Mobile Suit Gundam - The Witch from Mercury and The Druid of Harmony

Chapter 7 - The Ballad of House Harmony

Oscar's gaze shifted to Jack. "Jackie," he croaked, feeling his tongue go dry and his words slurring.

"What's wrong?" Jack inquired.

"I feel sicky..."

That was all Oscar could recall, just moments before the world around him began to dissolve into a kaleidoscope of vibrant hues and a chilling sensation crept up his spine. His eyes shimmered with a captivating warmth, as if the very essence of beauty coursed through his veins. "Whoa," he whispered, enraptured by the sensation.

It had been five to ten minutes since then. They now found themselves in the dueling committee's area, grappling with the aftermath of Oscar's bewildering episode. "Is he... okay?" Shaddiq's voice echoed in the room. The typically composed and cheerful boy's expression contorted with genuine concern as he observed the members of House Harmony. Each one displayed a mixture of emotions—embarrassment, amusement, and a hint of disbelief.

The other dueling committee members stared, as did the members of Jetturk House, and even Miorine and Suletta, seated on the couch, stared.

"Is he okay?" Suletta whispered to Miorine, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Miorine shot her a look, her mouth slightly ajar, and her eyes wide with incredulity at the question's sheer absurdity. "No," she hissed angrily, taken aback by the apparent cluelessness. "Just look at him."

"I'm sorry," Suletta quickly apologized, bowing her head slightly in deference to Miorine.

Oscar's head tilted back, his gaze fixated on the blazing fluorescent light above. His eyes narrowed to slits, almost as if he were in a dreamlike state. A small droplet of saliva trickled from the corner of his mouth, while his legs remained half-bent, poised for flight or a sudden leap. In intermittent bursts, he burst into fits of chuckling and laughter.

"Colors..." he mumbled to himself, before succumbing to another bout of raucous laughter, clutching his sides. His peers stared at him in utter disbelief.

"Damn, man," Deacon muttered, turning to Shaddiq. "He'll be fine, I guess..."

"He's taken Dan's edibles," Aiden chimed in.

Jack and Deacon both redirected their gaze toward the heavily intoxicated Oscar. "Dan's edibles?" Deacon's eyes snapped back to Aiden. "How do you know?"

Aiden shot them a sly smirk. "How do you think?"

Jack sighed, his attention drawn to the men and women in the room. He moved closer to stand by Aiden's side when...

"Jackie..."

The melodious yet assertive voice filled his ears, causing him to tense up. "Hello, Cecilia," he sighed, bracing himself for what was to come. She perched casually on the couch, her teal blue eyes piercing his soul like a predatory hawk. With her fist resting beneath her chin, she wore a seductive smirk that adorned her rosy lips.

"It's been a while, Jackie," she purred, her words dripping with seduction and playfulness. But Jack remained unfazed. "You should've stopped by more often to visit me."

Jack chuckled at her remark. "Visit you?" He placed a hand over his heart. "You know how busy I am." He played along, enjoying the banter.

"You mind if I smoke here?" Aiden's gaze wandered toward the members of the dueling committee. Many of them shocked into silence to be asked a question like that. But before Elan could respond, Aiden interjected as he took the silence as his answer instead, "Good, thank you."

He popped the cigarette into his mouth, fishing out his lighter, all the while overhearing the conversation between Cecilia and Jack. "You've missed me?" Cecilia hummed.