Neptune stood there quietly in the middle of a newly formed graveyard. Her eyes were fixated on at the figure standing a few feet away from her. All around her was innumerable amount of severely massacred robots that were so heavily annihilated that they had been reduced to nothing more than random scraps of metal.
The figure standing in the middle of the deceased machines began to slowly turn around and face her. It's eyes were glowing a bright teal and its aura was nothing more than that of a cold merciless killer. Her eyes widened in slight fear and shock at what she was witnessing. Her body began to shake as a sudden chill of uneasiness made its way through her body.
The figure wasted no time in lunging towards the purple haired woman, balling his hand into a fist as he prepared to strike her down without a second thought. Neptune gasped, staring into its cold, heartless eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening right now. She had to do something; but what?
Earlier that day…
Casshern and Neptune had finally made their way out of the temple, continuing their memory quest. Neptune, still in goddess form, yawned quietly and stretched her arms as they strolled along the barren wasteland. "I slept wonderfully. Thank you for letting me rest against you Casshern. I hope I didn't impose too much by having you hold me as well." The blue-eyed CPU said, looking over at the man in white suit with a gentle smile.
"It was no trouble at all. I actually enjoyed watching you sleep Neptune. You looked very peaceful and beautiful." He responded with his default blank expression. Neptune's cheeks were quickly painted with a light tint of pink. "B-Beautiful…?"
Casshern nodded his head once, not looking her way as he walked. "Yes, very beautiful/" he said once more causing her cheeks to go from pink to red. It wasn't the first time someone had called her goddess form beautiful but the fact that it was coming from him somehow made the compliment much more meaningful.
"I-I'm not that beautiful. There are other women who are much more beautiful than I am." She replied in an attempt to be modest, which was very unusual for her. "I don't think that's true. You're possibly the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen." Casshern said, still wearing his same emotionless expression. He was completely unaware of what his words were doing to the blue-eyed CPU.
"I-Is that so..? Thank you…" was all she managed to say, now looking down with a bright blush on her face. She had no idea why she felt so happy hearing him say those words. Perhaps it was because he was the last person anyone would expect to come out and say something like that. Regardless of whatever the reason might have been she was highly flattered.
"You don't have to thank me for being honest." The brunette responded, finally looking over her way and noticing her head was down. "Is something wrong?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Was it something he had said? Neptune shook her head quickly, still holding her head down. "No, nothing is wrong. I am completely fine." She lowered her head further, causing her bangs to drape over her face and cover her blush.
Casshern decided to simply take her word for it and turned his head away. However, he couldn't help but feel like he had done something wrong. She didn't seem sad or angry so maybe it wasn't anything to worry about.
When day finally became night, the man in white and the woman in black decided to rest. Neptune retrieved the PHCU from her N-Gear and tossed it onto the ground making the house appear. "Looks like I'll be sleeping in an actual bed tonight~!" the lavender haired goddess said as she opened the front door and walked inside.
Casshern slowly followed in behind her, closing the door behind him as he looked around the house. He was still amazed at how a small capsule could even become a house within the blink of an eye. Neptune didn't seem at all fazed by it. He supposed it was because she was used to such things.
The first thing Neptune did upon entering the house was secure the locks and activate the security system. Immediately afterwards she began to make her way straight to the kitchen. Casshern could hear the sound of her stomach grumbling as the CPU rubbed her belly. "I am so hungry... I've barely eaten a thing since I got here." she said, walking over to the refrigerator and opening it in search of food.
The green-eyed brunette made his way over to the window next to the door, staring out of it. He and Neptune had traveled together for only a few days, but for some reason it felt like so much longer. Casshern placed his hand on the glass window, closing his eyes. He had suddenly developed the strange urge to go outside and walk around by himself for bit. His attention turned over to the kitchen where he saw Neptune still rummaging through the refrigerator for something to eat. "Neptune, I'm going out for a walk."
Neptune looked back over her shoulder at him and blinked. "Uh..okay. Don't stray too far."
"I promise I won't." said the cyborg as he made his way over to the door and opened it, walking out as he closed it behind him.
Casshern began to make his way from the house, staring up at the sky as he wandered around in a straight line to avoid having trouble finding his way back to the PHCU. The cold night air gently brushed against his skin as small clouds of dirt blew in the wind. Ruined structures populated the area, any sign of their former glory completely erased. Sometimes Casshern couldn't help but wonder what the world looked like before the ruin. Whenever he thought about things like that his wish to gain his memory back would slightly increase. If he could remember his past, he could remember the world and what it used to be as well.
In the midst of his walking, the cybernetic male came into the presence of large group of robots. He knew exactly what was going to happen when they noticed him. He was going to be forced into combat against his will as usual. Why was it that everyone thought devouring him would either prolong their life or grant them immortality? He failed to understand why anyone would even wish to continue living in an almost apocalyptic world such as this. If he honestly had a choice; he would choose death over eternal life.
It took no time at all for at least one of the machines to take notice of Casshern's presence and alert everyone else as well. "It's Casshern!" yelled the machine, casting all eyes on the man in white.
"It really is Casshern! Ha! He came to us this time."
"I do not wish to fight you..." said Casshern.
"Then that just makes things easier for us! Get him!" the entire group of robots wasted no time in lunging after the cyborg, surrounding him on all sides as he continued to stand there.
Casshern's situation was a prime example of how when people were desperate they became foolish. They knew they were no match for him yet they continued to pursue after him and be destroyed. Was the world so bad to the point that people and machines were so obsessed with living forever that they would threw themselves into situations that would ultimately end their lives regardless? Why did he have to be the one to suffer this fate; having to live through each and ever day in combat? Was this Luna's way of punishing him? To watch the world die and its people go insane and desperate; coming after him just because they thought devouring him would help them survive the ruin? "I told you, I don't want to fight." he said again, avoiding all of their attacks to the best of his capabilities to stress the point of him truly not wanting to harm any of them.
"Let us devour you if you don't want to fight! Stop resisting!"
"I don't want to fight, and I also do not wish to be eaten."
"Then you give us no choice!" one the many robots shouted, successfully managing to stab Casshern through the chest from the front.
The brown-haired cyborg closed his eyes as he felt the machine penetrate through his chest. The forcefulness of the attack had caused blood to splatter over his white suit and somewhat on his face. It certainly seemed like the enemies were winning this time; that is, until a sharp pain began developing in his head. Casshern placed his hand over his forehead, his hand trembling violently. "It's happening...again..." thought the man in white.
"The hell is wrong with him?"
"He's just dying! This is our chance to finish him off!" stated one of the enemies.
"No..." said Casshern quietly to himself, shaking his head in disapproval.
"It's too late for regrets!"
It was at that very moment that Casshern fell completely silent, placing his hand over the arm the machine used to stab him. With one grab, he completely severed the arm from the rest of the machine's body and ripped its hand out of his chest. This made the robot back away in shock since he had not been expecting Casshern to do anything at all based on his earlier statements of not wanting to fight. Now that it was obvious Casshern would no longer being passive and was actually about to defend himself; silence loomed over the robots as they waited for him to do anything at all.
"..." Casshern eyes quickly shot open. His eyes were no longer green, but were now glowing and eerie bright teal.
Neptune rested lazily on the couch with a bowl of cookies & cream ice cream. She had eaten at least three meals since Casshern had gone for his walk. That was roughly an hour ago and now she was starting to worry. The woman in black slowly lifted up from the couch, licking the remaining chunk of ice cream off of her spoon. "Where is he?" thought the young woman as she stood up from the couch and headed back into the kitchen. She rinsed the bowl out in the sink along with the spoon and placed it down. Perhaps it was time to go searching for him.
The electric blue-eyed deity made her out the kitchen and headed straight out the door. She followed the instructions given to her by Gust and pressed the button in the specified corner of the house. The PHCU reverted back to capsule size and Neptune picked it back up, placing it in her N-Gear. Her back processor appeared as she turned around and took off for the skies. She scanned the ground beneath her, looking for any signs the cybernetic being as she flew around just high enough to get a get view of the area around her.
Wherever Casshern was, she was going to find him. There were many possibilities as to why he hadn't returned but she somehow knew that the reason he hadn't come back yet was because he was fighting. She had been with him long enough to know that when he met other robots they would attack, no questions asked. With that in mind she knew she had to hurry and find him before he ended up hurt.
It wasn't long until Neptune had finally caught sight of a battle going on. The only person who stood out in the brawl was Casshern; and he was destroying the machines surrounding him in the most brutal, merciless way ever. She was relieved to see him doing fine but she couldn't fight back the feeling that something seemed slightly off about him. "Casshern!" she called out, descending down towards the scene of action.
Casshern didn't even as much glance her way as he continued to violently obliterate everything in his path, leaving little to no remains. There was no doubt in her mind anymore that there was something off about him. It didn't take long for the male to finish destroying all the robots; and when he did, he stood there with his back turned to the lavender haired goddess.
"Casshern...?"
"..."
"Casshern, please say something..." Neptune said, getting very worried now. She stood there quietly in the middle of a newly formed graveyard. Her eyes fixated themselves on at the figure standing a few feet away from her. All around her was innumerable amount of severely massacred robots that were so heavily annihilated that they were reduced to nothing more than random scraps of metal.
The figure standing in the middle of the deceased machines began to slowly turn around and face her. It's eyes were glowing a bright teal and its aura was nothing more than that of a cold merciless killer. Her eyes widened in slight fear and shock at what she was witnessing. Her body began to shake as a sudden chill of uneasiness made its way through her body.
The figure wasted no time in lunging towards the purple haired woman, balling his hand into a fist as he prepared to strike her down without a second thought. Neptune gasped, staring into its cold, heartless eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening right now. She had to do something; but what?
All signs of the Casshern she once knew were gone and all she saw before her at this very moment was a cold-blooded monster. What had happened to him between the time he had left up until now. She didn't have time to play fifty questions with herself now. Casshern was closing in and she had to think fast otherwise she was going to end up like the robots. "CASSHERN, STOP!"
As if those were the magic words, Casshern's eyes had reverted back to the normal green as he stopped right in front of Neptune with his fist still in position to hit her. He slowly began looking around at all the robots he had killed and then at Neptune. When he realized the position he was in, he started to stand normally once more.
"I'm so glad, that worked." said Neptune, giving a sigh of relief as she placed her hand over her chest.
"..."
"Casshern? What happened? Why were you acting like that?"
"..." Without warning the cybernetic man in white turned away from her and jumped high into the air, leaving her behind. He had to get away from her as fast as he could. After what had happened he couldn't even bring himself to allow Neptune to continue traveling with him. Casshern just wanted her to go back home; away from him.
"Hey!" She called out to him, jumping up into the air as well and flying after the male. What was up with him? Why was he suddenly trying to escape her presence? She wasn't going to let him get away that easily. She was going to stop him and make him answer all her questions.
Neptune began flying after him as fast as she could. The only way she knew how to get him to stop completely was by performing the same actions during the first chase she had with him. She knew that she may end up hurt like the first time, but she really didn't have much a choice. Casshern was a cyborg, he wasn't going to get tired like she would eventually. She had to do it or else she would end up losing him forever.
The second Casshern flipped his body she zoomed in front of him so that he would collide with her. This plan worked and the two of them began to spiral towards the ground for a second time. A large sand cloud filled the area as the two hit the ground. Casshern instantly shot up from the ground, jumping far away from her and land on his feet. Neptune winced in pain as she lifted up from the ground. Her eyes were firmly closed to avoid getting sand in her eyes as she coughed.
The sand cloud had quickly subsided and Neptune slowly opened her eyes, looking over at the cyborg standing a few feet away from her with his back turned to her. The brunette looked back at her once before preparing to take off once again.
"Wait!" Neptune cried out, extending her hand towards him.
"..." the cybernetic male stopped and looked back at her for a second time in silence.
"Why are you running from me, Casshern...?"
"..."
"Come on say something. There is no reason for you to feel like you can't at least tell me that."
Casshern stayed quiet for a moment before turning around and facing her completely. His gaze was on the ground as he eventually began to speak. "I...I nearly hurt you, Neptune."
"Hurt me? Is that why you're running?" she asked him.
Casshern slowly nodded his head, his eyes not leaving the ground. Neptune stood up and began to make her way over to the man. She was a little hurt but not too much to the point of not being able to move. "Casshern..." she said quietly, lifting his chin up with her right index finger so that she could look him directly in the eyes.
"Neptune...I'm sorry..." Said Casshern as his eyes shifted away in a different direction.
"Don't say sorry. You did nothing wrong. You weren't yourself..."
"But..."
"Don't apologize for something you had no control over..." she said, sighing softly and removing her index finger around from his chin.
Casshern was quiet for a moment before looking back at her once more and speaking. "You don't think I'm a monster...?"
Neptune shook her head and smiled warmly at him. "Of course not. I know that what I saw there was not the real you..." she assured him.
"So you don't think any differently of me?" he asked her, starting to feel a bit more relieved at her words.
Neptune placed her hands behind her back and turned around, having her back to him as she walked a few feet away. "Not at all...but I would like for you to explain to me exactly what caused you to act that way. Don't try running away from me again, you hear? I'm assuming you did it for my safety but please don't worry about me. I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to help you. I won't let anything get in the way of keeping my promise, not even the person I'm trying to keep that promise to."
The green-eyed male looked down for a moment and then looked back up, nodding his head. "I understand..."
"Good, now explain what happened back there."
Casshern closed his eyes and looked down at where the robot had stabbed him. There was nothing there; No blood, not wound, nothing. It was as if he was never harmed in the first place. "I'm not really sure what it is myself but...whenever I try to avoid fighting I end up losing control and destroying everything in my path."
"Lose...control? You mean there is something making you fights against your will...?" asked Neptune, turning back around with a curious expression on her face. She was right in believing that wasn't the real Casshern. He only acted that way because something made him do it. She felt better knowing this.
"Yes...I can't control myself when it happens..."
Neptune closed her eyes and sighed softly, opening the back up with a bright smile as she walked back over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Then...I have another promise to make to you."
"Another promise?" Casshern said in a questioning tone.
"Yes! By the end of this journey, I promise to help you gain complete control over yourself."
Casshern stared at her in silence before nodding his head in acceptance and understanding. "Yes. Thank you, Neptune." it was moment like these that made him glad he had met someone like her. He hoped that she really would be able to help him gain complete control. She was changing him...and he couldn't be happier about it.