Chapter 2: Princess In A Black Dress
All over the Gundamusai, large, robotic hands poked out of various hatches, enacting repairs to ship, mending cracks in the hull and other restorations.
In the bridge, the fake princess said to the Gundam Force and said, "I am the royal princess Relehimana Miya De Lacroa. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Your highness," Zero said, "These are my companions I have brought from the other dimension as you commanded me."
Zero gestured to the two others beside him, who introduced themselves.
"Princess, I'm Shute!"
"My name is Captain Gundam, your highness."
The fake princess bowed her head. "Thank you very much, everyone," Lifting her head, she said, "I appreciate the danger you endured to rescue me."
"Princess, there is one other called Bakunetsumaru, a Musha Gundam from Ark. But I…left him behind, because he is very uncouth." Zero added, thinking about all the times Bakunetsumaru let his emotions get the better of him. As embarrassing as it was, Baku's hot temper and lack of restraint allowed for some pretty outrageous moments. Very inelegant.
"You 'left him behind'?"Shute asked, unbelievingly.
Zero, his eyes closed and nose in the air, nodded. "Mm-hm!"
"What are you talking about, we didn't leave him behind!" Shute cried.
Zero regarded Shute. "I could never introduce him to my princess! An elegant knight is one thing, but a brute like Bakunetsumaru would be disgraceful!" Besides, he couldn't tell her highness "Sorry, he's not here because we lost him in our crash landing." It would be even more inelegant.
While the two bickered and debated, the fake princess stared at the White Bagubagu, watching as it fluttered around the room. Was that how the unpetrification worked…?
"But we've all worked as a team for a very long time!" Shute insisted, the argument still going. "Sure, he's a little hot-headed sometimes…"
"That is certainly an understatement!"
Fake Rele's fingers subtly flexed, prepared to grab the White Bagubagu…
"It's just not right to talk about our friends like he was… garbage!" Shute continued.
…which landed back in the capsule in Captain's hand.
"Safe and sound." He said.
"Oh! Please don't!" the fake princess cried.
"Huh?" Zero looked at the fake princess.
"She agrees!" Shute said, "So you think we shouldn't talk trash about our friends behind their friends too, right, princss?"
"Well…" The fake princess' eyes drifted towards Captain, who loaded the capsule back into the compartment under his chest. Sweating, she said, "You're right. We shouldn't do it!"
Feeling uneasy about having everyone's eyes focused on her like that, the fake princess put her hand to her head as if in pain. She began to slowly walk towards the bridge's door.
"I…I'm not feeling very well," She said, "I'd like to go change my clothes."
"Princess, I shall escort you!" Zero offered quickly.
"It's all right," Fake Rele said, "I'll be fine!"
Once she was in the passageway, the door closed behind her. She sighed. This was going to be a bit trickier than she thought…
"She's exhausted because the petrification was just reversed." Zero explained.
Shute nodded slowly, unable to take his eyes away from the door.
-z-
In the lower halls of the ship, the fake princess communicated her findings to her master, Deathscythe, through the magic circle in her palm.
"This is truly the white bug that reverses the petrification," Deathscythe said of the White Bagubagu, "You must capture it no matter what! Be very careful my dear, not to be recognized by Zero and Captain."
The fake princess bowed her head. "Yes, Lord Deathscythe. I won't let you down."
-z-
After the magic circle with the fake princess' image vanished, Deathscythe, back in full ghost form, turned to the genuine article.
"Princess… Oh, Rele! My future wife, whose beauty is greater than the fabled violet rose," He sighed, "The legendary power was brought back from the end of the Minov Boundary Sea…And it shall be mine, very soon." His ghostly formed faded away as his corporal appearance appeared. "Please wait, just a little bit longer…"
-z-
On the lookout, Captain watched as the ship's hands continued their work.
"Emergency repairs to the engine will be completed in 5 hours." RAIMI reported.
"Roger that, Ms. RAIMI!" Captain replied, his faceplate closing. "Captain Gundam, tooking off on the scheduled reconnaissance mission now!"
The boosters in his Option V backpack activated, and Captain took great leaps away.
-z-
In the bridge, the door opened up to reveal Princess Rele. However, instead of the light blue dress she wore before, her clothes had changed magically. The colors were darker, almost black, and the fabric was a bit thicker than before. Her new dress had shoulders, and instead of jewels she wore long gloves on her hands.
"I feel better now." She said.
Shute and Zero gasped at her new appearance, awed.
"So, what do you think?" Rele asked, doing a slight spin, showing off her look. "Don't I look better in black?"
"It's…not my place to say, your highness," Zero said, finding his voice. "You look beautiful in any color!"
"Take my hand."
"Of course!" Zero said, bowing his head and holding out his hand. When he didn't feel the princess put her hand into his, he opened his eyes and blanched. The princess was holding her hand out to Shute! The boy, clueless as ever, slowly pointed at himself.
"Er, are you talking to me?" Shute asked, bewildered. Off to the side, Zero stared, his bugged-out eyes shifting from Shute to Rele.
Rele smiled. "My hand."
"Yeah…?" Shute asked, looking at the hand as if it were about to grew fangs and bite him.
"Shute!" Zero hissed, "Take her hand!"
"Oh, yeah…" Shute murmured, dazed. "…Hand…"
Shute softly put his hand in the princess', barely touching. Was it right for him to be doing this?
Zero, trying not to look too upset, glided over to one of the bridge's seats. "Here, princess," he said, gesturing, "This way."
Zero eyes bugged out when he realized that no one was listening to him. Shute awkwardly led Princess Rele into the center of the bridge, where the platform for the Dimensional Transport Device normally was, now sunk into the floor.
"Can I stand right here?" She asked.
Shute, coming out his daze, nodded. "Uh, sure."
The platform rose ("Careful, princess!" Zero cried) and Rele looked around.
"It looks like Captain's not here." She observed.
"Actually, princess, he's not," Shute said, (Rele looked out him) "Captain Gundam is out on a reconnaissance mission, because Deathscythe may return for you!"
"Return for me?" Rele asked, nervous.
"That's right, princess!" Zero said, "There's something you should know!"
"Oh?" Princess Rele looked at Zero.
"Tallgeese was not the mastermind of Lacroa's destruction," He explained, "It was Deathscythe, the evil Knight of Darkness!"
Zero snapped his fingers and a magic circle appeared in the air. It showed Zero being sent into another dimension by the princess and the Five Sorcerers.
"Princess, after you transported me to another world called Neotopia," Zero went on, "I explained to the people there about the threat of the Dark Axis. Thus, I successfully established an organization called the SDG."
The magic circle then showed various scenes from Blanc Base, the SDG's headquarters. Most of these scenes included Zero, for some reason…
"Two years later, everything was put into motion and ready for a possible attack!" Zero finished.
Shute stared at him, suspicious. "What? You established the SDG?" Before the Dark Axis began to attack, Zero didn't even know about Blanc Base!
"Correct," Zero replied evenly, "And, just as I expected, the Dark Axis invaded Neotopia, just as it did to Lacroa!"
The magic circle then showed scenes from the invasion of Neotopia, such as Zero fighting the Doga Bombers, Zero fighting Doga Purple, and Zeri defeating Doga Purple. It finished with Zero taking a swing at Commander Sazabi, followed with the sight of the Horn of War collapsing.
"Thus, after single-handedly saving Netopia, I've come back to save you, your highness, our princess." Zero finished.
Shute couldn't believe it!" You're trying to make it sound like you did everything by yourself, Zero!"
"Well, I suppose I might have gotten minimal help from you, Captain, and Bakunetsumaru." Zero replied unashamedly.
Shute groaned and gave Rele a sheepish smile.
Zero continued. "After leaving Neotopia, we went into the legendary Minov Boundary Sea. There, I battled my arch-nemesis Tallgeese for the third time…"
The magic circle showed the Gundamusai entering the Zakurello Gate, then in the Minov Boundary Sea. It then showed Tallgeese attacking, becoming Epyon, and the crew's rescue operation at Lacroa Castle. It finished with the de-petrification of the princess.
"And now," Zero said, "I've finally saved you, your highness."
"Thank you for your efforts," the princess said, "By the way…"
"Yes, your highness?"
"I'm curious as to how you created the White Bagubagu to reverse the petrification." She finished.
Shute spoke up. "Captain Gundam used the Captain system, and-"
"Let me explain, your highness!" Zero cried desperately. Once he had calmed down, he said, "You see, the noble triplets of Lacroa and the power of the Feather Dragon transformed the Bagubagu."
The magic circle showed the triplets the Gundam Force met on their first trip to Lacroa, giving the the Spirit Egg. The Egg hatched into the fluffy spirit, Fenn, who later became the Feather Dragon. It then showed one of Fenn's feathers entering the Bagubagu's core, transforming them into White Bagubagu.
"And because it was for you, my princess," Zero finished, "I too made tremendous efforts!"
"Oh, Zero…" Shute sighed, sweating. He should've realized he would do this. The knight's ego wouldn't allow anyone else but him to seem like the hero in front of his princess, especially since it was Captain who defeated Sazabi and transformed the Bagubagu.
It was at that moment that Captain entered the bridge.
"I'm back from the reconnaissance mission," Captain reported, "Confirming no enemy within a 10 kilometer radius," He turned to Zero, said, "Zero, it's your turned to patrol." and marched over to his seat at the console.
"Huh? My turn?" Zero asked.
"Yes," Captain answered, Option V hooking up his seat's back with a click. His head turned around and opened his face plate. "I must recharge my energy pack right away."
"But the princess needs me here!" Zero
"Don't worry about me." Princess Rele said.
Shute and Zero looked at her.
-z-
"Why do I have to go too?" Shute asked as he and Zero stepped into the elevator.
"Because," Zero said stiffly, "We would not want to endanger the princess."
"What's that supposed-?" the rest of Shute's shout were cut off by the elevator door's closing.
"Thank you!" the fake princess said cheerfully. She glanced at Captain.
"Miss RAIMI," Captain said, "Commence Re-charge procedure!"
"Roger."
Captain's eyes then went blank. The fake princess' eyes narrowed. Now…
-z-
Once they were on the ship's lookout, Zero took to the air.
"Keep a sharp eye out!" Zero yelled down, "You hear me?"
"Of course I do!" Shute yelled back, waving his arms. He was still a bit angry.
Once Zero was gone, Shute relaxed. He tried to keep his mind focused on watch duty, but it kept going back to thoughts about the princess.
Relehimana Miya De Lacroa… Her highness…Princess Rele…Rele… He leaned against the end of the rail, sighing. She sure is cute…
-z-
In the bridge, the fake princess cautiously crept up to Captain.
…He's sound asleep. She thought. But, not wanting to take chances, she slowly waved her hand in front of Captain's face. When the Gundam's eyes did not react to her presence, she smiled. Giggling, she waved her hands playfully and made funny faces at him. Once she was satisfied with Captain inactive state, she focused onto where the White Bagubagu's capsule compartment was. She poked and prodded the hatch, trying to force it open.
How do you open this? She thought, aggravated.
"Are you trying to tickle me?"
Fake Rele froze. Slowly, she looked up…
…into the eyes of Captain Gundam.
"If so," Captain continued, "The correct reaction to being tickled is laughter, isn't it?"
Fake Rele began to sweat. "Uh, yeah…"
"Then…" Captain began to laugh. But it was not laughter. It had all the words you would normally find in laughter, but it was so rigid and mechanical. It was just the word 'Ha' repeated again and again. It was laughter without humor.
The fake princess stood, frozen, letting the mechanical chortles wash over her until she couldn't take it anymore. Her scream was so loud that it echoed throughout the skies of Lacroa.
"Princess Rele!" Shute cried, bursting in through the door.
Zero came in through the opposite door. "Princess, are you all right?"
"I'm sorry," Captain's head turned around to face the boys, his eyes becoming sad. "It appears there is something wrong with the way of laughing."
Shute and Zero stared. Then they remembered how difficult it was for Captain to deal with understanding and expressing emotions in the beginning. Jokes flew over his head, and when face was upgraded to emote, he had trouble figuring out which one was…proper…for the situation. He got better at it…but it was like watching someone try to dance, especially when compared to Fred Astaire. It wasn't natural.
The Gundam Force showed the princess footage of Captain's 'emotional trials'.
Once they were finished, Shute said, "See, now Captain Gundam is able to express all kinds of emotions!"
"I see," the fake princess said, blushing a bit (Behind her, Zero kept staring daggers at Captain) "So in Neotopia, mecha warriors are different than Knight Gundams."
Captain looked at Shute, his eyes switched to 'sheepish', and said, "I believe I'll have to do more research on my emotional expressions."
Shute nodded good naturedly. Turning to the fake princess, he asked, "But, di-did you really try to tickle Captain, Princess Rele?"
Fake Rele began to sweat. "Oh! I…uh…well, you see… I don't feel so well!"
The fake princess put her hand to her head and went for the door.
"Princess!" Zero cried.
"Are you okay?" Shute asked.
"Uh-huh! I'm fine!" Fake Rele said as the door closed behind her. Once there was a wall between her and the boys, she exhaled. This was getting tricky…
-z-
In the ship's lower halls, the fake princess thought her predicament.
I'm in trouble… It'll be quite difficult to obtain the White Bagubagu. How can I possible get it? She thought. If she didn't get it, Lord Deathscythe would be furious…
"Princess?"
Fake Rele gasped and whirled around. There she saw Shute coming out from around a corner.
"Oh! Shute!" She said.
"Princess Rele, you sure you're really okay?" Shute asked, concerned.
"Yes! I'm all right!" the fake princess began to pump her arms in the air. "See? I'm fine! Woo-hoo!" She gave a nervous giggle. "Never better!"
Shute chuckled. "Boy, am I glad! I was sort of worried about you."
Fake Rele sweated a bit. An idea came to her and she said, "However, Shute, I'm actually very sad."
"Huh? Why?" Shute asked.
"It istrue that I am free of the petrification," She went on, "However, it pains me that everyone else in Lacroa is still petrified."
"Princess Rele…" Shute said.
"I want to turn everyone back to normal, and restore my peaceful and beautiful Lacroa," Fake Rele said. Then she looked into Shute's eyes. "Oh, my Shute…" She took his hands. "Wonderful Shute…"
Shute looked down at her hands on his. He tried to speak, but no words came out.
"I hesitate to ask you this…" Fake Rele said.
Shute slowly looked back at the fake princess. Her eyes seemed to be shining.
"You're my only hope," She said, "I know that you feel for me, what I feel for you, that you'll try to help me!"
As he became lost in the fake princess' eyes, Shute finally found his voice. Sort of. "Puh-puh-puh…"
"What's going on here?" Zero roared, a look of absolute fury on his face.
Both Shute and the fake princess let go of each other and screamed.
"What are you doing, Shute? Huh?" Zero snarled, putting himself between the two. If looks were lasers, Zero would have vaporized Shute on the spot.
"I didn't do a thing!" Shute cried, his cheeks reddening.
Then Captain came around. "Shute, are you all right?"
"Sort of, not really!" Shute said quickly, embarrassed about what had happened.
Captain's faceplate closed and his targeting scope lowered. "You're facial expression is curious," He said, scanning Shute. "Pulse rising…body temperature above average…I'm also detecting increased blood-flow to your face. Hmmm… You're current facial expression seems to be the same as another time."
Captain began to project a video onto the wall from the spot light on his helmet. It showed an unconscious Captain, while Shute, nearby, kept leaning in closer, his lips puckering.
"Oh my!" the fake princess gasped.
"Wha… What is this?" Zero asked, bewildered.
Shute then remembered. This was when captain had landed in his workshop back in Neotopia, knocked out from his fight with the Dark Axis. When none of the usual methods could revive him, Shute became desperate. After reading an excerpt from Sleeping Beauty, Shute decided that trying Prince Charmings method of wake-up call would work.
"Whoa…Captain, you were sleeping!" He cried, "You could see that?"
"It was left in my memory." Captain explained. Even in stand-by mode, he still unconsciously retained some awareness of his surroundings, even if he had to reactivate his normal functions in order to interact with it.
"Okay, that's enough, okay!" Shute yelled desperately, "You can stop showing that now!"
Captain shut off the projector. He turned his head around and two 'blush stickers' appeared on his cheeks. "My hard drive shows that this emotion is called-" His eyes became hearts. "-Love."
"Love?" Zero hissed angrily. I know more about love and romance then he'll ever know!
"Love? Uh, Captain…" Shute murmured. His and the fake princess' eyes met once again, and then looked away. Shute's entire face turned red as steam poured out of his ears. Humiliated beyond measure, he angrily began to pound his fists onto Captain, yelling, "That's not it, that's not it!" while Captain's head spun and he chanted, "Love" over and over again.
"Shute is right! That's not it!"
Everyone looked at the fake princess, who looked a trifle embarrassed herself.
"I was just going to ask Shute to do me a favor," She said, looking down. "That's all it was."
"But," Said Zero, "I can accommodate a any request you may have, your highness!"
"In order to bring Lacroa back to life…" She continued, ignoring Zero. "…I want you to give me the White Bagubagu!"
"You want the White Bagubagu?" Zero asked.
"Oh, was that all it was?" Shute asked, a bit disappointed for some reason. He turned to Captain. The Gundam popped the White Bagubagu capsule out.
Fake Rele's lips twitched. There it was!
Captain held the capsule out and said, "Here, take it, princess."
The capsule was snatched out of Captain's hand in a blur, almost knocking him over.
"Hey!" Shute cried.
Zero kneeled down and held the capsule out to the fake princess, who looked quite startled by this.
"I'm proud of you, your highness!" He said, "You are going to increase the number of White Bagubagu and save Lacroa, aren't you?"
"Hey, Zero!" Shute yelled, annoyed with the way the knight continued to force the princess' attention onto himself.
"Increase the number of White Bagubagu…" the fake princess repeated, a bit shocked at Zero's abruptness.
"You see? I was right!" Zero said, "Your highness would most certainly know how to do that!"
Fake Rele decided to play along. "Uh, yeah! Here, give it to me. I'll start right away."
"As you wish." Zero said, and placed the capsule into her hand.
The fake princess smiled, almost deliriously so. Success!
"Princess!"
Zero's voice pulled her out of her mental victory dance.
"Please, you're highness!" Zero said, his eyes shimmering. "Increase the number of White Bagubagu and save all of Lacroa!" He bowed.
"Your highness!" Shute and Captain said, bowing as well.
"Um, not here." Fake Rele said awkwardly.
"Huh?" The Gundam Force asked, looking at her.
"Well…" She said, somewhat flustered, trying to think. "All right, if we go to the Garden of Wisdom."
"The Garden of Wisdom!" Zero gasped, clutching his fist. "The forbidden sanctuary where knowledge from all over the world was sealed by the royal family!"
"That's right," Fake Rele said, "That's where I will perform the procedure," She smiled, glad that everything was working out. "Your princess commands it!"
-z-
"Attention," RAIMI announced, "Repairs to the Gundamusai are 42.61% complete. I'm now able to navigate the ship."
Shute, Captain, Zero and the fake princess were in the bridge. Shute, Zero, and Captain were in their seats, while the fake princess stood behind Bakunetsumaru's.
"Now, to the Garden of Wisdom!" Zero declared.
"Gundamusai, commence lift-off!" Captain ordered.
Shute shot his fist into the air. "Let's go!"
The fake princess allowed herself a smug smile. Very good… everything was working out just perfectly…
-z-
In his secret lair, Deathscythe, uncloaked, watched as the Gundamusai took off, flying out of the canyon it was in through a magic circle of his.
He chuckled darkly. "Come to me… Bring me the secret technique of reversing the petrification…" Bring it to me…
