On the northeast side of the United States of South America, a woman was carrying a two-year boy through town. He had gotten tired of walking. They were trekking a long distance. He yawned and rubbed his little eyes.
"We walking?" He rested his head on her shoulder.
"Yes, baby," she comforted him. She wore a traditional baiana dress. It was a dress of breathable and light fabric adorned with stunning embroidery. The skirt came down to her ankles. She hid her blue hair with two orange stripes on either side of her bangs underneath the traditional white turban. She had on beaded necklaces. A large shawl was draped across her back. She had to blend with the people in order to not be captured.
Her son was in a matching outfit of hers. His tan skin contrasting the white. She couldn't let him be a little boy as that was what they were looking for, a young woman with a little boy. She had been keeping an eye out. The men going after her weren't soldiers but they acted as if they had been trained. She didn't remember much about her life before waking up in the hospital room but she does know that she was not supposed to be there. She had to endure being there because of her child but when he was old enough to be on his own, she took the chance to escape. She hasn't ever looked back. She only kept looking forward.
The people in that place would ask her daily if she remembered anything. One thing that stood out the most was a voice telling her to head to the Kingdom. Whatever situation she came across, it would be the safest to head to the Kingdom. She didn't even know where this Kingdom was at or if it was actually safe. She never spoke it aloud, hoping that the place wasn't the Kingdom. She didn't like being called a 'miracle.' She didn't like being there. It never felt right to her.
When she escaped, she came across a small town. It had a world map. Kingdom must have meant the Kingdom of Scandinavia. That was the only logical place. That is the place she must go. Although, when she saw any sand or felines of any sort, her heart would ache. She doesn't know what that means but she knows it must have been something from her past. It feels like home yet she can't remember her home. She had to shake that feeling off for now. Getting to the Kingdom was her goal right now.
"Mama," her little boy spoke up again.
"Yes, Arty?" She glanced at him with a smile.
"Walking?" He let out another yawn again.
She let out a laugh before kissing him on the forehead. "Yes, baby. We must keep walking. We haven't reached our destination. We must keep going. Mommy will let you know when we get there, okay?" She kissed him again nuzzling into his neck, giving him little kisses all over him. "My little Artorius!" She kept on walking until he started to get hungry. The two would eat at a little restaurant. She would get extra portions on the house because of her child. The people all around her had been very generous. She thanked them.
Back at the compound hundreds of miles away, Diana, a young woman with auburn hair and blue eyes was reading over files. These files contained information about the person. There were even CDs that contained clips of their voices and their movements.
"Miss Lockhart," one of the security men knocked upon her office door. She waved her hand to let him in. He set down more files upon her desk. She saw the thick pile. "He's coming down in less than a week. He will be bringing in a new shipment. At least three high priorities. He wants you to focus on these two here." The guy pulled out two files from the stack. Diana grabbed them, opening each to see the overview. "He wants to use them as bargaining chips. We're still on the lookout for the two that escaped." He tapped on one of the two files. "This one, we can further break apart the Kingdom." Diana raised her eyebrows. "This one," he tapped the other file. "Can get Adam to break and do anything we want. Make sure to do well on these."
She nodded her head making him leave her alone again. She let out a sigh. Her whole office was filled with file cabinets. These cabinets were filled with files on the patients that had come in. She had a computer, headphones, and a microphone. She closed the files that she was working on. Diana placed them in a bin that read 'in progress.' She grabbed the new stack. She grabbed the two out while putting the rest in another bin that read 'new.' She opened the first file. Diana started to read into it. The file contained information about the patient. She paused when she came across a familiar point of information. She tilted her head to the side but kept on reading. She stopped again. This was all sounding too familiar. She placed the file on the desk when she lifted up the next page. It made sense on the second page. She felt saddened. It was now going to become another thing she was going to have to keep from Sai. She already lied about what she actually does at the compound. Now, with this new patient, she was going to have to keep it from him. She hated doing that but it was for the best. Love can come and go but the contract she made with Dr. Landry was life binding. She wouldn't dare to go against him. She plunged into her work shaking off the dread. There would be consequences if she wasn't ready to receive the new patients when he arrived.
In space, the ZAFT teams were going through each possible route Cagalli could have been taken to. Each route was becoming dead ends. They hoped the Minerva and the teams down on Earth could find something.
At Orb, Athrun gave all his information to the investigation team. They were five days into the investigation and there were no leads just possible suspects. Athrun needed to get more information. In order to do that, he needed to pay a visit to the person he least liked but it needed to be done.
He arrived at the Kingdom in haste. He was escorted to the manor in a car. It was the first time he had ever visited one of the royal homes. It was one would expect of royalty. He tried not to get lost in thought about architecture when he arrived at the front of the manor. There were servants there to greet him once he got out of the car. They led him inside to a study room. He sat upon a chair waiting for the person he needed to talk with the most.
When the door opened across from him, Athrun immediately stood up. A young woman with blonde hair and purple eyes wearing a white doctors coat with a black armband over a white button-down shirt and black skirt. She had on dark tights and black loafers.
"Ah, Princess Anita," Athrun was surprised. "Greetings! I-ah-I-ugh." He was stumbling over his words
She headed towards him. "Sit." He sat down at her command. He hadn't seen her since the academy. He didn't know how to face her. She was bright and cheerful back then but now she was subdued, monotone. Almost like a doll walking around. She hardly showed any emotion after losing her parents. She sat across from him on the other sofa. "I know you want to speak with Sel, but she's indisposed at the moment." Athrun glanced away. "We don't have any way to contact her either." She tried to comfort him.
At a hallway before entering the area where Anita had come from, Ezalia stopped as she heard voices coming from that room. She looked over to see someone had stopped with her. It was a woman with green hair and brown eyes, Romina Amalfi. She was holding a tray filled with tea and snacks. The two looked at one another with concern. They didn't dare to get closer as the voice sounded familiar to them. Thankfully, Mikael came by them. He saw their dilemma.
"Let me take that," he whispered to Romina. She nodded to him handing it over. He turned around to head to the study room. He glanced back at them before entering. The two watched him close the door behind him. They let out a sigh of relief. The two headed to another room to lounge while waiting.
Mikael brought in the tea tray. He set it down on the desk. He started to pour two cups of tea. Anita ignored him while Athrun gave him a glance.
"When Sel goes into a mode, she can't get out of it, she just lets it run its course," Anita explained further. "That is her way of doing things. The same way it is for the rest of us. That's why when we were younger, the three of us couldn't be together. Sel, would become a catalyst and trigger us as well." Mikael set down two cups on the table between them. He placed down a plate with an assortment of snacks. "Thank you, Mikael." He nodded to her. He went to stand by the desk. "I have heard about what you said to Sel, though. It pains me to hear that you directed them at her." Athrun flinched. "I know you were desperate but it was still hurtful. Sel has been beating herself up for a while now. She knows how it feels to be put in that situation. We don't know what anyone else is going through so we always remember to be mindful."
"My apologies," Athrun lowered his head. "I was just overwhelmed and was becoming desperate."
"Mm. In any case," Anita picked up the cup. "It was wrong of you to suspect Sel to abduct Cagalli." She took a sip. Athrun was about to say something until Anita spoke up again. "That's not her forte, that's mine." Athrun drew back. Anita put the cup back down. "Sel can abduct someone but I prefer to be the one in charge of it. However, I have enough information on Cagalli that capturing her wouldn't be helpful. I know you must be surprised about what I just said, but it's the truth."
"Th-that's," Athrun was at a loss for words.
Anita mustered a small grin. "I know how it sounds. However, in these times, its better to be truthful."
"Selena did say that when Cagalli is found," Athrun brought up another point.
"Yes, I know all of what she said," Anita nodded. "Sel gives full documented reports of her outings. It helps inform all of us what's going on especially when she's preoccupied. Although you may have us as a suspect, we are also keeping a watch out for her."
"But you're not actively looking," Athrun pointed out.
"We have our own investigation on attempted assassination of Sel," Anita countered. "We also don't want to step on anyone's toes. We will gladly help but we won't take charge."
"I see," Athrun figured it would be a dead end. He glanced over to Mikael. He couldn't hold back his anguish as he was seeing a failed bodyguard in front of him. These people wouldn't help him but they knew how bad it was to lose someone on their end.
"I don't want to cut our meeting short" Anita raised her cup to take another sip. Athrun was about to give his courtesies and leave. He leaned back into the chair. "Do you know why Sel is busy?" He shook his head. "When she gets into her mode, she creates things."
"I have seen her sketch artwork after artwork," Athrun remembered. "She would be in a trance just creating image after image."
Anita nodded. "Yes. When she's underground in her domain," she had a little smirk. "She creates things. Sel is under this property somewhere, creating only she knows. The Konungr was her creation. Her idea, her blueprints, her work, all of it." Athrun raised his eyebrows. "Sel has her own factory underneath here. I am only telling you this so that you can feel at ease. With her newest prized possession now floating in millions of pieces in space, Sel is back into create mode."
"All of that was made by her?" Athrun couldn't even imagine how long it took.
"We don't know what's all down there," Anita continued. "But its best to say lots and lots of robotics. They assembled and create to her specifications. When the Konungr was unveiled, it was because it was sitting in the royal dock with her smashing a champagne bottle against it. We only knew this because of the cameras!" Anita let out a sigh. "Konungr means king. That was her most kingly vessel. You don't know the vessel as it was on its second voyage but since its gone, she won't be mad if I describe it." Athrun was now curious as to what the vessel was like. "It could hold up to fifteen mobile suits, which she did. The two elusive GUNDAMs, three Berserkers, three Ulfhednars, three Disirs, and four Utangards."
"Wait, Berserkers?" Athrun only knew that as the state he had entered during battle.
"Hm? Oh," Anita remembered. "That's what Mr. Waltfeld called it but we detest things that are compared to our mythology. Berserkers are shamanistic warriors. The warrior would wear the ritual pelt of the animal, bear or wolf, and go beyond their humanity to become the divine predator. When we enter that mode, you believe to be as Berserker, we call it SEED mode, our awareness is enhanced, and we are in peak physical ability while demonstrating heightened reflexes and extremely quick information processing. Sel can enter SEED mode as if she was breathing in and out. Changes from void to focus with a single blink. Sven and I can be triggered by her; however, we're still trying to figure out the factors that allow us to enter that mode. As well as if its just Coordinators who can enter that mode or if Naturals have that factor too. Oh! SEED stands for Superior Evolutionary Element Destined-factor." She could see that he was trying to go over all of that information.
"Wait, Naturals can do it as well," Athrun blurted out. "Cagalli has been in this SEED mode."
Anita was intrigued. "Mm. Interesting. She may be the only Natural so far but it could also be due to her genes. She is a twin to the Ultimate Coordinator. "Back to her ship, besides the Mirage Stealth Colloid System that was adapted to hiding the whole vessel, it is equipped with low temperature thrusters for stealth mode besides the regular thrusters equipped with plasma boosters. The Neutrona cannons that never got used." Anita started to feel depressed describing the vessel. Selena had put her best work into it.
"Is that similar to the Archangels' Positron Blaster Cannon?" Athrun grabbed the cup. He wished there was something stronger in it if Anita agreed. She nodded her head. He took a swig.
"Yes," Anita explained. "It fires beams of antimatter equivalent to electrons but doesn't need to be so big. Each cannon has its own compact particle accelerator to smash positrons together. Doesn't need to wait to power up and can also emit a beam of protons to accelerate positivity then the positrons for an even stronger annihilation. There are the regular cannons, blaster cannons, beam cannons, gunners, launchers, CIWS, and then the usual gels, submersible underwater, and able for entry and reentry."
Athrun almost missed putting his cup on the plate. That was the vessel that was blown up. He was almost relieved that it did get blown up. If Selena unleashed that upon her enemies, there would be nothing left. "She always takes things to the extreme. Her Haro is even reconfigured to fit her wants. I watched it have a staring contest with Mr. Pink then it told Mr. Pink he was ugly. Mr. Pink then rolled around on the floor. Imagine that happening outside the PLANT Supreme Council room while waiting for her interrogation to be completed."
Anita's eyes sparkled. "I can! Hmm. Sel does like to tinker with things. Hala is one of her most prized possessions even if you still feel embarrassed for giving it to her by accident. Where Sel goes, Hala goes."
"It is no surprise that it piloted the white GUNDAM," Athrun looked at the cup. "You wouldn't be able to describe it?"
"No," Anita shook her head. "Sel only named out the vessel. What she allows to be known, I will tell, what doesn't, will be kept secret."
"You let me know more than those in the council room," Athrun pointed out.
"That is only because I didn't want to leave you 'empty handed,' per se," Anita sat down the cup. "It was nice seeing you again, Athrun." She gave him a small smile. "Even though it was due to unfortunate circumstances."
Athrun softened a little. "It was nice seeing you again as well." He stood up to give a little bow. Mikael walked across the room to show him out. A butler came to show Athrun the rest of the way out.
Mikael watched him leave before entering the room again. He brought the tea set back onto the tray. Anita had finished eating one of the snacks.
"He still feels guilty when he looks at me," Anita looked out the window to see the car driving away in the distance. "All he can think about it is Nicol's death. What did Sven say? He's projecting his insecurities."
"His Highness diagnosed several people," Mikael grabbed the tea sets. He placed them on the tray. "Anyone in his vicinity. I tend not to memorize them all."
"True," Anita agreed. "I wonder if Athrun's views changed after he knows that I would do the abducting. People see me as a weakling. They look at Sel and see strength."
"They see her as a villain," Mikael corrected. He picked up the tray. "Miss Joule and Mrs. Amalfi were on their way to see you. I believe they are waiting in one of the kitchens."
"Oh!" Anita perked up. "I was wondering about the tea set. Let's head to them. I don't like using Sven's study when I can." The two headed back to the kitchens. A maid came by to do some quick cleaning of that room. "I bet it is news on the investigation and it was time for Romina and I to have our usual afternoon tea chats."
"You've been busy," Mikael teased.
Anita let out a sigh. She was more expressive with a few people. "It's all leading up. We're scheduled to sleep in pods side by side. I get more relaxed when all of us sleep together."
Mikael chuckled. "I wonder what happens when all of you get married. How any of your spouses are going to handle that? Where's my wife? Ah, she's sleeping in her pod next to her cousins hidden deep in a safe room. Little glass sarcophaguses tucked away."
"Does Sel think you're funny?" Anita frowned a bit.
"Sometimes," Mikael let out a sigh. He couldn't ever get Anita to laugh.
"You only make Sven laugh," Anita pointed out. "But then again, you are his bodyguard."
Mikael let his jaw drop. "I make Her Highness laugh as well."