Disclaimer: Gundam Seed Does not belong to me
Kira Yamato sat quietly all alone under one of the university's numerous pavilions, completing the work that her academic adviser gave her the day before while listening to the news. She giggled softly when she felt something cold lightly brush her cheek as a small green mechanical bird landed on her shoulder.
Torii is being a pest again.
She held a finger towards the little bird jumping around on her shoulder and waited for the bird to perch on her finger, still continuing to type with one hand.
"Tori?" Her mechanical pet cocked his head at her as he landed on her finger. Kira only smiled at Tori and transferred him on top of her computer's monitor as the reporter began about the ZAFT's attack on Kaoshiung, an Earth Alliance colony near them, that occurred last week.
"Kira!"
The said girl looked up, pushing away her shoulder-length hair from her eyes when a strong wind blew by, and smiled at the couple standing on the path leading to the pavilion.
"So, here you are hiding! Professor Kato was looking for you." A guy in a plain white shirt said to her, his gentle green eyes looking out from behind his wavy brown hair.
"Again?" Kira sighed , pouting slightly.
"Professor Kato said to drag you over to his laboratory once we found you." A girl in a plain orange dress smiled at her, leaning forward and regarding her with blue-green eyes full of mirth. "What is it now? Does he need your help with something again?"
"Dammit. I haven't even finished the one he gave me yesterday." Kira placed her computer on the table and leaned back against the railing surrounding the pavilion, Torii still perched on her shoulder. She stared at the news being shown on her portable computer's monitor.
"Huh? Something on the news?" Tolle approached her and looked at the news with a hand propped against the table.
"Yeah, about Kaoshiung." Kira whispered, magnifying the small media window to occupy the whole screen with a single press of a button, as Miriallia also leaned forward to watch the news.
"Ehh?" Tolle exclaimed, drawing back from her computer. "If this is from last week's information, then Kaoshiung has probably already fallen."
"Maybe." Kira whispered, turning off her computer before closing the monitor.
"Isn't Kaoshiung very close to us?" Miriallia turned to her boyfriend. "Will we be all right?"
Kira barely flinched when Torii took off from her shoulder, still staring at her computer. She raised her eyes to follow Torii's flight as Tolle reassured Miriallia that she should not worry because even though Kaoshiung is near, their country, Orb, is neutral and there is no chance that Orb would get involved in the war.
Kira smiled inwardly. She also remembered that the same thing was told to her by someone very special to her four years before.
"You are leaving?" A then twelve- year old Kira stared at the blue- haired boy standing before her, dressed in formal travelling clothes, holding out a small green toy bird to her.
"Yes. Father and Mother wants me to come home." The boy smiled at her. "There really won't be a war between PLANT and the Earth..."
Kira quietly accepted the bird, staring at it softly, as tears swelled up at her eyes, and gently pressed the bird against her chest, as Athrun continued on.
"I don't think there's a reason to take refuge, but... Kira, you'll also be coming to PLANT sometime in the future, right?"
Kira looked up in surprise, only to smile softly at Athrun and nod her head. "Thank you, Athrun," she whispered before running up to him and pressing her lips lightly against his cheek.
"Kira?"
Kira jerked back in surprise when Tolle's face popped right in front of her, hitting her head against one of the pavilion's wooden posts.
"What were you blushing about? Anyway, let's go." Tolle motioned her to hurry up as he and Miriallia turned around.
Kira quickly pressed a hand against her cheek and felt it hot under her touch. She always blushes whenever she remembers that one. She then stowed her computer inside her bag and ran up to Tolle and Miriallia with Torii flying after them.
Kira followed Tolle and Miriallia to the automated public transport car terminal near their university, listening to Miriallia's talk about Tolle's good grades. Then, they all stopped talking when they all heard familiar voices from in front of them.
"Huh? Miriallia?" An auburn- haired girl standing with two other girls in front of them waiting for a public transport car exclaimed when she caught sight of them.
Kira turned her eyes away as they walked up to the girl and her companions. She knew the girl, Frey Allster, the only daughter of one of the Earth Alliance's Minister. She knew Frey too well because she and Frey shared a common enmity over one guy.
"You know, Frey got a letter from Ssigh Argyle."
Kira jerked in surprise and stared at Frey. That girl managed to get one through her again but then again, Frey is Ssigh's fiancee. Then, she heard someone clear his throat from behind them. She turned her head slightly and stared at the short-haired woman dressed in formal business clothing standing behind them.
"If you aren't getting on, may we go first?" The woman smiled slightly at them, motioning towards the already waiting car.
"Oh, sorry. Please go ahead." Tolle was quick in his apology as she and Tolle stepped aside from the way.
Kira, Miriallia and Tolle watched as Frey and her friends took the next car. She almost flinched when Tolle said, "A letter from Ssigh... How surprising for Frey Allster."
Kira blushed furiously whenTolle placed his hands on her shoulders and continued, "That sounds like a formidable point. Kira Yamato."
Kira only tapped Tolle's head with a finger and said, "As if Miriallia did not do the same with you?"
With a small smile, she boarded the next car and waited for the two to board it. She thought that she managed to get Tolle to shut up with that remark, but even after they got through the security check at the Morgenroete and off the car, he would not shut up about it. It was only when they stepped into their professor's laboratory did the guy finally shut up.
"Ahh! There you are, Kira."
Kira stopped in her tracks and smiled awkwardly at the blond-haired guy working behind one of the machine, before turning to someone that caught her eye. A blond- haired boy stood leaning against one of the wall with his eyes covered by a black beret caught her eyes. It was like though she knew him. She quickly looked away and followed Tolle and Miriallia to the dark- haired guy working at the computers.
"Where's the professor?" She asked Kuzzey as he looked at her after explaining to Tolle that the stranger is a guest of their professor. Kuzzey only motioned to the door behind him.
"Kira." Ssigh called out to her, holding out a disk to her. "I have been keeping this for you. An appendix. I think."
"What?" Kira groaned softly as Ssigh approached her.
"What is it? Probably some work for Morgenroete?"
"Not interesting. Just improvements on the Frame- Set module." Kira replied, taking the disk from Ssigh. "Anyway, program analysis." She looked up hopefully at Ssigh. She did not hear Tolle creep up from behind until she felt him hold her in an headlock.
"Let's hear about the letter first." Tolle grinned at Ssigh.
"Letter?" Ssigh blinked at them.
"It's nothing." Kira quickly yelped out, stepping on Tolle's toe.
"What is it?" Ssigh persisted.
"Like I said." Tolle said, only to be silenced when Kira stepped on his foot again.
"It's nothing." Kira shouted.
"What is it, Tolle?" Ssigh insisted once again. "Just tell me!"
"Stop it." Miriallia butted in.
"Let go! You're choking me." Kira stepped on Tolle's feet again.
"It won't go that way."
Minutes later working while waiting for their professor, they heard something loud before the laboratory shook and equipment fell down. Kira braced herself with the help of the computer monitors as she heard Ssigh whisper ,"Meteorites?", from beside her. But she immediately felt it was not.