A/N: within 2 days of updating the story, the reviews had grown very fast! Thank you!
Well, I had a busy and I mean, real busy month. Let's see, I'd my prelims. And the main exams are coming soon. Had lots of chapters to study. Having writer's block. Been down with flu for about a week.
Wow!
Anyway, this time round, I'm not going to write responds to all. I'll just thank you briefly in this chapter. That's because I'm afraid of fanfiction doing anything to my stories.
I'll try to reply to all the reviews in the upcoming reviews. (What the heck am I talking about? Bad English! (Hit myself)) Anyway, I'll just try some ways to reply to you guys!
Well, I want to thank:
IYGU
Bastion the legend (I don't care if u hate evil people! If you don't like my story, then don't read it! You got a problem with me?)
Cari-AKira
Cagalli Yula Atha
Dasukiasu'n'caga
Meowmeowtheblackcat (Thanks for pointing out my mistakes!)
Sacredblade
Kazumi kairi or kairi-chan
Now enjoy the story!
Chapter 10: Silent Night?
Luna stood at the corner of the corridor where Cagalli's room was. She had overheard the conversation of Athrun and Cagalli. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop but the topic that they were talking interested her.
However, as soon as she heard the reason of Cagalli rejecting Athrun was for Meryin, she was fumed. Luna had told Meryin about Cagalli's feelings towards Athrun. Why did she still go ahead to confess to Athrun of her feelings?
It hurt the two. The two who were in love with one another.
Luna, right away, headed towards Meryin's room. She slammed the door open. Meryin was in the mist of cleaning up her room, was shocked to see Luna. She smiled at her while Luna glared at her.
"Luna? What's up?" Meryin asked. It seems to her, her sister was angry. And why? She did not know yet.
"Did you tell Athrun your feelings for him?" Luna asked. Meryin's eyes opened widely and nodded her head. Luna had knew about her feelings to Athrun?
"Did you know that Cagalli heard your confession and now she is crying?" Luna asked as tears started to form in her eyes. "You should have seen it yourself at the river accident. And the demon kidnapping Stellar. You should have saw that Athrun liked Cagalli! Why did you still…?"
"THEN WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO? SEE THE ONE THAT I LOVED LEAVE ME AGAIN?" Meryin shouted loudly. Tears had fallen from her eyes. Luna looked at Meryin in shock.
"I'VE LOST TO CAGALLI ONCE AND WHAT AM I TO DO THIS TIME? Let Athrun…become Cagalli's…again?" Meryin's voice slowly turned softer. Her sadness was taking over her.
"I don't want…the past to repeat itself again! I don't want to…lose Athrun like how I lost Rey…" after saying, Meryin fell onto the ground and sob. Luna looked at her and looked sadly at Meryin.
…Rey…
"Athrun?" called Kira as he entered their room. No one was there.
It had been a while since Athrun was last saw with Cagalli. No matter how Kira had gone about in the village, he just could not find Athrun.
"Kira?" Lacus called as she looked at Kira. "Have you found him?"
Kira shook his head with his head down and eyes covered by his hair.
Lacus sighed and laid her hand on Kira's shoulder to assure him that Athrun would be fine, no matter what happens.
'A friend?' Athrun thought as he laid down by the riverbed that Cagalli had fallen into the previous time.
Dry tear tracks could be seen on Athrun's face. He had cried outside of Cagalli's room till he heard her moving the food tray in the room. Not wanting her to see such a depressed him, he went out of Impulse Inn and headed where his instinct told to go.
When he was back to the reality, he found out that his feet had brought him to the river.
…Cagalli…
From what she heard from Shinn, Athrun had gone missing after sending her food. Cagalli lay in bed thinking where could he be. She frowned and tried to sleep. She should not be thinking of this. She should thinking of how she would help Meryin to be with Athrun. However again, the thought of Meryin in Athrun's arms hurt her heart again. An arrow seemed to have been shot into her heart. It hurt her so much.
Cagalli tried to remind herself that she is a miko and Athrun is a normal man. He would not want to be with a miko. A miko who possess such scary power and one who holds a past that haunts her till this very day. The past must never be repeated!
But!
She just loves Athrun so much. She wants to be in his arms and feel his warmth.
…Athrun…
"Is Meryin all right?" Shinn asked later at night.
Everyone had returned to his or her rooms to rest. However, Athrun was still not in sight. Kira had thought that it's best that Athrun is to be left alone for now.
"Yeah." Luna said as she lays the futon on the tatami mat. She sighed. Meryin still had not been released from the past that everyone now fears.
"Seems like Rey had never left her?" Shinn asked as he sat down next to Luna. "Even Cagalli had gone over it. However that was because Cagalli had never thought Rey more as a friend."
"I know. But it's too hard for Meryin."
…Meryin…
The very next day, Athrun returned to the inn. He still had a smile on him though Kira and Lacus saw through it. Athrun is forcing himself to smile. Lacus tried to talk to Athrun but Athrun acted as if nothing had happened.
Kira and Lacus could not bear to see their best friend behaving this way but Athrun refused to open his heart to anyone. To Lacus, it seemed like Athrun had locked himself up in his heart, not allowing anyone to touch him. Lacus knew only one could save Athrun now but she might not be willing to.
Not knowing what to do, Kira and Lacus just acted along with Athrun.
After a few days, Cagalli was all well. She could move about finally after having to stay in bed that long. The first thing Cagalli did was head towards 'Yzak Jule, Anger rule forever!' Inn. She needed to save Stellar. Having Stellar being taken care by that two, it's too dangerous.
"STELLAR!" Cagalli shouted as she slammed opened the door.
Cagalli quickly stomped to Shiho's room and there she saw Stellar!
In a bright pink kimono? Her hair was tied in red ribbons?
Cagalli's eyes almost popped out! What had happened to Stellar again? Stellar stared at Cagalli for a moment then quickly fled towards her and started crying.
"SHIHO!" scolded Cagalli. "WHY DID YOU DO TO STELLAR AGAIN? WHY IS SHE DRESSED IN THIS WAY?"
"Stop your yelling, Cagalli." Shiho quickly puts a hand on Cagalli's mouth.
"You'll scare all our customers away." Yzak enters the room after hearing Cagalli's voice.
"Look at Stellar! I mean, why is she dressed in this way?" Cagalli exclaimed, as she took off the ribbons on Stellar.
"She looks perfectly beautiful!" Shiho said.
"Get these things off her NOW!" Cagalli commanded.
"Now, Stellar's back to normal!" Cagalli cheered as she looked at the normal Stellar who is wearing a light blue kimono AND with nothing on her hair.
Shiho and Yzak, after hearing the way Cagalli commanded them, changed Stellar back to normal.
"Cagalli," Yzak said. "Have you heard of the recent rumors?"
"No, why?" Cagalli asked as she smiled at the normal looking Stellar.
"It's said that there're demons lurking in the dark forest." Explained Shiho.
"Demons?" Cagalli raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah." Shiho continued. "I mean the village head had came looking for you to solve the problem. But we told him that you were ill. So…"
Cagalli stood up, holding onto Stellar's hand. "Then I must get going now."
"But Cagalli, you had just recovered from the injuries you inflicted." Shiho complained.
"I'm fine already." Cagalli assured Shiho then looked at Stellar. "Stellar, head for the Impulse Inn. Luna would take good care of you."
"Athrun! Kira!" Luna shouted as she runs along the corridor. Kira, hearing his name being called, opened his door.
"Luna?" Kira asked. "What's up?"
"Cagalli!" Luna exclaimed.
Athrun's heart did a flip-flop after hearing her name. He was still sad, still bleeding in his heart. Cagalli, the one he liked, rejected him.
"Cagalli had just recovered. And guess what's she going to do next? Get rid another batch of demons!" Luna explained quickly.
"I'm sure her body wouldn't be able to take the pressure then." Lacus said as she entered the room.
"That's why! Please! The both of you, go stop her!" Luna pleaded. She got no one to turn to. Yzak and Dereka had their own affairs to handle.
"…But…" said Kira as he looked at Athrun. Athrun was looking down on the ground. He didn't know what to do. A part of him told him to go now to save her, save the one he loved. But another of him is stopping him.
"I'll not go." Athrun said as he looked out of the window to the bustling street.
"Athrun!" Luna shouted.
"Sorry, Luna. But I won't go." Athrun apologized.
"I'd no one to turn to but you. And you're refusing it? You don't care about Cagalli?" Luna asked Athrun. She is in a confusion state now. Luna did not know what to do to save Cagalli.
"Please, leave." Athrun continued.
"We're talking about Cagalli here! Not just anyone! Isn't Cagalli important to you?"
"Luna, please relax." Lacus tried to calm Luna's anger but was in no vain.
"Don't you like Cagalli? If you don't, why did you bother to run to her when she's in danger?" Luna's emotion was getting out of control. She could no longer hold it any longer. Tears gathered in her eyes.
"Athrun!" shouted Luna. Athrun immediately stood up and grabbed his sword.
"Where is she?" Athrun asked.
Luna looked up at him and smiled. "The dark forest. You'd better be quick. She'd gone off about an hour ago."
Athrun ran out of the room and inn. He needed to save her. No matter what was going to happen, he knew that he wanted to save her. At least, if his love was not answered, he wanted to stay by Cagalli's side, protecting her.
"Thanks, Luna." Kira said as he looked at the smiling Luna. "Finally, Athrun is well again, in a sense or so."
"Well, no one could bear to see him behaving this way. Even Yzak couldn't take it." Said Luna as she regains her posture and left the room.
"Now, we could only leave it to fate." Said Lacus as she heads towards Kira. Kira hugged her and kissed Lacus's forehead.
"I'm sure fate would not be that cruel to them."
"The forest is sure as dark as ever." Said Cagalli as she tries to push away some bushes, hindering her.
She could sense the demon but where? She couldn't see at all. Cagalli continued walking till suddenly…
She fell into a hole? Oh dear, it seemed like these demons were clever to dig a hole to trap Cagalli in there.
Cagalli stood up, trying to climb out of the hole. But it was too slippery.
"Now, what am I supposed to do?" Cagalli sat down on the ground, thinking.
Soon, thunder could be heard from afar.
"Must you do this to me?" Cagalli complained as raindrops fell from heaven.
"Cagalli!" shouted Athrun as he tried to make his way through the thick bushes. No reply was heard for his shouting. Athrun worries even more. Had something happened to Cagalli?
Just as he was about to continue walking, he saw a hole, a huge one. One that is able to contain someone in there. A trap? But set by whom? He headed towards it. The rain had somehow blurred his vision however he could make out that a blond was lying in there.
Blond?
…Cagalli…
Athrun had saved Cagalli out of the hole with not much help. With the rain and the muddy ground, what could you expect?
Nature was not helping him.
Athrun had to slide down the muddy ground into the hole. When he was in, he quickly held Cagalli up, piggybacking her. He held her tight and climbed up the hole. But the soil was all muddy and loose. Athrun kept on slipping down into the hole more as he tried to climb up.
After a long time, Athrun decided to use his sword and tried to climb up with it as support. Finally, he got out. However, Cagalli was still unconscious.
"Cagalli!" Athrun called as he tries to awake Cagalli.
He looked around and saw a cave. Having no choice, he carried Cagalli up again and headed towards the cave. The thunderstorm was still going on and Cagalli was wet. Athrun didn't know what to do. He looked around to see if there was any dry wood sticks to make fire.
…None…
No wood stick. Athrun sighed.
"Cagalli, come here!" the call continued. However, Cagalli could not see anyone.
"Baka! Can't you see me?" the voice asked. "I'm right below you!"
Cagalli looked down and saw a blond man's hand holding onto her legs. He was covered in blood.
"Cagalli! I've told you that I'll love you forever. I'll look at you forever. Protect you, and only you."
"…Rey…" Cagalli shivered as she said the name.
"Cagalli, come to me!"
"NOOOO!"
"NOOOOO!" Cagalli shouted as she sat upright. The already comfortably slept Athrun, hearing Cagalli's shouts, quickly snapped opened his eyes.
"No. Leave me alone!" Cagalli murmured.
"Cagalli, calm down," Athrun said as he looked at the trembling Cagalli.
Cagalli calm down and looked at Athrun. Her eyes were filled with tears and fear. Athrun looked at Cagalli in despair. He did not know what to do to console her. Even more, he did not know what had happened to Cagalli that made her feared this much.
Cagalli looked at Athrun. She did not know why but just looking at him made her feel secure. However, she needed more of this secure.
Out of the sudden, Cagalli hugged Athrun, her hands forming a chain round his neck. Athrun blushed right away. Doesn't Cagalli know about his feelings towards her? Why is she doing this? Athrun could feel that he is losing control of himself as time goes by. He tries to push Cagalli away.
"Please!" Cagalli begged. "Please don't push me away,"
Athrun's eyes soften. Cagalli must have dreamt about something bad. Athrun wrapped his arms round Cagalli, holding her tightly.
"It's going to be fine," Athrun, said as he stroke Cagalli's hair softly. "Everything is going to be fine,"
"Luna," Shinn called as he enters their room.
"Yes?"
"Are you sure that there's no need for the guys to go get Cagalli? I mean in this kind of weather…"
"She'll be fine, Shinn." Luna ensured Shinn. "She'll be fine,"
"Kira?" Lacus called as she looked up from her books.
"Yes, Lacus?"
"Are they going to be all right?"
"Of course. They'll be all right. After all, Athrun is a prince and a prince is always there to save a damsel in need." Kira said in a joking manner. However, this joke made him earn a glare from Lacus.
"What did I do?"
After crying for some time, Cagalli had finally calm down and fallen asleep in Athrun's arms.
Athrun looked at her and smiled slightly. However, the image of her crying just a moment ago made him frowned again. What had made Cagalli so afraid of? And why? He wanted answers.
He looked at Cagalli once again. Sure, he wanted answers. But it would hurt her more. So, for now, he shall keep quiet, listening to the thunder drumming outside and enjoying the moments he has now with Cagalli.
A/N: Well, this is all for chapter 10. I know it's kind of confusing with so many POVs right in the front. Forgive me for it.
Well, who in the heck is Rey in this story? Meryin's ex? Or what? Who knows?
Well, do enjoy this chapter! And remember to review!
And look out for Losing you? And HI-ME?
That's all folks!
Remember to review!
Hikaru1989