-Missing In Action-
Chapter Three: Ken Nimuac
"Are you okay?" Kira asked walking to the bars of the cell. "You're not looking so good." Yzak's head snapped up and his hands released the bars instead grabbing Kira' throat. Kira gasped as they tightened.
"You bastard! You bastard!"
"S-s-sto-p." Kira gasped falling to his knees. "Y-z-zak." Kira's hands shook as they went to pry Yzak's hands away from his throat.
"You bastard. You bastard! You're the Pilot? You're the one!" Kira's eyes rolled in the back of his head and Yzak shouted louder. "You're the bastard who ruined everything!" Suddenly he heard shouts and warnings coming from the furthest part of the room but he didn't care. Kira's hands dropped limply by his sides and a couple tears slowly trailed from the corners of his eyes. A gunshot was heard and Yzak cried out releasing Kira who fell to the ground. He did not appear to be breathing.
"So what do you want me to do?" Ken asked standing and tightening the robe around himself.
"First off I want you to clarify that Yzak is indeed MIA." Ken narrowed his eyes as she continued. "Secondly if that's true I want you to depart and join the Gamow… Once that's all said and done I want you to do what you do best." She smiled looking at him. "Understand?"
"Yes ma'am!" He saluted then bolted from the room and a moment later she heard a crash, which was soon followed by an "I'm okay!" She smiled closing her eyes and shaking her head.
"What!" Nicol shouted standing. Athrun walked towards the Buster Pilot.
"Dearka do you know what you're saying?" Dearka nodded.
"I do."
"No. I don't think you do." Athrun said softly "That will be hard if not harder to accomplish than just going out in three mobile suits and taking it down. We just need to formulate a strategy for taking it out. It'll probably take less time actually." Dearka sighed looking frustrated.
"Its just that I want to see the face of the pilot. The one whose caused us so much pain."
"This war is the true cause of that pain." Nicol said gaining their attention "Not simply the people participating." Dearka frowned crossing his arms in front of his chest and Athrun looked at the floor his thoughts traveling to his childhood friend.
Kira coughed and opened his eyes running his fingers along his neck. Maybe mentioning that he was the pilot of the Strike had been a bad idea. Cagalli knelt by him wiping her lips with the back of her hand.
"Are you okay?" Kira coughed as he drew another rasping breath and Tolle put a hand on his shoulder.
"Man I thought you were a goner. If Cagalli hadn't given you mouth to mouth you'd be dead." Cagalli blushed as she focused on the POW her hands tightening around her gun. Kira looked as well and his eyes widened to find that Yzak was lying on the ground clutching his arm. His blood soaking the sleeve.
"W-what did you do?" His voice was terribly rough and he winced grabbing his throat.
"We warned him." Cagalli growled "He wouldn't release you so I had no other choice."
"And you haven't called for a medic!"
"Tolle just did. Though it was meant for you and not for him."
"Couldn't you have just done something else?"
"You're kidding me!" Cagalli shouted. "He almost killed you."
"He has every reason to want me dead." Kira whispered. "I don't blame him." Just then the medic along with Mwu arrived. Mwu went to his side and examined his neck as the medic entered Yzak's cell accompanied by Cagalli who had her gun pointed at Yzak in case he tried anything.
"Are you alright kid?" Kira nodded.
"I-I'm fine."
"Ken?" Ami whispered peering into his room. He was packing and his hair was once again neat and pulled back into a ponytail. "So Yzak really is MIA?"
"Yep." Ken said simply. "Where's my socks?"
"In the drawer." She answered and he sighed before looking at her. His eyes were such a deep crimson that they were usually the first thing a person noticed when looking at him. She walked to him and started massaging his shoulders. "You okay?" she asked and he nodded.
"Yeah. Don't worry."
"You're upset aren't you?"
"Can't help it." She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against him.
"I love you."
"I know." He relaxed and smiled at her. "I guess we weren't really friends so I don't know why I'm being so emotional."
"Maybe because he saved your life that one time." She stated. "And if it hadn't been for him we wouldn't have met." Ken nodded looking at his bag.
"I will avenge him." She looked at him.
"MIA doesn't mean he's dead?"
Yzak struggled against the people pinning him to the bed.
"Relax!" Kira yelled at him "We're just trying to help! You're wounded!"
"No!" He yelled and was about to kick the guy with the blonde hair when a needle pricked his arm. He glared at the medic before he felt himself relaxing and drifting off.
"Bastard…"
Two days later
"Replacement?" Dearka hissed his hands clenching into fists. "Someone's replacing Yzak?" Rau Le Creuset nodded and brushed some unseen dirt off his shoulder.
"His name is Ken Nimuac. He's a well known pilot and we should consider ourselves fortunate that he's agreed to join." Athrun glanced at Dearka and saw his eyes narrow. Athrun felt angered as well.
"No one else was replaced." Nicol muttered. They approached a landing pad and watched as a jet descended and a man with long red hair jumped out with a briefcase.
"See ya latter John. Tell your wife I said hi!" The pilot nodded and gave a smile.
"Sure thing Ken! Watch out for spiders" Ken glared and the pilot laughed and took off again. Ken shook his head and removed his sunglasses tucking them into his shirt pocket. He smiled as he approached them. The first thing they all noticed besides his hair was that his eyes were a deep vibrant red.
"Hey." He said brightly dropping his briefcase to the ground. "Names Ken. Friends call me Crazy and my girlfriend calls me Sugar." They stared at him not even smiling. Ken blinked and laughed nervously rubbing the back of his head "Not the most lively bunch." He turned and looked at Le Creuset bowing his head slightly. "Nice to meet you sir I've heard a great deal of your accomplishments and am quite honored to be in your presence."
"As am I."
"Sorry about being late. See I was actually planning to arrive in my mobile suit but I got shot down. So then I had to give my old friend John a call." Ken shook his head "Talkative guy but smells worse then an outhouse on a hot summer day. Soooo who are these fine gentlemen?" The question was directed towards Rau Creuset but they answered themselves.
"Athrun Zala".
"Dearka Elsman"
"Nicol Amalfi" Ken nodded to each one as they introduced themselves.
"Phew. Man you guys need to loosen up! You know relax!" He picked up his briefcase and walked past them before turning and staring at them. "Okay I have no idea where I'm going so if you would lead the way."
"He seems like an alright kinda guy." Nicol admitted
Yzak awoke and groaned finding everything sore. Trying to lift his hand to his face he blinked as he found it restrained. Glancing at his other arm and legs he growled to find the same results. He tried to sink into his pillow and relax but found it rather difficult after discovering who the Strike pilot was.
"A young natural." He growled, "I was defeated by a young natural boy." He winced at his headache and tried to twist his head into a position where it didn't hurt.
Ken entered the cafeteria and flopped himself on a seat. Looking at his drink briefly he stared at the three pilots.
"So I heard Yzak Joule was listed as MIA." He said softly. Athrun nodded looking at his food while Dearka glared at him. Nicol sighed.
"He was killed by the Strike."
"Ami my girlfriend." Ken said ignoring Nicol's comment and leaning back "Says that MIA means that the person is missing in action. It doesn't mean that they're dead." They looked at him. He lowered his gaze looking at his drink. "I guess I should tell you the reason why I'm here." He took a deep a breath and looked at them to make sure they were listening. "You see six years ago Yzak saved my life. I was almost hit by a car. He ran out and pulled me away just in time. I was well grateful to say the least but more then anything else I was…amazed. That someone would actually risk their life to save mine was unimaginable at the time! I was as poor and as unpopular as anyone could be. And to be totally honest I personally thought I was worthless myself." Ken closed his eyes feeling like it was just yesterday. "When I asked him why he saved me he was like 'Why do I need to tell you?'" Ken laughed to himself. "He always had a temper even on his best of days. We weren't best friends or anything but we kept contact over the years and the next thing I knew he had joined the ZAFT military. I thought about it for the longest time till one day I woke up and decided to join myself. Unfortunately that very day my mom was murdered and my father died a few hours later… committed suicide by slicing his own wrists." He paused and looked at them. Seeing that they were actually listening he continued "I was unable to follow Yzak into the war. I had to stay behind and look after my sister…She was four at the time."
"Shouldn't you still be with her?" Nicol asked
"S-she didn't make it to see her fifth birthday. She missed 'mommy' and 'daddy' too fucking much!" The cup shattered in his hands but he pretended not to notice, "There was nothing I could do! She was just a kid and yet she starved herself! She killed herself!" He drew a sharp breath. "When Yzak found out he sent over a girl to take care of me. Guess he was afraid I'd do something stupid. Now that I look back on it he was right…I was ready to do something stupid." He buried his hands into his hair trying to get his hands to stop shaking. "Everything was falling apart. Everything was dying. I remember being so miserable being so alone…I remember staring at that gun. Thinking 'why not? What's to live for? Who's going to stop you? Will anyone even notice? Will anyone even cry?'" Ken shivered "Then she showed up. That girl Yzak sent." Ken smiled "The girls name was Ami and I instantly fell in love. I know that sounds corny but it's the truth and had it not been for her I have no idea where I would've ended up." His anger flared up again as he spoke "Then! Not even three days ago I found out that the guy who made everything possible was listed as MIA!" He slammed his fist on the table "I'm here! I'm alive! I'm fighting! And I'm going to avenge him! That's why I'm here!"
I will admit that this chapter was slightly rushed and that most will probably notice a few mistakes thatI missed when I read it over. NowI'm trying very hard to make Ken and Ami likeable characters so that you won't be too irritated when they're brought up in the story. This chapter didn't have a lot on Yzak and Kira because I was trying to get Ken on the Gamow. Sorry! Now I know that some of you might be confused as to why Ami was ordering Ken around and that will be answered in one of the future chapters. The next chapter will take a few days because I'll be busy. This chapter was a tad rushed because I wanted to get it done before everything became hectic! Also please point out any mistakes so I can fix them when I find time. Thanks to those who reviewed!