Inopportune [Digital Devil Saga: Jenna/Gale, PG]
His incarcerated state had left him with many hours for thinking-it wasn’t Gale to contemplate, not when there were armed guards and revert-gas free at their disposal, and his comrades’ unknown fate. Hours after the scientist that explained the whole concept of the Junkyard to him left, Gale clenched and unclenched his right hand, wondering if Nirvana was actually just a sick joke.
They had surrounded him, advancing with their atma’s light cracking through their skin, and he had shown them who’s on top of the food chain, when one of the walkie-talkies crackled with a not-so-unfamiliar voice. It was the woman who appeared before them at the top of the Karma Temple, and she had looked at him with a shocked familiarity before everything crashed. And Gale suddenly wasn’t surprised to find himself obeying their order to follow.
The only thing he comprehends was the fact that for the very first time, he was not listening to the voice in his head.
A rattling of the door, creaking noise, and one of the guards peered into the small opening in the door. “The director’s coming in, and you better watch it-we have revert gas.”
No sound was made as she stepped in, graceful, focused and arrogant, and Gale didn’t quite believe his eyes as memories overlapped his vision.
Salty rain and sad, sad eyes that he just couldn’t let go.
There was a quickening of his heart that felt unlike fear. It was something else he half forgotten, an emotion he couldn’t name.
“Are you willing to cooperate with us now?” Angel breathed, eyes boring into his.
He looked up, watching as the armed guards scrambled to stand beside her. “Cooperate seemed to be a bit of understatement.”
One stern look, and the sentries left, cowering with fear. His first Junkyard instinct was to hold this woman captive and escape from the compound. One or two was an easy feat-even five could be taken out, as long as there’s a well thought out strategy and enough ammunition. His Atma felt warm under the thought he could make it out alone--
“Seraphita,” her lilting tone filled the room again, and that word alone was enough. “her fate is in my hands.”
But even his plans didn't take into account the unexpected. “I do not respond well to threats.”
She tossed her head back, crossing her arms in a haughty manner. "You really don't have any choice in this matter. All of you are dancing in the palms of my hands, so foolish, so ignorant, so...fragile."
Her last word hung between them, and Gale noticed for the first time that she's telling the truth. Inside his chest, the quickening of his heart made little effort to ease his anxiety, though memorable warmth was spreading through his being.
Angel's-their former enemy's-presence beside him was strangely calming, even with the knowledge of her voracious Atma stored in his memory.
"Very well," Gale said, rising to his full height. "I accept your proposal, Jenna."
At first he thought he saw her twitch, until the realization that she was staring at him wide-eyed, open mouthed hit Gale.
"What did you just call me?" In a split second, Angel was masking her shock with a veneer of indifference again.
"...You are not fond of first name basis, I suspect."
"How did you know of--"
Gale looked away before replying. "Your scientist told me."
Angel’s voice was abruptly cutting, with a hint of tremor in her tone. “…Your name, A.I.?”
“Gale.”
He could tell that she was fighting the look of relief to show on her face, as if she was expecting another name to call him by.
“Before,” Gale started, and Angel hesitantly looked over her shoulder. “you held my hand.”
“…What?”
“Is that why I’m here?”
“What are you saying…?”
“Is that why I’m here, away from Serph and the others? Because you, you held my hand when the Junkyard crashed-exploded-”
“That is merely a coincidence,” Angel said quickly, her voice bitter in her mouth, unfamiliar, and Gale wondered if she was talking to him or herself.
They had surrounded him, advancing with their atma’s light cracking through their skin, and he had shown them who’s on top of the food chain, when one of the walkie-talkies crackled with a not-so-unfamiliar voice. It was the woman who appeared before them at the top of the Karma Temple, and she had looked at him with a shocked familiarity before everything crashed. And Gale suddenly wasn’t surprised to find himself obeying their order to follow.
The only thing he comprehends was the fact that for the very first time, he was not listening to the voice in his head.
A rattling of the door, creaking noise, and one of the guards peered into the small opening in the door. “The director’s coming in, and you better watch it-we have revert gas.”
No sound was made as she stepped in, graceful, focused and arrogant, and Gale didn’t quite believe his eyes as memories overlapped his vision.
Salty rain and sad, sad eyes that he just couldn’t let go.
There was a quickening of his heart that felt unlike fear. It was something else he half forgotten, an emotion he couldn’t name.
“Are you willing to cooperate with us now?” Angel breathed, eyes boring into his.
He looked up, watching as the armed guards scrambled to stand beside her. “Cooperate seemed to be a bit of understatement.”
One stern look, and the sentries left, cowering with fear. His first Junkyard instinct was to hold this woman captive and escape from the compound. One or two was an easy feat-even five could be taken out, as long as there’s a well thought out strategy and enough ammunition. His Atma felt warm under the thought he could make it out alone--
“Seraphita,” her lilting tone filled the room again, and that word alone was enough. “her fate is in my hands.”
But even his plans didn't take into account the unexpected. “I do not respond well to threats.”
She tossed her head back, crossing her arms in a haughty manner. "You really don't have any choice in this matter. All of you are dancing in the palms of my hands, so foolish, so ignorant, so...fragile."
Her last word hung between them, and Gale noticed for the first time that she's telling the truth. Inside his chest, the quickening of his heart made little effort to ease his anxiety, though memorable warmth was spreading through his being.
Angel's-their former enemy's-presence beside him was strangely calming, even with the knowledge of her voracious Atma stored in his memory.
"Very well," Gale said, rising to his full height. "I accept your proposal, Jenna."
At first he thought he saw her twitch, until the realization that she was staring at him wide-eyed, open mouthed hit Gale.
"What did you just call me?" In a split second, Angel was masking her shock with a veneer of indifference again.
"...You are not fond of first name basis, I suspect."
"How did you know of--"
Gale looked away before replying. "Your scientist told me."
Angel’s voice was abruptly cutting, with a hint of tremor in her tone. “…Your name, A.I.?”
“Gale.”
He could tell that she was fighting the look of relief to show on her face, as if she was expecting another name to call him by.
“Before,” Gale started, and Angel hesitantly looked over her shoulder. “you held my hand.”
“…What?”
“Is that why I’m here?”
“What are you saying…?”
“Is that why I’m here, away from Serph and the others? Because you, you held my hand when the Junkyard crashed-exploded-”
“That is merely a coincidence,” Angel said quickly, her voice bitter in her mouth, unfamiliar, and Gale wondered if she was talking to him or herself.