Chapter Text
It’s for her own good.
Miorine hesitantly gave Suletta’s phone back to her, the little widget with the image of their matching charms now gracing the screen.
“There,” she said. “It’ll be a good-luck charm.”
Miorine couldn’t look her groom in the eyes. She couldn’t have the image of Suletta’s eagerness and gratitude burned in her mind while she did what she had to do.
Suletta’s arms were suddenly thrown around Miorine’s shoulders, pulling her in tight.
“I promise, Ms. Miorine!” Suletta said earnestly. “I won’t lose! It’s my birthday gift to you!”
“Mm…” Miorine just grumbled into Suletta’s collar before pulling away. “Go on, then. Get ready for your duel.”
“Ah- Right!” The Mercurian girl ran the other direction, away from her bride, waving goodbye.
It took all of Miorine’s resolve not to wave back.
Don’t give her any more good memories, she told herself. It’ll only make this harder.
She made her way to where she’d sit and wait for Prospera’s signal. It made her sick, teaming up with such a terrible woman. Prospera even had the audacity to ask if Miorine felt guilty, when she’d been doing much worse to Suletta her entire life.
Prospera was a hypocrite, just like Delling. Those two were made to hate each other. It was up to Miorine to remove the one most precious to her from the middle of their respective parents’ conflict, even at the cost of their relationship.
When all this marriage business started, Miorine remembered feeling trapped. Her father had turned her into a prize to be tossed around Asticassia, into the hands of anyone who wanted to get close to the Benerit Group president. She didn’t want to fall in love with any of those losers. She never did, until…
Suletta was so different. She never wanted to go to school to get married. Maybe she wanted to meet someone and fall in love, but she clearly had no plans to claim Miorine as a bride. At first, it seemed like just a misunderstanding. Suletta didn’t know that winning that duel would get her Miorine’s hand.
Of course, that was all a part of Prospera’s scheme. She was just like everyone else, using the marriage game to get close to Delling. She’d manipulated Suletta in order to get her way, not even allowing her to figure herself out. The poor girl probably hadn’t even come into understanding where her interests lie by the time she was thrown into an arranged marriage.
Miorine sighed as she gripped the dorky little charm gifted to her by Suletta. She gave it one last look, knowing she’d have to give it back in order for this betrayal to sell. It was so ugly and stupid, but it made her smile. To her, it was a piece of Suletta’s heart, and she loved Suletta too much to hate this trinket.
Dammit… Miorine tried hard to fight back the sudden tears. Why’d you have to make this so much harder, Suletta?
What Suletta had said to Guel before, it stuck with Miorine in every square meter of her mind.
“I too have someone precious to me now.”
Miorine knew Suletta was talking about her. The fact that she’d basically confessed her love for Miorine to Guel, only made this decision heavier in Miorine’s mind.
That love was mutual. Through being engaged all this time, and being around each other so much, the two girls had grown to love each other in a way they never would have wanted in the first place. If they hadn’t been through so much with each other, maybe breaking off this engagement would be easier. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
So much of Suletta’s influence on Miorine’s life got them to where they were. GUND-Arm was founded for Suletta and Aerial. Miorine was still at Asticassia because Suletta, among other things, made her happy. Hell, Miorine probably wouldn’t even be alive right now if not for Suletta’s violent but effective tactics at Plant Quetta.
She had so much to be grateful for, and here she was, about to thank the girl she loved with a painful heartbreak.
It’s for her own good, Miorine reasoned. Remember the old saying. “If you love something, you set it free.” She closed her eyes and swallowed. Let her find happiness without Gundams. Without her mother.
Without you.
Miorine tried to calm her breathing, preparing herself for Prospera’s signal.
“I promised. For Miorine’s birthday…”
Miorine’s eyes twitched at the mention of her name. She’d forgotten she was connected to the coms in the duel.
“I promised I’d win!”
The determination in Suletta’s voice was so beautiful, it distracted Miorine from the signal.
Please don’t say this… Not now…
As the music box recording of “Happy Birthday” played over Miorine’s phone, she continued to listen to Suletta’s words.
“I said I’d stay at her side forever.”
Why’d I have to ask that of you?
“Now it’s my turn to ask her that.”
I’d love to…
“We’ll buy rings together and have a wedding.”
I want that so badly.
Miorine’s hands trembled as her thumbs hovered over the button on her screen.
“And we’ll both wear the very best dresses!”
I bet you would’ve looked beautiful, but…
“So… So… Please choose me!”
“I’m sorry…” Miorine mumbled. She felt the words double over, as if someone else was saying it along with her. She pressed the button.
Over the coms, Miorine heard Suletta call Aerial’s name, followed by a loud crash. She’d lost. Suletta was no longer Miorine’s groom.
She quickly gathered all of her resolve, making sure she had no signs of despair on her face for what she did next, and made her way out to the dueling grounds. She climbed up onto the fallen Gundam and opened the cockpit, where Suletta was staring vacantly in shock over her loss.
“Ms. Miorine!” Suletta perked up slightly at the sight of her now-former bride. She looked apologetic, as if she was ready to try anything to get Miorine back. She quickly removed her helmet and leaned up out of her seat. “I’m so sorry! I… Aerial… She stopped moving all of a sudden, and…”
“I know,” said Miorine. “Because it was me who did it.”
No emotion. Do not let her miss you.
“But… why?” Suletta asked.
To liberate you. To let you be your own person.
“I wanted you to lose.”
Suletta’s eyes widened at Miorine’s words. “That’s a lie…”
“I told you from the beginning, didn’t I? This was a trade.” Miorine reached into her pocket and grabbed the blue charm she adored. “You made a good shield,” she said as she tossed it back into her former groom’s hands. “But then, you can’t fulfill your obligations if you lose.”
Suletta’s breathing quickened, her expression of desperation growing stronger. “Wait!” she said. “Please wait! Mr. Guel! Please duel with me again! Next time… I won’t lose! So–”
“I’ll take that back too.” Miorine hated the look on Suletta’s face, but she knew this would be better for her. She continued to twist the knife. “Thanks for all your hard work.”
Suletta watched helplessly as the Holder’s emblem disappeared from her suit. She grabbed at it desperately, as if she could keep some semblance of the uniform present in the digital fibers.
As the former Holder cried wordlessly for Miorine, staring up at her with despair in every part of her expression, Miorine repeated the words in her head, trying to make this easier for her.
“If you love something, you set it free…” Miorine thought. I love you too much to let you live without a life. Please, hate me for this, and forget you ever loved me.
“Goodbye…
“…my Mercurian country bumpkin.”
Suletta didn’t know whether to be angry or sad that Miorine had called her that. She’d been called that name since she came to Asticassia, even by the man she just lost two of her most precious things to. It felt so different coming from Miorine. It hurt more, but the way she said it… it came off as both endearing and condescending.
Miorine turned and walked away from the former Holder. When she stopped and lifted her head to speak one more time, Suletta felt that last piece of hope within her shatter.
“Just leave Aerial here and go back to Earth House.”
That was it. Their relationship, their engagement, even just a shred of friendship… it was all gone. Suletta had only just started to realize how she really felt about Miorine. Everything she’d hoped for had she won this duel, it all died with her shattered heart.
She’d wanted to confess to Miorine how she really felt. Deep down, she had been certain that Miorine felt the same way, but now she could see that was all a lie. All of it, everything they’d been through… a lie.
Suletta wanted to cry as she hesitantly climbed out of Aerial’s cockpit, for what may be the final time. How could she explain this to her mom? She’d lost not only a powerful mobile suit, but her family.
As much as she dreaded the inevitable call, Suletta also hoped that her mother would be able to help her through this. Prospera had always spoken her out of a terrible situation, and at no point in Suletta’s life had she ever felt as terrible as she did now. She knew her mother would say the right thing. In all her life, she’d never known her to be wrong.
Suletta only focused her mind on getting that assurance from her mother. She paid no attention to her surroundings, ignoring how the rest of Earth House tried to console her. The former Holder didn’t want to hear her peers say terrible things about Miorine, even if she’d just broken her heart like that.
She locked herself alone in her room and started to call her mom. The phone only rang twice before Prospera answered.
“Suletta! It’s nice to hear from you,” said Prospera. Her voice was as calm and loving as ever, and Suletta felt immediately comforted.
“I-It’s nice to hear your voice too, mom…” said Suletta. “Um… I, uh…”
“Is everything alright, dear?”
Suletta took a deep breath and attempted to calm her nervous heartbeat. “It’s… about my duel. I… I lost.” There was no answer from Prospera. “That’s not all,” Suletta continued. “Mr. Guel’s stake in the duel… He got Aerial.” She started to cry. “I… I’m so sorry!”
“Don’t worry, Suletta. It’ll all be okay,” said Prospera, her calm tone further comforting her daughter.
Suletta sniffed and wiped some of the tears from her eyes. “Really?” she asked.
“Of course. Everything will be fine, I promise.”
A smile started to form on Suletta’s face. If her mother said so, then everything really would be alright. Still, the thought kept nagging at her. “B-but I… I still lost her…”
There was a short pause before Prospera responded. “You’re not talking about Aerial anymore, are you?”
“No, I…” Suletta broke down in tears once again. “I’m not Ms. Miorine’s groom and… I don’t know what to do!” She brought her feet up to the bed on which she sat and buried her face in her knees. “I didn’t think I would, but… I fell for her, and she just threw me aside!”
“...I’m so sorry to hear that,” said Prospera.
“Well… What should I do?”
“About what?”
“About… any of this! Ms. Miorine is probably gonna get married soon, and I don’t… I don’t want her to, if it’s not going to be me.”
Prospera let out a loud sigh from the other side of the call. “Apologies, Suletta, but I can’t help you.”
Suletta’s eyes widened at her mother’s response. “What? Why?”
“This is the kind of thing you’ll need to figure out on your own. I can’t provide you with any answers.”
Suletta couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She was sure Prospera always had all the answers. “But–!”
“I’m also going to be very busy in the upcoming weeks, so you won’t be able to call me,” Prospera added. “You’ll have to deal with things on your own for a little while.”
Suletta sniffed, unable to get a full response out. “I… I can’t…”
“Hey,” said Prospera calmingly. “You’ll be alright.”
“You think so?”
“Of course.”
Finally, Suletta ended up with a definitive smile. “Okay… Thanks, mom. I love you.”
“I love you too, Suletta.”
With that, the call ended, and Suletta lay down on the bed. Her mother was right, like always, even if she had been a little vague. Even though Suletta had basically been dumped by the first person she ever truly loved romantically, it wasn’t the end of the universe. Still, she couldn’t just let Miorine go. She had to have closure and tell her how she really felt.