N/A: There's the first chapter. Enjoy. Thankful for all those who reviewed.
C.E 78- June 15th ……FIVE YEARS AFTER THE SECOND WAR, THREE YEARS AFTER PROLOGUE
P.L.A.N.T.S PRESENTS--- Mr. Kira and Mrs. Lacus Clyne Yamato,
You Are Invited to….
The Wedding Celebration Of
Chairman Athrun P. Zala and Miss. Meyrin R. Hawke
Date: Wednesday, June 15th
Location: Grand Cathedral, December City
The morning was calm as the scenery near the Orphanage wore its coat of fiery flames - sizzling red, sunlit yellow, neon orange, and olive green. It was an amazing sight for many of the first-time visitors to Orb, owing to the fact that even amid the rebirth of spring, the leaves looked as though it were still autumn. Pondering on the amazing view, not many people missed to ask how that was to be. Of course not many of them got a correct answer either. The truth was that this nature-forbidding record was the result of Kira's mischief while fiddling with experiments. And now that the woods wore their coats of wildfire all year long, the outlook of the seashore would always be beautiful.
Along the damp, chilling beach, children's trickling laughters were merged with the low rhythmic crushing of cool, ocean waves bowing against the rocky shore. From afar, the watchful guardians stood in their places on the high balcony. While usually they laughed and talked as kids ran free under their eyes, today however, any sighs of merriment seemed to have fled from their faces.
"So Athrun's getting married," The female with gorgeous, flowing pink hair said in a whispery tone. She held the piece of card in her hand, chewing on her lips thoughtfully. Lacus Clyne Yamato lowered her worried gaze towards the small words at the corner- Confirmation Date: June 1st C.E 78. That was two weeks ago, but whenever she had tried to mention it to her husband, he'd always change the subject.
"Kira, the wedding is tonight. Don't you think we ought to go?"
Silence.
She tried again. "I wonder what postponed the wedding for so long? Athrun and Meyrin were engaged three years ago."
Lacus ran her index finger across Athrun's flourishing cursive. Beside her, Kira's posture was stiff, and the muscle around his jaw was tense. Even when the sun was shining, and the sky was the colour of rain- washed blue, Lacus sensed in discomfort that the clouds above Kira's head were full of menace. He was glaring at some spot yonder, and his usual kind lavender eyes now turned into dark pools of midnight-violet. Although on the surface his features remain callous, inside those icy deep orbs, cold wrath was brewing slowly as a dark dragon screamed snarling fury and rage. Lacus was frightened; she hadn't seen that spirit in Kira for years, only during the wars, but now, the demon had returned.
"I know how you feel. She's…at a time like this, it would seem that he was never her destiny. We shouldn't try controlling fate. Besides," Lacus faltered, feeling Kira's gaze boring into her shoulder. She lifted her head. Waxflower-blue met amethyst mauve. A message was send. "M-Meyrin…she's a good girl. She'd be good f-for him, Kira. Athrun is not only the Chairman of PLANTS but your best fri-"
Kira cut her short, "Is she going?"
"I-I…" Lacus was on the verge of tears. They were both avoiding having to say their names. "I don't know. She never told me. I went over two days ago. She looked pale- or she was…sick, but I'm sure she'll be fine."
"Sick. She was always sick. She never recovered, not after five years of pain. She's not going, isn't she?" Kira turned to sit down on his wither chair. "She never wanted to have anything to do with it since the announcement was made three years ago. Lord knows what held up the wedding for so long. Three years, Lacus. It was torture for her. How do you think she felt!!! To see them together, but not married, so the damned news press had to constantly update on every little thing that they did in public. September 15th, Zala and Hawke dined together in this place and that. November 6th, Zala called Hawke his angel. July 12th….all those pictures of them kissing and hugging in public are like hard slaps across her face!! Each strike leaves a deep cut in her heart. He's a liar for ever promising he'd protector her, and he's a BASTARD for having the nerve to ask her to their wedding after not evening speaking to her for 5 years!!! Is he trying to force her into insanity??"
Lacus flinched. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Kira was shouting. Kira never shouted. "But Kira, we're the closest family Athrun's got, and he had personally asked you to be his best man the way you had asked for him. If you refuse to show up, you'll ruin the first day to their marriage. Not only to Athrun, but to Meyrin too…"
Kira leaped.
"Then to HELL with their marriage!!!" He tightened his grip around the cup of tea and pounded it against the glass coffee table. The cup burst in his hands, splattering hot tea everywhere and the million little pieces of glass went right into his flesh. The young woman's eyes widened. Her hand flew to her face to muffle her scream. Lacus stood in shock and fear and stared at her 'berserker' husband.
Kira cringed in pain, yet the burning tea and the cutting glass seemed to do the tumult of his mind a little good. Painful conscience kicked in and willed over his morbid nature. The logical common sense of a coordinator bested his emotional outburst. For the next moment, the ultimate coordinator suddenly realized for what he just said and did. Immediately, Kira became unsettling still. He slumped forward in his chair and dropped his head low between his knees. His body shook a bit, and his voice was quiet when he tried to speak, but Lacus heard the regret in his tone.
"I'm so sorry Lacus…I shouldn't have screamed at you or say those words about Athrun and Meyrin. It's not your fault. I'm just- I'm just…I'm a terribly person." The pink haired songstress dropped to her knees at Kira's side and threw her arms around his chest, burying her face in the nook of his neck. "Hush Kira. Don't ever say such a thing. Nobody has any right to say you're not a wonderful person. You were angry, that's all. Everyone gets angry sometimes. It's going to be alright."
Kira wrapped his good hand around his wife's waist and pressed himself against her, taking in her sweet florescent aroma. He closed his eyes and let the beating of her heart and her even breath be the metronome to his soul. Lacus began singing a soft tune she often used to hum to Estella and Lucius at night, when she rocked their cribs. Kira laid his head on Lacus's shoulder, letting her stroke his hair and rock him gently as though he was a child as well. Soon, he was calm again, and the clouds above him dispatched. Inside, he could feel his heart smile.
"Don't ever leave me, Lacus. I don't want to be Cagalli."
Warmness spread cross Lacus's chest, "I'll stay with you Kira for as long as you'd like. Whether it'd be a minute that you want or eternity."
Their lips met in a soft, short kiss; nevertheless, it was enough for Lacus to know that her Kira was back. Then, taking his bloody hand in hers, she stood up, "Come, let's go clean your hand."
Kira smiled wholeheartedly, "I'll call Athrun later." See that his beloved's eyes lit up encouragingly, he continued, 'Estella and Lucius would be so excited."
"Three year olds, they're excited for everything. Athrun said that if Estella decides to come, she can be the flower girl." Lacus giggled, "So, what made you change your mind, Mr. Yamato?"
Kira chuckled back, "Well, Orb will need a representative if Cagalli decides to bail."
It wasn't quite the answer Lacus longed, but it was a start. "Hum."
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The sun's morning radiance had faded behind the thin veils of clouds. From the Bell Tower, twelve deep peals chimed through the streets and alleys, and its echo hung in the air long after. Upon arriving at the front gate of the State Building, Miriallia Haww breathed the lovely aroma of blue roses, soft red lily, sunshine Amaryllis, and royal iris planted in floral patterns along the two sides of the sandstone driveway. Slender willow trees graced along the metal gates and jade hedges. Everything was wonderfully elegant, but the scene lacked something…
Hands clutched at her side, Mir frowned remorsefully at the vague dreariness that had engulfed the beautiful ambiance. She breathed again and marched confidently down the walkway and up the many stairs to the front entrance. It must've been lunch break, for senators and parliament workers were making their way out of the huge oak door, talking and laughing. Hearing a few stolen words of their conversations when she walked by, Mir couldn't help but notice that talks of Chairman Zala's wedding taking place that night in December City was jabbered away on everyone's tongues.
"Are you going to the wedding tonight?"….."I wish I was…but no chance Zala was going to invite me."… "Meyrin's a lucky gal."… "Zala is soooo hot"… "Hey I heard they invited 1000 people to their wedding." Miriallia rolled her eyes at the silly comments, but a trio's talk stirred her impulsive dread.
"Representative is so hush-hush about if she's going. I wonder what's up."… "She's just jealous that Meyrin gets the infamous Zala."… "Shut up Roger, you don't half the stuff you say. The princess has more promising marriage proposals than the three of us add together in five life times." … "Hey yeah, yeah, Elina, I heard from one of the guys from IR departments saying that the representative and Prince what's-his-face of Wales are hitting it off."… "Where did you hear that? Hegan said it was Russian Prime Minister- or was it President- that…"
Miriallia was so tuned in that she lost attention of where she was going and before she knew it, papers were flying everywhere. Someone gasped. A package of document smashed into her face.Mir yelped in surprise and tumbled back. When she managed to flap the papers away from herself, she saw an older lady, kneeling on the ground, already picking up the papers. She had straight bangs and her long pearl-black tresses were like raven's feathers, silky straight and a little crimped at the end. As she worked, the end of her hair brushed her elbow and veiled her face. Immediately flushing with embarrassment, Miriallia went up to help and apologize.
"I am soooo sorry, Miss!!! Here, let me help you."
"No, no, it's okay, I wasn't looking where I was going." White sleeve pulled back as the lady reached for a paper and Mir had to bite back a gasp seeing the faint , white scar across her forearm. Judging by the form of the long wound, it should've been a rather deep and vital cut. No normal citizen should have a wound like that unless they seriously hurt themselves
The lady seemed to sense Miriallia staring and quickly took her arm back, causing Mir to snap back to reality as well. "It was rude of me."She instant apologized.
"No, it's okay. People do that sometimes." The lady looked up briefly to the other girl. Unlike Mir's aquamarine, the lady's eyes were dark, like deer's eyes. Mir couldn't catch their colour, for their gaze fixed together for a second too short. Despite that, explicit perplexity and woe were practically seeping through from the two lightless dark pits that were her pupils. Pain, sorrow and an indescribably desire for the truth cumulating in them left the young journalist breathless. Slowly, she realized that this girl wasn't much older than herself- one or two years maximum. It was just her quiet presence that built her wavering maturity. A sense of recognition suddenly hit Mir. The lady looked awfully familiar.
"Do I know you by any chance?" Mir asked out of curiosity. The lass only paused, with her arm stretched to retrieve a package from the ground, hands suspended in the air. For a trice, Mir almost thought that she saw her eyes glow, but then it died and the peaceful moment passed. She replied, "No, I don't think so. If you've been to the State Building, then you'll know I'm the Representative's bodyguard." Standing with the pile of organized paper, she pulled her hair to one side of her shoulder and walked on. Her walk possessed grace and power, Mir noted, and at the top of the stairs, she stopped, "I'm Issy Joe."
Smiling, Mir introduced herself, "Miriallia Haww, and I'm a friend of Cagalli. Can you tell me where she is?"
Nodding lightly of courtesy, Issy inclined her head towards the right, "She'll be in her office at this hour. Representative Attha is not the one to take lunch breaks."
And without another word, she turned and was gone.
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"I'm sorry, what? Say that again! I DARE YOU!!"
A short brunette fell from her seat outside of the office. Whimpering a bit, the frightened secretary slouched behind the thin, translucent fiberglass that connected to the two sides of her bureau. Usually, the separating wall was to give the Representative's secretary a bit of privacy behind her desk from other passing workers, but everyone knew that on certain days, it served as a protection from the wrath of the ferocious Lioness within the office. Stuffing her hand into the pocket of her work suit and searching out a phone book, she paused to wonder if the phone number of the furniture company was recorded there. Better call them soon or the Lioness would be without a chair or desk to use by tomorrow.
Oh, there we go again, the secretary thought helplessly, everyone get ready for level 10 earthquake. Okay…never mind, I'll get ready for the earthquake. Whoever you are, the person on the inside, sorry, can't help you anymore. Rest in peace, I'll make sure to tell your family that you died a loyal, courageous death against the demon.
Several thumps and loud crashes came from inside the room. Ducking, the young lass was confused when she felt no vibration of the wall against her back. Looking up, she suddenly realized that the commotion was from else where and not the Princess's office, but how would anyone dare to create such a ruckus inside the Parliament Hall was beyond her. Inwardly laughing at herself, the secretary noted with astonishment that Representative Attha hadn't been spiting fire at anyone lately. Working for the Representative for six long years, she could not express, at the moment, how fortunate she was to be still in one piece and functioning properly. But then again, the last five years had been unusually peaceful for the princess, so no more heads were bitten off by her. Despite that, the secretary had to admit that old habits die hard, for she still had her instant reflexes of taking cover whenever there were angry shouts echoing the halls.
Picking up her name tag and cringing at how the misspelled her name and put a 'K' instead of a 'C' in front of 'Cassandra Toms', Cassie made a note to make those idiots to remake a tag for her. The bold golden letters- CAGALLI YULA ATTHA- molded onto the wood somehow took Cassie's attention away from her, and she moped at how nobody ever made a mistake when spelling that name. Then for a second, she stood unmoving and just stared at the closed oak entrance. Gradually, a wide smile bloomed on her face as she thought of the working lady behind of those great heavy doors.
The Supreme Leader of Orb, between the peace-making and the society-repairing, appeared to have proved to the world that she had brilliant mind when it came to tacts and politics. As days passed, Cagalli Yula Attha made herself more and more admirable internationally and across PLANTS. Her commands were the works of law. Her actions were the actions of justice. Her speeches were the words of hope and faith, and in her hands, she held the torch of peace that drove away fear and hate. Shaking her head with wonder, Cassie had realized that her boss managed to accomplish three mandatory 'to do's that she never had a grasp of before…
1. To deceive her enemies (and she has quite a few, to be perfectly honest)
2. To analyze other's true objective behind their lies and rob the dark secrets at the bottom of the heart and mind of every politicians she came in contact with.
3. To conceal her own real thoughts and feelings.
Oh yeah, the princess was young, had many faults and still had a long way to go, but for more than half of the times, she was doing so explicitly well that it could be easily said that not only was she playing with many old 'coops' in the dangerous governmental world, but also had them wrapped around her finger tightly as any chain could bind a prisoner to his cell. Mind you, she still had her occasional table-slamming, cursing-barking moments, but her temper had become a lot less destructive over time. Lately however, the princess's habit seemed to die out completely.
"Is Representative Attha in there?" A voice came from behind. A lady with short russet hair and aquamarine eyes smiled fondly and inquired. She was dressed casually, blue jean shorts and an orange shirt over her white tank top. Cassie didn't recognize her, or approve of the way she dressed. Nobody dared to wear that and enter the Parliament Office. Amongst the suits and formal wearing, she certainly stuck out as a green thumb. William Andrews quickly took his leave seeing that he was given the chance, but even he raised an eyebrow at the lady.
"Do you have an appointment, miss?" Cassie went to check the schedule.
"No. But I'm sure Cagalli would want to see me if you tell her that Miriallia Haww is here."
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"Mir, how's you and Dearka?" Cagalli poured the tea from the steaming pot and offered it to her friend. "You guys got together again?"
Coloured flushed Mir's cheeks, "Yeah. He came to me quite a while after the war. Marched straight into The Press, into my office, and basically embarrassed the both of us in front all my colleague."
Cagalli laughed half-heartedly. That sounded like the Dearka she met on the Archangel. From reliable sources, namely Yzak Joule, who came to Orb about a year and half ago during a visit on behave of PLANT, Cagalli learnt that Dearka quit Zaft, threw the opportunity of a promotion out the door and came to Orb to make up with Miriallia Haww. The two broke up during the time between the two wars. Mir said she was not going to put up with him anymore, that the long distance relationship wasn't working, and Dearka was getting on her nerve. So, she dumped him. Dearka, of course, didn't like commenting on it, or rather, he didn't have time to because right after the break-up, the second war started. Granted, he didn't give in that easily since it was clear that he came back after the ward as soon as he can. Right now, they're keeping it slow and easy, which Mir decided, was for the best. Dearka was a little unsatisfied, according to Yzak, who was filled in on the details after Dearka rejoined Zaft on the urging of Miriallia.
"He isn't going to use me as an excuse if he later regrets losing his position," was Mir's opinion on that.
Miriallia opened her mouth, ready to come here to do the job Kira had convinced to do, but her target had turned her back to on her and sat facing the enormous window, gazing at the sea's strong current bashing against the coast line in white flurries.
Cagalli had changed her old office into a grander room which had a huge cross-room window that dropped to the floor. Even though her old room was smaller and cozier to her taste, Cagalli decided that she couldn't survive another day it in again. When she abruptly declared moving, many people had asked her the same question- why? In return, our princess had responded that everything was going to have a fresh start, and she'll begin from changing her office. The old office was haunted by too many tragedies of the past, and she announced it to be off-limit. Since then on, nobody set a foot in that room again.
What our twenty-three year old princess never told anyone, the truth buried under the layers of all her lies, was the fact that her office had too much of his fragrance in the corners and seats, bookshelves and coffee-makers. Everywhere she turned, there were signs of his touch and presence in the place she stayed the most. On some days, the place felt as though he just left to get another cup of coffee. And at the seat he usually took by the door, Cagalli saw his vague figure flipping the newspaper. His ghost was still with her, and when she said that her room was haunted, that was what she meant. In that room time stood still, and if she were to go in again, she'd still be in C.E 73.
Cagalli's golden hair, something she had not the tendency to care of, had grown longer. It used to brush her elbow if she leant to one side, but she cut them and they now reached about the half of her upper arm. She had chose not to use the Emir suit as her attire, said that was part of the history as well. Nothing but black and white existed in her wardrobe, and sporadically indigo blue. Presidential skirts entered her choice of clothing, but she wore only on special occasions. Cagalli still refused to wear high-heel slippers, but the brown combat boots had not been on her feet for a long time.
Miriallia frowned slightly at Cagalli's weary figure. She definitely looked pale, almost touching the brink of unhealthy. There were delicate dark lines under her eyes, but those would go away after a good night of sleep. What occurred to Mir as most disturbing were the two bottomless pools of citrine topaz appearing to be a swirling whirlpool, and sucking all the life and light that goes in. Her eyes were hard around the edges; lightning streaks shooting from her pupil were like knifes, cutting and relentless. An ice age blew across the windows of her soul and they froze still in place. No amount of warmth would melt that sleeping fire.
"So," Mir asked again after a while, changing the subject, "you know I heard from some of your workers that you've got yourself a bundle of marriage deals from gentlemen all over the globe. Is it the Prince of Wales or the Russian President?"
Cagalli knew her friend was teasing. Two can play at that game, she thought smugly. "Prince Alexander is much too boring a person, but the Vlad does have a very unique Austrian family line from his mother's side. Not to mention that he's got such adoring eyes."
Mir raised an eyebrow in mixed feeling of confusion and shock, "You fancy Vladmir Shevchenlitvin? Isn't he a bit too old for you?"
Cagalli sipped her tea and laughed without joy, "Oh Mir, he is only turning 31 in November. Besides, he is very sweet and a very interesting person." Pausing, she inclined her head towards Mir's cup of untouched tea, "Try it. It is wild-berry flavor, Victoriese gave them to me. Try not to get addicted to them, because I am."
Mir picked up the cup and tasted the drink. It was quite delicious- sour with the fresh, sundry fragrance of blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry, but sweet in its nature. However, Miriallia wasn't interested in the tea as of yet. Her focus was on her friend, the strange Cagalli. Any attempt of teasing was gone by then, and Mir feared that the princess was serious. "I heard Vladmir already has a wife."
"Not wife- Fiancée- and she died a day before the wedding in a terrible accident with a load truck. A huge trauma for him. It's very unfortunate." Cagalli's voice softened with clear and cogent remorse. Even the harshness in her eyes swayed. Mir fretted. Could Cagalli truly feel for this man?
"You pity him." It was forceful statement, as though Mirialia wished that by her vigorous sentence, Cagalli wouldn't say otherwise.
But Cagalli only looked at her with a kind of innocent and incredulous demeanor. She laughed gauntly, "Pity him? Gosh no, Mir. I love him."
Her friend's astonished was beyond any verbal description. Love. Love? She loves him? Am I hearing her correctly? No, I'm sure she said that she loves Vladmir, and she sounded as if it's as simple of the weather. Lord Jesus…somebody must've switched the polarity.
"What about Athrun?" Miriallia blurted before she could stop herself, "Are you not going to the wedding?"
Yerking her head towards her friend, her eyes flashing, how Cagalli had wished to throw her arms around Miriallia and weep, but she held her tongue, literally. Biting down the flesh inside of her mouth, she gnawed at them until they became raw and iron tasting blood woozed between her teeth. Overwhelmed with immense pain, Cagalli only bit down harder. She had come too far to give up. All would be lost if she did.
For countless nights, Cagalli lay awake, staring at her dark ceiling, alone in her room, tears running in streams down her face. She asked herself over and over again, each and everyday, what had she done wrong? If she changed would he come back to her? Because if he would, she would give world just to feel his touch again, to see him smile and hear the laughter he gave to her and only her. So, she prayed for a miracle, prayed to Hahmau, to Baby Jesus, to Virgin Mary, to Kami, Buddha, Zeus, and every other possible god she knew, praying for him to return to her side. She repeated his name…Athrun Zala…not Alex Dino, but Athrun Zala, the Red Knight, over to herself, wishing if Athrun was lying awake as well, at that moment, to hear her pleads. She knew she sounded ridiculous and weak, but she didn't care. If Athrun was to forgive her, to forgive her faults, her weak will in signing that mediocre contract with Atlantic Federation, her stupidity in agreeing to marry Yuuna even when she was wearing Athrun's ring, Cagalli would resign from her position like Lacus and just be with him. For sometimes there, she was ready to die for him, but…
…the truth was…there was no such thing as miracles.
So she told herself, forget about him. It hurt won't anymore if you just forget…move on, focus on the good things in life. She never told Kira or Lacus or anyone else about anything that went on in her head, because she knew if she mentioned, Kira would go to the end of the universe just to convince Athrun. More likely, Kira would beat the crap out of the man, and Cagalli didn't want a forced love. Uzumi used to tell her that stolen melons weren't sweet, and she got what her step-father had tried to say. On the other hand, she still had a bit of hope left in her, that is, until the day the announcement was made, and then she knew she had lost the game a long time ago, and that it was time to wake from her useless fantasy world.
You locked the room he used. You burned the table and chair he sat on. Cagalli, you can't give in to him. Not going to the wedding would just be surrendering to the world. You can't and won't let him laugh at you. You can't be history's fool.
Cagalli set down her cup and said calmly, "I never said I wasn't going. In fact, Vladmir and I are going together."
N/A: So???? What do you think? To all of you worried ASACAGA fans, this is an ASACAGA fiction…but it doesn't mean I can't create evil situations. Evil grins Please review to tell me your opinion…if you hate it… or if you like it…