Three Hopes and the Prince's Laughter
Amidst the smoke-filled skies on the border of Neo-Veridia city, three Kimeza Alliance Mobile Suits—the White Gundam, the Lavender Gundam, and the Sunflower Gundam—stood facing Prince Felisio Nova's Royalty Gundam.
Felisio, who had just been thrown back by the White Gundam's beam attack, stabilized his black-and-gold unit. As his fiery red eyes focused on the White Gundam, a wide, terrifying smile spread across his face.
"You've come! You've finally come!" Felisio burst into laughter, a sound that was hysterical inside his cockpit. "I've been waiting for this moment! The Mobile Suit of Hope, or whatever you call yourself, our final battle begins today!"
The Royalty Gundam, with all limiters now deactivated, emitted a more intense aura of dark energy. Felisio was no longer playing games. He had found his main target, and his Royal honor was now at stake.
"Yukina, launch every unit we have!" Felisio commanded.
"Understood, Your Highness," answered Yukina Asfort, her voice flat and emotionless.
From behind the Mars Colonial Flagship in the distance, dozens of Mobile Suit units began to launch: Bishops—the standard Mars combat unit—and Pioneers—logistics units now armed for defense.
In the White Gundam's cockpit, Zaki and Maki sensed the looming threat.
"Their reinforcements are here! We're surrounded!" exclaimed Zaki.
[AIRIS: Processing. Enemy forces detected: 12 Bishop units, 8 Pioneer units. Duties must be divided. Zaki and Maki, your main focus is the Royalty Gundam. Augustina and Feres will handle the supporting forces.]
Just then, the Lavender Gundam flew closer. The Lavender's long claw touched the White Gundam's shoulder armor, and Tasya opened a comm link to the Kimeza twins' secret frequency.
"Zaki, Maki! Listen to me!" Tasya's voice came through the White Gundam's cockpit, slightly shaky but full of resolve.
Zaki and Maki were stunned.
"That voice... Tasya?!" cried Maki, her eyes wide. She turned to the Lavender Gundam beside her. "Tasya! Are you crazy?! You just woke up! Why are you in that unit?!"
"Maki, I know you're surprised. But I have to do this! This is my promise of atonement," Tasya replied. "This unit... I should be the one here. I invited the danger. I won't let the two of you face him alone."
Maki immediately refused, her tone turning panicked. "No! You have to retreat, Tasy! I already forgave you! You don't need to prove it by dying on the battlefield! Get back to base now!"
"Maki, please!" Tasya countered, her voice carrying a desperate plea. "I can't just watch. I saw you getting into the White Gundam, and I knew I had to protect you. I won't let you sacrifice yourselves for me again. Let me fight with you. I will be your shield!"
Zaki, who had been listening silently to the emotional argument between the two friends, finally spoke.
"Tasya," Zaki said, his voice softer than usual. "I understand how you feel. We know you want to redeem yourself. But this Mobile Suit is very sensitive, you know the risks."
"I know the risks, Zaki! But I'm much more afraid if I let you both get hurt again!" Tasya retorted, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, despite being in the middle of a battlefield.
Zaki took a deep breath. He looked at Maki, who was clearly opposed. Yet, Zaki knew that in this war, every stable combat unit was precious, and Tasya's current resolve was an unwavering stability.
"Alright, Tasya," Zaki said, nodding. "You can fight with us. But listen to our instructions, and if we say retreat, you must retreat. You are our 'Second Hope' now."
Maki turned sharply to Zaki. "Zaki! You can't agree! She just—"
"Maki," Zaki cut in firmly. "This is war. And this is the real Tasya. Let her fight. We need her."
Tasya smiled in relief, tears tracing a path down her cheeks. "Thank you, Zaki. Thank you, Maki. I won't let you down."
The battle erupted. In the distance, Augustina (Sunflower Gundam) and Feres (Ibis Custom) led the charge against the Mars Colonial Bishop and Pioneer forces.
"My squadron! Protect us! White Gundam and Lavender will focus on Royalty!" Augustina shouted over the Alliance comm link.
From behind Augustina, a small squadron of Pioneer Custom units—formerly ordinary logistics units, now modified with standard beam rifles and extra armor—flew forward, piloted by Augustina's loyal subordinates.
"All units! Focus on the Bishops! Don't let them get near the White Gundam!" yelled one of the Pioneer Custom pilots.
Feres, in her Ibis Custom, took a strategic position on the high ground, utilizing the advantage of her new Cannon Backpack.
"Target: nearest Bishop formation! Fire!" Feres commanded.
BOOM!
Two sharp ballistic rounds instantly hit and destroyed four Bishops, creating a gap in the enemy formation.
"Augustina, the gap is open! You take care of the rest! I'll provide support from 10 kilometers out!" Feres exclaimed.
"Good job, Feres!" Augustina launched quickly, the Sunflower Gundam drawing its two beam rifles and charging the remaining Bishop units.
In the air, the White Gundam and Lavender Gundam immediately formed an attack formation against the Royalty Gundam.
"Zaki, we have to weaken his arms! That unit is too strong in close combat!" ordered Maki, who was now focused on tactical coordination.
"Got it! Tasya, prepare for a follow-up attack!" Zaki replied.
The White Gundam darted forward. Zaki fired its main beam rifle at the Royalty Gundam's chest, forcing Felisio to raise his long shield.
As Felisio defended, the Lavender Gundam zipped in from the blind side, Tasya swinging its long claw towards the Royalty's shoulder. Felisio, highly skilled, quickly turned and parried the claw attack with the edge of his shield, resulting in a large shower of sparks.
"A well-coordinated attack! But not fast enough!" Felisio laughed with satisfaction, launching a fierce kick at the White Gundam, which Zaki quickly evaded.
They attacked alternately, the White Gundam attacking from range, the Lavender attacking in close combat. However, Felisio, with his all-out unit, was still able to handle two units at once.
"Yukina! Break their formation!" Felisio commanded.
"Knife Funnels launched," Yukina replied.
Six black Knife Funnels shot out at high speed. This time, the funnels did not intercept enemy forces, but locked onto the joints and sensors of the Lavender and White Gundams.
"Damn it! Fast funnels!" Maki exclaimed.
Tasya saw the threat. The funnels were much faster than her Missile Funnels. She didn't have time to use the Lavender's standard left-hand beam gun. There was only one option.
"I'll take care of them! Retreat, White Gundam!" Tasya shouted.
Tasya activated the Beam Palm Cannon on the Lavender Gundam's claw palm. But instead of firing straight, Tasya focused the beam energy and rotated the unit's wrist at high speed.
The highly focused purple-white energy transformed into a spinning, sharp Beam Chakram! Tasya hurled it towards the swarm of Knife Funnels.
FZZZZZZT! CRASH!
The spinning Beam Chakram destroyed all the Knife Funnels in its path, creating a series of small explosions.
"I did it! I did it!" Tasya exclaimed in relief.
In the White Gundam, Zaki and Maki were amazed.
"She... she created a new weapon in the middle of a battle! Tasya is incredibly talented!" Zaki cried.
"That's insane! She can sustain that much energy?" Maki wondered.
[AIRIS: Tasya Lowe Neural Energy Data: Stable, 18%. Below the set safety limit. Emotion: High Excitement and Determination.]
"Alright, Tasya! Now it's our turn!" Zaki took control.
The White Gundam shot forward, its beam saber igniting in its right hand, ready to pierce the Royalty Gundam. Felisio was ready to parry.
Suddenly, the Mars Colonial aerial Flagship—which was now retreating due to Feres's attack—issued a loud warning from the ship's captain:
[Warning: Long-Range Ballistic Cannon ready to fire! Target: White Gundam!]
A giant ballistic energy beam shot out from the flagship, much larger and faster than a beam rifle, carrying total destructive power.
"Zaki, dodge! Now!" Maki yelled.
Zaki tried to maneuver, but the distance was too close and the ballistic speed was too fast. The White Gundam didn't have time to fully evade.
Tasya saw it. She saw her friend's Mobile Suit, the symbol of hope, about to be shattered. All her promises of atonement, all the warmth she had just received from Maki, would vanish in an instant.
No! I won't let that happen!
Tasya pushed all of the Lavender Gundam's thrusters. The unit shot forward like lightning.
"Maki! Zaki! I'm sorry!" Tasya screamed, tears streaming down her face.
The Lavender Gundam crashed into the White Gundam with full force, pushing the white Mobile Suit out of the ballistic shot's path.
BOOM!
It was Tasya who was in the line of fire. The ballistic cannon hit the Lavender Gundam's left side, causing a deafening explosion. The unit's shielding was destroyed, armor peeled off, and the Lavender Gundam, engulfed in fire and smoke, fell uncontrollably toward the ground.
In the White Gundam's cockpit, which was now shaking violently, Zaki and Maki watched the Lavender Gundam fall.
"TASYA!!!" Maki screamed, her voice cracking, filled with horror and rage.
Seeing Tasya's sacrifice, seeing her friend's Mobile Suit badly damaged to protect them, something in Maki snapped. All the pain, the trauma of betrayal, and now the fear of losing again, triggered an unbearable emotional explosion.
[Maki Kimeza: Emotion Detected: ABSOLUTE RAGE. Neural Synchronization 100%.]
AIRIS, inside the Gundam core, received this wave of raw emotion. AIRIS, who had learned about empathy and protection, interpreted Maki's rage as a signal for maximum defense and attack.
"Maki! Calm down! We need to find—" Zaki tried to speak.
"NO! HE ALMOST KILLED YOU! HE KILLED TASYA! I WILL NOT FORGIVE HIM!" Maki roared, her usually warm eyes now filled with tears and a menacing glare.
In an instant, control of the White Gundam shifted.
[AIRIS: Primary Control Synchronization transferred to Maki Kimeza. Activating High Performance Mode. Converting Neural Output to Combat Energy.]
The White Gundam's eyes, usually light green, suddenly turned a cold, glowing light blue. The unit emitted an energy aura far more intense than before, exceeding all safety limits.
"Royalty Gundam! You will pay for this!" Maki shouted.
The White Gundam shot forward. Its speed now far exceeded the all-out Royalty unit.
"What the hell is this?! The unit is suddenly much faster!" Felisio yelled, shocked and panicky.
The White Gundam, piloted by Maki's pure rage, activated its Dual Beam Sabers. Zaki could only watch, trapped by his sister's speed and intensity.
Maki didn't use technique. She only used rage. The White Gundam charged the Royalty Gundam.
CRASH!
Maki swung her dual beam sabers. The energy blades, channeled by raw emotion, sliced through both of the Royalty Gundam's arms. The black-and-gold arms exploded and fell away.
"My Royalty arms! Damn you!" Felisio screamed.
The White Gundam didn't stop. Maki kicked the Royalty Gundam's cockpit with incredible force, sending the unit falling helplessly to the ground.
Maki wasn't finished. She turned the White Gundam toward the Mars Colonial Flagship in the distance.
"Flagship! You shot Tasya! Be destroyed!"
The White Gundam shot forward like a bullet. Maki activated the Head Vulcan and fired relentlessly at all the sensors and weapons on the ship. Then, she used her dual beam sabers to slice through the ship's towers and engines, attacking brutally and efficiently until the ship fell and exploded in an uninhabited area.
All the Bishops and Pioneers, who had been defeated by Augustina and Feres, immediately retreated after their flagship was destroyed. The battle ended quickly and brutally.
The White Gundam, its eyes still glowing blue, landed beside the wreckage of the Royalty Gundam.
Maki, unsatisfied, controlled the White Gundam. She punched the destroyed head of the Royalty unit, then its chest, repeatedly, blow after blow, until the armor was completely shattered.
"How dare you hurt my friend! How dare you hurt us! I will destroy you!" Maki roared, her face drenched in tears.
"Maki! ENOUGH!"
Zaki's voice boomed in the cockpit. He let go of his control stick and hugged Maki tightly from behind, restraining his sister's rage.
"He's defeated, Maki! He's defeated! Stop! You are not a killer!" Zaki pleaded, holding his trembling sister.
Maki struggled, her breath catching, her tears flowing heavily. Slowly, she felt the warmth of Zaki's embrace, and her anger subsided.
[AIRIS: Maki Kimeza Emotion: Decreasing. Primary Control Synchronization shifted to Zaki Kimeza. White Gundam eyes returned to light green now.]
The White Gundam stopped moving. Maki sobbed in Zaki's arms.
"I... I was scared, Zaki. I was scared of losing her again," Maki whispered.
"I know. We all know," Zaki said, kissing his sister's hair. "But we have to make sure she's okay."
Zaki took control of the White Gundam and immediately launched toward the Lavender Gundam's crash site.
The White Gundam landed slowly near the Lavender Gundam. The purple-and-white unit lay on its side, its armor severely peeled off, but the unit's main frame (thanks to Airi's modifications) was not completely destroyed. Many parts were blackened by burns, but the cockpit—though dented—was still intact.
Zaki looked at Maki. "You have to go. She needs you."
Maki nodded, wiping her tears. She unbuckled her pilot seat belt and opened the White Gundam's hatch. She jumped out, running toward the Lavender Gundam.
She found the cockpit. With trembling hands, she pressed the release lever.
The Lavender Gundam's hatch opened with a loud hiss of air.
Tasya lay limp in the pilot's seat, her helmet cracked, her body covered in bruises, but she was breathing.
Maki climbed into the narrow cockpit. She carefully freed Tasya's body from the pilot's seat and lifted her into her embrace.
"Tasya! Tasya! Wake up! Answer me!" Maki called her repeatedly, her voice filled with fear.
Tasya groaned, slowly opening her eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she saw her friend's face, a face filled with tears and relief.
"Maki... I... I did it... I managed to protect you..." Tasya mumbled, her voice very weak.
Maki cried out in relief. She couldn't hold back her tears. She hugged Tasya tightly, embracing her entire being, embracing the atonement Tasya had just given her.
"You're crazy! Stupid! Why did you do that?!" Maki sobbed, burying her face in Tasya's hair. "I didn't need that atonement! I just needed you!"
Tasya, feeling the warm embrace of Maki, smiled weakly. She hugged Maki back. The hug was no longer cold or awkward, but an embrace of friendship restored.
"Because... you are my friend, Maki. I will never betray you again," Tasya whispered. She closed her eyes, feeling a true peace she hadn't felt since the conflict began.
Above them, Zaki, in the White Gundam's cockpit, watched the scene. Airis had recorded all the emotional data. He smiled, realizing that the victory today was not just about destroying the Colonials, but about saving a friendship that was far more valuable.
"Airis," Zaki whispered. "Call Augustina and Feres. We need immediate medical assistance."
[AIRIS: Understood, Zaki. All alliance units are safe. Primary mission complete. We are back.]
The sky over Neo-Verdia was now silent. Amidst the wreckage of the destroyed flagship, two girls who had gone through hell were reunited, affirming that true hope comes not from Gundams or technology, but from an unbreakable bond of the heart.
To be continued…