Author's Note:
Alright, guys; here's chapter 6! This is the last pre-written chapter I have; so after this, I'll need to start writing more chapters. I have chapter 7 started, and will try to finish that as quickly as possible.
Thanks everyone! Enjoy!
I do not own Sym-Bionic Titan. All credit goes to Genndy Tartakovsky.
Lance could feel the tension in his body as he helped close up the camp for the final time. Tomorrow was their day to re-take the kingdom...the day he would stand face to face with Modula.
He hoped he was ready for the task. According to the king, he was; but he, himself, was not entirely convinced.
He knew that he wasn't as fast as Modula, even after all the training he'd done these past months. He knew that if he was to defeat Modula, he'd need to be smarter than his opponent; always several steps ahead in his mind. This, he also knew, was going to be hard to do. It was General Modula they were talking about; one of the greatest – if not the greatest – military officer in the history of Galaluna. To say that he was nervous was an understatement.
Not only that, but he'd felt like he had been being watched the past few months, too. He never could locate another presence, though, so he was chalking it up to being paranoid, and nervous about what lay ahead. He was still uneasy about the feeling, but figured that if it had been anything important, it would have reared its ugly head by now. Octus just kept jokingly telling him that he was losing his mind; which, at this point, he thought may be an accurate statement. It had been a crazy few months, and it was taking its toll on everyone.
As he finished sealing the entrance to the west training field, Lance took a deep breath. He knew that he had to go into this with a calm spirit, and collected mind, or he definitely wouldn't be coming home.
He had to focus.
With the final area sealed, he headed back to his cabin; noticing it was empty. He remembered that Hobbs mentioned staying with the king and General Howard in the conference room tonight to finalize details. They had told him to go back, and get as much sleep as he could; they would fill him in on anything important in the morning.
He figured Octus must've stayed at the lab to continue with finalizing their new weapons for tomorrow.
'Well, looks like I'm on my own tonight' he thought.
He proceeded through the front door, and closed it behind him; making his way to his bed at the back of the cabin as he stripped himself of his military uniform, and donned the sweatpants he had brought with him from earth.
Taking a deep breath, he got out the custom-made outfit that Octus had crafted for his mission from his drawer, and placed it on top of his dresser. It consisted of a pair of black Kevlar, loose-fitting jeans; black fingerless gloves; a dark grey Kevlar short-sleeved tee shirt; a dark grey belt; a black leather jacket; and black combat boots.
He was in the middle of inspecting the outfit when he heard the cabin door open and close. Assuming it was Octus, he proceeded to finish the inspection, and lay out his clothes for the morning. "So, you ready for tomorrow, Octus?"
Behind him, Ilana took a deep breath before she spoke. "No, Lance; not until we talk."
Lance spun around so quickly, he almost knocked himself off balance; which would have pitched him head-first into the footboard of his self-crafted bed frame.
He just stared at her for a moment; wide-eyed and stock-still. He was sure his mouth must be hanging open like a door on hinges.
He was panicking internally, trying to find some way out of the cabin. Maybe he could make it through the window?
"Ilana, what are you doing here?!" he exclaimed as quietly as possible.
Ilana took a few steps toward him; leveling a disapproving glare at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Lance noticed that she was in one of her pajama sets from earth. It was a light blue, curve-hugging tank-top, with matching light blue silk pants. "I'm here because we need to talk, and you've been avoiding me. This was the only option left." she said; holding his gaze
Panicked, and really not ready for this conversation, Lance paused to steel himself. 'This can't be happening. Not now.'
"I thought I told you months ago that that wasn't a good idea." he replied; his face becoming hard, and unreadable.
Ilana stopped her advance a few steps away from him, trying to re-compose her thoughts after processing the full picture before her.
She wasn't expecting to walk in on Lance dressed in only baggy sweatpants, with the physique of his upper body on display for everyone to see. Suddenly, retaining in her mind the words she had recited to herself all day, and memorized for this moment, was taking more self-control than she was willing to admit.
With a deep breath, she looked up at him with hardened resolve. "If we don't clear the air, how do you think we'll work together tomorrow? It'll only hinder Titan's performance. That would mean compromising both the mission, and everyone's safety; including ours." she said as her eyes softened, and she continued; locking her gaze with his. "...and I think we both know I deserve some answers; especially after three months of silence from you."
Lance had been dreading this moment, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now; she'd trapped him. She was right, too. They did need to talk. He knew that Titan's performance would suffer because of the rift he'd created, and he knew it had to be put right.
He was scared, though. He knew from that day three months ago that she'd seen in his eyes the one emotion he'd been hiding so desperately from her all these years, and it was all because he had been careless; caught up in the unexpected praise she'd given him.
He was scared of losing her, but even more scared of hurting her. He knew any relationship between them would mean his death, and severe punishment for her; that's why he'd stayed away. He wouldn't risk her well-being to satisfy his own desires.
There'd been moments when he'd suspected she may have feelings for him, too, but he could never prove it. Ilana was hard to read sometimes. She was naturally warm and friendly, with an open and caring personality that made people trust her. It was how she'd always been, and it'd only gotten more pronounced as she'd gotten older. He could never tell whether she was looking at him with the kind of affection he longed for from her, or the kind of affection she would've shown to anyone whom she wished to help and comfort.
It was that reality that had helped him keep his mouth shut, and his true emotions hidden…until now.
There was silence between them for a moment; eyes searching each other's for answers they both wanted so badly, but couldn't find. The tension in the air was palpable.
Finally, Lance sighed in resignation. "Okay. We'll talk, but hang on a minute." he said, as he proceeded towards the door. He swiftly locked it, and closed all the windows in the cabin. After, he pulled the blinds down.
When he was confident that no one would be able to access the inside of the cabin, he walked back to Ilana; leaning on the end of his bed, and giving a nod. "Start asking questions." he said; his body relaxing in defeat.
Ilana gave him a small, sad smile before she spoke. "Why have you been avoiding me for the past few months? I thought we were best friends...the silence hurt, Lance. So much."
He looked at her with a guilty expression as she continued, her eyes locked on his face. "I know you...you only do these kinds of things when you're trying to protect me, but what are you trying to protect me from? All I've felt these past few months was pain. Pain, confusion, and loneliness. In the course of one minute, I lost my best friend, and I never even knew why; you never told me. So…why, Lance?"
To her surprise, Lance's face took on an expression that she hadn't seen since they were kids...at his father's funeral.
It was a look of unbearable sorrow; far off, and full of vulnerability and transparency.
She could see him tearing down the walls he'd built up over these past months. He was preparing himself to tell her everything she wanted to know.
There was one emotion in his eyes that she'd never seen directed at her, or really anyone else, before: Fear. He was scared. He was terrified, but he was still willing to tell her what she wanted to know. Nothing ever made Lance afraid, so seeing this was making Ilana question whether or not she was doing the right thing by pushing him.
Before she could do much second-guessing, however, Lance spoke up. "You already know why...I saw it in your face that day." he replied; his voice soft and gentle, but tinged with melancholy.
She slowly walked up to him, and took his hand in hers; bringing her gaze up to meet his. "I think I know why, but I want to hear it from you. Please, Lance..."
Lance closed his eyes, and took a deep breath to compose himself. After a moment of silence, he looked back at her soft, questioning gaze. Their eyes locked, and he instinctively took her other hand in his free one.
He tenderly rubbed circles on the backs of her palms, as he had done their first day back. "Ilana...first and foremost, I'm a soldier. I understand the laws that govern our society, and, while I may not agree with all of them, I do have to obey them. Being your bodyguard was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I may not have liked it at first, but you and Octus taught me what it was like to have a family again. Our time together on earth has become invaluable to me...but it also caused some bad habits. You're the princess; your role is to know your people, and rule your country. I'm a soldier; my role is to loyally support you, no matter what."
At this point, his gaze dropped to their interlocked hands. "...but now that we've become so close, it's agonizing to have to stand back, and watch you leave me behind. Understand that I know you have to, and I'm happy that you have your father and your people back, but it still isn't easy. Not only that, I've been seeing that it's hard for you too. Tell me if I'm wrong."
Lance's gaze returned to Ilana's as she gave her own sigh of resignation. "You're not wrong. You and Octus have come to mean so much to me...it's been difficult."
With that, Lance gave a small nod. "I thought that by me getting myself out of your life, it might make things easier for you."
"And you?" Ilana interjected; eyes probing his for some kind of response.
Lance gave a sad smile as he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, Ilana was looking at him with a confused expression.
He gave a half-hearted chuckle before he spoke. "No, it'll never get easier for me..."
He looked at her intently, hoping she would see in his face what was in his heart; words never had been his strong suite.
She gave his hands a light squeeze, urging him to continue; her eyes pleading. She wanted him to say it.
'Well, here goes everything.' he thought, as he put into words everything that was in his heart. "I fell in love you, the one person who was off-limits. Now, I have to pay for that. When I figured it out two years ago, I knew I couldn't act on it, or we'd both be in huge trouble when we returned. At the time, I decided I'd do everything I could to ensure your safety and happiness for as long as possible, but when we got back...I realized pretty quickly that I wouldn't be able to deal with my own emotions well enough to continue serving you and your family the way I used to."
At this point, Lance released Ilana's hands, and walked past her toward the center of the cabin; he needed some space.
When he reached the center, he stopped; his shoulders dropping slightly as he began speaking again. "I thought some distance from you would help me regain some of my famous stubbornness and refusal to accept defeat, but I was wrong. I think about you all the time, and I don't know how to stop."
He turned back to face her; their eyes locking. Ilana's face held a mixture of shock and understanding, which made him slightly less nervous; but not much. "I'm over-protective because I love you. I'm possessive because I can't stand the thought of anyone else being with you. I can't concentrate, can't sleep. I keep thinking about what you're doing, where you are; who you're with, whether or not you're happy. But most of all, I keep wondering why I can't force myself to stop falling more in love with you every time I see you. The reason why I've been avoiding you, Ilana, is because...I was scared. I was scared that you saw that day how much in love with you I am; scared that the king would take you away from me, and punish you, if he figured it out; scared of rejection from the one person I'd willingly trust with everything I am. Most of all, though, I was scared that I'd lose you if I told you."
Lance held her gaze; shock and wonder in her own eyes reflecting back at him. He could hear the pounding of his heart, and was hoping that she couldn't.
There was silence between them for a moment, before he spoke again. "I've been trying to protect you from me, Ilana."
Ilana's mind was reeling. She couldn't believe he'd just said all that to her face. Lance had never been good at talking about his emotions, so where on earth had that come from? Honestly, though, it didn't matter to her right now. Her heart was so full of joy and love for the man standing before her, that she didn't think twice about her next move.
She walked up to Lance, and cupped his face with her hand; looking at him with a tender gaze, and causing him to visibly relax under her touch.
With a timid demeanor, Ilana brought herself quickly up to his height, and gave him a small peck on the lips before releasing his face; taking a step back to look at him properly.
Lance was sure that his eyes were too large at that moment to be considered natural. He looked at her in stunned silence; trying to process what had just happened.
She simply stared back at him; love, pride, and a slight blush showing on her face. "You don't need to protect me from yourself, Lance. You'll never lose me. I made that decision a long time ago."
Her tender smile, and unguarded expression, told him everything she wasn't saying: she loved him.
Lance released the breath he didn't know he was holding, and gave her the warmest smile she'd ever seen from him; gently taking her hand, and pulling her towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as his hands found her waist; their eyes falling closed as he pulled her into a long, deep kiss. Both of them could feel the emotions they'd hid from each other for so long; could taste the passion, joy, happiness, and desire.
Before long, that one kiss had turned into two, which blended to three, and so it continued; each one filled with more emotion than the last.
In between each one, Ilana told him she loved him, over and over again; fearful that after tomorrow, she'd never get the chance again.
Neither of them was conscious of the world around them, until the cabin became engulfed in darkness; the sun having set on the horizon long ago. Neither knew how much time had passed, and didn't really care.
Reluctantly, they eventually broke apart for some much-needed air; resting their foreheads against each other. "Hey...do you wanna stay for a while? There's still a few hours until everyone needs to start preparing." Lance's voice was soft and quiet in the empty cabin, and more captivating than she'd ever remembered it being.
Ilana smirked at him; playfulness in her big brown eyes. "To quote you, I don't think that's a good idea."
Lance smirked back; accepting the challenge. "And you proceeded to ignore me. Look how well that turned out." he said, before giving her a quick peck on the lips.
Ilana's smirk faded to a soft smile as she pulled back slightly to look at him fully. "Okay, Fair enough. I'll stay for a bit."
Lance nodded before releasing her. He walked over to his bed, and sprawled out over the top sheet; patting the spot next to him.
She gave him a skeptical look, while he laughed at her facial expression. "Calm down. You trust me, don't you? Let's talk, like we used to. I need something to take my mind off of what's going to happen in the morning."
Ilana relaxed at his words; now happily complying with his request. She crawled onto the bed, and snuggled into his right side as he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close, before exhaling in contentment.
All was quiet for a moment, before a thought came to Lance's mind. "So, I am curious about something."
At the sound of his voice, Ilana looked up at him. "What's on your mind?" she asked.
Lance looked down to meet her gaze; a smirk adorning his face, and curiosity in his dark eyes. "What ever happened with prince Simon? I'm not an idiot, I know he didn't come here solely to lend us his aid."
Ilana chuckled before taking one of Lance's hands in hers, and playing with his fingers. "I had to dodge his requests for an official date all throughout dinner. It wasn't easy, but I managed it. I'll have to do something about it, but not till after all this is over. He won't be trying to court me while we're rebuilding Galaluna...I hope."
Lance gave a low hum in reply. It made sense. She wouldn't want to risk offending the young royal before the battle, lest he withdraw his aid. Better to let him down gently after the war was over.
Lance decided to ask another question; this time clearly in a joking manner. "Do you need any help persuading him to leave once all this is over? Cause I'd be happy to oblige."
Ilana smirked; reaching up to play with his raven locks. "I think I can handle it. If you get involved, it's likely that he'd leave here in a body bag rather than a carriage."
Lance burst into laughter, while she continued to run her fingers through his bangs. He smiled then; a tender, warm smile that she wasn't used to seeing from him.
All was quiet for a moment, before he spoke again. "I know I'm not what the king wants for you...but it means a lot to know that I'm what you want. I just hope that I'm worthy of you."
She gave a slight nod; her eyes glistening from unshed tears. "You are, Lance. You know, you don't give yourself the credit you deserve." she said as she leaned up; Lance meeting her half way.
This kiss felt different from their last one. This kiss seemed full of promises for a future they both hoped would happen; not expressing their feelings for what could be the final time, but sharing a sort of promise for the future...a promise to always be there.
Humming in satisfaction, Ilana looped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. Feeling bold, she ran one hand through his silky hair, scratching at his scalp, while the other traveled down the muscles of his back. Lance let out something like a low growl as he moved over her; his hands playing with the hem of her shirt before beginning their descent under the soft material, and up the smooth skin of her waist. The moment seemed to be perfect...
"Lance, why was the door...locked" Octus said as he opened the cabin door; stopping dead in his tracks while watching his two friends shriek, and break away from each other.
He stood there in stunned silence; looking at the two of them sitting on Lance's bed with beat red faces. Lance looked about ready to kill him, while Ilana looked as though she wished she could phase through the floor, and disappear.
A smirk came to Octus's holographic face, then. 'Ahhhh...I see' he thought. "I do hope I'm not interrupting anything untoward."
Ilana's face got redder, if that was possible, while stammering that he wasn't interrupting anything at all.
Octus just kept smirking; his eyes travelling from the flustered girl to his cabin-mate.
If looks could kill, he'd be deactivated. He could practically feel the anger radiating from the raven-haired youth, which only made the situation more humorous. They teased him about his relationship with Kimmy constantly, so he was looking forward to returning the favor now.
He took another step into the cabin, and closed the door behind him. "Would either of you like to tell me what's going on here?" he said with a raised eyebrow, his holographic image of Newton in place. He'd grown used to it on earth, and rather liked it now.
"Not really," came Lance's non-plussed reply.
Octus chuckled, before looking to Ilana. "Ilana, your father's on his way back to your cabin to wake you. We'll be mobilizing in an hour. I suggest you go back. You'll beat him there if you leave now."
Ilana gave a small nod, before getting up. She gave a quick sideways glance at Lance; him catching the small smile on her face.
She murmured a goodbye to both of them before exiting the cabin.
Octus's smirk faded as he turned around, and closed the door once more. There was a moment of heavy silence before he turned back around, and looked at Lance. "I'm only going to ask one question: Do you two know what you're doing?"
Lance gave the robot a hard look; knowing what Octus meant. "Yeah...I think we're both on the same page."
Octus nodded. "Okay. That's all I needed to know. I trust you two."
Lance nodded in return, and began dressing in his stealth uniform as Octus rummaged around the cabin until he pulled out a large sheath from inside his mattress.
Lance looked at it with a questioning gaze, until Octus took the sheath off. What came out was perhaps the most beautiful and well-constructed sword Lance had ever seen. The handle was made of steel, with the Galalunian crest as the hilt. The sword itself was crafted from a material he didn't recognize.
Octus held it out to Lance, and Lance took it hesitantly. "Octus...Is this for me?" he asked; wonder in his voice.
Octus nodded then; a small smile adorning his face. "Yes. The king and I crafted it ourselves. It's a special mixture of Damascus steel and diamonds. Interestingly enough, diamonds are not only the hardest substance on Earth, they are also the hardest substance on Galaluna."
Lance couldn't believe it. "You're telling me that even though we have highly technologically-advanced equipment, and heavily modified weaponry, they can't cut through diamonds easily?"
Octus nodded again. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. We ran several tests; it's rather incredible. We decided that you needed a reliable weapon for the fight, so we spent months perfecting this mixture to make you the strongest sword possible. It won't stand up to lasers, mind you, but there shouldn't be any danger of it breaking or chipping."
Lance looked up at Octus with immense gratitude. "Thanks, Octus. This'll come in handy."
The robot smiled in reply, before asking his final question. "Are you ready to go?"
Lance, now fully dressed in his specially made gear, with his sword strapped around his waist, gave a somber but decisive nod. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
With that, Octus gave a nod in return, before turning back towards the door, opening it, and walking out; with Lance right behind him. Neither one looked back...
EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F - EF-F
Ilana had beaten her dad back to their cabin by only a few minutes, but managed to slip beneath the covers and settle down right before he came in. She sighed internally in relief, but very soon after began to dread what was about to come.
Thinking her asleep, the king gave her a gentle shake to rouse her. "Ilana, my darling. It's time to go."
Hearing her father, she got up, dressed, and proceeded out the door with him to address the troops, who were now all gathered in the large outer field.
The number of military personnel had more than doubled with Simon's troops added to their ranks over the past several months, and it was a welcome sight to the battle-worn and weary Galalunian troops. Finally, they felt like a true army again.
From her spot beside her father, she was able to find Lance amongst the crowd. He was in the front with Octus and Arnold, and, if he wasn't about to possibly face death, she would've told him he looked hot in his new uniform. Meeting his gaze, she gave him a subtle smile, which he returned.
The king stood tall before the men; dressed in the Galalunian colors, and wearing a somber, stern expression. All became quiet in the crowd when he began to speak. "Men, we are all aware of both why we are all gathered here, and the significance of today's battle. There's not a soldier here who doesn't understand that a defeat today means the loss of Galaluna, and everything it stands for. We all know that the battle will be bloody, and many of the brave faces standing here before us now will not return. That is why I would like to thank everyone here. Everyone who has come here today is ready and willing to give the last full measure to reclaim our lost kingdom. For that, I will never be able to fully express my gratitude. Even though the odds are against us, I am confident that we will rise victorious. The reason I believe that is because I know each and every one of you. You are not just my soldiers; you have become my friends. You are my protectors; my comrades. Not one man standing here today is willing to accept anything other than victory!"
At that, the crowd erupted in cheers; and the king waited a moment for them to calm down before continuing. "It is the fighting spirit of all of you that is the reason we are still standing here now!"
More cheers.
"It is because of all of you, and your courage, that I am able to stand before you now!"
Cheers once more.
"Today decides the future of Galaluna..."
The crowd grew quiet as the king paused; scanning the sea of military uniforms, before closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath. When he opened them, he spoke once more. "It won't be easy, but I believe; no, I knowthat we will rise from the ashes as the victors, and reclaim what is rightfully ours!"
The soldiers burst into cheers again, their eyes full of fire. "So with that said, let's show them what we've got!"
There was a loud "Hoorah!" from the soldiers, and the king clapped his hands. "Everyone, battle stations!"
With that, the soldiers took off running to their starting positions, while the Titan trio activated their armor.
The king walked up to Ilana, and she looked down at him from inside her Corus armor. "Are you ready, my darling?" he asked.
She nodded her Corus armor's head; her voice tender as she responded. "Yes, father. I'm ready."
He smiled before turning to Octus and Lance. "Both of you, take care of her."
Lance's Manus armor nodded in response. "We will, Sir."
With that, the king stepped back as Octus prepared himself. "Engage, Sym-Bionic Titan. Octus unit, magnify!"
In an instant, there was a brilliant flash of light, and when the king was able to see once more, a giant Mutraddi Mega-beast sized robot stood where his daughter just had a moment ago.
Everyone took a moment to gawk at the enormous robot, as this was their first time seeing Titan in person. "Are we ready?" Lance asked the other two inside Titan. Both Ilana and Octus nodded, and responded in unison. "We're ready."
Lance nodded, and smirked. "Alright. Let's show them what we can do."
With that, Titan stepped out of the mountain base, punched a hole through the side of the rock dome for the army to flood out from, and began making its way toward the capitol; towards what would come to be known in history as Galaluna's greatest battle.
