Prologue
January 1, U.C. 0080
My name is Johnny Ridden and this is my story. I am a soldier for the Principality of Zeon. I'm slowly fading away. I can feel my life end as I write this. I can feel my blood pouring from my wound. I took the knife out, since I didn't want to find me with it still in me. It wouldn't be good-looking. Anyway, the reason I'm writing this is because, hopefully, someone will find this and remember me. Hopefully someone will remember the things I did for Zeon, back when we were the superior race.
Everyone I know is gone, dead or missing. I wonder what happened to Char. Gato vanished after A Baoa Qu, and I know Matsunaga was killed. Krutz, good o' Thomas Krutz, I know he's dead too. He sacrificed himself so I could get out of my Gelgoog when I got shot. The Gelgoog, that damn thing was almost my coffin. But I loved it. It was a present from her. Her, Kycilia Zabi, the woman of my dreams and my superior officer. Dead as well...
It was hard to believe it at first, my love, dead. I'm lying in this hospital bed because I was defending her, only to find out that she died. Killed by that son of a bitch, Char Aznable. I was shot down and hospitalized because I loved someone. Well, no matter. Soon I will be with her again.
But first, my story. This is my story. I will spare you the old stuff, like where I went to school and such. I will tell you my tale as a soldier. I will tell you when I started. I will tell you when I met her. I will tell you about the Battle of Loum, and I will tell you about A Baoa Qu. My name is Johnny Ridden and this is my story.
I am the Crimson Lightning...