You had never been this scared in your life.

And to think that for a moment everything seemed to be finaly going right. After thousands of years of searching and wandering and praying you had finally stumbled upon a habitable planet. The first scouting robots had been deployed along with altered to look for possible places to set up a colony. Shifu himself had declared that the planet was perfect for everyone. You could still remember how even your cranky old Granny had teared up at the news that you were finally at your destination.

And then scouts came back battered and bleeding and news were released: there were already people on the planet, with their own, hostile altered who had almost killed one of yours, Saki. Not only that, Shifu explained with grave tone, but they were refusing to let you have even the tiniest corner of the planet and instead planned to kill you all.

After that everything was just a blur. Robots were deployed, altered were called to arms and you among other civilians were told not to worry, that your altered could take this "silverhead" out in no time and everyone would be safe again.

Except that the silverhead had defeated them all. She had defeated everything you had and was now here. You could feel the ship shaking from explosion and held your sister tighter. They were getting closer. Just minutes ago you had seen Kyoko being blasted from the sky as that other altered forced her way through your defences and into the ship.

" I'm scared...what is going to happen to us?" your little sister Reina asked from where she had hidden her face against your side. " Why does that altered want to hurt us?" her voice was choked with tears.

" Shhh, shhh, it's going to be okay, Shifu is going to take care of it, that's why he told everyone to evacuate here. We will be fine, don't worry." you kept trying to reassure her even when you really had your doubts.

What will we do if he loses?! Oh gods, I don't want to die like this. I never even got to see what the planet's like..!

Around you most of the people seemed to be in same kind of helpless, quiet panic as you were. The ship shook again, more violently than before.

They must be fighting in the inner chambers now. If she gets past that...

She will have a straight path to us! Nononono please no!

You spared a glance at the windows. There was nothing there anymore since the battle had moved inside, but something kept you looking at the empty night sky of this weird new place.

And then you saw it.

Two figures, one the silverhead before, other someone new. Briefly you thought that maybe one of first injured altered of yours was back up and fighting, but soon dismissed the thought. You should have know anyone of them instantly since you had grown up in this ship, yet you had never seen this girl before. Blonde hair, dark and white dress with black tigh-high socks and a red glowing pendant...why, she looked almost like...

Your mouth went suddenly dry. You had started shaking. Slowly, you put a hand on your sister's shoulder and turned her towards the window.

"Hime" you said flatly, still in too much shock to speak better. " Shifu awoken Hime!"

First, no one seemed to give your words any recognition. Your mother, however, replied with biting tone : "Stop saying such nonsense. Can't you consider the situation at all? Your fairytales are the last thing we need right now!"

You simply moved over to her and dragged her towards the window.

"Mei, what in a world are you-" and then she saw, too. She went completely still, her eyes widening.

Through the high-tech zooming window ship had you could all see a familiar figure, after all everyone had seen her picture painted on the wall of the small shrine of the ship whenever you went there. There was no mistaking the golden-haired girl now calmly exchanging words with the person who had in few days wiped out nearly all of your defenses. Expressions were pretty hard to make out from that far, but you think she was smiling.

"She looks smaller that I thought" was your next somewhat cohorent thought while you watched your mother's stunned reaction from the corner of your eye. "Also it seems that the wings were just exaggeration."

Then the reality of the situation dawned to you. You were safe. You were saved. Your knees went weak from the relief. All around, people were now noticing the same thing you had. Some shouted, some laughed and some cried in relief. Just opposite you, older man slowly sat down and started muttering a pray with hands clasped around prayer beads on thread. You felt almost like joining him, but instead you scrambled forward towards the window to get a better look at things.

They were fighting now, silverhead and Hime. Unlike before with Kyoko, you felt no fear. There was no way anything would hurt you anymore. She would protect you all.

She.

Hime.

Hime!

All those stories about her, Guardian Deity sleeping deep within your ship, only to rise to protect everyone at the direst moments of your journey. And this must have surely been one of them, what with you almost being wiped out by single enemy.

Fight was nothing but flashing lights, missiles, chains and clashing blades of pure energy. It was impossible to keep up, both of them moving faster that you thought possible, but with an eerie ease. Stranger's attacks were brushed away with pink and blue, chains blocking her path and forcing her to dodge with impossible-looking twists. Yet, she didn't seem to care as she simply returned Hime's attacks whenever she got an opening. Their movements were getting more intense by second, attack becoming far more dangerous looking. Yet there was still that strange ease in their movements. As if they weren't even...trying. Both of them suddenly looped back towards each other and met with a shattering sound, going right past one another.

Then suddenly silence. Silverhead was still there, seemingly talking with Hime again. You frowned. What were they talking about? Shouldn't Hime just finish what she started and be over with it? You looked at them, noticing suddenly that strange girl had hardly any marks on her from the fight. Totally confused, you looked on as two of them went side by side and...

FLASH

BOOM

Everyone went flying around. You couldn't get a hold from anywhere, your sister being flung from you. It was like the whole ship had went crazy. Floor was tilted and emergency systems were coming to life. You caught a glimpse of the window and your heart made a paniced thump. Your whole block had become separated from the main ship and has slowly started drifting down and away. Hime and the stranger went flying straight into the main ship. Moments passed, where you tried to shakily regain your balance. What? Why in a world would Hime do that?! You got no damn idea what was even going on anym-

From the window you watched in horror as the rest of the ship took a deep dive down, straight towards the planet below. It went faster and faster, in a way that could only be deliberate attempt to crash. Shifu must be still there to control it! But what is he..?

And then the ship was completely engulfed in blinding white light coming from the silverheaded stranger below it. People cringed and braced for the second impact.

It never came.

Instead you saw an angelic figure of your Guardian right next to block's wall, arms outstretched and head turned upwards. Raw power was seeping out from her, taking the brunt of the impact instead of you all. Strange hum could be heard from the clash as she kept shielding you while the explosion subsided.

And then, when everything went calm again she turned towards the window and smiled.

And you knew everything was going to be alright.

…...

...

Shifu had lied to you all.

AN: I really liked the idea of giving voice to those poor normal people who get dragged into the mess that is SUGURI crazyness. I also thought it would work well in expanding the Suguriverse and addressing some issues that have bothered me. My other potential ideas for other oneshots in series include that shopkeeper that Kyoko buys food from reflecting on arrival of people from the ship, bunch of parents worrying about Iru being allowed near their children and someone who has been taking care of Suguri's injuries and malfunctions suddenly having their hand more than full with pack of new altered flocking the place.