Hero: Chapter 4: "Admiration"
News of Siegel Clyne's treachery and Clyne Faction's deflection have already circulated the Media. Siegel Clyne has been killed in military action while Lacus' now on the run.
Commander Le Creuset decided to switch off the television, in the middle of an on going broadcast, completely unimpressed. "The chairman is having a rather hazardous time to bringing Lacus Clyne under control. Through I don't imagine that's the reason behind his orders to call as back."
Standing on the sideline, Flay said nothing. She did not dare speak her mind for she feared she might get in trouble for it. Her gaze then secretly traveled to Yzak.
Yzak however, who was in the same room begs to differ, "I'm still having a hard time to believe it. I just can't imagine her as a traitor" said Yzak. He had always been a fan of her music. And he has always believed Lacus Clyne to be a good person.
"Clyne's followers are using her for that exact reason. Her fans believe she could do no wrong, but your not as gullible as to believe that now, are you? War is really about the conflicting ideas of different people." The Commander explained. "What is it really that we should be fighting against? Never lose sight of that."
00000
Time seems irrelevant when fighting in war. It was only nineteen hundred hours then, but half of the ship were already asleep. The commander had mentioned that it was protocol. The crew takes turn watching the ship, so everyone would not be too exhausted for battle.
"An attack could happen at anytime." The Commander told her and suggested her to rest as well. But despite Commander Le Creuset's kind proposal, Flay found herself unable to fall asleep, and simply lay there on her back looking up at her bedroom ceiling.
It has been awhile.
The grief that had possessed her since her father and Kira's death felt different now. The accusations she had on Coordinators seemed to have nested in her brain like a diseased thing, infecting her memories, that it did not seem as horrifying anymore.
Coordinators. Flay did not like them, but it seems she could no longer find herself blaming every little thing on them to any further extent. It was a strange feeling, somewhat similar to growing out of an old habit.
Buzz.
Flay's hazy gaze automatically flew to the door.
"You better not be asleep!" Yzak's fierce voice rang through the intercommunication device before entering the room with Flay's dinner, routinely for the last couple of days.
Apparently, since the suicide incident, Yzak Joule had made it his obligation to bring her meals to her, day after day, and made sure she ate.
He never explained himself, but he never fails to check up on her every three to five hours; to search her room for any trail of blood, reopened wound or anything sharp that she could use to harm herself.
Flay figured, this was his way of displaying extra precaution in case she decides to try and take her own life again. An unnecessary act, for she no longer wishes for death.
Yzak set the food tray on a nearby table then glared at Flay.
"Get off the bed!" He ordered causing Flay to scramble away from the furniture, giving him the space to rustle through the mattress and blanket. Once done, Yzak automatically turned toward the drawers, the clean bathroom, and lastly to Flay herself. He patted her from top to bottom, in case she was concealing something that can be felt as unusual through her clothes.
When the search was done, Yzak would simply move to the side; lean on a wall and cross his arms, looking like what he usually does which was annoyed.
"Hurry up and eat. I don't have all day!" Yzak commanded. He always managed to sound like she was a burden to him. And his harsh tone pushed Flay into hurrying to the table.
Yzak was never gentle. All he ever does was raise his voice at her; despite the fact she no longer fought against him. He was nothing like Kira, Flay thought. But no matter, how long she took and how Yzak was always rushing her to act quicker, Flay had noticed, Yzak never had any intention of leaving her alone until she was completely done with her meal.
Quietly, Yzak watched Flay as she scooped a spoon full of rice and ate without interruptions. When Flay had finished eating, she pushed the tray away gradually.
"I'm done." She said.
Yzak simply stared at her with no change of expression.
They barely spoke a word to each other; never have been engrossed on a decent conversation, but seeing how he had watched her like a hawk everyday had indicated-, Flay knew- that somehow he cared.
As Yzak was about to leave with the empty tray,
"Ah." Flay gasped; resulting Yzak to pause at the door, for a fracture of a moment. "Thank you." She said in whisper. She did not have the courage say it to him properly, but she wanted to.
Yzak turned around and left, only one word summarized his thoughts. And it wasn't even a word. "Hmph."
00000
"Lacus Clyne's wish for peace has left her open to others' influence but we understand what is really happening here and that is why we want to save her. We need to free her from the grasp of evil Naturals who are deceiving her. So, for those who love her, we ask that you provide us with any information you have"
Ezalia Joule's speech ran all throughout PLANTs.
Same time, at a local bar, a blond in full black took a seat near the counter, next to a wine drinking man wearing a dark blue coat.
Arbiter-ing the media, "so finally, it has come down to this. How interesting..." The blond suggested to no one in particular, but in effort to catch the attention of the man seating next to him.
The man in blue shifted his attention from the overhead television to the mysterious man in black, and spoke to him about the world's current state in strange metaphors.
While no other person was paying any attention to them, the blond then replied with a few of his own.
Confirmation made.
The man in blue took this as the password and fleetingly slips a small rectangular disk onto the table. The blond took the disk and went on his way.
00000
A new mobile suit?
Yzak looked up at the new machine that had been recently brought into the hanger. "Is this the new guAIZ model?" He asked to whoever was maintaining the machine at the moment.
"Ah. Yes." The mechanic in charge turned around and answered after noticing Yzak there. "It's MMI's newest main force model. This model is being deployed more and more often these days. Sooner or later, we will be able to wipe out the Naturals with these."
Yzak cringed at the man's choice of words. Wipe out the Naturals? At first, Yzak never saw any problem with the idea, but, now, after all he'd been through, this seems to have turned into a complex-ing issue.
As part of ZAFT's military, his duty was to eliminate the Earth Forces that tries to oppress them. And yet, here he was taking care of one them, a Natural. If Naturals were anything like Flay, Yzak thought. Then, in due time, the war would be ZAFT's.
If not only for their vast numbers, ZAFT would have easily taken them out. The Earth Forces, thought Yzak, like Flay were weak, sluggish and impotent in the battlefield.
Despite the effort being futile, Flay had fought off every Coordinator aboard the ship, including the Commander, like crazy at first. However, for the last few days, Yzak had noticed how Flay had surprisingly mellowed down in their presence. She had even strangely thanked him for acting like a jerk.
Was this similar to surrendering? Yzak wondered.
Back on earth, he had witness his own kind shoot down Naturals who had waved the white flag at their army. True, they need no hostages, but what was the point of shooting unmoving targets? Yzak balled his hand into a tight fist, confusedly and frustrated. What the hell, was he really suppose to be doing?
"I'll leave that to you!" The mechanic incited before realizing Yzak was no longer there listening to him.
00000
"This is the predicted course of Eternal, which has been calculated from Yakin Due's pursuit data." Commander Le Creuset explained, showing the crew a diagram.
"The L4 Colony Cluster? Just as I thought..." This time it was Captain Ades. "This sure has become awkward. Suspicious people made it their hideout before and now it is being used like this."
"I believe that Clyne's group's plan is not that grand, but... 'We don't like war...' is it? It looks like it's pretty divided, even within the military. Don't you have a feeling that something might pop out?" The commander suggested.
"I have had a chance to meet Captain Waltfeld. But who would have thought he would do that..." Captain Ades was speaking about the former ZAFT Commander, who also left their side to assist Clyne Faction.
"He is a man with a sharp tongue. Even Chairman Zala took a hit while sitting on his seat. He is a miraculously revived hero, after all."
"Now we are ordered to suppress them."
"It can not be helped. The world is not something that goes by whatever you had planned in your mind before. The treachery hidden within a person is not something that can easily be seen. Never mind understanding where your heart really lies or the thoughts hidden there. Yzak, from now on Athrun is your enemy." The Commander declared causing Yzak to look up at his Commander in partial disbelief. "Can you shoot him down?" The Commander asked.
This was shocking news to ZAFT, especially to Yzak.
Flay too keened up after recognizing the name, and at what Yzak was being expected to do.
Athrun Zala.
She could remember the Commander telling her this person happens to be another fellow Red coat officer and a former member of the Le Creuset team, who had been reassigned. This person was noted to have been assigned on a special mission by the council, but has returned to PLANTs with his ideals turned about. He had also refused to reveal the location of two of ZAFT's special mobile suits, which automatically brands him as a traitor to PLANT's military.
Flay's attentive gaze fell to Yzak as to everyone in the room. At the same time, Flay could not help but feel sympathetic towards him. She could recall- Kira had to go through the same situation. He was forced to choose between protecting his friends and siding with his own kind. A choice which had completely tore Kira emotionally apart. A choice that she somewhat decided for him and now partially regretted.
Which is it going to be?
Flay was kind of surprised by her sudden interest in what Yzak would do in such a situation. She had noticed- how he looked at the diagram in front of them. His forehead scrunched up in this distressed way that made him look like he really had to think about what he was going to say.
And his answer, to everyone's astonishment was bold, precise and of no hesitance. Even Flay was completely taken aback by Yzak's decision. He had looked at everyone with assurance. His eyes were clear of any trace of doubt. And his words did not even falter.
One by one, if not dead, everyone he trusts seems to be turning against him. It must have really hurt.
"Yes sir, like I would any traitor!"
Yzak was part of the military and so was everyone else aboard the Vesalius.
It was rather hard to explain- to be able to stick to the cause of the military no matter what the circumstances were… even to go as far as point a gun at someone- whom you had once worked so closely with. How could anyone casually decide on something as significant as that after having already lost so much? For someone to be able... must have taken a great amount of fortitude.
"What are you looking at?" Yzak snapped at Flay.
Flay, who had not notice she was staring, said nothing and turned her gaze away.
00000
ALERT! ALERT!
Once again, the entire ship flashed red. The sirens all around blared like mad, intending to wake up the soldiers who were resting.
Condition Red! Condition Red! The speakers repeated, motioning its crew to quickly switch into battle formation. And by this time, Flay did not have to be told. Despite the fact that she did not have a distinct position inside the Vesalius, Flay hurriedly kicked herself off bed anyway. She quickly put on her uniform and pulled on her boots before racing out from her room as quick as she could.
"Yzak Joule. Duel. Launching!"
Upon entering the bridge, Flay managed to catch a glimpse of Yzak's blue and white mobile Suit being propelled into space.
Momentarily after catching her breath, Flay stepped forward approaching the center to get a better view of the crossfire.
"Having you around the bridge has become a regular sight, my dear." The commander smiled at the fact of Flay was, bit by bit, trying to find more ways to be helpful.
The commander had noticed this side of her when Flay started showing up more frequently on bridge during battles. And it was during these times that she would take the opportunity to quietly watch, no, observe how the crew operated the systems.
While other times, she would even leave the security of her own room to bring him his lunch straight from the cafeteria.
Actually, Commander Le Creuset was quite impressed at her change of attitude. Then again, maybe he already had figure out how this change was possible. The Commander took a quick glance at the girl's back from his seat. He was completely obvious to how she was intensely watching the battlefield as if in search for something specific.
It is a shame though, thought Le Creuset. He would not be able to see her grow up any further. For he knew, Flay would be parting them soon. And this war was about to come to its end. The commander smirked, squeezing a miniature disk on the palm of his hand.
Yes, Flay will definitely be of use to him.
Flay watched the battlefield from left to right then right to left. Searching... Searching... hoping to catch even the smallest dash of dynamic white and blue amongst the many flashes of color in chaos.
Yzak will be fine. Flay found herself hoping. Because he always comes back.
She had been watching him for several days, simply, because she looked up to him.
She recognized his arrogance, his easy grace, which looks as if he was out to conquer the world. No matter that he had fought on the losing or winning side, he carried himself with pride.
He would pick himself up after every fall; tackling one obstacle after another head on. Yzak was simply a guy who never gives-up.
And by watching him... This strength of his... Flay felt a fire within herself. That is hope.