Fandom: Gundam Seed Destiny
Genre: Humor/Romance/Drama
Rating: T
Type: Multi-part, Chapter 25
Pairings: Kira/Lacus, Athrun/Meyrin, Dearka/Mirialla, Yzak/Michelle (OC), Nicol/Melody(OC) ...
Disclaimer: No, I do not own Gundam Seed nor Gundam Seed Destiny
Author's Notes: Revised Edition. My own take on what happened before, during and after the Final Plus Episode. Begins as soon as the battle ended - with the retreating of all Mobile Suits from Battlefield.
Chapter 25
C.E. 74, June 13
Time: 12 45 hours
Venue: ZAFT Aprilius Headquarters Building
Lunamaria Hawke had been passing by the corridor of the official ZAFT Headquarters, on her way to the foyer where she will be meeting up with her fiance - Auel Neider, when she overheard yet another gossiping conversation between young females officers.
Counting mentally to three, Lunamaria approached the three gossiping ladies silently - before speaking aloud.
"For the last time around - I am going to say this! Listen carefully - for if I hear anyone of you spectaculating on the issue again. It's a one-way ticket to 'court'! I meant what I said.
My breaking up with Shinn Asuka had nothing to do with Abby - being the third party between our relationship! With or without her, I believe I would still break up with Shinn! Things between us would certainly and defintely not work - even if there's no third party being involved.
There's simply just 'no chemistry' between us ... We were only together because neither of us thought that we would survived the final battle, back then! Have you people not heard of the term ' not wanting to die - a virgin ? ' ... My relationship with him, begins only - because of that reason. Nothing else existed between us - right from the start! "
With that, Lunamaria turned around and headed for the foyer, still fuming with inner anger at the number of female officers whom enjoyed gossiping behind the back of others.
"... Wonderful speech, down there ... but I thought I should remind you. Prior to this incident, you had been the one doing the gossiping behind my back ... " A certain familiar voice spoke up, causing Lunamaria to glance up in shock.
"Athrun Zala ... " Lunamaria acknowledged, very well aware of the meaning behind Athrun Zala's words.
Despite her berating those females back there, at the corridor - Lunamaria, herself had been the one whom was doing those exact same things as them - back during the war period.
"Well ... in that case, do pardon my stupidity back then! Now that I'm a victim to those gossips - I now am aware of the disturbing feeling that you used to be feeling back when we were on board of the Minerva. " Lunamaria stated simply, as she looked up into the face of the one person whom she used to admire.
Athrun shrugged, before commenting. "You'd better go - Auel's already waiting for you by the lift lobby. I thought the two of you were going apartment hunting - today ? "
"Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Zala. I probably should be reminding you - that my younger sister was currently waiting for you as well. The two of you were going out for lunch, right ? " Lunamaria responded.
Athrun said nothing, but proceed on to his own destination. Lunamaria was right, he was indeed meeting up with Meyrin for lunch - that had been their routine, they would always go for lunch together. Occasionally, they would invited one another out for dinner - would that be considered as dating ?
Maybe, or maybe not ... Athrun, himself had no idea why he was doing all these things. Following the end of his relationship with Cagalli, dating had never been the priority on his mind - anymore. In fact, work had taken up the priority of his time.
So far, the only constant in his life was his daily lunch session with Meyrin Hawke. Somehow, the former's presence soothe his mood. No matter how irritated he was - on that particular day, simply the sight of the fellow redhead, would be sufficient enough for him to cool off.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his mind drifted back to the day whereby he had first taken the intiative to kiss Meyrin - it was a gentle and lightly pressed kiss on the former's lips, before it resulted into a full blown session of french-kissing.
The sight of the younger redhead awaiting his arrival towards the end of the corridor that he was currently heading for - caused a smile to form on his lips.
"I apologize for being late, so ... do you have any idea as to where we are heading for lunch ? Or do I need to pick out the place - again ? " Athrun Zala asked, as he reached the younger redhead.
Meyrin smiled up at him brightly, before shaking her head in response and said. "No - today, I have the exact place in mind for lunch. "
"In that case, shall we proceed ? " Athrun asked, gesturing for the younger girl to lead the way.
"Sure! " Meyrin beamed up at him in response, as the two of them - traveled over to the car-park where Athrun Zala had parked his elegant black sedan car.
C.E. 74, June 13
Time: 20 00 hours
Venue: Lunar City, Josephine's Apartment Unit
Heine yawned for the umpteen times since he stepped into the apartment unit which belonged to Josephine Mckenzie, the former had been working on that laptop of hers' since the end of their dinner date.
Finally, looking up from her laptop screen - Josephine commented. "If you are going to sleep - I suggested for you to get yourself back to the PLANTs. "
"... " Heine stifled yet another yawn, as he responded. "Can't you just put me up for the night ? I'm too lazy to make a trip back to the PLANTs ... besides, its' not as if you had no available rooms for my stay ... "
"Well ... true, but I do not need any unnecessary mis-understandings happening right now ... " Josephine responded, matter-of-factly.
"Mis-understandings ? " Heine repeated, his expression incredulous. "This - coming from the very same person whom had announced in front of each and every members within the Earth Alliance Forces, Medical Team and Superiors - that I am her fiance ? "
Josephine flushed significantly, before retorting. "Heine! You are very well aware of the reason behind my saying that ! "
The orange-haired Coordinator then frowned and asked, pointedly. "Are you trying to say that the current relationship between us - was nothing but a show ? An act that we'd put up to convince those annoying colleagues of yours ? "
Josephine paused in her reply, her initial response was to reply to the former's question with 'Yes'. However, her heart and emotions were stating otherwise. Somehow, over the past month of keeping up with the charade - she had grown accustomed to the fellow Coordinator's presence. In fact, she had to admit that she was attracted to the said pilot.
"No ... not exactly ... but Heine, we aren't exactly engaged to be married - though. " Josephine finally responded, with a sigh.
"... " Upon the mention of them not being engaged officially, Heine fell silent. Josephine had no idea what the former was thinking in that mind of his, but she could not helped but felt baffled as the fellow Coordinator suddenly made a move to stand and head for the front door of her apartment unit.
"I'm going back ... " Heine said, as the front door opened and closed behind his departure.
Josephine said nothing - merely stared blankly at her laptop screen before she managed to pull herself together, and diverted her attention back to her work.
Meanwhile, Heine was constantly thinking about Josephine's words as he made his way back to the PLANTs.
C.E. 74, June 13
Time: 20 30 hours
Venue: PLANTs, Aprilius City - Jule's Residence
Michelle was looking through the reports submitted by Auel previously - when her cellphone sounded. Glancing away from her work, Michelle was genuinely surprised to find her twin sister - Melissa, voluntarily called her up.
"Melissa ? What's up ?" Michelle said, as she answered the call with a strange expression on her face.
There was a significant pause on the other end of the line, before the voice of her twin sister was finally heard through the phone.
"Nothing - just wondering if you are free for dinner tomorrow night ... "
Michelle stared at her cellphone in shock, before repeating the words of her twin sister - incredulously. "Are you inviting me for dinner ?! "
"Well ... yeah ... " Melissa's response was kind of vague, which was very much different from the way the former used to converse with Michelle.
Still disoriented and surprised by her twin sister's call, Michelle somehow ended up agreeing to meet the former for dinner - on the following day.
Scanning through her schedule book, Michelle then realized that she already had a dinner session scheduled with Edmund Neider - to discuss on the issue of the investigation work which the former's cousin, Auel had been working on.
Michelle sighed, knowing that she would have to do some re-scheduling with Edmund; seeing that dealing with Melissa would be more troublesome than handling official matters. Pressing speed dial on her cell phone, she decided to call up Auel - instead.
Auel had been in the middle of having his dinner with Lunamaria, when the call came through.
"Yes, Michelle ? "
"I'll need you to meet up with your cousin tomorrow. Please inform him that I'm unable to make it to the meeting tomorrow. Instead, tell him to hand over his report and that I will get back to him - soon. "
"... So I'm to meet him and get the report from him in person ? After which, we can do whatever we wanted to do ? " Auel asked, trying to see if he had understood the meaning behind Michelle's words - correctly.
"Yes. " Michelle's reply was immediate, causing a plan to start forming in Auel's mind.
"Alright, will do just that ... was there anything else ?" Auel asked, eager to direct his attention back to his fiancee - Lunamaria Hawke.
Michelle sighed, knowing full well that Auel must have been on a 'date' hence his eagerness to hang up on her.
"None at the moment, will drop you a message if I thought of something else which requires your immediate attention. I'll see you tomorrow then. " Michelle said through the receiver, and hang up the call.
C.E. 74, June 14
Time: 17 00 hours
Venue: Lunar City, Mexican Cruisine Restaurant
"Are you sure I'm looking presentable ?! " Lunamaria frowned, as she asked her silent companion next to her.
Auel scanned the restaurant for signs of his cousin, as he responded automatically. "I'm sure its' fine - you are only meeting my cousin, not my parents. There's no need to be so formal ... "
"But ... " Lunamaria started, only to find herself being dragged off by Auel - eagerly.
The young couple finally stopped in front of a man with black hair, blue eyes - whom looked quite a few years older than Auel. The man looked up at them with a pleasant smile, and upon Lunamaria's staring at his features - the man spoke up.
"I know - I looked strange, right ? Blame it on the genetic make-up ... my father married a japanese american. Thus, I ended up having my father's eyes and my mother's hair colour. Anyway, you must be Lunamaria Hawke ? I'm Edmund Neider - Auel's cousin. "
"Aa ... I apologize for staring ... but ... " Lunamaria started, only to have the former waving off her apology.
Edmund shrugged and said, "It's fine. Staring had been commonly enough for me - especially on occasions whereby people had just seen me for the first time. So ... "
Clearing his throat impatiently, Auel interrupted. "Excuse me - now that the two of you had said exactly what I had planned in mind for saying ... Do enlighten me what I should do next ? "
Edmund smirked at his younger cousin, before commenting. "How about telling me just how exactly did you get yourself such a beautiful - Coordinator female, as your fiancee ?
I was under the impression that the two of you had started off being enemies of one another ... so how did the two of you ended up being engaged ? With the war, being over for just months ... too short of a time given, if one were to start building up a relationship from scratch. "
Auel sighed, "Long or short story ? "
Edmund shrugged, before responding. "Go ahead, I have all the time in the world. Selena - was busy down on Earth doing her 'External' auditing job on the 'Asia Pacific Supply Chain Corporation'. "
Auel sighed, as he proceeded to fill his cousin in on his first encounter with Lunamaria - and continue all the way to their finally getting together. Lunamaria remained quiet throughout, glad to have Auel being the one telling the story instead of herself. Some of the events which took place had been so embarrassing for her that she never did have the courage to reveal to anyone else.
In the meantime, Michelle headed over to the destinated restaurant where she would be meeting her twin sister - Melissa.
Hurrying over to the table where her twin sister was sitting alone, Michelle asked breathlessly. "Have you been waiting for long ? I was caught up in a traffic jam - and it's so hard to get parking slots in the carpark, at such hours. "
Melissa shrugged, before answering. "Its' fine - I've just arrived, myself. Do your own ordering - I had no idea what you eat or don't eat, so I'd only placed orders for myself. "
Michelle took the offered menu from her younger twin sister, as she flipped through them idly - before finally settling for a full course dinner set meal.
"So - why the sudden decision to invite me out for dinner ?" Michelle started, since it was indeed rare for her sister to call her out - and without valid reasons.
Melissa blinked, before reclining back on her seat. "Hm ..m ... I don't know, Dan's away - still. Steven was so paranoid of spending time with me - and had opted to hide himself away in his room doing who knows what ...
Uncle Ayman avoided me at all costs - unless its' absolutely necessary for interaction. Aunt Margaret was fine ... but she's away tonight. "
"... In short, you're just bored out of your mind ... " Michelle concluded, knowing full well of the reasons why Steven and her uncle was avoiding Melissa - like a plague.
Melissa had been well-known for her intolerance towards Coordinators, and if it was in the past - Melissa would have snapped at them whenever situations and circumstances allowed her to do so.
Now - the former was behaving in the exact opposite of her usual behavior. /Must be her pregnancy ... / Michelle thought, since her sister was apparently more civil to her - these days.
However, as a matter of safe precaution - Michelle opted to stay away from conversation topic with relations to politics or military. Instead, she had opted for a conversation revolving around the younger twin's pregnancy and on the subject of parenting - sharing her own experience as she did so.
Eventually, the evening ended with Michelle driving Melissa back to the Aymans' Residence where the former would be staying - while Daniel Ross, was away on his investigation trip situated at the Lunar City.
C.E 74, June 15
Time: 10 00 hours
Venue: Rocky's Cafe, Aprilius City Mall
"... " Auel stared at the fellow Coordinator male seated diagonally opposite of him, staring into space - with a frowning expression.
"Oi! What the hell was up with you ?! You are the one whom dragged me out here, early this morning - and now you are ignoring me ?! " Auel started, glaring at the fellow orange-haired Coordinator with displeasure.
Heine blinked twice, before looking up at Auel in surprise. "Aa ... I've forgotten all about that little detail ... "
Upon his response, Auel's eyes widen in response before gaping aloud. "Forgotten ?! Just what on earth are you thinking about - in that mind of yours ! "
A sigh emerged from the lips of Heine, as the former muttered to himself - "What does she means by saying that ? "
/Huh ? / Auel's eyebrows raised skeptically upon hearing the mutterings and mumblings from the fellow Coordinator, before asking. "Who are you talking about ? "
"Josephine Mckenzie - that's whom I referring to ... " Heine mumbled back in response.
"... " Auel's eyes widening in surprise - as he realized that Heine was too concentrated on thinking aloud that the former had no idea of the fact that he was responding to Auel's question.
Upon hearing the whole story from the fellow Coordinator, Auel cannot helped but let out a snort of laughter as he said.
"That was the reason behind your distraction ? If she's reminding you about the fact that the two of you were not engaged officially - then all you have to do is to make the whole thing 'official' ! "
"Huh ? How ? " Heine frowned, as he asked aloud.
"Che! That's up to you - isn't it ? " Auel responded, before he excused himself to answer a call from Lunamaria, his fiancee.
By the time Auel returned from his conversation with Lunamaria on the phone, Heine had came to his own conclusion and solution to his dilemma. Pulling and half-dragging a bewildered Auel Neider after him, the two of them ended up standing in front of a Jewellery Store.
Auel frowned, as he asked. "What are you doing - here ?"
"Picking out a ring ... " Heine's response was instant, and without hesitation.
"For whatever purposes ? " Auel asked, still baffled by Heine's response.
"You said for me to make things 'official' between us - so I'm doing just that ... " Heine responded.
Auel gaped, he had said those things that he did - as a joke. However, the fellow Coordinator obviously had taken them seriously to heart - the sheer notion of it caused Auel's mind to swell.
"You're really going to get her an engagement ring ?! Are you serious ?! " Auel asked aloud, still staring at the fellow Coordinator in shock.
"Yes, and yes ... I am serious about the idea of making things 'official' between us ... " Heine's response was without hesitation as he beckoned for the sales person to show him the white gold ring decorated with the gemstone of sapphire, that was being displayed in the display cabinet.
/Oh boy ... Josephine ... What will you do now ? / Auel thought silently to himself, as he watched Heine paid for the ring - with satisfaction.
~to be continued~
Date started: 07/07/07
Date completed: 07/07/07
Date edited: 29/09/07