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Machina x Flayon is a smart person. Moreover, he is a genius, the ace pilot of a R-Trus. Everyone knows he is simply the best and the coolest.
.
.
.
Or, at least that what he prefers to think about himself. Positivity helps your selfesteem, as people say. In reality, even Flayon not sure, if he is such a cool person. Sometimes he even thinks in opposite way. And right now is one of this rare moments.
His current situation is a bit... Peculiar. You see, since he is a pilot of a mech, he tends to work with at least one more person. Usually he would bug Bettel to join him on a random mission he picked up. But today everything have been wrong.
When young pilot was looking at list of missions and task they, the Tempus guild, have recently received, he noticed quite an interesting task. The description was short, marked as easy-to-do and with a pretty good reward. Double-checked that task appeared completely normal to the boy. And since the requirements of such mission were human help rather then a usage of a giant flying thing with many weapons, Flayon decided to take this task, leave R-Trus in hanger and leave. Alone. Without notifying anyone.
Has it been a good idea to not tell his leader that he is leaving on a mission without his only weapon? Nope, definitely not. Hence his current predicament.
Machina x Flayon, the great ace pilot and a genius of guild Tempus, is currently stuck in a cave-like place where only lighting is some weird glowing plant, bits of his outfit and a broken communicator. The pilot is completely cut off from hi friends and teammates. His only way out is located somewhere at the start of this place, which makes it even worse due to a prior shaking of the ground. The entrance to this place is made out of, as its said, “dirt and sticks”. Well, technically dirt, a lot of rocks and two huge supporting wood-sticks. It wasn’t holding very well, thought redhead. On the other side, he does hear a water running, which means there are potentially other ways out. He discretely remembers a little river on his way to location mentioned in mission review. Sadly, even if there is another way out, he wouldn’t be able to reach it. What a shame.
Oh, right. Have I forgotten to mention his not-so-little injury? Oh my, how could I. Let us rewind a few hours back, when Flayon just arrived at designated meeting spot.
As pilot entered a shabby cabin in forest he met a person wearing a completely black robe all over their body. Instead of talking they used prewritten notes to explain what needed to be done. Back then boy didn’t pay much attention to it, but now he is regretting of not doing it. In short, the task seemed easy: go to location A, pick-up a box containing very important object, bring back to starting point. And so he wrote down a short description to identify the object, took tools provided by black-robed person and left the cabin with a marked down location on a map.
Shortly after leaving that place, he ran into a few issues: the location of required object was pretty far away; the road was filled with little corruption monsters; the tools he received seemed to be useless. But with determination, he continued his way to finish such an easy task completely on his own. Oh, how he wants to go back and call somebody to ask for help. Alas, the past cannot be changed.
In general, he didn’t ran into any serious issue till he reached the marked place. It was an open area that had only different sized stones laying around. Nothing seemed wrong. Absolutely nothing. That was the first time, when warning bells started ringing in his head, but he ignored them. There were no immediate danger. As no matching objects to description he received earlier.
After spending several minutes, close to an hour walking in open field aimlessly, he noticed a small opening in far away mountain. Seeing that it was only possible option where unknown box-like object could be located, young boy decided to just look inside. Key words are “just look inside”.
As things tend to go south, this was not an exception. When Flayon entered cave-like place, he heard a loud noise seemingly roaring above his head. Looking around, including outside unknown place, he noticed an inconsistency. The rocks that were just laying around... Weren’t there anymore. The field was now completely emptied resembling a dead-grass-plain.
One moment Machina x Flayon is processing what just happened, the other he is panicking due to an... Issue.
The issue in question is a rhinoceros standing right in front of him. Or, technically, a corruption monster that resembles a rhino made out of rocks-that-are-not-rocks-and-are-actually-bones. A huge one too. “Oh god,” thought Flayon, “I am fucked.”
In the next few minutes, young boy tried to escape this predicament by stealthily leaving the field. But alas, as he was left in a completely empty place where nothing can hide away, his plan to leave was completely crashed like his chest bones after the monster has rushed into him the moment he stepped outside the cave.
That was the moment when he completely threw out the idea of escape and decided to concentrate on surviving the encounter while trying to contact anybody and call for help. Sadly, that plan has also been prevented.
After spending long time running around the field and getting more injuries, he ended up being thrown into previously mentioned cave-like space. As much as he managed to get up, he didn’t have a chance to recuperate next attack of the monster. The bone-made rhinoceros has slammed right into him again, knocking him of his legs and throwing pilot deeper in the cave.
Such action has caused an earth shaking which cut off the only known exit out. Multiple rocks have fallen down from cave roof. The sand dust has risen and filled the air. Other things have happened. But most importantly, Machina x Flayon, the great ace pilot and a genius from guild Tempus, was left completely alone, isolated, with severe injuries and broken communicator.
No way out.
Nobody to save him.
Just him.
Alone.
And now there is no such thing as “great mecha pilot” or “the genius” in boy’s description. Only Machina x Flayon, injured boy with no friend by his side. “Well, unless you can consider a giant rhino monster somewhere outside this cave-like place,” says Flayon out loud, which causes him to laugh in bittersweet tone.
“What a shame. To die so young. And I haven’t finished my game...,” his thoughts were floating around, “Altare is going to be angry. And Axel. He is going to talk so much about safety percussions and shit.” Something loud could be heard falling on rocky ground. “It’s so cold sitting here. Betsy would’ve complained so much, such a princess,” he laughed again. Small balls of water have accumulated under his eyes. “Oh well, I guess Hakka can take the Roons, he is such a great caretaker,” he tried to continue his thought, but failed. Some memories have taken control over his thoughts. Good memories. Happy.
Tears started hitting rocks under pilots body. Small hick-ups overtaken his body, which caused eve more pain. A warm feeling of red fluid trickling down his side has stopped affecting him. Little noises could be heard echoing around maze of tunnels.
In pure despair, young boy tried calling for help.
But nobody answered.
He tried again.
And again.
Again.
Ag-
.
.
.
Footsteps.
He could hear soft footsteps approaching him, but he wasn’t bothered. A soft glow from the plant hasn’t been providing enough light to identify, if any shadows were getting near. Somehow, this place seemed even darker, but it was not bothering him. The pain from his injuries stopped itching on borders of his mind, but he felt unbothered.
Nothing was bothering him.
Only familiar voice calling his name was what caught his attention. It felt so far and yet so close. He wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating or it was for real. The chances it was second were low, but he couldn’t accept that. He clinged to the idea of being rescued and so he tried again.
Small voice full of agony has called out: “Help! Somebody, please help me!”
And this time there was an answer.
“Hello here, my pilot.”
“Altare”, sobbed Flayon. “That’s me,” answered his leader, “I found you.”
“You did,” smiled younger one.
“How are you feeling?” questioned the older, “Can you move?”
“I can’t feel any-... Anything. And I don’t think... I don’t... I can’t move,” it took a lot of energy for him to answer. Some coughing from his the dumbest, annoying, painful,... lung issue has stopped him mid sentences. Asthma has been active for a while now. Luckily, it wasn’t that bad... Yet.
“Well, that’s not good, is it,” joked blue-haired boy. Warmth has appeared beneath Flayon’s knees and back. He felt like being moved in air. It was weird. “I guess,” answered redhead.
“Can you open your eyes for me, darling?” the hero has asked the rescued. Flayon didn’t even realised he closed them. After struggling to obey Altare’s order, he finally managed to see beautiful face in front of him. Oh, right. It’s Altare. “Here you go. You are doing great, just hang on a little bit more. We are almost there.”
“M-kay... ‘m trying...,” he told his friend. He felt so weak and tired. His eyes are open, but it’s still dark on the edges.
Blink.
Oh, now it’s so much brighter. And the air feels cleaner. Are we outside?
“Yes, we just left this cave you were in. Are you still with me, Flay?” were words that left leader’s mouth. “Here...,” was the only thing he could respond with. Somewhere in between him blinking his lungs started feeling tighter. “No air, though,” pilot decided to mention to his friend. “Fuck,” he muttered in response.
Blink.
And now the darkness returned. Somewhere in the distance could be heard multiple voices. Flayon was sure that one of them was Altare’s, but it would be impossible, right? Because Altare is right here, holding him and caring him home. To guild. To others.
The voices seem to panic. The darkness seems comforting.
And so he allows it to overtake him.
And now it’s silent.
And he is alone again.
Falling deeper.
Asleep.
.
.
.
Few days later Machina x Flayon wakes up in his comfy bed. His room is a refresher to his experience from last time he was awake. His breathing is normal now, but moving still causes some pain, but it’s bearable.
Opening his eyes doesn’t bring annoying itchiness. Quite the opposite, they feel relaxed. It’s dark in his room, but also illuminated enough to not cause overwhelming feeling. It seems there were some flowers placed in here.
Looking around brought a little smile oh his face. Now he could see his teammates. Brothers. Shinri was slumbering on a chair brought to the room. He seemed bothered by something, but young pilot couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Near the bed were two other boys. Bettel has been sitting on floor for so long that he ended up placing his head on a bed and falling asleep. Alternatively to him, Hakka – the loudest bird, was completely occupying place on Flayon’s bed. Specifically, he was practically cuddling the youngest-looking member of Tempus’s vanguard team.
As much as Flayon enjoyed current state of everything, his brain has already started working and his rational side is screaming at him to get at least one of the boys to wake up and check his injuries.
But that doesn’t matter anymore.
Machina x Flayon, the ace pilot of R-Trus, genius of the best guild Tempus and most beloved member of vanguard team, was for once delighted. He wasn’t lonely anymore.
He is safe now.
He is home.