Ch.21
Out in the woods, in a small cabin in the eastern mountain region, breakfast was being cooked. Inside an old man was cooking while a young teenager slept a bed. The young teenager had blue hair and was covered in bandages. He slept there for two months straight. Suddenly the boy woke up looking to the side as he saw an old man with short white hair, a brown leather jacket, old blue jeans, and brown boots.
Old woodsmen-"So you're awake."
Boy-".Whe-re."
Old woodsmen-"Save your strength, you were injured pretty bad."
Boy-"*Sigh*"
Old woodsmen-"Though I am impressed that someone like you with that many injuries is still alive."
Boy-".So.I am.still alive."
Old woodsmen-"I told you to save your strength."
Boy-"I'd rather die than live."
Old woodsmen-".I see. Though giving up so easily will not get you anywhere."
Boy-"What do mean by that?"
Old woodsmen-"You're giving up too easily without putting up a decent fight. People have changed and now'a days they want to die to leave their miserable life."
Boy-"Who are you to judge? Ugh!"
Old woodsmen-"I was a rebel once, though I was used and I soon fought for what my heart believed in. I never gave up in my destiny."
Boy-".Who are you?"
Old woodsmen-"First you tell me who you are."
Boy-".Leo Yugo."
Old woodsmen-".Call my Yuy."
Leo-".Kind of a strange name for an old man."
Yuy-"I would say the same for you boy."
Leo-"Sorry.well I have to get going, OW!"
Yuy-"Your wounds have not fully recovered. You'll have to stay in bed a little longer."
Leo-"I guess I have no choice."
Yuy carried a bowl of soup toward Leo. He then set a bed table for him from which he ate off. Leo slowly ate all of the soup.
Yuy-"So you're a gundam pilot huh?"
Leo-"."
Yuy-"Do not be alarmed, I will not report you to anyone."
Leo-".How did I get here?"
Yuy-"Seems you don't remember very well do you. One day about two months ago, I saw you walking through the forest in agony. You then fell down to the ground and stopped moving. You were lucky I was around to save your life. I bandaged you and took care of you since then."
Leo-".I don't seem to remember how walked all the way to the forest but at least I know I'm living."
Yuy-"Just be glad that you are living. Life can not be wasted; you must make the best of it even if life will come to an end. I learned that a long time ago."
Leo-"I can see that. Ugh! It seems that I may be stuck here for a while."
Yuy-"Make the best of your stay, it isn't often I get visitors."
Leo-"No kidding, being way out here in the woods. I doubt it if anyone comes around into this region."
A day had passed as Leo started to walk again. His wounds began to recover though his left arm was weaker than before. The explosion broke most of his left arm though his arm recovered in time. Leo had then finally recovered from his injuries. He then started packing up and began on his journey.
Leo-"My wounds have finally recovered. I think I'll be heading off soon."
Yuy-"What will you do without a gundam to stop KANZ?"
Leo-"It isn't the gundams that will stop them but those who believe in total peace."
Yuy-".You're smarter than look. But if you need a suit I recommend you go to this location."
Mr. Yuy held out his hand with a map in his palm.
Yuy-"Go to this location and you may find something that will help you on your journey."
Leo-".Thanks."
Leo took off into the forest heading west. Though he knew what laid ahead of him in his journey.
Hours had passed and he finally reached a small town by the ocean.
Leo-"Now let's see what this map says.so whatever I'm supposed to find should be in the Sahara desert in Africa. Guess I better pack some sun screen."
He quickly went toward an airport. The old man gave him money for his journey; he had enough just to make it to Africa and to live on. As he made his way toward the airport, he spotted a military airbase nearby. It belonged to KANZ.
Dusk had fallen upon the sky; the airbase was about to make their last shipment to space. Though in a few moments, there was an explosion within the base. Soldiers quickly reacted to the fire as they tried to put it out. Cargo planes took off for safety measures. Though one plane was not heading for space, it was heading west.
Leo-"That was almost to easy. I should be in Africa in no time. But I wonder, what will I find in Africa that old man said would help me?"
Ch.22
Weeks had passed since Michelle reunited with the pilots. The four pilots kept a low profile, and have been rebelling against KANZ. Though Michelle was still without a gundam.
Chris-"So what are we going to do? Michelle doesn't have Deathscythe anymore."
Old man-"You just let me worry about that. I'm having her run a little errand right now."
Chris-"Well anyhow, we're still without a fifth member. Any ideas doc?"
Old man-"We'll have to do with what we have. Michelle may have to sit a few battles out until we can find a replacement or find a way to get Deathscythe back."
Chris-".So doc, what did you send Michelle to do?"
Out in the military base of the mountain region, a new shipment of mobile suits had just arrived. Workers guided the jet into cargo bay. Though one of these workers was rather slim, had long black hair and the worker was a woman. She wore a white uniform, a white cap, she had guide sticks, and as she looked up, her eyes were a dark shade of purple.
Worker-"Hey you, new girl!"
New girl-".Yes sir?"
Worker-"You're doing a good job there, but be careful, one wrong move could cause damage to the suits. Got that?"
New girl-"Got it. (Though that's what I'm planning to do)."
The cargo plane had finally stopped and unloaded the cargo. The woman quickly went behind a crate.
New girl-"Looks like they shipped in a new load of serpents. Just as I guessed. Though they won't be here for long once I'm done with this job. I'm only here just to get some spare cash for myself.and to do a little havoc as well."
The woman quickly took out some explosives from the inside of her uniform. She carefully sneaked up on the new load making sure not to be caught. She planted the bomb on the artillery of the suit.
As the day passed, the woman took her paycheck and left. As she got in her car, she drove off. While driving, she took off her cap, took out a cigarette, lighted it, and smoked.
New girl-"I know it's a bit early for the 4th of July but it's never too early."
The woman pulled out a detonating trigger from her pocket and pressed the button on it. When she pressed the button, the entire military base blew sky high. The young woman drove off back toward Tokyo.
During the time, back out in space. Leilong looked out the window of his ship.
Leilong-"Soon enough sister, the time will come when you must serve me. But for the time being, I'll let you have your fun. But enjoy your freedom while it lasts."
Soldier-"Sir, the Tokyo military air base has just been destroyed."
Leilong-".I see."
Soldier-"But sir, a whole shipment of serpent suits had been destroyed."
Leilong-"Just a minor casualty. It lacks in comparison with what I'm developing."
Soldier-"Yes sir."
Leilong-"Tell me, how is the construction on Epsilon going and how long till it's complete?"
Soldier-"At this rate, Epsilon will be completed by the New Year."
Leilong-"Good, only three months away until my dream will come true."
Soldier-"Also sir, what shall we do with the gundam that we have in storage?"
Leilong-"A gundam is a powerful weapon and should not be wasted. I want to test the suits abilities myself later on."
Soldier-"You mean.you're going to pilot it?"
Leilong-"My sister will want to retrieve her suit soon. Though she'll be getting more than she asked for."
Soldier-"I understand sir, we'll prepare the suit soon."
Hours later, within the ship. Deathscythe had been fully repaired since after the incident and was being prepared for combat. Leilong was in a space suit and headed toward Deathscythe. He then entered the cockpit and took control over the suit. It was launched out into space then afterward.
Leilong-"This suit seems to be highly capable of fast maneuvers by the way it is designed but let's just see how this suit does in combat. Send out the mobile dolls, level 10."
Soldier-"Are you sure your Excellency, you still haven't become comfortable with this suit."
Leilong-"Don't worry about me, worry more about the cost of the damages that will be done to the mobile dolls."
Twelve serpent suits had been sent out and had been programmed to destroy Deathscythe. The suits began fire on the suit, but in an instant Deathscythe quickly dodged the assault. Deathscythe then charged straight toward the suits while dodging fire. The suit quickly slashed and destroyed three suits within two seconds. Leilong quickly set his sights on the last remaining suits.
Leilong-"This is almost too easy."
Deathscythe charged toward the other suits and slashed each one. He had done critical damage to each of the suits and destroyed all. The test had finally ended and Leilong eased himself.
Leilong-"This suit is highly capable in battle. It's no wonder why it stood a chance against Epyon though it lacks in defense. But I could make room for a suit like this."
Soldier-"Sir, the data shows that the suit is capable of stealth and instant kill techniques."
Leilong-".Well, Michelle will want her old friend back. But she will get more than she bargain for."
Soldier-"Sir, I also detected something else within the system but it seems abnormal. What should I do?"
Leilong-"These gundams were designed for incredible power, whatever this thing it maybe the one of the key elements to the suits power."
Soldier-"I understand."
Later, back in Tokyo. Michelle had returned to base reporting a successful mission.
Old man-"So you accomplished your mission."
Michelle-"Yeah, it was a blast."
Chris-"I bet it was, too bad I didn't get to see it. I like watching fireworks."
Michelle-"Too bad for you then Chris. So any info on Deathscythe yet?"
Chris-"Nada. The military files are too secured. I can't hack into it."
Michelle-".Brother always had his ways of keeping things real top secret. But I can't believe."
Blake-"Hey, don't worry about that. Will find a way to stop your brother."
Michelle-".It's just."
Chan-"Just forget about it, that is what my grandfather had taught me. You must forget the past and look only toward the future. Looking back will only bring sadness."
Chris-"Yeah. Anyhow you stink!"
Michelle-"The hell you mean by that?"
Chris-"How hard have you've been working?"
Michelle-"I worked the whole day out in the hot sun. But I guess I do kind of need a shower. For the next hour I'll be taking my bath."
Chris-"The next hour!"
Michelle quickly grabbed her robe from her room and went inside the bathroom locking the door.
Michelle-"Ah! Nothing like a nice hot bath to make a woman's skin beautiful."
As the time went by, Chris banged on the bathroom door.
Chris-"Hey! You've been in there for over an hour and a half. At least how long does it take you just to get yourself clean?"
Michelle-"You don't understand, you're a man. I'm a woman and a woman's skin must be properly washed in order for it to be smooth and clean."
Chris-"Well don't take all day!"
Michelle laid her head back and closed her eyes. She began to have another dream. She was back at the burning of her home.
Michelle's father-"You monster!"
Young man-"I am greatly sorry father but this is my destiny. Nothing can change that, not even you."
The young man held his sword and thrust it through his father's chest. He then pulled out his heart, threw it in the air, and then sliced it in half. Michelle stood there as the young man walked away. But as he was walking, he turned and noticed Michelle. He lifted his head with his dark violet eyes.
Michelle-"(Leilong)."
As she continued to dream, she began to hear banging noises.
Chris-"Dammit bitch! You've been in there for two and a half hours straight."
Michelle-"All right already."
She raised from the tub, grabbed a towel, dried herself, and put on her robe. She then opened the door and looked at Chris.
Michelle-"The bathroom is all yours now."
Chris-"Finally."
Michelle then walked off and went into her room. She slammed the door and locked it.
Chan-"Hey Blake, how come she has her own room?"
Blake-"For one Chan, she's a girl. Woman need their privacy."
Hours later, at dinnertime, the pilots headed out for dinner. They went to the pub downtown and had a drink.
Michelle-"So Leo is still alive huh?"
Old man-"We're not sure but there may be a chance."
Michelle-".This all my fault."
Chris-"Hey don't say that."
Michelle-"But it's true, I didn't listen to Leo.and because of me you guys had to rescue me from Epyon. He defeated you all one by one. And it was my fault that Leo had to self-destruct."
Chris-"Michelle, it wasn't your fault. We all came because of you yes. Leo came for the same reason but in the process he began fighting us. Leo destroyed himself because he didn't want to hurt others anymore. He made that decision on his own and you had nothing to do with it."
Chan then saw that tears came down Michelle's face.
Michelle-".I.joined because.I was.lonely."
Chris-"We'll always be there for you, through the bad and he good times no matter what."
Blake-"Yeah, you have to enjoy life while you're still at it. And we'll always be there if you're in jam."
Michelle-".Thanks."
Michelle got up and went outside. As she looked out into the night sky, the moon was full and the stars were shining brighter than ever.
Jason-"Beautiful aren't they?"
Michelle-".Yeah.Jason?"
Jason-"Ever since I was a child, I had always dreamed of traveling amongst the stars."
Michelle-".Every time I look into the full moon, I see myself."
Jason-"In what way."
Michelle-".My dad once told me.a story about a beautiful young woman who lived among the moon and stars. The young lady was pure of heart and carefree. He said that I was like that. But now'a days.I wonder if I'm like that anymore."
Jason-"Sounds like you were different back then."
Michelle-".Yes, I was happy child with no worries. But I now know that you can never always be carefree. I learned that a pure heart does not have the power to stop a war."
Jason-"Depends."
Michelle-".Depends on what?"
Jason-"Depends on how you use your pure heart. With all that has happen to you, your heart has been poisoned with the plaque of war. But no matter how much you change, you will always be yourself."
Michelle-"Well that makes no sense."
Jason-"In lame terms, no matter how much you change, you will always be regular old Michelle to me."
Michelle-".Thanks.Jason."
As they stood there, the others were watching from inside.
Chris-"I think he's growing on her."
Chan-"No kidding."
Blake-"Ah, true love, two souls meeting together and will never leave each other for eternity."
Chan-"More than to say Blake."
Blake-"I like romances. Though it's best not to watch them, it's rude to watch."
Chris-"I agree. Anyhow, drinks are on me!"
The night went on, the pilots soon returned to base.
Elsewhere, out in the middle of the Sahara desert. A young man in a cape journey across the desert.
Young man-"Man, the heat is killing me. But I can't give up. I have to get back to the others no matter what. And once I get back, I'll settle my score with Cloud."
As the young man walked, he noticed a fort nearby in the east direction. He headed towards there. He approached the door and knocked.
Young man-"Anybody there? Hello!"
There was no answer. But just when the young man walked away, someone called out.
Soldier-"Are you friend or foe?"
Young man-"Depends who you guys are!"
Soldier-".We are the rebel group of the federation."
Young man-"(The federation)? So you're enemies of KANZ."
Soldier-"They can go to hell for all we care."
Young man-"Guess I'm friend."
Soldier-".Wait there!"
In a few moments, the door was opened. The young man entered the fort but not only to find but military weaponry. The fort only contained two mobile suits within it and had little firepower.
Young man-"So you guys are with the federation huh? They're supposed to be the Galactic Alliance's military group that opposes KANZ and preserve the peace throughout the system."
Soldier-"Correct, we have been fighting for the Federation for a long time. Though since KANZ has arrived, the Federation has gotten weaker. Most of our troops have been eliminated by them."
Young man-"Seems like you're going through tough times."
Soldier-"Yes, we are. We barely have any suits left. Most of them are down below in the underground cargo bay. Though we're able to stay alive and fight till the end."
Young man-".Seems like you're trying to accomplish a goal there."
Soldier-"Yes, my goal is to fight till the end and destroy KANZ."
Young man-"Isn't the same for all of us."
The soldier guided the young man to the cafeteria.
Soldier-"So what's your name stranger?"
Young man-".Leo."
Soldier-"Nice to meet you. So what's a guy like you doing way out here in the desert?"
Leo-".I'm on a quest."
Soldier-"Well if you're trying to find anything here then good luck, you'll need it."
Leo-"Why do you say that?"
Soldier-"There's nothing out there but sand. The heat is deadly by day but the cold is even deadlier by night."
Leo-"Believe me, I've experienced worse."
Soldier-".Like how?"
Leo-"I don't want to talk about it. Well anyhow, do you happen to know where this location is? I'm kinda lost."
Soldier-"Let me see.where you're heading is.Skull Graveyard!"
At that moment, everyone in the cafeteria froze in a dead silence. They began to stare at Leo.
Leo-"Seems like you know this place."
Soldier-"And I best advise that you don't go there."
Leo-"Why?"
Soldier-"They say.they say that a mobile suit guards the area from thieves who wish to steal the mysterious treasure that lies within the center of the graveyard. The one thing is that the suit has no pilot and destroys anything that tries to steal the treasure. All who have tried never made it out alive."
Leo-".Sounds fun."
Soldier-"Are you looking forward to a deathwish? I said that no one has ever made it out alive!"
Leo-"I know. But tell me, what does this suit look like?"
Soldier-"They say that the suit looks like an angel but with evil green eyes."
Leo-".Thanks for the info, oh, and by the way.which direction is it to this graveyard?"
Soldier-".30 degrees west from here."
Leo-"I'll be leaving soon, but in the meantime I may stay a while."
Leo soon supplied himself and soon left to continue his journey.
Ch.23
Weeks had passed; the pilots had continued their usual routine.
Chan-"*Yawn*.man things are really starting to get boring around here."
Chris-"Wish things could get more exciting around here."
Blake-"Leo hasn't even shown up yet. Maybe he is dead."
Chris-"Don't you ever say that, I swear to god I'm gonna."
Chan-"Calm down Chris, Leo is alive and we all know that."
Chris-".I wonder how he's doing?"
Just then, the old man came in and assigned the pilots for an assignment.
Old man-"We had just found the location of where Deathscythe was being held."
Chris-"Alright, finally some action."
Old man-"Don't think this is going to be any regular mission. Where the suit is being held is at Rome. The security there is impressively good. The base is located three miles south from Rome."
Chan-"I heard about that base, the Trojan base. That place is locked up tight and the security there is good. It would be considered suicide to try to break in."
Chris-"Well anyhow, where's Michelle?"
Blake-"She said she had some errands to run."
Out in the vastness of the mountains, Michelle stood on a cliff looking out into the distance. She held a violet in her hand.
Michelle-".For as long as I can remember, I have always carried this violet with me."
The violet was planted in a pot. Michelle held on to it as if it were a baby.
Michelle-"Father, I will always treasure your gift that you given to me."
Jason-"A little memory of your father."
Michelle-"How come you always have to follow me? That is considered rude not to mention creepy."
Jason-"I'm just looking out for you."
Michelle-"I'm fine thank you."
Jason-".Can't stop thinking about him, your brother."
Michelle-"I just can't believe that."
Jason-"That he would betray his own family. You'll eventually end up fighting him to the death though I don't know if you would survive a battle with him."
Michelle-"What do you mean by that?"
Jason-"If I'm right, your brother enjoyed using mobile suits right."
Michelle-"He was always the adventurous type. He loved a good challenge. Our father bought him a virtual reality mobile suit battle system when he was only seven. He loved the history of mobile suits. Father would sometimes take us to MS battles, though during that time, only rich people could afford a single suit with basic weapons. Brother would always go on that simulator just for the enjoyment. I sometimes would go against him on the simulator. To me it was another stupid old video game but to him it was his destiny."
Jason-"I can see."
Michelle-"Father finally gave him a prize mobile suit which he designed for him himself. It cost father an enormous amount of money. Brother was only eleven when he got his gift, I was only eight."
Jason-"What was the name of the suit?"
Michelle-".He named it the White Knight. Its power was incredible; father even let him participate in MS battles.he won every battle he has ever participated in. But the day our home was burned, he never used the suit to protect us. He used its power against us. I saw him with my very own eyes. It was a full moon during that night; my family was having a banquet. At exactly eight o'clock, an armada of mobile suits came upon the area surrounding my home. The armada was being lead by Leilong. The suits began fire upon my home. I couldn't do anything. But as I saw that suit I said to myself that it couldn't have been him it couldn't. Then as I ran to the forest, I saw him right behind me. He stood before father and drew out his sword. He thrust it into his chest and pulled out his heart. He then.he then.he.then.threw it up in the air.and sliced it.in half."
Tears came down her face as she continued.
Michelle-"From then on, my soul had died. I had forgotten who I really was."
Jason-"So that's why you became who you are now. That is the reason you became a gundam pilot."
Michelle-".I better get going. We're leaving for Rome. You can join us if you like?"
Jason-"What? Is that an invitation I'm hearing?"
Michelle-"Just a suggestion.oh by the way."
Jason-"What?"
Michelle came up close to Jason and put her hand on his shoulder.
Jason-"Is this.a little gift for my kindness?"
Michelle-"You could say that. Now close your eyes and you'll get a big surprise."
Jason closed his eyes. The minute he did, Michelle slammed him onto the floor and put her foot on his chest.
Michelle-"I don't have good sense of humor. You got that?"
Jason-"Ugh! Got it."
She took her foot off him and walked back into her car. She put her sunglasses on, lighted a cigarette, and took off. Jason slowly got up. He then walked toward his motorcycle, put on his helmet, and followed Michelle.
As Michelle drove, she noticed two vehicles from behind. A car and a van had been following her. As the two vehicles came closer, the van opened the side door and a man with a machine gun in his hand began to fire. The car from the other side began to fire as well.
Michelle-"Shit! What the hell is this?"
The two vehicles closed in on her. Though Michelle quickly opened her glove compartment and pulled out a gun. She began to fire back but the two vehicles rammed her causing her to miss. Out from behind, Jason came on his motorcycle. He pulled out a grenade, pulled off the clip, and threw it inside the van. The van exploded and went off a ridge. Soon two other cars came from behind and attempted to ram into the cycle. Jason was about to be roadkill. Michelle slowed down and had Jason jump in.
Jason-"KANZ spies, looks like your brother really misses you."
Michelle-"The hell is it these days? Everyone is always following me for no god damn reason."
Jason-"They never said that life was going to be simple. In your case, your life is completely screwed."
Michelle-"Maybe I should've let you become roadkill back there."
The three cars ganged up on the Michelle. They began to fire and made bullet dents on her car.
Michelle-"Hey! This is an Afterburner 50,000. This cost me 3 million bucks you assholes."
Jason-"More like you stole this."
Michelle-"Actually the upgrade job cost me that much."
Michelle then pressed one of the buttons on her steering wheel. A miniature rocket launcher came up from the trunk and fired at the car behind. She then pressed another button activating the NOS. The car flew away from the remaining two. Though they also had NOS and caught up.
Michelle-"What the hell is it with guys these days?"
Jason-"You're telling me, trouble follows you like a lost puppy."
Michelle-"You want me to throw you off?"
The three cars approached a railroad from the side of the road. A train crossing was coming up and there was a train approaching at a high speed.
Jason-"We'll never make it."
Michelle-"You wanna bet $1000 for that?"
Michelle quickly pushed Jason to the back seat. She then lifted the cushion of the passenger front seat; there were two large tanks of NOS under it. She turned the valves releasing the NOS and went into fourth gear as she pressed the NOS button. She barely made it before the train did but as for the other two cars, they ran straight into the train's path.
Jason-"*Huff*.*huff*.*huff*.guess *huff* I owe you one."
Michelle-"You owe me $1000 on my little bet."
Jason-"We didn't agree on it."
Michelle-"You can either pay or become roadkill. Though you would look good as a door mat."
Jason-"That's harsh."
Michelle-"You want to live or not?"
Jason-".Guess I owe you. How do I get myself into these things?"
Michelle drove back to the base and packed up her things. Jason just stood there in the front door waiting.
Old man-"So you're coming along?"
Jason-"I'm being forced to come along against my will. My suit will arrive shortly."
Just then, a suit carrier truck arrived at the base. Tallgeese was on there.
Chris-"Okay, let's just get some things straight here pretty boy. Number one, I don't trust ya one bit. Two, I'll be keeping a close eye on you. Three, don't try to pull any smart moves. And four, we are short a captain though you won't be taking Leo's spot. I Have already took charge as the team captain."
Blake-"You just decided that now Chris? We haven't even discussed about that yet."
Chris-"Shut the fuck up man. Leo chose me for second in command so that means if he ever ends up missing I'm supposed to take charge."
Michelle-"(Like that'll do any good)."
Chris-"If you have anything to say woman then say it in my face."
Michelle-".Nah! It's only a waste of time to insult a piece of trash like you."
Blake-"Man, she dissed you."
Chris-"I though I said to shut up!"
Old man-"Quit arguing or I may be force to settle this myself."
Chris-".Just get your suit loaded. We'll be leaving in an hour and a half."
Jason-"Humph! I think that guy would be perfect for you Michelle."
Michelle-"The day I marry him will be the same exact day you get to fuck a sick donkey."
Michelle walked off with her luggage into the ship. The suits were loaded from the cargo bay into the carrier ship. Tallgeese was soon loaded as well. The ship finally took off into the sky.
Blake-"Rome, here we come."
Chris-"Good thing I bought this new camera."
Old man-"How many times must I tell you three, we're not there on vacation."
Chris-"Chill out, I know we're only going there to find Deathscythe. But can't we at least do a bit of site seeing afterwards?"
Old man-"Hopeless."
Jason-"I rather prefer Paris, it's much more romantic."
Blake-"Dream on lover boy. She won't come back to you that easily."
Jason-"And like you could do any better Blake?"
Chris-"Fifteen minutes and your already being a smart ass."
Jason-"Just trying to fit in."
Blake-"I'm starting to like this guy."
Chris-".So doc, what makes you so sure that Deathscythe is located in Rome?"
Jason-"Because of the coliseum there."
Blake-"Huh?"
Chris-"What the hell do you mean by that Jason?"
Jason-"Leilong likes to show off a bit. Every new suit he receives, he tests it out in the coliseum that he had built. He tests out the suit challengers. If the challenger wins, they keep the suit for themselves, but if they lose, they lose the suit including their own. He only shows off to high paying spectators. He stores his suits at a base nearby the city, but rest assure, since that is a gundam he may have security looking after it."
Michelle-"Leilong loved to collect suit models when he was young. He must be collecting suits.that he stole."
Chris-"Let's not worry about that right now. My old man taught one thing before he passed away, always be carefree and leave your worries behind. It's the future that counts and that's all that matters."
Michelle-"My, Chris, you actually said something smart for once."
Chris-"I don't even know why I'm helping you get your suit back. It's a waste of my precious time."
Blake-"Come on you two, let's just get along here."
Chris-".Alright. But this only because we need your support on the battlefield."
Michelle-"Fine by me."
Chris-"Fine."
An hour had passed; the old man was giving Jason a tour of the ship during the time.
Old man-"And this is the workout area. You'll mostly find Chan working out here."
Jason-"I see. He really likes to work out."
Chan-"I just like to stay in shape. Hopefully after the war is over, I can join a pro football team."
Jason-"You look like you can take down five men in one shot."
Chan-"Actually I can take down ten men in one tackle. I may look weak but looks can be deceiving."
Old man-"On with our tour then. This is the kitchen and the dinning room. Don't expect there to be much food. We don't do much grocery shopping so we usually eat out."
Jason-"And what about if you're going on a trip?"
Old man-"We use any money we have left to stock up on supplies. Though most of the food goes away just like that in one instance."
Jason-"Michelle is pretty much a light eater."
Old man-"I'm thankful she doesn't have a big appetite though she spends a ton of money on shopping."
Jason-"Woman hasn't changed a bit."
Old man-"Well let me show you where you sleep.here we are. There isn't much room left so you'll have to either sleep on the couch or share a room with one the others."
Chris-"Hell, he's not sleeping where Leo used to sleep!"
Jason-"Well that counts Chris's room off."
Old man-"Maybe you could ask Chan and Blake, they share one room and have an extra bed."
Just then, Blake came in.
Blake-"No way man. I don't trust traitors, once a KANZ soldier always a KANZ soldier."
Jason-"Well there goes another."
Old man-".Well there is Michelle's room."
Jason blushed and looked down on the ground.
Jason-".I think I'll take the couch. A woman need her privacy, heh?"
Old man-".Suit yourself."
It was nearly nine o'clock and the pilots had dinner.
Chris-"So Jason, how do you like our ship or is it too low class for you?"
Blake-"Tell us please I don't mind if you insult our ship."
Chan-"Hey lay off you two. Sorry man, I don't mind having you around. Any friend to Michelle is friend to me."
Jason-"Don't worry about it. I get this from Cloud all the time."
Chris-"You hang out with Cloud?"
Jason-"Well we're not actually friends. We're kind of like rivals. We don't get along. But he's so blind that he's just being used as a pawn for Leilong's amusement. He says that he is fighting for all warriors and mutants everywhere but really, he just another pawn of destruction."
Chan--"I feel sorry for the guy."
Chris-"Well I don't. The damn asshole embarrassed me at that tournament."
Jason-".Hey, have any of you heard from Michelle?"
Blake-"No, haven't seen her since this morning."
Jason-".She must be on the balcony."
Outside in the front of the ship, Michelle stood on the balcony looking into the stars.
Michelle-"Leilong.why are you doing this?"
Jason-"Lovely night isn't it?"
Michelle-"Oh, it's only you Jason.for a minute I thought."
Jason-"That I was a ghost."
Michelle-"You could put it that way. Huh? Wait a sec, how come I can't get a single moment to myself without you bothering me?"
Jason-".You're alone."
Michelle-"...Leo told me the same thing."
Michelle began to feel sorrow and looked into the distance.
Jason-"You've been alone since I've met you. I was always there to keep you company yet you act as if you were the only person in the universe with problems. You're not the only one with problems in this world. Even I had a few problems in my life."
Michelle looked at him and turned her head away afterwards. Jason then put his hand around her face. He looked straight into her eye. Michelle looked right back into his eyes. Both of them got closer and closer until their lips touch one another.
Jason-"I'll always be there no matter what. You'll never be alone because you'll have me."
Michelle-".Thank you Jason.for caring."
The night continued on, the pilots finally went to sleep. The day afterwards, the pilots had finally arrived in Rome.
Blake-"Hello Rome."
Chris-"I just have to get some pictures man."
Blake-"Same here."
Chan-"I'm not much the sight seer, if you need me I'll be in the weight room."
Old man-".Now remember, we're here only to get Deathscythe back."
Chris-"Yeah, yeah, we know already."
Jason-"You know you should act a bit more serious."
Chris-"No way man, makes me look bad. I just like to take things easy."
Chan-"Let's just find out what we need to know around here. There has to be at least one little bit of information that could help us."
Chris-"Why bother? We know where the base is and we know there's going to on tight security."
Jason-"We need to know what type of security we can expect so we can come prepared."
Chris-"You guys worry too much. Take my motto, don't waste your time worrying just take things easy."
Michelle-"And you live by that motto Chris?"
Chris-"I live my life on that. My old man taught me that a long time ago before he passed away."
Chan-"Let's just find out what we need, okay?"
Chris-"Alright."
Old man-"Good, Blake, Chan, you teem up with Chris, Michelle, Jason, you're coming with me. We shall meet back here at six p.m., got it?"
Chris-"No problem. We'll try to find out what we need."
Old man-"That's what's worrying me."
The two groups split up and looked around for any information. While the doc and the others searched in the northern area of Rome, Chris and his posse looked around the southern area.
Chris-"Three hours and nothing yet."
Blake-"Hey, something may turn up."
Chris-"Oh yeah, like an salesman will sell us information on that base right after he's kicked out of that bar at the corner."
Just then, a salesman was kicked out of the bar at the corner. He cursed the bar owner and had bottles of liquor thrown at him. He then noticed the Chris and the others and came up to them.
Salesman-"Excuse me young fellow but would you care to buy anything, old comics, electronics, even a hooked on phonics?"
Blake-"Well Chris, your prediction was almost right."
Salesman-"Or maybe you would like to have info to Leilong's humble abo, north from Rome into his battle dome."
Blake-"You hit the it right on the spot Chris."
Chris-"Okay then, tell me about Leilong's base up north, the security system and the shifts."
Salesman-"Sorry, but everything has its price to pay, better me today. I am impatient and I really don't like waiting, so pay me now before I start degrading."
Chris-"Alright, how does $600 sound?"
Salesman-"Pay me more, pay me more."
Chris-"Alright, $1000 and that's my final offer."
Salesman-"Alright, okay, thank you for the pay. My plans may have gone delay, but it is worth it for the pay. Now here is your prize though I hope going won't bring you to your demise. Goodbye and good day, thank you for the pay."
The salesman walked off in joy from his payment while the others looked at the information.
Blake-"Well if you ask me, the way they have their shifts is pretty impressive but it doesn't look that difficult to get through."
Chan-"Yeah. Maybe we were ripped off by that salesman."
Blake-"Maybe but this is our only lead on the shifts of that base."
Chan-"We better head back and meet up with the others."
Chris-"Let's go then."
During the time, up in the northern area. Michelle, Jason, and the doc looked around. Though they didn't have much success.
Jason-"So far we had nothing on this base."
Michelle-"No kidding. But while we're at it, we might as well do a little souvenir shopping."
Jason-"Now you're starting to sound like Chris, Michelle."
Michelle-"I know but it wouldn't be bad if we got something to remember this place by."
Old man-"Kids these days, never take things seriously. Back when I was young, I would always set my mind on the mission."
Jason-"That's ancient history doc."
Michelle--"Come on, it's getting late and I want to get something from one of these stores." Old man-"Alright, alright, you can do a little shopping."
Michelle-"I knew you'd fall through."
Elsewhere, at the Sahara desert, Leo had been walking for three days straight in search of Skull Graveyard. As dusk had fallen, Leo spotted something n the distant. It was the shape of a giant skull. Leo had finally arrived.
Leo-"So this is the place huh? Doesn't look much. But I have to find the treasure that lies within there."
He pressed on into the graveyard. As he entered, he saw skeletons all over the place, even exoskeletons of mobile suits.
Leo-"My, someone's been busy redecorating."
He continued to go in deeper into the heart of the graveyard until he stopped. He noticed a sword in a gleaming bright light. It also had looked like a gun in a way with the handle bar looking like a trigger. He then got closer and noticed a giant statue of an angel with four wings.
Leo-".Better be careful. Don't know what to expect in a place like this."
But as he was about ten feet away from the sword, the ground began to shake. Soon the angel statue began to crack and move. First, the right arm broke free, and then the left. In a few minutes, the entire statue came to life. But the odd thing was that it was Wing Zero.
Leo-"What the hell!"
The suit drew out its beam saber and went after Leo with the saber. He quickly out maneuvered the suit but could not escape the graveyard. Leo was trap like a rat. He hid himself from being seen by the suit. Though Wing Zero activated its heat sensors and spotted Leo right away.
Leo-"How the hell am I supposed to stop this thing? .That sword, maybe if I can pull it out of the ground then."
Leo quickly charged for the gunblade as fast as he could but could no evade Wing Zero.
Leo-"Have to find away to keep that suit distracted."
Leo quickly spotted a bag of grenades lying around. He grabbed the bag and went towards Wing Zero.
Leo-"Eat this!"
He then threw three grenades at the suits eyes. The explosion damaged the suits vision sensors and became totally blind. Leo then went for the gunblade as fast as he could. He went up towards the mantle and put his hand around the handle of the gunblade. He then pulled the gunblade out of the ground with all of his might. As he pulled the gunblade out, Wing Zero stopped functioning.
Leo-"Mission accomplished.so this was the treasure those guys were talking about."
But out of nowhere, a gang of mutants surrounded Leo. There were mutants of many sizes, big, small, tall, and short.
Mutant1-".So you have defeated the guardian."
Mutant2-"You have accomplished what others had failed to do."
Mutant3-"You are truly the chosen one."
Mutant1-"Yes, indeed."
Mutant2-"Only one can hold the gunblade and harness its power."
Leo-"Whoa! What the heck are you guys talking about?"
Mutant3-".Hmmm, seems like you don't know the whole background to this sword. Well, 90 years ago, when our race had begun to spread, we had infested the planet earth. But the humans saw us as freaks and monsters. So we hid and prowled through the night in many cities. But then as our race began to immigrate here, they found blueprints to an ultimate gundam. Yes, a gundam more powerful than the legendary gundams back in the war of A.C. 196. Two gundams of the same design were constructed, but one was weaker than the other was. As you can see, our race constructed those two suits, as you would know today as Wing Zero. The one you see there is Wing Zero #1, the original one of the design. Though it seems that it had a glitch. Only the one who carries the gunblade in his hand can harness the power of the suit in which you have succeeded."
Leo-".I.am the pilot.of that suit. Figures, I thought I saw the last of that suit. I wanted that suit to be destroyed because I didn't want that suit.my suit to be part of a massacre."
Mutant2-".Well instead of having it being part of a massacre. Steal it, but not to use for a massacre but to be known as the gundam pilot which you stand for. It is your destiny since you have the gunblade in your hand."
Leo-".Guess I have no choice.I am Leo Yugo, I am the pilot of gundam 00, Wing Zero."
Ch.24
Two days had passed and the pilots had planned to break into the Trojan base to retrieve Deathscythe.
Jason-"We strike tonight at 6 P.M. sharp."
Blake-"Not going to be easy."
Chan-"No one ever said it would be easy."
Chris-"Chances say that we'll meet Leilong."
Michelle-".Yeah. This is his home, my home. This was where my family used to live before he slaughtered them all. I am the last that remains for him to get rid of. But I won't let him defeat me so easily."
Chris-"Well here's the plan guys. Since the security will mostly be difficult on the out side, the interior of the base has fewer suits inside for defense. Tallgeese and my Heavyarms will provide as a decoy while Sandrock and Nataku go inside the base and retrieve Deathscythe. Michelle will ride along with Blake in Sandrock while Nataku provides as a bodyguard. Once you retrieve Deathscythe Michelle, you will go inside the cockpit and will have to escape the base quickly. Doesn't sound too hard now does it?"
Blake-"Better prepare the suit then because it's going to be a long night."
Old man-".Indeed it will."
Michelle went into her room and looked out her balcony. She began to have a flashback again. This time she was at the age of ten. She was inside a hanger where she found Leilong making adjustments to the White Knight.
Michelle-"You really like these suits do ya?"
Leilong-"I just like the challenge of a battle. Grandfather told me that if you were to be a true warrior, you must fight with strength, pride, trust, and honor."
Michelle-"Sounds like he was smart."
Leilong-"Grandfather was very noble.*sigh* but it is sad you never had the chance to meet him sis. He was a great man and would fight to the very end. He wouldn't fear anything, not even at his age. I hope that I become just as brave and noble as he was."
Michelle-".Hey Leilong, you think if I get older, I can learn how to pilot a suit?"
Leilong-"Sure, if you work hard and diligently. Tell me, which suit is your favorite of the legendary gundams?"
Michelle-"My favorite is Deathscythe."
Leilong-".Now that's a strange decision. Why do you like that suit?"
Michelle-"Father told me stories about that suit. He said that the suit represented a demon but was a guardian angel at the same time. Deathscythe would obliterate those who harmed the innocent."
Leilong-"Well that explains a bit."
Michelle-".Hey Leilong, if I become a pilot and become good enough, would you like to battle me?"
Leilong-"I would be more than happy to. I may even give you a few pointers."
Michelle-"Thanks."
Michelle still couldn't believe how much Leilong had changed. When he was younger, he was a happy man and wouldn't even hurt his own family.
Michelle-"I wonder, why did he let me live?"
Blake-"Hey Michelle, could you give me a hand here? This cargo is a bit too heavy."
Michelle-".I swear, you guys can't do anything right."
Nightfall had came and the pilots were ready to go through their mission. They soon took off toward the Trojan Base in no time.
Chris-"Alright guys. Remember the plan?"
Chan-"I got it."
Blake-"Yeah, all we have to do is get Deathscythe. You and Jason distract the soldiers outside while I escort Michelle to get Deathscythe. Chan will also have to protect me and Michelle while we're inside."
Chris-"Good."
Jason-"This isn't going to be easy guys. The defense here is extremely powerful so we'll have to do our very best."
Chan-"What do you mean by that? We're the pilots of the gundams and we can handle a few soldiers."
Blake-"Don't get too cocky Chan."
The four suits, Heavyarms, Nataku, Sandrock, and Tallgeese were approaching the base. The pilots were then spotted by the ground troops. The troops then attempted to shoot the gundams out of the sky. Tallgeese began firing at the troops with its cannon and blew ΒΌ of them away. Heavyarms then jumped in and launched its entire power on the troops.
Jason--"Those who laid eyes on a gundam never live to tell about it."
Chris-"Eat this mother fuckers!"
Jason-"Blake, Chan, go in now!"
Blake-"Roger that."
Both Sandrock and Nataku entered the base. Though they had not expected the troops inside to be so difficult to pass. Nataku quickly slashed its way through the gang of suits. Sandrock also slashed all the suits that got in its way. However, the closer they came to the center, the tougher the troops were.
Chan-"Man, these guys just won't quit."
Blake-".I found the Deathscythe's location. Strange though, it seems that there are no troops guarding it at all."
Chan-"What?"
The two gundams continued to charge through taking out the incoming forces. But as they finally got to the center of the base, Deathscythe was no where to be found. In an instant, the gundams were attacked from behind from a single suit. It hid in the shadows but revealed itself to be.Deathscythe.
Blake-"What the?"
Chan-"Who the hell is piloting that suit?"
Familiar voice-".So we meet again.gundam pilots."
Michelle-".I know that voice."
Familiar voice-"Our last battle was very interesting, but I wonder how it would be if you fought with one of your own."
Michelle-"Cloud!"
Deathscythe came toward the two suits at full speed. It made a critical slash at the two suits. Nataku fought back with full force at Deathscythe.
Cloud-"Not bad, you've improved since the last time we've battled."
Chan-"I could say the same for you."
Deathscythe blew Nataku back towards the ground. Deathscythe then slashed Nataku right on the right arm, disabling it from using it. Deathscythe then thrust its beam scythe right into the other arm. Nataku no longer had the ability to fight back.
Cloud-"You've improved but not enough to match my talent."
Chan-"Damn!"
Cloud was then about to activate Deathscythe's eclipse strike attack. But as he was about to do so, Tallgeese came in and blasted Deathscythe with its cannon.
Jason-"Coward, always fighting those who you know that you can defeat. Always sneaking up from behind. You are no gundam pilot, you are nothing more than a coward."
Cloud-"Ugh! Jason Marks; it's been a while since I've last seen you. Though now that you are on their side I might as well eliminate you."
Jason-"Well, don't think its going to be easy."
Deathscythe then went after Tallgeese. Jason quickly reacted and dodged the assault. Tallgeese then used its whip and grabbed both of Deathscythe's legs and swung it around. Deathscythe was then launched outside of the base.
Cloud-"Not bad, you're as good as they say. But do you think you stand a chance against me?"
Jason-"I don't know but let's find out."
Tallgeese drew out its beam saber and attempted to slash Deathscythe. But Deathscythe quickly countered the attack with its beam scythe.
Cloud-"How long can you hold on Jason? You know you can't win against me and the gundam."
Jason-"I may not win this battle but I will do the best I can to stop you and all of KANZ!"
Cloud-"Give it up. There is no way you can win."
Jason-".Tell me, who do you fight for?"
Cloud-"Humph! A stupid question but if you must know before your demise then I might as well say this. I fight for all warriors whose only meaning of existence is to fight. If we follow the ways of KANZ then all warriors have a meaning to live."
Jason-".That's nothing more than trash. You think if you fight for KANZ, humans will see you as an equal? No, you are only a pawn to them. I've seen how you mutants are treated, people see you as monsters, freaks, beings that don't deserve to exist. KANZ won't change anything about that."
Cloud-".I won't listen to that bunch of garbage. Those are just lies. KANZ will make a difference, for mutants and warriors."
Deathscythe then made a hard blow to the torso, slashed of the right arm, and severely damaged the left rocket booster. Cloud then aimed for the head knocking out the visual camera for Tallgeese. With the severe damage done to it, Tallgeese fell down and could not function any longer.
Cloud-"How does it feel Jason, to be lower than dirt, to be treated like garbage, to be nothing more than a worthless being? Tell me, how does it feel!"
Jason-"."
Cloud-"No answer, well then."
Deathscythe then drew up its beam scythe and was about to thrust straight into the cockpit of Tallgeese. Sandrock soon came out of the base carrying Nataku on its shoulders. From inside the cockpit of Sandrock, Michelle could see what Cloud was about to do. She quickly ejected herself out of Sandrock and headed straight towards Tallgeese.
Cloud-"Say goodbye Jason!"
Jason-"."
Michelle-"Jason!"
As Deathscythe was about to thrust the beam scythe into Tallgeese, it stopped. Deathscythe would not move.
Cloud-"What's wrong with this thing? It won't budge. Come on you stupid peace of shit."
Cloud then banged his fists against the controls. But as he did, letters appeared on the screen repeatedly saying, "YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF PILOTING ME."
Cloud-"What the hell is this?"
Cloud was then shocked by electricity inside the cockpit. Deathscythe ejected him out of the cockpit then afterward. He fell all the way down to the ground paralyzed. Michelle could not believe her eyes from what she had seen.
Michelle-".Deathscythe."
Deathscythe then put up its beam scythe and walked right towards Michelle. It then put its hand down right next to her. She climbed on, Deathscythe the put her inside the cockpit.
Michelle-".I am Michelle Setsuna, pilot of Gundam 02, Deathscythe Hell. I have made a promise that I would destroy KANZ and all of their forces. For the death of my family, they will pay dearly."
Michelle then began piloting Deathscythe once again and attacked the base. She tore down the base little by little until there was nothing left. Then after, she went after the troops.
Michelle-"I am the Endbringer of life itself. No one shall escape my wrath!"
She destroyed all the remaining troops at the base and eliminated the base itself. She then stopped and looked toward the others. She then had her eyes set on Cloud and pointed her beam scythe at him.
Michelle-".You are nothing more than a coward. Blind from seeing the truth. You only serve KANZ as a pawn, just for their amusement. I let you live, but the next time we meet it'll be your last. Let's report back to base team."
The other gundams took off, Deathscythe though, stayed to get Tallgeese. Michelle carried the Tallgeese back to base then afterwards.
Soon afterwards, at the base, the gang rejoiced in victory.
Chris-"Mission accomplished guys. We showed those assholes who they're dealing with."
Blake-"Yeah, I mean, what makes them think they can beat the gundams?"
Chris-"But more or less to say, we kick ass."
Old man-"I am impressed with your victory, very well done. But now I think it's time to worry about other things."
Chris-"What is there to worry about Doc?"
Old man-"For one, money."
Chan-".Uh?"
Blake-"So we've been low on a few bucks, how bad can it be?"
Old man-"We're down only to $50.20."
Chris-"Shit! What the hell happened to the rest of the cash we had?"
Old man-"The money was used up on parking fees for the carrier, maintenance on both the ship and the gundams, ammo, repairs, and taxes."
Chris's mouth dropped all the way down to the floor. He couldn't believe how much money was lost so quickly.
Jason-"I have a suggestion."
Chris-"Look, new guy has an idea."
Jason-"I'm serious Chris. Why don't you just enter in a few MS battles and win money. Besides, you are a gundam pilot."
Chris-"."
Old man-"I think we should go with the boy's idea."
Chan-"We are desperate."
Blake-"We need the money."
Everyone looked at Chris waiting for his decision.
Chris-"Alright, we'll go with his idea. I could've thought of it too though."
Elsewhere, in space, Leilong had continued with his plan. The plan that he had said could continued his grandfather's dream.
Soldier-"The Epsilon is almost complete sir."
Leilong-"Speed up the process then."
Soldier-"Yes sir."
Leilong-".Soon, soon my dreams of my grandfather's glory will come true."
Out in the woods, in a small cabin in the eastern mountain region, breakfast was being cooked. Inside an old man was cooking while a young teenager slept a bed. The young teenager had blue hair and was covered in bandages. He slept there for two months straight. Suddenly the boy woke up looking to the side as he saw an old man with short white hair, a brown leather jacket, old blue jeans, and brown boots.
Old woodsmen-"So you're awake."
Boy-".Whe-re."
Old woodsmen-"Save your strength, you were injured pretty bad."
Boy-"*Sigh*"
Old woodsmen-"Though I am impressed that someone like you with that many injuries is still alive."
Boy-".So.I am.still alive."
Old woodsmen-"I told you to save your strength."
Boy-"I'd rather die than live."
Old woodsmen-".I see. Though giving up so easily will not get you anywhere."
Boy-"What do mean by that?"
Old woodsmen-"You're giving up too easily without putting up a decent fight. People have changed and now'a days they want to die to leave their miserable life."
Boy-"Who are you to judge? Ugh!"
Old woodsmen-"I was a rebel once, though I was used and I soon fought for what my heart believed in. I never gave up in my destiny."
Boy-".Who are you?"
Old woodsmen-"First you tell me who you are."
Boy-".Leo Yugo."
Old woodsmen-".Call my Yuy."
Leo-".Kind of a strange name for an old man."
Yuy-"I would say the same for you boy."
Leo-"Sorry.well I have to get going, OW!"
Yuy-"Your wounds have not fully recovered. You'll have to stay in bed a little longer."
Leo-"I guess I have no choice."
Yuy carried a bowl of soup toward Leo. He then set a bed table for him from which he ate off. Leo slowly ate all of the soup.
Yuy-"So you're a gundam pilot huh?"
Leo-"."
Yuy-"Do not be alarmed, I will not report you to anyone."
Leo-".How did I get here?"
Yuy-"Seems you don't remember very well do you. One day about two months ago, I saw you walking through the forest in agony. You then fell down to the ground and stopped moving. You were lucky I was around to save your life. I bandaged you and took care of you since then."
Leo-".I don't seem to remember how walked all the way to the forest but at least I know I'm living."
Yuy-"Just be glad that you are living. Life can not be wasted; you must make the best of it even if life will come to an end. I learned that a long time ago."
Leo-"I can see that. Ugh! It seems that I may be stuck here for a while."
Yuy-"Make the best of your stay, it isn't often I get visitors."
Leo-"No kidding, being way out here in the woods. I doubt it if anyone comes around into this region."
A day had passed as Leo started to walk again. His wounds began to recover though his left arm was weaker than before. The explosion broke most of his left arm though his arm recovered in time. Leo had then finally recovered from his injuries. He then started packing up and began on his journey.
Leo-"My wounds have finally recovered. I think I'll be heading off soon."
Yuy-"What will you do without a gundam to stop KANZ?"
Leo-"It isn't the gundams that will stop them but those who believe in total peace."
Yuy-".You're smarter than look. But if you need a suit I recommend you go to this location."
Mr. Yuy held out his hand with a map in his palm.
Yuy-"Go to this location and you may find something that will help you on your journey."
Leo-".Thanks."
Leo took off into the forest heading west. Though he knew what laid ahead of him in his journey.
Hours had passed and he finally reached a small town by the ocean.
Leo-"Now let's see what this map says.so whatever I'm supposed to find should be in the Sahara desert in Africa. Guess I better pack some sun screen."
He quickly went toward an airport. The old man gave him money for his journey; he had enough just to make it to Africa and to live on. As he made his way toward the airport, he spotted a military airbase nearby. It belonged to KANZ.
Dusk had fallen upon the sky; the airbase was about to make their last shipment to space. Though in a few moments, there was an explosion within the base. Soldiers quickly reacted to the fire as they tried to put it out. Cargo planes took off for safety measures. Though one plane was not heading for space, it was heading west.
Leo-"That was almost to easy. I should be in Africa in no time. But I wonder, what will I find in Africa that old man said would help me?"
Ch.22
Weeks had passed since Michelle reunited with the pilots. The four pilots kept a low profile, and have been rebelling against KANZ. Though Michelle was still without a gundam.
Chris-"So what are we going to do? Michelle doesn't have Deathscythe anymore."
Old man-"You just let me worry about that. I'm having her run a little errand right now."
Chris-"Well anyhow, we're still without a fifth member. Any ideas doc?"
Old man-"We'll have to do with what we have. Michelle may have to sit a few battles out until we can find a replacement or find a way to get Deathscythe back."
Chris-".So doc, what did you send Michelle to do?"
Out in the military base of the mountain region, a new shipment of mobile suits had just arrived. Workers guided the jet into cargo bay. Though one of these workers was rather slim, had long black hair and the worker was a woman. She wore a white uniform, a white cap, she had guide sticks, and as she looked up, her eyes were a dark shade of purple.
Worker-"Hey you, new girl!"
New girl-".Yes sir?"
Worker-"You're doing a good job there, but be careful, one wrong move could cause damage to the suits. Got that?"
New girl-"Got it. (Though that's what I'm planning to do)."
The cargo plane had finally stopped and unloaded the cargo. The woman quickly went behind a crate.
New girl-"Looks like they shipped in a new load of serpents. Just as I guessed. Though they won't be here for long once I'm done with this job. I'm only here just to get some spare cash for myself.and to do a little havoc as well."
The woman quickly took out some explosives from the inside of her uniform. She carefully sneaked up on the new load making sure not to be caught. She planted the bomb on the artillery of the suit.
As the day passed, the woman took her paycheck and left. As she got in her car, she drove off. While driving, she took off her cap, took out a cigarette, lighted it, and smoked.
New girl-"I know it's a bit early for the 4th of July but it's never too early."
The woman pulled out a detonating trigger from her pocket and pressed the button on it. When she pressed the button, the entire military base blew sky high. The young woman drove off back toward Tokyo.
During the time, back out in space. Leilong looked out the window of his ship.
Leilong-"Soon enough sister, the time will come when you must serve me. But for the time being, I'll let you have your fun. But enjoy your freedom while it lasts."
Soldier-"Sir, the Tokyo military air base has just been destroyed."
Leilong-".I see."
Soldier-"But sir, a whole shipment of serpent suits had been destroyed."
Leilong-"Just a minor casualty. It lacks in comparison with what I'm developing."
Soldier-"Yes sir."
Leilong-"Tell me, how is the construction on Epsilon going and how long till it's complete?"
Soldier-"At this rate, Epsilon will be completed by the New Year."
Leilong-"Good, only three months away until my dream will come true."
Soldier-"Also sir, what shall we do with the gundam that we have in storage?"
Leilong-"A gundam is a powerful weapon and should not be wasted. I want to test the suits abilities myself later on."
Soldier-"You mean.you're going to pilot it?"
Leilong-"My sister will want to retrieve her suit soon. Though she'll be getting more than she asked for."
Soldier-"I understand sir, we'll prepare the suit soon."
Hours later, within the ship. Deathscythe had been fully repaired since after the incident and was being prepared for combat. Leilong was in a space suit and headed toward Deathscythe. He then entered the cockpit and took control over the suit. It was launched out into space then afterward.
Leilong-"This suit seems to be highly capable of fast maneuvers by the way it is designed but let's just see how this suit does in combat. Send out the mobile dolls, level 10."
Soldier-"Are you sure your Excellency, you still haven't become comfortable with this suit."
Leilong-"Don't worry about me, worry more about the cost of the damages that will be done to the mobile dolls."
Twelve serpent suits had been sent out and had been programmed to destroy Deathscythe. The suits began fire on the suit, but in an instant Deathscythe quickly dodged the assault. Deathscythe then charged straight toward the suits while dodging fire. The suit quickly slashed and destroyed three suits within two seconds. Leilong quickly set his sights on the last remaining suits.
Leilong-"This is almost too easy."
Deathscythe charged toward the other suits and slashed each one. He had done critical damage to each of the suits and destroyed all. The test had finally ended and Leilong eased himself.
Leilong-"This suit is highly capable in battle. It's no wonder why it stood a chance against Epyon though it lacks in defense. But I could make room for a suit like this."
Soldier-"Sir, the data shows that the suit is capable of stealth and instant kill techniques."
Leilong-".Well, Michelle will want her old friend back. But she will get more than she bargain for."
Soldier-"Sir, I also detected something else within the system but it seems abnormal. What should I do?"
Leilong-"These gundams were designed for incredible power, whatever this thing it maybe the one of the key elements to the suits power."
Soldier-"I understand."
Later, back in Tokyo. Michelle had returned to base reporting a successful mission.
Old man-"So you accomplished your mission."
Michelle-"Yeah, it was a blast."
Chris-"I bet it was, too bad I didn't get to see it. I like watching fireworks."
Michelle-"Too bad for you then Chris. So any info on Deathscythe yet?"
Chris-"Nada. The military files are too secured. I can't hack into it."
Michelle-".Brother always had his ways of keeping things real top secret. But I can't believe."
Blake-"Hey, don't worry about that. Will find a way to stop your brother."
Michelle-".It's just."
Chan-"Just forget about it, that is what my grandfather had taught me. You must forget the past and look only toward the future. Looking back will only bring sadness."
Chris-"Yeah. Anyhow you stink!"
Michelle-"The hell you mean by that?"
Chris-"How hard have you've been working?"
Michelle-"I worked the whole day out in the hot sun. But I guess I do kind of need a shower. For the next hour I'll be taking my bath."
Chris-"The next hour!"
Michelle quickly grabbed her robe from her room and went inside the bathroom locking the door.
Michelle-"Ah! Nothing like a nice hot bath to make a woman's skin beautiful."
As the time went by, Chris banged on the bathroom door.
Chris-"Hey! You've been in there for over an hour and a half. At least how long does it take you just to get yourself clean?"
Michelle-"You don't understand, you're a man. I'm a woman and a woman's skin must be properly washed in order for it to be smooth and clean."
Chris-"Well don't take all day!"
Michelle laid her head back and closed her eyes. She began to have another dream. She was back at the burning of her home.
Michelle's father-"You monster!"
Young man-"I am greatly sorry father but this is my destiny. Nothing can change that, not even you."
The young man held his sword and thrust it through his father's chest. He then pulled out his heart, threw it in the air, and then sliced it in half. Michelle stood there as the young man walked away. But as he was walking, he turned and noticed Michelle. He lifted his head with his dark violet eyes.
Michelle-"(Leilong)."
As she continued to dream, she began to hear banging noises.
Chris-"Dammit bitch! You've been in there for two and a half hours straight."
Michelle-"All right already."
She raised from the tub, grabbed a towel, dried herself, and put on her robe. She then opened the door and looked at Chris.
Michelle-"The bathroom is all yours now."
Chris-"Finally."
Michelle then walked off and went into her room. She slammed the door and locked it.
Chan-"Hey Blake, how come she has her own room?"
Blake-"For one Chan, she's a girl. Woman need their privacy."
Hours later, at dinnertime, the pilots headed out for dinner. They went to the pub downtown and had a drink.
Michelle-"So Leo is still alive huh?"
Old man-"We're not sure but there may be a chance."
Michelle-".This all my fault."
Chris-"Hey don't say that."
Michelle-"But it's true, I didn't listen to Leo.and because of me you guys had to rescue me from Epyon. He defeated you all one by one. And it was my fault that Leo had to self-destruct."
Chris-"Michelle, it wasn't your fault. We all came because of you yes. Leo came for the same reason but in the process he began fighting us. Leo destroyed himself because he didn't want to hurt others anymore. He made that decision on his own and you had nothing to do with it."
Chan then saw that tears came down Michelle's face.
Michelle-".I.joined because.I was.lonely."
Chris-"We'll always be there for you, through the bad and he good times no matter what."
Blake-"Yeah, you have to enjoy life while you're still at it. And we'll always be there if you're in jam."
Michelle-".Thanks."
Michelle got up and went outside. As she looked out into the night sky, the moon was full and the stars were shining brighter than ever.
Jason-"Beautiful aren't they?"
Michelle-".Yeah.Jason?"
Jason-"Ever since I was a child, I had always dreamed of traveling amongst the stars."
Michelle-".Every time I look into the full moon, I see myself."
Jason-"In what way."
Michelle-".My dad once told me.a story about a beautiful young woman who lived among the moon and stars. The young lady was pure of heart and carefree. He said that I was like that. But now'a days.I wonder if I'm like that anymore."
Jason-"Sounds like you were different back then."
Michelle-".Yes, I was happy child with no worries. But I now know that you can never always be carefree. I learned that a pure heart does not have the power to stop a war."
Jason-"Depends."
Michelle-".Depends on what?"
Jason-"Depends on how you use your pure heart. With all that has happen to you, your heart has been poisoned with the plaque of war. But no matter how much you change, you will always be yourself."
Michelle-"Well that makes no sense."
Jason-"In lame terms, no matter how much you change, you will always be regular old Michelle to me."
Michelle-".Thanks.Jason."
As they stood there, the others were watching from inside.
Chris-"I think he's growing on her."
Chan-"No kidding."
Blake-"Ah, true love, two souls meeting together and will never leave each other for eternity."
Chan-"More than to say Blake."
Blake-"I like romances. Though it's best not to watch them, it's rude to watch."
Chris-"I agree. Anyhow, drinks are on me!"
The night went on, the pilots soon returned to base.
Elsewhere, out in the middle of the Sahara desert. A young man in a cape journey across the desert.
Young man-"Man, the heat is killing me. But I can't give up. I have to get back to the others no matter what. And once I get back, I'll settle my score with Cloud."
As the young man walked, he noticed a fort nearby in the east direction. He headed towards there. He approached the door and knocked.
Young man-"Anybody there? Hello!"
There was no answer. But just when the young man walked away, someone called out.
Soldier-"Are you friend or foe?"
Young man-"Depends who you guys are!"
Soldier-".We are the rebel group of the federation."
Young man-"(The federation)? So you're enemies of KANZ."
Soldier-"They can go to hell for all we care."
Young man-"Guess I'm friend."
Soldier-".Wait there!"
In a few moments, the door was opened. The young man entered the fort but not only to find but military weaponry. The fort only contained two mobile suits within it and had little firepower.
Young man-"So you guys are with the federation huh? They're supposed to be the Galactic Alliance's military group that opposes KANZ and preserve the peace throughout the system."
Soldier-"Correct, we have been fighting for the Federation for a long time. Though since KANZ has arrived, the Federation has gotten weaker. Most of our troops have been eliminated by them."
Young man-"Seems like you're going through tough times."
Soldier-"Yes, we are. We barely have any suits left. Most of them are down below in the underground cargo bay. Though we're able to stay alive and fight till the end."
Young man-".Seems like you're trying to accomplish a goal there."
Soldier-"Yes, my goal is to fight till the end and destroy KANZ."
Young man-"Isn't the same for all of us."
The soldier guided the young man to the cafeteria.
Soldier-"So what's your name stranger?"
Young man-".Leo."
Soldier-"Nice to meet you. So what's a guy like you doing way out here in the desert?"
Leo-".I'm on a quest."
Soldier-"Well if you're trying to find anything here then good luck, you'll need it."
Leo-"Why do you say that?"
Soldier-"There's nothing out there but sand. The heat is deadly by day but the cold is even deadlier by night."
Leo-"Believe me, I've experienced worse."
Soldier-".Like how?"
Leo-"I don't want to talk about it. Well anyhow, do you happen to know where this location is? I'm kinda lost."
Soldier-"Let me see.where you're heading is.Skull Graveyard!"
At that moment, everyone in the cafeteria froze in a dead silence. They began to stare at Leo.
Leo-"Seems like you know this place."
Soldier-"And I best advise that you don't go there."
Leo-"Why?"
Soldier-"They say.they say that a mobile suit guards the area from thieves who wish to steal the mysterious treasure that lies within the center of the graveyard. The one thing is that the suit has no pilot and destroys anything that tries to steal the treasure. All who have tried never made it out alive."
Leo-".Sounds fun."
Soldier-"Are you looking forward to a deathwish? I said that no one has ever made it out alive!"
Leo-"I know. But tell me, what does this suit look like?"
Soldier-"They say that the suit looks like an angel but with evil green eyes."
Leo-".Thanks for the info, oh, and by the way.which direction is it to this graveyard?"
Soldier-".30 degrees west from here."
Leo-"I'll be leaving soon, but in the meantime I may stay a while."
Leo soon supplied himself and soon left to continue his journey.
Ch.23
Weeks had passed; the pilots had continued their usual routine.
Chan-"*Yawn*.man things are really starting to get boring around here."
Chris-"Wish things could get more exciting around here."
Blake-"Leo hasn't even shown up yet. Maybe he is dead."
Chris-"Don't you ever say that, I swear to god I'm gonna."
Chan-"Calm down Chris, Leo is alive and we all know that."
Chris-".I wonder how he's doing?"
Just then, the old man came in and assigned the pilots for an assignment.
Old man-"We had just found the location of where Deathscythe was being held."
Chris-"Alright, finally some action."
Old man-"Don't think this is going to be any regular mission. Where the suit is being held is at Rome. The security there is impressively good. The base is located three miles south from Rome."
Chan-"I heard about that base, the Trojan base. That place is locked up tight and the security there is good. It would be considered suicide to try to break in."
Chris-"Well anyhow, where's Michelle?"
Blake-"She said she had some errands to run."
Out in the vastness of the mountains, Michelle stood on a cliff looking out into the distance. She held a violet in her hand.
Michelle-".For as long as I can remember, I have always carried this violet with me."
The violet was planted in a pot. Michelle held on to it as if it were a baby.
Michelle-"Father, I will always treasure your gift that you given to me."
Jason-"A little memory of your father."
Michelle-"How come you always have to follow me? That is considered rude not to mention creepy."
Jason-"I'm just looking out for you."
Michelle-"I'm fine thank you."
Jason-".Can't stop thinking about him, your brother."
Michelle-"I just can't believe that."
Jason-"That he would betray his own family. You'll eventually end up fighting him to the death though I don't know if you would survive a battle with him."
Michelle-"What do you mean by that?"
Jason-"If I'm right, your brother enjoyed using mobile suits right."
Michelle-"He was always the adventurous type. He loved a good challenge. Our father bought him a virtual reality mobile suit battle system when he was only seven. He loved the history of mobile suits. Father would sometimes take us to MS battles, though during that time, only rich people could afford a single suit with basic weapons. Brother would always go on that simulator just for the enjoyment. I sometimes would go against him on the simulator. To me it was another stupid old video game but to him it was his destiny."
Jason-"I can see."
Michelle-"Father finally gave him a prize mobile suit which he designed for him himself. It cost father an enormous amount of money. Brother was only eleven when he got his gift, I was only eight."
Jason-"What was the name of the suit?"
Michelle-".He named it the White Knight. Its power was incredible; father even let him participate in MS battles.he won every battle he has ever participated in. But the day our home was burned, he never used the suit to protect us. He used its power against us. I saw him with my very own eyes. It was a full moon during that night; my family was having a banquet. At exactly eight o'clock, an armada of mobile suits came upon the area surrounding my home. The armada was being lead by Leilong. The suits began fire upon my home. I couldn't do anything. But as I saw that suit I said to myself that it couldn't have been him it couldn't. Then as I ran to the forest, I saw him right behind me. He stood before father and drew out his sword. He thrust it into his chest and pulled out his heart. He then.he then.he.then.threw it up in the air.and sliced it.in half."
Tears came down her face as she continued.
Michelle-"From then on, my soul had died. I had forgotten who I really was."
Jason-"So that's why you became who you are now. That is the reason you became a gundam pilot."
Michelle-".I better get going. We're leaving for Rome. You can join us if you like?"
Jason-"What? Is that an invitation I'm hearing?"
Michelle-"Just a suggestion.oh by the way."
Jason-"What?"
Michelle came up close to Jason and put her hand on his shoulder.
Jason-"Is this.a little gift for my kindness?"
Michelle-"You could say that. Now close your eyes and you'll get a big surprise."
Jason closed his eyes. The minute he did, Michelle slammed him onto the floor and put her foot on his chest.
Michelle-"I don't have good sense of humor. You got that?"
Jason-"Ugh! Got it."
She took her foot off him and walked back into her car. She put her sunglasses on, lighted a cigarette, and took off. Jason slowly got up. He then walked toward his motorcycle, put on his helmet, and followed Michelle.
As Michelle drove, she noticed two vehicles from behind. A car and a van had been following her. As the two vehicles came closer, the van opened the side door and a man with a machine gun in his hand began to fire. The car from the other side began to fire as well.
Michelle-"Shit! What the hell is this?"
The two vehicles closed in on her. Though Michelle quickly opened her glove compartment and pulled out a gun. She began to fire back but the two vehicles rammed her causing her to miss. Out from behind, Jason came on his motorcycle. He pulled out a grenade, pulled off the clip, and threw it inside the van. The van exploded and went off a ridge. Soon two other cars came from behind and attempted to ram into the cycle. Jason was about to be roadkill. Michelle slowed down and had Jason jump in.
Jason-"KANZ spies, looks like your brother really misses you."
Michelle-"The hell is it these days? Everyone is always following me for no god damn reason."
Jason-"They never said that life was going to be simple. In your case, your life is completely screwed."
Michelle-"Maybe I should've let you become roadkill back there."
The three cars ganged up on the Michelle. They began to fire and made bullet dents on her car.
Michelle-"Hey! This is an Afterburner 50,000. This cost me 3 million bucks you assholes."
Jason-"More like you stole this."
Michelle-"Actually the upgrade job cost me that much."
Michelle then pressed one of the buttons on her steering wheel. A miniature rocket launcher came up from the trunk and fired at the car behind. She then pressed another button activating the NOS. The car flew away from the remaining two. Though they also had NOS and caught up.
Michelle-"What the hell is it with guys these days?"
Jason-"You're telling me, trouble follows you like a lost puppy."
Michelle-"You want me to throw you off?"
The three cars approached a railroad from the side of the road. A train crossing was coming up and there was a train approaching at a high speed.
Jason-"We'll never make it."
Michelle-"You wanna bet $1000 for that?"
Michelle quickly pushed Jason to the back seat. She then lifted the cushion of the passenger front seat; there were two large tanks of NOS under it. She turned the valves releasing the NOS and went into fourth gear as she pressed the NOS button. She barely made it before the train did but as for the other two cars, they ran straight into the train's path.
Jason-"*Huff*.*huff*.*huff*.guess *huff* I owe you one."
Michelle-"You owe me $1000 on my little bet."
Jason-"We didn't agree on it."
Michelle-"You can either pay or become roadkill. Though you would look good as a door mat."
Jason-"That's harsh."
Michelle-"You want to live or not?"
Jason-".Guess I owe you. How do I get myself into these things?"
Michelle drove back to the base and packed up her things. Jason just stood there in the front door waiting.
Old man-"So you're coming along?"
Jason-"I'm being forced to come along against my will. My suit will arrive shortly."
Just then, a suit carrier truck arrived at the base. Tallgeese was on there.
Chris-"Okay, let's just get some things straight here pretty boy. Number one, I don't trust ya one bit. Two, I'll be keeping a close eye on you. Three, don't try to pull any smart moves. And four, we are short a captain though you won't be taking Leo's spot. I Have already took charge as the team captain."
Blake-"You just decided that now Chris? We haven't even discussed about that yet."
Chris-"Shut the fuck up man. Leo chose me for second in command so that means if he ever ends up missing I'm supposed to take charge."
Michelle-"(Like that'll do any good)."
Chris-"If you have anything to say woman then say it in my face."
Michelle-".Nah! It's only a waste of time to insult a piece of trash like you."
Blake-"Man, she dissed you."
Chris-"I though I said to shut up!"
Old man-"Quit arguing or I may be force to settle this myself."
Chris-".Just get your suit loaded. We'll be leaving in an hour and a half."
Jason-"Humph! I think that guy would be perfect for you Michelle."
Michelle-"The day I marry him will be the same exact day you get to fuck a sick donkey."
Michelle walked off with her luggage into the ship. The suits were loaded from the cargo bay into the carrier ship. Tallgeese was soon loaded as well. The ship finally took off into the sky.
Blake-"Rome, here we come."
Chris-"Good thing I bought this new camera."
Old man-"How many times must I tell you three, we're not there on vacation."
Chris-"Chill out, I know we're only going there to find Deathscythe. But can't we at least do a bit of site seeing afterwards?"
Old man-"Hopeless."
Jason-"I rather prefer Paris, it's much more romantic."
Blake-"Dream on lover boy. She won't come back to you that easily."
Jason-"And like you could do any better Blake?"
Chris-"Fifteen minutes and your already being a smart ass."
Jason-"Just trying to fit in."
Blake-"I'm starting to like this guy."
Chris-".So doc, what makes you so sure that Deathscythe is located in Rome?"
Jason-"Because of the coliseum there."
Blake-"Huh?"
Chris-"What the hell do you mean by that Jason?"
Jason-"Leilong likes to show off a bit. Every new suit he receives, he tests it out in the coliseum that he had built. He tests out the suit challengers. If the challenger wins, they keep the suit for themselves, but if they lose, they lose the suit including their own. He only shows off to high paying spectators. He stores his suits at a base nearby the city, but rest assure, since that is a gundam he may have security looking after it."
Michelle-"Leilong loved to collect suit models when he was young. He must be collecting suits.that he stole."
Chris-"Let's not worry about that right now. My old man taught one thing before he passed away, always be carefree and leave your worries behind. It's the future that counts and that's all that matters."
Michelle-"My, Chris, you actually said something smart for once."
Chris-"I don't even know why I'm helping you get your suit back. It's a waste of my precious time."
Blake-"Come on you two, let's just get along here."
Chris-".Alright. But this only because we need your support on the battlefield."
Michelle-"Fine by me."
Chris-"Fine."
An hour had passed; the old man was giving Jason a tour of the ship during the time.
Old man-"And this is the workout area. You'll mostly find Chan working out here."
Jason-"I see. He really likes to work out."
Chan-"I just like to stay in shape. Hopefully after the war is over, I can join a pro football team."
Jason-"You look like you can take down five men in one shot."
Chan-"Actually I can take down ten men in one tackle. I may look weak but looks can be deceiving."
Old man-"On with our tour then. This is the kitchen and the dinning room. Don't expect there to be much food. We don't do much grocery shopping so we usually eat out."
Jason-"And what about if you're going on a trip?"
Old man-"We use any money we have left to stock up on supplies. Though most of the food goes away just like that in one instance."
Jason-"Michelle is pretty much a light eater."
Old man-"I'm thankful she doesn't have a big appetite though she spends a ton of money on shopping."
Jason-"Woman hasn't changed a bit."
Old man-"Well let me show you where you sleep.here we are. There isn't much room left so you'll have to either sleep on the couch or share a room with one the others."
Chris-"Hell, he's not sleeping where Leo used to sleep!"
Jason-"Well that counts Chris's room off."
Old man-"Maybe you could ask Chan and Blake, they share one room and have an extra bed."
Just then, Blake came in.
Blake-"No way man. I don't trust traitors, once a KANZ soldier always a KANZ soldier."
Jason-"Well there goes another."
Old man-".Well there is Michelle's room."
Jason blushed and looked down on the ground.
Jason-".I think I'll take the couch. A woman need her privacy, heh?"
Old man-".Suit yourself."
It was nearly nine o'clock and the pilots had dinner.
Chris-"So Jason, how do you like our ship or is it too low class for you?"
Blake-"Tell us please I don't mind if you insult our ship."
Chan-"Hey lay off you two. Sorry man, I don't mind having you around. Any friend to Michelle is friend to me."
Jason-"Don't worry about it. I get this from Cloud all the time."
Chris-"You hang out with Cloud?"
Jason-"Well we're not actually friends. We're kind of like rivals. We don't get along. But he's so blind that he's just being used as a pawn for Leilong's amusement. He says that he is fighting for all warriors and mutants everywhere but really, he just another pawn of destruction."
Chan--"I feel sorry for the guy."
Chris-"Well I don't. The damn asshole embarrassed me at that tournament."
Jason-".Hey, have any of you heard from Michelle?"
Blake-"No, haven't seen her since this morning."
Jason-".She must be on the balcony."
Outside in the front of the ship, Michelle stood on the balcony looking into the stars.
Michelle-"Leilong.why are you doing this?"
Jason-"Lovely night isn't it?"
Michelle-"Oh, it's only you Jason.for a minute I thought."
Jason-"That I was a ghost."
Michelle-"You could put it that way. Huh? Wait a sec, how come I can't get a single moment to myself without you bothering me?"
Jason-".You're alone."
Michelle-"...Leo told me the same thing."
Michelle began to feel sorrow and looked into the distance.
Jason-"You've been alone since I've met you. I was always there to keep you company yet you act as if you were the only person in the universe with problems. You're not the only one with problems in this world. Even I had a few problems in my life."
Michelle looked at him and turned her head away afterwards. Jason then put his hand around her face. He looked straight into her eye. Michelle looked right back into his eyes. Both of them got closer and closer until their lips touch one another.
Jason-"I'll always be there no matter what. You'll never be alone because you'll have me."
Michelle-".Thank you Jason.for caring."
The night continued on, the pilots finally went to sleep. The day afterwards, the pilots had finally arrived in Rome.
Blake-"Hello Rome."
Chris-"I just have to get some pictures man."
Blake-"Same here."
Chan-"I'm not much the sight seer, if you need me I'll be in the weight room."
Old man-".Now remember, we're here only to get Deathscythe back."
Chris-"Yeah, yeah, we know already."
Jason-"You know you should act a bit more serious."
Chris-"No way man, makes me look bad. I just like to take things easy."
Chan-"Let's just find out what we need to know around here. There has to be at least one little bit of information that could help us."
Chris-"Why bother? We know where the base is and we know there's going to on tight security."
Jason-"We need to know what type of security we can expect so we can come prepared."
Chris-"You guys worry too much. Take my motto, don't waste your time worrying just take things easy."
Michelle-"And you live by that motto Chris?"
Chris-"I live my life on that. My old man taught me that a long time ago before he passed away."
Chan-"Let's just find out what we need, okay?"
Chris-"Alright."
Old man-"Good, Blake, Chan, you teem up with Chris, Michelle, Jason, you're coming with me. We shall meet back here at six p.m., got it?"
Chris-"No problem. We'll try to find out what we need."
Old man-"That's what's worrying me."
The two groups split up and looked around for any information. While the doc and the others searched in the northern area of Rome, Chris and his posse looked around the southern area.
Chris-"Three hours and nothing yet."
Blake-"Hey, something may turn up."
Chris-"Oh yeah, like an salesman will sell us information on that base right after he's kicked out of that bar at the corner."
Just then, a salesman was kicked out of the bar at the corner. He cursed the bar owner and had bottles of liquor thrown at him. He then noticed the Chris and the others and came up to them.
Salesman-"Excuse me young fellow but would you care to buy anything, old comics, electronics, even a hooked on phonics?"
Blake-"Well Chris, your prediction was almost right."
Salesman-"Or maybe you would like to have info to Leilong's humble abo, north from Rome into his battle dome."
Blake-"You hit the it right on the spot Chris."
Chris-"Okay then, tell me about Leilong's base up north, the security system and the shifts."
Salesman-"Sorry, but everything has its price to pay, better me today. I am impatient and I really don't like waiting, so pay me now before I start degrading."
Chris-"Alright, how does $600 sound?"
Salesman-"Pay me more, pay me more."
Chris-"Alright, $1000 and that's my final offer."
Salesman-"Alright, okay, thank you for the pay. My plans may have gone delay, but it is worth it for the pay. Now here is your prize though I hope going won't bring you to your demise. Goodbye and good day, thank you for the pay."
The salesman walked off in joy from his payment while the others looked at the information.
Blake-"Well if you ask me, the way they have their shifts is pretty impressive but it doesn't look that difficult to get through."
Chan-"Yeah. Maybe we were ripped off by that salesman."
Blake-"Maybe but this is our only lead on the shifts of that base."
Chan-"We better head back and meet up with the others."
Chris-"Let's go then."
During the time, up in the northern area. Michelle, Jason, and the doc looked around. Though they didn't have much success.
Jason-"So far we had nothing on this base."
Michelle-"No kidding. But while we're at it, we might as well do a little souvenir shopping."
Jason-"Now you're starting to sound like Chris, Michelle."
Michelle-"I know but it wouldn't be bad if we got something to remember this place by."
Old man-"Kids these days, never take things seriously. Back when I was young, I would always set my mind on the mission."
Jason-"That's ancient history doc."
Michelle--"Come on, it's getting late and I want to get something from one of these stores." Old man-"Alright, alright, you can do a little shopping."
Michelle-"I knew you'd fall through."
Elsewhere, at the Sahara desert, Leo had been walking for three days straight in search of Skull Graveyard. As dusk had fallen, Leo spotted something n the distant. It was the shape of a giant skull. Leo had finally arrived.
Leo-"So this is the place huh? Doesn't look much. But I have to find the treasure that lies within there."
He pressed on into the graveyard. As he entered, he saw skeletons all over the place, even exoskeletons of mobile suits.
Leo-"My, someone's been busy redecorating."
He continued to go in deeper into the heart of the graveyard until he stopped. He noticed a sword in a gleaming bright light. It also had looked like a gun in a way with the handle bar looking like a trigger. He then got closer and noticed a giant statue of an angel with four wings.
Leo-".Better be careful. Don't know what to expect in a place like this."
But as he was about ten feet away from the sword, the ground began to shake. Soon the angel statue began to crack and move. First, the right arm broke free, and then the left. In a few minutes, the entire statue came to life. But the odd thing was that it was Wing Zero.
Leo-"What the hell!"
The suit drew out its beam saber and went after Leo with the saber. He quickly out maneuvered the suit but could not escape the graveyard. Leo was trap like a rat. He hid himself from being seen by the suit. Though Wing Zero activated its heat sensors and spotted Leo right away.
Leo-"How the hell am I supposed to stop this thing? .That sword, maybe if I can pull it out of the ground then."
Leo quickly charged for the gunblade as fast as he could but could no evade Wing Zero.
Leo-"Have to find away to keep that suit distracted."
Leo quickly spotted a bag of grenades lying around. He grabbed the bag and went towards Wing Zero.
Leo-"Eat this!"
He then threw three grenades at the suits eyes. The explosion damaged the suits vision sensors and became totally blind. Leo then went for the gunblade as fast as he could. He went up towards the mantle and put his hand around the handle of the gunblade. He then pulled the gunblade out of the ground with all of his might. As he pulled the gunblade out, Wing Zero stopped functioning.
Leo-"Mission accomplished.so this was the treasure those guys were talking about."
But out of nowhere, a gang of mutants surrounded Leo. There were mutants of many sizes, big, small, tall, and short.
Mutant1-".So you have defeated the guardian."
Mutant2-"You have accomplished what others had failed to do."
Mutant3-"You are truly the chosen one."
Mutant1-"Yes, indeed."
Mutant2-"Only one can hold the gunblade and harness its power."
Leo-"Whoa! What the heck are you guys talking about?"
Mutant3-".Hmmm, seems like you don't know the whole background to this sword. Well, 90 years ago, when our race had begun to spread, we had infested the planet earth. But the humans saw us as freaks and monsters. So we hid and prowled through the night in many cities. But then as our race began to immigrate here, they found blueprints to an ultimate gundam. Yes, a gundam more powerful than the legendary gundams back in the war of A.C. 196. Two gundams of the same design were constructed, but one was weaker than the other was. As you can see, our race constructed those two suits, as you would know today as Wing Zero. The one you see there is Wing Zero #1, the original one of the design. Though it seems that it had a glitch. Only the one who carries the gunblade in his hand can harness the power of the suit in which you have succeeded."
Leo-".I.am the pilot.of that suit. Figures, I thought I saw the last of that suit. I wanted that suit to be destroyed because I didn't want that suit.my suit to be part of a massacre."
Mutant2-".Well instead of having it being part of a massacre. Steal it, but not to use for a massacre but to be known as the gundam pilot which you stand for. It is your destiny since you have the gunblade in your hand."
Leo-".Guess I have no choice.I am Leo Yugo, I am the pilot of gundam 00, Wing Zero."
Ch.24
Two days had passed and the pilots had planned to break into the Trojan base to retrieve Deathscythe.
Jason-"We strike tonight at 6 P.M. sharp."
Blake-"Not going to be easy."
Chan-"No one ever said it would be easy."
Chris-"Chances say that we'll meet Leilong."
Michelle-".Yeah. This is his home, my home. This was where my family used to live before he slaughtered them all. I am the last that remains for him to get rid of. But I won't let him defeat me so easily."
Chris-"Well here's the plan guys. Since the security will mostly be difficult on the out side, the interior of the base has fewer suits inside for defense. Tallgeese and my Heavyarms will provide as a decoy while Sandrock and Nataku go inside the base and retrieve Deathscythe. Michelle will ride along with Blake in Sandrock while Nataku provides as a bodyguard. Once you retrieve Deathscythe Michelle, you will go inside the cockpit and will have to escape the base quickly. Doesn't sound too hard now does it?"
Blake-"Better prepare the suit then because it's going to be a long night."
Old man-".Indeed it will."
Michelle went into her room and looked out her balcony. She began to have a flashback again. This time she was at the age of ten. She was inside a hanger where she found Leilong making adjustments to the White Knight.
Michelle-"You really like these suits do ya?"
Leilong-"I just like the challenge of a battle. Grandfather told me that if you were to be a true warrior, you must fight with strength, pride, trust, and honor."
Michelle-"Sounds like he was smart."
Leilong-"Grandfather was very noble.*sigh* but it is sad you never had the chance to meet him sis. He was a great man and would fight to the very end. He wouldn't fear anything, not even at his age. I hope that I become just as brave and noble as he was."
Michelle-".Hey Leilong, you think if I get older, I can learn how to pilot a suit?"
Leilong-"Sure, if you work hard and diligently. Tell me, which suit is your favorite of the legendary gundams?"
Michelle-"My favorite is Deathscythe."
Leilong-".Now that's a strange decision. Why do you like that suit?"
Michelle-"Father told me stories about that suit. He said that the suit represented a demon but was a guardian angel at the same time. Deathscythe would obliterate those who harmed the innocent."
Leilong-"Well that explains a bit."
Michelle-".Hey Leilong, if I become a pilot and become good enough, would you like to battle me?"
Leilong-"I would be more than happy to. I may even give you a few pointers."
Michelle-"Thanks."
Michelle still couldn't believe how much Leilong had changed. When he was younger, he was a happy man and wouldn't even hurt his own family.
Michelle-"I wonder, why did he let me live?"
Blake-"Hey Michelle, could you give me a hand here? This cargo is a bit too heavy."
Michelle-".I swear, you guys can't do anything right."
Nightfall had came and the pilots were ready to go through their mission. They soon took off toward the Trojan Base in no time.
Chris-"Alright guys. Remember the plan?"
Chan-"I got it."
Blake-"Yeah, all we have to do is get Deathscythe. You and Jason distract the soldiers outside while I escort Michelle to get Deathscythe. Chan will also have to protect me and Michelle while we're inside."
Chris-"Good."
Jason-"This isn't going to be easy guys. The defense here is extremely powerful so we'll have to do our very best."
Chan-"What do you mean by that? We're the pilots of the gundams and we can handle a few soldiers."
Blake-"Don't get too cocky Chan."
The four suits, Heavyarms, Nataku, Sandrock, and Tallgeese were approaching the base. The pilots were then spotted by the ground troops. The troops then attempted to shoot the gundams out of the sky. Tallgeese began firing at the troops with its cannon and blew ΒΌ of them away. Heavyarms then jumped in and launched its entire power on the troops.
Jason--"Those who laid eyes on a gundam never live to tell about it."
Chris-"Eat this mother fuckers!"
Jason-"Blake, Chan, go in now!"
Blake-"Roger that."
Both Sandrock and Nataku entered the base. Though they had not expected the troops inside to be so difficult to pass. Nataku quickly slashed its way through the gang of suits. Sandrock also slashed all the suits that got in its way. However, the closer they came to the center, the tougher the troops were.
Chan-"Man, these guys just won't quit."
Blake-".I found the Deathscythe's location. Strange though, it seems that there are no troops guarding it at all."
Chan-"What?"
The two gundams continued to charge through taking out the incoming forces. But as they finally got to the center of the base, Deathscythe was no where to be found. In an instant, the gundams were attacked from behind from a single suit. It hid in the shadows but revealed itself to be.Deathscythe.
Blake-"What the?"
Chan-"Who the hell is piloting that suit?"
Familiar voice-".So we meet again.gundam pilots."
Michelle-".I know that voice."
Familiar voice-"Our last battle was very interesting, but I wonder how it would be if you fought with one of your own."
Michelle-"Cloud!"
Deathscythe came toward the two suits at full speed. It made a critical slash at the two suits. Nataku fought back with full force at Deathscythe.
Cloud-"Not bad, you've improved since the last time we've battled."
Chan-"I could say the same for you."
Deathscythe blew Nataku back towards the ground. Deathscythe then slashed Nataku right on the right arm, disabling it from using it. Deathscythe then thrust its beam scythe right into the other arm. Nataku no longer had the ability to fight back.
Cloud-"You've improved but not enough to match my talent."
Chan-"Damn!"
Cloud was then about to activate Deathscythe's eclipse strike attack. But as he was about to do so, Tallgeese came in and blasted Deathscythe with its cannon.
Jason-"Coward, always fighting those who you know that you can defeat. Always sneaking up from behind. You are no gundam pilot, you are nothing more than a coward."
Cloud-"Ugh! Jason Marks; it's been a while since I've last seen you. Though now that you are on their side I might as well eliminate you."
Jason-"Well, don't think its going to be easy."
Deathscythe then went after Tallgeese. Jason quickly reacted and dodged the assault. Tallgeese then used its whip and grabbed both of Deathscythe's legs and swung it around. Deathscythe was then launched outside of the base.
Cloud-"Not bad, you're as good as they say. But do you think you stand a chance against me?"
Jason-"I don't know but let's find out."
Tallgeese drew out its beam saber and attempted to slash Deathscythe. But Deathscythe quickly countered the attack with its beam scythe.
Cloud-"How long can you hold on Jason? You know you can't win against me and the gundam."
Jason-"I may not win this battle but I will do the best I can to stop you and all of KANZ!"
Cloud-"Give it up. There is no way you can win."
Jason-".Tell me, who do you fight for?"
Cloud-"Humph! A stupid question but if you must know before your demise then I might as well say this. I fight for all warriors whose only meaning of existence is to fight. If we follow the ways of KANZ then all warriors have a meaning to live."
Jason-".That's nothing more than trash. You think if you fight for KANZ, humans will see you as an equal? No, you are only a pawn to them. I've seen how you mutants are treated, people see you as monsters, freaks, beings that don't deserve to exist. KANZ won't change anything about that."
Cloud-".I won't listen to that bunch of garbage. Those are just lies. KANZ will make a difference, for mutants and warriors."
Deathscythe then made a hard blow to the torso, slashed of the right arm, and severely damaged the left rocket booster. Cloud then aimed for the head knocking out the visual camera for Tallgeese. With the severe damage done to it, Tallgeese fell down and could not function any longer.
Cloud-"How does it feel Jason, to be lower than dirt, to be treated like garbage, to be nothing more than a worthless being? Tell me, how does it feel!"
Jason-"."
Cloud-"No answer, well then."
Deathscythe then drew up its beam scythe and was about to thrust straight into the cockpit of Tallgeese. Sandrock soon came out of the base carrying Nataku on its shoulders. From inside the cockpit of Sandrock, Michelle could see what Cloud was about to do. She quickly ejected herself out of Sandrock and headed straight towards Tallgeese.
Cloud-"Say goodbye Jason!"
Jason-"."
Michelle-"Jason!"
As Deathscythe was about to thrust the beam scythe into Tallgeese, it stopped. Deathscythe would not move.
Cloud-"What's wrong with this thing? It won't budge. Come on you stupid peace of shit."
Cloud then banged his fists against the controls. But as he did, letters appeared on the screen repeatedly saying, "YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF PILOTING ME."
Cloud-"What the hell is this?"
Cloud was then shocked by electricity inside the cockpit. Deathscythe ejected him out of the cockpit then afterward. He fell all the way down to the ground paralyzed. Michelle could not believe her eyes from what she had seen.
Michelle-".Deathscythe."
Deathscythe then put up its beam scythe and walked right towards Michelle. It then put its hand down right next to her. She climbed on, Deathscythe the put her inside the cockpit.
Michelle-".I am Michelle Setsuna, pilot of Gundam 02, Deathscythe Hell. I have made a promise that I would destroy KANZ and all of their forces. For the death of my family, they will pay dearly."
Michelle then began piloting Deathscythe once again and attacked the base. She tore down the base little by little until there was nothing left. Then after, she went after the troops.
Michelle-"I am the Endbringer of life itself. No one shall escape my wrath!"
She destroyed all the remaining troops at the base and eliminated the base itself. She then stopped and looked toward the others. She then had her eyes set on Cloud and pointed her beam scythe at him.
Michelle-".You are nothing more than a coward. Blind from seeing the truth. You only serve KANZ as a pawn, just for their amusement. I let you live, but the next time we meet it'll be your last. Let's report back to base team."
The other gundams took off, Deathscythe though, stayed to get Tallgeese. Michelle carried the Tallgeese back to base then afterwards.
Soon afterwards, at the base, the gang rejoiced in victory.
Chris-"Mission accomplished guys. We showed those assholes who they're dealing with."
Blake-"Yeah, I mean, what makes them think they can beat the gundams?"
Chris-"But more or less to say, we kick ass."
Old man-"I am impressed with your victory, very well done. But now I think it's time to worry about other things."
Chris-"What is there to worry about Doc?"
Old man-"For one, money."
Chan-".Uh?"
Blake-"So we've been low on a few bucks, how bad can it be?"
Old man-"We're down only to $50.20."
Chris-"Shit! What the hell happened to the rest of the cash we had?"
Old man-"The money was used up on parking fees for the carrier, maintenance on both the ship and the gundams, ammo, repairs, and taxes."
Chris's mouth dropped all the way down to the floor. He couldn't believe how much money was lost so quickly.
Jason-"I have a suggestion."
Chris-"Look, new guy has an idea."
Jason-"I'm serious Chris. Why don't you just enter in a few MS battles and win money. Besides, you are a gundam pilot."
Chris-"."
Old man-"I think we should go with the boy's idea."
Chan-"We are desperate."
Blake-"We need the money."
Everyone looked at Chris waiting for his decision.
Chris-"Alright, we'll go with his idea. I could've thought of it too though."
Elsewhere, in space, Leilong had continued with his plan. The plan that he had said could continued his grandfather's dream.
Soldier-"The Epsilon is almost complete sir."
Leilong-"Speed up the process then."
Soldier-"Yes sir."
Leilong-".Soon, soon my dreams of my grandfather's glory will come true."