Shirou stared out into the heavens above, he wasn't alone because by his side he had his buddy Apollo with him. They did this kind of stuff all the time, staying out late, getting into trouble, fighting each other in the mobile suits. It had become routine, but this night was different, the stars shined brightly and a meteor shower passed over. Streaks of light illuminated the sky and it amazed Shirou.
"Aren't the stars pretty," Apollo whispered.
"Apollo," Shirou said, "one day we'll touch those stars." He looked at Apollo as he was expecting an answer.
"Yeah," Apollo replied, "I promise we will." He continued to stare out into the night sky. The meteor shower continued and Shirou imagined the future. He and Apollo would be flying together in space and fight each other on the grandest stage. They would entertain the entire world one day with their brilliant display. In his heart, he knew that one day that would be true. They'd both be in their own mobile suits, and their battle would astound the world.
The summer dragged on, and he Apollo grew into two capable pilots, many people, including guys from the military came out to watch them fly across the vast expanse of the ocean surrounding Onogoro Island. They'd spar and race around trying to see what else they could do, soon the military guys began joining in as a way to train in a very carefree way. The officers from the defense force were strong, and Shirou and Apollo grew as pilots as they kept battling against them. Shirou and Apollo went to that same hill at the end of the summer and looked out into the sky, the stars shined brightly as always.
"School is starting soon, Apollo," Shirou stated rather bluntly.
"I know, " he replied.
"We're going into high school, Apollo, aren't you at least a bit scared."
"No, I'm not because I got you by my side and you have me," Apollo told him, "and as long as I'm there you'll be alright." He got up and held his hand out to Shirou, "come on let's go." Shirou grabbed his hand and remembered the warmth from it. He was absolutely sure, confident that with Apollo they could do anything, be anything they wanted to be.
However a rift grew between Apollo and Shirou after Apollo's father died later that year. They began seeing each other less and less as they grew into their teenage years and before long Shirou stopped seeing him altogether. Shirou received many accolades from ORB's military as he grew closer to them and went on to study at the UHFS Military Academy, departing from his home in Onogoro and going to North America to finish his studies and training.
The physical training was grueling and his studies were just as hard. Everyday they'd run, climb, shoot and fight, and every evening would be spent studying everything from Battle tactics, Algebra, English, and Literature. He had many friends while he was there like Crow and Atlas, but no one like Apollo, who'd sneak out late at night to watch a meteor shower. No one that he could really talk about everything with, dreams and aspirations like Apollo. But Crow and Atlas stuck with him, without them Shirou felt like he would have failed out of the academy long before they graduated.
During his time, in the academy he met Reina Kimura. She was one year his senior. Shirou first met her in the cafeteria after he lost a battle sim to some of her classmates. When she walked in, Shirou was attracted to her beauty. However at first, she came off very abrasive in contrast to her good looks, but Shirou realized it was all with good intentions because her advice allowed him to beat her classmates repeatedly. They continued spending time and talking to each other throughout the remainder of her time in the academy. They became really good friends during that time and as the days at the academy passed, Shirou looked forward to seeing her. Atlas and Crow thought that Shirou had a crush on her, and he admitted that he did, but he wanted to focus on his studies and let her focus on her studies too. He later attended her graduation ceremony and wished her luck as she went off to serve the UHFS on active duty.
A year later, after the entire process, he graduated with Atlas and Crow at the age of 19. Then he was assigned to serve with them the Eternal. Meeting the Mobile Suit Piloting elite like Shinonome Sayaka, Zachariah Zala, and the Captain Joash Connor who'd served in the past as an elite mobile suit pilot. Also serving as the mobile suit elite on the Eternal was Reina Kimura. He was excited at first that they'd continue where they left off.
But then he found his long lost childhood friend...
Aboard the Eternal he finally is reunited with Apollo only to find out he was a criminal. That the reason why they split up was that he went off and helped the Black Flag rise to power in exchange for money. Albeit, the money went to his heartbroken mother, Shirou realized that his friend did some bad things during his time. That maybe he had changed because of his time with them. But Shirou forgave his sins, he was just glad they were finally together again.
Apollo fulfilled the promise he made all those years ago and battled Shirou. It ended in a draw, but Shirou felt like he had won knowing that they finally got to fight in space like he had always imagined. Then, suddenly he ripped apart from him. Realizing that everything was crashing down upon them, Apollo made the ultimate sacrifice to protect those aboard the Eternal. Shirou realized Apollo hadn't changed, he was the same good kid he knew back when they were kids. His service with the Black Flag somehow made him stronger in heart that no number of years in the academy could've trained him to be. Apollo jumped into the darkness of the void and created a way for the Eternal to escape, but in doing so he lost his life. Shirou distraught at first had no time to think about it as he was soon called to duty to fight against an unknown enemy.
He, Crow, Atlas, Reina, and Shinonome flew out to defend the battered Eternal from this enemy. In doing so, Shirou received his first taste of war, and it disgusted him. Despite overpowering his enemies, he knew that at the receiving end of his sword was another life. But that wasn't the end of it. An enemy unleashed its deadly arsenal of funnels instantly killing Crow and his comrades. Unable to do anything about it he continued on fighting for him, but then the enemy received additional reinforcements from a Crimson one-eyed mobile suit unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It was quick and decisive in its movements and strategy. Before long Atlas died trying to fight the crimson mobile suit and Shirou would've died then too if it wasn't for Zachriah Zala and Shinonome Sayaka coming to his aid.
He watched Zachariah from the window inside the briefing room aboard the Eternal. But he couldn't focus as his mind went elsewhere. At that moment he realized that Atlas, Crow, Apollo, they were all gone. Soon the battle between Zachariah and the crimson mobile suit ended, Zachariah sustained major injuries and the Eternal all of a sudden felt a lot more empty. 20 people out of the 600 aboard the Eternal died between the time the Eternal left Armory One and the time they first received communications from the Nahel Argama. Shirou had no idea what to feel, the images of their deaths filled his head and he couldn't do anything about it. The hours that passed felt like days as he wrapped his head around the traumatic stress he felt.
Shirou stood on one of the observation decks and looked outside. He saw the many stars out there and clutched his fists, holding back the tears. He remembered the times he spent with Atlas, Crow, and Apollo and wished he could keep doing it again. The battles on Onogoro Island, the training at the Academy, and looking out into the heavens with his best friend. Then he felt a warm hand touch his back. Shirou looked and saw Reina looking back at him.
"Why does it have to be like this," Shirou said, "first, Apollo, then Atlas, Crow, Daniel..." He was interrupted by Reina. Who had happened to join him on the observation deck.
"I know, I know, we all lost our friends out there, " Reina assured him, "we just have to be strong for those we still have left." Shirou felt so swayed by her words, that he fell into her arms and cried into her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him and held him closer. He felt the warmth and embraced it. "Apollo, told me when we first met that as long as he was there we'd be alright," Reina said looking into his reddened eyes, "now I'll tell you as long as I'm here that maybe things won't be great, but at least you'll have a shoulder to cry on."
Shirou looked at her and saw her tears flowing and rested his head on her shoulder. He rested his head on her shoulder, and she leaned her head on his. The warmth he felt reminded him of the last time he talked to Apollo before that fateful summer ended. He felt confident and got past his fears an doubts, instead of being reminded of his friends' deaths he treasured the beautiful moment with the one that was still alive. She ran her hands through his hair as he calmed down. Shirou looked up to her and saw her face and realized something."Reina, you mean the world to me," he said out loud. Reina was shocked.
"I love you, Reina," Shirou stated while he wiped the tears off his face. Knowing he said this at probably the worst time, he went with it knowing that if tomorrow he died he would've died with regrets as well as knowing that if tomorrow she died he would have to live out the rest of his life with that pain of never confessing his love to her. "Reina, I love you," he said while putting his hand on her shoulder and looking into her eyes. "Reina, I love you," he said for a third time as he laid his forehead on hers and brushed aside her hair. "How many times, do I have to..."
Then all the world stood still, Shirou lost the ability to speak, but he felt pure bliss. Her lips interlocked with his own, and he let the moment happen. Shirou wrapped his arms around her and Reina placed hers behind his neck. They released for a moment and went back it again.
"Shirou," Reina said while catching her breath. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled and they held each other once more while looking at the stars, "Aren't they pretty, the stars?"
"Well Apollo, we did it, now we're touching them," Shirou thought to himself ."Ah, Reina, hoshi ga kirei da (The stars are pretty, Reina)," he told her. He looked at Reina and smiled. Shirou placed his hand in hers and they held hands for the first time.