JC: I'm up with another chapter! In the previous chapter, Odin finally made his debut and appeared before Cagalli. He told the young blonde that she is Freya, which is unbelievable to her. Odin tried to unseal her locked memories but her power was blocking it. But he wasn't going to give up there. Leaving Cagalli in the rain, Odin set out to find the solution to her memories. At that time, Athrun came and saw Cagalli...

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed.

Gundam Seed: Mythical Legends

Phase 14: A Sudden Discovery

Zala Mansion

His heart was pounding. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't panic so much with girls, but Cagalli wasn't like other girls. For him, Cagalli was, unquestionably, the girl who gave him inspirations and desires. Since the day he gazed into her eyes, an unexplainable feeling rose from the depths of his heart. As time passed, he came to know the feeling as love.

He sighed in relief when he finally reached his mansion and placed Cagalli on his bed. Wait a minute... Why did I take her to my room in the first place? Because of his anxiety, he wasn't able to think clearly. Instead of bringing Cagalli to a guest room, he brought her to his own room. He wanted to smack himself for that.

A little sneeze from Cagalli reminded Athrun of her wet clothes. He had to change her clothes before she gets a cold. The only problem was... how? He couldn't possibly change a girl's clothes!

"Why am I losing my cool?" He tried to calm himself down. As he motioned himself over to the bed, he heard footsteps coming from outside of the room. Then it suddenly hit him. "I'd nearly forgotten that I have maids!" And in a flash, he went outside and called the maid who was cleaning in the hallway.

"Athrun-sama, is there a problem?" The maid observed how restless her master looked.

Before he answered, he hesitated to tell the maid about Cagalli. He knew the maid would have suspicious doubts about him since it was his first time to bring a girl home. The maids in his mansion tend to be nosy when it comes to his personal life. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to tell her.

"Um... I need your assistance." He spun on his heels and approached the door to his room. He opened the door and told the maid to get in.

The maid did. When she saw the sleeping blonde resting peacefully on her master's bed, she immediately got some strange ideas. Slyly, she turned her head at Athrun and smiled.

Athrun shuddered at the mere sight of his maid's smile. He was about to explain the details when...

"Finally!" the maid yelled, giving Athrun quite a shock. "You have a girlfriend! I'm so happy for you, Athrun-sama!"

As Athrun feared, the maid thought Cagalli was his girlfriend. Although he liked the sound of it, he was still willing to tell the truth. Plus, Cagalli might kill him if he doesn't set things right.

"You're wrong," Athrun started, feeling a bit tense. "She's only a friend."

The maid narrowed her gaze at him. "Then what is she doing in your bed? Don't tell me you already did IT?"

At that point, Athrun's cheeks turned red. "What are you talking about? I didn't do anything to her." He was stuttering.

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Quit lying, Athrun-sama."

"I'm telling you she's just my friend." Truth to be known, Athrun wanted her to become more than a friend. But the maid still wouldn't believe him. Frustrated, he hauled her to the side of the bed and ordered her to look at Cagalli. "When I was driving back home, I saw her lying on the ground unconsciously. I brought her here so she could dry off. Her clothes are wet and I need you to change them." He spoke fast and clearly.

"I really thought she was your girlfriend. I'm sorry for troubling you, Athrun-sama." She bowed her head to show her respects to her master. "Now then..." She straightened and pointed a finger at the door. "Please leave this room so I can change her clothes."

"It seemed to be command rather than a request," said Athrun, crossing his arms.

"You know I'm always like this, Athrun-sama. Now if you don't step out this room, I will be forced to use drastic measures on you."

"Is that a threat?"

"Oh, is that what you think?"

Sarcastically, he answered, "Nope, I guess not." He motioned himself to the door and stopped. He shifted his glance at the blonde and wondered what happened to her. The only way for him to know was to wait for Cagalli to regain consciousness.

The Norns' Mansion

Since the Norns decided to stay on Earth, they used their magic to restore the abandoned house into its rightful state and turned it into a beautiful mansion. The word 'amazing' would be an understatement for such. French Architecture was the main style of the mansion. Astonishing carvings painted in ivory decorated the walls, making the place look exquisite to any artist's eyes. The dazzling chandelier hanging above the living room was fetching. But the most breath-taking of all was the view of the surroundings, which can be seen from the terrace. Living here would be almost like paradise.

And the Norns enjoyed living there like princesses.

It's funny to think the goddesses as princesses. Of course a goddess is much more superior and powerful than a princess, but a princess also has its advantages. The Norns were the guardians of destiny. Their main job was to watch over the lives of the mortals. Like a princess, a goddess is beautiful, smart and cunning. Both of them share unique and similar qualities. The biggest difference between them was the life span. A princess is just a mere mortal while a goddess is immortal.

Immortality... It was considered as a blessing until many realized how painful it is to live for eternity. Mortals have an end to their life and they are able to rest in Heaven.

She really shouldn't be thinking about stuff like that. But then again Verdandi couldn't help thinking about whether it's good to be a mortal, an ordinary human with no power or special skill. She wondered what she would feel if she became human.

"And they say gods are lucky..." She deeply sighed, wishing she was mortal. If she became mortal then what would become of her duty as a goddess of destiny. Surely she can't leave her position for her own wishes. Guiding people throughout life was her important task.

Jean Corda, she thought, was only a fraud to her. The name exists to hide the identity of her true self. She was forbidden to inform any mortals about her status. Other people won't or don't believe in mythological gods anyway.

Holding the teacup in her hand, Verdandi walked around back and forth in her new room. She felt so uneasy.

Tensed, Verdandi spun on her heels and faced the bedside drawer. The goddess picked up a picture frame containing a photo of 3 young girls. She was going to stare at the photo for awhile when Urd suddenly barged into her room.

Quickly, she placed the photo back to its rightful place. She faced Urd and said, "Onee-sama, don't you know how to knock?" She stared at Urd seriously as she crossed her arms.

Urd apologized for her intrusion in a sarcastic manner, which annoyed Verdandi a little. She then told her that Heimdall was in their living room.

"What does Heimdall-sama want with us?" asked Verdandi, sounding surprised.

"He said he wanted to talk to us about Freya-sama," Urd replied.

"Freya-sama," she uttered that name with importance. "What does he know about Freya-sama?" Her eyes grew soft and her voice became frail. Though she wanted to believe Heimdall knows something about the beloved goddess, she knew how a snake he could be. So, she refused to see or even talk to Heimdall.

Urd didn't say a word to Verdandi because she understood her feelings. She too was doubtful about Heimdall.

Zala Mansion

The rain had stopped and the skies were clear again. The weather was fine and it was a great time to go out. People of different ages were starting to leave their own homes to pursue their normal and outgoing day. It was like the rain had never happened.

Weird, huh? Actually no! They say people are like cats sometimes. They hate water but they like keeping themselves clean.

Athrun had some encounters with cat people- ones who are considered as pretenders. The time he thought he had found a friend was the worst moment of his life. His so-called friend was just using him to gain popularity. Athrun just wasted his time and energy with him. He didn't want to encounter somebody like him again so he was now careful in choosing friends.

Friends like Cagalli, Kira, Shinn, and Stellar... They're all very kind friends. His fake friend was nothing compared to the friends he has now. He couldn't ask for more... maybe...

His friendship with Cagalli was questionable. He was happy to have a friend like Cagalli. He was even happier when he fell in love with her.

Why did he fell in love with her? A question Athrun used to ask. At first he had thought of Cagalli as a girl with charisma and strength. As he got to know Cagalli, he found out that Cagalli was a kind and caring friend. He had always observed her behavior towards her best friend, Shinn Asuka a.k.a. Loki.

Shinn is lucky to have someone like her, he thought silently as he stood in front of his bedroom door. Thinking about Shinn made him feel edgy. Not that he loathed Shinn or anything, he just felt like fraying him for Cagalli's heart. He could consider him as a rival but he wasn't even sure if Cagalli has feelings for the god.

Thinking stuff like rivals was very unlikely of him, but thinking about love was very new to him.

When the maid came out of his room, she immediately told her master she was finished with Cagalli.

"Thank you for your trouble," said Athrun, sounding serene.

The maid bowed her head and said, "It was no trouble at all, Athrun-sama." She straightened up and walked off with the wet clothes in her hands.

Athrun went into his room as soon as the maid left. He pulled a chair to the side of the bed and seated himself. He gazed down at the sleeping bond and admired her facial appearance. He knitted a smile, a sign of happiness, because he felt so lucky to be able to look at her so closely. He was even tempted to hold her hand but he tried not to. He shouldn't take advantage of her just because she was asleep.

Still, his heart won against his will. He held her hand and noticed how soft and smooth it was. Savoring the moment, he placed it against his cheek and felt the warmth nestling in. It was like a dream come true and he never wanted to wake up from it. But alas, like all dreams, his dream had an end.

When he released her hand, she suddenly moved. She slowly opened her eyes as she let out a small groan. The first thing she saw was Athrun looking at her with concerned eyes. As she realized her situation, she quickly sat up and looked at the guy with a surprised look.

"Athrun, what... where... how...?" She was obviously confused.

Understanding her reaction, Athrun took his time to explain things to her. He also asked her if she was feeling all right.

Smiling, Cagalli nodded her head. She also thanked Athrun for helping her when she was unconscious.

One look at her smile made his heart raced. He could feel his cheeks burning up, which made him nervous. Luckily, he was able to hide his emotions from her- even though it was hard.

On the other hand, Cagalli had been thinking about what happened to her. She definitely remembered seeing a golden-eyed man who was fairly interested in her. She even recalled how he addressed her as Freya, the goddess of fertility. But it seemed impossible for her to believe his words. She had been living on earth for 18 years together with her mother. She had done so much during her time of struggle with life. She had made a lot of friends and one of them was Shinn. She had been going to Archangel University since kindergarten. She had experienced so much; therefore she can't be the goddess.

"He must be lying. If I was Freya then I should be able to remember her past." She clenched on the bed sheet, looking rather serious.

Noticing her deep thinking, Athrun decided to ask Cagalli about something that has been bothering him. "Cagalli, what happened to you? Why were you unconscious?"

She was afraid of that. How can she explain about the man she saw? Then again, because of the happenings, nothing was unbelievable anymore.

"I met a mysterious guy. He was really weird. He told me that I am..." she hesitated for a moment before she continued, "Freya..."

"What!" uttered Athrun, looking shocked. "That can't be."

"I also reacted the same way as you did," she further explained, "and I denied it too. But that man was totally serious about what he said."

"Was that man a god?"

Cagalli turned her head at him and said, "Yes." Showing the frustration she felt, she narrowed her gaze and gritted her teeth. "Before I lost consciousness, he held me in his arms and used some of his power on me. I think he was trying to do something with my memories."

Athrun had a hunch about the man she described. From what he heard from the other gods, Freya was an important being to all the inhabitants of Asgard, especially to Odin. He also remembered Stellar saying she was ordered by Odin to find Freya. It was far too inevitable to be just a mere coincidence.

"Could it be that the man you encountered was Odin?" Athrun asked her, shocking Cagalli instantly.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she exclaimed. "Odin, the great god and enemy of Shinn, came to me in person?" She was trying to sound sarcastic but she sounded more concerned.

Athrun observed how confused she was. He thought of relieving her but he hesitated. A bad time to be bashful, he turned his head away from her and sighed.

Norns' Mansion

Without knocking on the door, Hel entered the mansion and went straight to the living room. She never expected to see Heimdall when she arrived at the said place. She tried to maintain poise as she seated herself on a couch in front him. Not wanting to pick a fight, she greeted him with a forced smile.

"Drop the act, Hel," Heimdall ordered, sounding cold and rude as usual.

Groaning, Hel crossed her arms. She didn't want to argue but he was provoking her to do so. She realized that acting nice to a god like him was useless!

"You're so insensitive!" she shouted.

"I'll take that as a compliment," he answered calmly, knowing it would enrage her even more.

"That was an insult, idiot! I don't think you have the brains to realize that!"

Her words weren't affecting him. He just sat still and stayed quiet, while he watched Hel do all the talking. He knew that she would eventually tire.

She did tire.

"Why aren't you arguing with me?" she asked.

"I don't want to waste my time with Loki's daughter," he simply answered, which sounded like an insult to her.

"Hey, when you deal with my father you're dealing with me as well!" She placed her hand on her chest as a sign of addressing to oneself.

"Your good-for-nothing father owes me big time."

"Oto-sama doesn't owe you anything."

"You're lying! He stole my eye!" He bolted out of the couch and approached Hel with haste. He grabbed Hel by the neck and lifted her up with great strength. "I want revenge. I want his life!" He was dead serious about this. His thirst for revenge was the thing that kept him going.

And his grip on Hel was getting tighter, which blocked her air supply.

"Heimdall," she managed to speak despite her situation, "please believe me. My father didn't steal. It was Odin who did it." She held onto Heimdall's arms and looked at him kindly. It was getting harder for her to breath but she still went on. "Please... stop... blaming... my father..."

The look in her eyes softened Heimdall's cold heart. Somehow her words were convincing to him. He wanted to believe her for split moment until Odin crossed his mind. He remembered Odin telling him about Loki's mischief in Asgard. Because of this, he believed that Loki should be punished. But, surprisingly, a part of him thought differently.

Going back to Hel, he noticed how pale she looked due to lack of air. He quickly released her and helped her maintain balance. Hel, on the other hand, fell to her knees due to weakness. She tried to regain proper breathing by doing proper breathing exercise.

Heimdall was feeling a little guilty for hurting Hel. As a sign of apology, he knelt down before her and brought her closer to him. He told her to lean her head on his chest, and she did it without complaining.

"I let my anger get the best of me. I'm sorry, Hel," He whispered softly into her ear.

She knew he was her father's enemy. She knew he wanted to destroy her father to satisfy his revenge. She knew it was wrong for her to be so close to him. And yet... she didn't care. She just wanted to stay with him, to be held by him, and to be comforted by him.

It seemed so ethereal for him. He wished he could stop time to enjoy the moment he was having with her. But she was Loki's daughter; therefore he can't have feelings for her. Besides, he also liked another girl- a certain blonde that gained his full attention.

"Are you guys planning to do something here?" A voice disturbed them, which made Hel push Heimdall away.

Regaining poise, Hel faced the person who disturbed them. "Urd, I'm glad you came. Heimdall was trying to score points with me!" She deliberately pointed a finger at Heimdall.

"Oh, really?" replied Urd, racing an eyebrow. "It seemed like you two were getting along just fine."

"We were not!" Heimdall and Hel answered at the same time, giving Urd quite a shock.

Urd giggled a little. "Okay... Okay... Let's say I believe you two." She then faced Heimdall seriously. "So, are you ready to tell us about Freya-sama?"

"Freya?" muttered Hel. "You know something about Freya?"

"Where are Verdandi and Skuld?" He asked, noticing the other Norns weren't present. "They have to hear this as well, you know."

"Skuld isn't here right now and Verdandi doesn't want to see you," Urd answered straightly.

"I guess you can tell Skuld later but I won't start until Verdandi's here."

"Very well then..." With quick snap of her finger, a small portal appeared on the floor near her. In a flash, Verdandi came out of the portal and materialized. "Here she is..." Urd sounded proud and cheery, which annoyed her sister a bit.

"What's the big idea, Onee-sama?"

"Verdandi, you have to listen to what Heimdall is about to say. It's very important for the Norns to know about Freya-sama."

"But..."

"Don't be so stubborn!" Urd raised her voice this time to put an end to Verdandi's whining.

Verdandi sank deeply into the couch with her head facing away from Heimdall. She was being the stubborn-type. Of course, it was unusual for her to act that way in front of other gods. Heimdall was once her friend and now she treated him as an enemy.

Well, Heimdall could tolerate her thanks to his patience.

Without anymore delay, Heimdall started telling the goddesses about what he found out from Odin. "All of you know that Freya disappeared 20,000 years ago. We weren't been able to confirm the cause of her disappearance."

"She just disappeared so suddenly," Urd added.

"Odin searched long and hard for her, and his efforts weren't wasted," he paused for a second before continuing, "Because he has finally found her."

Verdandi became thrilled after hearing that. She immediately asked Heimdall about Freya's whereabouts, hoping it would enlighten her even more. But he gave her solemn look- one that is baffled with disturbing thoughts. She wondered what his expression meant.

And she was going to get an answer.

"Freya was reincarnated into a form of a human," Heimdall said, knitting a sad smile on his face, "and that human is Cagalli Yula Athha."

"WHAT!" The goddesses exclaimed, looking surprised. Who wouldn't be surprise? Who could've guessed that their loving goddess was none other than their friend! But before reaching to any conclusions, Urd wanted to make sure if Heimdall was telling the truth. She was completely doubtful about it, because she can't sense Freya's aura in Cagalli.

Heimdall anticipated this. He also admitted that it was hard to believe. "But Odin was very sure that Cagalli-san is Freya."

"I don't believe it. So, my father has been with Freya all this time." Hel leaned her back against the couch and sighed in relief. "Father would be most pleased with this."

To be continued...

JC: I'm done with this chapter. Notice the Heimdall and Hel moment here... Does it give you any ideas? Hehe... To all Meyrin fans, Meyrin Hawke will appear in the next chapter. She also plays a good role here. Well, that's all for now. I'll update as soon as I can. Please don't forget to review and No flaming! Ja ne!