Only The Skies Know

(Actually same thread I had earlier, just thought it made more sense to use here and have the first as a flash back)

Leon didn't come here as often anymore, mainly due to travel but the other reason was it brought back a lot of bitter sweet memories of P-Chan. Her grave that is, put in the middle of a memorial so it was a small comfort her last acts had been recognized in another way not that it helped much for those left behind.

He hadn't known if P-Chan had any surviving family members, she never spoke of it and he had never felt right prying into something that might have been rather sensitive. So far as he was aware, really, only he and Lana would be the only ones here that would remember them on a personal level.

If she had stayed with him and Lana, would she still be alive? It was a question he'd never know the answer of, and other then that would someone else have taken her place?  After all, without that loss

Feeling both hesistant and anxious at the same time he finally reached their grave, silent for a while as he tried to think of where to even start.

"It's been a while, haven't really been able to get the time to do this.."

Leon trailed off a bit, thnking. "We'll, Lana is a bit older now. Just a few more years and she'll be grown up before we know it, she has a lot more control of her powers now thanks to that school; I told you about it a few times. Has a few friends around her age too, so that helps."

"I tried dating a few times, nothing really worked out. Either nothing was there or I don't think they'd be good to have around Lana. Do you know how many women that were twice your age were stiff or awkward around them, or fake? It seems like real maternal instincs are a dying thing this generation." He shook his head slightly. "But I guess its also sometimes being a bit unfair comparing that to you, even if its subconcious."

As expected just silence greeted him as he mulled his words. "But we're fine, no really I mean that. I remember when Lamar found you when you came back to life and the fact you ran away from me. I..think I have a few ideas of why but nothing concrete. If you had came back with us, you might still be alive, but on the other hand would Zoanthropes be free?"

"It's a lot of those that bug me the must, just the not knowing. I don't know if felt more for me then just a friend like I did, or had the potential to, Or what our life would be like if things progressed from there and you stayed with us. That's life though, I know that. Not all stories have a happy ending."

Giving a slighly world weary sigh he put his hands into his pockets. "See you around.." He had a few things to be doing before heading back to Japan

* *

It was was a bit of routine lately as far as things went, work, spend time with Lana and see the occasional friend or two. He hadn't even bothered dating lately all things considered but he wasn't too concerned about it either.

Luckily when Lana wasn't at that school she had other people to go, so when he couldn't look after her there were other options. For a day of Tokyo it was a bit on the slower side which suited him just fine since he wasn't in any particular hurry at the moment.

((Sorry it took so long, couldn't think of what to post.))

One day, by P-Chan's grave, there was a Young Girl in an electric wheelchair visiting the monument. The girl was followed by a young woman who was in a black business suit and had blue with red tipped, feathered wings.

The young girl looked sadly at the grave, then starts off, followed by the other woman. They hadn't gotten far when a group of boys start throwing rocks at the grave. Apparently they weren't happy about what that freak (even by Zoanthrope standards) called 'P-Chan' had done.

The young girl looked appalled by their behavior but didn't do anything to stop them and neither did the woman with her. Truth be told, the young girl looked pretty scared by the group of rampaging boys.

Leon noticed two other people, a young girl that seemed to be around Lana's age and a Mystic? Maybe they were hired by them. Regardless he was about to leave when a group of boys started causing a scene. He kept his anger in check, as he approached, grabbing the stones out of the air casually with a combination of reflexes and skill.

"What you're doing is illegal. Go home." Leon said sternly.

The boys laugh at Leon "Or what? You'll beat us up? Call the cops on us?" one laughs "The police care even less about those people then everyone else does." laughs the other one.

The young girl looks to her companion "Catherine, please stop them. Before this gets out of hand." she says in a little voice.

The winged woman nods and jumps high into the air, catching the boys attention. She comes floating down, her form blocking the sun from view as she lands gracefully in front of the two.

She looks at them with a soft, motherly look "Excuse me, young gentlemen, but if I may ask that you please stop what you were doing?" she asks.

One of the boys was about to argue when Catherine looks back to Kisa "Do you see that young girl over there? Do you see how frightened she is? It's your actions that have caused her to be afraid." she points out in a gentle tone.

"W-what do we care? She's one of those Zoanthrops too, right?" one asks.

Catherine nods "Yes, but before that, she's a scared girl who only sees you two as violent Outcasts and if she sees you as that, then so will everyone else. But I see you as the gentlemen you can be. Would you be willing to show everyone that they are wrong about you two?" she asks.

By this time, both boys were under the spell of her beauty and quickly agreed to stop misbehaving and even apologizing to both Leon and Kisa, beforw heading off, their heads held a bit higher.

Catherine sighs and looks to Leon "I'm sorry you had to see that unsightly display. It was very noble of you to place yourself in harms way for this Monument to such a great and gentle soul." she says as Kisa comes rolling over, still a bit shaken by the events.

Catherine nods to the young girl "This is Kisa and I'm Catherine..." she says, introducing eachother as she holds out a hand "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The Gun Devil probably would have hurt them, but he wasn't that person anymore and hadn't been for a long time. Hanging around the others, Lana and P-Chan had softened him a lot.

Didn't mean he wasn't tempted, though.

Luckily the scene was adverted and the nameless people had left. He shook the young woman's hand. "Leon Trinity. And I'm not that selfless. Truth is I was close to the person that was burried and knew them personally."

Catherine gets a sorrowful look on her face "Then you have my most sincere heartfelt sympathies for your loss." she says, placing a warm hand over Leon's.

When she finally lets go of Leon's hands, she looks to Kisa "Because of Natsume's courage, people like Kisa here can life productive and successful lives." she says with a warm smile.

She looks back to Leon, a sympathetic look in,her soft eyes "Still, it's a real shame that such freedoms had cost the young woman greatly."

She gives Leon the same warm smile "If it's not too presumptuous of me, I shall say a prayer to the Wise and Mighty Galford that he help ease your pain." she says, then bows to Leon, bidding him a good day.

"Maybe I'll see you two again. It was nice meeting you." He watched them leave, staying behind a bit longer before deciding to leave. He was going to spend time with Lana today, if she wasn't busy with Alia. Though he decided he was going to talk to Mike today if he wasn't busy, he was always good to talk to.

The guard let Leon in no problem. However, Alia was away with her mother on a tour of Japan again and would be gone for most of the month.

Being the daughter of one of,the biggest J-Pop idols around had it's disadvantages as well and Athena, even at her age, was still very much in demand and had lost none of her beauty.

Mike was, as always, in his office going over papers, such as budgit reports, student status files and even new applications for students and staff. He doesn't look up from his work "It's open, Leon." he calls. However he does it, Mike always seems to know when Leon's outside his office.

The Alusarian came in moments later after the announcement. "Afternoon. I decided to stop by for a brief visit, we hadn't talked too much lately since both of us have been busy with things. How are things?"

Mike nods "That's understandable. Things will always be busy in one way or another." he points out.

"Which, in some cases, is good. Keeps us from focusing too much on the past and looking towards the future." he says as he looks at Leon.

The Human eyes the Alusarian "I can sense that something has happened today. Want to talk about it? That's why you came here, right? To check on Lana and have a friend to confide in."

"I was just visiting the grave today and thinking of her again. There was some kids trying to throw stones at the grave, but thankfully someone defused it better then I could." Mike of course would know what he was talking about, he already told them the story about them before.

"It's been, what? Two to three years now and it still feels fresh at times. I've lost people I cared about before but this is different. I think its also a combination of literally being the first woman I was in love with and being unable to protect them on top of realizing that after the fact."

He shook his head. "I can't worry about the things that could have been. And if she hadn't did what she did instead living with me and Lana, chances are she and other Zoanthropes would be more oppressed then what they are now. It kind of reminds me of a quote from a old anime. 'To obtain, something of equal value most be lost.'

Mike nods,"It's been close to two years." he says, then he takes his glasses off and rubs the bridge of his noise "Leon, I've been saying for some time now that you need to move on with your life. It isn't healthy, both physically or mentally, to keep yourself frozen with guilt over an event that you couldn't possibly have predicted the outcome to." he points out.

He puts his glasses back on "What was it that William Shakespeare said? 'Tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all." he says.

"It means, you found someone whom you loved and who returned it. You may have lost it, sure, but do you know how rare that is? Most people go their whole lives and are never that lucky."

He gets up and walks over to Leon "I'm sure P-Chan would understand and want you to get on living your life..." he places a hand on,his shoulder "And you say you couldn't be there for the woman you loved, but remember, P-Chan isn't the only young lady you loves and needs you." he say, refering to Lana.

Mike was right; of course he was. . In the end it was the past. If the Multiverse theory was true about infinite alternating time-lines, then there was at least one where everything worked out. It was a small thing but it gave him some comfort.

What he wouldn't do just a single last day with them just for closure sake. Say what needed to be said and maybe make love together one first and last time, but life didn't work like that.

After a bit he spoke with a slight sigh but he did faintly smile. "Yeah, you're right. I think I just need to keep myself busy and focus more on the now. Do you need Lana for test or anything right now? Me and her were going out for the day. And Mike? Thank you for listening."

Mike shakes his head "No. End of the year test are held regularly at the end of the school year." he says as he takes out two-thousand yen "Here. Take Lana out for some ice cream of something. She studies hard and if,she over does it, she'll make herself sick." he says, then pats Leon on,the shoulder.

Leon was going to protest it, but he decided to accept it for now. Lana definitely could use a break and just some relaxation would do them both a lot of good.

When he got there, Lana was already eager to go. She didn't care where they went as long as it was just them. 'Ice cream' was what she ultimately decided she wanted to get.

As the two get to the ice cream place, there was a familiar sight. Kisa and Catherine were also there, enjoying some ice cream as well.

Both Kisa and Catherine look over at Leon and Lana "Well, this certainly is unexpected." Catherine says as she excuses herself.

She walks over to Leon and Lana "Mister Trinity, I am quite pleased to see you again." she says, smiling warmly at him "If I may ask, who is this precious little one?" she asks, again with a motherly look in her eyes, much like with those boys before.

Lana was happily eating her ice cream thinking about what they were going to do next. She really didn't care what they did after as long as they were spending time with each other. She just wished Alia was here too, but she had been busy with things.

When the woman approached, some of her shyness kicked in but she did wave a bit.

"That's Lana, she's my daughter. She's a bit shy but she'll probably warm up to you before too long." Leon assured, he hadn't expected to see the two again so soon.

Catherine was still smiling a warm smile at the two "I certainly would like that." she says.

She then focuses on Leon "It must be the will of the Great and Wise Galford that we keep running into eachother and I will confess, that makes me happy." she says, her cheeks turning a bit pink.

Kisa rolls on over and spots the ears and tail on Lana and blinks in surprise "Um, mister Trinity, are those, uh, part of a costume?" she asks in a small voice.

Leon was going to say something else when Kisa came over, catching him slightly off guard. "Just Leon is fine." He said with a faint smile. "And no, its because of what Lana is. She is what you call a Molzon, they're a race that have physic gifts. If its not too much to ask, is she your daughter?"

"Hi. What yours name?" Lana decided to introduce herself, Kisa seemed rather shy, like herself was more before.

As Leon was explaining why Lana had a tail and cat ears, there was a puzzled look on Kisa's face and one could almost see steam coming from her ears. Almost like Kisa wasn't sure what she was hearing.

When Leon asked Catherine about Kisa, the Mystic woman shakes her head "Oh no. I'm just her caretaker while her sister is out of town." she explains "No, I don't have any children..." she trails off and a sad look in her eyes seems to say Not any more...

Kisa looks over to Lana, very self conscious of her wheelchair "Um, hello. I'm Kisa. It's good to meet you." she says politely, is somewhat awkwardly shy.

Leon would know that look and decided it was a good idea to change the subject. "I see. We'll, you're doing a good job so far from what little I've seen. How long have you been staying on earth?"

Lana didn't pay attention to the wheel chair at all. "You too, Kisa. Do you live by here?"

Catherine shrugs, blushing at Leon's compliment "Why thank you." she says "I've only been on Earth a few months, but from what I've seen, this is a truely beautiful planet." she says.

Kisa shakes her head "No. I live in, um, a different prefecture and only came because here today, b-because Tokyo has some of the best hospitals in, well, in the world..." she finishes lamely.

Leon nodded a bit slowly. "It's unique, for sure. I've been to other places but nothing quite like earth. Still, there's a lot of beautiful places out there, and I'm sure earth will be able to reach them some day." He would have liked to take P-Chan and Drake to visit Alus, they probably would have liked that.

He pushed the thoughts aside. Not now.

Lana smiled at the more shy girl. "That's nice. I live by here, I go to this school. Um..heard of Master Chin's School of Pycho Soldiers? I go there."

Catherine nods "I have faith that the Wise Galford will lift Humanity to the stars, so that they may gain a better understanding of others who call space 'Home'." she says.

She motions for Leon to follow her "Please, allow me to buy you and your daughter some lunch." she offers.

Kisa heard the word 'lunch' and her stomach growls loudly. She goes pink in the cheeks "I, um, I haven't eaten since last night." she mumbles, embarrassed.

Leon thought first Mike and now Catherine. He wasn't too prideful he wouldn't accept being paid for, it was just part of who he was of usually paying for things he earned himself. However there was no shame of accepting help or just someone being nice.

"All right then. Lead the way." Alusarians could eat a lot normally but he if he Really needed the food for it, he'd just pay himself.