Disclaimer ;; I don't own Gundam Seed (Destiny), but I do own the idea of them having human holograms, and their appearances in holograms.
Summary ;; This is a collection of one shots of the ships and their interaction with their crew members. It is based on a 100 themes. Post-GSD. Genre and pairings varies with each chapter.
Themes from ;; http:/ darknessversuslight. deviantart. com/
Pairings (For this chapter) ;; None, but maybe one sided Vesalius x Archangel, that's if you squint hard enough. :)
Genre ;; Family/Angst
Ship ;; Archangel, Dominion, minor Kusanagi, minor Eternal and minor Vesalius.
Warnings ;; I don't think I have any this time.
Notes ;; Sorry for the long wait.
Theme #9 [Death]
It was that time of the year again. Every year, on this day, Murrue would disappear with her husband to go to a grave of a special friend of theirs.
And every year, on this day, Archangel would cut of contact from everyone, and mourn.
LCAM-02XA Dominion.
Archangel would mourn for a sister that she had killed with her own hands.
Death.
It was something inevitable to every living creature, every creature that have a soul. Does that concept apply to ships?
Archangel certainly believes so.
Even now, as she stared to the empty air from her deck, she would use this time to keep quiet and just think about a ship. More precisely, a special ship, smaller than her, different coloring than her, but still from the same family as her.
Dominion was her sister.
Her sweet younger sister.
Archangel could feel a wistful smile appearing on her hologram's face, which was sitting on her deck, just daydreaming and mourning. Her dress was black, with dark red and light bluish patterns. Her sister's colors. This day is meant for her.
Archangel shook her head, a slight despair filling her. Every year, she would pay her tributes to her only fallen family member, and every year, she would imagine what could have happen if things have gone differently.
If Natarle had never left Archangel, would Dominion be alive now? Or what could have happened if Natarle had brought Dominion to their side. It was wishful thinking, because none of these possibilities are possible, but Archangel entertains them anyway.
If Dominion was alive, would she and Archangel argue with each other every day? Like sibling rivalry? Or would they the sort of siblings that are very, very close with each other? Maybe they would like to gossip like best friends, or play pranks on unsuspecting people.
Archangel buried her head in her hands. Grief and misery filled her, but no tears came. Ever since the first Bloody Valentine ended, Archangel had always cried for Dominion every year, at the very same day. Eventually, she has no more tears to shed.
And like every year, the angel-named ship would play back what little memories she have of her sister, for it was Archangel's very own way to honor her.
The first time she met Dominion was when her sister tried to kill her. Well, technically, Dominion was ordered to shoot her Lohengrin at the entrance of the Mendel Colony where Archangel was residing then. The angel-named ship had forgiven her for that; after all, Dominion didn't mean it.
It was an order.
To say that Archangel was shocked then would be an understatement. She was completely, utterly caught off guard when she first saw Dominion on her screen. Her crew was surprised too. They had all expected her to be the only one in the family, but apparently, Earth Alliance took one step up and built her sister.
In all honesty, a battle would be inevitable during that moment. Dominion had launched the first shot, after all, and that practically challenged them. During that time, Eternal had been tired from her escape from PLANTS, so only Kusanagi and Archangel went out to meet Dominion.
Archangel had frowned. They made her a sister and pit her against the angel-named ship? The white-ship's hatred for Earth Alliance grew at that moment.
How many times had she wished for a sister when she sailed through the seas on Earth alone? Archangel had always wanted another ship; better yet, a family member to keep her company. She and her crew had been very, very lonely in their journey to Alaska.
Especially herself.
This was exceptionally cruel of them. She eyed Dominion, who, to her and Kusanagi, actually looked nervous and fidgety.
"Hello," the black-ship had greeted shyly. Not something to be expected from one built for war.
With her shy demeanor, Archangel was not prepared to expect that Dominion's captain to be Natarle. In fact, Archangel wanted to gawk along with the crew when Natarle contacted them. The former Earth Alliance ship had shook her head in disbelief. Stern, mother Natarle was Dominion's captain?
Unbelievable.
Archangel didn't know what to say as Natarle asked Murrue to surrender. It didn't take a genius to figure out Murrue's answer. Archangel was echoing Murrue when she replied.
No, they have been betrayed in the worst ways possible, at the battle of Josh-A. There is no possible way for them to trust Earth Alliance now. Pretty difficult, seeing the Earth Alliances had tried to determine their death. Who gave them the right?
Natarle had sighed, and unknown to the humans, Dominion had looked sad, almost pleading with Archangel.
"Sister, please..." Dominion begged, "Come back. Please! You are misguided."
"Me?" Archangel raised an eyebrow, "I believe not, Dominion. You are the one that is misguided."
She could understand her sister's point of view though. Her sister must have thought Earth Alliances is right. Smiling bitterly, Archangel recalled the days she put her crew's lives and hers just for the Earth Alliance.
Those days are far gone, the betrayal still fresh in her mind. It didn't hurt anymore; that part had became numb some time ago.
But not for Dominion. She was still young; she had yet to see the dark side of the Earth Alliances.
'No,' Archangel's was determined, 'I am no fool. They destroyed our trust. They are wrong.' Since she joined, she hadn't doubt the Triple Ship Alliance's goals. Gone were the days when Archangel was a naive, young ship who believed that whenever she killed, it was for a good cause, to win the war.
It made Archangel felt horrible to think that she had once fought for a 'blue and pure world', despite not knowing that she did.
As soon as Natarle cut off communications with them, the chaos descended upon them. Dominion sent out her three pilots, unknown to them, the black-ship wished them good luck, loud and clear. It was a sincere wish, the two out of the Triple Ship Alliance' ships could see that.
The angel-named ship felt Freedom, Justice, Strike and Buster launching out of her. The battle has officially started.
It was really terrifying, this battle.
Even with Kusanagi protecting her back, Archangel felt a chill running through her. Maybe it were the debris floating about the battlefield, but the angel-named ship felt like something bad was going to happen.
She eyed Dominion as Natarle ordered for some missiles to be launched. To Murrue and Archangel's confusion, the missiles weren't heading towards her. The two of them didn't have time to figure out things, because directly after the missiles went out of sight, Kusanagi let out a yelp.
The poor Orb Ship was tangled in a long, metal chain, other pieces of rubble floating around him. He was stuck tight, with no way out. Kusanagi spluttered, pushing his engines as much as he could, but nothing happened.
Archangel's heart skipped a beat when the Forbidden Gundam turned around and attempted to attack one of the Astray girls, or as Kusanagi affectionately had nicknamed them, one of his three guardian angels. Asagi was there, trying to cut the metal chain off Kusanagi, and he did look fidgety.
"Asagi!" Kusanagi had screamed, trying to warn her to get away. He looked panicked, which quickly turn to relief as Justice Gundam stopped the Forbidden Gundam. Athrun did not realize that, other than Asagi, someone else thanked him for saving her life. Kusanagi murmured his thanks, before focusing on the three Astray pilots once more.
Perhaps, it was the lack of her concentration that nearly got Archangel killed. By the time she returned her attention to the battlefield from Kusanagi, only did she and Murrue realized what Natarle was up to. Dominion shot Archangel with her Gottfried cannons, a reluctant look on the younger ship's face. Struggling, Archangel avoided it, only to go into the line of fire by the earlier missiles that Dominion had shot out.
It was a trap. And Archangel fell right into it.
Her eyes was wide, fear gripped her. Never had Archangel met such a formidable opponent.
It couldn't be. They couldn't die here.
Thank all the gods above when Kira intercepted all the missiles in his Freedom Gundam, destroying all of them before reaching her. He missed some though, and the missiles hit her side.
Archangel winced. It hurts!
One of her Gottfried cannons is totally gone, so is one of her Valiants. Archangel checked herself, and was appalled to see the damage. If this goes on, she would definitely fall in this battle. The angel-named ship eyed Kira, her guardian angel.
Dominion was attacking him, and Archangel did not like that fact one bit.
"Dominion, stop it!" she screamed, "Don't attack him!"
"If I stop, he will attack me!" Dominion replied, fear in her voice, "Besides, I can't disobey an order!"
Archangel gritted her teeth, and suddenly, her radar picked up something. To her dismay, it was some Zaft ships. From the look of it, they had been there for a while. The angel-named ship picked out one ship from among the rest, a look of exhaustion and frustration on her face at the sight of it. The Vesalius grinned at her.
"You again," Archangel said wearily. Now, how could this day get any more worse?
"Me," Vesalius acknowledged, "You are very attractive, anyone would follow you." The angel-named ship had stared at him, not sure what to make of that sentence. Vesalius was as odd as his captain, if what Mwu said about Rau could be trusted.
"Sister Archangel!"
Archangel looked back, and Vesalius raised an eyebrow. "Now looks who is here, the little Zaft runaway," the Zaft ship taunted. Eternal ignored him, taking her position.
"Why are you here?" Archangel asked Eternal, confused. "Fight, of course, I can't just stay there and do nothing," Eternal replied, preparing her weapons.
Before Archangel could say anything, she was pulled into another close combat with Dominion.
"Who is she?" Dominion asked, referring to Eternal, her voice filled with envy. It was as though as she did not like someone else calling Archangel her sister, which was Dominion's right. "Eternal, a close friend," Archangel replied, feeling a little amused despite the fact she was losing pretty badly.
A shot from Kusanagi stopped the conversation between them. The Orb ship was finally out, and the happy look on his face practically indicates that Kusanagi was very, very glad to be free again.
Outnumbered, Dominion frowned, an upset look on her face. The retreat flares were shot out.
"Sister," the black, Earth Alliance ship mumbled, "Come back."
Archangel shook her head. "I won't," was her reply.
And Dominion retreated, still looking hopeful.
Archangel and Murrue eyed as Dominion flew off, both looking sad and regretful.
Why was destiny so cruel, to put Dominion and Natarle on the other side of the battlefield?
The second time Archangel met Dominion, it was in the same place, the Mendel Colony. Really, it wasn't very long since Archangel last saw her sister.
It was almost as if fate was mocking them, asking them to meet over and over again, when both knew they are going to probably fight to death in the battlefield.
It broke Archangel's heart to see Dominion's hopeful face. The young, black ship is still holding on to the belief that Archangel would join her soon. The angel-named ship, however, knows that that is not something she would do.
Behind Archangel were Kusanagi and Eternal, who, unlike her, looks determined to end this battle quickly. They didn't know that she was lonely, Archangel never told them. They probably didn't know that Dominion is her only sister. It made the angel-named ship feel bitter towards them for a while.
Kusanagi wasn't lonely, and Archangel was sure that Eternal wasn't either. Unlike her, they didn't have to run away on their maiden voyage or anything like that.
Her distraction and bitterness was her own enemy. While she was being so distracted, Dominion herself had successfully injured her badly, the shock pulling Archangel back to reality. The white ship was disappointed with herself. Her daydream had nearly got them all killed.
"Please sister," Dominion voiced out, "Please, come back."
"Don't do it Archangel!" Kusanagi warned, cutting of any reply from the angel-named ship, "Don't do it."
"Don't control her!" Dominion uncharacteristically snapped at Kusanagi, looking angry, "You all did this to her!"
"We didn't do anything!" Kusanagi argued back, "We ju-"
"Kusanagi, please," Archangel cut him off with a weary sigh, "Do you trust me that little? Besides, my life is to Mother and my crew." She looked at Dominion, and shook her head slowly. "I will never go with you," the angel-named ship replied gently, "I am not misguided, Dominion."
A look crossed Dominion's face, and she looked pained. It was as if she just realized how futile her attempts were. "I won't stop trying," the young black ship whispered, "I won't."
"I won't stop denying then," Archangel turned away, "I am sorry." Then, a thought struck her. It was hopeful, odd even but if it worked...
"Why don't you join us instead, Dominion?" the angel-named ship asked, attempting a smile to encourage her younger sister.
Dominion looked at her in disbelief. "My loyalty is to the Earth Alliance, our home," Dominion firmly replied, her look indicating that she truly believes that with all her heart. It pained Archangel.
Dominion had not seen what is wrong. Or was Archangel wrong instead?
At this point, Archangel doubted her own decision, unlike Murrue, who was already firm with hers.
Were they wrong? Or were they right? Which side was right?
"We will win this war," Dominion's tone turn gentle, as though as sensing Archangel's distress, "Come back, sister."
That did it.
That sentence made Archangel remember why she defected, and why she thinks this was right.
"No," Archangel met Dominion's look with her own, firm stare, "We don't plan to win this war. We plan to end it."
The two sister's conversation was cut off with Eternal's warning that they are breaking through the Zaft fleet to get away.
Painfully, Archangel broke from Dominion's rejected gaze. When she turned aside and joined Kusanagi and Eternal, tears fell. Some partly because of Vesalius' death, an odd kind of empty feeling. Some partly because of the deed she had just committed.
That night, Archangel cried softly, trying to live with the fact she had just rejected her only real family.
The third time Archangel met Dominion was a tragedy. By then, both of them have kind of accepted that it would be awfully difficult to convince either one of them to change sides. They are still trying, but the hopeful feeling was being drained out fast.
And now, Archangel wasn't sure whether to be more horrified or more despair.
Behind her, Eternal and Kusanagi is equally outraged. Inside her, Mother Murrue and her crew is staring at the destruction with wide eyes and aghast looks.
Nuclear missiles.
Earth Alliance used nuclear missiles, again.
How did they manage to overcome the Nuclear Jammer technology was a mystery to all of them.
Eternal cried, for Earth Alliance had launched those missiles on her home. Kusanagi gritted his teeth, anger wracking throughout him. He was probably reminded how Earth Alliance had destroyed his home.
Archangel was troubled. Guilt and shock filled her.
After all, it was her sister who had led the nuclear-launching fleet.
The angel-named ship had met Dominion one on one. She, Kusanagi and Eternal were scattered, each in different places, assigned with different jobs. Theirs had something to do with stopping Genesis.
Hers was to stop Dominion.
In the battle, Archangel was too bitter to talk to Dominion, ignoring her although the younger ship pinged her countless of times. No, the angel-named ship was still trying to get over the fact that it was her sister who led the fleet to launch the nuclear weapons.
'It wasn't her,' Archangel reasoned, 'It was her captain's orders.' The fact that Natarle was Dominion's captain made her more dismayed than ever. It didn't make the situation better. It made it worse.
A yelp from Dominion made Archangel looked up. Her sister had an odd agitated look on her face, looking quite scared and hurt.
"What happened?" the angel-named ship asked, forgetting she was bitter for a moment.
"Master Azrael shot Captain Natarle!" Dominion's eyes were wide in fear, "Help! Please sister, my captain is hurting!"
"What?" Archangel accessed Dominion's camera, just in time to see a young, yellow-haired man with a mad look on his face shooting Natarle on her shoulder. The angel-named ship screamed along with Natarle, horrified.
How dare that no good man shoots her second mother?
Natarle was also like a mother to her, stern and full of discipline, although that fire was slowly dimming in the woman's eyes. She looked like she is half-dead already.
From another camera, Archangel noticed Mwu coming back, most likely hurt. She felt one of her hangar opened, presumably to let him dock. She hoped he wasn't too injured.
A yell from Dominion turn her attention back to her sister's bridge. That useless, evil guy was pressing something, and it took a moment for Archangel to register.
Dominion's next warning just confirmed her thoughts.
"SISTER, MOVE ASIDE!"
Archangel switched back to her own camera, and was paralyzed in fear as the Lohengrin's blast headed towards her bridge.
Had they failed?
Archangel closed her eyes, waiting for the impending blast. She couldn't protect her own crew. Maybe the Earth Alliance was right. She was a failure after all...She wasn't worth it.
Wait...
The angel-named ship opened her eyes, half wondering why the blast never hit her. She was met with the sight of Strike, protecting her from the blast.
Strike...
Mwu...
"MWU!" Archangel screamed along with Murrue, dread and terror filling her as Strike exploded right in front of them, before the smoke cleared. Nothing except pieces of what used to be a Gundam was left, debris floating around.
Eyes wide, tears ran down her cheeks. Archangel wailed for the man who had protected her ever since the first day he docked on her. She cried for his death, Murrue's pain, and her own pain. Silence dominated the battlefield, only soft sobbing could be heard.
That was too much.
"How dare you," Archangel murmured, "HOW DARE YOU!" She could see Dominion visibly flinched at her tone, guilt and regret on her face. It was as though Dominion could see that Archangel had lost something too important, and what Dominion had done just destroyed that important something, or someone, bringing her to the point of no forgiveness.
"Sister," Dominion sobbed, tears welling up, "I am sorry, I am so sorry..."
But Archangel couldn't hear her apologies anymore. Loathe filled her, and the angel-named ship could only see red. She could feel the similar emotions from Mother Murrue, who looked rather angry and revengeful herself. Natarle and Dominion didn't seem to look like their family anymore...
Murrue activated her Lohengrin, which Archangel was just too happy to comply. She aimed the powerful cannon towards Dominion, making sure not to miss.
Dominion's eyes widened at the sight, before understanding dawned on her face. It was like she accepted her fate, and guilt was still evident in the younger ship's eyes.
"Do it," the black ship mumbled, loud enough for Archangel to hear, "Do it, but forgive me."
Archangel didn't hesitate when the Lohegrin fired, the blast heading towards Dominion's bridge. The younger ship collapse in an instance, exploding in many different places at once.
"Sister, I love you."
The angel-named ship froze, hearing Dominion's last sentence, before a bigger explosion enveloped the younger ship. When the explosion cleared, all was left was the debris of her sister, almost alike to the Strike's destruction.
Something inside Archangel's mind cleared.
She had just killed Dominion.
She killed her own sister out of revenge, her only real family.
The angel-named ship screamed, her voice echoing only to the ships nearby, her voice full of pain and anger, but not heard by humans.
She was tired of war, tired of what it took from her.
Tired of being alone.
Death.
Archangel looked up to the ceiling of the hangar above her, her hologram in a relaxed, lying down posture. With a grim smile on her lips, she sat up, clasping her hand together in a praying position. In war, death was a daily occurrence. Most died because they happen to be at the wrong end of the gun, and their enemy pulled the trigger without a second thought...
Death...
It took her sister and her second mother away from her.
The angel-named ship frowned, guilt and sadness apparent on her face. Archangel sighed, remorse and regret filling her. She closed her eyes and prayed.
Archangel prayed for forgiveness, from both Mother Natarle and Dominion.
After all, she was the one who pulled the trigger.
Latias 24 ;; It felt like a really long time since I updated this, I am so sorry! On the other hand, I am feeling rather giddy right now. There is this magazine in my country, Arena Komik, a quite famous anime magazine. I flicked through the magazine today, and they had the top ten favorite anime girls. Taking number 1 place is Cagalli, second being Lacus! Great to know Gundam Seed had not really died out after all, even if it is just in my country. I am going to try getting the last issue, which apparently had the guys poll in it. I think Kira and Athrun shouldl be getting a place. :D
