"Athrun?" Kira's voice whispered through the transmitter. The once blue eyed friend appeared within seconds to save him from an unexpected shot. Now Athrun stood between him and the current enemy pilot. What's going on? Athrun's not supposed to be anywhere near here.
"Kira. I know it's you in there piloting. We need talk." Athrun's steady voice returned through his own transmitter to confirm Kira's question, but not answering his thoughts. This is it. No more running, no more lies or excuses. We have to settle this.
"That'll be a little hard to do with these guys buzzing around." Athrun let a quiet escape his once frowning face. That's so like you, Kira. You really haven't changed at all. After all these years you're still that same cheery, upbeat kid.
"Fine. Just give me a few minutes to take care of these pests and then we'll talk." Kira's lips turned upward in a slight smile. You're still the same as when I'd first met you, Athrun. Still energetic and an over-achiever.
But before Athrun could follow through with his words, the four gundams retreated, leaving the Freedom and Justice pilots in their fighting stance. Both peacefully acknowledged each other and silently flew to a cleared area of land. Soon they were swarmed by the Archangel's crew, Cagalli, Dearka, and a few Orb members. All eyes lay on the opposing figures who numerous times had been locked in heated battles. Now the two were lowering themselves from their gundams, soon to confront one another.
Kira, what am I going to say. We're best friends, yet we're acting like we're only known each other as enemies. I've tried to understand you're reasoning behind fighting for the Alliance, but I can't. You're helping those who have criticized, judged, and alienated themselves from you. If you believe we are the enemy, then why do we want you on our side? Why do you constantly choose to fight against the people who will accept you for who you are. You're just like us. If you'd only joined us, from the start..lives would have been saved…Nicol wouldn't have…He didn't deserve to die. He was just trying to protect me, but I was the one who was supposed to protect him. He wasn't cut out to be a soldier. Nicol was too nice, just like you Kira. You may be good at fighting, but that doesn't mean you were meant to do it.
I don't understand how all of this could have happened. We use to be so close. But now…now it seems like we don't even know each other. Back in those days, we never thought of choosing sides, because we were always on the same. We supported each other, through everything we did. And when I had to leave, I thought it was the end of my life. 'How can I leave behind the one person who has always understood me and has been their for me every time I needed a friend?' I hope you remember what I said that day, because I meant it, which makes this even harder for me. I know you didn't plan on all this to happen, nor did I, but we have to do something to settle this before it goes any further. Maybe we can salvage something from our former friendship that will help rebuild or wrecked one now.
Kira slowly stepped into the setting orange sun that now splashed it's golden light across all the faces of friends, enemies, and strangers. Each movement drew a sharp breath from the gathering audience, unaware of how the two enemies would react to one another head on.
So this is it Athrun? After all the persuasion, arguments, and battles, this is what it comes down to? My ideals versus your ideals. I know what I fight for now. I believe with everything inside me that what I'm doing is right. Can you honestly believe with all your heart that what you're doing is right? You're only causing more pain. Can't you see that you're creating the same fear that you've been trying to destroy?
I don't want you to think of me as you're enemy anymore. I just want things to go back to the way they used to be. The simple days when we'd hang around and play sports. When we'd sit around and talk about everything that passed in our mind. I still remember that day that you left. Everything seemed to cave in around me, like the world was coming to an end. And then you gave me Birdie and I knew we'd meet again. But when we did, the world once again closed in around me. Never would I have believed that we'd face each other on opposite sides. Nothing could have prepared me for it. It's hard for me to comprehend what has happened between us. But after that fight, it seems I've once again lost a piece of myself. When you killed Tolle, something happened that I can't understand. It took control and I couldn't let you live. But now…now all I want to do is apologize for everything. I know it won't make things better between us and that it won't change the fact that I have killed, but maybe it'll help rebuild this world for the better. All eyes were bulging out in as the two teens stopped before each other. All around them, everyone stopped and held their breaths in anticipation of what would likely happen.
"What do you will happen? I mean the last time these two meant, they nearly killed each other!"
"By all logic they should be dead. I beat they're both just dying to get a hold the other and kill him."
Cagalli stared in disbelief at both, unwilling to believe the small whispers of lies that circled around the small group of witnesses.
That isn't true at all. They're best friends. They shouldn't be pitted against each other in this ridiculous war. He looked horrible when we found him, liked he'd gone through a nightmare. And everything he said…he seemed broken. Almost as if he lost himself. They've both sacrificed so much for everyone. And as much as we think we know what they're doing or thinking, we don't. We honestly don't know anything about either of them. So how can they just stand around and throw out their opinions and guesses as to what they're going to do.
For every time one side tries to seek justice, they create more suffering than good. Can't they see that they are only fueling the other side's flames with their attacks. What we really need to do, we learn from each other. We could accomplish so much more and save so many lives.
The two teens stared into each other's undaunting eyes. Along with the crowd, both we wondering what to say to the other. Should I greet him as friend? Maybe I should apologize for everything. Should I shake his hand or draw my gun? Does he still consider me his friend after all I've put him through?
The two teens stared into each other's undaunting eyes. Along with the crowd, both we wondering what to say to the other."Athrun…I'm…" Kira removed his eyes from their locked position on Athrun and turned them down to the dirt. "Athrun…I'm glad…to see."
Athrun, surprised at the statement, turned his eyes away from the one person he had trusted so long ago. How could even think of him as my enemy?
"Same to you. I wish I could say that I hadn't meant to actually…kill you, but I had. I wanted nothing more than to see you pay for all the pain you had caused me. But now…" Athrun's mind wandered back to his last encounter with Lacus. "Now I want is to know what I should be fighting for."
"I realize that you most likely sent here to retrieve the Freedom, but I can't let you have it." Kira walked toward his old time friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I also realize that although the sides we had chosen to fight on may have been different, but I believe that our ideals were the same. No matter what side we fight on, we all fight in hopes that we'll bring peace. But for me to do that, I have to separate myself from both sides. I need to have full belief in myself and what I'm striving for."
Athrun stared silently at Kira, not believing how much he had changed. Just from our last encounter, he knows what he has to do. But for me…is that what I need to do?
"Kira, I can't leave without that machine." Athrun returned his eyes to Kira's face.
"Athrun! Kira!" Cagalli's yells caused both teens to acknowledge the others around them for the first time. "Hey you two, don't do anything stupid to mess up your reconciliation."
"Uh? Cagalli what…" Kira tried to ask, but was interrupted by Cagalli once more.
"Oh please. You two have been fighting for what seems like forever now. Didn't the idea ever occur to one of you to try a resolve you're problem another way. I mean, you're both friends and the last time I checked friends didn't go around trying to kill one another."
"Yeah, but you don't…" Athrun made an attempt to tell their side of the argument, but, like Kira, was quickly silenced by Cagalli's voice.
"I understand perfectly. Neither of you wanted to fight the other. But you did anyway. Didn't you realize that eventually one of you might end up dead! I hope both of you idiots have learned from this!" Cagalli finished her lecture to the boys and grabbed both their arms. "So what's it going to be?"
Kira turned his face from Cagalli's to Athrun's. Athrun I don't want to fight against you anymore. But I will do whatever it takes to make sure that no one, including you, will ever get a hold of the Freedom. As if reading his thoughts, Athrun's eyed fell upon Kira.
"Like I said before I can't leave here without the Freedom." Athrun stated.
"I can't let you have it, Athrun."
Athrun nodded his head in agreement. "I see then." Turning to look out at the crowd he managed to spy Dearka's face. Hn. He's the last person I expected to see here. But I suppose…
"Well if you won't willing give me the Freedom…" Kira stiffed at words that Athrun said, while Cagalli still clung to each of their arms, hoping to prevent approaching fight. "I suppose I'll just have to stay around and make sure you use it properly."
"Uh? Do you mean that…" Kira left his sentence to finish itself.
"I'm hoping to. That is if it's okay with all the crew and your captain of course." Athrun said head nodding toward Ramius.
"Of course it will be! Come on, sooner she and the others agree to this the better. You two have a ton to catch up on. " Cagalli excitingly said, dragging both boys by the arms back the anticipating crowd of friends and workers.