C.E. 68
A PLANT-registered cargo fleet importing food from South America was sunk by the Council States, killing hundreds of Coordinators. The incident became known as the "Mandelbrot Incident"!
Taking the Mandelbrot Incident as an opportunity, the political organization ZAFT was reorganized under Patrick Zala's leadership. It merged with PLANT's police and security organization to form ZAFT, a military force equipped with mobile suits.
Tensions between the Earth Alliance and PLANT continued to escalate!
January, C.E. 69
A family of three who had moved from Copernicus City arrived in District Seven of Junius City, PLANT.
"Felix, our family will be settling here from now on. What do you think?"
"I don't think much of it!"
The brown-haired boy named Felix replied with a calm expression and an even voice, though there was a hint of frustration in his words. The middle-aged man gave an awkward smile, then turned to his son and asked patiently.
"What's wrong with this place?"
When his father asked him that, Felix looked at him without saying a word.
But inwardly, he thought:
I told you Junius Seven would be blown up in a few years. I doubt you'd believe me, though.
Seeing her son remain silent, the woman beside him considered the situation for a moment, then walked over to her husband and spoke softly.
"Felix may just need time to get used to the move. Maybe he'll feel better after a while."
Hearing his parents talk, Felix knew there was no point in saying more just then. He glanced toward his room, said he was heading there, and walked inside.
Seeing their son act that way, the two of them silently agreed not to disturb him and began unpacking their new home in the living room.
In his room
Felix walked in and looked at the furnishings and the boxes that still needed unpacking. He stepped over the boxes and lay down on his bed.
He stared up at the ceiling, eyes wide open.
Memories of his past came back to him unbidden. They belonged to his previous life.
In his memories
Felix remembered the moments before his death.
It had been a peaceful, quiet night. He had planned to take a bath and then go to bed, but his foot slipped, and the back of his head slammed into the bathroom wall.
After a searing pain, he knew nothing more. When he came to, he was a baby, surrounded by people in white coats.
Among them, he could clearly see the coldness and disappointment in the eyes of a blond man. He could also see the tenderness in the gaze of a brown-haired, violet-eyed woman.
The two of them seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't quite remember who they were.
After that, he never saw those two again.
Some time later, he ended up in the home of his current parents. He lived with them in Copernicus City for fifteen years, until they moved here a few days ago.
"Sigh!"
Felix sighed deeply. His expression carried a trace of helpless frustration as he thought to himself:
Of all the places we could've moved, why did we have to come to Junius Seven? We're practically walking into our own deaths!
At the thought, Felix suddenly sat up on the bed. A determined look appeared in his eyes, and he murmured to himself:
Moving again isn't an option in the short term. Applying to live somewhere else requires approval and all sorts of other steps, and there's no guarantee the application would even be accepted.
I don't know how I could explain it to my parents and convince them, either.
It looks like I can only find a way to save myself.
When he thought about saving himself, Felix immediately thought of ZAFT.
Joining ZAFT was the most effective—and best—option available to him.
"I'll talk to my parents over dinner tonight."
He checked the time, then looked around at his room. Felix decided to start unpacking and bring up the idea of joining ZAFT to his parents over dinner.
That evening
At the dining table
Felix sat at the table and ate with his parents. Holding his bowl and chopsticks, he paused to gather his thoughts, then spoke.
"Mom, Dad, I want to join ZAFT."
His calm words rang out in the dining room. Both his parents looked up at him, their eating abruptly coming to a stop.
Silence lingered for a few seconds before Felix's mother, Wendy, spoke first.
"Felix, did I hear you right?"
"You did."
Felix looked at his mother and answered firmly.
At his resolute reply, Wendy's expression changed at once. She put down her bowl and chopsticks and was just about to refuse when her husband, Chris, spoke up.
"Dad supports your decision."
"Dear, what are you saying?"
Wendy's eyes widened as she asked in disbelief.
Chris looked at his wife, reached out, and patted her hand. He explained gently, "Our son's grown up. We have to respect his wishes. If he wants to do this, he must have his reasons. All we can do is support him, not stifle his dreams."
"But..."
Wendy couldn't stop worrying when she thought of her son joining ZAFT. She had barely gotten the word out when Chris cut her off.
"Wendy, I know you're worried about his safety, but he has to grow up and go out into the world eventually. If we keep holding him back in the name of keeping him safe, we'll clip his wings before he can soar into the blue sky.
"An eagle needs its wings. We can't break them. We have to let him spread them and fly. Only then can he truly grow up."
"All right!"
Wendy had wanted to say more, but now she fell silent. The worry between her brows didn't ease as she looked at her son. Her gentle voice was full of a mother's love.
"Felix, be careful, all right?"
"I will, Mom."
Felix nodded firmly and promised her. Then he looked at his father, gratitude and respect in his eyes, and spoke with heartfelt thanks.
"Thanks, Dad!"
"No need to thank me. It's what I should do."
Chris smiled faintly and replied in a calm, gentle voice.
The next day
After getting up early and saying goodbye to his parents, Felix left home and headed for ZAFT's medical examination center in District Seven of Yunikusu City.
He had already completed the application online the night before. Today, he only needed to pass the medical examination to officially join ZAFT.
At the District Seven Central Hospital in Junius City
"Hello, I'm here to join ZAFT."
Felix spoke to the staff member inside the ZAFT medical examination registration window. The staff member looked at him and asked:
"Name?"
"Felix Leo Griffith!"
Felix told the staff member his name. The employee asked him to wait, then handed him an examination form a moment later.
"Take this form and complete the listed examinations."
"Thank you!"
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