I'm Sorry

By B1ockh3d

The Asticassia School of Technology sits upon Front Sector 73, holding a calm drift.

Calmer than what is currently dealt to the denizens of this large rock.

Yes… With the recent terrorist attack and threat of corporate instability, people have been fleeing the school in droves. Every carrier has been near-full. At least, that's what I've overheard from the students passing by me. The hangar has been dreadfully quiet since all duels have been suspended.

I also haven't seen Nika around… I'm in decent shape, but I still sustained damage from the Rumble Ring attack. She's usually right there, gleefully ready to work on me.

I scan the dimly lit hangar, there's only a few Mobile Suits keeping me company here in the Earth House hangar. An F/D-19 Zowart, and most notably an older MSJ-105CC Demi Trainer. That pilot… Suletta's talked to me about her. "Chuchu," I believe. She's been an interesting pilot to watch, definitely has a lot of fight in her. Though she's clearly held back by her aging equipment.

It's interesting to see the differences between me and these other Mobile Suits, and how they're all holding together. I've felt a bit bad, knowing that the Earth House has been pouring their resources and dedication into maintaining me. I can see Nika's put quite a bit of love into those other suits too.

My scan pings a life-form, calculably hastening towards me. Roughly 80 steps, 30 seconds away from me at their current rate. I dial in my sensors on the person, though I have a pretty good intuition on who it might be.

Sure enough, it's President Delling's daughter.

Thanks to Suletta, I know just about everything about her. I've never seen her glow quite as much as she does when she's talking about Miorine. I never would've predicted the daughter of the man who killed my family to change her in such an unexpected and positive way. For that, it makes me all the happier that we came to this school after all.

Even though I know the real reason we came.

Wait a moment, Miorine's strides are different. Apprehensive, pensive, upset. Her arms aren't swaying, and she's withholding her eyes from me.

Something is wrong. Very wrong.

She marches up the catwalk and up to the abdominal hatch, resting her perspiring hand next to the control pad, and bracing herself up. I can get a reading on her vitals: elevated heartrate, increased body temperature, consciously controlled breathing.

My humanity is not lost in this suit, I don't need all these sensors to tell me she's mind-numbingly stressed.

Her hand is close enough to the panel, I think I can get away with opening the hatch without raising suspicion. She may know I'm a Gundam-Type Mobile Suit, but there's still so much she doesn't know.

"Thanks… Ah."

She quickly withdraws her hand from the panel, allowing the hatch to open safely. I don't know if she thanked me, or just letting her mind run and mouth wander.

She's still wearing her school uniform, so I know she's not going to try to steal me like the last time she climbed in here alone. Though I did know she wasn't going to get very far. The hatch closes, and she adjusts herself into the piloting position. I can now see her eyes for the first time, and they're welling up with tears. Not quite flowing, but that's due to the amount of restraint I can see behind those iron-clad pupils of hers.

I'm getting a feeling of déjà vu, perhaps I should pull up a game. I doubt she can beat Suletta or Mom, but maybe it'll quell her troubles.

Like it did for Suletta all those years ago.

"Aerial."

That was the voice of a person with the weight of the world on their shoulders. A game won't fix this.

"Aerial…"

There was a slight waver in her voice last time. I shudder the words that are going to come from her mouth.

"Aerial… I have to stop Suletta."

What?
What?!

"Save… Save Suletta."

What's going on?!

Miorine pulled her legs up to her chest and buried her face into her stockings, and a single soft whimper could be heard.

"Prospera… She's got Suletta tied around her fingers."

..?

Someone… Someone figured it out! Someone figured out that Suletta doesn't belong in all this! From the beginning I've only wanted to exact revenge with Mom, not with Suletta. She doesn't deserve this. I have no voice, but for the first time, I feel heard.

She punches my center console, which was startling even to me.

"She…. She just… Won't…"

Now I can see the tears running down her face, glimmering through the low lighting of the cockpit.

She wipes her face with her sore hand, wavering with each breath she takes.

"Aerial."

You have my undivided attention.

"Aerial, I'm going to do something. Something that I know is going to destroy Suletta."

If it's you, I know I can trust you.

"I need to separate Suletta from you."

…

…

…

"I know you're her family, and she's your family."

…

…

…

"And I want you to understand… This is the only way I can get through to her. To get through Prospera's poisoning."

…

…

…Okay.

"I promise… This was not a decision I made easily."

If it's you, I know I can trust you.

We don't destroy the things we love because we want to, we destroy them to make something new.

Because it's necessary.

Not all answers can be questioned so easily.

She sits there for about a minute, balling up her fists and looking down at my console. Completely silent.

"I'm…"

It's okay, take your time. I know what you're going to say, and I'm prepared to hear it.

"I'm… Going to sabotage the duel tomorrow."

…

…

…I was prepared for it, but it still hurts to hear.

Ah, she's choking up again.

"I'm… Going to take you away from your sister."

I understand. I'm half of her connection to Mom, to wake her up you need to remove all the poison.

I am… Poison…

She sits there for another minute, quietly. No choking, whimpering, or tears. Her vitals have evened out, she's calming down.

She rubs her sore hand, and caresses the section of panel that she punched. Pulling out a handkerchief, she cleans up her face and carefully wipes anywhere tears have fallen. She presses a button on the panel to open the hatch and climbs back out of me.

"I'm sorry, Aerial… To both of you. You have both been a wonderful shield for me, I hope one day I can earn your forgiveness."

If it's you, I trust you.

She walks away, with carefully calculated steps. Her mind is still in chaos, but her heart is sorted.

Now I'm in the hanger, all alone again with the inaudibly loud silence, with only one thought.

What do I say to my sister?