Even after all that, they reached it too fast.
The zephyr moved into Haven and the world below beca quieter. Only hours later, the city of Gastle was visible through the aircraft’s caras.
They didn’t bother landing far away this ti. They took the plane out of concealnt and openly landed only several tens of ters from the main gates.
The guards were on alert for only a mont before they received word from above.
Gio was already in the cargo bay waiting for the ramp to lower. The rest of the team was there with him as well.
"You’ll do great, kid," Amaya said, patting him on the shoulder.
"You’re already smarter than Jax. You only need a few more years to be stronger than him, too. I believe in–"
"Anyway...!"
She was pushed away by the man himself.
"Ignoring the sneak disser over there, make sure to have fun while you’re young. If you don’t, you’ll end up boring like Jason. You know he’s only twenty-seven, right? He acts like he’s forty."
"I can hear you."
Jason rolled his eyes.
"But I agree as well. Have a lot of fun and live like a kid. Don’t mature too fast just because you spent so ti with us."
In the days before arrival, Gio had already personally had conversations with each and every one of them, barring Mirei who he didn’t know well enough to visit. Even Ulver ca to see him for a little, though he kept his words short.
The farewells here...
They were shorter, more friendly and less emotional, yet still filled with the sa feeling.
This was not a permanent farewell. It was a "see you later."
"You did better than expected."
Even Natalia said so things uncharacteristic of her.
"Even I originally questioned Raymond a little, but those doubts were quelled through your words and actions. I trust that you’ll continue to perform to similar levels?"
Gio nodded confidently.
"That’s what I was promising through my performance."
"Good."
She smiled a little. It was a rare expression from her.
"I’ll look forward to it."
As she walked back into the crowd, Raymond replaced her.
"You sure you got everything? Didn’t leave anything suspicious in your room?"
"Rather than leaving sothing, I’m afraid I took too much. You’re sure I can keep these?"
Gio motioned at the sword and pistol on his hip. He had to return the rifle he borrowed, but he was allowed these two.
"It’s fine. We don’t have anyone who uses swords like that, anyway. As for the pistol, you can find it anywhere if you have enough money."
Raymond’s expression changed a little.
"More than that, about what I said earlier...are you sure?"
Gio didn’t have to think hard to rember what he was referencing. It only happened a few minutes ago.
Before everyone had gathered, he asked a simple question.
"Gio, do you want a Bloodline Sequence? I can get you a good one if you tell what you’re looking for."
It was an opportunity to finally step on the road of Sequencing once and for all, however, Gio didn’t take long to refuse the offer.
"It’s fine," he said with a smile.
"I have sothing in mind already. If things go as planned, I should be able to get the Sequence I’ve been looking for in the next few months."
"Is that so?"
Raymond was curious about it, but he didn’t ask.
Now that he was double-checking, Gio could only give him the sa answer.
"Trust on this one. I’ll ssage you once I have it if you’re so worried about it."
"Haha, with that kind of guarantee, I have no choice but to shut up."
Raymond smiled and patted him on the back. The chanical sound of the cargo bay ramp lowering drowned out anything he was going to say afterward.
And when it finally opened in full, Gio once again saw the gates he bid farewell to a year ago.
"We’ve said everything there is to say," Raymond said, nudging Gio forward.
"All that’s left now is to wait for the reunion."
Gio looked back, his eyes passing over each mber of the team who was standing there smiling or waving at him.
"Yeah."
He was going to miss them, but all good things had to co to an end.
"All that’s left is to wait for a reunion."
With heavy steps, he walked down the ramp and stepped into the sands of Haven. He turned around and watched it close behind him, cutting off his view of the team.
Several seconds later, the zephyr went into VTOL and took off.
The lancholy in his heart felt far away as if he had to look for it to feel it properly. Yet, sohow, that made it harder to bear.
"Haa..."
It was ti to move on.
Not just from the Blue Steel Squadron, but from the Wasteland as a whole.
He turned around and laid eyes on his ho of the past. Waiting for him at the gates were the people he’d left behind.
Only the Old Lady, Seb, and Ricky were there, but their presence alone was enough to put so warmth into his heart.
Gio ran. Using Aether, he crossed the distance easily and arrived before them.
He grinned as he saw the shocked expressions on their faces.
"I’m back," he said.
His internship was over.
And he’d co back as an almost unrecognizable person.
***
"Gio? Is that really you?"
After dragging him to her house in Gastle with Ricky and Seb, the Old Lady patted his face and scrutinized him with squinted eyes.
He didn’t even know how to respond.
"Who else could I be? Did sothing happen to you while I was gone?"
"Hey! Who taught you to talk to your Aunt like that?"
She smacked his head with a frown, putting a wry smile on his face.
She also knew that he was clearly the Gio she knew, but she couldn’t help it. His year away didn’t just change his internal body.
With every step of training, the body he built beca stronger and more defined. Compared to the state he was in when he left Gastle, he really was an entirely new person.
His face was now slightly more defined. His jaw had beco stronger and sharper. His silhouette was lean and delicate in a way, but there was a sense of ruggedness to his eyes that made him sowhat unapproachable.
He was much smaller in general back then. The musculature he’d built through training and tested in battles broadened his shoulders and made his muscles tighter, giving him a much more athletic and toned figure.
Plus, he’d grown at least two or three inches in height. He was no longer that much shorter than the Old Lady, though he had a ways to go before he reached Ricky or Seb.
His skin had beco just slightly more tanned after spending so much ti camping outdoors. The color of his eyes had beco deeper and more vine-like, mirroring the growth of his energy.
His growth was unfathomable not only to the Old Lady, but to the other two as well.
However, there was sothing more important than the changes in his appearance.
The Old Lady gave him a warm hug and held his shoulders after pulling away, looking at him with so excitent in her eyes.
"So? How was it?"
In the end, once her child had co ho safe, all of her worries were abolished. Now, there was nothing left in her heart but anticipation for the stories he would tell.
In response, Gio smiled wryly.
"Let’s go to the Do first."
They needed a location that was a bit more secure.
After all...
"There’s a lot to talk about."
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