Author's Note:

- Another overview of Kiryu. Like what I said at the end of the previous chapter, Kiryu's name is an homage to Kalin's original Japanese name, Kyosuke Kiryu, and Yusei Fudo. Of the original Dark Signers, Kalin is one of my favorite characters. Here, I base Kiryu on both Kalin and Yusei; despite that the Akiza in this story is also both Yusei and Aki into one character. My fan cast choice to voice Kiryu here would be Yusei's voice actor, Yuya Miyashita for the Japanese version, and in the English version... Josh Keaton.

- Also, Kiryu is actually a Carbon Human. I haven't read the Astray manga series, but I finally got the gist of what Carbon Humans are. But the details of Kiryu's origins will be further elucidated in future chapters.


PHASE-08: Heliopolis: Revisited


[BGM: "Clear Mind" by Masaaki Endoh from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds]

"This Gun Vehicle, I think I remember it now...", Akiza somehow remembers the car. "That's Kiryu's car, the Slapshock GTR!"

"Say WHAT?!", Ian exclaimed, as his voice can be heard from the dashboard. "You're saying that's Kiryu's car?!"

"Can't you see his driving pattern? Of course, it's him!"

With no time to mess around, Akiza proceeds to push her car into the red zone as the Core GT's DRS function activates, allowing Akiza to overtake the Slapshock. The moment Akiza and Flay are now in front of the Slapshock GTR, both the Core GT and Limp Bizkit intercept a radio transmission coming from the Slapshock.

"Akiza... Ian... Can you hear me?'", from the Slapshock's cockpit, Kiryu communicates with the three Gun Vehicles. "This is Kiryu. Kiryu Fudo Nagare."

"No way... It can't be you.", Akiza said in utter disbelief.

"Yes way! It's really him!", Ian exclaimed. "Kiryu, you fucking asshole! You had us worried, man! We thought you were dead after we made our way here!"

The two Black Eagles from the future seemed to be happy to find their mentor and father figure alive at last, but the time for a reunion is not yet as the three Gun Vehicles enter a time portal.

The Gun Vehicles enter the space-time dimension known as the Accel Force. Flay had her first exposure to the Accel Force when she first rode with Akiza inside the Core GT. And Rio herself is now experiencing the phenomenon within the Accel Force aside from the speed coursing into her body from the driving with Ian.

"Incredible... This speed coursing into my body, it feels so warm.", Rio thought to herself.

"This is your first experience of the Accel Force.", it is Ian's turn to explain the phenomenon. "A cosmic force based around velocity and movement. It embodies the fabric of space and time. Existence moving through reality. Kinetic energy, temporal... Whatever, either way you get the gist of it. Oh, the real kicker? Time runs much faster than the outside world, in here, it's like three years have passed in here, while it's just merely three seconds in real time."

"Unbelievable. So, this phenomenon acts as a bridge between space-time of sorts?", Rio was flabbergasted by this first-hand experience.

Much to her surprise, that the flow of time inside the Accel Force caused her to age three years older. Rio's current age is 25 years old, and her exposure to the Accel Force turned her 28. The same happened to Flay when she turned 16 after the war, and when she traveled into the Accel Force with Akiza, her age had accelerated to three years older (18). Akiza herself felt the accelerated aging inside the dimension, going from 18 to 21 years old. This phenomenon can only occur once to those who first entered the Accel Force.

"Makes you wonder why Flay looked so hot when she turned 18 getting exposed in here.", Ian sneeringly cracked a joke on Flay's expense.

To Flay's chagrin, she replies, "I'm going to cobble you when I see you, Ian!"

"You mean "clobber" Flay. When you say to "cobble", it actually means to make a shoe.", Rio bantered dryly.

"So what? Then I'm going to cobble up some boots and kick Ian's butt with it!"

"This is so unbecoming of you, Flay. Getting yourself into such childish and petty arguments is not like you. And Ian is the type of person who likes arguing just for the fun of it."

Akiza intervenes, "Knock it off. We better find a safe place to rendezvous with Kiryu."

"Akiza, you also better explain yourself.", also the fact that Kiryu also heard Flay's voice and aware of the fact that she was supposed to die during Jachin Due, it's become clear that Akiza did cause a butterfly effect. "The fact that I can hear Flay Allster's voice from the radio!"

"Looks like you haven't forgotten the fact that you had to kill some guy in a mask to save Flay and caused a time paradox, Akiza.", Ian then takes a jab on his foster sister/rival.


January 24, C.E. 71

[*BGM: "Theme of Akiza Izinski (Duel Links version)" from Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links*]

The three cars exit the Accel Force's portal, arriving at a very familiar space colony.

"Did we just traveled into the past?", asked Rio.

Flay apparently recognizes the atmosphere of the place within this time period.

"We're in... Heliopolis.", Flay said as Team Paradox find themselves in Heliopolis, one day before it was destroyed during ZAFT's invasion.

Team Paradox's Gun Vehicles park at a nearby coffee shop. As soon as the four get out of the cars and Kiryu getting out of the Slapshock, both Rio and Flay are shocked by Kiryu's rather androgynous appearance, despite being young, tall, and handsome, and with the distinguishable claw scratch scar on his left cheek.

"Is he really your father figure, Aki? He's almost close to being your big brother or something.", a flabbergasted Flay raised her eyebrow concerning Kiryu's appearance.

"Or both. He's both a dad and a big bro at the same time. He hasn't changed at all.", Ian smiled with delight to see his brother-in-arms.

"He rather looks young to be a foster parent. But still, his appearance and personality proved otherwise.", Rio added.

Akiza then approached Kiryu, "I thought you died when I was forced to escape 70 years into the past. How were you able to escape on your own?"

Kiryu replied, "It's complicated.", as he explained the circumstances of his escape. "When the Lunar Base was overrun by the JUNO Army, I thought I was done for. But suddenly, a blue butterfly just came at me and suddenly turned into this.", he reveals a butterfly-shaped medallion to the gang. However, the medallion has a missing wing. Kiryu continued, "For some reason, a strange butterfly just suddenly came at me and turned into this medallion. I had a feeling that someone had traveled back into the past rewrote history."

Akiza deduces that the butterfly medallion came to be may have something to do with undoing Flay's death. However, back in the present, they encountered an identical butterfly that resembled the same butterfly that helped Kiryu in his escape.

Kiryu continued once again, "While the Minami Lunar Base is being overrun, the Mars Resistance Team managed to rescue me and had to take the Sentinel Gundam into their ship. I had to take refuge there and abide my time to travel back into the past."

"Glad that you're okay...", Akiza hugged Kiryu before letting go as a gesture of familial affection. "So your saying that time medallion saved your life? Come to think of it... When we checked out the meteorite in Orb in the present, this must be a time capsule you used to travel in C.E. 72? Also, we also ran into a butterfly that resemble the one in that time medallion."

"I see. Maybe that butterfly might lead us to complete that medallion.", Kiryu nodded, before turning his attention to Flay, considering that the reason why her death was prevented and caused a butterfly effect. "I assume that you had to take full responsibility over her life, Akiza."

"What I did back in Jachin Due was unintentional, but I have to bear the sins of causing the time paradox myself. What's important that Flay still has another chance in life to make amends for her past wrongs.", Akiza reiterated why she inadvertently undone Flay's death.

"I understand.", Kiryu nodded, as he tells Akiza not to blame herself even if it was an accident. "A small change to the past can dramatically change the future. Don't blame yourself over it, Akiza. We'll just have to push forward even if history has to move in a different direction."

"And, speaking of history...", Flay then gives the gang heads-up. "Since we're here in Heliopolis, what are we supposed to do right now?"

"We better search for that butterfly.", said Akiza. "It might probably lead us to the other half of that butterfly pendant. Best we better split up."

Kiryu and the other Team Paradox members gave a nod. Akiza and Rio will have to investigate further around the colony, and Flay decided to join with Kiryu and Ian this time. Before Akiza and Rio get inside the Core GT, she warns Flay about the dangers of interacting with people in the past.

"Flay, whatever you do, do NOT interact with any of your friends that live here, that also includes your past self!"

Since this time period was one day before the ZAFT invasion of the colony, the inevitability of running into Flay's former friends is possible, that even includes her past self. And Kiryu seems to be correct about this, since if the same person from separate timelines be it from the past and future interact, it will automatically lead to a time paradox.

So, Kiryu and Ian are on guard as Akiza and Rio split up. Flay has many things to ask about Kiryu after having getting to know Akiza and Rio. Despite being a strict father-figure/big brother to both Akiza and Ian, Kiryu is actually an approachable and kind person who is more willing to lend an ear.

Flay, at first, was too shy to talk to Kiryu, until Ian convinces her.

"Hey, what's with the silent treatment? I didn't know why did you decided to come with us despite you and Akiza are so close like a married couple.", said Ian.

Flay replied, "I just wanted to give Aki some space for herself. I don't want to be a burden to her.", learning from her mistakes of her rather messy relationship with Kira in the past, it's for the best that Flay has to give Akiza some space when needed, and in turn the latter does the same. And Kiryu seems to agree with it. In a relationship, partners show respect for one another by giving them some space.

"Oh, I get it. So you're also trying to fangirl on our alpha male big bro here?", Ian shows off his brotherly connection to Kiryu. "Think of him as Kamina from Gurren Lagann... Or rather, Yusei Fudo meets Kamina!"

"No, that's not what I meant!", Flay retorted.

"Sheesh, Ian. You never changed at all.", Kiryu shrugged his foster son's fourth-wall breaks before personally talking to Flay. "I assume you're Flay, am I right?"

Kiryu seems to have known about Flay through the history of the war as she was among the casualties during Jachin Due, although this is no longer the case thanks to Akiza's tampering. Even though Flay has since moved on from her past, Kiryu can sense through the guilt lingering in her heart, at least a trace of it.

"I know why you ended up with Akiza. It's because fate decided to step in and give you another chance in life.", Kiryu metaphorically elaborated how Akiza played a part of undoing Flay's death. "Though this wasn't her intention, but that's a blessing in disguise."

Unlike Akiza because of her ESPer abilities, Kiryu is an empathic individual underneath his battle-hardened exterior. He knows how to understand the pain of others and helps them to come to grips with it, the same thing how Akiza helped Flay to face her inner demons.

"I see. You are really that kindhearted? It's no wonder why Aki had learned so much from you.", Flay smiled at Kiryu.

"But still, you have a strong drive to atone for your sins. Which still continued to haunt you even after you survived the war.", Kiryu deeply observes the repressed, lingering guilt underneath Flay's smile.

"The fact that I'm still alive and learning horrible truths regarding my father shows what a fool I've been. To be honest, I should have died and found peace with myself. But, realizing that being alive is a blessing in disguise like what you said, I will have to keep going.", said Flay before her smile quickly turned into a scowl. "This place brings old memories - good and bad. Considering that it would meet its end by the time ZAFT began sneaking in here and hijack the mobile suits that the EA have been developing."

"I understand what you mean, Flay. Ever since that fateful day onward, your life turned upside down and you've been trying desperately to hold on to that old life you once knew crumbled around you.", Kiryu replied.

"Even though I survived the war... My life is never the same. As Aki told me, I can't dwell too much in the past. No matter how much I try, there's no way I can turn back time. But still, the guilt I felt of playing Kira like a fool and the damage I caused to his psyche and the people he had unintenionally killed continued to haunt me, until now."

Kiryu seems to relate with Flay's own struggles with his own. As he had endured 70 years of pain and trauma after hopelessly fighting JUNO's oppression over humanity, the horrific experiences made him cold, bitter, taciturn, and oftentimes suicidal. However, that did not hold him back, as he mentored Akiza and Ian to fend for themselves the moment the reach their coming of age.

Flay's pain and trauma even extend to witnessing the war escalating into an extermination between two races. When she finds out the truth from Akiza that what Le Creuset gave to her that Azrael received were schematics of the Neutron Jammer Canceller from the Freedom and Justice, which the Alliance would use to empower their nukes to destroy ZAFT's base of Boaz. Flay felt that she herself caused, if not all, millions of Coordinator deaths. Seeing Azrael's anti-Coordinator rhetoric made Flay realize what kind of an irreversible mess she had caused.

"I understand what you've been going through, Flay. But, don't let your guilt hold you back or even let it decide your future for you. Because you only have the power to create a future for yourself.", Kiryu hands Flay a similar advice, echoing Rio's words. "It does not matter how grave the sins you've made, but as I see it through your eyes, you wish to atone for everything you done, that's the future you believe in. Don't lose that conviction, Flay. That's because everyone wants a future to look forward to."

"That's because I don't want to see anyone to go down the dark path that I once took.", Flay answered. Then, she then asks about what 70 years in the future looked like, "I want to ask something else... What was the future you guys come from look like?"

Ian then replied, as he puts it bluntly: "An absolute shithole. It's expected when an artificial intelligence starts building an army of robots and slowly killing all life on Earth, then proceeded to conquer planets and colonies. So, imagine with robots dominating the universe and humans being slowly wiped out from existence means a dystopian future. Yeah, that's how fucked up our future really is."

Then, Kiryu puts it in a simple explanation, "As soon as JUNO began to developed self-awareness due to being designed as a deterrence against future conflicts, it decided to annihilate humans because it perceives them as a virus that is the source of conflicts. And given its nature as a supercomputer, it looks down on humans the same way with the tensions between Coordinators and Naturals. Over the next 70 years, those who surrendered to JUNO ended up being brainwashed and transformed into cyborgs programmed to obey its commands. JUNO believes in one thing: "absolute obedience". It does not tolerate anything that involves individuality or free will, even its own robotic minions are not safe, especially in the event if they begin to display any signs of self-awareness. So, its best solution is to rule the world through fear and oppression."

"That's awful...", Flay got the gist of it. "It doesn't view its own robotic soldiers as its own people. I just can't stand the idea of people being robbed of their own free will, it's just wrong!"

"So basically, it's like an allegory of North Korea into a Gundam fan fic. Or, the whole Russia-Ukraine war for those wondering.", Ian adds a real-life reference.

Kiryu then explains the story of JUNO's creation:

"JUNO stands for Joint Unification Network Order. Two years after the war between the Alliance and ZAFT concluded, scientists that were once part of Librarian Works struck a deal with scholars from Orb, the Atlantic Federation, and the PLANTs to come up a deterrence for future conflicts. They created a supercomputer that were able to act as a peacekeeper in the event of a potential war. To the surprise of many, JUNO developed unprecedented self-awareness because of its pacifistic programming. However, when both the Atlantic Federation and the PLANTs are embroiled in civil wars. In the Atlantic Federation, the newly reformed government and Blue Cosmos-Logos loyalists began to be in each others' throats. Meanwhile, in the PLANTs, this was a three-way conflict between the Clyne, Zala, and Durandal factions. Both Civil Wars led to more bloodshed and destruction far worse than the two wars, and this was the tip of the iceberg. The gravity of the conflicts pushed JUNO to becoming sentient and act against its creators. JUNO would immediately start a series of cyberattacks on the Atlantic Federation and the PLANTs, hacking on their mobile weapons and turning them against their pilots. Even Orb isn't safe from JUNO's wrath. As it hacked onto most of their mobile suits and attack on Alliance and ZAFT forces against their will. This cyber-holocaust forever changed the landscape in the next 70 years as JUNO began creating its robotic army, destroying all opposition that gets in its way and began to rule the Earth with an iron fist. Many surviving humans tried in vain to fight JUNO's control over the world, while some chose to give up and surrendered their humanity to the JUNO army and ended up becoming soulless machines."

As Kiryu concludes the story, Ian also points out that JUNO solely exists to make artificial intelligence and robotic life forms a master race superior to humans.

Flay couldn't bring herself to imagine what happened to Kira and the others during the JUNO cyberattack, assuming that they all perished during the incident. JUNO's mere existence is what truly gave her chills.

As Flay travels around Heliopolis with Kiryu and Ian, she has a visible fear of running into her future self. This is not because she heeded Akiza's warning about meeting with her past self, but imagine what Flay's past self will react to her future self. Both Ian and Kiryu's time rings glow as they somehow passed by the butterfly they were chasing.

While sitting on the passenger seat of the Slapshock GTR, Flay notices a familiar presence at the crossing lane while stopping at the red light. It's her friends: Kira, Sai, Miriallia, Tolle, Kuzzey, and her past self!

"Hey, isn't that...", Flay pointed her finger at her past self.

"I know.", Kiryu answered. "Like what Akiza said, don't even try interact with your past self. And it's not going to be pleasant if that happens."

Meanwhile, past-Kira and friends noticed something strange. Sai was the first to take notice.

"That's strange...", past-Sai looked around, as he looked around at the strange car, only to disappear.

"What's wrong, Sai?", past-Flay asked.

"Hey, Kira did you felt something strange when we walked the crossing lane?", Sai then asked Kira.

"I don't know what you're talking about, man. Or were you just spacing out?"

Back with Future Flay, Kiryu, and Ian, they regrouped with Akiza and Rio. The two were unable to track the strange butterfly, and for some reason like with Kiryu and Ian's time rings, they somehow react to the butterfly's presence.

However, because of the goose chase involving catching butterflies forced the team to take a break for a while. That said, they decided to head for a cafe next to the local college to rethink their next move. Little they know is that Flay's past self is apparently parted with Sai and company to meet up with her classmates to finish some homework.

Akiza notices the presence of past-Flay and so she has to avoid future-Flay from coming contact with one another.

"This is so not good.", Akiza sighed in utter defeat, knowing that there's a possible chance of having two Flays of separate time periods interacting one another. Rather than react with panic, she has to keep her cool.

"What's the call? Should we go inside or stay outside?", Akiza asked. "Because, what worried me the most is that Flay's past self is inside with some of her peers."

"Doesn't matter.", Flay replied. "I know that time travel can be dangerous. But, Aki, please don't overreact like it's going to cause a time paradox or anything. Let's just go like it's nothing."

"I didn't imagine Akiza can be this overprotective.", Kiryu smiled before breaking into a laughter with Ian as Dr. Paradox bounces out of Ian's backpack.

"Kiryu!", Akiza glares angrily at her mentor as he and Ian tease her.

"Seriously, Akiza. You need to lighten up. There's no need for a cause for alarm.", Rio chuckled and tapped Akiza on the shoulder.

However, their coffee break gets interrupted by the sound of a scream for help. Future Flay somehow recognizes the voice elsewhere.


[*BGM: "Aki Izayoi Battle" OST from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's*]

"That's Miri's voice!", Flay exclaimed.

"Shit, there goes our coffee break.", Ian spoke in dismay.

"Looks like we got trouble.", Rio added.

"It's coming from over there. Come on!", Akiza leads the rest of the team at a nearby alley where the cry for help came from.

At the alley, it seems that past-Kira, Miri, Sai, Kuzzey, and Tolle are attacked by JUNO Troopers! Even though Kira is yet to be aware of his abilities as a Coordinator, he barely stood a chance against a batallion of robotic soldiers. Just all seem lost for them, they are saved by four people in Orb military uniform and a stranger. To past-Sai's shock, he sees Future Flay among the four Orb soldiers fighting the robots.

"Flay, is that you?", past-Sai exclaimed.

Kiryu then guides Kira's posse to safety, "We better get you guys somewhere safe."

"What the fuck are these assholes doing here?!", exclaimed Ian as he uses his G-Watch to summon his signature weapon: an electric guitar that emits high-frequency sounds that can damage his enemies' hearing.

"Who knows? They followed us all the way here and decide to take their anger on random civilians.", Rio quipped.

"If they want a fight, in that case we'll give them one.", said Flay as Kiryu regroups with Team Paradox.

Considering Kiryu having reunited with his adoptive children, it would be the right time for him to be an official member of Team Paradox. Rio then calls out Kiryu, "Kiryu Fudo Nagare, am I right?"

"Yeah?"

"From here on out, you are one of us. As the fifth member of the Anti-Blue Cosmos Task Force Unit Team Paradox, Gundam Operator Series Yellow."

"So, that's why you guys are now wearing Orb military outfits. Count me in! I will not allow JUNO to commit atrocities, no matter the time period!"

Akiza then proceeds to give Kiryu and Ian some heads up about the way they fight.

"Hey, Kiryu? Remember the old banter?", Akiza said as she pulls out her chain-whip sword. "Let's show Rio and Flay how we the original Black Eagles fight, now as Team Paradox!"

"Alright.", Kiryu then opened the weapon app of his G-Watch, summoning his signature weapon, an electric baton, when extended it also doubles as a bo-staff. "Follow our lead!"

Ian then starts the Black Eagles' pre-battle one liner, "Ladies and gentlemen, it's open season!"

Followed by Kiryu, "It's light out, and..."

"...away we go!", Akiza finishes the last line as Team Paradox charges at the attacking JUNO Troopers.

"Let's rock!"

A fierce fight ensues between Team Paradox and a batallion of JUNO Troopers. Despite the numbers game by the JUNOids, Team Paradox managed to make up for their coordinated teamwork, even more so with the Black Eagle trio of Kiryu, Ian, and Akiza.

In the midst of the fight, both Flay and Rio get to learn to fight as a team thanks to Akiza. Made even better with Kiryu now joining Team Paradox. The team quickly mopped the floor with the robotic foot soldiers in just five minutes.

"I guess that's the last of them.", Kiryu panted.

"Man, what a ride. And we only just started driving our way into the past.", Ian followed.

While the remains of the destroyed JUNOids might seem to be less of a cause of concern at best, it's that past-Kira and company witnessed the fight between Team Paradox and the JUNO Troopers what bothered the former.

While the Heliopolis residents witnessing the fight hiding just inside an abandoned building emerges, Akiza tells the young teens to come out. They approach the older and future Flay.

"Flay, is that really you?", past-Sai asked. "Why are you doing with Orb's military?"

Future Flay at first seems to be rather reluctant to talk with her friends from the past, while the rest of Team Paradox secretly planning something.

"That person is actually Flay?!", Tolle exclaimed. "She looks rather haggard compared to the Flay we knew."

The Flay Allster of Team Paradox appears to be more worn out, physically and emotionally, as a result of the pain and trauma that she had undergone through during the First Alliance-PLANT War compared to her past self, who looks rather innocent and unaware of what the future holds for her.

"Umm... That's because I'm from... I'm from the future along with them.", Future Flay replied.

Before Flay can answer her friends' past selves, Kiryu gives her a gas mask as the rest of the team begin to wear their masks.

"Put this on.", Kiryu instructed as he pulls out a smoke grenade. This is a special smoke grenade that when inhaled, puts victims to sleep.

When Kiryu gently rolls the smoke grenade just close to past-Kira and company, smoke begin to come out of the cannister. The teens started to cough and wheeze the moment they breathe the gas and soon they begin to slowly lose consciousness.

"*cough*... *wheeze*... I can't breathe. Losing... consciousness...", Kira's vision starts to blur before he along with his friends collapse into the ground.

"What was that all about?", Flay asked as she takes off her mask as soon as the smoke cleared.

"Sleeping gas. This is a special sleeping gas that also erases the memories of a person's encounter with time travelers.", Kiryu elaborated what he and the rest of the team were up to while Flay was talking to past-Kira and friends. "Since we're in the past, it's for the best they don't remember meeting us, we can't risk messing with the time stream so carelessly."

"In other words, we're erasing their memories of the whole ordeal. Making it look like just a dream.", Akiza put Kiryu's explanation into a simple sentence.

It makes perfect sense that Kiryu had to use a sleeping gas that also wipe out the memories of the fight earlier. Because, killing them can also threaten their existence, provided that they are still alive in the future, except for Tolle. Before Team Paradox can leave to cover their tracks, past-Flay somehow stumbles at Sai and the others on the ground unconscious and believing to be the Orb soldiers responsible.

"Hey, isn't that...", Ian rolled his eyes when he saw past-Flay.

"Not good.", Akiza can only lament in resignation as their cover is blown.

Past Flay accuses Team Paradox as murderers for what they did to her friends, despite the fact that they saved them from the JUNO soldiers and had to knock them out and erase their memories of the whole ordeal.

"How could you... You people are supposed to be Orb soldiers and how could you do that to Sai and the others?!"

Future Flay tries to reason with her past self, "No, this isn't what it looks like!"

"Flay, what are you doing?!", Akiza stops her partner.

The younger Flay had no idea that she has just met her future self, which complicates things further. The rest of Team Paradox can only look on in shock when Past Flay is shocked by the confrontation with her future self.

"You... Are you really supposed to be me?!", Past Flay exclaimed.

Ian decided to take matters into his own hands as his emerald ring glows. And he activates the ring's time erasure abilities at will as he suddenly vanished from where he stood beside Kiryu and Rio, only to reappear in front of Past Flay, where he knocks her out with a punch to the midsection.


Team Paradox took Past Flay at an abandoned building. Where the younger Flay regains consciousness, only to find herself hands tied on a chair and her older, future self in front of her. It turns out this was Future Flay's idea to confront her past self, despite Akiza's warnings. The older Flay had something to say with her past self.

Past Flay starts ranting and raving at Team Paradox.

"Untie me this instant you Coordinator bastards! If my daddy was here right now you are all good as dead!", the younger Flay screamed at them, much to her future self's disgust.

Ian then intervenes, "Listen up, sweet cheeks. You got a problem with Coordinators? We're not the only one here. Me, my half-sis, and that hottie over there from Orb's Tokino family are Coordinators. Future you is the same bitch-ass natural that she is, and my big bro right there is a Carbon Human."

Future Flay tells Ian to back off and deal with her past self on her own, while the rest of the team look on. Akiza reminds (Future) Flay to not endanger her past self, knowing that doing so will affect her own existence. However, that's exactly what she's trying to do.

Future Flay pulls out her G-Phone, transforming it from smartphone to gun mode and starts pointing at her past self.

"Flay, don't!", Akiza yelled at her partner to don't do it.

"No, you can't be serious...", Rio can only look on appalled at what Flay is trying to do with her past self. "If you do that, you will only prematurely erasing your own existence! This is suicide!"

"I... I just want to remind my past self of the cruel fate waiting her. I still hated myself for everything I've done to Kira and the others.", said Future Flay. The fact she points a gun at her own past self, instilling fear on the latter. Future Flay wanted to free herself from the guilt that's been constantly tormenting her. "I'm not afraid to die anyway. I'm sorry, Aki. But this is for the best that I should have never existed anyway..."

Future Flay points her G-Phone at her past self, who can only look at herself in fear and despair. As she is about to be shot, at the same time erasing the older Flay from existence. However, (Future) Flay's hands are also trembling as if she can't bring to kill herself, let alone her past self. The rest of Team Paradox have to do something before Flay commits suicide (by essentially killing Past Flay) in front her teammates.

Instead, Future Flay just breaks down dropping to her knees; giving the team enough time to intervene. Much like before, the team had to put on their gas masks again and use the same sleeping gas to knock Past Flay out, at the same time wiping off the memories of the whole ordeal.

A few hours later, past Kira and his friends managed to find Flay in the abandoned building. Past Flay had no memory of what happened earlier, and so does Sai and the others regarding the JUNO Trooper attack. Since the sleeping gas did its job wiping out their memories of encountering Team Paradox.

From afar, Team Paradox watched the teens reunited safely.

"Shit, for a second there we almost fucked up.", Ian spoke in relief. "Like seriously, Flay was attempting suicide by time travel. I mean, this is beyond fucked up."

Kiryu had a brief flashback about contemplating suicide before meeting up with Akiza and Ian, and seeing Flay about to do the same thing by killing her past self hits harder for him. It's like he can easily relate to his own situation earlier.

"Is it because of the guilt that still lingers within Flay's heart?", Kiryu had his thoughts about Flay. "Was it because she was pulling the strings on Kira Yamato in the past into killing ZAFT soldiers? Or was it being indirectly responsible for what happened in Boaz?"

As Akiza and Rio call out Flay for her reckless act, Flay could barely speak.

"What is wrong with you?!", Rio glared at Flay. "This is unbecoming of you. Do you really think that killing your past self will free you from your past transgressions?!"

When words don't work, Akiza decides to take it on a more extreme level; something that Rio herself had her firsthand experience. Akiza pushes Rio aside in a polite manner as she grabs Flay by the collar and punched her on the face so hard, the impact had everyone left shocked and speechless.

Then, followed by a familiar cooldown hug.

"Aki...", Flay whispered.

"You... dumbass!", Akiza chews her partner out. "Do you really think you could try to end it all? All because of everything you've done in the past?"

"But, I..."

"Flay... Losing you might be the worst thing that will ever happen to me.", Akiza said, as she tightly held Flay in her arms. The real kicker comes is a tear falling from her left eye. "I understand how you feel about everything you've done and your desire to atone for your sins. I know how hard it is for you to be haunted by your past actions, but no matter what everyone may think about you and no matter how much you cry and suffer, you just have to keep going. Don't look back. We are all here for you, Flay. Never forget why you ended up with me in the first place, and why we are all gathered here."

And seeing this is nothing new for Rio, as this was the same way how she found closure with her father's death. Kiryu himself have done this to both Akiza and Ian before to straighten themselves up, especially when they are caught up in their moments of doubt. Considering that the three have come from the future and are a family of unrelated people, it makes perfect sense that if words don't work, even the hardest punch to the face can set them straight.

"Aki... I'm sorry. I-"

"Flay, that's enough... You don't have to take the blame for everything to yourself. You are very lucky that you are still alive and fate gave you another chance in life.", Akiza then breaks away and taps her partner in the shoulders with both hands. "If you go overboard next time, I'll be there to knock some senses out of you. Got it? Not only I'm doing this for your own good, but it's also because I care about you."

Kiryu recalls a similar instance when he had to dish out the same punch to the face at a young Akiza.

"Kiryu...", a young Akiza was left speechless after receiving a hard punch on the right cheek from Kiryu.

The young Akiza at the time used to be afraid by the horrors of the war between humans and robots, even more so than Flay. But that did not stop Kiryu from helping her go through her fears.

"No matter how devastated you may be by your own weakness or helplessness, set your heart ablaze. Grit your teeth and look straight forward. Even if you stop and drop down to your knees, time won't wait for you... or snuggle you and grieve along with you. You have to trust in yourself when others cannot."

That said, as Kiryu's flashback concluded, he takes out the incomplete butterfly pendant from his pocket and decided to give it to Flay.

"I want you to hold on to this.", Kiryu hands the incomplete pendant to Flay. "From here on, that thing will belong to you."

"Why give me this?", Flay asked as she notices the sapphire gem the other half wing of the pendant.

"It's also a time medallion, Flay. Like with Rio's magatama, my obsidian pendant, along with Ian and Kiryu's time rings.", Akiza continued as everyone pulled out their respective time medallion and rings. And Kiryu himself is also revealed to have a time ring. "Like it or not, it seems that we have been brought together by these stones."

Kiryu continued, "Look, Flay. The harshest reality a soldier in the battlefield faces is that they can't always save everybody. Even in these hard times, we should not let our failures determine our future. We just have to keep going, regardless if the whole world will turn against you."

Flay nodded, understanding what it means to move on and learning from past mistakes. Hearing Kiryu's words finally help her feel at peace with herself since this is the same person who is both a father figure and big brother to both Akiza and Ian while fighting the JUNO Army in their time period. A metaphor for a single parent trying to raise children while in the middle of fighting a war against robotic oppression. Even for a foster parent, Kiryu is a much more charismatic with naturally gifted leadership, treating his own soldiers like his own family, this also extends to his adoptive children. And when the time came, he passed on his leadership role to Akiza.

The same can be said with Team Paradox now, as the core five members are more than just soldiers protecting Orb, more than just a brotherhood, but a family of unrelated people share a common destiny that intertwined them.

"When you are in dire need of help, we're right behind you Flay.", said Rio. "You are a member of Team Paradox, after all. It's where you belong."

The rest of the team surround Flay, reminding her that she has a new place where she truly belongs. While at the same time she comes to embrace Akiza. Within moments, the strange butterfly began flying around the team.

"Well, now all's well that ends well. We got some unfinished business!", Ian then makes a quick start and chases the butterfly himself.

"Hey, wait for us!", Flay and the rest of the team followed him.

Elsewhere, a mysterious hooded figure observes Team Paradox from afar. His true identity remains a mystery as his face is hidden. The question is, is he a friend or a foe?