A Thousand Lives
Disclaimer: I don't own Seed or any of the characters in this story.
A/N: This opener is rather short and exposition-y, but I just wanted to get that out of the way before starting the story proper, so bear with me.
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When the end came, it came sooner than anyone could have predicted. Japan was the first country to be struck. In retrospect, given the crowded, isolated nature of the island, and the military projects that were unveiled several years later, the pre-emptive strike on Japan by the invaders made sense. But at the time, no one had any idea what was going on.
Tokyo burned. The missles that decimated the city were unseen. One moment there was a crowded metropolis full of life and the next Athrun was watching an emergency news report, watching charred metal and fused glass spread across his television. Kira and Cagalli lived just on the outskirts of Tokyo.
Athrun had known Kira and Cagalli since he was barely eight. The two siblings, twins, had lived across the street from him and attended their private elementary school, Lunar Academic. The closest of friends, the trio had done everything together until high school. Athrun had followed in his father's footsteps and enrolled in the military at the age of fifteen. Kira had gone on to a specialized engineering school, and Cagalli became head of the Atha family corporation: ORB, a company that designed military equipment and tactical vehicles.
He hadn't seen them in three years.
It didn't matter. He had to find them. He had to save them.
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By the time Athrun set out to leave, Europe was gone. The noiseless bombs had reached nearly every major city in the world—there was no way to know they were coming. One moment everything was fine, and the next—explosions. Death. Destruction.
The army was in shambles. Athrun had been assigned to an elite squad that, in peacetime, amounted to nothing more than higher pay and lots of time at the shooting range. And now he ran. He stopped by his apartment only to grab a bag of food and clothes. The heavy weight of his gun dug into his hip.
When he stepped through the door and flicked the switch, his light fizzled on and then darkness came in a shower of sparks. Athrun cursed and ran into his bedroom, throwing cargo pants and tshirts into a duffle. He didn't know it then, but that would be the last time in three months he'd see electricity. Running water would be gone by next week.
Cans of soup, energy bars, apples; everything went in the bag. Athrun zipped it up, locked the door behind him. He left quickly and quietly.
He would never return to Osaka again.