Moving On
Mayu Akizuki, princess of GAIA, couldn't believe her eyes. But proof was there, right in front of her. Blood was splattered all over her sister's jacket. Kisaki Akizuki was dead. Try as she might, she couldn't trust her voice to speak. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why did her sister have to die so suddenly? I know she died saving another child's life, but why her, of all people! Her sister was a kind and gentle person, however intimidating she might have seemed. Now, Mayu had just lost the last person in the world who was family to her. A thousand questions flooded into her brain and didn't leave her, even until the days that followed.
One week later…
There was a sharp knock on the door. Mayu looked up from the speech she was writing to see the Chairman of PLANT walk into her office. She rose from her seat as a sign of respect and approached Chairman Durandal. "Good morning to you," said the Princess. "What brings you here so early, Chairman?" He shook hands with her and said in reply, "So then, the rumors are true. The princess of GAIA really does look alike to our own princess, Miss Lacus Clyne.
Princess Mayu smiled and said in comment, "I am different. I'm older than her, and my eyes are red-violet, not blue. I also have black streaks in my hair."
"But that isn't the reason I came, Princess. I've actually come to offer my deepest condolence for your late sister, Miss Kisaki Akizuki."
"I give you my sincere thanks, Chairman Durandal, for coming on such short notice. If you'd just follow me, I'll show you where my sister is currently laid."
Later during the day, Mayu parked her cherry-red convertible at the colony park. She liked relatively silent places like this; they always seemed to calm her down. That was really unexpected, having the Chairman come so suddenly. Kisaki never mentioned to her that he was her classmate in high school. Mayu got out of the car, walked over to the breakers that stopped water from flooding into the city and sat on them. Gentle waves lapped up and down the cold grey stone. She was lucky that the park was rather empty at that time. Presently, she noticed that she wasn't the only person there. A young man, about her age, was standing a little way from her, looking out into the water. He wore the red jacket uniform of Z.A.F.T., so she supposed that he had come with the Chairman's escort.
"Hello there."
Mayu decided that it would be nice to have him as a friend. He turned to look at her, flashing an easy smile. "Hello, lady," he replied. "It's dangerous to sit so close to the edge, you know."
"Is it really? Well, I can take care of myself. My name is Mayu."
"Pleased to meet you, Mayu. I'm Heine. Heine Westenfluss from Z.A.F.T."
"Well, that's quite obvious, isn't it? Are you a member of FAITH as well?"
Heine looked surprised. "Well, yes, I am."
"Does that mean you are part of the escort of Chairman Durandal?"
Her new friend looked startled. "Yes, that is true, but… the Chairman's visit to GAIA wasn't announced publicly. How do you know he's here?"
Mayu considered for a moment, and said, "The Chairman came to visit my late sister. I'm Mayu Akizuki, the princess."
Stunned, Heine said to her, "No wonder you look a little like Lacus Clyne! But, if you are the princess… then you're my age?"
"You're eighteen too, I presume, Heine?"
"Yes, Princess."
His sudden formality caught Mayu off guard. "Please," she requested, "call me Mayu. Everyone else does too."
She slid off the ledge to face him. Smiling, Heine replied, "If you say so, Mayu."
"I must go now; there is an office meeting I have to prepare for. May I see you again sometime soon?"
"Of course," came his reply.
As she gunned her car's engine, she waved one last goodbye to him, smiling as she did so. He seemed to be an outgoing and friendly person, someone who could easily adapt to any situation. Maybe that was why he was instated to FAITH.
Kisaki's death had a great effect upon her, but Mayu was the kind of person who smiled all the time, even in hardship. "It seems," she thought, "that I am still blessed. I am still alive and am able to meet new people, every day. Thank you, Kisaki!"
Fin