<Ⅴ>
In little beds where the children rescued by the Betelgeuse slept, Neliya heard a rustling sound behind her, and a opening of doors.
Neliya sat up.
"... Lima...?"
hugging the little warm blanket, Neliya followed Lima out of the safe room.
" Lima ! Wait !"
Neliya squeaked, and Lima stopped for the shy loli.
" Lima...are you going to the toilet too....?"
Neliya asked shyly, covering half her face in the warm little blanket.
" No."
Lima shook her head, which Neliya squeaked in distraught
" But I can go with you."
Neliya beamed with rejoice and the two Lollies went to toilet together.
After washing her hands, Neliya asked
" Then.. where were you going, Lima?"
"Follow me."
And the two Lollies came to the top floor of the Betelgeuse, where the sky is nearly touchable just outside the ceiling glass.
It was dark, for some seconds, then Neliya saw beams of Gold shooting out from the horizons across the dank blue sky, and everything regained it's light and color.
Shadow and dark were pushed back to the world's end and ushered in the morning day.
Light prevailed.
Lima, with her arms spread wide, let the warmth of the Akastuki dawn upon her loli self.
Neliya was awed
" We couldn't see this while hiding in SenseiZ's den."
" I sneak out every morning."
Lima said.
Neliya smiled
" Lima, really likes the sun, right...?"
" Humu." Lima agreed.
And then in the silence, Neliya mustered her courage, and asked
" umm...Lima..."
" ? "
" ... I.. There's something.. I wish to talk about... But first, you must keep it a secret, okay ?"
Lima looked at the red faced Neliya and realized what it might be
" I promise."
" Really?"
Lima nodded.
Neliya took a feel breath
" .... Well... It's.... I...!!"
...
....
Firren was Working out, practicing his twin blade comabt arts through battle simulations in the training center at the top floor of the Betelgeuse Airship and saw two Lollies talking to each other nearby.
But he couldn't care less.
He thinks his stregth not enough, his powers might not be worthy of a starbreaker squad leader.
That he feared. He fear he had disappointed the ones he had already made disappointed.
He fears his past has finally caught up with him,
In the shape of that Yellow StarBreaker.
His guilt let him drop his sword, and loud it clanked throughout the training center.
" Hoh ! Not a bad training center for a dingy ship!"
Firren froze at the sound of who's behind him.
It's the Yellow StarBreaker ! Looking at the world with his always genuine cheerful grin of confidence, his blond hair and muscular features of a warrior at his early thirties added more charisma in that grin, and bright eyes shining dominance with every glance.
" Yo."
The Yellow StarBreaker saw Firren pick up his dropped weapon
" We sure need some practice, that battle yesterday was a Fiasco, if you know what I mean."
And the Yellow StarBreaker laughed at his own joke, while Firren packed his things and about to leave, without addressing the Yellow StarBreaker with common courtesies.
" Say,"
This Yellow StarBreaker grunted, and Firren stopped, reluctantly.
A dew of hot sweat ran down Firren's forehead.
" That's train our Battle stances, Shall we ?
Show me what the squad leader of this Ship's got huh ?"
The Yellow StarBreaker invited a battle.
A Battle to show Firren's worth.
Firren drew out his twin fire swords and prepared his stance
" Let's dance a round or two then." Firren spake calmly.
The yellow StarBreaker grinned, and electric bolts buzzed out in his StarBreaking palms and Lo a Lightning Greatsword he swung out with ease and rested it on his wide shoulder.
That lightning, those sparks,
Filled with raw strength and confidence of a seasoned warrior. How such a valiant Starbreaker was wondering in the wild in beyond Firren.
" Me Name is Seito !"
Introduced the Yellow StarBreaker
" Nice to meet you all !"
Firren set his twin blades on fire and slightly bowed
" Name's Firren, Starbreaker of the Betelgeuse"
And the two struck blades, lightning zapped across the arena, fire blocking it's path.
A Stunning battle of the elements clashing with fervor, two powerful beings pressing down on each other with all they got, determination and strength pushed to their limits.
And Lo, Firren lost his stance at the standstill, and tumbled to his feet.
The Lightning Great sword close to his neck.
" Good Show ! Good show !!"
Seito the Lighting StarBreaker laughed heroically, helping Firren up
" A fight to remember. Ain't it ?"
Firren took the wide muscular arm and hoisted himself up
" ...sure.....But , say, have I seen you before ?"
Firren asked, after clashing several rounds, seeing those lightning strikes first hand, reminds him of some battles in the skies long long passed.
Seito scratched his own chin
" Mayhap my Awesome prowess have spread far beyond me ! Come, A Meal !!"
And Seito dragged Firren to a breakfast meal.
But they were not the first there to dine.
The children were already there, eating mashed potatoes.
And to Firren's utter shock,
Yuri, eating breakfast with the Emerald StarBreaker dude ! Chatting and having what seems like intimidate relations !!
" Hoah ! Me bro Vitas ! Got himself A gale overnight, a Waifu at daytime !!"
Seito congratulated his bro
" Secretary !!! Food please ! And Booze !!"Seito ordered in kingly manner.
" We don't have that here."
Reina secretary muttered sternly
" Please help yourself."
" Hoh, cold serious secretary, a mountain I can climb. Together you join ?!"
Seito invited Reina secretary for a meal, but she left with a Humph.
" Who are you ?!"
Asked the Rio and other children the valorous Seito curiously
" Are you as powerful as Yuri ?!"
" Or kind and compassionate ?!"
Asked the Lollies.
Yuri blushed and shook her head, and Seito just chuckled
" Children, you're in for a tale...."
And Seito began reciting his adventures around the outer lands, slaying Demons that were brutal and demonic, places that are harsh and extraordinary.
" You still remember the Great serpent Arch Demon from yester morn ? Aye, Its name be called Death, strongest and most fearsome of Arch demons. I destroyed fleets, massacred towns, devoured many Starbreakers up its long tummy, Yes. Arch Demon Death, a worthy foe for this Seito me. I have been hunting for it through my exploits, but all sorts of conquests hinder my path, until yester morn, I was so close, yet so far. There shall come another time for our legendary battle, but let me tell you how I shot down three Bison Demons in one go....."
Yuri and Vitas listened many of Seito's mighty tall tales, but Firren however not feeling cool seeing Yuri and Vitas becoming so close to each other.
" Yuri, training starts in ten minutes."
Firren snapped coldly, taking his tray to leave
" I'll be waiting."
" Yes!commander Firren!..." Yuri replied, sensing a slight dismay in Firren's atmosphere.
...
......
" These are the documents you asked for, Captain."
Reina swiped open holograms for Captain Bradson to read
" Seito was a former StarBreaker of the Elgebalan, which sank in the second Catastrophe, when three Arch Demons clashed with the main fleet. He is now a wondering rogue StarBreaker. Notes here recorded that He has violated Rules and refused to obey orders, during the second Catastrophe."
" Hmm."
Bradson Captain nodded
" And how about this... Vitas ?"
Reina shook her head
" Not yet , Captain, he is off the records. No data of him seem to exist."
" ......" Bradson Captain spinned slowly in his comfy chair
" What do you think he is, Reina ?"
Reina opened her mouth, but couldn't find the words to describe.
" I'll need your full scrutiny on him."
" Yes, captain!"
...
....
Yuri's training that day was harder and longer than usual. Yuri tired soon after.
" Not enough ! Five more Rounds !!"
Firren barked.
" No no... Wait, commander....."
Yuri panted, sinking to the floor to a sit
" We've already passed the schedule...!"
" You need more time here, to become a Real StarBreaker of calibre. Not spend useless time sitting and laughing around !"
Firren admonished.
" I don't sit around... And laugh around...."
Yuri grumbled tiredly, rolling around the arena floor, not enough energy to talk back.
" Really."
Firren pressed B to doubt
" Then what were you two doing if not sitting around and wasting time ?!"
Yuri sat up in dismay
" We're not wasting time ! We're talking about... Important stuff !"
" Talking about what ?!"
Firren demanded.
" .... It's None of your business."
Yuri turned away.
" I am your leader ! order you to report what he Said !!!"
Firren ordered adamantly.
Yuri was afraid of Firren her Leader shouting aloud in orders, she would mostly comply, but not this time she won't
" No."
Yuri puffed her cheeks and refused to answer.
" Yuri.... I order you to report..!!"
Firren, his anger rising.
" No ! Leave us alone!! I am leaving!"
Yuri angrily stepped away with her stuff and left.
Firren, aside from yelling and shouting orders, he had no idea what to do next. This is the first time he's baffled and clueless.
He felt lost, beaten in some way that he can't see how to deflect.
Firren sighed, defeated and started to brood.
" ....Sir...?"
Firren looked up.
It was a kid, with some more kids some distance away looking from afar gingerly.
" What is this ?"
Firren snapped coldly at the children, as he turned around and stared sternly to assert dominance first through height and muscular posture.
" .... We want to train, in the ways of the StarBreaker !"
It was Neo that has spoken, Neo with some other boys.
" You can't. Get out."
Firren shoved them away.
" WE WILL TRY !!"
Neo and Kai and the other boys stood a line to assert a small T pose of dominance.
Firren, looking back at them younger boys, and seeing there's nothing else to do, complied.
...
.....
Yuri found Vitas at the ship library, where they promised to meet after training.
" Sorry, for keeping you waiting...."
Yuri apologized, and Vitas looked up from his book, to see Yuri in tears.
" Yuri——"
Quickly, Yuri took hold of Vitas man's arm and pulled him with her, out the library and down the corridors running.
Neliya, hiding behind some bookshelves, saw this with blushed cheeks. And the younger girls followed behind.
Yuri stopped at a dead end corner with glass windows around them and sat down.
Vitas sat down as well. And to his surprise, Vitas heard peculiar melodious sounds coming out from inside the walls of the corner.
Vitas listened carefully.
" It's from Papa's secret room."
Yuri explained, calmer now
" This is where I come to rest, when I don't feel well."
Vitas understood what it was now
" Have you been in that secret room before ?"
Vitas asked, but Yuri shook her head
" Papa is good at keeping secrets, especially his own."
They listened together, the soothing sounds from the unknown.
" What do you think it is ?"
Yuri asked Vitas
" What is this beautiful sound ?"
Vitas looked at her in silence for a couple of seconds
" It is Music, Yuri."
" ...Music ?"
" That's what they are called. The beautiful sounds."
" Then, where does Music come from ?"
" There are many ways."
Vitas then began to hum with the music, and Yuri did suit. A lively tune.
They broke into laughter as soon as they finished the tune together
" But... That isn't the same sound from Papa's room." Yuri said
" What made that sound ?"
" It's....."
Vitas smiled, smiling at Yuri's curious face that's so close to his
" It's made from special things Objects."
" Special... Things...?"
" Special things, like... The Piano."
Yuri tilted her head in confusion
" Pi... ano ?"
Vitas' smile faded slowly and he sat back, drowning himself in those piano sounds.
" Hey!What is this Piano, Vitas ?? What is it ?"
" You... don't remember...?"
Vitas looked at the clouds.
Yuri looked at him.
The clouds.
The music
The glistening lights in their eyes.
" .....Your memory, Yuri."
Vitas finally spoke again
" Do you have any memory of how you got on this ship, Yuri ? Or even before that ?"
No.
Yuri haven't thought of that before. All she now knew is after her first memory, after her mother, the Light, and then here, on this ship. With Captain Bradson, Reina, Firren.
How did she got here ?
Must be the transposing Operation ?
Vitas opened his lips, but closed them. And opened again, but still no words he could speak out to her.
He cannot express this feeling to her.
This memory of hers, has trapped Yuri.
And Yuri, regardless of what Vitas has to say, hugged him, and wiped the drop off tear off his cheek.
Yuri didn't know what to do, but her arms instinctively curled around Vitas and she whispered without herself knowing how
" Isn't it nice here?Right now ? "
Yuri asked
" Just us, making memories from here on and let those past memories be."
Vitas stroked Yuri's hair and calmed down
" But...perhaps now isn't enough...."
Vitas whispered softly, sorrowfully.
Then like a sudden clash of lightning,
The Demon alarm Rang.
Yuri and Vitas rushed to the control center where Bradson Captain was.
Firren was already there, looking pissed.
Seito walked in slowly with a yawn.
Reina followed after some minutes after Seito, rummaging her secretary uniform quickly. She was rarely late.
" StarBreakers."
Bradson Captain nodded to all
" I have briefed the info to Firren. StarBreaker Seito, Vitas, are you willing to join forces with us in this mission ?"
" Yeah, that's why I'm here."
Seito chuckled, smiling at Reina, who looked away at her screen like nothing happened
" As long as there's free breakfast and desserts."
" And you, Vitas ?"
Bradson Captain asked.
" I'll help. Count me in."
Vitas replied earnestly.
Bradson Captain nodded.
" To me !!"
Firren ordered and suit up.
The StarBreakers descended to a city torn down by wolf type Demons, a swarm within that needs extermination.
" There's a tilting building at the East. Lure the pack, and we drop the building on them as we assault through !"
Firren stated his plan.
" Sure thing." Clapped Seito chuckling
" But who's gonna be the bait ?"
" Not me. I'm not fast enough."
Firren pointed at Vitas
" You. You can fly, lure the Wolf pack to us. In Ten minutes."
" I'll go with you."
Yuri said to Vitas.
" Yuri !! You stay with us to assault !!"
Firren snarled.
" It's okay."
Vitas smiled to Yuri, assuring her to stay at the assault group
" I got this." Vitas promised.
Behold, the Wolf Demon pack swarmed like a fast mist of dark dashing across the dilapidated crumbled building towers !! All the cement architecture burst apart, revealing swarms and swarms of fierce canine Demons !! Firren's plan to crush them with the tower isn't enough !
" Ha ha !! MyTime to shine !!"
Seito laughed and crushed many Demon Doge with raw combat skills, without pulling his great sword of ightning yet and just brawled his way through because he felt like it.
" Regroup !! Assemble and assault now !!"
Firren, his urge to success and win back Yuri has blinded him from true leadership.
And Lo the StarBreakers squad were separated by too many Doges, the four of them fighting to stay alive.
" Over here !!!"
Yuri suddenly called to all the viscous Demon wolves, with a Bright grappling hook in his hand. The wolves saw the light dazzling out of Yuri's energy grappling hook, thinking it as a light soul, their ferociously burst all out in pursuit.
And somehow Yuri has caught the Demon packs' attention.
To make a long story short, the tall buildings crashed down and the Four StarBreakers destroyed the wolf Demons,
And to all their surprise !! A tunnel into the obscure was revealed !!!
" Pretty much dug up. There should be people hiding and waiting for us on the other side."
Firren observed the tunnel and made his decision
" Let's go."
[.....To be continued]