Footsteps can be heard throughout the dark hall with little illumination. Then, sounds of air fizzing out from the sealed metal door unlocked and opened. Then a terminal is turned with it's power on and running.
The mysterious individual then smiled as he sat down and puts something on the top of the terminal. It connected and runs with a satisfying <hum>.
He picks up the head gear that's place on top of the terminal and wear it with his eyes looking good in shining blue behind the visor.
<ID data confirmed, please scan your Gunpla.>
The individual then placed a figurine on top of the device.
Then 2 holographic yellow hexagons rose from the pads scans the figurine and coated it with yellow holographic coating. When it's done, the eyes of the figurine flashed blue and the coating shatters like glass.
<Login Data confirmed. Are you ready? Dive Start!>
He smiles as he begin to login.
[GBN: Administrative Area]
The login tube just opened and stepping out is the Diver who logged in to look around at wonder. Suddenly, he heard someone approaching and looked to see who it is. The avatar was a Guncopter from the SD Gundam cartoon coming out soon, it's the Game Master of GBN. On top of it's shoulders is an phoenix avatar based on the Crystal Phoenix from the SD Sengokuden Densetsu no Daishogun series, it's Ms. Tori the GBN developer, and the creator of GBN's main system.
He knew who it is from the day he fought as part of the Build Divers against League of Volunteers over the girl named Sarah who was born from GBN itself or as they called it, EL-Divers much like the ELS from the Gundam 00 movie.
Then later helped to deal with the bugged Raid Boss to help Build Divers save both the entire VRMMO and the EL-Diver.
After that, he then volunteered to be part of the Build Divers and help Sarah as an human hybrid EL-Diver who has yet known anything about the real and virtual world after the girl was transferred into a physical body and her data memory sent to its own private server using the Build Decal.
GM: Ah, good, you're here. We're just waiting for one more person.
As he said his line, someone entered the admin area and it was none other than the champion of GBN, Kyoya Kujo.
Kujo: Sorry if I'm late.
Tori: You're just in time. Gray, can you hold out your right hand for me, please?
Gray: Y-Yes, ma'am.
Gray then hold out his hand and Tori opened her menu screen and sends something to Gray. Gray is confused on why is it a keycard, GM explained.
GM: That pass she just sent to you will allow you access deeper into this facility. Please equip it and follow us.
Gray: Right.
He opens his menu, presses the inventory menu and equipped the key card in curiosity and confusion. The pass attached to a lanyard, appeared around his neck in a small puff of light, and revealed the Diver's handle: SS, as well as his status as a Rank A- Diver, the latter being in the form of a sword emblem. Below that was his Force affiliation, which it was designated as "Build Divers".
Eventually, the GM leads him to a darkened room, the only light being a projector that illuminates the far wall as he seat on the opposite side.
GM: Now then, I'm sure you're curious as to why I've asked you to come here today?
The GM says it as he opening up the briefing/meeting.
Gray: Uh.... yes.
GM: Well then, let us begin the briefing. *grabs a remote* Over the past years and a half, Administration has been developing a new game mode to be implemented within GBN.
He points it out with his pen remote to the points of interests as different images flash across the board.
GM: This new mode, which we are referring to as "Cross Rays Mode", after the SD Gundam G Generation games, will allow a player or Force to visit a Gundam timeline of their choice and interact with the flow of their events.
Gray got surprised and interested about this information. Going into a Gundam timeline and possibly change the course of events? It certainly reminded him of how he created his own sort of narrative for each of his or the audiences Mobile Suits based around his or their base units and the modifications they'd made to them.
Tori: The prototype version of this new mode has finally been completed supervised by me. After much debate, the Admin has decided to allow a single player to be brought into the project to help alpha test this new system.
Gray: And you decided, me?
They nodded.
Gray: Why? I mean, a more well-known force members from like Avalon or 7th Panzer would have made the top of your list of options.
Kyoya: We would admit those were considered to help alpha test this new mode, but with the experimental nature of this system, we decided against it. If something were to happen to any member account linked with those Forces as a result of unforeseen complication with the new Cross Rays mode, especially Build Divers' Sarah and me, Admin would be up to its neck with difficult to answer problems.
GM: Thus, it was decided that the Force member we call in to test this new mode was to be competent enough to handle any such complications, but not so well-known that said complications would cause a heavy backlash if something happened to their accounts.
Gray: Thus, you decided to call me in the Build Divers team. After all what happened, it didn't raised about my popularity back then. I was quiet back then and now being able to talk with my close friends.
Tori: Correct. Keep in mind that alpha testing this new mode is entirely voluntary. If you refuse, we will not hold it against you, and shall contact the next Force member on the list. So, have you made your decision?
Gray has thought about it for so long. Pros and Cons of making an intervention and changing in a timeline could change the whole world. But he would never know the whole thing unless he makes the first step.
Gray: I...
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Gray: I accept the catch and challenge you presented to me with alpha testing this new feat.
Even though the GM's and Tori's avatar has no mouth, but he could feel that Game Master was smiling as they nodded.
Tori: Thank you. Details on how to initiate the test will be forwarded to you within two hours real time upon your return to your Force Nest. Please head there, say your permissions to your friends and prepare your Gunpla.
Gray: Okay.
Gray quick traveled back to the Force Nest of Build Divers.
Kyoya then looks at the Game Master sighed at the scenario.
GM: I am glad that our first choice of member to approach with this agreed to the test. Still, this is untested ground we are stepping into. We only hope that he'll be alright.
Tori: Have faith. Despite having his popularity being low, he's surprising us as well with his combat and real life experience applying to this MMO.
1 hour later
[Build Divers Force Nest, Island]
???: EHHHH?!
A shout was erupted in the Build Divers Force Nest, Gray announced the info about his departure on the new system. A man named Yuuki can't believed what he heard about the new mode that's not been released but it's only alpha.
Yuuki: We can actually get inside the timelines of different Gundam series with this?!
The girl with cat features named Momoka, has her face with stars.
Momo: That's so cool!
KO-1 is thinking deep about this.
KO-1: I can't believe they would have this system ready to apply but test it for you.
The ninja girl member, Ayame has a intrigued but worried face.
Ayame: That seems interesting, but I'm just worried what would be it's side effects.
Then the leader, Riku has a reassuring look.
Riku: Are you sure you want to do this?
Gray sips his hot chocolate and sighs.
Gray: You know what they say, "You'll never know unless you try". So I'll do it, for all of you and the GBN as a whole.
Sarah, the EL-Diver of GBN and Build Divers, walks to Gray and kisses him on his cheeks and embraces him.
Sarah: Please... Just promise us you will be okay, big brother?
Gray didn't expect this but embraces her and smiles.
Gray: Don't worry, Sarah. I'll be okay, and maybe if I come back, I might tell you guys my adventure there.
45 minutes later
[Docking area]
He's finished his system diagnostics as the Haros finish up their physical maintenance of his Gunpla.
Shutting down the systems to prepare from transfer into the test, soon he gets a call from the Game Master and Tori.
GM: We are almost ready to begin on our end, are you ready for the test?
Gray: Yep.
GM: Good. There is just one last thing to take care of before we initialize the test. Have you decided about which Gundam series you wish to use as the timeline to interact with?
Gray: Hmm... It would be interesting to enter this test with the Gundam Seed timeline.
Game Master: Is it the first or the second one.
Gray: I decided both. But one at a time only. So the first one should come first.
Tori: Very well. We shall have the systems set to begin in the year C.E 70, exactly the year when the events of Mobile Suit Gundam Seed. That should give you enough time to go over what you know and establish yourself however you wish...
Gray: But there's a catch right?
GM: Exactly. You're Gunpla will be placed nearby the Gundam Strike which in other words, you'll appear on the PLANT without your Mobile Suit.
Gray: Fair enough. It should make my debut there nice and easy.
After that he then gets inside the cockpit. His screen camera outside pop up and sees his teammates getting outside to see him depart.
Gray: *smiles* 'Everyone... this is a goodbye, for now.'
He then receive transmission from the GM once more.
GM: Get ready to depart and launch. Make your way into space. As this is an untested feature., we have set up the entry to the test server away from any areas of Diver concentration.
Tori: The coordinates should be forwarded to your cockpit screen momentarily. Once you reach the site, you need only to enter the gate that will appear there to begin the test.
He then received the coordinates of where it will be opened.
Gray: Roger. I'll be on my way there shortly.
He then gripped his controls and smiles.
Gray: Gray Abo, Gundam Fighter Exia. Launching!
He pushes the controls and launches from the catapult.
The Gundam Exia is now making it's way towards the coordinates as his teammates watch the Gundam fly into the night sky leaving GN Particles behind.
[Administrative area]
Administrator: Force Build Divers member: Gray Abo will be arriving at the Gate to initial alpha test of Cross Rays Mode system in T-minus 5 minutes.
(A/n: Gray Poison is the real life name but Gray Abo is the username)
Game Master: Good, let's have the final preparations finished and the Gate deployed by the time that they are a minute out.
Admin: Sir!
Turning to his personal screen, Game Master went over the capabilities of the member of the Build Divers, as well as his Gunpla and Force Nest, one last time. He's from a different country but had met in the Tokyo area and soon began to prove himself further as a member of the Force.
(A/n: Bio in the next chapter)
After going over his Gunpla, Game Master went over his capabilities and contributes on the Build Divers. He let out a chuckle as he once more goes over just how extensively, extremely, yet tamely , he contributes to the Force's training, planning and helping out the leader, and act like a big brother to the EL-Diver, Sarah.
Administrator (G): He's now a minute and 15 seconds away from destination.
The Game Master is done reading the info as the Admin reported and tapping buttons.
Administrator: Preparations complete, deploying Gate. Cross Rays Mode ready for alpha test.
Swapping screens with a swipe on his hands and Tori supervising the setup. His attention is shifted to the split screen. In the left section screen was an image of the Cross Rays gate as it came into being.
While in the right section of the screen was an image of the Gundam Exia emitting GN Particles as it moved into position for the test.
Finally below the screen sections is a countdown until the unit enters the gate and begin the test.
The Admin area is Admins sounded of the progress to the test's initialization as they work.
- Gate entering stabilization phase. Drop-off coordinates for test locked.
- Cosmic Era template data set.
- Server readouts green, no abnormalities detected.
- Gate stabilized. Data probe within the unit account standing by to receive and transmit test data and results.
- T-minus 30 seconds until Fighter Exia passes through the Gate. Still no abnormalities detected within the test server.
Game Master and Tori watched in high alert as Exia continued to draw closer to the gateway leading to the alpha test of the new Cross Rays mode while the countdown continues to tick to the test's 1st phase, and finally entered it's final countdown
Admin: Fighter Exia will pass through the Gate in 10...
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*screens merged*
-4
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- Crossing now!
They watched as the Gundam entered without issue. They let out a breath that they didn't realized they'd been holding.
He closes his screen and returns his attention to the primary screen display, which was showing Exia in the data tunnel one experiences going between servers, and a readout of test data.
So far, it looked like it's going well. They were in transit and nothing seemed to eb going wrong. That didn't mean that they weren't expecting something to go wrong at some point.
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However...
The test data readout suddenly flashing red and blaring a warning klaxon. They could see the data tunnel begin to deteriorate. Yet still, Exia continues to move forward bravely, fighting through what was being conveyed to the vessel as a sudden, growing turbulence within the tunnel.
Admin(G): Abnormalities occurring within transit route! We're losing GBN's connection with the Exia unit account!
GM: Cancel the test! Pull him out of the transit route with a Forced Logout!
Admin: Forced Logout function is not responding! We can't abort the transfer!
Admin(G): Transit Route integrity at 75% and falling! We'll lose all connection with Exia and Gray Abo accounts if integrity drops below 33%!
Tori: Stabilize the route as best as you can!
Admin(T): We're using every trick in the book to try to stabilize it, ma'am! Nothing we try seems to do more than briefly stall the degradation! Transit route integrity at 57%!
Admin: Exia has just crossed the halfway point of the transit route! They're too far along to turn around!
GM: *slams his table* Damn!
Admin(G): Transit route integrity at 40% an falling rapidly! We're losing him!
Though the two didn't want to, they forced themselves to watch as Exia continued to bravely fight against the turbulence, it's barely keeping itself together as the data tunnel is slowly crumbled around it. Suddenly it was consumed by a bright red light before the test readout devolved into nothing but static.
The Admin reported with a tone of sadness.
Admin(T): Transit route integrity at 25% and stabilizing, GBN has lost all connection with the Fighter Exia and Gray Abo accounts. I'm sorry-
She was broke off when texts appeared
[IF YOU READ THIS, I MADE IT!]
They have their spirits lifted and cheered as they saw that he safely made it.
GM: You had us sacred there.
Tori: We're glad you made it. 'It seems he used one of his Gunpla's armaments as a boost to made it through'
C.E 70
The sun is shining brightly as someone tries to wakes him up.
???: Sir... Are you okay?
He opened his eyes slowly and saw who's waking him up.
???: Sir, are you alright?
Gray: *groan* Owwwww.
Gray wakes up and slightly stretches his back making a pop sound emit.
Gray: How long have I been laying down here?
???: From when I saw you it's been 10 minutes.
Gray: 'That long... I guess this is what happens when you used Trans-Am in the portal...' *scratches his head* So... Where am I, exactly?
???: You're at the PLANT right now. What's your name?
Gray: *breathes* Gray. Gray Abo. Yours?
The teen smiles and introduces himself
Kira: I'm Kira. Kira Yamato. Nice to meet you. *offers a handshake*
Gray accepts the handshake and smiles as well as the wind blew by them slowly.
ED Song for Prologue