Welcome back everyone to another chapter! Yeeehaaww let's get this party star-
Nikki: Hold one a sec! Aren't you forgetting something?
…Am I? –tilts head-
Nikki: -sighs and facepalms- why do I bother?
Echo: She means your lil adventure with your best friend during Halloween.
Oh…OH YEAH! OMGAWSH I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT IN THE LAST CHAPTER!
Nikki: -puts fingers in ears- Yeah…we noticed…now stop yelling you're so friggin loud.
-ignores Nikki- I have the most fun time last week! I went down to my best friends house and dressed up as a zombie and scared the lil kiddies! BUHAHAHAHAHAHA! It was so much fun!
Kai: -just walked in-…What?...Zombie?...Huh?
Nikki: -sniggers- She dressed up as a zombie for Halloween, she was a pretty convincing one too.
Kai: How do you know how well she was dressed up?
Echo: You forget pretty boy, we are inside those girls minds and imagination so we see everything they do and hear everything they say.
Nikki: -grins- Yeah which rules coz these girls go nuts when they're together.
Echo: And it's so much fun to watch!
Nikki: Totally!
Nikki/Echo: -high five-
WHAT ARE YOU PLOTTING IN THAT CORNER! I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH IT!
Nikki: -flinches- Other times it's not so fun…
Echo: Let's start the chapter before she gets too…
IMMA START THE CHAPTER FOOL! ENJOY THE CHAPTER FOOLS!
Echo: …crazy
Nikki: -groans- Just kill me now…
The next morning there was thick tension lingering in the air. The citizens, now having mostly been evacuated, waited anxiously for the outcome of their country. The city of Orb was now completely deserted; if one were to stand in the city they would've found it unnerving as to how quiet it was. ORB was commonly buzzing with activity, people rushing to work, children running and playing. But all that had been put aside, for conflict was hovering on the horizon. None at seen war in almost a year, and they were terrified of another one becoming full scale and threatening the peace. Although the invasion wasn't for another full day, they cleared out everything early anyway in case the enemy decided to make an early appearance. And fortunately, there were strong soldiers on their side, willing to put their own lives at risk to put an end to all bloodshed before it could start.
One such soldier was staring at his reflection in a bathroom mirror. Unlike others he didn't have the day off, but he was still allowed to wear casual clothes for this assignment. He was fairly new to the whole battle affair and was somewhat frightened of going out onto the battlefield. But he had plenty that he was fighting for, and that enough gave him the courage he needed to push forward.
Sixteen years old Khris Anderson was born an ordinary coordinator in the PLANTS. He had loving parents and an older sister who were caring and supportive of him his entire life. But all that was instantly taken away when the first Bloody Valentine started over 3 years before. His home had been on Junius Seven, the colony that had been destroyed with nuclear missiles. Khris had been attending a boarding school on a different colony, so was lucky to survive the merciless massacre. But his entire family had perished along with all the other victims of that horrid event, and his life had taken a drastic turn. With nowhere else to go, he stayed with his best friend Matt who was like a brother to him. Since becoming an orphan he spent all his days with his friend, doing his best to put his family's death behind him. But as happy as he was with his new parents and siblings, he often wondered if there was a greater purpose waiting for him in his future.
His opportunity came when he turned sixteen. High-ranking officers from Zaft were gathering teenagers from all over the PLANTS and enlisting them into the army. He wondered why they were doing this now, since the last war had ended a while ago, but he still took this as an opportunity to make something of himself. So bidding farewell to his adopted family, him and his friend Matt, who had also volunteered, boarded a shuttle heading to the military colony where they would undertake serious training to prepare them for any war threat that might potentially break out. The chances of war at that moment were pretty slim, since the Chairwoman of PLANTS and the ORB Representative were publicly known to be close friends, but they wanted to be prepared anyway.
They were only there for a few weeks when the military had surprising visitors. Commander Jason Kazahana and Captain Jennifer West had come to the colony unannounced, and Khris knew that if soldiers such as these gave no warning, then their visit must be of vast importance. He was honoured to give his superiors a tour of the area, having been randomly selected. And just when he thought he couldn't become any luckier, he overheard them mention a name he had looked up to for many years. He hadn't always known of this person until shortly before he enlisted.
Flashback ******
Khris sat in the darkness of his new bedroom, staring blankly at the wall opposite him. Only a few hours earlier, he had heard word of something horrific, an event that come only too close in matched comparison to the destruction of Junius Seven. It seemed those typical naturals didn't know when to quit. Once again the colonies had been ruthlessly attacked, although this time their focus was on neutral homes where both races lived. But they had been ambushed without warning. Naturals were captured and coordinators were killed on sight…they had no chance of defending themselves. Khris clenched his fist feeling anger course through his veins. What was with these bloody terrorists? Attacking innocent civilians all for the sake of the preservation of their so-called precious Earth. He clenched his fists as fury overtook him. He didn't move even when a knock sounded at his door and his best friend poked his head in.
"Khris …Hey mate, can I come in?"
Forcing himself to calm down, Khris took a deep breath and looked at him. "Sure mate, come on in."
Matt walked in, stared at his friend for a moment before closing the door behind him.
He walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. It was silent for a moment before Matt spoke.
"So…you hear about the colonies?"
Khris nodded stiffly. "Yeah I did."
Matt sighed. "Doesn't seem to stop does it? First Junius Seven…now this."
Khris glared across the room. "So many more innocent lives taken for no good reason."
There was a slight awkward silence after his words. His cold tone had slightly surprised Matt but he couldn't say that he blamed him. The war was already bad enough as it was and if these attacks continued …there'd never be peace again.
He did however remember something else. With a slight grin he turned to his friend. "Tell ya what though, I have something else that might interest you."
Khris turned to see a grin on his friends face and couldn't help but slightly grin back. "Oh yeah? And what's that?
Matt leaned back on his arms and stared at the ceiling. "Well…you know how after the ambushes they just detonate everything right?
Khris stared at him. "Yeah…what's your point?
Matt looked at him. "Well…there's another colony a fair way from here that had the same thing happen to them. Except it's still intact after they attacked it."
Khris frowned. "So? What difference does that make? Still doesn't excuse the fact they murdered thousands."
Matt turned his head to look at him. "That's true…just that It wasn't the Earth Alliance that attacked them…It was Blue Cosmos."
Khris sat up straight and stared wide eyed at his friend. "Blue Cosmos?"
His friend nodded. "Yeah, and what's ever more surprising is that one of the coordinators there survived."
This caught his attention… there was a survivor? He stared at his best friend with curiosity. "Who was the survivor?"
"Nobody knows what she looks like but-"
Khris cut him off. "What a minute. Did you say SHE?"
Matt gave him a look. "Well yeah, the person that escaped was a girl…may I continue?"
Feeling slightly guilty he was being discriminating, he nodded.
"Ok…well like I said no one knows what she looks like, but according to personal record the colony kept, her name is Nikki Clyne. She' s about 17 years old, was living at the colony with two of her best friends, Jason Kazahana and Echo…" Matt's voiced trailed off.
Khris had been listening intently and gave him a scrutinizing look when he paused. "Well? Echo what?"
Matt shook his head. "Nothing, there was no last name for her. And she had apparently left the colony a few years earlier to go live on Earth. So I guess she was lucky too."
Khris didn't understand why this girl wanted to live on Earth, but he didn't wonder too long about that since his mind went straight back to this Nikki girl. 'How could one simple 17 year old survive a massacre from Blue Cosmos? Was she miraculously rescued somehow? Or was there more to her than he realized?
Flashback Ends ******
Ever since his friend had told him of that mysterious survivor from the colonies, he had always longed to meet her and find out how she was strong enough to escape from such murderers. But as curious as he was, he had heard nothing else. It was like she had mysteriously disappeared, no one knew where she was. Rumour hazard that people had seen a black and purple machine fly into Orb shortly after the attack. But as quickly as it came, it vanished, leaving people wondering how something so large could just disappear like that.
He heard no more of anything until only a week before the visit from Jason and Jenny.
Flashback ******
He had been practising his piloting skills on a simulator. Since enlisting, his dream had been to fly a mobile suit into battle and hopefully one day become a brave legendary and well known soldier of Zaft. But he had a long way to go before he was ready for anything too realistic.
He had just completed a level, when he overheard a conversation to his left. The words 'Commander' and 'Clyne' were heard, and he turned his head to get a better grasp of what they were saying.
"Are you sure it's her? I mean, no one's heard of her since the attack on the colonies."
"Yeah I'm positive! Just think! How common of a name if Nikki Clyne anyway? Plus it would explain how she was able to survive that invasion from Blue Cosmos."
"But still! How can someone go from an ordinary citizen to one of the best pilots and highest-ranking officers in the world in just a few years? It's practically unheard of!"
Khris sat planted in his seat, listening intently to the two soldiers. Nikki Clyne? He hadn't heard that name since Matt had told him of her survival over 3 years ago. And now out of nowhere, she's a Commander of Zaft? Excitement filled his veins, would he be able to somehow meet her? He was training to become a mobile suit pilot, and if he became skilful enough, maybe…just maybe he would someday have the honour of fighting alongside her.
Flashback ends ******
And now here he was, fulfilling one of his lifelong dreams. Jason and Jenny had individually selected him, when they had come to the military colony, to work for Nikki herself. Ok so maybe he wasn't fighting in a mobile suit, but his mission was still important and he had so many relying on him. Plus he was doing this for Nikki. He flushed slightly when seeing her for the first time, it was one thing to hear about her, and it was another to see what she actually looked like.
He remembered hearing several men talking about her. They would mention how strong and determined she was, and how invincible she seemed when facing her enemy. But all that he had already heard multiple times, it was when they started talking about her physical appearance that piqued his interest.
"She may be a brutal soldier…but dude you should see her for real. She's like a living goddess, can't remember the last timeI saw a face or body that gorgeous."
He remembered hearing the guys' friends all laugh in delight.
"Yeah I've seen her too! Man wonder what she's like in bed, I'd love to get a taste of that skin of hers."
Hearing these men talk of Nikki that way had set his blood boiling. She was their commanding officer! If she heard them talk that way then she'd have their heads! He was thinking of interfering when a taller, good-looking man walked up to the laughing crones. The surprising thing about his appearance was not only did he tower of all of them, but he was also wearing an ORB Military uniform. Only now did Khris know, that this man was Nikki's boyfriend Kai Rodgericks. But neither he, nor these cocky men knew that at the time.
He watched curiously as Kai stood behind the two soldiers that had spoken so immorally about his girlfriend. The two men that were with them, gaped at him with slight fear in their eyes. The other two that had started the gossip were still laughing, but stopped when they heard someone clear their throat. Turning around they stared up at this tall soldier, both awe and fear etched across their faces. Kai, whose arms were tightly folded across his chest, glared daggers at them. And that was all it took for them to disappear in a matter of seconds.
Khris stared at this man in admiration; he had barely moved or even blinked. Yet he had four tough soldiers running and screaming like a bunch of girls. He grinned at the memory of them running away; they deserved it anyway. Now that was hearing about how Nikki looked. He figured since she had random men perving on her then she must've been a fairly attractive woman, but he hadn't fully believed or understood that until he saw her for the first time himself.
It was just shortly after he had arrived in ORB with Jason and Jenny. They had taken him through the halls of Headquarters to the arena where she was giving hardcore training to young teenagers like him. He remembered running into Kai on the way, and how intimidated he felt meeting Nikki's boyfriend. It was then that he recognised him as the tall guy that had effortlessly scared those four men and had understood why he had looked so ticked off. Not that he could blame him really, he'd react the same way if he heard someone talking that way about his girlfriend. After meeting Kai, they had made their way to a large hall where Nikki was. He was half expecting to see a typical girl in the women's military uniform and most likely looking stereotypically pretty. But instead he saw a kick ass tomboy, dressed in a white uniform with pants and staring around the room with such an intense and stern gaze that he swore he felt his stomach slightly churn in fear. But then his jaw dropped when he gave her a proper look over. He could see her figure underneath the uniform and just how nicely snug if fit. Her crystal blue eyes were beautiful beyond description, despite the hard glare coming from them. And the feature that caught his attention the most was her hair, never before had he seen a girl with such long flowing hair before. It was tied up in a high ponytail above her head, the smaller side parts framed her face, going past her shoulders and resting just past her chest. The rest of her hair flowed in thick waves down her back and ended just below her tailbone. If that was the length when tied up high, he wondered just how long her hair was if fully let out. He felt himself become light headed at the thought of it.
He laughed to himself, remembering just how much of a wuss Jason was around her. They reminded him of bickering brother and sister, and guessed that was probably how they regarded each other. It was easy to see how close friends she was with Jenny as well, the two girls got along swimmingly and it reminded him of his friendship with Matt.
Thinking of his best friend made him slightly sad, while he had been given this rare opportunity, Matt had stayed behind to continue training with everyone else, he wondered if he would ever see him again.
A knock on the door brought Khris back to the present day. Straightening himself, he exited the bathroom and strode across the room. He opened the door to see a young girl he had never seen before. She was slightly shorter than him, had average length blonde hair and distinctive purple eyes that stood out. She stared at him with a leering gaze, causing him to squirm a little bit. "Um…can I help you?"
She opened her mouth to speak yet didn't evert her eyes. "Are you Khris Anderson?"
He nodded stiffly. "Yeah"
She suddenly grabbed his wrist and started to drag him down the hall. "You're coming with me."
Startled by her sudden move, he tried to pull his hand away but found her grip too strong. "Hey man! What's the big deal?'
The girl abruptly stopped and turned to stare at him. "You do know what's happening today right?"
Khris returned her stare with a blank look. "Um… I thought I was starting my assignment today."
She growled. "That will have to wait, there's something much more important happening!"
Khris tried again to yank his hand back but failed. "Well at least tell me your name, I'm not a fan of being dragged around by random girls."
The girl glared at him. "Fine, I'm Echo."
Khris's eyes went wide. 'Echo?' His conversation with his best friend flashed again through his mind.
"She' s about 17 years old, was living at the colony with two of her best friends, Jason Kazahana and Echo…" Matt's voiced trailed off.
Khris had been listening intently and gave him a scrutinizing look when he paused. "Well? Echo what?"
Matt shook his head. "Nothing, there was no last name for her. And she had apparently left the colony a few years earlier to go live on Earth. So I guess she was lucky too."
Khris couldn't believe it, this was the best friend that Nikki used to go to school with. When did they meet up again? He started to feel dizzy, all this was becoming too much for him to comprehend.
Echo's voice snapped him back. "Hey! You alright in there?"
He brought his focus back to see her face inches away from his own. He jumped backwards in surprise. "Dude! Don't do that!"
She raised an eyebrow. "Don't do what? Anyway we've wasted enough time we need to go."
She started dragging him again without giving him a chance to argue, but yet he still had no idea what was happening. "Need to go where? What's going on?
Without looking back at him she answered bluntly "We're going to Nikki and Kai's engagement party."
Khris fell silent. Engagement party? When had the two of them gotten engaged? Last he checked they were only dating…that's what Jason had said anyway. But then he suddenly realized, when they had run into Kai into the hall the previous day, he had told them that he had plans with Nikki that night. He must have had a romantic dinner or something set up so he could propose to her. And since this Echo girl was taking him to their engagement party, then it was obvious that Nikki must've accepted his proposal. He didn't know why, but he felt incredibly jealous. Despite her being three or four years older, he had always been attracted to her and was hoping he'd someday have a chance to prove himself to her. But then this Kai guy just comes along and sweeps her off her feet. He shook his head sadly to himself, 'who was he kidding anyway? He was only a sixteen-year-old Rookie in training, and she was a full grown twenty year old Zaft Commander. Why would she be interested in a scrawny loser like him?
His self-doubting thoughts were brought to a halt when he felt they had stopped running. They were standing in front of a huge mansion in the middle of a few acres of grass- covered land. A thick steel gate surrounded the area, giving security to the giant house. Khris stood stunned at the view…how far had they run? He turned to see Echo over by the security system near the gate entrance; he hurried over to her and heard a familiar voice come out from the small box.
"Come in if you're good looking!"
Echo growled. "How am I supposed to do that? The gate is closed and locked! Let me in!"
When the person replied, that was when he recognised his blonde commander.
"Ah Echo! We were wondering where you were! Did you bring young Khris with you?"
She sighed. "Yes I have him here with me, now let us in!"
"Alright, fine come on in…sheesh."
Instantly the giant gate slid to one side, granting an entrance for the two teens. Echo strode in confidently and headed straight for the front doors of the large house. Khris followed behind timidly at a much more slower pace, feeling rather small in such a large space. He once again felt intimidated, having never been on such large property before; his family had always been somewhat scarce of money and possessions.
He heard Echo call out to him to hurry up and he quickened his pace to catch up to her. They reached the large double doors and before they even had a chance to knock, it swung open and Jenny's bright face appeared. "Hey guys! Welcome! Please come in! I just got here myself!"
Khris filed in behind Echo, and he eyes bulged at the enormity of the house. There was a large staircase that was surrounded by rich marble floor. Behind it was a wide and long corridor that had several doors on the sidewalls. Peering down the hall he could vaguely see the window leading to the back garden. He suddenly noticed he was the only one gawking in awe at everything, Jenny and Echo had already started to make their way upstairs. He jogged after them, still looking around him. He wondered who was rich enough to own a place like this and decided to ask about it. "Um…hey girls?"
Jenny looked back at him and smiled. "Yes Khris? Are you alright?"
He grinned. "Yeah I'm fine, I was just wondering whose house this was."
Jenny laughed. "But it's Nikki's house of course! She inherited a number of mansions after her parents died. This is where her and Kai will be living after they get married!"
Khris felt stunned. Once again he felt completely doubtful of himself and his chances with Nikki. Not only was she beautiful, but she was filthy rich as well. Was that Kai guy just as wealthy? Was that one of the reasons she fell for him so easily? He felt his stomach churn in distaste, 'why do girls always go for that type?"
"Um…Khris?"
Startled, he looked up to see the two girls staring at him. "Sorry, did you say something?
Unlike Jenny, Echo just stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Do you often drift into space like that?"
Khris felt himself flush. "I guess I do…I don't even realize it."
Jenny smiled in understanding at him. "That's alright, we were just saying that we're almost at the room now."
He nodded. "So Nikki and Kai know about this don't they?"
The girls laughed. "Well of course they do." Stated Echo. "They were the ones that prepared it all."
Before he could comment any further, a large door to the side opened and Nikki herself stepped out. When she saw her three friends, a large grin appeared on her face. "Hey guys! You're right on time!"
Jenny rushed forward to enthusiastically hug her friend. "Oh I can't express just how happy I am for you Nikki!"
Echo hugged her too but a lot gentler. "Yeah, about time that man of yours made a move."
Nikki laughed. "Thanks guys, I really am happy." She then turned to Khris, who blushed slightly when she looked at him. "Hey Khris, I'm really glad you could make it."
Khris nodded and smiled at her. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
She smiled brightly at him before turning around. "Well come in! Everyone else is inside, Jenny I'm surprised Jason beat you here."
The redhead laughed. "Yeah I'm surprised too, I thought he would've slept in or something."
They followed Nikki into the large room. It was packed full of people that she knew whether they were just acquaintances or close friends. Looking around Khris recognised more high political figures. In one corner he saw the Chairwoman of PLANTS Lacus Clyne standing next to General Kira Yamato, the two of them talking to another pair that he couldn't quite see. A sight that surprised him however was the couple that was snuggled on the couch and quietly talking. He recognised them to be the ORB Representative Cagalli Yula Attha and well-known war hero Commander Athrun Zala. He stared at them, wondering how such opposites came to be together in such a way. Tearing his gaze away, he noticed that the girls he had entered with had gone their separate ways. Echo had settled on an armchair and had pulled a laptop out of thin air and was now furiously typing away on it. 'Where had the computer come from?' He thought. Jenny had practically bounced across the room to where Jason was and had attached to him in a seemingly annoying manner. Jason however didn't seem to mind, he just smiled at her before continuing his conversation to whomever he was talking to. He then scanned the room again to see where Nikki had gone, and once he had found her, found the sight both saddening and heart-warming. Kai had been stretched out on another couch, talking to another mate who was perched on the sofas' arm. Now the friend had walked off to leave him and Nikki alone, and he was watching the newly engaged couple completely absorbed in each other. His heart clenched at this sight, finding it hard to see Nikki in another man's embrace. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel extremely happy for them. This was the first time he had seen the two of them together; the other times it was either just one or the other. But now he was watching them both in one room. Just by observing their interaction with each other, he could tell just how deeply in love they were. They were sitting upright and facing each other. Their legs were intertwined to make the space on the couch more comfortable. Their fronts were pressed up against each other. They were each stroking the others face with a hand while the others were clasped tightly on their laps. Their foreheads were touching as they gazed at each other, the unexplainable measure of love shining from their eyes. Khris stared in awe at them, 'how could he be jealous? What they had right there was the most purest love he had ever seen, and they didn't even need words to express it.' He felt his heart flutter, 'or melt he wasn't sure which', when they shared a small loving kiss. He smiled at the gesture; there was no way he would interfere. He may have these feelings for Nikki, but this man she was with was her soul mate, and there was no way that he would ever try and break them apart.
A female voice in his ear tore his attention away from the romantic pair. "Pretty mushy aren't they?"
He turned his head to see Echo staring at the couple with a rather unreadable expression. He raised an eyebrow. "You are happy for them aren't ya?"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course I am, she IS my best friend. I was just thinking, better her than me, I can't see myself settling down with these so called 'men' creatures."
He gaped at her. "Hey! You're talking to one of those 'creatures!'
She turned and stared at him. "You? You're still a boy! Barely sixteen." She leaned forward, making him lean back. "You may be taller than me, but I am still older and your superior officer, so I can say just what I like."
With a grin, she walked off leaving Khris standing with his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Had she just told him off? He watched as she plonked herself back on the couch and once again busied herself on her laptop. He was about to wonder off once again into his thoughts when a loud clinking of glass caught his attention. He turned to see Jason standing in the middle of the room holding a glass in the air, wearing a huge grin on his face.
"Welcome friends! Today we have gathered for a most special occasion! A celebration that is rare these days and-"
"Jason this is our engagement party, not our wedding! Now give the right frigging speech that you rehearsed!"
Everyone's heads snapped towards the voice that interrupted. Nikki was standing up with her arms folded, and openly glaring at her blonde friend. People around the room sniggered as Jason sheepishly grinned.
"Right, sorry Nikki, honest mistake." Nikki rolled her eyes and sat back down next to Kai while Jason started again.
"Right! Hey all! As the mutual best friend between them, I'm welcoming you all to this frigging awesome night tonight!" Everyone around the room cheered loudly. "And why are we here? Well! Two of my closest friends are celebrating the fact that they're about to get hitched!" There was cheering again and some laughing as well. "Now! Let's bring this couple to the floor! Everyone give it up for the most romantic and mushy pair we all know! Nikki and Kai!"
People cheered and wolf whistled as said pair stood up and made their way to the centre of the room. Khris cheered along with them, happy to just be one of Nikki's friends and be a part of one of her most precious moments. When they reached the middle, Nikki gave Jason a hard punch in the shoulder making the crowd laugh. Jason walked back over to Jenny rubbing his shoulder. Khris chuckled to himself, that guy was asking for it. He turned back to the couple, people were still cheering for them but Nikki waved her hand and everyone quietened down.
"Thank you all for coming out tonight, I didn't really realise just how many friends I had until I saw all of you here." People laughed at her modesty. "But this is one of the most important moments of my life. Not only because all my most closest and precious friends are here, but also because it marks the beginning of a new life for me. A life that I will be sharing with this man next to me." Kai stepped forward next to her and wrapped an arm gently around her waist. Nikki turned to look at him while she continued speaking. "He has been caring, loving and supportive ever since the day I met him. And because of that, and despite being broken over another, I fell in love with him and who he is inside here." Nikki reached out to place a hand across where Kai's heart was. He lifted a hand and grasped it. "And I just can't wait to spend the rest of my life with the man that I love and cherish beyond anything." There was a huge 'Aaaaww' from the crowd but they instantly quietened down as Kai cleared his throat to say his piece.
"You should all know that I fell in love with Nikki the moment I saw her gorgeous face." Everyone laughed and Aawwwwed at his cheesy statement. Kai then did his turn by looking at his fiancé. "But that was minor compared to the joy she has given me these last few years. She has been gentle, loving and understanding with me. I'm not exactly Mr Rich but she looked inside of me and loved the man she found there, and that is much more than I could've asked for." Forgetting about the crowd, Kai brought his hand up to stroke his fiancé's face. Nikki grasped it as well, having also forgotten that all her friends were watching. "And I want to let her know…that I am looking forward to having her wake up beside me as my beautiful wife, and being the future father of her children…and that I love her more than words could ever describe." He took her hand and gently kissed it before speaking once more. "I love you Nikki."
When Kai had finished, there were instant reactions. Girls were squealing and guys were cheering loudly. A voice from the back drowned out everyone else. "KISS HER MATE!" Everyone else supported him and within seconds there was chanting of "KISS HER! KISS HER! KISS HER!" Kai turned to Nikki and gave her a mischievous grin. Before she could react, he put his arms around her and dramatically dipped her close to the floor. Then much to the delight of the cheering crowd, he bent down and kissed her passionately for everyone to see. The cheering and whistling became louder when Nikki wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.
Khris clapped loudly along with everyone else, smiling and laughing. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so happy. When the couple were both standing upright again, people came forward to give them hugs and handshakes. Echo and Jenny both gave their friend a suffocating hug each, leaving Nikki breathless. But she surprised everyone by laughing merrily anyway, proof of the good mood that she was in.
The excitement eventually died down and everything turned back into relaxed and casual mingling. But for some reason Khris was unable to tear his eyes away from Nikki and her fiancé. They were still standing in the same spot in each other's arms, whispering sweet nothings to the other and just altogether lost in their own little world. He was rather envious of their relationship, he wished that someday he would be able to find and marry a girl and be able to experience the wonderful love that these two shared. But first thing he needed to do was survive through what he believed to be an all out blood bath. He knew many people were going to lose their lives.
Ironically at the moment that thought crossed his mind, a soft beeping alarm sounded from across the room. He turned to see Echo staring wide-eyed at a peculiar watch she was wearing. She put aside her laptop and rushed over to Nikki, who turned to see her best friend approaching. Echo whispered something in her ear, tapping her watch frantically and pointing outside the window. Nikki's face turned unreadable, as she comprehended what her friend just informed her. With a blank face, she lifted her pointy finger and her thumb to her mouth and blew out a loud sharp whistle, which caused all talking to cease as all heads turned to her. Her mouth turned into a frown as she addressed all her friends.
"I have just received word from my friend Echo here. She has just been informed from a reliable source that the enemy was sighted near our shores and will be here as soon as dawn breaks."
The sound of murmurs filled the room, a few people even looking somewhat intimidated. But Nikki was proud of the fact that no one had fully panicked. The last thing she needed was unnecessary chaos, especially since most of the people in the room were professional soldiers. She silenced them again with a raised hand.
"For those joining me on the front lines, I want you to leave immediately for the hangers and launch as soon as possible. Don't wait for anyone, just get into your machine and get your arses out there."
Several people nodded and almost three quarters of the occupants in the room exited hastily out of the room. After they had left, Nikki turned her attention to those that were left. "The rest of you, you are part of the special unit that will be serving as our back up. I will only be calling for your assistance in case we are in desperate need of help. Are we all clear on this?"
The remaining soldiers saluted their officer before following suit of the previous group. All those who remained now were Nikki and her closest friends. She knew that Kira and Athrun would be helping out with their own Gundams so she wasn't too worried about them. Echo was going to be stationed in a secret compartment that allowed her full surveillance of the battle, and offering her own help whenever she was needed. Kai, Jason and Jenny, she knew, would be right beside on her the frontlines. At first she had protested, but she knew there was nothing she could do to stop them. But she had made it clear to them that she alone would be fighting the man who had instigated the invasion, and that no one was to interfere. Lastly there was Lacus. She had volunteered to go with Cagalli and help the last of the civilians. These people had been unable to evacuate in time, so the two young nation leaders promised to lend a hand in finding a place for them to hide out until it was over, and had sworn to wait with them. Nikki was proud of her sister, proud of how brave and willing she was. Putting her own needs aside for the sake of the innocent and doing everything she could to protect them.
Giving her friends a head start, she walked up to Lacus who turned when she saw her sister approaching her. She stopped in front of her as the two girls stared silently at each other. But then, much to Lacus's surprise, Nikki reached out and pulled her younger sibling into a tight and affectionate hug. Lacus was shocked at her sisters' sudden initiated hug, but after a few seconds she relaxed and returned the embrace.
Nikki then opened her mouth to speak softly into Lacus' ear. "You look after yourself, you hear me?"
Lacus smiled. "I should be saying that to you, you're the one that's going out there to fight."
Nikki slightly tightened her hold on the younger girl. "But that doesn't mean I won't still be worrying about you."
Lacus' felt tears gather in her eyes as she also hugged her sister tighter. "I love you, Nikki." She said with a cracked voice."
Nikki lifted her head slightly and placed a sisterly kiss on the top of Lacus's head and returned the same phrase with a soft voice. "I love you too, Lacus." As she said this, a single teardrop fell down her cheek as she felt overwhelming love and affection for the younger girl she held in her arms.
She would've held her sister for longer if they hadn't been in danger. But time was against them and Nikki was forced to gently pull herself away from Lacus' hug. She stared into the same blue eyes that they both shared and smiled reassuringly at the younger ones that seemed to reflect the fear she also felt deep inside herself. She gave her one last comforting pat on the shoulder before turning away from her and walking out the door. She nodded respectively at Cagalli, who had been patiently waiting for Lacus, before striding quickly out the door and into the upstairs. She forced herself to not look back, and as she walked out, didn't see Cagalli run forward to comfort the pink haired girl who had finally collapsed into heartbroken tears.
Nikki raced outside her large house, putting trust in the Representative to have the area secure for when she left. She sprinted through the gate entrance and down the sidewalk towards her car where she spotted Kai and Echo waiting beside her vehicle and chatting idly to one another. They both turned their heads when they heard someone running. Echo's faced turned into irritation when she saw who it was.
"Where have you been? They could be parked right on our beach now for all we know!"
Nikki dug her keys out and waved a dismissive hand towards her best friend. "We'll argue later Echo, let's just get in the car and go." Despite the wasted time, she did not regret the, what could've been, her last few minutes with her sister. Barely glancing at the other two, let alone giving them time to get in the car, she turned the key into the ignition and the engine roared to life. Slamming her foot onto the accelerator, and completely ignoring Echo's shout for her to put her seatbelt on, she sped away from her home and tore down the now empty streets, leaving a small cloud dust and a faint smell of burnt rubber behind them.
Nikki drove through the empty streets, expertly avoiding left over vehicles that had been abandoned on the road during the sudden evacuation of the city. Her frantic speeding had her passengers somewhat alarmed. Echo was in the back seat and had long abandoned her seatbelt to move around and grab onto anything for support. Kai, who was next to her, had his hands dug into the sides with his knuckles turning a shade whiter by the second. But neither had complained for the desperation of their current situation called for it, plus they knew Nikki never normally drove like this anyway. Kai was then fortunate enough to be distracted be the sound of a call from Nikki's phone. Because all her focus was on the dangerous driving, he reached over and picked the phone up. Pressing the answer button he brought the small device up to his ear.
"Hello? Nikki Clyne's phone, this is Kai speaking."
"Well, well, Captain Rodgericks is it?"
Confused Kai answered. "Yeah that's me, who is this?" He frowned slightly when he heard an amused chuckle.
"Aw, don't know who I am? I'm wounded Captain. Especially since you and that girlfriend of yours will be facing against my army very soon."
Kai almost dropped the phone when he figured out who this was. With wide eyes he turned to Nikki, who had just pulled into Headquarters. "Nikki you might want to take this."
She turned to stare blankly at the phone before looking up at him. "Why, who is it?"
He grinned nervously. "Um…the leader of the invading fleet."
Nikki's eyes went wide and before he could even blink she had snatched it from his hand. She climbed out of her car as she growled into the phone. "And just what the hell do you want?
Her anger rose even more when she heard his taunting voice. "Tut tut…your temper hasn't changed much has is Clyne?"
She snarled as she stormed into the building, frightening the two men guarding the door. "Shut the hell up! You have some nerve calling me right before the battle!
This only made the man laugh. "I have the nerve? When we meet, I'll show you exactly why I am forth-going this invasion. And it has nothing to do with overtaking this country!"
Kai and Echo felt as if Nikki's temper had just about reached its' peak as they covered their ears from her enraged yell. "I don't give a DAMN about the reason you're attacking! This is a country filled with innocent civilians! And if protecting them means staining my hands of your blood then so be it! I will send you straight to hell!"
With a last deafening shriek into the receiver, she hung up on him and shoved her phone into her pocket before storming towards her room. She opened the door and slammed it loudly behind her. After hugging and bidding a quick goodbye to Echo, Kai quickly walked up to the door and carefully entered. He spotted Nikki in the middle of the room stripping off her casual clothes, while simultaneously pulling out her pilot suit. He was well aware that she was extremely pissed off and knew he had to tread lightly if he wanted to calm her down. If she went into battle in the mood she was in then she was at a risk of making irrational decisions and potentially losing the fight. And in order to prevent this from happening, he needed to find a way to settle her. Looking at her again, he saw she was now in the middle of pulling on her suit. She was frantically pulling at the front zipper that was refusing to budge. He heard her hiss swear words and knew she was definitely angry…she never swore this badly. Reaching out he gently grabbed her hand that was on the zipper to stop her from what she was doing. He barely resisted flinching when she jerked her head up and flashed dangerous eyes at him. Ignoring the death glare, he patiently moved her hands to her sides before moving in front of her. He gripped the small zip between his fingers and smoothly slid it upwards until it reached the collar meeting just under her chin.
As her fiancé tended to her suit, Nikki silently watched him. She was still feeling irritated from the phone call but she felt herself calming down as seconds went by. Kai's patience and understanding always astonished her. She was angrier than she had been in years, and yet he had calmed her down within seconds. When he finished with her suit, he placed his hands on her shoulders and stared directly into her eyes. "Feel better?"
Nikki's shoulders slumped slightly as she nodded. "Yeah… thanks."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
She sighed. "For what you just did. I was pissed beyond anything and you knew how to handle it and made me happy again. How do you do that?"
He grinned. "I actually have no idea. I just do what it takes to cool that temper of yours. You're rather scary when you're really angry you know that?"
Nikki chuckled. "Yeah sorry about that, but that guy was really getting on my nerves."
Kai nodded in understanding. "It's all good. Don't worry about it. Well I better go get my own suit on."
Nikki, now in a better mood, smiled at him. "Alright, I'll wait for you."
It only took a few minutes for Kai to change his clothes. Once he was ready, they immediately left their room to head for the hanger. A few minutes later they arrived, Nikki once again pulling down the large lever to reveal the Vengeance. The space next to her machine was vacant, which meant that Jason must've already launched out with his own machine. Nikki and Kai had barely reached their own machines when a young voice called from behind them.
"Commander! Nikki wait!"
She turned to see young teenager Khris running up to her. She fully faced him as he caught up to her. "Khris what are you doing here? Why aren't you with the other spies watching out for the enemy fleet?"
After catching his breathe, Khris stood up straight to look directly at her. "Please, I request that you allow me to join you and your team at the front."
Nikki stared incredulously at him. "Are you crazy? You're barely been enlisted. You're too young for this it's too dangerous."
The young soldier bowed. "I know that! But I know what I'm doing! Just like you I have friends I want to protect, and I can't do that watching helplessly from the sidelines. Please I beg of you I just want to help!"
His desperate plea softened the older Commander. Yet Nikki was still reluctant to allow him to come along. But even so, she couldn't think of any could reason to deny him of his request. So with a slight weight on her conscience, she nodded. "Alright permission granted. But I want you to stay with the smaller secondary units, they're the most unlikely to be in the line of fire."
A bright smile broke out on Khris' face and he enthusiastically saluted her. "Thank you! I promise you won't regret this!"
Nikki chuckled at his excitement. "Don't mention it. Now there are, luckily for you, spare mobile suits in the front hanger. Go ahead and take off immediately."
The teenage soldier nodded before turning around and running back into the other hanger. Shaking her head in amusement, Nikki turned to look at Kai, who was silently standing behind her. When he nodded, they made their way towards their significant machine. Nikki was about to grab onto the line and haul herself up when she felt a hand grab her wrist and turn her around. Her gaze met that of her love whose gentle green eyes stared at her with mixed emotions. Before she could ask what was wrong, he dipped his head and placed his mouth onto hers. Nikki closed her eyes and relaxed as she let him pull her to him and their bodies melded together. She reached up and wrapped her arms around him to bring them closer together, longing to feel her beloveds' warmth and passion. He in turn wrapped his arms around her waist, which made them both aching for more as their kiss turned from sweet and caressing into desperate and passionate. Nikki could feel that he was scared and she felt the same way. There was a chance that one or both of them could die today and just the thought of losing him for good terrified her beyond words. She thought she had lost him once already, and that horrible feeling had almost driven her to suicide. Slowly, she loosened her hold of her fiancé and reluctantly broke their kiss, his lips momentarily following hers. They stayed pressed up against each other for a minute with their gazes locked and the foreheads touching. Nikki reached up to gently stroke his jaw line. Her bottom lip slightly quivered. "I'm scared."
He smiled sadly at her, gripping her hand that was caressing his face. "I know…I am too. But remember what I've always said to you Nikki. Me, Jason, Jenny, Echo, Kira, Athrun, Cagalli, Lacus and even Khris…we all believe in you. We'll be right beside you the whole way. You're not alone."
Nikki nodded and returned his smile. "And I am grateful to all of you." She leaned forward one more time to kiss him gently. "I love you."
Kai returned her gesture and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you too."
Finally pulling away from him, Nikki jumped onto the line and pulled herself up with their hands staying connected for as possible. When he was out of reach, she watched him run to his Skygrasper. She looked away in time to see she was at the top and climbed into the cockpit. Fastening herself in, she pressed some buttons before pulling the keyboard to her. With lightning speed, she typed her coordinates in. The Vengeance roared to life as she completed her system input. Reaching forward she gripped the controls, her eyes shining with determination. She pressed down on a large pedal and pushed a lever upwards. Instantly the giant warrior leapt upwards, soaring into the sky as both machine and pilot flew towards the awaiting battle that would determine the fate of their lives.
End of Chapter
DUH DUH DUH! We are closing in on the final battle ! Everyone brace yourselves!
Kai: She says something weird and random at the end of every chapter.
Nikki: She has a weird mind
Echo: -sniggers- I think it's entertaining
Jason: What's up peeps!
JASON! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!
Jason: Oh hell she's still yelling?
Nikki: -grins- nope just at you, you're late for the next chapters preview.
Jason: I had a date with Jenny!
Speaking of Jenny…where is the missus?
Jason: Still out…and what do you mean by missus? We're not married!
-sniggers- …yet
Jason: WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?
Nikki: -slaps hand over his mouth- Shut up moron, we have a preview to show
Oh yes! Echo! Why don't you take this one?
Echo: Oooooookay Dokaaaayy…I hope everyone enjoyed this….random, weird, action filled with mush here and there and friendship and-
THANK YOU! MOVING ON!
Echo: -grins cheekily- See you next chapter! –walks off laughing-
-glares after- WEIRD TWISTED MECHANIC!
Nikki noticed the approaching mobile suit straight away. Pushing away from the Phantom, she faced the incoming machine. The voice that came through caused her eyes to widen in horror.
"Nikki! I'll help you! Let me distract him!"
She flew forward hastily to stop him. "No! Khris stay back! I told you it was too dangerous!"