Title: Between Dimensions

Author: isumi'kivic'

Pairing: LockTier, but this is mostly Tieria-centric, I think. Or rather, human-centric. I don't know, whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam 00—Sunrise and Bandai does.

A/N: Written as a challenge for rizuka in LJ, based (or not really based on?) on the song The Garden of Everything by Steve Conte and Sakamoto Maaya. The lyric is scattered though, I just feel like taking a different way on the interpretation. It's my first Gundam 00 fic, so be gentle, please? =D

Please enjoy and do leave a review and tell me what you think? :3

Between Dimensions

A LockonTieria Fanfiction

So here we are twin stars of brilliant brightness

Lantern lit by life for all the depths of night

Where everyday will return us

To arms of the ever eternal

-o0o-

In Veda, Tieria dreams.

He dreams of many things—sometimes they are silly meaningless dreams like watching himself have a drink with Sumeragi Li Noriega. Other times, he dreams of old memories, of Chris dragging Feldt around the Ptolemaios, of little Mileina's first step on board. Other times, it is something that's happening at the moment; like Marina Ismail giving another speech as she thinks about Setsuna, or Allelujah and Marie Parfacy standing side-by-side, hands intertwined as they look up at the clear night sky.

Regene stays there to watch, to observe each of his dreams, and Tieria finds himself caring less and less about the existence of the other Innovade. They are part of Veda now, after all, and all is well, and that is all that matters.

-o0o-

Where memories call to me

Backward dreams, or phantom reality?

Call to me, they call to me

-o0o-

He dreams of Allelujah, standing before Ptolemaios' window with a solemn look on his physiognomy. He wonders why, out loud, Allelujah wears that look again when all is supposedly well now.

"You know, Tieria, I used to hate it so much why humans are all selfish."

There are times when he thinks so, too, he admits. But Allelujah shakes his head, signaling that it isn't quite what he means. So he stays silent, waiting, knowing that Allelujah will explain because Allelujah is Allelujah; a person too kind and just.

"But I think that's exactly what makes us as humans. I won't be a hypocrite—I have my own selfish reason to fight as well. And I'm—I'm thankful that I decided to follow that selfish reason. Does that—"

Tieria remembers then, someone who decided to throw away everything—Haro, Ptolemaios, his friends, his life, him—in order to fulfill that selfish revenge he holds, and thinks about how selfish it is. Nothing was done in the end, other than losing his life. How selfish. How stupid.

He notices Allelujah hangs his head then, looking shameful for a moment, and yet a content smile appears—an open and kind one, with a touch of Allelujah's typical kindness lingering on it.

"I guess that means I'm just the same as everybody else, then. To be thankful for being selfish myself like this…"

And Tieria wonders if he was also thankful for being selfish and throwing his life away like he did.

-o0o-

Each atom sings to us through the blood

"Love is a miracle"

Sings softly, it sings softly

-o0o-

He wakes up when some data from Ptolemaios arrives, because that means he has works to do, making sure that nothing is wrong and every data is sorted to the right level where they belong. Regene watches him, he knows, somewhere inside Veda, as the other Innovade comments casually about humans, and true innovators, and the world.

"The whole world depends on us still," Regene says before Tieria falls asleep again. "It's a shame that we can't fully grasp it."

He pauses, for a moment afraid that Regene will once again commences unexpected acts that will cause the fragile balance of the world shatters. Almost timidly, he asks out loud, "Why would you want to do it? Regene Regetta."

"Because we're Veda now."

He wants to ponder over that answer; over the bitter tone slipping into Regene's voice, but sleep claims him once again, throwing him into the world of dreams and memories.

He dreams of Setsuna, staring right deep into his eyes as the true Innovator says, "There is no God."

He stares right back, as if challenging Setsuna. "Veda is my God, Setsuna F. Seiei."

"It takes a courage to believe, Tieria Erde. That's the ultimate weapon humans own: faith. To have faith on something else other than yourself means that you embrace the possibility of being betrayed and hurt. You are in Veda now, you understand everything—do you believe that yourself is God?"

"No," Tieria quickly says. "It's not quite like that." But he starts to grow confused, and he hates to show it so he drops his stare, choosing to focus on Setsuna's shoulder instead.

"Marina says," the dark-haired boy continues, but then hesitates for a second. "She says, God is inside us. It manifests in our actions, our decisions. There's no fate, only inevitability."

Tieria says nothing, but he is sure Setsuna knows what he's going to say: do you believe it?

"I want to believe it," Setsuna admits after a long moment. "Because everything is much easier when you have something to believe."

-o0o-

The mirror melts, I'm somewhere else

Inside eternity, where you on

Outstretched wings, sing within

The Garden of Everything

-o0o-

Sometimes he has a problem differentiating which is a dream, a memory, or a present occurrence.

He dreams of little children, running after one another, as laughter drifts pleasantly in the air. He sees flowers, lots of them—yellow, pink, blue, purple, white, orange, green—and when he bends down to pick one, a child approaches, frowning and chiding, "No, mister, you have to tell the flower that you're going to pick it!"

His logic refuses, of course. Because even though plants do live, they don't have brains or hearts. Unlike humans, they aren't able to feel anything. Their lives are fleeting, a part of this world's automatic structure. They live, but they matter less than humans.

"Why is that?"

Then he hears it—a chuckle, gentle as the wind breezes by and tickles his ear. He pauses, all muscles still, and his voice, so close that Tieria swears he is just inches away from his ear, reverberates, "Why do you ask, Tieria?"

He opens his mouth, to call out and form those familiar alphabets constructing a codename, but the flower in his hand flutters away with the wind, and he wakes up.

-o0o-

Here you are, daylight star

Made out of miracle perfection

Of your own, you alone, oh so incredible

-o0o-

"Innovades are not humans, Tieria." Regene warns, and he wakes up again, feeling as if he's just lost something important he's about to grasp—something important that escapes when it's just brushed the tips of his fingers.

The disappointment wells up, flooding his very existence, that he can't help but snaps back, "We are humans. We have hearts. Feelings." He pauses, and continues in a much softer tone, "In our own way, we're humans."

"Innovades are children of Veda, and that's all it it. We're born only to serve, to guide. Like plants and animals, we might be important, but we matter less than humans." Silence reigns the space between them, wherever Regene is, and then he begins again. "There'll be a time when humanity will cease its dependency on Veda. When that time comes, Tieria, tell me—"

He knows Regene's question even before he hears it. Because he and Regene are parts of Veda now, one and the same, and he can feel Regene's anxiety as if it were his own.

"—what will become of our existence?"

Or maybe, it is his own anxiety. Not Regene's.

-o0o-

Eyes of pure, deep azure, quite unbelievable

The sun's daughter, you've been made, not to fade

Quite inconceivable

-o0o-

"But plants and animals are important." Marina Ismail says, as she looks faraway, through the horizon and everything behind. "Without them, humans can't live."

It is another dream, Tieria realizes almost belatedly, because there's no was he can talk to Marina Ismail about these questions, much less in such a friendly tone of voice when he says, "Like a tool, then."

"No," Marina Ismail frowns. "Being dependant is not the same as being used as a tool. Humans rely on their important things as well as protecting them."

What a paradox being human is, Tieria thinks, but something is leaning on his back—no, not something—another person's back; a tall and muscular figure, strong and reassuring and warm—

—it's familiar.

Marian Ismail looks at him and smiles, "Isn't it the same for you, too?"

The gentle chuckle greets his ears, and Tieria helplessly moves his hands backwards, trying to reach the person behind him blindly, and his fingers catch another finger—warm, comforting, familiar—

"Lock—"

"You are important simply because you exist, Tieria."

A rush of wind storms past, taking away Marina Ismail's figure next to him, and with her, the warm presence behind his back.

-o0o-

So here we are lovers of Lost Dimensions

Burning supernovas of all sounds and sight

Every touch a temptation

And for every sense a sensation

-o0o-

"Love is complicated," Saji Crossroad says, sprawled on the riverbank as he stands in a proximity of less than a meter from him. "I'm not keen on lecturing someone about things I don't understand, but I guess… I do have an experience. In loving someone, I mean. Not that I did a great job on it…"

He wishes Setsuna was here. Or Allelujah. They can probably be a better listener on Saji Crossroad, because Allelujah is empathic and Setusna just understands. But then again, it is his dream, and Tieria never asks himself why he dream, because dreams are as much as reality to him these days. It's pretty much what fills his time day by day in Veda, after all. Or, has it been years?

"But I think it's always better to love someone than being loves. At least you're not waiting. At least you're the one who moves, who struggles and tries, even though your feeling can only barely reach that person at all. It's painful, but it gives you a reason." The younger man pauses, and Tieria remembers the time long ago when he locks a door to Ptolemaios' hangar, a futile attempt to keep someone important safe. It was the only way he knew to convey his feelings, which in the end did not seem to reach the person in the slightest, and it hurts.

"It never did." He cuts in when Saji is about to start again, bitterly. "It never did reach him."

Saji looks at him with those unreadable brown orbs of his, and shakes his head in disagreement. "No, that's not it. It always reaches the person. Maybe not in the way you wanted it to, maybe you can't see how it reaches her—or him, whichever your case is. But a strong feeling always finds its way through the inevitables, Erde-san. Time, place, even dimensions cannot hide its target."

Tieria bits, "How do you know?"

Saji Crossroad gives him a pointed look. "No, you know about it much better than I do."

The chuckle comes again, fluttering teasingly against his ears as the wind brought about a gentle whisper, filled with warmth and acceptance, "Thank you."

His eyes widens, and the breeze flirts around him for a moment, leaving a flitting kiss on his cheek, lingering like a loving mother's touch, and Tieria reaches out, opening his arms wide upwards, fingers grasping the invisible figure in the wind desperately—

"Erde-san," Saji calls, empathetically. "Even if your feelings reach him, that does not mean the end of your sufferings."

He falls to his knees and cries.

-o0o-

A love like ours, starry flowers

Through seasons and centuries

As rivers reach the sea, you'll reach me

With songs of your symmetry

-o0o-

"Do you?" was Regene's first question when he wakes up.

"What?"

"Love him. Do you?" it presses on, the question, and Tieria nearly shies away from it. He thinks better about it, though; Regene knows more than he lets out. There's no point on hiding something from him. He opts to stay silent—Regene often throws him rhetorical questions anyway.

The other Innovade makes a noise that suspiciously sounds like "tch". "Just because he protects you doesn't mean—"

"If he protects me, that means I'm important to him." Tieria retorts.

"Tieria. He'll do the same thing to protect the other Meisters. He chooses revenge over you. Over everything else."

"That's just how humans are, Regene."

-o0o-

Here we'll see, love's lost tree

Made out of miracle emotions

Crystal leaves to cover me and you in eternity

-o0o-

He dreams of him.

He is there, right behind his back, and Tieria doesn't dare to turn around, because he knows that he'll be gone once he turns around. Despite the strong fingers lacing his own, holding him as if rooting him to where he is, he knows that this is only temporary, that this is a dream, and it will be over before he knows it.

Instead, he asks, "Why?"

"You know why." His voice is soft, still gentle as he ever is. "No, you understand perfectly why."

"I tried to keep you safe." Tieria argues, keeping his tone steady even when a hot sensation prickles his eyes. "You wouldn't have it—you protected me again and then you're just—gone."

"You're important."

"Your revenge—"

"It's important, too." The hand holding his tightens. "It's my reason to fight. No matter how, I had to try. Even if I failed. If I didn't try, I wouldn't be able to continue on. But… you understand that already, don't you?"

"I don't want to understand."

"Stubborn as ever, Tieria." Another chuckle, and he listens as the wind carries it away. Something wells up in his chest, numerous unanswered questions jumps into his head—but he knows, he understands them already. All along, he's understood the reason. Selfish. Stupid. And that's how humans are.

He knows that he doesn't mind it at all, though. To be selfish, to be stupid. It's a pleasure for humans, and that's what makes them humans.

"You are human, Tieria."

The tears that rolls down his cheeks feel hot, burning and painful. "I want to be selfish, too."

"Yes."

"I want to be free, Lockon. I want to be free from everything and follow you. Go to wherever you are. Not like this. Not like—"

Something in him snaps out, and he knows something is wrong. With a frustrated cry, he lets go of the warm hand, and brings himself to wake up.

-o0o-

Each atom sings to me

Set me free from chains of the physical

Oh free me, oh free me

-o0o-

Everything is wrong. And everything was supposed to be well.

No. Everything shatters, because Veda is wrong. Because someone manages to infiltrate Veda without him knowing it, and it makes everything wrong.

"Destroy Veda, Setsuna F. Seiei."

It is the only order left, the only thing left to do. Humanity will be fine by themselves—they always have been. Veda is merely a guide, not an inevitability. Not a God, nor fate. It is a map, and it's alright for a map to be gone when its user has reached the place it leads to. For him, Veda is God, but for humanity, there are things far more important to protect, there are things they need more than a guide.

"Set me free."

Veda chains his existence to this world, giving him a reason to live. But everything has gone wrong, and Veda needs to be destroyed. He needs to be free from this chain—he needs to be selfish for once. He needs to feel human, for the last time.

Allelujah protests, Mileina Vashti cries, and Marie Parfacy keeps saying that there should be another way to save him. Setsuna stays silent, clearly unable to decide what he should do, and so does Sumeragi Li Noriega, while Lockon Stratos sighs a string of words that says this is all going too fast. But Feldt Grace looks at him in understanding, as a sad smile etches itself on the young woman's face.

Of course. Of course Feldt understands his needs to be set free. He longs to be free, now that he thinks about it, he has been for a long, long time. From the time when he hears Haro repeats the same codename again and again, confirming his fear of not being able to see those particular smiles anymore. It's not that he wants to die, no. He just wants to be free, is all. It is with that selfish thought he moves on, thinking that if he walks on ahead enough, one day he'll be set free.

"It is the only way." He says again, softening his gaze at the Ptolemeios' crews. "Please."

-o0o-

A small boat there will float

To far off coast

The Isle of Infinity

Come with me, come with me

-o0o-

"You're late."

Setsuna's GN particles are still floating all around him, casting an unearthly light around his figure and the place—whatever it is. A garden, it seems. He can see flowers, glowing alight with Setsuna's light, and he can almost hear them singing for him to come. There's the sound of a rushing river somewhere near, drowning the anguish cry Setsuna let out when he destroyed Veda just now—it sounds so faraway. If he stays silent and listens, though, he still can hear Mileina's painful sobs, Lockon Stratos' solemn anger, and Allelujah's sad murmurs.

None of it matters now. He is free, after all. And he is glad.

"Are you not satisfied, yet?" the tall figure sitting on a rock regards him, a familiar playful smile adorning his expression.

"No," Tieria replies evenly. "I'm thankful I chose to be selfish."

"Hmm.." bright aquamarine eyes dances thoughtfully. "And you once almost said that you're not human."

"Apparently, I am just the same as everybody else."

The figure rose from his seat, gazing softly into his amber eyes as he offers his hand, beckoning the Innovade to come closer. For once, Tieria hesitates, afraid that this is all also a dream while his own existence sleeps in Veda, and the figure will dissolve into the sparkling GN particles around them if he reaches out—

"You've been fighting for a long time." The gentle voice comes with a soft, understanding smile. "You must be tired."

"Don't write me off like that." Tieria frowns. "I am an Innovade, after all."

Amused chuckles escapes the figure's mouth, and as aquamarine meets amber, once again the hand beckons, and Tieria falls into hesitant steps, closing the distance slowly, a hand reaching out to another, bigger and warmer. The tips of his fingers touch the hand softly, and Tieria draws in a surprised breath, for the figure does not dissolve into nothingness, but the hand closes around his instead, pulling him closer.

"Thank you for fighting, Tieria."

He is important, he realizes that, as he holds Lockon's hand tightly, determined never to let it go again. The thought brings a laugh out of his mouth, realizing how human he sounds, and surprised at how relieved he is. He looks up, finding the kind aquamarine orbs, and earnestly smiles.

"Neil Dylandy—no." It sounds weird, and he doesn't feel like he knows who Neil Dylandy is. All he knows is the existence of the one he calls Lockon, even if it's only a codename. But it doesn't matter, does it? Lockon is Lockon, and he's still Lockon even when Lyle Dylandy takes over the codename.

"Lockon."

This time. Eternal.

-o0o-

So here we are so far from earthly orbits

Burning supernovas of all sounds and sight

And everyday will return us to arms of the ever eternal.

-finito-

A/N: Please, don't ask. I don't even understand what it was I've just written. *sulks in the corner of failure*

Reviews would be lovely, though. Please? =D