Author's Pre-Chapter Note: This chapter is pretty much all original content, set onboard the Ptolemaios II while the 00 Raiser is off heading towards Eclipse at L5. Since that journey is stated to take a few days one way, there would definitely be some scenes on board the ship especially now with an 'extra' Anew. You have been informed.
("Normal Dialogue" / "Thought")
A soft chime woke Anew up. She recognised the tone as the Ptolemy's morning alarm. "0600 UTC," she recalled the alarm's set time, as soft groaning emmanted from beside her.
"Lyle's always been a light sleeper. And it must have been uncomfortable the way he was sleeping." Anew wondered, as the Cherudim's Meister - and the man she loved - woke up groggily.
"H-hey babe." Lyle greeted Anew, a half-second before a number of realisations hit him hard. "W-wait, holy shit, you're awake. You're back!" Lyle exclaimed, almost falling out of his chair.
Anew nodded as Lyle fumbled with the pod's controls to raise the glass cover. "Yes, Lyle. It's me. Um…" She turned away, her own memories giving her pause and filling her with guilt.
"It's ok. You're here, that's all that matters right now." Lyle took one of her hands and gently grasped it with his own, trying to reassure his lover. With a sudden thought, he stood up, declaring, "I'll get breakfast for you. Just take it easy, I'll be back soon."
With Lyle practically bouncing out of the room, Anew was left to her own thoughts. Questions swirled in her mind, and the answers were not forthcoming. "Why am I still alive? How am I still alive? Do the rest know? Does Ribbons-"
"Anew Returner." The stern voice of Feldt Grace yanked Anew from her introspection. She looked up to see the pink-haired tactical operator at the door frame of the room, a look of tranquil fury visible under her squinted eyes. Beside Feldt, Soma Peries came into view, a similar look of anger on her face as well.
Anew instinctively knew she was going to face interrogation and punishment. Wordlessly, she put her hands in front of herself, expecting to be handcuffed now that she was awake to take questions. Feldt, however, shook her head, telling Anew in the same terse tone, "We'll let you have breakfast and a set of your old uniform to dress into. We're not unfeeling creatures."
Moving about Ptolemy's corridors felt different to Anew now. She had dressed in her old Celestial Being uniform, sans her red outer jacket, but a rather thick pair of handcuffs were on her wrists. While Lyle was by her side, Soma and Feldt shadowed them closely, ready to pounce if Anew ever went out of line.
But Anew had no intention to be out of line. Fully aware of the severity of her actions - and understanding how dimly Celestial Being viewed traitors that they got their hands on - Anew was resigned to her fate, whatever had been decided for her. In a way, she never really had a choice in how she wanted to live her life, and right now was no different.
"Hey. Penny for your thoughts?" Lyle asked, to which Anew only looked away from him. "Aw, don't hide your beautiful face like that."
"Get a move on, Dylandy." Soma half-barked behind them, snarling at Lyle's smarminess. "And don't pester her like that."
"Alright, fine, fine." Lyle raised his hands in mock surrender, not pushing the issue further. "Geez, is Soma on her period or something?" He idly thought as they made another turn and went down another corridor.
A few more such turns later, Feldt got the whole group to stop. "We're here," she stated as she opened up the padded cell. Anew did not need any prompting and went inside, shyly and poignantly looking at the others.
Anew squeaked out an "I'm sorry." Feldt and Soma, though, did not seem to falter from that simple apology.
"You will be monitored around the clock for the time being. If you need any assistance," Feldt mentioned more as a point of procedure, pointing to a pinhole camera in the unreachable upper corner of the cell, "signal to the camera over there."
As Feldt coldly rattled off more pointers that Anew was to take note of for her own benefit, and Lyle looked caught between frustration at his girlfriend's treatment and sympathy for her plight, Soma looked at the scene in front of her reliving a very similar one that occurred four years ago in her mind.
"I wonder what Allelujah felt when I marched him to that cell, years ago. He did not have anyone to plead his case. No Marie, no comrades to speak of, just him and his dead alter ego."
The female super-soldier caught her own train of thought, letting out a soft sigh unnoticed by anyone else. "Ugh, being around Allelujah is really making me soft."
Shaking her head, Soma returned to her usual stern expression as Feldt finished up and closed the cell door. "Let's go, Soma," she heard Feldt call her, and she turned with the tactical operator to head back where they came from, leaving Lyle to his own devices. As they made their way to the bridge, one of Soma's old mantras repeated in her head:
"Mercy on the battlefield gets you killed."
Mileina opened the door to the bridge with a nervous frown on her face.
"Oh, Mileina, you're back." Sumeragi noticed the young CIC operator's arrival, as well as her downcast expression. "Is something wrong?"
"U-um, Miss Sumeragi, I was helping to clear Miss Returner's dinner just now a-and…" Mileina said haltingly, tears already forming around the teenager's eyes.
The sight of Mileina already close to crying sank Sumeragi's heart. "What is it, Mileina? It's ok, you can tell us." The older woman reassured Mileina.
"S-she didn't eat so much. In fact she barely touched her food. I-It's just…" Mileina could not finish her sentence, weeping to herself as she clambered back up to her seat on the bridge station. Her usual abundance of energy had seemingly evaporated, replaced by some form of dread and sympathy for their captive.
"Did Anew say anything while you were there?" Sumeragi enquired again, leaving her commander's seat to float up to Mileina's elevated position.
"N-no. She was just sitting curled up in the corner, head tucked into her knees. I… don't know if she noticed me." Mileina recalled. The young girl's frightened expression prompted Sumeragi to gently stroke Mileina's head in an attempt to soothe the latter's conflicted feelings.
"I'm sure she has her reasons. If she persists like that, I suppose we could check on her the next time around." Sumeragi suggested, and Mileina was moved to agree.
"Mm! I'm sure we can help her feel better, Miss Sumeragi!" Mileina seemed to regain some of her usual energy… until a question seemed to cross her mind. "U-um… when will we release Miss Returner?"
"I can't tell you right now, Mileina; I have no idea myself." Sumeragi admitted. "If she cooperates, though, it could be soon."
The conversation was also heard by the other occupants on the bridge. Seated in the opposite station to Mileina's, Feldt had listened in on the young girl's talk with their tactical forecaster and commander whilst having the camera feed of Anew's cell active on her terminal. Anew had seemingly not moved from when Mileina had stopped by, still in the same position as described by the teenager. "Is she trying to gain pity from us?" Feldt thought with disdain and suspicion. "Well, she is not getting it from me."
On the starboard helm station - Anew's old seat - Lyle, having the temporary helmsman duty at the time, was also privy to the conversation. He was much more sympathetic to Anew's plight than Feldt, and the thoughts on his mind were more oriented towards how to resolve the situation amicably. "I guess I can go and cheer her up. She's probably so miserable with nothing to do and nobody she can talk to."
"Perhaps tomorrow," he mused, thinking of which meal he should take over the duty of to surprise his girlfriend, and hopefully lift her spirits.
"Feldt! Hey Feldt, wait up!"
Lyle was chasing after the tactical operator, who was holding a meal tray. Feldt herself turned her head back and squinted at Lyle, but did not bother to slow down, leaving the Meister to catch up on his own.
Eventually, Lyle did manage to get himself right alongside Feldt. "Hey, uh, mind if I accompany you for this dinner duty?"
"Are you that desperate to see her, Lyle?" Feldt pretty much spat out. "Keep your distance or I'm going for the gun."
"Woah, lady, chill out. I'm not trying to get you in trouble or anything." Lyle faced Feldt and put his hands up in an attempt to defuse the situation. His attempt did not seem to be that effective, for Feldt kept her squint on him and her grip on the meal tray firm.
Lyle sighed. "Feldt really can hold a grudge. Should have known…" He rotated to point his torso forwards, but Feldt, contrary to his expectations, just stayed her course as both of them continued on the route to Anew's cell, seemingly trying her best to outright ignore him. "Huh. Well, guess I should try and get this iron lady to cool her head a bit."
"Hey, uh…" Lyle got the conversation off to a shaky start. "Look, I know you don't trust Anew right now, but she's very definitely learnt her lesson, she's repentant, so... Give her a chance, perhaps?"
After an uneasy pause, the only response Feldt gave was a terse, "What?"
"Uh, no? I mean, she wants to repent for the stuff she's done…"
Feldt only narrowed her eyes further. "Would it hurt to not run your mouth off for a few minutes?"
"Fine, fine." Lyle really did not intend to make Feldt that angry, but it was already the case so he kept quiet the rest of the way, if only to prevent more anger from being stoked.
Feldt kept her grumbly expression as she and Lyle made their way over to the brig. "What is it with this idiot? Anew is a traitor to our whole organisation! She should be dead!" The memories of the incident on the bridge, Lasse being shot and Mileina being taken hostage, still held a strong grasp on the tactical operator's mind.
At the door, Feldt side-eyed Lyle as she put in the code to unlock and open the way into Anew's cell. Seeing as there was no way she would shake him off, and in no mood to entertain Lyle any further, Feldt decided to yield ever so slightly.
"Fine. Since you've followed me all the way here like a puppy, I'll let you be with her for… an hour." She would grumble, shoving the meal tray into Lyle's hands. "I do not want to see your face when I collect her tray later."
Then Feldt was off, still fuming, but the responsibility was for the moment off her hands. Lyle turned his attention to the cell's occupant, who had understandably been a silent witness to the earlier conversation, as one-sided that had gone.
"Hey, um, sorry to scare you like that." Lyle apologised as he entered and sat next to Anew, offering her the tray. "It's a good meal tonight - lasagna, with potato salad on the side. Eat up, Anew."
The lavender-haired woman took the tray, but she didn't go for the food on it right away. Instead she just stared at the tray and its contents, even if she did rest it on her crossed legs.
"Not hungry?" Lyle asked gently, to which Anew shook her head. With a sigh, Lyle opened the lid of the main food container on the tray, and informed his girlfriend. "Mileina was worried about you yesterday. Got in a panic because you barely touched your food."
Anew's eyes immediately watered. "Even… after all that I did…" She did not understand the hospitality that the crew of the Ptolemy were extending to her. Lyle himself was very concerned by the tears starting to form, immediately going for the handkerchief in his back pocket and gently wiping her tears for her.
"Aw… Anew, don't cry. They're also concerned for you." Lyle tried to comfort Anew, and he did appear to get the point across, for she shakily took the cutlery off the tray and began to eat in earnest. Lyle caught her glancing at him a few times, and he let his goofy grin come out, causing the Innovade to blush from embarrassment.
A hush seemed to settle in the padded room, Lyle content with just watching his girlfriend consume her dinner. "Yeah, she was totally starving herself." Lyle noticed with sadness, given the rate at which she was clearing the tray of food. But he kept his smile up, not wanting to dampen the mood.
"So… where are we now?" Lyle finally managed to ask after a while.
Anew just let go of the fork in her hand in surprise, letting it drift unaffected by gravity. "I-I'm sorry, come again?" She squeaked out, clearly stunned.
"I mean, you, me, our relationship. It's… been a rough few days." Lyle clarified.
"I…" Anew turned away from Lyle again. "I tried to kill you."
"Didn't I tell you when we clashed? I'll get what I want. And I want you." Lyle tried to remind Anew. "Besides, that wasn't all you, right? At least, when you kicked me away again and cut Cherudim up, that wasn't you, was it? Setsuna said-"
"But the woman you fought with before that was me!" Anew replied, shame evident in her voice. She flicked the dinner tray away, scrabbled to the other far corner of the room, putting distance from the man she loved, but did not dare to love anymore. "I… I loved you, Lyle. I did. But after I left I deluded myself to believe I had never loved you at all."
"Anew…"
"Then… Then I attacked you! Me! With my own two hands! When just the day before that I was in your bed! Don't you see, I can't be trusted! You shouldn't trust me!" Anew began again with more desperation. "Y-You shouldn't…"
It was at this moment that Anew felt Lyle embracing her, the warmth of his gentle hug piercing her heart. As much as she struggled with herself, the hug comforted her.
"I trust you." Lyle declared, and Anew could only break down and cry into his shoulder. Gently patting her back, Lyle continued with his rationale: "Because, you, Anew Returner, showed me that a world where people can understand one another is possible after all."
"Lyle…" Anew haltingly murmured between sobs.
"I was a double agent, like you. Sending information to Katharon to make sure they could stay active and fight the Federation." Lyle admitted, despite how pretty much everyone on the Ptolemy had seen through his cover as if it was transparent, including Anew herself. "But I'm done with that… much like you are. Even if the world should reject me, even if the world should blame me, I will continue to fight the evils of this world, just as a Gundam Meister of Celestial Being."
Lyle's declaration stunned Anew yet again, but he was not finished. "And I will continue to love and care for you, Anew Returner, from the bottom of my heart, till the end of my life. And beyond, if that is possible… but only if you will have me by your side."
Bitter thoughts crossed Anew's mind about her own seeming immortality and ultimate fate as an Innovade. "He really is a fool, not knowing what I being an Innovade means for us down the line." However, her already wavering heart was so deeply moved that she subconsciously pulled back from his embrace and cupped his face with her hands, much like she had wanted to when they conversed in the quantum realm, yet did not have the inner courage to go through with, even though at the time it seemed like it would be their last conversation ever.
She would give her reply - her acceptance of his love - with a kiss on his lips. That kiss left Lyle in a bit of a daze, as Anew brushed aside her streaming tears, now of joy rather than sadness or bitterness. Still, the Innovade still had some pressing concerns of her own that prevented her from truly enjoying the resumption of their romantic relationship.
"Lyle, I… I need you and the rest to know." Anew got out of her mouth again, after the high brought on by their kiss had faded. "The Innovators… Ribbons… He controlled me at the end, that fight. They can still take control of me at any time. I-I'm still a threat; if they know I'm still alive…"
"We'll figure something out." Lyle reassured her, lovingly pushing aside a stray lock of lavender hair that had decided to fall over her face. "We'll make sure they'll never use you again. I'll make sure of it."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Lyle." Anew replied back, still skeptical. "I don't like it when you do."
"I intend to make them true, Anew." Lyle declared. "Make a world where you are safe. With me and everyone else." He sealed this declaration with a kiss of his own.
When Feldt returned an hour after she left, as per her word, Lyle had long vacated the cell. Anew was waiting for her to return the meal tray, by then cleaned out of the food that had been on it.
"Thank you, Feldt. And… apologies for all the damage I've caused." Anew softly spoke as she handed the tray over to the tactical operator.
"Don't worry about it." Feldt replied flatly, closing and locking the cell door again. Anew did not take her words as a slight, laying down on the padded floor and closing her eyes, having nothing else to occupy her time.
"Lyle loves me still." That thought, that fact, settled the flutters in her heart, and she soon fell into a deep, if dreamless, sleep.
Lasse Aeon woke up by himself in his medical regeneration pod. It had been close to a week since he'd been shot by Anew, and a lot of things had happened since then. Not that Lasse knew, of course.
"Nnngh… hey, old man." Lasse groaned, noticing Ian nodding off in the corner. For his part, Ian did catch Lasse waking, but three whole days with little rest getting all the Gundams fixed up for the looming battle had messed up his sleep cycle.
"Hey Lasse." Ian replied with a slight drawl. "How are you feeling?"
"Still shit." Lasse mentioned as the regeneration pod opened, before getting into a coughing fit. "Sorry, you know how it is," he managed to get out between heavy coughs. Ian could only sigh, knowing Lasse's GN particle poisoning, from his injuries during Fallen Angels four years ago, was only deteriorating by the day.
"So…" Lasse asked after managing to clear his throat, "how's the ship been since I came to this bed?"
"Oh you have a lot to catch up on, Lasse." Ian said, grabbing a cup and filling it with water from a tumbler. Offering the filled cup to the helmsman, Ian questioned, "Where do you want to start?"
Author's Post-Chapter Note: Well, at least Anew and Lyle have reconfirmed their love for each other.
Original content continues next chapter! Stay tuned!