Chapter 17: The Crumbling Dream
Legend
Italics shows character thoughts
Word shows Date, time, and location
-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing
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February 17, C.E. 71
Archangel Upper Front Deck, 2:00 P.M.
"Damn it!" Scion spat out as he fired off another beam round at the Blitz before it passed under the Archangel.
"Scion, above you!" Kira yelled, prompting the pilot to look above and see the Duel approaching. Scion took aim with the beam magnum.
"Take this!" Scion fired a rapid volley, the magnum not having the same precise targeting system of the rifle, to repel the Duel who avoided all of the shots and returned with his own missile volley.
This is ridiculous! Two days of near constant fighting! Scion complained in his head as he covered Kira's right side where the Blitz had reappeared and tried to launch an attack.
The Archangel had come under repeated attacks by the Zala team, consisting of the Duel, Buster, Blitz, and Aegis. With their own base a submarine they could easily retreat and make new attacks whenever and however they chose. On the other side was the Archangel who could only wait and hope they had enough time to repair their damages. But it proved useless. While the ZAFT forces had only four machines that couldn't be hurt by anything less then beam fire, the Archangel crew had a ship, two machines, and a sky-grasper to make repairs too.
The crew had been stretched to its limits and Scion was beginning to regret his choice to send his own men off to Orb. Kira, Mu, and Scion were all feeling the same pressure of being called to battle, each were running on low sleep and even less time to eat. It was more obvious with Scion and Mu but even in Kira would could see a slowing down of ability in these fights.
The Archangel was smoking from several places and the number of injured men was rising at an incredible rate, the crew was quickly losing its ability to make repairs. And Scion's machine was in the same shape because Scion couldn't let the crew near it because of Orb's secrets and even if they wanted to they couldn't fix it because of their lack of knowledge about it, it was different then the Strike. So once more did Scion find himself handicapped in a damaged machine.
"The Aegis!" Scion called out. It had just dodged two shots from the Archangels Valients and was now approaching quickly.
"I've got it!" Kira responded as he boosted to meet his friend in combat. They met in the air and began an aerial dog fight.
Scion had been very unwilling to meet Athrun in battle again but, be it luck or not, Kira had taken every attempt for the two to meet away. Scion believed it was the advice he told Kira a few days back, it was then made apparent to Scion, with a little help from Mu who spoke to him the day he returned, that Kira looked up to him as a kind of elder brother, since Scion too piloted a Gundam. It put a sense of duty in Scion to protect Kira, who was still unsure of his own path in things.
"Scion, the Duel is approaching! We are going to fire the Gottfrieds, prepare to intercept if we can repel the enemy!" Mir informed him again.
"Roger!" Scion took a glancing shot at the Blitz as it made its rounds again. The Blitz fired off another shot at the Archangel, rocking the ship with the explosions caused by the repeated attacks. The Archangel's fired the Gottfrieds after the Duel dodged it Scion went straight for him, hoping to catch him off guard.
"Take this!" Scion yelled as he pulled his beam saber from its shoulder holster, having left his rifle back on the ships deck.
"Nice try, Natural!" The pilot, who from listening to the ZAFT pilots talk, had come to be known as Yzak.
The two machines met in the air, the Duel jumping from its Guul to engage the Clarity. Their beam sabers clashed. They pulled away and the Duel fired off its Shiva 115mm Railgun. Clarity, zipped around the fire and attacked the Duels left with another strike of its saber. The Duel parried and kicked the Clarity away from it.
"Hah, you aren't half the pilot the Strike is!" Yzak taunted as he watched the Clarity return to the Archangel while it returned to its Guul, but not without heavy fire from its rail gun and missile launcher. The Clarity avoided all of the shots, but because of that the shots instead hit the Archangel, increasing the damage.
Damn it, he's right. This machine is just too different…plus I hadn't realized how much I rely on the funnels and the psycho-frame to close the gap for my lack of skill. If only I had Revolution I would be more useful!
Clarity retrieved its beam magnum and proceeded to blast away at the Duel from a distance, to keep it away from the Archangel.
-BOOOOOOOOOM-
The Archangel was suddenly rocked by a crushing shot from the Buster as it got by Mu La Flaga and peppered the port side with beam fire. Scion turned to deliver fire just as the Duel and Blitz regrouped and launched a volley of beam fire and missiles, courtesy of the Duel Assualt Shroud. The attack sent Scion's borrowed machine back unto its rear from the percussions.
"This is a Warning for the Earth Forces Ship and ZAFT forces currently approaching." A live communication was relied to both sides of the battle. "You are currently approaching the territory of the Orb Union. Alter your course at once! As a nuetral nation we strictly prohibit trespassing into our territory by any armed ship, aircraft, or mobile suit!"
"Christ, we don't need this!" Scion yelled angrily as fired once more at the Blitz and Duel who were now concentrating on taking the Archangel down. The Buster was occupied by Mu, and the Strike had just returned from a bout with Athrun.
The Orb forces repeated their warnings before cutting their communication. Scion looked at the Strike before returning fire once more to the engaging mobile suits.
What are you going to do now….Cagalli…
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Onogoro Island, Orb Council Meeting Room, 2:20 P.M.
"Lord Uzumi…" An attendant whispered into the Chairman of Orb's ear. "We have confirmed the Clarity and obviously the pilot of Takashi's machine. Also…we have some interesting information concerning Takashi's computer."
The Lord of Orb watched the battle continue to take place, it was already decided to harbor the Archangel and its crew. The plan was being carried out but his work was not done. The more dangerous, and interesting, work was yet to be done.
"I see, has the information been passed on according to the agreement?" Uzumi asked as he folded his hands on the table in front of him, watching the surveillance show the bombardment of the Archangel and the ZAFT forces.
"Yes…it has been transmitted. But, what good does it do sir? We don't know what is on the computer terminal...it-" The attendant was stopped by the raised hand of Lord Uzumi.
"Whatever it is, is not our concern. I do this only as a favor to Takashi. Just do your job and have the Archangel Ranking officers report to see me….along with Scion Kazuma."
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Onogoro Island, Hidden Hangar, Archangel, 3:30 P.M.
"I can't believe Orb took us in." Scion muttered under his breath in the locker room.
Kira, Mu, and Scion were all removing their pilot suits after the battle on the ocean. After the Archangel was struck by a blast from the Buster and the Aegis while in its Mobile Armor form they thought all was lost when the Archangel was bombarded by the Orb Fleet. It turned out to just be a hoax though and Scion was beginning to get ancy with the fact. He got a feeling he would be in a difficult situation very soon.
"Tell me about it, I thought Orb was supposed to be Neutral. It has to be because of this Ship and the Strike being built in Orb." Mu La Flaga thought aloud.
"Well, maybe they just wanted to help us?" Kira asked as he closed his locker and turned around to the two older pilots. Mu and Scion looked at Kira, then each other, then Kira again. They shook their heads and closed their lockers as well.
"I wish it could be that simple." Mu muttered under his breath.
"Orb is Neutral Kira and it stands by that very firmly. Believe me, I know all about Orb and its council members from an employer I had a little under a year ago. Orb doesn't make exceptions without good reason."
I just wish I knew more about who supported Takashi...
Kira seemed sad at the prospect of the Orb Union wanting something from the Archangel but at this point in the war he couldn't rule out that it was probably right. Even though he worked for Morgenroete in Heliopolis he never really thought that the nation would help the Earth Forces to begin with., but here they were.
The door to the lockers opened up and an Orb Soldier stepped in and saluted to the three. "I have orders to escort Lieutenant Flaga and Scion Kazuma to his Lord Uzumi for a meeting, you will be joining Captain Ramius and Lieutenant Badgiruel."
"Why is Scion needed?" Mu and Kira asked almost at the same time.
"I'm just following orders, sir." The Soldier replied.
"Do you know Lord Uzumi, Scion?" Mu asked as he fixed his collar and walked past Scion who was pulling on his civilian clothes as slowly as he could.
"Never met the man in my life."
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Onogoro Island, Council Meeting Room, 4:00 P.M.
Scion, Murrie, Natarle, and Mu were all seated as soon as they arrived in the chambers of Lord Uzumi, Chairman of Orb. Murrie and Natarle stared at Scion when he entered with Mu, several minutes after they arrived. When questioned about his presence Scion just shook his head and shrugged. At least this time he wasn't lying about now knowing what was going on.
After a ten minute stretch of silence the Leader of Orb emerged from his quarters and sat down across from the four.
Scion couldn't help but notice that Uzumi's gaze was quick to identify him and after regarding him especially he regarded the others. Once introductions were given the meeting began.
"As you know our nation, Orb, is neutral." Uzumi began.
"Yes." Captain Ramius replied.
"Officially, it is reported that our military forces supposedly chased your ship from our territorial waters." The man stated, with his hands on top of one another on the table between the two parties.
"I see.." Murrie again replied.
"The reason you saved us isn't because we had your daughter on board, is it?" Mu asked, with an interest for the reason behind their saving.
"Do you think that I can even compare this country's fate to one spoiled daughter?" He snapped back flatly.
"Excuse me for implying that." Mu responded in apology.
"Things would be so much easier if it were as simple as that." Uzumi said, excusing Mu with his tone of voice.
"The case with Heliopolis, "He continued, " Children of this nation who got involved and volunteered as soldiers. The achievements of the X-Numbers in one battle after another. I thought it over many times…whether it would have been wiser to just save the people and leave that ship and mobile suit. To this moment I don't know if the right decision was made." He ended with a tired sigh.
"I'm very sorry, "Murrie stated," For Heliopolis and the children. I'd just like to say that as an individual, I am very sorry for what happened."
"Forget it, we are as much at fault for what happened, since that's an internal problem of our nation." Uzumi started as he explained the reason his country is neutral and how gaining power to protect themselves and enforce their intents also makes them a potential target while giving them the power to defend themselves. It was the vicious cycle of war.
"In any case, we must explain to you the reason we didn't sink your ship." Lord Uzumi began. "We hope to obtain from you the Strike's combat data up to this point and have you lend us its pilot, the Coordinator Kira Yamato. In return we would help with the repairs for your ship." Uzumi said. He looked at the crew as they sat in shock at the demands. He then turned his gaze to Scion.
"And of course, we would have your cooperation as well, Kazuma."
"Why should I help Orb?" Scion said.
"Think of it as payment for letting the charges against you slide." Lord Uzumi said plainly.
"And what charges would that be?" Scion asked sarcastically.
"Oh, the stealing of two Orb machines, damaging both, bring both back here for repairs, and for everything you've done to date." Uzumi stated flatly, once more.
"And if I refuse?" Scion asked, once more, feeling the pressure of the mans casual nature in this tense situation.
"Then we will arrest you for the charges you committed towards Orb and the actions again Mankind."
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Yes, you do. Do not think I am blind, Mr. Kazuma. I would hate for certain secrets to get out…I want you to continue to try and make up for them. So, help Orb and we will let all your offenses slide." Uzumi ended.
"I don't owe Orb for anything other then repairs..."
"That man worked to realize a dream. Are you his successor forsaking that dream!" Lord Uzumi watched as Scion stood quickly and after glaring at Uzumi, for forcing Scion's hand, left the conference room.
"Sir, what…just happened? Do you know him?" Captain Ramius asked.
"No, not him. But I know what he has done and the man who's machine he uses. That man and his successor are both people stemmed in mystery. They reek of it." Uzumi answered.
"Why do you want him to help Orb so badly? Not to talk bad about him, but, Kira is a better pilot then Scion." Mu commented sadly.
"Because, like Takashi before him, Scion possesses something that I believe can change the course of history. It's in his eyes, the look of defiance. No, I want his help because I see him doing something great in this time of chaos…because he thrives in Chaos."
"Thrives?" Mu asked, confused.
"Yes. There are those that live best in peace, when we feel safe and completely at ease. We live doing simple things and long for something nothing more, it is people like us who can not take the burden of war and must band together to weather it. But, Scion, is one that cannot grow to his full potential without the struggle, the push, living on the edge of a knife where ever decision is a life and death choice. It is people like that can bask in chaos that can really bring it to an end, because it is also they that begin that chaos." Uzumi stated with a sad demeanor. When Murrie asked further questions, she was cut off and told to return to the Archangel to over see the repairs that would take three or four days at the least.
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February 18, C.E. 71
Onogoro Island, Morgenroete, 7:20 A.M.
"Shigen?" A worker called out from below.
Shigen appeared from inside the Revolution, clad in the orange suit of a Morgenroete worker. He waved to show the worker where he was.
"A Scion Kazuma is here to see you." He responded while pointing to the lobby area where council members would normally stay.
Shigen quickly disembarked and then strode over to the lounge area and, just like was said, Scion sat in the room in what appeared to be a very uncomfortable mood. When Scion noticed him he waved and stood, some of his discomfort gone.
"I'm surprised you aren't under arrest." Shigen said with a chuckle. Scion only shot a glare and briefly explained the 'terms' for his release.
"So, Kira and I brought our machines, or his and Orb's, just now and I came to find you and my machine." Scion ended his story. Shigen nodded and the two quickly returned to Revolution, where the massive machine stood in all of its glory, minus the funnels.
"We have your workers, that came a day ago, working on creating new ones to replace the destroyed funnels. But, I suppose you'll want to see the upgrade, right?" Shigen asked, not needing an answer from Scion to know what to do.
The two rose on a platform and Scion sat himself inside. Scion went through the booting sequence and then began running a diagnostics. The text filtered down the screen as Scion checked for anything odd that Orb might have done to Revolution.
Shigen coughed at the act of mistrust and decided to speak of the upgrade, "Well, its for the Psycho-Frame. A rather vast upgrade too. The range, response speed, it even has an AI that takes after you to give the funnels command should you stop giving commands for a few seconds." Shigen summarized on the upgrade as Scion scanned through the rest of his machines specifications.
"Shigen, I have to go to Alaska, for the Archangel and to get my hands on the next upgrade. Plus, I think it might do me some good to try and get some influence in the EA. I'll need you to stay here and just keep an eye out. Once I'm done paying back my debt to the Archangel I'm going to return here and make my next move." Scion summarized quickly.
Shigen nodded and the two began talking briefly on other subjects while leaving the Hangar bay and returning to the lobby, to be a little more comfortable. They had a lot of planning to do and they needed all the time the could get.
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Onogoro Island, Morgenroete, 730 A.M.
Kira sat behind a computer in the middle of the Morgonroete office as he watched another trial run of the M1 Astray's the Orb Union was creating. Before attempting to make an full OS he wanted to observe them more closer, or that was what he told Cagalli. The truth was that he was avoiding the subject of his parents and having one of his classmates bring it up.
He glanced down at his computer screen and made a small note of a difficulty the M1 pilots were having with their machine and made sure he would remember it later. He then looked around the office, Cagalli and Erica were watching the M1's run through their programs.
Cagalli looked over her shoulder at Kira and sighed deeply, Kira following suit. They were both worried about Scion. He was supposed to be with them after bringing in the Strike and Clarity but he vanished and Erica refused to tell them anything. Cagalli told Kira they had met before but neither of them thought that Scion had any past relations with Morgenroete, but it only made sense if the Clarity was Orb's to begin with.
Why does it seem that Scion has his hand in everything that goes on around him? It's almost as if he is drawn to points of mystery and conflict.
"Hey, Kira." Cagalli said as he walked towards her friend, patting his shoulder.
"Hi, Cagalli. Just a few more notes." Kira responded.
"Take your time…Kira. I want to find Scion and find out what he is doing separately then us anyway." She leaned over beside him and spoke softly into his ear, "Erica still won't say anything but she did let something slip about Scion meeting my father…something is going on." Cagalli stated.
Kira looked at his female companion and nodded before returning to his work, "I see. I'd like to say I know Scion and know that he's okay but…truth is I hardly know anything about him. He's always keeping to himself even when he's talking to me. And if you look at everything that I've seen and you've seen…he defiantly can't just be a mercenary for hire."
"I know, the problem is getting him to talk about what his real intentions are." Cagalli murmured. Kira looked at Cagalli wondering if she knew something that he didn't.
"Well, I'm going to take a break so why not come with me to look while I'm off?" Kira asked. Cagalli quickly agreed and walked off together.
The kids went to the cafeteria and sat down with a drink and snack. The two silently ate, both thinking of their duties and of eachother, and obviously of Scion. It wasn't that they didn't trust Scion it was more that they couldn't trust Scion. The man was simply too secretive.
"Hey, Kira. The first machine that Scion had, can you describe it?" Cagalli asked.
Kira nodded and went about telling her what he saw and knew about the machine. The scheme, abilities that were apprant, and other things he noted. Cagalli listened closely as if trying to put something together, like a puzzle.
"Okay, thanks Kira."
"Why do you need to know?" Kira asked.
"I know that Scion worked for someone named Takashi, he was doing some work that I tried to get out of him when we first met. I think that the first machine is his." Cagalli answered.
"Well, its in Morgenroete so we should be able to find something..."
"I'm going to find Scion, you should come find me after you're done. We need to confront you." Cagalli stated, after finishing her break food and drink.
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Erica sighed contently with the absence of the children, Kira and Cagalli. She turned to the M1's and told the girls to come back inside. She then walked out the side office and into her own space where she tapped on her laptop, bringing it out of hibernation.
"Well, I'll thank you for this Scion. Even if we never got our hands on Kira Yamato your combat data has helped us make something of an OS." Erica said as she sat down with a cup of coffee. It had taken her a long time to go over the data, from Scion using the Revolution in training to combat to fighting the other Prototype.
Unlike the Strike's data there were some abnormalities that occurred to her. For everything that the Strike did, for every great achievement, for all the brilliant feats it performed could all be explained by one word. Coordinator. Kira was a coordinator and his ability was in his Genetic code, Erica assumed that Kira would probably be a genius even among his own kind.
But for Scion things weren't as clear. He was a natural, his abilities were unmodified as far as his birth records could tell. It didn't make sense why he performed so well. When his OS that he used to such great effect would work for him, but when copied and reused in a new machine the results were less then spectacular.
There was just too many things that a natural couldn't do, there was too much growth, too many unnatural feats, reflexes, and other things that couldn't be explained.
Erica eventually put Scion's unnatural ability as the result of two things, one the Psycho-Frame which uses mental ability to make the user more aware of themselves and their surroundings. But for Scion's ability to be based solely on that it would mean that Scion had a tremendous amount of Mental Awareness, greater then most humans.
But that kind of Mental ability was not probable so Erica assumed that it was a post-traumatic effect. Orb found out that Scion was a former EA soldier and what he did in his service, the battle data also revealed the destruction of Takashi's lab, along with smaller other occurrences. Erica theorized that these rapid massive events caused a kind of primal trigger in Scion, where fighting and survival have become all he is. To protect himself his mind has taken in only fighting, survival, and struggle. Basically it was stating that Scion was a man who could only think of fighting to survive and by thinking solely of that he could excel.
But, even if these idea's were true it didn't fully explain the man Scion Kazuma. While most of the mysteries were open to her, there was still a lot that wasn't. His past was foggy, something about his childhood didn't fit…
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Onogoro Island, Morgenroete, 6:30 P.M.
"Finally! I found you!"
"Hmm?"
Cagalli, after leaving Kira to work on the OS several hours back, had been looking for a sign of Scion. To finally confront him on some things. To finally get some answers without taking no for the answer! She had finally found him as he wandered about the Morgenroete area after asking someone if they had seen a man with red eyes.
"I've been looking all over for you." Cagalli said as she stomped over to Scion.
"For what?" Came Scion's quick answer.
"To talk to you! What do you think? I told you I'd be back to get some answers!"
"-Sigh- Cagalli…" He turned his back on her and sighed again, "Look. I want you to stop pestering me. Its not any of your business."
Scion began to walk away from the Princess of Orb but found his right arm in Cagalli's firm grip. He refused to look at her, hoping she'd get the hint to leave him alone. He admired her for her strength but he wasn't going to trust in her anymore then he felt like.
"Will you stop it! Let some people help you!" She demanded of him. "Stop being so closed in!"
"Don't to me like that Cagalli!" Scion suddenly snapped back, "Not everything is as simple as you see it! You're just to naïve to understand how this world works, so don't start going around trying to protect people!"
"I help people who are important to me!" Cagalli snapped back just as venomously.
"Important? You don't know me at all! And what can you protect when all you do is fight! Do you think that fighting the enemy is going to stop the war? Do you think pestering me is going to make me confide in you! That's not how the world works!"
"Well then how does it work, mister know it all?" Cagalli asked.
"It doesn't work, that's the point. The world has never worked…not sincee humans have learned to think for themselves and of themselves. We have always fought one another…and probably always will." Scion answered, returning to his normal cool state.
"So you think this war can't end? That no matter what we do we can't stop it?"
I wish there was...I want to believe there is a way Cagalli...
"No! We can't! I wanted to believe I could do something! I wanted to think, just like you do now, that if I tried hard enough I could do something to stop this war! But the more you fight the more you realize something…you can't do it by yourself, you have to have support. The people must support you!"
"I won't stand for that! There must be a way to end the war! People don't want to fight this war!" Cagalli cried.
"Listen to yourself babble on! When your friend Ahmed died, what did you do! You went and fought the Desert Tiger for revenge! You are being a hypocrite!" Scion yelled at her, directly in the face in hopes that it would get to her.
"No…I…"
"No, buts. You killed them because they killed a friend."
"No, that's not why--!"
Scion gripped Cagalli's arms suddenly and hushed her with a strong glare, "Yes. This is why we can't end the war by simply fighting. Cagalli, you can't protect people because by doing that you kill other people who are important to someone else who will then become your enemy."
"There has to be a way…" Cagalli whispered, looking towards the ground as Scion released her. She hugged herself tightly as Scion ran his right hand through his hair and turned his back on her.
"Only one way left at this point."
Cagalli looked at the back of Scion's head . The man in front of her fisted both of his hands and then uncurled them as if trying to release something from himself.
"And that…is for something monstrous to happen." Scion muttered, "So monstrous that thousands of people die, so people just lose the will to fight.
What! Cagalli screamed in her head. She shook her head and ran around to the other side to face Scion directly who looked at her dejectedly. "You can't mean that!"
"Yes, I do. If I were to kill this entire nation of Orb…you would surrender. Because your will would be taken from you. With who things are going…" Scion looked up towards the sky, "Things can only get worse before they get better."
"I don't believe that."
Scion turned to face Kira now, who had caught up like Cagalli asked. He walked up to Scion and stood directly in front of him, defiant and headstrong.
"Does it matter what any of us believes? What matters is the truth." Scion said.
"If we stop fighting then the war will end."
"Really? When you didn't want to use the Strike did the fighting stop? No, you were attacked and the only reason you are alive today is because you...fought." Scion answered.
"Its true. That I fought to protect my friends and I hurt a lot of people lately, but I don't like this war. I want this war to end more then anything." Kira put a hand over his heart, "Ever since this war has started, I've felt nothing but pain! The only people that have cared about me has been Flay and Cagalli."
"Hahahaha...Pain." Scion muttered with a laugh, before lifting his head up and looking down at Kira, "What do you know about pain!" Scion yelled at Kira angerly.
"Scion stop it!" Cagalli yelled, feeling that this was turning into another fight.
"I have felt pain! This war brings nothing but pain!"
"You don't know what pain is! You don't know anything about pain!"
"I know enough to hope for an end." Kira stated coldly, feeling the respect for Scion slipping.
"And I know enough to know that that is only a crumbling dream." Scion responded.
It was a battle of two men forced into a world where fighting was the only answer. One a kind and innocent person torn by the war and the other a man who threw himself into chaos and quickly realized the true face of war. It was a battle destined to come and come it did.
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A/N: Alright, Sorry about the delay. I blame this delay on two things, the starting of a new story, and the fact that I didn't like this chapter to much. It was like one of those flashback episodes only not flashbacks but stuff that may not be so interesting. The next chapter though, has a very BIG scene that should cause quite the interest. Hint: It will be a fight. So look out for it!
Anyway, I'm now juggling two stories so the updates will come slower but I'm determined to get to the end of SEED and start a DESTINY fic, though might not until I see all the episodes of Destiny.
As always, thanks for the reviews by everyone! School has started back so that should also slow me a bit. I hope to have an update every week to week and a half. Sorry in advance for typos as well.
-Arc.