I do not own gundam seed.
Thanks for reviewing.
Here's the second chapter! there will most likely be about three or four chapters in total!
Milly's ability of recollection was unnerving, according to anyone's standards. Truthfully, it wasn't that her memory was necessarily better than anyone else's, but it was as though instead of storing her memories, she kept them all in the front of her mind. Many would suppose it would be like watching a movie, over and over and over. She was never really able to be a peace with her memories, whether they're happy or not.
It had been only a few moths since Milly had found something that brought her mind away from recalling. A camera. The pictures she took were all of things she connected with. A gundam was what the first picture was taken of. In fact, in mid battle, Milly had taken a picture of it outside the window. Every memory that seemed to be pulsing in the front of her mind, flashing pictures of Toll, Kira and all of the battles and gundams she had ever witnessed, were settled. They weren't forgotten. Just stored. Even after this amount of progress, Milly was still unable to be truly happy. Or at least at peace with her memories.
If Milly's hectic shifts around the ship, reports, and maintenance weren't stressful enough, there still was of course, Dearka.
It couldn't have been past midnight on the second day after the ship docked to restock. Being half way through her third cup of coffee, Milly wasn't in the happiest of moods. She had been put in charge of assembling the data analysis reports into some resemblance of order. It might not have been that difficult, or taken her as long, if there wasn't the fact that she hadn't slept in thirty-three hours.
Placing each file in alphabetical order was a hassle to say the least. Milly's hands ran along the folder names and though the letters marking the condescending order they were to be arranged in. The small room smelled of stale paper, coffee, and a musky, storage aroma that told anyone who entered the room that it had not been inhabited in a while.
As the last couple reports were filed with their appropriate category, Milly yawned and blinked as though trying to gain tiny bit of strength so that she could make it back to her room. This unfortunately, never happened. The room Milly had spent the last few hours in, if not more, began to dissolve and Milly's head rested on the cold, wooded desk.
If a guy new one thing about a girl, it should be that we cannot be remotely happy or in any likeness to what one would refer to as a good mood, if we don't get enough sleep. Too bad Dearka missed that fact.
"My, aren't we looking awake and lively." Were the first words that abruptly woke Milly up. Jumping slightly, Milly's eyes darted over to where Dearka stood smirking, leaning casually against one of the nearby filing cabinets. It took a long, stunned, moment before Milly could register where she was, and the smug look on Dearka's face.
Everything seemed to hit her all at once.
Practically leaping off her chair, Milly scanned the room around her, confirming that she had actually finished the reports, and not just dreamed it. Thankfully, she had finished.
"I need to give the report information to the captain, and then…" Milly stopped and peered down at her watch. "…start my monitoring duty…" straitening her uniform, Milly began to walk towards the door. "…and then…" she only had four hours of sleep, there really was too much to think about. "…I, uh….need to check the data log for the preparation for the ships assault and defense weapons…maybe someone already did that….oh! I need to confirm the schedules for the ships arrival at the central base, so I can tell…" Milly stopped and sighed deeply, before punching the code into the lock pad.
Standing perfectly still, listening to Milly rant was an odd sight, especially for someone like Dearka. Obviously he couldn't take it any more.
"Don't be an idiot." Dearka reached over and grabbed Milly's arm. Staring angrily at him, Milly betrayed what most guys would call, PMS. The jerks.
"What do you mean by that Mr. Elsman?" Milly snapped dangerously.
"whoa." Dearka mumbled, raising his hands as though surrendering. Inhaling sharply, Milly spun around and re-typed the unlock code.
Dearka crumpled. He had made Milly cry. "Hey, don't cry. You're supposed to be a soldier…." By the hurt expression on Milly's face, he concluded that he had made a wrong move.
Strolling over to the once cluttered desk, Milly reached across its surface and grasped her cold coffee. Turing around, the sweetest smile spread across her face. Her eyes however, remained both exhausted and scornful.
"It's been such a pleasure talking to you after my nice long four hour sleep. And how nice of you to remind me yet again that I don't qualify as someone you would deem as soldier worthy…" Very slowly, Milly took small steps toward Dearka, who began too look slightly alarmed.
"Hey, hey…I was kidding. Kay? You should get some sleep. Jeez." Way-to-go Dearka.
Dearka was left standing in the small room after Milly had stormed out the door. He was now, drenched in cold coffee, and the empty cup lay abandoned on the floor.
It took seven minutes for Dearka to trudge down the long corridors, and track down Milly. Peering around the corner, Dearka's eyes stayed fixed on the girl as she entered the cafeteria. (No doubt to get more coffee).
Anyone who was passing by, would undoubtedly think this as pure irony. Not only a mobile suit pilot, but a coordinator, was standing, drenched in coffee, and inching around one of the hallway's brightly lit corners. As odd as it all seemed, the coffee was beginning to pool slightly underneath his shoes.
Milly didn't even notice when a wet Dearka entered the cafeteria. In fact, she was dead set on getting a coffee. The aroma of caffeine and coffee beans emitted off of the large metal container and seemed to fill the entire room. Though, Milly doubted whether even the coffee would wake her up. Her thoughts were only halted when a loud voice form the other side of the room reached her ears.
"Milly. I brought your coffee. You seemed to have left it." Everyone around him could smell the strong fragrance of cold coffee wafting off the young gundam pilot. The entire cafeteria turned to where Milly stood looking horror struck. She hated being stared at, and by the entire staff no less.
Smirking widely, Dearka watched as Milly's eyes narrowed and she gracefully strolled right past him and back out through the doors. This, left him standing in the middle of a chuckling group of his colleagues.
Racing after Milly, Dearka rethought his tactics.
Even in the midst of her furry, Milly could distinctively hear the echo of approaching footsteps. Dearka, no less, was catching up to her. Taking a long sip of her coffee, Milly turned around in time to see Dearka appear around the corner. He stopped a couple feet away from where she stood.
"Well? I have my rounds to do." Milly spoke impatiently, watching Dearka's crestfallen face.
"I'll do it." Mumbled Dearka who didn't quite meet Milly's eyes.
"Pardon?" Questioned Milly sounding taken back.
Inhaling deeply, Dearka looked up at the person he was speaking to. "I'll do your rounds."
"I- don't be ridiculous. I'm perfectly capable of doing them. Just because I'm not a coordinator…"
"That's not what I meant."
"…"
"You're tired, and it would be stupid…to push your self. Kay?"
A long silence stretched between them as Milly contemplated her answer. Even someone who knew Dearka personally, would have trouble telling whether or not he was joking.
Dearka was the one who broke the silence. "Besides, no one wants a PMSing natural doing rounds."
Milly probably would have been angry at him, but the fatigue she had been suppressing had finally caught up with her. The act of keeping her eye lids open was even exhausting. Numbly, she could feel an arm rest gently on her shoulders and begin to push her forwards. Without hesitation, she complied and very slowly, was led to her quarters.
Dearka tenderly directed Milly back to her room where she could go back to sleep. It wasn't as though he would let her completely over work herself. The darkened skin under her eyes and the worn down expression on her face notified him that she had enough. Reaching down, he took the coffee from her hands and tossed it into the nearest trash can.
When they reached her room, Dearka punched in the access code and the door slide open. Milly's body went limp as she flopped onto the bed and buried her face in the pale pink pillow. Glancing around, Dearka began to take in his surroundings. The room, unlike his, was incredibly clean and organized, everything was labeled and in order except for her desk. Papers and photographs lay abandoned and littered the entire surface area of the top. Peering at the pictures, Dearka looked at the different shots of people, gundams, ships, water, stars, trees…everything.
"Hey? Milly?" Dearka looked towards the small natural curled amongst the covers.
"Mmhmm?" Milly mumbled, turning her head slightly so that she was squinting at Dearka.
"Why do you keep taking pictures? You have hundreds." The only thought that really came to his mind was, 'what a waste of time.'
"I'm still looking." Replied Milly quietly, sounding as though she was drifting off to sleep.
"Looking for what?" Now, curiosity lined his words as he continued sifting through the piles.
"I donno…" Milly yawned slightly. "Something…for comfort…"
Dearka almost laughed. "And you can't find it in one of these?" He asked waving about three dozen pictures in his hand.
Milly shook her head and her eye lids fell over her eyes. "No…something's always missing. I need to find something…to put my memories in…" Milly's breathing evened out, and Dearka could tell that she had fallen off to sleep.
"Something to put her memories in?" Dearka muttered to himself as he glanced at the peacefully sleeping Milly.
Placing the pictures on one of the many piles, Dearka walked to the door. Flicking off the light, he punching in the six letter code and headed to the secondary deck, where he could report for the duties he had just signed himself up for.
A full ten hours later, Milly awoke only to find herself tangled up in a huge mass of blankets. Detaching her arms and legs from the layers of material proved more difficult than she had first anticipated. Impatiently, Milly threw her arm across in hopes of loosening the covers. This did not however improve her situation. The momentum of her swinging arm caused her body, along with the blankets, to be hurtled off the bed.
Landing on the floor with a definite 'thunk', Milly pushed the fabric off of her. She was still wearing her uniform. How odd. She never remembered going to bed in her uniform….in fact, she never remembered going to bed at all. Standing up, Milly glanced around her. This seemed to jog her memory, because she gasped and turned to face her clock. It was eleven o' clock in the morning. Ah! Who did her rounds? Did Dearka? Who reported to the captain? She never signed out!
About a million thoughts rushed through Milly's head. The most dominant one was to contact the only person she could think of who might have any answers….Dearka.
Leaping over the bundle of sheets on the floor, Milly grabbed the phone and dialed Dearka's personal cell. Each member of the ship carried one in case of emergencies or to receive orders.
Ringing once….
Ringing twice…
Ringing three times….
Dearka answered on the fourth ring.
"'ello." A male voice, obviously belonging to Dearka, spoke from the other end. Milly cleared her throat and paused.
"um…hi…I" Milly began sorting through her words.
"Milly! Oh, so you're awake. Wow. Ten hours. Not bad." Dearka spoke enthusiastically. Opening her mouth, Milly tried to think of something anything to say…why had she called him? Why did her memory fail now!
"So, why did you call me? Any particular purpose? Or did you just miss me?" What an ice breaker Milly thought sarcastically to herself.
"Who reported to the captain? Did you do my rounds? I didn't sign out…why did you let me fall asleep!" Milly demanded trying to fold the bed sheets with one hand while holding the phone in the other.
"Slow down. Everything is taken care of. I told the captain that you needed some time off. You start your regular routines tomorrow." Dearka replied smoothly.
"You what? I….but ?" Milly was beginning to get incredibly frustrated and it was his fault.
"Hold on kay? I'll come up in a second." With that, Dearka hung up.
Tossing the phone across the room, Milly finished folding the blankets. The clicking noise of the door being unlocked was what brought Milly out of her random pondering. Dearka emerged from the door way looking as cheerful as ever, which is surprising owing to the fact that he had done night rounds.
"Hello, hello!" Dearka smiled as the door closed behind him. "I know what you're thinking." Dearka said slyly. For a moment, neither said anything, then Dearka looked slightly baffled and continued. "Okay, I don't know what you're thinking."
Milly placed her hands firmly on her hips and made a sour face. "How could you just let me fall asleep? This ship can't just go and organize it-self." Dearka smiled almost patiently.
"I think the ship will survive for another day. You can catch up on your photography." At the last phrase, Dearka sniggered slightly. He had obviously been referring to the mountain of pictures piled on Milly's desk.
Glancing behind her, then back to Dearka, Milly sighed. "Maybe. I can at least organize them…right?"
Dearka seemed to look so please that Milly had caught on. "Yup. I'll finish your rounds and stuff. Don't stress. Do whatever you want for a few hours." Dearka winked and began heading towards the door.
Waving, Dearka left the room and Milly.
Staring at nothing in particular, Milly decided she would continue with her photography. She had already looked through every picture on her desk multiple times without success. Maybe she was looking in the wrong places.
Leaning over the clutter, Milly clicked a couple buttons on the camera phone so that she was put through to the main deck. A young, brown haired coordinator received the call.
"Milly. You're up I see. How are you feeling? Have you been resting?" Milly smiled back at Kira. He always seemed to worry too much about others.
"I'm fine. Thanks. Listen, where are we?" Milly asked trying not to make it sound as though it was a completely stupid question.
Kira smiled and typed something on the keyboard. "Currently, we are on the boarder of the central base. We arrived almost an hour ago. We received the files you logged last night and everything seems to be in order." Kira informed Milly meeting her eyes on the screen. "Try to rest. You deserve that at least. Call Dearka if you need anything." With that, that screen went blank and Milly scoffed.
Why was everyone implying that there was something going on between her and Dearka? There so wasn't. Was there? No. definitely not………
An hour past without much being accomplished. Everything Milly did was interrupted by some recollection…Kira….Toll….Gundams….Battle…..Ships….Empty…
What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she sort out everything? Every piece of clothing, paper, items….anything and everything in Milly's life was sorted out. Right? What was missing?
Central base. Maybe that's where she needed to go. Why not?
Making up her mind, Milly grasped the black strap of her camera and reloaded the film. Everything was so confusing. She couldn't live with it any more. If she couldn't figure out what had gone astray….
Milly punched the access code into the key pad and watched the door skate open, reveling the illuminated corridor. The repairs on the ship would have already started, which means the hanger would be open….for a while anyway.
Sprinting down the deserted hallways, Milly concluded that many of the personnel on board had vacated the ship to visit family on orb. Being slightly out of breath, Milly inhaled intensely and entered the large room where all the aircrafts and mobile suits were kept. This was it.
Walking up to one of the smaller planes, Milly carefully hitched her camera higher on her back. Taking very slow, steady steps up the latter, she hopped into the cockpit and fastened the seatbelt.
The screen read auto pilot.
Clicking on the ignition, Milly watched as the screen list off the procedures. Auto pilot was seemingly doing everything for her. A shouting voice from the other side of the room yelled at her to get out of the aircraft. The sound of the man's voice echoed around the entire room, alerting another solider that the alarm was to be sounded. A high pitched ring began to screech, while Milly punched a button and the machine she was located in grunted and began to propel forwards.
The aircraft flew straight out through the open hanger doors, creating a huge gust of wind, nearly knocking down many of the maintenance workers stationed within the vicinity.
Jerking around slightly in the cockpit, Milly focused her attention on everything around her. She had to take a picture.
Taking a long drink of water, Dearka barely heard his phone ring. Answering it, he expected Milly.
"ello'?" Spoke a lively Dearka.
"Mr. Elsman?" Asked a voice that sounded identical to the captain's.
"Captain? Is anything wrong?" It was never a good sign to get a call from the captain. A brief pause wavered over the phone causing Dearka to focus his senses on catching anything that might be said over the other line.
"It's Miriallia Haw. She was seen stealing the fighter aircraft, Convert. We want to send you after her. Your mobile suit is the only one that has all of its repairs finished. It'll be ready when you get there."
The phone clicked off, leaving Dearka open mouthed. Sprinting down the halls, thoughts sprang into his head, each being more horrific than the last. Milly?
Leaping into his Gundam, Dearka ordered the launching sequence. It might be best if he found her…before she found whatever she was looking for.
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