Hi all, here is the next chapter, I do hope you like it, I am going to put up a poll if Anthony should or should not get a pairing with this Chapter. I mean it is up to you guys to decide if he should get with someone or not.
I do apologise for the late update I have had a lot on my plate of late and fucking up my shoulder was one of them, it is not healed but it is better than before. I also have been working full time and playing games every now and again, but I do try to write everyday if I can.
Please Review and let me know what you think, no flaming.
Opening Song: Brave Shine by Aimer
The music starts to play and starts to build up, as this happens the view is that of young man in a space suit looking at an object far larger than him, the screen pans out as the music breaks even showing the man and the object in front of the Earth. The man and the object are growing ever smaller as the music continues to play.
As the screen fades to black a logo of Gundam Agito Unicorn appears on the screen then phases out.
"Hidarite ni kakushita" A hand in a white glove is pressing on the controls of a mobile suit, then grasping a throttle
"negai wa negai no mama." The screen jumps out to show Banagher links in the cockpit of the MS Unicorn, his hands are moving across the controls as he moves the MS.
"mezamenai yume miteita." The screen now zooms in on his face and see how his eyes are moving around rapidly, then he closed them.
"Migite ni wa kara no kioku" The screen jumps to an image of Mineva looking at a portrait her younger self and Haman Karn.
"Dare mo shiranai sekai no hate." The screen now turns and zooms in on her face to see the admiration she holds for the woman.
"yamanai ame ni utareteita" The screen now zooms out and then pushes the view past the shoulder of Mineva to look at the face of Marida watching the princess.
"mamoritai mono wo" The view is now shows the face and upper body of the Newtype Ghost Elpeo Puru as she jumps around and twirls in what seems to be a garden.
"mamoreru tsuyosa" The view zooms out so all can she her turn and smile and a figure in the shadows.
"Sore wo shinjirarenaku." The camera now zooms into the shadows to show to faintly glowing green eyes and the face of Anthony Hitoro as he sits down upon a broken column watching Puru play.
"Naru yowasa." The view zooms in on his face and he turns to look at it, his eyes flashing red as he did it but then going back to green.
"Subete ukeirete." The scene shows Full Frontal, Angelo and Zinnerman all sitting at a desk talking to one another.
"Ashita wo sagasu" The view zooms in on them to show their upper bodies and heads, all three of them turn to look in the direction of the camera as if they know they are being watched.
"Brave Shine!" Banagher is shown as his eyes widen and he calls out a name as the view zooms out to show the MS Unicorn.
"te wo nobaseba now" The MS Unicorn is dodging multiple shots from the MS Sinjanu as it tried to close the gap and engage with one of its beam sabres.
"I see the light." The MS Kshatriya is fleeing from the MS Agito Zero, before it turns around and fires all of its funnels at the MS.
"kizudarake no yoru." Anthony is shown as he makes a fist and launches a punch, the view zooms out to show the MS Agito Zero landing a punch on the face of the MS Kshatriya through and asteroid.
"you save my life." A violet MS Geara Zulu is now fire at a MS Delta Plus that jinxes from right to left to avoid the shots.
"kazashita" The scene now shows a giant red sphere of ligth, glowing above the Earth.
"yaiba no saki ni" The scene zooms in to show the fully awakened MS Agito Zero both with their arms as well as wings out in the symbol of a cross.
"Omi wo kasaneta." The scene shows Mineva staring at Earth with a hand on a glass window. It jumps to Banagher looking at the Earth through the MS Unicorn.
"Inori wa toki wo koete." Puru is now floating around in space looking at the Earth, Marida turns to look at it while she is in the MS Kshatriya. Zinnerman raises his hand as if he seeks to grab it. Full Frontal shakes his head at it.
"Your Brave Shine" Anthony is shown now looking at it and getting up from where he was seated in his cockpit to look at the MS Kshatriya and Marida who is in it.
Chapter Two
"Being unable to trust anything is the same as being unable to sense other people's love." Yoshino Yūsuke (Clannad)
The MS Agito Zero, was now within the explosions of the colony, the flames did not bother it, neither did any of the attacks from the MS RaZEL that fired at where they had seen the new MS.
Their comms were alive with chatter, due to the fact that a MS that could be a MS Gundam was in the area.
"So the MS Unicorn is now in the NTD mode, I guess I will have to go and make sure the kid is alright."
The MS Agito Zero, eyes glowed, right before the rest of its body began to glow with red light, the light of Trans-Am.
The MS Agito Zero, was faster than most, but with the boost of Trans-Am, it moved 5 times faster than it would normally.
Speeds like that only those who were genetically altered pilots of ZAFT or Kira Yamato could see and even for them, it was hard to see the MS instead of a flash.
But the pilots of Londo Bell were not like the Coordinators of the Cosmic Era.
All they saw was a flash of crimson light past them by as it sped out of the colony.
To the lesser pilots, it could be mistaken for a large blast, to those who had been in a MS longer, they knew it had to be a MS moving so fast, it looked like a flash.
For no blast could avoid them like this flash did, Anthony did not care for what they thought, all he knew was that he did not abandon a friend in need.
For he did have the ability to help him and if he chose not to help out his friend when he could, isn't that the same as betraying them, Anthony was no traitor at all.
With Marida
"That unit, it is a G-Gundam, GUNDAM is the enemy!"
The MS Kshatriya spun around and began to fire her funnels at the white and red Gundam.
She was losing herself in the battle, the void of space between her and the Gundam that she made, began to shorten.
"Gundam, Gundam is the enemy!" She began to chant this as she tried to shoot down the MS before her.
But she found that the Gundam in question did not give a damn about her funnels, not only did it avoid them, with a slash of its purple beam sabre, it was able to not only land a hit on them, but cut right through them.
Sure it was only one at a time, but fact was, one at a time was one too many.
Marida had never faced a MS like this, no she had but not alone, what seemed to be a life time ago, a Gundam, far larger than most wielding a beam sabre that put most to shame.
It had taken down funnels as well, but not at speed like this one, the one in the past, had reach as well as raw power.
This one had raw power, speed and grace when it fought, but all of that did not matter to her, what did was taking down the enemy and Gundam was the enemy.
It was at this point she was forced to draw upon her own beam sabre, in order to counter a blow of her foe.
This MS, it was fast as well as it was strong and Marida was able to feel it.
She had already establish that the entire MS had Pysco Frame through out the main body and even the limbs.
It was a monster, but Marida wanted to fight it, to defeat it, to destroy it.
It was like a part of her that she was unaware of.
"Gundam is the enemy!"
As she said this she felt the Gundam push past her MS as she did the same, but it was not over, not yet.
Marida moved her MS to perform a loop to come back and have another strike at the Gundam.
As she did this, her foe did the same.
To all who saw it from a distance, it was but two lights moving back and forth in loops as they 2 clashed then moved past the other, only to attack the other again.
It was now that the Gundam was able to get the drop on her.
It was right before they clashed once more, that the Gundam slashed at her MS, cutting off one of the 4 shoulder binders.
The force of the attack pushed Marida back, but she did not let that deter her from her goal.
Even as she flew back, she regained control of her MS and got ready for another round.
But then she felt as well as saw him, the young man from before in the deadly MS had arrived on the scene, was it a friend or was it a foe, to her or to the white MS.
With the 2 MS now so close, she could see that it was no doubt a Gundam.
Back a 6th sense of sorts, made her hold back as she saw that the Gundam had turned to face the new MS as well.
From what she could see, the white Gundam had every intent to fight the other one.
The Gundam, the one with the crimson cape, just stood for a use of the term, with its arms crossed in front of it.
In space there was no air to move the cape, so it just draped over the shoulders of the MS as it stood there.
What was going on, Marida did not know, but the next second, the white Gundam attack the other as it charged with its beam sabre.
Yet it did not land a blow, in a flash of red, or was it vermilion, the other Gundam, had been able to grab the head of the white Gundam.
As it did so, Marida saw the red light from the white Gundam fade and as it did, the other Gundam let go.
As the red light from the white Gundam was no more, it began to transform back into the form it had when it first appeared.
Marida now saw felt that her master, the captain was near, turning her head she saw was able to pull up a friendly MS on a view and see that the Captain, in a space suit was calling her back.
"If you want to go, then go, I will not come after you, after all I am not your enemy, at least I am not yet, but time will tell Zeon pilot."
Garencieres bridge
Zinnerman was now talking to Full Frontal via a video comm, Full Frontal had chosen to speak with him, due to the fact that Angelo who was supposed to be doing it, had been way to hostile about it.
The masked man on the screen now said "So from all that you've told me, there was a Gundam there if not two and Marida is sure that the pilot of one of them was the same man who took her on when she tried to return the princess to us."
Zinnerman gave a nod as he said "I take her word for it, from the report I have from here and the other 2, the clothes the young man wore, matched the colour design of the MS that assisted her.
Full Frontal paused before he replied "To assist us in an MS battle, but to deter us just recently before it, that man may be an old friend of the princess."
Zinnerman now also gave a pause to consider this, if it was true, it would make sense as to why he assisted her against them, but assisted them against Londo Bell.
"I am not all too sure about that, it may be that he was just there with a friend or he was hired by her."
Full Frontal was able to see it that was as well, but he did not wish to discredit that the young man, may have been a part of Zeon or remnant of it.
"I do see what your point of view, but I am not sure what she offered to pay him in, if she paid him at all, we will have to wait."
It was at this point Marida chose to speak up as she said "May I speak master?"
Zinnerman did not reply, he just looked to Full Frontal who gave a nod.
Marida saw this as consent, so she went ahead to say "When I was near him, it felt as if I have fought him before or at least I have been near him, also from what I saw in his eyes, he is older than he lets on."
Full Frontal gave a nod, but said "Even if that is so, we have no proof of that, it is not that I doubt what you say, it is that we cannot jump to conclusion just yet."
Marida gave a nod and Zinnerman said "If that is all, we will need to plan out an attack to try to find a way to capture the key to Laplaces box.
Full Frontal gave a nod as he said "We will do just that, but first you will need some to to rest, after all, there is a Gundam if not two, so we will have to be careful of them, am I clear."
Zinnerman gave a nod before he said "We will get what was promised to us, I swear that we will sir even if it cost me my lift."
In reply to that Full Frontal said "You cannot deliver the box to me if you're dead can you, do what you can we will find a way to deal with this False Trojan Horse."
Nahal Argama
Daguza was standing over a man who was working to open the MS that had been recovered, the pilot of the MS had not opened it and from what they could tell he was unconscious.
The other pilot, though, he was awake and Daguza felt that it was best to treat him well even though he had shot and taken down quite a few of Nahal Argama's MS.
It was not yet known to the rest of the crew, but he did this due to the fact that the man gave him the feel of a veteran pilot and gave his word that he would assist them in opening the other MS.
The worker though had no intent to let the young man help them out and said that it was his job and that he could do it.
So while the worker tried and so far failed to do his job, the ECOAS 920 Commander now eyed this pilot.
"I take it that you know the pilot."
The man with red hair that looked as if it was faded and green eyes with skin that looked to have a tint of grey in it now shook his head.
"It is more like I can guess who the pilot is and I am about 90% sure I will be right, but that still leave 10% that I am wrong after all."
It was a simple answer, Daguza also knew that it was an answer of a man, who had to have gone through a lot to never be certain of the answers they have.
"To think I am on a ship with a Titan, I have to say it is a strange time to live in, don't you agree sir?"
In reply to that Daguza said "It is a strange time, but we are not Titan."
The man just said "Keep telling yourself that sir."
"Do you have a problem with Titan, it was not the best time in the Earth Federations history."
In reply to that he got "If I may so say, I am pretty sure that the best times of the Earth Federation do not exist, all things have major flaws, if they are built by human beings."
The man now looked at the worker and said "Move, I do not have the patience to wait for you to fail yet again."
The tone was neutral as if it had been stripped of any emotion, it was like he did that to make sure it did not sound like a threat.
The worker now looked to Daguza who just gave a nod as if to tell him to get off his ass and let this man try.
The sight he saw now gave him a slight sense of dread, for at speeds that were almost if not inhuman, the man now began to type upon the key board at a pace that might break the laptop.
Daguza did not say a word, but his 2nd in command Conroy blinked as he said "What is this guy?"
After about half a minute, the display began to change and the screen that said locked now changed to that of open.
The pilot now stood up and said "It is not hard to do what others cannot not, if you're aware of factors that others are not."
If Daguza was a tad suspicious of this guy up till now, he was now very suspicious of him, though he was able to tell.
"He did not enter the code right away, it means he must not have known it or he must have not known the right one to enter, he offered us aid in case of combat, but also has an MS so advanced it can move on its own, due to that, he can do as he wishes, for he has the entire ship's crew hostage."
As the cockpit opened to reveal the pilot of the MS, most were shocked to see that it was a boy, Daguza did note, that the man, who was yet to give his name, was not surprised by this at all.
In fact he saw him breath a sigh of relief, it was clear to him now that the young man, knew the kid.
Rather than wait for the opportune time to strike, which may never come, he chose to be direct about this.
"That young man in their, do you know him?"
The man gave him a nod as he said "He is Banagher Links, a student who was studying in the Colony, he has ties to the Vist Family, more to the point to the former head of the Vist Family."
Daguza narrowed his yes, the young man had not even looked at him and kept his eyes fixed on Banagher.
The man went on to say "The Vist family always had to have a way to maintain power in case the path of the wind was no longer blowing their way, no doubt this suit has to be calibrated to allow a person to pilot it."
At this point Daguza asked "Even if that is true, what is the point you are trying to make."
The young man gave shook his head as the boy, Banagher was taken out of the MS.
"A suit like this is not a simple MS at a side a boy can jump into and win a war in, from the data I have on it, only a member of the Vist family can grant a person access to pilot this MS."
Daguza was able to see now what this man meant.
"So you mean to say that Cardaes Vist gave this MS to this boy just like that?
The young man gave a laugh now as he turned to face Daguza, it was now that Daguza saw that his eyes were no longer green as they had been before.
They were no red or crimson, like blood, he also recalled that the man had not worn a space suit, just like the boy who was in the MS Unicorn.
"Did you not hear me Titan, I said he had ties to the Vist Family or rather just Cardaes Vist the deceased head of the family, I don't like to repeat myself."
He now closed his eyes took in a few deep breath then opened them again.
This time they were green when he said "I have to say though, to do so well in the MS, he must have had some preparation."
This did catch Daguza off guard as even he was able to recall that not just any kid was capable of jumping into an MS and being able to pilot it.
"Wait do you mean to say that this boy has had some training?"
The man gave a nod as he said "As a mobile suit pilot, I can tell you that he has had to have had some sort of training in order to do what he did out there, but his must be out of touch to say the least of his battle tactics."
Be it known that Daguza did not like this young man, he did not hate him but he did not like him.
Yet the words he said was honest enough and did hold some truth to them.
"So from what you've said, he was put into that MS, but why was he?"
"If I had to say it, it would be that the kid was in the right place at the right time, but I do not believe in coincidences."
Nahal Argama Medical Bay
The first thing Anthony did when he walked into the medical bay, to wait for Banagher to wake up was look at the doctor who was there.
After about 5 seconds, Anthony gave a blink before he calmly said "I see, so you are still with a ship with the name Argama, it seems to be so from the looks of it, Hasan."
The man looked up to see who it was and gave a blink as he said "Sorry do I know you, you seem to know me very well."
Hasan was unsure if he knew this guy, it was clear that he was not from the Earth Federation, but it was also clear by his uniform, that he was not a part of Zeon.
Hasan was not sure of it, but as he looked at the guy, the more he felt like he should know him, as if he had met him but did not recall, when where or why.
He now said "I am sorry, I am sure that I have met you before and that I know you."
In reply to that, Anthony who still had not yet said his name gave a shrug "It is only natural, you do see a lot of people, I mean you are a doctor."
Mineva who was present took note of this as she knew that the Argama was a ship during the Gryps Conflict.
"I am not sure if he has stated his name yet, I am also not sure if he told me his real name or an alias."
Anthony's eyes now turned to look at Banagher before he said "Poor kid, to move that fast in a MS and to fight a MS of that size, it might have been too much for him."
A lady with brown hair in an Earth Federation Uniform now had to ask "Not to be rude, but who are you and how did you get here?"
In reply to that Anthony did not even turn his eyes to look at her when he replied. "I am the pilot of the other MS."
Mihiro Oiwakken the ensign gave a blink as she said "So you were the one to recover that MS for us, but you also did shoot down our MS."
Anthony now turned to look at her, she saw that his eyes were red, but due to the fact she had not seen him for long, she was unaware that they had been green but mere moments before she spoke.
"Oh I can live with it, I shot down a bunch of blood thirsty pilots who went into a non hostile colony, cause the deaths of many civilians and damaged the frame of the colony itself, I had no intent to fight in a MS ever again, but you lot forced my hand, all I did was damage control so not all of the residents died."
It was in every shape, state and form, a verbal bitch slap to her.
Sure she was a nice and good person, to an extent, but to have all of this dropped on her was brutal to say the least.
He closed his eyes as he took in a few deep breaths and when he opened them, his eyes were green once more.
"If you wish to correct what I said, please go ahead and do so child."
Mihiro at this point narrowed her eyes at being called a child and said "I am no child and we do what we have to."
In reply to her, Anthony said "Your eyes, they are that of a child, a child who is still innocent, you do not have blood on your hands, nor have you tasted blood in battle, a child who wears a uniform, but a child all the same."
In a way all of it was true, Daguza who was listening in on all of this decided to come in now.
As he did so, he made sure to ask "You do have a grudge against the Federation or as you said before Titans, from what you just said, it is as if you know of many more times the Federation has commit such acts, I can say that a grudge and use of the name Titan means that you are formerly a member of the AEUG, the Anti Earth Union Group."
Anthony's eyes now slowly lost the red glow and began to revert back to green as he said "No I am not formerly a member of the AEUG."
Daguza did not buy it, but then again, what was said was not meant for him to understand.
In his reply, only Mineva was able to pick up on the way the word formerly, had been said.
"He did not deny he was a part, he only denied that he was no longer a member of the AEUG."
Hasan now defused the situation by saying "If he was a part of it, I never saw him and I saw all of the ace pilots, with all the skills he has, he would have been one of the aces for sure sir."
Daguza now narrowed his eyes and the asked "I am unsure if you are aware of it, but your eyes seem to switch colour, from green to red and then from red back to green."
It was a change of topic, a welcome change for some, but it also puzzled a few of the people in the room who were yet to notice this.
In reply to Daguza Anthony shook his head as he said "No I am unable to see my eyes, just like everyone else and I am not vain enough or rather do not bother to look into a mirror often if at all."
It was a fair answer, in fact it was one of the few ones that Daguza could accept for now.
"From what you said earlier, you only shot down our MS due to the fact that we were in combat inside the colony."
Anthony gave a nod "I only did what I could to avoid the civilian deaths that were going to happen, as for my MS, you will find that it is sanctioned by your own people and that I can do with it as I please."
It was an ass pull, but then again, it was an ass pull he had 6 weeks to pull off and to pull off well.
Daguza gave a nod to Conroy as if to ask him to speak up on the matter, Conroy went on to say "It all checks out, when he came out and said he was not aligned with the Earth Federation, Zeon or any other faction."
"It was all true, what little data we have says that he was granted permission to have and use his MS as he saw fit as long as it was in space, but if we were to ask them, they'd naturally deny it."
Now with a nod Anthony said "So as you can see we are not enemies, the MS I was forced to shoot down was a result of the lack of communication, had I been told of any and everything that was going on, I may have stayed out of it or even assisted you."
Daguza in reply to that asked "Even if that were so, why would you help us, if you hate the Titans and as you saw, we are the Titans."
In reply to that Anthony gave a shrug as he said "I am not sure if you are aware of it, but the people who were hit hardest and 1st in the One Year War, were the Sides."
Anthony then said "Hate is a strong word, I do not hate you, I hate the ones who make what you do a necessity."
Daguza was able to see now the point that the man was trying to make.
"We are just cogs in a machine, you hate the ones that made us to do what we have to."
"The Earth Federation leaders are corrupt twisted and selfish, but Zeon was no better, if you want proof of it, you only need to look at the deaths of their leaders."
Anthony gave a sigh as he said "Zeon Zum Deikun, in my belief died due to due to pushing himself too hard or he was killed under the orders of his closet friend."
"Jimba Ral was stabbed to death under the orders of Zabi Family."
"Sasro Zabi, was killed during the funeral of Zeon Zum Deikun, his death was blamed on Jimba Ral, but he had an altercation with his sister Kycilia just prior to his death, though the notes of Reginlief who was also Cecilia Irene, the aide of Gihren, it is implied that he had a hand it that."
Anthony gave a pause now before he said "I haven't even got to the One Year War, safe to say the only way to succeed in Zeon is to kill your way to the top."
It was as he had said and Daguza could accept this as well "So you do not like either of us, you prefer to be on your own, I can accept that."
In reply to that Anthony said "If one has to pick a choice out of two evils, then that man is a fool, I do not play by the rules other set so they can win, I play my way, I do not have to choose either of the two evils, for I do not wish to aid either of them."
Daguza then said "Before you said you would have been willing to lend us aid, but if you do not wish to aid the Earth Federation why us."
In reply to that Anthony said "I may choose to aid you, but it would in my own way, I do believe I said assisted, it does not mean I will go out and fight side by side, it means that I would do what I had to to ensure the safety of the colony."
Daguza gave a nod "So by assisted, you mean to say you would have kept the Sleeves out of the colony."
Anthony gave a nod "I just have to ask, is that a name or title that they made up or is it one that you gave them, if it is or if it is not, I will say that the one who named them had no taste and must have wished to screw with the people who have to fight them."
It was at this point that Anthony turned his head to see now that his friend Banagher eyes were now open, but he was not truly awake for the only word to leave his mouth was "Audrey."
With Daguza
Daguza had gone ahead and did his interrogation of Banagher links, safe to say he was not too impressed with all that he had heard.
Fact was most of what the boy said was what that man had said to them as well, the fact that a boy did not seem like he was lying, though most if not all that he had said was hard to believe.
It also did check out with what they had been told just before by that man as well.
Daguza was no fool, he knew it all checked out a bit too well for it all to be real.
It might be all too real, but fact was that it could possibly be all true and then what.
Daguza was a soldier and his time in ECOAS had made him do some nasty shit.
The punishment for being in a MS and using an MS that is military property was death, yet the words of that man Hitoro as all records had him, stated that it was not a hijacking.
"So if I am to believe all that you have said, Cardaes Vist just gave you control of the MS."
Daguza put on his poker face, if it was true and the boy was given the MS by Vist, he was unsure of what to do.
If it was not true, then the boy would have to die or at least be put on trail.
The latter was by far the easier option, but Daguza was a soldier and a part of ECOAS, he knew better than any that, the easier option is never the right one and has a nasty backlash that will come back to you.
"Say I do believe all that you have said, that you were given the MS by Cardaes Vist, why is it that he gave you the MS, was it because you were there?"
Banagher now shook his head "No he said a lot, he said that he made it now respond to only me and that it would grant me power unrivalled."
It was at this point that Daguza stopped him and said "Power, did he say what it was or how it would be given to you?"
Banagher again shook his head as he said "I, I think he said, it is only possible if I proved myself a suitable pilot."
Daguza raised an eyebrow at this "If you proved to be a suitable pilot it would grant you power?"
This was not getting him any closer to Laplaces Box nor was it giving him any answer that he needed.
"So by your account, he just gave this to you, a boy who was just there at the time, can you see why it is hard for me to believe."
Daguza now turned to Conroy who gave him a nod, it was clear that this boy was not going to be able to give them any of the answers they needed now.
After all he was just a boy and from what he said it seemed to actually be just in the right place at the right time.
There was a lot of things that needed to go right for him to get into that MS.
Far to many for it to have been chance, but it was also way to many for it to be a planned event after all in war plans are the first to go to hell.
As the 2 left Banagher quietly said "Would it be easier to believe if he were my father."
No one not even Banagher was sure if he meant for them to hear that or not.
Yet Daguza had heard it and this did cause him to turn around.
But whatever he was going to say he never got to for the entire ship shook now as it took a hit.
It had to be the Sleeves, they were back and they had just attacked no doubt this was caused by the Captain and his lack of combat experience.
It was not that the last words Banagher had said lost on Daguza, he knew he would have to confront the boy on what he had just said, but the time was not now.
Daguza now turned to Conroy and gave a nod as if to say that they both had things that they needed to do.
Banagher was left now alone in the room unsure of what he had just said or what it could mean for him.
What he did know that he was now alone and that he needed to get out of the medical garbs he was in.
But what then, he had no real plan after that, he was not going to just take the MS Unicorn and flee, no he was not going to do that, not without Audrey.
He was unsure of it, but he thought he had heard Hitoro or rather Anthony Hitoro when he woke up, but when he was able to see clearly the man had not been in sight.
If it was true and he was here, Banagher knew that the man would help him, he did not know why, he just knew it in his heart.
With Anthony
Anthony had heard the sirens for all people to get the space suits on.
No one knew it, but he chose not to due to the fact that in a way he had already died.
"I am not sure, I guess I can say for sure I have died at least once, twice if you count the mishap like a year ago that go me to SEED, I have done more than I ever have dreamed to, so dying it is not all that scary."
It was true, he had filled the long childish wish to be a true Gundam Pilot, it was a wish he nor did any one he knew thought would come true.
"Just smile."
It was not the best advice, but it was solid for him, it came from a blue hedgehog, in a game that was release for him like 17 years ago, if it was 2023.
"To think that I would draw from it in life, I bet there are a lot of people who would give me hell for that 2006 game."
Anthony now turned to look at Audrey who he knew would be there.
He gave her a nod before he said "I think you may wish to put on a suit of sorts, if we go into combat you may need it."
In reply to that he got "As far as I can see, you are not in one, care to tell me why?"
With a slightly dark chuckle Anthony stroked his face and said "I do not for I see no need to, I do not fear for my life."
In reply to that Audrey asked him "Is it that you do not fear death or that you do not value your own life, they are not the same."
Anthony gave a smile as he said "If you can call this life, you should go see Banagher, I am sure that he is now up, he is not the kind of guy to stay down when there is danger."
In reply to that Audrey said "May I ask who you know this or why you choose to assume this."
His eyes flashed red for all but a second, but long enough for her to see it.
"I can tell you, but I think I will not, for it is not in my nature to spoil kids, if you want to know try to find out on your own."
It was very deliberate, it was safe to say if he had said "Fuck off and do it yourself, I have no need to help you nor do I want to you little shit."
He then gave her a nod and said "Try to stay out of the way of the ECOAS, let they recall who you are."
It was sound advice and a way of telling her to try to get to a space suit.
But now as Anthony walked past her "It is up to you though, I do believe that the kid is awake if you wanted to check on him."
He now left her as he headed to the MS hangar in the ship.
It was as Anthony was about to get out of earshot, did he hear Audrey say "All that you have said, all that you know, you are not tense, you are not afraid, there is a calm to you, a calm that is not there in many, just who are you?"
In reply to that Anthony turned around with a blank face said "To die a 2nd time, it is not as scary as the 1st."
Audrey gave a blink at this as she now saw Anthony begin to walk away from her.
It was no idle boast for no man could just say.
As he now vanished behind the edge of the corridor, Audrey felt as if she knew him or at least that he was not a threat to her.
With that in mind, she chose now to head to Banagher instead of head to a space suit.
It was for a good cause though, Audrey, nay Mineva did not believe the Laplace Box should fall into the hands of Zeon.
It was a thing of great and terrible power or at least it was meant to be, for all she knew it was a carter of sorts like Hitoro had said to her within the Vist Mansion.
But the question that begged to be asked was how in all the world, did he know the details of the Laplace Box.
At this point Audrey was yet to see his MS or to see him in action so she had no idea how he got on to this ship.
But she did know that he gave her the look of a veteran MS pilot and not just any veteran, he had seen a thing or two no one should have.
The longer she thought on it, the larger it became, she did not like the unknown, in all her days with Haman, it was best to say that what one did not know was not safe to be used until you knew it.
"I will have to make sure to find out who this Anthony Hitoro is later, he gives off a feel like he knows me, yet I am unsure of him and his motives, I do not get the feeling that he means to do me harm, but you never can tell with some people."
With Banagher
Banagher Links had been left around in the medical bay he had been in.
It was empty and he had a chance to put his clothes on and get out of here.
At this point, he just wanted to check on Audrey and see if she was alright, but he knew he had to find Anthony first.
After he put on his clothes he now opened the door, it was not locked, why it was not, he was unsure, it might have to do with the emergency that was going on.
As the door opened he saw the back of a young man with blonde hair and he seemed to loose an item of his that was attached to a chain.
What the item was or why it was with this soldier, Banagher did not know.
But he did not care and he called out "Hey, sir you lost this."
The man now spun around to see Banagher holding an item in his hand.
The face of the soldier softened and seemed to show a sign of relief.
"Oh thanks, for that."
As Banagher tossed him the trinket the young man said "This might save my life, you see it is my lucky charm, thanks for returning it to me."
As he said this he turned around "You don't need to do a thing, leave it up to us to handle this, we'll take care of the ship this time around."
Banagher was not sure why the young soldier had said that, but he knew he was not going to just stand here and do nothing.
If he did that, he was sure that he would never be needed by her as like he needed her. But he did not need to find her for she had now come to him, it was a 1st.
Audrey now called out his name softly as she could, but loud enough to hear "Banagher."
As he turned around in reply he said "Audrey?"
She now pushed herself of the wall to Banagher as she said his name once more "Banagher."
In the 0 gravity of the ship the gentle push made her not only come in contact with Banagher, but it allowed her to move him into the room that he had just come out from.
Only as the doors closed behind her that she began to speak to him "Listen to me, that machines systems are registered to your biometric data."
Her face now changed to a frown as she said "Which means it can't be operated by anyone but you."
All he was able to say to that was "That is what I was told, but, but how do you all of this."
It was a good question, for another time.
She did not give him a reply no, instead she lent closer to his face as she lowered her voice and said "I want you to come with me."
Isn't this what he wished for, to be needed by her, for her to want him and need him as he needed her, but why, why did it feel like it would not last.
Words that now hit him was what Hitoro had said to him a while back "If you feel lost, take a step back, see the bigger picture, it pays to do so."
He had to do so at this point, all of it, was to real for him, but it was also not so real, it was as if once this was done, he would be left by her to give into his own despair.
Audrey was unaware of the doubt that held Banagher back and now as she began to glance from side to side to make sure that no one else was around she said "We can escape if we go now."
She now stopped glancing from side to side to look into Banagher's eyes.
"We could head back to Industrial 7, you sneak onto a cargo vessel and find some place to hide among the sides."
For him this confirmed to him that he was going to be abandoned, it did show on his face, but at the moment, Audrey did not notice it, or she did but ignored the look on his face as she went on to say.
"While you do that, I'll figure out some way to dispose of that machine."
Banagher now leaned in closer to ask her why she wished to do this, but all he was able to say was "Audrey?"
Audrey's eyes now fell down as she began to contemplate the futures in which she did not destroy the MS Unicorn.
The words that she said now, were not in her usual regal self "If we don't do it, that thing is just to dangerous, I can't let anyone get their hands on it.
Banagher now had enough of her or at least he had enough of her leaving him out of the loop and just telling him what had to be done.
There was also this ship and the people on it to consider, at this point he was not going to
With both his hands on her shoulders he said "Now just wait a sec."
There was a brief look of shock on her face, was as if she did not expect him to resist her.
But that faded in an instant as she said "No, I will explain it to you later."
There was a part of her voice that sounded desperate.
But Banagher did not waver here, no he now said "If you won't tell me anything, how can you expect me to agree with you, stop trying to convince me by talking like this, it isn't fair."
He was right, it was not fair, none of this was, his father, her all of it, to push it onto him just like that.
To assume he was just ready for this, or to just be told to just act and trust that it will be alright.
There was shock on Audrey's face, she was unable to grasp, why Banagher chose to resist her, in fact she was caught off guard by this, it was clear she still did not truly understand the boy.
But then he said "Audrey, what do you want to do."
As he said this his face grew more serious "Don't tell me what you should do."
He now moved a little closer to her as he said "Your responsibility, tell me what it is that you want to do."
Audrey was still in shock, so much so that she now gave a little gasp after he said this to her.
She now had nothing to say and looked down at the ground in front of her feet, it had been a long time a very long time since she had chosen to do what she wanted to do.
Before she could answer, the two ECOAS, Daguza and Conroy came into the room.
Conroy took a hold of Banagher, while Daguza grabbed Audrey, as he did this, Banagher chose to ask the two of them "Hey what are you?"
He was not sure why, but Audrey was in danger and he knew it, Daguza now said to her "You know why I am here-!"
He did get to finished his line, but as he did, he felt a cold and firm hand grab hold of his shoulder.
The hand of a man who was not supposed to be in this room and whom no one had seen enter, but they had seen him exit.
"What you're trying to pull, it will not work, not on terrorists, nor the Principality of Zeon, it was a den of monster, do you really think that hold her hostage will work, they'll let you kill her."
It was Anthony Hitoro, his eyes did not glow any more, no they shone red as he said this to them, yet it was not all he had to say.
"If the man called Full Frontal is Char or not, it is still to be decided."
Daguza got the message and chose to let go of Audrey "So you will launch and face him 1 on 1?"
In reply to him, Anthony said "I can, but at this point in time, I am not sure if I want to, take a look in the mirror Titan."
Banagher gave a gasp as he heard Daguza say to Hitoro "The way you speak, what you know of Zeon, only one who has come from Zeon would say that."
At this point Banagher had to go and ask "What is this all about, why are all of you in here?"
Banagher saw that Hitoro did not take his eyes off Daguza for a split second as he said "Think back to what I said to your father before the two of us took his leave, do you recall the name that I called her?"
Banagher had to pause for a moment to recall, Conroy did not let him go during this time, when it did come to him, it was not alone, the horror of the name came with it and the realisation of what the two men were going to do with her.
"Mineva Zabi, if that is true, the two of you want to use her as a hostage."
Hitoro now replied to him "I am aware of that, I am here due to the fact that it will not work out for them, I am not a part of Zeon, but I can't leave a young girl in the hands of these murderers now can I."
Banagher saw that both Daguza and Conroy took offence at that, yet they did not try to rebuke him. It was clear that the title held some merit or at least the two men knew that it did.
"I do suggest that I go out there, but as it is, I am not going to comprise the safety of a child."
At this point Banagher saw his chance as he said "Then why don't I go out, I can help out against them, if it will keep Audrey safe."
Daguza was about to say something, when the ship got hit and all of them, bar for Anthony had to brace themselves.
Things were not looking up for them and as it were, they had no MS that could take on this MS.
Daguza now looked at Anthony and said "You have my word, that we will not harm her if the two of you launch."
Anthony narrowed his eyes for a moment, but before he could reply Banagher did it for him.
"We'll do it, we will launch out there and take that mobile suit on, you in turn leave Audrey alone you hear me."
MS Agito Zero (Play: See You Again)
Anthony looked up at the eyes of the MS Agito Zero. He did offer to do this, but had that been the right thing to do?
Looking up into the eyes of his MS, Anthony could see the images of his friends one by one.
"First was Lord Uzumi his arms were folded and he had the same look in his eyes that he had the last time Anthony had seen him.
The next was Cagalli, she was in her disguise, the one she war with the Desert Dawn, her eyes held the defiance she had when the first met.
The next was Dearka who had his grin on and his ZAFT space suit, he was giving the thumbs up.
Next up was Yak whose face was that of when he had declared that he would protect the Eternal, the fire that was in his eyes that day did not fade away.
Next was Waltfeld who sported a grin of his own, yet his eyes did not smile with him, if one knew where to look his eyes were that of a man who was unsure of the future.
After him was Delilah the body guard of Lacus, her face did not betray any emotion, but her eyes reflect Lacus.
Mu was now the one to appear, he looked as he always did, laid back, his eyes held content, he was ready to meet his end if he had to.
Athrun was next, he looked as if he was on the verge of tears, but through them, one could see his desire to see this through to the end.
Following his best friend was Kira Yamato, his hand was extended out as if he intent to shake it with some one, his eyes did not show any emotion other than the conviction to act.
He was not the last to appear for there was yet one last person to come.
The last friend to appear was Lacus, her eyes were filled with hope, hope one may say for all, those on Earth and in space.
For those in her world and in others, for those she knows and those she knew and those she knew not at all.
It was the way she appeared, it was as if she was praying while looking up to the sky, straight out of the 4th opening song.
If she did do that at all, Anthony was not sure if he was present for it, but he knew what the memory of his friends was telling him.
In a sense they were his friends, but they were also his family, his brothers and sister, it was for them not the world that he had laid down his life.
If they knew that at the time, Anthony was unsure.
Yet he could not help but feel as if they knew.
He was now thrown through time and space to a world where he was a nobody, to a world where he had no friends, well he had made one friend in 6 weeks.
Now he was at a crossroads once more, he could get in his MS and go fight, get in it and run away or he could just stay here and not get into it at all.
All of them had their merits, this was not his war, heck SEED had not been, yet he had chosen to fight in it, to fight and to die, could he do that once more?
It was as he tried to decide on a course of action the his last words to Yzak came to him.
MS Duel thumped it's chest as Yzak said "It's been an honour sir!"
Those were the last words that Anthony had spoken to the young ZAFT pilot.
It had been an honour, though he had not known Yzak for as long as he had known all of the other pilots, he did like the guy.
The fire that had burned in his eyes, the fire to see justice done for his fallen friends, that had not abated, not once.
It was the fact that he did not throw away his conviction even when it was better to.
He had joined the Clyne Faction as it were, he had fought both ZAFT and EA forces for them.
He now found that he had tears rolling down his eyes, not of pain, but of joy and of pride to know that he was there for his friends when it counted.
Anthony now began to take a few steps towards his MS.
As he did so he recalled the last line that he had sent to Lacus Clyne "Believe in the future, in people and in the possibility that people possess."
Fact was that he believed in it, he had seen miracles for real or at the very least a single miracle that day on the hill in front of a school under the Sakura trees.
3 years for them had paid off that day, 3 years that could have made any one else quit.
But that young lady with grey hair and blue eyes never gave up on the blue eyes blue haired man she fell in love with.
It was that day, that miracle that gave him the push now to take the steps towards the MS Agito Zero and move forward with out any trace of indecision within his eyes.
It had been that miracle that day, that had renewed his faith in humanity in the world.
All of the days, the good as well as the bad, they had all been a blessing for him.
It had been long days without his friends, his family, to lose them, to be flung into a new world, had he not know the world, it may have been too much for him.
He had come a very long way from where he'd began.
All the bonds he made, all the people he had met, all of them, he did not regret it one bit. If he did, it would be an insult to those that got him there.
Those who lost and gave their lives in the Bloody Valentine, was it all worth it.
He knew he had started down a dark path, but he always had the light of his friends to guide him back, the power he had, it did not corrupt him as it may have done others.
The bonds he had made with his friends, they would never be broken, both from his home and in that world, they were still there, all of them.
At the end, those in that new world were his family, his brothers as sister, they came first and they would remember, after all he was a brother to all of them.
Like they had of him, all Anthony had of them was the memories, those he would keep very close to his heart.
All that he had been through, he had not been alone, they had been by his side, both his real family and his friends from home and his surrogate family and friends from that new world.
The bonds of friendship are what ties the souls of one another together, there is no way to simply get rid of them.
They were within him still, sure he was a long way away, yet it did not matter for they were with him.
For the first time in over a month no over 8 years he felt like how he was back in his glory days, the days he had spent with Ayu prior to her death.
Why he felt this way, even he was unsure, yet it did not matter.
He did not use the term friend lightly, yet he had so many, was it proof that there was hope for humanity in all the worlds.
Guess the love he felt for his friends and family would never be lost, he was a man who believe in what others did not, he believed in miracles.
Not many adults did, he had seen it with his own eyes that day, yet he was not sure if one would ever happen to him in that way.
Being in SEED, being here, all of it was a miracle in its own way, but it was not the same as it was for those two.
Truth be told, Anthony never truly cared if he loved again, no for him to see the smiles on those he consider his friends, that was more than enough.
With each step the words of his friends before the final battle came to him, the memories of them each urging him to take up to banner of Lacus Clyne and fight for a better future.
The context was not the same, if it was then, best not to voice opinions on it.
Yet the message that the voices spoke to him, it was the same, to stand and fight to not give in to hold truth to his beliefs, that's what drove him.
Yzak "I have come to far to back out now, if I did it would be a stain on any of my memories of Nicol!"
Kira "I can't let them die, it is too late to back out, the final battle is here and if I don't fight the world is at risk."
Cagalli "Well I for one am not just going to sit back and let a bunch of ass holes ruin the world we live in!"
Dearka "Well I for one do not want all the people on Earth or back home to just die."
Murrue "I am in this, I was with Kira at the start, I will be with him at the end."
Mu "I can't let the kids have all the glory, this old warhorse has some life left in him yet."
Waltfeld "Well I guess it'd be a bit if not very rude of me to just leave the little lady all on her own now."
Aisha "I guess I can't leave you alone with a gorgeous young lady now can I?"
Athrun "I will fight, I will fight against what has consumed my father, I will fight for the memory of my mother and what my father once was, I will not let it be known that my father was the leader of a mass genocide."
Lacus "I have said all that I can, I will stay here and fight till we can hold the future we can see in our eyes in our own hands, no matter what we are all here as one, thank you for your time Lacus Clyne out."
Now as he reached the cockpit of the MS Agito Zero he heard his own words "This is Anthony Hitoro in the Agito Zero and I am ready to begin the mission."
But he did not say them, that chapter, that story was over, he had done all he could if not more, this was a new story, so he now said "No matter how hard I tried, I always seem to end up inside a mobile suit.
(Stop Playing: See You Again)
Cosmic Era: ZAFT Memorial
Yzak Joule felt the need to look over his shoulder suddenly, he was not sure what it was, but he felt it all the same.
As he looked over his back his best friend Dearka looked at him and said "Hey you alright there Yzak?
Yzak gave a blink before he was able to reply "I am not sure if I am or not, the war being over, all of it doesn't seem real to me."
His best friend gave him a nod "Yeah I get you, it doesn't feel real to me either, it is like the nightmare is over, only for us to wake up in another dream."
Yzak turned to look at the names on the memorial, the name Nicol Amalfi was on it, it was under the name Yuri Amalfi, his father.
Yzak now said "The anger, the rage that was in me that day, I can still feel it, it is there, it is calling to me Dearka, what do I do?"
In reply to that Dearka just said "Hey is it anger for what happened to Nicol or is it anger that after that war, people think we can still just rejoin ZAFT like nothing ever went wrong?"
Yzak gave a nod "It was too kind of them to give me a promotion on return and accept you back as a Red Jacket, it is as if they want us on their side."
Dearka gave a sigh "It isn't over is it, that is why we being treated like this, war will return won't it, Yzak?"
Yzak did not reply to that but instead he said "When I looked over my shoulder just before, it was just like when we were at Jachin Due, it was when I looked back to see the Agito Zero take off."
Dearka at this point gave an empathic nod to his friend.
"You might not have known him for as long as I did, Yzak he was one hell of a guy behind that mask of an ass."
Yzak in reply to that said "Yeah I know, I just, if things were not like this, if he were here with us, gah never mind."
Dearka gave a sigh "I know, the path ahead would be a whole lot easier to choose if he were here with us, but he is not with us, well he is not in body if you believe in that type of thing."
Yzak in reply bluntly stated "I do not believe he died, he is not the type to just die, even if it was all in a blaze of glory."
Dearka now narrowed his eyes as he asked "So he just gave you a super beam sabre of his in the final battle and you know all there is to know about him, Yzak come on man."
In reply to that Yzak's face now turned a deadly serious as he said "You and I both know that nothing could kill that guy Dearka, a giant gamma ray laser is no exception to that."
Dearka gave a sigh yet again as he said "So what you think he is out there, if he was wouldn't he have come back to us or is he in hiding, if he is hiding, then why is he?"
In reply to him Yzak said "Not all of us would take kindly to him, he did save both the PLANTS and Earth, but there are some among us in ZAFT who will not want to hear his name ever."
Dearka now gave a grin as he said "Oh yeah and the two of us know just what to tell them, don't we?"
Yzak managed to give a smile as well as the two of them both in unison said "You can shoot down a thousand mobile suits and be the hero of tomorrow, but you'll never be as good as Anthony Hitoro."
In a way it was a tribute to the Light of the Bloody Valentine.
In the days they had spent with him, they had come to like as well as admire him.
There was a charisma to him that made you like him or hate him, though the only people he hated was Blue Cosmos and the masked man behind the Bloody Valentine.
All of it was now out in the open for it was on the very same day of the treaty that it came to light.
How no one knew, well all except those of the Three Ships Alliance, they knew but they would not tell a soul about it.
Dearka now gave a sigh as he said "Back on a much happier topic, I hear that you and that well, you got your own ship and team, grats man."
Yzak gave a nod as he said "I hear you are on that team as well."
Dearka gave a grin as he said "I do hope they don't call the ship Joule's Folly."
Yzak gave a cringe as he recalled the battle that the MS Agito Zero had not only taunted him into fighting, but also kicked the ass of every thing that they had with them at the time.
He cleared his throat as he stated to his best friend "It is a memory of Anthony I did not wish to recall often."
Dearka now looked to the ground as he said "Part of me wants him to have died Yzak, not that I want him dead, it is just that I can't see that guy living a normal life, he will always be with his MS, he even slept in the thing."
Yzak sighed now it was true, from what they saw, Anthony no matter what he did, he would always find himself back inside a MS.
"Can't the same be said of us Dearka, we too lived to long at war to just go back to a normal life."
With a nod the two of them now chose to speak no more as the left the memorial in silence, the days after the war, only 6 weeks had past, yet it seemed like an age.
The days without Nicol and Anthony, they had been long indeed.
So that is it, again sorry about the late update, I don't have a lot of time on my hands of late and I am unable to get most of the things done that I want to do. SORRY.
Anthony may have come of as an ass at the start, but do recall the kids who died last chapter, it was the Londo Bell Forces that killed them. Yeah he is also insulting them by calling them Titans, he sure has his charms. The last scene he was in, it is well, I can't have him so down forever, so I decided that he needs to well, be reborn, next chapter will go more into the rebirth (it is a surprise, but it is going to be great and at the start of the chapter. Oh by the way Hasan the doctor is the same guy from Zeta, yep he is the same guy, Anthony was just recalling that he had seen the guy in Zeta and thenw as covering his ass if you know what I mean.
I will put a scene like the last one from the Cosmic Era in every 2 chapters of so, more if you guys want to see more, it is to show that they do miss Anthony where they are and that some of them believe that he is alive.
Please Review no flaming thanks: if you have any questions please PM, don't be rude though.