Author's Note #1:

- Another quick introduction to a new main character. Rio Nagi Tokino is the heiress of Orb's Tokino family. The Gundam Wiki confirms that there is the Tokino family being among Orb's noble families aside from the Athhas, Seirans, Sahakus, Kious (from the Gundam SEED Eclipse manga). Rio is a military officer whose father died when the Mass Driver detonated during the battle of Orb. Her father's death made her develop intense hatred against the Earth Alliance, and by extension Blue Cosmos. Rio is made to act as a foil towards Flay; because Flay's initial hatred of Coordinators were out of ignorance, whereas Rio's is more on a personal level. My hypothetical casting for Rio's VAs will be Sayaka Ohara (in Japanese) and Caitlin Glass (in English). Rio's English voice is spoken with a Cockney accent. Given with the YGO 5D's parallels to this story, she acts as a dead-ringer for both Jack Atlas and Sherry Leblanc.


PHASE-05: Outcast


Akiza narrates the events of the previous chapter...

"After reuniting with Ian, we just found ourselves being attacked by Blue Cosmos, only to find out that he raided an abandoned military based that Blue Cosmos used as their hideout. The fact that Blue Cosmos are hiding in Orb is just aforeshadowing to another war.."


The chapter begins with Akiza having a dream of an epic battle between an army of mobile suits and Gundams from different universes and the JUNO robotic army taking place within the wide reaches of space.

However, Ian and Flay snapped Akiza out of her funk.

"Hey, earth to Akiza?", Ian waves his hand on Akiza's face.

"What was that all about?", she asked.

"You've been spacing out lately.", answered Flay.

Akiza had no idea about that vision she just saw. It's unknown if that battle will eventually come to pass. From what she can remember, there were various Gundams and other mobile suits from across the multiverse. It's unclear why is she having these visions, as she already had a firsthand experience before.

"Is it just me or you've just been daydreaming of...", Ian guesses as he compares Akiza's visions to another similar work, "...nah, I don't want to spoil it."

Before that, Ian decides to leave the girls.

"Where are you going, Ian?", asked Akiza.

"Gonna collect my bounty. I was contracted by some guys in Orb to take out some Blue Cosmos scumbags for a living.", Ian reveals that he's been working as a bounty hunter seeking out to eliminate any Blue Cosmos member hiding in Orb. "In case you didn't know, those racist motherfuckers have been seeking asylum here on Orb without prior knowledge from the government."

"We already heard the news.", Flay added. "So you're hunting down Blue Cosmos."

"Hmph, like you give a shit." Ian dismisses Flay's statement before turning his glance to Akiza. "Hey, I'll show up anytime if your ass is in trouble. Anyways, smell ya later!"

Ian puts on his skating helmet and gets on his skateboard as he departs for parts unknown. Leaving Akiza and Flay to continue traveling across the mainland.

Along the way, Akiza and Flay talk about Kira and Cagalli. First and foremost, she reveals what she knows about Kira's nature as the Ultimate Coordinator...

Akiza: Kira Yamato was more than just a Coordinator. He IS the Ultimate Coordinator. What is more shocking about how he came to be is the result of a mad scientist experimenting on a newborn child.
Flay: Unbelievable... So you're saying that scientist was Kira's father?!
Akiza: Exactly, that man was Ulen Hibiki. Meaning, Kira Yamato's real name is Kira Hibiki.
Flay: Then, Lacus also said Kira and that Cagalli who once hang out in the Archangel is his sister.
Akiza: Yeah, that one too. One fateful day, Blue Cosmos raided Dr. Hibiki's laboratory, killing him and his wife. But not long before the two children were able to escape under the care of Mrs. Hibiki's sister. While, Cagalli would be adopted by the great Lord Uzumi Nara Athha, the legendary Lion of Orb, who raised Cagalli as his real daughter and soon would make her an heir to the Athha family.
Flay: How did you know everything about Orb, Aki?
Akiza: That's because I'm a descendant of Cagalli herself.

Akiza also reveals that she is a descendant of Cagalli, meaning, this could even extend to Kira, who happens to be her biological sibling. Akiza's connection to Cagalli is much more apparent due to her tomboyish personality and even sharing the same eye color. Flay also recalls snooping on Akiza's inventory where she finds a picture of Akiza in her youth with her parents, and her father is implied to resemble Athrun. This also hints that Athrun and Cagalli would eventually get married in the future.

Flay continued, "Back when I visit the orphanage, Lacus told me to go into Cagalli's birthday party and they were given invitations..."

"And...?", Akiza replied nonchalantly as if she doesn't want anything to do with her Athha lineage.

"She asked us to go there in their stead. Also, considering that Kira doesn't want to go there, as they are staying on the orphanage. I have a feeling that it's also his birthday as well. So, he's going to celebrate there with Ms. Lacus."

While driving, Akiza apparently recalls unpleasant memories of her past, especially concerning her childhood life in Orb.

"You are Patrick Zala's sins made flesh!"
"You should have never been born here, child!"
"The Zalas should have never been part of Orb in the first place!"
"Go back to the PLANTs!
"

Unbeknownst to Flay, Akiza is also a descendant of Athrun. And for some reason, Akiza was shunned because of being part-Zala. Not only she bear the brunt of it, but generations of the Zala descendants in Orb were ostracized all because of one man's Coordinator supremacism and his attempted genocide of Earth during the war using GENESIS.

"Aki... Aki... What's wrong?", Flay snaps Akiza out. "That's strange, you've been acting weird all of the sudden."

"Don't worry, I'm okay.", Akiza takes a deep breath.

"Your behavior seems to tell me otherwise.", Flay insisted asking.

But, Akiza insisted not to. "There are some things that are need better off left unsaid, Flay... As much I want to tell you about it, I will do so when the time is right."

"Aki..."

Flay decided to keep quiet. But, she's worried that whatever Akiza is hiding, or is there any depth into her past she wants to look into. As much she herself is suffering, Akiza is no better. But, she has since knew how to keep her emotions in line even in the middle of combat.

Within moments, a wormhole opens from the sky as Wisel, Granel, and Skiel enemy mobile suits began attacking the city.

"Christ. Why at a time like this?!", Akiza is alerted by the presence of JUNO army mobile suits.

"Akiza, it's time!", Dr. Paradox then gives Akiza the green light to call the other three Gun Vehicles.

The other Gun Vehicles are summoned, combined with the Core GT, transforming into the Paradox. A fierce battle ensues between the Paradox and a wave of JUNO mobile suits.

"Aki, are those mobile suit's remotely controlled?!", Flay asked.

"Yes. These mobile suits are being controlled by JUNO's will. So, yeah, it's being controlled by the AI itself. Not to mention, it can even hack on other mobile suits into attacking us!"

It seems that any of the JUNO mobile suits can hack into other nearby mobile suits. However, the Paradox and Mach are equipped with a unique operating system that prevents them from being hacked.

The Wisels and Granels are even more aggressive than they were before, as the enemy resorts with a combination of brute force and numbers.

"Ngh... I hope Ian shows up in a nick of time. These guys are much more aggressive the last time we fought them!", Akiza could barely focus while being overwhelmed.

Within moments, an Astray-like mobile suit enters the fray!

That Astray has a rather unique frame different than the other Astrays, this Astray is designed for high-speed combats. This Astray managed to effortlessly dispatch the second wave of Wisel and Skiels in just 10 seconds, thanks to the extensive length of its chain whip-like sword.

The Astray managed to take out the last remaining wave of JUNO mobile suits. From the Paradox's cockpit, Akiza intercepts a message.

A woman's voice spoke through the Astray's cockpit, "Pilot of the unidentified mobile suit, may I request you to come out of the cockpit and surrender your mobile suit to me."

"Who is that?", asked Flay.

"I have no idea who could that be.", Akiza knows that whoever is piloting that Astray wants to take the Paradox to herself. "If she wants to take it, well let's give her a good fight.", Akiza then defiantly answers to the mysterious pilot. "Hmph. If you want it, come take it by force!"

The Astray's pilot is revealed to be Rio Nagi Tokino, an elite military officer from the Orb Union. "It is an unwise decision to defy Rio Nagi Tokino, the Iron Lady of Orb!"

The Paradox engages Rio's Astray in a fierce battle. The latter is able to hold on despite the Paradox's size dwarfing the Astray. However, Rio's Astray is much faster and nimbler than a normal Astray. Rio's piloting skills are no slouch either, almost reminiscent of experienced pilots such as Kira, Athrun, Mu, and even Le Creuset.

Rio's piloting skills is more on elegance and finesse over brute force, and despite the Paradox being able to swing its beam rapier on her Astray.

"Pity... Whoever is piloting this machine has never proven their worth.", said Rio.

Akiza then pulls out a Mobile Suit Card containing the RX-78-2 Gundam's data. After scanning the card, the Paradox manifests a replica of the RX-78-2's Gundam Hammer as it launches the flail at Rio's Astray, only for it to dodge.

"That thing is faster than a regular Astray!", Akiza quickly analyzed her opponent's movement, then turns to Flay. "Flay, hang tight. This is going to be a hard battle."

However, the battle is interruped when a motorbike-like mobile armor enters the scene. It turned out to be the Mach Gundam, transformed from its Mobile Cycle mode.

"The Mach has a motorcycle form?!", exclaimed Flay.

"Giving a new meaning to Gundams in Motorcycles!", Ian references a meme involving a card-game anime series. "Remember the old "card games on motorcycles" meme, Akiza?"

"About time you showed up, Ian...", Akiza sighed in disbelief just as the Mach Gundam transforms into its MS mode.

However, Rio decided to forfeit the fight. She leaves from her Astray's cockpit to confront the two pilots from the future. Ian then leaps out of the Mach's cockpit, while Akiza rappels out of the Paradox's cockpit with Flay. Both Akiza and Ian's smartphones also transform into guns as they get ready for a likelihood of a standoff. Rio had her pistol prepared to confront the two pilots.

"The pilot is a woman...and an Orb military officer?", asked Akiza.

"You flatter me. Yet, you lack elegance.", Rio wastes no time replying before turning her attention to Flay. "You must be George Allster's surviving daughter, I assume..."

"Yeah? Why did you ask?", Flay asked.

"To think the daughter of a Blue Cosmos scum would enter here in Orb...", Rio has nothing but scorn towards Flay, since she knows that her father has ties to Blue Cosmos. "Those radical insects have defiled our homeland during the war. You should have never come here, Flay Allster!"

"No way... Daddy was with Blue Cosmos this whole time?!", Flay is devastated by the truth about her father. In hindsight, when she was still with the Archangel, her hatred for Coordinators caused so much problems for everyone around her, including Kira. At one point, she was asked by Kuzzey that if she was a sympathizer of the radical group.

"Her old man is with what...?!", exclaimed Ian.

Akiza also read an intel regarding Flay's father before. It turns out that it was correct after all that George Allster is indeed associated with Blue Cosmos. At the same time, hearing Flay being judged because of her father's sins causes her to have flashbacks of her time as an outcast in Orb. This time with her Zala lineage.

"You should, and will forever bear the curse of being the child of a member of Blue Cosmos.", Rio walks closely towards Akiza, Ian, and Flay, with murderous intent in mind. "I, Rio Nagi Tokino, the judge, jury, executioner and heiress of Orb's Tokino family, shall decide your fate!"

Both Akiza and Ian had to stand guard for Flay's sake. Akiza knew it already but Flay shouldn't be [unfairly] judged because of her father's association with Blue Cosmos. Flay was already crushed by the revelation and knew that she has to be held accountable not just for her transgressions, but also her father's.

"Oh, great. We have to deal with all this "sins of the father" bullshit? F**k!", Ian exclaimed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!", Akiza glares at Rio. "This is not how a member of Orb's noble families should act!"

"Don't talk back to me like that, arrogant wretch! Move it!", Rio shoves Akiza and Ian out of the way as she slaps Flay using her pistol's grip.

Ian tries to keep Rio from assaulting Flay.

"Hey, for fuck's sake. Can we just let bygones be bygones rather than taking your anger out on a girl who barely has nothing to do with the war? And besides the war is already over!"

"You disgust me."

Rio shoves Ian out of the way, only for Akiza to catch him. Rio wasn't finished venting her anger on Flay, she proceeds to beat her to the point she can't stand anymore. The more Akiza and Ian try to intervene, the more Rio gets angrier and the more Flay gets battered and bruised.

And to top it all off, Rio takes pleasure at making Flay suffer, to the point she is smiling at the sight of seeing the girl beaten up. All because that anyone who is linked to Blue Cosmos will suffer her wrath in the worst way possible.

"Ah, yes. The sight of you being battered and beaten turns me on... I can't wait to relish on your humiliation."

Having had enough, Akiza decides to confront Rio.

"Don't you have any shame whatsoever on what you have done?!"

"You... Just how will you go to lengths trying to protect this worthless piece of gutter trash?!"

That said, both Akiza and Rio engage in a fistfight.

"No matter what Flay ever did wrong, she's not a lost cause! She should not deserved to be savagely beaten like that, especially coming from a member of Orb's noble families!"

"You know nothing!", Rio angrily dismisses Akiza's statement as she exchanged punches with the latter.

"I do.", Akiza refuted back.

"SILENCE!"

As Ian looks on at the altercation while nursing Flay's wounds, Athrun and Cagalli arrive at the scene as they saw Rio and Akiza fighting.

"What is going on?!", said Athrun before looking at Ian, nearly mistaking the latter for his teammate Yzak, not knowing that he's Yzak's descendant.

Cagalli examines on the bruises on Flay's face, "Who did this to you?", she asked. Until she realizes that Rio, one of her colleagues, is responsible.

When Rio finds out that Cagalli made her presence known, she relented before she finds herself in a receiving end of a roundhouse kick from Akiza, sending her flying.

As Rio lies on the ground after being knocked out, Cagalli then confronts her. "I'm disappointed at you, Rio. This is uncalled for..."

Later, Akiza and her party were taken into the Chief Representative's residence along with Rio. After seeing the gravity of Rio's actions, Cagalli has to take action now that she has now assumed her father's place as Chief Representative of Orb.

Rio violated the military's code of conduct due to her assaulting Flay, even though it was revealed that her father was a member of Blue Cosmos. As a member of one of Orb's noble families, she is not allowed to do such a thing. That said, Rio is suspended from her duties as an officer for the next two weeks.

"You are hereby suspended for the next two weeks. You might be at risk of being dishonorably discharged should you ever commit the same offense again.", Cagalli iterated.

"Forgive me, Lady Cagalli.", Rio lowered her head in shame, feeling having broken her family's oath.

Cagalli already knew Rio ever since she was taken in by her father Uzumi, and is one of the few people among the noble families she is close to.

"I feel your pain too, Rio. But, we can't just stay in the past forever.", Cagalli remembers the Mass Driver's self-destruction. And Rio's father was among those who perished along with the Lion of Orb. "Just because Flay Allster's father is a member of Blue Cosmos, you can't just take your anger out at her. Hatred is a corrosive poison that kills anything it touches. And you, as a member of the Tokino family, swore an oath not to fight with hatred in your heart. No matter how you try to do about what happened back then, there's nothing you can do to bring your father back!"

"But..."

"Rio. I want you to take your time reflecting on your own actions. But, at the same time, I want you to take those three into your mansion."

"Yes, ma'am.", Rio reluctantly accepts her assignment to keep Akiza, Ian, and Flay under her care. Besides, at the end of Rio's suspension, Cagalli is set to turn 17.

The next day, Akiza receives a text message from one of Cagalli's aides, saying that they will stay at the Tokino residence. Ian and Flay likewise are invited as well.

"Holy shit, that's one fancy mansion!", said Ian.

Flay is still rendered catatonic from the beating she got from Rio and the revelation of her father's connection to Blue Cosmos. Flay loved her father so much and her life was turned upside down by his death. Only to be made worse by the truth regarding George Allster being a member of Blue Cosmos.

Akiza could barely do anything to snap Flay out of her current state. As she herself was reminded by her own tumultuous childhood of being ostracized because she was also a Zala.

The gates of the Tokino residence opens as Rio welcomes the trio, as it is anything but a happy one. Rio herself was feeling guilty of dishonoring her family name because of her hatred for anyone who is connected with Blue Cosmos.

"Shit... I didn't expect greetings like this to be gloomy.", Ian shrugged nonchalantly.

"You may enter.", Rio tried to be more pleasant. "Welcome to my humble home. Please help yourselves. If you need something, I'll be at my office upstairs."

Flay didn't want to go inside, and decided to spend time alone in the bench looking at the flower garden. It's like she's about to cry and Akiza is out alone herself trying to coming to terms with her own past as well.

"Good grief... Akiza is the only one who can get her act together.", Ian comments on Flay's gloomy state. "As much I don't want to be a bother..."

That said, Ian decided to sit beside Flay. Flay tries to face Ian, but he insists facing front as if they are strangers having a conversation.

"Man, you look like shit.", Ian speaks with Flay for the first time. "I know, I know... You think I would be here rubbing it in to your sorry-ass face. I'm not the type of person who makes fun at people's expense."

Flay kept her mouth shut. And thought that Rio beating her senselessly is pretty much karmic due to the fact that she spewed her hatred towards Coordinators went out of control, as a result of the trauma of losing her father. The revelation of her father's association with Blue Cosmos made her realize that she is just as guilty as her father. She thought to herself that she really deserved to be beaten up like that by Rio.

"Hey, just cry if you want to.", Ian pats Flay on the shoulder. "But that's fine. Sometimes, everything is not okay and you really need to find someone to reach out to understand your pain. No matter how much the world is going to throw shit on your face, we just have to keep going, yet trusting new people is hard. But it's worth it when you find out that the people who really care about you are your real friends."

Flay finally speaks as a single tear falls from her eye, "If there is anything good came out the fact that I'm still alive... it's that the fact learning the truth about my daddy gave me the chance to see how much of a fool I've been."

"No shit. The truth stings like hell, but not knowing anything is a giant cluster-fuck of hell. But, that's the way it is.", Ian continued. "You were lucky that Akiza saved your ass, and that proves that you're not a lost cause."

Despite being typically standoffish, foulmouthed, and a laid-back joker, Ian keeps a hidden heart of gold within him, and pretty much understands the pain of anyone has gone through. And considering the fact he and Akiza hail from an apocalyptic future where an artificial intelligence destroyed most of all living things in the universe, the only thing that keeps Ian from getting a mental breakdown is his sense of humor and knack for theatrics.

Understanding the gist of Ian's speech, she bawls her eyes out on his shoulders. Ian seems okay allowing Flay to cry on his shoulders, despite that Akiza is the only person being much closer to Flay.

In Rio's office, she looks at her father's picture. She herself had a moment of reflection.

"I don't know how I am going to say this, Papa... But I'm a failure as the head of this family. If only you were still here with me..."

Returning back to Flay and Ian, Cagalli arrives at the Tokino residence only in her civilian clothing instead of her uniform. Upon entering the garden, she encounters Flay and Ian.

"Hey, aren't you...", Ian glances Cagalli. "Say, where's that blue-haired pretty boy accompanying you?"

"You mean Athrun? Um, he's not coming. He just took a time off.", Cagalli replied, before turning her attention to Flay. "Hey, I assume that Kira sent you here along with that other redhead."

"You mean Aki?"

"Who's Aki?", Cagalli had no idea about Akiza in the first place.

Until Ian decided to spell it out for her. "Umm, her real name is Akiza Izinski. Probably she [Flay] calls her Aki is the fact she is much closer to her."

"I see... I assume you and Akiza have something to do with the mobile suits that appear in the wormholes?"

"Technically, Akiza and I are from an apocalyptic future. Our world is ravaged by a Terminator-esque AI that wiped out 98% of the Earth's population."

"That's horrible... Which explains why those MS emerging from the wormholes are attacking you."

Cagalli learns firsthand the presence of the two time travelers. But, she is somewhat moved by Akiza's personality in general, as if she was looking in the mirror. Afterwards, she decides to explain Rio's situation.

"I'm sorry for what Rio did to you.", Cagalli apologizes to Flay for Rio.

"You don't have to. I should be the one asking for forgiveness.", Flay replied. "I think I got what I deserved after she beaten me up. I should have not caused so much problems for Kira and used him to kill his fellow Coordinators, even if it had to be one of his best friends."

"I see... It's like you and Rio are like much alike. The only main difference is that she hates both Blue Cosmos and the Alliance with such passion, but this is what the Tokino family is against. They have an oath not to fight with hatred in order to protect Orb. And because what she did to you, Rio broke that oath and dishonored the Tokino family name."

Seeing what Flay's hatred of Coordinators turned her into back then, Cagalli notes that Rio was about to become like Flay. Rio could have end up becoming the one she hates the most. And the real kicker comes when Cagalli reveals that Rio's father is one of the officials of Orb's government that perished along with Lord Uzumi when the Kaguya Mass Driver was detonated during the Battle of Orb. Cagalli was able to move on from her adoptive father's heroic sacrifice, but Rio wasn't. Since then, she has developed intense hatred for Blue Cosmos, and by extension, the Earth Alliance.

"If the whole conflict between Coordinators and Naturals isn't so f**ked up enough, then I don't know what is.", Ian gives a brief, but concise summary of the ongoing hostility between Coordinators and Naturals. "God knows how long this is going to last forever. In context, hatred is indeed a poison that kills everything it touches."

"Indeed... If we have the courage to forgive ourselves and the people we wronged, we can break that cycle of hatred. That's what Aki told me.", Flay brought up something she learned from Akiza. "I was scared back at the war... I was unable to do anything what Kira can do. But, the moment I met Aki, my life changed for the better."

Ian continued, "Akiza can be a handful. But, she is a role model that people can look up to. As much I resent her for just being better than me, that didn't stop me from caring about her. We are close as siblings-in-arms."

"She's like Kira... and Athrun put together.", Cagalli insinuates that there's more to Akiza being compared to Kira. The fact that Athrun is also brought in suggests there's more to that.

Later in the dining room, Akiza is served a cup of instant ramen by the Tokino family's butler, Kamiyama. It seems that Akiza was taking a snack without letting her other two friends knowing. It's only a matter of time they catch up to her with Cagalli.

"To think you're here rather than brooding outside. You could have told us you were here having a cup of instant ramen.", said Ian.

"Oh, I'll go and ask Kamiyama for three more.", Cagalli replied, as she knows Kamiyama all to well as with anyone within the Tokino family.

Kamiyama then proceeds to prepare and serve three more cups of instant ramen for the three. Afterwards, the family butler left, giving Cagalli to question more about Akiza. Surprisingly, it only took Flay not less than three minutes to finish her own meal after coming to terms with her past.

"Tell us something, Akiza. Just how know do you well about Orb's noble families?", asked Cagalli.

"But first, I want to make sure if Mr. Zala isn't here.", Akiza agrees to tell Cagalli about her history, under the condition that Athrun should never learn about this.

"Athrun... why?", Cagalli raised her eyebrow.

"What I am about to tell you is a dark secret of my past..."

Akiza: I was born Akiza Vara Zala, August 16, C.E. 129.
Cagalli: That's almost a hundred years into the future. That means...
Akiza: I'm a descendant of both the Athha and Zala families.
(both Flay and Cagalli share the same shocked expression)
Flay: So you're saying that you're also Athrun's descendant?!
Akiza: That's right. In the future, Athrun would become officially declared as Orb's adopted son, and I have a feeling that you Lady Cagalli and him will still be an item. Thus, the Zala family would become part of Orb's six noble familes, making it the seventh. However... Perception of the Zalas in Orb would become toxic and divisive. All because of Athrun's father, former PLANT ChairmanPatrick Zala, was a genocidal, warmongering, Coordinator supremacist. Generations of Zala descendants in Orb were ostracized because they see them as "Patrick Zala's sins made flesh". My own family wasn't safe either despite that we are also part of the Athha family. My father committed suicide to the point he could not take the torment of being bullied because of it. And I was almost close to doing the same thing he did.
Cagalli: That's horrible. But, Athrun is still haunted by his father's actions, and it's not hard to see why... The fact that his future descendants were gravely affected by the history of the war.
Akiza: Since then, I decided to renounce my family lineages and lived on with my current identity.
Cagalli: But still, the blood of the Athhas, or rather, my blood is coursing in your veins. And so does Athrun's. I understand why you want to keep this confidential.

Realizing the fact that Akiza went on the extra mile to protect Flay from being assaulted by Rio days ago, Akiza doesn't want Flay to experience the same pain she had been in her childhood: being ostracized all because of her father's transgressions.

"As for Rio, she is like a shadow lurking out of Flay's own sins.", Cagalli then makes an analogy of Rio being Flay's bad behavior taking a physical manifestation of its own. "Her father died during the Mass Driver's destruction along with my own father. Rio is unable to move on from her father's death, and she blames both Blue Cosmos and the Earth Alliance for it."

Hearing this, Akiza wants to do something before Rio could go down the wrong path. Strangely enough, Rio hasn't been out of her office lately as Cagalli noticed.

Akiza then decides to take matters to her own hands, as she personally heads for Rio's office, much to the surprise of Flay and Ian.

The Tokino family heiress has been in her office room for too long, brooding about her deceased father. A knock from the door caught her attention, and by opening the door, she is confronted by Akiza. Akiza proceeds to punch some senses out of Rio, then hugs her.

That punch wasn't an act of payback for hurting Flay, but rather an act of mercy. Akiza uses her psychic powers to read at Rio's memories, confirming that her father perished when the Kaguya Mass Driver detonated during the Battle of Orb along with Cagalli's father, Lord Uzumi.

(*BGM: ["YAKUSOKU NO MELODY" by Masaaki Endoh from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's]*)

"Let it go.", Akiza says to Rio while hugging her tightly. "If you fight with hatred in your heart, you will end up becoming those you despise the most."

"You...", Rio exclaimed in utter disbelief.

"We are all the same. Tragedy changes us, for better or for worse. I'm an outcast myself, because of one man's sins haunting the next generation.", Akiza continued. "Flay is just a scared girl who just lost everything... But that doesn't mean she's beyond saving."

Within moments, Cagalli, Ian, and Flay arrive on the scene and they see Akiza trying to reason with Rio. The way Akiza did so by knock some sense out of her might be too much, but somehow it does work, as evident by the shocked expression from Rio's face.

Afterwards, Akiza pulls Rio out as the latter drops to her knees.

"Aki... How did you?", Flay then approached Aki.

Cagalli then faces Rio and saw through her already-depressed state.

"Rio... Akiza's right, we all lose people in different ways. No matter how much we can do about it, we can't turn back time. Your father told me before he died with my father that he will always love you and he will watch over you."

Flay proceeds to attempt to talk to Rio, "I'm sorry for what happened to your father. Part of me says that we are no different; the moment how things can start from nothing and go from bad to worse until all you feel is hate. I've been there and it hurts."

Rio starts breaking down, realizing her own foolishness...

Akiza then recalls her life running away from home where she renounced her family lineages as a teenager and decided to take on a new identity. One day, she meets a vagabond named Kiryu Fudo Nagare who leads a resistance against the AI JUNO known as the Black Eagles, there she also meets Ian and the three have since been close to each other as a real family as they fought together against the malevolent computer virus.

Akiza at one point was in doubt and unsure of herself due to her psychic powers and trying to struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic future. Kiryu was the only person to knock some senses onto her when she needed it the most, the same can be said with Ian himself. Also, the Black Eagles live by the motto, "Leave no man behind", promising that the three Eagles will stick together no matter where they go.

With Kiryu presumed missing or dead, Akiza and Ian are the only surviving humans from the year C.E. 150. The world they once knew is gone, their families and friends are dead. But they still have each other and will have to find their way in changing the future, for better or for worse.

Rio cried her eyes out until Akiza and Cagalli calmed her and the former comforting her.

"I know the world outside is cruel like what you said, but always remember that should not stop you from looking at the bright side of it.", said Akiza. "Trusting new people can be hard, but it's worth it when they truly understand your pain. Ian and myself are the last survivors from a dystopian future, Flay survived the war but with emotional and psychological scars. It's natural that we'd be more willing to reach out to you. Rio, I'm asking you to let us help you, and I want to be your friend."

Cagalli gave a nod of approval to both Akiza and Rio, seeing the former's kindness finally open Rio's heart to others. It shows that she is far from perfect, and three people who came to her are the same, both their traumas changed their perspective of the world, for better or worse.

"You're going to regret this, Akiza.", Rio warns that kindness can be sometimes a weakness that some people will going to exploit.

But, Akiza knows it all to well. Dwelling on hatred can be self-destructive and showing mercy is what prevents perpetuating the cycle of hatred.

Akiza continued, "I know what you mean, Rio. No matter how many times you feel betrayed or discouraged, it's not yet the end of the world. Don't be afraid to start over, and if there is a point in your life that you are uncertain of, I'm here to help you go through it. This is what an old friend told me before I came here.", then offers Rio a hand to stand on her feet. "Consider us even now."

Cagalli smiles as Rio finally regained her sanity and found a moral compass in Akiza, giving the Iron Lady the closure that she needed. It seems that fate had brought them together.

In the midst of it all, Flay notices that Ian just suddenly disappeared.

Meanwhile at the very depths of the Tokino residence, it seems that Ian discovered a hidden passage at the mansion's basement. Little what everybody knew (except for Akiza since she is used to Ian having a tendency to leave without warning), Ian is known for his moniker, the "Silver Fox", for his sneaky tactics.

Ian took advantage of the ensuing drama involving Rio without everyone's knowledge by sneaking at the basement to discover what the Tokino family has been hiding.

"I'm getting tired hearing all this backstory thing.", said Ian as Dr. Paradox in his Haro form stood above his hair. The professor seems a bit more worried knowing he's not supposed to enter without permission. "Since I'm a genius hacker, I can barge on any places with lax security."

"Are you sure what you're doing, Ian?", Dr. Paradox asked. "This is the house belonging to one of Orb's noble families..."

"Seriously, doc. You need to stop worrying. It's that custom Astray is what I'm interested on.", Ian is talking about Rio's custom Astray.

Using his skills as a hacker, Ian manages to bypass security at the basement as he makes his way into what appears to be a mobile suit hangar. There, he discovers Rio's customized Astray. Once inside the cockpit, Ian grins as he has something in store as the episode fades to black.


Author's Note #2:

- This story's version of Akiza is still no different than her namesake from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's of being social outcasts. Only this time that her being part-Zala is the reason she was a pariah. Back in Destiny, Athrun is haunted by the sins of his father, especially when he confronted the Patrick Zala loyalists when they were dropping Junius 7 onto Earth.

- Also, both Akiza and Ian are descendants of two of the original Le Creuset team members: Athrun and Yzak, respectively.

- The "Vara" in Akiza's birth name Akiza Vara Zala is derived from the Japanese word "bara", which means "rose". This is another easter egg to her 5D's counterpart.

- Flay being confronted by the revelation of her father's association with Blue Cosmos is something what will happen in the series if she finds it out firsthand from Le Creuset, but he didn't have to. Also, I did read a similar story titled "Fighting for the enemy" by Anime AU Stories, an alternate retelling of Flay's time with ZAFT where she is put on trial before the PLANT Supreme Council and reveal everything about her father's involvement with Blue Cosmos. The revelation compelled Flay to become a pilot for ZAFT, while at the same time dealing with the brunt of being an outcast among Coordinators. I recommend reading that story.