Phase-30: Force and Influence
In the ruins of Berlin, survivors were looking for their lost ones, be they alive or dead, but they had to be fast as all unidentified bodies needed to be burned quickly to avoid the development and spreading of epidemics. Soldiers patrolled and gathered orphans and survivors in hastily made camps. Sanitary measures were of the highest priority, along with treatment of the injured and distribution of soup until further aid arrived. Athrun and Seren were watching everything from the deck, a frown on their faces. They finally returned inside. It was the day after the battle.
"This is terrible. The Earth Forces have gone mad." Talia commented from the bridge. Trine agreed. "In Diocuia, the Chairman asked 'what in the world are we doing?' He had a point."
"Honestly, I can't help wondering what repeating these battles will ever accomplish. I like the Chairman's way of thinking. He wants to maintain harmony with the Naturals and avoid taking the same path we took in the last war... However, shouldn't we quickly get rid of those who deserve to be eliminated? Otherwise, I don't believe this war will ever end." Arthur voiced his thoughts.
"You may be right." Gladys sighed.
"You said you'd help me! You said you'd help me protect her!" Shinn snarled, having violently pinned Seren against the wall, looking like he wanted, and was about to kill her. And indeed his forearm was pressing against her throat. She was returning to her room when she had been caught.
"Shinn!" Rey snapped at him. He was going too far.
"Yes... as much as possible. And I said... that... if it came down to it, I'd choose you over her. So you too... make your choice..." She stared straight back at him as she forced the words out even as she had so much difficulty getting air in. The pressure against her throat became a little stronger.
"Shinn! What are you doing?!" Athrun let go of the tray with the glasses of water he was carrying and rushed to them, trying to separate the violent one from his childhood friend. The noise drew the attention of others who came and helped Athrun get Asuka away from Seren. Zala stood protectively in front of her, shielding her from Shinn and his fierce glare. They too scolded the pilot of the Impulse. What was he doing to Seren?! She was a FAITH member, and his superior! And couldn't he even see she was wounded?! She got those wounds when she protected him from the explosion of that monstrous thing! Shouldn't he be thanking her instead of attacking her?! But Shinn said nothing. He just snorted, clicked his tongue, and angrily marched away. Rey apologized for his friend's behavior and followed him.
The Minerva crew got worried about her but she appeased them with a smile. One volunteered to clean the mess made when Athrun had tossed the tray and brought her a new glass she gratefully accepted. Then everyone dispersed, and Seren returned to her room, accompanied by Athrun who stuck close to her. Meyrin, who had been among the worried onlookers, watched the two walk away. The man had an arm carefully placed around the injured girl's shoulders.
A moment later, he sat her down on the bed and examined her neck. Once he was reassured he sat down next to her and started complaining about Shinn's conduct.
"But it's only natural that he would snap at me like that. I had half-expected him to shoot me the moment he saw me." She chuckled sadly.
"Don't joke like that."
"Kira and I killed the girl he liked after all. Don't you remember how you were when Kira killed Nicol? How I was when I thought you had killed Kira? How would you feel if Shinn killed me?"
"That's..."
"That's a trial he has to go through, like we did. He's trying to find an outlet for all his anger and pain. He'll surely be consumed for a time. Then he'll accept, understand, and overcome, like we did. But while we're both ZAFT pilots and his actions against me are limited, I'm worried about the next time Shinn will have to fight Kira. With the Fortuna in this state, I won't be able to do anything..."
"You're right..." He lowered his eyes. Then he felt Seren lean against him. He was surprised but a little happy. He glanced at her anxious profile and he too leaned against her, their heads and shoulders touching. Athrun tentatively placed his hand on hers. Since he felt no sense of repulsion, he slightly shifted her hand and interlaced their fingers. When she squeezed his hand, a small smile started playing on his lips. They might live through dark times, and the future might be dark as well, with many anxious points... but this light touch was like a light. Because they were still connected, they would be fine.
After looking through various files, Chairman Durandal summoned someone to his office. Not too long later, a woman with wavy light blue hair in a ponytail and dark blue eyes entered.
"Amelia, let's put the plan into motion. There might be a chance to cancel it depending on how things play out, but it never hurts to be cautious." Gilbert stood up and went to place his hands on her shoulders. "You don't need to worry, however. It's good if it succeeds, but it's not an absolute requirement. There are ways to deal with the situation no matter how things fall out."
"Yes, Chairman." Amelia closed her night blue eyes and smiled. Her beauty and soft demeanor instantly made other people trust her and feel comfortable around her. That was why she had been assigned as Meer's new manager after the idol had complained about her former one. But that was not the only reason... And as a good measure, he had not only assigned Amelia, but Sarah to Meer as well. After he gave her more details and she left, Durandal sat down on the sofa and started replaying a game on the chess board, the last game he had played with Seren.
Seren Elvira Ledford and Athrun Zala. Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne. He had no idea when, where, why, or how they had met. Lacus Clyne was the daughter of former PLANTs Supreme Council Chairman Siegel Clyne. She was supposed to marry Patrick Zala's son, Athrun Zala. Their marriage was supposed to be a beacon of light and hope for the next generation. So why did she meet Kira Yamato? Why did Athrun meet Seren Elvira Ledford?
Athrun, Kira, Seren... those three childhood friends who had already met on the moon. The affection that had started sprouting between Athrun and Seren and that kept growing despite their separation, despite their battles as enemies, despite the fact that he was already engaged to Lacus Clyne... The feelings that were born between Kira and Lacus as she was a hostage in the Archangel, he returned her to Athrun, her fiancé, and she healed his battered body and soul in her mansion after his fateful battle with Athrun at the Marshall Islands... Even though the World put them in opposition, their souls were still drawn to each other... Those destined to meet... Those events destined to happen... Both Lacus Clyne and Athrun Zala, who everyone thought were made for each other, turned away from each other, naturally, and sought the one their souls, their destiny had chosen for them, as if they were drawn by a gravitational pull.
But if that applied to everything, why did people have to struggle through life?
"All things are born into this world and eventually die. It's as simple as that." His deceased long time friend Rau Le Creuset, used to answer.
"Then are you saying it's meaningless to hope or wish for anything?"
"No, not at all. I'm just saying that this sums up what this beloved world of ours and living creatures known as 'humans' are. No matter how long one lives, or how one wishes to live his life. It's something that everyone knows, yet everyone has forgotten. But I alone will not forget it. I will never be able to forget it. If my life has any value, that would only be because I've never forgotten, for even a single moment." Then Rau would laugh cynically. Gilbert took a little bottle filled with capsules, the ones he had created for Rau - and that now he was making for Rey - in order to reduce the pain caused by their genetic malfunctions, and stared at it.
But even you lived because you wanted to, as if defying something, as if longing for something. The minute we realize our wishes will not be granted, what are we to do? When we realize it is our destiny... Because they were on opposite sides of the fence, Kira, Seren, and Athrun had once tried to repress their feelings, their longing, to give up, because they didn't know any way of making them come true. And then they tried to kill each other, because their comrade had been killed. Likewise, even though he and Talia used to love each other so much, she had broken up with him. Because she wanted to have a child, more than anything, and the PLANTs strictly regulated marriages in order to increase chances of successful childbirth. So she broke up with him and chose to marry another man with whom she was able to have a son.
"I don't have an answer for that. I only know about myself. It's like walking through a maze. There are always many paths ahead of us. We choose our paths and simply proceed. People like you walk your paths, believing that something you desire awaits you. And I walk my path to confirm there is nothing."
"Who decided all this? Decided what?" That day, Gilbert had accepted their separation, shook hands with her as friends, and watched her walk away with another man who was holding her by the shoulders, against whom she was leaning. It couldn't be helped. That day, Kira and Seren were made to choose too, when ZAFT attacked JOSH-A in Alaska that the Archangel had finally reached. Could they keep living here, with Lacus Clyne, closing their eyes and ears to the world, to the plight of their friends? Even if they didn't do anything, the world would keep turning without them. But it what direction? If they wanted to save people, they had to take up arms again, and try to force the world into a slightly better path. It couldn't be helped.
In that case, can you really say it was a choice? Are we really the ones making choices?
The reason why Rau Le Creuset and Rey Za Burrel had the same voice and almost the exact same appearance was because Rey was also one of Al Da Flaga's clones, although much younger, that Rau, a Red Coat at that time, found crying alone, rundown, abandoned in a dilapidated room, and that he brought back to the PLANTs where the child met Gilbert. Was it their choice, or destiny?
And then, because Kira Yamato and Seren Ledford had 'made their choice', and were supported by Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala was made to choose as well... what and who to believe... was it Lacus, Kira, and Seren? Or was it his father? What was his duty as a ZAFT soldier? What was his wish as Athrun Zala? In the end, he believed in Lacus, who everyone was calling a traitor, and sided with Kira and Seren.
Would I have found the thing I truly desired along a path I didn't choose?
"You will run out of time while you start thinking like that. A path that wasn't chosen is the same as a path that never existed. "If only I'd done this... if only I'd done that..."
If only Cagalli, Seren, and Shinn had saved their family when the Earth Forces had attacked Onogoro... If only Athrun could have dissuaded his father from going down the wrong path...
"You can look back at the past all you want, but you can never return there. You cannot change what has already happened. We have no choice but to constantly move towards a future we cannot see."
Lacus had helped Athrun, who had been branded a traitor as well, escape. And they returned to Kira and Seren who saved them from ZAFT. Lacus cried the death of her father in Kira's arms, like Seren had earlier cried the death of her father in Athrun's arms. And Seren consoled Athrun when he was lamenting his powerlessness, his inability to convince his father. Those people had chosen with whom to live their future.
However, the past was not separate from the future. And people could find themselves connected in the strangest of ways. Was that connection 'destiny' too? Mu La Flaga, comrade to Kira and Seren on the Archangel... his father, Al Da Flaga, had convinced those siblings' father, Ulen Hibiki to further his research on cloning, and make clones of Al Da Flaga in exchange for funds. This way, Rau Le Creuset, and later Rey Za Burrel were born, or rather manufactured? Ulen had also used two of his three children, Seren and Kira for his research on the Ultimate Coordinator... the only two successful births, at the cost of over 54 000 lives...
"Give them back! Give my other children back to me!" Via Hibiki cried.
"They're mychildren! I'll use the ultimate technology to make them the Ultimate Coordinators! And if my experiments on the girl succeed, she'll assimilate the properties of the artificial womb, she might even become the key to any sterility problems that could happen in the future! She'll be the Ultimate Mother!"
"For whose sake? For your sake?! The Ultimate Coordinators? The Ultimate Mother? Is that supposed to bring these children happiness?!"
"Humanity has progressed to this day, always longing to improve things! Because with improvement comes happiness!"
And then, Mu La Flaga had fought Rau Le Creuset again.
"Is that what you were hoping for, you bastard?!"
"Not me! This is what the people dreamed of! What the people hoped for! What the people did! This is their arrogance, their karma! To be stronger than others! To go farther than others! To go higher than others! People compete, get jealous, hate each other... and end up eating away at one another!"
"All of this is the result of your twisted logic!" La Flaga argued. "I won't let things go the way you want!"
"You're already too late, Mu! I am the resultof all this! That's how I know! I know that humanity will be wiped out, eaten away by the darkness they brought upon themselves!"
"To a time other than now... To a place other than here... You believe that there has to be something wonderful out there... And you people will forever wander your bloody path in search for it, right? How unfortunate."
Because they believed, Seren had told Athrun to live and fight, and forbidden him to die in the nuclear explosion caused by the Justice that destroyed GENESIS, and Kira had killed Le Creuset, to protect this world. Even now, those three were struggling and suffering on that bloody path. Gilbert too was ready to sacrifice hundreds of thousands if it meant he could fulfill his ambition, and give that woman he still loved so dearly peace and happiness.
"Are you saying there's no hope?" Gilbert used to ask his friend who would reply as jadedly as always.
"What is hope? That all of your wishes and dreams come true? To have your prayers answered... to go back in time because 'this wasn't supposed to happen'? Could you say with absolute certainty that we won't make the same mistakes? 'Who decided all this? What has been decided?'"
Even though they didn't want to, Gilbert and Talia had separated. Seren, Cagalli, Lacus, Shinn lost their family, Kira lost a woman he had loved. Could they have been saved had they made a different choice then?
Then I will change everything. If we can't go back, then we'll create a proper path to start with. Adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine... what we can do... what we should do... No one understands that better than I do... A smirk curved his lips at the fallen white rook on his chess board. Right, it was truly unfortunate, but he had to get rid of her now before she grew out of his hands. If the plan succeeded, not only could he cut down his losses but that would be a wonderful preamble to announce his objective. Rather than let her live and become an obstacle, her publicized death as a martyr would propel his project forward. And if she didn't die, and managed to figure out he had been the one behind this plan, she should also understand the message... 'Stay in line and don't act out, or there will be dire consequences.' Then, a man entered and informed him the shuttle was ready.
It was two days later that Athrun and Seren received a summons from the Chairman who had come down to Earth and was waiting for them at Gibraltar. A tilt-rotor came to fetch them. They thought for sure it was going to be about what happened to Berlin and their destroyed gundams. They were both FAITH, no longer in possession of a functioning mobile suit, and they had been asked for their battle data too. Wasn't it to calibrate and fine-tune their new machines to match this data? Seren had secretly fiddled a bit with hers though.
However, the moment they arrived they were taken to different rooms and made to dress up while being informed of their schedules. A party would take place this evening with various dignitaries who had elected to align themselves with the PLANTs. Athrun was to participate as both Lacus Clyne's escort and bodyguard. Seren too had to take up two mantles at the same time, that of a ZAFT FAITH agent and bodyguard, and that of the diplomat. The Chairman apparently trusted that she would do just fine without precise orders and left it all to her. Indeed, Seren froze before letting out a heavy sigh. Basically, she would have to condemn the Earth Alliance and Orb that were siding with it – with some bolts possibly aimed at her personally – while extolling Durandal's and the PLANTs' virtues... all while watching Athrun and Meer sticking together like glue and being praised and congratulated by everyone. That had to be his way of reminding her to stay in line.
She chose peach-colored shin-length mousseline skirt pants held by a ribbon. The top that was of the same color had short fluttery sleeves and a surplice neckline and a plunging back as a sensual point. Her cream satin 6cm heels were decorated by a ribbon held by an emerald. Her matching necklace and earrings were of a simple but elegant design with gold and emeralds too. Her front locks were braided and held together in the back of a head by a hairclip with a small light yellow flower, light green leaves, and gold. The principle behind the outfit, hair- and makeup style she had chosen was 'purity, elegance, and professionalism' as she could easily move around if necessary. While her makeup was being done, she was told of the next day. In the morning, a large-scale conference would take place where the Chairman, Lacus, and all the dignitaries would denounce the atrocities of the Atlantic Federation, forming a united front. Athrun and Seren would be part of the security here. In the afternoon, they would have time off... or more exactly, they were told to accompany Lacus-sama on her sightseeing outing. And the next day, they would return to the Minerva.
"I see..." ...was all Seren could respond. The future sure looked bleak. She also had some thoughts about making a recovering person act as a guard. She might be starting to heal but things could easily go wrong not just for her of course, but also those she was supposed to protect. In any case she had to hide her weaknesses, whatever they were.
As expected, when she joined up with the Chairman, Athrun and 'Lacus', Meer was already tightly clinging to Athrun who was averting his eyes with an uncomfortable expression. Seren hid her emotions far beneath a dazzling smile, having decided to flawlessly rise to the challenge. And as expected, Meer's lilac halter dress was on the sexy side with a plunging neckline, bare back, high slits, and silver high heels. Her jewelry was based on silver, diamonds, and pink and light blue stones to give her the sense of purity the design of her dress completely lacked. Still, her beauty was certainly shining, and going to attract the gaze of every man present. Durandal apologized for the extreme suddenness of his request but believed in their abilities and that they would pull it through.
Upon attending the ball, Seren greeted the ambassadors. She already knew a good number of them from her time as Orb's diplomat. Not only were there countries already allied with the PLANTs, but also people from the Eurasian Federation seeking refuge from the tyrannic Atlantic Federation... and neutral countries also fed up and/or afraid of the OMNI Enforcers and moved by the Chairman's and Lacus' continuous calls for peace and diplomacy and measured responses to the attacks, their desperate attempts not to escalate this war. It was easy to see how much the Chairman was gaining popularity. The AthrunxLacus couple was also successfully being promoted. As for her... Things were going as expected as well. The people were surprised to see her, the former Orb ambassadress, here. Some were genuinely understanding, believing she had been moved by the Chairman as well. For others, their curiosity sometimes mixed with malice. It was like she had been turned into a spectacle. Well, it was an opportunity to knock the upstart little girl who had tried to compete with the big boys down a few pegs. As for Seren, her duty here was to show that she had abandoned Orb, meaning that Orb was beyond saving. It was not a good time to show that one was associated with Orb that was an ally of the Atlantic Federation that committed such atrocities... Especially since there were a few screens playing footage of the recent battles and various abominations caused by the Earth Forces on repeat... which included Berlin, Crete, the Dardanelles, their findings at the Lodonia Laboratory, the secret base in construction close to Carpentaria where the locals were parked and treated like livestock...
In other words, it was what Japanese people would call a fumie. During the times when Japan persecuted Christians, those who wanted to pass checkpoints needed to step on a picture of Christ to prove they did not revere him. Those who refused were instantly detained and subjected to who knew what. In the same way, Seren was expected to step on Orb to prove her loyalty to the PLANTs and the Chairman. At the same time, the impression was given that the Chairman had kindly taken Seren, who had escaped from Orb, under his wing for protection, and because he highly valued her and her abilities. Naturally, she was expected to show him endless gratefulness and thus loyalty.
Athrun was very concerned when he saw her under so much pressure, all the more so since she was fighting alone as he had been made to stay with Meer who was still glued to his arm, and the Chairman. Still, Seren's smile never once faltered. But he knew better than anyone what feelings that smile of hers concealed. He was always worriedly glancing at her, and whenever he'd try to go to her, Meer would tighten her hold and pull him back. He had noticed that they were trying to separate him from Seren so they could better isolate her... which enraged him. His place was by Seren's side. Those days spent taking care of her had keenly reminded him of that. Could he let things go on like this?
Once more, a dignitary lamented the current course of Orb and spoke of his worry about what would happen to all the Coordinators still present now that Orb had chosen the Atlantic Federation, and wondering what the Ledfords were doing. It was a disguised bolt at her heart that actually meant 'you've been betrayed by your country and your family!' and the fact they spoke with pity was to make themselves look superior.
"Politics, just like war, is ever changing. Not a single country is monolithic. And everyone can make mistakes. The Ledfords family serves the people before the government, so even now I'm sure they're busy limiting the damage. People who used to fight Coordinators as part of the Earth Alliance are here tonight. The drop of Junius Seven was caused by ZAFT extremists. Orb made mistakes as well. But no night lasts forever. The Sun might be shrouded in darkness right now, but I believe that it won't be too long before the darkness and clouds are cut apart, and the Sun leaves the cave to return to the sky and shine brighter than before." Her smile was so warm and radiant it made her interlocutors blush in spite of themselves. She knew what was expected of her, but had no intention of following through. Reason being: she wanted to bait Durandal into acting against her. So instead of the 'picture', she was going to step onto the feet of the 'checkpoint guards' as hard as she could.
"You're right." A young man suddenly placed a warm and supportive hand on her back. It was Athrun who was smiling down at her. "No matter how many times clouds gather and block the sun, there will be people to dispel them. It happened in the past, it will happen again in the future." He had apparently managed to escape from that person's clutches. However, Seren could feel he wasn't just agreeing with her and supporting her, he was also speaking of his relationship with her. They had bad times, but the wheel turned and the weather cleared. Though of course, that aspect was lost to their interlocutor.
"Yes. Even in Orb, and everywhere, many are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. They are waiting for the new wind to start blowing... Or so I heard..."
"My! Your Highness Alvis!" Seren exclaimed, greeting the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Scandinavia.
"But Seren, how could you be so mean? You never mentioned anything about this..." He took her hand in both of his and pouted like a child despite being in his mid-twenties. His styled curly hair was a champagne blonde, and his blue eyes had the breathtaking hue of his country's ice caves. But as popular as he still was with the ladies, he was a happily married man.
"I'm sorry, it all happened quite suddenly..." This was referring to this whole situation of her becoming a FAITH member without any warning. Quite a bolt from the blue. "Still, are you sure you should be holding my hand like this? Where is your wife?" The young woman looked around. Normally they should be speaking a lot more politely given the public venue and their positions as representatives of their respective countries. They usually were this familiar only in private. After all, the Ledfords and the royal family of the Kingdom of Scandinavia had a long-standing friendship. And Seren had made sure to nurture that friendship personally as a Ledford and Orb's former ambassadress. But today he wanted to show he was her ally.
"She was in no condition to come. Don't worry, it's nothing bad. Rather, it's the opposite." He reassured her after she showed an anxious expression. "And I'm not seducing you. It's you who seduced my wife, my parents, my whole family. They all persistently told me to ask you when you'll be free to come over. They're hoping for a family reunion after a long time. There are many people over there who miss you."
"... I see." She closed her eyes and smiled. The reason why the Ledfords and the Scandinavian royal family were so close was because a royal of that kingdom had married into the Ledfords a few generations ago. Likewise, a Ledford had married a relative of the King. However, those bonds were too distant for them to call themselves a 'family'. Her family was the Ledfords, as well as her siblings, Kira and Cagalli. A family reunion meant the King had graciously sheltered the Archangel, Cagalli, Rayner, and Kira. Although he had likely done it secretly since the world was currently shifting to support the PLANTs and Durandal, and any third party would be viewed with wariness as proven in this very party. Of course, the King had to protect his own people first and foremost. But he was also a friend of the Athhas and Ledfords and thus had provided his protection despite the risks. "Please tell them I still have obligations to fulfill but I'll come as soon as I can."
"I will. Ah, yes, Athrun, you're invited too of course. My cousin is eager to see you as well for a revenge match. Given what I witnessed today, I must say, I'm looking forward to seeing that at well." The prince had the grin of a man staging the public execution of the villain who had cheated on the precious sister of his precious friend.
"R-right..." The young man stammered anxiously, guiltily. If you changed 'MY cousin' to 'Seren's cousin' and scrapped the 'match' word, Rayner was eager to punish Athrun for having hurt Seren and letting himself get tangled with that fake Lacus. The girl at his side giggled. Zala pouted at her.
"My, what are you talking about? What are you planning to do to my fiancé?" Meer suddenly returned and pulled Athrun back to her and away from Seren, holding his arm to her voluptuous chest. However, she had spoken in a threatening manner.
"Lacus, we're here to foster friendly relations with other countries." Ledford chided her.
"She's right. Being a FAITH member means we're more than just soldiers. Please respect our freedom and duties. Besides, Seren is my precious friend. Isn't it natural that I would support her? As her friend, you should also be supporting her." Athrun gently disentangled himself and returned to his precious friend's side, causing his official betrothed to start pouting.
And so, for the rest of the party, Athrun remained at Seren's side, supporting her like he used to during their time as Orb's envoys. What was also clear to the people was that although 'Lacus' had been clinging to Athrun, the feeling had not been mutual. On the other hand, Athrun had been much closer to Seren and supportive of her. And for some of those people, including Durandal, that was a cause for a deep, concerned frown... even more so when he caught Seren smiling so radiantly back at him, as if challenging him. And indeed, when he later heard the report on her words and actions, he became sure of it. She was defying him.
This evening when returning to her room for the night, Seren was quite satisfied. She had harvested good information and stirred things up well. She had also ascertained Athrun's stance. Now, to wait for the Chairman's turn. In fact, Durandal had already decided on his next move and the final preparations were being made. At the same time, Amelia received a message on her PDA 'Operation Fallen Tower Approved'. She smiled cunningly as she looked at Meer walking in front of her. When they were back in the idol's room and thus out of public eye, and Meer was so obviously displeased and frustrated, Amelia gave her an understanding smile.
"Lacus-sama, is something wrong? Even though you were so delighted to have finally reunited with your fiancé after a long time, it seems all cheer has left you. Shall I guess?" The older woman feigned concern. "It can't be that you're unhappy that Athrun-san prioritized his duties since Lacus-sama of all people surely understand the responsibilities that come with a position of power... But Athrun-san was certainly acting strange wasn't he? Even though he's supposed to be engaged to you, why was he so close to Seren-san, supporting her and touching her like this, ignoring and even chiding you, his fiancé? Something must be wrong with him. It was like he was entirely bewitched by Seren-san. Her time as a politician has made her skilled at deceiving people and bringing them to her side. Surely she must be deceiving Athrun-san and trying to steal him away from you..."
"Th-that's..." Meer really could not say that Athrun and Seren used to be engaged and that she was the one trying to steal him away, or that her own real name was not Lacus. Yet she could not deny her own crush on Athrun, her jealousy towards Seren who had been chosen by him... or her aide's claim concerning what Seren could have acquired from her experience as a politician.
"That you're so hostile towards her is proof of it. Besides, isn't she from Orb? It would be bad if she turned out to be a spy and made Athrun-san turn traitor too. Didn't she profess her faith in Orb earlier? The more time she is given, the more Athrun-san will be taken by her, and the deeper she will infiltrate our ranks and learn about our state secrets. It will be too late by then. Lacus-sama, you must act as soon as possible."
"Eh? Me? Wait! But..." She was a singer! Just what did they expect her to do?!
"Of course, Lacus-sama must be the one to reclaim her fiancé and save him, and save the PLANTs as well. Naturally, I will help you. As your attendant and bodyguard, my role is to remove any danger from your side, anything that would cloud your smile. I exist for your sake after all."
"Amelia... But, remove... it's not like she's a confirmed spy or anything..." Meer was clearly growing more and more distressed. She wanted Seren out of the way, yes. But she felt that things were getting much too big for her.
"Do not worry." Amelia went down on her knees and held Meer's hands in hers. "It's not like we're trying to kill Seren-san. We're only testing her. Lacus-sama, you should believe in your own feelings. You feel that Seren-san is in the way, right? It's fine to act on those feelings. Since Lacus-sama is always right. We all believe in you. Lacus-sama has always acted and fought for the people's sake, like when you commanded the Eternal in the last war. It would be a tragedy for the Chairman and for the PLANTs if Seren-san turned out to be a spy. I understand you don't wish to risk losing a precious friend your age, but we must not avert our eyes from reality. We must know whether she is a threat to us or not. This is also a chance to prove her trustworthiness."
"I... I understand." The idol finally folded.
"Then what about this plan?" Amelia smiled and while pretending to ask for her opinion, guided the responses of the ignorant and thoughtless child into doing what had already been decided.
The meaning of coexistence is at the expense of bitterness. The world deviates again. Which banner are we raising? Which war are we fighting? Please give us one understanding. When you stay low nothing happens. Does it feel right? We're searching for answers because something is not right. Don't be afraid of change. No more denying or giving in. We just have to know, while we still have time. Because we see the promise hidden behind the smile, soon, the other will reveal their dangerous mind.
Author's note: I had other ideas but I realized they would needlessly complicate matters and no longer suited the situation, so I did not include them. Athrun and Seren are finally climbing back up. I won't throw them down again. Rather from now on they'll grow much MUCH closer ^^ Do look forward to it.
Next chapter will have to wait though. Title will be 'Phase-31: Counteract'
Hope you're spending a merry time with your family/friends for the end of the year festivities.
