A/N: Simply a random train of 'What ifs?' thoughts. This one being if Shinn was the one to die instead of Stellar. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed Destiny.
This story was un-betaed as I have no beta-readers.
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The cries of those dying and in sorrow echoed through the burning landscape. Yet Shinn ignored them all as he maintained Impulse's flight, edging it closer and closer to the Destroy unit.
"Stellar! I know you are scared of dying but please, don't let these innocent people die just because of your fear!"
There was no response from the immense mobile suit. The Destroy unit simply stayed there, unmoving amongst the burning ruins of the city. Suddenly, his enhanced sensors picked up a muffled noise. Shinn edged the Impulse even closer and the noise became more defined. The sound were sobs. Stellar is crying.
"Don't worry Stellar! You won't die! I promised that I will protect you and I intend to do it!"
The sobbings ceased and a quiet question barely reached his sensors.
"...Really? Stellar won't die...? Shinn... will protect Stellar...?"
Shinn closed his eyes and for a moment, he felt a wrenching feeling, as if he was pulled from a shell. When he opened his eyes, he was traveling in a space of vibrant colors and shades. He then looked ahead to see a strange light. Moving closer, his eyes widened. It was Stellar.
She too was floating towards him and her form was semi-transparent. Still, it did nothing to hinder her figure. Shinn allowed a smile to grace his face.
'She's so beautiful.'
"Shinn!"
Stellar's eyes warmed up and her expression was joyful mixed with relief. She floated even faster and embraced him. Shinn smiled happily and wrapped his arms around her. Nothing mattered anymore. All he wanted was to feel Stellar again. From her place on his shoulder, he heard her murmur.
"Shinn..."
It sounded so perfect coming from her. Shinn smiled and pulled back to see her beauty. Her eyes were warm with happiness and tears were flowing ever so gently across her cheeks. It was ethereal.
"Stellar."
Their perfect moment was suddenly broken as the cockpit on the Destroy unit suddenly gave a slight jolt and piece of equipment exploded. Stellar immediately snapped her eyes opened and stared in horror at all the burning rubble that she knew she caused. A slight shift in the wind turned her eyes in front of her. There, edging closer and closer, was Shinn's Impulse and she felt a moments of happiness at seeing him. However, another unit was behind him and her eyes widened in shock.
'That suit!'
It was the Freedom. It had its guns poised and ready to shoot her. Stellar stared at the menacing sight before falling forward as words and memories slammed her mind.
"If you don't destroy those scary things... then they will kill you."
Missiles and beams danced across the air, destroying any enemy that got too close to her.
"Even Neo?"
The violet Windam suddenly locked arms with the Impulse before both stopped and responded to the Freedom's attack.
"...Yeah."
The Freedom flew down in amazing speed and from its position, fired its beams at the violet Windam, blowing its wings and limbs. It crashed at a slow speed and after what seemed as a eternity, a large explosion came from its direction.
'NEO!!!'
Stellar suddenly sat up again and let loose a scream of pain and rage. The Destroy reacted immediately and began charging its four "Scylla" cannons.
Seeing this, Shinn immediately shouted at her to stop. It came to no avail as the Destroy seemed to renew its rampage.
The Freedom from behind him suddenly powered its boosters and flew straight towards the Destroy, intent on eliminating the large mobile suit and stopping its attack.
Impulse followed right after, intent on stopping the Freedom from destroying its pilot's first love-interest. Shinn cursed in desperation. Although he had a lead, the Freedom's boosters were faster than Impulses and was quickly gaining.
Shinn closed his eyes for a moment but that single second changed much. Images flashed through his mind. Images of the beautiful blonde that danced so movingly. How her questions seemed to be so childish, asking for protection. Right after, an image of his sister's smiling face came, followed quickly with her bloody corpse.
'I WON'T LET THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO STELLAR!'
The Impulse suddenly ejected its Force Silhouette before turning and firing its rifle right through its boosters. The Silhouette exploded immediately and inflicted quite a bit of damage to the Freedom, sending it crashing to the smoking ruins. Shinn gave a brief grin of triumph before making quick adjustments to the Impulse.
Stellar, lost in her fear and rage, fired all four of the beams on a single, concentrated spot: The Minerva.
However, the beams were stopped by something in its way. Stellar narrowed her tearful eyes towards the unit before her eyes widened in shock and horror. The unit was the Impulse and it raised its shield, deflecting much of the blast. However, the one from the mouth broke right through the shield and turned the head, arms, and boosters into a matter of molten metal.
Shinn's intrustion bought the Minerva its time. The ship did a hard turn and the beam destroyed a building behind where it once was. But Stellar wasn't paying attention to it. She watched the seemingly ghostly unit as its colors faded to white, grey, and black. The unit then gave a lurch and hurtled to the ground below. Stellar's eyes widened even more as she screamed his name out loud.
"SHINN!!!"
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Kira gritted his teeth at the sight before him. Burning buildings littered the landscape and many lives were lost. However, the Destroy wasn't moving. In fact, after the Impulse deflected three of its Scylla rays and fell, the unit suddenly halted all attacks.
'Could it be that the unit has finally used up all its powers?'
Kira narrowed his eyes in thought.
'Or is it something else.'
Before he could do anything, the transmission of Miriellia came into view.
"Kira it's time to come back now. The unit doesn't seem to be doing anything and Murrue-san wants us all to see someone."
Kira nodded and with one last glance towards the ruined city, directed the Freedom back towards the Archangel.
'That person... the one who was crying... I can't hear his cries anymore. He became silent as if his life has went away.'
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Shinn slowly opened his eyes and was immediately greeted with the tearful face of Stellar Lousier. Seeing him awake, Stellar felt joy wound up within her. She tightened her embrace as a joyful cry escaped her throat.
"Shin!"
The ZAFT pilot smiled at her, glad that she was mostly unharmed.
"Stellar..."
The blonde Extended saw him raising his hands upward and felt genuine warmth as it wiped away her tears. She brought one of her own arms up and held onto his hand, basking in the warmth it provided.
"Shinn said that he will protect Stellar," her voice came out in a soft whisper. She opened her eyes gave him a tearful smile. "And Stellar feels protected."
Shinn's smile stayed warm. "I'm glad..." He suddenly covered his mouth and gave a violent series of coughs. Seeing this, Stellar immediately grew worried. She allowed the hand to drop as she held Shinn tight, waiting for his seizure to end.
'Shinn said that he would protect Stellar and he did. Stellar feels happy and warm inside whenever I see him and yet... Shinn doesn't look like he had anyone to protect him in a long time.'
The seizures finally ended and Shinn gave a soft sigh as his hand dropped from his mouth. Stellar worry immediately escalated to alarm as she saw blood trailing down his chin. Also, the hand that covered it was now also drenched in blood.
"Shin!"
The ZAFT pilot gave a pained smile to the blonde girl. "It's alright Stellar. I was glad to have met you. I feel as if an immense weight has been lifted the few times I met you."
"Stellar...is glad. Shin... is feeling light?"
"Yeah you can say that. I feel light and yet, I also feel heavy. Also, I feel very tired and yet, also very glad."
Stellar saw his hand suddenly moving up and carressing her cheek. "I think I'm going to have to go to sleep soon Stellar and I don't think I will be waking up soon."
Stellar, although childish, was smart in her own right. Hearing him say that greatly alarmed her. "No! Shin musn't go to sleep! Stellar... Stellar will be lonely! Shin has to stay awake!"
The hand that was carressing her cheek suddenly began pulling her forward towards him. "This isn't something that I can fight Stellar. I feel way too tired to stay awake anymore. That's why..." his eyes traveled around her face, as if to memorize every feature. "The one thing I want to see before I go to sleep, is you."
"Also..." The hand suddenly pulled her down even more and Shinn raised his head upward. Time seemed to have slowed as their lips reached each other's. Closer and closer until, finally, they touched. Stellar closed her eyes as more tears streaked down her cheeks. It felt so good and yet at the same time, it was sad. Through that kiss, she felt all his love, all his sadness, and all of his determination to keep his promise no matter the cost.
'Shinn...'
After what seemed an eternity. Their lips parted and Stellar opened her eyes again. Immediately, they were greeted with Shinn's warm ruby eyes. He smiled at her as his eyes began to close. In the distance, he thought he heard the sounds of very familiar laughter. It was the sound of Mayu's joy. Soon, he will be joining her and his family on the other side but a large part of him loves the blonde on top of him and it pains him to leave her now.
'Forgive me Stellar... I said I would protect and yet, I can't even stay awake for you.'
Seeing Shinn's eyes beginning to close, Stellar panicked. She shook him in an attempt to jolt him awake but his eyes kept closing even more. Suddenly his hand that was pulling her down lost force and merely settled for carressing her cheeks again. Shinn opened his eyes again and through her pleas, Stellar knew that it will be the last time. Shinn brushed away her tears one last time before murmuring the one phrase that both made and shattered her entire world.
"I love you Stellar..."
With that, his hand fell down and his head drifted to one side. His eyes closed and mouth parted. Stellar stared at his form before screaming her pleas.
"Shinn... Shinn! SHINN!!"
Her cries went unanswered. Never again, will she be able to see his warm red eyes or feel the warmth of his touch. Now, all that was before her was a shell that was quickly becoming cold.
Stellar buried her head in the crook of his neck as her body convulsed with heart-wrenching sobs. It was true... it wasn't a illusion. Shinn is dead.
'Stellar will not foget Shinn. The love, the warmth, the eyes. Stellar will always remember Shinn and she will see him again... in the days of Tomorrow...'
A/N: Well how was it? I think that my english is improving slightly :P
Anyways, while writing this, I was listening to Kimi wa Boku Niteiru which is the fourth ending song of Gundam Seed Destiny and I have to tell ya, the song totally rocks! It totally fits this fiction in my opinion.
For those of you that don't know what the last sentence means, Stellar appeared to Shinn when he was knocked out by Infinite Justice's attack. She then told him "Stellar will see you Tomorrow." or something like that. The Tomorrow means future as Athrun said that Shinn gave her the Yesterday.
Anyways... REVIEW!!!