A/N: In this chapter, Kenji is going to get seriously triggered.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.


Falcon of Tekkadan

Chapter 44: The Man who holds the Soul

"I, Gaelio Bauduin, declare here and now. I will defeat the traitor McGillis Fareed." Gaelio announced.

"What's going on here? I thought they were friends. Why does Gaelio want to kill Mac so much?" Kenji said. "And what did he mean by Mac being my real enemy who used Almiria as a tool?"

Rustal then appeared on the screen. "This is Rustal Elion, the commander of the Arianrhod Fleet. Until now, we the Arianrhod Fleet have kept Gaelio Bauduin under our protection. He exposed McGillis Fareed's offenses to us. To acquire the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Joint Fleet, he cunningly murdered Commander Carta Issue."

Kenji started to remember. "Wait, wasn't she the one who killed Biscuit, and big brother was the one who killed her when she ambushed us on that train route to Edmonton. How does Mac fit into this? That route was provided by... Mr. Montag... That's why that guy sounded familiar. It was Mac! Doesn't that mean he's the guy who knocked me out at that hotel?"

Rustal continued his speech. "He also took over his family from his adoptive father Iznario Fareed."

Kenji rolled his eyes. "He had Father killed, should I care about that?"

Rustal then said something Kenji didn't expect. "And by killing Gaelio Bauduin and making Almiria Bauduin his wife, he schemed to take possession of the Bauduin Family as well."

Kenji was absolutely shocked. "Mac... did... what? Oh no, Almiria!"

At the Bauduin Estate at the same time, Almiria was sitting next to her maid watching Rustal's broadcast. "And by killing Gaelio Bauduin and making Almiria Bauduin his wife, he schemed to take possession of the Bauduin Family as well."

"What? Macky tried to... kill Brother? Macky was... using me to take control of my family?" Almiria looked at her maid who hugged her.

"Lady Almiria." The maid said.

Almiria grabbed her Yang necklace.

Rustal's speech continued. "That is not all. He disgraced Gundam Bael, the symbol of Gjallarhorn, in which the soul of Agnika Kaieru, the founder of Gjallarhorn, sleeps. Even if it means to break the laws of Gjallarhorn, the Arianrhod Fleet will bring McGillis Fareed to justice!"

Kenji didn't care about the rest of the speech as he was being filled with anger. He then received a call from the Isaribi. "What!?"

Orga's voice came up. "Kenji! Listen to me, Tekkadan is on McGillis' side. I know how much you care about Almiria, but please don't do anything that could jeopardize our alliance! That's an order!"

"…Fine! Have it your way!" Kenji hung up, then he contacted Mikazuki. "Big brother, I need to check up on Almiria, go on ahead back to the Isaribi without me."

"Go ahead and leave Phoenix near the spaceport, I'll have it sent to the ships with Barbatos." Mikazuki said. "Don't forget to follow Orga's orders."

"Thanks." Kenji left Phoenix at the spaceport with some of the revolutionary soldiers then started getting back to the Bauduin Estate as fast as possible.

Once Kenji made it back, it was already nighttime. He immediately went looking for Almiria and found her standing outside on the balcony, looking at the moon. She was wearing one of her dresses, without her Tekkadan jacket. "Almiria!"

Almiria was silent. "...I watched Lord Elion's broadcast. Did you know...?"

"No, I didn't know, I swear to you I didn't know." Kenji said.

"I can hear the truth in your words, you never lied to me, not once. You were in the dark as much as I was." Almiria said.

"I was shocked too when I heard Rustal say that Mac tried to take control of your family." Kenji said.

"I told Macky what you said, about him treating me with the respect I deserve... but he was using me this whole time..." Almiria said.

Kenji didn't know what to say. "Almiria..."

The two of them heard footsteps behind them followed by McGillis' voice. "There you are. Almiria."

Kenji turned around with his hand on his katana, eyes filled with anger. "You! How dare you use Almiria like that!"

McGillis just looked at Kenji. "Kenji, please stand aside, I want to speak to my wife."

Kenji felt like strangling McGillis. "Over my dead...!"

Almiria interrupted Kenji. "Kenji, please let Macky through."

Kenji was surprised at her request, but he did what she asked and moved to the side. McGillis walked onto the balcony, when he did Almiria turned around... unsheathing the tanto knife that Kenji gave her earlier.

"Almiria?" Kenji asked.

"Almiria." McGillis said.

"My brother's still alive." Almiria said.

McGillis tried to explain himself. "Almiria..."

"He's alive!" Almiria was in tears. "But you were the one who killed him. That's why...!" She pointed the knife at McGillis, but her hands were shaking. "I'm going to kill you."

Kenji was shocked, seeing Almiria in tears was more painful for him than any punishment he ever received. "Almiria, what are you saying? You're not a killer."

McGillis was unfazed by her threat. "I understand. Then kill me. If it's done by someone who is more precious than my own life..."

"Liar!" Almiria screamed.

"Mac, now is seriously not the time for your mind games!" Kenji yelled.

McGillis ignored Kenji. "What did I lie about? I love you."

Almiria couldn't believe a word of it. "That's a lie. It's all a lie. You were only deceiving me. Your kind eyes and words, all of them!"

"Almiria." McGillis said.

Kenji felt like breaking every single bone in McGillis' body. "Shut! Up! Mac! Stop it with these stupid mind games! You're only going to drive her crazy!"

"I'm not playing games, Kenji." McGillis simply said.

Kenji tried to get Almiria's attention. "Almiria, listen to me, please calm down."

"No..." Almiria lowered the knife. "No... I don't understand it. Why, Macky? I love you. Even after all you've done to me. So... I..." She raises the knife to her own neck.

Kenji's heart was starting to race. "Almiria? What are you doing? Please, stop!"

"I will die! Kenji! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" Almiria shouted.

Kenji screamed at the top of his lungs. "Almiria! No!"

Right when Almiria is about to plunge the blade into her neck, McGillis stops her by allowing his left hand to get stabbed instead.

Almiria was surprised. "Macky...?"

Kenji was also surprised. "Mac...?"

"Almiria. Even if you wish to die... I cannot let you have that. Because I promised you once before. Almiria. That I would guarantee your happiness." McGillis said.

"Stop it. I cannot be happy any longer." Almiria said.

"You can hate me now. As long as you stay alive. Someday way in the future. Despite all that has happened, I will make you feel happy in the end." McGillis said.

Kenji's blood was practically boiling at this point, if Orga hadn't ordered him not to kill McGillis, he would've done so already. "You, making her happy? You almost made her kill herself you stupid bastard!"

Isurugi then appeared and interrupted the conversation. "Excuse me, General." McGillis gave Isurugi a quick glare. "Lord Baklazan wishes to see you."

"All right. I'm coming." McGillis went to Kenji, took out the knife from his hand, and gave it to Kenji. "I believe this is yours." Then McGillis followed Isurugi.

Kenji cleaned the blood off of the knife, picked up the scabbard to sheathe it then stood in front of Almiria and lightly grabbed her shoulders. "Almiria, are you okay? Look at me. Are you okay?"

Almiria looked into Kenji's eyes with tears streaming down her cheeks. "This is crazy. Everything Macky is saying is crazy." She grabbed her Yang necklace. "And I'm crazy, too..."

Kenji hugged her. He was starting to cry at this point as well. "Don't say that, I don't ever want to hear you say those words... Because I... I love you Almiria, I always have, and I always will."

Almiria wrapped her arms around Kenji to return the hug. "I love you too Kenji, I have always loved you as well. I never stopped loving you."

Those two stayed like that for a few minutes in silence before Kenji broke the hug. "I need to get back to the Isaribi in Earth's orbit. I'll return when this mess is over. Okay?"

"Kenji, promise me something." Almiria said.

"What?" Kenji asked.

"Even after everything he did..." Almiria said. "Please bring Macky back to me alive. I can't help but to still love him as well."

Kenji sighed. "I hate the guy, especially what he did to you. But I'll keep him alive, because you asked me to do so."

"Thank you." Almiria then kissed Kenji on the lips. "Come back to me alive as well, okay?"

Kenji nodded. "I will, please stay safe." He then left for the spaceport.

Once Kenji got back to the Isaribi, he learned that Tekkadan still had to fight the Arianrhod Fleet due to the other Seven Stars members staying neutral in the coming battle. Now everyone was scrambling to get ready for their final battle. Kenji was currently in the Hotarubi with everyone else, overseeing the preparations of the Mobile Suits. Lafter moved toward him, she was wearing her Tekkadan jacket.

"Hey, you okay Kenji?" Lafter asked.

Kenji hesitated before answering. "No..."

"What's wrong?" Lafter asked.

Kenji sighed. "Almiria tried to kill herself earlier..."

Lafter gasped. "Is she okay?"

Kenji nodded. "She's fine, Mac saved her, even though it was his fault to begin with. Now Almiria asked me to bring him back to her alive. I really hate him, but I still have to keep him alive for Almiria's sake."

Lafter smiled. "You are a great person Kenji. I honestly think you're more deserving of Almiria than McGillis. She's also a good girl, hold onto her, okay?"

Kenji smiled back. "Okay. Say, is there anyone left in the Isaribi right now?"

Lafter thought for a bit. "Let me think... Barbatos is there so Mikazuki has got to be there as well, connected to Barbatos. I also think Atra is still there as well. I guess it's just those two."

Kenji nodded. "Those two alone. Huh?"

"Yeah…" Lafter then realized what Kenji meant. "Wait, are you saying those two are…?"

"Expressing their love to each other like Uncle Naze and Aunt Amida? Possibly." Kenji said with a smile.

Lafter also smiled. "Well, good for them."

"You should also try to express your love to Akihiro when you get the chance." Kenji suggested.

Lafter blushed. "Well…"

Akihiro's voice came up. "Lafter."

Kenji and Lafter turned to Akihiro.

"Come on, let's check your Hekija's settings." Akihiro ordered.

"Be right there. Later Kenji." Lafter started to leave.

"Later." Kenji looks out the window and holds his Yin necklace in front of him. "This will be a great battle, most likely Tekkadan's last one. Almiria... I will come back to you."