Gundam-Evangelion Crossover

by Keiichi Morisato

The Gundam in the title of this fic DOES NOT and WILL NOT pertain to Wing. I just don't see how and why Wing and Eva would be connected. Anyway, UC is much better than AC. Go figure.

9. Cinderella Four, Part 2 Cinderella Four...

Amuro: All this waiting for our supplies and reinforcements is starting to make *me* queasy, Captain. It's already 11:35 and we're still waiting here like sitting ducks...

Bright: Not *my* fault we have to wait for them. Besides, whose bright idea was it to let the Evangelions be transported in aircraft carriers anyway?

Amuro: Captain, it's not like we could actually *fit* those two things into the Mont Blanc, you know? Before we both end up in a heated discussion about hangar space in battlecruisers, I'd just like to know if any of those kids from Nerv are going with you guys into space.

Bright: Well, of course they are--wait a second. (leers at Amuro) What do you mean "going with you guys"? You're not coming with us, Amuro? Is this something about "him" again? Or are you losing your touch? I hope it?s not either of them...

Amuro: (twitches his eyebrows) No, it's not about "him", alright? Not anymore. I just think...I *know*? I can't go with you for the time being. I have to finish something here on earth first. Hopefully by that time I'll be confident enough to return to space with your group, if I had the energy and determination by then...

Bright: (looks thoughtfully at Amuro) I?ll leave it to your discretion, then. Not like I'm your superior officer to begin with anyway...

Amuro: What's that supposed to mean?

Bright: Nothing, Amuro. Anyway, why in the hell are you still here aboard the Agama? Get back to your bloody ship where you belong, boy. (chuckles and pats Amuro's back) You have "your own" ship now. Go and manage it, or else I'll have to kick you out of here myself! Heh.

Amuro: Hmm, the last time I heard you calling me a "boy" was six years ago. You should know better than *that*, Bright...

Bright: Yeah, whatever. Oh, and Amuro? Good luck...on whatever you're up to.

Amuro: (taking a deep breath; knowing that this parting would last awhile. And if they're lucky enough to get out of this war alive, too, but can't find the appropriate words) Well...see ya.

As soon as Amuro was about to leave the Agama's bridge, sirens went off and he overheard one of the AEUG ship's bridge operators reporting a high concentration of Minovsky particle radiation from quite a long distance, but was advancing quite fast towards their general direction. This was bad, Amuro thought, and made a break for the Mont Blanc for preparations to deploy MS'es immediately, just in case it was the Titans who were coming.

Amuro sure hoped Captain Katsuragi's kids arrived soon enough...

********************

A Mobile Suit Gundam / Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover
written by Lloyd Barrieses (kachiko00@yahoo.com)
Mobile Suit Gundam (c)1978 Yoshiyuki Tomino/Bandai/Sunrise.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (c)1996 Gainax/Project Eva./TV Tokyo/NAS.
All rights reserved.

This fanfiction owned and authored by Lloyd Barrieses. Any attempt to
steal this fic (i.e. putting your name in the credits) shall be met with
appropriate punishments. I'm serious, folks.

********************

[Act 8]

Episode 13, "Cinderella Four, Part 2"
-------------------

"Time was of the essence", or so they say. But then no matter how much both Evangelion pilots had hoped that they'll get to Hong Kong's shores more immediately than they expected, they couldn't really do much about how slow the vintage UN aircraft carriers they were in went. Impatiently, Asuka sent her fellow pilot an SMS message on his cellphone describing how badly she wanted to "kick some ass already" and complained about why Misato "hadn't just gone and put them on the Audomura in the first place".

Shinji replied at her with an SMS message of his own that said, though not exactly: "at least we're making progress, right? You have to learn to calm down sometimes, Asuka."

Asuka: (a little furiously pressing her fingers on the phone keys) [How could anyone calm down in THIS situation? And I can't seem to find ANYWHERE to plug this damned cellphone, I'm running low on batteries, you know!]

Shinji: (scratches his head and "texts" her back) [Well, we'll just have to wait till we get to the Agama for THAT, right? Mine isn't doing too well either, and the ship I'm in could use some work on it's airconditioning if you know what I mean... -.-;] (fans himself with a piece of cardboard)

Asuka: [Fine! Gottverdammt piece of...!]

Shinji: [:/ Anyway, are we going to use the very same tactic we did against the Angel that we did a little bit earlier when we were still in Japan?]

Asuka: [Ikari, I have *no* idea...but it *might* work, you know? o.o]

Shinji: [Yeah. I don't have any idea about what's waiting for us in Hong Kong but I'm sure it won't be a free vacation...or maybe it will be, courtesy of the Titans...]

Asuka: [Heh. Well, I guess I'll hear from you later, then. Later, asswipe... D]

Shinji: (blinks) "Asswipe"? What the-- (tries to send her back a text message but his cellphone's batteries run out, making him just pout and grit his teeth) Great. Just great...I can imagine that Asuka snickering right now...

----

Fa just squinted in uninterested amazement as she viewed the Minovsky particle "radar" screen. There *was* something approaching them, probably some few Titan or Federation Salamis-class cruisers (no problem with that, quoted Bright), but she seems to be picking up something as big as a standard battlecruiser, but was moving "a little bit faster than how a battlecruiser should move".

Bright: Are you sure that thing's functioning normally?

Fa: (turns around from her chair) Yes, I'm pretty sure, Captain. I *really* don't think this is anything like a battlecruiser at all, in fact, there seems to be minimal Minovsky particle radiation surrounding one of these big..."things" on the screen right now... (types a few commands on her keyboard and maximizes what she sees on the main screen)

She's right, Bright thought as he examined the main screen closely and rubbed his chin in thought. One of the blinking squares that should indicate that it's indeed another one of those Titan battlecruisers was in fact moving at a steady, yet faster pace than the other blinking squares on-screen. It also seemed to have a few little escorts with it--that means, more mobile suits.

Bright: Amazing. It's almost like one big mobile suit...Fa, alert all pilots for defensive positions in... (looks at his watch) ...in 5 minutes. Alert the Radish as well.

Fa: Yes, Captain. /All pilots, I repeat, all pilots--/

At that point, Mirai, who was standing beside her husband at the time, took one of the swivel chairs near her and sat down beside her husband. As a former helmswoman and tactician under Bright back in 0079, she couldn't help but offer some aid to her former captain.

Bright: Looks like we're in for another round, eh Mirai? Damn these bloody Titans...they just don't know when to stop now, do they?

Mirai: (shakes her head) This looks bad, Bright. Wonder if your kids and I'll still get to go to India at this rate...

Bright: Well, we couldn't afford to be less cautious nowadays, right? The Titans seem as if they have no end to their supply of mobile suits and weaponry, not to mention new ideas in their R&D perhaps to kick our asses out of the colony system... (blinks) What do you mean you and the children are going to India?

Mirai: I just think it's safer for the family to go to India for the time being, since you're so involved with this new war brewing anyway. Not that I'm taking the role of decision-maker in the family it's just that...

Bright: You don't want me to worry half the time about your welfare...

Mirai (nodding): While you should be busy in the war. Besides, Sayla highly recommended India as the most secured neutral country. I think now's the time to check out her claim. But we'll be here for quite a while, helping you out at least, until it's safe for all of us to go.

Bright: (dryly) I've always trusted your judgement in the past, Mirai (his wife gave a wry grin in return, remembering the rather confusing time together during the One Year War; professionally and emotionally). You really don't need my permission...

Mirai: But I do need it. And you know it quite well, dear.

Bright: Yes, I guess I do. (returns reading the clipboard) In any case I can allow you to help out a little, but don't exert yourself too much or anything. It's not like you're already part of the AEUG or something, I just want to make sure that--

Mirai: I'm fine enough as it is, honey. Don't worry too much about me and especially the kids. (smiles and kisses Bright, then walks down to where Fa is and talks with her a little, looks at the monitor in front of Fa, then faces Bright behind her) I might have to figure something out since we *are* low on resources and manpower as you can see... (types something on Fa's keyboard) ...but so far we've been quite lucky as we've only suffered minimal losses as far as our mobile suits and weaponry are concerned.

Bright: So what does this mean, we might have to exploit whatever we have left so at least we could survive until Stephanie Luo comes back with the goods?

Mirai: I guess you could say that. I think it's all pretty obvious already, you know?

Bright: Right. Camille would be our only hope here--

Fa: (sighs and mumbles softly) ...Camille...

Bright: --as well as a few of our seasoned pilots such as Amuro and Emma. I don't had any knowledge as to whether Shiro Amada has had any previous piloting experience but it would be advantageous to us if we could use him too. Fa, try to know if Captain Shiro Amada has had any piloting experience and if the Radish has any more mobile suits to fit him.

Fa: (sighs) ...yes, sir. /Contacting the Radish, this is the Agama.../

Mirai: (pouts slightly and pats Fa on the back) You sure you're up to this, hon?

Fa: Y...yeah. I'm...I'm fine.

Mirai: If you say so...

----

Four Murasame just sighed sadly as she looked at the boy before her, who himself looked as if he was quite ready for the fight of his life, so to speak. She just *has* to tell him the truth about herself *soon*, or else she'll regret it all her life that she hurt this gifted and probably beloved person in front of her...

Camille sensed Four's uneasiness and worry emanating from her senses. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite good at dealing with people's problems, much less *women's* problems, but, trusting his senses that since it's Four who's feeling helpless right now, the blue-haired boy thought it proper that he should help her out anyway with what's bugging her.

Relaxing his grip on one of the Zeta's joysticks, Camille turned around to face her...

Camille: You know what? I?m afraid I have to be frank here--- that you wanted to tell me something. That?s very important.

Four: .....

Camille: It?s not because of my powers, if that?s what you?re going to say...it?s just that...you?ve been very quiet since we were in here. Something?s bothering you, and you?ve been thinking it over for awhile.

Four: Camille, I...

Camille: But you don?t want to tell me...

Four (grimacing): It?s not because a lack of trust was at order? it?s because? it?s personal.

Camille: How personal?

Four (smiling sadly): About my life? in general.

Camille: (pauses for a few seconds, then blinks) ...why do I get the feeling that this isn't gonna be good?

Four: I know you may not like it, but it?s something I have to do. And I?m afraid you can?t help me in this one.

Camille: It?s strange really?

Four: Huh?

Camille: Well, here I am trying to find something to tell you that your past didn?t matter. And that only the present is. But I know it?s something entirely else for you. I wish? I wish I can convince you to stay.

Four: Please understand. How can I be sure of other people from thereon, if I can never be sure of myself?

Camille: (turns back and pauses for a long while, then sighs) Alright. I?ll trust you know what you?re doing. But I promise you, that I?ll be here for you? to wait for your return. So if you?re confused or lost, I?ll guide you back somehow.

Four: (starts to sob softly) Look at me, Camille. Unstrap yourself from that pilot seat, come here where I am, and just look at me.

And Camille did just that. In the narrow space that the Zeta Gundam's cockpit had provided them, Camille knelt with Four and held her shoulders while he looked deeply into her eyes. The young Newtype was right: Four *was* sad in this decision she has to make.

Four: (sobs a little more loudly) Kiss me one last time, Camille. One last time before I go...I don't want our...our brief encounter to end without expressing my true feelings for you. Just...just hold me in your arms and kiss me... (sobs uncontrollably, tears welling in her eyes)

And so, Camille, putting a finger on Four's lips as if to hush her, then caressed her cheeks and kissed her deeply and passionately as a boy his age could ever muster, as if Camille's feelings for Four were mutual with his own. and as they broke the kiss, Camille and Four just sifted their hands through each other's hair and smiled at each other; Four, through teary eyes; and Camille, as sad as he could gaze at her.

Camille: So...how will you be able to get back? Oh--don't bother to answer that. Here... (gives Four the keys to his motorcycle) You do know how to ride a bike, do you?

Four: (giggles) Silly boy...what, you think I'm so dumb that I don't know how to do such a simple thing as riding a motorcycle? Gee whiz, Camille...you underestimate me. How could you? (winks at him) Heh, well, seriously...I've been watching you earlier while we were getting back to the Agama. So far I only know the basics and stuff like that. You know...I remember I was told once that I was a fast learner, and...maybe I am. Who knows...

Camille: Heh heh...well, that's entertaining to know...

Four: (frowns sadly at Camille) I have to go now. Maybe we'll see each other in the battlefield, maybe not...but until then...take care, okay?

Camille: ...yeah. Yeah, I will... (presses a few controls on the "dashboard" that made the globe-like cockpit open in fornt of them) You do know where I parked the bike, right? Just be sure nobody ever sees you...

Four: Yeah, I do...and I will. (proceeds to the opening, pauses briefly, then turns around to face Camille) I guess I'll see you around, then. (sighs and smiles through teary eyes) I love you, Camille Vidan. Goodbye...

Camille: (thinks, while instinctively pulls some levers so as to assist Four down with the Zeta's hand) Don't say goodbye, Four...goodbyes are so sad...I just *know* we'll meet again...

Her feelings might have been hurt because of this big decision that she felt she had to make, but the willowy lass thought it was for the best. Now, more than ever, she felt that the Titans, the people who have "raised" her, and...

...and were the AEUG's, and ultimately, Camille's enemy...

...she felt that they were the only ones capable of helping her now. Tears flowed from her eyes as the Zeta Gundam's hand slowly and finally reached the Agama's floor and she rushed to where Camille's motorcycle was. She was just too sad to turn around and see her..."enemy's"...mobile suit and wave goodbye one last time.

Camille was still in shock over what just happened. He still couldn't believe he let go of her JUST LIKE THAT, but strangely enough, he thought earlier, he also did feel it was for the best. So close, he sighed, yet so far. "I guess it just happens," he tells himself in sad thought.

Camille relaxed as he awaited orders from the Agama's bridge for that imminent battel that may or may not decide his fate on earth. It didn't matter anymore to him either whether the Evangelions from Nerv arrive or not.

After all, he thought at the back of his head so as to block out the sadness he felt at the moment, this'll be the perfect opportunity to test out the Zeta, whether it's really battle-worthy as he had intended it to be or not. But then, the Zeta Gundam wasn't his primary concern right now, he thought as he saw (hopefully not) the last he'll ever see of Four Murasame.

----

Back at the bridge however, as she was helping Fa out, Mirai couldn't help but notice her husband looking a little bit tense and at the same time worried as he was talking to someone on the phone, probably one of the AEUG's colloborators or something similar.

Bright: ...I see. Okay. Just give us a few more minutes for our other people from Japan to arrive. *No*, they won't take long, I'll assume they'll be here at around thirty minutes or less since--all right, fine then. Just give us some more time and hopefully hostilities in your city won't have to arise like they did yesterday. Well, thanks for your time too. (hangs up the phone with an annoyed grimace) Mirai, the city mayor's going ballistic because we're still here in Hong Kong. Apparently he wanted us to leave.

Mirai: I don't blame him. Having an AEUG ship in the middle of such a small city as this is bound to get some unwanted attention. How nervous is he?

Bright: Nervous enough to send us away before we could complete our reinforcements and supplies shipments. We can't just launch off to space without them. Mirai, these Evangelions from Nerv are quite crucial as are the new supplies and ammo. I couldn't afford to--

Mirai: Well, why not do what you said earlier? "We'll have to do necessary measures to ensure our survival as long as the Agama and the AEUG is here in Hong Kong and on Earth." I believe that's what you said more or less, and though it might be hard to do, it's not impossible, right?

Bright: (relaxes on his chair a little) You took the words right out of my mouth.

Mirai: Well then, there isn't really anything more to worry about, right? But then, I'm worried that you have to depend too much on Camille and Amuro. I'm pretty sure they haven't had adequate rest or time for themselves anymore... (looks at Fa briefly) ...do you still think they are a hundred percent for this operation?

Bright: Oh, I'm pretty sure of that, especially with Amuro. He had this uncanny ability to use his insomnia into a more useful exercise. Camille, however...we'll have to keep a close eye on him. He seems preoccupied with something lately...anyway, Fa, have you gotten any info from the Mont Blanc yet?

Fa: (blinks) ...huh? Oh...yes, Captain. The Mont Blanc says they're ready to go anytime and so is the Radish. As for your query about Captain Shiro amada, well, he claims he's still quite able to pilot a mobile suit when needed, but he also says that "in the occasion that he'll have to go along with us into space, he still has to relearn 'everything' first since all he's ever done in the period of his service was land battles".

Bright: I see, thank you, Fa. Well, looks like we have another seasoned pilot in our hands.

Mirai: Bright, I'm still not entirely sure we should put our hopes too much on our pilots, or what's left of them, at least. You seem to lean more into an offensive position rather a defensive one, it's like going into battle with a pig-stick against sword-wielding foes. Just think about it, Bright.

Bright: Then a defensive position we'll apply. Remember that time in New York back in '79 when Garma Zabi attempted to ram his Gau into the White Base?

Mirai: Yeah, but what's that have to do with anything?

Bright: Can't you see? This is just like when Char attacked us back then and they couldn't penetrate our defense because we had the Gundam and--

Mirai: It was *not* just because we had the Gundam back then. We were lucky because mobile suit technology hadn't been fully developed back then so even if the Zeon had managed to pour out their whole Zaku armada on us, with Amuro's prowess, we couldn't be stopped back then! Bright, this is 0087, conditions are different now than they were back then...

As is with the other bridge crew duty officers, Fa looked on at the two spouses arguing on about what better strategy would be applicable for them at the moment and wondered if they do this thing a lot back then in '79 when they were still part of the White Base crew. She even wondered how and why Mirai ever married Bright in the first place if they're arguing like this...it's almost impossible, but then she thought, well, couples are like that.

Hmm, couples.

Her thoughts, however, seemed to fleet away as she inwardly wept about how Camille, *her* man, could do *that* thing to *her*. She couldn't help but feel terrible inside; for the whole fourteen years of her life she'd never loved anyone like Camille, whom she had practically grown up with back on Side 7, and who loved her back as well, but *now*...

Fa: (mumbles) Stay strong, Fa Yuiri. Stay strong...

She just couldn't believe she still loves him even if she's with that...that...that girl. Four Murasame was her name, was it? She thought at the back of her head, what the hell kind of name is *that*? A *number*?

No matter how much Fa wanted to kill that girl for taking Camille away from her, she just couldn't bring herself to do so. If Camille was happy with that girl, then so be it. Let him be happy. She just couldn't believe she *still* loved him.



Mirai: (shakes Fa "awake") --hell are you doing?! The Titans are coming near! You have *got* to alert our troops for defensive positions ASAP! Are you daydreaming, Fa? This isn't the time for--

Fa: (blinks and shakes her head a little) ...umm...huh? Oh! R-r-right... (weakly) /All units and personnel, I repeat, all units and personnel, prepare for Level 1 battle positions. All pilots, prepare for deployment--/

Mirai: (shakes her head and thinks) This girl's *really* out of it. I even wonder how Bright managed to keep up with her... (sighs)

----

And indeed, what was left of Ben Wooder's mobile suit regiment was headed towards the direction of the Agama, the Radish, and the Mont Blanc. The Titan lieutenant looked and felt more than confident he could trash even all of the AEUG *himself* using the immense now-reprogrammed-for-Oldtypes Psyco Gundam, though he had only gone through a crash course on the mobile suit's controls himself. He had with him five Salamis-class and one Alexandria-class battlecruisers and quite a good number of mobile suits: twelve Marasai's and fifteen Zaku-II's. Quite a formidable army, he thought, and these happen to be just a few of the elite pilots that the Federation and the Titans had ever produced.

Of course, Bright Noah had already anticipated this little turn of events, and although *his* elite pilots were reduced to a handful (that doesn't even include Amuro, Chris, Camille, Emma, Reccoa, and probably Shiro), he wasn't going to let Commander Brex Forra down by losing *this* battle while they were on Earth. He wasn't going to let *anyone* down, for that matter. Everyone in the AEUG depended on *him* right now.

Like a flock of wild ducks, the incoming Titan army was in a V-like position comprised of mobile suits and battlecruisers also in little V-like positions. Of course, the pinnacle of that large V-shaped formation was the Psyco Gundam preceded by five Zaku-II's: this was apparently the best strategy that Lieutenant Ben Wooder could ever muster, and indeed, using Aberdeen's slightly destroyed cityscape as defense, it really did look like their defense was impenetrable.

Namica: /I think the Agama and its subships are within three kilometers from our current position, Lieutenant. All of our elite pilots confirm they are ready and waiting for commands. Should we commence attack?/

Wooder: Yes, Professor. Let us send out a few Marasai's first as a forward squad. The rest of us should go around to their sides and initiate a pincer-type assault on them; I'm sure Captain Bright Noah is expecting we'll be meeting his army head-on--a tactic *he* would use, and what a lot of my fellow officers in the Federal Forces used to do.

Namica: /So you're using what tactics of engagement the Zeon used to employ in operations?/ (sarcastically) /Heh, pretty bright move, lieutenant. You think that's going to *work*? Bright Noah has obviously had more battle experience than you do. And you're using a Zeon tactic, no less! How dumb could *that* be?/

Wooder: (grips tight on his Psyco Gundam's navigating joystick and stares hard at Namica's image on the monitor) You're questioning my tactics, Professor? Be reminded that *I'm* the commanding officer here, not *you*. Besides, if I remember correctly, the Zeon never used a pincer attack on Bright Noah's defunct 13th Autonomous Corps anyway, and this happens to be one of the best options at the moment since we *did* receive reports that the AEUG suffered quite a significant-enough amount of damage. Do I make myself clear, Professor?

Namica: (sneers) /Heh. "I read you, 'captain'"./

Wooder: (points a finger at Namica's face on the monitor) I will have no more complaints from any of you. Got that? Good. Well then, shall we take this show on the road or do we still have to wait till fucking Christmas here?

Namica: /We will commence attack on the AEUG immediately. I will inform every available mobile suit and battlecruiser to execute your plan and thus tie all of the AEUG's ships into a coener and render them in a very complex situation. Over and out./

As Professor Namica Cornell's image in the Lieutenant Ben Wooder's monitor soon faded into static, a few brief seconds later of relaying commands from the Sudry's bridge, the Marasai-Zaku-II forward troop squad soon moves out as planned to act as cover, usually called "cannon fodder" as an insult, for the Psyco Gundam and the rest of that small Titan regiment. For that moment the brazened Titan lieutenant felt these people weren't cannon fodder as they were expected to be...but that was the least of his concerns right now.

Bright Noah soon realized, taking "careful observations" of the environment around him, that he was in some sort of a disadvantage. To one of the three AEUG battlecruisers' sides, there was the open sea, separated only by a mere chicken wire fence wall that plunged into quite a steep cliff. Before them, there was the slightly damaged cityscape decorated with the mountainside that had a large hollow for a temporary overnight shelter for the Agama and the Radish. It was the mountainside, or rather the high *cliff* beside them, that Bright was a bit worried about; the Titans could just come up behind and snipe at them from there.

Even worse, he didn't know exactly where--or *when*, for that matter--the Evangelions could come in and hopefully turn the tide in their favor. He just hoped it'd be near the three AEUG battlecruisers, and very, *very* soon, respectively.

Bright: /Amuro, Camille, Emma, Reccoa, everyone--I do hope you're expecting that the Titans will make the first move, since we're in such a...*threatening* situation at the moment. I sure do hope they *don't* know that yet, but that's not our primary concern right now. We have to hold on until either our supplies come or the Evangelions come, or *both*, even./

Amuro: /I'm banking on the "both" part, Captain. We couldn't really go on empty guns and just a handful of mobile suits when we're fighting out here now, could we?/

Bright: (winces and stares hard at Amuro's image) /Of course we couldn't, that's why we have to wait. Anyway, if you'll let me finish, in case those storage trucks from Luo Industries come, we will have to defend them as well and as much as we'll have to defend our own lives. That means, we will do any means necessary to survive. I'm sure I didn't have to tell you all that, but.../

Camille: /But?/

Bright: /But I don't want you people to die. You all should know that by now...every one of you are like my own children. I'm responsible for each and every one of your lives because your Commander Brex Forra left you for me to take care of./

Camille: /Captain.../

Amuro: /There you go again, Bright. You keep forgetting I'm only two years younger than you./

Bright: /That and all the other bloody crap. Now all of you know that I'm THAT concerned for all of you, but don't expect me go and spoon-feed everything you need to know. Now, you all know what to do since we're running a bit low on weapons and ammo--and that is, might I remind you once again, to cover each other's back. I know you people know that too already but this times, double your attentiveness. Double your vigilance. And last of all...just live through. That's all./

Emma: /We'll live, Captain. Don't worry too much about us!/

Chris: (does a thumbs-up and winks) /Yeah! We'll kick their asses off of this planet if we have to!/

Shiro: /I'll make sure we'll win, Captain. The Mont Blanc and the Radish will do everything they can to protect the Agama. Heh, good thing you let me pilot one of these GM-II's...these things'll be unlike the ground-type RX-78 I used to pilot back in 0079 but it'll do.../

Chris: (looks beside her as if she was sitting next to him; her image was beside Shiro's) /You sure you're up to this? It's been a while since you've piloted anyway, Captain Amada, sir./

Shiro: /Christina, it's not like I've forgotten everything that I've learned in "Mobile Suit Piloting 101", you know. Besides, you make it sound like I'm too old for this already, I'm still thirty-something, you know!/

Bright: /I trust your judgment of your own piloting abilities, Captain Amada. Well, anyone else care to give their last rites, anything?/

Everybody who was listening in to the AEUG captain's before-battle message almost snickered at that, but they know pretty well Bright looked damned serious, what with his tone and all; it was some sort of a tradition among pilots to already write or have written their last rites before going off into a "dogfight", using the trem used for military plane fights. One of a soldier's talents is, of course, to die in battle.

Camille: /We won't die, Captain. Lieutenant Emma just told you that, remember?/

Emma: /Oh, Camille, that was just to encourage us all! You never know what's going to happen.../

Bright: (clears his throat a little as his troops discuss in mumbles and whispers) I see you all look ready to go. Well, then. Hope to see you all alive and well, and good luck, ladies and gentlemen. All units, prepare for launch!

Fa: /All units, prepare for immediate launch. I repeat, all units, prepare for immediate launch. Standing by for 3 minutes to open hangar hatches...to the Radish and the Mont Blanc, likewise prepare your units for immediate launch. Battle will commence in five minutes, else be prepared for an immediate pre-emptive strike by the Titans.../ (thinks) Camille...be careful...

----

Each and every one of that motley crew known to the Titans as the rebel group of "terrorists", the AEUG--or what was left of them--immediately readied themselves for an imminent strike by that approaching regiment led by none other than one of Bright Noah's classmates when they were in the military academy. The seasoned captain of the Agama had anticipated that Ben Wooder would have had prepared himself for this encounter as well as he did out of that fact that they *did* come from the same military academy back then (although for the most part the Titan lieutenant slacked around in the old days). All of the available pilots, old and new, were themselves ready to fight and to die for this war--every one of them did not opt for the latter, however.

Camille gathered all of his courage for this moment as this was his first battle in his Zeta Gundam, the product of sleepless nights of blueprinting, researching, exercise of technical expertise, and of course, finding a more reliable operating system than what's been usually installed on most mobile suits--he didn't want to risk a system crash in the middle of a dogfight, especially the one he's about to be in.

Amuro, Chris, and Shiro each ran everything they've learned through their heads as if this were some kind of college exam or whatever--not that they need to do that, but a pilot has to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstance--such as this one. Shiro Amada wanted to curse the gods for giving him a "measly GM-II" but at least this was better than that time before he was assigned to be the commander of the 08th MS team: he faced his former-enemy-now-spouse Zaku-ridden Aina using only a "measly Ball". He'd just have to deal with the fact that a GM-II isn't that good as his old RX-79(G), but that was the least of his concerns right now. Amuro and Chris, however, looked pretty content, confident, and ready to "kick Titan ass and defend the Agama, Radish, and Mont Blanc" with their customized Rick Diases, quoth Chris.


Chris: /Just remember, this isn't like back in Japan, right sempai?/ (grins)

Amuro: /No time for that. So please be silent./

Shiro: /Now you two stop: you might hurt each other before the enemy does, all right?/

As is with the rest of their fellow pilots, Emma in Camille's "old" Gundam Mk-II, Reccoa in Quattro's "old" red Rick Dias, and the rest of the GM-II squads from the Agama, Radish, and Mont Blanc, were likewise ready to defend the AEUG ships from the incoming Titan offensive. Reccoa Londo felt a little spiteful of the fact that Lieutenant Quattro Bajina wasn't around to...to help, at least, and that she was piloting in *his* mobile suit.

Emma: /You feeling all right, hon?/

Reccoa: (grips her Rick Dias' navigating handle) /Y...yeah. I'm just...I'm just...I'm fine, really. Let's just get through this, all right Lieutenant?/ (smiles at her on the monitor)

Emma: /If you say so...I don't want the Titans to get you, that is./ (thinks and sighs silently) Well, everyone seems to be tense lately, I'd guess...oh well. We might just have to get through with this, like you say, Reccoa...

After all, Reccoa thought, he'll be back when...when they meet up with him in space, right?

----

Bright: All right, kids, listen up. As all of you already know, the Titans will be here and they *are* fast approaching. Be alert and on your guard; we've only what we have left. Be careful out there. Your respective bridge operators will be here to guide you all throughout the way if you people need anything. Over and out. (turns off the comm link)


Mirai: And yet, your allies from Japan haven't even come yet...

Bright: Yeah. I wonder where they are right now...

----

Shinji and Asuka sneezed.

Asuka: /Oops!/ (sniffs and wipes her nose)

Shinji: /Sorry about that. Someone must be talking about us...I'm real lucky this ship's captain has a battery recharger for this damned phone, you know?/

Asuka: /Right. So should we make a grand entrance to show them what we've got or what?/

Shinji: /You mean like what we did to that Angel earlier? You sure about that? We'll be fighting a lot of mobile suits again, I'll bet, and we don't even have "Misato's horrible music" playing in the background...I guess we'd do good. I hope./

Asuka: (pauses for about two seconds) /It's *really* nice to know you agree with me, Shinji./

The two ersatz "Federation vintage aircraft carriers" rounded up and around the area a few kilometers from Aberdeen, Hong Kong's dockside. Their respective captains and crew carefully chose where they could finally dock the two immense military water vessels holding two of Nerv's equally immense humanoid Evangelion units which were, in fact, being already configured to get their power source from the ships via their respective "umbilical power cables".


Shinji and Asuka likewise carefully brainstormed their strategy over their cell phones as to how they can manage to fight with the AEUG and against the Titans for the first time in days...maybe weeks, but whatever happens, the two Children were ready to fight as members of the AEUG, for the moment, that is.

----

A certain vintage military helicopter was speeding its way above and through the Philippine Sea a few minutes ago and now was hurrying over the South China Sea, looking as if it was chasing something over the sea. The pilot thoughtfully mused on the wonders of science and technology in this year of UC 0087, that it can make even certain marine vessels or helicopters like the one she was piloting at the moment "preserved for museum use" even more efficient that they were during the late 20th century, a point in time so far from where they were right now. She then hoped silently that she'll be able to arrive in Hong Kong even before "they" do; she was just too worried for those two...friends of hers.

From afar, one could just pass it off for a Federation helicopter (for the old name of the Earth Federation was in fact, the United Nations), but if one would look at the helicopter at point blank range, one could definitely see those familiar red letters and the halved maple leaf encompassed about with an old, familiar adage, the paint almost chipped off to non-recognizance...

"God's in His heaven, All's right with the world."

Misato: If Ritsuko were only here to see this I'm sure she would have had a hell of a time. Shinji, Asuka, hold on. Your *Mommy's* coming.

----

The AEUG was at an advantage: while its mobile suits and battlecruisers hid themselves among the ruins of fallen buildings, their ace pilots were sniping like crazy behind these ruins like they were some sort of natural shields. Unfortunately for them, though, the enemy Marasai's and Zaku's do have "bombs and grenades" so their employed tactic would be...

Bright: These bastards are carpet-bombing us! Unbelievable! (turns around to his crew) Is everyone okay?! Is anyone hurt?!

Fa: I--I'm all right, Captain...

Bridge operator A: All safe, Captain...

Bridge operator B: Same here, Captain...

Bright: That's good to know, thank goodness. /You little bloody bastards, use your bazookas, for crying out loud! We have to penetrate *their* defense because we can't afford for *them* to penetrate into *our* defense, DAMN IT!/ (turns to a bridge operator) Are the 100-mm vulcan gun turrets ready for firing?

Bridge operator A: Available personnel has already been assigned to the vulcan gun turrets, Captain, sir!

Bright: That's good. Order to fire at will, immediately. Aim for the Sudry and its mobile suits.

Bridge operator A: Aye, sir! /Vulcan gun turrets, aim for the enemy ship and fire at will, I repeat--/

Bright: Fa, how are our pilots?

Fa: So far we haven't had any casualties, Captain. We seem to have a tight defensive position since our mobile suits can snipe from afar without any danger of getting hit thanks to this part of town: the landscape's giving us quite the advantage, Captain.


Bright: I hope that goes on till our guests arrive...

Emma had a bit of a hard time adjusting to the Gundam Mk-II's controls since it's been a few weeks--or maybe even months--since she's piloted one, but at least she hasn't lost her touch. Hiding against a certain ruined building, so far she's hit a few blows to three or four Zaku-II's or Marasai's but she's only managed to "frag" one.

Camille: /Lieutenant Emma, you think this is just a "first wave"? I mean, I have this feeling that this isn't going to stop like it did just earlier, you know...for all I know the Titans might have to send in a whole--/

Emma: /We can't be too sure of that, but the Earth Federation *is* the biggest army, navy, air force, and space force to have known existed as of this age, so let's just expect the worst while hoping for the best.../ (takes aim with her beam rifle and fires, connecting with a Zaku's arm blasting it off its body)

Camille: /Okay.../ (likewise takes aim at a Marasai's head and fires at it, sending it reeling to the ground)

And yet this was only "stage 1" of Ben Wooder's "plan"; he had managed to use balloon dummies as cover as well as utilizing Zaku-II and Marasai units that have upgraded weapons (beam submachineguns and grenade bazookas) to snipe effectively at the AEUG's mobile suits.

He still has yet to hear from the bridge that this Titan regiment had fragged any AEUG mobile suits or battlecruisers; so far Professor Namica Cornell has reported to him a minor "problem"--those AEUG mobile suits were indeed using ruins of old buildings as a crude defense against his regiment's offensive.

Wooder: /Pretty good strategy, Bright Noah. I'm afraid I can't let this go on, though. Professor, I'm going in. Alert two or three of our elite to go with me and the rest to act as cover while we penetrate through their defenses./

Namica: /Consider it done./

As she had managed to destroy her second enemy mobile suit for the day, Chris noticed something from among the scores of Titan mobile suits. Something "strange", so to speak--there was movement among the enemy. She did not feel pleased with this, so she asked her "mentor" if she was just seeing things or the enemy really was moving in closer towards them.

Amuro: /Seems that they are moving in, Chris. Either they're just being stupidly reckless--/ (gets a Zaku-II on his crosshairs and fires) /--or they're up to something we don't already know about. Christina, since you're the farthest away from us, can you see what's happening in front of you?/

Chris: (shakes her head and loosens her collar) /Nuh-uh, too much smoke and dust here, sempai...looks like I'll have a hard time here, CAN ANYONE GIVE ME A HAND HERE, PLEASE?! I dunno how much I could hold on if these creeps keep bombing this place.../

Christina MacKenzie was indeed in quite of a tight situation for the moment: since she was so unlucky to be the farthest from the group, the Titan mobile suits were bombarding her to the point that she almost couldn't retaliate at all. She just cursed her luck as she made her cobalt blue Rick Dias kneel to the ground.

Shiro: /I'm going in. You two--/ (turns towards two GM-II's beside him) /--cover me while we go to Ensign MacKenzie's position right *there*./ (makes his own GM-II point towards the blue Rick Dias' general direction)

Kalaba pilot A and B: /Yes, sir!/

As soon as there was an opening, Shiro and the other two AEUG MS'es moved out to provide support for Chris as carefully as possible so as not to get hit themselves, raising their Gundam-like shields to cover themselves and ran towards where Chris was, something she was pretty grateful for later.

Even though the Zeta Gundam had quite good airconditioning inside as he had designed it himself, Camille couldn't help but likewise loosen his collar and gulp his spit down hard as he sensed something was definitely wrong with this picture. Why would the Titans make such an "easy" offensive when they probably know by now how very (uncompromising) the AEUG's current position is? The last thing Camille wanted right now is for another Titan mobile suit platoon to strike them "behind their backs" so to speak. He then turned on the frequency to the Agama's bridge and tried to contact the captain himself about an idea he had at that moment, and probably a chance to utilize one of "his" Zeta Gundam's multiple features.

Camille: /Permission to speak, sir--/

Bright: /Now what, Camille... HEY, WATCH OUT!/

Camille: /Wha--?! OH. SHIT!!/ (fires a grenade about to hit the Zeta Gundam's face with its beam rifle and successfully shields himself from the blast)

Bright: (slams his hands on the table in front of him) /DAMN IT, CAMILLE! I guess *now* you know better than not paying attention to your work, huh? What the bloody hell are you doing?!/

Camille: /S...sorry, Captain.../

Bright: /Go ahead and speak up, quick!/

Camille: /Well...you see...isn't this a bit...strange, Captain? I mean, since I'd think the Federation has enough spy planes swarming all over Hong Kong and I don't think they're dumb enough to ignore the fact that we're practically between *them* and a steep cliff here, right? Captain, sir, I think maybe I should go and strike some of these bastards from the air--/

Bright:/Don't tell me you're going to test out the Zeta's capabilities in a middle of a battlefield are you? Camille, we have *plenty* of time for that later, stay on your position and--/

By the time Bright had finished his sentence, it was too late--Camille had already pushed the controls that enabled the Zeta Gundam to transform from its usual mobile suit mode into a flying "mobile armor" mode that made it look like one of those hovering fighter jets of old.

Bright Noah just gritted his teeth and shook his head as he saw his wayward juvenile star pilot launch off into the mountains behind the whole of the AEUG troop. Whatever was Camille Vidan up to was beyond Bright at that minute, but Camille did say something about a possible pincer attack that the Titans could use to their advantage due to their "really bad positioning".

Bright: (grits his teeth, having his order being ignored like that was, and always is, one of his pet peeve) Damn that rookie. What *does* this kid know about milita-- (pauses for a few seconds, then walks over to Fa's position, tells her a few commands)

Fa: Yes, sir, right away, sir. (puts an overhead view map of their current location) Image online, sir, as you ordered...

Bright: Thanks.

Mirai: That kid has a good sense... Ben Wooder is using a Zeon tactic against us, Bright. Any ideas?

Bright: It's a pincer attack, look at these things over here... (points to a few blinking figures on the map that signified enemy units) ...they could use the mountains behind us as an advantage, too. Damn it... (pauses again for a few seconds and sighs) We proceed with this operation as planned, but with a few minor changes. Fa, can you alert five of our mobile suits to head out to the back of the Agama and tell them to be on the alert to provide support for the ships?

----

Four Murasame seemed to be oblivious to all the raging explosions happening all around the place. The key word here is "seemed"--actually, Four was trying to withstand the physical and emotional pain she was feeling right now. As her feelings for Camille were still the same (and had probably become stronger because of her resolve to return to him once all of this was over), and as for the physical pain--ears ringing, she just *so* wished for sound-proof earplugs right now as she rode Camille's motorcycle along a certain empty, evacuated road not that far from where the battle was happening.

But it wasn't just the ringing between her ears and the dust that swept up from behind Camille's motorcycle that was bothering her--there was something about these explosions that kept her unsettled all throughout the searing high noon sun. Something deeper--something that she had feared that might come out had she stayed with Camille through it all...it was something concerning her "true" personality, or the lack of it thereof...

She stopped the motorcycle, leaned her head against the odometer, and gritted her teeth in pain, massaging her painful head in hopes that the pain would go away.

"It" was definitely starting to take over her again; her "other self", the ruthless Titan within her, the mindless killing machine that the wretched Professor Namica Cornell and her ilk have created of her, and probably countless other guinea pigs.

This time, at least for a little while longer, she had managed to control herself.

Hopefully.

She then turned Camille's motorcycle around...into the fray, where Camille was.

----

The young Newtype in question had indeed seen through the Titans' plan of action and started to make his own rounds from beyond the small hills surrounding the three AEUG battlecruisers and their handful of mobile suits, killing a few Zaku-II's and Marasai's and therefore using the mobility and agility of the Zeta's mobile armor form to his own advantage, dodging beam and bazooka/grenade attacks closely but effectively.

Lucky for Ben Wooder the cockpit of the Psyco Gundam provided for him a zoomed view of the AEUG's newest addition to their mobile suits--or mobile armors, for that matter--something that looked like a jet fighter of old, a little bigger than a typical jet fighter, but no less agile and powerful.

This was indeed a big threat to him and his forces. A *very* big threat, no less. He just *had* to do something *now*.

Wooder: (grips the Psyco Gundam's navigating joystick and loosens his collar after taking his pilot helmet off) /I am going in. You, you, you, and you, come and escort me to that flying mobile armor over there. Professor, back me up and fire your main cannons at these MS'es surrounding the

Titan pilot A: /But Lieutenant, it's far too dangerous!/

Wooder: /We already have them cornered, so don't worry. All of you, follow the Psyco Gundam. I'll give them a little taste of Minovsky particle goodness myself.../ (aims his spreading beam cannon at the general direction of the AEUG's ships and mobile suits)
Namica: /Don't blame me if you get yourself killed, Lieutenant. What you're doing is too dangerous for your own good.../

Wooder: /If we're going down, we're taking them along with us. Let's go, people, time's a-wasting!/

And so the immense, ebony Psyco Gundam had indeed advanced to the AEUG, with four of his elite pilots acting as cover from AEUG fire and therefore setting itself up for some "hot and spicy spreading beam cannon action".

As if on cue, Camille suddenly sensed that familiar "evil" aura that he had felt when he had last fought "that big black mockery of a thing that looked like a Gundam", but this time, it was "weaker" than before, and as his Zeta Gundam zipped past the last of his targets, he banked right, flying towards the thing he had expected to meet once again: it was that "big black ugly-as-hell Gundam".

Camille: (whispers to himself as the image filled his cockpit screen and grins) Heh, back for more, aren't you? You big black fucker...well, *this* time, I'll make sure you'll suffer...

Bright: /Be careful, Camille! Your position doesn't look good from where that *thing* is, we'll send some support for you and--/

Camille: I'm perfectly fine, Captain. I don't want to lose any more of our men. (flies around the two Zaku's and two Marasai's assisting the Psyco Gundam and fires at them; the enemy shields Camille's beam rifle attacks as if it was nothing and continues firing at Camille's Zeta) Damn, these things are tough...


Bright: /This is a formation where the MS'es with the thickest shield armor protect their "main weapon" from enemy fire before they fire at the enemy themselves, I bloody *told* you to be careful, boy! Damn it!/ You, inform the personnel manning the main guns to aim at the black Gundam and fire at it, quick!

Soon after Bright had given the order, all three AEUG battlecruisers had already aimed their main mega beam cannons at the Psyco Gundam, but it seemed as if the Psyco Gundam wasn't even fazed at this sudden turn of events. Bright had then wondered why, but as he had given the final order to fire at the Psyco Gundam, the Sudry, and their surrounding mobile suit squadrons and support ships...

A pinkish barrier surrounding the Psyco Gundam had deflected these main mega beam particle attacks, leaving the Agama's captain and his crew agape in wonder, gawking on at what had just happened.

Bright: .....an I-field barrier! Why didn't I think of *that*?!

Shiro: Looks like they have an I-field barrier with that thing...

Chris: ...oh, shit.

Amuro: /.....I-field barriers can't withstand missile and/or melee attacks, we *have* to get close to that thing over there and fire at it or at least slash away at it!/

But it was as if they *could* get close anyway--the Titans' position was quite advantageous for them as well as the AEUG's position was advantageous to them--at least, only for the while, as it looked like the Titans were definitely about to penetrate through the AEUG's defense line.



They didn't know it yet, but as the Psyco Gundam reared up its spreading chest beam cannon after it had opened its hatch, Bright just had this weird..."thing" pass through his head right now, as if it was a spark of instinct that he just had to react to--

Bright: /Everybody--/

The spread beam cannon looked as if it gathered all the energy around it and the Psyco Gundam, taking aim as it did earlier at the AEUG's--and Camille's--general direction, as the Zeta was indeed rushing itself towards the Psyco Gundam as if it was performing kamikaze.

Camille: ...what the hell?

Wooder: ...heh.

Bright: /--Evasive meneuvers!!!/

A flash of blinding light then enveloped all of the AEUG for that brief moment, the sound and smell of gundarium armor being melted with intense heat can thus be sensed at that instant, along with the screams of soldiers, pilots, humans destined to die in that flash...

----

By the time Bright's message had gone through, around five of the AEUG's GM-II's had already been decimated by the sudden spreading beam attack the Psyco Gundam had just done. Shiro, who had ducked in time as well as the other pilots who had heard Bright's warning, was then reminded of that distant memory back when he was in the Federation, and his wife was a Zeon test pilot...

It had indeed reminded him of the "Apsaras", that immense Zeon mobile armor that his wife Aina used to pilot against him, the MA that fired a large-scale, concentrated beam cannon attack very similar to what the Psyco Gundam had just done and had therefore annihilated a large part of a certain city in New Guinea, around seven years ago. It's not as if it was a very significant thing in the One Year War, but still...

But still, to Bright, Amuro, Mirai, and everyone who's been with the White Base crew, they can still vividly remember the horror that the Duchy of Zeon had unleashed on a third of the Federation fleet, by way of Giren Zabi's "colony laser", a very, very large space colony-sized weapon of mass destruction.



The AEUG resolved never to let those events happen again.

But at their current situation, the AEUG was in no position to make an offensive; they had already lost five GM's to that Psyco Gundam's spreading beam attack, and Fa reports that the Agama has sustained "damage in the hull and bow," but nothing significant that will impede the Agama's performance. The Radish and the Mont Blanc were in similar condition, but at least the Mont Blanc had raised up its own I-field barrier before that dreadful enemy MS had ever fired at them.


Bright: (rubs his chin) How the hell are we going to win now...?

Mirai: (gulps) ...I don't know...

As per Amuro's out-of-the-blue suggestion earlier, all the remaining GM-II's and Rick Diases aimed their "clay bazookas" at the Psyco Gundam and fired at it to "no mercy", in hopes that it will not be given a chance to recharge its spreading beam particle cannon and further doing damage to the AEUG as it is. Unfortunately for the AEUG, though, its MS defense squad was still intact and, obviously, defending the Psyco Gundam from any form of attack.

Fortunately for the AEUG, though, Camille had instinctively and narrowly dodged the spreading beam particle cannon attack that had just happened a few *seconds* ago. He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that he was the AEUG's only hope at the moment...and as he transformed back into MS mode right smack in mid-air, he pulled out his beam saber from behind him and made a break for the Psyco Gundam--this time, determined and confident that he will "kill" this giant Gundam-in-weird-mobile fortress (MA) mode...

But Camille will first have to worry about the now-five surrounding MS defense squad around the Psyco Gundam, he thought as he sized up what was left of the enemy MS'es in front of him. A steady but temporal calm enveloped the AEUG and the Titans as soon as the Zeta Gundam just *stood* there as if it were staring into wherever the enemy MA's cockpit was, reminiscent of showdowns in cowboy movies of old.

Wooder: /Hey, Gundam pilot./


This was most unusual, Camille thought as he heard the enemy MA seemingly taunting him, using the MA's standard "public address system" mechanism equipped in most MS'es. Unusual, but expected, he further thought.

Wooder: /Do you really think you and your AEUG buddies can take me and my troops down? Pretty cocky for terrorist scum like you, but that's to be expected. You rebels will go down right here in Hong Kong, China, planet *fucking* earth, right *now*. Get my drift? YOU HEAR ME BACK THERE, BRIGHT NOAH?! I *KNOW* YOU CAN HEAR ME!/

Bright: .....

The Agama's captain eyed the Psyco Gundam's image in the main monitor carefully and tightened his fists in minor frustration; he waited for that right moment, when the enemy would once again tilt its ugly spreading beam particle cannon's barrel, aiming at them, and doing further damage than "cracks and melts in the hull and bow", to quote one of his bridge operators, Fa Yuiri.


And what Bright Noah had expected had finally come into execution; the ebony Psyco Gundam had indeed aimed its particle beam cannon at the Agama's direction. For a second, Bright's eyes had met with Fa's--then made a slight nod at her. She nodded back and fed instructions "to all units" to "duck as necessary and at the precise time".

Wooder: /I'm not one for long speeches like Braun Blutarch, you know. Let's do this, AEUG./

And yet again, that lethal flash of light that came out of the Psyco Gundam's chest by way of its spreading beam particle cannon had enveloped all of them for that instant. The Zeta Gundam had once again fell out of its way to avoid itself of the beam attack, but its young pilot was then worried for the welfare of his allies just a quarter of a kilometer away from him. If he just had that chance to protect them this time, more lives would have been saved...

Bright's expression had remained stern, calm, and unmoving even as that "ray of death" had indeed wrapped the AEUG and its battlecruisers and mobile suits in that flash of light, a gesture most unlikely when faced with danger, so thought Bright's spouse Mirai as she covered her eyes with her hands as did Fa and the other crew on board the Agama's, and probably the Radish's and Mont Blanc's...


A little smirk just curled up his lips as soon as the proverbial smoke had cleared and everything was clearly visible.

To everyone's surprise, two humanoid figures, red and purple and around the Psyco Gundam's general height, looked as if they were protecting the Agama with some sort of barely-visible orangeish hexagonal shield. The pilots, staff, and personnel of the AEUG's MS'es and battlecruisers sighed in relief for these two saviors as the Titan forces just had their jaws drop in doubtful wonder and plain surprise.

Bright: (mumbles) You're a little late, kids.

Shinji: /Is everyone all right?!/

Asuka: (grins evilly) /Heh. These beam weapons get weaker and weaker everyday, don't you think?/

Camille: Those two...

Amuro: /Thank *goodness* you two are here!/


Wooder: .....oh, SHIT.

----


Episode 14, "Cinderella Four, Part 3"/"'Dance Like You Want to Win!', Redux"
-------------------

Bright Noah looked at his watch as a single bead of sweat trickled down his cheek; it was already thirteen minutes until 1:00 PM, and the sun was doing a good job of countering the cooling effects of the Agama's bridge's air-conditioning system.

Bright: /So what took you kids so long?/

Shinji: /W-w-we're so sorry, Captain, we had to get our Eva units hauled into these two aircraft carriers, and it almost took forever to get ourselves here, we had to--/

Asuka: /There's no need to apologize to the good Captain, Shinji./ (breathes in and out deeply and sizes up the Psyco Gundam) /Is *that* supposed to be our next...*ahem*, "victim"? The Federation ought to make better designs of mobile suits next time...personally, I think this big black creep sucks, if you ask me.../

Shinji: /Who are *you* to talk about MS design, Asuka?/

Asuka: (raises an eyebrow) /Heh. Who am *I* to talk about MS design, Ikari Shinji-kun? I just happen to be someone who's already been through the subject of MS design when she was still in college! *You* think before you talk, Shinji, I also happen to be the leader here./

The sun's heat might have also gotten to Ben Wooder's head at that very moment; he was quite stunned to see these two new--they were obviously not mobile suits, to the best of his judgment--two new "robots" with some sort of invisible yet impermeable shield protecting them and the rest of the AEUG. And what was worse, he had next to almost no more energy as far as the last spreading beam attack he had done a few seconds ago was concerned.

This turn of events was indeed very, very bad, he muttered to himself.


How in the bloody hell did the AEUG come up with such...innovations?

Wiping the sweat off of his brow, he has a drastic change of plans and opted to make an offensive against these dirty, no-good AEUG terrorist rebel scum and hope to wipe them off the face of the planet once and for all. But then, that idea was pretty suicidal and risky, as he knew most of all how horribly slow the Psyco Gundam's movements were when it was in its MS mode due to its weight and thick armor.

He just gulped as he saw these two humanoid behemoths lunge at him with what looked like short knives, but had a sigh of relief as the surrounding defense squad of three Zaku-II's and Marasais suddenly made a formation in front of him and looked as if they braced themselves for impact--at least, that's how it looked like to him.

Lieutenant Ben Wooder could just see those remaining "legions" of Titan MS'es also advancing to his front, creating a makeshift barracks against the assault of the purple and red leviathans that looked like nothing he's ever seen before. He just chuckles silently and thought this would be quite the opportunity for him to at least transform into MS mode and put up a fight against the AEUG--even if only for a while.

Amuro and his Kalaba partners, however, will not let Shinji and Asuka alone to fight the Titans by themselves, of course--not that he wanted to hog some glory for himself, but as he ordered Chris, Shiro, Emma, Reccoa, Camille, and what was left of their GM-II's to meet the Titans as they meet the two Evangelions head-on, he then thought maybe they could win this battle after all, keeping as little casualties as possible.

Using each of their progressive knives and a little bit of old-fashioned barroom brawling, the two Evangelions hacked and smashed their way through the legions of Marasai's and Zaku-II's with a bit of difficulty; even though all of them were practically half their size and looked like little 18-meter children in contrast to the Evangelions' towering average height of 40 meters, the Titans just outnumbered Shinji and Asuka.

As Shinji was having trouble whether to keep defensive with the A.T. field protecting him all the way or go on all-offensive berserker-like stance like what Asuka was doing, he just bit his lip as he struggled from the steely grip of two to three Zaku-II's holding him down by his Eva Unit-01's arms and simply flung them at nearby abandoned buildings and nearby Marasai's as well with a not-so-bloodcurdling war cry. He didn't destroy any of them, however, and he was even taken by surprise as two Zaku-II's came down on his head wielding beam tomahawks and looked as if they were going to slash him to bits.

Instinctively propping up his hands as if they were a makeshift shield, Shinji Ikari only had to think of defending himself, and yet again, the A.T. field had protected him and his Eva-01 from the two descending Zaku's. As Asuka ripped off the head of an enemy Marasai and totally destroying it and its Zaku "friends", she saw this and leaped into action, progressive knife in hand, and stabbed at the back of a Zaku as she came down upon one of them.

Asuka: /You getting *slow* already, Ikari?!/ (pins down a Zaku to the ground and stabs repeatedly at its chest cockpit, making it wither like dying prey and explode after a few seconds)

Shinji: /You shut up, Asuka!/ (takes a similar chest cockpit stab with his Eva-01's progressive knife at the Zaku-II "on top of" him) /It's not like I *agreed* to kill all of these...these *people*, have you already forgotten we were just dragged onto this whole AEUG-Titans war thing?!/

Asuka: (stands up) /So you're not willing to fight for all the people of the space colonies. Are you out of your mind?!/ (makes a crushing blow using just one punch to the "gut" of a Zaku-II beside her) /These Titans will just kill and oppress just to show who's boss in this whole goddamned space colony system! Can't you see that?/

Shinji: /What good will it do to us if we kill as well?! We're just kids, Asuka, I'd rather us fight the Angels than to get involved in a war that these...these bloody *adults* have started!/

Asuka: /You don't really *get* it, do you?/

Amuro: (blasts a Marasai head-on with his Rick Dias' bazooka and sends himself reeling a few meters from the blast's impact) /Kids, stop your bickering and concentrate on defending the Agama. We cannot afford to lose now, now that we have the upper hand as you can see./

Asuka: (sighs) /Yes, sir.../

Still lingering from the "effects" of their synch training from their "original" commanding officer Misato Katsuragi, Shinji and Asuka charged at the remaining legions of Titan mobile suits with almost perfect synchronicity of each other, kicking and punching as they go, much like that graceful dance they did against the Angel just that morning.

Camille: (through mild static) /Captain, it looks as if that big Gundam over there's already transformed--oops!/ (narrowly dodges a Zaku's tomahawk attack, shoves his beam rifle up the Zaku's chest cockpit, and pulls the trigger) /--to its MS mode.../

Amuro: /So it seems, Camille. You wanna go at it?/

Camille: (grins slightly) /The hell I do! Let's go, Capta--/

Amuro: /Wait. There's some movement in those enemy battlecruisers back there--oh, shit, prepare for defensive measures, guys! Those ships look like they want to blast us to smithereens!/

Emma: (takes a swing at an opposing Zaku's head with what was left of the Gundam Mk-II's shield and lunges a roundhouse kick at it) /Roger that, captain!/


Reccoa: (lunges forward with her GM-II's beam saber, piercing an opposing Marasai's chest cockpit; increases the heat emission on the beam saber and slashes the Marasai apart upward and destroying it) /Yes, Captain.../

Chris: (whacks two of her enemies' heads and destroys them with the blunt end of her bazooka while her Rick Dias fell to the ground; takes aim at one of them, and fires) /Gotcha!/

The Sudry, along with its support ships, had indeed taken aim at them with each of their minor beam particle cannons and vulcan gun turrets and fired at will, but they hardly hit home at all thanks to Amuro's previous warning to all of his units.

And as the Psyco Gundam finally completes its transformation into MS mode, it walked forward quite slowly, generating some sort of a beam blade from under its forearm, and started to slash away at the AEUG's mobile suits one by one, but the Psyco Gundam's current pilot would be quite disappointed since standard mobile suits would move faster than the Psyco Gundam, but this wasn't the matter since he was confident enough to withstand the AEUG's attacks on him due to the thick armor alloy the Psyco Gundam seemed to boast of.

Bright: /To the Radish and Mont Blanc, aim your main mega beam particle cannons at the Sudry and at the big enemy Gundam and fire at will. I repeat--/

At the rate of how the battle was going, to the Titan leader, it was indeed going towards the AEUG's favor. The two Evangelions were making a lot of kills among his troops, and what was worse, the AEUG's mobile suits, while not anymore in a defensive position, was slowly wasting away at his elite troops. At the back of Wooder's mind, he just wished the Titans' best of the best ace mobile suit pilots were around to save the day...but this just remained a wish, he regretfully realized.

He breathed in and out deeply as he slowly advanced through the battlefield that was in fact once a typical bustling town but now looked like it had seen better days...he had to act, and he had to act *now*.




Wooder: (thinks) Tch, this is bad...at this rate, I don't even know how much we'll hold on... /Everybody on the Sudry, listen to me. Evacuate now. I repeat, EVACUATE *NOW*. We are to commence Plan B./

Namica: (gasps lightly) /...you're not serious, are you? What, you'll sacrifice this ship just so you could--/

Wooder: /You don't need to worry about how you'll do it, you'll just have to put the Sudry's main controls on autopilot and set them targeting the Agama. It's no big deal programming the Sudry to ram itself into the Agama now, is it?/

Everybody in the Sudry was just plainly shocked. "Ram the Sudry into the Agama?" What the hell? This expression of grim disbelief was immediately on the minds of the bridge crew, everyone else in the Sudry who had heard Lieutenant Ben Wooder's message, and of course, Professor Namica Cornell herself.

Bridge operator A: ...Professor, we won't abandon the Sudry.

Bridge operator B: Better to die in the hands of the AEUG than to run away like cowards...

Bridge operator C: Even if this wasn't a day of victory for us, we will not go down without actually *doing* something to them! We will die for the cause of the Titans and the Federation! Death to all who oppose the Titans!

Soon enough, there were loud cheers and frivolous applause; that last sentence would just surely rouse anyone who was determined to eliminate the bane of the Federation that was the AEUG once and for all and make that anyone even more determined and zealous to uphold what was righteous, what was for justice, and what was for order.

At least, in the eyes of Titans like *them*.

Namica Cornell realized this, but as she wasn't a soldier but a scientist, her way of thinking would differ from any of these...other soldiers. As much as she would like to give her life for the cause of the Titans...she believed she'd rather live for another day and take revenge later. At least, this was her belief.

Sighing as she headed for the lower part of the ship where the escape "pods", as they were affectionately called, were stored for use, the professor for Newtype research stepped out of the room after she had declared her decision to her superior officer inside the Psyco Gundam. Ben Wooder looked disappointed as she gazed at his image in the Sudry's main monitor, but it was the best she can do. Never mind that she'll be branded a coward; she reasoned out...

Namica: /I am no soldier like you, Lieutenant. Goodbye./

Every Titan soldier then looked at the professor with just that much contempt.


-----

Just as Shinji and Asuka had just "finished their rounds" with their fifth MS kill, both of them carefully eyed the Psyco Gundam in front of them. Shinji and Asuka were both almost totally oblivious to the carnage happening around them as they sized up their approaching opponent and thought of a good strategy to do away with this big black Gundam.

Shinji: /This thing sure looks ugly.../

Asuka: /So what do you think we should do?/

Ben Wooder reminisced what Professor Namica Cornell last told him when she and a few other Titan engineers had adjusted the Psyco Gundam's overall controls so it can be used by a non-Newtype like him. The beauty of the immense ebony mobile suit's installed "psycommu"-based controls was that one could, as put in layman's language, "predict" what an enemy was about to do. For example, before an enemy could ever make a jump attack on the Psyco Gundam, the pilot could relay commands by combined sheer thought and the "usual" controls.

Shinji: /Beats me, *you're* the "leader", right?/


Asuka: (raises an eyebrow) /I dunno if that was directed to me as an insult or whatever, because if it was, I assure you I *will* kick your ass when I get off this Eva, but I have an idea. Let's do what we did earlier./

The Titan lieutenant inside the Psyco Gundam peered into the two Evangelions just *standing* there like they were waiting to be attacked. It didn't seem to matter to them, he thought as the Psyco Gundam advanced towards them, that his troops were about to attack them from behind--only to be foiled by these two...robots' allies. It didn't matter to him, though...he felt like he could kick anyone's ass at this very moment.



Shinji: /Umm...are you sure that's a logical way to do it? I mean, this big Gundam isn't exactly as "dangerous" as that Angel we faced this morning, I don't think we'll actually *need* that--/

Asuka: (smirks) /Oh, come *on*. Don't you have any *style*?/

He just felt like he *knew* what these mobile suits were about to do. Carefully watching the movements of the enemy GM-II's and especially the Rick Diases and relying upon the Psyco Gundam's "psycommu-assisted" guidance system, he made wild guesses as to how the enemy might approach him. A few seconds later, he promptly *caught* a GM-II by its *hand* as it was jumping at him. He just grinned sadistically as his other hand got a hold one of the "minuscule" GM-II's feet, separating its limbs from the body, and totally mutilating it like it was some rag doll before he made it explode right in front of him.

Shinji: (facefaults and winces) /All you ever think about is impressing other people, Asuka...can't we just do things by the book just for once? Besides, Misato's not here anywa--/

Asuka: /Oh, don't give me that. Let's do this, Shinji. For all we know, this might earn us points for promotion into the AEUG, eh?/ (winks)

As he saw the Psyco Gundam almost-effortlessly destroy its next victim, Bright Noah just cursed like bloody hell as he slammed his hands on the table in front of him. Through a mildly stressed and distraught Fa, he furiously relayed command after command to his ace pilots, which they just so diligently complied with. As his green Rick Dias zipped backwards after making his fifth kill on an unfortunate Zaku-II (just like the old days, he thought), Amuro took command of the whole situation in turn, ordering his troops to snipe instead of fighting the Psyco Gundam head-on. Camille just nodded as his Zeta's beam saber slashed away at his next kill, hacking it upwards after he had lunged it at the unfortunate Marasai's cockpit.

Bright: /What in the bloody hell are you two *doing* standing around there like two idiots?/

Asuka: /Captain, Shinji and I were just discussing what strategy we could apply for this situation...just that this moron beside me couldn't accept that *my* way's better than his.../

Shinji: /...who the hell are you calling "moron", you dirty little--/

Asuka: /See, Captain? He's disagreeing with me! I just--/

Bright: /You two just...SHUT. UP. AND. FIGHT, damn it!/

Mirai: (takes away Fa's headset from Bright) Give me that! Don't be so hard on these two kids... /You're Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Sohryu, am I correct?/

Shinji: /Y...yeah! That's us.../

Asuka: /And who are *you*?/

The RMS-099 Rick Dias was an interesting mobile suit if ever there was one. Borne out of the early Zeonic designs of old such as the MS-09 Dom, the MS-R09 Rick Dom, and all likenesses and would most likely be reminiscent of the Principality of Zeon's heavy mobile suits, thanks to the Zeon backgrounds of a few of Anaheim Electronics' engineers, the Rick Dias is basically an agile and maneuverable MS developed by Anaheim Electronics and the AEUG resistance organization. Almost everyone who's fought in this new AEUG-spearheaded war of resistance against the Titans knows that a man known as AEUG Lieutenant Commander Quattro Bajina and his two "sidekicks" were the first to be seen using these unique mobile suits, and that an additional two were commissioned to be used by Captain Amuro Ray and Ensign Christina MacKenzie of the Kalaba.

Everything, to Amuro's grasp of the situation, was going quite smoothly, as he just let his Rick Dias glide almost a meter off the ground; the Rick Dias' movement *was* also derived from the Dom anyway to the point that one would mistake this mobile suit to be a latest model for the Dom.

Amuro even shouted to his troops to stay alert as his Rick Dias glided slowly, but surely, backwards as the recoil of the explosion that happened while he was blasting away at an enemy Marasai or two of them unfortunate enough to be in his way. Now, his Newtype senses would have served him better had he fought in the army during the seven years between the One Year War and Gryps...sure, he was alert enough, but still, rusty.

Mirai: /That's not important right now. Listen, kids. If you want to discuss strategy, I might have to say you might want to do that at a later time since there's a battle all around you, and you two are "competitors" in this battle. Don't depend too much on your...A.T. fields? Yes, I think that's what they're called...anyway, get yourselves going, children./

Asuka: (blinks) /Yes, ma'am! Come on, Shinji, you little lazy creep! Get your ass MOVING, you hear me?!/

He just didn't foresee that his Rick Dias was slowly, and surely, leading him into imminent danger...to his apparent surprise, that "evil" aura emanating from the Psyco Gundam had suddenly manifested itself behind him. It was like his senses froze as he just saw himself gliding into the gaping arms of death itself; thanks to the "rustiness" he had acquired over the years, he just didn't have the time to make a quick move.

Even if he was a Newtype.

Shinji: (eyes getting big and points at Amuro's Rick Dias) /.....OH, SHIT! LOOK OUT, CAPTAIN!/

Asuka: /...!!/ (gasps)

Wooder: Heh. Gotcha!

The equally bulky hands of the Psyco Gundam had indeed taken their death grip on the green Rick Dias' head and one of its shoulders. Amuro struggled to break free from the single-handed headlock that the Psyco Gundam had applied to his Rick Dias, and the effects of that headlock were beginning to be felt; a few of his monitors surrounding him had turned into static. If this goes any further, he thought, he'll be practically "blind" for the rest of the battle.

Everyone who was allied with Amuro Ray stopped in their tracks as they saw their comrade being held up by his mobile suit's head, but promptly took cover from possible enemy fire by either putting up their shields as to the GM-II's and pointing their beam rifles/guns threateningly at their remaining Zaku/Marasai counterparts as to Chris, Emma, and Reccoa, or hiding behind rocks and destroyed buildings, as to the three AEUG battlecruisers.

Likewise the remaining handful of Titan mobile suits were aiming their beam submachineguns, bazookas, and whatnot at their AEUG and Kalaba counterparts, anticipating the next sudden move that they might make and that they are notorious for.

Each one of the AEUG pilots was stunned silent at that precise moment...as is with Shinji and Asuka, who were merely five or six blocks away from the Psyco Gundam, if one were to use such units of measurement--somewhat of a mere short distance away from their Evangelions, but they couldn't make any move, lest they risk one of their superior officers in the AEUG (but more specifically, the Kalaba) getting killed. And this was not just any two-bit officer, this was Captain Amuro Ray.

To each person who was at that very place in Hong Kong where this bloody clash of gundarium alloy, gunpowder, and beam particle cannon fodder had taken place, they weren't quite surprised when the Psyco Gundam, or at least, its pilot, began to "speak" through its public address "megaphone".

Wooder: /Well, well, looky here. I caught myself a Dom! And a green one, too! Tsk tsk...heh, figures...I'd expected every one of you ass-hats to use Zeon mobile suits for your vile plans...looks like I'll make mincemeat out of *this* one first!/ (makes the Psyco Gundam's hands tighten their grip on the green Rick Dias' head and right shoulder, making dents on it)

Amuro: Shit... (bangs one of his fists on the panel in front of him) My cameras are dying out, this...freak's holding me up by the head, and no matter how much I struggle... (tries to move his Rick Dias around, waving its free limbs wildly, in failure) ...this son of a bitch won't let go of me...heh, I guess this renders me completely helpless till this guy totally kills my cameras and tears off my right arm. What to do... (whispers) /Shinji, Asuka, can you hear me?/

Through static, Shinji and Asuka can both see Amuro's blurry image in front of them. A sigh of relief immediately came out of them as they realized their "superior officer" was safe and sound...for now.

Shinji: /Y...yeah.../ (gulps)

Asuka: /Yes, sir, we can hear you.../

Amuro: /Listen. We don't have much time. Don't worry about me...come here and rip this guy apart, *now*. I just *know* you two can do it--I've seen you take risks with those..."Angels" back in Japan. This is only a mere Titan mobile suit that's as tall as you are and has armor as thick as the next MS.../

Shinji: /But...those were Angels! And we can't risk *your* life over--/

Asuka: /...Shinji./

Shinji: /What do you want now?/

Asuka: /I have.../ (cranes her head leftwards, to a certain point fifty meters away from her at 2:00, on the ground where Camille's Zeta Gundam was) /...a plan./

Now, Asuka might not be a Newtype with much experience as Amuro Ray had, but she knew she was a Newtype nonetheless...she could just sense...something when it was near. Especially when that something--or someONE--starts talking to her telepathically, and that someone was giving her battle strategies, too.

Of course, being a Newtype himself, Camille sensed this familiar "aura" too...it was below him, and he sensed *she* wasn't at all pleased with the whole situation.

Camille: (loosens his collar and wipes the sweat from his brow) (Why did you come back? I thought I let you leave already?)



Four: (leers angrily at the Psyco Gundam) (Let's just say I have a few knots I wanted to untie before you guys leave.)

Camille: (sighs) (You could have at least hidden yourself, silly...you'll get killed at this rate...)

Four: (Now don't get all paranoid again, honey...here I am trying to help you guys out and you whine and bitch at me? The least you could do is *thank* me, you know...) (sighs) (Just shut up...and *watch*.)

As Four just stood there straddling Camille's motorcycle under the roof of an abandoned ruin of a mini-mall so as not to be seen by anybody else but Camille (and Asuka, strangely enough), she closed her eyes and clasped her hands together as though she was in prayer and concentrated hard. Real. Hard.

Four: (Asuka...that's your name, right? That's what you told me earlier...can you hear me?)

Asuka *can* hear Four's voice talking to her...just that she couldn't "talk back" at her; she knew she was a Newtype, she just wasn't very keen on telepathic conversations. Asuka Langley Sohryu was *not* trained for that...at least, she felt it was unnecessary...until now.

Four: (You can talk back to me, hon. Just *think* it, like how you control your...robot, your machine...)

Asuka: (I can hear you...)

Four: (Good. Your machine and your partner's are quite unbelievably fast, I've seen them in action just now. Listen, I want you two to run towards the Psyco Gundam and attack it just as you would if it weren't holding that green MS up. Just as he would try to make that green MS as a shield against you, both of you split up and attack it from the sides. I'll be overriding the Psyco Gundam's controls from here, you need not worry about Captain Amuro Ray's welfare since he'll be able to break out by then...)

Asuka: (Wait, how did you know Amuro-san's there?)

Four: (There's no more time, just *do* it, Asuka!)

Asuka: Right... /...Shinji, how much more battery backup power will we have if we disconnect our umbilical cables?/

Shinji: /I reckon we'll have, like, five minutes or less...wait, you're not planning to...! It's risky, Asuka. Don't do it./

Asuka: /This might be the only way, Shinji. Please, for this very instant, trust me and do *not* question my ability, all right? We've been friends for so long, Shinji, you have to learn to trust me, just for once.../

Shinji: /...all right./ (grips his "cockpit handles")

Asuka: /On three.../

Still in almost-perfect unison, both Children pressed some controls on their Evas' "cockpit handles", making the "plugs" for their umbilical power cables fall to the ground with a steamship-like hiss, kicking up some dust in the process. These umbilical power cables connected them to the two aircraft carriers just a moderate distance away from them; now that they've disconnected themselves, their backup battery power immediately activated.

They had five minutes and twenty-four seconds of battery time.

Shinji: /One./

One of the few remaining Zaku-II pilots defending the Sudry and its support battlecruisers and that also had its beam submachinegun pointed and aimed at Christina MacKenzie's cobalt blue Rick Dias noticed something...amiss.

Those big...robots just had plug-like *things* fall off their backs.

The Titan pilot then thought, if he could alert the Lieutenant about this, and if he ever survives this battle, he'll get promoted to ensign immediately...and have a higher raise, compared to the meager salary he received every month. Breathing in and out deeply, nervously, and setting his frequency towards the Psyco Gundam, and through stuttering words, he did just that.

And of course, the good Lieutenant couldn't hear him very well; the static affecting their communications equipment in this part of Hong Kong was just so BAD that even a few of Wooder's cameras started to die out. This was getting worse by the minute, he thought.

Wooder: /What's the matter with you AEUG wusses, cat got your tongue? Heh.../

And yet, the good Lieutenant never even bothered to thank the poor, hapless, young Titan pilot. Was it something he said? Was it something he did yesterday? Oh well, he thought, there goes his 13th-month bonus...

Asuka: /Two./

Camille couldn't exactly snipe at the Psyco Gundam, although he had plenty of charges left on his beam rifle--he checked, it was still good for eight shots. This was actually good, he thought--*if* he could snipe from his vantage point at all, that is. It wasn't because Four was below him, he just knew she was just smart enough to take cover when he started firing. It was Captain Amuro Ray he was worried about...

Though she was essentially only an "artificial Newtype", she could just sense Camille's feelings of frustration at that very moment. Not that she wanted to sense them; it was just that she felt there was some strange aura coming out of the Zeta Gundam. It wasn't the kind of..."black" aura that the Psyco Gundam was "emitting"; it was something more...powerful.

She focused her thoughts even more towards her old machine, that enormous black Titan behemoth of a mobile suit now holding up one of Camille's AEUG friends by its head and looked like it was going to crush that head. She focused her thoughts and concentrated hard. Harder than before, perhaps, when she was talking to the girl pilot named Asuka in the big, strange-looking, red humanoid robot, but she definitely looked like she was praying to whatever deity she could think of right now.

But actually, she focused all of her energy and unique power as an "ersatz" Newtype into the Psyco Gundam and started overriding its controls--a feat never been done before by any known Newtype to have ever existed. Not even Amuro, not even Char Aznable (whom she'd heard of when she was in one of the Titan research labs and can vaguely remember who or what this Char Aznable is), and not even her dearest Camille Vidan.

It was time she'd done that feat first.

Opening her eyes, she muttered softly...

Four: ...three.

And as she had uttered that very same word, the two Evangelions were already on their way, running wildly towards the Psyco Gundam with their pilots screeching out fierce and violent battlecries, progressive knives in hands. Wooder saw this sudden threatening move from the two robots now scampering towards him and waited for the right moment to make a "human shield" out of the Rick Dias his Psyco Gundam was now holding "hostage".

All hell then broke loose among the ranks of the Titans and the AEUG, with the latter's offensive suddenly upped in full swing, taking their enemies by surprise and slowly and surely picking them off one by one. The Titan mobile suits weren't to be let down to such petty attempts, though; they likewise did their worst and felt this was the deciding battle to end all battles. They, the Titan pilots, just had a little too much faith in the Lieutenant, the Psyco Gundam, and the righteous Titans as a whole...

They just didn't know what will hit them.

Just as Ben Wooder thought the Evangelions were to make a frontal attack against him as they inched closer and closer by the second, he raised up the slightly maimed frame of Amuro Ray's Rick Dias so as to make it a crude shield against these two, but as he had anticipated the MS he was holding to explode, it didn't. Instead, a few beeps went off indicating that the two robots had indeed gotten to his left and right, and as he had relayed commands to block any possible attacks from the side...

Several error message windows soon popped up in front of him that said such things as "OVERRIDE ERROR", "THE SYSTEM HAS JUST MADE AN ILLEGAL OPERATION, PLEASE RESTART", "SYSTEM IS BUSY", and the like. "Oh, shit," were his last words as he struggled and banged at the panel in front of him. It did no good, however, as that panel in front of the Titan lieutenant had started to spark wildly. He frantically searched for the escape hatch as he saw the two Evangelions about to swing their knives into the Psyco Gundam's head...

...and had connected.

The Psyco Gundam's pilot cockpit, unlike standard mobile suits, and since it has a beam particle cannon in its chest, was located inside its head.

-----

Everyone was shocked--at least, every Titan MS pilot who was on the battlefield and every Titan crew member aboard the Sudry and its Salamis-class support battlecruisers found their hopes sink to a new low as they saw the Psyco Gundam's head explode as these two new robots sank their...*knives* at it, twisted them like doorknobs, and letting them stay there till it finally exploded.

This was a bit of a surprise for Shinji and Asuka as well; they never thought it would go so smooth--and here they had gone through the trouble of disconnecting themselves from their umbilical power cables. Shrugging, they thought they might take this opportunity and make a break for the remaining Titan mobile suits as their fellow AEUG pilots are currently doing.

It was then Shinji saw he was taking part in a massacre--against the "bad guys" that is, and wondered if all of this *is* part of his job as an Eva pilot.

But that was not all that Four had up her sleeve--while the Psyco Gundam was practically uncontrollable now that the main pilot cockpit was destroyed and while the two robots as big as her old Psyco Gundam looked like they turned their sights on the remaining Titan MS'es, she remained focusing her thoughts on the enormous black headless Gundam, and like a puppet, made it walk slowly towards the now-retreating Sudry as the Titan Audomura-class battlecruiser turned itself around slowly and started to withdraw from this clear and obvious defeat.

Amuro's Rick Dias' right arm was almost useless, and his cameras were almost all non-functional; at least, that's how it looked like to him on his status monitor. "I can do this," he thought as he raised his beam tomahawk and charged at some Titan MS'es near him slashing them left and right in a fit of rage. He just *wasn't* going to let himself be humiliated like what happened just a few minutes ago ever again...

Camille made his Zeta Gundam kneel down and extended its hand down to Four as if he wanted Four to climb into the Zeta Gundam's hand. He also opened his cockpit hatch and stuck his head out to face Four on a more "personal" level. Four, in turn, looked up at Camille and lost all of her concentration on the Psyco Gundam after she had telepathically "set the Psyco Gundam into autopilot," still heading towards the Sudry.

Camille: .....

Four: ...Camille...

For that brief moment, they just stared at each other in silence as if they were ignoring everyone making battle all around them. For around two minutes, they just looked into each other's eyes intently and deeply, as if they were communicating without words....and just looked on.

With a distressing expression on her face, Four looked away from Camille and just shook her head, straddled Camille's motorcycle, started it up and scooted away with a trail of smoke behind her, looking as if she was intentionally hurrying away from the Zeta Gundam, and from Camille.

It all looked like she just disappeared from his life forever, without even saying goodbye. No, wait, she did say goodbye...but came back...and went away again. This was a disaster, Camille felt, and sat back into his Zeta Gundam's cockpit, closing the airtight hatch behind him that separated him from the battle about to be concluded in a very, very short while.

If this is what Four wants, Camille thought as he made his Zeta Gundam stand up and make a break running towards the remaining Titan MS'es, he'll just gladly oblige...even if he felt like he wanted Four to have decided for herself otherwise.

With a sad sigh and his beam saber outstretched, Camille charged at a nearby retreating Titan MS and fought on side by side with the rest of his AEUG companions for the remainder of the afternoon. Although it was clear that the AEUG had once again had won this battle against the Titans, Camille wasn't at all pleased, what with everything that had happened to him today.

It was already late in the afternoon as this hard battle--or bloody massacre, at least in Shinji Ikari's eyes--raged on; it definitely looked like the tide was turning to the AEUG's favor. As the Sudry was making its escape and loading "injured" and whole MS'es into it, Asuka saw this as she plunged her Evangelion Unit-02 progressive knife at her seventh Titan MS as an opportunity to conclude this battle herself...

Asuka: (runs hurriedly towards the Sudry and grins) /You *won't* get away--YAAAAAAHHHH!! Gekigan Hypaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! KIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!/

.....huh?

Camille: Geki...gan...?

Shinji: (thinks) ...hyper...

Bright: ...kick? (eyebrows meet and blinks)

And with that, ignoring the Zaku's and the Marasais beside and in front of her, she made a flying kick at the tail of the retreating Titan battlecruiser, the impact of Evangelion Unit-02's kick sending the Sudry reeling a few meters and spinning nearly 360 degrees so as to make the ship's main battle bridge face towards her.

Shinji: (raises an eyebrow) "Gekigan Hyper Kick"? Have you been rummaging through my stuff again, Asuka? And I don't remember Gekiganger 3 having *that* kind of special move, what the hell's up with that?

Asuka: DUH! I've been "rummaging" through your stuff, and yes, there wasn't any special move by Gekiganger 3 like what I just did; I just made it all up. So shaddup, you dummkopf, you unecessarily ruined my moment.

Actually, that sort of remark happened when she felt the soldier's brief terror before his end came to him. As a Newtype herself she "heard", but totally ignored the terrified screams of the Titan crew on board the bridge as they saw the imposing four-eyed countenance of the Evangelion Unit-02, with a blood-curdling shout Asuka then sent her two fists clasped together (her progressive knife in one hand) as if it were an ax-handle coming down on the Sudry's bridge. It was then and there that the Sudry totally exploded; its debris flew all over the place and the impact of the Sudry's explosion would have scratched Asuka's Evangelion Unit-02's enamel paint coating as well had she not deployed an A.T. field in time.

And just nearby, a military helicopter hovered over and behind the Agama, as if it were just a mere spectator. Misato, who was piloting the helicopter at the time, along with her three other Nerv colleagues Shigeru, Maya, and Makoto, couldn't believe what had just happened to this place.

Misato couldn't believe Asuka could just be so...cruel, yet so excellent. At least, that's what she thought, because she just *knew* they were on the side of the "good guys".

Or are they? But that sort of thinking would have to stop and concentrate on future campaigns... for now, at least.

-----

At this point Bright ordered his troops to withdraw for this victory they claimed over the Titans once again; he informed them that this was a big enough moral injury for the Titans, so "that was enough for the day," he said.

In the briefing room inside the Agama and "telecast live" via webcam to the Mont Blanc and the Radish, Bright relayed to all AEUG personnel concerned that since the much-awaited supplies have already arrived and that they have enough backup MS'es, ammunition, and of course, food to last them a few more months for the war effort, and that since he had already laid out plans to strike at the Titan base in New Guinea and use the facilities there to launch the Agama into space, he also told his troops to make preparations for the upcoming assault on the mentioned area in a few minutes.

All of this seemed like nothing at all for Camille right now since he was so deeply thinking of his separation from Four Murasame, someone who could have been the love of his life from that day on. It looked like he was listening intently to the AEUG captain's message, but actually, his mind wasn't there at all. Knowing him from childhood times, Fa already knew if Camille was thinking deeply about something, but it wasn't as if she could--or *would*, that is--help him right now. Though Fa still loved him, she was deeply hurt what with this whole new development that's happened--Camille was indeed seeing another woman, and a cuter one, at that. This...Four Murasame, she was quite an enigma to Fa as she was to Camille.

Misato Katsuragi was also listening intently and silently to her new superior officer's message to his people, careful not to miss out on any instructions he might give. Shinji and Asuka, listening as well, wondered silently if Misato was indeed paying attention to Bright Noah...or Amuro Ray, since the latter was seated way out directly in front of his Captain. The two Children looked at each other and snickered, making Misato thwap them upside the back of their heads.

Misato: What are you two laughing at?

Shinji: N...nothing, ma'am...

Misato: Then pay attention, all right? (thinks) Man...every angle you look at that guy, he's sooooo adorable! (tries to stay stern as possible, but blushes lightly)

Shinji and Asuka then just shrugged.

Bright: Is everything clear? Good. Now, if there'll be no further questions I'd suggest you people go back to your positions and prepare for launch to New Guinea. Dismissed. (makes a hand salute)

-----

Bright Noah had expected the Audomura back sooner but he commended his former White Base subordinate, and now Kalaba officer, the still-plump Hayato Kobayashi on getting his ship back to Hong Kong. Bright had made a "little request" of Hayato "for old times' sake" that he should bring Mirai, his children, and Quess to India as soon as possible since Hayato was going there anyway for his own military errands.

Amuro, on a sad note, had specific requests on "backing up the Audomura" and that he should take Officers Christina MacKenzie, Shiro Amada, and the Mont Blanc along with them.

Bright: All right, if you insist. You did tell me that this morning, didn't you? Well, good luck...and it was nice seeing you again, Amuro. I *do* hope, though...that you'll come back to space with us, along with Camille and the others. The boy needs guidance, and I need your expertise to guide him any way you can...

Amuro: It's all right, Captain. I think you've got what it takes to handle him on your own... I wasn't so different from him in the last war, remember?

Bright: Don't give yourself too much credit.

Amuro: (chuckle) ...You'll be the first to know that, Captain. Anyway, you'd also realize the idea of me fighting alongside Char disgusts me... I admit I don't like it, but I'm afraid it will have to do for now.

Bright: (shakes Amuro's hand) I'll see you later, then.

Amuro: (shakes Bright's hand back) Later, Captain.

Hayato: It's time, Amuro, Captain. (shakes Bright's hand as well) It's been very, very good to have seen you again in seven years, Captain Bright Noah. I hope we'll be able to fight alongside each other once again...

Bright: But we are, right? As far as I can remember, Commander Brex Forra told me that the Kalaba, along with other anti-Federation resistance groups excluding the Zeon, are allies with the AEUG, right?

Hayato: Yes, that's correct. (sighs) Well, seeya, Captain.

And as Bright saw his former White Base subordinates off, he did wonder if they'll all see each other again. In space, he thought deeply...in space, where history repeats itself and where almost a billion people have died because of these wars between *people*.

Some things just never change, he told himself...

But then, at least Bright had new allies in Captain Misato Katsuragi and her Evangelions. He had earlier asked Misato where the "blue one" was, to which she promptly answered that "Nerv needs Rei and Unit-00 against the Angels while Shinji and Asuka are away." As he walked back to the Agama's bridge, he was still baffled by the fact that some unknown Federation-backed, yet independent organization was fighting such beings as these..."Angels".

The angels he'd always known since he was a mere child were the winged ones, and they look far less ugly than what he'd already seen. He then wondered if "Angels" were a codename for these weird-looking beings or whatever as he was greeted by some..."new personnel" in the bridge.

Bright: What the heck is *this*?

Shigeru, Maya, and Makoto: (stands up in attention and salutes Bright) New personnel reporting for duty, sir!

Bright: At ease. And umm...please take your seats. Captain Katsuragi, can you expla--

Misato: I can explain, Captain. You see, our Supreme Commander back in Nerv, Gendo Ikari, had ordered a few of our Nerv personnel as well to work for the AEUG for the time being alongside our pilots. He did not give any specific reasons for this act of support but I can assure you, my people have enough experience to handle these kinds of--

Bright: Now hold on for a second. I understand Nerv's concern for the AEUG, it's just that this...gesture isn't really necessary. It's not that I don't trust your personnel, of course, it's just that...it's all so sudden. I mean...

Fa: It's okay, Captain, I've also agreed to the change in personnel in the Agama's bridge. I'll be fighting alongside Camille and the others in this new transformable MS that I have been told the Luo Industries have also given us...here are the blueprints and CD-ROM manual, Captain. (gives quite a thick folder and a CD-ROM case to Bright)

Bright: Hmm...the Methuss. Are you sure you're up to this? I haven't seen any of your pilot credentials or anything when you got on board this ship as a bridge operator...I'm also worried you might get killed out there, you're just a kid, like Camille...

Fa: (smiles at him) Captain, like I said, it's all right. Camille taught me how to pilot an MS when on our days in Side 7 and he says I'm pretty good at it, I just feel that I need just a little bit more practice, that's all.

Bright: If you say so.

Misato: Captain, I'll take the liberty of training Fa in MS piloting using the built-in simulator in one of your MS'es...the Rick Dias, is it? Yes, I've heard that the Rick Dias has a built-in "flight/dogfight simulator" in it.

Bright: Agreed.

Misato: Thanks, Captain. (salutes him) By your leave.

Bright then saluted back at the "former" Nerv officer and Fa, who was similarly saluting at him, and saw them leave the bridge room. He then walked over to the three new "bridge bunnies" appointed to operate the Agama's primary controls and thought he might get to know these people from Nerv better.

-----

While Misato had greeted Camille, who was in fact just outside the main battle bridge just as Fa and Misato were coming out, the younger girl totally ignored the blue-haired boy and insisted that they should go on their way.

Camille: I...hear you're going to undergo formal training for MS piloting, Fa.

Misato: (stops walking and turns around to face Camille) Yeah...yeah she is...Camille, that's your name, right? Anyway, she feels like she could be of help for the AEUG and all, and I'm personally taking her under my wing for the formal training. I *have* been reading up on how the basic controls for a standard MS works, so I think we should do fine. (grins)

Camille: Is that so...

The younger girl still didn't even bother to face him.

Misato: Well, I think we better go now. Come on, Fa, we have a lot of work to do... (walks on ahead of Fa, who was still standing there in silence) Fa? Let's go, anything wrong?

Fa: .....what's it to you if I undergo special MS pilot training? It's not as if I'll be any better than you or whatever...

Camille: I'm just concerned if you *really* want to go through with this--

Fa: I assure you, I *really* want to go through with this. You need not worry, though--I'll try not to be "in your level". Anyway, it shouldn't be a big deal to you whatever I do from now on...you already have that woman now, right? Tell me, Camille...how did her lips feel like?

Camille: (his now concerned face tightened into an annoyed expression) And what the hell does "that" suppose to mean?

Misato: Oh...my...God. (gasps, then thinks) Lips...? Oh, shit...I can't believe I'm in the middle of a lovers' quarrel...hmm, maybe if I just... (walks away stupidly and grins just as well) ...waaaaaalk away slowly, and--

Fa: (grins at Misato) Captain Katsuragi, didn't you say we have to go somewhere so we can start my training? Let's go! (takes Misato's arm and walks away from Camille's sight)

Misato: Hmm? Oh, sure! Sure... (walks with Fa, but briefly looks at a very angry Camille with much concern on her face)

Camille: (can't think of a better retort, apparently the fighting today drained his constitution than what he realized) Well, fine! Do what you want! I don't care!

The blue-haired boy just couldn't believe what Fa had just said. While he was tempted to say that Fa was just being jealous, he just couldn't bring himself to say it. Pretty much what she said *was* true; Four was practically *his* woman now, he even had a long, wet kiss for proof.

But on the other hand, he was furious that Fa was butting into his own damn business again. She never grows up, always thinks she had a hand over him and nags on how to live his life. And now she was doing her way to obviously annoy him... not realizing that he had considered her as the only family he had left in this crazy war.

Camille felt like he could just pull his hair out in frustration, or kick against the hallway's metal wall. It couldn't get any worse than this, he thought.

-----

Bright: Hmm...it's nice to see I have an all-Japanese cast in this...play. Have you three been already informed of our itinerary for this evening?

Maya: Yes, Captain. I remember we were to head for New Guinea tonight to do an air-and-ground strike at the newly-constructed Titan base there. I was also informed that we were to head to space, using the Titans' shuttle facilities to launch the Agama and the Radish.

Bright: Good, good. I see you people have been paying attention. Tell you what...would you three like a cup of coffee, say...right now? I want to discuss things further with you for tonight.

Makoto: Umm...coffee would be great, sir!

Shigeru: Yeah, can I also order a side dish of donuts as we--OOF! (gets whacked over the head with Maya's clipboard) Hey, don't mess with my hair, I just had that done!

Maya: I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't be so bossy around our new boss here!

The four of them just laughed as the three former Nerv "bridge operators" shook hands with their new "boss", as Second Lieutenant Maya Ibuki would put it. Bright then faced his ship navigator Torres.

Bright: Set our course, Officer Torres.

Torres: Right away, sir!

The AEUG captain right then wondered whether his family and Quess would be just fine as they made their way to India, a particularly neutral country as far as this war was concerned. But even so, this didn't help appease his worries for his own family, whom he told that it was better for them to stay away from the action of the battles "Daddy" was going to be involved with.

Bright: (crosses his arms) We're going to New Guinea.

-----

As much as Titan Admiral Jamitov Heimann wanted to crumple the damage report paper he was reading over, he just couldn't. He didn't want to risk looking bad towards his lower-rank officers like he did right now.

Bosque: So, the AEUG is making its move to our base in New Guinea. Looks like these rebels have been making quite a significant amount of damage to us...shall I launch a fleet to defend our base there?

Jamitov: I am still undecided on this move you're proposing, Colonel.

Bosque: But we have to strike *now* before they gain any more strength! I even hear Captain Bright Noah's joined the ranks of the AEUG like what Lieutenant Commander Scirocco says here!

Scirocco: (relaxes in his chair) Do not be alarmed of these...unanticipated developments, Colonel. I'm sure we can think up of...something to remedy this.

Bosque: You're the one to talk! You have *no* idea how much reputation Bright Noah has gained seven years ago--

Scirocco: He only won because he had the Gundam. The Zeon were totally caught off-guard with it, and not even the mighty "Red Comet" Char Aznable and the Zabi family were able to stand against it, although the Gundam *was* totally destroyed, according to Federation reports. This war against the AEUG is a whole new ball game, might I remind you, and the Federation has certainly improved on its facilities and MS technology. You should not worry too much, Colonel Bosque Ohm.

Jamitov: Professor Scirocco's right, Colonel. Especially now that we're tapping into the power of the Newtype, it will not be long until we can produce an army of super-soldiers even greater than natural-born Newtypes. Proof of it's now being researched and improved by the minute...in China, even.

-----

It was quite a long ride from the town where Camille's friends and "her former masters" had clashed just a few hours ago; from the looks of things, Four felt relieved to be back in Hong Kong's main vicinity. She stopped in front of a nearby familiar-looking sushi bar--this was the place she got to know Camille better. For a brief moment, she felt like she regretted ever leaving Camille behind, but like she told him this afternoon, this was for the better.

How ironic it was when at this very place where she had gotten to know a wonderful, good-looking, sweet young man who could very well be the only person she'll ever love and feel free from the chains that bound her to being "what she used to be", that she would once again be bound.

The people around Four looked at her like she was either some escaped convict or a poor, unfortunate soul as ten men in full battle gear, obviously Titan foot soldiers, surrounded her and pointed their firearms at her. Four just looked at them calmly in the eye, then gave a dry chuckle.

Four: Took you bastards long enough.

Titan soldier A: Murasame Newtype Laboratories Subject Number Four, alias "Four Murasame"... (handcuffs Four from behind) ...we are placing you under arrest for defecting to the AEUG in time of battle. (pulls her by the collar) Don't blame us, freak.

Four felt like she could just kick the arrogant man's shin for that remark, but at least she wasn't all so frantic about it, like she guessed Camille would have felt in a time like this. It couldn't get any worse than this, she thought as she boarded the police van and thought sadly of the single most important thing to her life, aside from the realization that her true memories would eventually be granted back to her.

But she was confident enough to know that she will, one day, be reunited with Camille Vidan, no matter what...


To be continued
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Half a year. Half a frigging year.

I'm very sorry for the lateness of it all since I've been very busy with everything happening at once; at about the time I've finished the chapter before this one I kinda gave up on the road to being a lawyer someday in favor of finding myself a job and umm...some post-graduate stuff I need not tell you kids about.

As always, my thanks go out to a few of my friends in the SRW Message Board, namely a girl named Anti-R and a guy named Merkavah_Paladin for their invaluable contribution as to making suggestions and advising me on ideas I wouldn't have thought of had the two of them not been around. Again, I thank the both of you.

I also thank my girlfriend Rachel for also being a big help for this piece of fanfiction I've been so working hard for almost six months.

Quoting what I said back in Chapter 6, "I can't promise a new chapter *soon*, but I'll try my best to make something up," and I'll try my best to make something up definitely. I just have to pay attention first to some...personal things I have to pay attention to, like reviewing for the Foreign Service Officers' Qualifying Exam to be held next year.

"C&C's are welcome, NO FLAMES PLEASE. Until then, 'Believe in the sign of ZETA...beyond the hard times from now.'"

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