rick lingered a minute longer on the skin of her thighs, right where the hem of her dress would end. Lisa noticed it and stopped laughing. Their eyes met. Then she dropped her fork on the nightstand and he did the same with his spoon, tossing it on the sheet. Rick lifted abruptly on the bed, placing his palm on the mattress where she was laying and brushed the skin of her legs. Lisa held her breath.
It was like suddenly time had stopped. She felt him shudder and all of her guards were down.
A sudden knock on the door made them wince. They parted sharply. Lisa jumped out of bed and started mechanically stroking her hair and dress.
-Commander Hunter, I'm sorry
the nurse from the front desk popped her head out from the edge of the door, discreetly.
-Visiting hours are over... a while ago, I' m sorry Captain...
-Oh, of course!
Retorted Lisa, blushing
-I have to go!
she went on in a shrill voice .
-Of course!
said Rick, even more embarrassed.
The woman grinned.
-Well, I'll leave you to your goodbyes then. And Merry Christmas...
-Merry Christmas to you!
The two young officers replied at the same time
Lisa looked at him with regret. That moment was gone.
She sighed, as she turned to put on her coat. As she was fastening the heavy buttons, she felt his hand wrap around her wrist. She felt him pull her toward the bed. And she didn't fight back.
Rick.
Now she was unable to meet his eyes. If she had.. she' d have seen that he was fluushing too.
-I... I wanted to thank you again for... for everything.
Lisa stood motionless.
-Don't even say it Rick.
They remained silent. She was bent over the bed and he was still holding her wrist, gently. When he realized that he was, he let her go, abruptly.
-Oh sorry I'm sorry I...
Lisa took a deep breath
-I really have to go...
-Yeah, sure.
he said
-You... will you come...again...?
Lisa nodded emphatically
-Every time I could!
Rick grinned
-Lisa, you're a lifesaver, you know that?
-You're saying it a lot, I could get used to it, you know?
They both giggled. Then Lisa leaned slightly closer to him. She wanted to give him a hug or maybe just touch his shoulder, but he turned his head at once: their faces were suddenly close, so close that their noses touched. Rick simply stopped thinking. He tilted his head and brushed his lips against hers. They stayed motionless for endless moments. Neither of them got the nerve to make a move.
But then Rick parted his lips slightly and covered her mouth with his and soon, her warm, wet mouth spread like a flower, letting him in. Their tongues touched softly. Lisa could taste the whipped cream mixed with the flavor of his breath. Her heart was racing as her brain stopped working. Rick passed one hand behind her head and pulled her close. With the other hand he stroked her leg from her knee up to her hip. She could feel his warmth through the thickness of her coat.
A sharp dizziness washed over her, as she clutched the neck of his sweatshirt tightly, and surrendended to his arms.
To be continued
notes:
1) According to the official timeline Lisa and many other RT characters attended the Robotech Academy (yeah Jack Archer as well)
2)Hogwarts is, of course, the school in the Harry Potter saga.
3) Episode 6 in the manga Macross The first (by Macross original author, Haruhiko Mikimoto) is slightly different. Hikaru drops into the dressing room where Misa is putting on a bra!
4) Episode 6 Blitzkrieg
5) Kyron's orginal Macross name
6) From my other fic To the stars and Beyond. Rick had his arm broken during a riot. Karl Riber comes to his rescue.
7) According to the official timeline the Mockingbird was Rick's "civilian" plane, seen in ep 1.
8) Aries Turner is a supporting character in the Macross Zero OVA, she was engaged with Roy Focker.
9) Alice and Jessica Fisher from Sacramento were mother and daughter. According to McKinney's novels they lived together with Mitch and Rick during the flying circus days . Jessie's been Rick's first girlfriend.
10) In both Macross and RT Canons, Hikaru/Rick's mother died when he was very young.
Hello again!
I hope you enjoy this somewhat unusual chapter and that it meets your tastes. I was inspired by Robotech episode 17, Phantasm. Its one of my fave.
I have to say that I also took a little inspiration from Rick's dreams in Vick Pena's trilogy "The Path of the warrior"! So Vick, if you are reading, this is my small tribute hehe! :)))
I thank you all again for the nice reviews... in special I wanted to thank Misa Ichijyo with whom I frequently shared thoughs and reflections on our beloved Robotech/Macross.
Thanks again for reading!
with love,
Mao