Chapter 17 - Learn to Forgive Me

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Recap : "That's why he's the Prince of the Sea!" the tan blonde continued. "Not you...You back stabber!" No one seemed to understand the word. "You're his teacher for God's sake!"

Athrun, Lacus, and everyone but Cagalli and Kira gasped at this news. Rau just smirked, raising his sword from Dearka's and into the air. Dearka blinked in confusion before it hit him.

"If you love your captain so much...Then you'll join him!" Rau yelled.

His sword came down...and Dearka couldn't move...

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CLANG!

It resounded in everyone's ears as sword met sword once again. Dearka landed on Kira, causing them both to fall in a heap on the ground. After regaining their bearings, they looked up at the one in front of them.

Shoulder-length silver hair and startlingly clear blue eyes. Yzak Joule was truly a sight to behold, especially at the end of his own captain's sword. (No, he wasn't stabbed)

"Yzak!" Rau gasped. "What are you doing?"

Yzak lowered his head a bit to shield his eyes with his hair.

"I don't know." he whispered. "I have absolutely no clue...But they're all..." he paused, glancing at Dearka and Kira. "This is insane."

Rau blinked, but you couldn't tell due to his mask. Yzak raised his head, his eyes alight with a strange burning.

"You're sacrificing countless innocents! You care only for yourself and it's begun to get on my nerves the way you act!" Yzak yelled. "Half of your crew, including me, is made up of civilians you've managed to capture or persuade into joining you! I've been with you ever since Kira but I still don't understand!"

Kira, Cagalli, and Dearka had wide eyes. He'd been on the ship?

'It was always like that...You payed more attention to him than to me. I really hated him. Him and his little friends!'

"You've been trying countless times to kill him but nothing ever worked!" he continued. "You only care about a few abilities and a title..." he muttered bitterly, looking betrayed...in Kira's eyes. (From Kira's POV)

'I really wanted to hurt him...I really did. But he smiled at me. That one time we saw each other on deck...He smiled at me and my life didn't seem worthless...I thought I would do anything for you because you took me from the orphanage in Heliopolis...'

"But now..." Yzak muttered, then raised his voice. "I think I'd rather do anything for him instead."

Rau smirked and Yzak gave his harshest glare yet. He tore his sword away before plunging it into Rau's right shoulder.

"Don't you dare smirk at me like that you deceiving bastard!" he yelled, and it looked like he would cry.

Rau's sword clanged to the ground.

-

Kira had insisted that everyone be bandaged, Freedom and Gammow crew members. The dead bodies were thrown overboard and given a farewell prayer. Rau had been bound but not gagged, and now sat in the far cell below deck. Kira had bandaged him himself.

Kira brought Rau his lunch one day as they began a long and quiet journey back to Heliopolis. Rau blinked at a glint from near Kira's neck, and smirked.

"Even after all the pain and suffering it's caused you." he said, stopping Kira before he headed back upstairs. "You still where that godforsaken necklace?"

Kira's eyes widened and he clutched the necklace with his left hand, his right holding the tray from Rau's breakfast.

"Don't you think that that boy will want his mother's necklace back?" Rau asked coldly. Kira turned to look at him, and Rau stopped smirking.

Kira was giving him a smile.

"Yes. I suppose he would, wouldn't he? And I have every intention of returning it. Along with the Clyne family Royal Medallion." his smile turned grim. "Sensei..."

Rau started at the name.

"I've begun to face my past and fix my mistakes...with the help of a boy who hates pirates and a girl who's hair is like bubble gum. Even so...Even if I'm Prince of the Sea...To them...to everyone on this ship..." he looked directly into Rau's eyes (cougheyeholecough) with a somewhat defiant look. "I'm just Kira. Kira Yamato Hibiki."

Rau seemed awed by the presence and light Kira was giving off.

"I don't want to forget anything that's happened to me, ever. They are all very important memories for me. They shape me." he smiled lightly again. "Maybe you should try to overcome the past too? Instead of hiding it behind a mask."

Kira tapped his forehead, as in 'mask,' and then turned to leave. Rau's voice caught up to him just as he neared the exit door.

"It concerns that 2nd blonde."

Kira nodded, though no one saw, and headed out the door.

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Mwu was standing with 'Ramius-sensei' when he got back on deck after cleaning up. Kira didn't have to guess twice that he was flirting with the woman. She may already have a husband!

Athrun was no where to be found. Cagalli was taking a bath and Dearka...Kira looked around and saw the blonde boy with Miriallia Haww at the front of the ship. He seemed to have picked up some flirting tips from Mwu and honed them down. Mir seemed more flattered than Murrue.

Sai was trying to talk to Flay, who wouldn't even look at him. Kira and the others knew that she had been working alongside her own kidnapper, but she was just a teenager. Sai acted with her how he had with Lacus, to a degree. He was always blushing and stuttering and Kira had to hold back his laugh.

He spotted Lacus standing near the middle mast and smiled, walking over.

"Hey there Lacus." he greeted, she smiled at him. "Whatcha doin?"

"Oh. I was just seeing how everything looked from the center." she looked around. "Everyone seems happier now that that blonde man isn't attacking...Was he really your teacher?" she asked, a curious look on her face that made Kira laugh.

"Come with me." he pointed up, towards the crow's nest he liked so much, before he began to climb. "Don't fall." he joked.

Once up in the crow's nest and sitting comfortably, Kira on the edge and Lacus on the floor, Kira smiled.

"You're going home." he said as if saying 'congratulations' to her. "Are you excited?"

"Yes, I suppose. Everyone there is afraid of this ship...But I'll change that." Lacus said with determination. "I'm sure Athrun will agree with me. You and your crew deserve to have free passage into Heliopolis, whenever you want it or need it."

"Thank you." Kira gave her a smile before his eyes were hidden by his bangs. "That'd...that'd be nice..."

"Kira? Is something wrong? Was it something I said?" she asked. He shook his head and smiled again.

"No. Just a memory. A far off memory that's like a scattered dream." (1) he blinked and looked down moments before a voice called up to them.

"Captain!" Yzak Joule stood just below them, looking up. "Can I speak with you?"

He was getting some stares, from both crews, but didn't seem to care. Kira nodded and turned back to Lacus.

"I'm being summoned." he said as if he were telling a secret. "Can you get down by yourself?"

Lacus nodded, almost numbly it seemed, and Kira fell backwards from the crow's nest. The Gammow's crew gasped and held their breath as he fell. Kira flipped before his hand grabbed a rope and held it for a mere second then let go, landing perfectly on deck. Clapping ensued. Kira blushed.

"Oh, right. You wanted something Yzak?" he asked calmly. Yzak looked around and then began to walk towards the upper deck. Kira laughed once.

"How about we talk in my room?" he offered the solitude, pointing to the captain's room.

Yzak blinked and nodded in a military fashion. They entered through the wooden door and Yzak took a few moment to gawk at the room.

"So, you needed something?" Kira sat on his desk, legs hanging off, facing Yzak.

"Why don't you sit in the captain's chair?" Yzak asked. Kira shook his head.

"I'm not that proper. It makes me feel like I'm talking down to the person in front of me." he smiled good-heartedly at the other teen.

"Ah...Oh!" Yzak shook himself. "I need to ask you a question, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead." Kira waved for him to continue, wondering why Yzak was being to formal...

"I'd like...Can I join your crew?" he asked, bowing almost to the floor. Kira laughed, causing him to look up.

"Sorry...You're just so...so formal!" he took a moment to regain himself and then smiled through a hanging laugh. "Sure...I don't mind. It'd be fun to get to know someone else from the old days." he smiled and Yzak felt his insecurities melt away.

Jess : Songs effect my titles...This one came from "Everything Changes" by Staind. I had just finished a song fic for Akito in the Fruits Baskets Song Fics.

I realized while writing this chapter, I either never gave Manson's ship a name, or I can't remember it. Hopefully and likely the former. -smile-

Ah, before I forget! I'd like you all to tell me your favorite pairings from this story. ANY pairings you can think of. -bows- Thank You.