Author's Notes
Chapter 15. My goodness, this is getting big! Of course, I should have expected no less. I imagine there are another 50 chapters before this fic will be finished. Maybe more. Thank you, Titanic X, for helping me punch out these chapters so quickly this month!
I have an announcement to make to those who didn't see it on my profile page: I really really REALLY need reviews! I am experiencing a bug on that prevents me from seeing any traffic stats. I can no longer see all you quiet people checking in and out of my pages. I can no longer see where reader number cutoffs are. So, though it was important before, it's even more important now that you review/comment! If you're not comfortable giving a signed review (or just don't feel like signing in at the moment), give a guest review. If you're not comfortable typing something for the whole world to see, then send me a PM. If all you have to say is two words, I'll take that! Just please, please review!
And, yes, I've e-mailed support. Twice. They're pretty quiet, aren't they?
As for this chapter itself: we have a few favorite villains making an appearance right off the bat in some scenes that I failed to scatter through previous chapters. It's fun writing them. ;)
Disclaimer
SD Gundam Force is owned and produced by Bandai and Sunrise. I only created the OCs Aleda, Titan, August, and Margaret… Are those all the ones I have in this chapter? Oh, there are John and Rob, also.
Enjoy!
Chapter 15: Clash Before the Storm
Ten days earlier:
Pink-glowing fluid simmered in a branching vat at the base of the vast chamber. In its dim glow, tubes from the floor and pulsating lines in the purple walls converged on a grilled, horned mask with three pink eyes behind its slats.
An orange-armored robot, riding a square floating platform, knelt before the three-eyed being. "Master, withhold your rage a little longer," he implored. "I will ensure the capture of Neotopia, so that you may feast on the Gundamium of many robots."
A pointy, red-tinted magic circle formed behind him and sprouted an ethereal, beady-eyed shape. "You called, Professor Gerbera?" the figure, glowing green as a ghost, rasped.
Gerbera rose, and his floating platform rotated to face the newcomer. "You have been very prompt, Deathscythe. I have a mission that requires magical ability."
"Oh?"
"I understand that Tallgeese is still absent."
"I detect the magic of both the Griffon and the Feather Dragon within the borders of Lacroa," Deathscythe said, "but I have yet to locate either of them, and Tallgeese has not yet appeared."
"This would not be his forte, anyways. Commander Sazabi is experiencing…difficulties in another dimension," Gerbera rumbled. "We plan to set a trap for our enemies."
Deathscythe's tiny eyes glinted. "What sort of trap did you have in mind?"
…
The lake shone, but no glimmer of a Gundam could be seen, aside from Titan himself. The boxy Knight Gundam turned his eyes from the lake to the treeline edging it a few feet in from the shore. "Master?" he called, starting to glide along the shore while peering through the trees. "Master August? It's Titan, your page!"
Latticed sunlight gleamed off red. Titan slowed. "Master?"
A cape swished on the back of a red-armored Gundam. Titan squeezed his bulky frame between the trees, eyes set on the mysterious frame in a clearing beyond. "Master…" he began.
The form turned to reveal, indeed, the familiar face of August. "Titan?"
Titan, breaking into the clearing—and snapping a few branches in his haste—beamed the happiest smile he had given in fifteen years. "Master!" Not a single detail of August the Wild's appearance had changed, not even the cocky, warm smile that he flashed.
"I'm so glad to see you, Titan!" August held out his arms, and Titan, like the twelve-year-old that he had once been, joined him in a bear hug. "You've grown!" his master praised. Then, in a lower voice, "It's about time someone took care of that."
August shifted his arm, and Titan felt a hard object prod his helmet. His master's face dissipated, leaving underneath a one-eyed, red-armored creature wearing a crested helmet. "What?"
"This was too easy, zako," the red zako sneered into Titan's gaping face.
…
Blue-edged narrow feet stopped at a dented, deep blue shield lying on the patchy grass. Zero bent down and lifted it, inspecting the cavern in its upper surface. I don't think he would willingly leave this, he privately mused.
"Zero, sir."
The Winged Knight faced a GM carrying a tattered light blue scrap of cloth. "Can you verify that this matches Titan's apparel?" The other five GMs were scoping the area with optical sensors and metal detector wands. Their Gunperry rested, ramp extended, within the clearing.
Zero, after one look, sighed at the grass, hiding his eyes beneath his visor. "Yes. That is his." He fingered the shield's dent. "Have you found… remains?"
"No, sir."
"Then, we must continue the search. He could be nearby."
"Yes, sir. Do you sense any magic?"
Zero shook his head. "Any magical energy has dissipated. It has been at least several days since Titan last cast a spell in this area."
The GM saluted and marched toward the Gunperry to relay his orders.
I hope not to deliver sad news to Lady Aleda, Zero pondered. A prick entered his GunSoul at the thought of his Little Wing. I feel as if something has already gone terribly amiss during my absence.
…
Captain rapidly inscribed equations and algorithms on the lined paper with one hand while skimming the pages of a thick textbook with his eyes. He sat at the kitchen table, doing Shute's homework, and Mark sorted clean dishware from the dishwasher into various cabinets while bouncing Nana on his hip. "We're going to have some yummy spaghetti tonight, Nana," Mark cooed. "You'll have a happy tummy, won't you~?"
He placed the final plastic bowl in a cabinet and turned to watch his little man. Laughing, he said, "Shute, I think you should watch where your hand's going."
Captain shifted his gaze to the page of homework. "Oh." The numbers and letters slanted together and spilled onto the table. "That's strange. I can usually do it without thinking."
"I guess you're not feeling yourself, today," Mark said as he playfully swung Nana. "Woo, woo~!" he cooed to the baby.
"I guess I'm not."
Mark hefted Nana into the crook of his arm and turned to Captain. "It be good for you to see your friends. How about you go play with Captain?"
Captain's eyes glimmered for a second, but then he frowned. "But, I was suspended from school. It doesn't seem right that I should spend disciplinary time with friends."
"I'll let you off because it was a mistake." Mark winked. "Go on and meet them."
The boy, beaming, slid the sheet of homework into the textbook, closed it, stood, and politely pushed in his chair. "Thank you, father."
"You're welcome, son."
Captain fast-walked to the door, barely able to suppress his delight long enough to make a dignified exit.
"Be back in time for dinner!" Mark called after him.
"Yes, sir!"
The door shut.
Mark bounced Nana in his arms. "Once your mom comes home, I can go back to work, Nana," he said with a grin. "Since I'm here, though, wanna hear a new song?"
"Daa-da," Nana bubbled with a grin.
…
Captain grinned to see himself waiting at the Gunperry bay. "Shute!" he called with a short wave as he stepped down the gangplank of his Gunperry transport.
"Captain!" Shute ran forward excitedly.
The two met in the middle, and Shute cautiously slowed his movements; he wanted to give a hug to his best friend, but…
Captain, smiling, briefly hugged him instead to save him the scare of possibly misjudging his new strength. "It's great to see you."
"I'm so glad to see you, too!" Shute waved him towards the exit of the hangar. "Come on, let's go see the others!"
Captain nodded and followed.
They walked side-by-side down the teal-walled halls. "You're here a little earlier than I thought you would be," Shute said.
Captain averted his gaze. "I was suspended."
"Oh."
"Yes."
"…What?!" Shute's blue optical sensors jerked to him.
"John was ripping Margaret's artwork, and I tried to stop him," Captain explained regretfully, "but it seems that my physical intervention was against the rules."
Shute braked. "What did you do?!"
"I tried to physically restrain him," Captain said with an edge of irritation, "but I did not harm him or assault him in any way, as that would violate my ethical programming. The school rules mandate no physical contact, and because of that I was suspended."
"But, they… they think I did it," Shute groaned.
Agitation gave way to guilt. "I'm sorry, Shute. I never meant to cause you trouble. The principal said that it would probably be erased from your record as long as no more aggressive behaviors are observed."
Shute rubbed the floor with his red toes. "I guess that's something." He looked up. "What else did you do?"
Captain beamed. "I ate food! My first meal was your mother's fried pork cutlets."
"Fried pork cutlets? Aw, man! I wish I could've had some!"
The robot-turned-man locked his friend's gaze with wide, admiring eyes. "The sensation of taste is amazing, Shute! It felt so… delicious!"
Shute laughed. "I'm glad you got to taste it. I've missed eating, a bit."
Captain vigorously nodded. "I can sympathize now with humans who consume food for pleasure instead of for nourishment. The taste was very enjoyable!"
"I know, right?"
"And also, the sensation of adrenaline is incredible! I am impressed by how easily the human body detects and reacts to a dangerous situation." Captain touched a hand to his heart. "I could feel my heartbeat strongly, and the increase in temperature throughout my body must have meant that my blood-flow had increased."
Shute cocked his head. "Was that adrenaline from John?"
Captain bobbed his head yes. "You are still… concerned?"
"Nah, not really," Shute sighed. Flashing a smile, he said, "I can handle it. You were just trying your best, right?"
"Yes, just as I know you have."
"Yeah." Memories of his secret training session with Guneagle ran through his processor, but Shute withheld them; a stickler for the rules like Captain would report the incident, no matter who begged him otherwise. "Thanks for covering for me, Captain." He started to move, again, and Captain fell into step with him.
"You're welcome, Shute. Thank you for bearing with my frame. I know that it is very different from your usual experience."
Shute's face fell, but his mouth's corners could not curl to match his feelings. His inner software replayed the moving images of his body's Captain-controlled face, shining with the wonder of human taste. "Captain?"
"Yes, Shute?"
"You like being this way, don't you?"
Captain turned his green eyes to the ceiling and hummed, "In some ways, yes. But, I still lack the comfort of my own frame. Why?"
The metallic boy marched on for a moment before replying, "It's nothing."
Captain raised an eyebrow.
…
Chief Haro fussed his green mask into alignment as he entered the observation deck. "Sorry for the sudden departure. What is the status?" he asked Juli.
"Zero's search party reached the target site and has located a shield and a torn cape belonging to Titan," Juli reported grimly. "But, they have not found Titan. Zero wants to continue searching."
"So do I. They can spend another three days searching before we bring Zero back to base."
The door hissed open, and gold-edged heels clacked into the room. "Chief Haro?" Aleda began, her wings partially folded against her back as she, with hunched shoulders, approached him.
"Yes, Aleda? What is it?" Chief Haro asked, not unkindly.
"I want to figure out how to help Shute and Captain. Could I, um, have the spell book?" she squeaked.
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"But, I—"
"Zero is the expert in magic, so I am going to defer to his judgment," Chief Haro stated. "In the meantime, your job is to rest. Keep in mind that Zero may need your assistance to undo the spell."
Aleda's frame loosened. "I hadn't thought of that…"
"Are you feeling better since yesterday?"
"Yeah. I don't feel very tired."
Chief Haro nodded. "Good. I'm glad. Be sure to visit Chief Kao Lyn today so that he can check your energy levels."
"Yes, sir."
"You're dismissed. Make sure you relax."
"Yes, sir." Aleda click-clacked out.
Chief Haro sighed once she had left, "It's hard keeping track of all of these children."
Juli giggled. "Do you have any of your own, Chief?"
"Yes. Some of them are on this base." He turned to her. "Speaking of which, don't you have further reports to give me?"
"Shute and Captain Gundam are currently in the training room with Gunbike. Captain is on standby as you ordered, but Shute and Bakunetsumaru are performing exercises. Both Captain and Shute appear to be in top condition."
"Good. I'd like to speak with both Shute and Captain when they finish."
"I'll relay that to them, sir."
…
The two friends obeyed Haro's orders and met him in his office after Gunbike had soaked Captain in his own sweat. "I've… never felt… such a... sensation before," Captain panted as he tottered down the hall. "My heart beat… so fast and… everything burned…" he gulped in another breath, "and then the pain stopped… Human body chemicals… are amazing!"
"I think you let Gunbike push you too far," Shute said, watching him in worry. "Humans can do more than what's healthy for them without realizing it. You need to be careful."
"I guess… I just… didn't want to… stop before I… had to…"
"Keep your arms over your head, remember?"
Captain threw his arms overhead. "Right," he croaked.
"I'm a bit worried, too, because Gunbike thinks I'm that tough, now." Shute watched his fingers flex, contemplating the differences from his natural body.
"Sorry…" Captain wheezed.
By the time they reached the Chief's office, Captain had nearly caught his breath. They stepped in, and Chief Haro rose from his chair. "I see you worked hard, Captain. Your face is very red," Haro said. "Make sure that you take care of that body, though."
Captain's chest heaved. "Yes, sir."
"Well, let's review today's events, so far. How are you functioning, Shute?"
"I'm fine, sir." Shute flashed a happy emote. "It's been interesting seeing everything the way Captain does."
"No incidents to report?"
"No, sir!" Shute chirped.
"Good." Chief Haro turned his dotted eye holes to Captain. "Captain, I hear that you had an eventful day."
Captain dropped his green eyes. "Yes, sir. I unintentionally violated the rules of Shute's school and was suspended as a result. I've greatly inconvenienced Shute and his parents."
"It sounds like Shute needs to explain more about school," Chief Haro said, which drew both pairs of eyes to him. "And, Shute may need pointers, as well. I want you both to exchange information for the next two hours. Tell each other every rule and detail about your daily lives."
The boys saluted him. "Yes, sir!"
…
"The morning work is a worksheet next to the door when you walk in," Shute explained to Captain. The two sat on a couch in the lounge, exchanging information as per Chief Haro's orders. "It usually has math problems on it. Once you're done with it, then you read a book from your book box."
"Book box?"
"They're labeled with everyone's names. You can find them on top of the library shelves."
"That bookcase?"
"Yeah." Shute scratched the back of his helmet bashfully. "So, you'll be reading my comic books."
"You're not the only one with comic books, Shute, so you shouldn't be embarrassed," Captain said. "Margaret was also reading a comic, today."
Shute chuckled, each chortle reverberating through his metal frame. "I guess so."
"Shute?"
Shute looked at Captain, who sported a quizzical wrinkle in the bridge of his nose. "What does 'nerd' mean?"
"Um..." Shute eyed his lap. "It means someone who is into certain things, like computers, games, and cartoons and stuff."
"I don't understand why John and Rob would make fun of someone for liking those things," Captain said. Then, pointedly, "Shute, have they ever made fun of you for being a 'nerd'?"
"Uh, well..." Shute sighed. "Yes, they've made fun of me, but not a whole lot. It's not worth picking a fight with them, so I ignore them most of the time, and they get bored of picking on me."
Captain clenched a skin-sheathed hand. "That's not fair to you, Shute. Why did you never tell us? I'm sure we can find another venue of education."
"It's fine, Captain," Shute insisted. "The teachers keep it under control, and I feel pretty safe in school. I learn a lot, and I talk with Sayla all the time." His eyes flashed happy at the thought. "And I get to work with everyone in group projects."
"Shute...who are your friends at school?" Captain inquired.
"Huh?"
"Your friends. I noticed that, after school, you only spend time with Zero, Bakunetsumaru, Aleda, and me as friends." Shute felt his own green eyes bore searchingly into him. "Shute, do you have friends at school?"
Shute huffed, "Sayla's my friend."
"And...?"
"And that's it. Sayla's my friend from school, and you guys are my best friends."
Captain looked away, a sad frown on his face.
Shute's voice softened. "Hey, Captain, it's okay. I have you and Zero and Baku, now. I'm happy with you guys."
Captain pressed his lips into a bittersweet smile. "I'm happy that I mean so much to you, Shute."
"Don't worry about it, Captain. You guys are enough."
A corner of Captain's smile lifted. "Thanks."
…
"Bakunetsumaru." Chief Haro stood to greet the Musha Gundam entering his office.
Baku bowed. "Sir."
"I wanted to ask you a quick question."
"Sure."
"If it's too uncomfortable, you don't have to answer it," Haro said. "I was wondering what it means when the GunSouls of Gundams in Sola Diorama glow?"
"Uh…" Beads of moisture collected on Baku's helm. Drat, they're onto them! "…It means that it's getting extra power from something."
"Oh." The beady mask eyes blinked yellow. "Then, what does it mean if, say, two Gundams are glowing together? Theoretically?"
The beads started to slide down the grooves of Baku's helmet horns. "That means they've synchronized, like Shute and Captain."
"Hmm." Chief Haro touched the lips of his mask in thought. "I see. So, that means—would mean—they have a deep emotional attachment and closeness."
"Yeah. That's all it is." Baku grinned innocently.
"That's an interesting feature of Gundams," Chief Haro pondered. "Well, that was all I wanted to ask, Bakunetsumaru. Thank you for satisfying my curiosity."
"Sure." Baku bowed and left, silently hoping that he had not indirectly hinted at his knight friend's secret.
…
Aleda sat at her desk with her notebook open at a blank page, tapping the tabletop with her pencil. I'm not sure what to draw. Disheartened thoughts darkened her green eyes. All I can think about is what I did, and what Zero's going to say. Sickness and aching filled her GunSoul, a poisonous concoction mixed by the clash of her yearning for the knight and her dread of their next meeting.
After a few minutes of sitting, however, Aleda's vision blurred and dimmed, and fatigue beckoned her. She pushed her notebook to make room for her head on the desk. Just a little nap…
…
Knocks woke her. "Aleda?"
Her eyescreens flashed on. "What…?"
"Aleda?" the voice called, again. Baku's.
Aleda raised her head and rubbed her eyes. "Coming," she yawned.
"Are you okay?" Baku yelled. "I'm kinda hungry, by the way."
She glanced at the clock. 8:45 pm. "What?!" She bolted out of the chair. "Oh, no!"
Aleda flew to the door and opened it to her samurai friend. "I'm so sorry! I overslept!" she spouted to his wide, pleading brown eyes. "I closed my eyes for just a minute! I didn't know I'd sleep for so long!"
"Is there any food?" Baku whimpered.
She cringed. "No. I'm sorry. I didn't get to cook, today."
"That's okay," he sighed, "You're tired, so—"
His energy processor interrupted with a loud growl.
"I'll get you leftovers from the freezer," Aleda said.
"Thanks."
…
Three days passed, and Captain returned to school armed with Shute's advice and instructions. This time, he tried to ignore John and Rob's comments. "Here comes the only nerd to get suspended." "Yeah, he's lucky my parents don't sue him." Captain swiped the morning work sheet from a bin beside the door on the way to Shute's seat. Margaret slowed her writing to peer at him out of the corner of her eye. On his other side, Sayla waved.
"Welcome back, Shute. Are you feeling okay?"
"Yes, I am," Captain said with a smile.
"Good," Sayla said sweetly. "I hoped you wouldn't get into too much trouble. You're smiling, so it must be alright."
Captain nodded. "I made it through." He felt around inside his desk and pulled out a pencil. "I should start doing my morning work, now."
Sayla smiled again. "Yes, I should, too."
And so, they did.
At lunch, Captain found Sayla again—the only familiar face to him—and sat beside her. "Hello, Shute," Sayla cheerily greeted him.
"Hello, Sayla," Captain returned amiably.
"Sayla," said another girl poking Sayla's arm on her other side, "what are we doing in the baking club, today?"
The blond's purple eyes immediately centered on her friend. "Oh, we're going to have so much fun! Today, we're making cheesecakes!"
As Sayla began to chatter with the girl, Captain exercised his domestic chopstick practice to, though stiffly, scoop white rice into his mouth. A tray of food landed beside him on the long table, and he looked to see Margaret, ears red, sliding her Capri-hugged legs into the seat. "Hello, Margaret," Captain said.
"Hi, Shute," she returned in her low-pitched voice. "I, uh, wanted to say thanks for sticking up for me on Tuesday."
Captain beamed with a rice-speckled mouth. "You're welcome."
"I'm sorry you got in trouble for it."
"No, it's alright. It was my fault."
The girl pulled open her milk carton. "Did you really like my drawings?"
"Yes. They remind me of a friend who likes to design new tech." Captain chewed another bite of rice before adding, "Those armed mobile citizens that you drew… did you see them in the news?"
Margaret's blue eyes lit with excitement. "Yeah! They're making a movie, and they looked so cool that I had to draw them!"
Captain raised an eyebrow. "Really? You think they're cool?"
"Of course! But, the one with the rifle hasn't been at the filming site. I wish he'd show up, again."
"Oh?"
"You know which one I'm talking about, right? He was on the news for a bit in that fight scene with the Ferris wheel, before they took down the videos."
"Yes, I know the one." Captain could not help but grin.
"Oh! Of course you do," Margaret said. "You're one of the extras, aren't you, Shute?"
Captain blinked. "Huh?"
"I've seen you in some of the filming. You've been working with those mobile citizens." Margaret leaned in eagerly. "Hey, tell me, have you seen the rifle robot?"
Captain swayed backwards nervously, centimeters from Sayla's golden tresses, and stuttered, "I—um, well—uh, yes." His body flushed with warmth.
Margaret's face shone blindingly bright. "Oh, my gosh, Shute! That's awesome! Who is he?! What's his name?!" Nearby tablemates—and even some at an adjacent table—glanced at them.
"C-C…" Captain swallowed to regain his bearings; the situation had triggered an adrenaline rush, he deduced from the heat in his cheeks. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry."
Margaret withdrew. "You have to keep it a secret?"
Captain nodded, cringing apologetically. "If I don't, then I cannot work with them."
A grin still plastered her face. "I get it. It's okay. I'll have to wait until the movie comes out."
"It will make a good surprise," Captain reassured her. This is stretching my honesty protocols, he internally fret.
"Oh! I was wondering: do you know a lot about mobile citizens?"
"Yes, I do." Captain licked the sticky rice from his lips. When some grains failed to unstick, he grimaced and rubbed his mouth and cheeks with a napkin.
Margaret laughed and faced her food, blushing. "That's right. I need to let you eat, don't I?"
"Probably. And, you should eat, too, or else we will both have insufficient energy for our afternoon classes."
The girl sucked down her milk in one three-second gulp. "So, what do you think of the new expressions software that they're releasing for the mobile citizens?"
Captain swallowed a bite of broccoli. "New software?"
"The mobile citizen movie stars are really expressive. Have you noticed? Especially the red one and the one with the cape."
"Yes, they are very expressive. The programming is impressive, and I look forward to seeing other mobile citizens gain their abilities."
"There's another mobile citizen who acts as an extra, but he's still figuring out the expressions," Margaret laughed. "You know, the one with a face?"
Captain gave a tight chuckle. "Oh, yes, him."
"It's cute, though."
The chopsticks stopped above the rice, and Captain's cheeks reddened. "Cute?"
"Yeah, the cluelessness is adorable."
"Hahaha. Yes. Cute." Captain shoved a bite of shrimp in his mouth before he could make a face—because with the mixed feelings he was experiencing, he wasn't sure what expression would come out.
…
Shute swung a punch at Guneagle, who spun, smacking him with one of his huge wings. "Ow!" Shute yelled.
Guneagle bowled him from behind and pinned him to the floor of the storage room with his arms and an angled wing. "Stop saying 'ow,' Shute. It never hurts!"
"You say it all the time!" Shute growled as he tried to wriggle himself from Guneagle's grip.
"I get surprised, okay?!"
Shute's head rotated to shoot him an angry face. "I do, too!"
Guneagle rolled and smooshed Shute with his wide wings. "This is fun," he laughed. Glancing over his shoulder, he added, "Though, we still have a lot of work to do. You have to punch like you mean it, Shute."
Shute felt the weight on his back lift. "But, I don't want to hurt you," he protested as he pushed himself up. He could see the proud, tall flier walk in front of him, his frame edged in shadows under the dim lighting.
"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." The flier offered a hand. Shute took Guneagle's hand and let him help pull him to his feet. "And," Guneagle added, "we moved all the equipment against the walls, so you don't have to worry about hitting those, either. You just need to worry about actually landing a hit on me!"
"I guess that should be what I worry about, at this rate."
Guneagle bumped his shoulder playfully. "You have tons of programming in there that can move your frame exactly how you want it to. You just gotta let it run."
"Okay." Shute spread his feet. "I'll try not to hold back."
Guneagle leapt. Shute struck at the mouthguard, but Guneagle shielded his face with a hand, and Shute threw his other fist at his torso. To Shute's surprise, his metal knuckles glanced off a sharp corner, instead. Guneagle rammed him with his bulky shoulder armor, and Shute, grabbing hold of the piece, spun his heel-wheels to keep his footing.
"That's better," Guneagle said. Then, he brought his other arm around. "Now, you gotta think things through!"
A flash of grey pounded Shute's forehead, knocking the child on his back, and a fearsome mass of wings and joints jumped to crush him. Shute rolled and, upon hearing the thud of Guneagle's landing, thwacked his back with one leg. "Ow!"
"You said it, again!" Shute accused.
Guneagle chuckled as they stood. "I was surprised. You managed to pull a fast one on me!" He raised a hand. "Good job! High-five, kid!"
Shute, laughing, slapped his palm. "Thanks!"
…
"How was school?" Shute asked Captain as they sat on a couch in the lounge.
"It was fun," Captain said with a smile. "I talked with Margaret at lunch."
"Cool." Shute grinned. "Did you talk to Sayla, too?"
"I spoke with her briefly in the morning, but during lunch she talked with other girls."
"What?" Shute flashed the sad emote, a set of black cartoon eyes sloping outward. "But, Captain, I don't want her to think I'm ignoring her!"
Captain wrinkled his forehead. "I didn't ignore her. I've conversed with her."
"You talked with another girl at lunch, though, and not her."
"I understand. I'll speak with both Margaret and Sayla tomorrow during lunch."
"You're eating lunch together again, tomorrow?"
"Yes. We agreed to eat together, tomorrow, because we enjoyed each other's company." Captain beamed. "You should speak with her more, Shute. She likes robot tech a lot, like you."
"I guess. It sounds like she'd be fun to talk to." Shute leaned back in the couch. "I wonder if people will think that she's my girlfriend, though…"
"I am not sure what exactly constitutes an attractive human date, but I don't see any reason not to consider Margaret."
Shute sighed. "Sure, Captain…"
...
Neotopia came into view of a digital "window" projection within the Gunperry. Zero gazed across to the towers that branched in the skyline, but all he could see were emerald eyes.
"Zero," called back the pilot, causing him to turn. "We've received communications that there is an urgent situation at White Base."
The Winged Knight frowned. "What is it?"
"Aleda, Shute, and Captain Gundam have been involved in an accident concerning magic."
Zero rocked. "What?!"
"They all appear to be recovered, now, but there are, according to the report, 'Unusual side effects' in Captain Gundam and Shute that require your attention."
Zero put a hand to the wall to steady himself. "They are all uninjured?"
"Yes. They are in no immediate danger."
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Mana…"
"We dock in fifteen minutes."
"Aye." The Lacroan nodded. It must have been the spell book. What have I done? he internally agonized.
Author's Notes
Three guesses as to Zero's reaction when he gets in White Base. XD No, seriously, leave them in the reviews, because I'd love to see them! Though, I can't guarantee that I'll actually tell you if you're right or wrong before I post the next chapter ;) I'm interested to see your predictions.
Captain and Shute have started to get away from me a bit in this arc. XD I never imagined that they'd start brewing a bit of tension/disconnect between them, but I'll roll with it.
So, (regretfully,) my school and new work start up again next week, and the updates will have to slow down so that I don't forget about these other very important things. Expect the next chapter in about 1 and ½ to two weeks.
-Penelopi
August 31, 2015: Just wanted to let my readers know that I posted a poll on my profile page asking what characters you wanted to see more of in this fic. Please vote!
August 31, 2015: Update on my traffic stat bug: it is fixed! But please, do review! I want to hear from you all!
September 2, 2015: The traffic stat bug is back. (Whyyyy?!) Please, please review!
September 5, 2015: The error seems to be gone for good, this time, but please review! As I've seen noted on forms, there are big gaps in the traffic stats during the times when people were affected by this error, so I'm still a little blind, here.