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At times Maya found herself thinking about Canon. It had been two years since she was told Canon had disappeared. A part of her still had trouble accepting it.
Death was something she learned to be used to, however with Canon it was different. She didn't get assimilated into the fafner or defeated by a festum. No, she just disappeared.
Maya's uncertainty about Canon was only heightened when she spoke to Orihime about her before the final battle that sunk the island, and Orihime explained to her that despite Canon's life extinguishing that her existence had not yet faded.
Some later time after they had settled on the island Kenji had also told her that he saw Canon briefly after she had already disappeared and that she had spoken to him twice.
Those things made Maya think that just maybe Canon wasn't truly gone, that somewhere in this world she was still alive. That there may be a chance for her to see her again.
That just maybe things weren't hopeless. She knew deep down that it was an illogical hope, that the chances of Canon just magically coming back to life were zero to none and she was probably just praying for nothing.
But she wanted to believe though. Believe that she would get a chance to speak to her again and talk to her about all her troubles and worries and the things she felt she couldn't speak to Kazuki and the others about.
Or at the very least have the chance to say goodbye to her. To tell her how mad she was at her for leaving without a word, for deciding it was okay for her to die without telling anyone.
Maya crouched down in front of a grave and lightly traced her fingers down the name carved in the stone. ‘Hazama family’ it was for Shoko and Canon.
Much like the grave on Tatsumiyajima it didn't have any of the girls remains buried under it. There were no ashes, no body or even an accessory.
The two children beside Maya clapped their hands in prayer; Miwa and Soushi's reborn self. The two always came with her to visit this place.
Maya was grateful for it, but at the same time she felt like there was always someone with her, as if her friends and family were trying to make sure she wasn't alone.
Maya wondered if it was because of how much she cried, or if maybe it was because Mizoguchi told the others how she was willing to let Billy shoot her.
“Maya onee-chan?” Miwa called, drawing Maya's attention away from her thoughts. “Are you okay?” she asked, her voice filled with concern, causing Maya to wonder what her expression was.
Maya smiled at her as best as she could and told Miwa she was okay, then stood up. They had been in this graveyard long enough. Maya reached down for Soushi's hand and he grabbed it with a smile.
“Let's go home,” Maya said, and started to leave the cemetery, Holding Soushi's hand on one side while Miwa followed walking on the opposite side of her.
While she was going down the steps Maya saw a faint glow from off her peripheral, however when she turned to look there was nothing there. Maya frowned but shook her head and kept going.
Was she starting to see things? Maya found the thought almost amusing considering how everyone was worried about her.
Maya didn't see whatever the thing was again that day however, so she forgot about it and continued on with her life without thinking about it.
Maya didn't find herself thinking about Canon again for awhile after that visit. She tried to avoid thoughts of her. Thinking about people long gone wasn't going to bring them back, no matter how much she wished for it.
It wasn't until Maya was on a walk with Misao and he suddenly asked, “You really like Canon don't you?”
The question had froze Maya briefly. Canon was her friend. Of course she liked her, but more importantly, why was he asking her this now?
“You think about her a lot,” he said, his smile knowing yet oddly frightening. Maya stared at him with a slight frown. She didn't think about her a lot, not anymore.
“You're imagining things.”
Maya wondered why she was refusing to admit something like this. She had no trouble speaking of Shoko. Of admitting that she liked her and thought about her.
She wondered if maybe Canon was a sensitive subject to her because she was still suspicious of her disappearance, because she still questioned it.
That a part of her still believed in the off chance that she could see her again? It was foolish to think it was possible, but for some reason she couldn't give up the hope that she would see her again.
That there really was still a chance.
“I'm sorry,”
Maya looked and turned around at the sound of the voice but nothing was there. It was a woman's voice, that much Maya could tell, so it couldn't have been Misao.
Even so she looked to him with confusion and asked, “Did you say something?”
Misao stared at her and blinked then tilted his head. “No.” He didn't sound like he was lying, and the voice that apologized was too low to belong to him, so she had no reason not to take his word for it.
Maya furrowed her brow and stared down the path behind her. Now she was hearing things as well?
Maya started to wonder if there was a connection between the voice and the strange apparition she saw, and the fact that during both times she was thinking about Canon.
However the conclusions to that thought pattern was not something she wanted to jump to. It was the hopeful belief she tried not to think about, so Maya discarded the thought.
For the rest of the day she tried not to think about it. She tried all the way until on her way home when she saw the Phantom again with clarity.
Their body glowing a faint red reminiscent of crossing, with short red hair Maya recognized clearly. “Ca...Canon…?” Maya stuttered, hesitating to utter her name.
The phantom baring a scary resemblance to her fallen friend jolted then started to turn around to face her, however at that same time a loud alarm sounded and it disappeared.
Maya stared at the spot the Phantom formerly was then stumbled onto her bottom as one of spots on the ground rose up high as a sign of the island's defense systems activating.
Festum!? Maya stood up then ran for one of the nearest Alvis entrances. Why now of all times!
They weren't attacked often on Watatsumi. The time varied between once a month to twice a week. It was irregular. Koyo had the theory that there was a swarm nearby.
Maya ran into the borg and headed straight for Mark Sieben’s cockpit. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about a phantom that may or may not exist.
“Kazuki-kun is on his way! He was with Soushi when the alarm sounded!” Youko shouted, informing Maya of why their ace pilot was absent.
Maya nodded her head then boarded the fafner. If she could kill it fast enough, Kazuki might not have to pilot. Maya chuckled at the thought. Even though she was the one in the most danger when it came to this, she was still worrying about Kazuki.
“Kazuki-kun might scold me again.“
The moment Maya landed on the ground outside she readied her aim at the festum trying to break through the island's barrier. Kenji's phantom appeared beside her from the inside of siegfried and started to inform of the situation.
“Don't try to pursue the enemy too far. Just try to take that one out then come back!”
“Are there more than that one?”
“There's two more… I'll lock your fafner if you don't listen this time.”
“Roger!” Maya answered, despite the fact that she had no intention of returning to base until another fafner came out.
Maya narrowed her eyes at the festum then fired. She watched it fall then eventually implode. Seeing that she successfully defeated it with that shot, she proceeded to look around and try to see if there was another festum nearby, but saw nothing. “Above you!” Kenji suddenly shouted.
Maya quickly looked up and saw a festum trying to break through the barrier from directly above her. She shot and grazed it but managed to slow down its attempt at destroying the barrier.
Maya took a deep breath then aimed again but felt a sudden sharp pain. Assimilation at a time like this!? Maya attempted to ignore the pain and redirect her aim but found trouble keeping her hand steady.
She shot and missed a second time. Maya let out a shaky breath. The assimilation was getting worse, but if she tried to eject now chances are that festum will break through and crash straight into the borg where Youko was.
“Don't focus on it Maya!” a voice called as a hand gently laid over her’s. Maya knew the voice, and she wanted to look, she wanted to look so badly but there was no time.
While her hand was still steady Maya aimed and shot for a third time successfully shooting the festum down, however at the same time she heard Kenji shout in her ear.
“They broke through!”
Maya's eyes widened. The third one must have got passed the barrier. Maya was about to try to go for it when Vier slided out beside her. Looked like Koyo made it before Kazuki.
“Go back Maya, I'll protect everyone!” Koyo shouted. Maya wanted to protest that it was dangerous to fight without support but she could feel the pain from earlier starting to return and decided to listen.
“Becareful!” she yelled, then proceeded to head back in a hurry.
Her mind briefly wandered to the phantom that had touched her hand and helped her steady her aim. It sounded like Canon, even though Maya didn't get a chance to see her, she knew that was her voice.
***
Misao narrowed his eyes at the girl floating in the red crystal. Was he doing something wrong? She should be awake by now. He couldn't figure out why she was still unconscious.
Canon Hazama. Misao had originally decided he would attempt to save her from the festum realm of nothingness when he noticed how distraught Soushi had seemed over her disappearance.
She was to be a gift to cheer him up, however that Soushi was no more, so eventually his reasons changed. It was while he was moping about what happened that she spoke out to him.
Misao had welcomed the distraction, it helped him get his mind off of this new odd feeling of pain that was not physical, yet for some reason made him feel lost.
Upon further conversation with her he had learned that pain he was enduring was the feeling of lost. Sadness of losing a loved one. It took time, but eventually Misao understood.
From that time onward Canon started to teach him many things he didn't understand. Emotions, friendship, even things about her and the choices she made.
Canon was an existence that Misao had trouble understanding. The things she wanted and the choices she made didn't seem to make sense. Why choose to die when you want to live?
Misao wondered if his previous self would have understood it better. Although he is the same existence as before, he still thought ever so slightly differently than he did before.
There was a time where he threw his life away for the people of the island, but now he wasn't sure if he could make that same choice. He enjoyed his life now.
However when he had expressed that thought she had laughed and said that she didn't think that was the case. Because she felt the same. She enjoyed her life, but still gave it up for the people she loved.
“We're alike,” she had said. Her voice light and happier than he had ever heard from her. “It would be nice… if we could eat Kazuki curry and talk together someday.”
Those words had lit something in Misao. It reminded him of Soushi. Of wanting to watch the sky with him and doing everything in his power to bring him back.
He started to feel like himself four years ago. Misao had nodded his head eagerly and placed his hands on the crystal containing her and smiled.
“Yeah! That would be really nice!” he exclaimed happily. He felt like he had made a new friend. “And we can watch the sky together as well! We can do lots of stuff when you wake up!”
Misao had felt truly happy and excited. It felt like when he would eat dinner with Kazuki and everyone. When the room would be loud with chatter and laughter and he felt overwhelmed with happy emotions.
Unfortunately however Canon eventually went silent and her presence started to weaken, and although her body was complete, she still had not woken up.
It scared him. He didn't want to lose this new friend before he even got to spend time with her properly.
He closed his eyes and tried to think of a way he could save her before it was too late. To stir her existence into restoring itself and fusing with her body completely.
He went through Canon's memories that he had gathered upon integrating her into his Mir, and noticed one particular thing that stood out.
“Maya is in a lot of these memories.” He looked up at Canon, and wondered if maybe Maya was the key to reviving her. She seemed important to her.
Misao teleported out of his ship and into the medical room Maya was being kept in. She was unconscious. The assimilation from piloting earlier had did a number on her, but apparently with their medicine she would recover.
Without hesitation Misao picked her up into his arms then teleported back to his ship. If this didn't work he wasn't sure what else he could do to help her.
***
Soushi saw Misao enter the room from what appeared to be thin air then grab Maya and leave just as abruptly as he appeared. Soushi wanted to try to say hi, but Misao just completely ignored him.
The fact both surprised and shocked the little boy. Did he do something wrong? Was that why he was being ignored? With tears ready to well up in his eyes Soushi left the now empty medical room to seek comfort from his father.
The break room where his dad was hadn't been too far from the medical room, so it didn't take long for little Soushi to find him. Once he saw him he asked, “Does Misao-nii hate me…”
His sudden question took Kazuki off guard and he bent down to his level with a concerned look on his face. Now what did Misao do? “What makes you think that?” Kazuki asked, his voice soft and careful.
Soushi sniffed and rubbed at his eyes. “B...because… he didn't even say hi before he took Maya onee-chan,” he explained, crying as he spoke.
However the boy's words caught Kazuki off guard. What did he mean by took Maya? “He took her?” Kazuki questioned. He wanted a more detailed explanation of what exactly the child witnessed.
Soushi attempts to control his sniffles and nods his head. “He popped out of nowhere and took her and didn't even say hi,” he repeated, trying to be more specific so that his parent would understand him better.
Kazuki frowned. Soushi's feelings about not being greeted aside Misao’s actions sounded suspicious. Why would he need to just take her? From what Soushi explained it sounded like he kidnapped her.
“Sakura!” Kazuki called to grab her attention. He waited until she was close enough to continue and said, “Can you watch Soushi? I have to go do something,”
Sakura raised an eyebrow but nonetheless reached out for Soushi to come to her. “Do what?” she questioned. Sakura was curious as to why she was being put on babysitting duty all of a sudden.
“Kurusu might have kidnapped Toomi,” he said, then stood and ran out and headed for the borg, not bothering to spend extra time on further explanation.
***
Maya wasn't in such a deep sleep that being picked up and carried out of the hospital bed wouldn't wake her up, and groaned as a cold draft caused her to shiver.
She opened her eyes and was greeted to a serious faced Misao, which was both extremely rare and scarily unsettling. Where was she and why was he carrying her?
“You're the only way I know how to save her.” Misao’s voice sounded scared and unsure which only served to make Maya feel even more unsettled by the confusing situation.
What her? And where was she? Maya didn't recall agreeing to go anywhere with Misao so she was rather sure she had just been kidnapped by him
For what reason she didn't know, but she was pretty certain that she would find out soon enough. She just hoped he wasn't going to try to feed her to the festum or anything.
Misao set her down on her feet and Maya proceeded to look around the area curiously. The faint glow of red that illuminated the room gave it an almost eery look.
Upon further inspection she noticed that the red glow was coming from what appeared to be glass crystals on the wall which looked to contain festum. It was like the room in albericht that contained the children.
Maya continued to look around until her eyes fell upon a particular crystal which contained what looked like a human. A very familiar human. Maya froze and her eyes started to grow wide with shock.
“Ca...Canon?” Even though two years had passed Maya recognized the girl clearly. There was no mistaking that it was Canon. Maya ran to the crystal and placed her hands on it. “It's really you isn't it…”
Maya couldn't believe her eyes. After all this time of wondering here she was, alive inside of a tube wherever this was. Maya felt like she was ready to cry.
She felt Misao’s eyes on her and looked at him with confusion. He looked sad, did it involve the reason he brought her here? “Is there something wrong with her?” Maya asked.
Misao nodded his head and took a step forward. “She was supposed to be awake by now, but she's still sleeping.’ Misao stared at Canon with a forlorn look in his eyes. “At this rate… she really will disappear again.”
“...So why did you bring me here?” Was it to say goodbye? She didn't have any special powers like Kazuki. There was nothing could do for Canon.
“You were in her memories a lot… I thought maybe you could rouse her soul to awakening.”
Maya smiled wryly at Misao then looked back at Canon in the crystal tube. “Even if you say that… I don't know what I'm supposed to do,” Even if she was in a lot of those memories Kazuki was the one Canon was in love with.
These type of things usually need a true love… prince charming or something along those lines. Maya actually found a small laugh escaping her throat from thought of Kazuki acting like a prince to save Canon.
Maya lightly traced her fingers down the glass. What could she really do for her? “Sleeping all day and needing someone else's help to wake up… who are you sleeping Beauty?” Maya said, trying to keep her tone light but failing to completely mask her sadness.
She lightly bumped her forehead on the glass. “Hey can you really hear me in there? They say even when someone is in a coma they can still hear everything going on outside.” Maya looked up at her. She looked so peaceful.
A part of Maya almost didn't want to wake her up because of how at peace she looked, but then according to Misao that would mean she might disappear forever. Maya didn't want that.
“I really wanted to see you again. Even though it felt impossible, I wanted to see you. I missed you. Talking to you about all my silly worries and eating ice cream in Rakuen together. I… I don't want that to be the last thing we did together.”
Maya felt her eyes beginning to sting and took a deep breath. “To be completely honest I was mad at you. I cried so much when I found out what happened to you, and then I started to cry more when I found your hat.” Maya rubbed at her eyes and sniffed. “It was like the world was playing a cruel joke on me. First Shoko now you? And both times all I have is a sunhat.”
Maya bit down on her lip. She had never admitted these things before. She cried about how sad she was, but she always tried to pretend like she could accept it.
“It wasn't fair… I didn't want to lose you. We had only got to be together for four years.” Maya fell to her knees as the tears started to become hard to control. “Please… don't make me lose you again… don't leave me like she did…” Maya looked up at Canon floating in the crystal with a defeated look in her eyes. “Please wake up… I may not be Kazuki, but if I mean anything to you...please.”
Maya felt weak, words were all she had. She could only beg. She couldn't conjure up festum magic to bring her back. All she could do was hope by some miracle she could talk Canon into coming back.
A silence drawed out as Maya started to feel her heart sink, however just as she was about to write her words off as completely useless she heard a crack.
Maya looked up at the crystal with hopeful surprise as it quickly shattered and fell apart around Maya. The liquid inside splashing Maya as the girl fell into her arms.
Misao ran to Maya's side and crouched beside her, Maya looked up at him with anxious concern. “What just happened?” Maya asked. Did she fail? Was this just an empty shell or…
“I don't know,” Misao admitted, shaking his head. “I feel a presence, but I don't know if that's her or a new existence.”
Maya stared down at her and waited impatiently. “Canon…” Not again… not in her arms.
Canon coughed. Maya's eyes widened and she felt her heart starting to beat faster. Canon's eyes slowly opened and she looked at Maya. “Do you really feel that way?” she asked, questioning Maya's rant.
Maya's eyes start to water, and the tears she had thought she had already shed all of came rushing back as she stared down at Canon with disbelief. “Is that really you? Are you really there Canon…?” Maya couldn't believe her eyes.
Canon slowly reached her hand up to touch Maya's cheek and she smiled faintly. “I'm right here, Maya. It's me.”
Maya embraced her. She heard a surprised gasp from Canon at the action but really Maya didn't care about her being surprised. She wasn't going to let go.
After all this waiting and mourning, Canon had no right to complain after leaving.
“I'm so mad at you!” Maya sobbed trying to stop herself from crying. “You're a terrible friend!”
Canon blinked, confused as to why she was getting ragged on by the same person who just pleaded for her to come back to life. “Terrible? I…” Canon sighed and smiled. “I'm sorry.”
Canon couldn't feel angry. In truth she thought Maya had every reason to be mad at her. She left her and didn't even try to communicate with her when she could.
Maya continued to cry until their moment was interrupted by Kazuki calling her name with urgency.
“Toomi!” Kazuki called as he ran into the area with urgency. Maya tried to wipe away the rest of her tears and looked at him with surprise. What was Kazuki doing here?
“Kazuki-kun?” Maya questioned, confused by his presence. She felt Canon shift and looked down to see the girl had covered her chest and chuckled lightly.
Kazuki stopped then stared at Maya, and who was in her arms and froze. “...Canon?” his voice was careful and hesitant, sounding as if he was even afraid to jump to that conclusion.
With cheeks flushed red Canon responded with a timid. “Hi…” Sounding almost as if she didn't just come back to life with the mysterious power of Misao’s mir and friendship.
Kazuki blinked looking like he was having trouble registering the fact that it was even Canon who had just responded to him. “You’re back…” Maya heard the unspoken how then looked to Misao in hope that he could explain.
Misao tilted his head, before quickly getting up to explain after receiving a glare from Maya. “I brought her back with the power of the Mir,” Misao said, a smile on his face that showed his distress from earlier was gone with the wind. “Like I did with Soushi four years ago.”
Maya watched as she saw what looked like tears forming in his eyes before he quickly covered it up and smiled. “That's great… that's amazing… I didn't even think it was possible.”
“It was possible because her existence was still in this world when I grabbed it.” Misao’s smile was filled with happiness. “And thanks to Maya, I didn't have to lose her.”
Misao choice of words implied that he and Canon built some sort of relationship, and when Maya looked back at Canon she noticed a faint smile that confirmed it. Did they become friends over the time he was trying to revive her?
Maya decided she would question it later, they had more pressing matters to attend to. “Kazuki can you take us back... we're wet and cold.” She was really starting to freeze.
Kazuki nodded his head then ran back to Sein. Maya stood with Canon and kept her arm around her to keep her steady, unsure if she would be able to walk perfectly on her own.
“Maya?” Canon started in an attempt to gain her attention. Maya looked at her curiously. She really wanted to get back to warmth. “You mean as much to me as Kazuki does… you realize that right?”
Maya was taken off guard by the question and opened her mouth to say something before immediately shutting it back. No she didn't realize that. Heck she doesn't even believe it. “Kazuki… he was the last person you thought about before you disappeared right?” Maya questioned, causing Canon to blush. “It was the same for me… I get it.”
Canon frowned. She didn't understand what she meant by the same for her? “What are you talking about?” Canon questioned. She didn't like what those words were tied to.
“I'll tell you another time… let's go.”