<Ⅵ>

" Why....?"

Yuri asked the defeated Varium

" Why are you doing this...??"

" You don't know... What the Land of Light is..."

Varium hissed grimacely

" No one else does, but we do !.... Your Boyfriend over there Knows it too !..... Such an imbecile....!"

" WHAT DO YOU KNOW ?!?!"

Yuri shouted angrily, pointing her rifle at Varium, tears in her eyes, still not believing her new friend had turned into a Demonic Starbreaker, a Dark Unerva.

" ..... There's nothing in the There.

Only Light.

No me,

No You.

Nothing.

Only Light."

" I Don't believe You !!"

Yuri stammered, her view blurred by tears.

" That's because you are tricked, by Their lies. But you know what they are doing is wrong too. I can sense it. Search deep in your heart and you'll know it is true."

Varium cackled, as her Dark Hand turned into slithering tentacles and she slowly escaped the tunnel

" You can ask your boyfriend now...

He now Remembers...The darkness in him has been awakened."

Lo, there it was, the Dark finger, peircing through Vitas' chest, sinking into his body.

...

.........

" Excellent work, Firren."

Bradson Captain nodded, as they all returned to the Betelgeuse

" The Lights you have saved, had exceeded the numbers and records your seniors have made."

Firren siad nothing.

" Say it, Firren. Leave nothing behind." Captain Bradson spoke calmly.

" Well, then, 'Captain',"

Firren asked, mustering courage in his heart

" ...Why let Vitas join the squad ? You know what happened to him ! He is now even dangerous then he will ever be !"

" Because he is also one of us. One of you, Firren. Is he not ?"

Bradson asked

" ...I know your emotions may lead to your judgement, I so do mine. He is...Like the children, one of my students after all. i won't leave him behind."

" Even if it endangers Yuri ?"

FIrren asked, indignantly.

Bradson captain answered with grave silence, which Firren nodded, and stomped out the cabin.

...

........

Lima had a dream.

Of a loli, a younger loli,

Crying.

" Why are you crying ?" Asked a shadow sitting next to the crying loli.

" I lost my friends !" The loli wailed

" Can you help me find them ?"

" Where did you lost them ?"

The loli pointed at a direction

" We were playing 'Hide and Seek'.... I still can't find the others....."

The shadow didn't move.

And the little girl went on crying

" Please ! Can you help me find them....? They are gone...."

" Lima.

It is dangerous here. We must go.

But don't cry. Don't cry.

I will find them every morning,

Every night,

Everyday.

I will bring them back,

I Promise."

And Lima woke up.

She looked around, and saw a pillow in her arms.

Not her pillow.

" もう！Lima ! You took my pillow again..."

Lucky mumbled, crawling sleepily to snatch back her pillow.

"........"

" Lima ちゃん...？Where were you yesterday..?"

Neliya asked sleepily and worried, crawling to Lima's side

" We didn't see you until you suddenly popped out and used your necklace shield. Did you go somewhere else ?"

" I went to find Yuri."

Lima replied calmly.

She was following Yuri at the whole last episode, while Yuri was eating curry with Varium, while Yuri and Varium went around the village finishing they list, even when Varium showed her true colors,

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Lima was always there, hiding in the background.

Only when she heard the shouts and Demon alarm did she run back to help her friends.

" What ?! You ran off alone ?!"

Lucky was fully awake now

" Sensei told us to stay together ! Together Stronger ! And Fear No Darkness !"

" It's alright, Luckyちゃん."

Neliya comforted Lucky with loli head pats

" We are still together, right？"

The three Lollies looked at each other and smiled, and laughed,

And Lucky began to cry, hugging them all tightly

" I thought... Well never gonna see each other... Again !"

Lucky sobbed

" I am afraid... Of losing any of you !"

" me too." Neliya cried also with a smile.

Then Lima pointed out the window

" Look !"

And the children saw, and awed,

outside the window, below the slowly nevigating airship Betelgeuse, the Ground now blue, not solid but deep liquid, splashing across the vast horizons.

It was Blue.

The color of Sea.

Lima remembered what Sensei taught them

" There is an everlasting land with no ground.

Only water.

That is Sea.

Blue is the color of Sea."

Lima said nothing.

Her friends had found her.

...

......

The 'Piano' is absent today.

Yuri thought to herself, sitting alone at the balcony, looking at the sea of blue outside below.

She last saw Vitas with a Dark Finger had sank fully into his chest, before he was sent in to the infirmary.

The more she thought about it, the more the sea blurred.

Hearing footsteps coming closer, Yuri wiped her tears away quickly.

" There you are."

Reina secretary came out of the corner

" Here. This is from lunch."

Yuri was about to answer she's not hungry, but seeing Reina bring out a chocolate jar, Yuri didn't refuse.

Reina sat down next to Yuri as Yuri ate her lunch, watching the peaceful clouds together.

" Reina..."

Yuri whimpered sadly

" ... It's all my fault. I am not capable enough to fight demons, and now Vitas is hurt because of me..."

Reina held Yuri close and head patted Yuri

" Even the most cautious people make mistakes and fall for accidents, Yuri. Danger is always just around the corner. Vitas made his choice to save you, you should thank him."

".... I have made a choice too."

Yuri sat up, finishing her chocolate with one gulp

" I need to be better ! I'll practice, and be a stronger StarBreaker !"

Yuri Stood up confidently

" But first, I must thank Vitas for saving me—"

" Wait, Yuri !"

Reina stood up urgently as well

" Now... Is Not the right time to meet him. His wounds... Haven't fully healed yet. He needs rest."

" Alright..."

Yuri was upset

" Then when can I see Vitas ?"

" ... Three days later. I'll take you to him."

Reina promised with a smile, which faded as soon as Yuri left.

Reina went back to her Office.

" Is he awake ?"

Reina asked the Medical Androids.

" Not. Yet."

Replied the Medical Androids

" He is alive, and his brain waves are active. We presume that he is dreaming."

" Good."

Reina nodded

" Keep it that way, until we arrive in Skyworld."

...

..........

Vitas woke up.

It was night.

A beeping sound aside his bed nonstop, coming from the screen above his bedside.

The beeping sound, of his heartbeat.

Vitas touched his chest, and saw there was no Dark Finger anymore, not even a scratch. Clean Skin. Nothing before.

Just as he was about to lie back down, Vitas noticed a dim light outside his window.

An orange moon, in the middle of the dark infinity.

That was the only light source, for everything in his bedroom is dark orange. Even himself.

He decided to get out of bed, the doors opening by themselves, revealing blinding pale light from above the clean dazzling corridor, as I'd entering a new environment.

Vitas was confused by the shining light, walking slowly down the corridor with the wall he supported to move on.

There was no sound, not even the feel of liveliness. It's midnight, Vitas thought, they must be all asleep.

Then why am I moving forward ?

Where am I heading to ?

Vitas came to a closed door,a door without a handle it a door knob. A door with a symbol of a small black pit, with arms like stretching out from within.

Vitas examined the symbol, and touched it.

Someone ran across a hallway behind him, in a Dashing speed.

" Who's there ?"

No answer.

" Hello ?"

Vitas came to the hallway behind him that he didn't notice and saw another hallway far away, a glimpse of blue -- Yuri's blue hair, vanishing into the dark corner.

" Yuri !?"

He stumbled upon the wall towards where Yuri vanished, and there behind the corner, Yuri stood in a pitch black room.

The doors of the room slided in to a close before Vitas nearly entered.

He stopped before the doors,

His hands moving forward.

.......

It was Blue.

It was soft.

It was wide, stretching out to the everlasting horizons.

Vitas knelt down in amazement as he touched the field of Blue poppy flowers all around him, cute and everlasting.

And there, standing before him with both arms crossed behind her back

Yuri.

A smile as lively as the field of poppy flowers,

her altered bright blue hair brushing her face,

as the wind,

Soared around them.

Vitas slowly stood up.

He could see the hills,

The sky,

The peaceful clouds,

The flower fields,

The village.

The village.

" What ?"

Yuri was pointing at the village.

Let's go.

...

The streets were dusty, and empty.

Things put untouched sat where they always belonged.

The windows covered in greyish webs, the light bulbs shattered, The clock stopped.

Vitas followed Yuri down the village until they stopped before a white building behind a tall white gate,

a white building when a large clock on top, and a flagpole standing upright of the roof.

" Yuri.. Why are we here ?"

Yuri smiled.

Let's go.

"Yuri !"

Yuri was hopping up the stairs now.

" Yuri, wait !"

It started to rain,

And Vitas slowly climbed up the stairs to a wide empty clearing, it's white walls full of pictures hanging all over.

Yuri was watching the pictures on the wall. Cheerfully.

Look, Vitas. Look.

Vitas followed her gaze and stared.

Do you like it ?

" Of course...."

Vitas lied.

The painting were all blank.

The one Yuri pointed, was hers.

Blank.

The rain outside was honest.

" Yuri, I..."

VItas.

Yuri was looking at the other direction now

Where will we go when we die ?

Vitas stared back in shock.

.....

".... I don't know." Vitas finally replied.

Lightning flashed at the same time, but no thunder.

" I am sorry."

No.

The thunder suddenly came as a bolt of lightning shot down before their eyes.

Vitas blinked,

" Yuri...?"

She was gone.

...

Vitas rushed down the stairs, dashed out to the muddy field in the middle of the white surrounding facility, he looked up, turning here and there,

Searching for a glimpse of bright blue.

Vitas was wet.

He turned around.

There she was, walking up the stairs towards the building roof.

Vitas rushed up as well, passing the empty large rooms with many empty chairs and empty tables.

He could hear Her voice

" This class is boring ! Let's go out already..."

Yuri hates math.

That's not Yuri's fault.

Sensei, s math is boring.

" I found it ! The summer triangle !"

Yuri always steals Sensei's telescope at night to Stargaze at the roof.

I was always her accomplice.

" Gotcha！"

We play hide and seek nearly everyday, when the alarm rang.

Sensei told us to do so.

Yuri's always the ghost.

She likes it that way, finding others.

Yuri loved to draw, to play with others, to run around.

Yuri....

Where are you, Yuri————

" I want to sleep here ! I don't want to leave this place ! I want to stay here forever !"

As the classroom door slided open, Vitas rushed in.

Yuri was sitting there, in front of the Piano.

Yuri loved music.

" Remember that song ?

Let's sing together !!"

" No... No Yuri, I can't..."

Vitas was close to tears

" I can't do it again, Yuri."

No.

And his world shattered at once.

...

Darkness.

Vitas, following the light far away, he ran and ran,

Until he saw,

A round tank of water, shining blue.

Someone was inside.

" Yuri.....?!"

Yuri, seemingly asleep, naked and curled up inside that glass vessel.

Vitas searched for something to break the glass, but see think tubes under his feet.

And underneath the tubes, a glistening light.

A dark finger. The Dark finger.

Vitas took the finger, and pierced the glass.

Water gushed out and Vitas fell, as the Yuri woke up, but it wasn't Yuri anymore.

" Yuri......??"

The Strange Yuri smiled in a mysterious fashion

No.

Vitas was numb and couldn't move, as this Yuri like figure pressed upon him with her naked flesh, coming in closer and closer

You remember

Yes.

I knew that village.

I knew that white building.

You try to forget

I was afraid of that building.

I was afraid of everything that happened there

I was afraid to remember.

The girl's cold fingers touched Vitas' sweating face.

Then you are

And from Vitas' chest, the girl pulled out

Darkness, in a form of a terrorfying bird like demon, spreading its black miasma wings and screeching in agony.

Vitas could do nothing and just watch her release the demon out of him.

Suddenly her face came close to Vitas, who came, and whispered

So, Vernui

Make me do

..................

"..... He is awakening, Captain."

Leina secretary said worriedly.

" Increase the anasthesic doses."

Bradson Captain ordered and the Medical Android ejected more drugs into Vitas' veins

" Keep him in slumber."

" But Captain, Yuri......"

" Tell her he needs more rest to recover."

Bradson spake sternly

" Don't let her get near this room."

Reina nodded gravely.

[........to be continued]