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the3pleA (sorrys about the name =/ i just like the name personally myself lol ^_^ and now i have story i can write it in but it is a real name),

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cagallifangurl (this chapter might some fun for you ^_^ no fluff - a little too soon for that- but some fun =)

And thanks to everyone who reads it =)))) it makes me out of my mind excited! ^_^

Anyhoo, here's chapter two, a bit more rushed so i didn't get as many details as I wanted in. (I'm honestly a very very detailic person, you want me to describe something to you, I will superly nice. but when I try and describe sci fi and mecha things my fantasy and real life describing plummeted down my mind toilet... oh crap)

Oh well ^_^

CHAPTER TWO

Flashback*

Athrun raised his hand, echoing my thoughts to the Captain. The Captain nodded and Athrun continued. "Just who are we assassinating?"

The Captain leaned forward in his seat, glaring at us both in turn. "Cagalli Yule Attha, Princess of ORB."

If there was ever a time for a poker face it was then, as half of me was frozen in shock at being witness to my own death operation and the other half wanted to bust a gut laughing at the insanity of the moment.

My lips twitched slightly and I fought the overwhelming desire to roll my eyes and say. "Well that might be a little hard…" After all, Cagalli Yule Attha wasn't on the Harmony- whatever poor victimized ship that was- because Cagalli Yule Attha was here, in that very room, listening to her secret death slowly being planned out. Oh, and the best part was, that she was going to be apart of it. I felt like Tom Sawyer watching down on his own funeral with his friend from the ancient classic by Mark Twain.

"The Princess of Orb is on the Harmony?" Athrun repeated, furrowing his brow. "She has left ORB's capital?"

That I have, though it's taken them a while to catch on to that fact. I've been gone from ORB for years, haven't I? I thought absentmindedly, bored now with the 'secret operation' now that I had realized that it was going to be a huge waste of all of our times. Especially mine. Hah! Kira would die laughing if he found out.

And it's not like I was in any bigger danger, even if they found out I was a Natural, as long as they didn't find out my identity as the daughter of Uzumi, chairman of ORB.

Not that being a spy penalized death but whatever.

Captain Schway nodded. "It has been rumored to us that the Princess is aboard a rouge ship that bears no flag called the Harmony. We are to track down that ship, confirm whether or not the Princess is aboard, and then destroy it either way. The Princess must be killed before she can return to ORB and resume her duties establishing peace with other nations. Neither can we afford to have a state-of-the art armed ship flying around with unclear intentions and motives. ZAFT has tried numerous times to flag down the Harmony but it has ignored us. Patrick Zala has ordered then for the destruction of the Harmony and the death of Cagalli Attha."

Athrun nodded, soaking it in and I listened, not caring in the slightest but wondering if there was some way I could smuggle a warning transition to the Harmony telling them to watch out for the Demi-god. Then again, I reflected to myself. It's not like the Harmony is a friend to ORB either. For all I know, it could be part of Blue Cosmos.

The Blue Cosmos was an organization with a clear intention of killing all Coordinators, whether good or bad. Though I was against ZAFT, I didn't support this intention at all. I disagreed with killing and all war and I had met plenty of Coordinators who were over the top nice like my close friend, Kira, whose name I was currently borrowing. Kira Yamato and Akira Yamato.

"You may all dismiss." The Captain concluded and I blinked hard, coming back to the present having completely missed the end of his speech.

I followed Athrun out, ruffling my blond hair and trying not to yawn.

"Rather interesting don't you think?"

"Hm?" I glanced back at Athrun, my senses immediately aware and guarded. Yet his expression, though unsure, was friendly as he regarded me with a smile.

I hesitated then shrugged, refusing to smile back and accept his offer of friendship. "I don't see how so."

Athrun smile slightly dimmed and I continued on. "As far as I see it, attacking Cagalli is a direct insult to ORB making them another enemy."

Athrun nodded. "Which is why," he said slowly. "We're doing it…in secret."

I frowned. "No killing remains a secret. I'm sure it will get out sooner or later." I narrowed my eyes critically, watching the ZAFT pilot carefully. I would have to inform Kira when I could that the son of the Chairman was aboard. Kira would be greatly interested in hearing that since Patrick Zala greatly opposed ORB's wishes for peace.

"Are you always so pessimistic?" Athrun asked, pausing by our shared door.

I looked at the door to my- our room, feeling uncomfortable with the reminder that I was going to share it with not just a Coordinator but a male Coordinator. "No, just logical. Seeing as the Earth Alliance has been, for the past couple years, currently trying to become allies with ORB then I doubt that ORB will suspect them, eliminating one threat out of the picture."

Athrun studied me, his expression unreadable. "Earth Alliance are trying to make a treaty with ORB?" he repeated slowly and I swore inwardly at myself.

BAKA BAKA BAKA! I shrieked at myself mentally for telling Athrun something of which ZAFT did not know but I did. Quickly I hastily lied as only a well-trained spy can. "Well, it makes sense that they would. I always figured that since both consist of primarily Natural forces,"

Athrun's gaze lifted and he sat down on the edge of his bed, folding his hands. "Hmmm, that is true. So perhaps…but would ORB agree to it?"

"Does it matter?" I asked slowly. "Either way, it seems to me that we and ORB are enemies. Does it really change anything?"

Athrun shook his head. "No… I guess not."

I watched him for another moment, mentally patting myself on the back for the quick recovery before adding as an after-thought, realizing that encouraging ORB as an enemy to the son of an aggressive chairman might not be the brightest idea as the secret representative. "However… ORB has always stuck to their traditions before of pacifism. They'll be too stubborn to change it now." I shook my head as if it was can errant thought that had flown through my mind.

He sighed and I glanced at him curiously from the corner of my eye, wondering if he would be like almost any other ZAFT soldier and show obvious disdain for the ORB nation. When his expression revealed nothing and he stayed silent I asked, feeling rather off guard. "So where to now?"

His green eyes leapt to mine curiously. "Weren't you paying attention?"

My pat on the back turned into a furious slap. "Er…yeah?" I smiled timidly and he relaxed, chuckling.

"Rookie," he berated and I shrugged, sitting down across from him.

"Dumbass." The atmosphere between the two of us was tense but more… of… well, 'now we're stuck with each other so we might as well make the best of it'.

"We're going to check in at another more advanced ZAFT base to pick up our finished and touched-up GUNDAMs." He answered and my eyes widened, my cheeks flushing.

"Eh? GUNDAMS? But…but I don't have a GUNDAM!"

He looked at me oddly. "You were piloting it yesterday," and I flushed as I remembered the Huntress. I was being assigned to a GUNDAM?

I flopped backwards, over come with it all. Kira would be having a laughing fit if it wasn't all so dangerous- in which case he would be reduced to a puddle of worry and be demanding that I return to... where? As far as I knew it wasn't safe for me to be in ORB either.

How ironic it seemed that I was safer here where I had been assigned to the Huntress, placed in a room with a male Coordinator, not to mention the son of Patrick Zala, chairman of ZAFT who was greatly opposed to ORB's, my father's and my own ideals, while operating the mission Assassin with Cagalli Yule Attha as the target.
Was there anything I was missing in the midst of all that fun?

I glanced over at Athrun who was looking away, lost in thought like me. I couldn't believe that out of all my luck I had to meet him! My practical opposite. As I was the Princess of ORB he was the Knight of ZAFT!

I squeezed my eyes shut. Kira, the sooner you come to get me, the better!

OOOO

Athrun watched the un-composed pilot before him who had flopped backwards on her bed. Well at least she hasn't punched me again. He reflected, amused, rubbing his jaw as the memory collided with him caring nearly the same impact as her punch.

Most girls he met would normally always giggle and bat their eyes him, blushing and swooning but Akira certainly didn't live up to that standard, her version of a greeting being a sharp fist to the face.

She seemed uncouth, uncaring, rude yet clearly skilled and intelligent. He wondered if she would allow him to get to know her and doubted it at once. There was something about her that was so locked off and guarded that Athrun felt like an intruder even talking to her. She carried an odd dignity that didn't seem to fit a ZAFT pilot and she walked with a tense air as if any second someone might open fire at her.

He wondered what kind of life she had lived up till now that would force her to be such a fierce young woman.

"Eh? You're quiet, just what are you thinking, Zala?" Akira cocked her head up, propping herself up on her elbows, watching Athrun right back, her violet eyes cold.

But Athrun was sure had seen them with a look of sorrow in them when he had first seen her. A look so sad that he had felt the strangest of urges… A compelling to…hug her and tell her that everything would-

Athrun shook his head, his dark blue hair rustling about his ears. "Nothing." He answered both her and his mind. He had also thought he had seen them with a look of fear when she had learned who he was. It didn't make sense. Most ZAFT soldiers always treated him with respect and awe though he never asked for it. Or maybe I'm full of myself? Athrun thought bemused.

I bet that under all of that cold exterior she is very nice, a gentle and warm person just as much as a tough and strong one. The random thought that flickered through his mind momentarily threw Athrun off his game and he looked down at his left hand, staring hard at his ring-finger which would one day bear the gold band that would tie him to his fiancé, Lacus Clyne, the famous pop-singer and daughter of Senator Clyne.

Akira sat up. "Well…" she said, rolling her shoulders. "I'm going to head out, Zala. Go work on my shooting and all that…" she trailed off while standing and walking to the door way, waving her hand at him absentmindedly.

As soon as she was gone Athrun flopped backwards, staring up at the ceiling blankly.

"You idiot." He mumbled. "Get your head screwed on straight!"

OOOO

"Archangel! Launching!" Captain Raimus declared from her seat in the Brigg, watching their climb to the heavens.

Beside her stood Kira Yamato and Yuna Roma, two mobile suit pilots who were being sent with the Archangel to get Cagalli Yule Attha, the daughter of Uzumi-san, chairman of ORB.

"Do we know anything of her whereabouts?" Yuna, young blue-dyed haired senator with squinty brown eyes.

Kira glanced at him and shook his head, frowning. "The last time we talked, all I knew was that she was about to be assigned in ZAFT."

Captain Raimus sighed. "I do not mean to sound questioning of the Princess but was that really the wisest thing to do? I mean, it's wonderful that she survived the tragedy of Junis Seven because of that, despite the loss of her previous crew, but honestly…"

Kira crossed his arms loosely over his chest, swallowing tightly. He thought the s same. Cagalli was a dear friend to him and the idea of her in danger worried him and right now, even though she was under cover she was still in enormous amounts of danger. "The Princess has assured me that she is completely safe and that they don't suspect her at all. Also she has been supplying ORB with ZAFT military information for the past couple years that has greatly helped ORB."

Captain Raimus sighed. "I guess there's no arguing with that." She agreed, dragging her hand through her thick brown hair. "And it's not like she's ever listened to us before." She rolled her eyes, resting her face in the palm of her hand.
"She likes to improvise." Yuna threw in helpfully and Kira groaned in agreement.

"Oh I remember… Her last stunt left a scar on my mind." Captain Raimus interjected dryly and Kira coughed, wondering what she could possibly mean and afraid to ask all at the same time.

"Preparing ship for space!" a Archangel operator called and Captain Raimus gripped her seat's arm rests lightly in h hands. "Alright crew, let's bring home our Princess!"

OOOO

I waited till exhaustion was yapping at my heels before I gave in and slid wearily into my dorm room. Thankfully soft, slow breathing sounds came from the bed across from mine and after taking a deep breath, my face completely red, I grabbed my pajamas and locked myself in the bathroom. Nervously I brushed my teeth, changed into my pajamas and then slowly popped my contacts out. I nearly dropped one in the sink in the process as my hand was trembling slightly.

Spy or no spy, sharing a room with a guy was driving me crazy!

At last I hopped out and slid into my welcoming comfortable bed, turning my back Athrun's sleeping form and trying to ignore his existence.

I had secretly checked his alarm earlier before setting mine to an earlier hour, he woke at six I would be up at five which gave me a total of six hours to sleep and refresh my exhausted Natural body.

Wonderful.

My heart was pounding, and I felt like I was on enormous sugar rush. "Just sleep, just go to sleep." I mumbled to myself, blinking my now-amber eyes in the darkness. It was hard though. Night was always the worst time for me. It was when my Akira-façade shattered and I became Cagalli, left to deal with the after math of the day, the week, the month, basically my whole life from the moment it went hay wire.

I scrunched my eyes shut as a burning sensation filled them, I would not cry! But it only hurt worse as the images of Junis Seven exploded practically fresh into my mind.

It had been hard enough having to live as a 'Coordinator' in a different world with my crew, Mana and Kisaka. But when they were gone, life only got worse. I missed them, my heart ached for each one of them and I was left alone. A spy on a mission; a pilot-in-training; a Natural with a secret identity; a girl who had locked her own heart away. And suddenly I was a young Natural girl left alone in PLANT with no idea what to do except to stay in ZAFT. I couldn't return to ORB it wasn't safe for me and they hadn't come to get me…

I shuddered, clinging to my blankets. ORB meant the world to me… but when it came time to return… could I make myself do it? Face the past and go back?

This time it will be different. I whispered, forcing myself to not remember the one memory that tore at my heart like no other.

But Kira promised that he would. And soon, and then I can just leave and not be hurt any more.

I curled up beneath the covers, tugging a pillow over my head. No matter how touch I may act, I felt like a little girl lost in a big city with no promise of ever getting home.

"Buck up, Cagalli!" I muttered to myself. "Jeezums, you're such a crybaby!" I sounded exactly like how I would tease Kira when he would cry.

Now I know how he felt, how good it felt to cry every night so that the next day I wouldn't be burdened. So that the next day I had washed Cagalli away and was ready to be Akira, picking up every tidbit of information and I filing it away for ORB.

I sighed wearily. It was going to be a long night.

OOOOO

In the middle of the night a slight scream made Athrun jolt up from his seat.

"What the-!" he gasped in alarm, spinning dazedly about, rubbing the bleariness from his eyes. "A-Akira?"

Getting up, he slowly crossed to the young woman's bed, looking down at her. Her eyes were tightly closed by they seemed slightly wet and her fists were clenched over her mouth as if blocking her scream.

"Nononononoooo. This can't be happening! Don't kill her! Please… Please…"

Athrun's eyes widened. "She's asleep!" he murmured in surprise and he felt a twinge in him as he saw an expression of anguish break across Yamato's face. He extended a hand to her, intending to wake her up from her night mare.

"Please… please don't die.. I'm sorry.. just come back." Akira whispered in a broken voice when suddenly her body grew tense.

Athrun froze, one hand held over her, wondering if her night mare was over. A minute passed then he heard the growl of a rabid tiger.

"Just what the hell are you doing by my bed in the middle of the night?"

Athrun swallowed tightly, glancing down to meet Akira's eyes that were glaring hard at him. He blinked. It must be the darkness, but it almost appeared as if Akira's eyes were different. He shook his head and retreated hastily, the sight of her body tensing under her covers filling him with alarm. He wouldn't put it past the violent young pilot to punch him in the face for waking up to him hanging over her. "No no no! It's not what you think! You had a night mare."

There was a shifting in her bed and he saw the outline of her body sit up, her head was bowed so that her golden bangs fell over her face, hiding her eyes from sight. "What did you hear?" she hissed.

"What?"

"Did I say anything?" she demanded.

Athrun hesitated but seeing her fists at her side he chose life over honesty. "No." he said, stammering slightly.

Akira seemed to watch him hard for another moment before turning crossly and flopping back into bed. "Just let me sleep, okay. Stuff some cotton in your ears or whatever but… don't listen to me…"

Athrun stared at her for a moment longer before sliding into bed. After a minute or so passed he heard Akira release a slow, trembling sigh.

Athrun turned his back to her, suddenly remembering that she was…well a she… and that she was in the same room. His face tinged a pink color and he forced him self to think of other things. For instance. What was Akira's dream about?

OOOOO

It was in the middle of her martial arts practice that the 'not most welcome voice in the world' called. "Need a partner?"

I looked up in surprise to see Athrun Zala walking across the ship's small belly where I had been touching-up on my kicks.

I saluted slightly and he waved it way, shrugging off his jacket.

I flushed. Despite my confident in my prowess I was a Natural and it was hard for me to keep up with Coordinators. However, sometimes they were also put up with my style of sparring which was different from what the ZAFT academies taught.

"No weapons?" I confirmed, my brow furrowed, frowning.

He raised his eyebrows as if perplexed and I flushed. Kisaka, my practical second father, had always trained me for the worst. Whatever it might be.

"Of course." Athrun replied smoothly and after watching him for a moment I nodded and leaned in a slight bow before assuming a fighting position. Athrun also bowed at the waist, his arms straight at the side and brought his hands up into a guarding position. His eyes became a slightly vauge looking, but I knew the expression well. Coordinator's eyes became vaugish when they were sizing their opponent up, putting everything they could figure out about the person together, from their build to the way they stood.

I bounced lightly on my toes, needing every bit of my speed, though, pointing my feet slightly in for when I needed to drop my weight as a leverage.

We circled eachother like wolves, snarling and biting, trying to get the other to slip up. When we realized that neither was going to telegraph a move to the other, Athrun snapped forward, running forward.

Unsure of what was going to do, I parried him to the side quickly dodging him and flinging a hook kick to the back his head, my body spinning as I did from my fast momentum.

Athrun spun at the last second, grabbing my leg and I flinched mentally as he caught it by the calf with his forearms before sliding his hands down it and twisting it, trying to throw me the ground.

Swearing slightly, I used his hand as a spring board, flinging myself into the air, a snap-kick to the bottom of his jaw.

Surprise lit his deep green eyes and he tightened his grasp on my calf and threw me to the side.

I hit the ground hard, going into a fast roll and coming up quickly, but not quickly enough as Athrun flew at me with a shuffle-side kick, his heel catching me in the stomach. My breath exploded from my lungs and my eyes widened.

Just when I bent over slightly, his fist came in and punched the corner of my right eye.

Panic flashed through me and I saw regret in his- it hadn't been his intention to catch me in the face, I had only bent at the wrong moment.

CRAP! I blinked, my right eye sore. My contact was moving slightly.

Swearing I regained my feet and, keeping my right eye closed until my contact readjusted, I flew at Athrun, punching and kicking while smartly dodging. Once I was sure it was purple again, I opened my eye and put in all my energy into fighting.

I hook-kicked him in the jaw, and I was filled with satisfaction. We were two rather evenly matched fighters but I wasn't an idiot. Athrun was keeping his reserves while I was going all out.

He was going easy on me and he didn't even know I was a Natural. That just pisses me off!

Something in my head snapped and as he flew at me with a hook punch I grabbed his arm in motion, spun, thrust my hip into his, using leverage, and flipped him over my back.

But then Athrun did something that no one had ever done to me when I had performed the hip-throw. He performed the counter throw to a hapkido move that they traditionally didn't teach ZAFT.

Before he could hit the ground, he grabbed me in certain positions that triggered releases (pressure points) making me loose and he flipped me over his own falling body, slamming against the ground just as he hit the wooden planks.

Shocked, my head hit the ground with a sharp crack, knocking out all the bubbling fury I felt with a fresh wave of pain. Oh I was going to have a head ache for sure after this.

"A-Akira? Akira, are you okay?" A worried voice entered my throbbing mind and woozily I blinked open my eyes, trying to keep tears of pain and shame from swimming in my eyes. Just because I was the weaker one didn't make losing any easier to accept to my pride.

"D-dumbass…" I mumbled, looking blearily into his eyes. His eyes that were pools of emerald, a whirpool of green that seemed to only suck me deeper and deeper in to a world I-.

I stopped and closed my eyes. What was going on? Just how hard did I hit my head anyway? We were sparring on a wood floor with out any safty gear which was not the saftest thing I had ever done.

"Akira?" Nervous concern filled Athrun's voice and the arm that he had locked under me moved to cradle the back of my head up. My eyes slid open of their own concern as my spirit returned and I narrowed my eyes into a glare when Athrun's own were…

His eyes went from alarmed to a smile as he saw the fiery fury fill my violet ones. "Can you stand? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to swing you that hard. I didn't know that you were taught Hapkido."

Right back at you, I thought sourly, my secret-weapon now useless as Athrun seemed to know the counter-attacks. Grumpy and trying to push back this odd sense of wonder that was teeming in the pit of my stomach, I shook my head, lights dancing in my eyes before I climbed to my feet, Athrun's hand unnecasssaril on my elbow.

A relieved look crossed Athrun's face and he sighed. "I was really worried there for a moment."

Realizing that I was staring at him incredulous he blinked in puzzlement. "What?"

I shook my head, feeling slightly flustered with all the special attention from someone I barely knew. Then I remembered last night and I turned my head away, wondering if perhaps Athrun was really a not-so-good guy.

Not that it matters. Or anything… It doesn't change anything at all, in fact.

When I glanced back at Athrun, hands on my hips I was put off guard by his expression.

He was regarding- as if unaware of it himself- a deep smile, crease lines at the corners of his eyes that made his eyes smile at me, his green eyes vast warm pools and as my eyes connected with his, a spark zapped from somewhere inside of me making a warm tingle spread through out me.

Athrun seemed to have gotten the same effete cuz his green eyes widened as if he noticed something he hadn't quite seen before, but yet, still couldn't quite understand what it meant.

Hell, I don't even know what the crap all that just meant!

I turned away, smacking both of my cheeks lightly with my palms, feeling terribly irritated and confused and annoyed and not quite sure why to any of them.

"You sure you're okay? Cause you're not waling straight, Yamato." Athrun called to me as I headed to the door.

And I frowned. So what if I maybe just gained a concussion, I could tough this out; especially if I didn't want a doctor to examine my head to confirm an injury.

Suddenly a voice then boomed over the speakers.

-GUNDAM pilots please report to the Captain's office in four hours to cover the facts concerning the Assassin Target of the Demi-god. Images, known facts and other useful information will be provided once ZAFT headquarters files them in to our data base..-

"Oh, perhaps they mean pictures of her?" Athrun suggested mildly from behind me and I froze. "Well that would be incredibly useful for identifying her, right Yamato?"

"Yeah… super." I forced weakly as my mind went into a mental uproar.

OH HELL NO!

My fists clenched and I looked up at the ceiling in the direction of the Captain's office where they would be awaiting the revealing of details. My eyes narrowed and I frowned. Looks like I was going to have to do some tampering before the Captain saw it. All I needed was to get rid of appearance description, as long as the rest wasn't state secrets then I didn't care.

And what the Captain didn't know he was missing didn't hurt.

"Akira?" Athrun asked curiously, but I didn't look back or responde for I had already broken into a run. Four hours, tick tock, tick tock.

Yeahh, I know, shorter, probably not as awesome as the first but I had already had this written so I was like: oh might as well add this in ^_^

but it was fun none the less, I would have probably gone into more detail with the sparring scene ( i have done karate for eight loong years of my life ^_^ looove it 333 ) but i didn't want to bore you. And that last part, hmmmm, idk, Athrun always seems to me like one of those poor sappy guys, those guys who have love at first sights, ya know?

Cagalli,,, yeah, well good luck with her, Athrun, you can have fun quoting Romeo to her balcony as she finds the heaviest object that she can throw.

Oops, talking to myself, lol my bad

Now, anyhoo, after writing down that chapter the least you can do is click that magical button at the bottom which is my wardrobe to Narnia cuz i flipping freak out at every single review! But anyway, i'm just happy that y'all read it and enjoyed it. =) thanks and have a great weekend =)

R&R questions, comments, critics, advice- anything anything anything

ahhhhhhh

i looveee ittttt

... i sound like an uber freak now

oooh snap i'm talking to myself again! don't look at me! i'm a hidious person! *runs away*

till next time *salutes*

churrio

-Azetta

ps. apologies for any crappy mispellings, mistakes and so forth =(