waking up some time later Emeraldas found Tochiro jr was gone, but Tochiro Sr was still sitting with her. he looked like he was far away in thought. she smiled faintly just glad to see he was alright.
"hey, your awake." he said having suddenly noticed she was looking at him.
"how.. long.."
"easy.. you been slipping in and out for three days." Tochiro said stocking her cheek. she suddenly remembered what Gokai had done and recoiled form his touch.
"Emeraldas?" Tochiro asked shocked, she had never done that before. her eyes filled with tears realizing what she had done, and how it had shocked him.
"I'm.. so sorry." she whispered hating that even her beloved's touch made her flinch.
"what.. did he do?" Tochiro snared realizing something was very wrong. Emeraldas turned her head away. she could not tell him.
"not that." Angel said low seeing Emeraldas wasent not able to. "he didn't get that far." the wolf said low. Tochiro's eyes flamed in rage, oh he regretted letting that bastard off so easy now. yet he sighed, cooling his rage. nothing could be done about that now. he looked at Emeralds and sighed, taking her hand, he startled her to look back at him.
"it does not matter." he smiled. "I love you." he said sitting back down. "no matter what you need. I'll be right here." he said low, knowing she might need time before she wold not flinch from his touch again. tears filling her eyes she reached out making him lean in. she ran her hand though his grey brown hair behind his head.
"thank you. I love you." she smiled relived. she pulled him in and they shared a long kiss. no one could ever truly break the love these two shared.
Emeraldas lay still half dosing on the bed. Angel lay beside her as usual. Emeraldas could hear Doctor Zero working in the other room.
"huh?" she suddenly heard Angel said making her master turn to her. Angel lay looking through the glass into the room Zero was working in. Angel tilted her head confused. Emeraldas trued to look and saw his equipment begin to float around in the air. the doctor trying to get a hold of them.
"what is going on?" Emeraldas asked, just then the doctor started to float too. seeing the doctor float midair, desperately trying to get a hold of his more fragile equipment, made Emeraldas chuckle, wondering if she was still dreaming.
"oi! you two little pirate span! get out of here!" the doctor shouted suddenly having noticed Young Harlock, Tochiro jr and Fang having hidden under the sickbed, and Tochiro was holding a control of some kind. the two boys and wolf pup ran out as soon as gravity started returning to the room.
"Just wanted to lighten the mood!" Tochiro jr laughed as he ran down the hall. Emeraldas chuckled hearing that. she could see Doctor Zero smiling as he collected his things of the floor.
"Angel. can you follow them?" she asked with a smile. the wolf stood up and looked at her. "I would like to see how this ends." Emeraldas smiled.
"sure thing." Angel smiled, waving her tail as she hurried after the prankster trio.
she cached up to them having half the crew floating around in the mess hall. miss Matsu raging about her soup floating freely around the room, as she herself was floating upside down, waving her ladle around.
the crew however enjoyed the weightless flight as they glided around the room, slurping the soup flying around. the trio, having hidden under one of the stuck tables, cracked into laughter, making miss Matsu ever madder. as the boys finally turned the gravity back on, they ran laughing down the hall. the soup landing with big wet slash over the tables and floor. Angel chuckled flowing the boys, sending everything she saw to Emeraldas.
next she found them as they hid in the engine room. the chief was working on some minor repairs after the fight on planet. this time it was young Harlock messing with the controller. every time the chief turned back to the engine to work, Harlock turned gravity lighter, just enough to make the tools float, and every time the chief turned back to grab something he turned it back on, making the tools keep changing places.
"what is going on here?" the chief said after the fifth time. he scrached his beard confused. that's when gravity was turned of fully and now the crew began to float around the room.
"hey! who ever it is that is messing with gravity, you better cut it out right now, before I get hold of you!" the chief shouted floating upside down. gravity were quickly turned back on and the trio ran out. chief holding to his head, having bumped it as he landed, shaking it with a smile as Tochiro again shouted something about lighting the mood. the crew chuckled and laughed looking at each other.
"time for the big one." Tochiro jr chuckled, looking to his friend with a mischievous grin. Angel smiled as Fang eyed her carefully wondering if she was mad. she shook her head and smiled.
she followed after them towards the beige. Angel entered and looked around.
"Angel?" everything OK?" Lighting asked worried coming up to her. she smiled.
"all is well. I was looking for the boys." she smiled. the way she smiled so amused, confused her mate. Harlock had been standing over by the helm but he was returning to his chair. he and Tochiro having discussed where to go next. Tochiro returned to his seat by the window, when he noticed some reports from the central computer.
"what going on here?" he asked starting to punch in some buttons when he suddenly floated of his chair.
"woho." he laughed silly as he floated mid air. Harlock was holding on to the armrest of his chair looking a bit annoyed. the other crew members were floating around freely. Tori-san was sqvaking, doing his best to stay perched to the chair. Lightning growled as he hovered next to Angel. he had never been a fan of weightlessness, yet as Angel laughed he realized this was probably not a malfunction.
"I have that floating feeling." Tochiro Sr laughed, looking to Harlock smiling.
"should we not get gravity back Tochrio?" Harlock said arching a brow, crossing his arms as he hovered midair.
"I cant actually reach the buttons." Tochiro laughed hovering over his seat flaying his arms and feet.
"I got him." Lightning growled. he was close enough to the ground to kick of from it, making him sail towards Tochiro. as he came over, he kicked of from Tochiro's back, sending the engineer down towards the chair, allowing him to hold on to it. Lightning got a boost upwards letting him kick of from the window and send himself back towards Harlock.
"let's see here... it's been happening all over the ship captain, but there is nothing wrong with the computer." Tochiro said looking at the screen. "it appears there is something interfering with the signal in the room." suddenly they heard the boys laughing and as gravity began to slowly come back, the trio rushed out of the bridge.
"sorry dad! just wanted to lighten the mood!" Tochiro jr laughed as they disappered. as the boys vanished, gravity came back fully, making Tochiro Sr hit his chair, laying upside down over it.
"ha! lighten the mood!" Tochiro Sr laughed. Harlock chuckled with a grin of his own, and the crew was laughing as they got back up.
"they been doing this all over the ship?" Lightning shook his head with a smile.
"it worked though. most of the crew has been enjoying the prank." Angel smiled.
"yare yare.. not everyone. looks like Kei got them." Tochiro Sr laughed, watching the screen showing Kei drag the boys back to the mess hall to clean up after themselves. Lightning shook his head smiling.
"I'll tell her to go easy on them. they did make everyone smile... and they made Emeraldas laugh." Angel smiled as she began to leave. Tochiro Sr looked relived to hear that. Harlock nodded as Angel left.
angel found Kei standing over the trio, as they cleaned up the soup that were all over the tables and floor. the trio looked rather upset about having been caught. the crew in the mess hall were laughing were they sat, glad they weren't on Kei's chopping block.
"easy, Kei." Angel said seeing there was another tirade of yelling incoming. Kei turned around to face her and Angel had to stifle a laugh, seeing her face and hair was coated with light blue paint.
"what happened?" she asked carefully seeing the young girl was upset enough as it was.
"I was helping Yatteran move his modeling paints, when these three decided to mess with gravity." she snared looking back at the three, Fang flinching hearing the tone.
"they been doing it everywhere on the ship Kei. they were not after your alone." Angel chuckled low. "they been making the crew laugh. no harm in that is there? I don't think they knew the paint was going to hit you." Angel said yet noticed a little grin on Tochiro jr face. oh he had known.
"why don't you go clean up. I'll see to that the boys finish cleaning up here." Angel said calmly making Kei calm down and leave. Angel shook her head looking at the trio.
"you better be careful. I don't think you will have such luck next time." she smiled. "still thank you." Angel smiled making the boys stare at her.
"your little prank had Emeraldas laughing. thank you for that." Angel smiled. Tochiro jr's face lighted up.
"we did?" he looked to young Harlock and grinned widely. the other nodded smiling.
"stay out of trouble you three..." Angel smiled shaking her head, hoping she hadn't given them more ideas now.
Emeraldas sat in the fake sunlight, enjoying it's warmth an her body. most of the poison was out of her system and she was feeling much better. the pain and oversensitiveness had let go competently but she still had waves of numbness and loss of strength.
she and Tochiro was alone in the Island. Angel had gone back to her home planet to have the healers look at her wounds as they were taken an awful long time to heal.
Emeraldas smiled. she sat on a blanket in the sand wearing a simple red bikini. she chuckled seeing Tochiro was still splashing around in the water, enjoying himself.
she stood up, stepped into the cool fake ocean, and dove under once she was deep enough. she came up again near him. her fire read hair shined like gold in the sunlight and the water droplets looked like pearls in her hair. she smiled seeing the dazzled look on Tochiro's face. they had the island to themselves for a full week. the time spent together, enjoying the other's company. what ever damage done by Gokai, long gone by Tochiro's warmth and love for her. she smiled and dove back under the water swimming deeper, enjoying herself.
returning back on to the beach, she draped her towel over her shoulders, covering her back. she had seen the look in Tochiro's eyes when he saw the bruises across her back from the whip. they were fortunately quickly fading, but she did not want him to look at them. sitting back down at the blanket in the sun, she ran a brush through her long hair. smiling, she watched as he came up to her.
"Harlock said he would return in a few hours time." he said laying flat on his back on the blanket in the sunshine. she smiled, resting her head on her knees.
the captain had been making preparation now that the Mazone threat was confirmed.
the captain was raiding a few of the earth ships, bring back surplice to Earth. taking only the food from the ships and storing it in the pirate islands. knowing the coming war with the Mazone was going to leave the Earth with little too no food. the Earth government too busy with it's own distractions to see what was coming.
she looked over the ocean before her and sighed. she needed to return to her journey and soon the mech empire was building in strength far too fast.
"are you sure you have to leave? he asked sitting up. she sighed moved over behind him, and lay her arms across over his chest, pulling him in to her, resting his head to her chest. she rested her head on his.
"I have to. I still have some matters to tend to." she said low. her eyes shut, enjoying his body against hers.
"but you are still ill. cant it wait.." he cut himself off feeling her Arms tighten slightly around him. he realized she wanted to stay as much as he wanted her too, but she had to go.
"the Queen Emeraldas has the tools to tend to any more of that poison in my blood if i have too. Angel with keep me safe if I need it." she said low, having opened her eyes and looked over the ocean again. Tochiro nodded quietly.
"wonder if the boys have behaved." she smiled, changing the subject. Tochiro chuckled.
"not likely." he laughed, remembering Kei's face after his son had placed a whoopee contusion under her seat, right before Tochiro Sr had left the ship. Emeraldas smiled.
"guess I can be glad he isn't onboard my ship." she smiled with a chuckle. Tochiro laughed grinning.
just then Angel returned through a gate, not far from them. the white wolf smiled as she came over to them carefully.
"you're back." Emeraldas smiled and petted her over the head. "you all healed?" she asked concerned.
"yes. it took a while but am fine now. how are you?" her dark blue eyes looked worried. she was concerned she might have interrupted something.
"I been better, but I am getting there. I am fine enough to leave." Emeraldas said knowing better than to lie to her.
"I am leaving her to you Angel. I know you will keep her safe." Tochiro said petting her.
"with my life if I have to." Angel answered, knowing she had already proven just how far she was willing to go for her master. Emeraldas smiled, glad to have her friend by her side again.
some time later Emeraldas were back on her ship, changing back to her captain's clothing. back in her red suit she looked as strong as ever. Angel watched her quietly. she took her black cape and swung it around herself, letting it fall around her. her hands moving to the skull buckle at her neck, yet as she tried to close it, the numbness filled her left hand. she struggled to close the buckle when she could not feel what the fingers were doing. growling irritated she shook her hand and opened and closed it, waiting for the numbness to fade.
if that happens during a fight.. she thought quietly.
"then I got your back." Angel said quietly coming up to her. the look in her eyes seemed intense as she watched her. Emeraldas smiled, then finally getting feeling back in her fingers and could close the buckle.
"I am glad to have you beside me, Angel." she smiled stoking over the wolf's head and returned to the island to look for Tochiro.
she found him rushing back from the computer rooms.
"Harlock is on his way in now." he smiled glad to see her look like herself again. she smiled and the two of them moved away from the landing dock giving the Arcadia space to land.
Captain Harlock was the first to leave with Lightning and Fang by his side. Tori-san took of from his shoulder and landed on Tochiro's hat as soon as he saw him.
"welcome back my friend. I hope the trip was productive?" Tochiro smiled coming up to him.
"so, so." Harlock answered quietly. he turned as Emeraldas came up to him
"how are you feeling?" he asked with a faint smile.
"better." she smiled, though placing her right hand behind her back to hide her opening and shutting it, to make the numbness go away.
"you all better mom?" Fang asked worried watching as his parents rubbed her heads together in greeting.
"all good." She smiled and rubbed her head against her pup, making him tip over and making the pup laugh as she tickled him with her snout.
Tochiro sr watched as the crew unloaded the food rations.
"is this all of it?" he asked looking annoyed. "the Intel said those ships was fully loaded."
"they were. with every thing but food." Harlock sighed. Tochiro looked pissed.
"those idiots.. what are they thinking? the Illumidas war left earth completely starved.. it's going to take forever to fill the islands with hauls like these."
"fortunate we do seem to have some time Tochiro. we'll get them filled before the Mazone gets close to earth." Harlock smiled. Tochiro nodded quietly. he was still pissed.
"where are the boys?" Emeraldas asked looking around. the look on Kei's face of I would like to know that too told her what had happened. she smiled quietly.
"how are you doing Lady Emeraldas?" doctor Zero asked coming up to her.
"better." she smiled.
"I would still like to give you a final checkup before you leave if that is alright with you?" he asked carefully. she wanted to say no, but the look on Tochiro Sr's face had her nodding quietly. she followed the doctor to the sickbay in the Arcadia.
"why aren't you in trouble Fang? Tochiro Sr asked looking down at the wolf pup.
"I was training with dad.." the pup answered. he wanted to go look for the boys but he feared Kei would follow him.
"well things look alright. how are you feeling?" doctor Zero asked knowing she would be having some offer effects. he hoped she would come clean now that they were alone. Emeraldas sighed low.
"I am having moments of just complete lack of strength in my body." she said low.
"yes I feared that. that.. may not get better. rest and try to relax when that happens, it should be a passing thing though it may take some time to pass. anything else?" he sighed worried. he had been studding the other cases of this drug. she hesitated, but Angel gently nudging her hand made her sigh.
"numbness. mostly in the hands. it only last a short while." she said rubbing her left hand as it was starting to flare up.
"that is understandable, the drug was affecting your nevus system. I believe this should be a passing thing. as the drug is now mostly out of your body." he smiled somewhat relived. Emeraldas nodded. she glad to hear that.
"I'll check up on something right quick. give me a few moments." the doctor said and went to check some things on the computer. Emeraldas sat and rubbed her hand quietly.
the door opened and Tochiro jr came in holding something.
"mom!" he shined up seeing her. "how are you feeling?" he asked coming up to her.
"I am doing fine." she smiled and gently moved some of his reddish brown locks out of his face. he grinned widely.
"what do you have there?" Angel asked looking at what he was holding.
"oh right!" he grinned holding out a small radio controlled plane like ship.
"Yatteran gave me one of his model kits. he wasn't to happy with me altering the design to make this but.." the boy grinned, making it fly around the room. "it's pretty useful. it allows me to see what is going on anywhere in the ship, as it's hocked up to the in ship cameras." he grinned proudly.
"so that's how you been avoiding Kei." Angle chuckled shaking her head. Tochiro Jr grinned sheepishly, making Emeraldas laugh gently.
"you are so alike your father." she smiled, stroking him over the head gently. he grinned proudly.
"I am so proud of you." she smiled meeting his look fully. the boy blushed and nodded, to stunned to speak.
"ah, here you are son." Tochiro Sr came in smiling.
"dad! look what I found on the cargo ship!" the boy beamed with pride, showing his dad the second thing he was holding, a mechanical part of some kind.
"oh! you got a good eye son!" Tochiro Sr said taking the part to look closer.
"with this, I can make this have even more functions." he said grinning, holding out his RC plane.
"not just that son.. if we.." the two went into a long conversation about the plane. Emeraldas and Angel just smiling watching them. yet Emeraldas looked at her beloved concerned.
he had done his best to pretend nothing was wrong, but during their week together, she had seen him collapse a few times. yet as she had come up to him, he had just smiled and said he was just tired or hungry. right now he seemed fine, but she worried he had hiding something.
"found you!" Kei suddenly entered and grabbed Tochiro Jr by the jacket.
"shimatta!" the boy cried as he got dragged out of the room by the angry woman. Tochiro Sr and Emeraldas looked at the other and chuckled.
"guess he has it coming.# Tochiro laughed shaking his head.
"you are all cleared to leave, lady Emeraldas." Doctor Zero said smiling as he came back in.
"thank you." She smiled as she stood back up from the sickbed.
"just remember to rest when you need it." Doctor Zero said sitting down. Emeraldas nodded as she, Angel and Tochiro left.
"we're all sett then?" Emeraldas smiled down to Angel that nodded.
"you're leaving now?" Tochiro Sr asked worried.
"I should. it's a long way to where I need to go and I need to make some headway." she said low, not really ready to leave herself. it seemed alto soon that they were outside the Queen Emeraldas. captain Harlock coming up to them.
"ready to go?" he asked as Lightning and Fang said their goodbyes to Angel. Emeraldas nodded quietly. the two boys coming running up to them.
"your leaving mom?" Tochiro Jr said looked upset.
"I have to.." she said bending down to him. "I should not be gone too long. I cant wait to see what more your plane can do next time." she smiled. she froze up a little, as he hugged her yet relaxed and then kissed him on the forehead before standing back up.
"stay safe. you know to use the tracker if anything happens, we'll be there in a flash." Captain Harlock said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I know." she smiled, thankful for that little tracker. she looked to her beloved and smiled.
"I'll see you later." she smiled. Tochiro Sr nodded quietly.
she returned inside her ship and as she sat down in her chair she sighed.
"you ready Emeraldas?" the ship asked quietly.
"yes." the answer came short, yet she felt her usual strength return knowing no one could ever break the bond between her and her Beloved.
author's note:
yay it's done. it only took years.. but yeah now it's done.
I hope this was an OK ending. I really like the gravity prank scenes as they came out better than I had hoped.
the ending is.. eh.. I think it could be better but, I find I also like it a little. anyway please tell me what you think.
lightningtooth