az: Since well... this always happened when I return and take a nostalgia look on old fandom. This would be my take of what would happen after the second war, with reference on the extra scenes in Final Plus and Special Edition. There would be mentions of characters/plot from Astray universe but since I can't get much info on Astray R/B, Delta Astray, Frame Astray, Seed VS Astray... some of the plot might be AU pertaining to the MSV universe.
Tho truthfully, this piece should be short anyway.
[EDIT] Fixed dating. I forgot when was the new treaty made.
[EDIT 2018] Revised.
Chapter 1: Promised Land
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Early Cosmic Era 74, After War, ORB Union
"Wonder what we should be doing now, Lunamaria?" Shinn suddenly started asking as both of them walked into the shuttle heading straight to Carpentaria.
"Eh?" Luna gasped as she turned towards him. She shrugged. "Perhaps... go back to PLANT? I heard that Minerva would arrive at ORB in these few days. By now, it should finish being repaired anyway. I don't know what ZAFT will do for now, but I guess... we'll just wait and see?"
Shinn let out a long sigh. PLANT. The independent nation that was formed in space from the gathering of a number of PLANT-type space colonies located at Lagrange 5. The home of most of the Coordinators. His home ever since he lost his family during the war almost three years ago, yet not quite his true home.
Right now, to which side does he truly belong now?
His mind was in a mess now.
"Going back to PLANT... huh?"
xxx
Several weeks later. ORB Union
Athrun slammed the desk as he turned to Kira.
"You're going to join ZAFT? Kira?"
Kira smiled weakly at his friend. "Lacus was in PLANT after all. And I think it would be better if I join her and take an active role there, managing things from her side. We still have a lot of work to do, haven't we? Even with the new treaty already in commence, it would still be a while before everything would start to settle down."
Athrun blinked. "B-but! What about ORB?"
Kira smiled before exchanging knowing looks to Cagalli.
"I'll leave Cagalli, ORB and Archangel to you, Athrun. You can take my position by her side. In return, I'll watch over PLANT with Lacus. It should be a fair trade, eh?"
"Kira!" Athrun gasped.
"I believe this was the best decision we have taken so far."
Athrun turned to Cagalli in surprise as she spoke. "This way, even if there could still be some small faction who still want to try to disturb this peace we had so hard to achieve, with both of us working together from either side; we should be able to work together to solve it without starting yet another war."
Kira shrugged as he walked to Cagalli's side.
He smiled. "You could say both of us were making use of everything we have. That is... the very fact that Cagalli and I are twins; despite one is a Natural and another, Coordinator. Even if our real parents have not planned for either of us to take on this kind of an important role in this world, I believe they would have agreed on this. If both of us have been able to co-exist together in peace, it shouldn't be any different for Earth and PLANT. Regardless if one was a Natural or Coordinator, in the end, we are all humans. All of us should be able to co-exist together in peace."
Kira pursed his lips. "I believe... the late Lord Uzumi would also agree on this choice we made. This is one way we could continue on following his wishes for a better world."
Kira sighed as he held Cagalli's hand, before turning back to Athrun. "And Athrun, with you taking a more active role in ORB's administration... certainly you should be able to do something more than before." He paused, as he gathered his thoughts together. "We were wrong last time, in choosing to disappear after the first war and not taking an active position to maintain the peace. All of us; Archangel and the four of us, should've remained on the frontline and help maintained the peace together... rather than putting all of that burden on Cagalli. If we did that, perhaps we could've avoided many things that have happened last year. We could've been able to anticipate and stop Durandal's plan from its early stage, we could've been able to make things happen differently. So this time, let us do this properly."
He shrugged. "And it's not as if we're doing this alone. Reverend Malchio has also contacted all other of our remaining allies to help out, so it should be fine."
Kira smiled weakly at him. "I'm okay with this. The arrangements have already been made. Don't worry, it's not as if we would never meet again."
Athrun sighed. "If you have decided on that..."
xxx
Four Months later, Carpentaria Base.
Shinn frowned, as he stared at the new orders he just received.
"Re-training... is it? I wonder if every other military base around is receiving this same orders," said Shinn as Luna shrugged.
"Can't be helped, can it? The main reason the war went out of control was that a lot of lives had been lost every time a battle was started. Because of that, more people would want to join the war to avenge those who have fallen and the cycle repeated. So I guess by doing this, the higher ups wanted to reduce casualties from both sides and end this cycle? And to change our system, to not blindly take orders and to be able to think on your own to do the right thing. To prioritise on lives, rather than your superior's orders."
Shinn sighed. "So now they want to change the way we fight? Just like... how Freedom and Justice fight? Change the system? Fighting... without taking any lives? Wonder if I can ever fight like them. Compared to them... I was nothing."
Lunamaria slapped him. "Don't talk like that! Of course, you could do it too. Didn't Kira said so before? Regardless of the past, everyone should be able to change." she said as she glanced towards the sky. "We'll do it together... this time. Surely we could achieve that peaceful world we've been dreamed about this time."
"Together?"
Lunamaria cocked her head at him. "What is it?"
Shinn shrugged nervously. "I... still haven't apologized to that person. Heh, then again I didn't even say things properly with Kira the other day. Yet, that guy... he could still smile to me like there was nothing between us before! I wonder if I could really—"
Lunamaria chuckled. "You did talk things to him that day, Shinn. All that crying..."
Shinn's face turned red almost immediately. "That's not—!"
Luna grinned. "As for Miss Cagalli, perhaps we could see her again later. We were supposed to go back to ORB soon, on Minerva to pick up our new captain for the ship."
"A new captain?" Shinn gasped as he remembered Rey and Captain Gladys. Minerva had since been without a captain after the war. So finally, a new officer would be assigned to Minerva, then?
"But from ORB?" he gasped again as Lunamaria shrugged.
"Since we're all on friendly terms now, it wouldn't be surprising to see everyone starts moving about freely. Perhaps the new officer had something to do with ORB. But that was as far as I know about it. Aside from the fact, the new officer would be quite high-ranking. I wonder what our duties would be for now..."
Shinn whistled softly to himself. A year ago he was just a mere soldier who fought, mostly fueled by revenge. But now, he was fighting for a true peace, not a false peace as before. It would not be so simple, as he had thought it was before. This time, he needed to do this properly.
So this was his new battle... huh?
