CHAPTER 12: Memorial

Every Monday, Kira would follow Lacus to the official memorial of the Second Bloody Valentine War of Orb. It was a simple memorial, a large stone with a few carvings of words that Kira never particularly cared to take much note of. For him, no words could ever provide the right description of what the war had been like, of what pain and losses the world has had to suffer. In truth, Kira never liked the visits he made with Lacus to the memorial, but he accompanied her regardless, and they would take the children along with them there every first Saturday of each month so that the children, too, would never live in ignorance of the events happening around them and the sacrifices that the world had made for the world they live in now.

Kira hated memorials. He disliked the visits.

He wondered who memorials were built for. Was it for the families who couldn't retrieve the bodies of their loved ones that had perished in battle? Or was it for those who had never had the chance to witness the horrors of war so they knew that once upon a time, it had happened? Maybe it was just there as a tribute to those who wishes to fight, to let them know that in a manner of speaking, they would never be forgotten.

Kira highly doubted that memorials were built for soldiers.

No soldier needs any reminders of previous wars they had participated in.

As the months passed by, the visits to the memorials became lighter and more bearable. At first, Kira had often cried in front of the simple stone in front of him. At first, sobs often wracked through his body, sending painful spasms as he tried to contain his emotions. After a few weeks, the sobs subsided, and the tears would just flow naturally down his cheeks as he gazed at the light grey surface of the marble. The tears, too, eventually passed, and he would gaze at it with tearful eyes, but he did not cry. Now, he only gazed at it with sadness, and Kira wondered if he was already too tired to cry.

Often, when Kira accompanied Lacus to visit the memorial, he wondered what the soldiers had fought for. What kind of peace had they dreamt of? Was it the same as his? Would they call Kira a comrade or an enemy? These questions often made him clench his hands tightly, and Lacus would normally look at him questioningly before taking his hand gently in her soft ones, smoothing the tense muscles and smiling the reassuring smile that would make him calm again.

One day, Kira decided to ask;

"Do you think they are happy with how the world is now?"

Lacus did not answer immediately. She moved to his side and took his arm, resting her head against his shoulder as she thought of her answer. "I think they would be happy as long as their loved ones are smiling again, Kira," she answered eventually, her voice quiet. "So that's what we must do now."

They walked away, and entered a small town to buy sprays and fertilizers that would help Lacus's flowers bloom for the next week they would come again. Kira was about to enter the shop when his attention was taken by a small group of children huddling over something three shops from the flower shop. He watched them, taking note of their furrowed brows and worried faces and found himself moving towards them. Lacus glanced at Kira's retreating figure and smiled to herself before busying herself with the things she needed.

As Kira neared the children, they broke away slightly and he saw that they were crouched around a box. Inside were five small kittens and its mother – the kittens were mewling pathetically in hunger and Kira merely watched them, his eyes glazed.

"I can't take them home… My mom won't let me!"

"They're a family, they should stay together. They'd be lonely without brothers and sisters."

"But they're hungry… What can we do?"

The store they were in front of was a convenience store and Kira straightened, his amethyst eyes focusing on the open doors and he made a prompt decision. The children hadn't even noticed that he had left in their worry for the kittens, so they were surprised when Kira emerged again with a white bag in his hands which he set down beside them.

"Do you go to school?" Kira asked curiously.

"Yes," the tallest of the five answered – a boy, with deep blue eyes and brown hair like Kira's "We usually walk this way every morning, but these kittens were never here before," he said, the worry clear in his voice.

"Is that so..?" Kira mused quietly. One of the children tilted her head curiously at the brown-haired Coordinator. "Then, will you help me take care of them?"

"What?" the boy asked, surprised.

In answer, Kira revealed the contents of the bag – two cat bowls, a large container of cat food and a carton of milk. This he placed beside the box, and the boy raised his blue eyes eagerly. "We can leave the milk and cat food with the box, but I need someone to feed them every morning. Will you help me?"

"Sure!" the children chorused together. The young boy stepped forward. "Can we take them to our corner? It's safer there," he said.

"Of course," Kira answered. He hesitated. "My name is Kira. Kira Yamato."

"Oh! Hajimemashite, Kira-sama. My name is Yuki Iwase," the boy introduced himself, and the rest of the children also said their names. "Come on, let's show you to our corner!"

"Ah! Wait –" Kira was cut off as his hand was pulled by Yuki, leading him away, but surprisingly to the general direction of the orphanage. One of the children carried the white bag while two others helped with the kittens in the box, now mewling louder with fright.

The 'corner', as they called it, was in the playground, underneath an amazingly large tree. The exposed roots provided good seating places, and there was an abandoned burrow of sorts under the tree. Kira knew that the war orphans he and Lacus looked after had sometimes come here to play. Somewhat touched that the children trusted him to their place, Kira helped set the box and new home for the kittens.

By the time they were finished, Lacus had caught to them and Kira introduced her to the children – all who accepted her excitedly as she, too, had child-like qualities that could attract just any and every child. They talked for a while and finally went home, and Lacus did not miss the small happiness that shone in the amethyst eyes.

The milk and food was left behind with the kittens, and every morning, the first among the children to arrive would feed the kittens before heading to school. Every evening, Kira came with a new carton of milk and cat food, and he would help the children and listen to their stories and share his own of when he had been in Copernicus. Kira usually came alone. Sometimes, he would bring the children if they wanted to play in the playground. But every Monday, Lacus would accompany him and every first Saturday of every month, the children from the orphanage would accompany Lacus and Kira after their visit to the memorial, and Lacus would see the peacefulness on Kira's face as he watched the kittens eat and grow.

Whenever he came, the children would jump up and run towards him, smiling and happy as they called his name... the name of a person who, once upon a time, had pulled the trigger and ended many lives, of which the burden was to remain with him forever. Whenever he came, the children would smile, and it was Kira who put the smiles to their faces. Whenever he came, he could feel that he was bringing happiness and not destruction and tears. Every Monday, and every first Saturday of each month, Kira would look forward in accompanying Lacus to the memorial. He no longer hated the place. Now he knew, for him, the memorial was a reminder of what he needed to do.

Over time, Kira began to smile.

As Lacus watched from afar, every Monday, she knew that at least where she was concerned, at least for now, she was happy with how the world was.

Hajimemashite: "Pleased to meet you" - used when meeting a person for the first time.

Author's Note: I guess this is small look on how Kira is beginning to become a little bit independent from Lacus, though not at all in a negative way. I'm really trying to shape him into the mature Kira from GSD, and I hope it's beginning to show as the chapters progresses. As usual, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you'll leave me a review to let me know. Suggestions are always welcome! Thanks to IoriKonaN and Anon Y. Mouse who reviewed!

IoriKonaN: The GSD theatre was definitely better, but I loved the GS one as well because of Yzak, who is one of my favourite characters. You might have noticed that I have another fic up titled Renegade, but the plan is that after I finish writing that one, I'd probably create two more one-shot series like this one – one focusing on Kira and Athrun, the other quite possibly on Athrun and Cagalli. :D

That's a really tough question, and I've been debating with myself for the answer for days now. XD If I really need to choose though, I'd say I liked GS more than GSD. Athrun and Kira's friendship, and how they were tested with the war, was what really made me love the series and I loved GS because it really focuses on them both, whereas the focus of GSD is more to Shinn, another character I liked, but not as much as Athrun and Kira. The pain and suffering of war was also more pronounced in GS, which I thought was a plus. What about you? :3

Anon Y. Mouse: I heart you too! XD I thought that was supposed to be a ":3" emoticon or something, but I'm glad it's a heart. Made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Thanks so much for your reviews! :D They really made me smile.