They all turned up for Allenby's match.
The Nobel Gundam had been so badly damaged during the Thirteenth Tournament, and the fight against the Dark Gundam that followed it, that instead of repairing it, the Neo- Swedish government had replaced it altogether. The Valkyrie Gundam had the same long blonde "hair" that the Nobel Gundam had had, and the same speedy, slender build, but was wearing armor instead of a sailor suit, and the feet lacked the "high heels" that the Nobel Gundam had had. Instead, the Valkyrie Gundam had a gentle arch. Asherah liked it better, and she thought Allenby did too, although the blue- haired fighter had spoken wistfully of her previous Gundam.
The Valkyrie Gundam was just as fast as its predecessor. Allenby dodged a punch from Weilen and retaliated with an attempt at a sweep. Weilen merely jumped over it.
Allenby followed him into the air; adding an extra burst of speed, she passed him, which put the sun at her back and in his eyes. Before Weilen could find her, Allenby fired down on him from her Gundam's head, pointed her toes, and drove Weilen right down into the ring floor. She removed herself before she went near the cockpit.
Uladay Weilen's Gundam was clearly not going anywhere.
"Valkyrie Gundam is triumphant!" cried the announcer.
Asherah, as she had done at Chibodee's match, looked over at the Shuffle Alliance. Argo was smiling, Domon was doing the same and clapping in approval, Sai blew earsplitting whistles that caused those around him to give him frowning grimaces as they plugged their ears (Domon wasted no time in depositing the boy in the row below them), and George was also clapping and said something to Chibodee, who was whooping in excitement. Asherah thought she caught the words "party" and "beer." Judging from George's moue of distaste, she'd heard right.
She turned her gaze to the girls. Marie- Louise was bouncing on her tiptoes and clapping, Chibodee's crew was cheering, and Rain was clapping and added the occasional excited shout. Nastasha glanced around furtively and, finding herself mostly unobserved, curtly nodded to the Valkyrie Gundam in respect.
Asherah snickered. Then, remembering what had happened last time, she looked around for Jonas.
She didn't see him. Asherah frowned. Allenby was one of the strongest fighters in the Tournament; surely he'd want to take her out.
She scanned the crowd more closely. When she still couldn't find him, Asherah did a speed- sweep, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach.
Still no Jonas.
Either I hurt him worse than I thought, or he has something more important to do. But what?
Asherah shrugged it off. She could think it over after she'd congratulated Allenby.
*
Rain waved a paper at the chattering group. Asherah idly reflected that she was probably the only one they would quiet themselves for- that quickly, anyway. "Okay, Allenby let me see her sheet for the next matchups. It's going to be Allenby and Sai Saici, and Chibodee and Argo."
"How far apart are the matches?" Asherah inquired.
Rain glanced down. "Two days. Allenby and Sai fight three days from now, and Chibodee and Argo fight two days after that."
Excellent. I can go check on… other things. Having gotten what she wanted, and congratulated Allenby, Asherah vanished.
"Hey!" Rain protested.
"What?" Allenby asked.
"Nothing, really. It just seems a little rude, is all, disappearing like that."
"You get used to it." Chibodee told her, tipping his chair back.
Sai smirked and swept a leg under it.
Chibodee toppled backward, cursing. He recovered almost instantly, though, and was promptly after the now blatantly chortling sixteen year old.
George rolled his eyes as he watched them leaping around the room, coming perilously close to toppling breakable objects, most of them lamps. Or people. He looked at Shirley, Janet, Bunny, and Cath. "I would like to commend you all on your patience and fortitude."
The girls exchanged glances and laughed. "Well, thank you." Shirley finally choked out. "It's nice to finally be recognized!"
Chibodee lunged forward and caught Sai in a headlock. Having captured his prey, he shot an indignant mock- glare at the still- giggling girls. "Oh, come on! I appreciate you!" Frowning, he spoke over the fresh burst of hilarity his remark provoked. "And besides, you'd be bored living anywhere else."
"That's true enough." Shirley dryly conceded. Her dark eyes popped over to Rain, and a mischievous smile curved her mouth. "And we aren't the only ones who have to have patience…"
Domon's ears burned red as the East as everyone, even George, laughed.
Chibodee released Sai Saici. The boy laughed and punched him on the upper arm before bounding away to annoy someone else, and Chibodee was surprised to find himself thinking with a pang, I wonder where Asherah is. He shook his head. What the hell…? I've just gotten used to having her around. he realized.
A/N: Valkyrie Gundam was the best I could come up with. I tried, though, I really did; I asked Jeeves what people thought of when they thought of Sweden, and about Swedish culture, and everything. And… you got the Valkyrie Gundam. _ Is it at least better than the Nobel Gundam? Because I've been reading stuff where people pointed out that Allenby's Gundam looked like it was wearing a Japanese girls' sailor school uniform… ANYWAY! Cookies to: LivEvil.