Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Chapter One: Introductions
The Gundam Fighters stood in the arena surrounded by the magnificent sea. Crowds of all kinds gathered at the stadium doors, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite Fighters. The Prime Minister of Neo-Hong Kong was introducing each Fighter that survived the past ten months of traveling around earth and fighting one another.
Many of the Fighters stood with pride as they looked upon the hundreds of faces cheering them on. They each had defeated countless opponents that year, bringing themselves closer and closer to the Finals. Though many battles still remained ahead of them, some cocky Fighters could already taste victory in their mouths.
Once the introductions were done with, the Prime Minister began giving a speech regarding the Finals. He went over the rules and regulations, saying that whoever kept a perfect record would also get the chance of facing the Champion. One man among the group of machines stood in the back, hardly listening to what was being said. He already knew the rules of the Tournament. He simply wanted to get down to the actual fighting and prove his skills to his fellow competitors. For he had a much greater desire to win unlike some shallow Fighters participating that year. Neo-Japan's Gundam Fighter, Domon Kasshu, was fighting to save his father.
At the tender age of ten, Domon was sent to train with a martial arts expert to become a strong fighter himself. His master, the former King of Hearts, the winner of the 12th Gundam Tournament, the strongest man in Domon's chocolate brown eyes, was the Undefeated of the East. Through those ten long years, Domon had trained vigorously with Master Asia. From perfecting difficult techniques to channeling his soul into his fists, Domon had mastered it all. Each and everyday was filled with blood, sweat, bruised or even broken limps, and continuous training. To most sane people that sounded awful, but to Domon, it had been the best days of his life. Each day was filled with something unexpected, something different, something worthwhile. He had grown to love the danger the wilderness had brought. Being in the heart of the jungle helped him train so that he too could inherent and proudly be called the King of Hearts. But during the peak of his training, he was informed that he had to return home immediately.
With a heavy heart, he left his master's side and returned to his hometown in Neo-Japan Colony. Upon his arrival, two government officials urgently greeted him. The two officials informed him of everything that had happened in his absence; his mother had passed away, his father was sentenced to a cryogenic state, and his brother, Kyogi, was nowhere to be found with a machine called the Dark Gundam. Before he could even begin to process what was being said, the officials informed him that one of the higher ups wanted to meet with him and explain the situation further. More than willing to go so he could make sense of what had happened, the two men took him to an unknown location, where Domon saw his father perfectly preserved in a capsule. Another man, with a silver mask, came and greeted the distraught fighter. Before even introducing himself, he went over the accusations against his father. "Your father is being held like this for creating that monstrosity of a machine. We believe that he and your brother created it to take over the Colony Nations. We were able to apprehend Dr. Kasshu but your brother, Kyogi, fled and has taken that Gundam to earth. We need you to find it and destroy it."
When Domon first had seen his father with his eyes closed and arms folded, he couldn't believe it. His mind couldn't comprehend the fact that people suspected him of wanting to take over the Colony Nations. His father was just a well-known and intelligent doctor. He placed his hand on top of the glass and stared into his father's peaceful looking face. "Where can I find my brother? How am I supposed to destroy that machine?"
Glad that he seemed to be willing to listen, the man in the mask said, "You will participate in the 13th Gundam Tournament. You will freely be able to explore earth and find that machine."
"The… Gundam Tournament?" he questioned. He remembered when Master Asia had left for the year when he was barely sixteen. Master Asia had confidently told the teenager with wild dark hair that he would be back with the title of Gundam of Gundams under his belt. He had instructed Domon to train and meditate each day that he would be gone, so that when he returned, he could teach him more powerful techniques. Being that he was a very well disciplined student, he followed his Master's instructions and trained long and hard each and every day. Though being in the jungle alone with all the wild animals was slightly intimidating, he told himself that it was nothing. All that mattered would be the day when Master Asia would come back and see all the progress he made being alone. He would without a doubt be overly impressed and then joyously teach him a new technique, or so he thought.
The day finally came when Master Asia arrived back in the Guyana Highlands. The now seventeen year old couldn't help but ask the older man the question that had been on his mind the entire year he was gone. "Did you win the Tournament?" he excitedly asked.
With a halfhearted grin on his lips, he nodded his head. "Of course I won."
"What was the Tournament like?" he quickly asked. "Did you fight against tough opponents? Who was the winner of the last Tournament?" Questions kept coming out of his mouth before the champion even got a chance to answer one.
Once he got the teen to shut up, he explained everything to him. Domon couldn't help but grin with pride as Master Asia continued explaining, oblivious to the fact that the teen has tuned him out. He felt an overwhelming sense of pride and honor to be able to call the older man his master.
As he started to listen again, he couldn't help but notice the way Master Asia spoke of the Tournament. Instead of praising the Fight, he spoke of it in a more denouncing way. He noticed the way his eyes lit up in anger or the way his hands balled up into fists when speaking about traveling the continents. 'But why would he be upset?' he wondered. Before he even got the chance to ask his final question, he was sent off to train. As Domon reluctantly obeyed the older man, he promised himself that he would ask him about it later.
After his talk with the masked official, Domon was then taken to his mother's resting place. They wanted to give him time to process all that had happened before he made his decision to become the Gundam Fighter representing Neo-Japan or not. As Domon stared at the tombstone before him, he wished that he got to see his mother one last time. "Mom…" he muttered to himself, feeling tears sting his eyes. He remembered the day he was leaving with Master Asia, how against the idea she had been at first. She eventually warmed up to the thought, but still felt a hole in her heart as she watched her youngest son leave. Before he got in the car, she ran towards him and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Domon." she whispered in his ear. He squeezed his eyes shut as the tears ran down his tanned cheeks, as more memories of his mother flooded his mind.
The second time Domon had met the masked man known as Ulube, he informed him that he would in fact become the Fighter for Neo-Japan. Pleased that he would be the Fighter, Ulube told the commissioner of Domon and his promise to win the Tournament for Neo-Japan. When the head commissioner had first met Domon, he didn't like him. He assumed that he would only concentrate on his goals instead of winning the Tournament for him. But when Ulube had enlightened Karato about the past ten years of Domon's life, he allowed him to be the Gundam Fighter.
They had sent him to earth, with only the clothes on his back and a single piece of paper with names of countries on it. "We will send the Shining Gundam to the first location on that paper. If your machine is severely damaged, leave it behind. We will send our top mechanics to fix it." Ulube said. Domon looked at the paper and headed on his way to stop his older brother and participate in the 13th Gundam Tournament.
Back in the present day, Domon still ignored Prime Minster Wong as he continued with his speech. He instead looked towards the competition. Many Gundams stood before him varying in size and color. As he continued scanning through different Fighters, he noticed the Neo-American Fighter standing before him. He stood with his arms folded and his head turned towards the crowds. No doubt he was looking for young women cheering him on in the stands. Chibodee had been one of the first Fighter's Domon had challenged. The two had fought fiercely against each other but it was Domon that had claimed victory that day. For some reason though, Domon didn't destroyed Gundam Maxter's head, but instead spared the Fighter so he could continue on. In a way, he saw the Neo-American as a rival.
Beside the American was the energetic Neo-Chinese Fighter. He was the youngest Fighter in the Tournament that year. Domon remembered his Fight against the teenager quite well. Right as he was about to destroy Dragon Gundam's head, Sai Saici's monks pointed out that he too was going to lose his head. Though he didn't like the idea, he settled for a draw. Sai Saici was fairly strong for his size, but more often than not, his age did show with his childish behavior. And at the moment, the youngest Fighter was clearly bored out of his mind. He kept shifting around, from folding his arms to then unfolding them.
The graceful and proper George de Sand of Neo-France stood beside the Neo-Chinese Fighter. He stood with poise as he listened to Wong, making sure to follow all of what he was saying. The well-mannered knight surprised Domon the most. He had everything back in Neo-France; a butler, wealth, the young Princess's affection… When he fought the graceful knight, he had struggled against his ever-present Rose Bits. The bothersome mechanical roses constantly shot at him, sending shocks all over his body. When he destroyed a few, more would come at him. It felt like a never-ending fight, but somehow Domon had managed to claim victory that day. However, he didn't destroy Gundam Rose's head either.
Before he could dwell any longer on the chivalrous knight, Domon noticed that Neo-Russia's Bolt Gundam stood beside him. The massive machine stood perfectly still as Wong introduced the Champion of the 12th Gundam Tournament. Whether the Russian man was listening or not, he couldn't say. Like himself, Argo too was forced to become the Gundam Fighter for Neo-Russia. But unlike himself, Argo was a prisoner with a bomb strapped to his chest. The tall and burly man wasn't fighting for the title or for his freedom, but instead was fighting for his friend's freedom. Before they were imprisoned, Argo and his friends were Space Pirates. They did whatever they pleased, such as stealing valuables to simply just flying around space. Once they were captured, the Russian officials suggested they have Argo represent their nation due to his brawny size. Many officials disagreed with the idea of a prisoner representing their powerful nation, but Argo's spitfire warden and crewmember Nastasha, saw things differently. She would pick and choose his Fights and on more than one occasion, she would operate the machine herself with a remote. But when the Russian team had encountered the brash Neo-Japan Fighter, for some unknown reason, Argo felt like fighting him. There short but destructive battle resulted in mechanical arms lost and two strong Fighters too exhausted to continue on.
In a strange yet unexpected way, these five Fighters formed a friendship with one another. Neither man acknowledged it at first, claiming that they only saw one another as enemies. But within time they realized that they actually cared for one another. They were the unlikeliest group of men to form a friendship with one another since they each had experienced life in such a strange way. And the fact that they were indeed enemies made it that much stranger.
It all started when each of them ran into Domon. His ever-present cocky attitude and signature red cloak were somewhat of the driving force to get him out of the Tournament. Chibodee knew that if he defeated Domon, he would without a doubt have bragging rights in the Tournament. Sai Saici saw it as a means of obtaining great honor and a way to gain respect from his fellow competitors. For him to defeat a tough opponent like Domon would undoubtedly cause the other Fighters to acknowledge his strength. George on the other hand, saw it as one of his many virtues as a knight to defeat him. He was just one of the many obstacles standing in his way of victory. Argo was the only one who felt indifferent on the subject. He saw everyone in the Tournament as a nuisance. From his crew to the Fighters, he didn't really care for any of them. All he cared for was winning…
A chance meeting in Shinjuku proved that each man had formed a bond with one another. Ulube's suggestion of checking out the desolate town proved to be a good lead for the brown eyed Fighter. The damaged inflicted on the city was very peculiar to the Neo-Japan Fighter since no Gundam Fighters had been in that remote location. Upon his arrival there, one-eyed Mobile Suits attacked him. Before he even got the chance to call for his own Gundam, a mysterious masked man destroyed the machine. In fact, he destroyed several machines that surrounded the two.
As Domon continued to watch the stranger, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. The masked fighter's fighting style was so unique and very familiar, yet he couldn't place where he had seen this man fight. Was it from Neo-Turkey? Neo-Rome? He couldn't say.
But instead of trying to figure out who he was, Domon just watched him attack the machines. His moves were so powerful and fluid, yet all he was using was just his body and red ribbon. Ribbon? 'My ribbon?' He looked up to see that his ribbon was indeed missing from his forehead. 'But when did he…' his thought trailed off as he watched him use the simple cloth as a weapon. 'But how can he do this?' he wondered. 'If I was fighting those machines, I'd need my Gundam.' he thought disappointingly. But then another thought struck him. As he continued to watch the masked fighter, he began to see a familiar face. 'It couldn't be.' he thought. They hadn't seen each other since he left. Could it be him? No, he couldn't jump to any conclusions… yet. When he destroyed the last machine, the man disappeared from sight. "Hey wait!" Domon called to nothing but the air.
A feather-like touch tickled at the back of his neck. He turned his head slightly and saw a streak of red and the man without his white cloth covering his face. He hadn't changed one bit. After ten years, he still sported braided gray hair and a mustache that covered his top lip. "M-Master Asia." Domon barely whispered and then he began to cry. Sure it made him feel weak and less of a man, but he couldn't help it. He was finally reunited with the one person who hadn't abandoned him over the last couple of months. The tears that ran down his cheeks were neither sadness or joy, but simply that of relief. He figured he wouldn't have seen him until the Tournament Finals, but here he stood before him. He still couldn't wrap his head around it.
Domon confessed everything that had happened in the last several months in a matter of minutes. It pained him to have to talk about his family, or at least what was left of his family. "I'm searching for my brother," he said, staring at the dirty floor of the room.
"I think I may have come across your brother and that machine you spoke of. The Dark Gundam." Master Asia replied. "After all, that's why I'm here in this city."
It felt so bizarre to be sitting with Master Asia after all that he had been through. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought he'd come across his old mentor. After their little discussion, Master Asia took his pupil towards the only lit building in the center of town. There, Domon saw the people that resided in the small town. Children huddled against their mothers while the men lingered by themselves. Each face held only one emotion, sorrow. It was truly a miserable sight to see. "Horrible, isn't it." Master Asia said, noticing the expression on Domon's face. "This once great city has been reduced to nothing. The people feel as if they don't have a purpose anymore."
"Why don't they just leave then?" Domon asked softly.
"With the Dark Army lingering in the shadows, it'd be nothing but suicide for them to leave." The older man looked to the people and then to his pupil. "These people need us, Domon. So I ask you, will you help me protect them?"
Without a moment's hesitation, Domon nodded his head. He knew Karato would be upset with his decision to put the Tournament on hold, but these people needed his help. Master Asia needed his help. If they could destroy a few hundred machines, then hopefully the people could escape with their lives still in tact.
The next few days in the small town had proved to be somewhat enjoyable to the Neo-Japan Fighter. He fought alongside Master Asia in his Gundam and destroyed countless machines threatening the city. He felt kind of heroic when he headed back into the city and saw the hopeful looks on the men and women's faces.
The city of Shinjuku proved to be a strange little place. From seeing his old mentor to getting attacked by one-eyed Mobile Suits, Domon felt like nothing else could surprise him. That it, until a strange distress call came from the outskirts of town. Domon figured it was simply a group of people stuck with machines lingering in the area. But it struck him as odd that people would be out of the city limits when it was clearly dangerous. "Domon, let's go check it out." Master Asia suggested.
"Okay." The two headed towards the abandoned lot, encountering a few machines along the way. Once they were taken care of, Master Asia suggested they look for the person without the help of their Gundams, to help make things interesting. Not wanting to pass up a challenge, Domon agreed and abandoned his Gundam and continued on foot. Once to the abandoned building, he saw four men that he never expected to see. Argo, George, Sai Saici and Chibodee stood before him with strange looks in their eyes. "What are you guys doing here?" he questioned, but instead of giving him an explanation they attacked. Their power felt like nothing like before. Chibodee's punches felt ten times stronger which only meant everyone else's strength was ten times stronger. But how had they gotten so strong in a matter of months? Unless… "Y-You didn't get help from him, did you?"
"We did." Sai Saici finally said.
The others nodded their heads. "I've never felt better." Chibodee said. He pointed a finger at Domon and said, "You can have this power too."
"Yes, all you need to do is ask." George said. With a devilish grin on his pale face, the knight folded his arms and said, "Kyogi sends his regards."
At the mere mention of his name, Domon charged at the knight. He knew he should have kept his cool and distance from them, but the Neo-French Fighter crossed the line. Nobody had the right to speak of that man. He threw a punch at George, but the orange haired knight easily dodged his move.
"If you don't want help from that great man, then you'll never be able to fight against us." Argo commented and threw his own punch at him. Argo's punch knocked all the wind out of his lungs. Before he even had time to recover from the powerful blow, Sai Saici, Chibodee, and George were attacking him. Domon's best option was dodging and blocking their attacks when an idea popped into his head.
"I will never ask that man for any help!" he yelled. Domon snapped his fingers and waited for his Shining Gundam to come.
"We'll do the same, Bro." Sai Saici commented and called out for his own Gundam.
The five men stood in their machines waiting for someone to make the first move. Domon knew that if he hastily attacked, it would be his demise. He needed to stay calm and attack when the time was right. He looked at the four machines standing before him in fighting positions. They were without a doubt, waiting for him to make his move. 'Master, where are you?' Domon wondered.
As if he heard his thoughts, Master Asia appeared before the five men. He looked at Domon first and walked towards him. A small hope blossomed within him as he watched the older man take slow strides toward him. He knew with his master by his side, that he could take on the other four that stood in his way. "I see you four failed to convince him." Master Asia said, standing a few feet away each of them.
"He doesn't want his help." Chibodee said.
Domon looked towards Master Asia with questioning eyes. "What did you say?" he asked.
"I told you before Domon. I saw your brother and that magnificent machine." He motioned to the others and stared Domon down. "Your brother wants you on his side. In return he'll give you power beyond your wildest belief. Come and join us. Your master is asking you." The only thought that ran through his mind was that his master had betrayed him.
The crowds cheered even louder when Master Asia stood before them. He had granted Neo-Hong Kong the chance to rule the Colony Nations for four years. But as Domon looked at his former master, he felt nothing but anger. He had betrayed him in Shinjuku and the Guyana Highlands. 'I will never think of you as my master again…' he thought, staring down at his feet. The pain he felt when he looked at Master Asia was too much. It still felt like only yesterday that he was learning that Master Asia was against him.
But what angered him the most was that he once considered him to be like a father figure. He looked up to him; he wanted to be as strong as him. But most of all, he wanted Master Asia to be proud of him. Sure, he wanted his actual father to be proud of him too, but his father would never understand how difficult of a journey it was to become the King of Hearts. Master Asia was there by his side the whole time. He helped him become a man.
Domon shook his head as if it would clear his thoughts. He didn't want to think about the ordeal he faced in the Guyana Highlands. He felt an odd sensation in his right hand. "Huh?" He looked down at his hand and saw the King of Hearts crest glow through his MTS suit. The crest appeared before his eyes as Master Asia gave his thanks and promised to win the Tournament again. Domon noticed that the others were staring down at their right hands as well, no doubt feeling the odd yet satisfying sensation running through their bodies. Domon remembered the day well when the other's received their crests…
When he had discovered that Master Asia was on his brother's side, all hope seemed lost, as Domon just stood there in his Shining Gundam unable to move. He heard his master's deep voice but he couldn't understand what he said. He watched, as if in slow motion, the four Gundams charge at him. He knew he should move, his body screamed at him to move, but something held him in place. 'T-This is the end…' he thought, watching as four fists took dead aim at him. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the pain, but never felt it. "Huh?" He opened his dark eyes and saw the four men restrained by four different Gundams. "Who are you?" he questioned.
"The Shuffle Alliance." they all said in unison.
Within a matter of minutes, Master Asia and the other's fled leaving Domon with the Shuffle Alliance. Though he was grateful that they helped him, Domon couldn't help but feel anxious from their presence. The Black Joker took charge while the other's stood back. She explained everything such as the reason the Shuffle Alliance existed and why they were in Shinjuku. "We are here to destroy Master Asia." She looked to Jack of Diamonds who nodded his head slowly for her to continue on. "We were fools to stay on the sidelines for so long. Master Asia has corrupted those men with power-"
Domon cut her off. "Shut up! Master Asia didn't give them that power!"
"Watch your mouth, boy." the Queen of Spades shot back. The Ace of Clubs placed a hand on the shorter man's shoulder and quieted him down.
"As I was saying," the Joker said, turning her gaze back to Domon. "We are here with one purpose and that is to stop Master Asia. You may be the King of Hearts, but even you cannot change our minds."
"I can stop him myself!" he said.
"Like you tried to stop them today?" the Queen of Spades asked. "You stood there like a frightened little brat."
Without thinking, Domon lunged at the Shuffle Alliance member with anger visible in his gaze. Neither man got the chance to attack one another as the others pulled them apart. "That is enough Queen of Spades." Jack of Diamonds said. He glared at both men as they stood with their heads held down. "It pains us to have come up with a decision such as that, but it cannot be changed."
"Will you join us?" Joker asked.
The young man with dark eyes gave her a strange look. The four words she had spoke rang through his mind several times before he could finally comprehend what she had asked. Join them? How could he join them in destroying his master? He knew deep in his heart that Master Asia needed to be stopped, but the way they were going about it was all wrong. How could they hurt their old friend? He looked up at the expectant eyes of the female and shrugged his shoulders. "I can't," he said.
Disappointment flashed in each member's eyes at his words. "I see," she barely whispered, motioning for the others to follow. But the four members stopped as the earth shook. Five pair of eyes looked towards a lone machine making it's way towards them. Its single eye flashed red as a mechanical voice resembling Master Asia's deep voice spoke, "Domon, I wish to speak with you one last time. Meet me at the abandoned construction site. And do not bring the Shuffle Alliance with you."
Without waiting for a response, the slow machine turned around and walked away. The gruff voice of the Queen of Spades could be heard saying that it was simply a trap while the other's tried to calm him down. Without saying a word to the others, Domon jumped off the building they were standing on and began running to the old abandoned construction site. "Domon wait!" But he ignored the Black Joker and continued running.
He knew he shouldn't of ran off without explaining to the others what he was going to do. He was a member of the Shuffle Alliance as well, so he figured they at least deserved a heads up of his plan. But he also knew that neither member would have agreed to what he was doing. 'I'm the only one who can help master.' he thought, nearing the half constructed building.
A fire burned within his heart as he saw the older man standing near the edge, looking down at him. With quick fluid motions, he easily hopped up the building. Though he encountered the others, he swiftly avoided their vicious attacks and stood before Master Asia. "We can easily take care of him." Sai Saici said with a huge grin on his lips as they stood beside the grey haired man. Shiny grey scales began covering his neck all the way to his chin as the other men stood beside him, the same happening to them as well.
Taking a step back as the others took a step forward, Domon lifted his fists. "No." Master Asia commanded, holding a hand out to them. He took a few steps closer to his pupil and smirked. "Put those fists down, Domon. I didn't ask you here so we could fight." The dark haired man relaxed his arms and stared at the grey haired man. "Why won't you join our cause? You may think your brother is evil, but you're wrong. That man has shown me the truth of everything. He showed me how horrible this damn Tournament really is. I will ask you this one more time." Once Master Asia stood before him, he outstretched his left hand and said, "Will you join us?"
The Neo-Japan Fighter stared at the hand stretched out towards him. If he agreed to help his master, then together they could accomplish his brother's goals. But if he didn't help the older man, then they would be enemies. "I-" he began, slowly lifting his arm from his side. More than anything, he wanted to fight side by side with his mentor. He along with the others would prove to be an unstoppable force. Together they could conquer and-!
As his right hand hovered slightly beside him, he could see the faces of the Shuffle Alliance. Each member held a disappointed look in their eyes as they stared at him. He could hear their distant voices in his head, saying how weak of a person he was, how they held much respect for him but now they didn't, how they were disappointed they didn't stop him sooner...
The Queen of Spades comment earlier rang though his head. 'Like a frightened brat.' Those four words grated against his nerves. He wasn't frightened of anything. He could handle everything dished onto his plate. But seeing his hand only inches away from his Master's told him otherwise. What he was going to do was exactly what the Queen of Spades had said. He was cowering like a little brat because he didn't want his master to hate him.
"I can never join you after what that man did to my family." Domon stated with a fierce look in his eyes. His whole body was shaking as he spoke. He knew that whatever happened after this would only end up as disappointment for some. He wanted so badly to join his master's side, but the fact that he was going to follow after his brother, sickened him. He was after all the cause of all his troubles.
"Very well." Master Asia spoke. A saddened look crossed his eyes briefly before he spoke up again. "You are no longer any pupil of mine. From this day forth, I will treat you as nothing more but my enemy."
A sinking feeling overtook the young man. But he couldn't say he didn't expect it. It just hurt to even hear those words come from the man that had known for half of his life. When Domon's eyes drifted towards the stone cold face of his master, he wondered what his next plan of action would be. Should he call for his Gundam? Or should he wait for the Shuffle Alliance to sense the danger he would soon be in… He couldn't exactly wait as the five started taking slow steps toward him. As other thoughts ran through his mind, he came to the conclusion that his best chance of standing against any of them would be in the machine that had saved his ass countless times.
He leapt off the building and quickly called for the towering machine before he reached the ground. He pointed a mechanical finger at one man in particular and said, "I challenge you, Undefeated of the East, to a Gundam Fight Match!"
"Very well."
The two machines stood before on another, each taking fighting stances before the other. Both men charged at the same time, fists directly aimed at one another. Once their fists connected with the opposite machine, they both stared directly at one another. "You can never beat me." Master Asia said, taking a few steps back. "I taught you everything you know. You're a fool to think you can stop me."
"Shut up!" Domon screamed. Master's Asia's words were getting to him and the battle had only just started. He charged at the older man and tackled him into a building. The two fell on their backs as the building crumbled underneath them. Domon noticed that his master was already up on his feet.
"Is that the all you've got?" the older man asked. "If that is the best of your abilities, then I have failed as an instructor."
Domon knew what he was doing. He was trying to get him angry. And if he was angry while fighting, his moves would be predictable. He needed to keep his cool. Standing up, he looked down at his crest and said, "I will stop you."
The Neo-Japan Fighter struggled even more as they continued with their fight. He barely managed to lay a few hits on the older man, while he himself took quite a beating. Master Asia knocked him to the ground with a hard punch while he stood there barely even breaking a sweat. "I'm going to end this ridiculous Fight." He walked over to him and aimed a fist at his Gundam head. But before he could attack, the two Fighters were enveloped in a strange light.
Domon looked around, no longer in his Gundam but still in his fight suit. He noticed Master Asia a few feet away from him and the Shuffle Alliance standing before him with the corrupted Fighters in their arms. He also noticed the strange looks on their faces, not of anger or sorrow, but that of peace. "What-"
"You fool!" Master Asia's voice roared. "You're willing to give up your own lives to save those men?"
The Black Joker nodded her head and looked down at the unconscious Fighter. "It's the only way to save them." She looked up and stared directly at Domon with a soft smile on her lips. "We leave the rest to you, Domon Kasshu."
As the symbol on his right hand continued to glow, he looked up to see the others. He never would have guessed that these four men would replace the Shuffle Alliance. That fateful day in Shinjuku, while he was fighting against Master Asia, the others were fighting against the Shuffle Alliance members. That's how they came to the conclusion of sacrificing their powers to save them.
As Wong took the stage again, Domon looked around for Master Asia. The older man stood towards the left of the arena, his head turned slightly to the right to look upon the man speaking. His head suddenly turned and his Gundam head was facing the group of inexperienced Fighters standing before him. Whether Master Asia was looking at him or not, he couldn't say, but Domon quickly turned his head away. He couldn't look at the older man without feeling his blood boil with anger.
But the strange thing was Domon felt no anger towards him. His time in the Guyana Highlands had obviously changed his opinion on the situation. But he didn't want to think about his time spent there though. It had been, after all, one of the worst times in his life. All that mattered of his time spent there was that he defeated the Dark Gundam, his brother, and managed to get stronger. Though he did lose his Shining Gundam, he received the Burning Gundam. 'With this Gundam, I'll win the Tournament. Just wait a little longer, dad.' And with that promise he made, Wong finished his speech.
xXx
"Man, that was brutal." Chibodee said, as the group made their way away from the stadium. They stood a ways away from the crowds of people exiting the arena. Chibodee raised his arms above his head, stretching his sore muscles.
The youngest of the group nodded his head. "I stopped listening the minute that guy started talking."
George shook his head in disapproval. "You two should have paid attention. What if Prime Minister Wong issued a new rule for the Finals? You two wouldn't have even known."
Sai Saici looked to the knight with a nervous expression while the Neo-American simply laughed off his words. "You can't threaten us with your rules, Frenchy. There's only one rule that matters, and that's to win at any cost, which I plan to do."
Domon rolled his eyes at their meaningless conversation and said, "Did you guys notice how many Fighters made it to the Finals?"
"Yes, I was quite surprised myself." The knight commented, ignoring the Neo-American.
Argo shook his head. "It matters not. We all have a reason to Fight."
Each man nodded their head at his words. Sure the other Fighters had reasons to fight as well, but they didn't seem as driven as these five men were. Domon for his family, Sai Saici so he could restore the Shaolin Temple, George for his honor as a knight, Chibodee for his dream, and Argo for his friends freedom. They each promised themselves that they would win no matter what. Though they were the Shuffle Alliance and friends on some level, they each knew they all couldn't be the winners. There was, after all, only one champion…
Seeing as each man was lost in their heads, dwelling on their purpose for fighting, Chibodee took it upon himself to lighten up the mood. "Speaking of the competition," he said, getting four pairs of eyes to stare at him. With a wicked grin on his lips he continued, "Did any of you notice the chick?"
Both Domon and George rolled their eyes at his comment, while Sai Saici's eyes practically bugged out of his skull. "Really?" he excitedly asked.
As the two foolishly looked around for the female Fighter, George questioned, "Is that really all that you can pay attention too?"
Before the pink-headed Fighter could reply, a stern voice called out Argo's name. Standing a few feet away was Argo's spitfire crewmember, her hands holding her whip in a white knuckled grip. Nodding his head to the others, Argo said, "I look forward to each of your matches."
"I should probably go find Zuisen and Keiun. Knowing them, they're probably searching around the whole city. I'll catch up with you guys later." The Neo-Chinese Fighter quickly took off in search of his crewmembers.
Chibodee caught sight of his vivacious crew and quickly took off with them, while George simply nodded his head and looked around for his butler. Domon figured he should have looked around for his crew, but he didn't want to deal with his God-awful commissioner. Knowing him, he probably had a terrible low class hotel picked for them to stay at. He took a few steps when he heard his name being called. "Domon. Domon Kasshu."
'Speak of the devil…' he thought. It's not that he hated the older Japanese man making his way towards him, he just didn't like the way he was. All he cared for was his own personal needs and no one else's. "What do you want?" Domon asked in an aggravated voice.
"Don't associate yourself with the enemy." he muttered. "Listen, we picked a-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Domon turned around and began walking away. "Where are you going?" Ulube asked. Unlike Karato always wanting to control his movements, Ulube was very lenient with his behavior. He knew if he approached the hotheaded Fighter like Karato did, then the Fighter wouldn't listen to any of them.
"We've selected a suitable hotel," the timid hand picked mechanic said. With stars in her eyes, she continued, "It's in the heart of the city." The Fighter stared at her as if she was crazy.
"What Akino means is that the hotel the Neo-Japan government has selected is quite nice. It has a calming atmosphere should you need to relax before your matches." Ulube explained.
"I don't care." Domon quickly shot back as he folded his arms. "I'll find my own place to stay at." He had no intention of staying in the same building as his crew.
Karato shook his head in disapproval. "We've been too lenient with you," he whispered to himself. The commissioner saw that he needed to take matters into his own hands. "Do you want to save your father?" he asked, knowing that was a touchy subject for the Fighter.
The commissioner's words froze the Fighter a few seconds. When he processed what he had said, he questioned the older man in a venomous voice. "What did you say?"
With a smirk on his lips, Karato knew he needed to act indifferent to the Fighter's mood swings. He cleared his throat and said, "I can easily take you off the mission with the snap of my fingers."
Without thinking about the consequence, Domon grabbed the commissioner's collar and whispered in a deadly voice, "You need me so you can be the Prime Minister of Neo-Japan."
"I could always replace you. Men like you are easy to find. But since you do have great potential to actually win for me, I could always just wait another four years and ask you to be the representative." Feeling his grip loosen, the older man knew he won the battle. "Now, come with us and we'll show you the hotel we're going to stay at."
He grunted as he let go the older man's shirt and took a step back. Biting his tongue as he followed behind them, he realized he needed to keep his anger in check. He couldn't afford to lose his chance of saving his father over a small disagreement such as him not wanting to stay in the same hotel. This was his only chance to save his father. As Karato stated, men like him were easy to find. The government could easily find a replacement that was stronger than him. So for the moment, he would simply just do as the older man said.
The Neo-Japan crew stood before a lavish hotel that towered over the neighboring buildings. To say the least, each member asides from Karato, was surprised at the building that was chosen for them to stay at. "I will be staying in the master suite on the top floor," Karato said, entering inside the building while the others followed. "You three will stay on the floor beneath me. You each have your own rooms as well."
Akino practically squealed when he handed her the card key. Domon took the card and made his way to the elevators. He felt strange. He could feel eyes staring at him as soon as he entered the building. Taking a quick glance around, he saw that the people inside the hotel were in fact staring at him. Most of the male population ignored him, since they were quite intimidated by him. Some of the women gazed upon him with pure infatuation, sighing when he finally made eye contact with some of them. The truth was, Domon Kasshu wasn't an ugly man. He was a very attractive man though he tended to scowl a lot. But being away from the opposite sex for nearly ten years made him wonder what their problems were. Though his red cloak helped make him stand out in a crowd, he wasn't exactly sure he liked all the attention.
Once the three safely made it to their floor, Domon quickly entered inside his dimly lit room and let out a deep breath. He didn't know why, but he was suddenly tired. It was odd since he hadn't exactly done anything to tire himself out. He figured it was simply his brain that was exhausted. From barely listening to the speech the Prime Minister gave to having to deal with Karato, he felt like his head had run a mile. He glanced out the window as he made it to his bed. The colorful lights of the city surprisingly shined through the window on the floor he was on. He pulled the drapes over the window and plopped down on his bed. 'What do you have in store for me Neo-Hong Kong?' he wondered before he shut his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.
xXx
Once the Fights for the week were scheduled and under place, the five men walked around the city since they weren't scheduled till the next day. Chibodee looked over his Fights for the week while the others took in the sights of the bustling city. "Hey, there's a Gundam Fight in half an hour. We should go check it out."
"Whose match is it?" Sai Saici asked. The youngest member of the group was more than willing to do something else. Walking around the city had been fun at first, but it quickly started to get old. He easily snatched the paper out of the Neo-American's hand and read, "Neo-Sweden vs. Neo-Mexico."
The three other men gave Chibodee a look. "Why do you want to watch this match?" George asked, already having a feeling he knew the answer.
"We should," he said, laughing nervously, "Check out the competition is all. You know, see what we're up against."
A group of men walked past the Fighters, talking amongst themselves quite loudly. "I can't wait to see this chick fight."
"Yeah, it should be good. I haven't really heard of her though."
"Neo-Sweden's Fighter kept it low key over the last few months."
"I just want to see if she's hot or not!" The rowdy group began laughing and quickening their pace so they got a chance to see her.
"I should've known." George said, shaking his head from side to side.
"Come on guys." Chibodee complained. All he really wanted was to get a chance to meet her. He hadn't exactly gotten a chance to meet any new women while he kept traveling around. Who was he kidding, he had. But he wanted to actually get a chance to meet a girl that he could actually see on a regular basis. That is if she let him. "Fine, if you guys don't want to go, then I'm going by myself."
"I wanna come." Sai Saici quickly said, following behind the pink-headed man.
George sighed and looked to the remaining two standing beside him. "Should we go?" he asked, knowing the Neo-American Fighter had something else planned.
"Might as well." Domon said.
Author's Note: I hope it wasn't too boring! I know I got pretty annoyed writing it. But anyways, I promise that the other chapters will be a little more interesting. So hopefully you guys will want to read it.
I know the characters are a little off. Sorry. But I figured since I changed a few things with the actual story, I could change them a little too. I know they usually don't hang around together in a group, but I wanted them to be more friendly unlike of the show. I didn't write the whole Guyana Highlands part, cause that would've taken another couple of pages and I didn't really want to write about it. But its basically what happened in the show so yeah.
Umm, other than that I hoped you guys liked it and I would love it if people reviewed it, but you don't have to if you don't want too. And I apologize for the mistakes. I've read it so many times, I got annoyed and might have gotten lazy correcting them.