Ok. I am soooooooooo sorry this took so long. I guess I just got distracted. Still the next part's here now and I've transfered it to a computer that I actually use, so hopefully the next part will not take quiet so long... Bye!
Enigma O
Now fully clothed, Duo made his way downstairs, mindful of his untied shoe laces. Below him, the other pilots were waiting. Rather impatiently in certain, Chinese, cases.
"Duo!!!" The flying form of Kasana hit him before he was half way down. This had the unfortunate side, or rather head first, effect of sending him crashing down the stairs.
"Ah!" he grumbled, rubbing his head. "I couldn't just trip over my shoelaces like a normal person. Nooooooo. I had to trip over my best friend's sister." His attempt at standing was thwarted by a weight on his feet. Looking down, he witched in minor astonishment as Kasana finished tying his shoe laces. Satisfied with her knot work, she reached up and patted him on the head, before returning to her brother's side. Standing with a great deal more success, he followed Heero outside.
"So, mister perfect soldier. Figured out how they found us yet?"
"Hn"
"I figured as much." He grinned, then waggled a finger at Heero. "Did widdle Heewo forget to encwipd da message did he?" Heero growled.
"There were no faults with my encryption algorithm. However, Doctor J was not so efficient."
"Woah! He didn't encrypt it properly?!"
"He didn't encrypt it."
"Man. What a slacker. Well, if he trained you, I guess that explains why you never wash the dishes properly…"
Heero glared and reached for his gun. "Omae o koro…so." He looked at what he was holding. A small, blue, teddy bear. He blinked, dimly aware that Duo was laughing. Following his gaze, he saw why.
A few feet away, still tucked safely under her oblivious brothers arm, stood Kasana. She was twirling the gun around her finger in much the same manner as Heero had once seen a cowboy do in an old western film. She was doing fairly well, at least up until the gun went off.
A loud bang echoed through the surrounding forest. Fortunately the gun was pointing harmlessly up in the air at the time. Heero held out his hand and Kasana returned the weapon sheepishly, reclaiming her teddy bear.
"Omae o koro.. ahrg." For the second time in as many minutes, Heero's favorite phrase was cut off. This time by an irate Quatra, twisting his arm up behind his back.
"Never, ever threaten my sister if you value your limbs and genitalia."
Heero looked at the manic gleam in his eyes and decided he was serious. Or at least as serious as one could get when bordering on insanity. He shook himself loose from the homicidal maniac in training.
"We'd best get going. If you plan on reaching the Gundams in time that is. Of course, if you plan on getting caught by those troops, keep up your game of rough and tumble." Wufei called back from where he was fast disappearing up the track, Trowa and Duo not far behind him.
Heero turned to drag Quatra after them, only to find the blond boy missing. Further inspection revealed that he had been Quatra-napped by a high-speed projectile. A.K.A Kasana. It also revealed that exactly 23 enemy troops, alerted by Kasana's cowboy impersonation gone bang, were converging on his position.
Deciding that it was time for a change of tactics, or to actually come up with some, Heero turned and ran for his life.
They soon reached the Gundams, their speed as much due to the threat of imminent demise as years of rigorous training. Or maybe they were all just on an adrenaline high. What ever it was, it did the trick.
They climbed in, strapped down and turned on quickly. Standing to face the enemy as they approached. Far below, Kasana hid in the crack of the cliff that had served as the hiding place for Wing Zero. She smiled with pride as she looked up at the machines, and reached out her thoughts to give Quatra a mental hug before the fighting started.
It was returned swiftly as Sandrock moved into formation.
Encouraged by her success, she turned her affection onto the other pilots. All in all, their reactions were a lot more interesting. Wing Zero stopped dead for a moment, before turning a mechanical glare on her. Heavy arms visibly jumped, causing a minor earth quake, while Deathscyth Hell waved. All this was nothing compared to the small tidal wave as Altron fell in the lake.
In hind sight this was fortunate seeing as it caused the spray of the chemical weapon to miss. Instead it landed on the grass near Kasana, turning it into a black and smelly mess.
The communications screens of the Gundams flashed to life as Quatra's worried face appeared.
"Watch out! It must be the prototype of the weapon we're to destroy. We have to get away, now!"
Considering that we're talking about a bunch of teenage boys, they all agreed to this plan with remarkable speed. Or maybe it was the manic gleam in Quatra's eyes as he checked to ensure Kasana was unhurt.
The enemy suits closed in fast. Gunfire rattling harmlessly of the tough armor of the five Gundams. Their own suits were less able to cope with the counter attacks.
Several fell under Wing Zero and Heavyarms' first volley of gunfire, while Altron's flame throwers ignited the fuel in others. For many troops, the deadly green glow of Hell's scythe was the last thing they saw, as it sliced easily through the thick metal of their suits.
And for those unfortunate enough to maneuver too close to a crack in the hill side, death came quickly and violently as Sandrock's heat shotels flashed through the air.
The numbers of the enemy were diminishing quickly, desperation and fear building in those remaining. That desperation and fear, as it often does in mankind, united them. As one they lunged forward, pushing their inferior suits to their limits in the attack.
Kasana screamed as the rocks around her began to crumble. Dirt and dust clouded the air, blinding her and making it near impossible to dodge the larger rocks and boulders that were crashing down. One fell less than a meter from where she stood. Scared and blinded, she turned and ran for the one thing she could always see. Her brother.
Once she was clear of the crumbling hill she slowed and looked around her. Wing Zero, Heavy arms and Altron were still standing. Together they held off the enemy, crashing through the formation as it rapidly fell apart. Nearer the lake, Deathscyth hell struggled to stand, a large portion of it's leg eaten away by the chemical that had burnt the grass she stood on.
She spun round as something came crashing down behind her. The enemy suit regained its footing, pausing for a moment as the pilot spotted her, then it raised its gun. The weapon was huge, she could clearly see up the barrel. Again the pilot hesitated, unsure of her part in the conflict. She took advantage of the opportunity.
Her mind lashed out, searching for the pilot. She didn't know him or her, that made it harder, and the metal of the suit served to deflect a lot of the powerful mental thrust. Still, it was more than enough to stun the soldier.
The suit staggered back, the pilot reeling from the blow. Instinctively she tightened her grip on the controls in a desperate attempt to steady herself from the wave of vertigo that had struck her. As her fingers tightened, they pressed down on the switch.
Kasana watched in horror as the massive suit tightened it's grip on the trigger. Raising her hands to her head, she flinched as she waited for the bullets.
For a few, terrifying seconds there was a deafening clanging sound around her. As it stopped, she uncurled to find herself in a pool of shadow. Above her towered Sandrock, it's hand cupped protectively around her. For a brief second, Quatra's mind rapped around her, calming her heart rate and breathing, checking for injuries. Then it was gone as Sandrock turned on the enemy suit.
Sandrock was not designed for speed, or for hand to hand fighting, but among the Gundams it had the most shear power behind it. Quatra put this to use as he slammed bodily into the other suit, sending them both crashing in to the hill. He slammed first one fist, then another into what passed for it's head, crushing it. Drawing back briefly, he slammed into it's body again with his shoulder. Ignoring the pain as he was thrown around. His blow was well aimed, the suit's fuel tanks were ruptured and it exploded, throwing him to the ground.
The others watched, still awe struck, as Quatra stood. Sandrock's armor had protected it well, apart from some scratches it was undamaged. Gently, it reached down to allow Kasana to climb onto its hand, before turning towards the Deathscyth Hell. The other pilots followed, converging on the damaged suit.
Coughing slightly, Duo opened the hatch and climbed out of the smoking cockpit to meet the others. A quick glance at his Gundam's left leg told him that he was in for a lot of repair work.
"Duo!"
The violent glomp threw him backwards, causing him to land heavily on his cute little ass. He sighed slightly and disentangled himself from the concerned blond, managing to stand before he was again tackled to the ground. This time by Kasana.
"Like brother like sister. Hey guys!"
"Hn"
"…"
"Maxwell you baka!"
"Are you OK?"
Duo rolled his eyes, "Well I see you guys are fine. Better than Deathscyth any way." A not so distant rumbling alerted him to another, not so distant, problem. "Wow, they're either really determined, or complete and utter idiots. The odds favor the latter."
"Get out of here."
Duo turned to stare at Heero. "Huh?"
"Get out of here. We'll handle the enemy and meet you back at the new safe house."
"Uh-uh, Heero. No way. This little Shinigami's going to war. He's gonna go over there and destroy the big bad mobile suits with his friends. Then they'll all go home and live happily ever after. Well until the mean ol' Wu-man next tries to impale him on his big ol' sword! Which as fun as it might be, can be painful at times!"
"DUO!!!!"
"… Ok, that bit came out wrong." Duo looked sheepishly over to where Kasana had his hands firmly clamped over Quatra's ears. "Um Kasana, I think he's a bit old for that. Besides he can lip read." He added, noticing Quatra snigger.
There were many more comments Duo wanted to make, all rude crude and utterly hilarious, for any one who wasn't Wufei at least. Unfortunately, he didn't get the chance. Heero took it instead, and used it to shove him into the cock pit. Now this could have been a lot of fun… except that it was in fact spelt 'cockpit' instead of 'cock pit'. All in all less enjoyable.
Things soon went from 'less enjoyable' to 'ouch', something that tends to happen when your best friend forcibly deposits his sister in your lap. Especially when Kasana started to climb all over him, intent on exploring the small space. Sighing in resignation Duo looked at the others out side the hatch.
"Please Duo, get her out of here." Duo sighed.
"Y'know Q, the puppy dog eyes are an unfair advantage."
"That's why I use them."
"Fine, fine. But if your not back in two hours I coming to get ya."
"Thank you Duo, we'll be fi-KASANA!!!!!"
The cockpit suddenly got a lot more cramped as one Quatra Rebarber Winner dived inside.
Trowa, Heero and Wufei looked, cautiously, round the hatch.
"Kasana, This is the self-destruct button. You do not, ever, ever press this. Ever!
Kasana kissed him on the cheek, before shoving him out on the cockpit.
