I'm back with another Negitoro Summer Smash project, this time for the 2023 edition! Plus, I'm refraining from sharing the exact prompt until the second chapter, so I don't spoil how this first chapter ends. For those who are here from the discord server, however, you'll probably know how this one goes.
Despite not wanting to spoil things, I do have to warn that the rating is for mature themes and some character death. So be aware before going forward.
Many thanks to Cant_Catch_Rabbit for beta-reading this whole project! And thanks to Jak656 for all the help with plane knowledge!
Luka bolted from her apartment and down the stairs, nearly losing her balance as she tried to put on her suit jacket and negotiate the steps at the same time. Once she reached the bottom landing, she patted herself down. Phone? Check. Keys? Check. Notebook? Check. Bag? Check. She felt inside her bag for her wallet, her important documentation—especially her passport— her hat, and her lunch, which consisted of a banana and a Tupperware with tuna salad.
Good, she was fully prepared. It would only be a waste of time to climb back up all those steps to retrieve something she'd forgotten.
Almost breathless, she burst out of the front entrance to her apartment building.
"Taxi!" she almost hollered once she got to the road, stretching her arm out at the first yellow cab she saw. Fortunately, it was free, and pulled over, tires screeching.
"The airport, please," she said as she sat down next to the driver, buckling herself in with hurry.
"Of course, of course!" the driver said, all smiles. "Running late?"
"A little."
"Special treatment for you, let's go!" He clicked on the meter and sped off.
Only then did Luka let herself relax. She glanced out the window, leg bouncing, watching the city sights slide past the window. The skyscrapers sped past, as did the crowds, the parked cars, and the other cars in traffic. Luka glanced back longingly at her favorite take-away place, but her hand tensed on her bag; her wristwatch seemed to grow heavier on her arm by the second. Every now and then she cast a glance at the driver, but he was focused on the traffic, cutting through it, not bothering with conversation.
A few minutes into the drive, she felt her phone vibrate in her chest pocket.
"Excuse me," she muttered, pulling the phone out. She glanced at the screen, seeing Meiko's name. She swiped to answer. "Hello?"
"Hey! I was wondering if you have free time today!"
Luka bit back a second sigh. "Not today. I'm already on my way to the airport."
"Aw, that sucks. You think you'll be gone for long this time?"
"Who knows," Luka said, emphasizing both words, her exasperation obvious. "It'll be a miracle if I even make it to the plane on time. My client gave me the latest possible notice that she wanted to fly."
"Ah, your dear client. The rich girl, right?"
Luka nodded, but Meiko couldn't see it, so she muttered, "That's her."
"Man, ever since her dad hired you to be at her beck and call, she's been flying around literally every week. It's been almost a year now, hasn't it? When did we last see each other?"
"Three days ago."
"Not the point. We barely see you around, Luka. You're always halfway around the world."
"I can't help it. I mean, sure, I could quit and bail, but then my reputation gets shot and I'll never work another day in my life. The guy's got a mean streak, supposedly."
"As mean as his daughter?"
"I'm guessing that's where she got it from," Luka said through gritted teeth. "I'm basically bound to her service until she grows tired of flying."
"Well, you know how those rich people can be. Flighty pleasure-seekers."
" With a little luck, she'll grow tired of flying but he'll keep me on the payroll anyway. I could do whatever I want."
"Except leave the country, or go anywhere more than half an hour from the airport, really. Just in case she calls you again."
Luka hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Right. The contract is a ball and chain. Thanks for the reminder."
"You're welcome. Think she'll be agreeable this time around?"
"Not a chance in hell. I bet there's another show I'm too poor to know about, or some party, or some other elite 'rich kid' thing she has to go to and get prepared for. Makeup team on board, a dozen of her friends, her boyfriend, the whole shtick."
"Aw, man. Reminds me of when you told her that your aircraft was limited to fourteen people. You had to kick a bunch of them off."
"She did not like that," Luka grumbled. "And she keeps trying."
"They're above the rules, duh," Meiko said with a chuckle.
"Even the ones designed to keep them safe..."
"You bet. Hey, I need to go, and I bet you have a plane to fly."
"I do. We're pulling up to the airport soon."
"Did the miracle happen and you're on time?"
Luka looked at her wristwatch. "Yes, actually. Damn. I gotta run in a bit."
"Me too. Good luck with your rich kid!"
"Thanks. Have fun with whatever it is you're doing."
"Thanks, captain. See you around!"
"See you."
When Luka hung up, her phone displayed the last thing she'd been looking at: the text message from the client in question.
I need 2 go 2 London NOW.
She grumbled to herself, pocketing her phone. She'd been enjoying a nice afternoon off, or at least she'd thought she was, leisurely reading her favorite book for the fourth time, accompanied by a tall strawberry smoothie. She would have loved to spend time with Meiko, though. Or any of her friends, had they texted her. But no.
The screeching of the tires as the taxi parked in the taxi rank shook her out of her thoughts.
"Told you, special treatment!" the driver said with a wide smile. "You're on time?"
She checked her watch. "Perfectly. Thank you so much."
Despite having made this trip a dozen times by that point, knowing the amount due by heart, Luka threw in an extra twenty from her wallet and walked away before the driver could protest or thank her.
She hurried through the airport, pulling the documentation needed from her bag to get past security fast, and almost sprinted down the long, winding halls all the way to where they kept the private jets. She almost forgot to put on her pilot's cap, but recovered, placing it on her head with a well-practiced motion. Once in the hanger, she composed herself and slowed her pace to a brisk walk, just in case people were watching. There were fewer crowds in this area, and a runner stuck out like a sore thumb, especially one dressed in an aircrew uniform.
Finally, she entered the hangar and found her beloved Bombardier Global 6000 waiting. It wasn't 'hers', really, but she was paid well to fly it and was more than happy to do so. As far as she knew, both the plane and her services had been acquired by her client when his daughter had turned eighteen, and Luka had been bound to this aircraft ever since. A blessing.
"There you are!"
And a curse.
Luka turned to find her client standing there, arms crossed, foot tapping on the ground, like some twentieth-century cartoon caricature of impatience in the flesh. The girl—technically woman— had comically long hair that was maintained to perfection, hanging almost down to the floor in long, luscious teal locks. She had angry teal eyes to match, perched over rosy cheeks covered in blush. She was dressed in what Luka would describe as a white t-shirt, a cream jacket, a pair of jeans capped off with slick black high-heeled shoes. Luka didn't pay much attention to designer clothing, so she couldn't identify the brands, but given that the woman came from wealth, her clothes were probably all frighteningly expensive. Sure, they suited her— no doubt they were all custom tailored—and those heels! They had to be worth Luka's entire monthly paycheck, at least.
This was Miku Hatsune, the person who controlled her life.
"Miss Hatsune," she said politely, bowing slightly out of respect. Regardless of how sharp and stylish the woman appeared, Luka was not the least bit glad to see her, and had to force a smile.
"Don't 'Miss Hatsune' me! You're late!"
Luka's eyelid twitched. "My sincerest apologies."
"Well, get on the plane! Prepare it! I need to be in London, like, now. There's a party tonight and I'm not missing it!"
"Which airport?"
"I don't know? Gath-something."
Gatwick, then. Luka looked around. "Is nobody accompanying you this time, miss?"
"No, 'cause they're already all there, duh! Come on, let's go!"
Luka didn't say another word;, she merely opened the access door at the front left side of the aircraft and unfolded a small set of stairs so that the two women could enter. When Luka got inside, she cast a cursory look around. There were plenty of empty seats, enough to accommodate the designed capacity of 14 passengers. As far as she knew, it was a custom interior, too, with plenty of luggage space and a fully stocked mini-bar. There was even a kitchenette, a lounge, and a rest area for a third pilot for those exceptionally long flights.
"Hello?! Aren't you going to take care of my bag for me?"
Flinching at Miku's tone, Luka turned around. Her client was standing right behind her, luggage left abandoned on the hangar floor.
"Carl couldn't stay to help today, and I'm not touching that thing any more than I have to," the younger woman added with a huff.
After a long pause, Luka said in her most even tone, "Of course."
Back down she went, grabbing the huge suitcase. It was more than half as tall as she was, and could certainly fit multiple wardrobes' worth of clothing. When she lifted it, however, Luka's knees buckled.
"Did she put bricks in this thing?" Luka nearly said out loud.
She managed to open the cargo door and muscle the suitcase inside, then slammed the door closed a little harder than she probably should have. She then stalked up the stairs, mumbling some very inappropriate words about her client and what objects she could cram into which body cavities.
"Your luggage has been loaded, miss," Luka called out with exaggerated politeness as she reentered the plane
Miku ignored her, busy checking her nails while lounging in her favorite seat of the fourteen. Luka took in the scene for a moment: one girl in a plane for over a dozen people, going all the way to London, all on her own.
With a roll of her eyes, she turned her attention to the part of the plane that interested her the most: the cockpit. Once inside, she went over all the checklists and formalities, even exiting the plane to walk around it once to make sure everything was in order. The airport staff, or perhaps her client's staff, had done their job. It was all ship-shape, completely fueled, and ready to go. All she needed now was her copilot, Gakupo Kamui.
Just as she was about to pull out her phone to text him, he bustled through the cockpit doorway.
"Hi. Sorry I'm late," he said in his characteristic deep voice.
Luka looked up at the man: he was tall, almost embarrassingly so in the cramped space, with long purple hair. He had a handsome face, with features sharp yet comforting, and a warm smile. The calm aura he radiated fit perfectly in the sometimes stressful space of a cockpit, an aura that Luka had been cherishing for almost a year now.
"Ah, Gakupo. I was just about to text you."
He laughed and shook her hand. "How have you been?"
"Just fine. Or, well, I was, until..." she intentionally trailed off, and he laughed.
"Same. I thought I could get away with a little outing today. How dare I."
"You were further out?"
"Just a little. I had to hurry home to get changed. Took me ages." He looked around. "Did you do the pre-flight check?"
"Yep, it's all good. You can do it again—"
"Nah, she's dying back there," he whispered as he got settled in his seat. "Just poured herself a glass of wine."
Luka's eyes widened. "We haven't even left the country yet! She must be keeling over from boredom. I suppose that's because there's nobody with her this time."
"Not even her chef? What ever will she do if she gets hungry?" he asked with obvious sarcasm.
"Starve, I guess."
"We should be so lucky."
Luka chuckled, keeping her voice low so that it wouldn't travel into the passenger cabin. "Apparently everybody is already there. If it's so important, I wonder why she's going so late."
"It's not our job to ask questions," he said pointedly, going over the interior checklist while they talked. It was remarkable to watch him work; even though he was still following the conversation, his eyebrows set, his smile faded a bit, and pure concentration took over his entire demeanor. Despite their conversation, he was pouring himself into the task, making sure nothing was missed.
Luka smiled, getting comfortable in the pilot's seat.
"Well, if you ask me, we're all ready to go," Gakupo announced.
She nodded and pulled on her microphone.
"We're ready to depart, miss," she announced to the cabin. "Please sit upright and fasten your seatbelt. Stow any and all belongings for your safety. Thank you."
If Miku replied at all, Luka couldn't hear it, so she and Gakupo effortlessly began the departure procedures. Going over the checklists, clearing their departure with air traffic control, the whole nine yards.
While it was routine, Luka smiled as she worked through the process with Gakupo's help. Their client was quiet as they worked, so they could focus entirely on the procedure with rare peace and calm. Luka even hummed happily to herself as she looked over the switches and controls, flipping a few, while Gakupo double-checked her work, an elegant dance between them. Her last little detail: switching on the 'seatbelts on' light, so Miku knew that they were going to go soon. Moments later, she set the plane in motion out of the hangar, across the parking apron, and down the taxiway.
Departures always took a while. The taxiways at this particular airport were long, and given the heavy traffic, there was always a queue. But there were no complaints from the cabin, and Luka happily did what she did best: pilot her plane. It only took about ten minutes before she was pointing the nose of her aircraft down the length of the runway.
"This is your favorite part," Gakupo said, doing his job on his side of the controls.
"Yes. Yes, it is."
Luka grinned as she flipped the switches, pressed the buttons, and pushed the levers. The plane came to life under her hands, a roar filled the air, and just like that, the aircraft hurtled down the runway, the acceleration pinning her against the her seat back. She gently pulled on the controls, and there it was, that magical moment...
Liftoff.
The Global 6000 cut through the air like a hot knife through butter, and Luka relished this moment, all while maintaining razor-sharp focus. Historically, takeoff and landing were the flight segments where the most accidents occurred, and that was no mere coincidence. She kept her eyes on her instruments, her hands firm on the controls, and it wasn't long before the plane leveled out, then turned for London Gatwick.
"We are now en route," Luka announced to the cabin.
Miku's muffled "finally" was barely audible down the galley. Gakupo and Luka chuckled softly to themselves before turning their attention to the view before them. Luka smiled; she was flying, and there was nothing else she'd rather be doing. The sky opened up before her; the clouds above and below greeted her like old friends.
"I love my job," Gakupo said.
"Understatement of the year," Luka said with a grin. "No matter who we're carrying back there, this is always..."
"Yeah." He flipped a few switches before asking, "Do you know what the weather is like today?"
"I saw that it's rather stormy over the sea," Luka said. "We might get some unexpected winds and rain on the way there."
He laughed, looking at the forecast. "That's nothing we can't handle."
"You're right. We got this."
While waiting for the storm, Luka savored the easy part of flying: piloting the aircraft. She turned on autopilot, sat back, and relaxed, though she kept her mind sharp. She'd already done so before leaving, and did it before she flew every time, but she verified the location of the emergency handbook, the fire extinguisher, and her own bag. Gakupo did the same, touching most things he was verifying, his own way of making sure he actually did his job; to him touching felt 'more real' than just looking at what he was looking for.
Now all Luka had to do was look at the passing landscapes. The continent gently shifted far below, showing plains and forests and mountains and cities. It took several hours, but eventually they reached the coast, and then they were over the ever huge, open ocean.
Luka let out a contented sigh. Between the blue sky and the blue sea sat the infinitely fine line of the horizon, and there was nothing better than this sight. Landmass had its own beauties, ranging from mountains to colorful fields to dense forests, but her favorite view was definitely the sky and the all-encompassing mirror that reflected it.
And so it went . While they flew onward, all was quiet save for the occasional conversation. Gakupo asked about Luka's friends, while Luka asked him about his own, some struggling with their exams, others wrestling with their own jobs. They kept their eye on the weather, on the time, on their instruments, their hands stayed alert and on the controls.
There was noise in the galley, making the two pilots jump and exchange confused glances. Seconds later their client strode in, munching on a bag of chips. She looked as bored as a human could get.
"Are we there yet?" she drawled.
"We... We've only just departed a couple of hours ago," Luka stammered, watching as the younger woman took in the interior of the plane. "We won't be there for another five hours, give or take."
"Ugh! This always takes forever," she said, leaning against the galley wall. Both Gakupo and Luka bristled.
He cleared his throat. "Uhm, you can't—"
A finger raised towards the switches on the ceiling. "What does this do?"
Luka lunged out of her chair to stop the girl from pushing a button, grasping her hand between her own like a vice.
The client flinched bodily, jerking her hand back. "Don't touch me!"
"Don't touch anything!" Luka barked. She stood back, wiping her chip-covered hands together, trying to clean off the greasy dust. "This whole room is filled with extremely delicate equipment and if you turn anything off—"
Her client waved a hand. "Pfft! I bet it only, like, reclines the seat or something."
Luka blinked, astonished.
Gakupo said, "You shouldn't be here."
"What, you want me to be back there all on my own?" she asked, brow furrowed.
His tone even, he said, "Ideally, yes."
"What if I'm really good and don't touch anything?"
Luka sighed. "No. You can't stay here. It's against federal regulations. Now please go sit down."
Miku pouted. "But I don't want to be there all on my own. Five hours?! That's, like, forever!"
"I know. We've got to get through the next five hours, too," Gakupo deadpanned.
"Cool. Then I'm staying," she declared, once again leaning against the wall.
Luka forcibly said, "No! One, it's against the rules! And two, we have things to do! Did you bring nothing to keep yourself busy?"
"Well, I brought my phone, but I don't feel like playing games on it right now," she whined. "Please?"
"It's a hard no. No negotiation."
She looked up at her through her lashes, pouted with her lip, and said in the most miserable tone, "Pretty please?"
Luka clenched her jaw. "My answer won't change. You need to leave."
"Ugh. Total buzzkill. My dad will hear about this," she spat as she turned on her heel, and left.
"And he'll hear that we're keeping you safe," Gakupo retorted, but he did a good job keeping the bite out of his voice.
Once the client disappeared from the cockpit, Luka sank back in her seat with a heavy sigh, re-fastening her seatbelt.
"I know that her not bringing her friends means it's nice and quiet for a change," Gakupo started, "But maybe it's a bad thing she's all alone back there."
"This girl..." Luka grumbled, returning her attention to the devices around her. Her leg bounced. "She's so unhinged from reality."
"She really is."
She breathed deep, made sure her leg didn't bounce any longer, took in the instruments around her, and breathed out.
"It's okay. She didn't touch anything."
"She could've."
He rested a hand on her shoulder. "She didn't. It's all okay."
She nodded and breathed again.
And so time passed for a while. Luka counted one hour, then two, occupied by sparse conversation. No interruptions, no spectacle, no fanfare. After they finished lunch, Luka tapped Gakupo's shoulder twice: their sign that she needed the bathroom.
She left the cockpit then turned to enter the lavatory, before casting a curious glance past the galley and into the passenger cabin. She was greeted by the sight of her client draped over two chairs, an empty wine glass next to her.
Luka rolled her eyes; the woman was clearly deeply asleep. Whether she'd passed out due to the alcohol, or sheer boredom, or both, Luka couldn't say. She used lavatory and returned to the cockpit without any trouble. Gakupo had his eyes on everything, instruments, their things, the weather.
"A storm is getting closer," Gakupo announced. "It's brewing really fast."
"How close are we talking?"
"'Intercepting our trajectory' levels of close. It's going much farther north than it usually would. We'll have to fly through it, and hope to outrun the bulk of it."
"Over the sea, too."
He hummed. "Nothing we can't handle."
Luka cast a glance towards the cabin. "What about her, though? She's passed out cold."
His smile fell. "With her seatbelt on, right?"
"You wish."
"Ah man." He put his hands to his face and rubbed his eyes. "Okay, who's going back there to make her put her seatbelt on?"
"Not me."
"Let's flip a coin for it," he proposed.
Luka chuckled. "You know I always lose at these."
"If you lose, then I'll owe you one. Unless you want to go for heads this time?"
"You know me. I'm sticking to tails."
"Your loss."
He fished a coin from his pocket, showed both sides, positioned it on his thumb, then sent it flying through the air. He deftly caught it, palmed it, then smacked it onto the back of his hand.
"Heads, I win," he said with a grin.
"Told you! Told you." Luka undid her seatbelt yet again, getting up to head towards the cabin.
Miku was still passed out cold, her expensive coat covered in wrinkles thanks to her awkward position. Her high-heeled shoes lay on the second chair, and Luka curled her lip slightly in distaste at the sight. When she composed herself, she leaned over and gently shook the sleeping woman.
"What are you—"
"I need you awake and buckled in," Luka ordered, standing over the half-awake woman. "A storm is coming fast."
"So? Just fly around it?"
Luka's lip curled, briefly. "I'm afraid that isn't an option. We'll have to go through it if we want you to get to your party on time."
"Oh right. The party..."
"So please sit upright, buckle your seatbelt, and stay aware."
Miku heaved a world-weary sigh. "Why couldn't you just let me sleep?"
"For your safety, I need you upright and buckled—"
"Fine, fine. Jesus, you and your stupid rules..."
Luka stuck around just long enough to watch her sit upright and buckle her seatbelt. Then she turned on her heel, left, returning to the cockpit.
"That went surprisingly well," she shared in a hushed voice. "She's really mellow when she's had some wine."
"Oh, that's good then. Easy, done."
"Maybe we could bribe her with more wine in the future?"
He laughed. "I'm not ready to debate the ethics of that."
Because safety always went first, Luka strapped herself in as well and kept her wits about her.
"Oh look, there it is," she said, pointing.
"Damn. It looks mean."
The storm was starting to show itself, there, as a dark streak on the horizon. Gakupo exchanged a few words with the Gander Ocean Control about the weather conditions.
"How bad is it?"
"Nothing impossible. But we'll advise you of significant updates."
"Thank you."
After the necessary concluding transmissions were exchanged, Luka kept her eye on the incoming storm. It would probably be another half an hour before it hit them, but that depended entirely on how fast it was moving.
"So where's this storm you mentioned?"
Luka nearly jumped out of her skin, and Gakupo did no better. She whirled around, finding Miku standing in the entryway, barely covering a yawn with her hand. On the other hand, she had another full glass of wine.
"What are you doing here?!" Luka all but screamed, barely able to keep her voice level.
"Jeez, calm down. Just curious. Heard you chatting with your friends, so I figured it was all good."
Luka clenched her jaw before gritting out, "We were on call with air traffic control about the status of the storm. It's right there, you see? So please get back in your seat and don't get up," she said, putting emphasis on the last three words.
"It's not going to be here for ages! You're such a buzzkill! I can't even walk around because there's a dark cloud hanging out over there?"
Luka kept her hands on the controls while Gakupo said, "It could be here as soon as fifteen minutes. It could be hours. We're being safe."
"So boring," she drawled, then sipped her wine. "Fine, I'll go and sit down, I guess."
"And buckle your seatbelt!" Luka called after her.
"Yeah, yeah."
She left again, and the two pilots exchanged glances.
"Do I go check if she's buckled in?" Gakupo asked.
"No, it's fine."
"I owe you a favor, remember?"
Luka laughed. "I'll cash that one out at a better time."
"Fine, fine."
Then started the anxious wait for the storm. Or rather, it would have been anxious, if it weren't for Gakupo's ever-calming presence. It could have been the way he breathed, or maybe the easy way he moved around, or just his aura, but Luka felt entirely relaxed despite the huge cloud of gray fast approaching.
Gakupo's fifteen-minute estimate wasn't entirely unfounded: only twenty minutes or so after Miku's departure from the cockpit, the first raindrops hit the windshield. The winds turned wild, rocking the plane slightly. The sun was blocked out. Worse yet, the eternal blue of the sky and sea was replaced by gray and darker gray and soon, once the rain hit in earnest, it was all replaced by the silver streaks of rain, more and more rain.
"Our visibility is absolutely shot," Gakupo mumbled, calm as ever despite the mounting turbulence.
"If it weren't for our instruments, I wouldn't even know if we're still right-side up," Luka said. Right then, the wind buffeted the plane pretty badly, but if the equipment could be trusted, they were still flying steadily.
"We're doing fine, though. It's just a bit of rain."
On cue, the first rumble of thunder greeted them.
"There's lightning here too?" Luka asked, her hands tightening ever so slightly on the controls.
"Nothing we can't handle," Gakupo assured her.
"I know, I know. Lightning hasn't really been a problem for planes since the 60s," Luka mumbled. "It's just tough on the nerves."
"Deep breaths," he said, and there wasn't an ounce of mockery in his tone. "We'll get through this safe and sound."
The wind hit them again, and it felt like hitting a wall. It was quickly followed by an air pocket, which made them all feel like they were plummeting ten, twenty, thirty meters, but it was likely just a small dip. The instruments were reassuring, despite the curtain of rain that obscured the windshield and the winds that pushed them to and fro. It almost felt like they were in a washing machine, being tossed around like a pair of socks, with no visibility in the frothy waters.
Lightning struck, and this time they could see it, turning the entire windshield a blinding white. Less than a second later, the sound of thunder—a vicious roar—tore through the cockpit.
"We're okay," Gakupo muttered. "We're okay."
"I know. We'll be fine."
The wind crashed into them again, and this time, instead of the reassuring beating of raindrops hitting the plane, they were greeted by the blaring of alarms.
"Something's wrong," Gakupo yelled over the sound, and his reassuring movements made way for hurried ones.
Luka kept her eyes on the instruments, and there she saw it. "We're losing altitude!" she yelled back, flipping switches and pushing on the levers, but they did nothing. If her gut was to be trusted, instead of solving their problem, they were now doing spirals.
Gakupo did some magic and the instruments leveled out, stabilizing the plane, but their altitude was still dropping.
"What's going on?!" Gakupo shouted.
"I don't know. The handbook. The—"
Another boom of thunder tore through the cockpit, blocking out her words. Gakupo tore the handbook from its spot, handing it to her, and Luka leafed through it as calmly as she could, keeping her breathing steady. Meanwhile, he identified himself to air traffic control, and told them of their situation with quick sentences.
Altitude dropping, storm, winds... Luka took in the equipment, listened to the alarm, trying her best to diagnose the situation, but her heart was louder.
She did her very best not to panic.
"Okay, so we have this alarm," she started, flipping to the relevant page. "Plus losing altitude..."
"We're getting into dangerous territory, here!" Gakupo said. "I can't stop it!"
Luka read the short sentences, designed to be read under duress, and then grabbed the levers. Meanwhile, Gakupo pushed the button on his headset.
"Brace!" he yelled into the microphone. "Brace, brace!"
Luka pulled on the yoke as hard as she could. The engines whined in protest, and there, through the curtain of rain, she saw it: the choppy, white-crested, mountainous waves of the black ocean.
The plane cleared the nearest one by mere meters, the whole plane vibrating. Thunder rolled again, the sea parted before them, but the moment relief washed over Luka's mind, a wall of water appeared in front of them.
Again, Luka yanked on the yoke, but she wasn't able to gain enough altitude to entirely avoid this next wave. Its crest scraped along the underside of the plane. Water flooded the engine intakes, and just like that, they stalled. The aircraft impacted the water bottom first, rattling them about like dolls. When Luka blinked back to awareness, the waves were lapping at the windshield.
"Life vests!" she yelled, yanking her own from the side pouch. Gakupo was hot on her heels, pulling it over his head with practiced ease. Luka undid her seatbelt, stood, shaking, pulling the belts and loops around her torso. No inflating it yet, though, she told herself. That would be for outside the plane.
"Go!" he yelled at her, gesturing for her to go down the galley.
"You first!"
Instead of replying, he grabbed her by the life vest and yanked her forward, then pushed her down the aisle. Luka walked with unsteady steps, keeping herself braced against the walls as the plane rocked in the waves.
Suddenly, a wave crashed into the plane again, rocketing the plane sideways. Luka slammed into the wall, and she felt something snap. Searing pain shot through her shoulder, and she bit back a yelp. Instead, she forged onward, down the galley, and once in the cabin, she found Miku, seatbelt still strapped on, eyes wide, panic written all over her face.
"Life vest!" Luka yelled at her.
"I don't—"
"Under your seat! Red strap, right there!"
Miku complied, and once she oriented the vest, she pulled it over her head. Luka charged forward, her footing unsteady in the rocking plane, and helped her with the buckles despite the screaming of her left shoulder.
"Don't inflate it until we are outside, understood!?"
Miku nodded, tears in her eyes.
"Pull here to inflate." She pointed at the vest in two places. "Whistle! Light! Follow me!"
Almost falling as another wave pushed the plane—less violently this time—Luka made her way to the door. Having done this a thousand times before, opening it was a breeze. Lever here, pull there, pull the door—
An entire deluge of seawater pushed the door inward, flooding the cabin. Seawater immediately soaked into her clothes, sprayed into her face, the wave almost knocking her straight off her feet. Luka clutched onto the frame of the plane, grasping it painfully to keep the water from washing her away, her shoulder feeling as if it had been ripped straight off. Before her eyes, the circular life raft inflated within seconds, unfolding comically, in bursts, and there it stood on the choppy waves.
As it inflated, the rush of water stilled as the cabin had filled to waist-height with water.
"Come on!" she shouted towards the cabin. Miku was paces behind her, clutching a chair, her designer clothes saturated with seawater, her mascara streaming down her face.
The plane was sinking, filling with water fast. They didn't have much time.
"I can't—"
"Come here!" Luka insisted, and watched as Miku painstakingly waded through the water towards her, fighting the current. Luka felt the plane start to tilt as the water filled it, the life raft the only thing keeping this side of the plane above water, relatively speaking. "Get in!" She hollered, pushing the younger woman into the raft.
Then Luka spotted the high-heeled shoes.
"Those get off!" she hollered, yanking at them.
"But—"
"Off!"
Miku kicked them off, then clambered aboard with some effort.
"Gakupo, come on!" Luka shouted over the sounds of the rain, the storm, the choppy waters. But when she looked back, she found only an empty, water-filled cabin. "Gakupo?!"
"Hurry!" Miku yelled, her voice resonating with pure panic.
"But—"
"The plane is sinking!" the younger woman insisted. "Please!"
Luka didn't have time to wait: the water was up to her chest. She got out the door, clambered into the raft, Miku pulling at the shoulders of her suit, helping her up.
Once there, Luka pulled on the release. The raft detached from the plane with a snap, making the whole raft bob upwards as there was no longer any force pulling it downward. The plane, on the contrary, almost plummeted into the depths below, finally full of water.
"Gakupo!" she hollered into the storm, watching as the plane disappeared into the depths. "Gakupo!"
Miku stammered, her voice weak, "Where—"
"Gakupo!" Luka shrieked, her voice breaking. Still, she didn't stop yelling. "Gakupo, come up!"
She only saw gray, white-crested waves. The rain poured down, soaking her down to the bone. The plane had vanished below.
"Gakupo!" she wailed, and at some point, the realization hit her.
He was gone.
"No! Gakupo!" she screamed, voice breaking time and time again, hands clawing at the edges of the raft, plunging into the dark waters below. "Come up, Gakupo! Please!"
She stared for a few seconds, sobs mounting in her throat. "Gakupo!"
"Is he...?" Miku whimpered.
"Gakupo, please...!"
Two hands pulled her from the edge of the raft. Luka resisted at first, her eyes on the waves, spying shapes between them, but whenever she looked again, they were gone. Eventually, she relented, sitting back in the raft.
It was just the two of them and the storm. The clouds, the rain, and the endless sea were their only companions. The deafening thunder greeted them, the rain embraced them. The sea bobbed them from side to side.
Luka choked back a sob, regaining her wits. She pulled the younger woman to her side, then pulled on another cord. With a hiss, the raft's canopy inflated. Beneath it, Luka found the support strut. Miku crawled in after her, watching as Luka propped up the makeshift roof over their heads. Then, Luka zipped up from the door through which they'd entered, isolating them from the storm. Then, as a final touch, she inflated her own life jacket, and Miku dumbly did the same.
The storm raged on, but the rain didn't touch them any longer. They were surrounded by bright orange-red, from the floor of the raft to the ceiling, all the same jarring hue even in the darkness of the tempest. They were sopping wet, though, and there was no helping that.
Her shoulder screaming in pain, Luka curled up in a ball and sobbed. Across from her, Miku sat still, shell-shocked. The waves continued to toss them around.
And so it went, for hours and hours, in the midst of the deafening storm.
