AN: Hello everyone! ARC Alpha 12 here, ready to present another chapter in this fanfiction! Thank you all for the support that you've shown both me and this story. Trust me, it's very appreciated.
A thing or two to note about the future. First off, I'm excited to announce that, very soon, I'll be reading these chapters out loud on YouTube! For those who don't know, I have two YouTube channels, and my smaller but more frequently updated one (simply titled ARC Alpha 12) will be hosting videos of me reading these chapters out loud in audiobook style, accompanied by artwork. So, if you've ever wondered what the Gunpla in the fanfiction looks like, I recommend checking those videos out.
This series isn't going to be a regular release, as the three artists I'm commissioning do need time to work and they do have other commissions to do, but I do plan on uploading the videos as often as I possibly can, so if you want, go subscribe to catch them when they launch! arcalpha12plays.
The second thing I wanted to mention is that soon, Kyrus, my editor, will be merging the character bios from the first eight chapters into the chapters they go with so that we can get rid of most of the extra chapters people got so annoyed with. Originally, I thought it was better to separate the chapters and bios into their own documents, but after listening to feedback, I decided after chapter 9, which has the most bios, to just keep them with their chapter.
Chapter 9, Party Animals, will remain as it is, as there are just too many people introduced bios are as long as a regular chapter!-but the bios for chapters 1-8 will soon be disappearing. If you're new to the story, don't worry I didn't delete anything. We are just tidying up the flow of the story.
Alright, that's enough out to me. Let's get to the story!
Roman sighed, smiling as he tapped his cigar into his ashtray as he leaned back in his chair, feet on the corner of his desk. Things seemed pretty good right now.
Everything was going splendidly. With the first set of matches over with, he had collected on his bets and, aside from losing on that first fluke of a match, he'd scored almost nine thousand dollars in his pocket. If the Australian champ hadn't bumbled his shot, he could have made a clean sweep with an even sixteen grand.
He took a puff and thought for a moment. He expected that Pyrrha Nikos would be more than a match for some old, crusty US military officers, but never in his wildest dreams had he expected the team Salem said was Ozpin's to squeeze out a win against a national champion. And it wasn't even that Kyrus took it easy on them, either. They just outplayed him.
'Kids these days, he thought to himself. Still, it showed that Salem was right-Ozpin was playing for keeps. And that alone was valuable information.
Adam had already walked his loss off from the other day and had gotten to work improving his Gunpla design. With Watts' help, he identified notable problem areas and was working hard to fix them. If he could just fix his attitude, he might have a real shot at the big leagues.
As it stood, Adam had the skill to match the Meijin, from everything his intelligence network had brought up. But to truly surpass him, he'd need to let go of that arrogance that got the Wilting Spallow totaled.
"You looked stressed."
The sultry voice of Cinder broke his concentration. He looked over at the woman, who casually glided with her usual grace into the room. If she wasn't so...guarded, Roman might have thought she was sexy. But there was something about her, something he still couldn't place.
She acted like she knew more than she let on and yet was obstinately coy whenever he even tried to pry anything of meaning out of her. Her golden eyes were like daggers, fine and sharp and capable of cutting to the chase. And the way she enjoyed toying with people, either with sexual appeal or promises of power, was so good it was unsettling. Her tight body, her clothes which were both incredibly classy and modest and yet teased at something more dangerous...it was like she was tailor-made for trouble.
There was no denying he wanted her. Both as a partner and as something more. But, ever the businessman, he kept himself both professional and on guard. Knowing what she liked to do didn't guarantee you were safe from it.
"You'd be right," he admitted, glancing back at the ceiling. "Something's off. Everything I've had my agents look into seems to link to nowhere. We know that Ozpin's student...Red Rose, was it?"
"Ruby," Cinder corrected.
"Yeah, I've been calling her Little Red since the fight with the Alexanders. Anyway, her mother's a Gunpla Referee and is working with one of the most experienced guys in that line of work, who happens to be the father of a two-time world champ. And HE knows the current champ, the creator of the new Plavsky crystal, AND the Meijin, as well as Ral, who's proving to be a problem. The guy knows just about everyone in the business AND is a coach for the Try Fighters to boot.
"And yet...none of them have been approached by Ozpin. Doesn't that seem odd to you?"
"Miss Salem believes it's only a matter of time," Cinder replied. "After all, there is one other person you're excluding from that list."
Roman gave her a curious look, raising an eyebrow. "And that is?"
"Prince Reiji of Arian." She walked to the front of his desk and leaned down. "Even though he isn't here right now, that doesn't mean he can't complicate things."
Roman waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not in the business of predicting the future, babe. I go based on facts. And right now, Reiji isn't around to give us problems. That's one factor I sadly can't do anything about until it happens. IF it happens."
"True enough, I suppose," she admitted. "Even still, it-"
A knock sounded on his office door, and both of them turned to see a young, short woman with hair that was split down the middle, half brown and half pink. She smiled at the two of them, skipping lightly like a schoolgirl into the room.
"Ah, Neo," Roman greeted her warmly. "Speaking of agents, I don't believe you two have met yet. Cinder, allow me to introduce my best-Natalie Casey, though her callsign is Neo."
Neo cocked her head to the side, concerned at the full introduction. Roman shook his head and stood up, coming around the desk and putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. She can be trusted." He pauses for a moment, before adding, "Well, as trusted as anyone in this line of work."
Cinder smiled gently at the smaller woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Cinder."
Neo looked at Roman one last time. He nodded, and, feeling reassured, she smiled and bowed.
"Quiet, isn't she?" Cinder asked curiously.
"Our dear Neo is mute," Roman explained, "but that just makes her extra important in intel gathering. Her small size and quiet nature let her slip through cracks other agents would get stuck in."
He walked back over to his desk and put out his cigar. "I had her on an errand just a little bit ago. Neo, what have you found?"
Cinder watched Neo like a hawk as she retrieved a small black phone and gave it to Roman. He unlocked it and began immediately flipping through the pictures Neo took. She handed him another phone, the same make, and model but in a dark blue, and he took it and placed it on the desk.
"Something interesting, Roman?" she asked after a moment, placing one hand on her hip.
Roman's grin could not be contained. He put the phone on the desk with a picture pulled up and slid it to Cinder. "Look what our little ice cream-colored snoop got the scoop on."
She ignored his blatant pun and picked up the phone. Ral, Referee Iori, Referee Rose, Lady Kawaguchi, the Meijin, Sei Iori, Nils Yajima, Ricardo Fellini...and Ozpin. And, to boot, there were two others she didn't recognize.
"Looks like your complaint about him not filling the major league hitters in on things just went out the window," she said with a mixture of surprise and pleasure. "Just as Miss Salem predicted. It just took him a while longer."
Roman nodded. "Doesn't that put a bit of a damper on things, though? The fact the Gunpla Referees are being drawn in means the Gunpla Battle Commission could be, as well."
Cinder looked unconcerned as she handed the phone back to Roman. "Hardly. The idea that a mysterious lost colony ship has sent agents down to destroy the planet still sounds like science fiction to us here on Earth. If Salem hadn't shown me proof herself, I probably wouldn't believe it, either."
"I'm still not convinced," Roman admitted. "But, in the end, it's not my concern. Even IF things go to hell in a handbasket, there will always be opportunities to capitalize. It's the way of the universe, after all-the weak die out to feed the strong."
Cinder regarded him carefully. "I've been curious-how does a man of your power and wealth come to be in charge of the Gunpla Mafia? And more importantly, why?"
"Profit is profit, baby," he said casually. "Fact of the matter is, Gunpla really took off when the first Battle System was developed. Stocks rose, Bandai became one of the most profitable companies in the world. Not just in toys or models-in. The. WORLD. And why not? The ability to build and customize Gunpla for battle purposes was a fantasy made a reality. A modeler's wet dream. A mecha fan's sudden realization. Literally, ANYONE can build and fight, and the better they are the better Bandai profits.
"And there will ALWAYS be a black market for things that profit. Back a hundred years ago, you had companies like Dragon Momoko and Supernova capitalizing on the craze, but they were never gonna go anywhere. They operated so openly that, when Bandai came knocking, the entire company would shatter like glass. It left little wiggle room for anything.
"But these days? The fact that there are no bootleg kits on the market means nothing. ANYONE can 3D print a Gunpla if they want to. Any reputable model builder has something in their home. So it's not like the kits themselves can gain much profit. But the battles? Now, there is something."
"I'm not sure I follow," Cinder admitted.
"Think of it. Gambling on the winners and losers. Gambling on how well people perform. Gambling on how much damage will be inflicted. The entire sport is like Horse Racing on steroids. Profit is everywhere if you know how to look for it. I was running these operations ages ago. I was fifteen when I created my first gambling ring. In the decade and a half since I've amassed a fortune so large even the actual mafia can't touch me. I'm THAT good. Gunpla Battle is just one more pot to taste, and it's a continuous supply. It's not running dry anytime soon.
"Plus, the Mashitas left the Gunpla Mafia more or less intact. It just needed a new head for the hydra. A...guiding light, if you will."
"The Mashitas did have quite the setup," Cinder admitted, "but they got caught."
"They got sloppy," Roman corrected. "Hiruto was lazy and Mikio got greedy. Putting too many eggs in one basket, and for what? To kick a group of professional builders' asses? Idiots. And now, one's gone and the other is in jail, here on Earth."
He looked at Neo. "Good job today."
Neo signed to him for a moment, and his expression changed to surprise. "The guy?" He looked at the picture again. She was referring to the man with the scruffy appearance and laid-back attitude in the pictures. "Hmm...can't say I've seen him before. So be careful."
She signed to him again, and he scowled. "Documents? What documents?" She shrugged, explaining with her hands that she wasn't close enough to hear or see anything. Concern started crossing his face.
"Is something the matter, Roman?" Cinder asked.
Roman spun in his chair and grabbed his own phone. "I'll let you know." He called someone and closed his eyes, forming the words that he wanted to say in his mind. "Kobra, this is Torchwick. Listen, I'll be sending you a photo of a guy. I need you to investigate him. And I mean, REALLY look into this guy. He could be trouble."
After a moment, he hung up, and sent the person named Kobra on the other end of the line the best picture Neo had taken. Neo signed to him, asking about the other blonde woman.
"I don't know about her," he replied, "but this guy looks familiar. If he's someone with information, I want to know who he is and what he's looking into. A detective, perhaps? A third-party informant for the Commission? He could be even more trouble than the Refs themselves."
Cinder raised an eyebrow. "Should we be concerned?"
"That remains to be seen." He took the blue phone off the desk and placed a headset in the jack. "The moment I know, you'll know. Neo recorded them as well; if I can just get a name, that'll speed things up."
Cinder nodded. "I'll leave you to it, then. If you find anything, please, let someone know."
"I'll come to you personally," Roman replied. He watched Cinder gracefully walk out of his office, exhaling slowly, like he was trying to blow out a fire.
He glanced at Neo, who gave him a bit of a disapproving look. Clearly, she'd caught him staring at her hips as she left, and he could only shrug at her eye roll.
Cinder chuckled. For how good he was at putting on a front, Roman Torchwick was amazingly easy to read when it came to her. It didn't bother her that he was watching. If anything, she got a bit of a thrill from putting on a show for him to gawk at.
She caught sight of Watts, Emerald, and Mercury nearby. The three of them were standing over a large computer that was connected to a 3D printer. Watts had what appeared to be a Qubeley and Sazabi on the screen, and he was tinkering with piece sizes and proportions in a graphic design program.
"My my, what have we here?" She asked, curious. Emerald smiled at her, while Merc just crossed his arms.
"Watts came up with an interesting idea," Em explained. "He's testing the possibility of making a new kit."
"Much like how I did with the Bertigo prototype I showed you," Watts added. "If I'm correct, I should be able to tailor the Gunpla Miss Autry wishes them to use in the tournaments to their own, unique specialties."
Cinder smirked, letting the information take root in her mind. "Ooo, interesting." She watched as he took the image of the Gundam Kiramis and separated the legs from it, stretching them and altering the foot size to his needs. "And what, may I ask, are you planning on using these parts for?"
Watts gave her a curious glance over his shoulder, before hitting the alt and tab keys to switch windows. The artwork for a mobile suit called the Shanel sat on the new screen.
"Allow me to introduce you to the unused MSN-04 concept, the Shanel," he said thoughtfully. "As you can see, it combines several aesthetic principles of both the actual MSN-04, the Sazabi, and the Qubeley, including hybridization of both units' shoulders. I suspect it also took some design cues from the Gerbera Tetra, as well."
Emerald studied the art and the smaller window that had the work in progress design blueprints. "The legs definitely look like thinner versions of the Kiramis."
"The Shanel is an in-between phase of the Qubeley and Sazabi, much like the Varguil, the machine that is its counterpart in the Moon Gundam storyline." Watts switched back over to the blueprints. "While the Shanel was never officially recognized in any media, the fact its design is so expertly fleshed out gives me the ability to essentially create it myself, using design elements from already-existing machines."
"And who will be piloting this?" Cinder asked. "You already have a working blueprint for several Gunpla for me, including the Bertigo. I'm not sure I need another."
Emerald placed her hand on her chest proudly. "This will be my new Gunpla," she announced. "The Bawoo Mirage was a good machine, but it was my old one from ages ago. Watts suggested I mimic your path and chose the Shanel as my new unit."
Mercury scoffed. "Yeah. Something like that. It's not like he played on your adoration or anything."
Emerald shot him a dangerous look, which he ignored.
"Young Mercury will be getting a new machine, as well," Watts added. "I've already modified the design of the Varguil to fit his weapon setup."
He turned to Cinder then, his face somewhat solemn. "However, I need data. I must study how both Mercury and Emerald react to a fight they cannot win. So, I need your assistance for the next part."
He looked at the small battle table that Roman had set up in his secondary office, which he used mainly for meeting and testing purposes. Adam was sitting on a bench inside, filing down a part he had just finished building. "I want you to fight both of them at the same time, using the Qubeley Damned Empress, and gather data for both of their machines, while they use their current Gunpla."
Cinder shrugged gently. "It seems like an easy enough request. Very well."
"Wait." Watts put his hand on her shoulder. "Keep in mind that the data is useless if they are totaled. Battle in C grade damage only. And, try not to end the fight too quickly. The data is useless if it is not complete. This is for research, not to add another notch onto your belt."
She chuckled at his worry. "Relax. I promise I won't break them...until you tell me to, that is."
Emerald and Mercury shot concerned glances at each other. Knowing Cinder, she was completely serious.
They stepped up to the table with her. Watts stood behind her, activating the table's Operator station to assist with Cinder's performance and to record the date he needed.
"Why do we have to fight Cinder?" Emerald asked. "Why don't Mercury and I battle each other."
"If I wanted individual combat data, that's exactly what I would ask for you to do," Watts explained. "However, Miss Autry has asked me to fine-tune and create Gunpla that can supplement each other in combat. To do that, I must see how well you two fight together."
"That's only IF Hazel and Tyrion can pull their weight, though," Mercury added. "They still haven't fought yet."
"Why, Mercury, you sound like you don't trust them to get the job done," Cinder noted curiously. She gave him an analytical look as he set his GP base down.
Watts sighed in exasperation. "I admit, I am slightly concerned. Hazel, I'm not worried about-he is the German National Champion and a veteran fighter. Tyrion, on the other hand….I don't even know what Gunpla he uses."
"I admit, Miss Salem does tend to favor him and give him carte blanc over his own operations," Cinder agreed. "I've always been curious as to why. But it's not my place to speculate. She chose him with good reason. All we can do is trust he'll prove himself."
The light from the table pierced the dreary room, and some of Roman's employees perked up with interest. Neo and Roman both looked up, surprised by the brilliant light.
Roman scowled, unable to see anything from his office. "For the love of-I swear, if someone is slacking off...again...I'll be hanging people over the balcony head-first."
He stood up and ripped the earbuds out, placing them and the phone they were attached to into his pocket. Neo hurried after him as he rounded the corner, about to scream at those playing games instead of working.
He inhaled as he came out to the main area, but stopped when he saw what was happening. And the impressive Gunpla Cinder was about to launch.
A variation of the Mass Production Qubeley from ZZ Gundam, the machine was painted in a Qubeley Mk II red and yellow. It had fine detailing around its wrists, ankles, knees, and along the chest, that mimicked the Sleeves motif, but in actuality were more akin to waves of fire-linked in a chain, similar to some tribal tattoos he'd seen in the past.
But the color wasn't the thing that caught his attention. It was the customization on the Gunpla. Its flowing, elegant shoulder binders had been replaced with the sharp, dangerous ones built from the Mobile Armor Hashmal from Iron-Blooded Orphans. It had a single trademark Zeon commander antenna sitting on its forehead, and its feet were pointed into two-toed talons, unlike the standard Qubeley foot, which was likely another modification from the Hashmal. The claws and the heeled foot gave it almost a harpy-like appearance, a bird of prey waiting in the wings.
But the most striking feature was the two massive, oversized hands it sported, the clear indication it was based on the Qubeley Damned. But even these had been modified, with the Hashmal's beam cannon focusing lens mounted to the palm of each one. Each finger was tipped with the Hashmal's bladed tail, making the hands even more lethal-looking.
"So, that's the Damned Empress," Roman said in admiration. After pausing a moment, he turned to Neo. "Go record this. I've got a feeling it'll be good to have a copy to show Adam later."
The small woman nodded with a smile and ran over to a computer console near the table, where she was able to alter the camera angles of the recording software built into the display. Roman crossed his arms and smirked. "This'll be fun."
Emerald and Mercury launched into space and floated down to the surface of A Boua Qu. The titanic asteroid base was the stage for the battle, and neither of them was chancing taking on Cinder alone. The Vidar Black Thunder and Bawoo Mirage were poised to scatter at a moment's notice, watching as Cinder casually walked around the spire that sat at the top of the base.
She opted not to fly at them. And Emerald was already scanning the area for funnels. "What's she doing?"
"Probably toying with us," Merc replied, annoyance seeping into his voice. "She doesn't think we're much of a threat."
"Relax, you two," Cinder's voice called out from the comms. "Watts doesn't want me to go all out. He needs to see how you fight as a team, so consider this training."
Normally, her silky, smooth way of talking soothed Emerald, but the sultry tone only set her nerves on fire and made her more uneasy. Mercury was right. She didn't see them as a threat. And she wasn't sure how to feel about that.
Mercury checked his weapons, trying to think what might be the best course of action. He had opted to carry both his armed shields on his arms, with each shield sporting two modified variants of Vidar's rifle. Normally, he had only the one, using an unarmed shield on his left arm and freeing his off-hand up for melee fights, but against the Qubeley, he figured more ranged power was better. Besides that, he still had his micro missile pod and long-range artillery shoulder cannon.
He had no idea how effective any of these would be against the Damned Empress, however. The Qubeley in general was a fast and agile machine, despite its bulk and size, and the Mass Production variant was no different. On top of that, Cinder had an annoying range of options for both close combat and prolonged shootouts, even without her funnels.
"Hey Em, I need a solid," he said. "Can you cloak and try to distract her? I'll try and draw her attention while you split up and circle behind her."
Emerald gave him a surprised look. Mercury was less a strategist and more a shoot first and ask questions later type. "I can try. You have a plan?"
"No, but I wanna see how serious she is about not going too hard on us," he admitted. "And, I wanna maybe get in a few good blows to prove we aren't to be taken lightly."
"I don't think-"
An alert sounded on both their screens, and they watched as Cinder raised her right hand and fired five-pointed, piercing beams of energy, one from each fingertip.
Emerald rapidly scattered, splitting into the top and bottom halves of her machine and taking off to avoid the blasts. The Vidar jumped backward and deflected one of the beams it couldn't avoid with the left backpack-mounted shield, the sub arm coming down and bouncing the beam off of it in the nick of time to avoid damage.
"I said I'd go easy on you," Cinder stated, an edge of warning in her voice. "I never said I'd be patient. Come at me!"
Mercury growled and returned fire with the four rifles, the rounds soaring through space and finding their mark. However, Cinder managed to intercept the bullets with the massive back armor plate of her oversized left hand, using it as a shield to stop the attacks.
The Vidar Black Thunder boosted upwards, continuing to rain fire down on her position. But Cinder did not budge, and the Damned Empress remained steadfast under the assault.
An alert appeared to her right, and Cinder turned and leaned back as a pair of yellow beams narrowly grazed past her. She watched as the top flyer of the Bawoo Mirage pulled up from a dive, recloaking after missing its shot. She smirked. "Well, it's good to see that, even if they bicker like children, they can actually put their heads together when needed."
"Their attempts to divide your attention would work if you were using a more limited Gunpla," Watts noted. "But if you even deployed two funnels, their attacks would lose nearly sixty percent of their effectiveness."
Cinder raised her left hand again and swatted an incoming artillery shell away, before pointing two fingers from her right hand at Mercury and firing. "Yes. And they'll need to learn that eventually."
She spun on her heels in the zero-gravity environment and raised her right hand up. Two yellow beam sabers sprang from her index and middle fingers, and she raised them as the Bawoo Mirage's top Attacker flyer again decloaked and attempted to leave her arm off with its own saber. Emerald strained against the Damned Empress's strength, but she couldn't break Cinder's guard.
Cinder gave the effort a cool smile, before turning and opening fire on Mercury again, completely ignoring the Bawoo. Merc was forced to withdraw behind the central tower as the beams lanced through space and nearly pierced him on several occasions.
"She really isn't even trying," Emerald said in shock, realization over Cinder's superiority finally starting to sink in. "We can't even phase her."
"Don't you dare quit on me now!" Mercury cried out, coming around the tower only to be met with another shower of beam attacks.
Cinder pushed up with her extended blades, forcing the Bawoo back. Emerald transformed and took off, dodging incoming blasts from Cinder before cloaking again. She switched manual control over to the lower half, the Bawoo Nutter, and decloaked, firing multiple missiles from its hip-mounted pods.
The Qubeley turned as the strafing run exploded around her, forcing her into a defensive stance to guard herself. Mercury took the opportunity to fire another artillery shell, and as Cinder turned to slap that one away, he charged.
She reached out for it but was surprised when it detonated early, bathing the blackness of space in a sea of blinding light. The flashbang shot took her completely by surprise.
Merc smiled and increased his speed, boosting up above her and bringing the bladed heel of the Black Thunder's foot down onto the Qubeley. Cinder barely raised her forearm in time to block the blow, and the blade sunk deep into the armor of the machine.
He chuckled in victory, scoring the first actual damage on Cinder. However, his joy turned to despair as he realized he couldn't withdraw the blade from her arm. It had become lodged in the plastic, and as he struggled to pull away, Cinder's massive hand grabbed the Vidar Black Thunder around the entire leg and ripped it free.
She immediately slammed the Gundam down onto the surface of the asteroid as both the Bawoo Attacker and Nutter decloaked and made a strafing run against her. She turned and stuck her right hand out, palm open, and released a devastatingly large beam at the two flyers, forcing Emerald to the bank in opposite directions and split up. The Qubeley curled its fingers and added smaller beams to the mix, firing in all directions to force Emerald to rapidly change course and avoid the deadly attacks.
Merc, stunned, leaned up and fired his missile pod point-blank at Cinder. The micro missiles struck true, singing the red and gold paint of the machine, but doing little in actual damage. His eyes widened as he saw the results. Direct hits, and barely a scratch!
She lifted him up by the leg and flung him away, sending him hurtling towards the tower. He attempted to stop himself, but the force of the throw was so great he still hit the structure with alarming force. He looked up as Cinder pointed her left hand at him, and he curled into a ball, bringing all shields in front of him as she unleashed a blast from the mega beam there.
Alarms began ringing on all sides. His machine was weathering the storm...but Vidar couldn't tank this forever.
He noted that the walls of the spire had begun to soften and melt from the intense heat, and he felt himself being pushed back through it until he burst through and slammed into the inner wall on the other side.
"Your nanolaminate armor won't save you for long," Cinder remarked. She continued to fire, watching as the beam bored through the tower and eventually pushed Mercury clean throw to the other side. Only then did she stop her attack, as the Vidar Black Thunder's ravaged, superheated shields began to rapidly cool in the freezing temperatures of space.
The Gundam hit the ground and bounced, floating into space uncontrollably. Mercury looked around at the yellow-tinged cockpit displays. He'd survived, but the damage had piled up fairly severely. This was her idea of taking it easy?
Watts gave Cinder a somewhat disapproving look. "I thought I told you not to end this too quickly."
"I didn't, did I?" she replied, a satisfied smile on her face. "He should still be able to move...providing that his Gunpla's build quality didn't compromise his survivability too greatly."
The Bawoo's two flyers soared past Cinder and recombined on the other side of the tower, landing next to Mercury. The Vidar Black Thunder slowly uncurled itself from its fetal position, joints groaning slightly. He had protected his rifles by putting their exposed barrels behind the sub-arm mounted shields, but it had left little in the way for protection of his machine's lower body. The legs had taken the heat and energy full-on, and if it wasn't for the nanolaminate armor, would have been destroyed.
"Mercury! Are you alive?"
He responded with a nod, using a controlled thruster burst to right himself. No lasting damage….this time. "Yeah. I'm fine. Dammit, I can't believe I got caught like that."
The Qubeley walked around the tower and stared at them. It raised its hand and fired two beams from its fingers, forcing both of them to dodge to the left. Mercury returned fire with his artillery cannon, while Emerald angled her shield and fired the five mega particle cannons mounted there at Cinder.
The Qubeley twisted, its massive shoulders dropping down and covering its arms as it bent backward slightly to allow all of the incoming shots to sail past her. She pirouetted to her right and dodged a second barrage, before snapping her shoulder binders back in place and boosting rapidly towards them.
Her right fist raised and balled up, and she swung it at Mercury, who blocked the blow with his back shields. The force of the impact dropped him back to the surface of A Boua Qu, where he bounced up off the asteroid. Cinder spun with all five beam sabers in her right hand ignited and fused into one massive weapon, which she karate chopped down at Emerald in a sweeping motion behind her. The Bawoo split and took off in opposite directions just as the blade nearly cut through it at the midsection.
Mercury righted himself again and opened fire with his left shield rifles, nailing Cinder in the face with several rounds and forcing her to focus on him. She smiled in surprise as she advanced again on the Vidar, only to have to spin to avoid a flurry of beams from both Bawoo pieces, before watching them cloak once more.
"Arthur? How is the data coming along?"
Watts glanced over all of his recording software and the overall output of Cinder's machine. "Splendidly. A little more and, combined with the data stored in their GP Bases regarding their fight with Sekai Kamiki the other day, I should have enough."
"Then a little more, you shall have." Cinder pressed the attack again, forcing Mercury to dodge.
He swept upwards with a bladed toe kick, impacting the side of the Qubeley's midsection, before kicking her with his other foot to dislodge the serrated knife. He flipped down and landed against the asteroid, before jumping and boosting upwards again while firing his missile pod and cannon.
The Qubeley raised its right hand to shield itself, letting the attacks impact the backplate. She raised her left hand up and emitted several beam savers from her fingers to block Emerald, who had decloaked and attempted a rear strike once again with her own saber, before thrusting upwards for a second to circle behind her.
The talon-like feet of the Qubeley Damned Empress clamped down on the Bawoo and swung it forward to block the next incoming shot from the Vidar. In her grasp, Emerald could do nothing except raise her shield and block the cannon shot, which forced Mercury to break off his attack.
Cinder released the Bawoo and then kicked it away, causing Emerald to plummet to the surface of the tower and bounce off with exceptional force. She cried out as her platform shook, struggling to regain control.
Watts nodded as he watched. "Yes, that should be good enough."
A sadistic grin crossed the pretty features of Cinder's face. "Perfect. Increase the damage level to A."
Watts raised a questioning eyebrow. "I think B is sufficient-"
"If we are going to reinvent them," Cinder interrupted, "I want to cleanse them, first."
Watts stared at her in confusion but ultimately complied. Using his software, he hacked the table's systems and increased the damage output. The battle table's hologram fluctuated slightly as the Plavsky Particles began to increase.
"Hey, what's going on?" Mercury asked, looking around.
"I don't know…" Emerald was equally bewildered as she righted herself and scanned the area. "I don't-Merc, look out!"
He glanced at Cinder just as the Qubeley rocketed at him. He panicked, backing away as she attempted to grab him, firing with all four rifles to halt her advance.
"Playtime's over," Cinder confirmed, opening her palm and aiming it at the Vidar.
Instinctively, Mercury moved all his shields forward again, expecting another super laser attack. Between the shields, however, he was horrified to see the Qubeley standstill, while the hand extended at him shot forward. "What the f-"
He shot upwards as the hand reached his position, attempting to grab him. He looked at Cinder's Gunpla, which remained stationary, firing her right hand's beams at Emerald as she flew around.
A long black cord attached to Cinder's arm, connecting the massive, detached hand to the Qubeley. Where the hand had been, Merc saw a normal Qubeley hand in its place. The monstrous hands were like gloves, that acted independently if she deemed it necessary.
"This is nuts! This is supposed to be practice!" He prepared to fire his right shield weapons but was forced to move as the disembodied hand again swept up to grab him. He shot towards Cinder, moving to fire, but was alerted as incoming beams fired from behind him. The hand was alternating beam cannon shots, one per each of its five fingers, trying to shoot him down.
He rotated his sub-arm shields backward and began deflecting beams that got too close. However, with each shot, he noted that the normally resistant nanolaminate armor was slowly being chipped away,
He glanced behind him, noting a bright light beginning to build up, and saw the palm move to fire. He shot down as the Hashmal laser pierced the black sky again, and Merc grinned as he watched it head straight at Cinder.
The Qubeley, however, casually flipped upside down and dodged the weapon, and as the beam subsided, Merc eyed the hand as, without warning, all five-bladed fingers shot off of it on even thinner whipcords, moving around like the Hashmal's or Barbatos Lupus Rex's tail would.
"You can't be serious!" He shouted, trying desperately to avoid the blades. However, a single blade impacted on his right shoulder, and the cord pulled tight, immediately immobilizing his efforts to dodge long enough for the other four finger blades to home in an erratic approach. Each one dug into a joint, either an inner elbow or the back of the knee, and once all five had anchored themselves, the cords retracted, pulling the Gundam into the palm, which then began returning to the Qubeley.
Emerald cloaked once more, panicking as she watched Mercury become inert, his Gundam's limbs disabled. She opted to try and hide, knowing she couldn't beat Cinder.
Amused, Cinder let her go, choosing to deploy multiple funnels from the back storage pod of her machine and dart them around the battlefield rather than hunt for the hidden Gunpla.
"Merc, what do we do?" Emerald asked, frightened. "What is she doing?"
"I don't know, I don't know!" He screamed, moving his control orbs in an attempt to fight against the impalement of his joints. Every motion seemed to only do more damage and grind the blades of the fingers deeper into his joints, and the strain was sending damage reports to him constantly.
The Bawoo hung in space, camouflaged and unmoving. Emerald was trying to frantically think of something. The Qubeley Damned Empress was too powerful. Conceding the battle was out of the question; Cinder hated quitting even more than failure. She might never forgive her if she quit.
A small tap sounded against her machine. She looked at her rear monitors. One of the funnels had gently bumped into her. Her eyes widened in fear.
A few seconds later the sun was blotted out. A massive, demonic figure hung directly over her, its serpent-like eyes glaring at the hidden shadow, like demonic eyes staring hungrily at their prey.
Emerald's mouth dropped, blood leaving her face, as her mocha-colored skin paled as the Qubeley kicked her. The mirage colloid system shuddered as she struck A Boua Qu and bounced off. She began to regain control as a second kick drove her back into the base, pinning her there between the heel of the Mass Production Qubeley and the talons of the Hashmal.
Alerts blared and her cockpit went crimson as the damage was calculated. The last blow had compromised her separation system, breaking the latch that held the two halves of the Bawoo in place. One thruster on her back was also crushed, preventing escape. It might explode if she tried.
Cinder got off of the Bawoo. Emerald struggled to her hands and knees, and, in a last-ditch effort to show resistance, aimed her rifle at Cinder and raised her shield. She was met, however, with the enormous right hand's palm laser pointed at her, essentially in her face.
"An admirable fight," Cinder admitted, before firing. With the damage level now set to A, the Bawoo took the full brunt of the beam in a realistic fashion. The machine melted away, leaving only its legs from the knees down to sit on the asteroid while the rest of the Gunpla was obliterated.
"Now, that just leaves you." Cinder turned to a horrified Mercury, who continued to struggle in her grasp. She finished retracting the captured machine to her, raising her normal-sized left hand to lift the Vidar's chin up to meet her gaze.
Mercury growled and raised his missile pod over his shoulder, pointing it at Cinder's face, and fired...but nothing happened. He pressed the fire button again and again, but no missiles appeared. He was empty.
Cinder smirked. Beam sabers activated and severed all four limbs of the Vidar Black Thunder at their unpainted joints. Cinder grabbed the Vidar's face with her regular hand and slammed him into the asteroid. Mercury gritted his teeth as his platform shook, before angling his artillery cannon to fire. Cinder grabbed it with her left hand, pulling it away from her face as he fired, before stomping onto the Vidar's chest and pinning him down as she ripped the cannon from his shoulder.
Completely disarmed, she removed her foot and, with two of her massive right fingers, hooked him from under his chest plate. She raised him up, watching as his head still struggled to move. "Mercury Black. Defiant, to the last." She grinned as two beam sabers sprung from under the beam-resistant armor, piercing the Vidar's twin Ahab Reactors, annihilating the energy output of the Vidar and ending the fight.
The table dropped its holograms, and Cinder stood, satisfied, hand on her hip. Emerald looked completely distraught, staring at what little remained of her Gunpla. Mercury was a ball of barely contained fury.
He shot an angered look up at Cinder. "What was that?!" He demanded. "This wasn't supposed to be a serious fight! And changing the damage scale mid-battle? What the hell, man?!"
Cinder waved her hand dismissively. "What's the problem?" She asked. "They're just toys. Besides…" she turned to Watts. "The purpose of this was to gather data."
"And the last little bit of that fight gave me more data than I could have hoped," Watts confirmed. "With this fight alone, I believe I can craft a pair of machines that not only will meet everyone's expectations but also be far better suited to each of your own fighting styles while also better complimenting each other."
Emerald sniffled a bit, slightly shaken from the brutality she had seen Cinder display. "So...we helped?" She asked timidly.
Cinder smiled pleasantly at her. "Yes, Emerald. You both helped immensely."
Her red eyes lit up, tears of fear changing to relief and happiness at the praise. Mercury shook his head, disgusted at how little it took from Cinder to make Emerald happy.
Clapping could be heard from the side, and they all turned to see Roman, loudly applauding them, while Neo smiled and gave more dainty applause. "Truly, a spectacle!" He lauded. "What a fine display!"
"I take it you were impressed?" Cinder asked, only slightly curious, mostly not really caring about his opinion.
"Impressed and fully reassured," Roman replied happily. "Any doubts about this have been fully cast aside. Wouldn't you agree, Neo?"
Neo smiled broadly and nodded in agreement. Roman came over to the table and admired the damage. "Now...we just need to do this in the tournament. Between you three, Hazel, this Tyrian guy, and Adam...we have a real shot."
Cinder glanced at the table as well. "Yes...yes we do."
NATALIE CASEY
Alias: "Neo"
Age: 21
Height: 4'10"
Hair: right half brown, left half pink (dyed)
Eyes: left brown, right pink (contact)
Roman's spy and silent infiltrator, Neo has gained a reputation among the criminal underground as a bad omen. Often seen before something big happens, she regularly travels with Roman, slipping into crowds and observing people that could either be marks or threats to Roman's operation.
She trusts Roman with little question, will not act without his orders, and uses her innocent, small, and youthful appearance to gain the trust of others, before either stealing their information, money or reporting back to Roman for an even bigger score.
CINDER'S GUNPLA
Qubeley Damned Empress
A menacing hybrid of the Qubeley Mass Production Type, the Qubeley Damned, and the Mobile Armor Hashmal, the Damned Empress is an imposing and lethal machine. As with all Qubeleys, it possesses a tail pod full of beam firing funnels. However, Watts has used the design of Team Nemesis' Qubeley Papillon to further enhance the machine, which includes the invisible funnels used in that machine during the Seventh Gunpla World Championship.
Its most dangerous and obvious weapons, however, are the two massive oversized hands taken from the Qubeley Damned. The tips of each of the four fingers have been replaced with the bladed tail of the Hashmal, while both thumbs feature the tail of the Barbatos Lupus Rex. It's feet have also been altered, to use the front two toes of the Hashmal rather than the toe "boot" of the Qubeley; when combined with the heel of the Mass Production Qubeley, it makes a dangerous talon that can grasp opponents.
The oversized hands contain five beam cannons, one per finger, and each cannon can also emit a beam saber, and the palm can fire the Hashmal's powerful mega beam cannon. The hands can also be detached and used as mobile weapons, tethered to the Damned Empress, which reveals the normal hand and wrist cannon and beam saber of the normal Qubeley, ensuring that the Damned Empress is never without options. However, its most lethal attack comes in the form of its ability to not just launch its hands, but also launch the tip of every finger, as well, creating a death field of wired blades that can act as normal funnels or remote blade bits, while also still maintaining the Hashmal's mega beam cannon as a ranged attack.
