Gundam SEED Fan Fiction ❯ Alternative ❯ So What Happens Now? ( Chapter 3 )

AN: I’m happy! Are you happy? I am! Our school musical was finally announced. And I have a part! Well, here’s the next chapter. Enjoy! And review!

---

Disclaimer: Sugarpony does not own Gundam: Seed. Why must I say this every time? -cries-

---

Alternative

Chapter Three

So What Happens Now?

---

Muu La Flaga walked purposefully towards the bridge. All of the Yamatos were asleep in the infirmary, so he was using this opportunity to take care of some personal business. He needed to speak with Rau Le Creuset.

He had been setting aside his personal agenda with the man for the sake of the family, but it was not something that he could ignore for much longer. He was certain that Dr. Kamiya would chew him up and spit him out for sneaking off, but it was absolutely crucial that he settled his affairs with the commander.

Before long, he had arrived at his destination. The door opened automatically, and the crew members turned their heads towards him, but they almost immediately resumed their duties. Le Creuset approached Muu, and the two walked out of the bridge together.

Le Creuset led the younger soldier down several hallways before he stopped and entered another room. This one was fairly small, and it had only a desk and a few chairs in it. The elder sat at the desk and turned to his companion.

“So we meet again, Muu La Flaga.”

“So we do, Rau Le Creuset.”

It had begun.

---

Nicol Amalfi sat on the floor of the bathroom on the ship, leaning against the wall. He was sweating slightly, and he was clutching his poor, abused stomach.

The green-haired boy had always been the quiet, sensitive type, so it was no surprise that he had
become ill when he had learned of the horrors of Artemis. He slowly stood, being careful to not upset his stomach further, and walked back into the hallway.

He was bound and determined to speak with this Kira Yamato if it was the last thing he did.

---

“So what do you plan to do now?”

Le Creuset’s words were those which Muu had been asking himself since he had been brought aboard the ship. He truly hated the man in front of him with all of his being, but the same man was the one who had rescued him.

“There’s no way I’m going back to the Earth Forces now,” he responded. “Not after what they did. Kira is a kind and gentle soul, yet he has suffered so much simply to protect others. Whatever happens now, I’m going to return the favor and make a point of protecting that boy. I want to make sure that he isn’t put through any more of this torment. But what I want to know,” he said, straightening and becoming even more on edge, “is what you plan to do now.”

There was a pregnant pause in which the masked man simply sat with an insufferable smirk on his face. Muu glared at him, preparing himself for the answer.

After a few minutes, Rau spoke.

“What I suggest,” he said, “is a truce between the two of us-- a temporary one, at least.” When he saw the disbelieving look on Muu’s face, he added, “for the sake of the civilians, of course.”

“Of course.”

---

Dearka and Yzak sat in silence in their quarters. They had come here after being dismissed by the commander, wanting to mull things over for a bit. They could only guess where Athrun was.

“So,” Yzak broke the silence. “This is why you and Zala have been acting so weird ever since the
mission.”

“Yeah,” Dearka said. “This is pretty much it.”

The pair once again lapsed into silence.

“Those naturals--”

“--No,” Dearka interrupted. “Not those naturals. Remember La Flaga and the kid’s parents?” His face grew dark. “It’s all Blue Cosmos.”

Yzak’s expression twisted. “Right. That damned Blue Cosmos is the cause of all of this. First they destroyed Junius 7, and now this.”

“Torturing civilians? That’s low.”

They sat together for a few more moments before Dearka stood and stretched. “Well, Yzak,” he said, grinning, “I don’t know about you, but I’m all up for that victory dinner. Are you with me?”

The silver-haired coordinator shook his had at his friend’s antics. Dearka can never stay serious for very long. It’s just not physically possible. He stood and followed him out of the room.

---

Rau walked through the hallways, escorting La Flaga back to the infirmary. Not even he was prepared to face an angry doctor, though, so he was leaving as soon as they reached the door. He glanced around, nodding and saluting to various personnel who passed him. As his wandering eyes passed over the hanger, however, they flashed beneath the mask.

Now what could young Zala-kun be doing in the hanger at a time like this?

---

Athrun was, in fact, staring at the Aegis. He had been doing some serious thinking ever since he had heard the entire story of Artemis, but he still had mixed feeling about the whole affair.

When he and Kira were still kids and lived on the moon, Athrun had believed that everyone deserved a fair chance. He never judged someone until he met him personally, and he always took Kira’s opinion into consideration; the young boy had always had good instincts about a person’s true intentions.

After the Bloody Valentine, though, his views had changed. He had no longer trusted naturals, and he believed that only a few kind ones such as the Yamatos still remained. He wanted to stop these horrible people-- the true inhuman monsters-- so he had joined ZAFT.

But now, things were unclear to him. If only a handful of good naturals still remained, what were the people from the Archangel? And all of those on Heliopolis and Orb, who wanted peace? Still, Blue Cosmos was made of naturals, isn’t it? And according to La Flaga’s story, most of the Earth Forces was now made of Blue Cosmos members.

So what was he to believe?

He sighed and shook his head, leaning against the mobile suit. When did my life get so confusing? he wondered.

He rested his head against the cool metal for a few minutes before leaving the hanger, heading to check on his friend.

---

Kira awoke to the steady beep of the heart moniter. Muu and his parents were all asleep to his right, and Tori was nestled on his chest. The boy slowly sat up, causing Tori to chirp and move to his shoulder, and took a second look around the room.

When he looked to his left, he saw a young boy sitting in the chair next to his bed. It was the green-haired boy-- Nicol Amalfi, pilot of the Blitz. Kira gave a wan smile to him before he averted his gaze to the cotton sheets.

“Relax,” Nicol said, catching Kira’s attention once more. “You’re our guest here. You don’t need to be so tense.”

A laugh sounded from his right, and Kira turned to see Muu sitting up in bed. “You know he’s right, kid,” he said. “It isn’t a crime to take a break and just enjoy yourself every now and then.”

“But--”

“No buts, kid.” The boy’s argument was cut short by the blond man. “If you don’t start listening to your elders, I may just have to tell your parents.”

Nicol laughed at Kira, who was now blushing, as Muu gave him a wink. After a few moments, the room was quiet again. Tori fluttered his wings and flew to Nicol, who raised his hand to give the toy a place to land.

“Tori!”

The little bird cocked its head and fluttered its wings, hopping to the ZAFT soldier’s head and
beginning to prune the boy’s hair.

Kira smiled at his toy’s actions as Nicol tried to shoo it off of his head. Muu was right out laughing when another voice cut into the fun.

“That’s not going to work, Nicol.”

Athrun stepped through the doorway, an amused smile on his face. “Tori’s very stubborn when he wants to play with a new friend.”

Kira nodded in agreement. “Sometimes he can be very annoying when I’m trying to get my work done.”

Nicol pouted. “No fair, gaining up on me.”

Muu continued to laugh.

Once Nicol had been rescued from Tori and Muu had (with a little persuasion from several pillows) quieted down, Athrun sat on his old friend’s bed.

“So,” he said, trying to prevent an uncomfortable silence from taking hold, “you still have Tori?”

Kira nodded. “I’ve always kept him, Athrun. He’s been my constant companion.”

“You know,” Athrun said, “I was really surprised to find him. I thought you’d have dismantled him by now, the crazy little bugger.”

The brown-haired boy chuckled a little. “Yeah, he can get a bit out of hand from time to time, but I wouldn’t have him any other way.”

“So, you two know each other?” Nicol reentered the conversation, smiling.

“Yeah,” Kira gave a small, sad smile. “We’ve been friends ever since we were kids.”

“We went to the same lunar prep school,” Athrun explained. “I built Tori and gave him to Kira when I had to move away to the Plants.”

“I promised I’d follow him soon, but then....”

“But then the war started.” Nicol guessed the rest of the story. The pair nodded solemnly. “And you somehow ended up on opposite sides, fighting against each other until now.”

There was a pause in which only Tori’s constant chirps could be heard, and then Nicol, sensing the tenseness, broke the silence.

“So, Kira,” he began, “do you like the piano?”

---

Dearka sat, pouting, in the mess hall. “No fair. We just completed a major mission, but we don’t get a victory feast!”

Yzak twitched. He had been listening to his friend for the better part of the last half hour, and he was about to lose his temper. Dearka was saved from his wrath, however, when the cook called out to the pair.

“Hey, you two,” he yelled at them. “Take these meals to everyone in the infirmary!”

“Right away, sir!” Dearka grabbed Yzak and pulled him to where four trays were stacked. He picked up two of them and hurriedly headed for the exit. But before he could reach the door, the cook called to him again.

“And don’t even think about snitching from those meals!”

Yzak reluctantly followed Dearka as he ran out of the mess hall.

They reached the infirmary a few minutes later. When they walked through the door, the pair was greeted with an amusing sight.

Nicol was sitting in a chair, blushing furiously. Athrun and La Flaga were laughing, while the Yamato boy was ribbing Nicol’s side. The little mechanical bird, much to Yzak irritation, was twittering around the other to Yamatos’ heads, while the husband and wife were awake and smiling at the scene, trying to contain their amusement.

Dearka grinned, eager to join in the fun. “Well, now, what could have Nicol so flustered?” he asked.

Athrun turned and grinned back at him. “Nothing much,” he answered. “Kira-kun was just asking Nicol about his girlfriend.”

“So dear little Nicol here has someone special back home? I never would have guessed.”

“I do not...,” Nicol tried to protest, but the poor boy went unheard.

Meanwhile, Yzak was edging into the room, attempting to make his way inside without drawing the attention of Tori.

It wasn’t working.

Tori’s eyes were trained upon Yzak, and he looked as if he was searching for a good place to land. The silver-haired boy was torn between pretending to be dead and making a run for the door. Instead, as quickly as possible, he sprinted to the table between Mr. and Mrs. Yamato, set down the two trays, and bolted for the exit.

He wasn’t fast enough.

As soon as the trays had left his hands, Tori took to the air and headed straight for Yzak’s head. In response, Yzak let out a tiny “Eep!”, ducked, and ran.

Yzak’s squeak alerted the others in the room to his presence. As they saw him running from the toy, which had now grabbed onto his hair, they all erupted into fits of laughter once more.

After a few more moments, Tori was resting upon Yzak’s head, and his perch was silently fuming.

Kira held his arm towards the bird and called out to it. “Tori, come here.” Tori chirped once and swooped down to land on his fingers. Afterwards, Kira looked, down, silent, smile gone.

Athrun’s smile also faded. He turned to Yzak and Dearka. “So,” he said, “what are you two doing here?”

Dearka was the one who responded (Yzak was still sulking). “We just came to bring our esteemed guests their victory feast.” He passed one of his trays to Kira and the other to La Flaga (“At last,” Muu exclaimed, “real food!”). He then turned back to the youngest Yamato.

“I don’t think we had much of a first impression last time,” he said. “Like I said before, I’m Dearka. So where did you get that bird of yours, anyway?”

Kira looked up, an unreadable expression on his face. “It was a gift. Athrun gave it to me when we were kids. We went to the same lunar prep school.”

Yzak raised an eyebrow. “So you and Zala are old friends?”

Athrun nodded. Yzak kept his gaze on Kira. “As long as you keep that bird away from me-- and I do blame you for its actions, Zala-- I think we can get along all right.”

Dearka grinned. “Hey, Kira, can I borrow Tori sometime?”

Yzak rounded on him. “Don’t even think about it, Elsman!”

Kira chuckled a little and began to eat his meal.



---

Rau Le Creuset sat in his office, assessing the current situation. So, the Yamatos are still alive, he
thought. And Kira-kun, as well.

He grinned sinisterly.

This can definitely work to my advantage.

---

Muu, now reenergized by the food, addressed the ZAFT soldiers. “So when is it safe for me to get out of this bed without having to worry about the doctors?” he asked.

Nicol answered his question. “You and Mr. and Mrs. Yamato should be up and about by tomorrow,” he said. “Kira-san will probably need to stay in bed until his stitches come out, though.”

At this, Kira plopped back against his pillows. “How am I going to survive for that long?”

Athrun laughed, but Caridad, silent until now, had other things on her mind.

“What’s going to happen to all of us?” she asked. “Once we land, I mean.”

Yzak responded. “You should be free to go when we get to the Plants,” he said. “You can get a shuttle back to Orb there.”

Caridad smiled. “Good,” she said. “I can’t wait to get back home.”

---

A blond girl paced in a large bedroom.

“Kisaka-baka,” she said, ranting in frustration. “Why did he have to bring me back? I was doing just fine with the freedom fighters!”

She threw herself facedown onto the bed. “I’m Cagalli Yula Attha, princess of Orb! He shouldn’t be able to order me around like that!”

She pushed herself up and strode to the balcony overlooking the grounds. “I am going to do something about this war, even if I have to do it alone.”

The girl, Cagalli, raced to her computer and began to type. She was hacking into a particular system that had interested her many times before. She had skill, but she was going to need a lot of luck.

“Kuso!” The computer froze.

She was going to need a lot of luck.

---

AN: It’s not as long as the last chapter, but it works. At least the story’s starting to progress,
right? There’s the confrontation between Muu and Rau, some major plotting, and even a semblance of -gasp!- a plot line!

So tell me what you think. Five reviews will get me working on the next chapter. I promise I’ll work on more of plot in the meantime!

-Sugarpony