[KSGokaiger] this war is long over (1)
Basco Ta Jolokia, Space Monkey Sally
Fix-it fic. Post-episode 48.
When he sees Marvelous stand up again, he knows it's over. For the first time, perhaps, Basco finally notices the exhaustion within him, deep and yawning. Even though he has more than enough energy to continue this....farce, he laughs instead and allows himself to fall back. Not for the first time, he's glad that his father's race is a race evolved through deception and deceit to survive; the cloud of red dust he disappears in should be more than enough to convince Marvelous that he's dead.
He doesn't manage to warp far, or, at least, not far enough that he can't not hear the cries of relief, even though he's out of their line of sight. Jealousy still stabs deep, but he forces himself to limp away as fast as he could, glad that the grass is green so that his bloody footprints don't leave marks.
Basco could have gone to the Free Joker immediately, escape into the deep comforting arms of space. But he finds himself stumbling towards the forest instead. It is uncharacteristic of him, but a strange relentless desire drives him to find Sally. It's a lie if he says he's never meant to hurt her, but Basco believes in contingency plans and paying the appropriate price. But the desire to bring her body home, if he can find it, that rings true.
Except he's surprised to discover her, sitting propped up against a tree and curiously examining the little pocket of space in her stomach. His broken charm is still hanging around her neck amidst the bandages, but she's clearly alive. He can't help but call her name, stunned and breathless and hopeful.
Sally doesn't run when she hears him, but she does flinch and scramble back a little, her blue eyes dark and mistrustful.
"Hey girl," Basco says. He's not sure if it's the right thing to smile, but it can't hurt. "You're okay." He suddenly remembers that he still has the banana, and fishes it out, slightly squashed for the wear. Dimly, Basco thinks that he probably cuts a sorry picture, pleading with a monkey. Sally stares back at him impassively, and when minutes pass Basco feels hope crumbling. He can't stay for much longer, and if Sally won't come...he wants to get angry at her continual defiance, because anything is better than this tired, abandoned feeling. The thought comes quickly, a vicious, Well, she can stay on this dirtball until she dies. before he squashes it and gives in to giving up.
"Okay then," he says, and places the banana down. It's difficult to stumble backwards; the old urge to keep an eye on a potential enemy even in retreat still sang strong, even though Sally's probably in no condition to attack. Eventually though, he thinks he's moved far enough to safely turn, and that's when something hits him, metal and fur and he thinks, Oh wow, killed by a monkey, what a stupidly embarassing way to die.
But then there's warmth too, along with the squashed banana sneaking into his hand and a muffled, "Ukiiiii..." in his mangled shawl. Basco doesn't quite know if this is what forgiveness feels like, because he's never begged for any and he probably never will. But Sally's freely offering this, just like she's freely offered everything else, like her loyalty and her devotion, and maybe he'll take a page from Marvelous' book just this once.
"Let's go home," he says, and Sally neatly picks him up. He buries his face in her fur as she bounds them both towards the Free Joker.
Fix-it fic. Post-episode 48.
When he sees Marvelous stand up again, he knows it's over. For the first time, perhaps, Basco finally notices the exhaustion within him, deep and yawning. Even though he has more than enough energy to continue this....farce, he laughs instead and allows himself to fall back. Not for the first time, he's glad that his father's race is a race evolved through deception and deceit to survive; the cloud of red dust he disappears in should be more than enough to convince Marvelous that he's dead.
He doesn't manage to warp far, or, at least, not far enough that he can't not hear the cries of relief, even though he's out of their line of sight. Jealousy still stabs deep, but he forces himself to limp away as fast as he could, glad that the grass is green so that his bloody footprints don't leave marks.
Basco could have gone to the Free Joker immediately, escape into the deep comforting arms of space. But he finds himself stumbling towards the forest instead. It is uncharacteristic of him, but a strange relentless desire drives him to find Sally. It's a lie if he says he's never meant to hurt her, but Basco believes in contingency plans and paying the appropriate price. But the desire to bring her body home, if he can find it, that rings true.
Except he's surprised to discover her, sitting propped up against a tree and curiously examining the little pocket of space in her stomach. His broken charm is still hanging around her neck amidst the bandages, but she's clearly alive. He can't help but call her name, stunned and breathless and hopeful.
Sally doesn't run when she hears him, but she does flinch and scramble back a little, her blue eyes dark and mistrustful.
"Hey girl," Basco says. He's not sure if it's the right thing to smile, but it can't hurt. "You're okay." He suddenly remembers that he still has the banana, and fishes it out, slightly squashed for the wear. Dimly, Basco thinks that he probably cuts a sorry picture, pleading with a monkey. Sally stares back at him impassively, and when minutes pass Basco feels hope crumbling. He can't stay for much longer, and if Sally won't come...he wants to get angry at her continual defiance, because anything is better than this tired, abandoned feeling. The thought comes quickly, a vicious, Well, she can stay on this dirtball until she dies. before he squashes it and gives in to giving up.
"Okay then," he says, and places the banana down. It's difficult to stumble backwards; the old urge to keep an eye on a potential enemy even in retreat still sang strong, even though Sally's probably in no condition to attack. Eventually though, he thinks he's moved far enough to safely turn, and that's when something hits him, metal and fur and he thinks, Oh wow, killed by a monkey, what a stupidly embarassing way to die.
But then there's warmth too, along with the squashed banana sneaking into his hand and a muffled, "Ukiiiii..." in his mangled shawl. Basco doesn't quite know if this is what forgiveness feels like, because he's never begged for any and he probably never will. But Sally's freely offering this, just like she's freely offered everything else, like her loyalty and her devotion, and maybe he'll take a page from Marvelous' book just this once.
"Let's go home," he says, and Sally neatly picks him up. He buries his face in her fur as she bounds them both towards the Free Joker.