-Missing in Action-
Chapter Seven: The Capital
Kira slowly opened his eyes. Staring at the ceiling he recalled the events once more. His hands clenched into fists grabbing the sheets of the bed. His eyes narrowed to slits as tears fell down his face.
"Its my fault…" Kira winced at the sharp pain that radiated from his wound. The angle the gun had been fired had been most efficient for causing a good deal of damage. The bullet had penetrated one of his lungs but not before hitting some internal organs. Kira struggled to sit up surpassing the pain. Shaking considerably he had almost made it on his own when a hand helped him. Glancing he saw Murrue and not far on another bed was Mwu staring at him.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"It's all my fault"
"What happened?" Kira felt guilty about it but he told her anyway.
"I feel asleep a bit before noon. Birdy awoke me maybe an hour later I woke to find that the prisoner had escaped and that he had stolen my gun." Murrue blinked.
"You carry a gun?"
"Cagalli had given it to me to protect myself." Kira shook his head "I don't even know how to fire a gun." Murrue rubbed her temples and Kira felt that sitting up was putting too much stress on his wound so he slowly fell back.
"Go on." Murrue urged. Kira closed his eyes and sighed.
"He warned me that he'd shoot if I moved. So I didn't. I was planning on negotiating with him. Unfortunately Mwu had the luck to walk in and get shot. The prisoner had his back turned from me so I tried to get the gun away. Maybe not my best idea… while wrestling over it he took the chance and fired again. Everything after that is a blur." Kira looked at her. "I'm sorry."
"Its okay." Murrue said laying her hand on his shoulder. "Even the best make mistakes."
Dearka bolted in his bed.
"What did you just say?" He was positive he had heard wrong. Athrun looked as though he had just run a couple miles.
"Yzak just washed ashore! He's alive!"
"Don't mess with me. That isn't funny." Dearka glared at him before flopping back to bed.
"Its true!" Athrun protested taking his bed covers away exposing him to the cold.
"You expect me to believe that he somehow managed to survive a week out at sea?"
"Yeah." Athrun said with a quick nod of his head "He's alive!" Dearka sighed getting up.
"I'll never forgive you if this is a prank."
Ken was pacing outside the infirmary his hands clasped behind his back. Those wounds that Yzak had were new. Maybe a shark attacked him or something. He paused looking up. Athrun, Dearka and Nicol looked at him anxiously.
"Any word?"
"None yet." Ken muttered calmly. He felt divided. He wanted to go work on his suit. Yet he found himself waiting for any word on Yzak's condition.
"Worried?" Nicol asked.
"Not really." Ken admitted and it was the truth. He had known Yzak for a long time and knew he was going to be fine. "Concerned yet not worried."
"I'm still finding this hard to believe." Dearka admitted shifting feet. "I mean come on! A week at sea! I know he's stubborn and wouldn't die easily but-"
"I think…" Ken said slowly drawing their attention first "That Yzak was picked up at some point and was provided care before being dumped back in the sea."
"Really?" Dearka didn't sound convinced.
"What happened to the mermaids?" Athrun asked. Nicol jumped looking at them.
"Mermaids?" Nicol's eyes were wide. "What's this about mermaids?"
"Another theory of mine." Ken said with a smile "That Yzak was saved by mermaids." Dearka snorted.
"I think your other theory was more likely."
"Me too." Nicol agreed. Ken laughed.
"You guys take me too seriously! Though that would make quite the story wouldn't it." Ken attempted to mimic Yzak's voice "Oh yes! I was saved by a herd of mermaids! They were sooo beautiful." The guys burst out laughing. He actually sounded like him.
"Do me!" Nicol said throwing his arm in the air. Ken was about to when the door behind them opened. The woman looked very glum.
Yzak felt horrid. His leg had been broken as well with four ribs, three fingers, his ankle had been shattered and his clavicle had snapped. He had a nice second degree burns on his arm and torso and to top it all off he had acquired a cold since his arrival. He coughed and winced as his ribs protested.
"Oh fuck this is lovely." He growled. He heard a light laugh and saw the entrance of Dearka, Nicol, Ken and Athrun.
"So." Ken said rocking on his feet. "You're looking lovely today." Yzak sent him the coldest glare he could manage. Ken laughed and flopped on a near chair. Dearka whistled before smiling broadly.
"Can't believe you're alive!" Nicol looked as though he was going to cry. Athrun shook his head as though he himself couldn't believe it.
"What are you doing here?" He asked Ken. This made him uneasy. What with Ken's past occupation.
"I came here to avenge you my friend." Yzak wasn't convinced. He was sure that that was just an excuse.
"That so?" He said monotone. "Please tell me you didn't bring that mobile suit of yours…The Tyrant?" Ken nodded fast before he leaned over him.
"Will you do me a favor?" Yzak lifted an eyebrow.
"Do I look fit for carrying out a favor?"
"No. But it can wait till you get better! Listen will you be my best man?"
"For what?" Ken pulled out a small box.
"What do you mean for what? My wedding of course!" He announced. Yzak slightly smiled shaking his pounding head.
"You haven't even asked her to marry you I'm willing to bet."
"You don't think she'll say no do you?" Ken looked worried glancing at the box a few times. Yzak coughed and winced.
"Of course she'll say yes. I don't think she'll say no now!"
"What does that mean?" Ken demanded his eyes narrowing.
"She hasn't told you yet?" Yzak looked at him painfully. "You mean she hasn't told you about…" Yzak laughed slightly and Ken grabbed his collar. Yzak hissed as he felt his ribs ache in protest.
"What is it?" Ken demanded. Yzak tried to hold back his laughter. It wouldn't improve the situation.
"Its not my place to say." Yzak said with a smile "If she hasn't told you yet then she doesn't want you to know."
"Wait a minute you keep contact with her!" Yzak nodded and Ken threw him back to the bed and left the room. "If you need me I'll be in the hanger!" With that he left. Yzak would have burst out madly with laughter had it not been for his ribs. Athrun gave him a look.
"What was that about?" Dearka and Nicol were interested as well.
"If you're meant to know then you will. But I'm not going to tell you." Yzak coughed violently and shivered his hand went to his ribs. He shook as he took a couple deep breaths. Dearka rested his hand on his shoulder.
"You okay?"
"I'll be fine." Yzak groaned and his eyes slowly closed as he tried to block out the pain.
The nurse had warned them that he was in a fragile state and that the next few days were going to be long and hard on him. Dearka believed it as Yzak coughed and gasped for air shaking as he drew each breath. His eyelids soon fell over his eyes and Dearka sighed sitting down next to the bed. Athrun leaned against the wall and Nicol took the last vacant chair.
"He's really in bad shape." Nicol said sadly. Yzak was hooked up to five separate machines and they all showed the same thing. His body was in distress. Dearka winced as Yzak gasped and moaned burying his head into the pillow.
"Every time I cough I stand a risk of breaking my ribs." Yzak said quietly "It burns when I breathe, my skin burns. Everything is throbbing."
"Have you taken some painkillers?"
"Can't for a few days yet." Yzak said closing his eyes "It will do more harm then good." Athrun felt frustrated knowing nothing could be done to alleviate his pain. Just then Commander Le Creuset announced his arrival and entered.
"Yzak Joule. I must say I'm quite astonished to see you alive." Yzak slowly turned his head to see the commander. There was something he didn't quite like about the man. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Respecting instead of worrying he nodded and said a weak 'hello sir'. He didn't try to sit up. He was exhausted. "How are you feeling?" Creuset asked
"I've been better." He tried to hold back a cough but failed.
"Ezalia Joule has been contacted and is thrilled to hear that you've been found alive. I'm interested as to how you survived but I'll save the questioning for another time. Right now all I wish is for you to make a quick recovery and get over that cold you have." He pursed his lips as though considering something. "I have to go but I'll be here tomorrow to discuss with you the events that occurred." Yzak felt totally wiped but nodded to show that he understood. With that the commander left and Yzak closed his eyes and felt his breath evening out from the last attack. He didn't know how but he had started to drift off into a deep sleep.
"He wants to discuss things with Yzak tomorrow?" Dearka asked aloud to no one in particular. Athrun stared at the floor and Nicol glanced between the two of them. "When he's barely even able to breathe he expects Yzak to explain and answer his questions?" A nurse entered and pushed Dearka aside to get to the patient. She frowned and attached him to a respirator. Quickly writing on her clipboard she glanced at them.
"You should all head to bed. We'll take good care of him."
"How long till he makes a full recovery?" Athrun asked. The nurse looked at them.
"A month."
"A month?" Nicol asked astonished "A full month?"
"He is badly injured and on top of all that he is malnourished, dehydrated and has a serious flu which would leave any healthy coordinator bed ridden. Now get to bed before you get sick as well." She shooed them out.
Ken tied to preoccupy himself with the Tyrant. Tried and was failing miserably.
"What did he mean? If she hasn't told you yet then she doesn't want you to know? What kind of crap is that?" He lit the blowtorch and began working on the arm "I don't think she'll say no now." He mimicked Yzak's voice to himself then snorted. "What did he mean by that?" He thought for a moment and blinked "What if she got a tattoo? Well why haven't I seen it I wonder? I've seen every inch of her. Wait what if she's cheating? No it can't be that. She's a vegetarian I know that much." He bit his lip "Is it a good or bad thing? If she's an alien I'll still marry her. But what will our children look like?" He shook his head. "She's not an alien you fool! E.T was but Ami isn't. Ami is a human being!" He heard laughter from below and turned the blowtorch off looking down. Dearka was staring up at him laughing.
"You keep a good conversation with yourself!" He commented
"How long have you been listening?" He demanded
"Too long!" Ken grumbled about no privacy before he continued working.
"What do you want? I have no money on me at the moment!" He yelled after noticing that Dearka wasn't going away and instead had taken a seat and was staring at him.
"What! Why would I want money?"
"I dunno?" Ken shrugged and glanced at him "To buy things!"
"Yeah but what?" Dearka waved his hands in front of his face "Know what don't answer that!"
"Seems like you're finally getting to know me!" He said delighted.
"Yeah…" Dearka said lowering his gaze and rubbing the back of his head "Lucky me" It was clearly sarcastic and Ken snorted and went back to work.
"Its gotta be a tattoo." He concluded. Dearka's head snapped up again.
Kira stumbled out of bed and fell to his knees. Mwu entered the infirmary and looked at him. Mwu had been given permission to walk freely on the ship so long as he didn't try anything reckless. He walked over and helped him stand.
"Do you remember what you said?"
"When?" Kira asked standing. The pain wasn't too sharp and he was able to deal with it for the time being.
"After you were shot."
"I said something?" Kira was puzzled "What did I say?"
"You said quote 'We fight because we don't understand. We suffer because we don't have a choice. We die because we weren't strong enough.'" Kira blinked at him.
"That doesn't seem like something I'd say."
"That's why I asked." Kira sat on the bed
"I don't remember saying that at all."
Next day
Yzak didn't feel the least bit better. In fact he felt worse. Keeping his eyes closed he hoped that he could block away the world and the pain. His headache was painful and while it had lessened it was still painful enough to cripple him from moving his head normally. Yzak slowly opened his eyes as the door to the infirmary opened. Dearka walked in and to his slight amazement Ken accompanied him. Did the two get along?
"How ya feeling?" Ken asked sitting down.
"I'm fine." He groaned. His throat was sore to the point where he now winced when he swallowed.
"Heard you developed a fever." Dearka said sadly "Man you're really in the shits eh?"
"At least he doesn't have the shits." Ken commented. Dearka sighed.
"Nice."
"Well he doesn't!" Ken yelled then lowered his voice to a loud whisper. "You don't do you?"
"No!" Yzak yelled hoarsely. Ken smiled slightly.
"I finally finished working on the Tyrant. It got shot down on my way here."
"Really?" Yzak was surprised. "Who was shooting at you?"
"Three mobile suits. I'm actually troubled by it. They were top of the line … better than the GAT-X units." Ken wasn't the only one now troubled. Dearka and Yzak were now worried about the three suits as well.
"Listen." Dearka said looking at him "Nicol and Athrun talked to the Commander and they managed to convince him not to question you today." Yzak blinked
"Why?" Ken flicked his forehead
"Are you ready to answer questions?" Yzak opened his mouth to answer but before he even had the chance Ken was already miles ahead of him "No I didn't think so…Hey I started blueprints on a mobile suit which I think I'm going to call The Capital!"
"Oh god no." Yzak muttered
"Oh hell yeah! It was either The Capital or The Cannon" Yzak rolled his eyes focusing instead on something else. The floor.
"What are you making another for? You already have The Tyrant" Dearka stated
"It's a late gift for my old pal!" Ken said happily ruffling Yzak's hair.
"Quit it!" Yzak snapped. Ken yanked his hand away though still smiling.
"Oh come on! You can't deny that my suits are good! They're created so that they can be easily updated as technology advances!" Yzak sighed… He couldn't deny that. No matter how much he wanted too Ken's suits were indeed above average.
"Yes I know but that'll take months. I need a suit now! Besides if I crash the darn thing you'll be beside yourself."
"Damn right I will. So you better not do that!" Yzak coughed and glared at him. Ken sighed, "Listen bud. I trust my suits more then myself. They're as good as the GAT-X's!" Yzak glared at Ken.
"It better not look ugly." Ken's smile widened.
"So you'll use it? When I finish it?" Yzak nodded accepting. Ken laughed and jumped to his feet. "I'm kidding with you bud!"
"What? You're not planning on making a suit? Not enough finances?" Yzak felt better.
"Its already finished!" Ken yelled happily. Yzak choked.
"What!"
"Yeah! I've already called Ami and she's riding it over! I'll get to see my babe again!"
"Are you talking about the suit or Ami?" Dearka asked
"Both." Yzak paled
"So Yzak's new mobile suit is the AES-02?" Nicol asked stunned. Dearka nodded.
"Yep Ken built it. Ami's riding it over. Should be here tomorrow. It's also known as The Capital."
"What an odd name. AES-O2? Wonder what that stands for?"
"I don't want to know." Dearka said honestly. "I'm just hoping it wont look too odd."
"The Tyrant is pretty nice." Athrun grumbled, "In fact it's pretty sharp."
"Oh don't defend that thing!" Dearka growled.
"I'm not I was just saying that It can't be all that bad!"
Kira sighed on the bed. Cagalli had been smart enough to gather all the pieces of Birdy before someone got the idea to throw it out. He stared at it weakly as he picked up a small yellow piece. He didn't know how to repair it but he was willing to guess that even if he did know how that Birdy was beyond repair anyway. Dropping the piece he felt his eyes burn as tears threatened to spill again.
"Damn."
Another chapter up! This one is the longest yet! Again I apologize for any spelling mistakes or confusing moment's where you had to re-read something in order to understand it. Please review! I appreciate it. The next chapter will be in three days. (Hopefully)