#okay seriously does TF Elma's armor have pockets

[kentuckywrites]

Imperium: Sylvalum

Scio dolorem tuum. (I know your pain.)

It had taken centuries, long and grueling centuries, but the planet was recovering. They had focused on the three continents affected the most by the war: Obi-liv’isk, Siy’valis-um, and Call’dive-ros. In that time they had never seen one of his people. That single fact was enough to make him miserable, for deep down he missed them. Thankfully the feeling was deep enough to go unnoticed by the planet.

Of the most affected continents, Siy’valis-um was the closest to its former glory. It once possessed a similar ecosystem to Prim’ala-dor’ias, but now harbored unseen creatures, more dangerous and predatory, None of the creatures dared to harm him. The planet made sure to tell them what he was. 

He walked close to the continent’s greatest lake, along where the water met the land. The water was opaque, but he knew it wasn’t deep, wasn’t one of the many harborers of unseen enemies. He stared out at the expanse, at the old cervus that drank from the shallows. He felt nothing and feared nothing. 

The immovable water splashed at his shoes.

“I sense something troubling you, my avatar.”

“We have been together for centuries, and yet we are lonely, and we are tired.” He admitted quietly.

“...Yes, we are. I have neglected you in lieu of rebuilding what was destroyed.”

He turned then, and he faced the gigantic green orb, the mightiest of the continent’s “trees”. However, unlike most its wildlife, the orb housed a planetary parasite, one that had tried to destroy the planet once and for all. 

The planet had no name for it aside from the Everqueen. Its planetary guardian, the Endbringer, had trapped it inside halfway though the rebuilding process. The Everqueen slept within it, trapped, contained. 

It sent chills down his spine. Oh, how the planet had screamed in pain upon its arrival. To think it could’ve killed everything in its wake and not felt satiated.

“We do not blame you, old friend. You have been working hard these past years.”

The ground quivered beneath his feet. 

“But I have neglected your wellbeing. For that, I give my deepest apologies.”

There was silence, and then, a sudden exclamation. 

“What if I created a tangible form for myself? A humanoid, so that I could accompany you across my continents. We would be together, physically and mentally.”

“Are you sure that wouldn’t strain our mind?” He asked, concerned but intrigued.

“Even if it did, I owe this to you. You have been alone, all this time.” The wind came to a stop, and he heard the whispers of the creatures around him, saw the wisps of pollen fall to the sand. “I will need your help, however. I can only accomplish this at the Beacon, and I will require components from the land to create this form. I can supply the miranium, but you are free to choose whatever you feel will create the most beautiful form.”

He grinned. When was the last time he had been truly excited by something? Finally, he would not be alone, the planet would be there in a physical form to walk alongside him. 

“We will need time,” He said, “But we are willing to help you.”

“Excellent,” The planet whispered lovingly, “I will see you at the Beacon, old friend, and together we shall create something beautiful.”

~

Three months had passed since Pongo disappeared.

L bestowed the news to everyone Pongo considered a friend, and word quickly spread that one of Elma’s own trainees had left BLADE for good. Rumors were abundant; some claimed he had been picked off by an indigen, others wondered if the surviving Ganglion had taken him hostage. And some yet saw right through L’s news - some believed he wouldn’t be gone for long. They knew how dedicated he was to the Interceptors and said he just needed time away to destress, and one day he’d come back as chipper as ever.

L abandoned hope early on that Pongo would ever return. But he kept that notion under careful wraps, especially in front of Lin and Elma. 

He was with them both in the commercial district when they got the BLADE-wide emergency notification. Nearly every squad was being sent to Sylvalum to monitor the Noctilucent Sphere. L didn’t need to read the rest of the order to know why.

The flight to Sylvalum was tense. The sky was now crowded with Skells of all shapes and sizes, some carrying large supply crates. When L was close enough to the continent to see the sphere, he saw it shake, he heard a roar loud enough to echo across the ocean. He followed Elma and Lin, who landed near the edge of Lake Ciel. A whole operation had been set up there, with BLADEs going back and forth between tents and small construction points with supplies and information and weapons strapped to their belts. Elma got out quickly, her long sparkling hair catching some of the breeze, and the three of them proceeded towards the largest tent. 

Inside, Secretary Nagi and Commander Vandham were bent over a table with a hologram projection. Both looked concerned at its contents. When the three of them entered, only Nagi looked up to acknowledge them. 

“Elma. Good, let’s get you filled in,” Nagi said, beckoning for all three of them to wrap around the table, get a better look at the hologram. L understood that it was meant to be a replica of the Noctilucent Sphere, its circular dimensions and its hollow inside. Somehow life had come to inhabit the inner sphere, plantlife and a few sparse indigens. 

And of course, there was the Everqueen. But they probably didn’t know how it got inside such a tiny sphere.

Vandham grunted as L passed him to get a better look at the hologram, feigning innocence at its contents. Lin went around with Elma and stayed on Nagi’s side of the table. 

“As you know, the Noctilucent Sphere is home to a very large and very dangerous indigen,” Nagi explained, “We’ve been monitoring it closely since we’ve discovered it, and unless it’s disturbed from inside, it tends not to move. But something in the past few days has awakened it, and it seems determined to escape.”

“Damn thing’s causing such a ruckus in there that it’s hard to say whether or not it’ll actually bust out,” Vandham piped up, rubbing his moustache with the inner part of his thumb. “But we’re betting that it will, and soon. Hence the BLADE-wide operation.”

“And nothing akin to this has happened in the past?” Elma asked, “I find it strange that it chooses now of all time to try and escape. Was there some kind of stimuli that aggravated it from inside?”

“None that we know of,” Nagi replied somberly, “If we knew, that would make things much easier on our end, because at least then we could attempt to reverse its effects.”

“So the entire operation that’s on guard outside...that’s precautionary if Pharsis escapes?” Lin said, tapping her chin with her finger. “It’s a good amount of manpower, but -”

“It isn’t enough?” Nagi cut in, “Yes, that’s our greatest fear going into this. However, Elma, you were on to something before, and that’s why we’re assigning you and Irina’s team to head into the sphere and gather intel.”

L’s eyes widened. That was a suicide mission, going into the cage of the very monster that had almost killed Mira thousands of years ago. And yet he seemed to be the only one there with any semblance of anxiety. Lin almost appeared excited at the prospect of going into the sphere.

“I’m all for the idea of gathering intel on how to stop this, Commander, but if I might pose a concern: who’s to say the Skells landing in the opening won’t trigger Pharsis to destroy the sphere?” Elma said, arms crossed.

Nagi took a deep breath, his shoulders stiff. “This is a risk that we have to take if we are to avoid certain catastrophe. I’m not especially keen on the idea myself, but I knew you and your team would be willing to tackle it, potential consequences and all.”

Elma and Lin both nodded. Lin looked to L, raising an eyebrow when she realized he hadn’t agreed along with them. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention towards him.

“We have a pen’s ink as to what is disturbing the Everqueen,” L told them, trying to ignore his voice cracking, “And we may know how to halt its escape efforts.”

“Why didn’t ya pipe up before, then?” Vandham nudged him with his elbow, a stronger gesture than L anticipated, and one that almost knocked him off balance. “Tell us what ya know!”

All eyes were on L as he did his best to provide an explanation while leaving out the private details, skewing truths where he could. “The Everqueen arrived with the intent to devour the planet. We remember the Endbringer creating its prison to halt its advances, and so the Endbringer would have the necessary strength to fortify its bars again.”

“You mean the Telethia,” Nagi confirmed, “That resides primarily in Noctilum, no?”

“It’s a reasonable assumption to make, though I’ll admit to having seen it fly over Sylvalum before,” Elma said, “Is there any way the Telethia knows that Pharsis is trying to escape? And if not, how would we be able to contact it in time?”

“She most certainly has awareness of the problem on our palms, but her strength on her own will not be enough. We know what the Endbringer requires, but...it is a great distance away from our current position.”

Elma paused, pursing her lips. “How much longer until Pharsis breaks out of the sphere?”

“We can’t be sure,” Nagi said, “At this rate, her escape seems likely within the next twenty four hours. But that’s prone to change considering her strength in this endeavor.”

“Is that enough time to get what you need to the Telethia?” Elma turned to L, crossing her arms.

L paused. There was hope in her expression, in everyone’s eyes. The lie was too convincing, perhaps because it came from a Miran native, perhaps because L was a good liar, perhaps because they needed to hear that there was a way to stop this before it killed them all. But L left out the part about not knowing where the Endbringer’s missing puzzle piece was.

After all, how could he know where Pongo had gone?

But he continued to lie, because Lin’s smile was too excited. Because they needed good news.

“That is quite enough and more!” L said, earning nods from everyone in the tent. 

“Then get out there, take whatever and whoever you need,” Vandham ordered, “Just get back here as quick as ya can, huh?”

“Yes, sir!” L rushed out, ducking beneath the tent’s entrance and heading to the outside. Sylvalum’s crisp air greeted him, a sharp presence carrying secrets never heard. L had good memories of this place, having memorized Lake Ciel’s coastline, having befriended many of the indigens around him in the past. They probably knew what was happening just as much as the humans did. L blinked, but kept his eyes closed for a prolonged amount of time, just letting himself go to Sylvalum’s twisted sense of peace.

And that was when he heard it.

The wind changed. Before, it had been playing a gentle song, a whistle barely registered past the screams of the Everqueen. But now there were words mixed in with it, words that L almost didn’t pick up on. Was it even right to call them words? The wind was telling him to turn around, go to the edge of the operation, be quiet. L turned and walked, making sure that his movements were not suspicious. Elma and Lin hadn’t exited the tent with him before, providing the perfect opportunity to go alone, to investigate whatever Sylvalum was trying to hide. It wasn’t a far walk to the edge of the operation, and hardly anyone was there. L ducked away behind a stray tent, looking for what the wind was guiding him towards.

A hand pressed down on his inner arm.

L spun around, mouth open as he was about to ask who, what, why. The wind went silent.

Pongo grinned at him. It was sad, hardened almost, but it was still Pongo’s grin. L barely had time to register the fact that Pongo, the physical Pongo, was standing in front of him before they were hugging each other. Pongo buried his head into L’s chest, and L’s head dangled down, an awkward angle to bend thanks to their height difference. His hair smelled of fresh rain and dampened soil, the water and its earth. They didn’t pull apart when Pongo spoke.

“Are you okay, L’Cirufe?”

What else had L expected him to say? They pulled apart, and L saw Pongo’s tears, a mixture of fear and regret. L kept his hands on Pongo’s shoulder - both for Pongo’s sake, and because L was so scared that he wasn’t real, that if he was he was seconds away from disappearing again.

“We are alright, now that you have returned,” L smiled wide, “We would ask you about your adventures, but time is not to be had.”

“I know. I am not sure I would have come back so soon if it had not been for…”

They both looked up at the sphere, how it shook with the Everqueen’s rage. Nothing needed to be said then. All L knew was the feeling of Pongo’s vest beneath his hands, and the ever increasing tightness in his chest. When Pongo tore his gaze away from the sphere, he wiped his eyes and nose with the back of his sleeve.

“I think we both know how to keep her from escaping,” Pongo said, “But I will need your help to get to Cauldros -”

“No.”

Pongo paused. “L’Cirufe, what other choice do we have? She is going to slaughter everyone here - all of humanity, every indigen, every continent. I cannot let history repeat itself.”

“You will die if you continue down this beaten path,” L argued, his hands tensing on Pongo’s shoulders, “We will not let you do this. You will lose yourself to its power and -”

“I do not care what happens to me,” He interjected, “The planet is not the same as before. It is weak, and if I do not give myself up to it then Mira will never be able to recover. It would never have the time to. This is the most viable option, and I am willing to sacrifice myself for it.”

L took a deep breath, forcing himself to look away. Times were different, that he could understand, but time couldn’t erase the possibility that Pongo would be reduced to what L had become. A living weapon of Mira’s design, out of control and out of touch. Mira could still use Pongo’s body to inflict its will. The Everqueen was not its only target.

“How do you know that it will not use you to carry out any other schemes?” L asked, after the silence had tried to hold them down again. 

“I have no way of knowing that,” Pongo admitted, “All I can do is trust that Mira will use my body to restore the balance. Mira is angry at the human race, yes, but more than anything else right now, it...it just wants to be safe. And the Everqueen is the most direct threat to that.”

“If we cannot convince you of the dangers...then we would have no choice but to accompany you,” L said softly, unable to mask the pain in his voice. 

“Count us both in, too.”

Pongo’s eyes widened and L turned around, realizing that Elma and Lin were now standing behind him. Elma’s arms were crossed over her chest, her crystalline brow furrowed with a deep confusion, a desire to understand something bigger than herself. Lin ran past L and quickly wrapped her arms around Pongo, who reciprocated just as quickly, even picking her up off the ground and swinging her around in a circle. They both laughed like no time had passed between them. 

“How much of the conversation did you drop the evening on?” L asked Elma, saddened that Pongo and Lin’s laughter was doing nothing to improve his mood.

“Most of it,” She said, “Although I’m still trying to piece together what exactly you were talking about. You kept speaking as if Mira - the planet - is some kind of sentient being, one that’s capable of controlling Pongo. Is this true?”

L couldn’t bring himself to answer - it wasn’t a truth he was willing to speak. It was Pongo’s right, and Pongo’s choice. He waited for the raven-haired Interceptor to put Lin down, whispering something quickly before turning to Elma. Traces of his happiness lingered on his lips, but it was too easily tainted by the weight of the situation.

“Yes,” Pongo said, “Mira is a sentient being. I am still trying to figure out what exactly it is, but I can now say with certainty that it created me as a vessel to communicate with humanity. It told me how I can weaken Pharsis and prevent her from escaping.”

“Which is why you have to go to Cauldros,” Elma concluded, “L, I thought you needed to communicate with the Telethia in order to stop Pharsis.”

“We do,” Pongo said, “But...okay, how do I explain this...you know how we have been mining miranium from the planet for the industrial district? Miranium is like the blood of Mira - take too much of it at one time, and the planet will grow incredibly weak. Right now, it is too weak to communicate with the Telethia directly, much less any of the other indigens inhabiting the continents. Hell, Mira only just had the strength to talk to me three months ago, and even those conversations have been few and far between. Since it does not have the strength it needs to command the Endbringer, I will have to go to Mount M’Gando in Cauldros and -”

“And rejoin with the planet,” L mumbled, unable to make eye contact with Pongo. He could feel Pongo’s gaze on him regardless.

“Mira used a lot of miranium to create me. If I were to give my miranium back to Mira, it could use what I have to tell the Telethia to fly to Sylvalum and keep the Everqueen at bay,” Pongo finished.

“Wait, but that would kill you!” Lin cried, “You’re saying you have to sacrifice yourself for this to work!”

“You’re certain that there’s no other solutions?” Elma asked.

Pongo shook his head. “It is too late to tell humanity to stop drilling, and if we were to swap myself for some indigens, it would wipe out an entire continent and then some.”

“You must have a lot of miranium in your body,” She said, a thought spoken out loud, “What about your left arm?”

To L’s surprise, Pongo chuckled at the resurfaced memory. “That is definitely not miranium. A lot of it is in my own bloodstream, especially my heart.”

L finally had the strength to look back up at Pongo, at Elma and Lin. Lin looked as if she were on the brink of tears, and L couldn’t blame her. This was the only way, the only option left to pick. It was no wonder why Mira was mad at humanity - humans had drained it of power, and now they were going to pay the ultimate price. Either the planet’s most beautiful creation would die, or everyone would. Of course the path was clear to Pongo, who would sacrifice himself at every turn to keep friends and strangers alike safe from harm. But to Elma, to Lin, to L…

This was too much.

Elma broke the silence, which L hadn’t noticed was there to begin with. “If this is the only way, we’ll accompany you to Cauldros. Ganglion activity there is still prominent, and we can’t have any distractions.”

“Yeah…” Lin’s response was drawn out, hesitant, “We’ll go with you. There’s no way you’re doing this alone.”

“Thank you both,” Pongo smiled, and suddenly Lin was hugging him again, and he was hugging her back. L could barely hear Lin’s whisper, buried deep in Pongo’s shoulder.

“I only just got you back…”

When they pulled apart, Elma got out her comm device, calling who L assumed to be either Nagi or Vandham. “Change of plans. We’re heading to Cauldros to call the Telethia. Keep us updated if anything changes.”

“Same to you,” Nagi’s voice was scratchy over the intercom, and Elma quickly put her comm device back into a pocket in her armor - which, how did her armor even have pockets? That was the least of L’s concerns, though, and he pushed the thought away.

“Alright then,” Pongo said, facing everyone with a cheerful determination, “To Cauldros.”