Chapter 19: Trou de loup (Earth)

Where old RPGs go when they die and move on to the afterlife.
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Nero
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-Zero/June-

He returned to his quarters, and much to his surprise, June was reading a book in one of his robes.

"I... thought you were asleep." Zero said. "... when you left, was when I woke... I... slipped on one of your robes and... went to the infirmary to check something as we didn't use protection..." She blushed slightly as she approached Zero, removed his mask and whispered what she learned...

A look of shock adorned his face when she backed away. "It's true... Now since you know that now, can I... ask your true name?"

Zero paused for a moment before answering. "... It's Lelouch, Lelouch Lamperouge." June stepped forward and rested a hand on his cheek. "Lelouch... a wonderful name."
"But I do know that Sparda had a heart, a heart that could love another person, a human. And that is what you lack!" ― Nero
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chiku_shou
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-Nena Trinity-

This Nowe guy continued flashing that stupid smile of his as if anyone thought really bought into it. Nena just smiled back, the two of them shooting eachother murderous smiles.

"Nena, I will be heading off to the mess hall, you wrap things up here and join me when you feel like it." Johann said, after having cleared his throat. It was obvious that he didn't want anything to do with what was going on between his sister and Nowe.

As Johann left Nena waved him off then turned her attention back to Nowe. Her smile slowly disappeared and her eyes became slits. Now that her brother wasn't around she didn't have to play nice anymore. "If this is how you treat people that are trying to be friendly you won't last long out on the battlefield." She said in a low dangerous voice.
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Kylern
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-Nowe-

Now the game began and he was going just as he had expected. Though when she dropped her smile he did his too. Instead it was replaced with an expression of distaste. "You call, calling me an idiot being nice? Pray you don't pick guys up with that line." His tone had gone from happy to lower and more dangerous himself. He could pick up her vibe and matched it with his own.

"And I wouldn't worry about myself out there. I've seen enough conflict on this god forsaken planet to know how to survive. I give my odds to be better than yours." He wanted to call her a bitch but figured he would leave that language for later. He suddenly talked his age instead of playing the part of a kid. He only looked this age because all the physical and psychological altering he had been through growing up had stunted him. He was a mobile suit pilot and nothing more.

"So do you want to keep insulting me or start acting like a real soldier?"
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chiku_shou
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-Nena Trinity-

Nena bristled. Hitting this guy might end her or more importantly her brother in trouble. This guy was so in love with himself that he couldn't even recognize a helpful hand for what it was. His attempts at reprimanding her were as pitiful as they were ineffective. She only ever listened to her brothers.

"I told you before didn't I? You could die if you keep on behaving like an idiot." Nena had first hand experience of that. Her brother Michael had been killed because he had been stupid and reckless. He had just been trying to be a hero, but the only thing that had gotten him was an early grave. Unlike last time she was the one that had to tilt her head and look up now. Nowe was a pretty short guy but he looked big next to her. Right no she didn't even have those high-heeled boots on she usually wore in order to seem taller.
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Kylern
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-Nowe-

"And you can die from acting like a bitch." He had given up talking to her. That look she gave him got underneath his skin and made him boil inside. He hated anyone looking onto him as a lower being... So after speaking his mind he walked away not even waving or at least flipping her the bird. He was angry and needed to get away before he said or done something stupid.
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chiku_shou
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-Nena Trinity-

So much for getting through to him. Now that he was leaving she didn't even know why she had bothered in the first place. There would always be guys like him, to weird to live but to rare to die. He was probably right too, she probably would die before he did on the battlefield... and it would be because somebody like him didn't follow orders and just ran a muck of things instead.

"Shoot him in the back! Shoot him in the back!" The purple Haro commanded in that irritating voice it had. As he was walking away Nowe could hear some rustling of clothes...
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Kylern
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-Nowe-

He had been walking away when a certain sound could be heard. His body started to move on his own as years of psychological conditioning took that sound as threatening as he made a reflexive move. He spun around while dipping down to his knee. His 44. had been drawn and was pointing at Nena with the hammer pulled back. His training had taught him that the sound of shuffling cloths with his back turned was a gun being drawn but he wouldn't fire until it was certain she was going to shoot him in the back.

His silver eyes peered at her down the pistol barrel as he readied to shoot the girl dead.
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chiku_shou
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-Nena Trinity-

Nena's eyes went wide as the dumbass spun around and pointed his gun at her. In her naivety she had been trying to make her Haro shut up when Nowe apparently had decided to listen for once. Funny how he would rather listen to a ball of metal than to a real person.

"Do it! Do it!" The Haro chanted much to Nena's dismay. It never could keep its trap shut. But she had been stupid too, obviously this guy had been more butthurt by what she told him than she had imagined. Her yellow eyes glaring back at him, except for her heaving chest she had ceased all movements. She had reacted to slowly to begin with; moving now she would be mowed down before she could even take two steps.
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Kylern
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-Nowe-

He scanned the situation and noticed it was that little ball causing all the trouble. He shifted ever so slightly and fired a 44. round right at the annoying little device. Then with a smooth action he holstered his weapon and stood up with a single motion. It was so fluid it was almost as if perfectly coordinated.

His body then twisted as he stepped away silently. His mouth was dry at what he had just done but he couldn't helped it. Years of abuse and training had sharpened him to the point where everything was a threat to his existence. And threats had to be eliminated... He was ashamed of himself but he refused to show it as he ran out of the hangar to avoid having her look at him anymore.
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-Nena Trinity-

Nowe's gun went off and the bullet ricocheted as it hit the purple Haro. The vibration caused Nena to drop the ball and it landed on the ground with a clonk.

"Ouch!" the Haro complained but seemed otherwise unharmed. These mobile computer terminals had proven themselves on more than one occasion not only to be bullet proof, but fire proof as well. What was wrong with this guy? As reckless as Michael he seemed to be even worse than Nena at communicating properly. Not only had he fired his gun at her, now he was running away from the scene like a little kid? And he had asked her to act like a real soldier?
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Tallis Stenner

Tallis Wasn't sure how long it was till she finally blacked out. Every second stretched unforgivingly into the next. It may have been minutes; it may have been hours; it may have even been days. Either way Tallis body was soon too exhausted from writhing to remain awake and she fell into unconsciousness; an unconsciousness filled with dreams of about every form of torture Tallis could have ever envisioned and more.
"If You are a man you'll do what's important before you grieve" -Captain Harlock

"I like the SAGA. Its what Rambo would pilot if he was in Gundam 00" -Kylern
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Omega
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-Rena Lanford-

She was following Kylern to the cafeteria as he started explaining what happened.

"...Maybe... If I wasn't so careless fighting your TEMJIN... I could've helped..." She looked down, now understanding why Black Mage backhanded her.
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- Kayla -

As it happened, Tallis' mortifying experience hadn't lasted very long at all -- a mere one hour and twelve minutes, just as Kayla had predicted, which was about when the cyborg herself returned to the cell door bearing a packet of millitary rations.

"Well, it seems that the nanomachines are finished," she declared with a smile. She strode over to Tallis' unconscious form and delivered a swift kick to her gut, attempting to wake her.

"It's been a while since you've last eaten. You must be starving," she said as she dropped a single military ration on the floor in front of her that clattered as it landed, then reached behind her and undid her bindings, freeing her hands.

"Unfortunately, I don't have time to chat today; business to take care of," she said, striding back out the door. "But don't worry... I'll be seeing you again."

Once more, she slammed the heavy metal door behind her and turned the deadbolt shut.

The "business" in question had to do with the memory-rewrite program that Zero had handed her, which she currently held in her hand. She twirled the disk between her fingers as she held it up and examined it.

The program was a work of art, she had to admit. It would erase the subject's memories and replace it with the ones that had been written into it -- truly something of which she had never seen the like. She hadn't been able to determine, however, exactly what it was that the new memories would entail. Would they go along with what it was that Kayla had in mind? She had now way of telling...

But, it didn't matter anyway -- she had already installed the program into the nanomachines she'd injected Tallis with beforehand -- Kayla figured she might as well put to good use the tools she had in her possession. Undoubtedly, they were already infiltrating her brain and attempting to carry out the task the program specified... but it wouldn't be easy. Such a program would not work so long as the recipient's mind was strong.

That was why Kayla had to break the young girl before she would start to see any effects.

How long would it take before this program of Zero's started to take effect? Days? More? It all depended on Tallis' mental resilience, and how long it would take for Kayla to break her.

"Which, judging from what I've seen, shouldn't be very long at all." She laughed and started down towards the Cattleya. All there was left to do was make some final calibrations to the nanomachines via remote from the Cattleya... and of course continue to weaken Tallis' mental state. No, it wouldn't be long now--

You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself.

Kayla froze, recognizing the voice immediately. She didn't bother looking for the source, however -- that man would be nowhere to be found.

"Zephyr..." she growled softly.

What, may I ask, are you doing, Kayla? I believed I had made it perfectly clear that your mission was to the Gundam team, yet here you are, wasting precious time on this little side-show--

"I am sticking to the mission, you fool!" Kayla seethed. "Once the transformation of Tallis Stenner is complete, Sume Gai will be that much easier to eliminate."

Oh? Certainly, such a round-about method is not the most efficient manner of execution? I would have thought you would have seen that...

Kayla clenched her teeth, but could not argue, because there was no denying that Zephyr was correct on that matter.

Or maybe... all this is simply because you've lost sight of your goal entirely... deciding to place your focus solely on your own petty revenge?

Kayla's emerald eye twitched. Petty...?!

Your focus is to the Gundam Team, and nobody else. This is the last time that I will remind you, Kayla.

"Remind me? I already explained to you, though I am not currently fighting them directly, this will assist in th eventual defeat of the Gundams!"

That is irrelevant. My orders are not yours to interpret as you see fit.

"Oh, aren't they?!" Kayla retorted, her voice rising. "Last time I checked, you weren't the one down here risking your life to do the dirty work! I don't have to listen to you, you twisted freak! I'll dispose of them however I see fit, and there's nothing that you can do to--"

All at once, her words were cut short as she suddenly felt an immense pressure wrap around the inside of her throat.

Such insolence.

The pressure increased, and Kayla suddenly found that she couldn't breathe. Her eyes widened and she reactively reached at her neck. Immediately, her cybernetic implants triggered a warning alert -- it indicated that the implants that kept her heart beating and lungs pumping were shutting down.

Perhaps you have forgotten who it is that you are talking to? What power that I have over you?

Kayla choked out a cough and she fell to her knees, hands clutching at her throat. Panic shot through her as she realized that Zephyr must be shutting down her body via remote -- something that she hadn't the slightest idea that he could do.

In case you have forgotten... I shall remind you. It was I who granted you your new life... and I who can just as easily take it away.

The young woman turned a strained gaze up towards the ceiling, up towards the sky where that cloaked man was undoubtedly looking down upon her with contempt.

"Z...Zeph...er..." she managed to wheeze out. "D-damn... you...!"

I will allow you to proceed as you are... exclusively because I do indeed find this little show of yours to be rather amusing. But remember this...

She tried to muster up the voice to curse him yet again, but she no longer had any air with which to do so -- the corners of her vision were already starting to darken.

One more display of such vulgar insolence, Kayla, and you will[/i] be made to pay for it.[/i]

All at once, the alert subsided, her body's system reactivated, and Kayla collapsed onto all fours and gasped violently as fresh air rushed into her lungs yet again. It was all she could do to just remain in that position, panting heavily and staring directly down into the floor as her vision cleared.

Do you understand... Kayla?

Two more shaky breathes. Then, she replied.

"Y-yes... I... understand..."

Good.

Then, in that moment, he was gone.

Still she did not move for several seconds, struggling to control her haggard breathing. Then, slowly, she got to her feet, and strode without another word or malicious thought back to the hanger and the Cattleya.
Last edited by Strike Zero on Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Nero
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~Three Days Later~
-Lelouch/June-

Lelouch was walking towards the Highwind, not as Zero, but as the opponent Zaine bested at the failed rebellion from a year ago...

However, June was nearby, and in a flight suit, wanting to go as well.

Lelouch: "No... I can't risk the two of you..."
June: "And I don't want to lose you..."
Lelouch: "Don't worry... Zaine's got too much of a conscience to be able to kill me."

He smiled at that... that conscience of Zaine's saved him from death then, and much to his distaste, he was counting on that conscience to save him again if he lost.

"I promise... i'll come back, and when I do, we'll discuss plans for our child."

June nodded and went to return her Guren to the hangar in the base while Lelouch went towards the Highwind. Lelouch wondered if Zaine would believe what he was going to tell him.
"But I do know that Sparda had a heart, a heart that could love another person, a human. And that is what you lack!" ― Nero
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-Zaine-

He waited near a transport with the Exia ready to go.

"It's time..." He brought the gundam onto the transport, and waited for Gai... though the past three days had worn away some of his fire.

-Lucia-

In the mail, was something Lucia wasn't expecting... a letter from her brother...

"He's... alive..." Lucia said with tears in her eyes after reading the letter.
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Sume Gai

As GaoGaiGar performed Final Fusion, Gai let his mind drift over the past three days. other than a large military funeral for Xiu and many others Gai had spent his time pushing himself, Zaine and their respective mechs to the limits. He hoped that this would all pay off; that they would be able to save her.

As the green cloud cleared GaoGaiGar stood ready to fight. Gai had decided to fly to the combat zone under his own power both because he couldn't fit in the transport and because he didn't wish to waste time with Final Fusion after arrival. Gai wasn't leaving empty handed though as he headed towards the transport he stopped and picked up what looked like a Giant Orange Screwdriver and attached it to GaoGaiGar's left arm.

"This is Night Chaser requesting permission to begin the operation."

Now all Zaine and Gai needed was clearance from the control tower.
"If You are a man you'll do what's important before you grieve" -Captain Harlock

"I like the SAGA. Its what Rambo would pilot if he was in Gundam 00" -Kylern
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Kylern
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-Kylern-
-Pre-skip-
When Rena started to blame herself he stepped in to stop her. "What happened had nothing to do with you and nothing any of us could have done would have changed things. We just have to move forward and try to keep that sort of thing from happening again."

-Post Skip-

He had attended the military funeral precession because he was a member of the DC forces. But he wasn't involved besides showing his appreciation. He hadn't really be close to the girl but her death had hit him close to home. But it also renewed his will to fight and prevent other deaths from happening.

So when the Belphagor was finally completed days later he was the first down there to check it out. It had a power to it he had wanted all along. Everything about it screamed destruction and with it he would destroy Fandom and the Federation... And with that secure peace through absolute victory. During his International Conflict class back home he had learned that statistically longer periods of peace followed the complete destruction of hostile forces than treaties and such.

"Your the next step in winning this war... And with you I'll have the power to kill that Prince fellow and any other powerful force standing in our way." Above him the Gundam seemed to agree as its eyes flashed.

Now that he was finished the Gundam was being moved to the Ceres with Kylern helping.
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-Light Warriors-

It was during those three days of recuperation that Morpheus finally returned to Aidoneus Island.

Emily Stormgunner despised Morpheus' one-dimensional look. Always in the same overcoat with the same sunglasses and the same shoes in that same stoic, unshakable pose with his arms behind his back and feet together, Emily had grown to feel annoyed at it --- which, in turn with all that had happened, easily turned into yet another of a million possible excuses for Emily to hate Morpheus himself. Did the man have another expression aside from that, another image at all aside from the enigmatic, cold assassin answering solely to Bian and Lune? Emily doubted it by now.

And it did not help that Emily knew exactly what was coming to her the moment Morpheus returned.

If there was one thing you did when Morpheus called a meeting with you, however...you attended it. So it was with a bitter, unenthusiastic heart, knowing that she was bloody well going to get grounded, that Emily Stormgunner strode into Morpheus' private, cluttered, dark laboratory hanger, walking around piles of junked and unwanted machine parts with her hands in her pockets and a dark glare forward. In the darkness, Emily could not actually make out Morpheus' expression with her eyes, but she was already sure his expression was going to be the same --- unmoving and unreadable. Morpheus simply stared at her; Emily said nothing.

Kirie and Black Mage were already there, standing in front and to the left of where Morpheus stood, in front of a row of workbenches in the center of the hanger. Kirie turned towards Emily, glancing at her softly with his own hands off to his sides; Xiu's death hit everyone hard, and Kirie figured Emily's bitter expression now was part of that. Black Mage, who didn't care to begin with, simply gave Emily a blank stare while crossing his arms.

Emily stopped next to Kirie, to his left, as the doors to the hanger closed and hissed shut behind her. The meeting had begun --- Well, not exactly. "Kirie," Morpheus began, turning to the in-absentia leader of the Light Warriors. Kirie snapped his head upwards to return his gaze. "Where's Masamune?"

"I really don't know exactly, sir," Kirie answered, shaking his head wistfully. "He's usually off training outside at this hour and comes back only a few hours later. Sir, Xiu's death...it hit Strike, Stellar and him the hardest, I think. With all due respect, I'd just leave him be for now; I'll get him caught up on this meeting later when I see him."

There was a pause before Morpheus finally nodded in agreement. "Very well."

Kirie nodded as Emily gave Morpheus a deepening glare.

"I heard about Xiu while I was away on mission, Emily. I'm sorry to hear that; Be assured, she will be missed." As Morpheus said that, Emily shuddered with anger. Of course you'll say that. If you were there, you would've been able to defeat Elya and Xiu wouldn't have gone to -10 Hit Points, but nooooooooo! "Now, Kirie. Tell me exactly what happened that battle and what is it you've heard and seen."

At that, Emily's blood ran cold as Black Mage <_<'d at Kirie. Kirie nodded.

"It was after I defeated Berith; Elya came back with another Fairlion and six of those Fandom models, and all of a sudden she was displaying some sort of newfound power---" Morpheus' head moved upwards slightly at that, but otherwise nodded. "---She was being incredibly fast, and seeing most of our movements. The Red Frame was burnt out, so I couldn't go out there; Emily and Masamune went out instead. Elya began beating everyone back, but then..."

Kirie trailed off; Emily bit her lip, clenching her fists in apprehension. "Then...what?" Morpheus beckoned.

"Then..."

"Kirie Morgan. Tell me now."

"Then suddenly Emily and the Unicorn Gundam went berserk and it went into that Destroy Mode thing again. Held its own with Elya's Fairlions for awhile...kept screaming bloody murder and using all sorts of aggressive manuevers, and she was doing well, too, as if somehow Emily was neutralizing Elya's cheating powers." Kirie sighed at that. He was inwardly hoping Morpheus already knew, seeing how apprensive Emily had been. Or maybe Morpheus already did...and was trying to prove a point. "But then Elya's other wingmen came back and started frying everyone with some kind of field, Xiu's Shenlong charged Elya, and brought it down."

Morpheus turned sharply towards Emily with a disapproving look, one which caused Emily to shiver. "Go on, Kirie."

"Then both the Shenlong and Fairlion crashed onto the Ceres. Strike got there first, but it was already too late for Xiu. Kylern, Zangetsu, and Masamune followed, then Strike and Stellar made for Elya, and suddenly there was this mental voice...it was speaking to Elya, but everyone---"

"But me!" Black Mage growled. X(

"Everyone but Black Mage heard it, too, then it did something to Elya...now we still have her in the infirmary but she's not responding and we don't know what happened to her." A pause. Kirie took a breath. "...But that voice...Elya called him 'her Prince', and Masamune seemed to recognize that it was some Fandom officer named the Nova Prince---"

All three Light Warriors were stopped cold when Morpheus sharply turned --- urgently. "The Nova Prince?"

Kirie nodded. Morpheus' eyes closed for a brief moment.

"The Nova Prince..." Morpheus muttered to himself, eyes trailing briefly over to Emily. Emily blinked. "The Nova Prince...the supposed leader of the Dark Star Knights. Now that's a name I haven't heard for a long time, Kirie...a long, long time. And if he's really back, this is a very serious matter --- with the DC's current strength and technology, we can't stand in a direct fight against the Nova Prince right now. He's too powerful for it."

"How would you know, Morpheus? C'mon. It's not like you have some kind of metagaming sight---"

"Don't even joke about it, Black Mage." Morpheus' voice was something close to anger as it took on a sudden stern pitch; Black Mage, grumbling to himself, shut up, kicking the ground beneath him. "From now on, if you encounter another Dark Star Knight, I want him or her taken alive --- even if Masamune is itching for vengeance, I want that Dark Star Knight alive for answers. You, Kirie, can tell him it's a direct order from me. And if you encounter the Nova Prince personally, take Lune and retreat at once."

Kirie frowned wistfully, nodding in obeisance. "Masamune won't like it, but I'll do as you ask."

"Good." Finally, Morpheus took two steps forward...and placed his hands on his waist, sternly and intimidatingly towering before Emily. "Now, you, young lady. What did I say about not using Munchkin Powers at all before I sent you on this mission?"

"I..." Emily stammered, and swallowed once nervously. "You said...not to use them."

"And yet that's exactly what you did. Not only did you use your Munchkin Powers before Elya's final attack, you also activated Destroy Mode and cheated at your attacks without my authorization." Morpheus sneered. "What part of my orders did you not understand?"

"Well, well...Elya started it!" Emily, deciding that there was no way she could explain to Morpheus in a way that could appease him, seemingly settled for defiance. Taking her own step forward, Emily threw her own right arm outwards in a wide arc as she glared back at Morpheus. "She was cheating with this Nova Prince's powers and was about to hurt Miss Lune and Xiu! What was I supposed to do, Morpheus? Stand there and let her cheat? If she can cheat, why can't I!?"

"The purpose of the Divine Crusaders is to fight nobly in the ways the Fandom won't, Emily. That's why Bian founded the DC in the first place." Morpheus countered. "If you use the same methods to fight the Fandom as the Fandom do, how different are you in the first place?"

"But I don't see what's so bad about Munchkin Techniques, Morpheus! It works, doesn't it? It nearly worked, too, if the DM hadn't plotted to kill Xiu no matter what we did!"

As Emily and Morpheus took simultaneous steps towards each other, what followed was a debating match where both of them spoke at once, struggling with words, trying to outtalk the other. Kirie and Black Mage simply stood there, too shocked to do anything to intervene.

"You know nothing about the Munchkin Techniques to judge whether or not it is good or bad---" Morpheus began.

"What would you know!? You weren't there! If you were there Xiu wouldn't have died! And---" Emily countered.

"If I had been there I would've done what I must. But I would've done it the right way---"

"I know more than you, at least! I'm actually fighting on the front lines---"

"You're being selfish now, Emily! All you can see is yourself, you think the campaign revolves around you---"

"I almost had Elya! I could've saved Xiu if I knew more and was more powerful! I know what I'm doing, I'm in control, not---"

Then Morpheus and Emily's voices reached a final pitch.

"Emily Stormgunner, that is ENOUGH!"

"You're just jealous because I'm becoming more powerful than you'll ever be, Morpheus! Don't lecture me! All you are is a f***ing NPC!!!"

Silence.

Even as Kirie's jaw dropped, Black Mage's dot-eyes went O_O, and Morpheus recoiled back with an angry, disappointed look, Emily's glare remained angry, bitter...and, Kirie suddenly remarked, malicious. He had only seen those eyes once before, and it looked at this moment, Kirie suddenly realized, that Emily was no longer the sweet, energetic Emily Stormgunner he knew: She was ready to kill Morpheus. She was different now.

She had the same look in her eyes as Berith did when he took Xiu hostage.

"Emily Stormgunner, effective immediately, you are grounded from the Light Warriors and confined to Aidoneus Island until I figure out what is to be done with you." Morpheus retorted, voice stern, raising a fist of authority. "And if you are going to act like the Center of All, that this campaign revolves around you and only you, then you're as much a liability to Lune's safety as the Nova Prince is. While you are grounded, I will be applying to Bian to have you discharged from the Divine Crusaders."

"What!?" Kirie exclaimed, dashing a few steps towards Morpheus in disbelief. He was actually going to fire Emily? For doing her best the wrong way? "Morpheus, sir, isn't that a little---"

"Finally!" Black Mage ^^'d.

"Black Mage, shut up!"

But it was too late. When Kirie turned back to Emily, Morpheus' gaze unwielding, he saw Emily's head lowered, biting her lips, her eyes misting with tears. It was as if Morpheus had gone and slapped her for something she didn't feel she did wrong. Kirie's expression softened, his heart pounding in a panic, as he reached his hands out towards Emily. "E-Emily? Look, I'll talk to Morpheus, and---"

"I don't need him! I don't need any of you!!!" Emily suddenly exclaimed, her right arm swinging again and batting Kirie's hands away from her. She backed off, sobbing/panting, glaring up at Morpheus with tears streaking down her cheeks. "I'm a Munchkin! I'll be better than any of you! If I get fired from the DC I'll go Freelance and protect Miss Lune that way, or maybe rejoin the Federation! I'll even start my own campaign! I hate you, Morpheus! I hate the DM! I hate this campaign~~~~!!!"

With that, bringing her left forearm and sleeve to wipe her tears, Emily Stormgunner turned around, ran away from Morpheus, and out of the hanger. The door opened and hissed shut promptly as Emily ran out.

Morpheus' disappointed look didn't vanish --- and if anything, it looked even darker, more grim.

Kirie decided at once he had a bad feeling about this.

"Kirie Morgan."

"Y-yes?"

Kirie turned around and saluted. Morpheus turned...and his glance turned into an angry, serious one.

"Before we depart this next mission, you will go to Emily's quarters." Morpheus said...and the tone which he said it made Kirie shudder with unease. "And before she defects, you will kill her."

"Morpheus, you're going too far!" Kirie finally had it, and turned with an annoyed, frustrated look at Morpheus. Morpheus' glance did not budge; His posture, rather, challenged Kirie into making him change his orders by force. "Just because Emily doesn't agree with your orders doesn't mean you have to kill her! That's like that Newtype Quarantine Order---"

"If Emily would not comply with what she is told, she will be more dangerous to Lune's safety than any Fandom or Federation pilot out there, Kirie." Morpheus replied, unrelenting. "I don't expect you to understand now. Just do as I say."

"You will do no such thing while I'm here, Morpheus."

At the one voice that could bring everything to a halt, Morpheus looked up, and Kirie turned around; All three of their expressions softened at once as, with the hanger doors hissing shut again, Lune Zoldark herself walked into the same hanger where the Valsione was upgraded earlier. Lune had, obviously, heard enough of the conversation, and Emily had not noticed her in her blind rage; Her glance at Morpheus was disdainful, and her arms were crossed over her tank top in a derisive manner. Morpheus bowed, looking reverently at her. "Lady Lune."

"Morpheus, there's obviously something we're all missing here." Lune directly said, walking forward until she was almost toe-to-toe with Morpheus. "I don't expect to understand, yes. But I don't think Emily understands, either. So while you're throwing threats out here and there and grounding her and ordering Kirie to kill her --- as long as I'm here, Morpheus, just so we're clear, if you kill Emily, I'll kill you. --- why won't you just talk to her? Explain what it is you're concerned about without flying off into a rage?"

There was a pause as Morpheus simply stared at Lune, as if unsure how to explain. Kirie and Black Mage blinked in anticipation.

"Perfectly clear," Morpheus said, addressing Lune's first matter, before taking on a darkened, grim look in his expression. "But Lady Lune...let's put it this way. All the warnings thrown about the Sith, all the lectures about the nature of the Dark Side of the Force, and all the counselling that the Jedi Council, his master, and the others around him had given him had done Anakin Skywalker next to no good at all." Kirie stared blankly at Morpheus. "The warnings only made Anakin careless, the lectures made him rebellious. And the counselling did not address the primary issue that his Center-of-All was just him and Padme Amidala. In the end, he threw all that to the winds willingly, betrayed all who tried to help him, and became the one responsible for the death of billions --- Darth Vader."

Lune simply gawked at him. So THIS is what Morpheus was concerned about?

"Being a Munchkin is a lot like that. You can lecture, you can warn. But without understanding first-hand what is the result of that being warned about, in the end a person can learn nothing. It sounds ludicrous and like high fantasy now, Lady Lune," Morpheus continued sternly. "But in this world anything can happen...and what Emily faces now is a lot similar to the struggle between Jedi and Sith, and because it is so ludicrous to the public ear, that's what makes this struggle all the more dangerous --- Because like it or not, this struggle does exist. And if Emily is not one of us...she's one of them. A Munchkin --- and an enemy. There are some things that Emily must learn the hard way. Anakin never did that."

"Anakin Skywalker wasn't twelve years old, Morpheus!" Lune countered in disdain. "Emily's just a kid! Maybe those very things you said that did not help Anakin was exactly what Emily needed in the first place. I wouldn't know. I'm a Jidaigeki fan, not a Star Wars one." Lune shrugged. Kirie nodded in approval; Maybe he didn't understand Emily as much as Lune did. "Now lift that outrageous order of yours and go talk to her, Morpheus. And if you are as loyal to me and Dad as you say you are, then you'll go and do that.

"Because while I'll hate myself for it, Emily's my friend, too. Morpheus, you can consider this a direct order."

Silence as everyone looked at each other uneasily.

Finally, Morpheus sighed...and nodded in agreement. Maybe Lune was right --- he had been trying to train Emily the same way he had been trained. Maybe what Emily needed was a guiding hand, not a teacher. "As you wish, Lady Lune." Morpheus said, and as Lune backed away and sighed, he turned to Kirie. "Kirie, you and the other Light Warriors will be on standby in Aidoneus while the Red Frame is undergoing repairs; I'll be going personally for this mission. Lady Lune, you may accompany me if you wish."

"I'll go with you, too." Lune took one more glare at Morpheus at that. Morpheus nodded. "As soon as Morpheus finishes doing what I asked him to do, of course."

Kirie and Black Mage nodded at that, and took their leave out of the hanger as well, following Lune. Soon, Morpheus was left alone, contemplating Emily's case. This was a crucial time for her, Morpheus sighed to himself, beginning to walk forward and take his own leave. If Morpheus did not act quickly, he could lose Emily Stormgunner forever --- but perhaps, as Lune said, he had been going at it the wrong way. To his own mistress, and to the Earth Sphere, Morpheus hoped against hope that this was indeed the case...
Last edited by Cybaster on Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Jacob -

It had been three days since the Ceres had returned to the Divine Crusaders' island fortress. The military funeral held for the young pilot Xing Xiu had been and gone, though Strike Zero was still reportedly grieving alone. Jacob had attended, as was proper, but he was still incredibly angry over his encounter with Sara in the R&D hanger.

The anger he felt had yet to leave him even now and he knew he needed some time to get it together. To that end he as seeking a meeting with Dr. Zoldark to discuss a transfer to one of he active teams, he didn't care which.

Reaching the office of the esteemed leader of the DC, Jacob composed himself and knocked politely.

((hows this work with Bian now anyway?))
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-Bian-

That previous battle had caused pile ups of paper work and stress on everything including the leader of DC. Not only had they lost a Gundam but the Nova Prince had showed his face finally. Then there was that Emily kid that had shown some pretty threatening powers. Over all nothing was going right and Intell from space wasn't going any better. Fandom was getting stronger finally with the inclusion of some figures he hadn't dealt with in a long time.

An aid came in saying there was someone wanting to see him. When he asked who it was she said it was Jacob of the R&D team. He asked for the guy to be shown in. Once Jacob came in Bian tried to retain his typical stoic and leaderly aura. "What can I do to help you?"

-Kylern-

The Belphagor was being loaded up into the Ceres with its pilot hanging outside stretching wide. He had finally got his Gundam but only after such horrible circumstances. Strike was still out of the game and not really in a condition to do much for the team.

He thought about it a bit and figured it was time for him to take charge of the Ceres team. He felt bad about deposing Strike Zero but the guy wasn't in mental or physical condition to keep things moving smoothly. He would have to talk to Ryker about it but he was sure he could get approval. With a Gundam down his would be more important to the war effort.
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