Chapter VII: NightStalker
"Bunny, your hopeless! Do you want to represent Neo-France and win or not?" Volta asked her roommate.
"Yes!" Bunny jumped up from her sitting position, a fire burning in her eyes.
"Then you'll have to learn how to fight in a Gundam!"
"Why? I'm perfect at stargazing from outside the Gundam. Can't I just have someone else pilot it?" she asked hopefully. And it was true. Bunny was the best at coming up with attack techniques. Everyone had realized that the first day. Two months had gone by and still Bunny hadn't entered her Gundam
"Duh you have to go into the Gundam! Otherwise you can't participate in the Tournament!" Volta smacked her friend on the forehead.
"Oh, all right," Bunny said. "I give up. You win," she rose from her seat on the front stairs of the house.
Volta held out her hand for a high-five. "Yes! You'll be the best ever Bunny!"
Bunny smacked Volta's hand hard and, instead of letting go, gripped it tightly and whirled around-fast. She flipped Volta over her shoulder at lightening speed. Volta landed on her feet gracefully, trying to cover the fact that she had been taken a bit off balance. "See, you're great at Kung Fu and everything, so why don't you try Gundams?" Volta urged.
"I already agreed. If you ask again, we'll probably have to start at the beginning," Bunny replied with a smile and walked into the house. Domon had brought out the worst of Bunny de Sand. She no longer had any problems with wearing sweat-shorts and a tang-top. And fighting no longer frightened the wits out of the princess of Neo-France. She had become tougher, but was still the same gentle self on the inside. Bunny had accomplished everything she had wanted to in those eight weeks, except communicate with Brad. He just seemed completely unreachable.
"Mr. Kasshu," Bunny called out the back door. She would never stop being polite. "Mr. Kasshu, Volta's finally talked me into fighting in my Gundam!"
Domon appeared out of nowhere. "Great!" he said. "You can fight against Haaz. Considering that you beat him every day at Tactics, this should be no problem. Now go get Mirror Gundam."
Bunny nodded and ran out the door. She snapped her fingers. The bright blue nail polish on her fingernails glittered in the morning sunlight. The Mirror Gundam appeared. Bunny caught her breath. It was so big! How could she-
Then Bunny smirked. She knew what the Mirror Gundam could do. No one else did. Brad had actually chosen the weakest Gundam. She had thought he was smarter than that.But Bunny knew that Mirror Gundam was powerful. She hadn't told anyone about its attacks. Haaz would be surprised. Very surprised.
* * *
"All systems check!" a man shouted.
"Good. This better work." It was the same man who had wanted to become part of the Shuffle Alliance. The same man who had vowed to get revenge on Domon.
"Oh, it'll work all right," the other man-a scientist-assured him. "I designed the NightStalker Gundam myself."
* * *
Bunny was in her Gundam. It felt strange, wearing that tight rubbery suit. She moved her hand it a circular motion, to make sure the Gundam responded to her movements. Volta, Chikori, Domon, Rain, and her one-month-old baby, Cathery *(I wonder who named the baby?)*, were all watching. Domon put his arm around his wife and held her close to him as he instructed Bunny and Haaz what to do.
"Gundam Fight ready." Haaz began.
"GO!" Bunny ended the sentence.
Haaz shot a Shadow Stalker Attack at Bunny. The black mist traveled towards the Mirror Gundam. The arm mirros shot out of Bunny's Gundam. Haaz's attack hit the mirrors and.bounced right back at Haaz!
"Wow! I didn't know the Mirror Gundam could do that!" Haaz said.
"That makes you ignorant and a bad fighter," Bunny responded sourly. She was having second thoughts about this Gundam thing.
"Night Beam Ray!" Haaz shouted. Like his other attack, this one bounced right back at him, burning a whole in the Gundam's arm. "AHH!" Haaz shouted out in pain.
"Sorry," Bunny said.
"Ha! A good Gundam fighter never takes down her guard." Bunny heard Haaz say from behind her. She turned around. Haaz was aiming another Shadow Stalker Attack. It was aimed at her mirror. Evidently, scientists who said that everyone has a brain were wrong. Suddenly, the arm about to launch the attack veered up. It was too late to call back to attack, and the attack was aimed right at Bunny's cockpit.
"Haaz! What on earth are you doing? You know you'll only kill Bunny by attacking her cockpit!" Chikori screamed.
"I can't stop it. Something-something's controlling my Gundam. I can't move! Help! Get me out of here! Help!" Haaz began to panic. Volta was already there. Her Gundam crashed into Haaz's, causing it to fall to the ground. The launched attack made a big hole in the ground, but that was all.
Haaz jumped out of his Gundam, along with Bunny and Volta. "Haaz, what happened? I don't know. It was like I was paralyzed or something. I couldn't move at all. I could barely even think."
"Is that different from any other day?" Volta asked.
Haaz stared at her icily. "I'm serious, Volta. It-it took over my suit, my Gundam, everything! I swear on-on my Gundam!"
Volta's mocking look was erased instantly. Haaz never swore on a Gundam. He was actually serious. "Exactly what happened, Haaz?" she asked.
"Well, I was about to launch an attack her mirror-"
"Which was pretty stupid of you because that mirror can do something that Bunny never told us about," Volta interrupted and looked at Bunny. "But we can discuss that later."
"Do you want me to tell you what happened or not?" Haaz asked. "So, I was about to attack Bunny again when all of a sudden my suit went haywire. All that data and stuff that's in the suit, it all came popping out and filled my screen. The numbers were off the charts. Not what they're supposed to be. Then the suit stiffened and I couldn't move at all. Not even to scratch my nose or anything. I was just stuck in that position. Then my arm moved jaggedly upward and to the right," Haaz said and acted out what happened to him. "And I was aiming at the cockpit. I tried to move my arm back down, but it didn't work. I tried to move my other arm to help that arm get down, put that didn't work either. Then I tried to tell my Gundam to stop attacking, but that didn't work. I ordered it to stop, and it still didn't respond. I tried to turn around so that the attack would blast down some trees or something, but that didn't work. And then Volta pushed me down, and the attack made a big hole in the ground. Sorry about that, Domon. And then Volta started screaming at me-"
"We know what happened after she butted in," Brad put in sharply.
Everyone stared at him. Brad had said exactly twelve words so far. "What? I do know how to speak. I'm not that stupid!"
"We need to figure out what happened to your Gundam, Haaz." Rain stated the obvious. "It could be dangerous. I think until we know what's wrong, you shouldn't pilot it."
Haaz looked put down. "Aww. It's my Gundam! I have to be able to pilot it! How else am I going to enter the Tournament?"
"There's this person called Volta Lao. I'm not sure if you've met her or not, but she's also from Neo-Nepal!" Volta put in sarcastically.
"He-he," Haaz said and watched Volta come closer and closer to him. She looked him in the eye, sternly, and then started screaming at him some more. Finally she was done shaking the life out of her unfortunate brother.
She kept on staring at him, and then her eyes softened. She hugged Haaz close to her. "Haaz, you got me so worried. Don't you ever do something that stupid again! And don't even think of piloting your Gundam." Haaz was confused, but didn't want to ruin the only moment when his sister was actually hugging him. Everyone stared. They had to solve NightStalker Gundam's problem, and quick.
* * *
"Domon! Look at this," Rain called to her husband as he came over.
"What?" he asked, standing behind her.
She showed him the data that was on her laptop. "NightStalker Gundam was created by Neo-Germany. It never had a single test run because the head scientist claimed it was already running perfectly and didn't need to be tested. Why did we get the NightStalker Gundam, Domon?"
"I wanted one of them to have it. It sounded like a good Gundam. It is a good Gundam. If NightStalker Gundam is from Neo-Germany, wouldn't that make SunStriker Gundam from Neo-Germany, too? Aren't they twin Gundams or something like that?"
Rain agreed. She typed in a search for SunStriker Gundam. "It says here that SunStriker Gundam was created by Neo-Germany, too. But it was actually built in Neo-Jamaica. Lots of sun there. It was test driven a couple of times. Worked perfectly." She scrolled down father. "Look at this! The same man designed both of them: Dr. Klements."
"Klements." Rain and Domon turned around to see Bunny standing behind them "I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing, and well, I know Dr. Klements. He made a few minor improvements on the Gundam Rose-" Bunny was cut off as they heard a sharp scream come from the backyard. She ran out of the room.
Haaz was standing in the middle of the gigantic backyard, his Gundam suit not allowing him to move. NightStalker Gundam was aiming an attack at him. But-there was no one in the Gundam. Bunny ran out to Haaz and pulled him away from the Gundam. But the Gundam just turned around and kept on aiming at Haaz. Then Brad was there in his Eagle Gundam. The Shadow Stalker Attack was already being launched. Eagle Gundam picked up NightStalker Gundam and threw in onto the ground. The earth shook and now there were two dark, deep holes in Domon's backyard.
"HAAZ!!!!!!!" Volta came out screaming in anger. She hit her brother on the temple. "You are the stupidest being known to mankind. Idiotic! When Mr. Kasshu and I explicitly told you not to go into your Gundam till we figure out what happened to it, you go in your Gundam and almost get killed. Which do you prefer: your Gundam killing you or me killing you? You are so dead, Haaz Lao!" She shook him back and forth. "You worried everyone here half to death. No more Gundam fighting for you. I'm sending you back to Neo-Nepal. Now! Get out of that evil suit and start packing!" Volta glared at him and pointed towards the door to the house. Like an obedient child, Haaz walked into the house, his head drooping in sadness.
Brad piloted his Eagle Gundam to land next to the others. He hopped out of his Gundam and walked into the house. "You're brother is an idiot," he remarked to Volta as he passed by. "Rabbit-face there should have let him die."
"The name is BUNNY!!!" Bunny screamed after him. Brad has serious social issues, Bunny thought.
Volta collapsed onto the floor. "What did he think he was doing? What the hell did he think he was doing?" she asked.
"Trying to prove that he could control his Gundam," Chikori answered.
"But I told him not to go near it," Volta defended.
"Did he ever listen to you before?"
"No."
"So why should he now?" Chikori pointed out.
Volta turned around to face him. "For a ten-year-old, you are way too smart. He should have listened to me because this time it was a matter of life or death! Last time it was a matter of a broken Shadow Gundam model or a whole and complete Shadow Gundam model. See the slight difference in importance there?"
Rain went back inside, along with Domon. "Cathery needs to be fed," she explained.
Volta went inside to talk to Haaz. Chikori eventually drifted off into the house as well.
Bunny sat on the grass, staring up at the clouds. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the phone ring. "I'll get it!" she called as she ran into the house.
"Hello? Kasshu residence. Trainee speaking. May I ask who's calling?" she said politely.
"Bunny? Bunny, is that you?" Marie-Louise said over the other line.
"Mother!" Bunny recognized her voice.
"Bunny, there's something I have to tell you. Now, don't be scared, dear. You're father's fine-"
"Father? What happened to father?" Bunny asked, panicking.
"Well, his Gundam Rose tried to kill him. But there wasn't a pilot in the Gundam. It was like it operated on it's own."
"Is he okay?" Bunny asked.
"Yes, your father is fine. He wasn't injured at all."
"Good." Then it hit her. Dr. Klements had remodeled Gundam Rose. Dr. Klements had created NightStalker Gundam. Dr. Klements had also created SunStriker Gundam! "Mother, Haaz's Gundam acted just the same way today," she said. "And Dr. Klements-remember him?-was involved in the creation or remodeling on both of them."
"You could be right, Bunny," the Queen of Neo-France said. "I have to go now, dear. Love you, bye."
"Love you, mother," Bunny responded and hung up the phone. "RAIN! Can I use your computer?" she called up the stairs to Rain.
"Sure! Do you know how to work it?" Rain responded.
"Yes," Bunny called back. "Thanks!" She opened up the laptop and started researching Dr. Klements. This could get interesting.
* * *
"Dr., it didn't work on either Gundams. People kept on interfering," a man reported.
"We'll just have to try it on SunStriker Gundam next," the scientist replied.
* * *
"Bunny, I've made a decision," Volta announced before they went to sleep that night. "If all you told me was true, then I think it's best that I stop piloting my Gundam for a while, maybe even go back to Neo-Nepal."
"Don't even think about going back. But you're right. I wouldn't pilot that Gundam if I were you," Bunny responded.
"Bunny, your hopeless! Do you want to represent Neo-France and win or not?" Volta asked her roommate.
"Yes!" Bunny jumped up from her sitting position, a fire burning in her eyes.
"Then you'll have to learn how to fight in a Gundam!"
"Why? I'm perfect at stargazing from outside the Gundam. Can't I just have someone else pilot it?" she asked hopefully. And it was true. Bunny was the best at coming up with attack techniques. Everyone had realized that the first day. Two months had gone by and still Bunny hadn't entered her Gundam
"Duh you have to go into the Gundam! Otherwise you can't participate in the Tournament!" Volta smacked her friend on the forehead.
"Oh, all right," Bunny said. "I give up. You win," she rose from her seat on the front stairs of the house.
Volta held out her hand for a high-five. "Yes! You'll be the best ever Bunny!"
Bunny smacked Volta's hand hard and, instead of letting go, gripped it tightly and whirled around-fast. She flipped Volta over her shoulder at lightening speed. Volta landed on her feet gracefully, trying to cover the fact that she had been taken a bit off balance. "See, you're great at Kung Fu and everything, so why don't you try Gundams?" Volta urged.
"I already agreed. If you ask again, we'll probably have to start at the beginning," Bunny replied with a smile and walked into the house. Domon had brought out the worst of Bunny de Sand. She no longer had any problems with wearing sweat-shorts and a tang-top. And fighting no longer frightened the wits out of the princess of Neo-France. She had become tougher, but was still the same gentle self on the inside. Bunny had accomplished everything she had wanted to in those eight weeks, except communicate with Brad. He just seemed completely unreachable.
"Mr. Kasshu," Bunny called out the back door. She would never stop being polite. "Mr. Kasshu, Volta's finally talked me into fighting in my Gundam!"
Domon appeared out of nowhere. "Great!" he said. "You can fight against Haaz. Considering that you beat him every day at Tactics, this should be no problem. Now go get Mirror Gundam."
Bunny nodded and ran out the door. She snapped her fingers. The bright blue nail polish on her fingernails glittered in the morning sunlight. The Mirror Gundam appeared. Bunny caught her breath. It was so big! How could she-
Then Bunny smirked. She knew what the Mirror Gundam could do. No one else did. Brad had actually chosen the weakest Gundam. She had thought he was smarter than that.But Bunny knew that Mirror Gundam was powerful. She hadn't told anyone about its attacks. Haaz would be surprised. Very surprised.
* * *
"All systems check!" a man shouted.
"Good. This better work." It was the same man who had wanted to become part of the Shuffle Alliance. The same man who had vowed to get revenge on Domon.
"Oh, it'll work all right," the other man-a scientist-assured him. "I designed the NightStalker Gundam myself."
* * *
Bunny was in her Gundam. It felt strange, wearing that tight rubbery suit. She moved her hand it a circular motion, to make sure the Gundam responded to her movements. Volta, Chikori, Domon, Rain, and her one-month-old baby, Cathery *(I wonder who named the baby?)*, were all watching. Domon put his arm around his wife and held her close to him as he instructed Bunny and Haaz what to do.
"Gundam Fight ready." Haaz began.
"GO!" Bunny ended the sentence.
Haaz shot a Shadow Stalker Attack at Bunny. The black mist traveled towards the Mirror Gundam. The arm mirros shot out of Bunny's Gundam. Haaz's attack hit the mirrors and.bounced right back at Haaz!
"Wow! I didn't know the Mirror Gundam could do that!" Haaz said.
"That makes you ignorant and a bad fighter," Bunny responded sourly. She was having second thoughts about this Gundam thing.
"Night Beam Ray!" Haaz shouted. Like his other attack, this one bounced right back at him, burning a whole in the Gundam's arm. "AHH!" Haaz shouted out in pain.
"Sorry," Bunny said.
"Ha! A good Gundam fighter never takes down her guard." Bunny heard Haaz say from behind her. She turned around. Haaz was aiming another Shadow Stalker Attack. It was aimed at her mirror. Evidently, scientists who said that everyone has a brain were wrong. Suddenly, the arm about to launch the attack veered up. It was too late to call back to attack, and the attack was aimed right at Bunny's cockpit.
"Haaz! What on earth are you doing? You know you'll only kill Bunny by attacking her cockpit!" Chikori screamed.
"I can't stop it. Something-something's controlling my Gundam. I can't move! Help! Get me out of here! Help!" Haaz began to panic. Volta was already there. Her Gundam crashed into Haaz's, causing it to fall to the ground. The launched attack made a big hole in the ground, but that was all.
Haaz jumped out of his Gundam, along with Bunny and Volta. "Haaz, what happened? I don't know. It was like I was paralyzed or something. I couldn't move at all. I could barely even think."
"Is that different from any other day?" Volta asked.
Haaz stared at her icily. "I'm serious, Volta. It-it took over my suit, my Gundam, everything! I swear on-on my Gundam!"
Volta's mocking look was erased instantly. Haaz never swore on a Gundam. He was actually serious. "Exactly what happened, Haaz?" she asked.
"Well, I was about to launch an attack her mirror-"
"Which was pretty stupid of you because that mirror can do something that Bunny never told us about," Volta interrupted and looked at Bunny. "But we can discuss that later."
"Do you want me to tell you what happened or not?" Haaz asked. "So, I was about to attack Bunny again when all of a sudden my suit went haywire. All that data and stuff that's in the suit, it all came popping out and filled my screen. The numbers were off the charts. Not what they're supposed to be. Then the suit stiffened and I couldn't move at all. Not even to scratch my nose or anything. I was just stuck in that position. Then my arm moved jaggedly upward and to the right," Haaz said and acted out what happened to him. "And I was aiming at the cockpit. I tried to move my arm back down, but it didn't work. I tried to move my other arm to help that arm get down, put that didn't work either. Then I tried to tell my Gundam to stop attacking, but that didn't work. I ordered it to stop, and it still didn't respond. I tried to turn around so that the attack would blast down some trees or something, but that didn't work. And then Volta pushed me down, and the attack made a big hole in the ground. Sorry about that, Domon. And then Volta started screaming at me-"
"We know what happened after she butted in," Brad put in sharply.
Everyone stared at him. Brad had said exactly twelve words so far. "What? I do know how to speak. I'm not that stupid!"
"We need to figure out what happened to your Gundam, Haaz." Rain stated the obvious. "It could be dangerous. I think until we know what's wrong, you shouldn't pilot it."
Haaz looked put down. "Aww. It's my Gundam! I have to be able to pilot it! How else am I going to enter the Tournament?"
"There's this person called Volta Lao. I'm not sure if you've met her or not, but she's also from Neo-Nepal!" Volta put in sarcastically.
"He-he," Haaz said and watched Volta come closer and closer to him. She looked him in the eye, sternly, and then started screaming at him some more. Finally she was done shaking the life out of her unfortunate brother.
She kept on staring at him, and then her eyes softened. She hugged Haaz close to her. "Haaz, you got me so worried. Don't you ever do something that stupid again! And don't even think of piloting your Gundam." Haaz was confused, but didn't want to ruin the only moment when his sister was actually hugging him. Everyone stared. They had to solve NightStalker Gundam's problem, and quick.
* * *
"Domon! Look at this," Rain called to her husband as he came over.
"What?" he asked, standing behind her.
She showed him the data that was on her laptop. "NightStalker Gundam was created by Neo-Germany. It never had a single test run because the head scientist claimed it was already running perfectly and didn't need to be tested. Why did we get the NightStalker Gundam, Domon?"
"I wanted one of them to have it. It sounded like a good Gundam. It is a good Gundam. If NightStalker Gundam is from Neo-Germany, wouldn't that make SunStriker Gundam from Neo-Germany, too? Aren't they twin Gundams or something like that?"
Rain agreed. She typed in a search for SunStriker Gundam. "It says here that SunStriker Gundam was created by Neo-Germany, too. But it was actually built in Neo-Jamaica. Lots of sun there. It was test driven a couple of times. Worked perfectly." She scrolled down father. "Look at this! The same man designed both of them: Dr. Klements."
"Klements." Rain and Domon turned around to see Bunny standing behind them "I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing, and well, I know Dr. Klements. He made a few minor improvements on the Gundam Rose-" Bunny was cut off as they heard a sharp scream come from the backyard. She ran out of the room.
Haaz was standing in the middle of the gigantic backyard, his Gundam suit not allowing him to move. NightStalker Gundam was aiming an attack at him. But-there was no one in the Gundam. Bunny ran out to Haaz and pulled him away from the Gundam. But the Gundam just turned around and kept on aiming at Haaz. Then Brad was there in his Eagle Gundam. The Shadow Stalker Attack was already being launched. Eagle Gundam picked up NightStalker Gundam and threw in onto the ground. The earth shook and now there were two dark, deep holes in Domon's backyard.
"HAAZ!!!!!!!" Volta came out screaming in anger. She hit her brother on the temple. "You are the stupidest being known to mankind. Idiotic! When Mr. Kasshu and I explicitly told you not to go into your Gundam till we figure out what happened to it, you go in your Gundam and almost get killed. Which do you prefer: your Gundam killing you or me killing you? You are so dead, Haaz Lao!" She shook him back and forth. "You worried everyone here half to death. No more Gundam fighting for you. I'm sending you back to Neo-Nepal. Now! Get out of that evil suit and start packing!" Volta glared at him and pointed towards the door to the house. Like an obedient child, Haaz walked into the house, his head drooping in sadness.
Brad piloted his Eagle Gundam to land next to the others. He hopped out of his Gundam and walked into the house. "You're brother is an idiot," he remarked to Volta as he passed by. "Rabbit-face there should have let him die."
"The name is BUNNY!!!" Bunny screamed after him. Brad has serious social issues, Bunny thought.
Volta collapsed onto the floor. "What did he think he was doing? What the hell did he think he was doing?" she asked.
"Trying to prove that he could control his Gundam," Chikori answered.
"But I told him not to go near it," Volta defended.
"Did he ever listen to you before?"
"No."
"So why should he now?" Chikori pointed out.
Volta turned around to face him. "For a ten-year-old, you are way too smart. He should have listened to me because this time it was a matter of life or death! Last time it was a matter of a broken Shadow Gundam model or a whole and complete Shadow Gundam model. See the slight difference in importance there?"
Rain went back inside, along with Domon. "Cathery needs to be fed," she explained.
Volta went inside to talk to Haaz. Chikori eventually drifted off into the house as well.
Bunny sat on the grass, staring up at the clouds. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the phone ring. "I'll get it!" she called as she ran into the house.
"Hello? Kasshu residence. Trainee speaking. May I ask who's calling?" she said politely.
"Bunny? Bunny, is that you?" Marie-Louise said over the other line.
"Mother!" Bunny recognized her voice.
"Bunny, there's something I have to tell you. Now, don't be scared, dear. You're father's fine-"
"Father? What happened to father?" Bunny asked, panicking.
"Well, his Gundam Rose tried to kill him. But there wasn't a pilot in the Gundam. It was like it operated on it's own."
"Is he okay?" Bunny asked.
"Yes, your father is fine. He wasn't injured at all."
"Good." Then it hit her. Dr. Klements had remodeled Gundam Rose. Dr. Klements had created NightStalker Gundam. Dr. Klements had also created SunStriker Gundam! "Mother, Haaz's Gundam acted just the same way today," she said. "And Dr. Klements-remember him?-was involved in the creation or remodeling on both of them."
"You could be right, Bunny," the Queen of Neo-France said. "I have to go now, dear. Love you, bye."
"Love you, mother," Bunny responded and hung up the phone. "RAIN! Can I use your computer?" she called up the stairs to Rain.
"Sure! Do you know how to work it?" Rain responded.
"Yes," Bunny called back. "Thanks!" She opened up the laptop and started researching Dr. Klements. This could get interesting.
* * *
"Dr., it didn't work on either Gundams. People kept on interfering," a man reported.
"We'll just have to try it on SunStriker Gundam next," the scientist replied.
* * *
"Bunny, I've made a decision," Volta announced before they went to sleep that night. "If all you told me was true, then I think it's best that I stop piloting my Gundam for a while, maybe even go back to Neo-Nepal."
"Don't even think about going back. But you're right. I wouldn't pilot that Gundam if I were you," Bunny responded.