Chapter 2: What Will Become of Us?
Disclaimer: I only own the OCs and the plot of this particular fanfiction.
Kira awoke to the singing of birds and the splashing of waves. The sun was shining through the open window as he sat up. It was so peaceful that he thought the recent events were all just a nightmare.
"Oh, you're awake." Athrun said as he appeared at the doorway.
Kira frowned as his eyebrows formed a questioning expression. Then his eyes snapped open as he realized that the nightmares were real. He sighed and stood, grabbing some of his clothes that he discarded on the floor last evening as he headed to the washroom.
"Hey." He mumbled to his friend as he passed.
Athrun grabbed his arm and the man glanced at him agitatedly. Athrun's expression was soft but serious.
"We'll get 'em back, Kira. No need t' go around with that look on yer face. We'll get them back and kill Rau so's he can never haunt us again." The bluenette told him.
Kira was surprised for a moment but then nodded, his face lightening a bit.
"Kira, Heine and Miguel are here." Nicol told him when he came on deck.
"Ah, good. How are the other preparations comin' along?" he asked as he walked with Nicol.
"The Hawke sisters have arranged for both ships t' be supplied, they were wonderin' whether you wanted any extra supplies, ammunitions, or weapons to be added." He replied.
"It probably wouldn't hurt to add some cannons, make them long-rangers too, and we'll need more swords and guns for the crew. We should probably stock up on supplies for fixin' the ship if we ever have t' make a quick repair or two. I want to be fully prepared for anything, so while we have the time, we should get as much done as possible." Kira told him.
"Right, sir. Heine and Miguel also offered to do more repairs as well." Nicol said.
"Good, I appreciated his performance from last time, I've no doubt they would make good additions to the crew." He said and glanced at the green-haired man beside him.
Nicol smiled and nodded.
"Captain Kira, it is an honor and privilege." Heine announced as they came close.
"It is the same for I, my name is Miguel. I'm proud to have this opportunity." Another man said.
Kira shook both of their hands.
"Thank ye for all your help, I'm glad t' add you to me crew." He said.
"We're honored t' be among your staff, Captain." They replied.
Kira nodded and then showed them the damage that was done during the battle. After Rau had captured Kira and the crew, he had the ship slightly repaired so he could tow it along and later restore it to take command of it with his new position. However, it was a messy job and temporary, so a lot of work needed to be done.
They immediately began working and soon the Freedom was filled with people loading and unloading supplies and such.
Kira went over to Yzak, Dearka, and Mwu who were surveying the work that was being done.
"How are yiz feelin'?" he asked them.
Dearka rubbed his neck. "Very relieved I'm not floatin' at the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker." He replied.
"Aye, we was almost done for, honestly I never expected Nicol to come chargin' in wit guns a-blazin'!" Mwu exclaimed. The others chuckled.
"True, although I hoped we'd be saved somehow, or at least someone would help the others out." Kira said.
"Aye, so what be the plans, Captain? Now that we're free of the brute for a moment, where are we headed?" Yzak asked.
Dearka and Mwu looked to Kira expectantly as he thought for a moment.
"Well, right now we're mainly tryin' to get as prepared as possible. If Rau still intends to pursue us, we'll have to somehow get around 'im to rescue the others." He finally replied.
They all nodded in agreement.
"Do ya have a plan for their rescue, sir?" Mwu asked.
"Well, I don't know where they are or what's in store for 'em, so I can't say as to how we should go about savin' them." He confessed.
"Nicol was sayin' there are a few pirates of ours back at PLANTs who'll be providin' information and the like to us." Dearka said.
"Good then, as soon as we know for sure what is to become of them, we can begin planning, but 'til then we need to focus on getting Rau out of the seas." Kira replied. "Keep an eye out for trouble and tell me of anything new that comes up, okay?"
"Aye captain!" they replied and he walked down the plank onto the dock, heading toward the Minerva.
"I'm not goin'! Ye can't make me!" Shinn yelled as he struggled against Rey. He glared hatefully at the man standing before him, the man that unfortunately was his father, and the man that was trying to ship him off to some school for stuck-up brats.
"Shinn, what did I tell you about defying me again? Did you not learn your lesson while we carted off your brother and friends to be hanged?! While they escaped this time, they shall not escape again. Hear me now, we will find them and destroy them so you might as well get rid of any fantasy of them coming to your rescue!" Gil told him.
Shinn opened his mouth to reply but Rey nudged him, giving him an almost pleading look to just drop it and agree. Shinn glanced at the boy who was once his friend. He didn't want to be alone in the war against his father, and so nodded.
Gil saw the exchange and grinned to himself. 'As long as Rey is around to make Shinn do my bidding I'll have no trouble, although he'll have to get used to taking orders directly from me if he shall ever be my son.' He thought.
"Very well then. I believe it is the best interest of all for you to leave tomorrow. Rey will accompany you and make sure you are a good boy. You will respect your teachers and fellow peers and I shall not hear of any trouble from you, do you understand?" he told Shinn.
"Yes sir." Shinn mumbled. Gil frowned but didn't remark before leaving.
Rey sighed and let go of Shinn, because he was holding his arms behind his back while Shinn tried to attack his father.
Shinn turned to him but said nothing, his expression one of defeat. He took a few steps away, creating distance between them, but then stopped.
Rey didn't move forward and simply stood there staring at the boy. He knew Shinn wasn't at all happy and wasn't going to be for a long while. However, he counted on Shinn finally breaking and seeking comfort in him like he did before, when they were best friends who told each other almost anything and confided in each other.
They stared at each other in silence, Shinn not wanting to neither depend on Rey nor become his slave, Rey wanting to hold the other in his arms and return to the way things were before.
He took a step towards the raven-haired young man who made an instant step back, fear flashing within his red orbs. He could tell that he was remembering something, and he could take a good guess at what it was.
After that first night, after the exhausting and trying dinner, Shinn had to make a choice. He was put under Rey's care, which meant he had to obey him as if he were an elder or parent; someone of authority over him. In these times punishment was harsh and did not care who or what you were. If Shinn dared to disobey one small order, he could be lashed and whipped until an inch of his life. He was surprised as it was that his disobedience towards his father had gone him unharmed, but he knew that if he didn't do as Rey commanded there would most likely be punishment, and it would be then that his father would punish him for his other crimes as well in one big package.
He knew what Rey wanted from him. He knew that he had made a promise, a vow, to not take any more women to bed. He knew that Rey would use that to his advantage since he was another man. He also knew that any feelings he felt towards Rey, those of the friendly kind, would have never led him to lie down with his friend in bed except for the aforementioned conditions.
And so, with much hesitation, the deed had been done.
Their relationship has henceforth become quite awkward, with Rey smiling and content and Shinn confused and ashamed. And thus Shinn's fearful and wary reaction to Rey's advancement, for on the voyage to PLANTs they had shared company together quite frequently, much to Shinn's dislike.
Rey frowned, wondering angrily if Shinn was ever going to get over his shyness and come to him willingly.
"Rey…" Shinn began uncertainly. Rey took another step towards Shinn, who this time didn't move.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You…you'll stay with me? Stay my friend? At the school?" he asked. His pleadingly hopeful look shocked Rey, who then smiled.
"Of course. I won't let anyone harm you, Shinn." He told him. Shinn nodded and looked more relieved. He absently rubbed his arms and seemed normal.
"Besides, gettin' an education could be a good thing." He added after a moment and smiled. Shinn looked doubtful but nodded again.
Rey reached out his hand and stroked his cheek. Shinn looked so fragile, so small and vulnerable, so different from the feisty young teen. He half-wanted the old Shinn back, and half-wanted to keep this new one. The boy leaned towards him, looking weary.
"I won't marry him father, ye know I won't!" Cagalli yelled. She was standing before her adopted father, Uzumi Nara Attha, Representative of ORB. He was sitting calmly at his desk in his office. The guards were distanced away so that their conversation couldn't be overheard, but Cagalli's protests could be heard throughout the land.
"Cagalli, I know you don't want to, but I can do nothing about it now, you know this. If I do not immediately marry you off to Yuuna then Rau will have yet another excuse to bind my actions and force me to go after your brother. You do not understand politics, but this has to be done in able for all to survive." He replied calmly.
"Oh hang politics! How can ye be so cruel as to make me a servant of that beast!?" she screamed.
"That is enough!" he roared, standing. He calmed a bit before continuing. "I'm not being cruel, Cagalli, and we cannot just 'hang' politics as you crudely put it. I will make sure he does not mistreat you, you can be sure of that. I'm simply trying to protect you and your brothers."
She sighed and sat down, tears welling up in her eyes. His features softened and he came around to stand beside her.
"I know this is rough for you, but please understand that I am doing all that I can for you and your family. I will speak with Gilbert Durandal concerning your brother Shinn, but I will not reveal your relationship. He must not know of this or he'll surely come after you as well. As for your brother, I will search the seas for him in pretense of finding him to bring him back to hang, but actually in order to help him and his crew. You must not tell anyone these things, do you understand?" he asked.
"Yes father, I understand. I just don't like it one bit, not at all. What will happen t' poor Shinn? And what of me brother? What if Rau finds him again? Surely there'll be no hope for escape a second time!" she replied.
"I'm not sure what will become of your brothers as of yet, but I'm trying my best to help them. We must all be careful." He told her.
"And what of poor Lacus? Will she be returned to ORB? She told me on the voyage that her father was on board and we talked, but he didn't appear hopeful. Rau had his eye on her, I saw the looks he gave her, and I knew he was thinkin' of taking her as his own. I only hope he doesn't know she was promised t' Kira, or else he'll be more determined to have her. He is more of a brute than Yuuna." She told him in return.
"I'll see what I can do." was all he said.
They talked more and then a maid was called and took Cagalli to her chambers to wash up and rest. As the girl lay in bed staring at the ceiling, she worried about her family and friends, and about her own future in the hands of the cowardly ruthless Yuuna Seiran. Even though her brother and love, Athrun, along with her other friends, were free now, there was no guarantee how long they would remain free. That was the only good thing to come out of all this, but everything else seemed to crash down upon her and surround her, almost suffocating her.
She stared off into the darkness and shed tears for her lost chance of being with Athrun, angry at herself for never telling him how she really felt, angry for not trying harder to fight to protect him and help him. Now she would have to be with Yuuna, without ever having been with Athrun for her first.
She fell asleep with tears drying on her cheeks.
-Author's Note: Woah now! I broke out with the big words and long sentences! For those who didn't understand the whole Rey and Shinn thing, they had sex because Shinn had to do what Rey said; Shinn isn't overly joyed at the experiences but doesn't want to get into anymore trouble so simply goes along with it. Also, Cagalli never really told Athrun that she liked him and neither did he, even though they kind of understood the hidden feelings, and she didn't get to lose her "maidenhood" (a.k.a virginity) to Athrun and now has to lose it to Yuuna which really –stinks-. I may have mentioned this earlier but in case I didn't or something, Siegel had talked with Rau about arranging a marriage between him and Lacus, but he doesn't really know that Lacus and Kira were close and almost going to marry, which is good right now, but he's still pursuing her against Siegel's wishes basically. Why is there a lot of sex and marriage references in this chapter? I have no idea. Any other questions, comments, suggestions or ideas are welcome, just press the little button and tell me what you think.-