Meiko's mind was beginning to leave her, the voice she knew growing
ragged and hoarse. Everytime she moved, she felt a load of pain shoot
up her spine. It was unbearable. Her dying companion still lay at her
side, and with a sliding thrust of her arm through the sand, Meiko
landed her hand atop Eva's body. *Got..to...find...shelter...* she
thought.
Grinding her teeth shut, Meiko planted her other hand in the dry sand
and pushed her body up...immediately, the force of the storm picked up
her body and thrust her forward. Frantically, Meiko dug her heel into
the ground and forced her way to the ground again, clutching desparately
at the tubes which threatened to dislodge from her throat. The
adrenaline was not enough to supress the unbearable pain such a manuver
created, yet when she screamed, sand tried to carve a hole in her
mouth. *I can't!* she screamed inside. Eva seemed even farther away
now, a dark outline in the distance. The oxygen tubes stretched to
their limit. Frightened for her life, Meiko bared the punishment and
struggled back to Eva, blood whipping away in the strong wind. She
collapsing beside Eva's head; blank eyes stared back at her.
*Eva...stay with me okay?* whimpered Meiko at the lifeless face. Her
vision was fading...fading....it was almost like she was entering a
dream. *Oh God...help me!!* she cried through tear streaked eyes.
Then she was gone
A light.
Wonderful beautiful light from above. Body? A look down confirmed
it's existance, but it looked out of place. She recollected her
thoughts...*I was in a storm, a horrible storm*. But her clothes were
clean. There was no pain in her leg. *Am I...dead?*
Her surroundings....it was too dark to see anything, and she looked
into what she could only assume contained the horizon. Then she looked
down, to see a broken bleeding body before her. It all came back. *Oh
no...Eva!!*
A flash of light. Feathers. Angel from the Heavens.
It was a familar face. *Nana!* she cried. The sweet woman hovered
over to her, and kneeled gracefully, clutching Eva in her arms. There
was a tear in her eye, letting Eva's electrolyte blood stain her white
spotless gown. Nana looked up at her, frightened. *She is dying!* Nana
pleaded.
*No! I won't let her die!*
The angel cradled Eva's limp body back and forth. *I can not help
her..*
*What.....what can I do?!*
Nana looked at her, watery blue eyes welding a lock between them. *Do
you believe you can help her?* The question sounded like the most
important question that could ever be asked.
*I...I...* she hammered out. Her heart pounded, and her cheeks became
stained with her tears. Her ears tuned into the sound of someone crying
from far away. *Yes! I can! I can save you all!!* She clentched her
fist with conviction.
Nana extended a delicate hand and placed it Meiko's forehead. She
smiled. *Then your faith will save...*
A flash of light. One booming thunder. Then calm.
Meiko awoke. Her eyes shot open, and she sat up. The sandstorm...she
could hear it, but it was distant. A cave? Yes, she was in a cave.
She felt her hands, her legs...her leg was still injured, but she didn't
feel it. It was like some force was keeping the bones and muscle in
place. She closed her eyes and used her senshi power to determine the
kind of power being used. Shock returned when she discovered that the
power was her own! Her own power was being used on herself..she didn't
know if it was by her own subconsious will, or if it was by some outside
force.
What was it she just experienced. A dream? Or did it really happen?
Somehow she was in a cave. *Eva!* Her mind quickly caught up to what
had happened. She searched around, eyes stopped when they landed on a
humanoid form...no...two humanoid forms. "Eva!" Meiko cried, running
over and kneeling beside her. Eva still looked lifeless, but there was
a faint aura around her. Meiko reached out with her power, and found
that yet again it was her _own_ aura that kept Eva alive. In stasis,
but alive. "Eva..." weeped Meiko from joy. She grasped Eva's hand.
"You tried to destroy the Empire. But...that doesn't matter anymore.
I...I...Eva..." Meiko spralled herself on Eva's stomach and cried
openly. It had been a hard day for both of them.
Nana slit her eyes open, and the first thing she saw was Meiko crying
on a limp Eva, the sounds of sorrow and joy echoing into the caverous
cave. Nana smiled. *Looks like I get to see their friendship after
all..* Her eyes shut closed, and her mind drifted off. It had been a
long day for her as well. *How did I get here?* she wondered, before
falling asleep.
