Hiigaran Sorrow

[Vay]

Years went by, years Jido spent with a chain around his neck working to clear rubble and rebuild. Years he sweated and toiled and bled believing himself to have committed no crime other than stand up for what he believed. His hands calloused and bled. His neck was cut by the collar and scared, his back bore the blows without complaint. But they could never break him, never take the belief that he had nothing to regret.

Years slipped by the the day finally came when they couldn't hold him anymore. Where they removed the iron from around his neck and and he was given his freedom. He was given his uniform back, cleaned and kept for him by the prison, along with his belongings minus weapons. And it was like this that he re-entered the city, the bus dropping him off at the gate.

When he saw her he at first his his face my bowing his head and turning it letting his hair that had grown long hang down between her and his eyes. "You came, unless you being here is a coincidence. But I don't believe in coincidences.."

He looked at her and walked closer. "So what made you come?"

 

[Iliana]

"Stories of the great Rebel leader falling to the hands of starvation."she said sarcastically, not even attempting to fight the smile that cracked on her face. He looked the same as he did years before, just older, more rugged, and with longer hair. There was the occasional scar and bruise and permanent pattern of stamps around his neck, but those can easily be looked passed. Imala herself had grew her hair out as well. Being the new General had its own quirks: no more fighting. So that meant she could grow her pinkish hair out to the lengths that she wanted it to, though most of the time, to remain professional, she kept it in a bun. This day she had part up and part down with a bang swooping across her brow. She tried her best not to be noticed in the city of Darmoor while visiting the release of said prisoner Vikal.

"It's been a while. I suppose an apology won't do, so how about lunch? I can do that."she said, turning away from him and facing the road she walked on to get there. The day was different and new, all traces of the past erased from the lining of the clouds. Imala brought her blue eyes upwards and away from Jido. Despite all the time that had passed, she still couldn't hold eye contact with the man. It was a sad, sad day in Darmoor.

"I vote sandwiches."she said simply.​

 

[Vay]

She was making small talk, avoiding the big issues and making light of things. He had followed her life as best he could and so knew she was still in the core, he had asked her not to quit and she hadn't and was now in a position to make a difference. "You're the only ride I have so I'm not going to argue with you general"

He looked strait at her his head tilting "Though I would prefer to call you Imala, since I don't think you're were to be my probation officer. Do you really care that much, to come all the way out here after all these years?" he hadn't dared hope that she would and taking half a step closer held out his hand in an offered handshake. "So.. we begin again?"

 

[Iliana]

~. EPILOGUE.~

Unrelated to anything he had said thus far, Imala was sure that she was going to regret coming there on that day. The entire Core had found out, just by seeing the changes she had went through the past years, that Jido Vikal was something to her. Friend, comrade, brother, partner, lover, spouse, enemy: no one knew exactly the title. It could even be said that they had something before the war between the Rebels and the Allies had even begun, just by her actions. Becoming General only mere months after the battle on Gondole, Imala had moved up higher in the ranks, receiving the gold metal for stopping the explosion that was meant to happen in Gondole. Even chasing after Firelance had given her another ribbon or so, she wasn't to particular on which one she had gotten. Kole had pinned the medallions to her chest each and every time, none of his expressions showing the slightest of pride. His face was forever fatigued.

Soon enough, he retired, simply by saying, "I'm done. General Imala, make sure you get those leaders their progress reports on their desks in the morning." Imala mumbled a yes sir and from that day on, General Imala was now head of the Core Militia, at least what was left of it. There were shifty eyes everywhere she walked, tentative of letting the woman be the General after she tried desperately to save Rebel such as Jido. A matter she dismissed as quickly as it had come when he was finally thrown into that prison.

Now he was free, she was there, and he held a hand out to her. Imala broke every code of the Core and of her mind by pushing the hand aside and hugging him close instead.

"This wouldn't be the first time you left me for years."she whispered by his ear. Whatever happened from there, she had yet to find out, but first things were first: she had a lot to tell him. Things had changed. Recon, Chef, and Mikel had finished their healing process after having been dug out of the shambles of Firelance. Mikel's face got even worse, if possible, and with proper research and cooperation by him, he would be new. Recon lost a leg, and Chef came out unscathed, finding some love in Recon when he tried desperately to save her from losing any more limbs in crash. All three of were living completely different lives, Recon and Chef having now been married.

With the Rebels gone and the Core exhausted, why wouldn't she wait for him? She thought of that as she pulled back from him before blinking once and rubbing her shirt, as if the act had never happened. There were a lot of things she wished she never happened. Now, they both had all the time in the world to start all over. Only this time, on the same side.

~.End.~​