Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! Review if you want.

Three: Gundalian Space Invaders

If Shun had to rank the worst days of his life, this would have been third. Right behind the deaths of his mother and grandfather. Which, really, should have said something about how awful war was, but mostly he was focussed on trying not to die.

Shun grabbed Hawktor's ball as it fell from the sky and dove out of the way of the Gundalian attackers. He was already calculating how long it would take for Hawktor to recover from that last blast and how fast the Gundalians were moving. From there, it was just a matter of running away from the Gundalians until he had back-up.

Another blast above his head. Shun slammed himself against a rock, took a few deep breaths, and tried not to swear. Perfect. Just perfect.

He tore through the jungle on Neathia he'd been assigned to. Jumped and leaped and skidded over logs, under branches, and through bushes. This was ridiculous. How was he supposed to see anything in this ridiculous canopy? And it wasn't like he could go into the trees and leap from there – the Gundalians would see him.

"Shun, you all right?" The voice came over his com link. Shun tried not to roll his eyes. Dove behind a tree as another attack came blasting through the jungle.

"Just perfect, thanks. Being attacked by these guys is a good work out!" he replied.

Dan replied, "Sorry, man, I was just checking in. Trying to be helpful."

Shun leaped over another log, tucked and rolled. Tried not to get hit and just barely succeeded. "If you want to help," said Shun. "Come save me. Hawktor is down and I don't know where I am."

"On it!" said Dan, and the com went dead.

Shun sighed and hid behind a rock. The attacks had stopped and there were no sounds in the jungle. He closed his eyes and attempted to meditate. As his awareness spread, he felt a tingling travel up his spine. They were close, but so long as he was silent, this overhanging rock should keep him safe.

Then the rock exploded, a shard slammed into Shun's shoulder, and he wasn't safe anymore.

Swearing and gripping his shoulder, Shun took off through the jungle again, his right arm hanging uselessly at his side. He dove around trees and tried to keep weaving. He heard the Gundalians laughing behind him. Shun vowed to cut out their tongues when he got the chance – though that might have been the pain talking.

A great blast of fire flew above him and blew back his attackers. Drago and Dan came out of the sky, Dan grinning his typical Heroic Grin. Shun wanted to roll his eyes, but mostly he was just grateful that Dan had shown up at all.

Drago landed and Dan helped Shun onto Drago's back.

"We should get you to a medic," said Dan, as Drago took off again. Shun nodded and leaned heavily against Dan, feeling himself grow dizzy.

"My hero," he muttered.

Dan slung an arm around him and grinned. "Hey," he said. "If you really like me that much, maybe you should take me up on that offer."

"What offer?" asked Shun, trying to remember what earlier question Dan had asked.

"Marriage," quipped Dan.

Shun snorted and shoved at Dan, hissing at the pain in his arm. "Good luck with that."

"I'll get you yet."

"Mm-hm," said Shun. "You can try."

Dan grinned. "I will."

The two flew back to the Neathian palace, teasing each other all the way.