A modern house with two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the main island in Orb. It was stocked with the basics. There were some personalized items. Instead of typical décor, the décor had one thing in common, everything was different. There was a framed parchment of hieroglyphs. A framed photograph a shepherd standing on one leg with a wooden stick in the safari grass looking over a small herd of bovine. There were small statues that were either carved or smelted of certain deities. In the corner of the kitchen, was a coffee syphon maker. Surrounding the elaborate machine were wooden racks that held bubble like bottles filled with different coffee grounds. Each bubble bottle had a sealed cork and a tag tied on by burlap. There were some drawers and measuring spoons that were similar to the coffee syphon maker. It wasn't much, but it was the best home feeling, Andrew could ask for.
It was a long journey, but it gave him some answers. He had grabbed a mug from a shelf as he waited for his latest concoction to be brewed. As he was waiting, his home phone started to ring. He didn't think much of it as he answered.
"Hello," his voice was clear.
"You're a hard man to get a hold of, Desert Tiger," the voice greeted.
Andrew narrowed his eyes. The voice was familiar but he couldn't remember where from. It was a man's voice. He kept silent to let the man speak.
"I hear you have recovered well enough from your loss," he continued. "Surviving without an eye or an arm. Technology helps but its not the same. I'm guessing you still endure phantom pain, do you not?"
"I may have," Andrew flexed his robotic arm. It was true. Even though the robotic arm felt real, it didn't make the phantom pain go away.
"What if I told you there was a way you could gain it all back?" The mysterious man pitched. Andrew didn't speak. "Now, now. I know how skeptical it sounds, but it's true. It would be your own arm and your own eye. No need of others transplanting their parts. This isn't that sort of black market. Your own body parts reattached as if they were never gone in the first place. Your scars can be gone too. All of that you lost, brought back to you as if you never lost them at all. Think of it as a second chance."
Andrew kept his cool. Being alive was his second chance. He looked over to the small framed photograph of him and Aisha that sitting next to a Hindu deity carved out of wood on table next to the couch. This sounds like a dream come true, but it would not bring back Aisha. Its what he had to live with as a reminder. He was firm on his answer when he told the princess, he was firm on his answer here with the offer.
"Don't write me off just yet," the voice pleaded before Andrew could say anything. "Stew on it for a while. I'll be back to check in on you later." He hung up on Andrew.
Andrew let out a sigh. He hung up the phone. His coffee syphon maker was ready for the next steps. It soothed his mind for the moment. It wasn't until after his first sip, Andrew started to go over that conversation. He closed his eyes to picture what it would be like if they didn't go against Kira during the Battle of Talbadiya. Would the two of them had gotten married? Would they still be in ZAFT? Sometimes he would allow himself to dream of things that would never happen. It hurt at the end but it was a momentary bliss. He would continue on living but at times his thoughts wandered on blissful dreams. He was firm in his answer but daydreaming did no harm to others.
In the Kingdom, in a hospital room, Selena was holding hands with the patient asleep in the hospital bed. She looked at the patient with adoration.
She had a smirk. "Last warning," she teased. "You had many chances to wake up while I was here but now, you'll have to wake up all alone." She brushed away the hair from their face with her other hand. She bent down to plant a kiss on their forehead. "See you when I see you." She squeezed the hand before letting it go. She headed off to continue on with the mission at hand.
At the secret base in the United States of South America, Ra was working in one of the labs. He was examining blood underneath a microscope. He was in the process of jotting down notes when an underling of his knocked on the door. Ra beckoned him to enter, never moving from his work.
"Sir, we just got notified that she is going to Mendel," he relayed.
"Mendel?" Ra paused. "Everything was taken out of Mendel. Well what others thought was valuable. It's not a robbery when there's nothing good worth taking. Maybe she wants to see what is left of the GARM R & D."
"The what, sir?" The underling was confused.
"Genetic Advanced Reproductive Medical Research and Development," Ra explained. "My birthplace." A small smile started to form. "Gather up necessities. If she's going there, we can take our chance. I'll finish up here so that we can head out."
"Yes sir!" The underling left him to relay orders to the others. They were going to head back into space to the Aesculapius.
At the PLANTs, the Voltaire and Rousseau were making their way out of the docking bays to their first set of designated coordinates.
Yzak was alone in his quarters. He sat at his desk sifting through mission paperwork. The music he had heard when he was trying to escort Kira back to Lacus was still stuck in the front of his mind. He kept trying to ignore it. Sending it to the end of his priority list but it kept bouncing back to take the top spots. After an hour, he finally gave in. It was going to continue to bother him. He might as well deal with it now before it distracts him from the mission any further.
Yzak searched on his computer for the latest single from Setona Winters. There wasn't a music video out, only the audio. He pushed the button to play the song. The beat of song was that of a beating heart. The instruments on top of the beat were soothing and sweet. He closed his eyes to focus on the lyrics. It was the chorus that had struck him as it did the first time, he had heard it. Both times brought the memory of him and Selena in the ZAKU cockpit back at the academy.
She was curled up on his lap. His light green uniform spread over her naked body as she was resting on him. He was covered by her. Her head was resting on his arm as he held her in close. There was only a dim light emitting the interior. He stared down at her. A smirk drawing on his lips. She eyed him with curiosity.
"Red lips and rosey cheeks," he teased while looking at her swollen lips and flushed face.
Selena raised her eyebrows. "Hm? I am also wearing a nice dress."
"Standing," Yzak continued to joke.
Selena glanced at the time on the control board. She rested her head into him more. "Staring at a sunset." The time was pressing near that the two would need to part soon as the day was starting. The lingering romance that started to bud was now stopping due to the melancholic frost. "You'll remember me, right?" Her voice was so soft yet felt so distant.
Yzak swallowed. He didn't want this to end. He mustered his courage. "Even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn't forget you." He leaned his head upon hers, drawing her body in closer to him. "In." He paused. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, trying to gain courage. "In hindsight, you'll remember me, right? This moment?" Yzak was afraid he would be the one who would be forgotten. That this tangled up moment would be unraveled. Especially when she would be betrothed. He would just be some fling. A first love that never went anywhere. A nice memory to look back upon.
Selena clasped his hand that was free. "These memories will follow me around." She pulled his hand to heart. "This will become one of my most treasured memories. I would never forget you. I would never forget this moment." Her voice started to crack. Tears were wanting to escape down her cheeks but she did her best to hold them in.
Yzak had to clench his eyelids shut as he was trying not to let the tears leak out as he was remembering that moment. He took a few breaths before opening his eyes again. The song had long been over as he reminisced. He had to listen to the song once more to hear all the lyrics. He played the song once again.
The voice was sweet and soft as the song first started. A dreamy ballad for a doomed love that should have never taken off. He knew that it was Setona singing however this was not her song. This song was Selena's. Even if Setona had a similar experience, those lyrics, those words, that doomed dreaminess, was all Selena's. He also knew it was hers as Gatlin was now Setona's mentor. Gatlin and Selena still kept in touch. A slight nuisance but it is to be expected. Yzak listened to the song a few more times. It was only under four minutes but it seemed so short.
Yzak glanced over to the locked drawer. Since he was down the rabbit hole with his emotions, he might as well continue burrowing. He unlocked the drawer, sliding it open to reveal a wooden box. Yzak took it out of his desk. He glanced back over to the door, since it was locked still, he felt at ease opening the ornate box.
It had wooden rows to place in different babbles. The top rows can be opened up by the hinge to reveal another level of rows. The lid had a secret compartment. Yzak pushed the area to reveal a photo he had been hiding. It was a bit crumbled but it was dear to him like the picture of his mother and graduating team from the academy that were framed and set on his desk. It was the picture that Athrun thought he saw Lacus in. The picture was actually of Yzak when he was in the dance troupe. Gatlin had his arms hung around him and Darren while Fiona and Selena were next to Darren. The two of them were on opposite sides of one another. This was taken when they were doing their solo competitions.
Gatlin performed as Cupid. Darren performed as Conrad from Le Corsaire. Yzak performed as Don Quixote. Fiona performed as Swanhilda from Coppelia. Selena performed as Giselle. They performed several solos along with group performances. Sometimes Luka picked their solo, other times they got to choose their own.
Yzak placed the photo back into its secret hiding spot. The photo was only crumbled on accident due to Athrun catching a glimpse of it while Yzak was trying to hide it. The song in the background no longer played. Yzak moved some of the drawers and levels in a series of patterns. Once he moved the last piece, a wooden door opened up to a pair of dancers moving around while a melody played. It was a familiar melody. Yzak let out a chuckle. He tried to open the box when he first got it but Dearka came back to the room they shared earlier than expected so he never really got to see what the secret contained. It had also taken him a while to figure out the secret mechanisms to launch it.
The melody was the song he had sung when Gatlin forced all of the troupe to try to become singers one time. The couple dancing were little figurines of him and Selena. The two were in were not posed like ballerinas, but those dancing around in a waltz. Yzak's figurine was in a grey tuxedo with long tails, with a white shirt and a pink rose in his pocket while Selena's figurine was in a yellow ballgown with long white opera gloves.
He kept staring at the dancing figurines until both the music and figurines stopped. He had been lost in thought remembering how he obtained this gift. It was the last time he had seen her in person. She wanted to meet up with him one more time before she left back home. The two met in a covert place. He didn't know she had a gift waiting for him but he did surprise her by giving her the nutcracker. Seeing her clutch the nutcracker in her arms as to when she first held it, made him realize how long they have known one another. It used to be so big for her but it seemed much smaller cradled in her arms.
He continued down the rabbit hole of memory lane where he watched the news about the death of her parents. He remembered seeing the footages of the royal funeral procession. He scoured through so much footage to catch a glimpse of her. There wasn't any. When he first joined the academy, he wanted to be the best in class, regardless of who was all in it. He wanted to show that even though he was raised by a single mother who was a PLANT representative, he could still be on top. He was also used to be number one except for him and Gatlin competing against one another. When he learned Athrun was a part of his class, he wanted to defeat him the most, trying his best to out due him on everything. Especially learning how Athrun was the son of Patrick Zala, was already engaged to a rising popstar Lacus Clyne, and joined ZAFT to avenge his mother.
Yzak didn't have much compared to him. He never knew who his father was. He had the secret love of a princess who will soon be betrothed. He didn't join ZAFT to avenge anyone except to take down Naturals who thought Coordinators were a disgrace to humanity. He did have a bit of pettiness of wanting to be at the top besides everything else. He wanted to continue to rise in rank so that if he ever did meet with Selena again due to ZAFT and PLANT politics, those around them would pair the two together automatically. That the harden ZAFT Commander or Chairman of the National Defense Committee should be the one standing alongside the princess and not whomever was her betrothed.
Yzak scoffed at remembering his little dreams of back then to where he was now. He did become ZAFT Commander. He was battle hardened. He was trusted with commanding bigger battles in the last war. Yet he was not talents were not known enough for those around him to see that he should be by Selena's side. He also didn't want to think of that level of pettiness again. Even though he still clutched at it. This song that struck him down with a few lyrics is the reminder of reality. He felt it as a goodbye from her. That this was her last parting gift like the wooden box he was staring at. That his Selena was never really his.
Yzak moved all of the pieces back to where they belonged. The little figurines went back into their secret compartment. After closing the box, he placed it back into the locked drawer. He closed the tab with the song on it. He relaxed a bit more, closing up his feelings on all of this. Letting it finally settle before going back to the priority at hand, finding the extremists.
A week later at Lacus' mansion, it was in the middle of the night. Lacus was still awake working on documents in one of the foyers. Kira had been up doing his own research. He walked past the room with the chessboard. He heard a slight tap coming from inside the room. Kira stopped. He could faintly see the chessboard from the hallway. He entered the room heading towards the chessboard. Kira was curious to see if it had moved once again. He was fixated on it that he didn't know someone was watching him. He narrowed his eyes to fixate on the pieces. He didn't know why he didn't turn on the lights but he could see the pieces enough to figure out if they had moved. He noticed a piece being moved. He focused in on it. His eyes grew bigger as the piece moved off the board into the air. It was one of the black pieces. His heart started to race. What was going on?
He watched the chess move higher into the air. There, past the chess piece was a pair of grey eyes staring back at him. "Boo." The voice spoke in low tone.
"Ahhh!" Kira fell to the floor. He scrambled backwards away from the floating eyes. Lacus heard the commotion. She ran towards the room where he was at.
The pair of eyes holding the black chess piece started to come closer. Kira maneuvered himself up. He had heard Lacus' footsteps. He didn't want this thing in front of him to get her. Lacus flicked on the light as she saw Kira in a protective stance. The lit room showed a figure clad in all black with a hood and fabric that hid the lower half of the face. The figure removed the fabric to lay around the neck.
Kira recognized that face. It was Selena. She paused looking at the chess board.
"What are you doing here?" Kira saw in his peripherals that Lacus was behind him.
"To let the White Queen know she's losing," Selena looked over to him. She had a different aura about her. When he first met her at the delegation, she seemed like every other political person but now she felt cold, deadly even. Her eyes showed no warmth. Selena walked towards them.
Kira held his pose. "Don't come any closer! I am warning you!"
Selena smirked. "Noted." She was closing the distance between them.
"Lacus call security now!" Kira ordered but Lacus was still staring at Selena. "Princess Selena please stay right where you are! Don't come any closer!"
"And why not? This isn't between you and I, it's between Lacus and I," Selena was in front of Kira. He didn't want to make a move he didn't need to. He didn't want to hurt Selena. They could talk about it. Why was she here all of a sudden now? He was too focused on trying to keep the situation calm to know his usual outfit full of buckles was being undone. "I am only here to say one thing, but if you want to interfere Kira, do it unrestrained." Selena stared at him. She walked away from him after she undid all the buckles. She placed the black chess piece on the board. Selena turned back, looking past Kira, straight to Lacus. "Check."
The lights went out, Kira grabbed Lacus making sure she was protected. The lights came back on to show that she disappeared. Kira ran to the windows to see that they were all locked. No one was out there. Lacus headed to the chessboard. Kira did one more look around before coming to the chessboard as well.
The black queen was close to the white king. Lacus moved the piece so the black queen could no longer be a threat to him. She turned to see Kira in his black and red attire was all unbuckled. He glanced down to see all fifteen buckles were undone. He blushed a bit out of embarrassment before doing them up again. As he was doing them up, he was now worried about the chess game even more. The game that was being played was between Lacus and Selena. If Selena was the black queen and Lacus the white queen, then the other pieces were real people too. Kira needed to think about this more. He needed someone else's opinion on it. Lacus never told him, so he didn't want to burden her on why she never said anything. He was going to look at the chessboard again without Lacus and to ask Athrun as he was an avid chess player on what the game would turn to.
Lacus, however, couldn't tell Kira that this was Selena's way of warning. Even if they were rivals, Selena did come to Lacus' aid when Meer Campbell was impersonating her. When the Archangel was hiding at the Kingdom of Scandinavia, Selena had visited her in a similar fashion.
Lacus had just got done listening to the words of person impersonating her. The atmosphere was tense as people around her didn't know how they should react. Lacus needed a few moments to herself to figure out what was happening. She didn't see a woman in a pink Earth Alliance uniform leaning against the wall in front of her.
Lacus glanced up to the woman who had her hair done up in a bun behind her. Lacus did a double take. "Huh?" She was shocked to see Selena onboard, let alone in an Earth Alliance uniform. She wore the black skirt and matching shoes but no tights as the other women wore. It was also odd as most of them were wearing Orb uniforms. This is what made Lacus did a double take.
"Finally noticed," Selena spoke. "That's normal after the circumstances. Enjoy seeing your doppelganger?" Lacus gave a slight glare. Selena smirked. "Don't be hating on me for this, not my doing. If I'm going to go against Lacus, I prefer the real one instead." Lacus stayed silent. "Isn't it a compliment if she imitates you, however, she can't duplicate you." Lacus watched Selena lean off of the wall. She stepped closer to her. "I'd say she's just another fan idolizing her idol so much it's become an obsession." Selena walked around Lacus inspecting her. "Everything is the same about her but one thing, she's not you." Selena stood to the side this time. "I can find everything about her for you, for a price."
"No deal," Lacus wanted to do this on her own. This was someone impersonating her. Lacus couldn't let someone else do the work, even if it was Selena who excelled in these types of situations.
"Alright," Selena shrugged. "I don't know much about fairytales, but she's not a twin to you just a pauper, so one of you has to go." Lacus stared at her. "I hope it isn't you." Selena walked off into one of the hallways before disappearing.
That time no one else knew about their secret meetup. Selena may have told others on her side but Lacus has never told anyone on hers and she wasn't about to. She didn't know what Kira would think if she did tell him after this moment but she knew that Selena was right. Lacus was losing this oncoming battle.
Kira and Lacus made sure to have the security system in check before calling it a night. At the orphanage, the two used to sleep in separate beds but since it was just them, they slept in one. Kira kept Lacus in his arms all night.