Disclaimer: See previous chapter

Chap. 15

On the ground on the sidelines, Ky groaned painfully as he recovered. His back was still pained from the facility destruction and he could now taste blood on his mouth. That was no surprise, considering that the armored gear had kicked him in the face after he charged at her. It wasn't like him to do something so reckless, but he just had to stop Vengeance from hurting Dizzy.

'Dizzy!'

His pains momentarily forgotten, Ky brought himself up to see the fight between Vengeance and Dizzy. He had revived just after Dizzy managed to free Testament from Vengeance's grip and take on Vengeance herself. As the fight progress, Ky couldn't help but be stunned as Dizzy managed to hold her own against Vengeance. He knew he shouldn't be surprised by it; after all, both were Commander-Gears and thus capable of using incredible power. But seeing Dizzy, the same sweet and gentle young woman who took care of him, in battle like this left him in awe.

'She's really learned how to use her power...'

But that awe soon passed when Vengeance managed to knock her back with a energy flash, stunning her briefly. It was just enough for Ky to see Vengeance begin to unleash her cannon attack. 'No! Not again!' The officer managed to make it to his feet, all the while his mind was quickly in motion. He wouldn't be able to stop Vengeance in time; neither would he be able to make it to Dizzy to get her out of the way in time.

The cannon charged to the full and Ky could only think of one thing to do. Using every ounce of magical power he had within himself and Fuuraiken, Ky flew toward Vengeance. The lightning crackled brightly around Ky until it formed a sphere of energy around him, transforming the officer into a literal bolt of lightning that flew right into the path of the beam just as it was unleashed.

"Ride The Lightning!"

Through the light and partly closed wings, Dizzy's eyes widened as she witnessed Ky's attempt to shield her from Vengeance's attack and succeeding. With his technique, Ky was holding back the stream of energy unleashed by the Commander-Gear at its center with the remaining energy scattering elsewhere. Now it was Dizzy's turn to look at Ky in awe. Although he couldn't stop Vengeance, he was deflecting an attack that would have hurt Dizzy severely, possibly fatally.

The energy beam soon ceased and the light died away, with Vengeance standing upright and Ky standing before him. Shock came over her face as she saw his back, which was turned toward her. His uniform was burned and though she couldn't see his face, she could hear labored breathing coming from him. His body shook and began to drift to the side, dropping Fuuraiken in the process. Before she even realized it, she had a fallen Ky in her arms and both of them on the ground.

The eyes of the young man were closed and she felt moisture on her arm. Pulling it back, Dizzy gasped when she found blood on her hand. His blood... Apparently, the burns on his uniform had hidden the wounds that she now saw evidence of. But since Ky wasn't hit directly by the beam, that must have meant that he was hurt beforehand. And yet, he still rushed in to save her.

To protect her...

"Ky... No..."

Tears began to fall on Ky's face, yet the officer's eyes didn't move and his body was limp in her arms. From far behind, Johnny, May and a few crew members had entered the scene, only to see a weeping Dizzy on the floor with Ky in her arms. May looked sadly at her friend, but Johnny's focus was on the Commander-Gear that was beginning to approach them. His hand took a firmer hold on his sword to ready himself for the battle that was sure to come.

"May, get every-"

However, his words were cut short when he felt a very strong pulse of energy. His eyes now shifted over to Dizzy, who was rising up from the ground, with Ky sliding down her legs. Another pulse shot out and Johnny now realized that it came from her. Her hair was covering her eyes, but he saw her hands clenched. Another pulse shot out of her, stronger than before and it didn't take a genius to realize what was happening.

Dizzy...was angry...

It was a sight he'd never thought he'd see. For everything that Dizzy had gone through and all the pain she had suffered through her life, she never once retaliated with any sort of hostility. Even in the battles she had undergone, she never fought with negative emotion. But now, she was practically brimming with anger and the power she had worked to control was now brimming to the surface in force. Her eyes, normally soft and almost pink, were now a deep crimson with her brows furrowed deep with violent intent.

"You hurt Ky...!"

Vengeance paused in her tracks as Dizzy began glowing in white. Her wings spread out wide and her increasing power began to shake the earth underneath them. The glow of white soon concealed her features altogether and it seemed as though she was growing in size. From the sidelines, the Jellyfish pirates watched the unleashing of Dizzy's power and were forced to back away. Even Vengeance took a step back upon seeing the girl's power, but it would make little difference as her gaze was locked solely on the armored gear.

However Vengeance showed no signs of retreat and reared her arm back in order to strike. But as her arm reached the side, it was suddenly engulfed in an explosion. Beneath her armored face, the eyes of Vengeance widened and she pulled her arm up to see the heavy damage it sustained. It was so much that part of the armor itself were only just hanging on to her arm. Looking back up at Dizzy, she saw the girl's hand was to the side, indicating that she swung it. Her eyes were still upon Vengeance and as they burned with more rage, her voice became that much more chilling.

"I will never forgive you...!"

Both her arms began to cross and more power started to surge out of her. Her body then began to tuck inward, levitating over the ground as she did so. Johnny had to hold the hand on his hat just to keep it from blowing off while May and the others with him covered their eyes from the light that shone. Vengeance was pushed back further, still holding her damaged arm until Dizzy let out a blood-curdling cry.

"NEVER!"

Her body opened out and the glow expanded into a wave of pure light and energy. The light engulfed Vengeance and with it, a maelstrom of energy and power. Such was its force that Vengeance was unable to either fight it or defend against it and as a result, began to vaporize within it, with only one final thought before she was completely obliterated.

'...Dau...ght...er...?'

However, Vengeance's destruction didn't stop Dizzy's power from rising. The ground began to tremble more violently and the light upon Dizzy grew to the point where she was barely visible. Waves of energy pulsed rapidly from her body and the ground began to crumble. The Jellyfish Pirates were continually being pressed back by the energy, with Johnny in disbelief as to the amount of power she was releasing. 'She has...this much power...?'

"Dizzy! Can you hear me?" May yelled, hanging on to her anchor which was planted in the ground to keep her in place. "You have to stop it!"

If Dizzy heard, she paid no heed to her friend's call. And even that was in doubt considering that her growing power was creating such havoc and destruction; destruction that was beginning to expand. The remains of the facility were beginning to crumble and fall apart from the force. There seemed to be no end it sight and no way to stop the young Commander-Gear.

"Dizzy..."

The voice was spoken in a whisper, but it was enough for the gear in the center of the maelstrom to snap out of her rage and pain. A pair of hands could be felt on her, first on her legs and then on her arms. The light around Dizzy began to diminish enough for the young gear to see the source.

"Dizzy... It's okay... I'm okay..."

Before her amid the light stood Ky. His hands had managed to now reach up to her shoulders, holding on to her as the energy continued to pulse. He looked ragged and hurt and putting forth great efforts just to remain on his feet, but he was alright. The energy began to settle down and the white glow faded as well, revealing Dizzy's features once more. Her eyes, focused on him, were no longer filled with rage, but gratitude.

...And tears...

"Ky... Oh, Ky..."

Once again, both of them slumped down to the ground, settled in the middle of what was now a crater. Dizzy's body bent into Ky's and her arms slipped in under his arms and clasped around his back, gently but firmly. Her face disappeared into the front of his uniform, but quiet sobbing could be heard clearly enough. Ky's hands, once on her shoulders, were now around her arms in a loose embrace and his hands lightly patting her back in reassurance while she cried.

From the side, Testament looked on at the embracing pair. He had seen everything that had happened, from Ky and Dizzy fighting to protect each other to Dizzy's release of power at the officer's fall, only to see the same officer revived and managed to calm her down. It was strange to see, but given both this and their previous actions, there was no denying that the officer and his little one cared for each other.

His gaze shifted over to Johnny, who looked back at him in return with a slight cringe. For a moment, Testament was tempted to strike out at Johnny for letting Dizzy get in this kind of trouble...again. But Dizzy was no longer his responsibility, and to be honest, he didn't need to start up another conflict now. Soundlessly, he turned around and walked away from the scene.

He had a forest to protect after all...

As the Jellyfish crew began to move toward Ky and Dizzy, also looking upon the scene was a battered Sol, with a still-unconscious Axl slung over his shoulder. During his fight with Vengeance, he been knocked back through a wall and was out of it for a while. He had revived just in time to see Dizzy's unleashing and Vengeance's destruction. When Dizzy lost control however, he began to to move in to stop her, only to stop when he saw Ky successfully reaching her and her powers calming down.

With Vengeance eliminated, there was no more of a reason for Sol to be there. So after retrieving Axl from the wreckage, he made his way off, unseen by everyone else. However, he paused and looked back at the embracing pair. Ky seemed to have fallen into unconsciousness and the crew had moved in to help him. As they made their way to their ship, Dizzy made sure to keep close to him. Sol snorted in half-humor.

'A gear and a knight... I'll be damned.'