SD Gundam Fan Fiction ❯ Yakunan Rijun ❯ Separated but Working Hard ( Chapter 20 )

High General Ace roared and howled to the sky ripping Azural from the cockpit of the now trashed Kraken, the smaller pirate struggling to keep his jaws from ending her life, “Why don't you give up!” Ace snarled.

 

“Cause I can't! And I never will! Just me and my nephew! We're all we got! I won't leave him alone in this life!” Azural shouted out, straining with single her arm to keep the gundam crunching teeth aloft, “Why do you hate gundams and humans so much! The Gundam Force saved you! And your kind from an eternity of stone! Can you not see we just want to be friends?”

 

“Friends! You and I! Don't make me laugh!” Ace bore down on her more, “You wanted to return our home to its suffocating self! We will never allow her to become that ever again!”

 

“And what you are doing to our homes is any better?” She shouted back taking a knee under the strain, “How many have you killed! How many have become homeless because of you! How blind are you to see, that the Angel of Death you so loyally follow has no-”

 

“Silence!” The High General slammed his jaws shut on the gundam pirate, thrashing his head about before spitting out the crushed lifeless armor, “Speak no more of your lies, salty gundam. Now to deal with those intruders, victory will be mine!” He turned and launched himself back up the wall and crawled into the hole he had made earlier, “Where are you pest! Come and meet your demise. Don't delay it any longer. The Angel of Death has no time for any of you.” He turned and sniffed the air before heading higher into the fortress.

 

“Azural is down! I repeat! We lost Azural and the Kraken!” Tunk shouted from his aerial view as he held off several attacks from below.

 

Loki let out an annoyed yell, “Great! Now what! She was supposed to pull them out of there if things got to bad! We can't get close enough!”

 

Genkimaru pounded his fist, “Damn it! She was the only one able to get close enough for the extraction! Grappler Gouf! You have to get your forces closer to the fortress!”

 

“Easier said then done!” the aged Dark Axis mech shouted of the transmitter, “These guys are ruthless. They aren't going to stop until that Fortress falls! Hey wait that's it! Try to get a message to the Gundam Force inside! If they can't get to the Death Angel and Demon General, make the Fort fall! Death Angel will protect his younger self and we can get both of them, and get rid of any enemies inside!”

 

“But what if they get trapped as well” Genki inquired, “If they die then the whole future will change!”

 

Grappler agreed, “It's a gamble but it could work. They would have to be fast. Hurry! Get the message out to them! Morse Code if you have to!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Shute stood up listening and looking around, “What the heck was that?”

 

“Sounds like High General Ace found your friend, Sslute,” Vayla replied, “They are lunch meat, or at least dazed if he was playing them.” She giggled softly, “Sslute, have you ever played checkers?”

 

Shute turned on her, “My friends probably just got eaten and you want to play checkers!”

 

“Your friends, my foes. We have orders not to harm those from your time. They will be fine and probably brought here soon enough.” She pulls out a board and slides the black pieces to Shute, “Would you like to play? We can kill some time at least. And maybe talk a little more. We are stuck together for quite some time it seems like.”

 

He couldn't believe her arrogant disregard for their safety, and the safety of the time line, no the less there was little he could do trapped in the cold steel cell, “Alright then, I'll play a few games.” Shute arranged his pieces waiting for Vayla to make her first move when they both heard a solid `whump' from the end of the hall. “Huh?”

 

Vayla lifted her paw from the piece staring intently at the sound's origin snarling and teeth parted, “Who is there!” No reply. “No cheating Sslute!” Readying a small side rife, she cautiously padded down the cell line hall snarling into the swirling dust again and repeated her question again to no reply. “You better not be slacking your duty!” Dismissing it as a playful new recruit, she turned her back and returned to the checker board.

 

“Shute! I found you!”

 

“What the h-” Vayla let out a loud gruff as Captain Gundam rammed into the wolf and pinned her against the wall.

 

“Captain!” Shute ran over to the edge of the cell, “I knew you would find me! Where's everyone else?”

 

Captain shook his head, “I currently do not know we were separated by High General Ace. Hanabi! Help me find a way to open this cell door!”

 

“Roger that! Hey past Shute!” Hanabi chirped as she looks at the lock.

 

“Huh?” Shute, “Where did you come from?”

 

Hanabi winked and gave a peace sign, “I'll explain when I get you out of here, alright?”

 

Vayla growled and vainly clawed, kicked, and snapped at the Neotopian, “Unhand me you pile of scrap metal! How you escaped Ace's steels of death I could care less!” She inhaled deeply and began to howl, until Captain clamped one hand around her muzzle cutting it off.

 

“Sorry, I can not allow you to call for back up!” Captain replied, “Hanabi! Any luck?”

 

“I need a card key, and a hand print. That wolf should have it.

 

Captain nodded, repositioning himself to pin Vayla down as he scanned her for the card key, “There in pocket on her front.” Vayla kicked furiously with her hind legs trying to wrestle her way out of Captain's hold as he fished out the card and passed it to Hanabi. He then dragged Vayla to the machine and placed her front paw on the panel dropping the bars on Shute's cage.

 

“Freedom!” Shute cheered entering the hallway, “Thanks pal! And you to, Hanabi.”

 

“Hey it's the least I can do,” Hanabi giggled, “Besides, if you get killed, I won't li- I-I mean, it would mess up the time stream.”

 

Shute raised an eyebrow at the young girl, getting a good look at her; he guessed they were about the same age give or take a year, “You wouldn't what? Wouldn't live? Hey wait a second!” He pointed at her accusingly, “You aren't related to me in this time are you?!”

 

Hanabi gulped, “Um well, kinda.”

 

“She is your daughter in this time, Shute.” Captain replied.

 

“Huh! You're my kid!”

 

“Hey! Who are you calling a kid! You are as young as me, Pops!”

 

Captain stopped the argument, “Both of you enough!” He turned to Vayla, “If you do not call any back up I will remove my hand. And you must answer my questions, understand?”

 

Vayla let out a low growled before huffing and sitting in defeat, pawing at Captain's hand until he removed it, “Thank you.” She rubbed her snout, “Well done Sslute. You were correct. Two of your friends found you. What do you want, Captain?”

 

“You know this fortress from top to bottom correct?” Vayla nodded, “Then guide us to the Angel of Death!” Captain ordered.

 

Her eyes shrunk, “You are all mad! I cannot take you there! No, no, no! I am too low ranked. I will be skinned alive. I can take you close but not to him.”

 

Captain nodded, “Good enough then. Now what is your name?”

 

“Vayla.” She bluntly replied

 

Hanabi chimed in, “Alright then Vayla now answer my question! Have you seen someone who look like and older him?” she pointed her thumb at Shute.

 

“An older Sslute? No, I haven't.” the brown and grey wolf snorted.

 

Her expression dropped, “Oh… well how about a second Captain Gundam?”

 

Vayla blinked at the human child and pointed at Captain, “You mean him? A second him?”

 

“Yeah! Have you?” Hanabi smiled eagerly, “Well?”

 

“Indeed, I witnessed his capture. It was, quite a while back now that I think about it.” Vayla rubbed her head in thought.

 

“What!” Shute and Captain proclaimed together, “There is a second Captain Gundam in here?”

 

“Yes, from the first time you Gundams invaded. We captured him.”

 

“Where is he?” Hanabi inquired.

 

A toothy grin stretched across the wolf's muzzle, “If you can solve this riddle you will find him. In this hall there are two outs one obvious one not so much. Twist the stone, slide the king in place. The Gundam Force King waits.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Daichimaru lead the way with Bakunetsumaru close behind him and Celestin hovering after the mushas bringing up the rear, “Great, I think we took three steps back thanks to that stupid High General Ace.” The archer grumbled.

 

“No worries,” Bakunetsumaru spoke, “No matter how many times they knock us down, we will always get back up! And speaking of up, you think those stairs go where we need to?”

 

“Might as well try,” Daichi began the climb with Bakunetsu.

 

Celestin flew past them, “I'll scout a head.”

 

“Just be careful,” Baku shouted after him.

 

The knight followed the winding stairwell upwards and into a narrow walkway, making him fold his wings tight around the cannon and rely purely on his flight boosters, “What by Mana is that buzzing sound?” He followed it towards a narrow catwalk with grids lining the floor every few feet, “I hate to be the patrol up here, you can barely move. I have to fly sideways just to fit!”

 

“Celestin! Are you okay?”

 

“All clear Bakunetsu, just a really tight fit. No guards up here, oddly enough…” he trailed off looking towards on of the grates, whatever was making that buzzing racquet sounded like it was just under his feet.

 

Daichimaru huffed as he slid into the catwalk, “Tight fit nothing, I can barely move!”

 

“No one is here at least,” Baku noted, “Fighting in a narrow space would be a challenge.”

 

“It's a good thing I control fire then!” Celestin boasted leading the way now.

 

“Just don't torch us” Daichi requested.

 

The samurai looked at the floor, “That buzzing noise, it's very familiar.” He hummed in thought watching the floor as they passed over a grate, “What in Ark? Red Baggu Baggu?

 

“Huh?” the youths asked looking at him then through the grate, “Baggu V2s!”

 

“Baggu V2?”

 

Daichimaru explained, “The red Baggu Baggu, a.k.a. Baggu V2 can petrify metal and organic. We saw them once on Caynin but never since. I didn't even know the Angel of Death had Baggu V2s. Good thing those grates are there. Or we would be crystal by now!”

 

Baku blinked, “They turn metal into crystal? Weird. I hope those things don't bite us.”

 

Celestin nodded in agreement, “I just hope those things haven't bitten anyone… else… oh no.” He bent over to get a better look, “Are their two crystallized gundams in there!?”

 

Daichimaru and Bakunetsumaru looked closer, “Hey you're right.” Daichi answered.

 

“But who is it?” Bakunetsumaru quizzed trying to look closer wishing the flurry of red Baggu Baggu would scatter.

 

The annoying bugs buzzed and zipped around their confines, some stopping to click their jaws before hovering around again, scanning for more material to bite in the crystallized room. After several minutes, the swarm moved from the center showing not one, but two who foolishly had gotten bit.

 

“Noooo!” Celestin and Daichimaru cried out, “Princess Fleur! Natsumi! No!”

 

Indeed it was the two missing female gundams, frozen in time in a case of pink-purple crystal, Natsumi on all fours in a starting sprint, ready to dash for the door, and Fleur one wing spread to swat the flies and hand raised to swipe at more. In a panic they hit a dead end and meted the red swarm. Could the white Baggu Baggu even reverse this, Bakunetsumaru thought silently? It had to! It was all they had to use. Surely it would work! Right? But wait, Captain! He has the white Baggu Baggu. Where was he at? And how could they clear out the red Baggu Baggu in order to use the white Baggu Baggu?

 

“Celestin! Daichimaru! Snap out of it!” Baku ordered, “We can't fix them just by staring. Now hurry. We need to find Captain if we are going to fix them. Now hustle!”

 

“Yes, sir.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“Yep, we are lost.” Madnug chirped looking around. Somehow, Madnug, Commander Baku, and Zero had wound their way into leather and book lined library like area of the fortress. It looked like someone's home study complete with comfy chairs and paper askew on the desk.

 

Commander looked around, “We can catch our breath here at least. You think somewhere like this would have more guards.”

 

“Considering the ones who did engage us,” Zero added, “They were guarding this room err we struck them down.”

 

Madnug walked over to some of the skewed papers looking over them carefully, “These look like blue prints for an energy drain machine. What purpose could they possibly need with that? I believed this operation to having been run purely on natural energy.” He scanned over them more but all had the same info with slight variations here and there, two mannequins sitting in separate jars with wires and tubes.

 

“That thing might be here,” Commander thought aloud looking over Madnug's shoulder, “If it's an energy source for something they need, then we should try to disable whatever it is.”

 

Zero looked around the high bookshelves tugging on book and putting them back, “But where exactly would they hide a generator? Surely it would be rather bulky and quite loud.” He flew higher and pulled out a skinny book finding it connected to a chain, “What by Mana?” The knight released the book, the book self slid to the right slightly then right back into place.

 

“Zero,” Madnug spoke having guessed the mechanic, “Pull that book out as far as possible.” Nodding, the Lacroix gundam grabbed and pulled the back and chain back several feet before releasing it. The self slid open further allowing them to quickly slip behind it before it slammed shut again.

 

“Now where are we?” Commander Baku asked looking around the computer lined sterile room. Bundles of wire hung from the ceiling connecting each computer, twin tubes traveled from the ceiling to the back of the room and down a narrow stairwell. Inside the tubes looked like electricity traveling from whatever was below them, each tube pulsating similar to a heat beat rhythm, complete with an eerily accurate sound of a pulse. Bakunetsumaru shivered looking around the room, “This place gives me the creeps.”

 

Madnug nodded in agreement, “Let's see what those tubes are attached to.” He led the trio down the narrow spiraling stairs, wound so tightly they had to travel single file and sideways to get down. “Defiantly not built with gundam's in mind.” Madnug noted.

 

“Considering they don't like us,” Zero added, “I can see why.”

 

Pulsating in the walls, the tubes could be heard echoing through the small room and up the stairs as the reached the bottom, a much smaller room with the pulsating tubes attacked to twin larger cylinders. Both of the cylinders where far too cloudy to be seen into, but according to the monitors hooked up to the cylinders, whatever was in there was very much so alive, just unconscious. “I take that back,” Commander Baku spoke nervously, “This room gives me the creeps.”

 

“What kind of lab is this?” the Neotopian gundam asked walking towards the cylinders, “It appears no one has been down here for ages!” Lifting his right hand, Madnug wiped away some dust from the left one. All three let out a shrill shriek at what was resting inside.

 

“That's not possible!”

“But! But! He… he should be!”

 

“It's a ghost!”

 

The trio huddled together staring at the cylinder and its contents. Floating inside the bright red liquid was none other than Prince Lucky of Skylark, currently in the state of Demonico having power with the tell tale sign of half his armor silver. Optics turned off, the gundam looked very much so dead if it were not for the monitor saying other wise.

 

Madnug shoved Commander Baku forward, “Go-go check, Commander. You are our fearless leader.”

 

“Uh, right. Um…” Bakunetsumaru gulped and slowly inched towards Lucky's confines, keeping his right side away from the machine, raising his left hand to wipe away more of the dust. Without doubt it was Prince Lucky, an odd looking machine connected to his torso, pulsating tube feeding off of his now exposed gunsoul with the red demonic crystal floating amongst the fluid inside it. “If Lucky is in this one, then who is in here?” The musha moved to the second cylinder and began to wipe away the dust revealing a black gundam with a solid red gunsoul and shredded bat like wings, the same devices connected to his torso and soul. Baku paused looking at the gundam, “Why do you look familiar… I can't place it but I've seen him somewhere.”

 

“Th-that's” Zero stuttered, “That's Demon General!”

 

“Huh!?” Madnug and Bakunetsumaru asked in unison, “But the Angel of Death is Demon General, how can he be in two places at once?”

 

Zero shook his head, “I don't have that answer, but that is defiantly Demon General in there.”

 

“The Death Angel must have figured out how to separate from his body and exist only as a demonic life form. Then,” Madnug looked back at the pulsating tubes, “Does that mean that these are supplying the Angel of Death with his energy?”

 

Commander Baku nodded, “Yes that must be it! That's why we couldn't kill him; his life force is no longer a physical part of him but locked away down here.”

 

Zero drew his sword, “Then what are we waiting for? Let us in his reign right here.” The knight flew to where the tubes were tied together and swung his sword. I shield of solid black reflected the blow and zapped Zero knocking the knight to the ground, “Oof! Ouch.”

 

“Zero!”

 

“I am alright.”

 

Madnug looked at the tubes, “Figures he would make a barrier for his life source.” The gundam tried firing multiple rounds from his head cannons only to have the shield reappear and absorb each shot. The darkness then returned fire at Madnug making the gundam scramble away from the shots. “So much for my idea.”

 

Snorting, the samurai looked around the room, “We should have known. I imagine the Angel of Death is using his demonic powers to protect his life source even if he is no where near it. There is nothing we can do to harm this area it seems without drawing attention. We need a different plan of attack.” He walked up to the cylinders and looked around them then at the wires and tubes, “Maybe we can just pull them out?”

 

“Worth a shot,” Madnug agreed, “Zero, if you don't mind, for the time line's safety I have to ask you don't take part.”

 

The knight nodded, “I understand. I will watch the stairs then.”

 

Bakunetsumaru and Madnug kneeled down next to one of the machines and attempted to yank out various cords and any connections they could get their hands and arms around but to no avail. Every attempt was met with the dark energy reappearing and knocking them away from the devices soon forcing them to give up.

 

“Now what can we do?” Baku asked frustrated.

 

Madnug got an idea, “What if we make the fort collapse?”

 

“What, are you mad?” Baku and Zero asked him in unison.

 

“It would work, “If the fort began to collapse then this room would be destroyed along with everything in it. I hate to discrete the dead but it seems like the only plausible action at this point.”

 

Commander nodded, “A risky move but the best one at this point. We must make sure everyone from the past is unharmed when we do collapse the fortress.”

 

“Then let us make haste.” Zero chirped, “We must find the others and inform of our plan. And soon.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“Twist the stone and slide the king in place, Hanabi, get a checker king and put it in that slot.” Shute ordered having solved the riddle.

 

“Alright pops,” she slid the king in place with a perfect fit. Something inside the wall clicked and the brick Shute was holding slipped out quite easily.

 

Captain examined the area, “Look, a door handle.” The gundam reached in and tugged to the left sliding away the brick wall with a rumble reviling a long room behind the brick. Inside was a door opposite them and an operating table, whatever was on it was covered in a sheet.

 

“Is… is that a dead body?” Hanabi asked grimacing.

 

Vayla giggled find out for yourself, with that the wolf disappeared and began to howl, her cry echoing down the hallways.

 

“Oh no!” Shute shouted.

 

Captain ran across the room, “Quick, out the other door. Before-huh?” He tugged and pushed and rammed the door, “This is no exit.” The gundam stated examining the door, “It is a dead end! There is nothing but steel behind it!”

 

“She tricked us!” Shute and Hanabi shouted together. Time was running out, someone must have heard Vayla's howl and reinforcements where coming. They were cornered; it would only be a matter of time before even Captain could no longer handle the number of forces charging at them.

 

“What do we do now!” Hanabi was worried, “There is only one way out and we will never make it before the wolves come!”

 

Captain turned to them, “The Gundam Force King. Any idea what she meant by that?” Hanabi shook her head but Shute's face lit up.

 

“I think she means you, Captain!” Shute exclaimed going back to the dead body, “You are the leader of the Gundam Force so under this sheet must be-!” He threw back the cover, revealing Captain Gundam, batter and deactivated, dust covered and made an outline from where he had been lying for so long.

 

“Uncle Captain!” Hanabi's eyes went wide at the site.

 

“It's me!” Captain's head turned back to the hallway, he could hear the reinforcements coming, and fast! “Shute! Hurry! Fixed my future self! He can help us get out of here. Two Captain Gundams are better then one correct?”

 

“Worth a shot!” Shute gave Hanabi his glue gun, “Help Captain! Cover the hall in this and slow them down while I fix your Captain!”

 

Hanabi nodded, “You got it pops!”

 

Shute turned back to his task at hand, “Man I really hope you haven't changed that much in twenty years.”