See Part One for Disclaimers
Afterwards, Zechs Merquise was to remember that it began with a melody in his head. He had sternly told himself to focus on the mission, that he couldn't allow himself to be weak. But the melody simply got louder. In spite of himself, he found himself humming the melody, which he remembered from his childhood. His father had loved the old composers, but this piece had been a favorite of his mother's. She had loved to dance Relena around the room, delighting the toddler as well.
But that didn't explain why he was hearing it now. Zechs shook his head, trying to shake the melody loose from his mind. He had to focus on the battle. He had to know. But the melody didn't just go away. In fact, each time he tried to shut it out, and focus on the battle instead, the volume seemed to get turned up even louder.
If he hadn't been in the middle of a battle, with Heero Yuy, no less, Zechs would have been intrigued by the phenomen. It was obvious to him by now that the music wasn't coming from his head, as he originally thought, but from Tallgeese itself. Which was fascinating . . . or would be, he corrected himself. Right now, I must know who is the better soldier.
It was at that point that he seemed to lose control of Tallgeese. The machine lurched to the left suddenly, taking the pilot off guard. Zechs blinked, too startled to do anything else, then once more focused on the job at hand. Getting back control of the Tallgeese. He tried not to think about the source of the interference. He doubted it came from Wing Zero. Lady Une? Treize?
Zechs didn't know, but he planned to have a LONG talk with SOMEONE after this was all over. It was then that he also realized he could no longer see Wing Zero. What the . . . my God! Zechs thought, stunned as he felt something hard and metallic slam into Tallgeese from behind. His self-confidence now severely rattled by the phenomenon of the last few minutes, and by not seeing Wing's departure, Zechs began trying everything he knew to regain control of Tallgeese.
But wait. Tallgeese was still upright. And as Zechs ran the sound through his mind again, he realized that something had slammed against Tallgeese. What? Zero? Not possible. If that was the case, Zechs would have been on the ground with his prototype. The music got louder, and a picture of a woman appeared on his screen. A young, very pretty woman, who smiled at him rather impishly. And little alarm bells went off inside his head at that smile.
"Hey, sweetie! This is your machine talking to you, so listen up! Wing and I have decided that you and Heero need to loosen up. Now, I know you're buckled in, but stop trying to take control away from me, and hang on tight . . . it's gonna . . . get bumpy!" the girl said. Zechs started to reply, to ask . . . no, demand her name, and what she was doing.
But when she had said things would get bumpy, she obviously meant it. Zechs barely bit back a cry of . . . shock. Yes, that was it. He was surprised by the sudden jarring movement, by Tallgeese swaying as if she . . . it . . . was a willow tree. And then the nightmare really began.
* * *
Now that wasn't playing fair, Wing said as he tightened his mechanical arm around Tallgeese's metallic waist. She was sure if it had been within his power, he would have patted her equally metallic derriere. Of course, then she would have had to break his mechanical wrist. Flesh or metal, she didn't want any man getting fresh with her, without her permission. And she still remembered her sister's warning.
I never claimed to play fair. That's not what this machine was created for. Besides, he was starting to aggravate me. What did you do when Heero started trying to take control back from you? Tallgeese asked curiously. She saw two cars approach, and the door of one flew open as soon as the limo came to a stop. The reckless Relena Peacecraft, of course. The jeep was drawn to a halt, and a young woman jumped down. The more restrained, but equally anxious Lucrezia Noin. The gang was all here! It was time to have fun!
Especially when Wing answered wryly, Oh, just hit him with a little bit of an electrical shock. He'll be unconscious for about thirty seconds, long enough for me to lock the controls down. You could do the same thing to your pilot, you know.
That's a joke, right? I mean, I gave the poor boy a heart attack the first time he flew me, had him spitting up blood. What do you think I'd do if I shocked him, especially with that mask he wears! Tallgeese answered in annoyance. Silence was her answer from Wing, and she continued, Now then. It's time we taught those boys . . .
* * *
Dance? No, that can't be right, Lucrezia Noin thought as she walked away from her jeep. A Gundam . . . two Gundams . . . dancing? And not just dancing, but dancing . . . the can-can? She looked at Relena, who was standing at her side. The girl was obviously as shocked as she was, for she hadn't asked what Noin was doing here.
Noin looked back . . . the music was emanating from Tallgeese. Now this was truly freaky. And sure enough, the Gundams were still doing the can-can. The gundam piloted by Heero Yuy, Wing Zero, had its huge mechanical arm around the waist of the gundam Tallgeese, and . . . oh God. She had lost her mind. That was the only possibility. She had finally gone completely around the bend. Gundams did not dance. Zechs did not dance. And yet . . . as she looked back for a third time, the two Mechs were still at it. And over the loud music emanating from Tallgeese, Noin heard Lady Une screaming incoherently. Worse yet, she heard something beside her. Lucrezia glanced over to see Relena humming along, and keeping time by tapping her palm against her thigh. Lucrezia struggled against a giggle fit. She was watching two Gundams doing the can-can, Lady Une was throwing a fit, and Relena Peacecraft was keeping time with the music. What next?
* * *
"Lady . . . what . . . ? Zechs?" Treize Khushrenada asked in obvious disbelief as he joined his aide de camp. He couldn't believe his eyes. What . . . No, he had to be imagining things. The Mech piloted by his best friend and best pilot could not be . . . dancing . . . with another Mech. But that was exactly what was happening.
"I don't know, Mr. Treize! We can't establish communication with Colonel Zechs. Every time someone makes the attempt . . . well, hear for yourself. Set up communications with the Tallgeese, so His Excellency can hear for himself," Lady Une said, shaking her head in astonishment. Her voice was hoarse, and Treize pitied the men who had probably lost their hearing during the last few minutes, listening to her scream.
As requested, one of the young Oz officers began manipulating his equipment . . . and an image appeared on the screen. It didn't belong to Zechs. Rather, it belonged to a beautiful young woman. Long dark brown hair trailed past her shoulders, and there was a very determined expression on her lovely face. Treize didn't know why he found himself getting nervous when he was confronted with the image, but he suddenly had a BAD feeling about this girl.
"Okay, Treize m'boy," she said, "last time. I've tried warning your Princess Leia wanna-be here, but she doesn't listen. I'm in control of the Tallgeese now. Don't bother trying to identify me, I don't exist. Wing and I are gonna teach Zechs and Heero to have some fun. They're both too young to turn into old men. Got me?"
Treize leaned forward, his bright eyes burning as he replied, "You harm Zechs in any way, and I'll . . . " He got no further. The image looked at him, then burst out laughing. Treize fell silent, unable to finish his sentence in the face of that laughter, and he looked at the Oz officers and Lady Une. They looked as lost as he felt. Treize didn't know if he should be comforted or worried by that discovery.
"Me? Hurt Zechs? Hey, there was just one time when I did that, the first time . . . oh, never mind! Oh, no, you're the one who hurts Zechs. Not me! I'm trying to help him. And if you care about him as much as you claim to, you'll shut up and stop interfering! That means, no so-called rescue attempts, either, General. Tallgeese OUT!" the girl said firmly, and the screen went blank.
Treize looked at Lady Une, who returned the look. In the eyes of his aide de camp, Treize saw his own confusion, although none of his anxiety. Zechs was a prisoner of that . . . that . . . machine. She . . . it . . . had said as much. And the Tallgeese was a mobile suit, the prototype of the Gundams. If Wing Zero was being controlled by an otherworldly force, as Tallgeese seemed to be . . . there was nothing they could do. For now.
And really, he didn't believe in the supernatural. But . . . at the same time, Zechs wasn't in control of that monster. A young woman was. But Zechs had gone into the machine by himself. For the first time in ages, the young general was at a loss. What should he do? At last, Treize said helplessly, "It would seem all we can do is sit back and watch the show." And hope that beast doesn't succeed in killing Zechs this time. For the first time, he saw Lucrezia Noin and Relena Peacecraft watching. "Sir??????" Lady Une gasped in surprise. Treize looked at his aide de camp, looked at the two Gundams dancing, then looked back at Lady Une again. How were they supposed to stop that? Lady Une evidently got the point, for she fell silent. However, Treize heard her mutter, "If I find out Zechs Merquise was behind this . . . "
He wasn't. Treize knew that for certain. Even if he could have programmed Tallgeese to do the can-can, to dance, it was impossible that he had also programmed Wing Zero. And that gundam was . . . also doing the can-can. More and more, this was turning into a nightmare from hell.
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