A/N: Well, this had a lot more than I expected.
Hello again, guys! Chapter 8 has been done! I initially was supposed to add more content other than what you are about to see here below, but hey. They'll be saved for later. I hope this is enough for you for now, because there will be more coming your way. Enjoy the read, have a cup of coffee/juice/whatever and have fun. Thanks for reading and have a good day!
Now, onto the chapter!
RaiXGear Chapter 8
[Raiken's P.O.V.]
A day with the CPUs… Who would've wondered how awesome it would be when you experience it yourself.
I walked away from the Basilicom with a smile, thanking the goddesses in my mind for giving me a breath of fresh air after a whole lot of work.
It was still a busy time in Planeptune, even this late at night. There are still a lot of people hanging out in the buildings, stores and restaurants. Restaurants in particular are full of both young and old couples dating and spending time together.
I decided to stop by a milk tea shop to get my usual wintermelon-flavored milk tea. It's a perfect blend that further made me enjoy my outing. It has a really sweet taste, complimented by pearls that sink underneath your glass. Adding pudding on top makes it even better, I'd say.
Luckily, I finished my glass before I started to hear a scream coming from the alleyway.
My sense of hearing, they say, is more advanced than any other human being, making cat footsteps sound like boot on concrete to me.
I walked out of the milk tea shop, listening to the source of the danger. It came from a long alleyway east of my position.
I then realized…it was time for me to suit up.
[Narrator's P.O.V.]
"Get away from me, you perverts!" a brunette screamed.
Five criminals who escaped from police captivity cornered a woman they had fancied. They spotted her minutes ago walking home from work. The girl was dressed in a spaghetti-strap shirt and long tights. She clasped her bag in front of her, writhing in fear.
"Heheheheheh, this is my lucky day." one of the criminals spoke.
"She's just waiting to get fucked now, isn't she?" another one said.
"Man, she's got good bust size…I can't wait to stick my rod between those…" another one uttered, drooling in lust.
"Why don't we have a little fun, miss? You wearing that sexy clothing is basically a homing beacon for us." the leader of the five spoke up as he pins her to a wall while the other 4 gang up on her.
"Nooooo! Stop it! Please!" the girl screamed.
They begin to strip her slowly, the girl in question crying in vain. Hands roam around her body as she screamed helplessly. They then began unhooking her blue bra, forcing her to cover her breasts in defense.
"Stop squirming around…you know no one is gonna help you. Let alone, the CPUs!" the fourth one spoke up, his words pounding through her head, making it seem even more hopeless for her.
"Nooooo! Someone help me!" she screamed.
*BANG!*
A long shot pierces through the head of one of the goons, 3 seconds after, the other four were shocked to see their buddy dead.
"W-What?!"
"Where the hell did that come from?!" one of them looked around, "Sh!t! Where is that comi—" before another beam shot lands on his neck, blood spurting from him as he fell to the floor.
"Show yourself!" the leader shouted, taking out a beam dagger stolen from the police car they escaped from.
Suddenly, behind him is a tall figure, the armor outlines shadowing it by the night lamp above them, its features concealed by the shadowing aside from ethereal, glowing blue optic, diagonal-shaped eyes that glare at the remaining three thugs.
"…so, escaping from the cops, then immediately targeting a hot girl like this." the figure spoke. "Pathetic. How proud are you of yourselves, huh?" the unknown armored figure spoke in a modulated, semi-robotic voice.
Two of the thugs become scared, stepping back, but the leader charges at the unknown masked man, thrusting his beam dagger at him.
The figure shifts slightly to the side and then strides backward. Suddenly, a beam blade was stabbed through to the back of the leader, the armored figure still keeping its graceful stance.
The two then took out some pistols and began shooting at the figure, but the bullets do not faze it at all. But one bullet grazed through him, but it wasn't in a lethal area: it grazed the elbow. The figure's "eyes" then glared even more as he charged at the two with speed, and upon reaching his range, he swats the pistol away from one of the two, the other tried to hit him from the back with a metal pipe.
As the thug swings the pipe while the figure is occupied, he was suddenly blocked off by a big shield that the figure suddenly summoned, pushing him back to the wall. And as he was swatted to the wall, the masked man knocks out the thug that occupied him with a powerful uppercut. Meanwhile, the figure suddenly shifts its attention to the other thug on the wall, stepping on his hand as he tried to grab a pistol.
"It's useless. Give it up. Surrender now and both of you will not end up the same way as your three buddies did." he said, frightening the criminal.
The thug surrendered without question.
A few moments later, the two were tied up together as the masked figure calls the police. After the call, he proceeded to the woman who witnessed the entire scene.
He knelt before her, removing his helmet, which it's "eyes" glared from earlier. Afterwards, he removed his cloth mask covering half of his face down.
It was a blonde man with a scar running down his eye. He had blue eyes, and a reassuring smile. The woman immediately recognized him as her face was in shock.
"Its okay, miss. I got you. You're safe now." he spoke as he hooks her bra back on and assists her in putting her spaghetti strap shirt back on.
"…Y-You are…" the woman replied, still surprised at her savior's appearance.
"It's alright. I'm here."
"Y-You saved me…" she spoke up, tears running down her face.
"Be careful on your way home at times like this, alright? It's dangerous out here. You might wanna invest on pepper spray or a little knife or something." he replied.
"I guess so. Thank you so much…
Raiken-sama."
The blonde replied warmly. "You don't need to thank me. And, don't ever lose faith in the CPUs because of this, okay?"
"I-I promise…" she replied.
As he was about to walk away, the girl suddenly went up to him.
"U-Uhm…my name is Rein and…I-I'm a photographer and…I-I would like…to take a picture…" she said.
The Gundam turned to her and smiled.
"Nice to meet you, Rein. Go ahead. There ain't much time before the cops get here." he kept his stance, wearing his helmet as the girl took a shot of him with her camera.
"Hey, keep my real name to yourself. No need to let them know." Raiken said.
The cops arrived and the masked figure gave her a salute before walking away. The girl smiled in excitement as she now has an article to begin writing…
This was the beginning of a hero's rise.
[Raiken's P.O.V.]
After that scene, I walked away, the darkness of the night shrouding me, the night lamps only illuminating my presence. I then took another alleyway and flew upwards with my leg and back thrusters, hoisting myself up the rooftop of an apartment building.
I removed my mask as I observed the cops and the girl before me. "Well, that's a crime solved. I wonder how that photographer's article is gonna be…" I told myself as my armored suit disappears in light, rendering me back to my clothes from earlier.
"Another citizen saved. That's good to know…at least she'll be okay…" I thought to myself.
Yes. This is my job. Not only do I write on papers, conduct strategy meetings and training soldiers. I have another identity; a life of a knight sworn to protect the innocent and the powerless.
-A few years ago-
"Are you willing to bear this huge responsibility on your shoulders?" a lady in pink hair asked.
"…The world needs a balance. A power to defend itself whenever the time calls for it. If no one can do it, then I shall step forward. If I have to continue his legacy, then let me take the burden." I said.
The woman sighed in sorrow as she heard those words, a mere child who chooses to undertake such a task, carrying the world on his shoulders. It was sad for her to hear such an answer. A few moments pass until she finally spoke up.
"I'm so sorry about this. Then, please follow me and we will lead you to the lab." she bowed her head and lead me to a secret room…
-Time skip, 2 years before current events-
Beam shots scattered everywhere in the battlefields of space. Warships and mobile suits cluttered
"Fall back!"
"There's too many of them!" *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
A lot of mobile suits that day, gone. Fierce battles claim hundreds of thousands of lives from both sides.
"Retreat! We can't hold on much longer!"
"Fall baaaaack!" and the Jegan unit was shot through the chest, killing him.
"Come on!" they all began to retreat, when suddenly…
"…Don't give up just yet."
*BANG!* a beam blast destroyed a battleship in one shot directly to the bridge.
"What the hell was that?!" the men turned around and see a mobile suit, translucent parts all over its body glow brightly as it positions itself to fire another beam shot from a distance, destroying another ship attempting to fire back at it.
"I-Is that…?! Raiken-sama!"
"Reinforcements have arrived!"
The masked figure stored his rifle to his hip holster, taking out two pistols from his knee holsters in the process and begins to blitz through any enemy that he sees, occasionally with beam sabers and blocking enemy bolts with his shield.
"Hooraaaah! Let's take the pain back to them!"
The tides have been turned, as more and more Federation units pursue their opposing adversaries with might and sheer firepower, assisted by their leader known as the Gundam. The enemy fleet then retreats without hesitation, suffering severe casualties.
Time passes, and the battle was won for the Federation in victory.
"You are now promoted to Core Commander 2nd Class. Congratulations, Raiken. Keep up the good work, son." Craig shook his hand as Raiken stood there, his expression containing little to no emotion.
"T-Thank you sir." he replied. "I shall continue on fulfilling my duty as I promised myself to."
The woman with pink hair then looks at him in concern. Raiken looked back and gave her a reassuring smile.
My beginnings were rough and there was no slack. There are a ton of things I had to go through. Luckily, I still have myself to believe in, as my father did for me.
I walked away from the apartment as if nothing had happened. I then took some time to sit on the park couch, resting myself for a bit, a can of Pepsi in my hand. I looked at Planeptune's night sky, gazing into the stars that illuminate the night. It was a beautiful sight, and one I always want to witness. I sat there for an hour, wondering about what I should do next morning.
I then returned home, wondering how my life is going to be from now on, now that these girls know me and made me a part of their circle. In my mind, not only do I have to be good to those girls, I have to do my best to protect them underneath the cover this mask.
Thoughts aside, when I open the door, my sister greeted me with open arms and embraced me.
"Welcome back, little brother." she smiled.
"Hey. I had quite the day today." I replied, as we walked inside the living room.
We both sat down on the couch and had a leisurely chat. My sister brought brownies that she bought at a new pastry shop near the train station. Apparently, she had her monthly raise as well.
"…So yeah, I got my share of payment too. Even though your check already made me feel at ease, I still feel even more satisfied."
"I guess so…Was your boss comfy with it though?"
"Duh. I worked extra hard this month, you know. I've been saving up for a certain coat that I want to buy at Giordano Girls…" she sips on her glass of water.
"I see. And, yeah…since you wanted to meet the Planeptune sisters…" I rubbed my chin as I thought of what to do next.
"…OH, OH, PLEASE. Invite them to our beloved abode, dear! Come on, please?! I really want to meet those two!" I could've sworn I could see steam coming out of her ears.
"U-Uhh…G-Good idea! I'll let them hang out here this time…Well, that is, if they're available tomorrow…" I said.
"Yes! Thank you little brother, and—Huh?" she noticed something off about me. She then looked closer, her eyes upon my left elbow. "Y-You're bleeding…" She was right. My elbow had a small wound from earlier while I was blitzing through the thugs who attempted to rape that photographer. She looked at me with much worry.
"Sorry. I forgot to include the elbow armor. At least I saved that hot photographer from getting her maidenhood robbed by those punks." I confessed.
Naomi sighed. "Geez…if you're gonna protect people, make sure you come back scratchless…"
"I'm sorry…I won't forget that." I smiled at her.
"…I'm still so proud of you. Mom and Dad would be even more so, seeing how strong you have become…"
"Yeah…my fight is for us and every people who live today." I held her hand, encasing it with my other.
"Geez…don't trigger flags, honey. We don't want you dying now, do we?" she giggled.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." I chuckle as well, standing up from the couch. "Good night, Onee-san." I bowed to her and then proceeded to my bedroom.
"Good night." she replied back as she watched me head upstairs.
[Nepgear's P.O.V.]
Morning came, and I woke up to the sound of my N-Gear's alarm. I then got up and changed my clothes, washed my face and brushed my teeth. I then went to the lobby where Histoire, IF and Compa are.
"…last night, a rape scene was abruptly ended with 3 gun shots from a masked figure towards three of the five criminals and a scuffle against two more. The victim narrated that the masked figure is the well-known Gundam as shown by this picture here." the news reporter narrated from the TV screen they were watching on.
"Whoa…" IF mumbled as she looked at the picture shown at the news.
It was a masked man a sort of advanced armored suit, resembling an anime that is very popular on Planet Earth. I deduced it was created by the Earth Federation as a prototype. It has a lot of glowing pieces on it, very mechanical detail and most of all, what really caught my attention are the eyes. They look menacing.
Histoire examined the picture carefully. She was wondering who it was. She then noticed me behind her and spoke up "Oh, hello Nepgear. I see that you have awakened early as usual."
"G-Good morning. And, wow…that man saved that photographer…" I said in delight.
"Yes. He is a bold one."
"Man, I wish I can have equipment like that." Iffy drooled at the equipment she can see from the picture.
"Mr. Robot Man is so cool! I want to be saved by him too…" Compa gleefully exclaimed.
"Heeeeeey! I know that guy!" Neptune suddenly came from behind me.
"Hyeeeeeeeek!" I suddenly jumped. "D-Don't surprise me like that, Neptune!"
"Ahahahahaaaah! Nep. Jr, you always fall for it." she smirked.
"Oh geez…" I sighed.
"Neptune-san, do you truly know who that man is?" Histoire asked.
"Yep! As all anime protags should know. I'm not gonna tell you guys though.I wouldn't wanna spoil the fun!" she puts her hands on her hips as usual, smiling with such carefree attitude.
"W-Well…you could at least tell how you may have encountered him…" IF pouted.
"Naaaaah! Maybe some other time when we do get to see him in action. I don't wanna spoil the fun yet, Iffy!" she replied.
"Now, instead of you two lollygagging around, you two should be doing some quests today." Histoire has put 2 papers on the table. Both papers were documents for a quest.
"O-Oh…" I took a peek at the papers. Neptune just slumped a bit, irritated.
"Eeeeeeeeeehh! Quests so early in the morning? I haven't even had my daily serving of pudding yet!" she whined.
"No pudding until you do those quests, Nep." IF crossed her arms. "We're not letting you off so easily today."
"Awwwww, come ooooon!" Neptune whined like a little child as she slouched a bit more. "Fiiiiiiiiiiine!"
"By now, you should be aware that Planeptune's Shares are not equaling to the other nations. We have hit very low, Neptune. It's about time you stand on your feet and do something for the nation, no? You should learn from the example of that hero on the news." Histoire crossed her arms as well as she said so.
"He may not be a CPU, but he sure is cool helping out other people…Nep-Nep here is lazy as a sloth." Compa bluntly said.
"Apparently, there are 2 dangerous and powerful monsters roaming around the Nasuune region. The people there are helpless against it. You two should get going." IF narrated.
"Nepgear, you really should learn from the masked figure's example too. You're spoiling Neptune too much." Histoire said to me.
"I-I'm sorry…c-come on, Neptune…let's just do this." I tugged on her arm, leading her to the lobby, but not without Neptune trying to put up a struggle.
"Come oooooooon ,Neeeeepppuuuuugiiaaaaaaaa!" she screamed as I lead her out of the Basilicom
Oh dear…this is going to be quite a struggle for me too…