Takeoff
Brilliant morning sunlight rushed into the hanger as the bay doors flew open. The fighter jet's engines whirred, irradiating azure energy, heat waves and noise warping the air. The rail grooves in the steel runway slid up out of the metal paneling. A blaring countdown blasted through the PA speakers.
"Ten. Nine. Eight."
"Engine capacity, optimal. Fuel supply, optimal. Control output, 100%."
The young pilot flipped switch after switch on the wide, complicated control panel. The cockpit's window buzzed and flashed, clearing to give her a perfect view of the open skies waiting for her.
"Seven. Six. Five."
"All systems are running on optimal capacity. You're ready to go." Rang the male voice in her earpiece.
"Yes sir."
"Clear all doubts and fears from your mind. It's just like riding a bicycle. Just take off running and become one with your aircraft."
"Yes sir."
She gripped the dual piloting joysticks, hands trembling and slick with the sweat of excitement.
"Four. Three."
"Be careful out there." A different, female voice. The pilot smirked.
"You kidding? I've got this made."
A chuckle over the earpiece. "Good luck."
"Two."
"Junior Trainee Naomi Tsuna, preparing for Flight Test A."
"One."
"Launch!"
The panels under the fighter's wheels cracked like a cannonshot and barreled her forward. She sank in her seat, straining against the inertia as the gunmetal walls of the hanger screamed past, replaced with the blue streak of the horizon. Inches, feet, yards of runway vanished underneath her as she hurtled towards the edge, the sun's blinding light piercing through the scattered clouds ahead. The rail panels released their magnetic hold, blasting the fighter off like a slingshot. The engines flared with intense blue light, rocketing her upwards with a sudden sonic boom.
She tugged back on the control sticks as she climbed into the clouds, wheels receding into the jet's underbelly as she vanished into the floating, white folds. Higher and higher she soared through the gray and dull cottony white. Her grips relaxed and loosened, her senses lightening, fluttering heartbeat settling into the steady quiet, watching tiny, speckling beads of rain collect on her windshield, gleaming in the automatic neon lights of the cockpit.
Finally, a light peeked through the thinning cloud cover, reigniting her. She spiked the engines and punched through the top of the clouds. She gasped, overcome. The sun's brilliance shone like a dazzling brazier over the sprawling fields of billowing clouds streaking and hanging above the endless mosaic of muted greens and browns of the earth. From the clouds came a thick fog of white doves, flitting through the air in a chaotic, synchronized mass of beating wings that swayed and folded over itself like a sheet left to dance in the breeze.
This is why she was here. This is why she worked so hard to get here, studied all the long days and nights for the written exams, pushed herself through all the rigorous physical tests, escaped the violence-wracked ghetto she was forced to call home. For the freedom of the skies, the freedom of full control in an infinite, three-dimensional expanse of nothingness, to go where and when you please. A luxury that for too long belonged only to those doves and their equally blessed brethren.
"You'll never know how lucky you are." She muttered with a soft smile.
"Trainee, we will now begin the test proper." Said the voice over the earpiece with a crackle.
She blinked in surprise. "Oh, right. I mean, Yes Sir!"
"Good. Please perform the required exercises."
"Yes Sir."
The jet steadily leveled itself, wings lowering. Naomi swallowed hard in her throat and tilted the joysticks downward. "Here we go."
The fighter's nose dipped, engines blaring that distinctive, constant whine as she dove. She hurtled toward the earth for several meters, busting through the clouds, and tugged on the right stick, slicing through the air with a wild left turn. The sheer force threw the jet into a spinning barrel roll, wings tearing the sky in quick circles. Naomi rocked about in the cockpit, wincing as she yanked on the sticks, trying to regain control.
"Trainee, level yourself immediately!" Roared the earpiece. She clenched her teeth so hard it felt the enamel was scraping off and yanked both sticks to the right, then immediately to the left. The jet spun off axis for a split second and then barreled onto its left side. Quickly, she pulled the right stick and plane followed; leveling its weight till it was back on center.
She gasped for air and slumped back into her seat.
"Trainee, you took that turn too quickly. You have to take things more steadily and plan your maneuvers in advance. Another screw-up like that will get you a failing grade. Understood?"
"Yes Sir." She replied exhaustedly, promptly fixing her posture, her grips tightening. "It won't happen again."
"Good. Now take it from the top."
She followed the order in silent determination, climbing back into the air and with a graceful loop, dove again. Again, that shrill plummeting squeal. A swelling nausea welled up in the pit of her stomach, rising inch by inch as she dropped, but she gripped the controls tight and fought through it, forcing it down. She made a point in her mind's eye, the exact point in the air she would attempt her turn. She marked it above a round bend in the snaking river far below. Just a few seconds now. Louder and louder, faster.
"Now!" She pulled the right joystick along easily, gently tipping the jet's nose just before the imaginary goal and then, SLAMMED it to the left. The jet screeched as it cut the misty clouds with a vicious turn, Naomi holding on tight as it barreled in lightning-quick circles before quickly catching level and steady.
"Good work. " Naomi heard, forcing out a heavy sigh of relief.
"You're not done yet."
"Yes sir!" She punched the engine output, blasting up into the air. She made a steep climb and barrel rolled, drilling through the clouds. She adjusted the wings to increase lift and slackened her grip on the control sticks, letting the fighter rise gently on a brisk updraft. She then pulled back hard, tugging the plane into a high, daring loop. She felt her entire universe flip upside-down, ebony hair dangling, one long breath hanging in her chest as the earth spun above, or was it beneath her?
The jet picked up speed as it reached the crest of its climb and shot downward, nose curving itself upward against the rushing gusts until it was right-side up. Naomi's heart leapt in her throat as she tore upwards again like the Devil's roller coaster, quaking and tossing from the powerful winds blasting against her. She sliced into a sharp right turn, spinning and curving, weaving stitched ribbons through the cotton clouds. She turned the engines down and looped again, a short one this time, smooth and efficient, not flawless but graceful.
She spotted one of the thread-like rivers far below feeding into the vast cerulean ocean and descended. She adjusted the wings and drifted down quickly yet evenly, until she was mere feet from the treetops, tearing past them, emerald leaves streaking by until she shot straight off the coast and above the ocean, descending even lower now, kicking up waves of spray and foam as she flew over the glittering turquoise waters in perfect, straight lines and the occasional gentle lean and curve to delight at the silvery diamonds of sea spray that flicked the windows and marvel the way the ocean just above where she flew rippled and whitened with foam.
What she wouldn't give, she thought, to be able to soar and shoot above the sea without a huge metal casing shutting her off from the world, from the tactile sensations of flight, to feel the seawater against her face, to feel the formidable winds blast past her, making her ebony hair dance at its' whims, to feel the exhilarating rush of ascending toward the clouds and then descending like a comet with her entire body and soul, to be able to kick and shout and throw her arms out...
"Trainee." Said the earpiece, deflating her high trance.
"Y-yes sir?" She stammered, rocking the jet as she jerked the controls in surprise.
"That's enough. Flight Test A is over. Return to the Nest immediately."
She straightened her shoulders and breathed a shaky, weighted breath. "Yes sir!" She said, voice high and sparkling without a hint of doubt. She smiled as she gave one last, fond look at the vast ocean just underneath her and ascended toward the floating, stainless steel goliath facility high above known as The Nest.
~
A young woman in black clicked down the polished, grey halls in her heels, peering out the windows at the vivid blue skies outside, when she heard footsteps ahead of her. Naomi came up to her slowly, head hung low.
"Naomi!" The woman shouted, clacking up to her. The shorter, younger girl didn't say a word, just staring at the floor. The older girl winced, eyebrows drooping. She kneeled slightly and asked softly, "So...how'd ya do?"
Her head lifted just an inch. Her lips quivered, struggling to find the words, or the strength to say them. Her arms slowly and shakily raised and shot her an emphatic double thumbs-up.
"Looks like you're buying dinner." Naomi nearly shouted with the biggest smile the other woman had ever seen her make.
"Oh god, don't scare me like that." She huffed, clutching her chest. Naomi smirked. "What did I tell ya? Piece of cake." She held her hands behind her head and giggled. She was positively beaming.
"Yeah, well, you are MY sister. It's only natural to be a natural." She said with a smile.
"Yeah yeah," Naomi said, rolling her eyes. "Don't forget our bet now." Naomi stuck her tongue out.
"Oh yeah, that. I don't know what I was thinking, agreeing to that." She muttered, frowning and scratching her head. "Must've been drunk."
"Just shut up and come on!" Naomi grabbed her sister by the wrist and ran, tugging her along down the hall. "H-hey!" she protested. Naomi's hand was sweaty and shaking with excitement. "Chaiki, let's go to that new steakhouse we went to for Nancy's birthday. Okay?" Naomi asked, looking back. Chaiki had never seen her baby sister smile like that, eyes wide and liquid and joyous. When was the last time she seemed so...happy?
"Oooh, I'm starving. I want that thick potato and cheese soup first, then maybe those southwestern lobster rolls, then Pork Mignon with cream potatoes. Oooh, and lemon cheesecake..." "Hey now, who here busts their ass for a living?!"