On the Kusanagi, Mikazuki and Kira had intended to return to the Archangel with Murrue and the others, but Cagalli had asked them to stay behind. Now, the three of them sat in the Mobile Suit pilot's lounge.
Mikazuki tugged at the zipper of his Normal Suit to loosen it, looking at Cagalli beside him. "You asked us to wait before leaving. Is something wrong?"
Cagalli's expression flickered with hesitation. After a moment's struggle, she slowly pulled a photograph out of her pocketthe one Uzumi had given herand handed it to Mikazuki.
Mikazuki took the photo and blinked as he looked at the two infants and the woman captured in the image. "This is..."
"Look at the back," Cagalli said.
Hearing her words, Mikazuki turned the photo over. There were two rows of letters written on the back. Since he was illiterate, he couldn't understand a word of it. "Zero-Two-Seven," he muttered, calling out for help in his own way.
"What does it say?" Mikazuki asked.
"It's my name... and," Kira murmured, lifting his head to look at Cagalli. "Cagalli's name. This photo, what on earth is it...?"
"My father gave it to me," Cagalli said, her voice low. "He said... I have a brother." She had been bottling this up for several days and could no longer resist the urge to confirm the truth. She had never been the type of person who could keep a secret for long.
A look of realization dawned on Mikazuki's face. "Oh, so you're blood relatives? No wonder. I've always felt that you and Kira were very similar in certain ways. So that's how it is. The woman in the photo gives me the same feeling as both of you."
Cagalli also recalled a cryptic remark Mikazuki had made once before. It turned out she and Kira really were related.
"This..." Kira was at a complete loss. He had never heard anything about having a sister or a brother.
Wait... if the woman in the photo is the biological mother of both Cagalli and me, then our current parents are...
At that thought, Kira's pupils contracted. His mouth hung open, and a look of profound confusion clouded his face. "It can't be... I... I'm not my parents' biological child?"
"Kira... I'm sorry." Cagalli felt a pang of regret seeing his reaction. She shouldn't have been so blunt; who could accept such a revelation so easily?
Mikazuki looked at the two of them, both visibly shaken. His expression remained indifferent as he spoke up. "If you aren't biological children, does that mean you aren't family?"
"Uh..."
"I really don't understand what you're so conflicted about," Mikazuki continued. "You both have parents right now, don't you? Are you saying that without a blood connection, you would deny that they are your parents? Is family only defined by blood to you? If they knew the children they raised for all these years thought that way, they would probably cry."
"Mm..."
Kira and Cagalli lowered their heads in thought after hearing Mikazuki's words.
He was right. Even if they weren't related by blood, they were still family. Those were the people who had raised them into adulthoodtheir closest parents. There was absolutely no need to obsess over bloodlines because they knew their parents loved them dearly.
The word "family" wasn't restricted to blood relatives; family meant the people who gave you warmth and a sense of belonging.
As for the photo, they could simply ask Uzumi and Kira's parents once they returned. In this vast universe, wasting time overthinking such confusing matters was a pointless exercise. If Kira and Cagalli really were brother and sister, it was actually a good thingit meant they each had one more family member.
Having cleared the clouds from their minds, the two looked at each other and shared a smile.
Mikazuki's lips curled up slightly as well. He floated up from his chair. "Let's go. It's time to head back to the Archangel. If anything comes up, just use the comms."
"Right. Thanks, Mika."
"No problem."
With that, Mikazuki led the way out of the lounge, with Kira following close behind. Cagalli stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of the lounge, watching the Mobile Suits in the hangar below. She didn't leave until she saw Mikazuki board the Gundam Barbatos and depart.
"Mika... I won't lose. Whether it's Murrue or that Lacus... one day, I'll definitely make you look at me with new eyes."
Upon returning to the Archangel, Mikazuki intended to go to his room to rest, but Murrue's voice came through his earpiece.
"Mika, Athrun plans to take a shuttle to P.L.A.N.T. Kira is going to escort him, and I've given my approval."
"P.L.A.N.T.... I'm going too. Tell Pops Murdoch to prepare the extra boosters for me."
"I understand." Murrue didn't refuse his request because she knew exactly what Mikazuki intended to do.
Mikazuki, who had been about to head to his room, changed back into his Normal Suit and went to the hangar. Kira and Athrun had already set off. The Justice Gundam had been left behind on the Archangel by Athrun, his intentions clear.
"Young man, the external booster armor that the Orb Union specially made for you is all set," Kojiro Murdoch shouted as Mikazuki approached. "The fuel won't drain the Barbatos's original 2.8 thrusters. Aside from making you a bit less agile, you won't have to worry about your operating range at all."
"Thanks, Pops," Mikazuki replied.
Mikazuki noted that the Gundam Barbatos was indeed equipped with heavy-looking armor plates, which were emblazoned with the Tekkadan logo. This booster armor had been commissioned from Morgenroete, Inc.
by Uzumi specifically for Mikazuki. After all, it was thanks to Mikazuki that Orb had managed to end the war without a disastrous conclusion.
After offering his thanks, Mikazuki stomped his foot against the deck and jumped directly onto the Barbatos's chest plate.
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