literature

BishonenWeekly: Bishonen Amour

Deviation Actions

miranda-shadowind's avatar
Published:
523 Views

Literature Text

Bishonen Amour
The Spy Who Loved Me
A look at the romance between Viktor Dareus and Krysta Riannese from Gundam RPG 2.0
Co-written by Miranda Shadowind and Ranchanthalas

Despite being somewhat of an unlikely couple and hitting a few snags along the way, Viktor's relationship with Krysta has evolved from one of cameraderie into true love over the course of Gundam RPG in both of its incarnations. Note: This article will only refer to the newer incarnation's events, as only they are canon now.

The Tracker
Viktor Dareus
The only child of an Aborigine shaman's daughter and a genetic researcher, Viktor effectively found himself 'abandoned' to the care of his mother Talia's native tribe when he was three years old; after his mother's death at the hands of an anti-Aborigine demonstration drove his father away from both him and the planet itself altogether. When news of his father's death during a top-secret project reached him as a young man, Viktor joined OZ when the "facts" didn't add up, and was inducted into their black ops "Demon Army" faction due to his ability to track nearly anything without much evidence left behind... never realizing the web of deceit and treachery he would inevitably become involved in during his search for the truth. Or that he would come across a woman that would change his outlook on many things...

The Spy
Krysta Riannese
Orphaned along with her twin brother Kayle at age nine by an Alliance air raid, British Krysta trained to be a spy and Gundam Pilot to get revenge. But when Kayle was shot down and badly injured, she switched places with him behind his back and fought alongside the original five Wing boys. The streets having taken her mental "innocence", she's developed a split personality of sorts that has only grown worse over time, particularly her darker side, "Turmoil". With OZ now back in power but no one to back her up, Krysta decided to take the subtle approach to revenge. Due to her losses and near-losses, Krysta's tried not to get too close to anyone, but doesn't always succeed...

Saving the mystery girl is a rule
Their Story
Viktor and Krysta first meet in the L2 colony cluster when the latter literally runs into the former while trying to blend in with the fleeing civilians after blowing up yet another former OZ facility. Rather embarrassing, as Viktor ends up sprawled on the ground with Krysta laying on top of him. She apologizes and helps him up, and finds out that he was there on downtime before the situation developed. Knowing better than to tell a stranger the truth, Krysta lies and says she was going to meet up with an old friend given she overheard a familiar voice in the crowd earlier.

Though wary, Viktor decides to trust her, and her alibi proves "true" when  the voice's owner shows up. But by that time, OZ forces have the area surrounded and intend to start questioning people. She notes out loud that they need to bug out, though not why, but Viktor tells her they would look more suspicious if they were caught trying, and says to let him handle it. He does so by flashing his Demon Army badge in front of a guard and saying the group's clean, and thus gets them past security. Krysta is a bit surprised that he works for OZ's Black Ops team, but then realizes she can do one better than her current means of revenge and pull an inside job from there. With a little help from Viktor, she joins the Demon Army, citing a "personal truce" given she's a known Gundam Pilot.

Destiny's Promise
Evidence
While they get along fairly well from the beginning, it isn't easy for either of them to open up between Krysta's wariness and Viktor being girl-shy. And as they grow fond of each other, Krysta feels a bit guilty for using Viktor to get in, and worries about what she's going to do if her cover is blown and she needs to make an explosive getaway.

Regardless, Krysta's hacking skills come in handy when Viktor asks her to help him find out what really happened to his father, as he'd joined OZ and then the Demon Army in order to uncover that truth. And while she's more than happy to help him since it means digging up dirty OZ secrets, she shows genuine concern and comfort towards Viktor after uncovering and playing an old holo-video of his then-wounded father revealing the truth behind the project that led to the new NewType leader Lady Aznable's creation.

And while Viktor is grateful, though troubled by the revelations, the information's unauthorized access creates another problem: because the project had been backed by both OZ and the Colonies, it could ruin the government's reputation. Therefore, they've been trying to keep a tight lid on the whole thing, and if they discover Krysta was the one who accessed the information, given her reputation she's in DEEP trouble, to put it lightly. Hoping to keep Viktor from being associated with it, she prepares to secretly leave the Demon Army base alone for good, helped by a mysterious blonde man named Draco, who offers her a way out, and both disappear for several months. Worried, Viktor searches the Earth Sphere for her, to no avail...

What is perhaps the biggest piece of evidence - though no one realizes it just yet - shows up prior to Krysta's disappearance in the form of another new recruit, allegedly Neo Egyptian pilot Ana-ki Samun. Though roughly the same age as Viktor and Krysta, she acts almost subtly protective of them, and with good reason: she's actually from the future, and they're her parents-to-be! Due to a war in that future, she was raised mainly in Neo Egypt by an old friend of Viktor's. She doesn't reveal the truth at first for sanity's sake, let alone why she came, just that she "went back too far."

But it's just as well that Ana-ki did come, as when Krysta finally reappears, she's changed, lashing out at Ana-ki, Viktor, and everyone else at the drop of a hat, but not remembering she did so afterwards. That and Krysta starting to display latent NewType powers she never knew she had, including an increase in the teleportation power she occasionally used, creates a rift between the two given Viktor's hatred of NewTypes. It gets to the point where it takes a little convincing and a revelation of who she really is for Ana-ki to get Viktor to go after Krysta when she finally takes off in desperation to find the only man she believes can help her: Draco.

Why? The whole situation has grown more and more suspicious to her, and Krysta leaving Linkin Park's "Breaking the Habit" blaring on her stereo just prior to leaving gives Ana-ki cause to believe that Krysta might not be coming back, alive... Her deduction proves true, as they find Krysta on her knees near Draco, sobbing out of guilt and ready to blow her brains out. As it turns out, Draco's an Esper (evolved NewType), and her distant cousin who's seeking revenge on her side of the family for its betrayal to his and the Zeon of old long ago. He's the one who brainwashed her into turning on everyone via "Turmoil" and subsconsciously storing the incidents until he brought them forward just now, psychically amplified to drive her to suicide.

Viktor's feelings for her return, and he tries to talk her out of it, but it's Ana-ki who saves the day by using her own NewType powers to "deprogram" Krysta and remind her who caused the entire fiasco. Furious, Krysta comes to her senses and promptly beats the crap out of Draco both physically and psychically since he had little prior combat experience. He gets away, but not before revealing both his heritage and Krysta's and lying to Viktor, telling him she knew what she was all along and had been deceiving him. Krysta of course denies this before passing out from a migraine, but it still takes time for the couple to finally reconcile their differences and admit their true feelings for each other in the process.

But one big problem still remains: while Krysta was under Draco's trance, he registered her for the upcoming Gundam Fight under Neo England. And since Viktor is now a Shuffle Alliance member and Neo Australia's Gundam Fighter, that makes them officially "enemies" and their relationship an illegal affair. This doesn't deter them, though they have to keep things on the sly.

It is during this time that Viktor tells Krysta of his half-Aborigine heritage, something he's been hesitant about given it's not socially accepted in his home country. She accepts it without reservation between not having been taught such prejudices while growing up and "payback" for his acceptance of her own partial NewType heritage. Both surprised and pleased, Viktor then gives Krysta a disk necklace that's an Aborigine good luck charm and used to belong to his mother. She still wears it to this day, though usually hidden beneath her shirt.

Viktor feels guilty that he couldn't prevent her abduction and decides they should go on vacation for a week or two to make it up to her. She agrees despite not blaming him for what happened and suggests a globe-spanning cruise. It's settled, but the trip gets put on hold when the Esper-run Epsilon Circle attacks again. Viktor, Ana-ki, and Krysta share the latter's resources (provided by her old benefactor, Professa Q, for the sake of secrecy) under the public pretense of a truce given they have a common enemy.

But as one can imagine, things don't go too smoothly for the most part, namely when Viktor makes the mistake of grabbing the Circle's leader, Loki, from behind while they're in their respective mechas. Loki retaliates by assaulting him psychically, essentially shattering his mind and bringing him to the brink of brain death. Krysta, who had been forced to stay out of that battle because of Viktor's paranoia, defies him and gets there in time to try and psychically heal him herself. It works, to a degree, and she is not only privvy to some of his memories but also his overwhelming love for her, though not by choice on her part.

Unfortunately, her power alone isn't enough since she ends up with a migraine in the middle of it, and he ends up with amnesia. At the hospital they go to, Krysta blames the whole incident on herself and her track record for bad things happening to her loved ones if she has to stay behind. But Viktor doesn't blame her and tells her not to worry. Later, she has trouble falling asleep until he comes over and massages her shoulders. Relaxed and comforted, she falls asleep in his arms, and he promises to remember, for her sake. Thankfully, Ana-ki (who had been fading away during the incident and therefore couldn't help) is more adept given she had proper training, and helps her finish the job.

Once the war is over, Ana-ki abruptly leaves to "finish what [she] started," and the Vacation Arc begins, but to chronicle the latter in full would be an article in itself. In a nutshell, over the course of the trip, they slowly open up to each other and grow closer given they have some proper time to themselves. Viktor even lets Krysta fight Neo Spain's champion Gallardo Jallon, who challenged him, in his stead for the sake of a warm-up match. She appreciates his faith in her, and rewards it by easily trashing the Spaniard and his Sombrero Gundam.

In a way their relationship is tested once they reach the last stop before the return: Australia. They seek out Viktor's tribe and talk with his shaman grandfather, who reveals that they were predestined to meet. But then we meet Ella, the chieftan's daughter, who Viktor was originally betrothed to when they were children. The deal thankfully isn't binding, but both women refuse to back down regardless. At the suggestion of Viktor's old friend Lachlan, Krysta and Ella duel in the Dreamtime state despite Viktor's reservations. Krysta eventually wins, making up for her lack of experience by letting Ella inadvertently teach her exactly how such duels are done.

But shortly afterwards, a bigger problem arises when Lachlan murders the shaman and steals the tribe's Destiny Stones, whose destruction could bring about the end of the world. He plans to take over as tribe chieftan, and only suggested a Dreamtime battle to keep Viktor busy! When Viktor goes after him, Krysta follows despite his warnings, and it's just as well, as she ends up leaving the resulting battle to find Lachlan's partner in crime, who is preparing to sacrifice the stones.

Things then take a turn for the bizarre, as the partner is none other than Viktor's mother, Talia, alive but with no memory of her old life! Krysta tries to jog Talia's memory and argues with her about the woman's plan to "cleanse" the world for her Great King, to little success. Talia goes to cast the Destiny Stones into the fire, but Viktor shows up and throws a spear, knocking them from her hand so Krysta can psychically yank them away. He recognizes his mother and recoils in shock and disbelief, especially after Krysta explains what the older woman was up to.

After another arguement, Talia vanishes, and the couple solemnly returns to the camp to return the stones. Krysta warns Ella of Lachlan's plans and Viktor tells the tribe he can't stay due to his Shuffle Alliance duties. Much to the couple's surprise, the future chieftaness quietly admits that Krysta's a good match for Viktor and promises to take care of everything. The pair goes to Viktor's bungalow in Brisbane and settles in, and eventually Viktor finally suggests they get married. Krysta naturally agrees, saying she'd thought he'd never ask. In truth, he was unsure of what her reaction would be, considering he went into the relationship pretty much blindly, as did she.

But Talia's appearance still haunts Viktor, particularly since he suspects she's being controlled by the Devil Gundam. The next night, he awakens with a cry from a nightmare about it, and goes downstairs to his mini-bar to have a drink. Krysta joins him despite being a lightweight, and as the booze kicks in for them both mid-discussion, they end up tumbling to the floor, her on top of him. Their having been growing steadily hornier lately - to the point where earlier that night they started to undress each other but stopped given both the Gundam Fight problem and their not being married - doesn't help matters, and they end up having some *ahem* "fun" in bed, if you know what I mean.

When morning comes, they've sobered up somewhat, and things get awkward for a bit once they realize what happened. But then Krysta admits that she enjoyed what little she remembers of the "event", and that breaks the ice, since Viktor remembers more than he lets on but wasn't sure how she would react. As the trip is just about over, they reluctantly shower, pack, and make to leave... only to find a horde of paparazzis practically on their doorstep! Knowing they can't be seen together, Viktor heads for the docks in his jeep while Krysta reluctantly teleports there to wait.

She doesn't stay there for long, however, as she receives a last-minute premonition of Viktor being shot from behind by one of the pursuing paparazzis! Krysta quickly warns him via telepathy, and he ducks just in time for the bullets to pass harmlessly overhead, hitting his windshield instead. But why are they shooting at him? When she reaches out psychically to check on him, she discovers the truth: they're Espers, no doubt sent by Draco and likely the ones who tipped off the real paparazzis.

Furious at this, she teleports to where they and Viktor are and joins in the chase/battle after making sure no one else is close enough to be watching. Eventually, the couple wins when a landmine-like bomb abruptly goes off under the Espers' van, putting the driver and his last living cohort in line for Krysta's bullets. The van goes careening out of control and crashes into distant traffic, but the cause of the explosion remains on the ground as well as the one who triggered it: Dhazial "Puck" Goodfellow, Loki's former right-hand man!

Being the type of man who lives for subterfuge, Puck only tells them that he isn't here to fight and wanted to meet the two people "who drive Draco bonkers" in person. Viktor and Krysta figure that can't be the only reason, but Puck tells them that "part of what keeps things fun is the guessing". Krysta decides to meet that with a challenge of her own: why they drive Draco nuts. A challenge he meets easily, as he read it from Draco's mind before, and psychically projects into their minds: the original NewType Exodus at the end of the One Year War. More specifically, Draco's original incarnation being dragged away, having been turned in to the Anti-NewType Militia by his own traitorous younger brother, Aldrai, who is also Krysta and Kayle's ancestor.

Afterwards, Puck mentions that the people of the Earth, Colonies, and Neo Nations have actually garnered no small amount of respect from the Espers because they stood up to the Circle despite being generally scared shitless. And his point about Draco is that they can't get killed until Draco has to face them personally, otherwise it would be too anti-climatic. Krysta counters that they're not going to get killed PERIOD, but Puck responds with a psychic projection of what could either be the future or only a potential one, where her Amazon Gundam is on the rampage. It has cut a swathe of destruction through everything in its path - including Viktor's Gundam and her old one, Geminae, here piloted by Kayle to the end as evidenced by his eyepatch floating nearby.

Krysta swears up and down that she'd never let Turmoil gain full control and therefore do any of that, though it triggers an unbidden scrap of memory of the time she wrecked the inside of a backwater colony on Draco's orders. As she screams both the names of her brother and beloved, Puck asks her if this is only a mind game, or a premonition and leaves it up to her to decide before vanishing. Once Puck is gone, a confused Viktor manages to snap her out of it, but she's still visibly shaken up by it and clings to him. She tells him a censored version of the vision, sparing him from the gory details.

Once she calms down, they reluctantly head off in Viktor's damaged jeep to the docks and board the ship. They spend the trip back in each other's arms for the most part, though Krysta mentioning their meeting under unusual circumstances prompts Viktor to remind her that she never told him what she had really been up to that day. The "meeting an old friend" excuse no longer flies with him given things don't add up, but instead of making more excuses, she comes clean and tells him the truth. Viktor feels hurt and used by this, but reminds himself that things were different back then and she does love him now, so he doesn't hold it against her.

The subject shifts a bit to their respective reasons for revenge, and Viktor mentions that he looked through the old files regarding the air raid that orphaned Krysta and Kayle. The orders were changed last-minute, and Krysta realizes there's only one person who could have pulled that off: either Draco or his father, as they run/ran the Epsilon Circle's intelligence corp. This only makes them even angrier, one more thing to be pissed off at Draco for.

When the ship finally docks, they hesitate, fighting back tears, and end up being amung the last people to disembark. She dons a trenchcoat and fedora she stole beforehand and they head out, taking their time as they go down the gangplank. Krysta checks her advanced watch's radar, and sees that her brother and their fellow agents are in the area, most likely to keep Prime Minister Charles' men away. A medical team from Neo Australia is there too; they were on the ship but din't invaded the couple's privacy because Viktor promised to "behave" when he got back. Krysta teases him with, "We know how good you are at that," and he responds in amusement by saying he can't help it around her; she "does the strangest things to him."

They step off of the gangplank but still hesitate, and Krysta goes for one of her longer-lasting smoke bombs for covering up one last kiss, but Viktor beats her to it in terms of the latter. She throws the smoke bomb regardless, and slowly pulls away before the smoke clears. They say their goodbyes, though not in the literal sense ("I'll see you on the other side, Krys"), profess their love for each other one last time, and she teleports away. She reappears behind a stack of crates she spotted earlier and heads for an alley where Kayle is waiting, and Viktor heads for the medical team.

Having heard about the paparazzi fiasco, Kayle demands an explanation, and Krysta summarizes it without going into too much detail. The twins start heading for a spare facility provided by Professa Q, where they won't be under Charles' direct scrutiny, but Krysta stops at an arcade along the way upon spotting its UFO Catcher machine. Inside is a pile of Gundam Fighter-inspired dolls, and she uses her NewType powers to make sure the crane doesn't open prematurely. Her prize, or rather prizes?: a doll of herself and one of Viktor, both discreetly slipped into her coat pocket before she heads off again.

Still a long way to go...
The Future
The Gundam Fight aside, Viktor and Krysta's problems are far from over, as the events of their vacation - particularly toward the end - will have more lasting consequences than either of them realizes. But if Future Ana-ki's existence is anything to go by, they'll get through them together and have their well-deserved happy ending.
An article for the :iconbishonenweekly: Club/Magazine about Viktor and Krysta's relationship, as chronicled in Gundam RPG 2.0. Co-written with :iconranchanthalas:.

Had to file this under "Fanfiction" since romantic prose submissions were closed and Zines can't be in HTML.

And yes, the format's based on that of the "Anime Amour" section from Beckett Anime Magazine of old, as that seemed like the best way to do it. It's a lot longer than the standard "Anime Amour" article was, but there was a ton of ground to cover.

Hopefully, a second version with added pictures can be done in the future. In the meantime, enjoy!

Krysta, Kayle, and Draco Riannese are © me. So is Ana-ki Dareus, though :iconranchanthalas: came up with her original concept.
Viktor Dareus and most of the other OCs mentioned are © :iconranchanthalas:
Accept no twisted, unauthorized ripoffs!
© 2009 - 2024 miranda-shadowind
Comments3
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
BishonenWeekly's avatar
This is so freakin awesome!!!!!! Great job guys!!!!