Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Nadesico Fan Fiction ❯ Aestivalis Wing ❯ Hey Look! It's a giant robot! ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

New Mobile Robot

Aestivalis Wing

By Austin Covello

Based on the characters created by XEBEC and the scenario created by BANDAI/SUNRISE

Opening Theme: The Aestivalis Marching Song from episode 11 of Nadesico

Opening Animation:
FADE IN to an EXTREME CLOSE-UP of Akito's face, his hand covering his eyes and holding something in his hand. ZOOM-OUT to reveal that it is a stir-fry wok. BACKGROUND FADE IN: A city on fire.

CUT TO a MEDIUM SHOT of Ryoko on the left side of the frame, holding a gun. In the BACKGROUND is a CLOSE-UP of her face.

CUT TO a MEDIUM SHOT of Izumi on the right-side of the frame, holding a Ukulele in her hands as if playing it. In the BACKGROUND is a CLOSE-UP of her face.

CUT TO a MEDIUM SHOT of Hikaru in the center of the frame, sitting Indian-style with a Dojinshi in front of her and a drawing utensil in her hand. In the BACKGROUND is a CLOSE-UP of her face.

CUT-TO a MEDIUM SHOT of Tsukomo in the right side of the frame, holding a model Gekigangar 3 robot. In the BACKGROUND is a CLOSE-UP of his face.

CUT TO FOOTAGE from Martian Successor Nadesico episode 11. CLOSE-UP of Hikaru's Aestivalis stabbing its knife into the ground and flashing a V sign.

CUT TO a CLOSE-UP SIDE-VIEW SHOT of Ryoko's Aestivalis. We see that she is in a MINE-FIELD, digging her way around mines. Akito's Aestivalis enters from the RIGHT of the FRAME, walks across, and EXITS to the LEFT, seeming oblivious to the fact that he's in a mine-field. There's a SOUND of an EXPLOSION and some SMOKE billing into the LEFT of the FRAME. ZIP-PAN to the LEFT to see Akito's Aestivalis, now a wreck after running into a mine.

CUT TO a WIDE-ANGLE SHOT of Ruri in an abandoned and devastated CITY. We see that it is snowing, yet no snow seems to land on her. She looks DOWN and to her LEFT. Seeing something near her, she kneels down to have a closer look.

CUT TO a CLOSE-UP of a GEKIGANGAR 3 PLUSHY. We see that snow covers the top of its head and shoulders. Ruri's HAND reaches into the FRAME to gently brush the snow off of the top of its head.

CUT TO a CLOSE-UP of Ruri, smiling sadly at the doll.

CUT TO a CLOSE-UP of a MASKED MAN.

CUT TO a MEDIUM SIDE-VIEW SHOT of a brightly-colored DYMAJIN GOLIATH ROBOT speeding toward the RIGHT of the FRAME.

CUT TO a SIDE VIEW CLOSE-UP of AKITO'S FACE, enraged. In the BACKGROUND, comets fly to the RIGHT, giving the illusion that Akito is heading in the opposite direction at great speed.

FADE OUT TO a SIDE VIEW CLOSE-UP of AESTIVALIS PRINCE OF DARKNESS, heading in the same direction as Akito, engaging its DISTORTION FIELD.

CUT TO a CLOSE-UP of the DYMAJIN'S FIST at its side beginning to GLOW with a tremendous LIGHT as it gains speed.

CUT TO a WIDE ANGLE SHOT of the DYMAJIN and PRINCE OF DARKNESS coming from opposite ends of the FRAME and meeting at the CENTER. At the time they meet, a WHITE LIGHT emerges from the two robots and encompasses the entire FRAME. It then FADES to show nothing but the darkness of space.

FADE OUT

Introduction

(Voiced by Ruri)

In the year 2175 of a new calendar (one with a lot of cool Gekigangar collages) there were space colonies. The colonies were ruled by a peace-loving gentleman going by the name of Tenkawa. However, most politicians and corporate businessmen dislike men of peace, since if there isn't anything wrong with the world, then they're unneeded and therefore out of a job. So needless to say, a multi-trillion dollar corporation known as NERGAL had him killed, with the Earth Government's backing of course. You see, NERGAL tended to build giant robots to fight in, and if the colonies and Earth only wanted peace, then no one would ever buy the robots.

It probably goes without saying that everyone in the Mars, Jupiter, and Satsuke Midore colonies were angry, and I'm sure a war would have broken out then and there, except for one problem: The colonies didn't know that NERGAL had been behind the assassination. So instead, the colonies suddenly realized that Tenkawa was about the only thing they had in common and just stopped talking to each other.

However, a small group of people from each colony did, in fact, know what had happened, and rather than bringing this to the attention of the colonies, they decided to plot their own plan of revenge. However, they procrastinated a lot, and so it took about twenty years. And so, in the year 2195, they sent giant robots of their own, known as Aestivalises, to Earth disguised as meteors to destroy NERGAL. Unfortunately, one of the Aestivalis pilots had other plans...

Episode 1: Hey look! It's a giant robot!

"This is watch post one to NERGAL robot carrier five-one-six-three." A comm window opened in front of the watch post enlistment to reveal a NERGAL Special Forces officer with a mask on his face. Well, it wasn't a mask exactly. More like a bucket with eyeholes that stopped short of covering the officer's jaw line. "Have sited a meteor falling to Earth. However, it appears to be hollow. Suspect that it may be enemy's secret weapon. Orders are to intercept and disable. Acknowledge?"

"All right!" cried the officer in the bucket. "Don't worry about a thing, buddy! I'll bring those enemy spacecraft down no matter what the final cost might be, or my name isn't Gai Daigouji!"

"Uh... it says here that your name's Jiro Yamada. Rank: Lieutenant," noted the enlistment.

"Hey, don't be such a stick in the mud!" replied Gai. "It may say 'Jiro Yamada' in my file, but Gai Daigouji is the name that belongs to my soul. And I'll uphold the tradition of NERGAL and our beautiful mother Earth, as well as preserve peace and liberty and its citizens, as well as..."

"Whatever," the enlistment cut him off. "Just get rid of it, okay?"

"Roger!" acknowledged Gai. "Lieutenant Gai Daigouji, ace pilot, moving out!" He disconnected the transmission.

The enlistment put his head in his hands. "Mom was right," he said. "I should have been a dentist!"


His code-name was Akito Tenkawa, but his real name was a mystery to everyone. Well, actually his real name was Akito Tenkawa as well. But no one knew that. And it was Akito Tenkawa who had piloted the pink robot from Mars Colony all the way to Earth.

Akito smiled to himself. He had fooled just about everyone, thanks to his IFS nano-injection and piloting skills. Not even his superiors knew what he planned to do once he set foot on the Earth.

He sighed contentedly. No more being a trained assassin! No more living only for the mission! At last, he could be a human being, instead of some calculating, anti-social, cold-blooded bastard! "Just a little longer," he said to himself, "and then I can begin my new life as a cook."

Suddenly, his display began beeping at him. Akito checked it. "A civilian shuttle?" he cried incredulously. "Damn! Those things are always so slow!"


At the helm of the civilian shuttle, a little old lady with a big beehive hairdo checked the speedometer and nearly had a coronary. Twenty-five miles an hour? Too fast! Too fast! She slowed down to fifteen MPH and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.


Aboard the civilian space shuttle, Yurika Misumaru sighed as she gazed out of the window at the Earth. She had been hoping to spend some quality time with her father, but Admiral Misumaru was treating his new position as ambassador to the colonies like a new toy. She turned to her father. "So, did you have fun bossing the colonists around, Daddy?" she asked in a saccharinely sweet tone.

"Why yes, Yurika dear," replied the Admiral. "Of course, it isn't really 'bossing them around.' We call it, 'arbitrating the best course of action in the name of interstellar peace.'"

"Oh," said Yurika. "What's the difference?"

"There isn't one," Ruri Hoshino, her adopted twelve year-old sister, replied cynically.

Admiral Misumaru coughed delicately into his fist.

Yurika went back to gazing out the window. She was starting to get bored when a bright light in the distance gleamed at her. "Oh look, a star!" she cried.

Yurika and Ruri both recited: "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight."

I wish that I'd meet a handsome space-prince and fall in love with him, wished Yurika.

I wish that I wouldn't be surrounded by utter idiots like my sister, wished Ruri.

Yurika began to notice that instead of going out, the star kept getting bigger and bigger. It began to change its color to pink as it entered her vision from the dark side of the planet. And for a star, it began to take a rather odd shape. And that meant...

"Look, Daddy!" exclaimed Yurika cheerfully. "That star looks just like a giant robot!"

"Idiot," muttered Ruri. So much for my wish coming true.

Admiral Misumaru turned to see what Yurika was talking about and gasped. "Operation Meteor! It has begun," he whispered.


Akito snarled at the slowing space shuttle as it entered the atmosphere. "To hell with this!" he cried. He grabbed his gravity-blast buster rifle and cocked it. "Out of my way, you old bitty!"

Suddenly, his radar flashed an alert at him. "Aw, crap!" said Akito. "It's an Earth assault carrier!"


"Target locked on," said Gai's gunner. "Time to wake him up with my machine gun."

"No way!" said Gai. "There's only one way to beat this opponent!"

"You don't mean..." said Gai's exec.

"That's right!" replied Gai. "I'm gonna go out and challenge him with my space-Gangar! That's the way real men fight!"

Gai's crew collectively groaned as he went back into the hangar and boarded his Delphinium.

"But sir!" protested his exec. "Wouldn't a SCRAMJET fighter be better at this altitude?"

"Are you kidding?" retorted Gai. "This is a robot for a real hero to fight in!"

"All right, Mister Yamada..."

"It's Gai Daigouji, you idiot!" And with that, the ace pilot launched.


Akito saw the giant, gray, cylindrical fighter coming toward him. "All right!" a voice cried through an audio only window. "Time to rock 'n' roll! I'll crush you with my wrath, evil colonial scum!"

"What da hell's wrong wit' dis guy?" Akito wondered aloud. Suddenly, another window opened. "That ship's carrying NERGAL robots?" Crap! Crap! Crap! Of all the lousy trajectories! I didn't even want to fight! I just wanted to get to Earth and be a cook! NERGAL can have the stupid robot! But as long as they could keep tabs on him in his fighter, he'd have to obey. All right, thought Akito, one last battle. Then, that's it!

He sighed. "Roger that, mission. Moving to intercept." With that, he turned his robot around with a low snarl at his audio-only window. "All right. You want a piece of me? Come and get it!"

"That's the spirit!" cried Gai. He accelerated to meet his foe. His Delphinium's right hand began to glow brightly, as if infused with a holy light. "Gai Super Reppu!" he cried, punching the fist into the enemy robot. "Passion Smash!"

"Yelling your attacks before you do them? How corny is that?" said Akito. Then the impact of the attack sent him careening into his control panel. "Gah!" he yelled, reflexively bracing himself so that his head didn't hit the console.

Gai watched the mecha plummet to the Earth. "So much for that--yiiiy!" He yelped in a high falsetto as the enemy robot's fist rocketed out at him and narrowly missed. The fist recoiled back to the robot.

"Not bad," said Akito with grudging respect. "Now it's my turn!" Once again he got out his gravity-blast buster rifle.

"We're coming, sir!" Two of Gai's men launched from the carrier in standard fighters.

Akito's face was a stony mask as he diverted his gun from Gai to focus on the incoming threat. He smiled coldly.

"You're mine."

A giant wave of ultra-violet light shot from the rifle, propelling Akito's robot even further into the stratosphere. The blast enveloped the two fighters, the pilots screaming as their ships' hulls began to peel off from around them. Then they themselves were turned into gaseous vapor.

Gai looked on, eyes wide in amazement. "He took out two fighters in just one shot!" he cried. A low growl sounded in his throat. "Now I'm mad!" He charged forth, his emotions exploding from within him. Tears began to run down his cheeks as the adrenaline rushed to his brain, and he began to simultaneously laugh and cry as he attacked his adversary. "Now you're gonna get it, you blankety-blank!"

"Would you shut up and die, already?" snapped Akito. He pulled the trigger on his rifle.

Nothing happened.

"Crap!" said Akito. I forgot that I'm not in a vacuum. It'll take the rifle's PT engine a while to recharge. Oh, the hell with it. He discarded the rifle and took out his sonic knife.

The two rushed to meet each other. As Gai's Delphinium wrapped Akito's robot in a giant bear-hug, Akito stabbed his knife into its power supply.

Sparks flew from Gai's control panel. Then slowly, his mecha died. The ocean rushed up to meet the twosome.

Gai closed his eyes and sighed. I'm sorry, Miss Nanako. Looks like I won't be able to take you to the beach like I promised...

"Sir?" One of his subordinates had opened a communications window.

"Listen to me," said Gai in what he knew was to be his last words. "I may be done for, but the battle wages on. Don't give in to these terrorists! Fight them to the bitter end! Fight them with every breath you take! For mother Earth and for..."

"Sir! May I remind the Lieutenant that he has an emergency parachute for just such a situation as this one, sir!"

"Really?" said Gai. "I mean... I knew that!" He tittered and reached behind his seat to reveal the backpack. Then he opened his robot's hatch and jumped.

"Sir, we've analyzed the enemy robot, and its matter composes of one hundred percent Aestivalium alloy."

"Aestivalium alloy?" Gai pondered this. "So then it is an Aestivalis!"

"We've also received a transmission from a nearby UEAF marina. They're offering to recover the enemy unit, sir."

"Tell them that we'll be happy to let them recover the robot, and let it never be said that NERGAL doesn't know the meaning of teamwork. Good work, gentlemen!"

"Thank you, sir."


Gai's exec gave Gai's communications officer a skeptical look. "'Aestivalium alloy?'" he repeated incredulously.

The comm officer shrugged. "Well, you know it's the kind of plot-twist he's into. Some rare metal that can only be refined in outer space being used to make super-powered, indestructible robots. And besides, now he thinks he found out the name himself, instead of it just being written on the side like that, so he won't feel as bad. I like to humor him. He's a nice guy, all in all. He just... over the top."

The exec shrugged. "Whatever, buddy. It's your call."



Aestivalis Wing will be back in a moment.

(Commercial 1)
We see Yurika on the bridge of the Nadesico. She isn't dressed in her usual uniform, however, but rather a traditional sea-captain's uniform, not unlike Henry Gloval's from Robotech.
Yurika: Hello, I'm Yurika Misumaru, the captain of the Nadesico, and we're planning a big alternate reality for our ship. There's going to be major differences between this universe and the original canon. For instance, we won't have Aestivales. We won't have anybody dying. We won't have an interplanetary war. We won't have a gravity-blast cannon. We won't have any bridge bunnies, either. Nor will we have the Omoikane, the military conspiracies, or any giant space battles.
Ryoko sticks her head in from the top right side of the frame.
Ryoko: We won't have sh[BLEEP]!
Erina sticks her head in from the bottom left side of the frame.
Erina: Well if we don't have any of that, then what do we have? Maybe you should explain that, Captain!
Megumi sticks her head in on top of Erina.
Megumi: Well for starters, I know we'll have lots and lots of dancing!
Izumi sticks her head in just below Ryoko's with Ukelele.
Izumi (singing): The Loooove Boat! Will soon be making...
Everyone groans over her.
Star Liner Nadesico.

(Commercial 2)
[We see Hikaru Amano at a table with some breakfast cereal.]
Announcer: Looking for a great way to wake up? Then try new Cheery-O's! Look how well it works for Hikaru!
Hikaru: Cheery-O's! The happy way to start your day!

(Commercial 3)
[We see the words "Releena Darlan" in Toonami font.]
Announcer: Commander Releena Darlan. She's the youngest member of the Earth Alliance Forces ever to command a space battleship.
[We see an outraged General Septum.]
Septum: She's just a child! How can we turn over our most advanced weapon to her?
Announcer: And as captain of the Nadesico, she's vowed to protect the Earth no matter what the final cost might be.
[We see Releena on the command balcony of the Nadesico's bridge.]
Releena: And remember, our first goal in this mission is to save lives.
Announcer: But even she can't do it alone.
[We see Releena and Heero in a corner of the Nadesico.]
Releena: Just hold me, Heero. Please?
Announcer: Gundam Carrier Nadesico. Weeknights at five-thirty, only on Toonami. Suit up!

And now back to Aestivalis Wing.

Yurika and Ruri quickly refused the offer of a ride home from the military. That is to say that Yurika did, who always preferred walking home to taking a smelly old army jeep. Ruri only tagged along to make sure that she didn't get lost on the way.

Ruri remembered a time, not too long ago, when Yurika had gotten lost on the way home from the spaceport for three days. It was Ruri who had found her, and had discovered that she'd been adopted by a family of stray dogs. After Ruri had made a cursory glance, she had quickly evaluated that Yurika was now in a family that was at least slightly more intelligent than she was, and that they'd take good care of her and make sure her own idiocy wouldn't be a threat to her life. Satisfied with her sister's well-being, Ruri would have left Yurika right there if the Admiral hadn't shown up at that moment to take her home.

That was just last month, and Ruri was now determined that such an ordeal would never happen again. After all, she might have spent those three days doing something worthwhile. And so, now she and Yurika walked along the beach, watching the waves crash along the white sand as the sun set.

"I can't believe it, Ruri," said Yurika. "Daddy barely spent any time with me while we were away at the colonies. Doesn't he know that my birthday's coming up soon?"

"Well, given the fact that he was present at your birth, and hasn't missed any of the last fifteen; I'd say that yes, he does know," said Ruri.

"Gosh, you sure are perceptive for just a kid," replied Yurika. She was about to remark further on that when a loud noise overhead forced her eyes in that direction. As she looked up, her mind quickly took a walk. "Oh, lookie! It's a big army plane!" She began waving. "Hi, Mister Plane! Hi!"

"Hi, Mister Plane," deadpanned Ruri. "Thanks to you, this place isn't a spaceport. Thank you so much, Mister Plane, for cutting me off from my fellow man who are living among the stars."

"Yes!" agreed Yurika, oblivious to Ruri's sarcasm. "Now I have a beach that I can go on long walks on with my predestined love!" She sighed lovingly. "I can't wait until he gets here!"

"Is that him?" asked Ruri dryly, pointing to a man in a space-suit lying face-down on the sand.

Yurika's eyes widened at the body. "Oh my Gosh! It... It must be!" She quickly turned to Ruri. "Stay right here, Ruri." Then she took off down the stairs leading to the beach to meet the fallen man. "Wait right there, my dearest! For your true love awaits!" It was at that precise moment that she tripped. "Ouch! Ooch! Yeowwww!" she cried as she fell down the steps, landing with a loud crash.

Ruri sighed. "I suppose she'll make a complete fool of herself in this continuum, too," she muttered.


The office was dark, and Nagare Akatsuki, Chairman of NERGAL, cloaked himself in shadow. This was because the fluorescent bulb had burnt out, and the custodial department hadn't gotten around to changing it. They'd be the first ones to get laid off when the merger with the Crimson Estate went through. The official merger, at least.

But that could wait. Right then, he was listening to a report from his most trusted Lieutenant.

"So then," said Gai, "I smashed my space-Gangar into that evil Sicoosian scum's giant Aestivalis! It was great!" He giggled maniacally. "It was the toughest battle I ever fought! Yeah!"

"So you're saying you lost three of our fighters?" said Akatsuki. "That won't make the Crimson Estate happy."

"Eep!" said Gai. "I forgot that. But we were up against a robot made of super-duper Aestivalium alloy!"

"You're joking," said Akatsuki.

"No sir, Mister Chairman, sir!" replied Gai.

"No, you have to be," said Akatsuki. "Especially since there's no such thing as Aestivalium alloy. You've been watching too much anime, Gai." His eyes narrowed at the bucket-headed officer. "Now look, I'm counting on you to defend the Earth."

"Defend the Earth!" echoed Gai.

"Preserve peace and liberty for her citizens."

"Peace and liberty!"

"Battle to the bitter end!"

"The bitter end, sir!"

"Are you willing to lay down your life, Lieutenant Daigouji?"

"Ready and willing! Just say the word, and I'll fly straight into the bowels of hell!" cried Gai.

"Good!" said Akatsuki. "Your new assignment is to get that Aestivalis before the UEAF does and bring it directly to me. Understood?"

"Absolutely, Mister Chairman. This is my home! The blue planet Earth! I WILL PROTECT IT!" Practically frothing at the mouth, Gai signed off.

Akatsuki chuckled to himself. "What a putz," he laughed.


If one were to look up the word "two-faced" in the dictionary, one would find a picture of Akatsuki. For even after he had ordered Gai to retrieve the Aestivalis, he headed into the next room to meet with the United Earth Armed Forces' top brass. "I'm sorry I'm late," he said. "I was in an important meeting."

"You lost three fighters over the Pacific Ocean!" cried Admiral Munatake, Chief of Space Forces. "How could you be so careless? You're wasting all of our combat resources!"

"Hey buddy, haven't you ever heard the phrase 'shit happens?'" retorted Akatsuki.

Munatake began tearing his hair out. "How dare you speak to me with such disrespect! I'm an admiral, dammit!"

"You seem a little stressed out, Admiral Munatake," said Admiral Fukube, Chief of Terrestrial Forces. "Have a mint."

But Munatake ignored him. "I'll have you court-martialed for insubordination! And incompetence! And... and... whatever the hell else I can think of!"

It was at this point that Commander-in-Chief Tanaka and Fukube both grabbed Munatake and shoved a handful of mint Tic-Tacs apiece into his mouth. Munatake began chewing the mints, still screaming incoherently even with his mouth full. He swallowed and somehow deflated. "Thanks guys," he sighed. "I needed that." With that, he passed out, his head landing on the table with a loud bang.

Akatsuki chuckled to himself. If this was the best of the UEAF, then NERGAL would have no trouble taking over the world. And if Munatake somehow survived that little coup, then Akatsuki might even have a job for him.

As janitor of the home building, that is.


Meanwhile, Yurika had managed to make it to the man lying on the beach without falling on her butt a second time. "I am here, my darling!" she cried as she took off his helmet. "Now we can begin our new life together."

Somehow, Akito realized what was going on, and his eyes snapped open. "Where am I? What's going on?" His eyes fixed on Yurika. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"I'm your true love!" said Yurika. "I wished upon a star for you to come into my life! And now, like a living dream, you're here! It must be destiny!" She grabbed him into a bone-crushing hug.

"What?" cried Akito. "What are you talking about, you nut? Let go of me!" He broke free from her grasp and scooted away as fast as he could.

Yurika smiled at him. "You don't have to be shy around me, my love! I know exactly how you feel!"

"You don't know anything about me!" screamed Akito. "You're making me unbalanced!" With that, he opened up a compartment at the side of his space-suit and pressed a red button. Then, he slammed his hand against his wrist.

A giant mushroom cloud appeared where Akito once stood as the atomic bomb that was in his suit went off.

Covered with soot and with a hacking cough from all of the dust he had inhaled, Akito emerged from the epicenter, otherwise unharmed. "Did I get her?" he wondered aloud. Then he screamed at the sight before him.

Yurika was still standing there, smiling vapidly at him! And just to drive the point home, she began twirling her blue-black hair around her finger, her vacant blue eyes fixing on him. Well, maybe I could learn to like her. She does have a nice face, after all. Not to mention two of the biggest...

His train of thought was cut off as a siren pierced the air. He looked up to the boardwalk to see an ambulance pull up. It was, of course, Ruri who had called the ambulance. After seeing the space suit that he wore, she had quickly determined that he wasn't one of the beach bums who were usually passed out drunk in this area, but rather a soldier in possible need of medical attention.

However, this one time Ruri had been wrong, and as the emergency medical technicians ran toward Akito, the space-man quickly rushed up the stairs, knocking the men off the steps. He then smashed through the window of the ambulance and took off in it.

"You see?" said Yurika as Ruri walked down to the beach to meet her. "He's already going to get me an engagement ring!"

"Actually, it looks more to me like you scared him away," replied Ruri. She looked down at the EMTs. "But still, it might have been nice of him to at least introduce himself before knocking everyone down and stealing an ambulance. These military men have no manners at all." With that, she lead Yurika away from the crime scene.


That night, at a nearby NERGAL robot factory, explosions rocked the building. A NERGAL Delphinium turned to its comrade. "Are we under attack?" its pilot asked.

"Get a clue, Sherlock!" came his teammate's reply.

Suddenly a giant red robot unlike any they'd ever encountered before appeared before them. "Congratulations, pal!" its pilot said. "You just asked the stupidest question of the year!" Its fist rocketed out at the enemy, punching a hole in its adversary's armor. "And here's your prize!" added the pilot. The Delphinium exploded in a hail of shrapnel.

"It's a demon!" cried the other pilot right before the same thing happened to him.

As reinforcements arrived, the infiltrator quickly took out a machine gun from a hidden compartment and opened fire.

"Ryoko to Mission," the pilot said. "Aestivalis Red Demon is kickin' ass and takin' names!"

Satsuke Midore Alpha Colony native Ryoko Subaru smiled grimly as her Aestivalis' distortion field absorbed or deflected the enemy weapons blasts.


On the other side of the world, yet another Aestivalis--this one navy blue--was engaged in another battle.

"I am come again," said its pilot as it darted around, almost negligently destroying NERGAL fighters at an enemy spaceport, "turning hope into despair and victory into death... except for me, that is! Heh-heh-heh-heh!"

It fired off its missiles at one of the towers. "Lots of corny dialogue! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Izumi Maki, native of Colony Satsuke Midore Gamma and pilot of Aestivalis Black Widow, barely cracked a smile as the warheads reached their target. "You're a vicious bastard, Rotelli," she muttered, "and I'm glad you're dead." Then, as if what she had just said were some phenomenally funny joke, she once again broke into giggle fits, her maniacal laughter echoing over the smoldering remains of the spaceport.


In the deserts of Arizona, Goat Hory, Captain of the U.S. Manga Corps, watched in silent amusement as the NERGAL units searched out the capsule in which his new leader had arrived. He opened a window. "Seelie, is everything in position?"

Seelie saluted her commanding officer. "Everything's ready. Those NERGAL goons won't know what hit them."

Another window opened to reveal Prospector. The former accountant turned robot pilot flashed Gort the V sign. "Yes, and those robots their piloting should set NERGAL back a pretty penny."

"All right, everyone: Attack!"

It was a short, vicious fight--one in which the NERGAL commander had no idea what was happening. Yet this was understandable given the fact that they were red-shirts. However, even as the gold Aestivalis took the field, its pilot realized just how much of a mismatch this was, and decided to do the humane thing.

"Hey," she said. "If you surrender now, we'll let you live. And we'll even give you a free Gekigangar fanfic!"

"Surrender?" repeated the enemy commander. "Death first, you evil desert sand-dog!"

"That was great!" said the Aestivalis Pilot. "Did you invent that yourself, or did you steal it from someplace?"

As the leader charged toward the Aestivalis, she quickly activated her distortion field and flew right through the enemy robot, cutting it neatly in half. Both parts exploded a heartbeat later.

Hikaru Amano, resident of Satsuke Midore Theta colony and pilot of Galaxy Fraulein Aestivalis, opened an audio only window. "Hikaru reporting: I've destroyed the enemy leader." She turned to the smoldering wreckage that had been the commander's robot. "I told you to surrender. But that's okay, because now I have that really corny line you said for my next comic book!"


In the dead of night on the Pacific Ocean, another convoy of ships was under attack. "Gekigan Punch!" cried the pilot of an Aestivalis styled with the color scheme of Gekigangar 3. The Aestivalis' fist rocketed into the ship's bridge, smashing it until an explosion sent smoke and fire billowing into the sky.

"I am Tsukomo Shiratori, defender of justice," said the pilot of Aestivalis Ken Tenku. "I won't hide my deeds. Look now upon the byproduct of your war-mongering society."

With a vengeance and a penchant for his own brand of corn, the Jupiter Colony native continued the attack.


Aboard Gai's new submarine, Gai's exec turned to the communications officer. "Any word on the recovery process?" he asked.

"The UEAF marina just dispatched some ships," replied the officer.

Suddenly, Gai burst onto the bridge. "Hey you guys, check this out!" he cried, holding up a picture. "This Aestivalis looks just like Gekigangar! See?" He waved the photo in his exec's face.

"Wait a minute, sir!" said Gai's exec. "Are you telling me that there are two of these things?"

"Are you kidding?" cried Gai. "There are even more! Like the one that attacked the factory. And what about the one that attacked the spaceport? And then there's the one that managed to wipe out a battalion of NERGAL robots investigating a landing just like us!"

Gai's communications officer paled. "You're kidding," he breathed.

"No, I'm not," said Gai. "So we should consider ourselves fortunate, comrades, that we came out of our sortie alive. Thanks in no small part to my great piloting skills!" He looked into the middle-distance. "Evil Aestivales, fear my wrath!"

The crew collectively groaned.


The next day was school for Yurika, and lunchtime rolled around quickly. Of course, it always did when you slept in class, but that was beside the point. And so after hastily wiping the drool off of her desk, she went to the cafeteria.

"Did you have a nice nap, Miss Yurika?" asked Yurika's first sycophantic friend.

"Wonderful, thanks," said Yurika cheerfully.

"You look so pretty today, Miss Yurika," said Yurika's second sycophantic friend.

"Why thank you!" replied Yurika.

"I wish I could be just like you, Miss Yurika," said Yurika's third sycophantic friend.

"Well, give it time and I'm sure it'll come," advised Yurika.

"Gee, if everyone likes Yurika so much, then maybe she should be President of The Fashion Club!" said Sandi Griffin, who decided to make a cameo at that moment.

"Sure!" said Yurika as she entered the cafeteria. "I'd be glad to!"

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Akito cheerfully chopped up fresh broccoli for the cream of broccoli soup. Now this was a job that he could get into! Not only was he an assistant chef at a prestigious preparatory school, but now he was also part of a team of elite caterers! And the pay-scale was great, too!

"Hey, Akito!" said his new boss. "Eri's going on break, now. Could you take over serving for her?"

"Sure thing," replied Akito. He put the knife down and walked into the serving area...

...to stare directly at

her!

Akito began to tremble as he pointed a shaking finger at the girl standing before him. "Y-y-y-you're that nutbar from the beach!" he cried.

"My sweetheart!" cried Yurika. "I knew I'd find you again!" She looked at his nametag. "'Akito Tenkawa,'" she read. "So that's your name! Akito. It's such a beautiful name. And for such a handsome man, too!"

"Do you know this guy, Yurika?" asked Yurika's second sycophantic friend.

"Mm-hmm," said Yurika. She clutched her breast. "Akito's my knight in shining armor! He was sent from the stars to be my one true love!"

"Oh, he is so handsome!" said Yurika's first sycophantic friend. "You're so lucky, Miss Yurika."

"Now listen!" cried Akito. "I'm not your true love, I'm a freaking cook! Now I've got to serve all of these kids their lunches, so just shut up!"

"I understand perfectly, my dearest," said Yurika. "You need to fulfill your duties before there'll be time for us. Don't worry, I'll wait."

Akito fell over.


"They're both idiots," said Ruri from a nearby table. At the same table, Ruri's sycophantic friends nodded in agreement.

"You're all idiots, too," said Ruri to her sycophantic friends.

Scowling, Ruri's ex-sycophantic friends all got up. As they left the table, Ruri broke into a Mona Lisa smile.


Later, on break, Akito stood at the balcony, bitterly watching the sun set. This was going to be the perfect job. A job with great pay and prestige, even while doing something he enjoyed doing. But then that... that lunatic showed up again! What was he going to do with her?

"Akiiiiiiiiiiito!" Akito jumped and spun around to see Yurika with an army of sycophantic friends at her back standing next to him, holding an envelope. "Here," she said. "It's an invitation to my birthday party tomorrow. Since you are the love of my life, I thought you'd like to come."

As Akito took the invitation, Yurika's sycophantic friends all burst into polite preppy applause (better known as the Golf-clap). They kept doing it right until Akito tore the invitation neatly in half.

As a stray gust of wind worked its way between the twosome, Yurika's eyes began to tear up. "But... but why?" she asked, dumbfounded. A tear began to roll down her cheek.

As Akito walked toward her, his hand reached out to brush the tear from her eye. Yurika smiled, and he tilted his head toward hers--his mouth so close to her ear that when he spoke, his breath was hot on her skin.

"I'll kill you."

Yurika's jaw dropped, her eyes wide in astonished horror. Meanwhile, Akito merely walked off casually, as if for a small stroll before retiring for the evening.

Yurika whirled to face Akito's retreating form as an even stronger gust of wind blew, moaning in the trees as it went through Yurika's hair. "Y... you'd kill me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You'd really kill me?"

And then, in a flash, she understood so clearly what he'd meant.

"I'll kill you with luuuuuuuv," said Akito as he held her in his arms.

Yurika sighed contentedly. "Slay me," she breathed.

With a giggle, Yurika clutched her breast.

"It's just like one of those hard-boiled detective novels!" she cried exuberantly.

To Be Continued

Ending theme: Nadesico ending animation redubbed with "It's Just Love" (Gundam Wing ending theme.)

Next Episode

Ryoko: "All right, enough of this mushy crap! In the next episode of Aestivalis Wing, there's gonna be nothing but action as I take my Aestivalis into an undersea battle!"

Hikaru: "Are you sure there's no romance in the next episode? After all, it's the one where you meet..."

[Does Akito kill Yurika?]Hikaru and Izumi: "Tenkawa!"

Ryoko: "Oh, shut up, you two! Hey, wait a minute! I'm playing a male role in this series! There's no way we can go out together! Ha! I've got you both beat this time!"

[What is Izumi's mysterious past?]Hikaru: "Hey Izumi, want to see my new Heero-Duo yaoi comic?"

Ryoko: "Mmmmrrrr... YOU MAKE ME SICK!"

Hikaru and Izumi: "Tenkawa, Tenkawa, Tenkawa, Tenkawa!"

[Witness the awesome power of Gai's Blue Sub no. 6 ...not!]Ryoko: "Next time in Aestivalis Wing episode 2...

The Demoness Ryoko


and I don't mean the one from Tenchi, either!"

Episode 1 Cast1

Heero Yui Akito Tenkawa(1)2 Duo MaxwellLt. Ryoko Subaru(4)3 Trowa BartonIzumi Maki(4) Quatre Rebabra WinnerHikaru Amano(4) Wufei ChangLt. Cmdr. Tsukomo Shiratori(15) Milliardo "Zechs Merquise" PeacecraftLt. Jiro "Gai Daigouji" Yamada(1) Releena DarlanCapt. Yurika Misumaru(1) Releena Peacecraft4Lt. Ruri Hoshino(1) Vice Foreign Minister DarlanAdmiral Misumaru(1) Trieze KushrinadaNagare Akatsuki(7) General SeptumAdmiral Munatake(1) Marshal NoventaFleet Admiral Saburo Tanaka, FEC(3) Terrestrial Forces GeneralAdmiral Jin Fukube(1) RasheedGoat Hory(1) Manga Corps PilotProspector(1) Manga Corps PilotSeelie(13)
Wing GundamAkito's Aestivalis5 Gundam DeathscytheAestivalis Red Demon Gundam HeavyarmsAestivalis Black Widow Gundam SandrockGalaxy Fraulein Aestivalis Shenlong GundamAestivalis Ken Tenku MS LeoDelphinium Robot Fighter MS AriesSCRAMJET Fighter
Earth AlllianceUnited Earth Armed Forces OZNERGAL Romafeller OrganizationCrimson Estate Maguanok CorpsU.S. Manga Corps

Notes

Izumi Maki's parting shot is from the 1989 Batman movie.

Sandi Griffin is the perpetually jealous President of The Fashion Club in MTV's Daria.

U.S. Manga Corps is the name of a commercial anime distributor.

And I just thought I'd mention that this is the first time I've ever had Yurika and Akito really interact. Pretty cool, huh?



1. Casting may change from episode to episode Back

2. Episode of Nadesico in which each character first appeared. Back

3. No, she isn't going to be Noin. I don't cast based on Seiyuu. That's just stupid. Back

4. Releena is played by both Yurika and Ruri. Yurika is representative of Releena's ditzy Heero-chasing side, while Ruri role as Releena will be primarily for the Sanq Kingdom arc. And my apologies to all Yurika fans--I know I've just effectively put the proverbial "kick me" sign on her back. Back

5. Akito's Aestivalis has no real name as of yet. Back













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