01-06-2011, 03:55 AM
The saiyan’s arms felt heavy, but he kept swinging. Explosions lit up the sky and deafened the world. All he could hear was ringing.
There was the girl, and she was a sight to behold. She moved like a ballet dancer, controlled but fluid, not wasting a single manoeuvre. Every swipe of her blades felled an enemy; and yet still they kept coming.
Garbanz blocked what felt like a cannonball with his shield, and staggered backwards. The tip of his spear dipped towards the ground. Anger. An axe swung towards him, and the saiyan raised his arm again to intercept. The two weapons pushed against each other; Garbanz felt the muscles in his right arm screaming.
Not yet. He concentrated - the spear in his hand shot outwards, extending its reach. It bit flesh; took life.
Still more now. Drawing the spear back into his metal reserves, Garbanz thickened his gauntlets into huge mitts and held his arms out against the tide of bodies. They crashed forward anyway. His knees buckled. He couldn’t hold them back.
There was the girl again. And there was the ball of energy, descending from the sky towards her. He watched it engulf her in the midst of the melee, as he struggled to stand. He watched her skin dissolve and her silhouette vanish into the blinding light.
He woke up and drew air.
Garbanz looked across at the girl. She was sitting in her seat; arms crossed, eyes closed. She could have been sleeping or merely thinking. Either way, Garbanz had the feeling she could look after herself.
He stood up and walked towards the ship’s bathrooms before entering a stall. Raising the toilet seat, he vomited.
Just a dream. It was just a dream. Garbanz leant against the wall, legs shaking. A sense of gratitude began to fill him, and he found himself thanking the Kais that he was here, that she was alive, that she existed at all. And yet he couldn’t shake the dread, and the doubts it gave rise to.
If she dies, and I survive, thought Garbanz. What will I do? Go back to working for the Empire? Start a shop on Earth to sell my weapons? He felt another lurch in his stomach. No. No. No. I couldn’t. I won’t. I’ll never go back to how I was before. She is everything. Without her, I am nothing.
The saiyan spat, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Pulling the flush, he left the stall and washed his hands beneath the cold tap, splashing some water onto his face.
“Hang in there, buddy,” said a bald man standing at the next wash basin. “We’re all feelin’ the nerves.”
Garbanz looked up and made eye contact, offering a weak smile. Turning back to the basin, he grabbed someone’s forgotten bottle of mouthwash and gargled until the acrid taste in his throat had faded a little. She couldn’t know. He had to be strong for her. He had to protect her.
As that thought crossed his mind, Garbanz froze. She was alone! What if …
The saiyan darted out of the bathroom, back to the seating area. As he turned the corner, he exhaled. She was in exactly the same spot as before. Of course she is, the saiyan chided himself. You really are ridiculous.
A voice rang out through the ship’s loudspeakers. “Arrival on Planet Mercy in one hour.”
As they descended the ramp, Garbanz took in a deep gulp of air. It was dusty, and harsh, but after so long breathing recycled air it felt like a cool summer breeze. He turned to the girl.
“Hey, milady,” he said, knowing even as the smirk crept across his face that it was a bad idea.
“What?” she replied flatly.
“Let’s not show any Mercy. Eh?”
She punched him in the head.
There was the girl, and she was a sight to behold. She moved like a ballet dancer, controlled but fluid, not wasting a single manoeuvre. Every swipe of her blades felled an enemy; and yet still they kept coming.
Garbanz blocked what felt like a cannonball with his shield, and staggered backwards. The tip of his spear dipped towards the ground. Anger. An axe swung towards him, and the saiyan raised his arm again to intercept. The two weapons pushed against each other; Garbanz felt the muscles in his right arm screaming.
Not yet. He concentrated - the spear in his hand shot outwards, extending its reach. It bit flesh; took life.
Still more now. Drawing the spear back into his metal reserves, Garbanz thickened his gauntlets into huge mitts and held his arms out against the tide of bodies. They crashed forward anyway. His knees buckled. He couldn’t hold them back.
There was the girl again. And there was the ball of energy, descending from the sky towards her. He watched it engulf her in the midst of the melee, as he struggled to stand. He watched her skin dissolve and her silhouette vanish into the blinding light.
He woke up and drew air.
Garbanz looked across at the girl. She was sitting in her seat; arms crossed, eyes closed. She could have been sleeping or merely thinking. Either way, Garbanz had the feeling she could look after herself.
He stood up and walked towards the ship’s bathrooms before entering a stall. Raising the toilet seat, he vomited.
Just a dream. It was just a dream. Garbanz leant against the wall, legs shaking. A sense of gratitude began to fill him, and he found himself thanking the Kais that he was here, that she was alive, that she existed at all. And yet he couldn’t shake the dread, and the doubts it gave rise to.
If she dies, and I survive, thought Garbanz. What will I do? Go back to working for the Empire? Start a shop on Earth to sell my weapons? He felt another lurch in his stomach. No. No. No. I couldn’t. I won’t. I’ll never go back to how I was before. She is everything. Without her, I am nothing.
The saiyan spat, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Pulling the flush, he left the stall and washed his hands beneath the cold tap, splashing some water onto his face.
“Hang in there, buddy,” said a bald man standing at the next wash basin. “We’re all feelin’ the nerves.”
Garbanz looked up and made eye contact, offering a weak smile. Turning back to the basin, he grabbed someone’s forgotten bottle of mouthwash and gargled until the acrid taste in his throat had faded a little. She couldn’t know. He had to be strong for her. He had to protect her.
As that thought crossed his mind, Garbanz froze. She was alone! What if …
The saiyan darted out of the bathroom, back to the seating area. As he turned the corner, he exhaled. She was in exactly the same spot as before. Of course she is, the saiyan chided himself. You really are ridiculous.
A voice rang out through the ship’s loudspeakers. “Arrival on Planet Mercy in one hour.”
* * * * *
As they descended the ramp, Garbanz took in a deep gulp of air. It was dusty, and harsh, but after so long breathing recycled air it felt like a cool summer breeze. He turned to the girl.
“Hey, milady,” he said, knowing even as the smirk crept across his face that it was a bad idea.
“What?” she replied flatly.
“Let’s not show any Mercy. Eh?”
She punched him in the head.