Chapter 29

I honestly had no clue as to what I should say to her. It felt like anything at all would be a bad idea and saying nothing would be worse. There's absolutely no winning this situation.

"I can't believe that you did this." Shaku said breaking the silence.

"I had no choice but to take the Gargoyle."

"Do you seriously think that this is about the Gargoyle!?" Shaku shouted slamming her fists into my chest. Nearly knocking the air out of my lungs.

I took a moment and reflected on everything before I responded. "Yes."

Shaku finally looked directly at me no longer hiding her face. I could tell from how tense her body was that she was trying her best to stop herself from crying. Though looking at her face, it didn't look that way in the slightest when her face is covered in tears.

"How can you be so blind?" She asked sobbing.

"I couldn't wait any longer and run the risk-"

"You wouldn't run any risks! All you did was run away!"

"I wasn't running away-"

"Yes you did! You can't handle, a second, of allowing yourself to feel the emotions inside of you. All you know how to do is run." Shaku said getting really close to my face.

"You honestly think that my emotions would do me any good? I take that back, you probably couldn't even come up with a rational thought if your life depended on it. Instead, without considering anything you hunt me down just to have an emotional breakdown while on top of me." I said slowly sitting up as I spoke.

Shaku stared at me in shock. I could see her unable to decide what emotion she should feel in this moment. As her face kept switching between being angry with me and wanting to continue crying.

"You know I have every right to kill you right now." Shaku said gritting her teeth.

"I'd like to see you try."

"Hmmmm. So this is what we came all this way for. I'd say it would be a shame if this wasn't so entertaining to watch." Empress Zu said standing over to the side of us.

"I know. I was wondering if I should have brought a drink with me. But it looks like they finally stopped." Responded Wessex on the other side.

"If it isn't Wessex. It hasn't been so long since we last spoke if I recall correctly." Said Empress Zu walking over to shake his hand.

"Empress Zu. I take every opportunity that I can to witness your glorious presence." Wessex responded, with words I didn't know he knew.

"Enough with the pleasantries. My subordinate here requested that we request that you return what's rightfully ours."

"I don't think that this pilot here is your property that you can just take. Furthermore he is under contract with not only me but my people." Stated Wessex standing his ground.

"Even if that is the case, he was and is under a direct contract with me before that fact."

"…Lets discuss this elsewhere."

Wessex and the Empress walked off into the distance leaving me here with Shaku. Once the two of them had walked off the two of us looked at each other. Not a word was said between us in that moment.

Shaku got up off of me and brushed herself off. I did the same looking up at where the ship was parked. Trying to gauge the distance with my eyes, impressed and scared that she could survive a drop from that height. Especially with not even a scratch or bruise to her body.

Without as much as a second look I just walked off to the bar. Since I had no need to stick around and have Shaku kill me.

Though as I walked towards the bar I noticed that she was following there. Even looking away from me every time I turned around and looked at her. It reminded me of the manga I used to read as a kid, which was a nice memory to bring up after so long.

"Hey, Tadao! Over here man." Sleepy said calling me over as Box waved me down. "Who's the girl with you?" He asked.

"This is Shaku. She followed me here." I responded as I sat down at the table. Shaku silently sitting beside me.

"Wait… Didn't she show up here with the Empress?"

"Yes she did."

Box shot up from his seat. Completely stiff and walked off towards the bar returning with two drinks in his hands. Placing them in front of Shaku and I.

"I'm sorry, this is the best we can offer you right now." Sleepy said gesturing towards the drink.

She slowly wrapped her hands around the massive cup and took a sip. She didn't say a word and just watched us as we sat and drank in silence.

Though as she got further into her drink the more responsive she was to Sleepy trying to strike up a conversation with her. Until she reached the bottom of her first cup which transformed the situation to her ranting to the table about me. Every now and again shouting for another drink as she swayed in her seat.

"Alright boys. Looks like she's had enough." I said putting her arm over my shoulder.

Both of them nodded and raised their drinks at me as I carried her out of the bar. As we walked Shaku mumbled quietly to herself. I couldn't hear what she was saying most of the time but from how she moved it looked like a victory speech.

"All it took was one drink." I said to myself.

"One's all it takes baby~ just like one kissssss." Shaku whispered in my ear.

"Ew. A horny drunk." I said looking away from you.

"Ok ok ok ok. I know you're a married man and all. But did you have to run away from me? All you ever do is run away. From me. From us. Even from yourself." Shaku said in a drunk and sloppy rant.

"You're drooling." I said glancing over at her.

"I mean we all saw it coming. But that doesn't mean it hurt any less when you actually left." She said almost punching herself in the face to wipe the drool off herself.

"Saw it coming?"

"Yeah. The Empress said you would find a reason to leave. Then when she saw the look in your eyes when we found that doctor guy or whatever he is. She told us to let you leave if you tried. Saying we could always ping your location with the Gargoyle."

I stayed silent. All I could do was think.

I couldn't find a reason for her to go through all of that trouble. If it was because of the Gargoyle that would be one thing. Though none of them could pilot it before so how could they now? Especially since it seems to have been linked to my brain.

Was she hoping that I would find my people and follow me or was she shooting for me to get lost like this? But what could she gain from saving me from being stranded in space.

"Lets get you a spot to rest." I said putting all of my thoughts aside.

I took her to my room and laid her down on the bed. Her hair was a crazed mess as if she had walked through a tornado.

"Y-you can't run forever." She said drooling all over herself.

"What are you even dreaming about you combat crazed woman?" I quietly said to myself.