Chapter 9
The stark forest made vision almost impossible. If not for the small lights in the skies, Athrun would have been completely lost by now. His survival instinct working in full motion, he strategically made his way through the trees clearing a path with his sword. Every tree he passed was scarred with the blade, marking his way back and forth from his locations. He was carrying a pack of emergency food and other supplies that was equipped on his horse as by standard.
Athrun was lost in thought while searching for a way out. The tall grass had laid victim to his unforgiving footsteps and absent-minded hacks and slashes. He thought about many things. He remembered the trials he had after having spent a whole month in another forest training for survival, yet at the same time trying to survive. He had retreated into the woods to avoid confrontation against the reinforced battalion of EA soldiers at a village nearby Orb. Athrun was ordered to gather intelligence in the area, but one thing led to another and an all out battle had broken out in the village.
His trusted comrades were with him every step of the way. Miguel, Rusty, and Heine had become his close friends in the army after Nicol's abrupt departure. All were top-notch samurai. All had the same reasons for joining the battle with him. They needed to protect Zaft. He could not recall the name of the village but he knew one thing. It was supposedly a neutral village that was controlled by a sphere of influence casted by Orb. Zaft intelligence reported some shady events in the area, linking Orb to EA. It was confirmed when a stash of barbarian weapons were found. They were all labeled for shipment to Rodina, an important port of the EA lands, where many barbarians were rumoured to have docked. In the end, Heliopolis went up in flames.
He was so lost in thought that he didn't sense the oncoming danger.
From the bushes came a swift whirling arc. Athrun regained his senses quickly but was too late in blocking the devastating blow. He parried it with Aegis, but the full force of the attack caused his loose grip to let go of his blade. The tip of the opposing sword was pointed directly at him. It warned him not to pick up his blade. The assailant had kicked away his sword farther into the distance. With a swift jump to the side, Athrun hid for cover behind the trunk of a tree. Barely dodging the whirling arcs of death.
His breathing hard and rugged.
He snatched his wakizashi from his obi and stared directly at the heart of his assailant. An awkward moment passed by as he tuned completely into the source of the assault. He was met with a fierce determined look in the eyes of the attacker. A brash attack soon followed after forcing Athrun to retreat further into the bushes.
He was amazed at the persistence, but he could not afford to spend anymore time in this place. A fierce determined look glazed in his eyes, matching that of the assailant.
He would not be cut down in a place like this.
After regaining his composure he sought a vantage point to counterattack his assailant. The attacker cleverly retreated over to his katana. It kneeled down over his trusted sword and picked it up. A studying amber gaze looked over the weapon. A moment of distraction turned into a fateful blunder.
Athrun seized the opportunity as his chance to counterattack as he swiftly glided back over to her assailant. With a overhead kick, he managed to disarm the assailant's sword and grasped the sword arm viciously. Causing a sharp pain through his assailant who writhed in pain trying desperately to escape his clutches.
Athrun effortlessly flipped the attacker over. The force of the impact disarming the attacker of his Aegis. He saddled the assailant over and poised his wakizashi for the killing blow. He raised the blade overhead readying his thrust.
Just about when he was ready to strike, the assailant had screamed for life.
Athrun held the blade steady over his head. The writhing body beneath him had its eyes closed. The short messy blonde hair sprawled across the green grass. After a while, it finally noticed that death did not seep into its body. Slowly, the right eye began to opened slowly revealing a beautiful shade of amber.
Athrun's eyes lightened in surprise.
"A girl?" he asked.
His hand gripped the hem of the male kimono tightly. He felt the beating of her heart and the heaving of her chest which confirmed his suspicion. He had noted that under the clothes were the bosom of a female.
He began to recede from his poised to kill form. Slowly backing away and letting go of the grasp he held on her kimono. His emerald eyes never once breaking from eye contact with the baffled amber orbs.
The sounds of the forest broke through the veil of silence. The chirping of awakened birds ceased to never end. The bustling of leaves and tree branches caused a small raucous. Other wildlife began to stir, signaling the coming of new day.
Athrun skillfully unhooked the blade of the sword that was meant to kill him. It was a standard sword, though he did not know if it was Orb's or EA's. He threw the disjoined blade and handle into a nearby pond he found while on his quest to find a way out. The woman that attacked him was carefully bounded by rope. He didn't know what to do with her at first. Her attack was surely vicious and determined, if he had been any less of a samurai, he surely would have been defeated. He figured disarming her of her sword would be enough for now. A small splash in the water drowned out the sword, and Athrun took her small sword as well. He was wondering why exactly this girl seemed to be so comfortable in men's gear. Didn't she like the fancy female kimonos better?
He shook off the thoughts, they wouldn't do anything to change the outcome of the war. But why did it take him so long to reason that? The fatigue must be draining on him too much, he thought.
"You . . . Are you really a soldier of EA?" he asked the first of his questions. "Your kimono is not EA, and your sword isn't either. I've never heard a scream like that in war before," he said. His mind thinking that he had never seen a girl like her in war before as well.
"Well, excuse me then," she replied with a small blush.
"What are you doing here anyway?" he asked.
"None of your business," she replied sharply.
"Are you an EA samurai? Who are you with?" he pressed on.
"I'm not an EA samurai. I'm with . . ." she trailed off, wondering if she should tell him why exactly she stumbled into the forest.
"I ran here to get away from some people," she continued, telling part of the truth. She tried to get into a better position.
"Oh."
The boy watched her struggle and then turned to leave indifferently. He packed his equipment and began to move away.
"You're one of those Zaft insurgents aren't you?" she spoke aloud.
Athrun turned back to her in intrigue.
"The ones that went to Heliopolis!"
"Heliopolis?" Athrun asked faintly remembering the name.
"I was there when it happened, in the village that you guys destroyed!"
Oh, so that was it huh? Athrun thought. The village was not supposed to go up in flames, but it was their fault.
Athrun managed to drag her back to where his horse lay resting. She had not gone quietly, despite her disadvantageous position.
A flash of bluish white lined the skies. Almost hitting a tree. A crackling sound soon followed. A moment of frenetic raucous ran amuck through the forest. Every animal frieghtened from the oncoming storm.
Athrun noticed the woman trying to crawling her way towards his Aegis. The sword was placed on a small hill overlooking the stream that led to the pond. Her efforts were futile yet she stubbornly tried. Her footing lost grip at the thunderous roar of the sky, causing her to tumbl into the nearby stream. The cloudy skies released their tears. She found herself struggling to untie herself from her bindings, but to no avail. The flowing water tried to overrun her as she found herself struggling for air this time.
Her eyes closed to stop the rush of water from seeping into them. She felt no droplets of water brush against her skin, and curious she opened her eyes. The man that she had tried to kill covered her over peering down with his half-amused emerald eyes. What was he laughing about? She asked herself.
"Hey . . . What are you doing?" he asked.
"What does it look like?" Baka. She added in her mind.
He looked at her dumbly as if he had not just heard her.
"Don't just stand there, hurry up and help me!" she commanded.
"I don't think you're in a position to be telling me what to do," he remarked.
Athrun helped her onto her feet by grasping her shoulders. Her wet hair trapped a carp that fluttered helplessly about, desperately trying to find its home. It managed to wobble onto his forearm before abruptly falling down. It made a tiny splash falling into the stream. He stared at the girl's amber eyes. He had to admit they were very pretty.
Athrun couldn't help but chuckle. He had never stopped to look at wildlife before.
"What's so funny about a little fish?" she inquired.
"You'll have to excuse me . . . I don't have much experience with these sort of things."
"Aren't there fish in every pond, lake or ocean?" she retorted.
She took the opportunity to hop over to a clearing in the forest.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"I'm taking the opportunity to wash myself off," she answered turning back to the boy. "I'm still covered in dirt."
Athrun stared at the girl. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was just something about her. She was different. From every other girl that he had ever met. She frolicked in the rain, enjoying the natural bath. Were women suppose to enjoy these things?
He smiled an indifferent smile. Some thing he has learned to do over the years, never give out your feelings. Feelings betrayed you.
He walked up behind the girl and with his small sword, he cut off her bindings. He stared back at the baffled girl. He turned around to walk away, he had found a small cave nearby his fall, and he would have to use it as a makeshift shelter.
"Even if you attack me, without a weapon you won't stand much of chance," Athrun said. He sheathed his wakizashi back in its saya skillfully and continued to walk until she spoke up.
"What did you say?" she asked angrily.
Geeze. What is up with this girl? Athrun asked.
"I think there are more fish in your clothes," Athrun asked. Careful not to incite too much rage from her. Why did he find himself thinking thoughts like these? He started questioning himself.
The girl raised her kimono over revealing her feminine features. A small carp fell out. Athrun took a glimpse, he did not see the fish.
He blushed a rare blush. Some thing he had not done until the first day he met Lacus. He had almost forgotten. He was not unfaithful, was he? Athrun shook the thoughts out of his head and headed for the cave, with his horse in tow. She soon followed.
The night was soon to pass. The cracks of light started seeping out of the blackened skies. The tears stopped falling.
Athrun found himself in a cave with the feisty girl, wrapped in his sleeping sheets. Her clothes had been dampened, so Athrun found himself having to stay and wait out the morning. The forest still had its troubles in the dark. Another reason was stubbornly making its way into his mind, but he shook off the thoughts.
"Here," he said, startling the blonde. He carried a small bento box made by his mother, who had always packed food for her son. She had been a kind woman, and had even offered to pack lunches for many of the soldiers. It was of the typical four parts of rice, three parts of fish, two parts of vegetables, and one part of dessert.
The small fire the Zaft soldier made danced in her auburn burning eyes playfully. Her clothes and shoes were placed near the fire. She returned into her deep thought, ignoring the boy.
"Even if they're Zaft's, rations are rations," Athrun offered kindly, bewildering the still speechless girl. How could he be so nice all of a sudden? She thought, eyeing him a bit suspiciously. He placed the food beside her since she was unwilling to move. "You lost your rations here, right?" he said, startling the girl. She blushed from being caught staring at the handsome boy suspiciously, though he only offered his food.
She picked up the small lunch and bashfully ate. She was still aware of the emerald eyes that looked at her.
"What about you?" she asked.
The boy responded by taking out several onigiri hidden in the waist of his kimono. He started to eat the triangular shaped rice balls, while sipping cha that he took out from his bag. The girl proceeded to eat the food and found the taste very similar to the bento boxes she had always eaten.
She noticed the distant gaze the boy had given off looking at his sword. She could tell that he was a very special boy, he was unlike any of the normal samurai she had often encountered. There was some thing else about him. She couldn't exactly figure it out.
The boy had seemed tired in gathering tossing wood into the fire. His emerald eyes mirroring the intense burning flames.
"Y-you aren't going to tie me up?" she asked. He looked up at her. "If I see an opportunity and take your sword, the situation will be under my control."
"If that happens, you'll look stupid," he answered calmly. He broke into a fit of concealed laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" she asked angrily. She figured it out. He was unusually pissing her off more, without having backed down.
"Well, you never give up, do you?" he asked, still in a composed manner. He stared at the burning fire. "If you even try to steal the sword, I will have no choice but to kill you." She became startled at the seriousity of his tone. She knew his threat was to not be taken so lightly. "So don't even try it, okay?" he said. His emerald gaze still refracting from the glow of the fire. "You survived Heliopolis and this forest so far. Don't press your luck," he calmly said, turning the girl away from him.
Athrun looked back at his sword.
"At Heliopolis . . . we didn't plan for that to happen."
"What are you talking about?" she retorted. Her fierce auburn eyes gazing holes through him once more. "No matter how you try to justify it, the fact remains that you guys attacked and destroyed the village."
"And it's also a fact that Heliopolis was clearly sending barbarian weapons to EA while claiming they were neutral!" he retorted back. Momentarily weakening her resolve, which would not last very long. "We're only fighting to protect our lands, our homes. We just couldn't sit back and let them send those weapons to the EA!"
"It's the same here in EA!"
"Nani?"
"You guys were the ones who came here and screwed everything up for us!"
The cave started heating up. Burning emerald eyes stared past the fire. Burning auburn eyes stared past the flames as well. Deadlocked in a heated glaring match.
"Junius Five was taken over. All of Plant has fallen under the EA. Innocent people have been killed. Even children . . . Did you expect we'd do nothing?"
"Many of my friends were killed too! All because of your attacks!"
The both stared at each other. Intense fired still burning in their eyes.
"Let's stop this. It's not like talking with you here is going to change anything," the boy reasoned, shifting into a more comfortable position.
The girl got up from her seat and walked past the entrance of the small crevice. She looked into the moon trying to straighten her mind. When she turned back, the boy was slumped over.
"H-hey, are you going to sleep?" she asked, wondering if he was really serious in letting her have an advantageous position.
"No, of course not," he said while his tired eyes betrayed him. "But I had to mobilize right after we landed, and . . ." he fell into sleep.
The girl looked at his vulnerable position.
"He sleeps, leaving the enemy to roam free," she said to herself.
She had begun to wonder about the war. Her resolve starting to waver. She could not afford to do such a thing. She soon made up her mind.
She got up from her position and began to walk towards the slumbering boy. Her hand began to reach for the sword locked in his sash. She had hesitated momentarily, her thoughts drifting to his threat. Her hand drifted in the air, very close to the sword.
'If you even try to steal the sword, I will have no choice but to kill you.'
The cackling of the fire unceremoniusly erupted.
The emerald eyed boy stirred awake and looked at her disbelievingly. His mouth hanging open. She picked the sword of his sash and retreated backwards. The sheets falling over the bewildered soldier. She unsheathed the sword. The blade glimmered in crimson, obvious pungent smell of blood laced in the metal. She was right, from closer inspection, the sword was not standard. It seemed incredibly light to the touch, and the seraded edges were extremely sharp. The red handle seemed worn and battle proven.
"You!" he said recovering from the initial shock. He felt a tinge of betrayal and readed his short sword. Poised to follow through with the kill.
"I'm sorry!" she said. What? he asked himself, though his face did not show it, he was pretty surprised at the girl's audacity.
"I'm not going to kill you!" she said. Her voice cracking while shaking her head. "But Zaft is going to attack villages again, right?"
This time, his facade almost broke. It shifted a little, puzzled at what the girl was trying to say.
"I know Orb is to blame for helping the EA with barbarian weapons . . . but you're going to kill many more people with this sword, right?"
Athrun had long committed to such a trivial fact, as a custom to the ways of samurai, life and death were the same. The strong killed the weak, and the weak are killed by the strong. In war, death and life were the only outcomes. His reply was one of indifference.
"Then kill me. The one swinging that sword is me."
The girl's resolve seemed to weaken yet at the same time strengthen. Her honest eyes locked in a heated battle.
"I'm a Zaft samurai. I was entrusted with that sword. But if you try to kill me, then I'll have to kill you!" he said. His wakizashi firmly gripped sidewards in his right hand, his left hovering above poised to parry.
The girl's breathing became ragged. Her eyes leaking a liquid residue. A trickle of sweat ran both their faces.
Athrun readied his attack, lowering his weapon down. Baiting the girl to attack first. Their eyes still locked in a deadly gaze.
"Damn it!" she said, raising the sword above her head poised to attack. Athrun leapt for her, ready to kill, but the sword was released in mid air.
The blade clankered on the bed of the cave. It's metal shrieking as it settled on the floor. A tinge of blood dripped the side of the edge.
Athrun found himself perched atop the girl, bewildered by her actions once again.
"Who throws a sword like that!" he asked, his eyes full of surprise.
"S . . . sorry," she tried to apologize, her eyes filled with equal surprise.
"Geeze . . . What the hell are you . . . ?" he asked her, not expecting a response. He staggered upright and settled on the back of the wall tiredly. His exasperation both in mind and body showing clearly.
"No . . . well, umm . . ." she stuttered while looking the boy over.
She saw a small tear through his kimono, with a tinge of blood dripping.
"That . . . was it from--"
"It's nothing big," he interrupted. He got up to check his emergency bag for a patch to seal the wound.
"But, you should have it checked," she replied. Both were still unaware of the circumstances . . .
"You don't need to worry about," he argued.
"Here, I'll . . ." she got up to take the bag away from the boy.
"I can do it myself," Athrun almost whined, grabbing the bag from her grip.
"I said, I'll do it!" she defied, forcefully taking the bag once again.
"It's fine!" Athrun argued back, taking the bag back once again.
"Forget it. Let me do it!" she yelled back, violently taking the bag from his grasp. "If it's like this, I'll just keep being indebted to you," she said replying with the bag muffled slightly over her mouth. "Let me pay you back a little!"
Athrun's eyes softened a little. Now completely confused by this rebellious woman in front of him. His mind finally focused in on what she was wearing. Hardly anything, but a hiyoku. A silk layer of green under kimono that confirmed her feminity.
He observed her for an overextended moment, and turned away forcefully.
"Before that, won't you put on some clothes?"
The girl fell onto the floor, now aware of her clothing or lack there of. She covered the small bag over her body, while blushing madly.
"It looks like they're all dry now," he responded without looking at them. Hoping they were dry.
The girl looked at him confused, with a blush still stained on her cheeks. She looked over to her clothes, and then back to the boy who had left the cave.
After she changed, she had bandaged the man back with a long piece of cloth. The bleeding stopped, as the wound had already begun to heal.
The brilliant sun began to rise from it's slumber.
A part of the Castle's outer towers were occupied by eyes accustomed to early mornings. The window shoji showed two elderly men, looking around the Castle and the empty city. Worried thoughts were afloat in the room.
She should have been here already . . . Thought one of the men.
"Your Highness, where's he going?" the other man asked politely, pointing to a cloaked figure emerging out of nowhere. They both knew who it was. The Emperor let out a breath of relaxed tension. He no longer had to worry.
"He's going to where he is needed," the Emperor answered in his regular confusing ways. He turned to the confused man, waving him back to reality. The Emperor had been recently visited by one of his most trusted samurai.. The Emperor thought, he must have told him.
A tall, darkly tanned man with long flowing black hair had came by in the middle of the night. He had recently came from a trip of his own, as he allowed his men to take some well deserved rest. He was missing an important person along with him though.
"Where is my daughter?" the Emperor asked calmly, with a little trace of worry.
"I apologize Sire . . . she had escaped from my sight after we had a battle with a group of bandits," he said, keeping his eyes on the floor. He had been ashamed of himself for letting down the man that he believed in so greatly. He had been more ashamed after leaving the girl he was in charge over in danger.
"It's okay Kisaka-san," the Emperor said kindly. His fierce eyes lightening up a bit.
"But Sire . . ." Kisaka started.
He knew it was not the man's fault. "I am sure, she can take care of herself Kisaka-san. Remember, there is no need for formality," the Emperor admonished gently. He smiled beckoning the man to take some well deserved rest.
The Emperor snapped out of his reverie after noticing the questioning gaze of his guest.
"It's nothing Siegel-san," he replied.
"But, Your Highness--"
"There is no need to be so formal my friend. I am sure you have noticed the many changes around here," the Emperor said with a small absent smile on his face. His fierce eyes trailing the form of the quickly vanishing figure. He knew that it would be fine. When the figure passed the main gates, he turned around to his still bewildered guest.
"H-hai. Uzumi-san," Siegel answered reluctantly, still afraid of using such a informality with the Emperor.
He smiled in response. "Now, I am sure you have many questions on why Orb will not help Plant out."
"H-hai."
"I will say this once more. We have officially sent many letters concerning the status of Orb in the matter of war, that has spread across these lands once more. We are of a peaceful city now. We no longer believe in fighting pointless wars. That is the reason we cannot side with you, or EA. As your friend, I am sorry."
His gaze started trailing off as broke into another absent world. The two men walked into the town below. Samurai started pouring out of their dwellings, readying themselves after having politely bowed to the Emperor. The one named Shinn had bowed politely despite the glare he still gave Siegel.
"Uzumi-sama, did you want to see that unit?" he asked politely.
"Hai, Shinn-kun."
"Right away," Shinn replied.
"But do you not contradict your own ways? We have noticed the many samurai here. All of which are readying for battle, why do you claim to be at peace when you are armed?" Siegel reasoned.
Legions of Orb samurai formed in front of their eyes.
"Take a good look in front of you Siegel-san, do you not recognize these men?" Uzumi asked with a small smile. Siegel shook his head in confusion, where was the Emperor getting to, he asked himself.
"Over half the samurai here are your people. Most of which have come back from your lands."
"Nani?" the bewildered daimyo asked, his eyes straining out of their sockets.
"And all of them are volunteers," Uzumi remarked. "We know there is a need of strength in order to protect what is important to us. We are not blind at that simple fact. Though, as Orb, we cannot fight your wars, we welcome either sides. Orb is a nation of peace after all."
Siegel remained speechless. His eyes still trying to focus the samurai in front of him. One of the elder samurai stepped in front of the rest. Bowing respectfully to the Emperor and the daimyo. Siegel recognized the man after having looked at him carefully.
"Marco-san?" he asked.
The man looked at his lord with a smiling face.
"Hai, Lord Clyne. We are the survivors of Junius Five. We came here and sought refuge which the Emperor had kindly given us," he said with a mix of mirth and sadness.
Siegel's bewildered look went from the samurai in front of him to the Emperor several times before he figured it out.
His mind reiterated what the Emperor said.
'As Orb, we cannot fight your wars . . . '
The fire had been put out. A calm breeze fluttered by. The risen sun illuminated the dark forest. A small path in the middle of the forest could be seen, some thing that had been hidden in the darkness of the night.
Two figures stood by, both on much better terms.
"It's time to go. I need to be heading back now," the boy spoke.
"Me too," the girl replied.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Home . . ." she replied.
"I see . . ."
The girl stared absently at the sword named Aegis resting in his sash.
The boy stared at girl absently, still questioning the events of what happened. Still puzzled by the girl.
"Ja," she said, recovering first. Her feet had started her on the path opposite to where the boy was headed.
"You! You're not an EA samurai, right?" he asked worriedly, wondering if he should really let her go for several reasons.
"I'm not!" she replied from afar.
His thoughts began to wander off once more. The war had been spreading vastly, everyone seemingly engaged in battle.
"They're not even samurai and . . . everyone's . . ."
Athrun's mind wandered off to his close friend. He may have not showed it, but he was deeply affected by what had happened. What happened to him? He often thought.
He had killed so much, without a trace of regret. Athrun knew, that there was no way he could have been his meek, inocent and kind friend from the moment he saw the cloaked figure destroy the opposing army just that previous day.
What was it that he was fighting for? Athrun asked himself, lost in thought until a voice called him back to reality.
"I'm Cagalli!" she said, breaking him from his reverie, surprising him once more. "You're?"
"Athrun!"
Cagalli simply nodded. Her feet began to run in the direction where she had to go.
Athrun stared at her retreating form for a while. His mind was still confused by her. There was just some thing about her that he couldn't truly figure out. He turned to his horse. Saddled the beast and rode quickly out of the forest. He needed to make up for the time he had lost.
Cagalli had exited the forest. Much to her surprise, she saw a familiar dark horse. A familiar cloaked figure was saddled atop the beast.
"Kira!"