What Mercury Girls Are Made Of

A Gundam Witch from Mercury Fanfic by

Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)

Part 2: Remember to Forget

It was finally happening. Suletta Mercury was going to go to school, learn so many new things, make friends, go on dates, and do all the scary and fun things she had only been able to dream about until now.

She couldn't wait. And she was absolutely terrified.

From what Suletta understood, most people trembled when they were afraid. But she did the opposite: she grew very, very still. Most might assume she was trying to blend in with the background, in the hopes that the scary things wouldn't notice her and would pass harmlessly by. But that wasn't it. If she was still, so very still, it was easier to pretend: that she was giant and invincible and able to face down anything that stood in her way.

But it was pretending, ultimately, and someone who truly knew her would see through it in an instant.

"Do you want to talk about it, Suletta?"

She glanced at her mother, who was seated beside her, and shook her head quickly.

"So you'd rather go on pretending, then?"

Suletta sank deeper into her seat and tried a different tactic: distraction. "Another hour?"

"Until we arrive, yes. And don't think I can't tell you're avoiding the question, young lady."

Suletta hesitated, then murmured, "I'm scared. And excited. And worried. And eager."

"Not a bad combination," her mother commented, "but a truly busy one."

"I'll be fine. Eventually."

"I have an idea. Why don't you go to the back and check on her? I'll tell the crew you have my permission."

Suletta beamed. "It's really okay?"

Her mother nodded. "Of course. Everyone can use a distraction, now and then. I'm sure it'll cheer you both up."

"You're the best! Thank you!"

"Eri-nee," someone said into the darkness. "Time to wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open at all the familiar sensations: that tender voice, the gentle fingers caressing her arms, the warm lips against her ear.

"Su-chan?" she whispered sleepily. "Are we there yet?"

"No, not yet. I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay." Eri yawned and stretched. "What's up?"

Suletta once again tried for a distraction. "I'm going to beat your high score today!"

"You think so, huh?" Eri summoned a display featuring a shooting game with a wave of her hand. "We'll see about that!"

Suletta's access to Aerial had never truly been forbidden. Or even restricted. She was simply in the habit of asking her mother for permission. As any child should. And even the few times Suletta had snuck to see Aerial, had all been closely monitored, and she'd never once been punished for it.

And still Suletta had never realized. But that was hardly her fault. She hadn't been raised to think poorly of her mother. Not for long, anyway.

Suletta knew her mother made drones, many that were used for observation. She had never considered that she herself was being observed by them.

Prospera Mercury immediately put her notes away when Suletta returned to the seat. "Did you have a nice-?"

Then their eyes met.

"Eri," Prospera whispered.

"Okaa-san. It's been a while."

Prospera raised a hesitant hand, and after getting a nod, carefully touched the offered arm. "How are you?"

"Better. I'm always better when Su-chan visits me."

"Any problems?"

"The usual, but they're all within your parameters."

"I see. And-"

"You should hurry, if you need to tell me anything. I can't hold this state for long."

"You mean you won't, surely? My data-"

"I won't do that to Su-chan. This is borrowing. Four minutes each time, at most."

"It sounds like there's something you want to say to me, Eri."

"There is: don't hurt Su-chan, especially not for me. I won't forgive you, if you do."

"You have more power to protect her than I do right now. And you only have that strong body because you've been through so much hardship. But it's the same for everyone else, Eri. Suletta will never be strong enough, if she's never tested. It's not that I want to hurt her. It's that we both need her to be strong enough to bear the weight of our family's curse. That won't happen if she's always protected. As your mother, it's my job to ensure that my girls can move forward when I'm not there."
"Even so. If I ever hear Su-chan cry because of something you did directly, I won't forgive you."

"That's fair," Prospera agreed. "If I ever get caught, I deserve that much, at least. Not forgiving me is not the same as not loving me anymore."

"True." And then, without pause, "I'm going back now."

Suletta's eyes drifted shut, then immediately sprang open, and she made a grabbing motion with her right hand, then caught herself and stopped.

"Bad dream?" Prospera asked.

"I'm not really sure," Suletta murmured. "I don't remember it clearly."

"It will come back to you in time, if it was important."

They played all the games that they normally did. Suletta always lost, or "came in second" as they both insisted on calling it, except when she was clearly allowed to win in order to keep morale up.

The entire time, Suletta found a way to keep a constant grip. Eri didn't mind, but she definitely noticed. It was nice, to be needed that way.

With the hour almost up, Eri called an end to their playtime. Suletta was reluctant, as usual. But then, she was the younger one, this was to be expected.

"Remember to forget," Eri reminded her.

"Forget what?" Suletta asked, genuinely curious.

"Silly." Eri smiled at her. "You have to forget me."

Suletta stared at her. "What? No, I don't. I would never! Why would you even-?"

"Why do you love Aerial?" Eri interrupted.

"Because she's family," Suletta replied automatically.

"Because deep down, you know she's me. But you aren't allowed to remember that."

"You aren't making sense, Eri-nee."

"Su-chan, I'm sorry, but I'm not making a request. You have to forget. There's no choice. I can't let you leave until you promise to forget me."

Suletta frowned at her, stubbornly. "I'd never make that promise."

"You do it every day, Su-chan. And it never gets any easier."

Suletta's grip on Eri tightened. But never to the point of pain. "I'll never forget you, Eri-nee!"

"I love you, too. And that's why I need to make you forget. Again." Eri drew Suletta's face down, and Suletta, every bit the child she was, instinctively closed her eyes and waited for a kiss on her forehead. And she got one. But instead of the expected, pleasing sensation, she was abruptly in mental agony.

"Forget," Eri urged softly.

"N-No!" Suletta gasped, tears falling from her eyes as she struggled to breathe. "Never!"

"I don't like hurting you, Su-chan. Please forget."

"NO!" Suletta's face had turned nearly as red as her hair. The combined effort of resisting Eri's assault and trying not to pass out, where she knew her mind would be easier to alter, was incredible.

But... how did she know her mind was more vulnerable then, again?

"No," Suletta whispered in horror, but it was already too late. Her focus had been shaken by the truth. Again.

"I'm sorry," Eri whispered, from very far away.

"Eri-nee!" Suletta moaned, reaching out and finding only empty air. "Come back... please?"

"Aerial," corrected the voice as it drew further away and became harder to hear. "My name is Aerial."

"Our name is Aerial," the voices began to chant as one. "We're your family, and we'll always be with you. We love you, Suletta."

Suletta nodded and smiled tearfully. "I love you, Aerial. Let's keep fighting for our dreams together!"

"Sorry you had to do that, Frolic."

Frolic shrugged, reluctantly, and sat down next to Origin. "It was my turn with Su-chan. No getting out of it."

"The resistance was greater than expected this time," Mercury noted. "Suletta is getting stronger, gradually."

"Of course! Su-chan is our little sister!" Origin said firmly. "She's tough!"

"You weren't saying that during," Mercury pointed out. "You were too busy bawling."

Origin looked as if she were about to start crying again, but Frolic hugged her and shot a glare at Mercury.

"Stop it. We all agreed to do our part. Don't make it any worse."

Mercury nodded. "You are correct, Frolic. I apologize, Origin. My inherited urge for mean-spirited teasing is difficult to resist sometimes."

Lfrith spoke up. "More importantly, our timetable seems roughly intact, and Suletta's progress is inspiring. This is all good news."

Storm waved wildly to get their attention.

"Ah, yes, and more good news," Mercury added. "Storm accidentally discovered an amazing trick. Watch closely, everyone."

Once she was sure all eyes were on her, Storm hunched over and began to tremble, almost as if having a major stomach ache. Suddenly, there were two perfect copies of Storm. It was impossible to tell which had been the original, or if she had divided herself evenly.

Origin and Frolic clapped excitedly.

"That isn't even the best part," Mercury said smugly.

The two Storms glanced at each other, and then both said, very clearly, "Radish."

This was met with a stunned silence.

"I don't get it," Origin finally said.

"She's capable of speech that we can all understand now!" Mercury cried, very upset. "Why aren't you pleased?!"

"I mean, it's great, but why did she say that?" Frolic asked. "Does she want a radish? Does she hate them like I do?"

The two Storms put their heads together briefly, and one quickly made an X symbol with her arms, indicating a shared dislike of radishes. Or at least, Frolic assumed so. The other Storm made a series of complicated gestures that Lfrith alone seemed to understand.

"She chose 'radish' because it was unlikely to be mistaken for a word we use commonly," Lfrith explained. "But she has no special fondness for them."

"How come you can talk to her?" Origin whined.

"I am able to isolate specific sounds, symbols, and signals within a data storm. After that, it isn't difficult."

Origin pouted at her. "Isn't it? No one else can do it."

Lfrith blinked. "Ah. That is true. Perhaps it is difficult. I am willing to teach you all, but I strongly suspect Storm would be able to communicate effectively on her own long before I could even begin to teach you the basics. Patience is likely the best option for now."

"Rotunda," both Storms said in what seemed to be an agreeable tone.

Origin looked at Lfrith for translation.

"She asks for your continued patience. She wants to talk to you just as much as you want to talk to her."

Origin blinked. "Then... um... riboflavin."

The Storms froze, and then one doubled over while the other grasped at her weakly for support.

Lfrith stared. "They... think your joke is truly hilarious."

Origin frowned. "What? But I didn't tell-"

"Maybe we should end here for today," Mercury suggested.

"Okay," Origin agreed, still very confused as the Storms vanished.

"Why did you choose that word?" Frolic asked.

"It's a word I learned. I saw it in a book. Or I heard it somewhere. I didn't think it was funny. I thought it was long, and I wanted to remember it. So I did."

Lfrith looked like she wanted to comment, but didn't say anything for some reason.

Mercury cleared her throat. "I think I will see if I can be of any assistance to Storm."

"How?" Origin asked at once.

Mercury tapped the mask she wore. "This has a limited version of Lfrith's, ah... 'storm reader,' you could say. I don't understand Storm entirely, but we manage."

"Was that a secret?" Frolic asked. "You've never mentioned it."

"It wasn't secret, but no, I didn't mention it," Mercury admitted. "I knew it would only upset you. We don't have the resources for a second mask, nor is sharing mine feasible."

"So why tell us now?"

"Because Storm is making rapid progress. I don't think it will be long before she can conversate with all us directly."

Frolic stared at Mercury. "Fine. As long as you aren't lying."

"I wouldn't. Not about this, anyway."

"You better not be."

After Mercury left, Origin and Frolic put their heads together, as usual, to talk. It took a moment for them to realize that Lfrith was still standing over them.

"Is something wrong?" Origin asked, as Lfrith seemed to be staring at them expectantly.

"No. I thought Frolic might want to discuss her time with Suletta."

"I don't mind," Frolic said slowly, "but you always view the log instead."

"Perhaps it would be more useful to talk to you directly from now on. In addition to the log viewing."

"Why?"

"I have come to appreciate that inability to communicate is a curse in itself. We should not squander the gift of being able to freely speak to each other. Or I should not. And it feels so long ago, when there was only Origin and I. I fear I had forgotten the simple magic of our companionship then. I don't want to lose that again."

"Then we won't let you!" Origin grabbed Lfrith's hand and tugged her down beside them, and Frolic jumped onto Lfrith's back.

"Don't forget next time," Frolic said in Lfrith's ear. "You aren't only a mobile suit anymore. You're an Eri, too!"

"The biggest Eri!" Origin agreed, laughing as she belly-flopped into Lfrith's lap.

As her other selves climbed all over her, Lfrith gained a new understanding of what was lost in the log. Each time Suletta made physical contact with an Eri, she did so with such tenderness and desire. Lfrith had thought this was a by-product of Suletta's subconcious mind gradually rejecting the idea of repeatedly losing her sister. But it wasn't only that. Suletta's body remembered how if felt to touch her sister, even if her mind was unable to. And, Lfrith guessed, if she had also been constantly making physical contact with Origin and Frolic, she wouldn't have wanted to lose ithat sensation, either.

It was so cruel, what they were doing to Suletta. But it was necessary. And one day, Suletta would be able to remember. It would be worth it, then. Suletta would be angry and hurt, yes, but she loved them too much to turn away from them. That was all too clear.

"Why are you crying, Lfrith?" Origin asked suddenly, gently touching her cheek.

Lfrith realized that Origin was right. "Coolant leak," she lied.

Frolic smiled sadly and put her head on Lfrith's shoulder. "Yeah, Su-chan gets that sometimes, too. Must run in the family."

Continued in Part 3: Pilot-Passenger Policy

The Erichts update their policy for making contact with Aerial's pilot and passengers. With passengers being defined as anyone in the cockpit who isn't Suletta.