The next morning seemed to come all to fast.
Fritz had desisted delay to the next day to give everyone a chance to sleep and rest up. They all needed to be fit for the fight they might be headed for. How ever none would really get any sleep that night. Each one had their own reasons and worries that kept them up.
Mayu most of all. She was completely unable to sleep, every time she shut her eyes some form of nightmare came to her. Hoshi did her best to help, but Mayu could see she was upset herself. Everyone in her family could be on the other side if the gate, but what would they find once they got there?
Mayu felt terrible, was her dreams really nightmares? Were they even alive?
Frustrated Mayu suddenly stood up, startling Hoshi by her side that had almost fallen asleep. Mayu grabbed a blanket and headed to the green room, thinking the more open space would help her sleep.
Entering the room she found the birds had all roosted for the night and Mayu found she felt better all ready. Sitting down at what had become her favorite place in the green room, under a big oak.
She smiled seeing Kikan had added a starlight sky to the room as well.
"Thank you." She sent a quiet greeting to the ships AI, and she could feel the ships happiness.
Leaning back, she sighed and looked at Hoshi now dosing beside her, stroking her head, she remembered something. She found it almost strange she had even forgotten about it at all. She took the ocarina hanging by her belt, her only memento of the man that had taken care of her. She realized she had not played it since that night in the DeathShadow island when she met Fritz and Little Harlock. She smiled looking down to Hoshi by her her side.
"So much has happened since that night. I was so lost, I had no idea what to do at all and now.. Tomorrow for better of for worse I will finally know what happened." She thought for herself, feeling the fear come to the surface again. She looked at the ocarina in her hand. It seemed so small now. Before it always seemed so big when it hanged around her neck. Back then no matter how much she was teased by the others or harassed by the staff, playing it always made her feel safe. When the Mazone has taken her, it has been the only thing that had kept her sane.
As she started to play, even know it broth back that feeling of safeness and calming her mind. She found herself wondering if Harlock could her her playing even now.
As she stopped the green room almost eerily quiet, but then the Nightingale began to sing, to her surprise he was sitting in the oak just above her, dark blue eyes watching her. Listing quietly she found herself dosing, pulling the blanket over herself. She looked up at the bird again.
"Why is your song so familiar to me?" She muttered low and fell asleep. The bird watching and continuing to sing, lulling her deeper into sleep. Intelligent eyes glinting as it took of towards a farther way tree.
Little Harlock was sitting in the chair before the window in his captain's room. Tic and Tac was dosing beside him, Tac's head resting over his brother's shoulder. Little Harlock smiled watching them. Turning back to the window, he could see the black and purple space cloud horse head they were heading towards tomorrow. He found himself thinking about the stories his father had told him about what he had found when he explored the nebula during the Mazone war.
"Still not sleeping?" Riki startled him as he entered.
"You as well I see." Little Harlock said quietly. Riki dropped into the chair in front of his friend.
"How can anyone sleep knowing tomorrow we be facing a space witch?" Riki said annoyed. Little Harlock sighed.
"What do you think about what Fritz said Mayu had told him?"
"Not good to say.. She clearly is afraid of what she might have done, but we do know they are not dead." Riki said. Tac whined looking at them.
"True but we have no idea what is waiting for us." Little Harlock sighed looking at the nebula again.
"Does it matter?" Riki asked surprising Little Harlock to look at him.
"No matter what is on the other side of this gate we will find a way to deal with it." Riki smiled brightly, making Little Harlock chuckle and close his eyes.
"Yeah this is our time to shine isn't it?" Tic and Tac barking in agreement waving their tails.
Fritz sat in his captain's chair at the bridge watching the nebula outside. He had sent his crew to sleep and sat there alone with Silvereye above him and Mizu beside him. He sat quietly thinking about the last time he saw his father. He has been very upset with his father's wish for him to remain behind but even more by his father not telling him where he was going.
"Dad.. Did you know something like this would happen? He wondered quietly.
"I am starting to see smoke coming out of your ears here..." Mizu said dryly making Silvereye chuckle. Fritz smiled tired.
"Yeah I guess I am over thinking this. I am just worried. It's been so long." He admitted running a gloved hand though his auburn hair. Silvereye rustled his feathers and set his golden eyes into him.
"It's been that for all of us. You held it together for all of us this far."
"Not sure I really am able to lead anyone.." Fritz sighed.
"You done a great job so far. You found out what happened, you found allies and none of them are about to leave now." Mizu said. Fritz smile though his smile died away as he came to think of Little Harlock and Mayu.
"I just wish I could ask Her to stay behind but..."
"You fear you need her in there..." Mizu finished his line of thought.
"She just got free from the witch's hold on her.. I really don't want to force her back in." Fritz sighed worried resting his elbows on his knees and resting his head on the crossed hands.
"Even if you did ask her to stay behind, do you really think she would?" Silvereye asked reminding them just who's daughter they were talking about. Fritz smiled faintly.
"Your right I guess." He sighed and stretched. His body felt stiff and sore.
"Time for bed." He said standing up, letting Silvereye land on his shoulder again.
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Zero asked. The three pirate ships had now made their way towards the place where the readings where coming from, the Karyu and the Tira flag ship staying behind but following.
"I don't think anyone would say they are absolutely sure in these circumstances, but I am not about to back out now." Fritz said, knowing the other two felt the same way. The crew on the Talon's tenseness was to touch and it was no better on the DeathShadow. Most of the crew where young sailors with little experience yet to this part of the space pirate life. Yet none of them had chosen to leave when they were given the choice.
Zero sighed.
"24 hours then. Make sure you are back by then, with or with out the others." He said hard. Fritz nodded quietly before the com to the Karyu was shut down. He looked up at Little Harlock and Mayu.
"Here we go then." He said, nodding to them to begin to move thought the place where the gate should be. They didn't need to move much before the sensors on board their ship started howling as energy readings where increasing drastically.
"Looks like you were right, Fritz. Looks like the witch is awaiting us.." Little Harlock growled low.
"Stay close, we don't know what is awaiting us on the other side." Fritz said making them be on their guard.
Mayu sat still in her chair shaking, scared of what they would find there. Hoshi rested her head in her lap and nudged her hand, startling her to look. Hoshi's dark blue friendly eyes looked sad and worried.
"I am okay." Mayu lied petting her, yet feeling truly better knowing she was right beside her.
As they entered the portal of swirling white light, they were some what surprised as they came out into a white void. At first it seemed like there was nothing out there but as their eyes began to adjust to the white light, they could see what appeared to be a landing platform.
"I don't like this, captain.. Our senors say there is plenty of air out there." Irai said eying her captain carefully. Fritz nodded as he stood up crossing his arms as Silvereye landed on his shoulder.
"It would seem our host is inviting us in." Fritz said casting a look to the screen with Little Harlock and Mayu above him.
"Would be rude to let her wait would it not?" Mizu chuckled lightly as he stepped up beside his master looking up with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Fritz smiled as Silvereye chuckled. Little Harlock and Mayu nodded before the screen shut of.
"Irai, stay here and be ready. We might need your help."
"Yes sir, we'll be ready." She said having already given the order to the crew to stay on standby. Fritz spun around heading to the hangar, followed by Mizu as the Talon lead on to land.
As the two other ships landed Fritz wasn't surprised to see only Little Harlock, Riki and Mayu come out with only their guardians. All three of them feeling like they might need the crew's help if something went wrong.
"You ready?" He asked Mayu seeing her hands shake.
"No, but I am here." She said and looked strait at him, her determination clear to see in her eyes. Fritz nodded. Now that they had landed they came to understand that the white void was actually a thick white fog and now standing on the platform, they could make out a passage towards a door.
Fritz looked to the others, having been given an all clear from Mizu. Getting a determent nod form the others, he began to moving towards the door. Silvereye moved restless on his shoulder and he noticed the fur stand on end on all of the wolfs. No one was around them, but something made the wolfs nervous, something Fritz knew better than to take lightly.
As they came up to the door, he cast a look to the others before giving it a simple push and it opened up.
The pirates had seen enough of strange things over the years, but they were still surprised finding what appeared to be a be grand garden and blue sky on the other side. The garden was filled with exotic giant flowers and trees.
Silvereye took of into the sky passing over them a few times, his sharp eyes looking for any danger as Mizu and the other wolfs sniffed sensing for any thing out of place.
Getting another all clear Fritz and the others moved forward though carefully being prepared for anything. None of them noticed the door shutting behind them and vanishing as they had come far enough away from it.
On the other side of the door Irai was looking after them on board the Talon bridge. She saw them move towards the door until they vanished in the fog. She stood looking after them a while until she suddenly realized she could not see the DeathShadow anymore either, though it was landed right beside them.
Feeling something was not right, she checked the radar but what she found made her give a shot cry of surprise.
"What's wrong Irai?" The first officer asked.
"We.. The.. We are surrounded by ships.. The missing pirate ships.." She gasped surprised. Looking out the window, there was nothing but white void.
"Captain! We found..." The first officer began calling his captain, but collapsed to the floor unconscious.
"First officer!" Irai called running to check on him.
"Just like the swordsmen..." She said as she realized how similar this was, but now the men on board the bridge were collapsing one by one. Irai suddenly realized that the fog that was outside now somehow had gotten inside and that was what was affecting them, before she fell into darkness herself.
As all of the pirates had succumbed to the strange fog, a strong electromagnetic pulse blasted though the area, short circuiting the androids of the princess Mayu and damaging Kikan's circuits and controls, rendering her helpless and unable to to do anything. She could not even send a warring to Mayu.
Hoshi looked worried up at Mayu, she was pale as a sheet and breathing heavily. Truth was Mayu felt sick, she was sure was going to hurl. The smell in the garden was the same sickening smell as in her nightmares.
"What is this place?" Riki asked with a whisper as they came into a meadow with some large flower trees around them. The trees had some strange large flower buds below them. All around them were some strangely shaped bushes.
"Welcome to my garden, my young Harlocks," A voice laughed as it's wearer appeared from behind one of the trees. A black dressed lady with raven black short hair and red hued eyes that held a foul intent. As she turned towards them, black lips foully grinning at them. They could now see thin red cobwebs decorating her dress. Those red evil eyes looked over them one by one and came to rest on Mayu. The wolves fur standing on end heads down and fangs bared, her very presence instinctively told them to defend their masters and her voice urging them even more so.
"Welcome back Mayu. Here I was thinking I had the complete set and let you go like I promised the good captain I would, and here you are with 2 Harlock sons I was missing. Well done indeed." She laughed evil. Mayu shook her head scared steeping back feeling Fritz and Little Harlock's eyes on her.
"No.. I didn't.." She said tears filling her eyes, Hoshi stepping in front of her snaring treating to the witch.
"Oh, that's right, isn't it? I removed your memories didn't I? But my dear, that is what makes this so grand. You were free and yet you still broth your mother the missing ones, well done my dear daughter." She chuckled, never once letting Mayu's eyes out of her own. Mayu wanted to protest but found the words missing, as were her voice. Was the witch right? Had she done this just to return here? She could not stand the feeling in her stomach, that happy proudness over this woman being proud of her, the feeling of home.
Little Harlock was shaking in anger, making both wolfs beside him snaring dangerously.
"What have you done worth our family and friends?" Little Harlock snared. The witch chuckled and moved up onto a throne, on a plateau that came out of the ground. Sitting down on the throne, she chuckled pleased.
"Oh they are quite safe, I can assure you. As safe as a baby in it's crib." She laughed, her head dropping back as she laughed. "Oh you would not believe how much power I am getting from them and their immortal friends. I could even take on the Valhalla with this power." She stretched pleased and grinned evil.
Little Harlock was shaking he was so mad. Mayu felt like her legs were about to give in under her, not noticing Hoshi's worried whine as the young wolf had turned and looked at her.
"Of course I had no need for their pesky mutts but I think I found a pretty good use for them after all. How you like my new decor bushes?" She laughed manically making them really notice the bushes around them and notice their form.
"Fang nii-san!" Hoshi gasped noticing the pendant hanging around the 'neck' from the bush next to her. Mayu felt so bad seeing how upset Hoshi was. She never got to know Fang that well as he was only a puppy when she was taken, but Hoshi had told her so much it was clear he meant a lot to the young female. Seeing what had happened to them, and even more so thinking this had happened to them because of her, she felt tears coming to her eyes again.
"You wretched witch!" Tac snapped, jumping towards the witch with Tic right beside him. The two young pups slammed into a force field protecting the witch and hit the ground hard. Dazed and disoriented as they were by the hard hit, the two wolfs had to jump back and away from the throne as a young woman about Mayu's age were firing after them. Red fiery hair held up in a pony tail by a black bow tie. Dressed in a black short dress with red spider markings on her shoulders and stomach.
Strong brown eyes with a eerie red glowing hue to them watched the pirates angrily.
"Pinoko.." Mayu muttered hesitantly, remembering her from her dreams.
"Welcome back sis." She said almost tauntingly.
Fritz looked at Mayu and then back to the girl on the throne, his eyes narrowing before cursing low to himself.
"Well then now that you met my two favorite children, I believe it's time you met the rest of my children." The witch laughed and out of the bushes and grass around them grey shades of children, more zombie like beasts than human crawled towards them. The eerie half choked cry that they made, as their dead soulless eyes stared at them as they came closer was enough to send chills down their spines. Backing away from them finding themselves surrounded by the horde, not really daring to fire on the children.
"Shit!" Fritz cursed as their group were forced apart by the shades.
"Fritz.. They are not human. They have no sent." Mizu shouted as he attached one that got to close to his master. His fangs clamped down on the shade's neck, his hangs hitting something hard but there was no feeling of his fangs going through flesh or any taste of blood. He snared and threw the shade away after breaking it's neck.
"They are definitive not human.." He snared towards the still coming shades. Fritz nooded and began to fire at the shades. Silvereye shape shifting mid air and tearing into the shades with Mizu holding them of Fritz.
Little Harlock, Riki and the two wolfs had been driven to Fritz right but managing to stay together. Little Harlock were firing his gun with precise aim, Riki standing behind him using his katana to keep them away from his friend with Tic and Tac keeping their sides clear. Riki kicking one of them up and cutting clean through, almost for a split second seeing what they really were but didn't get to shout out.
"Fritz! Don't get close to the plants!" Mayu suddenly shouted as she was driven backwards away from them and the plants, while the boys were driven towards the flower buds. Fritz turning around just in time to avoid getting snared by the vines creeping closer to them, the bud was open as if waiting to swallow him. He shot the bud, while Mizu tore the wines of. Fritz mentally thanking Mayu for the warning.
"Oh so you do remember some things do you?" The witch stood up snaring looking strait at Mayu angry, freezing Mayu were she stood. Hoshi stepping quickly in front of her snaring angrily showing her fangs.
"Very well then, let me return all of your memories, dear daughter." She snared holding out her hand. Mayu steeped back scared but then howled in pain gripping to her head and falling to her knees.
"Mayu! Mayu!" Hoshi shouted trying to get her to look at her. Mayu was not breathing, staring at the ground, mouth opened in a soundless scream. Her eyes flashed a red glowing red hue in her usually dark brown.
All the memories came back like the breaking of a damn and Mayu felt her conscious sleeping. She felt like she was falling into darkness and it was like she was falling for what felt like forever.
She soon found herself sitting on her knees in a complete void of darkness.
"Well well, well look who we have here." A voice taunted. "Back so soon eh?" The speaker stepped our of the darkness, a version of herself, that was dressed in the same black dress as she had seen Pinoko wearing, as well as the one she was wearing in her nightmares. Her eyes were hard and threatening.
"Oh? Nothing to say? Or are you pretending not to remember what we did? Who we are?" She bent down towards her looking angry. Mayu shook her head. Memories flashed past, of her fighting Harlock as the shades were driving the other pirates into the buds around them.
"No that wasn't.."
"Wasn't you?" The other her laughed sinister. "So you think that since you got your old memories back and you met with these others that you are all nice and innocent again? That you are not the reason for their year of suffering? These so called friends of yours?" The other her walked around her.
"So what do you think they will think of you once they find out eh? Once they find out what kind of pain their fathers and friends are suffering thanks to you?" The other her laughed as Mayu covered her ears suddenly hearing everyone's cries and feeling their pain shooting though her.
Tears filling her eyes as she shook her head.
"No I didn't.. She made me.. She messed with my memories.." Mayu cried.
"Oh? Did she though?" The other her chuckled as she walked behind her. "True she may have helped us along a bit, but even you can not say she only used what was already there!" She whispered over her shoulder, making Mayu's eyes go wide.
"How many times did you not wish you could be adopted, be be normal like the other kids? None would want to adopt you because of him. How many times did we not get teased by our so called friends? How many times were we punished, having to hard labor for no real reason by the adults, just because they thought it would bring Harlock to come to Earth? He refused to take us away from that place, you remember?" The other her snared as she walked around Mayu.
"How many nights did we not just want to run away? To leave it all behind?" The voice waking memories about how she had been treated by the people working at the school, and the way Kiruta had tormented her to get back at Harlock.
"Mother saved us, she gave us a home, a sister, a place to belong!" Mayu shook her head.
"No.. No! I am not listening to you anymore!" She screamed standing up in the darkness, though the darkness were crushing her mental strength. The other her laughed as the darkness swirled and the pressure increased tenfold forcing her on her knees gasping under it's weight.
"It does not matter, I am am taking over again like our mother wants, and this time I am not letting go." She laughed. Her mental dress changing into Mayu's pirate suit and Mayu found her own mental self changing back into that of her 9 year old self, the darkness crushing her. The other her vanished and she found herself trapped with in her own mind, unable to see or do anything, trapped with in the dark void and with no way out.
Fritz and the two boys had manged to fight their way out of the entrapment and far enough away from the flowers. Now knowing they needed to do so thanks to Mayu's warning. So far they had manged to take down most of the shades.
Fritz were struggling trying to fight his way over to Mayu. The shades had left her and Hoshi alone ever since Mayu screamed and fell to her knees, but now they were blocking his way.
Mayu was still sitting holding to her head, barely breathing starring blankly into the ground, but he could see something was clearly wrong.
Hoshi had stood by her side to now barking and biting her master carefully hoping to snap her out of it, but now the young wolf was backing away, her fur standing on end and a low growl in her throat.
"Mayu! Snap out of it!" Hoshi whimpered scared forcing herself closer again, fighting her instinct with all her strength to do so.
Mayu suddenly looked up strait at her and struck her with the hilt of her gun in the head, sending her to the ground hard.
"Mayu!" Fritz shouted seeing this yet the rest of his shout died away as he had to jump to a side to duck her shot. She looked strait at him now, grinning what could only be described as a foul grin. Her kind sad brown eyes now having the same red glowing hue as he had seen in Pinoko's eyes.
"Shit.." Fritz cursed realizing what had happened. Mayu was under the witch's control again. The shades now focusing on Little Harlock and Riki, and more arrived forcing Silvereye and Mizu away from their master as Mayu now slammed into him with her saber drawn. He barely having time to defend himself.
"Mayu.. Snap out of it! You are being controlled." He cursed hating the red color in her eyes as their sabers scraped against each other, Fritz having to use force to keep the block up.
"Snap out of it!" He shouted as he forced her attack to end and sending her recoiling back a few steps.
"Ha! Give it up, you think your voice it going to break though to her when even the great captain Harlock's voice could not?" Pinoko laughed tauntingly. Fritz looked strait at Mayu, thinking how things must have gone with the others and of what Mayu had told of her nightmares.
"Forgive me.. I should have never broth you here." He whispered low, getting no response from Mayu as they continued to fight.
Their fight raging on, Little Harlock finding constantly new shades were getting in the way. No matter how many they took down, they were unable to get over to and help Fritz.
Little Harlock cursed low to himself. He could feel the tiredness were sneaking up on him. There seemed to be no end to the shades. If this kept on, if nothing changed it would not take long before they would be over run.
None of then noticing Hoshi struggling back up on her feet, panting heavily. Blood dripped from a cut by the template of her left eye. Her dark blue eyes brimmed with tears as she saw Mayu and Fritz fighting in front of her. Rage filled her and before she knew it, instinct took over for reason and ran towards Mayu.
Fritz barely managing to step back as Hoshi jumped.
"Mayu!" She howled angry. Mayu turning towards her and just managed to place her arm in front of her, as Hoshi's teeth smacked shut. Her fangs now dug deeply into Mayu's left arm.
"Mayu!" She screamed in her mind as she now lay over her, pressing Mayu down on the ground with her own body.
Mayu began to struggle, hitting Hoshi with the hilt of her saber to force her to let go and get of her.
"Hoshi!" Fritz and the others shouted seeing the young wolf getting hit over and over. Mayu was hitting her on the side of her head over and over aiming for it intentionality, yet Hoshi refused to let go.
"We promised! I promised I would not let any one hurt you! You promised me we would find them together! We promised we would find our family! You promised Mayu!" She cried in open thought speak, not caring who else head her. "You promised MAYU!"
"Mayu.." A weak whisper broke through the dark void of Mayu's mind into where she was trapped. She stood up, not quite sure she did her something or even where it came from. She stood still listening, shaking in the cold darkness when a weak sound broke the silence. It was weak, almost unbearable but it was there. She hurried towards it, stumbling a few times in the darkness but the sound was getting stronger. Tripping falling over, she crawled back up staring into the darkness listening. She stood up realizing now the sound was actually a tone, and one she knew.
"The nightingale?" She asked herself running towards it.
Mayu had be quiet to now, just systematically been hitting Hoshi to get her of her, but now she was screaming. Her screams and struggle was becoming more and more erratic. Where she had been hitting Hoshi in the head to force her of her, now she was just hitting her wildly. Hoshi struggled to keep her down but still refused to let go, still continued to call for her with her mind.
"Hoshi!" Mizu called worried, trying to get to her as Hoshi's fur was covered with blood.
"Mother? What is happening?" Pinoko asked where she stood confused, winching as the witch stood up and hissed angry.
"Oh no, you cant break out of my spell that easily." She snared, glaring at Mayu and Hoshi.
With in Mayu's mind, Mayu were still trying to get to the sound. The darkness around her had been constant before but the closer she came to the sound the more the darkness seemed to shift and swirl as if trying to stop her. It was getting harder to breathe and move, but she continued refusing to give up now that she was so close. She realized as she kept running towards it that she wasn't hearing the bird or any bird at all but a harmonica playing.
"I know this.. I remember." She gasped.
She stopped up, and the darkness now trying to swallow her up again. It felt like the darkness were crushing her. It was no air to breathe, it was suffocating. Yet she stood strong against it, her eyes shot, listing to the song. It was clear and strong now. As she stood there she grew to her older self, her pirate suit return to her, she held to her chest, the pendant seemed warm, almost burning. The darkness was swirling around her trying to weaken her again, retake the control.
"Mayu!" A whisper broke through the darkness and she opened her eyes. In front of her there was a weak white star shining. She stretched towards it though it felt like trying to move though cement. The star seemed to grow bigger and brighter by the second. Mayu smiled and relaxed letting the light take over listing to the song playing.
She suddenly opened her eyes and found she was looking strait at Hoshi's face and she realized what the star had been. Hoshi let go of her arm seeing the red glow in here eyes were gone, not to mention that said eyes were filled with tears.
To Mayu it was horrifying seeing Hoshi was dripping with blood from the many wounds she had unknowingly inflicted. She didn't even notice the pain in her arm. She grabbed hold around Hoshi's neck and hugged her hard against herself, hiding her face in her fur and allowing some tears to fall.
"Mayu?" Hoshi whispered sensing nothing of the blind rage from before.
"I am so sorry, Hoshi.." Mayu whimpered low.
"No! Impossible!" A cry from the witch had both of the jump back to reality.
"Pinoko! Kill her!" She shouted telling just how mad she was Mayu had manged to break free from her control of her. Pinoko seemed to hesitate for a second before she jumped out of the barrier as it lowered.
Surprising them all Little Harlock fired of a clean shot just as the barrier was going up again, shattering it completely. With a pleased grin he fired of four shots right at the witch. The witch turned around allowing all four to hit her, but she just laughed. they did no damage to her.
"Hahahaha It's pointless! You cant kill me! You cant even harm me!" She laughed evil as she raised her arms, summoning a new horde of shades, forcing Little Harlock to focus on them again. Fritz once again found himself being forced away from Mayu and Hoshi by the shades. Pinoko was coming towards Mayu and Hoshi, the shades steeping out of her way. Hoshi stepping in front of Mayu to protect her. Mayu took the saber away and took the knife she had at her side and tore her scarf, binding it around the bleeding arm, before arming herself with the knife in the right hand, as Pinoko was only armed with a knife as well.
"Hoshi, step back. I can handle this." Mayu said steeping up to her wolf's side. Hoshi stepped back, surprised over the sudden confidence and strength she showed.
"It's not worth it.." She said as Pinoko came up to her.
"What? Are you going to try and talk me down?" Pinoko snared angry. "Convince me I don't wanna do this? Well dear sister, I do." Pinoko smiled sinister. The two suddenly clashed together, the knifes flashing in white between them. Mayu was showing a fighting confidence no one knew she had. Yet to Mayu she had been sparring against Pinoko all her life for this day to come. All that training they had together, all the years waiting for them to be ready were finally here. Pinoko had always bested her when they were sparring with knifes in the past, but now the stakes had never been higher.
In the corner of Mayu's eye, she saw Fritz and his partners fighting their way though the shades, trying to get to the witch. Little Harlock trying desperately to get over to Riki who lay on the ground, having been snared by one of the plants. Tic and Tac hanging on to his katana staff, trying to pull him free, their claws digging into the ground.
Mayu cursed feeling Pinoko's bade cut her side slightly having gotten distracted by her friends. Pinoko grinned pleased before she began an onslaught of attacks driving Mayu backwards.
"This is hopeless. We need to take out the witch, but there is nothing that can harm her." Mayu cursed trying to think of some way when Pinoko kicked out, hitting her in the chest and sent her into a tree, smacking her head hard against the trunk, making her black out for a few moments. It did however knock something loose from her memories. A memory of the witch bringing a warrior in to their world, wanting to do a test run before they attracting the pirates to come. The man had nearly killed their mother and Mayu and Pinoko had been forced to kill him. Their mother had then desisted to do something that would make her invulnerable.
Pinoko was closing in on her again making Hoshi jump in front of Mayu snaring.
"Easy Hoshi. Let me finish this." Mayu got back up with a new spark in her eye. She smiled cleverly which unnerved Pinoko some what.
"What are you smiling at?" She growled angry.
"I know how to beat you." Mayu chuckled, showing a confidence unseen so far and could only be compared to that Harlock or Emeraldas would show. Hoshi looked up at her as Mayu got her knife and returned to her opening position.
"Ha! you never been able to best me in a knife fight before!" Pinoko taunted, charging her again.
"I am not the same that I used to be." Mayu smiled as she blocked her and cast a smile to Fritz, as if to tell him she was going to be okay.
They shared blows for a bit until they charged each other again. As the two crashed together Mayu's knife had cut the black bow tie holding Pinoko's hair up letting her hair fall down.
Mayu stumbled back a few steps gripping Pinoko's hands holding her knife as it was lodged within her chest though to far left for her heart.
"Mayu!" Fritz screamed angry.
"Mayu!" Little Harlock shouted seeing this just right after he had finally gotten Riki free.
"Mayu!" Hoshi shouted ready to attack Pinoko wanting to drive her away, yet a sudden smile from Mayu stopped her in her tracks.
"What are you doing? Let go!" Pinoko shouted trying to get free from her grip.
"See.. I am not.. the same.." Mayu chuckled painfully, making Pinoko pale. She let go of Pinko's hands, letting her let go of the knife.
She still held to the handle of the knife in her chest stumbling back hitting a tree with her back.
"You did.. one fatal mistake.. mother.. You gave me back.. all my.. memories." She chuckled and drove the knife downwards opening the wound even more.
"Mayu! Stop!" Hoshi cried seeing Mayu slide into a sitting position by the pain. Mayu smiled painfully using her teeth to pull the glove of her left hand.
"No!" The witch screamed, startling the others. "Pinoko, stop her!" Pinoko on the other hand was completely frozen, unable to move at all. Mayu placed her fingers into the wound. The pain was clear to see on her face, but as where her determination.
"Mayu stop.. What are you.." Hoshi whimpered scared.
"NOOOO!" The witch were now coming down from her throne and came towards Mayu raging.
"G-got it." Mayu smiled and pulled out a small oval shaped cylinder with a weak glow to it. The witch was coming closer now, the shades moving out of her way though still managing to keep the others away from helping. The witch ignored Fritz firing at her. Pinoko had steeped away scared, unsure what to do.
Hoshi stepped in front of Mayu, determined to keep the witch away from her wounded master at any cost.
"H-hoshi.." Mayu's pained voice made her turn her head to look at her. Her dark blue eyes were scared. "Destroy.. it.." Mayu said low holding her hand out with the item. Hoshi looked back at the witch and then turning around fully looking staring and Mayu. She took the item from her hand and held it between her teeth.
"Mayu!" Fritz called desperately trying to get over to them. Mayu nodded slowly, the witch was almost over them now.
Hoshi's jaws snapped shot, breaking the item into little bits.
The witch howled like a demon in hell, her body suddenly catching fire.
"You wretched little troll!" She cursed howling, the fire revealing her mechanized boy before it collapsed in a dead heap.
Pinoko was screaming before she collapsed unconscious on the ground not far from Mayu. The shades creaking and falling on the ground all around them.
"Mayu!" Fritz got over to her, dropping down on his knees and pressing his scarf to the wound trying to stop the bleeding.
Then suddenly the grass and sky began to dissolve around then. The bushes and trees becoming boxes and pillars of steel. The flower trees and buds becoming hibernation pods. The wolf like bushes vanished completely.
"What the.. is this.. a ship? A space base?" Riki gasped. The shades now becoming clear they were androids.
"It was all an an illusion.." Little Harlock cursed.
"Stay with me Mayu." Fritz took her head in his hand. "Don't pass out.." Her eyes were glassy and she looked terrible pale. She looked at him worried. He had a slight cut on his face and other wounds, a deep one on his leg, after the fight with her.
"Fritz! Evey one is here!" Little Harlock called relived having found everyone in the pods, even the missing wolves.
"Find Black Jack and hurry!" Fritz shouted knowing the doctor would save Mayu's life. As Little Harlock hurried of to do so, Riki undid the process on the others. One by one the began to wake up.
"Fritz!" Falco's voice cut into the noise, as he spotted his son.
"Dad!" Fritz called relived to finally hear his voice again.
Mayu watched in silence seeing Hoshi only tearing herself away from her side once to met her brother and father and came right back.
Mayu's eyes teared up not seeing the one man she needed to see, but then he stepped out between the others, he was holding to his left arm, a bandage hastily wrapped around it.
She finally remembered her saber had hit his am, not his heart.
"Thank god." She said tearing up and firmly passing out.
"Mayu!" Hoshi called scared.
"Take it easy. She is only passed out." Black Jack said as he tended to her wound. "I would usually be surprised at anyone being able to stay conscious for so long with a wound like this, but seeing who she is such stubbornness I should have gotten used to it by now."He smiled to Harlock as he came over.
"I need to get them back to the sickbay soon, but they should be fine." The mercenary doctor said making everyone breathe a sigh of relive.
Fritz looked at his watch.
"I think we better take the rest of the reunion on one of the pirate islands.. This took longer than I had hoped." Fritz sighed. Falco giving his son a surprised look. He wasn't used to this confidence in his son.
"Let's just hope Zero don't want our heads for making him wait this long." Little Harlock laughed making young Harlock laugh.
Some time later Mayu groaned coming around.
"Mayu?" A familiar friendly voice asked, making her come fully awake. Feeling a wet tongue licked her gently on the cheek, she opened her eyes, turned her head and smiled. Hoshi had her head resting on the bedside, but she could see the black tail waging. She winched in pain as she moved her shoulder, trying to pet her, but was somewhat surprised at finding it bandaged.
"Where?" She asked looking around.
"Arcadia's sickbay. Though we are in the one of the pirate islands right now." Hoshi answered with a smile, so relived to see her awake.
"Is.." She started to ask but cut herself of as Hoshi nodded. "Everyone is back, alive and well." She smiled. Mayu tried sitting up, trying to bare trough the pain.
"Wow hey! Oh no you don't!" A new friendly voice called out as a young girl her age came running up and pushed her back down onto the bed.
"Not what that wound you don't!" She smiled. It took Mayu a good few seconds before she reconised her.
"Pinoko!" She gasped surprised she looked so different.
She was dressed in a white dress, her red brown hair had been cut into a short bob. Her brown eyes looked so true and truly happy. She noticed Pinoko's right hand was in a sling.
"You..?" She asked worried.
"Oh this? Black Jack just removed the witch's part from my body. I still cant believe you remembered that's she placed her life source in you and her chip with her powers in me.. I still cant remember when she did that. She must have removed that memory." Pinoko said sitting down on the bed next to her.
"Yeah.. I only remembered it when I blacked out after hitting the tree." Mayu sighed relived.
"Sorry about that." Pinoko said truly sorry for all of it.
"It's okay we were both being used. Besides you saved my life." Mayu smiled and pointed to her wound.
"You would not have missed my heart if you didn't want to." She smiled knowing of how skilled Pinoko was with the knife, but also hinting to all the knowledge she had about the body from her time with Black Jack. She had hit her right where the mechanical part had been.
"Are you up for some more visitors." Hoshi asked carefully knowing every one wanted to see her awake.
"As long as you stay in bed." Pinoko warned. Mayu nodded making Hoshi leave the sickbay heading into the island.
Arriving in the island itself, the pirates were every where, singing and drinking celebrating. As she came to the beach, she found the captains and their friends sitting around in a circle talking.
She chuckled hearing Hiko was still angry. She had been told he had apparently be radder outraged when he came to and scared the crap out the Luvijians that were looking after them.
Sano was teasing him and poor Kenshin was desperately trying to keep a fight from braking out of course became a source for much laughter for those that were around them. In another circle to her left Young Harlcok were still having a blast drunkenly making fun of Zero's moustashe. Zero was just as drunkenly flinging insults his way, which was making Lukas laugh loudly.
"Everything is back to normal right?" Silvereye laughed as he came up to her, both having to duck as Zero threw a empty bottle after young Harlock. Hoshi laughed low making her way to Harlock. Her father nodding as she came up to them.
"She's awake captain." She said as low as she could, yet as soon as she said that everything stopped even as loud as it had been around the island to now. Harlock nodded as he stood up only Tochiro Sr and Emeraldas following him, though many of them specially Fritz wanting to see her as soon as he could. He jumped feeling a hand at his shoulder and seeing his dad smile, standing behind him.
"I am proud of you, son." He smiled and sat down next to him, Young Harlock and the others. Fritz nodded quietly.
"Heck, who would have thought my little rug-rat brother would mange to case such a ruckus for the Earth federation!" Young Harlock said as he grabbed around Little Harlock's neck and pinning him under his arm and ruffled his hair hard.
"let go!" Little Harlock broke free irritated.
"Ruckus? You should have heard the argument that started up when the DeathShadow went missing from the yard. They spoke like the universe was going to end." Zero laughed.
"With those people in charge I would believe it." Lukas laughed.
"Oy!" Is this a party or just a bunch of old men sitting around playing cards?" A voice called from the door way.
"Isaak!" Young Harlock and the others called as Isaak and the others with their crews arrived, carrying big cans of alcohol.
"Oh boy... This isn't going to end well." Hoshi muttered shaking her head.
Mayu smiled nervously as the door opened and Harlock came in with Lighting by his side.
Pinoko nodded and took her leave, letting the two talk.
He came up to her quietly. She smiled, though not knowing what to actually say.
As he stood beside her, she looked at him and noticed something. There was a tear in his eye. Feeling her own were pressing to come out, she signaled by stretching her unharmed arm to hug her. As he bent down and hugged her, she struggled to keep the tears back. She had missed him so much. She manged to calm enough to say:
"We met for the first time in 34 years and and you greet me with tears?" She chuckled quoted something he said to her a long long time ago. He chuckled and let go smiling.
"Good to have you back." He smiled.
"It's good to be back." She smiled back relived .
"There is someone else that want to see you." Harlock smiled letting Emerladas and Tochiro Sr in much to Mayu's surprise. Now she could not hold her tears back. As her father hugged her she cried whispering.
"I knew you were alive.. I heard you play when I was being controlled by the witch. I remembered the tone you played." Tochiro said nothing, just glad she was safe. Mayu cried she was so happy. She finally had both a mother and a father.
Hours later the party had finally died down, most of the crews laying in drowns drunk all around the island and ships.
Mayu smiled as she carefully sneaked down the halls with Hoshi by her side. Mayu wanted to make sure everything was okey with her crew and ship. Her father had to do some repairs on her after the em-pulse had wrecked some havoc on her systems.
"Should you be up Mayu?" A familiar voice asked as they entered the ship.
"Should you?" Mayu chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure you, Rowa and the others were okay. Father said you were damaged while we were there."
"I am quite fine. Master Tochiro and his son fixed the damage done, and the crew is repaired as well." Kikan answered somewhat surprised over Mayu's genuine concern for her and her crew. Mayu breathed a sigh of relive.
"I am glad to hear that." Mayu said smiling.
"Is everyone alright?" Kikan asked.
"Yeah everyone is fine." Mayu smiled.
"Though going to be quite hung over tomorrow." Hoshi laughed, making Mayu and Kikan laugh as well.
"You look pale.. Are you sure you don't want to return to the sickbay?" Kikan asked worried. Mayu shook her head.
"Yes.. You should." Hoshi said nudging her. "Remember, if Pinoko wakes up with us missing... There is going to be hell to pay." Mayu looked at her and chuckled.
"Okey Hoshi. Let's go back then." She smiled and walked back, carefully avoiding the sleeping crew mates, supporting herself on Hoshi when ever it felt like her strength faded.
Waking up the next day she had expected the party to be over, but found it had just started up again this morning. She smiled hearing the crews roam around outside. Hoshi groaned placing her front paws over her ears were she lay beside Mayu's bed, making Mayu laugh.
"Not much of a morning person are you?" She chuckled as Hoshi sat up and rested her head on her bed. She yawned as Mayu stroked her head.
"Should we join them?" Mayu asked with a smile.
"If you are sure you are okay to do so." Hoshi said looking worried as Mayu stood and got dressed, seeing and feeling the pain flare up as Mayu moved her wounds. Mayu hissed low as she placed the arm back in the sling and the bite wound on it hurting as she lay it down.
"Sorry about that.." Hoshi said with her head hanging ashamed. She jumped as Mayu rested her hand on her head, before she crouched down to be face to face with the young wolf.
"Don't be. You saved me. I heard you... through her spell." Mayu smiled as she petted her. Hoshi leaned into her hand thankful.
Mayu smiled and stood up, leading the way out. As they came out, every one seemed in such high spirits. She chuckled pleased seeing a large muscled man having two mech men trapped under his arms dragging them back to the party, laughing loudly over their protest. She had come to understand they worked on the Karyu, the only ship where mech men and humans truly worked together. Looking towards her own ship she had to stifle a laugh seeing a group of the mech men having Rowa up against the ship questioning her, apparently interested.
"You think they are aware she is an android?" Hoshi asked raising a wolf eyebrow, struggling to not laugh, seeing how uncomfortable Rowa looked, "Should we help?"
"Let them have their fun." Mayu smiled knowing Rowa could probably take care of this herself though finding it quite amusing watching the mech men trying to woo her.
They moved on into the island itself, nodding with a smile as they passed the crews in the halls. Entering the beach Mayu was surprised over how many where there, there was plenty of unknown faces.
"Mayu!" Fritz said coming up to her so fast Silvereye could not land on his shoulder before he had reached her.
"How are you feeling?" Fritz asked.
"Much better." She smiled. "How are your wounds?" She asked, her smile fading remembering the blood on him when she came out of the control.
"No worries, they were just nicks." He lied smiling. Mayu didn't quite buy it but said nothing,
"Come, time you were properly introduced to everyone." Fritz smiled and lead her over to the group sitting a bit of. As they sat down with Harlock and the others a few more joined the group. As she was introduced to them all, Mayu realized how varied the group was, pirates, military men, ancient warriors, kings from foreign planets, and yet all of them gathered in the same believes. She smiled as Hoshi rested her head in her lap.
"So it turned out the witch was mechanized.." The young king of Rhine snared, as they were currently discussing what happened. Mayu sensed that there was some history to the young king's hatred, she could feel from him regarding the mech men.
"That does explain why she was so intent on capturing us." young Harlock cursed.
"as well as the grown body Pinoko has gotten. not a full mechanized body only the skeleton is mechanized." Black Jack added, though everyone could hear how glad he was to have her back none the less.
"Even so.. The question is how did the mech men even find her?" Kenshin asked.
"Maybe.. Maybe she did try.. attacking Valhalla? Maybe she was wounded and the mech men found her drifting.. It's not the first time they have mechanized and broth back enemies we have taken down before." Tochiro Sr said gravely reminding them of the time they had experienced this.
"Still it worries me she was able to work so well with her life source inside of Mayu." Kai said worried. "Are they able to do that now, it's going to be trouble later."
"I don't think so.." Mayu said breaking her silence. "She was only able to do so thanks to her special powers. Or at least that is what she said."
"Besides, she and the mech men were not friendly. She took over the space station, killing everyone when she awoke as a mech man." Pinoko said, remembering why the witch was hiding in the pocket dimension.
"So that's one problem less to worry about." Falco said calmly.
Things where getting interesting in the pirate island as the party was carrying on.
Mayu found herself sitting with young Harlock, Zero, Kenshin and his sons and the other younger members of the group. A drinking game had begun between young Harlock and Zero, heavily influenced by Sano. She chuckled happily, seeing Kenshin be forced into it as well now. A hand on her shoulder made her look up at Fritz.
"How are you holding up?" He asked sitting down next to her giving her a new drink. He knew her wounds must be hurting having been there for a while now. She smiled.
"I am quite alright. The alcohol must be dulling the pain." She laughed raising her glass, making him smile.
A few days later things were quiet in the pirate island. Zero and his crew had headed back to Earth to deliver his report, though it was clear to he didn't quite look forward to having to explain why he was out of touch for so many days.
Lukas and his brothers had returned to Tira a day ago, to make sure the Earth treaty would stand.
Isaak and the others had gone to travel back to the the solar system they had helped before to help them rebuild. Now only the Arcadia, Atlantis, Queen Emeraldas, Talon and the Princess Mayu remained in the island.
Mayu were returning to her ship, glad for Hoshi not wanting to leave her side.
"So you are leaving?" Fritz stepped out between the two ships, having waited for her, Silvereye landing on his shoulder again.
"Yeah I think it's time." Mayu smiled.
"Any plans on where you will go?" Mizu asked. Mayu shook her head with a smile.
"No idea, and I like it that way. Everyone else have had the time to travel around and explore. Now it's my turn."
"Our turn." Hoshi corrected making Mayu smile.
"I heard Pinoko is going with you?" Fritz asked. "I didn't think you both would leave so soon."
"I think we both need to be on our own for a bit, to pick our own way." Mayu shook her head.
"Ah, I can see that." Fritz nodded knowing what this freedom meant for the both of them, having been used the way they had been.
He was however surprised as Mauy grabbed him and hugged him.
"Thank you, for everything." She said holding back her tears. He sighed and closed his eyes.
"Thank you." He said quietly, truly great full for help, in getting his family back. Pulling out of the hug, he smiled.
"You need anything, you know where to find me." He smiled, making his guardians call.
"You just stay out of trouble," She chuckled knowing that was something he was not going to be able to.
"How can I call myself a Harlock with out getting into some trouble?" He grinned mischievous making her laugh. She stroked Silvereye over the head before bending down and scratching Mizu behind the ears.
"Keep him safe." She smiled, the two nodding.
"Same to you Hoshi." Mizu said.
"Always." Hoshi answered calmly. It somehow surprised them. Hoshi was always so energetic in the past, never quite sitting still but she seemed so relaxed and mindful now. Yet at the same time Mayu who had been very nervous and tense now were joking happily and so confident.
"They needed each other." Silvereye muttered once again mirroring his master's thoughts.
Fritz turned seeing Emeraldas were coming towards them.
"Good luck out there. We'll met again." He smiled and left.
"Probably sooner than you think." Mayu chuckled seeing him go.
"I have something for you." Emeraldas smiled handing her a red bundle.
"This is the flag I sett out with, it's only right it should be yours now." She smiled kindly. Mayu looked at her surprised.
"Are you sure?" She asked carefully. Emeraldas nodded.
"Thank you." Mayu said honored.
"Are you ready?" Pinoko asked coming out of the ship.
"Yeah, I think so." She smiling handing her the flag.
Emeraldas tensed up a bit surprised as Mayu threw herself around her neck. Emeraldas relaxed and hugged her with a happy little sigh.
"Good luck and stay safe." She said letting go and pulled a few locks of hair out of Mayu's face. Mayu nodded and followed Pinoko into the Princess Mayu.
On one of the border planets, in one of it's many shady bars, life was going on like always.
It's walls lined with the wanted posters. The patrons were your usual ruff crowd. A few mech men and a few women, though most of them were clearly space sailors. The bar keeper was silently drying some glasses. Anyone that would enter would be glared at, though most of them would not bother to do much more than that. A server was moving around the tables with a plate of drinks. He sat down two glasses of drinks by the table of two patrons, both of them cloaked in black capes.
The door opened making some of them turn to see as a lean thin looking fellow entered. His arms were filled with books and rolled up papers. A pair of grey blue quick eyes scanned the bar quickly, under some locks of ash grey hair, as if looking for something. He began to make his way towards a empty table, but he never got that far.
A group of 3 sailors grinned at each other, before one of them tripped the newcomer. The other pushed him hard in the back, making it impossible for the man to regain his balance, sending him to the floor and his books and papers flying. One of the books knocked over the drinks on the table, knocking one of them into the lap of the third and biggest of them. He roared angry as he stood up, grabbed and pulled the poor guy up by the collar of his blue shirt and then punched him in the gut and then pulling him up to his face.
"What are you thinking you are doing?" He spat in his face angry.
"No, I am sorry, I didn't mean." The guy gasped painfully.
"It's too late of apologizes." He snared dropping him to the floor. The poor fellow tried to gather his things as fast as he could, only to have one of the rolled up papers taken from him.
"Oh? What is this then? A blue print?" One of the thin guys laughed rolling it out and looking at it.
"Please give me that back. I need it." The guy said worried, not liking the way the men grinned around him.
"Oh but my friend needed his drink too. So.." The thin smallest sailor laughed and tore the blue print in two.
One of the two caped figures at the corner table got up, the cape waving by the movement.
"Are you sure it's worth getting involved?" The other one asked low as the speaker stood up too.
"I wont let such cowardliness go on." The first of the two answered. The wolf bedside her nodding.
The poor engineer found himself getting kicked in the back and sent to the floor again, but then a outraged snarl and black shadow jumping over him, had him crawling away quickly. It slammed the big guy into the the floor. A furious black wolf with a white mark on the forehead standing on top his chest. Her white fangs flashing in front of his face. His friend grabbed for his gun only to freeze up as a gravity saber now rested on his throat.
"I don't think so." A female voice said coldly. Her face still hidden under the hood. The engineer sat on the floor shocked looking at her. The third guy, the small thin guy grabbed his gun and lifted to aim it, but cried out as a knife swung him around and locked his arm with the gun to the pillar beside him.
"Bad move fellow." The companion of the black hooded person said, throwing and catching a second knife in her hand.
"Now get lost before I let my canine friend here have her dinner." The first hooded woman said coldly, added by a ferrous snarl from the wolf. All three of them bolted of, to scared to even protest.
"I owe you my thanks, but who are you?" The young man asked as he got up looking at the woman as she put her gravity saber back in it's sheath by her side, revealing her purple suit beneath the black cape. She pulled down her hood letting her blue hair fall free over her back. Hoshi licked her lips smiling beside her. Her companion pulled her hood down too before collecting her knife from the pillar, and placing back in her belt. Her white suit had a black triangle around her neck with a white skull and a red cross below it.
"My name is Mayu Oyama, I am a free space trader." Mayu smiled confident.
Wooooo finally done! After 10 long chapters this long story that was put on hold for years is finally done.
I hope you enjoyed it, even though it took me so long to finish it. I have to admit I am not all happy with it. I planed out the ending fight a very long time ago and I admittingly never wrote any of it down so some details have been lost I am afraid but I hope it still came out okay. I ran into some issues having to check for some details, but I HOPE I got them all fixed, fingers crossed.
I don't know about the ending.. I really like it and it might end up being the start of a new story about Mayu but not sure yet;)
As always let me know what you think.
Lightingtooth