Chapter 24: Goodbye
A barrier formed by projection from seven DRAGOON bits protected Athrun from the palm beam cannon, and a gleam of gold shot out from the darkness of space and grabbed I.Justice as it whipped past. "Cagalli!" he asked, and was relieved as her face appeared on screen, she was smiling…but he could tell she was angry about something. And he found out why as she yelled at him, "Why are you out here! You know you're injured!"
He almost wanted to laugh at the way she said the statement, but he knew it was not the time. A beam rifle shot past him and he activated his rail guns to strike back, he and Cagalli aligned themselves back to back for a two VS two battle. Cagalli deployed her DRAGOON bits and Athrun fired his beam rifles repeatedly, attempting to keep the black suits at bay for the chance to do more serious damage.
He knew he had to finish the battle quickly. Though armed with many weapons, the I.Justice is still a short-ranged fighter, melee at best. And if only he could get close enough, the big black suit is history, but the one problem now, is him.
He was perspiring profusely, and his breathing was coming in short, sharp gasps. Sweat trailed down his temples and dripped off his eyelashes, he had to blink them away to prevent it from clouding his vision. His right arm was almost completely numb and refused to obey him. Cagalli was right…he was in no condition to fight, but he had to. For Gaia was taking on the Zaft forces that attacked the incoming Orb army, and Dearka in the Zaku Phantom was telling the Zaft forces to fall back and focus their fire on the Nova Destructions. It was all rather confusing, but Athrun knew the one thing he had to do was to deal quickly with the monstrous suits. He had to protect the PLANTs at all cost… And he needed Cagalli's help in the strategy he was about to propose, even though he knew she wasn't going to like it…
"Cagalli…"He called, charging forward into the ranks of one and cast out the beam boomerang.
"What is it!" she yelled back. He told her…and she didn't like it. "Are you nuts!"
"We must make sure they don't hit the PLANTs, look at the size of that beam cannon! If even one glass panel shatters, Aprillius is history…" He reasoned with her as he caught the returning boomerang, "And, wasn't that the whole point why we're out here?"
She glared back at him, knowing she had no means to rebut. He smiled inwardly, and went on to placate her. "Before this…" He began slowly, "Lacus made me promise. To ignore everything…even you, to keep Orb safe. And she thinks that's what you'd want…" Cagalli nodded grimly, still frowning at him. "Same with me…I want to keep PLANTs safe…even if……" he swallowed the rest of the words, still unable to say them out loud. Cagalli nodded reluctantly, silently consenting to Athrun's ridiculous battle plan.
"We'll destroy those big black things that keep blocking my windscreen." She declared, "And Athrun Zala…"
"Yes?"
"You better not die…"
Athrun was surprised, but after a moments' hesitation, he nodded. "Let's go…"
---
Yzak and Sedna sat there beside the statue of goddess Artemis panting, having narrowly escaped death. And Sedna looked up at him meekly, and he snapped irritably, "What!" She smiled sheepishly at him and replied, "I was just thinking…about how many times we have kissed since I knew you…"
Yzak bristled as he turned away, embarrassed, "Why now…?"
"Do you know?" she probed, still smiling as she leaned forward. He thought for a bit before telling her confidently, "Four."
"Wrong. I kissed you while you were sleeping." She confessed, he didn't reply, just stared at her with his eyes wide. She laughed and got up to remove the sodden suit, revealing cotton pants and a shirt underneath. And she picked up her gun from the water, "I'm going."
"Where!" he asked immediately as he got up as well.
"I have to kill Athrun Zala…"
"I said I won't let you!"
"And I told you that you cannot stop me! I can't be as unfilial as him!" she retorted and Yzak reached to twist her hand behind her back. She struggled as she heard the sound of something small and deadly sliced through the air, and she gasped as she felt warm liquid splashing onto her back…
---
"NO!" Lunamaria protested immediately, "I won't! I refuse!"
"Can you think of something else?" He replied calmly, not use to explaining himself to anyone. "You see how Zaft is getting trashed, even Strike Freedom and the Orb woman is having a hard time, the idiot's fried. We're the only ones left in this now, and we have to do something about it if PLANTs were to survive this day!"
"I won't let you stay behind yourself!"
"You want to die together!" He shouted. They were buried in the depths of the space fortress and standing in front of the self-destruct panel, which can be activated by the card key Shinn stole. Ephraim will self-destruct soon, very soon. Unfortunately they couldn't make it any earlier or it will be discovered, it will only detonate a few moments before the Trident fires again, but it was good enough. Someone has to stay around to slot the card key in at the right moment. And Shinn is determined it will be him and not her, "You still have to take care of Meyrin, and your parents. I don't have anyone to answer to." He stated plainly.
"Does that mean you can die!" she berated him, "I don't want that to happen!"
"Then WHAT!" he hollered, "We live happily ever after and let PLANTs perish! Let your parents and all your relatives die!"
Spherical teardrops floated in Luna's visor as she bit her quivering lip, trying to choke back a sob. Shinn didn't realize it, but he was crying as well. Both of them realized the desperate nature of the current situation, and both knew that sacrifice was needed, sacrifice on one of their parts for the greater good. For more people to be saved…it was almost too much for the pair of sixteen-year-olds, almost too painful to bear. Almost.
"I don't care…" Luna cried, "I don't want you to disappear right in front of me…" And it was quiet apart from the sound of her sobs, which repeatedly wrenched at Shinn's heart. They stood there motionlessly, buried in deep space rock, waiting for the inevitable to take place. It was dark and peaceful, but they knew that the weight of an entire nation was now resting in the stale atmosphere between the two, tensed, challenged, doomed. Shinn couldn't wait any longer, he had to convince Luna to go…but not without saying good bye. He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly, awkwardly, the way he perceived appropriate for what was to be the last time. Her arms reached and touched his shoulder, and they rocked left and right. Enjoying the peace of the moment, savouring what was left of their time together…
"I'm glad…I so glad that you're the one with me now…" he muttered, those words were raw and sincerely and spoken out directly from his heart. He meant every syllabus, of everyone he met in his life. Only three people were special, two died right in front of his very eyes, and the last one is there in his arms right now. He didn't know if they will survive this day, but he knew that…he don't want to lose Luna. He didn't want her to die right in front of him if he could help it…
Luna didn't reply, she merely nodded in gratitude, her hands wrapping about Shinn. "I won't go…" she insisted, quietly and with such ferocity that Shinn flinched, "Not without you…I won't let you die. I think have a way…"
---
"LACUS!" Kira lauched forward as he entered Seed mode, deploying his DRAGOONs and firing at the black mobile suit that terrorized the Eternal. Among the laser beams that rain down on its target, most just bounced off harmlessly. Kira started aiming at the joints, points of weakness on the seemingly invincible. These shots yielded better results, for now Nova Destruction was taking at least some damage. Kira redoubled his efforts, indulged and fully absorbed by the need to destroy the black mobile suit in effort to protect the songstress and his friends, his comrades. He hollered as charged forward and whipped one beam saber out of its scabbard, cutting in a wide arch while using the DRAGOONS as distraction, when he got close enough, Nova Destruction once again reacted by activating the chest beam cannon. As the cannon flipped out of its chest plate once again, Kira smiled in triumph, I won…
And he didn't try to avoid as the cannon charged briefly, but gave the thrusters one last boost to propel forward, till he was right in front of the cannon and its light filled his entire windscreen and blinded him momentarily. He didn't waste time thinking on it as he no longer needed his vision, Strike Freedom pulled back the beam saber and plunged it straight into eye of the chest cannon…
---
Sedna turned around to catch Yzak just in time as he collapsed, blood draining down the front of his shirt. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye, from behind the statue, someone dressed in black uniform announced, "Silver falcon, dispatched…" She was angered and she grabbed whatever she could, which is a dagger she found in the water and charged forward, hollering like a mad man. The man gasped in surprise and she didn't hesitate to thrust the blade all the way in beneath the heart. The man went limp and sagged forward heavily, and it was then Sedna realized…It was one of her man who fired, the same person who chased them up. It was Samson…and she just killed him. Her hands started quaking as she allowed the dagger to fall, but she told herself to be strong as she had something else important to do. She rushed back to where Yzak laid bleeding and shouted, "Hey, you acted dead twice in a day already, I'm not going to fall for it the third time!" Only to be greeted by the sight of the water turning red, spreading from the slit on Yzak's neck where blood was steadily spurting out…
Quickly she added pressure to the wound and called to him, "Yzak, YZAK! Wake up!" A clear sharp gasp was heard as he drew breath, and his eyes flicked open. It was bad, he must have lost so much blood initially that he went into shock. And from the extent of bleeding, the bullet probably scrapped the cartenoid artery.
She pressed down on the wound again, and Yzak moaned so pitifully that it tore at her heart. Swiftly she tore cloth from his suit and dressed the wound, it was crude, but would suffice for the moment.
Yzak couldn't really tell what was happening, only he was scratched… and he felt cold. Like he was lying on a bed of ice. He could see that Sedna was frantically tearing strips of cloth to wrap about his neck, and her hands are thoroughly stained with blood, his blood. "Damn it…" he muttered weakly, and almost choked, his airway filled with ferrous liquid. It was hard to breath, and even the smallest movement caused his throat to burn with agony. He didn't know how bad the cut was, but he did know that there was something wrong with Sedna…
"Your hands are shaking…" he told her weakly. She looked at him with a blank, open stare, as if unable to comprehend what he said. And slowly, tears brimmed and flowed silently down her cheeks. "I…I…"she whispered, "I couldn't kill Athrun Zala, I can't kill you…and I just killed Samson..." Drawing a deep breath as she closed her eyes, she uttered, "Looks like…it's the end for me……"
Yzak didn't reply, but he understood the feeling. He knows what is it like to be struggling alone for what seems like eternity, struggling to protect something…only to be disappointed in the end. Crushed, defeated, Helpless. He thought for bit, closing away the pain to give himself time and space to think. He had much of neither, he knew. But pieces of his thoughts began to fall in place, assembly itself into a giant puzzle, and he suddenly realized he still have something to offer her. He still has a way to help her…
Slowly, he lifted a hand and stroked her cheek, "Do…you…" he asked, and she opened her eyes to gazed at him, hoping he had something important to say. "…have an alarm clock under your stairs?" And her eyes widened to study him intently, as if deciding whether his brain has gone funny from blood loss. Hesitantly she replied, "No…There's only two in my house, one in my room, one my parents'. Alarm clock…"
"That's probably where the bomb is…" He finished for her, "And he's not dead…" Yzak muttered as he turned painstakingly to gesture at the figure lying on the floor. "You used Dearka's dagger." Sedna gasped as she examined the dagger, and realized that it was indeed Dearka's dagger. She probably just jabbed him hard enough in the stomach to induce unconsciousness, and that means…
"Go Sedna." He whispered as he grimaced, "go…"
---
Athrun Zala braced himself for the final attack and he allowed himself to concentrate on a singular intend, To destroy those suits. Ignoring the pain in his arm and shoulder, he unleashed the beam boomerang and detached from the flight pack, allowing both to attack as separate units as I. Justice whipped out and joined the two beam sabers and charged forward. Akatsuki took out the its beam rifle and Cagalli pumped the trigger repeatedly, at the same time allowing the DRAGOON bits to blast beams in all directions. Twisting and adjusting the firing direction slightly every time, forcing the two suits closer together with each blast without them realizing. And one screen, Cagalli could see that the look in Athrun's eyes had changed. From his usual calm and gentle demeanor, he's now a lean, mean killing machine. She was afraid that he would thoroughly lose control of himself this time but she continued attacking, knowing this was the stage that needed her contribution. I. Justice charged forward and tackled both Nova Destructions with the double beam saber, swinging about swiftly and expertly like a master chef de-shelling crabs. (Think Yoda with light saber…) The strokes were swift and strike like bolts of lightning, leaving Cagalli to wonder in awe and cheered in triumphed. She activated the plasma beam cannons and started blasting, aiming briefly to avoid hitting I.Justice.
Cagalli's blasting with the plasma cannon, DRAGOON bits, the flight pack and the beam boomerang had the desired effect that allowed Athrun to sufficiently cause damage to the black suits. In trying to avoid the barrage of fire power and the strokes of the double beam saber, the suits couldn't avoid as I.Justice activated every single beam cutter on its metallic frame. The next part was easy; all he had to do was move swiftly to sever joints. He focused on swinging about left and right as he shot out the grapple stinger, the length of its cord entangled the two as I.Justice circled them twice. It was almost comical, that the little red mobile suit was tying up two larger ones, but that was the whole point. He had to make sure that he irritated the pilots within as much as possible so that when they have that single chance to retaliate, it will be aimed at him…
Cagalli laughed, liking the success of the strategy and the high levels of adrenaline in her blood. I.Justice owns and no one can change her mind about that. There was no doubt in her mind that they were going to win and Athrun will be safely back with her in a few hours as she flew towards the PLANTs…
The two black suits broke the cord and activated their beam cannons simultaneously, but Athrun was already on the move. He caught the beam boomerang and jammed it into the core of the flight pack as it zipped past him, which was diving towards the middle of the two suits. An explosion took place right at the instant where their beam cannons were fired for the very last time, clouding their aim and Athrun raised his beam shield. Just in time to defend himself against the two beam cannons that came blasting at him…
---
"FIRE!" Nicolea Calputhir screamed, causing spit to splatter over the controls. And there was fire, but it was around him…
---
Mr and Mrs Hawke watched the broadcast of the battle on the large screens, heart in mouth. Strike Freedom had successfully destroyed the first Nova Destruction by plunging a sword into the chest plate, earning a loud cheer from the citizens. And threw the remains towards the moon, where the firing hole emerged just in time to be caught in the explosion.
The screen switched to Ephraim, which unexpectedly blew up as the counter reached zero. The people behind them cheered even louder and Mrs Hawke screamed, "LUNA!" as she sank onto the ground and began to sob uncontrollably. Mr Hawke stood there, transfixed at the sight of the space fortress falling to pieces, bringing one of their daughters with it. There was no chance for them to escape…no time at all. He could guess at what had conspired within the space fortress those minutes before it self destruct. Luna and Shinn Asuka must have made the decision, the decision to die…in order to save PLANTs. And the pair of them…probably died together.
The decision must have been difficult to make for the two teens…they must have gone through so much mental dilemma, so much pain, before arriving at the conclusion. And Mr Hawke began to wonder…why he allowed Luna to participate in Yzak Jule's plan, and why…he ever let her join Zaft in the first place… He knew there was no use thinking about it now, but he entertained it anyway.
He once felt that his daughters should do their part in protecting the PLANTs, he wanted them to kill Naturals, he wanted them to honour the family, hence sent both off to military school. But right now…it didn't seem to matter so much anymore…it didn't even seem to make enough sense…Maybe Athrun Zala was right after all, however childish his emotive words sounded.
Zala was right, however childish his emotive words sounded.chool.ed zero.zens.To kill when our loved ones are killed, and later to be killed in return…the war will never end…
Maybe…just maybe…Naturals are just like Coordinators, they don't want their daughters killed in war. They don't want to kill anyone else either…they just want to lead their lives in peace. And at this point Mr Hake felt tears trail down his cheeks as well… "Honey…"Mr Hawke as he wrapped about her, "After this…let's ask Meyrin to withdraw from military…" And Mrs Hawke looked at him, "We'll just continue living…in peace. Forget this… Forget…we ever lost a daughter to this darn war…"
"Look!" someone in the crowd shouted, and they looked up to see a little something emerge from the decimated space fortress. Flying at high speed to escape the shockwave of the explosion, and Mr Hawke find that little craft oddly familiar, and couldn't believe it as he actually recognized the little plane, It was the Core splendor…
Luna laughed like a maniac as Shinn and her were cramped up in the cockpit of the craft, charging forward at reckless speeds as they flew out of Ephraim. She didn't know why, but there was something remotely exuberating about being afraid when their tail feathers are going to be roasted any moment. Perhaps it was because they still have a life to be afraid for…
Shinn laughed too, his smile was positively infectious as Luna hugged him, "We made it…I told you it'll work! We made it!" She declared…
---
"I'm not going to leave you here…"
"Shiho's coming…" Yzak lied immediately, he had to coax her to go, he had to convince her there was nothing she could do for him by remaining here. Her destiny lies in her home…where she could still change something. And as if answering his plea, the door beyond the statue exploded out of its frame. Hitting the wall at high speed and smashing onto the ground.
Sedna watched as a figure emerged from the doorway and she quickly leaned over Yzak, providing as much cover as she could for his wounded frame in case that someone has a gun. She caught sight of a pair of surprised looking brown eyes and heard a girl's voice shout, "Commander?" ,and without warning, a bullet was driven through her thigh.
"Shiho, don't shoot!" Yzak said in a hurried whispered, attempting to get up. "Sedna…" he grimaced at this point, and almost fainted altogether… "She didn't shoot me…"
"Then who did!" Shiho almost screamed as she tossed a pin of a grenade over her shoulder and knelt down beside Yzak, her gun still pointing at Sedna's head.
"It's not important…" he whispered softly, then he caught Sedna's gaze and told her, "Go…"
After a moment of hesitation, she stood up slowly, blood dribbling down her leg, still looking at him in wonder, in gratitude. Trying to make sure that he doesn't fall asleep, afraid that if he did…it will be the last time she see him…
"Miss Hahnefuss…" she addressed softly, "Please take care of him…" She held his gaze as she limped her way to the lift, and stepped through the open doors. She suddenly remembered the item kept hidden with her all the while and fumbled within her clothes. After a while she produced the white rose, she held it out and smiled bravely as she told him, "I still want to hear it from you…"
Through it all, his blue eyes remained calm, prompting her to go, urging her to hurry. The lift door begin to slid shut, and when there was just a sliver of space left between the doors, Yzak slowly whispered, "Kay……" and both of them watched in horror as Yzak closed his eyes… …
---
In the docking bay of Eternal, the damaged Strike Freedom was getting serviced. Kira Yamato smiled as the pink hair princess came to meet him, he floated off the dented chest plate of Strike Freedom, and fell into her arms in mid-air. And the pair of them twined about each other tightly, both with tears in their eyes. As they spiraled lazily down to the ground beneath, Lacus whispered into his ears, "Well done. I'm…so happy you're back…I'm so glad…"
---
Athrun opened his eyes, and found that he was staring up at the artificial blue sky of the PLANTs through a jagged tear in the cockpit. He find that couldn't remember much, but he knew he was tired, almost too tired to breath… And he recalled that at the moment when the beam shield can only do so much to cushion the impact and he found himself flying backwards and smashed through one glass panel of Aprillius.
That very same glass panel was now a large hole, where a barrier had been formed around it by all seven DRAGOON bits to protect the Aprillius atmosphere from the deadly suction of space. Miraculously Cagalli's face appeared on the cracked screen and appeared to be shouting something. Athrun thought something was wrong with the communication signal when he realized he couldn't hear a thing. Not from the surroundings where indistinguishable shadows, presumably rescuers who had found the site where Infinite Justice crashed, nor from Cagalli on screen…
Cagalli was shouting at the top of her lungs, "ATHRUN ZALA, You and your stupid idea!" Only when the red mobile suit smashed through the glass panel did she realize that it was part of Athrun's strategy that when the Nova Destructions start blasting, it will likely hit him and not her. And her role…was to use what only Akatsuki has to protect the PLANTs. She reconnected the communication between Akatsuki and I.Justice, and gasped what she saw on screen, fighting the urge to cry. Athrun was barely conscious, and he had been cut in more places than she could count. Blood had seeped through his shirt and stained his shoulder and sleeve. There was a chain around his neck, and hanging from it was two items, one was the lilac stone, and the other…gleaming dully, was her ring. He was gazing at her, but his brilliant green eyes were unfocused, and had the dreamy, faraway look in them. "Athrun…ATHRUN!" She called, afraid. She didn't remember being so frightened in such a long time… And the last time she felt like this, was when she saw Lord Uzumi smile for the very last time, telling her he was proud to be her father……
"YOU PROMISED NOT TO DIE!" she screamed in frustration, even though she knew he probably couldn't tell what she was yelling about…
He briefly remembered shrapnel cutting through the seat belt and flying towards him, then everything went black. At this point his hand tightened around the two items hanging from his neck and he weakly lifted a hand to touch the screen where Cagalli continued shouting silently. In horror, he realized that the bandages now hung bloodied and loosened from his arm…Where crimson liquid dripped steadily off the severed ends of the cotton ribbon, draining down towards the earth.
He turned to look at Cagalli now, straight into her golden orbs with his emerald green ones, and he smiled at her, meaning to reassure her that he's alright, he still has the stone with him. Right before he lost consciousness…
---The end---
How's the ending…? I wanted to cry when wrote it, I wanted to story to end with a bang and I hope it does. But don't worry, I'm not one of those sadistic writers who allow all the characters to die in the end. Please comment on the flow of the whole story and the character development, along with the grammar and the what-nots. Re-read if you want too...I'll post about three to five more chapters to wrap up everything. And allow this to be my credit page, to thank all those who reviewed, all those who supported and encouraged me to keep on writing and those who followed it to the end. The story should belong as much to all of you as much as it belongs to me! Thank you.
One other thing, Dearka, Meyrin's ending is not fixed, not if I can help it. It's just I have this odd suspicion that Big brother Dearka will like to have a little sister like Meyrin and they will be attracted to each other in the simplest sense. Let time be the judge...