The Tide Turns
by Dionisio “Don” Traverso Jr.
Hikari hates the
constricting skin-tight suit covering her from head to toe, the
contacts pushing into her flesh like oddly jagged pebbles at points
throughout her body. It feels unnatural, her senses extended through
these annoying nubs through the wires to the outer shell and
extremities of the metal giant she is piloting. It isn’t like it was
with…. She pushes the thought out of her mind, as General Jun yells at
her through the comlink to focus.
“An unidentified kaiju is approaching Tokyo harbor at high speed!
Intercept and destroy it before it gets to the city!”
Hikari knows Jun doesn’t like her, but because she was a Link, she was
perfect to bond with a mecha. She wills the metal shell to move, her
arms and legs matching the lumbering gait of the mecha as it clomps
toward the harbor. She thinks of Natsumi, of what Kakuen did to her.
Her rage builds. She will kill this monster. She will happily rip it
apart. For Natsumi.
Tidal waves form ahead of the kaiju. Hikari sets her stance against the
rushing water. With a thought, the missile bays on her shoulders and
chest open, ready to rain death upon this unfortunate creature. She
removes the power sword from the compartment in the mecha’s leg, sets
it ablaze with contained laser energy. This creature will suffer before
she snuffs out its life. For Natsumi. Poor Natsumi. Tears of anger
stream down her face.
The waves push skyward as the creature emerges. Hikari shouts, “For
Natsumi!” and lunges forward, sword raised to strike.
Hikari?
The voice in her head stops her. No, it can’t be, she thinks, but as
the creature stands, she sees that it is.
Hikari? What are you doing? Where have you been?
Akkorokamui, the giant squid creature, approaches her. The tendrils
inside the translucent dome on its head wave around as if in a tempest,
the ends glowing warmly. Hikari remembers them fondly, their warmth,
their gentleness…. She catches herself, thinks of Natsumi. She angrily
yells as she swings the sword at Akkorokamui. It dodges out of the way.
What the hell? Hikari, stop that!
“NO!” she shouts, swinging again. The blade almost cuts the torso, but
the kaiju leaps back before it can. Its tentacles whip out, wrapping
around the metal arm holding the sword. The missiles launch and explode
all over Akkorokamui’s body. It falls back, but never lets go of the
arm, pulling Hikari and the mecha down with it.
Ow! Hikari, why? What have I done to you that you want to kill me? I
thought we were friends!
“Kakuen and Natsumi were friends too! Look what happened to her! It’s
what kaiju do, isn’t it? Just like the legends say!”
What? You know it’s not true! It’s just sick fantasies born out of
repression!
“But Kakuen…”
Kakuen took too many missiles to the head and went crazy. What he did
to Natsumi horrified the rest of us. Big G took him down because of it.
Ripped him apart and burned him to ash. Our Links are sacred and never
to be harmed, ever! Have I ever harmed you before?
Hikari starts weeping. “No. You never…you were always gentle and kind.
Oh god, Akkoro! I miss you!”
I miss you too, my radiant one. This world misunderstands us, hates us,
uses us. We have to stick together. Our bond is strong, my dearest,
dearest friend.
Hikari’s mecha drops the sword and hugs Akkorokamui, who hugs back with
its many tentacles.
Why don’t you take that thing off and come back to me?
Hikari laughs as she hits the eject button. She hears Jun screaming in
her ears before ripping off the wires from the suit, then practically
tearing the suit off her body. The hatch opens, and she steps onto one
of Akkoro’s tentacles. It gingerly lifts her up to the dome on its
head, which irises open. She steps into it, the tendrils inside
caressing her lightly, settling on the same points as the contacts in
the mecha’s suit, plus many more. Her mind melds with Akkoro’s, neither
one dominating the other, working and communicating in harmony. A
perfect Link.
What shall we do now, Hikari?
She stares at the city, and smiles.
“Let’s tear this place down. I never liked it here.”
She feels him smile as he says, That’s my girl.
THE END
© 2014 Dionisio “Don” Traverso Jr.
Bio: Dionisio
“Don” Traverso Jr stories have been published with the byline of Don
Traverso in Rod Serling's Twilight Zone Magazine, Aberations, Midnight
Zoo, Aphelion Webzine, and Armageddon Buffet. He currently has a themed
short story collection out, Tales From Walken County, which includes
"Nature's Way" which was first published on Aphelion Webzine Issue 100.
He also makes rhythmic noise as Mekano 46.
E-mail: Dionisio
“Don” Traverso Jr
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