Chapter 01 - First Contact
[Purple Heart's P.O.V.]
It was late at night. We were walking all our way to Lastation. I was tired of flying due to battling several monsters before proceeding, so we decided to walk. Since it was dark, we decided to stop and make a camp until sunrise. Iffy, Compa and I just finished a few quests in Planeptune before moving on to Lastation in search of the Key Fragments.
Oh, I'm Neptune by the way. I lost my memories, so I can't explain much of myself. All I am told of by Histy, or Histoire rather, is that my transformation back to human form is disabled. I don't know why though…but, if it pleases the writer that I'm usually in this form, I wouldn't mind.
(I'm breaking the fourth wall again, am I? My sincere apologies.)
Anyway, moving on, it was cold even with the camp fire lit up. I'm glad Iffy brought blankets. We also brought food and supplies along with my favorite delicacy, pudding! Ah, I couldn't last without at least one cup a day. Compa was checking her medical stuff inside her nurse pouch. Iffy was cooking supper, while I'm just here watching the beautiful night sky. The stars in the distance, the moonlight shone brightly above us.
But something caught the corner of my eye.
I saw something in the distance. I couldn't make it out very well because it was extremely fast. I thought it was just a shooting star passing by, but I was mistaken.
The shooting star flew in our direction, crashing down to the ground, 2 kilometers away from us. The crash was extremely loud too. Iffy was alarmed and Compa shrieked in fright.
"KYAAAAH!?" screamed Compa.
"What the hell?! What was that?!" Iffy looked at the direction where the crash was.
"Iffy, let's go check it out. Compa, please stay here and watch our camp." I told Compa, whose legs were shivering out of fright. She replied "Y-Yessy! Be careful, Nep-Nep!"
What in the name of Celestia happened there? Was it a UFO? A meteor? No, it was different. It was a certain shape, yet I can't identify what it was. So Iffy and I left the camp to investigate.
As we drew closer to the site of the crash, the area was set ablaze. The area was on fire. Iffy thought it was too dangerous to continue on. "Nep, we should leave. It's too dangerous to go any further and investigate. Let's wait for the fire to die out-"
But then, she sees something on the ground. Upon closer inspection, she sees a sort of white armor with red accents and wiring cables on the top. It had a big gap that can fit onto an arm. Inside the gap were other wires and electronic devices. "W-What is this thing..?" I just replied simply "I don't know either…"
It seemed like a gauntlet of some sort, since it fitted well onto Iffy's arm. Not only was it armor, but there's a hidden panel at the front. When we forced it open, I see an empty slot on the one side, and a tube that moves forward as we opened it. It seemed like a gun or something.
"Wow! This is so cool, Nep! This could be a machine gun or something…" There goes Iffy and her tomboyish addiction to weapons again. I literally see sparkles on her eyes. "Oh, Iffy…you and your interests…"
But the short moment ends as I see something within the area of flames. I tried to come closer to the fire.
"W-Wait, Nep! Where are you going?!" Iffy questioned.
"I think I see something, Iffy. Just hold on." I replied.
I tried to come closer to what I saw. When I did manage to make it, what I saw shocked me.
It was a robot. No, it was a person wearing a sort of armor lying on the ground, unconscious. I called Iffy to come with me on this particular sight.
"Iffy! I see a person here. Come over here, quick!"
Our suspicions were confirmed. The gauntlet we picked up belonged to the person on the ground. We were surprised.
"Nep! What happened here?!"
"I don't know, but we have to check on him. Now!"
When I turned the person around on my lap to face me, the helmet's eyes glowed ethereal blue, catching my eyes' full attention. But the glow disappears almost immediately. I was worried for this person, whoever he is. Iffy checked his vital signs, but as she pulls her hand back, she noticed blood on it. Dark, red blood. "Oh no! Nep! This person is bleeding!" Iffy exclaimed.
"What?! Goodness. Quick, grab whatever you can find and help me carry him back!" I started to carry the person in my arms, as Iffy carried whatever she could find nearby the wreckage of the person's armor. "Nep, we gotta hurry before his injuries kill him!"
Later, we came back at our camp, with Compa anxiously waiting for us. She was glad to see us both, but almost immediately, she gasped as she saw me carrying the man we just rescued.
"Nep-Nep?! What happened, Nep-Nep?!"
"We found this person on the ground. He seemed to be the cause of the crash." Iffy replied.
" Compa, please help. We need your medical skills! He's badly injured and he's bleeding hard."
"Y-Yessy! Leave it to me!" Compa immediately rushed to our side as I layed down the injured man to a blanket that Iffy had already spread for him.
Compa was still in-training, but I believed her current skills were enough to at least keep this man alive.
"Nep-Nep, can you please remove the armor on him?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, I don't know how, Compa…"
We were all panicking at this point. This event was unexpected for any of us. I was particularly concerned for this man. Iffy and Compa were both doing their best, since they had more knowledge. I lost my memories, so I don't know what I can do for this man. I couldn't stand here and do nothing either.
"Aww. If we can't remove the armor, I won't make his boo-boos go away…"
Iffy examined the man's armor, but she could not find any clue or opening.
"Iffy, do you know how?" Compa grabs her medkit.
"I don't know either!" Iffy was now panicking even worse.
I still believe this man is alive. If he crashed from space like that, he must be a super human. I layed my hand on his chest armor out of pure concern.
"I'm so sorry, I couldn't do anything for you-!"
As soon as my hand touched the chest plate, the entire armor suddenly glows ethereal blue. It was so bright, it blinded all of us for seconds. After the glow disappears, we could not see the armor anymore. Instead, we saw the person's full identity. His body. His wounds. And he had a lot of scratches and a big slash mark running down his right chest. Iffy commented in silence. "This guy is…" The man was blonde, with a really hot build, I must say. His muscles were perfectly proportioned. This guy must be a warrior or something.
But what really caught my eyes, are the tattoos on the right side of his neck, down to his entire right arm, to the back of his right hand were all black tattoos all over it. It was beautiful, yet sort of overkill to me.
I inspected his face closer while Iffy and Compa, still surprised, watches. It was painful to see him wince at the pain. He was bleeding all throughout his body. He was unconscious. He was unable to move, nor open his eyes.
"Nep…This person…"
"He looks HAWT. He looks reaaaaaaaaally cool!" Compa cutely retorted.
"N-Now is not the time to say such things Compa. Please, heal his wounds as you can, alright?"
"I'll help you." Iffy looked at Compa and both nodded to each other.
I stared into the blonde's face. I notice a scar running down his right eye. But this scar wasn't bleeding like the rest of his wounds. I was relieved for a moment.
"Don't worry…you'll be okay, I promise…"
I caressed his blonde hair gently. It felt smooth to the touch.
After a while, Compa and Iffy were done patching him up. Compa then places an ice pack on his forehead.
"He's gonna be a-okay, Nep-Nep. He just has wee, bad fever…" Compa was smiling as cute as ever. I starkly replied "Thank you."
"But, we still have to take him to a hospital tomorrow. My bandages and healing salves will only last for 2 days…" I immediately nodded, then looked at the man once more.
This is the first time I had encountered this confusing event. Other than monsters that seem weird in design (Oh dear, I broke the fourth wall again), irritating people, strange places, whatever. This is a new kind of strange event. The person we rescued seems to be a warrior of some sort, just like a certain video game character (I'm very sorry about the fourth wall, okay?).
An hour has passed after we tried to stabilize the one we rescued. Iffy was inspecting parts of the armor that she retrieved from the wreckage. She discovers a stunning find.
"Nep, Compa, take a look at this…" Iffy hands over the other gauntlet. At the back of the protrusion on the side, there was an inscription that can still be read despite it being grimy from the crash, describing the origin of the person's organization or faction. "Here, read this."
It read: "MSZ-006 Z GUNDAM UNIT 03A" and "E.F.S.F.". On the other side, is a unique symbol with a red circle in the middle surrounded by 3 odd shapes resembling wolves or black panthers. Then finally, the word "EARTH FEDERATION" just below it. It answered our questions. We were more than shocked at this point. He was from our new neighboring planet, Earth! How did he get here? So many questions are spinning around my head at the moment. It was fascinating to know, but it concerns me as to why he crashed here. Did something happen to him? So much questions to be asked as I await his awakening.
"Compa…this person is…!"
"This is our new neighboring planet's main military force right?"
"Military force?" I asked.
We looked at each other for a moment, we finally know where this person came from. And it is mind-blowing.
"He's from…Earth…" Iffy finally got it straight to the point. "He's from the Earth's military…but why is he here?..." I scratched my head in confusion.
"Aren't our new neighbors in a conflict against each other? I don't like conflict, Iffy…" Compa shrugged.
"Yeah…I saw it on the news. The Earth Federation is fighting a large-scale war against an autonomous colony-centered force named Neo Zeon. Although, that's all I know so far." Iffy was reading an article in her phone about our topic just now. "That's dangerous…and we're so close into being in the middle of it…" I replied.
"Let's just hope that their grand scale war doesn't land here…" Yeah, Iffy…you just triggered a flag. "It'll be a huge mess, I bet…" I retorted.
I looked at the man's young face again. He looked like he's in his 20's. So young, and very handsome at that, now that I think about it. His scar running down his eye tells me he is a seasoned veteran. And at that young age…he has so much surprises for me.
We resumed dinner. Compa and Iffy do wonders with their cooking. I especially love Iffy's grilled steak. We were just making merry as usual, but not as much because of the person we are nursing back to health, who is now under the sheets, sleeping peacefully like an angel. His face is finally calm once more. Compa remarked how attracted she was, making me laugh a little. I myself felt the same way. Iffy just laughed it off, considering how much of a magnet this guy is being right now.
Later, Iffy and Compa went to sleep. I stayed awake to keep guard of our little camp. Especially to the guy we just saved. It brings me relief to my heart that I'm able to help somebody who is dying. But our medication was not enough, but very close. We have to take him to a hospital in Lastation before we go to the Basilicom to see the CPU.
The next day, I woke up to the sight of Iffy and Compa frantically searching for something…or someone…
"Iffy? Compa? What's wrong?" I asked.
"About time you woke up, Nep! Get up and help us look for him." Iffy scolded me again.
"Nep-Nep! We can't find him anywhere! That cool, big guy is missing!" I have to admit, her voice is cute back there.
My worries grew as I immediately got up and tried to search for him. We split up and took different routes. I looked for him at the crash site, while Iffy and Compa both went deeper into the forest, both carrying sticks with them so they can create a trail in order to not get lost.
10 minutes later, we met up at the camp again. There was still no sign of him.
"I can't find him!" I spoke up quite loudly on that one.
"Me neither. How about you, Compa?" Iffy asked.
"I can't find him either…he's not here anymore…" Compa sniffed, as if about to cry. I patted her on the back to reassure her. "Everything will be fine, Compa. Don't give up yet." I told her. We were about to split up again for another search.
But then, we heard a voice coming in from the side of our camp.
"Am I the one you're looking for?..."
And there he was, standing beside a tree, carrying some fruits, looking at us with a stoic expression.
This marks the beginning of our wonderful friendship.
