[Fic] Gundam Seed: Beautiful Disaster (ORIGINAL) ; Chapter 3
Title: Beautiful Disaster (The original)
Writer: akinriahtram
Genre: General, Drama, Romance, Mild Angst
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Athrun / Cagalli ; Dearka / Miriallia ; Kira / Lacus
Note: It is unedited. Excuse the sheer horror of it. This chapter is heavily based on Aisakisumi's "Through a Looking Glass." The marriage dialogues are written by her. The story will part ways with the other story from here.
Summary: A sacrifice is made for the sake of the world, to a man who couldn't have cared less. When she said, "To have peace, there is a need of a payment," she never would have thought that she would be the sacrifice herself.
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01 ll 02 ll 03 ll 04 ll 05 ll 06 ll 07 ll 08 ll 09 ll 10 ll 11 ll 12
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Beautiful Disaster
by: akinriah.tram
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Words meaning everything, but really nothing at all
In the deceptive, hash world
Between coordinators and naturals
I’d like to remain a secret
Like a shadow or a background
If no one knows me, sees me, or cares
I’ll be safe, without any damages
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Over half of PLANT had gathered at the port and were watching with great anticipation as the shuttle slipped into view. There was barely anything else seen through the heaving mass of people that had turned up to see the girl.
Yes, the girl. No one really knew her name, and no one seemed to care. They had all turned up, anxious to see how the future wife of the famous Athrun Zala would look like while jealous fan girls glared down hatefully at the lucky natural girl who was going to be married to their beloved Athrun Zala.
Cagalli could feel her legs weakening as her stomach clenched thinking of the possible ways that could happen as soon as the door open, allowing her to step out. Glancing at Miriallia, the brunette sighed.
‘How can you sleep at a time like this, Mir?’ she hated to admit it, but she envied the girl. How things would be if they had switched places.
‘If only I can be you…’ but she slapped herself mentally. It was a selfish thought! ‘She’s your best friend… almost like your sister. You can’t treat her like that, Cagalli!’ She couldn’t believe that she had almost thought of forcing Mir to switch places with her.
The door slid open as a soldier wearing a red uniform walked in with a grimed look upon his face. “Miss Athha, welcome to PLANT. I was thrust to guide you to the place that you will be staying from here." She stared up at him, and at once she knew. Beneath that façade, that coordinator really hated them. They were apparently weak naturals in his eyes.
“Mir…wake up. We’re here.” The girl shook the other girl gently.
“Ehh… we’re here already?” Miriallia yawned.
“Please follow me,” the coordinator interrupted as he gestured for them to follow him.
As Cagalli followed him through the doorway, the noises from the crowd suddenly thundered through the air from the crowds, giving her a sense of uneasiness. Their worlds were blurred in with one and another, but she had caught some words such as ‘natural’, ‘weak’, and ‘useless’.
Staring ahead like she had always been taught to ever since she was young, she walked passed them as if she couldn’t hear them. She had always been told to ‘ignore them as if they don’t exist’ so that she could keep up with her image when she had to walk past all those unfamiliar strangers.
As they passed by the crowd, a girl muttered darkly, “Go to hell.” Miriallia glared at the girl and was about to come up with a remark when Cagalli stopped her.
“No, Mir. We’re not in Orb anymore. This is PLANT now… this is their territory. But I will become part of this world…where all the secrets lies…” Cagalli stated.
Miriallia could have sworn that she saw a dangerous glare flashed through her best friend’s eyes and all she could hope was that Cagalli wasn’t putting her life on the line to whatever she was doing.
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Chaos enveloped the small apartment as the young bridesmaid shuffled around, preparing for the upcoming ceremony. The air thickened with tension as soft harsh orders rang through the room while whispers and gossips echoed around her. No one dared to talk to the ‘natural’ bride who was going to be the ‘future wife of Athrun Zala’.
Her expression was solemn as she waited and waited for the dreary commencement of her wedding ceremonies. She could hear those almost-inaudible whispers that were passed around about her. Her fingers itched for something to hold on to as her hand clutched the other tightly. The white material that blocked her vision was irking her to no end, like the meaning behind such action:
Women’s obedience to their husband…
She gnawed the corner of her mouth, furrowing her eyebrows. She hadn’t met Athrun Zala yet, and that made her felt uneasy.
For the past two weeks, they weren’t able to leave her apartment. As soon as she had left that place, the coordinator had told her that a place had already been arranged for her to stay until the wedding. She wasn’t even allowed to step out the door and she was informed that everything had been already planned and organized -She would marry Athrun Zala the following two weeks.
During those two weeks, it had been hell for her. Strangers turned up either to curse at her, visit her or talked to her and unfamiliar people turned up to prepare her for the wedding. The people who lived near her were pretty nice to her, but she had a feeling that she didn’t quite fit in.
“Cagalli, you haven’t eaten anything since last night…” Miriallia sitting beside her stated with worries written all over her face.
No response…
Blue eyes like gemstones fell upon the bride’s face and Miriallia was speechless, knowing that she had nothing to say about it. She didn’t understand when their life had changed drastically like that. She wasn’t even sure if she knew the Cagalli she had always known. The woman in front of her was like some stranger to her.
Cagalli’s face had been masked, perfectly layered with heavy makeup. She didn’t understand how Cagalli had agreed to such tactics. Her beautiful face was covered completely and she didn’t look like herself at all and Miriallia had always thought Cagalli had her own ways of doing things.
When the stylist, Keera Laymeer turned up, she had took a long look at Cagalli before her eyebrows scoffed. She then muttered something about not-fitted-enough to herself. Miriallia had taken a dislike to her immediately.
She knew that the Princess of Orb wasn’t the beautiful sort of girl that will make all the guys swoon and fall heads-over-heels as their eyes make contact with her. Heck, if it weren’t required for all women to wear a dress at all times when they’re at the palace, Cagalli would have a closet filled with t-shirts, khaki pants, and other sort of comfortable clothing that the palace did not approved of. Since Cagalli was so stubborn, she had managed to have a shelf of those garments.
Her hair was another problem. It was always sticking all over the place and Keera had wanted to cut it. Cagalli had turned down the offer with a flat no even though Keera declared that she would look like a guy.
But Miriallia knew that if one were to look farther than that, they would discover the inner beauty of her mistress. Such admirable determination behind those amber eyes-- which was always hidden because she was the Princess of Orb.
It frightened her; to know that Cagalli was intending on entering such a dangerous place-to acquire the information for Orb. She had always been taught that women shouldn’t interfere with men’s politics, but then why would women have to go and be their pawns? Miriallia didn’t care about power or anything like that. She just wanted Cagalli to be safe and happy.
“It’s time…”
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That day came rather too quickly, almost like a blur.
Athrun, dressed in his best outfit stood at the foot of the alter as he waited for his-soon-to-be-wife to come. He hadn’t seen her yet…since he had avoided the day of meeting her all along. It was then when Nicol had knocked some sense to him, he knew that it was too late. He would have to marry someone he had never seen before, but then again… she was already like a stranger to him. There was really no point in trying to find out what kind of person she was. It was better that way.
He couldn’t say that he hadn’t heard what the others were talking of her. Many said she wasn’t pretty and couldn’t be match up to Lacus Clyne. There were a few that criticized her. They either hated her or they didn’t care.
A smirk played upon his lips as a thought cross his mind, ‘I’m only marrying you to see you get torture in this world. The world you don’t belong…’
When the door opened, causing silence to fell between those who were attending the wedding ceremony and the music to begin, everything began to change.
Everlasting emerald eyes searched the figure. After doing a double take over, he didn’t know what to say about her.
The way she stood with small, delicate shoulders indicated she was soft spoken and gentle. Her arms were thin and her feet tiny. She had jet blond hair sticking all over the place. Her face was covered with thick make up, which had pin-point one of his many predictions of her. But it truly confuses him were her striking ember eyes. It didn’t hold any expression… not a sign of misery, not a sign of happiness… nothing. But then, it gave a sense that she was a woman not to be messed with, full of pride and would accomplish what she has in her mind.
The words interrupted him:
“Do you Athrun Zala, take this woman, Cagalli Yula Athha to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poor, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.”
‘love…’ meaningless.
“I do.” He replied.
“Do you Cagalli Yula Athha, take this man, Athrun Zala to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.”
It seemed like an eternity, before she had said, “I do.”
“You may now exchange your wedding ring.”
He took out the wedding ring and walked up to her. Exchanging his with hers, he made a steady speech that was barely audible, but he knew she heard it.
“I can give you anything, anything but love.”
He thought she would break down at once when he told her that he could never love her, but she didn’t. She remained calm when she received the news from him and what he couldn’t believe was she smiled. It was a solemn smile, yet so sincere.
“I understand.”
“You many now kiss the bride.”
I’ll give you anything, anything but love.
I understand.
He had vowed to himself that he couldn’t love her. But what he never intended was to break that vow.
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I can't remember you, but then again, I wouldn’t because I never did know you. Just a word, a smile, a look and maybe again, I would fall… without knowing.
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