Chains Of Pride

Year 2041

"Rikona, you need to slow down! You can't keep going like this, you've already destroyed 9 bases!!" The enraged and equally worried voice of Makoto could be heard.

"No matter how many times you tell me to stop I never listen, so how about we just skip right to the part where I still do it despite your argument?" Rikona said.

She had just returned from her 9th mission from a base, which means this the 9th base that's been destroyed. She had just returned to their hidden location and already she wanted to get the 10th location from Numani and head right back out again.

"Rikona at least think about the Taliums you're taking with you. You guys haven't slept for days, our population has grown yes but we can't use any of them because Numani hasn't cracked the code as yet." Makoto begged her when he saw that she ignored him, only heading towards where Numani currently was.

The day when Rikona said they would continue what they were doing to help her get Kura back, no one hesitated and their enthusiasm was at an all-time high.

Now, as Rikona disappeared and was heading to Numani, he looked back at the Taliums. They were exhausted, both mentally and physically, no one complained as no one wanted to appear selfish in helping Kura get better.

He saw Yang Min, Gin, Zutto Shu, Lerner and all the others looking as if they were about to fall over and his heart sank. Soon rage bubbled up in his heart and he hurried after Rikona. He was not going to allow her to take the others and head out again, at least not for now.

If they went out now, no doubt they were going to end up getting hurt or worse. None of this is a game, they were fighting a war with a shadowy association. They needed to make sure they were in top-form before every fight. Regardless of what she was going through, this wasn't smart and Rikona needed to get that through her thick skull.

Numani was in the room with the rest of the captured Taliums, which was kind of getting full due to the fact that Rikona was practically going on a shopping spree and based on her current route, the credit card was nowhere near maxed out.

While Numani was trying to break the algorithm that was most likely hidden in the controllers hooked up to the Taliums, the door suddenly opened up to reveal Rikona.

When the tech-savvy Talium saw Rikona, a bit of hurt could be seen within the depths of her eyes.

"Where's the next target?"

This was all that Rikona asked as her gaze scanned the rest of the Taliums that were all bound up in the room. To prevent the association from sending any signals to them, Rikona also erected a barrier to shield them from any outside interference.

"Uhm, I-I'm having t-trouble finding the next base," Numani answered.

"Oh honey, you're not meant for lying, you know that. Was it Makoto who told you to lie to me?" Rikona asked with no change to her lifeless and unfeeling expression.

"Uh, no! i-it was, I mean I-"

"Yes, I told her to lie to you," Makoto came up from behind Rikona and spoke, saving the stuttering Numani.

Rikona's angered leaked out somewhat though she was trying her best to reign it in.

"Makoto don't push me, I've been on the move for months now!! Every moment has been spent either in combat or in intensive meditation desperately trying to break through and I've only just barely stepped into the Supreme Invata realm, no closer to the Avartel realm that I need to be in!"

"Don't push you? Don't push you?! Are you kidding me right now?! How do you think I feel right now?! For me to have to resort to having someone tell a lie to you because I want you to rest. You've been burning yourself out simply so you can distract yourself from the guilt that's eating away at you!"

"What did you say to me? You're walking on thin ice Makoto, so back off, I'm warning you!!"

"What are you gonna do, drop me below the ice!?! Then do it drown me!! See if I care! If that's the only way I can keep you here for a while then I'm more than willing!"

Neither one was backing off, tit for tat and hit for hit, this was the nature of their argument.

Suddenly, Makoto felt his body stiffen as he left the ground. Rikona had her hand outstretched to send him away.

"Bis sis!!" This shout came from Numani who was sitting by the wayside, afraid to get implicated in their arguments.

However, this was different, what did Rikona think she was doing? She actually used her power on an ally and on Makoto no less!

"Yeah, just like I thought, it was only a matter of time before you went this far!" Makoto struggled to say.

"That's because you pushed me this far!" Rikona raged, her eyes red and her breathing unsteady.

By this time, attracted by all the shouting, Yang Min, Gin and some of the other Taliums came down to the level where the commotion was taking place.

When they saw the scene of Rikona locking Makoto's body in place and having him suspended in mid-air, they all s.u.c.k.e.d in a breath of cold air.

"Don't move!!"

When Gin was just about to move forward to help, his step was frozen in place; however, this shout didn't come from Rikona, but from Makoto instead.

"Don't take one step closer, I want her to see what she's doing right now. I want it to sink in," Rikona's lover was not backing down, despite having no power of his own.

"I'm only like this because you're stopping me from helping Kur-"

"Don't do it!! Don't you dare!!" The flames of rage in Makoto burned ever brighter, "Don't use her as an excuse to break everyone else!! Don't act like you care for her when you lost sight of that goal months ago!!"

"What did you just say?! Who are you to say that I don't care for my little sister!?!" The force she used to hold Makoto tightened by quite a margin.

"Urgh! W-What!! Does the truth hurt that much?!" Makoto stated with an ugly smile, his face twisting and contorting from the pain.

"I-I'm warning you!" Rikona's composure started to show cracks from Makoto's relentless pursuit.

"Then tell me this Rikona, apart from the last time some odd months ago when you brought her in. When was the last time you visited Kura?! When was the last time you saw the face of the sister you claim to love!!??!!"

That did it, that last shout, nay, that last roar from Makoto was enough. Tears started to stream down Rikona's face, as she started to sob before it turned into an all-out bawling.

The force that kept Makoto aloft disappeared eliciting a sigh of relief from not just him, but from everyone else. They were genuinely terrified, no one here was a match for Rikona one on one, and no one wanted Makoto to get hurt or even worse to have Rikona be the one to do it.

That would damage her way more down the road than the hurt he would be receiving now.

They looked at her as she lay on the ground crying with no end in sight. Tears and snot ran down her face staining it further. The air and composure of a leader that she normally exuded were nowhere to be seen.

Makoto didn't truly blame her for what she did, nor did he truly think that she didn't care about Kura. They loved her more than anything, but he had to say something to bring her back. This might not be 'The Fall' that all Taliums fear, but self-destruction was by no means any less dangerous.

He edged closer to her and allowed her to cry in his embrace. Gin ushered everyone to leave the room, even Numani got up and left, giving them some much-needed space.

Makoto wordlessly mouthed to Gin before he left, to have all the Taliums get some rest and just recharge.

The only things left in the room was a large glowing dome that shielded the captured Taliums and two beings. One who needed healing, and one who was more than willing to provide it.

'Sniffles'

Eventually, her crying slowly came to an occasional sob as she raised her head to look in the face of the man who held her.

"I-I'm s-sorry…" Amidst the tears that fell, this was all she managed to say, and quite frankly, all that she needed to say.

Makoto held her face and used a thumb to wipe away the companion of sadness that still struggled to escape.

When he saw the hurt that dug deep into the depths of her, he couldn't help but levy a kiss upon her and held her tightly.

At first, he was simply giving with no intention to receive, but then she started to kiss back, making it even deeper and rhapsodic than such an action normally would.

They parted lips only after quite some time and looked deeply into each other's eyes. She only asked one question, that elicited nought but a nod from the man she'd come to know.

"Can w-we go t-to my room?"