What's up, everyone! This is GKC here bringing you the next chapter to Limitless Origin. Don't care if you read it or not, it's just a hobby anyway.

The last chapter featured the Strider Armor and a brief appearance of Dracon, the Azure Dragon. But what does he seek from Origin?

Now for the disclaimer: I do not own, except my OCs, Gundam or Freezing. All rights belong to their respective owners.

Now let's get this party started… BEGIN!

The Limitless Origin

Chapter 4: Origin vs Dracon! Awakened Beast

[West Genetics]

(Origin's POV)

After my mock battle with Chiffon Fairchild and her teammates, I seemed to have been the talk of the entire academy.

There wasn't a human I haven't gone by that didn't look at me with awe or respect. No longer did they look upon me with fear or disgust. They saw me as something that deserved to be revered.

It was honestly annoying...

Though it did little except draw the humans closer. For instance, Ms. Fairchild would greet me whenever I desired to wander the halls. Ticy would come by my quarters to 'check-up' on me, so to speak. Elizabeth, despite her humiliating defeat, gave me a respectful greeting whenever we crossed each other in the halls.

Then there was that blonde woman… Satellizer.

Wherever I went, I'd see her or at least, catch a glimpse of her seemingly stalking me. The thought of what this girl wanted seemed to escape my processor.

"There you are."

Speak of the Devil and she shall appear...

I turned on my heel until my optics landed on the Pandora I fought the first day I got here, Satellizer. "Is there something you want?" I asked a bit irritated even when I knew that it was illogical of me.

"Fight me." Satellizer demanded.

...

...

"Excuse me?" I said in slight confusion and disbelief.

"I said, I want you to fight me." The buxom blonde repeated.

"Is there a particular reason why?" I asked.

Satellizer stared at me in silence.

"Fighting me without a reason is a waste of my time and energy." Honestly, this girl isn't make much sense. Her file clearly stated that she was antisocial, psychopathic, and apparently has an aversion to being touched.

The blonde gave me a look of irritation. "I want to get stronger."

"Huh?" Did I hear that right? "Why would you need me to help you get stronger? The last time we faced each other, you took my arm."

She looked rather… embarrassed? "I… apologize," Satellizer said, rather forced.

"Say again?" I inclined my helm.

She grumbled and I noticed an area of her cheeks began to color, "I said… I'm sorry."

I was taken aback by her response briefly. After that, I regained my composure and focused steadily on her eyes. "It takes more than an apology to sway me."

Her lips curled in distaste. Her hand reached up to her uniform collar and started to pull down-

"That's not what I meant!?" I quickly exclaimed, stopping her from possibly embarrassing herself. Although I did find myself a bit...flustered?

Strange. I've never been flustered before… except for that one time when Doctor Kojima came to my repair berth in a nightdress. Why do human females feel the need to show… skin?

That baffled me.

"Then what did you mean?" Satellizer asked.

"Certainly not that. Besides, I can't procreate." I tapped my metal body in emphasis. "Entirely synthetic."

She seemed to become a bit embarrassed.

"What is it?" I questioned.

"N-nothing," Satellizer replied.

I tilted my head to the side a bit. Obviously, I didn't believe her.

Still, I had to give her credit. Despite being rather unhinged, the Pandora was quite a powerful individual. Not many could remove an arm from a Gundam or cut through armor designed to resist Nova-based attacks, including Anti-Nova weaponry like the Volt Weapons.

"If you wish to test your skills against me then I will gladly welcome the challenge." I said, earning a look of surprise from the blonde. "However, do not expect me to go easy on you. I will be fighting with the intent to kill. That's how a real battle is fought. Do you understand?"

She seemed to get the idea, but a grin crossed her face at the thought of a challenge.

"Plus it will give me a reason to avoid some… unwanted attention from your classmates." I added, still uncomfortable from the many looks I received from other Pandoras and Limiters.

"When do you wish to fight?" she asked.

I was about to suggest a time and date when I received an incoming message from someone I did not expect...

'Origin. Meet me at these coordinates.'

My HUD focused solely on the sender's ID: Dracon.

"I'll have to postpone our date another day. I have important business to attend to." I informed Satellizer.

That threw her off. She blinked. "What?!" she blurted. "What kind of business?"

"Unfortunately, that is none of yours." Turning on my heel, I marched off to find an open area to take off.

Of course, I had no idea what I was in for.

[Siberian Outskirts]

The flight felt short, even with the miles of distance between Japan and Europe, but time was a concept lost upon me.

My boots touched down in the dirt. Optics scanning the area for any sign of my old Gundam ally.

"Dracon," I called out. "I know you're here. Show yourself."

The brush moved, and then a figure emerged. Dark blue armor… violet optics, and a golden V-fin. That tattered cloak of his… and the familiar draconic wings on his back. "Good. I see you received my message," came the reply.

Dracon. One of my brothers.

He didn't look much different from the day we last met.

He still wore that cloak of his, but it was now a bit more tattered at the bottom. If my memory files were correct, his arsenal still contained an array of eight fin funnels and four beam sabers. The shield on his left arm possessed four Dracon fang funnels, and within it rested a Hyper Beam Sword. On his shoulders were two missile pods, and a pair of beam pistols were clasped to his side skirt armor. His beam magnum was his most powerful handheld weapon, but it was his Beam Burst Gun that was truly his most devastating; he had wiped out an entire group of Nova with it.

But there was an air about him that still made me wary. Even back during the 7th Nova Clash, that air was always present.

"It's been years," Dracon mused. "And yet… you still remain the same."

"I could say the same about you, brother." I replied in turn.

A noise akin to a snort escaped his vocalizer. "Hardly. You and I may have been born from the same program… that much is true. But we were never brothers, nor kin. That is a difference between us," Dracon said.

Those words threw me off guard.

"What are you saying? Blood though we may not be, we are still Gundams. Kin. Why would you deny that?" I inquired.

"Because of one thing." Dracon's violet optics flashed. "You still think like a machine. Even after all this time. I may be a Gundam, but unlike most others… I still remember." His tone of voice made me wary now.

"So you've regained your human memories." My optics narrowed. "That does not mean you are still a man."

"No. I said I still remember. Meaning, I always had them. Maybe not all when I first woke up, but enough to know my real identity!" Dracon shot back. "That is what separates us! I maintained that this whole time, unlike so many others who never regained that part of themselves, the part that was stripped during the process!" His optics flashed as he tensed. "That is why I say we are not kin. We may be of the same breed… at least physically, but not mentally. Get the idea?"

"Then you're no longer a Gundam in my optics." I spat, my servos grasping both beam sabers. "In that case, I must recover your armor and weapons."

Dracon just laughed. "As if you can. I've always been one of the strongest. But…" He threw open his cloak to expose his frame, but something around his neck caught my optic. It was a small locket of sorts. "If you think you can, try it!"

Then he said something that threw me for a loop. "Can you fight without a reason?"

"A reason?" I repeated.

"Yes. A reason. Why do you fight, Origin? Why do you fight?" he asked me.

"Because I'm ordered to." I replied. "There is no need for reason."

"Then you're weak." Those three words were like an insult. "You're weak. Because if you only fight on orders… Then you don't know what it means!" Dracon spat, his wings flaring open.

"Watch your tone, Dracon." I warned him. "Strongest though you might've been once, I've grown stronger."

"Strength doesn't mean a thing unless you have a reason to fight!" he growled. "And also… you're too close-minded. Strength and logic isn't everything in a fight!"

"Tell that to the numerous human terrorists that believed in a higher power to spare their pathetic lives." Came my retort.

"Not that kind of reason," Dracon replied. "I mean… what makes you want to give it your all? What makes you want to fight? What drives you when the chips are down? What is it… that you'd risk your life for?!"

The way he spoke indicated something else was amiss. I needed answers.

"Enlighten me…"

Dracon's hand went for the locket around his neck. "Unlike you… I never believed in following orders alone. I had a reason to fight. And I still do. Even now. Because… I've found something that makes my fighting the Nova all the more important." He clenched it, but not too tightly.

"I've found friends. Real friends. Not other Gundams… but humans. People who I was ordered to kill. But I couldn't do it. You know why? Not because I was weak. But because… I saw myself in them. I saw how they saw me. And it terrified me. I hated it. So I spared them. But when I was ordered to kill them again… I refused and instead saved them," he explained. "And in my surprise, when I was downed by an enemy, they saved me. They repaired me, and we started hanging out when I had time off for maintenance. We became close… and I found my reason during the 7th Nova Clash. That is why I fought so hard. I was fighting for them. For their safety… and for their lives." He looked at me with hard optics.

"So, Origin… You think strength and logic is what defines us as Gundams? Well… you'll see that maybe Veltro wasn't wrong about what he was doing. He had a reason to fight… and so do I. Orders… why fight on orders alone? That is what makes us different!"

"Enough!" I shouted, silencing anymore of his self-righteous blasphemy. "A traitor like him… never deserved to be a Gundam! He wanted to be something he could never be again! Something none of us can be again! Human! You say you need a reason to fight? Then let me ask you this… why come to me now? Why do you dare to stand in my way?" He remained silent. "You're a fool. We're Gundams. Devils made from metal and flesh. We are not human. Therefore, we have no need to act human. Our bodies are immortal. We'll outlive humanity long after and we'll continue to live until we cease to function. In a century, your so-called 'friends' will be dead from either old age or from other means if not the Nova. So why bother with the effort of forming attachments?"

"Because that is what it means to be human!" Dracon shouted. "True they may die, but that's why I fight extra hard, so they can live to old age! I care about them! Something you don't even know how to do anymore! Let me ask you something, Origin! If you weren't ordered to fight, would you?!" He got into a fighting stance as he said this.

Now that was a question that… why would he even ask such a silly question?!

Yet why do I feel… hesitant?

That was all he needed to attack. He was on the move, his thrusters roaring as he whipped out his Hyper Beam Sword. "That is what you need to find out!" he screamed as he prepared to bring the sword down on my helm. "And unlike you, I refuse to be labeled as a devil! I am not a devil… I am a defender!"

My programming took over, forcing me to leap out of the way and lash out with a kick at Dracon.

But he saw it coming, and he whipped his own leg around, locking our legs together. But his strength was still somewhat greater, as his secret weapon activated at that moment: a glowing greenish-white light came from segments of his armor as it slid open, boosting his strength somewhat. "Nice try!" he retorted as he pushed my leg aside and punched, slugging me in the faceplate.

I used the momentum to spin me around and deliver a fierce left hook across his face.

He grunted from the impact, but he rolled to the left using the force to come to a rest on one knee. He rubbed the dent on his faceplate. Dracon was then on the move, lunging to the right as he aimed his signature weapon at me.

Oh...

I barely had anytime to avoid the blast when I ignited my thrusters to evade the shot.

The beam split into six smaller shots, each one striking the ground, but one of them barely clipped my leg. I had almost forgotten about that property.

I retaliated by firing my Vulcans at him. But he was faster at throwing his shield up in the nick of time. The bullets bounced off it. However, this gave me the chance to lunge forward and drive my knee joint right into his chassis.

Dracon was caught off guard as he rolled, dropping his shield as he skidded on his chest for a few meters. Groaning, he pushed himself into a sitting position, only to get back on his feet and grasp his beam magnum. He pulled it free from his flight pack and aimed it.

I was already moving. Beam sabers in hand while firing my Vulcans to disrupt his aim.

Dracon was forced to keep on the move as well, but his optics flicked to his shield as he hummed thoughtfully. He leapt to the side and fired one shot from his magnum before running back around to the right.

I dodged on reflex. Whatever the fool had planned, it would not stop me. I had to finish this battle and defeat Dracon once and for all. "You're only delaying the inevitable, Dracon."

"Not a chance!" he shot back. Then it happened.

Eight beams of light reached out from hidden spots, and it was then I realized what he had been planning.

"A trap!" I exclaimed in surprise.

The dark blue Gundam said nothing as he moved, his fin funnels darting out of hiding and flitting around the battlefield, keeping me on the defensive. Now I remembered why he was considered one of the strongest. His fin funnels were a big advantage.

If I was going to get out of this, I needed speed on my side. In that case...

Commence Strider Armor Launch…

…

Coordinates received! Launching!

"I'll admit. I didn't expect that, Dracon," I complimented the dark blue warrior. "But you're not the only one who has a few tricks up their sleeve."

Dracon perked up. "Oh yeah?" he asked, although his frame was tense as he came to a hover, his fin funnels floating around him. "Well… We'll see…" His voice trailed off.

A glint behind him caught my attention. A mental grin appeared in my processor. "Perfect…" I said quietly.

Before Dracon knew it, an orange blur rammed into him, knocking the dark blue Gundam out of the air as the wolf-like Strider Armor flew towards me. He righted himself in midair and stared in shock.

I leapt into the air, "Origin, Power-Link!" At my command, the Strider Armor separated into separate pieces. My feet folded upwards as orange armor locked onto the joints and formed the claws. My forearms retracted into my wing thrusters while white-orange armguards slammed into my elbows, locking in place and producing black fingers with golden razor sharp nails. An orange chestplate with the head of a wolf locked in place on my chassis as the lupine's head released a howl. My helmet came off only to be replaced by an orange, white, and golden helm shaped like a wolf's head with the antenna horns looking like a pair of dog ears. My optics turned from yellow to an acid green. A bladed tail sealed onto my skirt armor and coiled like a snake ready to pounce.

"Strider Origin!" I evoked, posing with my claws out and my stance mimicking that of a wild beast.

"... So you did learn something new," Dracon hummed thoughtfully. "But even so…" He spread his wings. "Don't count me out yet!" He fired his fin funnels again, only this time not at me, but at the ground, throwing up dust and smoke as a result.

"A dust cloud won't save you." Energy began to build up into the head of the wolf on my chest. "Lupus Howl!" A resounding howl from the wolf's head released a devastating soundwave that dispersed the dust and matter around me.

But Dracon was gone. He had apparently used the dust cloud to retreat to a safer distance. And boy, was I right. He was there, hovering right near the corner of the battlefield, his fin funnels missing again. No doubt in new positions, if what I remembered of him was correct.

"You underestimate me, fool!" My Strider form possessed heightened senses. Senses that belonged only to an animal, but I would use them to eviscerate this traitorous piece of tin. "In this form, I'm faster than anyone on Earth!"

"I'd say you're lying, but I'm not stupid!" came his retort. His optics flashed, and then he was on the move, and then his shoulder missile pods opened, firing off a pair of missiles right for me.

The pitiful fool.

Unleashing my Strider Claws from my forearm gauntlets, I dashed forward with my newly acquired speed. Everything around me moved at a slower pace. However, in reality, I was faster. The three Pandoras I faced before never stood a chance against me in this form.

The moment I drew close to the missiles, my claws struck, slicing through the explosives and continued my advance upon my prey. Animalistic instincts taking over as my optics flared for destruction.

But he had apparently planned ahead, for then eight beams of light sped out and interlaced, forming a barrier in front of him. The beam barrier stopped my advance as I slammed into it.

Though it did not stop me from using my speed to attack the fin funnels, embedding my claws in each of the Psycommu weapons in a matter of seconds.

Dracon was on the move again, this time aiming his beam burst gun and firing it again, no doubt relying on the wide spread it gave him. He hissed through his vents as he called back his funnels, all eight of them smoking to some degree; my attack had rendered them somewhat useless, but if they could still move, then that was an issue that I would correct next time he tried something with them.

My speed and agility allowed me the advantage to avoid the burst fire then drew close. "It's over, Dracon!" My optics appeared right in front of his. "You die here!" My right claw began to heat up with energy.

"I don't think so!" he cried, suddenly springing off the wall, and attacking me head on, his hands lashing out and colliding with mine, his fingers interlocking with mine. "A little trick I picked up from one of my friends!"

"Fool. You've made a big mistake allowing me this close." The wolf head on my chest opened, revealing a hidden beam cannon.

"Have I?!" he growled, seeming to smirk.

"You won't live for long." I narrowed my optics, charging energy in my Wolf Cannon.

"Like I said… there's a reason I was the strongest! Not because of my arsenal… but because of my creativity!" he shouted. The last thing I expected was for him to suddenly slam his head into mine, disrupting my focus, and then he was retreating from me to get some distance.

A growl escaped my nonexistent throat. "For that, I'll tear out your spark!"

But he wasn't having it. "You're still weak!" he growled. "Despite your little upgrade. You still lack something critical. A reason to fight. Orders aren't a good enough reason in my book!"

"Then my reason for fighting will be to exterminate traitors like you!" I roared, leaping at him with my claws out and ready to pierce his chassis.

Dracon chuckled. "Still won't work," he remarked, seeming to mock me. "You only fight for one thing. Yourself. It's all you can do. Follow orders because you feel it's who you are. But that's not the case. You said it yourself. We were human once. And some of us still remember that feeling. But you… you've not regained one thing about your past." He paused then spoke again. "Who are you, Origin? Who are you? A mere machine? Or do you not wish to know about your past? Because if you know… then you may find your real reason to fight."

"Shut up!" I yelled, rearing my right claw back. "Strider Burning Claw!" I lunged a glowing red claw at Dracon. Animalistic instincts and unrepressed rage overcharging my circuits.

But he dodged it! That surprised me. At least until my other claw came around and gashed his right arm. He grunted as he went rolling and landed on the ground, holding it. He panted a bit, seeming to smirk. "Heh. You feel it… don't you? You may think logically… but that attack… I could hear it in your voice… fury… rage… anger. Human emotion." He shot his gaze up and stood back up. "You still have them. Emotions. You can't deny that."

"Shut up!" I shouted. "I'm not human! I'm a Gundam! A devil! I don't need emotions! I don't need a reason!" A flash of what I could only believe to be a pain filled my head. "AGH!" My servos went to my helm. I've never felt pain before… it hurt. It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt!

A smiling woman with tears of joy...

A crying child with dark hair…

A monsterous, crystalline being encased in armor…

A shadow with glowing red eyes awakening...

"RRRAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!" I roared from the painful visions. My optics flashing between red and green rapidly as my mask began to split open to reveal a glowing fanged mouth.

Dracon seemed to smile. Until he froze in shock when he noticed something different about me… "Oh… shit…!" he muttered. "They didn't…!"

My glowing red eyes settled on him. A need to destroy coursed within my core.

A bestial roar escaped my vocalizer as I pounced upon him with deranged glee.

Must destroy...

Destroy...

Destroy!

Destroy! Destroy! Destroy! DESTROY!

(3rd POV)

Dracon's optics widened in fear before he lashed out with a foot, kicking the deranged mecha off him and rolling to the right, going over what battle plans he had. Based on what he was seeing, he'd need to be faster and more cunning than this beast. Well, more like fully cunning. If what he saw was anything to go by, then Origin was nothing more than an animal. And wild animals couldn't think clearly.

As the orange mech pounced again, Dracon leapt to the left, his fist lashing out and colliding with the mecha's faceplate. Then he whipped his left foot around in a kick, boosted by his thrusters, the force of the impact knocking Origin's head to the left. He returned the kick with a punch to the chest and then he was on top of the deranged mecha, pinning his arms behind his back, and one foot pinning the tail to the ground. As he thrashed, Dracon kept a firm grip, and he flared his wings to keep his balance on the insane mecha. "Dammit…! Maybe I shouldn't've provoked him so much…" he muttered. "But… this is disturbing on so many levels… Why would they use… one of them in this project?!"

The mad Origin didn't give him a chance to think as he slashed with his claws relentlessly. Bloodlust and rage evident in his burning red optics. His Strider Claws slammed into Dracon's frame, tearing pieces off the metallic surface.

The Gundam cried out in pain as he retreated, clutching at his damaged armor on his left shoulder and chest. "Dammit… I gotta figure a way to snap him out of this…" He wracked his processor, trying to figure out a plan. He was forced to move to the side as Origin attacked again, forcing him to get into the air to avoid the crazed mecha. 'Better hope he can't fly…' he thought frantically. 'This is the worst thing I've gotten myself into…'

His optics darted around. 'C'mon, Seph… think!' He finally perked up as a crazy idea came to his mind. He wasn't sure if it would work, but…

"Hey! Origin! Ever think of taking a dip?!" he called from the air. "Because you look like you need to cool off!"

The beast-like Gundam growled, the mask opening to reveal his fangs and glowing mouth as heated vapor left his jaws.

Dracon, or more correctly Joseph 'Seph' Matthews, dimmed his optics in response. "Seriously, dude. You gotta cool down!" he remarked.

Origin didn't listen. All he seemed to care about was killing Dracon. And nothing on Earth would stop him.

Dracon hovered in the air, silently thankful he was able to fly whereas Origin could not in this new armor of his. "Geez… What'll get him to snap out of it?!" he muttered as he checked his arsenal. His fin funnels had sustained some damage, and he wasn't willing to risk using them again, so he was down one of his biggest advantages. But that didn't mean he was without other weapons.

His hands flew for the beam pistols on his skirt armor and he pulled them loose. "Origin, just calm down!" he pleaded.

"Your words won't reach him, Dracon." A familiar scientist's words reached into Dracon's comm.

The dark blue Gundam perked up, 'This voice…! It… It can't be! Her?!' He thought. "Then… what'll I do?" He asked hesitantly.

"Hm, I'm tempted to let him tear you apart since you're the cause for awakening his… 'other half'." Doctor Saeko Kojima scolded. "But I have to clean up your mess, once again."

Dracon felt his wings twitch. "I was just trying to get him to see he's not a devil like he thinks!" the Gundam snapped back.

"And look how well that turned out. You fail to see that not everything will work out how you wish it." Saeko retorted.

The mech huffed. "I know that now," he admitted. "But... I'm serious. What can be done to snap him out of this?"

"You've done enough damage already. Granted, you did lead him to an area with no populated cities. Otherwise, I'd have to explain to the UN why one of my most prized Gundams decided to massacre innocent civilians."

Dracon knew she had a point. "I still don't understand why someone had to label us Gundams as devils… it goes against what I am. I'm a defender, not a devil…" he muttered to himself. Then he addressed Kojima. "Do you want me to do something or just retreat?" he asked her.

"I'm going to need you to hold him off until I get there." Dr. Kojima ordered. "And try not to die in the next two minutes."

Dracon snorted. "Not gonna happen…" he muttered as he clenched his hand around the locket.

"We'll see how much you can back up your talk, Dracon. You'll see what I mean soon enough."

The dark blue Gundam hissed through his vents as he gripped the locket. He wasn't about to die. Not yet. His optics flashed bright violet as he looked up.

In response to her words, he aimed both of his beam pistols and let loose with a barrage from the air, opening fire right at the mech.

The berserk Origin nimbly dodged in mid-air then slashed down with his claws.

Dracon flipped to the right, his extra thrusters giving him a slight advantage as he fired repeatedly, this time scoring a hit on the berserk Gundam's back as he sped away. 'Not good enough, but still something, I guess!' Dracon thought.

Origin snarled then unleashed his bladed tail, lashing the appendage right at Dracon's core.

The mech barely dodged it, but he did get a gash on his chest armor. He looked down before he shifted tactics, speeding right for the shield he had dropped. He replaced one beam pistol on his skirt armor, his free hand lashing out and grabbing the equipment before bringing it up in front of his chest as he fired a few more shots.

The angry Gundam released another howl, deflecting the energy projectiles as they harmlessly struck the environment around them.

Dracon hissed through his vents as he lowered his pistol. "Better try something new…" he muttered as he replaced his pistol on his skirt armor. This time his hand went for his magnum and he pulled it free from his flight pack. "Hope this works!"

He aimed it and fired.

Then something unexpected happened… Origin reached up with his servos and caught the beam right in his palms.

Dracon's optics flashed in shock as he saw this. "Holy… shit…!" he breathed, but then his instincts screamed at him to react and he did, by bringing his shield up and just in time for what happened next.

With a bestial roar, Origin threw the energy he caught right back at Dracon.

The round from his beam rifle impacted his shield and he grunted as he was pushed back by the blast, but he remained standing. This was not good. Not good on so many levels! He needed a way to hold him off much more effectively. And his fin funnels were his only bet. So, under the cover of the light, he sent them out every which way, including his Dracon fangs, to hide amongst the trees.

Origin stalked towards the dark blue Gundam. Maw dripping with a liquid similar to saliva.

Dracon slowly began to back up, but his wings were flared for flight. His thruster pack hummed as he waited. 'That's it… Just a bit more…' He thought.

Then suddenly he stopped. Origin took a glance into the forest and bushes.

Dracon paused, wondering if Origin would take the bait. But when the orange Gundam didn't move, he reacted.

Eight beams of light lanced out, from above, behind, and the sides, creating a containment field, but for who knew how long it would remain up and functional?

The enraged Gundam roared, viciously pounding away at the shield. Red eyes flaring with unrestrained madness and a desire for chaos.

Dracon wasn't about to let the mad Gundam go, and he kept his focus on the fin funnels, keeping the shield up as long as he could. He was so focused on containing Origin that he didn't notice the form approaching them.

"Ah, I see you've managed to contain him, Dracon."

The dark blue Gundam shot her a look out of the corner of his optic. "Like I had any other choice!" he shot back. "Mind me asking why you used one of them in this project?"

Saeko Kojima stormed past Dracon while shooting him a small glare, "I'm afraid you're not obligated to know that. Especially after this fiasco that you created."

"I had no idea he would react so negatively!" the Gundam retorted. "And why call us devils to begin with, anyway?! I volunteered to be a soldier, not a devil!"

"Horns on the forehead? Looks like devil horns. And your wings don't make it better. You kill without remorse and you're practically immortal. That's why you're referred to as 'devils'." The doctor explained as she rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you soldiers are naive twits sometimes."

"Why do you think I wear this cloak?!" Dracon shot back.

"I honestly don't care what you think." She stated. "Your interference with Origin's growth is over. You're lucky that I'm here, or we'd be having a worldwide crisis on our hands besides the Nova."

"..." Dracon was silent as he stood up, his optics fixed on her. "I was just trying to help him see he's not a devil…"

"On the contrary, you did the exact opposite. Whether you realize it or not, Origin was created to be like this. It is his function and his drive." Saeko remarked. "He has no need for naive concepts that you constantly seem to spout."

"So he's meant to be a mere machine?!" Dracon shouted. "With no humanity?!"

Saeko chuckled humorlessly. "A machine? Humanity? Oh no, my idiotic friend…" Her crimson eyes stared deeply in Dracon's very core. "Origin is so much more than that."

The Gundam backed up, suddenly getting chills down his back struts. Something was not right here. He held his words though, keeping his vocalizer muted. He did however level his violet optics into her eyes, staring her down with determination to understand what was happening.

"Hm, Origin's been strangely silent since we've been chatting. I wonder why-" Saeko froze when her gaze casted to the containment field… and the hole dug within the ground.

"Dammit!" Dracon swore. "I didn't see that one coming!"

"And this is why I wanted different subjects than mere soldiers. They never see what's in front of them until it is too late." The doctor sighed. "Now we'll have to find him all over again."

Dracon's sensors were now on high alert as he called his funnels back, his optics hard as he scanned left and right. "..."

Where could he be…?

His sensors suddenly blared a warning as he cast his gaze down at the ground. "Beneath us!" he cried as the ground began to move near their position.

A violent cloud of dust blocked their vision. A pair of glowing red optics appeared in front of Dracon followed by a white-hot claw directed for his core.

Dracon reacted on sheer instinct, dropping to the ground and sweeping a leg out as the claw barely missed his V-fin. His one instinct was now to stay alive and get back to his friends, and he was not going to die… not this time!

His optics changed over to a cool green color as sheer fury and determination surged through his frame, and his psychoframe lit up a bright greenish white. His leg knocked the orange Gundam's feet out from under him and then he was retreating as he launched his Dracon funnels at the mad Origin. His funnels connected with the Gundam and knocked him back before he retaliated with a beam shot from his magnum.

However, Origin released another roar then a crystalline material emerged from his armor and unleashed a pair of spikes that pierced each of the funnels and even Dracon's beam magnum, forcing him to purge it from his servo lest he lose it.

"Dammit! There goes my magnum!" he hissed as he retreated.

"That's enough!" Dr. Kojima ordered.

And just like that, the rampaging Origin froze, several of his crystal spikes mere inches from piercing Dracon's helm.

The dark blue mecha slowly backed away, shocked. "..."

"Origin, revert to Standby Mode and disengage all combat perimeters." Saeko ordered.

At her command, Origin's eyes reverted from blazing red to stoic yellow. The Strider Armor removed itself from his body, reverting back to the Strider Wolf, which sat on its haunches and awaited orders. The Gundam stood at attention and spoke robotically, "ORX-000 awaiting orders, Dr. Kojima."

"Return to base for repairs and reconditioning." The Japanese woman commanded. With a nod, Origin activated his thrusters and took off without a single thought.

Dracon felt shivers race through his frame at the word "reconditioning". "That's sick…" he muttered to himself, so low she couldn't hear it. "I'm just glad I remember…" Then he addressed her.

"I want to ask you something and I want an answer," he stated. "Just answer me honestly. What is Origin supposed to be, if he's not human or machine?" The dark blue Gundam was getting a sinking feeling in his lower torso.

Saeko glanced at Dracon for a second then turned away from him. "He's someone… important to me." Her gaze went back to him. "The next time you endanger him like this, I will personally take you apart with all your pain receptors activated and I will pry every last memory from your human life… until you're nothing but a brainless shell." Her gaze hardened. "Do you understand, Gundam Dracon?"

The Gundam gulped nervously before instinct from years as a soldier took over and he saluted sharply, and professionally. "Yes, ma'am!" he barked, although it was tinged with the faintest bit of fear.

Saeko smiled sweetly, "Good. Now go back to your little make-believe home while you still have it. I'd hate to have Origin go back after you and… accidentally kill your friends."

That was enough to tick him off. "You think my home is make-believe?! You're wrong!" he hissed.

"No, I think your entire concept in believing you're still human is make-believe. Rather adorable really, but we both know that the things you've done as both a soldier and as a Gundam… will forever burden any piece of a soul you have left." The creator of all Gundams stated. "So remember this the next time your naivety causes a near-extinction level event. You are not a man. You are a weapon."

Dracon felt his anger rising, but he kept a lid on it. "I may be that in your eyes… but to my friends and family… I'm still human."

Saeko chuckled darkly. "And how do you know that you're still the same man and not someone else?"

The dark blue Gundam was silent, but he knew. He knew himself better than she did. "I knew myself then, and I know myself now. Unlike you think…" He began to back away, his wings flaring.

Saeko shook her head. "Oh, you poor fool. You fail to grasp my meaning." She shrugged. "Oh well, not like it matters. Shoo. Go back to your fake life and live it for as long as you desire. Just so long as you understand that your interference will no longer be tolerated."

He flashed his optics. "It's not fake… but I will stay out of your way… for now…" he hissed. "Whatever you think I am, you are wrong. I am not a devil. I am a defender!"

"Oh, Dracon," Saeko smirked. "We both know you're only lying to yourself. But you won't listen even when you know that your thought process is minuscule at best. Go on. Leave."

He flared his thrusters and was airborne in a flash. "You think so?!" he called back. "Well, you'll be surprised one day!" he shouted back to her. "I'm far more than a devil! And you'll see that I'm still human even if my body is not!" He even flashed her the bird as he flew off.

As he fled, his optics shifted back to their usual violet hue. "Damn woman… Why does she think that? I knew myself… and so do my friends and family!" He sped back off as quickly as he came, leaving Kojima behind.

"What a short-sighted fool." Saeko shook her head in amusement. "He doesn't even realize that he's only a stepping stone."

She reached into her lab coat and pulled out a cell phone, dialing a number already set.

After waiting, the receiver picked up. "It's me. I do hope you got rid of those bothersome pests that Dracon hung out with."

...

"Excellent. Those fools have interfered with my vision for the last time. Oh, and make sure that the evidence leads to our… other problem."

...

"I will handle Origin. After all, that's why I sent him to West Genetics. He will be the key to the entire plan."

...

"The other units don't matter. They were only created so the UN would have their so-called 'defenders'. My Gundam is the main focus. Be sure to get it done… Agent V."

(Origin's POV)

My HUD came online in an instant.

What happened? Where am I? What have I been doing?

I searched my memory banks… but nothing seemed to come up.

"I see you've finally awoken." A motherly voice reached my audio receptors.

My optics focused on the feminine form of Dr. Saeko Kojima, my 'mother' and creator. "Doctor," I spoke stoically.

"Were you dreaming?" She asked me.

"I don't dream." I replied.

The woman pouted, "Of course you would say that."

"Pouting does not work on me."

"But you've never said no to me because of it." She smirked slyly.

Okay, she had a point.

"Doctor, what have I been doing in the last few hours?" I asked, seemingly confused by my missing memories.

"Oh, I had to do a routine check-up. You were on the fritz for a while so I had to remove some of your memories to fix you up." Dr. Kojima explained.

"I see… that explains everything." I nodded in understand.

"Are you ready to return to West Genetics?" She asked me.

"Do I have to?"

All I received was a scolding glare like a mother would to her child.

"Understood…" I reluctantly agreed.

She patted my helm. "Good boy."

[Back at Dracon's home…]

Dracon was horrified when he arrived back stateside.

The entire street was burning.

Homes were on fire, and many people had evacuated into the streets as the fire services came to try and contain the blazes. But the worst part of it was seeing three familiar shapes lying in the middle of it all, bloodied and mutilated. Fear flooded his frame as he touched down and ran towards them, kneeling down beside the battered form of one of his best friends. "No…!" he rasped. He was shocked, terrified, and enraged beyond belief. Who would do such a thing, and why!?

And more importantly… what of her? Was she alive?!

His optics flashed in panic as he cast his gaze around, trying to find her remains or…

"Seph!"

At the sound of his human - no, his true name - his helm snapped to the right at her voice.

There she was, alive and well.

Relief flooded his frame as he bolted over to her and embraced her in a firm hug. "Tina…" he rasped. "I was so worried…"

"It was horrible…" Tina rasped as she hugged him. "They just…" She broke down crying. "Dan… Nick… and Rachel… They…"

"I know… I'm just glad you're safe…" Dracon whispered, feeling fury rising in his chest. "But… I… I'm sorry I wasn't here…"

And despite it being the wrong place, Tina and Dracon leaned in, only their forms being shown amidst the blazing inferno as they met in a gesture of relief and passion.

'Whoever did this… is gonna pay big time!' Dracon thought as the two parted. 'And I won't let this happen again… I swear it...'

A/N: That's it for the chapter. Big thanks to Titanic X for the help.

Titanic X: Yep. :3 Glad I could. :)

In any case, we've seen the 'ugly' side of Origin. But what is the secret he possesses? Why is Dr. Kojima fixated on his growth? And who is Agent V?

Review and comment. That's all I'll say because now I'm gonna take some time to eat some food and drink a cold one.

Peace out, everyone!