PHASE-15: Escape to the Past
The present, C.E. 72 - Team Paradox Headquarters - Rooftops
As Flay listened Kiryu's story about meeting with Athrun, Cagalli, and the Hawke sisters three years after the JUNO cyberattack, she is saddened to learn that 70 years following that tragic incident, the survivors eventually passed away when they became much older; the only exception was Lunamaria. Flay can't bring herself to think if her friends in the future like Sai and Miriallia have also died as well, but if Kiryu were to answer that question, it's already possible. Flay couldn't help but glum when she asked Kiryu about the unlikely fates of her friends. And her legs were trembling ever since hearing what (Future) Lunamaria had gone through.
"The fact that losing people you care about can change you and your own future, for better or for worse.", Kiryu continued. "And like what I said before, you cannot always save everybody. And all of us, as human beings, know well how it hurts. Like in the original timeline, when you died in front of him."
"You mean Kira? Yeah... I know.", Flay thought of her original fate before it was re-written by Akiza and the Paradox Gundam. "I still remembered the time I used him into fighting his fellow Coordinators. Despite this, I came to truly love him. I know how truly determined he was to go to such lengths protecting his friends. The fact that I decided to let him go and want him to be happy with Lacus because she deserves Kira more than me."
"I see...", Kiryu analyzed his thoughts regarding Lacus' relationship with Kira. "That's because Lacus knows better how Kira feels, and they think very similarly. And Lacus Clyne is more than just your typical princess, she never flinches even in the face of danger and is more willing to take matters into her own hands if she has to. Her worldview is much deeper than everyone else could have ever thought. That's why their bond is stronger than you ever imagine."
"Even though I ended up with you guys as a member of Team Paradox, I still can't bring myself to forget Kira. Despite everything I've done...", Flay said, as she is still fond of her old flame, in that Kira's influence in her life did something to change her view of Coordinators for the better.
Akiza then said, "Even you've met new friends, you can't always forget the old ones that have an impact in your life." placing her hand on Flay's shoulder.
"Aki... I guess you're right.", Flay then touched her partner's hand before asking Kiryu. "Kiryu, did you have someone or something to fight to protect for?"
"Sadly, I didn't have any. It was before I met Akiza and Ian...", Kiryu replied, and his words makes him much more different than Kira. "I told you before, in the span of nearly 70 years after JUNO destroyed the entire planet, all I cared about is finding a place to die. The fact that I am the only Carbon Human to remain on Earth at the time, while many of the others migrated to Mars and started their lives anew. I spent my entire life walking around the Earth. Having to fight so many robotic soldiers and unmanned mobile suits on my own have been very taxing on my part. I was nearly captured by the enemy at one point and even forced me to fight to the death against their cyborg warriors for their twisted entertainment. Luckily for me, I was able to escape, but leaving me with so much trauma in the following years."
Despite the fact that Carbon Humans could be seen as superior to Coordinators and Naturals alike and the ultimate stage of human evolution, but they are still humans regardless. And Kiryu exemplifies that the traumatic experience he had gone through 70 years later shows that he is not without any weaknesses.
On the other hand, Kiryu is known for feats that are near-impossible for a normal human to achieve, inside and/or outside of a mobile suit.
"And guess what?", Akiza then reveals to Flay one of Kiryu's feats outside of a mobile suit. "Kiryu is the only guy who can topple a mobile suit with his bare hands! At one point, he was able to take out a Wisel with just one punch."
"No way?! That's nuts!", Flay exclaimed, as if the two time travelers were exaggerating.
"Playing cat and mouse with enemy mobile suits is my strong points.", Kiryu chuckled.
"And he didn't even need a mobile suit to send one into the scrapheap!", Akiza also laughed.
"That's stupid, not to mention dangerous.", even Flay finds that idea going against an enemy mobile suit so recklessly is just idiotic.
"I'm already used to doing profoundly dangerous and idiotic things back then.", Kiryu continued.
The idea of playing cat and mouse with enemy mobile suits is nothing new. In fact, Flay recalled that Cagalli and a ragtag of rebels calling themselves the "Desert Dawn" helped Kira repel the forces of ZAFT's "Desert Tiger", Commander Andrew Waltfeld. However, the Black Eagles from the future, are an entirely different level, especially Kiryu.
The future, C.E. 145
At one point, the Black Eagle trio of Kiryu, Akiza, and Ian find themselves captured by the enemy. So much so that Akiza and Ian at one point try shifting the blame at each other, despite the fact that they planned it in order to steal some of the JUNO Army's mobile suits.
When the three get separated and locked up in separate cells, Ian was already one step ahead with his teammates. Having stolen the cell keys while being held by enemy soldiers, by using his time ring's power to erase time. While no one is looking, he manages to free both Kiryu and Akiza from their cells.
"You should be thanking me for being ahead of you guys.", Ian smirked.
"You're full of yourself, Ian.", Akiza then began rising the tension between her and her adoptive brother. And this was the time they don't get along and Ian resents her for being someone better than him.
"Bitch, please. All you can do is whine and let Kiryu pamper you like the spoiled little brat that you are!", Ian continues to roast Akiza. "Just because you're the second oldest and a better pilot than me, doesn't mean you get to hog the spotlight the entire story!"
Kiryu scolds them both, "Enough, you two!", then the alarm began to blair around the base. "Great. There goes our plan. We better head for the hangar fast!"
"If one of us fucks this up, it's gonna be on you, Akiza!"
"Fuck you!", Akiza then gives Ian the middle finger in return.
The trio fight their way against waves of enemy robotic soldiers all the way into the hangar, where they find two Gundams.
"Gundams? There's only two of them.", said Akiza.
"Quit bitchin' around and pick one of the two!", Ian yelled. "I'll stick with whatever Kiryu has in mind!"
The two Gundams, the VGMT-ST911 Mach Gundam and VGMT-5DS2000 Sentinel Gundam, both mobile suits are based on common transport vehicles. The Mach is based on a motorcycle and the Sentinel is based on a construction vehicle, in this case, a dump truck.
Kiryu and Ian hopped on inside the Sentinel's cockpit and Akiza then proceeded inside the Mach Gundam's cockpit. Strangely enough, the Mach's cockpit is based on a motorbike simulator. Kiryu immediately start up the Sentinel's OS.
MOBILE SUIT FUTURE OPERATION SYSTEM
Ver 1000.1
G-Force
Universal
Neutrinoic
Downforce
Acceleration
Metasystem
VGMT-5DS2000 SENTINEL Ver. 1.0
-Mobile Construction Vehicle Mode-
[-Mobile Suit Mode-]
The Sentinel Gundam, being a heavy-equipment oriented mobile suit, has a very impressive amount of inventory. It's weapons consists of:
-MMI-GAU98 17.5mm CIWS (machine guns on the head and torso)
-FR-V24 "Brahmastra" Anti-Mobile Suit Flamethrowers (the smokestacks on the shoulders)
-RS51D Power Shovel (one of the Sentinel's melee weapon)
-BW33 Power Pickaxe (the Sentinel's other melee weapon)
- "Pugno Razzo" Rocket Knuckle (this allows the Sentinel to launch its fists like rockets at enemies)
-LT500 "Vishrava" High-Energy Beam Rifle (the Sentinel's primary long to mid-range weapon)
Heavy Assault Shield (the Sentinel's heavy shield, designed after a riot shield)
"This thing is incredible!", said Kiryu upon starting up the Sentinel.
Akiza then began starting up the Mach Gundam...
MOBILE SUIT FUTURE OPERATION SYSTEM
Ver 1000.1
G-Force
Universal
Neutrinoic
Downforce
Acceleration
Metasystem
VGMT-ST911 MACH Ver. 1.0
The Mach has very limited weaponry. And its inventory consists of:
-MMI-GAU98 17.5mm CIWS (machine guns on the head)
-Wheel Shield (the Mach's shield, with vulcan guns mounted)
-MA-MT918 "Blutgang" Anti-Phase Shift Armor Street Saber
-MX-MS512 Beam Submachine Gun
"This thing has few weapons... I assume this is a prototype.", Akiza finished analyzing the mobile suit's equipment.
That being said, the Black Eagles escape the enemy base with stolen mobile suits. They fight their way against waves of Wisels, Granels, and Skiels without breaking a sweat or even flinching.
Even better, the Mach can even transform into its Mobile Cycle Mode, taking form of a MS-size motorcycle that even mobile suits can ride on. The Sentinel rode on the Mach Gundam in its Mobile Cycle Mode and rode on to an unknown destination.
The present - C.E. 72
Akiza and Kiryu concluded their flashback of them revealing how they obtained the Sentinel and Mach from JUNO's army. The Sentinel and Mach were originally created to be unmanned mobile suits until Kiryu and Akiza hijacked them.
"That was nothing compared to how ZAFT stole some of the G-Project mobile suits in Heliopolis.", Kiryu said. "The mobile suits from the future like the Mach and Sentinel are much more state of the art. When we brought them to Dr. Paradox, he had fitted a Firewall Protocol system on both suits to prevent them from being hacked by JUNO. All of our mobile suits, the Gilgamesh, and most of the auxiliary Gun Vehicles are all fitted with this security software to prevent them from being hijacked by JUNO."
"To put it simply, Dr. Paradox's Firewall Protocol kinda acts like an anti-virus for every mobile weapon.", Akiza added. "The Paradox is also equipped with the same security feature. Ian also had installed the firewall system on Rio's mobile suit."
"I didn't expect the doctor to be this prepared.", Flay replied, seeing how Dr. Paradox kept his promise about making up for the mistakes of creating JUNO.
Akiza continued, "That's because Dr. Paradox created JUNO and he knows well how the AI behaves. And he uses that to his advantage by creating countermeasures."
Flay looked into the sky, given how she found a place as a member of Team Paradox, desire to have a piece of the action. She was taught how to fight by Akiza, and now she wants to experience what is like to pilot a mobile suit.
Before she could return back to the conference room, Flay wanted to ask to both Akiza and Kiryu.
"Aki... Kiryu..."
"What is it, Flay?", Akiza was the first to answer.
"I know this is a lot to ask...", Flay could hardly spit it out, at least at first. "The fact I've seen Aki piloting the Paradox, a part of me asked for a piece of the action. I want to speak your language. I want to be a part of your world, Aki."
"What are you talking about?"
"I want to pilot a mobile suit. And I want you to teach me how."
"I thought you never asked.", Akiza got the gist of what came out of Flay's mind, replying the only phrase she always uses whenever Flay needed something. "You could have told me sooner, Flay. Anyways, I'd be happy to help you. Kiryu?"
The older Black Eagle happily accepts, "Sure, why not? Piloting a mobile suit is the same as driving a car. I'm in."
Kiryu and Akiza have shared a mutual bond as mentor and student, respectively. And so, Flay is now accepted into this new master-apprentice chain, given how Akiza was trained by Kiryu not just in hand-to-hand combat and use handling of firearms, but also piloting a mobile suit. And now Akiza ends up becoming a mentor herself, she and Kiryu will have to work together in order for Flay to learn from them.
"Thank you so much, Aki. I'm so happy!"
Flay shook her head before throwing herself at Akiza for a hug. Only for the latter to blush in embarassment despite her growing affection for the former, something that Kiryu can't help but smile at.
"Geez...", Akiza snorted.
On the way to the conference room, Kiryu recalls the time that Ian had to pilot the Mach Gundam while he was still on Mars fighting off JUNO's forces while he and Akiza went into the Minami Lunar Base to retrieve the Paradox Gundam.
The future - C.E. 150, Minami Lunar Base
After the Paradox Gundam was completed, Dr. Paradox at this point is nearly in the verge of death, as his age is already catching up to him. However, he prepared a backup data of his consciousness and installed it into a Haro embedded inside the Gundam's cockpit.
To make matters worse, JUNO's robotic soldiers are already attacking the Lunar Base, and it is only a matter of time before the Lunar Base falls. Kiryu in the Sentinel Gundam began holding off enemy mobile suits while Akiza fights her way inside the base.
Kiryu was busy fighting countless waves of enemy mobile suits on his own, with no available reinforcements to assist him at this moment, this leaves him vulnerable to the numbers game that JUNO unleashes upon him.
Knowing that there's no turning back, Akiza quickly approached the sickly Dr. Paradox. The doctor only has borrowed time left to live, and it's only a matter of time before it's his time to go.
"Doc... You're...", Akiza seems to realize that her godfather is dying.
The doctor replied as he coughs, "Akiza... There's no time left. The future must be changed in order to stop this nightmare. You are our only hope who can make this possible."
"No, but I...", Akiza spoke her hesitance.
"I know you can, Akiza.", the scientist continued. "Here, mankind has already lost. But, by going back in time, there is still time to change everything. You must go!"
JUNO's robots began raiding the docking bay, as Akiza activates the Paradox Gundam for the first time.
MOBILE SUIT FUTURE OPERATION SYSTEM
Ver 1000.1
G-Force
Universal
Neutrinoic
Downforce
Acceleration
Metasystem
VGMT-5DS01 PARADOX Ver. 1.0
"Paradox, Akiza Izinski, taking off!", Akiza launches the Paradox as she holds off the attacking enemy mobile suits until Paradox suddenly projects a wormhole in front of her.
Akiza heads for the wormhole while evading her attackers, transporting her into the space-time continuum. As she heads 79 years into the past, Akiza couldn't help but cry and mourn now that Dr. Paradox died and can't think of the fact that her life that she once knew is gone and is forced to escape into time. Unbeknownst to her, the Haro embedded on the Gundam's cockpit awakens, with Dr. Paradox's consciousness intact.
Meanwhile, the Sentinel ends up lying on the ground after being outnumbered.
Kiryu finds himself at the mercy of enemy mobile suits as he is about to face death with dignity.
"Good luck, Akiza...", Kiryu smiled as he quietly muttered. "I guess this is it for me..."
Just all hope seem lost, reinforcements arrived late in the form of Enkidus from the Mars Resistance Team. A warship known as the Gilgamesh arrived on the moon and picked up survivors, including Kiryu.
Inside the ship's sick bay, Kiryu wakes up as he is greeted by the Gilgamesh's captain, Victor Valentine.
"Welcome to the Gilgamesh, lad.", Vic spoke to Kiryu for the first time, as he gives him the impression of a pirate, considering that he and his crew are also space pirates. "'Yer pal, Ian gave us your number and came here to pick up 'yer ass."
"Thanks...", Kiryu spoke somberly. "I thought I was going to die for sure."
"Shiver me timbers, you should be feelin' thankful that you're still alive."
"No, I don't. I've spent seventy years witnessing so much death and destruction caused by JUNO.", Kiryu continued. "All I wanted is to die in peace! But, alas... The fact that I'm a Carbon Human shows that I can't die no matter how I try."
"Merciful Neptune, could 'ya please stop with that quitter talk. Just because ya lost doesn't mean it's the end of the world!", Vic was persistent trying to make Kiryu regain his spirits up, "'Yer boy Ian manages to get out of here and into the past. And by going back in time, there's still a chance to prevent this shithole from happenin'!"
Despite the 70 years of trauma he found himself in, the fact that Ian was able to relay with the Mars Resistance Team and give Kiryu a lift into the past shows that both him and Akiza haven't forgot about him. That being said, Kiryu is able to set his worries aside to catch up with his two adopted children. And soon he realized that being alive is the greatest battle of all.
What followed then is a sequence of events on how the future trio ended up in the past...
The past, September 27, C.E. 71 - The final offensive at Jachin Due (the first iteration)
When Akiza escaped into the past, she stumbled in the ensuing chaos during the final offensive at Jachin Due. She inadvertently caused a divergence when she intervened in the fight against the Freedom and the Providence. The Paradox singlehandedly beaten the Providence thanks to Akiza's time manipulation powers via her Obsidian Pendant that rendered Le Creuset's DRAGOONs obsolete. With that, Kira was able to rescue Flay's escape shuttle, preventing her original fate from occuring.
A week after the war, Flay discovers Akiza washed ashore and briefly nursed her back to health. When Akiza regains consciousness, she attacks Flay and has her tied at the bed, and at one point while in a drunken stupor, rapes the young girl. However, Akiza realizes that she went too far once she regained her sanity. Despite her remorse, Flay forgave the future pilot. As time passed, Flay and Akiza are becoming close with each other as she accompanied the latter in her journey to retrieve the other Gun Vehicles to form the Paradox. Luckily for Akiza, she was able to catch up with Dr. Paradox, now reduced into a robotic ball with his consciousness now an AI housed inside a Haro.
Akiza was able to successfully retrieve the other Gun Vehicles and form the Paradox as JUNO's robotic soldiers and unmanned mobile suits made their way into the past. Akiza was able to take them down without breaking a sweat.
C.E. 72, Six months after the Paradox Gundam's re-appearance
Akiza would eventually caught up with her adoptive brother and rival, Ian. Since then, they put their vitriol against each other aside in order to protect the world from JUNO's army as well as rid the world of anti-Coordinator extremism perpetuated by Blue Cosmos.
In the midst of their adventures, Akiza, Ian, and Flay would meet Rio Nagi Tokino, the heiress of Orb's Tokino family, whose father perished during the Battle of Orb. Flay finds herself shocked by the revelation of her father's association with Blue Cosmos. Meanwhile, underneath Rio's overwhelming ego and superiority complex lies a brokenhearted daughter who was unable to move on from her father's death during the war, which cemented her hatred towards the Earth Alliance. However, Akiza prevented her from spiralling down to a dark path, knowing that she could end up becoming what she hated the most.
During Cagalli's 17th birthday party, the four unlikely heroes fought valiantly against JUNO's robotic soldiers when they crashed the party. This inspired Rio to form Team Paradox in order to not only protect Orb, but to make a world a better place and free from Blue Cosmos' extremism.
And it was only a matter of time when a meteorite hit Onogoro Island in Orb. When Team Paradox examined the interior of the space rock, it turned out to be a time capsule. Kiryu used that time capsule to head into the past. Since Akiza and Ian knew that Kiryu made it out, they immediately destroy the meteorite with the time machine inside so it will not fall into the wrong hands.
The past, January 24, C.E. 71 - Heliopolis
Thanks to a wild goose chase, Akiza and Ian were able to catch up with Kiryu, only this time by traveling back into the past. Kiryu and Team Paradox arrived in Heliopolis, about 24 hours before the colony fell during the theft of the G-Project mobile suits. Things got a little bit complicated when Flay encountered her past self. When Flay tried to shoot her past self out of guilt, Akiza took matters into her own hands by knocking her back to her senses.
The past, September 27, C.E. 71 - The final offensive at Jachin Due (the second iteration)
When two ROBEASTs attack - one in the present (T-Rex), and one in the past (Triceratops), Team Paradox had to split up and deal with them. Ian, Rio, and Trevor fight the T-Rex ROBEAST, while Kiryu, Akiza, Flay, and Trent head back into the past to deal with the Triceratops ROBEAST.
The Paradox once again returns at Jachin Due, only this time, the Gundam transitions into its sleeker second form, accompanied with the Sentinel Gundam. The Sentinel teams up with the Freedom against the Providence.
Unlike the first divergence, it is the Paradox that rescued Flay's escape shuttle and brought it into the Archangel. From there, Past Flay ends up meeting her rescuer (Akiza) and her future self at the same time, thus Flay's struggles with her inner demons come at full circle. This also ultimately resulted in the creation of the final time medallion.
Le Creuset met an unfortunate and gruesome end when the Triceratops ROBEAST impaled the Providence with its arm spikes. Ultimately, the Paradox 2.0, Sentinel and Freedom worked together to destroy the monstrosity along with GENESIS, changing the future once again. Because of Akiza's actions during that fateful day, she earns the moniker as the "Black Rose Witch of Jachin Due".
The present, C.E. 72
"Man, what a ride has it been.", Kiryu felt that the team had been such a great adventure during the first post-war era. "And now, another war is dawning."
"Sitting around and doing nothing won't get me anything.", said Flay, showing concern of the inevitability of a second war. Only this time, she is prepared for the worst that is yet to come.
Rather than running away, Flay is more willing to face the adversities head on thanks to the support of her newfound friends, or more precisely, a newfound family of unrelated people.
Akiza's thoughts filled with positivity, not only she is reunited with her foster family, but also taken in two new friends in the present day and they ended up becoming part of that family. So long as they have each other, they have nothing to fear and are ready for what the future holds for each and one of them.
"I know that together, we can defeat JUNO, Blue Cosmos, and anyone who brings sorrow into this world, so that we can save the future. Our future. And humanity's future as a whole.", the Black Rose Witch spoke her mind as Akiza, Flay, and Kiryu return to the conference room for the second phase of the war room meeting.
Author's Note:
- Given the fact Gundam is infamous for variety of recap episodes, this chapter acts as a recap to the first nine episodes of the story.
- Flay asking Akiza to teach her how to pilot a mobile suit can be seen as a parallel to how Aki in YGO 5D's wanting to learn how to ride a D-Wheel/Duel Runner. to which Yusei encourages her to do so.
- We're only five chapters left before transitioning to the Destiny era.
