Biometal Model O started to show a pattern in its method of attack, to which (at Model Z's insistence) Giro took advantage. Having lost half his health from earlier, Girouette had to think carefully about his movements. His calculations held true as he turned to be the victor between them. The Biometal armor paused, dropping the saber at its feet as it let out a low chuckle. The blood red eyes returned to dark green signaling that Juno was back in control, before Girouette could feel relieved, she teetered backwards into the ground in a lifeless pile.
"Juno!" Girouette exclaimed as he ran over to her and bent down to inspect what damage he inflicted. At least the Biometal decided to not blow up on her- that was something… right?
"Juno stay with me," Girouette then plead as he took her hand. "I'll get help, Prairie shouldn't be that far away, just… just hold on!"
Slowly and wearily, Juno looked up at Giro and gave him a lopsided smile.
"Told you that I'd… that I'd come back." she carefully said to him. Hearing her weak voice made Giro squeeze her hand tighter as if it could keep her with him for a bit longer. Juno smiled as she craned her head up to stare at the sky. It was so blue, so peaceful, and Giro didn't care one bit about it.
"Giro… what's your… your favorite memory… of me?" she then asked, closing her eyes peacefully.
"When… when you first woke up after coming out of your comatose state." Girouette softly said, fighting all that he could to keep his tears back. The fight had taken a lot of out him, and he was nearly sure that this last conversation would be own his undoing. "When you said my name after months of silence. When you could calm Vent down when no one else could. When you… when you came back and said that it was… that it was because you wanted to see me again."
"Remember me like that. Always. I love you and Vent so much..."
"Juno no, please. Please Juno, don't..."
Slowly, Juno's fingers relaxed from under Girouette's grip as she drew her last breath.
'Giro, she's gone...'
A single tear slid down Girouette's face, unlocking a full range of emotion that he couldn't handle, the Reploid held the woman's body tighter in embrace; One last hug, and he didn't plan on letting go.
"Giro. Girouette can you hear me?" a voice that sounded much like Prairie's coming over Girouette's headset. "Vent was down here with us, and he Megamerged with Model X! We were attacked by a Mechaniloid but he went after it, since the Mechaniloid took down two of the men aiding me. Giro? Are you there? Giro…?"
'You need to answer her or she'll get worried. Who knows how many Mechaniloids and Mavericks are running loose right now- Prairie isn't built for tough combat. You need to answer her Giro.'
"Giro? Girouette...? Can you hear me? Please Giro, answer me!"
Shaking, Girouette released one hand from Juno and used to confirm the communication between him and Prairie.
"Giro, say something, anything!" Prairie plead, noticing that the line was confirmed. "I'm started to get worried. What happened up there?"
The Reploid opened his mouth to say something; words failed as he let out a low groan of growing despair.
"Are you alright?" Prairie questioned, sounding a bit perturbed at this point at his lack of answer.
"I..." he slowly croaked, "Am..."
"Do you need back up?"
"No..."
For a moment Prairie was silent, possibly in waiting for him to say something further. He didn't though, so the silence prolonged.
"Look," Prairie then told him, "Vent will want to search for you after he takes out the Mechaniloid- he's already stated to do so. If there's something there that you need to hide from him, I suggest you start moving now before I tell him your current location. I'll tell him Area B if you wish, but that means you need to get by without him seeing you between now and whenever he reports back in at the Transerver. Do I make myself clear Girouette?"
"Yes." he slowly said as he carefully let Juno's body back on the ground. "I'll make it Area B, don't worry."
"Thank you." Prairie graciously told him before ending the connection.
'The Guardians can pick her up later, after we're sure that Vent is not in a position to see her like this.' Model Z offered. 'With her still Megamerged, Juno's body should still be in tact long enough to give her a proper farewell with everyone else. Giro… don't let this moment block you from what is important right now. You promised Prairie that you'd be in Area B, and if you're not-'
"I know. Just… just give me a few more minutes. Please."
From there, the Biometal remained silent.
. . .
Later, after Vent was given access to the Guardian's head base, Vent was properly introduced to Prairie and received a basic lowdown of how everything operated. After snapping at Vent for not addressing Prairie as formally as he could have, the red Reploid went mostly silent during Prairie's talk with Vent.
"At the bridge, we can assess all sorts of information; records, Reploid data, photographs even, to insure that we can help where we're needed. Some times even before a disaster happens." Prairie happily told the young teen.
"Photographs… Does Juno know about the Guardians?" Vent questioned as he looked around the bridge in awe.
"Yes." Prairie affirmed before Giro could even breathe. "Under an anonymous suggestion, she became a secret keeper of sorts toward the Guardians. Her photographs have come in quite handy with some of our recon units."
"So she's here too, right?"
At the notion, Giro froze. Prairie picked up on this before the boy could and said, "Just because she helps keep the Guardian's location private doesn't mean she has access to the ship. Such as you had to do, she needed to pass a test."
"Did she ever take it?"
"She refused."
"Why?! This is the coolest place ever!"
"She had her reasons." Prairie told him. "I believe one of them was due to a young man that she loved very much."
Vent thought the statement over before coming to the conclusion that Prairie meant him, so he beamed a bright, cheesy smile of delight. Giro had grown paler, and looked to be desperately holding back tears. As curious as Prairie found it, she wasn't going to address it with Vent present.
"Vent, how about you take a trip around the ship?" she then suggested. "I need to discuss something to Girouette about the Biometals."
"Sure!" the teen agreed happily before leaving the bridge. With him gone, Prairie then turned her attention to Giro, and in her surprise found his soft, troubled face covered in tears.
She didn't even know Giro was able to cry until now.
"Prairie, Juno is… I ki… I had to… to..."
"Whoa, calm down Giro." Prairie desperately soothed as she came closer to him, never once seeing Giro this distressed before. "It's alright. It's all over now."
"She's dead Prairie… dead..." Giro wept. "And I… I..."
"It's alright," she continued to say, allowing him to lay against her while she rubbed his back in assurance. "But… since you encountered a new enemy, I need to assess your memories so the Guardians can analyze the battle..."
Giro pulled away from Prairie and looked at her with a new sense of determination. "Can you reverse some of the data to me as well?"
"I… don't see why not." she agreed. "Wait a moment…." and she went to get the tools she needed to upload part of his memory into the Guardian's computer.
"What date do you want me to view back to you?" Prairie asked when she was near done setting everything up.
"December 26, 2165. It was 6:43 AM exactly."
Prairie nodded as she entered the date into his memories and allowed him to view that moment while she viewed Juno's death.
"I promise not to hurt you." he had told her, finding his own voice to be hypnotic and soothing. "My name is Girouette, but I don't mind being called Giro."
"I… I am… Ju-Juno." she had stuttered, his voice cracking from misuse. She was trembling, the avid memory of her earlier experience still haunting her.
"She was in a lot of pain." Prairie said over the memory. "You… you did the right thing."
"Yeah." Giro agreed as a small smile crossed his lips. "I think I did too."