Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Mechanical Wings ❯ Lazy days ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight: Lazy Days

 

I left early in the morning. Feeling somewhat disgusted with myself. Lantis had woken from the bit of noise I'd made as I shuffled about through the room. He didn't say anything to me and I didn't say anything to him. I exited the room quietly.

 

I'm surprised at just how much nothing changed after our little, one night stand. It's not so much that we were acting like it never happened, we weren't avoiding it, we just, we weren't really bothering ourselves with the situation. . .

 

Nothing eventful happened for the remainder of the conference. The negotiations, reached a plateau and we didn't go anywhere with anything after that. Autozam shoved off around the same time Fahren did. I'm not sure if Lantis left before or after us. Sometimes you can't tell if he's coming or going. He just sort of, walks in and out of things as he pleases you know. It's probably for the best that I haven't seen him lately.

 

When we docked in one of the Autozam ports, I felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off of me. I can't remember the last time I was so happy to see the thick fog of air pollution that hangs over my country, or the many buildings compacted all but on top of each other, the blinding lights adorning the streets advertising this, that or the other thing . . . I'm not usually one to get home sick, but for some reason-well I was glad to be home. Let's leave it at that.

 

It was quite sometime before I could take my leave of the president but when I finally did and was able to get home, the first thing I did, after dropping my bit of luggage was to head over to my room and fall into my bed. I happily inhaled the scent of near fresh bed linen, I had changed my sheets before I left, but that was well over a month ago. I love lying down on an untouched bed. The sheets and pillows are always nice and cool.

 

After a moment, I rolled onto my back and undid nearly every button and clasp on my uniform. I decided I may as well change and found myself a pair of baggy pants and a stretchable tank top. I left my uniform in a rumpled heap and knew I'd regret doing that a day or so after when I'd have to iron it. I don't remember taking off my socks, but I noticed my feet were bare when I made my way across the cold, tile, floor of my kitchen. I recall, I made myself something quick to eat and ended up sleeping on the couch. I just couldn't bring myself to mess up my bed just yet.

 

Did I mention that I was home for the rest of the month? Oh. Well, I was. I'd been serving for a full nine months apparently. People aren't lying when they say time flies by. Anyway, I was left with a month of me time and had no idea what to do. I slept in most days.

 

I messaged Zazu a couple of times to see how he was doing. He told me he was going to be leaving for Cephiro in a few days. He also told me Eagle, from what he'd heard, was doing well and was often in the company of Ms. Shidou . . . I was. . .okay with that. Not overly happy, but I was all right with it.

 

I had a video convo with Tatra. She asked me how Lantis was with a mischievous twinkle in her eye and I promptly turned several shades of pink and red. How did she know about that? I'd yelped the question at her feeling very embarrassed. She just smiled innocently and told me it was silly to try and hide anything from her. Then she shocked me by saying she was disappointed when Lantis didn't visit her for a quick romp that night, but was happy that I'd enjoyed myself.

 

I gasped and told her she was joking. She assured me she wasn't and proceeded to question whether we'd done anything . . . kinky. She cracked up laughing at my expression and I shrieked at her that this wasn't an appropriate conversation for a princess to be carrying and she went on to tease me. Sometimes Tatra can really shock me. But, how can I say it? It's sort of in a pleasant way despite how creepy her revelations can be.

 

Once the topic that was Lantis and my love affair was covered thoroughly to her liking, and to my humiliation, we spent nearly the whole day talking about the most serious and silly things. I'm surprised she had the day free to do so but in the same token, I'm not complaining.

 

When I wasn't sleeping, or talking to people, I was usually between doing menial household chores and out in the polluted streets wandering about. I wasn't heading anywhere particular but if something particular caught my interest, a store, a park, I'd go and check it out-I found a nice fedora, a bit on the expensive side but I bought it anyway. Haven't worn it yet but still. . .

 

So that's how I spent the month. Not really interesting is it?

 

Somehow I've made my way into testing our new line of exploration and construction mecha. There was a position available there and I had yet to be placed somewhere appropriate in accordance to my former status, so I put myself there. The machines are smaller than the mech's designed for battle-such as my GTO and are equipped with lightweight weaponry, an assortment of knives, lasers and nets.

 

“Metro?” It was one of the tech guys.

 

“Right.” I adjusted several cables and brought up the statistics of this particular model. “Everything's good on this end.” I said after viewing and confirming the information.

 

“Same here. You ready to start?” I think his name was Dodge something but everyone calls him Dee.

 

“Any time.”

 

The mecha I'm piloting is known as the Heavy Land Unit-GXL. It's used manly for scrap metal collecting, short distance transport and demolition. Although its uses on site are not limited to these three aspects of construction work.

 

“We're going to start this off by measuring how much weight the GXL can carry before reaching the danger zone.”

 

“Gotcha.”

 

We went through several simulations. It's kind of tedious work and honestly I don't see why they couldn't have gotten one of their boys to run the simulations themselves, but then again they're pretty busy people. Repairing this and that, designing new gadgets and who knows what else.

 

What really sucks is that Mech testing, unless you're running simulations for battle, is fairly boring though easy, it still requires just enough of your concentration to keep you from entertaining yourself with a book or a portable video game, or whatever tickles you're fancy. Mostly the only things you can do are either think, daydream-a byproduct of thinking or talk to the people, Dee in this case, monitoring and recording your data.

 

Me, having not much of an imagination to begin with, offers little for me to daydream about. I thought about stuff for a while, which consisted of Eagle with Hikaru and trying to understand this sudden one-eighty in regards to Lantis' personality. It gave me a headache and made me feel worn out so I turned to talking to Dee. I wasn't really in the mood for conversation but I needed something to do to pass the time.

 

I was glad when they decided to call it quits for the day. My ass was getting numb.

 

I wanted to get my body moving after doing so little for so long, so I decided to make my way over to one of the base's training facilities.

 

Being someone who frequents the gym, I keep a set of clothes and shower supplies in my designated locker. I changed into a pair of slacks and a tank top and started out on the treadmill. When I was younger and attending military school, we had a six lane track for running and jogging suspended from the ceiling above the training room. I'd always liked to run laps up there. It made me feel like I'd accomplished something when I finished. But they don't have that here. Treadmills take up less space and more people can do a cardio workout. Treadmills suck, but I like running so they don't usually annoy me too badly.

 

After my cool down, I worked on my upper body, doing several sets of triceps and bicep curls, a series of back extensions, crunches, along with some pectoral work. I stretched it out and went on to my lower body starting first with the leg press, followed up by the leg curl, after which I spent some time on my hips.

 

I stretched again and went back to the cardiovascular work.

 

Sweating heavily by the time I was done, I returned to my locker and readied myself for a shower in their facilities.

 

There were several men heading out as I made my way in. A couple young fellows were goofing around whipping each other with wet towels and just having a great old time while doing so.

 

I sighed remembering my youth, and made my way over to my favorite shower stall. The water ran warm at first but I increased the temperature quicker than I probably should have. I sighed again at the hot water pelting my skin. I leaned forward, being mindful of the faucet head. I drenched my hair and took great joy in feeling the streams of water run down my face.

 

I was half way through rinsing soapsuds out of my hair when I heard some noise a few stalls away from me. I thought nothing of it at first chalking it up to more adolescent foolery. Then I heard it again and a deep scream and two voices. I couldn't make out all of what they were saying but two words that stood out at me were “dirty” and “fag”.

 

I stepped out of my stall, the water still running, wrapped my towel around myself and took off to investigate.

 

I didn't have to go very far. I only walked a few stalls away from mine before I came across a door ajar.

 

Someone whimpered a small, “stop it,” while someone else ordered him to “shut the hell up” another voice added, “stupid faggot.”

 

I was angry and offended but I did well to hide it. I turned and stepped one foot into the stall. That was about as far in as I was gotta get with the stall already occupied by three men. Two of the men, looking to be in their late teens or early twenties, kicking at someone curled up in a ball in the corner of the stall. I saw a bit of blood mixed in with the water flowing down the drain.

 

“God damn faggots,”

 

It amazes me how little vocabulary most ignorant jerk-offs seem to know.

 

“Leave the guy alone.” I ordered.

 

They didn't even turn to look at me. “Piss off pal. This little punk was looking at my brother,” he inclined his head towards the man beside him, “funny.”

 

“I didn't I just-” He stopped and watched as I forced myself a little further into the stall.

 

In a swift motion, my nails and fingers hooked into his left ear and I easily swung him flat against the stall wall.

 

“Let him go bastard!” the one behind me motioned to attack. I quickly pinned his brother with my forearm against his chest and turned grabbing the other man by the neck. He found himself against the wall gasping for air beside his brother. They were twins; the only physical difference between them was that one had freckles.

 

“I said leave the guy alone.” I said, speaking in a low dangerous voice. I don't generally like to make myself so intimidating but these two were bugging me. I wanted to say more, I wanted to seem more dangerous but I couldn't think of something really dangerous and scary to say.

 

“Fuck, let me go.” I didn't I watched the freckled one struggled under the weight of my arm and I remembered when Lantis had so easily subdued me. I pressed more firmly.

 

“Shut up Corola,” the other sibling whispered. “Don't be stupid.”

 

“Why should I?” he spat. Some of his saliva spraying onto my arm. It didn't help their situation.

 

“Look at his face! He's Autozam's chief representative, commander Geo Metro.”

 

Huh? Oh yeah. Sometimes I forget my status and how influential it can be.

 

“Oh shit.”

 

I loosened my hold on them. “Get out.”

 

If they'd left any quicker I would have thought they were inhuman. I turned to look at their victim. He sat with several bruises and a split lip gapping at me.

 

“You all right?”

 

Something dawned on him and he scrambled to get up. He saluted me, “Uh, yes Sir. Thank you Sir.” His voice was a little shaky.

 

He looked really young. I figured he must have only recently graduated and entered the military.

 

“How old are you kid?”

 

“Seventeen Sir.”

 

That was getting annoying. “Uh, at ease.”

 

He spread his legs slightly and put his hands behind his back looking straight.

 

I laughed. “Relax kid.”

 

He looked confused. Unsure how to address the situation.

 

“You know their names?”

 

“No Sir, I don't.”

 

“Well if they keep bugging you, I come here a lot, find me and I'll kick their asses.” I assured him. Maybe I felt some sort of camaraderie with this kid, I wanted to help him out.

 

“Thank you sir but, um, shouldn't I just fill out a report or something?”

 

“Hm? Yeah that's what you're supposed to do isn't it?” I didn't give him or myself time to think about proper procedure for such things.

 

“You have a name?”

 

“G.T. Ford, Sir.”

 

“I'll remember that,” I smiled. “You should get yourself over to the medical center and get something for that lip of yours.”

 

His fingers came up to wipe the blood flowing down his chin. “Yes, thank you Sir.”

 

“Later.”

 

I went back to my shower feeling good and a little hungry. I decided I was going to go out for dinner and cake and if it was early enough when I finished, maybe I'd catch a movie.

 

TBC