SD Gundam Fan Fiction ❯ Tenmei: Hinomoto Botsu ❯ Chapter 6: Secrets of Secrets ( Chapter 6 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: May-VeggieGirl1 
Anime/Manga: SD Gundam Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.04.2007 | Updated On: 02.17.2008 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.9K | Visits: 801 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: SD Gundam Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.04.2007 | Updated On: 02.17.2008 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.9K | Visits: 801 | Status: Completed
Tenmei: Hinomoto Botsu
By: May-VeggieGirl1
This was EDITTED on 2/17/08. The reason being, I've been combining a villain's name with one of the advisors. So, I've changed it now.
The four advisors for Kibaomaru are:
Yakubimaru, Nankyokumaru, Kimajimaru, Hitoare
...Besides that, nothing else has really changed. ^^;
~*~*~*~*
The last time Shute had been in the Universe Castle, it was in celebration. And the time before that- as a hostage. So he was enjoying taking in more of the building than before. It really was a great structure, royal blue roof and deep blood red accents and doors, but strangely everything just kind of seemed delicate. The tatami mats, the paper walls, everything really. Like all of Ark was something fragile. But the boy smiled to himself, knowing he was being silly. Ark was strong now with Britainmaru and if there were musha gundams like Bakunetsumaru plowing through here, a little human boy couldn’t possibly do any harm by mere touch.
“How has Britainmaru been doing,” He asked while leaning over to examine a bonsai tree in a corner of one of the rooms they were passing through. Baku looked around, focused on where he was and where he was going, and started walking again towards a door. After not getting an answer, the boy stood up straight with a frown. “Bakunetsumaru?”
“Huh?” He blinked and whirled his head back to Shute, not hearing him apparently, as the door he was about to open snapped open itself, revealing two smaller figures. Baku turned back and smiled, bowing as the two gold and silver mech came into view. “Ah! Ginkaku-sensei, Kinkaku-sensei, there you are!” The two faithful nobusshi stepped into the room and bowed back politely, looking up at the Gundam Force.
“Ah, you’re back already, Baknetsumaru-san,” Kinkaku said.
“And you brought company.” Shute waved at them, grinning as Zero nodded his head to them in greeting.
“Hey Ginkaku, Kinkaku! How have you been doing?”
“We are well,” Ginkaku smiled under his moustache at Shute, thinking the boy looked well. Not that he especially knew how a human would look when well, but he concluded anyway. “Captain-san, Zero-san, it’s also nice to see you too.”
Captain answered firm but apologetically, “We’re here on business though, sorry.” Kinkaku looked at Baku who forced on a smile, hoping this ordeal with Fenn was not to make a mountain of an ant hill. It could be a miscommunication after all, he told himself silently, and that he should keep an open mind. But the two knew better of the samurai being serious now and watched wary.
“Yes, actually.”
“Do you need to speak with Britainmaru-sama,” Ginkaku frowned.
“No... Well,” Baku paused and looked up at the ceiling, folding his arms. “We just needed to talk with Genkimaru, have you see him today? Or even Cobramaru?” The two nobbusshi looked at each other in question.
“Actually, I haven’t seen Cobramaru-san in a while, now that you mention it,” Kinkaku admitted, noticing the Gundam Force tensed just slightly at the words. “But Genkimaru-san left an hour ago with his party.” Baku hung his head, figuring Genkimaru wouldn’t sit still in the castle.
“Where did he go,” Zero asked, floating off of his feet and into the air a few inches.
“To see Kibaomaru.” Baku stared at the two nobusshi, slowly absorbing the information and nodding slightly, lost in thought.
“Alright, I guess we’ll head over there to inquire. Thank you Ginkaku-sensei, Kinkaku-sensei.” He smiled again and bowed. “Please tell Britainmaru-sensei I will be out for a while.” They bowed in return.
“We will, good luck.” Shute nodded and waved as the Gundam Force turned and left through the doors they came through.
“Thanks! See you later!”
“I see now that watch duty sucks.” Nankyokumaru sat upon the platform coming out from the main door of the palace, hanging his legs idly over the side and staring off into the distance at the bamboo trees. Yakubimaru, his comrade, sat behind him a few feet back, obviously annoyed with the task at hand. Nankyoku smiled and looked down below his feet at the large orb containing a blue crackling glow to it.
"It could be worse," He reasoned, kicking his feet. Yaku made an annoyed sound but didn't complain any further. It was a bit boring compared to the usual tasks of overseeing the zakobusshi and nobusshi, looking over Kiba's plans and thwarting enemy ninja activities but this was part of their job too. Though he didn't quite understand the logic of having Yaku be placed as guard at all, since the gundam's speed wasn't too impressive and his strength was something you could laugh at if you had enough gall and stupidity to do such a thing. Nankyoku thought it over a little more, wondering if it meant Kiba believed a shinobi would try to infiltrate using illusionary tactics, since picking out an illusion just did happen to be a skill Yaku possessed, but there hadn't been any inclination towards today that he had heard about.
The gundam looked back up at the bamboo's edge and frowned recalling the attacks began about two months back, not long after the calm and fire spirits had agreed to Kiba's position.
"But why attack us and not Britainmaru," Genkimaru asked. Kiba made a sound of irritation in the back of his throat as the future Daishogun had grown impatient.
"Perhaps because they know my position is one that could throw Ark into war again." He paused to stare at Genki, obviously upset. "Attacking you must be to get to me, since reasonably you would be the easier target." Genki glared at Kiba's belittling words and pointed an accusing finger at Kiba.
"If they think I'm any easier, they've got something coming to them!!"
"At any rate," Kiba interrupted before Genki could continue his tirade and looked down at his tea, staring at his own distorted reflection and vaguely watching Genki from the corner of his eye. "Since it only involves the two of us, let's not bother Britainmaru or our country with this information. Am I clear?" Genki frowned, now with confusion, and Cobram shifted in the shadows, obviously unsettled from the proposal. "I have already discussed the matter with my advisors." Cobram glanced at the four sitting back behind Kiba and sneered. Nankyoku caught it but ignored the ninja, glancing back at Hitoare behind him and Kimajimaru behind Yaku. He was the most hesitant to agree to Kiba's secrecy, and still felt nervous about the decision.
"But your advisors are under Britainmaru," Genki spat and Yaku opened his eyes, icy blue and calm.
"Is Kibaomaru not?" Cobram bit his tongue and Genki crossed his arms. "Are we all not under Britainmaru?" No one answered him because it was true and yet it was not. The question was if they were black or white when they were all degrees of grey so the inquiry of just how black Kiba was from white was forcibly dropped. Yaku knew how to play his cards; and though Nankyoku admired that level of intelligence, he naturally worried about the infamous qualities that came with Yaku.
"So why then should we withhold this information? What reason," Genki growled.
"Although pleasant it has been," Yaku continued to speak. "The time of peace has not been long in everyone's minds and hearts. The slightest inclination of another civil war would bring uprising and rebellion with severe conseqences." A moment of silence passed through the room with understanding. Kiba looked up at his son with amusement in his eyes. Genki looked away from Yaku to his father, frown most evident.
"Do you think Britainmaru cannot keep a secret," He asked warily. It was obvious that he felt responsible for overseeing Kiba's actions, Nankyoku smiled to himself at the child. Who would blame him, after all, his father was not one to trust completely.
"It's the matter of other ears who live with him. Ears with mouths," Yaku reasoned but Nankyoku next to him shifted his gaze from Genki back at Kiba, upset at heart. True, there was a significant possibility Baku would hear of the news, but what issue was it of? Baku was an honorable samurai, a simple swear and there wouldn't be an issue. Deep down, Nankyoku and his comrades all knew Kiba thought otherwise of Baku because he wanted to think otherwise of him. Kiba didn't want Britain involved, thankfully, not for reasons that would upset the elderly warrior, but for the feeling of being in charge, of being the real emperor.
That feeling was a dangerous thing, like giving a recovering alcoholic a sip of sweet sake, and everyone in the room knew it. Obviously concerned they would regret their answer, Genki and Cobram agreed to keep the ninja attacks and rebelling force a secret, only mentioning some rogue ninja to the true emperor one out of every fifteen attacks.
And they told Britainmaru at least three times already, much less if Genki had said anymore without telling Kiba. Nankyoku pulled away from his thoughts with a stiffled, lion yawn, letting out a deep breath of relief in the stretching and exhilirating qualities of breathing, and blinked away some tears.
"Tired?" He shook his head but replied in contradition.
"Maybe a little." Yaku watched him for a moment longer before turning his eyes back to what seemed to be an oncoming party just emerging from the large bamboo stalks in the distance. "Kibaomaru is not expecting anyone today."
"Huh?" Nankyoku quickly followed his eyes and frowned, grasping the hilt of his sword, ready. "Do you think-"
"No," Yaku answered bluntly, not moving an inch despite being a guard. "It's not an illusion and shinobi do not attack within plain sight."
"A decoy?"
"Perhaps," Yaku mulled it over but shrugged indifferently. Finally the party got close enough to become familiar and Nankyoku left his sword rest at his side, recognizing them to be Genki and the Energy Squad.
"Genkimaru-sama" He smiled and greeted with a bow. Genki blinked in surprise out of his bored stupor on Zapper's head and grinned, eyes bright.
"Nankyoku-niisan!" Hurriedly, he leapt off of the red robot's head to greet him but tripped and toppled over in midjump. Nankyoku hopped down in front of the electric orb and scooped him up with one arm before he could hit the ground.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Genki beamed as Grappler idly flipped through a japanese dictionary, one he had gotten from not understanding what they were saying for so long, eye skimming over pages until they rested upon the word niisan. His red eye widdened in shock as he looked back up at the two gundams and then back down to the book.
"W-What!? Genkimaru, you have an older brother?!" Zapper, who before could careless what they were saying in the foreign language, scooted over to peer down at the book, equally surprised.
"Ehh??" The five zakos with the party all crowded together and stared at Nankyoku with big eyes.
"Zakooo?"
"Zako Zako?" Bakuhamaru behind them sighed, shaking his head at them as Mokinmaru, Kijumaru, and Haganemaru chuckled at their cluelessness.
"No, Nankyokumaru isn't his brother. It's just what Genkimaru-san has decided to call him." Genki glanced back at them and stuck out his tongue childishly.
"Bleehhhh, baka*!" Grappler glared in response, remembering well what that word meant. Nankyoku laughed in good humor and patted Genki on the head affectionately.
"Now now, that's no way to treat the ignorant!" Grappler's pride had all he could of this as he stood menacingly.
"Who are you calling ignorant, gundam?!"
"Obviously you," Yaku pointed out boredly from above, making Nankyoku look back nervously at the other advisor. Knowing Yaku, he was going to quickly turn the innocent name calling at the ill-tempered into insults and eventully a brawl.
"Alright, Contumely*," he smiled sheepishly while setting Genki on the ground, putting himself between the nonchallant gundam still up on the platform and the infriated blue robot. "That's enough." Yaku snorted, looking away and Nankyoku changed the subject. "So, Genkimaru-sama, what brings you here?"
"The ninja attacks have settled down," He pouted. "And there's been no other trouble in Ark or anything to do from Britainmaru other than train, so I decided to put on a kabuki!" Nankyoku smiled as the child fished out some face paint.
"You sure have some time on your hands there." Yaku rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath.
"Far too much, and what a waste of it." Grappler glanced at him and smirked in agreement, not too keen himself on learning how to pull off this 'kabuki'.
"So I'm here to get Cobramaru back." Genki nodded wisely as Nankyoku looked back at the doors they were guarding.
"Well, Kibaomaru-sama is not accepting visitors today, but who am I to interfere with your vision of art?" He motioned to the door with his thumb. "You know the way." Genki smirked and ran up the stairs ahead of the squad, waving back.
"Thanks! See you later, Nankyoku-niisan!" The rest of the squad followed suite as Yaku sweatdropped at Nankyoku watching them leave, jumping up to join Yaku before the doors.
"More like you wouldn't stop Genkimaru from doing what he wanted anyway."
"That's not true!" He paused, looking up at the blue sky. "Entirely." Yaku went back to watching the horizen.
"I don't understand you sometimes. You're respectable, polite, and well versed in propriety and yet you admire such rude, troublesome others like him." Nankyoku chuckled and sat down, looking off into Ark's scenery also in case of more unexpected surprises.
"And you."
"Hardly." Nankyoku blinked and frowned, perplexed at the reply's intention. Did he mean to say he wasn't rude and troublesome, or to blatantly suggest Nankyoku didn't admire him? Both were inaccurate to a degree. After a moment of inquiring with a stare that was promptly ignored, he sighed and gave up. Sometimes, he really didn't get Yaku.
“You see, while Kibaomaru was away in Lacroa, a lot of uprisings occured across the country," Baku began while staring off into the horizen with thought, stroking Entengo. The horse munched happily on the apple Shute supplied. "Apparently, the calm mountain community had been holding rebellions for a long time ever since Britainmaru-sensei came into power-"
"Wait, the calm mountain community?" Baku glanced back at Zero and suddenly realized his friends didn't know about the huge civil divide in Ark. He frowned as Entengo looked up at him. How do I explain this?
"Um... basically, there are two kinds of musha in Ark: fire spirit and calm spirit. You're either born one or the other and it often reflects how you act and feel and such too." He paused to gather his thoughts.
"So you're a fire spirit then right," Captain asked and Baku looked up suddenly.
"Ah- yes! Same with Britainmaru-sensei, and Ginkaku-sensei, Kinkaku-sensei and Genkimaru. Kibaomaru, on the other hand, is a calm spirit."
"Why did you say mountain before then?"
"Well, calm spirit is a major category like fire, but unlike fire it has lots of little categories that mostly only reflects attack type. Like, Kibaomaru's lightning attacks fall under mountain calm spirits." Shute nodded, thinking he got it.
"So these other mushas were holding rebellions- why?"
"Because they are calm spirits and do not agree with Britainmaru's rule," Baku said with an obvious frown. Shute frowned as well.
"Why not?"
"As long as musha gundams have been in power, they have all been calm spirits."
"So... the calm spirits feel they have no power or say in their own country and want representation." Baku smiled, snapping his head back to Captain's musings. Good, so he does understand!
"Yes! After a month of debating, everyone finally agreed to peace as long as they were represented." He tapped Entengo with his heel and the horse stopped, both looking up at the sky visable from around the bamboo forest.
"Woah," Shute gawked as he looked up with them and saw the deep red roof of the two story pagoda, golden statues on the corners instead of mostly on the center like the Universe Castle. "They built another palace?!"
"Yes, it's not as big or expansive as the Universe Castle, but the new Galaxy Castle is hoped to remain an icon of peace for all of Ark."
"Alright," Shute grinned, gripping his backpack straps. "It's great Ark has come around!"
"So," Zero drawled, looking at his team with peripheral vision. "Do I even have to guess who the representative emperor of the calm spirits is?"
"No guess," Baku shook his head. "It's Kibaomaru. And well, we don't really call him the representive emperor, since he's the only one to represent all of the calm spirits nor does he have complete equal power as Britainmaru-sensei. His title is the figurehead emperor."
"A figurehead of resitution?" Captain murmured to himself. Although it was all based differently, it had a smiliar quality as Chief Haro in Neotopia- not higher than Mayor Gathermoon but certainly of prestige and representing something entirely different yet important. The Mayor of peace and paradise, the Chief of security and the realism of threats. They functioned with each other, and no other way less Neotopia be torn asunder.
Yaku and Nankyoku both saw the Gundam Force emerge from the bamboo forest and stood ready. Nankyoku gripped his sword, eyes sharp on them as Yaku backed closer to the door. Eventally, their figures became clear and Nankyoku relaxed, letting go of his sword and standing straight at attention. Even as they approached the doors, Yaku didn't budge from the front of the door, one hand reached back holding the handle.
"Ahh, konnichiwa Bakunetsumaru-san. Hello Gundam Force." Nankyoku bowed as Shute poked his head around to inspect the two new gundams. The one who greeted them had a regal look about him in deep violet armor, his single katana by his left side and eyes friendly. The boy smiled back at him but then paused to stare at the one tucked away by the door, staring back with cold, light blue eyes similar to Zero's. The majority of his armor was actually a lavender, only gems of emerald accenting it. It almost looked odd, the dark green and light purple vastly different colors and he slipped back behind Captain, fearing he observed too long and a little unnerved at the returning stare. His friend looked over his shoulder.
"What's up, Shute?" He shook his head as Nankyoku chuckled a little.
"Ah, the human companion! You must be Shute. I've heard much of your valor against the Dark Axis." Nankyoku bowed again politely and Shute poked his head out again.
"Yeah, and you are?"
"I am Nankyokumaru and this is my senpai*: Yakubimaru." Yaku finally diverted his gaze from the group to the door behind him, silent. "What brings your party here to the Galaxy Castle?"
"We need to speak with Genkimaru." Zero floated down and onto his feet. "He is here, correct?"
"Yes," Nankyoku answered with a serious frown, looking back at Yaku at the door. "But he is speaking with Kibaomaru-san at the moment." Baku dismantled Entengo and stroked her nose.
"This is a serious matter," He growled. Nankyoku sighed, obviously lost in thought.
"Alright," Yaku interceeded, shrugging indifferently. "He's just talking about kabuki. I'll take them to him, so you don't have to displease your little shadow." Nankyoku smiled at the reference to Genki as Yaku shook his head sadly. "Or become enlisted in the preformance yourself."
"What's wrong with that," Nankyoku mock whined despite his secret relief in Yaku taking over the situation.
"Everything," He muttered back, dead pan, and opened the doors to proceed forth. Baku rolled his eyes at the two and followed, the Gundam Force falling behind and leaving Entengo and Nankyoku.
"Huh," Shute came up behind Baku and whispered to him. "What were they talking about?"
"About what," Baku spared a moment's glance at his friend but that was all, staying fixed on Yaku leading them through the hall. He remembered well the discussions that were had of who would be placed as Kiba's four advisors, but Yaku especially had rubbed him wrong. There was talk of his traitorous past, so why Britainmaru thought it best to put him at such high position, directly under someone else who could also betray them, made absolutely no sense to the samurai. Well, it was Britainmaru-sensei's decision, even if I don't understand it. But there's no way I'm going to trust him still.
"Kabuki? What is kabuki?"
"Theature," Captain replied, pulling it up from his information bank. "It's like a play, Shute."
"Oh, that sounds like fun! Do you know kabuki, Bakunetsumaru?" Baku blushed suddenly, remembering back when he had participated in it before and sunk his head, mumbling an answer.
"What was that," Zero smirked, obviously seeing how embarassed this made the samurai. "We can't hear you."
"Yeah... I do," He mildly glared at Zero as Yaku turned down another hallway across the tatami mats, not paying any attention and assuming they'll follow.
"The singing and dancing movements too," Captain inquired, most obviously smiling under his faceplate and Zero laughed at the thought. Baku forced his eyes to stay on Yaku's back, face hot and red.
"Yes," He growled between his teeth, hoping they'd drop the conversation soon.
"You should sign up with Genkimaru! It would be awesome, I'd love to see it," Shute chirped and tried to imagine Baku's voice with a tune since he didn't know what the dancing movements would involve.Yaku snorted to himself and Baku flinched, already on edge with the other gundam.
"What," he snapped at him. The rest of the Gundam Force quickly fell into silence, noticing the tension of the room between the musha gundams. Yaku didn't bother stopping or turning around to address them.
"Bakunetsumaru has more important matters than to deal with a child's kabuki plannings." He finally paused, noticing they had.
"Well... yeah," Shute mumbled, frowning. "But it's just for fun." Yaku turned his head slightly, staring at Shute from the corner of his eye apathetically.
"Fun is luxorious waste that only comes after business."
"You can end up doing both," Shute smiled bravely at him with hope but Yaku did not deter in the least.
"No." Shute's smiled faded. "Not with real business."
"We had fun," The boy whispered back in retaliation. Yaku continued to walk.
"You weren't dealing with real business."
"Saving Neotopia, restoring Lacroa, and protecting Ark was not real business," Zero growled in warning, not willing to allow him to go off implying their difficult journey had been an easy task.
"From your interpretation, I suppose so." A twitch of anger went through the room. "But I didn't say it."
"You have some nerve telling us that," Baku bellowed back, clutching his fists.
Yaku turned around fully this time, a coy smile evident. "No nerve, only truth." Before any of them could retaliate, he slid the door open to the waiting party of the Dark Axis robots, sitting and standing arond, likely close to breaking something. The two parties noticed each other around Yaku as he turned back to continue walking into the room with them.
Were the Dark Axis trio begrudging of the Gundam Force? Life was simple and, for the most part, painless compared to the angry wrath the Commander would subject them to. Then again, the cup view half empty, they would be the rulers of worlds if the Force hadn't stopped them. Were they bitter? Like fiends they were.
"Hello, Gundam Force," Grappler sneered at them. Captain nodded, equally serious eyes and followed behind Yaku with his friends.
"Hello Energy Squad. Where's Genkimaru?"
"In the room with everyone else and Kibaomaru," Zapper answered though not giving them complete attention, eyeing one of the plants in the room a little too fondly. Baku continued to glare at Yaku as they came up behind him, not in any mood to drop the mudslinging.
"Traitors that aren't trusted," He growled, referring to the Dark Axis. "Yakubimaru, you deserve no better." The Dark Axis party looked at the advisor like a disease suddenly, the five Zakos intimidated, Zapper and Grappler with spite, and Destroyer in sheer confusion. But strangely, Yaku seemed to only smile at the words and he stared back at Baku, unashamed.
"It's their own undoing for not possessing tact or cunning with deception; I know what is needed to be worthy."
Worthy? Baku expression changed to deep thought, perplexed by Yaku's unabashed words. What does he mean? Does that relate to Britainmaru-sensei's placement of him? What kind of games is he playing with all of us?
"Cunning... with deception," Shute mouthed the words slowly, not understanding or believing them really. "Why-" Suddenly, a door snapped open, revealing another gundam. They stood with dark grey and yellow armor and fiery, pink eyes that stared at everyone in the room in anger.
"Gundam Force, please come in. Genkimaru awaits." The four blinked in surprise at how the word reached them before they even reached him and looked at each other. Yaku closed his eyes, obviously smirking, and turned his head up to the side, walking away.
"Back to guard duty then." Shute, Zero, and Baku watched him walk away, displeased and suspicious.
"Yakubimaru, Kibaomaru-san requested your presence as well. I'll be taking the rest of the shift." Yaku smiled more to himself than to his comrade and made a sound of understanding, spinning on his heel slowly to walk past the new gundam.
"I'd rather if you would stay instead, Hitoare," Baku asked more than said.
"It's not your decision to make," Hitoare replied though he shifted to glance at Yaku passing him spitefully. He disliked Yaku greatly, not just from the things he had done but just the way he held himself higher when he in reality was the weaker gundam. Yaku continued on unfazed into the room with Genki and Kiba and Zapper scowled.
"What's his problem?"
"It's Yakubimaru," Hitoare sneered. "Who knows?" Baku sighed and began to move forward, going into the room with the rest of the Gundam Force following, Captain shutting the door behind them. The room was flooded with light shining in from the open doors to the outside on their left, the sakura trees almost completely bare of leaves. Genki sat across from Kiba on the other side of the shogi board, the four other gundams on his squad sitting behind him and they all turned to see the visitors.
"Hey! Long time no see!"
"Yeah! How have you been Genkimaru?" Baku ignored Genki and Shute's chit-chat, focusing on Yaku moving around to sit beside Kimaji behind Kiba.
"Bored, but alright. What about all of you?"
"I know what you mean," Shute smiled, thinking about school and, unfortunately, knowing he had to return soon for it. "We've been great aside from this recent incident." Kiba narrowed his brown eyes on the boy.
"Incident?"
"Fenn has been stolen," Zero informed gravely. Genki raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Huh?"
"The guards reported that the thief perfectly mimiced Bakunetsumaru," Captain continued. "The only suspect we know of that knows Bakunetsumaru well enough and could get past Lacroa's guards is Cobramaru." Genki frowned and exchanged a serious glance with Kiba. The figurehead emperor clenched in fists and mumbled to his son very softly.
"I didn't. The rogue ninja, it must be her. You know Cobramaru wouldn't..." Captain caught the words but didn't get the opportunity to question them as Yaku chuckled from his seat.
"It is no accomplishment to mimic a fool." A vein visably buldged from Baku's head as his eye twitched, ready to explode. Shute and Zero sweatdropped, knowing they might have to restrain the angered gundam but Yaku didn't end there. "Futhermore, Ark is a country full of shinobi* and secrets and who more would master the secrets of secrets but shinobi? They collect information because information is power that can never be taken. It is more valuable than any currency to shinobi." He closed his eyes. "To blame one shinobi of Ark knowing a secret is to blame the whole country of Ark and all of it's shinobi."
"Stop twisting our intentions," Baku hollared back.
"But he's right," Kiba replied cooly, picking up his tea and sipping it. "You can't solely blame Cobramaru just because you knows he's capable personally. There are many ninja within Ark who are more than able to do the same feat." Zero's body sagged, obviously disappointed that their search was pretty much dead, and shook his head side to side slowly.
"Like Captain said, it was the only lead we had."
"It's still ignorant," Yaku mumbled and the teal blue gundam next to him, Kimaji, glanced at him with quiet eyes. Genki sighed and stood up.
"Well, I was just about to go get Cobramaru from the Chimi Ichidou, so you might as well ask him." Baku looked up in slight surprise. The Chimi Ichidou? Why is he there? Bakuha, Mokin, Kiju, and Hagane slowly rose with him as Shute smiled gratefully.
"Thanks Genkimaru!" The rest of the Energy Squad met up as Baku nodded to Kiba a sort of goodbye, the other gundam turning his head away slightly to stare at the trees, stubborn. Shute smiled at the now-large team, finally stepping out of the doors of the Galaxy Castle.
Genki's Energy Squad and the Gundam Force came upon the shrine in silence, taking in the sights and sounds of the mountain. They came apon the quiet pagoda and everyone but Bakunetsumaru looked around at the shrine and surroundings, Shute blinking in awe. He had never been to a Japanese shrine before, it was so... calm. The maple trees, the smell of incense, the firm earth, the tall bamboo, everywhere.
"Cobramaru~?" Genki called out looking around in the trees and normal places he would find the snake ninja, but no movement was made.
"He's probably around back," Baku answered, continuing to walk around the pagoda. "With the shrine." Zapper stared at Baku, deadpan.
"You mean this isn't it? What's the point of this building?" They followed around back and set eyes upon the stone. Genki paid little attention to it though, calling out.
"Come on out, snakey," He called again informally, sticking out his tongue and hissing just to amuse himself. Cobramaru obliged, though hesitant, appearing from the bamboo looking thoroughly annoyed.
"If you don't mind," He hissed back as Genki smirked. "I am busy with a task."
"I know," the child shrugged.
"So are we," Captain said sternly as Shute moved forward to look over the precise cuts and details in the dark grey stone statue.
"Wow," He whispered softly as the Zakos gathered around him also, blinking at the statue with curiosity.
"Oooh, zako."
"Can we poke it, zako?"
"Don't be disrespectful," One spat and hit the other zako over the head.
"Cobramaru," Captain began. "Have you been to Lacroa lately?" The ninja looked at Captain in mild question, still irritated.
"No, I've been busy here collecting information about one of the shinobi attacks from a few weeks back on Genkimaru."
"Not even stealing the feathered dragon," Captain narrowed his eyes, watching closely his reaction. Cobram frowned, but didn't didn't act defensive in the least.
"Fenn has been stolen?" Zero waited for a moment, also studying the ninja, then sighed, accepting the lead's end.
"Yes, and by someone perfectly posing as Bakunetsumaru."
"Well, I can't help you there."
"And so your investigation runs into a brick wall," Hagane pointed out, shrugging. "Oh well."
Zero looked aside," Mmmm." He then paused and glanced to the side at his unusually still and quiet friend, staring at the shrine. Baku stared, body rigid and tense, causing Zero to frown in concern. "Bakunetsumaru?" Though his eyes remained fixed, Baku's body came back to life, flinching and then taking a step back. His strange reactions brought everyone's attention to him as he shook his head a little, eyes small in disbelief.
"What's wrong," Bakuha frowned, worried at what could be startling the other samurai so. Baku took a deep, slow breath and another step back. Shute glanced back at the statue before him, examining it more. It was simply a statue, a gundam body with a closed snake mouth, large dragon wings spread out to the side, and empty space for eyes. Didn't seem to strange to him.
"Bakunetsumaru," Zero asked again, floating over a placing a frim hand on his shoulder. "Tell us, what's wrong?"
"The statue," the musha finally murmured, mezmerized in shock. "It's different."
~*~*~*~*
*Baka is Japanese meaning idiot
*Senpai is Japanese, a title like -sama and -san traditionally, used for an elder classmate or coworker "senior (at work or school), superior, elder"
*A contumely, directed as a title towards Yaku, is ENGLISH meaning someone who is insulting and pokes fun at people who typically have a large ego
*Shinobi is Japanese from the kanji heart and sword, used typically as a name for "ninja" as one who cuts ones own heart with a sword; another term for shinobi mostly used by ninja or those close to ninja.
Review. >_T
By: May-VeggieGirl1
This was EDITTED on 2/17/08. The reason being, I've been combining a villain's name with one of the advisors. So, I've changed it now.
The four advisors for Kibaomaru are:
Yakubimaru, Nankyokumaru, Kimajimaru, Hitoare
...Besides that, nothing else has really changed. ^^;
~*~*~*~*
The last time Shute had been in the Universe Castle, it was in celebration. And the time before that- as a hostage. So he was enjoying taking in more of the building than before. It really was a great structure, royal blue roof and deep blood red accents and doors, but strangely everything just kind of seemed delicate. The tatami mats, the paper walls, everything really. Like all of Ark was something fragile. But the boy smiled to himself, knowing he was being silly. Ark was strong now with Britainmaru and if there were musha gundams like Bakunetsumaru plowing through here, a little human boy couldn’t possibly do any harm by mere touch.
“How has Britainmaru been doing,” He asked while leaning over to examine a bonsai tree in a corner of one of the rooms they were passing through. Baku looked around, focused on where he was and where he was going, and started walking again towards a door. After not getting an answer, the boy stood up straight with a frown. “Bakunetsumaru?”
“Huh?” He blinked and whirled his head back to Shute, not hearing him apparently, as the door he was about to open snapped open itself, revealing two smaller figures. Baku turned back and smiled, bowing as the two gold and silver mech came into view. “Ah! Ginkaku-sensei, Kinkaku-sensei, there you are!” The two faithful nobusshi stepped into the room and bowed back politely, looking up at the Gundam Force.
“Ah, you’re back already, Baknetsumaru-san,” Kinkaku said.
“And you brought company.” Shute waved at them, grinning as Zero nodded his head to them in greeting.
“Hey Ginkaku, Kinkaku! How have you been doing?”
“We are well,” Ginkaku smiled under his moustache at Shute, thinking the boy looked well. Not that he especially knew how a human would look when well, but he concluded anyway. “Captain-san, Zero-san, it’s also nice to see you too.”
Captain answered firm but apologetically, “We’re here on business though, sorry.” Kinkaku looked at Baku who forced on a smile, hoping this ordeal with Fenn was not to make a mountain of an ant hill. It could be a miscommunication after all, he told himself silently, and that he should keep an open mind. But the two knew better of the samurai being serious now and watched wary.
“Yes, actually.”
“Do you need to speak with Britainmaru-sama,” Ginkaku frowned.
“No... Well,” Baku paused and looked up at the ceiling, folding his arms. “We just needed to talk with Genkimaru, have you see him today? Or even Cobramaru?” The two nobbusshi looked at each other in question.
“Actually, I haven’t seen Cobramaru-san in a while, now that you mention it,” Kinkaku admitted, noticing the Gundam Force tensed just slightly at the words. “But Genkimaru-san left an hour ago with his party.” Baku hung his head, figuring Genkimaru wouldn’t sit still in the castle.
“Where did he go,” Zero asked, floating off of his feet and into the air a few inches.
“To see Kibaomaru.” Baku stared at the two nobusshi, slowly absorbing the information and nodding slightly, lost in thought.
“Alright, I guess we’ll head over there to inquire. Thank you Ginkaku-sensei, Kinkaku-sensei.” He smiled again and bowed. “Please tell Britainmaru-sensei I will be out for a while.” They bowed in return.
“We will, good luck.” Shute nodded and waved as the Gundam Force turned and left through the doors they came through.
“Thanks! See you later!”
“I see now that watch duty sucks.” Nankyokumaru sat upon the platform coming out from the main door of the palace, hanging his legs idly over the side and staring off into the distance at the bamboo trees. Yakubimaru, his comrade, sat behind him a few feet back, obviously annoyed with the task at hand. Nankyoku smiled and looked down below his feet at the large orb containing a blue crackling glow to it.
"It could be worse," He reasoned, kicking his feet. Yaku made an annoyed sound but didn't complain any further. It was a bit boring compared to the usual tasks of overseeing the zakobusshi and nobusshi, looking over Kiba's plans and thwarting enemy ninja activities but this was part of their job too. Though he didn't quite understand the logic of having Yaku be placed as guard at all, since the gundam's speed wasn't too impressive and his strength was something you could laugh at if you had enough gall and stupidity to do such a thing. Nankyoku thought it over a little more, wondering if it meant Kiba believed a shinobi would try to infiltrate using illusionary tactics, since picking out an illusion just did happen to be a skill Yaku possessed, but there hadn't been any inclination towards today that he had heard about.
The gundam looked back up at the bamboo's edge and frowned recalling the attacks began about two months back, not long after the calm and fire spirits had agreed to Kiba's position.
"But why attack us and not Britainmaru," Genkimaru asked. Kiba made a sound of irritation in the back of his throat as the future Daishogun had grown impatient.
"Perhaps because they know my position is one that could throw Ark into war again." He paused to stare at Genki, obviously upset. "Attacking you must be to get to me, since reasonably you would be the easier target." Genki glared at Kiba's belittling words and pointed an accusing finger at Kiba.
"If they think I'm any easier, they've got something coming to them!!"
"At any rate," Kiba interrupted before Genki could continue his tirade and looked down at his tea, staring at his own distorted reflection and vaguely watching Genki from the corner of his eye. "Since it only involves the two of us, let's not bother Britainmaru or our country with this information. Am I clear?" Genki frowned, now with confusion, and Cobram shifted in the shadows, obviously unsettled from the proposal. "I have already discussed the matter with my advisors." Cobram glanced at the four sitting back behind Kiba and sneered. Nankyoku caught it but ignored the ninja, glancing back at Hitoare behind him and Kimajimaru behind Yaku. He was the most hesitant to agree to Kiba's secrecy, and still felt nervous about the decision.
"But your advisors are under Britainmaru," Genki spat and Yaku opened his eyes, icy blue and calm.
"Is Kibaomaru not?" Cobram bit his tongue and Genki crossed his arms. "Are we all not under Britainmaru?" No one answered him because it was true and yet it was not. The question was if they were black or white when they were all degrees of grey so the inquiry of just how black Kiba was from white was forcibly dropped. Yaku knew how to play his cards; and though Nankyoku admired that level of intelligence, he naturally worried about the infamous qualities that came with Yaku.
"So why then should we withhold this information? What reason," Genki growled.
"Although pleasant it has been," Yaku continued to speak. "The time of peace has not been long in everyone's minds and hearts. The slightest inclination of another civil war would bring uprising and rebellion with severe conseqences." A moment of silence passed through the room with understanding. Kiba looked up at his son with amusement in his eyes. Genki looked away from Yaku to his father, frown most evident.
"Do you think Britainmaru cannot keep a secret," He asked warily. It was obvious that he felt responsible for overseeing Kiba's actions, Nankyoku smiled to himself at the child. Who would blame him, after all, his father was not one to trust completely.
"It's the matter of other ears who live with him. Ears with mouths," Yaku reasoned but Nankyoku next to him shifted his gaze from Genki back at Kiba, upset at heart. True, there was a significant possibility Baku would hear of the news, but what issue was it of? Baku was an honorable samurai, a simple swear and there wouldn't be an issue. Deep down, Nankyoku and his comrades all knew Kiba thought otherwise of Baku because he wanted to think otherwise of him. Kiba didn't want Britain involved, thankfully, not for reasons that would upset the elderly warrior, but for the feeling of being in charge, of being the real emperor.
That feeling was a dangerous thing, like giving a recovering alcoholic a sip of sweet sake, and everyone in the room knew it. Obviously concerned they would regret their answer, Genki and Cobram agreed to keep the ninja attacks and rebelling force a secret, only mentioning some rogue ninja to the true emperor one out of every fifteen attacks.
And they told Britainmaru at least three times already, much less if Genki had said anymore without telling Kiba. Nankyoku pulled away from his thoughts with a stiffled, lion yawn, letting out a deep breath of relief in the stretching and exhilirating qualities of breathing, and blinked away some tears.
"Tired?" He shook his head but replied in contradition.
"Maybe a little." Yaku watched him for a moment longer before turning his eyes back to what seemed to be an oncoming party just emerging from the large bamboo stalks in the distance. "Kibaomaru is not expecting anyone today."
"Huh?" Nankyoku quickly followed his eyes and frowned, grasping the hilt of his sword, ready. "Do you think-"
"No," Yaku answered bluntly, not moving an inch despite being a guard. "It's not an illusion and shinobi do not attack within plain sight."
"A decoy?"
"Perhaps," Yaku mulled it over but shrugged indifferently. Finally the party got close enough to become familiar and Nankyoku left his sword rest at his side, recognizing them to be Genki and the Energy Squad.
"Genkimaru-sama" He smiled and greeted with a bow. Genki blinked in surprise out of his bored stupor on Zapper's head and grinned, eyes bright.
"Nankyoku-niisan!" Hurriedly, he leapt off of the red robot's head to greet him but tripped and toppled over in midjump. Nankyoku hopped down in front of the electric orb and scooped him up with one arm before he could hit the ground.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Genki beamed as Grappler idly flipped through a japanese dictionary, one he had gotten from not understanding what they were saying for so long, eye skimming over pages until they rested upon the word niisan. His red eye widdened in shock as he looked back up at the two gundams and then back down to the book.
"W-What!? Genkimaru, you have an older brother?!" Zapper, who before could careless what they were saying in the foreign language, scooted over to peer down at the book, equally surprised.
"Ehh??" The five zakos with the party all crowded together and stared at Nankyoku with big eyes.
"Zakooo?"
"Zako Zako?" Bakuhamaru behind them sighed, shaking his head at them as Mokinmaru, Kijumaru, and Haganemaru chuckled at their cluelessness.
"No, Nankyokumaru isn't his brother. It's just what Genkimaru-san has decided to call him." Genki glanced back at them and stuck out his tongue childishly.
"Bleehhhh, baka*!" Grappler glared in response, remembering well what that word meant. Nankyoku laughed in good humor and patted Genki on the head affectionately.
"Now now, that's no way to treat the ignorant!" Grappler's pride had all he could of this as he stood menacingly.
"Who are you calling ignorant, gundam?!"
"Obviously you," Yaku pointed out boredly from above, making Nankyoku look back nervously at the other advisor. Knowing Yaku, he was going to quickly turn the innocent name calling at the ill-tempered into insults and eventully a brawl.
"Alright, Contumely*," he smiled sheepishly while setting Genki on the ground, putting himself between the nonchallant gundam still up on the platform and the infriated blue robot. "That's enough." Yaku snorted, looking away and Nankyoku changed the subject. "So, Genkimaru-sama, what brings you here?"
"The ninja attacks have settled down," He pouted. "And there's been no other trouble in Ark or anything to do from Britainmaru other than train, so I decided to put on a kabuki!" Nankyoku smiled as the child fished out some face paint.
"You sure have some time on your hands there." Yaku rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath.
"Far too much, and what a waste of it." Grappler glanced at him and smirked in agreement, not too keen himself on learning how to pull off this 'kabuki'.
"So I'm here to get Cobramaru back." Genki nodded wisely as Nankyoku looked back at the doors they were guarding.
"Well, Kibaomaru-sama is not accepting visitors today, but who am I to interfere with your vision of art?" He motioned to the door with his thumb. "You know the way." Genki smirked and ran up the stairs ahead of the squad, waving back.
"Thanks! See you later, Nankyoku-niisan!" The rest of the squad followed suite as Yaku sweatdropped at Nankyoku watching them leave, jumping up to join Yaku before the doors.
"More like you wouldn't stop Genkimaru from doing what he wanted anyway."
"That's not true!" He paused, looking up at the blue sky. "Entirely." Yaku went back to watching the horizen.
"I don't understand you sometimes. You're respectable, polite, and well versed in propriety and yet you admire such rude, troublesome others like him." Nankyoku chuckled and sat down, looking off into Ark's scenery also in case of more unexpected surprises.
"And you."
"Hardly." Nankyoku blinked and frowned, perplexed at the reply's intention. Did he mean to say he wasn't rude and troublesome, or to blatantly suggest Nankyoku didn't admire him? Both were inaccurate to a degree. After a moment of inquiring with a stare that was promptly ignored, he sighed and gave up. Sometimes, he really didn't get Yaku.
“You see, while Kibaomaru was away in Lacroa, a lot of uprisings occured across the country," Baku began while staring off into the horizen with thought, stroking Entengo. The horse munched happily on the apple Shute supplied. "Apparently, the calm mountain community had been holding rebellions for a long time ever since Britainmaru-sensei came into power-"
"Wait, the calm mountain community?" Baku glanced back at Zero and suddenly realized his friends didn't know about the huge civil divide in Ark. He frowned as Entengo looked up at him. How do I explain this?
"Um... basically, there are two kinds of musha in Ark: fire spirit and calm spirit. You're either born one or the other and it often reflects how you act and feel and such too." He paused to gather his thoughts.
"So you're a fire spirit then right," Captain asked and Baku looked up suddenly.
"Ah- yes! Same with Britainmaru-sensei, and Ginkaku-sensei, Kinkaku-sensei and Genkimaru. Kibaomaru, on the other hand, is a calm spirit."
"Why did you say mountain before then?"
"Well, calm spirit is a major category like fire, but unlike fire it has lots of little categories that mostly only reflects attack type. Like, Kibaomaru's lightning attacks fall under mountain calm spirits." Shute nodded, thinking he got it.
"So these other mushas were holding rebellions- why?"
"Because they are calm spirits and do not agree with Britainmaru's rule," Baku said with an obvious frown. Shute frowned as well.
"Why not?"
"As long as musha gundams have been in power, they have all been calm spirits."
"So... the calm spirits feel they have no power or say in their own country and want representation." Baku smiled, snapping his head back to Captain's musings. Good, so he does understand!
"Yes! After a month of debating, everyone finally agreed to peace as long as they were represented." He tapped Entengo with his heel and the horse stopped, both looking up at the sky visable from around the bamboo forest.
"Woah," Shute gawked as he looked up with them and saw the deep red roof of the two story pagoda, golden statues on the corners instead of mostly on the center like the Universe Castle. "They built another palace?!"
"Yes, it's not as big or expansive as the Universe Castle, but the new Galaxy Castle is hoped to remain an icon of peace for all of Ark."
"Alright," Shute grinned, gripping his backpack straps. "It's great Ark has come around!"
"So," Zero drawled, looking at his team with peripheral vision. "Do I even have to guess who the representative emperor of the calm spirits is?"
"No guess," Baku shook his head. "It's Kibaomaru. And well, we don't really call him the representive emperor, since he's the only one to represent all of the calm spirits nor does he have complete equal power as Britainmaru-sensei. His title is the figurehead emperor."
"A figurehead of resitution?" Captain murmured to himself. Although it was all based differently, it had a smiliar quality as Chief Haro in Neotopia- not higher than Mayor Gathermoon but certainly of prestige and representing something entirely different yet important. The Mayor of peace and paradise, the Chief of security and the realism of threats. They functioned with each other, and no other way less Neotopia be torn asunder.
Yaku and Nankyoku both saw the Gundam Force emerge from the bamboo forest and stood ready. Nankyoku gripped his sword, eyes sharp on them as Yaku backed closer to the door. Eventally, their figures became clear and Nankyoku relaxed, letting go of his sword and standing straight at attention. Even as they approached the doors, Yaku didn't budge from the front of the door, one hand reached back holding the handle.
"Ahh, konnichiwa Bakunetsumaru-san. Hello Gundam Force." Nankyoku bowed as Shute poked his head around to inspect the two new gundams. The one who greeted them had a regal look about him in deep violet armor, his single katana by his left side and eyes friendly. The boy smiled back at him but then paused to stare at the one tucked away by the door, staring back with cold, light blue eyes similar to Zero's. The majority of his armor was actually a lavender, only gems of emerald accenting it. It almost looked odd, the dark green and light purple vastly different colors and he slipped back behind Captain, fearing he observed too long and a little unnerved at the returning stare. His friend looked over his shoulder.
"What's up, Shute?" He shook his head as Nankyoku chuckled a little.
"Ah, the human companion! You must be Shute. I've heard much of your valor against the Dark Axis." Nankyoku bowed again politely and Shute poked his head out again.
"Yeah, and you are?"
"I am Nankyokumaru and this is my senpai*: Yakubimaru." Yaku finally diverted his gaze from the group to the door behind him, silent. "What brings your party here to the Galaxy Castle?"
"We need to speak with Genkimaru." Zero floated down and onto his feet. "He is here, correct?"
"Yes," Nankyoku answered with a serious frown, looking back at Yaku at the door. "But he is speaking with Kibaomaru-san at the moment." Baku dismantled Entengo and stroked her nose.
"This is a serious matter," He growled. Nankyoku sighed, obviously lost in thought.
"Alright," Yaku interceeded, shrugging indifferently. "He's just talking about kabuki. I'll take them to him, so you don't have to displease your little shadow." Nankyoku smiled at the reference to Genki as Yaku shook his head sadly. "Or become enlisted in the preformance yourself."
"What's wrong with that," Nankyoku mock whined despite his secret relief in Yaku taking over the situation.
"Everything," He muttered back, dead pan, and opened the doors to proceed forth. Baku rolled his eyes at the two and followed, the Gundam Force falling behind and leaving Entengo and Nankyoku.
"Huh," Shute came up behind Baku and whispered to him. "What were they talking about?"
"About what," Baku spared a moment's glance at his friend but that was all, staying fixed on Yaku leading them through the hall. He remembered well the discussions that were had of who would be placed as Kiba's four advisors, but Yaku especially had rubbed him wrong. There was talk of his traitorous past, so why Britainmaru thought it best to put him at such high position, directly under someone else who could also betray them, made absolutely no sense to the samurai. Well, it was Britainmaru-sensei's decision, even if I don't understand it. But there's no way I'm going to trust him still.
"Kabuki? What is kabuki?"
"Theature," Captain replied, pulling it up from his information bank. "It's like a play, Shute."
"Oh, that sounds like fun! Do you know kabuki, Bakunetsumaru?" Baku blushed suddenly, remembering back when he had participated in it before and sunk his head, mumbling an answer.
"What was that," Zero smirked, obviously seeing how embarassed this made the samurai. "We can't hear you."
"Yeah... I do," He mildly glared at Zero as Yaku turned down another hallway across the tatami mats, not paying any attention and assuming they'll follow.
"The singing and dancing movements too," Captain inquired, most obviously smiling under his faceplate and Zero laughed at the thought. Baku forced his eyes to stay on Yaku's back, face hot and red.
"Yes," He growled between his teeth, hoping they'd drop the conversation soon.
"You should sign up with Genkimaru! It would be awesome, I'd love to see it," Shute chirped and tried to imagine Baku's voice with a tune since he didn't know what the dancing movements would involve.Yaku snorted to himself and Baku flinched, already on edge with the other gundam.
"What," he snapped at him. The rest of the Gundam Force quickly fell into silence, noticing the tension of the room between the musha gundams. Yaku didn't bother stopping or turning around to address them.
"Bakunetsumaru has more important matters than to deal with a child's kabuki plannings." He finally paused, noticing they had.
"Well... yeah," Shute mumbled, frowning. "But it's just for fun." Yaku turned his head slightly, staring at Shute from the corner of his eye apathetically.
"Fun is luxorious waste that only comes after business."
"You can end up doing both," Shute smiled bravely at him with hope but Yaku did not deter in the least.
"No." Shute's smiled faded. "Not with real business."
"We had fun," The boy whispered back in retaliation. Yaku continued to walk.
"You weren't dealing with real business."
"Saving Neotopia, restoring Lacroa, and protecting Ark was not real business," Zero growled in warning, not willing to allow him to go off implying their difficult journey had been an easy task.
"From your interpretation, I suppose so." A twitch of anger went through the room. "But I didn't say it."
"You have some nerve telling us that," Baku bellowed back, clutching his fists.
Yaku turned around fully this time, a coy smile evident. "No nerve, only truth." Before any of them could retaliate, he slid the door open to the waiting party of the Dark Axis robots, sitting and standing arond, likely close to breaking something. The two parties noticed each other around Yaku as he turned back to continue walking into the room with them.
Were the Dark Axis trio begrudging of the Gundam Force? Life was simple and, for the most part, painless compared to the angry wrath the Commander would subject them to. Then again, the cup view half empty, they would be the rulers of worlds if the Force hadn't stopped them. Were they bitter? Like fiends they were.
"Hello, Gundam Force," Grappler sneered at them. Captain nodded, equally serious eyes and followed behind Yaku with his friends.
"Hello Energy Squad. Where's Genkimaru?"
"In the room with everyone else and Kibaomaru," Zapper answered though not giving them complete attention, eyeing one of the plants in the room a little too fondly. Baku continued to glare at Yaku as they came up behind him, not in any mood to drop the mudslinging.
"Traitors that aren't trusted," He growled, referring to the Dark Axis. "Yakubimaru, you deserve no better." The Dark Axis party looked at the advisor like a disease suddenly, the five Zakos intimidated, Zapper and Grappler with spite, and Destroyer in sheer confusion. But strangely, Yaku seemed to only smile at the words and he stared back at Baku, unashamed.
"It's their own undoing for not possessing tact or cunning with deception; I know what is needed to be worthy."
Worthy? Baku expression changed to deep thought, perplexed by Yaku's unabashed words. What does he mean? Does that relate to Britainmaru-sensei's placement of him? What kind of games is he playing with all of us?
"Cunning... with deception," Shute mouthed the words slowly, not understanding or believing them really. "Why-" Suddenly, a door snapped open, revealing another gundam. They stood with dark grey and yellow armor and fiery, pink eyes that stared at everyone in the room in anger.
"Gundam Force, please come in. Genkimaru awaits." The four blinked in surprise at how the word reached them before they even reached him and looked at each other. Yaku closed his eyes, obviously smirking, and turned his head up to the side, walking away.
"Back to guard duty then." Shute, Zero, and Baku watched him walk away, displeased and suspicious.
"Yakubimaru, Kibaomaru-san requested your presence as well. I'll be taking the rest of the shift." Yaku smiled more to himself than to his comrade and made a sound of understanding, spinning on his heel slowly to walk past the new gundam.
"I'd rather if you would stay instead, Hitoare," Baku asked more than said.
"It's not your decision to make," Hitoare replied though he shifted to glance at Yaku passing him spitefully. He disliked Yaku greatly, not just from the things he had done but just the way he held himself higher when he in reality was the weaker gundam. Yaku continued on unfazed into the room with Genki and Kiba and Zapper scowled.
"What's his problem?"
"It's Yakubimaru," Hitoare sneered. "Who knows?" Baku sighed and began to move forward, going into the room with the rest of the Gundam Force following, Captain shutting the door behind them. The room was flooded with light shining in from the open doors to the outside on their left, the sakura trees almost completely bare of leaves. Genki sat across from Kiba on the other side of the shogi board, the four other gundams on his squad sitting behind him and they all turned to see the visitors.
"Hey! Long time no see!"
"Yeah! How have you been Genkimaru?" Baku ignored Genki and Shute's chit-chat, focusing on Yaku moving around to sit beside Kimaji behind Kiba.
"Bored, but alright. What about all of you?"
"I know what you mean," Shute smiled, thinking about school and, unfortunately, knowing he had to return soon for it. "We've been great aside from this recent incident." Kiba narrowed his brown eyes on the boy.
"Incident?"
"Fenn has been stolen," Zero informed gravely. Genki raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Huh?"
"The guards reported that the thief perfectly mimiced Bakunetsumaru," Captain continued. "The only suspect we know of that knows Bakunetsumaru well enough and could get past Lacroa's guards is Cobramaru." Genki frowned and exchanged a serious glance with Kiba. The figurehead emperor clenched in fists and mumbled to his son very softly.
"I didn't. The rogue ninja, it must be her. You know Cobramaru wouldn't..." Captain caught the words but didn't get the opportunity to question them as Yaku chuckled from his seat.
"It is no accomplishment to mimic a fool." A vein visably buldged from Baku's head as his eye twitched, ready to explode. Shute and Zero sweatdropped, knowing they might have to restrain the angered gundam but Yaku didn't end there. "Futhermore, Ark is a country full of shinobi* and secrets and who more would master the secrets of secrets but shinobi? They collect information because information is power that can never be taken. It is more valuable than any currency to shinobi." He closed his eyes. "To blame one shinobi of Ark knowing a secret is to blame the whole country of Ark and all of it's shinobi."
"Stop twisting our intentions," Baku hollared back.
"But he's right," Kiba replied cooly, picking up his tea and sipping it. "You can't solely blame Cobramaru just because you knows he's capable personally. There are many ninja within Ark who are more than able to do the same feat." Zero's body sagged, obviously disappointed that their search was pretty much dead, and shook his head side to side slowly.
"Like Captain said, it was the only lead we had."
"It's still ignorant," Yaku mumbled and the teal blue gundam next to him, Kimaji, glanced at him with quiet eyes. Genki sighed and stood up.
"Well, I was just about to go get Cobramaru from the Chimi Ichidou, so you might as well ask him." Baku looked up in slight surprise. The Chimi Ichidou? Why is he there? Bakuha, Mokin, Kiju, and Hagane slowly rose with him as Shute smiled gratefully.
"Thanks Genkimaru!" The rest of the Energy Squad met up as Baku nodded to Kiba a sort of goodbye, the other gundam turning his head away slightly to stare at the trees, stubborn. Shute smiled at the now-large team, finally stepping out of the doors of the Galaxy Castle.
Genki's Energy Squad and the Gundam Force came upon the shrine in silence, taking in the sights and sounds of the mountain. They came apon the quiet pagoda and everyone but Bakunetsumaru looked around at the shrine and surroundings, Shute blinking in awe. He had never been to a Japanese shrine before, it was so... calm. The maple trees, the smell of incense, the firm earth, the tall bamboo, everywhere.
"Cobramaru~?" Genki called out looking around in the trees and normal places he would find the snake ninja, but no movement was made.
"He's probably around back," Baku answered, continuing to walk around the pagoda. "With the shrine." Zapper stared at Baku, deadpan.
"You mean this isn't it? What's the point of this building?" They followed around back and set eyes upon the stone. Genki paid little attention to it though, calling out.
"Come on out, snakey," He called again informally, sticking out his tongue and hissing just to amuse himself. Cobramaru obliged, though hesitant, appearing from the bamboo looking thoroughly annoyed.
"If you don't mind," He hissed back as Genki smirked. "I am busy with a task."
"I know," the child shrugged.
"So are we," Captain said sternly as Shute moved forward to look over the precise cuts and details in the dark grey stone statue.
"Wow," He whispered softly as the Zakos gathered around him also, blinking at the statue with curiosity.
"Oooh, zako."
"Can we poke it, zako?"
"Don't be disrespectful," One spat and hit the other zako over the head.
"Cobramaru," Captain began. "Have you been to Lacroa lately?" The ninja looked at Captain in mild question, still irritated.
"No, I've been busy here collecting information about one of the shinobi attacks from a few weeks back on Genkimaru."
"Not even stealing the feathered dragon," Captain narrowed his eyes, watching closely his reaction. Cobram frowned, but didn't didn't act defensive in the least.
"Fenn has been stolen?" Zero waited for a moment, also studying the ninja, then sighed, accepting the lead's end.
"Yes, and by someone perfectly posing as Bakunetsumaru."
"Well, I can't help you there."
"And so your investigation runs into a brick wall," Hagane pointed out, shrugging. "Oh well."
Zero looked aside," Mmmm." He then paused and glanced to the side at his unusually still and quiet friend, staring at the shrine. Baku stared, body rigid and tense, causing Zero to frown in concern. "Bakunetsumaru?" Though his eyes remained fixed, Baku's body came back to life, flinching and then taking a step back. His strange reactions brought everyone's attention to him as he shook his head a little, eyes small in disbelief.
"What's wrong," Bakuha frowned, worried at what could be startling the other samurai so. Baku took a deep, slow breath and another step back. Shute glanced back at the statue before him, examining it more. It was simply a statue, a gundam body with a closed snake mouth, large dragon wings spread out to the side, and empty space for eyes. Didn't seem to strange to him.
"Bakunetsumaru," Zero asked again, floating over a placing a frim hand on his shoulder. "Tell us, what's wrong?"
"The statue," the musha finally murmured, mezmerized in shock. "It's different."
~*~*~*~*
*Baka is Japanese meaning idiot
*Senpai is Japanese, a title like -sama and -san traditionally, used for an elder classmate or coworker "senior (at work or school), superior, elder"
*A contumely, directed as a title towards Yaku, is ENGLISH meaning someone who is insulting and pokes fun at people who typically have a large ego
*Shinobi is Japanese from the kanji heart and sword, used typically as a name for "ninja" as one who cuts ones own heart with a sword; another term for shinobi mostly used by ninja or those close to ninja.
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