A battle to the death occurs between the Freedom and the Demonic Armor. Kira and Vandel battled and created more chaos in the sky littered with Airships, Armors, and Monsters which were already making tons of chaos already.
"raaaah!" Kira and Vandel roared out against one another as the Freedom and the Demonic Armor flew at each other before they clashed their weapons which caused a huge discharge of electricity that lasted for a second then dispersed. The two robots flew pass one another but they came back to clash again and again for who knows how many times.
The Freedom spins before it swung both of its beam sabers with one in a back hand fashion, the action clashed against the Demonic Armor which defended with both of its swords crossed. The two got into a power struggle before the Black Knight pushed Kira's Gundam away and then its eyes pulsated before firing lasers at the mobile suit which flew away to dodge but quickly retaliated by unleashing a full burst mode attack that was dodged but the monster Armor received a hit to its right leg that gets incinerate to a crisp, but it quickly regenerated.
The Demonic Armor's eyes pulsated numerous times before their numbers grew and then molded to create a large monster eye at the chest which glows and flashes purple before firing a huge laser at the Freedom which countered with its Balaena Plasma Beam Cannons, and Xilphas Rail Guns which fired at full power.
The collision between the two attacks caused a huge explosion that blew away anyone or anything that was unfortunate to be close to the blast radius.
As the explosion illuminated the nearly dark sky and dissipated in mere seconds, the Freedom and the Demonic Armor flew in then clashed again.
Both foes were unrelenting in their fight against each other, the two would go back to clash numerous times and leave chaotic destruction in their wake. Armors, monsters, and even airships, none survived after getting involved in the chaos between the battle of the Freedom and the Demonic Armor.
Just some miles away from the battle, a large fleet of Espadas were leaving the Kingdom as they were all being used as evacuation airships for the refugees.
On board one of the Espada airships are Raymond and Daniel who were watching the battle between Kira and Vandel with the use of binoculars, the two couldn't believe the utmost ferocity in their fight.
"h-hey….that Armor…is like Kira's Strike, right?" Daniel asks Raymond who nodded, both jawdropped to the sight of the Freedom swinging its beam sabers down upon the Black Knight's Armor that had its right arm cut off but the Demonic robot retaliated by kicking the Gundam away then regenerates its limb which became black metallic razor sharp tiger like claws with numerous pulsating eyes. "and that one…what kind of Armor is that?"
"I don't know.." Raymond gulped as he lowered his binoculars and then shakily adjusted his glasses. "but I got a feeling that only Kira can face that thing."
"yeah….i think so too." Daniel nodded as he lowered his binoculars before he caught eye of something in the battlefield. "wait, what's that?" he use his binoculars again. "that airship is?"
"Airship?" Raymond checks what Daniel was seeing with his binoculars, the two seeing the Eternal flying around the battlefield while firing its weaponry against the enemy airships and monsters. "What airship is that?"
"I don't know, but it might be something Kira had made." Daniel said, guessing that such an airship could belong to Kira who has a peculiar airship of his own. The young man then made a noise when he sees the Eternal's catapult launcher opening. "look, something is going on."
"what's that?" Raymond asks as the two sees the Eternal's catapult launcher opened and a pinkish red blur got launched out at high speed. "what was that? An Armor?"
"I think so?" Daniel said as he tried to see what Armor got launched out but all he saw was a pinkish red blur that flew straight to where the Freedom and the Demonic Armor is battling. "whatever it was, it's going to where Kira and his foe are fighting."
"Think that it's his backup?" Raymond asks and Daniel just shrugs his shoulders.
"just hope that it will help him and all." Daniel said and Raymond nodded in agreement.
Back to the battlefield, the Freedom and the Demonic Armor flew to one another and the two clashed once again.
"GO DOWN!" Vandel shouted as his Armor pulls back its tiger claw like right arm and then swung it straight at the Freedom which deflected the attack to the side before proceeding to punch the black Armor on the head. "ugh!"
"just stop this!" Kira shouted, his Gundam pushing away the Demonic Armor by delivering a kick to its chest area before it fires its CIWS at the pulsating eyes which bleeds for a minute before regenerating. The Freedom quickly flying away as the Armor's eyes pulsated and fired a laser which nearly hit it. "you're killing yourself using that thing! Stop!"
"I will never stop!" Vandel shouted as his Armor grew out bladed tentacles which retracted before springing out towards the Freedom which flew away while firing its Lupus Beam rifle at them. "to achieve victory for the Principality! To end the heinous Kingdom! To defeat my foe!" the tentacles returned to the body before the eyes combined into a large eye on the chest and then fired a huge laser which turns and changes direction in following the Gundam. "This battle will only be over until either of us falls!"
Kira grits his teeth as his Gundam sprung out its Balaena Plasma Beam Cannons forward before firing a charged shot at the incoming laser which exploded but in that moment of explosion; Vandel's Demonic Armor flew through the smoke and then slammed a large demonic arm claw from above. The Freedom tried to defend but the force of the attack pushed it down.
"guh!" Kira felt the heavy strike in the cockpit, his Gundam falling to the ground and then crashed to a large building which resulted in a huge amount of dust to fly into the air.
The Freedom revealed itself in the settling dust, the Gundam struggling to get back up but the motors on its frames were failing after the crash. Kira grunted within the cockpit as he is blasted with the sounds of alarms coming from his mobile suit's damaged systems.
"Danger! Freedom's right leg motor and left arm motor along with the Balaena Plasma Beam Cannons are failing! Recovery system offline! Damage to frame is at 49,27%!" Hachi reported to Kira who is trying to get his Gundam back up, but the systems were failing. "Kira! The Freedom can't handle this type of a fight! It's systems!"
"I know!" Kira said as he manually restart some of the Freedom's damaged systems. "Hachi! Do a quick reroute of the Freedom's systems and focus only on the mobility, and weaponry! Shut off the PS Armor if you have to!"
"that's too dangerous and insane! If you shut down the PS Armor!" Hachi exclaimed before the AI made a few beeps and rings loudly. "Kira! He's coming!"
Kira gasps a bit as he looks up and sees that the Black Knight's Demonic Armor is flying straight for the Freedom while wielding a large black great sword that had been materialized by its own frame. The sword's edged tip was aimed down at the Freedom.
"Hachi! Full power to the thrusters!" Kira shouted as the AI quickly did a reboot to the Freedom's systems and the Gundam's eyes flash yellow. The thrusters ignited at full power and the mobile suit flew away by crashing through several buildings near it but in doing so, it dodged a powerful sword strike from the Demonic Armor that crashed to where it once was.
The Freedom's head crashed through several buildings before the thrusters engaged and shifted the Gundam in doing a back roll then lands to the ground with a long and large drag mark while down on one knee.
Kira gasps and huffs his breathing numerous times as the Freedom slowly lifts its head and looks at the Demonic Armor which rises from the dust of the crash, its eyes glowing red and its form still menacing as ever.
"Danger! Freedom's system response is down by 25,7% and decreasing!" Hachi reported as one screen shows the Freedom's entire frame schematics but on its right leg and left arm which were blinking red along with the wings and left chest area. "damage to the motors are going to the extreme level!"
"his Armor keeps on regenerating and doesn't run out of power like the Freedom." Kira spoke as he glanced at another screen which shows the energy readings of the Black Knight's Armor that is lower than before. "but after this long of a battle, its power is now low."
"Kira, this is without a doubt the last moment for the battle." Hachi spoke to Kira as the AI is currently signaling the Buster to come. The military colored Mobile suit flew in and then jumps off its Guruu where it came and did a small crash landing to a large tower of a building. "I suggest you do a quick retreat to an area where I can snipe down the Black Knight with the Buster's Hyper Impulse Long-range Sniper Rifle." The Gundam in action, combined its High-Energy Rifle and Gun Launcher to form its long range sniper rifle which was lifted in the air before aimed downwards. "with a precise shot, I can decommission the enemy of its legs and.."
"No, Hachi. I don't think that will work." Kira said as he remembered how some of his attacks were quickly dodged because of the many eyes that the Demonic Armor has. "it will see the attack coming and dodge it before it hits. It won't work too well against it." he hardens his gaze as he caught sight of the dangers of his Gundam's frame which were very big. "and my beam weapons won't work too well…"
"Kira!" Lacus' voice is soon heard from in the comms as Kira and Hachi got surprised by it. "Kira! Take this!"
"Lacus?" Kira looks confused as the Freedom turns its head to the side and sees the Justice flying in the air. The pinkish red Gundam holding the folded Grand Slam which it swung back and then threw out forward to its brethren Gundam. "The Justice!?"
"Catch it! Kira!" Lacus' voice is heard again as Kira quickly shakes his head and got his Freedom to turn and catches the Grand Slam which it wields with both hands. The weapon's blade was unfolded and then swung around before pointed straight at the Demonic Armor that had growling noise coming from its eyes.
"it's time to end this! Boy!" Vandel shouted as his Armor started to sprint on the ground before it flew straight for the Freedom while pulling back its large black great sword.
"Kira! He's coming!" Hachi cried out as Kira just hardened his gaze while the Freedom got into a stance with the Grand Slam sword.
Time began to slow down as the Freedom and the Demonic Armor got close to each other, both had their weapons readied. Vandel got his Armor to swing its sword down upon the Gundam while Kira got his mobile suit to ready the Grand Slam sword which had its blade turned sideways.
The two foes got closer to the proximity that they were just a few inches away and when they arrived at such a distance, they swung their swords out against each other.
SLASH!
A loud sound of metal shredding metal is heard as the Freedom and the Demonic Armor stood passed each other, both held their own respective bladed weapon outward.
There is a temporary moment of silence between the two before it disappeared when a piece of the Freedom's right blade antenna came falling to the ground as the strike between the two foes cause it to be cut off along with a large slash mark on the Gundam's right shoulder which is releasing damaged electrical sparks.
The Gundam soon fell to one knee as its entire motor frames has been pushed to the limits and is now rendered immobile. Danger alerts rings out loudly in the cockpit as Kira ignores them because his senses are slowly calming down after such a tense clash out which reduced him to huffing his breathing.
"Kira! Kira!" Lacus's voice cried out to Kira as the Justice landed near the Freedom and came down to its knee. A screen pops out and showed the princess sitting in the pinkish red Gundam cockpit while wearing a pink ZAFT pilot suit on. "Kira!"
Kira continues to huff his breathing as he turns to look back which the Freedom did so as well. The Gundam looks at the Demonic Armor that stood still after clashing with it.
The Demonic Armor stood still while large drops of blood fell to its feet as they are coming from a huge bloody gash mark on its chest which received the full on blow of the Freedom's attack with the Grand Slam.
Within the gash mark, Vandel's body is revealed as the old knight is bleeding heavily while his body seems to be infected by the parasitic Demonic Armor piece that had grown around his entire body and leaving the upper half of his chest and head unharmed.
"Well done." Vandel spoke with a smile before blood seeps out of his lips, the old knight closes his eyes before the Demonic Armor fell forward and crashed to the ground where it lies defeated.
"it's now…over…" Kira spoke as he lies tiredly in his Gundam's cockpit which was soon opened on the outside by Lacus. The pink haired princess had left the Justice' cockpit and had manually open the Freedom's cockpit. "Lacus.."
"Kira!" Lacus quickly hugs Kira as she had been terribly worried after seeing the fight between the Freedom and the Demonic Armor go on to the point to his near defeat. "Kira!"
Kira held and hugged Lacus, the young man glad that she was safe and unharmed even though she piloted the Justice without telling him.
"I'm sorry for worrying you as always, Lacus." Kira said as Lacus hugged him even more. "I'm so sorry."
Lacus just smiles while shedding some tears in the hug, the princess so glad to hear him speak and just being himself after such a terrible battle.
"Hachi, can you hear me?" Kira spoke on his comms. "Hachi?"
"I can hear you, Kira." Hachi replied.
"How is the battle now?" Kira asks as he looks to the sky and sees that the chaotic battle had ceased. "is it over?"
"yes." Hachi replied after beeping a few times. "the Fanoss forces have been pushed back. their military forces reduced and after your actions in defeating the Black Knight, the remaining forces have surrendered."
"I see…that's good." Kira said as he sighs a bit. "I'm glad that we managed to stop them."
"yes." Hachi said before the AI made several loud beeping noises. "Kira! Behind you!"
"what?" Kira and Lacus turns around and they see the Demonic Armor pulsating as it slowly rises off the ground but on all four of its limbs. The flesh formed robot is pulsating as it grew out hundreds of eyes while its body shape changed into that of a quadrupedal creature. "He's s-still alive!?"
"no! it's not the Black Knight!" Hachi reported as within the Freedom's cockpit, a screen shows the energy readings from the Demonic Armor is rising. "it's the Demonic Armor piece! It's regaining power after draining the life force of the Black Knight! it's reviving itself!"
The Demonic Armor's eyes pulsated before they all turned and looks towards the Freedom and Justice. the flesh form turned and showed a monstrous fanged head that is growling before roaring loudly while drooling out blackish red blood.
"this is bad!" Kira said as he grits his teeth before reaches for a button on his seat which was supposed to retract his seat back into the Gundam's cockpit but there was a malfunction. "damnit!" he started to get his seatbelt off. "Lacus! Get back to the Justice! hurry!"
"yes!" Lacus said as she helped Kira get off his seat, the two quickly jumped off the Freedom and onto the Justice's extended right hand. The Ultimate Coordinator going to a switch on its thumb area as it made the right arm retracted and have it held near the opened cockpit where the two got on and went into the cockpit.
Kira sits in the cockpit with Lacus, the young man activating the Justice's system as the Gundam's eyes flash green, and it rises to its feet.
The Demonic Armor growls before it began to charge straight for the Gundam.
Kira got the Justice to wield its Lupus Beam rifle as the Gundam fired a few shots, but the attack was quickly dodged by the Demonic Armor that jumps around while dashing straight for the pinkish red Gundam.
"it's fast!" Kira said as the monster armor roars and it jumps at the Justice while creating large blackish metal claws to come out of its front legs. "damnit!"
The distance between the Justice and the monster Armor got closer and closer before out of the blue, a powerful concentrated yellow energy beam was fired from the side as it pierced the monster's side and through its chest where a crystal like energy core is located before it was destroyed.
In a flash of a second, the monster suddenly disintegrates into dust as it was eventually killed.
"That was?" Lacus spoke as she and Kira were bewildered at what happened. The Justice turns its head to look at where the beam came from, and it sees the Buster Gundam that held its Hyper Impulse Long-Range Sniper Rifle. The barrel of the weapon was steaming as it had just fired the beam that killed the demonic armor and saved the two pilots in time. "The Buster…"
"Kira. Miss Lacus. Are the two of you alright?" Hachi called out to the two who let out a sigh of relief.
"thanks to you, we are now." Kira said while nodding before smiling. "thanks Hachi, you saved us in the nick of time."
"thank you." Lacus added in.
"yes. You are welcome." Hachi said before beeping. "it is a rather strange phenomena, is it not?"
"yes." Lacus nods as the Justice turns to look at where the Demonic Armor was before its demise. "to think that even though its pilot has cease to live, it still moves.."
"this must be the reason why that Luxion despise such thing…" Kira said before he hears a few ringing on the side. The young man sees that on a screen showed the Eternal and the Archangel flying nearby as the two spaceships are accompanied by the Strike, Aegis, Duel, and Blitz along with the two Skygrasper units and the Gunbarrel Striker as well. "seems that we managed to win this battle.." he then looks forward. "Hachi, make preparations for full mechanical repair for every mobile suit we have. Then inform the others for the advancement of the counterattack against the Fanoss forces."
"Roger." Hachi replied.
"Kira." Lacus looks at Kira worriedly. "we cannot just attack them, we are not…"
"I know, Lacus." Kira nodded. "it's not like me to do such a thing, but…" he looks forward and sees that displayed on one screen, the large sword that that Black Knight's Armor once wielded lies on the rubble littered ground while slowly disintegrating into black dust. "after what we have battled, I don't think we have the chance to afford ourselves a second attack from them."
Somewhere in the sky, the principality's main fleet is now currently stopped in their advance as they just received orders to stop the advance by Hetrauda because Canard's Hyperion had come and returned to the fleet with Hertrude.
Currently, in a private room of Hetrauda on the Fanoss flag ship.
"Onee-sama!" Hetrauda cried out as she hugs Hertrude. The second princess happy and relieved to have her sister back. "you're safe! I'm so relieved!"
"Rauda…." Hertrude whispers with a smile as she hugs her sister, being happy to be back with her.
The two sisters hugged one another before they separated and Hetrauda looks at Canard with a smile. The Hyperion's pilot standing nearby with Luxion floating by.
"Canard, you have my eternal gratitude for saving my sister." Hetrauda said as she went and held his right hand. "when Fanoss overcomes the Kingdom, I vow to double..no! triple your payment!"
"I just did my job and I don't like getting rewarded more than what I wanted when I applied the job." Canard said as he pulls his hand back and then turns to the side. "and don't start thinking of something like that when you haven't done and won the war yet, stupid." He went and flicked Hetrauda's forehead which made her yelp in pain. He sighs while turning around then walks a few steps to the door "I'm starting to wonder if all the nutrients that are supposed to be for your brain just went to your flabs of fat."
"F-Flabs of fat!?" Hetrauda looks shocked. "what!?"
"such notion would be sufficient with the fact that her sister is not as mature as Princess Hetrauda." Luxion said and this irked Hertrude.
"hey! What are you implying with that!?" Hertrude shouted.
"it is what he implies." Canard said as he stops and then pointed at what differentiate the two sisters. "You're thin as a piece of bark and you're too fat like."
"B-Bark of wood!?" "fat!?" Hertrude and Hetrauda shouted as the first princess imagined herself as a piece of bark wood and the second princess imagined herself as a pig. The two then glares angrily at Canard. "take that back!"
"like hell I will, stupid princesses." Canard said as he went out and leaves the room.
The two sisters grumbles angrily at their bodyguard for a moment before they looked at each other and then smiled before giggling.
"it's so good to have you back, Onee-sama." Hetrauda said as she and Hertrude went and sits down by a bed together. "I thought of the worst might have come to you when you were captured."
"I thought so as well." Hertrude nods before sighing with a smile. "but I'm starting to doubt things here and there."
"What do you mean?" Hetrauda asks while blinking her eyes twice.
Hertrude looks at her sister for a moment before she frowns and looks down. The First Princess of Fanoss then begins to tell of her experiences in living in the Kingdom and the story that she learned from Queen Mylene about the true history between Fanoss and Holfort.
The two sisters conversed on the history as Hertrude would tell the whole story and answer Hetrauda's questions regarding about certain unclear details.
"Even if Queen Mylene's words are the truth, we can't possibly stop." Hetrauda said as she looks down and tensed her gaze. "We will sink the kingdom, take away the floating island that make their land float and the principality will obtain a new land." She grips the edge of her skirt. "This is something necessary for the principality to become a truly great country."
"even so…" Hertrude said as she frowns even more. "Are we in the right to do such a thing?"
"that's…" Hetrauda thought about the answer before she frowns as she couldn't think of one. "I don't know." she shakes her head. "if what history says is the truth, we might be repeating the actions of our ancestors and that would just lead to a repeating cycle in the future…"
The two sisters went silent as they just sit on the bed.
'repeating the cycle…' Hertrudethought. 'is this the right path?'
"Onee-sama, how did you spend your time in the kingdom?" Hetrauda asks while leaning her head close to Hertrude. "was it fun? Or was it terrible?"
"it was…." Hertrude spoke as she paused for a moment before continuing with a small smile. "it was rather fun in a way." She closed her eyes and thought back to her time as a student of the Holfort Academy. "I was placed into their noble academy. I enrolled there as an overseas student. It was a place that is more horrible than I imagined. Female students were taking slaves around with them and they were looking down on the male students."
"that's incredibly terrible." Hetrauda said and Hertrude giggles while nodding.
"it was, but it wasn't terrible when I was with him." Hertrude spoke. "he made things a bit better in one way or another."
"is that so?" Hetrauda said with a smile. "I wonder what Canard did to make things better for you, Onee-sama."
"it wasn't Canard who made things better for me." Hertrude said as she looks at her sister. "that bodyguard of ours only does his job when he wants to." She sighs while closing her eyes. "he only made things rather annoying from time to time."
"eh? Then who was this 'he' then?" Hetrauda asks curious.
"it was…" Hertrude whispers before pausing when she thought of Kira whose face appeared in the back of her mind. "it was…that knight."
"That knight?" Hetrauda looks very confused as she doesn't know who the Knight is. She thought about who the mention person could be, but a thought came to her mind. "are you telling me…it was that Kingdom's Knight from before?"
"yeah.." Hetrauda nodded as she thought back to one time at the Academy.
Flashback
It was during her few first days after being enrolled in the Kingdom, Hertrude is just strolling in the academy without the accompany of Canard who was off doing something else.
"hey, its her, right?" "yeah. The Fanoss princess." "to think that she is allowed to enroll here after what she had done." "to think that such a person is allowed to be here. just what are the nobles in the court thinking?" whispers and chatters are being spread by the upper nobles.
As the whispers spread amongst one another, Hertrude paid them no mind to them at all.
Times passes as Hertrude keeps on her days as an enrolled student of Holfort who would get some rough treatment from time to time from passing by students who would sneer hatefully at her.
One day during the afternoon. Hertrude is found just sitting under the shade of a tree in the Academy's open garden area which is free for all students to use.
"To think that such a peaceful place could be in the kingdom…." Hertrude whispers as she just leans against the tree shade that she is sitting below. The Fanoss princess sighs while having her eyes closed. "I'm rather jealous…"
As Hertrude continues to relax under the tree shade, she hears some whispering chatters nearby. The Fanoss Princess didn't give it much thought than the fact that it must be from the noble daughters who hate her.
'I wonder what it will be this time? Rocks? Trash?' Hetrude thought while opening her eyes. "or rather, they would make a plan to come and vandalize my room.' She sighs. "oh well, I was getting a bit bored with their petty action.'
As Hertrude was thinking about what the noble daughters would do to her, she heard some small screams and running footsteps. The Fanoss Princesses looks to the side and then sees a bunch of noble girls who have been treating her harshly, running away to somewhere in the hallway.
"what was that all about?" Hertrude whispers curiously as she wondered what made the girls run away. As the Fanoss princess was thinking about what was going on, she caught sight of Kira walking to the other side of the hallway. "that man was…"
Time goes on as Hertrude continues her days as a student of the Academy but she would get some bad treatment from the nobles' daughters but in the form of petty childish bullying that is beyond her.
On another certain day, Hertrude is just walking around in the hallway as she is heading for her room.
"again, they are doing petty things again." Hertrude whispers as she had a day of her being sneered and glared by the noble daughters when she was studying. "it's so boring."
"just why are you even protecting her, Kira?" a voice is heard as Hertrude went to a corner before she quickly hides and then peeks her head out to see that Kira is standing by the corner with Raymond and Daniel, the three were having a little hangout while eating ice cream cones. "I mean, she's the one who attacked us, right? Why are you even protecting her from the other nobles?"
"is it because you were told to do so by the King and Queen? Or maybe the noble court?" Raymond spoke as he had speak first and that was the beginning of the conversation that Hertrude had heard.
"yeah, like they told you to keep an eye on her and stuff?" Daniel added in before taking a little bite of his ice cream.
"no, nothing like that." Kira said as he looks to the side and stares to the garden outside the hallway. The young man smiling as he watches the peaceful scenery with Tori who perched onto his shoulder. "I just protected her because it was the right thing to do."
"What you mean by that?" Raymond asks while adjusting his glasses.
"what's the use of harming someone for fun? Is it to entertain yourself? To entertain others?" Kira asks while closing his eyes. "I understand that she's the princess of an enemy Kingdom, but what is the need to harm her? she's just a girl who was destined to lead her own Kingdom for their prosperity." He open his eyes and looks at his friend with a smile. "What she did that day…..it was to ensure that her Kingdom would prosper. So I can't hate her for that."
"What? are you really saying that, Kira?" Daniel asks in surprise. "she literally started a war, right!?"
"She started the war but was it in her own volition?" Kira replied after taking a few licks of his ice cream. "I don't truly understand the history of the hatred between the Kingdom and the principality, but why must such a hatred that was started by their ancestors be passed on to their descendants?" he then smiles a bit. "I'm sure that in more than one way, she didn't want to start the war."
"hey, our kingdom and the principality hated each other for years and that hatred caused the war to just…" Raymond spoke as he tried to tell Kira that Hertrude was a bad person but the person in name had heard it all but hearing the words from the young knight who defeated her army, she thought about his words very well.
"not wanting to start the war on my own volition, huh?" Hertrude whispers as she pulls back and leans against the wall. "why must the hatred of our ancestors be passed upon us to follow, huh?" she thought about those words before she closed her eyes. "like he knows what the Kingdom has done to us…'
"even if she hated the Kingdom and is being forced to stay here as a student, I would protect her no matter what." Kira spoke out and Hertrude's eyes widen when she heard it. the princess quickly peeking and eavesdropping into the group's conversation. The young man looks at his friend while smiling a bit innocently. "I mean, she's still a girl after all."
Hertrude sees the smile and she couldn't believe that the person who stopped her kingdom's forces could look so innocent, kind, and gentle.
Tori remains perched on Kira's shoulder as the mechanical bird twist and turns its head a few times before it looks somewhere and then flew down the corner of the hallway.
"Tori?" Kira looks and then follows after Tori with Raymond and Daniel following.
Tori flew down the hallway and by the corner as it flies around and then goes back to Kira who turns and then checks the corner hallway to find no one.
"Was someone there?" Raymond asks while checking around.
"Whoever was here, they're long gone." Daniel said as he licks his ice cream while looking around for anyone nearby.
"I wonder who was here." Kira said as he looks at Tori who perched back to his shoulder. "do you know who was here, Tori?"
"Tori~?" Tori replied while turning its head several times.
Unknown to the group, Hertrude had quickly run away and hid herself to another corner of the hallway where she remained hidden and out of sight.
"I'm still a girl to you, huh?" Hertrude whispers before she leaves but it was noticeable to see that her cheeks were a bit red. "I'm possibly more older than you, you fool."
flashback
"yeah, that knight was a peculiar one." Hertrude spoke as she reminisce the memory before smiling. "a very peculiar one."
"I see.." Hetrauda nodded before she sighs. "seems that Onee-sama grew a liking to a very troublesome person.."
"l-liking!? What are you saying, Rauda!?" Hertrude exclaimed while looking a bit flushed red to her sister who just looks confused.
"I mean, when you say that a certain someone is peculiar it means that you find them interesting, right?" Hetrauda replied while tilting her head to the side. "right?"
"you…" Hertrude sweatdrops as she couldn't understand how her own sister's mind works when it comes to matters that doesn't involve their kingdom's politics and anything else.
As the sisters keep on spending their time, a knight suddenly came barging in without knocking.
"you! We're having a private meeting and you dare!" Hertrauda exclaimed angrily.
"M-My apologies!" the knight kneels and bows his head. "but I'm here to report that the advance forces have been defeated!"
"what!?" Hetrauda exclaimed in shock. "what about Vandel!? Where is he!? Was he captured!?"
"n-no…a survivor of the advanced forces have reported that Vandel-sama…" the knight spoke with the sound of regret in his voice. "has fallen in battle."
"V-Vandel…has fallen in battle!?" Hertrude spoke in shock as she thought back to the sight of the battle between the Black Knight's Demonic Armor and Kira's Freedom. "could it be…against that Kingdom's Armor?"
"and also, we have confirmed that the Kingdom's Army is making preparation in approaching our fleet in a counter attack!" the knight continued the report. "Your Highness Hertrauda! We need your guidance!"
"I see…" Hertrauda whispers as she looks down for a moment and then looks at the knight. "gather everyone to the throne. I will be there immediately."
"yes!" the knight replied before leaving.
"seems that the time has come." Hertrauda said before she looks at her sister. "Onee-sama, please take care of the rest when I fall."
"Rauda?" Hertrude looks at her sister who begins walking towards the door. The first princess getting off her seat. "Rauda!?"
"all for the Principality." Hetrauda said as she turns and smiles to her sister. "it is all for our kingdom, our family."
Hertrude looks at her sister who smiles and then leaves the room where the First Princess of Fanoss remains behind.
an hour later, at the Holfort Kingdom.
The military army of the Kingdom have made the utmost preparations as they had a large fleet of airships leaving the land as they are going to advance straight for the Fanoss forces.
Currently, by the Kingdom's castle. The Strike is down on one knee by the main gate where Kira is having a meeting with Vince and Bernard who had asked him for some time before the final battle.
"Count Bartfort, will this be alright?" Bernard asks and Kira nodded, the Head of the Atlee Household had spoke to Kira regarding the defense of the Kingdom while the fleet is leaving. "leaving the defense of the kingdom to only three squadron of unmanned Gladius Armors and Espada Airships?"
"yes." Kira said with a nod as he, Bernard, and Vince looks up to the sight of a group of Espada Armors which flew over their head. "they're unmanned but I can assure you that they will have the full capability to protect the Kingdom from any possible harm." The group looks down and at each other. "I shall leave any manual directions to stationed commanders and to the both of you as well."
"What about the Princess?" Vince asks while having his arms crossed. "I'm certain that the King was against her participating in the war, even if she is on board the legendary Royal Airship."
"yes, and I understand." Kira nods, the young man already knowing that his pink haired diva is participating in the war after she told him that she will participate no matter what he says. "Lacus is without a doubt the trump card we have against the Principality forces when the time comes for us to end the war." He then sighs with a smile. "though I'm still a bit against the idea of her in the war and all."
"I'm sure you do." Vince nodded before smiling. "Godspeed to you and all the Kingdom's knights, Count Bartfort."
"Good luck." Bernard added in. "we pray for your safe return."
"yes." Kira nods before he bid the two nobles farewell as he went and got on the Strike's outstretched right hand which directed him to the opened cockpit where he entered and sits within before it was closed. The Gundam rises and stood up straight before it turns its head and looks up to the sight of the Archangel that came flying over its head.
The Strike's thrusters ignited and the Gundam flies straight for the Archangel's open catapult launcher.
Within the Archangel's Hangar, the Freedom along with the Duel, Blitz, Aegis, and the Buster were all stationed at their base with a group of Gladius Armors. The large robots were getting maintenance repairs for any damages that they have by the worker robots which were working fast and precise. The Strike soon entered the scene as the Gundam walked straight for its base while stopping as trailers carrying ammunition and repair tools, pass by its feet.
The Strike reached its base where it deactivates and the cockpit opens for Kira to come out. the young man getting out of his Gundam and place his feet down to the railway where he begins to walk straight down to the floor while worker robots quickly went to work to give any needed maintenance for the mobile suit.
"Hachi, how are we with the repairs?" Kira called out to his AI friend on the comms as he was walking down the stairs and took a look at the other Gundams which were being given repairs. "will we make it in time before the battle?"
"yes, the fully required repairs are at 98%." Hachi replied on the comms as Kira was walking and now standing in front of the Freedom Gundam which is getting repairs on all its motors which had been heavily damaged in the battle against the Black Knight's Demonic Armor. "all Mobile suits have been refueled of their ammunitions and given needed repairs after battle. Currently assessing their battle programs with several prioritized functions needed for future battle."
"good." Kira nods before he went to a control console nearby which was showing the processed repairs of the Freedom's entire schematics. "Hachi, I want to increase the Freedom's speed. Can you make some improvements to the Gundam's thrusters?"
"I can try to improve its fuel consumption, but it will only increase the speed by 2,93%" Hachi replied.
"Do it." Kira nods while checking several of the Gundam's main systems. "Even if it is a small percentage, it is best to do what we need to have the upper hand in the battle." He then looks at the Gundam. "we're the only ones that are standing in the way of the Fanoss from invading the Kingdom."
"Yes." Hachi replied before beeping a few times. "ah? there are Armors coming into the Archangel."
"Huh?" Kira made a confused noise before he turns and from the catapult launcher he sees four flashy colored Armors come flying in. "those Armors' color scheme…" he then looks rather tiredly annoyed. "don't tell me…
"Pardon us for coming!" Chris' voice is heard from one Armor which is light blue in color, this one wielding only a single sword. "we have arrived to go into the war with you!"
"and to win it!" Greg's voice is heard from a Red Armor that wields a spear with a large blade at the end.
"we have come to end this battle for our Marie's sake too!" Brad's voice came next as this is from the purple Armor that only wields a lance and staff.
"for we are her guardian knights!" Jilk's voice came last as this is from the obvious green Armor that wields a rifle while having an axe and sword stored on the side skirt.
The Armor's cockpit opened and four of the five idiot lovers of Marie jumped out and did a four man hero team pose together.
"We are Marie/-san's Guardian Knights!" they exclaimed in unison while looking all sparkly to Kira who seems rather unfazed at them. The young man just looking deadpanned in seeing them.
"Hachi." Kira spoke and the AI beeped before several drones flew in as each one was equipped with taser like equipment.
"w-wait! Wait! Wait! We're here to help!" Greg shouted as he and the others look fearfully at the drones, they remembered how painful it was to get shocked by them thanks to Hachi. "don't shock us again!"
"If you are here to help, then I suggest you do it by staying in the Kingdom and protect everyone." Kira said as he turns and begins to walk away while the drones close in on Greg and the others who were getting scared. "I have no time to be dealing with this. I have to get preparations to be done against the Fanoss forces and.."
"and you shall need all the help you can get!" a voice shouted as everyone turned to the still opened catapult door where a white Armor wearing a blue mantle came flying in and then landing near the other colored Armors. This newly arrived one had its cockpit opened for a blue haired masked knight came jumping out and doing a pose. "That is why I am here!"
Kira looks even more deadpanned at the masked knight who he knows is Julius without a single doubt.
'of all the things that could be occurring in this war..' Kira thought.
"Who is he?" Jilk asks as he and the others look cautious at the masked Julius.
"is this guy a spy of Fanoss!?" Brad added in.
"if he is, he's a foolish one!" Chris exclaimed as he quickly wields a sword that he had with him.
"Masked bastard! Who are you!?" Greg shouted. "name yourself before I clobber you!"
"I cannot tell you my real name, but if you wish to call me something. I suppose you can call me…" Julius spoke as he did a quick twirl and swung his cape to the side. "THE MASKED KNIGHT!"
"t-the masked knight?!" Jilk and the others spoke in unison, the group looking very shocked while Kira looks very deadpanned than before.
"are they being serious here?" Kira asks as he can't believe how they don't realize that it was Julius under the ridiculous disguise.
"Perhaps we should reconsider their IQ level to mere children, Kira." Hachi commented and Kira agreed with it.
"I was a simple knight roaming the land but when I came to the Kingdom and saw the battle. I can only say that I was moved by everyone's spirit!" Julius exclaimed all dramatically. "Please allow me to help to the best of my meager ability and.." he was then cut off by the drones that proceeds to fired some warning shots near his feet which made him scream. "aahh! Wait!" he quickly raised his arms up. "wait! I'm not here to fight! I'm here to help!"
"and as I had told these four before, you should be helping the other knights in protecting the Kingdom." Kira said as he hardens his eyes at them. "and I strongly advice you to stop this annoying charade, Julius."
"hah!? That's not Julius! There's no way such a masked bastard like this guy is Julius!" Greg exclaimed
"that's right! Julius is still in the castle as we speak!" Brad added in.
"even if Prince Julius is wearing such an outfit, I would know him from the first moment he came here!" Jilk added in.
"yes! I am not the prince Julius! I am the masked knight!" Julius added in with a smile. "I am merely a knight who came here to help and therefore!"
"You shall be leaving the Archangel." Kira said as he started to get very annoyed at the group's level of stupidity. "or I shall force you out."
"come on, Bartfort! This battle is without a doubt the deadliest of them all!" Brad exclaimed. "even if its you and your Armors, there's no way you can win this battle on your own!"
"yeah! And if we don't participate in this battle, we can help our Marie!" Greg added in.
"what?" Kira looks confused.
"it would seem that during the time of the battle, they had asked for mercy to be placed upon Marie to the King who informed them that they will think of giving her mercy if the five go and helped win the war." Hachi reported to Kira who sighs while rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"please tell me that Lacus knows about this." Kira asks.
"I'm afraid she doesn't." Hachi replied and that made Kira sigh a bit more.
"Count Bartfort! Please allow me to help you and these four gentlemen!" Julius exclaimed all dramatically. "I wish to aid you all in this battle! And also for unspeakable reason, to the fair Marie Fou Lafan as well!"
Kira looks at the group for a moment before he sighs and then takes out his phone to check on something.
"Hachi, ETA before encounter against the Fanoss forces?" Kira asks as he is checking a system of a ship. "and also, the distance between the Archangel and the Eternal?"
"ETA is 39 minutes, and the distance is only 200 meters." Hachi replied. "Why do you ask?"
"These five will be participating in the battle as they wished." Kira said as he taps the screen of the phone a few times and then looks at the five who looks rather happy that the man was allowing them to join him, but that happiness was short lived when a bunch of worker robots appeared and carried them all to a large pod on a short trailer which begins to take them away. "but not on our ship."
"as you wish." Hachi replied as the worker robots takes the pod to the catapult launcher while ignoring the five men screaming for help because it was too cramped in the single pod.
In a minute, the catapult launcher instantly launched the pod out as the five men screamed from experiencing the sudden launch.
The pod flew out of the Archangel before it flew to the Kingdom as it was accompanied by the colorful Armors which were remote controlled to follow it.
Kira sighs as he got rid of the annoyance, the young man turning around and walking away while the catapult door is closing to ensure that no one else could enter and annoy him.
"with that, they're gone." Kira said as he walks to the doorway out of the hangar, but he stops when he hears ringing from his phone. "this is?" he checks the caller and it's Lacus. "Lacus?" he picks up the call and held his phone near his ear. "what's wrong, Lacus?"
"Kira, I need you to make a video call to the Eternal's main channel." Lacus spoke to Kira who made a confused noise. "it's your friends, they got on board the Eternal without my knowing."
"What?" Kira replied in pure confusion. "my friends?"
That's a wrap!
I wasn't planning to make the fanfic during the hiatus, but because of a sudden brain storm and urge, I made three chapters in an instant. Probably there may be chances of this coming sooner than later but I want to focus on other stories I've made but if the brain storm comes again, you can hope to see more of this
So, I guess it's another hiatus time after this
Bye bye