The Gundam
Cast of Characters:
Marie [the young girl who falls in love with the Nutcracker] = Sally
Fritz [Marie's older brother] = Duo
Marie's Mom = Dorothy
Marie's Dad = Quatre
Uncle Drosselmeyer [Uncle Trowa] = Trowa
King of Mice [known as the King of Oz] = Treize
Dame Mouserink [known as Lady Oz] = Une
Pirplipat (Princess of the Nuremburg [Sanq] Kingdom) = Hilde
King of Nuremburg [Sanq] = Heero
Queen of Nuremburg [Sanq] = Relena
The Nutcracker [Gundam] Prince = Wufei
Sugar Plum Fairy [Dragon Fairy] = Catherine
Chapter 1
It was a cold and snowy evening that Christmas Eve outside
the Winner household.
Christmas except for the one room the children, the daughter age
8 and the son age 10, were not permitted into.
Sally and Duo stood outside the locked parlor doors, each shoving
the other out of the way so that they could get a glimpse through
could hear their parents singing the song "I'll be Home
for
Christmas".
"I think I saw Uncle Trowa," whispered Duo in excitement, holding
Sally off with one hand as he continued to peer through the
keyhole.
"I bet I can see what he brought us this year!"
Uncle Trowa was a fascinating person to the children.
wild set of bangs that almost seemed to stick out from his head,
a penchant for wearing odd masks and the silence that always
seemed to be wrapped around him, he was a near mystery to the
children, but he never came without bringing each of them a
present.
So Sally and Duo found room to enjoy his visits even more, for his
gifts were always unusual and full of gears and gadgets and did
fantastic things that set their imaginations on fire.
Eager to see for herself, Sally managed to gain the advantage
and shoved Duo aside and took her turn to peek.
"I don't see anything," she wailed.
I can't?!"
"Because you're a girl," taunted Duo, earning him a harsh tug
on his braid from his sister.
"Baka," she hissed and retreated to sit on the stairs where she
could watch for the doors to open.
Eventually Duo joined her and their talk turned to what they
desired to find under the tree.
join her beloved Nancy in their field hospital and Duo wished
for some Gemini and Taurus to join his mobile dolls and other
soldiers.
"I'm going to take over Earth you know," bragged Duo to his
sister's evident disgust.
Finally, when it seemed as if they would fall asleep if the parlor
doors did not open soon, the doors squeaked open and the
children ran forward into the room.
Sally squealed with delight at the sight of another doll beneath
the tree.
immediately christened Elizabeth, after Elizabeth Blackwell, the
first woman doctor.
Duo, of course, had received a nice supply of Gemini and Taurus
to complete his collection.
full-scale frontal attack on the other toys in the toy cabinet.
There were other presents under the tree of course.
received a beautiful new dress and secretly admired the thought
of herself in the dress.
use to monitor his troops with.
given and delighted upon to the endless joy of their doting parents,
Quatre and Dorothy and the amusement of Uncle Trowa.
The spirit of gift giving continued and Dorothy teased Quatre
when he was caught under the mistletoe with Trowa as she said,
"I saw _someone_ kissing 'Santa Claus'!"
immediately stepped apart and returned their attention to the
children's fun.
house and moved to stand nearer the children.
Both Sally and Duo were endlessly pleased with the added
collection of nuts and fruits and sweets that were heaped upon
them in celebration of the season.
immediately, but Sally lovingly set hers aside.
ladies and gentleman, chocolate soldiers, pepperiment dragons
and Shepards and sherpardesses made of spun sugar were
almost too beautiful to eat.
be roasted on the open fire, but was quickly distracted by his
Uncle Trowa before any harm was done.
When all the other gifts had been opened, Uncle Trowa
presented his gift.
endless spokes.
round on its axis and different portions lighted as it went
by.
It showed the activities happening on the Colony from a circus
performance to a beautiful ball that was held.
mechanism would slow and with another touch of the buttons,
Uncle Trowa would again return the colony to life.
Eventually though, Duo tired of the display. And he turned to
his other toys, announcing that he much preferred his soldiers
and mobile suits that did as he commanded.
remained, watching the actions on the colony continuously,
even though she grew weary of them.
hurt her Uncle's feelings by turning to play with other things.
It was then that something under the tree caught her
eye.
was a model of a mobile suit, but totally unlike anything she
had ever seen.
arms and legs.
glaive strapped to its back. There was a face and the gentlest
expression, yet fierce, she had ever seen on the face of a
mobile suit.
Sally fell in love with the mobile suit at first sight.
picked him up and studied him more carefully, she could see
even more of the sweet nature that he must have.
framed by large wicked looking eyebrows, shone with sincerity
smile hovering on its lips.
"Oh Daddy," cried Sally, clutching the mobile suit model
tightly to her.
oh please?"
"His name is Shenlong
Gundam Wing family," said Quatre, smiling at her
fondly.
"He would proudly fight battles, dispense justice and longed
for peace between Earth and the colonies."
Sally listened with wide eyes as she always enjoyed her
father's stories of long ago, when there was no peace such as
that which they lived in now.
smiling her thanks for the quiet times that they now lived in.
"Since he has made such an impression on you," continued
her father, "I shall place him into your care.
warrior and need of some rest, but you must allow Duo the use
of his services as a soldier when needed."
Sally nodded her assent and took the model away.
noticed her preoccupation with it and came to
investigate.
Crying that a warrior lives for battle, he snatched the suit from
Sally's arms and rushed it to the lay out of his combat and
immediately set it to taking over the toy cabinet for the good
of the toys inside.
Within mere moments of his play, the model, perched
precariously on the top of the cabinet, went crashing to the
ground.
its arm.
Sally was there immediately and snatched Shenlong up from
the pile of toys.
"Hand him over!
won't help out in the battles?" said Duo in a huffy tone.
Sally glared at Duo and ran to her father's side, sniffling
soldiers like you!
Quatre immediately came over and separated the two
squabbling children.
Sally's protective care, which he seems to need just now and
Duo you have no say in the matter."
Then Dorothy came over and collected the children, thinking
that perhaps there had been too much Christmas and that a
little sleep was definitely in order.
mobile suits away on their shelves in the toy cabinet and Sally
collected Shenlong's broken arm and tied it back in place with
a ribbon snatched from her dress.
quietly and wished them all a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year as he departed into the night.
to their beds, expect for Sally, who begged for a few more
minutes.
Chapter 2
Once she was alone in the room, Sally carefully examined the
Gundam's wounds.
"Oh my brave little Shenlong," she whispered, stroking gentle
fingers down him.
that Uncle Trowa repairs you as he's awfully clever with such
things."
At the name Trowa, Sally could have sworn that the Gundam
came to life with light that flickered in his eyes.
little Sally terribly until she held the Gundam to the light and
saw the continued lifeless features for herself.
"How silly of me to think that a mobile suit can come alive,"
she murmured.
She tucked the Gundam into bed on her shelf in the toy cabinet
and turned to ascend the stairs and go to bed.
With one foot on the stairs, she stopped, hearing the sounds of
scurrying coming from the other side of the room.
ancient grandfather clock started to whir and whiz, signaling
that it would soon chime the hour.
lion that normally sat on top of the clock and surprised to see
it move a paw to cover the clock's face.
whizzing of the clock became louder until it formed the words
of a warning.
Clock, clocks, clocks.
Whir, whir, whir.
The King of Oz
hears this purr.
Poom, poom, poom.
Strike the hour of his doom.
Bells go chime.
Ring the fated time.
The clock then began to chime, striking the twelve tones of
midnight.
willing it to move again.
that of her Uncle Trowa.
"Uncle Trowa, what are you doing up there?" she cried out in
surprise.
Before she could say or do one more thing, there started the
most intriguing sounds – scampering and calling of orders and
the glittering of light reflection from golden buttons, as
hundreds of Oz soldiers poured into the room from every crack
and crevice.
crack and the floor split open and the King of Oz
appeared.
He was dressed in blue and white with large gold
epaulets.
His sword flashed before Sally and glared at her with dark blue
eyes framed by fierce eyebrows.
The King of Oz gave his orders and the legions of Oz soldiers
fell into their ranks.
cupboard that Sally had crouched in front of.
further and further back against their continual advancement
until her elbow broke through one of the panes of
glass.
breaking glass sent the Oz soldiers scattering, calling out their
retreat, and then Sally heard a different noise from inside the
cupboard.
It was the toy call to arms!
the toys hidden behind the glass doors began to rally themselves
behind the Gundam Shenlong.
Knack, knack, knack.
Stupid Oz pack.
All their skulls we'll crack.
Knack, knack, knack.
The crackle of the communications gear rang throughout the
room as the Gundam led the toys to battle.
gleaming mobile suit, the Oz troops gathered again and formed
their ranks and moved to attack the toys.
As the deafening sounds of battle raged in the room, the toys
gave everything that they good.
dragons found their attacks nearly useless against the
enemy.
For as soon as one row of Oz soldiers was destroyed, another
would quickly take their place.
Sally watched in terrified horror as Shenlong's small army of
toys rapidly dwindled.
back against the cupboard until three Oz soldiers managed to
steal away the beam glaive he wielded.
"At last I have you," said the King of Oz with a feral
grin.
He bowed formally.
the dreadful Gundam Shenlong."
Sally could no longer sit still and watch the battle happen
around her.
the shoe from her foot she heaved it at the King of Oz.
Instantly, the soldiers vanished and the cut on Sally's arm
began to bleed and ache fiercely.
the floor, she took a hold of the Gundam, cradling it in her
arms.
"Onna, you have saved my life and I shall be eternally
grateful.
But within your power lies the ability to do even more for me."
Chapter 3
When Sally awoke the next morning, she was safe in her own
bed.
daughter with some concern.
"Oh Mama," she cried, flinging herself into her mother's
arms.
"There was a terrible battle between the Oz soldiers and the
toys!"
Dorothy peered at her daughter anxiously.
assured me that you didn't hurt your head, but I am not so sure.
I found you on the parlor floor this morning Sally with all of
Duo's mobile suits scattered around you and that Gundam in
your lap and a bad cut on your arm."
Dorothy shook her head when Sally immediately opened her
mouth to protest.
and rest."
stood and left the room.
Sally nodded glumly, sure that she could never convince her
practical mother of what she had really seen.
her bed all day, reading her books and talking to her dolls
until her Uncle Trowa paid her a visit.
"Oh, Uncle Trowa," she cried, sitting up in the bed.
cruel you are!
the King of Oz.
you help me?"
Uncle Trowa merely responded with a long silent look, before
he came over and sat down on the edge of the bed and faced the
young girl.
"Don't be mad at me young Sally for not killing the King of Oz
or protecting Shenlong.
something though to make up for it."
From under the huge cloak he was wearing, he produced the
Gundam.
play and Sally was delighted.
"Oh Uncle Trowa, you are a good Uncle after all!"
Her uncle smiled.
Shenlong came to join the Gundam family and why he and the
King of Oz are enemies."
Chapter 4
Long, long ago in the Sanq Kingdom, there lived a beautiful
princess named Hilde.
Queen Relena remained uneasy for she feared the other queen who
lived in the kingdom.
Une.
caught and killed her seven sons.
"Be prepared," Lady Une had warned Queen Relena.
my revenge on your first born child!"
And so the queen had the young princess's cradle guarded night
and day.
They awoke with a start at the noise of the Hilde's cry and turned
in time to see Lady Une slip from the room.
The guards rushed to the cradle and there they were greeted
with the most horrible sight.
looked like an armored mobile suit.
made of shiny gundamium, her eyes became glassy, a horrific
grin stretched across her face and she wielded a large scythe.
Now King Heero was horrified at the news and immediately
lay the blame on the official inventor of the Sanq Kingdom,
who he'd hired to trap and kill the Oz soldiers.
had created the first mobile suit, which had done the job
admirably as it swept Earth and the colonies for such
enemies.
Trowa Barton was his name.
"Restore the princes," commanded the King with his patented
glare, "or face death."
Trowa was a very clever man and could make just about
anything, building new inventions to suit the jobs that needed
to be done in order to bring peace to the Earth and colonies,
but he was not a magician and magic would be needed to break
the spell.
Though endless hours of research they discovered that in order
to break the spell she would need to eat a single petal, taken from
the rare biting snapdragon flower.
feed her the petal, it would need to be done by a young Chinese
man with the passionate fire of the dragon burning within him
and the ability to nimble use a sword to snip off the delicate petal.
In no time at all, they had found both the flower and the young
man.
year of the dragon and his name was Wufei.
brave and deep within it burned the passionate fires of justice
lit by the dragon's flame.
the sword.
about anything with the point of his sword.
That very night, Trowa took young Wufei with him to the
palace.
In their absence of more than fifteen years, King Heero had
grown desperate.
hand in marriage to whomever could break the spell.
When the princess saw him as he was presented to her, she
exclaimed, "What a handsome young man!
he will break it!"
The young man barely bowed to the King and Queen before
he began walking around the plant singing softly.
moments, he sang to the flower and sent it into a deep sleep,
allowing his nimble sword to gently cut a petal from the flower.
The moment he cut off the petal, he moved across, collected it
and laid it gently into the mouth of the Gundam
princess.
she swallowed it, a miracle occurred and she was restored to
her natural beauty to the delight of the King and Queen.
Just as Hilde was transforming, Lady Une appeared in the
room through a secret door.
notice her entrance and his sword swung back and fatally
wounded her.
had been so many years ago.
He became the Gundam Shenlong with its red, blue and white
colorings, carrying shield and beam saber.
As Lady Une lay dying on the floor, she rasped out:
My newborn son who wears the Oz crown
will bring the gentle Gundam down.
His mother's death he will repay.
Beware, Shenlong, that fated day.
Trowa shook his head revealing no emotion at the sight of
his transformed apprentice, but he solemnly reminded the king
of his promise.
Princess Hilde immediately made a face.
beautiful as I am shall never marry such a Gundam!
away!"
So the Gundam Shenlong was sent away from the kingdom.
Before he left, Zechs shared the knowledge that the spell
holding Wufei as a Gundam could only be broken when he
had killed the son of Lady Une and won the heart of a lady
in spite of his form.
"And that," said Uncle Trowa, "is the story of the Gundam
Shenlong and how he came to be."
into her bed and left on silent feet with only a wave of his hand
as good-bye.
Chapter 5
Sally was far from sleepy when her Uncle left.
had told her was replayed over and over inside her mind as she
talked lovingly to the shiny Gundam in her arms.
ungrateful creature Princess Hilde was," she whispered to the
Gundam.
help you when you need it.
against the King of Oz."
Finally, sleep overcame her and she began to quietly nod off,
clutching the mobile suit tight.
she heard a low rustling and a fierce growl.
open and beside her stood the King of Oz!
"The King of Oz!" squealed Sally in surprise, borrowing back
into her bed.
He bowed low to her and said, "You may call me Treize, Miss
Sally.
or I shall slice up your precious Gundam."
Trembling with fear, Sally laid out the nuts and fruits she had
received and he whisked them away, but the next night he
returned with more demands.
"Give me your candy people or I will pry apart that tin can
of a Gundam."
Sally laid out the little shepherds and shepherdesses and the
marzipan ladies and gentleman.
her treats, but there was nothing that she would not give to aid
Shenlong.
For a third night, he crept boldly into her room and leaned
down and whispered into her ear, "Hand over your books and
dolls and pretty dresses or tremble with fear; the Gundam's
end is near."
Silently, Sally crept from bed and went downstairs to the parlor
and stood next to the cupboard.
she opened the door to the cabinet and pulled out the Gundam.
"Oh my dear Shenlong," she whispered in a tear filled
voice.
"What am I to do?
tonight, tomorrow he will be back with even more
demands.
Soon I won't have anything left to give but myself."
As she held him close and cried, she felt the metal of the
Gundam grow warmer and warmer in her hands.
to move and even more amazing – speak!
"My precious Onna – no more sacrifices for me.
beam saber and I will dispense the justice needed to deal with
the King of Oz."
His voice then died away and he was once more lifeless in her
hands.
Sally searched through the toy cupboard until she found it
where Duo had attached it to one of his Gemini.
in the holder on Shenlong's back and crept back up the stairs
and into bed.
The clock struck the ominous chime of midnight and then she
heard movement and a ringing clang of metal against
metal.
Suddenly there came a long low groan and all was silent.
Sally clutched her blankets tightly to her chest and strained for
any sound.
gentle musical voice said, "I come bearing good news Onna."
The door opened and in walked a young man made of
Gundam.
His head was overlarge for his body and did not bear the human
facial features that he truly should, but Sally could see the
resemblance of a smile upon his face.
lifeless model.
He knelt beside her bed and bowed his head humbly, offering
her a single silver bracelet.
my everlasting gratitude," he said.
the King of Oz, but I have made it into a bracelet for you to
wear so that you will always remember the great service you
have done for me.
and the strength to fight when and dispense true justice when
it was needed.
come with me to my kingdom and share with me in the triumph."
Without another word, he took Sally's hand and led her down
the stairs and back into the parlor.
of the fireplace and led her into the Land of the Dragons.
There snow was falling gently, but it was certainly not
cold.
Sally whirled around and laughed with delight.
at the smiling Gundam man and said, "Winter?
He laughed and told her taste the snow.
In response, Sally stuck out her tongue and caught a single
flake.
glittered a pine forest covered with gold and silver fruit, which
gave off the delicious scent of oranges and spices.
"This is the Christmas Wood," said Shenlong.
He clapped his hands once and instantly figures appeared from
behind the trees.
so delicate you would you have thought they were made from
spun sugar.
drums and they played traditional Chinese music and the men
and women dance for Sally.
Shenlong led Marie on, across the River of Firebreathing and
past other towns along the banks of the river.
Finally they came to the edge of a vast lake.
across Heart of Flame Lake in order to reach the great city in
the Land of the Dragons where my palace and court await
me," said Shenlong.
A dragon shaped boat made of scales that flashed the colors
of the rainbow drew up to the shore next to them.
glided across the smooth surface of the lake, Sally exclaimed
with delight at each new sight that they saw.
upon her with admiration and she flushed with embarrassment
at her overt enjoyment.
As the reached the other shore, Shenlong helped her alight
from boat, holding her hand gently.
filled with a sense of wonder and awe.
"And who is that lovely lady?" asked Sally.
She pointed out a beautiful lady dressed in robes that crackled
and sparkled like the most beautiful fire.
made changed the colors that flashed across the shimmering
robes.
she stood regally as a dragon on guard.
staring at her.
"She is the Dragon Fairy.
kingdom and cares for my people," said Shenlong.
The Dragon Fairy approached and bowed low.
home, Prince Shenlong."
Shenlong told the fairy of his battle with the King of Oz and
how Sally had saved his life.
"I ask you," he concluded, "what princess can compare for a
moment with Miss Sally in beauty, courage and honor?
answer is surely none."
The Dragon Fairy bowed deeply again to Sally.
us with your courage and your presence.
join us in the celebration and rejoice in the prince's triumphant
return."
Together the trio entered the palace.
the cries and cheers of many people and treated to a
celebration like no other.
dancers performed ancient dances.
variety of food and Shenlong and Sally shared it all.
As Sally ate the last bite she could, Shenlong turned to her
as the people gathered on the floor for a traditional
waltz.
He bowed low and smiled.
for this dance?"
Sally blushed becomingly and the pair dance across the
floor.
"Can this really be happening," whispered Sally with
Shenlong continued to dance gracefully in time with the music
and said nothing.
"I know it is not a dream," said Sally with
confidences.
is more like on of Uncle Trowa's marvelous creations."
"Your uncle could never make anything as wonderful as this,"
was Shenlong's only still comment as he swept her away into
the waltz once more.
"I suppose that is true," thought Sally to herself.
here is so much more lifelike than one of Uncle's
creations.
I feel so warm and happy here.
And the music continued to play and Shenlong danced with
her continually.
a warm rosy feeling that uplifted her and seemed to make her
float and rise higher and higher and higher….
Chapter 6
The next thing that Sally knew, she was in her own familiar bed.
"Mama will say it is just a dream and Duo will say that I'm
only making it up," she said with a long sigh.
And so she never told anyone about the magical journey to the
Land of the Dragons and the happiness she felt with
Shenlong.
Though long after she had grown too old to play with dolls, she
could often be found in dreamy contemplation in front of the
toy cabinet in the parlor.
Then one day, not too long before her sixteenth birthday, Sally
sat and gazed into the toy cabinet, smiling at the figure of
Shenlong standing proudly in his spot.
said, quite clearly, "I do believe that I love you my dear
Shenlong, no matter that other people make thing you are ugly
and made of such cold metal.
that I always will."
Uncle Trowa, who was standing nearby and working on some
repairs to the clock, overhead her words.
silent way.
Just as he spoke, the doors to the parlor were opened and a
handsome young man dressed in traditional Chinese garb
embroidered with dragons stepped into the room.
beamed and looked happier than Sally had ever seen him.
went immediately to the young man's side and bowed
deeply.
The young man was introduced as his apprentice, Chang Wufei,
who had come to join him in his work from the L5 colony.
Young Chang bowed deeply to Sally and presented her with a
collection of candy toys exactly like those the King of Oz had
destroyed so many years.
promising him lessons in proper swordplay.
After dinner that evening, Sally blushed as reed as a rose at
the sight of this charming young man displaying his prowess
with a sword as he sniped petals from flowers before presenting
them to Sally.
accompany him to the toy cabinet.
As soon as they were alone, he knelt before her and said, "Onna,
I have waited so long for this day.
no matter which shell I was in, you have freed me from the curse
laid by the wicked Lady Une and saved me once more.
you will come with me to the Land of Dragons and rule by my
side as Queen."
Sally's parents willing gave their consent, and Uncle Trowa his
blessing, to the marriage.
Shenlong reign in a realm where all sorts of things happen for
those who are willing to open their hearts and minds to them.