Judau had never been on a ship, before.

A shuttle, to be precise, at least. Why would he need to? He had never left Shangri-la before, had never needed to for most of his life until now. Besides the fact that he simply could not afford it (travel rates were ludicrous in the colonies without work permits, and his was no different), everything he would ever need was bound to end up at the colony eventually.

And because of this, Judau had never seen his homeland from higher than a building. It wasn't something he had thought on, often, or at all. It was simply a facet of life, the fact that he had never borne witness to that view, and he fact that he didn't need to.

But now?

This is…

Maybe that was why, then the Zeta Gundam burst out from the docks, Yazan's Petite in it's hold, the sight took him aback. It was one thing to think about it, the view that a mobile suit could provide, it was one thing to dream it.

It was another thing entirely to live it, and fourteen years of hype did not let him down in the slightest.

This is Shangri-la, huh…

The anime did not do the view justice at all.

(Then again, if he was being honest, that could be said about most of ZZ's artstyle for him.)

His home. Leina's home. The home of his small group of friends. The "historic first colony."

A cesspit of state corruption (albiet on small-ish scale), Federation negligence (on a much larger scale), and all-about stagnation for the people who lived it. The poor stayed poor, the rich grew richer, and the train chugged ever onwards. As much as it was his homeland, now, Judau… wouldn't be too sorry to see it go. But, even despite that…

The view is breathtaking. The anime did NOT do this justice at all, damn. Then again, I guess that applies for most of ZZ's artstyle. I should've brought a camer- eyo the FUCK?!

And then Yazan, the slippery fucker, used his distracted state to slip out of the Zeta's hold and, for lack of better words, put the pedal to the metal. Being the scum of the earth asides, an ace pilot was still an ace pilot, it seemed, even with just a Petite to work with.

"God damnit," Judau growled. When I said get the hell outta here, I didn't mean that fast! Slamming down the thruster-pedals, the Zeta shot after the runaway Titan. At the very least, he knew where Yazan was headed, and he was far more familiar with Shangri-la than the man could ever hope to be.

Not that it matters much, Judau mused, wincing an apology to the owners of the roof Yazan had just flown threw (it'd be fine, it was the rich district, they could pay for repairs). The fight would end up at the junkyard eventually, and he knew exactly what to do from there. At least, Judau had a good idea as to where to go from there.

Now, if only the fucker could stop moving-

Oh, shit, Yazan was landing. That was good. Canon was still mostly on track, then.

…

Wait, fuck, how did he land? What were the-

Memories that were not his flared in his mind, and a blue-haired boy's muscle-memory guided his hands to the appropriate inputs. Feeling the knowledge guide him, Judau sighed, relieved. Oh, here we go. Thanks, Kamille.

A sun shone a bit brighter, somewhere. He… didn't know how or why he knew that. Well, no, that was a lie. He had a pretty good idea, as far as one could explain how Newtype powers worked. It was still odd, but Judau imagined he'd get used to it.

Fa, you chose a really good guy to make your hubby. Literal godsend. Maaan, canon-me would've really had a better time if he had just asked.

The boy mentally shrugged. Welp, hindsight and all that.

By the time he landed, Yazan was already running to the yellow whats-its-face Mobile Suit parked nearby, and the boy considered just… shooting the thing with a missile and ending it now, but given Yazan's skills, he was more likely to miss and damage the colony, something he very much wanted to avoid.

Setting asides the fact that a hole in the colony wall was not good for anyone in the slightest, nobody in their right mind fires a cannon inside their home, and the same principle applied here… Unless, of course, four ruffians happened to break in.

But Marshmallow man wasn't here yet, so he'd have to wait.

"Oh well," Judau muttered, the Zeta squaring up as the enemy mobile suit roared to life. "I wanted to try and melee this anyways." And speaking of melee…

Pressing the release on one of his beam-sabers, the Zeta 'fumbled' with it before it fell conveniently in front of Yazan, who wasted no time in picking it up. Why exactly a piece of scavaging/construction equipment was able to use military-grade hardware was still beyond him. He blamed Anahiem. It was probably Anaheim. When was it not Anaheim?

"I'm only gonna say this once, kid," came Yazan's grow, and Judau blinked. Right, Titan trash. Focus, Judau!

The mobile suit brandished the beam saber menacingly- or, at least, as menacingly as something so small compared to the Gundam could. The boy had to hold back a giggle. He couldn't help it, it was so small!

"Give me the suit!"

"Fat chance, Titan trash!" Judau barked, taking the time to flip him off. A very important thing to use his time for, yessir. He was a Titan, he deserved it. Damned dog, whose soul was weighed down by gravity.

Yazan responded to his taunt just about as he'd expected, with an enraged growl and a shout. "Then die!"

Then the enemy mobile suit lunged, saber aimed for a killing blow, and the Zeta 'stumbled' backwards as Yazan bum-rushed towards its cockpit. Unfortunately for Yazan, Judau had three things going for him that the ace did not.

Armor. The Zeta Gundam, despite still being marred from the final battle of the Gryps War, was still a military machine with anti-beam coating- plus, the cockpit was actually closed, this time.

Hindsight. Judau had known what Yazan had been going to do, or at least, had guessed how he'd act.

And, most importantly…

The Zeta had a second beam-saber.

Yazan's beam-saber hit true. The armor held. And Judau, knowing it would continue to hold for a while longer, shot out and grabbed the offending enemy mobile suit's arm. At the same time, he released the Zeta's second beam-saber, this time catching it deftly, igniting it as soon as it hit the Gundam's palm. He could see the moment Yazan realized what he meant to do, saw the panicked movements of the man as he tried to jerk his MS out of Judau's grip to no avail.

Were he someone else, he might've gloated to Yazan, or might've basked in the fact than an ace had fallen for his trap… but he had a better way to celebrate.

"Welcome to Shangri-la, fucker!"

The Zeta Gundam slashed downwards, and the ace Titan pilot that had once been Yazan turned into molten slag and burnt flesh.

At least, Judau assumed that was what happened when someone got annihilated with something strong enough to melt military-grade steel alloys. Or Gundariam. Whatever they called it, these days.

"...Is that it?"

Judau stared at the ruins of the destroyed mobile suit. The wreckage lay there, slag hardening, no trace of Yazan's existence left behind. It was pretty anticlimactic, if he was being honest.

"Mm," Judau pondered. He really hoped it wasn't a sign of a general lack of empathy on his part, but he didn't feel bad for killing Yazan. Then again, he was a Titan, and had, if he recalled correctly, killed off a few of Zeta's main characters. And even if he hadn't, Yazan had been, again, a Titan. And warcrimes against members of the Titans was fine, in his books.

The boy mused on it for a moment, before shrugging. "Eh, he deserved it. Titan trash."

…

Well, that was that. One problem preempted. Just gotta remember to disable the Endra's main canon at some point.

But, other than that…

Slowly, but surely, a grin began to spread across his face. And then he whooped, throwing his fists in the air. "First combat mission, success!"

And it'd only get better from here. The time for planning and waiting was finally, finally over. Now he could actually begin to turn his hopes for the future into reality. If he wasn't so elated from the revelation, he might've cried.

…Well, even if he did cry, there was nobody around to witness it.

"Now," he murmured, "what was it that I was supposed to do from here, again?

The memory came to him, abruptly, just the something wrapped around the Zeta's legs and yanked. Shangri-la's gravity took hold of the Zeta, and Judau nodded, resigned.

Oh. Right. Bright.

Pride cometh before the fall, and all that, but being inside the cockpit of a mobile suit while it fell over was not, in the slightest, any way fun. It didn't even matter that he was safer than canon-him would've been, what with the cockpit actually closed, and that he'd somewhat known it was coming. Judau hadn't been on anything resembling a rollercoaster since his last life, and that had not how he had wanted to relive the feeling.

"Ow… Ach, that hurt," he hissed, before kicking the release hatch and opening the cockpit. As much as he would've preferred to shake off the rattles a bit longer, the show had to go on-

Judau blinked, and was met with a hand. "Here, grab hold."

Confused, the Shangri-la boy mentally shrugged before taking the proffered hand, clambering out of the Zeta, and- Oh. It's Bright again.

"Are you hurt?" the captain asked, and wow, despite knowing that was 'in the script,' so to speak, that Bright was a nice enough guy to check in on the kid who had stolen an expensive piece of military hardware and who'd kicked him in the chest…

It was relieving, to know that people like him did exist in the Universal Century. Which also made him feel guilty for what was about to happen.

Boom.

And, right on time, the diversionary munitions (he really needed to ask Mondo and Beecha where they got those from) detonated. And Judau, being the good spacenoid slumrat that he was, took his que and booked it from the Feds.

"Sorry again!" he called back as he ran, "I'll make it up to you someday!"

At least, I'll try. Though you probably won't like how I do it.

The sound of screeching tires brought his attention back to the living as his friends pulled up in a hauler. "Hop in, ya crazy loon!" Beecha shouted, a grin on his face, turning back to the driver when Judau got on. "Hit it, Iino!"

Then they were off, leaving the Zeta behind.

Judau raised a hand and waved.

It wasn't his Mobile Suit, he knew that, but… the Zeta Gundam would always be his first.

I'll come back for you.

But that was a problem for later-today-Judau. And speaking of which….

"Hey, guys," the boy grinned. "I think I know what we're doing today."

"Take me to him!"

Elle groaned. This was what she got for trying to be a good friend.

Hell, she already should've been with the boys, joining in whatever the hell had got them so worked up today, but noooo. She'd promised Judau that she would check on his sister whenever she passed here, since it was on her way to work.

And now said sister was blocking the doorway out. Leina had left the door unlocked and ajar, something which ad not sat well with Elle. So, of course, she had rushed into the Ashta home to help the girl out of any danger she might've been in.

Then said girl had shut the door, blocked it, and had begun to stare her down. Sneaky little shit.

Once again, Elle could see why Judau loved to brag about her so much. Then again, it was far from news to her, Leina's smarts. They sure as hell hadn't gone to Judau, after all.

Withholding a smirk at that, Elle returned her attention to the girl in front her, eyebrow raised. "Leina, you know as well as I do that Judau doesn't want you going with him."

"I know that," she grumbled, to Elle's amusement, "but he's going to do something stupid, I know it! You have to take me to him!"

"Judau'll be fiiiiine," Elle dismissed. Probably. "He's with the boys, they'll keep an eye on each other until I get there."

"...Beecha and Mondo?"

"...Yeah."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Elle opened her mouth, then closed it. Fair point. "Still doesn't change the matter that I'm not gonna take you, Leina. Judau gets hissy when he thinks you're too close to danger. Besides, what kind of big sis would I be if I just caved in to your-"

Leina cut her off by reaching into her packers and pulling out a bundle of gilla coins, before holding them out to her.

The older girl hesitated, then groaned again. "Who taught you how to haggle? No, stupid question, don't answer. It was Judau."

The youngest Ashta child merely grinned cheekily, and Elle snorted. "You're lucky I'm a nice girl," she muttered, pocketing the change. "Fine. C'mon, let's go."

Leina's cheeky grin turned into a beam before she ducked into her room for her jacket, and Elle shook her head in exasperation.

You Ashtas really are crazy…

"Onii-chan!"

It was amazing, really, how two singular words could inspire such dread in a man. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and all that.

"Gosh darnit, Elle," Judau groaned, hopping off the Petite Mobile Suit. "Why'd you bring Leina?" And they'd been making such good time as well. The 'script,' as he had coined it, had been on schedule, as they'd clambered up the mountain towards the spaceport. And as the minutes ticked by, Judau had held on to the hope that Leina had actually listened to him and stayed home, or that at least Elle wouldn't give in to the bribe.

Joke's on him.

The girl in question merely grinned, flipping a coin in her fingers. "Just because."

"You're taking bribes from kids now, Elle?" Beecha asked. "Damn, to think you'd sink so low…"

"You're one to speak," Leina huffed, jabbing a finger at Beecha, "trying to turn my brother into a criminal! Leave him alone!"

Beecha blinked, then glared. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean, you little-!"

Aaaand there's my que, Judau nodded, deciding to interject himself into the conversation once again. "First off, none of that," he sighed, pushing Beecha's face out of the way. "No insults. Second off, we're working here, Leina! Go home."

His little sister's glare shifted from Beecha to him, now, eyebrow raised. "Stealing from people is work?"

"They're Feddies," Judau replied with a callous wave. "They probably deserve it anyways."

That was a lie, admittedly. The Argama crew were genuinely good people for the most part, if he recalled correctly. It was still funny to say, though, and since the Titans were dead he didn't have to fear getting thrown into a labour camp forever. "Plus, we could use their Mobile Suits."

A ways behind them, Mondo nodded, and Iino spoke up. "Judau's right, Leina! If we got those suits to do the heavy lifting, we can do bigger jobs, haul in more stuff!" His words were met with wise nods all around, save from, of course, Leina, who only shifted her glare again to Iino.

Huffing, Judau knelt down and brought himself face-to-face with his sister. "Salvage is the only honest work we can get around here," the boy shrugged. "Well, work that pays enough for all our bills."

"And doing dishes and babysitting won't?!" Leina countered. "What if I worked too?!"

"Haha, no." Absolutely fucking not. He was the elder sibling here, not her, and he was the man of the house besides. Providing for them and making sure Leina could live the best life she could was his job, and it was an obligation he was more than happy to fufill. "You need to go to school and study so you can get a good job when you grow up. I don't want you turning out like me!"

"So you understand that a kid shouldn't be doing stuff like this!"

Ugh, this child was going to be the death of him.

"Aah, isn't sibling love beautiful?" Iino whispered, and Mondo snickered. "The siscon jokes write themselves, honestly."

"Totally."

Judau's head snapped towards them so fast he could've sworn he heard a bone snap. "I swear if that was a sister-complex joke-"

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on who you asked, Judau could chew them out for it, the Argama chose that moment to make its appearance above them. And, oof, ZZ did not do how damaged the ship was justice in the slightest. It was one thing to see it from an 80s animation, and another to see it before his eyes.

The Argama got SHAFTED, yeesh, he winced. Poor thing. But at least it's still kicking. Can't say the same for the Gwadan, that beautiful beast of a ship.

Judau shook the thought aside, before rushing back for the Petite Mobile Suit. The Argama's appearance had served well, in distracting Leina from him. Had he waited too long, Judau knew she would've tried to guilt-trip him out of this. She'd done it before, after all. Her concern for him was warming, but also concerning in its own right. But, he depressed.

Securing himself in the suit, he flashed the gang a thumbs up and a grin. "Well, that's my cue!" he called, and attention was back on him. Too late, suckers! "I'm going for it!"

"Don't you dare, Judau!"

"Sorry, sis!" he shouted back, before calling to his only actual female friend. "Oi, Elle! Keep her out of trouble!"

"You owe me dinner, then!"

Maaan, that girl…

Judau rolled his eyes in mock exasperation, but grinned. "Fine, fine. I'm outta here!"

And, with the manipulation of some levers, buttons, and pedals, the Petite Mobile Suit took off in a sprint that was just as janky as the anime had portrayed it. Once again, Judau found himself wondering who exactly designed this particular model, and why.

Thoughts for another day, he shrugged, before a grin overtook him.

He had a ship to catch.

"Captain! A petite mobile suit is hanging from the back of the ship!"

"A what?"

The news was…

Well, Bright very much wanted to say it was unexpected. It would be, for probably any other ship captain. But he had a sneaking suspicion as to who was behind it, and he had to consciously keep from pinching the bridge of his nose. He could already feel the headache coming on.

Later. Headache later. When the Argama was safely away from whatever Axis Zeon ship was in port. "Bring up the external stern cameras."

Torres nodded, and the back of the Argama came to view on the screen. And, sure enough, there was a mobile suit grappled on to the ship.

The cockpit was open, though.

Surely, whoever was in there wasn't stupid enough to try and climb up?

…No, no. That gave too much credit to whoever grappled onto the ship in the first place. And again, his suspicions grew.

"Keep flipping through the feeds," he ordered, though Torres only went through it twice more before something caught Bright's eye. "There! Magnify the left-hand corner!"

"Aye, sir!"

The screen zoomed in the aforementioned place.

And, just as Bright had expected, there was a boy, topside. The same boy who had stolen the Zeta and had defeated the TItans pilot. And Bright was willing to bet the entire ship that the boy had come to try his luck at the mobile suit again.

Yet…

"Captain Bright?" his helmsman spoke up. "Shouldn't we do something about that?"

"Hold off on that for a while," Bright replied, a pensive look on his face. "He can't do anything with just himself. Besides…"

If he had a gilla for every time a teen stole one of the mobile suits under his jurisdiction… Well, he'd be a few gilla richer, no doubt. But the last time that had happened…

"...I have a feeling about this kid," Bright finished.

Sighing, Bright settled back into his seat. Maybe this time, he could actually talk to the kid, and see what this was all about. An inkling on an idea wormed its way into his mind, and though he grimaced at the thought, Bright set it aside for later. With how his track record had been, he wouldn't be surprised if he had to-

The Argama's klaxons began to blare, cutting off his thoughts, and Torres turned to him in a panic.

"Captain! Enemy mobile suit approaching from the stern!"

Bright inhaled slowly, exhaled slowly, and fought the urge to scream.

God his missed his wife and kids.

A/N: To be Bright is to be suffering.

I plan on covering around two-ish episodes with each chapter, at least for ZZ''s first half so the slog doesn't feel as... sloggy. But I thought this was a good place to end this chapter for the time being.

Next time, on Re: ZZeta; Marshmallow man appears.