Disclaimer: None of us own Gundam SEED. Goddamn Sunrise… Furthermore, any franchises that make cameos here belong to their respective owners.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Radio"
Chapter Eleven: ORB, The Land of Peace
ORB Waters, Mugen Kano, Bridge
"ORB Control, this is the Valiant-class Transport Mugen Kano of Fenrir Mercenary Guild, requesting permission to enter dock," Kira announced clearly over the radio as the Mugen Kano cut through the waves of the waters surrounding the island nation of ORB. "We are currently carrying two VIPs, one Lacus Clyne, and one Cagalli Yula Attha."
"Mugen Kano, this is ORB Control, you have been given permission to dock," the control officer replied after a few moments of silence. "Chief Representative Attha will meet you on the docks."
"Roger that ORB Control," Kira confirmed as the docking data loaded itself into the Navigation console. "Have a good day."
With the radio link cut Kira sighed as she leaned back in her seat, relaxing her muscles. "So now we get to verbally fence with the 'Lion of ORB'," Ryu commented from next to her, Shiro giggling in his arms as he tickled his son's stomach. "Hopefully he doesn't blame us for what happened…"
"Agreed," Kira remarked. "Though, I'd imagine that Cagalli would be able to help explain things to him."
Ryu nodded in agreement as Kira took the happily gurgling Shiro out of his arms as she cooed at him. "Also, there are a couple of things I'd like to talk to you about, with the trade and payment from ZAFT… an idea I have…"
"Really?" Kira asked. "What idea is that?"
"Well, your friend Athrun is fairly talented," Ryu commented slyly. "And his squad is without a commander at this time…"
"Hmm… you thinking of hiring him? Or hiring us into his unit?" she asked.
Ryu smirked deviously. "Him and his squad being… loaned, for a period of time, to us to gain valuable insight into the workings of a Mercenary Guild and learn some valuable lessons while they're at it."
Kira grinned. "That does seem like a good idea. Would definitely be fun… and we might see if we might be able to eventually convince at least some of them to join us longer-term."
Ryu nodded in return. "Pre-Emptive Headhunting," he confirmed. "That and it never hurts to have a couple extra pilots around."
"Sounds good to me," Kira replied. "We'll need to talk to the PLANT Supreme Council about it once we get a chance… and we might want to bring Lord Uzumi into it, as well."
"The Spitfire Princess?" Joker asked from his seat. "Yeah, that'll be good for the health of the crew, getting their asses handed to them by an angry blond princess."
"I'm thinking more it might be better for her," Kira remarked. "If she stays with us for a bit, she'll be able to see the world, and we might be able to help her at least minimize some of her more aggressive tendencies, so that she'll be a better ruler if and when the time comes."
Ryu nodded. "We'll bring it up with Lord Uzumi," he informed. "Hopefully he'll be willing to listen."
Kira nodded, as the vessel eased its way into the dock. "Well, I guess it's time to head out to meet the local welcoming committee," she remarked, standing up. "I'd like Lacus, Athrun, and Cagalli to meet Ryu and I at the main entrance hatch. Once everything is secured, everyone off-shift can go exploring if they want, as long as they're back on the ship before they go on shift."
"Roger that boss," Naomi confirmed as she typed away on her console. "I'll have them meet you at the entrance hatch."
"Thanks, Naomi," Kira replied. "Well, Ryu, let's get moving."
"Right beside you," he informed as they left the bridge.
In dock, Mugen Kano Entry Hatch
"Lord Uzumi, it's a pleasure," Ryu greeted as he, Kira, Cagalli, Athrun, and Lacus stepped off of the boarding ramp and up to the Leader of ORB and his delegation.
"A pleasure to meet you as well, Mister Hisanaga," Uzumi replied. "I trust my daughter didn't cause you any problems during your trip here?"
"Quite the opposite actually," Ryu informed professionally. "She was very helpful, unfortunately we did have to have her deploy during an emergency operation given to us by ZAFT for the rescue of Miss Clyne, she held her own quite admirably with only a crash course for training."
Uzumi nodded. "I am glad to hear that," he replied. "If you'll follow me, we can contact the PLANTs for completion of that assignment, and possibly arrange for further contracts for you."
Ryu nodded his head gratefully. "As we have some time, Lord Uzumi, I was hoping if you could listen to a request of mine," Ryu informed respectfully. "Your daughter, while… shall we say… spirited, has quite a bit of potential, I would like to see her realize that potential, if you are willing, under the guidance of myself, my wife, and our crew."
Uzumi hummed for a bit. "You wish to take her into your company for a time?" he asked finally.
Ryu nodded. "She will not only be learning about the world as she travels with us, but she'll learn how a crew operates on a ship, what combat is really like while being trained in both mobile suit and ground combat," he explained. "It would all be very beneficial for her when the time comes for her to take the reigns of leadership, not to mention the contacts that she has the potential to develop while serving aboard our ship."
Uzumi contemplated it for a bit, then nodded. "That could work… though I will also be assigning one of my officers to accompany her," he said. "It's not that I don't trust you, but I would have more peace of mind if I had someone I knew keeping her safe."
Ryu bowed his head. "I understand completely," he replied. "Although, he will need to pull his own weight while he is with us."
"Very well, I will make sure he knows that," Uzumi replied. "Now, let's see about getting in touch with the PLANTs to confirm the completion of the mission they gave you."
Ryu nodded as they followed Uzumi to the Comms room of the Main Docks. As soon they were connected to the PLANT Council, Siegel's eyes zeroed in on his daughter as he let out a sigh of relief. "I see your mission was a success, I thank you for rescuing my daughter," he said gratefully. "Are you alright, Lacus?"
"I'm fine, Father," she replied with a smile. "Mr. and Mrs. Hisanaga treated me very well on their ship after rescuing me."
Siegel sighed in relief as he nodded his understanding. "Well, I suppose we need to now move onto business," he said, looking to the married couple. "You have heard our earlier request for the trade for technical data, and then there will be the cost for the operation to save my daughter…"
"Right," Kira remarked. "We'll need to discuss what each of us will be trading in the technical schematics side of things… Also, we were wondering if you would lend us a few of your pilots for a while - give them a chance to see what the life of a mercenary is like."
"Some pilots?" Patrick asked, his eyes flicking over to Athrun.
Ryu took this chance to speak up. "As I understand, your son's squadron, the Creuset Team, is short a commander, and as such… in a… limbo, of sorts," he supplied. "For the payment regarding Miss Clyne's rescue, how about a… loan of sorts, the Creuset team, minus their commander of course, for a period of say… five years, it will give them a… unique learning experience and vastly increase their range of capabilities."
Siegel seemed to nod. "Hmm… yes, that could indeed work," he remarked. "We'll transmit orders to the other pilots to go down and join you in ORB. Now, Lord Uzumi, can I count on you for arranging transport for my daughter back here?"
Before Uzumi could reply, Lacus interrupted, "Actually, Father… I was thinking I might stay here in ORB for a bit… I've never been here before, and would like some time to explore."
Siegel blinked in surprise before smiling and nodding. "Of course," he agreed. "I will have some guards transported with the pilots, it's not that I do not trust you Lord Uzumi, but given recent events…"
Uzumi nodded. "Of course," he replied. "You only seek the safety of your daughter. I understand completely." He cast a brief glance at Cagalli.
Cagalli flushed slightly as she looked away. "Onto other business," Patrick said, unintentionally saving Cagalli from further embarrassment. "What of the technical plans, our offer was access to IDB's factories for the development of a ship for Fenrir's use, and access to future technological developments that ZAFT may produce."
"Hmm… that is quite a boon…" Kira remarked. "Ryu, do you think that might cover schematics for all of the machines, or does the deal need to be sweetened on either side?"
Ryu hummed in response as he calculated the trade deal. "Well, the Blitz's Mirage Colloid is something completely new, and so far only EA have access to it, the Striker Pack System is rather innovative, I used it as a basis for the Valkyrie's Armaments," he pointed out. "There is also the MS Beam Weaponry to consider, so far attempts by ZAFT to downsize beam weapons to Mobile Suits have been… unsuccessful, as is the Aegis' transformation system, something we haven't seen yet, although scuttlebug says that one of Terminal's new units incorporates it, as for the Buster, its artillery capabilities are impressive, and its primary weapon's interchangeable firing modes, the Duel has potential for numerous upgrades," he hummed for a moment. "I personally think it balances out fairly well, new tech for them, new tech for us, how to build beam weaponry and transformable data for them, new ship for us."
Kira nodded. "Well, there you have it," she said to the Council members. "I do believe we have a deal here." She brought out a flash drive. "I brought along a copy of the specs, just in case, so I can upload them now, if you want."
"Our thanks," Patrick informed. "If you will be using IDB's factories, then you will need to come to the PLANTS, if you wish for the specifics of your ship to remain secret, while the majority of the IDB's employees are known for keeping secrets it may be better for you to be present to oversee the project."
"No need for that actually," Ryu informed, a grin on his face. "Our recently hired Chief Mechanic will oversee the development of the ship, she's in the PLANTS now actually, Akira Saihasa, I'll send her the details of what we're looking for and she'll give me progress updates."
"Very well," Siegel replied. "I believe that concludes our discussions at this time, though we will contact you if we need to hire you for anything." He looked over at Lacus. "Take care of yourself in ORB, Lacus."
"I will, Father, I'll see you soon," Lacus informed happily. "Bye!"
Artemis, Warship Dock #35
Currently nestled in one of Artemis' Warship Docks, the EA Warship Archangel rested, even as its crew loaded the supplies they purchased, unloading a couple Mistral work pods and even the Moebius Zero in the process.
"Well, definitely glad we managed to purchase a couple of Patriots," Mu remarked, as he, Murrue, and Natarle looked on from the Bridge. "Wish we hadn't needed to trade my Zero for them, but not much we can do about it."
"Murdoch is getting started on modifying the Patriots with Hardpoints for the Striker Packs," Murrue informed. "He also apparently had a stroke of genius, but wouldn't share what it was."
"That'll be interesting," Mu remarked. "Also glad they allowed me to use their Patriot simulator to get the hang of flying the thing, even if I did have to pay cash to access it."
Natarle sighed. "I can only imagine how the brass is going to react to our report," she groaned. "Trading the technical specs of the G-Weapons and military equipment… this will be bad."
"At least it's Terminal, and not ORB or ZAFT," Mu remarked. "Terminal is still, for all intents and purposes, a mercenary group, so it does make a bit of sense that their fees would be rather expensive."
"And there are special rules and regs for dealings with Terminal," Murrue informed. "This would fall under those regs."
"I guess now the only question is who Terminal will have come with us, given that we did hire an escort, as well." Mu sighed out.
A beeping in the CIC caught their attention. Checking it, Natarle turned to the pair. "We're being hailed by a Terminal ship," she informed. "The one that came to Fenrir's aid at Heliopolis."
"…That's interesting," Mu remarked. "I remember catching a glimpse of it - that thing was brand new, likely a prototype like the Archangel. Wonder why they want to talk to us?"
"Put them on, Ensign," Murrue ordered. "There's only one way to find out…"
Natarle nodded, hitting a few buttons, and the image of the Gungnir's bridge appeared on the main screen.
"I am Commander Odin of the Gungnir," Odin informed as his face came onto the screen. "We're to be your escort, Archangel."
Murrue's eyes widened slightly. "I… I thank you for the escort, Commander," she replied. "To… to be honest, we weren't really expecting much more than a Combat Agent or two, not a full warship."
"We are still testing the limits of the Gungnir, Lieutenant Ramius," Odin informed. "So we are taking certain missions for the time being."
She nodded. "I see," she replied. "Well, I look forward to working with you over the coming days."
Odin nodded. "Please contact us when you are ready to leave," he informed. "Gungnir out."
As the transmission cut out, Mu whistled. "Well, this is a surprise - we got quite the escort for this run."
"It's curious though, even if they were just field testing the ship, sending them to escort us with what we paid with?" Murrue mused. "There may be something else to this…"
"Well, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth, here," Mu remarked. "We can find out what's really going on soon enough - for now, we should focus on getting ready for our departure."
Murrue nodded in agreement. "We better roll up our sleeves then," she informed as she stood up. "After all, we are short on crewmembers."
Mu nodded. "Right, let's get to work," he remarked. "Should see about getting my Patriot painted in my personal colors while we're at it."
"I'll assist with the supplies, see if I can get them organized," Natarle offered. "Hopefully it'll make it easier to access when we need it."
"Right, please do," Murrue replied. "I'll see about helping Murdoch with adjusting the Patriots."
With their objectives clear the three departed from the bridge, preparing themselves for the worst to come.
ORB Union - Kaguya Spaceport
Kira, Ryu, Lacus, Athrun, and Cagalli stood in the observation lounge for Kaguya, watching the skies as the descent pod of a Laurasia-Class Frigate came in.
"So, Athrun," Kira began, "What can you tell us about your teammates?"
"Well, there's Yzak Joule, he's… temperamental at best," Athrun informed with a slight wince. "Then there's Dearka Elsman, he's the one who'll normally rein in Yzak, although he is known for being a bit of a playboy, finally there's Nicol Amalfi, he's a really nice guy, and many think he's not suited to being a soldier, but… they've never seen him pissed off… it's honestly scary as hell."
Kira hummed. "Nicol seems like he'd be a male version of me, especially if I never discovered my talents," she remarked. "Yzak might have some problems here, and Dearka… well, as long as Dearka refrains from hitting on anyone who's actually taken, any problems are really problems for him."
"Well, worse comes to worse, I'll throw 'em to Hughes to give 'em some training," Ryu informed as the Drop Pod Landed. "We'll whip their asses into shape."
Kira chuckled. "I'm sure you will, Ryu," she said, before turning to Lacus. "Lacus, once we finish getting our new arrivals situated, would you like to wander around with Ryu and myself? We don't know Onogoro that well, but we can show you some of the places we do know."
Lacus smiled happily as she nodded in agreement. 'That would be great," she replied happily, her eyes making a quick rake over Kira as her smile took an… interested hue. "I was hoping we could get to know each other!"
Kira blushed slightly from the look Lacus gave her, though most didn't notice it, though Athrun and Ryu certainly noticed Lacus' look.
Before anything more could be said, a hatch on the side of the Drop Pod landed, and the other three Redcoats of the Le Creuset Team exited.
"They're still wearing uniforms," Ryu pointed out with a sigh. "They're going to make this difficult, aren't they?"
Kira giggled. "Likely," she said. "Though I'd imagine that they wear the uniform so much, they kind of forget that they sometimes need to wear other things."
Ryu groaned. "We're going to have to get them civvies, aren't we?" he asked rhetorically. "I should have just asked for you Athrun, at least you weren't a total idiot when we snatched you."
Athrun nodded. "Well, hopefully they won't have too much trouble - Nicol, especially, might be able to adapt to civvies well enough."
"Right, and I hope that they're ready for work," Ryu informed. "We'll be heading to Africa to assist a Freedom Fighter's group in repelling both ZAFT and EA forces from the area, won't be leaving till the day after tomorrow, though."
Athrun nodded. "Unless they brought machines for themselves, we might need to procure new machines for them, but it shouldn't be too bad," he said.
Ryu shrugged. "Machines are easy to get a hold of," Ryu informed. "Even easier to modify them."
Athrun nodded, even as the three Redcoats finally walked up to them.
"Good to see you in one piece, Zala," Yzak remarked.
"Good to see you too, Yzak," Athrun returned. "Allow me to introduce Kira and Ryu Hisanaga, they'll be our bosses for the foreseeable future."
Dearka grinned. "Nice to meet the two of you," he remarked.
"You must be the playboy," Kira remarked. "I would advise you to quickly learn who is dating who, the boyfriends, and some girlfriends, on the ship are trained commandos, and they know how to make someone's life a living hell."
Dearka's eyes widened. "Understood, Ma'am," he replied.
"And don't ma'am me, if you have to, call me boss, otherwise it's just Kira," she informed. "That's the first rule, second rule, no uniforms, you are no longer in the military, and we don't want to cause trouble by having uniformed ZAFT Pilots on our ship when we're working with the EA, now will we?"
Yzak seemed to bristle a bit at that, but Nicol nodded. "Sure thing, Boss," he replied. "We'll likely need to get some new clothes, though - most of our civvies are likely up at our homes in the PLANTs."
"You will each get $100," Ryu informed. "Today and tomorrow are for you to get some civvies, also, Rule 3: Don't work, don't eat, you will do more than piloting as a Mercenary, you could scrub the deck for all I care, but you will learn to do a job outside of being a pilot, or you will not be able to taste the heaven that is our cook's meals."
Athrun added, "He's not kidding - they recently got a cook who is able to make dishes better than anything I've ever tasted before."
"Oh, and Rule 4: Hanami, the cook, rules the kitchen, no one is allowed in without her express permission," Kira inputted. "One of our Marines tried to get in when she was cooking, he was later found hanging by his toes from the bridge… it's always the quiet ones."
Nicol nodded. "Got it," he remarked. "Much like I would likely lay claim to any piano you had in the lounge area, if you had a piano."
Kira shrugged. "No clue to be honest, the Marines brought a lot of stuff with them when they joined on so there might be a piano kicking around somewhere," she informed. "Hmm, that actually might be a good start for you three: inventory."
They all continued discussing things as they left the observation lounge to get the three newcomers squared away on the Mugen Kano.
Later that day, Onogoro Island Market District
"Wow~ That dress would look so cute on you, Kira~!" Lacus shouted as she pointed out a purple dress, the same color as Kira's eyes.
Kira blushed. "Y… yeah, I… I guess so…" she replied, not really used to looking at fancy dresses like the one Lacus had pointed out - much like Fenrir didn't use uniforms, they never really had a need for formal wear, either.
"Mm, it would look nice on you," Ryu informed, elbowing her lightly. "Why don't you try it on Kira, never know when we're contracted to provide undercover security at a ball or something."
Kira blushed, but nodded. "A… alright," she replied, picking up the dress and slipping into a changing room.
"So, Lacus, how do you like ORB?" Ryu asked as the pair waited for Kira to come out.
"It's very nice," she replied with a smile. "It's peaceful, more so than the PLANTs - I mean, yes, the PLANTs are calm and peaceful, but with the war, there's an air of caution and uncertainty that isn't present here."
Ryu chuckled. "Don't let it fool you," he informed. "ORB is the sleeping Dragon in this war, one wrong step, then either the EA or ZAFT are going to be in a lot of pain, while not as large as either the EA or ZAFT, ORB is far more advanced than they are."
Lacus nodded. "I know Father always tries to respect that, and tries to keep the war from reaching ORB," she said. "Though… there are others on the Council who don't think that way…"
Ryu snorted. "Unfortunately, shortsighted fools are a dime a dozen," he commented. "Just need to be able to keep them in line, either with words, or with force."
"Words would be preferable, but I… I know they aren't always enough," she replied. "And… don't mention this to Athrun, but… part of me fears that Defense Chairman Zala may be letting his wife's death at Junius Seven affect him too much…"
Ryu nodded. "Yeah, unless something drastic happens, I think the world may be in trouble," he said with a grimace. "Hopefully your father can keep him in line."
"Agreed," Lacus replied. "Though he's actually running against my father for Supreme Council Chairman in the upcoming elections… if Zala wins…" she trailed off, but the meaning was clear.
Ryu nodded in agreement as the door to the changing room opened, and Kira stepped out wearing the purple dress that hugged her upper body closely before flaring out into a gown-like skirt. "Wow…" he commented as he felt his mouth dry. "Just… wow."
Kira blushed at the looks she was getting, not just from Ryu, but from Lacus as well. "I… I hope this isn't too ostentatious…" she remarked shyly, barely getting up the courage to perform a small twirl, revealing the low-cut back.
"Hardly," Ryu informed. "But I know I would be the most hated person in the world for having someone as beautiful as you on my arm at a ball."
"Th… thank you, Ryu…" Kira replied, her blush growing deeper.
Ryu smiled at his wife as Lacus seemed to wipe some of the drool off of her face. "I know I'd be jealous as all hell if he showed up with you on his arm," Lacus informed. "Well… depending on what you were wearing though, Ryu."
Kira and Ryu both blinked at that. "From what Athrun mentioned about you, I can understand the first part of your comment," Kira remarked. "But from the second comment… would I be guessing correctly if I said you were bisexual?"
"Yup~" Lacus informed with a smile. "After all, why limit your fun?"
Kira blinked again. "I guess that's one way of putting it…" she replied, though she did feel an extra bit of warmth from Lacus' comment, wondering why that was. "Athrun also told us about the arranged marriage set up between you two," she added. "What are your thoughts on that?"
Lacus sighed. "Athrun is nice, but… he's a brother more than a lover," she informed as she shook her head. "I just don't see it working out, to be honest."
Kira nodded. "Yeah, he said something rather similar when mentioning it," she remarked. "Well, hopefully you can convince your parents about that, and maybe get a chance to find someone you really want to be with…"
Lacus gave Kira an appreciative look. "Oh, I think I can convince dad about it," she informed. "And I may have found someone…" she sent Kira and Ryu a look. "Perhaps two of them…"
Kira and Ryu looked at each other, then at Lacus, then back at each other, and blushed in tandem. "You mean… us?" Kira asked, in a bit of shock.
"Maybe~" Lacus informed playfully. "After all, who wouldn't want an illicit affair with a pair of hot mercenaries?"
Kira's blush deepened. She was married, yes, but Lacus was rather attractive… Kira turned to Ryu. "Well, what do you think, Ryu?" she asked. "I love you deeply, and am proud to be the mother of our little Shiro, but if you'd be willing to… let Lacus into our relationship… I'd respect your decision."
Ryu looked over to his wife, a surprised look on his face. "Kira, it's every man's dream to be in a threesome with two chicks," he informed plainly. "But I'd like to know what you think on it."
Kira pondered it. "Well, Lacus is rather attractive…" she mentioned. "And… I guess I have felt a connection beyond that of friendship… I'd be willing to give it a try, at least."
They heard a squee from Lacus as she glomped the two of them. "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" she cried out as she began rubbing her cheek up against Kira's.
Kira blushed again, and smiled. "You're welcome, Lacus," she replied, running a hand through Lacus' hair. She then developed a bit of an idea… "Also, do you think you'd be willing to join Ryu and I for dinner tonight… maybe spend the night in our room afterwards?"
Lacus gave Kira a smouldering smile. "I think I'd like that a lot," she informed quietly, lust creeping into her voice. "Although… Kira, get changed and get Ryu to buy that, you and I need to go to a… special store for tonight…"
Kira blinked, nodded, then slipped back into the changing room.
With the former Creuset Team
"What the hell does she mean that we'll be fighting ZAFT!" Yzak raged as he and the others walked through the Market District. "We're Soldiers of ZAFT!"
"Fenrir's a slightly… different Mercenary Guild, Yzak," Athrun commented, as Cagalli walked along with them, guiding them through the city. "Kira told me about it after the talk with the Council - they'll take jobs from the big governments, primarily ORB and ZAFT, though they will take the occasional EA Contract, but the majority of their contracts are actually from small communities, the ones that want to stay out of the fighting, but have the misfortune of being stuck in major battlefields or in the middle of lines of advance for either side."
"So they're basically Mercenary Peacekeepers?" Nicol asked curiously. "That seems rather… contradictory."
"Not quite peacekeepers, from what Kira said, anyway," Athrun remarked. "In her words… not everyone wants to fight. There are some who want to simply stay out of the war, but are forced into it anyway. Fenrir tries to protect those people, so they can keep living their lives without worrying about getting dragged into the war… at least, that's the way Kira says it."
"Feh," Yzak spat out. "Then they're just cowards."
Cagalli snorted. "No, not cowards," she remarked. "Not everyone wants to fight in war. It's not cowardice - it's a belief that the war has nothing to do with them. And possibly even a belief that the war is pointless."
"If it wasn't for those stupid Naturals then there wouldn't even be a war," Yzak snarled back. "They want the war over, then they should help us."
THWACK!
Athrun, Dearka, and Nicol all stopped at the sound of the slap, and turned to see Yzak nursing a red handprint on the left side of his face, and glaring down Cagalli, who had been the one to administer the slap, and was glaring right back, though Athrun could see fury burning in her eyes.
"You dare…" she growled out, her golden brown eyes brimming with anger. "So, you're saying, that people who have never even had training should sacrifice themselves for you? And what would they get in return? A pat on the head and a thank you? Because of the N-Jammers do you know how much of a crisis the world is in right now, without the power from the Nuclear Reactors, people who never even had anything to do with those bastards of Blue Cosmos, let alone the nukes used on the PLANTs! Some people even hold vigils in mourning for those lost in Junius Seven, and you dare say they should fight for you? What have you done for them?"
Yzak just kept glaring at her.
"Calm down, Yzak," Nicol remarked. "She's got a point. Some might say this is a race war, or more accurately a genetics war, but those people are already prejudiced one way or the other."
Yzak growled at Cagalli but relented as he stalked off, closely followed by Dearka, who gave Cagalli an apologetic look. "Sorry about Yzak, he's always been kind of… difficult to deal with," Athrun informed with a sigh. "His mom has always been Pro-Coordinator, but… I didn't think it went that far…"
Cagalli sighed, shaking her head. "Hopefully spending time with Fenrir will help him realize the big picture," she remarked annoyedly. "Either that or he'll say something to tick off Kira, Ryu, or one of the rookies… and receive a verbal/physical smackdown that will either knock some sense into him or just further cement his attitude."
The other two pilots nodded in agreement. "He better watch his mouth around Shiro though, no telling what Kira and Ryu would do to him if he didn't," Athrun informed. "Kira pissed is scary, Kira in full on Momma Bear mode… I don't want to even imagine."
Nicol would have said something, but his stomach beat him to the punch with a rather large growl. He smiled sheepishly. "I… never really got anything to eat on the trip in…" he remarked.
"Let's get back to the Mugen Kano then, Hanami's probably cooking something now," Cagalli informed. "It's a hell of a lot better than the stuff at the restaurants, and it can be funny if she and Jinn have another… accident."
Athrun chuckled, having heard about that, and at Nicol's perplexed look, filled his friend in on Hanami and her… current situation as they headed to the ship.
As they walked, Athrun found himself stealing glances at Cagalli, the ORB Princess triggering feelings in him he'd never really encountered before...
With the Rookies
"I think I'd probably like this a little less sweet..." Hanami idly poked at a parfait she was enjoying while sneaking the occasional glance at a certain other blockheaded member of the rookies and blushing barely noticeably.
"Mine's fairly mild," Jinn informed absently. "Do you want mine? The taste isn't quite to my liking…"
Immediately Hanami's face and even her neck turned a very interesting shade of red as she spun to one side and began clutching her cheeks as if trying to hide her blush. At the same time she was muttering unintelligibly, though some of the rookies could pick up words like 'Jinn-kun' and 'indirect kiss'.
"Hanami-chan?" Jinn questioned, looking over at the hobby cook. "Something wrong?"
The silver-haired cook's blush spread to her shoulders, and she whispered, "He called me Hanami-chan…" before dissolving into even more unintelligible muttering.
Jinn blinked twice before looking over to the others. "Did I say something wrong?" He asked in confusion.
Flay giggled a bit. "You didn't say anything wrong, Jinn," she said. "I won't say anything more on the matter, though - the reason for her reactions is something you need to figure out on your own."
Jinn blinked again in confusion, making his sister groan out and smack her own forehead. "My brother, the mathematical genius, is also the biggest social retard ever," she whimpered out quietly, before leaning into Flay. "Should we bring her out?"
"That could work, she's already embarrassed enough anyway," Flay whispered in reply while glancing at the girl in question. "How do you want to do it, though?"
Jade just have her redheaded friend a sly smile before slipping over to next to Hanami. "Hey, Hanami," she whispered to the silverette. "You want to get my brother's attention, right, so give him a flash of you womanly development, even a social retard like him couldn't ignore it!"
Hanami's blush spread even further to her elbows. "But… but… but…" she stammered, unable to even form a coherent sentence.
"I have this skimpy French Maid outfit that would fit you too," Jade continued on, pressing the advantage. "You could lay in wait in his room and welcome him home when he enters."
"Ski… skimpy French… ma… maid…" Steam started coming out of the silverette's ears as her brain began to shut down from embarrassment.
Seeing her 'enemy' on the edge, Jade gave one final push. "Then, of course, you'd have to give Jinn some of your… special service," she informed in a whisper.
Hanami's brain almost immediately shut down as she fell into a dead faint on the table, almost into her parfait. Luckily, Jade managed to catch her before she could get it all over her face.
"Hm? Hanami-chan?" Jinn asked in confusion. "What happened?"
The silverette revived quickly, except she was showing the clear signs that her alternate self was in control - her demeanor and aura changed completely as she started giggling. "Jade-chan, I think we'll get along very well… although I doubt your outfits would fit me very well," she glanced down at her… sizable assets.
Jade simply smirked in response. "Wouldn't that make it all the skimpier though?" she offered. "After all, the more the twins are shown off, the better…"
"Nah… teasing is an art, showing off too much right off the bat wouldn't make it as much fun later on," Kagami disagreed, all the while staring at Jinn while licking her lips.
"Oh, out again, Kagami-chan?" Jinn asked cluelessly. "What was Hanami-chan so embarrassed about?"
"Speaking of parfaits…" Kagami smirked as she leaned towards Jinn, closing her eyes and opening her mouth. "Jinn-kuuun, feed me~"
Jinn blinked twice as he looked between his parfait and Kagami. "Wh-" he began to question before Jade grabbed him in a choke hold.
"Dearest brother, you will feed Kagami-chan, or I will speak of that incident," she growled out dangerously, making Jinn gulp, before nodding.
Picking up his spoon, he scooped up some of the parfait before placing it in Kagami's mouth.
"Mmmm… It's still just as sweet, not that I mind…" Kagami remarked. "Oh, and you got a bit on my lips…" She licked it off, exaggerating the motion seductively while staring intently at Jinn.
Jinn blinked a few times before tilting his head. "Huh?" he questioned. "If you didn't mind the sweetness, why didn't you eat your own then?"
The silverette resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead getting off her chair, walking over to Jinn and bending down to meet Jinn's eye level, making sure to squeeze her assets enough with her arms to emphasize them and letting the oblivious pilot have an eyeful through her open-topped dress. "Because it's more fun that way," she grinned, letting him stare for a bit before leaning in and licking a bit of cream off his lips.
Jinn flushed slightly as he felt Kagami's tongue brush against his lips. "Kagami-chan?" he questioned. "Wh… what?"
"Jinn-kun… What do you think of the idea of me wearing a French maid costume?" the silverette got up and promptly started resting her breasts on top of Jinn's head. "Or would you prefer a swimsuit?"
Jinn flushed a deeper red as he felt the pillowy mass of Kagami's breasts atop of his head. "I… uhhh…" he stumbled out as images of Hanami dressed as a french maid while Kagami was clad in a skimpy two piece swimsuit danced through his mind. "Abuh…?"
Shinn leaned towards his fiancee and whispered, "I wasn't that dense when you first started realizing your attraction to me, was I, Flay?"
"Nope," Flay informed. "Although you don't have mild Autism, either, that might have something to do with it."
"Well… there are some really nice beaches here in ORB… Should I get a one-piece or a two-piece swimsuit?" Kagami smiled when she heard an audible gulp from Jinn on her second choice. "Two-piece then… White and lacy would definitely be the way to go, right?" Another gulp confirmed it.
"Wow…" Jade said as she watched the ongoing seduction. "This is a Master level seductress here, or should I say… Succubus?"
"Either would probably fit," Flay remarked. "At the rate this is going, Hanami might lose her virginity to Jinn, and not even know it, because Kagami will be in the driver's seat."
"Jinn-kun is such a… pervert…" Kagami fuelled the fire by drawing circles on Jinn's chest with her finger, purposely doing it slowly and more than a little suggestively while pressing her assets harder on his head.
"Meep," the odd sound emerged from Jinn's throat as they rubbed against his scalp. "I… don't… under… stand…"
"By the way…" Kagami got off Jinn, only to start whispering in Jinn's ear while breathing out on it. "Can you help me put suntan lotion on me when we go to the beach? I really don't want to get sunburnt… Sometimes it's a bit… hard to see where it goes if I try to put it on myself, you know? You just need to help me get it on all the right places nicely…" she further emphasized the word 'right' by sandwiching his arm within her bosom.
Jinn finally could take no more as blood spilled out of his nose and he collapsed, only to fall right into Kagami's cleavage. "Oh my!" Jade announced in a false scandalous voice. "How forward!"
Flay burst out laughing. "I guess Jinn couldn't take any more," she remarked. "Hopefully we won't have to run him through Sex Ed or anything like that!"
"No need for that, I'm sure Kagami wouldn't mind teaching him," Jade informed teasingly. "Although dad beat her to the punch for that!"
Flay laughed even harder, though she eventually calmed down. "Seriously though, Kagami, you were pulling off an expert seduction there," she said. "I get the feeling if things keep up like this, you might be the one 'in the driver's seat' when Hanami loses her virginity."
"I'll try to let Hanami have the moment… I just hope you guys can help build up her confidence before the time comes," Kagami smiled, gently caressing Jinn's head while using her breasts as a pillow for him.
"I'm curious, Kagami, what is it you and Hanami see in Jinn?" Jade questioned. "Not against it, just curious."
"Well…" Kagami paused to think for a few seconds before continuing, "He's quite… How do I put it? Considerate? Hanami's actually been having nightmares about what I've done on the battlefield, and she's been talking to Jinn about it. He's been helping her through it, and she's really thankful for it. Even though he's such a blockhead, he still cares for everyone else."
Jade giggled. "That's Jinn alright," she agreed. "We'll try and get him to realize your guy's feeling towards him, I'm pretty sure he feels the same towards you, he's far more open with you than even me and Ryu-nii."
"That's really nice to know," Kagami chuckled. "At least I know I'm making progress getting through his blockheadedness now."
"Considering last time he wasn't even able to speak when you had him trapped within your cleavage? Yeah that's definitely progress," Tolle remarked, almost looking jealous of the unconscious Jinn.
Miriallia noticed that look, and jabbed him in the side with her elbow.
"So, you girls wanted to do some clothing shopping next, right?" Sai asked, changing the topic.
"Yeah. I have more than a… few ideas what to get," Kagami rubbed her hands gleefully. "I just hope they stock my size."
Jade chuckled slightly. "Honestly, I'm jealous of you, Kagami, to have a chest like that!" she complained. "What did you feed them!"
"Let's just say… Hanami has severe cravings for milk during her monthlies," Kagami blushed almost imperceptibly. "And I'm pretty sure they're still growing. It's not always good though - I like it better in zero-G since I don't get backaches from carrying them around." She massaged her back, wincing slightly as she hit a sore spot.
Jade grinned as she gave Kagami a sly look. "I have it on good authority that Jinn is rather good at giving back rubs," she informed. "Maybe you should take advantage of that!"
"Definitely," Kagami groaned. "I hate gravity."
The others shared a laugh at Kagami's expense as Jinn began to rouse from his slumber. "Huh? Kagami-chan?" he questioned, slowly realizing his current position. "What… happened?"
"Nothing much," Kagami grinned innocently, showing no indication that she was flustered by Jinn's position. "Just thinking if you'll be so kind as to help me pick out a good, white lacy two-piece swimsuit later on…"
Surprisingly a small bit of blood dribbled out of Jinn's nose, blood that was quickly wiped away. "S-Sure," he agreed with an embarrassed flush. "If you really w-want me to."
"Oh yeah, I also need some new bras. I'm starting to outgrow mine already," the silverette mused, pretending not to notice the trail of blood leaking out of Jinn's nose, although her mischievous smile got wider.
"A-Ah…" Jinn replied as he quickly grabbed a napkin from the table and held it to his nose. "S-Sure…"
Everyone else chuckled at this, but Shinn caught a particular look Flay sent his way, and realized that he was likely going to end up going swimsuit shopping with her, and blushed a bit.
Flay, catching Shinn's blush, grinned as she looked over to Jade. "Hey Jade, do you want to model some swimsuits with me for Shinn?" she asked, trying to get a rise out of Shinn.
Shinn's eyes widened. "F-Flay?" he asked, shocked.
Flay giggled in response. "What, or are we not attractive enough?" she questioned teasingly.
He instantly shook his head. "No, that's not it!" he replied. "It's just… I'd have thought you'd want to be the only one to… model for me."
Flay simply gave both him and Jade a sly grin. "I've seen the way you looked at each other when you thought the other and myself wasn't looking," she declared, getting a surprised flush from Jade, and an embarrassed one from Shinn. "We'll talk about it later…"
Shinn nodded. "O… okay…" he said, though he was somewhat conflicted on that upcoming meeting for some reason…
That Evening, Ryu and Kira's Private Room
"I can't get over how good this food is!" Lacus moaned out in pure delight as she ate more of the meal that Hanami provided for them. "And you say she was a Technical Student? She should have opened a restaurant~!"
"Yeah, almost everyone who's tried her food has said the same thing," Kira remarked. "Not sure why she treated it as a hobby and not a potential career choice, though."
Lacus giggled in response. "It's probably a good thing she didn't, or else who knows what slop we'd be eating," she said teasingly as she took another bite.
"The chefs we had before she took over the galley were fairly good… main problem was they were originally Commandos, and cooking wasn't their primary training focus," Kira remarked.
"Good and Nutritious Slop," Ryu informed with a chuckle. "That and Beans, lots of beans."
Kira and Lacus both giggled at that, even as they finished up the last of the food. "Ryu, you mind dealing with the dishes?" Lacus asked with a secretive smile. "Me and Kira are just going to… freshen up."
Kira blushed at that, even as Ryu nodded and headed off to deal with the dishes.
As soon as Ryu was out of the door Lacus was dragging Kira off to the bathroom, a bag of their purchases in hand. "If we're doing this, we're doing this the fun way," she informed her new brunette lover, who blushed as Lacus pulled out a pair of skimpy leather dresses fitted for herself and Kira, hers was against her skin with a generous amount of exposed cleavage, and either side of her stomach exposed, and it fell to just barely past her see-through-panty clad pussy.
Kira's dress was much like Lacus' although it was separated down the middle of her front, exposing the valley of skin between her breasts until just after her belly button and had a pair of long leather opera gloves and stockings, along with a collar that had a D-Link with a leash attached to it, a leash held by Lacus, topping Kira's outfit off was a pair of cat like ears attached to head band placed in her now loose, free falling hair, and a cat tail butt plug that was pushed in.
Lacus giggled as she took in Kira's embarrassed face. "This is going to be so much fun," she declared as the pair went back into the main room and climbed on top of the bed. "I could just gobble you up…"
Kira blushed. "Y… you look beautiful, too, Lacus…" she replied. "I'm… I'm looking forward to what we're about to do…"
Lacus giggled as she leaned in closer. "I'm getting all excited, here," she informed, inching closer. "I hope Ryu likes his new… pussy cat."
Kira's blush deepened. In all the times she'd been with Ryu, they'd never done anything quite like this… having Lacus with them would definitely make things interesting, that was for sure…
"I'm ba-" Ryu began to announced as he entered the room, only to freeze at the sight before him. "Abuh?"
* * * LEMON ALERT! * * *
Lacus looked up, and grinned at him. "We've been waiting for you, Ryu…" she whispered sultrily, smirking at him.
Ryu quickly coughed as he recovered from the 'assault'. "Sorry to keep you waiting then," he informed as his eyes raked over the two of them, Kira blushing as his eyes settled on her. "Must say, wasn't expecting to come back to a new kitten though…"
Kira's blush deepened, and she could feel her arousal grow as Ryu looked at her. "It… it was Lacus' idea…" she remarked, surprisingly shyly.
Lacus giggled in response as she held up the leash attached to Kira's collar. "Well then, Master, will you play with your pet?" she asked huskily. "And how about some lovin' for me? Come on now little kitty, ask him properly…"
Kira's blush deepened even further. "Please… Master…" she began. "Please come and play with your pet…"
Ryu coughed as a bit of blood leaked from his nose before he nodded. Accepting the leash from Lacus, he surprised the pinkette as he pulled her into a surprisingly tender kiss.
Lacus' eyes widened, the kiss causing her to feel sensations she'd never felt before… but those sensations were so good… her eyes closed as she returned the kiss, her arms wrapping around Ryu's neck as she moaned into the kiss, opening her mouth in an invitation for Ryu's tongue.
Accepting the singer's invitation, he slipped his tongue into her mouth as he pulled on the leash to Kira's collar, bringing the brunette closer before placing a free hand on her head and guiding it to his crotch, the unsaid command obvious.
With ease born of countless practice, Kira swiftly undid Ryu's pants, sliding them and his boxers down to expose his cock, as she then began to suck on it, her tongue running along its length.
Ryu groaned into Lacus' mouth as he felt Kira's mouth envelop his cock and began to suck on it. Rolling his hips slightly, he switched the hands holding her head in place before using his now free hand to caress Lacus' leather clad breasts, experimentally squeezing them.
Lacus moaned from the feel of his hands on her breasts, as her tongue slipped out of her mouth to entwine with Ryu's. Kira, meanwhile, continued sucking on Ryu's cock, even as one of her hands came up to begin massaging his balls.
"Ah, you're eager tonight, Kira," Ryu groaned out as he and Lacus separated. "Just listen to how lewdly you suck at my cock, eager for your milk?"
Kira wordlessly nodded, even as she continued to suck his cock. Her arousal was growing steadily, and she could feel her pussy beginning to dampen…
Ryu let out another groan as he began to shift his hips, moving his cock in and out of her mouth, as if he were fucking it. "How about you get a taste of her milk there, Lacus, I assure you, it's quite tasty," Ryu informed.
Lacus grinned as she said, "Sure!" She then laid on her back on the bed, slipping herself such that she was directly underneath Kira, her face in front of Kira's pussy and her pussy underneath Kira's head. She reached up and took a quick lick along Kira's slit, causing Kira to moan in pleasure around Ryu's cock.
"Here it comes, Kira!" Ryu shouted as he felt his balls tighten. "Make sure you drink it all!"
Kira nodded, then took his cock as deeply within her mouth as possible as his seed shot into her mouth, managing to make sure she never spilled a drop of it. Meanwhile, Lacus' tongue had begun diving into Kira's depths, causing Kira's pleasure to go even higher. Lacus' arousal had been growing, too, and her panties were beginning to grow damp from her juices.
Smirking, Ryu pushed Kira onto her back against the bed, Lacus shifting so that she could continue to eat the brunette out, he leaned down and pulled the leather covering Kira's breasts away before leaning down and clamping his mouth over one and began to suckle it, her breast milk quickly filling his mouth up as he drank it.
Kira's moans of pleasure were growing louder, almost turning into screams at this point, as she felt a coil begin building within her at Ryu and Lacus' ministrations. "Ryu… Lacus… I'm gonna cum!" she warned.
"Mmm, I can't wait to taste it~" Lacus informed as she quickly doubled her ministrations. "Show me your slutty side, Kira~"
"CUMMING!" Kira screamed out as she climaxed, her juices flooding forth from her pussy.
Lacus eagerly lapped up the juices that spilled from Kira's lower mouth as Ryu came up from Kira's still leaking breasts, watching as his wife twitched underneath him. Gently raising Lacus up, he quickly pulled her into a possessive kiss, tasting Kira's juices inside of Lacus' mouth, his fingers slipping into the pinkette's pussy even as he shoved his full length into the still cumming Kira, making her scream out in pleasure.
Lacus moaned, both from the kiss and the fingers in her pussy, her pleasure rising even higher, while for Kira, it seemed like the pleasure hadn't ever descended, as her body wound down from the orgasm only to start immediately beginning to build up to a new one.
Ryu grunted as he felt's Kira's pussy continually spasm around his cock, trying to eagerly milk him for his seed as he pounded into her. Using a free hand, he guided one of Lacus' hands down to just above Kira's pussy where her clit was. Getting the message, Lacus quickly began to play with the clit, further increasing the pleasure Kira felt. "How lucky am I?" Ryu questioned as Lacus broke the kiss to bury her face in his neck, the pleasure quickly building up inside of her becoming too much. "To have a pair of sluts to fuck at my leisure…"
Kira moaned again, feeling the coil start to build once more. "Yes…" she moaned. "We are sluts… our bodies are yours to draw pleasure from as you will…"
Ryu chuckled as he brushed his thumb against Lacus' clit, making her stiffen against him as she screamed. "Tell me, Lacus, who do you belong to now?" he questioned. "Whose cock do you lust for?"
"You… yours, Ryu," Lacus moaned out, her own coil building. "My… my body is yours… to do with as you will…"
"Good to hear," Ryu announced as he pulled out of Kira, getting a whine of disappointment from the brunette who was close to release, he quickly pushed Lacus' head where his cock had once been, the pinkette getting the message and quickly began to lap at Kira's pussy once again, before Ryu tore off the panties Lacus was wearing. "Tell me, are you still a virgin, slut?" he questioned as he prodded his cock against her pussy entrance.
"Y… yes…" Lacus moaned. "I wanted… wanted to save my first time… for the one I truly loved…" There was a brief pause. "And now I know… that I was waiting for the two of you… Ryu… Kira… I love you two…"
Ryu smiled as her as he gently rubbed her ass cheek, even as Kira tried to smile through her desire. "We love you, too, Lacus," he informed her. "And now, we shall take that virginity." He quickly readjusted Lacus to the 69 position so that Kira had access to Lacus' pussy before plunging his cock in and breaking past her hymen, Kira quickly lapping up the blood leaking from Lacus' pussy as Ryu began to plunge in and out of the singer.
Lacus began screaming out in pleasure at the feel of Ryu's cock within her and Kira's tongue on her clit, even as she reached out with her tongue to continue eating Kira out, causing Kira to scream in her own pleasure.
A light smack was heard as Ryu's palm impacted against Lacus' asscheeks, causing her to shudder in pleasure, much to her own surprise. "Such a slut for a virgin, aren't you?" Ryu questioned as he pounded into her. "I bet you want to feel my cum in your womb, don't you?"
"YES!" Lacus cried out, feeling her orgasm almost upon her. "Cum inside me! Fill my womb! Let me bear a child for you, Ryu!"
"Then take it all!" Ryu shouted as he bottomed out inside of Lacus, pressing up against her womb as he came, flooding her insides with his seed, Kira lapping up what spilled out as Lacus brought her over the edge in the throes of her own orgasm.
* * * END LEMON! * * *
The three then collapsed onto the bed, Ryu between both Kira and Lacus.
"Thank you two… so much…" Lacus whispered tiredly. "It was… better than I could have ever imagined…"
Ryu chuckled as he pulled Lacus close to him, allowing her to cuddle up, her head resting on his chest, inches away from Kira's. "It definitely was something else," Ryu informed. "And Kira looks cute as a cat."
Kira blushed, but smiled. "Perhaps we could dress Lacus up as a Bunny Girl next time," she suggested.
"W-What?" Lacus asked, her face lighting up in a blush of her own, making the other two laugh. "W-Well, I… guess I could…"
As their chuckles died down, Kira said, "Still, I'm glad we decided to take a chance, and let you join us." She smiled at Lacus. "It allowed us all to realize just how much we care for each other…"
Ryu let out a small chuckle as he ran a hand through the two womans' hair. "Mm, people like us, Kira, need to enjoy the moments as they come," he agreed. "After all, who knows when, or if, the next moment will come."
Lacus nodded at that. "Yeah…" she whispered. "And given that I'll be staying here in ORB for a few more days while you head for Africa, then return to the PLANTs… we won't really have another opportunity like this for a while…" She then paused for a bit. "Also… I… I'd like to be able to help you… not just as a lover… I'd like to join Fenrir, even if it's only as a minor member."
The two blinked at her before looking at each other. "Well…" Ryu mused, "I guess we could use an informant on what the Supreme Council is doing and planning."
Lacus nodded. "Yeah… I can do that, no problem," she said. "And more importantly, I can see how much Defense Chairman Zala's personal situation is affecting the rest of the council, based on how the votes in the council go on policies he brings forth."
"That would be great if you could," Kira informed. "Knowing the political situations of the world's governments allows us to get a better read on where our next contract will be happening."
"I'll do my best, then," Lacus replied. "I might need to tell my Father what I'm doing, but I suspect he's holding secrets of his own from the Council, so that should be fine… and if he chooses to confide any of those secrets with me, I'll pass them on to you two if he gives permission."
Ryu and Kira nodded their understanding. "Although… I am worried about your father's response as to what just happened," Ryu announced, looking, and sounding, decidedly nervous. "I'd rather not have the Supreme Chairman of the PLANTS after my blood cause I defiled his daughter…"
Lacus giggled. "I'm sure he'll understand… though that does bring up another potential issue…"
Kira blinked a little bit in confusion, until she remembered her first time with Ryu, and what happened after that. "Yeah… might be hard keeping a low profile, or even keeping our relationship with you secret, if that happens," she remarked.
Ryu groaned. "I think I need to find a very deep and very dark hole to hide in," he said. "Not only did I defile the daughter of the Supreme Council Chairman, I may have knocked her up too…"
"If that happens, I'll disappear from the public eye, citing 'medical issues'," Lacus replied. "And I'll make my way to join you two as fast as I can." She then smiled. "But we can cross that bridge when we come to it."
Kira giggled. "Wonder what the rumours will say though, when we're seen with a pinked haired baby with Ryu's eyes?" she wondered. "Wonder what dad would do with an… unexpected grandchild?"
Lacus giggled again. "That would definitely be interesting to think about," she remarked. "But we should get some rest now - you've got to leave early tomorrow, right?"
"That we do," Ryu agreed, placing a gentle kiss atop Lacus' and Kira's heads. "Night, my beautiful ladies, have some sweet dreams."
The three then went to sleep, needing to rise early the next day, Kira and Ryu to start the ship on its journey to Africa, Lacus to leave the ship before it left ORB.
Life was definitely going to change for all three of them, though, that was for sure.
END CHAPTER!
