Chapter 4
STRIKE
"Celina?"
' What if he lied just so I wouldn't hate her?'
She got up and opened the door. She didn't look at Kira she just walked past him. "Celina?"
She kept on walking with her head down. She thought, ' That must explain why Aunt Lenore was always angry whenever I mentioned her. She must have known."
Kira ran up to her and grabbed her arm. He said, "Celina?"
"I don't want to talk."
He couldn't see her eyes. He said, "Why not?"
He remembered when she walked out of the room when they showed the picture of Sirally's mother. He said, quietly "Does it have to do with Sirally's mother?"
She got out of his grip. She screamed, "Shut up!" She ran away from him. Celina ran into a room and sealed the door shut. She leaned on the door and cried. She cried, for so many reasons, leaving ZAFT, being forced to join the Earth Alliance, but mostly for the boy who was killed by the firing squad and her mother. Her mother, the mother she heard so many good things about. The mother she really never knew well.
She heard the alarm go on and then the ship started to shake. She said, "What the hell is going on?"
"KIRA YAMOTO. GO TO GUNDAM."
Gundam? Then, she walked backwards and looked up. The room was dark and then she stumbled over something. She rolled over. She said, "What the –," She looked up and saw it. The Strike Gundam she heard about. "Oh my-," And then she heard the alarm again. She said, "This is it."
She smiled. What luck to find the Strike? She climbed up and opened it and sat down. She looked around. She said, happily "Sweet." She touched the screen and put on the headphone. She said, "Celina Zala reporting for duty." She turned on the Gundam and said, " Gundam check." She clicked some buttons. "Communication check."
Back on deck, Murrue said, "Where's Kira?"
Sai said, "It appears that he's already in the Strike."
"Good."
A voice they heard, "Gundam weaponry check."
"Who's that?" Murrue said.
Everyone shrugged.
"Gundam -, hey where's the switch to go."
Marillia looked kind of frightened. She said, "Captain, we have a problem."
"Pardon?"
The voice appeared, again. "Seriously where's the stupid switch?"
Marillia said, "Kira isn't in the Strike."
Kira walked in and said, "The room is closed shut."
Murrue said, "If you're here, who's in the Gundam?"
The voice said, "Ah, here it is." It cleared its voice and said, " Everything online, Gundam is fine. Now, Celina (laugh) Julia Zala Lenored reporting for duty. Ready to blast off."
Everyone yelled, "Julia!"
Kira ran over to Marillia side and took the headphone from her. He said, " Julia."
She said, "Who is it?"
"Kira."
She sounded disappointed. "Oh, hi."
Marillia flicked on the screen so everyone can see her. Kira said, "Julia, listen get out of the Strike."
She said, "Like hell I will."
He said, "Julia."
"Don't Julia, me. I'm finally in a Gundam at least let me have some fun."
Murrue yelled, "It's not a toy!"
She said, "Is that Murrue?"
Kira said, "Yes."
"Bye, Bye."
"So, you'll get out?"
She snorted. "No."
Mwu said, "Don't worry she can't move that thing."
Everyone stopped panicking, except Kira. He said, under his breath "They don't know Celina."
Mwu said, "Julia, try to launch. We let you."
She raised an eyebrow and said, "What's the catch?"
"Oh, nothing. Try to launch."
"Do you think that I'm that stupid. I'm not as stupid as you guys."
Kira said, "Julia."
"What? It's true."
"JULIA!"
"I'll prove that I'm not stupid."
They heard her pull the launch handle. But nothing happened.
Mwu said, "I told you so."
She unfastened the seat belt and said, "You don't know me. I'll prove it. Mark my words."
Natarle said, "There are two Mobile suits heading this way."
Mwu said, "Julia, we don't have time for this."
She returned and said, "I'll show you."
Kira said, "Julia, two mobiles are coming."
She said, "So?"
Natarle said, "So? The mobile suits will attack us."
"Whatever."
"Excuse me?"
Kira said, "Julia, please."
Mwu pleaded, "Julia, please."
"Let me think about it."
She put scratched her head and said, calmly "No."
Then, everyone screamed, "JULIA!!!!!"
She sighed and said, "All right, I'll get out of here."
Kira didn't like the tone in her voice. She got up and disappeared. Everyone sighed in relief. Then, Celina ran back and pressed a button. She smiled, "Oops."
They heard it. "GUNDAM GATE OPENING!"
Celina sat down quickly and fastened. She clicked a button and started typing away. Kira yelled, "CELINA!"
The gates opened and the Strike left. Kira saw it flying about outside. Mwu fell to the ground and said, "I can't believe it. She drove it."
Murrue said, "Can anyone tell her to get but back here?"
Celina turned on the screen and saw everyone all worried and confused, especially Mwu and Kira.
She smiled, "Guys, don't worry."
She then heard someone say ' Kira.'
Celina frowned, "Did someone call Kira?"
Kira said, "Don't listen, Julia."
"Kira?"
Celina screamed, "SERIOUSLY, I'M NOT KIRA!!!!!"
"Celina?"
She covered her mouth and looked at the screen. It was Athrun. She bent down and pulled the first cord she could find and the screen shut off.
She said, "Athrun, it's me. Celina."
He said, "Celina."
She smiled, "It's nice for someone to call me that."
"What you changed your name?"
"Yeah, the first name that popped up was Julia then Lenored. I hope Dad doesn't kill me for that."
"He won't."
She cried, "Oh, Athrun. I want to come home. These people aren't that friendly."
He said, angrily "What did they do to you?"
"Nothing really."
"You sound kind of sad. Is something on your mind?"
Celina kept quiet. Could she tell him about her supposed brother? No, she thought. No, he won't find out.
She said, "No, Athrun."
She clicked a button and bullets went to Athrun's Aegis. She said, " Sorry, but I don't want them to know about you."
"I have to go, Athrun."
He said, "Celina?"
Then, out of nowhere, the Strike got hit. "Celina!" The Strike started to shake. The alarm went on and she read, ' Strike severely damaged.'
"Damaged."
She looked around for who shot her and couldn't see anyone, except Athrun. Celina thought, ' Athrun, must have shot me. Just to pick up with act.' She smiled, "Athrun."
She turned the Strike towards the Archangel. Celina said, to herself, " Do I tell someone that Sirally might be my brother." She shook her head and said, "No. If people know, I might be killed." She put the Strike back.
She got out and walked to the door. She looked back at the Strike. She said, "I guess, you're the only person who might know my secret." And she walked out.
Celina walked into the room.
"Julia!!!"
Then, Fllay hugged Celina. She said, "We were so worried. We saw the ZAFT hit you."
Celina said, "It's all right."
Natarle came up to her and said, "What were you thinking?"
"I don't really know."
Mwu said, "That was excellent. You hit the Aegis."
Everyone started to ask questions about how could she do that. Kira looked at Celina with curiosity. He thought, ' She must have talked to Athrun.'
Murrue said, "People, please. Julia officially needs rest."
Celina left the room without any company. Mwu said, to Kira, "Didn't you put a lock on the Strike?"
"I did."
"Then, how could she?"
Kira hesitated. Could he tell Mwu that Celina was a Coordinator? He lied, "I don't know."
Mwu shook his head, "Kira, I think you know why. I understand."
Kira said, "Fllaga, it isn't what you think?"
Mwu said, "Go talk to her. She seemed pretty depressed when she came back."
Kira nodded. He walked towards the door. Fllay came to him and said, " Kira, where are you going?"
"I'm going to talk to Julia."
She frowned, "O.k. "
Kira stood in front of Celina's room. He thought, ' What should I say? Did you talk to Athrun? Don't worry?'
He was about to knock, but heard someone crying inside. He said, " Celina." And the door slid open.
She had her head covered by a pillow and started screaming. He said, " Celina?"
She cried, "Leave me alone!"
He said, "We need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Are you sure?"
She lifted the pillow of her head and stared at him. She said, "Why do you ask?"
"You seemed pretty depressed."
"Just let me stay depressed."
He walked over towards her, with looking at his every move. He pulled chair and sat down.
He said, "Please, Celina you can tell me. You can trust me."
"Can you?"
He nodded. She glared, "No, I can't trust you. You betrayed us and stayed with the cursed Naturals."
"I didn't."
Celina got up and stood in front of him. She put her face inches away from his face. She said, coldly "Look, in to my eyes and say that you aren't a traitor."
Kira said, "I-I,"
"I, what?"
"I didn't betray you."
She looked away from him and folded her arms. She said, "You say you didn't but you feel guilty about it."
Celina pointed at the door. She said, "You can leave now."
"But –,"
She said, "No, Kira. I want to think."
"About what?"
She finally turned to him. She cried, "Just get out!"
He said, "Please, we need to talk."
"No. No, we don't."
He stood there and stared at Celina. He walked towards the door. He looked back at her and said, "I know, this has something to do with that Sirally."
Celina covered her ears. She screamed, "SHUT UP!!!"
He sighed.
"See you, Celina." And left.
