Celestial Being Chronicles - Chapter 139
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Gundam series, nor any of the various series which are used or referenced in my fic, so please point that damned lawsuit cannon at someone else, also, don't read this if you are not of legal age to read such material. The story contains possibly disturbing content and should not be read by close-minded people (i.e., people who are easily offended.) Everything in the story is fictional. I am also not responsible for any actions taken by people who read this story and society's problems. I do, however, own my original character; Hope Yamato.
"What's with the bags?" Kira Yamato asked as he stood in the Excalibur's hanger bay a few months later.
"After all these millenia, you can't still be that dense." Cagalli giggled, twirling a large canvas bag full of what felt like iron bars but was actually clothing, above her head. "Lacus and I managed to get us transport back down to Earth. We're all sick of these ships. We're leaving in about an hour. You should get packed."
"That's news to me too." Hope piped up. "Where on Earth are we going? Back to Orb?"
Cagalli looked slightly upset. "No...not back to Orb. Orb is still in complete disorder right now. There have been some complications with its political structure. We're going to Switzerland, in the Eurasian Federation." She replied. Kira looked at her, noting her slight hesitancy when she talked about Orb's situation. He'd have to pry the details from her later, in private.
"Why Switzerland? I mean, wouldn't it be better to go somewhere where Natural-Coordinator tensions are less strained?" Hope observed.
"Switzerland is the best place to go, actually. It has a tradition of neutrality during wars. Even during the last war, they only provided medical services and supplies to the Earth Forces. It's also were several of the refugee camps are set up, so we'll be able to blend in with them. Besides, it's time we stopped trying to hide ourselves away from the problem. Coordinators and Naturals are going to have to learn to get along, or the entire war, and all of our sacrifices will be in vain." Cagalli replied.
Much later that night, Mayu Asuka staggered up the walkway to the huge mansion. She held a disposable camcorder in one hand and Hope Yamato's hair tie in the other. A livid hand-shaped bruise glowed on one cheek while her lips still stung with the force of Hope's last kiss. Behind her, Kira Yamato and Murrue Ramius inched their way along with hands raised to ward off any unseen obstacles. Both were blind drunk although not on alcohol. After getting lost and stumbling into a euro-techno dance club, Hope and Mayu had gotten separated from the other couples. After catching up with them four hours later, Mayu noted how both Murrue and Kira had somewhat dreamy and laid back looks on their faces, while Lacus Clyne and Cagalli Yula Athha couldn't stop looking at each other and the boys then laughing. Mayu herself had later acquired that same look when Hope had brought her to a dimly lit dancing club. Mayu hadn't been able to make out much in the darkness, although, from some half-seen glimpses of the other couples, she had started to wonder if she hadn't walked into a free form porno studio.
It was at the dimly lit club that Mayu had acquired the handprint. She had been decidedly too fresh after observing the other couples and Hope had slapped her down for it, quite literally. It was later, when she bought her a bouquet of pale white roses and a box of Swiss chocolates that she had kissed him. She'd immediately bought the camcorder and managed to get most of the next hour on film. The recordings consisted of Kira and Murrue tripping and falling down some stairs when Cagalli's dress accidentally got caught in a door and came off. Other recordings included standing at the top of a gothic cathedral and throwing paper airplanes with wishes written on them off into the night, walking arm in arm in arm in arm, six abreast, through crowded midnight markets and bustling restaurants, rolling down a grassy hill side by side and Mayu with root beer foaming out of her nose because of being tickled by Hope. However, she still had a good ten minutes of recording space left. She wondered what she would use them for. It was really hard to get a picture of Hope and herself kissing, since she generally forgot how to do something as simple as breathe at those times, much less record the event.
The five women had split up from Kira a few minutes before, having been corralled by a high-class jewelry store a few blocks away. Dead tired, Kira had kept going, anxious for some sleep. Mayu fumbled with the much too small key and opened the hallway door. Kira and Murrue crowded up behind her as she opened the front door to their mansion on her first try...a feat for which she was justly proud. Mayu stepped in and noted that the lights were still on. The instant after that the entire scene exploded into her mind.
Shiho was sitting on the couch, without her shirt. Misato Katsuragi had her head in Shiho's lap, and Shiho's arms were wrapped around Asuka's waist while she played with Shiho's hair.
"Yes, I truly believe you are both the two most beautiful girls in the world." Shiho said, before looking up. She saw Mayu and Hope. Mayu and Hope saw her. Cagalli and Lacus saw her. Murrue and Kira saw her. Nobody moved. A wide grin spread across Mayu's face as she brought the camera up and started recording.
"AAGGH!" Shiho screamed. Asuka and Misato were so startled that they lost their balance and fell off the couch. Shiho shot to her feet and headed around the couch at Mayu. "Give me that camera." She demanded. Mayu looked at him and then at the camera. Without more thought than that she tossed the camera to Kira.
"Run far, run fast. Get that footage onto an encrypted flash drive ASAP." Mayu recommended. Kira looked doubtful, but when Murrue added her endorsement, he left at a quick walking pace. Shiho tried to follow him but Mayu caught her at the threshhold and grinned. "You're not going outside like that, are you?"
"You can't leave yet, Shiho. You haven't fulfilled your promise yet." Misato complained. Shiho started to go outside anyway.
"You swore on your mother's council seat. You are going to keep your promise, right?" Asuka added. Shiho froze, trembling, and finally, she turned with glacial slowness.
"I'll keep my word. But you're both leaving right now." She told them. Both women nodded their heads.
"We wouldn't keep you from your friends." They chorused. Shiho walked up to the first of them, one Misato Katsuragi. She put her arms around the purple-haired woman stiffly and leaned forward, kissing her full on the lips.
"Good night, Misato." Shiho whispered as she let Misato go. She then turned to Asuka and repeated the process. "Good night, Asuka." She released her and glared at them. They meekly nodded and filed out of the room, quickly heading up the stairs and to their respective rooms.
"Damn, Shiho. DAAAMMNN." Hope said lightly. "Not just one...but two girls eating out of your hand and meekly doing what you tell them too. How do you do it?" Hope paused. "Or maybe the question should be...how did you do it?"
Shiho just glared at Hope and Mayu again. "I'm not going to talk to you. I'm going to go to sleep. Maybe, if I'm lucky, this will all turn out to be a bad dream." With those words, Shiho stalked up the stairs, pausing only to collect her shirt. As soon as she was safely upstairs Hope turned to Mayu.
"I never thought I'd see something like this. Did you? In all seriousness." Hope smirked.
Mayu only had to think for a moment. "No. I never...ever...thought I'd see Shiho in the company of two girls like that. Much less giving them a compliment and good night kisses. They must have coerced him. I just want to know what they used for blackmail. If it'll work on Shiho, it'll work on anyone."
Kira yawned and groaned slightly. He hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep last night. Staying up all night partying, which was the reason why he was so tired, wasn't usually what he considered fun. But last night seemed to release all the tensions that had been weighing him down recently. Mostly it was just having fun with his lovers, laughing and joking and fooling around, just like any other young adults might. It had been so long since he'd had any real fun like that. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to laugh until it hurt, or to smile so wide that his lips still felt loose. He yawned before he could catch himself. It was unfortunate, but he was the only one from the group of Celestial Being's senior staff. It was Algebra Two class and for some unknown reason it started at seven in the morning every day. Not that Kira was really bothered. He could do algebra two in his sleep.
Since peace had been established a few months earlier, despite the fractured timelines, Celestial Being had gone into hiding. The media, however, had been reporting that the Excalibur, the flagship of private armed organization, had encountered a computer error of unknown nature, one which caused all of the ship's power sources to shut down simultaniously, causing a massive power failure upon atmospheric reentry. According to the dozens of news reports, the disabled vessel plummeted into the Pacific Ocean from Earth orbit, splashing down about fifty miles East of the island nation of Orb. The media was also claiming that the only reason there hadn't been a massive tidal wave was because Celestial Being's leader had ordered the ship to be manually self-destructed before it hit the ocean, having succeeded less than a mile above the surface.
In truth, the massive warship was sitting in its custom-built dock a few miles off the coast of the Orb mainland, and Celestial Being's staff was now adjusting to a life of peace. After the first few weeks of peace, Kira and his eight lovers had decided to enroll at a college in Switzerland.
"All right class, now, since we have some new faces today, we'll be delaying the lesson so we can get introduced." The teacher, who was named Blake Lorngime, announced. Mr. Lorngime sported a tweed coat, flannel trousers and granny spectacles. A lot of the students thought he was pretty funny looking. Kira didn't really care how the man looked. That he could teach was apparent and so was the fact that he was a very nice and understanding person. Mr. Lorngime was also a counselor for the 11th grade.
When Mr. Lorngime gestured at him, Kira stood up. "Why don't you also tell us a little about yourself as well. How old you are, what you like to do for fun, what you want to be when you grow up, that sort of thing." Mr. Lorngime suggested. Kira nodded, but wondered just what the heck he was going to say. 'I can't really tell them that I'm the leader of Celestial Being and am the pilot of the Divinity Gundam.' He thought grimly to himself as he stood up.
"My name is Kira Yamato." Kira said, deciding to exclude his middle name. "I'm eighteen years old. I program computers in my spare time. As for what I want to be when I grow up...I think a scientist would be interesting." He finished, realizing as he did so, that he sounded like a nerd. Mr. Lorngime looked slightly surprised but nodded quickly.
"That's very nice, Kira. Why don't you sit next to Rebecca over there. She can get you oriented." Mr. Lorngime said, indicating a willowy girl with blazing red hair and fiery yellow eyes who gave a half-hearted wave. Kira blushed slightly, noting the envious looks of the other guys in the classroom. Well, there was no harm in sitting next to a pretty girl, was there? It wasn't as if he was cheating on his lovers just by sitting next to someone.
"Hi." Kira said quietly as he reached the indicated seat.
"Hello." Rebecca responded, looking bored. Kira sat down, feeling uncomfortable. For a brief moment the girl had reminded him of Fllay Allster. He tried to shake the image out of his head, knowing that nothing good would come of it.