Chapter Seven

By some unspoken agreement, the sons of the space pirates each did what they could to keep Emeraldas safe. Tochiro Jr. was now trying to reach the Arcadia by way of his father's Cosmo Wing's communications system, and Young Harlock stood about three feet away from the fighter's side; ready to jump in and help Tochiro Sr., if he was needed. Yet still Young Harlock felt some shock, when he saw how fast Tochiro Sr. truly was.

"I'll bet he could run circles around this son of a bitch if he wanted to!" Young Harlock mused, with a smirk; the expression not doing anything to hide the true fury he was feeling towards the villain for putting the mother of his best friend through so much pain.

"P-please…..tell the others….to hurry." The white wolf sitting at Emeraldas' side whimpered, making both boys look at her, and see just how dire the woman's condition was becoming, and just how much the wolf was struggling to stay awake herself; getting a nod from Tochiro Jr. as a response, and prompting him to step up his efforts of getting the message through.

"They're both getting worse! We've gotta hurry and get them outta here, Harlock!" Fang mentally whined, as fear for his own mother began to take root, as well.

"I think Tochiro's just about got it, Fang….." Young Harlock replied, confidently; trusting in his friend's knack for breaking codes, and feeling encouraged when he heard his friend utter a victorious (and relieved-sounding) laugh when he did just that.

"Arcadia, come in! Do you read me?! Over!" Tochiro Jr. shouted; the desperation leaking into his voice as he said those words.

"Who is it?! Who's calling through this frequency?!" Kei's voice responded; seeming startled that someone had finally managed to get through the interference.

"It's me! Tochiro Jr!" Tochiro Jr. replied, as he looked back at his mother, and felt his pulse quicken when he saw how pale she had become.

"Little Tochiro…." Kei murmured, then seemed to notice the cold fear in his voice, "Is everything all right over there? Are you safe?"

"We…..we need help over here! Mom…..that yarou did something to her! There's something wrong and we can't tell what!" Tochiro Jr. answered; listening as Emeraldas' strained gasps, and the sounds of his father's angry snarls seemed to merge into one single, horrible noise behind him.

"It…..was some kind…..of poison….." the wolf again whispered; the agony she was feeling from her mistress becoming almost unbearable for her as she lay there.

"Then I'll tell Doc Zero to get the sickbay ready! Just tell her to hang in there!" Kei said; her voice gaining the telltale hint that fear and worry for the Pirate Queen was taking root within her, as well, "Do you know where Harlock and your father have gotten to?"

"Dad's here, fighting the yarou that had poisoned Mom now! I don't know where the Captain is, but we did hear Lightning's howl few minutes ago!" Tochiro said, as he turned to look at the battle between his father and Gokai again.

"Okay! Stay put there, and as soon as I get ahold of Harlock, I'll send him your way!" Kei almost shouted.

"Then please hurry….." was all Tochiro Jr. could say, in answer to that, as he returned his fear-filled gaze to his mother's fading green eyes, "Mom, you've got to hang on! Don't die here!"

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Sensing that time was fast slipping away, Tochiro Sr. could only keep up his running battle against the evil, lust-filled man before him.

"Hold still, you worm! Allow me to kill you!" Gokai hissed, venomously, as he again slashed into Tochiro's defenses…..grinning victoriously when he finally landed a blow. With only a growl of pain, Tochiro Sr. stumbled back from the hit; gritting his teeth when blood sprayed from a deep wound in his chest.

"The day is mine, filth!" Gokai inwardly cheered, as he got around the smaller man; reversing their positions so that now he was the closest one to the Cosmo Wing, and Tochiro Sr. wasn't.

"Dad!" Tochiro Jr. shouted, aghast when he saw that happen.

"Tochiro-san!!" Fang yelped, in alarm, when he'd seen and scented the blood flowing freely down the smaller man's chest, and uttering a yelp, when Gokai turned and started running towards the fighter; intent on retaking the gravely ill Pirate Queen sitting within it.

"Bastard! Back off!" Young Harlock yelled, furiously, as he fired a blast at the approaching man, and as Fang also did what he could to slow his advance…..leaping in to try and grab Gokai's throat in his jaws, only to end up getting slashed in his chest, as well.

"Out of my way, brat!" Gokai demanded, as he continued swinging his sword; coming dangerously close to hitting Young Harlock, before the son of the pirate captain fired yet another blast and got him to leap back again.

"Close the canopy, Tochiro! Hurry!" Young Harlock commanded, as he eyed the evil man before him.

"But what about you?!" Tochiro Jr. asked, alarmed with his friend's decision to fight, despite the odds.

"Don't worry about me! DO IT!!" Young Harlock again shouted; the edge in his voice telling Tochiro Jr. that there was no room or time for argument.

"Shimatta!" Tochiro Jr. silently cursed, as he punched in the command for the cockpit canopy to close; providing him, his mother, and her wolf some measure of protection…..and leaving Young Harlock, Fang, and Tochiro Sr. at the mercy of Gokai.

"You damned brat!! You'll pay for making me lose the Pirate Queen! DIE!!" Gokai roared, as he charged towards him again, with his sword raised for the kill.

"Shit! He's comin' in too fast for me to take him down!" Young Harlock thought, as his life began to flash before his eyes…..and then, as something else flashed into view before the sword could split his skull open. Seconds later, Gokai was knocked to the ground; his sword breaking in half, as he went.

"Lightning!" Young Harlock yelped, relieved beyond words to see the scarred wolf.

"Are you all right, Young Harlock?" Lightningtooth asked, from between gasps; seeing from the corner of his eye when the boy nodded.

"Yeah…..you got here just in time." Young Harlock replied, as Fang limped his way over to him, he picked him up, and held him carefully against him.

"Dad…." Fang mentally whimpered, in relief; not daring to speak, when he felt the icy rage that was now boiling within his father's heart.

"As much as I hate to say it…..I almost feel sorry for that son of a bitch, now." Fang mumbled, as he watched his father get into a position that shielded not only them from Gokai, but also the Cosmo Wing as well.

"Why? He's had it comin'." Young Harlock growled, angrily; taking into account that Gokai had not only hurt Tochiro Jr.'s parents, but Fang too. At this, he got a slight, pained grin from Fang, in response.

"The yarou did the few things that really piss my dad off….For one, he hurt not only his closest friends, but also somebody he considers a second master, and has hurt his mate, me, and almost hurt you and Tochiro too…..and the last time somebody had been stupid enough to hurt me, he'd nearly castrated the dogs who'd done it, himself." Fang answered, as the feelings he was picking up from his father intensified to the point that even the humans around him could clearly feel them, "He isn't gonna hold back anymore."

"I guess not…." Young Harlock agreed; shuddering when he felt the murderous intent in the wolf's spirit now.

"Compared to how he'd been when Tochiro and I had tried to fight 'im, it's a good thing we're not the ones on his 'To Kill' list now!" Young Harlock mused, as he watched Tochiro Sr. get back to his feet, and take up a position beside the scarred black wolf.

"Are you all right, old friend?" Lightningtooth was barely heard to ask, as soon as the man was beside him. All he got in answer to that, was a nod, and a look that said it all. Tochiro Sr. was also ready for some revenge.

"Then let's take this piece of shit apart!" Lightningtooth howled, before both he and Tochiro Sr. charged back into the fray again; with fangs and sword gleaming in the sunlight.

Author's Note!

Okay, here's the newest chapter in this tale! (Again, you have to read Ligthingtooth's fic 'Unbreakable Will of Love' in order to better understand what is going on). Hopefully this will help defeat your Writer's Block, Ligthingtooth-san!

Hope this was all right!

Gemini14