Chapter 13: Advent of the Lady of Shadows
The planet Nightfall. A small planet covered in eternal darkness. As a result, the planet is full of nocturnal monsters. Those who live here are practically confined to brilliantly lit cities if they wish to survive. However, this light occasionally does not stop all monsters from attacking and a few particularly brave or foolish ones will enter, looking for their next meal. One of these residents was an orphan girl, a Star Warrior named Kurabe. For Kurabe, moving from orphanage to orphanage, searching for scraps to eat was just normal for her. She honestly hated this lifestyle, the only thing keeping her going was her belief that her life would get better.
"I wonder if the soup kitchen is open today..." She sighed.
Kurabe had lived on this planet for all of her admittedly short life, and she hated it. The constant search for shelter was bad enough but the worst part was the monsters that lived there. She lost count of how many friends from the orphanage she's lost from a random monster attack. Even worse was what had been happening recently in this city. About one month ago, the power had started to go out for 5 seconds once per week. However, this had become much more frequent in recent times, with the last outage lasting 10 seconds. Thankfully, it almost always happened when she was eating at the local soup kitchen, but she was becoming increasingly worried about it going out while she was outside.
"Excuse me... sorry..." She said as she walked by other citizens, all with looks of sadness and agitation.
Every low-class citizen was of the same mindset: survive. She couldn't blame them, of course, being one of them as well. They were the most at risk when the power went out. The upper-class citizens could at least have protective shelters. Honestly, it sickened her.
"I really should get to the soup kitchen..." She uttered as she rushed down the street.
Honestly, that was the only place in this hellhole that she remotely felt safe in. Unfortunately, not everything lasts forever. In just an instant, all of the lights and power in the city was cut off.
"Maybe it'll come back soon..." She thought.
Once it passed five seconds and nothing changed, she began to panic and ran even faster to the soup kitchen. Ten seconds passed during her sprint and the power still hadn't returned.
"No... no... it can't be!" She thought.
She began to hear a roar of sounds, clearly being monsters and panicking citizens.
"The generator should hopefully be on. I just need to get there..."
At that moment she tripped over something. Or more accurately, a monster tripped her with its tail.
"Agh! Oh no!"
She got up and turned around. While it was hard to see, she could make out a menacing figure with sharp, red eyes staring at her. "...oh no." She uttered, backing slowly away as she attempted to think about her options.
"What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?"
There was no way she could fight. She couldn't see this enemy and she didn't have any method of attack. Suddenly she tripped again, but this time it wasn't due to the monster, it was a rusty lead pipe. She quickly picked it up and held it in front of her. She had no fighting experience, but if she was going to die it would be on her own terms. The monster lunged at her directly and she managed to block the first attack to both her surprise and the monsters. Unfortunately, the monster wasn't stunned for long and used its tail to whip her left eye, temporarily blinding her.
"Damn it!" She yelled, thrusting the pipe into the monster's own left eye with all of her strength.
Suddenly, the monster stopped moving, the pipe piercing its brain. "Did that do it?!" She asked as she felt herself begin to fall. Thinking quickly, she inhaled some air and puffed herself up, floating gently to the ground as she did.
"Did I... kill it?"
Kurabe was shocked. A monster being killed wasn't unheard of, but an orphaned, starving girl doing it was unexpected to say the least. She then shook her head. She shouldn't worry about that. All that matters is that the monster was probably dead, and she had to get to the soup kitchen before another one could attack her. She ran as fast as she could, noticing the screams of pain and death had begun to die down all around her.
As Kurabe rushed down the street, she continued to notice that the power still had not come back on, greatly concerning her. However, she pushed herself and reached the area where the soup kitchen would be. Finally, somewhere safe and full of food! Her happy thoughts died as soon as she saw the soup kitchen was destroyed completely. The only thing there to greet her was twenty pairs of glowing red eyes. She shrank back in horror.
"It... can't be..." She uttered.
There was nowhere left for her to go now! It dawned on her just then. The power was never coming back and the whole city was being destroyed. Life as she knew it was gone in the blink of an eye. The monsters noticed her and started to charge at her. Kurabe closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. But... nothing came. She opened her eyes to see a new figure holding a lantern, standing over the now-dead monsters as if they were examining the corpses to ensure they were dead. The figure appeared to be a Star Warrior like her, but he wore a cape and carried a staff.
"Are you unharmed, young one?" The Star Warrior said with a deep, calm voice as he turned towards her, showing a pair of glowing orange eyes.
For a moment, the girl could not speak in amazement.
"Y... yes, I'm not hurt..." She finally uttered once she could find her voice.
The man smiled. "Good. What is your name?"
She looked at him curiously, somewhat wondering why he would ask such a question.
"K... Kurabe..."
"Kurabe... stay close to me. I'm going to get you out of here."
The child's eyes widened. Was this finally the day where she could escape from this planet? Or was this merely a dream? No, she can question if it's a dream later. This was her chance to leave this horrible planet. She quietly nodded and held on the stranger's cape.
"W-what is your name mister?" She asked.
"My name is Z, now follow me. My ship isn't too far from here."
"Ok." She replied in understanding as the two began to head towards his ship.
Along the way, Z would kill any monster that dared to try attacking them. It was incredible for the young girl to see. The monsters that made this planet a living hell were falling like flies.
"Kurabe, you killed one of these Yamitiles didn't you? I can smell blood on your hands." He asked casually. Admittedly, it felt a bit too casual to her, but she still responded.
"I did. It attacked me and I had to fight it to survive."
"Impressive for one of your age." He said as he knocked away five more monsters. "Look, see those lights in the distance? That's my ship."
The girl took a look and was amazed to see the size and majestic beauty of the ship in the distance. Though, if she was being honest, it was more because of all the lights coming from it. This sense of awe only became bigger as they got closer.
"I found one survivor! Open the hatch!" Z shouted.
With a sudden burst of air, she saw the bottom of the ship open and out of the ship poured what felt like a beacon of light.
"Well, come on, let's get you inside." He said, picking her up and carrying her into the ship.
The inside of the ship was, to put it simply, was the most beautiful place she'd ever seen.
"Is this real? Or am I dreaming?"
The man gave a laugh. "This is very much real, young missy."
"Mr. Z, who exactly are you? And why did you rescue me?"
He seemed to scoff a bit. "Oh, I'm sorry, do you so desperately want to go back out into that eternally dark planet full of monsters?"
"Of course not. It's just that no one ever comes to this planet. So, I'm curious as to why you came here."
"Long story short, I had responded to an urgent call about a global power outage and was ordered to gather as many survivors as possible."
"I see."
Kurabe didn't fully understand what he was saying but she didn't care. What she did care about was what comes next.
"So, what happens to me now? Will I just be sent to another orphanage that doesn't want me?"
The man seemed to stare at her. "Is that true?"
Kurabe looked at him sadly. "I never knew my parents, they died shortly after I was born. Since then, I did everything I could to survive. Though whenever the orphanages became too full, I was always the one to get kicked out to make room."
For a moment, Z looked a bit sorrowful at her story, but then his expression became a smile.
"Well, how would you like to stay here?"
Kurabe looked surprised. "You want me to live here?"
"Why not?"
"...Nobody has ever wanted me around before. Are you sure you want someone like me around?"
"Would I be asking that question if I didn't?"
"I suppose not. Thank you, sir." She responded while bowing.
The man reached out and patted her on the head. "It's not a problem. Now, would you like something to eat? You're likely starving."
Kurabe nodded as her stomach growled. Though the mention of food reminded her of the soup kitchen.
"Mister, did you rescue anyone else?"
The man looked back at the hatch beginning to open once more.
"It seems we've found a few more survivors, thankfully."
Kurabe gave a sigh of relief. While she knew that most of the people she knew were dead, she was glad that a few did survive. She then felt her hand being taken by the man.
"Now, let's get you something to eat. Do you want anything in particular?"
"I'm not very picky about food. Honestly anything sounds good to me right now."
"Alright then, Superspicy Curry it is." He uttered with a laugh.
"...what's curry?"
"Ah right, you probably wouldn't understand that joke. It's a dish with meat, rice, carrots, potatoes, and onions. It's quite good and simple to make, so it's what's usually served. However, I'm quite sure you cannot handle Superspicy Curry yet. There's no doubt it will hurt your stomach at your age."
"I can handle it. I've never been bothered by heat." She replied with a pout.
"...is that so?" He uttered. "Well, you'll have to wait until you're older to try it."
"I understand. Then is there non spicy curry I could try?"
"Of course! Is that what you would like as the first meal in your new home?"
"New home..." That phrase repeated itself in her head into it was finally accepted as fact. She had a home now. "Yes, I think I would like that!"
The man smiled. "Very well then. Let's go to my cabin and I'll make it for you then."
As he began to walk to the cabin, Kurabe took a moment to look around at her new surroundings.
"This ship, it's so much better than any of the orphanages. Is this how the rich live?"
Z smiled. "You best get used to it, Kurabe. You'll be here for a long time."
"...really?"
"Really."
Upon hearing those words, she began to feel tears well up in her eyes. Z gazed at her with a kind look in his eyes.
"You are a strong child. Most people would die for one reason or another on that planet. Yet you, a malnourished child, survived for so long. Fear not, Kurabe, you will never return to that lifestyle."
She let out a quiet sob as she began to cry. Finally. Finally, she would get off this horrible planet. No more starving. No more struggling to survive. No more going to bed hungry. Her former sanctuary may have been destroyed, but she has found a new, even better one.
"Let it out, Kurabe. There's no shame in showing emotion. Hold my hand, I'll take you the rest of the way. Just focus on yourself."
Kurabe nodded, making sure not to trip over herself.
"This is your first time crying in a long time, isn't it?"
"Y-yes. I never allowed myself to cry. Someone needed to be strong and brave for the other orphans."
"I understand. It's also strong and brave to cry if you need to, if you ask me. I myself do not trust a man who can't cry."
As if agreeing with his words, Kurabe's tears became bigger.
"We've made it to my cabin. Please, sit anywhere you like."
However, before he could move any further, he felt himself being tackled in a hug by the child.
"I see. I suppose I could cook with someone attached to my side." He uttered with a chuckle as he began to head towards his kitchen, the young girl remaining firmly attached to him.
A few minutes after Z started cooking, Kurabe spoke up.
"I can help with cooking. The chefs at the soup kitchen taught me a few tips."
"I appreciate the offer young one but please, let me do this for you."
"But I want to help!"
"And I want you to rest. You look like you can barely stand right now, so I insist that you let me do this for you."
"But-"
"I understand why you want to help. You feel that you need to prove yourself in order to be seen as desirable so that you don't lose your new home. You needn't worry about that, Kurabe, just relax and let me finish cooking."
She only looked at him, pouting while puffing up her cheeks.
"Pouting does nothing but make you look cute."
She pouted even more as she held onto him tighter.
"I hope you understand that you cannot change my mind."
After a few more minutes, the curry was finished and set on the table.
"Well, dig in, Kurabe."
At first, she looked at it in curiosity before taking a small spoonful of the rice and vegetables and sniffing it. Then she ate the spoonful. Instantly, her eyes lit up and she inhaled the rest of the meal. Z smiled and laughed.
"Normally, I'd ask you to slow down, but I'll make an exception for today."
"Do you have any more?" She asked.
"I figured you were starving. Just wait here, I'll make some more. Thankfully curry doesn't take long at all."
While she waited for more of her food to cook, Kurabe began to think.
"Why exactly did he pick me up? I know he said not to worry about it, but I've heard some people from the orphanage be picked up by older adults and forced to do horrible things. I know my gut says to trust him, but I..."
"Earlier you asked about who I am, correct?" Z suddenly said, as if reading her thoughts. "Tell me, have you heard of The Organization?"
She shook her head.
"We are a galactic force that deals with all types of threats in the universe. Monsters, wars, criminal groups, that types of things. I'm the current leader of the Organization. As I told you, we received reports of global blackouts, meaning that this planet will soon be uninhabitable. So, I and my top soldiers came here to rescue as many civilians as we could."
She nodded in understanding. "Is that why you took me in then?"
"It's why I saved you. Why I decided to let you live here is another matter entirely. You've had a horrible life up until now. As a fellow Star Warrior, I cannot allow you to continue living in fear. I want to give you the life you were never able to have."
Kurabe stared at him in surprise, unable to think of how to respond to that.
"Well, anyway, here's your curry." He said, placing it on the table in front of her.
Kurabe began to inhale but was noticeably slower about eating than earlier.
"Mr. Z, since I live here, will I have to be apart if this Organization?" She asked after clearing her plate.
"Only if you wish to join. If you rather have the peaceful life you were unable to have on Nightfall, feel free to."
Kurabe wasn't entirely sure what she wanted. While she was happy to finally be someplace peaceful, there was no telling how long that peace would last. If she joined the Organization who knows how much more pain she would have to go through. But if she did join, perhaps she could learn how to avoid being in another deadly situation. She was able to kill one monster, maybe she become even stronger. She looked at Z, remembering how he effortlessly killed so many monsters.
"Mr. Z, I don't know if I want to join you, but could you possibly teach me how to become strong like you?"
"If that's what you wish, I'd be glad to."
"Really!?" She said with a smile, one of the few times she has ever smiled in her life. "Thank you, mister!"
"There's no need to thank me. Though, please, don't call me mister. Starting today, you are effectively my daughter, so please call me father instead."
She tilted her head in confusion, as if questioning what that meant. "Ok then, father."
Z chuckled, but there was hint of sadness in it. "Growing up in orphanages, you've seen children be adopted or taken into families, correct?"
The young girl looked down. "Yeah, many times..."
"Well, now you are in that position. Starting today you and I are family. Which means I'll always be here for you, Kurabe. Most people believe family needs to be born of blood, but that is incorrect. A family can be anyone, as long as those involved care for each other. It's a father's duty to raise and teach their children, and as your new father I promise to do my best for you."
Kurabe looked at him and quietly nodded. "Thank you, father."
"But while I'm teaching you, I want you to refer to me as either teacher, mentor, or sensei. They each mean the same thing so pick whichever term you'd prefer."
"Ok, sensei."
Z smiled and patted her on the head, an action that made her happy for some reason.
"We're not training yet, my daughter. You can still call me father. We won't begin training until I make sure your body is perfectly healthy, which might take a few days."
The girl nodded in understanding. "Ok. Thank you, father."
The man smiled. "You're welcome, my daughter. I will do my best to make sure your life on this ship is as happy as possible."
Kurabe smiled. While she was nervous about her future, she was definitely happy with how things were at the moment. She might have lost a few friends, but she gained something she never thought she'd have. A family.
"Well, we can talk more tomorrow. I'm quite sure you're exhausted, so I'll go set up a room for you." He said while standing up.
"A room... I'm going to have my own room..."
Kurabe was still in shock about today's events.
"You'll have much more than just a room, Kurabe."
The girl blinked in curiosity. "What else will I have?"
"Everything in this ship, really. You live here now, so you have access to everything."
"Woooow! What's on this ship?"
"You'll see that tomorrow. For now, let us get you to bed."
Kurabe nodded and followed Z out of his room.
In a few minutes, they arrived at a room.
"This will be your room for the night."
"Just for the night?" She asked, concerned by the wording.
"It'll take time to make a room specifically for you, Kurabe."
She looked at him, but then at the room, looking a bit nervous. It took the man a moment to realize what she was looking at.
"Is this because of the darkness?"
She nervously nodded.
"Then in that case."
Z held out his hand and a lamp appeared in his hand like magic. The child hesitantly took the lamp in her hands.
"Keep this on your bedside. I'm sure it'll make you feel safe."
Kurabe nodded and placed it next to the bed. "How did you make this lamp, father?"
Z chuckled at her puzzled expression. "It's a type of magic I created."
She looked at him in curiosity. "What kind of magic?"
"A magic that lets me create anything I want, only as long as I know how it's made and how it works."
She girl looked at him in amazement.
"I can show you more of it tomorrow. For now, I'd appreciate it if you could go to sleep. You look like you're barely keeping your eyes open."
She nodded, but in truth she was scared to sleep. Scared to wake up only to find that everything was just a dream.
"You have nothing to worry about, Kurabe. You need to rest."
She quietly shook her head.
"Kurabe, please go to sleep."
She shook her head while clenching onto him tighter.
"Do you want me to stay in here while you sleep?" He finally asked.
"If it's... all right..." She uttered.
Honestly, even just knowing he was in her room would provide her to enough comfort. Even better if he held her hand. Wordlessly, Z summoned a chair next to the bed and smiled at her as he sat down. Understanding this, she hesitated to crawl into bed for a moment before forcing herself to. Once she was settled in, she began to relax, noticing how this bed was more comfortable than anything she's ever slept on, which was mostly the floor of the orphanage and a stale pillow. She then felt a hand begin to stroke her head.
"Sleep well, young one."
Kurabe closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.
When she woke up her vision was slightly blurry, and she wasn't quite aware of her surroundings.
"Where?"
She sat up and rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes and saw Z sitting in his chair reading a newspaper.
"Ah good morning, Kurabe."
"...It really wasn't a dream." She thought to herself.
"I told you that you had nothing to worry about, didn't I?" The man said with a smile.
"Are you...reading my mind?"
"I don't need to read your mind when your face says everything."
She blinked for a moment, but then pouted.
"What are you pouting for? You woke up and your new home wasn't a dream, was it?"
"Because if I change my face, you can't read it."
The man gave a laugh and patted her head. "Well, I don't need to read your mind to tell that you're probably hungry right now. How about we get you some breakfast?"
Kurabe nodded and got up. As she did, she noticed from the window it was dark outside.
"Are we still on that death trap?"
"Worry not, Kurabe. We're currently in outer space. Take a closer look at all the stars around us."
The girl pressed her face against the window and widened her eyes upon seeing all the lights of various sizes outside in the darkness.
"It's... so beautiful..." She uttered.
"It is, isn't it? Now come along, a growing child needs breakfast."
Kurabe nodded and followed him.
"Now while we ate in my room last night, normally we'll have meals in the cafeteria. Take a seat while I get us food."
"Ok." The girl replied.
Upon reaching the cafeteria, she sat down at a table and waited for him.
"I wasn't sure what you would like so I decided to get you something simple. I hope you like waffles." Z said as he put a plate in her face.
Almost instantly, she began to devour the food.
"I see you're still somewhat hungry. Well, feel free to eat as much as you like. You'll need it to become big and strong."
Kurabe nodded. "Where are we headed?" She asked in between bites.
"The main base for the Organization. That's where we'll begin your training."
"The main base? Is it a very big place? Is it as nice as this ship? Are the people there nice?"
"It covers 50% of the planet we built it on. It's even nicer than this ship. As for the people, mostly. Some people aren't the most approachable, but such is life."
The girl replied with a slight shrug. "Well, I guess it'll be fine as long as it's better than that planet I used to live on..."
"Don't worry, my daughter, there's no monsters on the planet. And even if there were, they'd never get close to you."
For a moment, Kurabe stopped eating, but the reason for that was clear as she gave Z a hug. The man laughed and accepted it.
After five hours they arrived at the main base. It was almost like a large city, with a gigantic building in the middle. The size amazed Kurabe.
"Wow, this is even better than the city I used to live in!"
She pressed her face up against the window, trying to take in all of the sights as she saw all the tiny people walking below the ship.
"I'm glad you like it, because this is your new home now."
She then quickly looked back at him. "Can we explore the whole city? I wanna see what's here!"
"Let's get you settled in at the main base first."
She nodded in understanding.
"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to explore later. Now follow me."
As he began to walk off the ship, the girl followed him. As they walked through the city, she couldn't help but notice that many people were staring at them. But instead of the despair filled looks of agitation she was used to, these looks were gentler, more curious if anything. While she had learned to ignore others, it was nice getting different looks this time.
"I'm quite respected here, so there's no doubt they're interested in you." The man suddenly said.
"I see." She said, already zoning out all of the stares, keeping her attention focused solely on Z.
Eventually, they reached a large building.
"This is where you will be staying from now on."
"Just me? What about you father?" She asked, afraid that he might abandon her after all.
"Oh, this is my home." He replied with a laugh.
Kurabe sighed in relief, then pouted. "You need to work on your explanations." She said, causing even more laughter.
"You got quite the mouth on you. Good, that's a strong trait to have."
She seemed to pout even more.
"I already told you that will do nothing but make you look cute."
She just pouted even more.
"And quit pouting when I give you compliments."
"...You were complimenting me?"
"Yes."
She silently blinked in shock for a moment before her face turned a deep red.
"I assume you haven't been complemented before?"
"...No, not often anyway."
He gave a sad smile. "That's quite a shame. You're quite a lovely young girl. I'm sure you'll grow up into a beautiful young woman."
"...ok, now I think you're overdoing it." She pouted, trying to hide her blushing.
"Now, let's show you around, shall we?"
Noticing him beginning to walk away, the child quickly followed him into the house.
After a few minutes of looking around the massive, mansion-like building, Kurabe heard Z speak up once more.
"So, what do you think, Kurabe? Do you think you'll like it here?"
She seemed to jump a bit upon hearing that, the obvious result of being so entranced by her new surroundings.
"Um... yeah, I think I'll like it here."
"Good. I hope I'm able to provide you everything you never had."
"Well... you're already doing good at that. Last time was the first in a while that I didn't go to sleep hungry."
The man nodded. "Well, then I'll continue to do my best."
"Thank you, father." Kurabe said with a smile.
She didn't know what the future would bring, but at this moment in time she couldn't care less.
Many years passed, and Kurabe became comfortable with her life with Z. While she did train hard to become strong, she also enjoyed the peaceful and happy life that she was unable to have back on Nightfall. Eventually, she decided that she did want to join the Organization. When her father asked for her reasoning, she responded with...
"Thanks to you, my life was saved, and thanks to your teachings, I've become strong. I want to use the gifts you given me to help those that can't help themselves. If I can protect others that were once like me by joining the Organization, then that's what I shall do."
Z simply smiled and accepted her into the ranks. In record time, she climbed the ranks and earned quite a reputation among her peers. One day, there was a large meeting for all young soldiers for them to meet and hopefully befriend each other. Kurabe, of course, decided to go. The venue was fairly crowded, a bit more than she honestly was expecting. Seeing as there was a bit of time before the meeting officially started, she decided to take a short stroll. As she walked around, she saw people of all kinds of species, even some she's never seen before! Admittedly, she was so distracted that she didn't see where she was going and ran into someone, causing them to trip and fall.
"I'm sorry, please excuse me." She said with a bow.
Upon looking up, she saw a grey humanoid in a secretary outfit and a small white cape over her shoulders shuddering on the floor. However, the thing that stood out to her the most was honestly the blue eyes that looked at her with slight fear.
"N... n... no... I-I-I'm so sorry...!"
A feminine voice managed to squeak out putting her head to the floor in an intense bow, with Kurabe now fully seeing her hair tied up in a bun. The puff stared at her in confusion.
"Wh... what? But I'm the one that ran into you..." She uttered, trying to process what just happened.
Upon saying that, she heard a slight whimper come from the person in front of her.
"What did you do to her?!"
Kurabe almost tripped over herself upon hearing a voice shout that. Turning, she saw another silver humanoid storming over to where she was.
"I bumped into her and then apologized."
The man glared at her through his glasses.
"And you weren't watching where you were going? How irresponsible..." He uttered coldly.
Then he turned to the person on the floor and knelt down to her, placing a hand on her back. She heard a whispered exchange between them.
"Are you ok, Mer?"
A weak nod.
"Let's get going then."
As the man helped the woman up and were beginning to walk away, they were suddenly cut off by Kurabe.
"Wait."
They both stopped.
"What's your name?"
The man turned and glared at her. "My name is Reedy-"
"Not you. Her."
The woman only looked at her nervously and clearly confused, as if she was surprised about being asked her name.
"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to, Mer."
She shook her head.
"It's ok. My name is Mercury." The woman uttered shyly.
The puff gave a smile. "And I'm Kurabe. Hopefully, we'll get to see each other around some time." She said as she waved the woman goodbye.
The woman gave a timid wave back as she followed the man.
About an hour after that encounter Kurabe started to hear a large commotion. Curious, she decided to investigate. What she saw infuriated her to no end. It was the woman Mercury, now without that Reedy guy, surrounded by a bunch of angry soldiers yelling at her.
"Why did they let a monster like her in here?"
"Maybe she killed someone and impersonated them to get in?"
"In that case we should teach her a lesson!" A large man said as he threw a punch.
That punch would never reach its target as Kurabe jumped in front of Mercury and effortlessly grabbed the man's fist.
"Wait, what the-"
Without another word, Kurabe effortlessly beat down the group of soldiers.
"It seems that I was wrong to assume that all of you would have manners." She uttered coldly.
"Why are you protecting that monster?" One of them weakly asked.
"Monster? All I see is a frightened woman and a bunch of short-sighted fools trying to hurt her. From my perspective, you guys are the monsters." She said, slamming her heel on the soldier's hand. After the screaming died down, she turned to the woman. "Are you alright?"
Mercury slowly nodded.
"Good."
Kurabe then quickly grabbed her hand, startling the woman. "Follow me, I'll take you somewhere safe."
The woman became hesitant, but the warrior dragged her along anyway.
"So, where's that guy you were with earlier?" Kurabe asked, trying to start a conversation.
"He went off to find a superior officer to ask for tactical advice. He said he wouldn't be gone for long but after ten minutes..."
"Wow, for how protective he seemed to be of you, he is quite negligent..." The puff uttered in annoyance.
The woman only became silent once more.
"Why did you help me?" She finally asked.
"Do I need a reason to help someone in trouble?"
"...you are aware of what I am, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm quite aware that you're a Limet. I fail to see why that's relevant."
The woman blinked, then suddenly became angry. "But it means everything! Don't you know that people will think horribly of you just because you helped me!?"
"Why should I care about what they think? People who judge others purely on appearances or rumors aren't worth my time."
"Even if it means you're unable to work with others because of it?"
"I'm capable of working on my own. Besides, I can always work with you sometimes."
"But why would you even want to work with me?! I'm pathetic! Hell, I just met you today!"
"Well, for one thing, you're honest." Upon seeing her confused face Kurabe decided to elaborate. "I've met many people in my life and learned to tell if someone's honest or corrupt. You are by far the purest person I've met. Well, next to my father anyway. I can tell by how you act. You're nervous but you don't wish to hurt anyone or be a nuisance. I can relate to that."
The woman became silent, unsure how to reply to that.
"Do you really think that?" She uttered, looking down.
"If I didn't, I wouldn't say it."
Once more, the silence came, with Mercury looking unsure about how to reply.
"MERCURY!" A voice suddenly called out.
Immediately, she looked up. Kurabe also turned to see the man from earlier running towards them.
"Mercury, are you ok?!"
"Y-yeah..."
Quickly, she was wrapped up in a hug.
"Thank goodness. I saw you weren't where I told you to wait, and I was worried about where you went." His eyes then became sharp. "Mer, for the rest of the party, I want you to stay by me, understand?"
"How about you let her decide what she wants instead?" Kurabe said, glaring at the man apparently named Reedy.
He glared at her as he adjusted his glasses. "Oh, you're that rude person from earlier. I'm quite sure she'd rather stay by me, considering she was more than likely hounded by other soldiers the moment she stepped away from me."
"She was. And I saved her from them. Surely, you saw the pile of unconscious bodies while walking here?"
"I did, and I appreciate that. However, I would rather that she not get into any more harm while we're here."
"I agree. But Mercury is her own person. She should make her own decisions. So, what do you think Mercury? Would you like to spend more time with me?"
The woman became silent, as if seeming unsure of herself, especially considering that both parties were staring at her intently.
"Mer, don't listen to her, she's just trying to trick you."
"Now that's an awfully rude thing to say."
"And you're an awfully rude person!"
"Reed, she's a nice person. Please apologize to her." Mercury suddenly said.
For a moment, the man was taken aback by this response. "...excuse me?"
"I said please apologize to her. She helped me at the risk of her own reputation. That's enough to make me trust her."
He stared at the woman for a moment, but then turned to the puff.
"I don't know the reason why you did it, but I would like to apologize for my behavior." He said, adjusting his glasses once more.
"Apology accepted."
"Now that we settled that, let's go, Mer." He said as he started to walk away, only to notice that Mercury hadn't moved a step. "Mer?"
The woman silently clenched her skirt, as if gathering up courage to say something.
"If... if it's all right with you, I would like to spend more time with Kurabe!" She shouted, clearly nervous in her tone.
The man became silent.
"...is that so?" He asked, making the woman even more anxious. Reedy then gave a sigh as he turned away. "Do whatever you like. Just meet up in the lobby by 10 so we can go home together."
Mercury smiled and bowed. "Thank you so much, Reedy."
"It's not a problem, Mer. If you need my assistance, please come find me immediately." He said as he walked away.
"S-so Kurabe, what do you want to do?" She nervously asked.
"I think we should somewhere less, loud. Let's go to my home." She said with a smile. She never got tired saying her home even after a few years after the fact.
"Ok...but wouldn't Reedy notice if I'm not in the venue...?" The woman uttered, concern evident in her voice.
"He said do whatever you like didn't he? He can't complain if we do what he said."
Mercury paused for a moment, but then nodded in understanding.
As they walked Kurabe decided to ask a few questions to make small talk.
"So why did you join the Organization, Mercury?"
The woman took a moment to think. "Well, I have a few reasons, I guess. There's a negative view on Limets as you know, and I want to help change that perception people have about us."
"I see. And the other reason?"
Mercury looked down. "Promise you won't laugh?"
The puff nodded, as if to say she wouldn't.
"I... want to become stronger. Not necessarily as a fighter, but as a person. Though I'm not sure if I can..."
"Not with that attitude, you can't." The warrior replied bluntly.
"I know..."
"So, I'll help you with that."
Mercury froze and looked at the puff in surprise. "...excuse me?"
"I said I'll help you with that."
"...I know that, but why?"
"Let me answer your question with a story. Have you heard of a planet called Nightfall?"
"The eternally dark planet that had all civilization on it destroyed after the powerplant suddenly shut down?"
"That's the one."
"Why bring it up? Unless... you're a survivor of Nightfall, aren't you?"
"One of last living inhabitants of that hell hole. You see, I grew up an orphan. I never knew my biological parents and I had to move from shelter to shelter, eating scraps to just stay alive. Most of the adults either looked down on me or ignored me entirely. As a result, I was neglected and constantly starving, never knowing if I'd live through the day. Then the power went out and the monsters began the massacre. I would have died if not for the man who would become my father. He saved me and took me in. Because of him I was able to change from a scared, sickly child to the woman you see before you. I see potential in you, Mercury, you just need help reaching it."
The woman became silent. "Reedy has said the same thing, but I'm still not entirely sure..."
Before Kurabe could answer, she sensed someone running up to them. It was one of the ruffian soldiers, looking for revenge.
"Well, this is good timing. Mercury, I want you to fight him."
"Huh?! But why?! There's no way I can fight them!"
"Yes, there is, Mercury. You're stronger than you realize. There's something my sensei told me when we started training. Our greatest foe is fear. Overcome that and everything else will seem small in comparison. Face your fear and prove to yourself that you deserve to be here."
"...and if I believe I don't?"
"That's the fear talking. You can do it, Mercury, just focus. Now get ready, he's getting closer."
In just a few seconds the man was right in front of them.
"It's time for some payback!" He yelled as he drew his sword and went to stab at Mercury.
The woman looked on in fear but felt Kurabe encouragingly pat her back. She took a deep breath and held her hand out. The sword connected, but instead of piercing the Limet, it was absorbed into her. Mercury briefly smiled before scowling at her attacker. Using the metal she just absorbed, she turned her fist into a giant-sized fist and punch the ruffian as hard as she could, knocking him out cold.
Kurabe smiled. "Well, would you look at that? You took him down."
Mercury looked at her fist, which was now going back to normal size, and smiled. "...I guess I did."
"There is no guessing, Mercury. Anyway, come on, my house isn't too far away."
Before the woman could give a response, Kurabe began to drag her once more towards her house.
Upon reaching the house, Mercury stared up at it in amazement.
"This is your home? It's practically a mansion!" She exclaimed.
"I guess so. I suppose it is rather large for just two people." Kurabe said with a shrug.
She then opened the door and walked in, Mercury right behind her.
"I'm back father and I brought a friend." She called out.
"A friend? Now that's a first."
Mercury heard a kind, older voice say from another room. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.
"Y-y-you're Great General Z!"
Z laughed at the shocked reaction. "Last time I checked, I was."
"But...but... Kurabe, you didn't say that your father was...!"
"That's because you never asked."
The moment the puff said that, the woman's legs seemingly gave out and she bowed, placing her head on the floor.
"Now, now, there's no need for that, young Mercury."
"How did?"
"I make it a priority to know the names of all my soldiers."
Kurabe then motioned for the Limet to stand up, and she did, a bit slowly and unsurely. "Kurabe, is this why you don't care about your reputation? Because you're the general's daughter?"
"That has nothing to do with it, Mercury. Even if he wasn't my father, the public opinion of me still wouldn't matter."
"She's right. She's always been a headstrong young lady even before I met her. And to further crush any doubts, no, she does not receive special treatment from me."
"And even if I did, I wouldn't accept it. My achievements are mine alone."
The lady became silent, as if she was unsure how to respond to that. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Kurabe."
"It's fine. I know you didn't mean any harm. I'm used to people assuming that kind of stuff anyway."
"Well, if you're sure..."
"I am. Now, you should tell the General about what happened earlier." Kurabe said, suddenly serious.
"You mean with the soldiers?"
"Yes. Trust me, he may seem intimidating but he's a very understanding man. He'll hear you out."
She quietly nodded before looking up at the general.
"Great General, I don't know exactly how to explain this but..." She sighed. "Kurabe helped me earlier today when I was being attacked by several of our own fellow soldiers." \
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
"I assume they were attacking you because you are a Limet?"
Mercury nodded her head, for some reason not bothered by the sudden shift in his tone.
"I see. Kurabe, well done. Mercury, worry not, I shall remove these soldiers from the Organization personally. I have zero tolerance for fools who judge others for superficial reasons."
The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "Will you really do that for me?"
"Not just for you, but for other Limets in the Organization. I already know that you aren't the only Limet that works for me."
"Thank you so much!" She said with a bow.
"There's no need to thank me. Now if you excuse me, I have some garbage to toss out." He said as he left the house, leaving the two women by themselves.
"So... um... what would you like to do now?"
"Would you like to see my room?" Kurabe asked suddenly.
"Um... well, sure!" Mercury said, clearly happy about things potentially getting better for her and the other Limets.
"Very well. Follow me."
The woman nodded, walking with a noticeable hop in her steps.
"Well... make yourself comfortable, Mercury." Kurabe said as she opened the door to her room.
Upon entering, the woman seemed amazed by it. It was a big and tidy room with several bookcases in one reading area, considering the comfy-looking beanbag chairs that were there, and a big bed among other things.
"Let me guess, not what you were expecting, right?"
"I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this is a beautiful room."
"Well, thank you."
"So Kurabe, what hobbies or interests do you have?" Mercury asked as she kept looking around.
"I believe you can first figure out that I quite love reading." She replied.
"Wow you don't say." She uttered sarcastically, which surprised her as normally she was only like that around people she felt comfortable around. Kurabe noticed this and smiled.
"As for not-so-obvious interests, I've recently been into designing swords and creating ice sculptures. Oh, and cooking as well."
The woman nodded. "I could guess the sword making and I suppose cooking isn't that weird. Why ice sculptures?"
The puff smiled. "Because ice is my specialty!"
"That's interesting." Mercury said with her smile. Despite her species natural weakness to the cold, the woman quite enjoyed ice to a reasonable extent.
"How about you, Mercury? What do you like?"
Her friend fidgeted a bit. "Well, I'm pretty interested in fashion." She said a bit embarrassed.
"Ah, well that case let's look at this." Kurabe said as she grabbed a book from her shelf. "Here's a book of different clothing styles from all across the universe. You might find something interesting."
Mercury nodded and the two looked through the book together.
"Hey, Mercury, I think that would look good on you.
" The woman turned looked at the page she was referring to. "That one? The one with the captain hat on it?"
"Yes! I think it would fit you well, especially if you become a captain."
"Well, if you're sure..." Mercury stood up and suddenly her clothes, which were made from her own body, and changed into what was seen in the book.
Kurabe gave a smile. "That looks cute on you! You should wear that more often!"
Mercury blushed and looked at her reflection in the mirror in Kurabe's room. "I think I will."
"Good, you look more confident already."
The two new friends continued to just talk with each other about various topics.
"So Kurabe, what fighting style do you use?" Mercury asked, visibly relaxed.
"Oh, I use twin swords and magic, mostly."
"I read that the General fights with a staff. Why didn't you pursue the same fighting style?"
"There's something about the path of the blade that drew me to it." She uttered vaguely.
"In other words, fighting with swords just feels more natural for you?"
"Oh, absolutely."
"I can understand that."
"And what about your fighting style, Mercury?"
"Well, I'm not sure if it can really be classified as a style, but I usually turn parts of my body into different weapons like swords or hammers."
"And sometimes a giant fist?" Kurabe asked with a chuckle.
"Yeah, that, too." She said with a smile. "You know Kurabe, this is the first time in what feels like forever since I've been comfortable around someone that isn't Reedy."
"You mean other than that old fusspot? I'm glad to hear that." The puff replied with a chuckle.
"Kurabe, you shouldn't call him that." Mercury said, unable to contain her own laughter.
This caused the latter to laugh as well, but then she quickly died down and asked another question. "Come to think of it, what is your relation to him? It's clear you two have some kind of relationship with each other if he's so protective of you."
"Well, I suppose you can say he's my older brother, though we aren't technically related. When I was young, I was orphaned and Reedy's family took me in. Ever since, he's been really protective of me."
"Is that so? Well, considering what happened earlier, he seems to be quite negligent at times." She uttered with a sigh.
"Yeah... he does his best, but he has tunnel vision. Once he gets an idea or forms an opinion, it's almost impossible to get him to change his mind. It's a bit frustrating, honestly. Reedy's a genius. He's beaten many top strategists in chess and other strategy games with little difficulty. He's an excellent planner and has the makings of a leader."
"I hear a "but" coming along."
"...but he's also a massive idiot."
"And there it is." Kurabe uttered, giving a slight grin. "That does appear to be accurate, based on my first impression of him. I assume he's like that with everyone he first meets?"
"Not really, actually. Only if he feels they harmed me in some way."
"How odd. It was quite obvious that I didn't intend to bump into you, and I immediately apologized. There must be something more to it..."
Mercury pursed her lips nervously.
"Considering how smart he supposedly is, I wouldn't be surprised if he knew who my father was." The puff then stated.
The woman nodded. "That's most likely it. Though if he did, he didn't tell me."
"Well, yeah, otherwise you wouldn't have been surprised earlier." Kurabe said with a laugh.
"Yeah. If Reedy does know who you are, he probably assumed that you only got to your position because of your father. You see, we had to struggle to make it to where we are now. If he thinks you got into the Organization with no difficulty..."
"Then he'd immediately dislike me. Yeah, no offense, Mercury, but your brother is a moron."
"You think I don't know that?" The woman giggled. Mercury then stopped and took on a serious face. "Hey, Kurabe. Are we friends?"
Kurabe tilted her head in confusion. "The friendly conversation we were just having for a while wasn't enough to tell you that we are?"
"Fair point."
"Well, if you want to be certain about our relationship... Mercury, would you like to be my friend?"
The woman hesitated to answer for a moment. Then she looked down. "Am I really worthy of being your friend?"
"Please, who cares about worth? That doesn't matter, what matters is what you want."
Mercury blinked at her quietly but then gave a serious look. "If that's the case... then what I want is to be your friend."
Kurabe smiled. "Wonderful! Do you have a phone by chance? It'd be a good idea to exchange numbers."
"...I don't have one yet. Not enough money."
"Oh, then let's go buy you one."
The woman blinked in confusion. "Wait... as in right now!?"
"Yes, right now. Come along." Kurabe said as she grabbed Mercury's hand.
"But... but aren't they expensive!? Why are you going to buy something so expensive for me?!"
"Because we're friends. Besides, with a phone we can stay in touch whenever we want. I help you out and we stay connected. It's a win-win." She then looked back at her. "Besides, I'm quite sure that Reedy would also be fine with you having a phone, won't he?"
"I suppose so... but do you really want to pay that much just for me?"
"Mercury, with the money I've saved up I could buy ten phones and still have enough left over. It's really not a big deal."
She then gave a small smile. "Alright, then I'll accept it."
The two left the house and started walking to the nearest store. Along the way, Mercury noticed that people were giving them looks as expected. But she noticed that Kurabe was simply ignoring all of it. Wanting to follow her example, she tried her best to focus only on herself and her new friend. Admittedly, it was a bit more difficult than she thought it would be, but she was still trying her best to do so. Kurabe noticed her discomfort and frowned. She then directed a small amount of killing intent at everyone around them, making them stop staring out of fear.
"I swear, some people are so ignorant..." She growled.
"Thank you, Kurabe, and I'm sorry that you have to do deal with this because of me..."
She softened her gaze as she turned back towards Mercury. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault that people are so narrow minded and foolish."
Kurabe then looked around.
"Besides, it's not as if everyone is a moron." She said, seeing a group of Limets and non-Limets hanging out at the local cafe.
The woman saw this, and a smile came to her face.
"Do you have other friends, Kurabe?" Mercury asked curiously.
"I have a few. Though I believe some are more what you'd call acquaintances than anything."
"Really? I would think someone as cool as you would have tons of friends."
"Well, I think it's because they know I'm the general's daughter and are afraid of getting close to me because they think they can't handle the pressure."
"That's... a dumb reason."
"It is, isn't it?" Kurabe looked at the bright sky, a habit she got after leaving planet Nightfall. "Some people just care way too much about superficial stuff like that, I guess."
"Yeah, it's especially bad if you're a Limet..." Mercury sighed.
"Then we'll just have to change that, won't we?"
"Do you think we can?"
"Of course. Anything can change with enough time and effort." The puff said, remembering how she used to be trapped on a nightmare planet.
The woman gave a sad smile. "I hope you're right."
"Oh, my friend, I'm always right." Kurabe said in a way that Mercury wasn't sure if she was being serious or not.
"Maybe I should just trust her on that..." she thought.
"Anyway, we're here now. Let's get you that phone."
Upon entering the store, Mercury instantly felt intimidated. Honestly, she had no idea what kind of phone she wanted.
"If you want, I can just buy you the same model I have. Just tell me what color you'd like."
The woman smiled as she gave a sigh of relief. "I think I'd like something in blue, please."
"Blue, yeah that definitely suites you. Just take a seat somewhere and I'll go get it for you."
The woman looked at her worriedly, and Kurabe instantly knew why.
"Don't worry, it won't happen again. I shouldn't be long." She then grabbed Mercury's arm. "And even if it does, I know you can handle yourself. You're pretty strong you know."
The woman looked as if she wanted to deny that, but clearly relented and just smiled. Kurabe smiled and walked off to but the phone for her friend and Mercury sat down at a nearby chair.
"If it's for a Limet, I should probably ask for the resin coated version..." she thought as she looked through the phones.
"Anything I can help you with, Miss Kurabe?" An employee asked.
"Yes, you wouldn't have to have any cellphones treated with crystal tree resin, would you?"
"You're in luck, we have two left in stock."
"Alright then. Is one of them in blue?"
"One of them is yes. I'll go get it for you now."
"Thank you very much."
The employee walked away and Kurabe went up to the counter to wait. She looked around to see where Mercury was and smiled when she saw she was safe and sound. After a few minutes, the employee returned.
"Sorry for the wait, Miss Kurabe."
"It's no problem. How much will it cost?"
"About 10,000 credits plus tax."
"Ah, even cheaper than I expected." She thought to herself as she pulled out her card.
After making the transaction, she returned to where Mercury was sitting.
"I hope no one bothered you while I was up there."
"Surprisingly, no one did."
"Excellent. Here you go, Mercury, make sure to take good care of it." She said as she handed the phone over to its new owner.
The woman took the phone and looked at it for about a minute. Then, to the slight surprise of Kurabe, she began to cry.
"Is everything alright, Mercury?" She asked, not sure about how to handle this situation.
"It... it's fine... just... this is the first time someone that isn't Reedy or another Limet got something for me..."
"I see. Well now that we're friends, you better get used to this feeling." She said while holding her hand out.
Mercury wiped her eyes and smiled as she took her hand. "Thank you, Kurabe."
"We should probably get you back to that idiot brother of yours." Kurabe said as she looked at the stores clock.
The woman nodded in agreement as they walked out of the store.
After around thirty minutes of walking and sightseeing, the two arrived to see an annoyed Reedy. "It's about time you got here, Mer... what are you wearing?"
Mercury jumped and looked nervous.
"Um... Kurabe and I looked through a fashion book and I thought this would look nice on me..." She uttered, looking down in shame.
"Mercury, you have nothing to be ashamed about. Hold your head up high." Kurabe said with an encouraging pat to the back.
The woman did and, to her own surprise, she noticed that Reedy had a small smile on his face for a brief moment.
"I see. It's quite fitting for you."
"Thank you, Reed."
"Now let's go home, Mer."
She nodded and ran to his side. He then motioned and she began to walk with him. Reedy turned to walk away, and Kurabe could've sworn he heard a mumbled "Thank you." From the man, being directed towards her. Kurabe smiled, wondering when she'd next be able to see her new friend.
Over the years, Kurabe had continued with her training, becoming stronger with each passing day. She had even achieved the second highest rank possible and earned a position in the Organization's Big Four. At one point, a massive war broke out between the Organization and a mysterious group calling themselves the Phantom Claw. Kurabe found herself in the middle of the battlefield, running around and protecting as many of her comrades as possible.
"Is... is that all of them...? No, it shouldn't..." She panted.
Just then, she saw a large explosion coming from the west. Having a bad feeling about this, Kurabe ran as fast as she could.
"Captain Kurabe, where are you going!? We were ordered to stay in this sector!" One of her comrades yelled.
"Screw that! I'm not going to let our other comrades die!" She shouted, not waiting to hear an answer.
"But captain-!"
"But nothing! Our lives are more important than my rank! If I get punished for doing the right thing, then so be it!"
She pushed herself to her own limits as she ran towards the base. When she arrived, she saw a lone soldier fending off twenty enemies. The soldier in question was none other than her friend, Mercury.
"Oh no, you don't!" Kurabe shouted as she plowed into the group of enemies, destroying them.
"K-Kurabe!" Mercury shouted as soon as she got over the shock of what happened.
"Mercury! I'm so glad I made it in time! What happened? Are you badly injured? Can you stand?"
"Yeah, I'm fine...!" She uttered, struggling to stand up.
"I assume you're the last member of your squad?" Kurabe asked as she helped get her up.
"Y-yes... unfortunately... none of them wanted to listen to me because I'm a Limet and they all... died..."
"Figures. Thankfully, you're still alive. Come on, we can grieve later. We have to get you to safety."
Mercury nodded quietly and began to follow her.
"...Kurabe, you disobeyed orders to save me, didn't you?"
"...yes, and?"
"...Thank you."
The puff gave a smile. "It's not a problem, Mercury. That's what friends are for."
"I'm sorry for making you deal with this, Kurabe."
"Save your breath."
The woman looked at her questioningly.
"We've got company."
True to her words, they were now surrounded by twenty more enemies.
"Kurabe, leave me and save yourself!"
"No, I refuse!"
Before Mercury could protest, the enemies charged towards them. With a simple motion, Kurabe froze most of them solid, but one of them managed to resist it and threw a dagger at Mercury's core.
"Mercury!" Kurabe shouted as she jumped in front of her, getting stabbed in her head. Before the woman could even say anything, the puff ripped the dagger out of her head and tossed it back, stabbing her opponent.
"Kurabe, are you ok!?"
"Of course... I am... AGH!" The puff then began to violently cough up blood.
"...a poison dagger, damn it..."
"...I'll be fine. Let's get back to the base."
The puff then fell down and struggled to get back up, only for Mercury to pick her up with a giant hand.
"Don't worry, Kurabe... I'll get you back even if it kills me...!"
"I can walk on my own, Mercury."
"You saved my life, now it's my turn."
She gave a smile. "Alright then..."
By the time they arrived at the nearest medical station, Kurabe was in critical condition. For a while the doctors weren't sure if she would make it but by some miracle, they found an antidote and things started to look good for her. Meanwhile, Mercury started to make her way out of the base, feeling internally guilty for what happened.
"Where do you think you're going?" A recovering Kurabe asked.
"I'm going to head back home. You got hurt because of me, right? You nearly died. So, I was thinking..."
"Well, stop thinking." Kurabe bluntly said. "I didn't get hurt because of you. I chose to protect you. You have nothing to be sorry about."
"I know you chose to, but I still can't help but feel guilty about it..."
"Are you saying I should have just let my best friend die? Mercury, we're both alive so instead worrying about what could have happened, let's focus on the now."
The woman became silent, unsure what to say. "Well, I don't really know what to do now. With my squad dead, I don't really have anywhere to go."
"Well, Mercury, my old man gave me permission to form my own personal crew. Would you like to be my vice captain?"
"Do you really want to take me as your vice captain?"
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't want you to."
The woman blinked for a moment before continuing. "You do know Reedy will attempt to get me to join him, right?"
"Let him try." She then smiled. "Besides, he always tells you to do what makes you happy, right?"
"But-"
"Don't even bother asking if you deserve to be happy Mercury. The answer is yes."
The woman relented. "Well... if that's the case, then I'll join your crew."
"I'm glad to have you, sister." Kurabe said with a smile.
Mercury looked at her in confusion. "Sister?"
"Well, we're close like family, aren't we?"
"Um... yeah...you could say we are."
"Then we're sisters. Unless you don't want to be."
"Oh, no. I'm perfectly fine with that. Thank you so much, sis!" She smiled.
"There's no need to thank me, Mercury. Now, let's go home."
She nodded as she began to follow her.
"So, how am I going to tell Reedy that he has a new sister?"
"Ah... that's the thing, you don't." Kurabe said with a laugh.
She couldn't help but laugh along with her.
A few months later, the war had to an end and true to her word, Kurabe made Mercury her undisputed second in command of her personal unit. Not only that, but this would be followed up by yet another announcement. While she somewhat expected herself to become one of the top commanders in the Organization, also known as the Big Four, it was this whole other statement that surprised her. It happened on what seemed to be a standard day. The general called everyone in the Organization to a large meeting.
"Attention, everyone. I have an important announcement to make." General Z said.
Everyone in the crowd looked directly at the General.
Mercury leaned over to her best friend. "Sis, do you know what this is about?"
"I don't. He never mentioned it to me."
"Then it must be a huge deal. Do you think he's retiring?"
"That... I'm not sure about."
Z looked around to make sure everyone was paying attention to him.
"My brave warriors, as many of you are aware, I am becoming quite old. I have no intention of retiring soon, but it's important that I choose my successor. Yes, one of you will be the next general after me."
Both Kurabe and Mercury started to hear worried chatter from the audience, many concerned about who would be the successor.
"Why do I feel like I already know who it is..." Kurabe thought.
"This individual has proven time and time again that they have the strength, charisma, determination and the heart needed for this position. It is with great pride that I name Kurabe as my successor!"
"Yes, there it is."She uttered under her breath.
There was a moment of silence, as if it needed time to sink in.
"Kurabe, please come up to the podium." Z finally said.
Letting out a slight sigh, the puff began to make her way up to the podium, stopping just before her mentor.
"Kurabe, do you accept this position? This will be your one chance to refuse it."
The puff had an unsure expression on her face. She knew it would probably be a lot of time before she would have to take over, but it would still be a massive burden on her regardless.
"I understand that I'm putting a lot on you, my daughter, but I have complete faith in you." Z whispered.
Kurabe nodded but was still unsure. That is until she heard a certain voice.
"You deserve the position, Kurabe! No one deserves it more than you!" Mercury yelled.
Slowly more and more soldiers vocally cheered her on. Honestly, the amount of support she received slowly began to overwhelm her to the point where she had to turn away for a moment to wipe a few tears from her eyes.
"Have you found your answer, Kurabe?" Her father asked. After taking a moment to recompose herself, the puff began to speak up once more.
"Father, I... I accept this position."
"Excellent. I remember when I first met you. So young and frail. Now look at you. You make me proud, Kurabe, both as a father and as a mentor."
She gave a small smile as she began to tear up once more. Though while everyone else was cheering for her, there was one man in part that was less than pleased at this development.
"Great General Z, may I ask why someone as reckless and disobedient was chosen?" He asked loud enough to be heard.
Z looked towards Reedy and slowly opened an eye, already knowing the reason why he was acting like this.
"For starters she's just as strong, if not even stronger than I am. A leader of the Organization must be strong enough to handle any opposition."
"I have no disagreements about her strength, but I fail to see any other leader-like qualities."
"If you would allow me to finish speaking you would." Z said, now with two eyes open.
Upon seeing this, Reedy froze, as if sensing the amount of danger in that action. "Y-yes, please finish."
The general nodded as he closed his eyes once more.
"Kurabe has gone above and beyond in this field of work. Her actions and charismatic personality have prevented the death of many of our soldiers multiple times. So many soldiers already go to her for guidance and trust her with their lives. She has proven that she is capable of putting others before herself without hesitation. I genuinely believe that without her, this war would have ended differently." Z explained.
As the crowd soaked that in, Kurabe herself became silent, as if somewhat embarrassed at all of this praise. As much as she would like to deny it, she knew the general would say otherwise. Reedy was silently fuming, knowing he realistically couldn't argue against any of that.
"True as that may be, she's also incredibly reckless, sir."
"And I'm not?"
Reedy blinked at that, not sure as how to respond.
"For that matter, Reedy. Wouldn't talking back to a superior officer be considered reckless?"
The man became completely silent, unable to argue with that.
"Her reckless behavior has saved more lives than it has harmed them. A leader needs to balance both logical and emotional thinking. Something Kurabe has that others lack."
"But-"
"One more word, Reedy, and I'll ask you to leave."
The man nodded but clearly he was internally seething. The general then turned to his student.
"Would you like to say a few words to everyone?"
Kurabe nodded and looked over the whole crowd. Normally she wasn't the type of person to be overwhelmed by crowds, but she couldn't help but feel somewhat nervous. Then she felt Z place a hand on her back, and knowing what that meant, she cleared her throat.
"Thank you everyone for the support you've all given me. I promise that I'll focus all of my energy into making sure that our Organization continues to thrive! I may not always be the best, but that won't stop me from trying. Together we'll continue to grow and protect the universe we love!"
Upon ending the speech, she was answered with cheers and thunderous applause.
Many years had passed since that day. Kurabe had become the captain of her own ship the GranEssex, traveling the universe and completing any tasks given to her. Today she woke up and got ready for the day like she usually did.
"Hopefully whatever mission they have for me is more interesting than the last couple." She mumbled as she finished adjusting her veil.
Just then, her vice captain, Mercury rushed into the room.
"Captain, we got an urgent mission! Do you remember that prominent criminal gang from last month?"
"So, we finally found the base of operations. Where is it?"
Mercury looked nervous. "It's on planet Opasnost."
Kurabe understood her second in command's hesitation.
"The death trap planet. No wonder it took them so long to find it."
"Would you like me to come with you, captain?" The woman asked.
Kurabe shook her head.
"No, I'd rather have as many capable fighters as possible here at the ship. That planet is filled with dangerous monsters and disasters. I need my vice captain to take command if something happens when I'm gone."
She received a nod in response.
"Ok. Just please come back safely, ok?"
Kurabe smirked. "Have you forgotten who I am?"
"No, I haven't. Just don't destroy your body too much."
"Oh, yee of little faith. Trust me, Mercury, I'll be fine. If this place is anything like Nightfall, I can handle it."
The woman gave a giggle. "Alright then. Please be careful regardless."
"Will do, Mercury." She then put her visor on her head and lowered it over her eyes. "Now, Chart a course to that death trap!"
"Aye, aye, captain!"
The GranEssex began to move and flew through space at top speed. Kurabe sat down in the captain's chair and closed her eyes, thinking about all possible scenarios she could come across on that mission.
"I don't doubt that I'll come back alive, but... I at least hope that something different happens this time..."
When she next opened her eyes, she noticed she was no longer in the captain's chair. Instead, she was in her bed. Immediately, she got up and looked around, until her gaze fell on Meta and Mercury, who were sleeping next to her.
"How strange, I haven't thought about all of that in years. Still, it was a pleasant dream." She uttered, giving a smile as she stroked her student's head.
"Not once have I ever regretted taking that mission. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made." She whispered. The sleeping Meta smiled, as if reacting to what she said.
Seeing, this she gave a slight sigh.
"I guess I could lay here with you a bit longer, Meta."
"You sure you're not just using that as an excuse to stay in bed?" A semi awake Mercury mumbled.
Kurabe gave a pout. "Now when do I ever make excuses to sleep longer?"
"Whenever Meta comes into your room to sleep."
"That's different. It's my duty as his mentor to look after him whenever he seeks assistance."
"...it's also because you want to cuddle with him, isn't it?"
"I can do that whenever I want, Mercury. What about you, huh? You have no reason to stay in here, as much as I love your company."
"Oh, that's just because I was worried about Meta."
"I know that's why you slept here. That doesn't answer why you're still here now that you're awake."
"Because I just woke up a few minutes ago. And I don't want to wake him up, if you completely forgot the wall on the other side of me."
"You can shapeshift into a snake."
"Too much effort."
"Fine, then you can't complain about me staying in bed."
The woman gave a slight giggle. "Alright, you win. Let's just stay here at least until Meta wakes up."
Kurabe nodded. What both women were unaware of was that Meta was already awake but didn't feel like moving. Admittedly, this was the most comfortable he felt in a while.
"Did you have any dreams Mercury?" Kurabe asked.
"Of course I did. They were quite nice dreams, too!"
"What were they about?" She asked curiously.
"Well, one was you and Reedy actually getting along for once."
Kurabe gave a slight chuckle. "Really? And how was that?"
"It was pleasant. I don't remember every detail, but I recall there not being a single argument between you two."
"That does indeed sound quite enjoyable. Especially if it involves that moron learning a thing or two about respect."
"He respects you Kurabe. Though he shows it in different ways than most people do."
The puff scoffed at that and pouted, as if being doubtful. "Any other dreams?"
"...nothing of note."
"Well, that's fine, I suppose."
"What about your dream, Kurabe?"
"Me? I just dreamed about my past. It was quite wonderful."
Mercury looked at her with intrigue. "So, you relived parts of your life. Why are you so happy then? Considering how much you don't like talking about your youth."
The puff gave a chuckle in reply. "Well... it's because everything that happened in my youth lead to the life I have today."
Mercury smiled at that. "Good point. Well, since you just came back from a walk during memory lane, let me be the first to say... welcome home, Kurabe."
The puff smiled back. "It's good to be home, Mercury."
The chapter that discusses Kurabe's past. I hope you enjoyed it.
I'd like to note that the next chapter will be a bit... different. Most I will say is that you might not expect who it focuses on.