G Gundam Fan Fiction ❯ Rise, Crusade Gundam! ❯ VS War Gundam ( Chapter 14 )

Mark glanced over his shoulder, making sure the other fighters were keeping pace with him. The three core landers raced along the country, hoping to get to London in as short a time as possible. Thoughts raced through Mark's mind as to why Jean-Luc and Simon Peter both came to see him. It was all very coincidental, his first three opponents all coming back to visit him, and at the same time, no less. He knew that it couldn't be a trap, as these fighters were above such petty ploys.

 

“Mark, how much further to London?” Vlad called out.

 

“Almost there. Just a few minutes more.”

 

Bahari had been unusually quiet since the fight with the Caledonia Gundam. In the past hour, he had been lambasted by two different individuals. He couldn't help but feel slightly sick. His reasons for fighting were now called into question, and he was under suspicion for treachery. Perhaps he wasn't cut out for the Gundam Fight. After all, he'd only one a single fight and he'd been in plenty. The Final Battle seemed more and more of a struggle.

 

Vlad also remained silent. His thoughts were on his wife, lying in a coma in a hospital bed. Sometimes he wondered why he chose to leave her alone, with the possibility of dying any second, just to fight. He didn't particularly like the superiors who would get into power if he won. However, he soon recalled his wife's last words. He would become the strongest man in the world and prove himself to her. Nothing else mattered.

 

Mark didn't like this silence. It only forced him to mull over the events that had just passed, which he didn't like one bit. Although he wouldn't admit it, he was beginning to enjoy the Gundam Fight. This little event just reminded him why he hated it in the first place. It only led to death and sadness in the name of a false peace. He thought of his family, and sighed. Was this how he wished to honour them? By actively helping the problem which caused their deaths? He rubbed his forehead, which now ached with the intense weight of responsibility. It hadn't stopped since his funny turn after the fight. He wondered why that had happened, since he was in perfect physical health.

 

The rain splashed onto the roofs in London. Exactly the same weather as Mark's first fight. The two visitors were waiting in the ruins of Trafalgar Square, surrounded by armed guard. Nationalism was high in Neo-England at this point in time, and foreign fighters could expect a degree of xenophobia.

 

“Taking their time, aren't they?” Jean-Luc sighed.

 

“Patience, Jean-Luc. They'll be here. They have to.” Simon Peter stood solemnly, firmly, waiting for the first glimpse of hope. He had come to ask Mark for help in liberating Neo-Israel from its tyrannical government that was executing Gundam Fighters, and even its own politicians. Jean-Luc wanted to warn him about the Caledonia Gundam, although he was unwittingly too late to do anything about it. Their wait finally came to a close when three core landers parked beside the ruins, and three Gundam Fighters exited.

 

“Jean-Luc! Your holiness!” Mark called out. “It's good to see you both!”

 

“The feeling is mutual, Mark.” Jean-Luc replied, as he scrambled over to meet him. “I just wish I could say this visit was for pleasure.”

 

“What's wrong, Jean-Luc?”

 

“A month back, I fought Neo-Scotland's fighter…”

 

“Ah.” Mark interrupted. “He's dead.”

 

“What?”

 

“I just fought him, and he was killed by whoever was controlling him.” Jean-Luc ran a hand through his hair, and started to laugh.

 

“Well, I guess my visit was a waste then…unless you wish for a rematch?”

 

“Now is not a good time, Jean-Luc.” Mark's tone of voice made sure that Jean-Luc would keep any questions to himself. Simon Peter walked up, and grabbed Mark's hands.

 

“It is good to see you again, Mark Anderson. I am sorry for this sudden request, but I am in desperate need of your help.” Mark blinked, surprised at the forwardness which Simon Peter was displaying. “Neo-Israel is being ruled by a tyrant. He executes all the Gundam Fighters who lose in battle with their fighter, and if he wins, then our world will enter darkness.”

 

“Whoa! Can we really interfere in another country's affairs? I mean, most countries are corrupt when it comes to the Gundam Fight, why should we pick on Neo-Israel?” Mark shook his head. “Shall we take out Neo-America for its Statue of Liberty Cannon? How about Neo-Russia's prison camps? Why stop at just the one, your holiness?” His voice came out unusually angry. Deep down, he agreed with what Simon Peter was saying, but he knew too well that what he was saying made sense.

 

“…I see. I'm disappointed, Mark. I'd have hoped you, of all people, would want to help. But I guess I was wrong.” Simon Peter turned away, and began to leave. “Good luck in the Gundam Fight. You'll need it against Gundam Abaddon.”

 

His words left Mark with a lump in his throat. Perhaps he should have helped. But there was precious little time before the Final Battle, time which he couldn't spend interfering in another country. Excuses, he thought. All weak and pathetic excuses. Vlad came up behind him, and put his hand on Mark's shoulder.

 

“Don't. We can deal with that later. Our first and foremost duty is to the Gundam Fight, Anderson.” Mark turned to face him, and smiled. Warmth and kindness from Vlad? What next?

 

“Thanks...” Before Mark could finish his sentence, however, the massive figure of the Pope Gundam came crashing to the ground before them. Before it stood another Gundam, silver in colour, and small in frame. At the shoulders were two massive cannons, and multiple pistol weapons were holstered along the legs. Two beam sabres hung at the sides. It was blank in appearance other than this, looking like a human frame without any decoration.

 

“Don't even think of moving, Pope.” The voice that came from the Gundam was loud, and electronic. Despite this, it still exuded menace. Without saying a word, the Gundam Fighters called up their Gundams, and prepared for battle.

 

“Right…who the Hell are you?” Mark yelled.

 

“You can call me War Gundam. I am here to put an end to you all.” Without offering anybody a chance to respond, it unleashed a missile swarm from its multiple pistol weapons. These were largely dodged, but the fact remained that this fight could easily spill into a more populated area. Mark turned on the beam barrier, managing to lock the fight into an enclosed space.

 

“Anybody recognise this guy?” Jean-Luc asked.

 

“He's not a fighter from any country,” Vlad responded. “Look. This Gundam has no marking that make it any particular country.”

 

“Well then, what is it? If it's not a Gundam fighting for a country, who is it fighting for?” Bahari leapt back, avoiding a sudden missile burst.

 

“I'm fighting for humanity. Try to understand.” With this, it unleashed a beam sabre, and charged towards Bahari.

 

“Hey, don't forget the rest of us!” Jean-Luc rushed to intercept its charge, but when the Rose-Mirage Gundam's hand touched the War Gundam, a high electrical shock tore through it, paralysing Jean-Luc momentarily.

 

“Stay back, Neo-France! It's obvious this fighter is going to attack us one on one.” Vlad grabbed the Rose-Mirage Gundam, and dragged it back. “We can't strike it at this moment, but it can't attack us either, so we can figure out a strategy to defeat it.”

 

“That's what you think,” replied the War Gundam, which let out a beam cannon blast from its beam, knocking Vlad to the wall.

 

“Well, if short range attacks won't work, how about long range?” Jean-Luc, regaining his senses, launched a missile swarm towards the Gundam. However, the War Gundam swiftly turned around and shot each missile out of the sky with consummate ease. Bahari leapt onto its back, with this momentary distraction, and began to pull at the head.

 

“All your fancy weapons won't help if you've been beheaded fool!” Bahari laughed, and exerted his maximum pressure onto his arms, with the hope that the massive pressure would snap the head with ease.

 

“You weren't looking, were you?” War Gundam then fired out another blast from its back cannon, which sent the Congo Gundam flying.

 

“Alright, I'm sick of this! What are you trying to prove here? Who are you working for?” Mark roared, and shot forward, sword in hand, using his shield to block any projectiles. He knocked the War Gundam to the ground, and sliced off most of the pistols using the sword.

 

“I told you. Humanity.” The War Gundam's eyes began to glow, and before Mark could react, two photon beams shot out and knocked Mark off. The War Gundam got up, and looked around. It saw the beaten and tattered mobile fighters before it, and laughed. A soulless, hollow laugh. “That should please him. Some of the top seed Gundam Fighters humbled in under five minutes. Now, to finish the job.” Raising a beam sabre, it put one hand onto the Crusade Gundam's head, and prepared to decapitate it.

 

Suddenly, a blast of flame scorched its hands. While it stumbled about, trying to figure out the unknown assailant, a massive cannonball rammed into it's stomach area, knocking it back more. Then, a combined force of roses and energy fists pushed it against the wall. Finally, another Gundam appeared. This one grabbed the War Gundam by the chest and raised it into the air.

 

“Heat end.”

 

The War Gundam was shot into the air, and fell back to earth with a loud thud. As it got up, it audibly expressed terror.

 

“Impossible…”

 

Rose Gundam. Bolt Gundam. Dragon Gundam. Gundam Maxter. And God Gundam. Whatever the War Gundam was doing, the Shuffle Alliance had come to stop it.