Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.
A/N: Corrections and Criticisms would likely be appreciated.
To BlitzUlitmate – thanks, I really appreciate the review. Although I wish there would be more Yzak and Flay stories like this as well… I don't think I'll be writing anything similar to this anytime soon. I wish others would though.
" " for speech
Italic for flashbacks, thoughts, and opinions.
Hero: Chapter 2: "Prisoner"
Thrice!
Thrice was the number of times he, Yzak Joule, had caught that girl pointing a gun at Commander Le Creuset since the day she was brought aboard the ship.
Yzak Joule growled low on his throat, roughly making his way to his quarter for some much needed rest. He had always made it a policy not to question his superiors, but this… this was just doting beyond all reason.
What on PLANTS was the Commander thinking?
Capturing an OMNI officer; bring her abroad the ship; taking her to his room; unbothered to disarm her; and not locking her up in a cellar where all prisoners of war belong! And to even say that Flay Allster is a prisoner inside the Vesalius is a complete understatement because, apparently, she is not treated like one!
First of all, the Commander has given her a cabin equipped with her own private bathroom, instead of locking her up in the basement. And a nineteen square meter room, fully furnished with no bars is hardly considered a cellar.
Second, as ordered by the Commander, the prisoner's meals are to be specially delivered to her room everyday. In spite the fact, she never consumes them. Talk about a complete waste of resources!
And last, the prisoner was required to accompany Commander Le Crueset during the man's important expeditions in or out of the Vesalius to discuss military campaigns!
In conclusion, that woman was being treated far better than any other soldiers in the military. Even he, Yzak Joule, an Elite Red Coat ZAFT soldier, pilot of the GAT-X102 Duel, and son of Ezalia Joule, head of the Defense Committee— is not treated with such special care! Not that he would want to be treated like some fragile plastic doll anyway.
Point is. Yzak was furious.
"If that girl is a prisoner, shouldn't she be treated like one…?"
What annoyed him the most was why on PLANTS is that girl so important to the Commander, which has resulted in ZAFT's mysterious and irrelevant hospitable treatment to a Prisoner of War.
What's worst, when Yzak had issued this concern to the said Commander, the man replied, speaking about a bunch of doors and keys and shit.
After expressing his great distaste, Yzak continued to walk, now purposely, as he made his way the deserted corridor following the path back to his quarter, when he halted, hearing sounds of tray and bowls crash in the next room.
Yzak snarled, coming face to face with a particular door- Her door. Why was he not surprise that that girl was behind this racket?
Faintly, by standing there, he could make out unfathomable sounds, like nothing he has ever heard of. It was a string of rattling, guttural noises that was becoming demanding in its refrain. It only occurred to him very late that the sound was nothing more than a various assortments of sobs and whimpers.
Yzak rolled his eyes in annoyance.
That girl is crying AGAIN? For heaven's sake, they are at war here! That girl has done nothing but shed tears ever since she was brought aboard this ship!
Is that girl even a soldier? Because she is by far the most pathetic soldier he has ever come across. How that girl even became one is beyond him!
What does she expect ZAFT to do? Set her free like this stupid war does not exist? The universe, unfortunately, does not work that way. The mafia won't spare anyone just because that person turned out to be gorgeous. Heroes are not always noble. Seeking goodness in everyone may get you killed. Abandon love. Forget about clichés. This is reality. And reality is- they are soldiers fighting a war!
She is lucky enough to be alive while most Earth Forces would not even make it pass ZAFT territory with their life attached.
And with that, Yzak Joule tore his gaze away, acting like he never even noticed. And he strode off before anyone would mistakenly accuse him of feeling sympathetic to the Natural prisoner for standing in front of her doorway.
00000
Carefully, she opened her blue-grays that have reddened by tears.
Flay looked up at the shadowy ceiling, at nothing in particular. To her left, she could still clearly smell the distinct scent of soup, potato and other mount food spilled over her floor, and was unbothered by it. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she had been laying in the dark at the corner of the bed, waiting… and waiting for everything to just disappear, for all of her senses, mind and body to engross in total darkness. It seemed a life time away.
She felt hallow.
"You are already living on borrowed time, aren't you, Flay Allster?"
In her head, through her ears, Flay's thoughts drifted to Commander Le Creuset and to what he had said the other day. His words were echoing, haunting her slowly, as if she was listening to him say them for the first time. Word per word. Pause after pause. Inexplicable, his voice a held some power over her, which she could not seem to get rid off.
"Back in Alaska, you would have been equally dead if I had shot you or just let you run off. And you would die within moments if you were to shoot me right now… the soldiers would hear, Or if you didn't want them to finish you off, I suppose you could always point the gun at yourself and pull the trigger. I assume the gun is loaded."
Flay shuddered and felt another tear slide halfway down her cheek, somehow still hearing the sound of her father in some of the man's tones.
"On the battlefield, life is cheap. It's lost in an instant. And yet, people still fight for their country… or for justice. But you're not really cut out for that sort of thing, you may be wearing a military uniform, but you're no soldier. Am I wrong?"
Flay twinge at the memory mocking her at her inability to function and do what she wants done. He saw right through her, her weakness clearly exposed by him. She had been given the opportunity to take his life right there, yet she could not find, with all her pent-up hate and anger, the will to shoot him. She felt useless and extremely vulnerable.
What was going to happen now?
Flay pulled the blanket over her head; her thoughts now drifting to the way the masked Commander would talk to her one-on-one during his frequent unwelcome visits. He would ask her who she was. He would share his view of- how he would like nothing but to put an end to this meaningless war.
Why had Commander Le Creuset told her? Had he actually cared about her at all? Or had he have plans for her and felt obligated to do so?
And then, she thought about the protection the Commander willingly gave her without cause and ordered the rest of the ZAFT crew to do the same, and Flay's resentment swelled in darkness. She did not need anyone's pity just like she did not need Kira's.
Despite the majority of the ship's crew hospitality façade towards her, she knew those were all fake. After receiving sardonic side glances and overhearing murmurs on every corners of the ship, Flay has been completely aware of what those disgusting Coordinators talk about her behind her back anyway. So what was the use pretending?
In a place where everything's run entirely by Coordinators, a Natural such as herself will always be the odd one in the bunch.
Often, they would theorize what a terrified, impotent, Natural girl like Flay Allster could possibly offer in exchange for the Commander's protection. Thus, behind her back, she was called many names; each one being worst than the previous one.
But what do they know?
Commander Le Creuset promised he would protect her. He would not hurt her. He would not even spill a single drop of her blood. He would tell her over and over that no physical harm would be inflicted upon her so long as he was there. And in return, he had asked for nothing.
Completely nothing.
Why would the Commander do such a thing?
The truth irked Flay because she had no idea. She was as clueless as the rest of those Coordinators, and she too was too fearful to find out.
It was not until several long seconds had passed when she realized she had already heard the pneumatic hiss of the door opening. Commander Le Creuset stood gracefully on her doorway, his height as intimidating as the crisp white uniform. His mask glinting malevolently that made Flay draws back in fear, "Go away! Just leave me alone." Flay drawled. In spite of their frequent meetings, she has never gotten used to his presence.
She was an OMNI officer. He ZAFT's. Coordinators killed her father. And in her eyes, Commander Rau Le Creuset will always be an enemy.
"A battle is about to begin. Would you like to observe?" He asked casually with the barest hint of a smile playing on his face.
At her teetering mental condition, Flay threw her gaze away from the light source. The prospect of him keeping her safe for no apparent reason was daunting.
There are all sorts of wounds, not just one, and there are so many ways to breach them.