Lum floated over Uru, drifting in orbit over her home planet. She gazed down at it's surface, and tried her best not to weep.
"You're safe, Lum. This is the Dreamscape. Nothing can harm you here, Lum."
All around the planet's equator, she could see a thousand ships encircling her home. The expansive mushroom patches that covered Uru so much now slowly receded, crumbling away from some unknown force. Unknown to her, at least.
"Is this what has become of your home, Lum?" She heard a voice say from somewhere behind her.
"Yes, Noa-sama..." Lum replied. "They came after Darling left Earth."
She gazed upon the ships that surrounded the planet again. What would they want with her planet? Why do they persist on staying? Why did they come after her Darling left her on Earth, her horns crumbled to bits?
There must be some connection... The voice said quietly. "Otherwise these ships wouldn't have come all this way. The Zephyrites are a distant race, Lum. No one would even consider even setting foot close to a planet of the Federation, let alone barricading it like this."
Lum tried to ignored the empty space in her heart as she stared down at the Zephyrite ships. "Zephyrus has made no bones about hating the Federation, especially us. And especially me."
Having a planet venerating you as a holy being can do that to you, Lum. Zephyrus must be offended by your holy power. Lum didn't miss the derisive tone in that remark. The six churches that made up the Holy Republic of Zephyrus were notorious for their strong independence. While the Protestants would feed starving children in one colony, the Orthodox would be waging war against another colony for some crime. However, there were a few times Zephyrus would unite in collective opinion. Her involuntarily ascension as a sacred goddess to the state of Phentax Two would be one of those times.
You're still thinking about him, aren't you? The voice said, and Lum wanted to shake her head, and push down all those thoughts of him, of his face when he shattered her horns, when he summoned the Dragons to drive them off the Earth, when he showed how much she truly mattered to him.
Absolute nothing.
She didn't want Noa to see his face. Not now.
Lum... The voice said. "Don't hide away. What Ataru did to you was horrible, I know. I can help you save him."
Why? Lum said. "Darling's gone forever. He's probably hidden on Noukiios by now... Or somewhere far away on Earth."
"I fear Ataru has been damaged, Lum. I fear that, from a time long before you challenged him to the Tag Race, he has been damaged. I fear that he isn't the Ataru you knew and loved."
Lum felt a hand reach out and tangle its fingers in her hair, stroking through it softly.
"Oh Lum... You loved him so much, so much that you'd fear it'd consume your very soul. You loved him that you demanded his love in return, not knowing how fearful he was of it. You loved him as he foolishly pushed you away, and threw it in your face time and again, because he would enjoy the pleasures of many women than just one..."
The stroking hand turned into an embrace, encircling her body and squeezing her tightly, and Lum feared that everything she tried to keep inside would have burst forth in that moment.
"I couldn't do it... Darling left me. I wanted him to look only at me... Love only me... Say that he loved me..."
"He does, Lum." Noa said. "He loves you, more than anything in the world. I can still feel your bonds deep inside you, as I feel your bond with me. Don't you remember, Lum?"
"I remember... I remember when you brought us together, Noa."
Lum felt a kiss on her forehead. "Then you'll remember, too. Hope isn't lost yet. Uru will be free again, I promise you. And Ataru will return, as well. But you must be strong. You must never give up, even when others may give up on you."
"But what if they're right, and not you?"
Noa smiled softly. "Never give up, Lum. Your compromises won't be as serious as you think."
Lum whimpered softly. "Are you saying I should let my Darling walk all over me, like some cheap rug?"
Noa laughed softly. "Not at all, Lum. I find you might enjoy doing what Darling likes to do... Maybe you should spend some time in Benten's bed tonight..."
"Noa-sama!!" Lum whined softly, as the Sagussan only giggled and stroked her hair. "It's not funny! You have no idea how much I had to fight to stop him from cheating on me!"
Noa smiled. "I can see all your memories, can't I? I've seen your troubles with Ataru, since I linked my mind with yours. It's not hard for me not to see into your mind."
Lum slumped a little against Noa's body. "But..."
"We'll bring Ataru back for you, Lum. I promise you." Noa hugged Lum tightly, as darkness enveloped them.
-
Lum's eyes fluttered open, and swam into the focus to see the figures surrounding her bed expectantly. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw her friends surrounding her. "Ran, Benten, Oyuki..."
Almost immediately, she was caught under a mass of hugs and a barrage of questions, while Noa slipped out from next to her, to join her fellow Sagussans. "I've already told your parents that you're alright. You should rest tonight, though, before you consider leaving Sakusei Station."
"Noa, are you leaving?" Lum asked, looking up at the Sagussan, who shook her head.
"No, I won't leave. It's been too long since I last saw you, Lum. But now that we're whole again, and our Grand Design is almost finished." Noa looked between the faces of her friends, both old and new. "We won't leave you behind again. Those days are over."
"So you're not going to run away again, huh?" Benten said sceptically. "Like Ataru just did to us?"
Noa nodded. "We need Ataru just as you do. The First Great Father must return to us, soon."
"Darling will come back," Lum said softly. "I'm sure Darling will come back, even if we'll have to drag him out of Hell to do so."
And now...
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(Posted Tue, 25 May 2010 03:18)
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