Author's Notes
Well, it wasn't that long since my last SDGF fic was posted, but it's been way too long since I updated this particular fic. I was editing and editing and splitting hairs, but it's about time I just posted! I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you to Oribird for reading it over for me and helping me get it flowing well!
Copyright Info
SD Gundam Force is created and produced by Bandai and Sunrise. My OCs that are mentioned or show up in this chapter are Aleda, Titan, Dominic Vaughn, Ace, Miku, Myles, Amane, Opal, and Papillon. All other characters and settings belong exclusively to Bandai and Sunrise.
Chapter 30: Descent
The swords whistled, cutting air like butter.
He knew Chief Haro had wanted him to get some rest while he could, but Baku just couldn't keep still. His friends were out there, fighting, while he was safe at base. And after he'd promised to help bring Aleda back himself.
How had he gotten stuck moping around in Neotopia?
"Haaaaaaaah! Take that!" Another sword slice split the air.
He hated this. Hated it. Hated that he couldn't seem to aid any of the people he was indebted to. First Lord Buritenmaru, then Captain Gundam, and now Zero.
Lord Buritenmaru was his strong and just ruler who'd taken him in as one of his warriors when he'd been a wandering ronin, a masterless samurai. He owed him his allegiance and his life. Yet Baku was in Neotopia instead of back at home in his lord's army where he belonged. Captain Gundam had earned his gratitude by taking a hit during a fight against Ashuramaru on the bridge. That had—though he hated to admit it—probably saved Baku's life. There had not come a time yet for Captain Gundam to require rescue, but Baku swore on his Musha GunSoul that he would return the favor if the opportunity ever came. And Zero...
He'd promised that puffed up knight, his brother-in-arms and his friend, that he'd go break into enemy lines and bring his beloved home safe and sound. And instead, Zero was fighting in another dimension to bring her back himself, after having sustained life-threatening injuries mere days earlier. The knight was a formidable warrior, to be sure, but he should not have had to endure this himself...
Why did Baku feel so guilty? Was it really his fault?
If he hadn't left Zero and Aleda alone that one time, maybe Tallgeese wouldn't have been able to get in there and take her.
Oh kami, was it really his fault...?
Titan's enraged words replayed in his head."You can't fix this!"
Baku's swordstrokes slowed, then stopped. His blades sank to his sides. "I screwed up, didn't I?" he murmured.
He had so many doubts, and his one-track mind wouldn't be able to sort through them.
He had so many debts, and he'd never repay them, no matter how much he wanted to.
...
They were in the shadowed caves below Lacroa. Scared and tired, they watched the darkness ahead, trying to find the cause of Miku's fear. Zero gripped Aleda's hand tightly, and Titan and Ace tensed. The Arkian had her gun out, even though she couldn't have seen her target.
A shadow around the bend shifted and stood. "Who dares to threaten me? Sir Ace? Is that you?" it demanded as it walked toward them.
Aleda sucked in her breath as Miku took a step back beside her, her pistol still aimed. "Who are—"
"Stop." Ace waved and reached as if to grab her gun, but he was too far away; he still had to lean on Titan. "This is a friend."
The jagged edge of the shadow—the sharp curve of a naginata blade, they could soon see—lowered, and a Gundamess with a ridged ponytail stepped into view. "Ace, why did you signal us to leave?" she demanded, eyeing him sharply. "We could have—"
Aleda heard a gasp and felt a squeeze on her arm. She glanced to see Miku gripping her and staring at the other Gundamess, her red armor paling. The vibrations on her armguard Miku was possibly close to collapsing. "Miku, what's wrong?" she whispered.
"Miku?" the green one echoed as she stared, too. For a moment, they just stood there. Then the ponytailed Gundamess threw her naginata on her back, ran, and threw her arms around her. "Miku! We finally saved you!"
Miku's trembling hands reached to hug her back. "Amane… hime-sama?"
"Yes, it's me."
"How? They took you—the Dark Axis took you, and I wasn't there."
Amane shook her head, wagging her ponytail. "No, no they didn't. They tried to, but Sir Ace ambushed the soldiers and rescued me. I'm sorry I didn't come back for you sooner."
Miku's eyes watered. "You're alive." A sob escaped her as she squeezed her friend. "You've been alive all this time…"
Aleda could see a soft smile curling under Ace's mouthguard in spite of his fatigue. He was pleased at the reunion. But in spite of the touching moment, she was still on edge. She felt a magic aura tickle from further down the cave…
It was Zero who said something. "Who else is there?"
Ace shifted—forcing Titan to readjust his stance—and called over his shoulder, "Lady Papillon, come on out! There is nothing to fear from them!"
A few bubbly pitters sounded, and another Gundamess, this one white with a horn spiraling out of her forehead, cautiously emerged from the surrounding rocks. "S-Sorry…" she mumbled, bowing to them. "I'm Papillon."
"Pleased to meet you, milady." Zero nodded politely. He hadn't tried to pull out a rose yet for any of the new ladies, which was unusual. Aleda could swear his feathers were bristling—she felt many little pinpricks on her arm, on the side where he was holding her hand. He tugged her slightly as he said, "The Dark Axis is still pursuing us. We should keep going."
"Indeed." Ace nudged his tall helper along. "Let's be going. Lady Amane, you will have time to catch up once we're all safe."
She nodded and stood. "Are you ready?" she asked Miku.
"Of course," she answered, twirling her pistol. "I'm always ready."
The group continued slowly down their path. Zero never let go Aleda's hand, and she for her part squeezed his hand so hard she worried she'd leave marks. Her last two days had been an unending nightmare, and part of her still feared this was a dream. Miku marched beside Amane as if to guard her. How was she handling herself so well, so calmly, after having been enslaved for so long? And Papillon, though she hovered worriedly near Ace, who was stumbling along the best he could, every so often pausing to pant and catch his breath-even she seemed less fearful, since she could float a short distance ahead during his pauses to scout the terrain.
The way in front of them lightened. At first they barely noticed because the crystals were also bright, but soon it was apparent that reddish light from the corrupted surface was leaking in. It gradually deepend until it saturated them. The cavern had turned into an open-aired ravine, letting down the sounds of whistling wind from the empty land above.
The Gundams passed under the gap and slowed, instinctively listening for enemies aboveground.
"Nobody, so far," Titan murmured.
"But they are on the way..." Zero said. His blue eyes were distant, as if he were watching and listening to something out of their sight.
"Zero?" Aleda gripped his hand.
His face twisted in worry; he was listening to something she couldn't hear. "But Fenn..."
She pulled herself closer and whispered, "What's wrong?"
His frame suddenly glowed bright, and she flinched and closed her eyes. Gusts of wind rushed in her face and feathers tickled her nose. She opened her eyes to see Fenn in all his draconic glory before them. He was flying up to the crack in the ceiling. Everyone stared up at the Feather Dragon, most shielding their eyescreens from his brightness.
"Fenn!" Zero was in his normal blue, unfeathered armor now. His hand slipped away as he started to fly after his partner.
But the dragon gave a warning shriek, and he stopped. Fenn glared down at Zero, pinning him with his eyes as he crested the lip of the chasm. Zero's face twisted in pain. Feather Dragon flew out of sight, first the torso and wings, then finally the long, branching tail. The rest of the group eyed the Winged Knight questioningly, but they seemed hesitant to speak. He drifted down despondently.
Aleda, her heart aching, moved to meet him. "What happened?" she asked in a low whisper.
He squeezed her hand, hard. "He said the Dark Axis was following his energy signature, and that we would not be able to lose them if he was with us. He left to draw them away."
Titan spoke up, "Then it would be prudent for us to take this chance." Zero gave him a glare that matched Fenn's in ferocity, but the older Gundam returned just as steely a look. "We couldn't catch up to Feather Dragon if we tried. Plus, he is one of the most powerful Spirits. There is no chance they could capture him."
His hand was trembling. "But the fiends nearly did…"
Aleda looked down in guilt, thinking how they indeed nearly had captured Feather Dragon not long ago, using her as a hostage.
"Please, we must continue," Ace said. "We can't let ourselves be caught after everything we've done to escape."
There was a long pause. Aleda felt Zero's eyes on her, but she couldn't bear to look up. At last, he said, "You're right."
She lifted her gaze just as he turned away. She'd sensed an intensity from him, but perhaps caused by concern rather than anger. He was giving in for her sake. For the moment, he wouldn't rush off and leave; he'd stay with her.
"Let us continue." He was already tugging her along. The rest of the Gundams moved into place behind them, funneling into a line.
"I recognize this way," Ace said. "We'll reach the others soon."
"Who are these 'others'?" Zero asked.
"Two other Lady Gundamesses of Lacroa. They stayed behind to watch our camp."
"There are many ladies here."
"Mostly ladies are left after the Dark Axis invasion."
Zero kept his gaze on the darkening way ahead, but his eyes widened. Aleda slipped closer to him, protectively, and even partially looped her arm through his.
He would stay, but for how long?
...
Kao Lyn hummed to himself. He and Bell Wood were surrounded by a couple of server stacks in a small study, staring into datapads and laptop screens. His teenage companion lounged on some sprawled pillows, laying on his back and holding his tablet over his head to see. The laidback genius liked to find comfortable positions that didn't force him to use the muscles along his spine. He'd moved around eight times in the last twenty minutes, and he'd probably abandon this position just as quickly when his arms tired.
They were analyzing the data from Tallgeese's latest attack, modifying the security system to be able to detect invisibility magic, and periodically checking radiation levels for signs of more interdimensional portals. And not necessarily all in that order, or in neat steps. As they submitted new patterns for White Base to look out for, they'd notice some other peculiarity in the recorded readings and alter or add to the red flag list accordingly.
And as for why they were doing it in a cramped and hot networking room, they both wanted to be undisturbed until the completion of their work, and they were both at ease around such machinery. It reminded Kao Lyn of his days networking in engineering school. Bell Wood hadn't said anything about his particular affinity for these spaces, but he imagined it wasn't much different. They simply liked machines.
Kao Lyn pressed the tablet screen to check the data timestamps again. Certain spikes in electromagnetic energy coincided with Tallgeese's presence in Zero's room and with his dramatic exit. By pinpointing this spike, he was starting to trace the enemy's path through the base. It had taken him a while to differentiate all of the magical signatures—Zero's, Aleda's, and Titan's—but he was pretty sure he'd isolated Tallgeese's, now. He peered closer, his glasses slowly wirling...
A knock jolted him. He looked up sharply and caught Bell Wood's equally confused look. No one should have known they were there besides the upper echelons of the SDG.
The knock came again.
"Who is it?" Kao Lyn sang.
"Captain Gundam," came the soft voice.
One bushy eyebrow pushed up on Kao Lyn's face. Captain never came to visit at this time of night. Something serious must have happened. "Come on in!"
The light whirrs of the sliding door and of Captain's mechanical movements signaled his entrance. The Gundam stepped around the server stacks and shimmied between two towers to reach them. "Pardon the intrusion, sir." He carefully stepped over Bell Wood, who gave him a curious glance.
"Not at all, Captain!" Kao Lyn pushed an empty plate aside to make room. "Come on over and tell me what you need." Over Captain's shoulder, he could see Bell Wood sitting up to shoot him a questioning look. Or a worried look. Bell Wood's mouth curled in a grimace, as if internally bracing himself for whatever bad news Captain must have.
"I am not sure what I need," Captain said, setting one, then two red toes into the offered space. At that statement, Bell Wood's eyebrows shot up and his eyes popped. That kid needed to stop with the dramatics. No one should have been surprised by now about Captain's ever more frequent vague and imprecise statements. "I only know that I cannot enter my recharge cycle. I have tried multiple times through different procedures without success."
Kao Lyn only paused a moment before giving a sigh. He shouldn't have been surprised. "You don't know what's preventing your recharge cycle?"
"No, sir."
The old scientist smiled softly. "What have you been thinking about for these last few hours?"
The Gundam's eyes shifted slightly. "I have been rehearsing possible strategies for an infiltration mission to follow Zero, Titan, and Aleda into Lacroa. You and Chief Haro have said that we will devise an alternate rescue mission if they do not return tonight."
"Ah!" Kao Lyn exclaimed, rocking back. "I know what your problem is, Captain."
"What is it?"
"You're worried about your friends."
"Yes, I am."
"That's what's keeping you from recharging. You're too worried to settle down and rest."
"Oh. I see." Captain's face never changed, even though he now had the ability to express his emotions. He was trying to keep them in check. Unfortunately for him, though, a slight waver in his voice betrayed him. "What do you recommend?" he asked.
"Some people find it helpful to distract themselves with something fun, or they find company to reassure them." Kao Lyn gestured to the mess around him. "Why don't you move some of these and stay with us for a while?"
"Wouldn't that interfere with your work?"
"Nonsense! You are my work." He moved a short stack on top of another, clearing a space. "Have a seat, Captain."
Captain obliged. "Thank you."
"No problem! Hopefully you can relax and recharge, soon. You'll need your rest to be in tip-top shape for whatever lies ahead."
Bell Wood wiggled his feet out of the way, and Captain filled out the space as he relaxed his joints and pulleys. He spoke again. "Kao Lyn." The seriousness of those words compelled the old man to look in Captain's burning blue eyes. "What do you think will happen? I have been trying to calculate the probability that Zero and Aleda will return from Lacroa, but there are too many unknown factors."
Yes, there were many—no, mostly unknowns in this dire situation. Kao Lyn had no idea of the mathematical odds. But he knew what his child needed to hear. "There are many unknowns, but one thing is certain: they will make it back to Neotopia safe and sound."
"How did you calculate this?"
"With optimism," Bell Wood muttered.
"With trust," Kao Lyn shot back. "I know those two, and I know they'll overcome any difficulties Tallgeese throws at them." It was unthinkable for them to fail. Fate had chosen those Lacroans and the SDG to save two worlds, and they were his creation's friends. How could they meet their end at the hands of one puffed-up coward?
Captain fortunately seemed to be drawing hope from his optimism. "Yes, you are right. They will be fine." He was speaking sincerely: the lack of his emotes, which he still used more as masks than as casual expressions, showed it. He was starting to relax. Soon, he'd be ready to try to recharge again. Kao Lyn was grateful.
Now if only the rest of them could get some sleep. He didn't think he would any time soon.
…
There was no question. He'd found them. Both of them. The two ladies Baku was searching for: his sister Miku, and his princess, Amane. There could be no mistake. They were both right there in front of him and oh Mana, he hadn't been expecting to find them so soon.
But now that they were all together, Zero could make good on that recent promise to his friend. He wasn't sure, yet, how they were going to get back to Neotopia. Shute's voice changer hadn't made it to them. But he'd get them all there for sure. His Little Wing was at his side, so he could be his strongest.
He squeezed the Lady's hand, and to his delight, he felt a gentle squeeze back. By the Spirit Tree, he was hopeless, entertaining stomach butterflies even at a time like this, when they were deep underground in Lacroa, fleeing from the Dark Axis, outnumbered a thousand to one and cut off from their otherworldly allies... But he couldn't help it; he was just so happy to have her safe next to him…
Zero thought he could detect a faint trickling noise.
"Tis the waterfall," Ace said. "We are close."
More turns, and the noise of water grew. It was still only a small, bubbly waterfall rather than a roar, but it was distinct.
He also felt something brush against his consciousness, like a curious fish experimentally nibbling him. Someone's magic. But it was too faint to determine its source.
"Just through that hole up there," Ace said, pointing with his free arm.
The hole he indicated was a narrow tunnel with a lumpy rim, hinting at a volcanic leak many years before their time. All they could see through it was darkness.
The Gundamesses slipped through the hole first before the males followed. Zero and Titan lowered Ace in, then climbed in once he'd slid down. The passage leveled out shortly, and its glazed walls widened enough to walk two abreast. Zero took Aleda's hand again as they continued in that dim tunnel.
The way opened into a large cavern. Peering warily out from an alcove on the far side were two Gundamesses. One was blue, with helmet decals resembling aquatic fins. The other...
Zero's breath stopped.
Wings, and the glint of the most colorful of gems. She was staring back, and she said something. Zero couldn't hear what she said through the roar in his audios.
But he certainly could name her.
"Lady Opal."
...
Aleda heard a gasp from Zero. She turned to her knight and saw him staring wide-eyed at one of the Gundamesses rising from the alcove. Her armor was mainly a dusky red, but as she moved, the light that reflected off of it shone in a whole kaleidoscope of color. A pair of large white, metallic wings extended gracefully from her back.
She was watching them with a mixture of pain, shock, and a barely discernible expression that might be wild hope.
"Zero," the elegant Gundamess began.
"Lady Opal," Zero said, barely above a whisper.
Ace, free of his living crutches, leaned against a nearby rock as he glanced between the two. "You have met before?"
"Indeed. Lady Opal's husband is the leader of the Royal Knights, which I joined a few years ago." He released Aleda's hand long enough to bow. "I never thought I'd meet you here, milady. It gladdens me to see you safe!"
The Gundamess—Opal—drifted forward with just a shift of her wings. She was still staring, but not at Zero. At Aleda. Her eyes were so wide and green, she couldn't help but notice them staring at her. The other Gundamess's wings quivered in a strangely familiar way.
The young girl felt her finger scraping against her skirt armor, a sure sign she was starting to fidget. Why was this Gundamess watching her so intently? Her metallic skin and wings were dulled, and her green eyes, in spite of how lively and fixed they were at the moment, bore signs of weariness: blurriness at the edges of the eyescreens, dulled corners smudging the definition.
After a second more, Opal thankfully turned her eyes to Zero. "I am grateful to see you, as well. Have you seen Rock?" she asked earnestly. "We were separated during the battle for Lacroa Castle..." Her slightly rasped, rattly voice confirmed that she, indeed, was an aged version of their species. Aleda hadn't ever thought about the possibility of getting old. She'd been so different from the people around her that she'd assumed aging would be yet another item on the list of things she'd miss. It seemed she was wrong.
Zero was crestfallen at Opal's news. "I had hoped to hear he was with you, milady... I have not seen him, either, not since I was sent away from Lacroa two years ago."
"I see." Her wings drooped.
"He and the other Royal Knights must be in hiding somewhere, too."
"Yes, it must be..."
The others were watching them with a mix of sympathy and unease. The horned one, Papillon, was giving Opal a distressed look, while the blue Gundamess beside Opal seemed to be sizing Zero up. "Sizing up" came to Aleda's mind, because her optical sensors were scanning him quickly, like mobile citizens scanning groceries at Neotopian shopping centers. Those workers were wirelessly connected to a store's system so they could scan barcodes with their eyescreens and slide customers' card payment within the next split second. This webbed Gundamess matched that calculating expression. What were those calculations for?
"Lady Opal, we saw some Spirits we didn't recognize," Ace said, stepping away from the rock to near her. "What can you—ah!" He buckled and fell, and there was a loud crunch. Was that sound the arm he'd fallen on? Titan and Zero immediately moved to help him.
"Let me see him." Opal was already there, kneeling down beside him and pushing between the other males, speaking calmly in spite of her urgent, slightly trembling movements. "I'm sorry, Sir Ace, I should have been checking you for injuries after such an ordeal..."
He propped himself up on his elbows. His arms were fine, after all, though they trembled. "No need, milady. It is only magic fatigue, and you cannot do anything for that."
Her posture eased, and she sat back slightly. "No, I cannot easily treat that. But I am glad you are uninjured." She lifted her green eyes to Zero. "Let's take him to a corner where he can rest."
"Yes, milady."
For the second time, to Aleda's chagrin, he'd let go her hand. She scratched her skirt instead.
They took Ace to the alcove, where the horned one—Papillon—conjured a thin mat for him to lie on. He sprawled over it, groaning. "We need to set a watch," he said. "I'd take the first one, but..."
"You've done enough," Opal insisted. "One of us can do it, after we've checked everyone for injuries."
Aleda saw Zero immediately look to her. "Lady Opal, Lady Aleda—this lady here," he said, zipping to her side, "was scratched on her gem." He took her hand and pulled her to the winged one. "Please help her. I've done what I can, but your healing magic is far better." She self-consciously grabbed her chest as they passed the other Gundamesses.
"I was wonderig why your cape was tied around her." Opal's face seemed to have darkened, and her wings quivered again. "Bring her quickly."
As Zero passed her off to Opal, Aleda murmured shyly, "My armor is...damaged."
Opal didn't need to be told twice. "We'll go somewhere to give you privacy. And you men, please give the lady due consideration," she added, pointedly looking over the girl's shoulder.
They moved behind a boulder where she could safely remove her bandage and chest armor. Aleda winced when it scraped a bit too close on its way off. Once the wound was uncovered, the elderly Gundamess held her hand over it, and her magic took root. To Aleda's surprise, the energy was a bright red instead of the blue color of her and Zero's magic.
"It's a different color," she commented. The dim blotch on her GunSoul was vanishing. "What kind of magic do you use?"
Lady Opal lifted her hand and leaned back, watching her. Was it a cautious stare, or just a thoughtful one? "It is my secret," she finally said. She reached and plucked the girl's tattered torso armor from the ground. "The rest you must heal naturally. Put this on again the best you can. You'll also still need the cape."
Aleda nodded and took the armor. Its white surface was marred by the gaping hole in the chest. That piece, containing an extra vent for natural airation of her body, had fallen away during Tallgeese's torments. She'd have to replace it.
As she slid it over her chest and reached behind to snap it around her wings, she heard Opal ask, "You and Zero... how are you two related?"
Her fingers slipped, and one side of the armor swung open again. Her cheeks burned. That was sudden. She looked down so she could concentrate on moving her fingers behind her while she talked. "It's a long story, but... I'm his student. He teaches me magic." Yes, that was the simplest way to put it.
The elder Gundamess hummed. "Yes, that is good. That's how it should be..." She rose to her feet. "I'll check everyone else for injuries. Come out when you are ready."
Aleda watched her go, thinking...
...
Mobile citizen and human shifted uneasily in the night. Myles was in one end of the room, plugged into a standing recharge station, though he wasn't recharging. His visor was turned off-he needed to let the other occupant sleep, after all-but his CPU refused to slow. All he could think of was her predicament. Ally had been captured, as they'd feared would one day happen. They had always thought she'd be threatened by curious researchers looking to get their hands on new tech, but instead she was being used as... hostage material? At least, that's what the mysterious SDG guessed. Now, they had to rely on them to get her back.
"Are you having trouble sleeping, too?"
Myles activated his optical sensors. Dominic, the dark-haired adoptive brother of Aleda, was studying the ceiling. His position, sprawled over the double bed with his legs twisted in the blankets, didn't look very comfortable, much less restful. That would have explained all the rustling noises he'd heard.
"I don't sleep," the GM said.
"I know, you power down and recharge. But it's easier to say sleep." Dominic pulled the blanket farther up, even though he'd been crawling out of it moments earlier. "There are enough similarities, anyways."
"You would know." Dom was the engineer, after all. He'd been interested in robotics ever since his late childhood when he met Ally, according to his sisters. He must have been glad to get a look inside the SDG base, in spite of the circumstances.
"What are you thinking about?" the young man asked.
"Ally."
"Mm. Me, too."
He wondered if he should even bring up his fears. He didn't know if he could keep himself together if that idea was manifested in speech. Once something was said, it felt more real. That at least was the same between both human and mobile citizen psyches.
He molded the idea a little bit until it could come out more positively. "She'll make it back, won't she?"
"Yeah, I think so..." After a thoughtful pause, Dominic shifted to face him. "When she's here, what will you do?"
He wasn't quite prepared for that question. Myles shaded his optical sensors so he wasn't looking directly at the brother. He didn't want to answer. He didn't know how.
But that was the question, wasn't it?
The unavoidable one he'd have to answer soon.
Author's Notes
Papillon's name does in fact mean "butterfly" in French. I thought it was a cute name when I was thinking her up, but there is no particular connection to real butterflies or to adorable big-eared dogs.
I've just started Chapter 31, so we'll see when that one gets out. It should be before summer. (*knocks on wood*) I will have wedding planning to do around then. For my wedding :D
See you guys around, and thank you for reading!
-Penelopi