Hey guys, this chapter goes on at the same time as Athrun is making his escape from Gibraltar. There is a few easter eggs in this chapter, if that is something that interest you. Enjoy, and let me know what you think.
Chapter 70
Feeling somewhat annoyed, by the loud noise from the other side of the room. Kira Yamato slowly opened both of his tired eyes, and looked over at Mu La Flaga, who was presently busy watching an old sitcom on the small TV build into the med-bay's wall.
"Mu...can't, can't you turn it down a bit? I'm trying to sleep over here" The teenager asked softly. While it was truth, that he was feeling much better now, then he had the first time he had woken up after his battle, with the Impulse gundam, Kira had still slept more then usual the last few days. And while that had worried Cagalli and the others, quite a bit. The doctor had assured them, that the changes in his sleeping habits, was simply because he was exhausted, after everything that had happened the last few weeks.
Since his battle with the Earth Alliance Destroy gundam, at Berlin, there hadn't really been much time for him to relax, so now that things, had finally calmed down. He needed to rest up, and regain his strength.
Slowly taking a small glance away from the screen, where two men, was presently arguing about what to do, with the small yellow chicken, one of them had bought. The blond haired man looked over at his temporary roommate.
"You been sleeping for the past twelve hours kid. Don't you think it's about time you got out of that bed? I know the doctor told you to rest, but getting some food, down into your belly would definitely help you recover your energy, that much faster kid" Neo said, then let out a light chuckle from something that happened on the screen.
Honestly quite surprised to hear, that he had been in dreamland that long, Kira instantly sat up on the bed. "Please tell me that you are kidding, Mu. Have I really been asleep for such a long time? What time is it now?" He asked, while letting out a huge yawn, and stretching both of his arms up over his head.
Still keeping most of his attention, turned towards the television, Neo again chuckled softly in amusement. "Yeah more or less, kid. The others have actually been a little worried about you. Your extremely cranky sister have actually been by a few times, to see how you where doing. As for your other question kid, it's a little past one in the afternoon" the blond haired man answered. As he reached over, and picked up the green soda can standing on the small table, beside his bed.
Watching as his big brother figure emptying the can, Kira wasn't really sure how to response to everything Mu had just told him, while it was certainly truth, that he had always been the type of person that liked sleeping. Especially if he was holding Lacus in his arms the whole time.
But being told, that he had slept for almost twelve hours, was not really something, the teen was overly pleased about. While the ship's doctor, might have been told him, to take it easy for awhile. Kira just didn't like being lazy, while everybody else, was hard at work around the Archangel.
The brown haired teenager did however not get long to mentally complain about, his sleeping habits, when his stomach loudly informed him, that it would very much like to get some food.
Having of course heard the kid's stomach growl so loudly, Neo finally paused the dvd and looked over at the 'Freedom' pilot, with a friendly smile on his face. "Since you are clearly heading down to the mess hall, once you leave this crappy room, could you tell whoever is working in the kitchen, that I haven't gotten my lunch yet? I am hungry too...And bored out of my mind, now that we are at it! Buuut I suppose that doesn't really have much to do, with me being hungry" the blond haired man said in a half grumpy tone.
"Hm you know, Mu? That if we told the others, that your memories have somewhat returned you might be allowed to leave this room, whenever you want" Kira said, while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Getting a slightly depressed look in his blue eyes, Neo leaned slowly backwards and looked up at the ceiling for a long moment. "It's kind of you to offer kid. But with my mind being as messed-up as it is, I...I kinda feel like I am two different people, trap in the same body. So until...until I can make some sense of it all, and figure out which once of my memories are real. And which once are nothing more then made up data, placed in my head with Logos' brainwashing machine, I think it's probably best...That I stay cooped up in here...At least a while longer" he said in a soft tone of voice.
Then after staring silently at the ceiling for a few long seconds, Neo let out a long tired breath, as he slowly forced his gaze away from the ceiling, and over at the brown haired teenager, that was as far as he remembered, kinda like the little brother he never had. "But just so you know, kid. If this ship ever gets in trouble, you definitely can count on me to help defend it!" He said, while giving Kira a look, that left little doubt about the seriousness, in that statement.
Finding himself grinning brightly at those words. "I'm glad to hear that, Mu. I seriously have no idea about what is going to happen next! But I have this feeling that we are going to need all the help we can get, to stop Gilbert Durandal" Kira said, while wondering for probably the million times, just what in God's name Chairman Durandal's true agenda was, with all of this.
"Heh! Well not to brag or anything kid. But I do have more than my fair share of experience fighting Zaft. Truth is I think most of the Minerva's crew, would very much like to wring my neck. I was after all the one in charge of stealing the Chaos, Gaia and Abyss, from Armory One" he said. Still depressed about how Stella and Auel had lost their lives.
"Trust me, Mu. That issss far from the only time you managed to piss off Zaft. You have done that a lot. Funny thing is, one of those people you fought most against in the last war, is now a part of the Archangel's crew" Kira said, thinking briefly about, how many time the blond haired man, went up against Dearka and the Buster gundam.
Not at all sure who Kira was talking about, Neo sat there silently a few seconds, trying hard to figure out, who of the white space ship's crew, he had could have fought against in the past.
Yet much to his deep irritation, that was something he just couldn't remember, no matter how hard he tried. So in the end, he simply guessed on what he figured was the most obvious choice. It did after all, not take much of a genius to tell, that the Archangel's other main pilot, was a Coordinator too, and had most likely, been a member of Zaft at some point.
"It's that Dearka fellow isn't it?" He asked softly.
"Yeah. But that is a very long time ago. Dearka is a good guy. You can definitely count on him, to cover your back out on the battlefield" Kira said, not even sure how many times Dearka Elsman had actually helped him out, since he had joined the Archangel's crew back at Alaska two years ago.
Glad to know that there was someone around this ship, who he could count on for that, Neo nodded slowly a single time. Then moved around a tiny bit, in an attempt to get into a more comfortable position, on the bed.
"By the way, kid. Are that guy and that brown haired girl I have seen him together with, in some type of relationship?" Neo asked in a soft tone. He might not remember overly much about that girl, but he had seen a few images of her crying, down in what he assumed was the Archangel's hangar. And shortly after that, he had seen her standing together, with some other guy, who he just couldn't put a name on.
But for some unknown reason, Neo felt like it was a very bad idea for him to ask about that young man. He just couldn't shake away the feeling that something bad had happened to that boy, but whatever it was, it had completely disappeared from his mind.
It was at that point Kira's voice, interrupted his thoughts. "Yeah those two have been dating since the ending of the last war. The two of them, really do make are a great couple, don't you think so?" Kira asked, with a small smile on his face, knowing full well from living in the same house, as Miriallia and Dearka, how happy his two friends where together.
"I'm sorry kid. But I can't answer your question. I don't really remember overly much, about those two. I just know that for some reason, which I can't explain, I want to see both of them happy. Just like you and your wife kid"
"I appreciate you saying that, Mu. And I think Lacus would too, if she was here"
After that both of them where silent a few minutes. Yet just when the blond haired man was about to ask, when Pink Princess would return, from wherever she was, he was interrupted by Kira's stomach growling loudly one more time.
"Arrrr! Go get some grub and grog matey. We can always talk again later" Neo said. Doing a pretty good job, of imitating a pirate, that had spend way too much time drinking grog and who knew how many other alcohol fill liquids.
Slowly shaking his head a couple of times, at the man's childish behavior, Kira had a difficult time keeping his laughter under control. "All right you landlubber! I do have one question for you before I leave. Do you really think that watching that old sitcom, are going to help you recover your memories?" Kira asked, while at the same time taking a glance over at the small screen.
"Nooot really buddy. But with all the chaos, going on up on the top floor, I needed a small break. And there isn't really a whole lot to do down here, other then sleeping and watching TV, and your sister happened to be kind enough, to bring me a few dvds" Neo explained in a slightly grateful tone.
Honestly a bit surprise to hear that Cagalli of all people, had been the one to make sure that Mu had something to do, down there. Kira was frankly more then a little tempted, to make a few comments about it being so unlike his sister, to be nice, especially since she had gotten pregnant.
But knowing that if Mu still had his old sense of humor, he might just tell Cagalli some of the things, he had said, and Kira really didn't want to give Cagalli anymore excuses, to use him as a punching bag whenever her frustration got the better of her.
"I'll see! If I can bring you a few more dvds later, Mu. I have a few anime series back in my room, which I have already watched a few times" the brown haired teen said, knowing that unless Logos had actually bothered taking the time to change Mu's TV habits, along with his memories, he would prefer fantasy anime, above all else.
And it just so happened to be one of those genres, which Lacus and he enjoyed spending time watching together, so it wasn't really all that surprising that they had a great deal of that laying around down in their room.
"That sounds great, kid. As much as I like, seeing this old TV-show again, I could really use something with just a bit more action. Maybe something with a hot mage, and a good sword fight or two" the blond haired man said, sounding very much like a five-year-old kid who had just been given a brand new piece of toy.
Laughing softly, at his big brother figure's child like behavior, Kira watched silently, as Mu turned back around, and got the dvd started again. "I'll see you later, Mu" the teenager said, then walked slowly over to the door and left the room. Totally and absolutely determined, to get down to the mess hall as fast as he could, so he could finally get some food down in to his empty stomach.
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It was a little over five minutes later, when Kira arrived at the mess, where he saw Cagalli and Miss Murrue totally caught up in, playing a game of Risk, with Mayu. And further inside the room he could see Dearka sitting by himself, on one of the couches in there, busy playing one of those car theft games, that was so popular.
Seeing them all just sitting around like this having a good time, Kira found himself, thinking about some of the more calm and relaxing times, they all use to have together, before the second Bloody Valentine War had broken out, and their house had been destroyed by those damn ASH type mobile suits, that had been after Lacus.
Yet after standing there watching them silently, a few long seconds, Kira started wondering where Miriallia could be right now. It was kinda unlike her to say no to being together with the people that was important to her. Actually now that the young brown haired man thought about it, Kira realized that the Archangel did seem somewhat empty. It was almost like half the crew had left at some point during the night.
And so, while still wondering, where everybody else could be, Kira stepped even further into the large room. "Good morning everybody" he said. Thereby making every single person in there, look over at him.
"Good morning big brother Kira" Mayu shouted anxiously, as she immediately jumped up from her seat, and raced over to him. And it was only by share luck, that Kira manage to catch the hastily approaching girl, as leaped full speed away from the floor, and into his arms, hugging him tightly. Like everybody else on board the Archangel, Mayu had of course been worried about her big brother.
Smiling brightly at the sight of her daughter hugging Kira like that. With the outbreak Mayu had only a few short days ago, Murrue Ramius was of course pleased to see, Mayu behave so cheerfully again. It always concerned Murrue greatly, whenever her daughter had one of those outbreaks, and this last one had been bad. It had taken a few hours for the girl to get over it, which was why Murrue had made sure to spend as much time as possible with her daughter.
"It's great to see you up and about, Kira. How do you feel?" Murrue asked softly, while she slowly got up from her seat, and made her way over, to the brown haired teenager, that had been like family to her almost since the first time she met him.
Not saying anything at first, Kira kneeled down and carefully place Mayu back down on the floor, then smiled slightly, at the Archangel's Captain.
"Other then being hungry, and a little tired Miss Murrue I am just fine"
Hearing him say that, Murrue was just about to offer, to go get him something to eat, when Cagalli's severely cranky voice, cut in to their conversation. "What the heck do you have to be tired about!? You have been asleep for the past twelve hours you moron. You should try and be pregnant a few weeks! Then you have a reason to be tired!" The short tempered girl practically screamed at him.
Once again amazed, by how unbelievable loud his sister's voice could be these days. Kira shook his head a few times to get rid of the painful ringing inside his ears. "It's sooo nice to see you so happy and cheerful Cagalli. Are we having a good day so far?" He asked, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Narrowing both her eyes slightly at that, Cagalli was severely tempted to give her brother a good smack or two, but since he was obviously still feeling somewhat groggy, she decided that she could always do that, once he was feeling better.
"Ohh dear God! Why am I related to this idiot?...Now then Mr sarcasm. What do you want to eat. I'll go make it for you, right away" Cagalli said, still glaring slightly at him.
Quickly forcing back the laughter that was threatening to leave his mouth. Kira smiled slightly at his short tempered sister. "Well couple of toasts with strawberry jam would be nice, and a huge glass of milk" the brown haired man said.
The mere mentioning of strawberry jam was more then enough to make a hungry expression appear on Cagalli's face. "Hm that does sound quite delicious. I think I'll have, that too" she said, practically drooling.
"How can you still be hungry? You just finished eating a half hour ago" Dearka asked, from his location over on the couch, while staring at her with a confused look on his face, that made it perfectly clear to everybody in there, that he was seriously wondering how Cagalli could still have room, for more food.
Shrugging slightly Cagalli let out a long thoughtful sound, while looking over at the former pilot of the Buster gundam. "I don't know, but to be honest, I'm always kinda hungry these days. It's like, I can't get full no matter how much I eat" she said. Then without saying anything else. She slowly turned around, and walked off in the direction of the kitchen.
Watching his starving sister disappear into the very room, that was probably like paradise to her these days, Kira again turned his attention back towards Murrue. "So what's going on around here? The whole ship is just so quiet. Where is everybody?" He asked softly, while dropping down on the couch next to Dearka.
Also sitting back down, Murrue took a quick sip of the bright red soda can, standing next to her. "Well I don't really know all the details. But it would seem, that Murdoch and the other mechanics, decided to challenge all of the Orb pilots, to a poker tournament. So all of them are down in the hangar right now, playing poker" the brown haired woman explained, then used a few seconds to study how her pieces was placed on the Risk board.
"Ahhh that does explains where Miriallia is. And why Dearka is up here" Kira said, just as his second best friend began protesting loudly.
"Hey that's uncalled for Kira! I'm not that bad at poker. It's just that whenever I have a good hand. People always seems to know" the blond haired teenager said, not doing anything to hide, that he was actually greatly confused about how people always knew, when he was a threat in poker.
Laughing loudly at that, Kira tilted his head a bit to the side. "The reason why, it's soo easy to figure out when you have a good hand, Dearka, is because, you always smirk worse then the Joker would do, had he captured Batman and Robin" Kira said, while he reached down and picked up the TV remote.
Then looked over at his fellow pilot and friend, who was quick to get the meaning and press the pause button, on the video game controller. After that Kira immediately change the canal, to see if there was anything interesting on. Yet with them so far below the ocean surface. It did not really come as an overly huge of a surprise, that they had no signal at all down there.
So it did not take very long, before Kira pressed one last button on the remote, to change the canal back to the video game, which Dearka instantly took as a sign, that he could start playing the slightly old sandbox game again.
"You need to shake off all of those cops chasing you. You can not, complete that mission as long as you are wanted" Kira said, in a half serious tone, knowing from just one look at the screen, precisely where Dearka was in the game.
"That's easy for you to say, Kira. I only have a gun to fight back with right now! And as long I'm being chased, by those ugly imaginary mobile suits, that looks kinda like a composition of a GINN, and a Strike Dagger. The only way I shake them off, is to get to the other side of town!" The blond haired teenager yelled loudly, while swiftly maneuvring the red sports car, he had stolen in the game, not that long ago, around a bunch of machine gun shots. One of those damn mobile suits, was firing at the already half destroyed car, his character was presently driving.
Having already complete this game twice before, Kira of course knew how exactly this highly annoying mission, was suppose to be solved. But seeing as it was kinda entertaining seeing Dearka having so much trouble, trying to get away from the bulky mobile suits, after him, Kira quickly decided to keep his mouth shut, at least for now.
Yet once the brown haired teen saw the protagonist being mowed down, by who knew how many machine gun shots, from one of the fake mobile suits, Kira let out a short breath, as he finally decided to share, what knowledge he had, about this mission. It was after all highly obvious, that this was not the first time, Dearka had died, trying to get past this point in the old video game.
"You do realize Dearka, that none of the mobile suits in that game can fly? And that you are pretty close to the airport, when you start that mission?" Kira said, while glancing over in the direction kitchen, seriously wondering what could be taking Cagalli so long to make those pieces of toasts.
Hearing him say that, Dearka immediately tore his attention away from the huge screen, and looked directly at his friend with a slightly questionable expression on his face. "You mean I should go there and steal a plane?" He asked, yet again pausing the game.
"That, or a helicopter. But seeing as the mobile suits, will still attack you from the ground, you need something fast, Dearka. So some type of plane is definitely best" Kira said, having no trouble at all remembering how good the AI was, in this game. The company who had made this video game, certainly knew what they where doing.
Swiftly going over everything his friend had just told him, Dearka pressed down on one of the controller's smaller buttons to make the overly huge map appear, and just one single glance at it, was enough to make him realize that Kira was right.
"Ahh damn, why didn't I think about that before? I just waste two whole hours trying to beat this stupid mission!" He complained, displeased, then closed down the map, yet before he could start playing again.
A certain blond haired girl appeared from inside the kitchen, and while smirking wickedly at him, Cagalli immediately gave him a response to the question, he had asked himself, only a few seconds ago.
"If I had to guess, I would say it's probably because, you lost the ability to think a long time ago. Ever since I met you Dearka, you have made it highly obvious, that using your brain, is not really something you do overly much. Maybe once or twice a year" the pregnant woman said, then practically threw the tray of food into her brother's hands.
Glaring angrily at his fellow blond over her insults, the former Buster pilot, was just about to say something back, about how she would soon be granted with the ability to roll down a mountain on her own.
Yet before Dearka could get his mouth open, and speak those not so clever words, which would most likely result in his own, much too early demise, Kira elbow him hard in the side. And as Dearka looked over his best friend, he saw him slowly shaking his head back and forth a few times. That alone, was more then enough to make blond coordinator, slam his mouth shut again, having be so distracted playing his video game, and coming up with a good come back, Dearka had completely forgotten, just how easy it was, to piss off Cagalli these days.
Feeling somewhat disappointed, that Kira had interfered just when Dearka had been about to say something stupid, that would have allowed her, to hit him a few times. For some weird reason, Cagalli had a very strong urge to beat the crap out of the entire male gender, for her pregnancy. Especially that totally brain dead, red eyed fool, that had almost killed her brother not that long ago.
Yet seriously not in the mood, to think about that dumbass Shinn, right now, Cagalli quickly shook her head a couple of times, then made sure to give both Kira and Dearka a look, that made it perfectly clear to both of them, that she was still more then prepared to start hitting them, should they say anything she thought was the least bit stupid.
After that Cagalli immediately turned around on one foot, and went in a straight line over to the table, where Murrue and Mayu was waiting patiently for her to finish what she was doing, so they could finally continue their game of Risk.
Watching silently as she sat back down beside Murrue, Dearka growled out a few deeply displeased curses. "Ahh damn it! I really don't get why, I am getting punished, for Athrun getting her pregnant. I know said it before, but I am SOOO going to make that guy pay for all of this, once he gets back here!" The blond man promised determinedly, while using a shotgun in the game, to take out his frustration, on a few innocent civilians.
Nodding slowly in agreement as he hurried wolfed down the first piece of toast. "Yeah that guy definitely owns us a favor, or two" Kira said, then brought the glass of milk, up to his mouth swallowed a big mouthful of the white refreshing liquid.
"That wont cut it, Kira. If I had gotten Miriallia pregnant, I wouldn't really mind getting yell at, and perhaps even hit a few times, when I did something stupid. But Athrun was the one who had the fun of making the kid. So it's only fair, that he is the one, to got through the hardship afterwards. Not the two of us" Dearka stated seriously.
Slowly rubbing his chin a few times, with his free hand, Kira thought hard about everything Dearka, had just said to him. "Guess your right. So do you have any bright ideas, about how to punish good old Athrun, for all the hardship, he has put the two of us through?" The soon to be uncle asked, seriously looking forward, to whatever the two of them where going to do, to Athrun to make him pay, for all the suffering they had endured from Cagalli these last few months.
Narrowing each one of his purple eyes thoughtful, Dearka tried hard, to decide how exactly Kira and him, where going to show Athrun Zala their 'appreciation', for the large amount of trouble, he had put both of them through. Yet before the former Buster pilot, could come up with some truly ingenious scheme, to get even with Athrun, he was instantly, brought out of his deep thoughts, by Cagalli's loud cranky voice.
"Just so we are clear idiots. None of YOU, are going to do anything to Athrun. I already have a pretty decent plan, about how punish him for getting me pregnant. He is going to be the one to get up at night, every single time the kid cries" the young woman explained, with a truly wicked grin covering her face.
Not saying anything to that, at first, Kira and Dearka just stared silently at each other for a long moment or two. Then finally nodded a single time each, to show that they approve of Cagalli's plan. It was just so simply, yet at the same time so unbelievable mean.
"Hm ok, that's much worse then anything I could come up with" Dearka said, doing nothing at all to hide, that he was already looking forward a great deal, to start teasing Athrun, with that, once the kid was born.
Also quite pleased, with his sister's punishment for Athrun, Kira reached down, and picked up the remaining piece of toast, which he immediately, took a small bite of. "Yeah, leave it to my sweet loving sister, to come up with a punishment, like that" the young man said, still slowly eating his breakfast.
Slowly rolling both of her eyes single time at their comments, Cagalli once more turned her attention back towards the board game, and as she threw the dices, she muttered out something that sounded very much like fools. Something both of the men had gotten quite used to being call by her, these last few months.
Not really understanding how in the world, it could be considered a punishment, looking after a baby, Mayu Ramius, slowly moved her deeply confused gaze between, her three siblings figures. Then finally looked back over at her mother, with a questionable expression on her small face.
"Does a infant really cry that much mom?" The eleven-year-old curiously asked.
Smiling softly at her daughter's question, while moving a few of the blue pieces, around on the Risk board, thereby making it that much more difficult, for Mayu and Cagalli to invade one of the large continents, she presently had control over. "Some of them do. But there is a possibility, that Athrun might just be so fortunate, that Cagalli and him, ends up getting a child, that doesn't make even one sound, during the night" Murrue explained, trying hard to figure out, which one of the girls, was the biggest threat, in the game right now.
"If we do get a kid like that. I just have to find some other way to get even with him. This is after all his fault" Cagalli said, which frankly making it sound like she had no responsibility at all, for getting pregnant. Like she had NOT been a part of the activity, that had create the small life growing inside her belly.
Chuckling softly, at the blond haired girl's words, Murrue reached down, and picked up her brown mug, and took a small sip of her still hot coffee. "While I totally agree, that a man is just as well suited to change a diaper, as a woman are. You seem to forget Cagalli, that you are the one carrying the food, at first. So if he or she happens to be hungry, you pretty much got no other choice, but to get out of bed, and feed it" Murrue said in a gentle tone.
"Ahhh! That's just not fair. I have to be pregnant with this kid, for nine months! Why the hell can't Athrun be the one, to breastfeed it? It's not like he has anything better to do!" The short tempered blonde stated displeased. While staring intensely down at the game board.
Doing her best not to laugh out loud, at that statement, Murrue tried hard, to come up with a quick response, to what the soon to be mother, had just said. Yet before she could think of anything, she was cut off by laughter, from the other side of the huge room.
"Heh! That's a good one Cagalli! I would SO LOVE to see, how weirded out Athrun would get. If you actually went and told him that it's up to him to breastfeed the kid. That would be funny as hell!" Dearka laughed loudly.
"Yeah...Heh...No kidding! We are so going to tease him about that! Once he return to his senses, and get his sorry ass back here!" Kira said. Laughing just as loud and hard about the whole thing as his second best friend.
Glaring angrily at the two brain dead dunderheads, Cagalli was just about to leap full speed up from her seat, and race over to show the still laughing fools, just what she thought about their, totally idiotic comments.
But before the cranky woman could do anything, somebody suddenly grasped tightly on to her left hand, which instantly made her look at the individual responsible for stopping her, just when she was about to teach those two morons a lesson, they would never forget.
Yet once Cagalli got eye contact with the Archangel Captain. She saw Murrue slowly shake her head back and forth a few times. "Just pretend like that you didn't hear them Cagalli. It's pretty obvious, that both of them, are in a sarcastic mood right now. If you start yelling at them now, I guarantee you, that neither of them will shut up again, anytime soon. The best way for you to handle this Cagalli, is simply by ignoring them" Murrue advised the pregnant blond haired girl, in a whisper.
Narrowing each one of her eyes, thoughtfully, Cagalli quickly went over everything Murrue had just said to her. As much as Cagalli, sincerely hate to admit it, the Captain's words did much to her deep annoyance, make quite a bit of sense to her. If she start yelling at Kira and Dearka now, the chance of them shutting up again anytime soon, was rather slim.
And knowing that, Cagalli reached up and rubbed her forehead in a frustrated manner. Then looked over at the two men, who was still chuckling slightly about the whole breastfeeding thing. As both of them smiled innocently at her, she rolled her eyes a single time, while letting out a deep frustrate sigh. Then look back over at Murrue again.
"It's just that they are both so unbelievable annoying, these days. Why can't they just shut up the next seven months, until the kid is born?" The girl asked, with a half serious expression on her face, that made it perfectly clear, that she wasn't really expecting a response to such an outright preposterous question.
Of course realizing that, the Archangel Captain, just smiled a bit at Cagalli, before she once more turned her attention downwards, towards the board game. Yet she had just badly thrown the five dices, when the third person at the table, decide to share her thoughts, about the last thing Cagalli had said.
"I really don't get why, you are complaining so much about them, big sis. You are making it sound like, they just start becoming annoying recently. Yet since I have lived with them, for two years now. I can tell you, that they ain't really behaving that much differently, than they use to" Mayu said, with a half innocent smile on her face.
Not saying anything to that at first, Murrue and Cagalli just stare silently at each other, for a few long seconds. Then finally each one of the two women let out a small laugh. "You don't need to tell me that, Mayu. I know all to well just how utterly foolish and dumb, men can be at times. That's one of those lessons all woman should learn, as fast as possible. Especially before one starts dating one of these mindless creatures called men" Cagalli explained to the eleven-year-old, in a kind tone.
Hearing her say that, Mayu tilted her head, slightly to the side. "Does that include Athrun as well big sis?" The girl asked next, still smiling innocently.
Honestly quite baffled over that question, Cagalli Yula Athha had little to no success hiding her bewilderment. Just one single look at that thoughtful expression presently on her face, was all Mayu, and the rest of them in there needed to tell, that she was having a hard time, coming up with a good response to that question.
"Emm well Athrun is a rare exception to that rule, Mayu dear. His thoughtfulness and his handsomeness, more then makes up for his silliness" Cagalli explained in a soft, far away tone, and with a deeply longing look, in each one of her brown eyes, which made it totally obvious to everybody in there, just how much Cagalli truly missed, being together with Athrun.
"You see Mayu. Once you fall in-love with somebody. All that person's silliness, just don't matter all that much...Anymore" Murrue told her daughter in a soft tone, while looking in the direction of the door, clearly wondering if the man she loved would ever return back to normal. While still thinking about that, she slowly reached up with her right hand, and began playing around, with the expensive engagement ring, hanging around her neck, in a likewise expensive sliver chain.
Seeing the kind-hearted woman do that, and knowing just how much this whole dilemma with Mu's memories, bothered Murrue, Kira had a very difficult time, not showing the deep guilt he felt from showing on his face. He really want to tell her right now, that some of Mu's old memories had returned.
'Why...did I have to promise, Mu? Not to say anything about him being able to remember a few things. I...I seriously hate keeping such a secret to myself. I just can't help but feel like she deserves to know that truth...' Kira growled to himself inside his mind, as he thought about everything Murrue had done, for Lacus and him. Like giving the two of them a place, to call home. And more importantly helped protect Lacus from those crazy assassins Durandel had send after his pink haired goddess. Murrue Ramius had done so unbelievable much for them, that Kira seriously doubted, that he and Lacus would ever be able to repay her.
"Murrue...I am certain that Mu will regain his memories, at some point. He just...just needs time" Kira softly reassured the brown haired woman, that was very much like an older sister to him.
Shaking her head back and forth a few times, Murrue slowly turned her attention away from the door, and looked over at Kira, where she instantly took notice of the concerned look he was sending her.
Seeing that, Murrue smiled slightly at the young man. "I hope so Kira. I...I really do. I want so badly to spend time with him, these days. But I just don't know, what to say and talk with him about. I always feel like crying, every time he insist on being call Neo. It...It break my heart, I know that Mu loved me. He did not hesitate to show me that, but he is just SO hard, to figure out now..." Murrue said, with a great deal of sadness in her voice, with a single lonely tear running down her left cheek.
Having immediately paused his video game, when Kira and Murrue, had start talking about Mu's conditions, Dearka narrowed each one of his purple eyes slightly, when he noticed the tear.
Like his friend sitting next to him, Dearka felt very much like, he owned a great deal to Murrue Ramius. The kinda kind-hearted woman, had done so much more for him, even more than his mother and father ever had. So he seriously hated seeing Murrue cry. Actually now that he gave it a little thought, he did not really like seeing anybody he cared about cry, especially the women in their little family.
"If you want us to, Murrue. Kira and I could go down and beat Mu on the head, with either a frying pan or a good old wooden baseball bat. Perhaps if we are just a little lucky, that will help him remember, who the heck we are!" Dearka joked in a soft tone, as he took a glance back at the screen, to make sure that the game was still paused.
Having known Dearka Elsman for as long as she had, Murrue of course knew that the blond haired 'Murasame' pilot, had the habit of making jokes, during tense situations. So when she heard, his overall violent solution, to Mu's memory problem, the Archangel Captain simply let out a small breath, and rolled her eyes a single time.
"That truly is a most generous offer, Dearka. Buuut I think that it's best that we follow Kira's more peaceful suggestion. Besides, I do not want to give him the impression, that all of us have gone totally nuts, during his absent. I am after all hoping to get back together with him again, at some point. Not make him flee by the mere sight of me" Murrue said.
Nodding slowly at that, a few times, Dearka moved around a bit on the couch, to get into a more comfortable position. "I understand that Murrue. It's just that, I see him as a part of the crew. And I can't help but find it kinda weird, to have a fellow crew member lock up down in the medical bay, like this. I kinda feel like, he should be up here with the rest us" Dearka said in a soft yet serious tone, while playing around with the left analog stick, on the video game controller.
"Yeah now that you mention it, I actually kinda miss having the big goofball around to make bad jokes" Cagalli said, even though she did of course realized that Mu La Flaga had piss her off far more times, with his totally idiotic comments, than he had made her laugh. But while there was truly no denying, how big a headache the Hawk of Endymion could be from time to time, Cagalli knew that deep inside she really liked, Mu La Flaga. He was a good guy no doubt about that.
Slowly rubbing his chin in a thoughtful manner, once he heard his sister say that, Kira tilted his head slightly to the side, and let out a small thoughtful sound. "Hm you say that you miss his jokes, Cagalli. Do you also miss it, when he calls you 'girl', instead of your name?" The male twin asked.
"Emm ok that's one of those things I could live without! He is just SO damn annoying, when he does that!" Cagalli complained, thinking briefly about how many times, Mu had refer to her only by the word girl. She seriously didn't get why the heck it was so damn hard calling her Cagalli, instead of that one word.
If she had to have a nickname, why couldn't that blond haired moron, have found something just a tiny bit more adorable, like he had done with Lacus' Pink Princess nickname. Not that Cagalli actually want, to be call blond princess. She would most likely have hate that, even more then just girl. Whenever somebody had refer to her as princess when growing up, she had always felt very much like tearing that person's head straight off.
Yet while everybody else was chuckling softly over how Mu, used to tease Cagalli, Mayu was totally silent, while it was definitely truth, that she mostly preferred getting on grandpa Waltfeld, grandpa Amagi, and last but certainly not least, grandpa Murdoch's nerves. She had nothing at all against bothering other people. And having just been given such a grand opportunity, to annoy big sis Cagalli, was certainly not something the small trouble maker could say no to. This was simply to good to past up.
"Hmm so being call girl, really bothers you, just what will you give me, for not calling you that, from now on?" Mayu asked softly, sounding amazingly innocent, considering what she was doing.
Hearing her trouble maker of a daughter, asked the pregnant girl that, Murrue had a difficult time, keeping her laughter under control. As she watched Cagalli, turn around with so much hast, that she almost fell out of her seat in the process.
Seeing the overall wicked expression, Mayu presently had on her face. Cagalli almost slam her head down into the table, in mere frustration over being blackmailed, by an eleven-year-old girl. Frankly the only reason why she settle for letting out a deep annoyed sigh instead, was simply because she did not want to ruin their game, by knocking over all the different colored pieces, spread out on the Risk board.
And so while still glaring at the Archangel's small trouble maker, the blond haired woman let out a loud displeased growling sound, as she sat up straight in her seat.
"Soo...what do you want?" Cagalli asked softly, with a small hint of irritation in her voice.
"Hmm my price is ten new video games. Once we return to Orb! With all the time we have been coop up down in the sea, I'm sure I have missed a lot of great games" the girl said.
Slowly scratching her short blond logs, in a thoughtful manner, Cagalli soon had a business like expression on her face, instead of the cranky glare. "Ok, that's a lot of games. Can't you settle for just three?" Cagalli suggest calmly, sounding very much like she was talking with the rest of the politicians back home.
Rapidly shaking her head, a few times, Mayu was quick to deny that offer. "Nope that's just not enough 'girl'. If you are so cheap, then what about nine?" The girl asked. quite frankly hoping, that by provoking her sister figure just a bit, she could end their haggling relatively quickly. Thereby earning the biggest profit.
Of course knowing what, Mayu was up to by calling her girl. Cagalli gave, her lower lips a light bite, while strictly reminding herself to remain totally calm, no matter what else Mayu said.
"Em that's still way to many Mayu dear. What about four?"
"Hmm that is a little better, sis. But unfortunately, my silence can not be bought, so easily. But if you are willing I guess i can settle for seven games, and nothing less!" The smaller on of the two Ramius declared in a loud tone, that made it perfectly clear to both Cagalli, and everybody else in there, that the girl wasn't going to go any lower then that.
Staring silently at the grinning girl, for a short moment or two, Cagalli brought an end to the slightly tense moment, by letting out a deep tired sigh. "Fiiiine! Once I'm done cleaning up the mess, Yuna and his moronic father, have made back home, the two of us will go out and buy, the games you want, Mayu" Cagalli promised in a sweet tone, then mumbled something about hoping that Mayu would at least, pick out a few race car games.
While it was most certainly true, that Cagalli wasn't playing as many video games, as she had done, before the last war had broken out, she still very much liked playing those type of games, where one could totally modify a car however you want. And then just race off down the highway, with a whole bunch of cops on your tail.
"I'm sorry big sis. But I don't really like race car games. They are just so hard, I want platform games, and maybe a few beat em ups!" Mayu said with a large smile on her face, that was all Cagalli need to tell, just how much the girl was looking forward, to getting the seven new games, she had just been promised.
Wondering briefly how Mayu could find race car games hard, and still be so good, at most beat em up games. In Cagalli's eyes, those where the truly hard once to master. She had never been good at remembering, what order one was suppose to press the buttons, to pull of some of the more devastating moves. So she usually end up getting her ass kicked, when playing a fighting game.
And while still sulking mildly over the fact, that she wasn't very good at those type of games, Cagalli slowly pick up the dice, and looked thoughtfully down at the Risk board. Now trying hard to decide, what exactly her next move was going to be. She could easily tell, that Murrue was the biggest threat right now, so it would most definitely be wise, if she got her own forces ready for the upcoming battle. And so with that decision made she release her hold on the dice, and threw all of them at the table beside the board.
Yet as the three women once more turned their full attention towards the Risk board, Dearka lean over and whispered a few words into the ear of his best friend. "Hmm now that I think about it, there should be a few new games out I want. Do you think I can blackmail Cagalli too, with the 'girl' nickname?" He asked.
Narrowing each one of his purple eyes skeptically, Kira did not say anything for almost an entire minute, he just sat there staring silently at his fellow pilot and friend, like he had gone completely insane.
"Well if you actually want to try and blackmail her like that, Dearka. Then go right ahead, I'm not going to stand in your way buddy. Buuuut you do realize that unlike Mayu, she will not hesitate even a second about tearing your head off for trying to blackmail her" Kira warned, then stood slowly up and made his way over, to the soda machine, where he instantly pressed the red button marked with the letters coke.
And as the brown haired man bent down, and picked up the round tincan, the machine spat out, Dearka let out a soft thoughtful sound. "Hmm...I see your point Kira. I'll just keep my mouth shut. I kinda like having my head, stuck on my body" Dearka said with a light shiver running down his spine.
After that, both of the men where totally silent a few seconds, as Kira walked back over to the couch, where he immediately sat back down, beside Dearka then took a long ship of the bubbly liquid inside the soda can.
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Meanwhile elsewhere on the ship.
Miriallia slowly step out of the shower, and picked up the towel, she had brought along with her down to the Archangel's shower room. Then after taking a glance at herself, in one of the mirrors down there, she began drying her wet hair, which she had already washed two times now, to get rid of the stench of the cigar, Murdoch had been happily smoking, while they had been playing poker.
But even though the brunette haired woman honestly thought, that smoking was a disgusting habit to have, that wasn't the reason why she had left the hangar not that long ago.
The reason why, she had decide to leave, was because she had been the only woman down there. And as much as she enjoyed a good game of poker, she simply couldn't help, but feel a bit out of place, down there. So after showing all of the Orb pilots, Lieutenant Amagi and the mechanics. Who the true master of poker was, on the Archangel. She had left with a smug grin on her face, which she sincerely hoped, was still bothering Murdoch and everybody else down in the hangar.
And so while still smiling brightly to herself, Miriallia used her towel to quickly dry off the rest of the water, on her body. And as she began softly humming the theme song, to her favorite movie, she threw the fluffy towel on the floor then began getting dressed.
After that she used a couple of minutes to set her hair. "Hmm maybe I should consider growing it just a bit longer. I wonder just how I would look, if it was the same length as Lacus'. She really does have beautiful hair. It's no surprise Kira loves it, as much as he does" the girl whispered in a soft tone.
Yet knowing how long it would take for her hair to get that long, Miriallia was quick to shake those thoughts out of her mind. "Ohhh well I can always think about that some other time. Now as much as I would like to go hang out with Dearka and everybody else, down in the mess hall, we do have quite a bit of laundry piled up in our room. And it does seem highly unlikely that Dearka has taken care of it, while I was playing poker. I really don't get why he has soooo much against doing laundry?" The brunette questioned softly.
While it was certainly true, that Dearka Elsman could be more then a little lazy from time to time. He was not the type of guy who actually tried to get out of whatever chore, needed to be done around the house. It was just that laundry always bothered Dearka quite a bit.
In Miriallia's eyes it was one of the more easy tasks to handle. You just load the washing machine, then it would take care of the rest for you. Yet maybe the reason why, her boyfriend hate doing laundry so much, was because he always screw it up, somehow. At one point, he had ruined seven white brand new T-shirts he had just bought, when he had accidently washed them together with Lacus' new pink skirt. Needless to say, he had afterwards given away all of the now likewise pink T-shirts.
"Hmm now that I think about it. Perhaps it is a good thing, he ain't doing our laundry. I kinda like my clothes the color it is" Miriallia laughed. Then slowly turned around, and began making her way over to the exit of the shower room. Now chuckling softly to herself over how utterly amusing it had been, when Dearka had accidently shrunk three of Andrew Waltfeld's red and yellow polo shirts. The one eyed man, had looked ready to strangle him back then. That really had been funny as hell.
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It was almost an hour later when Miriallia step into the mess hall. Where the first thing she saw, was five of the people that was very much like family to her. All of them where sitting calmly on the couch, watching an old Disney film. Or to be more exact four of them where. Cagalli was fast asleep with her head resting on Kira's shoulder, and one small look at Mayu made it totally clear that she was having a difficult time staying awake, and that she was just about to fall asleep up against Dearka.
Smiling slightly at that, Miriallia went over, and sat down on the other side of him, where she looked at the screen a few seconds, at the singing animals in there.
"Should I be jealous over finding you sitting here with another girl?" Miriallia asked her boyfriend in a teasing tone.
Taking a small glance away from the TV screen, and down at Mayu who was now sleeping softly against him, Dearka smiled a bit as he turned his attention back towards his lovely girlfriend. "I don't think so Mir. I do like her. But not the same way, I like you" the blond haired man reassured her playfully, just as he wrapped his free arm around Miriallia.
Chuckling softly at his answer, Miriallia snuggle up towards him, and let out a light content sigh. Then after sitting there quietly watching the movie for a few minutes, she took a glance over at Cagalli, then asked how long she had been asleep.
"Em almost since the beginning of the movie" Kira answered softly. Sincerely hoping that his sister would at least stay asleep for the rest of the movie. With her being so concerned about Athrun, Orb and the baby, Kira honestly doubted that Cagalli, had been sleeping all that well, these last few weeks.
While it was most certainly true that he did not know, overly much about pregnancy, one thing Kira no doubt about, was that it was severely exhausting, for most women. So now that Cagalli was finally getting some well need sleep, he honestly thought, she deserved to stay asleep for as long as possible. It was after all highly doubtful, that any of them would be getting much rest, once they reached Orb.
Yet quite frankly not in the mood to think about, how much trouble that awaited them once they got back home, Kira shook his head slightly, as he once more looked back at the TV screen, totally determined to enjoy the peace as much as he possibly could.
Kira did however not watched the movie for very long, before he found himself wondering what his wife, was doing right now. He and Lacus might only have been apart for little over a month. It almost felt like it had been a small eternity since he had last seen her. It still bother Kira immensely, that Gilbert Durandal most likely still had who knew how many people, searching for Lacus and the Eternal.
'I know that most of the world sees Chairman Durandal, as a hero, but I can't even begin to describe how much I dislike, that guy. Him and Rau Le Creuset could easily match each other in a competition to decide who of them, are the biggest maniac in human history' the brown haired teen thought. Yet seeing as the mask wearing crackpot had been dead and gone, for two years now, Kira figured that it was somewhat pointless worrying about him. They had a totally new crackpot, to worry about now.
Yet of course knowing, that there was nothing they could do about Durandal at the this moment in time, it did not take very long before Kira found himself once again thinking about his beautiful wife.
And once Kira saw the images of the pink haired goddess smiling happily at him, dress in nothing else, then a fluffy red bath towel, it was impossible for him not to whisper her name softly.
And seeing as Cagalli was still sound asleep, Murrue, who was sitting on the other side of him, was the only one who heard him. "Please be patient Kira. I know just how much you miss her. But I am certain, that it wont be much longer before she returns" the brown haired woman said, just as she reached down and gave his hand, a light reassuring squeeze.
Smiling gratefully at her, Kira nodded slowly a single time. "Yeah I know that Miss Murrue. I just feel a bit lonely without her. I really do miss, having her laying beside me at night. That huge bed down in our room, does feels a tiny bit empty without her" Kira said, sincerely looking forward to the day, Lacus would return from outer space.
"Well knowing Lacus, she probably feels the exact same way as you do. Yet if there is one thing, I have no doubt about, Kira. Then it is, that she is going to return to you, once she is done with everything she needs to do, out in space" Murrue said in a gentle tone, then stood up and made her way over to one of the many vending machines down there, to get herself a fresh cup of coffee. And after adding a tiny bit of sugar, to the hot brown liquid, she walked back over to the couch, and sat back down, in the exact same spot she had left only a few seconds ago.
Thinking hard about everything, Murrue had just said to him, Kira knew that she was right. Lacus would return, once everything was taken care of out in space. And if Chairman Durandal, or anybody else tried to prevent her, from returning. They could be absolutely certain, that he was gone kick their ass so damn hard, that even their unborn grandchilder would be able to feel it.
And with that in mind, Kira whispered a small thank you to Murrue, before he yet again turned his attention back towards the TV.
"Hmm you are welcome, Kira" Murrue answered softly, while she too looked back over at the large TV screen, where a whole bunch of different colored cats, was playing music together, in a rundown old house. And while this was far from the first time, Murrue had watched this movie, she was truly glad, to be spending time with the people that important to her. Even though two of them was sound asleep.
To be continued.