Chapter 10 A Fateful Reunion
"Man, this place is packed like sardines." Said Dearka, scanning the shelter, Miriallia clinging tightly to his arm until he could barely feel it.
"No doubt," said Kira, shrugging his shoulders, but he flew forward when something grabbed him from behind.
The others looked horrified at the sight, and as for Lacus, she looked worried.
"Oh, I'm so scared! Help me!" squealed Ryoko, her arms still wrapped tightly around Kira, who looked utterly puzzled and confused.
"Ryoko, maybe you should let go of him, I think he's suffocating." Said Athrun bluntly, clearly disgusted at the sight of the black-headed girl.
"I don't know; I'm just so scared! I don't know what to do!" screamed Ryoko, looking on the verge of tears as she buried her head into Kira's shoulder.
"Ryoko, do you know that you're startling enough to give someone a heart attack? Fancy throwing your arms around someone you hardly even know, who is a GUY and has a GIRLFRIEND, and crying into his shoulder!" barked Cagalli fiercely, defending her brother.
Kira looked too petrified to move, let alone breathe. Lacus was staring at him worriedly. "Ryoko are you deaf or something. Just let go of the poor guy," said Dearka sternly.
Ryoko slowly released Kira, her face tear stained. She smiled a wry smile before sitting down at the nearest chair. Although she looked purely innocent, a far more evil plot burned like the fires of hell behind those pupils of hers.
"Kira!" called a voice from afar, Kira spun around to see Murrue Ramius approaching them.
"Wow, its sure good to see you, Miss Ramius." Greeted Miriallia, grinning gently, at their former captain.
"You too. But I'm afraid I've got bad news." Sighed Murrue, looking half serious and half worried.
"Remember the last time we met? On the Archangel? Well, we might have to go through the whole process again." Said Murrue firmly, looking at the bunch of teenagers.
"No, it can't be! I thought it ended! I don't want it to happen again!" screamed Miriallia frightfully, her eyes welling up with tears.
"I'm sorry to have to break this news to you, but I'm afraid, it is going to happen all over. Moreover, I don't know if you people are up to it, but I need help again. The remaining co-ordinators want their revenge." Said Murrue, looking from Kira all the way to Yzak, and noticing Kyo.
"Well who's this? A friend?" asked Murrue eagerly, looking at Kyo sweetly.
"She's our friend and Yzak's GIRLFRIEND." Said Athrun, chuckling to himself. Yzak just hissed at the remark, while Kyo giggled.
"I see, Murrue Ramius, pleased to meet you." Said Murrue, shaking the redheaded girl's hand.
"Kyo Yamajika, pleasure." Replied Kyo politely, smiling a toothy smile, and revealing two rows of perfect teeth.
"If we made it through the last time? Who says we can't pull through again?" said Kira firmly, looking at his friends.
"Yeah, if the survival of humanity depends on this, then I'm with you, Kira." Athrun added, nodding his head in agreement.
"Same here," said Cagalli, putting an arm around Athrun, and leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Milly, Yzak and I are with you all the way!" said Dearka, his fists clenched in determination.
"I'm not sure what I can do to help, I may very well be an extra mouth to feed and a burden." Said Kyo softly.
"Don't talk poppycock, girl! You're coming! Besides, you just need a little training that's all!" said Cagalli, looking at her friend, her eyes ablaze.
There was a loud sniffle from behind, and everyone turned to face Ryoko. "Maybe we'll just take Ryoko along as well, she's probably too vulnerable to survive out here ALONE." Said Kyo, shaking her head at Ryoko.
"Maybe she could help out with the cleaning of toilets and stuff like that," Yzak whispered slyly to Kyo, who smiled at his idea.
"I heard that," snapped Ryoko loudly, snarling at Yzak.
"Wow, one minute you're all soft, and the next minute you've got that tough girl's armour of yours back on, eh?" hissed Athrun menacingly.
"Ok, this is great, I'll tell Andy about this, and then we can set off right away." Said Murrue, grinning and walking off.
"Umm, Miss Murrue! Who's ANDY?" asked Miriallia curiously, suspecting that Murrue had found her Mr. Right.
"Andrew Wattfeld!" Murrue replied smiling, her cheeks blushing a little.
Miriallia's jaw dropped, "That guy, who was once captain of the Songstress Vessel?" she muttered under her breath.
Once everything was settled, the bunch was once back within the walls of the trusty Archangel. Out of one of the rooms came a blonde haired guy with glasses.
"Ssigh!" exclaimed Kira, upon seeing his old friend.
"K-Kira! And all of you! You're helping?" asked Ssigh, looking delighted.
"Duh! Why wouldn't we?" asked Dearka, patting the blonde guy on the back.
"Ok, enough with the little reunion thingy! Get to your posts! Miss Haww, to the CIA! Zala, Elthman, Yamato, Jule and Attha, stand by as pilots!" came Andrew Wattfeld's gruff voice from over the sound system.
The others bounded off to their posts, leaving Kyo and Ryoko standing in the empty corridor. "Looks like I'm stuck with you," snarled Ryoko staring at Kyo, as though she was a bug that ought to be squashed quickly.
Kira came bounding back down in his uniform, Ryoko quickly grabbed on to his arm once more. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked, pretending to sound terrified.
Gosh, she was certainly a brilliant actress, but what the hell did she want with Kira? "Go and get changed into your uniform, down the corner to your right! And Kyo once you're changed, come straight to the control station, Captain Wattfeld wants you there!" said Kira, wrenching his arm out of Ryoko's grasp and sprinting off once more.
Ryoko slipped on the uniform and folded her skirt, "Ryoko, this is uniform, not fashion apparel! And for your information, the skirt is short enough, don't make it any shorter!" barked Kyo slipping on her uniform, and trying her hair up into a fashionable knot behind her head.
Kyo darted off, leaving Ryoko behind to explore her way around. After what seemed like many corners and walls, Kyo finally reached the control station where she found everyone standing there.
"Ah, there you are, Kyo Yamajika. Did I get your name right?" asked Wattfeld, gesturing for Kyo to come over.
"Yes, you did, Captain Wattfeld." Replied Kyo formally, who looked just as uncomfortable as Cagalli in her uniform.
The skirt was certainly, and the two girls were trying to make it longer by pulling it downwards. "Kyo, I want you to try the simulation. It's sort of a practice that readies you for battle. We'll see if you can pilot the sky grasper or maybe even one of the spare Gundams we have." Said Murrue calmly.
Kyo slowly sat down in the seat, feeling the hairs on her neck stand, as her bare thighs touched the cold steel of the seat. "Relax, Kyo. I've been through that," said Cagalli coolly, grinning at her redheaded friend.
The simulation started, and the others watched intently as Kyo's hands and fingers worked across the controls firing away. Wattfeld's gaze concentrated as Kyo fired with pinpoint accuracy, hitting every single character in the simulation without fail.
"Ok! Wait! Wait! You can stop!" said Wattfeld, resetting the simulation and switching it off.
"Goodness, you're a miracle! That's one more pilot!" exclaimed Wattfeld helping Kyo out of the simulation, who looked puzzled.
"Wattfeld, are you sure she's ready?" asked Murrue, facing the captain.
"Didn't you see that? She hit every one of those bucues and whatever else that was in there!" said the captain knowingly.
"Alright Kyo, take the Truth Gundam. We'll put you on as reserve, I don't think you'd want to be put straight into the battle field straight away without watching what happens first." Said Murrue, putting a reassuring hand on Kyo's shoulder.
A/N Ok, blame me if you must, this isn't a very interesting chapter, and I think so too. Believe me, more of the emotions, angst and of course, Ryoko will come in soon. Meanwhile, what does Ryoko want with Kira? And why does Kyo seem so perfect? Coming up in the next few chappies! REVIEW!