November 4th, UC 0097
Earth
Amuro Ray's Birthday
Amuro Ray and Char Aznable are walking side by side. Char has a suit and tie on. He still hasn't shaved but he looks no worse for wear. Amuro is still wearing his normal suit he used while piloting the Nu Gundam.
Char broke the silence. "So how come you don't have to get all dressed up?"
"I am dressed up. You see any holes in this suit?" Amuro replied without missing a beat.
"No."
Amuro went on. "I'm glad you made it. Listen. There is one more thing you have to do for me."
Amuro and Char both stop walking and face each other.
"You can't keep me from getting drunk." Char joked.
Amuro looked at Char, trying to convey a serious tone.
"You have to forgive yourself for everything that happened during the Axis incident."
Char laughs. "You are so annoying."
"Yeah." Amuro was still staring at Char.
Char smiled. "Okay."
"Good." Amuro smiled back in satisfaction.
"Damn, I didn't bring my camera." Char said with disappointment. "I was planning on taking a lot of pictures."
Kamille Bidan approached Char from behind. He was also wearing a suit and tie.
"Pictures of what?" He asked.
Char turned around to face Kamille. "You know, squealing fangirls, presents, people singing happy birthday to Amuro who've never even met him before, you know- the whole routine."
Kamille looked confused. "Where do you think we are, Lieutenant?"
Char turns back around, but Amuro is no longer there. Char has come to an acceptance.
He walks across the field in silence with Kamille, passing by gravestones towards a large number of chairs directed towards a casket. Char and Kamille are the first to arrive and take their seats at the front. Gradually the rest of the funeral attendees show up to pay their respects and mourn. Bright and Mirai Noa, Hayato and Frau Kobayashi with their son and daughter, Shinta and Qum, Sayla Mass, Beltorchika Irma, and various other military figures.
A priest reads last rites out of a bible to the gathered. Resting on the coffin is a large portrait of Amuro Ray.
Char breathes heavily and Sayla puts a comforting arm around his shoulders from his left. Kamille gives him a reassuring grip on his right shoulder.
Char tries to hold the tears and grief in, but it's a torturous effort.
A conversation he and Amuro had nearly 10 years ago echoed through Char's head.
Standing in a dimly lit hallway, Char and Amuro stood against a wall side by side holding identical drinks.
"We're trying to take the people who have remained on Earth to space," Amuro spoke. "Such an enormous task can't be done without at least one or two human sacrifices."
"So I'm a human sacrifice?" Char replied.
"Maybe human sacrifices run in your family."
Amuro and Char brought their drinks together with a satisfying
clink.
This was a rewrite of a scene from Scrubs, the episode My Screw Up.