Untitled Madlax fanfic
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Absolution
A
Madlax fanfic by regie27
Standard
disclaimers apply
Note:
This story is a sequel to “Atonement – The great divide”
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The
piece of myself
I
left in your heart
Is
it still there?
Hitomi
no Kakera, Fiction Junction YUUKA
Dusk
began to settle over a nondescript Galza encampment, its ordinary
appearance concealing its true identity as a major command and
control center. The unassuming appearance had been coupled by a
rather simple yet very effective web of communications the Galza
rebels had established to serve as eyes and ears to alert them from
any impending attack from enemy forces. This had allowed the camp’s
survival through even the bloodiest and relentless campaigns the
Kingdom Army had launched over the long years of the Civil War. Sunk
into a valley engulfed by the thick tropical jungle, the camp was
a-flurry with activity after weeks of idle existence due to the
sudden halt of all operations after the cease of fire had been called
by the warring factions. The day had begun like the previous ones
but as the hours went by, vehicle after vehicle began to pour almost
nonstop through the concertina wire studded gates. Two young
sentries, burdened by the significance behind the sudden influx of
motion, moved and paced nervously as they exchanged nervous glances
and struggled to keep up with the pace of the sudden afternoon rush.
Atop
a nearby hill, a figure cloaked by the shadows and the foliage
observed everything with meticulous attention, taking mental account
of the make and models of the vehicles and the appearance, clothing
and equipment of the passengers that arrived. Her binoculars scanned
every inch of the perimeter, putting special attention to the
movement at the gate. So far, everything seemed to be in order but
years of experience on the field had taught former Elite Guard
lieutenant Limelda Jorg that when things seemed to be running just as
planned, people usually let their guard down and thus, allowed for
the small but vulnerable spot for an enemy to exploit. She had
learned that lesson the hard way. Her almond shaped eyes scanned for
the person who had taught her the lesson almost a year ago. After
adjusting her binoculars, she was finally able to spot her. There she
was, the embodiment of professionalism and cool confidence amidst the
chaos. Limelda could see her as she exchanged some words with the
security detail of the high ranking representative from the Gazth
Sonika government she was escorting. The blonde young woman in the
dark green jacket had been single-handedly responsible of shattering
the raven haired woman’s air of self-assurance when she was
able to bypass the supposedly airtight security the Army had
established. She had been the shooter that killed Royal Army
Commander Guen MacNichol in an amazing feat of marksmanship that was
yet to be equaled. That event triggered the almost obsessive haunt
Limelda launched against the agent until it concluded in the most
unexpected manner. The two former enemies formed an alliance and now
they worked and lived together, creating a formidable team of
operatives. They had also forged along the way a strong bond of
friendship that seemed to hint at moments of something else, but so
far nothing had come of those moments when their feelings seemed to
be attuned to each other’s. Just like that lazy afternoon when
Madlax had volunteered a chaste kiss that Limelda returned with a
more passionate one of her own. Limelda’s mind drifted away to
the moment she had held Madlax tightly in her arms as she had allowed
herself to manifest the feelings she kept bottled inside for a brief
but unforgettable moment. Shouts and car horns from afar awakened her
back to reality. She let out a sigh as her eyes zeroed back on the
encampment when something caught her attention. As if she had sensed
the glances from her partner, the blond agent had turned around and
peering at her position, offered her teammate a smile. Limelda
couldn’t help but to smile too.
The
sniper rested the binoculars on the ground as her hands reached for
the rifle at her lap. Instinctively, she ran through a weapons
function check and followed suit with her sidearm. After making sure
yet again her weapons were ready, she glanced at her wristwatch. It
was time for a status report. She adjusted the earpiece as a shock of
static crackled inside her ear. She fiddled with the radio’s
volume nestled inside a pocket of her fatigues.
“Bravo
1, this is Bravo 2, no incidents to report so far. How things are
looking from your position, over?”
“Would
you cut that out Limelda? I’ve told you that military jargon
can really get on my nerves sometimes, and for your information,
things are looking under control on my side” the slightly
annoyed voice from Madlax replied with a long sigh.
The
sniper smiled sheepishly. “Sorry Madlax, force of habit, but I
suggest you keep an eye on the tall, burly guy right across you, the
one with the Liberation faction delegation. The fellow looks a tad
too tense and seems to be packing a big gun under his clothes.”
“Limelda!
I sure knew you had a roving eye but I wouldn’t have guessed he
was your type” the blonde replied slyly as she moved away from
the crowds without taking her eyes off her objective to continue the
conversation without calling attention to herself.
“Get
your mind off the gutter Madlax! You know quite well what I mean”
Limelda replied with a slight lilt of frustration and resignation
over the agent’s particular brand of humor laced with her usual
brutal honesty.
The
agent chuckled. “I’m so relieved to hear that. I was
beginning truly to worry about your tastes. After all, I’m not
sure if you’re even going to top your last lover, the agent
from Enfant…”
Limelda
raised an eyebrow. “I see you sure are keeping tabs on me. Too
bad I wasn’t able to meet more of your conquests but I bet they
must have been stunning because you aren’t too shabby on the
taste department yourself” the sniper replied with a big grin.
Madlax
became silent for a moment. Suddenly, her purple eyes aimed again at
Limelda. Even with the considerable distance between them, the sniper
could feel the agent’s eyes lingering over her. With a calm
expression on her face, Madlax replied: “I guess so…you
aren’t plain looking yourself.”
Limelda’s
jaw dropped for a few seconds. Her mouth tried to utter words but
they never came out. As she struggled to wrap her mind around
Madlax’s retort and its meaning, the sound of gunfire from afar
awakened her battle instincts as she dropped down with the Heckler &
Koch on tow, already scanning through the scope for the impending
foes.
“Limelda!”
Madlax exclaimed through her receiver as she ran towards the Gazth
Sonika delegation and her client. “The gunfire came from the
main gate. It seems we have party crashers.”
“I’m
on it.” The sniper replied. Just as her scope focused on the
gate, she saw how one of the sentries took a bullet center mass over
his chest while the second one emptied his weapon as his bullets
wounded the driver and the gunner riding the invading Humvee. The
intruders attempted to ram their way forcefully inside. Troops and
vehicles poured towards the gate to stop them from making their
entry. Limelda fired two precise shots, one of them piercing the rear
left tire just when the vehicle was breaking through the barrier. The
Humvee careened and lost control, crashing against the blockade of
military jeeps that had positioned inside as more shots kept raining
towards the rogue vehicle. The head of the driver slumped against the
steering wheel and the blood-spattered body of the gunner hung
gruesomely from his turret. After a tense moment, the door from the
passenger seat opened as the audible sound of weapons cocking and
loading was heard almost in unison.
“Come
out with your hands up!” a tall man commanded as he approached
the vehicle. More soldiers gathered around the leader in a horseshoe.
“I
think the enemy has been contained Madlax” Limelda said as she
glanced through her binoculars once again.
“This
is strange. They must have known they would have never made it past
the gate…” Madlax commented.
“I
don’t know…disgruntled factions expressing their
opposition to the cease fire meetings?”
“I
don’t know…” Madlax’s eyes were now fully
focused on the man emerging from the battered vehicle. He wasn’t
too tall and had an unkempt beard and messy dark hair. He was
bleeding at the forehead but there was something utterly unsettling
in his expressionless dark eyes.
“Step
away from the vehicle and put your hands up!” the tall man
screamed again but his order was replied by a defiant smile.
“You
cannot stop the natural order of the world! No matter what you do,
you can’t stop this from happening! This country and the entire
world will be restored back to its true ways!”
Madlax
opened her eyes wide. She then understood the defiance in his voice
and the madness in his eyes. He was suicidal.
“He
has a bomb…” the agent muttered.
“What
did you say?”
“I
must warn the others, he’s a suicide bomber and he will blow us
all up!”
“Madlax!!!”
But
before anyone was able to react, the man simply began to laugh
maniacally as a collective gasp escaped everyone at the sight of a
detonator tightly held in the intruder’s right hand. Limelda
scrambled to get in position but the vehicles and troops around him
got in her way.
“Shit!!!”
Limelda spat in utter frustration. Without second thought, she picked
up her rifle and sprinted down looking for a better position. As she
moved, she saw how the troops began to slowly move backwards as the
man kept laughing with the detonator held up high. All of a sudden,
the loud sound of two gunshots pierced the tense silence. The man
dropped the detonator as he fell forcefully forward.
“I
got him…” Limelda heard Madlax say without any
discernible emotion through her receiver.
Limelda
stopped running as she inhaled deeply. “Good job” she
replied with obvious relief on her voice. “I’ll meet you
down so we can proceed to escort the officials to safety.”
“Agreed.
This place has been compromised. Let’s get them out of here”
the agent said. But as she began to approach the encampment, a loud
explosion rocked her beneath her feet and she felt being hurled
backwards. She didn’t know for how long, but when her
conscience seemed to return to her and the ringing in her ears
subsided, she began running towards the compound. Her left leg almost
folded beneath her by the sharp pang of pain that invaded her ankle.
Limping, she forced herself to forget about the pain, as her eyes
began to collect the grisly spectacle before her. What had been the
gate was now a charred black spot. The vehicles and edifices that had
been closer to the Humvee stood burnt, mangled and deformed. Screams,
curses and sobs could be discerned from the distance, but in
Limelda’s mind, only one person mattered. Amidst the tragedy
and the pain, only one name remained branded on her conscience.
“Madlax!!
MADLAX!!!”
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Limelda
assessed her bandaged ankle. The swell was almost imperceptible now
and she could now shift her weight to her foot on the injured side
for longer periods now. It wouldn’t be any much longer when she
could return to do her workout regime and return to her more active
routine. She hated being idle and feeling like a wounded animal in
retreat licking her wounds, but aside from short walks, there wasn’t
much she could do in this state. Letting out a sigh of resignation
over the current state of affairs, she began the short walk from the
kitchen to the terrace bringing along two tall glasses of iced
lemonade.
“Limelda”
exclaimed a voice from the terrace “you shouldn’t keep
insisting in exerting yourself. If you don’t rest properly,
that ankle of yours will never heal properly.”
“Yeah,
yeah, easy for you to say Miss Fast Healer” the sniper mumbled
as she made her way to the terrace and slumped on a chair as soon she
placed the glasses on a table. The former officer had to admit if
there was a moment she felt envious of her partner’s amazing
healing powers, it was this. She could still remember how hard her
heart beat against her chest when she had pulled the agent from
underneath a beam from the burnt remains of the encampment’s
HQs. Limelda noticed that Madlax’s client was dazed and had a
small cut on his forehead but other than that, he was okay, as well
as his security detail. However, Madlax had received the blow that
rendered her unconscious while pushing the diplomat away from the
falling beam but wasn’t able to move away quickly enough to
avoid it herself. The sight of the blond young woman lying on the
ground brought another memory to the sniper’s mind: it was the
moment she watched over her as her body remained limp and lifeless
over a field of flowers after being shot by Margaret Burton. The
raven haired woman still wondered how she had been able to control
herself from the impulse of running towards the injured young woman
and to cradle her body in her arms but she was sure hadn’t
Nahal been there, she would have surely gone to her.
The
remainder of that day was still sunk in a daze for Limelda. The
memory of the things that followed was scattered in a kaleidoscope of
fragments of short images and sound bites. She could still hear the
rotors of the Chinook helicopters that transported both the living
and the dead and the wailing of those who had lost a loved one before
it was their due time to pass. The most impressive thing though, was
the unusual determination displayed by the delegations. Despite the
terrorist act, as if they were truly imbued by the historical
importance of their act, the delegates accorded to travel to a
smaller nearby camp to initiate the meetings anyway. That night,
while history for her country was in the making, the former
lieutenant yet again watched over the girl in her sleep as the ache
on her swollen ankle made her grit her teeth. But the pain that
invaded her to her core was the fear of losing the one who had meant
life itself for her.
“Madlax…don’t
die on me…not when I still have to tell you what you mean to
me…” she had whispered against her ear as tears poured
down her ash stained face.
“A
penny for your thoughts. Tell me, what’s on your mind Limelda?”
The soft, crystalline voice of the agent brought the former soldier
back from her reverie.
Limelda
glanced at a thoughtful Madlax. “Nothing important. Just
thinking how much of an idiot I was to not suspect that there was the
possibility those bastards could have thought of a timer for the
bomb. The hand detonator was just a ruse. They knew from the start
none of them was going to be able to activate it so instead they went
kamikaze just to get the explosive device inside the camp. It was a
truly devious and desperate operation.”
“They
were very crafty. Enfant trained them well” the agent commented
soberly as she sipped from her lemonade.
“But
that doesn’t excuse me. Don’t you realize you could have
died back there?” the sniper exclaimed in a mixture of anger
and pain. Limelda startled herself on how passionate those last words
had been intoned.
Madlax
studied her roommate’s facial gestures intently. She offered
her a sympathetic glance.
“I
could but I didn’t die Limelda” the agent replied gently
as her right hand came to rest over the elder woman’s. “I’m
still here, just as you are still here too.”
The
raven haired sniper shifted her dark eyes from their hands to the
girl’s face. She felt a lump forming on her throat at the mere
thought of losing the wonderful sight of her purple-hued eyes staring
at her with their mischievous glint and youthful innocence.
“I…I
almost lost you there Madlax…” she muttered weakly.
“But
you came to my rescue, didn’t you? That’s why I’m
now here with you. You’re still being good to your promise of
watching over me.”
“And
as for as long as you wish it and for as long I live, I will keep
watching over you.”
“I’m
sure you will. That’s why I chose you.”
After
a while, Limelda ventured a smile, which was returned by a
mischievous yet tender one from Madlax. Limelda’s hand shifted
from underneath the agent’s until their palms met and their
fingers intertwined. They remained like that in silence, allowing the
hours to go by until the moon hung up high on the Gazth Sonikan night
sky.
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Limelda
grunted as her injured ankle got tangled up with the sheets yet
again, waking her from her light sleep. For a woman who was used to
receive considerable amounts of physical punishment by the rigors her
line of work demanded, she wasn’t taking this injury too well.
Cursing under her breath, the former Elite Guard officer sat on her
bed in the dark as she managed to untangle her foot from the
offending sheet.
“Need
some help?” Madlax’s offered gently from the opposite
bed.
“Nah…I’m
fine. Sorry if I woke you up. It’s just me being silly even in
my sleep.”
Madlax
chuckled. “But I like it when you act silly. It makes you look
more…vulnerable.”
“I
thought the word you were looking for was dumb but yeah, guess
vulnerable works too.”
Madlax
stood up from her bed and sat beside Limelda. It was a habit the
agent had picked up lately after that particular mission. As they
nursed themselves back to health, they had filled endless hours with
long, witty conversations peppered with war stories and past
experiences instead, replacing the more impersonal tactical briefings
that preceded their missions. The conversations kept unveiling the
seemingly endless amount of things they had in common, from both
being orphans to being used to inspire both admiration as well as
dread on the hearts of their foes.
“You
know Madlax? I really wish we can be able to see the day this country
is finally healed from this accursed war. I don’t think I can
remember that last time I felt…happy, in the truest sense of
the word. I think that my days of happiness began to fade away along
with my childhood soon after the deaths of my mother and later my
father…”
Madlax’s
face became pensive. Limelda stared at her
disconcerted.
”Are
you alright? Did I say something that bothered you?”
“No.
On the contrary. You have revealed something very important and I
think I should take the opportunity to be honest with you.”
“I…I
don’t know what you’re talking about Madlax.”
“You
say you can’t remember the last time you felt happy, but I do
and it is a fairly recent memory. Do you want to know when the last
time I felt happy was?”
Limelda
nodded in expectance.
Madlax
shifted closer. Her hand went to rest over Limelda’s knee.
“It
was that afternoon when you kissed me.”
Limelda
froze for a moment but when she attempted to reply, the blonde agent
brought her index finger against her lips. Her features shifted into
a wistful expression.
“You
know…I remember well what I told you back then and yet I knew
I wasn’t being completely honest with you because I wanted what
you wanted. But at the same time I felt burdened by guilt, by the
fact that I wanted to pursue my own happiness when others had died
and their graves were still freshly dug. I thought it wasn’t
right for me to do so when I should have been overwhelmed by the pain
and the loss and yet…”
Limelda
leaned closer as her hand dared to rest over the agent’s
shoulder.
“I
couldn’t deny this attraction and that’s why left with
you that day Limelda Jorg and that’s why I chose you.”
The
raven hair sniper shook her head in disbelief. “No…it
can’t be…you really don’t mean to say any of this.
Maybe you’re just affected by the last mission. You had a close
call after all…”
“And
precisely because of that I was finally able to see things right.
Life is too short to dwell on the past when you have a life to live,
and a chance to share it with someone you care for…”
“But
I can’t…I mean…doesn’t all I did and who I
used to be matter to you anymore?”
“It
doesn’t matter anymore because you’ve changed, and I’ve
changed too. Why then do we have to keep condemned to remain chained
to the past when we can do so much with today? I am willing to take
that chance but I need to know if you are willing to leave your
burden behind and dare to live for today…”
Limelda
lifted her eyes and met Madlax’s expectant glance. Drawing a
deep breath, she brushed aside the mane of blond hair that cascaded
over the agent’s left shoulder. A smile crossed her face.
“I
hope that this can convey my answer then…” and without
any hesitation, she held the agent’s face with her hands and
touched her lips with her own. After a short while, the sniper pulled
back, scanning the younger woman’s face waiting almost
breathlessly for her reaction. Madlax opened her eyes and locked
glances with a very expectant Limelda. A smile tugged at her lips.
“Thank
you” she simply replied as her arms surrounded the elder
woman’s neck. It was all the encouragement the former Elite
Guard commander required. It wasn’t too long before Limelda
sought Madlax’s lips again but this time her kiss was devoid of
any self-restraint or doubt. It was enthusiastically received by the
younger woman as she too, shed aside the doubts and constrains that
made conceal her true interest on the former officer.
“Limelda…”
Madlax murmured hotly against her ear “I don’t want to
sleep alone anymore.” As if for emphasis, she pulled Limelda
down with her so they both lay on the bed facing each other.
The
sniper grinned as her hands came around the agent’s waist. “And
I’ll make sure you don’t spend the night alone any
longer. Can’t give you any guarantees about the sleeping part
though” she added with a very suggestive tone.
Madlax
chuckled. “You’re silly. And who said I wanted to sleep?”
Madlax’s
unabashed sincerity took Limelda again by surprise. As her fingers
began to unbutton the agent’s white blouse, she replied in
earnest:
“And
who could in their right mind sleep when there’s so much of to
be done of this…” Limelda captured Madlax’s mouth
again to emphasize her meaning as she sensed how Madlax began to
maneuver nimbly until her she was on top.
“Ouch!”
the ex-soldier yelped.
“What
happened…?” the girl inquired worryingly.
Frustration
was evident in Limelda’s face. “Just my ankle…”
A
blush crossed the agent’s cheeks. “I’m so sorry”
she said as her fingers gently caressed the elder woman’s
temple, brushing aside long strands of dark hair. “I’ll
be gentle then.”
“Don’t…”
the sniper replied as she eagerly captured Madlax’s lips in a
passionate kiss as her hands succeeded in removing the girl’s
shirt.
“I
guess we have come to an agreement then” the younger woman
whispered against Limelda’s lips as a mischievous glint
illuminated her eyes. The elder woman chuckled briefly before her
lips were claimed again but certainly not for the last time that
night by Madlax.
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The
sound of rain against the window stirred Limelda from her sleep.
The draft of cool breeze that crept inside the small apartment made
her instinctively tug at her sheets but surprisingly, the sheet
didn’t budge at her pull. Lazily, she opened her eyelids and
the sight she encountered made her gasp. Mere inches from her,
Madlax’s head rested on a pillow right beside her, her blond
hair cascading in disarray over nude fair shoulders. The young woman
was sunk into a peaceful deep sleep, her face reflecting a sense of
serenity and relief. Beneath the covers, Limelda realized their legs
met in a loose tangle. In a smooth, careful motion as if not to
disturb the agent, Limelda raised her hand to brush aside stray
tresses of hair that fell over her face. The girl stirred upon the
contact of the sniper’s fingertips against her cheek. Startled,
Limelda brought her hand back.
“That’s
okay Limelda…that felt nice” Madlax purred.
“I’m
sorry if I woke you” the elder woman mumbled apologetically.
Madlax’s
eyes opened wide as a lazy smile curved on soft lips. Limelda sensed
how her toes wiggled against her leg as the girl stirred and flexed
her limbs with a long yawn.
“Brr…is
it me or is it cold here?” the agent commented as she shivered
lightly.
“Must
be the storm that we expected for today. Guess the forecast got it
right this time.”
“Limelda…”
“Aha?”
Madlax
propped her head on her hand. “If you are cold and so am I,
what are you doing ‘there’?” she commented with a
noticeably warm quality in her voice. The agent’s left feet
began to slide against the length of the sniper’s leg under the
covers. Limelda blushed, sensing how her heartbeat began to quicken.
“That
can be fixed…” Limelda’s replied with a sensuous
cadence in her husky voice. Upon saying this, she snuggled against
Madlax’s welcoming warm body. The blond agent greeted her by
wrapping a shapely leg possessively over her thigh as her arms hung
loosely around the brunette’s neck and shoulders.
“Madlax…”
Limelda’s face suddenly sobered. “Are you sure about
this…I mean…do you think this is okay…?”
The
agent captured a long strand of Limelda’s dark hair between her
thumb and forefinger. “I meant every word I said last night. I
don’t want to dwell into the past any longer. That doesn’t
mean what we have before us will be easy because I’m aware
there are things that will keep haunting us but that’s part of
the burden we have to bear, but I’m I willing to take the
chance because I believe we can pull this through.”
“Madlax…
I…I…”
“Shhh…you
don’t have to say a word” the girl interrupted in a
gently manner. A sigh escaped her lips. “I know… I
already know what you mean to tell me. I told you before I was aware
of what you were feeling for me because I could sense it just I’ve
always been able to sense your presence no matter what. The only
thing that I ask from you now is that you let go of what burdens
you.”
“Even
if what burden me are sins so terrible they still haunt me?”
Limelda replied with hoarse voice. The former officer stared at the
agent inquisitively, profoundly touched by the girl’s honesty
and yet the shadows of doubt lingered ever so strongly inside,
filling her with insecurity, guilt and fear. Could absolution come to
her so easily, to her who was a cold-blooded murderer?
Madlax’s
answer was simple yet definitive. “If we could share the weight
of our sins, perhaps there is hope for us.”
The
former officer felt the pressure inside her chest dissolve with every
single one of Madlax’s words. “Madlax…if you are
willing to accept me despite all I’ve done, how can I refuse
you? You are offering me a second chance just like you did back then
when I begged for my death but instead you spared me and gave me
hope.”
“Silly
you…there was a reason I couldn’t kill you…”
“Why?
Why you didn’t do it when you were on your right to do so, when
I wanted it so much?”
Madlax
offered Limelda a tender glance as her fingers traced a path from her
neck down to her chest, sensing the brunette’s strong heartbeat
drum against her palm. “Because when I doubted my own
existence, I knew you held a part of me inside you. You possessed
evidence that my passing through this world had been real, that I
wasn’t a lie or a mirage.”
Limelda
captured Madlax’s hand and brought it against her lips. “No
Madlax…you have never been a lie. In a world filled with
deception and lies you became the only thing that was real to me.”
“And
that’s why I chose you, because you never doubted my existence,
even if I did.”
Limelda
chuckled. “Now you’re the one who’s being silly,
but if you still need reassurance, allow me to show you how real you
are…” she whispered as her hands framed Madlax’s
face. The agent simply smiled in expectance, managing to reply before
Limelda captured her lips in a passionate kiss:
“Show
me then, Limelda Jorg.”
~Fin~
Author’s
Notes:
I
guess I must have fallen under the influence of the Holy Words of
Saruon because here I am again returning to the Madlax fandom with a
story of my own after months toiling with my beta’s huge Madlax
project. This storyline came after sharing impressions on the now
infamous jeep scene with Madlax and Limelda. Before long, here I was
with a plot bunny that wouldn’t leave me alone, and so this
sequel to Atonement was born.
Special
thanks to my ever patient beta-reader and accomplice extraordinaire
Carrie Asagiri for her input and for insisting I wrote this fic and
gave the shoujo-ai fans another treat. Well, here it is. Hope you
enjoy the tale and till the next one.