It took a good while before Lacus finally let go of his hands. Mikazuki stared at her with his usual deadpan, dead-fish eyes as she stood there, her face like a pear blossom bathed in rain.
"What was that for all of a sudden?" Mikazuki asked.
"It's you," Lacus replied, her voice trembling. "How could you... how could you be so reckless...?"
As she spoke, Lacus lunged at Mikazuki again, her small pink fists raining down a harmless flurry of blows against his chest.
Seeing this, Mikazuki turned his gaze toward Barbatos. "What's going on? Orga, did you say something to her?"
"What does this have to do with me?" Orga's voice echoed back. "You're clearly the one who made her cry."
"Huh? I wasn't even here just now. How could I have made her cry?"
"...That's not what I meant, you emotional blockhead."
"Then what do you mean?"
"It's like... ugh, boyfriend and girl forget it. Figure that kind of thing out for yourself!"
Lacus watched their exchange, looking back and forth between them in a daze, before she suddenly broke into a laugh through her tears.
"Hehehehe."
"What a strange person," Mikazuki muttered. He found Lacus utterly baffling crying one moment and laughing the next for no apparent reason. He just couldn't wrap his head around it.
Hearing Mikazuki call her strange, Lacus pouted, looking at him with mock displeasure. "How rude. You don't say things like 'strange person' to a girl."
"Is that so?" Mikazuki turned his head away dismissively and popped a date into his mouth. Seeing his usual indifferent attitude, a helpless smile tugged at the corner of Lacus's lips. She wiped away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes.
He really doesn't change...
Lacus pulled Mikazuki into another embrace. He tried to speak, but her soft whisper reached his ears first.
"I hope you can take better care of yourself. Even if you don't care about your own safety... there are others who do."
Mikazuki leaned against her shoulder and blinked. A surge of warmth rose within him, and a small curve formed at the corner of his mouth. He reached up and patted her shoulder.
"So, can we go now? I want to get Barbatos fixed as soon as possible."
Lacus released him and gave a radiant smile. "Yes, of course."
Mikazuki piloted Barbatos into the transport vehicle. Once the Gundam was lying flat inside, he climbed into the driver's cabin and started the engine. They left the underground hangar, following Lacus's car toward a secret factory established in PLANT by the Clyne Faction and the Junk Guild.
The engineers and workers in this factory were all members personally selected by Lacus and Hilda, individuals who were one hundred percent trustworthy.
Regarding the Junk Guild, the people Mikazuki had encountered back on Earth from the Junk Shop belonged to this very organization. The leader of this group was Reverend Malchio.
Reverend Malchio was Lacus's mentor during her childhood. It could be said that through the years Lacus spent witnessing the fires of war fueled by personal desire, national interest, and racial discrimination an era ruled by the law of the jungle it was Malchio's faith that allowed her to maintain her ideals of benevolence.
Though Reverend Malchio was a Natural, he was a massive authority in the religious world and a true leader figure. He wielded considerable influence in both Earth and PLANT. Moreover, as mentioned, this factory was a joint venture between the Clyne Faction and the Junk Guild, led by Malchio himself.
Malchio always acted with both sides in mind, devoid of hatred or contempt. He possessed neither superhuman wisdom nor a powerful physique, only an unchanging, pious devotion in his heart. This was why Lacus held her mentor in such high esteem. Truly, Reverend Malchio was a great man.
At that moment, the Reverend was waiting in one of the factory's workshops.
Blind as he was, Malchio heard the footsteps behind him and turned his head with a smile. "Have you arrived, Miss Lacus?"
"Yes, Reverend. This is the one I told you about, Mikazuki Augus."
Lacus stood before Malchio and stepped to the side, allowing Mikazuki to come forward. She knew that while her mentor's eyes could not see, he could look through a person's eyes to perceive the very essence of their soul.
Malchio's expression tightened for a split second when Mikazuki appeared. "Hello, Mikazuki."
"Oh, hello... uh..."
Lacus whispered a reminder from the side. "Call him Reverend Malchio."
Following her lead, Mikazuki greeted him properly. "Reverend Malchio."
Malchio nodded with a smile. "Then, is this thing Lacus prepared what you need...?"
The darkness behind Malchio suddenly flared with light. Mikazuki looked up, a rare look of shock flashing across his face.
From the head, chest, and shoulders down to the hands and feet a full set of armor sat quietly in a mechanical cradle, looking like a giant Mobile Suit itself.
"This is... the Lupus armor."
Lacus stepped in front of Mikazuki and spoke with a smile. "Yes. However, the material is slightly different. This armor does not use the Earth Alliance's Phase Shift Armor, nor is it the Nanolaminate Armor originally found on Barbatos."
She continued, "Due to technical limitations, this armor is slightly inferior to true Nanolaminate Armor, but it is still capable of resisting most beam weaponry. We've also made significant improvements to the mobility of the armor thrusters based on the data sent over by Mr. Orga."
"But... please remember, it cannot stop beams of the caliber used for a battleship's main cannon. Do not treat this armor as if it were the original Nanolaminate Armor."
Lacus warned him with an incredibly serious tone, though she had no idea if Mikazuki whose eyes were now shining with excitement was actually listening.
Seeing his reaction, Lacus sighed and rubbed her forehead in exhaustion.
"I think I'm starting to understand how Mr. Orga feels now, Mika..."
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