10 Chapter 8

-Cockpit, Barbatos-

Ryutaro yawn, and blinking his eyes a few times, before he finally aware with his surroundings.'So this is really not a dream, huh'. He then stretched both his hands.

"I still have some catching up to do," Ryu muttered as he began to turn on the system on his Gundam. He start typing to each password and lastly it scan on his hands, whole face and his retina. He began checking on every system parts of his Gundam, The GN-Drive, Psycho-Frame, Ahab-Reactors, and many others so far everything is functional. He just disappointed, because he's not yet put it on the others GN-Swords from OO Qan[T] Seven Sword parts. He also needed to get as up to date on current events as possible if he want to survive in this new world. He needs Murrue to allow him access to the Archangel's database because the information he had in his possession was just from the anime and a few from the wiki.

"I wish I'd read the novel and manga, because according to Renji, the story of 'Seed Destiny' was get sabotaged by the story writer because her jealousy" Ryu sighed after that. He really hope, people from the real world can do something about his situation,

Ryu was just setting back the passwords and set up a few nasty security on his Gundam when he caught up a girl was standing in front of his Gundam, the girl was none other Lacus Clyne.

"Wonder why she is here" Ryu finally turn off the system, taking out the GP base and putting it on his pocket pants. Ryu then open up the cockpit and unstrapped himself. He slowly descended, took a glance towards Lacus in front of him and walk out towards Mess Hall. But to his surprise, Lacus is blocking his way. Ryu that still having his helmet on, can't help but frowned with Lacus action right now.

"What are you doing?" Ryu asked looking straight to Lacus face.

Without warning, Lacus suddenly slap Ryu. But to her surprised, Ryu easily caught her hand.

"Now that's not nice…" Ryu said while strengthened the grip on her hand.

Lacus grimaced at what ryu do to her, and she eyed Ryu dangerously. "Released me…" Lacus said with difficulty, even so she doesn't want to show that she was in pain.

Because of the commotion both Ryu and Lacus made, some of the crew on hangar immediately halted their jobs.

Instead of releasing the grip on Lacus hand, Ryu looked around, when he find a familiar face, he smiled. Ryu then dragged lacus with him towards the person.

"Released me now…" Lacus struggle to released herself, but to no avail.

At some point, Ryu finally released the grip and thrown Lacus into the person he was looking into.

"Ooyy…" The man grumbled as he caught Lacus.

"Keep the little princess in her room, are you guys an idiot for leaving her alone walk around without observer? Even you believed she'll not do anything, she's still part of PLANT, not to boot the Chairman's Daughter. She can tell her father what's the condition …"

"I'm not gonna do such a thing…!!!" Lacus cut in "Don judge me, as if you know about me!!" Lacus said sternly

"I was glad that Mr. Yamato want to help me out from this. If I'm not on this ship, ZAFT doesn't have a reason to keep haunting you Guys!!"."But you just blow it up !! You just endanger people on this ship!!"

Ryu just look amused at what's on Lacus head, he just shrugged his shoulder.

"What a wild imagination you've there…" Ryu said shook his head

"What do you mean ?" Lacus said eyeing Ryu

"You will found out later on, but you can ask Zala or Le Creuset if you can't be patience." Ryu said then walk out from the Hangar while waving his right hand.

Ryu Keep his pace and ignored what's Lacus ranting out. After he was out from the Hangar, he then stop one of the crew member that passing by.

"Oy, I need to know where's the nearby restrooms" Ryu asked

"Hiiee…" The crew member terrified and try so hard to leave,but his legs just gave in while the others already fleeing.

Ryu just shook his head, 'I'm not that scary, right?'

"Ohh…There you're Zero, I'd like you to…" Mu stop his words, before his own eyes there's a male crew member that prostated in front of Ryu. "Boy, I never know you're an object of worshiped"

"Whatever…" Ryu said without looking to Mu side. "Well, what's the reason you're looking for me ?"

"Well, the newbies on the bridge just finished their shift and are down in the mess hall. I have some time off too, so I figured I'd see if you wanted to join us, get to know your new crewmates."

Ryu thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure, why not? But before that, where's the nearby restrooms?"

"Ahhh, my bad I forgot to show you around yesterday. Well, I can take you there. Just follow me." Mu said with silly face while scratching his head.

Mu showed Ryu the way to the restrooms. Mu stayed outside while Ryu took leak, he has to open up his suit, making him almost half naked for him to be able took leak properly. That aside Ryu really have to asked a few cloth for himself, he really don't have any except his pilot suit, worst thing maybe he will stuck with a military uniforms. But now as Ryu wash his hands, he have to exhale loudly as he said "Now, that feels so much better."

As Ryu dried his hands, he walked out from the restrooms. From side there's Mu that resting his back on the walls.

"So, ready to go?" Mu asked with his best smile

Ryu turn to look at Mu and nod his head "Sure, just lead the way."

As they headed towards the mess hall, Mu asked, "Aren't you ever going to change out of that thing?" He was referring to Ryu's black pilot suit.

"Once I'm sure we're away from ZAFT," he answered, "Right now we could be attacked at any time."

Mu nodded. "Uhhmm…you got a point there. It's true, you already send some heavy punched to them. But they can still waiting us for ambushed. Knowing it was Le Creuset, maybe the reinforcements already on the way."

Mu keep looking Ryu head to toe, before grinning like a madman "And what's the real reason you're not changing your pilot suit?"

"I don't have any…"

"Pffttt…" Mu put his hand on his mouth to contains his laughter.

-Mess Hall, Archangel-

After a while, they finished their journey to the mess in relative silence, except Mu sometimes glance towards Ryu and snickered. When they arrived, they found a rather solemn group centered on Flay, who was simply staring at a plate of food in front of her, not even touching it. Sai was next to her, but all his awkward attempts at conversation were going nowhere. Miriallia Haw, a kind brown haired girl, and her boyfriend Tolle Koenig, also with brown hair, though more tousled and unkempt than hers, were also at the table, trying to lighten the mood somewhat, but failing miserably. There was also Kuzzey Buskirk, a black haired kid that seemed to want to be just about anywhere other than where he was at the moment. Finally, there was Kira, who looked like he was going to be sick. He couldn't seem to muster the ability to either leave the room or look at the others.

They all looked up as the newcomers entered. "Mu," said Kira, "and Mr. Zero." Kira said a little harsh at later name.

"Hey there," said Mu, "mind if we join? We're both starving." Before Kira could answer, both of them had already grabbed plates and loaded up at the nearby serving counter. They sat down at the table.

Ryu then take off his helmet, shocking almost all at the table, while Mu just shrugged his shoulder. For the first time since the original group had arrived in the hall, Flay looked up from her plate. Her blue eyes were lined with red, almost as deep as her hair. Then she spoke up, surprising everyone at the table. "Who… are you?" Ryu detected a hint of suspicion in her voice.

'Better tread carefully. She just lost her father, not to mention later on she's a little sick on the head.' Ryu thought

On the way, Mu telling him about the Vice Foreign Minister dying with the Montgomery, and how his daughter was one of the passengers aboard the Archangel. Holding out his hand, Ryu said, "You can call me Zero. A mercenary…"

She stared for a moment, and Ryu was about to withdraw his hand when she took it. It was a very weak handshake, but Ryu really couldn't blame her for it. "Flay Allster." She paused for a moment, and then asked, "Was that you, in the new mobile suit? I was on the bridge, so I saw some of the fighting, before…" Her voice caught, and a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

Slowly, Ryu nodded. "Yes, I'm." Ryu said but to his surprised Flay suddenly lunged across the table, trying to grab him by the throat. Ryu catch her hands. Then she used her legs alone, pushed herself the rest of the way across, scattering plates and drinks as she tried to get him, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Why? Why didn't you protect daddy? Why…." As quickly as it had arrived, the manic energy that had possessed her suddenly evaporated, and she would have fallen to her knees had Ryu not grabbed her. Surprising himself, Ryu slowly took her into his arms as she started crying again. She looked up at him, and whimpered, "Why…" Then Sai and Miriallia came up, and Ryu gently handed her over to them.

"Come on Flay," said Sai, "I'll take you to your room, you should lay down for a while." Nodding to Miriallia, he took her himself and slowly guided her out of the mess.

Miriallia went over to Ryu. "I'm sorry about that. She's…"

Ryu shook his head. " Don't worry about it."

She nodded, and held out her hand. "I'm Miriallia Haw. We already talked through intercom, alsothanks for saving us."

"No problem." Ryu said while took it then shook her hands.

She motioned over at her boyfriend, "And that's Tolle. The black haired guy is Kuzzey, and the blonde guy with Flay was Sai."

Ryu looked towards the door they had left through for a moment. "They're an item?" he asked.

Miriallia hesitated. "Well," she began, "they're supposed to be engaged, but it was a political thing. Both of their families are pretty powerful within the Earth Alliance. Both of them were sent to live in Heliopolis in order to avoid the war. Now with her father dead….well, the whole thing might be off now, although I don't think Sai realizes it."

"…so, Flay realized it?" he asked.

Miriallia nodded. "I think so, which is strange when you consider how distraught she is right now, but I think she's already thrown the whole thing out the window, whether she realizes it or not."

"How do you know?" asked Ryu

"It's just a feeling I get from her. I don't think they were ever really close, no matter how hard Sai tried, and I think this gives her a way out of the arrangement, one that she'll take," replied Miriallia.

Mu cut in. "Hey, you guys gonna help clean this mess up or what?" They looked over at the table, and both went to grab some napkins to try and clean up the spilt drinks and food. After they had done that, and Ryu had refilled his plate and cup, they all sat down again.

It was quiet for a few minutes before Tolle spoke up. "So Mr. Zero, are you a Coordinator too?"

"Tolle!" said Miriallia, "Try a little tact." She looked at Ryu, "Sorry about that. He's a nice guy, but can be a bit dense at times."

"Hey!" said Tolle.

Ryu shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Btw, just call me Zero, we're not that far a part I'm just 16."

Everyone shocked, even Mu almost spat his food.

Ryu smirked at Mu coughing up"And to answer your question, no, I'm not a Coordinator."

Miriallia, Tolle and Kira were shocked, while Mu were not. because of what Ryu had told him, while in the Conference Room.

"Wait a minute," said Miriallia, "then how can you pilot a mobile suit?"

"I underwent extremely intensive training. My reaction times were sped up considerably as a result." Ryu said. Well he doesn't lie here, he just not telling the whole truth.

"Wait," said Tolle, "So you're saying that with enough training, any Natural can pilot a mobile suit?" Ryu was unsure how to respond.

Then Mu spoke up. "Sorry kid," he said, "but I'm afraid it's more complicated than that."

"Aw, what do you mean?" Tolle whined.

"Look, kid, don't worry about it. The point is, neither you nor I will be piloting something like the Strike or Zero's machine any time soon."

The talk died down for a while, and then Ryu spoke up. "So, what do you two do around here?"

Miriallia looked up. "Well, I'm assigned to the Combat Information Center. I help coordinate the ship's mobile suit and mobile armor units. Tolle helps with navigation."

"Ahh, yeah…now I remembered, you're that one…" Ryu said.

Suddenly the intercom buzzed. "Zero, could you please come to the bridge?"

Ryu stood up. "Well, gotta go." Ryu said, he then grab his helmet and walk out, before anyone else could say anything, he was out the door.