Book III: Stolen Valor

Chapter XXV

"Acacia, previous records support that you would stop doing this," KOS-MOS told Acacia.

Acacia already couldn't properly hold a thought, as the liquor had already set in.

"Leave me alone! I'm not a child!"

"Mental scans support that you have the exact same logical reasoning of a child when you ingest a large amount of alcohol," KOS-MOS argued.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Acacia snapped.

"If you proceed with this demeanor I will restrain you once again."

"Don't bother," a voice said from a distance.

Acacia and KOS-MOS turned to see Mòrag standing in the doorway.

"You call yourself a soldier? The second in command of the entire BCC and here you are, drunk and acting like a child," Mòrag scolded.

Acacia approached Mòrag and looked her dead in the eyes. "You've gotta problem with me?"

"Honestly there's no point in even arguing with you at this point. How much did you have to drink?!"

"Enough to make me forget!"

Mòrag sighed, "I don't know what you're referring to, but you're a damned Aegis driver, why can't you act like it?!"

"I don't need you to tell me what to do!" Acacia yelled as she took a swing at Mòrag, hitting her directly in the cheek bone.

Mòrag barely even flinched and she chuckled a bit. "You have no idea who I am do you?"

Before Acacia could respond Mòrag made a quick chop to Acacia's neck. Acacia dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"I'll work on getting her to be a proper KOS-MOS, you have my sympathy," Mòrag stated.

"The archives I have access to support that Acacia is acting out of a constant state of mental distress, I apologize for her discourtesy."

"I see," Mòrag said as she thought to herself. "Nonetheless I expect both of you and Malos to be ready for training in five hours, understood?"

"Affirmative."

Mòrag nodded before leaving. Aegaeon followed her silently, KOS-MOS hadn't even noticed he was there. She sighed before grabbing Acacia and taking her back to the living quarters.

As Mòrag went back to her own quarters, she passed by Poppi, and stopped to talk.

"Poppi, you haven't been yourself lately, is something wrong?" Mòrag asked.

"What happened to Masterpon?" Poppi asked, in reference to the nopon that had built her.

"I'm afraid he passed," Mòrag informed. "He did some amazing things though. When he couldn't rebuild you, he decided to move on and help others, like you'd have wanted him to."

"Really?"

"Mhm, he even taught other drivers how to be drivers. You should've seen the look on their faces, a nopon who wasn't even a driver that could best them all. Especially with Coppi by his side."

Poppi blinked in confusion as she looked up at Mòrag. "Who Coppi?"

Mòrag had forgotten Poppi wasn't around to know. "Do you remember Poppi Buster?"

"Affirmative! Poppi Buster was very large robot built by Tora's Grampypon Soosoo! He was controlled by a robot that look similar to Poppi, and Poppi controlled that robot!"

"Yes, Tora turned that robot into an artificial blade. It didn't really do or say anything, and only demonstrated how to use a blade effectively," Mòrag explained.

"Oh...," Poppi thought. "Poppi doesn't know how to feel anymore. Poppi want to be real blade, but Poppi can only think about past, and feel sad that Poppi can't go back!"

"I see," Mòrag responded. "Have you tried talking to Mythra about it?"

"Mythra not remember much... Barely even remembers Rex!" Poppi began crying again. "How?! How did Pyra do it?! She remembered all that pain that Mythra had and she always wished she could forget! Now Poppi is in same boat and Poppi doesn't even know what Poppi doing here!"

"You're doing the same thing Mythra's doing."

"What?"

Mòrag gave Poppi a hug. "You're here to help a driver of the Aegis understand his role, just as Pyra did."

"Maybe... maybe it better off that Poppi didn't exist..."

"You were the only reason Rex, Nia, Tora, and Waylon lived that day. They wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for you. Are you telling me that you don't want to be able to help in their time of need?"

"It not like that..."

"Poppi, what about Rafi? The nopon that helped rebuild you? What's he like?" Mòrag asked.

"Rafi... nice and all, but he also kind of a wimp," Poppi said.

"He's following you into extreme danger, just as Tora did for you. Don't you think Tora also felt like a wimp?"

"What?! No! Masterpon was very strong!"

"He was, but only because you two fought together. He drew strength from you, did you not do the same for him?"

"I guess so... What Mòrag mean though?"

"I mean maybe you should try making him your driver, it might make you begin to feel better. Not as a replacement, but as a blade. You've been born anew, now, just like a blade, you must start anew. Just as Mythra, Malos, Kasandra, and any other blade."

Poppi thought for a moment. "Ok... Poppi will try! Thanks Mòrag, Poppi go initiate sleep protocol now!"

"No problem Poppi, be good, understood!"

"Roger!"

And with that, Mòrag went to bed herself.

"So what's your plan Silas?" Sarah asked me within my dreams.

"What do you mean?"

"When you find Adonis. Pyra is going to be crucial in reconnecting the Aegis' memory, you're not just walking in without a plan, are you?"

I sighed. "Kinda? I don't even know what or doing. I promised to help her because I didn't know what else to do with my life. But here I am, still just as confused as when I started."

She giggled. "Just as he was, eh?"

"Who?"

"Oh forget it...," she sighed. "You've been commissioned as a driver of the Aegis, it's one of the hardest and most painful honors a person can have, the longer you stay with her, the more you'll hurt. It's on her, and she knows that, but even so...," she trailed off as she got lost in thought.

I looked into her black eyes and wondered just who I was talking to. What did she know?

"...even so what?" I asked, trying to get her to continue.

"If you had to give your life right now in order to protect Mythra, would you?" Sarah asked.

"I... don't know? How am I supposed to know?!"

"When you were at the BCCHQ in Torna, when you found out that Mythra was in danger, you threatened the attendant and rushed back to save her. However, the person I'm talking to right now wouldn't have done that. Am I wrong?"

"I—" I stopped to think. No... that lady just worked there... why did I act so suddenly? I didn't even know how to be a driver yet, nor did I ever raise a weapon to a person. The way I reacted... it wasn't like me. It wasn't...

"It wasn't right!" I said aloud. "I'm honestly not even sure right now, if I were in that same scenario again, that I'd do what I did. I would've been lost, confused, scarred? I'm not the heroic type... why did I react like that? I didn't even hesitate!"

Sarah giggled. "I knew it! He's looking after you and her!"

I looked her dead in the eyes. "Who?"

"I think that's something you should figure out for yourself," her voice all of a sudden changed drastically. "Good morning Silas!"

I shot awake to see Azami sitting at the end of my bed, her marionette doll face looking directly into mine.

"I came to wake you up! Aren't you glad to have such an amazing blade such as I?" Azami giggled.

I briefly had to compose myself.

"Oh my! You look like you've seen a ghost! Or an entrancingly beautiful woman!" she began to fantasize. "If the latter is true, perhaps we could spend a few minutes getting a little closer..."

I felt my face fluster a bit and had to breathe so I didn't overreact. "Th-Thank you for waking me Azami, will you make sure Sheba is also awake? I need to get dressed."

Azami pouted a little bit. "Fine, if I must," she huffed as she walked out of the room.

"Thank you Azami, you're the best!" I encouraged.

"Yeah, yeah" she said sarcastically, although I could tell this cheered her up.

I quickly got dressed and ran outside to see Mòrag and Acacia already up, she was holding Malos' blade and she was sparring with Mòrag and Aegaeon.

https/youtu.be/-eU9N59CkkA

"A formidable performance, especially for someone who's still currently having a hangover," Mòrag stated.

"You're not too bad yourself, even if you're down an arm and with a considerably weaker blade," Acacia snapped back.

"Ah yes, it appears I'm at a disadvantage, hm?"

"Please, if you really think you're going to keep up with me, you've gotta either be the bravest mother fucker I've ever met or the dumbest," Malos challenged with his signature half grin.

"I suppose I am out of my league. Acacia, I want you to rush me with everything you have," Mòrag reasoned.

"Alright, but if you get hurt, grandma, I don't want to hear it," Acacia smirked as she jumped forward.

Mòrag swung her blade fiercely upwards, parrying Acacia so hard that she flew back barely catching herself as her feet touched the ground. Mòrag then proceeded to rush her instead. Moving at speeds Acacia could barely keep up with, Mòrag easily forced her to the ground.

"You're a blade hog, you have Malos there to support you, pass the sword back and forth, this is how you perform the strongest," Mòrag lectured. "This is basic knowledge, I thought a BCC Colonel would have understood that."

Mythra, Azami, and Sheba joined up behind me.

Mòrag turned to us. "Ah good, you're here. Pick a blade, we're sparring. If you use only one blade or you refuse to pass your weapons back and forth between you're blade and you, you will fail, you may both proceed to rush me now."

"The statistical probability that you will succeed in taking on two drivers with Aegises at once is very low," KOS-MOS warned.

"Are you challenging me KOS-MOS?" Mòrag asked.

"Logical error," KOS-MOS responded.

Malos laughed and looked across to Mythra. "Hey partner, you wanna show her our real power or should we keep holding back?"

Mythra glared at Malos.

He laughed. "Fine, I'll continue to play your little game."

"Use however much power you want to," Mòrag challenged. "But don't destroy anything. Know power, but know restraint, let us fight."

Mythra threw me her sword as we stood next to Acacia and Malos.

"Careful Silas," Mythra warned. "You're looking at one of history's most powerful drivers, and I know I'm forgetting something about her. I'll keep to foresight, don't hold back."

"She's five hundred and change years old, I'm not worried," Malos laughed as Acacia readied his sword.

Mòrag threw her sword back to Aegaeon, who promptly sheathed it.

"She's withdrawing her weapon? This lady really does have a death wish," Malos laughed.

Both Acacia and I both rushed her, with our blades right behind us. As we closed in, Mythra realized something wasn't right.

"It's no good! Pull back!" Mythra warned.

https/youtu.be/-eU9N59CkkA

I stopped in time, but Acacia definitely didn't. As she went in she was immediately launched many feet in the air before hitting the ground several feet back.

We then looked at Mòrag as a very large black scythe with a purple flaming trails swirled around her. She was also floating in the air.

"What is that?!" I asked.

"It's what I couldn't remember," Mythra answered. "Within her is the most successful form of a blade eater that has ever existed. She commands that weapon by her own will, be prepared for a tough fight."

"Sheba!" I called as I threw Mythra's sword back and took Sheba's conch shell ether cannon into my hands, she floated in her bathtub behind me.

"Whatever, let us commence in battle!" she cheered.

"Armor Crusher!" I yelled as I performed an art that shot out a heavy barrage of bullets, meant to break armor, but Mòrag simply spun her scythe around faster than I could see and the ether cannon shots were thrown from the air.

While I did this, Acacia threw her sword back to Malos, who made the sword burn a much darker purple. The blade lengthened tremendously.

"Monado Buster!" he shouted as he swung, but Mòrag dodged under it and flew towards him, knocking him square on his ass.

I had switched back to Mythra and we both held her sword as we floated in the air.

"Sacred Arrow!" we shouted as arrows of light began pouring down from the sky.

Mòrag simply spun her scythe and knocked every single one out of the air before throwing both of us to the ground.

Acacia, in a last ditch effort to claim victory, switched to KOS-MOS' weapon and threw it to her.

"Releasing final lock," KOS-MOS stated as her heels protruded into the ground, locking her in place. The headgear on her head dropped down and she locked onto her target. She immediately went to call her art, but before she could do so, Mòrag was already behind her and she launched KOS-MOS into Acacia, knocking them to the ground.

In what seemed like thirty seconds, Mòrag had bested every one of us.

"Not bad," she said. "I'd advise not being overconfident slobs next time and stick to actual strategy. I have nothing else to teach you today, we try again tomorrow, dismissed."

Acacia, annoyed, got up. "You didn't teach us anything! You just threw us on the ground! What're we supposed to learn from this?!"

Mòrag looked back fiercely, causing Acacia to flinch a bit.

"Maybe the bruises you have tomorrow will make the lesson clear, now I believe I said dismissed. Unless of course you wish to spar again?"

Acacia jumped back in surprise. "No, no! I'm good!"

Mòrag nodded. "Very well then," and then she left.

"We have a lot to learn...," I sighed.

"We're not going to beat her," Mythra said. "We just need to learn her technique, she doesn't want us to win, she wants us to understand."

"Did you get something out of that that I didn't?" Acacia questioned.

"Cool your pride Acacia, I lost too," Mythra glared.

"C'mon ladies, there's no point in arguing amongst ourselves, is there?" I interjected.

"Shut up Silas!" they both said simultaneously.

"Ok."

Mythra began laughing. "Don't look so beat up Silas, let's go spar. We've got work to do!"

This was honestly the first time I felt that Mythra had been absolutely genuine with me.

Readability Level: 11th-12th Grade

Time Taken: 7 Hours