Ninth Light

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

[In the wake of the most recent mission, you'll find a disheartening sight if you enter the hangar.  The HK-1138' Corona lies in a crumpled, ruined heap off in a side designated for unsalvagable wrecks, the entire machine nearly split in twain height-wise, a huge chunk of it just fucking gone.  Those parts from before?  Yeah, phoney.  All of them.  Danconias-Phillips imitation parts and completely incompatible.  You didn't actually think they'd HELP Julia, did you?]

Come on... move... move!

[And elsewhere in the hangar, Julia has been trying as hard as she can to use other machines.  Knightmare Frames.  Mobile Suits.  Everything and anything that currently isn't claimed by someone else just so no stone was unturned.  But it's all for naught.  Her hands fly wildly and clumsily at the controls.  It takes all of her willpower and focus to just a machine to stumble awkwardly forward, and all too often her machine stumbles and falls.  And finally after one failure too many...

[Well, everyone has a breaking point and Julia's just hit hers.]

I can't...

I can't pilot anymore...

Comments

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

[Julia's crying softly, hands still clumsily gripping the controls of her current machine.]

It... it's over, Hana...

[wimpy-cure-ever.livejournal.com]

D-Don't say that! Y-You can't give up like that! People are counting on you!

[At least, that's what she's hoping]

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

But it's true!

[Her head fell forward, and she just looked down at her lap as tears fell down onto her legs.]

I was such a fool... going out into battle and always risking the only machine in existence I can pilot; one not even meant for combat!

I'm no soldier either... all I did for a whole year was just do exhibitions in controlled environments!

[wimpy-cure-ever.livejournal.com]

You're not a fool! You're not! I-I mean, when I came to Fairy Park, I just thought it was a simple job, not to be some sort of hero! I still don't know half of the stuff my machine does and a lot of it is stuff I figure out in battle or learn from Eri!

[she moves a hand to lift up Julia's face.]

We all make mistakes. We're not perfect. We can't give up so easily...

[and she starts to smile warmly.]

Please, keep going... i-if you want, I'll let you take over the Tsubomi! I'll handle the suits here!

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

But Hana...

The Tsubomi's an incredible machine! Flight, power... it's as much a machine for entertainment as it is a weapon for defense! And it's the same with the iDOLs too...

The Corona... the Corona was just a test model.

[Note the use of past tense as she curled her arms around herself.]

I was going out into battle with a flashlight and fireworks. I had one machine in the Earth Sphere I could learn to use, and I picked a dud... a one-of-a-kind dud, no less.

I can't fight. I never could, really...

I'm just an unwanted mascot girl...

[wimpy-cure-ever.livejournal.com]

[Julia would soon find Hana reaching over to hug her tightly before pulling back, trying not to cry.]

You're not unwanted, Julia. If you were unwanted, then why are you still here?

You can't give up. I don't want you to. We don't want you to...

[she wants to suggest giving it another try, but she looks so exhausted.]

How about we do something else first, hm? Come back to this later...

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

But I'm here because I'm unwant-

[She seized up, nearly hyperventilating as she just clung to Hana.]

My company doesn't want me anymore... and while I was here I thought I had a place; could fight...

... I can't. I never could in the first place. What happened out there's proof of that.

[wimpy-cure-ever.livejournal.com]

Julia...!

[she holds on to the other girl, trying to calm her down. Her own tears couldn't be held back as she rubbed her back.]

It's okay... it's okay... We'll... we'll figure out something.

[for the moment, she's going to let her get everything out of her system.]

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

But what is there to figure out?

It'd take me... take me years to pilot some other machine! And we can't go to Mr. Herrera for help either!

[wimpy-cure-ever.livejournal.com]

[That's a good question! Hana's mind began searching for some answer - any answer - that might help out in the end!

And then it dawned on her!]

W-Wait a minute! Don't we have a machine that's missing its cockpit? M-Maybe if we can move your machines cockpit into it, you'd be able to pilot again!

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

[She shook her head furiously.]

That wouldn't work. Maybe the controls would be the same, but the performance and handling... the weapons I'd have to use...

I'd keep reaching for launching fireworks or the flashlight, no doubt.

[wimpy-cure-ever.livejournal.com]

B-But what if we can modify it so that you can use the old scheme to work the new weapons or...!

[she's starting to run out of ideas! Julia's so adamant that she's worthless here...!]

[curseu-reflexes.livejournal.com]

Same problem. It'd... it'd be like a phantom limb or something! Same controls but a different purpose would be like... like rewiring your whole body; you'd try to be moving your hand but you'd open your mouth instead!