A pair of violet eyes awaken to the shining sun, blinking in bewilderment, like a newborn baby looking at the world first. Grass blades, tall grass blades, while something passes by, a leaf. The wind is blowing is it, it can be heard from its sound, you can feel it with your skin. The tree's bark could be seen from the corner as the eyes focused on it. The eyes turn back to the sun, its light, as the wearer basks in its warmth. The eyes look upon the sun, looking lost, disappointed like it expected something else. A familiar light, a familiar heat that the sun could never provide.

The eyes see something else, a memory of that familiar light. A rock basked with such light as darkness reigned everywhere. Everywhere except that blue orb. The sounds of children laughing, men shouting, and women singing prayers rings in the ears. It felt warm, nothing like the sun. It is not a warmth to heat your body. It felt peaceful, like there was nothing to fear. As if your body is being hugged.

The eyes suddenly see the sun again, and as if electricity strikes, the person's body jumps. A raven-haired boy wearing a white jacket starts panting, looking at the row of trees ahead of him. He looks around him, catching his breath, moving his fingers, and eventually, his arms. He pushes himself off the ground to his legs. He stumbles a bit, like a baby deer learning to prance, but he knows to move again.

"Where… is this?" spoke the young man looking behind him as he saw the ground going slightly upward.

There is a hill behind his back, and it has a tree on top of it. He turns around, looking at the small hill like he can see through it, and starts making his way towards it before climbing. It was at first easy for him due to the slight elevation, but as the height escalates, the hill begins looking farther, forcing the young man to use his hands to move up. When the young boy reaches the top, he can already see beyond the hill. He saw the light, but it was different; it was moving and hazy. It reflected the sun from a large lake, but it looked dirty and a little drained. The boy saw behind the lake what looked like an ancient village. He focuses on specific parts to notice that the houses didn't look old but were severely damaged. The second he rechecked the town, he realized that it wasn't an ancient village but a town in ruins.

The town is a hillside town, with houses lined up from bottom to top but plenty of space. Small shops are spread around, and you can even see schools in the corners. It was a big town, but strangely intimate for some reason, but you can't see it anymore. The houses are barely stable, the shops are destroyed, and the schools run down. The boy looks at the town with pity because his eyes only imagine what the town could have been before. The lake shines, giving the town its light as the people wake up, greeting one another on their way to work and school. The sounds of laughter and good mornings filled the young boy's ears before a hand appeared from the ground from the lower right corner.

This startled the boy, who quickly backed away. The hand grabs the ground and pushes a small body up. A younger boy with brown hair and brown eyes with Asian features climbed the hill from the other side. As the younger boy places one leg on the ground, his eyes meet the other boy, both eyes wide, trying to process who is in front of them before the brown-haired boy gives another look. Hate, anger, and disgust.

"A Britannian!" shouts the brown-haired boy whose body dropped from view.

The raven-haired boy runs to the other side of the hill, and he sees the other boy sliding down the hill.

"Britannian?" wonders the boy, who, after a couple of seconds of wonder, does the same as the other boy and cautiously starts climbing down the hill.

As the boy climbs down, he looks up at the sky, eyes looking curious before widening with realization. Upon reaching the parched grass of the ground, he made his way towards the start of a ravaged road with a damaged house at the corner. The upper floor looked unusable, windows broken, and part of the walls ripped off, but the lower floor, while damaged, was different. The windows were replaced with white bags, the front door was a curtain, and toys were in the front yard. The boy looked at the house for a second, looking with interest, but continued on the road. The sounds of curtains opening enter the boy's ears as he sees the younger boy again, standing stiff with hate in his eyes and a gun pointed at the boy.

"Freaking Brit!" shouts the younger boy with spit flying out, "You a spy!?"
"Spy!?" nervously shouts the boy, as he quickly raises his hands, "I'm not! I don't even know where I am!"
"Liar!" angrily responds the other boy before a slender hand comes out the curtain and grabs the gun on the younger boy's hand.
"Don't be so stiffed, Tak.", reprimands the voice coming out the door as the hand pulls the gun off the boy's hand, "You looked like one of those chihuahua dogs."
"Sis…" "Tak" sighs as coming out the curtain, a short black-haired woman wearing a black shirt points the gun at the boy next.
"So you are saying you are not a spy?" politely asks the woman, slightly unsettling.
"I'm not.", responds the boy as calmly as he can, "I don't even know what's going on."
"You what!?" shouts "Tak," as the woman quickly grabs Tak by his left arm and whips him past the curtain.
"You don't know what's going on?" calmly questions Tak's sister, "Where are you from?"
"Well… Side 1, Sweetwater.", answers the boy as a bullet flies past the right side of his head as the women's eyes' grow darker and her smile disappears.
"Side 1? Tell me where that is?" asks the woman as his unsettling smile returns.
"Wait!" shouts the petrified boy, "It's true!"
As her eyes grow sharper, the women move closer to him, "Tell me, where in Japan is Side 1?"
"Japan?" wonders the boy with a look of confusion, "This is Japan?"
"Tell me, for the last time. Where is Side 1? Where is Sweetwater?" slowly, with a cold voice, says the woman as she points the gun onto the boy's head.

The boy looks at the women's cold eyes, struggling not to blink as sweat drops from his forehead and runs down to the black shirt underneath his jacket. He turns his head to his right hand with a deep breath as the women's eyes shift to his right hand. Slowly, he moves his fingers until he shows his right hand pointing up.

"Ummm, up there?" nervously smiles the boy as the woman moves the gun away, winds back, and smacks him.

Light. The young man sees that light again. The light, the rock, and the blue orb. The eyes scanned the rock and where the light was from. He sees it, where that light is from. At the rock's end, something small held the rock itself. That is where that light is coming from. He then looks at the rock and sees every rod coming out. He turns his eyes to where the light is leading to. Another rock, no, the same rock. It's another half.

"Side 1? What is that?"

A guy's voice. A little rough, like a thug.

"Who knows. Maybe a new Britannian base or project?"

Another guy, younger and a bit playful, like a joker.

"Don't know; he sounds delusional. He was saying it was up or something."

The women's voice again. It lost its politeness but was a little more straightforward.

"Damn, maybe Side 1 is another Damocles.", wonders the rough voice, "Either way, we should ask him more questions. Maybe he knows about that strange Knightmare we found?"
"Still in old Yamada's place?" asks a playful voice, as the sound of a metal squeaking echoes, "Has he managed to turn on that thing?"
"On standby but can't get completely operational.", answers the rougher voice, "The controls and system are completely different from the Sutherland and the Akatsuki."
"Maybe it's from Europe or the old Chinese Federation?" asks the women's voice.
"He said it from some company called A—"
"Axis," softly voices the young man.

The youth slowly opens his eyes and sees three people. The women from before, leaning against an old grey wall. He also sees a young man with reddish-brown hair combed back with a rough-looking face. He sat on a chair with his elbows on a table older than him, and another younger man with neat brown hair and a soft face spun on a computer chair. All of them are looking at him as the rougher-looking man gets off his chair.

"Well, well, well, aren't you a little too young to join the army?" playfully asks the thuggish-sounding man.
"Army?" wonders the boy as he feels his body sitting on his chair and his hands tied behind, "What army?"
"What army, he says." laughs the man, "I don't think you are part of an army. Your face is too soft, like a tissue."

The other young man plugs his nose in response as the boy looks down at the ground and says regretfully, "I'm not a part of any army, but I think I know why you guys are suspicious of me."
"Huh?" questions the thuggish youth.
"Sweetwater. That was my colony.", recounts the youth.
"Colony?" repeats the women with intrigue.
"Went there 3 years ago after the last war. Became a refugee after the last colony dropped, and that's where they sent everybody with no place to go. Went to the local school and rented a small place with the money my dad left me.", continues the youth, "I liked the people there and just wanted to live in peace, but when Char came—"
"Char?" repeats the older youth.
"and Neo Zeon, I didn't want to cause trouble, so I shut my mouth.", says the youth as he starts to sulk, "I knew. Everyone knew that Char controlled Sweetwater and would do something bad, but I kept my mouth shut because I was scared."

The other hears the fear and regret coming out of the youth's voice as his head lowers, "I was a coward, scared that people would kill me if I talked! But if I tried, what happened in Tibet w-won't have happened. When that happened, I heard voices. I-I think it was the voices of all those people. Too many people died because I couldn't say anything!"
Tears rolled down the youth's eyes as he said with sorrow, "Too many people died because I couldn't stop being a coward! Because I couldn't change!"
The youth stomps his feet and screams, "Why do people have to fight!? Why do they want to rule over others!? Why is the world…."
The tearful youth looks up at the startled older youth and asks, "Why does the world have to be like this?"

Silence overtook the room immediately. Both the women and the playful-looking man look at the youth with confusion, unable to speak or respond. But the older youth looks at the youth with familiarity. He quickly looks at the other two and points his head towards the door. The woman looked ready to protest, but another young man grabbed her and opened the door. Behind the door were stairs leading up to the outside. The woman sighs as she is led away from the room as the thuglike man turns back to the youth, head down while still whimpering, as the man sighs to himself.

"Hey, what's your name?" asks the man with his left hand on his head.
"Alright.", answers the youth, calming down.
"Al-bright?" questions the older youth, "Weird. Doesn't sound even Britannian?"
"Weird?" wonders Albright, "Can't be that weird. Nobody ever said anything, well, except for my dad. Wait, what is a Britannian?"
"Shit eaters," jokes the man, "Asshats, you name it, especially their military and shitty nobles."

The man sees the confusion on Albright's face and clears his voice, "My name is Ryoma. Ryoma Jin, the best pilot this town has."
"Pilot? You are part of an army?" asks Albright.
"More or less.", Ryoma answers coolly before raising his hand proudly, "We are called Second Order."
"Second Order?" wonders Albright.
"Yup, my old man named it after some stuff. Our mission is to find our Japan, " says Ryoma, who starts going through a toolbox to the side.
"Find Japan?" repeats Albright with confusion, "Isn't this Japan."
"No.", swiftly says Ryoma, still looking through the toolbox, "This isn't Japan. Not anymore. We are going to find our Japan."
"Your Japan?" wonders Albright, "How?"
"First, we are getting the hell out of here.", explains Ryoma, who pulls out a sheathed blade before pulling it out, "You already saw the town. The Britannian army came by and took every adult before ransacking the place."
"Ransack? Why?" asks Albright, nervous by the sight of the blade.
"Because to them, we are terrorists because we have our own weapons and don't recognize them. That was a few days ago.", grunts Ryoma with dark eyes as he approaches a nervous Albright.

With a sadistic smile, he pulls the blade near Abright's neck, which pulls his neck away. Ryoma quickly cut the rope tying Abright's hands before laughing, "Ah, haha! Your face, man! Don't worry, you're free."
With a confused, yet relieved expression, Albright asks with hesitation, "S-so you don't hate me?"
"Hate you?" laughs Ryoma, "You seem too crazy enough to hate."
Albright blinks in confusion as Ryoma continues, "Side 1? Sweetwater? Char? Are you okay, kid?"
"What?", mutters Albright.
"That was a great story you've told, but you are too crazy to keep here.", says Ryoma as he grabs the last of the rope, tying up Albright, "Okay, you're good."
"Wait, wait!" shouts Albright, "You don't know what's happened in space?"
"Space? What are you talking about? Unless…" says Ryoma, who quickly gets into Albright's face, 'You're an alien?"
"I'm not!" shouts Albright, "I'm obviously a Spacenoid!"
"So an alien?"
"No!"
"Then explain what's a Spacenoid!?" yells Ryoma
"Someone who lives away from the Earth!" loudly explains Albright, "People born in the colonies, live in the colonies, and die in the colonies,"
"What kind of colonies are you talking about?" asks a confused Ryoma.
"The colonies around the Earth Sphere-" starts shouting Albright before realizing something, "You really have no idea what I'm talking about?"
"No, not really.", admits Ryoma, "It sounds like you are on drugs or something."
"Then, can you tell me where am I?" asks Albright, "I mean exactly where."
"Funukekaishi. Right in the middle of Okayama.", answers Ryoma, "Well was before the town got wiped off."
"I… don't know where that is.", nervously admits Albright.

"We're at the tale of Japan, well, the beginning of it." Ryoma starts patting Albright's head, "Man, you really don't know anything, kid."
"Stop that." Albright annoyingly shoves Ryoma's hand off his head, "I'm not a kid. I'm 15."
"I'm 20, so that makes you a kid to me.", refutes Ryoma as he forces his hand back on Albright's head, "Anyways, someone like you shouldn't be anywhere near this dead land."
"What about you? Why are you still here?" asks an annoyed Albright.
"Because you know Yuna? The woman with me?" asks Ryoma, as he points to the door, "She and I are technically the only adults left."
"Huh?" immediately says a shocked Albright.
"Yup. We're both 20. Everybody else is either a little kid or still in their teens.", explains Ryoma, "The other guy Sosuke is 18, so he is still young compared to us. We only got like 3 other guys that are still above 17."
"So there is really no other adult here?" asks a bewildered Albright.
"Just my grandpa Yamada. He was out of town when the army came.', answers Ryoma, "Other than that, it's just me, Yuna, Sosuke, and the rest of the older kids taking care of the place. As soon as we get everything ready, we can go."
"And where will you find this "Japan" of yours?" asks Albright.
"It's not going to be here. Not in this town, not in this province, not in this country.", answers Ryoma as he opens the door, "This place isn't Japan. There are no Japanese here. Just Elevens."
"Elevens?", wonders Abright.
"You…really don't know anything, do you." comments a surprised Ryoma.
"I don't.", quickly answers Albright, "I don't even know how I got here. All I remember from the last couple of hours was Axis and…."

Albright pauses and looks down with a realization, "That's right. I was in space. Axis was crashing into the Earth, but… it was saved."
He lifts his head with a brighter face, "That light. That light stopped Axis…."
Albright quickly looks at a confused Ryoma and says, "I was in a machine! And it was reacting to that light!"
He sprints in the front right up to Ryoma and asks, "Did a strange mobile suit also come here?!"
"Mobile suit?" wonders Ryoma, who takes a few seconds before answering, "You mean that Knightmare we found?"
"Knightmare?" questions Abright before quickly saying, "Is it white and blue with gold fins on top?"
"Y-yeah.", answers Ryoma, who changes to a more serious tone, "Wait, you were on that Lancelot type!?"
"Lancelot? No, that's a G—"

"flash"

Albright stops his sentence as his face wears a more worried expression and says, "People are coming."
"Huh?" says Ryoma.
"They… don't seem friendly.", continues Albright, "They feel… like are about to play a game."
"What are you talking about?" questions Ryoma before switching his tone, "And going back, what's the deal with that Lancelot!?"
"They're coming. People are coming from the other side of the mountains.", warns a concerned Albright, "Are… those the Britannians you were talking about?"

Ryoma looks at Albright with a disturbed expression but shakes it off and goes up the stairs, with Abright following. The stairs lead to the side of a damaged old store as Ryoma quickly takes out a walkie-talkie from his side and presses a button.

"This Ryoma. Ayato. Shino. Do you see anything passing you?" asks a concerned Ryoma to no response from the other end, "Ayato! Shino!"
"Ryo, what's happening!?" asks Yuno as Ryoma turns to a worried Albright.
"Ayato and Shino aren't responding. This better not be a joke.", Sosuke said with a worryingly calm voice.
Ryoma looks into the cautious eyes of Albright, takes a deep breath, and answers, "I think the army is back."

The voices ranging from worrying, fear, and aggression rings Ryoma's ears, who shouts, "First thing first, gather up all the kids to my grandpa's house and hide them in the basement! Get the Akatsuki and Sutherland hidden and on standby! Don't get them battle-ready unless we must fight back! Sosuke, Sutherland! Yuna, Akatsuki!"
"On the Akatsuki? But isn't that yours?" ponders Yuna over the radio waves.
"It's fine, " says Ryoma in a reassuring voice, "You'll just be borrowing it. As the leader, I need to take charge out there instead of in a Knightmare."
"Leader, huh?" another young voice jeers on the radio.
"You think you could do better, Takagi?" challenges Ryoma.
"I wouldn't have dragged all of us into this shit.", Takagi responds with disdain, "Just like your dad."
"What was that!?" shouts Ryoma.
"Enough!" interrupts Yuna, "We need to get anybody who won't and can't right away."
"I know.", grunts Ryoma, who looks at Albright.
"Yeah.", agrees on Takagi.

The radio goes silent as Ryoma sighs at Albright and says, "You too. I'm taking you to my grandpa's house.
"You okay with that?" asks Albright frowning, "Something tells me you don't 100% trust me."
"Honestly, you are right.", admits Ryoma as he turns to his left, "But you seem like the honest type, so I guess that's okay."
Albright smiles a bit as Ryoma continues, "What about you? You feel like you trust me?"
"I do.", answers Albright as Ryoma turns his head to him, "You seem like the honest type too."
"Then let's go.", says Ryoma as he starts sprinting to the left with Abright following.

Inside a dirty garage is an old man with a balding head wearing black stained overalls leading a couple of children to a door that takes them to a basement downstairs. Next to the garage, a giant mechanical figure is lying on its side. The body, legs, and arms are covered with 5 different colored covers, but the head is peeking out. The head is a white helmet, a small red square resembling a beard on the bottom. The most distinct part of the head is the two fins on top, resembling a symbol. The ends of the fins are golden with a significant distance apart from each other. At the same time, both are connected to an incomplete white diamond. Together, they resemble a white bird with golden wings.