Whenever I call you friend 7

Title: Whenever I Call You Friend
Anime: Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP
Author: mizamiko
Rating of Chapter: PG

Whenever I call you Friend: Chapter 7

****Zazu****

I had no idea what came over him that he would suddenly show himself in such a light. Clothes that were definitely not his style and a do to match, this was not the Eagle I knew. Dancing, swaying, eyes burning, did I miss something before we left Cephiro?

*Who are you and what have you done to my Commander?!?*

Did the lovey-dovey couple break up or something? And the way he’s dancing… Isn’t he the one with two left feet? He even tripped and fell face first while dancing with Tatra. Now he’s… Oh my… Lantis had better not be around or testosterone levels are going to go up a notch… I think he’d better not know about this at all. Knowing how the Cephiran Kailu was, half of the people in the place would have been toasted with his magic; the other half would be dead or badly beaten. If only I had a recorder… wait a minute. I do have a recorder. He he he. Commander this one is going in my scrapbook.

“Hot Commander. Really hot!”

****Eagle****

Time pass whenever I lose myself in the world that I have made for myself in the Net. My field of expertise… this slice of madness that was the very core of my planet’s life. The lore of how the Threads wove themselves to the Net, giving it life all its own has long been lost. Long before any Autozamian ever traveled its dangerous paths, the Threads have made its home in this second ‘world’, the ‘world’ beside the world that most walk in. This was where the Threads power was the strongest. As the world outside the Net slowly sickened, this land thrived.

In this chamber I become nothing more than a ‘ghost’. If I bothered I could note the discomfort that the nourishment slowly flowing to my veins through a sterile catheter gave me. I could let myself feel the thousand little pricks where things I would rather not detail entered my body. In the strictest sense, I was trapped in a machine where I could not determine where I ended and the monstrosity began. But this was where I belonged, whether I admit it to myself or not.

Long before I held a sword, long before I tasted life and dreamed of green trees and a man with eyes like the sky, I was Vision. Like my mother before me and my grandfather before that. Generations of lives sacrificed, each walking the Net, holding the title Vision. I had earned my name in the field of combat. Not really the best in hand to hand but still a force to recon with inside a Mashin. How could I not be? What was loosing once self in a Mashin compared to entering the Net? Inside you felt nothing. You were nothing. Only your ‘Will’, as Cephirans called it, could keep you together. They said only a strong mind could enter this place and not go mad. I doubt that, it only asked a lot out of the person and I had no allusions when this task was given to me. I was the guardian of this land. I hunt and destroy but I ‘heal’ and protect as well. But I was no omnipotent being. I could die at any moment, be it a simple loss of concentration and my not finding my way back to my body or being caught in the havoc that I create to maintain the precarious balance here.

I know that Cephirans also had something akin to this. Not as sophisticated but something… Guru Clef said they had lost a good many Magic users to its lure. The illusion of absolute power in ones own created world, unfettered by the many rules that dictates our existence. It was a heady wine that was both addicting and destructive. He had shown me the bodies of these Magic users. These young men and women, forever youthful, suspended in time, like I was after my walk in destinies road(2). I was placed in much the same room as them. But unlike them I woke up.

This run was not simple patrol of the Net. I wished it was, but not one but two threats are disturbing my world. If there was anything that would help me find out more then there was no better place than the Net to start. Almost nothing has changed here in Autozam since I left to invade Cephiro. Dissatisfied factions still abound. That was not my biggest concern at the moment though. It was that small speck of darkness that was slowly coming towards Autozam. It was not something you would see with your eyes. Not even all the sophisticated equipment that those great inventors of Autozam were able to detect it. But it was there. I’m not a believer of dreams but considering I was not the only one to dream of it… It was safer to be ready.

I could almost swear feeling someone tracking me, but that was next to impossible. Only one man has ever been able to do so, and definitely not on the Net, and he was presently all the way in Cephiro.

****Lantis****

I breathe in the cold filtered air that filled the halls of one of the bigger Dome’s of Autozams capital, Evol. Had this trip been for personal purposes I would have lingered in the halls and acclimated with the current issues that troubled the denizens of this planet. This was not the case.

I wrapped the protective cloak around myself and wore my air filters. The person I had business with lived far from the space port and no one visited him in the middle of the night. The President of Autozam deserved more respect than that. An audience needs to be set and the man best suited for that task would be one from the Embassy, The Cephiran Embassy. An Ambassador had yet to be decided upon but like all things, the Autozamians had seen fit to have the building prepared. A group of young men and women, all Cephirans, stayed in. A few of the braver denizens who wished to see Autozam and study their system of politics. If anyone knew how to get an audience with the President, it would be them. I knew Guru Clef had already informed them in advance. It would not take long and if they were not able to do so, there was still Zazu and Hawk.

Or Eagle.

I wonder where my missing bonded was. I was strong by Cephiran standards. I was able to sense more and cast more powerful spells than most. This also meant that when I bonded I was able to sense my bonded more than anyone else. Right then though all I felt was a faint flicker, just enough to tell me that he was alive somewhere on the planet.

At present though that was not my biggest concern, important yes but not the biggest. Dark dreams abound in Cephiro and it screams of Autozam’s destruction. And it was soon.

Guru Clef was the first to alert me to this fact. Knowing I had spent the most time in Autozam, he believed I was the best candidate to talk with the President after he gave the President a “warning shot.” Guru Clef said he only told the President that something was coming, nothing more. I was to talk with him with more detail. I was no diplomat but I knew more of Autozam custom and proper decorum and that was enough for the Yil.

I tensed. It was not something tangible but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Someone was watching me as I made my way to the Embassy. It was then I saw it, the glint of light, the concentration of energy to a single point before it was released, right before any N3(1) series fired its deadly beams. I dropped to the floor and watched as it hit the person right behind me. I lay surprised as it did not seem to affect him until I saw him activate a Jaz. The people around us started screaming and all everyone started to take cover. I acted on instinct. I had jumped over him and had started running. I could hear him hot on my heels and every now and then I saw a beam of light hitting places where my head would be. I grabbed my sword, dug my heels on the floor and faced my attacker. My sword ignited and I sent a lightning spell to my opponent. By the time the light has faded all that was left of my assailant was a blackened shell that smelled of burned components. I watched as three men in dark green uniform surrounded me and raised N2100(2) at me.

“Hold it right there.” One of them shouted, dark eyes glaring over their filter masks. “You’re coming with us.”

I barely hid my sigh, young hotshots on patrol. I would be delayed for a long time if I let them, over eager kids that they were.

“Do your job so I don’t have to do it for you.” I muttered, turning around and going on my way to the Embassy.

“Hey!”

A beam shot out and hit the floor to the right of me. I turned and watched a newcomer aim her N8210(3) at me. She had a calmer more professional air about her. She looked deadlier with her weapon than the other three, not as deadly as Umi with her foil or Eagle with a Zip but deadly enough.

“You’re under arrest rebel!” She stated calmly, ready to shoot me as the slightest provocation. “Come quietly or you‘re dead.”

Simple. Direct. I had all four of them disarmed and the tip of my sword on her throat in less time it took her to say everything. I was about to leave when she jumped and tried to strike me. A quick block sent her flying with the force of her momentum and the speed of my block. I had little time to spare for such minor things. I had to leave and meet with the President. I left them to pick themselves up.

Damn.

Now I remembered where I had seen the female officers face before. Sniper First Class. I’ve seen her years before. One of the wild rookies that Eagle worried about always running around half cocked. Officer Brougham, the daughter of the Presidents head of security. It didn’t matter. She was only a nuisance. Now I had a meeting to prepare for.

****Geo****

I don't know whether to be glad or not. On one side I got an excuse to leave my predicament at Chizeta but on the other an emergency call from Eagle was never a good thing. Even under the flag of Personal Request, I've known Eagle and his family long enough that a personal request meant more than any political or military situation.

A respite from one emergency but into another. Out of the pan and into the fire I think. Well what was I to expect from my bestfriend's family. Everything has been under wraps for many years. Even if it has been decades since the last incident that the Vision family has ever called for a favor from my family, they still had it's loyalty. The Metro family always heeds the call of the Visions.

I remember my grandfather used to tell stories of how he and Eagle's granddad used to be. Both of them had worked in the military and would have been incredible rivals had they been fighting on the same front. The Visions had always chosen to be the ones to defend the streets and Eagle's grandfather was molded that way. As my grandfather was a scientist, yes I'm a far cry from him, his grandfather was part of the Home Guard Vox Pax, the oldest fighting group surviving. It was no wonder that Eagle chose to follow in his grandfather's footsteps even when most of his brothers chose to play the game of politics like his father. This of course caused much friction in the family, his choice of joining the Home Guard and eventually rising to become a commander of the NSX. I remember how a ten year old boy, years my junior and one that I had always thought to be too shy to even contemplate joining such a group.

"Captain! Approaching Autozam. NSX will be in sensor range in thirty seconds."

I snap out of my reverie as my crew and my second in command shout out information. I was closer to home than I thought I was.

"Open hailing frequencies. This is the NSX, Captain Metro speaking, request permission to dock." I never imagined in the whole time I decided to take care of the Vision's youngest that I would one day be commander of the NSX. What started out as a simple security detail job ended with my becoming a top man in Autozam’s military space force. Though it came up as a necessity as my commander was physically unfit to command, being in a state of coma would do that, I was forced to take his place.

"This is Evol Spaceport, you are cleared for docking, please disengage bridge control and set NSX for Spaceport Controlled Docking."

Eagle hand picked the crew that he went with to Cephiro and when he slept his sleep of exhaustion most of the NSX crew stayed with him. That crew was his friends from the various divisions of the Home Guard. When it was passed that the NSX was later to be placed under my command and an NSX2 was now to be the new ambassador’s ship most of the crew got drafted to NSX2. I very much had to scrape up my own crew from other places. I had little choice in the matter really. Even Zazu stayed with the commander. Had there been an alternative I would have stayed too but a short talk with our comatose patient and I was back in Autozam searching for my own crew.

"Copy that, NSX Bridge control disengaged. Spaceport Control confirmed. Docking sequence initiated. Thank you control."

In a few minutes I'm going to regret ever leaving Chizeta and getting involved in another Vision problem or another but then what would life be without Eagle?

****Ascot****

“I’m so stupid.”

I whispered quietly to my pillow. There I was, Bal Ascot, one of the most powerful summoner of my time, close to going crazy over affairs of the heart. Why did it take me this long to figure out that Umi didn’t look at me with the same eyes? Her eyes forever caught in deep ageless blue eyes. Why did I just now notice the same ageless blue eyes, piercing in their intensity, looking my way? What was wrong with me? Is Guru Clef angry at me that I’m making moves against someone he likes?

But that didn’t make sense. She was definitely interested in him… so why has he started glaring at me. He knows that I care for Umi, no one was that blind, well maybe one or two like Hikaru with somethings… but that’s it.

*I’m so STUPID*

****Lantis****

I lay back on the soft king size bed that sat at the corner of the spacious room provided in the Cephiran Embassy. I could smell the lavender scented oil that came from the burner on the workstation beside where I lay.

I hated waiting.

The others had been trying to contact the President but the new head of security had promptly refused the audience due to the ‘situation’. An assassination attempt on a head of state would do that. This of course was not helping my cause. I had to wait till morning and cut through all the red tape myself. It was too late in the night to contact Hawk or Zazu. Eagle was out of the question as he needs his rest and I was not about to deprive him of it. Geo was still off planet. Everything would be done in the morning. This though did not mean I would be happy with the reprieve. Every second worries me.

“Kailu Lantis!”

“Yes.” At the call I was up and stalking to the door before the other was even able to open it. “What news?”

“Sorry to disturb you sir Kailu but we were able to contact the Captain of NSX2 and he requests visual confirmation.”

I was out of the room and marching off to the conference hall even before he finished. I had asked them to send a message to both Zazu and Hawk so that in the morning I will be expected. The gift of Zazu being awake at this time of the night and willing to see me was not one I was about to question. I entered the room and punched in some commands on the console. I might have been gone from Autozam for years but I was still very much familiar with their equipment.

“Sir?”

“I got it.” I said as I brought up Zazu on the main screen. “Zazu.”

“Lantis. So these guys weren’t joking when they said you were planet side.”

I merely nod. I signaled to the others to leave. They stepped out with no question and locked down the room. Official business was official business. No matter who I am and what I’ve done I was still the Kailu. I was still powerful in Cephiran society along with Guru Clef, the highest ranking Yil, and Dal Larfaga, my counterpart in the military, those chosen to serve directly under the Hashira.

“Sorry for the late hour.”

“Hey no biggy. It’s official biz if I’m not mistaken.”

“Yes. I need to meet with the president. Guru Clef’s orders. The president is expecting me but I cannot get past the new presidential guard dog Spyder to inform him I’m planet side.”

Zazu made a face and made gagging movements. This was not good if this Spyder gave off this much disgust from the little Captain.

“Spyder is a pain in the neck. He means well but he oversteps his bounds at times.”

“Will this be a problem?”

“Did you know that he wanted to give Eagle bodyguards? He also bugged Eagles apartment.”

“I take it that’s a yes.”

“Identity confirmed.” A womans voice confirmed in Zazu’s end.

“Secure line.” Zazu nodded and gave me the thumbs up. I checked my end and confirmed his identity and the secure line electronically. Funny. I confirmed his identity long before the machine did. I just needed his end to confirm it. Unlike Eagle Zazu did not sense things like it was breathing. They said it had something to do with Zazu having a different leaning, like the way Larfaga became a Dal and Ascot was a Bal.

“Guru Clef wants a private meeting with the president. I’ll just be opening a mirror way for them to communicate. It’s that a high priority and security. I’ve been ‘sworn to silence’, as they say, to even broach the subject to anyone other than the president.”

“I got it. We’ll meet tonight then?”

“Yes. And Zazu…”

“I don’t know… I rarely see him but…” Troubled eyes looked back at me and I wondered what Eagle has gotten himself into again. “Lantis. Did you two fight before he left Cephiro?”

“What? Why do you ask?”

“I saw Eagle last night. Not intentionally. I doubt he wanted me to know it was him and not Hawk…”

“What happened?”

“Just answer the question Lantis.” Moments like these I am reminded that Zazu and Eagle truly were cousins. They can be fiery and burn like stars but they can also be cold and unforgiving as the emptiness of space.

“No. We didn’t.” The troubled countenance did not leave Zazu’s face and worry brushed its fingers to my chest. “Now tell me what happened?”

“Nothing big really... Just something unusual.”

“Unusual?”

“Uh-hmmm…”

“Unusual unusual or Eagle Unusual?”

“Both.”

“Well?”

“Leeetttttttsss just get you that audience with the president, shall we?”

“…”

“What?”

“…”

“Whaaat?”

“Eagle.”

“Plays his part and so should you.”

I watched in fascination as once again Zazu Torque pulled on ‘Eagle’s cloak’, as we aptly called this change in demeanor, in our young friend. My friend has grown up. Sometimes I would reminisce about the old days, a past where sleepy afternoons were spent under the shade of artificial trees carrying lifelike smells of warm wood. Those were the days before they all had to grow up. Now spring has turned into summer and no amount trying on my part could have stopped my three friends into becoming the pillars of Autozam society.

“I’ve played my part longer than any one of you.”

“He plays his part better than most. You might be surprised.”

“And you know more than you’re telling.”

“As is the same with you.”

*****Zazu*****

*And you know nore than you’re telling.*

*As is the same with you.*

Maybe for the ninth time that night, er… morning, I felt like hitting my head on the control panel in front of me as I replayed the conversation I had with Lantis.

<Whap>

“Owwwwww!!!!!”

I rubbed my now red forehead and nose to lessen the pain. That was defiantly a very stupid move. Now I really wonder why they gave me captaincy to the NSX2 considering how stupid I was.

A sudden blinking of a section on the vid screen alerted me of my communications officers request for acknowledgment. A soft tap on the screen brought a second vid screen floating before me. I tugged at its edge to increase its size.

“Yes Lieutenant.”

“Captain, sorry to bother you, but Captain Metro of the NSX is up on line four-“

I immediately open the said line on another screen and thanked the lieutenant for informing me. The grinning face of my best friend stared back at me as I started a ID confirmation program on the line. One could never be too cautious, especially if the one on the other end of the line looks like a friend.

“Zazu you good for nothing drunkard! What happened here that I had to fly all the way from Chizeta just to meet up with your sorry face.”

I could feel the large sweatdrop going down my face as I looked at the very haggard and much pissed off face of my closest friend.

****End Part 7****

Posted March 2, 2004

Disclaimers: All characters belonged to their original creator, CLAMP, I just commandeered some of the characters for a night out into my own demented world.