JC: I feel so bad. Cagalli-sama died in the previous chapter. Honestly, I didn't know what to write next. I had to get some ideas again by watching Detective Loki Ragnarok. You may be wondering what will happen to the other characters with Cagalli gone, huh? Cagalli was very important to them. It was painful for them, painful for Athrun and Kira, to lose her.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed.
Gundam Seed: Mythical Legends
Phase 57: The Will of a Goddess
Someone was knocking. A certain pink-haired girl with a star hairclip stood from her chair to greet the visitor. When she opened the door, she saw the fresh face of Kira Yamato. She noticed that he was hiding something behind his back. Curious, she tried to peek, but Kira immediately backed away.
"Stop hiding it," Meer said playfully. "I want to see it." She swiftly moved towards Kira's side, attempting to grab the object, but she failed since Kira was too quick for her.
"No way…" he muttered, winking an eye. "This is for your sister, Meer-san."
Meer's face puffed up, looking pissed, as she crossed her hand. "You always have something for Lacus and none for me. That's so unfair Kira Yamato-kun, or maybe I should say, Freyr!" She shrugged.
Kira lightly laughed at her face expression. "Meer-san, don't you dare reveal my identity or any of the gods' identity to anyone."
"I won't. I already promised you that."
He reached in for his pocket and pulled out a pearl bracelet. "Here you go." He handed the said item to Meer.
"Oohhh! Pearls!" She raised the bracelet high to admire it. However, as she examined it a bit closely, she realized that they were not real pearls. "This is just a cheap old bracelet."
"It may be cheap, but it's not old," Kira reprimanded sarcastically. "Besides, I made that bracelet with my own two hands. You could at least show some gratitude."
"You made it yourself…" Meer's voice softened. She glanced back at the bracelet and smiled. "Thank you. It's the first time a guy gave me a gift that's handmade. I'll treasure it." She presented a warm smile, showing her thanks and sincerity.
At that, Kira's cheeks turned a little red. "Um…You're welcome…" He scratched his head, feeling uneasy.
Meer giggled as she spun on her heels. "Come in, Kira. Your future girlfriend is waiting for you inside."
Kira blushed even more at the mention of girlfriend. "Meer-san!" he uttered, "I'm not even sure if she'll become my girlfriend."
"Oh, stop being so pessimistic!" Meer retorted, taking a few steps forward. "Don't you want Lacus to be your one and only girl for life?" She slightly turned her head and narrowed her gaze at him.
The brunette deeply sighed. "Of course I do. But I don't know if Lacus loves me more than a friend." He lowered his head.
Meer wanted to laugh like a witch at his last remark. If only he knew what her sister really had for him. He would be surprised when Lacus will confess her love for him. Meer was excited for that event to come.
After leading the brunette to the living room where Lacus was, she quickly left and went into the kitchen to prepare something to eat. She was also going to plan something devious to make the two lovebirds closer.
Kira sat down beside Lacus on the couch and gave her a bouquet of pink roses, which was the thing he hid behind his back from Meer.
"Thank you, Kira. These are very lovely." Lacus inhaled the sweet aroma of the flowers. She always loved flowers and roses were one of her favorites. "Last time, you brought me a bouquet of yellow bell flowers and now roses. You're really sweet, Kira."
"Thanks," Kira replied, getting flustered again. "And I'm glad that you're calling be by my name now."
"It took me a while to get used to it," Lacus giggled as she placed the flowers down on the side table. "Would you like something to eat?"
Kira held his tummy and smiled, meaning he was hungry.
Lacus got the message and thought of serving him her strawberry shortcake. But, before Lacus could even move from her spot, her twin came in holding a tray of snacks and tea. She was most surprised at this since she knew that her sister had never served anyone before.
"I hope you like strawberry shortcakes, Kira!" Meer said in her high-pitch voice. She set down the tray and served the cakes to Kira and Lacus. "Well then, please excuse me…" She slightly bowed her head and made her exit.
"Ahh… That was so unexpected. Was that really Meer-san?" The brunette turned his head at Lacus.
"I was about to ask the same thing."
Both of them let out laughter as they noticed the shock expression in their faces. To them, Meer was always an unprecedented situation. One can never tell what she was thinking.
Eyeing the cake, Kira picked up the fork and started eating it. "Hmmm… This is delicious. Did you bake this?" he asked with the fork in his mouth.
"Yes, I did. I love baking."
"You sure do. Your other desserts taste good too." Kira took another bite before he looked at Lacus. "By the way, does Meer-san bake too?"
Lacus shook her head. "She's not into cooking or baking like me. In fact, she loathes housework." She took a little piece into her mouth and placed the cake down on the table. "But she's good in gymnastics and acting."
"I once saw her perform in the gym. I think she's going to represent the school for this coming Gymnastic Event."
"She will because she's the best out of the best."
"Meer-san is sure talented." Kira finished up the cake and placed the saucer down. He took the cup, filled it with tea, and drank.
Lacus saddened after hearing him compliment Meer. She could see that he likes Meer more than her since he talks about her most of the time. She did not want to think any cruel thoughts about her sister, because she loves her. She decided that if Kira picked Meer over her, then that would be fine.
"But you're also talented, Lacus." Kira put his teacup on the table and turned to Lacus. He placed a hand on top of hers and gently squeezed it. "Lacus…"
Her heart suddenly raced. Slowly, she set her eyes on him. She saw the sincere look in his amethyst eyes, as he showed her a warm smile. Her cheeks turned red as she felt as if she was going to melt right there.
"I want to tell you something…" he muttered under his breath, giving Lacus the Goosebumps.
"What is it, Kira?"
Kira lifted her hand and caressed it firmly with his two hands. His own cheeks were turning red as he felt the thumping sound of his heartbeat. He was getting difficult for him to breathe since he was starting to feel nervous. Nevertheless, he knew that it was the right time to tell Lacus of what he felt. It was a now or never situation.
"Lacus, I-I…" He was stuttering, and Lacus got concerned. "I want to be more than your friend. I want you, no, us to be something more." He closed his eyes and trembled a little.
"Something more…" Her eyes softened, knowing what he was going to say next.
"Lacus, I love you," he finally said, opening his eyes to gaze upon her. He looked so concerned and he was also afraid of what Lacus might say to him.
Lacus smiled and hugged him. She felt so happy that Kira actually loves her. She thought that Kira loved Meer all along, but she was wrong. "I love you too!" she said.
"Really? You feel the same way?"
"Yes, Kira, I do. I love you with all my heart."
"T-that's great!" He hugged her back with a huge smile on his smile.
As the two pulled themselves away, they looked at each other's eyes. Lacus positioned her head for a kiss, making Kira blush like crazy. He felt a little shy, but he also had the urge to kiss her. He leaned closer to seal his lips on hers, but…
"Hold it right there!" A loud shriek disturbed their moment, causing them separate. The shriek came from Meer who was standing before them with a malicious look in her eyes. "What were you guys pulling, huh? If you want to do it, go get a room!"
Lacus stood, blushing, and put on an upset face. "Meer, why did you do that? We were having a moment here and yet, you…"
"I know!" Meer let out an exasperating sigh. "Sheesh! I can't believe this. I had a plan to get you two to confess to one another, but you already beat me to it." She eyed Kira with rage.
Kira let out a nervous laugh. "Now…now… Meer-san, you can't blame me for that."
"Geez, you ruined my fun." She struck her pink hair and turned away. "Okay, you two may continue. I won't bother you anymore." She then marched out of the room.
"Oh Meer…" Lacus sat down and sighed. "Kira, I'm sorry that my sister—"
"It's all right," Kira cut her off. "Why don't we go for a quiet walk around your garden?" he suggested.
Lacus brightened up right away and faced Kira cheerfully. "Sure, it would be very relaxing."
When Kira and Lacus left the living room, the telephone rang. Since Meer was the only one who heard it, she rushed to the phone and answered it. "Hello? This is Meer Campbell speaking."
"Campbell, it's me. Is Kira there?" a familiar yet rough voice spoke.
"What a surprise!" Meer uttered as she played with the telephone wire. "I haven't heard from you for a long time. How are you?"
"I'm fine," the caller replied. "Please get Kira for me."
"Impatient as usual." Meer shrugged. "Well, Kira's a bit busy right now. He's dating my sister, you know. Why don't you call later?" She looked outside from the window and saw the couple together. She smiled sweetly, thinking how cute they were.
"Dating Lacus?" The caller seemed curious. "How is he doing?"
"He's doing great. They're pretty hot now since Kira finally confessed to Lacus and vice versa."
The called gasped. "I never thought Kira would find the guts to confess to her."
"Me too."
"Anyway, I'm happy for him."
Meer checked on the time and saw it that it was time for her favorite program. "Yikes! I have to hang up now," she said, looking jumpy.
"Why? Is it time for your TV show?"
"Got that right," Meer placed a hand on her cheek and bent her head a little. "I definitely can't miss it. It's so thrilling."
"Okay. Just tell Kira that I called. Bye…"
"Bye-bye! It was nice talking to you." Meer hung up, rushed to the sofa, and turned on the television with the remote. She switched the channel to her favorite station. "Time to watch!"
Norns' Mansion
Nothing was more relaxing than a cup of tea for the Norn Goddesses. They were in their garden, drinking tea, as they savored the slight breeze passing by. Everything around them was so peaceful. They, too, felt at peace and they knew that it will last. All the problems and dangers they have faced served nothing but a memory to them. It was all behind them now. The only thing they have to worry about was the future—even though they were the guardians of destiny.
"Things didn't go exactly as we thought," Miriallia muttered, placing her cup on the table. She looked up at her red-haired sister to hear her respond.
Jean took a sip before she spoke. "Well, we didn't really expect Cagalli-san to sacrifice herself like that." Her face saddened as she let out a sigh. "However, her sacrifice saved the three worlds."
Recalling the events that happened in Asgard made Stellar's heart race. She remembered how frightened she was at that time when she saw Cagalli turning into ashes. "Cagalli-san thinks of others' welfare before hers. That's the kind of goddess…" she paused for a second and continued. "That's the kind of person she is."
Miriallia and Jean nodded, agreeing with Stellar wholeheartedly.
"Even in the past," Stellar said, feigning a smile, "she was like that."
Flashback
After a dangerous encounter with the god minions of Odin, Freya and Alexander escaped from the palace and went to the third root of the Yggdrasil tree where Norn's well was. The two of them sat near the well and drank some of its water to rejuvenate their energy.
"I do not know if we can keep this up," Alexander sighed, leaning his head on his knee. He never felt so exhausted in his entire life.
"Alexander, I am sorry. I have placed you in grave danger." Freya clasped her hands together as she stared at her two feet.
"Do not apologize. It is not your fault, Freya." He took her hands and held them firmly. He looked deeply in her amber eyes, telling her that it was going to be fine. He pulled her closer, making her lean her head on his shoulder, and soothed her hand with his hand.
Freya was happy. She felt so safe and secure with him. She wanted to be with him forever. Somehow, she kind of doubted that. She recalled back the dream she had, the dream wherein she lost a very special someone. It was a premonition and she knew it will come true. She just hoped that the person in her dreadful dream was not Alexander.
Just then, the bushes not far from them began moving. It only meant that someone or something was coming out. Alexander quickly positioned himself, putting the blonde goddess behind him. "Who's there?!" he uttered, narrowing his gaze.
Three girls dressed in white robes came out of the bushes. One girl had honey-brown hair and aqua-blue eyes, the other one had long crimson hair and eyes with the same color as Alexander, while the last one had blonde hair and magenta colored eyes. They all looked so beautiful and kind.
Freya let out a smile as she recognized the three. "Urd, Verdandi, Skuld!" she said. She ran towards them and gave Skuld a hug. "I'm so glad to see you!"
"You know them?" Alexander asked.
"Yes, I do! They are the Norn Goddesses, Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld." She introduced them promptly.
"Norn?"
Urd stepped up and crossed her arms. "In other words, we are the goddesses of destiny." She looked up at Alexander seriously. "A mortal?"
"Freya-sama, you brought a mortal to Asgard," Skuld said, putting a finger on her cheek. "But that is against the rules."
"I know that but…" Freya motioned herself to Alexander's side and hugged his arm. "This mortal is special to me. I love him!"
Alexander simply lowered his head and blushed. On the other hand, the three goddesses were shocked to learn that. In their world, they had rules and no one was ever allowed to break them, especially one particular rule.
"A god or goddess is forbidden to fall in love with a mortal," Verdandi told her, growing concerned. "Freya-sama, what if Odin-sama will find out?"
"Odin already knows of this," Freya replied, gripping Alexander's arm tighter. "He already attempted to kill Alexander."
"So, that is why you are here with this mortal." Skuld moseyed over to Alexander and checked him from head to toe. "He's one good-looking mortal." She smiled.
"Skuld, this is not the time to admire somebody." Miriallia reprimanded, pulling her little sister to her side. "We have more important things to think about."
Flinching, Skuld whined like an innocent child and sighed.
As Urd glanced back at Freya, her eyes grew sad and soft. "Freya-sama, how much does this mortal mean to you?" she questioned.
Lifting her head, she presented a smile and said, "Alexander means the world to me!" She turned to the blue-haired mortal with eyes full of love and warmth.
Alexander felt like his heart wanted to melt. He felt Freya's aura of love flowing out of her and it was very strong. He could see how seriously in love she was with him. She had been open to her feelings, while he stayed quiet. He had yet to express what he truly felt for the goddess, for he was afraid. But that was before.
Urd observed how pure Freya's feelings were for Alexander. She found no reason to separate her from the mortal—even if there was a rule about it. But, before anything else, she had to ask Alexander an important question. "Alexander, do you love Freya-sama?"
Without even thinking twice, Alexander nodded his head and answered, "Yes, I do. She has become a very special person to my heart." He took Freya's hand into his.
Verdandi and Skuld were amazed at his answer that they could not help giggling like a couple of school girls.
"Settle down, you two." Urd slapped her forehead, feeling a bit embarrassed for her sisters' actions. "Anyway, I think you two are destined for each other." She faced the two sincerely, giving them an assured face.
Broadening a smile, Freya uttered, "You really mean it, Urd?"
"Skuld, being the goddess of the future, had predicted something about you a long time ago. She said that you will find a man worthy of your love and grace."
"And that man is none other than Alexander!" Skuld cheerfully added, winking an eye.
"But if you knew of this, why did you not stop me?" Freya said. "You all were aware of the forbidden rule."
Verdandi walked to well and let her reflection cast upon the water. She sat down and dipped her hand into the water. "We figured that it was time to have a little change around here. We, the gods, are always bounded by rules."
"The rules that were made by the high gods. The rules that cannot be broken." Skuld twirled around before she joined Verdandi's side.
"At first, we thought that these rules were here to maintain peace and harmony." Wrapping herself in her own arms, Urd's face darkened. "However, these rules are being broken one by one everyday. Every time a god or a goddess breaks a rule, he or she gets punished by one of the high gods."
"The punishments before were not severe, but now they have become dreadful." Verdandi clutched on to her robe. "To put it simply, getting punished means death for an immortal." She shivered at the thought of death.
Clamping her mouth, Freya shook her head in disbelief. "Death? That can't be. Odin told me that the punishments were only imprisonment and exile."
"Odin-sama does not want you to know of this, Freya-sama."
Freya dropped to her knees, with Alexander supporting her, and trembled in fear. "So, what is going to happen to me? Is he going to punish me as well?" Her voice was cracking and her heart was pounding hard.
Kneeling down to her level, Urd placed a gentle hand on the blonde's shoulder. "This is the reason why we did not stop you from breaking the forbidden rule."
"Odin-sama possesses a great deal of love and compassion for you," Skuld said.
"And we all know that he will never do anything to hurt you. In addition, this will make him think about the rules and the punishments," Verdandi explained further.
Freya felt so relief to hear that. She should have known better about Odin. "Thank you, Norn Goddesses." Her radiant smile returned to her tender face.
Urd and Alexander helped the blonde back to her feet. Suddenly, Urd felt a familiar aura approaching their location. The aura was severely strong, giving Urd a bad feeling. "Freya-sama, you have to get out of here!"
"What's wrong?" Alexander asked.
Freya tugged Alexander's shirt. "This aura… Odin is coming!" she told him.
"Odin!?"
"We must go now!"
"And you two better hurry," Verdandi suggested, straightening herself up. "Skuld, go with them. Take them to the Yggdrasil Fields. It should be safe there."
Raising one hand up, she nodded her head twice and spun around. "Please follow me!"
"Wait!" Freya hesitated to leave Urd and Verdandi. They were her friends after all and she did not want them to deal with Odin themselves. "Come with us. You will only get hurt if you fight him."
"Do not worry, Freya-sama. We will not fight against Odin-sama—even if we wanted to." Verdandi guaranteed.
"Remember that we are the goddesses of destiny and we can never go against our superior god. However, we can distract him for a while, so you can get away." Urd explained clearly.
Skuld felt the presence of Odin's aura getting closer. She held onto Freya's arm and told her to hurry.
Still feeling hesitant, Freya refused to go as she feared for her friend's welfare. In that case, Alexander had no choice but to carry her bridal style. "We cannot afford to stay here any longer, Freya!" he said.
Clapping her hands, Skuld felt a little envious of Alexander and Freya. She wished she could also have a man to carry her like that. Suddenly, she started imagining Loki and herself. But her imagination was disrupted by her sister Urd's scream.
"Skuld, what are you doing!"
The young goddess backed away in shock. "W-What?!"
Urd pointed at a certain direction, showing Skuld that Alexander and Freya were already several ways ahead of her. "Please go now…" she said, controlling her temper.
"Oh… I am so sorry!" Skuld uttered, running after the couple. "Please wait for me!"
Flashback ended
Miriallia and Jean laughed at the memory of Skuld getting left behind. They thought that it was really cute.
"Please stop laughing," mumbled Stellar. "I was childish back then."
"Very childish, I must say," Jean added, stroking her long crimson hair. "But you've matured over the past years."
Miriallia almost spilled her tea after hearing Jean talk. "You've got to be kidding me?" She looked shocked. "Matured? She didn't mature at all. Stellar still acts like a child." She settled her teacup back on the table, regaining composure again.
"Onee-sama!" Stellar pouted.
Giggling, Miriallia threw her handkerchief towards Stellar. "I was just joking," she said. As the handkerchief landed on Stellar's head, she continued giggling, thinking how cute and adorable her sister was.
After that, someone came to the doorstep of their mansion and rung the doorbell. Stellar quickly stood, knowing who it was. She left the garden swiftly and went to the main door to open it. As she opened the door, she saw the luscious ruby eyes of her boyfriend, Shinn Asuka.
"Hey there, Stel—" Taking notice of Stellar's clothes, which were a white embellished blouse and a short and flowing pink skirt, Shinn's cheeks turned red as his eyes in an instant. "Errr… Nice outfit…" he said, trying to maintain poise.
Stellar smiled widely. "Hearing that from you makes me happy!" She twirled around, not know that the expose a bit of her underwear to Shinn. She faced the red-eyed god and thanked him for the compliment.
But Shinn was as silent as a mime and as red as a lobster, because of what he had just seen. Nevertheless, Stellar did not mind his odd behavior. She clung to his arm and said, "Let's go, Shinn."
Shinn snapped back to reality. "Go? Where?" he asked as if he forgot everything.
"Our date, remember?"
"Oh yeah!" Shinn let out a laugh. "Let's go!"
The two made their way to the gate. But before they left the premises, Shinn turned around and looked up at the roof where she saw his daughter, Fllay, and his best friend, Rey, sitting together and obviously flirting with one another.
"Rey, you better not try anything funny with my daughter!" Shinn shouted.
Fllay blushed furiously at what her father said. "Oto-sama, leave us alone and go on your own date!" she retorted.
Rey raised his hand to swear to the trickster. "Rest assured, Shinn. I won't do anything bad to Fllay." He then pulled Fllay closer to him by her shoulder and brought his face closer to hers in order to tease Shinn.
Shinn fumed up and wanted to kill Rey at that moment. Unfortunately, Stellar was there holding him back. "Let me go! Let me go!" he demanded, trying to shake off Stellar. "Rey, don't you dare mess with me!"
"Okay, that's enough!" Stellar hauled him towards the gate with all her strength.
Rey and Fllay laughed heartily at Shinn's reaction as they waved goodbye.
Stellar kept hauling Shinn away from the mansion until they were out of sight.
Fllay leaned her head on Rey's shoulder. "Oto-sama is really protective of me."
"He's not your father for nothing," Rey replied.
Fllay fully agreed to what he said. For as long as she could remember, Shinn had always loved her. Because of his love, Fllay once developed a special feeling for him. She had this father-complex. She even dreamt of marrying her father someday. She told this to Rey and asked his opinion about it.
And Rey said, "Your love for your father is far greater than the love you have for me. It's quite admirable."
"I love Oto-sama very much." Fllay gazed upon the clouds in the sky before she gazed into Rey's cobalt blue eyes. "But my love for you is equal to my love for Oto-sama." She leaned forward and pecked on his cheek.
"Fllay…" He caressed her cheek. "Thank you…"
"You know, this is just like that time in Laurenia." Fllay stood up, spread her arms out, and closed her eyes. Feeling the wind blowing by, she began remembering the intense battle between Shinn and Rey.
Flashback
"LOKI!" Heimdall shouted from the air, as Shinn stood defensively on the ground. He raised his hands up and formed a large energy sphere. "Return my right eye at once!" he demanded.
"For the last time, Heimdall, I did not take your eye!" Loki retorted.
"LIAR!" Heimdall hurled the sphere towards Loki.
Loki evaded the sphere with ease and it hit one of the houses instead. "Oh no!" he gasped in horror, witnessing the house and the residents in it crumbling to the ground.
The watchman of the gods flew in a little closer, threatening Loki one more time to give up the eye. "If you don't, I will destroy every house that is here! I will destroy this village just like I destroyed your precious orphanage!" He charged up his right arm in preparation to fire a deadly beam.
Gritting his teeth, Loki clenched his fists hard. He turned around and faced Heimdall seriously. "You are going to pay!" In an instant, Loki flew up to Heimdall and landed one strong punch on his face. He then grabbed him by the foot and threw him up in the air.
Heimdall focused his power and gained air control. He touched his sore cheek and cursed himself for letting Loki get so close to him. "It seems like staying in the mortal world has not affected your powers at all."
"Thank you for stating the obvious, Heimdall!" Loki charged up at him and managed to punch him on the stomach.
"Darn you!" Heimdall kicked Loki on his right side, punched him on the stomach, and blasted him away with a blast sphere. As he saw Loki defenseless, he attempted to eliminate him with full power. However, something unexpected happened. A black portal appeared out of the blue and sucked Loki into it. He was going to go after him, but the portal closed as soon as it took Loki. "LOKI!" he grumbled in rage.
"I will not let you hurt Oto-sama any further!" A voice belonging to a female spoke up.
Heimdall recognized the voice, which belonged to a goddess he knew so well. "Hel, show yourself to me."
Hel appeared before him with eyes enraged. "Oto-sama did not steal your right eye. Why will you not believe him? Was he not your friend?"
"Loki is nothing but a traitor. He is no friend."
"Heimdall, you are completely blinded by Odin." Hel hovered closer to him. "Wake up, please! This is not like you!" She reached out for his face as her eyes became gentle.
"Hel…" he muttered her name softly. He turned around, showing his back, for he did not want to show how hurt he felt. He wanted to believe what she said, but he saw Loki taking it.
"Stop following Odin's orders. Go back to being friends with Oto-sama." Hel clasped her hands together, hoping he would come around. She sincerely did not want Heimdall and Loki to fight again.
But Heimdall had made up his mind. "I am sorry, Hel. Loki is my enemy now," he said coldly. Teleporting away from sight, Heimdall left Hel with sadness in her heart.
Flashback ended
"Only then it was the other way around," Fllay finished and took a seat beside Rey.
"I was so stubborn. I didn't believe anything you and Shinn say." Rey felt so guilty about that and he regretted the fact of becoming one of Gilbert's pawns.
"Well, that's all behind us now!" Fllay wrapped her arms around his neck. "Past is past!" She lightly kissed Rey's temple and leaned her cheek against his.
Rey flushed up, but he made himself comfortable by wrapping his arm around her waist. "That's right. Past is past," he muttered under his breath and looked up at the sky.
Pier
It was peaceful. Nothing but the sound of the seagulls and the sound of the sea waters can be heard. Auel stood in his usual spot to catch the smooth breeze. He turned around and faced the abandoned warehouse where he used to meet Gilbert. He shuddered at the thought of Gilbert's schemes. He felt miserable for helping Gilbert, for aiding him in his plan for Ragnarok. He sat on a crate, thinking that he was not worthy to be called as the god of justice. For the many mistakes that he done, he felt low and disappointed.
There was nothing he could do before. He thought that Odin was doing the right thing. He thought that Odin's ideals were full of justice. If only he knew what his true intentions were, then he could have stopped him. However, it was all too late. The mistakes he had done led him to suffer.
He had apologized to everyone that he has hurt. He had apologized to Fllay whom he had dishonored because of his obsession. He was thankful that everyone forgave him and became his friends.
A smile came across his face as he remembered his friends.
"Auel!" someone called him.
He straightened up and saw her running towards him. She was smiling as she waved her hand up. "Meyrin," he muttered.
As she neared him, she paused to catch her breath. "Auel…" she panted. "I knew I would find you here."
"You need me for something?"
"Actually, I-I…" Meyrin's cheeks flushed up as she fiddled with her fingers.
Noticing her expression, Auel knew that she was getting all shy again. Because of this, he thought of speaking out for her. "You're bored and you have nothing to do at home, so you came here to spend some time with me. Did I get it right?"
Meyrin gasped in surprise. "Right! That's exactly what I wanted to say."
Auel got it right again. Frankly, he has a knack of speaking out Meyrin's thoughts and feelings. He sort of got used to her personality. He did not consider this a bother. He thought that it was kinda cute to have a girl like Meyrin around. She was not like Fllay, but she was definitely unique in a way.
"Then what are we waiting for?" He grabbed Meyrin's wrist and started pulling her. "Time to hit the arcade!"
Park
It was tiring, but Stellar managed to calm Shinn down. She sat down on the bench, letting out a sigh of relief, and settled her two hands on her lap. She turned to her side to see Shinn who seemed to be pissed off about Rey's actions earlier. Stellar understood how a father can be and Shinn was known to be an overprotective one.
"Now that we're here, let's do something fun!" Stellar said with excitement. "Forget about Rey for a while, okay?"
Shinn shrugged. "Okay." He stood up from the bench eagerly and smashed his fist into his other hand. "But when I get back, I'm gonna show that Rey!"
Taking his two hands into hers, Stellar presented him with a smile. "Stop being a father for now and start being my boyfriend," she said with a hint of irritation in her voice.
Shinn got scared of her somehow. He felt something unusual about her and he did not want to find out about it. "Okay, let's go and get some ice cream or something. Ha-ha…" He laughed awkwardly and trudged forward.
Stellar giggled at his funny yet cute reaction. "I want cookies and cream," she said, going after him.
When they reached the ice cream parlor, Stellar spotted a certain blue-haired mortal right across the street. "Athrun-san?" she muttered, leaning forward to get a better look. "It is him and he's alone." She tugged on Shinn's sleeve to draw his attention to her.
"What is it?" asked Shinn without looking at her. He was busy picking out what flavor he should order.
"It's Athrun-san," Stellar replied.
"Athrun?" Shinn this time turned his head at the direction where Stellar was staring. "Yeah, it's Athrun all right. I wonder what he's doing in town all by himself." He turned back to the wide range of ice cream flavor in the menu he was holding.
"He looks lonely. I hope he's okay."
"He's fine. Don't worry about him."
"Shinn, you do know that he was extremely devastated when Cagalli-san…"
"He wasn't the only one, Stellar." Shinn put down the menu, revealing sad and solemn eyes. "I was devastated. Not only me, but Kira, you, and everyone else." He clenched his fist and slammed the table.
Yes, what he said was true, she thought. The friends who loved Cagalli so much suffered a great deal of pain after her sacrifice. She wanted to break down and cry her heart out at that time. But she did not. Instead, she comforted Shinn who was in a rampage and soothed him in her arms. She held him like there was no tomorrow. She held him until he calmed down. Afterwards, she let him cry on her shoulders and she continued to comfort him.
"That pain is in the past now. You, I mean, we managed to pull through and live on." She opened his hand and entwined her fingers with his. "In the end, things turned out well."
Shinn nodded slowly. "Unlike before, everything turned out well, especially for him." He turned to look at Athrun who seemed to be waiting for someone.
Flashback
Freya, Alexander, and Skuld have all reached the Yggdrasil fields where different kinds of flowers bloomed endlessly. It was one of Freya's favorite places. It was where she usually spends time with her brother, Freyr, and her best friend, Loki. At that moment, she was there not for leisure, but to hide from Odin and his minions.
"I do not feel Odin-sama's aura anymore," Skuld gladly announced to the couple.
"Does that mean that we are safe?" Alexander questioned to make sure.
"Yes!" Skuld sat down on the ground and hugged her legs. "I am sure that my sisters are misleading Odin-sama."
"Good," Alexander sighed in relief. "We can finally rest." He glanced around his surroundings, taking notice of the flowers and the gigantic tree in the middle of the field. He had heard about Yggdrasil Tree from old tales, but he never expected to see one personally. It exceeded his expectations, actually.
"How do you like the place, Alexander?" Freya asked as she seated beside Skuld.
"It is beautiful. This place is more amazing than the fields on Earth."
"This place is considered to be the most peaceful place in Asgard," Freya explained as she picked up a daisy from the ground. She twirled it around and touched the petals softly. "I love this place very much."
"I can see why." He took the flower from her hand and tucked it in her ear. "There you go."
Sighing in admiration, Skuld's cheeks turned pink as she giggled. "It looks good on you, Freya-sama."
"Thank you," muttered Freya.
Alexander sat beside Freya and held her shoulder. "I am still worried. Odin is still out there looking for us. We cannot run from him forever."
"Yes, I know." She nodded. "If only we had the power to face him."
"NO!" Skuld squeaked and stood up. "You cannot fight Odin-sama! He is too powerful!" she snapped, as she leaned in.
"We are aware of that, Skuld." Freya's hand began to tremble. "But Odin will never let me be with Alexander. I have to do something to make him realize my true love."
Skuld looked skeptical. "I guess so. It is just too dangerous." Before she could say another word, she sensed a familiar aura in the area. "This cannot be…"
Freya also felt the aura and it was closing in. "I know this feeling."
In an instant, a dark portal opened before the Yggdrasil Tree and two immortals came out. The two revealed themselves to be Hel and Loki.
"Loki-sama!" uttered Skuld, feeling rejoiced. She has not seen Loki for a long time and she has missed him so much.
"Oto-sama, it is Skuld and…" Hel turned to look at the blonde goddess. "Freya…"
"Freya, you are safe," Loki said, taking a few steps forward. "This is great. I thought Odin got you." He ran towards the blonde and hugged her.
Seeing Loki and Freya together, Skuld felt a pang of envy hit her heart. She was not mad at Freya or anything. She was just upset that Loki did not even notice her at all.
Loki released Freya and turned to his daughter. "Hel, I still have a job to do here. You go back to Niflheim and seal it."
"As you wish, Oto-sama." Hel bowed her head with respect. Before she entered the portal, she turned to her father and said, "Please take care…" She jumped into the portal and went back to her realm.
"You too, Hel…" He titled his head and stared at Skuld. "Nice seeing you again, Skuld."
Skuld showed a bit of a smile and bowed her head. "It is nice to see you too, Loki-sama. How was your stay in Midgard?"
"It was good," he replied.
"Why have you come here, Loki?" Freya asked, concerned. "Were you attacked by one of Odin's minions?"
At that, sadness overwhelmed Loki's face. He stared down and clenched his fists. Through gritted teeth, he said, "It was Odin's minion all right. It was Heimdall. He went to the Orphanage to kill me."
Freya's eyes widened. "The orphanage?"
Loki became silent. His face darkened with regret as he held in his tears.
"Please tell me, Loki, what happened to the orphanage."
"Heimdall engulfed it in flames!" he blurted out. "He destroyed the orphanage along with the children!"
Freya clamped her mouth to avoid screaming. She leaned herself against Alexander and said, "That is horrible. Why would we do such a thing? Those were just innocent children."
"I only managed to save Meer and Lacus, but still…" He touched his temple, trying to control his temper. "Heimdall should have not done that."
Skuld saw how painful Loki looked and she had the urge to comfort him. However, she suddenly felt three auras closing in. "I hate to be bearer of more bad news but Odin-sama, Heimdall-sama, and Tyr-sama are coming!" she said, panicking.
Loki quickly snapped from his sadness and turned serious. "This is bad." He looked at Alexander and said, "Mortal, we are about to engage into the fight of our lives. Are you prepared to protect Freya at all cost?"
Alexander nodded without thinking twice. "My life belongs to Freya now. I will protect her no matter what."
"Then take Freya and get behind the Yggdrasil Tree," Loki ordered. "Freya, use the power of the tree to make a powerful barrier, understand?"
Freya looked worried. "How about you?" she asked.
"I am going to fight them."
"No, you must not! You cannot fight them all by yourself!"
"I have to, Freya. It is the only way I can save you and your mortal lover there."
"Loki…"
"Come on, Freya." Alexander tried to pull Freya away, but she violently shook her head and refused to leave Loki.
"I guess I have no choice but to do this." Loki unleashed a little force of power to blow Freya and Alexander towards the tree. "Sorry…" He turned his back on them and charged up his energy.
If Loki was going to fight, Skuld decided to help him. She charged up her own power and motioned herself to his side. "Let me fight with you, Loki-sama."
"Are you sure?" he asked with a hint of concern.
"I am sure. Besides, you cannot handle this all alone," Skuld stated, eyes glimmering with glee.
Loki sighed. "I am pleased to hear that." But he could not possibly endanger Skuld's life. Like Freya, Skuld was also important to him. In addition, she was a Norn Goddess and she could get severely punished if she would help him. With a heavy heart, he grabbed Skuld's shoulders and forced her to face him. "Skuld, thank you and goodbye," he muttered, as he leaned in and kissed her on the lips.
Feeling his lips on hers filled her heart with extreme love and passion. She powered down and savored the moment more. She was so thrilled that she began to lose control over herself. The more their kiss went on, the weaker she became. At the moment, she felt something wrong.
As he parted with her, he looked at her kindly with a warm smile. He touched her head and brought out a ring of light under her feet. The light was gradually making her body transparent.
Her eyes jarred wide open upon realizing what was happening. "Teleportation?" she muttered. She looked up at Loki. "Why?" Before she could hear a response, she had completely disappeared.
Flashback ended
"You did that because you wanted to protect me, am I right?" Stellar asked Shinn who was busy playing with his spoon.
"Sort of," he replied dryly. He was obviously trying to distract himself to avoid blushing in front of Stellar.
"Shinn," Stellar piped up, "you should really look at me when I'm talking to you."
"Really?" His eyebrows rose in amusement and his gaze locked on hers.
"Yes!" she replied.
He flashed a wide smile at Stellar then held her hand.
Stellar blushed like crazy. "Um…Shinn…W-what…what…" She did not mean to stutter, but what he was doing was making her uneasy.
"You know, I never realized your feelings before." He chucked wearily. "I guess I'm blind when it comes to a girl's love."
"I'm afraid so," she joked.
"I know that I hurt your feelings a lot in the past." He grasped her hand firmly. "And I'm really sorry."
"Shinn, it's okay. It's okay now that you're here with me." She smiled like an angel.
He dragged his fingers uneasily through his hair. "Thanks…" he said softly.
When their order of ice cream came, the two of them shifted their attention to Athrun on the other side of the street. He was still waiting for somebody as he kept checking his watch.
To be continued…
JC: This has got to be the longest chapter I have written. I was getting dizzy writing these flashbacks. There will be one more flashback in the next chapter and this will include a fierce battle between Shinn, Heimdall, and Tyr. Plus, Alexander's death will be revealed. Please review and no flames.
Final Phase: The Chosen Future