Promise
The screaming.
It was just the same, just as it had been before. The sound of the screaming still stung in my ears after all this time. I would never forget those screams. How could I forget? The screams, the running, and then... the shot. I had been powerless to stop it then, and I was just as powerless to stop it now. That horrid event played exactly the same in my mind, only now I knew the outcome. I knew what would transpire before it occurred. But why... why did it have to happen? Had it been my fault? I squeezed my eyes shut tightly just as the shot pealed loudly in the fading light. That one shot was all it had taken. That single, deadly shot. The one, fateful shot that ended my life.
My eyes shot open in shock. I felt a cold sweat plastered on my face, and I breathed heavily as I sat up, my eyes adjusting to my surroundings. The Durandal. I was in my stateroom on the Durandal. How long had I been asleep? I pressed my flesh hand against the lids of my now closed eyes, as if attempting to wipe away the images that still clung to them. The same. My dream had been the same every night since we had been rescued from the insides of the Gnosis called Cathedral Ship. My subconscious told me quietly that, not only would this dream be repeated inside my head, but also it would repeat itself in reality.
As if ridding myself of the notion, I stood suddenly from the bed, the sheets falling astray. Anger flared up from deep within me, and I clenched my fists together, gritting my teeth with a feeling almost like hate.
Never.
I would never let such a thing happen to her. My anger fell from my face with a suddenness that almost frightened me. My thoughts switched to MOMO without any provocation, and I felt the tension slip almost as easily from my mind as had the anger only moments ago. I checked the clock sitting silently on the wall. It was early still. Even though the Durandal was an active ship, surely no one would be about in the Residential Area at this time. With almost no effort, I made my way to the door of my cabin. I would go check on her... Just to make sure she was all right... That was all. I pressed my hand against my door, feeling its cold realness beneath my skin, and then evoked it to slide open. As I had suspected, there was no one wandering the halls. Though it was an active ship, security was relatively lax. I searched my memory for the door that belonged to her, and when I had located it, I provoked the door into opening. No sound but steady breathing came from the dark innards of the room.
She lay there on her bed, quiet and still, her closed golden eyes facing the ceiling. I felt suddenly ill-at-ease, as if I had broken some regulation upon entering her room. After a moment of standing in her doorway, I ignored the feeling and moved inside, hearing her door shut quietly. I moved as silently as was possible with my cyborg body. As I approached her bed as noiselessly as I could muster, my eyes searched for any indication that she was in distress. I found none. But... I could not help but look at her.
She reminded me so much of him. Her bright, golden eyes almost the same hue as his had been. Their voices both chimed like bells. He had once been like her, so young and alive, infinite possibilities spread out before him. A sharp report of pain passed through my chest, and my face contorted into pain. It was painful to think of that day, to think of my stepson. But looking at MOMO almost made me forget my pain. Her pale pink hair fell over her face with a slight rustle. Like instinct, my human hand began to move to her face, but I hesitated, remembering what happened when someone became too close... I remembered that I had told myself that I would never again become attached to someone. I hesitated for silent moment upon silent moment, then, tentatively, my hand moved to the tuft of hair that had fallen across her face, and I replaced it behind her ear. She stirred slightly, and I recoiled, wishing of anything but to wake her. Her mouth parted, and she seemed to form a soundless word. Perplexed, I leaned in closer as she formed the word again, this time with an escaping breath.
"Ziggy..."
I was taken aback at the sudden mention of my name... or, at least, the name she had given me. I involuntarily began to answer her.
"I'm here," I told her in a quiet whisper, "And I won't leave you... Not like I left him." I chided myself for lying. I never really left him... Only my hope did. I may have been mistaken, but it looked as if MOMO's face, bright like his had been, pulled into the semblance of a smile. I moved to the door once more, only glancing over my shoulder once more to see her sleeping soundly. Part of me wanted to stay with her. What if were to happen without warning, just like that day? I shook my head, scolding myself once more. I opened the door and forced myself to go through. I made a promise to the sweet, innocent Realian that slept so peacefully in the room now to my back.
I promised to her that I would never let anything happen to make her lose that smile, lose that spark that shone from within her that made her who she was. I would never allow a repeat of that day. I was careless and sloppy then, but now...
"Hey, old man!" Jr.'s voice caught my attention as it echoed off the metal walls of the empty hall. I looked up to see him sauntering down the hall toward me. I indicated that I was listening to him with a nod of my head, "What're you doin' outside MOMO's room?"
"Keeping a sharp eye," I said, coming up with an excuse quickly. "The Durandal seems to be undermanned in the way of security. Also, our luck hasn't been the greatest of late." Jr. laughed, then looked at MOMO's door.
"Well then, Bodyguard, can I go ask MOMO if she wants to come to the beach with me?"
"She's sleeping," I said, trying to keep my tone down. Jr. looked at me incredulously.
"At this hour?" he harrumphed. "That's no fun. I'll have to go ask Shion, then. You tell her what I said, okay, Bodyguard?" I made a noise that could have been interpreted as agreeing as Jr. jogged back down the hall.
Was that jealousy I felt just then?
Pushing the thought from my mind, I crossed my arms an leaned against the wall next to MOMO's door, closing my eyes. I would wait. I would always be waiting.
I had a promise to keep.
End.
The screaming.
It was just the same, just as it had been before. The sound of the screaming still stung in my ears after all this time. I would never forget those screams. How could I forget? The screams, the running, and then... the shot. I had been powerless to stop it then, and I was just as powerless to stop it now. That horrid event played exactly the same in my mind, only now I knew the outcome. I knew what would transpire before it occurred. But why... why did it have to happen? Had it been my fault? I squeezed my eyes shut tightly just as the shot pealed loudly in the fading light. That one shot was all it had taken. That single, deadly shot. The one, fateful shot that ended my life.
My eyes shot open in shock. I felt a cold sweat plastered on my face, and I breathed heavily as I sat up, my eyes adjusting to my surroundings. The Durandal. I was in my stateroom on the Durandal. How long had I been asleep? I pressed my flesh hand against the lids of my now closed eyes, as if attempting to wipe away the images that still clung to them. The same. My dream had been the same every night since we had been rescued from the insides of the Gnosis called Cathedral Ship. My subconscious told me quietly that, not only would this dream be repeated inside my head, but also it would repeat itself in reality.
As if ridding myself of the notion, I stood suddenly from the bed, the sheets falling astray. Anger flared up from deep within me, and I clenched my fists together, gritting my teeth with a feeling almost like hate.
Never.
I would never let such a thing happen to her. My anger fell from my face with a suddenness that almost frightened me. My thoughts switched to MOMO without any provocation, and I felt the tension slip almost as easily from my mind as had the anger only moments ago. I checked the clock sitting silently on the wall. It was early still. Even though the Durandal was an active ship, surely no one would be about in the Residential Area at this time. With almost no effort, I made my way to the door of my cabin. I would go check on her... Just to make sure she was all right... That was all. I pressed my hand against my door, feeling its cold realness beneath my skin, and then evoked it to slide open. As I had suspected, there was no one wandering the halls. Though it was an active ship, security was relatively lax. I searched my memory for the door that belonged to her, and when I had located it, I provoked the door into opening. No sound but steady breathing came from the dark innards of the room.
She lay there on her bed, quiet and still, her closed golden eyes facing the ceiling. I felt suddenly ill-at-ease, as if I had broken some regulation upon entering her room. After a moment of standing in her doorway, I ignored the feeling and moved inside, hearing her door shut quietly. I moved as silently as was possible with my cyborg body. As I approached her bed as noiselessly as I could muster, my eyes searched for any indication that she was in distress. I found none. But... I could not help but look at her.
She reminded me so much of him. Her bright, golden eyes almost the same hue as his had been. Their voices both chimed like bells. He had once been like her, so young and alive, infinite possibilities spread out before him. A sharp report of pain passed through my chest, and my face contorted into pain. It was painful to think of that day, to think of my stepson. But looking at MOMO almost made me forget my pain. Her pale pink hair fell over her face with a slight rustle. Like instinct, my human hand began to move to her face, but I hesitated, remembering what happened when someone became too close... I remembered that I had told myself that I would never again become attached to someone. I hesitated for silent moment upon silent moment, then, tentatively, my hand moved to the tuft of hair that had fallen across her face, and I replaced it behind her ear. She stirred slightly, and I recoiled, wishing of anything but to wake her. Her mouth parted, and she seemed to form a soundless word. Perplexed, I leaned in closer as she formed the word again, this time with an escaping breath.
"Ziggy..."
I was taken aback at the sudden mention of my name... or, at least, the name she had given me. I involuntarily began to answer her.
"I'm here," I told her in a quiet whisper, "And I won't leave you... Not like I left him." I chided myself for lying. I never really left him... Only my hope did. I may have been mistaken, but it looked as if MOMO's face, bright like his had been, pulled into the semblance of a smile. I moved to the door once more, only glancing over my shoulder once more to see her sleeping soundly. Part of me wanted to stay with her. What if were to happen without warning, just like that day? I shook my head, scolding myself once more. I opened the door and forced myself to go through. I made a promise to the sweet, innocent Realian that slept so peacefully in the room now to my back.
I promised to her that I would never let anything happen to make her lose that smile, lose that spark that shone from within her that made her who she was. I would never allow a repeat of that day. I was careless and sloppy then, but now...
"Hey, old man!" Jr.'s voice caught my attention as it echoed off the metal walls of the empty hall. I looked up to see him sauntering down the hall toward me. I indicated that I was listening to him with a nod of my head, "What're you doin' outside MOMO's room?"
"Keeping a sharp eye," I said, coming up with an excuse quickly. "The Durandal seems to be undermanned in the way of security. Also, our luck hasn't been the greatest of late." Jr. laughed, then looked at MOMO's door.
"Well then, Bodyguard, can I go ask MOMO if she wants to come to the beach with me?"
"She's sleeping," I said, trying to keep my tone down. Jr. looked at me incredulously.
"At this hour?" he harrumphed. "That's no fun. I'll have to go ask Shion, then. You tell her what I said, okay, Bodyguard?" I made a noise that could have been interpreted as agreeing as Jr. jogged back down the hall.
Was that jealousy I felt just then?
Pushing the thought from my mind, I crossed my arms an leaned against the wall next to MOMO's door, closing my eyes. I would wait. I would always be waiting.
I had a promise to keep.
End.