True Ghosts of the Antipode

Delithita

Rubbing her tired eyes, Delithita looks up at the computer display in her quarters. 04:31. Grumbling and using a few of the swear words Maria had taught her she sits up.

She just couldn't sleep. She would doze off, and wake back up instantly. The feeling of being watched preventing her from attaining sleep. She had already scanned for Cybrid bugs and such, but had found nothing. Giving up on sleep, she stood, and headed for the washroom. Splashing water on her face she looked into the mirror. Grimacing at her looks, she toweled off her face.

Never having been vain enough to be overly concerned about her looks, she had to admit. She did have a pretty face, and her constant combat status forced her to keep her body in shape. But, she looked like crap. Sticking her tongue out at the mirror she felt better.

Exiting the washroom she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Diving instinctively she rolled and came up with her candle-gun pulled. Nothing. But there HAD been movement. Staying her ground she shuffled back until her back was to the wall, her eyes never leaving the area the movement had been in.

Finally summoning up enough courage to investigate.

"Lights"

The lights came up slowly, erasing the shadows as they got brighter. Nothing there.

Her entire room was bare, except for the rose she kept preserved in the vacuum chamber.

The lights began to flicker. Cursing as they went completely out she walked to the door. Fantasma was prone to these lately. Repairs were still underway, but took forever, always with Xeno mumbling about 'inefficient wiring methods' or 'un-effective sealings' or some-such other thing.

Upon reaching her door she HEARD movement. Spinning she raised her gun and fired. Nothing. Just a black mark on her wall now. Maria would be livid. Putting her head into her hands she sighed and looked up.

Light. BRIGHT light. A figure in front of her. Screaming she fell backwards. Gun firing three times. Hitting the ground she rolled and came to her feet. Firing once more she ran down the hall. Her heart and mind racing. Suddenly, it was in front of her. Red hate-filled eyes. Human arms. Pale white. Nearly transparent. Firing twice more she spun and ran. The air growing very cold, she could suddenly see her breath. Coming around a corner, she plowed right into Xenogears. The two hit the floor in a heap. Delithita screaming again came up and leveled the pistol at Xeno and nearly fired. Xeno regarded her coolly. Staring at the gun she slowly stood, and seemed to relax a bit as Del lowered the gun and but her back to a wall and began to sob uncontrollably. Sliding down the wall she put her head to her knees and let the gun slip numbly from her fingers.

"We have medication for PMS you know." Walking over to Delithita, Xeno knelt down by her and looked long into the wide, frightened eyes of a small child.

"What is wrong?"

Still sobbing Del looked back fear clutching her heart like a flea to a dog's back she quivered and sobbed reaching out she wrapped her arms around Xeno's neck and clung for dear life. Sobbing hard she couldn't speak.

Standing nearly without show of effort, Xeno picked Del up effortlessly and stood there. Cradling her like a mother would a child. Her face still and emotionless, a trace of slight annoyance stood out on her face.

After many attempts, she finally got Del to calm down.

"Now, what is wrong?"

Still crying a bit Del looked up into Xeno's cold clear eyes and stood up on her own. A defiant look upon Del's face she still had tears streaming down her face. "I, I think I saw a ghost. A real ghost. It was hideous, and, and evil."

Xeno only nodded. Looking evenly at Del, it was obvious she was calculating the mental health of Del, when all of the sudden her eyes went wide, and her body jerked back. She was lifted from the ground. Her body went still, her skin grew taught and blue. Del could suddenly see her breath again, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw a grinning entity with hate-filled red eyes picking up Xeno, and sucking the life out of her. All Del could do is stand there, fear stopping her cold as the hideous creature killed Xenogears. Dropping the life-less body to the ground. Smiling it looked straight at Del, and then attacked.

Screaming she sat bolt up right in her bed. The covers clung to her naked body. Sweat drenched she put her hands into her face and began to sob softly. A whisper to her right. She looks over. It is there. The evil ghost. Menacing hate-filled eyes in her face. Screaming she feels its icy hands grab her heart.

Screaming she sat upright in her bed. Her spacesuit's metal collar clinking against metal as she found herself wrapped immediately inside someone’s arms. This someone must have had a spacesuit on as well. Sobbing uncontrollably she eventually fell into a dreamless sleep.

”How long has she been like this?"

"I do not know. She has not been different to my eyes. Perhaps this is the first time?"

"I doubt it. Xeno, Del isn't someone to cry out in pain right away. She stores it up until it is unbearable. Then she pops. Or need I remind you of her tantrums?"

Xenogears shudders. Remembering very well the sheer strength those tantrums gave the seemingly frail woman. Having been tossed aside like an unwanted doll many times by Del, she learned fast to stay out of the way if there was anything besides the look of child-hood glee upon the woman's face.

"I see your memory is still as vivid as ever. Don't wake her unless we need her. I'll be in Ops with my sisters. Contact me when she wakes."

"Yes Maria..."

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