Author's Note: Here is my second G-Gundam story, written to take place right after the last episode. As I perceived Rain's character throughout the series, I saw her as someone who was a very conscientious, a responsible person who would not easily accept her absolution of her own imagined blame in the destruction of the Kasshu family. Even though Domon's declaration of his love and his assurance of him not finding her at blame was clear, her own sense of responsibility as well as her role as both a scientist and a doctor I believe would drive her to right the wrong of her father. And I wrote Domon's character as being affectionate based on what I saw in the scene where he spoke to her before he said he loved her, bringing out the soft side he kept hidden. The return of the Dark Gundam is based on one of its three theoretical abilities—self-recovery and the Shuffle Alliance returns to do battle with the evil monstrosity. I am also writing the synopsis to plan and develop the plot as I write the actual story so I will update as the plot is completed. I do not own G Gundam or the characters, they are the property of Bandai, Sunrise, and the Sotsu Agency.

UNDYING REGRETS

DRIVEN AND DEALING

Rain Mikamura was chilled in spite of the warm Indian summer sunshine caressing her delicately pretty face, her azure eyes cast skyward. No matter how she tried, she couldn't feel warmth. Maybe it was because she felt the icy fingers from within clutching at her soul, fingers of grief, shame and guilt. Her father, one of Neo Japan's most respected scientists and medical doctors was dead with a woeful legacy left behind of deceit, jealousy, and the shedding of innocent blood. His actions are probably why he was serving an eternal sentence in hell and that, among other things caused his only daughter unspeakable, abject anguish.

A salt-kissed sea breeze tickled at the forlorn young woman, causing her cinnamon hair to dance about, the sun streaking it in gold highlights but she was unaware as she reached and brushed the crystal drop of a tear that slowly made its way down her ivory cheek.

"Oh Father, why? Why would you allow petty jealousy and senseless envy to drive you to such evil? And why would you try to destroy the family of our closest friends? We were as close to the Kasshus as actual blood relations yet you were involved in their destruction. And now I'm here left to carry the knowledge that you, my own father, had almost destroyed your best friend and his son Domon, the man I love."

The almost mournful cries of the seagulls above Rain added to her own lament. She sighed deeply as she clutched her shapely knees, drawing them in to rest her chin sitting on the sand watching the white birds glide back and forth across the face of the sun. She continued her sorrowful soliloquy

I know that Domon keeps telling me that he doesn't blame me and told me while I was captive in the Dark Gundam that he never did but I can't help how I feel. I have to face the reality that my father, the man who gave me life, was the cause of so much tragedy. How could I not feel responsible? My heart is so heavy with the shame and the guilt that it pains me!

Rain's eyes them became filled with the tears, tears that had been a daily ritual since Domon brought her to his and Dr. Kasshu's house to live. She had wanted to find a place of her own but Domon was adamant, taking his vow of never letting her go when he rescued her from the Dark Gundam very much to heart. Dr. Kasshu had even used his influence to get her a position at the Neo Japan medical research department, her vast knowledge of DG cells an asset as they probed the makeup of the cells that could attach to human cells like a cancer and cause such a change in their host. But instead of helping her, it just added to her burden of guilt and shame a vast indebtedness. She was almost overwhelmed at times and it was then that she withdrew from everyone and everything but she made a solemn vow to do all she could as a doctor and scientist in her own right to search down and eradicate any residual DG cells that still existed.

Rain continued her heavyhearted musings as a tall shadow of a figure stood over her. She didn't even stir for she knew who it was without even looking up.

"You're here again," Domon's voice spoke matter-of-factly. He knelt in the sand besides her gently taking her slim shoulders in his hands.

Rain nodded, "Uh-huh. I was finished at the lab and I just walked here."

"I know. I went to pick you up with the lander and they said you had gone. Why'd you come here again, Rain? What happened?"

Rain sighed as she replied, "The remains of Michelo Chariot and Gentle Chapman were brought into the lab to do an autopsy and so the DG cells were presented for research. It was a bit hairy to say the least and I couldn't help remembering." She shuddered in revulsion.

Domon's arms wrapped around her. "I'm sorry, koibito."

Rain felt the sting of new tears at his tenderness. Of late Domon had become very protective of her and all his passionate nature was expressed more frequently in gentle ways, showing a side of him that she never knew existed, a side that used terms of endearment and warm hugs toward her. It was strange but she welcomed this side of him as she leaned back against his strength. She wiped her tears away and continued.

"Especially Chapman. I remembered how we had met him and Manon in Neo England the first time. He was so sick and sick of fighting. All he wanted to do was live in peace with his wife. After he died, he couldn't even be left to rest in peace, taken over by the Dark Gundam. Another life destroyed by the science of our fathers."

Domon grunted, "Yeah. The Dark Gundam left its mark on many lives. And has stolen many lives as well."

She knew he was referring to the death of Kyoji, the big brother he had idolized as a boy. As much as she was carrying grief around, Rain knew that Domon was doing the same but he was trying to hide his sorrow as he helped her with hers. She felt the anger and sadness both radiating from him as he wrapped his arms about her like he had when she was in the Dark Gundam. Rain sighed and leaned against Domon as the sun began dipping toward the horizon.

They remained like that, sitting on the seashore for a few hours as the sun sank below the lapping waves, turning them into a profusion of gold, orange and red as the gulls flew off. For since the time in the Guyana Highlands they could sit together without ne'er a word spoken between them, just their close proximity lending comfort to each other. It had been like that since they were children and now with the love that existed between them, it was a treasured commodity by both.

"We'd better head back. Dad'll be worried if we don't." he stated gruffly, breaking the silence. He released her and got to his feet, his red cape ruffling in the sea mist, offering his hand to help Rain up. She meekly took his lead as they walked wordlessly the path from the beach to where the road that led to the Kasshu house was.

Later that evening, Rain was in her room busy on her laptop computer gathering as much information about DG and other cells she could from the many data disks that were created by her father, Kyoji and Dr. Kasshu. She had gone into the library and gathered as many disks as she could then begging off dinner with a headache, closed herself in her bedroom to begin her research. Domon was none too pleased by her action but she reassured him she was fine and then scurried to her room leaving him and his father with puzzled frowns on their faces.

Rain poured through the disks, representative of countless hours in the laboratory of studying cell makeup, DNA, metabolism and then the chemical elements used to create bonding with organic cells. She also took notes as more and more information was processed in her hungry mind. She was tireless as the hours of the evening ticked by and into the wee hours, writing page after page of notations until there was a soft firm rap on her door.

"Rain?" Domon's deep voice sounded as he opened the door. "Are you okay?" He stepped into her room and strode to where she was seated, at her desk.

Rain glanced up at the concerned yet severe countenance of the man she loved. "I'm fine, Domon. Just doing some research."

"Without eating?"

"I wasn't hungry." She turned her attention back to the glowing monitor and the document displayed.

Domon sighed in annoyance. "You need to eat. And you need to sleep. Or is this going to be another all-nighter with you getting no rest whatsoever?" he demanded.

Rain turned and regarded him sullenly. "It's better than getting no sleep due to the nightmares," she retorted. A tear slipped down from one cerulean eye and made a wet circle on her shrimp pink minidress. Since her rescue from the Dark Gundam, her nights had been haunted with the hideous sights of being the life force to that monstrosity. She felt that those pictures would stay in her head until the day she died.

Domon's expression and eyes softened. He crouched beside her with his arm about her shoulders. "Rain, Rain, you're driving yourself to collapse. You need to give your body the rest and nourishment it needs."

"Domon, I know this. I'm a doctor, remember?"

Domon snorted, "Yeah well then I guess it's true what they say about doctors and nurses being the worst patients." He took a gentler approach. "You're scaring me, koishii. Just like you did when you insisted on fixing Shining Gundam in the Guyana Highlands. I didn't rescue you from the Dark Gundam just for you to kill yourself by concentrating so much on doing away with any left over DG cells." He reached and brushed the hair from her beautiful eyes, now closed with thick sooty lashes resting on her cheeks. "Remember that we decided to make our lives here on earth to help bring back the beauty that was once here. That doesn't include driving and killing ourselves to alleviate the pain of losing those we loved. It won't bring them back."

Rain hung her head and the tears flowed as Domon enfolded her in his arms. Wordlessly, he scooped her up and placed her gently on the bed. He slipped her boots off and then drew the comforter up to her shoulders as she fell into a deep exhausted sleep. He leaned down and tenderly planted a kiss on her forehead, stroking the hair back.

"Good night, koishii. Have sweet dreams, for once, aishiteru," Domon whispered. He rose slowly and reached to turn the computer and desk lamp off, then turned to leave, closing the door behind him.

---

The next day, Rain had risen and left the Kasshu house early and then sequestered herself in the research library at the Neo Japan government building to continue gathering the data on Dark Gundam cells. She began by delving into the notes compiled by Kyoji and Dr. Kasshu, as they developed the cells for use in the Ultimate Gundam. What was intriguing is the way they developed the cell to begin with.

First, they had taken a long-lived strain of human cancer cells known as He-La and drew from the incredible longevity those particular cells had. The He-La cells were cancer cells that had come from a Neo American woman from the middle twentieth century and were renown for their phenomenal ability to reproduce and live regardless of any environment or drugs to attack them. They were highly resistant in addition to being extremely hardy and prolific.

Then Rain saw that they had found a compound of chemical elements that had the ability to bond with the organic makeup of the cells. Like the He-La cells, the hybrid cells attacked and invaded the healthy cells of living creatures that caused a change in the behavior of the creature infected. Although this was true of all hosts, in human hosts it was especially virulent. Rain sighed as she remembered the cells effects on Chapman, Saette, Allenby, and the Shuffle Alliance whose own lives were spared by their predecessors who had used their own life forces to save Sai Saici, Chibodee, Argo, and George. She also remembered how a Berzerker System powered by the Dark Gundam had infected Allenby, driving the young female fighter to destroy Domon in the Burning Gundam during the battle royale until Rain in Rising Gundam intervened to fight her. Rain scrolled through the data as she made her own notes.

Several hours passed when a rap on the library door interrupted her work and Dr. Kasshu entered with a fond smile.

"Aha, I told my son that you would be here. He was quite distraught when he discovered that you had left early this morning without a word. I promised him before he left to train that I would try to find you." He approached the desk Rain was seated at and picked up one of numerous data disks scattered about the computer terminal. "I see that you are continuing to search for information pertaining to the DG cells."

Rain nodded, rubbing her eyes wearily. "I've been gathering data on the DG cells to see what if any similarities they have to certain cancer cells. That may explain why they proliferate so rapidly as well as adapting the three theoretical abilities of the Dark Gundam."

"Kyoji and I used the He-La cells as a model because of the rapid proliferation." He sighed heavily. "If we had known at the time the way the cells would've altered their hosts so negatively, we'd have never developed them. We had wanted to use them exclusively for the regeneration of damaged androids that would be created by the Ultimate Gundam." Dr Kasshu drew a chair over to her and regarded the young scientist that he loved like a daughter. "Rain, may I ask why it is so important to you to gather this data?"

Rain lowered her head as she replied, "I need to get as much information about DG cells as possible. I want to see if they can be eradicated know that the Dark Gundam has been destroyed. The gundam is gone but the cells still exist." She turned her attention back to the data on the computer monitor.

Dr. Kasshu studied the earnest expression on Rain's pretty face and he leaned forward. "Rain-chan, does all this have to do with your father?" he asked gently.

She eyed him dubiously and then tittered nervously. "I d-don't know what you're talking about, Dr. Kasshu. As a doctor, I am just dedicated to finding the cure of a terrible disease."

Dr Kasshu sighed. Domon was right, she was reluctant to admit to the true motivation behind her research. Finding her gone this morning and worried about her behavior he had voiced his fears for the girl he loved to his father and Dr. Kasshu, wanting to assist his son in the latter's desire to support Rain, assured him that he would find out something to ease Domon's mind. His quest was appearing to be fruitless, however.

"All right, Rain-chan. You call me if I can help in any way." He rose to leave as she continued tapping at the keyboard.

"Dr. Kasshu?" she said without looking up.

"Yes?"

"Please tell Domon I'll be all right and for him not to worry." Rain turned away from the computer and beseeched the older man with her fathomless azure gaze.

Dr. Kasshu felt himself being drawn into the sky blue orbs and could see why his son was so smitten, probably constantly under their spell. They were riveting with a delicate piquancy and he could feel himself wanting to see to it that they never became clouded with pain or shiny with tears. Rain had inherited her eyes from her mother, a beautiful lady who died way too young and his friend Mikamura was left to raise the tiny toddler with the huge blue eyes alone. Maybe that was why Mikamura was so driven to best him and allowed himself to be used by the Neo Japan government to steal his best friend's creation and destroy his family. But looking at Rain's barely concealed pain filled eyes, still suffering under the sins of her father, Dr. Kasshu could see that the Mikamura family was destroyed as well.

"I will, Rain. See you later." He took his leave.

NEXT----ADVANCING DARKNESS

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