PHASE 23: THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
C.E 79 Archangel (Present Day)
Climbing out from the cockpit of the modified Imperial Gundam, Mu La Flaga looked around and spotted his wife standing on the far side of the hangar where he had just docked, her eyes teary as she regarded him. He crossed over to her, pulling her into his arms in a tight embrace as he pressed his lips against hers, murmuring soft words of gratitude that she was still alive, that the ship was safe. He had been right beside the Archangel when the GENESIS ZERO and Artemis fired, had watched as the two rays of gamma destroyers travelled towards them, and had thought that that was the end of his life. That this time, he would truly be gone, along with the Archangel, as the high concentration of gamma rays would react to their bodies and reduce them to absolutely nothing. He had truly thought that.
When the two Izumo-class ships had appeared on either side, taking the impact of both fires with the Protectors of Heliopolis, Mu had been shocked beyond belief. He had heard the protests coming from the Archangel, the desperate cries of Cagalli from the Akatsuki, and he had watched, transfixed inside his cockpit, as the disks they had worked for so long began to absorb the rays. Of course, the disks were mere prototypes... mere prototypes that they had developed to its best potential in the time they had. It was well known that the disks still had a very high possibility of not being able to withstand such a devastating fire from a weapon like the GENESIS... and indeed, they had not. Though Mu would argue that in a way, the Protectors of Heliopolis had succeeded, in some way. They had taken in the impact, but the ships were destroyed in the process, along with the disks.
The Archangel and those who were behind the two ships when the impact was absorbed were miraculously alive.
Pulling back, Mu examined his wife's face worriedly. "Are you alright, Murrue?" he asked quietly, resting the back of his fingers against her cheek.
She smiled weakly at him and nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. We received some reports that Ryuu Apene had been in the Artemis when it was destroyed. There's still no official release whether he survived or not..." she said quietly.
Mu nodded. Right now, if he was honest, he really didn't give a damn on whether the man had survived or not. Nor did he care about the status of Earth Alliance or ZAFT. He was worried about his wife, about his comrades, his crew members, the ship and very little more than that. He was about to point it out when he suddenly noticed the expression on Murrue's face. The grief. And he knew instantly that she was merely trying to distract herself from the emotions within her, from the knowledge that two of their ships had perished in trying to save them. The tears began to fall from her eyes, the warm brown eyes glistening, and he hugged her again, gritting his teeth.
C.E 79 Artemis Battlefield (Present Day)
"This is Lacus Clyne, speaking from the Archangel ship. I wish to pass a message to the highest authority of ZAFT. It is meaningless to keep on fighting... and we do not wish to do so. Not just for this battle, but for the future. We hope that all sides will stop fighting immediately. There has already been enough pain and anger... enough loss and sadness... There has been more than enough. And we hope that by ceasing this battle, it will be an agreement to stop fighting once and for all, not just to hold things as a stalemate for the future. We don't need to lose any more of our friends. I repeat... It is meaningless to keep on fighting..."
"Hahnenfuss! Kuso! Shiho! SHIHO!"
The fear and anger that gripped Yzak's chest would have surprised him if not for the urgency of the situation he was in. He forced the cockpit of his Hyper Duel open, leaning out of it towards the heavily damaged Enigma that was now in the grip of his Gundam. The door of the cockpit had been prised open from the large piece of debris that had impacted it following the explosion of the Izumo-class ship that was beside them earlier. The headpiece, torn off, allowed no communication to transfer and Yzak already felt cold as he forced aside pieces of metal to make way towards the inside of the mobile suit.
"Shiho!"
The pilot came within his sight as he kicked a large sheet of metal aside. Shiho was still strapped in her seat, her eyes closed and no indication of movement. Gritting his teeth, Yzak examined her, finding that she had thankfully survived without any grave injuries, at least on the surface. Her suit seemed intact enough. He unstrapped her, pulling her into the cockpit of the Duel before securing the door of the cockpit. "Shiho! Kuso, Shiho!"
Was she dead? She couldn't be dead. She couldn't be. Not after they had survived the battle, not after they had survived the shot from Artemis. Damn it, she couldn't die!
He had done too many wrongdoings in his life. He had misplaced his steps and pulled his trigger for the wrong things far too often. He had failed many people. He had failed Athrun before this, had failed Nicol, Rusty, Miguel... He had failed the Voltaire... His ship, his crew, his technicians... the lives on the ship that was destroyed in front of his eyes had not received the protection he should have given it. He would not fail Shiho. The girl he had laughed at and made life hell since he was a child so she would hate him, only to have her as one of his most loyal companions... he would not fail her. He couldn't lose her.
Yzak grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Shiho."
His eyes opened as she stirred, her brows pulling together as she turned her head to the side, shutting her eyes again. A small groan escaped her lips, but her eyelids soon opened, revealing her brown eyes which began to take in her surroundings. Surprised, she started.
"Hey, hey," Yzak hushed her, looking down at her. "It's okay."
She seemed to focus on him then, almost disbelievingly. There was the question in her eyes as she wondered why he was right there with her, but her mind worked fast and she had the pieces in place instantly. She knew she was inside the Duel. "Commander," Shiho said, smiling slightly now.
There was a small, almost nervous laugh that escaped Yzak's lips. He shook his head and for once, his eyes were warm as he regarded her. "You stupid idiot. Call me Yzak already. We've made life hell for our parents long enough," he said, pulling her into an embrace as he forced the relieved tears back.
C.E 79 Aurora (Present Day)
"Onee-chan!"
"Meyrin! Thank goodness!"
Shinn watched from the inside of his cockpit as Meyrin ran towards her sister, embracing her tight. They were laughing and crying from where he could see and he smiled briefly at them as he docked his Destiny Gaia inside the main hangar of the second-generation Nazca-class ship. There was a strange emotion that was bubbling inside him as he watched them and he leaned back, staring at the ceiling of his cockpit, breathing deeply. It was over. He had been overcome by a sense of déjà vu when the ships surrounding them had released their signal flares, calling their soldiers back to the base ships. He remembered the last war, while remaining on an abandoned asteroid, as he had watched the ships around him signalling for their mobile suits to return, to stop the fighting... He had also felt at peace... truly at peace, the moment the signal flares had been fired.
"Stellar has always protected Shinn... I will still see you tomorrow, Shinn."
Shinn raised his head, a small smile coming to his lips. "I know. I understand now, Stellar. Thank you," he said quietly.
He had never felt more at peace with himself. The battle he had fought in earlier was done with clarity of the mind and heart that he had never experienced before. Covering Kira's back, looking out for his young Commander, boosting the thrusters and intercepting the Zantetsuken before it could harm the Freedom, fighting until the mobile suit was destroyed under his hand, continuing to fight with the Freedom until the end... It all felt right. There were no torn emotions, no feeling of sadness or fury. There was only sheer clarity. He had been clear of what he wanted, of what he was fighting for, and he had fought for it.
There were no regrets in the mind of the young pilot.
With that in mind, Shinn deactivated his Destiny and opened the hatch of his cockpit, looking out at the light that was now streaming inside. He hoped, this time, that he would not need to climb into the cockpit in order to participate in a full-scale war once again. He had been torn at the start, unable to figure out which side he should be fighting for, what sort of freedom he wished to give to those around him... and in the end, he had made his decision. Despite the battles, the fights, the killings, the wars... he could not figure out a true way in which Naturals and Coordinators could live separately. He had seen, in Orb and in Heliopolis, the absolute peace and potential that might happen if both sides were to live in peace, and he had decided, right there and then, that that was the future that he wished for the world. Peace. Not separation, where both sides may still possess hatred to one another.
Peace.
True peace.
Perhaps it would make him an idealist, much as how Uzumi Nara Attha had been. Looking back, Shinn realised that it was upon that man that his parents had placed their faith until their dying day. And though he had started his career as a mobile suit pilot by hating the man and hating his ideals, he realised now that what he truly wished for was to fight for what his parents had previously believed in. He had not felt torn, at the very least – not as how he had always been back when he was fighting for ZAFT during the first war. That in itself was enough of an indication for him that he was fighting for the right thing.
As his feet touched the floor of the hangar, Shinn had barely taken off his helmet before something hard slammed against him, nearing toppling him off-balance. He blinked in surprise, his red eyes wild as it rested on Lunamaria's figure hugging him tightly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Vino and Yolan, both grinning, with both arms around each other's shoulders. Vino grinned at Meyrin who turned red, shaking her head with a smile. The joy came to him then, bubbling inside him, and finally he laughed, embracing Luna tight against his chest. He was only vaguely aware of the laughs coming from those around the hangar, but there were tears as well... tears coming down both Luna and Meyrin's cheeks, tears cascading down the cheeks of the technicians and workers... Shinn was too absorbed in his emotions to realise that there were tears running down his cheeks as well.
C.E 79 Archangel (Present Day)
Focusing his eyes on the vacuum of darkness outside, Sai released a low sigh as he watched the floating debris, knowing fully that bodies of fallen soldiers were floating among the pieces of metal surrounding the ship. He was in the viewing deck, deciding to part from his work station momentarily as he pressed his forehead against the cool glass, staring outside. It was quiet... at least for now. Everyone was busy retrieving their mobile suits in their small cease-fire, though tension still hung in the silent blackness outside. For now, it has been agreed that the fighting had truly stopped, and they would remain there until both sides return back to their homes... Lacus Clyne, at the very least, seemed rather busy in trying to talk to the commanding officers of both fleets, convincing them as well as herself that there had been more than enough bloodshed and that no more would come after this.
Her voice, her strong words as she spoke through the Archangel, had hit him hard and he found himself needing to escape the ship's bridge, if only for a short break. It was tiring for him to listen to her... not because he did not have any faith in her words and desires, but because he was overwhelmed with emotion. Then again, everyone probably was at this point.
Fllay... Are you watching all this, wherever you are? Maybe it has truly stopped this time...
Seven years had passed since the death of his ex-fiancee, and Sai found that he still thought of her a lot. She had been a victim of the war and he couldn't help but think that he had failed her. She had been a gentle soul, thrown into the chaos of death and killing, and he hadn't been able to protect her from the effects it had on her. In the end, he believed that they had parted on good terms. They had been civil, if not slightly awkward, but they hadn't been enemies either. No... The word 'enemy' was perhaps too strong for anyone at this time. They had been scarred mentally for far too long during the first war and had found no way to escape, no matter how much they had wanted to.
If the war had truly stopped this time, Sai would let it go... All those broken feelings, all those memories. They would stay in his heart, but he would finally be able to move on from them.
"Sai?"
"Miriallia. Kuzzey." Sai smiled, turning his back against the panelled glass of the viewing deck as his two friends joined him. Miriallia walked over and hugged him knowingly, her pretty aqua eyes shining with tears.
"Are you alright, Sai?" Miriallia asked, a small hint of a smile on her face.
The golden-haired boy shrugged lightly. "I'm fine. Are you?" he asked, addressing them both. They nodded, and Miriallia made a small noise signalling the affirmative. "That's good," Sai said slowly. "It's finally over, huh?"
"...Again," Kuzzey added darkly.
Miriallia blinked, a look of surprise on her face. Apart from Kira, she was the only one who stuck with the Archangel for the second war. Both Kuzzey and Sai had left after the first war, unable to continue fighting, then realising that they were even more hopeless when they merely stayed at the sidelines to watch the news. Sai caught the dark feelings that came with Kuzzey's words. He turned his gaze away from Miriallia, his eyes clouding slightly. "How do you do it, Miri?"
"Do what?" Miriallia questioned, perplexed.
"...Go through this, again," Sai said, waving his hand at the view outside... a view that would have been stunningly beautiful with the stars that shone like diamonds against black velvet, only that it was now tainted with deformed metals floating around them.
Miriallia looked down, a serene expression on her face. It was an expression Sai recognised; one that he would usually see on her face whenever someone mentioned Tolle to her. "Sai, we never go through the same thing twice," she said quietly. Both Sai and Kuzzey raised their eyebrows, exchanging surprised glances with each other. Miriallia laughed lightly, shaking her head as a tear slid down her cheek. "After the war, I became a professional photographer... and after the second war, I continued the same thing. And there are differences... It's not that we're fighting for the same reason because nothing changes, you know. Things do change, and each time, it's different. You have to believe that it's different because that's what you fight for. It's not pointless to stop fighting because there are still a lot of people who wants to smile."
"Maybe you're right..." Sai trailed off slowly.
Miriallia smirked. "You idiot. Of course I'm right!"
C.E 79 Kusanagi (Present Day)
"It looks as if Lacus's words are doing the trick... They've agreed to meet in peace in Heliopolis as soon as they settle matters in their own bases. But Lacus wants to meet them quick... most likely within these two weeks. Guess it's best to strike the iron while it's hot, huh?"
The corners of Kisaka's mouth tugged slightly and he shook his head, amused. "I guess it cannot be helped if that's the case. But we would like to stay here just a little longer... just to make sure," he said, his voice firm as he gazed at the screen in front of him. The image of Waltfeld shrugged upon hearing his words, already at ease inside the Eternal.
"That's fine. Doesn't look like the Archangel wants to move, either," he said, smirking slightly. His voice dropped, his cheery expression now taking a more grim look. "We're still scouting for survivors from the Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki."
"Cagalli's still out there as well," Kisaka said, his eyes glancing to the image that the external cameras of the Kusanagi was projecting. Amidst the ruins of the ship the destroyed Izumo-class ship beside them, he could just spot the flash of a gold mobile suit along with a few others, scouting for survivors from the blast that the ships had taken. It didn't seem likely, even to him. But it didn't hurt to search, and Cagalli had already made it clear that she wasn't going to dock until she was satisfied with her findings. There were a few other mobile suits there, and Kisaka could see that the Destiny had just launched from the Aurora, followed by a few Enigmas. He shook his head, sighing. "Thank you, Commander Waltfeld."
"The thanks goes to you, Admiral Kisaka. Without them, we would have been..." Waltfeld trailed off, averting his gaze.
There was no need to say it aloud. Without the two Izumo-class ships, the entire battlefield would have been reduced to nothing. The possibility of having no survivors from any of the three sides was incredibly slim. They had all been saved by the two ships that had died protecting them.
C.E 79 Archangel – Enigma Buster (Present Day)
He should have docked the Enigma Buster inside the Aurora. Dearka wondered if Yzak would notice, or if the General was too busy with his newly-loved Lieutenant to notice that the Captain had slipped away. With luck, maybe Yzak hadn't noticed. He needed a small power-up before launching again and joining the search with the Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki after all. Not that he couldn't get the servicing done on the Aurora... he just... Oh, damn it. He wanted to see Miriallia. Screw the Aurora, screw Yzak, he would give his excuse and leave it. Yzak would sure understand, otherwise, he would just need to beg Athrun to duel the silver-haired Coordinator and smash him like a bug on anything, even a Chess game -
No, relax. Yzak hadn't even reprimanded him yet. Dearka laughed, climbing out of his Enigma Buster. He shouted to the crew below, easily telling them that he needed a small power-up before launching again... not that he needed to, really. The workers on the Archangel were so efficient that sometimes, Dearka believed they could read the minds of the pilots and knew instantly what was wrong and what needed repairing.
It was admirable, at the very least.
Miriallia hadn't been on the CIC when he had asked permission to dock. Though he was disappointed, he was also relieved that she wasn't still stuck to her workstation. Though it meant hunting for her... he had time to kill while waiting for the crew to finish with his Buster anyway.
His mind made up, Dearka strolled to the elevator and ascended, away from the hangar, still clad in his pilot suit except for the helmet which he left in his cockpit. He wondered where he should go first. What was the most likely place where Miriallia would go to, following the end of a war? A shower? The cafeteria? Sleep?
None seemed to strike him as being very Miriallia-like.
Dearka frowned and rubbed his head. He had such a strange relationship with the girl... so very... innocent (or was it, really?), and quite tentative. Enough for him not to know where the heck she would have gone to after a war.
Damn it. And he thought he already knew the girl. It seemed as if there was a lot more that he needed to learn.
"If I was Miri... After a war, I'd probably lounge somewhere. Get something to drink, maybe a snack. Maybe even tease Yzak a bit... no wait, that's me," Dearka frowned, unconscious of where his feet was taking him. "Well, it's the Archangel. Would probably hang out with Kira and the buddies, but Kira is still out there. Bet the guy would still stay there until he's unconscious or something," he said, rolling his eyes.
He knew where he would have gone to. He would seek the company of his friends immediately. But the question wasn't the who, but the where. "Damn it, can't you just appear out of thin air or something?"
"Can't who just appear out of thin air? You're not cheating on me, are you?"
Dearka spun, violet eyes wide in surprise as he spotted the pretty, pretty CIC dressed in Orb's uniform. There was a twitch at the side of her mouth as she tried to hide her amusement, her aqua eyes sparkling with mischief. Well... at least he hadn't needed to look for her, room to room. "And why would I want to do such a thing?" Dearka asked, strolling towards her with a smirk of his own. "I have my own share of pretty crew ladies."
Miriallia giggled. "I hear pilots are good-looking as well," she mused.
He arched an eyebrow. "None that would suit my taste, unfortunately," Dearka joked, imagining Athrun and Kira. Or worse, Yzak. That nearly made him shudder.
The chestnut-haired girl gave in then, laughing as she threw her arms around him. "Welcome back, Dearka. I'm glad you're safe," she said.
"To you as well."
She pulled back. "Are you staying?" Was that hope in her eyes?
Dearka shook his head. "I'm heading out in a bit. Continue the search," he said shortly, but she caught his meaning clearly enough. They immediately sobered. Attempting to lighten the situation, Dearka moved his hand, holding hers. "It's only for a little while. You know I'll stay as long as you want me to," he said quietly.
Miriallia smiled. "You know you can't escape me that easily. Not in a million years."
C.E 79 – Nazca-class Ship (Present Day)
"We thank you for pulling back your forces. I hope that we will meet next time under better conditions, Commander," Lacus's voice rang clearly with the same melodious voice that everyone loved her for. But the image projected on the screen was that of a determined, perhaps even forceful young woman. Rita looked at her carefully, noticing that those azure eyes were resolved in not letting anyone cross them. There were a few exchanged words between Lacus and the commanding officer, though these were tuned out as Rita exited the bridge, finding nothing else that may interest her.
She walked slowly, finding her room with minimal difficulty after familiarising herself with the ship for the past few, short weeks. It was empty – Miho would have been with her, if he had survived the battle. She had stayed in the ship, had watched the battle between the Omnicide and the Justice, and she had wondered which prayer she should wish for inside her heart – for him to triumph, or for the Justice to win. On one hand, she truly loved Miho... she loved him as how she might love a son even, but on the other hand... how could anyone not place high hopes on the son of Patrick Zala?
The middle-aged scientist slumped down against her bed, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to come to terms with what had happened. Miho was gone... Phaedra's base was destroyed... The project, the creation of Extended Coordinators, was now nonexistent save for herself and a few others who had known. Yet those who might know might not have even survived the battles that had taken place. Perhaps it was time to restore the Scientific Innovation Society... perhaps it was time to search for advancements and developments away from those that might fuel the war.
The Scientific Innovation Society... How she had longed to belong in that organization again. It was an organization of both Coordinators and Naturals, working together to create wonders like military advancements and the creation of PLANTs... Only they were torn apart with the tension that escalated between Naturals and Coordinators. Advancements were limited based on whether you were a Natural or Coordinator... those who worked together only belonged in the neutral countries like Orb and the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Before long, the SIS was the authority that was connected to military advancements, and that only... like developing powerful weapons... supersoldiers... It sickened her to think of how low they had gone, from being scientists to being the harbingers of war.
Burying her head in her hands, Rita thought deeply on the events that had occurred for the past three decades. How had humankind managed to stoop so low, to use their advancements and technology as a reason to prevent themselves from uniting with one another? How could they, so educated and so advanced now, fail to escape from the barbarianism that had coloured their past histories?
She had many friends from the SIS... Natural friends. Natural friends that she had known for years, but were separated and turned against her following the war that erupted between Naturals and Coordinators. She knew a number of them had been forced into developing biological CPU's, otherwise known as Extendeds. Those few had then killed many Coordinators, and she too was exploited, forced into the project of creating their own version of Extended Coordinators.
...The worst part was that she had agreed.
She had tried to put on a brave face – war was all about survival, after all – but she could not deny that it hurt her to see Miho enter battle so willingly, so... devoid of compassion and emotion. Was that the type of person she wanted to see as the martyr of war, as the one who would lead them to a new future? One without heart and compassion?
"Miho..."
The boy never knew what he could have been. He had never known the laughs he could have given, the sorrow he could have felt. And she had allowed that.
"I'm sorry..."
She wanted her tomorrow to be led by those with heart and compassion. Let it be Lacus Clyne, Orb, the Archangel, the Justice... and the Freedom...
C.E 79 – Girty Lue-class Battleship (Present Day)
Takeru Irashi, a mobile armour pilot and one of the crew members of the destroyed Archangel-class ship, Renegade, sat down and sighed as his eyes travelled to the screen that was located on his far right. He winced slightly as the doctor pressed down on the deep gash on his arm, but the pain had been dulled and his mind was elsewhere. Just before the destruction of the ship, a large number of the Renegade crew members had managed to escape under the orders of Captain Sethe Tienn... though what happened to the Captain was unknown. Takeru presumed he had died in the explosion, taken down by the ever-powerful Archangel. He shook his head, listening to Lacus's voice as it spoke through the speakers. For now, peace had settled... but Takeru knew of his fate. He would most likely be charged with the crime of treason, and subsequently punished with a death sentence.
He had already long decided that that was the fate waiting for him.
In the end, he survived. He nearly laughed at the realisation. He, a mobile armour pilot, had survived while the three Extendeds were taken down, one by one. He had not noticed when Genei and Tierra had been taken down – he only realised it when their lights blinked out from his radar and that he could no longer detect them.
The door slid open and he turned his eyes at the newcomer, immediately recognising her – the Renegade's CIC, Schellen Iyadomi. She stopped short, shuffling awkwardly, and he arched his eyebrow at her. "Schellen," he greeted, wincing slightly again before narrowing his eyes at the wordless doctor beside him.
"Takeru... Are you... alright? I was told I'd find you here. The others are at the second briefing room... we're told to stay there," Schellen said, obviously uncomfortable. With the Captain gone, the crew had no leader to follow, and being on a foreign ship that had the right to accuse them of treason at any second was unnerving.
"I'm fine," Takeru replied shortly. He would have asked about her well-being, but the answer was just too obvious that he believed it would bother her even more if he was to point that out.
"You're done," the doctor said shortly, standing to wash his hands at the nearby sink. Takeru had been one of the last to seek treatment, but it was obvious that the doctor preferred the man to leave the room immediately.
He sighed. "Thank you. Come on, Schellen," Takeru muttered, getting to his feet and holding out his uninjured arm to lead her out of the infirmary. The doctor hadn't been the only one to act coldly to the Renegade crew. In fact, they hadn't received the best treatment ever since they rejoined the Earth Alliance. Takeru supposed that people, when stripped from their powers, were left with nothing to defend themselves with.
He wasn't particularly familiar with the layout of the Girty-Lue ship, but Takeru knew better than to disturb the people around him with something as trivial as asking for directions. Besides, it seemed as if Schellen was able to navigate herself well enough... though they had to turn back a few times, and she would stop and look around in confusion several times before deciding on which corridor they would take amidst the maze they were in.
Takeru kept a close eye on her, noticing how incredibly uncomfortable she looked. He sighed, stopping. Realising that he was no longer walking by her side, Schellen paused and turned, raising her eyebrows. "I-Is something wrong? Did we take a wrong turn again?"
"Beats me," Takeru shrugged, raising his arms in defeat. "Schellen... everything will be alright," he said finally, noticing how deep the blush on her cheeks were as the words escaped his mouth.
She averted his gaze, biting her lips. It seemed as if she had been on the verge of tears for days now. Since before the battle, even. "Sorry."
"Schellen," Takeru reprimanded.
The waterworks started then, cascading down her cheeks as she cried. For a moment, Takeru considered turning and walking away, but decided otherwise. What else did he have to lose anyway? He stepped forward, awkwardly pulling her against his chest with his uninjured arm, allowing her to cry there. She was confused, and so was he, and so was the rest of the world.
C.E 79 Kusanagi – Divine Justice (Present Day)
Scouting the remains of the two Izumo-class battleships proved fruitless. Athrun docked his Infinite Justice and slumped against his seat, resting a hand against his brow. There were no survivors... Brave soldiers of Orb and Heliopolis had died protecting them all. And all for a war that had been repeated one too many times.
Athrun bit his lips, refusing to allow his emotions overwhelm him. Could he save no one? Wasn't there a single soul that he could save in the world? He allowed himself to look back to what had happened in the GENESIS ZERO, closing his eyes as he did so. Nicol... I'm sorry...
Faced with Yuri Amalfi, a gun pointed directly at the man's head, Athrun had been certain that he would be able to shoot without hesitation if the man was to make a move to shoot Kira. His best friend, closest friend, stood only an arm's length from him, the gun also pointed at the man before him, though Athrun had known Kira for too many years to know that something was deeply troubling the young pilot. He kept his eyes on them both, determined not to lose either one of them... not when he could prevent it... When he finally said Amalfi's name, Kira lowered his gun, his face expressionless as he gazed at the man.
"This doesn't have to continue again. Not if you don't want it to," Kira had muttered.
"An idealist. Perhaps it's not bad when the one in power is as such."
"Why does it have to continue?"
"Because my son died for it. Don't you get it? Don't you understand just how many Coordinators had died because the Naturals killed them? It's the only way for us to survive! To feel at peace!"
"It's not!"
"My son died! A Natural killed him and a Natural will keep on killing us!"
The hurt that appeared on Kira's face had been so obvious that Athrun couldn't help but wince slightly. At the moment, the battle he once had with the Strike flashed in his mind. Kira, crying but determined to avenge his friends' death… and he, Athrun, had been fighting to avenge Nicol. It made him shudder, even now, as he remembered. He had said Kira's name, but the Coordinator merely shook his head, still refusing to point the gun at the man before him. Kira had revealed the truth, had told Amalfi that the killer he had been searching for so long, the cause of all his pain and hatred, was right in front of him… and also willing to give his life away if it meant lessening the hatred.
The conversation had spiraled out of control, and Amalfi had cried out in anger, bringing his gun down. Only one shot was fired, and that had been from Athrun's gun. He had been prepared, prepared more than anything to save Kira from any form of pain wherever possible, and the bullet had struck Amalfi's hand. The gun dropped as Amalfi cried out in pain and Athrun had sprinted immediately, kicking the gun well away from the man before bringing his gun up again.
He had no intention of firing again, but then again, he hadn't needed to.
The ground shook, the ship already reaching its limit. Athrun was vaguely aware of the ceiling falling on top of them, but something knocked him aside, sending him away from the destruction. His head banged against the wall, momentarily dazing him. Yet he opened his eyes to find Kira holding him tight, his quick reflexes the only thing saving Athrun from instant death. Kira had been fast to push Athrun out of the way, but there had been another person…
"Amalfi-san!" Athrun had cried, scrambling quickly towards the wreckage. "AMALFI-SAN!"
"Athrun!" Kira called him, but Athrun paid no heed, his emerald green eyes scanning the area desperately as he tried to push some of the wreckage aside. He knew it was futile, even before Kira grabbed his arm, half-shouting that they had to get out of there quick. It was with great reluctance that Athrun conceded, and they had barely made it out from their mobile suits before the ship broke apart completely, rendering the GENESIS ZERO history.
A half-strangled cry escaped Athrun's lips as he shook his head, casting the memory aside. His finger lingered over the button that would deactivate the Justice and open the hatch of his cockpit, but emotions overruled rational thinking and he screamed, loudly, slamming his fists against the Justice's controls. His body shook, the tears flowing down as sobs wracked his body. "Kuso."
Leaning back again, Athrun blinked the tears away and raised his eyebrows slightly as he noticed that the crew members below seemed to be arguing about something. They were standing in front of the Akatsuki that was docked beside him, gesturing wildly. Athrun pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to control his emotions. He could easily figure out what the ruckus down below was all about. The fact that there was no sign of Cagalli anywhere, not to mention that the Akatsuki was still active though safely docked, was enough to tell him. Athrun punched the codes of the Akatsuki into his Justice, unsurprised when he couldn't form a communication link to the golden mobile suit. Whatever it was that he was feeling, he could only just imagine what was going through Cagalli right now. The vibrant girl was always emotional – both positively and negatively – but it was difficult for anything to break her down. Anything, apart from her nation, that was.
The Justice lifted its right arm, moving to hover near the Akatsuki's chest. Athrun deactivated the mobile suit and climbed out of the cockpit, giving a firm nod to the technicians below that he was aware of the situation. They quietened abruptly. With relative ease (though he could have just asked for a platform), Athrun navigated his way around the Justice's chest, reaching out to climb onto the arm, then moving down until he was in front of the Akatsuki. The mobile suit was still active – the external cameras and microphones would be working, but so was the override keypad that he could use to force open the cockpit. He decided against using it and rested against the Justice's palm instead, knowing that he was well within Cagalli's sight by now.
"Cagalli," Athrun called her, his voice firm. There was no response, not that he was expected any. "Enough now, Cagalli... come out," Athrun said quietly.
Still nothing.
He sighed. Bowing his head, Athrun inhaled deeply, forcing his emotions under control again. He was Orb's Admiral... He wouldn't let things take a turn for the worse, not if he could help it. "Cagalli. It's alright. We tried... and there's still a lot of things we can do to stop it from happening again."
Empty words. Words that weren't even comforting to himself.
In truth, Athrun wanted nothing more than to have Cagalli in his arms. To take comfort from her, selfish as it may seem. It was probably that want that led him to give up, typing in the access codes from outside and forcing the cockpit open. She said nothing from inside.
Alarm and concern gripped his heart for a moment as he wondered if she had perhaps been injured, even if she did sound fine outside earlier. But the feeling subsided, replaced by sorrow, as her voice reached his ears, stating his name quietly from the cockpit.
"Cagalli," Athrun called her again, climbing inside. The cockpit was small, cramped even for two people, but this hadn't been the first time Athrun had shared a cockpit with her. He examined her closely as he went inside, noticing that she had taken off her helmet and that she seemed, thankfully, uninjured. The cockpit itself seemed to escape from any damage. But her eyes were haunted, red-rimmed obviously from endless crying. Tentatively, Athrun held his hand out to her. "Let's go."
She eyed his hand for what seemed like hours. There was nothing but childlike uncertainty in those eyes, and Athrun steeled himself, willing himself to be the strong one this time. He had placed her as his anchor for years, trusting her to keep him in track for fighting for the right thing. He would be the strong one this time.
When she finally reached out to take his hand, Athrun pulled her close to his chest, settling down as the tears broke through and she sobbed, holding him tight. He did not hush her, allowing her to cry freely except when she would apologise – in those cases, he would reprimand her quietly, telling her that she had done nothing wrong. They had tried. They had gone all-out and really tried.
C.E 79 Archangel – Ultimate Freedom (Present Day)
The Freedom was the last mobile suit to dock in its ship after all sides had retreated and all mobile suits had returned. By the time Kira powered off the mobile suit, Lacus was already waiting for him down below, as she had promised, with an unreadable expression on her face. She waited as Kira climbed out of the Freedom, landing on the ground easily, and turned to look at her. She supposed that at this time, his eyes mirrored hers – full with emotion, yet at the same time, devoid of any. He walked over to her, pulling her into his arms in a gentle hug, then released her with a soft kiss to her lips – yet both gestures felt empty. Kira felt empty.
She greeted him with the same gentle tone she had always used with him, smiling her usual serene smile, and walked with him (accompanied by Haro, of course), to the pilot changing room. She stayed outside as he changed, tapping her foot silently, until he exited and smiled at her. She wondered if the smile mirrored hers – gentle, beautiful, yet at the same time... empty. She accepted his hand when he held it out to her, walking alongside him and still wondering where they were going... until they stopped at his room, empty, and entered.
It was only when they both seated themselves on his bunk that Kira finally spoke; "Lacus... Are you alright?"
The usual start, then.
"I'm fine," Lacus said reassuringly, even though she would much prefer to skip this particular topic. "The fighting has stopped for now, and we must try our best to change the world with the chance that has been given to us... But perhaps that can wait for a little while," she said, a smile tugging on her lips. "Are you well, Kira?"
He nodded slowly. "I'm fine... But... Cagalli," he said, a little troubled. He wasn't the only one who heard Cagalli's scream when the Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki took the impact to save the Archangel.
Lacus's eyes softened. "It's alright. Athrun is with her now," she said, believing her words fully. Her ex-fiancée would never allow Cagalli's fiery spirit to die. "Kira... In the GENESIS ZERO... What happened?"
Kira raised his eyebrows slightly. He wasn't aware that Lacus knew he had entered the ship, apart from being inside the Freedom. "I met Yuri Amalfi," Kira said slowly, wondering if Athrun had reported while he was still outside. "He was... alone. I think the crew had abandoned the ship." Putting in more detail than he originally would, Kira recounted what had happened. The talk... then noticing that Athrun had followed him inside, leaving the Justice. How they had argued, and how Kira had admitted that he was the one responsible for the death of Blitz's pilot, Nicol Amalfi. How he had tried to convince that it wasn't too late, that humanity and the bond between Naturals and Coordinators could still be saved... How Amalfi had tried to shoot, but Athrun had released the trigger first, the bullet planting itself in Amalfi's hand. How the gun was deflected, and how Athrun had kicked it away, only to find a wreckage falling on them. The wreckage would have killed both Athrun and Amalfi, if not for Kira managing to push the younger Coordinator out of the way. He was sure he had grabbed Amalfi's arm... He was sure he had saved the man from dying. But he also recalled Amalfi pulling his arm away, away from Kira, thus allowing himself to be crushed to death by the piece of the ship that was falling apart.
Kira decided that he would keep that knowledge to himself... except to Lacus. He could never keep anything away from her.
She had listened quietly, but as he finished, she nodded. Kira was surprised to see that there was something like... relief. Relief in her eyes. "So that was what happened... I thought you might have..."
He was confused. "Lacus?"
Lacus shook her head. "I should have known that you would have always tried to save everyone you could, Kira," she said kindly.
"You knew what happened in the GENESIS ZERO?"
It was Lacus's turn to look confused. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
Kira's brows pulled together. "How?"
"Kira, your voice – what happened – it was all relayed across the ships, across the universal communications channel," Lacus said, perplexed now.
He felt as if the ground had disappeared underneath him. How was that possible?
Yet, a small memory came to him now. How he had powered up the Ultimate Freedom for the first time all those months before... how he had noticed that the Ultimate Freedom did, in fact, come with a Universal Communications Channel. Yet the knowledge had slipped from his mind – not exactly forgotten, but it was something that he thought was better suited for Lacus than a silent fighter like himself. For someone who had been one of the few who initiated RENEGADE, who had been able to connect with people across the universe for what he was fighting for... perhaps it wasn't all that surprising that Daisuke had fitted such a thing inside his Freedom. The input band that was always located on his left wrist, typical as something that came along with all mobile suits units, would have allowed him to communicate with any other mobile suit through the Freedom. While usually one would communicate through a single channel, it wasn't impossible if there was an alternate channel... A channel like a universal one.
Was it luck that he had transmitted the entire conversation on what happened in GENESIS ZERO? Fate? Or would it plague them all and send them to their doom?
Lacus seemed to have read what was on Kira's mind. "Most mobile suits and ships knew the transmission came from the Freedom. But it's alright, Kira. We'll try our best after this."
He barely heard her. If the purpose of living was given to him, spelled out to him even, it was making a lot of sense to him now. What he had done... What he had needed to do. What he would need to do after this, even...
"It's just like I said, Kira. I want to believe... You are Via Hibiki's son."
"Who are you?"
"There are many people with power in this world, Kira. Understand that. Power does not come to people without reason. In the world we live in now, power comes to those who are willing to fight for the same cause. Without support, you have no more power. Without power, there is nothing you can do. Learn that, Kira Hibiki! Learn the true nature of this war, learn the true way of fighting your battles. Bring the change that you want to bring – if not because you are the Ultimate Coordinator, then because you want it!"
"I understand now..." Kira whispered.
Lacus tilted her head. "Kira..?"
All this time, Lacus and Cagalli had positioned themselves in front, in public. They had spoken their views without fear, and had fought for those views with the strength that could not be given by mere soldiers. Even Athrun had risen through the ranks, positioning himself as Orb's Admiral and working his way through with much more publicity than Kira had dared to give the world. But he was the pilot of the Freedom. This was something he had to do... Something that he had always needed to do, only he was too comfortable living in the shadows.
"You don't need to work so hard by yourself any longer, Lacus. I'll be there... Beside you. After this. We'll work it out together," he said, a smile coming to his lips now. Satisfaction... and peace. He felt them now.
He would stop leaving everything in Lacus's hands. He had reason to start talking to the world now, after all.
Lacus's azure eyes were shining, the sorrow barely leaving a trace in her irises now. She reached forward, resting a palm against Kira's cheek, and he smiled at her. He had promised her... He had survived the battle, and he had promised her... that soon, one day, he would marry her.
C.E 79 Archangel (Two Days Later)
With only a day away from reaching Heliopolis, the sorrow that had haunted the Heliopolis fleet was now buzzing with a new form of energy. Hopes, dreams, as well as relief and eagerness to meet family members from the small space colony... All these feelings mixed together among the travelling ships. The stray ships from ZAFT and the Earth Alliance that had followed them from before the final battle had stayed with the original fleet. For now, it seemed as if the soldiers were still determined to leave an impact on what they were fighting for. Not that anyone was complaining – following the unlawful battles and fighting that had followed for the past decade, it seemed as if Cagalli and Lacus weren't the only ones who were eager to start afresh. Perhaps it was too early to hope, but for now, it felt as if a new world was forming once again. There were news of the Scientific Innovation Society now beginning to reunite and rise, Natural and Coordinator... it was a start, early as it was, even though the real meeting between nations would be held in two more weeks.
During this time, Athrun had boarded the Justice and was busy getting order back where they were needed, acting once again as an Admiral of Orb with Kisaka by his side. There were many discussions and preparations, especially with Lacus, Cagalli and Yzak, but this time, Kira was not left out. He had decided to become an active voice in drafting the new world, and nobody had argued against it.
On the second night following the aftermath of the final battle, Athrun had taken the liberty to stop by the Archangel instead of returning to the Kusanagi. He was eager for a private chat with his old friend. It never ceased to amaze him how their lives had changed – how different they had been since that one spring morning when he had given Torii to Kira, and had departed with nothing but the feeling of utter dislike to the army and to war. How they had changed since then.
He was admitted into the Archangel's hangar easily, and there he docked, deactivating his mobile suit beside the Ultimate Freedom. Shinn's Destiny also occupied the hangar, along with several other mobile suits – repairs were well under way, even though Athrun risked himself to believe that they would no longer be launching in the suits for battle after this. He was hopeful and optimistic, and was aware of both.
Chief Murdoch, for the first time since Athrun had boarded the Archangel, was asleep when Athrun climbed out of his cockpit, transporting himself to the ground below. He found that it was absolutely remarkable even though he knew that Murdoch would of course have rested, even though he seemed like an omnipresent being in the Archangel hangar. Athrun chuckled to himself, exchanging brief news with the technicians and engineers before walking over to the pilot changing room. He dressed himself in plain black pants and shirt – his uniform was at the Kusanagi – and strolled easily through the blue-ish white corridors, towards Kira's room. Whether Kira was there or not was something he did not know – it was a wild shot in the dark.
As he walked, Athrun bumped into Shinn and Lunamaria, then into Commander Flaga. They had met on the ship often enough that nothing of particular interest could be discussed. When asked his purpose of being in the Archangel, Athrun merely said that he wanted to see Kira and excused himself.
It felt like a dream, walking inside the Archangel, knowing that there were no potential battles looming before them.
Reaching Kira's shared room with Shinn, Athrun strolled inside and was glad to see Kira there, lying on his bed with his arms crossed under his head. The brown-haired Coordinator raised his eyebrows and sat up in surprise, clearly not expecting Athrun to be in his room. The young Admiral seemed far too busy these days, after all.
"Athrun," Kira greeted, his face breaking into one of his usual smiles. "What are you doing here?"
Athrun frowned. "Why, can't I come and speak to you these days?" he asked, smirking now. "Or is the great Freedom pilot basking himself in his newfound fame?"
Kira immediately grimaced. Athrun seemed unable to stop reminding him on how he had accidentally transmitted the event in GENESIS ZERO to the entire universe. "Of course not," he said immediately, annoyed. "You've just been busy."
Athrun laughed lightly, sitting on Kira's bed now. His gaze was gentler now. "How are you with that, anyway? Are you sure it's alright?" he asked.
"Yes," Kira said, not even hesitating with the word. His eyes, too, were softer now. "It's fine. I shouldn't leave everything to you guys anymore... All this time, I've run away enough times. I want to help this time," he said, determined. Let him take the spotlight; if that could put more emphasis on what Lacus and Cagalli were trying to do, he would do it in a heartbeat.
Athrun examined him, but something about Kira's expression must have convinced him. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "That's fine, then."
"Torii!"
Both heads shot up as an all-too-familiar mechanical bird circled them. Athrun smiled, watching it as it flew around them room and finally landed on his shoulder, tilting its head curiously with another "Torii?" escaping it. Athrun held his forefinger out, allowing the bird to hop onto it, and moved it so it was level with his head. He eyed the green bird curiously. Of course, it had many fine scratches on it that came with its age, but it seemed well-cared for enough. "When was the last time you serviced Torii?" Athrun asked, curious now. He had never asked before, but he was sure Kira would have cared for the bird a great deal for it to still be working so well until today.
There was a brief pause after his question that made Athrun glance at his friend. Kira had sat up, a troubled expression on his face. Athrun was suddenly wary. He had not seen that expression in a long time, but he recognised it. It was the same expression Kira would give him if Athrun caught him skipping his homework. "...I never did," Kira mumbled, turning his face away.
He was instantly annoyed. "You never serviced Torii?"
Kira suddenly seemed childlike as he bowed his head. "Well, I charged him as you always told me to – twelve hours exactly, no more or less, every month. You never said anything about servicing."
"You never serviced him?" Athrun repeated, releasing a frustrated sigh and instantly turning the bird upside-down. Torii let out a small sound of indignation, but that died down as Athrun flicked its switch, turning it off. Almost mechanically, he took out a pocket-tool from his uniform pocket, fumbling for the small screwdriver among the many tools attached to it, and began to open the small panel below. "Ki-ra. It's been what, ten years –"
"Eleven," Kira corrected quietly.
"Eleven years since I gave you Torii, and you never serviced it? Didn't you remember our lessons for micromechanics? You're always required to service them, otherwise, it would break!"
"Torii worked fine all this time, and never let me down. I thought since you made it, it wouldn't need servicing," Kira defended himself, the grimace still on his face.
Athrun huffed, taking the panel off. He peered into the bird, his face immediately annoyed again. "See? Look at these wires! Point A221 should have been linked to A223! And what is A090 doing, linking itself with P539? With a Tither wire and one of those new Terrachips, you can easily make Torii work better. The board looks like it can overheat at any time now – look at the colour of it," Athrun shook his head. How the bird could still function with a ten – no, eleven – year old technology pieced together by mere fifteen-year-old was beyond him. He shook his head. "You've always hated micromechanics, but I thought after all these years, you'd have at least attempted –"
Athrun stopped, turning to look at Kira now. His friend, so different to that time yet so similar all the same, had his lips pressed together as he hid his amusement. It came to Athrun, then, that the last time he had been so worked up had actually been eleven years ago... back when they were such carefree children, over something as trivial as micromechanics in school. Kira was the first to start laughing, but Athrun soon joined, the bubbles of laughter bursting out of him. He placed a hand on Kira's shoulder, laughing hard, as he had never done before, and Kira pressed a hand against his stomach, tears streaming down his face.
Athrun did not realise when the laughter changed into tears, when the mirth changed to sobs, but they were both holding each other very soon after as they cried.
Author's Notes: Well now, the finals are now over, and that means good news for all the dearest readers out there. It means that I can finally update regularly for this fic again! One of my favourite chapters to write, this one, though that last scene was really hard (emotionally). It's a tribute for the Suits CD, of course. Next chapter will be scheduled to be uploaded on the 27th January. Then, if all goes well, the final chapter will be uploaded on the 31st January, marking the end of this fic. Once again, I thank all the readers for staying with me so far - please stay until the end, with only two chapters to go! Thank you for the alerts and favourites, and thank you to saveme57, blackphoenix4ever, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, WHAA, Twinklefeather, IgNighted and Apparocks for your reviews. Let me know how well you liked this one? Tune in, until next time!
saveme57:Lacus and Co. were saved by the two ships from Heliopolis in the last chapter. It was between Kira and Athrun who might have died, but I couldn't kill any of the two. Maybe it's a typical 'happily ever after', but I think after all they went through GS/GSD/Renegade, it's probably a happy ending they deserve.
blackphoenix4ever: College, huh? That must be challenging. I'm already in university, so it's a little tough to get things done and juggle writing at the same time - but I manage. Got the holidays to enjoy, with hope that there will be more writing after this. :D Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks so much!
Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius: About time, huh? XD I kept on waiting for it in GSD, but he never did! I was so frustrated. Kira and Lacus are one pair that I think has no question that they will be together until the end.
WHAA: Many thanks! I love you as well!
IgNighted: Thank you! I was worried the emotions did not come across enough in a battle scene like that. XD Hope you enjoyed this one!
Apparocks: ...Wow. Am I wrong to assume that between both your reviews, you managed to read... everything? In such a short time? If true, then that's just... incredible. .