16
Hiy'all.
So, trying not to talk as much I'll just move right along =3
Mwah Z- Thanks so much =) and i guess that would be a 'happy winters' in your case? and i did enjoy helping out in the test =3 it was a lot of fun and i guess i should feel bad for add this buuut, i wrote my reply to your right when i got home from the beach =D ahhhh, it was wooooonderful today =) and the water was nice and cool and perfect, and the sun was hot, and um,,, oh i got a small sunburn but to top it off, the albino italian (yes, thats me) actually got a tan!(if you can call it that...) ... but still, it counts for me! =D *choir of heaven sings in the background* hallelujah! hahaha, well, hope you have a great week =)
Cagallifan- hahah, ikr? I felt so bad over exaggerating this evil sadistic seven year old who looks like Cagalli, but I couldn't help it =( it's important for my story. And yeah, the duck story *rubs head sheepishly* it was one of my more random things I've written, and yeah it's original by yours truly =) so thank you! I'm glad it brought feeling into the memory.
WritingKnightmare- aww, ouch! Oooh geez, the mental image of a nail going through a foot *covers eyes* well I hope your foot is feeling better, don't step on anymore nails, okay? =) And that's cool about the tooth thing ( a good thing, right? I'm so dumb -.-)- you've really had quite the week! And yes, yes! Something drastic is going to be happening (weelll, I hope it's drastic, everyone's probably already figured it out but oh well. I have a lot in store for Cagalli that I almost feel bad *winces* ) Kitalla is my only OC character outsides Kimi-hime that will probably stick out so much, but that's because she's too awesome to leave out =3 thanks for the advice! =)
Falconrukichi- yay, glad you loved it! And concerning, kimi-caga past,,,,,of course…but whose to say that's all there is to it? =3
FushionAC- hah, I knew there was someone out there who would understand my crappy humor! =D And Kira almost called Kimi-hime Cagalli cause she looks so much like her that it threw him off for a moment.
Harmony is an independent ship under Kitalla. However, there's a past between Kitalla and Lacus that will come into play sooner or later in the story that will help explain why Kitalla does Lacus favors (sorta an indebt thing). They're just friends but the Harmony doesn't answer to Lacus nor her father.
Kimi-hime is a little older then Cagalli by a few months, I can get an exact birthday once I figure out Cagalli's =3 hahahha. And I'll see what I can do concerning Asucaga ;)
Oh darn, how am I going to find out then about Chloe/Clark? Ahhh, I tried to find the episode on megavideo and it didn't work. Darn, I'm gonna live with the mystery forever, ahahaha ;)
Anisrocks- Thank you! Thanks sooo much! =))) And Kimi-hime is not the current princess of ORB ( there is no current princess until 'Cagalli' returns to ORB) and she is not a mercenary either. You'll find out who she is, and what she is part of eventually =) Hope that helped, feel free to PM/review anymore questions you might have and I'll answer them as well as I can. =)
Saki-hime- thankyouu, whoooa, you stayed up late to read my story? *sniffles and wipes eye* Wow, thanks! Hope you got your sleep though in the long run. =)
Sleepyreader319- Thankyou, and have done =D
Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing! And I hope you enjoy this chapter =)
Okay, back to the whatever this is- Sorry for the late-ish-update and my apologies for how crappy this chapter is going to be -.-. =(
I forgot to add a disclaimer for the last chapter so sorry for that too =(
*Disclaimer, I donot own GUNDAM Seed, but all original characters and original poetry are mine.
Enjoy! =)
CHAPTER 10
OOOOOOOOOO
Narrator POV
Aboard the Archangel.
The crew of the Archangel watched with bated breaths as the EA and the ZAFT battled it out. And just when the EA's skygrappler had taken a shot, crashing into a near by lump of rock, they were saved as the ZAFT head ship shot retreat flares.
The ZAFT mobile suit in front of us seemed to stare at us for a moment as if considering going against orders.
At last he turned away and streaked back to his mothership and they let out their breath in sighs of relief.
Raimus rubbed her forehead, grateful and relieved. "Engineer, how long do we have now?"
The com link she had pulled up showed her engineer scratching his head slightly, a cock eyed grin on his face. "Five minuites?" then his face grew dark. "Do you think, Captain, we could perhaps use some of that skygrappler?"
The Captain froze, her eyes wide. "Raid the dead?" she whispered.
"We need some things that we might be able to find in whats left of the suit." His tone was apologetic and filled with remorse for what he was suggesting.
The crew turned to gaze at Raimus, wondering what she would do.
"Is it possible to run with out it?"
The engineer nodded. "But, in the case that we run into another fight like this we might be in trouble."
Murrue Raimus's hands clenched and she whispered through gritted teeth. "I take full responsibility for the dishonor we are performing then. Do it, whatever is necessary and if anyone asks, it was my decision and I ordered the ship to go along with it."
The engineer's eyes widened and the crew gasped in unison, breaking out into protests.
"Captain, you don't have to do that- we support you!"
"It's not your fault, we're all in this together."
"Pilot the ship down to salvage the machine." The Captain quieted her crew with a fierce glare. She stood up. "I will personally see out this order!"
OOOOOO
Narrator POV
From the EA skygrappler
Mwu La Flaga had felt it the moment he had entered the battle with ZAFT in his skygrappler. The presence of that other person. He had taken off immediately in the direction of what he was feeling, spotting his enemy attacking an unfamiliar ship that was spreading a 'cease-fire' plea to anyone in range.
His eyes roved the majestic red and white ship. It was brilliantly made, and armed with advanced technology though it didn't seem too keen on attacking. Was it a ZAFT ship? He didn't recognize it as an EA and it didn't bare any symbol to hint to it's origon.
"Well, well." He murmured absentmindedly, wishing he could figure out this mysterious ship but making himself focus on his current problem. "Rau Le Creuset. You are mine."
It was a spectacular battle, to say so the least from his perspective. And when he was hit he was sure he was finally going to die.
He felt heat fumes flowing from around his ship as it lay in a pile of disfigured metal on a floating rock in space. His legs were trapped and his head throbbed. The glass of his helmet was cracked and he was afraid of the gasses that might fill in. Wow…so all I get to do is just lay here and wait to die? He wondered after realizing that he couldn't even connect with his mothership. He could barely see anything and hearing was out of the question.
But then he did hear something, somebody was dragging at the hull metal.
He struggled to reach for his gun at his waist, his arm burning from where small metal slivers had dug deep into it. He was aware of the pain in his chest where a jagged piece of metal had buried it's self deeply into his torso- blood had already soaked his uniform.
The metal over head creaked and then was suddenly yanked away.
He cocked his gun with one hand,- his left hand was numb- lifting the safty trigger and gasping weakly as he leveled it at who ever had opened his ship.
"The pilot! He's alive!" The person overhead said, gaping down at the barely conscious pilot.
Mwu struggled to discern an emblem on the person's plain white and blue outfit. It wasn't red. Nor did it belong to the EA.
"ORB…" he whispered, losing the strength to keep his arm up.
"Captain, come here!"
His vision starting to blur, Mwu gazed blankly up as what seemed to be an apparition appeared before him, a frown marring her beautiful face that was framed by brown locks of hair.
"Pretty ladies shouldn't look so bitter…" he whispered, his head falling to the side, his eyes sliding shut.
"Oh God…" The Captain said.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Cagalli POV
Days had passed and Athrun and I had settled into a routine that grew more and more comfortable with every passing day. I woke up first, then I woke him up after getting dressed. We did a morning jog around the ship, badgering each other before sitting down for breakfast (numerous times we would get in a fight and start shoving random pieces of food into the other person's face) and then discuss the war, the Harmony, trivial things down to political and even sometimes past that enough to be called deep. We spent most of the day together outsides of the random moments when Athrun would be called up to discuss things with the Captain, or we were called to be 'ready' if our ship drew closer to the Harmony. It was like having Kira back…but meaning so much more.
I felt so confused. When did I start getting excited every time someone said my name, and I would be hoping it was him?
When did I start seeking him out in a crowded room?
When did I start treating him far more so then I had planned to treat him. When had he gone past the careful lines I had laid down. I was so scared, and I didn't even know what of. I felt like I was teetering at the edge of a dark chasm and I didn't know what awaited me at the bottom. Wanting to jump and let the pieces fall where they may, but at the same time, wanting to walk the thin line that presented it self to me. There was so much at stake, my logic said. My heart cried the same plea.
There's so much at stake and I was being selfish wanting it all (not understanding why) but knowing that having one might cost me the other. ORB, my father, my people and my friendship with Athrun.
Damn! How could they even compare? Why did I let them compare? And why did my heart weigh down the scales in Athrun's favor. "Damn!" I hissed, slamming the side of my fist against the wall. A passing green coat shot me a funny look and I reddened before stalking to the door. Today was the first day of a broken streak- I just needed some space to think…And my conviction…
My heart froze. Don't go there, Cagalli, please… And then I sighed, stepping into my room only to realize that I had gone from the pot and into the fire.
Seconds later, I stood plastered against the wall outsides my room, a red tinge to my face as I panted, my heart hammering in my chest.
The image, it was too much for my maiden mind to take.
Not to mention the burning guilt at breaking my own rule not to walk in with out knocking.
But oh my God…
And why the hell were some unnamed (and rather unneeded) parts of my brain committing the image to memory?
Thank God he hadn't seen me.
I glanced nervously at the door but it sat there innocently. I really didn't mean to walk in- but how was I supposed to know that Athrun would be getting changed at the split moment that I did? Luckily he had his boxers on and his back was to me so hopefully he didn't notice…
The image of Athrun shirtless leapt to my mind unbidden and I slid to the floor, letting out a long slow breath, my face feeling hot.
Okay, I have one chance to think this and then I'll never notice it again- I promised myself, feeling foolish and yet tingly all at the same time. Hardly had I granted those nameless parts of my brain permission when the floodgates opened: Athrun had such a perfectly toned and muscular body, I could tell from one glance. The way the muscles flexed in his torso as he stretched and twisted about. His lightly tanned skin so smooth with an occasional thin scar and sculpted-looking yet in such a vibrant powerful way. I know… I'm the last person in the world to be noticing these things but- it was just so…
I let out a small whimper. "I can't believe it…" I squeaked. I smacked my self across the face to each word I said. "What. Is. Wrong. With. You?"
Suddenly the door hissed open and Athrun walked out, yawning, his uniform crisp and neat hiding his masculine figure.
My face got even redder.
He paused, noticing me and smirked. "Groveling? I could get used to that." He turned to walk away and I let out a small relieved hissing breath through my gritted teeth.
"You coming?" he asked, heading in the direction of the cafeteria.
"Yes…" I squeaked, trailing after him like a drunk horse with my eyes wide.
Athrun paused and he glanced back at me, his eyebrows scrunched slightly in concern. "Akira? Are you alright? Do you have a fever?" He reached his hand up to touch my forehead which only intensified my blush.
"Right, cause we all know how often Coordinators get fevers, Athrun." I snapped hastily, skittering back slightly, hands raised in a guarding block.
Athrun stared at me in confusion. "You're acting weird." He paused and then added. "Well, odder then normal. So if anyone could just randomly develop a sickness I figured it would be you… Are you sure you're alright?"
I clapped my hands over my cheeks with a stinging slap and Athrun's eyes widened.
Suddenly the blood started circulating properly through my head and I could feel the heat in my skin cooling slightly. I grinned. "There, better?"
Athrun just stared then shook his head before resuming his walk.
"I see you let me sleep in today." He commented during breakfast. "I didn't wake up from a body impacting on me." His tone was light and teasing yet at the same time curious. I was trying not to let myself think of the possibility that Athrun might like me as more then Lieutenant and a rookie. I mean, just good friends or so…right?
No. Hell no.
I shrugged, mumbling through my omelet. "Figured you need your beauty sleep."
He elbowed me before digging into his food enthusiastically, practically inhaling it. Men and food. Goodness…
"So what were you up to?" Athrun queried after a moment and I made a face that only made Athrun chuckle. I didn't like him always asking me questions, as if he had the right to. I didn't like his amusement when my face would get red and how he would suddenly touch me on the shoulder or the arm.
It made me feel rocky and unsure.
It made me want more…and that wasn't good.
I had hoped that after a while he would just not ask me questions when I got mad- but the more annoyed I would get, the more he felt prompted to be nosy. And the sad part was half the time I let him do it. For example…
"I…needed time to think." I mumbled reluctantly, answering his question with out really meaning too.
"Oh, you've picked up a new skill- the thinking one." Athrun winked at me a gorgeous green eye and butterflies struggled to swim through the contents of my stomach.
"And your jokes aren't getting any better." I retorted and he smiled wider, his eyes sparkling at my twisted expression.
"You have egg on your face." He told me cheerfully, gesturing to the right side of his mouth.
I flushed but swiped my mouth clean with my napkin, glaring at him.
He only shrugged angelically and did what I was coming to call the 'Athrun' smile, where he cocked his head slightly, closed his eyes and just smiled, beamingly in a rather heart-stopping expression. If I had even half the composure that I had gained, then I would probably be a pile of a goo for all the times Athrun has bestowed his (yes, I will admit) handsome expressions in my direction.
"Akira, open your mouth." Athrun's voiced jerked me out of my thoughts and on cue I opened my mouth.
"Hnah?"
Something sweet was shoved into my mouth and I choked, my mouth closing down in shock.
Athrun grinned and slid his fork out from between my lips and I stared at him, not chewing, in shock.
"MMMM!" I gestured wildly to my mouth, trying to convey my disgust, surprise and horror.
"It's cream of wheat, just eat it. It's good." He raised his fork in almost a threatening manner, as if promising a swift-pronged poke if I didn't comply with his orders.
I eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then, making a big act out of it, I chewed and swallowed in an exaggerated motion. The food was sweet and warm.
"There, that wasn't so bad." Athrun said, pleased, setting his fork down.
I gave him a dark look and he cocked his head.
"Would it have made it better if I had added in airplane noises?" he asked innocently and I kicked him sharply in the shins under the table. Then I turned my back to him, refusing to listen to his gloating as I finished my food.
After breakfast Athrun temped me into another sparring contest.
"You look antsy today." I commented as we walked into the tiny dojang-like place we had set up in the basement of the ship with permission from the captain. All of our work was taken care of and once you're done that- there's not much left to do on a tiny ship like this.
"Huh?" Athrun's head snapped around slightly and he tripped in his twist.
"Rrrright," I raised an eyebrow then felt someone's eyes on me. I looked up to meet a pair of vaguely familiar blue eyes. I kicked Athrun slightly as he got up and he shot me a dirty look. I nodded towards the guy. He blinked in surprise and then straightened up, looking slightly embarrassed. I smirked at him. Dumbass.
The guy grinned, a cute smile that formed dimples and made his eyes glint. Behind him was an older guy and two young women. "Hi there, remember me?"
I sighed. "Only too well." Athrun raised an eyebrow at me.
"Anyway, we heard that you guys were holding some sparring matches and came to test our skills." He grinned devilishly and I shifted uneasily. It wasn't that I didn't like him, but just because I was friendly to Athrun didn't mean I was suddenly everyone's best friend.
"My name's Abigail." A long, dark pink-haired girl said, her voice soft and mellow unlike her more spirited friend.
"Call me Uru," her blue pixie haired friend said bouncing forward slightly.
"Kyou." The brown-buzz cut guy said.
And finishing with: "I'm Tobias." The blonde informed me with a grin.
"I'm-" Athrun began only to be interrupted by Uru.
"You're Athrun Zala." She said with an enormous smile and a friendly salute that her friends duplicated. I chewed on my bottom lip slightly as the slim, dainty and enormously pretty girl slid a step forward. "We know, you're famous!"
Athrun nodded politely in response and I bit my lip as it occurred to me again how differently he was beginning to treat me. What did this mean? "And this is our other pilot, Akira Yamato." He introduced me and the three green coats turned to gaze at me curiously.
"Akira Yamato?" Abigail repeated, perplexed. "I'm afraid I haven't heard that name before. What ships have you been on?"
I flushed. "Including the Demi-god? One…"
"Ah…I see," Already I could tell the three strangers were forming opinions of me. It used to be that I wouldn't care. But suddenly I felt slightly bothered- wanting to prove myself.
"A rookie." Tobias murmured.
That did it. It was okay for Athrun to call me a rookie, he was an ace pilot and my respective squad leader ( if you could call us a squad –insert snorting sound-). But not a green coat! I worked hard to get this far!
Like a vibrating string snapping, I spun around to face his amused face. "Alright, it sees I found my first fight." I waved my fingers to him in a challenge. "Let's go, pretty boy!"
Tobias's grin spread, his eyes lighting up with excitement. Athrun crossed his arms slightly over his chest, his expression unreadable. Tobias stalked forward and as he assumed a fighting position I swallowed tightly. Damn… what had I gotten myself into?
OOOOOOO
Narrator POV
Sad to say, Athrun was nearly grateful when the danger-alarm resounded through out the ship.
"Damn, the Chaos…" Akira swore then glanced at him with a frown. "Why are you smiling?"
Athrun paused in mid-run to touch his mouth. "I am not smiling!" he argued though he could feel the corners of his mouth twitched up in an amused smirk.
Akira gave him a funny look then rolled her eyes. "You're so weird. Earlier you were grumpy for no reason and now you're grinning." She spun into a side room that connected to the mobile suit hangar where their suits were.
"I was not grumpy!" Athrun protested, dodging his helmet which she chucked at him. The red helmet floated in the air, spinning slightly.
"Puh-leeeaze." Akira muttered, slipping her legs into her suit, tucking in her uniform neatly. Turning to face him while she zipped it up she said. "So you going to tell me what's going on?"
Okay… so maybe Athrun had gotten slightly annoyed watching Akira snarl back and forth with the green coat Tobias and it made him uncomfortable. That gnawing sensation in the bottom of his stomach, the uncomfortable prickle between his shoulder blades and the hot feeling in his chest. He had never felt anything akin to those feelings before. But watching Akira spar Tobias had made him aware of these strange and uncomfortable feelings. Crap… it couldn't be…
Jealousy?
No…nononono. There was no chance in hell that Athrun could have sank so low as to have felt jealous over Akira- come on, he wasn't even sure that he liked her…okay he did…but…
And over a greencoat that Akira had just met? That's stupid!
"Fiiiine, don't tell me, Mr. Complicated, but if you aren't careful your face is going to be stuck like that." Akira drawled and Athrun gritted his teeth, wondering what she was reading on his face.
"It was no reason." He insisted, yanking on his pilot suit.
"Right. Let's pretend I swallowed that one." Akira slid through the door into the hangar and Athrun hurried to follow her down the cat walk towards their GUNDAMS.
They paused out side of Athrun's.
Akira hesitated then grinned, punching him lightly in the shoulder. "No dying or I'll kick your ass."
Athrun snorted. "Thanks for the encouragement…rookie."
She made a face and then bit her lip.
Recognizing the look of nervous fear on her face that every rookie carried into their first battle Athrun put his hand hesitantly onto her shoulder. Her expression reminded him of his first mission and how nervous he had felt- of course he had been even younger then she was now.
Her face tinged pink slightly and her violet eyes stared at him unsurely.
He smiled. "You'll do fine, Yamato. And don't forget- I've got your back!" he grinned cheekily.
She looked down for a moment then her eyes flicked back up, her lips crooked in the barest of smiles. "Right, gotcha. Thanks." She saluted him half-heartedly before running to her GUNDAM.
Staring after her, Athrun sighed. "Don't die, Akira." He murmured before pushing his helmet down over his hair, fitting it snuggly down. He slid into his cock pit, closing the hatch and disengaging from the docking bay.
He would watch over Akira, he had already decided.
OOOOOOOO
Narrator POV
-Screw you, Kitalla! Dammit!
Kitalla paused in her whistling to glance at the screen on her right that was showing Kira Yamato's face that was contorted in fury.
"Oh… hello there." She raised an eyebrow as she piloted the Chaos in a care-free manner towards the Demi-god.
-What the hell are you doing?-
"I'm planning to commit massacre on the Demi-god and rip your friend into tiny little pieces."
-KITAll-
"Oh shut up," Kitalla sighed. "I was kiiiidding. Sheesh. I already have promised the temporary protection of you, Roma, and…Cagalli. I don't break my word so easily." Well…yes, she did…but not to Lacus. There were very few people in the world whom Kitalla respected and held her honor for- one of them was Lacus.
Kira didn't relax a hair. -Then what are you doing?- he demanded harshly.
"Why should I tell you," Kitalla replied absentmindedly, rubbing her nose while watching her screen intently. She had a zoomed-up view of the Demi-god…and were those two blurs zooming out of it the GUNDAMs?
"Show time." She grinned. "Sorry, Kira, but I gotta run. Ta," she waggled her fingers at his enraged face and then disconnected with him, humming to herself. As the GUNDAMs came close- one a brilliant red and the other black and gold, she examined them. Of course the red one must be the other pilot from the dock system in Octus five- whoever that twerp was- but would Cagalli/Akira really be piloting the other?
Chaos, give me a statistics reading of the smaller one. She thought directly to her GUNDAM, focusing the camera on the black and gold.
An estimation loaded up and she grinned. "Well, if that didn't just help point out Akira then I don't know what would." The Huntress was a neuron-linked GUNDAM made after her own original designed technology. Of course it couldn't be piloted by Coordinators for the way Coordinators were designed to conserve energy through out their body by saving on unneeded actions. Such as, brainwaves that traveled through out their pulse sort of like a Morse code and which the neuron-link computer brain interpreted. (Sorry guys, I know it's bizarre but just work with me, please?)
"Gotcha." Kitalla grinned. "Showtime."
OOOOO
Cagalli POV
I was nervous as hell. Afraid of what might go wrong. Afraid… of dying… afraid of Athrun dying…
And yet I was determined and angry- tears burning in my eyes as I gritted my teeth and spread my hand flat on the link-panel. For Kira… With out further thought my GUNDAM charged forward. My aiming-console lowered itself over my face as I pulled out my gun, leveling it at the twirling dragon.
-Akira! Wait!- Athrun yelped, hurrying after me.
-He's mine, Athrun! – I hissed.
-Remember the plan, I'm trying to go for the back. Distract the pilot!-
I glanced up at Athrun's face, drawn with worry, his eyes wide in pleading.
My shoulders shook as I relaxed slightly. I couldn't act foolishly… it might cost Athrun his death and I didn't want anyone close to me to die again…
Close?
My eyes widened and my heart stumbled a beat. Athrun was close?
To me? He was close to me?
I shook my head, biting my lip in bewilderment before focusing on the new enemy. Bad timing. Couldn't think about it…ever…
Stop putting it off! A voice in my head said. You know what you're trying to deny! It's pointless ignoring it!
I just…don't want anyone to be hurt…
Him? Or you?
Him… I froze as the answer shook me. -Him. Athrun.
The voice of my heart nearly sounded smug when it replied in my confusion. Yes, Cagalli. Him.
But that's just it…- I thought as the distance between the Chaos and I slowly drew to a close. –'Cause people like us… no…it's just wrong…I can't… I don't want to be hurt. Athrun doesn't care about me as more then a friend. And I can't care about him any more so either. Didn't I promise? All my work will pay off when I return home…-
It's the journey, Cagalli, that counts. Not the destination and reward.
The Chaos rested in the air, looking graceful in it's still, yet fluid-looking way. The dragon cocked it's head at me as if to say: Well? What are you waiting for?
-Bring it, you son of a gun!- I snapped, shaking away my thoughts and raising my gun again, firing it.
Instantly before my shot could hit it, a wing snapped out like a decorative glowing fan in front of the dragon and my shot hit it like ice on fire, sizzling before disappearing.
The wing disappeared and the dragon cocked it's head in the other direction: care to try again?
-Alright, I'm going for it from behind!- Athrun warned, -Let's hope this works for a last minute plan!- his screen blinked out.
Cartweel to the left while firing. I thought,
The dragon followed me almost lazily as I spun about it, firing at it. It's wings on either side pulled out in a fan motion, snapping open and then close again. It emitted a glow from it's energy sabers that lit the darkness of space in a rather ethereal way.
It's head snaked forward in a snapping motion at my right hand gun and with a harsh clank it's jaws swung shut on empty air (not that there was any in space)- my reflexes saving me by hardly a hair.
The Chaos spun slowly onto it's back facing me, twisting and wreathing forward. Behind her, the Aegis missed it's target, it's saber swinging harmlessly. I swallowed, the pilot wasn't as stupid to let Athrun just sneak up on her.
The red eyes glinted in a taunting light to me and I found resolve, shooting multiple times again at it. My one hand leapt to the controls, switching my power levels and leaning them more into strength.
The Chaos didn't seem at all aggressive- probably a ploy- but one I was willing to play. I charged it, shield arm out first, barreling towards it. I caught it in under the jaw like an upper cut punch, throwing it back.
The Chaos merely flipped backwards with the motion; it's hind claws caught at my arms and with a powerful yank, it threw me over it's head in the direction of a massive rock.
"Damn!" I yelped as my machine collided with the rock. My screen flickered for a moment. The impact rippled through out the machine.
-Are you okay?- Athrun checked.
Humiliated I muttered back. –I feel like they're playing with us-
-, you and me both.-
I looked up to watch Athrun slashing left and right at the Chaos with his beam saber. Was it just me or did the Chaos suddenly seemed a lot more energetic? Twisting in the air, it's wings fluttering and it's razor sharp claws snatching at the Aegis.
Like…It wanted to kill Athrun…but not me?
"I'm coming!" I whispered, charging up wards back to the escalading fight.
I wished the Demi-god could shoot in some missiles but they couldn't with out the chance of hitting on of us.
But neither could the Harmony. An uneasy truce.
The Aegis slashed it's sword and it slammed against the Chaos's right fore leg, nearly severing it completely and it dangled by a few scraps of metal and tubes.
With a burst of speed the Chaos clamped it's jaws on the shoulder of the Aegis, squeezing them between it's spike-toothed jaws.
"Damn!" I fired up the engines of the Huntress to the maximum.
Then I noticed the sharp tail of the Chaos leveling up behind the Aegis, pointing at it's back like a spear. My heart lurched in my chest.
"DAMN! ATHRUN!" I yelled, shooting upwards as fast I could to intercede the attack.
I slammed into the Aegis's back just as the tail shot forward and I screamed as it buried into the Huntress's chest, breaking through my screen with an explosion of sparks and smoke, over my console and slashing a thin cut across my stomach. Pain erupted like a fire in my abdomen and I choked on my shriek of pain. Something wet filled my stomach.
The massive tip of the black, curved blade of the tail withdrew with a screech of metal, snapping the Huntress to the side.
-AKIRA!- Athrun yelled.
"Oh crap…" I stared down at my hands that had left the console to grip my stomach. The fabric of the air suit was darkening where I had been cut. It wasn't a deep cut; I could feel that despite the pain racing through my body. But it was bleeding profusely and had reopened my old wound that until a few moments ago had been completely healed. I couldn't see anything, except that my legs were slightly crushed by the console that had been bent inwards and that the air was seeping slowly out of the cockpit through the cut in the screen.
Well crap.
OOOOOO
Narrator POV on the Chaos.
"Oh Damn." Kitalla frowned at the Huntress's cut cockpit. "You weren't supposed to be hit." She flinched slightly. "You better not be dead…" she mumbled, uncertain.
An energy shot collided with the Chaos's head and she recoiled her machine with a yelp as her screens flickered.
The Aegis had cleanly got her in the head and her shields had already dropped a massive percentage from his shot. Her machine- though vastly advanced didn't have strong shield spread over the body. "You were supposed to be the one dead!" she cried in frustration to the unresponsive red GUNDAM. She itched to kill the red GUNDAM, - no one had ever damaged her so much before!- but her eyes flickered back to the damaged Huntress. "Count yourself lucky and take care of your comrade." She snarled before spinning the Chaos about and flying it back to the Harmony. Her mission had failed. But there would always be more chances.
-Lady Kitalla!-
A screen blinked on and she glanced in surprise at her communications officer. "Yes?" she asked politely, trying to keep her frustration below the service. Being a mercenary meant always acting like everything was going along to her plan.
-The princess…she's gone!-
It took Kitalla a minute to realize that they weren't talking about Kira's princess. She hissed. "Somebody, is messing with my chessboard." She snarled low under her breath. "Search the ship!"
"Yes captain!" the communications officer saluted and the screen blinked out. Kitalla exhaled slowly, drumming her fingers on the panels in a brisk motion.
"Kimi-hime… a queen… or a pawn." Her expression darkened. She hated the idea of being out-smarted. She wasn't used to losing track of her prey. She had planned everything out perfectly almost- so who was messing this up? Somebody she didn't know or someone already in the game. "Well…I guess that makes it my move now." She would have to talk to Lacus, wouldn't she…
Then again… what if…
A smile spread across her face.
OOOOOOO
Narrator POV on the Demi-god.
"Are you sure you don't want to have that looked at?" Athrun said worriedly, hovering over Akira as she bandaged her wound, her teeth gritted. The two pilots had just stripped off their protective flight suits and Athrun had followed Akira back into their room to check on her.
"I'm fine!" she insisted in a muffled voice. Her shirt was pulled up and held by her teeth to expose her smooth stomach where a thin cut- not nearly as deep as her other wound- marred her creamy-pale skin.
Athrun glanced at the still scabbed cut on her stomach from her previous cut. An uncomfortable reminder of the metal ship fragment that was burning a hole in his nightstand.
Without meaning to, he held out a hand and grazed her first injury with the pads of his fingers, skimming it lightly and in a probing way.
Akira tensed under his warm, lingering touch, her hands frozen in taping the bandage down. Nearly hesitant her hands finished the job then she caught Athrun's hand in her own. Her shirt fell free, sliding in a rumpled manner to cover the lower half of her stomach.
She gazed at Athrun unsurely with wide, curious violet eyes and Athrun sucked in a breath at the thrumming feeling in him. As if at her touch he felt like a quivering music cord, vibrating with a rich tone under her gentle play.
She half-smiled, pushing his hand back. "You're too nice, Athrun. You worry too much too, I'm fine. We heal quick," she grinned, nudging his hip with her own as she strode by.
Athrun let his still warm hand fall to his side and he sighed. "Right. And if you hadn't stepped in…I would be dead." He turned to face her and bowed slightly. "I owe you, thank you."
Akira's breath seemed to catch and his green orbs flicked up to meet her violet ones.
Akira looked conflicted and he straightened up, puzzled and she shook her head, turning away. "Keep your gratitude. It's what any soldier would have done." She bit her lip then abruptly turned and walked out of the room, her obvious discomfort and cool behavior a warning for Athrun not to follow.
Athrun sighed then turned and headed to his desk, flopping down into the chair, spinning idly in it. "Why do you have to be so confusing?" he groaned, rubbing his brow. Straightening up, he pulled out his laptop, booting it up. While it loaded up he relived the recent fight. He had taken a rookie out into a battle with a known, dangerous mercenary only to have him be the one in danger. To have him being the one who needed to be saved It would have been embarrassing if he hadn't nearly torn off the Chaos's leg and shot the dragon in the head. But still, to be saved by a rookie. And she saved him and nearly got herself killed in the process. She was brave, and loyal and rather foolish but he owed her his life.
He had almost lost his life today…
And instead it felt like he was losing his heart.
The moment his laptop loaded up, a message with a symbol of 'importance' popped up on the screen flashing. His green eyes narrowed as he read aloud the sender's name. "A friend amongst ZAFT?" his mouse-arrow hesitated over opening it and with a determined bored click, he opened it. A video popped up in black and white and he leaned back in his chair, his eyebrows raising in surprise at the title at the top of the picture. It was the day the Chaos had first made it's appearance, attacking and destroying the ORB ship. It was a video from inside the terminal and it was frozen on an image of a girl.
A tingle ran down his spine of anticipation and he zoomed up on the girl. She had light colored hair, and her slightly turned face was caught just then in the picture.
"No…" Athrun whispered, recognizing that terrified, desperate face of the blonde. "Akira…"
The game was up… She had been at the docking system before he had even arrived in the Aegis. She had lied to him…
A crime like this could earn death for her, if the captain deemed it. And Athrun would be the one told to deliver it…
She had lied to him. The fragment of metal was a piece of the ship…a piece of the ORB ship.
"Why…?" he whispered. "Why, Akira…why?"
Questions he had been trying to keep in check flooded his mind in a jumble.
Who was she really? Was she even a loyal member of ZAFT? Was she a spy from the EA or maybe even ORB them selves?
His heart ached at the thought of leveling a gun, and cocking the trigger, pointing it directly at Akira's heart.
He clenched his fists, caught in a sudden wave of anger. She had lied to him. Betrayed him.
Her words echoed in his head like a soft sad whisper. "Don't trust me."
He couldn't of course…no…not with this information in his hands. He had to report to the Captain of the possibility of Akira being a traitor.
And yet…she had saved him…If not his life, she had at least earned his benefit of doubt. Athrun reached slowly forward absentmindedly to graze the laptop surface with his fingers. "You get one more chance, Akira. Prove me that this is wrong… That you are who you say you are, Akira Yamato… please."
OOOOOO
Cagalli POV
Ignoring pain… Turning and walking and pretending the burning ache in your stomach doesn't exist…no…not as easy as it looks.
Ignoring your own foolish decisions, pretending that you didn't just save your enemy when you could have and should have just let him die solving a problem for your own country- no, even harder.
I was in a whirl of internal chaos, pacing in the corridors as I considered my previous actions. Why? Just why did I do that? Why did I risk myself so stupidly for him. I had risked my life for him like Kira would for me, like my mom did for me. Did…could…was it possible?
"Am I…do I…lov-li-like you?" I whispered, stammering slightly. I paused in my bitter walk to look out through a small window into space. Space was beautiful; a velvet darkness with sparks of stars and galaxies that stretched on forever and more. A vast realm of mystery and enchantment. Of always feeling blind, and unsure, always in danger of being hurt but unable to resist the call of the stars, the moons, the worlds.
Just like love... Any moment your heart could break, you could lose yourself. You stumble around helplessly, making mistakes, feeling blind and unsure of where you stand. And yet…you can't help but reach out with your hands, hoping to catch his in your own. Hoping that when you fall down, he will help you up. When you laugh, and cry, and simply dance he will be there.
Now, do you get it? Cagalli? My heart asked, Now does it all make sense?
It did… Things were crystal clear and I wished that I was once more blind. Because no, I couldn't love him- I couldn't even like him! First, for any normal relationship, he didn't like me. And he was engaged!
And second of all and the most important part. We were two different people from different worlds to say so the least. I was a Natural and the princess of ORB and he was the son of the chairman of ZAFT and a Coordinator. We were born to hate each other, heck, he was trying to kill 'me' now (wasn't that what this whole mission was about on the Demi-god?).
How many times did I have to tell myself to get that fact?
But no logic would work.
He doesn't love me…he can never love me. My heart then spoke to my bewildered self, directing me and filling me with hurt, unhappiness and defeat.
I had no idea of what having a crush or even what love might feel like. I had no idea if it ever came so sudden or so strong for others in the moment that one realized that they exist. All I knew was that as long as he didn't like me in the least, then…then things would be okay. And he wouldn't be hurt. That was the least I could do for him.
A tear ran a course down my cheek and I gritted my teeth, scrubbing at it furiously. "Why you of all people…of all Coordinators!" I hissed angrily. "Why now? Why me?"
I wanted to cry out my frustration, my confusion, and my fear.
At least, that's what Cagalli wanted to do.
And I was Akira, a Coordinator. A pilot. A ZAFT soldier. A cold heartless girl who was trying not to lose herself in this strangely new feeling that warmed her to her depths.
Love.
Having loved…yes. I had loved many people.
Being in love. No. I will not let myself love Athrun Zala. I will stop myself now from tumbling off this hazardous cliff.
It was a war- and my heart was the opponent.
OOOOOOO
Narrator POV
Aboard the Harmony.
"The damage isn't severe, is it?" Kitalla asked her chief Engineer, Natsu.
He whistled low. "Wow, he really got you- didn't he? I haven't seen this baby so badly damaged in...well...never comes to mind."
"Hah!" she snorted. "And i would have liked to keep it in that state. I don't like having to repair it- mobile suit equipment don't just pop out of no where."
"KITALLA!"
The engineer spun around, raising his eyebrows as footsteps echoed loudly toward us.
The black-haired captain sighed, thumping her head in earnest against her beloved Chaos. "Pain. In. The. Butt." she grumbled through her teeth, gazing through slitted eyes. She spun around, raising her chin to face Kira. "Look, i didn't do anything. So disappear!"
Kira looked like he was about to throttle her. "Kitalla! It's what you were going to do that i want to know about!"
"Well, excuse me for not involving you in all of my plans cause I forgot that this ship and it's crew circles around you- oh wait, no it doesn't." She flicked Kira irrtably in the forehead before stalking past him. "Now if you want to be useful go fetch me a coffee- make it black- and something with chocolate cause if we want to be one step ahead of the enemy then i'm going to need a major sugar rush."
Kira snorted, rubbing his forehead and fell into step alongside the brooding captain. "The enemy?" he repeated. "And who are you referring to? And does that make you on the same side as us."
"ORB has a side?" The captain raised her eyebrows then snickered. "Right now things look interesting to me. And who knows, there may be something in it for me. If i figure things out..." her gaze traveled for a moment then it snapped back to Kira. "The enemy? You think there isn't one?"
Kira hesitated unsurely. "Well, no, there is no enemy really... I mean...if you think about it..." even to him his words sounded like a question.
"Indeed..." Kitalla's eyes became half-lidded and she waved at him absentmindedly to pick up the pace as she led him in the direction of her room. "Kira...did ZAFT just happen to find out there was an ORB scout ship in the docking system? Did they perform any scans, any searches on the ship?"
Kira's eyes widened in surprise at this line of questioning. He hadn't thought about it since it had happened but now Kitalla did raise the question. How did ZAFT know about the ORB ship?
"Um, no..." he stammered slightly. "There were no searches, nothing. Cagalli just showed up out of the blue and told us that ZAFT knew about us or something..."
Kitalla's golden eyes darkened. "Fascinating." she fell quiet for a moment then asked. "Yuna Roma...is he trustworthy?"
The brunette shook his head violently in disagreement to her suggestion. "Roma is a lot of things but a spy isn't one of them. He was in the ship with me when ZAFT attacked. He had no idea they were attacking us then either." he made a face and Kitalla relaxed.
"Unless it was Kamikaze?" she added brightly.
Kira snorted. "Please, can you honestly see him risking himself?"
Her brow furrowed and they both exchanged a long look as they remembered the fit Yuna Roma had thrown the moment his eyes had opened. "Good point... But if he was afraid of risking himself then why did he come on the mission in the first place," she demanded. "You can't say that the mission was supposed to be fast and easy."
Kira opened his mouth then closed it, nodding. "No...it wasn't. We figured it was going to be dangerous...I was... surprised when Yuna had volunteered to come."
"So was he ignorant...foolish...or..." Kitalla trailed off thoughtfully, outsides her door.
"Or?" Kira asked.
She smiled slowly. "No...it's nothing." She bowed slightly and saluted. "Well, Kira... I'm glad we had such a conversation...it's rather promising for our friendship."
"Oh really?" Kira snorted.
"Yes..." her gaze became rather crocodile-like and the door behind her slid open. "For now i know that if i ever go up against your battalion then i must first attack the strategist. I consider you very brilliant and I would hate to have to kill you. Farewell." and with that cheery note she disappeared behind the door into her room and Kira gaped.
"Wonderful... i can't tell if i'm making friends or enemies." he whispered, staring uncertainly at the door before turning and walking away, pondering what had been said.
For who had alerted ZAFT of their existence in Octus Five. Who had known? The Archangel would be too far away , for anyone traitorous in the crew to send a message and the only other person left was...
"Cagalli..." he murmured, speechless. "But wait, that's not right." Cagalli had shown up to warn him and Yuna so who...?
His gaze darkened. "Kimi..." But of course...the tyrant girl had disappeared. Fantastic.
It seemed some people just knew when it was their cue to disappear.
OOOOOOOOO
Cagalli POV
"Oh! Athrun, you're awake!" I yelped, coming out of the bathroom. The ice pack i had been holding to my stomach dropped and I leaned over, wincing, to pick it up. It was late at night and normally my lieutenant would be asleep around this time. Thank God i hadn't taken my contacts out yet- i had just come out of the bathroom to get my pajamas to change.
Athrun smiled in a half-hearted way, darting forward to grab the ice pack before me and handing it to me. "Your stomach still hurt."
I rolled my eye. "Yeah, just a bit and all."
"You should have it looked at."
Was it just me or did his expression seem slightly hardened, his tone cool. I hesitated, my fingertips just brushing his as i took back the ice pack. I pressed it against my burning stomach, feeling it's cool, numbing affect spread through my uniform. "Uhum, yeah... maybe i will tomorrow." I would do no such thing, but what he didn't know didn't hurt.
He shrugged, sitting back down on my bed. "Can't have my fellow pilot in bad shape for the next fight."
"Of course, speaking of which, have you heard of the repairs on the Huntress?"
"Yeah, i checked in. The repairs are going along smoothly and they'll replace the screening." Athrun fiddled with a hole in my blanket that i could have sworn wasn't there a few days ago. Oh shoot.
"Oh good," I smiled uncertainly at him. "We need to have at least two pilots to fight against the Chaos at once. It's a shame we can't fit more mobile suits in the hangar."
"The ship was built for speed mainly." Athrun said quietly. "We could only choose one other pilot."
I sighed. "And you chose a rookie who has an outrageous temper and nearly got herself killed in the first day." i took a small breath then sat down next to him, scooting closer until our shoulders were nearly touching, my face red.
Athrun's green eyes flicked to me and I wished i could decipher the unspoken thoughts that were flickering in his eyes like minnows in a dark pool of water.
"You did good today." he said slowly, nudging me in the shoulder.
"Right, i attacked with out thinking. I got thrown with out any thought of what to do." I stopped there, ducking my head in what i hoped was a sign of foolishness. And i was being foolish- i was pointing out my Natural limitations. I couldn't think as far ahead as Athrun naturally could and my reflexes to a Coordinators were terrible. Hopefully though, Athrun would just brush it off as a rookie's faults.
"Akira..."
"Yes?" I prompted, watching Athrun's face contort slightly as if he was struggling to tell me something.
He sighed. "Nothing." Almost wearily he looked back up at me and in a rather absentminded motion he lifted his hand and touching a lock of my hair. A slight smile spread across his face but he looked tired. "Your hair seems more golden then blonde."
I froze as his warm thumb grazed across my cheek and I stared at his green eyes wordlessly as if i was caught in a trance. "Uhum, thank you... hahha, my mom wanted it like that." I forced a grin. As if my hair had been designed by other then the Creator's hands. As if i had been born like Athrun had- having my body altered and shaped by another's hands.
"Of course... but whose to say it's not original and you? Coordinators were meant to be a more perfect human body wise. We were supposed to be more... unique." Athrun's smiled dimmed slightly. "But is it really unique when we are all made to look how we do by scientists and our parents? Pre-ordained instead of 'chance'...is that unique?"
Something in my chest melted and warmed, sending shivers down me. The way he spoke so thoughtfully of his kind of humans, wondering instead of just accepting it. On whim i slid my hand down his forearm and threaded my fingers through his, leaning against him slightly. It was against all code of conduct.
But he sounded so lonely- like how i always felt. And for a moment i just wanted to remind both of us of who we are.
"Do you regret being made a Coordinator?" I breathed softly.
Athrun shook his head, his hair rustling in my ear and he leaned slightly in return against me. "No... and you remind me of unique...There is just something so... fresh and new about you."
Hah, he could say that again, I smiled inwardly. "You are unique to. There will be no other boy with green eyes and midnight hair like you, Athrun." I butted my head slightly into his shoulder and he chuckled.
"You don't think i'm foolish for questioning all of this?" he asked and I tried to pretend that my heart wasn't beating abnormally loud in my chest from the heat his body gave off, the touch of his skin and his breath in my ear, raising goosebumps down my neck.
"No..." I said slowly. "It's part of what makes you, Athrun Zala."
"Can I tell you something?"
I bit my lip then nodded. "Yeah."
"Well, this might sound sorta weird." AThrun began and I could almost imagine him rolling his eyes over my head. "But, you remind me of who I am...and not just my father's soldier." he swallowed. "Thank you..."
I was getting into deep. Conversations like this shouldn't be taking place.
And instead of listening to my logical side I hugged Athrun with one arm, keeping my face down so he couldn't see the bewilderment in my eyes. "Of course."
In a very sweet gesture of comfort and companion ship, Athrun's arm encircled my shoulders, a warm, sturdy presence that kept me from falling apart.
Tears burned in my eyes but i swallowed, keeping them back.
I wanted to say: "You remind me of who I am...and of who I can never be."
But instead I said. "It's late...we should get some sleep."
It was a moment before he responded. "Yeah..."
And just before I could shrug off his arm he twisted me towards him slightly and pressed his lips against my forehead. I froze, holding my breath in shock and he murmured against my skin.
"Good night Akira."
He got off my bed, heading towards the bathroom. The door closed with a click and the light from the bathroom was cut off, leaving me in the pale shadows cast by his nightstand light.
I held a hand to my forehead, still warm from his lips. "Goodnight, Athrun..." I whispered softly.
I know, it seems like it's all falling apart but never fear for a asucaga-loving writer is here. (oh a rhyme…hah…)
Anyhoo, I really really wanted to apologize for how crappy and shortish this chapter was. I know that Cagalli is probably really OOC and I'm sorry. I wrote this chapter on the fly and I sorta shoved two chapters together to make this one. Also, the GUNDAM fight scene I'm sorry about- I can write fighting scenes to sword scenes, to all sorts of scenes, but it's pretty hard for me to do mecca-related scenes like that so I'm really sorry that I couldn't portray it really well and I hope I didn't confuse you. =(
Also, I'm really sorry about how I rushed things (and managed to get a late update all at once- way to go, Azetta…)… well I feel like I rushed things concerning Cagalli and Athrun. Just to say, it's not official yet that they really like eachother. Mainly cause of his and her problems which will be overcome in the next couple chapters if I feel like it. If not…then…hee. Well, you'll see.
Anyway, Mwu is back! Yay =D
Not much to say.
Hope you enjoyed this thoroughly sucky chapter of random bits -.- (SORRY! D= )
Review please, comments and questions =)
-Azetta
Jabberbomb
Well…not much to say… I'm sorta depressed from writing this chapter ( I know I can do better! I'm just having a crappy mindblock of a sort) =(
But anyway, just a headsup, I had a very good reason for updating late and with a terrible chapter (whoo) actually, well, no it's not a great reason. I had a pretty busy week (dur) and I also got hit with another out of the blue random fanfiction idea which I really really want to start working on alongsides the Tangled Fates. Buuut I don't want to get involved in writing two fanfictions (I don't know if my puny brain could take it!) but it's going to be a romance/fantasy of Cagalli and Athrun (what can I say? I love them =) maybe I'll do it after I finish this? (oh dang, that might not be for a bit) ahhhh, now I have to wait, D= well, we'll see, =)
If you're interested in fantasy (wait…maybe it's supernatural…crap) and want me to write the other fanfiction alongside this one (the updates would be slower then Tangled Fates) then please feel free to PM me or review- I take all feedback into consideration and I'll see if I'll feel comfortable working it out =)
Idk =D heeey, I'm feeling better again! Hahahha talking/writing does wonders for the soul.
Love y'all
- Azetta