I don't normally do this but I'm trying to get back into the spirit of the story, so this chapter will be very short and focus on Meiko again.

Phase 29: Fire Within

If I sleep just to dream of You, I'll wake without you there. Even though I'm the sacrifice, you won't try for me not now. Though I'd die to know you love me, I'm all alone, isn't something missing? Isn't someone missing me?

Milady sat considering the past, she felt that there was a ray of hope here with her now in the recovering girl that she protected but she knew that even now a ray of hope here would not change things in ORB unless Meiko's heart was healed and ready for the next stage of life. She didn't want to rush the girl for she understood the gravity of the situation, that Meiko Virea had endured far more than she ever had in her young life and that the girl needed a chance for peace even if what she would get would only be short lived.

And she will rise again.

In the past Milady had often wondered if these words would really come to pass, if it was even possible for them to come to pass. They had been void for so long in her mind as she thought about the little girl who deserved so much more, who's life was never meant to be this broken shattered, shameful thing. She thought more about the look in Meiko's eyes when she saw her and spoke to her for the first time in roughly seventeen years; they were hard and slightly cold but within them was life and within that life Milady saw that she had hope for something. The grace of her true past had influenced her as Milady always hoped it would.

"For it all was lost but now it is here with us," Milady spoke the words in a sigh, "how can I face it all again." She was talking to herself, something that she hadn't done in a long time, for Yzak was usually there to listen to her but now he was off working on more adjustments to their hope.

For they believed that Meiko would come around despite what appearances held.

Meiko Virea stretched her arms ignoring the numb soreness that plagued her ever muscle, she had woken up that morning and been unable to go to sleep; spending the day in bed was really beginning to wear on her. She was still shocked and surprised by her surroundings every time she woke up, it was so odd being in this place of peace and having someone always by her side through the super seed outbursts though she did not understand what was really happening. She moved her legs out from under the covers and felt the soft carpet beneath her toes, this was certainly a very different place than she had ever been to in her entire life.

She stood up slowly not wanting to hurt herself and she shuddered as she glanced at the black glove that hid her fake hand; she would have to get used to that. Sure she should have escaped with more injuries than just a lost hand but she found it creepy that this fake attachment seemed to work just as well.

She walked across the room breathed in the air and walked toward the window. As she opened the large blinds that kept it covered she was amazed at the amount of sunlight that streamed in through the large window. She saw that it was a balcony before her and she opened the door and stepped out. The wind blew around her in peace, here she was standing in the sunlight again and this time she really felt that it was shining down upon her. The wind played with her hair as she walked to the edge of the balcony, placed her hands on the wall before her and stared down into the view below. It was as if she was up on a high mountain staring down into a valley in a way, a beautiful garden lay before her. She had the strangest feeling that somehow she belonged here to this peaceful place.

She remembered everything Uzumi had said about her awakening and she wondered what would come next. She could live here in this peaceful place forever but there was a life outside and there were people out there. She wondered how the war was going and if there was even any hope of it ending quickly. She wondered if she had dealt ROW a hard blow or if they were back on their feet. She wondered if she had killed John Liene or not.

These thoughts wold be heavy weights in her mind, she knew that she would have time to think over them as she recovered, as for now she wanted to avoid thinking about the truth as much as she could for it could bring her out of this quicker than she wanted to be. She also wondered about her host; how long would Milady care for her? Did she expect something of Meiko in return?

Meiko was very silent a week later as she ate at the same table as Milady and Yzak, it was a new experience for her as she was finally getting well enough to move around and she was invited to eat in the dining room instead of in her room. Milady and Yzak both watched her carefully trying to assess what they were dealing with now, her wounds were healing but had her heart healed?

They waited patiently for Meiko to say something, both communicating to each other through their eyes. The girl was silent as stone and completely unreadable, years in ROW had been hard enough on her that she wasn't hiding her feelings on purpose anymore, it just wasn't natural for her not to show them. Milady had no doubt that Meiko was at war within herself as anyone would be at this point, trying to decide what to do and what to say in this situation. These people had saved her life and they had been caring for her without any expectation of anything in return, this was a new situation for her. She ate very little of what was on the plate before her, she seemed to have a very small appetite, very odd indeed.

Yzak knew how hard this dinner was for Milady, she was trying not to stare at the girl before her. Milady's mind was all over the map comparing this girls features to those of her parents and wondering how her disposition would have been had ROW not hardened her. This was their hope before her, and yet she seemed so small and innocent. Meiko had seen so much and yet she had an air of greatness about her that Milady knew she inherited from her father. The girl had some of the soft features of her mother but within her eyes there were echos of something more, there was something ethereal within her. Milady recognized it and reverenced it as if she was staring into the eyes of the past and seeing an angel before her. Seeing her now so grown up; there was nothing left of the baby that Milady had once cared for except for her presence.

"The doctors are impressed with your accelerated healing rate," Yzak said to Meiko trying to start a conversation. This dinner table was starting to get uncomfortable and he had no doubt that Meiko realized that Milady kept staring at her, "with any luck you'll be back to normal very soon."

"Then where will I go?" Meiko asked with a little concern in her eyes. She wanted to stay here forever, in this place of peace even if these people made her feel odd. She didn't know what to do about the woman whom she knew she had seen somewhere before. She couldn't see Milady's eyes but she understood that the woman was staring at her for she felt her gaze.

"You will stay here for as long as you like," Milady responded, "we wish to offer you a home forever if you wish." Milady knew that she shouldn't have spoken so quick, the girl was probably already out of her comfort zone enough without Milady's kind actions. She knew what it was like to not want to accept help from another but she couldn't help the fact that she needed to offer it anyway. So many long years were spent awaiting Meiko's arrival and now that she was here Milady was beside herself; how could she speak to this girl when the fact was that the girl had endured everything because of her? Milady felt so guilty about everything and she just wanted it all to be right but at this point she wasn't sure how to speak to the girl before her and how to tell her everything she needed to know. Besides all that there was a war around them now and they didn't have much time before they would need to finally fight but Milady knew she would not enter the battle without Meiko, yet how could she ask this girl to fight? She knew what needed to be done yet now that it came down to it she was very nervous about doing it. How would Meiko react to the truth of everything? Perhaps it would be better to leave it all alone and to forget the past and to focus on the future.

"Thank you," Meiko said simply, her eyes still blank, "I can't thank you enough for all you've done so far, but I just have to ask why? Why would you risk your lives to save me from the STING? And what do you expect of me?" There it was the perfect opportunity, Milady knew it and Yzak knew it yet there was no way either of them would jump for it. Where to begin?

"Meiko," Yzak said sighing with the knowledge that Milady would say nothing, "we don't really expect anything of you but as it happens we are planning on explaining some things to you very soon. There is war still going on out there and Redemption is a militaristic faction. We will be involved in fighting and this place may not be the safest in the times to come, that goes without saying but anyhow, we wish to see the end of ROW as we believe you do. Your heroic actions in destroying the STING have earned you the right to do whatever you wish from here on out, but truth be told Liene survived and we will fight him and if you wish to fight alongside us or alone you are welcome." There it was, Milady was happy with how Yzak had explained it. Uzumi's words echoed in Meikos mind, it was quite possible that she would have to fight.

To arise on the battlefield again was something she didn't want but she knew that circumstances were beyond her at this point and that she may not have a choice. It wasn't surprising to her that Liene lived, he had a way of going on and on whether anyone wanted him to or not. He had survived quite a bit of rough scrapes and had the uncanny ability to escape bad situations. The mention of his name did stir anger within her, she hated him for everything and Milady noticed the coldness in her eyes at the mention of his name. Meiko also knew she would never fight under the orders of another again, she had tried that once now and she was done. She did not care for the military of Redemption and she knew she would never be able to right under the banner of another.

"I do not have an answer for you on any of those terms," Meiko said and Yzak was surprised by the cold tone in her voice, "Liene is the greatest evil in this world and as long as he exists I fear the wars will continue, but for now I do not wish to fight." Yzak looked at Milady, she knew that he wanted an acceleration in their plan. He wanted Meiko to know everything about the war with ORB, if she knew her friends were in danger she might not be so indecisive but Milady clearly was not in favor of that idea. Yzak was too eager to get on the battlefield again, they had to continue to bide their time as they evaluated ROW's position at this point. Meiko may not have destroyed them but she did weaken them and they seemed to be regrouping now. In that case they would probably return stronger and Redemption needed to be ready for that. What happened in the PLANTs was not their concern, for it bore no marks of ROW, the strategy was too bold. Milady knew that ORB would be able to hold off for now.

"You have no obligation to ever fight again," Milady said thinking about everything, "but you have the right to know what is happening in the world around you. Just make sure you know what it is you want Meiko and run for that. What other people want of you right now is not important." Milady couldn't believe what she was saying now, she just wanted to tell Meiko everything and she just wanted the girl to forgive her for it all but she was frightened by it. Suddenly Milady stood up quickly and excused herself. Meiko was shocked and Yzak was not, he knew what she was going through now.

"What is it about her that makes her so different?" Meiko asked Yzak.

"She's seen death, she's seen darkness," Yzak responded, "and she lived, and now she wishes to stop the darkness so that no one ever has to see it again. Yet she can not accomplish this alone, she wishes you to help her but she doesn't know how to ask you Meiko. You've gone through so much already, she would hate you to have to endure anymore." Meiko thought about it, she knew that Milady wanted something from her and she had expected this.

"I may yet fight again," Meiko replied thinking about it, "but if I do fight again it will be for my own reasons, not because anyone wants me to." He expected this response, it was just as someone he knew would put it. He knew that she would fight, but it would take time to bring her around.

Meiko walked down the halls of the base and as she did she passed groups of people practicing gun handling and mobile suit training. This was truly a militaristic place. As she walked she noticed the looks people gave her, they were of awe and respect; this was something she was not used to and it made her uncomfortable. She had spent a lot of time thinking about her dinner with Milady and Yzak and she had felt it would be best to see this place for herself. She wanted to know what she was really capable of accomplishing in a place like this.

It was so different than ROW; the way people treated each other was so nice and sweet compared to everything else. Despite how different the place was she still had a hard time when she thought about taking up arms alongside anyone. These people were not ROW but like any organization they would have expectations and she understood that she fought differently than everyone else and that in the press of the battle she was unpredictable. She could never follow tactics or submit herself to any particular banner ever again, she had come upon an independent streak and now she was free; she would not give that up to any military no matter how noble they were. She paused her walk in front of a class of people who were training in hand to hand fighting, she smiled at the weakness in their movements; some lacked confidence in themselves and without it how could they hope to land in their feet when jumping away from a blow. She turned away as she thought about Liene's training classes and how she dominated in all of them from a young age but she understood now it was never fair.

She was a coordinator and on top of that she was a super seeded coordinator and she always had an advantage. This was why Liene wanted her so badly, because she could fight stronger than anyone else.

She exited the training area and found herself in a mobile suit bay staring up at what looked like a large Gundam, unfinished but still majestic. She had never seen anything like this machine in her life and she had trained in mobile suits since she was a child. She just stared up in awe at it's dark green coloring and aerodynamic form; so this place manufactured weapons as well. She wondered what this machine was called; it was too beautiful for words. If anyone had happened upon her they would have seen in her eyes the echos of eternity. Sadness filled her soul at the sight of this beautiful machine; the world around her was in turmoil and yet this machine sat her, unfinished and unused just as she sat there in that base not fully healed and unable to fight.

She felt strangely as she turned her gaze away from the machine and turned to leave, it was as if someone was watching her.

Milady stood on the balcony of the bay watching as the girl left and nodding to herself. She had made the right choices for this model indeed and Milady was sure now what she had to do. The time for guilt was over. ORB was going to war and Milady knew that the moment the PLANTs move to attack the homeland there will be a need. A need for the phoenix to arise on the wings of the Redemption.

Short and sweet for now, because I have no time to write more but I miss you all. Some have stopped reviewing and this saddens me. Some have stopped reading and the story remains unfinished.

Well Please REVIEW if you like it and tell me your thoughts. I wanted to tone it down this time around and I frankly do not have time to go into all the other characters right now, it's easier for me to write Meiko so that is what i am giving you to hold you over.

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-WinterChill