Day PoV
We laughed as we continued to chat amongst ourselves.
"Say, where is Deros?" Arare asked, swinging his hands behind his head.
Vyran glanced at Deros's pink mecha. "He's sleeping right now."
I frowned, feeling a bit bad that he had to come over and bring Vyran and Retas their mechas when he had yet to recover entirely. Hopefully, he could get a nice rest before our next big battle.
"Same goes for Tira," Lia said, sighing.
Arare chuckled. "Guess both pinkies are out of commission right now, huh?"
She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Is everything a joke to you? Learn to be serious."
He scoffed and put a hand on chest. "Come on, live a little."
Her boar trotted over and oinked.
Arare grinned. "See, even Boargy agrees!"
She huffed and hugged her boar. "Does not! You can't understand Boargy like I can. He's saying to stop arguing!"
Goerld knelt down in front of the boar and petted it. "Seems the little guy hates fights too."
The piggy nodded and hopped up to Lia's height.
"Eh? That pig jumps super high!" Roan said, eyes wide.
Lia chuckled and caught her pet pig as it fell back down. "Of course! He isn't a normal piggy, after all."
Boargy oinked happily as he pressed his snout against her shoulder.
The lieutenant of Titanos giggled as she snuggled her pet pig. "Aww."
I never thought a boar could be so cute. All the ones I had encountered were aggressive and big, not small and adorable.
Boargy's ears went up. The piggy jumped out of Lia's arms and suddenly faded away as if jumping into nothingness.
"Huh? What happened?" Vyran asked as we all stared at Lia, dumbfounded.
Lia giggled. "Uh, Boargy just went back home. Guess his mommy must be calling him for lunch."
"He can just warp like nothing?" I asked.
She nodded. "Like I said, he's a special piggy! Bet his mom dotes on him just as much as I do!"
Arare chuckled. "You sound like a proud mom yourself."
Lia blushed slightly, hugging herself as if Boargy were still in her arms. "Well, someone has to look out for him while he's here. He's a part of our team, after all."
Vyran shook his head with a smile. "I'll never get used to the strange things we encounter. But that's what makes this journey interesting, right?"
Arare laughed heartily. "Exactly! Keeps us on our toes. You never know when a warping pig might save the day."
Roan looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, if Boargy can warp, maybe we could use that ability strategically. Imagine the possibilities in battle."
Lia's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "That's actually a great idea, Roan! I'll have to see if Boargy can help out more actively in our missions."
Roan, Arare, and Lia continued to chat, brainstorming ways to incorporate Boargy's unique abilities into our future strategies. The atmosphere was light and filled with a sense of unity and purpose.
As the conversation progressed, the door to the docking bay slid open with a soft hiss. Commander Wilneth stepped in, her presence instantly commanding attention. "I see you're all enjoying yourselves," she said, a small smile playing on her lips.
Arare straightened up, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Just discussing battle strategies, Commander. You know, the usual."
Wilneth raised an eyebrow. "Battle strategies involving warping pigs, I presume?"
Lia giggled. "Boargy has some hidden talents we might be able to use."
Commander Wilneth nodded, her expression becoming serious. "That's good to hear. We'll need every advantage we can get. I've just come from a meeting with Commander Retas and the others. We've decided on our next course of action."
Everyone fell silent, the weight of the situation settling back in.
"What's the plan, Commander?" Lia asked.
"We're heading to Retra. We're going to go see Zepheria. He might have information that could lead us to Yusan. It's crucial that we move quickly and decisively."
Vyran gasped, eyes wide. He took a deep breath and nodded. "Understood. We'll be ready."
Wilneth looked at each of us, her gaze steady. "This mission won't be easy. But I have faith in all of you. We've come this far together, and we'll see it through to the end. But for now, please brace yourselves. We will warp and from there fly to Orginal."
"Orginal?" Deros said as his cockpit opened. His eyes were sleepy.
"Wait, aren't you from that place?" Arare asked.
Deros nodded. "Yeah. We actually got warped to Soleon on our way out. Vyran, Varia, and I were originally going to go back to their planet. Titanos... They took mine over."
Wilneth let out an awkward sigh, reminding all of us of our fragile alliance. Titanos was occupying my home as well as Deros's. We were enemies temporarily united by a common cause, to defeat the rouge commander.
I glanced at Deros, who had just emerged from his mecha, still looking groggy. "You okay, Deros?" I asked, concerned.
He rubbed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, just need a moment to wake up fully. The thought of going back to Orginal is... well, it's bittersweet."
Vyran placed a reassuring hand on Deros's shoulder.
Deros managed a small smile. "Thanks, Vyran."
"Let's go to our cabins" Lia said, following after Wilneth.
We followed her out of the dock. The interior felt familiar yet different. It had the same sleek, metallic design as the Titanos base on my planet, but there was a warmth to it that made it feel a bit more welcoming. Still, the reminder of Titanos's occupation of my home brought a pang of sadness.
As we walked, I noticed Vyran slowing his pace to match mine. He glanced at me, his expression softening. "You okay, Day? You seem a bit down."
I sighed, trying to gather my thoughts. "Yeah, it's just... being on this ship, it reminds me of what Titanos has done to my home. It's hard to shake off those feelings."
Vyran nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. "I get it. This alliance is strange for all of us. But we have to remember why we're doing this. Stopping Yusan is more important than our individual grievances right now."
I managed a small smile. "You're right. Thanks, Vyran. I needed to hear that."
He smiled back, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "Anytime, Day. We're in this together."
For a moment, the noise of the ship and the chatter of the others faded into the background. It was just the two of us, walking side by side, sharing a quiet understanding. There was something comforting about his presence, a sense of solidarity that made the daunting task ahead feel a bit more manageable.
As we reached the cabins, Tessa turned to us, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "Looks like you two are getting along well."
I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Uh, yeah. Just talking about the mission."
Vyran chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, just mission talk."
Tessa giggled . "Sure, sure. Well, rest up, everyone. We'll need all the energy we can get for what's coming."
We each found our designated cabins and settled in. The room was small but comfortable, a far cry from the rough conditions we were used to in the field. As I laid down on the bed, I couldn't help but think about Vyran's words. We were in this together, and that thought brought a sense of peace.
Just as I was drifting off to sleep, there was a soft knock on my door. I got up to open it, finding Vyran standing there, looking a bit hesitant.
"Hey," he said, his voice low. "I just wanted to make sure you're really okay."
I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. "Yeah, Vyran. I am. Thanks for checking in."
He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Get some rest, Day."
"Same, Vyr."
He blushed as I called him that.
I fidgetted. "Sorry, I just thought that since you called me by my nickname that I could call you by yours too."
Vyran's blush deepened, but he quickly shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "No, it's okay. I actually like it."
I felt a sense of relief and smiled back at him. "Good. Thanks, Vyr."
He nodded, the awkward hesitation fading as he met my gaze. "Alright then. Good night, Day."
"Good night, Vyr," I replied, feeling a flutter in my chest.
As he walked away, I closed the door and leaned against it, my heart feeling a bit lighter. In the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty, moments like these gave me hope. We had each other, and that made all the difference.
Although, part of me felt bad. Was my heart fluttering only because he reminded me of Syran?