The Next Eternity

A fan fiction written by Ryuko Ishida

EDIT (as of 31 Oct, 2007): I've corrected anything that needed to be corrected, and I've added the original Chinese lyrics for people who are Chinese literate. Also, I've posted a download link of the song on my profile for your listening pleasure. So go check it out!

Ryuko: First Gundam Seed fan fiction here! Please tell me your opinion on this and that would really help me.

DISCLAIMER: Obviously, I'm not the owner of GS, but I DO own the series DVDs. And the song 'The Next Eternity' doesn't belong to me, either. It's performed by Jeff Chang and TRANSLATED by me. So if the translation sucked, that would be my fault.

SUMMARY: The dream they had once shared, the time they had spent together, were long gone. Perhaps, they will be reunited again in the next eternity.

Notes:
Present narration.

Lyrics.

Past narration.

※※※

She stared down at the sleeping city below her – motionless, frozen. The gentle breeze teased through her tumbling brown tresses, breathed across her face, light like a soft sigh. It was dead in the middle of the night, and she was alone, restless. Those blazing eyes that used to be so fierce and bright with determination were now dimmed, as if someone had blown out the candle, ending it all.

There had been no division between night and day back up in space, she remembered. How could she not, when all that had happened to her, and the people around her, began right there, in the endless landscape of the universe?

It had all took place above her, and at this thought, Murrue Ramius tilted her head towards the heaven. Only a few blue stars blinked back coldly at her. Moisture stung her eyes; she would not allow it to happen again. A long time had passed since then. Yet the vivid images of the moment would never leave her alone as long as she lived.

That day was the dividing line.

You forgot to properly tell me "Goodbye",

And only left me with your shadow at the back of my mind.

那天是一條界線
你忘了好好說再見
只留下背影是我腦海經典的畫面

The captain of Archangel knew her end was coming. Death was bold; he was right in her face. The darkness transformed itself into a blinding white light, dressed itself in purity, but she knew better.

She was certain she had yelled out a command, something about dodging the God-damn beam that would send them off in less than a second. But she wasn't sure.

"It's too late!" Someone shouted as a response.

And everything seemed to freeze after that.

Not her brain though; it just wouldn't shut up.

She shouldn't be freaked out like this, right? She was the captain, after all. What she should do right now, probably, was to... Oh God. What could she possibly do?

Nothing. And as she realized this, a fountain of silver light showered into the deck, purifying everything in its path. But suddenly, the world wasn't so bright anymore. Captain Ramius let her eyes cracked open the slightest bit and she saw, with an almost awed expression on her face, that a silhouette was shadowing over them, providing them a temporary shield.

Then the next question struck her instantly 'Where the hell is he?' He was supposed to be back. That was what he said minutes before, wasn't it? Her brain was so messed up within seconds that she could neither reason, nor remember.

Yet, as her eyes slowly adjusted to the whole scene, Murrue abruptly recognized that shadow – the back of the Strike Gundam.

I was there, right between the boundary of love and pain.

Wandering in the city,

Yet it cannot be seen – next eternity.

我獨自站在曾經愛與心痛的邊緣
在城市裏流漣
卻看不見下個永遠

She never noticed their presence until they blurred her sight; droplets of moisture rolled off her eye brims, like a quick, shallow stream, rushing off to depth. The desperation she never felt before now rose up in her chest, choking and suffocating her and she thought she couldn't breathe.

Lack of oxygen caused her to inhale deeply a few times, and each time, the auburn-haired woman just realized the more that she was alive. Still alive.

As the light gradually died, the slightest evidence of even a single presence from before had disappeared. Replacing it was only the ghost of smoke that slithered into the stardust and ceased out of existence.

As sudden as it had flickered off, flames was enveloping her once more in that same speed. She simply could not allow it to end like this.

Time is a game we can never truly overpower.

Let the past become part of your memory.

時間原來就是考驗
讓過去都成了紀念

The former captain leaned on the black metal bars of the balcony, letting the somewhat comforting iciness seeped into her tingling skin and numbed the migraine that was pounding in her head. This was too much, way too much for her to handle.

Murrue knew she should have let go of this piece of her past – the scarred part – at least. Reliving similar things could not possibly be healthy to her mind.

Just like Novacaine rushing into your system,

Numbing your misery, your pain of agony.

麻痺了痛的感覺
卻還是留在那邊

"Hey, captain," a light-hearted, yet familiar voice, soft as if coming out from a long-lost memory, called out to her. Unwillingly, Murrue shuddered as she felt the foreign warmth wrapped around her. How she wished she could just turn around and stare into his reassuring deep blue gaze, and listen to his gentle and teasing voice telling her everything would be all right. Yet, it could never be.

Not now, not ever.

"It has been so long now," he mused, his blond locks tousled as the breath of the night rippled past. "Murrue, You've got to let it go." She dared not turn back to see his expression as he said these words – the words that drowned down her last gleam of hope. If she did, she was afraid she would never let him go. Murrue's mind might be muddled up at the moment, yet it was still sensible enough to a degree that she could not help but agree with his words all the same.

We search all over the future,

Continually looking for the next eternity.

陪著我到未來
繼續尋找下個永遠

"Let it go," it was fainter this time, an airy whisper that Murrue almost thought she had imagined it. She had to see for herself; she needed to know. And finally, she turned and what met her eyes was...

All this time, I've dared to hope

That one day, we will meet again in our memories.

希望有一天
偶然能在回憶遇見

...Nothing. Like it was supposed to be.

"Of course," she shook her head, feeling more awake than ever. "How could he have...?" And with another fierce shake, she made her way back inside the apartment, closing the door crisply behind her back.

And this time, we will embrace the next eternity.

我們都各自擁抱下一個永遠

※※※

Ryuko: I can't believe they made Mwu died at the end! They're evil, aren't they? Anyways, hope you guys like it. Now, I'm going to sit in my own little corner and cry. Oh, and comment, please!