Okay, this is my first attempt on an AU Gundam Seed story. Please don't go too hard on me. Anyway, enjoy!
Worlds Collide
Tales Of Gaia Arc
Chapter 1: The newcomer
Today, like it was yesterday, was raining heavily.
He hated the rain. It always reminded him of that day, the images coming alive, mocking, taunting him, trying to turn him into a sniveling child he was before.
They had tempted him. He had rejected them. He no longer desired to be weak and to be protected. Poignant emotions will only do him more harm than good, especially since he had been working for them at the age where he should be going to middle school.
He stared at the streets, which shrouded in a mist of gloom and danger, his gaze emotionless and unfeeling. On a day like this, even law enforcers treaded this area with great caution. One little mistake could always be your last, and no one knew whether they next step they took would be the last on this streets nowadays.
"Are you awake?" The person walked in, his presence felt a while back. Dressed impeccably in a tuxedo with a velvet black coat over it, the person stepped out of the shadows and into what little light the fluorescent ceiling lamp provided. "We have work to do. The Guildmaster calls for us, Shinn." The youthful voice was quiet and somewhat brooding, but definitely calm and even, a stark contrast to the goings-on in the mind of the crimson-eyed teenager.
"...What is it this time, Rey?" He asked the blonde-haired teenager behind him without moving even an inch. "There is more than just calling me out of my place, other than work." Shinn Asuka knew very well that only 7th or 8th Class members would convey a message to him from the Guildmaster, and it was not the first time Rey had done this.
"You wound me, my friend. I'm here just to introduce someone to you." Shinn could almost see the small smile of mystery and satisfaction at having riled up his temper. Shinn held it in check and turned, his eyes taking in the lean build of his friend. He had long, flowing blonde hair reaching to his shoulders and a pair of piercing blue eyes which were so sharp that they were able to stab and see through anyone's heart and mind. That smile irritated him still, even if Shinn did not show it.
"You're irritated."
"Hmph." Shinn snorted noncommittally. Rey was not what he would call a 'good friend', but an acquaintance who has helped him on several occasions. His ability to look into the hearts of other people was scary yet helpful. Scary since Rey probably had already read him like a book, but helpful because due to that innate ability, Shinn was able to complete his assignments with relative ease with his help. "Anyone would be if someone like you dilly-dallies all day long. Who am I supposed to meet now?"
"Your new partner."
"My new-WHAT?" Although outbursts had been rare from him, they were usually loud and sometimes, annoyingly long. This could be considered as the former.
"I don't need a new partner, Rey! What the hell is the Guildmaster thinking? I'm already a 4th Class, for goodness' sake! I should be allowed to act on my own as well!"
"Ah, it's nothing like that, Shinn. The Guildmaster just hopes that you can be the guide and a temporary mentor to one of our newest members here. He trusts you enough with a rising talent, my friend." Shinn clammed up after seeing the smile on Rey's face not quite reaching his eyes. There had always been rumors about the relationship Rey had with the Guildmaster, though Shinn suspected it was nothing more than hero-worship and admiration. However, it was dangerous to talk anything bad about the Guildmaster in front of Rey za Burrel, as he had learned from a 7th Class member, who was bed-ridden for one month after being "mysteriously" beaten up when he made some particularly snide comments about his boss.
Aside from that bad habit, Shinn found him to be a pleasantly quiet, serious and calm person, qualities rare even in the finest, youngest members.
"Well, I guess its okay then. It's not like I have any assignments for today." He tousled his already messy jet-black hair, wondering when he was ever going to get a vacation from the all the work he had been given. There just seemed to be no end of targets nowadays, ever since the GENESIS faction had taken over most of the cities. Although Talendia was an independent city, allowing everyone passage and haven, there was always the nagging worry that the powerful group would attack it due to its proximity with Hagandea, the capital which GENESIS had claimed for their own.
He turned and grabbed the black trench coat hanging from the rack in his seedy room. The coat was probably the only decent piece of clothing he had, aside from his standard red shirt and black pants. Even if he did not like it, Shinn knew he had to show up, wearing clothes which were not torn or dirtied with suspicious crimson stains which do not go away, no matter how many times he washed it. "Let's go, Rey. Where's this...partner supposed to be?"
"She's at the foyer, I believe."
She? His new partner was going to be a girl. Oh, the joy. Shinn wanted nothing with girls, especially after his last few encounters with members of the opposite sex.
"Rey."
"Hmm?" The blonde teenager had one foot out of the musky room. Either he wanted nothing to do with the funny smell coming from the room or he wanted to get this job done, considering that it was only a small errand in the first place.
"Did you just say...She?"
"Well now, I did, didn't I?" Rey smiled mysteriously and walked off without waiting for a reply. Shinn cursed under his breath. If there was one thing he seriously disliked about Rey, it was his cryptic and evasive way of speaking. He scowled and followed his enigmatic friend out through his room, not bothering to lock it since anyone living here would be able to pick that simple lock anyway.
No matter how many times he had walked in the passageways, the place never failed to impress Shinn, even though he didn't show it. The tapestries and the décor of the entire place were always kept in good condition somehow. Even the carpets laid on the floors were smooth and smelled pleasant even, like the scent of a dandelion carried from an autumn breeze.
They made their way to the foyer, a rather lavishly designed area with a few banners and tapestries here and there. They greeted several sixth Class members on their way to receive orders from their seniors and stood at the foyer, "eagerly" awaiting the arrival of the 4th Class member.
And they waited...
And waited…
And waited…
"Alright, we've been standing here like idiots for the past ten minutes. Where the hell is that-that woman?" Shinn sighed exasperatedly. He was already irritated by the fact that his new partner was going to be a GIRL, and now the GIRL was being tardy, like most of the girls he met are. He growled as Rey stayed silent and continued to stalk out of the foyer and into the rain.
"Shinn! Where are you going?"
"Nowhere, za Burrel! Give me a call when she gets here, are just try my room tomorrow morning when she arrives...If she arrives." The red-eyed youth continued on his way before Rey could stop him. The latter sighed. Shinn was never one to wait for anyone or anything to happen. That was his strength…and weakness at times. He smiled and slowly shook his head, deciding to report to the Guildmaster that the Test was on.
Shinn sulked as he walked along the streets, each one looking deader than ever. The rain had not subsided even in the slightest and he could only think of several places to go. Aside from the black market, only the Earthly Delights Tavern was open. The crimson-eyed youth turned south and walked down the path, keeping one hand in his trench coat. On Gaia nowadays, there was no telling when a cutpurse would slit a person's throat for the sake of one measly copper coin.
Shinn hurried along and was completely unaware of the cloaked figure following him closely. The lithe figure jumped almost silently from one rooftop to another and ran to keep track of its ebony-haired quarry. He was walking noticeably faster and every step he took reeked of caution. The figure darted a little further away; Just as her client had said, the target was extremely sensitive to things happening around him. He must have found out that it was following him somehow and was trying to shake it off or looking for a chance to take care of it.
Shinn Asuka knew the feeling. It always came to him whenever he was about to be ambushed or when he knew that there was someone following him. What puzzled him was how the person managed to follow him so closely without him even detecting where exactly he is. Judging from the speed and precision of his movements, he could only deduce that his stalker was a man. Who else could follow the "Reaver" so well without even getting spotted?
The feeling faded almost as suddenly as it had intruded into his mind and he realized he was at his destination. Shaking his head, the teenager4th class ZAFT Vagrant entered the seedy-looking inn.
It was the usual reaction from the patrons: They raise their heads, take a look at the newcomer for one second and return to what they were doing. Not even bothering to call for a drink, Shinn sat at the bar table, looking around, scrutinizing the people in the place.
Most were people he knew from the streets: The several dozen sailors who claim that they were unable to do their work without a pint of ale or two, the occasional beggar and several ZAFT members who did not bother to look in his direction.
Its better this way I guess, Shinn thought amusedly. Not even some of the 2nd class members knew who the Reaver was exactly, and that served him well.
As he looked over some unfamiliar patrons, all he could see were shifty eyes and pale faces, presumably due to their worry of safety in such a run-down place of the city. Some were wearing rather extravagant clothing and accessories, attracting a few shifty eyes with a totally different purpose shown in them. Shinn smirked. He would rather die than help those self-indulgent businessmen and nobles who had gold ingots for eyes. It would serve them right if one of them died along the way accidentally after he "slipped and opened a crack in his skull."
The informant had not come as arranged, and Shinn sighed. Vino Dupre was always punctual, no matter how badly affected the city was by any disaster. Maybe he had been stalled by an unintended roadblock, or his caravan had met some bandits on the way.
Maybe someone had deliberately made sure he was not able to make it here today.
Shinn got up and made his way out of the tavern, thankful for the refreshing scent of the rain compared to the odor of cigars and sickly perfume he endured in the building. With renewed purpose, he walked towards the Guild quickly.
Soon enough, he felt the presence following him like a relentless predator again, hunting and waiting for an opportunity to pounce on him. He smiled thinly and continued on his little walk, determined to make sure that his predator was turned into a sniveling prey as soon as he walked into his trap. The rain was letting up a little and there were more people on the streets. Deciding that his pursuer's intention was not to kill, Shinn relaxed his guard a little. Had he wanted to murder the Reaver, he would have done it a long time ago when there were hardly any people on the streets and when he could call his companions for assistance, if he had any, that is.
"Ah!" Shinn stopped in mid-stride to see a girl slip and fall into a puddle of rain. The way she fell suddenly gave him an unknown temptation, but he held it down. Biting back the smile, he walked up to the girl and held out a hand to her, believing that his stalker wouldn't mind a little disturbance here.
"Ouch..." The girl stood up, thoroughly wet from head to toe. Shinn took in the amusing and sorry sight before him: Dark reddish-purple hair up to her nape, with her sideburns touching her shoulders, a nicely shaped oval face and a prettily small mouth. The feature which seemed to stand out more were her big eyes, both shaded in brilliant lavender. On the whole, she wasn't the most beautiful woman Shinn had ever seen, but her looks alone were probably enough to set quite a few hearts racing.
"Here." Shinn muttered, hoping the girl would not catch what he had said. She unfortunately did, since she looked up with a brazen look of surprise and took his hand.
"T-Thank you very much! I'm so sorry you need to help me up." The girl stood up and brushed off the accumulated water on her coat in vain. Shinn couldn't help but grin at that helpless expression and pout on her face. He was a second too late to retract it as the girl turned to him. She blushed as she realized how silly she looked, trying to dry herself under the rain. "I-I'm so sorry! You must be getting wet too. Why don't we go somewhere sheltered first?"
Shinn almost laughed aloud at the absurdity of the reverse of situations he was in. Before this, he was running and trying to set a trap for a very persistent and most likely dangerous stalker and now, here he was, interacting with a member of the opposite sex almost civilly and even show as much as a grin to her. He nodded anyway and helped to pick up the bags the girl had left on the ground, walking towards the nearest café after doing so. The girl followed closely behind and breathed a sigh of relief as the familiar dampness of raindrops on her body left her. Shinn just stood beside her wordlessly, busying himself with looking at the falling raindrops and the people hurrying across the streets.
"A-Ano...Thank you very much again..." Her voice, mellow and soft, found its way into his ears. He turned to her, surprised at himself that he actually liked the sound of it. The girl was still attempting to squeeze out the excess baggage of liquid in her clothes and was not looking at him. Every now and then, as Shinn watched her, a little pout surfaced on her mouth when the dampness clung tightly to her clothing. As though she had noticed Shinn staring at her, the girl turned and smiled at him.
"Ah! Sorry about that. You need to go off somewhere right?"
"Eh?"
"You seem to be in a hurry just now." The girl smiled and rummaged about in one of her bags. Pulling out a soggy map, she opened it up and beckoned to the teenager beside her to take a closer look. "If it's not too much trouble, I need to ask for some directions."
"...Directions?"
She nodded and pointed to the one marked building on the map. "Yes. Do you happen to know where this place is?" Shinn's eyes widened in recognition and turned to look at the person next to him with a different kind of light in his eyes.
"Ano, is there something on my face?" The girl looked at him inquisitively. "You've been staring at me twice." She would probably never admit it, but there was a tinge of irritation in her voice enough to tell Shinn about her current state of feelings, though he was not really sure.
Women...You never know what they are thinking about...
"I'll take you there."
"Eh?"
Shinn frowned. Females: the most irritating creatures on the whole of Gaia. He wished he had just kept his mouth shut. Without saying another word, he stepped out from under the shelter and walked out into the dying waterfall of liquid from the skies.
"W-Wait up, geez!" The annoyed voice rang out and Shinn could hear the pitter-patter of the girl's footsteps on the road plagued by puddles. He did not slow down and continued walking in the direction of the Guild, promptly aware of the ghostly presence following him closely again. Remembering the stalker and the girl, Shinn gritted his teeth. He had to make himself scarce from the girl. No one innocent should get involved with him, not now, not ever.
Breaking into a slight run and ignoring the girl's pleas to slow down, Shinn Asuka darted and swerved into random streets, hoping either to throw off the girl or his pursuer. He could feel the latter's presence still near as he turned into a back alley-
-And met with a dead end.
"Well then, what do we have here?" Shinn frowned at the cocky and airy voice which floated down towards him. He had been careless. Where there should be one, there were three people following him. He had been careless and distracted. "Looks like you are in a little bind, Reaver. Want us to help out?"
The speaker was a strange one. Shinn was not too surprised though, since he had seen many people with weird tastes in clothes and hair. The speaker had spiked green hair and his clothes were mismatched. He was wearing a thin white shirt under his red coat and the pants he wore were a dirty white, presumably due to the rain. The blue-haired guy beside him wore a simple all-blue outfit and a smirk. With the light submachine guns in his hands, that person did have a good reason to smirk.
The third person seemed to be more ominous and weird than the first two. While the first two pursuers looked young and barely at the age of twenty, the man standing beside them was taller than both of them by quite a bit and wore a strange runic mask. He wore a black outfit which seemed to resemble a uniform, but didn't seem formal enough to indicate that it was what Shinn thought it was. Beneath that helm-like mask, Shinn could see flowing shoulder-length blonde hair. His build suggested nothing of a female, however. Although he had been prepared for any sort of shady character stalking and trying to kill him, Shinn knew that he was up against opponents who might well be beyond his ability to handle alone. They were, after all, able to avoid total detection for so long.
"Hey! Why did you run so fast anyway?" The melodic voice came through, bursting the balloon of tension like a needle suddenly.
The girl with dark red hair had actually found him when he tried to lose her.
"Shit!" Shinn cursed and sprinted towards the girl. She had no obligation to him and he did not want an innocent bystander to be hurt again like last time. He pulled her down at the last moment as the submachine guns went off. Grabbing her in his arms, Shinn sprinted down the alley, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. He thanked his lucky stars that his blue-haired attacker was trigger-happy rather than deadly accurate. Several slugs ate into the ground near his feet and Shinn quickened his pace. He knew the only place that would actually provide even a shred of safety would be the Guild, but can it actually allow stragglers into the building itself?
He did not bother to think about any consequences as he ran at full steam towards the Guild building, using alley shortcuts as much as possible. As he turned a last bend before the Guild, the masked man suddenly stepped out of the shadows and pointed a revolver at him with a grim smile on his face as he did so.
Shinn threw himself against the alley wall and threw the only projectile in his inventory-a standard issue throwing knife-at the weapon. He winced as the bullet grazed his shoulder. The feeling of pain had been a long-forgotten feeling ever since he joined the Guild and ever since he had also been known as the ever elusive Reaver. The feeling still felt real to him, as did the graveness of the situation he was in. Shinn got up and leaving the girl behind for a moment, he zipped towards the masked man and drew the ornate short sword hidden in his coat. Blades clashed as his adversary drew a rapier of his own to counter Shinn's attacks.
He's pretty good. Shinn was impressed with the man's handling of the thin weapon. Although light and nimble, the rapier was one of the hardest weapons to master in this region, so it would either mean his opponent was from the central regions or that he was a Blade Master.
And if that was the case, then the Reaver would be known no more on the streets as of tomorrow.
Shinn parried and blocked, having to defend the offensive stance his opponent had taken. In his own opinion, the length of his weapon was not doing his skill justice. The masked man was very skilled indeed.
As he pressed his rapier against Shinn's short blade, he spun the weapon around and flicked Shinn's weapon off behind him. The malice in his smile made it evident to Shinn his deadly intentions with him. The blade rose...
...But it never fell as a sound akin to one of a gunshot rang out. Shinn stared in disbelief as the rapier magically flew out of the masked man's hand. Although he could not see the facial features of him, the crimson-eyed teenager knew that the masked man's expression mirrored that of his. The masked man seemed to look beyond him, hesitate and fled. Shinn turned and found the mystery identity of his savior.
"Are you okay?" The girl who had followed him thus far was still there, no traces of fear or hysteria on her face. If there was, she hid them well. "That man seemed to be a Blade Master. Neither of us can take him on alone currently." She got up and put the medallion back into her skirt pocket. "It's a good thing I brought this along..."
Before the dumbfounded Shinn could ask her any more questions, the sound of gunfire interrupted his thoughts. They rushed towards the sound, worried that someone innocent might be involved in this. As they exited the alley, there, right in front of them, were the two guys trading bullets in a most unfriendly way with a pretty blonde girl. She had short, well-trimmed hair reaching to the middle of her neck and the most startling purple eyes Shinn had ever seen. He hated to admit it, but she was like a phoenix compared to all those females he had met at balls and various events. The grim determination in her eyes almost made him rush forward to encourage her and fight alongside her.
It was not until another blonde rushed towards them, wound the green-haired guy in the shoulder and disarming the masked man did they finally flee. The Guild building had never looked more welcoming to Shinn Asuka than ever before. As he ran towards Rey with the reddish-haired girl behind him, the blonde leapt in front of him and started attacking expertly.
"Hey, wait a sec-" Shinn cried out as he felt the wind knocked out of him with a blow in his stomach. The young woman then proceeded to swing a good right hook across and the red-eyed teenager felt his sense dull for a second. He did a back-flip and steadied himself, ready for another ferocious barrage of attacks again. Before anything could happen again, his best friend stepped in between them.
"Stellar, that's enough! We're all on the same side. Shinn here is a friend."
'Stellar...That's a nice name. Wonder how girls with nice names punch so hard...'
"...Friend...?"
"Yes, Stellar. He helps me out like when you aid the Guild." Rey smiled and patted the blonde girl on her head, who was otherwise known as Stellar. Her deadly serious and look of venom disappeared and was replaced by one of innocence and pure joy. For the life of him, Shinn could not figure out what the girl's personality was truly like.
That, however, was yet another characteristic of her which fascinated him.
"Your aim was a little bit off, though. Remember to always concentrate on one target at a time." Rey continued to advise her and her smile faded a little.
"Hai, Onii-chan." That look in her eyes could only be compared to that of a lost puppy's-
'Wait a minute...Onii-chan?'Shinn thought.
"Rey! Is she really-?"
The blonde chuckled at the brimming curiosity Shinn Asuka was displaying at the moment and the confused expression on the girl behind him. "I'll explain everything inside. Come in, both of you. I've been expecting you."
"Expecting?" Shinn growled at the mysterious smile he hated so much. "I swear, one more riddle and I'm going to wring your little-"
"Now, now, Asuka. This is going to put a bad impression on the two ladies here. One of them my sister, and the other your other half of a new team."
"Wha-" There was just too many surprises for the obsidian-haired teenager, who pointed at the reddish-haired girl with a gaping mouth. She smiled somewhat shyly and waved timidly at him in greeting.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Rey stood, annoyed that his friend was still staring at the girl. "Oh well, looks like it's up to me again. Shinn Asuka, this is your new partner..."
'PLEASE tell me she's a boy in disguise...'
"...Miss Lunamaria Hawke."
That's the end...for now. Sorry for the cliffie! I'm going to make an interesting intro about the world I'm writing about in the next chapter so stay tuned! Please read and review!