Disclaimer: I do not own GSD, but I do own Erin, Riven and Aetos

As dictated by tradition, Erin has to dance with 15 men on her presentation. First of course was the man closest to her father, Kira Yamato, and then Gen. La Flagga, and then Maj. Kisaka, and the list went on, and then the 14th person she was asked to dance with was a person she met for the first time; he was a coordinator, a lieutenant from ZAFT who was with the chairman's escorts.

"You must be wondering who I am," the man said, Erin chose not to reply. "Don't worry I am not some pompous aristocrat they're trying to marry you off to."

"Who are you then?" she finally replied with a mighty tone.

"My name is Riven Crito."

"And why are you dancing with me right now?"

"To tell you frankly, I do not know. My uncle simply pulled me away for a second and then made me dance with you."

"And who might this uncle be?" Erin had a suspicion that it was some politician who wanted a little connection.

"Uncle Kira, your mother's brother" His answer surprised Erin, why would Kira ask this person to dance with her.

"I wonder why." Erin whispered as they bowed to each other before Riven took leave.

But then, the lights suddenly went out. Cagalli and Athrun noticed this immediately and rushed back to the ballroom to see if everyone was all right. The room fell into panic as sounds of broken glass suddenly filled the air. After 10 seconds, the power returned, only to find a message on the floor saying: "Happy Birthday, you Grandchild of a monster blue earth". Kira immediately dispersed the guards and tightened the security of the whole compound. Erin was left in distraught and almost fainted, but was caught by Riven who rushed back to her when the lights went out.

Soldiers, to ensure the people's safety, escorted all the guests back to their houses. While the royal family of orb retreated to their quarters to try and get some rest despite the tragedy that happened that night.

Meanwhile, Erin was lying down on her bed thinking about the message the terrorists had left her. She knew that the blue earth movement was revived upon the birth of the new generation of humans, those who were half natural and half coordinator. It was common knowledge that Orb has been a sympathetic to these people who were being condemned by purist of the two parties; but Erin could not understand why anyone would call her grandfather, Lord Uzumi, a monster, so then she came to the conclusion that the grandfather being referred to was her paternal grandfather.

She rose from her bed, changed her clothes to something more comfortable and made her way to her mother's quarters. Erin could feel it, her heart beating faster and faster as she made her way to confront Cagalli about the message. Upon finally making it to the end of the west wing, she gathered up her courage, lifted her hand, readying to knock on the door, when voices stopped her.

"She can't find out…" Erin heard her mother saying as she cried. "She doesn't need this right now…"

Erin didn't know what to do, not only was it the first that she heard her mother crying, but it was also the shock of finding out the darkness in her identity. Instead of entering the chambers, Erin ran…

She ran as fast as she could, she ran and ran until she no longer knew where she was.

"Stop that," a voice said. "You know, it's exactly 12:59 right now."

"So what, why should I care, my birthday's ruined anyway."

"Well, I'm just saying, it's still not our birthday, not for another 60 seconds at least so stop crying already."

Erin looked up to see to whom she was talking to, and found the golden haired man who was dancing with her that night.

"It's your birthday too tonight?" she asked him, shifting into a lighter mood.

"Uhuh, that's why I'm a bit pissed off that my father made me come here."

"Well at least you know your father."

"I don't really think that matters, cause, I never knew my mother."

"Why? What happened to her?"

"She had to leave when I was just a baby. My father rarely talks about her so that pretty all that I know."

"At least you know that she existed." Erin turned away for a while, before releasing a sigh and continued, "I don't even know if I have a father."

"Don't think that," Riven said to her as he looked into Erin's golden eyes, wet with tears, "by the way your mother talked about him just now, I think he's a great man."

"Then why is she ashamed of him?"

"Ashamed of him?" Riven asked in confusion.

"Yes, ashamed of him. Just know I was about to enter my mother's room when I heard saying things like that."

"Oh, I see." Was all that Riven could say,

Silence fell among them for a while, and then Erin jerked up from her seat and suddenly declared, "I'm running away for a little while."

"What?" Riven replied in disapproval as he caught her by the hand, "You can't do that."

"Try and stop me then!" and they began a staring contest, which Riven obviously lost. He didn't have the same spirit she did, but he did have a sense of duty, "Fine then, you can go, but I'm going with you!"

"Do as you please then, but don't get in my way."