AN:
This is definitely something I wasn’t expecting… You can thank… Melora Harte. Yeah. ^^; It just came to me. No questions, please… If you want answers, read the bottom AN. ^^

This is for you, Rorie-san, because you’ve been around during my ups and downs, and your fics inspired me. (Two or three, most of all, but I’ll tell you about that later…^^)

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Astounding. Ravishing. An embrace all their own.

And yet it is impossible for humanity to have achieved complete victory…>

“…is it not?”

A sound from a machine was heard(1). It sounded like a powering down. With a slightly disapproving ‘hmph’ and half-smile, she turned her back on the line of them. Her back was straight and her face expressionless as she breathed in deeply and proceeded to let it out in a silent sigh.

There is no pessimism in my words. It is but the truth.>

Another sound. This time it was more of a click, or a tap on the metallic structures.

‘Why?’ What kind of question is that? You know as well as I do that what I say is true. Frightening as it may be…>

After hearing another click and power down, she turned, eyes closed, and faced one of the vessels.

But of course.>

It was all she needed to say, and all she wanted to say. There was no need for more words. In all those which she had mentally pronounced was encompassed the history of the ages.

And…

…of times to come.

“ ‘We dare not go forth into thoughts of a future that may prove to be painful.’ Is that not what a human may think?”

More powering down sounds were heard, as well as a tap or two. She crossed her hands before herself, one over the other, and brought them upward as she lifted her arms and separated them, as if reaching out to embrace the white vessel she stood before; her eyes opened almost completely.

“While it is true that this moment, that this page in history has been concluded, it is also true that the endless wheel of revolution, war, and serenity will continue to spin as long humanity should be in existence.”

She closed her eyes, her arms still held in the position of awaiting an embrace. A distant tap reached her hearing, to which she neither flinched nor budged, with the exception of the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, a rise and fall which only changed whenever she breathed more deeply.

“They will take these vessels in which they have fought, and they will keep them as monuments. I do not doubt, however, that their true purpose will never be achieved. It will be recorded in their speeches, and it will be remembered on the anniversaries; but the purpose will never be achieved. If this tale is not told again and again to their children, and the children of their children, and all the future generations of humanity, then they will eventually forget it, just as they have forgotten so many things in the past.”

The same machine from which the single tap had come from now expressed itself in a power down sound. It echoed in the large space that was the hangar. Now she opened her eyes, her head tilted up to see the face of the vessel she stood before.

“Our options, my Sisters, are simple. You may, as I have, choose to come in human form.”

But then there will be no point to having these vessels.>

“Of course not, Heltage. And that is why it is only one option.”

Off in the distance was heard another sound, as if it were a normal setting in sound.

“But since when has a human boy been of complete worth?” She lowered her arms to her sides, never ceasing to contemplate the white, violet, and green form before her. “They were assigned their tasks on basis of ability. These Powers that they exhibit can only be accessed and used properly by the ones who are in tune with our emotions and desires. No one may enter the cockpit to which I alone have access. No one shall, and only one of the zenoah(2) may have had that chance. But we shall never know, for humanity has succeeded… for now.”

Very well. I have no regrets. And what of you, First?>

“None whatsoever, Alexia(3). I must say that I do feel the grief you have all felt when you lost your Pilots, even though it is something that I have never had the honor of truly feeling.”

She listened, the silence denoting the awkward sensation felt by the one she knew would answer. And then, as softly as always, the unspoken answer was heard in her mind.

“Yes, my Sister. ‘Honor’. I have had no Pilot in my long half-human existence. A mortal once commented that it would be better to feel pain than to feel nothing at all. I, of course, had something to feel while we battled. But the humans have taken that from us, and our objective has been fulfilled…”

Powering down sounds echoed throughout the entire hangar. They came from each of the other four vessels. The First let half a smile flicker across her features as she lowered her gaze and let her eyes remain half opened.

“Yes, Elia. It is only temporary. Humanity does not know to learn from its mistakes. Only a select few have that ability. Unfortunately, this race runs with the crowd.”

Then will they be able to realize their need for us once again?>

“That I do not know, Heltage.”

We must not let outselves be cast onto the obscure pages of history. The memories… will be forgotten. And then what?>

“As long as the Monuments live on, the human race can not forget who we are. What we were. Who we shall be.”

First, do you contradict yourself? You yourself stated only moments ago that unless they passed along the Tale, they would forget.>

“Ah, but we did not take into consideration the Monuments. Seeing through the eyes of a mortal, these vessels will deteriorate. It would be much wiser to construct the Monuments out of stone, or a precious metal. That would preserve the images for much longer.”

And what of the Vessels?>

For the first time in their conversation, Teela Zain Elmes was at a loss for words. Once again she lifted her head, casting her gaze upon the face of Ernn Laties. “Zenoah-C-R-Ernn-Laties,” she murmured. Had there been a window to space, she would have looked out at the void. But there was none, so she closed her eyes, keeping her head lifted, in an attempt at feeling all those things which she had felt these past decades.

Yours is a good question, Silfee.>

And that was all she needed to say.

***

tbc (heh, copying you, Rorie-san ^~)

Aren’t bouts of insanity the most wunnerful things? *nodnod* Yes, yes. They are! ^^ There’s more to this. Much, much more. I promise you it’s not what you expect. (You’ll probably hate me for this, too…^^ Rorie-san won’t! I know it! I think…)

(1) In case you didn’t notice, all those sounds from the machines are just the audible part of what they’re saying. Only Teela can hear them, remember? Remember when she was talking to Elia in Curriculum 07? (The one where Elia doesn’t scream at Gareas~) Remember the sound coming from Eeva Leena when Teela asked if she was scared? That’s what I make reference to.

(2) ‘Zenoahs’ just doesn’t sound right. I’d much rather use ‘zenoah’ as both singular and plural than slap the s at the end of the word.

(3) Ah, the infamous Spirit of Tellia Kallisto, whose name no one knows. I’m using Rorie-san’s name for her, since I like it so much, and since it’s a lot like my own name. ^^

I rather like this fic… I’ve been meaning to have a semi-epic, or at least a oneshot, involving the Spirits. I just started talking like dub Teela and acting out a conversation similar to the one above. While I can’t recall all of it, I do know that the point has gotten across. And I WARN YOU! This’ll take a WHILE to update and/or complete. So please don’t bug me about it… I have lots of… other fics up for browsing and reviewing… ^^;

And if you didn’t understand, you’ve officially made me feel better about myself, even if I never find out your feelings. ^^; If you understood, KUDOS! You rock. ^^;

o.o; I think I’m starting to resemble Rorie-san…^^