"If I may, allow me to introduce you, Brigade Premier Zachary, to Mikazuki Augus, a recently graduated soldierof the 104th Trainee Brigade."
And at that, there was nothing more than silence.
Several of those present were at a loss for words, unsure of how to react to this… revelation. A majority of them were bewildered at how two 'Titan Shifters' had hailed from the 104th Trainee Brigade, whilst others were simply shocked at how someone as scrawny looking as Mikazuki could even control something as powerful as Barbatos as well as he could. Eren might not have looked like much, but at least he appeared physically capable enough to control a Titan's body to some degree.
Granted, they couldn't see Mikazuki's muscles thanks to his jacket, so it was excusable to some degree…
A few others, however, simply stared at Mikazuki with a combination of wonder and fear.
Nile Dawk narrowed his eyes at the young man, frowning deeply as he watched Mikazuki glanced around the court, seeming more bored than actually fearful as he kept both hands in his pockets. Beneath this calm demeanor, however, was no small amount of caution, carefully masked beneath his stone cold facade; understandable, though the Commander, considering his current dilemma.
Outside of his subtle caution at his current situation, however, Nile was… unsure of what to think of this, with him knowing next to nothing about Mikazuki to make a proper assessment of him straight off the bat, so he'd just have to wing it, he supposed. On one hand, the kid did appear a little generic, very much like some individual's he's dealt with in the past… and yet, there was something that was off about him as well… he didn't know how to explain it, but something about Mika told him that he didn't belong here…
Dot Pixis couldn't help but stroke his beard in curiosity as he eyed Mikazuki. His posture, despite his current position and how he was quite literally at their mercy, reflected some form of confidence or a lack of care for his own safety. Though not a smart move, Pixis could at least respect Mikazuki's bravery or lack of self preservation. Curious, though, the young man's gaze was darting around the courtroom as he stood at its heart; was he looking for someone? Perhaps he was… Pixis would have to keep this in mind for now…
Ian Dietrich and Mitabi Jarnach had mixed opinions on all this. On one hand, it was a… pleasure(?) to actually see the one who was responsible for preventing the deaths of so many during the Trost incident, but even so… they were expecting someone… older, to say the least. The way that 'Titan' had moved back during the whole Trost situation had told them that someone with great experience was controlling it, and to see that someone as young as Mika was apparently its host was rather… odd, to say the least.
"So… what do you think of that one?" muttered a Survey Corp behind Erwin, who turned around and spared the person a quick glance. The Commander in question raised a brow when he made eye contact with the soldier nicknamed 'Goggles', or Abel to those who were nicer, with said spectacle-wearing soldier appeared uncertain as he spoke, unsure of what to make of the young man standing before them all the while, and Erwin frowned as he eyed Mika curiously, unsure of how to answer his subordinate…
… and Smith would've been lying if he said that he didn't shudder, however lightly, when he and Mikazuki made eye contact for the briefest of moments. The soldier narrowed his eyes a little when he noticed Erwin staring at him, and despite the small amount of uncertainty the Commander had towards this boy, he couldn't help but see something… unique in him.
'Those eyes…' thought Erwin, frowning as Mikazuki broke eye contact with him and glanced around the courtroom once more, with him once more trying to find something, or perhaps someone, inside this place all the while, leaving Smith to his thoughts. 'Cold and stoic… and with no small amount of tempered strength hidden behind them. His eyes alone hold the qualities of the best soldiers in the Military Brigade. That, combined with his power to control such a powerful Titan so effectively…'
And at that, the Survey Corp found himself set on getting this Mikazuki kid on his side, no matter the cost…
… what he didn't know, however, was that his ticket to getting Mikazuki on his side would come from a rather unexpected source.
They… couldn't believe it.
They had thought him dead for the past two days… for the entirety of the Trost incident, for that matter, even if they had done their best to not think it so… and yet… here he was… standing at the center of the courtroom looking perfectly fine.
Granted, he did look a little more worn out than he had the last time they saw him, prior to the whole Trost incident, but even so, that was to be expected, but outside of that… Mikazuki still looked to be himself. Stoic, neutral and horribly uncaring of the world around him, with the young man's hands shoved into his pockets as he surveyed the room around him with caution, shoulders squared and eyes narrowed in focus.
Seeing him before them, even if it was through a crowd of other soldiers, made Mina and Annie's hearts thump violently against their ribcages as they forcefully elbowed their way past their peers. A few of them grunted in discomfort at this, with some telling them off all the while, though most allowed them to pass, having recognised who they were and how, above most others, this revelation would affect them more so than anyone else in this room. Nac followed them up to the front soon thereafter, with him squeezing is way through rather than forcing his way past all the while.
"I… I can't believe it… he's… alright… Mika… he's alright…!" whisper shouted Mina as she felt her eyes growing glassy at this revelation, and likewise, Annie herself couldn't help but bring a hand up to her chest as she sighed deeply in relief… and fear. Fear that threatened to overtake her relief at the knowledge of one of her only friends still being alive, but even so… her relief won out, with her smiling faintly at the knowledge that her friend was not dead.
"I always knew he'd be fine…!" smiled Nac, with him staring out towards Mikazuki from behind his friends as he spoke. That was a complete lie and they knew it; but even so… the other two were too relieved at this revelation to really give him any lip for this, and as a result, they simply nodded a little as they observed Mikazuki from the sidelines.
And yet… as the seconds ticked on, however, their relief was quick to become a small amount of… uncertainty as they realized something. Mikazuki was alive, sure… but he was also… well, the one controlling the Mechanical Titan as well. As with Eren, the young man had, in his possession, a powerful ability that could help them win this war, and considering how Hanji had revealed to them that the Mechanical Titan had been first sighed years ago, before even the Fall of Maria… one could easily assume that Mika had been knowingly in possession of this fantastic and deadly ability for the past five years at minimum.
And knowing this now… it made the three soldiers present falter in their relief as they allowed their minds to ponder on some… darker thoughts for a brief period of time, with Nac himself feeling rather… unsure of what to think of their friend, now that he was ousted as the host of the Mechanical Titan. Annie was now staring at him with no small amount of fear in her eyes, with her dreading the potential that was hidden beneath the young man's already imposing, if somewhat short, frame… and as for Mina…
… she was… not sure what to think about this, really. Mikazuki no doubt had his reasons, good reasons, to keep all of this from them, but even so, even if she knew that the young man had every right to not tell them about this… she still couldn't help but feel betrayed at his silence, with her chest turning rather cold as she acknowledged this with a frown. But even so…
Right as those feelings began to cement themselves in her mind, however, Mina found her eyes widening a tiny bit when, without warning, Mikazuki's wandering gaze suddenly darted towards her, and in an instant, his entire demeanor shifted. His shoulders slackened, his narrowed eyes widened back to their usual shape, and his demeanor faltered; he was still cautious, there was no doubt about it, but it seemed as though seeing both Mina and their shared friends had flipped a switch within him.
If anything… he seemed… glad to see them safe, and upon noticing this, Mina found her cheeks warming ever so slightly as her eyes widened in realization. Likewise, Annie and Nac, having noticed the shift in Mikazuki's posture, realized it as well
He might've been the host to the most dangerous wildcard within the Walls… he might have kept such a truth secret from them for years on end, and he might've had his own motives behind doing… all of what he had done, but even so… it seemed as though, even now, he was still just… Mikazuki Augus, the boy that Mina had met and befriended five years prior.
He was still that caring, if overly stoic, individual that Mina Carolina, Nac Tias and Annie Leonhardt had trained with for the past half-decade, and that one look that he had offered them… that look of complete and utter relief, so much so that it overpowered his caution whilst in a courtroom that would decide his fate… it had told them that he was still… well, him, regardless of whatever extraordinary abilities he was now confirmed to possess.
And as soon as that thought flashed through their minds, Mikazuki's judgement began.
"Hey, step forward!"
Blinking as he felt something poke against his back, Mika turned and made eye contact with a soldier behind him, holding onto a musket rifle with its barrel aimed at his back. When they made eye contact, the soldier noticeably flinched, with the rifle shaking in his hands, prompting Mika to raise a brow before stepping forward; being intimidated by someone that was in a weaker position than he was was one thing… but being this blatantly cowardly was another.
Either way, as he did as he was told, Mikazuki glanced to one side and momentarily made eye contact with Eren Jaeger, still kneeling by the side and bruised to absolute Hell and back, Levi Ackerman, who appeared mildly bemused by his appearance, Hanji Zoe, who smiled a little as she eyed him, and Rico Brzenska, who nodded encouragingly in his direction before she retreated to rejoin her fellow Elites. Mika, for all it was worth, found some appreciation in that gesture.
That aside, more than a dozen soldiers surrounded him from all sides, with a handful keeping their rifles on standby as he walked up to the center of the courtroom, though they weren't the ones whom he was interested in as he marched onwards.
No, the ones whom he was interested in were his three… friends. Glancing off in their general direction, Mikazuki felt the corners of his lips twitch a little as he acknowledged their presence; he didn't know how they felt about him at the moment, but even so, the fact still remained that he still saw them as friends, and regardless of how they felt, he would protect them with all that he had. Thankfully enough for him, however, Mina, Nac and Annie all seemed to be in equal parts relieved as they were bewildered to see him here… which was understandable, all things considered.
It wasn't everyday when your lifelong friend was revealed to be a pilot, after all, though that aside, after taking a moment to sigh in relief at the fact that his friends were still alive, Mikazuki glanced back up at the guy who would probably be judging him, not wanting to be distracted at a time like this as, contrary to what his expression would suggest, he was, admittedly, feeling a little on edge right now.
Though he was no pushover when it came to close quarters combat or a good ol' firefight, Mikazuki knew for a fact that even he wouldn't be able to get out of here alive with these many guns trained on him; he was a decent enough shooter with his pistol, but he didn't have it with him at the moment, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to clear this room before running out of ammo.
He would just need to hope that the bearded guy sitting on that tall desk would let him live, he reckoned.
How interesting…
Dhalis Zachary has done this song and dance many times in the past, what with him being the longest serving Brigade Premier to date. In the past, whenever faced with him, those who were to be judged would, for the lack of a better, more appropriate term, be shitting themselves senseless.
No secrets were safe within this court, especially when Zachary was the one who was running it. The man had his way of getting the truth, and those who were to be judged knew that. Cruel though some of his methods could be, with him even threatening to behead one's wife a few years prior (a threat he made good on when he refused to speak the truth), he knew that they were in service of justice, and as such, he did not waver in his actions, and as a result, he had built quite a reputation for himself as a ruthless judge that got his answers regardless of what cruel deed he would have to accomplish.
And yet, even with his reputation taken into consideration, and even if the young man standing before him did not know of it, the mere fact that Mikazuki Augus appeared to be wholly unaffected by… anything that was currently levied against him was… surprising, to say the least. Even with half the courtroom vying for his head, he appeared to be laid back and nonchalant, something that, whilst incredibly foolish, was, at the very least, respectable, Zachary supposed.
Bravery was one thing… and stupidity was another, though the line separating the two was often incredibly thin, and currently, Mikazuki was balancing upon it like a clown. But that aside, Zachary was quick to shelf the small amount of respect he had for Mika's apparent stupid bravery before he began to shuffle a few notes in his hands.
"Well then, let us begin," spoke Zachary as he got to a specific slip of paper before flexing his fingers, narrowing his eyes at Mikazuki through his glasses all the while. His response was for Mika to nod at this, prompting the Premier to continue. "You are Mikazuki Augus of the 104th Trainee Brigade, and a soldier sworn to protect the public with your life. And, most recently, you have been confirmed to be the host to the Mechanical Titan. Is this-"
"That's not its name."
Mikazuki speaking up so abruptly was more than enough to cut Zachary off as he looked up from his documents and made eye contact with the young man, who had glanced up at Dhalis with a look of subdued annoyance. One couldn't exactly blame him, though, seeing as how he had been listening to people call his unit the Mechanical Titan for upwards of five years now.
He wished to correct this now, if at all possible.
Whilst he said this, however, all around him, the soldiers gathered appeared surprised that he had spoken up so nonchalantly, as few could even fathom the thought of speaking out against Zachary to such a degree, much less cutting him off mid-sentence, though Mikazuki didn't acknowledge them as he continued.
"Barbatos is Barbatos. You don't need to call him that anymore; it's annoying and inaccurate," stated Mikazuki, with his words confusing everyone further as Hanji tilted her head to the side, glancing towards Levi all the while.
"Barbatos…?" echoed Hanji, confusion lacing her tone as she made eye contact with Levi, who raised a brow, showing that he was just as lost as she was, before glancing back at Mikazuki, who was in turn glancing up at Zachary, who had recomposed himself by then. So… it had a name, huh? It was not known as the Mechanical Titan, and apparently calling it that was inaccurate…? How so, he wondered…?
Hm… trivial questions for now. It was best to just continue onwards with the trial for now.
"... Is this true, Mikazuki Augus?" inquired Zachary, speaking as though Mikazuki had not cut him off and pausing briefly to allow him to answer. What he got was a rather mild nod, with there being some annoyance reflected in his movements all the while, though it didn't show all that well as Mikazuki responded verbally.
"Yeah," confirmed Mikazuki, with him slotting his hands into his pockets as he nodded. Seeing as how that was all he really needed to know, Zachary nodded back and continued, adjusting his glasses all the while.
"I see. Thank you for your honesty, Mikazuki Augus. Know that this Tribunal shall be held under the laws of the military, not those of the public," clarified Zachary, repeating what he had said to Eren some time ago as he read from a slip of paper in his hand. "Your fate shall be decided here, by me.
"Have you any objections, soldier?"
No response outside of a mild shake of Mikazuki's head, and Zachary took that as his cue to continue.
"I appreciate your silence," said Zachary. "Now, allow me to be direct. As with Eren Jaeger, the ability to conceal your presence has proven to be impossible. Far too many civilians and soldiers have seen your Titan's," a pause as Mikazuki flinched in annoyance, though it was readily ignored, "body, and many more will undoubtedly learn about it in the future through word of mouth. As such, we must make your presence known to the public in some manner, or a threat to mankind, one that is separate from Titans themselves, may arise. That which shall be decided today is which force shall be given custody of you.
"The Military Police Brigade?"
Glancing to the left, Mikazuki raised a brow as he made eye contact with Nile Dawk, who narrowed his eyes at him. The guy seemed wary of him, which was completely understandable, really, though the guy who was standing beside him seemed to be more horrified than wary as he glared between Mika and Eren with widened eyes that looked ready to pop out at any given second.
'Must be one of those Wallists,' thought Mikazuki absentmindedly as Zachary continued.
"Or the Survey Corps?"
Turning to the right this time, Mika once again made eye contact with Erwin Smith, who seemed serious about all this as he held his hands behind his back. Behind him stood his soldiers, all of whom looked rather wary of him, though a handful of their gazes were less hostile and slightly… warmer? That was probably a word to describe it.
Why this was the case was not known to Mikazuki, though he thought little of it for now as Zachary continued to speak.
"Now, first and foremost, I wish for the Military Police Brigade to offer their proposal."
With those words uttered by Zachary, Nile Dawk stepped forward, having discarded the paper he had been holding onto during Eren Jaeger's trial. Said paper had his proposal for Eren's fate, and seeing as his trial had ended, the Commander didn't need it anymore. He didn't have anything prepared for Mikazuki, though he already knew what he wished to say at this point.
"Yes sir. I, Nile Dawk, Commander of the Military Police Brigade, shall offer my proposal," began Nile, holding his hands behind his back as he spoke, and moments later, he turned to glare at Mikazuki with a gaze that showed just how seriously he was taking this whole thing.
Mikazuki responded in kind with a glare of his own, one that made Nile falter momentarily as he acknowledged how… feral that glare was. Mika might've been many years his junior, but even so… that glare of his spoke of several lifetimes of experience in battle, and although he was taken aback by this, he nonetheless pressed on as he continued with his proposal.
"Though we members of the Military Police have not had many chances to fight alongside his Titan form personally, I have been given more than enough reports on him that I can confidently say that our greatest course of action now would be to eliminate him immediately.
"I will acknowledge, however, that Mikazuki Augus' Titan form has proven to be an extraordinarily valuable asset during the Trost incident. Even so, with the incident resolved, I strongly believe that he is too powerful to be kept alive. Many reports have stated that his Mechanical Titan form holds the power of the three Military Brigades combined, or perhaps it could even exceed all three in strength. To allow one with this much power to roam freely would be unwise, and, as with Eren Jaeger, his mere existence alone could bring about a civil war.
"Although I harbor my doubts on the matter, Eren Jaeger can very well prove to be an invaluable asset to humanity, for even with his unique ability, when transformed he is but a Titan, one not masked by metal plating, and if need be, we can easily subdue him when necessary. Mikazuki Augus, however, could potentially do more harm than good, for his abilities dwarf even those of his fellow Abnormal. Should they be allowed to conspire against us together, humanity could very well be lost.
"As such, I shall propose this once more. I ask for Mikazuki Augus to die for mankind's sake, though not before leaving behind as much information regarding his existence as possible."
And with that, Nile stepped back and bowed his head, a sign that he had completed his proposal, and not long after, several murmurs of agreement could be heard. Fellow MPB soldiers spoke between themselves, with all of them seeing the logic behind Nile's proposal, while the civilians simply agreed to it due to how dangerous Barbatos had sounded based on what Nile said.
On the other end of the spectrum, however, a handful of other soldiers, mostly Survey Corps, Garrison and the former 104th Cadets that were present, couldn't help but disagree with Nile on the matter. Having fought side by side Barbatos, and by extension Mika himself, they knew from experience that both the Gundam and its pilot were invaluable assets, and as for Mikazuki himself, most of them had trained by his side for the past half decade; he had their trust, one way or another.
Even so, however, for the time being, they kept their thoughts to themselves, for it wasn't their right to speak up now.
Of course, that didn't stop a certain someone from doing so anyways.
"Out of the question!" roared Pastor Nick, his voice sounding angered as he pointed towards Mikazuki. The pilot had unintentionally blanked out near the end of Nile's proposal, though he got the basic gist of it before doing so, only to be brought back to reality by Nick, of all people, as he glanced over at the man in question. "To offer such a lenient fate to a pest that stands before us is an act too kind!"
'Oh boy, this again,' thought Nile as he fought the urge to facepalm. The MPB and Wallists might've worked closely together on occasion, but in truth, the Commander had never really gotten used to Pastor Nick's ramblings on his beliefs…
"This deceiver… he had infiltrated our sacred grounds like the Rat he is!" continued Nick, grimacing as he spoke. If he felt hurt by his words, Mikazuki certainly didn't show it, as he simply stood by idly and listened. "He is an infection, one that must not be allowed to remain for any longer! We must treat the wounds that he has inflicted upon our holy grounds by eliminating them at their source; By eliminating the vermin who have carried their disease into our sacred land and allowed it to spread!"
As he spoke, a handful of the Wallist supporters couldn't help but nod in agreement while the soldiers held in their groans. As for a specific three individuals, however, they couldn't help but shake a little with rage, especially after Nick had called their friend(?) a Rat, though thankfully enough, the Pastor was silenced by Zachary, who waved a hand to silence him in a near instant.
"Pastor Nick, please," began Zachary, silencing the Pastor with a wave of his hand before turning to Erwin, who was waiting expectantly all the while. "If we may, let us hear the Survey Corp's proposal next."
And at that, Erwin Smith stepped forward, with his hands behind his back all the while. Mikazuki himself couldn't resist a light frown as he observed Erwin from a distance; all that he knew of him came from Nac and Mina's very lips, and he had no problems in trusting his friend's info. Tias and Carolina had told him that Erwin was a Commander that knew what was best for mankind, that he'd fight on to the bitter end and take advantage of every possible asset humanity had to strike back at the Titans…
… and by all means, considering what Erwin had to say moments later, Mikazuki couldn't help but think that Nac and Mina were speaking the truth all those nights before.
"Yes sir," began Erwin. "I, Erwin Smith, 13th Commander of the Survey Corps, shall offer my proposal.
"As with Eren Jaeger, I would like to welcome Mikazuki Augus into the ranks of the Survey Corps. Both himself… and his Titan body. By making use of both his and Eren Jaeger's unique abilities, we could theoretically retake Wall Maria.
"... that is all."
And upon saying that… the room went completely silent for the second time in the day as everyone processed what Erwin had said. Even Mikazuki appeared a little surprised as he glanced at Erwin with a raised brow, with him having assumed that the guy would make a more comprehensive argument… though then again, what argument was there to really make, he wondered; he had spoken everything that was necessary right there and then, after all.
"Is that all?" inquired Zachary, with him having found Erwin's truncated proposal to be surprising as well, and to that, the blonde nodded.
"Yes, sir," assured Erwin calmly, though he did at least elaborate on this as he spoke. "Eren Jaeger's powers are incredible, there is no doubt about this, but even so, it is rather clear to all of us present that Mikazuki Augus has more skill and experience with his own. With their combined strength, retaking Maria could very well become a possibility. We believe that it is clear what our priorities should be, especially when presented with such powerful allies."
And at that, Erwin couldn't help but offer the slightest hints of a smirk, one directed towards Nile, no doubt who felt a vein appear on his forehead as his fellow Commander threw a small jab in his direction. Of course, he quickly dismissed it as Zachary nodded.
"I see," said Zachary, nodding as he spoke. "I can assume that, as with Eren, you wish to begin this mission in Karanses, on your next expedition?"
A nod from Erwin was Zachary's answer, and with that, the Premier sighed a little as he took a sip from that ridiculous looking glass bottle he had on his table before turning back to Mikazuki, who felt as though Dhalis may have lost a few years of his life with that sip of water, considering how violently he had drank from it, but that's besides the point, really.
"Hm, I see… Mikazuki Augus, if I may. I wish to confirm something with you," continued Zachary, with his attention now fixed completely on Mikazuki as he spoke. The pilot raised his head up so that he was looking him in the eye, a sign for Dhalis to continue. "Can you continue to serve the military, with your powers, for the benefit of mankind?"
Zachary's response from Mikazuki was, to put it simply, a shrug, surprising him quite a bit as he watched Mikazuki sigh softly and glance to one side with a frown. He didn't seem too thrilled about helping anyone present, though then again he never did seem too thrilled about anything, really, but even so, Dhalis watched as the young man made eye contact with someone from the crowd before speaking.
"Yeah. I can do that, I guess," hummed Mikazuki noncommittally, with his tone of voice making him sound rather… unenthused by all this, though a few of the soldiers present could tell that there was some subtle conviction behind his words; he meant what he said, and to that, the Premier frowned lightly before rubbing at his chin thoughtfully, and moments later, he nodded.
"I see… and in regards to your… 'Titan' form," another pause, as Mikazuki narrowed his eyes at Barbatos being referred to as a Titan again, though it was duly ignored as he continued. "Will you be willing to impart as much information regarding it as you can?"
"I… guess. But I'm not sure if any of it will be useful, though," admitted Mikazuki, with him scratching at his cheek awkwardly as he said this. What he meant by this was a mystery to those present, Zachary included, though as he said this, Rico, from the sidelines, spoke up, with her holding a hand up to garner some attention all the while.
"Military Premier Zachary, if I may, I wish to add something that could be considered noteworthy," said Rico. Glancing her way, Zachary nodded, giving her the 'ok sign' to speak, which she did. "When I had retrieved Mikazuki from his Titan body's holding pen, I had taken note of something… peculiar about his larger self, and that was that, when he had exited it, his Titan form did not dissolve into smoke. Rather, it remained as it was, immobile and inert, but still very much there."
Upon hearing that, those in the courtroom began whispering among themselves, shocked that such a thing could even exist. A Titan that didn't become nothing but steam after being slain was unheard of, and Hell, even Eren's Titan body had become steam after he left it, so to learn that the Barbatos didn't do the same… it was quite the shocker, to say the least, and up front, even the likes of Hanji and Levi were taken aback by this new info… just what was this Barbatos?!
As the seconds drew by, however, the mild whispers of shock slowly but surely turned into voices of denial, with several of the present soldiers, with a majority of them being from the Military Police Brigade, and a majority of the Civilians voicing out their doubts. Many said that Rico was lying, with a majority of those from the Wall Cult claiming that she was trying to sully the integrity of their 'Gods' while several others reasoned that perhaps Rico was just seeing things.
And as for a single individual…
"I WISH TO HAVE MY VOICE BE HEARD, ZACHARY!" proclaimed Pastor Nick, raising his arm to point at Mikazuki and Mikazuki alone as everyone turned to face him, with even the Pilot himself seeming intrigued by what he was about to say as he watched with 'rapt attention'.
Breathing heavily, Nick had his eyes widened to their absolute limits as he pointed at Mikazuki, with his teeth gritted together so hard that they seemed ready to shatter at any given second. Even so, the Pastor didn't seem to notice or care as he continued his rant, not even bothering to wait for Dhalis to approve of his words before he did so.
"THE BEAST WE KNOW TO BE THE MECHANICAL TITAN IS MORE OF AN ICON OF SIN THAN THE ONE WHO CALLS HIMSELF EREN JAEGER, AND THE ROOT OF HIS EVIL TAKES THE FORM OF THE ONE WHO STANDS BEFORE US, THE VESSEL OF THE BEAST ITSELF!" roared Nick, glaring holes into Mika's skull as he did so. Vice versa, Mika simply watched and listened in amusement as the guy continued. "HE WHO COMES TO US AS A SHEEP, ONLY TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO BE A WOLF! HEED MY WORDS, ZACHARY AND CHOOSE THE PATH THAT OUR SAVIORS NO DOUBT WANT YOU TO FOLLOW, FOR IF YOU ALLOW THIS MONSTER, ONE SPAWNED FROM THE VERY DEPTHS OF THE UNDERWORLD, TO LIVE, YOU SHALL BRING NOTHING BUT THE END OF MANKIND ITSELF!"
"... Pastor Nick, please-" began Zachary, only to be cut off by Nick as he continued his tirade.
"THE DEATH OF THE MECHANICAL TITAN'S VESSEL WILL NOT ONLY BE ENOUGH TO PLEASE OUR GODS, ENOUGH TO ALLOW THEM TO FORGIVE OUR SMALL OVERSIGHT, BUT IT SHALL ALSO RID US OF AN ABOMINATION, ONE THAT DOES NOT DESERVE TO BREATH THE SAME AIR AS US!"
A handful of soldiers were getting irritated with Nick's constant babbling, with Nile himself regretting standing beside him at this point as the occasional spit hit him dead center. The guy shifted a little to the side to stop that from happening too often, though it was mostly just wishful thinking at this point, as Nick's words began to grow more and more frantic as the seconds ticked by.
On the other end, the Survey Corps, Cadetsand a few Garrison couldn't help but feel greatly irritated with the Pastor. They had become very used to the religious babbling of the Wall Cult by now, but even so, Nick was really going in on it today. He really wanted Mikazuki gone, and he was not pulling any punches, something that irritated all of them present, with even a handful of the former 104thCadets who knew Mikazuki during their Trainee days feeling especially irritated at all that he was throwing at the young man's name, and at least three were readily fuming at the guy.
Mikazuki himself… was honestly more confused than anything, really. He had no idea what the Pastor was babbling on about as he watched the whole exchange happen from a distance, wary of the spit flinging his way all the while, and as for Zachary, he attempted to shut the Pastor up in a polite manner… to little success.
"Please, Pastor Nick-" tried Zachary, only to be cut off once more by Nick.
"WE ARE AT A HISTORICAL TURNING POINT, ZACHARY DHALIS, AND SHOULD YOU MAKE THE INCORRECT DECISION, ONE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ENDORSED BY OUR GODS, THEN YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE CALLED THE PREMIER! HEED MY WORDS, AND EXECUTE-"
And it was apparent that Zachary had enough of Nick's nonstop claims by now, as he was quick to raise his voice for perhaps the first time in his entire career as the Military Brigade Premier.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" roared Zachary, the fury behind those three words being enough to silence everyone in the courtroom as soon as they left his mouth. What followed were a few seconds of silence as Nick calmed himself down whilst staring up at the Premier with a mixture of shock and horror, and before long, Dhalis nodded in approval of the silence before him before sighing. "Pastor Nick, know that a Military Tribunal has gathered here today to judge both Mikazuki Augus and Eren Jaeger. Religion has no place in the Military, am I understood? If you wish to barter about it, do so after the trial has ended."
There was no response from Nick, who grimaced as he went silent, though it was enough to make Zachary nod before he continued.
"Thank you. But either way, Captain Rico Brzenska, before, you claimed that the body of the Mechanical Titan did not turn into smoke following Mikazuki Augus' emergence from it. Is this correct, soldier?" inquired Zachary, wishing to clarify this before he continued.
"Yes, sir," confirmed Rico, prompting Zachary to nod.
"I see. Thank you, soldier, for informing me," thanked Zachary as he turned back to Mikazuki. The Premier's face was still red with anger, though outside of that, he seemed mostly fine, now that Nick had finally stopped speaking, and with a sigh, he continued to speak. "Mikazuki Augus, I have it on good authority that during the Trost incident, you did no harm to any soldier or civilian. Whenever threatened, you never fought back, and no matter what Titan you faced, you would be able to defeat it within seconds.
"Your actions during the crisis have saved many lives, and it is apparent to me that to keep you on as a member of the Military will no doubt allow us to save many more in the future… and yet… there is still one thing that pesters me greatly, and likewise, I believe that the crowd before us today also wishes to know of the answer behind this one thing as well… so if you'll allow me, Mikazuki Augus… host of the Mechanical Titan and the second highest graduate of the 104th Trainee Brigade…
"... what… are you?"
And at that, the room fell silent as Mikazuki raised a brow at the Premier's words, with him not quite understanding what he was asking all the while. Said confusion was almost immediately picked up on by him, however, as Zachary sighed before elaborating on his question.
"Allow me to rephrase that question, Mikazuki Augus. You are not like Eren Jaeger, are you? For as different as he is, Eren Jaeger's abnormalities form still follows the fundamental rules of what we know to be normal. His Titan form is just as vulnerable to attacks as any other… but on the other hand, your other self is… remarkably different from any Titan in recorded history, even the Armoured and Colossal Titans. It does not dissolve when you leave it, a strike to the nape has proven ineffective in striking it down, and it possesses the ability to make use of artillery fire.
"And so, I ask once more, Mikazuki Augus, what are you?"
Following all that elaboration on Zachary's part, Mikazuki simply stayed silent as the courtroom stood in anticipation. In truth, the soldiers all around him were also curious as to what Mika was, with Rico crossing her arms off to the side as she waited for his answer alongside her fellow Elites, Hanji bouncing a little on the balls of her feet in anticipation while Levi watched with some subdued form of curiosity. Erwin Smith and his subordinates had also perked their ears up, not wanting to miss the answer.
And off to the side, Mina, Nac and Annie were also listening with rapt attention, as were their fellow soldiers who knew Mikazuki in their Trainee days. Just what was he, anyways? For someone as… special as he was… he had to be something else entirely, yeah…?
And after a few long seconds of silence, Mikazuki opened his mouth… and answered the question truthfully.
"What kind of question even is that? I'm a human, just like the rest of you," answered Mikazuki in annoyance as he lowered his brows in irritation. The tension in the room almost immediately died down upon hearing this, and truth be told, that response, barring the rather rude delivery, was rather… underwhelming, to say the least, though Zachary reckoned that such an answer was to be expected as he propped his glasses back up onto his face, ignoring how the courtroom had begun to mutter up a storm at his claim.
Meanwhile, Nac couldn't resist a grin as he acknowledged how Mika-esc that response was, and before long, Mina smiled lightly as Annie rolled her eyes at the young man's words; typical Mikazuki…
"If so, how do you explain the existence of the Mechanical Titan? It breaks all known rules and goes against all knowledge that we have about the Titans," inquired Zachary, to which Mikazuki hummed softly at his words. That much was true; that thing did, indeed, break all known conventions that was typically expected of Titans, but alas…
"That's because Barbatos isn't a Titan," answered Mikazuki, with him repeating himself once more as Zachary raised a brow, having recalled that name being brought up earlier in the day. "Barbatos is Barbatos."
At that point, Zachary opted to go with all this and nod, with him acknowledging how adamant Mikazuki seemed to be with calling the Mechanical Titan by its true name, and continue speaking, all while ignoring the whispers amongst the crowd who were discussing what this… Barbatos even was.
"This… Barbatos, as you call it, is not a Titan?" clarified Zachary, only continuing when Mikazuki nodded his head. "If so, what is it?"
"It's my Mobile Suit, my Gundam," answered Mikazuki, short and simply as several soldiers in the courtroom muttered amongst themselves, wondering what exactly a Mobile Suit Gundam was. At first, their vocalised thoughts started off small, with them simply wondering what those two things even were to begin with… though before long, several of the people present began worrying that the Titans beyond the exterior had evolved into entities that were similar to Barbatos, and soon thereafter, a small panic ensued as the present individuals, both soldiers and civilians, began to panic quite a bit.
"This… Gundam… it's stronger than a Titan, right?" observed a civilian as he began fearing the worst.
"Yeah! W-What if there's more than one?!" added another, with him trembling on his feet as he said this, inciting more panic around himself as several more civilians cried out in shock at such a possibility.
"W-We can't let him live! What if he returns to his allies and tells them about where we are?!" accused a Military Police member as he pointed an accusing finger at Mikazuki. "Such a thing could spell the end of mankind!"
It didn't take long for the courtroom to devolve into a chorus of fearful yells, and Pastor Nick appeared ready to add his voice into the mix, though before he could Zachary silenced all their chatter with a raise of his hand and with a single word.
"Silence," ordered Zachary, with his voice, though calm, still being more than enough to echo through the entire court. And at that, the courtroom did as they were told as the Premier continued speaking. "Thank you. Mikazuki Augus, allow me to ask the question that we all undoubtedly wish to have an answer to. This Gundam, as you call it, how many more of them are out there?"
"... I'm the only one with a Gundam," replied Mikazuki, much to a lot of people's relief as. His tone, however, sounded rather… off as he broke eye contact with the Premier and glanced at the ground, telling a handful of soldiers that there was more to what he said than one would expect, though Zachary didn't think much of it for now as he nodded.
"I see, and as specified by the soldier behind you, this Gundam does not dissolve when you leave it, yes?" inquired Zachary, with Mikazuki's faint nod being his answer. "Does this have anything to do with how it is a… Mobile Suit, as you call it?"
"Ah. Barbatos can only move when I pilot it. He won't do anything to hurt anyone otherwise, and he won't become smoke when I leave him. That's just how it is; Barbatos isn't a Titan. It's its own thing," confirmed Mikazuki, and to that, Zachary nodded, and for the next couple of minutes, the Premier went silent as he pondered on the choice set before him with a measured frown.
On one hand, the Mecha… Barbatos was a massive threat to mankind and, should he turn against them, Mikazuki could very well end all of humanity with little to no issue. Killing him right here and now would've been the safest option, especially considering the uncertain pathway towards the future that had been ushered in, now that this unknown variable had been formally introduced into the equation…
… and yet, although that would have no doubt been the safer option to take… Zachary was also well aware of just how much humanity would be losing, should he approve of his execution. Although his loyalties were shaky at best, Mikazuki has proven to be trustworthy amidst the chaos of the Trost Incident, with him having saved many soldiers through his actions. Likewise, in but a single day, the pilot had gotten a kill count that eclipsed even the best of the best, proving that the Gundam was very much a specimen that lived up to its brutal reputation, and to deprive them of such a powerful ally… it didn't feel right, to say the least…
Momentarily, Zachary allowed a slither of weakness to flash upon his face, and upon noticing his apparent uncertainty, Erwin pursed his lips together as he stepped forward, wishing to take this chance to speak up.
"Military Premier Zachary, if you'll allow me, I wish to ask Mikazuki Augus a few questions," began Erwin. Seeing no reason to decline, Zachary nodded, prompting the Commander to step forward a little and make eye contact with Mika, who raised a brow at the unexpected words of the blonde, though he said nothing as he continued. "Mikazuki Augus, five years ago, we encountered your Gundam during one of our expeditions. Is that correct?"
"Ah. I remember you, Eyebrows. And I remember them as well," confirmed Mikazuki, with him jerking a thumb back towards Hanji and Levi as he said this. Glancing towards the two, Erwin saw that the latter withheld a snort as he found some amusement in the pilot calling Erwin by his somewhat infamous nickname, and the former seemed very much enthused by this development, though she kept it subdued for now as the somewhat annoyed blonde nodded.
"I see. I am… touched that you remember us, but if you'll allow me, why did you help us that night? Surely, you had no reason to, yes?" asked Erwin, to which the pilot frowned. That was a good question, really… one that he had asked himself several times over in the past, though after a few moments of consideration, thye pilot looked Erwin dead in the eyes before responding in earnest.
And in truth… his response surprised practically everyone present… barring three individuals, at least, all of whom knew the young man too well at this point.
"Because I wanted to," stated Mikazuki firmly, with him narrowing his eyes as he said this. "The Titans were chasing you, and I don't like it when someone or something stronger tries to hurt those weaker than them. I didn't know what Titans did at the time, but it seemed that way to me… so I did what I wanted to and killed them. It's as simple as that."
"I… I see. Thank you for responding, Mikazuki Augus," thanked Erwin, with him having found himself… surprised by Mikazuki's response as he nodded at him in thanks. His surprise was shared by those around him, as they were all taken aback by his seemingly righteous reason behind saving Erwin's group all those years back, but even so, to a specific three individuals, they couldn't help but feel oddly prideful towards their friend as they watched him from afar.
"Well, I guess that's Mika for you, huh? He's just way too nice, beneath all that stoicism of his," muttered Nac endearingly as he rubbed at his chin, eliciting nods of agreement from Mina and Annie as he spoke, though regardless, as the initial wave of surprise died down, Erwin nodded faintly before turning towards Zachary and speaking.
"Am I to assume that you had assisted us amidst the Fall of Maria for the same reasons?" asked Erwin thoughtfully, to which Mikazuki nodded once more.
"I couldn't just do nothing," stated Mikazuki firmly, with him narrowing his eyes at the possible implications behind Erwin's inquiry, to which the Commander nodded. With a power as great as his own, Mikazuki no doubt had a responsibility to use it wisely; by all means, he could've left those in Maria to their fate or simply conquer all of humanity with what he had at his disposal, but rather than do either such thing… he had fought alongside them.
"And for that, you have my respect, Mikazuki Augus," stated Erwin with a gentle bowing of his head, surprising Mikazuki this time as the pilot appeared momentarily taken aback by this, though he didn't let it show all that much as he nodded in acknowledgement, and to that, the blonde Commander turned back to face Zachary before speaking. "Regardless, it is in my belief, Military Premier Zachary, that Mikazuki Augus, in spite of his apparent indifference to mankind, is firmly on our side. Had he not been, he could have left us all alone amidst both the Trost and Maria incidents. We owe it to him for saving so many lives, and I firmly believe that, should we keep him on board as an ally, as a Survey Corp, he could potentially save many, many more."
And following that… there was silence.
Silently, Zachary considered his options with a thoughtful look on his face, and as he did so, the elderly Premier eyed Mikazuki with an intense gaze that the pilot didn't so much as falter under. All around them, the courtroom held its breath as Dhalis gathered his thoughts, and moments later…
"Tell me, Mikazuki Augus… before I make my decision, I wish to know… how far are you willing to go… to ensure mankind's prosperity, its survival?" asked Zachary firmly as he spoke. His voice was much more authoritative than it had been prior, something that set the pilot on edge as he glanced up at the man in silence, and after a few moments of thought, he shrugged and glanced to one side before speaking.
Mina didn't miss how the pilot had glanced at her, Nac and Annie in particular before he spoke, and when he did, he lowered his gaze a tiny bit, almost as though he were nodding, before speaking.
"As far as I have to," answered Mikazuki, with his tone making it obvious that he was not joking around, and to that, Zachary nodded, with him rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he continued.
"As far as you could… and if such a case would necessitate you putting your very life on the line, would you?" asked Zachary, and to this, the pilot's gaze hardened as he nodded once more, his conviction never once waning all the while.
"If I have to in order to protect those I care about, then I'd gladly do so without a second thought," stated Mikazuki, with his voice as hard as his conviction as he locked his gaze with Zachary's, and upon hearing this… upon hearing the conviction of this young soldier and the determination hidden behind his otherwise stoic tone of voice, Dhalis found himself nodding lightly in approval before he clasped his hands together in front of himself.
Meanwhile, several others found themselves wondering who these individuals that Mikazuki cared for were, and likewise, those that he was most likely referring to found themselves growing flustered at just how protective Mika was; surely he didn't mean that literally, right…?
right…?
"I see… I have made my decision" stated Zachary after a few moments of tense silence, with him bowing his slightly head as he spoke, and at that, everyone present leaned forwards to hear what he had to say…
"Mikazuki Augus, from this day forth…."
"Can't believe I have to babysit two punks now."
Upon hearing that, Mikazuki couldn't resist a gentle snort of amusement as he glanced behind himself and made eye contact with Levi, who was standing behind him, seeming more bored than anything as he eyed the pilot with lowered brows. Said pilot said nothing in response to his jab as he shrugged indifferently, seeming mostly uncaring to his apparent plight.
It had been around half an hour after Mikazuki's trial had ended, and much to the relief of many and the horror of many more, he had ultimately been been placed in the Survey Corps. That in itself was fine, seeing as how he had fully intended on joining them from the get go, but all the same… he now had to contend with Hanji, which was… not exactly something he was excited for, honestly.
Could be worse, he reckoned.
Thankfully enough, though, at the moment, Mika was spared from the irritating questions that Hanji no doubt had for him as his senior was helping Eren get out of his restraints. The boy winced as he stood, having been kneeling for the entirety of his and Mikazuki's trials, and when he was finally able to stand without aid, he rubbed his wrists and thanked Hanji with a bow, something that got the bespectacled maniac grinning in an instant.
Whilst all that happened, Mikazuki frowned as he glanced towards a seemingly random spot in the now-empty courtroom. Said spot was where his friends once stood, with Mina, Nac and Annie having left the area alongside the other soldiers that had been present. That was to be expected, really… but even so, Mika was a little let down by all this, as he had hoped to be able to speak with them in some way following the end of his trial.
He had a feeling that they would be… unhappy with all that had been revealed, and to a certain degree, he was correct, but even so, he did manage to lock gazes with Nac, if only for a moment, before he, Mina and Annie were ushered out completely, and when he did, he saw that his tall friend was looking at him with encouragement rather than betrayal, something that relieved him quite a bit, even now, as he exhaled softly and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.
"I do apologise for all that, Mikazuki Augus," came Erwin's voice from seemingly out of nowhere, prompting Mikazuki to snap out of his mild, trance-like state and turn towards the aforementioned Commander, who was approaching him calmly from the sidelines. The blonde was no longer serious looking, with a smile on his face and his hands by his side; if anything, he now seemed like any other guy off the streets. "The Military Tribunal has a tendency to be a bit too thorough with such things, and if I'm being honest, it's nothing more than a miracle that we were able to convince Zachary to let you join my Military Platoon."
"I can tell," hummed Mikazuki, sounding mostly uncaring as Erwin chuckled at his words. So that's what kind of soldier he was, huh? Stoic and neutral… he reminded him too much of Levi. Hm… he'd have to consult Keith eventually; that guy knew more about Mikazuki than any of them did, no doubt, and if they were going to work with him in the foreseeable future, they'd have to know him better beforehand.
"Hm, perhaps we should move this discussion elsewhere? I believe that you're getting tired of seeing this courtroom by now," suggested Erwin, with him adding a small sprinkle of sarcasm behind his words as he spoke, and at that, Mikazuki simply shrugged indifferently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the Commander's words, prompting him to smile a little as he motioned for him and Eren, and by proxy, Levi and Hanji, to follow him.
As they walked, Mikazuki had allowed Eren to use him for support; the poor guy looked to be halfway to Hell by now, and by all means, Mika wasn't willing to let him die such a pathetic death, not if he had anything to say about it, and without much hesitation, he slung the young man's arm across his shoulders and helped him onwards.
"You don't have to, Mikazuki…" muttered Eren, with his cheeks turning slightly red as he tried to push away from the pilot, only for him to wince when Mikazuki's hand to tighten dangerously around his shoulder, a warning for him to go along with this, lest he wished for the deadlier soldier between the two of them to force him to go along with it, and with a gulp, the Titan Shifter nodded and complied.
And off to the back, Levi couldn't help but roll his eyes as Hanji giggled softly at the sight before them.
Orga had not moved from his desk for quite some time.
He had simply opted to sit there in silent contemplation, pondering the words of McGillis Fareed had left him with as he thought of his next course of action.
Frowning deeply as he thought it over, the Tekkadan boss glanced off to the side of his desk, at a tablet that had been given to him after Tekkadan became a legitimate company. After sighing and deciding that there was no point in delaying the inevitable, Orga picked it up and quickly turned it on. As quickly as he could, he tapped the thing several times until he got himself on a call with someone whom he was very familiar with.
'Come on, bro. Don't tell me that you're too busy now, of all times,' pleaded Orga as the call attempted to connect, though much to his relief, it went through within a handful of seconds, and once it did, the tablet showed the face of a man who was oh so familiar to Itsuka, and just seeing him made the guy smile just a little.
"Orga! It's been awhile since you called me and not the other way round!" greeted the man on screen, as cheery as ever as he adjusted the collar of his dapper white suit. The guy looked just as Orga remembered, with his long black hair, mild stubble and light blue eyes, and if anything, seeing his bro did set him at ease just a little.
This was none other than Naze Turbine, leader of the organisation known as the Turbines and business company to Tekkadan for the past five years. Being one of the higher ups of Teiwaz, the company that Tekkadan worked under, and the man who had the absolute largest harem in recorded history, Naze Turbine has certainly earned quite the reputation as a man to be feared.
Even so, when in private, be it with his wives or even with Tekkadan, namely Orga himself, he was nothing short of a respectable gentleman with a heart of gold, even if the words that sometimes come out of his mouth say otherwise.
"Ah, I'm sorry for that, Bro. It's been pretty busy, recently," apologised Orga, smiling sheepishly as he adjusted the black suit he was wearing. It was terribly uncomfortable, though it was something… and besides, a handful of Tekkadan members said it suited him, especially with the Tekkadan jacket draped over his shoulders like a cape.
"Jeez, you really needa take some time off soon, Orga. You've made it pretty big, y'know? Ease up a little!" urged Naze, winking a little as he held a cup of alcohol up in the air to show his point. Orga shuddered a little at that, not liking the thought of alcohol after what had happened that one time, though he did nod a little to show that he would take that into consideration. "You've sent that Gusion here four times in the past month! You sure you're not overworking yourself?"
"Yeah, I… I'll keep that in mind," assured Orga, with him acknowledging some truth behind his big bro's words all the while, and with that, he became a little silent as he wondered how he should explain his current dilemma to his bro. Fortunately for him, however, Naze was a perceptive man, and it didn't take long for him to notice his little bro's silence and speak up about it.
"Hm, I take it this isn't a simple social call to check up on my well being, huh?" quipt Naze, raising a brow as Orga chuckled a little.
"Ah. You always knew me very well, bro," confirmed Orga, smiling sheepishly as Naze chuckled.
"Of course! Now, spill. What trouble did you find yourself in this time?"
And if he were honest, though Naze was rather used to dealing with some outrageous things in his life, including but not limited to an entire Warship of wives, Jansley Dominikos being a general pain in the ass or even that one time Lafter tried to bake a cupcake for Akihiro, only to fail miserably and put their Warship, the Hammerhead, out of commission for the better part of the week, he would openly admit that this new bit of information was certainly near the top of that list.
"... so let me get this straight. This Montag guy you've been working with is a Gjallarhorn member… and he just came in earlier today… and told you that Mikazuki is probably alive… and he wants to hire you to test out an experimental thing in the future that could possibly allow you to rescue him," recapped Naze thoughtfully, with him looking somewhat amused and… bewildered all at once. "And… you believe him?"
"No, I… don't. Not fully, at least," assured Orga, frowning as he spoke. "It's just… he showed some evidence of Mika possibly being alive, and-"
"And you want to take him up on his offer and agree to test his new 'revolutionary gear', huh?" concluded Naze, and to that, Orga nodded a little, prompting his bro to sigh. "Y'know, Orga, sometimes I think you're pretty gullible, even by my standards."
"A-Ah… sorry, bro… I just got a little carried away," apologised Orga, his tone sounding both apologetic and sheepish as he spoke. "I… just thought that maybe… just maybe, Mika's out there, waiting for us… and just thinking that…"
"It makes you wanna go out there and get him back?" finished Naze, and when Orga bit his lower lip, he knew he was right, prompting him to chuckle, surprising his little bro a little as he continued speaking. "Look, Orga. This is all extremely sketchy, what with Barbatos and Mikazuki being in some random part of space and all that, but based on what you've told me, and based on everything this Gjallarhorn guy told you… it doesn't seem too far fetched."
"Really?" inquired Orga, sounding rather surprised as Naze nodded. "But… how-"
And Orga was quick to pause when Naze smiled and held a hand up.
"You see, Amida's Hyakuren is part of a maintenance line known as the Single Number line, with only 9 of its kind in existence. Because of this, Teiwaz keeps a very close eye on them, considering how these machines are more powerful than the regular Hyakuren units we mass produce," explained Naze, smiling as he spoke. "One of the nine, however, went missing and was never found. We scoured various places to find it, even searching the Debris Zone for at least a year, before we accepted that it was gone.
"However, roughly a decade after the unit was gone, we received a transmission that was tens of lightyears away from our little Solar System… one that matched the Ahab Frequency of our lost Single Number unit perfectly. We thought it was a fluke in the system for a long time… at least till you brought this to my attention."
"So what you're saying is that…" muttered Orga, and at that, Naze nodded.
"Yep. that Gjallarhorn guy might be telling the truth, though of course, don't take my word on it entirely," replied Naze with a nod. "That being said, from a business standpoint, this is quite a bargain! Mcmurdo would undoubtedly tell you to do it just from the profit alone!"
"Heh, well, if we do go through with this and make it out alive, I'll make sure to treat you to something nice for once," assured Orga, smiling as Naze chuckled.
"I'll hold you to that, Orga!" quipped Naze, smiling as he winked at his little bro. "Of course, while you've got my approval, albeit just barely, you still need to break this news to your pals. How're you gonna go about that?"
"Well, considering how big this news is, I'll have to recall a handful of our Earth Branch members," muttered Orga thoughtfully as Naze raised an eyebrow. "Takaki and Chad will probably want to hear this, Takaki especially. If it's not too big of an issue, bro…"
"I'll have Eco and Azee fill in their roles until they return," assured Naze with a thumbs up, his smile growing when he saw his little bro lighten up. "They've been itching to visit Earth for some time, after all. Eco in particular is getting kinda bored of waiting for those parts we ordered for that Shiden you made us build."
"Ah… sorry for that, bro," apologised Orga, smiling sheepishly as he remembered that IO Frame Shiden he had requested to be built for him for times of extreme emergency. Naze was quick to wave his apology off, however, as he chuckled.
"For a boss, you sure do like to apologize a lot!" chastised Naze, much to Orga's chagrin as he chuckled, though before much else could be said, Orga faintly heard someone open the door to his bro's meeting room and call him out, and at that, he snapped his fingers. "Ah shucks, well, I'm gonna have to cut this call real quick. We've got some orders relating to parts for the mass produced Shiden Frames."
"Ah, I get it. See you next time, bro," assured Orga, smiling as Naze offered a two fingered salute before ending the call.
And at that, Orga leaned back on his chair as he sighed, still unsure on how to make of this as he rested a hand on his forehead.
The opinions of Tekkadan would most likely do quite a bit to help him decide on if he should take McGillis up on his offer, though if he were honest, even if they disagreed, he'd probably just go out on this alone.
Of course, amidst his uncertainty, Orga did have one cohesive thought…
'You'd best be alive, Mika… cuz we're going to come get you!"
And right at that moment, the door to his office burst open, shocking Orga so badly that he nearly fell out of his chair.
As soon as he recomposed himself, the Tekkadan boss turned towards his busted down door and saw that pretty much every one of the founding members of his organisation had gathered near its remains, with Ride being the one who had apparently slammed it off its hinges. The ginger was on the ground at the moment, moaning in pain as he slowly got up, though thankfully, Akihiro was able to help him do that at a faster pace.
"...erm, guys?" muttered Orga, only to be silenced when Atra, of all people, squeezed past the bodies of her fellow Tekkadan members and raced up to Orga's desk. The young woman practically elbowed her way through the crowd of muscular young men just to get to ORga, and as soon as she was upon him, she leapt onto his desk and jolted absurdly close to him with zero hesitation whatsoever.
The close proximity… bothered Orga greatly.
"ORGA!" proclaimed Atra as soon as she was right up in front of Orga's face, her eyes wide and watery as she spoke, and at that, the boss in question winced as she continued. "M-MIKAZUKI… HE-"
"We got a call, boss!" proclaimed Shino as everyone squeezed into the office, all seeming ecstatic as they entered, with even Old Man Yuki, Merribit and Dexter Culastor joining in the conversation, with the three of them looking somewhere between bewildered and overjoyed as everyone entered the office.
"A call… from who?" inquired Orga curiously.
"Miss Kudelia!" answered Derma Atland, stepping forward to make his presence known as Dante Mogro and Akihiro Atland nodded. Orga himself blinked in surprise at that. Following the Edmonton incident, Kudelia had formed the Admoss Company, with it being associated with Tekkadan for the past half decade. Typically most calls from her would be funneled through to him, so why…
"S-She was on the way here, last I heard!" added Ride Mass as he rushed up to Orga's desk, appearing overjoyed as well as he spoke. So excited was he that he practically bounced on his feet and tripped over his own words as he spoke. "Some guy in a mask that she met a long time ago in the Dorts Colony came in and told her something!"
"A guy… in a mask…" muttered Orga, his eyes widening as the pieces began falling into place.
And the person who confirmed his suspicion was none other than Atra herself, who had her eyes widened to their fullest as she spoke.
"M-MIKAZUKI! HE… HE'S STILL ALIVE?!"