The Day The Earth Shook

--Sky's Perspective--

---March 29th, 2446---

I slid the ruined whetstone against the length of the Mahina Blade, closely watching the gate in front of me.

It was 6 am sharp, and I was waiting for the moment Quake would bust the gate down. I was aching for that moment, ready to get on with my life after eradicating this threat.

"There you are... you got an early start too, huh?" Dani asked me.

She walked up to me and sat down beside me. Her newly-created outfit from the man I saved from Quake's first attack, Manny, put as much effort into her outfit as mine. Dani had pink and golden outlines on her white shirt and black skirt respectively. Her boots were lined with white laces and brown leather meant to keep her as flexible and nimble as possible. She had two golden sabers on her hips as well, ready to be activated at any moment.

"I guess you could say that," I said, throwing the whetstone beside me and looking at the reflecting sunlight through the Mahina blade.

"I had no idea your birthday would be coming so soon... but I got you this," Dani said. She held up a string with a golden star as an attachment to it next to my face.

"What... is this?" I asked her, grabbing it lightly out of her hands and looking at it.

"Well, the Mahina Blade you're holding has a crescent moon as the guard... but that's all. I thought you could put another star on the end at the handle right there. It could be symbolic... but I know that Mahina Blade is really important to you, so I wanted to contribute to that," Dani told me. I nodded slightly, attaching it to the end of my Mahina Blade, and turning to her.

"Thank you, Dani. This means a lot to me..." I said.

Dani had changed so much. Her looks were much more refined now... and she even looked a little bit taller than me at this point. Her face was sharper, and her smile was more confident. She had grown, and I was being left behind in the dust. It was time I grow here, and I show my friends the leader I'm really meant to be.

"God, it's been four months since we first woke up together on that beach, and I still can't get over that stare," Dani said. She lightly smiled with rosy cheeks, and I followed right behind.

Then, I kissed her.

I had kissed her once on the beach before the War with Orion. I did that in case I didn't live, but in the end, we both made it.

That kiss might've given us the strength to pull through... so I had to do it. However, this time, I planted it right on her lips instead of her cheek.

"It's your birthday, but I'm the one who got the present," She said. She was now covering her face with her hands and I couldn't help but laugh.

"With everything you've learned so far, Dani... I'm glad you've been so courageous. I'm not the smartest person, and I'm often looking for danger to keep everybody safe... but you've been by my side this entire time. Sometimes... things happen... and I don't want to predict the outcome of the battle before it happens, but I can't live without you. If you die in this fight, I will follow right behind you. I don't expect you to do the same for me, but I can't imagine living on Earth without still having the reason I worked so hard to get here," I told her.

She pushed herself up off of the bench and held out her hand toward me to lift me up.

"You once told me that creating a Plan B means Plan A wasn't supposed to work in the first place. Sky, we will defeat Quake, whether it's me, or you... and we will both make it out of this alive, together. Okay?" She asked. I took her hand and rose to my feet.

"Aw, you guys are so adorable... but anyway, I'm not seeing anything as of right now, you're sure you want to stick around, Sky?" Yonoa shouted from the top of the guard tower.

"I won't leave, I'm more than certain this would be their day for attacking if any. They want to wait until the fighters are vulnerable," I told him.

"Fair enough..." Yonoa mumbled, putting the binoculars up to his eyes.

"Avie, are you sensing anything nearby?" I asked her, watching the gate. I looked up to the sky as if she was up there, rather than in my head.

"Nothing alarming. There are strands flowing around towards our western end, but they're not remarkably dense or strong," Avie told me. I nodded in response and turned back to Zealous.

"You're dead-set on this, aren't you? That Quake will attack today?" Dani asked. Again, I nodded, keeping the gate in my view.

"It's how I would construct an attack. I'm still not certain what Quake's plan is going to be with me, but I know it can't be anything good... I mumbled, feeling the pressure coming from the southern direction.

"Sky, I feel it. Southwards, something's coming," Avie said to me. I nodded, and put my hand on Dani's shoulder.

"Get help. They're here," I said. I waved my hand at Yonoa and he opened the gate with hesitation.

Nothing was there... but I knew it wasn't going to be standing right in front of me.

"This paranoia thing is really getting old!" Yonoa shouted down at me. I ignored him, and put up a wall of golden strands in front of him, preparing my left hand for a Deflection.

A spear the size of a carriage impacted the wall I put up in front of Yonoa, and my eyes lit up with purple strands as another one came right for me.

[DEFLECTION ENGAGED]

The spear crumbled into golden strands and fell to my feet, being absorbed into my body. With my eyes starting to reclaim their coloring reminiscent of Deity mode, I took more steps outside of the gate, and Yonoa closed it.

My black and blue outfit rippled in the strong wind of Fico using her insane speed to get up in my face, and for the first time since I fought Cole... I felt ready.

"Good to see you again, Sky," Fico said to me.