The artificial sunlight of the colony satellite filtered into the hospital room, and the simulated breeze gently swayed the curtains.
Silver-white fingers twitched, then rose to shield the drowsy eyes.
Feeling the metallic texture of his arm and the faint pain beginning to spread through his body, Andrew woke up.
"Awake?"
Roz's voice came from the doorway, and a spherical object flew toward Andrew.
Andrew instinctively extended his right prosthetic hand and caught the flying sphere with precision.
It was an apple.
But the next moment, Andrew saw a small crack appear on the apple, and it exploded in his hand.
"Feels like you didn't use enough strength, right?"
Roz glanced at the remains of the apple and placed two inhalable doses of medicine into Andrew's and Aisha's hands.
"And there's also a pain that's neither too mild nor too severe, but very uncomfortable?"
"…How did you know?"
Andrew flexed the fingers of his prosthetic, feeling the long-lost sensation of touch.
"Amazing… even though it's made of steel, I can still feel it."
"That's because before you, there was a little girl with even smaller rejection reactions but more replacement areas who had undergone prosthetic installation. What you're experiencing now is the rejection reaction."
Roz gestured toward Andrew and the newly awakened Aisha.
"The inhalable medicine, twice a day, for a year."
"So, a year's supply?"
Andrew picked up the medicine from the bed with his original hand, frowned, pressed the button, and endured the discomfort as he inhaled it.
"I can't accept this—the battle isn't over yet."
"The pain will gradually decrease over the course of the year, until it disappears entirely."
Roz glanced at Andrew and Aisha's current condition. "Regarding your prosthetic eyes and limbs, I've explained the general situation to Lacus. You can ask her if you want."
Roz's visit today was essentially a routine check, like with Mayu, just to ensure the prosthetics were functioning properly.
Seeing that Andrew looked so energetic today, Roz intended to leave and follow up at the shipyard.
Roz's communication channel with Halberton was still in silent mode; the Earth Alliance was likely still tracking his movements.
However, after Orb evacuated into space, even the Earth Alliance didn't know the Archangel's location, and searching Orb's official colony satellites yielded no clues.
"I have something important to attend to. I'll leave first."
After confirming nothing was amiss, Roz prepared to leave.
"Leaving so soon… you're a busy man," Andrew shrugged, smiling at Roz.
"…Because I need power."
Roz looked at Andrew and calmly expressed his thoughts. "To change this world, relying on the Narratives alone is not enough."
"I need greater power."
"Power like the one you used to push the Archangel away from Earth?"
Andrew couldn't help but recall the first time he met Roz.
In a daze, the scene of the North African desert headquarters gradually overlapped with the hospital room in his vision. Time had changed, the place had changed, Kira had changed, and even he had changed into this state.
But the one thing that hadn't changed was Roz. Just as steadfast as ever, just as determined to… change the world.
"Pursuing power excessively leads one down the wrong path."
After a moment of silence, Andrew spoke.
"It's fine… my goal is clear, and I've made a promise to someone."
Roz lifted his head and looked out the hospital window.
Under the artificial sunlight, people who had just settled after Orb's large-scale retreat walked the streets, worry lingering on their faces about the future.
Roz imagined those still in the "shipyard," working tirelessly toward his seemingly reckless goal, regaining their bodies, and walking in this peaceful world.
Destroying everyone who twisted the world, allowing people to put aside conflicts and hatred, living in peace—such a naive yet sincere goal had carried Roz this far.
His hands clenched instinctively as he turned toward the door.
"I see… a promise…"
Andrew seemed to exhale, lying back on the bed.
"So many people care about you. Don't die on the path forward, Roz."
"That line is meant for you."
Roz reached the hospital door and opened it.
"Compared to me, you're more dangerous without a metal spine—watch out, Aisha might pinch your waist off."
"Tch… you heartless guy, really have to say something useless at a time like this?"
Andrew, who had been feeling youthful and preparing to say something cool, was completely ruined by Roz.
The only response he got was the sound of the door closing and Roz's footsteps fading away.
"Because he's not even sure he'll survive…"
Aisha, lying on the other bed, watched everything that had just happened and smiled. "You can feel it too, right? Roz is a stubborn and innocent person."
"Of course I can feel it."
After taking some time to calm himself, Andrew turned to look out the window. "I can't know exactly what he's thinking, but I can sense part of his emotions."
"Still… I've seen too many people like him, crushed or led astray."
With that, Andrew sighed.
"Stay true to yourself… Roz."
-----------------------------------
When Roz changed his clothes and returned to the port, a familiar shuttle was already quietly docked there.
A gift from Uzumi—Roz wondered if something with this meaning had already become extinct.
For some reason, Roz thought this to himself.
At this moment, the container holding the Narrative Gundam and its equipment was being loaded into the shuttle's cargo hold.
Although Uzumi had provided a passenger shuttle, the shipyard had specially installed a cargo hold so it could carry the Narrative Gundam and its equipment.
"I didn't expect you'd be leaving so soon again."
Murrue's voice sounded in Roz's ear.
"…After all, I can't just stand still forever."
Roz turned his head and smiled at Murrue. "The battles in the future require stronger mobile suits."
"Whether it's to change the world or to protect you, I need power."
Roz walked to Murrue's side and took her left hand in his right.
"Besides… it's not like I won't come back. I'll be back in a few days."
"…I understand."
Murrue sighed. Although she felt a small pang at Roz leaving after a brief meeting, she knew this wasn't the time to indulge in emotions.
Being with Roz now was tempting, but if it meant he would lose strength and face the risk of death in future battles, Murrue could not accept it.
Although Murrue valued her emotions, she was a rational person. Throwing tantrums was not something she would do.
"Well then… safe travels?"
Out of habit, Murrue kissed Roz lightly and gave a brief farewell.
Watching Roz board the shuttle, the white shuttle departed the dock and left Industrial 7 under guidance.
After a moment of silence, Murrue was about to turn away.
"Murrue and Roz have such a nice relationship…"
A somewhat familiar voice spoke. Lacus, who had wandered here with Kira without anyone noticing, was watching Murrue, her gentle smile still on her face.
Every time Lacus appeared, she wore a smile, but it never felt fake or insincere.
"Hmm, aren't you and Kira close too?"
Murrue nodded to Lacus.
"I always see you two together."
"Kira is very important to me."
Lacus looked into Murrue's eyes. "Kira and I were drawn to each other by our ideals and personalities."
"By the way, I'm curious—how did you and Roz end up together?"
"About that… I analyzed it after I calmed down later. It was probably some kind of suspension bridge effect."
Murrue waved her hand, showing a helpless expression. "Roz and I both needed something from each other at first. That's how we started contacting each other."
"But through continuous battles, after he showed himself to be reliable and saved us time and again… I found myself getting somewhat addicted to that 'suspension bridge.'"
Recalling it, Murrue sighed. "After a series of events combined, as you can see, I ended up with him."
"…That's completely unexpected."
Listening to Murrue's explanation, Lacus' eyes widened.
"Given his wooden emotional intelligence, he probably never thought of these twists and turns. In the end, I took the initiative to pursue him."
Murrue waved her hand, explaining to Lacus. "That guy is both naive and stubborn… but once he makes a promise, he will definitely keep it."
As Murrue recounted her romantic experience, Lacus listened with interest, while Kira felt somewhat bewildered.
What? Relationships have so many twists and turns? Compared to my situation with Lacus, which was so straightforward, this feels out of place.
While Murrue and Lacus discussed their emotional experiences, Roz suddenly sneezed aboard the shuttle.
"Cold… no, that's not it. Someone's thinking of me…"
Roz was certain he didn't have a cold—given his current physical strength, he was practically immune. He sensed a brainwave far stronger than Andrew's or Aisha's, active at the Industrial 7 port not far away.
Next to this powerful brainwave, Roz also sensed Murrue's brainwave.
And the person with this strong brainwave…
"Lacus?"
After a bit of deduction, Roz looked puzzled. "What did she say to Murrue to get her so excited?"
With this confusion, Roz sat in the shuttle, letting the autopilot carry him toward the "shipyard" while he pondered silently.
-----------------------------------
On the PLANT mainland, Shinn walked out of the airport carrying a suitcase.
Compared to the relatively harmonious Orb, PLANT at this time was under a state of war and the high-pressure rule of Chairman Zala, so there were far fewer people on the streets.
However, the recruitment windows still had long lines; young people were eager to join ZAFT.
But were these kids really prepared to be killed?
Shinn touched the immigration certificate in his pocket—it belonged to PLANT. He had immigrated directly as an "Orb refugee," so the approval process had been fast.
Squinting his eyes, Shinn, who had already looked up the relevant information online, walked toward the lined-up recruitment windows.
Since this was just a small station, the work here was simply to record names and issue a physical examination form, letting the youth who wanted to join the military get a free checkup at a designated hospital. The staff worked quickly, and soon it was Shinn's turn.
"Alright, next. Name?"
The staff looked at Shinn carrying his suitcase and took out a physical examination form.
"Shinn Asuka, fourteen years old."
Shinn's expression was serious as he looked at the staff.
"Fourteen?!"
After writing a few notes, the staff widened their eyes upon hearing Shinn's age.
"You're not old enough to enlist."
"I'm an Orb immigrant."
Shinn calmly explained his situation. "My parents were killed by the Earth Alliance."
Hearing this, the PLANT Coordinators' eyes softened with a trace of pity.
"…I see."
The staff, who had been somewhat numb, scratched his head.
Amid a group of hot-blooded youth hoping to make achievements, here was a figure like a revenge-seeking ghost—it brought him back to reality.
"Alright… you go for the physical checkup first."
After some thought, the staff sighed. "If you pass the physical, I'll see if I can help you in some way."
"…Thank you."
Shinn accepted the examination form stiffly and nodded to the staff.
Seeing Shinn's expression, the Coordinators present felt a pang in their hearts.
Their anger toward the Earth Alliance burned hotter, and their resolve to join ZAFT grew even stronger.
Following the map, Shinn arrived at the hospital, where many PLANT youth were undergoing physical examinations.
"Lately, quite a few PLANT people are joining ZAFT…"
"But none of them are what I need."
Creuset and Durandal were on the hospital's second floor, looking at the youth below and flipping through pages on their Pads.
"How about this one? The test results are quite excellent."
Creuset showed Durandal a PLANT youth's file after flipping a few pages.
"Not quite right, but keep as a backup."
Durandal glanced at the data and stored the file.
"Hey… what kind of person are you really looking for?"
Creuset was clearly puzzled by Durandal's choice criteria.
"I'm searching for someone with a particular talent."
While Creuset just reviewed physical data, Durandal was focused on the blood test reports.
"Alright… after all, he is the most mysterious great inventor."
Creuset smiled, still flipping through the reports.
At that moment, Shinn's blood report appeared before Durandal.
"Values… so high!"
Seeing that the metrics he valued most were far higher than anyone else's, Durandal was surprised.
"Shinn Asuka… it's him."
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