Here we are at a brand new short story. The idea popped into my head while playing the new Gundam Breaker 4 game and I decided to have a little fun with it. Like my previous short stories, this is just for fun. I put this in the Gundam Build Divers category because they're similar in terms of setting and parts of their storylines. I do not own Gundam Breaker 4. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs (I don't know if the player character in the story can count as an OC since they have no official name or face, but let's roll with it). Here's chapter 1. Enjoy. (Warning: Spoilers from the game).
Chapter 1: Remembrance
Sheena POV
For the longest time, I had always been quiet when it came to my parents and my future. Just go along with everything they told you. As long as I didn't deviate from the plan, everything would turn out alright for me. I thought that was okay. But then... I found GB4. This world of virtual reality. And yet, despite it being virtual, it was filled with life. So many people enter this world, full of joy and ambition. Their creative minds shown in the gunpla they built. Dreams of being the best fighters or builders. I wanted to see more of this world, even if only just a little. My parents helped me get the best gunpla parts around. I did my lessons and then built my own gunpla, the Gundam Ciclamino. I wasn't too confident in my combat skills at the time, so I focused on a support build. If I could get into a clan and make some friends, I could support them from the rear and watch their backs. As luck would have it, on one of my first visits to GB4, I met them. The people who would become my best friends. My clan. I was nervous at first. I overheard them talking about doing a mission that required three members and thought 'this is my chance'. I approached them, being as polite as possible.
While the girl, who I would later learn was named Lin, seemed cautious towards me, the boy she was with, who they called Ryu, was a different story. He didn't seem worried about me at all. He was very friendly. His gunpla was very well built as well. He called it the Resolve Gundam. I would later learn that he built several gunpla, but the Resolve was his main one. It had the head of the Gundam Exia, the body and backpack of the Strike Freedom Gundam, the legs of the Lightning Gundam, the arms of the Sinanju, dual rifles and the shield of the Gundam Aerial, and the beam zanbas of the Crossbone Gundam X1. It had a few extra parts from other gunpla and featured a custom silver, gold and royal navy-blue color scheme. The paint scheme gave it a strong, almost regal feel to me. Like a warrior sent from the heavens. Meanwhile, Lin's gunpla had an assortment of reds and pinks to it. She was definitely more... passionate than Ryu. Thankfully, they accepted me into their team and we went on the mission. There, I got to see them in action firsthand. Lin was very energetic and competitive. She was driven to get stronger and prove her skills. But Ryu was different. He was strong, he was skilled. But, at the same time, he was so calm and composed. He didn't speak much. He seemed like someone who preferred to let his actions speak for him. And they spoke so much to me. I was in awe at his skills. After the mission, they invited me into their clan, Celestial Blades. Though I explained that I couldn't be online as often as them, they still wanted me in their clan so I accepted their offer. Since then, we started battling together and I had so much fun. I got to meet Tao and Lilin who were already in the clan. Later on, the clan battle tournament began, but we were short one member. Luck was on our side that day, so to speak.
A boy named Mashima approached us with an offer to help us in the clan battles. Of course, they first thing he did was hit on me. He wasn't overbearing with the flirting, but I wasn't really interested in guys like him. It almost felt like he was putting on an act. Still, we accepted him and he proved to be a skilled fighter and builder. Even after he joined, Mashima would continue to flirt with me, but I would turn him down kindly every time. He also flirted with Lin and Lilin a little bit, not to mention almost every other young lady we encountered in GB4. While I was glad to have the distractions, I felt a little bad for them. It was the fact that Mashima flirted with multiple women, even right in front of each other, that made me turn him down even more. He was reliable, funny, and a good friend. But, that's all he would be to me: a friend.
Then, reality came knocking. My parents wanted me to stop playing GB4 and focus all my time on their 'plan' for me. I was heartbroken about it. I thought I wouldn't be able to play with my friends ever again. I thought like I always did before; to just do as they say and keep my head down. But then, in the middle of that battle, Lilin and Ryu came to my rescue. They showed me that I wasn't alone. They gave me the courage to finally stand up for myself. After that mission, I gave Ryu my thanks. He was there to lend me an ear when I told him about my worries. And he was there for me when I needed help in the mission. He was always there supporting me, and so I decided that I would endeavor to support him and my clan, my friends. I spoke to my parents and gave the strongest argument I could possibly muster. I told them that I would continue to work hard as the heir to the family, but I wouldn't give up GB4. I wouldn't give up something that meant so much to me. Though they seemed apprehensive at first, I wouldn't back down and lower my head. Not this time. They eventually agreed, which surprised me. I wasn't backing down anymore. My clan gave me that strength. HE gave me that strength.
Things were going well after that. We had the battle tournament going on, Mashima was still flirting with me and I would turn him down... And then it happened. Chaos and Freedom Fleet unleashed their plan to take control of GB4 and they kidnapped Lilin to do it. We learned that Lilin was an AI, but that didn't change my opinion of her. She was still a precious friend. So pure and innocent, like a little sister. When we fought against Khara Paccio of Freedom Fleet, she confessed that she manipulated Lilin and gave her the GBV. I was with Ryu and Lin that battle. To hear that girl talk about tricking Lilin, and mock her at the same time; I was furious even if I didn't show it. But so was Ryu. He didn't say anything, he showed it in his actions. Paccio was so confident in her power born from the illegal GBV virus, but Ryu was far better. He defeated her in quick fashion and left her gunpla a battered wreck. I've rarely seen him that angry before. The only time I've seen him that angry was when we helped Tao fight against his bully Serito from his school. It reminded me how much he cares about his friends. I admired him for that.
We fought through several difficult battles until we finally faced Chaos himself. I couldn't be there to help Ryu and Lil in that battle directly. But, I could help them focus on that single opponent by keeping the smaller enemies off their backs. And I did, with help from the others. We took them all down, and then watched Ryu and Lilin, whom he managed to free from Chaos' grasp, face Chaos one last time. Like all the times before, I was in awe of Ryu's skills as a gunpla fighter. Despite Chaos' power from the GBV, Ryu still managed to defeat him with help from Lilin. And thus, the chaos from Freedom Fleet's scheme was over. Lilin was back with us, safe and sound. Chaos even set out an antivirus program to fix the servers in GB4, so the game was saved as well. Meister Jin and the developers shut down the rest of Freedom Fleet. We learned that their accounts and data were confiscated and shut down. Essentially, Freedom Fleet was banished from GB4. I was a little worried that they might try something similar in a different game, but Meister Jin told us that Chaos was the only one of them with the skills to crack the game like they did and he had no intention of repeating those same mistakes. Without him, the former members of Freedom Fleet wouldn't be able to damage any other games. We wouldn't have to worry about them ever again.
With all of that out of the way, the official launch for GB4 can finally go off without anymore problems. Lilin is still resting after the final battle, but I know she'll be back before the official launch. It was when I had some time to myself in GB4 that I found myself thinking back on all of that. It was just me on the server at the time being. A few other players were mingling about, happy to be able to log back into the game. Happy that things have gone back to normal. It's nice to have a little peace and quiet every now and then.
"It's almost like that whole Chaos business never happened, huh," I turn around to find Mashima coming up behind me.
"Indeed. Everyone is back to business as usual, though that's not a bad thing. I'm just glad that we got Lilin back and got everything sorted out. Now, we can focus solely on enjoying the game," I tell him.
Mashima nods, "Yeah, it's nice to take it easy for a change, even if only for a short while. Speaking of enjoying the game, it's just the two of us here. How about we do a mission together? This way you can see my skills up close like last time," and he starts flirting with me like always.
"Mashima, while that does sound tempting, I'm afraid I'll have to pass this time. After all those serious battles, I'm still a little worn out. I wouldn't mind watching though," I reply.
I always try to be polite, and while I know Mashima isn't a bad person, I'm just not interested in guys who can't take a hint. I've told him this before, but he doesn't seem to want to listen.
"Ah, shot down again. I don't suppose there's anything I can do to convince ya, sweet stuff?' Mashima refuses to back down.
I sigh. This certainly gets a little tiresome at times. As if a blessing in disguise, I spot Ryu entering the server.
"Oh, Ryu has logged on," I point him out, causing Mashima to turn.
"Ah, can't say I'm surprised. It's almost like he lives here," Mashima jokes.
Ryu waves to us and joins the group.
"It's good to see you again, Ryu," I greet him politely.
"Yo, Ryu, glad to see you. Sorry, if you'll just give me a minute. I'm trying to convince Sheena to go on a mission with me. Actually, maybe you can help me out with that?" Mashima says.
I sigh again. Now Mashima is trying to rope Ryu into this... Actually, maybe this could help. It might be a little underhanded, but it might just be what needs to convince Mashima.
"Actually, Mashima, I have a proposal," I say.
"Oh-ho, am I finally getting through? I'm all ears, Sheena," he certainly looks eager.
"This is my proposal. If you can defeat Ryu in a duel, then I'll go on a mission with you. Just the two of us. However, if you lose, you will stop our attempts to flirt with me. Does that sound fair?" I say.
I hate having to use Ryu like this, but if I can't convince Mashima to back off soon, I may do something uncouth.
"Whoa, talk about a tall order. Fighting the ace of our team one-on-one? Still, I won't back down from a challenge, especially when getting to spend time with you is the stakes," Mashima accepts the challenge, as I expected he would.
"Ryu, would you be willing to indulge us in this? I will understand if you choose to decline," I ask him.
I need to make sure he's okay with this, or else this plan will backfire. Ryu looks between the two of us and nods a second later.
"Alright then, it looks like we have ourselves a duel. This is gonna be epic. Two knights fighting for the princess' hand. I'd better get ready! Sheena, I'll be back soon. This won't take long," Mashima leaves to prepare for the duel.
"Ryu," I approach him and bow. "I'm sorry about getting you roped into my dilemma. I just made that little proposal off the bat. I consider Mashima a good friend, but that's all he is to me. I just want him to understand that I'm not interested in anything more than that. But, it's too late to take back my words. So, if you could, would you be willing to duel Mashima to settle this?"
Ryu simply places a hand on my shoulder and nods his approval. I felt immense relief that he was willing to help me. But then again, he's always been there for his friends. That's the kind of guy Ryu is. He goes off to prepare for battle. I head up to one of the screens in the social area. But, I wasn't the only one. Other players formed around the monitor.
"Look, two members of Celestial Blades are getting ready to fight. This is gonna be epic!" one player notes.
"Why are they dueling? Is this to see who's the top dog in the miracle team?" another wonders.
After the Chaos incident, our clan's fame skyrocketed as the team, along with Meister Jin's clan, who saved GB4. So, a lot of people knew about us.
"Sheena, what's going on?" I turn to find Tao and Lin approaching. Tao looks up and bolts up at seeing the upcoming fight. "Huh? Why are Mashima and Ryu about to duel each other?" Tao asks.
"It's kind of a long story. Allow me to explain," I proceed to tell them what happened.
"Ugh, so Mashima still didn't learn huh. Maybe he will after Ryu beats some sense into him," Lin shrugs her shoulders.
"Um, maybe not so badly that he doesn't want to play anymore?" Tao seems less enthused.
I focus on the match as it gets ready to start. The field is on the surface of Requiem from Gundam Seed Destiny. There's space debris everywhere, but I can clearly see the two players. Ryu and his Resolve Gundam versus Mashima and his Nouvel Crane Queen. The two land on the surface of the space station and square off.
"I know you're good, Ryu. I've seen you in action enough times now to know. But... I can't afford to lose this match," Mashima aims his rifle at Ryu.
Ryu's only response is to holster his rifles and bring out his beam zambas. Mashima fires the first shot, but Ryu deflects it and charges at his teammate. Mashima jumps into the air as Ryu swings at him. Ryu follows, firing his railguns. Mashima blocks with his beam shield and fires more shots. Ryu dodges them as he chases Mashima.
"Guess cheap stuff like that won't work on him. Of course," Mashima mutters.
Mashima send out his funnels. The attack from multiple angles, but Ryu flies around the shots and fires off his phase cannon. Mashima spins around the blast. The funnels attack again, but Ryu flies up and over the shots. Switching his blades for his beam rifles, Ryu fires several shots at Mashima. Mashima blocks with his shield and flies across the surface of Requiem. Ryu gives chase with no fear, even while dodging the funnels. Once more, I was in awe at the way he fought without any fear from his opponent. No, it's more like the stronger his opponent, the better he gets. The more he enjoys the battle. He spins around one shot and then dodges another. As he follows Mashima, his opponent fires shots at the ground, stirring up smoke. Ryu stops and several beam shots ring out. Mashima watches out of the smoke as the beams hit the center of the smoke.
"Did that work?" Mashima looks deeper into the smoke. As the smoke fades, he sees several small objects flying in the air. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Gund-Bits."
I watched as the Gund-Bits fly around Ryu's gunpla, forming a protective shield around him. Mashima's funnels attack again, but the beams get deflected all the same. Ryu usually had the Aerial's shield on the back of his gunpla, between its wings.
"But, those aren't the only funnel-type weapons Ryu has," I mutter.
Ryu jumps into the air and releases his dragoons. The dragoons unleash an onslaught at Mashima. He brings his funnels together to form a barrier to protect himself. The shield protects his gunpla, but the dragoons keep coming.
"Sorry Ryu, but you can't break through this shield," Mashima taunts him.
Ryu says nothing. Instead, he brings out his gund-bits. They form a circle in front of him. He then fires his phase cannon and his bits together with his rifles in a combined attack. The attack hits the side of his shield. It seems to hold up at first, but the combined assault, fused with the attacks from the dragoons, begins to take its toll on the shield. It begins to lose power and crack.
"Wait, my shield's weakening. Not good!" Mashima looks worried.
His gunpla moves just as the shield breaks, narrowly avoiding the combined attack. He fires a few rockets from his bazooka under his rifle. However, the dragoons shoot them down. Ryu fires his rail cannons again, but Mashima blocks them. He gets blown back to the surface. Ryu charges in with his blades and swings at him. Mashima blocks with his beam saber.
"I won't go down that easily, Ryu!" Mashima says.
Ryu nods in reply and kicks Mashima back. He then fires all his missile launchers. Mashima has his funnels shoot them down, causing smoke to billow out everywhere. Just then, a shot rings out and destroys Mashima's beam rifle. He looks as Ryu flies out through the smoke, all his bits and dragoons returned to him. He flies straight into Mashima and sends him crashing into a cliffside. Mashima is on his last ropes as Ryu approaches to deal the final blow.
"Come on, Ryu. Don't make the same mistake as Yuki," Mashima says.
I know what he means. When Yuki charged at him, thinking he was about to beat Mashima, Mashima surprised him with his funnels. Two funnels appear behind Ryu and fire. However, Ryu's gund-bits protect him from the attack before shooting them down.
Mashima looks really nervous now, "Um, maybe we can call a time out?"
Ryu shakes his head. Mashima takes out his beam saber and makes a last attempt at turning the tide. Ryu blocks with his blades and then fires his phase cannon point blank. The shot breaks right through Mashima's gunpla.
"Ah man. Guess you're just that strong, huh," Mashima accepts his loss before his gunpla explodes.
I let out a sigh of relief I hadn't realized I'd been holding in. The crowd that formed around us cheered at the spectacle. Both Mashima and Ryu are talented fighters and showed their skills, but Ryu proved to be the better man in this fight. I had faith in his abilities. No matter the challenge, he always goes head-on with no hesitation. A few minutes later, Ryu and Mashima return to the lobby.
"Nice fight guys. You both were awesome out there," Tao says.
"Of course, I'm not surprised Ryu won. He's not the ace of our team for nothing," Lin adds.
Ryu nods and pumps his fist. Mashima walks up to me.
"While that fight didn't go the way I was hoping, I am a man of my word. Just as promised, I'll back off and stop flirting with you. And I mean it. I don't go back on my word," Mashima bows his head to me.
Everyone was surprised by his actions, even myself. I know he's a good person at heart, but I didn't think he'd so readily accept my conditions for our deal. However, I'm glad that he's a good person, so I know he'll keep his word.
"I appreciate it, Mashima. We can still be friends, though. And I do hope you find some girl out there that will accept your advances. Though, maybe ease up on them a bit and that should improve your chances," I tell him.
"Heh-heh-heh, yeah, there are plenty of fish in the sea, as they say," Mashima says, glancing at Lin.
Lin gets angry again, "One, no, I'm not interested. Two, you are forbidden from hitting on Lilin and Misa. Try anything with them and I'll make you regret it,"
Can't say I'm surprised by Lin's response. Mashima quickly got on her bad side when they first met. I doubt he'd actually hit on Lilin since she's an AI, and I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to flirt with Misa, only for her to send him crashing into the side of Axis while it's falling. While the others are talking, I approach Ryu.
"Thanks again, Ryu, for helping me. I really appreciate it," I say.
Ryu nods in response, placing another comforting hand on my shoulder. Like always, he doesn't talk much. But it's his actions that speak louder than words. That's why I know if I ever need his help, he'll always be there for me. It's why I've come to like him so much after all.
And that's the chapter. A little light-hearted one-shot for some fun after being on break from Fanfiction for a while. There's a few more chapters left though. There might be another story or two I'll upload in the future, but we'll see. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this one. Until then, please Read and Review.