They have distinct-enough voices that it was easy to follow.
I liked this one. By my count, we've got one more to go, right?
Also, right on schedule, someone datamined something about katanas and compound bows for PSO2.
They have distinct-enough voices that it was easy to follow.
I liked this one. By my count, we've got one more to go, right?
Also, right on schedule, someone datamined something about katanas and compound bows for PSO2.
Yes, the next chapter is the last, then there'll be the one shot epilogue which will follow later in its own thread. I haven't forgotten about Zoe's chapter; I just came up with one last way to troll you guys, and am reserving it for that.
Man, endings are hard. ...Hmm? Oh, I don't have anything yet. Check back around this time tomorrow. Why post now then, you ask? Well, this is one of my last opportunities to author-troll. It's the end of an era, I should make the most of it, I figure.
The ryuker was successful, no surprise there. What needs to be understood though, is that I was trying to move Keiko and myself through several hundred million Lps through space to a, relatively, small water filled rock hurtling through space at ludicrous speed. It really is a testament to my skill and prowess as a techer that I managed to get us to Neudaiz from Rykros in my exhausted state. Even if I did drop us in the middle of the ocean.
The very first thing I felt after the ryuker was the sensation of cold water seeping into my clothes and cooling my tired body. It would have been a heavenly feeling, were it not for the fact that the average beast’s body does not float. There is a reason I don’t like water, after all. I didn’t have anything enough left in me to panic and thrash. Being in the water gave me peace actually, since it told me that ryuker had been successful. So, I just let myself, oddly content with victory.
Then, I felt Keiko’s arms slip under mine. A second later, my head broke above the surface and I had myself a very pleasant breath.
”Can you doggy paddle?” she asked.
”I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” I said as I nodded. She let go and I proceeded to tread water while she went about freezing us up an ice floe. It just needed to keep us both afloat, so she made a relatively small one that we’d both be able to lie on. We pulled ourselves out of the water and onto the floe. We lied there, spent, tired and exhausted. Despite that, and I’m not sure which of us started first, we started laughing. It was a little scattering of chuckles shared between us at first, but before long, we were laughing uproariously.
”We’re really okay!” Keiko said, a little too cheerily. Being thrust back into Neudaiz’s atmosphere, she had recovered a good chunk of her strength from her first few breaths.
”Unless this stupid day has any other surprises for me,” I said. The ice was hardly comfortable, but as exhausted as I was, it may as well have been a mattress with two thousand thread count sheets. “Distress signal?”
”Yeah, I hit it already. I’m sure someone will be along to come get us soon,” she said. She sat up, legs tucked in and looked up at the clear night sky. Wherever in the ocean I had warped us too, it was the middle of the night. “You couldn’t have gotten us a little closer to Ohtoku, Johann? I can’t even see Antares from where we are. You could have at least gotten us to dry land.”
”Neudaiz is over 90% water. I shot us over two hundred million Lps through space, and of all the things that could have gone wrong, you’re complaining that I didn’t get us close enough to land. Think about that for a minute.”
”Excuses.”
”Tch.”
”Hey...what do we do now?” she asked.
”We wait. What else can we do?” I said.
”No, I mean, we won. The Illuminus and SEED are gone, so...what now?”
”Now? Now, we bask in victory,” I said.
”But there’s so much rebuilding to do! And-”
”Life is a neverending battle, Keiko. You’d never catch a break if you didn’t stop to celebrate the victories. We have plenty more problems on the horizon, but for now...just breathe it in,” I said. To illustrate, I took a deep, relaxing breath. It was looking more and more like I had put the seal on my victory, so I was getting an odd euphoria from the feel of my aching body.
”You’re starting to sound like an old man, Jo-sei,” she said.
”Well, it is my birthday in a few weeks. Perhaps I am getting old,” I said.
”Oh right, you’re going to be...27?”
”Mm.”
”We should have a party!”
”Eh, maybe. It has been a while since I celebrated a birthday with any zeal. An occasion to party just may be in order. Besides, let’s face it: I deserve it.”
She puffed up her cheeks in the way she usually did when I exasperated her, but then relented. ”...Yeah. You do.” I nodded in agreement and from the tatters of my coat, pulled out a cigarette. She scrunched up her face and said, “you said you were going to quit!”
”I just saved the galaxy. I’ll quit tomorrow.” As it turned out, ‘tomorrow’ wouldn’t be until the day Gwendolyn told me she was pregnant with our daughter. That stuff is addictive, who knew?
******
We got picked up by the Communion without incident. As it turned out, I had ported us to the wrong part of the globe entirely. Just a few more Lps south and I’d have put us in Neudaiz’s arctic circle where we probably would have frozen to death. Life is funny that way. In the weeks that followed, there were...details. Battlefields had to be cleaned up, bodies needed to be retrieved, equipment needed to be collected...it was a fairly hectic time, especially for Keiko and Eustace. For Eustace’s part, she had to personally sign stacks upon stacks of condolence letters as well as organize clean up efforts.
For Keiko, she had that to do, along with the business of governing a planet in spite of the scheming aspirations of opportunistic Communion officials. I did as much as I could to help naturally, but my exertion left me bedridden for the week following and there was only so much I could do to assist. Indeed, we all toiled to pick up the pieces of the Second Confinement War. An interesting problem that sprung up is that our coffers had run dry. Apparently, even when you’re fighting an interdimensional evil, money is still an issue. And as you may imagine, the populace wasn’t in much condition to be taxed. Something of a recession followed, which posed a slew of political problems for the empress, but eh, that’s a story for a much more boring book.
No, let’s close on a happy note: that party. Just a little shy of a month after our return was my birthday, so we arranged to have a party on that night. We were all still neck deep in post war grief, but we all had more than earned a chance to relax. We had it my home. It wasn’t an extravagant affair: my close friends and family were all that were in attendance. As for entertainment, we engaged in an old tradition.
”Dammit Hahn, stop turtling!” Sable yelled.
”It’s not turtling, it’s zoning,” I calmly replied.
You see, back then, there was a video game franchise that featured a yearly release. It was a fighting game licensed by the Guardians featuring, who else, prominent Guardians. Well, it’s a bit simple to call it a fighting game; I’d term it more as ‘competitive multiplayer.’ Every year, the Aegii got together and played the latest release. Our only rule was that you had to play yourself. There were critics who complained that my character was imbalanced, but they were just scrubs.
”I swear on my firstborn, if you steal another star from me Johann...” Eustace said as she glowered menacingly at me. Of course, as she said that, I pressed the button to confirm the transaction. “Aaargh!!!” she screamed. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how we all managed to stay friends playing that game as much as we did. It’s as if it was specifically designed to destroy friendships.
So, that’s what we spent most of the night doing, while remembering old stories and jokes. There was a cake: hamburger with peanut butter frosting and bacon sprinkles. No one else wanted any. Strange. I guess they were being nice and letting the birthday boy have it to himself. It was delicious. After that, the party started winding down. No one was quite ready to leave yet, but the atmosphere was getting there. People had scattered off around the house to let their own thoughts settled. So, I figured it was time to start thanking everyone for coming.
The first person I found was Sable who was, big surprise, in the kitchen. “Hello Sable. I hope you enjoyed yourself?” I said as I walked up to her.
”You bet! How’s it feel to be 27?” she asked.
”The same as it feels to be 26, oddly.”
”Yeah, that’s the kind of smartass answer you’d give,” she said with a smile. It was a very pretty smile. It was filled with warmth and there was just a twinkle about her eyes that made her alluring. Or, that may have been the cognac, looking back. “You were just as much of a smartass when you first joined, remember?
”Wit doesn’t age, my dear,” I said.
”Ha, you know, back then, I thought you were just like any other young guy; just immature and posturing. I thought you’d grow out of it. Almost ten years later, and you’re still you.”
”Thanks, I suppose?”
”I like you this way, though. Don’t change too much, Hahn,” she said.
”Oh. ...Thanks.”
”Are you blushing...?”
”Don’t be absurd,” I said as I hurriedly turned on my heel to leave. “I’ll see you another time, Sable. Thanks for coming.”
”Happy birthday!” she called after me.
Elsewhere, in the living room, I found Eustace. She had taken a seat in the couch facing the large window looking outside. She looked quiet, pensive really, but she wasn’t so out of it that she didn’t notice me walking in. She briefly turned a polite glance toward me. Like I said, she was swamped with work, so I figured that’s what was tugging at her mind.
”Evening Eustace. How are you?” I asked as I took a seat next to her. Close enough that the depression in the cushion brought the sides of our buns together. She really did have a lovely ass. Firm, smooth, not particularly large, but enough to fill a pair of hands...but I digress.
”I’m all right. Sorry I snuck away,” she said.
”It’s fine, the scene was winding down regardless. It looks like there’s something on your mind. Care to share?”
”I was just thinking about Henri. I worry that I haven’t been there for him enough lately. I mean, this is such a sensitive age for him and I’ve spent the last few months kicking people in the face! I’ve been making a little more time lately, but I just...ugh, this isn’t how I imagined motherhood.”
”Eustace, you’re being silly. Henri is what, 12?”
”8,” she said, turning her nose up at me.
”Whatever. The point is, he’s not stupid. He understands why you’re not around as much. And I know you, you’re spending whatever time you do manage to make for him making sure he knows how much you love him.”
”You really think I’m doing okay?”
”If anyone judges you otherwise, point me in their direction and I’ll knock them out.” She giggled. I suppose the thought of me throwing a punch is rather humorous. “I think you’re a great mom, Eustace. And because you were so instrumental in beating the SEED, there’s a lot of parents who owe their future with their children to you.”
She was quiet, with a smile on her face for a few moments. She fidgeted; I guess she was trying to hold back a blush, but a ginger trying to hide a blush may as well be a tree trying to hide leaves. “I hope he turns out to be a man like you, Johann.”
”Well, I am fairly magnificent.”
”I just hope he’s not calling me ‘mommy’ when he’s 27.”
”Tch. Another time, Eustace,” I said as I got up.
”Happy birthday!”
On my way out of the living room, I spotted Ethan on his way to the door. I raised my hand in greeting and he raised his back. “Glad I caught you on your way out. Thanks for coming,” I said as I held open the foyer door for him to get his coat.
”It was a great party, thanks for inviting me! I owe you a rematch.”
”It was a draw.”
”If you say so.”
”Everyone’s got a smart mouth today...running back to Karen, then?” After I went to go defeat Keiko with my wholly premeditated and expertly orchestrated plan back on Rykros, Ethan had a crisis of his own pop up. He had to go rescue Karen from a Dulk Fakis, and they wound up floating in space, where they spoke with Karen’s dead twin sister...ugh, this sounds stupid to me, and I saved the universe by reloading a saved game. You’d have to ask him.
”Yeah, I’m helping out with patrols on Moatoob, so I need to get some sleep,” he said. Unsurprisingly, rogue activity on Moatoob had risen given the recent chaos. Restoring order there wasn’t just an issue of clean up, but putting down opportunists seeking to take advantage of the power vacuum there.
”Your life took some turns you didn’t anticipate, didn’t it?” I asked with a smirk.
”Fft, you can say that again...”
”You’re holding up rather well, I think.”
”You think?”
”Sure. Me, I always knew I was bound to do great things. Not only was my mind set on it from when I was a child, I’ve been groomed for it for at least as long. You though...a year ago, you were doing what? Screwing around on a hoverboard?”
”Ha ha...yeah...”
”Honestly, I wonder what it’s like to have your life shift gears so violently. Hmm...well, I guess that’s just a perspective I won’t ever have.”
”It’s...it’s been pretty awesome I think. It’s been super hard, for sure, but it’s been awesome. I feel like I’ve fulfilled this purpose that I never knew I was missing.”
”Well, don’t slack off. We’re over the hill, but it’s still a ways down. Still, relax a little. Say hello to Miss Erra for me. She’s due to make a public appearance tomorrow morning, though I doubt she needs the reminder.”
”Right! Night Johann. Happy B-day!” he said, holding out his fist. I bumped it with mine and we nodded. After I saw him out the door, that left me to find my next guest. It occurred to me that finding Elyham would be a no brainer: surely, she’d still be playing the game against the CPU. Sure enough, she was on the couch, contentedly playing.
”Isn’t playing the computer boring?” I asked.
”I don’t mind,” she said, tapping away.
”Of course you don’t,” I said as I sat down and picked up a glass of brandy I left unfinished. “So then, I guess it’s finally time to acknowledge the fact that we’re unemployed, huh?”
”Ugh, with everything going on, it didn’t matter that we lost our jobs when Rozenom fell. Almost all the universities have suspended their classes and research too...” she moaned. It was so bad, that she even paused the game to lament the fact.
”Almost. Holtes Tech gave me a call yesterday. They’re carrying on with research, but they’re looking to fill a position, what, with Dr. Tomrain in prison now.”
”Oh. Congratulations, Dr. Launcher.”
”Of course, I’m too busy serving her eminence’s whims these days to take up residence off Neudaiz, so, I referred them to you. They’ll give you a call Monday, probably. ...Drat, empty. I don’t think I’ve had too much to drink tonight. Do you think I’ve had too much to drink tonight?”
”B-but, I don’t have my doctorate! I can’t qualify for a job like that!”
”I mean, yeah, I’ve had something around four glasses of brandy, but I also ate a bunch of that cake. And, I’m not making out with Sable, so I think I’ve still got my head together, don’t you think?”
”What am I going to tell them?!”
”Blah, you women. It’s always about you, isn’t it? Well, I told them that you’re every bit as competent as me in the field and they would be total morons not seriously consider you because you haven’t put in enough time as slave labor. No, but seriously, I won’t look gross if I pour myself another glass, right?”
”I-I don’t know what to say. Thank you, Dr. Launcher!”
”You deserve it, Elyham. Enjoy the rest of the night,” I said as I got up with my empty glass.
”Happy birthday. And, um, maybe you should drink a little water...?”
”Fft, that stuff the fish fuck in?”
That was almost everyone. From there, I just had to find Zoe and Alice. I ascended the staircase, thinking I might find one or both of them upstairs. As I passed my room, I noticed my mother inside, making my bed. “Mummy?” I said as I backed up and poked my head in the door.
”Oh, hello yo-yo. I didn’t have a chance to make your bed earlier, so I’m doing it now,” she said as she tossed a sheet into the air.
”I’m a grown man, I can fix my own bed,” I said. She paused and turned her head toward me. It was something she usually did whenever she wanted me to meditate on something I just said. “...Yeah, okay,” I said, realizing that I’ve never folded a set of bedsheets in my life.
”Did you enjoy your birthday, yo-yo?”
”I always do. The cake was delicious, thank you mummy.”
”It took some doing to find a bakery on Moatoob that was open for business, but it’s worth it for my baby. Did your friends have a good time?”
”I’m thanking them for coming. They seem to have enjoyed themselves. I’m sure they especially enjoyed the movies you prepared of me as a toddler...” I said as I walked in.
”Oh, you were just so adorable back then. So carefree, always eager to stumble into anything without giving it half a thought. Not like now. Now, you don’t even pick your clothes for the day out without a thorough analysis of the pros and cons of each piece of clothing. Sometimes I wonder if that’s my fault...”
”You may be a cast, mummy, but I don’t think anyone would accuse you of thinking things through.”
”That smart mouth of yours is definitely your father’s doing.” She made the final fold and stepped away from my bed to survey her handiwork. It was immaculate, as always. “So, what do you want from your 27th year in this world?”
”I’m going to go back to what I was doing before I got sidetracked by all this nonsense: my ICS research.”
She put her palm on my head and gently rubbed it. “I couldn’t have asked for a son to turn out better.”
”I had the best mummy.”
”And I had the best family!” father said along with a crack of a Ryuker. He had drawn us both in close for a hug and had one of his obliviously carefree smiles on his face.
”Read the mood, father,” I said.
”Mind if I borrow you for a word, kid?” he asked.
”Eh, fine.” He took his arm off mummy and guided me out of the room with the other arm still on me.
”Happy birthday, mommy loves you!”
Out in the hall, father and I stopped and he let his arm fall off me. “So, what’s up? I doubt you’re just wishing me happy birthday,” I said.
”Yeesh, was I really that horrible to you?”
I folded my arms and said, ”duplicitous is the word I would use.”
”All right, all right, I deserve that. I have to admit kid, I really was not expecting much from you when I first adopted you. I figured you’d have a nice upbringing, have a good, respectable, if boring, life and that’d be that. You were just supposed to be a little something to pass the time while I waited for a proper prodigy.”
”I’m really feeling the paternal love, father, I really am.”
He laughed, but wasn’t deterred by the sneer on my face. “But not only did you far exceed my expectations and did what I never could. It’s ridiculous, in a way...I was so tired of life. I thought when I finally got to be human again, I’d be thrilled and in a hurry to die.” He clenched his teeth in a forced sort of grin and shook his head. “But, now that I’m here...having seen you pull out the most unlikely of victories...I want to see just a little bit more of the story.”
”I take it you’ll be sticking around then?”
”I thought I’d seen everything. I was wrong. It all seems so interesting again...and I have you to thank, kid.”
”Even if you were a total jackass about it, I suppose it all turned out fine in the end.”
”I’m not going to hear the end of this anytime soon, am I?”
”There’ll be something engraved on your tombstone.”
”Geez, so morbid. Let’s lighten it up a bit,” he said as he raised his left hand. He pulled the ring off the ring finger and wiped off the gem against his shirt. Then, he held it out to me. “This belonged to my first love. I’m not saying you have to do anything about it now. Take your time, but, I know Gwendolyn will be thrilled to have it if you’re ever ready to give it to her.”
”Er...uh, wow, father, I’m not sure what to say,” I said as I hesitantly took the ring from his hand.
”You don’t have to say anything. Just keep in mind that, technically, you’re banging your cousin.”
”Screw you, dad,” I said as I turned on my heel to leave.
”Right, keep it in the family!” he called after me.
While I walked down the hall trying to get that thought out of my mind, a pair of arms flung around my neck. There was no need to panic though; the scent told me who was giving me a surprise hug from behind without having to look. “Oh, there you are Alice. I was looking for you.”
”What’s the birthday boy want with lil’ old me?”
I took one of her hands that was draped over my shoulder into mine and turned around to face her. I had been avoiding her the weeks following the climactic battle because while I can easily scare up the courage to fight interdimensional evil, confronting feelings is a task of a whole other order.
”That vacation I took to see the Aurora Majarra sure turned into something ridiculous, didn’t it?” I said
”It sure did! And boy, am I glad you came. You make a girl’s life real exciting, Huhn,” she said.
”Heh, drama has a way of following me around. ...Listen, I don’t want send a mixed message here. I’m very fond of you Alice, but I-” She put a finger on my lips. It’s not like I couldn’t have kept talking; I was more hushed by the subdued smile on her face.
”I don’t do all the science stuff like you do, but momma didn’t raise a dummy. I know how you feel about Gwinny.” I opened my mouth to speak, but she pressed her finger harder against my lips. “You’re a super swell guy Huhn, so I ain’t gonna give you any grief over it. But...but I wish it were a little different, you know?”
”...I know. I’m sorry,” I said as she lowered her finger.
”You ain’t gotta be sorry! It’s not like you or me is dying! Let’s...let’s just get along like we always, do, ‘kay?”
I really have to stop and give her credit here. The emotional maturity she was displaying here made me feel about two Rp tall. There I had avoided her for three weeks, fretting over how I was going to explain that night was a one time thing, and she cuts me off and says she’d like to be friends. I just...I still wince thinking about it.
I felt a tear sting my eye. It was funny, because I was sure she’d be the one crying. I forced it back and nodded mutely. She started nodding too, and soon, we were bobbing our heads like ducks in rhythm. We started laughing when we both noticed what we were doing, and ended with a mutual sigh.
”You don’t have any regrets, Alice?”
”’Course not! My world was so tiny before you showed up! I didn’t ever think I’d get to see the world beyond my snowy backyard. It was a mite risky sometimes, but ya always pulled out a shinin’ miracle when it really counted.”
And then, the unthinkable happened; I succumbed to a sudden fit of humility. ”I...I’m really not that...” I said. I was still feeling ashamed of how lightly I got off, so I suppose that’s where that came from.
”Yeah you are!” she said, cutting me off. “That ain’t no way for you to go feeling on your own birthday.”
”Ha...yes, you’re right. Alice. I’m quite happy you and I had the opportunity to know each other. I hope you’re never more than a phone call away.”
”You betcha!”
I leaned forward, intending to give her a kiss on the cheek, but she seemed to have the same idea, and we ended up kissing on the lips instead. Oops. We pulled back immediately, her fiercely blushing and me stammering to explain myself.
”Excuse me,” I heard Gwen’s voice call. I turned my head down the hall, and sure enough, there she was coming out from the bathroom.
”Gwendolyn, this isn’t what it looks like!” I said.
”So you didn’t botch that kiss on the cheek?” she asked with a bemused grin.
”...Oh. All right, I suppose it’s precisely what it looks like, then.”
”Imma go check up on Sable,” Alice said before she headed downstairs. “Happy birthday, Huhn!”
”Thanks for coming,” I called after her descending figure. Gwendolyn came up from behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. Right as I turned, she pecked me on the lips. I was a little disappointed by the fleeting sensation of her lips on mine, but I smirked anyway. “Tease.”
”Mm, I should ask Alice what lip gloss this is. It’s tasty,” she said.
”Wow, I’m never going to hear the end of this one, am I?”
”It’ll come back to haunt you in six month intervals. Your friends still here, I guess?”
”Hey come on, they’re our friends. They’ll get over the ‘almost killed them and everything they loved’ thing eventually.”
”Wow, I’m never going to hear the end of that one, am I?”
”It’ll come up now and again.”
She pursed her lips at me and I gave her a sneer in exchange. “You been having a good day?”
”...Yeah. I have. It’s been pretty great. You?”
”Are you kidding? Any day out of that nightmare is fantastic. It’s amazing getting up everyday and knowing that I’m in complete control of how the day goes! Thank you, Johann. Really.”
”...” The whole day, people had been gushing praise and appreciation on me. That was mostly because they all knew that fluffing my ego is the best present I could possibly be given. But, that particular bit of gratitude kicked up something that had been itching at the back of my mind for the past few weeks. “Gwendolyn...”
”Hmm?”
”Are you sure...that this is what you want?”
”Huh? What do you mean?”
”I mean, you’ve got your life back after millions of years-”
”Thousands! How old do you think I am?!”
”Yeah, ‘cause that’s so much better...as I was saying, you’ve got your life back. Are you sure you want to settle with me just because I rescued-” I stopped because she kicked me in the back of my knee. “Ow!”
”Oh no you don’t, I see where this is going. Listen you, I really like you. I don’t love you because I owe you. I love you because I like you.”
”Did you really have to kick me to say that?” I said as I wrung my leg out.
”I’m mad at you right now,” she said, turning away in a huff and folding her arms.
”What?! But I was being considerate and conscientious and everything!”
”Well, now you know better.”
”Ugh, whatever. I’m still getting my birthday present later tonight, right?”
”...Yes.”
”Excellent. ...Thanks for saying that.”
”Hmph.”
”Okay, okay, I promise, I’ll be self centered and emotionally callous from now on.”
”Damn right you will.”
”I don’t understand this relationship even a little bit...” I muttered as I continued on my quest. As I turned the corner, I heard Gwendolyn faintly wishing me a happy birthday. I had to smile a little bit; only so many people are so fortunate to be so loved. “Well, that just leaves Zoe and Keiko. Probably in the Seisha’s suite.”
As I figured, when I approached the door to the room we keep for the Seishas I heard some noises coming from inside. I was about to open it, but then I thought better of it and knocked first. You know, give them enough time to get some clothes on, or whatever. I then opened the door and Zoe seated on the floor with Keiko’s face in her lap. I’m just going to leave that without context for a few moments. … ... ...All right, so Keiko was apparently knocked out and was napping while Zoe stayed with her to watch her.
”The empress can’t hold her liquor, I see,” I said. Earlier, I insisted that Keiko have a cup of sake since it was my birthday and the rest of us were drinking.
”Lightweight,” Zoe said.
”No kidding. She’s like 60 Kv, tops, but I didn’t think that cup would put her down. Thanks for looking after her, Zoe. I’ll take her home now.”
”I don’t mind.” She slipped her arms under Keiko, one under her back and the other under her knees, and lifted her as she stood up. I took Keiko from her arms and slung her over my shoulder. Zoe’s nose crinkled a little once she realized I intended to carry her like a sack of potatoes. “Carry her nice.”
”Please, even an empress isn’t too good for a drunk girl carry,” I said as I shrugged to secure my hold. Given the nature of the conversations I had been having that night, I asked myself if there was anything I wanted to say to Zoe. After all, she had been my longest romantic relationship. As I gazed upon her face, I tallied up the good memories and the regrets...and just didn’t come up with anything I cared to settle up with words. I just smiled.
”Thanks for coming, Zoe.”
She smiled back and said, “happy birthday, Johnny.”
*******
Outside was one of Neudaiz’s rare clear skies. The starlight lit my way along Ohtoku’s roads and gave the atmosphere a soft shine. I’m not one to appreciate walks and nice scenery, but I did like the serenity of it all. It seemed like the most appropriate backdrop to put an end to a chapter of my life.
”Keiko.”
”Mmmhrm...”
”Keiko, I know you’re not drunk. That sake I gave you was non-alcoholic.”
Her head shot up and turned to me with a scowl. “You jerk!”
”Well come on, even I’m not so irresponsible as to give alcohol to a 16 year old.”
”Is that even a thing?”
”Non alcoholic sake? Eh, it is, but it tastes pretty awful compared to the real thing. But, you have no frame of reference, so it’s not like you’d be able to tell the difference.” I leaned over so she could get down, which she did. We were on one of the tiny bridges that cross over one of Ohtoku’s many streams, so we were at a good place to stop and admire the scenery. “Did you enjoy having a free license to act like a moron?”
”I really thought it was working! Be quiet, shut up, I hate you,” she said, folding her arms.
”That’s terrible,” I said with a chuckle. I took out a cigarette and as soon as I lit it, I drew another scowl from Keiko. “What? It’s my birthday. I’ll quit tomorrow.”
”Uh huh.”
”Maybe the day after. But enough about me, I’ve heard enough about me today. ...Wow, that feels weird to say. Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
”I’ve thought a lot about it. I’ve decided that I won’t be returning rule to the Communion,” she said. When she first asserted the rights of empress, it was under the assumption that it would be a temporary arrangement to address the crisis posed by the SEED. Now that we were back in peacetime, she had to either cede power or install herself formally as empress.
”I see. I’ve made it clear what a bad idea I think this is, yes?”
”Yeah, yeah. You’ll see, Neudaiz will be fine.”
”Ugh, you obviously weren’t paying attention. I don’t doubt that you can do it. Of course you can do it. You’ll do ten times a better job than those halfwits in the Communion ever did. The problem is that you’re signing up for a lifetime of idiots talking crap about you. You deserve better.”
”Oh, that. That’s okay.”
”See, this is what I’m talking about. I’m not entirely convinced you understand what a serious decision you’re making.”
”Of course I do. I’m just not panicking over it, that’s all. Isn’t this what you do?” she asked while raising an eyebrow at me. “I know there’s going to be a lot of criticism. I know that people are going to call me an opportunistic bitch. But none of that changes the fact that I’m the best person for the job.”
”Um...”
”Oh, you’re thinking that I sound a lot like Qin Shi just now, aren’t you? I guess I do. We’ve both spent a lot of time thinking about what makes her and I different. But there was one thing that we have in common that I’m not going to ignore anymore.”
It was...eerie, listening to Keiko sound so assured. However long it’s taken us to tell this story, it needs to be remembered that it was only a few months before this point that this was a flat chested girl whose biggest concern was the spider in her room. “And that is...?” I asked.
”In the end, all either of us can do is go on believing that what we’re doing is right. If it’s not, then we’ll just do something else and believe that’s right. The trick is finding the courage to actually follow through.”
”And you’ve found it?”
”Nope. I don’t have to. Qin Shi and I might have that big thing in common, but there’s also one big difference.” She clapped her hands and looked directly at me before going on. “She believed the future was her responsibility to build all alone. To be a Seisha is to believe the future is a collaboration between everyone, and our covenant with House Launcher is proof of that. If I make a bad decision, I know you’ll stop me.”
”That’s some drunkenly sage wisdom. Maybe I did give you the real stuff.”
”I hope so. I don’t want to believe I did all of that stuff sober...”
”...What stuff?”
She blushed and turned away. “Uh, nothing. Anyway...this decision puts as much on you as it does on me. Can I count on you, Jo-sei?”
”...Tch...this stupid woman is going to make me repeat myself yet again,” I said. I shuffled on my feet for a bit before I stood upright and delivered my answer. “No matter the threat, no matter the distance, I’ll always come to rescue you, Keiko.”
”So cheesy...” she said. There must have been a ninja chopping onions somewhere because there was certainly no way she had to wipe a tear out of her eye on account of my ‘cheesy’ line. “Come on, let’s get me home.” We started walking, side by side, and somehow, my arm found its way across her shoulders and her arm got around my waist. “Hey, Jo-sei.”
”Mm?”
”Don’t take this the wrong way, but, I love you.”
”No hetero?”
”Go to hell.”
Chapter 58: Best End
I...I'm...done. I'll, uh, make another post a little later to talk about this fact. For now, I need to process.
Last edited by Xaeris; Mar 8, 2013 at 02:55 PM.
Did a quick read through, doing another when I get home. (I need to process too)
I've been reading your stuff for the better part of a decade now (at least since I started college, and damn that makes me feel old), and it's been amazing to see your journey as a writer.
I'm happy to have been able to be a reader of this particular work since the beginning, and it's turned out great.
With that said, this is probably my last opportunity to play editor, so I'm taking it:
[tab] tag is showing at the beginning of "Life is a neverending battle..." and at its end.
Heading to work now. See ya in a while.
Last edited by Magus_84; Mar 8, 2013 at 08:28 AM.
Life is a neverending battle. And so is editing. Thanks.
Right, so, here we are, six years later. Like, literally, six years later. When I started writing this, George Bush was still in office. Obama served a full term while I was writing. Hell, the pope only lasted a little bit longer than the story. And you of who have persisted in reading this long, I am ludicrously grateful for your patience. I hope that you feel your persistence in following the story has paid off. It had its rough points, but all in all, I had a fantastic time writing this series.
So, what's next for me. Like I keep saying, there'll be an epilogue. It'll be a single chapter, though I imagine it'll be huge. It's not coming anytime soon though, like, we're talking summer at the absolute earliest. However, I'm not done writing altogether. In fact, now that I'm done, I'm taking it to the next level. I want to produce an original work and get it published. I had already started, but I felt I should finish this story first before I tossed myself headlong into a new project. I'm confident in the practice that working on this story has given me and I feel like I can really make something good if I devote my effort to it. Still, I know there's bunches of rejection letters in my future, so it's not like I'm expecting smooth sailing.
Once again, thank you everyone. Naturally, if you have any questions about the story (I'm sure there's some loose ends in there somewhere) feel free to ask and I will fudge an answer for you.
Why are you looking at this post? I already told you the story's over.
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