PHASE SEVENTEEN: To Keep On Fighting
Eurasian Federation – Arkangelsk, Russia (Present Day)
Coughing and wet, Athrun hoisted himself up the bank of the Northern Divina River, immediately shivering as he discarded the atmospheric suit into the water. Say what you will, Coordinators just weren't designed to withstand such cold weathers devoid of proper clothing without at least shivering – a Natural might have died from the cold by now, and Athrun knew that it was only a matter of time before hypothermia kicked in if he was to stay put like this. At least the mobile armour had managed to transport him safely enough before finally running out of power. If he had escaped through the facility without battle, the machine might have been able to operate for a little longer. Unfortunately, for Athrun, as he was making his escape from the ZAFT Phaedra base, he had been spotted by an Earth Alliance mobile suit that was scouring the depths of the sea and had immediately engaged him in battle. It had been a rough battle, but Athrun was thankful that the unit was more an observation unit than a fighter – equipped with minimal weapons, it had been a rough fight that he thought he would not be able to survive with the limitations of his mobile armour. But it had held, and he survived with no other battle as he turned and fled.
Athrun gritted his teeth as he straightened, the bullet wound in his shoulder throbbing. He had managed to secure a pressure pad onto it and did the best he could in treating the wound, but he knew that he needed to find medical aid somewhere to have it properly treated. Even in war, bullet wounds were still suspicious, and he knew that he couldn't get medical aid here… at least not in a hospital. He would need to find somewhere and someone who would be able to help him.
Shaking his head, Athrun looked around at the houses that dotted the side of the river. In places like these, where cold temperatures made it impossible to dry clothes outside unlike in Orb, it was difficult for Athrun to be able to find something warmer for him to wear. He was moneyless, shivering, but above all, he could not control his senses properly. The enhancing drug had done something to him, and he could feel the changes as clear as if someone had cured him from a previous blindness that he never knew he had. His body began to warm slightly, responding to the climate and he shivered again, more from the perplexity of the situation than the cold.
Athrun climbed to his feet, casting his eyes on the sky above him. It was light, and he would have guessed that it was still afternoon though there wasn't much activity where he was. He looked down, frowning at the clothes he was wearing – a pair of trousers and a shirt that was far too thin for this place that might attract attention to himself. Spotting a bin nearby, Athrun walked over to it and pulled out a crumpled newspaper, skimming through. He had been taken away from the Archangel for almost three weeks. He was in a place called Arkangelsk, Russia. Athrun nearly laughed at the discovery. The irony of being taken away from his ship, only to arrive at a city that shared the same name as it, was laughable. But he knew enough about Arkangelsk and knew of it as being one of the main interchanges for those who liked to travel – Arkangelsk houses an airport, a bullet train station and an underground shuttle. Out of the three, the best means of transportation for one without identification papers would definitely be the bullet train station, where security was most lenient in the Eurasian Federation.
His mind made the calculations as he walked. To the Mahamul base located in Iran, he would probably take around ten hours on the bullet train in order to arrive, with interchange stations in Saratov and Tabriz… then most likely getting off at either Baghdad or Esfahan. That was, assuming that the Archangel was still in Iran. Athrun clenched his teeth, frustrated now. He would just have to do his best. Stealing a mobile suit here was possible, but it was entirely too likely that he would be shot down. Or maybe the battery would die before he arrived. Or maybe the power output of the thrusters' mobility would not hold. His best chances would lie in Iran, where there were larger military bases he could infiltrate, especially when the battles were mostly there. Staying here, in Arkangelsk, would do him no good. He just had no idea when this place would come under attack – or even if it would come under attack.
First things first, Athrun needed a change of warmer clothes and medical aid. He would then need to get onto the train and hope that he could somehow get himself back on the Archangel.
Eurasian Federation – Archangel (Present Day)
"Commander Flaga!" Kira jumped from the lever of his Ultimate Freedom, instantly running towards the blonde-haired pilot who climbed down from the Gaia Gundam. "What happened?" Kira asked, perplexed more than ever with the turn of events. They had engaged forces from ZAFT and the Earth Alliance earlier, fighting alongside the resistance groups there, when all of a sudden the Renegade ordered retreat even though they hadn't exactly been losing the battle. It surprised everyone there, how sudden the other Gundams had turned and returned back to the flagship, leaving the Archangel and the resistance groups completely baffled – still, it was something akin to victory for the resistance groups, who immediately shouted their cries of triumph. Kira thought otherwise.
"Beats me. I want to know why they turned around myself," Mu answered, his brows pulled together in unease. Something was wrong.
The Destiny Gaia docked into the Archangel hangar, followed by the Akatsuki. In the cockpit, Shinn's hands gripped the controls of the Destiny tight as he breathed, the words of Liesel coming back to his mind again. He raised his head slightly, his angry blood-red eyes darting to Kira and Mu who were talking down below. Shinn focused on the blonde-haired man… the man who had looked so very familiar to him, yet there was no way of him knowing the real identity of the man, for the man had been masked when Shinn had met him during the second war: Neo Roanoke.
Neo… The man whom Stellar had called out for constantly when she had been captured by the Minerva, the man whom Shinn had trusted fully to keep her away from the battlefield, only to see her again so soon after in the Destroy Gundam that now rampaged across the lands of the Earth… He couldn't understand. What was Neo doing with the Archangel above all others? Why hadn't he said anything? And Kira… his Commander… Since the second war, Shinn had never fully understood his hatred behind the Freedom Gundam. He couldn't understand why it was that Gundam above all that had always angered him, had always sparked the hatred in him… But of course, now he understood. He had seen the Freedom Gundam during the first war, right after his family was killed in front of him. The Freedom had been fighting against a teal mobile suit then… A first-stage Extended by the name of Orga Sabnak, according to the pilot of the Premium, who had been piloting the GAT-X131 Calamity. The details had been taken, for they had strayed far from attacking the military installation of Orb. And it had been fighting against the ZGMF-X10A Freedom at the time, then piloted by Kira Yamato.
Shinn could feel the weight of the pink handphone that was in his chest pocket, the item that he had kept near to him ever since the end of the second war, to remind him of what he was fighting for. But this… this was too far. He felt betrayed. How could he expect to keep on fighting against people who kept on using him and his capabilities? Was this why Lacus Clyne had wanted him to stay near Kira? So he could fight with his abilities under her, believing it was right? But how could it be right, when there were people like Neo Roanoke involved? Shinn was confused. Above all, he was angered. Angered beyond belief, especially now, when he knew who was most likely responsible for his family's death.
All pilots had a standard gun that they carry around with them, and one that was stored inside their mobile suit units in cases of emergency. He took his, weighing the weapon in his hands, his eyes hard as he glared at the two pilots in front of him. He had no idea what he wanted to do… but his emotions were making him act, and he had no intention of stopping them.
Shinn deactivated his Destiny, climbing out of the cockpit of the Gundam and grasping the lever. With his free hand, he took off his helmet, which he threw as soon as his feet touched the ground. He heard a familiar voice calling him – Lunamaria – but this he ignored and he proceeded to walk towards the two talking pilots.
Kira was the first to spin – a sudden turn, his eyes alert, most likely trained during the war for his sixth sense to kick in when danger was near. Shinn raised his gun as soon as the brown-haired Coordinator turned, and Kira's eyes narrowed slightly though he did not look in the least alarmed or surprised. If anything, that angered Shinn even more as he loaded the gun, moving his arm to point the nozzle at Mu… at Neo Roanoke.
"Shinn!" Cagalli's voice reached his ears. From the corner of his eye, Shinn saw the golden-haired girl, clad in her pink pilot uniform, running towards them, only to stop short when Kira held his arm out as a signal for her to stop. His calmness infuriated him. Lunamaria stopped beside Cagalli, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Shinn… What's going on?" Kira asked, his voice quiet.
"Shut up," Shinn snapped, his grip unsteady as his hand shook. What are you doing, Shinn? Stop it! Stop it! "You…" Shinn said, his eyes on the blonde pilot, "Neo Roanoke… Is that right?"
Surprise crossed Mu's face, and Cagalli began to protest. But the blonde Natural merely stepped forward, his eyes hard. "I was," he admitted.
Five years had passed. Five years, and the anger and hatred never died… Why? Why was it so hard for him to let go of his anger and pain? "You promised me Stellar would never fight again," he said angrily.
"I promised she would be in a world where she is safe… This place isn't it, not for her," Mu replied evenly. There were so many things he did not understand, it was comical. What Kira had been through. What Athrun had been through. What Mu had been through. What everyone had been through. But he could not help but feel utterly betrayed, that in the course of these five years, he had never known anything that he should have known. Was it because it was useless? Was it because their deaths had been pointless, just collateral damage in war? His parents. Stellar. Mayu…
Shinn turned the gun to Kira. "Kira Yamato… You… Is it true you were fighting against the Calamity in Onogoro during the first war?"
Most pilots would remember trademark battles they had participated in, but it was highly unlikely that they would remember their enemies… even if they were Coordinators. But Kira, Shinn knew, remembered all his enemies, remembered all those he had killed in war. He was such a person, and Shinn saw the recognition in Kira's eyes as he nodded, admitting that he had been in the battle. He hated Kira for remembering. He hated Kira for being the kind of fighter he was. "My family was killed in Onogoro," Shinn said, the gun shaking hard now as the memories, the nightmares he had had every night, came back to him. "We were running away from the battle that took place in Onogoro's military installation. But there were two mobile suits near us… My family was murdered," Shinn managed. Kira's brows pulled together.
"I fought in Onogoro in the Freedom," Kira answered.
He had. The Freedom had been the only mobile suit close to his family at the time, fighting against the Calamity. All these years, Shinn had stayed far from wanting to learn about the battle in Onogoro. He had refused to look at close-up scenes, at the details of battles, merely because every time he tried, he would get nightmares. But now the truth was known to him, it was impossible for him to step down and refuse to take action. He remembered those nightmares… His sister, armless, crawling towards him covered in blood, asking why she had to die, why he didn't protect her… He had enlisted in ZAFT due to that nightmare, and now…
"Shinn!" Cagalli shouted angrily. "What are you –"
Reaching into his chest pocket, Shinn grabbed Mayu's pink handphone and flipped it open, showing the screensaver to his Commander. "Look. LOOK. This is Mayu… My sister… She was in Onogoro. She was murdered in Onogoro!" Shinn shouted, his hand shaking hard. Even if he were to release the trigger, the chance that the bullet would miss was very high.
"Hi! Mayu here! Sorry, I can't talk to you right now. I'll call you back later. Please leave your name after the beep!"
The silence that followed the voice recording was ghostly, and Shinn found that he could not breathe properly. Kira's eyes were hard and emotionless amethyst orbs as he stared at the black-haired Coordinator. "You have reason to shoot me," he said quietly. He had said the same words to Waltfeld during the first war, and he watched as Shinn's shoulders shook, the tears brimming his eyes as he said those words again now.
The bang was deafening in the hangar of the Archangel. Shinn dropped the gun, shocked, and slumped down as Kira staggered slightly, a hand pressed to the side of his arm where the bullet had grazed it.
"KISAMA!" Shinn registered a flash of pink and gold as he was grabbed roughly by the collar, the gun kicked away in a precise kick by the golden-haired Representative. "Shinn, you..!"
"Cagalli, stop it," Kira's voice interrupted her.
Shinn turned his eyes to his Commander. "Why..?" he asked, getting to his feet. The shock turned into pure anger instantly. "WHY? Why didn't you dodge that bullet? What if it hit you? How were you going to fight if you died?" Shinn shouted furiously, his face just inches from Kira's. How dare he! After all that Kira had told him during those five years when he had been his subordinate, how dare he back down now and allow himself to be killed by an act of revenge!
Kira's eyes softened as he regarded Shinn. "I know you would have fought," he said softly.
Angered, frustrated, betrayed, Shinn clenched his teeth and walked clenched his fist tight. It took only a split second for him to land the punch on Kira's face, and he noted with satisfaction the look of surprise on his Commander's face as Kira staggered back. "If you say you're fighting for peace, then you should have stopped me!" Shinn spat angrily. "You go around carrying those ideals of having a peaceful world, so act like you mean it! Otherwise, I will definitely defeat you!"
The other Coordinator raised his eyebrows and straightened, shaking his head with a small smile. "You're right. I'm sorry," he said sincerely.
He wanted to punch the Coordinator again. He wanted to kill them both, if he could. Instead, Shinn turned and left the hangar, his heart beating fast, not even bothering to slow down as Lunamaria chased after him.
Eurasian Federation – Arkangelsk, Russia (Present Day)
As a former elite soldier of ZAFT, Athrun had been trained to trust less and to suspect even more. But one lesson he had often forgot was that some people helped strangers without needing reason to do so. Behind all the hatred, the pain, the loss, the war, some people could just offer a helping hand and seek no benefits from it. Kindness was not lost, and Athrun was particularly saddened by the fact that he often forgot that. He looked up from where he sat, his nails digging deep into his palm as the bullet was removed from his wound. The girl was ranting and complaining, but then again, she had ranted and complained since she discovered him when she had been walking past him earlier. The blood stain on his shirt hadn't exactly been inconspicuous, and he was extremely thankful that she was a nurse – she had insisted on helping him, and he had refused, as usual, only to be forcefully pulled as she ranted and scolded him.
Her name was Lenore, another ironic discovery of finding one who shared his mother's name in a place called Arkangelsk. They both had tried different languages before finally settling to a common lingua franca, and he watched her as she worked on his wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding as she bandaged him tightly. The girl had a fiancée… a man who had enlisted in the Earth Alliance, and had not returned since for months now, though she still waited for him. Athrun remembered how Lacus had been in a similar position so many years ago and silently, he wondered how those who had suffered so much had been able to continue spreading kindness to the world.
"I think that settles it, Alex. There are probably some clothes in that wardrobe that can fit you – have a look and take what you need," Lenore said, clearing away the stained cloths and equipment she had used earlier. "I suppose you won't be staying for a night?"
Athrun shook his head. "No, I've intruded for long enough. Sorry," he apologised, smiling slightly at her.
"Nonsense. I can see that you're eager to return somewhere… You have someone waiting for you?" Lenore guessed, arching an eyebrow.
Athrun felt his cheeks colour slightly. "I have," he admitted.
Lenore stood, carrying the basin of water and things with her. "That's nice," she said, smiling so sincerely that Athrun knew she meant it. "I'll be downstairs. Feel free to shower first, and then you can leave," she said, turning and closing the door behind her.
His gaze lingered at the door, even when it had long closed behind her. With a small sigh, Athrun stood, casting his eyes in the small room he was in. Apparently, the room belonged to her fiancée, very simply furnished with a bed, a wardrobe, a desk where a computer sat and three bookcases that were filled with books covering various subjects. He felt odd and out-of-place in such a seemingly peaceful city, and he wanted to return to the Archangel as soon as possible. Walking over to the wooden wardrobe, Athrun opened the door and was immediately greeted with a number of Earth Alliance uniforms that was hung neatly. His eyes softened at the sight and he looked away, hoping that the girl's fiancée was still alive, as he pulled out a dark green sweater and a cream vest, thick enough to keep him warm. Pictures of the missing fiancée decorated the room – pictures of him graduating as a soldier of the Alliance, pictures of him in an engagement party, pictures of him holding Lenore in his arms… He was a man with golden hair and eyes, almost typically the same as Patrick Zala's hair and eyes, and Athrun immediately felt the dull ache in his chest. He closed the door and exited the room, descending the stairs to where the girl was standing.
She was pouring him a cup of tea when she looked up, immediately brightening at the sight of him. "Well, you look much better!"
Athrun smiled slightly as he looked at her. "Thank you…" he trailed off. "I should leave now."
Lenore sighed. "I know. We have not met before this… and I doubt that we'll meet again. But I can sense that you have something important you must do," she said, leading him to the door and opening it. As he stepped out, she grabbed his arm, handing him a black coat. "You'll need it," she said kindly. "But before you leave… can I just have your name? Your real name, not Alex Dino," she said softly.
He was surprised. Maybe because she was a Natural, maybe because of this whole thing that had been unexpected, but he was surprised. "My name is Athrun Zala," Athrun said, the mentioning of his last name bringing the ache in his chest again. "I'm a soldier from Orb… I'm a Coordinator. I used to be a soldier in ZAFT… and I might be one of the people fighting your fiancée."
The girl stared at him, her blue eyes reminding him of Lacus. "I see," she said eventually, smiling pleasantly. "Thank you, Athrun. You might also be the person who saves my fiancée without knowing it," she said, moving to close the door. Before she did so, she paused. "I hope we'll meet again."
ZAFT Kaohsiung Base, Japan (Present Day)
When Professor Rita arrived at ZAFT's Kaohsiung Base, redirected by Yuri Amalfi after she had escaped from Phaedra's base, she could not deny the bubbling anger that coursed through her veins. Not only was she ordered to send her one and only FIGHTER into battle, she was asked to do so immediately… personally, she believed that Amalfi had gone insane. She exhaled loudly as she slumped back against her bed in the room provided, massaging her temples as she did so. What Amalfi wanted from her was insane. FIGHTERs had not been sent into battle for the obvious reason that they were unstable and unable to act as how they should act. The way Miho had been unable to act with stability in Phaedra's base should be enough proof of that. So why the hell was she supposed to send Miho out into battle in his current state? The only thing the boy could do was to cause absolute devastation… then again, that may be what Amalfi had been planning for. The attack on Phaedra's base was uncalled for, and even Rita could not have seen it coming.
"Is something wrong?"
The question startled her and Rita immediately straightened, wide-eyed as she stared at Miho. He had been resting earlier, sleeping rather peacefully and clouded with drugs. She did not expect him to wake so soon… then again, since the occurrence in Phaedra's Base, Miho hadn't exactly been much like himself. He had been slightly… strange. Enough to make Rita extremely worried about his condition. She looked at him, forcing a smile though she knew he wouldn't miss the awkwardness – those eyes of his missed nothing, even if he doesn't understand the emotions behind them. "Nothing's wrong, Miho."
"I don't like lies."
Rita sighed. It was as she had feared – he had seen right through her, though unlike most humans who would undoubtedly guess the emotions behind what they could observe, Miho had the tendency to ask straight out. "Are you ready to go into battle?"
There was a small gleam behind the fierce eyes. "You know I am."
There was no way for her to wriggle out of it. Unprepared as he was, Miho was going to be sent out as the weapon he was. He was absolutely lethal with melee weapons – Rita could only fear how long-range weapons would be handled by the fighter. If he was in any way as dangerous as he was with the range of melee weapons Rita had trained him with, then long-range weapons would be much more terrifying. "If you think you're ready, then I suggest you go and prepare yourself," Rita said coolly, dismissing him. Acting pure on orders, Miho turned, leaving her in peace.
As soon as the door shut behind the Coordinator, Rita turned to the television, pressing the button of the remote as she did so. Her mind was buzzing. She wondered if Athrun Zala was behind the destruction done in Phaedra's Base, unlikely as it was. Then again, according to history, Athrun Zala had achieved many different things in the past. Things that was very much impossible, along with the pilot of the Freedom. The Freedom. Rita's eyes narrowed as she clenched her fists together. The way the world was going, she believed that there was no option left but to wipe the Naturals off from the Earth… that certainly seemed like Amalfi's way of thinking. And in order to achieve that, it would be most advisable if one were to bring the Freedom down.
Her attention was taken as soon as an emergency broadcast interrupted the channel she had been gazing at. Steel blue eyes darkened slightly at the news as the production of the Extended Coordinators were shown to the world. Miho might be the only one who ever survived the tests, but the damage had been done. People hated Coordinators. Now, they would want nothing more than to wipe them out. There was simply no turning back, no matter how wrong the perceptions were, no matter how much plans had been changed,
Her phone rang, and she answered in a heartbeat. "Yes? Yes… He's ready. I don't care if we have to do it by force, we're taking him out."
Eurasian Federation – Viewing Deck, Archangel (Present Day)
Red eyes opened slowly and gazed at the ceiling of the viewing deck of the Archangel as the ship moved slowly – to where, Shinn did not know. He cursed at himself for his actions, yet at the same time, he felt oddly satisfied with himself… almost at peace, as if a large burden had been lifted off his shoulders. It was as if something had been compressing his heart all this time, and he had released it finally when, for once, he did not fight due to his hatred, no matter how much he despised the events that he had been through. Five years was a long time, but time would only pass when one allows it to pass. Now, Shinn fully believed that he could finally be at peace… That he had somehow done Stellar and Mayu justice, though how exactly, he did not know.
When the whirring sound of the door sliding open reached his ears, Shinn did not turn. He merely sighed, loudly, as he closed his eyes again. "Sorry, Luna. Can you leave me for a while?" he asked.
"Ara… I'm afraid Lunamaria is not here. I can find her for you if you wish," a melodious voice startled the black-haired Coordinator, who instantly jumped to his feet, his eyes open in disbelief as the door slid shut behind Lacus.
"L-Lacus-sama… I'm sorry, I thought you were –" Shinn shook his head quickly, gaining his composure again. Was she lost? It seemed unlikely. Yet here she was, right here, with him of all people. Shinn was never close to Lacus. The songstress had always seemed to be in a position that was far too high for him to converse with freely, but he wasn't an idiot not to know her relationship with Kira. Hell, the whole of ZAFT pretty much knew it. "What are you doing here?" Shinn asked flatly.
A small smile crossed Lacus's face which made Shinn narrow his eyes even further. Lacus was often known as the person who could see right into a person's soul, or even have the ability to somehow know what was going through a person's mind, and Shinn was no exception to her talents. As he looked into her azure eyes, he could have sworn that she was able to understand him better than anyone else… apart from Luna, that was. The expression of pure gentleness on her face was unnerving, especially when she paused before saying anything to him. At times like these, Shinn had to admit he would much prefer Cagalli's company than Lacus's.
"Are you alright, Shinn?" the question threw him off, even if he should have expected it.
Defensive now, Shinn turned his eyes away, scowling. "Of course I am. Why shouldn't I be?"
"To forgive and forget is a very noble thing to do. It is not easy."
"Who says anything about forgiving and forgetting?" Shinn snapped, annoyed.
The small smile appeared again. Shinn clenched his fists. Lacus's smile was knowing and she regarded him closely. "Thank you," she said quietly.
As Lacus moved to sit on the seat beside him, Shinn narrowed his eyes accusingly. "Why? I shot at Kira. I threatened to kill him," he said pointedly.
"But you didn't. And you're still here, fighting."
It annoyed him to acknowledge how right she was. It angered him when he realised that he just did not have the ability to fire the gun at Kira. All those years as Kira's subordinate, he had walked around the Aurora and heard some of the workers talking about the nightmares Kira faced in his dreams. He heard them when he was on the Archangel as well, though they weren't as often as he thought they might be. But the dreams constantly disturbed the brown-haired Coordinator, and knowing that, it was impossible for Shinn to hate Kira for what he was fighting for. Kira never forgot the people he killed. It was something Shinn had come to learn through experience, and he could well see the haunted look of a fighter in Kira's eyes, so different to the photograph he had seen those few months ago when he had joined the Archangel.
Shinn bowed his head, finding no words to snap back at the knowing songstress. As if already making her point, Lacus stood, laying a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and she beamed at him, making him frown. There were no words exchanged between them, though their eyes had already said everything. Shinn would continue to fight, and Kira would be by his side. For what it was worth, the past had already gone and it was time to forget about old wounds. Wounds heal, but scars remain, yet the only thing one should do with scars was to remind themselves how it had been obtained so they could prevent it in the future. Lacus left, and Luna entered, much to Shinn's surprise. The pale red-haired Coordinator had been listening, most likely by Lacus's instruction, Shinn was sure.
"Luna…" He stood, walking over to her. "Sorry," he muttered wretchedly.
The bright Coordinator merely grinned at him. "You've really done it this time, Shinn," she said lightly.
He frowned. "Well, it wasn't exactly my fault that things turned out this way," Shinn said bitterly.
Luna rolled her eyes. "Sure it wasn't," she answered, all-too-familiar with his attitude. Acting on impulse, she kissed him quickly, surprising him. "Idiot," Luna laughed, hugging him tight as he pulled her into his arms.
Eurasian Federation – Cafeteria, Archangel (Present Day)
The red stain was too bright against Kira's white ZAFT uniform, and Cagalli glared daggers at it, already giving up hope that the amethyst eyes would be defeated by her golden orbs. At least Kira had allowed her to bandage the wound – that in itself was enough of an accomplishment for Cagalli. But she wasn't fully satisfied, and she pursed her lips as the anger at her brother's stubbornness dug into her. There were only three of them – Mu, Kira and Cagalli inside the Archangel's cafeteria. They had unconsciously moved there after the confrontation with Shinn and had sat in silence – Kira had said nothing when Cagalli worked on his wound, but he did not respond either when she asked him to change into something else. After so many attempts on her part, Cagalli found herself admitting defeat.
The silence was profound.
"I knew it was wrong – what they were doing to Stellar, Auel, Sting…" Mu said quietly, raising his blue eyes to Kira. "Then again, back then, I felt sorry for them. They could not survive in the real world without fighting… Extendeds are designed to fight. For whatever reason they were created, it's the only thing they are able to do. I'm not sure they are even human, even if that kid believed that they were. As far as the Earth Alliance is concerned, those children are nothing but weapons similar to a mobile suit on autopilot."
Kira raised his eyes to the blue-eyed pilot in front of him. He couldn't shake off the image of Mayu from his mind. And the three Extendeds… he had heard about them from Athrun during the second war, especially about the blonde-haired girl, Stellar. "Mu-san… How do they actually produce the Extendeds?" Kira asked curiously.
Mu shook his head. "I don't know the exact details, unfortunately. But from what I know, Extendeds are created from children, trained to kill and modified chemically with ways that pushes their potential high and turns them into vicious fighters. The process is terrible… but the base for Extendeds was taken down, and ZAFT discovered them during the second war. I knew it was only too good to be true if they only had one base that develops those things. But Stellar, Auel and Sting were special – they could think and react to situations even though they had many weaknesses as weapons," he explained, his hand moving to rest against his forehead. A small laugh escaped Mu's lips. "I sound as if I'm labelling them as something other than human."
Were they human? That was the question that crossed Mu's mind as the image of Stellar came back to him. He had always been very fond of the pilot, with her pretty pink-ish violet eyes. Stellar had trusted him completely in everything, and he had tried his best to care for her, even with his other self, conflicted as he was. "I wonder where you draw the line between what is human and what is not. Is the line the Naturals? Or do they end with the existence of Coordinators? Even I can't say so for sure," Mu said darkly.
Kira turned his eyes away. Even he was unable to answer that question just now. Mu said that the Extendeds were developed from children. Children who, once upon a time, had their own lives away from the battlefield, much like himself. What if someone he knew was turned into an Extended? What if it was someone he loved, or someone he cared for? Would he be able to categorise them as something other than human?
"If they have something to fight for, if they have dreams and desires, if they can feel… then they are human," Lacus's voice made them turn as she entered the cafeteria, Murrue by her side. Lacus's smile was gentle, as it usually was, as she approached them. But the sorrow was clear in her azure eyes, no matter how pleasant her smile was. "The war has gone on for too long now. I'm sure that even they don't want to fight if they are given the chance," she said softly.
Remembering Stellar's fear of death, how she had fought because of that fear, Mu couldn't help but agree. "I guess you're right," he sighed.
"Kira…" Lacus called, moving to the young pilot's side. Kira recognised the worry on her face.
"I'm fine," he said, rising to his feet. "Don't worry, Lacus." Turning his gaze on Mu, Kira's eyes hardened. "In any case, it's time we end all this," he said determinedly.
The sound of running footsteps made Kira turn before he had a chance to continue and a few seconds later, Miriallia appeared at the doorway of the cafeteria, breathless. "Kira… Everyone… I think you should see this," the brown-haired girl said, running over to the side of the cafeteria, activating the television system. A screen was lowered, and with the press of a few buttons, the news of the Extended Coordinators was broadcasted around the Archangel's cafeteria. Kira's face changed immediately, the small hint of fury in his eyes as he clenched his fists tight. "Those are… developed Coordinators…" he said, his voice angered. "What do they think they're doing?"
Lacus's brows pulled together as she listened to the news. "Everyone will be restless when they see this…" she whispered quietly.
"One thing for sure, the Alliance won't be taking this lightly," Mu said, furious now. Natural Extendeds were bad enough, but Coordinators? "Though they mentioned no survivors…" he said quietly, still listening.
"Even so, there's still that possibility," Murrue interjected. "The war is changing its course into a different direction."
Eurasian Federation – Bullet Train (Present Day)
Sitting right at the very end of the carriage of the bullet train, Athrun raised his head slightly as his ears caught the news that was being broadcasted around the Eurasian Federation. His green eyes flickered to the screen of the television, watching as the announcement was made, watching as people found more excuses for war. What had been the real reason why they began fighting, anyway? Was it because of Junius Seven? Was it because of the previous deaths, caused by virus outbreaks? Or did it go much deeper? Out of fear? Lack of understanding? Just needing to find something to hate?
Athrun turned his eyes away from the screen as he listened to the news. The discovery was nowhere near as solid as the discovery of the Extendeds during the second war, but Athrun knew that even rumours were enough to trigger hatred… and during war, hatred immediately equalled to deaths.
He leaned back, tightening the black jacket around him as he travelled. He listened to what discoveries they had made – very few compared to what he himself knew, and he allowed himself to feel slightly grateful about that. Athrun gazed at his hand that was clenching the jacket tightly. He had felt the changes, no matter how hard he refused to believe it. That fight after he had escaped from Phaedra's Base… even as skilled a pilot as he was, surviving in such an inferior mobile armour was pushing his luck – for Kira, it might be possible by a hair's width, but for him… even Athrun knew that attempting such a thing was pushing his luck. Never mind that, fighting against Miho himself had proven to be enough of a feat. He had seen how fast the boy could move, but he had survived with no real wounds to mention.
What terrified Athrun the most was his inability to kill the boy, much as how he knew the boy could not kill him.
Silently, Athrun wondered if that was the facility's way of ensuring that the FIGHTERs did not fight against each other. One FIGHTER alone would cost hundreds of thousands… Merely creating them for them to be destroyed would throw away the point of having a weapon. Perhaps they had the ability of controlling him with something that would make him unable to fight against a fellow FIGHTER. Athrun hadn't been able to admit that to himself before, but he could do so now. Was it possible? If so, what were the consequences?
He watched the news, wondering if Miho had survived the attack on the base. Even with a discovery with such weak evidence, Athrun knew that it meant real danger to the Coordinators. He needed to fight to protect the safety of PLANTs… yet at the same time, he needed to fight for the safety of the Naturals. Athrun clenched his fists, closing his eyes as he breathed deeply. No matter what, no matter what changes had been done to him, he must not lose sight of that. He would continue fighting for that, no matter how much he might wish against it.
He felt stronger. He knew he was stronger. Faster. His reflexes had improved. So had his vision. For some reason, he had been granted the power of being stronger than what he had been before… and he did not know if he deserved it. But if there was one thing Athrun knew, he would use it to fight alongside Kira, Cagalli and Lacus again. Along with the Archangel. Along with Yzak and Dearka. Along with Shinn and Lunamaria.
His thoughts echoed back to the words of those in Phaedra's Base. He had seen the admiration behind their eyes, and the sense of loss that he knew was there because he had not upheld his father's ideals. He was constantly reminded of his father… of what he could have been, if he had allowed his hatred to consume him and kept on fighting against Kira. The legacy that Patrick Zala left behind pained him. If Athrun was the son of such a great leader, then couldn't he achieve what Patrick Zala had achieved?
"Excuse me, Mister. Are you alright?"
Athrun raised his head, turning his green eyes to the young girl who had addressed him. She had clear blue eyes and long blonde hair that she put up in pigtails. She was dressed casually in a white shirt and pink skirt – Athrun wouldn't put her age to be more than ten years old. He blinked, managing a smile. "I'm fine," Athrun answered shortly.
"Can I ask you some things? We learned them in school," the girl said shyly.
Would it hurt? "I suppose so…"
"There are three questions," the girl said, excited now as she laced her fingers together, watching him expectantly. "Imagine yourself walking," Athrun did, "and you eventually come across a wall. How tall is the wall?"
"Nineteen metres," Athrun answered instantly, the height of the Infinite Justice coming to him.
"And how did you climb over it?"
Considering this, Athrun paused. "I'll climb it with a rope," he decided.
"Okay. After that, you kept on walking… and you saw an island. How will you get to it?"
"Swim," Athrun answered, perplexed now. What had he gotten himself into?
The girl beamed at him. "Okay! So you swam to the island… What is the first animal you see?"
Athrun frowned, fighting the urge to sigh. But he played along, and was still imagining as she spoke. It took him a few seconds to find the animal in his imagination. "A monkey."
"And the next animal you find?"
"A tiger."
The girl giggled, beaming happily at him. "Thank you! We learned those questions in school, and I wanted to know what people's answers are."
After answering such odd questions, Athrun couldn't help but ask. "Why?"
"I'll explain. When you first started walking, you saw a wall. The height of the wall is the height of your problems – whether small or big. And how you get over it determines who you are. If you chose a rope, it means that you'll solve your problems with a friend. Or you might use someone to solve your problems, but I'm not sure what that meant," the girl said, her brows pulling together. It only lasted for a moment before her expression cleared again. "Anyway, how far the island is is how far you are from getting your dreams. If you can swim through it, then I guess it's not far," she guessed, smiling happily. "And lastly, the animal you first saw was yourself."
"I'm a monkey?" Athrun asked incredulously.
"Well, not really. You're you. But a monkey is someone who is loyal. And the second answer is who your partner is. If you're a monkey, then your partner is a tiger. So ask anyone around, and if they're a tiger, then maybe you'll fall in love!" the girl said cheekily, sticking her tongue out. Clearly, the topic of love was not one that she liked. "I'll see you later!" she said, running off.
Being with his friends to solve his problems Kira and Lacus, having a dream that would not take him long to achieve Stopping the war, finding a tiger as a partner Cagalli. Athrun knew he should not believe such nonsensical questions and answers, but he found himself wishing that it were true.
Eurasian Federation –Suez Base, Kuwait (Present Day – 10 Hours Later)
The flames of destruction and the scorching heat of the sun and the fired cannons were astounding as a large, black mobile armour hovered in the lands of Kuwait. The red eyes flashed menacingly and the mobile armour turned, the cannons charging, then releasing another shot that left nothing but debris and death in its path. Black smoke turned the sky a dreadful shade of dark grey. Fires broke out, people screamed, but inside the mobile suit, Miho stared at the destruction his mobile suit had just caused. The orders given to him had been plain and simple, at least to his mind – to destroy what was left of Eurasia, and most importantly, take out the military base of Suez as he did so. The mobile suit moved – not as fast as a typical Gundam, but fast enough that it was able to keep up with the ZAFT mobile suits that flanked it. Miho turned his eyes to the small forces that had come to attack – their beams and cannons were nothing compared to his machine. A simple flick of the switch, activating the plasma cannon, was all Miho needed to wipe them out. He smiled slightly to himself, feeling the thrill now. Melee weapons were his specialty… well, at least, they used to be because he was never trusted with long-range weapons, but he decided that he preferred this much more.
It was this sight that met Kira's eyes as the Archangel fired its Valiants, but the mobile armour was strong. Kira was vaguely reminded of the first time he had battled against the Destroy five years ago – large and destructive mobile suits and armours were dangerous, but they had very little agility and movement, in which case close-combat would be advantageous. It was obvious that it was a ZAFT unit. Kira noted that the Renegade ship was not in sight and he clenched his fists tight, watching the mobile suit from the Archangel's bridge.
"Look at that thing. It's big, but it's also quite fast-moving for something of such size… It's definitely stronger than the new versions of the Destroy," Sai remarked from his station, his eyes wide as he took in the destruction surrounding them.
"It's… frightening," Miriallia managed, shaken.
"Archangel, rise by twenty degrees. Be careful of the cannons. Activate the Gottfrieds," Murrue commanded.
"I'm launching with the Freedom," Kira announced as the ship moved closer to the battlefield.
"Kira!" Lacus cried out worriedly from her station.
"It'll be alright," Kira said reassuringly, turning to run out of the bridge. I can't leave it like this… No matter what, I can't leave it like this… Kira thought, the image of Mayu coming to his mind. He shook his head, casting the thought away. Now wasn't the time for him to think of such things. Reaching the hangar, Kira strapped himself into his pilot suit in less than thirty seconds, finding himself in the cockpit of the Ultimate Freedom in another thirty. He activated the system, the plan forming in his mind now.
GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE
G.U.N.D.A.M Complex
As the launch sequence began, Kira switched the channels and Miriallia's face appeared on his left. "Miriallia. Please ask the Archangel not to go too near the mobile armour – it's dangerous. The Akatsuki should stay close to protect the ship. Make sure you be careful –"
"Don't worry, Commander. You should worry more about not getting yourself killed," A voice interrupted him. Surprised, Kira's head snapped up, his eyes wide as he watched Shinn adjusting the controls of his Destiny Gaia from inside his cockpit.
"Shinn, you –"
"You don't think I'll let you have all the fun?" Shinn shot back.
A small smile tugged on his lips. "Well, no. I see. In that case, we'll handle it and take it down," Kira agreed. "Thank you, Shinn."
The black-haired Coordinator snorted, turning his eyes away. The screen switched, showing Mu inside the Gaia instead. "You take that big one, Kira. I'll keep the small ones away – Luna, are you ready?"
"Never readier!"
Calmer now, Kira managed a nod. He listened to the familiar commands, finally receiving the green light to launch. "Take care, everyone! Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"
.
Tyres squealed as Athrun hit the front and back brakes of the motorbike, the fast machine skidding to a halt a good distance away from the enormous mobile armour. He could have hardly believed what he had seen, departing from the station in Baghdad and watching the emergency news broadcast on the television. Now, seeing the battle right in front of his eyes, he finally accepted that it was true. The mobile suit he had seen beside his name earlier, the ZGMF-X99X was finally put in battle. It was almost funny… a few more days longer in Phaedra's Base and it could have been Athrun in the mobile armour. He could see the Archangel easily and appearing very small beside the Terminate, he spotted the Ultimate Freedom and Destiny Gaia engaging the mobile armour in action. It was a difficult battle – Athrun had read the specifics, and he knew that the mobile armour had come with a positron reflector as well as a Geschmeidig Panzer shield, an energy-deflecting armour that had been installed on the Forbidden Gundam during the first war, rendering beam weapons almost useless with how it curved the attacks.
He had no chance against an enemy so lethal – not if he was to steal a mobile suit, not without his Justice. But he could see fighters from Eurasia engaging the ZAFT mobile suits in battle, and that was enough for him to know which enemies he could defeat. Despite everything, the Suez base was still standing, and Athrun knew that where there was a base, there were mobile suits. He rammed the gears of his motorbike and shot forwards towards the base, spotting the Earth Alliance Windams that was still launching from the base. The thought of him piloting an Earth Alliance Windam was not at all reassuring, but Athrun could see no other choice. Kuso… When all this is over… he thought to himself, shaking his head as he did so. Cagalli…
Athrun was thankful at the very least that getting into the base was no problem – the base was in a state of chaos, the external security systems and high walls already destroyed. Athrun swung his legs off from the motorbike, landing on his feet smartly as he raced across the clearing to where he could see a number of pilots were getting ready climb into their mobile suits. He could feel the speed as he ran, perhaps appearing as nothing but a blur that was too quick for the Naturals to pick up in time to know what was going on. Athrun climbed into the mobile suit, easily activating the suit and he watched in horror with what armaments he had – and the operating system he had to work with.
For goodness's sake… A mobile suit with these specifications could kill any redcoat… Athrun cursed inwardly, locking the door of the cockpit from inside and immediately adjusting the OS. He was playing to his strengths, using the very old Windam for speed and agility over the power of the beam sabers. Power wasn't everything to win a battle with mobile suits – a suit that was fast and agile had better chances of winning against a damaged opponent as opposed to a damaged opponent with strong weapons but little speed and agility. It was all with playing with one's strengths, and close combat was Athrun's strength. The Windam had been equipped with an Aile Striker, providing him with maximum thrust and an extra two beam sabers.
It took Athrun less than two minutes to adjust everything to his needs and with that, he took off, leaving behind angered and confused soldiers.
.
The Freedom and Destiny worked in perfect synchronization – the two cannons on the Freedom locked onto the damaged armour of the black mobile armour while at the same time, Shinn aimed his beam assault cannon, both firing instantly. Energy deflection armours were strong, but it would still weaken eventually under attack. Transforming into a mobile suit again, Shinn immediately took out his beam rifle and shot to where he could see the armour had been damaged. Kira moved back, the armaments of his Freedom locking onto the Terminate, firing instantly. The black mobile suit fired its missiles and Kira dodged, allowing Shinn to fire at the missiles. Clenching his teeth together, Kira stored his rifles and equipped his anti-ship strike sword, boosting his thrusters as he did so.
Miho had been ready. He had already known the existence of the legendary Freedom. As soon as the signature sword was equipped, the Terminate moved, the energy-deflecting shields moving to its back as additional thrusters. One problem faced by the Destroy weapon was that it could hardly move, and it was not equipped with any melee weapons. But the Terminate had its own beam sword, and it was far more agile than a Destroy, even with its massive size. Transformed into a mobile suit, Miho equipped the beam sword and fired its beam cannons at the Freedom, gritting his teeth as the mobile suit dodged far too easily. The Freedom was no more than a third of his size. Such a small opponent was annoying and Miho released his DRAGOONs, angered now. This suit needed to be destroyed!
Dodging the beam attacks from the DRAGOONs, Kira cried out angrily, bringing his sword down at the armour of the Terminate. Even with a beam sword, the weapon was far too big, and Kira found that he could dodge the attacks rather easily except for the DRAGOONs. The Terminate moved back; not fast enough to dodge the attack completely, but fast enough to ensure that it had not taken the full blow. Kira judged the movements of the large mobile suit and moved back. The blue weapon wings of his Freedom locked onto the damaged armour on the Terminate's left side of the chest and Kira fired, angered again when the attack was deflected by the Geschmeidig Panzer.
"Kuso!" Kira cursed, his Freedom moving back instantly as the DRAGOONs were released again. Reacting quickly, the rifle was in his hand immediately and Kira fired, the Freedom twisting in the air as he tried to aim away from the shield generators installed on the DRAGOON units. Alarms blared and Kira dodged as the Terminate swung its sword just before firing its plasma cannon again, boosting his thrusters as the Terminate followed his movement, trying to take him out with a single shot.
Furious, Kira stored his beam rifle and swung down with his strike sword right at the right Geschmeidig Panzer shield, his amethyst eyes burning as he gritted his teeth, the beam coating on the sword rendered useless. But the attack left a mark on the shield, and he knew that small as he was, he could still win. Deactivating the shield coating from the sword, Kira moved back, dodging the DRAGOON attacks easily as they fired. By his side, Shinn fired at the mobile suit continuously, shouting curses as he did so. With the right shield now damaged, Kira activated the antimatter hyper-propulsion system and the Freedom shot forward in almost a brilliant flame of blue and white. Crying out angrily, Kira brought the sword down at full thrust, the speed of the Freedom working with the sword to heavily damage the Geschmeidig Panzer shield. Tucking the sword away, the Kira equipped both his beam rifles, the railguns swivelling forward as he fired all the armaments of the Freedom onto the damaged shield.
Inside the Terminate, alarms blared and Miho glared and cried out angrily, all the cannons firing at once as he twisted and turned, trying to get a head-on hit with the Freedom. The energy overpowered the mobile suit and the right shield exploded, sending him out of control with the left thrusters of his left shield running. The Terminate's cannons fired in multiple directions and Kira hit the thrusters of his Freedom, dodging out of view as the Terminate spun out of control. Mobile suits exploded, buildings burst into flames, the air blanketed with smoke as the cannons continued firing. Kira watched, horrified, as a number of Earth Alliance and ZAFT mobile suits exploded with the intense energy of the cannons, unable to dodge the attacks in time. One particular Windam stood out to him – its legs had been blasted off, but it moved with remarkable speed and agility, disabling what mobile suits were left but leaving the thrusters intact so they were able to escape. Worried, Kira turned to where Mu and Lunamaria were fighting but he noted that they had stayed far enough that made it possible for them to dodge the attacks. The Terminate steadied itself and the Windam boosted its thrusters, already heavily damaged, towards Kira and Shinn.
Sweat poured down Athrun's face, but his eyes were almost eerily calm as he sped towards the Freedom and Destiny. He had worked the Windam past its limitations, and he wasn't impressed – the right side of the headpiece had short-circuited, making him half-blind and his left arm could no longer move, rendered useless with the intense fighting he had underwent. Athrun eyed the Terminate accusingly – he could well feel that the pilot inside was none other than Miho. It was undeniable.
"Kira! Don't let your guard down… That pilot… He's an Extended Coordinator."
The voice was unmistakeable, and no matter how much faith Kira had put into Athrun that he would remain alive, it was still shocking to hear his voice. "Athrun? Athrun Zala!" Kira responded, switching the communication channels, yet failing to get a visual. Judging by how badly damaged the Windam was, Kira wasn't surprised.
It took less than a minute for Miho to adjust the energy output of the thrusters, balancing the Terminate again. Looming menacingly over the three mobile suits, Miho deployed his DRAGOON units again and released his missiles, using the distraction to aim his cannons.
The three mobile suits dodged quickly. One shot from all the Freedom's armaments easily disabled most of the missiles and threw the DRAGOONs off-course, while skilled shots from Shinn and an agile manoeuvre from Athrun destroyed three DRAGOON units. Kira gritted his teeth, moving the Freedom back. "Athrun! Head back to the Archangel! You're in no condition to fight in that mobile suit!"
The damaged Windam was left with only two beam sabers left – this he combined to use with his remaining arm. The battery power of the Windam was well within the orange zone and would proceed to the red zone in only a few minutes. Athrun knew that the Windam couldn't even begin to compare with his destroyed Justice, but at the same time, he simply could not allow himself to back down and allow Kira to proceed with the fight. Miho was his enemy, created by followers of Patrick Zala. That was enough for Athrun to ignore Kira's plea as he boosted his thrusters, crying out angrily as he dodged the cannons that fired, turning and slashing his beam saber across the thick armour of the Terminate. "Let's go, Kira! Take it down!"
"Athrun! Stop it!" The Destiny and Freedom moved forward instantly – the Destiny using its beam rifles and cannons to damage the remaining shield further while the Freedom equipped its strike sword once again, slamming it against the armour. The Terminate swerved, the cannons firing again – but just as how it was able to dodge the offensive attacks by the Archangel from afar, the three mobile suits could dodge its attacks as well.
I'll defeat him… I'll defeat him! Using the last reserve of power left in the damaged Windam, Athrun drove the beam saber into the Terminate's left shoulder where the armour had clearly been damaged by the Freedom earlier. Something exploded and Athrun moved back, breathing heavily, the Windam unable to battle any longer. He watched, defeated, as the Terminate readied its cannons to fire once again – one of them aiming right at him. He hit the thrusters, but the mobile suit wouldn't move. The last reserves of power were keeping him up, but nothing more.
"STOP IT!" Kira shouted angrily, activating the hyper-propulsion system again. Disappearing from view, Kira was vaguely aware of his senses as he landed one attack after another on the Terminate, driving it back, driving it away from his best friend as he continuously landed the blows onto the heavy armour. In one swift move, the swords were replaced with beam sabers which Kira drove deep into the cannons, watching the orange explosion forming from inside. It couldn't be helped. The pilot couldn't be saved. He would not allow it, not if it meant sacrificing Athrun in the process, and the people around the wasteland they were in.
Those people whose eyes shone brightly with the crates Kira had carried. Those people who had cried because of the war. Those people who had fought to defend peace. Athrun, who came back. Cagalli, who never stopped trying. Lacus, who was often targeted for her attempts. Mayu, who lost her life for nothing. His friends, his enemies, the world…
The Freedom moved back, the empty hands now equipped with the beam rifles. Railguns swivelled forward, cannons locked on target, ten DRAGOON units moved to frame the blue, white and gold mobile suit and the armaments fired simultaneously, followed by a large explosion of what once was the ZGMF-X99X Terminate.
ZGMF-X99X Terminate
Unit type: Heavy Assault Mobile Suit
Model number: ZGMF-X99X
Code name: Terminate
Manufacturer: Integrated Design Bureau (ZAFT)
Operator: ZAFT
Launched: C.E 79
Accommodation: Pilot only, standard cockpit in torso
General Characteristics
- Overall Height: 60.12 metres
- Empty Weight: Unknown
- Colour: Black and Grey
Powerplant: Double Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor
Accommodation: Standard pilot only, cockpit in torso
Armour: Trans-Phase Shift Armor
Armaments
10 x Multipurpose Missile Launcher
2 x High-energy Beam Boomerangs
4 x High-Energy Beam Cannon (Two mounted on shoulders, two mounted on back. Mobile Armour form only)
3 x 200mm Energy Cannon (Two mounted on torso, one located on hip. Mobile Suit form only)
3 x Multi-phase Energy Cannon (Two installed on arms, one located on hip. Mobile Suit form only)
8 x "Igelstellung" 75mm Automatic CIWS
15 x DRAGOON mobile weapon wing
1 x Plasma Cannon (Installed in chest)
1 x Large Anti-Ship Beam Sword (Stored in back. Mobile Suit form only)
Optional Equipment
Trans-Phase Armour
Positron Reflector Shield
"Geschmeidig Panzer" Energy Deflection Armor
Author's Notes: Soooo many apologies for being behind schedule! I've been so busy with real life lately that it's amazing. Did I manage to write a better battle scene this time? I really hope I did! An intense chapter coming up soon after this! I know last chapter wasn't my best (far from it, actually), but I hope this one is better. As usual, please let me know. In any case, I'm quite surprised that nobody really mentioned looking forward to Athrun coming back to the Archangel. I had expected a large number of AsuCaga fans out there compared to KiraRaku fans. But anyway! Next chapter is still scheduled to be uploaded by 21st October. Apologies if I reply to your reviews or PMs late – I check this place out often enough, but unfortunately with not enough time for me to spend more than a few minutes on it.
In any case, as usual, the greatest of thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers. I can't believe I've reached the 100 count of reviews! You guys are so awesome! I thank IgNighted, AWESOME, San 017, nxkris and PrincessOfDestiny14 for the reviews left for the last chapter. Thank you also to those who favourite-d and alert-ed this story. Things will take a major turn in the next chapter and the one after it, so stay tuned, guys! The end is near for us all, and I still aim to complete this fic by mid-November. Thanks as usual for your support, and please drop a review behind. :D
AWESOME: I really do agree. XD He does need somebody. But I think he'll probably have his own happy ending at the end of all this.
San 017: It's not so much the plot as the impact with the whole Extended Coordinator thing. I think it'll be understandable in two chapters or so. :) I always thought that Shinn is a character who would blame everyone even remotely associated to the death of his family (hence hating Cagalli). I think as a character, he's extremely unstable, and I don't think he ever had the closure he really needed when it comes to his parents and Stellar. He's always in such a tragic situation, one can't help but sympathise somewhat… even if he does tend to have some awful attitudes. In any case, your reviews mean a lot to me, signed or not. So I thank you for taking the time to read and review. Life has been busy for me as well – but I'll read your fic as soon as I can and review when possible. Wait for it!