Tenshi no Uta (6/16)
Oct. 3rd, 2014 11:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wendyjolyTitle : Tenshi no Uta
Author : WendyJoly
Pairing : Guess who~
Rating : PG
Genre : SF
Lenght : Chaptered
Beta : Confetti shower to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chibipinkpetals
Genre : Music, love and star ships
Disclaimer : I owe nothing but Arashi owns surely my soul
Summary : “An Angel has the power to pacify a crowd, to convey emotions people ignore. But…when an Angel sings for his master, this man can feel the fullness of body and mind…however, one Angel is made for a Master and only one. And the master can’t choose his Angel.” But when Ninomiya Kazunari, an Angel fated to belong to the ruler of the galaxy chooses the Commandant of the ship designated to guide him to his Master, what will happen to him?
Note: The concept of singing Angel belongs to O.S Card, I borrow it with all the respect due to his huge talent.
CHAPTER 6
From the Command post, Sho watched the two Eagles slaloming between the adversary’s ships, destroying them one after another.
“You can start the engine, Commandant.” Said Tadayoshi’s voice.
Sakurai couldn’t help but admire their great skills for a few seconds, and then gave the orders to decrease their altitude and prepare an emergency landing on Shinagawa.
“I go back to Nino, if you allow me too. He should be worried.”
Sho stared at the monk warrior leaving the place, wondering what kind of man he was. How could he be so quiet during such desperate situation and so paternal with the Angel?
If they have the chance to survive, he surely has all the time necessary to ask him, once on Shinagawa, who knows how much time they would need to leave it?
The gigantic trees of the planet were already in sight when Jun reached the Command post and just a few ships still clang on them.
“Commandant, we’re at 10.000 feet. Shall I find a glade?”
“Certainly not. We would be too exposed. Search for a waterhole on the map, that’s all it will matter once landed. Kanayoshi?”
“There’s a waterfall along a hillside, south-south-west.”
“Shin, south-south-west.”
“Okay, Commandant. Hang on, it will be hard.”
“Ueno, Tadayoshi, we’re ready for the landing.”
“…”
“Ueno, Tadayoshi?”
The communication with the Eagles was cut and a heavy silence fell on the commandant post. The pilot began the descent to Shinagawa atmosphere.
“Commandant, our shield is damaged, it will not hold much up against attacks.”
At the same time, a gust of shot shook them as a sound of thunder exploded at the back of the cruiser.
“Faster!”
Shin did what he was told and the trees stopped his progression before they violently reached the ground.
Some long minutes passed, then Sho’s voice sounded:
“Jun?”
“I’m fine.”
“Shin?”
“Everything is all right, Commandant. Just shaken.”
“Kanayoshi?”
“Nothing to report….Except the death of my radars.”
“Himoto?”
“Fine, simply a bump on the head.”
“Yuta?”
“I’ll have a lot of work after the way you treated my baby.”
Sho took off his belt and feeling nauseous ran to the guest quarter. He flung open the door and saw the passengers sat on the floor, the Angel firmly clung to his companion, his look as quiet as always.
“How are you?”
“Everything is fine.” Answered Aiba. “They are thinking we’re dead now and we should have a bit of peace and quiet.”
Reassured, Sho went back to the belly of the ship where the mechanic was chatting animatedly with the first Lieutenant.
“So?”
“Pretty bad…after a first look, I’d say no vital part is touched, but there’s a lot of little dysfunction to fix and I’ll need a moment to repair.”
“And the Eagles?”
“It’s part of the dysfunctions, we don’t have any external communications, but during the travel, I put a device on it to link them to the ship. If for some reason they are unable to come back to us, the autopilot will bring them to us. “
“Dead or alive.” Hissed Jun bitterly, saying out loud what everybody around feared.
“Jun, we still don’t know. Juri and Tada are experienced. They’ve been piloting since years in war zone, don’t you dare bury them already!”
The first Lieutenant stared at his friend. Even if he tended to forget, Juri was precious for Sho too and taking the decision to send her to the fire should have been heart-breaking for him.
“You’re right…it’s true. They will come back.”
“They will come back.”
“For how long are they able to fly?”
“About one hour, then they will run out of fuel.”
Sho turned to face the mechanic.
“How long?”
“To check out the cruiser entirely, about two hours and for the reparations…I’ll answer after the tour.”
“I’ll send you Kanayoshi and Shin. They will give you a hand.”
“Thanks Commandant.”
They climbed back to the Commandant post and tried once again to reach the Eagles. In vain.
“I'll go out.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“Wait for their arrival.”
“We have to find a shelter. This ship is not safe anymore. If they find us they will attack again, plus we have to find something to eat.”
“Did you ever come here?”
“Never and you?”
“I only know it’s a hostile place and except some little tribes, it’s uninhabited. And the populated areas are dangerous because it's full of pirates. For the rest…the climate is particularly humid and most of the lands are overgrown with vegetation.”
“We are going off on an expedition, but I’ll have a little chat with our guest before.”
“Do you think he knows something about the attack?”
“He’s a man full of resources and he can be useful in a hostile environment.”
~Ã~
“There are a lot of caves in Shinagawa, pirates use them to store their take. It could be a shelter.” Said Aiba, crossing his arms across his chest.
“Why won’t you come with us to find one, your experience could be useful.”
“I agree.”
Sho was startled for not having to argue but he simply nodded, hiding his satisfaction.
“Nino comes with us.”
“What? But, it could be dangerous!”
“Less dangerous than staying in a ship which could be attacked at any moment.”
The Angel remained silent but stared at the three men intensely. He trusted Aiba more than anything but hearing he already came to this place baffled him.
“I…I will go and get you suits.”
Sakurai and Matsumoto bowed at them and after changing their outfits, came back with two expedition suits.
“There. Do you know how to put it on?” Asked Sho, showing the black outfits.
“We’ll find out. Thanks.”
The two soldiers left them during a few minutes then the door slid open, and the two passengers joined them. Sho swallowed hard when Nino walked to him, moulded in the black suit which hid nothing of his perfect body.
“You have to tie this…” He said, grabbing the two parts of his collar to tie them under his chin, while Jun did the same with Masaki. “It protects your neck and inside there’s a tube to drink the recycled water from your body in a deserted area. There’s a mike that links us in suits. It’s done.”
Nino smiled sweetly to him and stepped back to hide his obvious stir.
“Let’s go. Jun?”
“I stay.”
“I’ll contact you as soon as we find a shelter. Call me when they are in sight.”
“Very well. Be careful.”
“Careful is my middle name.”
“Pity it’s not lucky…we seriously lack of luck lately.”
Sho chuckled and patted his friend’s shoulder, encouragingly.
The four men exited the ship and the jungle noises assaulted them. The Galaxy was full of desert planets and just a few of them possessed a humid climate, favoring vegetation. If Shinagawa hasn’t been so hostile it would have been paradise. The gigantic trees creating a greenery roof above their heads and just some rays of light filtrated.
“Nino, don’t touch anything.” Whispered Aiba, grabbing Nino’s hand in a protective gesture. The two soldiers had weapons, tied to their thighs but the monk had only a wooden stick.
“I don’t shed blood.” He simply explained laconically to his companions who threw them sceptical looks.
They split once out of the ship, Jun soon joined by Himoto to scrutinize the sky and try to communicate with the Eagles.
Sho, Nino and Aiba walked cautiously between climbing plants falling from the trees, lifting their feet from the ground to avoid the huge roots colonizing the floor. After half an hour, Sho stopped short, imitating his companions who were murmuring.
“Aiba-san?”
“Hush…I try to save time. Tell me, Nino.”
“There.” Said the Angle, pointing the right.
“Let’s go.”
“What?”
“Nino has a very sensitive hearing. The waterfall is out there.”
Sho raised an eyebrow and followed the two men who began to walk. He had to admit that a few minutes later, they faced a river alimented by a waterfall and he was impressed.
“There should be a cave close. Perhaps behind the waterfall.”
“How do you know?”
“Experience. Trust me.”
The Commandant stared at the two men walking to the cascade confidently.
“We will establish the base camp here. With the river, there are always animals to hunt and plants to be gathered.”
“I’ll go back to the ship. We’ll fix it by night and during the day, we’ll be here. Let’s be prudent.”
“The nights are cold. We will be detected by thermal radar.”
“Not with those suits. They keep constant warmth but the external emission is similar to the air temperature. Plus, our movements will be less obvious by night.”
“You thought about everything.”
“You seem to be surprised.”
“I’m positively surprised.” Smirked the Monk.
“Commandant?” Himoto’s voice cut them.
“Himoto?”
“The Eagles. They just crashed…it’s not pretty.”
Sho felt his heart beats become anarchic.
“The First Lieutenant?”
“He’s gone, Commandant, he asked me to contact you.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
“Very well, Commandant.”
The two passengers gazed at him.
“The Eagles crashed. I have to go.”
“We’re coming with you. I can help you.”
For the very first time since their departure, Sho was happy to be with such a man. If the legend was true, the monk warriors were famous for their fighting techniques, but they were healers before all.
“I hope we won’t need your talent.” He began to run.
~Ã~
Jun gaze at the sky for the nth time, hoping the ships could appear by magic. But the seconds sounded to pass so slowly. He cursed between his teeth, bedamning his soldier’s state…when a sudden bang exploded in the air, signifying the entrance of a ship in Shinagawa’s atmosphere.
He watched an Eagle, soon followed by another one. If the first one sounded to be in a pitiful state, the second was in flame.
“Himoto, contact the Commandant.” Shouted Jun before running to the ships.
He ran as fast as he could, his stomach twisted by angst. He didn’t know how far he ran…truly said, he had no idea about the distance he covered, his body moved by itself while his mind was unable to emit the slightest rational thought.
He remembered when Juri slid into his bed, how she fought against Yoko, her crying in his arms, all those repressed thoughts popping in his mind inconsistently. A branch whipped his face and he didn’t even try to wipe the blood on his cheek.
He heard the screams at first. Strident screams, agonizing, breaking through the jungle silence.
Jun didn’t really understand what she said but he felt relieved to hear Juri’s voice.
In the glade, he felt a strong burning odor and a high column of smoke rose until the sky. Then once again, the screams.
“OKURA!”
Juri climbed down from her Eagle and she was passing the smoke barrier to get into Okuras’.
Without thinking further, Jun ran into her direction and jumped on the ship’s side to help the young woman to rescue his teammate from his flame prison.
“At three, we pull.”
She nodded and they worked together to open the cockpit’s window distorted by the warmth and the fall, ignoring the pain due to the burn. Juri dove in to untie Okura who fainted and dragged him outside.
With Himoto’s help, whom just arrived, they took him away and laid him on the ground.
“Okura, answer! Answer!”
She leaned on him, looking for his vital signs, an ear on his torso.
“He’s alive, simply groggy.”
“Damn it…”
Juri laid by his side and sighed from relief.
“What happened?”
“We played with them and when we thought we lost them, we fell into an ambush and…”
“You’ve been injured?!”
“A bit, it’s not a big deal…”
“Where?”
“My leg, nothing at all.”
Jun kneeled by her side and her legs was covered by blood. He tore her pants and groaned seeing the impacts on her thigh.
“It happened when they fired my Eagle, I took some shards.”
“We'll go back to the cruiser, you have to be healed. Himoto, help me.”
They unfolded the stretcher the listener brought and laid the pilot on, still unconscious. The bed rose and began to fly toward the ship.
“Hold on to me.” Whispered Jun to Juri.
“I don’t need you.”
“Stop being stubborn and give me the arm.”
“But~”
“It’s an order!”
Juri obeyed reluctantly and did her best to walk without showing the pain she felt. Once at the ship, Sho ran to them and took the woman in his arm unceremoniously. She tense, surprised, then closed her eyes to hug him back. Sho didn’t apologize for sending them to the battlefield and Juri felt relieved.
“I’m glad to see both of you.”
“We improved our skills since the last time.” Chuckled Juri.
“Leave her alone, she’s injured.” Said Jun, patting Sho’s shoulder.
“You are?”
“It’s not a big deal, there’s no reason to be worried.”
Sho stared at Jun who was scarlet.
“Hurry up, you have to be healed.”
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
They went to the infirmary, followed by the warrior monk.
“I will take care of him. I leave you the woman. I guess, you learned to cauterize gunshot at the Academy.”
“Oi, you seriously begin to piss me off with your~”
The monk didn’t even listen the end of the sentence , closing the curtain behind him, leaving him groaning all alone.
He heard Juri giggled discreetly.
“Don’t you dare laugh! I’m angry because of you…”
“Why?!”
The Baron ripped the pants off quickly, making her scream from surprise and pain.
“It serves you right! I told you not to go…but you never listen to me!”
Jun turned around to grab the material to cauterize the injury, and when he faced the young woman again she was standing.
“What are you doing?!”
“I take off my pants. Except if you intend to do it with my bloody and dirty pants.”
She unbuckled her pants and unzipped it.
“Here? But…you don’t want to…”
“A few days ago, you wanted to take a shower with me.”
“It’s different, we’re the two of us and~”
“You saw me tens of times.”
Jun hung his head to hide his blush and grabbed a stool as Juri sat on the bed, placing her injured leg on her healer’s thighs.
“It’s not the first…” Whistled the Lieutenant, watching the scars on the woman’s leg.
“I told you. When you’re a pilot, you’re constantly injured…and look.”
She moved aside to show him the scar in star’s shape on her shoulder.
“What’s that?”
“The window of my cockpit exploded during an attack. The glass entered here and got through my shoulder.”
“I have one on my arm, wanna see it?”
“Hm…impressive, but look at this one!”
Juri raised the edge of her top tank to show him her hip where a red scar drew a line.
“I have the same!”
Jun turned back and taking off the suit, showed his back with the same kind of scar.
“Touch it, it’s barely healed, you’ll see!”
Juri reached out but rapidly froze. Without seeing her, Jun read the change of atmosphere.
“What?”
“Nothing…It’s just…I never saw it.”
“Oh…”
He stood still, leaving time to his friend watch the glyph running from the top of his right shoulder to his shoulder blade leisurely.
A shooting stars’ shower , symbol of the Matsumoto Barony. She couldn’t repress a bitter smile thinking nothing could fit him better. She reached out again, clenching her jaws strongly to keep for herself those feelings she was not sure how they would be interpreted as, but Aiba interrupted them.
“He’s asleep. He has been touched at the head but there will be no consequences. Two of his ribs are broken and he’s covered by bruises. He needs to rest.”
“Thanks.” Said Juri bowing at him, embarrassed suddenly.
The monk exited and Jun resumed his task, cleaning the injury and bandaging it skilfully.
“It’s done.”
“Thanks Ju…Lieutenant. I’m going to rest, if you allow me to.”
It became a habit. This complicity followed by a sudden coldness. He nodded and kept for himself all the questions he would have liked to ask. He wasn’t ready to confess his deepest thoughts even if he died to. Jun stood up and left the infirmary.
He went to Sho who was with Yuta.
“So?”
“Several days. Five, maybe six.”
“We found a cave. We’ll stay there by day and work on the ship by night.”
“And the injured people?”
“Staying here is dangerous, they can find us and achieve what they began.”
“When are we leaving?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Very well. I’ll take care of it.”
They needed almost one hour to reach the cave. With the injured people and the material, their progression was more than difficult. Yet, they were satisfied to find such a safe place.
The pilot, still unconscious, was laid close to the fire, watched by the quiet, as always, Aiba.
Truly said, the Angel was too, noticed Sho astonished.
For a young man so preciously guarded, who sounded to be so fragile, he didn’t seem to be anxious, like he would have supposed.
As he watched him without even realizing, Sho felt Nino’s insistent gaze on him.
His heart leaped into his chest then fell heavily into his stomach.
TBC...
Author : WendyJoly
Pairing : Guess who~
Rating : PG
Genre : SF
Lenght : Chaptered
Beta : Confetti shower to
chibipinkpetals Genre : Music, love and star ships
Disclaimer : I owe nothing but Arashi owns surely my soul
Summary : “An Angel has the power to pacify a crowd, to convey emotions people ignore. But…when an Angel sings for his master, this man can feel the fullness of body and mind…however, one Angel is made for a Master and only one. And the master can’t choose his Angel.” But when Ninomiya Kazunari, an Angel fated to belong to the ruler of the galaxy chooses the Commandant of the ship designated to guide him to his Master, what will happen to him?
Note: The concept of singing Angel belongs to O.S Card, I borrow it with all the respect due to his huge talent.
CHAPTER 6
From the Command post, Sho watched the two Eagles slaloming between the adversary’s ships, destroying them one after another.
“You can start the engine, Commandant.” Said Tadayoshi’s voice.
Sakurai couldn’t help but admire their great skills for a few seconds, and then gave the orders to decrease their altitude and prepare an emergency landing on Shinagawa.
“I go back to Nino, if you allow me too. He should be worried.”
Sho stared at the monk warrior leaving the place, wondering what kind of man he was. How could he be so quiet during such desperate situation and so paternal with the Angel?
If they have the chance to survive, he surely has all the time necessary to ask him, once on Shinagawa, who knows how much time they would need to leave it?
The gigantic trees of the planet were already in sight when Jun reached the Command post and just a few ships still clang on them.
“Commandant, we’re at 10.000 feet. Shall I find a glade?”
“Certainly not. We would be too exposed. Search for a waterhole on the map, that’s all it will matter once landed. Kanayoshi?”
“There’s a waterfall along a hillside, south-south-west.”
“Shin, south-south-west.”
“Okay, Commandant. Hang on, it will be hard.”
“Ueno, Tadayoshi, we’re ready for the landing.”
“…”
“Ueno, Tadayoshi?”
The communication with the Eagles was cut and a heavy silence fell on the commandant post. The pilot began the descent to Shinagawa atmosphere.
“Commandant, our shield is damaged, it will not hold much up against attacks.”
At the same time, a gust of shot shook them as a sound of thunder exploded at the back of the cruiser.
“Faster!”
Shin did what he was told and the trees stopped his progression before they violently reached the ground.
Some long minutes passed, then Sho’s voice sounded:
“Jun?”
“I’m fine.”
“Shin?”
“Everything is all right, Commandant. Just shaken.”
“Kanayoshi?”
“Nothing to report….Except the death of my radars.”
“Himoto?”
“Fine, simply a bump on the head.”
“Yuta?”
“I’ll have a lot of work after the way you treated my baby.”
Sho took off his belt and feeling nauseous ran to the guest quarter. He flung open the door and saw the passengers sat on the floor, the Angel firmly clung to his companion, his look as quiet as always.
“How are you?”
“Everything is fine.” Answered Aiba. “They are thinking we’re dead now and we should have a bit of peace and quiet.”
Reassured, Sho went back to the belly of the ship where the mechanic was chatting animatedly with the first Lieutenant.
“So?”
“Pretty bad…after a first look, I’d say no vital part is touched, but there’s a lot of little dysfunction to fix and I’ll need a moment to repair.”
“And the Eagles?”
“It’s part of the dysfunctions, we don’t have any external communications, but during the travel, I put a device on it to link them to the ship. If for some reason they are unable to come back to us, the autopilot will bring them to us. “
“Dead or alive.” Hissed Jun bitterly, saying out loud what everybody around feared.
“Jun, we still don’t know. Juri and Tada are experienced. They’ve been piloting since years in war zone, don’t you dare bury them already!”
The first Lieutenant stared at his friend. Even if he tended to forget, Juri was precious for Sho too and taking the decision to send her to the fire should have been heart-breaking for him.
“You’re right…it’s true. They will come back.”
“They will come back.”
“For how long are they able to fly?”
“About one hour, then they will run out of fuel.”
Sho turned to face the mechanic.
“How long?”
“To check out the cruiser entirely, about two hours and for the reparations…I’ll answer after the tour.”
“I’ll send you Kanayoshi and Shin. They will give you a hand.”
“Thanks Commandant.”
They climbed back to the Commandant post and tried once again to reach the Eagles. In vain.
“I'll go out.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“Wait for their arrival.”
“We have to find a shelter. This ship is not safe anymore. If they find us they will attack again, plus we have to find something to eat.”
“Did you ever come here?”
“Never and you?”
“I only know it’s a hostile place and except some little tribes, it’s uninhabited. And the populated areas are dangerous because it's full of pirates. For the rest…the climate is particularly humid and most of the lands are overgrown with vegetation.”
“We are going off on an expedition, but I’ll have a little chat with our guest before.”
“Do you think he knows something about the attack?”
“He’s a man full of resources and he can be useful in a hostile environment.”
“There are a lot of caves in Shinagawa, pirates use them to store their take. It could be a shelter.” Said Aiba, crossing his arms across his chest.
“Why won’t you come with us to find one, your experience could be useful.”
“I agree.”
Sho was startled for not having to argue but he simply nodded, hiding his satisfaction.
“Nino comes with us.”
“What? But, it could be dangerous!”
“Less dangerous than staying in a ship which could be attacked at any moment.”
The Angel remained silent but stared at the three men intensely. He trusted Aiba more than anything but hearing he already came to this place baffled him.
“I…I will go and get you suits.”
Sakurai and Matsumoto bowed at them and after changing their outfits, came back with two expedition suits.
“There. Do you know how to put it on?” Asked Sho, showing the black outfits.
“We’ll find out. Thanks.”
The two soldiers left them during a few minutes then the door slid open, and the two passengers joined them. Sho swallowed hard when Nino walked to him, moulded in the black suit which hid nothing of his perfect body.
“You have to tie this…” He said, grabbing the two parts of his collar to tie them under his chin, while Jun did the same with Masaki. “It protects your neck and inside there’s a tube to drink the recycled water from your body in a deserted area. There’s a mike that links us in suits. It’s done.”
Nino smiled sweetly to him and stepped back to hide his obvious stir.
“Let’s go. Jun?”
“I stay.”
“I’ll contact you as soon as we find a shelter. Call me when they are in sight.”
“Very well. Be careful.”
“Careful is my middle name.”
“Pity it’s not lucky…we seriously lack of luck lately.”
Sho chuckled and patted his friend’s shoulder, encouragingly.
The four men exited the ship and the jungle noises assaulted them. The Galaxy was full of desert planets and just a few of them possessed a humid climate, favoring vegetation. If Shinagawa hasn’t been so hostile it would have been paradise. The gigantic trees creating a greenery roof above their heads and just some rays of light filtrated.
“Nino, don’t touch anything.” Whispered Aiba, grabbing Nino’s hand in a protective gesture. The two soldiers had weapons, tied to their thighs but the monk had only a wooden stick.
“I don’t shed blood.” He simply explained laconically to his companions who threw them sceptical looks.
They split once out of the ship, Jun soon joined by Himoto to scrutinize the sky and try to communicate with the Eagles.
Sho, Nino and Aiba walked cautiously between climbing plants falling from the trees, lifting their feet from the ground to avoid the huge roots colonizing the floor. After half an hour, Sho stopped short, imitating his companions who were murmuring.
“Aiba-san?”
“Hush…I try to save time. Tell me, Nino.”
“There.” Said the Angle, pointing the right.
“Let’s go.”
“What?”
“Nino has a very sensitive hearing. The waterfall is out there.”
Sho raised an eyebrow and followed the two men who began to walk. He had to admit that a few minutes later, they faced a river alimented by a waterfall and he was impressed.
“There should be a cave close. Perhaps behind the waterfall.”
“How do you know?”
“Experience. Trust me.”
The Commandant stared at the two men walking to the cascade confidently.
“We will establish the base camp here. With the river, there are always animals to hunt and plants to be gathered.”
“I’ll go back to the ship. We’ll fix it by night and during the day, we’ll be here. Let’s be prudent.”
“The nights are cold. We will be detected by thermal radar.”
“Not with those suits. They keep constant warmth but the external emission is similar to the air temperature. Plus, our movements will be less obvious by night.”
“You thought about everything.”
“You seem to be surprised.”
“I’m positively surprised.” Smirked the Monk.
“Commandant?” Himoto’s voice cut them.
“Himoto?”
“The Eagles. They just crashed…it’s not pretty.”
Sho felt his heart beats become anarchic.
“The First Lieutenant?”
“He’s gone, Commandant, he asked me to contact you.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
“Very well, Commandant.”
The two passengers gazed at him.
“The Eagles crashed. I have to go.”
“We’re coming with you. I can help you.”
For the very first time since their departure, Sho was happy to be with such a man. If the legend was true, the monk warriors were famous for their fighting techniques, but they were healers before all.
“I hope we won’t need your talent.” He began to run.
Jun gaze at the sky for the nth time, hoping the ships could appear by magic. But the seconds sounded to pass so slowly. He cursed between his teeth, bedamning his soldier’s state…when a sudden bang exploded in the air, signifying the entrance of a ship in Shinagawa’s atmosphere.
He watched an Eagle, soon followed by another one. If the first one sounded to be in a pitiful state, the second was in flame.
“Himoto, contact the Commandant.” Shouted Jun before running to the ships.
He ran as fast as he could, his stomach twisted by angst. He didn’t know how far he ran…truly said, he had no idea about the distance he covered, his body moved by itself while his mind was unable to emit the slightest rational thought.
He remembered when Juri slid into his bed, how she fought against Yoko, her crying in his arms, all those repressed thoughts popping in his mind inconsistently. A branch whipped his face and he didn’t even try to wipe the blood on his cheek.
He heard the screams at first. Strident screams, agonizing, breaking through the jungle silence.
Jun didn’t really understand what she said but he felt relieved to hear Juri’s voice.
In the glade, he felt a strong burning odor and a high column of smoke rose until the sky. Then once again, the screams.
“OKURA!”
Juri climbed down from her Eagle and she was passing the smoke barrier to get into Okuras’.
Without thinking further, Jun ran into her direction and jumped on the ship’s side to help the young woman to rescue his teammate from his flame prison.
“At three, we pull.”
She nodded and they worked together to open the cockpit’s window distorted by the warmth and the fall, ignoring the pain due to the burn. Juri dove in to untie Okura who fainted and dragged him outside.
With Himoto’s help, whom just arrived, they took him away and laid him on the ground.
“Okura, answer! Answer!”
She leaned on him, looking for his vital signs, an ear on his torso.
“He’s alive, simply groggy.”
“Damn it…”
Juri laid by his side and sighed from relief.
“What happened?”
“We played with them and when we thought we lost them, we fell into an ambush and…”
“You’ve been injured?!”
“A bit, it’s not a big deal…”
“Where?”
“My leg, nothing at all.”
Jun kneeled by her side and her legs was covered by blood. He tore her pants and groaned seeing the impacts on her thigh.
“It happened when they fired my Eagle, I took some shards.”
“We'll go back to the cruiser, you have to be healed. Himoto, help me.”
They unfolded the stretcher the listener brought and laid the pilot on, still unconscious. The bed rose and began to fly toward the ship.
“Hold on to me.” Whispered Jun to Juri.
“I don’t need you.”
“Stop being stubborn and give me the arm.”
“But~”
“It’s an order!”
Juri obeyed reluctantly and did her best to walk without showing the pain she felt. Once at the ship, Sho ran to them and took the woman in his arm unceremoniously. She tense, surprised, then closed her eyes to hug him back. Sho didn’t apologize for sending them to the battlefield and Juri felt relieved.
“I’m glad to see both of you.”
“We improved our skills since the last time.” Chuckled Juri.
“Leave her alone, she’s injured.” Said Jun, patting Sho’s shoulder.
“You are?”
“It’s not a big deal, there’s no reason to be worried.”
Sho stared at Jun who was scarlet.
“Hurry up, you have to be healed.”
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
They went to the infirmary, followed by the warrior monk.
“I will take care of him. I leave you the woman. I guess, you learned to cauterize gunshot at the Academy.”
“Oi, you seriously begin to piss me off with your~”
The monk didn’t even listen the end of the sentence , closing the curtain behind him, leaving him groaning all alone.
He heard Juri giggled discreetly.
“Don’t you dare laugh! I’m angry because of you…”
“Why?!”
The Baron ripped the pants off quickly, making her scream from surprise and pain.
“It serves you right! I told you not to go…but you never listen to me!”
Jun turned around to grab the material to cauterize the injury, and when he faced the young woman again she was standing.
“What are you doing?!”
“I take off my pants. Except if you intend to do it with my bloody and dirty pants.”
She unbuckled her pants and unzipped it.
“Here? But…you don’t want to…”
“A few days ago, you wanted to take a shower with me.”
“It’s different, we’re the two of us and~”
“You saw me tens of times.”
Jun hung his head to hide his blush and grabbed a stool as Juri sat on the bed, placing her injured leg on her healer’s thighs.
“It’s not the first…” Whistled the Lieutenant, watching the scars on the woman’s leg.
“I told you. When you’re a pilot, you’re constantly injured…and look.”
She moved aside to show him the scar in star’s shape on her shoulder.
“What’s that?”
“The window of my cockpit exploded during an attack. The glass entered here and got through my shoulder.”
“I have one on my arm, wanna see it?”
“Hm…impressive, but look at this one!”
Juri raised the edge of her top tank to show him her hip where a red scar drew a line.
“I have the same!”
Jun turned back and taking off the suit, showed his back with the same kind of scar.
“Touch it, it’s barely healed, you’ll see!”
Juri reached out but rapidly froze. Without seeing her, Jun read the change of atmosphere.
“What?”
“Nothing…It’s just…I never saw it.”
“Oh…”
He stood still, leaving time to his friend watch the glyph running from the top of his right shoulder to his shoulder blade leisurely.
A shooting stars’ shower , symbol of the Matsumoto Barony. She couldn’t repress a bitter smile thinking nothing could fit him better. She reached out again, clenching her jaws strongly to keep for herself those feelings she was not sure how they would be interpreted as, but Aiba interrupted them.
“He’s asleep. He has been touched at the head but there will be no consequences. Two of his ribs are broken and he’s covered by bruises. He needs to rest.”
“Thanks.” Said Juri bowing at him, embarrassed suddenly.
The monk exited and Jun resumed his task, cleaning the injury and bandaging it skilfully.
“It’s done.”
“Thanks Ju…Lieutenant. I’m going to rest, if you allow me to.”
It became a habit. This complicity followed by a sudden coldness. He nodded and kept for himself all the questions he would have liked to ask. He wasn’t ready to confess his deepest thoughts even if he died to. Jun stood up and left the infirmary.
He went to Sho who was with Yuta.
“So?”
“Several days. Five, maybe six.”
“We found a cave. We’ll stay there by day and work on the ship by night.”
“And the injured people?”
“Staying here is dangerous, they can find us and achieve what they began.”
“When are we leaving?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Very well. I’ll take care of it.”
They needed almost one hour to reach the cave. With the injured people and the material, their progression was more than difficult. Yet, they were satisfied to find such a safe place.
The pilot, still unconscious, was laid close to the fire, watched by the quiet, as always, Aiba.
Truly said, the Angel was too, noticed Sho astonished.
For a young man so preciously guarded, who sounded to be so fragile, he didn’t seem to be anxious, like he would have supposed.
As he watched him without even realizing, Sho felt Nino’s insistent gaze on him.
His heart leaped into his chest then fell heavily into his stomach.
TBC...
