Chapter 2: Change

Commander Sazabi looked at the Gundam lying on the infirmary beds and examined his injuries. He had never seen a badly damaged mech such as his Gundam, and he didn't like this one bit. 'Who ever did this went to extreme measures to make sure everyone was dead. This…this thing must've have been powerful,' thought the commander as he looked at his secret lover. Sadness was clear in his optic as he traced his lover's still unscarred face with his finger. 'I promise Chronos, I'll find out who ever did this to you,' thought the commander determinedly. Blue optics slowly came online and turned to see Sazabi in sadness. "Chronos," whispered Sazabi, tears threatening to escape his optic.

"Stalemate…koi," Chronos managed to say, "yoi goshujin*."

Sazabi was startled, he never heard Chronos say something like that before. "Chronos, can you speak in English," he asked gently.

"Iiya. Watashi kirenai*," Chronos answered and shook his head. From that gesture, Sazabi knew that the Gundam couldn't speak English for the time being.

"This is going to be hard," sighed Sazabi.

Chronos said, "Daijobu*. Orera mune hiroimono ikuraka*."

Sazabi sighed and said, "I can't understand you Chronos, but I have a feeling you said something around the lines of 'It's okay. We'll think of something.'"

Chronos beamed at him, glad that he somewhat understands the Gundam, "Hai*."

"You just rest, I'll be right back, okay," asked Sazabi but Chronos clung on to his arm.

"Iiya! Stalemate iiya," Chronos shook his head, indicating that he didn't want Sazabi to leave.

"Shh, its okay, I'll be back," Sazabi said and kissed the Gundam's mask, "Just rest." Blue optics looked at him sadly and slowly nodded. The Gundam then let go of Sazabi's arm and lay perfectly still to rest. Sazabi sighed again and went to find the trio who were currently examining the extensive damage of the city. "So, you found out anything that might've destroyed the city," asked the commander.

Zapper said, "No, nothing, sir."

"But that thing that attacked us before we entered the gate, well that's the only lead we have," said Grappler.

"It was big," said Dom.

Zapper nodded, "Yeah, probably larger than the General himself."

"That's not all I found. Take a look at this, I got it before the thing attacked us," said Grappler as he gave them what looked like a parchment of some kind.

Come now, it's time to move on
The future's looking bright
But still you look to the past
And see the endless pain

And when you feel the slight gust
Of the wind singing to you
It's clear that this is
A sign…

Runaway, runaway
From the past that's has been gone so long ago
You know that you're not a flower from hell like they say
So never doubt that
When you finally bloom, when you finally bloom
Come again to resume the life you knew too

The endless change of life all returns to you alone for now

"What is it," asked Zapper.

Sazabi said, "Looks like either lyrics to a song or a riddle."

"What ever it is, it wasn't there before," said Grappler, "I found it from where Captain was laying in, it was strange, so I brought it back to examine it."

"Do you think Captain might be able to recognize it," asked Zapper.

Sazabi shook his head, "I don't know, we still need to find out what he's saying. And until he can speak English again, we have to wait." The trio sighed, not liking what was going on. Who ever destroyed Neotopia completely and to those extreme means, it means there's more to this war than it seems.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Sazabi and the trio looked towards where the infirmary was and Sazabi felt a sharp pain in his Soul Drive. Something was wrong with Chronos, and Sazabi didn't like it. He practically flew to where Chronos was screaming and saw that the Gundam was in pain. Several Zako medics were trying to hold him down, but Chronos was thrashing so hard that they couldn't hold him down much longer. Two large metallic feather wings appeared on the Gundam's back as a sickening screech was heard. "What the slag is going on," asked Zapper as he looked at the scene before him.

A dark shadow engulfed the young Gundam and turned his armor to black and gray. Blood red optics replaced once startling blue optics as he snarled at the Zakos holding him down. The dark shadow took shape and turned what looked like a dark Superior Dragon. The Dark Axis crew backed away in fear and Sazabi could feel that this rage came from the shadow that took over his lover. He then remembered the words etched in the parchment and decided to try it out.

"Come now, its time to move on
The future's looking bright
But still you look to the past
And see the endless pain

And when you feel the slight gust
Of the wind surrounding you
It's clear that this is
A sign…

Runaway, runaway
From the past that's been gone so long ago
You know that you're not a flower from hell like they say
So never doubt that
When you finally bloom, when you finally bloom
Come again to resume the life you knew too

The endless change of life all returns to you alone for now."

Sazabi ended the song to see that it worked. Just when he was about to attack, Chronos froze in front of Sazabi. The dragon shadow nodded, as if accepting him and relinquished control over the young Gundam. Chronos fell into Sazabi's arms, his armor slowly changing again. No longer black and gray, the Gundam had taken a white gold color with some blue in there. On his torso, chest, and parts of his arm, the image of the Superior Dragon was etched in gold. His now dull silver blue optics slowly closed as Chronos slept in Sazabi's arms.

"Whoa," was the only the Grappler could say.

"Well done, Commander Stalemate Sazabi."

All of them looked around in shock to who said that, but found no one other than themselves and the Zakos in the room. "Who are you," demanded Sazabi, holding onto Chronos.

"I am a being that has been watching over this young Gundam for quite some time now. Stalemate, I am trusting that you will take care of this Gundam as if your life is dependant on it."

"But why me," asked Sazabi, not minding.

"You two have been bonded since Chronos was created. Many of the royals have tried to bond with him, but he always turned them down. Allow me to announce to you who Chronos truly is."

"Well who is he, if he's not Captain Gundam," asked Zapper, clearly ticked. The voice laughed.

"There was never a Captain Gundam. Allow me to introduce to you the heir to Gundamia, Prince Chronos Zephyranthes Gundam."

Notes:
Yoi goshujin – you're here
Watashi kirenai – I can't
Orera mune hiroimono ikuraka – We'll come up with something
Daijobu – It's okay
Hai – Yes or Yeah