Everything is getting crazy in life but here's the next chapter!


Phase 7 - Changed


He had felt it coming back then, the hold and the grip of death reaching for him. The day it all ended he was at peace but the process to it was one of pain. Uzumi Zala now lived on in the memories of those he loved and in heaven. He remembered that dark feeling of something coming for him, an event beyond his control wherein he only felt sorrow and pain of it all. Yet now he was in a place of perfect peace, for he had done what he needed to do and through Meiko he was able to continue to intervene.

It was a darker day, the day he died. He was forced to decide between his life and hers and he had chosen her not just because of the destiny that radiated from her but because of how he felt. He cared for her deeply the moment he had met her, perhaps the bond was there because they discovered later that they were cousins but on the other hand it was their connection to the dark feelings of death. For the day he died had led to the day where she brushed death and he watched as her life was spared. He believed in her, he defended her and he knew that she would come through in the end.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy would be that he would never really be there. He had done his best to protect her but he wasn't part of her world anymore and in the end he knew that there was really nothing more that he could do besides offer her words of comfort. He wished there was more but the plain and simple truth was that there never would be more. Four years passed, his grave became a shadow to the world and his name was forgotten in the halls of great men but his life was as real as ever before. Now he wished that he could do more than just be that memory. The kind boy who fought for the girl who would ignite the world in fire. He had been all goodness but he had known great pain. The pain of death creeping toward him. No matter how hard he had tried to escape it, he had to accept it in the end. For in the end he did get his wish to make a difference but he was a sacrifice.

He was the sacrifice that was paid for Meiko's soul. He was the only one who understood everything but he was the one person who could do next to nothing. Death had won, he was gone and he would never return.

Now Uzumi saw the paths of light and dark would collide again, for those who fought for peace would have to be strong. Everything was falling apart and now two possible futures were opened up. One would lead to more years of pain and another would lead to life for all those he loved. He wondered if the events that were getting ready to take place would lead them down the right path and he worked to intervene. For Meiko had to stop acting like a child and she had to get back into a mobile suit soon or everything would fall apart.


"I've changed," Leyas spoke to him as he shook his head at her behavior. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to hold herself together but she realized now she was barely ready for this. Because of what she had said to Trey she knew her path would be one of loneliness but that is what she signed up for when it all began. Now he watched her reaction and was unable to really speak much about it. Her eyes were filled with tears but at the same time there was a dark anger and it was that anger that drove her on. This girl was not normal at all, she was filled with a bitterness that was shocking to see when one considered who she was and where she had come from.

"So you told Trey nothing," he responded. She had pulled it out despite the state of her emotions. Even after four years seeing him again was very hard for her but the way she cut him loose spoke of her commitment to their cause. He was glad of that because he and the organization needed her in order to succeed. Who was he? He was Sai Argyle, the former Earth Alliance/Triple Alliance solider. He had fought alongside her father and when everything fell into place he knew that she was the only one who could accomplish the tasks ahead of them. Others in his organization didn't think he was right and more were concerned with her inexperience. She was young, she was fresh from hard circumstances but she had been trained. She had spent a year with Taylor who was one of his best operatives and from that she had proven herself to be a prodigy for all the skills that were needed to accomplish this goal. She was the only one who could do it. To solidify the UCN's power and bring down the X rebellion before they gained the momentum they needed.

"I did as I vowed I would!" She exclaimed, "I made a vow when I joined this cause and I intend to keep that. My target is clear and ahead of me. I will execute the plan as soon as I am close enough." Sai nodded and agreed with her but he didn't fully see what was in her mind. No she knew what he wanted from her but she also know what she wanted in this whole fight. There was one thing burning in her heart now that he could not see; revenge. As she saw him it echoed through her; the reason she fought.

"Good," he replied with a smile, "cause you're going to need that commitment to stand when the guilt starts to crawl up your spine and infect your heart. Leyas you didn't sign up for something small, you know exactly what it is you have to do and you can't let anything change that. No matter how many people look at you like you are insane. No matter how many people ridicule your actions. No matter how many times you want to throw away everything. You must stand strong." She understood this. She knew it wasn't going to be easy because she alone knew how far she was willing to go. She knew what he thought she would do for him but he had no idea what she was planning. Inside her a fire was burning, inside her everything was erupting. She had made her first move in this game, Sai could not see what she was playing but she would follow with him for now because he was the only one who could give her what she needed to succeed.

"I won't allow guilt to infect me," she responded with anger. She looked at him with her eyes darkened, "I'm not the person I was before. Taylor taught me how to fight the world, how to stand for myself and in his memory I will destroy them." Sai liked that response because he left shortly after that leaving her all alone. She stared at herself in the mirror and wondered how many games she was going to play, how many vows she was going to have to make and how many people she would have to kill in order to really be free. Vengeance was her goal and now and no one would understand it. For she had seen the face of her enemy when she was in captivity and she had lived. Very few could claim that. Her enemy had been the reason she had disappeared.

It was this enemies organization that had taken her from everything that she loved. This enemy had tried to hide his identity from her but she had seen him. He didn't even know this, for if he did she would die and she knew that. For now she would play the field with every opportunity that she got and when the time was right she would take him out. Sai's plan offered her a chance to get close to her goals. It would be a long road to complete them and in that path she knew she would loose much but then when it was all over she would be freed but in that freedom she knew she would never have the life she had before. She was about to alienate everyone and give herself over to her darkest dreams. She just could not give up on everything for her goal was to change the world and she would do it alone simply because she knew there was no other way. She was the only one who could really see and even her enemies did not realize it. She could see who they were and where they were.


Meiko typed in the sequences quickly as she watched the piece of the Dreamer spin in the analyzer. Yzak smiled as he watched it; there in it was the obvious presence of raw energy on levels that shouldn't exist in metal. She quickly typed another sequence and recorded the data that she was getting. It matched the data on the drive Yzak had just given her. She looked up at him as he lead against the wall smirking.

"This means very little you know," Meiko stood up from the seat and walked to the analyzer, "sure it proves Yaro was using the super seed but that was something we all knew. What is the point of bringing this to me? It seems to me the photo of Cerrian's son is more pressing." Yzak shook his head at her words. Milady Redemption, Flay Allster had given him clear instructions of what to show her and what to elaborate on. She had also told him what not to say. They didn't want to jump to any conclusions but everything they had found seemed like it could be important in not only the reparation of the world but the reparation of Meiko's super seed. To Redemption the two things had always been linked. They based their organization on the prophecy that she would unite the world. They were so close to that but there was a fracture with X territory just as there was something wrong with the super seed. To Flay the symbol was clear. Meiko had to be whole before she could change the world.

"The point is Yaro's super seed levels were beyond what you've ever reached," Yzak said taking the piece off the analyzer, "and since you have the more powerful of the two seeds we have concluded that you should be able to reach a level beyond this. The only problem was Liene's mistake with his stupid system. Hopefully your scientist can make more of this than you." Meiko shook her head at him. He continued, "Besides that I have no idea what your mother wanted you to get out of this, she's crazy sometimes but when she has an idea of how to fix something she will run with it till she's got the answer."

"So why send me this now?" Meiko asked him wondering what Flay was trying to say, "you've had it all this time haven't you? It was Redemption that went in and recovered the remains of the Dreamer; it was then that you found Yaro was dead." She remembered that day so well. While she was on a hospital bed the rest of the world was waiting for news and they got it. Their hero had indeed fallen but he had stopped the final ROW force so he was immortalized in their eyes.

"She seems to think it holds some significance," He responded going over the history of it in his mind, "The Dreamer was originally made for Uzumi Zala but when he fell it was passed over to Yaro. To ORB it bore significance as their savior, and then it became significant to the rest of the world."

"So somehow it retained the energy Yaro was using and we can even see that now four years later," Meiko said taking it from Yzaks hand and trying to imagine what piece she was staring at when she noticed something about it. She had been four years away from a mobile suit but as se placed her hand around it she knew what this was. She could never forget how it felt to grasp controls like this. Her mind suddenly flashed and she saw visions of everything. She saw Yaro moving the machine, she saw the lights of the battle and every turn he took as her super seed was activated by the energy. She quickly dropped the piece and stepped back in shock, blinking. As she did the visions faded and her super seed silenced. Yzak rushed to grab her shoulders and steady her.

"Meiko are you okay," he asked as she put her hands down and looked back toward the piece.

"That's from his main control panel," she said quickly, "I saw that day, I saw what he was doing." Yzak looked back at it and realized she was right about what it was. Somehow the energy in it had transported her mind to the events that took place with it. She was breathing hard as she just stared at it like it was cursed.

"Do you think you could see everything that happened that day by connecting with this?" Yzak asked her as he walked over to pick it up again, "that could by why Flay sent it, to reactivate all this within you. So that we can find out how Yaro really died." Meiko's eyes darkened at that and she shook her head.

"No my mother would never force me to relive that day," she was sure of her statement. "Take it away, we need never speak of it again." She didn't want to relive any of that day, much less witness Yaro's demise. She had lived it once and it had nearly killed her. Even now just staring at the piece she could feel the energy as if she could almost hear his voice echoing across time; warning her of something. "We know what happened that day," she spoke again, "we know enough." Yzak reached to take the piece from the floor.

"I still think we should keep analyzing it," Yzak replied, "I'll leave it for you to decide."

"I've made my decision," she said quickly turning away and trying to get rid of the feeling she had echoing through her now.

"You may change your mind," she heard the voice of the sixth operative as he entered, she looked at him and he knew what she was thinking. "You're afraid of that day Meiko, because you don't think you're strong enough yet to let it go but you are. What's important now is that we know enough about the super seed and the abilities you will get when I have fixed it. Yaro was the first one to evolve and here we have a potential for some answers as to what to expect." He turned to Yzak, "I will take that and analyze it myself if that is alright." Yzak handed the piece off to Six as Meiko turned away and put her hands on the desk in front of her. She breathed in and thought about what Trey said in comparison to what Six said now and she knew Trey was more right.

"The truth is I'll never put it behind me," Meiko spoke up turning back to them with a clear coldness in her eyes. She walked toward the exit and turned back to them, "You can do what you like with that but I'll have no part in it." She continued out and Six shook his head. She shouldn't be fighting if she was still this overcome by anything that reminded her of Yaro.

"She'll be alright," Six spoke remembering their conversations, "she's just overwhelmed with everything." He turned back to Yzak, "let Milady know I'm close to finding a cure for Meiko. It won't be long now before she's the strongest again."


They had been laying around for a few days already and the base had gotten a bit boring so they were given a leave to explore the streets of London. Skye had been reluctant to go but Oran and Kiran had dragged him out of the room they all shared. Apparently they would be departing in two days to take the WMPO base back from the rebels and in the meantime they were to sit tight and wait until a plan was put together.

Herai was filled with energy as she stepped into the sun and turned back to the others as they stood in front of a shop.

"I'm going to go inside!" she declared, "I've only ever read about this place, apparently they have the cutest shoes." Skye shook his head, his mind was still on the battle they were getting ready to fight.

"Well I'm sure cute shoes will save you in a battle," Skye spoke sarcastically. Herai just smiled at him before entering the store, she was used to his sarcasm when they were both in training together so she didn't mind him one bit. In fact she kinda preferred him to some of the others. She looked back at Kiran and Alicesia who had lagged behind the group and were talking to each other in quiet tones. She turned away and proceeded inside. Oran sighed, the point was for them all to hang out together and to get to know one another. He looked and saw Kiran and Alicesia had stopped by a window and they were pointing out things in it and laughing. Skye shook his head.

"We have a mission in a few days," Skye said with a sigh, "I can't think about anything else but what we might have to do yet those two have spent the entire break flirting with each other." Oran's eyes widened as he looked back at them and saw Kiran grab Alicesia's hand. So there was an attraction between them. He had always thought there was something more than friendship there but he had never been sure. Skye walked over and sat on a nearby bench as he thought of his own attraction to Meiko.

"Don't some people deserve a chance to be a little happy?" Oran asked him now, "I mean you never know what is going to happen out there. Might as well enjoy the people you're around because you never know when they'll be gone." He thought about his brother at that moment for he had lost his younger brother in space in the final battle with ROW. That battle had claimed so many lives and broken the people who lost their loved ones. His loss was just one among thousands of lives that were taken that day and countless tears that were shed.

"But they are being irresponsible," Skye responded looking back at them, "Getting that emotionally involved with someone is dangerous when you are in the military as we are. They will both take more risks to protect each other now and that will cause them both to be more reckless. It could endanger the missions and their lives as well as the lives of their team." Oran saw where Skye was coming from, but he felt like his fellow pilot was being to cold about it. Kiran and Alicesia had been torn from each other once before and now that they were older they had matured. There weren't many chances that people got to find someone that they could care about this much and he knew that it was better to take a chance rather than to live a life alone. He then realized that he himself was afraid of taking a chance, he was afraid of telling Meiko how he felt about her. He had good reason to be scared though, she had lost her great love and it was doubtful that her heart would ever open again. So in a way he would never really get the chance Kiran and Alicesia were getting so he believed they should just leave those two alone.

"Well I don't agree," Oran said as he looked back at them. They were crossing the street toward a small coffee shop and he smiled knowing that they had something special.


Darren didn't really think his mission should be like this. He was sent out and about the streets of London waiting for the WMPO operatives because Ben said he needed to asses the people he was going to fight. Of course Tabrett had been sent with him to keep an eye on him; along with being a mobile suit pilot she was a computer specialist and a trained assassin. She sat across from him with her arms folded as they watched the five young pilots interact with each other. She had sunglasses on that hid her eyes from the sun but mostly because she felt like they added an edge. He would never understand the older pilot, nor her reasons for doing just about anything. She was well known for her ability to get the job done even before she joined the rebellion but she had a problem with substance abuse before she joined. It made Darren worry that she could fall back into it and endanger them all in battle.

"Two are wandering over to this shop," Tabrett said softly as Darren realized that was true. As the two got closer he realized there was something familiar about the girl, he then realized the two operatives were holding hands. He took note of that, if there was a couple on the field they would be more emotional. That was something he could use to his advantage. "Stop staring, you're going to give yourself away!" He turned back to Tabrett. She wore her signature smirk and shook her head at him. "I sometimes wonder why Ben even bothers to send you on missions boy, lighten up! No one looks as intense as you at a coffee shop, people come here to relax."

"I can't relax," Darren responded shaking his head, "this place bothers me. It's like people here don't realize that there is real suffering going on in the world." Tabrett sighed, he was ever the downer. She had a fondness for the boy as to her he was still young with life ahead of him and she would protect him no matter where her loyalties lay she knew that Darren was not a bad person.

"Just smile a bit," Tabrett responded with a laugh, "really Darren does your face know what a smile is?" He looked at the older pilot confused and she just shook her head at him. The world had been cruel to him.

"They're getting closer," he said changing the subject and focusing back on the mission.


It was an afternoon that she could relax and not think about anything and she smiled as she knew it was all becoming what she hoped it would be. She could bear the disapproval from Skye, he always seemed to have problems with everyone anyway. For now Alicesia was happy to just be with Kiran. No matter where they went today the two were inseparable.

They walked together now toward a small coffee shop and she wondered what was going through his mind.

"You know it's times like these that it seems the entire world has stopped for a moment," she said to him as she reached to take his hand and his eyes lit up as he smiled to himself. He was still surprised every time she looked at him because it was different. They had been best friends and somehow things had just matured and grown. Now they were together and thought it was confusing and sometimes scary they both seemed to want the same thing. They realized that these feelings, which had caught them both by surprise, had been there all along. Perhaps it was the wrong timing but they couldn't seem to stop it now.

"Well in a way it has," Kiran replied with a smile. She looked at him and raised her eye brows. He gave a little laugh and responded as only he would, "I mean it heard that I wanted it to stop so it decided to take a break from all that spinning." She laughed a little. He would always say something as cocky as could be but she felt the genuine goodness behind it all.

She turned away for a moment and realized she didn't see where she was walking. She tripped on a chair in front of her and fell toward the ground. Instinctively she let go of Kiran's hand and threw her hands in front of her but the way she landed she hit a table with her foot that two people were sitting at. The table tumbled spilling coffee all over the guy sitting at the table. Kiran rushed to her side.

"Are you okay?" he asked quickly.

"Seriously!" the guy from the table said quickly as the woman laughed loudly. Alicesia was confused as she looked around and she knew she recognized that laugh. She turned to Kiran then to the woman and she had to hide her shock to see Tabrett there. The two had met and trained together in the Phoenix squad, if Alicesia wasn't mistaken she was on a mission undercover in X.

"That just made my day you two," Tabrett said with a smile and another laugh. Kiran was confused as to what exactly happened and the boy there seemed to be very upset.

"Just shut up Tabrett," the boy responded quickly, "this is not funny." Alicesia looked at Kiran.

"I'm fine," she responded as he helped her up and she looked toward the boy. Her eyes widened as did his. He was here on a mission to see who these pilots were and of all the people to see out here she was one of the last he expected.

"Alicesia!" he declared as his anger faded to shock.

"Darren?" she questioned. Kiran was shocked at the exchange and so was Tabrett. She had prepared to see Alicesia but she had not prepared for Alicesia knowing Darren. It was something she could have never predicted. Darren was unknown so perhaps his cover was still preserved, not that Alicesia could say anything if she put it all together. She hated X like it was no one's business. Apparently one of the rebel interventions had been the cause of her parents death.

"You two know each other?" Kiran and Tabrett said at the same time both for different reasons. Alicesia's mind was spinning as the wheels in her head were turning and at a fast speed she began to make the connections and feel her heart sink at the realization of what was before her. She had known Darren for a very brief time. He had been a friend to her in a very hard time. They had gone to school together for two months, in the end of that her parents had been killed and somehow Darren had arrived. Their friendship had been strong even in a short time. He had found her and Nessara right after the explosion took her family. He had gotten them out of the danger zone and she had never questioned how until now. This moment she realized something and she was shocked by it.

He had never expected to see her again. Things had gone horribly wrong and guilt still filled him every day at all the lives that were lost because of his actions. He had tried to make up for them by making sure she was safe but after that he had disappeared. It was because he couldn't face that he had made a mistake. Ben was targeting the military and somehow the battle had gotten out of control.

"We went to school together for a few months," Alicesia said turning to Kiran then back to Tabrett who had taken off her sun glasses. Tabrett saw what was going through Alicesia's mind and she knew it was dangerous. She gave the girl a look of warning that Alicesia understood. Their missions were so much bigger than their own personal gains.

"How have you been?" Darren asked uneasily as the tension in the air rose. He didn't know why but there was something deep in the girls eyes that brought out some fear in him. She was in the WMPO now, she was his enemy now. He couldn't fathom how their lives had led them here. She was someone whom he had known to be one of the best people and she would never do anything to hurt anyone back then. Now here she was, in an obvious relationship with Kira Yamato's son and one of his main enemies. He had fought her on the battlefield. Fate had pitted them against each other after all.

"I've been good," she said putting on a fake smile and turning to Kiran, "this is my friend Darren, and Darren this is my friend Kiran." Kiran held out is hand with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you," Darren took it and was surprised by what he saw there. Kiran Yamato's eyes bore something deep inside them, an air of destiny, a complete sincerity and a genuine goodness that he could not place. This was the boy that he had firebombed, alive and well. This was the person he was fighting against. He had expected them to be fake, to be evil but what he found now was two people that were just as he once was. They were happy.

"And i'm Tabrett," the woman said now with a cocky attitude, "nice to meet both of you! Seriously, Darren's been so uptight all afternoon, it's nice of you to come over here and loosen him up a bit with that nice fall."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you both," Alicesia said breathing it, "it's just shocking to see you here. What happened to you? Where did you go after that battle?"


Skye sat up as he looked over toward the coffee shop. Oran had gone into the store after Herai to say that they really needed to get a move on. So Skye just lost himself in thought and when he looked toward where Kiran and Alicesia had gone what he saw was them talking to two strangers. Alicesia looked as if she knew them, Kiran looked cool as ice about everything. There was something off, Skye caught it from the distance, an exchange of looks between the two women that the boys didn't recognize.

He turned back toward the store and made a decision. He pulled out his camera and took a photo of the scene. He then turned away and in time to see Oran and Herai bounding out of the store. He discretely put his camera away and rolled his eyes as if annoyed by them.


"Why don't you two join us, we can talk and get to know each other better," Tabrett said trying to break the tension, her cool attitude clearly worked. Alicesia though was on edge as everything within her was screaming out in anger, he was once her best friend and now all she realized that seeing him here meant they were now enemies. She knew he understood it to but a deep sadness hidden behind his expression.

"No," Alicesia said looking him in the eye, "I'm sure we all have places that we need to be." Kiran caught the ice in her voice and Darren did as well. It was that moment Darren realized somehow Alicesia was mad at him, somehow she had read him and he didn't know how.

"But we have…" Kiran began, he was curious about this guy.

"No we don't," Alicesia shot him a look then looked to Tabrett for help. The older woman was clearly thinking about the situation and Alicesia knew they would both have to contact Meiko about it. Now Darren's cover was blown and Tabrett was minutes away from having her own blown if the whole thing didn't end now. So Alicesia was right, she needed to leave and they needed to follow. Tabrett nodded and grabbed Darren's arm.

"Come to think of it we should probably be going as well," her cool attitude became calmer suddenly and Darren knew that she was right. The icy look on Alicesia's face told him she somehow saw right through him. It didn't make any sense. How would she connect him to anything but her old home.

"It was nice seeing you again," Alicesia said reigning herself in with a lie. She was angry that she had to see him again, here with Tabrett for in this moment she knew what he was. She was content knowing that he was just the boy who had saved her and her sister and that he had gotten away as well but now knowing him as an enemy she was angry.

"You as well," Darren responded quickly but Alicesia grabbed Kiran's arm and pulled him the other direction as she walked quickly away from the scene. Darren was left stunned. These were his enemies. Not the heartless fools he had imagined but people with dreams and hopes as he had once had. Alicesia was not a mindless killer neither was Kiran Yamato. These were just kids. Tabrett leaned back against the table shaking her head, Alicesia was close to giving things away but not close enough. Tabrett saw in Darren now a hesitation, she knew they needed that now. Even now Alicesia did not look back but Kiran did, and because he did Tabrett knew that Darren would not forget. These were not his enemies the injustices were and that was the reason they fought.


"Alicesia, what was that about?" Kiran asked her as Alicesia and him walked through a park, far away from the others and far away from Darren. Alicesia had been silent since they had left the two people but Kiran knew something was bothering her because of it. She would never have reacted like that if she was not bothered by something. She looked at him and he knew she was trying to decide how far in to go with the story or if she should tell it at all. Kiran sat down on a nearby bench and motioned for her to sit next to him, which she did.

"I can't explain it Kiran," Alicesia responded shaking her head, "you have to trust me that much. Darren was someone I knew when I was living in Eurasia, he helped me and Nessara get out and then he disappeared. Somehow I knew then that he was different, he always had a fire in him but now I see it clearly. Kiran he's our enemy, you can't ask me how I know but I know just by looking at him. He's with them, the X rebels." Kiran was surprised she had been that honest with him considering that it was quite odd that she was able to pick up on that for seemingly no reason. He looked at her and saw a sadness in her eyes and an anger. She and him must have been close at sometime or else she wouldn't be this upset by the news. Alicesia hated X, she hated everything they stood for and now she saw a former friend as a part of them. Kiran put a hand on hers and looked into her eyes.

"I trust you Alicesia," he spoke to her, "Whatever he did you have to let it go before we get out there. If you fight with your anger you won't be able to focus."

"But he lied to me Kiran!" She protested, "how do I respond to that peacefully? He was my friend and he betrayed us!" Kiran shook his head.

"But he doesn't matter anymore Alicesia," he said, "what he does can not matter to you anymore. You fight against him as if you never knew him and you don't let yourself loose focus." Kiran then gave her a hug, "Because if you fight with this anger I might loose you, and I don't want that to happen."

She was shocked by this but it made sense as her eyes widened and she returned the gesture she realized everything. Kiran had seen people fight that way and he had lost them. She closed her eyes and let a few tears leave.

"You'll never loose me," she whispered into his ear.


Kira heard something fall as he passed by Trey's room, the door was ajar so he nudged it open. What he saw he was shocked, Trey was never one to sulk or show emotion about anything but something must have happened. Trey was sitting against the wall and Kira saw a vase from the room broken on the floor. There was a mess of photos on the floor; photos from four years before when Leyas was still a part of his life. His eyes were blank, numb and emotionless as his purpose had been drained from him.

"Trey," Kira said his name and wanted to appear surprised but he was not. He had seen it in her eyes when she had greeted Trey and he had known that things were to be forever different. Trey didn't look at him as he stared forward with emptiness because he couldn't fathom that his darkest fears had been realized. He saw now so clearly that he wasn't destined to have the thing he wanted most. The friendship that he and Leyas had shared was fleeting, for as Kira had warned them so long again she was too young. Her father had known, he had seen that things could change and in one instant they had. He had been a fool thinking that four years would make no difference. They made a world of difference and now he would never have her.

"I can't understand why things have to change," he said with no emotion in his voice, "I spent four years trying to bring her back, trying to save her so that things could go back to the way they were." He looked toward the ground, "perhaps this is all some sort of punishment, because of what I did in ROW." Kira saw now that Trey was looking farther back, to his previous captivity where the depths of his anger took him. Back to the darkest days he ever knew. For he had known happiness when he had come to them and he had been given no reason to think about the past. When Leyas was gone he knew resolve to stand strong for what he believed in and now that he had lost her he felt the same emptiness that he felt in his former life. He felt it taking him back to things he would rather not remember. The mistakes that he had made in the past and the ones he knew that he could never undo. The memories of them, immortal in his mind. For they were ever present and cold not be erased.

"Things change Trey," Kira said to him, sitting down beside the boy who had become as part of his family. In the past four years Trey had not left behind the quest to find Leyas and he had stood by Meiko through quite a bit. He was someone who was important to them no matter what he thought now. "You can't stop it, people change." Trey stiffened so Kira continued. "What doesn't change is in your heart; you can allow this to take away your purpose or you can let it make you stronger."

Trey didn't respond. He didn't know how to. Whatever Kira said was right but Trey would have to grasp his own purpose on his own. He had lived a life of strength and if he let this destroy him now he would be revealed to be very weak. He could not allow that, but somehow in this moment the pain felt good. He welcomed it, letting it consume him because it was here in the darkness that he saw who he had been and who he could be.

"I'm leaving," Trey responded, "I found a ship to take me, we leave soon." Where he was going he did not say, this worried Kira.

"Trey don't let this stop you from being the person you've always been," Kira said now, "Meiko needs you, she depends on you and you're important to all of us." Trey was grateful for what Kira said but he needed to get away now. He needed to go back to the place where it had all started and back to what he knew was real. He had spent too long being strong to stop now but he needed some time. Just a little before he knew Meiko would bring him back. For he didn't like remembering what he said to her, and he didn't like realizing that he had let his own desires turn him into.

"I'm fine Kira," Trey responded looking at the older pilot, "just fine. I know what's important and I won't leave that behind." This is what Kira needed to hear but he still wondered if it was right. He would have to understand things more, he would have to talk to Leyas himself.


"Yazk," he heard his voice as he was standing in the airlift. He was taking a plane from ORB to the nation where Redemption was situated. He turned to see Jeffery Zala running toward him, of all the people to see. The boy was very much like his parents, noble and strong but Yzak knew he was not alongside them anymore. He had asked Athrun about Jeffery once a few months before and Athrun couldn't answer it. The boy was very much venturing out on his own and had his own squad in the ORB military but it was a question as to who he was going to become. He was different but Yzak wasn't worried about him. He would become strong, just like his older brother was.

"Jeffery Zala," he responded, "I haven't seen you in awhile. What have you been up to." Jeffery stopped breathing hard from running.

"I heard you were back from intelligence and I was wondering why when I realized," he spoke in a more hushed tone, "how is Meiko?" It was a question that Yzak realized everyone was wondering. Jeffery was not allowed into the fold when it came to Meiko, he knew she was still intervening but he was not given much inside information. With what Yzak knew about him that must be driving him crazy.

"We've placed so much on her," Yzak responded shaking his head, "I sometimes wonder if it would be better for us to carry on without her. She's strong but she's just past breaking point. You understand Jeffery, we have to be careful now more than ever." Jeffery understood but he didn't agree. Meiko may be emotional but she was more dependable than anyone else. They needed her now more than ever if everything was to fall into place.

"I wonder because I've been trying to meet with her but there seems to be no way in. Even as a cousin I have no way of contacting her directly," Jeffery mused, he knew he could go through his Uncle Kira but his relationships with his family were regretfully not as strong as they should be.

"I'm sure if it's important you'll find a way," Yzak responded looking toward his ship.

"So you're really leaving then?" Jeffery said with a saddened expression, "you never stay long."

"Redemption needs

me Jeffery," Yzak replied looking as if into the wind, "like Meiko, Milady isn't as strong as she needs to be. Until the time when we're needed we will watch from the shadows just as you watch the world Jeffery." Jeffery's eyes widened and he wondered how much Yzak knew about him but it was too late.

"Farewell young Prince of ORB," Yzak said with a smile, "keep that flame burning, for as long as it shines others will see the hope that you have." Yzak then left and Jeffery was no father along than he had been before.

Something was amiss in the world, a force he could not place had been awakened and Jeffery did not know what it meant. At the same time it was as if no one else could feel it, but he knew that he would have to watch for whatever it was change was coming.


"Father I've decided not to go back with you," Leyas spoke softly to her father, her piercing eyes held a smile, "I am happy to see you and glad to be back but you must see my place is here." Kira looked at her and knew there was something she was not saying. Her mother was quite upset by the idea of her staying back so Kira had not alerted Lacus of what he saw then she had brought up that she saw it too. Something had changed within his daughter and he didn't like it.

"But surely you've done enough with your last speech," Kira responded, "you're not a solider, you're my daughter. You've been gone so long, we want you home." Leyas shook her head.

"It's not enough," she responded, "until we are all united."

"I will allow you to do what you want," Kira said defeated and undone, for there was really nothing he could do. She was of age and could make her own decisions. "If you ever need anything you know where to go. I am your father, I love you and I will always be here for you. Same goes for your mother, your sisters and your brother."


Meiko scanned through the letter. Everything she had predicted would happen had happened. Kira had sent her a message regarding Trey, he had left the Yamato's in the Capital but he had not returned to the Phoenix base. Meiko shook her head and Six looked up from his work at her. She knew now she had so much more she had to pay attention to but she had to figure out where Trey would run to. At this point he had fought with her the last time they had seen each other, that was the only lead she had to go on. Of course he wouldn't just run back to her.

"Trey's been compromised," Meiko said to Six to end the old Man's confusion, "I let him go see Leyas and she reacted the way I expected her to. She doesn't love him anymore, so his life for the past four years has had little meaning." She sighed, of all the things to happen now. She would need Trey at the top of his game but for a time he just wouldn't be.

"Where is he now?" Six asked the question she was thinking when a realization hit her mind. She knew more than most people in the world realize. While the government was trying to track down ROW she knew where it's remaining leaders had fled. She withheld this formation from the world for the reason that she might need to call on them someday. They may have committed many atrocities but they fought for Liene against Cerrian. The inner circle knew what Liene was really up too and they had to know more about everything than she did at this point. Perhaps it was time for her to change her tactics a little. Besides that she couldn't depend on Trey the way she used to, the way he talked to her showed her that for certain. He had been fighting for Leyas and now Leyas was gone from him.

"I know where he is," Meiko spoke shocked at her own realization, "he's in Eastern Europe." Six didn't care how she knew this, but it was important for her to be certain before charging into that area. It was very dangerous.

"We need to bring him back," Six responded, "he's important to this operation and we don't have time for him to wait. I"ll send Gren…" Meiko interrupted him.

"No," she replied shaking her head and thinking about everything, "I must go. I need to see him for myself." That last sentence told Six she wasn't talking about Trey, but rater the person Trey had run to. They had come across him once before in these four years. Trey had believed his words but Meiko had not. Their first fight had been over this matter. But now he might be an important piece to the puzzle that her own pride was preventing her from seeing.

"Then be safe," Six said shaking his head, "the last thing we need is for you to make a mistake this early in the game." Meiko understood.

"While I"m gone make arrangements for Oran to return to base," she said, "Alicesia can handle this battle herself now and we don't know how much we can rely on Trey. Oran we can rely on, so bring him back."

"You know the problems that arose last time, the reason you chose him to leave has not changed," Six argued back, he trusted her decisions but he wanted to remind her the gravity of them.

"But he is loyal to the end," Meiko countered, "and I need that loyalty now."

"I will make the arrangements but I don't agree," Six replied walking toward the computer.

"You never agreed with me bringing him in," Meiko sighed walking out of the room. Six had been instrumental to her building the Phoenix Squad and he agreed with all her member choices except for Oran. He always said Kiran should have the spot she gave to Oran but after getting to know Oran she wanted him. The main setback was she knew he liked her in a way she could never like him; despite that his kindness and ability to get the job done were valuable. Besides that he never deviated from his orders and he believed in her. Sure Kiran would have been a good choice but she didn't want to bring her brother into this. So she went with Oran who had been a good choice in her mind. Six still thought his feelings for her were getting in the way of things, because Oran never deviated he never went above and beyond duty. Meiko liked that though because he was not unpredictable like the rest. She needed a balance around her.

She had gotten a call earlier from Alicesia that she had ignored and it had stated that she was worried about something and to call her back. It was then followed by a call from Tabrett who left a message as well saying that she had run into Alicesia and the rest of the WMPO pilots when she was out spying with one of the X rebellion agents and to give her a call back as well. It sounded like there were crazy things going on there but Meiko was confident in the two that they had not blown cover or done anything rash. That situation would work itself out. Meiko stopped walking for a moment and glanced toward the empty rooms where Tabrett, Alicesia and Oran belonged. She cared about them all and hope they would all return alright. It was a dangerous mission but it had to be done. They had all agreed and they were all committed to the cause. She had found all of them and brought them together in this place where they had all made a pact. They were all a team but they had become more than that. They were her closets friends now. She realized at this moment she didn't just want Oran back but the others as well but that could not be. So she would call Oran back, not just because he was needed but because she missed him.


So life is officially insane! I have always thought this story would end after Immortal but I just recently thought of a path that could carry it over to another story. I could continue this story to the ending I have always planned or I could end it in a rough patch and leave the real ending for another story which I would call Gundam Seed Freedom. I don't know though because they take me forever to write and I don't want to be writing them till I am 30.

So let me know what you think. Do you want to see a happy end sooner or would you like another story?

How would that work if we did have another story this one would end on a cliffhanger and Gundam Seed Freedom would pick up 12 years later. I don't know though, because It's still just an idea in it's infancy.

Let me know what you think, I was kinda happy with wrapping it up after GSI but we'll see.

So for now leave a shiny review, I know most of you wont but I like asking!

Until Next Chapter!

Winter Chill