PAIRINGs:Implied Shinn x Luna, Shinn x Stellar, Athrun x Cagalli, Kira x Lacus, Dearka x Miriallia, Yzak x Shiho

SUMMARY: When he was given a chance to inflict suffering upon his enemies, Shinn took it without hesitation. As the world turns upside down, he soon discovers the consequences of his actions. In order to return everything to 'normal', he must enlist the help of a bitter Princess, an emotionless Captain and a reluctant songstress's spirit.

DISCLAIMER: This is a story based on characters and situations from Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny.

WARNING: Text and all related materials are rated PG13/T There are/might be some grammatical errors and typos, spelling mistakes, even after rereading it many times.

NOTE: This story starts near the end of Battle of Messiah. After that, the story goes AU, and everything up to 'Operation Angel Down' is true. This fic is in Shinn's POV, remember.

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Chapter 2 Restless Spirits

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Shinn panicked.

He wasn't the type to panic easily; he always masked his fear behind anger and frustration. But this time it was different; seeing the transparent form of Lacus Clyne made him feel like someone had just dumped a bucket of very cold ice on him over and over again.

Just as he took one step backward, the songstress faded away. With his heart thumping dangerously fast, Shinn walked forward hesitantly, wondering whether it was his imagination or not.

"Shinn Asuka..."

Yelping in surprise, Shinn spun around and saw nothing, yet his name still echoed around his ears...or was it in his mind?

"W-where are you? Show yourself!" He sputtered, his body tense.

Slowly, the songstress materialized in front of him, but parts of her body were still blurry. Shinn then found himself unable to tear his eyes from hers.

Sorrow.

It was so overwhelming that somehow he couldn't help but feel her pain as well.

"You can...hear me..." She muttered, her voice still echoed in his mind.

Gulping nervously, Shinn gathered up his courage and extended his arm forward... and met nothing. Her body was truly transparent.

"Are you... a ghost?"

Lacus shook her head slightly, "No... I am not sure...I do not understand why I still remain in this world...unable to reunite with those I love..."

They stared at each other in silence.

"It was... as if I still need to do something...that I have something unfinished..."

Endless images flooded through his mind suddenly, making him stagger with the intensity of the raw emotions that came with them. Her emotions. He closed his eyes in pain, only to see a whole different perspective-

He saw an image of an older woman saying that 'Kira-kun' was dead. Stifling despair and sadness.

He saw an image of a pink battleship exploding into nothingness. Numbing shock.

He saw an image of Athha's golden mobile suit fighting against Destiny while Legend, Minerva and the rest of ZAFT ships sunk down Archangel. Anxiety and pain.

Lastly, he saw an image of Destiny slowly pointing its plasma cannon at Orb's Headquarters. Agonizing regret and resignation.

And then darkness.

Shinn gasped for breath as he forcefully re-opened his eyes. Lacus was about to put her hand on his shoulder, but she then froze, remembering that she couldn't.

"W-what was that?" He stammered, willing his headache to subside. Lacus looked at him silently, as if waiting for him to recover.

"D-did I...k-kill you?" He asked finally with dreadful realization.

She nodded lightly, as if not to startle him. "But I don't think... anyone knows ...that I've died..."

"W-why not?" Shinn was still unable to keep the tremor out of his rather squeaky voice, "S-surely the world would know if Lacus Clyne..."

"To the world, Lacus Clyne is still very much alive," she said sadly. Shinn recalled meeting with the pink-haired girl with very provocative outfit. The Chairman's Lacus.

"So... you are the real one," Shinn stated. She had to be... that's the only way all of this makes sense. He still remembered how angry Rey was when the real Lacus appeared besides Athha on the nationwide broadcast. That meant everything he'd fought for...

Was wrong? Rey lied? The chairman used everyone?

Lacus turned around and looked around the beach with longing. "There used to be children playing here, so happily and freely as well...and Kira..."

Her eyes clouded with pain and even though her lips were still moving, Shinn could no longer hear her completely.

"Kira...never wanted to fight...for a better future...Freedom...Cagalli..." were the words he managed to catch.

Once again, the songstress faded into nothingness. Shinn blinked, looking around frantically.

Lacus had vanished completely.

Did she disappear again? He stared at his hands, imagining them covered with blood. So, I killed her as well. I've killed people who were actually right all along... No! I mustn't think this way. Rey wouldn't do something like this. The Chairman...they wouldn't...

Once again, he tried to remember how much he hated Orb and those people, and once again, he couldn't. He was starting to feel revolted by himself.

Since his headaches were becoming worse, he decided it was best to return back to his...new home. Perhaps, when he wakes up again, everything would return to normal, that everyone he hates would still be alive and happy, and he would go back to being angry.

At least he knew how to handle being angry most of the time.

Glancing at the small memorial one last time, he left. I'll come back, Lacus Clyne. I promise I will pay you proper respect next time.


Shinn immediately headed for Rey's office, wanting to see the fake Lacus Clyne one more time before going to sleep.

He couldn't really remember her; she wore...peculiar clothing and was very forward with Athrun, that was all. Why would she work for Chairman Dulllindal in the first place?

Shinn now realized that there were too many things he didn't know behind the scenes. He always followed orders blindlessly, never really asking for the reasons. After Stellar's death, everything seemed to worsen.

A mindless pawn, that's who I was, Shinn thought sulkingly.

Therefore, he was quite ready to kick the door open when he saw the office. He didn't get the chance to do that, however, when the door was smacked, open hard. He quickly hid in a corner impulsively.

Lunamaria stormed out of Rey's office, surrounded by an obvious aura of anger, but her face betrayed no emotion still. The fake Lacus was standing behind Rey worriedly, looking lost.

Rey folded his arms calmly, unperturbed by Luna's actions. "Remember what I said, Lunamaria. Do not disappoint me again," he stressed the last word menacingly, and she halted abruptly.

"Very well, sir," she hissed sarcastically and continued without looking back.

Rey's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. With a simple gesture, the fake Lacus followed him down the other hallway like a obedient puppy.

"Luna," Shinn called out to her automatically as she passed by. Her eyes flickered, and he faltered, deciding it would be better to adress her full name instead from now on.

"What is it, Representative?" Her voice showed the slightest hint of fury from whatever conversation she had with Rey before...or was it because what happened this afternoon?

"Look, I-I am really sorry about what happened before," Shinn said sincerely. He swallowed his pride and even bowed his head slightly. It was his fault anyways.

Hearing no reply, he risked a glance at her.

She was staring at him as if he had two heads or something. "You...apologized?" She breathed in wonder. "Why? You never apologized before, never!"

Shinn frowned in bemusement, "Hey, I wasn't that bad, was I?"

"You were," she replied instantly, her face blank again, "Well, at least after...Operation Angel Down."

Shinn gulped down his fear. He didn't really want to hear what other atrocity he had done, but he knew this was the only chance to find out. He must keep her talking.

"What happ- I mean, how did I change?"

At this, her eyes flickered sadly. "You no longer care about anything else. All you wanted was power, and destroy Orb. You stopped listening to reason and let anger control you completely. You've killed so many civilians, Shinn..."

He stumbled backwards, feeling nauseous. "Uh...I-I...w-what did Rey mean by 'disappointing me again'?" Shinn decided to switch the topic. The guilt was too terrible to think about.

Luna's face darkened, "Well, let's just say he thinks I'm going to betray ZAFT again. I don't really care what he thinks of me. Like you, he has changed as well."

She glanced at him almost tentatively. "For a moment there...it was as if you were the old Shinn...huh, must be my imagination."

At that, she walked past him briskly, leaving him to ponder her words.


Shinn sprawled across his enormous bed, his energy completely spent. His mind quickly went through everything he learned today. So many things he wished to happen occurred not the way he had expected.

It was only Day One of this Alternate Universe and he was already sick of it.

The old Shinn... Luna's words flashed in his mind and he wondered if he would ever tell anyone that he was actually from a different world. He desperatedly wanted everyone to know that he wasn't the monstrous Shinn from this timeline.

Dammit, headache again...

Dragging his tired body to the computer, he quickly searched through the archives again, hoping to find something on Athha.

To his surprise, there were no records of her at all, as if she had never existed. It was as if ZAFT wanted to erase her existence...

Where is she? I must find her!! Surely she's still alive!! Shinn recalled what he had seen through Lacus Clyne's eyes. The golden mobile suit. Only Athha would pilot it and protect Orb like that. No, she must be alive, and he must talk to her.

His bitterest enemy...he must find out.

Cursing at his current dilemma, he punched the desk in frustration. By luck, a keycard fell out of the drawer because of the force. When Shinn picked it up quizzically, he stared at the name on the keycard in shock.

'That Athha'

It was exactly what was written on it, along with a room number. She was in this very building!! How could that be?!

He quickly located the room using the computer. The highest floor... inaccessible at night?! Such rule doesn't apply to the Chairman of PLANTS?

Shinn couldn't believe it. Many things sounded so fishy and confusing, and they were all difficult to find answers to.

Sighing exasperatedly, he slumped onto his comfortable bed, since sleeping was the best option, for now.


"Shinn..."

"S-Stellar?! What are you doing here?" Shinn gasped in shock, trying to move closer to her, but his body was immobile.

Stellar was wearing the beautiful blue dress she'd worn when they first met. She smiled at him adorably, and he felt himself smiling back, his heart expanding with love and joy.

Her magenta eyes then turned serious. "I came here to tell you something... something you must know...if you ever wish to return..."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

Stellar went on, a pained look flashed on her face briefly. It was as if it hurt her to speak-

"You must obtain three things... a physical material of utmost value from an enemy... a mental bridge of understanding with restless peace...an emotional gift from an irreplaceable friend..."

"Huh?! Stellar, what do you mean-" Shinn was bemused. Stellar speaking in riddles? Ridiculous!

"You must find out on your own...otherwise, you could never return," she winced and bit her lips.

How Shinn wanted to hug her then, to offer comfort to whatever's hurting her.

"Also, remember...your worst enemy...is yourself..."

"Myself?" He repeated quizzically.

She gazed at him sadly, her body slowly changing into a blinding light. "I'm sorry Shinn...this is all I can tell you...Good luck."

"Wait, Stellar-!!!"


Shinn sprang up from his bed and lunged forward, only to hit the floor rather painfully. Shaking his head in frustration, he was saddened that it was only a dream.

Or was it?

He glanced around quickly. Huh, still in this 'Alternate Universe'... damn it. Stellar...what was it you really wanted to tell me? TO return? Does that mean I can return to the other world?

Glancing at the clock, he sighed in relief, seeing it was only 6:30 am. He still had time to go see Athha before going to those ridiculously dull meetings. He recalled how stressed Athha seemed as the Representative of Orb. Perhaps he might even sympathize with her now that he was in her position? Huh, sympathize with Athha. Impossible.

Shaking his head irritably, he was starting to reconsider Rey's advice to see a doctor. Those frequent headaches...surely he didn't have a sickness or something?

I'll think about Stellar's riddles later. Now, Athha.

He arrived at the top floor in record time, dashing towards a very conspicuous white door. Looking around to check for unwanted personnels (there were none), Shinn eagerly swiped the keycard on the security system.

He had expected another set of hallways or some kind of rooms behind the white door.

But all he saw was a flash of very, very angry and feral amber eyes.

THUD

And he blacked out.

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End of Chapter 2

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A/N: (dancing in joy) YES!! All tests are over!! Now that the stress factor is gone, I should eb able to work on my stories (hopefully)(shifty eyes) Anyways, the plot just got more confusing, yes? Again, readers are experiencing the confusion Shinn has, so don't worry, things will get clearer in the future.

Yes, we get to meet dear Cagalli next chapter.

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Please Review!

Athyra