Hey everyone sorry for the wait but here's the second chapter for Shinobi of the Cosmic Era.
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Chapter 2
(With Naruto and Kira.)
The two gundams flew over to the new battleship Kira carried Lacus, Murrue, Tolle, and the others to the Archangel's open starboard catapult. Stepping into the catapult, Strike knelt down and let the group off of the mobile suit's hand with the Kurama landing beside him as a group of Earth Forces soldiers ran up to them.
"Lieutenant Ramius!" called a black haired woman at the front of the group, her voice sounding relieved. Murrue looked over at her.
"Ensign Natarle Badgiruel," said Murrue, sounding somewhat relieved herself.
"It's a tremendous relief to see that you're safe," said Natarle as she saluted. Murrue returned the salute.
"You as well," said Murrue. "I'm pleased that you protected the Archangel. You do realize you saved us."
Kira and Naruto opened the cockpitz of the Strike and Kurama and clambered out, drawing shocked stares from the Earth Forces soldiers as he descended from the mobile suit.
"Come on, will someone tell me what's going on here?" asked Murdoch, the Archangel's chief mechanic. "He's just a kid. Just learned how to shave, and he's piloting that thing?"
"What about the other one?"
"Yeah but what about the other one? i didn't know we had a 6th machine." s
"Wait yeah, and look it's still on. it's not loosing it's color."
"Lieutenant Ramius, what's going on?" asked Natarle, her confusion obvious. Murrue glanced over at Kira and Lacus before looking down.
"Wow," came a new voice, drawing everyone's eyes to a blond man in a purple and gray pilot suit walking over to them. "What a surprise," he said as he continued walking up to them.
"I'm Lieutenant Mu La Flaga, of the Seventh Orbital Fleet, at your service" he introduced, stopping in front of Murrue. He then saluted her. "It's an honor." The other soldiers, including Murrue and Natarle, saluted as well.
"Lieutenant Murrue Ramius, of Sector Two, Fifth Special Division," said Murrue, introducing herself as well. "I'm a crewmember of this ship."
"Ensign Natarle Badgiruel, same division," introduced Natarle.
As the soldiers relaxed again, Mu spoke up. "I would like permission to come aboard this vessel," he said. "May I ask who's in command around here?"
Natarle frowned slightly, her expression somewhat downcast. "The captain," she began. "And all of the superior officers of this ship have perished in battle. Therefore, I believe it's Lieutenant Ramius who's next in command."
"Huh?" said Murrue, sounding distinctly worried.
"Only about a dozen of us are left, sir, mostly non-commissioned officers," said Natarle. "Fortunately, I was in the shaft and managed to survive."
"You mean the captain's…? It can't be," said Murrue.
"Oh man, what an unmitigated disaster," said Mu. "In any case, please grant me permission, Lieutenant Ramius. The ship I was assigned to engaged the enemy, and was downed."
"Oh, um, sure, permission granted," said Murrue, obviously uncomfortable with being in command.
"And…" said Mu, turning to look at Naruto and Kira. "And who are they..."
"As you can,see theyI saw him in the factory district during the attack. While fleeing we came across the Strike He successfully used it to disable a ZAFT Ginn." Murrue said shocking crew at this.
"Fight off a Ginn a,that kid actually did it?" Natarle, asked incredulous.
"Yes," Murrue said. "But after we defeated it, we were ambushed and surrounded by 4 more gins, and almost lost our lives if it wasn't for him" she said pointing to Naruto who was leaning against Kurama talking amongst his friends.
"And what about that machine, it wasn't listed amongst the G-weapons." Natarle asked looking over the Kurama.
"From what I've learned recently he built the Mobile Suite himself." Murrue said shocking the crew.
"Are you serious!? A kid built a Mobile Suite by himself that's impossible!" Natarle exclaimed in shock.
"Sorry but that's classified." Naruto said causing the two women to jump in shock seeing Naruto appearing right behind them.
"H...how did you do that?!" Both women shouted
"Sorry that's classified." Naruto said flashing his foxxy grin that caused both women to blush.
"I came here as an escort for the officers who have been specially trained to pilot it," said Mu, looking back at Murrue and referring to the Strike. "Where can I find them?"
"The bombs detonated near the control booth," said Natarle. "Where the captain was welcoming them at that very moment. So they were also…"
"Yes, I see," said Mu. He then started walking up to Kira, the others following behind.
"What? What's the matter?" asked Kira. Lacus's grip on his hand tightened.
"So tell me," said Mu kindly. "You're a Coordinator?"
There was a somewhat shocked silence following Mu's words. Kira squared his shoulders.
"Yes," he said. A few of the Earth Forces soldiers gripped their rifles a little tighter, but Tolle and Naruto stepped in front of Kira, glaring at the soldiers.
"If you guys try to do anything to my friend. I'll kill you!" Naruto said with fearsome glare causing the soldiers to step back in fear as a crimson aura of killing intent surrounded the young man.
"N...Naruto.." Kira said shocked at his behavior, never before had he seen his friend sound so murderous before.
"It doesn't matter if he's a Natural or Coordinator, he's a human being!" Naruto said fiercely in defense of his friend.
Lower your rifles!"
Murrue stepped into the firing line and commands the soldiers who pause for a few seconds before doing as she asked. Natarle stepped in front of her with a confused expression.
"Lieutenant Ramius!" She addressed her superior, "please explain yourself." Murrue adopts a small smile and looks at Natarle.
"There's no puzzle, is there?" She asked rhetorically, "Heliopolis belongs to a neutral state, after all." She gave her a solemn expression.
"It's obvious that some coordinator would choose to live and avoid being involved in the war." She then turned towards Kira, "am I right?"
"No, you're right." Kira responded, "Especially with me being a first-generation coordinator."
"First-Generation?" Romero asked.
"Meaning that your parents are Naturals." Mu stated before scratching his head in embarrassment, "well, I apologize for causing a stir. I was just curious, is all." He says before turning towards Naruto. "And you?"
Naruto smirked as he lifted up his shirt slightly exposing several of the scars that covered his body. Kira and the others were shocked Mir covered her mouth with her hands looking horrified at the sight. "If I was would I have scares like this?" Naruto asked as shocked Mu.
(On board the Vesalius, Bridge.)
"I should thank you for bringing this to me, Miguel. If I didn't have this as proof then I would have become a laughing stock for allowing my CGUE to get damaged in a battle against one of the Earth Alliance's mobile suits." said Rau as he explained the situation to his team.
Athrun, on the other hand, was oblivious to this silent confrontation, lost in his thoughts. 'It couldn't have been... Kira...?' he thought in dismay.
"There is no way we can let mobile suits that powerful get away!" Rau announced. "If you can't capture them, then destroy them! Along with that new battleship of theirs!"
Capt. Ades stepped forward and started barking orders. "You heard the Commander! All hands, assume battlestations! Miguel, Olor and Matthew, prepare for launch! The Commander has authorized the use of Type-D Equipment!"
"Yes sir!" the three pilots said as they saluted.
After they had departed, Athrun immediately went up to the Vesalius' captain. "Capt. Ades! Please! Allow me sortie as well!" he requested, nearly pleaded.
"But you don't have a mobile suit to pilot," Le Creuset replied. "And besides, you've already completed the crucial mission of capturing one of the enemy's prototypes."
"Let this one go, Athrun Zala," Ades admonished. "Miguel, Olor, and Matthew are itching for action just as much as you are."
"... Yes, sir..." he replied, but his thoughts were still on his old friend.
'Kira...'
Aboard the Gamow, Pilot Ready Room
The engineering crews are hard at work attaching the fabled "D-Equipment" to the Ginns. One of the numerous weapons containers open to reveal the M66 "Canus" Short Ranged Guided Missile Launcher and M68 "Pardus" Short-range guided Three-Barrel Missile Launcher.
"Number Six Container!" One of the Engineers called out, "mount the D-Equipment onto the Ginn"
One of the Ginns moved forward, ready to receive this equipment.
"Operation commences at 01:00!" The announcer called over the intercom, "Matthew, proceed to standby position!"
Meanwhile, from the Locker Room, Nicol, Dearka, Yzak watched the GINN's through the observation window as the ZAFT Greens are preparing to sortie.
"D-Equipment, huh…" Dearka started to say, "Does Le Creuset plan to storm a fortress or something?"
"But what'll happen to Heliopolis?" Nicol asked his comrades with concern.
"Can't be helped, can it?" Dearka responded.
"It serves them right," Yzak stated, "calling themselves a neutral state."
Nicol only looked at Yzak for a few more seconds before turning to regard the Ginns, once again.
(Archangel)
Naruto was inside the cockpit of the Kurama sitting with is eyes close as he took the recent events that had unfolded. 'It seems like I can't keep living a life peace and security anymore.'
"Yeah its about time!" Kurama said
'Back off furball." Naruto said glaring at Kurama
"Oh come on Naruto! Its been centuries since we've been able to enjoy a battle." Kurama moaned as he complained while Naruto rolled his eyes, the young sage soon noticed Kira walking into the hanger looking up at the Earth Forces Mobile Suit.
'Kira has the potential to be a great warrior, but he's just to kind he lacks the will to kill. I've seen that look many times over the centuries young men and women forced into wars and made to take lives.' Naruto thought.
The young Coordinator was lost in his own thoughts about what he should do right now.
"Hey Kira." Naruto said looking down at his friend waving from the Kurama's Cockpit.
"Hey Naruto." Kira said with a smile as his friend jumped down to meet.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked Kira looked away not wanting to talk about the conversion he had with the Captain.
"Let me guess they want you to plot the Strike again don't they." Naruto said Kira's silence more than answered his question."Say Kira..." Naruto asked as he turned to his own Gundam. "Do you've people that a precious to you?" Causing the boy look at him with a raised eyebrow.
"People who are precious to me?" Kira asked.
Naruto nodded. "Yes, when you have something or someone you truly care about that are irreplaceable. You fight with all your heart and soul to defend them. That's the reason I pilot my mobile suit, to protect all my precious and irreplaceable friends that's my reason to fight." Naruto said with a tone of utter conviction before turning to Kira with a serious expression he'd never seen in his friend before. "Fight so that you can protect your friends Kira." Naruto said before walking away to his room.
"Fight to protect my friends.." Kira repeated taking Naruto's words to heart.
(Onboard the Vesalius)
Olor and Matthew have just launched from the Nazca-Class with their D-Equipment attached. Meanwhile, Miguel was just getting ready to launch with his GINN that was equipped with the M69 "Barrus" Heavy Ion Cannon equipped and, rather strangely, has elected to take a Heavy Sword with him.
"Olor unit takeoff complete." The Flight Controller declared, "Miguel to the Catapult!"
"I'll get you this time!" Miguel muttered to himself as he rembered the humiliation dealt to him by the Kurama ,"Miguel Aiman, GINN, launching!" he yelled as his GINN shot out of the Hangar, detaching its power cable in the process as he hurried to catch up to his comrades its thrusters propelling itself towards Heliopolis.
"Alright! That's the last one! Close the hatch!" one of the mechanics announced over the comm system.
As he was about to hit the switch on the hatch, another mobile suit, this one brilliant red, stepped onto the catapult.
"Huh? This one's going out, too?"
Onboard the Aegis, Athrun was still deep in his thoughts.
'I have to find out... Was it really Kira in that mobile suit?'
Shaking his thoughts aside for the time being, Athrun hit the boosters and propelled the Aegis into space.
"Capt. Ades!" the ship's mobile suit controller shouted. "Athrun Zala has just launched in the captured mobile suit!"
"What?" Ades replied. "Call him back at once!"
"It's alright. Let him go," Rau said, countermanding Ades' orders.
"Commander?" Ades asked.
"Its data has already been extracted," Le Creuset replied. "Besides, aren't you curious to see what happens... when two Earth Alliance mobile suits clash?"
(Archangel)
The ship-wide alarm is roaring as Delida is alerted to the fact that they no longer have visual communication to surrounding area as evidenced by the static screen on his Display as well the large amount of Jamming Bars.
"Electrical Interference throughout the Colony!" He informed the bridge crew, "N-Jammer levels rising!"
"What?" Natarle asked as she turns her chair around to regard Delida. Mu let out a grunt of annoyance as he can easily assume what's causing this.
"It seems he has no intention of waiting until we get out of here!" Mu exclaimed with annoyance, "The bastard!"
"Do they intend to hit us again within the colony?" Natarle asked him.
"Easy for them" Mu stated playfully, "We can't fire, but they can fire as much as they want!"
(Archangel Mobile Suit Bridge.)
Naruto was walking over to board Kurama when he noticed Kira walking over to the Strike and smiled.
"I see you've made your choice eh Kira." Naruto said
Kira smiled and nodded "Yeah, you were right Naruto." Kira said. "If I'm gonna fight, I'm gonna do it to protect my friends.
"Good to here, now..Let's Kick Ass!" Naruto grinned as he and Kira ran over to they're respective Gundam's.
(Archangel Hanger)
The Archangel's engines roar into life as the White Ship takes off from the ground, kicking a large cloud of dust behind it from its launch. The crew have all manned their stations and Murrue has managed to make it back to the Bridge in time for launch.
"Our top priority is to escape Heliopolis." Murrue explained to the bridge crew, "be careful not to damage the Colony during battle!"
"That's impossible," Jackie muttered to himself, Natarle silently regards him."
The radar bursts into life as a contact appears on it, alerting the Bridge Crew.
"One heat source approaching!" Jackie called out, "The thermal pattern, it's a GINN!" He declared as a Ginn's blueprint screen appears as well as a video of the Ginn approaching, equipped with the Missile Launchers.
"What are they thinking?!" Mu exclaimed, "It has heavy bombing equipment used to take out bases! Are they planning to use that here?!"
Suddenly an explosion occurs as another hole is ripped in the side of the Colony as two more Ginns fly through the hole into Heliopolis
"A separate time is approaching from the Tannenbaun District." Jackie confirmed for them.
All of a sudden, a certain crimson Mobile Suit also appears through the tear which reveals itself on Jackie's Radar to which he lets out a gasp of surprise.
"One of them is X303, Aegis!" Mu, Natarle and Murrue all gasp at what they just heard.
"Launch the Strike and the Kurama." Natarle commanded
(Hanger)
"You ready Kira?" Naruto asked his friend
"Ready when you are." Kira said from within the Strike equipped with a sword pack.
"Then let's go!" Naruto said as he took off on the Kurama with Strike following behind it.
They're already sending it into actual battle?" Murrue asked with a disbelieving tone.
"Right now it's an enemy!" Mu stated, "do you want to be sunk by it?"
"Prepare to fire Korinthos!" Natarle ordered, "Direct Laser Designator at the GINNs!" Murrue turned to regard her.
"Projectile Weapons are useless against Phase Shift Armor!" She reminded Natarle, "Link laser to main cannons, fire at will!"
The Archangel's two "Gottfried MK.71" 225CM High Energy Beam Cannons rise from the front of the Archangel, extend their cannons, and take aim at the Mobile Suit Squad. Four large beams of Green Energy burst from the cannons and veer straight towards the enemies. Unfortunately, they all manage to dodge the oncoming attacks. Miguel's GINN then regards Athrun.
"Olor and Matthew, focus on the warship!" Miguel commanded his two fellow Greens, he then turns to Athrun, "Athrun! You came against orders. Now show us some more of that spirit and help me beat those two suits!"
As Miguel addressed Athrun, the Aegis focuses on the incoming Mobile Suits of the Strike and Kurama. Athrun regards it with a quiet expression before eventually responding to Miguel. "Sure."
"I'll deal with the other one." Miguel said eager to settle the score with the Orange and Black Gundam.
Naruto sensed something a saw the Orange Ginn from last time charging towards him, Naruto brought out its long sword and charged towards the Ginn who brandished its sword circling around one another.
"You! Your going down today!" Miguel shouted taking a swing at Naruto who blocked it with his sword before kicking it in the chest knocking him back.
"Damn this guys got some good moves!" Miguel shouted as The Kurama charged towards GINN dodged the sword barely and fires another blast at the Kurama hitting its mark and causing a large flash of light to occur.
"Did I get him?!" Miguel wonders with a hopeful smile. The smoke cleared from the Kurama to see it standing there without a scratch "NOT A SCRATCH! WHAT KINDA ARMOR IS THAT!" Miguel yelled in shock.
"Sorry that's a my little secret." Naruto said with a ,smirk as Miguel growled and continued to fire at Kurama who swiftly avoid the every shot fired.
Naruto soon noticed the two Ginns headed for the ship and grit his teeth. "Damn it they're going after the ship." Naruto notice that Kira was engaging the Aegis but the two mobile suits simply circled each other not even bothering to attack each other. 'Something's up with Kira and that Mobile Suit, it feels the same as me and Sasuke.' Naruto thought recalling his former best friend.
Naruto turned back to the Ginn he was facing "Sorry pal, I can't play along with you right now!" The Kurama dashed forward at Miguel's Ginn who continued to fire the orange gun the Kurama pulled reached out from behind and pulled out a beam shuriken and laucned it at Miguel who managed to evade it. Unfortunately, the beam shuriken flies like boomerang back around and slices the bottom part of the Ginn's right thrusters as well as its leg. "WHAT?!" He cried out. Naruto let out a loud shout as he kicked the Ginn down onto the hard ground of floor the Colony.
"Damn it! My machines completely useless now." Miguel groaned messing around with the machines controls before he quickly got out the mobile suit.
With that done Naruto turned his attention back to the two Ginns attack the Archangel. The Gundam pulled out its beam saber pushing on its thrusters as it charged at the two Ginns slicing one of them in halve before the second was hit by one of the Archangel's Gottfrieds, the powerful beams vaporizing the entire lower half of the mobile suit. But the beams continued on their path, hitting the central shaft of Heliopolis, and causing further damage.
'Damn it! At this rate...' Naruto said knowing that Heliopolis was on the brink of its destruction.
Just before the mobile suit exploded, it wildly fired off its two remaining missiles. The two out-of-control missiles hit the shaft. The shaft then broke into two, and with its central support gone, Heliopolis began to collapse.
Strike and Aegis
"Kira!" Athrun's voice called over the comm, "Kira Yamato!" Kira gasps as he recognized the voice easily.
"So it is you, isn't it, Kira?"
"Athrun? Athrun Zala?" Kira said in complete disbelief. "Why... why are you here?"
"You should talk, Kira!" Athrun countered. "What are you doing in that thing?"
Before Kira could even reply, the colony around them began collapsing. He looked around in horror, watching his home tear itself apart. And, just like that, the two friends were pulled apart by the vacuum in opposite directions.
Kira screamed as the G-forces his body was being subjected to grew too much for him to handle. He heard Athrun shout his name out over the comm, and then nothing but static.
(Onboard the Gamow)
The remaining pilots of the Le Creuset team watched as Heliopolis broke apart before their very eyes.
"Damn... how did Miguel and the others screw up so badly that the entire thing came apart?" Dearka asked no one in particular in frustration.
(Heliopolis Debris Field)
"Heliopolis… Destroyed?" Kira muttered to himself with disbelief as Natarle kept repeating her line over the communicator, hoping to hear some sign of confirmed existence from the pilot. "Why…?"
"Damn it!" Naruto shouted slamming his hand on the controls of his mobile suit shaking with rage as he looked at the now ruined colony floating around him.
(Archangel…)
The students of Heliopolis have just witnessed the devastation, all with their own visible forms of reaction to it.
Mirrialia and Tolle hold each other tightly at the sight of it and feel some sort of protection from the destruction that threatened to engulf the ship.
Sai can only look at what has occurred with upset while trying to comfort Serena as well.
Kuzzey is crouched on the ground whimpering, his hands clutching his head in terror.
Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Archangel, even the soldiers cannot help but be upset by the disturbing site in front of them. Mu drifts to the front of the bridge to get a better look at the devastation that is visible on the view-screen.
"Amazing how simple… how fragile it was…" Mu commented. Murrue clenches her fist in anger at the destruction. Her lamenting, however, was interrupted by the Ensign located in the CIC behind her, whose voice caused her to swivel her chair around to properly address it.
"X-105 Strike! X-105 Strike!" Natarle kept calling over the comm in desperation, "Kira Yamato! If you hear me, if you're okay, respond!"
Kira managed to snap out of his distressed state with a gasp as he activated the communicator to respond.
Naruto was brought out his grieving thoughts by the raven haired woman's shouted and flew over to Kira clutching the Gundam's shoulders. "Let's go Kira, what's done is done..." Naruto said solemnly
Kira nodded and flowed the Kurama he then noticed a light in the distance and moved in to examine it, the light revealed itself to be the beacon of a damaged Heliopolis lifeboat. "Archangel, I've found a damaged lifeboat. I'm bringing it in," he called over the radio.
What? Who gave you the authorization to do that?" Badgiruel asked, obviously not pleased.'
"I'm bringing it in." Kira replies not caring about the ensigns displeasure.
"You can't just bring in a civilian lifeboat without proper authorize-!"
"Ah shut up! We're bringing the life pod back and that's that!" Naruto shouted over his comm causing the crew to jump in fear.
Natarle's eyes widened as a small blush crept on her cheeks before softly coughing into her hand. "Um...well yes authorization granted."
"Thank you." Naruto said with smirk before turning to Kira. "Let's head back Kira." Naruto said t the younger man who nodded both Gundams heading back to the Archangel.
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And that as they say is a rap, I hope you all liked this chapter, don't forget to leave reviews and comment on the story.