Fandom Gundam Build Fighters:NEXT

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Sei scratched the back of his head laughing. "I wasn't implying he couldn't."

Elizabeth would interrupt the argument. "Look. Reiji is-"

The Beginning Gundam had lost an arm in the fight, but it flew towards the Gundam Wing at high speeds, beam sabers extended. The Wing Gundam fired its vulcans and beam rifle, aiming to stop the impact, but within a few seconds, the Wing Gundam was impaled, and exploded.

The screen read, Battle ended: Winner, Reiji.

Elizabeth was taken aback by the Gunpla Reiji used. Even though it was a straight build, with a lost arm and broken V fin, it was still in perfect fighting shape.

-Hospital-

Shia turned to see two unfamiliar faces. "I am. Are you friends of Illya's?" She would ask.

Hiro nodded. "We are part of the GBWT team at our school. What brought you here?"

Shia looked down, and replied, "She's my blood relative. My cousin." Hiro was surprised that Shia and the Berserker were related to each other.

 

[SpaceRavens03]

“Heh,I could imagine Setsuna having a hard time keeping 00 QAN[T] intact if he were to battle Reiji.”

Kotori smiled as Fellini congratulated Reiji for the Prince's victory.

“Looking good as always,Reiji!”

-------------
Hospital
-------------
“Is that so....” Hibiki muttered as she went towards Illya,where she looked at her team leader both worriedly and angrily at her stunt to protect the rest of them from the challenger who Illya knew as "Iris".

“Illya....you idiot...! Why didn't you let us fight alongside you...!?”

Tears streamed down Hibiki's face as she struggled to speak between each sobs.

“I finally made friends with someone who is passionate about Gunpla Battles as much as I am in school...and to see one of my friends get hurt like this...!”

“Don't blame her,Hibiki.”

The 3 of them looked up to see Jing,who has stopped pretending to be asleep and sat up,looking at his adoptive sister.

“True,I agree that facing the challenger alone was a foolish idea,however,she doesn't want you and Hiro to get hurt from a battle like this,where victory could not be guaranteed. ”

Jing spoke as he got off bed,walking towards Hibiki,Hiro and Shia.

“Plus,from what I've seen,Illya seems to know the challenger more than we do. I suppose she wanted to take matters into her own hands and fight against her. She doesn't want to drag you two into the mess.”

Hibiki wiped her tears,looking down after Jing finished. She felt her head getting petted by her "brother",prompting her to look up.

“It's fine that you're frustrated and worried about what she did there. Even I was as worried as you are when I butted in.”

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Reiji smiled. "You didn't do bad yourself." He replied before looking towards the gathered battle enthusiasts, and noticed Sei, Kotori, and Elizabeth amongst the crowd. Reiji would go meet up with the three, greeting them. "Hey. It's been a while, hasn't it Sei?"

-Hospital-

Hiro would have tears run down his face. "But if she's fighting to protect us from getting hurt, who will protect her when she gets hurt? It isn't a battle she can handle on her own!"

Shia looked down as well, as if she was hurt by what Hiro said. "I tried my best...... But whatever MS was used, the Gunpla I lent Illya wasn't able to defeat it...... Even if I'm considered a builder that surpasses the skills of all the others...... If only I had time before this had happened...... " Shia had tears running down her cheeks.


-Back at the Pub-

"A girl resembling Illya is going around hurting people through gunpla batttle?" Reiji asked. He sat at a table next to Fellini, across from Sei and Elizabeth. Itsuka was sitting at a stool she pulled up.

"Right. My Avalon Max couldn't do anything to scratch that girl's MS, and when it was destroyed, I blacked out." Sei replied. "Same thing happened to Illya, but unlike Sei, Illya hasn't woken up yet. The worst issue is that reports had two other fighters put under the same condition."

Reiji looked at Fellini, as if he had information. "Didn't you say that you got a text a week ago from Team Celestial Sphere's manager saying something about how they were trying to find replacements before the tournament?"

 

[SpaceRavens03]

“Yeah,I do actually,their instructor's getting a little bit desperate for two temporary replacements.”

Fellini sighed as he confirms Reiji's question.

“I've kind of expected them to have already gotten Setsuna F. Seiei to be a replacement for the time being,but considering he's become a ghost ever since he lost against Meijin Kawaguchi,I wouldn't be too sure if he's still as much of a headache to fight against like before.”

---------------
Hospital
---------------
“Perhaps this is something the three of you should settle alongside Illya. I won't be butting in for this one since I don't think I'll be of much use here.”

Jing walked unsteadily towards the door,leaving the rest to their own device. Hibiki looked at where Jing once was and sighed,recalling his battle against Iris where Destiny and Chaos Berserker dealt a huge amount of damage towards each other.

Outside the hospital,Jing sat on one of the benches,where he once again texted the person on the other side of the line.

> Sorry for the late reply,I got admitted into the hospital from a little bit of an accident.

A few seconds after sending the message,Jing waited for a reply before texting another one.

> You got- What!? What happened!? And don't you dare say "Just a few bruises here and there"!

> Urk...W-well.....let's just say that for some reason,the last Gunpla Battle I was in suddenly had me receiving several injuries based on the damages done on Destiny.

> You mean "assimilation"? I thought it was removed after Plavsky Particles MkII got released?

> Yeah,I'm just as confused as you are- wait....


How did she know about the phenomenon? I never told her about it at all in my life.

> How did you know about the name of it? Your country's still under that damned travel ban and you mentioned there's still no Gunpla Battles in Iraq,so how...?

> Sorry,I gotta go,my father's yelling again like a maniac.

At first feeling suspicious about her knowledge of assimilation,Jing sighed and simply thought of it as her having researched about Gunpla Battles herself. Plus,knowing sort of person her father is,Jing relented and decided not to question her any further.

> Alright then,be careful Sarah.

> You should take care of yourself too,especially since you got admitted into a hospital.

Sighing as he kept his phone away,Jing looked up into the sky,his mind drifting off from reality as he sat there,thinking about when will be the day Sarah could finally leave Iraq legally and not as a refugee,but an immigrant.

...This world really does whatever it can to stop me from meeting her in person huh..?

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Sei held back a laugh, causing Elizabeth to look at him in confusion. "Was there a joke I don't get?" She asked. Sei would reply, "The pilot of the 00 Quan[T] is actually still battling these days, but he's currently with another team, under another alias. But that isn't important. The important thing is if Team Celestial Sphere is looking for replacement members for the time being," He looked at Fellini and Reiji. "You two should sign up. I would join myself, but what happened last time I fought with my gunpla...." Sei suddenly looked down. "I don't think I can be facing someone like her again." Reiji looked at his friend with concern. "Sei, you aren't afraid piloting again, are you?"

Sei shook his head. "It isn't that, its the fact the girl who looks like Illya is going to most likely be there as well...... I can't face her." Reiji smiled. "Which is why you want me to sign up. To defeat whoever it was that defeated Illya right?"

-Hospital-

The trio stood on the side of Illya's bed, looking at her. Hiro closed his eyes and said, "Illya..... We can't move on without you..... You were the one who I have always called my rival at school........ You always would have lost...... But you never failed to give it your all...... And even then, you would always nearly defeat my gunpla, without so much as second thoughts when you aim to end it quickly........ But when you fought that girl....... It was like you held back....... I can't believe you lost because of her...... Illya, please come back!" Hiro said, tears leaving his closed eyes.

-Darkness-

Illya woke up in a dark void. Her eyes devoid of life. 'Why..... Am I...... Here.....?' She thought. A image of the battle that caused Illya to black out had flashed into her mind. 'Am...... I........ Dead?'

She then appeared in a room, two little girls, one slightly older than the other, were playing tag. Close by were their parents.

"I'm gonna get you sis!" The Smaller girl said. "You can't keep up Illya." The older one said.

Illya's eyes suddenly went back to their normal red color, full of life. "This is...." She said to herself.

The image changed again, to two years ago. Illya sat at her desk, with the Sword Impulse Gundam standing as it was concerned about its owner. She was crying, as Iris walked up to her side and hugged her. "Illya, don't cry. I swear, I will be back someday, then we can have a gunpla battle without worrying about me hurting you, its a promise." Iris said, softly and comforting. Illya hugged her sister back, saying, "I swear, I will be the champion before you return. Please be safe!"

Illya felt her heart skip a beat, as if this was all some kind of big lie.

The room soon changed again, Illya, with tears in her eyes, and her younger self stood face to face. "You believe that Iris wouldn't hurt you when she returned?" Illya asked her younger self. "I know so. Illya, your sister wasn't the one who hurt you. You need to go find her, and save her from the ones using her."

Illya shook her head in rejection. "I can't! I'm not strong enough! I couldn't stop her from hurting my friends, and because I lost, she probably-" "Shut Up!" Illya was quiet, that her past self was sounding more older than her. "You aren't alone in this fight. You have friends, remember?"

As Illya's childhood self said that, Illya could see her friends appear behind her younger self. Hibiki, Haru, Elizabeth, Kotori, Sei, Inazuma, Akatsuki, Mikazuchi....

Illya then noticed that her younger self vanished into stardust as in her place was Jing.

"We will be by your side, no matter the situation. You need to return to us, please." He held a hand out. Illya, wiping the tears out of her eyes, grabbed it, as she soon found herself blinded by a bright light.


-Hospital Room-

Illya would sit up in her bed and say, "I'm back." Surprised.

 

[SpaceRavens03]

“Illya!” Hibiki,alongside Hiro and Shia,yelled shed tears in relief as they hugged the once comatose Berserker.

---------------
Pub
---------------
“If their instructor and Shia Kijima doesn't mind then alright,they got themselves two replacements coming up. Still,Setsuna F. Seiei battling under a different alias eh? I wonder who's the lucky team who got the Gundam Meister himself.”

Kotori had to look away while trying to contain her sour look from being fully visible to the rest.

"Lucky"....yeah right. He's still as reckless as ever,never thinks of actually giving up for real,and has no regards of his own safety in any situations....these and the fact that he still calls his Gunplas "Gundams" instead just makes me question how the heck are other people still unable to figure out that Jing is actually Setsuna back then...it's like the people of Gotham not thinking about the fact that Bruce Wayne could be the Batman,especially knowing the amount of techs that guy has that would've made people wonder how the hell could he have managed to afford to make all these-

“Kotori,you seemed to be looking a little on edge there,something wrong?”

Startled as Fellini derailed her inner ranting,Kotori quickly wiped the sour expression off her face.

“Ah,no,just thinking about how much of a headache he would be towards his team- I mean,his opponents.”

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Illya would smile, hugging back her friends. "I'm sorry I worried you guys. I shouldn't have gone by myself."

The group would break up the hug, as Shia would then ask, "How did you get up though? When my teammates had their Gunpla destroyed, the doctors said they wouldn't be up for some time."

Illya smiled. "It's because I have friends who look after me, plus....." Illya looked up. "There's someone I need to fight for, not just for my sister or myself." She closed her eyes, an image of Jing and his Destiny Gundam appeared for a moment, before she opened them.

"I know if I fight together with you guys," She looked at Hibiki and Hiro. "And the Gunpla my cousin helped with building," Shia smiled. "Then I know we can save her..... My sister."


-Pub-

Reiji had a look as if he could see through the white lie Kotori was making. "You seem to be hiding something." Reiji said. "As if you know which team Setsuna is with."

Elizabeth looked at Reiji, then Kotori, then Sei. "Is there something I missed?"

 

[SpaceRavens03]

Silence filled the group for a while,before Kotori let out an exasperated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose,closing her eyes as she spoke.

“That idiot still hasn't told you even though he agreed to the deal huh....?”

Earning several confused looks from everyone save Sei,Kotori opened her eyes,this time looking serious.

“Elizabeth,Setsuna F. Seiei is actually our teammate:Yao Jing Ling.”

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Elizabeth almost fell out of her chair. "What? You mean Jing is actually " The" Setsuna F. Seiei, the Near Undefeated Quan[T] user from years back?!"

Sei would answer. "The one and only. But he switched to the Destiny as his main because he felt his battles were getting too easy on him..... But with the recent events.... We may need him to go back..."

Elizabeth looked at the table, in disbelief. "If I faced him when he used the Quan[T] though...... I don't think I would even stand a chance...."

Reiji would then look at Itsuka. "If possible, could you arrange Jing to meet me at the store tomorrow? If he is as strong as you say he is, perhaps I can evaluate if he could be the one to beat that person."

 

[SpaceRavens03]

“Sure,which Gunpla do you want him to use though? He never abandoned 00 QAN[T] and his other alias as Setsuna F. Seiei after all. Plus,he works in Iori's Model Shop now so having a match with him isn't much of a problem.”

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Reiji smiled. "The one that got him well known in the first place." Elizabeth looked at Reiji. "You sure? The Quan[T] may be a straight build, but like your Beginning Gundam, its a force to be reckoned with." Reiji nodded. "I believe it will be the best choice for evaluating his abilities."

-Hospital, Outside-

Illya would leave the lobby, Hibiki helping her with walking since Illya felt slightly weak in the legs still. Hiro and Shia followed close behind.

"So if this gunpla that Illya envisioned is almost done, what is preventing her from using it now?" Hiro Asked. "Unless I find a way to stabilize the Trans Am system, the Gunpla itself won't be capable of tagging that person's gunpla. Illya needs to find a way to go beyond Trans Am, and V-Mode. Something that is past obtainable."

Hiro noticed a familiar person at the edge of the sidewalk. "Isn't that Jing?" He asked Hibiki.

 

[SpaceRavens03]

Hibiki nodded just as they saw the man in question sneeze all of a sudden.

“Strange...I'm not feeling cold but why..?”

“Jing.” Hibiki went towards her "brother",Hiro helping Illya in turn. “Are you alright?”

“Well,the doctor told me before I exited that I apparently only need a night's rest to be back in good condition as usual,so I suppose that yes,I am.”

“I see...”

Jing looked at Hiro,Shia and Illya.

“I take it the four of you have settled your issues then?”

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Illya would nod. "I can't do this alone. If I need to rescue my sister, I need to do so together, with my friends."

She then telepathically said something to Jing, keeping it a secret from the non-newtypes or Innovators.

"Jing, I wish to thank you. You were the one who helped me realize that." She remembered the time they first fought. "When I first battled your gunpla, you were afraid, but then when I told you that the here and now was important, you surprised me with your skills, not afraid to take any damage in the process."

She remembered the day Hibiki joined her team. "And that day I faced Hibiki twice, you helped give her a second chance."

She then remembered the day she met Setsuna F. Seiei. "That day I saw your fight with Elizabeth, I had doubts on fighting you both in the tournament, but I would soon get over that fear, even if my gunpla was severally damaged in the fight."

She then felt a gentle breeze blow through the area. "And today, when my sister showed up, you did as well to protect me.... And you helped me get out of my coma......"

She then smiled. "When we meet in the tournament, I hope we give everyone a fight to remember."

 

[SpaceRavens03]

Also smiling in response,Jing,despite knowing he's not fully developed into an Innovator and doing so would make him mentally fatigue,sent his telepathic message back.

No,I should be the one thanking you. I'm not sure if you realised,but you actually helped me out before we met.

Noticing Illya's confusion,he stood up from the bench.

I'm sure you'll find out one day. One way or another.

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

"Maybe." Illya responded. She then asked a question, out loud. "Did anyone else show up while I was out?"

 

[SpaceRavens03]

“Elizabeth and Kotori did. They left after Sei was discharged from the hospital. Though i could guess they did not know that the challenger was your sister.”

Just as he finished his sentence,he heard his phone's ringtone sound off.

“Hmm?” Taking out his phone,Jing saw a message from Kotori:

> Jing,you got a challenger wanting to battle you tomorrow. Bring your 00 QAN[T] along for this,he wants to battle Setsuna F. Seiei.

Sighing,he kept his phone away with the desire to message back later (or just tell them back in their apartment room,really.) and looked at Illya,Hiro and Shia as Hibiki stood beside him.

“That said,the three of you take care alright? I'll also do whatever I can to help when possible.”

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Illya would respond, saying, "We will." She then looked at Shia. "Should we head back home right now?"

Shia sighed. "If only it was simple. Your forgetting that since your sister has been going around, defeating other fighters, its possible she already knows you are awake and to top it off, she most likely will be waiting for us at the house."

Hiro looked at Shia, unamused. "You are watching way too much anime if you believe that." Shia turned away, blushing. "It would make sense though...." Illya looked at her older cousin, confused. "I thought she needed a key to enter though?"

Hiro looked down the street. It was getting dark. "Perhaps one of us should go with you for safety." Illya looked at Hiro, kind of suspicious. "I think its better if Hibiki went with us." She replied. "Besides, don't you have work at your apartment to catch up on?" Hiro's eyes widened, before running away, kicking up dust. "I forgot! Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap," he repeatedly said as he ran to the apartment complex.

Shia smiled at how funny that was. "Well that's one bullet dodged." Illya looked at her cousin and replied, "I know my parents aren't here in town, but I know not to bring boys over while they are gone."

 

[SpaceRavens03]

“Hibiki,will you be fine about it?”

Nodding,she looked up at Jing.

“Yeah,don't worry about me.”

“Just don't wander off when you caught a whiff of some fried fish being cooked....”

“Rest assured,it will not happen again.”

With a comically deadpan expression,Hibiki flashed a thumbs up at Jing,hoping that he won't be worried about it,prompting her "brother" to sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Shia looked at Jing, and said, "She'll be fine. We'll be keeping an eye on her."

The group soon split, The girls heading one direction towards Illya's mansion, Jing heading to the Apartment complex.

-Apartments-

Elizabeth would sit at a chair, looking at Jing as if he was a murderer or something, shaking at the thought Jing himself was holding back.

-Iori's Models-

Sei was working on repairs for the Avalon Max. He looked at Reiji who was looking out the window. "Something wrong?" He asked his Red headed buddy. "Nothing." Reiji replied. "It's just, you gave the latest Build Strike incarnation to someone who was as talented as me in a gunpla battle."

Sei would smile, looking at his friend. "It was an accident of sorts. After seeing Sekai fight with a burning spirit like yours, I felt it belonged with him. Besides, I have a new gunpla I think suits you." He got up and went to a cabinet, opening the doors to reveal a head Shadow of a gunpla currently not being used.

Reiji was surprised. Sei then looked at his friend. "I think tomorrow you should use it against Setsuna."

-Illya's Mansion-

Illya sat on the couch, still feeling a little weak legged. Hibiki sat across from her, both looking at the Gunpla Shia nearly completed.



It took inspiration from Seed/Destiny and 00. Illya noticed the Rail Guns and Excalibur Swords from the EX S Gundam on it's body, as well as elongated Super Lacereta Beam Sabers on the waist.

"But it's incomplete because the GN Drive is still being worked on?" Illya asked.

"Yes," Replied Shia. "Unless I find a powerful feature to balance the power output the GN Drive uses, it won't be able to access Trans Am."

Illya shook her head. "I can make do without Trans Am for now." She looked at Hibiki. "If I understand, there's no school tomorrow. You want to go with me to the shop? I want to try the Gunpla out." Shia then asked Illya, "You should name it first. You designed most of it."

Illya then answered. "I will name it what I believe is right. The name of the opposing Gundams from Seed/Destiny, that my gunpla is based on, and the name of the Gundam Setsuna piloted in season two of 00.

The Destiny Strike Raiser."

 

[SpaceRavens03]

--------------
Apartment
--------------
Jing felt pretty uneasy as he couldn't shake off the fact that Elizabeth is looking at him like he just walked in,covered in the blood of a victim he recently murdered. Not even cooking for everyone in the room seemed to be doing anything to ease his feelings.

....What did I do....?

Kotori noticed Jing's subtly uncomfortable look on his face as he prepared dinner and decided that she should explain the reason behind it.

"Just to clear up the misunderstanding in case there is one,I told her about your past."

"And...what about me being Setsuna?"

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

"I heard it all...... You could've defeated me in one hit if you used the Quan[T]..... You held back by using a different gunpla however......." Elizabeth said, as if it was quite a scare.

 

[SpaceRavens03]

"....With a straight build 00 QAN[T]? I doubt it is possible."

Jing spoke as he fried the chickens to be used for the Katsu Curry.

"Even if I am what some would call a veteran when piloting 00 QAN[T],I wouldn't be able to last for long without using Trans Am if i were to fight you earlier."

Now done with dinner,he served everyone in the room,apparently forgetting that Hibiki isn't in the room with them.

"I suppose it could be a different story if i had used my now-upgraded-00 QAN[T] however."

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Elizabeth looked at Jing, talking to him with her face making the "You don't say" expression Asuka did in the original Evangelion anime.

"See? I seriously think you were holding back using the Destiny Gundam!" She then took a bite of the chicken with her fork, and felt her mouth catch fire.

 

[SpaceRavens03]

"I assure you I am not. If i was really holding back then Destiny would've held Arondhight with only one hand throughout the fight."

"But that wasn't a sword fight both of you were doing...."

Kotori's comment went unheard as she ate her meal alongside Inazuma,Ikazuchi and Akatsuki.

"Plus,your Gundam's ability back there surprised me,even more so when it ended up being the main reason Destiny's arm got damaged severely. Also,don't eat too quickly,you're gonna burn your mouth if you're not careful."

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

"Even if that was the case, you were not using your main gunpla." Elizabeth said, eating another bite, only to scorch her own mouth again. "Hot! I want to see the difference when you use the Quan[T] against me tomorrow at Iori's Models."