♦ PHASE1 ♦
TWO DAYS LATER
Old UNN Base
“So that’s what happened…” Jan said to me while looking at Rio and her siblings work, “And you got Kurumi’s side as well?” he then asked me. I also look at Rio and her siblings work then places my notice at Kurumi, Rogene and Shelly helping the three. “Yeah, that’s right… but…” I stopped and looked down, Jan immediately asked what the problem is. I looked at him with an annoyed look and told him the event straightforwardly; “Apparently ZAFT took the prototype after that and checked the battle data, apparently their quite curious to find both melee and range fighting data on it, so they want to meet with me… the student who piloted the mech.” Jan was shock and almost fell off the seat, Kurumi saw him and guessed what happened. She excused herself from Rogene and Shelley’s company and went toward us and said; “You told him, huh?” She said, and then looked back at Rogene whose face is hiding her fear…. Kurumi told her, and then I nodded at Kurumi and told Jan; “ZAFT probably wants me as a soldier.” Jan then shook his head and then asked me if I had already answered them. I told him no because the man who called me, the ‘Desert Tiger’ Andrew Wattfield is too cunning to be trusted, though I admitted to him that according to all the news about him so far is him stalling attacks at naturals in order to fight the aliens. I then told him that this was probably the reason why Andrew wants me, I can fight the aliens effectively. “But your not a coordinator!!!” Jan blurted out, Kurumi then said; “He may not be a coordinator he sure acts and talks like one.” I shook my head and bluntly asked if that was an insult. “At any case we better be good at pulling this off, and luckily have more members.” I told them, Kurumi then looked at me with a smile.
As our conversation continued Rio Xioa Rin approached us. She is rather tomboyish girl, in which Jan practically insults her for her large boobs and her mechanic dress that clearly shows her form. And said “This ship is practically big, the whole thing is large and is a Luna Class, with our current equipment it’ll be impossible to fix with a few people.” And then looked at the ship. I nodded while Jan did the Roland the thinker pose and started brainstorming. Kurumi oddly said “This may sound idiotic but… can we actually ask help from the UNN?” Jan fell on the floor again, then Lourin, Rio’s ever bubbly and energetic little brother who is shorter than those his age and Emily, Rio’s happy-go-lucky crybaby little sister and both being prodigies came to us and told us that even if the whole base is working properly the lack of any such crew is a large factor. “Is there any other way to remedy that, I have to idea how many people we can drag into this, or how long will it take.” I told them, Jan stood up then and looked at me and said; “Well it’s obvious that we can’t do anything now…. I guess we should meet up again tomorrow and discuss this thing clearly.” Everyone having agreed went our separate ways until tomorrow.
SOMEWHERE IN SPACE
“So a natural could pilot this prototype well….” Masked blonde man said to the operator on the screen. “Yes.” The operator said and continued; “… the G-Prototype ZSP – LRW01A Gundam Buckshot along with the combat data it had confirmed this. And thanks to you and the other G-Weapons we took from the Earth Federation we can assured of our campaign success.” The masked man then lifted his wine glass and sipped then asked; “And what about the natural?” the operator then nodded and answered, “Counsel Member Zala have ordered to recuit him by any means necessary. He said that the natural could be a newtype or just someone who can be a valuable asset.” The masked man started laugh then asks for information about his target, and it just happens that the unlucky person they were talking about is none other than Adrian Shukishiro.
S.T.I.C.B. Communication Hall
“I have good luck today considering I been able to contact you….” Jan said on the phone. I was sitting boringly annoyed and uncomfortable in one of the communication booths in the communication hall of the school, and having Jan annoy the operator just to reach me is pretty much stupid… but quite effective. “I found someone good at metaphysics and someone good at pretty much else….” Jan continued, I looked up at the ceiling and thought that any help will do but I had to make sure. “Who have you found??” I asked him, and he started to laugh obnoxiously, then after his laugh off which irritated me, he told me who he found; “Well, there is some dude named Joel Ison who is an occult expert, apparently he’s a loner but is experienced on necromancy and the undead, he also has some experience on deamons as well, and I hear lately I hear he’s looking for the Rozen dolls…” I shook my head, and told Jan; “Do those things really exist?” Jan laughed again and I could swear he’s laugh is full of saliva; “Well, apparently these legendary dolls are real, I know someone in Japan who apparently has a classmate who has one, and apparently the doll is as they say sentient, aristocratic and very much alive…” a smile appeared on my face, though to others what Jan said was farfetched but I knew it was true. “That’s good, we are going up the mystical soon so good job on that, but who else you found???” I asked him. He suddently felt quite then said the word transmutation twice, then said the word alchemy, I knew what he was referring to. “Are you correct?” I asked him, “Hopefully, this one I have no idea…” Jan rebutted, it seems this particular case had bothered him. “Anyways, don’t worry, it’s just a minor detail… hahahahaha….” Jan suddenly laughed out, he really seems to hate being overly serious, but his obnoxious laughing made me cover the system speaker of the phone terminal. After that he continued, “Hey… according to my radar ZAFT troops took something from the Photon Research Labs the other day!” I was surprised, the place is heavily guarded by the JSDF being it was a place for Mazingkaiser. “What did they took???” I asked him, before Jan could answer we were cut off by Kurumi and Joan seemingly with worried faces. “Adi someone is looking for you…” Kurumi said in a low monotone, meaning it’s someone I don’t want to see, but I asked anyway who it is. Joan then answered that it was a ZAFT military officer, I shook my head told Jan to continue with is business while reassuring the two girls that everything is fine, hopefully.
I left the two girls and headed where the certain officer was, Kurumi told me that he was in the cafeteria sipping tea, and he has no bodyguards. He meaning that he could be Andrew Wattfield, but I knew if that was him, he would wearing a ridiculous outfit. When I got there I saw a tall blonde man wearing a mask. “Typical…” I said when I got there and sat down right in front of him. “Well, so you’re the student wit the ominous piloting skills…” He began, but I wasn’t paying attention. “My, my…. Is that how you treat a visitor…” He told me while sipping his cup, I stared at him and told him that most of my visitors are humorous and unnerving not a masked war freak. He told me that my temper was going to do nothing helpful and at that I suddenly cut him off saying that anything that he was trying to sell to me, I won’t bite it. He then sit upped up tight and hands on the table he said; “My… your professors are right you don’t sound and act like a natural…” At first I gave him a dumbfounded look and remembered what Kurumi have said then I shook my head and rudely said “What is it to you?” He then laughed, then finished his tea and told me that he and some members of ZAFT are interested with me and wants me to join the army. I then told him that if I didn’t he will use dirty tricks just to get me, with and an obnoxious correct at the end. He nodded and with that I gritted my teeth and after seeing me do it he said “You don’t want any of your friends to get hurt wouldn’t you? Or maybe you do? My anything could happen to them…”
A little earlier at Adrian’s and Rogene’s apartment
The door was knocked many times and Rogene was sitting quietly on the couch and Yuzuhira who has no classes keep yelling at door telling them that she’s coming to open it. But when she did she was knocked punched in the stomach knocking her down by a ZAFT soldier and Rogene was knocked unconscious and carried out, “Please guard her…” Yuzuhira faintly said to an unseen familiar of hers at it follows Rogene’s abductors into a chopper. Yuzuhira seeing it said to her familiar faintly again even it was far away that she was counting on it. Her familiar replied with a howl that she was the only one who heard and then closed her eyes to the pain she felt.
Back the S.T.I.C.B. Cafeteria
The guy really pissed me off, but I knew his treat was real. With an annoying smile he rolled on the table a familiar item, I knew what it was by one look and picked it up. It was Rogene’s locket, containing a picture of her family that she always carried. Realizing that he already had a trump I angrily asked where she is. “She is in a ship that will leave when I get there along with a unit you’ll pilot.” I couldn’t help it but nod, but I told him “If anything happens to her you’ll know what would happen.” He nodded and he stood up and followed him. On our way out Kurumi and Joan was there standing idle and I quickly went to Kurumi whispered to her a summary of what happen and then nodded to her, quickly following the officer into a car. I saw from the window a worried Kurumi and Joan and I continued looking back at them until I couldn’t see no more. “Take a breather you wouldn’t be here for a long time.” He said, I sat idle on my chair quite and then asked; “I know you already have my stuff and I know you aren’t stupid to let anything happen to her… but I only want to know is the man who am forced to work for….” He snickered and told me his name. His name was Rau Le Crueset.
Sololam Undercity Sub Network Area
The Undercity Sub Network Area, a large mazelike institute of tunnels and underground buildings. It was different from the slums above it and it holds most one of a kind things and beings that were different. Jan carefully traverse these underground passages with a silent guy who was wearing a Nergal Pilot uniform. He was average, has black hair and is accustomed to battles. He was Akito Tenkawa of the Nadesico. He met Jan while looking for a cure for Yurika Misumaru, the captain of the Nadesico who is currently sick due to being exposed to a cursed flower. The two having agreed to help out each other, with Jan asking for a lift and technical expertise while Akito needing Jan’s information gathering abilities. Both of them needing the help of a person called Joel Ison, an experienced person on things metaphysical. The person being knowledgeable about daemons and Necromancy meaning he has knowledge on curses as well. Both Jan and Akito trudge though the bizarre land formations and oddities of the place. “Are you sure this is the RIGHT place?” Akito asked Jan. Jan nodded and told Akito that it was difficult to look for the said person, since, Joel the guy they’re looking for is a loner. “It’s difficult to look for guys like him… but it’s easier than trying to look for Lupin III in a large crowd.” Akito was surprised by what Jan said and asked, “You tried to look for Lupin III?” Jan just laughed, then told Akito that no matter what he tried he wasn’t able to look for him. Akito was dumbfounded again asked Jan how many times did he tried to look for Lupin III, Jan simply answered that he couldn’t count no more. Akito gave Jan an expression of shock. Nobody was able to find the infamous thief no matter how good they are. Jan giving Akito a smile and continued forward, and was able to reach a large wide area, almost a natural cave unlike the other areas of the undercity sub network area. “Well this is nice.” Akito said, Jan shook is and moved forward but quickly backed off. “Now what is it?” Akito asked him. Jan pointed forward and answered; “A present form the guy we’re looking for!!!” Akito looked and saw that skeletons started to rise from the ground, Akito then sarcastically said “This guy really doesn’t want company…” while pulling his gun; Jan hurriedly answered “YA THINK!!!!” as he backed off from the swing of a sword form one of them. He then kicked the skeleton, grabbed the sword it’s holding and smashed it’s skull, unabling it to return. “Smash the skull, so that they won’t do a come back!” Jan shouted, Akito following his advice and shot the skulls of the skeletons, breaking their fragile skulls they turned to dust. Jan using the sword he got swung while moving forward, Akito backing him while following. As they reached the center, the ground started to shake and the skeletons seems to have stopped. “Now what?” Jan asked while looking around. The skeletons started to flying wildly in to their front as it formed a giant skeletal creature. “You have to ask!” Akito said sarcastically again, and shot the creature twice, but the undead giant didn’t flinch. “Okay, ‘Mr. Know it all’. How do we fight this thing???” Akito asked, Jan shook his head and exclaimed; “We don’t fight him… we RUN!!!” And with that both Jan and Akito circled the monster and ran absolutely as fast as they could. The undead creature slowly turned and opened it’s mouth and breathed out a giant fireball; shooting it at the two. It missed by a hair, Jan’s hair that is. “Sheez, doesn’t this just beat all?!” Jan exclaimed, Akito then shouted to Jan that he sees something. Luckily for those two that what Akito saw was Joel’s room and with it being in proximity the creature returned to the ground. The two stopped running and rested for a while. Then they both stared at Joel’s hideaway. It was a huge crack on the wall, with metal plates holding them, though the cracks were still seen. Brightly colored glowing crystals were embedded on the actual entranceway, and mystical runes were carved on the surrounding area where the crystal was put. A purple curtain closed the entry and it hung from the air with nothing holding it. It was indeed a home of a mystic person. Akito then approached one the crystals and examined it, Jan was watching very closely. Akito then told Jan that crystal was a ‘chulip’ Jan recognized what Akito meant and nodded. Then after their observation they went in. The whole hideaway was a large narrow hall, the hall itself being short but it was sure large. The walls were heavily packed with mystical items and tomes, and various bottles and things they cannot seem to identify. Runes were spread over the walls and the floor; with the roof shined light as it was filled with runes. In the middle was Joel sitting in midair; he was as they say, a slightly slender man with short hair, dark sharp eyes, wearing an old 17th century englishman’s dress and adorned with a vampire’s cloak. Separated by a small table, he was accompanied by a small girl, who oddly looks like a teenager, she wears a lavender colored gothic Lolita dress, had seemingly a similar colored rose eye patch in her left eye and has long white hair, she was as tall as a medium sized doll. As they entered the girl looked at them stood up and bowed, and Joel with out moving turned to them and said “I’ve been waiting for a while; I’m sorry if my security have daunted you, but I’m sort of experiencing trouble lately so I hope you do not mind.” Jan shook his and asked bluntly if he was the man named Joel that they were looking for. He smiled and nodded in reply, “Yes… I’m sure you had difficulty getting here. I assume you had Yoichi Haruma back you up on this?” he said to them. Jan was surprised, and asked “You know him???” Joel started to laugh, “What’s so funny?” Akito asked him, “I apologize…” Joel said and landed standing up, “I was a little surprised, because I didn’t expect to hear that from and ‘info seeker’… You see, Yoichi is popular amongst those underground, that includes me as well. Why shouldn’t he be popular? He is one of the most known ‘info seeker’ around.” Joel stated, “But let’s not waste our time rambling, I know why you’re here….” And Joel floated again waving his hands tomes flew out from their shelves and they themselves opened and turned. “So you know of our purpose…? This comes to no surprise because you’re a mystic….” Jan told him, “Yes… I know you are looking for… let’s say… company and you’re friend here is looking for a cure…” Joel replied to Jan’s question, and Akito nodded as Joel said about looking for cures. From midair he called out his aid, “Barashishou…” He said; “Please bring that canister of glass if you may please?” The girl nodded and began walking toward the wall, then touched it, creating a glass elevator for herself, lifting her up until she is too high to be seen. “Please wait a moment.” Joel told them, as he slowly floated back down then changed his attention to Jan; “Your friend is currently in a precautious position…” Jan was confused, Joel shook his head and explained “Adrian has been blackmailed into joining ZAFT military, he is currently in one of the ZAFT bases here in the Philippines. Why not give him a gift that will enable him to go back?” Then held out both hands, a tome floated down in his right hand spinning in an axis and a very small undetectable communication device in his left.
ZAFT Military Base Prometheus
“Have you got everything?” Rau Le Crueset asked me; I shook my head and continued to shuffle through my stuff that I gathered, making sure that I’ll able to get out of this situation with Rogene in good hands. As I shuffle through my stuff I see an unfamiliar tome, opening it I see a note from Jan, I knew it was good so I quickly closed it. Crueset seeing me do this asked if there was a problem, I quickly shook my head in response. “Very well then, please follow me so I can show who you’re comrades are.” Crueset told me and began to walk out of my room, I followed him while zipping my ZAFT uniform so that I wouldn’t look like an unintelligent delinquent and looked around. After a long walk we turned left and entered a small room, it was a briefing room. Inside I see guys my own age, three guys and two girls. Apparently the four of them are coordinators, however, the other girl with glasses… ‘Is she like me???’ I though to myself. Le Crueset was looking at me intently, and one of them began; “Is this one going to join us? Commander I do not like your taste…” He said, he had quite long hair, colored about blue green and seemed to be one of those guys that though to himself too much. “Hey, Yzak, let’s be polite. I mean the commander picked him…” The other one said, he was blonde and was a little tan and looked like the regular airhead. “Yes… though he is a civilian…” the other one said, he was also a lot on the hair but he spoke intellectually… “We can’t do anything about it…” The green haired girl said, she seemed to be energetic and spunky. The girl with the glasses spoke nothing, but she was staring at me as intently as Crueset. “Yes, yes… This person will also accompany us… You might be surprised, he is as skilled as you are…” Crueset told them. “A natural the same as us!!! No way!” Yzak said out loud. Crueset just gave a smirk and looked at me, he notice I wasn’t paying attention too much to him and was looking at the time. “What cat got your tounge!” Yzak rudely said again, I ignored him and looked away. He was getting furious and looked at me sharply, “Now, now Yzak… Let’s not fight over this little detail…” the intellectual said. “That’s simple for you to say Athrun!!!” Yzak shouted at his comrade. I began to shake my head in disagreement in their behavior, at that same time the alarm went off. The others quickly ran off into their stations with the girl I was observing tailing them, Crueset told me to follow into the hanger. And there he showed me my unit, it seems to be an upgraded Buckshot unit. “Lucky guy… Using that unit…” the blonde one said, “Ha! That one shouldn’t be piloting a G-Unit like that anyway…” Yzak said. Ignoring them again I began ogling at my unit and began; “You got rid of those bizarre arm thrusters, the weight balance seemed to have been adjusted and the rifle is now incased in metal. You added two beam blades installed in the arms, the thruster units are boosted, several other beam charges are installed, the wing balancer is gone and replaced with an energy pack…. Those blasted joints are now fixed as well I won’t be hearing those darn bizarre roaring noises when the unit moves.” Looking at Crueset who was very pleased at my review of my new unit, even if I just looked at it. The other seems to be in disbelief, while the girl in glasses is shocked and Yzak as surprised as well. “Well that’s something.” Athrun said, as I hoped on. Crueset and the others getting in their respected units he told me “That is the new ZSP – LRW02A Gundam Buckshot Kai and it’s customized to your battle data.” I just shook my head and though ‘figures’.
After launching we faced our opponents, they seemed to be Lions, it was obvious they were the DC, a group bent on exterminating the ruling bodies just to get rid of the aliens. As our mechs sorties I made mine stay on the far side of the battle field as I studied my mech and the others as well. Crueset using a customized Djinn, and the three using G-Units stolen apparently from the Earth Federation, said be on Heliopolis; “The news…” I said and continued my studies, the last; the girl with glasses pilot a similar fated unit as mine. The ZSP – APU0X1 Gundam Etherie Kai is also a unit from a prototype sent to a school, and as I checked her data it would seem I was just a year and half older than her. As I stood idle the DC units attacked by is easily repulsed. Yzak’s Duel is a multi-unit does well both in melee and range combat, the Buster, pilot by the blonde guy named “Dearka” according to the data I have is a pure long range unit that seems to be in similar configuration as my old unit. Athrun’s Aegis seems to be a transformable unit at par with the Duel in melee terms and transform into a beam cannon. The last of the four is the Blitz, a purely stealth unit and using sever melee weapons, it was piloted by the green haired girl named “Nicole”. While on the other hand the girl’s unit who had an unregistered pilot same as me uses Funnels to attack. “Hey you! Are you just gonna stand there!” Yzak called me furiously. I said nothing and focused at my monitor but the beeping warning of my console and Yzak’s annoying jabs at me was getting to me. I planned not to fight much so that they would not get much data out of me, but circumstances made me to. A Illadlion a new type of Lion unit by the DC rushed at me with it’s beam stake, it was a bad move and I was in a bad mood. Finding that the metal frame my unit carried that held my unit’s rifle disattachable ;I disattached it in a way that it flew off my units arm and hits my opponent mech’s frame. The others was surprised as this except for Crueset who I swore I heard laugh through the communication line. After my opponent reels back I had my unit rushed up to him and reattached the metal frame and gave him a good right straight, it made my opponent’s mech fly back even faster. The strength of this new unit of mine was increased per my battle data’s record. Transforming the metal frame into my unit’s rifle I dashed again at my foe pointing my rifle dead blank into his frame and impales him, then lifting him up and shoots. With my foe in the air I quickly shot three more blast in rapid succession hitting him every time, he explodes in the air with nothing left of him, even dust. After that, nothing was left and we headed back into the hanger. In there Yzak’s attitude to me changed and asked “Are you really a natural?” I shook my head and told him “Who knows?” And left. At the hall I was me by the girl with glasses, se had a terrified look on her face. I just looked at her and passed, I looked back and she’ still staring at me; I shake my head again and says to her, “I’m no coordinator, and I’m no murderer.” And proceeds to continue until she grabs my arm and says in a shaky voice, “I know… I just wanted to prove to myself that you are…. It’s just you are kinda…” she then shakes her head looks down then backs away, it’s then I grab her arm and replied to her statement, “Scary… I can be, so you are a “True Blue” as well…” With those words of mine she began to cry and gave me a hug, telling me that was scared and in need of a friend. That day, many things have happened, and it included a fated meeting the will last my whole life. That girl was Shannon Yumei Mizumi, a girl who had a similar and fate as mine.
♦ INTERMISSION ♦
