Nicol's Savior
Me: And back...probably should be doing homework right about now, but I've never been good at moderating.
Nicol: Hey, I was wondering...Kira gets the Freedom, Athrun gets the Justice...am I going to get an upgraded suit? Or Dearka, for that matter?
Me: (ponders) You know, I always wondered why the Duel and the Buster weren't upgraded after the Alaska Battle...hm, there might just be some merit there. But it won't be happening until the Battle for ORB arc. (chuckles) Oh, I've got someone stashed away there that I think you'll like to meet, Nicol. Aside from the obvious.
Nicol: Oh...really?
Me: (chuckles mischievously) Well, it's hard to play an orchestra with only a piano, right? You need some other instruments. I might know about some characters in the general Orb area who might be musically inclined.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.
Chapter 3: Confinement
Nicol quietly limped down the hall, escorted by two alliance soldiers. They both had a no nonsense look to them, but they weren't pushing him to move faster than possible which was more than could be said for most. He had been dreading being sent to the brig for the last two days – as his condition improved, he knew it was only a matter of time. But all the same, he had hoped to avoid it...if only because of Kira, and now, Miriallia.
Flashback
"There should have been guards posted at the door."
"Clearly, Lieutenant. I hadn't thought to spare any since Kira had been with him so frequently."
Nicol sat up straight, straining his ears. There were a pair of older women approaching his hospital room, at the end of the hall. Likely the Captain and her XO, he realized, given that they were talking about the attack.
"I don't think that was wise, Captain. Ensign Yamato can't afford to become friendly with the enemy; it will only serve to further cloud his judgment."
"Then leave it in your record, Lieutenant," The other woman sounded tired, like this argument had been ongoing for a while. "I had hoped to rise above how ZAFT treats their POWs. Can you understand that?"
The first woman let out a slightly aggravated noise. "I understand the principle, Captain, but if the Strike is unable to properly defend this ship, then we're as good as sunk."
Nicol leaned back against the head of the gurney and closed his eyes, placing his chained hand on his knee and pretending to be dozed off when the door opened. "Are you awake?" The two women entered his room, with Mu la Flaga tagging along a few seconds later. The Captain – he could tell by the rank on her white and red jacket – was a tired, but somewhat kindly looking woman with brown hair and dark eyes. Her Lieutenant was a black haired woman with a stoic, cold face, and she regarded him with no small amount of wariness despite his weak and injured state. Nicol looked over at Mu la Flaga, who actually smiled encouragingly at him for a moment.
"Yes." He said quietly, trying to remember what the instructors had coached them for under the chance that they were captured.
"I'm Captain Murrue Ramius of the Earth Alliance ship Archangel." The brown haired woman said, and there was real authority in her voice – nothing smug or self involved, just a strong sense of duty to her crew and her leaders. The lieutenant had turned on a recording device. "With me are my Lieutenant, Natarle Badgiruel, and Commander Mu la Flaga."
"The Hawk of Endymion." Simple small talk. Gives the illusion of calm and fearlessness. You are captured, but they have not broken you. "I know who you are, sir."
The blond man smiled easily, playing along. Thank goodness. "And who are you, kid?"
Name, rank, serial number. "Lieutenant Nicol Amalfi, redcoat and Mobile Suit pilot of the ZAFT special forces."
"Amalfi?" The Lieutenant's brow furrowed in a way that frightened Nicol. "Any relation to Yuri Amalfi, of the ZAFT Supreme Council?"
Nicol set his face and said nothing. However, Captain Ramius examined his face for a long moment and made a good guess. "You're a relative of his, aren't you?" She said. "I haven't met the man in person, but I've seen him on airwaves, and you look a lot like him."
"I've seen the files. He has a son; it seems the boy joined ZAFT." The Lieutenant looked pleased. Not good at all. "It seems we've gotten lucky for once."
"I don't care for what you're implying, Lieutenant," The Captain said firmly, and Nicol visibly wilted with relief. "I don't want a repeat of that ruckus with Miss Clyne. The Earth Alliance has enough bad publicity to work through as it is."
"Where are your fellow pilots?" Mu asked, drawing the conversation elsewhere before the Lieutenant could drag the issue out.
"Pursuing, I imagine," Nicol responded, averting his eyes. "The Aegis wasn't fully disabled in the last battle, and even without it the Duel and the Buster are still in top shape."
"Do they know you're alive and a prisoner?"
"I...I couldn't tell you, sir."
"Who's your commanding officer?"
"..." Nicol shook his head firmly. Ramius looked a little impressed; here was a tired, lonely, injured boy who was nonetheless standing his ground against the enemy.
"Don't worry about it, lieutenant. It's nothing that isn't feasible for us to have discovered on our own." Mu's eyes were slightly darkened, though. Give me something, he was silently asking, so I can keep Badgiruel happy.
Nicol hesitated before saying, "Commander Rau le Creuset."
Mu's eyes narrowed, and the friendly blonde man twisted into an angry soldier in a split second. "Of course it was him. That bastard...!"
So there's some history there... Nicol silently filed that information away. It might be important.
The Captain seemed to think for a moment, before turning to the right. "Doctor, how's the young man's condition..."
"Stabilized, though he'd do well to stay off that leg." The doctor, sitting off in the corner, chipped in. "It never ceases to amaze me, how quickly Coordinators recover."
The Captain sighed heavily. "Given the...incident, with Crewman Allster, I think both by regulations and for his own safety, Amalfi should be moved down to the brig."
"Good idea." Mu said. "I'll get an escort."
End Flashback
Nicol felt desolate as the door to the dark brig opened up. Will Kira be allowed to see me? Or Miriallia? Or will I be left in there alone? Loneliness was the worst sort of experience for him; it was one thing to be trapped on a ship with the enemy, but being separated from the only two people who he was tentatively building bridges with was almost unbearable.
"Come on, kid." One of the soldiers said, giving him a push. Nicol stumbled and flinched as pain shot through his weaker leg; the leader shot his subordinate a disapproving look and stepped over to the green haired boy's side as they entered.
The brig seemed darker than the rest of the ship; the lights were lower giving it the look of a civilian prison. The hall was cold and bare; clinically sterile and utterly remote.
Nicol and the soldier had entered the room and passed the first set of cells when a small feminine voice sounded from one of them. "Hello? Have you brought dinner?"
Nicol's heart skipped, that voice...he turned to his right and saw a familiar redhead inside the first cell. Flay Allster wasn't dressed in Alliance uniform anymore; she was back in the pink ballerina dress that she had been wearing when Kira brought the lifepod in at Heliopolis. She looked haggard, wilted and tired. But when Nicol saw her, and she saw him, her eyes grew dark and she looked away, hands clenching...this was the same girl who had tried to kill him...
"Not yet, Allster...it's not for another hour." The soldier's voice was mainly clipped, but there was unmistakable contempt in his tone. Few of the soldiers on board had much respect for George Allster in the first place – the man was a politician, not a soldier – and his daughter hadn't been terribly helpful, even after enlisting. But attempting to kill a helpless prisoner had officially put her on their shit list. That just wasn't done.
Nicol yipped when the man gave him a smaller but unexpected push, bringing him deeper into the brig and stopping at the third set of cells...probably so Nicol wouldn't constantly be across from his would be murderer. He took out the keys and opened the cell. "You'll be brought food and water at regular intervals. If your leg acts up, tell the person who brings it and they'll send the doctor down."
Nicol nodded, still slightly dazed at this kid gloves treatment of him – ZAFT usually didn't offer consistent medical support to EA prisoners. He stepped in and the guy shut the door behind him. Nicol listened to them leave, before groaning and collapsing on the thin mattress provided, twinges of pain in his bad leg. "Oh guys, come and save me..." He murmured, thinking of his absent friends.
Not too far away, they were thinking of him too.
**~With ZAFT~**
"Damn it! Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!"
Yzak Joule whirled and kicked his absent teammate's locker hard enough to leave a dent in it. Dearka Elsman reached out to touch his friend's shoulder, only to think the better of it when he saw the silver haired boy's expression. Yzak looked utterly feral with rage, something accented by the scar that cut across his face. "DAMN IT! What was that idiot thinking?!" He raged.
"Don't call him an idiot," Dearka said quietly.
Yzak spun around, eyes blazing. "If he was smart, he'd still BE HERE!" He ranted. "He shouldn't have...shouldn't have..." His voice strangled and trailed off, his emotions mixing as he tried to figure out what the Blitz pilot should have done instead.
"Shouldn't have what? Shouldn't have risked his life to save a fellow pilot? Go above and beyond the call of duty?" The dark skinned blonde countered. "Yeah, real sad teammate we had."
Yzak froze for a second, before letting out an inarticulate scream and punching the locker again, bruising his knuckles. A crushing silence descended over the three boys in the room.
Yzak stilled for a moment, trembling, feeling his eyes growing hot. I...am I crying? NO! Why am I crying?! That weakling wasn't...I...no, if he was weak, he wouldn't have thrown his life away to save Athrun...I'm NOT CRYING, damn it! I...
Hot, bitter tears streaked down his cheeks, slicing through his denial. He rested his head against the locker, gritting his teeth and refusing to make a sound. I...I haven't cried...since Junius...
Nicol...Nicol is dead...I couldn't protect him...
Something Yzak kept very well hidden (and he preferred it that way), under his layers of abrasiveness, violent temper and coldness...was that he wanted to protect people. It was something he had picked up from his older brother Jacen, and a desire that had been brutally multiplied the day Junius had been blown up, ripping away both him and his father. When he had met Nicol, it was in ZAFT basic training after the attack.
What Yzak would rather die than admit out loud, was that as much as he acted (mostly genuinely) infuriated by Nicol's gentler, innocent nature, constantly called him a coward and running him ragged...some small part of him had appreciated all those softer traits the younger soldier possessed. It made him want to protect the younger boy, like Jacen had done for him before he died. If that meant loudly offering the opinion that Nicol didn't belong in war, because it would destroy the sweet, kindhearted nature that made the younger boy who he was, then so be it.
Secretly Yzak had hoped that if he drove Nicol away, the boy would transfer back to the PLANTs, back where fighting was lighter...but he had stayed. No matter what, he had stayed, fighting for his homeland...fighting for his fellow pilots. For him and Dearka and Athrun.
And now he had died for them. He probably died thinking that Yzak had nothing but contempt for him.
He never should have been out here...It hurt to cry, now. After spending so much time feeling nothing but anger, Yzak's tears felt like acid. I failed you, Nicol...
I failed to protect you from HIM.
From the STRIKE.
A wave of pure and utter rage and loathing swept through Yzak, snapping him out of his grief. The Strike, his scapegoat, through which he focused all his hatred of the Earth Forces. That machine, the NATURAL piloting it, had caused so much grief, so much struggle. He had shielded that damn ship from every attempt to destroy it. He had scarred Yzak...and now he had murdered Nicol.
"He'll pay for this..." Yzak snarled out, clenching his fists. "Strike...wash your neck and wait! I'm going to kill you and avenge Nicol! Treasure these few day...they're going to be your LAST!"
Dearka glanced at Yzak, hearing his angry vow, and let out a quiet sigh. Yzak's going to be more volatile than usual without Nicol hear to calm him down...
For once Dearka was feeling rather introspective. Loosing Rusty had been hard enough, but at least he'd been quickly avenged, and acquiring the Mobile Suits had distracted him somewhat from the weight of it. Dearka was inordinately fond of the Buster at this point; he hoped he'd be able to keep it even after the war was over if only as a tourist attraction.
Nicol had really loved the Blitz, too...not as much as his music, but that was just Nicol for you...
Dearka closed his eyes. As much as he ragged on Nicol for always talking about his music, and how they should get along, he was very aware that the green haired boy had been the heart of the team. Bringing Athrun out of his shell, curbing Yzak's temper...and tricking Dearka himself into being serious. His gentler nature had caused them to discount him, even after his brilliant debut taking down the Artemis light barrier.
Well, there was no getting around it...Dearka had liked the other kid. A lot. To loose him so brutally and suddenly...Come on, the blonde thought sadly, Out of all of us, Nicol should have been the one to survive all this. He deserved to, with his morals and his kindness.
Dearka turned his head towards their final teammate. Athrun Zala. The blue haired boy had been sitting in silent shock for nearly two days now, going through the motions whenever someone spoke to him. Dearka hadn't seen him crying – soldier facade and all – but he was pretty sure Athrun was inconsolable. He and Nicol had been the closest among the team.
And the Archangel...Dearka's mood grew considerably cold at the thought of the ship, and the Mobile Suit protecting it. They won't get away next time...Nicol, I swear, you'll be avenged...
Athrun was in shock. He was holding several sheets in his hands...music Nicol had composed while aboard the ship. He still couldn't believe it...
Flashback
"NICOL!"
Something garbled sounded through the communications system. "N-o, d—nt! -Can't- w—tch –one –ie!" Was it Kira? Or Nicol? He couldn't tell.
Athrun stared up at the blazing red light coming from the Strike's sword as the machine suddenly activated its thrusters and flew straight up into the air. The Blitz, damaged and dying, followed it.
The Strike ducked under the wild swing, ditched its longer sword and drew a horrible, familiar weapon...the one Kira had used to disable and then kill Miguel, all the way back at Heliopolis. Athrun watched in horror as the Strike grabbed a hold of the Blitz and drove this weapon deep into its back...what Athrun couldn't see thanks to the angle was that it wasn't plunged into the cockpit itself, but just above it where the energy bank was.
The Strike then wrenched the blade upwards, tearing straight through the back of the machine. The Blitz went limp, like a human who had been impaled, slumping in the Strike's arms. The phase shift sputtered out, draining away the colour.
"NICOL!"
Despair. Denial. Horror. It all ran through him as his gentle friend was slain...dead, having sacrificed himself for Athrun's escape.
The Strike stowed its weapon, its head tilting slightly, almost like the killer from an ancient horror movie. Then it turned and blasted away towards the Archangel, the gutted Blitz in tow. Athrun watched the monstrous vision leave, and made one last attempt to go after it...but it was too late.
Nicol was dead...slain by a monstrous version of Kira.
End Flashback
Kira...Kira, how could you?
Among the grief from his loss, the helplessness he had experienced, all Athrun could think about was a horrific feeling of betrayal. It cut him straight to his heart, suffocating him as he sat trapped in his emotions.
He had been unable to defeat Kira. And because of that...Kira had killed Nicol. Driven a sword through his back.
Athrun had never cared about anyone quite like he cared about Kira. Back at school, he'd been the other boy's protector; Kira was fragile and gentle and Athrun had wanted to take care of him, preserve that kindness and innocence from the ire of bullies and the sometimes cruel world they lived in. Kira, in return, had been Athrun's most precious confident. He knew he could tell the other boy absolutely anything, and he would stick by him. The only person who was even remotely as close to Athrun as Kira...
...Had been was Nicol.
**~Flashback. Six Months after the Junius Seven Incident~**
Athrun woke in the middle of the night with a cry, the massive blast of white light and his mother's colony falling apart flashing in front of his eyes. He had been having nightmares about the incident on and off ever since then, but today had been different...He'd seen his mother, covered in blood, floating silently in the vast expanse of space. When he went to her and put his hand on hers, she'd suddenly animated and grabbed his neck. Sightless eyes, tears of blood raining down them, stared into his soul. Oh Athrun...it's too late. She hissed.
"Athrun? Athrun!"
Nicol's worried voice, followed by a hammering on the door to his dorm room, broke through Athrun's panic. Still somewhat dazed, the blue haired boy stood up and stumbled over to the door, unlocking and opening it. "N...Nicol? I thought you were asleep..."
"I was writing up something," Nicol responded by way of explanation, walking inside and closing the door behind him. He put a hand on Athrun's shoulder and said, "I thought I heard someone attacking you."
"N...No. J...Just a bad dream." Athrun said shakily. "Sorry about that."
"Sorry?" Nicol gave him an exasperated look, before pulling the somewhat taller boy into a hug. Athrun flinched at first, before returning the hug fiercely, trembling violently. "You're not a robot, Athrun. There's nothing shameful about being upset..." Those amber eyes stared into his, worry flashing through them. "you were thinking of your mother, weren't you?"
"Yeah..."
Nicol sighed. "Come on." He lead Athrun back over to his bed and gently pushed him down onto it. "You're mourning her...anyone who tells you not to, or scorns you for doing so, is a psychopath, and not worth listening to." He then smiled gently. "How about you tell me something about her? Anything, really. Something you remember fondly."
"W-Well..." Athrun thought for a moment, before slowly starting to talk...memories of birthdays, parties, trips to the beach and the flower shop (Lenore loved gardening more than anything) surrounded the room, slowly replacing the pain and fear of his nightmare with a more passive sadness and longing for what he'd lost. Nicol listened patiently, occasionally asking for more details, but mostly just lending an ear...eventually Athrun let out a shaky sigh and stopped, a hesitant smile crossing his face. "...she always hated it when I'd climb trees. She worried so much."
"She loved you a lot," Nicol said softly. He reached out and gently brushed stray strands of his friend's hair away from his eyes. "She must have been a wonderful person."
"...She was." Athrun felt a few tears escape him. Nicol leaned over him, his eyes full of concern and affection. Athrun felt his heart warm up; he was so grateful that Nicol was here. There had been a spark the moment they met, and they had gotten along well enough that they were immediately put in the same division. Athrun wouldn't want anyone else watching his back...except maybe one person.
It was that thought that made him pause, as he reached up and placed his hand on Nicol's shoulder. Kira's face flashed before his eyes. God, he missed the other boy...but, he couldn't deny...with Nicol around, the pain felt less. Athrun's grip tightened, as Nicol murmured his name and looked down at him with half lidded eyes, curious and hopeful. His hand slid around the back of the other boy's neck, pulling him a little closer.
"Athrun..." Nicol whispered, his breath hitching.
"I'm about to do something extremely discouraged in the military," Athrun whispered. "Hit me, pinch me, tell me to stop right now, and I will. I swear."
Nicol blinked once, twice...and shook his head. "...I don't want you to stop."
His heart soared, and without another word Athrun pulled Nicol down on top of him and caught his lips in his own. The two lay there for a moment before Nicol shifted slightly, so he was completely on the bed, and placed his hands on either side of Athrun's head. The blue haired boy kissed him twice more, before sliding his hands under his lover's shirt. Nicol sighed contently and lowered his head to Athrun's neck, lightly nipping at it and earning soft moans from his boyfriend. Athrun twitched slightly, his whole body warm...Nicol felt it, and the two pulled back for a moment to look into each other's eyes.
"...I've never done this before."
"Neither have I."
"This might be a bad idea. If something happens to either of us - and it's war, there's a very real chance..."
"...Then we don't want anything left unsaid, do we?" Nicol smiled. "...I think I love you, Athrun Zala."
"You think?" Athrun smiled weakly in turn...and gasped when Nicol's hands dropped to his waist. "Ah...Yeah. I think...I think I love you too, Nicol Amalfi."
**End Flashback**
There were hardly words for how horrible it had been for Athrun to see Kira in the Strike that day in Heliopolis. It hadn't really sunk in that Kira was with the enemy – or he had just refused to accept it – until the first space battle.
He kept trying to convince Kira to join him...and every rejection was like a knife in the heart. Kira kept insisting he had people to protect...friends other than Athrun himself. For gods sake, why? Maybe there were civilians on board, and that's how the EA manipulated Kira into fighting for them...
Turned him into their soldier. A soldier who would kill Athrun's other dear friend, then drag the suit back to be given to the Atlantic Federation...
Anguish and rage took over in Athrun's heart, a horrible medley that burned his heart, removing all inhibitions in its blazing furnace. He knew. The Kira he knew and l– cared about was dead...and Nicol had died with him...
And if it was the last thing Athrun did...he would put a spike through the heart of the monster who rode the Strike. The monster Kira had become.
"No." Both Yzak and Dearka turned towards him in mingled surprise and confusion; these were his first spoken words since the disastrous end of their last encounter with the Archangel. "I'm going to kill the Strike pilot myself."
**~Back in the Archangel~**
Nicol was dying.
Not physically, but mentally – the silence of the brig would have been one thing, but considering Flay Allster was here too, that added a horrible level of awkwardness to it that made the hallway nigh unbearable to be in. He thought about talking to her, but he wasn't sure exactly what he'd say. Loneliness always drove Nicol crazy.
The door slid open, and someone started walking in. They paused by Flay's cell, before nervously hurrying onward...and coming to a stop in front of Nicol's door.
"Dinner time." Kira Yamato said with a nervous smile. "And...I brought that stuff you wanted."
Nicol's eyes lit up. Kira was holding two trays – one containing blessed food, and the other had a stack of paper and a pen. "You brought it! Oh, thank you!"
Kira smiled more brightly at his enthusiasm, before kneeling and opening the lower door. Nicol jumped off the bed, put the second tray at the foot of it so as to keep it clean, and started eating; he was pretty hungry. He hadn't eaten since before his interrogation. "Yeah, the supervisor took a little convincing," The brown haired boy said, "but I don't think even a Coordinator could break out of a metal cell with a pen."
"That's awesome. I've missed my music a lot." Nicol said between mouthfuls. "I have a piano back at home at the PLANTs; sometimes I play concerts. Hell, there's one time I provided the instrumentals for a Lacus Clyne concert." He smiled at the memory of the cheering crowds. "Yeah, that night was fun..."
"Tell me about it." Nicol blinked; Kira sat down crossed legged in front of his cell. "I'm not really allowed out and about the ship right now, and I'd like to..." he blushed slightly, before continuing, "I'd like to know you better."
"Really?" No wonder this guy and Athrun were so close. He's so open and forgiving...I've spent the better part of five months trying to kill him, but he saved my life and now he wants to get to know me... oh Kira Yamato, I wish I had met you outside the war too, Nicol thought with a smile.
"Well, it was about a year ago now, if my internal calendar isn't off. Miss Lacus was the one who suggested it; she knew about me through Athrun – he's her fiance."
"I remember...Lacus told me about that when she was on board the Archangel." Kira said. "I met her there...She's really nice."
"Yeah, she's amazing. Miss Lacus wanted to throw a concert with an uplifting theme, since everyone was so on edge. She gave me an outline for what she wanted, some of it had already been written in but she wanted my opinion." Nicol smiled proudly. "Stars Above, we called it. Out of everything I've written so far, that ensemble is my favourite."
"I was really nervous on the day. I'd preformed before, but not in front of a crowd that large...it was the biggest theatre in Junius Five. It could seat several thousand people."
"Whoa. I can't imagine being on a stage like that...I'd probably pass out." Kira remarked, looking nervous at the mere thought.
Nicol laughed in response, "I nearly did! It's true. Mom was there before the start, backstage, trying to get me to calm down. Dad, Athrun, and Mr Seigel Clyne were all seated in elevated guest seats; it was all I could do not to stare up at them and silently beg for help..." He chuckled, light self deprecation in his voice. " All I could think was that there were so many people out there and my hands couldn't stop shaking. Miss Lacus noticed and came over. She told me, 'there's nothing to be afraid of. Let them listen to your heart!'"
"Did that help?" Kira looked totally engrossed in what he was hearing.
A little ways away, Flay lay awake though she had pretended to be asleep, drawn to this conversation even as she tried to ignore it.
"Yeah. Mom gave me some cold water, then the curtains went up." Nicol let out a breath. "I started off; then Miss Lacus started singing. Almost right away my hands stopped trembling. I think, even if she wasn't a Coordinator, she'd still have the prettiest voice in the universe. I fell into the music, and we preformed together. I'm telling you, I've never seen a group of people so spellbound. And when it was all over..." He leaned back and smiled at the memory. "They all jumped up and started cheering...some of them were crying, but they all looked happy."
"I wish I could have been there." Kira said sincerely.
"Maybe when the war's over, you can," Nicol offered, then paused when he realized what he had just said. Kira's eyes widened, and Nicol blushed fiercely. "You know...if we both get out of this. It's, um, just a thought. I mean. I-I know you probably-"
"I'd love that," Kira blurted out, interrupting Nicol's abortive apology. "I'd love to go."
The other boy's eyes lit up. "R-really?!"
"Yeah." Kira was smiling again; it suited him way better than the dull, broken exhaustion that had engulfed him since that near-fatal battle. "I've, never really been to an orchestra concert before...it sounds like a nice experience."
"What's this about orchestra?"
Miriallia's voice floated from the end of the hallway. "Nicol writes and preforms for the piano," Kira extolled as the brown haired girl came and sat down next to him. "I was thinking, when this war is over, I'd go see one."
"At that PLANTs?" Miriallia looked contemplative, and smiled. She was holding a small camera in her hands. "That sounds exciting. Would Lacus be there?"
"Maybe. She is their big pop star. The songstress of the PLANTs." Kira recited. He had looked up some of Lacus's music on a whim, while working in Morganrate to distract him from his thoughts. It had been a great success.
"She was nice... Okay boys, I brought the camera. Now smile!"
Nicol grinned genuinely as Miriallia snapped the picture. Kira had told him that he had met the Princess of ORB (you really end up falling face first into important people, don't you? [I...can't deny that.]) so it was possible to pass a package on to the PLANTs through her. (hopefully she won't mind doing me a favour). Nicol had wished, on a whim, not knowing someone was listening, that he could reassure his parents that he was alive, and Kira had immediately offered his assistance. It truly was a sign of what kind of a person Kira, and by extension Miriallia, were...
"How's your leg?" Kira asked, once Miriallia examined the photo and was pleased with it.
Nicol shrugged slightly. "I still feel twinges when I put my weight on it, but I can walk unaided. I think that's a success story."
"How's the work going?" Miriallia asked, tilting her head towards the various sheets sprawled across the mattress.
Nicol chuckled. "I'm just getting started, Miriallia. ...I hope you like it when I'm done."
The girl smiled. "I think I will."
End Chapter
It's my belief that Yzak has a secret softer side, mostly due to his interactions with Dearka after the latter defects (not to mention saving him and Cagalli in the end)...it's just buried REAL deep. So yeah, the pilots still think Nicol's dead, and that confrontation is not going to end well for anyone...but we're not QUITE there yet. Kira's going to have some interesting realizations first.
Read and Review please!
