onepieceyaoi100 | 60 Seconds prompt

Title: Desert God
Rating: G
Word Count: 297
Pairing: Pell/Chaka, very light, mostly implied.
Topic: 60 seconds prompt

She ran, her legs aching and her lungs burning from exertion, the dust flying in the air, the pain of potential loss. She could feel the pain that her nakama had endured, could see their pain as they fought for her cause.

No!

Two sets of hooting laughter, and she knew she was close.

I can’t let anyone die!

The countdown to save Arabasta had begun. Sixty seconds until her world vanished.

---

He was the master of his domain, and the strongest in his hot climate, where lesser men would struggle or perish. He loved to soar on the hot wind drafts, and to see the land he held so dear at peace.

At the moment, the city was a hotbed of chaos.

He could see the clock: 45 seconds.

“We must protect Princess Vivi at all costs,” Chaka had said.

Pell smiled.

30 seconds.

For my country, my princess…and my dearest, he thought to himself, I will take this.

He saw Vivi’s face as she stared in wide-eyed astonishment as he flapped his wings furiously, straining at the burden called gravity in his body and at the pain called loss in his soul.

Five seconds.

He didn’t have the breath or energy to comfort her any further; there was no time.

As the last few seconds wound down, he looked jubilantly to the sky as he felt a sudden pressure under his wings.

Zero.

His last remaining thoughts were Chaka, take care.

I’m sorry I didn’t get to say good-bye.

---

Chaka looked at the fresh flowers he had lain on the grave—a rare commodity, in this arid desert—and sighed heavily before turning around and closing this particular chapter in his heart.

He must be strong enough for the both of them, now.