Chapter 11: Little mermaid
The midday sun was shining brightly in the sky, and reflected off the sea water; causing the waves to form a series of shimmering rapids. A cool, humid breeze blew past, tasting faintly of salt. The weather was nice, the surroundings was nice, but Athrun Zala wasn't happy today. And there were two reasons, firstly because he didn't like beaches; it was a place he associates with not-so-nice memories. One linked to a school trip to one on their moon base school grounds, where he met something soft but nasty in the water; and it left him a little present that itched like crazy for the next three days. But here he found himself once again at another beach, this time on earth.
The second reason however, was more complicated. Cagalli had been avoiding him ever since the little aquarium incident. Ramius had later informed him that it is best not to keep anything other than humans alive onboard and they had release the creatures back to the wild. But the thing that bothered him was the fact that Cagalli had been avoiding him, almost ignoring him. He couldn't tell whether she was angry or that she didn't like the present. Either ways, he knew he didn't like to be ignored…especially by her. Things like this usually don't affect him, but it just seemed terribly important that Cagalli…was feeling what he felt towards her.
One hand reached to rummage through his hair in frustration as his eyes scanned the surroundings emotionlessly; Lacus and Kira were playing in the water, splashing around under the sun as if they were little elementary school children. Dearka and Miria were trying to kill each other- as usual. Most of the other crew members were in Bermudas and swim wear of sorts, engaged in a rule-less game of volleyball while Ramius and Mwu had chosen to stay on board.
"Heads up!" He heard a familiar voice yelled and he turned towards the origin of the voice, just in time to see Dearka leaping into the air to spike the ball downwards with a quick vicious stroke…straight into his face. His emerald green eyes widened as he realized the assault was coming towards him and he instinctively stretched out his hand to block the attack. The ball smacked snugly into his palm but a spray of sand flew at him still.
"Sorry, pal!" Dearka apologized as she came towards him, "But you could have helped me a little more…"
"I what?" He replied testily as he wiped the hot grainy, sand off his cheeks.
"You know, you could have not caught the ball and let me seem more…heroic… in front of Miria." He continued indifferently in a low voice.
"Oh, I supposed to get smacked in the face by a beach ball for some idiot to look good in front of his girl!"
"Not so loud!" Dearka reprimanded him as he cupped a hand over Athrun's mouth. Sai shouted from within the court and asked Dearka, "Hey! You coming to play? We need the ball!"
Dearka nodded and he turned to Athrun and whispered, "I know your little problem with the princess…and I guess I owe you one for smacking the ball in your face…I have a plan…"
"Wait a minute, what problem?" Athrun denied quickly, "And I'm not about to agree to some idiotic concoction of yours…" Dearka pulled Athrun by the collar and hissed, "You want a chance to patch up with little princess, don't you?"
That definitely got Athrun's attention, and he nodded grudgingly.
"You take my place and go join Cagalli's team. When she isn't looking I'll throw something at her, and you get to act hero by saving her." Dearka uttered gleefully, and Athrun's eyes widened as he opened his mouth to disagree to the plan. But Dearka was growing impatient and tried to persuade him, "Hey, I sticking my neck out for your happiness! You want her, right?"
"Are you gonna come back with the ball or do you want me to go there and wring your neck!" Cagalli yelled as she bent forward and panted, giving Athrun a very good view of her cleavage…Athrun gasped involuntarily as he blushed, trying to hide his face in the shade of the umbrella. Dearka demanded cheekily, "Right?"
Five seconds later Athrun's on the field, and he tensed his muscles, waiting for the execution of Dearka's so-called plan. "Athrun, CATCH!" Cagalli shouted, and Athrun went forward to spike down a ball that's just coming over the net…After a few minutes he was so caught up in the momentum of the game that he forgot about Dearka's plan altogether.
And when he checked, he saw that Dearka had gone missing, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Happy knowing that no one will be tossing anything at Cagalli… Seeing the ball flying high, he gave in to this excitement and adrenaline, he dug his bare feet into the hot sand and made a full leap into the air; then he smashed the ball down with all his considerable might…
Cagalli gazed at the guy executing a spike with accuracy and grace, wondering if all coordinators are capable of such an elegant stroke. And the ball bounced hard off the opposite court and landed in the water. Absentmindedly she volunteered to go pick it up, grabbing the chance to stay away from him.
She had been trying to avoid him…because she couldn't forgive herself for grossly misunderstanding him and Lacus. His gesture was so sweet and innocent, and all she did was to jump to conclusion and laid all the blame on him before the poor guy had the chance to defend himself. She felt utterly despicable…
She watched as he recovered from the jump and wiped the sweat off his brow with his shirt, he was laughing heartily and the sound nearly took all her breath away. He hardly laughs, and he is even more charming when he does… And it occurred to her, that she wanted to hear him laugh more often…she wanted him on their side, she wanted him safe from Patrick Zala and his maniacal ideals…
"Cagalli!" He called, which caused her to snap out of her trance momentarily and before she could turn around to respond. Something smashed into the back of her head and she fell forward into the water with a surprised gasp, and unavoidably inhaled a lungful of saltwater…
The next part was a blur of eerie blue bubbles and being hurled around like a sack of potatoes. She knew nothing except that one moment she was feeling cold and weak, but the next someone's strong arm wrapped securely about her waist and dragged her upwards. And later she felt someone's lips pressing on hers, blowing warm air into her lungs. Lethargically, she cracked open one eye, then the other, curious to find out who was her rescuer…and the only thing that came into focus…were a pair of emerald green eyes. She jerked upright at the revelation and she gasped as her eyes focused on the familiar and handsome face. "A…Athrun!"
He was leaning over her and smiled ever so sweetly at the mention of his name, but did not say anything as Cagalli stuttered, "How'd you…? You can swim! OH! I mean, of course you can swim…" and at that Athrun beamed proudly and something flicked, catching Cagalli's attention immediately. It was a ruby-red fish tail, glittering with rounded scales… and it was Athrun's…Cagalli's honey-coloured eyes widened as Athrun flicked his tail again, her gaze followed the movement, trying to digest what was happening. The surroundings were the same, Athrun was the same. The only difference was that it was night time and no one else was around to see what Cagalli was seeing. Her eyes examined him from top to toe (He didn't have toes, only a tail…), and her eyes trailed from his bare upper body, to his waist where the pigmentation intensified and the colour gradient from pale beige to a lustrous shade of red…
Athrun had become a merman!
Before she could say anything, Miria called her from behind, "Princess Cagalli!" Alarmed, Athrun swiftly leaped into the water and disappeared with barely a few ripples. "HEY!" She screamed, "Come back, why are you so scared of Miria! Come back…!"
"Who were you talking to?" Miria asked, as if mystified and worried Cagalli were seeing things.
"Athrun, he just ran away when you came…"
"Who what-room?" she asked, now convinced Cagalli was seeing things.
"Athrun! You can't possibly forget the guy who killed your boyfriend!" she insisted.
"A guy, you sure?"
"Well, not really, he has a tail now…"
"A tail? He? You're a really bad liar, you know mermaids don't exist!" Miria replied with a smile as something leaped up from the water like a dolphin and arched in the moonlight before splashing back down. Miria's mouth fell open as Dearka the blonde merman approached them and declared, "Roses are red, violets are blue…the moon is beautiful, and so are you!" he held out a hand towards Miria. She looked at him hesitantly as she gingerly replied, "Erm thanks…but no thanks. I don't like things with tails, the only ones I see are on the dinner table."
"You hurt my feelings…" Dearka replied dejected as he withdrew his hand, his lip quivering dramatically.
"See if I care…" Miria said unrepentantly, " I need your help though…You know this Art-ruin? Your species…" Dearka narrowed his eyes and replied suspiciously, "I do. So?"
"I want to find him." Cagalli supplied the answer, she knew it was a dream, a really bad one that seemed like a joke, but she still wanted to see Athrun…it was remotely interesting to see him with a tail.
"A human looking for him…!" Dearka asked incredulously, "Wait till the king hears about this…he'll be hopping mad!"
"I don't care who's the stupid King!"
"When he's mad he's crazy!" Dearka insisted, "And when he's crazy he will destroy the human world…"
"Help!", this time it was Lacus's voice interrupting Dearka's claims, or rather the mermaid version of her… She swam rapidly towards the party by flicking her pink tail as she called to Dearka, "We need to get back and help!"
"What happened!" Cagalli asked.
"Well…" She replied hesitantly, "Athrun went back and told the King he doesn't wanna marry me because he's met a special human!…I was so happy that I can be together with Kira that I forgot how mad the king can become. Now he is trying to destroy the human world…only the prince could talk some sense into his and he's been locked up, Kira's been trying to get him out…"
"Let's go." Cagalli agreed immediately, delirious that Athrun had termed her special. She dove into the water, barely hearing Miria's faint protest, "But you can't breathe in water…!" But Cagalli was already fully submerged in the saltwater now, she could feel tightness wrap about her as she dare not draw breath in the water…If she couldn't breathe, she cannot save Athrun… Insistently, she told herself that if everything was only a dream, everything is not real and completely within her control, even the water. Bracing herself and trying to calm her palpitating heart, she closed her eyes as she told herself over and over… It will be alright, it will be alright…I can if I believe, and I must believe! Athrun did so much for he and all I can do is to leave him in the lurch when he's in trouble, and all that is stopping me is a few metric tones of lousy seawater. Com'on Cagalli, you can do it!
And with that she drew a deep, long breath…and miraculously sensed no discomfort in doing so. It worked! I'm breathing in water! She thought gleefully as she motioned for Lacus to lead the way… Lacus took her wrist and led her into the depths of the sea. And soon, coming to greet her were a dozen or so nazca class ships covered with seaweed and a legion of goufs, followed by –of course- Patrick Zala, looking every bit as sinister and evil as he did when she first saw him on TV and carrying a three-prong weapon hooked at the end, every bit as wicked as he was.
Cagalli decided that if she was going to dream of Athrun as a damsel in distress, she would have to fight with style and she started wishing very, very hard that she had something to fight back with. Her prayers were answere instantaneously as ships resembling the Kusanagi and the Archangel zipped past her and started blasting, followed by a bunch of M1 strike rouges.
"Charge!" she ordered enthusiastically as she went forward, grabbing a bazooka from Dearka and fired a shot that landed next to the king… "How'd you like that, you freaky old man?"
Kira the blue mermaid suddenly appeared at her side and joined in the fight, quickly saying, "I've freed Athrun…"
Athrun was smiling as he swam towards them wordlessly, fighting along side Kira. They were quickly engaged in the battle and Patrick Zala was more furious than ever, he must have known that his army was losing even in terms of numbers and with one last strangled cry. He raised his golden trident and plunged it towards Cagalli…Before Archangel's main cannon blasted him into oblivion.
Cagalli too, couldn't react in time to get clear of the assault. She closed her eyes in fear as she curled up in defense, silently hoping nothing will happen to her…
Nothing did happen to her, and when she reopened her eyes when someone collapsed in her arms, and she gasped when she saw his midnight blue hair…and the length of the weapon stuck out from his back, where the three prongs of the trident had pierced deep into his body…and blood floated eerily in red threads all around her. Her hands wrapped tightly about the limp form as he sagged heavily against her, trying to shield him from further harm. Her eyes widened in dread as her mind tried in vain to register what her brain was telling her…A dull thought echoed numbly in her heart…He had saved my life…he exchanged his life for my safety…and now…
"Athrun?" she called out to him, her voice trembling violently, she shifted him such that he could see his face. His eyes were closed, and his expression was peaceful and no breath escaped his lips, and it pained Cagalli in a small odd way to realize that…He's dying…Hot tears began to well up in her eyes as she called again, now fighting to keep her voice leveled, "A…Athrun?" she patted his cheek gently, silently begging him to open his eyes and respond to her pleas. She wanted him to know that she didn't want to lose him, not now, not yet, not like this...
At the sound of her voice, he began to stir slightly, and after a few moments he opened his eyes, drawing a few shuddering, shallow breaths. Her eyes rested on her momentarily, but were unfocused and glazed over. With a small smile, he closed his eyes again and his head rested on her shoulder…just like the time he fell asleep there. Only now she knew…he's probably not gonna wake up.
"Don't die!" she begged, her tears flowing uncontrollably now. "I don't want you to leave…I haven't had a chance to tell you that I like you…Athrun, ATHRUN!"
"Cagalli!" he called her forcibly and her eyes snapped open, surrounding her were a sea of faces, all shocked-looking and gazed at her as if she was an alien. In the middle of them all, was his face…his emerald green eyes so wide that she thought they were going to pop out. He was blushing…and she didn't know why…
He knew why, after Dearka had thrown the stupid coconut at her, he had rescued her from the sea and gave her CPR…and as if it wasn't enough excitement for one day. She didn't immediately wake up, but was muttering nonsensical stuff under her breath as she held on tightly to his wet shirt. She began to cry in her slumber and kept calling his name over and over, "Athrun…Athrun, Athrun…" so softly and eagerly that Athrun blushed and was ready to melt into a puddle of happy goo.
"Cagalli, I'm here." He assured her again and again, subconsciously taking her hand and squeezing it, trying to comfort her. He didn't quite know what he was doing, holding her hand in front of the whole crew and an overprotective brother. But he knew he didn't want her to cry like this…
"She's even thinking of you in her sleep…" Dearka stated the obvious gleefully, "It's working, Athrun, you're so close to your big break".
"If she never wakes up it's your fault!" Athrun retorted, leaning protectively over the unconscious Cagalli. At that moment he was more than willing to give up the chances of reconciliation if she could just wake up…Sai gave Athrun an odd look, and Kira asked suspiciously, "What did you do?" Athrun, at that moment really wanted to confess the plan between him and Dearka, after all, it was him that caused Cagalli to be in this state. If she doesn't wake up with her brain in one piece it will all be his fault. But his tongue was tied seeing Cagalli weeping so pitifully, like she was having a bad dream…
The situation really reached cracking point when she called one final time, "ATHRUN!" and everyone immediately reared backwards, as if hit deftly by a shockwave. Athrun was the only one who held his ground as Cagalli whispered something that made Athrun's heart skip a beat. If he hadn't heard it with his own two ears at such close proximity he wouldn't have believed it. And he didn't mind giving up all his wages as a red to hear it again…Everyone around gasped, and drew back further.
"Oooo…" Dearka cooed at Athrun.
He was pretty glad to hear it and he hated the fact that it was showing on his face, he could feel hotness crawling on his cheeks and his ears… but it just doesn't seem right for her to be saying this under such circumstances. Everyone now looked at Athrun, who had to resist the urge to find a sand ditch and jump in. "Cagalli, I'm here… Wake up…" he probed gently, stroking her face. And her eyes fluttered open, and focused slowly on his face. She looked quite shaken…
The moment Cagalli laid her eyes on Athrun's face, she immediately cupped his doll-like face in her hands; marveling at the fact that he was warm and breathing. Impulsively she threw his arms around his neck.
Athrun stiffened in surprise but did not pull away. Miria started whistling as she swiftly dragged Dearka away, Lacus immediately claimed that she felt like swimming and invited the reluctant Kira to join her. Sai volunteered to tag along and as the rest of the crew each made excuses to leave, Cagalli started crying into Athrun's neck. He didn't know how to react as he bit his lip, but slowly, he found his arms wrapping securely about her; returning the embrace. For the next few minutes, he just allowed her to cry her heart out. And when he felt that her sobs had subsided enough, he asked gently, "Why are you crying?"
"…I…" she answered as she sniffled, "I thought you died, killed by the sea king…"
"Who…?" he asked, confused by the ambiguity of her mind-boggling statement.
"Stupid trident he was holding, harpooned you…"
"What…!"
"Dearka helped, so did Kira and Lacus…but…but…"
"HUH? Oh…"
That was all he could take in a day, and unable to resist any longer, he took a deep breath, snorted…and started laughing at the girl still crying in his arms…
"WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?" she demanded testily as she drew away forcibly.
"Because I know something you don't know…" He replied gleefully, "You were talking in your sleep…"
"Sleep talking!" Cagalli asked, it was unlike her, but what mattered were the contents…did she blurt out everything she said in her dreams…? How much did she reveal? That was the worst case scenario but she knew she couldn't dismiss it off-handedly. There was something about the way Athrun laughed to tell her that he wasn't lying…
"Did I say anything…important?" she questioned cautiously.
"Depends on how you look at it…"
"SPILL IT!" she demanded.
"Really…?" he asked, clearly enjoying teasing her, "Here?"
"YES. LOUD AND CLEAR!" She told him sternly, almost losing her patience.
"You said it yourself…" he replied hesitantly.
"NOW, ATHRUN ZALA!"
"Alright." He said, and paused to take a deep breath as he projected his voice way over his head, "CAGALLI YULA ATHHA SAYS SHE LIKES ME…!"
And Cagalli's hands quickly flew over his mouth…
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Athrun's day was fun, alright… Hee! Sorry I took so very long to upload this chapter, had a busy, paralyzing month. And I'll reply to the review here because there is some problem with this computer that I have not yet fathomed.
Akatsuki Will: Thank you for telling me how much you like the story, I'm glad you like it too!
Mew Tatsu: This chapter was cute? I think your user name is cuter! And I hope there will be more cute chapters. I need ideas…
Daisukiasu'n'caga: I'll really, really try harder to update soon. I know once in three weeks isn't exactly break neck speed, but I'll try!
Yumi'dizka: Thanks for writing a review that expresses what you feel in a few words, its really encouraging…
Scorch66: Hey, I check out 'Peace for two' and I think it is a really good fic! And I am really surprise that the wordings are exact too…Wow, but I want to assure you that I didn't copy, and if it bores you to read the same words twice I'll write a few more chapters to make up for that 'boring' one!
Justsome1: I really hope you're still reading, because I said before, ten is figurative. And I think I will end with a few more chapters, so stay tuned!
Naru-chan: Nay, no crab. Crabs eat fish…
Lamu: This is the first time I receive a review from you and the first time I reply to your review. I'm really glad you find it interesting, that means my hard work paid off…)