"Tadao Mishiki! Explain yourself now!" Shouted a guard.
Several guards that I somehow didn't even know were on the ship were now in front of me. Though having left without giving any explanation on top of taking the Gargoyle. It really does look I was going to steal it.
"I could easily explain myself but I doubt that any of you would actually believe a word I have to say." I said as I exited the Gargoyle.
"Well we would be more than happy to listen and try to understand to the best of our ability." Empress Zu said as she walked to the front of the guards. "Though it is difficult to be understanding when the other party won't tell us what is happening."
"There is no one to blame for that other than myself." I said bowing down to her. "However, I can reassure you that it was not my attention to steal the Gargoyle and make an escape."
"I know." She said lifting my head with her finger. "I know you wouldn't just abandon Michael like that." She said with a warm smile.
She definitely has the potential to be one terrifying leader when she gets older. When she talks like this I end up getting chills.
"Though you can begin explaining with what's in that pod." Zu said looking over at it.
I explained to her what was in the pod and she immediately had people break it open and carry him over to the infirmary. While she took me to a room where we can sit and talk. With Shaku standing in front of the door for the off chance I tried to make a run for it.
"You can explain yourself now." Empress Zu said with a warm smile that didn't match her cold tone or eyes.
"I don't really know much about it myself." I started, trying not to lose my composure as I spoke. "One moment I was speaking with Shaku and the next I had a weird feeling-"
"What kind of feeling?" She asked interrupting me.
"A tugging sensation. As if something attached to my brain was leading me somewhere. That somewhere ended up being the Gargoyle which this time didn't need TOBOR as the key to move. Once I was inside of it the feeling was gone and it was like the Gargoyle led me to that spaceship wreckage to find that human." I said explaining everything that had happened.
She looked over at Shaku as if she was trying to see if she believed my story. After a moment she let out a sigh and softened her demeanor.
"So it is the real deal." Zu said sitting back in her seat.
"What is?"
"The Shadow of Calamity. The Gargoyle that you've now piloted twice is The Eminence of Desolation. There's so many names for it but you understand what we mean."
"What makes you believe that now?" I asked.
"When you ran off TOBOR and I spoke. He told me about what you said after having woken up. On top of what you just now told me, it only makes it more likely that this thing is the genuine article. With what I understand of the legends it seems that it has chosen you as its official pilot." Zu said with a glimmer in her eyes like she was thinking of some sort of experiment.
I responded with "I see."
"That's all you have to say? I mean I know you don't know anything about the legends. But to be this laid back about being destined to die is crazy." Shaku said joining in the conversation.
"That kind of information has never been new to me. Though I would be lying if I said I didn't want to say 'why me' in this situation. However, I don't have the luxury to waste time whining about everything. If the Gargoyle wants to kill me then it's going to have to wait until after I have found and reunited with my people."
Hearing something like I was destined to die is nothing to me. Being signed away and forced to fight in the Final War. Being left behind in the Great Reset. I've been told by everything around me to just give up and die. Yet I'm still here.
Every time it felt like all my reasons for being alive have been taken away from me. No. That's not true. I have someone that expects me to come back to them every time. Even now.
"I guess you'll never fully change." Said Shaku.
"Well from the looks of things he's at least motivated to stay alive for the time being. Meaning we can shift our focus to another pressing issue. What are we going to do about the other human you brought onboard the ship?" Empress Zu asked.
"I fully understand that I would be overstepping if I would have asked you to help him. So I will take full responsibility for bringing him here. Along with whatever you decide to do with him since this is your ship to begin with. However I would like to ask that I could at the very least question him before a decision is made. I could learn more about where the others are."
"He can stay."
"Are you sure?"
"If I wasn't the type to help people in need when I see them would you even be here right now?"
Zu did bring up a good point. But I can only see the issues with keeping him here on the ship. Eventually she will end up bringing someone extremely dangerous in here if she isn't careful.
After that thought had crossed my mind I heard a loud bang come from down the hall. Shaku and I burst out the room and rushed over to where the commotion was. Which was in the infirmary with the man I brought in causing a scene that I didn't even expect to happen.
He was clung to the ceiling with a metal arm and leg that were oversized for his body and shaped like claws. Once he saw me he jumped down and made his way towards me.
"What's going on here!? Where am I!?" He shouted at me.
"You're safe. I'm the one who saved you from the pod and brought you over here. You can trust these people. They saved me from Earth and are helping me find the others." I said in an attempt to reassure him.
"E-earth? T-that's impossible.. They said that everyone that was left behind were wiped out." He said confused and holding his head.
"Lets take a deep breath and talk things out. It looks like both of us have something to learn about." I said leading him back to the bed.