The morning sun rose high above the sky. Birds sang to announce the arrival of daybreak on the Crockett condo. The party music and the laughter had declined leaving a quiet household full of sleepers and some early birds with hangovers.
The only people in the second category were Chibodee, Domon and George. They were all seated around the kitchen table in their boxers and socks; moaning and drinking hangover cures. Domon and George blamed Chibodee for their pain. Chibodee pleaded innocent to their false accusations and told them it was their own faults.
" American tradition my Shining Finger." Domon complained.
" Hey, Neo-Japan, I didn't put those beers to your mouths and make you drink them. You did that. I told you you shouldn't drink so much if you weren't used to it. But what did I get for all my trouble?" Chibodee got up to fix himself something to cure his hangover again.
" Shut up Chibodee!!"
" Exactly! 'Shut up Chibodee'! So I just letcha drink yer weight in liquor and pay for in it the mornin'." He started going through the cabinets for things to make his cure.
" What are you looking for?"
" Hangover cure materials."
Both Neo-France and Neo-Japan shot up at that. They regretted it, but the thought of getting rid of the pain permanently was more than enough incentive to move. They stood on either side of Chibodee, as he seemed to be mixing something on the counter.
" What is that?" Domon looked at the red and gold swirled liquid in a shot glass.
" Firecracker. Always works for me." Chibodee tossed back the concoction carelessly. It burned on the way down and cleared his head like a shotgun. His eyes watered a little and he had to shake his head from the sudden clearing of his hangover." Whoo!! What a rush! Who's up for sparring?"
George and Domon starred at him in shock. What was in that stuff that had Chibodee up and ready for roughhousing? Whatever it was, they wanted some.
" What was that stuff?" Domon looked at Chibodee's discarded shot glass for any clues as to what was in the drink.
" 50/50 of Tabasco sauce and Tequila. Clears your head like a firecracker. Hence the name. Want one?" Chibodee was already working on his breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes and hash browns.
" If it can turn your throbbing pain into what you are now, I'd sell my right arm." George said.
" Nah, arms aren't in the market. Start talking souls and maybe we can work a deal out."
" Chibodee!!!"
" Kidding! Kidding! Geez, can't you people take jokes?!"
***************
The sound of a chirping blue jay above his head awoke the groggy and muzzy Neo-Japanese Fighter Kaneda Kasshu. He had fallen asleep by mistake with the Neo-American Fighter. The sun rising high above the horizon made him aware of the time of the day.
He yawned loudly and reached to rub his eyes; but the large bundle on his chest hindered his arms. He suddenly realized that he was still on the balcony of the Neo-American Fighter. Kaneda looked down at Ashleigh, who was still asleep in his arms.
Her face had dried tearstains on it. Kaneda remembered the night before. He didn't like the mood changed in the American. He wouldn't mind it so much if she were a sad person when he met her; but she wasn't. She was a cheery, good-natured, happy, cocky, brash American. And he preferred she stayed that way.
But now that she was back to normal, it was time he went that way too. Mindful not to awaken the American, he moved her to her bed and tucked her in. She would wake up soon anyway.
As for Kaneda, he had some training to do. With all his future opponents in the house, maybe he could coax the sissies into a sparring match or two. If not he could work alone. But he needed to get his mind out of the house and away from Ashleigh.
Not that she was on his mind in the first place.
He certainly wasn't thinking about her.
Although, she did look a little endearing when her mouth wasn't flapping.
*******************
A slim figure made his way through the large bustling American city. The fact that he was a foreigner was very apparent but it was not irregular in California; being closer to Europe and Asia than New York, though some people still prefer the longer flight. He was on his way to the countryside.
Once he got there. All he needed to do was find the ruin that was underground. It was not going to be easy, but he could feel it pulling out to him. It was calling him. It wanted him to come and claim it as his own and finish what its creator had started.
Come to me. I am yours to control and do what you will. My power is yours. No one is safe.
A smile crept up across the scarred tanned face as he finally found the entrance to his ruins. It was a small fox burrow, but he knew that it was down there. The feeling was strong here. Stronger than it had been anywhere else. He was so close.
Pointing a fist at the small and inaccessible burrow, a black horse with red eyes appeared on the back of his hand. On the back of the horse was a soldier with a staff of a gray skull on it. The red eyes glowed and black energy flowed off his body.
A black and red beam flew from his hand and made the burrow a lot more accessible to someone of his size. Kneeling on one knee and not paying attention to the dead foxes around him. (OGE: Heartless murderer…), he looked down into the burrow. It was a long ways down and so very dark. Even though there was light out there was no way he could see.
But he looked not with his eyes, but with the crest on the back of his hand. His own eyes turning the same red and black energy radiating off him. He searched the underground for a power signature similar to that of his own. He was about to give up when he felt something so…powerful; he was nearly knocked back 20 feet.
" Bugger me dead! This doo-dah really exists! That power was amazing! Strewth!"
He brushed his green hair out of his sky blue eyes. This was his War Horseman Gundam eh? Well he wasn't a stunded mullet. He knew this was going to make him great. And with the Gundam Fighters 3 years away, he'd have plenty of time to train. Only he and his crew wouldn't be stupid. They would not be making appearances. No, this was going to be kept on the down low. They would not be defeated.
" Rise! War Horseman!!"
A/N: Sorry it's short. I've been really busy lately and might not be able to update for a while. But I certainly will try. You have my word as an artist and authoress. Expect a lot of action in the next chappy, 'kay?
Au revoir!