Chapter 5
"I’ll give you just one piece of advice...dying hurts like hell."
The brightly colored lights flashed before my eyes, almost blindingly so. Soon I was able to keep up with the pattern of flashes, and started to predict the next one, and the next. My uncle watched me, smiling softly, as he saw my eyes flick to each area on the screen before the light appeared.
"This, of course, is just the simulation. In a real battle, there would be less patternizing and more spontaneity, since your enemies would be able to think for themselves. Would you like to experience a version of a battle created by me? You would be able to respond as your father and I did when this system was enabled during a fight..." he explained, looking up at me.
I nodded. ‘It couldn’t be that dangerous.’ I thought.
"Are you sure? You’ll be in here by yourself..."
"I’m sure."
"Okay. Let me warn you, though. Whatever you see happen is not real. Don’t let the system take complete control of your brain, for the results can be deadly. If you have any problems, hit this red switch on the side of the seat, and I’ll stop the program. I think this will give you a good understanding of what a Gundam is. Ready?" he asked, opening the hatch and attaching a clip to his belt.
"Always." I responded, strapping myself in and grabbing the hand controls.
"Good luck." Miliardo said, jumping off and sliding down the side of the mobile suit. I hit the button for the hatch and gasped as it closed completely, shutting me in darkness. Alone.
Suddenly the machine turned on, and with it came light from the many computer screens surrounding me. Sighing, I anticipated the start of the Zero system anxiously.
The first yellow flash caught me off guard, but in my startled state I still managed to destroy it. A few more appeared, and I got the feeling my Uncle was testing me. Sending him a quick message in Morse code using bullet shots, I told him it was too easy and if he didn’t speed up the pace I would fall asleep. In response to my note, about three hundred flashes appeared all around me, firing in my direction. I reacted to the best of my ability, thinking two mobile dolls ahead of where I was shooting. After I had about half destroyed, and odd sensation came over me, clearing my mind, but at the same time, clouding my judgment. The cockpit around me melted away into a bright yellow, disintegrating every little flash representing an enemy.
Then I saw Father. And Mother, standing together in a garden. And then, my uncle appeared, pushing them apart. Mother looked genuinely upset, crying out and reaching towards my father from my uncle, who eyes narrowed as he took out a gun. I appeared and ran in between Father and Uncle Miliardo just as my dad pulled the trigger, taking the bullet for my uncle. In my last moments I saw all three of them crowded around me, and my father crying while he held my hand.
Blinking back to reality from the nightmare, I destroyed the mobile dolls closest to me and hurriedly pushed the red button. The hum disappeared, and I fell forward as the hatch opened, rolling off and hitting the cement ground. I was sweating all over, not able to focus any distinct thought. All I could remember is the tears of my father, drowning me as my mother screamed.
I’m sure Uncle Miliardo saw me, I think I heard his startled voice once or twice as he raced down the stairs to see if I was alright. My eyes half open, I looked up at his scared face, then closed them and lost consciousness.
~*~
I’m not sure exactly how long I was asleep, but when I woke up I was lying in the same bed they had me in before, and there was a tray with some fruit and a bagel next to me. Taking a bundle of grapes gratefully, I moaned as I felt sore all over, and knew it was from the fall. Flexing my muscles and popping my joints, I stood, but almost immediately grabbed my head, which screamed for aspirin. Thankfully, whoever had brought my food in here had also placed two pills of Ibuprofen and a glass of water on the breakfast tray, knowing I would have a splitting headache and major pain when I awoke. Downing the capsules and gulping down the water, I started towards the door when I heard a voice behind me, in the shadows.
"He likes you."
Frowning, I turned to face the unknown owner of the voice. Surprisingly it was Priscilla, my cousin. "What?"
"I said, he likes you. My father. You should have seen the way he was acting when he brought you back upstairs. He was in hysterics. Mom couldn’t get him to calm down. Finally she was forced to sedate him. He’s still sleeping it off, I think."
I considered, this, looking down at the carpet modestly. "How long have I been sleeping?"
She smirked. "How many times are you going to pass out, huh? You slept all night restlessly...it’s about nine in the morning right now. What was all that stuff you kept saying while you were sleeping about your parents?"
I gasped. Talking in my sleep again? I knew I needed to fix that. ‘About my parents?’ I wondered. Then the horrible dreams I had all night flooded back to me, reminding me of all that took place yesterday and the scene I witnessed. "Nothing, it was nothing." I shook it off, putting my back to her as I shoved a piece of honeydew melon down my throat. "Is Aunt Lucrezia up yet?" I asked, hoping for all the world she wasn’t.
"Yes, she is, but she’s out on her morning run. She won’t be back until ten, at least. Why?"
"Priscilla, I need your help. I have to get away from this place, it’s been causing me too many problems. No offense..."
"None taken."
"Good...but anyway, I have to get away from here, and if you parents know they won’t let me go, I know it. Can you help me get ready?" I inquired, looking her straight in the eye and hoping she would cooperate. The pompous attitude she had earlier didn’t show up at all that morning as she agreed, taking me down the stairs to the front entryway, where I wrote a quick note to my aunt and uncle, explaining I had to go and visit the other pilots. Leaving it on the table, I turned back to my cousin.
"Thank you. You’re not as bad as I thought."
She smiled softly and looked down. "You either." We exchanged an awkward hug, and I grinned. "I’ll write you a letter some day, alright? I don’t suppose it’ll be too hard to get the address for the Castle of the Cinq Kingdom, do you?"
Laughing, she shook her head. "Bye, Sarah. Have fun finding the others."
I walked out the door of the mansion, heading down the curving driveway to the train station, where I would hopefully buy another ticket and find out where the next on my list lived. Stopping at the gate, I looked back, wishing a farewell to my uncle and aunt. Turning to the open road, I bumped into a tall figure standing behind me, whose arms rested on my shoulders.
"Where are you going?"
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