A short story which is probably going to consist of like 3-4 chapters. I'd love some feedback you guys, it'd be MUCH appreciated XD. KK hope u enjoy this first chapter!
"Target locked..." the cold voice of a woman rang though the gundam.
Suddenly, Lockon's face flashed on my screen. "Alright then Arialla go ahead and finish them off"
I simply nodded.
"You've got this, you've taken that-"
"-yes" I cut him off quickly "I'll be alright"
"Alright then..." he smiled reassuringly, before disappearing from the glowing screen.
I pushed my controls forward which swept my red mobile suit, Exvas, toward the enemy's mobile suit and with a combination of controls and buttons, Exvas detached the sword which was joined at the back, and slashed the main abdomen on the machine, where the pilot would be sitting.
"Merciless as always" Miss Sumeragi chuckled with hint of coldness in her words as her voice echoed through the communication speaker, just as the other four meisters appeared in the screen.
"To think the first time I saw you in battle with Exvas, I thought the pilot was a man" Allelujah added with a smirk on his face.
"I heard that Allelujah Haptism! That's so sexist!" Miss Sumeragi appeared on the screen this time, right under Lockon's, her face so stern it wrinkled her nose in a funny position.
Allelujah laughed, "I was just saying…"
"Well if you show mercy to the enemy…" I interrupted, trying to reason, "…. they would easily believe you're weak"
The starry black abyss soon transformed into the inside of the Ptolemaios' tech center, and we all stood in front of Miss. Sumeragi with our helmets still placed on our heads; the simulation was finally over.
"That's one way of thinking about of it." Lockon smiled a little confused at me, "Go all the way, or go home,….. Right….?"
A first time in a while did a smile creep on my face, even I though that sounded a bit off….
".. Right….?"
Tieria shook his head in disapproval and Setsuna along with Allelujah simply sighed with a funny smile playing on their lips.
"…That's not what I meant"
"Let's just leave it at that…" Sumeragi suddenly interrupted annoyed with the way the conversation was going "… And move on. Okay?"
She surveyed all of us making sure we were paying attention. "Okay then. So with the simulation…" The blonde headed women flipped though her clipboard full of notes. "…. Good job all of you guys, but like we said, Arialla, dear, just tone down that harsh mentality you have,… just a bit...we're not here to scare the, but to reason with them?"
"Yeah and with swords nonetheless..."
I shrugged, disregarding her.
"No?" she sighed, knowing that, this factor of mine would be utterly impossible change. But I'll give it to her for at least trying. "Ok… it's not like I was expecting you to change that fast anyway…" with her voice trailing off she flipped her notes to another page scanning for more information "….oh but Tieria..." she faced the purple headed man and pointed at him with her pen
"Hmmm?"
"Next time at least try to communicate with the other meisters, alright?"
Tieria plainly nodded "It was just a simulation anyway" He sighed defiantly intending it to be in a rude manner, while walking towards the exit.
"Simulation, or not, it's your duty to participate in these exercises, and besides these simulations are supposed to test and challenge all of you"
Tieria was about to step out of the room but he looked back and responded, "well that simulation was anything but challenging" and with that he was out the door and gone.
"Tieria..." Miss Sumeragi spoke under her breath with much disapproval.
"Alright then." her voice suddenly elevated, "we'll pick this up tomorrow, dismissed!"
The remaining meisters headed out, all scattering once out the door.
As I walked out of the room, I glanced over at the other two meisters. How little we knew about each other, and yet they expected us to be so coherent during missions. I don't see how this could end well.
I stared out of the window walls into space, and to my surprise I saw massive craters passing by. I guess they settled on taking the course through the Asteroid belt, away from Earth. About time, we need to repair some damages on the ship and frankly, the Meisters are not "united" enough to head to battle just yet.
Tossing my helmet on the couch below and over the railing, I stepped two stairs down into the mini observatory they had created.
I settled down, comfortably, on the sofa, watching the massive rock float by before me.
2 years earlier
"So how was school Alex?"
"Oh it was fine" the little girl shuffled with the forks, counting if he had enough for each of us.
"And how about you, Arialla?" mom was rinsing the dishes just in case, so when we'd all sit down to eat, it wouldn't be dirty. "You can never be too clean" She'd always say.
"The usual stuff, just lectures, writing, and all that jazz"
She chuckled to herself at the playful response I gave, as opposed to my sister. "Call up you're dad, will you? If it wasn't for dinner, he'd never get out of that lab!"
I nodded; shouting down the stairs which lead to the underground lab my dad had built way before I was even born. "Hey dad! Dinner's ready!"
"What's for dinner?" a distant voice came from downstairs.
"Um… I think meatloaf or something!"
"Again?!"
"Yes again- wait- I don't want to keep shouting, so can you please come upstairs first?"
In a couple of seconds I heard the thumps of someone coming upstairs, and there he stood before our eyes, with his dark black hair and slippy reddish-brown eyes behind those black frames of a glasses he wore all the time. It was like I was looking at myself but in an older manly version of myself. I had all his features, from the fair skin, to the black hair and even down to the brown tinted with red eye color, although I never really did wear glasses…. ever…
"There you are Wilmer. I swear one day I'll lock up that lab of yours, you never spend time with us, besides the fact that you only surface for dinner!" my mother exclaimed, while placing her hand on her jutting hips, in a furious manner.
"I'm sorry hun', but you know creating a new mobile suit is not easy. After it's all up and ready back at the main military lab, I'll be all yours" he smiled like a child trying to please a parent, but my mother wasn't buying it.
Maybe a subject change is in order…. "So… dad? When am I going to get my hands on that mobile suit anyway?" I smiled profoundly.
I was dieing to try this one out; I had seen my father work on it for hours, way more than he did even on his failed attempt on the Xmeria. This time he was determined to build a better, stronger, and faster machine then his previous ones.
"We're almost finished with it, so when it's working properly and AFTER many tests we have to put it through, you'll be able to try it out." He smiled back, while taking a piece of the meaty cake to his plate.
"So the officers at the lab are alright with me handling Exvas?"
"Hey, you remembered the name" he looked at me surprised
"Yeah dad, I was there with you in the lab downstairs when you were freaking at 12 in the morning to name that thing, remember?"
"Oh yeah… "
I laughed and he smiled back "but yes they were more than happy when they heard you wanted to pilot the mobile suit. They'd heard about your talents with Gundams and Mobile suits, and that time where you tested the Xmeria, last summer had blow them away. They were even more surprised when they heard you were only 16."
I blushed slightly, "what can I say it's like machines love me"
"Hey dad maybe one day I can try out mobile suits for a change?" Alex suddenly interrupted, probably feeling a bit left out.
"Sure thing, but do you think you can handle it? I mean those machines are pretty tough to maneuver-"
"Absolutely not!" suddenly my mother also joined the conversation, "I already have one daughter prancing around dangerous military equipment, and I don't want another one! Alex stick to the technology behind those mobile suits. Those engineers aren't smart for nothing. They let others risk their lives in those things, while we kick back and relax, enjoying the show from a safe and far distance." She smiled at Alex besides her and playfully stuck her tongue at dad and I.
"Hey… Your' right!" Alex's eyes lit up, "Yeah the Engineer sounds way better than that crummy old pilot!"
I gasped playful, going along with this little game.
"There is nothing better than actually experiencing what you have created first hand, isn't that right Arialla?" My dad nodded back with a smirk at mom and Alex. I smiled, joining my dad.
The argument would have gone forever if the bell wouldn't have rang.
"I got it" I wiped my face and started to get up.
"No wait let me get it!" Alex immediately piped up, like any 7-year old would do if they heard the door bell ring.
"Fine" I grinned at her cute childish behavior and off she went running through dining room to the front door.
"I wonder who it is" my mother started to get up when we heard a loud bang thunder through the house.
That's when an uneasy silence had overcome our whole world… and I could hear my heart sinking inside of me.
With wide eyes I stared from my mother and father who also wore feared expressions.
"That sounded like…" with a quick movement my father ran towards the front door and my mother quickly ran after him, with me closely following behind.
"Alex!"
By the time my dad had reached the front door he kneeled down on the floor cradling something in his arms and shouted with quivering words at the stranger holding the smoking gun.
"Alexis…" my mother behind him whispered, her hand covering her mouth, tears spewing out of her eyes violently.
For some unfathomable reason I was in too much in shock to understand what was going on until I slowly faced the pool of red on the floor.
My heart sank lower than it already had, I wanted to believe that what I was thinking just had not happened, but when my eyes laid upon the still figure in my dad's arms, my whole world had crashed down. I just couldn't ever remove the horrifying image of Alex's face out of my head even when I looked away, scared.
"Step aside Wilmer. You know what I'm here for…" The stranger finally spoke, holding the gun firmly in front of my father's face.
"I can't let you take her!" he stood up still cradling Alex's tiny body in his arms.
"Quick. Arialla, come with me" My mother was still crying when she had pulled me close to her body and basically dragged me down to the other basement.
"B-but mom, Alex! A-and Dad! What's-" my voice shook violently, making me stutter all the words coming out of my mouth.
"We have no time, come on!"
"No!"
"Don't be difficult just follow me…. please"
"If you wont save them, I will!" tears were free flowing now as I broke free from my mother's grasp and ran towards the front door, but my mother had caught me before I could and slapped as hard as she could across my cheek.
The hot sensation burned on my left check, my eyes wide, stricken by what my mother had just done. She'd never laid a finger on me once before and now….
"Don't be stupid Arialla! I'm trying to protect you!" now she was crying even more, it was like she regretted doing what she had done.
"Now come with me" she took me into her grasp again, hugging me tightly against her chest, as we made our way down towards the basement.
I was silent through the whole journey down, with a few hiccups escaping from all the weeping.
When we reached the basement, we headed for a corner, a safe distance away from the door.
Sitting me down, she took out the gun from her back pocket, which I hadn't even noticed her take, and loaded it up with bullets.
I was scared for my life but more importantly Alex's, my mother's and my father's who had been up there where the man was.
Mother told me to stay quiet and handed me another gun.
I took it, with shaky hands. I'd never held a gun before, let alone killed someone with it…
And yes I did understand that Gundams were also made to kill, and were practically guns but in a massive size…. But I'd only use them in simulations.
Suddenly another gunshot echoed though the house making both my mom and I jump. And before we knew it the now familiar voice of that stranger rang though the hallways upstairs.
I closed my eyes, in the darkness of the basement, knowing what had just happened…
"Mom…" I whispered "Is dad…-"
She cut me off quickly but sincerely answered, "Arialla… it'll be alright." Even if she had her back turned to me, I could hear her silently sobbing to herself.
"Mom..."
"Yes?" she straightened up her voice so I couldn't sense that she was crying.
I shuffled in the corner, leaning against wall "I'm sorry….for not cooperating before…."
She was quiet for a couple moments before she responded, "this isn't the time for being sorry, you did what you did. If I were you, I probably would have done the same…"
The footsteps of a person approaching the door, gradually started to grow louder and louder until, the stranger had banged the door so forcefully, it opened, breaking the old antique locks.
A man probably in his early to mid 20s stepped in holding the gun firmly, mocking the stance my mother had instantly just made.
"Well, Well… isn't it pleasant to meet you here Lucinda" he flipped the brown curls on his head casually away from his face, still holding the gun.
"Ali…" her voice was firm and in a tone which I had never heard her use before. "You can't take her"
He smirked, the expression on his face intimidating my mother "I wasn't asking your permission, now was I?"
Mom simply scowled, pulling back a little trigger with her thumb, which meant she was about to shoot.
"Oh come one Lucy, you never really did have the guts to shot anyone, so what gives the excuse now?"
"Because it's my daughter who I'm trying to protect this time." She was now holding the gun firmly with both hands.
The man so called Ali, dropped his grin, and plainly sighed. "Wow being a mother really has made you different… I miss the old Lucy" he made a face like a child who was whining.
She didn't drop her stern façade "I'm sorry Ali" she was about to shoot when another gun shot took place.
"Mom!"
She was on the floor, cradling her right hand, tightly.
She'd been shot.
I crawled towards her, trying to help her wound. "Mom!"
"You were really going to shoot weren't you" Ali interrupted, the smirk plastered on his face again.
"Damn right I was" she mumbled, with anger flaring in her expression.
I stared at my mother on the floor in deep agony, I couldn't take it. At that moment I didn't care, I didn't care anymore if I did kill anyone, I was going murder him, the man who was breaking my family apart.
With such force and hast I stood up with the gun tight in my hands, pointing straight towards Ali.
He laughed, "Good, that's the spirit, avenge your family's pain!"
I looked at him confused
"Go ahead shoot, don't be hesitant! Let's see if actually have what it takes!" he was yelling like a mad man, and I was being to rash, but I couldn't help myself.
I didn't know what to do. I watched him with wide eyes; tears still free flowing out of them. I wanted to shoot. I should shoot. It's easy you simply pull the trigger, but…. I couldn't. It was like my fingers were paralyzed.
My hands finally fell to my sides and I threw the gun to the floor. I didn't want to anymore.
"I knew it….like mother, like daughter..." he pointed the gun at me first, but then slowly moved it towards my mother, besides me, who was still cradling her wounded hand.
He wore a menacing expression on his face, "Now you have a choice Arialla, come with me and let your precious mother live, or don't and see you her die"
I stood there watching Ali. My blood boiled at the sight of him.
How or what was a supposed to chose? What would happen if I went him?
I glanced back at my mother. She was in too much of pain to realize was going on now. The heart which had already completely sunken down to the ground, was know being ripped apart.
Whatever that would happen, I knew I valued my mother's life more than mine, so I simply nodded. I don't think I've ever felt so hopeless and defeated in my life.
Ali's smirk grew wider "Good" And with a quick movement, he pointed the gun at my mother and a piercing sound of a gunshot echoed loudly through my world.
Light shone though my eye lids, and I was sitting up breathing heavily, in front of the windows.
__________Present________________
I was shaking violently; I didn't realize I was awake until I noticed the massive craters outside the windows still floating by.
Taking a deep breathe, I slumped over, burying my head in my palms. These memories seem to haunt me everyday, and by now I knew every detail of that event.
I wanted to cry, but I'd already given up in crying. As many tears I'd waste, I knew for a fact, I'd never bring my family back. All I regret was not being strong enough, not being powerful enough to stand up to that man, and kill him when I had the chance.
I was and I still am so…. "….Pathetic"
"Who's pathetic?"
I immediately looked up, and Allelujah was leaning against the railing, on his crossed arms, starring out into space.
How long had he been there? I was afraid to know if he had just witnessed my little fit.
"Oh….um…. Nothing" I mumbled.
"Nothing?" he acted like he was surprised. I think by now he should have figured I really didn't like socializing with the other meisters. "What do you mean nothing?"
He stepped down the two steps, and made his way, to the sofa, sitting next to me.
"I mean nothing as in nothing that important for you to know"
"Well then…."
I sighed, "No I didn't mean it like that, it really is nothing… trust me" Lie.
"Well I actually came down here, to let you know it's lunch time, and we're all at the cafeteria, if you'd like to join us?..." he smiled, sincerely, which almost made me smile but something inside stopped me from doing so.
"Thanks for the offer, but I really don't feel too hungry, my stomach actually hurts." I lied again "Why don't I catch you guys next time?"
"Are you sure?"
I plainly nodded, forcing a smile.
"Alright then" he started to stand up and leave "we'll still be in the cafeteria if u decide to join us later" he smiled almost sympathetically before leaving.
I simply sighed, still watching the rock drift by.
What was I supposed to do? Go?
.... I replayed that again in my head before realizing how that didn't make sense at all....
I didn't get up until the rumbling in my stomach started to make me feel even more guilty.
Alright, alright I'll go!
Lazily, I sprang up from the sofa, and started to head towards the Ptolemaios cafeteria.
"Why are you so curious anyway?"
While walking I heard Lockon. His voice wasn't too distant; it was coming from the cafeteria.
"Because, it seems like you know quite a lot about Arialla, and she's just so mysterious, it's about time we learned what's with her"
They're talking about me?
I peered from the corner of the doorway, looking in, to see Christina sitting across from Lockon, demanding the whole story.
It looked like the topic had caught everyone else's attention also. Fedlt who was sitting next to Lockon, listened in diligently, while even Tieria who didn't even seem to have a care in the world about anyone else, cautiously tuned in.
"It's not my place to talk about anyone else..."
Allelujah along with Setsuna were casually sitting on the counter with a cup in hand, they didn't even try to hid they was listening.
"Come on Stratos, we ask because we care"
He sighed; rubbing his forehead, "fine...but I still want you all to pretend u never knew what happened..." his voice trailed "that last thing she wants is pity from her own crew members..."
Christina smiled "we promise"
I don't know why I didn't stop them, I could have walked in any time, but I stayed hidden, listening.
"Well….Arialla always did have talent with mobile suits, but she didn't even realize the deep trouble it'd cause her."
Fedlt piped up, curiously her brows rose "What do you mean?"
"I mean as in, at the time the Human reform league were-"
"Wait, wait THE human reform league?" Allelujah's eyes widened "they were trying to make her into a super solider, were they?"
Everyone had picked his up his worry and looked at him suspiciously.
"Well not quite, but something similar" Lockon's curious gaze on the dark haired boy didn't disappear until he started to talk again.
"2 years ago they were looking for any adolescent who had abnormally superior skills with mobile suits to test their theory and become their main weapon."
"Test what theory?" Miss Sumeragi was engaged in this conversation as well " it couldn't have been 760 could it?" now she looked worried
"But unfortunately it was."
Christina looked confused "Wait, but what is this 'Theory 760' ?"
"Theory 760..." Miss Sumeragi sighed "…Was an idea to make all army personal stronger with the help of making their hormones produce more adrenaline"
"Exactly" Lockon was playing with his straw when he interrupted again "they'd found out with more excretion of adrenaline, a person could be so strong and merciless they'd be successful any battle"
"But it had dangerous toll on the body, mind, and it even threatened the life of the person"
"The league wanted to test it out anyway, and on children nonetheless" Lockon's fist tightened "they took the children from their families, after killing all their relatives…."
"So you mean..." the pink haired girl listened in disgust
I closed my eyes remembering that, I never really realized how it would hurt when someone else would be telling you the story.
The captain of the Meisters nodded, sullen "even the younger ones"
Christina lowered her gaze "What kind of person would do such a thing"
"Who else …someone like Ali."
Setsuna stood up, his fists clutched tightly to the cup he was holding "you mean to say he was part of that league back then?"
"Well yeah, he was given money for it"
He crossed his arms in disgust, "So he broke more than one family…." Setsuna's voice was trailing into a whisper.
Allelujah looked at Setsuna sympathetically. We all knew what had happened to him, and that's what drove us to defeat Ali. He was one of our most hated adversary.
"But Lockon..." Allelujah jumped off the counter and stood straight, then leaned against the wall, "Why is it you know all this?"
"I knew that question would come up." He sighed, which he seemed to a lot during this conversation
"I knew Arialla, well actually I knew her father, and only a couple of times did I ever actually meet her and her family. And before I even joined the Celestial Being, I was part of another organization which stopped the corruption of society, and I was given a mission to stop the experiments which were going on at the Human Reform League." Lockon seemed to take his time through his explanation "I never knew she was in that group of kids, until I got there" he paused for a moment. I knew what he was about to say. "When I reached there…. Well what I saw was something I wish I could never see….it changed her forever….."
We were all scared, and unaware. The trauma of our families being slaughtered in front our eyes had made us somewhat psychotic. We were all defeated, and we were all angry, but at ourselves. No one spoke to one another, just gazed, with blank stares.
So when one of the officials came in, we actually thought they'd save us… but that wasn't their intent. We were mere test subjects.
"I remember doing a detailed study on this case…" Miss Sumeragi took a moment to pull her thoughts together, "they… um…. They tried to make their hormones to create more adrenaline by using lasers which were beamed through their eyes…."
Since we really didn't have the ounce of energy to resist, they'd carry us to some lab, and strap us down these menacing long white beds. We were forced to drink something, and for some reason we cooperated, and if anyone didn't, it'd be forced down their throats. Later we would learn it was used to numb our mouths, so we couldn't scream when we would feel pain. Our eyes were pinned open, so the lasers could enter, the drink never paralyzed, only numbed.
I later figured they only did this, so we couldn't wince, scream anything which would make the proctors of the procedures feel guilty.
"…And since they knew the dangers of over exposure to adrenaline during battles, they produced an antidote to calm them down, but it could only be injected in large amounts. So…well they..." Miss Sumeragi was having a difficult time saying it
Lockon was blunt "So they drilled a place on their neck, while they were conscious, where the those large amounts of liquids would be released into their blood stream"
The drilling was the worst part. The energy we didn't even have to fight before was back when we saw that large sharp spinning piece of metal approach. But it was too late now, we were already strapped, and we couldn't even scream to ease the pain. So it drilled, deeper into our skins next to our bones, that by the time it was done, we struggled to stay conscious, but we were even unable to close our eyes.
The crew members were watching the two leaders in repulsion. They were all speechless, and even Tieria who had tried to hid his curiousness before, was all ears, not trying to hid the fact he was listening.
"I just regret not saving her in time" Lockon finally whispered.
"Better late, then never, right Neil" I stepped out from behind the doorway.
I always referred to him as Lockon as respect of Captain, but I always knew him as Neil first.
They watched me walk in, wide eyed, I couldn't tell if t was from being afraid of how I would react with them talking about me behind my back, or imaging me in the distress I was in 2 years ago.
Lockon stared at me awhile, ashamed, before breaking the long silence in the room, "But then you'd never have to endure all that p-"
"Pain was just a small part of it" I lied, the pain I felt that day had made me realize things I wish I didn't about my life but still I didn't want him, or any of them to know "If you wouldn't have rescued me and the other children, I'd never get a chance to join the Celestial Being" I smiled a bit at the end to reassure him and anyone who was still feeling sorry for me.
Stratos smiled back sincerely.
I wasn't expecting anyone else to say anything, they were probably still speechless.
So I walked out, not mad, and not angry, but pitiful, on myself.