Disclaimer: I do not own Gunvolt. ASG belongs to Inti Creates, and I'm making no money off this fanwork. This is purely for fun and to get my creative juices flowing once more.

How did things become so messed up..?

This was a question the 17-year-old Adept known simply as "Gunvolt" asked himself numerous times over the course of his life. Being subjected to inhumane experiments by Sumeragi at a very young age and being forced to live as the only "Success" of those experiments had been the start of his misfortunes.

Getting rescued by the leader of QUILL–a man named Asimov–and given a new purpose in life had seemed to be a break for him, but after rescuing the young girl named Shian from Sumeragi's clutches and leaving QUILL to protect her? GV was faced with the tragic reveal of Asimov's true intentions and–as a result–he was forced to clash with the man he had once considered to be like a father figure.

The aftershocks and wounds of that series of events would be felt for a long time after that. After the two of them were fatally shot by Asimov, Shian had used the last of her strength to bind her soul and Septima–the power of the Muse–to his existence in order to save their lives. And while it gave Gunvolt a boost in power that helped in overpowering the other Armed Blue-user, the cost had been far too high, as Shian was now left without a physical form.

Following this series of events, Gunvolt wound up wandering the country aimlessly for months… Only stopping when he came across a young woman named Ouka, who was under attack by a group of drugged-up Adepts. After handily defeating that group, it seemed that once more, the young man–and his closest friend–were going to be given a break, as Ouka offered to give GV a place to stay in the form of her own home.

Of course, those peaceful days perished when a former QUILL agent, Xiao, got in touch with him with new intel and gear, in hopes of the Armed Blue being able to stop a group calling themselves Eden, who had managed to invade Japan after Gunvolt ultimately put a stop to Asmiov's ambition and ultimately caused Sumeragi's "Diva Project".

The ordeals that followed once more called Gunvolt to fight, especially after Shian was forcibly stripped of most of her powers by Eden's "Grimwald Seven", putting her existence at great risk.

Of course, GV wasn't the only one who sprung into action in response to Eden's actions. A young man with a searing hatred for Adepts and a personal mission to wipe them all out–Acura–had joined the fray, blazing his own trail towards Eden's leader… The Adept named Pantera.

The two powerhouses managed to make good work of the Grimwald Seven in their respective pursuits… And yet, only one of them finished the journey in time.

Perhaps it was an odd twist of fate… But instead of managing to finish the job, Acura was knocked out after his battle against the final Adept in Eden's Grimwald Seven–Tenjian–leaving Gunvolt to face the full brunt of Pantera's powers after she managed to steal the "Mirror Shards" holding Shian's power that he'd fought hard to reclaim and fuse with them to evolve her Septima–Phantasm Mirror–to a new level and form, "Reverie Mirror".

The fight that ensued was intense, and Gunvolt was sure that he would've died numerous times over if his concentration and guard let up for even a moment. And yet, for a brief moment… He felt he could win and reclaim those days of peace.

Then Pantera unleashed the true full force of her "Evolved Septima", and the Armed Blue was faced with an overwhelming feeling that could only be described as "Despair".

Despite all his efforts to get Shian to 'wake up' and free her powers from Zonda's control, nothing worked.

Despite his desperate wishes for some kind of help to arrive, nobody came.

And yet… Right when things seemed to be at their bleakest… When GV was at death's doorstep, ready to succumb at any moment… Something in the blond Adept snapped.

Instead of drawing upon the power of Shian's song, as he would in another timeline, Gunvolt instead dug deep into himself, deeper than he'd ever pulled from to use his Septima. And what happened next could only be described as a "One-in-a-Million Odds Miracle".

His Armed Blue Septima–just as normalized to Shian's power as Pantera had become–reacted with "Paradise Lost", allowing him to begin absorbing the Septimal energy within the attack to empower himself. And in a moment truly worthy of being called a "Miraculous Turnabout", Gunvolt was able to strike Pantera down, reclaim Shian's power and put an end to things for good…

… At least, that's what he'd hoped would've been the case.

Despite the last minute power-up he'd received, Gunvolt was still badly wounded and exhausted from everything that had transpired. Adding into that… A sudden shift in energy like what had just transpired couldn't happen without some form of after-effects. In this case… The blond-gradient Adept soon found himself faced with a wormhole that seemed intent on consuming him to achieve some kind of balance and stability.

Unable to resist the pull, Gunvolt was soon consumed… And that was the last that the Armed Blue would be seen in Japan. And as he felt himself lose consciousness amidst the feeling of drifting through… Wherever he was going… GV found himself once more asking that question that plagued him:

'How did things become so messed up..?'

When one lived for well over 100 years, a lot of things changed and were put into perspective. One would be able to gain much wisdom as well.

Kamizono Acura could personally attest to this fact.

After having been dealt a humiliating defeat over a century ago by the man known as Asimov, the silver-haired Mino had taken time to recoup and regroup in hiding. Which had led into what Acura believed was a massive mistake these days–courtesy of the fact that the younger Kamizono sibling, Michiru, had been targeted by Sumeragi and abducted.

Some time after this, Sumeragi had semi-rebranded themselves, and started hunting down ordinary humans–now branding them as "Minos"-to try and 'usher in a new age for Humanity'.

Despite not knowing the cause for this sudden shift in the organization's nature, Acura soon resumed fighting against them… Now with the goal of protecting as many humans as possible. And while at first, it seemed to be business as usual… The "Adept Slayer" soon came to realize that Sumeragi's forces were getting drastically stronger at an unreasonable pace. Even with the assistance of Roro–a self-aware Combat Support Pod–things were looking increasingly bleak.

While finding a solution was possible… Acura knew that it would take too much time, and that was something they were running short on. Especially if it would require surpassing human limits. Thus, a tough decision was made, and the silver-haired slayer opted to undergo a series of procedures to become something not quite human, but not quite an Adept either:

A cyborg.

The resulting boost in abilities–as well as an increase in lifespan–was more than enough for the silver-haired youth to start making a turn around… Though, at the time the process was completed, word of a mysterious device used by Sumeragi–the "Butterfly Effect"-reached the "Adept Slayer"s ears. Dreading the possible connection between this and Michiru–especially considering how much time had passed–Acura resolved to hunt down this Butterfly Effect and put an end to it, in addition to the Sumeragi Institute's schemes.

Unfortunately… The journey to do so had so far been largely fruitless. There were vague hints here and there, but nothing concrete enough as to put them on a solid trail for where to go next. As a result, Acura and Roro had taken to roaming the country and hoping that–in the process of saving whatever bits of humanity they could–some kind of lead would emerge.

Over this course of time, Acura's hatred for Adepts had lessened into near non-existence, courtesy of the numerous sights that the Slayer had seen during the search for the Butterfly Effect. From humans who sided with Sumeragi under the pretenses of gaining power or safety, to Adepts who wished for peace and coexistence and helped in the fight as best they could… Acura had seen all sorts of types over the years. And while no lasting connections were made, these encounters did leave their marks on the heart of the one now known as "White Steel iX", or the "Minos' Savior".

Neither title really mattered to Acura, honestly. All that mattered was stopping Sumeragi and destroying the Butterfly Effect.

Alas, the pair consisting of a silver-haired warrior and a combat support pod–like many times before–found themselves at a loss for where to head next… And with night rapidly approaching, the duo had opted to make a camp for the night. While sleep was no longer a necessity, it still helped Acura retain some feeling of humanity, as well as fulfill a promise Michiru once asked to be made when they were younger.

"Hey, Boss… Are you okay? You seem kinda' down." Roro's voice rang out, snapping Acura out of reminiscing over the events that brought them to where they were currently.

"I'm fine… I was just trying to figure out our next course of action for tomorrow." It wasn't a total lie, but Roro was able to pick up on the fact she wasn't being given the whole story. Before she could protest, however, the silver-haired cyborg continued. "I remember seeing a city a few miles west of here on your GPS. That will be our next destination."

If she could've, Roro would've blanched from that revelation. "But, Boss! Isn't that city suuuper close to one of Sumeragi's main facilities?! Security's going to be really tight there…" The artificial idol remarked, concern very much evident in her tone.

"All the more reason to go. If we can subdue and capture a Sumeragi Adept, we may be able to get more valuable information than just wandering around like we have been." Eyes drifting shut in contemplation, Acura went to say something further… Only to be cut off by a startled sound from Roro.

"B-Boss! We've got a huge Septima signal nearby! It's stronger than anything we've felt in a long time… Where did this even come from?!" Feeling a sense of panic over this development, Roro's pod form began to hover around frantically, while Acura's eyes snapped open and hardened into a glare. Pulling "Divider" from its holster, the silverette looked to Roro while getting up.

"Which direction is the signal coming from?" Picking up on the sense of urgency in Acura's voice, Roro quickly calmed herself down before beginning to hover towards the direction of the signal she had picked up.

"It's this way, Boss! C'mon!"

Little did either of the pair know just how drastically the encounter waiting for them would affect their lives and forever alter the fate of the world…

It was easy to lose track of time when one was floating aimlessly in some kind of void, Gunvolt was quick to realize. 'How long have I been stuck like this? Hours? Days? I don't even want to think about what comes after…' He'd silently muse during the brief instances he drifted back to consciousness. It was frustrating, really… In addition to the constant feeling of weightlessness, the blond adept found himself unable to move a muscle. He was completely at the mercy of… Wherever he was currently.

He hadn't been able to rouse Shian from the slumber she had fallen under within the depths of his soul, and he feared the worst. If not for the faint and gentle sound of her breathing he could only perceive by focusing inwards, he would've been absolutely devastated, believing that his dearest companion had truly become lost.

The silence and the feeling of helplessness mixed together in a form of torment for the Adept, leaving a part of him that just wanted it all to end. To be granted a rest he felt he rightfully deserved after all the crap he'd been through in life. But alas, he couldn't even do anything about that, either. Whatever forces were at work in this void were also preventing him from even calling upon the Armed Blue.

Gunvolt was starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, he'd somehow been condemned to Hell. That Acura was right and his existence had been enough of an affront to God that his afterlife was just going to be eternal torment.

Thankfully for GV, this was not the case.

During one of the several times he'd drifted back to unconsciousness in the undefined amount of time he spent in that hellish void, he'd fail to notice a new vortex open up and begin to gently drag him in.

By the time he did realize something was amiss, the vortex had long since deposited him in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, with his wake-up call being the feeling of his back hitting a grassy knoll. "Gh..?!" A startled sound escaped him as he gasped for breath, scrambling to a sitting position and looking around hurriedly.

"What… Where am I?" He asked nobody in particular, trying to gain a feel for his location by taking in his surroundings. Alas, aside from a paved road not too far off to the east, his efforts didn't yield much information beyond an unfamiliar city in the distance. "Guess I better start walking and hope I can get some information.." He remarked, a part of him hoping that Shian would chime in with some kind of remark to lift his spirits.

All he got was silence. Thus, with a resigned sigh, Gunvolt shook his head and started to take the first step… Only to pause as realization hit him. "There's no telling if I'll encounter any violent Adepts on the way… I'd better make sure I'm set for combat." With that said, and the relief of hearing anything–even if it was his own voice–filling his being, he set to work on checking his person.

His outfit was still in relative tatters from the battle against Pantera, and it seemed like his trusty side-arm, "Dart Leader" was in no better shape. If the blond Adept had to venture a guess, he'd need to get the gun properly repaired before it'd be combat ready again.

'That's personal effects… Now to see if I can still use Armed Blue.' Closing his eyes for a moment, Gunvolt focused on the psychic power that made up what was known as his Septima. And before long…

"Whoa?!"

… He was rewarded with his Flashfield roaring to life around him with an intensity he'd not seen since his battles with Asimov and Pantera. Thankfully, he was able to quickly reign his power back in, leaving naught but a few stray sparks of lightning strangely in the shape of feathers to flutter around him before dissipating.

The start he got from his Flashfield coming out so easily soon fading, the blond refocused on himself and was surprised to see that his Septimal Energy was not only flowing freely once more, it was a lot more reactive and powerful than it had been previously.

'What's going on with me..? Is this because of what happened with Pantera?'

GV's musings were cut short, however, when the feeling of a gun's muzzle pressing against the back of his head became apparent, followed by a strangely familiar-yet-not voice speaking up from behind him.

"Don't move, if you want to keep living." While the voice did indeed bring back memories of a certain Adept Slayer he knew of and had fought before–a fact that put the Adept on high alert, especially considering his current inability to 'tag' anyone for his Flashfield–there were some differences from his memories that left him puzzled.

There was no sense of hatred, something he'd come to expect from Acura since the Silver-Haired youth knew exactly who and what he was. And unless his mind was playing tricks on him–a distinct possibility, after spending that time in the void–Gunvolt was sure that the voice sounded a fair bit more mature, and… Feminine..?

"I see you're able to listen without acting rashly. Good. Now turn around, slowly, and identify yourself." The strange (To Gunvolt, at least) voice commanded, prompting GV to sigh softly and do as he was ordered. If it was somehow who he thought it was holding him at gunpoint right then, then he was at a major disadvantage.

However, nothing could've prepared the two individuals for what would come to light from that simple about face.

There were definitely some familiar features, Gunvolt would note. The striking silver hair, piercing red eyes and the sleek, well-designed white suit of power armor were all dead ringers for the Acura that he knew. However, that was where the similarities ended.

The slayer's short hair that was spiked out a bit in the back was now sporting two long bangs that framed the slayer's face and reached down to their shoulders, with a somewhat messy ponytail tied up in the back. Acura's face was also a fair bit more heart-shaped, and while it was hard to tell because of the alarmed thin line that their mouth had been drawn into, he could see that the slayer now had slightly fuller lips.

Glancing downwards, Gunvolt was also treated to the fact that–while similar to what he was familiar with–Acura's armor was also built a fair bit differently now, failing to conceal the distinctly more feminine build the silverette was sporting.

"A-Acura…?!" Gunvolt half-yelped, wondering once more if his mind–and now his eyes–were playing tricks on him.

They weren't. And more alarming was what left the seeming young woman's lips next.

"You… It can't be. You're supposed to be dead.. I found your corpse years ago..!"

Just like that, the course of destiny for the Armed Blue and the White Steel iX was irreversibly altered, and only the heavens above know if it is for better or worse…