It was the day Nagito finally would get his pilot suit, and start his on-air training with a real AVALON. First impression, it was a sleek, tight suit. It was blue, with accents of green and red at his core. Matching the colors of the new AVALON.
He patted around himself, feeling the material. On the inside, it wasn't at all hard like the exterior. There was an all around comfortable padding.
Him and Lily, who was there to help him get to this point, had established a solid relationship. As she was his trainer.
"Alright, let's take you for a test drive. A stroll, if you will." She said, as Nagito gulped down a bottle of water.
"Okay, my first drive with AVALON-4.1, and as squadron 12's knight."
He walked up to the elevator, which took him up to the cockpit. The new model of the mecha was 19 meters, compared to the last one, which was 17 meters. Because the model is now set up with anti-air defense system. Making it heavier.
Nagito climbed into the cockpit, which had the same controls as last time, but with an extra button on the top of his handle, for firing rockets.
He put the crown on his head, and it was time to sync.
[PILOT TELECONTROL SYNC: 100%]
[HELM SYNC: 100%]
[SHOULDER SYNC: 100%]
[TORSO SYNC: 100%]
[WAIST SYNC: 100%]
[LEGS SYNC: 100%]
[AVALON-4.1 IS SYNCHRONIZED]
He smirked. 'Let's do this thing.' Nagito pulled the handles back, stabilizing the AVALON. And it was time to get moving.
That was until, the whole thing shut down. Lily hurried to the cockpit, after Nagito didn't respond to her calling.
"Ash! Ash! Take him to the medical wing, now!"
There was silence. In Nagito's mind. He passed out after he took his first step. He was being carried back to the nurse, they set him on the bed.
But there was a really loud noise. A rhythmic beating of a drum. Coming from his chest. They removed him from his suit, and there it was.
From his torso, through his skin, you could see his enlarged, purple heart. With gold veins passing through it. Everyone was in shock because they'd never seen it before. The thing that made it feel like he had a constant fever at night.
But the silence of voices was broken.
{My love, does it feel like you're dying?}
'Yes. Also, when have I become your love?'
{That doesn't matter. This is all fi-}
'Who are you? Even?'
{That doesn't matter right now. What matters, is you might die.}
'Oh yes, right. But can't I just rewind- shit, I mean…'.
A few seconds passed.
'Wait. I can talk to you about rewinding time? You won't kill me?'
{Of course not. After all, I'm connected to you. I know all about you. Na-gi-to.}
'No one's called me that in a while.'
It felt nice for a change. It might've been two months in total, of his time here. In this world.
{Anyway, shall I help you get rid of this? This, filthy, invader?}
'Yes please. Make it stop. Make the loud beating stop.'
{I chuckled, but okay then. Let me in. Accept me.}
'I nodded, just so you know.'
Next thing you know, he woke up. It was midnight on the clock. Everyone should be asleep right now. But he isn't. He can't control his body. Feel's like it's on autopilot. It began to get out of the bed.
Ash walked out of the nurse's room, and back into the halls. Wandering the halls, until he got to squadron 12's quarters. But not where he expected in there. His body stopped at Tony's room.
"What are we doing here?"
No answer.
The door was unlocked. Ash opened it. To Nagito's surprise, Tony seemed like he had been waiting. To an even bigger surprise, he got on his knees.
"My queen, I've been good as a spy haven't I? Have you come to congratulate me?"
No answer from Ash or Nagito. Or anyone. His body again, moved by itself.
It grabbed Tony's neck, strangling him. And, he didn't struggle. He didn't even try to breathe. Seemed as if he was happy this was happening.
But his mouth was moving, definitely saying something. But nothing came out. After a minute, he collapsed.
Nagito also, regained full consciousness. First thing he did, was feel his chest. He lifted his shirt, checking for the purple. It was gone. Then, he checked on Tony. Putting two fingers behind his ear. No pulse.
"He's dead…"
{I'll explain this later, right now, rewind.}
'Alright.'
His eyes glowed yellow. The clocks moved backwards. And as the rewind sped up, he was back in the vacuum. But not for long. Soon after, he was back in his nurse bed.
With everyone, beside him this time.
"You're awake."
Carla spoke first. Vermy went next, then Lily, right after.
He looked around. Then smiled reassuringly.
"Sorry to worry you guys."
A week after, Nagito had finally gone on his first mission as a knight. Piloting the AVALON on a scout mission with his whole team. They didn't discover anything, but it was a whole lot fun.
Lily teased him here and there, but they didn't talk much anymore. Despite that night, Tony was back to normal. But not normal as in before. It didn't feel like he was wearing a mask anymore.
Their days were unbelievably happy and joyful. Nagito had built a liking in this world. Maybe he would choose it over the old earth.
At night time, Carla was about ready to head to bed. Writing a letter to her sister before doing so.
"Dear, sis, Maria. Mmm. Things are going great, sis. The squad is having a blast. I'm so glad right now we're not in the front lines. I actually like this better than that prestigious health school you talked about. And, last thing, I wish you well. Love you, Carla."
She closed the envelope and sealed it.
"Things are going great right now. But why? Why does my chest hurt so much?"
She lifted up her shirt to look in the mirror. And her skin, was transparent near the core. Blood veins were golden, and her heart, enlarged. Purple.