Cross Ange: The Knight of Hilda

Chapter 19: A Knight's Vow

Rising up from the table, Rio made his way to the bed where he sat down along the edge and gestured for Hilda to join him. Hilda didn't know why he couldn't just tell her where they were but did as he requested and parked herself to his left. "Do you remember when we were travelling to Misurugi to rescue Ange and I told you about my first encounter with a Norma?"

"Yeah you said that the way people reacted to a Norma baby really shocked you."

"It was the first time I ever saw a Norma. And the reaction I saw in other people was what first caused me to question everything I had been told about them. Even if Norma really were as dangerous as everyone said, to be that afraid of a baby just didn't make sense to me."

"But you still thought they were a threat."

"I did. And then about two years later, my father was transferred to another town along the western border. It was then that I met Sarah. And I finally understood just how wrong this world was..."

... The sunlight filtered through the treetops like specks of gold, creating a patchwork of light and shadow on the forest floor along with a tint of green from the canopy. The one good thing about always having to move whenever Dad got a new assignment was the outdoors were always different. Aaron loved exploring the area around whatever town he and his parents moved to. He always found something new be it the terrain or a type of plant he had never seen before. It was the closest thing he could get to exploring alien worlds like Rio Starr.

With a leap, Aaron grabbed onto a low hanging branch and swung off. As he landed, something in a tree up ahead caught his attention. At first he thought it was a monkey but then he realized it was too big. Also it was wearing a dress. It wasn't until he was standing directly below that he recognized who she was. He had seen her sometimes with one or both of her parents in town but as far as he knew she didn't go to school or play with anyone he knew. Apparently, from what Mom had overhead in her gossip circles, her father was some kind of reclusive Academic so she was entirely home schooled.

"Hey!" he called. "What are you doing?" As he did, she cried out in surprise and lost her balance. Thinking quickly, Aaron raised a Mana shield to catch her but the instant she touched it, the barrier shattered like glass. Before he could recover from his shock, she landed on top of him and both collapsed to the ground. "Ugh what happened?" he wondered. In response, Aaron felt something on top of him and he looked up into the green eyes of the girl who had lay across him. With a shriek, she scrambled off of him and shrank against the tree as the realization of what happened finally hit him. "You...broke my Mana," he said. "Are...are you a... Norma?" As he watched, the girl's eyes spilled over with tears.

"I..I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I didn't mean to break it. Please don't tell." She moved and winced slightly. Aaron looked down and saw that her left ankle was bruised and swollen. She must have sprained it during the fall. Aaron leaned in for a closer look and she cowered from him in fear. Was this really a Norma? All his life he had been told that Norma were dangerous and violent. They were supposed to be little more than rabid dogs. And now here was one right before him and she was completely terrified of him.

'What am I supposed to do? 'he thought. The correct thing to do, the right thing, would be to tell someone. A baby was one thing but this was another. But for some reason, as he looked down at her he couldn't bring himself to do it. If she hadn't broken his Mana she'd just be a normal girl. And while Rio Starr never went out of his way to be a hero, neither would he ever turn his back on a woman in trouble. Carefully, Aaron kneeled down by her side and she timidly looked up to him.

"Why were you up there anyway?" he asked. The girl sniffled and wiped her eyes.

"A baby bird fell out of its nest," she said. "I was trying to put it back." Aaron looked up and just as she said there was a bird nest in the branch she had been standing on. All of that was just to help a baby bird? Finally, Aaron made up his mind and reached out to her.