This chapter is sort of important, too. You get introduced to all the
characters.
~* ShadowTide *~
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Chapter III: Enter the Players
Bunny sat staring out the window of her private jet. She had brought fifteen books of Gundams with her. One of them was the record book of all past Gundam fights. She pulled the thick book out and re-read the part about her father for the twelfth time that day. Why hadn't he told her? Why hadn't her mother told her? What were they trying to protect her from? Well, now was as good a time as any.
"Father, may I ask you something?" she questioned her father hesitantly.
"Yes, Bunny?" he replied.
"Could you come over here for a minute?"
George walked over and sat down in the empty seat next to his daughter. "What is it?" he asked and put his arm around her seat.
"Well-I don't mean to be impolite, but-as I was looking through the books on Gundams-there must be thousands of them!-I came upon one that has the history of every Gundam fight since the first one. And I remember you telling me that you started battling in the fourteenth Gundam fight. And as I was flipping through the pages, I saw your name mentioned millions of times in the thirteenth Gundam tournament, which I see was somewhat more chaotic that all the others," she said and pointed in the book. "Why didn't you tell me you were fighting in the thirteenth match?"
George sighed. "Marie-Louise, I think we need to have a family discussion," he called to his wife who promptly came over to where the other two were already sitting.
"Yes?" she asked, worried out of her mind. "What is it?"
"The thirteenth Gundam tournament," George and Bunny replied simultaneously.
"Oh," Marie-Louise sighed and sat down.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Bunny repeated her question to both her parents.
"We thought you might want to become a Gundam fighter, too, if you knew that I had been in so many tournaments. Your mother and I were afraid that you'd-frankly, I'm not sure what we were afraid of. We just were. Bunny, we're sorry," George apologized.
"Sorry? Why should you be sorry? I think it's wonderful that you represented Neo-France in such a dramatic event! I think it's wonderful!!!!" She clapped her hands together in joy and hugged her father.
"I don't deserve this," George said to himself as Bunny hugged him fiercely. She was proud of him? George shrugged. What a strange daughter he had.
* * *
Brad Klements re-read the letter for the eighteenth time that hour. Domon Kasshu had wanted him as a pupil! The Domon Kasshu! The Domon Kasshu had wanted him, Brad, to come to Neo-Japan to become a Gundam fighter! Brad still couldn't believe it.
"Hey, watcha got there, kid?" he heard the man sitting next to him say.
"I'm not a kid. I'm twenty-one! And it's none of your business." Brad wasn't known for being polite or nice. In fact, he was known for quite to opposite. He folded the letter and sat back in the extremely uncomfortable third-class airplane seat. Brad was the greatest Gundam fighter in all of Neo-America, besides Chibodee Crockett of course. He was ruthless and cunning. Brad would do anything to win a battle. But before he had just been using borrowed Gundams. Never had he had his own; it would have been far too expensive. Brad Klements came from a poor family. His father had never amounted to anything, his older brother had never amounted to anything, and here he was: Brad Klements, going to train with Domone Kasshu in Neo-Japan! He was too excited for words. He was going to be in the eighteenth Gundam fight! He was going to represent Neo-America. Brad dreamed about winning the tournament, getting enough money for his family to live off of forever, and maybe even getting to meet Chibodee Crockett himself. Of course, there was no chance of ever becomong a Shuffle Alliance member. Chibodee had given his Queen of Spades crest to some Chikori Hansue of Neo-Denmark. What type of name was "Chokori Hansue" for a Dane? Brad shrugged, and drifted off into sleep.
* * *
Brad was right, though. Chikori Hansue was definitely not a Danish name. Chikori and his parents had moved from Neo-Cambodia to Neo-Denmark because of his father's business. Chikori was a Danish citizen though, and therefore qualified to be in the Gundam tournament. He desperately wanted to, but first he needed proper training and, of course, a Gundam. He had sent a letter to Domon Kasshu asking if he could train with him, and had expected no response. But, surprisingly, Domone had responded and had agreed to let Chikori come to Neo-Japan for training. Chikori was ten years old, and already set on becoming the best Gundam fighter in all of Europe.
And better yet, Chikori was already part of the Shuffle Alliance. The former Queen of Spades, Chibodee Crockett, had come to Neo-Denmark for a tournament, and had seen how well Chikori fought, even in borrowed Gundams. Chibodee had been so impressed that he had given Chikori the Queen of Spades crest. Now Chikori was bound to get into the Gundam match! He looked out of the train window and saw white. Why would any train travel through Siberia? Chikori thought to himself. He snuggled under the thin blanket he had been provided with, and went to sleep. Soon, all that could be seen of him was his greenish-blue hair, which stuck up in small spikes.
* * *
Volta and Haaz Lao hadn't been separated since birth. And they weren't about to start now. They were the best Kung Fu fighters in all of Neo- Nepal. They were celebrities. They were paid thousands a year. And best of all, Domon Kasshu had wanted to train them as Gundam fighters.
They were sailing to Neo-Japan on the H.M.S. Broiler. Haaz was laying down comfortably on a deck chair, while his identical twin sister paced back and forth before him. "Haaz," she said, "what if Mr. Kasshu doesn't really want us? What if he was just drunk or something when he wrote that letter to us? I mean, all sorts of thing could happen. What if we're not good enough? Then we'll have to come back to Neo-Nepal, shamed and branded as failures for life. What if-"
"What if this? What if that? What if the ship blows up? What if I commit suicide? What if a giant whale swallows this whole ship? What if our lunch blows up right in our stomachs? Will you stop worrying?" Haaz replied.
Volta put her hands on her stomach, as if to prevent her lunch from exploding inside of her. "Haaz! I hate it when you do that. We're seventeen years old, and you still act like a baby!" she scolded.
Although the twins were almost identical-short black hair and light green eyes-their personalities were completely different. Volta was a worrier; she thought everything would go wrong, and was always watching out for her careless brother. Haaz never gave a second thought to anything. He did whatever he thought was right at that split second.
"What's wrong with being a baby?" Haaz asked his sister innocently.
"Ugh!" She threw her arms up in frustration and walked away.
Haaz laughed silently, slipped his new sunglasses back on, and continued drinking his pina colada.
* * *
"He what?!?!" a young man of about twenty screamed into the phone. His blue eyes stared at his tabby cat in anger. (There was no one else in the room to stare at.)
"He didn't want you to go," a voice replied over the phone.
"What do you mean, he didn't want me to go? I'm the best Kung Fu fighter in all of Europe-in all of the whole world!" the young man screamed.
"Well, evidentially, he doesn't think so," came the reply.
"But-but he has to!"
"According to the way things are going, no, he doesn't."
"Yes, he does! How am I supposed to become part of the Shuffle Alliance if he doesn't choose me?"
"Good question. I have no- " The rest of the sentence was cut off as the young blonde man smashed the phone down.
"I'll get him for this! He's gonna pay." The man ground his teeth in frustration.
Do you like Volta and Haaz? Personally, they are my favorite characters, even though they aren't my main characters. They're sort of like the unneeded and unwanted comedians. ~* ShadowTide *~
Chapter III: Enter the Players
Bunny sat staring out the window of her private jet. She had brought fifteen books of Gundams with her. One of them was the record book of all past Gundam fights. She pulled the thick book out and re-read the part about her father for the twelfth time that day. Why hadn't he told her? Why hadn't her mother told her? What were they trying to protect her from? Well, now was as good a time as any.
"Father, may I ask you something?" she questioned her father hesitantly.
"Yes, Bunny?" he replied.
"Could you come over here for a minute?"
George walked over and sat down in the empty seat next to his daughter. "What is it?" he asked and put his arm around her seat.
"Well-I don't mean to be impolite, but-as I was looking through the books on Gundams-there must be thousands of them!-I came upon one that has the history of every Gundam fight since the first one. And I remember you telling me that you started battling in the fourteenth Gundam fight. And as I was flipping through the pages, I saw your name mentioned millions of times in the thirteenth Gundam tournament, which I see was somewhat more chaotic that all the others," she said and pointed in the book. "Why didn't you tell me you were fighting in the thirteenth match?"
George sighed. "Marie-Louise, I think we need to have a family discussion," he called to his wife who promptly came over to where the other two were already sitting.
"Yes?" she asked, worried out of her mind. "What is it?"
"The thirteenth Gundam tournament," George and Bunny replied simultaneously.
"Oh," Marie-Louise sighed and sat down.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Bunny repeated her question to both her parents.
"We thought you might want to become a Gundam fighter, too, if you knew that I had been in so many tournaments. Your mother and I were afraid that you'd-frankly, I'm not sure what we were afraid of. We just were. Bunny, we're sorry," George apologized.
"Sorry? Why should you be sorry? I think it's wonderful that you represented Neo-France in such a dramatic event! I think it's wonderful!!!!" She clapped her hands together in joy and hugged her father.
"I don't deserve this," George said to himself as Bunny hugged him fiercely. She was proud of him? George shrugged. What a strange daughter he had.
* * *
Brad Klements re-read the letter for the eighteenth time that hour. Domon Kasshu had wanted him as a pupil! The Domon Kasshu! The Domon Kasshu had wanted him, Brad, to come to Neo-Japan to become a Gundam fighter! Brad still couldn't believe it.
"Hey, watcha got there, kid?" he heard the man sitting next to him say.
"I'm not a kid. I'm twenty-one! And it's none of your business." Brad wasn't known for being polite or nice. In fact, he was known for quite to opposite. He folded the letter and sat back in the extremely uncomfortable third-class airplane seat. Brad was the greatest Gundam fighter in all of Neo-America, besides Chibodee Crockett of course. He was ruthless and cunning. Brad would do anything to win a battle. But before he had just been using borrowed Gundams. Never had he had his own; it would have been far too expensive. Brad Klements came from a poor family. His father had never amounted to anything, his older brother had never amounted to anything, and here he was: Brad Klements, going to train with Domone Kasshu in Neo-Japan! He was too excited for words. He was going to be in the eighteenth Gundam fight! He was going to represent Neo-America. Brad dreamed about winning the tournament, getting enough money for his family to live off of forever, and maybe even getting to meet Chibodee Crockett himself. Of course, there was no chance of ever becomong a Shuffle Alliance member. Chibodee had given his Queen of Spades crest to some Chikori Hansue of Neo-Denmark. What type of name was "Chokori Hansue" for a Dane? Brad shrugged, and drifted off into sleep.
* * *
Brad was right, though. Chikori Hansue was definitely not a Danish name. Chikori and his parents had moved from Neo-Cambodia to Neo-Denmark because of his father's business. Chikori was a Danish citizen though, and therefore qualified to be in the Gundam tournament. He desperately wanted to, but first he needed proper training and, of course, a Gundam. He had sent a letter to Domon Kasshu asking if he could train with him, and had expected no response. But, surprisingly, Domone had responded and had agreed to let Chikori come to Neo-Japan for training. Chikori was ten years old, and already set on becoming the best Gundam fighter in all of Europe.
And better yet, Chikori was already part of the Shuffle Alliance. The former Queen of Spades, Chibodee Crockett, had come to Neo-Denmark for a tournament, and had seen how well Chikori fought, even in borrowed Gundams. Chibodee had been so impressed that he had given Chikori the Queen of Spades crest. Now Chikori was bound to get into the Gundam match! He looked out of the train window and saw white. Why would any train travel through Siberia? Chikori thought to himself. He snuggled under the thin blanket he had been provided with, and went to sleep. Soon, all that could be seen of him was his greenish-blue hair, which stuck up in small spikes.
* * *
Volta and Haaz Lao hadn't been separated since birth. And they weren't about to start now. They were the best Kung Fu fighters in all of Neo- Nepal. They were celebrities. They were paid thousands a year. And best of all, Domon Kasshu had wanted to train them as Gundam fighters.
They were sailing to Neo-Japan on the H.M.S. Broiler. Haaz was laying down comfortably on a deck chair, while his identical twin sister paced back and forth before him. "Haaz," she said, "what if Mr. Kasshu doesn't really want us? What if he was just drunk or something when he wrote that letter to us? I mean, all sorts of thing could happen. What if we're not good enough? Then we'll have to come back to Neo-Nepal, shamed and branded as failures for life. What if-"
"What if this? What if that? What if the ship blows up? What if I commit suicide? What if a giant whale swallows this whole ship? What if our lunch blows up right in our stomachs? Will you stop worrying?" Haaz replied.
Volta put her hands on her stomach, as if to prevent her lunch from exploding inside of her. "Haaz! I hate it when you do that. We're seventeen years old, and you still act like a baby!" she scolded.
Although the twins were almost identical-short black hair and light green eyes-their personalities were completely different. Volta was a worrier; she thought everything would go wrong, and was always watching out for her careless brother. Haaz never gave a second thought to anything. He did whatever he thought was right at that split second.
"What's wrong with being a baby?" Haaz asked his sister innocently.
"Ugh!" She threw her arms up in frustration and walked away.
Haaz laughed silently, slipped his new sunglasses back on, and continued drinking his pina colada.
* * *
"He what?!?!" a young man of about twenty screamed into the phone. His blue eyes stared at his tabby cat in anger. (There was no one else in the room to stare at.)
"He didn't want you to go," a voice replied over the phone.
"What do you mean, he didn't want me to go? I'm the best Kung Fu fighter in all of Europe-in all of the whole world!" the young man screamed.
"Well, evidentially, he doesn't think so," came the reply.
"But-but he has to!"
"According to the way things are going, no, he doesn't."
"Yes, he does! How am I supposed to become part of the Shuffle Alliance if he doesn't choose me?"
"Good question. I have no- " The rest of the sentence was cut off as the young blonde man smashed the phone down.
"I'll get him for this! He's gonna pay." The man ground his teeth in frustration.
Do you like Volta and Haaz? Personally, they are my favorite characters, even though they aren't my main characters. They're sort of like the unneeded and unwanted comedians. ~* ShadowTide *~