"T-takumi…?" Shiro asked opening a communication channel to the red gunpla. To the untrained eye, the gunpla looked like a kitbash of the Knight Gundam and the Epyon. But Shiro and Takumi knew different. Takumi's Gunpla was an Epyon kit that had been carefully constructed to resemble a knight's armor. "What are you doing here?"
Takumi's face appeared on a screen in front of Shiro. Takumi, like Shiro was a boy of 18 years of age. He had dark hair which he liked to keep back, giving it a windswept look. And there was an unmistakably happy look on his face. "So you've finally returned to gunpla battle."
"Ah, n-no." Shiro shook his head, his answer coming rather quickly. "I… I was just…"
"Testing out your new gunpla's capabilities, so you can take on Sugo." Takumi finished for his longtime friend.
Shiro felt his fists clench at the mention of Sugo's name. Like himself and Takumi, Sugo Sado was a 3rd year at Gunbre, and in their second year had developed a rather cruel and viscious streak. He had formed a group of like minded students in the school, rather reminiscent of the Titans. They stole parts, kits, and completed gunplas from various students and clubs around the school. What was even worse, was that the faculty including the headmaster did nothing to stop them. Things had come to a head at the end of last year when Sugo had defeated Shiro by using a PG Exia that was put together by last year's graduating class.
The right arm on Shiro's Hi-Zak Full Armory had been completely destroyed by Sugo's gunpla. Shiro still couldn't believe that Sugo had stooped so low by using that PG Exia. The Hi-Zak was currently taking cover behind a ruined building, almost immediately after that Exia had destroyed the Hi-Zak's right arm.
"Right arm's gone, right leg is damaged but still functional. Worse, Sugo hasn't seemed to take any damage. This is bad…"
"FOUND YOU!" Sugo's roar made Shiro start in surprise, and a jolt of fear shoot through him when the large Exia appeared and took up his entire viewscreen.
"Oh crap!" Shiro cursed, and was barely able to avoid the incoming blast from the Exia's GN pistol by flying straight up. He needed to create separation, he needed a plan, he needed to… "I gotta shut down the Trans-am drive … Okay, distraction time."
The missile pods on the Hi-Zak's shoulders and legs launched at the Exia, and the PG in turn blasted them out of the air. Which in turn what Shiro was counting on. The resulting explosion provided Shiro with the opening he needed. The Hi-Zak flew through the smoke created from the destruction of it's missile pods, so it was now directly over the Exia … the only problem was, the Exia was no longer there.
"I knew you'd do that Shiro!" Sugo sneered as the Exia appeared above and behind the Hi-Zak. And what was worse, The Trans-am system was active, making the Exia glow red. "You've used the same strategy and gunpla since you were a kid! You've got no chance to win without Takumi backing you up!"
The Exia raised its GN pistol and fired, destroying the upper half of the Hi-Zak.
"...he cheated to win, and nobody did anything." Shiro said, his voice slowly turning into a growl. "He's been growing in power and strength using stolen parts and gunpla, and nobody bothers to stand up to him!"
"I'm sorry…" Takumi said softly. "I wish I could have been there, maybe we could have stopped him together."
Shiro sighed and shook his head. "You were representing Gunbre at the Gunpla World Championship … and besides, I can't go back to gunpla battle."
"Because of one loss?" Takumi asked, his green eyes narrowed in disapproval. "No Shiro, I will not allow it. You're far too talented to simply walk away." Takumi's red gunpla pointed its large beam saber at Shiro's Leo. "Even in Practice Mode I saw how you came to life! You still care about gunpla battle, and I will prove it! Duel me and my Epyon!"
A request to duel appeared on Shiro's console, and almost immediately Shiro went to press the 'decline' option. However Shiro hesitated long enough to ponder what Takumi had said. Did he truly still care about gunpla battle? If the answer was indeed no, then why had he constructed this Leo? Why had he spent so much time on this one gunpla if he no longer cared?
There was only one way to find out, so Shiro pressed the 'accept' option.
Battle start!
Takumi's Epyon flew towards Shiro's Leo, who in turn accelerated away. Shiro's Leo grabbed its previously discarded auto cannon, and fired at the Epyon, before manuvering behind an asteroid that was close by.
"You can't hide from me Shiro!" Takumi yelled right before his Epyon sliced through Shiro's cover … only Shiro's Leo was not where Takumi had expected it to be. "What?"
"I know your moves Takumi." Shiro said, his Leo now directly above the Epyon. "I've watched you fight with that gunpla for three years!" The Leo's auto cannon unloaded at the Epyon, who was only just able to get it's small arm shield up to deflect the projectiles.
"If it's new you want." Takumi growled, his Epyon extending its heat whip. "Then how about this?!" The heat whip slashed up destroying the Leo's auto cannon, and charging forward in the same instance intending to strike with the Leo with its large beam saber.
"I'll match you then!" Shiro switched to WP2, making his Leo draw its own beam saber and fly towards Takumi's Epyon. The two gunplas ended up in a deadlock, with the Epyon's small arm shield blocking the Leo's beam saber, and the Leo doing the same by blocking the Epyon's beam saber with with its roundshield.
"I told you!" Takumi exclaimed, a wide smile on his face as the two gunpla struggled against one another in an attempt to gain the upper hand. "I was right! You do still love gunpla battle!"
Shiro's eyes widened in realization. His heart was racing, his fingers were gripping the controls as tightly as they would have been if he was actually piloting a mobile suit. And above all, he was determined to win. Takumi was right, he still loved gunpla battle.
"But don't think that means I'm going to lose!" Takumi cried out, as both gunpla pushed back, the subsequent explosion coming from both destroyed shields. Takumi's Epyon flew upward, coming to a stop far above Shiro's Leo with it's large beam saber raised above its head.
Shiro's eyes went wide. "That's!"
"My special move!" Takumi finished, as the Epyon's blade grew larger. "My blazing sword, ignited by the fire in my heart! DURANDAL!" Takumi roared that last word, as he brought his blade swinging down.
"No … I'm not done yet!" Shiro growled, switching to SP on his controls. His Leo's beam saber extended, now taking a form of a tri-pointed spear, before Shiro made the gunpla accelerate towards the Epyon. "This is no Leo Takumi! No Leo! Now take this! My new special move, Phalanx Spear!"
The light that was caused by the clash between the weapons was nearly blinding, and could be easily seen from a good distance away. Shiro's spear had caught Takumi's Durandal, and their weapons were now locked together.
"Ha! Impressive Shiro!" Takumi had a bright smile on his face, overjoyed he was able to help his friend work through the events of the previous year, and rekindle his love of gunpla battle. However Takumi was the gunpla battle world champion, and as much as he wanted to help his friend, he would not lose so easily. Durndal began pushing through the Phalanx Spear, first destroying the three tips, then the haft of the spear, and finally taking off the Leo's right arm and part of its right leg.
Battle ended!
Both Shiro and Takumi were shocked. Both Gunplas looked heavily damaged. The Leo's entire right side was gone, Durandal had done far more damage than initially thought. However the Leo's left hand had a GN pistol in it … and had used it to destroy the head of the Epyon.
[Draw]
"Impressive. So you simply swapped the head of the Tallgeese with the Leo's." Takumi mused, holding Shiro's broken gunpla in his hands as the two walked alongside one another. They had left the grounds, and were headed into downtown Tokyo.
Shiro nodded in affirmation. "Well the Tallgeese is just a Leo with a high-performance booster pack. All I really did was replace the headpiece, and repaint the parts."
"Amazing." There was a bright smile on Takumi's face. "The time and care you put into this gunpla really showed.
Shiro allowed himself a small smile as Takumi gave him a clap on the back. "The RG frame didn't hurt either."
"No it didn't." Takumi said, and his smile faltered a bit. "Shiro, I want you to enter the Gunpla World Championship this year."
"What?" Shiro wirled to face his friend so fast, he swore he heard a joint in his neck pop. "But the academy only allows the top student enter, and that's you."
Takumi shook his head. "I may be entering, but I won't be representing Gunbre this year Shiro. You see, I've been selected to be the next Meijin Kawaguchi."
"What!?" Shiro asked again, his brown eyes now as wide as they could get. "You're gonna be the next-"
Takumi silenced his friend by placing a hand over Shiro's mouth. "Shh. I don't want anyone else to know."
Shiro gave another nod, signalling that he understood, and Takumi took his hand away. "Are you serious though? About what you said, about me entering and the … reason you're not representing the school?"
"Yes to both." Takumi replied as the two friends had stopped walking, having found themselves in front of a G-Muse.
Shiro took a deep breath. Entering that tournament meant fully returning to gunpla battle. And if he did that Sugo would surely try to stand in his way. Shiro felt his fists clench, just thinking about Sugo angered him. However, if that was the case, if returning to gunpla battle meant he had to face Sugo yet again, he'd do it. "On one condition."
"Sugo?" Takumi asked.
"Sugo." Shiro affirmed. "I need to face him again. Not just for the chance to get my Hi-Zak back, but to prove that he can't win using stolen parts or gunpla."
Takumi's smile brightened once again. "Well you're going to need another gunpla. You can't face him with a damaged Leo."