Drive
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.
This was inspired by recent driving experiences, the few episodes of Gundam Seed/Destiny where Athrun drives, and my desire to have a sticker on the back of my car that reads: "Screw the Cullens, I drive like Athrun Zala."
The highway was an open field of dreams and unchained wakefulness. Fancy words for saying he was the only one on the read right now. Freedom, ultimate and unadulterated, lay ahead on the empty black pavement. He was finally experiencing the feeling of happiness, partly due to the adrenaline rushing through his system. When there was no one in front of you to slow you down and no one behind you to call the police, you shove your foot as far as your leg extends and just drive.
That was Athrun Zala's thinking, wind bombarding his face with crisp, fresh oxygen, as he drove to Kira's house. The top was down and his hair tried desperately to keep up with his head. When you have coordinator reflexes, speed limits were superfluous. Laughable. Annoying. Right now he needed to release tension by rounding the corners so hard his heart sped up in the thrill of possibly tipping the car and tumbling down the mountainside.
Exhilarating things happened in fast cars. When fighting inside a giant mechanical death trap wasn't enough, you could just fly over hills and pretend you can't easily gain back control when you land. Athrun glanced at the railing and thought of driving into it. What fun would it be to turn his car into an airplane for a few magnificent seconds before it crashed back down to the earth?
'Too easy.' He thought. Okay, there's a bridge coming up, connecting the land between a bay leading to the ocean. With his speedometer taking note of the car's maximum speed, he could plow right through the barrier and dive into the water. His car would then go through two transformations: airplane and boat.
'But then I'd have no car to drive, seeing as fishing it out would require more than coordinator strength.' He told himself. He would just have to get by with passing signs that were unreadable due to the blurred smudges presented, coming around the corner and wondering if a cop was on the other side. Not that it would matter. Orb policemen wouldn't be able to catch him because they were mostly Naturals.
Orb citizens wouldn't be a challenge in a race, either. One fool tried to keep up for a few moments and then fell back when he realized 100 was the fastest he could go in his shit car, while Athrun was pushing 200 easy. The engine screamed in excitement, purring with the thrill of getting loose and wild, no boundaries to hamper its potential. Athrun was willing to push the limits, go as far as the car would take him and beyond, like liberation from everything holding him down.
Being a soldier did that. Whatever glorious reasons you first had for joining, hopes and dreams for a better future were soon washed away. The holes left behind were filled with hatred and anger, blind justice and an eye for the eye stolen attitude. He was squeezed, blood running like juice from his pores, until the last shred of humanity dripped into a golden cup, raised to the lips of men like his father. A tool, expendable, replaceable, forgettable. A machine, easily exchanged for parts and sold like scraps of metal.
So driving was his only solace, a relief for his soul, writhing inside the flesh and bone-cage which made up his being. Genetics meant nothing to souls, they tainted just the same. The art of speeding and crashing through the world made his anguish more tolerable—he had wings to fly away from troubles.
That is, until a siren wailed behind him, flashing red and blue right up his ass like a bull. This was a coordinator, able to handle the curves with finesse and follow Athrun until a spot in the road qualified for a pull-over. He sighed, taking his hands off the wheel and throwing his head back. He took a moment to regain his composure and rifled around in the glove compartment for insurance information, taking out his military identification and driver's license.
The cop sauntered up to the driver's side, face grim. His eyes flashed when the Zaft symbol greeted them. Athrun thought of donning his Alex Dino disguise, but Cagalli would be dragged into the trouble.
"Athrun Zala? Long way from home." The officer commented. Athrun just nodded. "I know the speed limits are a bit higher in the PLANTs, but two hundred is still faster than necessary around here."
Another nod. The cop eyed him suspiciously. "I'll just get this in the system."
As he walked back, Athrun thought of taking off. It would be irresponsible, rude, reckless. He wanted to do it, ached for it. But in the end he accepted the ticket, knowing he could pay the fine and take the points. He didn't drive that often, so it didn't matter anyway. It was a spontaneous, electrifying occurrence, even more so than being in the cockpit of a mobile suit, your life and others' on the line, the future in your hands, the weight of worlds on your shoulders, pressing down on the controls.
The cop pulled away and Athrun put the car back in gear. Kira's place was up ahead, so there was no point in speeding again. The thought of crawling down the rest of the road made him sick, so he balanced by going only ten miles over the limit. He wasn't in a hurry, he just wanted the speed. He wished he would have an out-of-body experience and stay that way, never coming back, just drifting away. He pulled into the driveway and hesitated before getting out, then shoved his inner feelings deep inside and opened the door.
-Author's Note: Yeah, kind of a rant fic since I've been pulled over recently, more than once, for this same reason (although I certainly wasn't going as fast). I feel like Athrun would be one of those drivers who just flew by everyone else, especially with those episodes where he's driving, either in PLANT or Orb. And I really want one of those stickers. Or just a picture. I would make one myself if I wasn't so lazy. Anyway, thanks for reading this random little one-shot. Please review and let me know what you think!
Also: for those of you who are reading The Blood of Love, please look at my profile for information concerning the ending of that fic. I'll try to update it next, but no promises or guarantees. Peace out-