SD Gundam 1. Prologue

**Superior Defender Gundam Force**

Book 6

_Return to the Sea_

Based on _SD Gundam Force _episodes 38-41

Property of Bandai and Sunrise

_Shute here._

_Last time, Zero got some help from the Feather Dragon and finally defeated Deathscythe._

_But I was _really _bummed I couldn't save the fake princess!_

_Because she gave me the White Bagubagu, Deathscythe turned her back into the violet rose she used to be._

_That was sad._

_At least we saved the real Princess Relehimana, but she's still petrified!_

_And now we've got a new problem._

_We've gotten sucked into this strange, super-bright light, and we don't have a clue where it's taking us!_


	2. Princess Rele Revived

Chapter 1: Princess Rele Revived

It was a strange sensation. Even though light shot up around them in one continuous beam, the Gundam Force and Zapper's gang felt no heat on their bodies. The only thing they could feel was a slight tingling sensation on their skin and circuits. However, this was of little comfort to any of them, as the _Gundamusai_ bobbed and spun in the air, pushed by invisible forces. As the Zakos ran around, panicking, everyone else stood and tried to keep their balance.

"Probability high that this energy beam was released from the Garden of Wisdom!" Captain Gundam reported, "It's spinning the ship around!"

Zero the Winged Knight stepped closer to the statue-form of Princess Rele. "Never fear, princess! I'm here to protect you!"

Shute opened his mouth, but no words came out. He just stared at everything that was going on, clutching the violet rose in his fist. Genkimaru did the same.

Zapper Zaku groaned, his eye showing a spinning spiral. "My tummy…"

Grappler Gouf, also spiral-eyed, said, "Is a little…

Destroyer Dom, who also had a spiral-eye, finished, "Queasy… "

Bakunetsumaru, Blazing Samurai, his eyes spinning, looked up into the heavens and cried out, "I don't understand what's happening here! Does anyone know what's going on?"

There was a bright flash of light, and when it cleared, the _Gundamusai _was flying in a space with two ocean-like walls to the left and right, dotted with clouds.

"We're back in the Minov Boundary Sea!" Everyone cried in unison.

"_Minov!_" Destroyer repeated.

As Shute tried to keep his balance, he groaned, "Not again!"

"It appears as though this was caused by the collision of the Feather Dragon and Steel Dragon!" Captain guessed. Just before the beam appeared, the spirit beasts used by Zero and Deathscythe flew off together in Lacroa.

"And the transport device is still broken, right?" Shute asked, thinking about the machine the Gundam Force used to contact and transport objects between dimensions.

Captain nodded. "Affirmative. We'll have to find some other way to escape from this."

By now, the ship was able to stabilize itself, setting on a steady flight path. On the deck, a door opened up. Zapper's gang headed towards it.

"Go for it." Zapper grunted.

"We're gonna retreat for a little while." Grappler added.

"Queasy!" Destroyer said.

The three larger robots and the Zako Soldiers crowded around, trying to squeeze as many of them through the opening as they could.

"You guys can't run until I say so!" Genkimaru yelled, chasing after them. Before he could get half way, Bakunetsumaru caught him by the top-knot sticking out of his helmet.

"Hold it, pipsqueak! I've been looking for you!" Bakunetsumaru said.

"Wait up, cowards!" Genkimaru shouted as the last Zako slipped through the door, "How dare you leave without me!"

Bakunetsumaru sighed. "Well, at least your safe."

"Lemme down, you bully!"

What none of them noticed was that Cobramaru, Musha Gundam ninja, standing on one of the _Gundamusai_'s frontal cannons. Chuckling evilly, the _shinobi _leapt out of sight.

-z-

A few minutes later, the Gundam Force had relocated to the ship's bridge, taking Genkimaru and the princess' petrified form as well.

"Commencing omni-dimensional scan to determine our present location." RAIMI, the ship's AI, announced.

"Roger," Captain said, and nodded at Shute. "Do it, Shute."

Shute opened a capsule, and out flew a White Bagubagu, the antidote to the Dark Axis' petrifying Bagubagu. The white robotic insect flew around the statue before resting on her outstretched thumb.

"Okay, you guys," Shute said, "Cross your fingers!"

The White Bagubagu jabbed its stinger into the digit, turning its stone skin to flesh.

"It's working!" Zero gasped.

"The White Bagubagu is reversing the petrification!" Shute announced.

Genkimaru, from an alcove on the wall, watched. Though his body was laid out in a reclining manner, his eyes were pointed at the statue.

Slowly, the flesh spread out, until her entire body had returned to normal. However, she remained in her out-reaching pose until her hand twitched.

"Her finger!" Bakunetsumaru cried.

Princess Relehimana Miya De Lacroa, heir to the throne of Lacroa, blinked once- and then fell forward. The boys gasped and Zero shot forward with a cry of "Princess!"

Luckily, the princess didn't fall, not due to Zero catching her, but because of her grabbing his helmet for support. As she steadied herself, Zero continued to mutter, "I've got you- Or, I _will _get you- I _would've _gotten you…"  
Shute and Bakunetsumaru exhaled. That was close!

Absentmindedly, Princess Rele dusted her dress off, fretting. "Thank you… I'm afraid I'm feeling a bit dizzy…"

"My apologies, your highness!" Zero said, kneeling. "Are you sure you're all right?"

It was then that Princess Rele looked up and into Zero's face. She frowned. "Zero? But- What are you doing here? You must go!" She pointed to her left. "They're right behind…" She looked where she was pointing and saw Captain Gundam, his faceplate open. "…us. Huh? You aren't…" Confused, she shifted her vision to Shute. "I've never seen you before, either!" Looking a bit nervous, Rele began to look around, taking in her surroundings. The tidy, organized and hygienic scenery of the bridge was a great contrast to the cave she had been petrified in.

Genkimaru, now lying on his tummy, his head propped by his hands, kicked his legs absentmindedly. So, _this _was the princess Zero was talking about?

"Please, allow me to explain, princess." Zero said.

Princess Rele turned to Zero. "Yes?"

"I, Zero, the Winged Knight, have succeeded in carrying out your orders, _and _have brought your highness out of danger and into safety aboard this ship," Zero explained.

Princess Rele nodded. "I see, Zero. Does this mean that you have found allies in other dimensions, as well as a way to reverse the petrification of Lacroa?"

"Yes, princess!" Zero said proudly, "I have done all that you asked. Please," he gestured towards the rest of the Gundam Force. "Allow me to introduce our allies from the dimension of Neotopia."

"Ah, yes," Princess Rele smiled regally, "The Gundam Force, of course!"

"Huh?"

"You already know?" Zero asked, surprised.

"But, how could you, princess?" Shute asked.

"You could not possibly know of the name Gundam Force, princess," Zero said, trying to straighten himself out. "When you have been petrified all this time!"

"It was revealed to me in the prophecy, Zero," Princess Rele told him, "And _I _told _you._"

"Well, ah, uh, no, princess," Zero said, sweating. "That's not the way it happened, your highness…"

"It did, Zero," Princess Rele said firmly, "I remember it well."

Zero continued to sweat. "I beg your pardon, but the name Gundam Force actually came from-"

"Are you _arguing?_" She demanded.

"O-of course not, princess!" Zero cried, getting down on one knee. "Whatever you say!"

Off to the side, Shute, Captain, and Bakunetsumaru watched this exchange with wide, bewildered eyes. This was _not _what any of them were expecting of the princess of Lacroa, especially when compared to the more reserved fake princess Deathscythe planted.

Shaking her head, Princess Rele raised her arms up. "_O Mana, who dwell in all the universe!_"

Everyone watched in amazement as her body became surrounded with sparkles, spiraling up from the floor to her head.

"Zero's incantation!" Captain realized.

The princess' clothes shimmered, before changing in a flash of light. They looked very much like the fake princess' attire, only the black parts were colored a very light blue. Poofy shoulders, slightly thicker fabric, gloves over her hands, the works.

"There," Princess Rele said, looking herself over. "This dress seems a bit more suitable."

"And with it you are truly more beautiful than ever, princess!" Zero applauded.

Princess Rele gave a thankful nod. "Now, please introduce everyone."

"Yes, princess," Zero gestured and said, "First of all, may I present the leader of Gundam Force, Captain Gundam."

Captain nodded. "At your service."

"Captain." The princess nodded back.

"Over _there_," Zero continued, "Is little Bakunetsumaru, a Musha Gundam from the land of Ark. He's kind of hot-headed, so we suggest you keep your distance."

"Hot-headed, am I!" Bakunetsumaru exploded, "You've got some nerve, you egotistic, self-centered wing nut! And what do you mean by little, you-!"

Bakunetsumaru froze when he realized that the princess was giggling. Regaining his composure, he bowed. "Uh, I mean, please to meet you, you're highness."

Smiling, Princess Rele turned to Zero. "Please continue, Zero."

Zero pointed. "And up there we have Genkimaru. He's a kid Musha Gundam."

Genkimaru sat upright and yelled, "Stop calling me a kid!" He then grinned mischievously, opening and closing his hands. "I gotta feel her face!"

"Genki!"

Princess Rele shook her head. Kids. What could you do? She turned to the boy Zero was gesturing to.

"And last but not least, princess," Zero said, "May I present Shute, Gundam Force Special Member."

"Glad to know you." Shute said.

Princess Rele smiled at him, and then took on a more official expression. "As sole heir to the noble throne, Princess Relehimana Miya De Lacroa will now address you all."

By some coincidence, the area she was standing on was the platform used for the ship's dimensional transport device. The platform rose as she spoke, bringing her head above the group. She was already the tallest one present, but now she truly overlooked them.

"Your highness, you have our full attention," Zero said, "And I speak for everyone here!"

Shute stared up, amazed. The person he was looking at was no damsel in distress, the kind to go, "Oh, save me!" when trouble arose. She was more like, well, a _ruler._

"I welcome you, brave warriors, to our noble quest." Princess Rele said, and then looked down. "Oh, Shute."

"Y-yes, princess? W-what is it?" Shute gulped.

Princess Rele held out her hand expectantly. Everyone looked from her to Shute.

"I accept your gift." The princess said, smiling.

Shute blinked. _Gift? What gift?_

"Obviously, you have gone to a lot of trouble to present me with that beautiful violet rose of Lacroa," Princess Rele said.

Shute quickly looked into his fist, remembering the rose he was holding.

Princess Rele went on to say, "I would be pleased to accept it from you, now." The platform lowered, bringing her closer to Shute.

Shute, worried, muttered, "This…isn't…" and slowly looked back at the princess. She still had that smile, and was still holding out her hand. But he couldn't just give the rose away. This rose had once been a person Deathscythe created, someone he had befriended. It just wasn't right.

When she saw the hesitation in Shute's eyes, Princess Rele's smile dropped, and she looked to Zero for clarification.

"It's not what you think, princess," Zero said quickly, "Let me try to explain, I…Well, actually hard to..." He began to babble, trying to find a proper way to fill the princess in without insulting her. "You see, it's…uh…"

Looking shocked, Princess Rele came to her own conclusion. "You don't think I'm worthy of the rose? Is that it, Shute?"

"N-no… It's nothing like that, princess…" Shute said, his eyes locking onto the rose. He could just barely see her face in its petals. "It's just that I…"

"Go on." Captain prompted encouragingly. He knew that once everything was explained, the princess would understand why Shute couldn't give the rose to her.

"I understand."

Everyone looked the princess. She had an upset look on her face.

"You showed me the rose but you won't give it to me," She said testily, "Because you're selfish, and you want to keep it for yourself!" and with that, she turned away. "Hmph!"

"Oh, your highness, I assure you it's not the reason!" Zero cried, on one knee again. "Actually, it's because this rose is…

But Princess Rele was adamant in her own theory. "This is why I don't like children!"

Zero gave a groan of dismay and staggered back, as if the princess' words were like a slap to the face. "Oh, Shute, just give it to her!"

"Wait!" Shute cried, and said, "I have to ask you a favor."

Princess Rele looked at the boy. "You're asking _me _to do _you _a favor?"

"Yes. Please hear my explanation about this rose."

Princess Rele huffed and turned away, nose up. "No! I won't!"

Shute stared, open-mouthed. She wouldn't even listen?

"I have no interest in listening to your childish excuses." the princess said.

"Uh…please, your highness," Zero said, thinking he should at least speak up for Shute. "I beg you to listen to his explanation!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Then perhaps _this _will change your mind!"

Princess Rele curiously looked at Zero.

"Hey, look at me!" Zero struck and awkward pose, holding out both arms while standing on one foot. "I'm Lacroa Castle!"

Everyone stared. Shute and Bakunetsumaru began to sweat.

Zero then began to bob in the air. "Now I'm an Mmn, see?" then he leaned forward on one leg, using his arms for balance. "Now I'm a banana tree!" He curled up into a ball on the floor. "Now I'm a biiig rock!"

Princess Rele stared at this performance for a few seconds before she began to titter, which soon became giggles, and then full-fledged laughter.

Genkimaru, up on his alcove, drummed his fingers impatiently.

Calming down, Princess Rele said, "Very well, Zero. No more poses."

Zero was instantly up on his feet, kneeling before her majesty. "Oh, good!"

"I shall listen."

"Thank you, princess! I assure you it will all become clear!"

Bakunetsumaru shook his head in dismay. _I sure am glad I'm not a knight. How humiliating…_

And so, with the help of the video projector on Captain's helmet, Princess Rele was shone what had happened during the Gundam Force's time in Lacroa.

They had rescued a statue they thought was the princess, and upon unpetrifying her, Shute became close friends. Because they only had one White Bagubagu, though, they were unable to restore the rest of the kingdom. So, the 'princess' took them to the Garden of Wisdom, claiming that they could find a answer to their problem there. However, it was actually a trap set by Deathscythe, the Knight of Darkness. The Knight of Darkness revealed himself to be actually Zero's fellow Knight Gundam Deed, the Icy Knight, who betrayed Lacroa to the Dark Axis as part of his plot to gain the power of the Garden of Wisdom, become human and marry Princess Rele. The princess who led them there was revealed to be a fake created through Deathscythe's black magic, for the sole purpose of gaining the White Bagubagu. However, the fake princess turned against Deathscythe, and in retaliation, the traitor to the Royal Knights stripped her of her human form, turning her back in a violet rose. The rose Shute now held…

"…That's what happened." Shute finished, staring sadly at the violet rose in his hand. He heard some sniffles and saw that the princess was now crying into her hands.

"That is so sad," She wept, "Poor violet rose!"

She wasn't the only one shedding tears. Bakunetsumaru had always been the more emotional Gundam around, and now was no exception. Tears poured down his face as he sobbed.

"I-it is a terrible story!" he wailed, "I'm furiously sad!"

Shute cringed. It was somewhat unsettling to see someone normally so quick to use his swords break down like that.

Wiping away her tears, Princess Rele turned to Shute and said, "Now I see… You brought the rose to me because you needed help… But unfortunately, the answer is no."

"What do you mean, princess?" Shute asked, worried. It sounded as if she _couldn't _do it, even if she wanted to…

"What you are asking is just no possible," The princess explained, "Even with my magic, I cannot return to human form, Shute."

"No!" Shute said, "That's not what I'm asking!"

"It isn't?"

"No, your highness, I just wanted you to take this rose with you when you go back to Lacroa," Shute explained, "Everyone's told me that you have a beautiful rose garden that grows there."

"Yes, that's true." Princess Rele replied thoughtfully.

"So I was hoping you could put her in your garden with all the other roses," Shute continued, "So she would be with her friends. That way she'd never be lonely… Could you do that, princess?"

Princess Rele looked at Shute fondly, deeply touched by the caring tone in his voice. "Of course."

The Gundams nodded, and commented on what a good idea Shute had. Then a klaxon sounded off. Everyone looked around.

"This is an emergency," RAIMI announced, "The launch bay is being opened. Displaying image now."

-z-

In the front of the _Gundamusai_, the space under the deck opened up, extending its launch runway. The launch bay was where the Re-equip Ring was kept. The Re-equip Ring was Captain's means of changing his equipment, even on the field with its flight capabilities

-z-

In the bridge, the Gundam Force and Princess Rele stared at the holographic screen that appeared. The first thing it showed was Grappler's sneering, mono-eyed face.

"Hey, what's going on up there, ya freakazoids?" Grappler taunted.

The view zoomed out, showing Grappler standing in front of the ring. All around him were the Zakos, dancing and cheering. In the ring's center, Destroyer held a bunch of random items in his arms.

"As you can see, the Re-equip Ring is ours!" Grappler declared, "and if you don't want it blown up, you better listen, and listen good!"

"Weapons!" Destroyer laughed giddily, "We only want weapons!" He threw the stuff in his arms (_None _of which had combat uses) in the air. "_Boom!_"

Genkimaru groaned. "They're totally lost without me!"

Bakunetsumaru shook his head. "Them again?" When the Gundam Force had protected Neotopia from the Dark Axis, the Zakos and their leaders had been a constant enemy to the Gundam Force, almost like an arch-foe, but now they were nothing more than pests.

Shute pumped his fist. "C'mon!"

Captain's faceplate closed. "Let's roll."

Shute handed the rose to Princess Rele ("Here, Princess!) and ran to the elevator.

"Zero, stay behind and guard the princess!" Captain ordered, following Shute. "Bakunetsumaru! You come with us!"

"You got it, Captain!" Bakunetsumaru yelled, joining the two in the elevator.

"Good luck, comrades!" Zero said.

As the elevator doors closed, Shute called out, "Don't you worry, princess!"

Princess Rele said nothing, staring at the violet rose in her hands.

-z-

Rather than going directly to the launch bay, the three left the elevator from the deck, and then jumped down from the bow, landing directly on the runway. They glared into the hanger. As some Zakos cautiously crept around, holding things like frying pans, Grappler stood in the center of their vision, holding a shield from Captain's Heavy Arms mode, as while as a beam machine gun.

Grappler laughed evilly. "We got every single weapon from the Ring! You should just surrender before you get hurt!"

Then Destroyer danced by, singing as he waved a smaller rifle. "Weapons! We got all your weapons!" Grappler stared at him in worried confusion.

"Shall we attack them, Captain?" Bakunetsumaru asked quietly.

"Yes, but we must be careful this time to avoid putting a crack in the Minov Boundary wall." Captain answered.

"I have an idea." Shute said.

The Gundams looked at him.

"An idea?" Bakunetsumaru asked, "Well, what is it, Shute? We've got no time to lose!

"All right," Shute motioned to the Gundams and they huddled. "Here's what we do…"

Seeing that he was being ignored, Grappler began to get angry. "Hey, what's with all the whispering over there?" Pointing his gun, he demanded, "Why don't you come on and fight like a robot, Captain? I'll tear you apart limb from limb, and then use you for spare parts!"

With a fiendish laugh, Grappler threw the gun and shield away. He then picked up an assembled V-Rod and began to twirl it wildly, and it would have been very impressive if he hadn't hit himself in the face at the very end. Undeterred, he struck a fighting pose.

By this time the three Gundam Force members were now ready to put Shute's plan into action.

"As you wish, Grappler," Captain said as they walked into the bay, "But I think you'll regret it!"

-z-

In the bridge, Zero and Princess Rele watched the action happening in the launch bay on the holographic screen. It mostly consisted of Shute and Bakunetsumaru playfully letting themselves be chased by Destroyer and the Zakos.

_I see what their plan is._ Princess Rele thought.

"Get them!" Destroyer yelled, and pointed his rifle at the pair. When nothing happened, he looked at it in confusion. "Huh? Weapon empty, Dom!" He tossed it aside and ran after them. "Get them anyway!"

As soon as that bunch were off-screen, Captain and Grappler shuffled into view, fighting V-Rod to V-Rod. The fight was basically Grappler carelessly slapping his rod at Captain, who blocked it with his own rod.

"Give up yet?" Grappler asked.

"No, but I know you soon will be!" Captain retorted, activating the wheels on the back of his feet and zipping around Grappler, giving him some whacks from behind. Grappler found himself being running away.

"So," Princess Rele said, "Now we'll see what these new allies you have brought are capable of."

"Oh, princess, they are fierce warriors!" Zero said.

Meanwhile, Shute gave the Zakos a mischievous wink, slapping his rear in that 'Come and get me!' way the immature tend to do.

"I can hardly imagine…" Princess Rele closed her eyes and took a deep breath, saying, "…How hard it must have been for you to realize that your friend Deed…was actually Deathscythe."

"…Yes," Zero said at last. He painfully remembered the Deed he saw two and a half years ago before Lacroa's fall, now realizing that the determined friend who saw him off was just a lie. And then he remembered how pitiful Deathscythe look after Zero gave him the final blow in their fight, falling to his doom without moving a muscle. "I will never be to forgive Deed for what he did."

"Never?"

"I'm afraid not, princess."

Princess Rele looked off and said, "It was the Garden of Wisdom that led him to choose the path of evil. I remember it very well. Deed accompanied my father and me the day that we went there. He saw the catacombs that contain all knowledge of the Steel Dragon that was sealed away, along with the forbidden magic. And he learned about the power of the Superior Dragon, which is said to transform robots into human beings."

"And then…" Zero said, "Then he became possessed by the desire to become human, so that he could marry _you, _princess. Love…it seems to have the power to change people, somehow."

"Like the violet rose of Lacroa?" Princess Rele asked.

Zero recalled how close the fake princess and Shute became. "Her love for Shute changed her."

"Love is not to blame, Zero," Princess Rele said, "It was Deed who chose to follow the path of evil, and as a result _he _destroyed both the land of Lacroa, and himself."

Zero looked up at the princess and gravely said, "You're right."

"Everything has its purpose, and a Knight Gundam must embrace his code of chivalry," Princess Rele said, "Even a rose has a purpose. You can be sure you're on the right path if you are proud of your existence, and are living in peace with those around you. Shute seems to understand this."

"Yes," Zero said, "He and I were only talking about this recently."

"To revive Lacroa, we must keep ourselves on the path of good," Princess Rele said as their eyes locked.

"Yes!" Zero nodded firmly.

"We still have a long journey ahead of us, Zero," the princess said, "But with these new allies we have new hope. Let us never forget the debt that we owe them, and do our very best to honor them for their bravery."

"Yes, your highness."

The Lacroix turned back to the screen. It looked like the boys were close to the big finish.

-z-

Zipping around, Captain's targeting scope slid down over his eye. He scanned the area and saw that everyone was in front of the Ring. "In position, Miss RAIMI! _Gundam Ring Attack!_"

Grappler jumped in front of Captain and swung, but the mobile defender leapt up to avoid the blow.

"Shute! Bakunetsumaru!" Captain yelled, "Formation B!"

"Right!" Shute yelled, and activated the boosters on his backpack, sending him over the Zakos coming at him from the front.

"Countdown," RAIMI announced, "10…9…"

Destroyer tried to hit Bakunetsumaru with a frying pan, but the Musha Gundam skillfully dodged.

"8…7…6…"

Shute landed on the Zakos, using their heads for stepping stones.

"5…4…3…"

With their enemies neatly disoriented, Shute and Bakunetsumaru ran to opposite sides of the launch bay, plastering themselves against the walls.

"2…1…go."

At the end of the runway, Captain speared his V-Rod down and used it as a post to swung on, giving Grappler a powerful kick in the chest. As Grappler flew back, the Re-equip Ring began to move forward, catching Destroyer and the Zakos against it as it built up speed. Grappler hit the top of the Ring as it took off, flying around the Minov Boundary Sea.

"Oh yeah!" Shute cheered, "We did it, team!"

-z-

Grappler, scrambling not to lose his grip and fall, sent a nasty glare down at the others clinging to the Ring's bottom half and yelled, "Now look what you did, Dom!"

Destroyer, hanging onto a chain of Zakos, wailed, "Queasy!"

-z-

In the engine room, Zapper happily scrubbed the floor with his mop, singing. But then he stopped. It was quiet. Too quiet.

"_Hey!_ Why am I the only one cleaning up around here?" He shouted, looking around. "If I have to come find you, you morons are gonna be sorry!"

-z-

For a little while, the Gundam Force made the Ring and its unwitting passengers fly around for a bit before sending Grappler and the others back into the engine room. They returned to the bridge, where Princess Rele had a surprise for Shute. She had magicked a small vase into existence, and placed the violet rose into it.

"There," She said, "That will protect her until we return to Lacroa."

"Thank you," Shute said sincerely, smiling. "Thank you, princess! I hope now you understand why this rose was so important to me."

Princess Rele smiled back at him.

"Everyone," She said, "I'd like to present you each with a gift to express my appreciation for your brave efforts today."

Genkimaru watched from his space on the wall as Shute, Captain, and Bakunetsumaru lined up in front of the princess. _Huh? Gift?_

"_O Mana!_" Princess Rele spread her arms out, creating a cloud of sparkles and rose petals that floated down on the three.

Shute felt something on his back, and looked. To his surprise, a small red cape had appeared, hanging stiffly down from the top of his shirt! The two Gundams next to him had similar capes sticking onto their backs as well.

"Capes?" Bakunetsumaru asked, craning his head over to look at his. Next to him, Captain turned his head completely around to observe the cape stuck to his backpack.

"More than a cape!" Zero proclaimed, "It's a badge of honor!"

Shute grimaced. "Yeah, but…" He patted it a few times, making a hollow knocking noise. "For a cape, it's pretty stiff, and it sticks out kind of funny in the back…"

Shute heard a gasp and looked. Princess Rele now had an expression of outraged shock on her face.

Zero leaned forward and whispered, "Shute, these are special capes that won't wave in the air unless you have magical powers!"

Shute blanched. "Huh? But why?"

Before Zero could say anything, Rele cut in. "I see!" She said, a vein appearing on her forehead. "So my gift isn't good enough!"

Shute and Bakunetsumaru began to sweat at these words. Captain looked between them, unsure of what was about to happen.

"I have promised to do my best to honor your allegiance and that is what I shall do," Princess Rele said firmly, and spread out her arms again. "_O Mana!_"

There came another thin cloud of sparkles and petals, and then the boys had _three _capes on their backs.

"Uh, excuse me, your highness," Shute began hesitantly, "But having more little capes still doesn't really solve the-!"

"Not satisfied?" Rele interrupted angrily, "We'll see about that! _O Mana!_"

Another flash of sparkles and petals, and when the light subsided, Shute, Captain, and Bakunetsumaru were _covered _in capes. They looked like red bushes.

"Well, we won't need raincoats anymore, that's for sure…" Bakunetsumaru muttered.

Genkimaru burst into hysterics, pointing and laughing at the silly sight. Some reward! Even falling off didn't stifle his giggles.

"I'm sorry, princess, if I sound rude, but…" Shute trailed off. Rele seemed to have a fire in her eyes now.  
"I get it," She said angrily, "You _never _have enough!"

Zero began to sweat. "Princess, I-I don't think that's what he meant!"

"No! I know what he meant!" Princess Rele said, glaring at the three cape piles. "I think you want _more!_"

Rele held her arms into the air, and a great magic circle of Lacroa appeared, blue with elegant runes. However, it now resembled that anvil you see falling on you just before it hit.

"_O…Mana!_"

Anyone who had been outside the ship would have seen lights flash from within the bridge. All around the _Gundamusai_, fireworks exploded, causing the ship to rock back and forth. And just barely over the din, the frantic voices of Shute, Bakunetsumaru and Captain could be heard.

"Whoa! Princess! Please!"

"The capes are fine, really!"

"Probabilty of insulting her highness' fashion sense, 99.9%!"


	3. Zako Zako Hour 24

Chapter 1.5: Zako Zako Hour

In the engine room of the ship was a stage, covered by an iron curtain. It rose, showing three Zako Soldiers. The one at the left had a yellow triangular microphone. The one in the middle had a red round microphone. And the one at the right had a blue square microphone.

"Ladies and gentlebots," Red Mic Zako said, bowing with the two others. "Welcome to the Zako Zako Hour! Today's meeting is all about…"

Yellow Mic jumped up. "_What's The Definition Of Love?_"

That got some boos from the audience.

"Zako." Yellow Mic replied.

"We did that one already!" Red Mic pointed out.

"You gotta read the script!" Blue Mic cried, flipping out. "You always do this!"

Yellow Mic began to flip out as well. "But I still don't know what love is! I can't sleep till I know! Does it burn you, does it sting? Does it give you gas, Zako? What is love? What is love! _What is love! _I have to know the answer! _Someone tell me, Zako!_ Love love love love love love-!"

"Quiet, Zako!" Blue Mic yelled. He and Red Mic began to push Yellow Mic off the stage.

"Give yourself a rest!" Red Mic shouted. Once Yellow Mic was gone, he faced the audience. "Okay, now we can get down to the _real_ topic for today, which is…"

"_What's The Deal With This Disgusting Princess Of Lacroa?_" He and Blue Mic declared simultaneously.

_That _was met with more support from the audience.

"Zako," Red Mic began, "Here's the awful truth about her. She is an organic creature. Yuck! She likes hanging around with the Gundam Force!"

The screen behind the hosts lit up, showing the princess before freezing n an image of her petrified state.

"Some princess!" Blue Mic shouted, "Does she always like to stand around posed like this, Zako?" He imitated her statue pose. "_And _I bet she uses some stupid magic like Knight Gundams do, Zako!"

"It's not stupid!"

A Zako Soldier wearing a chef's hat and carrying a ladle zipped onto the stage, followed by some of the robotic Elmice.

"You got her all wrong!" Ladle Zako said, And the screen showed a Princess Rele in a black dress. "I was the one aboard the ship back in Lacroa! I hid behind her and witnessed her beautiful beauty! She _did _do the posing thing… And she _did _use some bizarre magic like Lord Deathscythe, Zako…"

Red Mic looked between Ladle and Blue Mic, who were both posing. "So what's the difference, Zako?"

"_I _can answer that!"

There was a puff of smoke, scaring the Zakos. When it cleared, there was a Pawn Leo, one of the toy soldier-like troops of the Dark Axis' Lacroa branch standing on the stage.

"Right here," Pawn Leo said, pointing to an image on the screen of the princess. "Is Princess Relehimana Miya De Lacroa, Pawn! Heiress to the throne of the royal family that has ruled Lacroa for centuries with the power to control the sacred pond in the Spirit Tree, Pawn!"

"So that's her!" Red Mic noted, "She's a very important person, Zako!"

"_Very _important!" Blue Mic agreed.

"Yes, but look closely, now!" Pawn Leo, and the screen showed the princess in a black dress. "This princess, formed from a rose by Lord Deathscythe's magic is a fake!"

Hearing this, Ladle Zako fell down the abyss of despair. "Did you say fake?" He cried, flipping out. "How can she be a fake! I was just about say she's much _cuter!_"

"Easy does it, what are you doing?" Red Mic cried, "This is a human we're talking about, Zako!"

"He'll end up getting himself destroyed, just like Lord Deathscythe!" Pawn Leo declared, as Red Mic nodded vigorously.

Blue Mic looked as the screen showed images of the two princesses. "I hate to admit it, but she would be kinda cute in a green helmet."

"She can't be a fake!" Ladle sobbed, "_No!_"

Then Yellow Mic leapt back onto the stage. "You see the power of _love!_ Love love love love love!"

"Now look what you've done!" Blue Mic yelled, "They've _both _gone crazy!"

The iron curtain slammed down.

"This was a very strange show today, Zako!" Red Mic cried, "Love makes people act _weird!_"

As the Zakos stared up at the closed stage, a single voice yelled, "Love you!"


	4. Gerbera's Invitation

Chapter 2: Gerbera's Invitation

Floating high over a region of rock and lava was the main base of the Dark Axis. If there was ever a hive of evil, it was this giant massive purple sphere. With its three giant horns, it resembled the silhouette of a devil's head. In the very center of that devil was a melting room, filled with piles of scrap. These furnaces joined together underneath the horned head of a demonic robot, with three mono-eyes swirling all around. It was for him that the all-robot armies of the Dark Axis attacked and plundered worlds like Lacroa, stripping them of their materials. Every ounce of gundanium collected went to him, the General.

The entrance to the General's room opened, and a platform built like a _shogi _board floated in. On it was a large, adult Musha Gundam, built like an armored god of thunder.

"I am here as you ordered, Professor Gerbera," Kibaomaru said, "Why have you summoned me so suddenly? Has something happened?"

On a space-age, torch-like platform of his own, a heavily armored red mono-eyed robot turned and glared at the Musha Gundam lord.

"You are late, Kibaomaru!" Professor Gerbera snarled, "You should know it is not wise to keep the General waiting."

Before Kibaomaru could make reply, something strange began to happen. The General's three eyes merged into one and glowed. Each melting pit began to glow, as if a spotlight had been turned on at their bottom. The Musha Gundam warlord stared around in amazement.

"My apologies to the General," He said at last, "Now tell me, Gerbera, what is so urgent that you've…"

Kibaomaru trailed off. The room had become unnaturally still. It was unsettling.

"Look here."

Kibaomaru looked to Gerbera, and saw two giant robotic hands rise up behind him. At the tip of each red finger was a cannon barrel, and on the purple wrists were a single large mono-eye.

"The General's power is being rapidly restored," Gerbera explained. He raised his own hands, and in a display of fearful symmetry the General's hands imitated him. "It has reached 82.12%!"

Kibaomaru pointed and cried, "Use of both hands!"

"Yes, and that is not all, Kibaomaru!" Gerbera said more forcefully, "_Behold!_"

The General's eye began to emit a bright red light. It focused into a beam that projected an image in the air at the end of the room. Kibaomaru watched as that image focused into vision of a white ship with a Gundam head, flying amid an endless sea of clouds.

"The enemy ship, the _Gundamusai_, in the Minov Boundary Sea," Kibaomaru shrugged, "So?"

"The General is now capable of dimensional transport!" Gerbera declared.

The energetic tone in Gerbera's voice was beginning to disturb Kibaomaru. "I…I never knew he had such a power." He said cautiously. His absentmindedly went for the sword at his waste.

Gerbera was too wrapped up to notice. "Once again, we are able to attack other dimensions without any need of the Zakurello Gate, or the magic of the now-missing Deathscythe!"

The Zakurello Gate had been the Dark Axis' primary means of dimensional travel able to create portals in other universes. However, it had been captured by the SDG following the failed invasion of Neotopia. Since then, Deathscythe would use his own sorcery to bridge the worlds for them- until all contact with Lacroa had been cut off.

"Hear me, General!" Gerbera cried, prostrating himself before the beastly head. "With your renewed powers, send me now to the enemy aboard their ship!"

The General's hands hovered slightly below Gerbera on both sides of him, and their fingers began to fire purple beams at him. But instead of destroying the professor, the beams coated him with energy, until he stood inside a sphere, which crackled with power.

"What are planning to do, Professor Gerbera?" Kibaomaru asked.

Gerbera's bubble floated up, and the professor turned to face Kibaomaru. "When I went to Ark to recruit you, Kibaomaru, I went there alone. Don't you remember?"

"I do."

"And after our conversation, you were convinced you should join the Dark Axis, were you not?"

"What does that have do with anything?" Kibaomaru demanded.

Gerbera's face was not built to show emotions, but from the way he tilted his head back, you could feel he was smirking. "I'm bringing back _another _ally this time."

"Ally? From where?"

"We will need many new allies," Gerbera said, "For soon we will begin _destroying _the dimensional worlds!"

"_Destroying worlds?_" Kibaomaru cried, "What are you talking about? The purpose of the Dark Axis is to _control _all of those worlds!"

"They will be controlled, indeed…" Gerbera said smartly, "…When the General returns and _destroys them all!_"

As his bubble rose into the light being projected from the General's eye, Gerbera laughed darkly. Kibaomaru did not see what was so funny.

"This contradicts everything you told me when I first joined you, Gerbera!" the Musha Gundam accused.

"Is that so, Kibaomaru?" Gerbera asked, "Then everything is going exactly as planned!"

Laughing evilly, Gerbera's bubble shot forward, where it vanished into the portal the General made.

_Obviously, I can no longer trust him, _Kibaomaru thought, turning from the portal to the General. _I must obtain the power of the Musha Daishinshou before he betrays me…_

-z-

On the _Gundamusai_, the Gundam Force was finally able to make contact with Neotopia once again. They stood around the raised platform of the Dimensional Transport Device as a round holographic screen showed the tennis-ball like head of Chief Haro, leader of the Super Dimensional Guard the Force was part of.

"I was very concerned when we lost contact with you, Captain," the chief said, his dot-like eyes flashing yellow as he spoke. "Were you attacked by the enemy?"

"Yes, sir!" Captain replied, "And after Tallgeese attacked us, we were warped right into Lacroa!"

"_what!_" Chief Haro cried, the ear-like flaps on his head going up and down, unsettling his cap. "Did you say _Lacroa?_"

"That's right," Shute answered, "And we're back in the Minov Boundary Se-"

"The important thing is that _I _defeated Deathscythe, the one responsible for the attack on Lacroa in the first place." Zero declared, shoving Shute aside. He gestured to Princess Rele, standing next to him. "And I also saved the princess." He said before breaking down and crying happily.

"Nice going, Zero!" Bakunetsumaru hissed, "Crying in front of the chief!"

Her majesty stepped forward and said, "I am Princess Relehimana Miya De Lacroa, heir to the throne of our land." She bowed her head.

"Welcome, princess," Chief Haro said, saluting. "I am Haro, chief of Neotopia's special defense force SDG."

"You have such a strange face!"

Haro paused. "Excuse me?"

Princess Rele smiled. "Oh, I get it! You're actually the king of Neotopia aren't you?"

Everyone looked at Princess Rele.

"No…I'm…" Haro began awkwardly, "Well, I'm not sure what to say to that your highness, but I assure you I'm only…"

"You're disguised!" Princess Rele decided, unwilling to let go of her theory. "I thank you, your majesty, for saving Lacroa." She curtsied.

"Well, I…" Once again, Chief Haro was rendered speechless. "I never thought of it that way…"

"Princess, there's something I have to tell you…" Zero said quickly, walking over to Rele, hoping he could rectify this before an international/inter-dimensional incident occurred.

Bakunetsumaru looked at Captain and asked, "Neotopia doesn't have a king, just a mayor, right?"

Captain nodded. "Right. Mayor Margaret represents all of Neotopia's citizens.

"Did someone call me?"

The head of an extraordinarily beautiful woman popped in front of Chief Haro's on the screen.

"Mayor Margaret, hello!" Shute cried.

"Oh, nice to see you, Shute!" The mayor said, waving cheerfully at the boy.

Princess Rele cocked her head, confused. "Mayor?"

"Yes, milady!" Zero said.

"That's correct, your highness," Margaret said, facing the princess. "I am Mayor Margaret Gathermoon of Neotopia. I've heard that Lacroa is in peril. I'm sorry. Please let us know if there's anything-"

"Understood."

Mayor Margaret cocked her head. "Pardon?"

"You are wearing a mask, Lord Haro," Princess Rele said, "And I believe that there is some secret reason."

Everyone went "Huh?" and looked at Rele in surprise. No one noticed Haro's ear's flapping vigorously.

"Princess, I think you have the wrong idea!" Zero cried desperately, "There's no mask on Chief Haro, that's really his face…"

"I…never thought of it, actually…" Chief Haro said slowly.

"And I'm sorry," Princess Rele continued, ignoring Zero. "But Lady Margaret is in on it."

"Well then, is that right?" Mayor Margaret asked.

Chief Haro shook his head. "Oh, this is very strange."

Mayor and chief glanced at each other, and then began to laugh.

Princess Rele took a deep breath. "Zero."

Zero stepped back, worried. "Yes, my lady?"

"Why didn't you tell me ahead of time about this?" She asked firmly.

As Shute, Captain, and Bakunetsumaru popped up behind him, Zero began to babble. "Well, princess, I was going to tell you about it, of course… Uh, I was so busy with other tasks such as… Uh…"

"That's enough." Princess Rele told him.

Zero's eyes widened, and he began to sweat buckets.

"You are just making excuses, now, and you know how I hate to hear excuses," Princess Rele said, turning away. "Please explain your actions, Zero."

"Yes! Right away, your highness!" Zero cried, "I can explain everything, and I shall do it right now! No more stalling! I am going to tell you all about it! You see, it all started…"

As Zero began to talk at a frenzied pace, Shute and the other Gundams exchanged looks. Poor Zero!

In his little space on the wall, Genkimaru turned over in his sleep. And with a little 'Prfft!' became much more relaxed.

It was then that the image of Neotopia began to fizzle.

"What?" Chief Haro cried just before the screen shorted out. Everyone looked at where the image once was.

"Miss RAIMI!" Captain cried.

"Where'd they go?" Shute asked.

"Contact with Neotopia has been lost," RAIMI announced, "Unable to determine the cause of the interruption."

There was a noise like can being opened at the bottom of a hole. The left window on the bridge's front (The left eye in the Gundam head on the ship) began to change, no longer showing the endless clouds of the Minov Boundary Sea, but a dark tunnel filled with streaming purple lights.

"What's that?" Bakunetsumaru gasped as everyone stared at it.

"Unknown!" RAIMI reported, "Some kind of holographic image!"

Just as she finished, a small image appeared in the middle of the tunnel, getting larger. It soon revealed itself to be a crimson robot with a mono-eye on its face.

"The Dark Axis!" Captain cried.

Shute quickly picked up his backpack and Zero floated in front of the princess, holding out a protective arm.

"Stay back, princess!" the Knight Gundam said.

"Warning!" RAIMI cried, "Image is becoming a physical presence!"

As RAIMI spoke, the robot's arms and legs began to materialize in the world as it pushed through the window.

"Surprise!" The robot laughed vindictively as it appeared in the air.

"Ahh! He's present all right!" Shute gulped, taken aback.

Captain's faceplate closed. "But the enemy can't travel here without the Zakurello Gate or the magic of Deathscythe!"

The robot stepped onto the floor with a sinister thud. "We no longer have any need of those things."

Shute fitted the backpack on. "We'll take care of this guy for you, princess! And send him back to wherever he came from!"

Zero stepped forward. "I will protect you, princess! Princess?"

For a moment, there came no reply. Shute and Zero turned around and saw an empty space where Princess Rele was standing. They looked to the elevator and saw her standing inside, holding the Zakurello Gate control device, the Zakurello Phone, the Princess Rose, and Genkimaru, still asleep in a magic bubble.

"Thank you all!" She said before the elevator doors closed.

Bakunetsumaru sweated. "For a princess, she sure moves quick!"

Captain, meanwhile, had pulled the poles off of his Option V backpack and fitted the two ends together into the V-Rod.

"Intruder!" He yelled, twirling the rod. "As Captain of the _Gundamusai _I command you to lay down your arms and surrender!"

Captain held out the V-Rod horizontally, while the others stood beside him with their own weapons out, Zero with his magic claymore and shield, Bakunetsumaru with his two katana, and Shute with his handle-like glue shooter.

"Please, allow me to introduce myself," The robot said, unafraid of them. "I am Professor Gerbera, Dark Axis chief technical officer-" he pointed. "-And I have come here to recruit you, Captain."

"_Huh!_"

"To recruit me for what?" Captain demanded.

Zero and Bakunetsumaru leapt at Gerbera.

"Don't listen to him, Captain!" Bakunetsumaru yelled.

"You've come for revenge for my defeat of Deathscythe!" Zero accused.

Gerbera leaned back slightly, not out of fear but surprise. "So… It was _you _who defeated Deathscythe."

Gerbera's chest sparked and two large, yellow staple-like things shot out of it. The staples caught the Knight and Musha Gundams and pinned them against the wall. Groaning, they both fainted from the force of the impact.

"Zero! Bakunetsumaru!" Shtue cried.

"Captain!"

Shute and Captain turned back to glare at Gerbera.

"Let's you and I find some place a little more private to converse?" Gerbera asked, and held out his arms. "_Gerbera System, Activate!_"

Dozens of purple tendrils of energy sprout out from Gerbera's chest, implanting themselves all over the room. As Shute and Captain stared at them, a prism-like dome grew out of Gerbera, covering most of the room! Shute gave a pained cry as it pushed him back. As he recovered, he realized that Captain had been sucked inside it!

"_Captain!_" Shute cried. _He's trapped in some kind of force field…_

Shute went up to the dome and placed his hands on it. For a moment, it didn't feel like anything except dull matter…until it sparked, causing him to jump back. The sparks covered the entire ship.

"Alert!" RAIMI announced, "Helm sensors report loss of directional control! _Gundamusai _is now out of control!"

The ship did a nosedive, tilting and bobbing erratically.

-z-

In the engine room, the Zakos were flying everywhere, along with their leaders. The bounced and recoiled off the walls and floor, like flakes in a snow globe.

"Wahh!" Destroyer wailed, "Dizzy!"

"What's going on!" Grappler cried.

"Who's driving this bucket of bolts anyway?" Zapper demanded.

-z-

In the corridor, Princess Rele floated in a protective sphere of magic, staring at the swinging walls around her. She bit her lip.

-z-

In the bridge, Shute crawled onto the force field.

"Captain!" He yelled into it, "_Captain! Are you in there? Answer me!_"

-z-

Captain had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered was being absorbed by the energy field Gerbera was emitting. Now he stood in slightly dark room. The walls around him were black and purple, as someone had caught swirling smoke between two sheets of purple glass.

"Where am I?" He asked aloud.

"An electronic field of imaginary numbers known as a negative zone."

Captain looked behind him and saw a purple ball appear in the air, fading away to reveal Gerbera.

"No one will interrupt us in here." The professor said, and got to the point. "I want you to become my ally."

"_Become your ally!_" Captain cried, shocked. How could a member of the Dark Axis assume he- someone who has been fighting their forces for so long- would do such a thing.

"Let me show you," Gerbera said, and pointed towards to the left wall. Captain was hesitant to follow, not wanting to take his eyes off of the robot, but looked. "Do you remember your battle with Commander Sazabi, Captain, and what was revealed to you in the end of it?"

Images appeared on the wall, showing the fight with the leader of the Dark Axis forces that attacked Neotopia, but Captain needed no reminders. He would never forget that day. At the end of the long, destructive battle, Sazabi showed that he had a Soul Drive, a unit like the one Captain himself had, only filled with darkness, as opposed to light Captain's held. Sazabi went on to suggest that he and Captain were not meant to be enemies, but allies, and asked him to join the Dark Axis. Captain had been proud to reject his offer that day.

"My subordinate Sazabi failed to persuade you, but I shall not." Gerbera stated.

Captain looked back at the professor and protectively held out his V-Rod. "Sazabi was your subordinate?"

Gerbera ignored this question and asked, "Captain, shall I tell you the story of Commander Sazabi and his black Soul Drive?"

Captain stared, not relaxing.

-z-

In the ship's bridge, Shute hiked up the slanted floor, making his way towards Zero and Bakunetsumaru.

"You guys!" He cried, "Captain's trapped in that fi-ugh!" He stumbled a bit as the ship rocked.

Once he was close enough, Shute tried to pull the bind off of Bakunetsumaru, who along with Zero was still out cold.

"Baku', wake up, I need your help!" He cried. He looked over at Zero and yelled, "Zero, c'mon!"

He put his foot against Baku's leg for more leverage and pulled again, to no avail.

"Rats!" Shute panted, and pulled once more. This time the binding crackled with electricity, shocking him.

-z-

"Argh!"

Captain looked around suddenly. "Shute?"

"Concerned about the human boy and the others?" Gerbera asked, "Let me show them to you."

Gerbera pointed at the wall, and the image displayed Shute, along with Zero and Bakunetsumaru, not-pinned to the wall, staring back.

"Shute!" Captain cried, "Are you all right!"

"He cannot hear you through my electronic field." Gerbera said.

-z-

Shute, despite the pain he felt, continued to pull at Bakunetsumaru's staple until the force of the shocks knocked him backwards. Shute landed on the wall of the energy prism, feeling his hands burn.

"Oh man…" He muttered, "Captain!"

-z-

In the negative zone, Gerbera showed Captain an image of the Dark Axis fortress.

"You have seen the fortress of the Dark Axis, haven't you, Captain?" Gerbera said, and his voice took on an even dark tone. "But did you know that inside it, preserved in cold-sleep mode for uncounted years, are _20,000,000_ _human beings?_"

"_What?_"

"It's true. Actually, human beings created the Dark Axis forces to be their slaves. They intended to use us to conquer the universe!"

"Impossible!" Captain shouted, "What evidence do you have?"

"Evidence?" Gerbera violently pointed at the image space. "_Here's your evidence!_"

An image of Soul Drive appeared, this one empty.

"A Soul Drive?" Captain asked, "What are you saying?"

"A Soul Drive is an affect to synchronize which connects a machine with a human mind, and eventually grows with its influence," Gerbera explained, "Commander Sazabi's Soul Drive was influenced by the subconscious of the humans asleep in the fortress. Their dark instincts and desires are what drove him to his doom."

Captain, very slowly, placed a hand over where the compartment for his own Soul Drive was kept in his chest.

Gerbera clenched his fist, shaking. Hatefully, he spat, "Malice is their true nature! Evil and violence!"

"How can that be…?"

"These humans are not worthy of your admiration and respect, Captain! Join with us- _Join with the Dark Axis!_"

As Gerbera's washed over him, flowed _through _him, Captain's eyes began to cloud.

"Be my comrade…" Gerbera whispered.

-z-

Shute, having failed to rouse the comatose Gundams pinned against the wall, went back to plan B. In this case, plan B was to fruitlessly hammer his fist against the force field until something happened, hopefully for the better.

"Captain!" He shouted, punctuating each word with a knock. "Can! You! Hear! Me!"

The force field sparked again, but Shute was used to it by now. He held off, waiting for it to calm down, and realized that he could see through the smoky walls. He could make out a familiar figure.

_Hey, I can see inside! _Shute thought, _And there's Captain!_

Shute's smile dropped when he saw Gerbera step up beside him. The gauntlet on the professor's arm had opened up, revealing several nasty-looking tools.

_Gerbera's trying to do something to him! _Shute realized, and began to hit the force field again. "Watch out, Captain! Can't you see what he's doing?" More sparks flew, but Shute persisted. "Captain! _Wake up!_"

-z-

A faint banging and someone's voice pulled Captain out of his stupor. Looking around in confusion, he felt a jolt when he saw Gerbear was stading right behind him, also looking confused. Captain leapt away from Gerbera, but- with a metallic rip- his Option V backpack remained where it was, in Gerbera's grip!

-z-

"_Captain!_" Shute cried.

-z-

Captain back away from Gerbera, and looked at where the Option V used to be. Not only did he allow an enemy to take his back, he also lost his backpack with it!

"I'm impressed you were able to awaken and pull away, Captain, but you will be no match for me in battle," Gerbera said coolly, holding the backpack in front of him. Gerbera's wrist-mounted tools tore the backpack to pieces and he surged forward. "Pledge your loyalty to me now!"

Captain shot back, twirling his V-Rod around to fend off the constant thrusts of Gerbera's tools.

"You're persuasive, Gerbera!" He shouted, "But there's no truth to what you say!"

"Of _course _there is!"

"Your story about humans asleep in the fortress is nothing but lies!"

"Really? Then what is your explanation for the black Soul Drive?"

Gerbera swung his right arm out, and knocked off half of the V-Rod. It flew, spinning throughout the air, until it struck the wall of the negative zone and exploded. Still clutching the other half, Captain leapt back from Gerbera.

"Impressive!" Gerbera noted. He had been hoping to get Captain, but the Gundam evaded the blow in time.

Captain glanced at the remaining half of the V-Rod and tossed it into the air.

"Ever since battling Sazabi, I've wondered…" Captain began, catching the V-Rod with its end back. As a beam saber grew from it, he said, "…How can a Soul Drive turn evil?"

"Here, I'll show you!" Gerbera snarled.

The two combatants leapt at each other, jumping high in the air.

"The only way a Soul Drive can turn dark…" Captain began, as Gerbera flipped in the air and landed his heel on the V-Rod. The explosion knocked Captain down, but he managed to land on his feet. "…Is _not giving it human contact!_"

Captain turned and moved to throw a punch at Gerbera.

Gerbera caught it. "Ridiculous!" He spat.

"A Soul Drive cannot grow normally unless it has human interaction!" Captain yelled as they stared down. "But there are no humans in the Dark Axis! That is why Sazabi's Soul Drive turned evil!"

Gerbera tightened his grip on Captain's fist. "You are a fool!"

"Those of us _with _Soul Drives are meant to live with human beings!" Captain retorted.

Gerbera's eye flashed. "You're not going to live at all!"

Laughing evilly, Gerbera activated the tools on his gauntlet. The drills and buzz saws began to tear and cut at Captain's arm, causing the Gundam to cry out in pain.

-z-

"_No!__**" **_Screamed Shute.

-z-

There was another explosion, and Captain was thrown back, his arm and part of his faceplate gone. As he began to fall, Gerbera leapt over him, with a predator's gleam in his eye.

"Now I'm going to remove some of your unnecessary parts!"

In went the drills and buzz saw, this time burrowing into Captain's chest.

"St…_stop!_" Captain moaned.

But Gerbera would not. "You're Soul Drive is influenced by those foul human beings, and will ultimately destroy you!" As he spoke, his tools forced the compartment open, revealing Captain's Soul Drive.

"Don't do this!" Captain begged.

-z-

Shute's eyes both widened and narrowed when he saw what was happening.

"His Soul Drive…!" He gasped. _If he loses that…that'll be the end of him…_

Without his Soul Drive, Captain would just be an empty husk, without thoughts or feelings…like a robot zombie.

-z-

"The humans are not like us, Captain!" Gerbera ranted, "We will never be able to trust them!"

"I…ugh…_do _trust humans!" Captain gasped in pain, "And I trust my friend Shute!"

"Really? _Look!_"

Gerbera pointed at the wall, and the image it displayed showed Shute running towards the elevator.

"There's _trust _for you!" The professor spat.

"No, your fake images can't fool me!" Captain yelled stubbornly.

"He's already abandoned you! Do you see?"

But Captain would not give in to Gerbera's words, because… "I sense…his presence…"

-z-

Shute, who had not even considered running away, continued to hammer down on the force field.

"Hang on, Catptain!" He yelled, "Keep fighting! _Don't give up!_"

-z-

Those words , though muffled, still made it through the field, into the negative zone…into Captain.

"If you just keep on fighting him, Captain, you'll win, I know it! C'mon, don't ever give up!"

"…I won't!" Captain yelled.

It was then that a small flame, almost smothered by Gerbera's deceitful words, began to grow, and burn.

"What's happening?" The professor asked, shocked.

-z-

"Captain!" Shute yelled, bringing his fist down. "_Go for it!_"

-z-

The flame in the Soul Drive erupted into a fantastic golden light, that shined everywhere. Gerbera found himself reeling from its luminescent warmth, until he was thrown back by the force of its energy.

"_Impossible!_" The professor snarled, shielding his eye as he landed. "How did your Soul Drive do that?"

"The bond of friendship between Shute and me is too strong for you to sever!" Captain answered, his eyes holding a righteous fire…

-z-

…And that same fire now burned with Shute, as he brought his fists down onto the force field again.

"_Captain!_" He yelled as he swung, hitting the field with a triumphant crack.

-z-

Gerbera scowled and screamed as the light from Captain's Soul Drive grew brighter, chasing away the darkness from the negative zone.

-z-

That light poured out from the crack Shute made, waking Zero and Bakunetsumaru up…

-z-

Raining down on Princess Rele and the sleeping Genkimaru in the hall…

-z-

And into the engine room, causing the Zakos and their leaders to stop flying around.

"_What!_" Zapper growled.

"What's up?" Grappler asked.

"This ride is no fun, Zako!" The Zakos cried.

-z-

In the negative zone, the holographic helm and badge in the front of the bridge appeared.

"Bridge sensors report all functions coming back online," RAIMI announced, "Control of _Gundamusai _restored."

As she spoke, the ship pulled out of its nosedive and back into a level flight path.

-z-

In the bridge, Zero and Bakunetsumaru struggled to free themselves from the wall.

Bakunetsumaru looked up and saw Shute, staring at the light-filled crack in the force field. "_Shute!_"

But Shute ignored him. "Captain! I'm coming for ya!" He yelled, and jumped into it…

"Shute!"

"_No!_"

-z-

…And landed in the negative zone. Getting his bearings, he smiled when he saw the one-armed figure in front of him.

"Shute?" Captain turned around to face the boy. "I knew it!"

"Captain!" Shute cried happily, running up to give his friend a hug.

"You're here!" Captain cried happily.

"Cursed human!"

Shute and Captain turned to look at Gerbera. The robot was clutching his chest, which was emitting a foul purple light.

"All this talk of trust and loyalty makes me ill!" the professor spat, "I'll show you… I'm going to insure that neither of you will ever talk again!"

Shute stepped away, giving Gerbera a defiant glare. "You're gonna pay for hurting Captain!"

"You shouldn't make threats you can't back up, _human!_" Gerbera hissed venomously. His tools came out, and he lunged at Shute.

But before he could get there, Captain jumped between them, shielding the boy.

"Not so fast!" He yelled, and threw a punch.

Captain's fist slammed into Gerbera's chest, the force of the impact knocking the red pieces of the robot's armor off. His gauntlets, his knee caps, and shoulders all tumbled off, but when his face fell, it showed a familiar face plate and V-fin.

"_Gundam?_" Captain gasped.

"_No way!_" Shute cried.

-z-

Out in the bridge, Zero and Bakunetsumaru finally knocked their binds off.

"What just happened?" Zero asked.

"I don't know, but we're free!" Bakunetsumaru said, and pointed. "Hey, look!"

The force field faded away, showing Shute, a one-armed Captain, and a strange black figure in front of them.

"_Now _look what you've done!" The black being growled in Gerbera's voice, glaring at the bits and pieces of Gerbera's armor scattered around him. "You've ruined all my plans! Now I'm back to square one again!"

The figure looked up. He had broad, but streamlined shoulders, each with a hole in their center front. On his back were three girder-like boosters, but the most disturbing thing of all were the purple eyes, placed over a face plate and under a V-fin.

"So it turns out you're a _Gundam!_" Captain said accusingly.

"Who _are _you?" Shute cried, shocked.

Gerbera did not answer. Instead, he backed towards the bridge window that was still a purple tunnel.

"_Hey!_" Zero yelled.

"Get back here!" Bakunetsumaru shouted.

Gerbera ignored them, jumping back into the window, merging with the tunnel and shrinking from sight.

"You're running away, you coward?" Zero yelled, and he and Baku' rushed to the window. "Come back and fight!"

"Yeah, you chicken!" Bakunetsumaru shouted as the tunnel vanished from the window. "Pin me up against the wall, you call that fighting! I'd like to give you a-!"

"_Captain!_"

The two Gundams whirled around and saw that Captain had fallen on his back, with Shute kneeling beside him in worry.

"Hang on, Captain!" Shute assured desperately, "It's going to be all right, I promise!"

Zero looked down at Captain, and was disturbed at how torn-up the Gundam was. And it just wasn't in his physical wounds…there was a haunted look in Captain's eyes.

"What happened to you?" The Winged Knight asked.

"Can we help?" Bakunetsumaru asked.

"Everybody, don't worry about me," Captain said.

Shute bit his lip. "But, Captain…"

"Just gotta hang on, Captain." Bakunetsumaru said

"Is there anything you need?" Zero asked, worried.

Captain tried to sit up. "I feel a little tired, that's all…" He muttered before falling back.

"Just hold still, Captain!" Shute told him.

As he lay there on the floor, Captain's eyes drifted back towards the red armor and mono-eye mask left behind by their attacker.

_Gerbera… A _Gundam?

There was a click as the elevator doors opened up. Behind them were Princess Rele and Genkimaru, who was now awake and not being carried.

"I'm here," Genkimaru said, "So, what'd I miss?"

"You missed everything!" Bakunetsumaru snapped.

Genkimaru wondered what Bakunetsumaru meant until he saw Captain's body. His normally defiant glare fell into a state of frantic worry.

"_Oh, no!_" The Musha Gundam child cried, and rushed over to Captain, running all around him in a fit of panic. "Is he all right? Or is he toast? I don't think I've ever seen the Captain so beat up! this is weird!"

Princess Rele, regally, but quickly, went over to Shute's side and said, "We valiantly fended off the enemy…for now."

Shute clenched his fist. "Let him come back if he dares. Now we know we can handle him!"

"Next time he'll feel my blazing blades of justice!" Bakunetsumaru swore.

"Leave it to me!" Zero declared, "_I'll _take care of him!"

"No way!" Genkimaru yelled, "I'll show him whose boss!"

"Aw, you two couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag!"


	5. Zako Zako Hour 25

Chapter 2.5: Zako Zako Hour

The iron curtain rolled up, showing the hosts.

"Ladies and gentlebots," Red Mic said, bowing with his friends. "Welcome to the Zako Zako Hour! Today's meeting is all about _The Secret Truth-_"

"_-Of The Identity of Lord Gerbera!_" All three hosts finished.

"Zako." Red Mic said once the audience stopped cheering.

"Hey, that's a dumb question!" Yellow Mic cried, "Why don't we do a show about something that's not so obvious! We know that he's the Dark Axis second-in-command behind Lord Genera himself, Zako!"

"I guess if _you're _such an expert," Red Mic said to Yellow Mic, "There's no need to the show!"

"That's not it, that's not it, _that's not it!_" Blue Mic burst out, and said in a stage whisper, "I have seen the true face of Lord Gerbera…and it was quite a shock to me, Zako!"

Red Mic gasped. "You saw his true face?"

"You saw his face!" Yellow Mic cried, "You saw his face!"

Blue Mic took a deep breath. "Underneath all that armor, Zako…_Gerbera was a Gundam!_"

There was a brief pause as Red Mic and Yellow Mic let that sink in. Then they began to laugh.

"Hahaha! A Gundam? That's impossible!" Red Mic snickered.

"You bucket head!" Yellow Mic chuckled, "Lord Gerbera's a very, very top honcho! I gotta admit, you had me goin' there, hahaha!"

"I'll show you!" Blue Mic snapped, and pointed at the screen, which showed a frozen image of Gerbera's armor falling off. Pointing at the black parts that showed, he said, "This part…and this part…and this part right here…all look the same!"

"Yes they do. So what?" Asked the other hosts.

"So that means he was a Gundam!" Blue Mic finished.

The hosts thought about it for a minute. Then they wailed, "He was a Gundam, Zako!"

"This is all very upsetting, Zako!" Red Mic gulped.

"That's not it, that's not it, that's not it!" Blue Mic gibbered.

But then Yellow Mic had an idea. "Hmm! But wait! Let's examine the fact that Commander Sazabi had a Soul Drive, but it turned evil, right?"

"Yes, but what's your point?" Red Mic asked.

"And it's true that every Gundam has to have a Soul Drive, right?" Yellow Mic asked.

"This better be good, Zako!" Red Mic and Blue Mic said.

"So _obviously _if Lord Gerbera is actually a Gundam, then he has to have a Soul Drive, too, Zako!" Yellow Mic said, "Plus how could he _not _have a Soul Drive, when his subordinate Commander Sazabi had one, Zako?" He looked away and nodded thoughtfully. "I am good."

"I see it now!" Red Mic cried.

Blue Mic and Yellow Mic nodded. "Zako-Zako!"

"All subordinates of Commander Sazabi," Red Mic continued, "Including Lord Zapper Zaku, Grappler Gouf, and even Destroyer Dom probably have…"

"_Soul Drives?_" Blue Mic and Yellow Mic asked.

All three hosts went "Oh!" from realization.

"So does that mean- because we're subordinates ourselves…" Red Mic wondered.

"…That we Zakos may have Soul Drives too?" All three hosts asked.

All three hosts went "Oh!" from realization.

Red Mic began to twirl in place. "Oh, that Soul Drive round and round, it turns- Woo!"

"If you shout, 'Go for it!'" Blue Mic cried.

"Then… It really burns!" Yellow Mic cried, a fire appearing in his eye. But then the rest of him erupted into flames, and he ran around the stage, jumping and yelping in pain. Once the fire was put out, he retook his place on the stage. He and the other hosts began to check each other all over their bodies.

"So where's my Soul Drive?" Red Mic asked, "I can't see mine! Do you see one on me?"

The hosts made a fantastic jump into the air. When they landed, all of their armor fell off, showing only their skeletal structures.

"Anyone feel a breeze in here, Zako?" They asked awkwardly.

The iron curtain fell, ending the show.

"This show is a mystery!" Red Mic cried, "Let's think about what it means!"

Sweeping up the parts scattered around the stage, Zapper grumbled, "I know what it means, it means this place is a mess!"

In the audience, Destroyer looked down and saw that one of the Zakos was wearing Gerbera's mask.


	6. Kibaomaru's Attack!

Chapter 3: Kibaomaru's Attack!

Gerbera stood completely still, waiting patiently as robotic arms deftly placed the pieces of his red armor over his black Gundam form. As the arms worked, he fumed, stewing in the defeat the Captain had delivered him. He knew that he should've won that battle. There was no reason why he _couldn't _win. But somehow, Captain's Soul Drive had overcome his Gerbera System, and gained strength he didn't display before. Sazabi's Soul Drive never did anything like that.

Was it the boy? Did _he _have something to do with it?

Once the mono-eye mask was fitted on and activated, Gerbera relaxed. "Better."

"So, Gerbera."

"What?" the professor growled.

"You failed to convince your new ally." The person behind said, chuckling meanly.

Gerbera turned, not because he wanted to know who had spoken- he recognized the voice- but to give Kibaomaru a warning glare.

"I merely thought about making efficient use of someone useful," He said, turning away. "Even though I didn't succeed, such people are no threat to us."

"I understand, professor," Kibaomaru said, moving his platform by Gerbera's. "Since it turns out you're one of them, you already know the capabilities of the Gundams, is that it?"

Gebera shot Kibaomaru a dark look. "What do you mean?"

Kibaomaru simply chuckled. He was quite shocked at Gerbera's appearance when he returned, but now he understood why the science officer was so pressed for gundanium. If he couldn't find an alternate source, the General would have _him _melted down! He chuckled again.

"That's enough!" Gerbera snarled, and when Kibaomaru's platform moved forward, he asked, or rather, demanded, "Kibaomaru, where are you going?"

Kibaomaru turned and said, "This time _I'm _going to attack them. _I'll _give them to the General."

"That is not your task," Gerbera told him, "_Your _task is to take care of Ark before going to the Minov Boundary Sea! Don't you think perhaps you should fulfill your mission first?"

"This is also for the sake of the General," Kibaomaru retorted, making Gerbera growl. "You just be quiet and watch what I do."

Turning back to the General, Kibaomaru looked straight up into the monstrous head's eyes…or the space they constantly moved around it. Kibaomaru had long felt that the best way to get something from a vicious beast was not by groveling at its figurative feet, but by standing up to it, clenching your teeth, and showing your resolve. If the meek did inherit the earth, they would only get what the strong had left behind.

"General! I implore you!" Kibaomaru beckoned, bellowing loudly. "Please help me with your great power!"

Muttering loudly in its eldritch language, the General's three eyes united as one, and projected an image of the Minov Boundary Sea into the air. In the center of the image, not quite a speck in the distance, was the _Gundamusai_.

Next to Kibaomaru's platform, something rose up to it. Attached to a pair of identical mecha horses in war armor similar to Kibaomaru's was a chariot, with four-pronged spikes on the wheels. The floor of the chariot had the character for king painted on it. The horses were not tethered to the chariot like normal steeds. Instead, it looked as if someone had removed their back halves and fused their front ends to the chariot.

Kibaomaru boarded the chariot. "_Oshogo, onward!_" He boomed, and on his right side a holographic banner light up, bearing his family emblem. On his left he knew was a gigantic sword, easily twice his size, with a ridged blade like a saw's.

The General's hands coated the chariot's form with purple energy, encasing them into a crackling bubble of power. The sphere rose up into the light the General's eye was emitting, and flew into the image of the Minov Boundary Sea, sinking into it.

Once it was gone, Gerbera looked away and growled. Kibaomaru was up to something, he knew it.

-z-

In the Minov Boundary Sea, on one of its walls, an crimson circle like an eye appeared. A seconds later, _Oushogo_'s bubble shot out of it, dissolving instantly. Now free of their spherical container, the chariot's horses bucked and neighed, reveling in their regained freedom. The steeds, ignoring the force gravity other earthly creatures obeyed, galloped away, carrying their master through the air. Soon they halted, and Kibaomaru looked down at the _Gundamusai_.

-z-

In the ship's engine room, Grappler Gouf was happier than he had ever been before.

Laughing evilly, he said, "Captain Dum-dum's been pummeled by Gerbera! _Yes!_"

In front of him, two Zako Soldiers ran by him, laughing.

Still caught up in his thoughts, Grappler continued to say, "Now's our chance to regain control of our ship!" He would never forget that the _Gundamusai _had once been the Dark Axis combat carrier _Magnamusai_. Finally, the time to reclaim stolen property had come!

"You slobs!" Zapper snarled, mopping past Grappler. "This place is filthy! How can you mess this place so much? And I'm the one who has to clean up!"

Grappler stared at this, and then at Destroyer, who had run by, cuddling Gerbera's mask.

"Haha… Pretty weapon…" He guffawed, followed by two Zakos.

"Lord Dom!" One cried, "That belongs to Lord Gerbera, Zako!"

"You need his permission to touch it!" the second wailed.

"Touch!"

Grappler fumed. "Man, don't you guys have any guts?"

Everyone ignored him. Zapper, Destroyer, and the Zakos were too busy caught up in their own thing to give Grappler the time of the day.

"_C'mon, you little freakazoids!_" Grappler exploded, "_It's time to get this show on the road!_"

-z-

In the bridge, Captain's mangled body lay in a giant robot hand hanging from the ceiling. The Gundam had not moved since his fight with Gerbera, and his eyes were a blank yellow, lacking he blue iris' they normally held when he was active. Every now and then the socket where his left arm used to be would spark.

Genkimaru stared at the inactive Gundam from one of the bridge's command chairs. "Do you think he's gonna be all right?"

Princess Rele, standing next to Genkimaru said, "I don't really know for sure. But if he were a knight…recovery would be hopeless."

"Yeah, if he were a Musha, too…" Genkimaru murmured.

Off to the side, Zero and Bakunetsumaru had just explained the situation to Chief Haro over the Dimensional Transmitter.

"Yes, I understand," Chief Haro said, "The Dimensional Transport Device is becoming more stable. I want you all to return to Neotopia, now. Princess and Genkimaru, are you all right with that?"

Princess Rele bowed her head graciously. "Yes, as you wish."

"Well, _I'm _not all right with it at all!" Genkimaru snapped, "I won't be able to defeat Kibaomaru if I go back there!"

Princess Rele gave Genkimaru a look and said, "You'll come with us. Right now."

Genkimaru grimaced.

Shute, however, looked up from Captain's prone form to another robotic hand hanging from the ceiling. "But I don't want to leave Miss RAIMI behind by herself…"

The hand waved as RAIMI said, "Please do not worry about me. I shall wait for you here."

"Miss RAIMI…" Shute murmured.

The screen on the transmitter switched from Chief Haro to Dr. Bell Wood, the young (About a few years older than Shute) head of the Dimensional Transport Device project.

"Only one at a time can be transferred," Bell Wood said, "So decide who goes first."

Bakunetsumaru looked at Zero and suggested, "Then Shute or Princess should go first."

Zero nodded. "Yes, and Genkimaru too!"

"If I go, I'm goin' first!" Genkimaru shouted, and stuck out his tongue while pulling down on his eye. "Neh!"

"No," Zero then said, "Shute, you go first."

"No," Shute replied, "Captain should go."

Princess Rele nodded. "Naturally."

Shute continued to stare at Captain when the Gundam's eyes lit up, and the mobile immobile one turned his head to look at the boy.

"But, Shute…"

The transmitter screen switched back to Haro. "Understood. Then Captain, we'll transport you first."

With cumbersome effort, and aid from the princess' and Zero's magic, Captain was place lying down on the Dimensional Transport Device. As the platform rose, Shute approached him.

"Captain," He said, "You're gonna get better, aren't you? Promise me you're gonna get better!"

"I'll be all right. Don't worry."

Shute nodded anxiously. "Okay…"

"You know, the first time that we met, you were the one who fixed me up, remember?" Captain asked.

Shute shrugged. "That wasn't much fixing, really…"

"And since then…" Captain continued, "You've helped me so many times…"

He recalled how Shute had snuck aboard the _Magnamusai _when he and Zero had been captured by Zapper Zaku's squad, and taking back his stolen Soul Drive from Commander Sazabi during the invasion of Neotopia.

"Aw, c'mon," Shute said, "You're the one who helps _me _all the time!"

He remembered how many times he had almost been hurt, or worse, only to be saved by Captain. And no matter what happened, the two would always have each other to laugh with afterwards.

Smiling, Shute said, "You'll be better in no time, Captain! We'll overcome this, like all the other times! Cause we're the Gundam Force! Right?"

"Right!" Bakunetsumaru said as Zero nodded. On the platform, Captain nodded lying down.

"All right, stand by," Bell Wood said, "Don't forget to bring the Zakurello Phone- You may need it when you return, y'know!"

Shute placed the Zakurello Phone, the control device for the Zakurello Gate, onto the platform next to Captain. "We'll follow you real soon!"

Shute stepped back, and everyone watched as Captain's body was bathed in green light shone down from the Dimensional Transport Device. Within minutes Captain and the Phone vanished, having successfully transported to Neotopia's dimension.

"Okey-doke, you're next, Shute!" Bell Wood invited, "Get ready!"

Genkimaru, the only one hadn't moved from his place to gather around the Transport Device, sat stubbornly down in the seat.

"I'm not going to Neo-stupid-topia!" He snarled. Bitterly, he stared out the bridge's window when he saw something that made him yell.

The 'something' was a bolt of green energy that struck the _Gundamusai_'s right thruster, causing the ship to rock from its impact.

"Hey, what's goin' on!" Genkimaru cried, trying not to fall out of his seat.

"Hold on!" Bakunetsumaru yelled as everyone tried to keep their balance.

"Miss RAIMI!" Shute yelled.

"A beam appeared with no warning until impact."

"Did something just happen to the _Gundamusai_?" Bell Wood asked, worried.

"Yes!" Bakunetsumaru replied.

"What is it!"

"Another beam!" RAIMI announced as the ship shook.

This beam, however, had struck the transmitter's antenna on the ship's Gundam head V-fin. With the antenna damaged, Bell Wood's image began to fizzle out.

"Sh-te!" Bell Wood cried as the transmission broke up, "Wh-t's g-ing on?"

-z-

At SDG Lab C, the grounds for the Dimensional Transport Device, Bell Wood gave a shout as his screen went completely blank.

As mobile soldiers carried Captain away on a stretcher, Chief Haro marched up to Bell Wood and asked, "What happened?"

"I don't know sir!" Bell Wood answered, "The communication was disconnected, and the Transport Device isn't working either!"

With an upset groan, the young scientist slapped the keyboard of the console.

-z-

On the _Gundamusai_, the rest of the gang were rushing to the window to get a good look at their attacker. When they saw who it was Shute and Genkimaru gave shouts of shock. Closing in on them, looking like an ancient god with the fury of heaven behind him, was…

"Kibaomaru…" Genkimaru growled, clenching his fist.

"The fiend!" Bakunetsumaru hissed.

-z-

The Musha Gundam lord glared down at the ship, and lightning seemed to crash around him, in spite of there being no storm clouds. His cool gaze was such that it seemed like the world before him was in fact a _shogi _board, and he was winning

"My name is Kibaomaru!" He declared, "The greatest warlord of Ark! Conqueror of the universe!" Four characters appeared next to him as he spoke, KI-BA-O-MARU. One last bolt of lightning crashed as his armor's wings spread out.

-z-

Genkimaru growled. So, Kibaomaru was here…now he could finish what he started in the Dark Axis fortress. He ran for the door.

"Where ya goin'?" Shute asked, grabbing Genkimaru by his top knot and holding him off the floor. As Genkimaru ran helplessly in the air, he said, "It's too dangerous to go alone!"

"Baku', let's go!" Zero said, and flew towards the elevator.

"Yeah!" Bakunetsumaru said, running after Zero. "Stay here, Genkimaru!"

"Let me go!" Genkimaru shouted, "Let me go! _Let me go!_"

-z-

In the engine room, Grappler looked eagerly at the ceiling. He had felt the impact from the beams, and had heard Kibaomaru's introduction.

"Ooh, an enemy attack!" He said, "This is our chance!" Chuckling, he waved towards the rest of the gang. "Let's go occupy the bridge!"

Zapper continued to mop, dancing and singing as he did so. "Clean… Sparkly clean…"

Meanwhile, Destroyer watched as a trio of Zakos played around with Gerbera's armor, one wearing a set of tools while another wore his mask.

"Hey, check it out!" He giggled, "I'm Gerbera!"

"_Guys, quit goofin' around and listen to me!_"

-z-

Bakunetsumaru and Zero arrived on the deck, weapons out.

"Kibaomaru!" Bakunetsumaru shouted.

Kibaomaru hummed thoughtfully, looking down at them. To Bakunetsumaru he asked, "You're the Musha from before, aren't you? Yes… Bakunetsumaru!"

"I hope you're ready for battle!" Bakunetsumaru yelled.

"Unfortunately I don't have time to play with you right now," Kibaomaru replied, "I believe a brat called Genkimaru is here. Give him to me. If you do so, I will spare you."

"What! Why are you after Genkimaru?" Zero asked. He remembered how Kibaomaru's minion Cobramaru had once tried to capture the Musha Gundam child before, during the _Gundamusai_'s first voyage in the Minov Boundary Sea, but he didn't know why. What was so special about that kid that the leader of the Musha Gundams who joined the Dark Axis would come here personally?

"I don't care what you're after!" Bakunetsumaru snapped, "I would never obey orders that came from _you!_"

Kibaomaru was silent for a moment. "Then I have no choice. You will obey my sword!"

The Musha Gundam warlord leaned over, took hold of the giant sword at his side, and lifted it up with one hand. _Oshogo _went forward as its rider laughed loudly.

Bakunetsumaru ran and leapt at the chariot, swords raised. His blade and the giant one Kibaomaru held met as the warlord blocked Baku's assault. Bakunetsumaru strained, but could not push the giant sword down.

"Unskilled." Kibaomaru remarked, and casually swung his giant sword down, knocking Bakunetsumaru back. With that annoyance gone, _Oshogo _continued on its way.

"Curse you!" Zero yelled, flying at the chariot from above.

Once again, Kibaomaru lifted the giant sword up, blocking against the Winged Knight's strike. And once again, Kibaomaru sent his attacker flying with a flick of his wrist. Now that he had removed both obstacles, it seemed like nothing could stop him.

-z-

"That Kibaomaru- _He's mine!_" Genkimaru shouted, trying to free himself from Shute. The human boy now held him by his arms from behind.

"You should leave it to Bakunetsumaru and Zero!" Shute insisted, "Knock it off!"

"I'm not gonna leave it to those wimps!" Genkimaru retorted.

"It seems apparent to me that you are deeply related to the one called Kibaomaru." Princess Rele said in that finality all rulers have, the kind defined as; _No arguments, I have spoken._

Shute looked at the princess in confusion, and then back at Genkimaru. The Musha brat had gone limp in the human boy's grip, except for his trembling fists.

"That guy…" Genkimaru growled, "I must defeat him! And I know I have to do it by myself!"

Then there was an explosion.

Not a particularly loud one, or the kind that makes the air shake from its force, but an explosion that that creates a lot of smoke, like a bag of flour bursting.

Shute gagged and let go of Genkimaru, coughing. He felt the air in front of him move as something rushed past him. As the pink smog thinned, Shute just barely saw a black figure run for the elevator, carrying something in his arms.

"Hey!" Shute yelled, "_Genkimaru!_"

-z-

In the elevator, Genkimaru struggled in the grip of his new captor. "_Ahhh! Lemme go, lemme go!_"

The elevator's doors closed, and it began to rise.

"I told you to let go of me- _Hey, you!_" Genkimaru had looked at his kidnapper. "I recognize you!"

Cobramaru glanced at Genkimaru before looking away.

-z-

As _Oshogo _neared the _Gundamusai_, Kibaomaru saw the top of the Gundam head open up. Cobramaru hopped out of the opening, landing on the head's V-fin. Under his arm was Genkimaru!

"You jerk!" Genkimaru shouted, "Put me down!"

_Well, Cobramaru, _Kibaomaru thought, _It seems you finally did it._

With a shout, the warlord urged _Oshogo _forward.

But with a shoutt, Zero and Bakunetsumaru shot up in front of him, the knight carrying the samurai. Bakunetsumaru was dropped onto the chariot and leapt at Kibaomaru.

"You're mine!" He yelled.

But as he slashed, Kibaomaru vanished in a blur.

"What!" Bakunetsumaru cried. Looking up, he saw Kibaomaru's falling form just in time to be struck again by the giant sword the warlord carried. Kibaomaru landed on the now empty chariot as Bakunetsumaru once again went hurtling into the abyss.

"_Zero!_" The falling samurai cried.

Zero swooped down and caught the Musha Gundam. Looking up at _Oshogo_, he said, "We have to find some way to stop him! This Kibaomaru is very powerful!"

-z-

"Miss RAIMI," Princess Rele said, holding out a hand. "_Gundamusai _must fight back!"

"Roger. Main cannons ready to fire."

"Fire!"

-z-

Each of the frontal cannons began to fire, shooting beams of yellow energy at the incoming chariot. But _Oshogo _effortlessly weaved between the blasts.

-z-

"The enemy is still approaching," RAIMI reported, "There is no change in speed."

Shute cried out in alarm.

-z-

By then _Oshogo _was above the cannons' range of fire. As he neared the ship's bridge, Kibaomaru gripped the giant sword in both hands.

"Z_ambao Sword Lightning Deep Blade!_"

The Sambao Sword began to glow, and that glow extended and formed into a jagged saw, as if the blade had become a hand-held bolt of lightning. Not a real one, but what people and bored artists thought lightning looked like.

Regardless, as _Oshogo _charged forward, Kibaomaru gave a mighty roar and swung. With a mighty screech, the lightning sword crashed into the 'neck' of the ship, effortlessly sawing through the space underneath the Gundam head. Within seconds, _Oshogo _was past _Gundamusai_, and Kibaomaru released the technique. A moment after he did, the Gundam head began to slid off of the ship. Decapitated.

-z-

"Whoa!" Shute cried, hitting the wall as the bridge tilted.

Princess Rele, clinging to a seat, cried, "What's this?"

-z-

Outside, Zero and Bakunetsumaru stared as the gap between ship and bridge widened ever so slightly.

"What?" Zero gasped.

"Oh…" Bakunetsumaru breathed.

The _Gundamusai_'s head, its hold on the rest of the ship cut off, began to fall away.

"With one stroke, he sliced our ship in two…" Zero murmured, awed and terrified of the display of power.

Bakunetsumaru was also a little afraid. "Yes… And together, we'll make him pay."

Meanwhile, Kibaomaru steered _Oshogo _into a U-turn, heading back towards the beheaded ship.

Genkimaru was still struggling when he saw Kibaomaru coming up. "You're gonna _so _regret this- Kibaomaru!"

As _Oshogo _passed the falling head, Cobramaru leapt down from the lookout onto the back of one of the horses.

"Yah!" Kibaomaru yelled, urging the chariot away from the ship.

-z-

In the bridge, Shute managed to get his bearings long enough to look out the window and see the kidnapping in progress.

"Hang on, Genki'!" He yelled. Looking up, he asked, "Miss RAIMI, is the ship okay?"

The two robotic hands were making frantic, desperate waves as the AI spoke. "There's not enough power. You need to see to Genkimaru on your own!"

"Okay!" Shute replied. Over the noise he heard footprints behind him. Turning around, he saw Princess Rele walking as quickly as her dress would allow towards the elevator. "Hey! Princess!"

"I'm going, Shute!" Her Majesty said in that no-nonsense tone, "He _needs _us!"

-z-

Outside the ship, a sparkling light flew out from the bridge as it fell. That light became a magic circle, on standing on it were Shute and the princess! Princess Rele stood proudly in the center of the circle as she directed it, while Shute kneeled in front of her, backpack on.

Princess Rele looked ahead and whispered, "Zero!"

Shute saw it too. "Bakunetsumaru!"

Directly behind _Oshogo _were the Gundam Force Gundams, Bakunetsumaru holding his swords out as Zero carried him.

"I won't let you get away, Kibaomaru!" The younger samurai screamed.

Both warlord and ninja turned to look at the incoming heroes.

Kibaomaru rolled his eyes. These two did not know when to quit. Holding up his Zambao Sword, he yelled, "Z_ambao Sword Lightning Shockwave!_"

The Sambao sword began to glow, and then dozens of lightning bolts sprang out from it, branching out all across the air behind the chariot.

The release of energy was more than the Sea could withstand, and within seconds a massive fissure appeared in one of the two vertical oceans on either side of it.

"What- Oh no!" Zero gasped, "A crack in the Boundary wall!"

Like a black hole, the crack began to suck in everything, pulling both pieces of the ship closer and closer.

-z-

In the engine room, Zapper's gang began to slide across the floor as the ship tilted. They all yelled out in confusion as they lost their footing and started to tumble around.

-z-

On the back of the _Gundamusai_'s head, a quartet of rocket boosters powered up, trying to push itself away. Unfortunately, the suction was too strong and the head was pulled in.

"It's no use!" Zero groaned as he too was pulled back, "We can't catch up to them!"

"_Genkimaru!_" Bakunetsumaru screamed, his voice echoing throughout the Sea.

_Oshogo _was soon near the General's portal.

"Well done, Cobramaru," Kibaomaru said, "Now Ark will be mine!"

The twin steeds bucked and neighed victoriously, but calmed down when the energy bubble appeared around them again. Kibaomaru laughed evilly as they began to close in to the portal. But from below them appeared Shute and Princess Rele. Standing up, Shute pulled his glue-shooter off the top of his backpack and fired several globs of green super glue at the evil Musha Gundams. Cobramaru lifted his arm to block several globs from hitting his face, but in doing so he let go of Genkimaru! The Musha brat wasted no time in running towards the edge of the bubble.

"_Stop him!_" Kibaomaru bellowed.

But it was too late. Genkimaru had leapt off of the chariot and out of the bubble. However, now that he was out of Kibaomaru's captivity he had a more pressing problem to deal with. Namely, the force of gravity that now sent him plummeting down. As he wailed helplessly, his hand was caught by something. Looking up, he saw that it was Shute, leaning over the side of the magic circle!

"C'mon, Genki'!" Shute yelled, "You gotta get outta here!"

Genkimaru stared, shocked.

"What are you waiting for?" Shute yelled angrily.

Genkimaru's eyes hardened. Acting quickly, he began to trace a rough box in the air out of energy. This tracing became a portal, which he leapt through. Another portal appeared farther away, depositing Genkimaru. As the Musha child drifted away he cast Shute and the princess one last look.

"Chas e after him!" Kibaomaru ordered, "Don't let him get away!"

"_Yes sir!_" Cobramaru yelled, diving off of the chariot.

Kibaomaru stared down at where the Musha GUndams had gone. _I _must _get him back…_

-z-

The General sensed the presence of Kibaomaru near his portal. Growling, he began to pull…

-z-

When he felt _Oshogo _being pulled into the portal, Kibaomaru began to panic.

"Wait, General! Please!" He called out desperately, "Give me a little more time!"

The pull from the General not only affected Kibaomaru. It's strength was so great that Shute and Rele were drawn in as well. Shute fell to his knees as the magic circle they were on began to bob and shake in the air, and Rele wobbled dangerously.

"Hold on, Shute!" She cried in alarm.

"Princess!" Shute cried, trying not to slide off the circle.

Out of their control, the magic circle was sucked into the portal. As it made contact, the portal vanished in a flash of light.

At the sight of this, Bakunetsumaru gasped. "Shute!"

"Princess!" Zero cried, mortified. He held out a desperate hand and cried, "_Princess Rele!_"

But the Winged Knight's words were lost as the two of them were pulled back into the crack.

-z-

In a black tunnel filled with streaming lights, the magic circle dissipated. Shute fell onto something horses backs as Rele gracefully landed behind him. Getting up, he found himself looking straight into Kibaomaru's eyes.

"You meddled in my business," the Musha warlord growled dangerously, "Now you'll pay!"

Shute quickly got up and held out a protective arm in front of Rele. The determination in his eyes only served to infuriate Kibaomaru even more.

"That little brat Genkimaru was mine. Now, _you _are!"


	7. Zako Zako Hour 26

Chapter 3.5: Zako Zako Hour

Though the stage was now tilting, the iron curtain rose.

"Ladies and gentlebots, welcome to the Zako Zako Hour!" Red Mic said, as he and the other hosts slid to and fro on the stage. "Today's meeting is all about, all together…"

"_The Secret of Lord Kibaomaru's Power!_" The hosts cried, starting to float in the air. The turbulence was that bad.

"Zako," Red Mic said, "Right now the _Gundamusai _is in really big trouble! We're headed toward a crack in the Minov Boundary Sea! However, even in such a situation, the show must go on!"

"That's the spirit of show business, you do what you gotta do, Zako!" Yellow Mic said, "Which means, finally, the time has come to unleash my true power right away!"

"Oh yeah?" Red Mic asked, "Have you been slacking off until now, Zako?"

"What? No way!" Yellow Mic protested. He gestured towards the screen. "Screen please, Zako, watch this!"

The image shown was of the black chariot and horses Kibaomaru used.

"It's the secret of Lord Kibaomaru's strength, Zako." Yellow Mic explained.

"_This _is Lord Kibaomaru's secret weapon?" Red Mic and Blue Mic asked.

"You are correct, and it's name is _Oshogo, _Zako." Yellow Mic answered.

"_Oshogo!_" Red Mic and Blue Mic repeated.

The screen then focused on the two horses.

Yellow Mic pointed to the horse on the chariot's right. "On this side with have Hiryugo," He then pointed to the horse on the left. "And over here is Kakuryugo."

"Ooh!" Red Mic and Blue Mic said.

"Good thing for Lord Kibaomaru, _Oshogo_ can fly thanks to these horses.

"How cool!" Red Mic and Blue Mic remarked.

"Speaking of horses, there was another horse from Ark, Zako." Red Mic commented.

The screen showed a white robotic horse wearing armor like Bakunetsumaru's.

"I'm well aware of that, Zako!" Blue Mic said, "His name was Entengo!"

"That's right!" Red Mic said, "He was left behind in Neotopia!"

"How pitiful, Zako…" Blue Mic sighed, wiping away a tear.

Yellow Mic looked away darkly. "No. In fact, his life was saved because of that, Zako."

"_Oh yeah?_" Red Mic and Blue Mic asked.

The screen showed an image of the giant sword Kibaomaru used.

"Look, this gigantic sword," Yellow Mic said, "It's called the Zambao sword. Do you understand now, fellas?"

"_What, _Zako?" Blue Mic cried, "I don't get it!"

Yellow Mic chuckled darkly. "Be very careful, because this sword is very very scary, Zako. This information comes directly from my secret source from Ark, Zako."

Red Mic and Blue Mic nodded attentively.

Yellow Mic began to shiver. "It's scary!"

"Hurry and say it, Zako!" Red Mic and Blue Mic said.

Calming down, Yellow Mic said, "Long time ago, there used to be a lot of horses in Ark, but it seems that lately we haven't been able to find any, Zako.

"So tell us why they're gone, Zako!" Red Mic and Blue Mic said, their eyes becoming question marks.

"Actually, Lord Kibaomaru had a sinister plan to do away with almost all the horses in Aark, Zako!" Yellow Mic confided.

Red Mic and Blue Mic gasped. "No! It can't be!"

"Yes," Yellow Mic continued, "He thought it would be a great threat if the enemy force obtained horses, so he took his Zambao sword and- _Chop! Chop!_"

Red Mic and Blue Mic shivered. "Creepy, Zako!"

"Look at you little scaredy-cats, will you?" Yellow Mic said, and then brightened up. "Actually, I made the whole thing up, and you two swallowed it hook, line and sinker, Zako!"

Red Mic and Blue Mic blinked. "You _what?_"

"That's right, that's right!" Yellow Mic said, "I have no source from Ark, so there's no way I can know anything!" He burst out laughing. "You guys are busted!"

Red Mic and Blue Mic began to growl.

"I guess lying to you guys _is _my true power!" Yellow Mic grinned.

"_Oh yeah?_" Red Mic and Blue Mic snarled, "That's the true power you were talking about?"

Yellow Mic, now with that sinking feeling, gulped.

"_Liar!_" Red Mic and Blue Mic yelled, and kicked Yellow Mic, sending him flying spinning away.

"Sorry, Zako!" Yellow Mic wailed.

"That guy gives me a headache." Red Mic commented.

"He shouldn't have lied to us, Zako." Blue Mic said.

Then Destroyer floated across the stage, under the hosts. "Queasy…"

Red Mic and Blue Mic looked awkward, and then the iron curtain fell. As the audience bounced and rolled back and forth, they cried, "Well…anyway, Lord Kibaomaru's great, Zako!"

"My _head!_" Zapper cried as he crashed into a crate.


	8. Shute and the Princess Captured!

Chapter 4: Shute and the Princess Captured!

The _Gundamusai _was in trouble. Not only had its bridge been forcibly removed from its main body, but now it was tumbling wildly, pulled by the powerful suction of the crack in the Minov Boundary Sea. No matter how powerful its rockets were, it couldn't escape the suction. On the nose of the ship, Cobramaru deactivated his invisibility technique and looked around. It had not been easy on his nerves to jump from _Oshogo _to here, but now that he had made it, he to look around. That little Musha brat had to have come here…where else would he go?

-z-

The ship's engine was bedlam. Zapper's Gang, Zakos and all, were bouncing chaotically off the walls, the floor, the ceiling, and each other. Zapper continued to make hysterical mopping motions, even though his feet no longer touching the floor.

"_What's going on here!_" Grappler wailed, clinging to a support pillar.

-z-

Cobramaru zipped around a now dark corridor. _I must find Genkimaru!_

-z-

Outside, Zero and Bakunetsumaru were being sucked into the crack as well. Luckily, their fall took them past where the Gundam head-shaped bridge was. With some effort, Zero managed to get Bakunetsumaru near the edge of the lookout on top of the head. The Blazing Samurai grabbed hold, pulled himself in, and then pulled Zero in. Once he was sure that the Winged Knight was inside, he let go, causing the Knight Gundam to fly back against the wall.

Zero grunted and yelled, "Miss RAIMI!"

"Can we escape this?" Bakunetsumaru asked, pushing himself back into a corner at the front of the lookout.

RAIMI answered, "Unfortunately, thrust cannot be sustained."

"Don't give up!" Bakunetsumaru urged.

But it was no use. The bridge was slowly and slowly being pulled into the crack. Then something odd appeared. Four blue lines- two across, two down- drew themselves into the air, forming a crude box. The box solidified into a portal, and out popped Genkimaru, landing in the lookout!

"Genkimaru!" Bakunetsumaru cried, both shocked and relieved. He thought the little pest had been kidnapped by Kibaomaru!

But Zero was more amazed by the hole Genkimaru had created in the air. "How did you do that? Did you warp through space?"

"I'll tell ya later," Genkimaru replied, looking around. "We're about to be absorbed by the crack in the Minov Boundary Sea!"

The little Musha Gundam climbed out of the lookout onto the top of the bridge, towards the front. It wasn't easy, and he almost lost his balance once.

"What are you going to do, Genkimaru?" Zero asked.

"Quiet," Genkimaru snapped, and said, "Look… Just trust me, I'm on it," Looking forward, he said, "Yeah, I know some tricks to get us out of here." He extended an outstretched index finger forward, pushing it against the wind.

"I don't know what tricks you're talking about," Bakunetsumaru said, "But if you have the power to get out of here, then get yourself out right now!"

"Forget it!" Genkimaru shot back, "I'm not leaving you guys here! Besides, that Shute guy got captured 'cause he helped me escape! So the least I can do is go and rescue him! In fact, I'm gonna save you guys _and _those rubber-skinned creatures!"

Genkimaru began to trace another portal into the air, but only made two lines across when the bridge shook, almost knocking him off his feet.

"Hang on, Genkimaru!" Zero yelled encouragingly, "You can do it!"

Genkimaru got a grip on the bridge and looked up, his eyes hard from determination. "You got _that _right! I'm the greatest warrior in the universe!" Standing up, he yelled, "_Samurai Number One!_"

Genkimaru slashed his finger down twice, completing the box. The portal formed and floated in front of the bridge, expanding to about 30 times its original size.

"What?" Bakunetsumaru gasped, amazed.

But Zero knew there was no time to be amazed. Pointing towards it, he yelled, "Miss RAIMI!"

"Engaging all thrusters now."

The bridge shot forward, heading towards the portal.

"Go for it!" Genkimaru yelled.

But when the bridge began to enter the portal, it came to a jarring halt. Its V-fin was blocking the way!

"Man!" Genkimaru groaned, "Too small!"

But then a burst of wind came up from behind, pushing the bridge forward. It also had the side-effect of knocking Genkimaru off. The little Musha was blown forward with a panicked yell, and then pulled back by the crack's suction. Luckily, he was caught by Zero grabbing his hand.

"Good job, Genkimaru!" The Winged Knight congratulated.

"You have proven the power of your Musha Gundam soul!" Bakunetsumaru declared.

Genkimaru grinned at their praise. "No sweat, it was easy. All in a day's work! If you need my help…" He yawned, falling asleep. "…Just ask..."

The bridge, slowly but surely, pushed its way through the portal, disappearing into the darkness within.

This was observed by a figure aboard a floating boat. This boat was pure white, with a dragon's figurehead. Standing in it, waving an ornate paper folding fan was a Gundam clad in magnificent golden armor.

_I must say… I never expected to encounter such a scene during my travels through time. Proceed, young warriors! Follow your fate and proceed towards your destiny!_

The Dai-Shogun of Perfect Virtue turned and looked towards the tumbling main body of the _Gundamusai_.

_Now... I must attend to those trapped in the other portion of the ship._

The Dai-Shogun steered his vessel around to the back of the ship, placing him right behind it. With one wave of his fan, he unleashed a powerful burst of wind at it.

-z-

In the Re-equip Ring launch bay, Cobramaru looked frantically around. "Where did that kid go?" He muttered, "I've got to bring him back to headquarters- _Whoa! Now _what's happening?"

The ship jarred, shook, and then began to stabilize, tilting back towards its normal position.

_This power…_

-z-

In the engine room, all of Zapper's gang were now clinging desperately to the pillars. They looked around as the ship stopped shaking. The calm had an ominous tone to it.

-z-

The Dai-Shogun waved his fan again, this time sending an even _stronger _blast of wind. The force was so great that it knocked Zapper's gang off of their pillars and Cobramaru into a wall. The beheaded _Gundamusai _shot forward, hurtling straight towards Genkimaru's portal, which sucked it in.

Dai-Shogun nodded. _This is good. Now these people will also fulfill the missions that await them in the future. I did no more than help them get back on track._

As the Dai-Shogun watched the _Gundamusai _vanish into the portal, he thought about time. Though to most people time was like a river, flowing from the past into the future, he himself thought it was like a jigsaw, with the pieces constantly changing shape and color. No matter how confusing it was, it all fitted together.

_It's really quite amazing, when you think about it, _Dai-Shogun thought, _The mystery of time and space is fascinating. _He began to laugh. _Fascinating, indeed!_

The portal faded away, and the Dai-Shogun continued to laugh. As he did, his Ship of the Golden Crest floated backwards, into a pair of Japanese-style sliding doors, which closed and faded away.

-z-

"_Gundamusai, _come in! This is the SDG test site calling the _Gundamusai!_"

Juli, Chief Haro's second in command, typed furiously onto a holographic keyboard as she spoke into her microphone. "If you can hear me, please respond!" After a minute, she turned to the chief and sighed. "It's no use sir, no signal at all."

"Undestood," Chief Haro said, his voice and spherical head showing no emotion. "Do we know why?"

"No, sir! We're all clear on this end!" Bell Wood said from his terminal, "They've gotta be in trouble or they'd contact us!" He went on, doing a nervous hustle.

"From the way communication was disconnected, the situation must be more serious then when they went to Lacroa." Chief Haro mused.

"That's what I'm afraid of! Bell Wood cried, and went back to his terminal. "Keep trying! Maybe they can hear _us_, even if we can't hear them!"

"Got it," Juli said, and began to speak into the microphone. "_Gundamusai, _can you hear me? This is the SDG test site!"

While she spoke, Bell Wood typed away furiously at his keyboard. _Where _are _you guys? I'll tell you this, people, Once I find you I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again!_

In the skies of Neotopia, a more peaceful scene was being played out. In one of the SDG's air transport ships, Captain Gundam lay on a stretcher while Kao Lyn, technical chief of the SDG, studied him, while doing an occasional flip and kata. The old scientist was weird like that.

"Please, Professor Kao Lyn," Captain said, "Tell me, was Shute transported back to base as well?"

"Let me assure you, my friend," Kao Lyn replied, "The Transport Device is operating perfectly!" The scientist did several punches in the air before facing Captain. "As for Shute, I'm sure he'll be back here soon. You mustn't worry, Captain, he's a very bright boy! Very self-possessed! And he knows how to take care of himself! You need to concentrate on fixing your own injuries for now. They're quite severe."

Captain sighed and looked back up at the ceiling of the Gunperry. "But, Shute…"

The SDG's headquarters, the air-born, hand-shaped Blance Base soon came into view.

-z-

In the General's chamber, _Oshogo _was pulled through the portal. Once it was in the normal space of the melting room, it floated out of the energy tunnel the General projected and burst free of the transfer bubble and flew around the room, stopping at Kibaomaru's platform. There, the warlord tossed Shute and Rele off his chariot. The princess landed gracefully on her feet, as opposed to Shute's unseemly sprawl.

"Don't move!" Kibaomaru snarled at them, and looked up at the General. "I was so close! Please, let me go back and Genkimaru!"

But the General shut down the dimensional portal he had projected, and his began to wander around his griddle-like face. Kibaomaru groaned softly. Looks like the General didn't believe in second chances.

Shute got up and looked around. "Where are we? It looks familiar."

He and the princess gazed around the room, taking in the sinister surroundings.

Princess Rele looked at Shute, her face fraught with distress, and said, "This is a base. A nest…of evil! It's where they planned the invasion of Lacroa!"

"I see!" Shute nodded, now remembering. He and the Gundam Force had actually been here before, when an accident with the Zakurello Gate had sent the _Gundamusai _halfway into the room. Shute had wondered if it had been Dark Axis territory…now he knew for sure.

Turning to Kibaomaru, he yelled, "Kibaomaru, why did you bring us to this place?"

Kibaomaru glared at the boy and said, "Strictly speaking, I _didn't _bring you here," He leapt off _Oshogo _and onto the platform. "You followed me on your own. I wanted Genkimaru!"

Princess Rele stepped forward. "Yes, I think I understand."

Both Shute and Kibaomaru stared quizzically at her majesty.

"You wanted someone to become your evil successor." Rele stated.

Kibaomaru raised an eyebrow. "Really."

"Yes, really!"

Kibaomaru stared at the princess intently. So…this was a human? He had never really seen one before. In Ark, there were no human beings. Oh, he had seen occasional picture, a drawing based on a vague description, but that was it. All he knew about them was that the Dark Axis didn't like them, for some reason. What was the big deal? Though there _was _a compelling looseness of her face…

Unconsciously, his fingers began to flex.

"I'd love to feel the soft skin of your face, princess," Kibaomaru muttered, "Right…now."

Rele gasped. He wanted to _what?_

Kibaomaru stepped forward, his hands out eagerly. "Come now, my dear, I'm not going to hurt you…"

"Stop it!" Shute yelled, jumping between the two. His face fell from angry defiance to dull annoyance as Kibaomaru began to pinch and pull at his cheeks. This sort of thing had happened before when he met Bakunetsumaru and Genkimaru, so he wasn't really offended, just annoyed.

Kibaomaru, on the other hand, was truly awed at what he felt. "Ha! It's incredible! Your flimsy rubber-like skin…it's so amazing! Look at you, your little body isn't covered in armor!" He laughed at the idea, that such a weak race could possibly warrant the attention of a powerful force like the Dark Axis. Calming down, he said, "In the land of Ark, the one who is most powerful is the one who rules," Patting his chest, he chuckled, "And soon that will be me!"

"Of _course _you'd be the one to rule Ark," Princess Rele replied coolly, "No one else is ruthless enough for the position. You must be very proud."

Kibaomaru looked at her. "You're very interesting, princess. For a _human_."

"_Kibaomaru!_"

Everyone looked up to see Professor Gerbera float towards them on his platform. Though the professor's single-eye face gave nothing away, his voice clued them in to the fact that he was _very upset._

"How _dare _you bring these dirty organic creatures into the presence of our revered General!" Gerbera snarled.

"Hey, I know that guy!" Shute yelled, pointing. "I've seen you before; you're the guy who attacked Captain!"

Gerbera bridled at Shute's tone. "Arrogant human! Perhaps I would understand you better if I studied your brain more closely!"

The gauntlet on Gerbera's right arm opened up, revealing a set of claws and drills. The professor pointed them at Shute as if they were a gun to fire, but the boy simply sneered. He wasn't going to give Gerbera the satisfaction of being scared.

"I've never heard the professor raise his voice like that before," Kibaomaru said thoughtfully. He shoved Shute aside, knocking the boy down, and said, "So riled up…by such a small boy."

Gerbera growled, annoyed that not only he allowed himself to lose his composure, but that Kibaomaru had caught him doing it.

"I'm going back to the Minov Boundary Sea, professor, to capture Genkimaru and those other Gundams," Kibaomaru said. He glanced at the humans as Rele helped Shute up. "And I'll be taking these two with me. If nothing else, they should come in handy as hostages."

"You're too late. The Gundam Force isn't in the Minov Boundary Sea anymore." Gerbera replied.

"_What!_" Kibaomaru cried, "Were they all absorbed by that crack in the wall?"

The General's three eyes combined and the malevolent being projected an image of the crack into the air.

"It is presumed that they evacuated to somewhere else," Gerbera explained, "The probability of successfully accomplishing this maneuver was 99.72%."

"I see. So that means we've lost them again!" Kibaomaru groaned.

"Good for them," Shute whispered to Rele, "They've made it."

"Yes."

Shute looked around one more time. He could just barely see a door on the far end of the room, opposite of where the so-called 'General' was.

"Hey, he hissed softly, "Can't you use your magic to escape?"

"If I try it now they'll stop us," Rele replied quietly. "Let's wait for the right time."

"But…" Shute began to say when the tip of a katana suddenly came in between them.

"_Pardon_-" Kibaomaru said, holding the hilt of the sword tightly. "-the interruption. Since now we don't know the location of the Gundam Force, I'll have to use you two as bait."

"Why are they traveling together?" Gerbera wondered, "I know the boy is Captain Gundam's power source, but I'm not familiar with the girl. I've seen her face before…but I can't place where."

Uh-oh. If these goons found out who Rele was, there could be trouble. On that thought, Shute stepped up to Gerbera and said, "My name is Shute, and I'm a Special Member of the Gundam Force! This woman has nothing to do with any-"

"And _I_, sir, am Relehimana Miya De Lacroa," Princess Rele cut in, "Heir to the royal throne!"

Shute cringed and scratched his head awkwardly. "I wish you hadn't said that."

Gerbera stared at Rele. "Of course! It's all clear to me now. Your image is identical to the one provided by our comrade Deathscythe," He floated toward the princess, his tools whirring and clicking. "As a member of the royal family, I presume you're able to control the Spirit Tree."

The Spirit Tree was the very center of Lacroa- and the site of royal family's castle. Ever since the Dark Axis had conquered Lacroa, they had been searching for a way to revitalize it. Tallgeese and Deathscythe had claimed that they would be able to do that once they had combined the power of the princess with that of the Spirit Egg. They needed the Egg due to the princess being petrified, but that option seemed lost to them when the Gundam Force had taken it and hatched the Egg into the Feather Dragon. Now, however…

"So that's your plan," Rele said unflinchingly, "You're going to generate Knight Gundams and use them, aren't you? I won't allow that to happen."

"You won't be able to prevent it!" Gerbera said, chuckling evilly as his tools inched closer and closer to the princess' face.

"Stop that!" Shute shouted, jumping between Rele and the professor. "Don't you dare touch the princess!"

"Yes, professor!" Kibaomaru said warningly, "Don't treat my prize so roughly."

Gerbera growled and floated back up in the air. "Do you intend to stand in my way?" He asked, retracting his tools.

"That's right!" Shute replied, when Rele came up from behind.

"If I'm harmed, the Spirit Tree will be lost!" the princess said, "Gone! For good!"

Gerbera grunted.

Kibaomaru nodded almost admiringly at the princess. "Well, now, she has a point there, professor. What's your plan?"

"With the Spirit Tree I can offer Knight Gundams to the General," Professor Gerbera answered, "I cannot, I _will not_ let you take her away."

"Then you'll just have to take her _from _me!" Kibaomaru growled, and reached for his sword.

"If that's your wish _so be it!_" Gerbera snarled, and pointed his arm at Kibaomaru. His gauntlet then opened up, but not completely, and blasted off his wrist like a rocket. The Musha warlord pulled out his sword so quickly that he parried the blow and swung down to chop it in two. However, the rocket-gauntlet caught against the blade, and for a few minutes, the two weapons were locked, one trying to overpower the other. Kibaomaru swung away, shaking the gauntlet off, but the rocketing weapon shot back again, forcing him to block the blow.

Watching this, Princess Rele decided that if there was ever a chance to escape, it was now. Hopefully, those two would be so busy fighting each other to stop them.

"It's magic time," She said, and waved her hands. "_Mana!_"

A wave of blue energy rippled from within her, and a blue magic circle appeared and solidified, growing large enough to carrying both her and Shute underneath their feet.

Shute jumped at the sparkling light, so different compared to the room's demonic bleakness, and hoped no one would notice.

Gerbera, however, saw the human pair taking off. "What- _They're getting away!_"

Gerbera flew his platform after them, blood in his eye.

Shute gulped when he saw the professor on their heels. "C'mon!" He urged the princess, "Let's go!"

But Princess Rele was not looking towards the door. "I suppose it's that creature up there that controls the Dark Axis!" She said, staring at the General.

She flew the circle towards the General, but Gerbera was too close behind to allow them to investigate.

"_Get away from him!_" The professor roared.

The two platforms- one made of technology, the other magic- flew all over the room in a bizarre variation of a dogfight. But the magic circle summoned by Rele was more agile than Gerbera's platform, and was soon able to put some distance between them. Now that Gerbera was further back, she steered the circle towards the General.

"You dirty humans," Gerbera growled, "How dare you!"

Shute stared up at the horned robot head. "You have a plan?" He asked.

Princess Rele, looking directly at the General, yelled, "Listen, leader of the Dark Axis! I am Princess Rele! I demand you return to me the Knight Gundams you have abducted from my country!"

The General made beastly noise, and emitted a wave of pulsing black energy at the humans. The cringed at the force, but were unharmed. However, the black power caused the magic circle to cancel out, and Shute and Rele fell.

Shute grabbed the flailing Rele's hand and yelled, "Hang on, we'll get out of this!"

But below them was a melting pit. It seemed like they would never survive the fall- until Kibaomaru steered his platform underneath them. When they were close enough, Rele, instinctively, reflexively, surrounded herself and Shute in a blue magic bubble, stopping their fall.

_What's this! _Gerbera thought, staring. Why was Kibaomaru _saving _those miserable organics?

Shute landed face first on the platform with a groan, while Rele daintily floated down.

"Why did you save them?" Gerbera demanded.

"It's a waste to let them die," Kibaomaru replied, "This way we maintain an advantage."

Moaning, Shute pulled himself up. Doing his best to ignore the little stars going around and around, he stood up.

"Are you all right?" Princess Rele asked.

"I guess so…" Shute groaned, when he realized that the princess wasn't looking at him anymore. She was looking ahead, her face pale, and her hands shaking.

"Oh no…" She whispered.

"Huh?" Shute looked as well, "What- Ahh!"

In the endless piles of trash and scrap surrounding the melting pits were empty suits of armor. Three of these suits were placed next to a now-rusty weapon- a curved blade, a four-arrow crossbow, and a glaive. And on one of the suits, Shute could just barely make out a badge like the kind Zero had on his armor.

Uneasily, Shute turned to Rele and asked, "Aren't…aren't those your Knight Gundams?"

Princess Rele didn't reply, but she didn't have to. The expression of horrified recognition on her face was answer enough. As she stared at the rusting armor and weapons, remembering the last time she had seen them, two and a half years ago, before Lacroa's downfall.

_Battol…_

"_**There are only forty thousand enemies…"**_

_Rock…_

"_**We'll catch up with you shortly…"**_

_Nataku…_

"_**We all know our duty and we're prepared to carry it out…"**_

As tears silently fell from her eyes, her majesty recalled Gerbera's earlier words; _Offer Knight Gundams to the General… _

Was _this _their fate? The Knight Gundams, the proud, protectors of Lacroa, fed to this terrible beast like sheep to the Cyclops?

Shute, began to reach out to comfort Rele, but held back.

"Professor, I'm going to take these two humans with me," Kibaomaru said, "And when I'm done with them, we'll _both _have what we want."

Shute and the Princess- no longer crying, but with a face stained with tears- turned to look at Kibaomaru.

"What do you mean?" Gerbera asked.

"_I mean, _that I'll use them to lure the remainder of the Gundam Force into a trap," Kibaomaru explained, "Then I'll defeat all those Musha gundams who are fighting against me. And never fear, when I'm done the General will have more gundanium then he ever dreamed possible." When Gerbera didn't reply, he added, "You _know that _this will work."

At last, Gerbera said, "All right, then, you may carry out your plan. But," He added warningly, "Do not fail us."

-z-

The cold wind stung their cheeks, and the volcanic sulfur from the rivers of lava hurt their throats. Nonetheless, neither Shute nor Rele showed any sign of discomfort, even from the _Shogi _piece-shaped bindings that held their hands together. The pair stood behind Kibaomaru on _Oshogo _as the chariot flew away from the Dark Axis fortress across the night sky, under the light of the two moons of the world.

"Don't worry," Shute said to Rele, "I'll think of something!" To Kibaomaru, he said in a louder voice, "Hey! Just where are you taking us?"

"To where I will finally destroy the Gundam Force!" Kibaomaru boomed, "_To Ark!_"

Shute's eyes widened. "_What?_"

"It is where my destiny awaits!" Kibaomaru went on, "I'll be waiting for you, Genkimaru! And the Gundam Force! In Ark! _My homeland!_"

-z-

Meanwhile, Genkimaru's portal had led the bridge of the _Gundamusai_- and its passengers- crash-landing in a bamboo forest in some distant land. The sky was grey, and the light faint. Judging from that, they must have arrived in the early morning.

After checking on RAIMI to make she hadn't been _too _damaged from the crash, Zero and Bakunetsumaru left the decapitated bridge and began to explore the forest.

"I don't where we are, but I'll tell you this; it's better than where we were." Bakunetsumaru commented, marveling at the bamboo trees. Each one was as wide as an oak, and as tall as a pine. And yet, his subconscious told him, it seemed _right…_

"I agree," Zero replied, and glanced behind him. Genkimaru had not woken up, and rather than leave him unprotected at the bridge, placed him in a magic bubble floating behind. "Either he used up all his strength to get us out of trouble, or he doesn't care what happens next. I've never seen anyone sleep so well…" He noticed that Bakunetsumaru had gone still. "What's wrong?"

Bakunetsumaru shushed him. "Be quiet!" Looking around, he asked, "Do you hear that?"

Zero looked around. "What?"

About a few meters away from where the Gundams were was the edge of the forest, which was on a hill that overlooked a valley. However, most of the valley was covered in the early morning mist. Even so, they could just barely hear something. It sounded like faint yells…

…Coming from opposing directions.

Looking one way, Zero could barely see several hundred faint dots on the horizon. But what _were _they?

"Look down there!" Bakunetsumaru cried, pointing in the other direction.

Zero looked, and could see another several hundred dots. These dots were easier to see, because most of them looked red…

And when both sets of dots got closer, Zero could see that they were people wearing armor. The first set of soldiers he had seen were wearing grey armor, while the other soldiers wore red armor. Accompanying the red soldiers were dark grey soldiers about half their size, and for some reason looked _very _familiar to Zero.

"Where _are _we?" Zero cried out, confused.

Bakunetsumaru did not answer. He was too busy trembling at the sight.

The two armies soon met, and a battle began. Swords clashed. Arrows flew. The valley floor became a gigantic mess of violence and battle cries.

"What is this battle all about?" Zero asked, transfixed.

"I don't know…" Bakunetsumaru began, when something caught his eye. Looking, he cried, "What? This can't be!"

Coming out from the mist following the red army was something large. Something _very _large. The ground shook. As the thing came further and further out, the Gundams could see a large, oriental tower on its right side with a gigantic mace connected to it, and a cannon on top. On its left was another tower, but this one with a giant hammer. Behind the towers, one on each side, were massive tank treads the size of freighters.

"It's a castle…" Zero gasped, "It's _moving!_

Bakunetsumaru stared at the massive structure. "_Tenchijo…_

The entire castle was like something from the Edo, Japan. Atop the gigantic tank treads was a single massive Japanese castle, with four smaller towers connected to it by the massive platform they were built on. The two towers in the back had, on the left and right, a claw-like crane and a giant fan made of blades. In the center of the front was a giant fire kept in a pot.

"Now I know where we are," Bakunetsumaru whispered, "I should have guessed from the beginning…it was so obvious!"

Turning around, he saw a grand, snow-capped mountain in the distance. The sun was now high in the sky, showing the land, divided by bamboo walls.

"This is my homeland, the country that I must protect! _This is Ark!_"

-Book ends-

A/N: And with this book, we reach the moment we've all been waiting for! After over 41 episodes, Bakunetsumaru has returned home!

Also, the 'sheep to the Cyclops' thing is a reference to Homer's Oddessy, where the main character meets the Cyclops. At one point the Cylclops several of his sheep.


	9. Zako Zako Hour 27

Chapter 4.5: Zako Zako Hour

"Ladies and gentlebots, welcome to the Zako Zako Hour!" Red Mic said as he and his co-hosts stood on the swaying stage. "Today's meeting is all about, _Who's This Guy?_"

"We're broadcasting from the rocking _Gundamusai!_" All three hosts said together, even when they began to float off the floor. "Zako!"

The screen showed an image of the being that saved the ship from being absorbed by the crack.

"We start today's show with the image behind me, Zako," Red Mic said, "Do you who this fellow is?"

"Abso-Zako-Lutely!" Blue Mic cheered.

"No, wait, I can answer that!" Yellow Mic cried as he turned upside-down. Zipping all over the stage, he cried, "Please let me, I know, I know, I know, I know, please let me answer that one!"

Red Mic glanced at him. "Well, we're waiting."

Yellow Mic pointed at an image of a Musha Gundam in red samurai armor. "Well I happen to know that they mystery guest is this guy right here."

"No! That's Bakunetsumaru!" Red Mic and Blue Mic yelled, "Have you lost your mind?"

"Really?" Yellow Mic asked, and then pointed to an image of a Musha Gundam child. "Then it's _this guy_, Zako!"

"No! That's Genkimaru!" Red and Blue Mic yelled, "You're not even close, lamebrain!"

"How's that?" Yellow Mic asked, and pointed to an image of the gold-armored Musha Gundam. "Then it's _this _guy, whoever he is!"

"That's right." Red Mic replied.

"Abso-Zako-Lutely." Blue Mic added.

"This is the mysterious man who appeared in Neotopia some time ago," Yellow Mic explained, "People say he's a time-traveler possessing great powers, but usually he just watches the action and does nothing, Zako!"

"What? He can travel through time?" Red and Blue Mic asked.

"I got that information from a reliable source," Yellow Mic explained, "Zakooo!"

"You're lying again." Red and Blue Mic accused.

Yellow Mic began to whine. "But-but-but don't you get it? Lying is part of our business! All the big honchos tell lies to get promoted! Maybe if I tell big lies too, I could be a commander!"

"Well, commander, I wouldn't plan to rule the universe just yet." Red Mic told him.

Blue Mic zipped over to Yellow Mic and whispered, "Before you can move up the ladder, you have to perfect your skills as a yes-man."

"No way, Zako!" Yellow Mic cried, "Zakos are not yes-men! Or toadies, or roadies! Or groupies or jump-through-hoopies! Lemme tell ya, we used to be brave warriors feared by our enemies!"

"Abso-Zako-Lutely." Blue Mic sighed.

"Y'know, you're right!" Red Mic commented, "We Zakos used to be like that. Wait! You're getting off the subject, I don't know where this segment's going anymore!" He yelled, and began to fume.

"Take it easy," Yellow Mic said, "You don't have to get so bent out of shape about everything. News flash for ya, you're not perfect, you control freak!"

"Oh yeah? What about _you!_" Red Mic snarled, while Blue Mic zipped over to Yellow Mic again.

He whispered, "the first step toward improving yourself is to learn how to accept and embrace your faults."

"What'd you say, Zako?" Yellow Mic cried, and said, "I don't wanna hear that from someone who doesn't even clean up after himself!"

"I'm very clean!" Blue Mic yelled.

"Oh, you think so, Zako!" Yellow Mic yelled back.

"Watch who you criticize!" Red Mic said, trying to calm things down. "Haven't you ever heard of the pot calling the kettle black?"

Yellow Mic and Blue Mic fell down the abyss of despair.

"What's that? I'm a pot?" Blue Mic asked.

"And me, I'm supposed to be a kettle?" Yellow Mic asked.

Then the two of them began to sing!

"We may be metal, but we're no kettle! Take your best shot!"

"Hey, c'mon!" Red Mic ordered, "Wrap it up, you guys!"

"We're not a pot!"

"We're all agreed then!" Red Mic said, "We're not pots, we're not kettles- we're Zako Soldiers!"

"Right, that's what we are and proud of it!" Yellow Mic and Blue Mic said.

"Wait a minute!" Red Mic cried.

"Oh no!" The three of them cried, "Where were we? What was the show supposed to be about, anyway? _It's chaos!_"

The audience, tumbling and spinning across the floor as the ship tilted, were too busy screaming to notice.


	10. Preview

A preview of the next _SD Gundam Force _book;

"You're lease on this castle is up!" Bakunetsumaru yelled, charging forward. Slashing his swords, he released an X-shaped blast of fire at the tower's guardian. "Prepare to be evicted!"

"We'll see about that!" The larger Musha Gundam yelled, "You don't know how powerful we are, foolish samurai! _Bakuhammer!_"

Bakuhamaru swung his gigantic hammer against the fiery X, and struck it so hard that the flames instantly dissipated. A purple ball of energy with a Japanese _kanji _inside appeared besides the warrior, and the Undefeated batted it with his hammer like a golf ball, sending several balls of energy at Bakunetsumaru. The Blazing Samaru was struck in the chest and sent flying over the next defense line, crying out in pain.

Zero, meanwhile, had avoided being hit by the opposite tower's giant mace. But was now in clear sight of Haganemaru.

"_Hagane Iron Sphere!_" The warrior yelled, closing himself into his spiked ball. He shot forward spinning rapidly, and rammed Zero in the chest. Gagging from both the impact and having the wind knocked out of him, the Winged Knight was also sent flying over the defense line. He landed next to Bakunetsumaru, who had just pulled himself out of the dirt.

Groaning, Zero got up and said, "That castle is quite a weapon… I must say, I'm not sure the two of us alone have the firepower to defeat it."

Bakunetsumaru stared at the moving castle and nodded firmly. "We have no choice. We'll have to ask Lord Buritenmaru for his help."

Zero looked inquisitively at his friend. "Can we trust this samurai?" It sounded like Bakunetsumaru did not like doing it.

"He's a brave warrior who once ruled half of Ark," Bakunetsumaru explained. He was just embarrassed about having to ask his lord and master for help after being missing for so long. He went on to say, "He's able to wear the legendary _Bakushin_ Armor, worn only by those with a pure heart. He can also use the _Tanega _Rifle _Tancho _Crane!"

Zero had a vision of an adult Musha Gundam wearing glorious, ornate armor and carrying a giant gun the size of a tree over his shoulder.

A voice behind spoke up. "Hey, what are you two ding here, hmm?"

Turning around, Bakunetsumaru and Zero saw that they were being approached by several soldiers. The Blazing Samarui recognized them as warriors in Buritenmaru's army.

The soldier in the middle narrowed his eyes and asked, "Spying for Kibaomaru?"

Bakunetsumaru stepped forward. "We are not spies!" He said indignantly, "I am Bakunetsumaru. Guide me to Lordd Buritenmaru's camp at once."

But the soldiers pointed their spears at them.

"You can't be Bakunetsumaru, he's long gone!" The first soldier said suspiciously, "He's a ghost!"

Bakunetsumaru's eyes bugged out. "_What?_" Had he been gone for so long that they had decided he was Killed In Action?

Zero, however, found this funny. Laughing, he said, "Then this guy here's in big trouble!"

Coming soon

**SD Gundam Force**

Book 7

_The War of Ark_


End file.

SD Gundam, Adventure