The Ring

[caressthedarkness]

[There has certainly been a lot of chaos as of late. But the brief respite that follows also comes with a video call from a familiar face.]

Ah, hello...?

...Can...anyone hear me?

[Seta waves awkwardly at the camera while you are walking by a terminal or checking your phone. She isn't alone, though - behind her are a handful of curious looking human-shaped figures, both male and female, whose real identities are betrayed by their glowing eyes staring at the lens. They say nothing, and the dim lighting in the room doesn't help much.

Still, the former UG member smiles on the screen.]



If you can see this...how is everyone faring?

It has been weeks now...I am doing fine. And...I hope it is the same for all of you.

Comments

[kill_all_vagans]

[In the midst of trying to find a broom for use in getting the AGE Device out from under the Builder, Flit could only tell that Seta had been speaking, and not the actual words. The group was already in mid-discussion when he could finally take hold of the Device though.]

R-right... I'm Flit. Flit Asuno.

... Seta what are they talking about?

[caressthedarkness]

That you appear about the same age as them.

[One by one, the shadows approach the camera. Surprise, Flit; some of them look like they could be your classmates.]

"He really is that young, huh?"

"And he's already out there fighting! Gah! Hey Seta, why aren't we out there fighting yet?"


That is not up to me to decide...

[kill_all_vagans]

I'm here because of my Gundam. I made it, I helped make its special systems... and it's not something I'd just trust to anyone. It's going to help save the world from the UE, and even develop new hardware the ESUN can use!

I've even been trying to get a start on creating a new successor machine for the Genoace, something stronger and more versatile!

[caressthedarkness]

[The young Kijin are clearly impressed.]

"This guy's going places."

"We'd be going places too, if a certain bossy lady didn't stop us."

"So you're saying if we could get our hands on some Craft of our own, we can fight too, right?"


...Um...that's...

1/2

[kill_all_vagans]

It didn't happen overnight with me though! I worked for years on the AGE-1, and I never intended to use it myself...

[kill_all_vagans]

... And sometimes there are things just out of your control. Like the Unity Group having its budget cut so much just because of Loni wanting a new machine.

Even when I decided and started actively piloting, problems can still come up that can't be solved on the battlefield.

[caressthedarkness]

"That's a lot to think about...I might reconsider."

"What's a budget cut...?"


I...would like to hear more about that as well...

[kill_all_vagans]

It's Loni. He's finally jumped off that slope he was always teetering on the edge of, whining about how his machine needs to be stronger or else he can't protect anyone. So somehow he managed to get a lot of our funding diverted to a new machine for him and Dirchs had to cut corners pretty much everywhere! I even told him it's like Loni wants to make his own personal Granzon equivalent or something!

And he's not going to save anyone with it! He was willing to let a whole bunch of hostages die just to save his one friend, acting like it was the right choice! No talk with us about finding a way to save everyone, he just went on ahead like he always does and we had to pick up the pieces before he got everyone killed!

[caressthedarkness]

...Is there...no way to reach them now?

When I spoke to Desta...he seemed to at least understand...

[kill_all_vagans]

None of them have really shown their face around here at all since then. Either they're being careful, or Loni's just so obsessed with his new machine he can't be asked to even come and thank us in-person for our unwilling charity.

[caressthedarkness]

In that case...I can only hope for the best for everyone there...