Three Months Later

The Ettecan day was still in full swing when the event happened.

Three months after Bahamut watched helplessly as Shinza turned and stormed out of the lab, the same building was now host to an incredible multitude. Scores of people were now gathered outside of the great building, creating a din of noise and casting an air of excitement. All of them looked earnestly up to the great sphere in anticipation. Some were just interested onlookers. Many were members of the scientific and biotechnic community, interested to see this unveiling. But the rest were some sort of strange new Ettecan types, ones who were dressed in more organic style and seemed more rougher from having lived in the wild and outdoors. Some of these were lifting signs exclaiming praise and excitement…but some even went so far as to put standards on themselves, reading in Ettecan the simple words, "Light Warriors of Bahamut". Among this group was excitement and anticipation the greatest.

A new grandstand had been erected in front of the facility. It was similar to the set up of many of Bahamut's old lectures. However, for now, it had a holographic curtain display shrouding the "backstage" area rather than concealing it below platforms. As in previous times, there was a podium erected here, on this elevated area overlooking the people below. There were several notables present there. Included among them was Dr. Maester, Dr. Folle, and the Regent. As such, he had an entourage of his own personal guards there around him. But for now, they were seated on special hovering platforms away from the podium, and awaiting the time for commencement.

However, the time finally drew nigh to begin. And when it did, Dr. Folle stood and walked forth until he was in front of the podium. On doing so, the rest of the crowd became silent. It wasn't so much out of respect as out of excitement. They were finally getting started. Now, all eyes focused on him and nervously waited. As for Dr. Folle, he looked over the crowd once and then spoke out.

"Well, the time is nearing Post-Lunch, and so I will get started. I'd like to start by thanking you all for coming out to this momentous occasion. As you are all aware of, not only is today going to be a breakthrough in our medical and biological research, but today is also the day in which a very special guest of ours will present himself at last…as not only a bringer of peace to our world but also the first to benefit from this technology. And to that end, I now give the floor to Dr. Maester, our new Dean of Science, and the pioneer to this groundbreaking technology."

With that, Dr. Folle stepped to one side, and began to applaud. The others below soon joined in. The cheers weren't as empassioned and strong as the ones for Bahamut, but it was pretty loud none the less. As for the new professor, he kept his slight, calm smile on his face as he slowly drew himself up out of his chair. On doing so, he calmly turned and began to walk up to the podium, moving in a slow and smooth fashion. He paused only to shake hands with Dr. Folle, who then returned to his seat, and then took the podium and turned to the crowd.

"I thank Dr. Folle for his welcome, as well as for referring me to my new position. I also would like the opportunity to thank our province for granting me the facilities and funds to complete my work. With that said, I shall begin.

"For those of you who are interested in the technical details of my procedure and methods, those results have just been approved and will be published soon in the scientific periodicals. For now, I will give the short version. This new technology that I have constructed represents a breakthrough in medical care and biological growth. Until now, the only way to manipulate an organism was through haphazard gene therapy performed at a young age. What I have perfected is the ability to alter development in a completely controlled setting, without having to worry about the multitude of potential side effects and problems. The nanites that I have created take into account and correct for all design flaws. For now, this technology will aid us in repairing what was once thought untreatable physical and mental flaws. But in the future, this technology will enable us to flawlessly produce long-living, healthy people, crops and meat free from pests and at high yields, and replicate organic matrices for large scale use.

"What you are about to see, ladies and gentlemen, is just the tip of the iceberg. Until I met the infamous Lord Bahamut, my research had been isolated to smaller lab creatures. Single limb replacements…eye replacements…neuron-regeneration… But with the help of Dr. Folle and Dr. Shinza, I found myself privileged to work on our visitor from another world. I soon found out after meeting him that as incredible as our guest described himself, he was not capable of living up to half of his potential. His body…broken…burned…inferior…was a useless shell housing a great energy…a proverbial broken down, rusted set of factories attached to the most powerful, efficient energy plant we could conceive. But now, because of this new technology, our friend is not only better, but more than he ever was before.

"With that said…I would like to close by presenting you all with our traveler the way he was meant to be. A way of repaying his service to our world, courtesy of the newest branch in this hospital…the Zexia Etteca Robotic Orthopedic. I welcome to the stage…Bahamut Z.E.R.O."

The holographic curtain shifted at this. The large form behind stepped out. The crowd gasped andrecoiled in shock. This was the first time any of them had ever seen Bahamut walk out to them. But now that he was no longer restrained, his full power and presence came forth. His dragonawe overwhelmed them, silencing them from speaking or cheering, and captivating them with his power. That alone wasn't it, however. It was also how much he had changed…

Bahamut towered into the sky. However, his body now gleamed. His scales, overlaid and smooth, like some sort of biotechnic armor, were irredescent in the light of the day. He was hulking with muscle and power. He looked both beautiful and deadly. His long, thin tail slowly swished the ground behind him, reflecting the sunlight every which way. He had wings now…but not just two. He had six. They were folded on top of each other and crossed around him, like some sort of cape he wore around himself. Finally, his long neck extended up into the air and over the crowd. The sharp crest pointed everywhere, and his burning, vivid, powerful eyes looked down a long spike that formed the front of his nose. Two of his horns, segmented like feelers, swished behind him, sweeping around the air as he stood up to the podium.

Once Bahamut stood there, he paused and looked over the crowd for a moment. The people stared blankly up at him, powerless to do anything for a moment. Their faces were expressionless as they looked. But then…very slowly…one of the people began to smile. It was in one of Bahamut's "followers", and they were beginning to realize that their idol was now moving and powerful again. Seeing this, the person began to slowly clap. He continued for a short moment, before those to his sides began to as well. Others saw this, and began to smile and clap too. Soon, it was spreading throughout the crowd, snapping them out of the dragonawe. The whole crowd was soon applauding, and they quickly grew louder. After a few more moments…one suddenly cried out to Bahamut in joy, and soon others did too. They began to whistle and yell again, louder than ever now…now that Bahamut was complete once again, and now walking on his own legs.

And Bahamut, facing the adoring crowd, no longer able to hide behind life support or sacs, could only manage a slow stiff inhale as he felt his muscles harden.


The great esper wasn't sure how to feel now. He was a bit upset. After all…that Maester had basically just treated him like a sideshow attraction, something he always feared. However, he wasn't helpless anymore. Oh no…far from it. He knew that full well by now.

This "Bahamut ZERO" body made his former Neo form look like a joke. Now, going up to the level he was at last time was nothing. He could easily pass it, and his body wouldn't be the slightest bit tired for it. He did not tire. He did not get hungry. He could feel the new power in him made him far faster, stronger, and more agile than what he had ever been before. His new body was so efficient that he hadn't needed to ease nature…either in front or behind…in days. He tried holding his breath to see how efficient his cells were. After forty hours, it got boring and he quit. His flesh was soft and gave to pressure, and yet it was as durable as triple layer titanium. Even if something could hurt him in this body, it was nothing. He could regenerate instantaneously. He didn't even have to focus. Even if his arm was blown off, it would simply sprout again within thirty seconds. At least, that was what he heard. He hadn't wished to test it.

And yet…he wasn't sure he wanted all this power.

He had been adjusting to letting go and dying. And yet now…he realized that if he wasn't immortal before, he was now. His new body even compensated for drains on stamina during depression and sadness. Now, it didn't seem possible for him to die either of age or damage. And if that was the case…then he would definitely be alive for a very, very long time. What more…he realized that his new powers were tremendous…astonishing…unbelievable… He wasn't sure exactly what he could do now. When he had turned Neo, he had already gone above and beyond his past abilities. He could actually rearrange matter in that form. Now what? Could he rearrange electrons? The cells in another being's brain? Combined with his new longevity…was he truly a demigod now?

Finally, he was most sad about one other thing. Shinza hadn't come back since that day…

Well…at least one thing still works…

On that thought, Bahamut focused his concentration. It had been a while since he had done this, and never before a crowd. However, he found his new brain made it easier than ever. Soon he recalled the spell, and worked it over his body…with a new twist. The crowd went silent and gasped again as Bahamut abruptly shrank down in size. His wings melted into robe clothing. His tail broke off and disappeared. His scales retreated into his flesh, which became the pale color of most Ettecans. Soon, he was down to a humanoid. His beak crushed against his mouth, but two parts of his crest turned into long, pointed ears rather than retreating into his skull. With little effort, hisneck cracked and exposed gills. His frame shrunk to a bit more thin and lithe. And now, his new body faced the world before him.

"Long have I wished to address the people of this world in this form, and now at last I have to chance to do so in my own voice." Bahamut's voice sounded. Not metallic…not booming…just the strong voice of an Ettecan. And that's what Bahamut was now. A rather tall, powerful, and handsome looking Ettecan. Bahamut had a good standard for beauty among the race of Ettecans now. And so, he adapted himself accordingly. His hair was still white, but two standards of beauty on Etteca were now his. He was large for a male, and his ears were especially long and pointed. As the crowd began to recover from their shock, the females began to realize just how handsome Bahamut was in this form. But everyone slowly began to remember that Bahamut had been capable of shapeshifting, as told in his memoirs. At that thought of that, they began to recover and applaud again. In fact, they soon did so louder than before. They were joyful to see their idol show his solidarity with the people of this world by changing into one of them. It was a sign of respect in their estimation.

Bahamut thought of that…but mostly of the fact that it would allow him to move about more without being pressed in on all sides for autographs in the general public.

"As always, I'm nervous about how to begin these sorts of things." He started, causing a mild chuckle from his fans in the audience. "It has been, as you might imagine, a very strange year for me. Seeing my body refitted before me like a ship of some sort. In all my experiences, I had never seen anything like this before. I had some sort of fearful notion that I might…"

Here, to the puzzlement of the crowd, something strange happened.

Bahamut suddenly trailed off.

The people looked on at him for a moment, but then turned to a bit of confusion and concern. As for Bahamut…he had gone as still and silent as a statue. He looked out into the audience now…right out into the teeming multitude…and his eyes rested on one person. It was a boy. He wasn't anything special…just some little lightly-clad Ettecan with a balloon. However, it none the less captured all of Bahamut's attention. The great esper had a very excellent memory, both in terms of reality and fantasy. And to this day…he still remembered the drug-induced hallucination that he had experienced when his operations started. He remembered each of the bizarre, chaotic visions that he had seen. And right now…this child…right in this spot…surrounded by just these kinds of people…looked exactly like one part of his dream.

The esper was speechless and motionless. It lasted only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to him. His dream…he had seen something from his dream. Until now, the esper had never experienced the true sensation of déjà vu, but he did now. And now that he did…it made him uncomfortable, especially since he remembered dreaming about this. What did it mean? Was it just a coincidence? Was it something more? Why was he seeing it? He didn't know. All he knew was that it unsettled him. In the end, he licked his lips and turned back to the crowd.

"…Might…be turned into some sort of machine." He finally continued, trying to ignore that the event had happened. He pushed it out of his mind for now. He didn't want to interrupt this just for this small event. He tried to become as normal as possible and went on.

"I was very surprised to find that most of what I was was still the same, in particular the abilities I had over my own-"

BOOM

An eruption suddenly cut Bahamut off. The moment he heard it, Bahamut went silent and shot his head up to the source. An explosion had just rung out over the field. However…it was like no normal explosion Bahamut had ever heard. It sounded…almost as if it was damp…wet…sunken into something. Bahamut didn't know what this meant, but he soon got his answer, as he looked to where the noise had come from.

Some sort of invisible film in mid-air had suddenly become brightly illuminated. Now, it rippled on the sky as a great fireball burned against it, facing away from the crowd and the speaker. The film was fading away already, turning transparent and seeming to vanish into the sky along with the fireball. However, that lasted only a moment before more red balls of light shot down from the heavens to the surrounding area. As before, the film showed up. They appeared to strike it before hitting the ground, and it made them explode into balls of flame. As it did, the sound was dampened again. Bahamut still knew little about Etteca…but he knew the look of what a barrier spell looked like. And he knew what the large devices were that were dragged on to the field when it became known that the Regent would be attending that day. They were some sort of invisible shield projectors. Apparently, one had been cast over the field without his knowledge. They formed a protective barrier around it from the weapons of this world…and it looked like they were coming into good use right now. Something was blasting them with a sort of energy weapon. They were under attack.

The crowd soon began to panic. Screams sounded, and people began to run in every which direction. The guardian Ettecans rose and immediately surrounded the Regent on stage. They quickly began to lead him away. The others rose and looked about anxiously. Some of the attendants struggled to keep the panicking people in line, telling them to stay under the shield. This was the safest place for them. However, the whole assembly was soon a mess. People were trampling each other, running each other down, and all screaming in fear. Meanwhile, more eruptions rang out. The unseen enemy continued to bombard the shield, blasting it with balls of light one after another, until half of the sky around the field became illuminated with bright colors. Some of the shots missed the shield. Those that hit the building or the surrounding area caused massive eruptions, and some sort of quake effect that traveled into the ground and fractured the area, throwing up more debris and dust.

The only person who didn't move or scatter was Bahamut. He alone continued to stand at the podium, and looked up and through the film and explosions beyond to the attacker. His face was cold and expressionless, and the rest of the chaotic world was shut off around him. However, stoic as he seemed…a new fear had awoken in his heart. First one incident of déjà vu, and now another. This all seemed strangely familiar to him…as if he had seen it before. And now…he wanted to see if he would see still more than he recognized.

At last…it came. And on seeing it, Bahamut felt another chill in his heart. His fists tightened, and his pupils shrank slightly.

I've seen this…

There it was. Large…gray…covered with eyes that shifted and looked around itself…dangling two large fins below it that scraped the buildings of the city around it. Its massive cetacean-like mouth hovered dangerously over the ground below, as it sent more balls of death from its eyes to the world below. It blared out a horrible sonic note, capable of being heard for miles, and it slowly swished through the air as if it was any other medium to fly through. But he knew it… He had seen it before. The great gray fishfrog from his nightmares and hallucinations…

"Sin…" Bahamut breathlessly echoed out loud, naming it the entity that those in his dream called it.

"Not quite. That's a Yalorian battleship."

On hearing this, Bahamut was snapped out of his near-mesmerized daze. He was brought back to the world around him. It was still a cacophony of noise. People were screaming and scrambling everywhere, and the Regent had already been dragged off stage. The others were quickly leaving too. However, he had been joined by one that had not fled. At his side now, leaning in close to him, and nearly touching him as if to drag him to one side, was Dr. Folle. He was panicked as well, but he forced himself to be calm enough to return to Bahamut.

"What?" The esper addressed.

"You called it Sin." Dr. Folle answered. "I'm not quite familiar with that creature from your stories, but I assure you that isn't it. That's a Yalorian battleship."

Bahamut blinked once. It wasn't a creature? Quickly, he turned back to the huge monstrosity and looked again. As he did, it blared out once more. Yet as Bahamut looked again and listened again…he realized that its voice seemed to be laced with metallic noise, and lacked the vibrations of a true roar. He looked more closely at the eyes through the fire and shields. When it was clear enough…he saw they weren't eyes at all. They were some sort of laser refracting turrets. And he could see the heat beneath it from where engines elevated it. He could detect the metal luster and smell on it. Lastly…he could not sense any life in it, only in smaller things inside it that had to be the crew. Dr. Folle was right. This was a battleship. It was nothing like the ships on Gaia, seeming to be modeled after some sort of sea creature. But it was a ship, none the less.

That, however, was only small comfort to Bahamut. Though it wasn't the living monster from his dream that devoured entire cities, he had too good a memory to shake it. He remembered it. He had seen it in his dream. And it wasn't a look-alike…it was this. All of the details were there that he could remember. Nonliving or not…Yalorian battleship or Sin…this thing was from his vision.

"We have to clear the stage." Dr. Folle advised him. "I don't know what they're thinking…but my guess is this is an assassination attempt. I don't know if they're out to provoke a war or what, but it doesn't matter. They set up these shields around the perimeter, but it won't last long against this kind of bombardment. We need to get clear."

Bahamut hesitated a moment, looking up to the ship. It still made him upset. And it was a threat to everyone in the area. He wasn't the sort of person, even on this sort of the world, to just run and hide. He was a man of action. And with that in mind, he began to tense up once more, and consider his new and overwhelming powers…

"The military will probably deploy here within a few minutes…"

"There won't be any need for that." Bahamut darkly stated. "I'll handle it."

Dr. Folle turned to the esper at that. He was still in human form for the moment, and was still glaring at the ship from beyond the shield, which relentlessly pounded against the area. However, the doctor quickly called out before he could do anything.

"But you can't do that!" He advised immediately.

Bahamut, on hearing this, turned puzzled and looked back to him. However, the professor was insistent.

"We already see you as a great peacemaker on this world. If you go out and destroy them, they'll think that you're aligned with us as some sort of new military weapon. They might even have attacked here with the purpose of baiting you into fighting them and restarting a war."

The esper hesitated at that. He frowned a bit inwardly. The doctor was right. Until now, he had been claiming he wasn't affiliated with any group on Etteca. But if he destroyed this, they might try to claim he was practically a weapon for this province. And it would do little for his messages of peace and justice. And yet…he couldn't just stand here and do nothing. He had to try and stop it, or other people would get hurt. Just running away wasn't that good for his message either. In the end, he decided on one option, and agreed to go with it. He just hoped that his new, as of yet untested powers would pay off.

"Trust me." He finally stated.

With that, Bahamut immediately exploded back into his ZERO body, and then took off into the air after the enemy ship.


Moments later, the people who panicked and screamed moments ago found themselves frozen and staring up in captive dragonawe yet again. Now, the powerful, majestic body of Bahamut ZERO was unleashed. He streaked through the sky like the wind itself, piercing right through the overshield on the area and rocketing to the heavens. His sleek body trailed across the sky, going so fast the sound of thunder was in his wake. The speed was so great that his massive opponent, the monstrous Yalorian battleship, continued to bombard the shield for a few moments longer. But then, its crew became aware of the great irredescent object that had arisen from the flames it had made, and was now shooting toward them. On seeing that, the crew itself was held prisoner by the power and grace of the creature that had come.

Bahamut himself cared little for this. It was only useful in the sense that it had bought him time. However…he did enjoy the world beneath his wings again. His new appendages, which he hadn't tested until now, turned out to incorporate both the air foil structure of his Neo body as well as the wing abilities of his old one. To feel the sun against his skin and the air rushing around him was a great sensation, and he was tempted to indulge in it for a moment. However, it didn't last. His focus was soon brought back to the present, and the enemy that loomed before him. He was forced to put enjoying his new body on hold temporarily while he dealt with this threat.

Bahamut pulled himself to a halt in midair. His wings kept him held perfectly in the sky. Ahead of him, not more than fifty feet away, was the prow of the massive battleship. It didn't react to him right away. It simply hovered there as its crew members stared at him silently. As for the esper, he narrowed his eyes dangerously at it, and showed off his strength as he hovered there.

"Fighting me is useless." He stated to it, his voice powerful and thunderous in his new body. "Turn around now and leave this place, or else."

If the Yalorians on board heard Bahamut, they obviously didn't believe him. After a moment longer, all of the foremost eyes rotated and focused on the esper instead. The esper's eyes widened a moment, not expecting that quick of a response. He would have dodged in another second…but it was too late. The lenses on each eye opened, and moments later red beams of light shot out and struck Bahamut in a dozen places. The esper raised his arms to shield himself before he was enveloped in flame and eruptions.

Below, the people who had halted in order to watch this exchange gasped in fright as they saw the battleship fire its deadly lasers at their idol. Fire and sizzling lights covered him, blasting up smoke and flame in their wake. They soon saw nothing but a great fireball in the sky as the enemy fired. It continued to do this for a few moments, answering Bahamut's ultimatum with firepower, but eventually they cut off their attacks. The eyes rotated back to cool momentarily, and it appeared as if the great fishfrog in the sky was now hesitating to look and see what had come of its assault.

To everyone's surprise, especially Bahamut himself, they soon got an unexpected answer. As the flames and smoke died around him, Bahamut continued to wince and hold his arms around himself. But then, he looked up in puzzlement, when he realized he didn't even feel hot. His eyes opened and his arms dropped to his sides, and he looked over his body. To his amazement, he was untouched. There wasn't even a scratch in one of his scales. And that attack hadn't been minor either. He should have at least felt the heat, so hot that it was turning the air into an inferno. But he felt nothing. He was cool and flawless. The esper blinked, and then looked back up, struggling to repress a smile. He was stronger than he thought, apparently…especially in this new form…

The people below were likewise stunned. Despite being for Bahamut, they were shocked at what had happened. Their hero was untouched. Now, they fully began to appreciate the power of the one who, until now, still retained some sort of mythical quality about him in his books. But after standing up to a twelve-battery laser assault, they were convinced. The crew on the battleship were the most aghast, shocked that they had done nothing to this creature, after giving it enough power to force a rhinous worm to retreat. Furthermore…they began to pale and tense as they saw the esper look back at them and glare, now smiling in a challenging look. In the end, the terrified captain could only order them to fire again, hoping to injure it this time.

Despite knowing what the result would be, Bahamut quickly turned to one side and flew. In response, his body snapped away and shot through the sky, leaving the high-speed lasers to hit only air. They didn't stay in the same place long, however. Soon they, along with the rest of the batteries, turned and attempted to fire on the esper. Yet with his new wings, Bahamut found it all too easy to rise, lower, turn, and speed away from every shot. It was almost effortless for him. Another bonus to his new form, it appeared… However, he knew he couldn't do this all day. He had to think of some way to counter, and do it in such a way as to minimize his impact. That was a bit hard, especially with how powerful he felt. He was so strong at this point that it would be nothing to simply obliterate the ship with one blast. He had to think of a better way…

Bahamut was thinking this as he turned to one side and began to flank the vessel. The shots continued to fire at him, but he led them on for a few moments, looking over the craft for something. As he did, he turned his thoughts toward the ship and began to scan it, particularly for energy. After a few moments, he picked up some twenty Ettecan signatures on board. However, they were almost all located in the head and body regions. There was nothing in the side areas…like the giant fins. Seeing that, Bahamut got an idea…

The esper pitched forth once again, and suddenly began to shoot toward the side of the craft at an angle. As he did, some of the lasers were forced to cut off, for his position was too near and backward. Some continued to fire, but Bahamut ignored them. Instead, he looked to the junction point of the fin on the side of the great craft. He slowed himself down somewhat, giving himself more time to look at it. For a brief moment, he roared by on his triple wings, keeping his gaze focused on the junction…watching it slowly rise and fall…

Then, suddenly, he saw it. One part of it was a brighter color, right on the junction portion. Immediately, Bahamut zeroed in on it. Before, his breath attacks were always a bit chaotic. But with his new body, he almost felt sensors within his eyes and brain lock on to the target. As he summoned forth the Pyron, he could almost feel the energy within him becomefocused and concentrated. Moments later, he fired, and just as he thought the balls all came out in a steady stream, and focused in so compactly that they could go to an area the size of an eraser head. That was exactly what happened as the powerful, burning, and yet focused attack sailed through the sky like a thunderbolt, and struck the portion that Bahamut had seen just as the ship began to lower its fin again.

A large eruption soon resulted. The entire vessel was rocked, and the ship's lasers were interrupted. Great pieces of flaming debris came out from the giant structure, as a twisting and burning sound of metal rang through the air. Gravity took hold a moment later, and the giant fin broke off from the rest of the ship, and began to fall down to the world below. Bahamut grinned for a moment, pleased with his success. He hesitated a bit longer to aim down and fire a Mega-pyrin at the falling fin. On connecting, the power of his new focused explosion and energy totally obliterated it and incinerated the remains, ensuring that it wouldn't kill anyone below. After that, he began to move again.

The ship buckled in midair, struggling to right itself after the sudden imbalance. Bahamut could sense and even smell the fear and panic of the crew members as he flew around. And yet…he couldn't focus on that long…for he too was nervous. He hadn't just picked that fin at random. He hadn't just been hoping for a weak point to show. No…he had seen this…just as he had seen the child in the crowd, and just as he had seen the fishfrog ship before… He remembered it from his dream…a great bizarre airship in the sky blasting the same spot that he had just destroyed. It unnerved him again, making him wonder what it could be…

However, a hot flash of pain soon cut Bahamut's line of thinking off. Wincing on instinct, he reared back and grasped the source of his pain…a hot gash across his shoulder. To the esper's surprise, he had been injured. He looked up to see the cause. The great battleship was still righting itself in midair. However, while it was doing so, something new had happened. What looked like scales on the side of the cetacean-like craft had suddenly popped up, and were now breaking off and flying toward the esper. One of them had already sliced him. These were far stronger and more durable than lasers…and more were flying at Bahamut like a torrent of rain. Seeing this, Bahamut paled a moment, but then quickly dipped down and began to fly again. Behind him, the scales continued to pursue him.

This attack might have been more effective, but it wasn't nearly as fast as light beams. Bahamut was able to dodge it better. However…he didn't notice that. He was too transfixed on his injury, staring at it in surprise. He hadn't willed his body to regenerate at all…and yet he saw it happening. Long, thin, metal-like muscle fibers shot out and connected to their severed halves. Blood was drawn back into the wound. His skin seemed to turn into a liquid that spread itself over the injury, and then became solid again as it sprouted scales. In moments, there wasn't a mark on him. The healing process took all of two seconds. The esper was amazed. Dr. Maester hadn't been joking about his new regenerative capabilities…

Bahamut snapped out of it a moment later, however. He was still being pursued, after all. Quickly, he pitched himself downward once again, and adjusted himself to flank the opposite side of the battleship. The scales followed suit. Not only the ones on this side of the ship, but the ones on the other side seemed to be guided toward trying to hit him. If that wasn't enough, the lasers began once again. It was nothing to the esper, though. He was faster than all of it, and easily went by. He zeroed in instead on the next fin. If the crew on board could do anything to prevent Bahamut from destroying it, it wasn't apparent. Sure enough, moments later the weak point was exposed on this side as well. Bahamut repeated his process…first blowing it off with a Pyron, and then destroying the remains with a Megapyrin.

The ship began to buckle soon after that. The shooting cut off, allowing Bahamut to hold steady in the air for a brief moment. As he looked to the craft, he began to sense growing fear and distress from the crew within. They were struggling now to try and keep the ship aloft. Even if they did manage to regain control of it, the sudden losses to it were making it pitch forward and back dangerously. The tail or head could strike the top of a building or the ground at any moment. On seeing this, Bahamut realized it was time for him to act again.

Yet that was a problem. He realized that though there were only twenty crew members, that was still too much for him to fit onto his body. And with the way the ship was pitching and turning, he didn't have much time to get them all out before the craft struck something. For a moment, he was at a loss. Even with his speed and power, he didn't know what he could do. And even though he was far more powerful mentally than before, he didn't have the magical ability to do anything. Even if he had mastered Warp, he never could cast it fast enough…

But then…it suddenly hit him. An idea popped into Bahamut's mind. He didn't need to use Warp. There was another spell that could help. And he was more than skilled enough to use it, even on a wide scale. It was a bit unconventional…but he was sure he could do it. Having decided, Bahamut pitched around in midair and shot back to the front of the buckling battleship. He went to the point where the "mouth" of the "fishfrog" was closed. Quickly, he reached out and seized both of the "lips" and yanked. The sound of grinding metal went out, before the pistons and hydraulics were broken. With a snap and a lot of steam gushing out, the great mouth was pried open, falling down until it was completely extended. Bahamut immediately shot into the new dark cavity and vanished.

Below, with the shots having died down, the people were calming once again. Now, the entire assembly looked up anxiously to Bahamut, including the Regent, Dr. Maester, and Dr. Folle. Many of them had seen the battle take place overhead, and watched with awe the speed and power of the alien creature. However, they had been growing fearful that the ship might fall down now, after taking so much damage. It continued to pitch in the sky after Bahamut entered it. It grew more unstable, and looked less and less able to support itself. Seeing this, the people grew nervous. They wondered what Bahamut was doing, and if whatever it was would save them before the ship crashed… Abruptly, the ship took a nasty spill forward…and nearly scraped the top of the nearest building. The people below began to cry out in fear…

But then, at that moment, a blur streaked out from the mouth of the ship again. An Ettecan below pointed and cried out, and immediately everyone watched him. It was Bahamut again, His arms were crossed in front of him, but other than that he was the same as before. Without a word or hesitation, Bahamut turned around in the sky and shot back down to the ground, just outside the great overshield. He soon landed, and turned to look back into the sky. The people anxiously began to gather forward and look to him, as the ship spluttered overhead…looking like it would finally go down.

However, Bahamut stayed calm. Keeping his arms crossed in front of him, he unfurled his wings to maximum length and took aim at the craft. As before, he felt his power and energies become more focused and precise than ever before. He began to charge up power for his attack, soaking in the rays of the sun. To his surprise, however, within a few moments he already was charged at maximum. The attack that normally took at least a minute to charge was already at full. Bahamut was stunned at that new display of power, but ignored it for now. Instead, he merely opened his mouth, and let the ball of fire rapidly form in front of his jaws.

"Sol-Pyrin!"

A moment later, a great blinding orb of light streaked out from his mouth and sailed for the flailing ship. It continued to pitch and turn for a moment…until the great burning shot hit it. Immediately, it stopped turning as a tremendous force blasted the side of it. It was so strong that it punched a great depression into the hull. But it wasn't over yet. The force increased, and immediately the ship was forced forward, up into the sky at an angle. Unlike normally, the Sol-Pyrin did not burn the craft. Instead, Bahamut pushed behind it, and used it to push it up and up. It soon began to gain speed. The craft ascended faster and faster, and soon was practically rocketing away from the city.The people watched in open-mouthed surprise, seeing the great, powerful Yalorian battleship forced high into the sky, shrinking in size as it did so. Soon, it became a black dot. But it continued to move faster, and soon it became nothing.

But Bahamut's new eyes could stare into a sun without blinking. He continued to see it, and he watched as it went farther and farther away. He pushed it higher yet into the upper atmosphere, and continued all the way until the craft broke through the ionosphere of Etteca and entered into space. Only then did he cut off his Sol-Pyrin, letting it explode. Far above the planet, the Yalorian battleship was blown into a billion pieces. The heat of the flare, now unleashed, atomized most of it. The few fragments that were left soon began to fall back to Etteca, to burn up into nothingness in the atmosphere.

Far below, Bahamut let out a breath of air. He wasn't tired at all for having done that. It was as easy as breathing. With this done, Bahamut hesitated a moment, but then turned and looked back to the crowd behind him. They were still frozen, staring blankly at Bahamut in the wake of what he had done. No one said a word or moved a muscle. In the end…the esper merely smiled to the crowd, and looked far beyond them to the stage.

"Regent…it is now safe for you to move about the premises." He sounded in his booming, thunderous voice. "The Yalorian battleship is no more."

There was a moment's pause after that. The crowd was still shocked at what had happened, and found it hard to believe that even their mythic hero could do what he now claimed. However, it didn't last long. Slowly, the people began to realize it. They had seen him in action.Everything they had believed about him was true, and much more. Now, he was the model of power and grace and majesty. And seeing this, one of the crowd suddenly found himself yelling out.

"Hooray for Lord Bahamut!"

Soon, the entire crowd erupted into cheering as well. A chorus of screaming and praise and glorious shouting began to pour over the esper. They yelled in more support and adoration than ever before. They began to chant praises to him, and waved their banners and standards of him with more earnest than ever. Bahamut was actually a little stunned. If he had exposed skin, it would have turned red now. He felt himself swallow slightly. Not even back on Gaia had he ever received this much glory. There, espers did it out of duty and reverence. But here, it was genuine and enthusiastic. The esper felt himself blush a little at all this.

And yet…he noticed something else as well. He wasn't having any of his depressing thoughts. He didn't feel like a failure. Somehow…doing that just now made him feel excited again. Maybe not so much excited…but useful. Like he had a purpose. Like he wasn't just some relic gathering dust and waiting to die. Being in action…being in this new body…facing this crowd of adoring fans…it made him feel young again. It made him feel like he was still something…that he still had a purpose or reason for existing. And that, more than any glory or cheers, was the greatest feeling of all.

Bahamut endured the adoration for a few minutes. However, things soon began to calm down again. After all, there wasn't even a wreck to pick up. The crowds slowly calmed down, and some attempted to come forward and personally congradulate the esper on his triumph. However, that too only lasted for a few minutes before the tougher-looking Ettecans from earlier pushed forward and began to make the crowd disperse. It wasn't to give him breathing room, however. After a bit longer, he saw it was to allow the Regent through. He came now, surrounded by his guardians, and trailed far behind by Dr. Folle and Dr. Maester.

Once the Regent was in range, he gave a salutary bow to the esper. In response, flashes from some sort of picture taking devices began to go off everywhere, in particular when he bowed before him. Other people went quiet, and soon only the sounds of pictures being taken surrounded the two of them. Bahamut stood calmly and looked down on the much smaller person, as he rose again and smiled at the esper.

"Lord Bahamut…it appears we are indebted to you yet again. I, and the rest of the Visca Republic, am very grateful to you for your act of heroism today."

The esper looked back at him briefly, but then shook his head. "Your Republic need not thank me, Regent. I do not claim loyalty to any government on your world. I merely acted in a way to save lives. I would like to go on your record to say that if it had been a Visca Republic battleship attacking a Yalorian assembly, I would have acted in the same fashion."

The Regent hesitated at that. His smile faltered a little. Those reporting eagerly took down notes on this. However, for the most part, Bahamut's fans were unchanged. Rather, they were encouraged. In their eyes, the governments of this world were just as petty as the ones on Bahamut's world. All of them viewed him as a universal being. Some of his onlookers were, in fact, Yalorians themselves. And this statement further ingratiated him with his true followers.

"As a token of my good will," Bahamut continued. "I would like to announce that I have not harmed any of the assassins. I hand them over to you, so that your justice system may deal with them as you see fit."

The Regent, and everyone else, was puzzled by this. Not harmed? Bahamut had just blown up their ship with them on it. Yet to everyone's surprise, Bahamut finally uncrossed his arms and lowered them, to present to the Regent what was behind them. Everyone anxiously looked to see what it was, and the crowd gave a unified gasp on seeing it.

There were the crew members, each one alive and well. However…they were now all the size of an Ettecan pinkie. Nervously, they looked around from inside Bahamut's large claws, bewildered and frightened at what had happened to them. They only became more fearful when they turned and saw the massive Regent and rest of the Ettecans surrounding them. They weren't nearly as large as Bahamut, but were still massive. The crowd was stunned. They couldn't believe it.

Bahamut proceeded to calmly explain. "My ability at doing the basic shape-changing magics has expanded since I achieved this new body. I knew I couldn't hope to carry them all out, and so I used a shrinking spell to shrink them all. It's perfectly reversible. It should wear off in a few hours, in fact. That's more than enough time to have the proper authorities come and take them away."

No one could answer. They just continued to gape in surprise. None of them had read anything like this yet. And in truth…this was new. Until now, some of the Ettecans had simply thought that the type of life form that Bahamut was could generate this energy. It was still all natural, nothing mythological or magical about it at all. But now…he could extend his influence to other things as well. This proved it. On seeing this, a few of the more logical Ettecans began to feel a few seeds of doubt in their minds. Magic and spirituality were just archaic concepts, weren't they? But if they were, how could this be explained?

No one knew. But no one looked at Bahamut in quite the same way after that morning.


"…Our top story for this hour cycle…the alien creature known as Bahamut, a renown celebrity, author, speaker, and philosopher, unveiled his new body this morning. The body was a result of massive biomechanical reconstruction, the first of its kind, pioneered by Dr. Meyuors Maester. Regent Otto was present for the presentation today. However, the event was interrupted by what appeared to be an assassination attempt by a Yalorian vessel. Bombardment did commence, and there was some property damage. The military was deployed, but it appeared they were unnecessary, as Bahamut himself stepped forward and single-handedly destroyed the attacking battleship, but not before extracting all twenty crew members and turning them over to local police. The Yalorian government is disavowing any knowledge of this assassination attempt, claiming that the twenty individuals were part of a rogue splinter cell. No word yet on whether or not the suspects have confirmed or denied this. In other news…"

Shinza turned off the recording. She had seen the whole thing earlier, as a matter of fact. Somehow, the live press kept rolling during the incident, catching everything on tape. Anyone who had been lucky enough to be watching caught much of what had happened at that time. Those that hadn't were now seeing the story broadcast on the cover of every newspaper and news program on the face of Etteca. Shinza herself had recorded the story, and had been playing it again and again since she had left on her own miniature hologram projector. It seemed that, once again, Bahamut was the top story on their world.

And after this latest bit…Shinza couldn't restrain herself any longer.

Despite what had happened last time…she wanted to see him again.

Bahamut was a part of her life now. She had spent years with him. She had spoken more to him than probably anyone she had met in the past twenty years of her life. And when she was away…she missed him. She never talked to anyone else…never went out or did anything. Spending time with him was the highlight of her day. Without him…she felt empty…and lonely.

Shinza was something of a celebrity herself now, as the scientist who "discovered" Bahamut. And Bahamut had long since agreed to see her any time she wished. Because of that, it was a small matter of going across town to where he kept his luxury apartment.Naturally, the place was swarming with reporters. Those that didn't want to hear his tale of heroism from that morning were desperate to get a look at the new biomechanical technology. It was a nightmare. Everyone was trying to get questions out of the staff, the guards, and trying to break through to see the man himself. Shinza probably would have been lost in the crowd herself if she wasn't a familiar face. Luckily, some of the guards did see her and recognize her, and led her through immediately.

Shinza was quite alone now. She had gotten past the media and fans and was in the quiet part of the apartment building, down the same hall she had descended with Bahamut years ago. Here, at last there was peace from all of the bickering and crowding. Only a few silent guards paced the hallway…not that Bahamut needed them. The lights were dim now. A projector of night was on the windows, and much of the place was dark. Outside, it was still broad daylight, but Ettecans had become accustomed to more regular days, like there was in the rest of the universe, and as such preferred a night atmosphere when they went down for short sleep periods. Bahamut liked it too, she knew. Of course, she realized, for the first time since he arrived, he'd get to sleep in his bed. Normally he wouldn't fit, but he could shapeshift to get in it. That excited her. Now that he was whole, he was taking up the shapeshifting he spoke of. That was exciting, and the scientist inside her yearned to see it. However…she controlled her emotion. More than anything…she wanted to just talk to him. And as a friend…not a researcher.

The woman finally reached his door. Simple as they were, they seemed far more grand and powerful now. She slowed and stopped before them. A wave of anxiety rippled over her, and she felt herself tremble again. She still remembered their last meeting, and she didn't feel too good over what had happened. She licked her lips and stared at it a moment, trying to steady herself and her breathing. At last, she reached out to knock on the door.

"Come in, Shinza."

The woman gasped a little, and recoiled her hand as if burned. The voice from the inside was powerful and…a bit lovely sounding. Until now, she had never heard Bahamut's voice. Now that she did, she could feel it ripple through her like a cool breeze…and it tingled her fingers and toes. It was strong and focused, and showed a mass of years and wisdom within it. It left her stunned a moment. However, she managed to swallow after a short time, and then reached forward and opened the door. Soon, she was walking into the room, and it slid shut behind her.

The room itself hadn't changed much. It was still very clean and unused, just as when Bahamut was unable to use it. However, she didn't focus much on the room. All of her attention turned to the Ettecan that occupied it. Seated at a reading table, reclining in one of the chairs, and placing a deactivated reading pad down to focus fully on the woman, was an Ettecan. He was dressed in the traditional Ettecan attire that emphasized the hips and the shoulders. To that end, he had some sort of clothing with iridescent scales sewn into it on his hips and back…along with what appeared to be a design of large, curved wings worked into his shoulder details. These collapsed back easily enough, and were made of the same shimmering material. But the man himself was an Ettecan. Thin frame…though large for their race…gill slits…long, pointed ears… This caught Shinza a moment. His ears…they were so long… It almost made her blush to see it. Not only that, but the man was handsome…very handsome. He looked young and flawless, the model of Ettecan beauty. Most of all, however…were the eyes. Those eyes were the one part that wasn't Ettecan. They were too large…too powerful…betraying a spark of youth that no Ettecan child had…as well as a level of wisdom no Ettecan sage could possess. They were both beautiful and unsettling to look into, and Shinza found herself blushing and looking away from them as well.

"I…I didn't know…you'd make yourself into such a handsome man…" She exhaled after a moment, trying not to turn red.

In response, the Ettecan raised an eyebrow. "So…you knew it was me?" Bahamut asked. "Most people haven't. I couldn't even get in earlier, because they doubted I was Bahamut. How did you know?"

Shinza hesitated and swallowed. "…The eyes." She finally said.

Bahamut turned his head at that. "But you've never gotten a good look at my eyes, even when they were rebuilt. And these aren't serpentine anyway."

"It doesn't matter." Shinza answered. "I looked deep into your eyes…and I saw the essence of you. They make you look old and young…and wiser than anyone else in the university. I know there's only one person in this universe that I know of who can be that."

Bahamut hesitated after hearing that. He raised an eyebrow, and then at last gave a nod. As for Shinza, she shifted and licked her lips again. Then, she turned and looked back to him. She still was evasive…and tried to hide her facial color and expression. But she did look him over again. After a moment, she exhaled in a sort of pseudo-laugh.

"What's wrong?" Bahamut asked.

"Nothing. It's just…this is the first time I've seen you. I mean…seen you up and moving and healthy… I didn't know you'd turn into an Ettecan. I thought you'd go around in your new body."

Bahamut frowned at that, and shook his head. He began to rise from where he was seated. "I don't like it." He simply answered.

Puzzled at that, Shinza raised her head and stared at him. "You don't? But…you're so much better…you're able to move around again and…"

"It's not the way I remember myself." Bahamut answered, coming to his feet. He began to walk toward her at this. "It's nice to be moving around again, but that's not me. Fortunately, I can turn into my original esper form now, as well as my Neo body. A nice little side effect from my increased abilities. I tried it out this morning. However…that's not what I want to talk about right now."

Hearing this, Shinza hesitated again. She had been afraid of this. However…she wanted to be brave and stay this time. As uncomfortable as it made her, the loneliness was even more uncomfortable. However, it was still hard to endure. As Bahamut neared her, she could start to feel his presence wash over her. It was strong and powerful…making her tingle far more than before. She felt dominated by it. Even in this body, he was very domineering. And coupled with his beauty…it made the woman sweat and look away from him.

"I want to talk about what we said when we parted company." Bahamut stated as he came to a halt.

Shinza licked her lips again. "Oh…"

"First things first." Bahamut went on in a calm voice. "First…I want you to call your university tomorrow. Tell them that you are abandoning your long term voyage and research project, and that you plan to stay on Etteca."

Shinza turned to confusion at that. She turned and looked up to him. However, his face was straight and cold, and unchanging. She blinked and grew uneasy again. "But…but I've already set up everything. I've got my crew and…"

"You're cancelling." Bahamut stated, not leaving the matter up for discussion.

"I've gotten grants and…"

"They can find someone else."

"I've done so much research…"

"Give it to your protégés."

"I…I…I've been planning on this. I want to…"

"No, you don't." Bahamut simply answered, his voice so firm that it sounded like he was telling Shinza what to think and believe. The woman hesitated at that. If it had come from anyone else, or had been a different circumstance, she might have lashed back at him for daring to order her around. However…Bahamut's guess was right. Her own subconscious feelings made her yield. That…and Bahamut's cold glare staring at her.

"This is what I think." He continued. "I think I know why you dress so conservatively, and stay on these long, isolated voyages, and hide yourself in studies. I think that you're afraid of people, particularly males. You're afraid because the only people you ever trusted abused you and molested you. I think you believe that all males are to not be trusted, because they'll take advantage of you. Anyone in authority is a danger. And because of that, you are afraid of everyone. Not only that, but that's the real reason you don't believe in anything or anyone. That's the true reason you get so upset when I talk of matters of faith, because your own faithhas been viciously violated. I think you wanted to take this voyage so that you could go away from everyone. But I also think that you are very lonely and miserable the way you are. You want a better life, but you're too afraid of other people to get the contact you need to survive. And I think it is leading you to make a tragic mistake that will rob you of much of your life.

"This is what I want, Shinza. I want you to move in here, next door. I want to talk to you about this every day. I want to help you to stop being afraid. And I think I can do it. I'm not an Ettecan, so you trust me. You stayed with me for years trying to talk me out of my depression. For the first time this morning, I felt that life was worth continuing. And this is what I wish to do with it. I want to spend the next part of my life helping you learn how to live your own."

Shinza hesitated at this. More than once during this dialogue, she felt a painful twinge inside her. And as Bahamut said these things…she could not dispute them. The truth was, she was scared of people. She was scared of men. She hated being attractive…always getting their attention and having them oogle her. It always made her think back to when she was a child… And that made her so afraid she wanted to run away from everyone and never come back. But with Bahamut…things were different. She felt safer around him…at peace…protected. She felt she could be totally open with him. He was just as intelligent as any Ettecan, but he wasn't an Ettecan. He was something else.In fact…seeing him now…seeing him turn into an Ettecan…it didn't make her more afraid of him. Rather, it was the first time in her life she could recall looking at a man with attraction and not fear…

The truth was, she didn't want to leave. She was lonely. She was uncomfortable talking to Bahamut about these things before…but now she understood him. If she kept running, she would eventually be alone and miserable, and would die that way. And like all problems in a person's life…it could only be resolved when the pain of having the problem was greater than the pain of getting rid of it. And so it was now. In the end…she was able to swallow, and look up at Bahamut again. To her surprise…he actually smiled at her. And it was pleasant and warm. Seeing this…she felt encouraged. The warmth and kindness coming off of him was soothing and relaxing. And after bathing in it, she felt herself able to smile back at him.

"…All right, Bahamut. I will."


"Do you have the slightest idea how much money and resources it took us to launch this operation?"

"Well, a lot, I'd wager."

"The Premier is going to have my rank for breakfast. You've created a relations nightmare. It will take a miracle for us to get out of this clean. And the reparations are going to last for years…"

"You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs."

"Yeah…but it seems I'm the one supplying all the birds."

"You should be kissing my feet. Today was a total success. You saw what he can do with that new body. He's a god amongst insects now. But that was just the civilian model. Can you imagine the power I can give you with a military model? You wouldn't need a starfleet armada or droid army. All you would need was one of him."

"And you don't think your government would get a little suspicious of you building one behind their backs?"

"I have enough clout after this morning to get by. The Regent is practically singing praises to me. After all…my design did save his life. I think that was worth a billion or so credits, considering what I can deliver to you."

"It had better be. Or I will personally feed you to that thing."

"I wouldn't go around making idle threats here. Keep in mind, we're in this boat together."

"And maybe you should keep in mind…that it was my business to make sniveling little pieces of crap like you disappear for three day cycles. How soon can we expect it?"

"Oh, it would take years to build one from scratch."

"That's a problem, isn't it?"

"Just have a little patience."

"Patience doesn't give results. Patience won't pay the billions you're going to demand of me. You can't just make fifty billion credits disappear forever from a nation's budget, no matter how many channels you put it through."

"Well, do you want your model to be perfect, or subpar?"

"…Within six standard months, I better have the fifty billion back, with interest."

"Standard months? You'll have it back in six standard days."

"I better. Now get your ass out of here and start making it."


To be continued...