Chapter 12: A meeting or two
Athrun was being escorted by five fully armed ZAFT soldiers down a familiar corridor which leads to the meeting room. He had been invited to have an audience with the council, all forty eight members. It was enough to send a trickle of perspiration descending down his temples.
He thought of his promise to Cagalli, and began to wonder whether he would be able to keep it.
Shinn bit his lip.
Kira, Lacus and Andrew Waldfeld were in front of him, opening the highly polished wooden door which gave off a shine in the morning sun.
He scanned the picture in front of him, a mansion, a mansion in Orb. A place where there are of all things…Kids. Lots and lots of kids, it was nearly enough to drive Shinn over the edge, just to think about…Kids.
Multi-coloured Haros started bouncing about in excitment as a soft 'creak' was issued from the lock, sending dust flying in little puffy clouds. Shinn tensed up a notch further, dreading the moment where those little monsters would be swarming all over them. But as the door creaked open, all that was observed within was a quiet living room, vast and equipped with a little fire place.
Yzak eyed Sedna's every movement with menace as she entered holding an unevenly-shaped package wrapped nicely in rice paper. She acted wordlessly, emptying the vase of the sunflowers and rinsed it.
When she unwrapped the package, Yzak couldn't help but be surprised. Beneath the not-so-glamorous rice paper were flowers the taintless shade of white with a soothing pink hue, the tender texture of the petals revealed freshness and magically lifted Yzak's sullen spirits.
White roses…Why'd she…?
She finished loading the vase and turned towards him, beaming.
"Dearka told me you like these things better than sunflowers. So these are for you." She said jokily. He refused to reply, merely looking away.
"I came to clear up a few issues, so please just listen." She stood at a distance. "I can't thank you enough for all that you've done for me. Whatever happened yesterday, don't worry about it, take it as if…it didn't matter, assume it didn't happen."
He didn't know why, but he was angered by the request, how could she pretend as if nothing happened…?
"I owe you big time, you are here in this place because of me. You're injured because of me, I'd really want to be able to return the favour. I thought of staying as your personal assistant till your injury heals, I thought I'd let you order me around, scold me at will if that makes you happy, I wouldn't rebut. But… I've been delegated a new responsibility, and I have to report in two hours time."
Yzak considered her words, a little surprised should her posting come so quickly. "What's you new job?"
"I'm a bodyguard, for a guest of the council."
The nine foot tall doors sprang open, and in front of Athrun the ominous ring table presented itself. He was led into the dimly lit chamber and made to stand in the middle of the ring table; right beneath the strange crystal giving off a distinct blue aura that bathe the vast chamber in its eerie glow. The door sprang shut soundlessly behind him; he felt trapped all of a sudden, a mouse in a hole.
Around him, the supreme council was seated, he noticed there was two persons missing and wondered who it was other than the empty chairman seat. Diagonally above him, the rest of PLANTs high council began murmuring, he felt like a circus animal on display.
One figure stood up to his right, he recognized the person instantly, he was Nicol's father, Yulie Amarfi.
"Athrun Zala, you are called before to Supreme Council of PLANTs for an assessment of your potential as Chairman. Are you ready to receive questioning?"
Athrun swallowed briefly, "I am."
"Very well…" Mr Amarfi replied, he sounded reluctant to allow the session to start. And Athrun could swear that he gave him a look of pity right before he seated himself.
"Why, do you want to become Chairman?" a woman with red hair asked.
"It's because I feel……"
"Fame? Glory? Wealth? Child, out with it. Which will it be?"
Athrun was startled, he thought politicians were tactful, when they are not, it tells a little about how they viewed him. A child. It occurred to him that the nature of the meeting was to his disadvantage to begin with, but he held his temper.
"It is not any of the reasons you suggested, the real reason…"
"Oh, is that true?" another interrupted, this time a man, "Our sources tell us your close affiliation with the Orb princess, the nation which scored a victory against the ZAFT forces in the previous battle. The people want you for Chairman because of Miss Lacus, erm, unshakable faith in her finance. Can you tell me what have you ever done to deserve to be here except to bed a few powerful women?" Athrun binked, totally speechless as the mockery stared at him plainly in the face, the room broke into murmur and there was a continuous homing of voices around him.
The rest of the eleven seated around him took turns to bombard him with questions of various natures, and they never allowed him to finish a statement. It left him feeling vulnerable and raw, to be attacked on so many sides at one time. At the same time, he could feel a fiery cauldron boiling in his heart. He was accused time and again, based on lies and half truths. Ultimately, he realized most of them were just out to insult him, the only people who remained silent was Mr Amarfi and Mr Elthman.
"The battle at Jarkin Due, what made you betray Patrick Zala, and the nation which you grew up in?"
"I didn't, I only wanted peace for PLANTs."
"Fine, any coordinator can say that. But you are a son who abandoned your own father. You sided with the Naturals, you defected with the Justice. You murdered your own fellowmen, what makes you think you even deserve to live after that atrocious act. I am most curious, was it done out of impulse? Or…personal reasons, perhaps … the presence Miss Clyne in the rebel fleet?"
"I already said I didn't, and …" Athrun almost shouted, his temper rising and slipping out of his control.
"You do realize, don't you, that the act of treason will not be pardoned, or forgotten, especially in your case. Whatever made you think you are Chairman material? Just because you saved Earth two years ago by committing alleged suicide? Just because you have backing from Orb? And you dare claim that you didn't betray ZAFT, that you were doing it out of selfless reasons."
"I am not selfless and I never wanted to commit suicide, I wanted to live as much as any one else. I chose to self-destruct Justice because I don't want an unforgivable act of mass homicide to cause eternal war between Earth and PLANTs, Naturals and Coordinators. I just …"
"Then prove it. Who can prove the intents of a murderer, a betrayer, a…criminal. A delinquent like you, you son of a bi…"
"I will." declared a baritone voice from behind Athrun. Athrun wheeled around and was surprised at the identity of the person. Yzak Jule stood there, clearly winded from running and appeared very tired. He slowly made his way to the table with a woman's help, Athrun couldn't recognize the lady, but decided she must be Yzak's friend, or subordinate or something.
His presence in the supreme council meant that…
"I am Supreme Councilor Yzak Jule," he declared to the surroundings, "I apologize for my lateness, and please pardon me." He took a seat to Athrun's left, throwing Athrun a dirty look. As if asking, What have you done this time?
Athrun looked backed, smiling lightly, Thanks.
Lacus entered the room and called out, "Children, children, where are you?" Kira examined the arrangement of items in the room, from the state of disarray the furniture are in, and the from the scatter formation of toys, it can be gathered that children inhabited this place still. Shinn was almost relieved, but when he breathed, he could smell a faint burning smell coming from the room next door. By reflex, he sprinted towards the source immediately and found…
While Athrun was defenseless, Yzak patched up for him, vouching for him and act as a shield for every caustic remark coming his way. Athrun was grateful for the fact that Yzak was there, but he thought secretly,
He must have made many powerful enemies today
For every defense he made was met with dissent and heightened aggression. Soon the meeting could no longer continue for everyone was so emotional and they adjourned it. Athrun couldn't say how relieved he felt, and surprised at Yzak's speaking skills.
"Sedna Ileisus." Sedna said, once outside the meeting room, offering a hand to Athrun. He shook it. "I'm Athrun Zala, though you probably know my name by now."
"Yes, and do you know who I am?"
"I was told…that a body guard will be following me around. Would that be you?"
"I'm you man."
Athrun frowned, replying, "But you're a woman."
Sedna sighed, "Another one in need of a sense of humour…"
Yzak had finished speaking to Mr Amarfi, and made his way towards them.
"Yzak," Athrun began, "Thanks."
"Whatever, you were sitting ducks out there anyway; I don't need your moronic gratitude. Can't you learn to defend yourself?"
"I'll start learning after I drive you back to the military hospital."
Yzak tried to act surprise, "What hospital?" he snapped.
"That wrist tag tells it all." Ahtrun replied, gesturing at the metal ornament clinking lightly at the cuff of Yzak's sleeve. Yzak quickly covered the shiny band and glared at Athrun.
Sedna watched the comedy unfold in front of her; apparently this Athrun Zala was an observant person who talks little, but makes big speeches. And the reunion of the two comrades wasn't the way she expected either, they sounded more like enemies. But the fact that the moment Yzak heard that the council will be having an audience with Athrun Zala, her charge; he grabbed his Prussian Senator's uniform and shuffled into the washroom to change, then he ordered Sedna to take him there as a return favour. Sedna was glad to be of service, the thing that mattered in the episode was his intense reaction. What made Yzak Jule-a cold and emotionless politician-rush out of military hospital with no regard to his own safety?
"Yzak," she said, trying to stop them from bickering.
"What!" he snapped, looking at her reproachfully for interrupting him.
"You're weird."
There was fire, a large bon fire right on the stove, and it wasn't just cooking anything, it was incinerating the contents in the pot.
As Shinn entered, seven pairs of large eyes stared up to him; those eyes were fearful and lost. Shinn immediately yelled for a bucket, and one was brought to him by a little girl dragging a stuffed bunny. He filled the bucket with water from the sink and emptied the contents over the inferno-to-be.
The flame was snuffed out by the liquid, leaving trails of black smoke to speak of it passing.
Shinn stared down at the wet stove, making a disgusted face at the burnt and sodden bacon strip lying solemnly at the bottom of the pot with all the residual fluid. At the same time, he slumped onto the ground, sudden relief leaving him weak. With his hand, he wiped the perspiration off his forehead.
When he caught seven pairs of eyes staring at him once again, he tensed and didn't know what to do. The little girl who passed him the bucket approached him now, coming closer with every little step, Shinn warded her off, his hands flapping in wild little gestures. "Don't, don't…come any closer. I…I'll bite!" But the girl wasn't one bit discouraged; instead, she stopped one foot in front of him and tiptoed to peck his forehead lightly. Shinn's mouth fell open, stunned for the moment. His hand went to his forehead, touching the region where the little girl just kissed, just as hotness started crawling at his cheeks.
It was this precise moment Andrew Waldfeld pranced into the room, he caught sight of Shinn blushing on the floor and started laughing.
--------------End…reviewing would be nice. I need some opinions as to how to go on. I went off to China for over a week, so very sorry for the super late update. So I'll compensate by posting two chapters at a go…Check out the special episode, better ending than the original.