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Apr. 25th, 2006 11:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kuribohYeah. I need to hang onto these for references. After losing "The Apartment" (Which is about a year old now,) I don't want to risk another important one.
28 Going on Forever
Large hands wrapped around her waist, hauling her out of bed without her blankets. The sudden shock from warm to cold make the tiny girl squeak in protest and snap her eyes open, beginning to flail against her apparent kidnapper. A stray arm finally maked weak contact with the flesh of her assaliant's face, causing him to begin lauging.
The tiny Kazée turned around, craning her neck around as the figure turned her over and cradled her bridal-style. Her little cheeked huffed up in impudence and annoyance upon discovering the identity of her assaliant.
"Locke!" she cried, "Tu es mechant! Mis me vers le bas!"
Her eldest brother laughed again. "Mais tu es une princesse aujourd'hui! Des princesses doivent être portées partout."
Kazée stopped squirming and looked up at Locke, "Une princesse de ninja?" she asked, wondering what could warrant such a rude awakening and then such complements.
"Oui cher. Si est ce ce que vous voulez." He laughed again, continuing on. "Bonne fête, Kazée."
She sat bolt up, casting her eyes wildly around the bedroom. "Un rêve?" she whispered, slowing her wandering eyes down and inhaling a deep breath. Beside her slept her red-headed lover, and on the other side, now wide awake and staring was Mu-Kun. Kazée sighed, and was about to flop back down to sleep, but the computer at the far side of the room made a little sound, alerting it's user to incoming mail.
Kaz grunted and slid off the bed gently, careful not to wake the man beside her. She padded across the room and flicked on the nearby lamp, pushing the monitor on as quietly as she could.
Before the screen was even as bright as it could be, she selected the icon for her inbox, clicking quickly. There was only one new message, and it had no subject, no sender and no retunr adress. She considered deleting it, but her junk filter had yet to fail her, so...
She opened the email. it contained only for words:
Bonne Fête, petite Kazée.
Startled, she looked at it again and again and again. She flicked her gaze back at Raziel, but he did not stir. It wasn't him then. It certainly couldn't have been the cat, nor her son...
But...
Kaz quickly shut off the e-mail and then the monitor before rising again to look at the calendar.
March 28.
"Je vieillis."
Large hands wrapped around her waist, hauling her out of bed without her blankets. The sudden shock from warm to cold make the tiny girl squeak in protest and snap her eyes open, beginning to flail against her apparent kidnapper. A stray arm finally maked weak contact with the flesh of her assaliant's face, causing him to begin lauging.
The tiny Kazée turned around, craning her neck around as the figure turned her over and cradled her bridal-style. Her little cheeked huffed up in impudence and annoyance upon discovering the identity of her assaliant.
"Locke!" she cried, "Tu es mechant! Mis me vers le bas!"
Her eldest brother laughed again. "Mais tu es une princesse aujourd'hui! Des princesses doivent être portées partout."
Kazée stopped squirming and looked up at Locke, "Une princesse de ninja?" she asked, wondering what could warrant such a rude awakening and then such complements.
"Oui cher. Si est ce ce que vous voulez." He laughed again, continuing on. "Bonne fête, Kazée."
She sat bolt up, casting her eyes wildly around the bedroom. "Un rêve?" she whispered, slowing her wandering eyes down and inhaling a deep breath. Beside her slept her red-headed lover, and on the other side, now wide awake and staring was Mu-Kun. Kazée sighed, and was about to flop back down to sleep, but the computer at the far side of the room made a little sound, alerting it's user to incoming mail.
Kaz grunted and slid off the bed gently, careful not to wake the man beside her. She padded across the room and flicked on the nearby lamp, pushing the monitor on as quietly as she could.
Before the screen was even as bright as it could be, she selected the icon for her inbox, clicking quickly. There was only one new message, and it had no subject, no sender and no retunr adress. She considered deleting it, but her junk filter had yet to fail her, so...
She opened the email. it contained only for words:
Bonne Fête, petite Kazée.
Startled, she looked at it again and again and again. She flicked her gaze back at Raziel, but he did not stir. It wasn't him then. It certainly couldn't have been the cat, nor her son...
But...
Kaz quickly shut off the e-mail and then the monitor before rising again to look at the calendar.
March 28.
"Je vieillis."
Unwelcome Guest
In the depths of Alecto stood a house. Cozy, comfortable and secluded, a real getaway for someone who just wanted to relax. In that house lived a woman who had been dealt a hand in life in which she had all the right to relax in that cozy house. Kazee Virgo, a woman who sided with the power that was Raziel Frost. Their lives had become complex due to the ongoing war. As she rested, in her mind she was at work. Shutting off what lights she had and lighting scented candles, Kazee laid across a soft sofa. The house seemed big when she was alone. The children weren't present and Raziel had gone off to handle ZAFT business. Her eyes shut slowly, ready to hide her wintergreen hues for the night. A tapping sound came from one of her windows. Ignoring it at first but becoming increasingly annoyed by the tapping, Kazee got up to see what was at her window.
Slowly she moved the curtain, but to see nothing there. Suddenly, the sound came from upstairs. Kazee's eyes shifted towards the staircase. Feeling eerie about the sound, she grabbed anything she could bring with her as a weapon. Luckily, it turned out to be the rake she used during the fall season for the dead leaves. As she took a few steps up the stairs, the sound became monotonous right until it came to a dead stop. As she took another step, the sound came from downstairs again. Looking back down, her hands gripped onto the rake, tightening up and getting ready to take out anyone who tried to infiltrate her home. Walking back down slowly, she waited to her the noise again. There was a creepy silence that blanketed her home. The beeping of her communicator startled her. Kazee raced down the steps and rushed to her comm to answer the call in hopes that it were Raziel.
"Virgo, over" Kazee spoke, but to only here heavy breathing.
"Who is this?" Kazee asked. The heavy breathing became quiet laughter.
"WHO IS THIS?" Kazee yelled into the comm.
"Checkmate" The voice muttered.
"Uh huh, go fuck your mother" Kazee snapped as she turned the comm off and placed it in her pocket.
As Kazee turned around, there was a silhouette of a rather tall man down her hall. Kazee let out a gasp but didn't scream. For a warrior on the battlefield, playing a game of cat and mouse was nothing and it would take a hell of a lot of more scare tactics to make her scream. Dropping the rake and grabbing the first gun she could get her hands on from her coffee table. When she turned back around, the silhouette was gone. Knowing her own home, she knew that there was only one other place he could've ran off to. As she calmly stalked her own halls, she quickly turned to the left and took aim, but no one was there. It was a single hallway that she stared down and one door that was closed. Kazee walked towards the door, but the tapping sound from her windows returned from the front of the house right until she heard it shatter. Kazee ran with her gun in hand and cocked ready to fire. Reaching the front of the house, Kazee saw no one but stared at her floor. A million pieces of glass were across her floor. A gust of cold wind blew in through her window, blowing out her candles and leaving her in the dark. Taking calculated steps to avoid walking on the glass or walking into anything, Kazee reached out for a light switch. As he hand went for the switch, it was stopped by another hand. It was then that Kazee screamed for her life.
"Quiet, it'll be over soon....I promise" Whispered a voice.
His hand covered her mouth and stopped her from screaming any further. His white gloved hand ran through her hair as he smelt her. To make Kazee sop panicing, the man turned the lights on and turned Kazee around. When she saw him, her eyes widened. Kazee thought him to be dead, but that's how he wanted things to be...Not only for her, but for ZAFT as well. A devilish smirk crept along his face. His mischevious hands paced down her neck right down to her chest. Tears flowed from Kazee's eyes as she screamed.
"I must say, Raziel has done great for himself" Spoke the man as he pinched Kazee on her neck, hitting a nerve and knocking her out. Several hours had passed after the intruder broke in and took possession of Kazee Virgo. When she awoke, her mind was left blank. She was fully dressed and positioned outside of her house. The man stood there and whispered into her ear. He gave her orders to deliver a message to her lover, Raziel. Her right hand held onto her gun of which she was to use on Raziel. She was to shoot, not to kill, but to injure. To see Kazee Virgo now....would make one question where her mind was at. Her eyes were dialated and the look of blankness came from her beautiful wintergreen retinas. Kazee hand been brainwashed and sent out to see her lover who was not expecting what was coming to him. The stranger cloaked himself in his white cape and walked off and set Kazee out. He would follow her to find Raziel and then wait his chance to reveal himself to who would become the former leader of ZAFT.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Right.
One foot in front of the other.
Continue forward.
Left.
Right.
Stop.
...
...
Raziel? Where?
...
...
Dock?
Most likely.
Yes. The Dock.
Turn left.
Forward.
She moved forward in a robotic fasion, dazed but aware. Stopping on the boundaries of the dock, she saw vaugely in the distance a ZAFT ship getting fueled up and supplied for the upcoming battles. Raziel was probably there. She shifted her grip on the lethal metal in her right hand.
Shoot to harm.
Not to kill.
Make sure he knows.
Then sleep?
Then sleep.
The dock was unnaturally busy. Understandable, considering the situation. Kazée walked quickly through the throngs of soldiers and mechanics alike running willy nilly. To the few who were able to hollar a greeting, they recieved an equally friendly one in return. An average passerby noticed not a thing wrong.
Entering the dock's interior, she paused again. ZAFT was stationed to the left of the dock, Junkers to the right. Knowing full well Raziel was likely to be with the Providence, she headed left.
The ZAFT area was no quieter than the outside. It seemed a bit less hectic here, though, probably due to the nearby Junkers. Even from the edge, she could see a few who bore the Guild's emblem crawling all over the mighty Providence.
And below it shone the bright mane of Raziel Frost.
The hand around her gun tightened.
Wait until you're alone...
Wait...
She started again, moving faster this time. It took her several minutes to reach her target, during which she hid the gun behind her back, just under her sweater. She kept a hold of it, but it was no longer obvious to the average passer-by.
Finally, she reached him.
Her left hand came up to rest on his shoulder, and she leaned up on her toes to whisper in his ear.
"Raz, darling. I need to talk to you...privately..."
::Raziel barked orders at the Junkers who were busy toiling over the Providence Gundam. Ever since Mendel, the suits reactions had slowed to an excessive amount. It was something unnatural to Raziel, causing him to put himself even further ahead than accustomed. Then he felt it, something reaching onto his shoulder. The immiediete sensation, the finality of that touch, he knew it could only be one person. The voice in his ear confirmed it::
"Raz, darling. I need to talk to you...privately..." was the sweet sweet voice of Kazée, calming his nerves as her words escaped her lips.
::Raziel smiled, turning away from the Providence. She was the only one who could bring his attention away from the pain-staking modification process he chose to over-see. It certainly was a pleasant surprise to see her now, especially with her casual use of an intimate touch. Maybe they could finally stop keeping it a secret. There were rumours, amongst all the camps, but nothing had been confirmed. As he had said after they first coupled, he couldn't keep quiet about something he was infinitely proud of. He looked upon her soft features, her lucious lips, and her perfect eyes::
"Of course, Kazée. I'm sure that the security of the colony is something we both need to plan on. I'll follow you," he replied, trying his best to keep that goofy smile off of his face.
::She smiled and took his hand, leading him away from the Providence and the ZAFT hangar. He walked behind her, his longer legs allowing him to walk at a much slower pace, but keep up easily with his companion. They turned a corner, disappearing into the shadows of the building. Raziel couldn't hold himself back anymore. He grabbed Kazée quickly, turning her around, placing his lips on hers, closing his eyes as he kissed her deeply. Then he felt it, the cold steel of something against his left arm. He pulled back, and looked at her intently, staring straightly into her eyes. It hit him. Just as she pulled the trigger it hit him::
"Fuck..."
::The bullet tore into his false arm, tearing through the artifical skin and muscle, just barely missing the metallic core of his 'bone'. The nerve endings that had been grown flicked to life, then died just as quickly, as the burning and stabbing sensation tore through him. He span backwards, his back crashing into the wall. He dropped to the floor, and looked at her, her eyes, lifeless and completely devoid of that wonderful beauty that normally accompanied them. He knew this work, he had seen it before. He looked up at her, as she fell back::
"...QUINZE!"
--Clap--
--Clap--
--Clap--
"At least you survived the shot" Quinze spoke through the echoing walls of the hangar. He stayed put in his place as to not reveal himself, not yet anyways. Looking down at both Raziel and Kazee, he couldn't help but smirk. Placing his right hand on the hilt of his sword, he stood ready. The plan was to make Raziel do his bidding or else he would have to strike the man down and take everything back by force. By any means necessary was the motto here.
"I brought you up and you let your guard down for the weaker of the sexes?" Quinze asked. "Tsk tsk, I figured you to be stronger than that, Frost"
"I raised you, trained you, fathered you and mentored you to rule with an iron fist and all you can do with that iron fist is please your female companion. You've grown weak in my absence. I thought by having you kill me, that it would solidify your backbone, but I see that your knees quiver everytime she's around" Quinze stated, his eyes becoming more narrow...more....focused.
"SHOW YOURSELF!" Demanded Raziel
"All in due time. I propose this to you, Frost. Since you've disappointed me, greatly I might add, how about you hand over all control to me and you go AWOL for a time? You can, train yourself once more and come back for your throne at any time" Quinze smirked.
"Or you can give me back what's rightfully mine, let me have my throne and let the universe that Quinze is back. The return of the King, Raziel. Your time has come"
Jumping over the rail from the balcony above and landing gracefully while his large cape elegantly coursed through the air and draped over his shoulders afterwards, Quinze unsheathed his "Sword of No Engraving" and walked slowly. Removing from his belt from behind him, was another sword. He threw it towards Raziel and expected him to catch it.
"Or you can fight me to the death for it. If you were smart...er, you would choose the former rather than the latter"
::Raziel reached out with his right hand, catching the scabbard in mid-air. He flipped the sword, grabbing the hilt and throwing off the scabbard in one clean movement. The blade shimmered in the dim lighting of the hangar alley. He stared directly at his old master, smiling as he spun the blade around, bringing the flat of the edge against his forearm, the blade facing away. He closed his eyes, and moved his feet into the ready position::
"I've been waiting for you, Quinze. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I met you I was but the learner. Now, I am the master," he muttered, swinging the blade up and around, the hilt switching positions, the blade now pointed at Quinze.
::He took a few steps, heading towards where Kazée lay after she fired her gun. He kneeled down, checking her pulse. It was steady, albeit slightly slowed. Quinze's brainwashing techniques always had the same calling card. He stood back up, and sidled around, side-stepping towards and around Quinze, readying his sword. This epic duel was just the beginning of the 'Duel of the Fates'::
"I allow myself to be weak around her because, unlike you, I don't view my emotions as a liability. They strengthen me, give me power that is beyond anything you could ever hope to achieve. Quinze, you are nothing but an anachronox, and you must be purged. Especially after you used your vile touch on Miss Virgo," Raziel said, lowering his body down, bowing slightly.
::His legs wound up as he knelt, and then he jumped, releasing all the potential energy that he had built up. As he lept into the air, preparing the blade to be brought down upon Quinze, his eyes dulled, and his mind opened. The surrounding area went black, except for Quinze, himself, and Kazée. They were in perfect focus, and he could feel Quinze, his very evil. He smiled as he began his descent::
"You will never have my throne!"
"Fool" Quinze spoke as he counter slashed Raziel's strike and swung upwards to just graze Raziel's stomach. As the young upstart landed, Quinze quickly kicked with full force, knocking him to the side. Again, Quinze sheathed his sword. He undid his cape and walked over to Kazee. He rested it across her body to blanket her. A frown came over his expressions and thoughts rapidly raced through his mind. Memories of so long ago took over. The memories of his one time love of which he had to kill. It was the ruling of his father and that of ZAFT. Quinze was to never fall in love with a Natural, but he did and....he had to end her life with his own edge weapon. Harsh but true, Quinze knew everything of emotions. Loss and pain, joy, vengeance, leadership, all of these are what make Krishishima who was today.
"Don't you dare lecture me about emotions, Frost. I know all too well what love is. I've felt it before. If I explain to you why I will take ZAFT back, you'll comply and hand it back to me. You're in this to erase Naturals. I'm in this to make them understand. In the end, they will work for us. They'll understand that we are the future and the future is now. Besides," Quinze smirked. "Kazee can stay in the catatonic state for the rest of her life right into a coma. If you give me back my throne, I can release her from her own mental prison"
Quinze then turned around and faced Raziel once more. He shook his head to see that the youngster was so frightened at the fact that he would lose the ruling of ZAFT, that he would fight back although he was injured. Raziel wouldn't be forgotten or lose his status. Not at all. Raziel would be put back on a new council. The rebirth of the ZAFT commitee and Raziel would be the head of that. He would still rule and still have sway in all ZAFT affairs. It would just be Quinze as President and Raziel as Vice.
That upstart. Did he really believe that because Quinze had aged that the fight would so much more easier? So much more in his favor? He was a seasoned veteran and a bred cunning warrior and soldier. If there was anything he excelled in, it was hand to hand or edge weapon combat.
"Stop your foolhardy steps to death, Frost. My sword and skill can strike down Gods. If it can take down Gods, it will surely make thin slices out of you!" Quinze laughed.
To further anger the young man, he decided to dig a little deeper. Make him unstable, make him snap and cloud his judgement. It would make all his movements predictable. It would grant him victory. Most importantly, it would make Raziel learn who's the boss. No matter what Raziel was, Seed, ultimate coordinator, whatever, Quinze could still take him down.
"Whatever happened to your sister? It was wise to keep her from me. If I cannot turn you, perhaps she will"
::Raziel flicked his hair back, cocking his eyebrows, laughing as he did so. Had he heard Quinze correctly? All of this was completely out of character for him. Of course, the whole still being alive after being killed thing was as well. But then again, that'd make Raziel a hypocrite. He pointed the sword at Quinze, laughing as he did so, shaking his head::
"You really are delusional, Quinze. You think I want to destroy naturals!? Don't you know about the mudsill principle? Someone has to be on the bottom, and every grand Empire needs slaves. Besides, the only thing I truly want to destroy is the Earth. Humanity needs to be released from the bonds of gravity, to allow them to evolve to a whole new level. And we coordinators will reign above them, having them as our foot-stools and servants. That is my true goal, Quinze," Raziel said, throwing the sword down into the ground.
::He kicked the blade of the sword, and just the proper angle to snap it in twine. He smiled, and flicked his right wrist. From his jacket sleeve, a gun slid out. He cradled the handle in his hands, his fingers wrapping around the grip. He pointed it at Quinze, only his arm moving. He cocked his arrogant smile::
"Besides, Quinze. You know me, I don't like swords. More of my sister's game. I'm a gunslinger, always have been, always will be. And don't you think I learned anything, or do you take me for an idiot? I've studied, and I know how to beat your mind-games," he said, clicking the safety off.
::He smiled, and pulled back the gun. He clicked the safety back on, and tossed it in the air. He outstretched his hand, letting the barrel land squarely in his palm. The handle was now facing Quinze, being used rudimentally as a club. He kept his eyes focused, letting all the information sink in a process as he spoke::
"And Quinze. You stay the fuck away from my dear sister. She would never join you, she's far to intelligent for your mind games. And now, let us end this. No more will I live in your shadow, no more will I be known as 'Raziel Frost, Lieutenant of Quinze Krishishima'. I can stand on my own two feet, and I don't need you, or your abilities to try and change that. Now I'll give you a choice. Either you release Kazée now, or I rip out your spine and feed it to the dogs."
"Rip out my spine, child. Your lover will remain in a coma for the rest of her vegetated life" Quinze smiled.
He was finally proud of Raziel. The young man had now positioned himself at the helm of a God. He knew what he wanted, how to get it done and how to make it so. It was a wonder if Quinze should let him in and tell him the truth, or keep Raziel in the dark for a little longer. He clearly had his head on his shoulders. Shrugging, Quinze sheathed his sword and opened his jacket, button by button. Underneath was a bullet proof vest and a cord that lead right to his left arm. Underneath his glove was a trigger for explosives to go off if he were to be shot down. The explosives, however, were planted on Kazee Virgo. Without words, Quinze revealed all this by pointing to various important factors with his index finger.
"You can fire when ready" Spoke Quinze. "...and yes, I do take you for an idiot"
Quinze calmly walked over to Kazee and motioned for Raziel to follow him. He kneeled down and pulled his cape off of her body. Quinze removed his jacket and then removed the vest from his body. As he rested it on the ground, he pulled the cord and sliced through its protective coat right down to its wires. With his own fingers, he severed the blue wire and left the explosives on Kazee's body as duds. Pulling her shirt up slightly, he removed the strapped on explosives and through them one side. Looking back, he shook his head and Raziel.
"You should know that when facing me, nothing's easy. Did you think you could honestly take me down one on one, especially when I know you know nothing of edge weapon combat? I thought I raised you better than that. I suppose I should let you in on a little secret. I brainwashed you long ago to take my place as I left to take care of family ties. It took me much too long and i've left you in a position of power where you've become much too comfortable" Quinze continued as he laid his cape down on Kazee's body.
"I can simply say two words and your mind will go blank and not have a memory of anything after the time I vanished. I can't do that though, Raziel, because you've become much too stubborn to simply lower your status amongst the other Coordinators" Quinze then held Kazee up with his hand under her back and spoke into her right ear.
"Rise and shine, sleepy head" Quinze smirked as Kazee began to breathe regularly and slightly open her eyes. He always found it funny to say amusing lines to his comatose brainwashed victims.
"By the way, Frost, those two words are "Shayol Ghul", but it's the manner of speech that would trigger your mind to go blank" Rising to his feet with Kazee in his arms, stood an understanding and very proud Quinze Krishishima.
He handed Kazee to Raziel and removed and left his cape wrapped around her body. Raziel placed his gun in his belt and comforted his love in his arms. Quinze stared and thought back, seeing himself holding Jessica and then squinting his eyes to see Raziel holding Kazee again. Thinking quickly, Quinze dashed forwards, pulled the gun out of Raziel's belt and aimed at him.
"I should inform you that I am part of a secret commitee of ZAFT. I am still above you, but you are doing my dirty work. As you are in the front page of the news, I am in the back of your mind, watching, listening to everything you say. I am still your leader, and you are still my apprentice, though you've become a master now. Remember, Frost, I will always be greater than you and you will always be beneath me, but I must say that I am proud of what you've accomplished with my teachings. Now if you'll excuse me, the commitee is waiting for me to return. We've got other things to discuss and plot, and don't worry, you'll be contacted by me again sometime soon with more work to be done. You're still the "leader", but I am still the master....Do well to remember that" Nodded Quinze as he aimed away from Raziel.
Aiming at the explosives, Quinze pulled the trigger and set the explosives off. The hangar would explode and come crashing down. Quinze would vanish without a trace, yet again, and Raziel would barely make it out with Kazee in his arms. Cursing his former mentor's name, Raziel looked back at the explosion and then back to Kazee.
::Raziel shook his head as he looked at the rubble, several crews running out of the hangar to see what had happened. Quinze had done it again, avoided death, and made him look like a fool. He looked at Kazée, who had awoken from her catatonic state. He walked slowly over to her, reaching around with his arms. He said nothing, just holding her close::
"I'm sorry. I didn't kill him last time, and he almost killed you. I didn't expect he'd be back, but I knew he would. Maybe I am so foolish..." he said, whispering into her ear.
::He kissed her forehead, then held her close. He looked around, various technicians reaching the scene of the explosion. Normally, they'd seperate from each other, just to keep up apperances. But this time, Raziel refused to let go. He didn't care. All these secrets, these deceptions to keep their relationship a secret. It pained him, because he was proud of it::
"Don't let go of me, Kaz..."
Rise and shine, sleepy head...
Or so said the voice, as her senses came back alive to noise and colour and smell and touch.
She'd found herself in the arms of someone she couldn't see. He was big, bigger than Raziel at least. His voice was a low grumble in his chest, a sound she found relaxing in a way. Smelled of cucumbers...
But then it got cold and she found herself in the arms of her lover again.
Then he let her go as several explosions went off, but her own body reacted there and both came out safely...
Then he'd come back and now she was resting in his arms.
She curled tired fingers around the man's shirt, leaning deeper into his embrace. Had everything happened quickly...or was she moving slowly?
Her head was heavy and ached like elephants formed a mosh pit inside. Everything about her felt stiff and sore.
But now Raziel was talking to her, which made her feel a bit better. He was holding her, which caused her body to sing in joy, surrounded by the soft musky warmth of her lover. She leaned against him a bit harder, moving her left arm around his back, and gripping the fabric of his shirt weakly with her right. She buried her head into the crevice of his shoulder, seeing out of one eye the emergency crew. She didn't really care. She'd make something up later.
As shouts sounded from other areas began to sound louder and louder in her mind she felt her knees buckle under her and her head grow heavy, but was to tired to cry an alarm. Just fall...
To sit up with a yelp and hollar, a thrash of the arms and a sharp intake of breath...
Back home.
In bed.
::Raziel's eyes were half-lidded, sitting in a chair next to Kazée's bed. She had been out for a few hours, sleeping appearingly restfully during that time. Raziel himself didn't sleep, just keeping watch over her. Quinze's brain-washing techniques often times led to severe illness. He wanted to make sure she would be all right::
"Damn you, Quinze. Why must you continue to torture my life. You've done nothing but make me miserable ever since we first met. He thinks he's doing me a favour, but all he does is put me down. I hate him. I hate him more than that accursed Druggie. He's nothing but a memory that needs to be erased. I certainly hope she didn't undergo any permament damage. I'll hunt him down, and kill him. No matter what," he thought to himself, keeping his eyes on his beautiful lover.
::He loved watching her sleep. Ever since that night so long ago, it was always peaceful. He never told her that he watched her sleep that night. But he figured she knew. She could always tell his thoughts by a simple touch. He loved that about her. There wasn't anything he didn't love about her. And yet, he never told her. Maybe he should. Before it was too late. He reached into his pocket, and fumbled around with a small box. He'd had it since Mendel, since the reconstruction of her suit. He stopped fumbling with it, once he saw she was beginning to wake::
"Good morning, starshine. The Earth says, hello!"
She glanced over at her lover, somewhat startled by his presence...
But he was there when she went to sleep, so....
She flopped back down on the pillow at his greeting and smiled. From the area around her feet, she felt something warm lift and come to rest closer to her head. Kaz absently reached up to pet the overly affectionate cat, but kept her eyes fixed on the man in the chair beside her. He was a bit tense...was he hiding something? Nah. Probably worried.
"Yeah yeah, I'm twinklin." she muttered after a minute, continuing Raziel's train of thought. "ugh....I havn't felt this bad since I was ten." Grunting, she hauled herself onto her side, facing him. The cat got up and moved to lie down near her stomach. Stupid sap. Again, she ran her eyes over the man she loved, noticing again carefully masked tension in his arms especially.
"Are you nervous about zometing?" She asked, her native French accent heavier now that she was too tired to correct it. "You're tense... come and lie down wis me." She shifted back a bit, making a bit more room in the Queen sized bed for him. Again, the cat followed.
The little whore.
::He smiled, hearing her french accent coursing through each word she spoke. It was fantastic when she reverted back to her native accent. He relaxed his arms, letting the small box drop absently back in his pocket, disappearing into the abyss it usually existed in. For being such a great warrior and politician, Raziel knew one thing. When it came to Kazée, he was a goddamn coward. But then again, if he were the coward he believed himself to be, would he have held onto her after the explosion? It didn't matter now, it was all just speculation::
"She's so gorgeous, so perfect. I cannot conceive how anything could have created such a perfect being, whether it be by God or coordination. It's as if destiny once again swung in my favour, or atleast, is making up for certain errors in my past. If only it had been under slightly different circumstances. If Junius Seven hadn't happened," he mused to himself, smiling at his younger lover.
::He stood up, taking off his jacket and tie, letting them rest carefully on the back of the chair. He walked over, kicking off his shows, smiling as he picked up the cat. It hissed at him. For whatever reason, the little bitch never seemed to like Raziel. Might've been because he felt that the red-headed male was stealing away all his attention. Raziel shrugged, and plopped onto the bed, his head resting against the piloow. He smiled, and slowly turned his head to face Kazée. His jade eyes stared directly into her wintergreen. He took in all of her, smiling softly, his eyes focused only on her::
"When I'm around you, I'm always nervous..."
She rolled over into him a bit, snuggling herself into his shoulder and pulling his arm around her...
But the hole in his left stopped her.
"Raziel....wat 'appened?" she asked, the 'r's rolling lazily out of the back of her mouth. She picked up his arm, propping herself up on an elbow, and inspected it. "You were shotte?"
Raziel paused. Tensed. But looked up and smiled weakly. "Yeah."
Kaz glared up at him, but said nothing, merely leaning down to kiss the hole. "You mait vant tu get zat fixed, Raziel."
His hand came up and ran through her hair. She smiled and leaned back down, but after a moment, frowned.
"Raziel?" She whispered, her accent even thicker now from fatigue," 'ow did I get 'here? I don't remember even coming 'ome..."
"Yea. We both seemed to have bad days. I was working on the Providence with some junkers, and the next thing I knew, I fell backwards and landed oddly. The safety clicked off of my gun, and it misfired into my arm. It kinda sucks. But other than that, I'm alright," he lied, smiling the entire time to her.
::He tried his best to push back that feeling of guilt that he got when he lied to her. It always made him feel like total shit. Of course, if he had told her the truth, it might be more than she could handle. This little white lie wasn't going to hurt anyone, and if anything would make the situation a little easier on her::
"Your day wasn't much better. You were talking with some technicians on the final adjustments to the post-Mendel modifications. Seems that some of the ZAFT technology we gave you wasn't interfacing with the suit itself. Then all of a sudden, you just stopped talking, and passed out. You've been in the hospital for quite some time. I brought you home about twenty minutes ago. I was worried you had just stressed yourself out over everything," he continued, smiling the entire time.
::He kept his eyes on hers, and brought his arm aorund. He squeezed tightly, trying to reassure her with his touch. It always felt so good lying next to her, and all the problems that seemed to plague their lives seemed to disappear. He held her close, taking her in his arms::
"Kaz...I've got something to tell you," he said, closing his eyes and smiling.
"Vat ees eet, Raziel?" she said, her accent still permeating her speech, ever so wonderfully.
::He turned and looked at her, keeping his eyes on hers. It was time to say the one thing he had never before uttered to her. The last person to whom he said these words, he said them only once, and then she had died. But now the situation had changed, and as such, he felt the words could be uttered once again. Maybe she knew, maybe she didn't, but it was time to end any doubt. He held her hand in his, and looked at her::
"I love you..."
Torment was what Quinze liked to inflict on those who didn't know their place. When it came down to hierarchy, Quinze was the top of the chain and everyone else was a bottomfeeder, even those who were Coordinators. All but one man was lower than he. He was an Earth Alliance member who gave Quinze a run for his money and made the first black mark on Quinze's perfect score sheet. With a smirk that displayed satisfaction, Quinze picked up a phone and dialed a number.
He dialed for Kazee Virgo. He hoped that Raziel answered first, because if he didn't, Quinze could whisper his magic words and Raziel would be a dead man.
"Ahem" Quinze cleared his throat, waiting for someone to pick up. "Heh"
Kaz stared at Raziel a moment, turing his words over in her mind. Of course she knew already. She'd known for a long time. She wouldn't have consented to sex otherwise, but...
This was the first time he told her.
Distinctly more awake now, she sat up a bit again, although fatigue dragged at her body.
"Raziel..."
She twisted and leaned over to him, coming down a bit more on top, and meeting his lips somewhere in the middle of the trip. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and felt his move around her back. She flipped her hips to match her torso's direction, and continued pushing to lie down, tiredness nearly forgotten.
Aaaaaaaaand then the phone rang.
Breaking off the kiss, she glared angry at the phone before groaning and sinking down beside her lover and pulling the blankets up over her head.
"I'm not home."
::Raziel leaned back, swearing silently to himself, and turning over to the phone. He hated phones. Just when he was about to get to bed, or do other 'activities', it always rang. Phones were nothing but trouble::
"Nee ta ma duh tyen-shia suo-yo duh run doh gai si.* You know. Once I take complete control, I think I'm gonna destroy all land-lines. Cell phones for all, and if you don't have the number, you're not gonna find a way to get a hold of people. It'll be awesome..." he said, laughing as he did so, and sat up.
::Raziel rubbed his face with his hands, and popped his neck. He turned his head, looking out of the corner of his eye to his lover, and gave her a wink. He then turned back to the phone, and reached out for it. As he did so, the cat jumped back onto the bed, where Raziel's back once lay. It hissed at him, and Raziel just shrugged, picked up the phone::
"Office of Mike Hawk, this is Frost speaking, how may I direct your call?"
"Has she woken up? Have you healed her with the touch of your delicate but corrupt hands? Frost, son, I am still alive. I will stay alive until I take back my throne. Soon enough, it'll be the return of the king. The head of ZAFT cannot be ruled by someone who is sidetracked with the emotions of love and compasion. When your duties are done, there is no room for distractions. This is why I will take back what is mine until you are fully ready to take control. Procreate, make a new generation and when that is done, you will take back what I have groomed you for" The lecture seemed long, but Quinze always found a way to make it to the point.
"You have a choice of doing what is right, or keeping your lover at risk for the remainder of her life. It's simple, Raziel, so very simple but you choose to make things difficult. Why do you think I have been able to survive for so long? I have no one holding me back. Nothing to worry about, no one to worry about. Soon enough, you will be caught in the conflict of choosing between your leadership and your love. I am helping you make life easier for yourself and you seem to just throw my lessons back in my face. I am still your "father", Frost. You need to listen to me" He continued, applying pressure before the young man could talk.
"Time's ticking on Virgo's clock. Soon enough, if you keep this up and keep walking this path, her time will run out"
::Raziel's faced turned to a scowl as he heard the voice on the other end. His eyes glanced over to his lover, then quickly to the stupid cat. It hissed at him. Was it the cat, or was it Quinze that had hissed? He shook that brief thought out of his mind as he listened to Quinze's little speech. These speeches always seemed to bore him, ever since he was thirteen years old. And then he heard the pause, the wait for an answer::
"Quinze. You have no control over her, nor do you have any over me. You may think so, but in reality, it was all in my head. I let you control me, because I was weak. But I've grown, Quinze. Far beyond your expectations. I won't seperate myself from her, because that time isn't ticking for her, it's for you. You've lost your grip, and no more will it be regained. You never had the throne, it wasn't yours to begin with," he said, smiling coyly.
::Raziel moved a hand over to Kazée's, holding it tightly as he spoke into the phone. The single gesture said more than words ever could, and even with the hatred for his former master in his voice, his features shone kindsness upon her::
"Quinze. I'm here to dethrone you, so kiss the ring motherfucker. It's my time, my time to shine. Quinze, I'm breaking off all ties to you, that lead to malice, that lead to scorn. You pushed my back against the wall, and I broke it down. I will not be broken, Quinze, although I am the one that bleeds. I will not be broken, I am, the one," Raziel said, then cooly and calmly hanging up the phone.
::He ripped out the phone cord from the phone, and leaned back over to Kazée, wrapping his arms around her, and laying gently on her. He looked straight into her eyes, and cocked a smile::
"Now where were we..."
"Predictable" Quinze shook his head and stood in disbelief. He couldn't begin to fathom that Raziel would take a stand like he had. It was ignorant and downright childish. Quinze always favored Keira over Raziel anyday, she was more obedient and usually got the job down without any lip. Behind him, stood fifteen men. They were clad in red body armor and were equipped with weaponary enough to overrule a third world country. Standing poised with his blade unsheathed and pointed on the ground like an old man with a cane, Quinze's hands doubled over ther ballpoint of the hilt.
"Make it quick. Do not kill them, just bring them to me. I will handle Raziel myself, take the girl and take her to my quarters. Make sure that she is pampered and then prepped for me to de-brainwash her. If there's one good deed I will do for Raziel, it'll be that" Demanded Quinze as he signaled for his men to close in and storm unsuspecting Raziel and Kazee.
"Sir, I thought your plans were to take them both captive and have them brainwashed. Why the sudden change?" Asked one of his soldiers.
Kneeling on one, Quinze flipped his sword upwards and then pulled the soldier down by his belt, right through his blade and watched him as its cold metal piereced through his armor, skin, bone and organs. The soldier yelped, but had no aid from the rest of his unit. Blood began to pour from the mouth piece of his helmet. He coughed and then slowly turned his head to look at his former leader.
"To answer your question, you worthless pile of excrament, the boy is like a son to me. I raised him, we had and have our differences, but that's what life is about when raising a child. You teach them until they are able to fend for themselves, it's just that he has yet to grow up. Raziel Frost leading the forces of ZAFT, tis simply a pipedream" He stopped speaking and then glanced over to his dying soldier.
"Don't squirm, it's unfitting of you"
With his right hand, he signaled for his followers to begin their invasion. The time for truth would reveal would come, all Raziel had to do was cooperate.
She glared lighty at her lover. "That was my phone." She whispered, rolling them both over, "and stop trying to top me. I already told you you'd never do it."
She sunk down, now lying almost completely on top of him, belly down. Her ear rested against his collar bone, hearing every drawn breath and the echo of every heartbeat. It was a bit too fast.
"You're afraid of something," she muttered quietly against his shirt. She was so damn sleepy, and inexplicably so. But...Raziel was here, so she felt safe. She shifted her legs a bit to better accomodate his, and slid her hips off his stomach, hopefully allowing him to breathe easier.
Right here. This moment was eternity. The pair were as one; hearts beating in synch, breath drawn the same. Volumes were spoken without a word, and Kaz, at least, felt as if she were lying on air.
...within a minute, so perfectly asleep was she, that the crash from a breaking door downstairs fell upon the woman's deaf ears.
::Raziel's eyes opened with a snap as he heard the door being broken down. The goddamn cat ran into the room, hissing loudly just after the noise went off. Raziel slowly squirmed out of the bed, trying his best not to wake his lover. He walked over to his coat, and grabbed the gun out of it, clicking off the safety. He walked to the bedroom door, moving on his tiptoes to muffle any noise. He leaned out of the door, just allowing his eyes to examine the hall::
"... shit," he thought to himself, as he heard the movements of steps up the stairs.
::The footsteps stopped, as Raziel leaned out, and pointed his gun towards the staircase, waiting for the first unfortunate fool to step into the hall, and into the awaiting arms of a .45 caliber hollow-point bullet. His eyes went wide as a canister was thrown into the hall. With a hiss, the top snapped off, and began sending a yellow-green smoke in a plume, then began to spin. Without thinking, he ran towards the grenade, covering his eyes, and kicked it, trying to ricochet it back down the stairs. He ran with it, holding his breath. Once he reached the wall, he jumped up, then lept off the wall, leaping down the stairs. His foot collided with the first of the soldiers, sending him back. Raziel fired three times, trying to pierce the armor. He reached the bottom, finding several other soldiers with assault rifles ready::
"You want to dance, this is just like training, baby," he muttered, his eyes growing wide as he focused upon the situation.
::Once again, the room went black, except for those in the room. He moved faster than them, spinning and firing his gun around, taking less than a second to aim at the soldiers. He wasn't sure if he hit any of them, but he hoped to cause some chaos. Several weren't going down. He emptied the clip, then clicked it out. He dropped the gun, and readied himself for melee combat::
*thunk*
::Raziel leaned forward as the rifle butt hit him in the back of the head. He growled something, then turned to look at the man who had hit him. He grabbed a knife from his belt, and readied himself to stab it straight into the man's eye-socket. He took a step forward, and then hit the floor, the blow finally getting to him. He closed his eyes, and went to sleep::
Aboard his private vessel, dubbed "Red Dawn", were Quinze Krishishima, his prodigal son, Raziel Frost, and Kazee Virgo. His plan had been flawless. He thought he had taught Raziel another one of life's lessons, but just like the youth he was, he had learned nothing. To right his wrongs, in a sense, Quinze decided to harbor the couple for only awhile until he had fully deprogrammed Kazee. The process of undoing the brainwashing always took longer than the actual method of brainwashing. Quinze sat quietly, leg resting on knee, and stared at an unconcious Ms.Virgo. She was quite the beauty, needless to say. The supposed "returning king" felt a bit of emptiness and even jealousy. The thought of a sometimes reckless and most of the time stubborn man, like Raziel, would be able to enjoy the comforts of love, but a man who was completely orthodox in his father's methods of the old days of ZAFT was never able to keep his love close to his heart. Years felt like ages since Quinze had brought his blade down on his beloved.
Jessica.
Unfair.
With his long hair out and looming over his eyes, Quinze squinted his eyes. The thought of letting a tear slip had been squashed by the man's demeanor. The brickwall that he put up around his emotions was a strong one. He could show no weakness....even when there was no one watching. Kazee was almost like Jessica. That was probably the reason why Quinze felt guilt in his heart for using her as a tool to get at Raziel. A headache had developed and pounded Quinze's brain like that of a jackhammer. He had been thinking too much, too soundly. To the side of him was a table, on it stood a bottle of aspirin. Popping the bottle and popping pills came much too frequently to Quinze as of recent. Rising, he stretched and then walked towards a sleeping Kazee. She had been seated in a cold steel seat, strapped down by her wrists and ankles and had been hooked up to a few heart rate monitor. The deed of debrainwashing could take a toll on someone's heart if done too forward. Forcing her head up with his index finger on her chin, Quinze rose an eyebrow. The girl was fine and at full health. Her mind was now clear and back to normal, almost.
"I have one more mission for you, Virgo" Quinze muttered as he let her head drop.
"Major" Spoke Quinze in a little communicator
"Sir" The officer replied
"Send Frost in" Quinze demanded, smirking.
The time of reckoning was coming.
Jessica.
::Raziel awoke with a severe ringing in his head. His hands were tied behind his back, and his legs tied to the legs of a chair. The room was dark, except for the bright light shone on his face. He squinted, trying to make heads or tails of the situation. As far as he could tell, there was no one around to ask any questions::
"God... dammit! My head is splitting like a quart of firewood..." he muttered, shaking his head, trying to get the ringing out of his mind.
::In front of him, a portal opened, and white light flushed the room. A dark figure emerged, his shadow extending from the door way covering Raziel in darkness. He squinted, trying to make out the face of the newcomer in the room. For a minute he thought it was Quinze, then he saw the rifle::
"Oh joy, yet another pawn. You'd think that asshole would come and get me himself," Raziel said, smirking as the soldier moved towards him.
::The soldier kneeled down, cutting the ties that held his feet to the chair. Raziel smiled, and started laughing::
"What's so funny, 'Emperor'?" asked the soldier, staring straight into the eyes of Raziel Frost.
"Big mistake, bub," replied Raziel, lifting his legs up, and swinging them around the soldiers head.
::His feet collided, knocking the soldier to the ground. He continued through, using the momentum to swing himself onto his feet. He landed, then turned rapidly, allowing the chair to collide with the falling soldier. The force was enough for it to break, allowing his hands to be loosed from the chair. Granted they were still tied together, but now he could move freely::
"Now to get the hell out of here," he muttered, heading towards the door.
::Raziel began running, trying to undo the knot from the ties on his wrists. As soon as he unded them, and turned a corner, he found himself staring down multiple armed soldiers, each with an assault rifle trained on him. He raised his hands, and cocked an odd smile::
"Oh...hello boys, how's it going?" he said, keeping his eyes on all of them. "I guess you're gonna take me to Quinze, eh?"
::The soldiers marched forward, pressing the end of the gun into Raziel's chest. Raziel turned, keeping his hands in the air, not wanting to get shot full of lead while he still wasn't sure where he was. He soon found himself in a room, ad there stood Quinze, and in a chair, bound, and hooked up to an EKG, was Kazée. Raziel grit his teeth, and charged forward, until he heard the click of rifles::
"Let her go, now."
"Shoot him" Quinze demanded as the soldiers each kept their rifles steady and aimed at Raziel.".....Only if he tells me what to do one more time"
Quinze released Kazee from her cold seat and lifted her up into his arms. He was so tired of playing puppet master with Kazee and Raziel. You'd think the current head of ZAFT would learn his place after failing twice to protect his lover. The thick headed stubborn fool just wouldn't get off his high horse, and so, Quinze had to put him in his place.
"Raziel, you simply disgust me. I designed you after myself. You're my project. I made you and I can break you. After all this, all this pain and torment I put you through, you still don't get it, do you?" Quinze walked to Raziel and forced him to extend his arms to hold Kazee. As he rested Kazee in Raziel's arms, he continued to speak.
"Don't try to be something that you're not. You're not the greatest thing alive. You're not better than me, you're nothing. Who're you anyways? Huh? Really, who are you?" He grew angry with every word coming out of his mouth.
"Get it through that fucking thick skull of yours. You are me, I am above you. DON'T THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT YOU WILL EVER RID ME OF MY THRONE!" Quinze poked and tapped Raziel on his forehead with his index finger.
"Since your rise to power, you've let it get to your head. You have NO GUIDANCE! You have lost your way. You're careless and immature. I will be damned before I let your lack of experience put the powerful name of ZAFT in the dirt, six feet under and letting it rot. If you don't shape up and start doing a fucking incredible job, I will take my place back by force....and you know I can do it. I've demonstrated the control I hold, so don't be a "hero" and test me. Don't. I'll have you killed before you've even thought of a way to kill me" Quinze just stood there and then stepped in closer.
"I had high hopes for you. Ever since i've left, you forgot and dismissed my teachings and sullied my name to only better yours. You were like the son I never had, and this is how you treat me? The one who raised you and got you to where you are today?" Quinze kept questioning Raziel, not letting the man speak.
"I hope you've learned and stop trying to be a hardass....badass...just be Raziel Frost" Quinze then balled a fist and threw a thunderous fist onto Raziel's jaw.
"I do hate to resort to fisticuffs, but you drew first blood when you tainted everything ZAFT stood for. Take him away" Quinze then paused
"Wait. I do have a gift for you" Quinze then walked back to his desk and pulled out a sheathed sword. "This was for you"
"I call this "The Sword of Reflection", a sword with a name that best fits it. I'm going to give this to you, but if you disgrace this sword....I'll kill you with my own. This is your second chance, don't fuck it up" Using the bottom of the hilt, Quinze struck Raziel on the temple and knocked him out.
"Take them back to wherever the hell it is they stay. Dump them in a ditch nearby and leave no tracks"
Quinze then looked back at his failed son.
"To hell with you, Raziel"
In the depths of Alecto stood a house. Cozy, comfortable and secluded, a real getaway for someone who just wanted to relax. In that house lived a woman who had been dealt a hand in life in which she had all the right to relax in that cozy house. Kazee Virgo, a woman who sided with the power that was Raziel Frost. Their lives had become complex due to the ongoing war. As she rested, in her mind she was at work. Shutting off what lights she had and lighting scented candles, Kazee laid across a soft sofa. The house seemed big when she was alone. The children weren't present and Raziel had gone off to handle ZAFT business. Her eyes shut slowly, ready to hide her wintergreen hues for the night. A tapping sound came from one of her windows. Ignoring it at first but becoming increasingly annoyed by the tapping, Kazee got up to see what was at her window.
Slowly she moved the curtain, but to see nothing there. Suddenly, the sound came from upstairs. Kazee's eyes shifted towards the staircase. Feeling eerie about the sound, she grabbed anything she could bring with her as a weapon. Luckily, it turned out to be the rake she used during the fall season for the dead leaves. As she took a few steps up the stairs, the sound became monotonous right until it came to a dead stop. As she took another step, the sound came from downstairs again. Looking back down, her hands gripped onto the rake, tightening up and getting ready to take out anyone who tried to infiltrate her home. Walking back down slowly, she waited to her the noise again. There was a creepy silence that blanketed her home. The beeping of her communicator startled her. Kazee raced down the steps and rushed to her comm to answer the call in hopes that it were Raziel.
"Virgo, over" Kazee spoke, but to only here heavy breathing.
"Who is this?" Kazee asked. The heavy breathing became quiet laughter.
"WHO IS THIS?" Kazee yelled into the comm.
"Checkmate" The voice muttered.
"Uh huh, go fuck your mother" Kazee snapped as she turned the comm off and placed it in her pocket.
As Kazee turned around, there was a silhouette of a rather tall man down her hall. Kazee let out a gasp but didn't scream. For a warrior on the battlefield, playing a game of cat and mouse was nothing and it would take a hell of a lot of more scare tactics to make her scream. Dropping the rake and grabbing the first gun she could get her hands on from her coffee table. When she turned back around, the silhouette was gone. Knowing her own home, she knew that there was only one other place he could've ran off to. As she calmly stalked her own halls, she quickly turned to the left and took aim, but no one was there. It was a single hallway that she stared down and one door that was closed. Kazee walked towards the door, but the tapping sound from her windows returned from the front of the house right until she heard it shatter. Kazee ran with her gun in hand and cocked ready to fire. Reaching the front of the house, Kazee saw no one but stared at her floor. A million pieces of glass were across her floor. A gust of cold wind blew in through her window, blowing out her candles and leaving her in the dark. Taking calculated steps to avoid walking on the glass or walking into anything, Kazee reached out for a light switch. As he hand went for the switch, it was stopped by another hand. It was then that Kazee screamed for her life.
"Quiet, it'll be over soon....I promise" Whispered a voice.
His hand covered her mouth and stopped her from screaming any further. His white gloved hand ran through her hair as he smelt her. To make Kazee sop panicing, the man turned the lights on and turned Kazee around. When she saw him, her eyes widened. Kazee thought him to be dead, but that's how he wanted things to be...Not only for her, but for ZAFT as well. A devilish smirk crept along his face. His mischevious hands paced down her neck right down to her chest. Tears flowed from Kazee's eyes as she screamed.
"I must say, Raziel has done great for himself" Spoke the man as he pinched Kazee on her neck, hitting a nerve and knocking her out. Several hours had passed after the intruder broke in and took possession of Kazee Virgo. When she awoke, her mind was left blank. She was fully dressed and positioned outside of her house. The man stood there and whispered into her ear. He gave her orders to deliver a message to her lover, Raziel. Her right hand held onto her gun of which she was to use on Raziel. She was to shoot, not to kill, but to injure. To see Kazee Virgo now....would make one question where her mind was at. Her eyes were dialated and the look of blankness came from her beautiful wintergreen retinas. Kazee hand been brainwashed and sent out to see her lover who was not expecting what was coming to him. The stranger cloaked himself in his white cape and walked off and set Kazee out. He would follow her to find Raziel and then wait his chance to reveal himself to who would become the former leader of ZAFT.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Right.
One foot in front of the other.
Continue forward.
Left.
Right.
Stop.
...
...
Raziel? Where?
...
...
Dock?
Most likely.
Yes. The Dock.
Turn left.
Forward.
She moved forward in a robotic fasion, dazed but aware. Stopping on the boundaries of the dock, she saw vaugely in the distance a ZAFT ship getting fueled up and supplied for the upcoming battles. Raziel was probably there. She shifted her grip on the lethal metal in her right hand.
Shoot to harm.
Not to kill.
Make sure he knows.
Then sleep?
Then sleep.
The dock was unnaturally busy. Understandable, considering the situation. Kazée walked quickly through the throngs of soldiers and mechanics alike running willy nilly. To the few who were able to hollar a greeting, they recieved an equally friendly one in return. An average passerby noticed not a thing wrong.
Entering the dock's interior, she paused again. ZAFT was stationed to the left of the dock, Junkers to the right. Knowing full well Raziel was likely to be with the Providence, she headed left.
The ZAFT area was no quieter than the outside. It seemed a bit less hectic here, though, probably due to the nearby Junkers. Even from the edge, she could see a few who bore the Guild's emblem crawling all over the mighty Providence.
And below it shone the bright mane of Raziel Frost.
The hand around her gun tightened.
Wait until you're alone...
Wait...
She started again, moving faster this time. It took her several minutes to reach her target, during which she hid the gun behind her back, just under her sweater. She kept a hold of it, but it was no longer obvious to the average passer-by.
Finally, she reached him.
Her left hand came up to rest on his shoulder, and she leaned up on her toes to whisper in his ear.
"Raz, darling. I need to talk to you...privately..."
::Raziel barked orders at the Junkers who were busy toiling over the Providence Gundam. Ever since Mendel, the suits reactions had slowed to an excessive amount. It was something unnatural to Raziel, causing him to put himself even further ahead than accustomed. Then he felt it, something reaching onto his shoulder. The immiediete sensation, the finality of that touch, he knew it could only be one person. The voice in his ear confirmed it::
"Raz, darling. I need to talk to you...privately..." was the sweet sweet voice of Kazée, calming his nerves as her words escaped her lips.
::Raziel smiled, turning away from the Providence. She was the only one who could bring his attention away from the pain-staking modification process he chose to over-see. It certainly was a pleasant surprise to see her now, especially with her casual use of an intimate touch. Maybe they could finally stop keeping it a secret. There were rumours, amongst all the camps, but nothing had been confirmed. As he had said after they first coupled, he couldn't keep quiet about something he was infinitely proud of. He looked upon her soft features, her lucious lips, and her perfect eyes::
"Of course, Kazée. I'm sure that the security of the colony is something we both need to plan on. I'll follow you," he replied, trying his best to keep that goofy smile off of his face.
::She smiled and took his hand, leading him away from the Providence and the ZAFT hangar. He walked behind her, his longer legs allowing him to walk at a much slower pace, but keep up easily with his companion. They turned a corner, disappearing into the shadows of the building. Raziel couldn't hold himself back anymore. He grabbed Kazée quickly, turning her around, placing his lips on hers, closing his eyes as he kissed her deeply. Then he felt it, the cold steel of something against his left arm. He pulled back, and looked at her intently, staring straightly into her eyes. It hit him. Just as she pulled the trigger it hit him::
"Fuck..."
::The bullet tore into his false arm, tearing through the artifical skin and muscle, just barely missing the metallic core of his 'bone'. The nerve endings that had been grown flicked to life, then died just as quickly, as the burning and stabbing sensation tore through him. He span backwards, his back crashing into the wall. He dropped to the floor, and looked at her, her eyes, lifeless and completely devoid of that wonderful beauty that normally accompanied them. He knew this work, he had seen it before. He looked up at her, as she fell back::
"...QUINZE!"
--Clap--
--Clap--
--Clap--
"At least you survived the shot" Quinze spoke through the echoing walls of the hangar. He stayed put in his place as to not reveal himself, not yet anyways. Looking down at both Raziel and Kazee, he couldn't help but smirk. Placing his right hand on the hilt of his sword, he stood ready. The plan was to make Raziel do his bidding or else he would have to strike the man down and take everything back by force. By any means necessary was the motto here.
"I brought you up and you let your guard down for the weaker of the sexes?" Quinze asked. "Tsk tsk, I figured you to be stronger than that, Frost"
"I raised you, trained you, fathered you and mentored you to rule with an iron fist and all you can do with that iron fist is please your female companion. You've grown weak in my absence. I thought by having you kill me, that it would solidify your backbone, but I see that your knees quiver everytime she's around" Quinze stated, his eyes becoming more narrow...more....focused.
"SHOW YOURSELF!" Demanded Raziel
"All in due time. I propose this to you, Frost. Since you've disappointed me, greatly I might add, how about you hand over all control to me and you go AWOL for a time? You can, train yourself once more and come back for your throne at any time" Quinze smirked.
"Or you can give me back what's rightfully mine, let me have my throne and let the universe that Quinze is back. The return of the King, Raziel. Your time has come"
Jumping over the rail from the balcony above and landing gracefully while his large cape elegantly coursed through the air and draped over his shoulders afterwards, Quinze unsheathed his "Sword of No Engraving" and walked slowly. Removing from his belt from behind him, was another sword. He threw it towards Raziel and expected him to catch it.
"Or you can fight me to the death for it. If you were smart...er, you would choose the former rather than the latter"
::Raziel reached out with his right hand, catching the scabbard in mid-air. He flipped the sword, grabbing the hilt and throwing off the scabbard in one clean movement. The blade shimmered in the dim lighting of the hangar alley. He stared directly at his old master, smiling as he spun the blade around, bringing the flat of the edge against his forearm, the blade facing away. He closed his eyes, and moved his feet into the ready position::
"I've been waiting for you, Quinze. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I met you I was but the learner. Now, I am the master," he muttered, swinging the blade up and around, the hilt switching positions, the blade now pointed at Quinze.
::He took a few steps, heading towards where Kazée lay after she fired her gun. He kneeled down, checking her pulse. It was steady, albeit slightly slowed. Quinze's brainwashing techniques always had the same calling card. He stood back up, and sidled around, side-stepping towards and around Quinze, readying his sword. This epic duel was just the beginning of the 'Duel of the Fates'::
"I allow myself to be weak around her because, unlike you, I don't view my emotions as a liability. They strengthen me, give me power that is beyond anything you could ever hope to achieve. Quinze, you are nothing but an anachronox, and you must be purged. Especially after you used your vile touch on Miss Virgo," Raziel said, lowering his body down, bowing slightly.
::His legs wound up as he knelt, and then he jumped, releasing all the potential energy that he had built up. As he lept into the air, preparing the blade to be brought down upon Quinze, his eyes dulled, and his mind opened. The surrounding area went black, except for Quinze, himself, and Kazée. They were in perfect focus, and he could feel Quinze, his very evil. He smiled as he began his descent::
"You will never have my throne!"
"Fool" Quinze spoke as he counter slashed Raziel's strike and swung upwards to just graze Raziel's stomach. As the young upstart landed, Quinze quickly kicked with full force, knocking him to the side. Again, Quinze sheathed his sword. He undid his cape and walked over to Kazee. He rested it across her body to blanket her. A frown came over his expressions and thoughts rapidly raced through his mind. Memories of so long ago took over. The memories of his one time love of which he had to kill. It was the ruling of his father and that of ZAFT. Quinze was to never fall in love with a Natural, but he did and....he had to end her life with his own edge weapon. Harsh but true, Quinze knew everything of emotions. Loss and pain, joy, vengeance, leadership, all of these are what make Krishishima who was today.
"Don't you dare lecture me about emotions, Frost. I know all too well what love is. I've felt it before. If I explain to you why I will take ZAFT back, you'll comply and hand it back to me. You're in this to erase Naturals. I'm in this to make them understand. In the end, they will work for us. They'll understand that we are the future and the future is now. Besides," Quinze smirked. "Kazee can stay in the catatonic state for the rest of her life right into a coma. If you give me back my throne, I can release her from her own mental prison"
Quinze then turned around and faced Raziel once more. He shook his head to see that the youngster was so frightened at the fact that he would lose the ruling of ZAFT, that he would fight back although he was injured. Raziel wouldn't be forgotten or lose his status. Not at all. Raziel would be put back on a new council. The rebirth of the ZAFT commitee and Raziel would be the head of that. He would still rule and still have sway in all ZAFT affairs. It would just be Quinze as President and Raziel as Vice.
That upstart. Did he really believe that because Quinze had aged that the fight would so much more easier? So much more in his favor? He was a seasoned veteran and a bred cunning warrior and soldier. If there was anything he excelled in, it was hand to hand or edge weapon combat.
"Stop your foolhardy steps to death, Frost. My sword and skill can strike down Gods. If it can take down Gods, it will surely make thin slices out of you!" Quinze laughed.
To further anger the young man, he decided to dig a little deeper. Make him unstable, make him snap and cloud his judgement. It would make all his movements predictable. It would grant him victory. Most importantly, it would make Raziel learn who's the boss. No matter what Raziel was, Seed, ultimate coordinator, whatever, Quinze could still take him down.
"Whatever happened to your sister? It was wise to keep her from me. If I cannot turn you, perhaps she will"
::Raziel flicked his hair back, cocking his eyebrows, laughing as he did so. Had he heard Quinze correctly? All of this was completely out of character for him. Of course, the whole still being alive after being killed thing was as well. But then again, that'd make Raziel a hypocrite. He pointed the sword at Quinze, laughing as he did so, shaking his head::
"You really are delusional, Quinze. You think I want to destroy naturals!? Don't you know about the mudsill principle? Someone has to be on the bottom, and every grand Empire needs slaves. Besides, the only thing I truly want to destroy is the Earth. Humanity needs to be released from the bonds of gravity, to allow them to evolve to a whole new level. And we coordinators will reign above them, having them as our foot-stools and servants. That is my true goal, Quinze," Raziel said, throwing the sword down into the ground.
::He kicked the blade of the sword, and just the proper angle to snap it in twine. He smiled, and flicked his right wrist. From his jacket sleeve, a gun slid out. He cradled the handle in his hands, his fingers wrapping around the grip. He pointed it at Quinze, only his arm moving. He cocked his arrogant smile::
"Besides, Quinze. You know me, I don't like swords. More of my sister's game. I'm a gunslinger, always have been, always will be. And don't you think I learned anything, or do you take me for an idiot? I've studied, and I know how to beat your mind-games," he said, clicking the safety off.
::He smiled, and pulled back the gun. He clicked the safety back on, and tossed it in the air. He outstretched his hand, letting the barrel land squarely in his palm. The handle was now facing Quinze, being used rudimentally as a club. He kept his eyes focused, letting all the information sink in a process as he spoke::
"And Quinze. You stay the fuck away from my dear sister. She would never join you, she's far to intelligent for your mind games. And now, let us end this. No more will I live in your shadow, no more will I be known as 'Raziel Frost, Lieutenant of Quinze Krishishima'. I can stand on my own two feet, and I don't need you, or your abilities to try and change that. Now I'll give you a choice. Either you release Kazée now, or I rip out your spine and feed it to the dogs."
"Rip out my spine, child. Your lover will remain in a coma for the rest of her vegetated life" Quinze smiled.
He was finally proud of Raziel. The young man had now positioned himself at the helm of a God. He knew what he wanted, how to get it done and how to make it so. It was a wonder if Quinze should let him in and tell him the truth, or keep Raziel in the dark for a little longer. He clearly had his head on his shoulders. Shrugging, Quinze sheathed his sword and opened his jacket, button by button. Underneath was a bullet proof vest and a cord that lead right to his left arm. Underneath his glove was a trigger for explosives to go off if he were to be shot down. The explosives, however, were planted on Kazee Virgo. Without words, Quinze revealed all this by pointing to various important factors with his index finger.
"You can fire when ready" Spoke Quinze. "...and yes, I do take you for an idiot"
Quinze calmly walked over to Kazee and motioned for Raziel to follow him. He kneeled down and pulled his cape off of her body. Quinze removed his jacket and then removed the vest from his body. As he rested it on the ground, he pulled the cord and sliced through its protective coat right down to its wires. With his own fingers, he severed the blue wire and left the explosives on Kazee's body as duds. Pulling her shirt up slightly, he removed the strapped on explosives and through them one side. Looking back, he shook his head and Raziel.
"You should know that when facing me, nothing's easy. Did you think you could honestly take me down one on one, especially when I know you know nothing of edge weapon combat? I thought I raised you better than that. I suppose I should let you in on a little secret. I brainwashed you long ago to take my place as I left to take care of family ties. It took me much too long and i've left you in a position of power where you've become much too comfortable" Quinze continued as he laid his cape down on Kazee's body.
"I can simply say two words and your mind will go blank and not have a memory of anything after the time I vanished. I can't do that though, Raziel, because you've become much too stubborn to simply lower your status amongst the other Coordinators" Quinze then held Kazee up with his hand under her back and spoke into her right ear.
"Rise and shine, sleepy head" Quinze smirked as Kazee began to breathe regularly and slightly open her eyes. He always found it funny to say amusing lines to his comatose brainwashed victims.
"By the way, Frost, those two words are "Shayol Ghul", but it's the manner of speech that would trigger your mind to go blank" Rising to his feet with Kazee in his arms, stood an understanding and very proud Quinze Krishishima.
He handed Kazee to Raziel and removed and left his cape wrapped around her body. Raziel placed his gun in his belt and comforted his love in his arms. Quinze stared and thought back, seeing himself holding Jessica and then squinting his eyes to see Raziel holding Kazee again. Thinking quickly, Quinze dashed forwards, pulled the gun out of Raziel's belt and aimed at him.
"I should inform you that I am part of a secret commitee of ZAFT. I am still above you, but you are doing my dirty work. As you are in the front page of the news, I am in the back of your mind, watching, listening to everything you say. I am still your leader, and you are still my apprentice, though you've become a master now. Remember, Frost, I will always be greater than you and you will always be beneath me, but I must say that I am proud of what you've accomplished with my teachings. Now if you'll excuse me, the commitee is waiting for me to return. We've got other things to discuss and plot, and don't worry, you'll be contacted by me again sometime soon with more work to be done. You're still the "leader", but I am still the master....Do well to remember that" Nodded Quinze as he aimed away from Raziel.
Aiming at the explosives, Quinze pulled the trigger and set the explosives off. The hangar would explode and come crashing down. Quinze would vanish without a trace, yet again, and Raziel would barely make it out with Kazee in his arms. Cursing his former mentor's name, Raziel looked back at the explosion and then back to Kazee.
::Raziel shook his head as he looked at the rubble, several crews running out of the hangar to see what had happened. Quinze had done it again, avoided death, and made him look like a fool. He looked at Kazée, who had awoken from her catatonic state. He walked slowly over to her, reaching around with his arms. He said nothing, just holding her close::
"I'm sorry. I didn't kill him last time, and he almost killed you. I didn't expect he'd be back, but I knew he would. Maybe I am so foolish..." he said, whispering into her ear.
::He kissed her forehead, then held her close. He looked around, various technicians reaching the scene of the explosion. Normally, they'd seperate from each other, just to keep up apperances. But this time, Raziel refused to let go. He didn't care. All these secrets, these deceptions to keep their relationship a secret. It pained him, because he was proud of it::
"Don't let go of me, Kaz..."
Rise and shine, sleepy head...
Or so said the voice, as her senses came back alive to noise and colour and smell and touch.
She'd found herself in the arms of someone she couldn't see. He was big, bigger than Raziel at least. His voice was a low grumble in his chest, a sound she found relaxing in a way. Smelled of cucumbers...
But then it got cold and she found herself in the arms of her lover again.
Then he let her go as several explosions went off, but her own body reacted there and both came out safely...
Then he'd come back and now she was resting in his arms.
She curled tired fingers around the man's shirt, leaning deeper into his embrace. Had everything happened quickly...or was she moving slowly?
Her head was heavy and ached like elephants formed a mosh pit inside. Everything about her felt stiff and sore.
But now Raziel was talking to her, which made her feel a bit better. He was holding her, which caused her body to sing in joy, surrounded by the soft musky warmth of her lover. She leaned against him a bit harder, moving her left arm around his back, and gripping the fabric of his shirt weakly with her right. She buried her head into the crevice of his shoulder, seeing out of one eye the emergency crew. She didn't really care. She'd make something up later.
As shouts sounded from other areas began to sound louder and louder in her mind she felt her knees buckle under her and her head grow heavy, but was to tired to cry an alarm. Just fall...
To sit up with a yelp and hollar, a thrash of the arms and a sharp intake of breath...
Back home.
In bed.
::Raziel's eyes were half-lidded, sitting in a chair next to Kazée's bed. She had been out for a few hours, sleeping appearingly restfully during that time. Raziel himself didn't sleep, just keeping watch over her. Quinze's brain-washing techniques often times led to severe illness. He wanted to make sure she would be all right::
"Damn you, Quinze. Why must you continue to torture my life. You've done nothing but make me miserable ever since we first met. He thinks he's doing me a favour, but all he does is put me down. I hate him. I hate him more than that accursed Druggie. He's nothing but a memory that needs to be erased. I certainly hope she didn't undergo any permament damage. I'll hunt him down, and kill him. No matter what," he thought to himself, keeping his eyes on his beautiful lover.
::He loved watching her sleep. Ever since that night so long ago, it was always peaceful. He never told her that he watched her sleep that night. But he figured she knew. She could always tell his thoughts by a simple touch. He loved that about her. There wasn't anything he didn't love about her. And yet, he never told her. Maybe he should. Before it was too late. He reached into his pocket, and fumbled around with a small box. He'd had it since Mendel, since the reconstruction of her suit. He stopped fumbling with it, once he saw she was beginning to wake::
"Good morning, starshine. The Earth says, hello!"
She glanced over at her lover, somewhat startled by his presence...
But he was there when she went to sleep, so....
She flopped back down on the pillow at his greeting and smiled. From the area around her feet, she felt something warm lift and come to rest closer to her head. Kaz absently reached up to pet the overly affectionate cat, but kept her eyes fixed on the man in the chair beside her. He was a bit tense...was he hiding something? Nah. Probably worried.
"Yeah yeah, I'm twinklin." she muttered after a minute, continuing Raziel's train of thought. "ugh....I havn't felt this bad since I was ten." Grunting, she hauled herself onto her side, facing him. The cat got up and moved to lie down near her stomach. Stupid sap. Again, she ran her eyes over the man she loved, noticing again carefully masked tension in his arms especially.
"Are you nervous about zometing?" She asked, her native French accent heavier now that she was too tired to correct it. "You're tense... come and lie down wis me." She shifted back a bit, making a bit more room in the Queen sized bed for him. Again, the cat followed.
The little whore.
::He smiled, hearing her french accent coursing through each word she spoke. It was fantastic when she reverted back to her native accent. He relaxed his arms, letting the small box drop absently back in his pocket, disappearing into the abyss it usually existed in. For being such a great warrior and politician, Raziel knew one thing. When it came to Kazée, he was a goddamn coward. But then again, if he were the coward he believed himself to be, would he have held onto her after the explosion? It didn't matter now, it was all just speculation::
"She's so gorgeous, so perfect. I cannot conceive how anything could have created such a perfect being, whether it be by God or coordination. It's as if destiny once again swung in my favour, or atleast, is making up for certain errors in my past. If only it had been under slightly different circumstances. If Junius Seven hadn't happened," he mused to himself, smiling at his younger lover.
::He stood up, taking off his jacket and tie, letting them rest carefully on the back of the chair. He walked over, kicking off his shows, smiling as he picked up the cat. It hissed at him. For whatever reason, the little bitch never seemed to like Raziel. Might've been because he felt that the red-headed male was stealing away all his attention. Raziel shrugged, and plopped onto the bed, his head resting against the piloow. He smiled, and slowly turned his head to face Kazée. His jade eyes stared directly into her wintergreen. He took in all of her, smiling softly, his eyes focused only on her::
"When I'm around you, I'm always nervous..."
She rolled over into him a bit, snuggling herself into his shoulder and pulling his arm around her...
But the hole in his left stopped her.
"Raziel....wat 'appened?" she asked, the 'r's rolling lazily out of the back of her mouth. She picked up his arm, propping herself up on an elbow, and inspected it. "You were shotte?"
Raziel paused. Tensed. But looked up and smiled weakly. "Yeah."
Kaz glared up at him, but said nothing, merely leaning down to kiss the hole. "You mait vant tu get zat fixed, Raziel."
His hand came up and ran through her hair. She smiled and leaned back down, but after a moment, frowned.
"Raziel?" She whispered, her accent even thicker now from fatigue," 'ow did I get 'here? I don't remember even coming 'ome..."
"Yea. We both seemed to have bad days. I was working on the Providence with some junkers, and the next thing I knew, I fell backwards and landed oddly. The safety clicked off of my gun, and it misfired into my arm. It kinda sucks. But other than that, I'm alright," he lied, smiling the entire time to her.
::He tried his best to push back that feeling of guilt that he got when he lied to her. It always made him feel like total shit. Of course, if he had told her the truth, it might be more than she could handle. This little white lie wasn't going to hurt anyone, and if anything would make the situation a little easier on her::
"Your day wasn't much better. You were talking with some technicians on the final adjustments to the post-Mendel modifications. Seems that some of the ZAFT technology we gave you wasn't interfacing with the suit itself. Then all of a sudden, you just stopped talking, and passed out. You've been in the hospital for quite some time. I brought you home about twenty minutes ago. I was worried you had just stressed yourself out over everything," he continued, smiling the entire time.
::He kept his eyes on hers, and brought his arm aorund. He squeezed tightly, trying to reassure her with his touch. It always felt so good lying next to her, and all the problems that seemed to plague their lives seemed to disappear. He held her close, taking her in his arms::
"Kaz...I've got something to tell you," he said, closing his eyes and smiling.
"Vat ees eet, Raziel?" she said, her accent still permeating her speech, ever so wonderfully.
::He turned and looked at her, keeping his eyes on hers. It was time to say the one thing he had never before uttered to her. The last person to whom he said these words, he said them only once, and then she had died. But now the situation had changed, and as such, he felt the words could be uttered once again. Maybe she knew, maybe she didn't, but it was time to end any doubt. He held her hand in his, and looked at her::
"I love you..."
Torment was what Quinze liked to inflict on those who didn't know their place. When it came down to hierarchy, Quinze was the top of the chain and everyone else was a bottomfeeder, even those who were Coordinators. All but one man was lower than he. He was an Earth Alliance member who gave Quinze a run for his money and made the first black mark on Quinze's perfect score sheet. With a smirk that displayed satisfaction, Quinze picked up a phone and dialed a number.
He dialed for Kazee Virgo. He hoped that Raziel answered first, because if he didn't, Quinze could whisper his magic words and Raziel would be a dead man.
"Ahem" Quinze cleared his throat, waiting for someone to pick up. "Heh"
Kaz stared at Raziel a moment, turing his words over in her mind. Of course she knew already. She'd known for a long time. She wouldn't have consented to sex otherwise, but...
This was the first time he told her.
Distinctly more awake now, she sat up a bit again, although fatigue dragged at her body.
"Raziel..."
She twisted and leaned over to him, coming down a bit more on top, and meeting his lips somewhere in the middle of the trip. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and felt his move around her back. She flipped her hips to match her torso's direction, and continued pushing to lie down, tiredness nearly forgotten.
Aaaaaaaaand then the phone rang.
Breaking off the kiss, she glared angry at the phone before groaning and sinking down beside her lover and pulling the blankets up over her head.
"I'm not home."
::Raziel leaned back, swearing silently to himself, and turning over to the phone. He hated phones. Just when he was about to get to bed, or do other 'activities', it always rang. Phones were nothing but trouble::
"Nee ta ma duh tyen-shia suo-yo duh run doh gai si.* You know. Once I take complete control, I think I'm gonna destroy all land-lines. Cell phones for all, and if you don't have the number, you're not gonna find a way to get a hold of people. It'll be awesome..." he said, laughing as he did so, and sat up.
::Raziel rubbed his face with his hands, and popped his neck. He turned his head, looking out of the corner of his eye to his lover, and gave her a wink. He then turned back to the phone, and reached out for it. As he did so, the cat jumped back onto the bed, where Raziel's back once lay. It hissed at him, and Raziel just shrugged, picked up the phone::
"Office of Mike Hawk, this is Frost speaking, how may I direct your call?"
"Has she woken up? Have you healed her with the touch of your delicate but corrupt hands? Frost, son, I am still alive. I will stay alive until I take back my throne. Soon enough, it'll be the return of the king. The head of ZAFT cannot be ruled by someone who is sidetracked with the emotions of love and compasion. When your duties are done, there is no room for distractions. This is why I will take back what is mine until you are fully ready to take control. Procreate, make a new generation and when that is done, you will take back what I have groomed you for" The lecture seemed long, but Quinze always found a way to make it to the point.
"You have a choice of doing what is right, or keeping your lover at risk for the remainder of her life. It's simple, Raziel, so very simple but you choose to make things difficult. Why do you think I have been able to survive for so long? I have no one holding me back. Nothing to worry about, no one to worry about. Soon enough, you will be caught in the conflict of choosing between your leadership and your love. I am helping you make life easier for yourself and you seem to just throw my lessons back in my face. I am still your "father", Frost. You need to listen to me" He continued, applying pressure before the young man could talk.
"Time's ticking on Virgo's clock. Soon enough, if you keep this up and keep walking this path, her time will run out"
::Raziel's faced turned to a scowl as he heard the voice on the other end. His eyes glanced over to his lover, then quickly to the stupid cat. It hissed at him. Was it the cat, or was it Quinze that had hissed? He shook that brief thought out of his mind as he listened to Quinze's little speech. These speeches always seemed to bore him, ever since he was thirteen years old. And then he heard the pause, the wait for an answer::
"Quinze. You have no control over her, nor do you have any over me. You may think so, but in reality, it was all in my head. I let you control me, because I was weak. But I've grown, Quinze. Far beyond your expectations. I won't seperate myself from her, because that time isn't ticking for her, it's for you. You've lost your grip, and no more will it be regained. You never had the throne, it wasn't yours to begin with," he said, smiling coyly.
::Raziel moved a hand over to Kazée's, holding it tightly as he spoke into the phone. The single gesture said more than words ever could, and even with the hatred for his former master in his voice, his features shone kindsness upon her::
"Quinze. I'm here to dethrone you, so kiss the ring motherfucker. It's my time, my time to shine. Quinze, I'm breaking off all ties to you, that lead to malice, that lead to scorn. You pushed my back against the wall, and I broke it down. I will not be broken, Quinze, although I am the one that bleeds. I will not be broken, I am, the one," Raziel said, then cooly and calmly hanging up the phone.
::He ripped out the phone cord from the phone, and leaned back over to Kazée, wrapping his arms around her, and laying gently on her. He looked straight into her eyes, and cocked a smile::
"Now where were we..."
"Predictable" Quinze shook his head and stood in disbelief. He couldn't begin to fathom that Raziel would take a stand like he had. It was ignorant and downright childish. Quinze always favored Keira over Raziel anyday, she was more obedient and usually got the job down without any lip. Behind him, stood fifteen men. They were clad in red body armor and were equipped with weaponary enough to overrule a third world country. Standing poised with his blade unsheathed and pointed on the ground like an old man with a cane, Quinze's hands doubled over ther ballpoint of the hilt.
"Make it quick. Do not kill them, just bring them to me. I will handle Raziel myself, take the girl and take her to my quarters. Make sure that she is pampered and then prepped for me to de-brainwash her. If there's one good deed I will do for Raziel, it'll be that" Demanded Quinze as he signaled for his men to close in and storm unsuspecting Raziel and Kazee.
"Sir, I thought your plans were to take them both captive and have them brainwashed. Why the sudden change?" Asked one of his soldiers.
Kneeling on one, Quinze flipped his sword upwards and then pulled the soldier down by his belt, right through his blade and watched him as its cold metal piereced through his armor, skin, bone and organs. The soldier yelped, but had no aid from the rest of his unit. Blood began to pour from the mouth piece of his helmet. He coughed and then slowly turned his head to look at his former leader.
"To answer your question, you worthless pile of excrament, the boy is like a son to me. I raised him, we had and have our differences, but that's what life is about when raising a child. You teach them until they are able to fend for themselves, it's just that he has yet to grow up. Raziel Frost leading the forces of ZAFT, tis simply a pipedream" He stopped speaking and then glanced over to his dying soldier.
"Don't squirm, it's unfitting of you"
With his right hand, he signaled for his followers to begin their invasion. The time for truth would reveal would come, all Raziel had to do was cooperate.
She glared lighty at her lover. "That was my phone." She whispered, rolling them both over, "and stop trying to top me. I already told you you'd never do it."
She sunk down, now lying almost completely on top of him, belly down. Her ear rested against his collar bone, hearing every drawn breath and the echo of every heartbeat. It was a bit too fast.
"You're afraid of something," she muttered quietly against his shirt. She was so damn sleepy, and inexplicably so. But...Raziel was here, so she felt safe. She shifted her legs a bit to better accomodate his, and slid her hips off his stomach, hopefully allowing him to breathe easier.
Right here. This moment was eternity. The pair were as one; hearts beating in synch, breath drawn the same. Volumes were spoken without a word, and Kaz, at least, felt as if she were lying on air.
...within a minute, so perfectly asleep was she, that the crash from a breaking door downstairs fell upon the woman's deaf ears.
::Raziel's eyes opened with a snap as he heard the door being broken down. The goddamn cat ran into the room, hissing loudly just after the noise went off. Raziel slowly squirmed out of the bed, trying his best not to wake his lover. He walked over to his coat, and grabbed the gun out of it, clicking off the safety. He walked to the bedroom door, moving on his tiptoes to muffle any noise. He leaned out of the door, just allowing his eyes to examine the hall::
"... shit," he thought to himself, as he heard the movements of steps up the stairs.
::The footsteps stopped, as Raziel leaned out, and pointed his gun towards the staircase, waiting for the first unfortunate fool to step into the hall, and into the awaiting arms of a .45 caliber hollow-point bullet. His eyes went wide as a canister was thrown into the hall. With a hiss, the top snapped off, and began sending a yellow-green smoke in a plume, then began to spin. Without thinking, he ran towards the grenade, covering his eyes, and kicked it, trying to ricochet it back down the stairs. He ran with it, holding his breath. Once he reached the wall, he jumped up, then lept off the wall, leaping down the stairs. His foot collided with the first of the soldiers, sending him back. Raziel fired three times, trying to pierce the armor. He reached the bottom, finding several other soldiers with assault rifles ready::
"You want to dance, this is just like training, baby," he muttered, his eyes growing wide as he focused upon the situation.
::Once again, the room went black, except for those in the room. He moved faster than them, spinning and firing his gun around, taking less than a second to aim at the soldiers. He wasn't sure if he hit any of them, but he hoped to cause some chaos. Several weren't going down. He emptied the clip, then clicked it out. He dropped the gun, and readied himself for melee combat::
*thunk*
::Raziel leaned forward as the rifle butt hit him in the back of the head. He growled something, then turned to look at the man who had hit him. He grabbed a knife from his belt, and readied himself to stab it straight into the man's eye-socket. He took a step forward, and then hit the floor, the blow finally getting to him. He closed his eyes, and went to sleep::
Aboard his private vessel, dubbed "Red Dawn", were Quinze Krishishima, his prodigal son, Raziel Frost, and Kazee Virgo. His plan had been flawless. He thought he had taught Raziel another one of life's lessons, but just like the youth he was, he had learned nothing. To right his wrongs, in a sense, Quinze decided to harbor the couple for only awhile until he had fully deprogrammed Kazee. The process of undoing the brainwashing always took longer than the actual method of brainwashing. Quinze sat quietly, leg resting on knee, and stared at an unconcious Ms.Virgo. She was quite the beauty, needless to say. The supposed "returning king" felt a bit of emptiness and even jealousy. The thought of a sometimes reckless and most of the time stubborn man, like Raziel, would be able to enjoy the comforts of love, but a man who was completely orthodox in his father's methods of the old days of ZAFT was never able to keep his love close to his heart. Years felt like ages since Quinze had brought his blade down on his beloved.
Jessica.
Unfair.
With his long hair out and looming over his eyes, Quinze squinted his eyes. The thought of letting a tear slip had been squashed by the man's demeanor. The brickwall that he put up around his emotions was a strong one. He could show no weakness....even when there was no one watching. Kazee was almost like Jessica. That was probably the reason why Quinze felt guilt in his heart for using her as a tool to get at Raziel. A headache had developed and pounded Quinze's brain like that of a jackhammer. He had been thinking too much, too soundly. To the side of him was a table, on it stood a bottle of aspirin. Popping the bottle and popping pills came much too frequently to Quinze as of recent. Rising, he stretched and then walked towards a sleeping Kazee. She had been seated in a cold steel seat, strapped down by her wrists and ankles and had been hooked up to a few heart rate monitor. The deed of debrainwashing could take a toll on someone's heart if done too forward. Forcing her head up with his index finger on her chin, Quinze rose an eyebrow. The girl was fine and at full health. Her mind was now clear and back to normal, almost.
"I have one more mission for you, Virgo" Quinze muttered as he let her head drop.
"Major" Spoke Quinze in a little communicator
"Sir" The officer replied
"Send Frost in" Quinze demanded, smirking.
The time of reckoning was coming.
Jessica.
::Raziel awoke with a severe ringing in his head. His hands were tied behind his back, and his legs tied to the legs of a chair. The room was dark, except for the bright light shone on his face. He squinted, trying to make heads or tails of the situation. As far as he could tell, there was no one around to ask any questions::
"God... dammit! My head is splitting like a quart of firewood..." he muttered, shaking his head, trying to get the ringing out of his mind.
::In front of him, a portal opened, and white light flushed the room. A dark figure emerged, his shadow extending from the door way covering Raziel in darkness. He squinted, trying to make out the face of the newcomer in the room. For a minute he thought it was Quinze, then he saw the rifle::
"Oh joy, yet another pawn. You'd think that asshole would come and get me himself," Raziel said, smirking as the soldier moved towards him.
::The soldier kneeled down, cutting the ties that held his feet to the chair. Raziel smiled, and started laughing::
"What's so funny, 'Emperor'?" asked the soldier, staring straight into the eyes of Raziel Frost.
"Big mistake, bub," replied Raziel, lifting his legs up, and swinging them around the soldiers head.
::His feet collided, knocking the soldier to the ground. He continued through, using the momentum to swing himself onto his feet. He landed, then turned rapidly, allowing the chair to collide with the falling soldier. The force was enough for it to break, allowing his hands to be loosed from the chair. Granted they were still tied together, but now he could move freely::
"Now to get the hell out of here," he muttered, heading towards the door.
::Raziel began running, trying to undo the knot from the ties on his wrists. As soon as he unded them, and turned a corner, he found himself staring down multiple armed soldiers, each with an assault rifle trained on him. He raised his hands, and cocked an odd smile::
"Oh...hello boys, how's it going?" he said, keeping his eyes on all of them. "I guess you're gonna take me to Quinze, eh?"
::The soldiers marched forward, pressing the end of the gun into Raziel's chest. Raziel turned, keeping his hands in the air, not wanting to get shot full of lead while he still wasn't sure where he was. He soon found himself in a room, ad there stood Quinze, and in a chair, bound, and hooked up to an EKG, was Kazée. Raziel grit his teeth, and charged forward, until he heard the click of rifles::
"Let her go, now."
"Shoot him" Quinze demanded as the soldiers each kept their rifles steady and aimed at Raziel.".....Only if he tells me what to do one more time"
Quinze released Kazee from her cold seat and lifted her up into his arms. He was so tired of playing puppet master with Kazee and Raziel. You'd think the current head of ZAFT would learn his place after failing twice to protect his lover. The thick headed stubborn fool just wouldn't get off his high horse, and so, Quinze had to put him in his place.
"Raziel, you simply disgust me. I designed you after myself. You're my project. I made you and I can break you. After all this, all this pain and torment I put you through, you still don't get it, do you?" Quinze walked to Raziel and forced him to extend his arms to hold Kazee. As he rested Kazee in Raziel's arms, he continued to speak.
"Don't try to be something that you're not. You're not the greatest thing alive. You're not better than me, you're nothing. Who're you anyways? Huh? Really, who are you?" He grew angry with every word coming out of his mouth.
"Get it through that fucking thick skull of yours. You are me, I am above you. DON'T THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT YOU WILL EVER RID ME OF MY THRONE!" Quinze poked and tapped Raziel on his forehead with his index finger.
"Since your rise to power, you've let it get to your head. You have NO GUIDANCE! You have lost your way. You're careless and immature. I will be damned before I let your lack of experience put the powerful name of ZAFT in the dirt, six feet under and letting it rot. If you don't shape up and start doing a fucking incredible job, I will take my place back by force....and you know I can do it. I've demonstrated the control I hold, so don't be a "hero" and test me. Don't. I'll have you killed before you've even thought of a way to kill me" Quinze just stood there and then stepped in closer.
"I had high hopes for you. Ever since i've left, you forgot and dismissed my teachings and sullied my name to only better yours. You were like the son I never had, and this is how you treat me? The one who raised you and got you to where you are today?" Quinze kept questioning Raziel, not letting the man speak.
"I hope you've learned and stop trying to be a hardass....badass...just be Raziel Frost" Quinze then balled a fist and threw a thunderous fist onto Raziel's jaw.
"I do hate to resort to fisticuffs, but you drew first blood when you tainted everything ZAFT stood for. Take him away" Quinze then paused
"Wait. I do have a gift for you" Quinze then walked back to his desk and pulled out a sheathed sword. "This was for you"
"I call this "The Sword of Reflection", a sword with a name that best fits it. I'm going to give this to you, but if you disgrace this sword....I'll kill you with my own. This is your second chance, don't fuck it up" Using the bottom of the hilt, Quinze struck Raziel on the temple and knocked him out.
"Take them back to wherever the hell it is they stay. Dump them in a ditch nearby and leave no tracks"
Quinze then looked back at his failed son.
"To hell with you, Raziel"
