Shining Dreams Act III: Blinded Phobia of Nightmares

[GaoAdvent]

In Area 0, there was a large secret underground laboratory hidden below the tower during the Shattered Memory Incident. No one knows the location of the lab or the entrance in that matter. No one except for the three clones of Jiro who wear the three Phantoma Armors that appeared three months ago. To the three of them, the lab was their home, their haven of darkness cast from the world. Even in the schematics of the tower, the underground lab was omitted to ensure its secrecy.

They gather inside the labs, the darkness filled the room with a cold air. Their eyes glowed in the darkness as beasts from the other world until the lights slowly turned on and revealed everything inside.

"We're home." said Asuka. The armor of the Phantoma Nightmare disappears from her body and she appears as her normal self. The other two did the same with their Phantoma Armors. She walked through the labs passing through human sized capsules, each containing a sleeping imperfect copy of Jiro. Because of the numerous experiments caused to their bodies and minds, a majority of the clones were placed in an eternal slumber only able to live from within the capsules. "Little brothers, little sisters, elder brothers, elder sisters. I have many things to tell all of you." she said as she walked past them. "Today, I met our big brother, the first child created from Jiro's cells. I met him as Leon, a Metal Hunter. He played with me in the skies, it was as if we were dancing through the clouds." she giggled.

"Give it rest already, Asuka. They can't hear you. They're in an endless limbo between this world and the next. These capsules are proof enough that they can't survive anywhere else." said Rion in disgust.

Asuka turned around and glared at Rion with a bone-chilling expression in her eyes. "Why would you say that?! Of course they can hear my voice! Haven't you heard of what those in the outside world call a soul?" she said in anger. The reaction she had given made Rion stepped back out of fear and left him speechless. She turned back to the capsules after calming down and placed her hand on one of them feeling the cold touch from the glass in front of the sleeping clone. "They're alive, that's all that matters, right? We just need to reawaken them, somehow...."

"Asuka, don't worry." Haken placed his hand on her shoulder without having to see where she was. "The second phase of our plan will be ready soon. We'll get back the Type R and the cells of Jiro very soon. They'll reawaken someday, just wait." he said in a gentle voice.

"Thanks, Haken. But I don't really need any sympathy right now. I know what we have to do." Asuka smiled. She removes her hand from the capsule and continues walking through the labs.

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Gin left the hideout after the Veil went on his own. Now that things were settled at the moment, he decides to go to the Metal Hunters HQ. Using his Perfect Armor, the Phantoma Weissritter Custom, he makes his trip from his hideout in Area 02 to Area 12 much shorter than walking on foot.

[AuraBandit]

bump!

[AuraBandit]

bump! Again!

[GaoAdvent]

After a short intermission, Gin managed to get to Area 12 without difficulties thanks to the flight ability of the Phantoma Weissritter. He descends upon the Metal Hunter HQ and is stared upon in awe by the other Metal Hunters. They recognized his armor as the White Knight, one of the twin armors that was used by Gin and Jiro.

"It's been far too long since I left this place. Everyone remembers me, not like I was under the radar the whole time." Gin walks right inside through the front door and looks for the infirmary where Mia should be.

"Hm? G-Gin! You're here!" said Kyo as he ran down the hallway to greet him.

"The one and only." Gin responded as he walked onward finding Mia's room.

"The former leader of Squad 0 and the best of the best in the Metal Hunters. I heard from the other Squads that they saw the White Knight descended here in the HQ. I knew it had to be you." said Kyo.

"Those guys still haven't gotten their armors airborne yet, I assume." Gin said and eventually he finds Mia's room. "Anyway, I got some business to attend to. See ya around." he opens the door and enters the room where Mia is resting.

Mia looked at the opened door an suddenly her eyes widened. "G-Gin!! You're here!!"

[AuraBandit]

Zeke looked at Gin, and some form of angry passed through his eyes. He stood up and walked over to the man, his hands in fist.

"It's been a long time..Gin."

[GaoAdvent]

"Zeke, long time no see. Seven years I think." said Gin as he stepped inside with a smile. He walks closer to Mia's side and pats her head with his right hand. "I didn't come here for any personal business with an old Squad, I only came to see how Mia is doing and it seems she's doing fine." he saw tears running down Mia's face when she saw him as if she were reuniting with a beloved. That or she is revisiting an emotional scene from her favorite shows.

"Gin, you're back...we all missed you...Leon, Kain, Blaze, Mitsuki, all of the Metal Hunters and myself as well..." Mia said to Gin with tears in her eyes.

Gin wipes the tears off of Mia's face and smile at her. "It's alright, I'm here and this time, I will protect you. I swear it on my life." he said to cheer her up then turns around to face Zeke. "I met up with your 'brother' Yami. He's done alot of tuning with that Giga Overlord. It can even fly just like my Phantoma Weissritter Custom. Did he do that himself or did you help him? Either way, I can already tell that his customization was not just out of competition. He's not well, is he?" he stated towards Zeke about Yami and the Giga Overlord. "His sanity is being weakened and he'll eventually go berserk. That armor he wears it has limiters of some sort, doesn't it?"

[AuraBandit]

"What Yami does to his armor, is his business. I only do what I can to restrain himself. Those limiters are the only thing keeping him from losing it and wiping this city of all life. Including the rouges."

Zeke spoked, his voice with a small hint of angry, but disappearing slowly. He knew it wasn't Gin's fought that this was happening to Yami. But these connections. The clones of Jiro, Area 0. The Shattered Memory incedent. All seemed to connected with the disappearance of Gin months ago.

"So what have you been up to?"