Sitting alone in the dark inside his small, but powerful mech Lagann, a young boy less then five feet tall, clutches the controls tightly as he watched everything going on outside through a monitor. He hadn’t moved since it happened, hadn’t said anything or even tried to think. His mind was blank except for the parting words he had just heard. His breath was ragged, even though he was immobile. It was his chest, it felt so heavy he thought his heart was going to be crushed. He continued to take in raspy breaths, never looking away from the monitor not even to blink. As his eyes started to water, he blinked and one thought penetrated his mind.

Kamina was dead.

Simon’s eyes shot back open, his mind desperately grabbing at the hope that he’d look at the monitor and not see his best friend and faux big brother dead. But nothing changed, Kamina was still dead. Gritting his teeth, Simon whimpered slightly, watching Kamina be cradled in the arms of the physical mature Yoko. What a sexy girl she was, luscious form wrapped in a tiny and tight outfit. Simon had lusted after her and apparently so had Kamina. He had caught the two kissing earlier and had been filled with a deep sadness and jealousy at the sight of them together. Now, all he could feel was sadness, but it had nothing to do with losing Yoko’s affections.

“No.” Simon’s first word came out gruff and barely capable of being heard, but he could hear it. Kamina had died in his Gurren, but had been quickly carried out by a desperate Yoko. She had believed that if she got him out quick enough, maybe he could be saved. Simon had not been that optimistic. Now Kamina lay in Yoko’s arms like last night, but the redheaded girl no longer looked happy. Simon watched them on the shattered earth of the battlefield. No one came close to the pair, all feeling the same shock as Simon was feeling. Swallowing, Simon lowered his head, no longer able to look.

Simon had lost his parents, but still had Kamina. Simon lost his home, but still had Kamina. Now he had lost Kamina, so what did he have now? Nothing. Everything was lost, if someone like Kamina could die, then everyone could. Simon couldn’t protect anyone, Yoko would die, Kittan would die, everyone he had met and befriended would die, even his pet Boota would die. He couldn’t save anyone. He was a failure and should join Kamina on the other side.

Then Kamina’s words flashed through his head.

Don't believe in the you who believes in me. Don't believe in the me who believes in you. Believe in the you who believes in yourself.

“No.” This time the word was louder and not as weak. Simon raised his head tears in his eyes and a determined look on his face. His grip on the controls tightened as he resolved not to fail his brother by thinking like that ever again. He would believe, not only in himself, but everyone. He would believe in Yoko, the bouncy tough surface dweller, he would believe in all the colorful people he had met since first coming top side, but he wouldn’t stop there, he would believe in Kamina even after death.

“NO!” Simon screamed this word as loud as he could, closing his eyes tightly and focused everything he had on Kamina. He wouldn’t accept Kamina was dead, he’d fight the truth with every fiber of his soul. It wasn’t denial, but sheer force of will. He refused to allow the world to exist without Kamina. He’d turn his drill on the heavens themselves and get his brother back, go strait through God if he had to. But he refused, rejected, a world without Kamina. His brother would live bigger and better then ever.

If Simon had his eyes open, he would have seen the cockpit of Lagann glowing bright red, illuminating him in a rosy glow. But his focus was too tight, too centered on one thing, having Kamina back as big as life.

As Simon’s spirit rose, Yoko’s spirit dropped. She clutched Kamina’s body, quickly growing cold, and cried her heart out. She had fallen for the energetic, if not stupid boy, and going on without him seemed meaningless. What was the pint of fighting without the one you love? If she had only known that a moment earlier, Simon had been wondering the same thing, she would have felt comforted.

As she stared at Kamina’s face with that cocky grin still smirking at her, a glow started to form around him. Blinking away tears, Yoko’s gasped as Kamina was lit up. Red light shined all around him, making it seem like he was in fire. But Yoko felt no heat or the sound of fire crackling. There was one sound though, a soft, jovial laugh.

“What hit me?”

Yoko didn’t believe her ears and she didn’t believe her eyes either as a very alive Kamina stared back at her. They stared at each other for a few seconds, but to Yoko it felt like hours. Her mind raced, her thoughts jumbled as she tried to decide whether she was dreaming or seeing a miracle first hand. She decided it had to be a miracle, it was so much better then if it was a dream that had to end.

“Kamina!” Yoko sobbed as she grabbed the boy as tightly as she could and buried her face in his chest, giving no heed as the glow around him brightened. Kamina stared down at the usually tough Yoko with no clue what was going on. He remembered a fight, a bright light and then Yoko crying over him. What a girl she was. He gets knocked out for a few minutes and she starts bawling like a baby. Kamina had a few rude remarks on his lips that were silenced as he felt his body start to tingle. It started at his toes and worked its way up, making him start to tremble. Then he started growing.

Back in his own world, Simon slowly opened his eyes. A fire burned in his eyes as he set his mind on his big brother living. He knew what reality was, but he denied it. Staring at the monitor, his heart stopped at a sight that was impossible yet he knew it was real. The world froze as Simon say Kamina sitting up, looking confused to have Yoko crying on top of him. Simon smiled so widely he thought his face would split. He gave no thought to why his dead big brother was back or the glow around him. All that mattered was that he was alive. Nothing in the world mattered at all.

All the joy and excitement in the world couldn’t stop Simon was gasping as he watched his brother suddenly become bigger. Already nearly size feet tall, Kamina suddenly shot up another foot in the blink of an eye. Simon watched, his jaw dropped as something beyond crazy happened.
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June 2
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