X

Chapter 12:

Duel

"Oh... no..." Lea breathed. All the other gundam pilots were dumb-struck.

"What... happened?" Trowa asked, but nobody could answer him. X was gone, taken away. Heero was missing, and all their supplies were nowhere to be found. "Did Sakio...?"

Lea nodded soundlessly and coughed. "It must have been... but then where's Heero?"

Wufei shook his head. "When I left him, he was really out of it..."

The five moved around soundlessly, unaware of what to do. Lea's coughing steadily became worse. Trowa pushed her down onto a nearby empty crate.

"Relax for a minute, okay? We'll continue looking."

Lea nodded. What else could she do? I'm useless... she thought angrily to herself. Trowa moved around some more, but it was obvious he wasn't really looking. It looked hopeless. Lea sighed loudly and coughed.

Trowa walked around to the other side of the plane, and out of sight. Lea coughed.

"That's a pretty bad cough you've got there." An unknown voice said from behind Lea and, before she knew it, a man with white hair and eyes stood before her.

"Who are you...?" Lea asked weakly and coughed again.

"You don't seem well. That's a shame, I really wanted to fight you."

"Fight me?" Lea exclaimed. "What?"

The man moved closer, and his face was inches from hers. "You really aren't bright. Hm, Sakio was right then."

"Sakio?" Lea yelled. Instantly the gundam pilots ran to see what was happening.

"Who are you?" Lea asked again and the man drew his gun and pointed it at her head.

"My name is Sumare. I am honored to finally meet you." With that he dropped his gun and bowed. Nobody moved. "You may attack me if you wish, but all I ask is that Lea fight me."

"How? I can't fight..." Lea said, and slid off the crate. Sumare was at least a full head higher than she was.

"Ah, you may be stupid, but you are humble. But you know what they say, stupidity humbles the weak."

Lea lifted an eyebrow. "I am not stupid. Nor am I humble. I can't fight, I swear I can't."

"Sure you can! I brought your suit just for this! KAORI! BRING IT OUT!"

And with that, a large cargo truck pulled up and swiftly began unloading the X. Lea gasped.

"X!"

Lea? Thank God you're all right! X answered.

I was so worried about you! Why weren't you speaking to me?

"Because he was afraid we'd be able to track it and find you. A lot of good that did him..." Sumare said and sat down on the crate Lea was just on.

"How can you...?"

"Because I'm a pilot to another suit, just like your X. Mine is called Z, and is the final model, and therefore the most advanced."

Lea's mouth fell open. "Final... model?"

"That's right, I have her parked back there." Sumare pointed towards the forest surrounding the large hangar. "Z! Would you mind coming out now?"

Not at all, sir!

And with that, a large crimson-painted mobile suit appeared out of the trees. It was slightly larger than X, and it looked more stream-lined.

"Lea, X, meet Z. She's my robot." the robot did a mock-curtsey.

I've heard so much about you, Miss Lea. It will be an honor to fight against you and X.

"W-what? I already said!"

"Come on, come on, Lea! Don't be shy!" Sumare said and pushed Lea in the direction of X. "Get in and we'll fight."

"And what if I win?" Lea asked.

"Then we'll leave you alone."

"And if I lose?"

"Then we'll also leave you alone."

"And what about Heero?"

"Oh, he's in the truck, unconcious, but okay. You can have him back after the match."

Lea looked from the truck, to X, to Sumare, to the worried faces of the remaining four gundam pilots. "Fine, I'll fight."

"Then it's a duel!" Sumare said and slowly walked towards Z. Lea took a deep breath and motioned for X's hand to be let down. X didn't protest.

"Lea, no! You can't!" Trowa yelled suddenly. "You're not well!"

"I'm well enough, now please stay back, I don't want you all getting hurt."

The gundam pilots watched helplessly as Lea and Sumare both disappeared within their own cockpits.

The mobile suits slowly began moving, and then they were moving like real human beings.

Sumare's suit pulled out a large staff which was hung on it's back.

Lea's suit instinctively pulled out two small sword-like weapons from it's legs.

Ready, Lea?

I'm ready whenever you are, Sumare!

With that, Z ran straight for X at an incredible speed, brandishing it's staff. X stepped to the side and dragged one of it's sword's across Z's shoulder. Z countered by flying backwards to avoid being hurt further. Sumare gasped and clutched his shoulder, but he didn't back down. X came at Z again, but instead of meeting Z head-on, X stopped abruptly and threw one sword at her. Z thrust her staff at the flying weapon, and it split in two separate swords, one of which was still going at her. Z dodged it barely and twirled the staff above her head and threw it at X. It plunged into's the robot's side. Lea screamed and collapsed.

Victory is mine, Lea. I guess that means you'll be coming with me. Sumare said and pulled his staff out of Lea's side.

"Lea? Lea, wake up!"

Lea was being shook lightly. She slowly opened her eyes and found she was lying down on something... a chair of some sort. No, it was a car seat. Her side burned painfully.

"Good, you're all right. I was worried Sumare had really done you in." another unfamiliar voice said. Lea turned her head to see a boy, not much older than she was, but definitely younger than the gundam pilots, sitting opposite her. He had dark black hair and eyes. Next to him sat a very disgruntled but worried Heero, who was currently gagged and tied up.

Lea tried to sit up, but gasped as pain shot through her entire body.

"Whoa, don't try to overdo it there, girlie! If you end up dying, well, then we won't be able to get everyone back."

"Everyone... back?" Lea breathed but laid back down. The three were in the back of a small covered truck, with Sumare at the wheel.

"Sure, you know the legend, right? Sakio told you."

Lea turned her head and glared at the boy. "Yes, I know it."

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! My name's Kyo."

Lea just stared at the boy. Kyo rubbed his hands together nervously and then said loudly, "So, Sumare! When are we gonna get there? I'm sure Lea's getting hungry!"

"I'm not." Lea said and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pain.

"Unless you were watching, Kyo, then you would know Lea needs to get medical attention immediately." Sumare said sounding annoyed.

"Huh? Why?" Kyo asked.

"I impaled her on my staff."

"And she's still alive! Wow, you really are something, Lea!"

Lea glared at the boy once again. "Where are the others? You know, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei."

"The four other gundam pilots? We left them there." Sumare answered just when Kyo had opened his mouth to speak.

"So how did you manage to get away?" Lea asked.

"We managed to because we have mobile suits and they don't. They didn't have anything, no explosives, no guns that were worth anything, and most of all, they didn't have this guy." Kyo pointed to Heero and cracked a smile. Lea blinked. Heero glared daggers at the boy, but didn't even seem to be trying to escape. That wasn't like Heero at all.

Heero, why aren't you trying to escape? Why won't you just get away? I know you can...

Lea suddenly erupted in a fit of coughs.

"We're here." Sumare said as the truck pulled up to Sakio's compound.

Lea was lifted out and gently placed in a make-shift stretcher and carried off towards her old room. Heero was led a different way. Kyo walked with Sumare down another corridor.

Suddenly, Lea felt entirely alone. It's alright, Heero's here... and so is X. But where could they be holding him?

Lea closed her eyes as the men who carried her into her room now left her alone. A few doctors piled in and began setting up a number of electronics, most of which Lea couldn't recognize. Before she could think of a way out, though, she felt a needle hit her skin, and everything went black.

"Do you think she'll be alright?"

"I don't have time to be worrying about it."

"Come on, I know you're worried about her..."

"Nonsense, why would I be?"

"Because she's the only thing that's gonna bring your parents back."

"Not the only thing. You and I, and Z and Yuna are needed also."

Kyo stopped. "Oh, that's right. You need me and Yuna also..." he stared at the floor and looked to be in deep thought. Sumare had walked slightly ahead of him, but now he turned around.

"What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking... you know, this is a great power that we have now and..."

Sumare smiled and laid his hands on Kyo's shoulders. "Don't worry, everything will turn out fine."

The two were casually walking on a large cat-walk, alongside the robot Z, Y, and X, all of which were lined up.

Yes, Sumare is right. You should not worry, Kyo.

"I'm not worrying, Z, it's just..."

Z, Kyo just doesn't think he can do it.

"Yuna!" Kyo yelled suddenly. Sumare chuckled.

"I have faith in every single one of you, even Lea."

TO BE CONTINUED

AN: Whew! This chapter was so hard to write! I hope you all like it, even though I stink at writing fight scenes... ; And once again, please review!

PREVIEW FOR NEXT CHAPTER:

Interlude: Lea is slowly recovering when she finally meets up with Sumare's sister, Kaori. Meanwhile, Heero is being 'detained'.