65 Til Death do us Par

Issac and his friends had returned to base, all under a lot of stress due to the events that had unfolded back in the Espionage fortress. Yuji was a mess, and the others all having their own thoughts on how bad things went.

Nari was walking to her room, to gather her suitcase and belongings. She reaches her door, entering. She gathers her things, but noticed a photograph of Asuna and herself. "..." She pulls to the picture, and places it in her bag. Nari soon after leaves her room, and begins walking down the hall. She crosses Kirb's room, on her way out to the docking bay. "Oh...I should let him know what's going on." She states to herself, walking to his door. Nari sets her bags down, then knocks.

"It's open." He called.

Nari enters Kirb's room, and proceeds over to him. He was laying on his bed, as Nari now stood over him. "Kirb, I have to tell you something. It's not you, it's just everything going on."

"What are you talking about?" Kirb inquired, seeming concerned as he sat up. He took Nari's hand, looking to her.

"We lost Asuna... She's gone. I-I don't think I can stay here anymore... I lost myself, I lost my sister, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose you." Nari says, starting to cry.

Kirb's ears drooped, as he pulled Nari into his arms, embarrassing her. "Hey, hey, I'm here."

Nari shakes her head, and pushes from Kirb's grip, "I-I was thinking over things, there's so much wrong Kirb... It's not just out there I'm worried about... I would talk to myself about doing horrible things to people...Even you... Projects, who knows what. I just think it's better, if I stay away from all of this... Kirb, I'm so sorry."

"Nari." Kirb got up to his feet, looking to her with a conflicted expression. "We can work this out, you don't need to go anywhere. Don't do this to me."

"I really don't want to...But I don't see any other way to keep you safe..." Nari states, turning away from him.

"..." Kirb stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around Nari. He was restraining his emotions, not letting himself cry. "I don't care if I'm safe or not, it's you I want to protect, Nari. If you go, then... I don't know what I'd do with myself, if something happened to you..."

Nari sniffs, as she was shaking. "Kirb..."

"Before you joined AM, I didn't have much purpose here, besides the war zone. You were the first person to really try to connect with me, and I let you in... If you go... I'll be alone again." Kirb admitted, his voice cracking.

Nari's eyes drift downward, "...But if I stay....Kirb, I just... I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO GO!" She says, pushing away from Kirb rushing to the door.

Kirb was stunned, seeing Nari zip out of his room, and down the hall with her luggage. Kirb was frozen for a moment, before he decided to peruse her. She was far ahead of him however. "Nari!!" He called, trying to catch up to her.

Nari was moving quickly to a cruiser, "(Just go away! I-I'm sorry Kirb...)"

Kirb was catching up to Nari, and managed to catch her hand. He stopped her in her path, before pulling her back into his arms, with a sudden kiss. He was crying at this point, in the middle of the base, where everyone around would be able to see. He broke the kiss, looking seriously to her, "Promise me... Promise me, I'll see you again." He begged.

"...I promise you Kirby... I love you..." Nari says, embracing Kirb in a hug.

"I love you too, Rice ball." He hugs her tightly.

Nari's grip had tightened briefly, "I have to go...Stay...safe..." She says, letting off of Kirb, and rushing into the cruiser.

He stood there, watching her go, as his ears dropped. "... You too..." His eyes staring as the cruiser took off.

Elsewhere,Yuji sat in the cafeteria, he was looking to his plate of food,but he turns his attention to a cook serving lunches. He spots an illusion of Asuna in line, and shakes his head quickly, "...Asuna...I'm seeing ghosts.." He says, holding to his head.

A tray is sat on the table next to him, as Issac takes the seat beside Yuji. "Hey man... How are you holding up?"

"I'm a wreck... I should have listened to Witchhazel... But most importantly, to Asuna... She told me... she warned me...I'm an idiot, everything is my fault!" Yuji says, beginning to cry.

"What greater punishment is there, then life when you've lost everything that made it worth living?..." Issac glanced off, propping his chin up with his palm. "It's going to be hard for a while, but eventually it will get better... I've been where you're at. I know how it hurts, but sometimes... things happen that make us press on. Even if we ourselves don't want to."

"Mm...Yeah...I guess...urgh...Thanks." Yuji says, wiping some tears from his eyes. "Man...It just happened so fast...I mean..." Yuji starts to cry again.

Issac turned to Yuji, patting his shoulder. "I know, man. I know. It's hard to get through a traumatic experience like that. The wounds may heal, but the scars never go away."

Yuji looks to Issac, "...What happened to you?" He inquires. "You talk, as if you really have been through something like...this..."

Issac looked off, with a solemn expression. "I have. My mom was killed right in front of me, the same day I decided to join AM... I was contemplating suicide... more so than usual. I was a mess, not thinking clearly. Something though, made me change my mind I guess."

"Oh my gosh... I'm sorry man... I don't want to sound awkward, but I guess you're right. Anyone else in here who could understand how I feel, is you... I mean, it's unbearable... Talking is helping but... Then thinking about this place... Suicide..." Yuji had stopped talking, dwelling on what Issac had told him, his expression saddened.

Issac turned to Yuji, once more. "I found that even if I was choosing to die, that I could be constructive with how I'd go down. So, fighting to protect people, who can't defend themselves... it's part of what's kept me from hurting myself. There's many exits, but... you don't have to take any too soon, ya'know?"

"Yeah...Thanks for understanding... I never thought I'd be a character in a script like this." Yuji says, sarcastically. "We really are two of a kind, no wonder I wanted you for that lead role."

Issac laughed slightly. "Guess so. It'll get better Yuji. Some times will be worse than others, but it's not always going to be bad."

"Y-yeah..." Yuji says, sighing to himself. "Well, I guess I'll head to rest for a bit...The bastard who caused all of this is dead...I owe my life...to Asuna...That's the least I can do..."

Meanwhile, Myde was inside her room, coughing obscenely. Cravic stepped in through the door, approaching her. "Myde, you really should rest." He urged her.

Myde coughed once again, stumbling to the floor. Cravic seemed panicked, rushing to her side as she laid there, still coughing. She looked terrified. "...C...Cravic..." She coughed again, as she leaned her head to his lap.

Cravic was shaking, placing his hands to her back. "Myde."

She weakly looked up to him, his eyes were shaking, noticing a black fluid coming from her nose and mouth. It was on her hand that she was coughing into as well. "Cravic... I'm scared...."

"W-What's happening to you?" He asked, shaking.

"I... I have a virus... It's... terminal..." Myde was breathing oddly. "I... Couldn't bring myself... to... to tell you..."

"No-No-No-No-No... There has to be a cure... a dream tear... anything..." He was scared, but Myde reached her hand to his face.

Myde shook her head, "The only thing close to a cure, is off world on Crydon..." The black fluid leaking down her face.

Cravic went to wipe her face, looking to her still, with furrowed brows. "... Why's this happening to you?... Was it... me?...."

"No, I have a common genetic Ferline virus... Hydrolsies... There is a plant that can slow down the effects of it, if treated when symptoms occur, but certain exposures amplify the symptoms of it..." Myde coughed briefly, more black liquid coming from her lungs. "Over heating, Stress, over use of dama, exposure to DD... even certain foods can trigger worse reactions as well... There's no known cure though... I've lived with this since I could... remember." She coughed again, leaning forward in pain.

Cravic placed his hand to the back of her head, taking her hand with his free one. "Why didn't you tell me?..."

"I...I didn't want to... make you worry." She admitted, her eyes growing a bit hazy.

Cravic felt the back of her head begin to grow rubbery, with a squishing texture. She was trying to swallow some of the excess fluid, but was struggling. Between Cravic's fingers, he could feel her head beginning to ooze now, dripping between his fingers to the floor. It was sticky, like a spider's web.

He was growing more frantic, his eyes watering up. "Myde... You can't die on me..."

Myde tried to smile, as the back of her head, and the rest of her body began to melt more severely. "Don't... Don't cry..." She begged, her hand to his face. Even her fingers were becoming less solid now.

Cravic's heart was racing, as he was becoming more distraught. He kisses Myde, his eyes letting tears escape them, falling to her face, as she also let herself cry.

Myde broke the kiss, looking to Cravic as the mixture of her melted skin and blood was becoming a puddle on the floor. "It's too late for me... I'm sorry Cravic..."

He wouldn't let go of her, "You're all I have." Cravic was quivering.

Myde smiled to him, "I love you..." was the final words she could say, before her entire body was nothing more than a melted puddle of flesh and blood, trailing with black liquid. Even her bones were no longer solid.

Cravic couldn't restrain himself, "Noo...." He whimpered, his voice becoming hoarse, as he cried, holding to the clothes that was left in her place. "You can't.... Myde.... Not you.... " His breathing was becoming erratic. He was left alone, crying by himself, in the darkness...

In the early hours of the morning, Barret was leaving his room. to do his usual routines, leaving Issac to sleep in a bit. "(I wonder where Myde could be? I hope she's doing okay, last I remember she was coughing pretty badly.)" He thought to himself, nearing Myde's room. Barret knocks on her door, and receives no response."Myde? Hello? Can I come in?" He inquires, still awaiting a response. After a bit, Barret decides to enter the room. "Myde, I'm sorry but..."

As he entered, he did not see Myde. However, on the floor was a mostly dried up puddle of blood and remains, from the night before. Stepping closer, in horror, he could see her cloths left in place, but also noticed a hand print on the ground, with a smudged corner of the puddle. It was a gruesome sight.

"M-Myde...Myde?....MYDE!? AHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Barret screamed, his voice echoed through the base. He falls to his knees, shaking around. "Hydrolsies... Myde had... Hydrolsies?...I knew she was prone to things... but to this extreme?..." He was running little on words, to describe the current situation.

Stepping in behind him, was Katinka in her pajamas. She was rubbing her eye, as she glanced to Barret. "Barry? What are you doing in Myde's room?... Uh?... UH!? HOLY SHIT!!???" Katinka scrambled back, her butt crashing to the floor in panic.

Barret turns to Katinka, slowly, his expression solemn, "L-Listen, go g-get the others we..." He could barely speak, from the utter terror engulfing him.

Katinka was unnerved, but nodded, getting to her feet carefully. She quickly left the room, in attempt to gather the others. A brief time passed, before everyone of their main forces was gathered. Most stood in their pajamas, looking over the horrible sight. Issac was barely even awake, with how early it was. Luckily Witchhazel was there to make sure he didn't fall asleep, standing, even though he was showing sorrow. Bit kept in the back, his tail hanging there, sadly. Katinka was still unnerved, but kept by Barret. Kirb was even conflicted about it, as was Denki. Yuji still hurt from the day before, but now having to see this?

"So you found her like this?..." Issac spoke up, still groggy in tone.

"Yeah..."Barret answered, trying to keep his composure.

"And nobody knew Deedee had this disease?" Kirb looked over, somewhat surprised.

Barret turns to Kirb, "I had thought possibly about if she did, due to how prone she was, but she never said anything to me about it."

Denki crossed his arms. "That's two down in less than twenty four hours..." He sighed, "Then to mention Nari's jumped ship. It could take months to get reinforcements from Vectrom."

Yuji sighs, "Dammit... It's like we just can't escape this stuff...Maybe we should go, and just urgh... Dang man... Not Myde...."

"... Maybe we should clean this up?..." Bit looked over to them, with furrowed brows.

Barret grits his teeth, "Yeah, but...We can't just bury her...Gah, I don't know what to.."

Denki turned to the door. "Let's continue this in the office. Might just be better to leave the footmen to deal with it..."

Katinka looked to Denki, she seemed unsure. "..."

"But this is Myde...We can't just leave them to do whatever they want with her..." Barret pleaded.

"Yeah, she's our friend. We should show her some respect." Issac added.

Denki kept his back to them, peering off solemnly. "I know, but this is war. People die, and there's nothin' we can do bout it. So, best to try and fuhgettaboutit..." He said, proceeding to the hallway.

"..." Barret stands up, and turns back to the bloody puddle. "...We don't forget though... Issac, guys...Denki is the leader...So..."

Katinka glanced off, "Yeah, though... Isn't it odd how there's a hand print right there? It looks like someone was sitting with her, during her last moments..."

Barret looks to the puddle, more closely, "...No doubt about it, that's Cravic's hand print... He must have witnessed it all... Poor guy... At least Myde had someone here with her...."

"He must have left the party after the cut-scene then... I wonder where he fled to though." Bit grabbed to his tail, timidly.

Yuji tilts his hat forward, "...One real tragic script..."

Kirb pocketed his hands, looking back to the door. "Things are pretty jacked up right now."

Witchhazel looked to Issac, who yawned. He scratched his head, "Man..."

She then looked to the others, "Perhaps we shouldn't keep Denki waiting. Time is money, after all."

Issac groaned a bit, "Yeah... Sooner we handle the remaining problems, the better."

Barret was hesitant to turn from Myde's remains, but quickly does so. He spots Katinka, and walks over, to grab her by the hand. "Come on..."

She nods in response. "It's stupid how so many sad things flow in like this..." Katinka said, as everyone was preparing to head to Denki's office.

"Yeah, I know what you mean..." Barret replied following the others.

They all reached the office, making themselves as comfortable as they were able, with how stressed they became. Denki was looking over the maps, his back to them.

He glanced briefly to everyone, "Ain't the best thing to wake up to, but maybe it can be used as more fuel to the fire, against Kaos and their forces. We know you guys managed to take out Espionage already, with the intel to proceed to Kaos, where this Life figure is supposedly known. It ain't much to go off of, but there was a news report on that from the unit, Shinz, and his talk show not too long ago, about the fall of Espionage. Takin' this info, Kaos has to know somethin'. We get into Kaos, maybe we find the guys who high tailed it outta there. Then end this for good. Hear me?"

Issac fidgeted with his glove's cuff. "Do we even have enough forces to take down an organization like Kaos? Espionage was a smaller facility."

Denki sighed, turning his back to them once more. "..."

Yuji nods,"Yeah, it's not like we're packing an armada here. How do you expect we even get through the front door?"

Barret was also pondering to himself, he places a hand to his chin. "They're right. The size of their forces out weigh us greatly...The only other way that I could see possibly working, is us splitting up... However, that could be too risky..."

"Good point..." Issac said, before he glanced to Witchhazel. "Hazel, we could REALLY use some hints, and advise on this. Do you see any way we can pull this off?"

Witchhazel thinks to herself, tapping her chin. "Let me see..." She muttered, closing her eyes. "Hmm..."

Everyone was looking to her, awaiting her guidance.

"Not all hope is lost. There are powers in numbers. Avoiding splitting up too often, and the outcome will be more in your favor. However, many things await you there. Without dream tears in stock, there will be many risks, but not all is lost. There are ways, if you believe in yourself." Witchhazel explained.

"...I suppose we'll have to go with that..." Barret says, sighing to himself.

"Then, maybe we can do this. We have to, There's no way around it. Kaos MUST be taken down, if we're to stop the misery they're placing out there." Issac crossed his arms, restraining himself. "This may just as well be a suicide mission. The odds are against us, but, we need to try."

"Most missions are." Denki turned around to them. "War has many casualties, but that don't mean we ain't stand a chance. It will be a trial, but our goal has far more meanin' to the people on this planet, then whatever Kaos' vendettas are. However, If anyone wants out of this mission, speak now. We can't have anyone who is having second thoughts on the field here. It's do, or die. Don't second guess yourself, if you aren't confident, stay behind." Denki stated, looking to the others.

"I know what I sighed up for, and I'm not going to throw in the towel, just because of some risk. We can do this." Issac was feeling more confident now.

"Eh, it's part of the life of an assassin. Count me in." Kirb stated, pocketing his hands.

"High level stages, preemptive strikes, campers, and potential boss rushes? It may be tempting fate, but a raid like this is achievement worthy. Think of the loot, the EXP, not to mention the cut-scenes. A co-op mission like this, with one life, and respawn timers on foes? We'll make history with this trek. Let's port into this dungeon." Bit seemed eager.

"Having me on front lines would cost you an arm and a leg, however I will lend my aid with support magic and items at a discount." Witchhazel smiled.

Katinka adjusted her goggles. "Kaos is so stupid... I don't want to stand aside, and let everyone else take the heat, and not do anything. We need as many elementar on our side as we can get. So... I'm on board."

Yuji nods, "Yeah..There's honestly not a lot I can do to get back for Asuna. So, taking these guys down, like bad crooks in a terrible script, works for me. That alone should be enough right there."

Barret sighs, thinking to himself, his eyes then widen as he realized something. "Sandra...There's a chance I can get her out of there. After loosing this much... I want to at least save what's left of my family, this family... So, I'm in. As long as we don't let the events from earlier, or even stuff happening, get the best of us...Yeah, we should be fine..." He explained, crossing his arms.

"Then if we're all in agreement, go prepare yourselves. We leave in twenty. Get outta here." Denki turned from them.

Everyone nodded, proceeding from the room. Issac had gone to his quarters, getting himself together for the final mission. He was making sure he had on all his gear, and tightening his bandanna.

Witchhazel poofed in beside him, suddenly. "You nearly ready, my treasure?" She asked, with a more relaxed manner than usual.

Issac turned to her, "Yeah. Hey, Hazel?"

"Do you need something?" She asked, stepping closer to Issac.

He took her hands, looking to Witchhazel with furrowed brows. His eyes glanced off, briefly. "I know this mission is going to get dangerous... but It got me thinking." His eyes look back to her. "When this is all over... maybe..." He was biting his lip, as he knelt to the ground, still holding her hands, as he looked up to Witchhazel. "My bounty is as boundless as the seas. My love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.... Witchhazel Lysander... Would you marry me?... I love you more than anything in this world... I... I want to spend my life with you."

Witchhazel smiled to him, as a tear came to her eye. She knelt down to his level, "My heart is ever at your service." She said, kissing Issac. Issac instantly embarrassed Witchhazel, kissing her passionately.