Disclaimer: I don't own G-Gundam so don't bother to sue me
Warning: A bit of cussing
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Chapter 2: The Invitation
"My lord are you okay?" Duncan asked for the hundredth time in the last hour.
"Yes, Duncan. I'm fine." Replied Cairbre. In all honesty he was felling much better. But one thing still puzzled him, what had happened? "Duncan, did you run the diagnostics on the Gaiea Gundam?"
"Yes sir," began Duncan.
"What was the problem?" Asked Cairbre impatiently.
"Well… all systems were operating at optimum efficiency and there were no glitches in the MTS, by all accounts you should be perfectly fine." Said Duncan.
"Damn it Duncan!" Screamed Cairbre in agitated rage while holding his bandaged hand up for Duncan to see, "My hand did not get burned all by itself, something must have gone wrong!"
"Sir please calm down the gundam is perfectly fine, could you have perchance burnt it before you got in to the gundam? And the MTS aggravated it?"
"Duncan," Cairbre said trying to calm down "It wasn't burnt before I got in the gundam because if it was I would have noticed."
Just then a servant walked in with a troubled look on his face.
"What is it Jonathan?" Asked Cairbre and Duncan together.
"Sorry to disturb you my lord but His lordship O'Connell wishes to speak to you." Said Jonathan.
"Did he say what about?" Asked Cairbre while getting up and walking to the comm room door.
"No sir."
Cairbre reached the comm room and sat down and pressed a few buttons on the panel in front of him. A screen lit up and a comm channel opened between the Brogan castle and the capital on the colony.
"My lord." Said Cairbre with a bow of his head, "you wished to speak with me?"
"Yes I do," Stated the High Lord of Neo-Scotland O'Connell. O'Connell was a stately old man of seventy years or more, he had white hair and a graying beard. "We have received word from Neo-Japan that their Gundam fighter Domon Kasshu wishes to meet with you at his mansion in Japan. Now I know this is very unusual and possibly dangerous, but is also a good opportunity to get to know your opponent. I told them that I would confer with you about this interesting development. So what do you thing Cairbre do you think that they are trying to pull the wool over our eyes to cause problems?"
"I don't think that they are trying to pull any thing, mainly because of what I have heard about Domon from other fighters. They say that he is honest and wouldn't be involved with any subversive tactics." Said Cairbre with conviction
"So should I send word that you accept?"
"Hold on sir, did they say why Domon wishes to meet with me?" Asked Cairbre
"No, all they said was that Domon Kasshu wishes to meet with you."
"Then, tell them I accept his offer."
"I shall report to the representative of Neo-Japan right away and have him send word to Mr. Kasshu immediately."
"Thank you my lord."
"Drop the formality Cairbre; I have known you since you were in dippers."
This brought a smile to Cairbre's face, "Thank you Daniel."
Cairbre shut the console off and went back to the meeting room and sat down. Duncan had apparently had been waiting on pins and needles for word of what was going on.
"Duncan would you pack my things?" Asked Cairbre.
"Why sir? Are you being called back to the colony?" Duncan questioned with worry in his voice.
"No Duncan, I have been invited to the Kasshu mansion in Japan."
"Kasshu… you mean Domon Kasshu's mansion?" Gasped Duncan with awe.
"Yes, Domon Kasshu wishes to see me."
"I shall pack your things and get your gundam ready for travel."
"Get it ready for transport because you are coming with me Duncan"
"Really sir?!?"
"Yes."
"Wow."
With that last statement of shock Duncan raced up the stairs to pack his and Cairbre's things. Cairbre sat in the large red leather chair that had been in his family for generations thinking What luck I get to meet the greatest Gundam fighter in the world, not only that the leader of the Shuffle Alliance! He sat there for a few more minutes before getting up and walking to his chamber.
"How goes it Duncan?" Called out Cairbre when he entered his chamber.
"I finished packing your things sir." Duncan said
"Duncan, you have been my friend since childhood, you don't have to call me 'sir' or 'lord' any more you can call me by my first name." This brought a slight blush to Duncan's cheeks
"T-thank you." Stammered Duncan who never in his whole life been thought of as an equal to a warrior.
"Don't thank me Duncan you don't have to give me a proper title because I know you too well and you know me too well. Why don't you go and pack your things while I get a shower and cleaned up." Said Cairbre gently.
"Okay Cairbre." When Duncan said this he smiled broadly. Mainly at the thought of now being able to call his friend by his first name without a title before it.
Cairbre went in to the bathroom and started to bathe. While he bathed, he kept staring at his hand and asking himself what happened and why. When he finished showering he wrapped him self in the towel and went to his wardrobe to find something to wear that would impress the King of Hearts. He finally decided on a worn pair of brown leather breeches and a dark green shirt, both pants and shirt were accented with red trim. He also decided on his favorite head band, red with a green Celtic symbol embroidered on it. Then his gaze landed on his broad sword. He stood there debating with himself on weather or not to take it with him or not. He decided to leave it and take his father's gaischioch claiomh or warrior sword. He decided that it was time for him to grow up and take up the weapon that his family had wielded for centuries. It is time I accepted my fate as a warrior.
"Duncan are you ready?" Cairbre called out.
"Yes, I'm in the hanger getting the gundam secured to the Highlander. Why don't you go ahead and come down, because by the time you get here we will be ready to go." Duncan replied over the intercom.
"Okay. Japan here we come." With that Cairbre left his chamber and began the decent to the hanger and the trip to Japan to meet with Domon.
The trip itself was uneventful; it was a trans-continental flight the only difference was that it was a private transport so that meant that there were no screaming babies, children running up and down the isles and no flight attendants asking if he would like some peanuts or a drink. Cairbre was grateful for that.
The Highlander landed smoothly at Kasshu Airfield. When Cairbre and Duncan stepped off the transport they were met by a representative of the Kasshu family.
"Hello Mr. Brogan and welcome to Japan." Said the man
"Thank you." Replied Cairbre and noticed that the man was eyeing Duncan with some curiosity, "and this is my dear friend and chief engineer for my gundam."
"I was not informed that you were bringing a friend. We have not prepared a room for him."
"That is quite alright I will sleep in the hanger with the gundam." Replied Duncan quietly.
"Are you sure? I mean I would not mind sharing my room with you." Said Cairbre with full sincerity.
"I'll be fine Cairbre."
"Okay." Said Cairbre with obvious worry.
"Sir, Master Kasshu is waiting for you." Said the man impatiently
"Oh sorry." Said Cairbre with embarrassment, "What about my gundam and Duncan?"
"Master Kasshu will send a transport for them." Said the man blandly
The trip to the Kasshu mansion was only about a fifteen minute drive. When they arrived Cairbre looked at the scenery, and gasped. He never expected to see such beauty so far from his native land.
"Stunning isn't it?" The sound of the voice brought Cairbre out of his reverie and back to his senses.
"Oh yes, it is quite stunning." Said Cairbre while turning to face the person that had spoken to him. When he saw who was talking to him, he nearly fell over backwards in shock. "D-Domon K-Kasshu!" stammered Cairbre while kneeling to a superior gaiscioch (warrior).
"Now, now Cairbre, you don't mind me calling you by your first name, there is no need for that." Said Domon with a smile on his face.
"Thank you." Said Cairbre rising.
"I want you to meet my family." Said Domon as he ushered Cairbre in to his mansion.
As they walked into the Kasshu mansion, Cairbre noticed how warm it was in comparison to his family's castle. And that the interior seem to be done in a teak wood style.
"Cairbre Brogan I would like you to meet my wife Rain, our daughter Aiko, and our son Toshi." Said Domon with a touch of pride, which was understandable.
"Pleased to meet you." Said Cairbre to each of the members of the Kasshu family in turn. But when he reached Aiko Kasshu he stopped, he was stunned at how beautiful she was. Aiko was tall and slightly built, she had long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, but what actually caught Cairbre's attention were her eyes, they were dark brown with flecks of gold in them. Cairbre was considered hansom, he had long gold-blond hair that was always pulled back, he was considered short for his age of twenty years, he was only five six, but what most people remembered about him were his eyes they were a deep light blue.
"Pleased to meet you my lady." was all Cairbre could manage to say to the nineteen year old Aiko.
"And it is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Brogan." Said Rain. She could sense that if she did not say something to break the tension Cairbre would probably say something stupid and embarrass himself.
"Please call me Cairbre." Said Cairbre holding his bandaged hand out by force of habit, but when he realized this he immediately switched hands to his uninjured hand to shake Rain's hand.
"What happened to your hand?" Asked Rain with obvious concern.
"To be perfectly honest I don't know. I must beg your forgiveness I am tired from the flight and wish to rest a while, could someone show me to my room?"
"Ah, I forgot that you must be exhausted," Domon motioned for his son, "Toshi, would you show Cairbre to his room?"
"Yes father." Toshi did not appear to like the request, but he complied without comment.
Cairbre followed Toshi up the stairs to his room, due to the width of the stair well Cairbre had to remove his sword from his back and carry it by hand. He was able to do this with a quickness that only came from years of experience and training. Cairbre noticed that when he did this that Toshi tensed ever so slightly.
"I'm not going to attack you, Toshi. How old are you?" Cairbre did not expect a response from the boy but he got one.
"I'm twelve." Replied Toshi quietly.
When they reached a landing Cairbre stopped and waited for Toshi to turn around.
"Well, since you are a big boy, I'm going to ask you to do me a favor." Cairbre said while he squatted down to be at the boy's eye level.
"What is it?" Asked Toshi dubiously.
"I have been carrying this sword on my back all day and I was wondering if you would like to carry it while we went to my room?" Cairbre asked in his kindest voice.
Toshi's face brightened when he realized what was being asked of him.
"But, before I let you carry it you must realize that this is extremely old and very heavy not to mention sharp. So be very careful, okay?"
"Okay!!" Toshi could barely stand still due to his excitement of being given such an important job.
"Good." Cairbre said as he handed the sword (still in its sheath of course) to Toshi. "Now be careful."
Toshi led Cairbre down the hall to his room which was at the very end of the hallway.
"Thanks lad that was a big help," Cairbre said with a smile on his face "I think that I might have something for you, wait here." Cairbre went into his room and saw that his bags had already been brought up. He went to his small tote bag in which he carried little statues, figures, and odds and ends in. He opened the bag and pulled out a small statue of a dragon asleep on top of a castle. "Here you go lad."
"Cool! Um what castle is this?" Said Toshi tentatively afraid that Cairbre might yell at him for not knowing.
"Why that is my family castle. It was built by my ancestors almost four centuries ago. They say that the dragon still guarding the castle from our enemies. Wow, look at the time well lad I think that you had better go back to your parents."
"Yes sir." Toshi said with unbridled excitement.
Cairbre did not bother closing the door after the boy. He turned around and started to unpack his things when he heard a quiet voice at the door.
"Well you seem nice enough."
Cairbre spun around to see who was talking to him. Who he saw there caused him to catch his breath. It was Aiko.
"How so?" Cairbre managed to say in what he hoped was a slightly cold tone.
"Toshi doesn't like strangers very much but he has seemed to take a liking to you." She said in an equally cold tone.
"So I'm good with the little ones. That doesn't mean I am a nice person."
"Well I beg to differ. I heard everything that you said to Toshi about him helping and the little statue."
At this Cairbre started to blush. Now this really brought a smile Aiko's face, a small giggle escaped her lips, causing Cairbre to blush even deeper.
"Is it true?" Aiko asked.
"Is what true?"
"The story you told my little brother?"
"I don't know. The story has been in my family for eons."
"Well, anyway, daddy asked me to come and get you for dinner."
"Great I'm starving."
With that Aiko turned and started down the hall. Cairbre re-bandaged his hand and started down the hall towards the dinning room.
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Okay folks that's it for this chapter PLEASE R&R!!! I'm begging you I want to know what y'all think of it.
Warning: A bit of cussing
******************************************************************************************
Chapter 2: The Invitation
"My lord are you okay?" Duncan asked for the hundredth time in the last hour.
"Yes, Duncan. I'm fine." Replied Cairbre. In all honesty he was felling much better. But one thing still puzzled him, what had happened? "Duncan, did you run the diagnostics on the Gaiea Gundam?"
"Yes sir," began Duncan.
"What was the problem?" Asked Cairbre impatiently.
"Well… all systems were operating at optimum efficiency and there were no glitches in the MTS, by all accounts you should be perfectly fine." Said Duncan.
"Damn it Duncan!" Screamed Cairbre in agitated rage while holding his bandaged hand up for Duncan to see, "My hand did not get burned all by itself, something must have gone wrong!"
"Sir please calm down the gundam is perfectly fine, could you have perchance burnt it before you got in to the gundam? And the MTS aggravated it?"
"Duncan," Cairbre said trying to calm down "It wasn't burnt before I got in the gundam because if it was I would have noticed."
Just then a servant walked in with a troubled look on his face.
"What is it Jonathan?" Asked Cairbre and Duncan together.
"Sorry to disturb you my lord but His lordship O'Connell wishes to speak to you." Said Jonathan.
"Did he say what about?" Asked Cairbre while getting up and walking to the comm room door.
"No sir."
Cairbre reached the comm room and sat down and pressed a few buttons on the panel in front of him. A screen lit up and a comm channel opened between the Brogan castle and the capital on the colony.
"My lord." Said Cairbre with a bow of his head, "you wished to speak with me?"
"Yes I do," Stated the High Lord of Neo-Scotland O'Connell. O'Connell was a stately old man of seventy years or more, he had white hair and a graying beard. "We have received word from Neo-Japan that their Gundam fighter Domon Kasshu wishes to meet with you at his mansion in Japan. Now I know this is very unusual and possibly dangerous, but is also a good opportunity to get to know your opponent. I told them that I would confer with you about this interesting development. So what do you thing Cairbre do you think that they are trying to pull the wool over our eyes to cause problems?"
"I don't think that they are trying to pull any thing, mainly because of what I have heard about Domon from other fighters. They say that he is honest and wouldn't be involved with any subversive tactics." Said Cairbre with conviction
"So should I send word that you accept?"
"Hold on sir, did they say why Domon wishes to meet with me?" Asked Cairbre
"No, all they said was that Domon Kasshu wishes to meet with you."
"Then, tell them I accept his offer."
"I shall report to the representative of Neo-Japan right away and have him send word to Mr. Kasshu immediately."
"Thank you my lord."
"Drop the formality Cairbre; I have known you since you were in dippers."
This brought a smile to Cairbre's face, "Thank you Daniel."
Cairbre shut the console off and went back to the meeting room and sat down. Duncan had apparently had been waiting on pins and needles for word of what was going on.
"Duncan would you pack my things?" Asked Cairbre.
"Why sir? Are you being called back to the colony?" Duncan questioned with worry in his voice.
"No Duncan, I have been invited to the Kasshu mansion in Japan."
"Kasshu… you mean Domon Kasshu's mansion?" Gasped Duncan with awe.
"Yes, Domon Kasshu wishes to see me."
"I shall pack your things and get your gundam ready for travel."
"Get it ready for transport because you are coming with me Duncan"
"Really sir?!?"
"Yes."
"Wow."
With that last statement of shock Duncan raced up the stairs to pack his and Cairbre's things. Cairbre sat in the large red leather chair that had been in his family for generations thinking What luck I get to meet the greatest Gundam fighter in the world, not only that the leader of the Shuffle Alliance! He sat there for a few more minutes before getting up and walking to his chamber.
"How goes it Duncan?" Called out Cairbre when he entered his chamber.
"I finished packing your things sir." Duncan said
"Duncan, you have been my friend since childhood, you don't have to call me 'sir' or 'lord' any more you can call me by my first name." This brought a slight blush to Duncan's cheeks
"T-thank you." Stammered Duncan who never in his whole life been thought of as an equal to a warrior.
"Don't thank me Duncan you don't have to give me a proper title because I know you too well and you know me too well. Why don't you go and pack your things while I get a shower and cleaned up." Said Cairbre gently.
"Okay Cairbre." When Duncan said this he smiled broadly. Mainly at the thought of now being able to call his friend by his first name without a title before it.
Cairbre went in to the bathroom and started to bathe. While he bathed, he kept staring at his hand and asking himself what happened and why. When he finished showering he wrapped him self in the towel and went to his wardrobe to find something to wear that would impress the King of Hearts. He finally decided on a worn pair of brown leather breeches and a dark green shirt, both pants and shirt were accented with red trim. He also decided on his favorite head band, red with a green Celtic symbol embroidered on it. Then his gaze landed on his broad sword. He stood there debating with himself on weather or not to take it with him or not. He decided to leave it and take his father's gaischioch claiomh or warrior sword. He decided that it was time for him to grow up and take up the weapon that his family had wielded for centuries. It is time I accepted my fate as a warrior.
"Duncan are you ready?" Cairbre called out.
"Yes, I'm in the hanger getting the gundam secured to the Highlander. Why don't you go ahead and come down, because by the time you get here we will be ready to go." Duncan replied over the intercom.
"Okay. Japan here we come." With that Cairbre left his chamber and began the decent to the hanger and the trip to Japan to meet with Domon.
The trip itself was uneventful; it was a trans-continental flight the only difference was that it was a private transport so that meant that there were no screaming babies, children running up and down the isles and no flight attendants asking if he would like some peanuts or a drink. Cairbre was grateful for that.
The Highlander landed smoothly at Kasshu Airfield. When Cairbre and Duncan stepped off the transport they were met by a representative of the Kasshu family.
"Hello Mr. Brogan and welcome to Japan." Said the man
"Thank you." Replied Cairbre and noticed that the man was eyeing Duncan with some curiosity, "and this is my dear friend and chief engineer for my gundam."
"I was not informed that you were bringing a friend. We have not prepared a room for him."
"That is quite alright I will sleep in the hanger with the gundam." Replied Duncan quietly.
"Are you sure? I mean I would not mind sharing my room with you." Said Cairbre with full sincerity.
"I'll be fine Cairbre."
"Okay." Said Cairbre with obvious worry.
"Sir, Master Kasshu is waiting for you." Said the man impatiently
"Oh sorry." Said Cairbre with embarrassment, "What about my gundam and Duncan?"
"Master Kasshu will send a transport for them." Said the man blandly
The trip to the Kasshu mansion was only about a fifteen minute drive. When they arrived Cairbre looked at the scenery, and gasped. He never expected to see such beauty so far from his native land.
"Stunning isn't it?" The sound of the voice brought Cairbre out of his reverie and back to his senses.
"Oh yes, it is quite stunning." Said Cairbre while turning to face the person that had spoken to him. When he saw who was talking to him, he nearly fell over backwards in shock. "D-Domon K-Kasshu!" stammered Cairbre while kneeling to a superior gaiscioch (warrior).
"Now, now Cairbre, you don't mind me calling you by your first name, there is no need for that." Said Domon with a smile on his face.
"Thank you." Said Cairbre rising.
"I want you to meet my family." Said Domon as he ushered Cairbre in to his mansion.
As they walked into the Kasshu mansion, Cairbre noticed how warm it was in comparison to his family's castle. And that the interior seem to be done in a teak wood style.
"Cairbre Brogan I would like you to meet my wife Rain, our daughter Aiko, and our son Toshi." Said Domon with a touch of pride, which was understandable.
"Pleased to meet you." Said Cairbre to each of the members of the Kasshu family in turn. But when he reached Aiko Kasshu he stopped, he was stunned at how beautiful she was. Aiko was tall and slightly built, she had long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, but what actually caught Cairbre's attention were her eyes, they were dark brown with flecks of gold in them. Cairbre was considered hansom, he had long gold-blond hair that was always pulled back, he was considered short for his age of twenty years, he was only five six, but what most people remembered about him were his eyes they were a deep light blue.
"Pleased to meet you my lady." was all Cairbre could manage to say to the nineteen year old Aiko.
"And it is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Brogan." Said Rain. She could sense that if she did not say something to break the tension Cairbre would probably say something stupid and embarrass himself.
"Please call me Cairbre." Said Cairbre holding his bandaged hand out by force of habit, but when he realized this he immediately switched hands to his uninjured hand to shake Rain's hand.
"What happened to your hand?" Asked Rain with obvious concern.
"To be perfectly honest I don't know. I must beg your forgiveness I am tired from the flight and wish to rest a while, could someone show me to my room?"
"Ah, I forgot that you must be exhausted," Domon motioned for his son, "Toshi, would you show Cairbre to his room?"
"Yes father." Toshi did not appear to like the request, but he complied without comment.
Cairbre followed Toshi up the stairs to his room, due to the width of the stair well Cairbre had to remove his sword from his back and carry it by hand. He was able to do this with a quickness that only came from years of experience and training. Cairbre noticed that when he did this that Toshi tensed ever so slightly.
"I'm not going to attack you, Toshi. How old are you?" Cairbre did not expect a response from the boy but he got one.
"I'm twelve." Replied Toshi quietly.
When they reached a landing Cairbre stopped and waited for Toshi to turn around.
"Well, since you are a big boy, I'm going to ask you to do me a favor." Cairbre said while he squatted down to be at the boy's eye level.
"What is it?" Asked Toshi dubiously.
"I have been carrying this sword on my back all day and I was wondering if you would like to carry it while we went to my room?" Cairbre asked in his kindest voice.
Toshi's face brightened when he realized what was being asked of him.
"But, before I let you carry it you must realize that this is extremely old and very heavy not to mention sharp. So be very careful, okay?"
"Okay!!" Toshi could barely stand still due to his excitement of being given such an important job.
"Good." Cairbre said as he handed the sword (still in its sheath of course) to Toshi. "Now be careful."
Toshi led Cairbre down the hall to his room which was at the very end of the hallway.
"Thanks lad that was a big help," Cairbre said with a smile on his face "I think that I might have something for you, wait here." Cairbre went into his room and saw that his bags had already been brought up. He went to his small tote bag in which he carried little statues, figures, and odds and ends in. He opened the bag and pulled out a small statue of a dragon asleep on top of a castle. "Here you go lad."
"Cool! Um what castle is this?" Said Toshi tentatively afraid that Cairbre might yell at him for not knowing.
"Why that is my family castle. It was built by my ancestors almost four centuries ago. They say that the dragon still guarding the castle from our enemies. Wow, look at the time well lad I think that you had better go back to your parents."
"Yes sir." Toshi said with unbridled excitement.
Cairbre did not bother closing the door after the boy. He turned around and started to unpack his things when he heard a quiet voice at the door.
"Well you seem nice enough."
Cairbre spun around to see who was talking to him. Who he saw there caused him to catch his breath. It was Aiko.
"How so?" Cairbre managed to say in what he hoped was a slightly cold tone.
"Toshi doesn't like strangers very much but he has seemed to take a liking to you." She said in an equally cold tone.
"So I'm good with the little ones. That doesn't mean I am a nice person."
"Well I beg to differ. I heard everything that you said to Toshi about him helping and the little statue."
At this Cairbre started to blush. Now this really brought a smile Aiko's face, a small giggle escaped her lips, causing Cairbre to blush even deeper.
"Is it true?" Aiko asked.
"Is what true?"
"The story you told my little brother?"
"I don't know. The story has been in my family for eons."
"Well, anyway, daddy asked me to come and get you for dinner."
"Great I'm starving."
With that Aiko turned and started down the hall. Cairbre re-bandaged his hand and started down the hall towards the dinning room.
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Okay folks that's it for this chapter PLEASE R&R!!! I'm begging you I want to know what y'all think of it.