Reunion [Valo]

[Valo Morei]

Valo looked down, smiling weakly. "Heh... a couple of months now, at the least... I would be dead by now if it weren't for Katarina.[/i]"

The temporary serums that she had produced for me kept the degradation at bay, if only briefly. She worked diligently to keep me alive, she had since the day I had met her. The greatest assistant that a guy could ask for, or maybe... maybe she was more than that. She didn't do it because she had to, but because...

"Meh...[/i]"

I would spit out a bit of blood, a result of the brutal fist that Takehiro had gifted me moments earlier. I stood up as straight as I could, struggling to keep conscious as I looked up into his eyes. Before I could question his motives however, his next words made my eyes widen.

"A.. a cure..? Are you..[/i]"

Serious? Where, or what, was it? I had prayed that it wasn't a temporary solution like the serum in my pocket, but.. Takehiro's the type to carefully choose his words.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

- He assumed as much. But this much of a sickness in a few months was crazy. Takehiro got that bad after about a year, and even then, he'd had access to a cure, he just wasn't personally aware of the problem. "A permanent solution to your sickness. Biologically implemented physical regeneration." It sounded a lot like VALOR, but it was for a good cause. "Valo, you can be cured."

[Valo Morei]

Biologically...? No... I couldn't be subjected to that again, could I? My entire life revolved around being some experiment. It created my life, it destroyed my life... and now he was saying it could save my life?

I began to back up slowly, keeping my eyes on Takehiro. "I can't go back to being some test subject...[/i]" Every single time, I was always afraid I'd never wake up, that I'd never escape. Every chance I had to be free, to live my own life, it ended right back to this. Maybe I wasn't destined to live a happy life, maybe my purpose was to be a weapon, albeit one that wasn't willing to fight... I was sick of fighting.

"What's the catch...?[/i]"

[Amakusa Takehiro]

- Valo should know by now that Takehiro wouldn't suggest something like this unless he was absolutely positive it would work. He did, however, understand the skepticism. It was evident in Shugo, and it pertained even less to him.

- "You will need to join Midgard's volunteer forces. They will put you through a small training regiment, and then you can be given your cure." It would take time, and he was fairly certain it would be rough, but it was there best shot. "If we don't do this, your only other hope is ransacking every Project warehouse in the country, and even then, we're not certain we'll find anything."

[Valo Morei]

"Midgard... so what, I'd be forced into a war that I want no part of?[/i]"

I laughed at myself, at my luck, in pure disbelief. Seemed like either way, I was going to die. One would just postpone the inevitable slightly longer. I wanted nothing to do with the Dragons, nor some new regime. The people needed a savior who truly cared for them, not one that had some hidden agenda. Shugo and I... we were meant to be the heroes. We always talked about that. Now I'm dying, and I knew it'd affect him badly...

[Amakusa Takehiro]

- Takehiro sighed, turning away from Valo. "The choice is yours, Valo. If you will come with me to Midgard, I can guarantee your survival. If you choose to fight the projects, I will stay by your side, but there are no certainties. Either way, you must come to a decision. I will not sit here and watch you die if I can help it."

[Valo Morei]

If I could find my father, or at least his research... but I had no time... I clenched my fists and looked at the ground in front of me.

"Takehiro... what's going to happen to me?"

Would this Midgard thing turn me into something else? Would I be forced to keep fighting against my will? Would I be some puppet? If so, I'd be better off dead.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

- There was no point in sugar-coating anything. The boy had faced enough cruelties in his life, he was certain to see through a lie. "Physically and mentally, you will feel the best you ever have. You will be able to physically regenerate from just about any injury, with time, and that includes your sickness. But you will become a target to men like the Dragons, simply for your alliance with Midgard. Which meant he could have to fight Shugo and Leon, should the time come. "But you will be safer than you ever have been before, I can assure you. You've no cause to worry."

[Valo Morei]

"Heh..."

I scoffed and turned away from Takehiro, walking slowly as I lacked the strength to move any faster, using the wall for support. To make an enemy out of everyone for the sake of my own life?

"If you think I'd become Shugo's enemy just to save my own life..."

It would also mean turning against my daughter and family, Katarina, Jayne. It wasn't worth it to me.

"I'd rather die."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

- "Fool." Takehiro would push Valo to the wall he used for support, and his eyes showed his anger at the boy's decision. "Do you realize what you are doing? You will risk everything - your friends and family will have to suffer your loss, all because you cannot do what is necessary for survival. You do not understand - I will protect you." But, like Shugo, he would not be convinced. It almost made him feel sorry for the beating he'd given Shugo...

- "But, if you refuse... we will have to find you another solution."

[Valo Morei]

As Takehiro pushed me up against the wall, I glared back at him, not averting my gaze for a moment.

"Better than become their enemy. I'm not forcing my loyalties aside ever again.[/i]"

Not after the damage I caused to people back in New York... If I was to die, it would be as the person I want to be, fighting for the things I wanted to fight for.

"Why would you help me? If you're working for Midgard... doesn't that make you my enemy too?"

[Amakusa Takehiro]

- "You are really so naive as to think - have you forgotten who I am, Morei?" Takehiro released Valo, letting out a chuckle. "So long as you stay out of this fight, I can protect you. So long as you do not make yourself Midgard's enemy, I can keep you safe." That being said, if Valo did anything to inhibit the progress of the organization that took on the responsibility of saving the world, he would have to do something. "I am not your enemy unless you make yourself mine."

[Valo Morei]

I gritted my teeth, looking to the ground again. My fists balled up. I was pissed at him. Why did he always have to try and be this savior? He was leagues stronger than I could ever hope to be. No matter how much I struggled, life threw me the short end of the stick. And Takehiro was saving me time and time again now.

"I... don't need your protection..."

Maybe it was a flat out lie, but everyone had their own battles to fight. With a war on the horizon, Mr. Hero here had a lot more on his plate than to worry about the safety of a walking corpse. I looked back at Takehiro.

"I'm just fine on my--.. AAAHH!!"

Before I knew what happened, the pain began to surge through me again, collapsing to my knees as I felt my body weaken. The degradation began to take hold of me once more. As I attempted to muffle my cries, I struggled to reach the syringe in my pocket. The temporary serum that Katarina had made for me...

I took the cap off of the syringe and pressed it to my neck, feeling instant relief as I injected myself with it. Laying against the cold floor and trying to catch my breath, I made sure to keep my look away from Takehiro.

"A remedy to stall the disease... should give me another couple days at the least..."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

- Valo would feel a firm firm grip around the back of his neck, and a sensation of being pulled. Only it wasn't just a sensation. Takehiro had seen enough to know the boy was dying, and he had no other options. If he didn't join Midgard, he would die. If he died, he would cause more damage than fighting those close to him for the umpteenth time.

- "You will come quietly. Either you choose to, and this runs smoothly, or I knock you out, and this still runs smoothly." Tough choices.

[Valo Morei]

"Damn it, let me go! What could you possibly hope to accomplish?!"

The reality of my life coming to its close was starting to get to me at last. Maybe I had tried to hide it for so long, but I was scared. I was lost. I was angry. Oh how I longed to just stop fighting, to live out the rest of my days in peace with those I loved. But peace did not exist in this world, nor did a God above us to stop any of this. We were doomed to war, and even those of us who wanted none of this were destined to die.