So so so so sorry about the really long waits you are all enduring! I've been trying to write but I keep hitting writers black amidst a stream of homework, projects and endless testing. My school year is almost over so hopefully when it ends I will have more time and an easier summer.

I've been working every spare minute I get on this chapter and I hope you enjoy it!

Phase 11 - I'm With You

Each wave crashed with a rhythm that echoed the unreal. Birds flew overhead together, untouched by the trouble world they passed over. The setting sun laid an aura or peace on the scene with colors of beauty and rays of light glistening like hope through a few scattered clouds. Wind blew around her in a pattern that soothed her numb soul. This was what she had missed from space, for nothing up there could compare to the beauty of watching the sun fade over the ocean so blue. This was something she didn't deserve to see, for she had killed many and would kill many more. It was wrong for her to survive in luxury while the innocent suffered so much. She would watch it no longer. She turned quickly only to have her eyes meet another pair of eyes like her own; filled with sorrow and confusion.

No sound was heard as their eyes locked for the first time, it was as if silent lighting had struck the earth and there would be a thunderous sound to follow yet the lightning lingered. Yaro's serene blue with her ashy violet. It was as if there was no one else in existence and the world had stopped turning.

"Hi," Yaro said breaking the silence.

"Hi," Meiko said cautiously finally exhaling a breath she did not remember holding. Something about him seemed so familiar and so real that she wondered who he was. He had the same feelings about her for as soon as her eyes met him a something about her struck him as if they had somehow met before.

"I'm Yaro," he said trying to learn her name.

"That's a nice name," she said not smiling, he noticed a hardness in her eyes that wasn't evident unless one really looked for it, "do you often come to the cliffs?" She asked. She had no intention of giving him her name. She did not want to establish connections with anyone else in this nation, for if ROW had it's way the whole nation would be destroyed. She nodded politely to him and began to walk off. She was in a hurry to leave while Yaro wanted her to stay.

"Wait." he said stopping her, she turned back to him feeling the strange sensation again as his eyes met wither hers, "What's your name?" She frowned at his question and looked down before turning to walk away once again. He grabbed her arm in an attempt to stop her and she whirled around quickly as if to hit him but once his eyes met hers again she was immobilized. Who was he? How could he have such an effect on her? It was as if she was unable to think, his mind blurred hers and she was unable to decide whether or not to give him her name or to keep walking. As her heart rate increase she fought a battle within her self on what to do.

"My name is Meiko," she said finally giving in.

"Where are you from?" More questions. She couldn't afford to make friends, they were all doomed here.

"I don't know," she responded taking a step back, "but I'm late for something I have to go."

"Wait," he said once again making her very anxious.

"You know if I were you," she said stopping whatever he had planned on saying, "I would stay away from me." Her words shocked him long enough for her to escape. As soon as she was out of his sight she ran as fast as she could till she made it back to her home. She worked to catch her breath while her brain kept trying to figure it all out. Who was this boy that he could effect her this way?

Cagalli stood near a large window staring out at her country below, it was such a place of peace and of strength. She had done so much to build it up, to make it stronger than her father had made it, she had done this all to honor him, Uzumi Nara Attha. The sun was near set and it's golden rays were dimming enough to look into it. She sighed as she felt a peace every time she stood here, for it was here that she used to talk to her father. She still felt like he was was alive and in a way he was, inside of her and inside of her sons. She wondered often if she was being a good mother to them; she had left much of their care to nanny's but she still loved them. Her duties were such a large burden that when she was younger she often thought about handing her position off to one of the council members but standing here had always made her change her mind. She had worked to hard for peace to let it all go now.

"Cagalli," Athrun walked into the room, his presence immediately giving her joy. She was so glad that she had met him when she had, though they both had been scared teenagers at the time they had been able to change the world together. She smiled as he embraced her and kissed her. When they broke apart they both looked out the window together as they often did but she sensed something was up with him.

"What is it?" she asked softly. He looked at her with a slight smile.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've begun looking into finding Yaro's parents," Athrun said.

"Are you sure that this is the right course of action?" Cagalli asked, "what will Kira and Lacus say?"

"I believe Yaro has a right to know," Athrun replied, "and I believe if Kira and Lacus were here and knew what he wanted that they would take this same course of action. Whoever his parents were probably died in the wars anyway. It's very unlikely that his past is dark and to foreboding for him to find out."

"But what if it is?" Cagalli asked, "what if there is some terrible secret to his birth like there was to me and Kira's?"

"It's highly unlikely Cagalli," Athrun said calming her, "but if there is something that is too dark, I will consult Kira and Lacus before letting him know."

"Good," Cagalli sighed as the last but of the sun disappeared over the hills, "continue then, but be careful."

First day of school since he got back. Uzumi smiled, the realization that he was finally home had hit him late the night before. The shock of fighting for his life with Lacus had been a lot to handle, he had not let his own weakness show. He was a Prince of ORB and though he would stay strong through everything, it was still nice for him to be back in a normal and peaceful place.

"I don't see how mobile suit classes at a private school are going to help us," Yaro said grumbling and staring out the window, "why can't you're dad just teach us?" Uzumi expected Yaro to protest earlier than this, so far he had kept himself quiet but Uzumi knew that he would complain at some point.

"My dad doesn't have the time," Uzumi responded, "and this is for your own good Yaro, what you showed in space is that you need a lot more training before you can handle a mobile suit." Yaro turned away and didn't say anything the rest of the drive; Uzumi knew that he was thinking about the incidents in space and wondering what he could have done better.

The limo soon pulled up behind the school, where it avoided attention, and the two boys stepped out. Their uniforms were neatly arranged as the queen's stylist had been assigned to make sure the Prince looked his best on his first day back. Yaro was not surprised by the prim air of the school, the students were mostly kids who were hoping to make the military and a lot of them had military families, of which they were very proud. This place was sure to be an interesting atmosphere after fighting in space. Uzumi walked forward and Yaro followed him onto the school grounds. Uzumi began immediately to search for her, the girl he had met a day earlier. He had wondered about her since he met her, there seemed to be something about her he knew yet he couldn't figure it out. Anyhow he had told her he'd help her find her way around, and he meant to keep that statment if she'd let him; she seemed to be very strong willed.

"Where are we going Uzumi?" Yaro asked. Uzumi smiled at his cousins question and continued through the halls, he didn't see her and they had to get to class. They were almost there when he saw her walking toward the same class him and Yaro had, her uniform a little messy and her head down and defeated. He once again wondered about her but quickly approached her.

"Hey," he said when he realized that Yaro had said it at the same time.

"You know her," they both said together not even noticing Meiko's confused then horrified look which she was able to quickly mask with calm. This was not a situation she would have ever wanted. Her heart beat sped up at the sight of Yaro and her mission was Uzumi and somehow they were friends.

"I met her yesterday morning," Uzumi replied.

"And I met her yesterday evening," Yaro said they both looked toward her, her expression was unreadable to either of them.

"And neither of you know me very well," Meiko said putting on a smirk, she was ready to play her role and she would not let Yaro affect her, "In fact neither of you has had more than an eight minute conversation with me, so I suggest you don't make assumptions about me being your friend. We will be classmates, schoolmates and after we have gotten to know each other we might be friends but who knows we might end up hating each other." With that she walked into the classroom very glad that she was able to escape them both. She also was glad that despite the way Yaro effected her she had been able to continue with her job without letting him get to her. She was stronger than she had thought but she wondered how long her confidence would last.

Yaro and Uzumi both walked into class after her. Uzumi was surprised at what had just transpired, she seemed so much more confident at that moment it made him wonder about her more. Yaro on the other hand was completely smitten by her confident attitude, he concluded that he would somehow find a way to get to know her better.

As the class began the realization began to dawn on Meiko, she would most likely hurt both Uzumi and Yaro in her mission.

Leyas sat on the stairs staring at the large door of Cagalli's mansion. She had convinced the boys to leave for school without her saying that she was not ready and would ride in another car, the truth was that she had no intention of going. It was hard enough to be away from her home but acting as if this was home now would torture her to no end. She had not been able to sing or play music since leaving her house. She missed her safe harbor, her beautiful music.

"What are you still doing here," she heard a voice and turned to see her aunt Cagalli at the top of the stairs. She had been caught, though it wasn't as if she was putting to much effort into hiding. Standing up Leyas faced her aunt.

"I have no intention of attending a military institution at this time in my life, especially not one in ORB; no offense to your country but it's not my home," Leyas then began to walk down the rest of the stairs.

"Wait Leyas," she stopped and she saw Cagalli walking down toward her. She crossed her arms and looked her aunt in the eye. She reminded Cagalli so much of Kira with her large violet eyes filled with determination Cagalli thought of this as she spoke, "we do not wish to make you unhappy here, believe me I know everything that you are going through." Leyas listened as her aunt continued, "I was once taken from my home and thrust into war, and I fought for my life everyday on the battlefield believing that ORB was gone and that I would never be able to return. While on that battlefield I was glad that I had training on how to handle myself and after all my battles were over I was able to return home. What we are fighting for now is peace. No one says you have to go to the battlefiled, but I am telling you now that sometimes the battlefield comes to you even when you don't want it. You have to be prepared for anything." Tears filled Leyas's eyes as everything she was feeling began to surface.

"It's just so hard to think about," Leyas said, "I don't want to fight and I don't want any of them to fight! I want peace back." Cagalli hugged the crying girl.

"I know Leyas," Cagalli said, "I know." When Cagalli let her go Leyas dried her eyes.

"I guess I should ask you to call a car, I don't know my way to school," Leyas said trying to smile.

"I will then Leyas," Cagalli said, "and if you ever need anyone to talk to you know me and Athrun are here." Leyas smiled at this knowing it was true. Cagalli watched as Leyas left realizing that she did not fully know how her own son was doing, he had shut her out. Uzumi had fought desperately on the battlefield and since his return he had not really spoken very much to her, granted she had never been the kind of mother to question her children of their days and offer her advice, but for the first time she was shocked at herself. She knew Lacus's children were used to codling and she had tried to help them adjust but now she wondered about her own son. What was he feeling?

Second day of school. Kiran was so far enjoying all the subjects he was learning but he wondered how it would all help him. The whole place seemed to pretend to train soliders when it really seemed to teach basic education like the education he got in the PLANTs. Today I was finally in a class that sounded like a real military class, it was mobile suit lab training. They were learning how to construct mobile suits, granted it was just the basics it was more than he was getting from any of his other classes.

He heard someone call his name and looked up smiling as he saw Alicesia walking toward him.

"Hey!" She said with a smile sitting next to him but before he could respond the teacher walked in and immediately began talking.

"Ok class, as you know we are working with some high tech equipment in this class," Kiran was amazed he didn't even give an intro he just jumped right into things, "so as such it can be dangerous so I am assigning you all lab partners to keep you accountable." He quickly handed out sheets of paper to everyone who all started talking as soon as he stopped talking.

"Who'd you get?" Kiran asked Alicesia not even looking at his. She smiled in a sly way.

"Why don't you look at yours first?" she asked him folding hers up. He frowned and unfolded his paper, reading it quickly.

"It says I'm with you?" he said confused.

"Yes," Alicesia said, "and guess what I'm with you! We're partners!" She smiled really big, she was excited! She had never had a cool lab partner before and she often found herself annoyed with whoever the teacher assigned her.

"So I guess this class is going to be pretty easy partner!" Kiran said with a laugh.

This was their time finally; all the information they had accumulated over the past few months had led to this moment. Meyrin smiled as her pilots and captains stood around her in the briefing room, it was time for the new Minerva to show that it was now the strongest ship in the world.

"The ROW base we are about to attack is not heavily armed," Meryin spoke with authority, "but like any base or outpost it could contain vital information on what ROW's true plan's are. We are going in there to take it out without killing too many people; the more captives we have the more people we have to answer our questions." She pointed to the map, "We haven't see the base yet, but we know it is in this area based on information we have obtained through some very messy sources. We are only here now because evidence that this base is important in ROW's plans has surfaced."

"Is the evidence sufficient enough to where we know this attack will make a dent in their forces?" Shinn asked her a little skeptical about this mission. He had obtained some of the information himself but he still had his doubts that this base made much of a difference to ROW.

"It is sufficient enough for our superiors and therefore it is sufficient enough for us," Meyrin said, "I have already told you all the plan of attack many times; we will move in quickly in stealth mode. We will then launch our mobile suit teams led by the Destiny and the Impulse - after that the Minerva will attack strong and hard, at which point our mobile suit teams will retreat behind the ship. Any Questions?" No one spoke up so Meyrin took a step back.

"Be ready in two hours," Meyrin said, "we are nearing our target and we will take it out."

Meiko walked quickly down the halls of the large school. It was time for lunch and she was glad to be out of boring classes that only taught things she knew very well. Yaro and Uzumi had been in both of her classes in the morning and it had been very hard for her. She was trying to be friends with Uzumi yet she found herself constantly distracted by Yaro, there was something about him that made it hard for her to ignore him. This was new for her, she was used to being on top of everything but today she didn't know what was going on. As she walked down the halls something began pressing on her mind and she heard music. A piano playing a simple piece in the key of A minor, something she shouldn't know. She blinked trying to get it out of her head but her mind began to feeling, the familiar feeling she felt in space.

She instantly became determined to discover the source of this feeling. She had only one clue, music. She walked so quick she almost ran the feeling growing in her mind as she got closer and closer of the auditorium not knowing that her target was feeling the same way and being driven on in music through the feeling they shared. Meiko burst through the auditorium and her eyes saw a girl with brunette hair, her eyes were closed and she was playing the piano.

Leyas hadn't played a piano in ages and for the first time she had inspiration flowing through her, a song she had never played before singing out to the world around her yet no one heard. She felt the familiar feeling from space and instead of stopping her this time it drove her on and the chords that played were stronger and more beautiful than any she had ever played. The feeling seemed to draw closer and the tragedy of the tune increased, there was much sorrow in it yet a small bit of hope seemed to linger in the one major chord that kept repeating itself. In this moment Leyas's song was free and Meiko was hearing the story of her own life. Two girls somehow connected but the tune would have to end as any other. The final chord was questioning leaving both girls stunned.

The feeling lingered in both minds as Leyas opened her eyes to see a redhead with her eyes in front of her. Their eye's mirrored each other both filled with confusion at the ending of the song and the feeling that dwelt within their minds.

"Who are you?" Leyas was the first one to break the silence as Meiko seemed unable to speak.

"My name is Meiko Virea," Meiko said stepping cautiously, "who are you? And what is it that you've done to me? How is it I can hear your music from across the campus?"

"I am Leyas," she replied not offering a last name as she stood from the piano bench, "and I only came here to let a song play for myself yet somehow you heard it. Why is it that my mind feels odd right now? What is it about you that makes me feel as if I know you from somewhere?" Both girls paused unable to put into words what they felt.

"I don't know," Meiko said turning away, "for I don't know anyone, save those who are like me; broken hearted and alone. I should go."

"I wonder though, Meiko," Leyas spoke before she could leave, "what is it about us that connects us? Only if we work together to explore our pasts can we discover the truth of it." Meiko knew she could never share her own past with anyone, for it would ruin her mission and mean the death of the person that she told, no they could not discover a thing together. It was then that as Meiko turned around she realized who this girl really was, she had seen this girl in a music video, Leyas Yamato! Part of her mission, the one thing that connects them, Leyas was one of the ones Meiko is assigned to possibly kill in space and maybe in the future. Shocked by her realization Meiko took a step back away from the girl.

"Our connection is not one of happy circumstance," Meiko said turning away once again. She then began to walk out of the auditorium.

"May our paths cross again," Leyas said, Meiko paused momentarily then continued. Leyas turned back to the piano and began to play another tune, the familiar feeling faded while Mieko was still in the aisle of the auditorium but Leyas still wondered and remembered what was it about Meiko's eyes that had given her reason to fear?

Meiko sat in the back row of seats that had been setup in this warehouse, this was her third class of the day and soon she would be going to lunch. There was a large curtain drawn over one half hiding the exercise all the students would be participating in. She turned her head and saw Uzumi and Yaro coming through the door, why were they somehow in all her classes? Luckily they didn't see her as student's flooded into seats, but if this exercise was individual as she had heard many rumor they would soon know she was in their class. After a few minutes went by the class's professor, Ren Peterson finally arrived.

"Good afternoon everyone and welcome to your first Mobile Suit evaluation," he spoke with the authority of a veteran when most of the student's knew he had never seen a battlefield in his life. Meiko wondered how he would evaluate their mobile suit piloting. "Now most of you in here have experienced some form of mobile suit training. It is in this class that we see how good you have actually become and since I don't like to waste time lets jump right into it." A few technitions who had been standing behind him then walked behind the curtain as Ren pushed a button causing it to move away revealing something she had never seen before, it looked like a mobile suit but intuitively she knew that it wasn't.

"This is the Green Lie," Ren said motioning toward it, "it is a new high class technology system developed by Morganrate to test young pilots. It is a simulation of many really situations that mobile suit pilots face." Meiko doubted that this thing would really test her abilities well but she was intrigued by the machine. Ren then continued, "Uzumi Zala will be the first up on testing." Meiko was able to smile slightly as she saw the young boy walk toward the machine, she had heard that his mobile suit skills were exceptional yet she had never seen him in battle. Here was her chance to evaluate him as a pilot.

As the battle appeared on screen she began to analyze his strategies and quickly understand how he fought, he was a very good pilot better than she had expected. When he stepped out of the simulator his score appeared on the screen; 98/100, near perfect.

"Very Good Uzumi," Peterson said with an impressed tone, "you scored higher than all the officers who we have had test it. Now class that is some true mobile suit fighting!" The class applauded and Meiko join in slower than the rest. She had evaluated his techniques and discovered that they were the best she had ever seen besides her own. She hadn't had ever had the privilege of facing any of the greats, Shinn Auska, Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato, but she had killed countless amounts of people in mobile suit combat. Her methods were the direct result of lifelong training and fighting. She had never been defeated on the battlefield and she felt confident that she could beat this machine with no problem.

Professor Peterson began calling students one after another, none of them scoring near as high as Uzumi. After twenty students the second best was Yaro who scored a 74 and the third was a student name Lans who scored a 36. Meiko smiled when she heard her name called, she would show them all who was the real power in mobile suit fighting.

Stepping into the simulator she was surprised it was exactly like a mobile suit cockpit inside. She quickly examined the controls and memorized each on within thirty seconds. When the simulation began she fought fake enemy after fake enemy. To everyone on the outside her time seemed a lot longer than that of anyone else. Shocked Yaro watch in awe as her power inside the machine seemed never ending. Peterson looked nervous as the score had reached 100 but the simulation continued. It was programed to stop when the user was shot down, and this girl seemed invincible inside of it; how could they stop someone who could just keep going like this? The students kept their eyes glued to the screen when the a red messaged appeared on the screen; System out of control, system failure. Reboot immediately. Meiko stepped out triumphant, she had not been shot down by a single enemy. The students all looked at her in awe as she walked to her seat. No one could stand against her in combat and she believed that no one ever would.

Shinn sat inside his mobile suit as the Minerva crew rounded up the survivors of the base. The battle had been easy as Meyrin had predicted. Their plan went perfectly and it was as if the base had no defenses to fight off their attackers; they surrendered as soon as they could and Meyrin send in ground troops to round them all up. He saw the Impulse flying around the base and knew Lunamaria was probably congratulating herself for doing so well in the battle. She had take down more mobile suits than Shinn as he was more focused in getting the base to surrender than killing everyone off.

He saw an order appear on his screen and quickly exited his machine meeting Meyrin on the ground outside of it. He saw a group of Minerva troops standing around four men, obviously officers by their uniforms.

"Shinn," Meyrin approached him, "these are the commanding officers of the base, I've been questioning them but they haven't given me very much information. I am calling some more crew members to bring them into custody on the Minerva." Shinn nodded.

"Very good, maybe we should get them back to Athrun as soon as possible," Shinn responded, "what is it you called me down for."

"I need you and Luna to lead a small team to explore the base further," Meyrin replied, "we don't want anything to slip our notice before we leave here. There is too much at stake to miss any details." Shinn resisted the urge to fight Meyrin on sending Lunamaria with him, it was very annoying to be around her but he knew it was important that they learn how to work together again. He turned and saw Lunamaria coming toward them at that moment and he saw that she did not appear angry, upity or annoyed. Perhaps she would be calm.

"I got your message Meyrin," Lunamaria said when she arrived, "is the team assembled?"

"Yes they are," Meyrin said beckoning to a group of soldiers, "and Shinn will be accompanying you." Lunamaria did not fight this order giving Shinn some relief. Perhaps being back on the battlefield together would be good for them.

They soon departed would their small group searching every room they found for signs of what ROW is after. It was only when they reached what appeared to be the base's commanders quarters that they began to find information. Lunamaria saw a folder of papers scattered about the floor, and began to gather it while Shinn went to the computer.

"SHINN!" Lunamaria practically yelled in surprise and shock, he turned to see that she had dropped all the papers she had gathered and picked up one. He quiclly hurried over to see what it was that she had found and he gasped in surprised as he saw a picture of Kira Yamato. "What would they want with Kira?" Luna asked him.

"I have no idea," Shinn asked, "were there any more pictures there?"

"It seems as if the captain tried to burn these papers but somehow he failed," she replied picking up a picture that was half burnt, "this is the only other one I found." Shinn looked at the photo and did not recognize the girl in it but he was intrigued by something, she had red hair and violet eyes. Her eyes seemed to hold too many emotions for him to read. There was something about the girl that made him think that she might be important but he wasn't sure.

Dearka Elsman walked through the door of Cagalli's office surprising her completely. She had not expected to see him there for another two days; her mind instantly began to wonder what prompted him to come so early.

"Welcome Dearka," she said motioning for him to have a seat as she called for Athrun. Once Athrun was there they all sat down Dearka began to explain why he was there.

"You know Lacus has been working on getting new information from ROW about what they are doing right now and what their plans are," Dearka explained, "I am here because she has recently come accross information that has changed everything, we need to work to find out more. We are running out of time."

"What happened Dearka?" Athrun asked.

"Two days ago Lacus and Waltfeld were investigating what they could from information they hacked from the ROW vessel that attacked us," He stood up and held out a folder of paper that they had not realized he was carrying, "this is some of the information they came across thought a lot of it is very cryptic. Apparently Lacus collapsed during their investigation and she was taking into intensive care." This cause Athrun and Cagalli to both express looks of fear and worry, "don't worry," he reassured them, "she is fine now and Officer Amarfi says that she is still strong enough to keep leading..."

"What was it that shocked her?" Cagalli asked quickly interrupting him.

"It was a report that we came across," he took a heavy breath in, "that has led us to believe that ROW has captured Kira." Athrun stood up with his fist clenched.

"Impossible!!!" Athrun said very loudly.

"We were shocked to sir," Dearka walked to the window of the room, "and now you see that we must find information about this and we must find a way to rescue him."

"I was a good solider once, and I did everything I was told," Milady said standing in the window of the Reversal watching the ROW base. The Reversal had cloaked itself and hidden near the base. She now stood with Yzak just waiting, waiting for her chance. She was completely focused on the mission ahead but still her mind kept wandering through the events of the past; memories that were triggered by the familiarity of this broken down old place.

"As was I and everyone else here," Yzak said, "we joined you because you provided us with hope that we could make a difference outside of the regular military." She sighed and looked toward him, even through her mask he could see that her eyes were filled with mystery. Her true motivations for Redemption were unknown to all but him.

"You know as well as I that whatever difference we make depends on the people we are able to effect," She unstrapped her mask caressing it and facing her most trusted captain. When she first escaped her past life she did not know who to trust and through a twist of fate she ended up remembering the one person who could help her; a ZAFT solider with fierce determination and with knowledge of what he was doing. She had approached Yzak a couple times regarding the state of the future and when she was sure she could trust him she told him everything. Every twist and turn of the road that her life had embarked on and every plan that she knew could correct it. He had agreed to leave behind everything he had for the sake of the future and together they had built a small but brutally effective collection of militaristic forces.

"If our plan fails?" Yzak asked as he had many times in the past though he knew what words would come from her next.

"It must not for the world even though," she sighed strapping her mask back on and looking up toward space, "we know we can't do this alone." As if the world answered her suddenly the ROW base opened up and out from it flew a medium sized vessel that Milady was sure would contained Liene. Now he would go to his larger base and leave Kira as an easy grab for his enemies.

She stood leaning on the railing of the bridge in the park, looking down into the pond below. It was raining outside of this covered bridge. She had found herself trapped in the storm and decided to wait it out here. Now she just watched the droplets hit the water, one by one and music filled her mind; the song Leyas Yamato had played earlier with such conviction. A song that Meiko couldn't shake from her mind no matter how much she wanted to. Suddenly loud footseps on the bridge stopped her thought process as she looked up to see a boy running from the rain to the cover the bridge offered.

"Meiko?" he recognized her before she recognized him but she quickly realized who it was thanks to the speeding of her heart.

"Yaro," she said curtly, "what are you doing out here so late?" She had resigned herself to the fact that becoming friends with him would help her mission and had decided to stop being rude though she was still frightened of the idea of actually being friends with him.

"I was watching the sunset and taking a walk," he said catching his breath, he had obviously been running.

"Oh," Meiko continued to peer over the bridge.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he asked walking to stand beside her, "the mist that the rain brings."

"That it is," Meiko pushed herself off the rail and took a couple of nervous steps, "it wraps itself around the trees taking everything over so beautifully, like a healing power over the land. Perhaps that's why we face a storm now, because it will heal this land; the storm of war."

"But not all storms are good," Yaro said picking up a stone that was laying on the bridge and tossing it over the edge, "some can tear apart everything and leave only destruction in their wake. I take it you've been effected by the war?"

"I've already lost so much to it," Meiko said leaning against the rail opposite to him, "I've been searching for answers as to why but so far I've come up with nothing. Reason has clouded my eyes much like a mist that makes it impossible to see and I've never had anyone to help me see."

"Well I'm with you on that one," Yaro replied, "it's hard to understand what is going on around us, but I believe that if we work on discovering the truth then we can learn how to change things." Meiko smiled at his faith and realized that she wanted a friend, perhaps it would work out; perhaps she could open up to someone and have someone who would be there for her. Yaro on the other had was amazed at this girls prescence, it was as if she could command a room if she wanted to. There was something wonderful about her and he longed to learn more.

I know I know! It's been forever! I'm so sorry to make you all wait this long!!!! I've been working a lot on school work! I finally had a break this week to work on this and I have been working very hard on it.

So not very much action in this one, in my notes I originally planned to map out the battle at the ROW base but I am not very good at battles and I tend to loose motivation when I start to write a battle so I decided that I should finish the chapter alluding to the battle so imagine whatever winning situation you want there.

This chapter had Meiko meeting Yaro and Leyas, two people which she is somehow connected with; I wish I could tell you more about where I am going with this all but I don't want to give anything important away. So what do you all thing about the characters now? What are your predictions to what is going to happen next?

PLEASE REVIEW! I recieved a few reviews within the last two weeks that really encouraged and reminded me that I should keep going so those help keep them coming!

WintersChill