[LightDragonman]

Next update. I may think about posting these onto Spacebattles as well in the future.

_____


The trek back to the hanger wasn't nearly as harrowing thanks to A-Drei now joining both Haruto and Saki. He was able to clear out a straight path for them by telling the forces to move to a different location, so they no longer had to worry about being detected.

Finally, they made it back to the hanger floor. After a quick stop by the storage room so Haruto could retrieve his pilot suit, the three made their way into the more secure storage hanger where Unit 04 was being held.

"You're going to have to bust your way out of the ship." A-Drei told them once they arrived at the Unit. "I'll follow you in my Kirschbaum as soon as you guys get within acceptable distance. That way, they'll think that I'm just tailing you to wipe you out when you reach the rendezvous point."

"Thank you A-Drei" Haruto said sincerely. "I only hope you can help L-Elf out of his slump, if he's still in it."

"I owe him this" A-Drei responded. "After all, it was my distrust in him that led to all of this."

"Just so you know" Saki added with a glare, "I'm only willing to go along with you because Haruto trusts you. If it were up to me, I'd launch you out of the airlock."

A-Drei nodded morosely. He figured she'd still be upset with him after everything she went through thanks to him. Truth be told, he also wasn't even sure if he'd be able to patch things up with anyone at the rendezvous point, let alone L-Elf.

"After all, I am the cause of the massacre."

With that, the two pilots boarded Unit 04, waiting for A-Drei to leave the area. Once he did, Saki immediately activated the Valvrave, and with a quick throw of a Spindle Knuckle, they headed straight out the Walkit cruiser and back to the moon.

_____


As the alarms went off throughout the ship, A-Drei returned to the hanger where his Kirschbaum was parked. Equipping his pilot suit, he was just about to board when he heard the click of a gun being ready behind him.

"...X-Eins" he acknowledged.

"I was tailing you when you allowed those two pilots to escape" he said. "First L-Elf, then H-Neun, and now you. Why exactly are you all betraying us."

A-Drei closed in eyes in resignation. "I'm not betraying you. Rather, this is the punishment I've earned for my actions. So many dead, and so much horror done.....all because of my distrust of L-Elf."

"Is that why brought that pilot up here as prisoner rather than letting her escape with the Royalists on Earth?"

".....Yes. She was a Type Seven Lifeform after all. Everything has been thrown into chaos because of them."

"Including your plan to liberate Dorssia?"

A-Drei's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"Due to your background as a former Prince and member of the Royalists, I was once asked by Captain Cain to investigate you behind your back. In fact, it was a Royalist who gave that male pilot the location of the prisoner in the first place."

A-Drei hung his head. "So now the truth is out. Are you going to turn me in?"

X-Eins said nothing, instead activating a small communication earpiece he had been holding.

"Rejoice H-Neun. X-Eins body will soon belong to my comrade."

"You bastard!"

"We should sound the gun salute."

*BANG*

A-Drei was shocked at the recording. "Is that...Impossible!"

"But true." X-Eins confirmed. "It was Captain Cain who killed H-Neun"

The former prince's eyes widened as the bespectacled Karlstein agent placed the device on his ear.

"I want to avenge H-Neun" he declared. "I want to avenge my friend. So I won't turn you in, nor the other Royalist here."

"Are you planning on joining me and the two Valvrave pilots then?"

".....Not yet" X-Eins admitted. "I still need to get more tangible evidence to prove what happened to H-Neun. The Royalist says he's waiting on Major Kriemheld. Apparently, she is also looking into his disappearance as well."

"She's with the Royalists?"

"And that's why I'm the strategist, not you" X-Eins said with a small chuckle. "Now go get out of here. I'll join you and the others once she's found and sent me the evidence."

"Understood X-Eins." A-Drei said with a salute. "Blitzendegen!"

With that, he boarded his Kirschbaum and took off to join Haruto and Saki, X-Eins watching with a salute of his own.

"Blitzendegen..."

_____


The trip back to the moon was a rather quiet affair for both Haruto and Saki, aside from the occasional destruction of a Dorssian Waffe that tried to intercept them. Haruto still had an extremely grateful look on his face, now that he knew his friend was finally safe.

"Man, I didn't think I'd be able to return to the others as well" he finally admitted sheepishly. "I was fully expecting to have to wait for you and the others to rescue me."

"Haruto...." Saki said, concerned by what all he was willing to do. "What do you mean?"

"When I came to rescue you, I was fully expecting that I'd have to exchange myself for you, whether that was a hostage swap, or even turning myself in for your safety. That's one reason why I decided to do this whole thing by myself. When A-Drei showed up, I was certain that that was what was going to happen."

"Haruto..."

"But hey, it all worked out in the end!" he said, a smile on his face. "We're both returning, and we even got a new ally in the process! Maybe sweetness is indeed stronger than bitterness when it comes to approaches!"

"...Yeah" Saki responded quietly, trying her best to hide her glum look from him.

".....You weren't planning on making it back with me?" she thought. "Do you honestly think so little of yourself?"

By now, the two had reached the moon, with Haruto guiding Saki to where he had hidden Valvrave Unit 01; in a crater on the dark side of the moon.

As they approached the Unit, Haruto put his hand up to his head. ".....Dang it, looks like the Runes I took from that guard weren't enough to properly resupply me. I only hope L-Elf is of a right mind to allow me to feed from him once we get back."

Saki turned to face him, unzipping her pilot suit a bit. "Here. I'll let you feed on me. I won't mind."

However, he vigorously shook his head at her offer. "No, I made a pact to only feed on L-Elf. I can't put you or anyone else through the harm it causes."

He turned to look back out at the moon, once again oblivious to the hurt expression on Saki's face.

".....Haruto, do you have so little faith in me? This curse is our bond, and I'm willing to share your burden."

She couldn't stand seeing him act like this anymore. "...Haruto, about what you said..."

Just then, the two were hailed by A-Drei, much to the displeasure of Saki.

"Haruto Tokishima and Rukino Saki. This is A-Drei. Don't fire at the Kirschbaum that coming up behind you. That's my craft."

"Understood" Haruto responded. "Just let me board my Valvrave, and then we'll head to the rendezvous point via the Mass Driver."

"I'll follow after you two depart first" A-Drei said. "It would probably be better for all of us if I don't appear alongside any potential enemy forces that they could be facing right now."

"Very well. We'd better make this quick then."

With that, Saki maneuvered Unit 04 to Unit 01's resting spot, and opened the cockpit hatch for Haruto to depart.

"Thanks Rukino-san" Haruto said, before heading on out. "I'll see you at the rendezvous point."

As he floated out of Unit 04 and landed on the moon however, he was surprised to a shadow following him. Looking back, he saw Saki had followed him, an unreadable expression on her face.

"...Rukino-san, what's the matter?"

"We've got to hurry" A-Drei added, watching the two from his Kirschbaum unit. "The others need us."

Saki paid him no attention however, and continued to walk towards Haruto.

"I have to ask him before it's too late." she thought. "He'll be with occupied with Shouko once we return after all.

"Haruto, did you really mean to take my place as prisoner and lab rat in exchange for my safety?"

"Rukino-san?" Haruto was confused. "Now's not really the time to be asking-"

"Please, just answer me." Saki interrupted, her gaze seeming to stare holes through her helmet and into his.

Realizing that she wasn't going to leave unless he gave her his answer, Haruto sighed.

"...Yes, I truly meant to take your place as the one being tortured." he admitted. "In fact, that was the plan from the beginning should we both have been caught."

"Why?" Saki asked, her eyes widening.

"Because I deserved it. Given everything that I've done, such as what I did to you that night, I have to take on this burden alone. Just before I came to save you, Shouko found out who I truly am as well."

".....She learned the truth?" Saki asked.

"Yes. And it just confirmed what I was always suspecting. That she would hate me if she found out the truth."

He looked down at his hands with a grim expression. "Don't you see Rukino-san? That's why I have to bear all this myself. I've only caused you, Shouko, and everyone else so much pain. I really am a monster, and this curse has to end with me, even if it costs me my life."

Saki froze at his response, remembering when she tried to let him feed on her before they left for Earth. "...Is that why you went to L-Elf to feed on instead of accepting my offer?"

Haruto nodded, his gaze growing more dour. "Yes. L-Elf is the only one who I can trust to be able to handle my inhuman urges. I can't let you or anyone else get hurt thanks to me. If I'm being honest, you offering yourself to me felt like a betrayal of my trust in you”

Saki felt her heart crack. ".....Betrayal?"

"You shouldn't be offering yourself up to me like that, given what I did to you." Haruto continued. "It's just a reminder of what I am now. And besides, it would just be a temporary treatment that involves hurting you again. Especially since I was vulnerable to the curse that time. It felt like you drove me into a corner where I would be forced to hurt you. It would've been far better if you kept your vow to stop me before I fell under the curse by striking me again. At least L-Elf honored my wish by promising a solution that he'd stop me should I ever go out of control again. I'd rather die than hurt a friend, so all you did was just serve as a memory I'm trying to move past."

At that statement, Saki gritted her teeth, her eyes hidden behind her bangs.

"...Is that all I am to you now then Haruto? A painful reminder of your worst mistakes? Is guilt and horror all you can feel when you look at me?”

Haruto paused. "...N-No, that's not what I meant Rukino-san. Just that kindness and sympathy aren't what I need, but rather to be stopped before I hurt someone else again. I don't deserve the former after all, but rather need someone who can do what needs to be done to stop me. That's why you shouldn't have gone through all that torture just to keep me from undergoing what you went through.”

Saki was speechless. "If that's what you think, then what do you think of me, given what all I went through for you? How is offering a helping hand in your worst moment cornering you with bad choices?"

"..........Bullshit." Saki muttered, her gaze pointed downwards.

"Rukino-san, what-?"

"I SAID BULLSHIT HARUTO!" Saki suddenly yelled. "Why can't you just accept other's help?! Why?! Why do you have to shoulder this all by yourself?! How is me offering to share your pain a betrayal of your trust in me?!"

Haruto was taken aback by her outburst. "...I already hurt you before! How can you possibly want me to do something so heinous to you again?"

"Didn't I tell you that it was the curse that caused you to do that?" Saki reminded him. "It's something all of us Kamitsuki share now. How is trying to stamp that out with pain and punishment more preferable to being given a shoulder to lean on?!"

“But I would’ve been hurting you again. I don’t want to know that I hurt someone to feel better!” Haruto protested.

“You wouldn’t have been hurting me!” Saki countered. “I was willingly offering myself to you! Why couldn’t you see that and accept my offer?!”

"Accepting it would've meant I would fall under this wretched curse again! I can't ever let myself fall under that, and I can't believe you didn't stop me that night I assaulted you under it!" Haruto replied, unable to see the logic in her refusal to knock him out of his cursed state.

"That's because, despite what you think, that wouldn't have helped!" Saki answered hotly. "Your curse was already ravaging you before then, and hitting you only prevented it for a time! Who's to say that you wouldn't have ended up attacking me or someone else you were with had I done that?! Why can't you just accept the fact that I was willing to work with you and your cursed state?! Am I that unappealing to you for offering myself?!

“You promised to kill me should the curse cause me to hurt someone!” Haruto reminded her. “Yet you chose to instead endure me hurting you, and didn’t knock me out of it! How could you have let that happen?”

Saki looked down. “…You’re right. I did promise you that. But that was before I understand just how much of a curse this truly is, and how badly it affects you. Kicking you out would’ve only postponed when you fell under it again after all. And how do you think the others would react should you die? We’d be short a pilot! Did that ever cross your mind?”

Haruto paused. “…I…I didn’t think of that.”

“…I’m sorry Haruto” Saki apologized. “I shouldn’t have made that promise. It was just me trying to comfort you in that moment when it was the worst thing I could’ve pledged to do to you. But that still doesn’t explain why you can’t rely on me or others to lean on. Why can’t you count on me, when I’m more than capable of handling your burden?”

"A-At least I have L-Elf. He's someone I can rely on to carry it half-and-half."

"But why him?" Saki questioned. "Why can you only rely on him to curb your attacks?"

"Like I said, he respected my wish by offering me a solution. He'd stop me before I go out of control again, even if it meant killing me. I'd rather die than-"

"THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION HARUTO!" Saki cried, grasping his shoulders with both her hands.

"...That's not a solution. Do you honestly think that we're all fine with seeing you constantly suffer all this alone? That you'd prefer being punished rather than work through your condition?! Bad enough that I saw you go through all those experiments just to find out what was causing your attacks! Now you say that you can't rely on your friends to help you through this?!"

She turned her gaze to meet his shocked expression. "Why would you ever wish to be stopped by any means necessary including death?! How is offering to ease your pain 'betraying your trust'? L-Elf's the only one you rely on? Why?! Because his ruthlessness means that you can feel guiltless for feeding on him? Because he’s willing to respect your wish for punishment over kindness?! What about the others who are there for you?!"

Haruto stammered. "B-but I have to do this alone. L-Elf made me realize that when he said he’d get someone else to pilot Valvrave Unit 01 should he kill me. The curse needs to end with me and only-"

"So then allow others to help carry your weight!" Saki countered. "If don’t want anyone else to suffer the curse of being the pilot of Unit 01 after all, then we can help you keep that from happening! We’re all here for you! You said it yourself. 'Let's be halfsies' right? How can you say that, and then not follow through with that unless you think they can punish you?! Do you really feel as though you don't deserve anything else?!”

By now, tears were beginning to stream down her face. ""Do you know how much it h-hurts to see you say all this about yourself? To see you constantly prefer punishment and flagellation o-over offers of kindness? How do you think S-Shouko and the others feel whenever you're out there alone, i-in constant danger?! You think that by t-taking it all by yourself, you're h-helping us?! That only y-you can handle the burden of this c-curse, and only you d-deserve it, and w-we aren't a-allowed to be a s-shoulder to l-lean o-on?! A-And that we’ll a-all be sunshine and r-rainbows in the e-event that you d-die?! How can you be so s-selfish?!"

"Rukino-san-"

"P-Please Haruto Tokishima!" she sobbed, arms trembling. "PLEASE DON'T THINK SO LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF!"

With that, Saki finally released her grip on Haruto's shoulders, turning away and falling to her knees, her sobs still audible, much to the shock of the latter. He didn't know what to say in response to her outburst, as he didn't know just how much what he was doing affected her.

"Rukino-san.....why? Why get so upset over this? I'm just trying to keep you from getting hurt. So then why are you sad about that?"

Before he could respond however, the voice of A-Drei came over both pilots helmet comms.

"If you two are done with your little lovers' quarrel, then we really need to get going."

"...That's right" Saki said, getting to her feet. Facing Haruto, a half-smile was surprisingly formed on her face. "Don't worry Haruto. I won't betray your trust again. Should you go out of control, I'll stop you."

"Do you really mean that Rukino-san?"

"Of course!" she said, not dropping her expression. "Now come on. We've wasted enough time. Shouko and the others are waiting for us!"

With that, she returned to Unit 04, with Haruto finally entering Unit 01. However, despite her words, Haruto couldn't shake the sight of her eyes from his mind, despite the grin she wore just then.

"Rukino-san.....why did your eyes seem so hollow then?

_____

Finally closing the cockpit hatch to Unit 04, Saki placed her hand to her chest, trying her hardest to not break down into tears yet again.

"Stupid Haruto!" she thought, her lip quivering. "The curse is our bond remember? How can you not want to share it?"

Wiping her tears away, she slapped her hands against her face. "Get it together Rukino Saki. You promised to always fight for his sake, so help him no matter what!

"Docking with the Mass Driver now." Haruto said over the comms. "Ready to go Rukino-san?"

"...Yes. Joining you now Haruto."

With that, the two Valvraves boarded the platform, and were launched towards the rendezvous point.

_____

I admit, a few things here I also feel were a bit contrived, and I may need to redo the Saki and Haruto conversation. But I just wanted to do the latter, as reading that one Tumblr post about why Saki shouldn't have offered to accept Haruto's burden, and why L-Elf was the only one that Haruto could really rely on was something that infuriated me to an unbelievable amount, and I only pray that it wasn't what the creators intended.

But at any rate, I tried to do my best to have Saki explain to Haruto why he shouldn't shoulder it all by himself, and that'll get expanded on in the future.

Thoughts?