Defenders Once More 4

Defenders Once More 4

Alexia ran forward to perform a cartwheel, leading into a back flip, which she landed flawlessly. She ran her right elbow back, followed through with her right leg, to trip the invisible opponent, then punched with her left fist at where his head would have been.

Alexia froze as someone began to clap at her private performance. She turned and narrowed her eyes at the intruder. Dan smiled, showing all his sparkling whites, and continued to clap, undeterred by the cold glare Alexia cast at him.

"Very good. I am very impressed." Dan said. "Usually women can't perform such maneuvers."

Alexia growled at the comment. "Sexist."

Dan opened his mouth in mock-shock. "Me? Of course not. I am simply stating a fact. Guys are better fighters."

"Oh really?" Alexia smirked, deciding to play along.

"Yep." Dan stated, as a matter-of-factly. "Then again…" He traced a finger down her forearm. "You are extraordinary…so you beat normal women."

Alexia turned her back to him and went to the wall, where a row of staffs hung. She took two off and turned with a smile. "Care to test that wonderful theory of yours?" She threw him a staff, taking one for herself.

Dan caught it effortlessly, and gave it a spin. "Have at ya."

Alexia spun her staff as well and quickly took a down wards swipe at Dan, tripping him. Dan landed unceremoniously on his back, a shocked expression on his face. "That…" He managed. "...I did not see coming."

Alexia's eyes widened and she put a hand over her mouth. "Have I performed a miracle? Or did the "great" Dan Crimson actually get shorter?" She teased.

Dan threw his feet into the air and jumped back up in a crouch. "That was a freebie." He got back to a fighting stance. "Next time, I won't go so…" He barely blocks another attack at his side by Alexia. "Easy?"

Alexia planted the staff against the floor and used it to heave herself into the air. Her feet came up and she kicked Dan in the chest, making him stumble back.

"Hey!" He protested. "No fair! I can't exactly use that attack on you!" He blocked two more attacks.

"I don't remember making any rules for our little spar, do you?" Alexia whipped around again and rose her weapon up between his legs…

BLOCK!

Dan barely blocks her attack. "Don't! Even! Try that!"

Alexia smirked and used the other end of her weapon to hit Dan upside the head.

"Ow!" He let go of the staff and held his head in both hands.

Alexia stood before him, one hand on her staff, and one on her hip. "Just what I thought…hollow."

Dan growled and looked up at Alexia. "I demand a rematch!"

"After me, of course." A new voice entered the conversation.

Both warriors turned to see Ben enter the training area. Ben smiled to Alexia, who quickly turned her head away from him. He walked up to the duo and picked up the staff that Dan had dropped. "You up for it?"

Alexia smirked. "Why not?"

Dan started to protest. "Hey, wait a…"

"Later small fry." Alexia growled, getting into a fighting stance.

Dan quickly got up and moved to the side. "This is definitely one match I do not want to get stuck in between of."

Ben slightly turned to Dan. "You remember that next time, huh?"

Dan made a fist, little veins popping out of his head. "Why I outta…"

But his sentence was cut off by a battle cry from Alexia, who began the sparing match against Ben.

She attacked twice at Ben's sides, which he deftly blocked. She attempted to kick him, but he threw his staff into the air, caught her foot, throwing it up in the air, and caught his staff again.

Alexia flew into the air, but did a flip twist, to land on her feet once more. Her brown eyes flicked to her staff and back up at Ben.

Ben waved his hand in front of him, taunting her forward. "Come and get it."

Alexia narrowed her eyes and ran at Ben full speed. He braces himself as she lunged at him. At the last minute, she ducked her head and rolled under him, causing him to flip out of the way. She grabbed her staff and planted it in the ground, cart wheeling upwards.

Ben had to whip his head back to avoid her boots rising up to kick him in the face.

Alexia was on her feet the next moment, and Ben smirked. "Very good, but you leave too many openings." He ran at her and performed a miraculous combo. Alexia managed to block the first two, but the next three made contact with her sides and her upper thigh.

Ben took this opportunity to grab her staff away from her and trip her. Alexia fell hard and winced.

Ben's stance slackened and he held out his hand to her. "You okay?"

Alexia ignored the hand and flipped up to her feet again. "I'm just fine." She spat out.

She moved past him to retrieve her things. Dan walked over to Ben. He sighed. "Ain't she perfect?" He said admiringly.

"Not quite." Ben said, watching her leave the training room. "But she's getting there."

The four pilots were in the hanger, going over the last minute touches before leaving for the depot. Dan looked over at Kitsune, with a frown, as she inserted the last pound of A-12 into the casing of the bomb. He couldn't place it, but the way she was bent over the work at hand, made her look familiar. He had memories of such a little girl…

Dan ran down the hallways, breathing hard and chest heaving. The building was set to go off at any moment and he had to get out of there. He looked over his shoulder at his partner. "Left here, correct!"

His partner shouted an affirmative reply and continued running. Dan turned the corner and spotted a small bundle with a braid, hunch over something. She looked up as she heard footsteps coming. She went on faster with her work as if trying to finish it. He came down and swooped her up, taking her away. "We gotta get out of here!" He didn't notice the absence of his partner behind him, when he exited the building.

"Let me go!" The girl spat, kicking him between the legs, making him double over in pain and dropping her immediately. She rolled and ran away.

"No! Wait! Come…" His sentence was cut off, by the building exploding, lighting the night in a brilliant display of orange and red. He looked around for his partner, and his heart stopped when he found he was alone…

Dan shook his head to clear away the past and walked up to Kitsune. "So Whatcha doin'?" He asked, annoyingly.

Kitsune glanced up over her shoulder. "I am assembling a weapon and if you would kindly leave me alone, I would finish it!"

Dan scratched his head in confusion and bent over the explosive. "What does this do?" He reached in and touched one of the many packages inside.

"Get your hands off! Do you want to blow us to the high heavens!?" She yelled, grabbing at his hands, before they came within proximity of the dangerous material. "If you had touch that particular device, it would have triggered the internal drive mechanism, which in turn would disable the secondary trigger lock, and that, my poor shrunken, and partially demented friend, would end up blowing you, me, and every living organism within a seven mile radius." She explained, patiently.

Dan blinked in confusion. "You could have said not to touch it." He shook his head with a sigh, and walked away.

Alexia looked over and saw Ben leaning up against the wall, staring out into nothing. She went over to him. "So, whatcha thinking about there, Ben?" She asked, leaning up against the wall next to him.

Ben blinked out of his reverie and looked up. "Huh? Oh, just thinking about…"

"…the upcoming mission?" Alexia finished for him, and grinned at his shocked expression.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

She shrugged casually. "Well, you seemed upset about what happened before." He stayed silent. "And you're probably afraid of a reoccurrence."

"Exactly." He whispered. "You seem to know me so well. Strange."

Alexia smiled. "Just don't worry about it. It's an easy in and out mission. We go in. We blow it up. We leave. Simple."

Ben snorted. "Nothing in this world is that simple. I had a mission like that before. We were supposed to go in and blow it up and get out." He stopped.

"But…?" Alexia urged him on.

"Something went wrong. The building blew ahead of time…and it wasn't even our charges. I ordered my men out, but it was too late. We jumped the gun going in and probably would have survived if I had been patient and wait for the signal. But when the choice came to go in and take care of the job…I decided…" He paused. "My decision made me lose ten men…only I survived." He said, sadly.

"And you're afraid you'll lose us that way too?" She questioned.

"It's bound to happen. I'm not meant to be a leader." He replied.

"Not if you keep talking like that you aren't." Alexia pushed herself off the wall and turned to face Ben. "We got minds of our own, we can think for ourselves. The whole responsibility for pulling through out of this alive does not befall you." She pointed out, then smirked. "Besides, if you say or do anything that isn't smart…I'm sure Crimson will point that out to you, many, many times."

Ben groaned. "I can't wait." He looked up. "Thanks." Then he laughed. "You always know what to say and how to say it."

Alexia shrugged. "What can I say? It's a gift."

Ben laughed, then stopped as Kitsune walked by at a fast pace, carrying her "toy" with her. "Would you leave me alone!?" She shouted.

Dan followed her step for step. "So, what does a secondary lock mechanism thingy do anyway?"

"It does…none of your business! Now go away!" Kitsune shouted.

Dan started to whine. "Awww!! Come on! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Please?" Alexia covered her ears, as his voice got higher.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Kitsune stopped, dead in her tracks, and motioned Dan closer. "Come here." She whispered. Dan leaned in. "JACK SHIT!"

Dan jumped backwards, falling humorously on his behind, making Ben and Alexia laugh. Kitsune nodded in satisfaction, and walked over to her Hell Bringer, loading up the explosive. Dan stayed there, dazed, with a constant humming, reverberating in his head.

Ben sweat dropped. "Okay people. Let's get this over with! We got a building to blow!"

There was an excited yelp from Hell Bringer, and Alexia smiled. "Whoever doesn't come back, buys dinner!"

They all laughed and got into their gundams headed straight for the depot.

A man dressed in all black, walked down the WFO's hallways, back straight, semi short black hair covering most of his brilliant, yet frightening blue eyes. His name: Terrik Avalon. He served General Kamran Yarseea as one of the lieutenants of White Fang. A master with knives and seemed to take pleasure in discovering new ways of inflicting pain and torture to the human body…seeing just how far one could be pushed and strained. He wore the lieutenant's uniform, geared up with several knives and other weapons around the waist, as proof of his hobby.

Terrik briskly entered the dimly lit room. General Yarseea stood in an "at ease" stance, looking out a window, the moon slightly illuminating his features. Terrik saluted in respect and waited for the General's reactions.

After a moment of silence, Kamran finally spoke. "Do you know why I have called you here?"

Terrik responded with full confidence. "The upcoming mission?"

Kamran kept his gaze straight ahead. "Good, you're competent as well. I'm surprised. Most of the soldiers here wouldn't know when to tie their own shoes if someone didn't tell them to." He turned to face the young soldier.

Terrik kept his face impassive. "Will you be going to oversee the operation at the depot?"

"No." He said curtly. "But I will be sending you in my place."

At this, Terrik stiffened. "Why, sir?"

"I believe those rookie pilots have no idea that our forces will be waiting for them at the depot. Therefore we must take advantage of the situation."

Terrik nodded. "Whatever you want done, I'm your man."

Kamran smiled slightly. "I've researched these pilots extensively, and incorporated what Kentos Lattis has said about them." He paused. "If the opportunity arises…" Hazel eyes met blue. "Bring back Alexia Lunaria…alive."

The three remaining pilots flew behind the explosives-laden Hellbringer, and once again communication was strictly between them selves. "Why does she always do this? " Dan asked, exasperated. Alexia sighed and rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, disabled munchkin? She always is fully concentrated on her mission! If she were to chatter like us, she might make a mistake."

"Oh, I see…so we're losers 'cause we talk? What a weenie!" The short pilot exclaimed.

"Bombs can be easily redirected, you know."

"What? How-" Dan asked in confusion.

"I didn't turn my comm. line off, baka. And besides, what would you know about weenies? You don't even have one!"

Alexia couldn't help but laugh.

Dan gasped at the comment. "I would like to inform you that I-huh?" He stopped mid sentence as his command console inform him of approaching danger. Dan's eyes widened when data began streaming down his view screen. "Hey! Listen up guys! We got 10 mobile suits at heading 556, due West, and coming in fast!"

Alexia growled. "Bring it on!"

"Continue advancing!" Ben ordered. "We still got a mission to complete!"

Kitsune nodded. "I'm on it." She replied, punching the levers forward, now running towards the depot. So, they knew we were coming. Well, that won't stop me! Bomb in one hand, Kitsune unsheathed her thermal scimitar, getting ready to confront any resistance.

The WFO mobile suit force came in low and fast. But this particular suit, make that gundam caught Kitsune's attention. She narrowed her eyes. "Kentos, you uragirimono."

Sure enough, Kardes Inferno came barreling in, leading the MS force in the ambush.

Alexia slammed down her hands and activated her wings. "Tojikomeru (Shut up) Kit and pay attention!"

"Nani? I was just complimenting him! TRAITOR!!!!"

Inside Kardes Inferno, Ken smirked. "You pilots were so easy to predict. And this time…" He gave the signal to attack. "You won't get away!" He engaged battle with Kitsune, while the demolitions expert held the explosive close. I have to get to that depot! It was only two hundred meters ahead.

Ben gritted his teeth and let loose an amazing show of swordsmanship by impaling one MS and eradicating another with a blast from his weapon.

Alexia was a blur of motion, running at three MS at once, heat saber at hand. With burniettes blazing behind her, and wings expanded, she flew over them, slicing at the first two in the chest and decapitating the last one.

She wiped off a bead of sweat. "That's three more to add to my kill list!"

Kitsune struggled to get past Kitsune. Kentos sighed. "Kitsune…I thought you were better than this." He taunted.

"I will blow up that depot." She replied gruffly, not letting her anger obscure her vision. She was set on one thing: completing her mission.

"You'll have to get through me then."

"So be it." And the battle continued.

Dan had one MS chasing him all over the battlefield. Either this guy is retarded, or he's got a serious death wish! Dan turned abruptly and shot off his weapon. The MS drove right into it, being incinerated immediately.

He let out a whoop of joy at his accomplishment. "This is almost too easy!"

"It's not over yet, 03!" Alexia shouted, fighting against another MS.

Kentos had obviously been training more, because Kitsune was having trouble and even loosing ground! Fighting with one hand was difficult, but she would not let go of the bomb.

Kentos saw her weakness. "That toy of yours looks heavy." He commented. "Allow me to remedy you of it!" He brought down his gundam's arms hard on the gundaniam arm wrapped around the bomb.

Kitsune was jostled in her cockpit and a horrible sight befell her charcoal eyes. The bomb…fell from her grasp. It fell through the air, landing with a giant impact down below. She flew down to see where it had landed and saw the arms and legs of mere children…crushed underneath it.

"Iie!!!" She cried out. All those children…gone. She shook her head of the coming memories. Not again!

Kitsune walked into the orphanage, darkness veiling the bodies of her dead friends. She dropped the supplies she had in her hand, and bent down to lift the head of one of the children. His nose was bloodied, but he wasn't much younger than her. She closed her eyes to stop the tears.

"Who could have done this?" She said to herself.

Everyone…all the kids she's known in the past couple years were here…dead.

Why? Why didn't she doe with the rest of them? Why was she spared? She should have died with them!

Kitsune held the body close to her, not caring about the blood that seeped through her clothes, its coldness touching her skin, making her shiver. Whoever did this was going to pay…

And pay dearly.

"How could you!?" She shouted. What was she going to do now? They still had a mission! But without the bomb…how were they going to…she stopped. She'd need a large explosion to take the whole thing out. And there was only one was to accomplish that! "You haven't won yet Kentos!"

"And what prêt ell do you plan to do? Why don't you just surrender and end this senseless fighting?" He said.

"Kentos? Go fuck yourself!" She shouted, blasting on her burniettes. Her aggressiveness caught him off guard, and she shoved him hard to the side, running straight towards the depot.

"What is she doing!?" Dan exclaimed.

Ben frowned, then caught on in horrid realization. "No! Kitsune! Don't do it!"

"We came here to do a job! Don't worry about me! Get out of here!" She shouted, not changing her course.

Alexia's face appeared before her. "Kit…"

"Listen, I wish you then best in love and all. And when it's your time to go…I'll see you in hell!" She hit the button and before everyone's eyes…Hellbringer self-destructed.

There was a series of explosions. Chambers and rooms over heated and exploded in the depot. Stored ammunition and charges exploded and it all went down in a fiery explosion.

Kentos smiled. "Well, I'll be damned. The girl had guts…"

"Noooo!!!" Alexia screamed as she saw the body of her friend to careening off to the side, into a nearby forest. She felt anguish fill her heart.

"Kitsune!!" Ben cried out.

Dan couldn't say anything. He never thought something like this would happen to one of them. His ignorant sense of invisibility vanished and hard cold reality kicked in.

"Dan! Go over there, and get Kitsune!" Ben ordered.

Dan frowned. "What? Are you crazy!? There's no way anyone could survived…"

"Just do it!" Alexia shouted. "She might still be alive! And if she is…she doesn't have much time left! Now go!"

Dan grumbled and started off to the forest. "How come I always get stuck with the stupid jobs…(mumble, mumble)…and why did she have to blow her self up?…(grumble, grumble)…"

He started searching though the foliage. He chose a nice place to stop and jump out, where he could search for Kitsune by himself. He moved around the rubble and debris, also throw in disarray by the blast. Finally, he saw a large black braid, sticking out of the debris.

Swiftly, he bent down and picked it up, heaving the bloodied body of Kitsune Maxwell off the ground. He turned to his comrades. "Found her."

Alexia's mad, yet relieved face came into his cockpit. "Good, now get her back to base, now!" Then, her image winked off.

Dan swore some curse words under his breath. He took her braid, and dragged her back up to the cockpit, not bothering to gently move her over the many bumps and dips along the way. Loading her up and strapping her in, he started up his burniettes and made for space.

"She's gonna own me big time for this." He looked at her, unconscious and barely alive, and allowed himself a small smile. He wouldn't admit it, but he too was overjoyed that she had made it through. Though in what condition was still to be discovered.

Kentos allowed Lone Star to leave the atmosphere of the colony. He didn't bother to go after them…he doubted the young bomb crazy girl would even survive…so in the end the result is the same. They were down to three and there was no way they could resist WFO now.

Alexia was jostled again in her cockpit, engaged in yet another stalemate against the WFO MS. She wrenched down on the levers and maneuvered to the side. She growled in growing frustration. "Come on! Is that all you got?" She shouted over the comm. line trying desperately to anger the pilot into making a mistake.

But it wasn't working. The enemy pilot hadn't said anything back in retort. And Alexia was loosing ground. She would have to think of something and fast. Before she could even begin to plan a counterattack, a second MS came up behind her, striking her viciously, making her fall forward into the first MS that she had just been fighting moments before. That MS punched her hard in the stomach, causing Psychic Soul to get slammed down hard onto its back.

"Chikuso! (Dammit!)" She cursed, trying to get back to her feet.

The other two MS would not allow that, and held her down as ground troops surrounded her gundam.

Half a dozen soldiers ran to the cockpit, and opened it from the outside. Alexia glared at them and made a move for her firearm.

"Oh no you don't. Don't even try it." One said, aiming his own gun at her. "Get out nice and slowly."

"How about you die nice and slowly? Preferably shot between the –ahh!" Two other guards unbuckled the harness and dragged her out of the gundam. "Get your fucking hands off me, asshole!" She threw a kick to the side, causing one soldier to go flying off the gundam. She backhanded another, breaking his jaw and knocking a few teeth out too.

"Get her under control!!" The leader said.

"Fat chance, you bastard!! I ain't going down without a fight!" She exclaimed. Two more guards came up behind her and held her arms out to the sides. "Get the fuck away from me!" She struggled to be released from the hold they had on her.

The leader shut Alexia up by running the butt of his rifle into her head, knocking her unconscious.

"Alexia!" Ben cried out, pushing Kardes Inferno out of the way in an attempt to get to her.

"Get her out of here!" The leader said. The soldiers nodded and took her to a transport, headed back to WFO headquarters.

"No!!" Ben used his burniettes to slam into Kentos again, but he got no closer to Alexia. I can't just leave her! He thought. He looked down at the fallen Psychic Soul sadly, then up at the departing transport. He gritted his teeth. "I will be back to find you, I swear." He bent down, picked up Psychic Soul…and retreated.

"After him!" The leader said.

"No, let him go." Terrik said, materializing out of the shadows. "We have something much more valuable for the General to see. Mission complete.

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