Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed, the characters, plot, setting, yadda yadda, etc. etc. (I don't even own the manga for crying out loud)
Hmmm…
Not much to say that I didn't say last time.
Thanx for the reviews and I hope you like this chapter.
Unfortunately, I've had problems in my creativity/ motivation department so this part isn't very good. I might redo it later. :-)
Also, I wasn't in a very good mood when I started it so….yeah. That'll explain the first part.
Oh, and there will be some rough language in this part. Just…ya know, the actions of Naturals that hate coordinators towards Nicol.
Ummmm…. Yeah. Thanx for the reviews! Tell me what you think!
Oh, and I changed Fraga to Flaga by popular demand cuz, apparently, that's his real name.
And I upped the rating to 'Teen' becasue of a few swear words.
Italics means thoughts.
Bold means dream sequence
Last time:
His pulse quickened in fear as a tap of footsteps announced the arrival of another person.
I…I've been…captured… What now?
Nicol's New Fate
Chapter 2: Current Situation
-----------------------
"Move it, Coordinator!"
Nicol barely managed to bite back a grunt of pain as the butt of a gun was jammed into his back. Five minutes ago, a very large, very rough, guard had shown up to take him to see this Lt. La Flaga person.
"Dammit, scum! Hurry up!"
"Yilp!"
This time Nicol was unable to restrain the strangled yelp as the guard kicked him, hard, on his injured leg. He fell, gasping in pain and unable to stand because of the restraints binding his arms behind his back.
"Awww….wassamatter?" the guard leaned over him, leering, "Did the big bad coordinator get hurt? But, hey, what's a few broken bones and internal bleeding to one of YOU freaks?"
Glaring, Nicol tried to bring himself back up…only to be pushed down again. He froze at the sight of a knife in the hand of the Earthen soldier.
"It's because of Zaft that my crewmates died." The malice expressed through that one statement made Nicol shrink against the wall in fear "and I'm sure that the Lieutenant won't notice a few more broken bones…"
Ruby eyes got impossibly wider as the older soldier leaned down, reaching out with the knife…
Kira strode down one of the many hallways of the Archangel, immersed in thought. He had been wandering aimlessly ever since Ensign (1) Badgerule had yelled at him for saving the pilot of the Blitz.
But… what was I supposed to do? Leave him to die? I couldn't do that! And it's not like he's a threat right now, anyways. And that's my fault. I hurt him. I didn't mean to but I did destroy the Blitz. It's a miracle he managed to eject like that; my lance must've missed him by mere inches! But because of that, all of his comrades most likely think he's dead. Including Athrun. And now, Athrun hates me.
"Why?" he murmured, pulling himself back to reality. "Why did things happen this way? I don't want to fight, and I REALLY don't want to kill. Especially not Ath-."
"Dammit, scum! Hurry up!"
Huh?
"Yilp!"
What was that? It sounded like someone in pain. But nobody on the Archangel is wounded. Unless…shit …
Kira knew from personal experience just how most of the crew felt about coordinators, let alone Zaft. If one of the more violent ones got a hold of the prisoner, it was doubtful the boy would survive.
Picking up speed, the young soldier took off towards the adjoining corridor, hoping the lack of sound was a good sign but knowing it probably wasn't.
Nicol crouched against the wall, hunched over in pain as the Natural solder zeroed in on him again. There were already two shallow cuts on his right arm in tribute to the man's knife and Nicol had little doubt that more would join them soon. He squeezed his eyes shut as the knife started down again…
"PRIVATE! WHAT are you DOING?" (2)
"Ah! Ensign Yamato!"
Huh? What's…? Nicol slowly opened his eyes, scared at what he might find, only to come face to face with a very …different… situation.
The burly guard was standing several feet away at attention and saluting to a young man who had just arrived. Obviously nervous, but still angry, the older one dropped his salute and moved determinedly back towards Nicol. After all, the Earthen Coordinator was supposed to be a pushover, right?
"I asked you a question, Private." Lavender eyes narrowed as Kira once again moved in front of the low ranking soldier.
Apparently not quite the pushover everyone thought.
"I…ah…ummm…"
Stuttering, the older man backed up and Nicol uncurled, propping himself against the wall (he was still favoring his twice injured leg). He couldn't quite suppress a vengeful smile at the plight of his rough captor. The man obviously knew he could get in a lot of trouble for mishandling a prisoner. Maybe he'd be treated better now?
"Well?" his gaze snapped to his savior and back to the…'conversation' going on as the boy spoke again.
"I was just taking the prisoner to Lt. La Flaga for interrogation."
"Oh really? With a knife?"
"He's a coordinat-!" he froze, eyes widening slightly as he remembered just who he was talking to. "I mean…uh…"
"Private, I understand you lost your entire former crew to Zaft and I know that your brother was one of them. I'm sorry for your loss and I know what it feels like to loose everything you care about."
Nicol blinked at the boy. Lose everything you care about? He's talking like someone from Julius 7! Or…maybe…shit. Heliopolis. Nicol's misgivings returned tenfold. This new solder had a much bigger grudge then the first.
"I'll take charge of the prisoner now."
Huh? Uh-oh…
"Ensign, are you sure?"
"Yes. However…could you please go on ahead and notify the captain?"
"Alright. Ah...w-will... I..?" he glanced pointedly at Nicol's arm. Kira rolled his eyes.
"No, I won't press charges. Just don't do it again."
"Thank you."
The young prisoner watched the man leave with trepidation. Once again he was alone with an earthen officer and if his hunch was correct, this one had a much bigger bone to pick with him then the other one. Suddenly, a hand descended on his shoulder. Trembling, he slowly looked up into the eyes of his newest jailer.
Kira observed the green-haired boy as he watched the Private walk away. Private Andrews wasn't truly a bad person, but he had been one of the few survivors of the original Archangel crew and had lost almost everything to Zaft. Such people often held on to thoughts of hate and revenge. Prv. Andrews was no exception.
Which brings me back to the prisoner. Reluctantly, Kira brought himself out of his musings to watch the boy warily. He really hadn't thought this over much. What if he really did try to escape? Even injured, he was most likely much stronger, right? What if he had some trick up his sleeve?
Moving closer, Kira got a better look and felt a pang of sympathy. The boy was terrified. He still had his gaze fixed on the Private and was trembling sporadically. Not to mention he was hunched in a ball against the wall; but that might've just been from his wounds.
Not that I can blame him. He just got attacked by an Earthen soldier. He probably thinks I'm even worse considering what I said about losing everything to Zaft.
Well, might as well get this over with. I did say I'd take him to be interrogated. At least Lt. La Flaga and Captain Ramius won't hurt him.
Moving closer to the distracted prisoner, Kira took his arm gently and waited for a reaction.
Unsurprisingly, the boy jumped nervously and his trembling doubled as his eyes came up to meet Kira's.
Nicol strained slightly at his restraints and tried unsuccessfully to quell his shivering. He knew none of the others would have; Yzak would have been growling and threatening, Dearka would have been mocking and insulting, and Athrun would have been stoically silent.
But no, it was me that got caught. The only one that can break under interrogation.
"Hey."
"Uh-!" Nicol snapped his head up, startled to find the young soldier still standing with his hand on his shoulder, looking into the prisoner's eyes.
"I have to take you to my superior officers now. Let's go."
"A-alright."
Why…is he being nice to me? Maybe I was wrong about Heliopolis. Maybe…
"We're here."
"What?"
"I said we're here."
They were standing outside one of the many sliding doors that lined the hallway. This one was slightly secluded from the others, but otherwise identical.
As his captor pushed a button on the keypad, making the door open, Nicol swallowed nervously and didn't resist when he was gently pulled inside.
"Thank you Ensign." A young brunette woman, very attractive, stepped forward towards them and gestured towards a chair. "Put him there."
"Yes, Captain."
As he was herded over and tied to the chair, Nicol got a good chance to observe the room they were in. It was fairly small, the size of a sleeper cabin. In fact, that's probably what it was; he realized this when he noticed one of the walls had a bed attached to it. There was little else in the room. A desk pushed off to the side and four chairs. Two of them occupied by a blonde man and a grim looking black haired woman. One of the others was the one he was being tied to and the final appeared to be for… the captain?
Wait, but that meant the other boy wouldn't be there!
No! He's the only one that's stood up for me so far!
"Don't worry."
"Uh?" Once again he found himself peering into calm violet eyes; this time with his arms bound to a chair rather then each other.
"The Captain and Lieutenant are good people. They won't hurt you."
Dismally, Nicol noted that the final resident of the room had been left unmentioned. Oh joy.
"Kid, you can go now."
"Yes, sir."
Nicol watched as the boy fidgeted in front of the door uncertainly.
"Something wrong?" the blonde man really didn't look that threatening. He looked like…a surfer. In a military uniform. The disrespectful thought calmed Nicol down somewhat, dispelling a few of his fears.
"Ummm..." oddly, the other boy looked nervous and not at all military. It was looking more and more like the hunch about Heliopolis was correct. He couldn't help a pang of regret at that; the colony had been a big mistake and he still felt terrible for what he had done.
"Should I…wait outside to take him back to the med-bay when you're done?"
The other officers appeared surprised but after exchanging looks, assented. The boy nodded, relieved, and stepped out the door, closing it on the way.
Leaving Nicol alone.
With three EA officials.
Gulp.
Tied up.
In an interrogation room.
DOUBLE gulp.
His trembling restarted as Nicol turned back from the door to the other three residents. He was ready to face anything they would do to him bravely.
Like Athrun would've.
Cliffy?
>
>
>
Nah.
Several hours and exhausting questions later, Nicol found himself being led back to the infirmary (3) by the same violet-eyed ensign. He had long since stopped trying to make sense of anything that happened or how they treated him. He hadn't been tortured or truly imprisoned and he had been treated for all his injuries. All of which went completely against everything he had ever learned about the EA.
"This way." Kira quietly reminded the boy where to go. Poor guy was exhausted. He had followed Kira without a word or objection, not even opening his eyes to see what direction they were going.
And it's my fault. Kira felt an all too-familiar stab of remorse. If I hadn't shot down the Blitz, he wouldn't have been inured or captured.
Once they had reached the infirmary, Kira gently untied Nicol, who was practically asleep on his feet, and retied him lightly to the bed. It was probably much too loose, especially for a coordinator, but tying it any tighter would have put the boy through unwanted discomfort.
As it was, Nicol dropped off to sleep instantly and Kira continued on his way, still in the same turmoil he had been in since Heliopolis was destroyed.
He helped destroy Heliopolis. But…he seems nice! He tried to kill all of us. And yet, he's a friend of Athrun's. Which means he can't be all bad. But Athrun also tried to kill my friends. But…
I don't understand anything anymore.
Kira paused for a moment, standing in the doorway, before shaking his head and moving on. Leaving Nicol all alone and barely restrained.
(Dream Sequence)
"I'm sure you've figured out your position by now."
"Not really." Nicol fidgeted in his bonds as the blonde man spoke.
"You are a prisoner aboard the Archangel, a warship of the Earthen Alliance. Your MS was shot down by the Strike and you were recovered, barely alive, by the pilot of said unit. Now, what is your name?"
Nicol blinked dazedly, mouth hanging slack. "Wh- why would the Strike rescue me?"
"Don't know or care." The black-haired woman stepped forward. "Who are you?"
'Name, rank, and serial number.' The age old saying ran through Nicol's mind. He could state his name and station, but nothing else.
"Nicol Amarfi, pilot of the Blitz Gundam MS. Err…former MS."
"Good. Who were your commanding officers?"
Nicol stayed silent, remembering what the ensign had said about their not hurting him.
"I said, who-"
"Don't waste your breath Badgerule."
"Lieutenant?"
"The boy's not talking and it's not like it really matters. They're all gone by now anyways."
THAT caught Nicol's attention.
"Wh-wha?"
"Hm?" the blond man (Lt. La Flaga?) turned back "What?"
"What happened to them?"
"Doesn't matter. Now let's get back to questioning."
The interrogation, which was more like an interview, was living Hell after that. Nicol still didn't know what had happened to the others and it was apparent that nobody was going to tell him. The rest of the time the three officers had asked him various questions that Nicol had refused to answer.
When he had ceased being coherent from exhaustion, the Ensign had returned and brought him back to the infirmary.
(End Dream Sequence)
Slowly, Nicol opened his eyes. Wondering idly if violet was a normal eye-color for naturals. He moved slightly, uncomfortable on his medical bed, only to have his bindings twist oddly.
He froze.
They were…loose?
It took him less then a minute to get free and even little time to get out the door. Not once did he stop to consider why he wasn't tied down or who had done it.
Sadly, he was going to regret his lack of foresight in the near future.
TBC.
REVIEW!
Well, definitely not my best work. But geez did this one turn out longer then planned.
But I figured that since I had it, I should put it up. And it DOES integrate all but one of the events I was trying to put in. Although not quite as much background or as much emotion or character development as I wanted. Sorry if they're OOC, that's why. Not enough character development.
(sigh) hopefully I'll regain my motivation in time to make the next chapter better.
And I seem to have developed a thing for dream sequences and ellipses. Hm.
(1) I checked and yes, at this time, Natarle Badgerule is indeed an Ensign. Surprised me very much.
(2) I couldn't find a rank lower then Kira with a short title. They were all 'crew member' or 'petty officer'. I figured Ensign was probably higher then Private but I might be wrong since I don't even know if they have that rank in the GS universe. Also, this character is completely made up.
(3) Infirmary- med-bay. I got tired of writing med-bay and they do mean the same thing so...yeah.
crazy4padfoot- Probably not any love interest for Nicol, sorry. Unless... meh. I dunno. I like shounen-ai but I've never done a real romance or fluff story before. We'll just have to wait and see, neh?
Alikhar- Hee, you'll find out who gets captured in several chapters. :-) And why they never get to Joshua. Although that might be in the next chapter…
Precognition74- Sorry if the meeting wasn't how you would've imagined it. But Nicol still has no idea who Kira actually is so he can't really react. I don't know yet what's gonna happen when he finds out that the young ensign who was so nice to him is the pilot of the Strike.
SpiritsMelding- La Flaga. Yah, so I've been told by lots of people. But I'm glad I was able to fix it. And now I know his real name. 's always good.
Jiang Mae- Heh. Glad you like it. :)
anime writters- Yeah, I guess the first chapter was sort of vague. Hopefully, this one cleared that up. Last one was disjointed dreams and all but this was supposed to be actual scenes. And I changed Fraga to Flaga in this chapter. Thanks for the input.
PoisonousAkemi4869- Yeah, I think Nicol deserved to live too. He seemed so sweet, although it was strange that he had so few reservations about the war. Guess it's cuz he's from a military family. And, yes, Kira was the one being shouted at. But Nicol doesn't know that.
karone-sakura- Thanx you very much. :-)
Yzak Lover Extrodinaire- Hm. Not sure if this was a flame or not. Lessee…the review chapter is there cuz I wasn't sure I was gonna finish the story and it's information. I knew Lt. meant lieutenant, and Nicol ejected before the lance hit his cockpit, missing it because he was outside. They would have to bind his legs for the same reason they do it for people in car accidents: so that he doesn't thrash around and become more wounded. It's standard procedure as far as I know. Ummm…hope that answered all your questions. Thanx for the review!
Nevermore-Amaya- Yeah, Nicol deserved to survive. Unfortunately, now he's on a ship of naturals who don't especially like coordinators. But Kira's nice to him and he is alive so…yeah. Thanks, I hope my portrayal of Nicol remained accurate…I didn't see him that much…And I'm not sure about pairings. MirxTolle, maybe FllayxSai, VERY maybe AthrunxKira, DearkaxYzak, and MwuxMurrue, and I'm considering NicolxCagalli but I really don't know about that one.
Artgirl150- Glad ya like! Thanx for both reviews, was surprised to get the first one. Took me a little while to realize they were for two different chapters. XD Thanx.
Xiaoj- :) Thanx
Rainpure-Thank you! You've read more then this one:) That makes me feel all fuzzy…heehee, somebody's gonna get caught later but it's not gonna be Dearka…XD you'll find out who. But this isn't gonna follow the same storyline; they never make it to Alaska, they have to turn around and guess where they go? Heehee. Hope ya liked this chapter.
Natasha-Li- You'll see…XD Glad you like. Sorry this chapter sucked so much, I was very under motivated. And you'll see how Nicol responds when he finds out about who Kira actually is. Heh, hope ya like.