In the grey light, beneath raining clouds Simon the Digger slowly trudged up the hill. Lagann was sluggish and unresponsive, but it would at least help him navigate the muddy ground.
An unknown Gunmen had thrown a metal capsule down amongst the dirt, to join what looked like a hundred others which had come before it. The shadows and muck only served to accentuate the deep impression Simon found that he was intruding where he did not belong.
But Simon was a driller and the new capsule's polished surface had caught his curious eye and Simon the Digger was anything if not attracted to shiny things found in the dirt.
Lagann brought Simon to the apex of the hill, where the capsule had landed. Carefully the boy jumped from his Gunmen to walk the last few steps towards the container on foot in the rain.
It was clean, with an obvious lid and in the centre was a small circular hole. A keyhole for a Core Drill. Hurrying back to Lagann Simon withdrew the Core Drill.
The Core Drill inserted perfectly and with a twist of the wrist the capsule popped open. Light and smoke burst from the seams and Simon reared back slightly in surprise, but that was not the only surprise.
Inside the capsule, curled in on herself there was a girl!
Resting peacefully, wearing a pink top and skirt, her skin was like porcelain and her hair was a strange blonde which bled into shades of blue the colour of the sky. It was like nothing Simon had ever seen before.
The girl's eyes fluttered open and Simon leaned back slightly as he beheld the mystery girl's teal eyes with a red cross where the pupil should have been.
Tilting her head to the side the girl favoured Simon with a friendly smile.
"Hail fellows, well met," she greeted them.
"H-hail fellows?" Simon stammered the beauty's words back at her. Wait hold on.
"But I'm the only person here," Simon said.
"Oh," the girl said. "Then who is that?" she asked, pointing behind him.
Simon spun around almost colliding with the bare torso of the man behind him.
"W-whaaa!?" Simon half shouted in surprise, leaning back against the girl's capsule before getting a good look at the man. "A-aniki?" He asked in shocked surprise.
"Not quite, little man," the stranger replied.
Simon shook his head then looked more carefully at the man in front of him.
He was tall, Simon thought. He had chiselled abs on a bare torso and spikey blue hair the same colour as Kamina's that seemed to naturally defy gravity and stand above his head like blue fire. Around his neck hung a pair of orange-red tinted spectacles. They were spiral patterned lenses with a cord around his neck holding them in place, the left lens was cracked down the middle even if all of the glass in the lens was still present. Simon frowned at the reminders of his lost friend. His only clothing was navy blue pants with a red line going down them. At his waist there was a simple looking iron dagger with a leather wrapped hilt and he had a handful of brown leather pouches around his belt, going all around his waist.
"Hello princess," the man said as he stepped forward well into Simon's personal space to reach for the unknown girl.
Simon hurriedly edged out from beneath the man to see the stranger holding his arm outstretched and the girl sat in the capsule, who was looking at it in confusion.
"Ano?" The girl tilted her head innocently, looking at the offered appendage.
The man looked at her for a second, then threw his head back and burst out into laughter.
The girl watched the laughing man for a second before she looked around, then up in the air as if only just noticing the world around her.
"Is this rain?" The girl asked in excited wonder. She lifted her arms in the air to celebrate the feel of the droplets on her skin.
The strange man who reminded Simon so much of Kamina stopped laughing and stepped back, as if in anticipation of the girl's next actions which were to climb to her feet, giving Simon, who averted his gaze in embarrassment, and the stranger a good glance up her short skirt before she jumped down to the muddy floor.
"It is cold," the girl commented, just as fascinated as she was at the rain falling from above. "What is this?" She asked, looking at the floor.
"I-It's dirt," Simon numbly answered, finding himself overcome by the beautiful girl's features and the innocent enjoyment in her eyes. "Don't you need some shoes?" He asked.
The girl ignored him, too busy marvelling at the concept of dirt beneath her feet. The she suddenly looked towards Simon, reaching forward she caught the stupefied boy's cheeks in her hands and pulled him forward until their faces were almost touching.
"Why are you the same as I am?" The girl asked. "You have no tail, or scales, and your skin is so soft…"
"He's a human," the man offered from the side of the capsule where he had been observing the girl and Simon's interactions with amusement and fondness fighting for dominance in his face. "But I hate to break up the moment princess but would you lend me your hand for a moment.
"Okay," the girl replied, presenting her hand to him freely. The man reached forward, Simon only caught a flash of metal before the girl pulled her hand back with a cry of pain.
"Hey!" Simon demanded, "don't hurt her!"
"Sorry, sorry," the man demurred, withdrawing what Simon recognised as a syringe and putting it away in his pocket. He didn't seem apologetic enough in Simon's eyes though. The girl cradled her hurt hand to her chest. Simon spotted a hint of blood coming from one of the girl's fingers.
"Here," the man said tenderly. "I'm sorry I hurt you, let me make it better." He held his hand up which began to glow with a soft light. The girl looked at him with tears in her eyes. She must have seen something in his eyes because she offered her hand back to the man. He took it gently in his glowing hand and for a moment the light emanating from it grew brighter.
"There, all better see?" He let go of her hand and the girl turned her harm to look to her finger.
"It's all better?" The girl observed.
"Of course it is, I'm a man of my word after all," the stranger declared and Simon once again felt a hit of bitter nostalgia for his lost friend. "Now I believe Simon here was just about to explain what a human was."
"I-I was?" Simon stammered, but he didn't get the chance to speak further. From behind the man the enormous shadow of a Gunmen appeared through the mist around them. Fist cocked it lunged for the three vulnerable humans, too fast for Simon to react!
The stranger turned to face the rapidly approaching Gunmen. Cocking his arm back, he punched forward, his fist colliding with the Gunmen's. The giant mech and the stranger's fist locked in battle for a split second before time resumed. A shockwave of air burst out of the point of impact and the Gunmen was sent flying back into the mist.
"Trying to have a conversation here…" The man muttered. "I guess we're out of time huh. So anyway, Nia," he looked to the girl. "This is my gift to you. Shoes!"
From behind his back the man withdrew a pair of beautiful white ballet shoes. Kneeling down the man carefully took each of the girl's feet in his hands and gently put them on for her. Standing back up he looked towards Simon.
"Better than having to let her borrow yours huh?" He observed humorously. Behind him two more Gunmen burst from the smoke.
"Look out!" Simon bellowed, not that it mattered. The man didn't even seem to move as the two behemoths were sent careening away.
"Yep, definitely out of time!" The man said cheerfully. "Run along now kids, I'll be fine here, need to blow off some steam anyway! You've got adventures to embark upon, so get to it!"
Simon didn't need telling twice. Grabbing the girl, no Nia's hand he pulled her towards Lagann. Nia fell into his lap as he hurriedly activated the Gunmen and hightailed it out of there. The sound of collisions, what Simon assumed must have been the impossible man holding his own against however many Gunmen there were attracted to their presence.
"By the way, the man's voice echoed behind him through the sounds of combat. "The name's Enoch! I'll see you again soon, Simon the Digger!"