File # 010

RSA-776B "Hydro Pump" Self Propelled Artillery

Type: Self-propelled artillery

Weight: 56 tons (combat weight)

Dimensions: 11.7 m (length); 3.6 m (width); 3.1 m (height)

Range: Limitless

Powerplant: 1 HoR-charged crystal core reactor

Speed: 67 km/h on road, 55 km/h off-road

Crew: Commander, gunner, driver, two loaders (5)

Armament:

-1x 155 mm L52 Artillery Gun. It's loaded with an automatic loading system, which with the help of improved gun metallurgy and cooling systems, makes it able to shoot at an incredible fire rate of 15 rpm of sustained fire or 20 rpm in three-round bursts. It can shoot either standard HE-FRAG ammo at 30 km of distance, 40-50 km of distance with base bleed rounds and up to around 60 km with long-range rocket-assisted ammunition. The vehicle can carry up to 60 rounds of ammo and its able to reload to full capacity in less than 12 minutes or less than 10 with robotic help. Time which is also used to let the gun cool down. The crew loader's function is to operate the reloading in case of a loader malfunction and help with the replenishment of the ammo after firing all the ammo load.

-1x 7.62 mm coaxial M242 machine gun as secondary defenses

Armor: Lightweight composite. Resistant to 20mm auto cannons, light Pokémon attacks, bomblets and shrapnel from enemy artillery. Crew, gun and ammo are separated to increase safety


NOTES

Historically artillery has taken the form of siege engines and cannon, each devoted to one thing only: besieging an enemy fortress.

With the coming of modern times though, artillery has evolved to match it.

And the culmination of this technology has come in the form of the self-propelled artillery gun, the RSA-776B "Hydro Pump".

The Ransei Hydro Pump and the LaRoussian Camerupt SPA are both basically the same machine, except for the changing of the Mako reactor of LaRoussian origin to a HoR-charged crystal core reactor and its machinegun for a Ransian one. This increases its range from 4200 km to virtually limitless, especially when dealing with invasions of foreign countries. The gun itself has proven to be incredibly sound and durable, and with its variable ammunition, it's one weapon that Ransei has decided to keep the same terms of construction and framework from the Camperupt of LaRousse. But the range also offers another benefit: the Hydro Pump is able to tow a resupply of ammunition, although if under attack, it is highly recommended by any and all superior officers to abandon the ammo and take shelter in case it explodes.

The SPA is also equipped with full Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical protection in the unlikely event of a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack, such as with Gunk Shot or a virus crafted by Uxie. The only time this feature has been used was during an attack conducted in operational capacity alongside LaRousse in their biggest military operation to date, but due to the hazards of the mission and the overall brutality, it has been classified as beyond top secret, meaning only the Supreme Warlord, his advisors, and the Council of Lords can see it.

In addition to NBC protection, the Hydro Pump and Camerupt both have powerful fire control systems, datalinks and automatic gun control which lets the vehicle to quickly receive target information, create fire resolutions and firing while correcting changes in environment like wind, barrel heat, etc. It is also able to stop moving and start shooting in less than 30 seconds, which is a very short time compared with other artillery vehicles. The powerful FCS computer is capable of realizing a 6 shot MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) at 15 km at least, which is the capacity of firing six shots at different angles and trajectories, and have all of them arrive simultaneously to the target. This means that more shells can land on the target with no warning and devastate entire enemy troops at ambushes or surprise attacks. A 6 SPA battery could in theory land up to 36 artillery shots on the same target or area, creating massive damage and destruction in one area.

While it is effective, its lack of heavy armor means it can be wiped out by stronger Pokémon attacks or even heavier firepower. So the only real way these vehicles can be used is through hit and run attacks, or bombarding from a distance. Acid is also a problem as it can eat through the armor plating, and String Shot is another problem in that it can bind the wheels, rendering them unable to move or removing them entirely.


Selected Field Reports

"These weapons are something else. Have to admit, the HoR has come in handy in terms of the range, and the NBC protection has really saved our asses." - Staff Sergeant Isla Hitomi, Company A, 12th Artillery Regiment, Cragspur 157th Division (Fort Rock)

"The only thing wrong is the lack of real heavy armor." - Major Gerald Walls, Company B, 67th Artillery Battalion, 10th Armored Division (Greenleaf Naval Base)

"Have to admit, LaRousse really came up with something good. All I gotta say is that whoever is coming our way is fucked up when they see these things!" - Colonel Sergei Pertovich, Company H, 48th Artillery Regiment, 45th Artillery Shock Guard (Pugilis Army Base)

"Gotta be careful when dealing with more powerful Pokémon in this thing. One wrong move, and it's kaboom!" - Tony Potter, 27th Mechanic Support Battalion (Aurora Naval Command)

"I have to say that without these, we wouldn't be able to do what we can do." - GUNDAM Lieutenant Marcus "Marc" Franklin, CVW 23, RNS Kusanagi


Undisclosed location

30 December, 6 YDR

The whole beach was a mess as the landing ships disgorged their cargo of tanks and artillery and crewmen. The defenses barked and roared, sending shells and bullets whizzing overhead as several Pokémon let loose with Hyper Beam or Solar Beam to try and destroy the incoming invasion fleet. But this was not just an invasion fleet: this was a fleet dedicated to the next big operation alongside their major allies, the Republic of LaRousse. The invasion fleet consisted of the fast-attack carrier, the RNS Kusanagi, the Hoenn-class battleships, a few Gyrados-class destroyers, the RNS Broadside, a Verdanturf-class battlecruiser, and several Izabe-class cruisers.

Ransei's best were preparing for this invasion, both human and GUNDAM alike.

The sleek airframes of several GUNDAMs blazed past, Marcus Franklin narrowing his eyes as he followed after, but in GUNDAM form rather than aircraft shape. He preferred it that way so he could act much more quickly. As he followed his flight, he spotted a bunch of Flying-Types coming at them. He gripped his gun and charged into the fray, the bullets coming out as the gun barked its fury at its master being attacked. He didn't let up on the trigger before he flipped around and tossed a flash-bang grenade right in their path. The Flying-Types, all Fearow and Pidgeot, screeched and/or cried out as the grenade exploded, blinding them temporarily and allowing him to charge in with his beam saber active in his hand. He cried out as he swung the saber, the glowing blue blade barely clipping the closest Pokémon and forcing it to flee. He spun and threw another grenade, this time a standard one, into the cluster. It exploded and sent the Pokémon plummeting to the beach below.

He turned and spotted another fellow GUNDAM, Michael Gilligan, aiming his beam rifle and pulling the trigger, hitting a Fearow in the chest and sending it falling to the sea where it was churned to a pulp by a passing destroyer. "You okay?" Marc called to him.

"Yeah! These guys have no idea, do they?" Michael asked as he twirled his beam rifle before holstering it and drawing his own beam saber. The two charged back into the fray, carving a path through the Pokémon around them before a few blurs of black darted past them, throwing them off course briefly. Marc shook his head from being disoriented to try and regain his sense of direction and balance. He looked up and his eyes shrank a bit as he recognized those blurs. 'Night Slashes!' he thought in surprise.

He hadn't expected them to be fielded for another five months at best.

A large roar suddenly caught his attention and he looked down just in time to see the self-propelled artillery rolling onto the beaches. One of them had its barrel smoking, and he looked up just as an explosion rocked the area; one of the bunkers manned by bandits went up in flames, several wild Pokémon were taken out by the blast and several homes were destroyed: they could be replaced after this was done.

There's a time in your life
在你的人生中有一段時光

His gaze flitted down to the sight of the Ransian RSA-776B Hydro Pump SPA gun and the LaRoussian Camerupt SPA moving onto the beach, both of them moving side by side. The Ransian ensign gleamed in the light from several fires burning and the LaRoussian wind rose complemented it as they sent their shells arcing overhead towards larger and more formidable positions held by the Pokémon of this area, along with a few clusters of bandits and thugs. The combined forces of the two technologically advanced nations were proving to be a formidable threat to the underequipped and less technologically advanced bandits and thugs. Then again, they made up for that technological gap with their positions and defenses.

Marc growled to himself as he spotted one of the bunkers sending HE shell after HE shell their way. One of the Camerupt SPAs moved into position and with a loud bark, its gun sent an HE-FRAG round at the bunker, followed by a few shots from one of the Steelix and Hariyama main battle tanks. The bunker fell silent as the barrage killed those inside from the concussive force alone. Marc smiled grimly within his mind as he aimed his machine gun at a few flying Pokémon and killed them with a few bursts. Blood and tissue fell, followed by the lifeless corpses.

When the world is on your side
整個世界都繞著你轉

He looked down at his fellow soldiers and noticed that a few LaRoussian infantry were letting loose with their PAR-101 "Manectric" pulse rifles and others with the powerful MGS-103 "Metagross" smart gun, killing any wild Pokémon they happened to come across. A few of the Zigzagoon were killed, and a bunch more swarmed over towards the infantry units. He turned and noticed a bunch of Hoothoot coming down from the trees, and he snarled as he shifted into plane form. He gunned his engines and came in hard and fast, wiping out the Pokémon with a few bursts from his machine guns.

Off to the side, he spotted a few bandits emerging from the brush, their eyes wide and wild as they cut down any Pokémon and invading troops, but the Ransei's GUNDAM Soldiers' durable frames, the Excalibur exosuit, and the LaRoussian Land Warrior Integrated System Aron Mk. I battle suit held up against the guns of the bandits.

"Shit... Looks like these guys just don't know when to quit!" Marc grumbled as he swooped overhead, lighting up the area for a bombing run by a Night Slash fighter jet. The sleek plane's pilot spotted the green flare and sped in, firing a missile that took out the bandits in one fell swoop. But the jet was targeted by an AA gun mounted on the cliffs near the town. The pilot spotted the gun and sped away at full speed, but the gun fired. If not for the pilot's timely barrel roll, then the plane would've been sleeping with the Remoraid.

You might not feel it
你或許沒感覺到

His core pulsed in his chest as he let out a sigh of relief, feeling his core rate settling down. He shifted back to GUNDAM form and watched the battle playing out below.

Guns from the bunkers manned by the thugs and bandits in the area of the town barked and sent their shells right for the incoming invasion and liberation force. Craters blossomed as explosions tore open holes in the very earth itself. Trees were set on fire by tracer used by both sides, the debris went flying every which way from missiles, and the guns from the naval ships chewed both men and Pokémon to pieces. Blood ran in rivers down the pristine beaches and the waves were filled with bodies of both human and machine, and Pokémon chowed down on the organic remains. A few allied Pokémon joined in the fighting, using their attacks to provide cover as the enemy kept pounding out their devastating barrage.

His eyes hardened at the sight and he gripped his gun in his hand.

'War... This is what it's come down to...' he thought.

You might not see it
你或許沒看到

His eyes flicked over to where he saw a few Swellow coming down hard and fast, their wings glowing with the energy of Steel Wing. Marc tensed his body as they came in hard, their eyes filled with fury and rage at these strange intruders attacking their domain. He swung his body around and fired his gun, sending a few bursts their way. His mind was now racing as he saw that they were coming for him!

Thinking fast, he transformed into plane mode and engaged his engines leading them down the coast right for the invasion fleet. He spun around in a barrel roll and flipped into a clean knife edge, passing right between two ships as their AA guns took out the Swellow. The lifeless Pokémon fell into the water between the two ships, their hulls and props grinding them to bits.

But it surrounds you like a light
但它像光芒似地圍繞著你

The ruins of the city were just beyond the remains of the port. He could see the large group clustered buildings and the remains of Devon Corporation headquarters beyond the huge cranes and warehouses of the port. Down below a loud sound caught his hearing and he shot his gaze down to see the large LaRoussian Makuhita IFVs coming off the landing craft, and one of them had its cargo hatch open. Marc fought to keep a sort of savage gleam from appearing in his eyes as he saw the Ninjask attack drones coming out, looking like their namesake Pokémon as their rotors whirred and they darted amidst the fighters, gunning down any hostile Pokémon they encountered with their 10x24 mm machine gun. He transformed into GUNDAM form and hovered there, watching as they darted around the fighting soldiers and GUNDAM Soldiers with ease. He wondered briefly if they were remote controlled by anyone considering the sheer number there were, but something told him no.

He tore his gaze from the horde and looked back to the city remains and his eyes hardened at the sight of several gangsters of the dreaded Seviper gang coming out from their hideaways and arming their weapons. The GUNDAM Soldier growled to himself as the gang members began to open fire on them. A few Ninjask drones flitted past him and he yelped on instinct when one brushed against his wing. He pulled away from the flight path of the drones and looked down to see more robots coming out from another Makuhita IFV along some LaRoussian soldiers.

These were much bulkier and had tracks on their sides, and he knew what they were, having heard of them during the briefing for this op. These were the Mawile Ground Drones, or GDs.

Makes you stronger for the fight
讓你有足夠的力量去搏鬥

Marc tore his gaze away from the GDs and looked back at the ruined city, noting how the forces were spreading out over the area. He could see one of them proving to be a formidable fighter and he knew who it was, but he blocked it from his mind as he had other things to focus on.

His internal comm chirped and he pressed a hand to his helm as he flew down towards the exit to the docks and port. "Go!" he snapped.

"How's it looking, Lt. Franklin?" the voice of his superior asked.

"Well, the op is proceeding as planned, and from the looks of things-" He was cut off briefly as he felt a blast from a Night Slash's missiles explode close by to his frame, taking down a building with a bunch of Seviper thugs hiding out in it with sniper rifles. "-we're gonna have the port within hours! Especially since the LaRoussians have deployed those drones of theirs!"

Supreme Warlord Krane sounded satisfied when he came on the line. "Good. The more assets the better. And otherwise?"

"Pokémon on both sides are brutal," Marc noted as he spotted a few Swellow and Pidgeot engaging in a nasty dogfight, unleashing Air Cutters and Swift Attacks and Razor Winds.

Never letting go, gotta learn to grow
永遠都不放棄 不斷地成長

"Well, that's to be expected," the warlord replied. "And the Sevipers?"

"Still holding, but not for long!" Marc shot back with a sort of chuckle. "We're gonna run them outta the city when we can!"

"Good. Make sure that the main buildings are preserved and left intact. This way we can be sure that there's some form of civil government set up here once they're driven out," Warlord Krane said.

Marc nodded. "Will do, sir. We'll make sure that none of them are destroyed!"

The warlord was silent, but Marc somehow got the feeling he was nodding as he cut the line with a bit of static. Feeling relieved that the Supreme Warlord was relieved at how the op was proceeding, he turned back to the battle at hand, plunging down and cutting a way through a bunch of Swablu and Altaria with his beam saber. The glowing blue blade was a signal beacon to those who were trapped as slaves or hostages in the city ruins, a signal that help was on its way.

Watch me as I touch the sky
看著我到達了頂端

The GUNDAM held his beam saber in front of his frame as a Swablu fired off an Air Cutter his way. The glowing blue blade cut through the attack and Marc smirked mentally. He darted past the Flying-Type and armed a grenade, throwing it with all his might at the Pokémon. The grenade struck home and exploded, sending a shower of blood and body parts to the ground below.

Marc didn't even flinch. He knew it was wrong, but considering the state of war the world was in, he didn't even really feel sick anymore. Not since the world had changed into a place where such things were common, a place where such brutality was the norm.

He looked back, only to swear out loud as a missile came his way from one of the administrative buildings for Devon Corp. He barely dodged it as it streaked past his left wing and exploded against another building, sending rubble falling to the ground below. He looked back up at the fighting and smirked mentally as he saw what was happening around him.

Still I fly
所以我繼續飛翔

Thankfully the Flying types knew when to back off. As they retreated, the Ransian and LaRoussian forces took the chance to establish air superiority, a much welcomed relief to those fighting the aerial Pokémon on the ground. Marc felt a sense of relief in his chest as he armed his machine gun and held his beam saber at the ready, flying in towards the building the missile had come from. He hovered close to one of the windows and peered inside, frowning mentally as he drifted towards a hole in the wall.

He landed inside the hole and glanced around, taking in his surroundings with a keen eye.

Papers littered the floor and shards of glass crunched underneath his heavy metal feet. Wires hung from gaps in the ceiling and pipes were exposed in the gaps as a few lights flickered dimly. He could see plaster collapsed from the walls and exposing the drywall behind it. He stepped forward, trying to avoid a few gaps in the floor and dodging around the collapsed walls of several cubicles. Computers lay disused and printers lay empty of papers, chairs were tipped over and he skirted around a decayed skeleton (was it a former worker?) as he made his way to an intersection in the building itself.

Now I know just what I gotta do
我知道我該做什麼

A roar suddenly caught his attention and Marc spun, whipping his beam saber up as he blocked a sword from the thug that jumped him. Both man and machine pushed against each other's blades, trying to penetrate or break the other's sword. Marc's eyes were hard as he took a step forward and shoved, using his greater strength to his advantage to send the man staggering back. GUNDAM Soldiers were built to be just as strong, if not slightly stronger, than a normal human by default so as to not press home their advantage too greatly; only by shunting power from their core to their hydraulics and systems were they able to exceed this limit.

The man apparently didn't know that and he was surprised by this sudden turn of events as Marc pressed home his advantage by swinging his beam saber multiple times, trying to catch him off guard even more, if that were possible. The gangster however, wasn't willing to give in so easily and he regained his balance, blocking the blows with his sword, but being forced back a step each time he blocked. Marc sensed this and pressed home even more, bringing his beam saber down repeatedly with multiple blows.

The thug grunted with each block, and Marc felt a sense of pride in his chest as he saw his arms shaking with each effort to block.

However, he wasn't about to go down without a fight.

The GUNDAM had no idea what was coming as he spotted another gangster lurking in the shadows, only to scream as he felt a shockwave slam into his back, throwing him onto his chest with the force of the blast. He grunted and rolled over, barely avoiding the sword as it was brought down onto his neck. The blade impacted the floor and Marc reacted swiftly, grabbing the blade and pulling it free before snapping the blade in half with a good tug. The gangster blinked in shock before Marc reached back for his beam saber which had gone skidding and swung it forward as the blue blade ignited, stabbing it right into the man's heart.

Find the dream is new
找尋新夢想

Marc staggered to his feet as he pulled the blade free and spun to face the other gangster as he fired a barrage from the machine gun he held in his hand. Remains of a grenade littered the floor and he hissed through his faceplate's intakes as he realized what must've happened. The mech ran to the corner he came from and ducked behind it as the bullets pinged off the sides of the wall and piping. He peered out, holstering his own beam saber before aiming his machine gun and returning fire. The bullets stitched a path towards the enemy and struck the ground, the walls and flooring of the building as the gangster took cover behind some overturned desks.

The bullets hit a computer monitor and shattered it with a shower of sparks, making the man cry out as he shielded his face in an attempt to keep it from getting in his eyes or on his clothing. Marc leaned out a bit more, keeping his wings folded against his back to prevent them from getting damaged by the gangster. He mentally grimaced as the bullets barely missed his armor plating. His very frame was now tense from the fighting, every hydraulic and system tensed as he kept firing. The gangster's gun suddenly clicked, indicating he had run out of bullets. Marc sensed the panic in the air, a mental smirk filling his thoughts before he charged out, firing his machine gun right at the gangster, killing him as the bullets rattled his body before it collapsed.

The mech waited a moment, panting a bit as his core pulsed rapidly within his armored chest.

When the gangster didn't move, he inched closer, nudging the corpse with a foot.

Give it all I got this time
這次我要卯足全力

He was about to leave when he suddenly felt something grab onto his leg and he shot a glance down in shock as the gangster sneered through blood caked lips, and Marc gasped as he saw the bullet proof vest exposed beneath his shirt. The GUNDAM tried to pull his leg away as the man grasped something on his belt and pressed a button, but he couldn't get the limb free. As soon as beeping reached his hearing, though, he instantly grasped what the man was up to. He grabbed his beam saber and ignited it, swiftly cutting the man's hand off, muting the howl of agony as he turned and ran for the corner he had just come from.

The mech leapt out the hole in the wall, spreading his wings and igniting his engines as the suicide bomb went off, killing the man and shattering the rest of the remaining windows with a resounding boom. Fire erupted out those windows and he watched as a sudden blast of fire tore a huge chunk off the other side, and he saw, for a brief moment, some men falling from the floor, a mangled lump of metal between them. He wasn't sure what it was, but something told him it had to have been a missile launcher of some kind.

He let out a sigh of relief as he came to a hover, watching as the entire administrative building began to collapse into a pile of rubble and debris, killing any Pokémon or gangsters that happened to be within the walls. As it collapsed, shards of glass rained down and the screeching of metal on metal could be heard as the steel structure and pipes gave way, the faint crackling of wires snapping and sparks flying barely audible, if at all. He felt sorry for those who were trapped inside, but at the same time some small part of him told him that it was war, and stuff like this was bound to happen anyhow. The dust cloud from the collapse spread out in all directions, blinding both Allied and enemy troops. Those equipped with the Excalibur exosuit and the LWIS Aron, as well as the GUNDAMs on the ground, had no reason to worry due to their filtration systems. But others were not so lucky.

Still I fly
繼續飛翔

Marc suddenly heard a pinging in his comm system and his HUD displayed the frequency as belonging to his second in command. He pressed his hand to his helm. "Go," he said. "What's the sitrep?"

"Marc, we need you to get your ass over here!" Helga barked as she came on the line. "The Supreme Warlord wants us to conduct an invasion of the main headquarters for Devon Corp.!"

"Why?" he asked.

"Apparently it's to reclaim the building from the gangsters holed up in there. Drone intel from the Ninjask has revealed at least half their remnants barricaded in there and they've got some artillery that could wipe us out," she replied. "And we're assigned to work with those... I think they were called... Autonomous Combat Robots, or something like that?"

Marc tensed, his frame hissing involuntarily. "Shit..." he grumbled. "I hate those things..."

Still I fly
不停地飛

"I know, but right now we got no choice," Helga said. "Now get your ass over here!"

He nodded. "All right. Marc out." He cut the line and engaged his engines, flying over the battling forces as they made their way through to the heart of the city. He could just make out a few more GUNDAMs hovering close by, along with a few Excalibur-equipped soldiers of the Black Shadow Squadron, which had gotten some new recruits in the last year. One of them looked his way and the helmet's visor slid up, revealing Kyou Kagita's scarred face and intense blue eyes.

"About time you got here," he said, folding his arms. "We got a squad of Myrmidon ACRs coming our way to assist with the operation."

"Mind me asking why we have to work with those tin cans?" a female GUNDAM asked, her red eyes hard.

"Look. I know you don't like it, and neither do I. We have to do this, and besides, as much as I hate to admit it, they are just as good as you guys. But I know how prideful all you GUNDAMs can be, especially since your humanity still exists within robotic frames. So keep it toned down until this part of the op is done," Kyou ordered. "It's for the better."

Marc growled lowly within his vocalizer, but he knew the general was right. He nodded, but it did little to lessen the feeling of pride within his chest.

Feel the wind all around
感受風的吹拂

The group slowly descended until they were above the ground and touched down, shutting down their engines once on the ground. Marc gripped his machine gun in his hands and inched closer to Kyou and the rest of the squad assigned to the reclamation of the corporation's headquarters. He spotted a few shapes off to the side and his frame tensed again at the sight.

There they were.

Six LaRoussian ACRs coming their way. They had their optics trained on the forces arrayed before them and scanners kicked into action, scanning them up and down before one of them stepped forward, speaking in a monotone voice. "ALLIED FORCES CONFIRMED: RANSIAN GENERAL KYOU KAGITA IDENTIFIED."

Marc grimaced to himself in his thoughts. While GUNDAM Soldiers did have synthesized voices, they still retained the tone and pitch of their human voice, but with a metallic edge to it. That was the one thing they could not get rid of, but they were used to it by now. In stark contrast, the ACRs possessed only monotonous voices and they had no emotion to it. And as much as he hated to admit it, he felt that these things were an insult to everything that GUNDAMs went through in sacrificing their humanity for a better future. It showed how committed Ransians were for a better future. But these... they were just... artificial... and cold.

All the current to be found
我需要更多的勇氣

Kyou's voice drew him out of his thoughts and he looked at the general as he crouched over a small space littered with dust from the collapsed building and other debris. "Okay. Here's the sitrep. We got over fifty, maybe more, gangsters holed up in Devon Corp. Headquarters, and we've been tasked with clearing them out. But we can't really expect much help because everyone else is scattered throughout the city, trying to reclaim important parts such as the port and train station. With that being said, we've got a few options to try and take the building back. But the best bet is if we attack in two directions." He held up his PokéGauntlet and the screen lit up, the holographic projectors displaying a 3D blueprint of the building from the ground up.

"Lt. Franklin, you are gonna take the ACRs and attack from the ground floor while the rest of us attack from the roof." The image displayed two small dots. "Haunter Team and Arcanine Team, respectively, will enter from these locations and storm the structure, trying to take each floor from the gangsters holding it. This is gonna be a hard mission, as we have no idea how many are spread over what floors. We'll be having to rely on our wits and our training for this one. Our objective is to hole the gangsters up within the middle floors and trap them. Then we'll have hopefully forced the rest to leave by then. We've also got forces keeping an eye on Petalburg Woods for any possible wild Hostiles coming to try and wipe out the city."

Kyou looked up and shut down his PokéGauntlet's screen, gazing at each of them. "Any questions?"

No one raised a hand.

Who knows what's out there
天曉得跨越這片天空後面是什麼

Marc did though. "Why do I have to work with those tin cans?" He wanted to ask that, but instead he worded it differently. "Sir, why am I being assigned to work with the ACRs?" he asked.

"Because it's better for both of us. You've fought to reclaim buildings before, so you'll lead them in from the ground. Your close quarters style of fighting is also why," Kyou said, although his eyes said the rest of the unsaid sentence. Marc rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Okay," he said. "I get it."

Kyou nodded and got to his feet, gripping his MH-34B5 "Magmar" grenade launcher in his hand. "Right. Then let's go!"

Arcanine Team engaged their engines and jetpacks, taking to the air as Marc rolled his shoulders and squared them, flexing his wings and turning to the ACRs as they stood at attention.

"Well, let's go!" he said.

But I know I'll get there
我只知道我必須穿越

"AFFIRMATIVE," the lead ACR replied. The others saluted and the group turned, running towards the building's entrance.

Marc's optics landed on the shattered glass and torn off doors, and he grimaced mentally at the sight of a few dead corpses of gangsters lying in the path, their entrails and blood oozing over the ground. He ignored the squirming feeling in his gut and ran past the dead bodies, leaping over some beams that lay in the path of the rest of Haunter Team. The ACRs just ignored the beams and clambered over them, emerging into the lobby of the corporate headquarters. They swept their PAR-41 "Manectric" Pulse Rifles around, one of them leaping before the others and scanning the surroundings as Marc crouched behind some debris from the ceiling.

He held his STA-275 "Jynx" semi-automatic machine gun at chest level and peeped out from his shelter. His wings twitched a bit as he looked left and right, scanning for any sign of any thugs from above or around them. Thankfully there were none down here...

"HOSTILE DETECTED. ENGAGING NOW." One of the ACRs, the one closest to Marc, aimed its rifle up at the staircase and Marc shot his gaze up, his reflexes taking over and aiming his SMG at the thug behind the banister and around the corner. His finger pulled the trigger just as the ACR did the same thing, the two rounds slamming into the man's chest not even five seconds later, sending him crashing to the floor above them. Marc growled a bit to himself. Both he and the ACRs were matched for reflex time.

All off into the sun
直奔太陽

"HOSTILE ELIMINATED. PROCEEDING TO NEXT OBJECTIVE." The ACRs proceeded to resume their leapfrogging, two of them going forward while the others covered their rear. Marc proceeded to follow on his own, moving from cover to cover behind them to act as a rear guard. He kept his sensors on high alert for any sign of thugs or gangsters.

He stepped over the body, grimacing mentally as his foot brushed against the flesh and exposed lung. He shook his foot before continuing on after his "soldiers". He arrived at the intersection leading into the first office floor, and he crouched behind an ACR. "OBJECTIVE IDENTIFIED. HOSTILES IN AREA. PREPARING TO ENGAGE."

Marc grunted as he leapt out, charging in with a couple of the ACRs behind him. He fired his SMG a few times, hitting two thugs in the head and clipping the other on the shoulder. A sense of satisfaction pulsed in his chest as he watched the man writhe on the ground, the bullet having shredded the tendon connecting his arm to his shoulder joint. The GUNDAM stepped over his victim and crouched behind an overturned desk, holding his gun at the ready as the ACRs began to start to spread out. Marc suddenly raised a hand, motioning for them to stop.

The did just that. He smirked mentally before he motioned for two of them to sneak around to the rear of the thugs just a few meters in front of them.

"AFFIRMATIVE. ORDERS RECEIVED," one of them said.

I know I'm not the only one that's
我知道我不是孤軍奮戰

Marc winced at the loud tone and held a finger to his faceplate to indicate quieter tones.

"Affirmative. Orders received," the ACR said in a quieter volume.

The GUNDAM nodded in satisfaction and he resumed his watch as the two ACRs crept up behind the two thugs. Two headshots was all it took to render them dead and out of the way. The group proceeded to make their way up to the next floor, and repeated the process. The whole time Marc relied on tactics and strategy to outwit the gangsters, and at one point he took down a thug with his bare hands, much to his own surprise and shock. Thankfully they didn't have much longer as the group reached the middle floors where the bulk of the group was hiding out.

Marc pressed a hand to his helm. "Arcanine Team, this is Haunter Team. What's your arrival time?"

"Just a few minutes more, Haunter Team!" Kyou's voice replied. "We're almost to your whiskey!"

Never letting go, gotta learn to grow
永遠都不放棄 不斷地成長

"Good!" Marc remarked. "The sooner the better!"

The comm line went dead and he returned his focus to the battlefield at hand. All around him he could see the raging battlefield on the middle floor they were on, and he swore as he ducked down behind a desk and half collapsed cubicle wall. The bullets from the gangsters' machine guns embedded themselves in the wall and desk, some of the debris dislodged clattering off his armor.

"Fuckin' bastards!" he grumbled. "Sure wish I had a clearer line of sight!"

He peeped over the makeshift barricade and propped his machine gun on the top, like one of the infantrymen of the Old Days. His optics displayed a narrow-eyed expression as he studied the surrounding area, waiting for one of the thugs to make a move.

Watch me as I touch the sky
看著我到達了頂端

The next thing he knew, there were bullets whizzing every which way, the "Manectric" pulse rifles and "Jynx" SMGs firing in an attempt to stop the gangsters as they began to pour out of their hiding spots, preparing to bring down those who dared to infiltrate their holdout and last stronghold. Marc flinched on instinct as the projectiles whizzed past him, barely missing his V-fin. "Damn fuckers!" he muttered as he poked his head up and fired his gun at the gangsters charging towards his position.

The bullets shredded the first two, but the three behind had armed themselves with makeshift shields of heavy books and wood taped together. Marc hissed through his vents at the sight, only to suddenly tense and leap aside as one of the gangsters lobbed a Molotov cocktail his way. He landed on his knees and rolled to the side, holding his machine gun at chest level, peering over the sight and taking out the thug. The man dropped without as much as a sound as the sounds of gunfire above caught his attention. Marc looked up at the ceiling, only to gasp as part of it gave way, and the rest of the team dropped down into the middle of the fray, plasterboard, rubble, and ceiling tiles landed around them.

Marc leapt to the side as that happened, and he pushed himself to his hands and knees, coughing to get some of the dust out of his intakes; his filtration system had blocked out the rest.

Still I fly
所以我繼續飛翔

Kyou shot a glance back over his shoulder. "You okay?" he called.

Marc nodded. "Yeah... Thanks..." he rasped, staggering to his feet while holding his machine gun. He aimed it and tried to fire, but the clip was empty; only clacks resounded. He swore as he ejected the empty clip and grabbed one from his armor before slamming it home. He checked the chamber and nodded before aiming and firing at another Seviper gang member. The man grunted as he took a bullet to his arm.

"How'd it go up there?" Marc asked seriously. "It was close to Hell down here!"

"Not as bad as you'd think, but still pretty damn bad," Kyou remarked. "Still not gonna talk about it though."

Marc wisely kept his vocalizer muted as he looked back at the thugs now coming at the entire team.

Now I know just what I gotta do
我知道我該做什麼

The fighting was brutal as the gangsters and Allied forces engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat within that one floor of the building. This was also the place where it would determine the fate of the city's future. And both sides were not relenting under any circumstances.

"We got incoming!" a voice suddenly shouted from outside over Marc's comm. The GUNDAM pressed a hand to his helm as he blocked a gangster's sword with his beam saber.

"What's happening outside?" he asked harshly. "We're kinda busy here!"

"Well, hurry up with whatever you're doing in Devon Corp. and get your asses out here! We've got incoming hordes of Bug-Types from the woods!" the voice replied.

Marc swore in Ransian as he released his comm and resumed his offense, shunting a bit more of his core's energy to his hydraulics and cutting the sword clean in half before clenching a fist and punching the gangster right in the jaw, shattering it and sending the man into a coma. He tapped Kyou on the shoulder and relayed the message.

Find the dream is new
找尋新夢想

Kyou grunted as he punched a thug in the torso and snatched his pistol, killing the man with it before tossing it aside and grabbing his own beam saber. He ignited the blade and at once he went on the attack, cutting his way through several gangsters and rejoining with the rest of the unit, relaying the message one at a time. They all doubled their efforts as Marc barked an order to the ACRs. "Mission objective changed!" he said. "Try to clear this floor as soon as possible! No prisoners taken!"

"ORDERS ACKNOWLEDGED. ENGAGING HOSTILE FORCES. EXTERMINATION IMMINENT."

With those seven words, they went on the offense, killing emotionlessly and accurately, leaving no living gangsters in their wake.

Give it all I got this time
這次我要卯足全力

The clearing of Devon Corp. Headquarters had taken less than three hours, although it felt longer to Marc as they emerged from the headquarters on the ground floor. He was relieved they had cleared it so effectively, but he hadn't expected the aftermath when they emerged outside.

Right into a shithole of even worse proportions.

As the sergeant major had reported, there were Bug types coming in from Petelburg Woods, and they were not stopping for anything, not even to check or assist their wounded. Marc swore under his breath as he flared his wings and ignited his engines, taking flight to get a better idea of how many they were dealing with. As he rose above the city, he was able to see the landing craft and forces trying to sustain their beachheads and he wondered if they'd be able to under these conditions.

Still I fly
繼續飛翔

He was surprised to see the Hydro Pump and Camerupt SPAs moving into bombardment positions, and he wondered if they'd be able to do much damage at the rate the Hostile Bugs were coming. And he was genuinely worried for their crews. Nothing like this had ever been attempted, and personally, if what the intel they had received was true, then things were bound to really get fucked up once the invasion commenced for real.

A cry cut across the battlefield, and his eyes jerked away from the SPAs towards a lone human figure. It was wearing something like a light, skin-tight combat suit of white and black color, along a helmet with a gold faceplate which obscured the view of the face. It held out a hand and a blast of golden-yellow energy fired from it, seeming to take on a dragon-like shape as it charged at the incoming Hostiles. The dragon hit the ground, carving a sort of trench in the ground before the SPAs, allowing them to be protected for a limited time.

"Holy shit...! Was that the Dragon?!"

"The Dragon of LaRousse?!"

"Yeah! He did some major damage during the Battle of LaRousse seven years ago!"

"Raquayza wasn't too pleased to be beaten by a mere human, I bet!"

"You kidding?! Ol' Dragonface was pissed off when it was over!"

Still I fly
不停地飛

The comments he heard over his comm system made his breath catch in his throat and his core pulsate faster in his chest. He had heard of the Dragon, and of how he was supposed to be one of their best warriors, not just in the use of aura as an Aura Guardian, but in combat too. And he hated to admit it, but that was why he had even volunteered to undergo the GUNDAM transformation when he was wounded. So he could be able to fight alongside his idol, the Dragon of LaRousse, meaning his stories had traveled across the other regions apart from Hoenn including Ransei.

He was surprised even further when the Dragon leapt into the air, firing off a series of golden aura blasts coming from a pair of small cannons mounted on the shoulders of his suit at incoming Ariados and Wurmple, taking them out with precision and ease. The SPAs were safe for now, at least until the Bug Types got past the trench the Dragon had carved with the Dragon Fist. Marc thought of how different it would have been if the Dragon had used the full power Dragon Fist he used against Rayquaza instead of the lesser one he used now. If that had been the case, it could have destroyed the entire block or even a greater part of the city. Marc gunned his engines and flew down, attempting to get in closer, but then the SPAs fired, their guns roaring and sending HE-FRAG rounds right at the enemy Pokémon, shredding multiple of them and leaving gaping craters in the ground just outside the city entrance.

Marc hesitated, staring in shock at the damage done by the artillery of the LaRousse-Ransei Alliance.

Still I fly
不停地飛

But the Pokémon were not deterred. If anything, they were even more enraged than before. Ariados began to shoot their String Shot for the treads and tracks of the SPAs, their intentions being to bind the drive systems and keep them in place. Thankfully before they could strike them though, several large shapes lumbered out of the debris and burning ruins of the city.

Marc's eyes widened as he stared in shock at the huge four-legged Ursaring Land Assault Drones, four of them. Behind them came an entire LaRoussian platoon, and they clearly were armed to kill. The GUNDAM Soldier hovered down closer, landing on the ground and inching as close as he could to the battle site, only to feel a tap on his back. He looked back only to stare at a LaRoussian soldier.

"Better get out of here. We don't want anyone to get hurt," she said.

The GUNDAM nodded, but didn't budge.

"That's a direct order from your general," the LaRoussian repeated.

Marc's eyes widened and he backed off before taking to the sky as the battle began.

Bring it in
開始吧

He watched in awe as the LaRoussian attack drones lumbered forward, their thick armor taking the attacks of String Shot and Poison Sting like it was nothing. Their 10x28 mm six barreled rotary Gatling guns spun up and sent the explosive-tipped rounds right towards the Ariados and Wurmple. The lumbering drones also didn't hesitate to let loose their 12 gauge semi-automatic shotguns and grenade launchers as well, shredding Pokémon that dared to venture past their fellows and giving cover to the LaRoussian infantry.

The slaughter was mindboggling. And gruesome right down to the final detail. (Marc made sure to delete the memories after the reclamation of the city succeeded. One of the perks to being a GUNDAM Soldier, he knew.) He shuddered as one Ariados managed to get past an Ursaring drone, only to be squashed by the second right behind it.

And on top of that, the SPAs kept sending the rounds down range towards the hostiles.

I'll go shine
我將發光發熱

As they came, Marc watched with a look of almost reverence at the sight of both forces working as one, the LaRoussian troops coming forward, backed up by the Steelix as they came to a stop near the trench that the Dragon had carved into the earth. Their 120mm cannons roared, sending HE shells right for the Ariados and Wurmple. Meanwhile all of this was happening, the Dragon of LaRousse itself was leading the LaRoussian men into battle. With all of them fighting motivated and with their morale skyrocketed from the presence of such a mighty and legendary hero among them. Where the Dragon was fighting the bug offensive with a mix of energy blasts from aura attacks, and the use of what seemed to be a pair of sabers with golden-colored energy blades made of aura similar to the GUNDAMs beam sabers at melee which sliced and burned through any enemy it faced.

The Bug-Types had initiated what the Ransians called a Horde Mode, and he was witnessing it for the first time. He had only heard of these things, and to even see one was a shocker and it sent shivers racing down his frame and wings. The explosions dotting the area were visible through the thick smoke that the shells generated, and the dust was barely concealing the fires that generated as a result of the heat and burning grass. String Shots and Poison Sting tore through the smoke, hitting a few tanks and some soldiers, leaving some soldiers cut in half and some wriggling out of their exosuits as the Poison Sting began to eat at the armor. The tanks on the other hand, and well, the Hariyama was heavily protected thanks to its energy shield, which just shrugged it off.

The SPAs took a few hits from Poison Sting as well, so their NBC capabilities really came in handy this time, and the separation of crew and ammo worked as advertised.

It's my moment, gotta living it right
我的時刻已到來是時候起身

His comm beeped and he turned as he spotted Helga approaching. "Marc! C'mon!" she called. "We gotta get behind the line if these bugs get past the front!"

Marc blinked, realizing how bad things really were and nodded. "Right! Sorry!"

She hovered over and grabbed his hand, tugging him back towards the devastated city. "I know it's interesting and spectacular to watch, but we have our own problems! We've still got some gangsters to mop up!" she remarked.

The GUNDAM lieutenant internally grimaced. "Great... Mopping up..." he grumbled.

"At least we've got something to do at all," Helga shot back.

I'm flying
我不斷地飛

The two reached the city's remains once more, spotting the thugs and gangsters that had somehow escaped detection throughout the battle. They landed on the ground and met back up with Kyou. The general turned to face them, his eyes barely visible behind the visor of his helmet. "We got more thugs from the downtown area swarming in. We have the majority of them either taken out or in captivity, but these guys apparently want their fellows freed," he said.

"Dammit... Just when I thought this was wrapped up," Marc grumped.

"I know, but it's the Warlord's orders," Kyou said as he walked over to the mech.

"Is Warlord Krane coming ashore?" Helga asked.

"Surprisingly, he is. He wants to see how the reclamation is going personally," the general admitted. "But I highly think it's not a good idea."

"You're not the only one," Marc muttered under his breath as he looked back at the Kusanagi and the single helicopter coming ashore.

Flying so strong
用力地飛

"Well, we gotta deal with it," Helga said as she looked at the aircraft coming in. The helicopter turned and extended the landing gear, the rotors creating enough wash to keep them ducking down. The helicopter touched down and the rotors slowed enough to allow the door to open and the Supreme Warlord himself leapt out, his hair tossed by the rotor wash. Once he was on the ground, he gave the thumbs up and the pilot lifted off, heading back to the Kusanagi.

Supreme Warlord Spray Krane looked around at the battle sites, his brown eyes hard as he hefted his preferred weapon, the same steel pipe he had first used during the Unification of Ransei. The metal was dulled and dented, with some parts scraped, and the concrete within had strengthened it to more durable levels, so there were very few cracks in it. He strode towards the group.

Marc actually felt a lump forming in his throat at his superior officer, actually the Warlord himself, being here on the battlefield. Not only was it highly irregular, but also dangerous. But then again, during the Unification, he had been on the front lines practically all the time. So it made sense he'd want to be in on the action.

I'm moving
不斷地前進

"Kyou, how are things looking?" Spray asked as he surveyed the city around them.

"Looking good so far, Spray," Kyou reported with a salute. "We got several gangster holdouts, but they're minor compared to what we encountered initially. The SPAs and LaRoussian drones are holding the front near the city entrance to defend it from the wild Hostiles that came out of Petalburg Woods."

"And the main buildings? Are they intact?" Spray asked.

"Aside from one of the administrative buildings that collapsed, yes. The rest are all intact, just missing flooring here and there and windows," Kyou explained. He lowered his hand. "All in all, they're not as in bad a shape as reported by the refugees."

Spray nodded. "Good. Make sure we can prevent the Sevipers or other gangsters from getting to them."

I'm moving
不斷地前進

Kyou nodded and turned back to the situation. "That aside, the suburbs can easily be cleared out of any Hostiles or gang members. It's the downtown I'm more worried about. The LaRoussians are thinking of sending a drone in to scout out to see just how many holdouts remain intact."

Spray pursed his lips, pondering this.

A sudden roar caught his attention and the warlord spun, the metal pipe in his hand flashing through the air and clanging against the metal pipe of his adversary. The man grunted as he pressed his greater strength home, but Spray was more experienced in the use of his weapon and he dropped down, throwing his opponent off balance by shoving his pipe up at an angle. He then spun it around in his fingers so that way the pointed tip was aimed right at the man's windpipe. Spray then stood and stabbed, jabbing that sharp tip right into his larynx and cutting off his airflow to his brain. The gangster gargled and staggered back, collapsing to the ground as Spray pulled the pipe out and finished the job with a stab to the heart.

I'm moving on…
不斷地往前進

Kyou grimaced at the sight. "Geez!" he muttered. "And I thought it was worse beforehand!"

"Maybe," Kyou muttered, "but you gotta remember. This is war." His eyes were hard as he looked back at their warlord who drew the pipe from the gangster's heart and wiped it with his hand. He held it in his hand as he approached them.

"Damn gangsters have no clue..." he said seriously. His brown eyes were hard, and Marc thought he saw a gleam of despair in those eyes. Then again, he couldn't blame the warlord for feeling the way he was. To be honest, Marc was beginning to wonder if the war would ever end, if there would even be peace between the two races once more.

Because right now, it looked as if the war would continue indefinitely.

Never letting go, gotta learn to grow
永遠都不放棄 不斷地成長

Such thinking though was what had led many soldiers to either defect or commit suicide, at least in some of the other regions. For Ransei, the only thing that kept them going was the drive for a better future, a stark contrast to how the rest of the world was living at the moment. Well, them and LaRousse. The HLC would no doubt be feeling the strain of the war for many years, and it would affect their peoples as much as it was with the other regions. Marc sometimes wondered how Ransei was able to deal with the amount of fighting, especially since many soldiers had been on the front lines for six, almost seven, years at this point.

"Hey, you okay?" a voice asked.

Marc jerked a bit as he sensed the warlord's hand on his shoulder. He turned to look the man in the eyes, and he could see that even the Supreme Warlord was wondering the same thing. He sighed and shook his head. "No. Not really..." the GUNDAM admitted. "I mean..." He looked around at the fighting raging everywhere around them. "How is it that we can handle this? Most of us would normally be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress by now..."

Watch me as I touch the sky
看著我到達了頂端

"To be honest, a lot of us are suffering from PTSD," Spray admitted. "I can see it in their eyes. And the Heart can sense it." He held up his crystal, his eyes reflecting its blue glow. "But we still fight on because of the future we all desire. And the future that Ho-oh wants us to have in stark contrast to the future we want."

"Isn't it going to be a bit much though?" Marc asked. "To keep asking them to fight when they can't?"

"Most others would agree, but I have to say no. We have to fight. It's the only way we can defeat those two in order to create a better future," Spray said as he dropped his crystal and began to walk back towards the command center, really just a bombed out Pokémon Center. "I know it's wrong, and I will admit it, but as Ransei continues to recover, more soldiers will come, and then those that have done their fighting will be sent back to be treated for their PTSD. That is when we will do shifts to keep our fighting forces as mentally fit as possible."

Still I fly
所以我繼續飛翔

The GUNDAM nodded, getting what the Supreme Warlord was saying. As he looked back around him though, he felt his shoulders sag a bit and he sighed. "I just wish... wish we could reverse this somehow..."

"Forget it. You heard what Lugia said when we met with him a few months back. Ho-oh's wish cannot be undone. And even if we could how would we know what the proper wording is, and how to do so?" Kyou snapped as he laced his arms behind his head as they reached the command center. Spray threw open the tarp they used to cover the entrance and the men walked inside.

Around them they could see the men and women of both the LaRoussian and Ransian forces doing work or going over charts and how to recapture the parts of the city that still remained in Seviper hands. Some were even using a combat laptop to coordinate with the front near Petalburg Woods and the city entrance.

Now I know just what I gotta do
我知道我該做什麼

"Sir!" a soldier yelped as she saluted, dropping her papers into a loose pile.

"At ease," Spray said with a wave of his hand. He walked over and knelt, helping the flustered soldier pick up the papers. "Sorry. But I had to come see the op for myself."

"Okay. And so far, things are looking good, especially when dealing with the Ariados and Wurmple on the front near the woods. There are some other types joining in, but we can't ID them in that mess," the soldier remarked as she brushed off her uniform and handed the papers to a nearby aide. She waved for him to bring them to the commander of the artillery forces in that sector.

"Excellent. But we need to be ready for if anymore come from the northern and western entrance," Spray told her.

"Won't have to worry about that, Warlord Krane," one of the LaRoussian soldiers said as he stepped forward with his helmet held under his arm. His hair was deep brown but was greying near the bottom and his eyes were a hard emerald. "The name's Kota Yi, Lieutenant Colonel of the LaRousse 14th Heavy Artillery Regiment." He saluted with his free hand.

Find the dream is new
找尋新夢想

"Lieutenant." Spray saluted in return.

"As you know, we got the route to the west under our command, but the northern sector is still out of our reach for now," Lt. Col. Yi replied as he lowered his hand. "We're not able to fully get it yet, and considering the upcoming operation, we won't be able to reclaim that part of the region for some time."

Spray nodded. "Yeah. I'm well aware. Why do you think we offered our assistance?"

"Oh, and the President wants to meet with you later today once this op is completed. He wants to discuss the logistics and other key factors with you, such as what ships you'll be able to spare," Yi explained. "If not, he'll come to Aurora, if that's all right."

"Anything really. I don't care either way. But I would prefer to meet him in his office," the warlord stated.

Yi nodded. "I'll relay the report back ASAP."

Give it all I got this time
這次我要卯足全力

By now, Marc noticed that the fighting was dying down. Or at least was growing fainter. He looked over at the soldiers coordinating with the Camerupt and Hydro Pump SPAs, and wandered over to them, peering at the screen on the combat laptop. The screen depicted the two sides, the Hostiles outlined in red and the blue points being the Allied forces. Well, the Ransian ones were shown as bluish white, really.

The red dots were starting to fall back from the front, from what he could see, and the blue and bluish white dots were moving forward somewhat before stopping. More red dots blinked out of sight and he only wondered how many would be dead by the time this battle was over. Marc shuddered a bit and one of the soldiers looked up, holding a pen in her mouth.

The GUNDAM raised his hands. "Sorry. I was just curious..." he blurted out rather lamely.

The soldier shrugged. "Why hide it?" she asked with a smirk. "Not many are really interested in this to be honest."

Still I fly
繼續飛翔

Marc actually chuckled a bit at her comment. "Not me. That's for sure," he joked, motioning to his frame with his hands.

"Yeah. GUNDAM, right? Aerial type?" the soldier asked.

He nodded. "Yeah."

They struck up a conversation to pass the time as the rest of the battle raged on around them, finally coming to an end when the first of the sun's rays poked over the horizon the next morning.

Still I fly
不停地飛

The battle had come to an end, and as Spray stood at the foot of the Devon Corp. Headquarters, he eyed the sun and he felt an immense sense of pride within his chest at the sight. It always made him feel better whenever he thought about what the children would've gone through. And to finally know that Rustboro City's children could grow up without fear of the gang was one thing, but... to finally know that LaRousse was taking charge of its protection made him feel better about them and their future.

His mind flitted back briefly to the memory of that little girl in the street of his subdivision, half her body eaten by Fearow, and her family mourning her at her funeral. He personally had attended the event, and given a speech in honor of those who died that day. He traveled all across Ransei after the Unification, giving speeches at the memorials dedicated to those who died when the Undampening happened, and each kingdom applauded him for his moving, and very honest, words in memory of their loved ones. And unlike in the past, all these memorials were dedicated to everyone who died as part of Ransei, and throughout each of them, there was one spot that had the names of the dead inscribed, each wall mounted in front of the remains of the city halls. In total, one point five million of Ransei's civilians, soldiers, and government workers died the day of the Undampening. And each city memorial had a wall inscribed with all the names.

It made him feel somewhat at ease knowing that the dead were to be remembered, but he wanted to do more than that. He wanted a memorial that would recall all the dead... around the world, not just in Ransei alone.

And to make that happen, they had to win this war.

Once and for all.