Chapter 3: Memories

Aile was with Prairie discussing the Mission Report on the Guardians HQ. It was the evening of the second day. Some hours had to pass before of that since both girls were wounded after fighting four of the ancient Einherjar Weil warriors.

Alouette: "So you two managed to collaborate together and retrieve the secret data. What did happen there?

Aile: "That bastard had a copy of some Weil era Mavericks storaged on the Security System in emergency case, and we even took caution turning the electricity, the alarms and the cameras off. I have to admit it, if wasn't for Pandora probably I would be dead. However that goes for her too! Defending a portable trans-server is irritating."

Prairie giggles.

Aile: "Alouette, what's so funny about that huh?"

Alouette: "Congratulations, Aile. You are made to cooperate with each other. In danger, you are capable of protecting her, and she was capable of protecting you."

The brown-haired woman sighs.

Aile: "Yeah... I suppose that we made quite a combo."

Alouette: "On your first mission together. She's actually perfect for you, we must analyze the data and make a Miracle! Hehehe!"

Aile: "What do you mean with that?!"

Aile was blushing harder, and crosses her arms feeling embarrased. Prairie seems more quiet since she was confident about finding something usable from Albert's classified database.

Alouette: "Nothing, nothing. Just take it easy, sis. Dr. Fleuve is analyzing the data and it will take until night. We have until the morning of tomorrow to stop the countdown but we'll be ready tonight. Why don't you take a day to go out with Pandora? You two didn't have enough time to relax. Leave it to us!

Exclaims with a sweet smile on her face getting a hand to the chest.

Aile: "Are you sure, Alouette?"

Alouette: "She will need you in moments like this! Hm-hm! So you are dismissed! Your next mission is to go out with her wherever you like. The Area H amusement park did reopen last week and Area C is very quiet since people is not in alert anymore."

Aile: "I get what are you scheming..."

Alouette: "I don't know what are you talking about!"

Embraces her white cat plushie and plays dumb whistling a bit. Aile laughs a bit in response.

Aile: "This feels... so strange and embarrasing at the same time. Well, I'm off!"

Alouette: "Good luck, Aile! I believe in you."

Aile: "Yeah yeah, can you stop it?"

The Guardian goes back to the Laboratory area, Pandora is fully repaired waiting at the corridor with a face of contained panic, fixing her look on the wall.

Pandora: "Do you really think that I'll have that much luck? I mean... you have done efforts to just save something that maybe you shouldn't save."

Aile: "I'm more convinced every second that I must save you. Specially after you covering my back back there."

Pandora: "What if I did it by interest? What if... I get out of this I did flee and try to kill you again in the future? Your reason to do this is just because Albert was a monster or maybe... it was for me?"

The brown-haired woman thinks on what words to get, since she was confused about her feelings and didn't want to be too evident with Pandora.

Aile: "If you try to kill me again, I'll stop you but the truth is... after everything I woudn't be able to kill you anymore. And if you fled at this point, it would hurt me. I wouldn't like to lose anyone else, ya' know."

The green-haired reploid reacted with surprise, trying to hide her joy looks away smiling for a moment before returning an idle look to Aile. She was being prudent.

Pandora: "I hope you don't get too attached to me, I may still perish. But I understand your logic, for some reason it would be out of place losing you, since it's me who have to beat you. Don't forget our rematch, your promise."

Aile: "How would I, eh? Anyway... while the doc analyzes everything we could kill some time before the truth moment. We need to live our time at the fullest, you know. Prairie said that to me, she will call me when everything is ready."

Pandora then blushes like Aile before in front of Prairie.

Pandora: "Are you planning a date with me? Don't try to take advantage just because I don't want to see you dead by some unworthy worm."

The human reacts with the same gesture. Some kind of tension was on the air.

Aile: "We are just waiting until Prairie calls me, you get it? But going to Area H's Amusement Park or Area C's Arcade and Comic shop is way better than just looking the wall. So pick one."

Pandora: "Area H. So let's get going."

Aile: "Alright, I'm just glad to have my trauma overcomed."

Pandora: "Trauma?"

Asks, tilting her head without changing her cute idle face.

Aile: "My mother died on a Maverick attack there when I was a kid but... nevermind, life must go on."

Pandora: "... sorry, I shouldn't have asked. Are you really okay with going there?"

Aile: "Yep, I would like to give a new meaning to that place. To make better memories."

Pandora: "Better memories with your enemy? That's weird."

She giggles, hiding her face a bit.

Aile: "I know. But I don't feel bad around you."

Pandora: "Me neither. I'm not so uncomfortable anymore."

They go to the base Trans-server in a tense silence, now that the two girls had some clue about their feelings.

Pandora: "For once, I'll let you call it a date."

Aile: "I was going to do it in some point anyway."

Once in the Amusement Park, a big amount of people were grouped in various attractions. Dusk was turning the sky from blue to orange slowly, and many attractions were working at once with various vending sites and games with prices.

Pandora: "Let's have a warm-up. You like danger, right?"

Points with the index finger to an attraction that goes very high and fast. The platform seems like a prison and above there's an enormous chibi anime character with a comical scared face. Aile has some complex with heights and reacted putting the same face as the mascot.

Aile: "Err..."

In response, the Reploid puts a playful and mischievous smile. That expression was very charming on Pandora for some reason.

Pandora: "Are you scared, princess? I love your face!"

Aile: "Me, scared? Heh, you are gonna see who is a Princess."

Pandora: "You are. Leave it to the Valkyries."

Aile: "I'm a Valkyrie!"

Pandora: "Sure, Your Highness."

In a comical situation of Pandora making fun of Aile and wanting to tease her, she gets a total success on it making the brown-haired woman to roll up her sleeves and crack her knucles. The reploid starts giggling since finds cute her partner's reply.

Pandora: "I love it when you react like that. You are so easy to predict."

Aile: "We are going, now!"

Pandora: "We are in time to return to palace yet! Or I can try to save you again if you fall off, hahaha!"

Aile: "Shut up, Pandora!"

During the attraction's performance, Aile grabbed the cell bars gnashing teeth all the time to force herself to endure the pressure of being too high at that speed while her partner was enjoying the trip like a child. When they did get down, the Guardian sighs.

Aile: "I-I'm alive..."

Pandora: "It was really fun to be up there seeing your focus face. Do you know? You could just wait for me instead of coming. My opinion of you wasn't going to change. I just find you cute when you act like the tough girl."

Aile: "If I'm not with you... I don't know what was the point of coming here. Ah, I would need to go for something to eat."

Pandora: "Reploids don't go hungry, so... I don't need anything. But I'll go with you since you came with me up there."

Without thinking much, the two girls started to hold hands. The warmth of both was starting to be shared between them from that moment and some butterflies appeared, flying through their stomach.

Aile: "I'm curious... your previous body, how was it?"

Pandora: "You would fall in love with me, and you aren't supposed to do it, right?"

Aile: "Who did say that I would fall so easily? Remember, I did beat you."

Pandora: "Once, like me to you, we are draw. Next time you won't have the same luck."

Aile: "Yeah, whatever you say. There's a vendor just ahead. Hi! Gimme a hot dog please! And... is there something you like, Pandora?"

Pandora looks with shining eyes a rainbow star-shaped candy, it was a beautiful contrast with her usual idle expression.

Aile: "Alright, you are seeing the misstress. That candy will do."

When they pay, after eating the two girls get on the ferris wheel. By that time, night was letting the stars come out. The sky was changing gradually from orange to dark blue, it was a breathtaking sight of almost all the city. One was sit in front of the other.

Aile: "So you like rainbow candies..."

Pandora: "Is there a problem with that?"

Aile: "No, it's just that... you are even sweeter when I think that you like that kind of candy."

Both of them were extremely red at this point, no one could escape from each other now.

Pandora: "M-Me... sweet? But... I'm dangerous, and I can make you do bad things with my influence. H-How am I sweet?"

Aile: "Your voice feels calm most of the time, even if you look cold, there's somehow a glint of warmth on it, and you are very charming. So precious to me... how? I don't... I don't even have idea, maybe because it's now when I'm getting to know you better."

Pandora: "I feel the same, when I just thought that I couldn't feel anymore. My only role in life was killing for a despicable worm. You aren't just my rival, is... is not just how beautiful have you become with time. I feel safe around you for some reason. Is this... what humanity call Love?"

Before they realize, Aile and Pandora are face to face perfoming eskimo kisses to each other with the nose.

Aile: "Now that you are with me... I don't want to lose you."

Pandora: "Even if you lose me, you won't lose this."

The reploid goes for a french kiss after closing her eyes, playing with Aile's tongue. She accepts the kiss and makes sure that Pandora feel every touch of their tongues. Their bodies become one with a tighter embrace. During that kiss their bodies relax the previous tension like nothing could damage them in that moment.

Aile: "I don't want to say goodbye. Better everything works."

Pandora: "More, please... I want to feel you now that I can."

They kiss more, and more until the attraction is over. Prairie calls to them from HQ.

Alouette: "Aile, do you copy me?"

Aile: "Yes, Alouette!"

Alouette: "We have everything ready, bring Pandora here."

Aile: "Roger!"

Pandora: "It's time, right? At least... I could give you a kiss. Thank you, Aile... for being at my side until the end. It hurts thinking on losing you."

Some tears of joy were sprouting from Pandora's eyes, she had a painful smile. Aile's eyes start crying as well.

Aile: "D-Don't talk like that! Is not over yet! Let's go to the trans-server."

Aile gets Pandora on her arms like and she lets her do it. But the moment is interrupted by four Mavericks, the rest of the NEO versions of the Einherjar. Mino Magnus, a big minotaur with a giant axe, Pegasolta Eclair, a bipede humanoid pegasus reploid with a colossal lance, Tech Kraken, a submarine reploid with improvements to breathe in land appearing from below with his drills, and Heat Gemblem, a great armored turtle.

NEO Mino Magnus: "Do we interrupt something?"

NEO Pegasolta Eclair: "These running humans disgust me, and knowing that these two no-ones did kill the rest of the team is even worse."

NEO Tech Kraken: "Is Zero alive? If not, we could get them and then kill some humans."

NEO Heat Gemblem: "That woman could transform into something similar to Zero."

NEO Pegasolta Eclair: "Anything that relates with Zero should be purged. You peasant, hand us over the source of power that lets you transform into him!"

Pandora gets into the ground, her face intantly changed to a calm but angry one. Her fury seems bigger than ever now that she wants to protect Aile more than never. Aile transformed into ZX Model to fight them.

Pandora: "You did call Peasant to my Princess. The sentence is death... through the worst possible of tortures. You four will regret to leaving you hideous hole so stop going like if you were better than anyone, you are nothing more than scum and you are getting on the way."

Aile was surprised by Pandora's reaction, she did never saw her like that before.

Aile: "Your four companions did fall, ready to unite them? Do ya' know what I'm gonna give you? A saber through your throat!"

Pandora: "Aile, that disgusting horse is mine."

Says with a creepy quiet voice while her expression become more and more shady. Transforms into the Ice Element mode changing the color of her armor to blue and creates a giant Snowman to fire icicles at Pegasolta Eclair who was already charging at full speed against the two woman, he did dodge half of them and one landed on his chest.

NEO Pegasolta Eclair: "UGH, How dare you, green bug!"

As response, the Maverick caused an inmense amount of electricity and launched a long-range beam to electrocute Pandora.

Pandora: "Shut up already."

With a move of her and, the icicled logged on the pegasus did explode as well as the rest of the ice. This could be the first time that Pandora would be so angry, she didn't want to disappear due to lack of time and leave the woman she loves, adding the fact of being annoyed on their date. The rays wouldn't reach Pandora by just an inch and Pegasolta would be reduced to a mountain of scrap. The other Mavericks who were attacking Aile at once and she did manage to survive and decapitate Mino Magnus with a lethal saber attack. She was gasping while dodging the flames of Heat Gemblem and the tentacles from Tech Kraken in a nonstop rampage.

Aile: "Heh, your friend was too easy to hit. He's so slow."

Says while gasping, without time to stop. Pandora enters in the fight changing into Electric Element and making lightnings fall above of the enemy reploids.

Pandora: "You two are the next ones. We don't have time to play with lowly garbage like your ugly horse with donkey face."

NEO Heat Gemblem: "You will pay for that! Tech Kraken, now!"

NEO Tech Kraken: "Ignorants, you are exactly where we want you!"

From the ground some metallic tentacles appeared grabbing Aile and Pandora at the same time with a suffocating strenght.

Aile: "Grrr... you just wait once I'm out of this!"

Pandora: "Y-you are frustated because Zero did destroy you in the past. You are good for nothing."

NEO Tech Kraken: "Hahahahaha! Now, the Particle Beam!"

NEO Heat Gemblem: "Let's show them who's good for nothing!"

A gigantic laser was prepared by the turtle to desintegrate the two girls, but they were already thinking the same thing. Their body hurts due to the tentacles's constriction, but Aile did manage to prepare a charged shot of the ZX Buster in secret while Pandora was charging her Wand with as much electricity as she could.

Pandora: "You two will learn your place, is that a Particle Beam? Heh, don't make me laugh."

Aile: "This is a Particle Beam!"

The woman shoots a colossal buster energy projectile to the W-Model Fragment from the Scepter and Pandora combines that energy with the outbursting electricity to form a bigger yellow Particle Beam that would collide with the opposite one winning the duel and desintegrating the remaining enemies in the process.

NEO Tech Kraken: "Noooo! We have been fouled!"

NEO Heat Gemblem: "Zerooooo!"

Aile: "Aren't they a bit obssesed with Zero? Hah... gimme a break, too many things to dodge at once."

Pandora: "You are safe with me. But... we should get going. Fortunately they couldn't inflict us severe damage."

Aile: "Quickly, to the trans-server! Alouette must be worried and we are running short of time, we have only some hours remaining!"

The couple started running without even time to think about what if everything go wrong. Pandora's luck seems to be decided already. Would they make it in time or would it be too late for her now that they did declare their love for each other? Alouette called again.

Alouette: "What's the matter, Aile? Are you two alright?"

Aile: "The rest of the Einherjar did found us and attacked the park. We did anihilate them, but now that's not the important topic!"

Alouette: "Run here, Aile! We'll hack it now but our time is very limited!"

Aile: "I know! I know!"

TO BE CONTINUED...