AN: The writer's block is real.
I originally planned this chapter to be combined with chapter 5, but the overall length made it take longer for me to get in the mood of writing.
I know I promised action in this chapter, but that will come next chapter.
Anyway, please enjoy the chapter and leave a review of what you think. Reviews = motivation = faster chapters!
Disclaimer: I don't own Muv-Luv or Gurren Lagann blah blah blah we know the drill (heh).
"Ta-san"
…
"Take-san"
…
"Takeru-san!"
Takeru lazily opened his eyes at the sound of the voice. He had fallen asleep inside of the TSF's cockpit, and as a result his back felt a bit sore and stiff.
"Takeru-san!" The voice called again from the comm. Recognizing the voice as belonging to Tamase, Takeru turned his eyes to stare at her pink-headed image in the video.
"Takeru-san! Your shift is in 15 minutes you know!" She scolded. Apparently she didn't like the fact that he had fallen asleep at all. He would have missed his shift if she hadn't woken him up. Straightening himself out, Takeru sat up straight in the cockpit as he responded.
"Sorry, Tama. Thanks for waking me up."
She puffed her cheeks. "Next time say if you are going to sleep. I got worried when you didn't answer the first few times!"
"I see, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks." He responded, truly feeling grateful. Checking his clock, he noticed he was asleep for a mere hour and a half. He was lucky in that regard. While sleeping, Takeru had an incredibly strange dream. It did not contain any sort of people or places he was aware of. The only thing he could see was a large barren wasteland expanding to all corners of the horizon. He had walked through that field, studying his surroundings. He had thought that the wasteland represented some kind of empty thought he had, some kind of lack of joy in his heart.
And then, out of nowhere, the ground below him exploded as an unidentified object shot out into the sky. He stared at the object, attempting to recognize it through all the dust that had gathered around it. When the dust finally settled and the object came into clear view, he was suddenly thrust back into the world of the awake.
It was the reason he was a bit disoriented at first when he woke up, not quite registering what was being said to him. Now, after being awoken by Tama, his jumbled memories and thoughts straightened out and he remembered one small detail about the object.
A small, green glow.
He did not know what that glow meant. Dismissing it, Takeru rubbed eyes his, trying to dispel the tiredness out of them. His vision cleared up slowly and he stretched his arms, relieving some tension.
"Are you sure you are awake, Takeru-san?" Tama asked him again.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Go take a nap as well alright?" He responded,
She smiled at him. "Okay. 05, Tamase, entering standby at 02:02 hours."
Having declared her change in status, Tama shut the comm off. Takeru yawned loudly, tiredness still gripping his body. He looked outside, noticing the snow still falling from the sky.
"Hey Meiya, Tama." He said to the comm. Instantly the two girls' faces appeared in the comm in front of him. "I'm going to take a walk outside a bit to wake myself up, okay?"
"Sure," Meiya answered him. "Just make sure not to stray too far okay?"
"Yeah, don't worry. I'm just going to get some fresh air. I'll transfer controls to Meiya for now."
Inputting a small code sequence into the TSFs' panel, Takeru transferred remote control of his TSF to Meiya, just in case it was needed in case of an emergency. Willing the arm of the TSF up next to the cockpit, Takeru opened the hatch and stepped out onto the outstretched arm, feeling the cold air and the snow falling on him. He was still amazed by how his exo-suit adjusted his body's temperature so he won't be cold. Even in this supposedly freezing winter, he still only felt a very minor cold, nothing too unmanageable. At his mental command, the TSF kneeled down lower to the ground. Now much closer to soft ground, Takeru got off the outstretched arm, and watched as the control transfer took place and the TSF stood back up straight, its gun facing outward to meet any enemies.
And so, Takeru began walking around the abandoned fortress. He stepped through the soft snow, feeling the cool air on his face. It truly helped to wake him up at a time like this. He said nothing as he looked around the area. He once again recalled his memories of this place, of Hakone. He remembered the time when he and his friends all went on the trip to the hot springs together. They had a great time as they enjoyed playing on the Valgern-on set they had found, and laughed and face palmed when everyone got drunk and messed around, and soothed their bodies in the warm waters of the hot springs. And the shock he had felt…when he heard Meiya and Sumika confirming their feelings for him.
That's not fair, Takeru-chan!
Come on, wake up Takeru-chan!
Let's go again sometime, Takeru-chan!
Takeru-chan!
His thoughts wandered. His heart wavered.
'Sumika…Will there ever come a day…When I see you again?'
He kept on trudging through the snow. He had a few more minutes left until he had to go back, so he decided to keep on exploring. He looked at the snow covered buildings, and the great high walls erected, truly giving it the look of a fortress. A fortress that humans created and gave their lives to protect. A sad place of forgotten memories and hopes. Shattered dreams of a better tomorrow. That is the feeling the snow covered fortress gave Takeru.
Can he truly shoulder such feelings? Yuuko-sensei called him a hero once. Meiya called him strong. But, does he truly deserve to be called that, he wondered.
Suddenly, he heard a crunching noise on his right side. He quickly turned around to face the source of the noise, coming face to face with a clearing of trees. Unhooking his holster, he drew his pistol, aiming it at the clearing. He had to be careful. There is no knowing who you could face in such times.
However, checking his gun, he noticed it wasn't cocked. He wouldn't be ready if the enemy began firing on him. He had to run back to the TSF.
The crunching noise continued as Takeru noticed it beginning to become louder and closer. Deciding to bluff, Takeru called out to the approaching figures. "Freeze!"
The movement stopped. "Put your hands behind your head where I can see them! And turn slowly to me!"
"How dare you point a gun at us!" a womanly voice called out, sounding insulted.
"You are in a highly unsafe area. Trespassing is forbidden here." He said commandingly.
"Step back, you insolent man!" she shouted venomously.
She had a big problem it seemed. "You two need to leave this place. I'll take custody of you both until I can turn you in to the proper authorities." Opening a channel to Meiya in his comm, he relayed the situation to her. "This is 06 to Bravo team. I have secured what seem to be two squatters."
"Copy that, 06. 05, maintain sniping position."
Good, Meiya was going to have him covered in case they try anything funny. Not lowering his gun even for a bit, Takeru stood his ground.
"It seems the situation in the capital has changed." Meiya added. The situation had changed? What does that mean? Takeru had his share of doubts on the situation. He had to be alert at all times, especially in such turbulent times.
The first figure came into view as she came closer. It was an elderly woman, her hair already greying from age. As the three TSFs of Bravo team moved as one, the woman was alarmed at the sound. Studying the machines, she noticed they weren't the colors she was used to; therefore meaning they could only belong to another faction.
"You are from the United Nations, are you not?" The elderly woman asked him.
"That's right," He answered. "We are on an operation here, so I can't tell you anything more."
"What an insolent-"She began before she was interrupted.
"That's far enough." A second, softer voice called out from the trees.
Turning to look at the source of the voice, the second woman walked slowly forward. When she had finally entered his field of vision, Takeru nearly dropped his gun in shock.
Blue eyes, purple hair tied in a high, samurai styled ponytail. A soft, pale white skin. A slender thin figure. A highly noble, regal bearing. Those characteristics only fit one person Takeru knew.
"Meiya?!" he asked incredulously.
The woman's likeness to Meiya was almost uncanny. He was absolutely sure he just finished speaking with her on the comm, and now she is in front of him? What the hell is going on?
"Mei…ya?" The woman asked, surprised.
Suddenly, he heard a channel open. "Takeru-san! Watch out!"
He barely had time to register Tama's warning before he turned around, aiming his gun at the unexpected entry of another person.
Taking sight of the man in front of him, Takeru realized he recognized him.
"Chief Section Yoroi?!" Takeru asked Mikoto's father. "What are all of you doing out here? What is the meaning of this?"
"It seems I should thank Professor Kouzuki that you of all people found us here." The section chief said childishly. Takeru put his gun away, seeing as the three intruders were not hostile and one of them was someone he knew.
"Yoroi, are you acquainted with this man?" The Meiya look-a-like asked the section chief.
"Indeed I am. His name is Shirogane Takeru. He may be a bit rude, but do treat him fairly. We owe him quite a bit." He answered.
Takeru chose not to speak. He was still busy studying the sudden appearance of Meiya's apparently long lost twin. Seeing his puzzled look, Yoroi chuckled softly.
"I take it that you do not know who this is?" Yoroi asked him. Still feeling skeptical and shocked, Takeru processed what he was seeing. Where has he heard of someone who looked like Meiya? She had exactly her mannerisms and—
I had a twin sister, however she had passed away in an unfortunate accident.
His mouth agape, Takeru had merely a second to connect the dots before the old lady spoke again.
"What insolence! You are in the presence of Her Highness Koubuin Yuuhi!"
Takeru nearly lost all strength in his knees at hearing the name of the woman. Koubuin Yuuhi? Her Highness? THE SHOGUN?
"Koubuin…Yuuhi?!" He repeated in shock.
"Oh, you have guts Shirogane. You just referred to the Grand Shogun, the woman who has authority all over the realm of the Japanese Empire, without any honorifics?" Yoroi added to his shock.
The Grand Shogun. The one and only ruler of Japan. The one who makes all the calls in the country. The one person who all the Japanese as one turn to as a source of their strength. The one person who can fix the entire situation, the one who can put an end to this meaningless conflict…Was standing right before him!
"Ah, Ah…" Takeru stuttered.
"Now now Shirogane, it won't do to be so surprised would it?" Yoroi continued, appearing amused at Takeru's surprise.
"Do I look so strange?" The Shogun, Yuuhi asked him.
Not letting him speak, the old lady turned to her. "Of course not Your Highness! It suits you wonderfully!"
Yoroi smiled. "Now then Shirogane, where is your HQ right now?"
"Ah, in the Odawara West Interchange ruins…"
"Not good, and your command post?"
"At the checking station."
"Hmm…" Yoroi thought. It wasn't a good situation. He had hoped that the Shogun could be taken custody of while the entire mess blows over, but the only safe locations were much too far away. That left him with only one option. Turning to the Shogun, Yoroi spoke seriously.
"Your highness, I know he may not be the best escort, but I would like you to go with this man. It is an emergency after all." He told her.
Takeru could barely follow what was happening. Not only did the Shogun who looked exactly like Meiya for some reason appeared before him, now they want her to go with him? And if she did, wouldn't it be too dangerous? People without an exo-suit would suffer from acute motion sickness if they stayed inside a TSF for too long.
"I see," Yuuhi sighed. "Then, I shall impose upon this Shirogane."
The old lady attempted to complain, but Yoroi interrupted her before she could speak. "Shirogane, would it be possible for her to join you in your TSF cockpit?"
"Isn't that too dangerous?" Takeru said. "She isn't equipped with an exo-suit! She will suffer during the entire ride!"
Taking a step closer to him, Yoroi spoke a bit more softly, "Then I have a better idea," He said. He looked up behind Takeru, causing the boy to follow his gaze. And his gaze landed on the one thing he did not expect: The red face strapped to the Fubuki.
"I believe…That place would suit our purposes well…would it not, Shirogane?"
Takeru looked at him with wide eyes. He couldn't possibly…he couldn't possibly…know about Lagann? That's crazy! Nobody besides himself and Yuuko-sensei-
Suddenly, everything clicked in his head. Of course Yoroi would know about Lagann! He came all the way from the capital with the Shogun, straight to the fortress where their squad was stationed! And Yuuko sent them there specifically on this mission, with Lagann in tow. That could only mean…Yoroi was in on the discovery of Lagann. Yuuko probably told him. But why? Why would Yuuko reveal such information about Lagann to Yoroi? What is his significance?
"Hoh," Yoroi said to the still perplexed Takeru. "It seems you understood the situation on your own quite well. That is great for me. Anyway, I would like you to take the Shogun with you. If she rides in that, then we won't have any problems right?"
Takeru glared at him. He figured he was being used in this scheme, but being looked down upon by this man was annoying as hell. He hated being used. But he had to agree.
"Yeah…I guess it's fine." He complied.
"Good." Yoroi smiled. He turned to Yuuhi. "I apologize Your Highness, but I have my own matters to attend to now. I assure you, you will be safe with this man. There is no place safer than with him at the moment. Grand Chamberlain, please go to the command vehicle."
"I thank you, Yoroi. Please take care of yourself." Yuuhi pleaded him.
"I will be fine, thank you Your Highness. I am but a retainer of yours, just like all those men and women on the battlefield that are fighting for your sake. Please wish for their wellbeing. Even if they chose the wrong path, they still care."
Takeru strapped himself in place inside of his TSF. After bidding goodbye to Yoroi and the Chamberlain, Takeru took back control of his TSF from Meiya and placed the Shogun inside of Lagann. Although she would be alone and facing the wrong way, it seems Yuuko prepared the necessary measures so they can communicate while she was inside.
The progress of the events that led to this situation baffled Takeru. While he was still talking to Yoroi, Marimo came up in the comm and informed him that information about the Shogun's escape from the capital was leaked and that the rebel army was looking for her. Yoroi then revealed that he had leaked that information at the Shogun's urging. She had hoped that by escaping without an armed escort, the forces in the capital would disperse and lead the battle away from populated areas in order to look for her. Appearing before Takeru was an unexpected yet pleasant coincidence. The original plan involved taking custody of the Shogun in one of the command posts spread out throughout the region, but since they were so far away from even the closest one, they had to place Yuuhi in Takeru's care until they can take her back to Yokohama Base. Takeru hurried to inform Marimo of the developing situation. She was definitely surprised, and after briefing the rest of the squad, the two teams joined up again and were ordered to create a circle formation with Takeru's TSF in the middle, for maximum protection. After that, Yoroi and the old lady disappeared, leaving Takeru alone with the Shogun.
"Are…Is everything ok, Your Highness?" He stuttered into the comm. Hearing a soft cackling noise as they connected, Yuuhi answered back. "I am quite well Shirogane, thank you. While I had hoped I would be able to talk with you face to face, I understand the circumstances. Please do not worry about me."
Takeru did not know how he should treat the Shogun. On one hand, she is the Shogun, the equivalent of a king or queen, and as such should be treated with the proper respect. On the other hand, her similarity to Meiya more often than not made him curious about their relations, and he unconsciously found himself speaking to her in more informal terms. All in all he could admit that she was a mystery that made him nervous.
The squad continued trudging through the snow towards the extraction point while Takeru was still contemplating. Seeing as a few more than ten minutes passed in relative silence, Takeru decided to start up a conversation.
"Um, Your Highness." He asked sheepishly. "Yes?" She responded.
"Um…everything okay in there?"
"Ah, yes." She answered his question. Yuuhi took the time she had to study the strange machine she had found herself in. When Takeru had brought her inside, she was a bit skeptical at first, but decided to trust his words and Yoroi's words. Once she was seated, Takeru pulled out a strange small drill from a compartment on his suit and plugged it in to the panel in front of her. She looked on curiously as a spiral lit up around the small drill, and suddenly a canopy closed above her, sealing her inside. Takeru had explained to her that she would be safe inside and she should not be feeling any sort of motion sickness while she was inside. In those silent ten minutes, she confirmed his statement. While she could still feel the machine's hulking body rise up and down with its steps, her stomach did not churn nor did she become dizzy. In a way, it was comfortable.
She did however become concerned when the voice of the squad's commander, Jinguuji Marimo if she recalled correctly, spoke up in the comm and informed them that the command posts and HQ in the area had fallen silent. It could only mean that the rebels are hot on their trails. Fortunately, they had a plan that involved passing through several ruined cities and intersections, and that they would be reinforced by the American Army. While she did not like that the Americans had decided to intervene on the matters, she thanked their assistance. Perhaps such help will bring the conflict to a swifter end. But it all depends on a single chokepoint. She could only pray and hope that these brave soldiers will be able to go through this hardship unharmed.
Yuuhi found herself becoming more and more powerless as the situation developed. She, the Grand Shogun of Japan, the one person who all other Japanese people turn to for guidance, could only sit quietly inside of a machine she did not understand, be escorted by cadets who should not be on the battlefield, and watch as her people kill each other in her name. It was frustrating, and it was cruel, yet that was her reality. A single girl like her burdened with the weight of an entire nation. She had tried, continuously tried to shoulder all their responsibilities so the people could live happily, yet even those sentiments meant nothing in the end. Her frustration only grew, and she had clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, an opportunity to solve everything would appear. Hearing the Sergeant tell Shirogane that he must protect her at all costs only helped increase her hopelessness further. Sacrificing others for her own safety…was a price Yuuhi could not bear to endure.
"Shirogane," she said, her voice filled with concern. "I am truly sorry…for causing you so much trouble."
"It's fine." He answered confidently. "I will bring you back to Yokohama base safe and sound, I promise."
"Do not stop for anything!" Marimo screamed in the comm. Barely half an hour after they had picked up the Shogun, the rebels had already began to catch up to them. They were not far behind them at all, and they were going too slowly. She, like Takeru, had initially been worried for the Shogun because of the possibility of motion sickness, but when Takeru suggested they place her in Lagann…she had relented.
"Copy that!" The cadets answered, picking up their pace. They had to move quickly towards the escape point. They boost jumped over several valleys already, and it was taking the toll on their fuel reserves.
"Multiple TSFs sighted at 4 o'clock!" Mikoto screamed into the comm. Takeru gritted his teeth in anger. Where the hell did they come from? They had been escaping at near full speed this entire time! How did they manage to sneak up on them?
"All units, you are clear to engage! Keep 06 alive at all costs! However, do not fire unless you are fired upon first!" Marimo commanded.
They continued escaping, constantly monitoring their screens for any sort of signal, when suddenly unknowns appeared – right in front of them. Preparing for the worst, the girls of the squad readied their weapons, and locked onto the targets.
"Oi! Don't lock onto us! Do you wanna get killed?" A voice cursed in the transmission. The voice was not one Takeru recognized, especially the accent. It was thick and coarse, as if it was a foreigner.
Wait, if it was a foreigner, then that could only mean—
"This is the American Army 66th TSF Armed Battalion—"A female voice said on the comm.
Americans- their reinforcements! They had arrived just in time!
"Leave this to us!" another American shouted heroically. Takeru watched as various TSFs of the American Army sped through behind them, charging to meet the enemy. Taking the opportunity, Marimo commanded the cadets to speed up, letting the Americans be the distraction they needed.
He didn't like how the enemy forces constantly got the jump on them. Even if they were protected by the Americans, more and more enemy units appeared from seemingly thin air and flanked them constantly.
"Are you well, Shirogane?" Yuuhi asked him over the comm.
"Yeah, just a bit nervous." He answered sheepishly.
"I see. I must say that your piloting is quite unique. While I cannot see where we are going, I can tell that the TSF's movements are quite unlike what I have experienced firsthand." She continued, her voice curious.
"Experienced?" he asked her.
"Yes, I personally have ninety-six hours of piloting experience. Even if in name only, I am still the supreme commander of the military."
Takeru was quite in awe of her achievements. Other than himself, nobody else on the squad had that much experience piloting a TSF. It just shows up experienced and well taught the Shogun is, to know even the very weapons that are used to protect her land.
From that, he could understand her earlier comment about his piloting style being unique. He had developed it himself after all, with the very basis becoming the framework of the new XM3 operating system for TSFs, which allowed for more fluid movements as well as the ability to use so called abilities that had been inspired by video games, such as jump canceling. Yuuko had been quite eager to develop such a system, and his TSF, armed with the system, was an example of it. Takeru briefly wondered if Gurren had such a system installed.
"I do have a question for you however Shirogane. I have merely gotten a glimpse of it before, but what is that strange red machine in your squad?" She asked him.
Unable to answer her truthfully, Takeru began weaving a lie. "Well, you see it's-"
"To the 207th TSF Armored Platoon. I am Major Walken, commander of the American Army's 66th TSF Armored Battalion." A burly, manly voice said over the comm.
Now interrupted, Takeru could only continue listening to the transmission, which he connected to Yuuhi's headset.
"For now, Alpha Company is buying you some time, but considering the enemy's strength, we cannot afford to be optimistic. We will await your arrival at Kameishi Pass. You will be resupplied when you arrive." He continued.
Realizing the graveness of the situation, Takeru sped up, his squad catching up.
Several minutes later, the squad stopped at a valley obscured by a few hills taller than normal. Using them as a cover, they hoped to catch their breath and rest for a few moments before they continue their escape.
"Looks like we are in a better position to rest now Your Highness." Takeru said to Yuuhi.
"Yes, it seems we are. May I ask you once again the question from earlier?" Yuuhi asked him politely.
Making a vague sound of confirmation, she repeated herself. "I asked you what was that red machine that accompanies your squad, and I must ask why I do not see a Takemikazuchi here."
Takeru thought back to where he had seen a Takemikazuchi. He remembered that the first time he met Tsukuyomi, she brought along with her a purple Takemikazuchi that was supposed to be used by Meiya. However, Meiya refused to pilot it, saying that she did not want to be placed above her fellow cadets. She tried to get rid of it, but Tsukuyomi convinced her by reminding her of who exactly was thinking of her. Not only that, before their deployment, when they met Tsukuyomi again in the courtyard, she said that the Shogun herself assigned them to protect her. Everything made sense in his mind now. There was nobody else Tsukuyomi could possibly be talking about.
"Ah," he let out. "You mean the purple one?"
"Yes," she confirmed. "That TSF was my very personal one. It puzzles me to not see it on the battlefield."
Takeru could only stay silent.
"Shirogane," she continued. "When we met, you addressed me as Meiya, correct?" she asked. He gave her another sound of confirmation. "You must mean Mitsurugi Meiya, I presume. Please tell me, why does she not pilot the Takemikazuchi?"
Takeru thought for a second how to answer her. He wondered if telling her that Meiya was currently piloting Gurren would be taken as an insult, but that would sooth any concerns she had. He decided to give it a shot.
"Well, um, when she saw the TSF, she refused to use it. She said she didn't want to be given any special treatment." Stopping for a second, he considered his next sentence. "And…she is the one piloting the red machine you saw."
When he heard nothing but silence from Yuuhi's end, he figured she was probably taking the information in. It's absurd, he thought, in her eyes at least. Not only is Meiya, who is supposedly her sister not using the personal TSF she herself granted her, she was piloting a TSF that she had never heard of.
Deciding to burst her bubble of doubt before it grew, Takeru continued. "The red TSF is an experimental one that was developed in Yokohama Base. When we were asked for volunteers, Meiya was the only one who raised her hand."
"I…see." Yuuhi answered skeptically. Closing her eyes and reminiscing of the past, she giggled to herself elegantly. "That is just like her."
The two were silent for a while. Yuuhi had nothing else to ask him really, but Takeru had plenty of questions. But was it his place to ask them? He wasn't sure at all. But, asking the questions now would unveil any concern he had about the two of them. Why would Meiya reject such a gift from the Shogun, why the Shogun would send Imperial Guards to guard Meiya personally, and why they would look so physically similar.
Swallowing, he took a chance. "Um, I haven't been living here for long, so there's a lot I don't know. But…Is Meiya…Your Highness'…sister?"
There, he dropped the bombshell question. Yuuhi was quiet on the other end.
Takeru started regretting his question a bit. Maybe he was crossing a line he shouldn't have crossed.
"I see…" she answered, her tone sad. Confused, Takeru kept on listening. "What exactly do you know of her background? I assume, that as someone she depends so much on, that you would know quite a bit."
What he knew about Meiya? He knew she was a distant relative of the Shogun…and that's it really. They could really be cousins or something similar. It isn't so farfetched that even people who aren't direct relatives to look alike. It was a known phenomenon across humanity, something crossing over into the field of genetic diversity.
"Your eyes, when we met, not only included a speck of surprise, but a speck of familiarity. As if you had seen something-or someone, that you already knew. Your tone of voice showed that as well. You speak informally to me, as if I was someone close to you. I must remind you quite a bit of her in my personality as well. Those are traits I am quite aware of." She said, practically reading his mind.
"But you are right. She and I are…related by blood. We are twins."
When she confirmed his suspicion, he could no longer admit he was surprised. The fact that they are sisters, twins at that, made a lot of sense to him. He remembered, back on his home world, that Sumika told him that in their family, the existence of twins is a bad omen of sorts. A mistake that should not have happened. While he didn't know for sure why Sumika knew what she did, her words made perfect sense. The sister who apparently died in the other world…was alive and well in this one. Two sisters separated because of superstition, one kept in the main house, and the other raised by distant relatives. The very fact that they knew of each other's existence was the surprising part to say the least. When siblings are separated and raised by different houses, it is more likely that they will never meet in their life time, and if they do they will never know they are siblings. So why, he wondered, did the two of them know of each other's existence, but deliberately not reconnect?
"From your silence, I assume you have already understood the whole picture by yourself, Shirogane." She continued. "She was trained from infancy to serve as my double, and could not avoid being treated differently." Her voice was tinged with a strong hint of regret and sorrow as she spoke of her sister's past. "Her very name exemplifies it. Whereas my name contains the kanji for 'day', hers contains the kanji for 'darkness' and 'night."
Two polar opposites. Two sides of the same coin.
"From her very birth, she was to be used as a tool of the government. She was sent to Yokohama Base…As proof of Japan's loyalty to the UN. A political hostage through and through. It is my greatest shame…that my existence forces such a fate upon her."
"She must be…disappointed in me."
"You're wrong." He cut in.
"Eh?"
"You did not disappoint her at all. She of all people understands your pain better than anyone else. She was furious when she heard about the evacuation of Mt. Tengen, saying that they didn't care about the people. She, of all people understands why they rebelled, but must stop them as part of the UN. She's suffering from this contradiction. Just like you are."
He wondered if he was being too blunt. It might not be right to speak that way to the Shogun, but the way she chastised herself…Didn't sit right with him. Nothing in Meiya's life is Yuuhi's fault. She should never blame herself for things she had no true control over.
"She, more than anybody cared for your safety, screaming at 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi to go protect you despite the orders you gave her. She could not bear seeing you shoulder the burden alone. Her bond with you…Is the one thing she can truly depend on."
There, he said his piece. It weighted on his mind the entire time she was speaking.
Yuuhi allowed his words to sink in. When he spoke those words in such a manner…She knew he was being truthful. She knew that what he had said completely embodied Meiya's ideals. For Meiya, who was supposed to be her shadow, to care so much for her despite all her pain and despite never having seen her in her life…Brought Yuuhi grew pain...and great joy.
"Shirogane," she said, holding back tears. "I have with me something I wish for you to give her. Will you do me this favor? Something that is a proof that we spent time together…even if for a few days. It is the one thing I brought with me."
He was curious as to what the object what, but he had to ask her one question. "Are you sure you want me to do it?
The silence in her voice contained even more sadness. "She…has no twin sister. And the Shogun…has no twin either."
An unwavering resolve. Yuuhi could not give Meiya the object herself because of Meiya's feelings. The duty that she swore to uphold…could not allow her to receive the gift from her sister. The two could never meet in public. The two were born into their duties, cursed with them for their whole lives.
And they were both resolved to see them through to the end.
"I wish…I wish for her to receive it from the one person she has opened her heart to." Was her answer.
He had no say in the matter. "I'll make sure she receives it then."
"Thank you, Shirogane." She thanked him wholeheartedly.
And with that final word of gratitude, their conversation ended.
A few minutes after they had finished speaking, the commander of the American forces informed them that their squad would come under his command. It made sense, seeing that their commander was a Major and the squad's commander was a Sergeant. After briefing them of the developing situation and telling them that the plan will continue, the combined forces once again advanced forward towards their destination.
They had traveled for over an hour by now. The hulking steps of the TSFs crunching and smashing down trees and snow, the cold night still had ways to go. Takeru briefly wondered how Meiya was keeping up with them in Gurren, seeing as it was a fair bit shorter and bulkier than regular TSFs. He assumed Yuuko installed boosters in it as well. That woman sure thinks of everything.
However, Takeru's calmness turned to horror when the Major informed them of an additional force of enemies that was approaching from one of the chokepoints that they had just broken through. It boggled his mind, how the hell did the rebel know where they are? How did they know to come straight for them and not stop or change course? Even if the American forces jumped in to repel them, they just had too much information.
They had to maintain maximum speed. They could all handle it fortunately, and the Shogun was not in any danger thanks to Lagann, so even if they rebels do chase them down quickly, as long as they keep moving quickly they should be able to escape without any confrontation. They had to make it to the final choke point. No other forces of any army exist past that point. If they successfully breach it, the rebels' pursuit will fall apart and they will be forced to retreat.
Fired up, Takeru increased his speed even more. He was careful not to break formation with his team, but he still wanted to go even faster. Inputting his code in, he increased the engine's output, putting a slight strain on it.
However, their hopes were slowly getting dashed when they saw how the American forces were being pushed back by the enemy. They were approaching the checkpoint quickly, but if the American defense falls then there is nothing stopping the rebels from confronting their unit directly. Not stopping for anything, Takeru increased the engine's performance. Seeing his stunt, Marimo and the rest of the squad wordlessly increased their speed as well.
His heart thumped wildly. They shot forward, even as they were informed that the enemy reached the checkpoint. They shot forward, their hopes up and they prayed they will make it through. They shot forward at maximum speed, not stopping for anything!
And then, slowly but surely, they watched as their dots on the map passed the checkpoint, the enemies held at bay by the Major's last minute reinforcements, and the huge tension that had gripped them was relieved. They were so close, a few more minutes and they will be completely safe, the enemy will not be able to pursue!
Suddenly, an alarm flared wildly on his screen as his entire cockpit suddenly turned red. Looking around trying to figure out the cause, he heard a loud groaning noise.
Right before a sudden explosion and a violent shaking rocked his TSF.
Looking up desperately at the screen, he understood the warning.
His boosters were fried.
Because of overheating.
His heart dropped as he noticed the rapid decrease in speed as his TSF lost altitude, barely able to keep itself in the air.
"Shirogane?!" Yuuhi asked worriedly. "What's wrong? What happened?!"
"I don't know!" He answered, panicking. "The boosters are fried! We can't get any altitude! We can't do any jumps anymore!"
Trying to stabilize the TSF as it fell from the air, he opened a channel to Marimo.
"06 to 00! Repeat, 06 to 00! Requesting top priority connection!" he screamed out.
Picking up his signal, Marimo answered. "00 to 06, what's wrong?!"
"My boosters are fried! I can't get any more altitude! I lost the ability to jump!"
"Damn. Try to land somewhere safe! Do whatever it takes to protect Her Highness!"
"Copy that!"
It was easier said than done however. He was rapidly losing altitude. Even though he attempted to land softly, the surrounding trees and hills wouldn't allow it. Seeing as they were rapidly approaching a hillside, Takeru told Yuuhi to brace herself for impact. They held on to dear life as the TSF's huge frame crashed face first into a hill, rocking the machine violently as they were nearly thrown about in their cockpits. Reacting quickly, the rest of the squadron as well as the Americans surrounded the downed machine, protecting them from possible ambushes.
It took a minute for Takeru and the Shogun to compose themselves from the crash. Lifting himself up, he groaned in pain as he felt a few bruises on himself, thankfully saved from more serious injury by his exo-suit. Pressing a few buttons on the panels, he noticed that the TSF was still functional, expect from the boosters that were completely fried. He was thankful nothing else was damaged in the crash.
"Your Highness, are you okay?" He asked Yuuhi over the comm. He heard a few groans from her end as she too composed herself. "Yes…I am fine." She answered, slightly pained.
Willing the TSF to stand, the machine groaned as it stood on its legs.
"Shirogane, can you move?" Marimo asked him worryingly.
"Yeah, a bit." He replied, mentally commanding the machine to take a step.
"Ugh…"
"Your Highness?!" He asked over the comm in sudden panic.
"I…am fine…Please….continue…" she said weakly, obviously straining her words.
As much as he wanted to oblige her request, if someone discovered that they handled her roughly and she was injured, the entire nation would come down on their heads. They had to take care of whatever it was that was paining her now.
"Are you injured?!" he loudly asked again.
She did not respond. Fearing for the worst, Takeru commanded the TSF to kneel again. Opening the hatch of his cockpit, Takeru extended the TSF's hand so he could stand on it. Jumping to the extended arm, Takeru willed it to go to the back of the TSF, putting him in close view of Lagann. He willed the canopy to open, causing it to retract and revealing the person inside.
He paled when he saw Yuuhi's condition. She was clutching the side of her stomach as blood flowed out from under her shirt, staining her hand and her skirt. She wore a pained expression as she breathed heavily, sweating profusely all the while and looking at Takeru with a misty-eyed expression. She was clearly worse for wear.
"Holy shit. We have to take care of that, right now!" He yelled. Remembering that he has a first aid kit in his cockpit, Takeru willed the arm he was on to move, arriving back at the cockpit. Takeru quickly scrambled around to look for the first aid kit, finding it behind one of the compartments next to the seat. He quickly took it out and returned to Yuuhi. She was still as bad as she was a minute before, and it will only get worse from there. He decided to act quickly and, carefully, took Yuuhi out of Lagann in a bridal carry. He willed the machine to crouch lower, putting them on level with the ground. Takeru stepped off the arm with Yuuhi in his hands and set her down on the grass, careful as to make sure he doesn't make her wound worse.
"00, this is 06. Her Highness is injured. I am applying first aid now."