Miranda Shadowind
Author's Note: Finally, the near-direct continuation of Krysta's Episode Zero! I recommend listening to Savage Garden's "Crash and Burn" while reading this, it sort-of sets the mood later on.
Duo frowned as DeathScythe Hell cleaved another mobile doll in half. He'd gotten a lucky shot that time, the reaction times of the mobile dolls was improving. Even with Heero and Quatre blasting away close by there were overwhelming odds. Undaunted, Duo focused again on the fight. "If all else fails, I'll die fightin'!" he mused to himself.
The battle continued for about 10 minutes until Quatre yelled out, "Watch your back Duo!"
Duo quickly turned around to see a kamikaze mobile doll headed straight for him! It opened fire only to be blasted to smithereens by a pair of intertwining energy beams from the side. "What the hell?!"
All three Gundams turned in the direction from which the beams had been fired. There, now attacking the remaining mobile dolls with a pair of blue energy katanas was... another Gundam?! It looked similar to the original 5, but was smaller and midnight blue and dark purple in color. Unaware that it was being watched, the gundam made shish ka-bob of the last two mobile dolls, then turned to face the others.
Near-emotionless perfect soldier that he was, Heero was the first to work up enough nerve to address the pilot. "Who are you?!" he demanded.
A figure in a blue astro suit appeared on the holographic screen. "I be Kayle Riannese of Bristol, and this 'ere is the bloody Geminae," replied the figure, tapping the side of his gundam's console. "I believe ye were expectin' me?"
"Yeah, we were. Thanks for the save, I owe ya one. I'm Duo, Duo Maxwell," Duo replied with a grin.
"Nae problem. It's a pleasure." He turned toward Sandrock and Wing Zero. "An' you two?"
"Heero Yuy." Only Kayle was surprised at the solemn, two-worded answer.
"My name's Quatre Raberba Winner. Nice to meet you too," said Quatre.
Introductions over, Wing Zero, DeathScythe Hell, and Sandrock took off for the Peacemillion, Geminae close behind.
Once there, the gundam cockpits opened and their pilots exited. Kayle was the last to do so, jumping off the door/ramp, doing a mid-air somersault, and landing gracefully on his feet. He then joined his new comrades, who were looking over the Geminae.
"So this is Earth's gundam... Pretty impressive." noted Duo.
"Hnn..." muttered Heero.
"Wow... How come no one else knew about it? I thought the only gundams were the ones that came TO Earth during Operation: Meteor?" asked Quatre.
"According tae Professa Q, who no doubt knew the bloody engineers tha built your bloody gundams, it was built as a sort-of backup," Kayle replied.
"Which is exactly what we need right now," noted Heero.
"Exactly. At first construction was halted about a week before Operation: Meteor took place. Buh when the professa saw tha it wasn't goin' as planned, 'e started up on it again. An' 'ere it be."
Since it was close to lunchtime, the four headed for the mess hall. Kayle slunk off and into the nearest bathroom, explaining that he needed to freshen up a little. Duo blinked and halted, scratching his head. "Am I seeing things or did Kayle just go into the girls' room?"
Once inside the bathroom, 'Kayle' removed the helmet, revealing his, or rather her, face. Given that the escape part of her charade was over with, Krysta pulled off the eyepatch and tucked it into her dufflebag. She then pulled off the astro suit, stuffed it in the bag, and put her black leather jacket back on over her shirt. Her voice-altering earpiece was exposed now, so she pocketed it. After one last look in the mirror, Krysta picked up her bag and casually headed out the door, where Duo was waiting for her.
"Having trouble finding the right bathroom?" he asked, a hint of attitude in his tone.
Krysta realized her mistake and racked her brain a bit for an excuse. "Ehm...the bloody bathrooms back in the base were co-ed.." she replied, doing her best impression of Kayle to deepen her voice.
Duo scowled and narrowed his eyes. "Suuure they were. We have ways of making you talk, you know."
"Oh really? Give me yer best shot!" Between experience as both a spy and a street gang leader, Krysta figured that whatever Duo had in mind, it wouldn't work.
"You asked for it!" Duo then started tickling her in a frenzy. Krysta bit her lip, but soon found herself laughing hysterically. Concentration lost, her voice slipped back to its normal pitch before she could regain her senses.
What did bring her back was Duo grabbing her by the shirt collar and pulling her up. "Just as I thought, a girl! Who are you?!"
Krysta had known that she would have to quit the subterfuge sometime, but didn't think it would have to end so soon. "I be Krysta Riannese, Kayle's twin sista. After 'e was shot down 'is bloody Gundam was ready afore 'e was. I couldn't just stand back and watch while I lose me last bloody family memba tae OZ!" Duo opened his mouth to say something but Krysta continued.
"As for bloody skills I'm just as qualified as 'e is! But nooo, I 'ad to stay on the bloody ground because I spent 2 years on the blinkin' streets of Bristol while 'e found the base and started training! Bloody ingrates... Do ye 'ave any idea wha it's like down thea?!"
Duo lowered her back down and let go. "As a matter of fact I do, all too well... You're lucky it was only two years, I've spent my whole life on the streets. Every time things started to look up, OZ went and ruined everything..."
Krysta slowly nodded. "I know what ye mean... Sorry I yelled.."
"It's all right, you didn't know..." Duo smiled, half to himself, half because he'd found a kindred spirit in the cocky young Bristolite turned gundam pilot. Just then, his stomach growled, reminding them both that lunchtime was overdue. "C'mon, let's get some lunch, I'm starving. And lose the bun, a regular ponytail'd suit you better." He then started to head off.
Krysta smiled back. "All right then." She stuck her finger into the bun, and pulled, letting the dark brown waves fall to her shoulder where they normally were. With that, she joined him as they entered the mess hall.
Inside, the other four pilots had already begun eating but halted in surprise when the pair entered. "What is that woman doing here Maxwell?!" yelled Wufei. "Winner told us that the new pilot Riannese is here so where is he?!"
Krysta answered for Duo. "'Riannese' is 'ere Mista Smarty Knickas! Except it be a 'she', not a ''e'!"
"You?! Kayle Riannese is a woman?!" Duo and Krysta both laughed at this, which made Wufei even angrier. He rose from his seat and marched over, sword in hand.
"Nae, I be 'is twin sista Krysta, and just as bloody qualified! Tha idjit couldn't pilot a bloody sailboat in a creek wi'out crashin' it!"
"I still find it hard to believe that a weakling woman could qualify as a gundam pilot!"
"I'll show ye 'oo's weak ye sexist!" Krysta narrowed her eyes and stuck one hand into her jacket pocket, reaching for her pistol.
Wufei didn't give her time to draw but instead swung at her with his sword. Krysta deftly ducked under the blade and sweep kicked him, sending him to the ground and the sword flying. She stood up, grinning down at him. "Now 'oo's the bloody weakling, eh?"
"Injustice! How is it that I, Wufei Chang of the mighty Dragon Clan, could be downed and disarmed in combat by a mere woman?!"
"'e admits it!" Krysta put her foot on Wufei's chest playfully. "Seems tae me ye need a new name. 'ow about..." She thought for a minute, then grinned wider. "Stuffington Fluffypants!"
"WHAT?!!!" Duo burst out laughing, Quatre hid a snicker, and even Trowa cracked a faint smile.
"Or maybe jus' Fluffy for short."
"You will call me no such things woman!" Wufei shoved Krysta's foot away and got up, grumbling.
"Says 'oo Fluffy?!" Krysta laughed and walked away before Wufei could respond.