It was a few days ago that Zeppelin received an unexpected surprise in the form of a letter from a dear friend. They were childhood friends who shared the common dream of making amazing things. In terms of seriousness, one did not lose to the other. But unlike the cool and calm Zeppelin, this friend was fiery and passionate. It was a contrasting combination that somehow worked, and the two got along well. Perhaps more than anyone else on the base she grew up in, it was this dear friend that made the most fuss when she decided she would request for a reassignment. It was something that could be attributed to unfortunate timing. Zeppelin would have been more than open to inviting her friend to tag along. But alas, on the day she had submitted the paperwork, the same friend had also submitted paperwork for a different undertaking. It was a certification exam for a license as a Marine-sponsored craftsman. And so she could not depart until this was over. It was at that time that her dear friend swore to ace the test and then come after the young Marine officer. The letter Zeppelin received detailed just that. And finally today, said friend would be arriving on a ferry at the port of Baterilla. The young lieutenant took a day off to meet her old comrade.

"Zeppelin!" It had not even been ten minutes from when the ferry docked that Zeppelin heard an all too familiar voice calling out her name. She turned around and saw a girl in an orange jumpsuit walking briskly up to her, waving her hand energetically. Her green hair was style in a ponytail tied with a nostalgic green ribbon. The front of her top was unzipped and she wore a utility belt with tools clipped onto it. She had an over-sized knapsack on her back that was at least two times bigger than her but she carried with ease and didn't seem burdened by it in the slightest. This was her good friend Yuubari: a contemporary; a peer; and one whose abilities and talents she respected - a genius in her own right. She had not changed one bit. As the two came to face to face, they initiated their encounter with a wordless high five.

"Congratulations on getting your license. And unless I'm much mistaken, I should probably congratulate you on your reassignment as well."

"I can't have my favorite scientist going on her own adventures alone! Nice to see you're keeping my present in good condition."

Yuubari was referring to Zeppelin's inconspicuous 'weapon', the Black Gloves. It was the last project that the two of them had worked on before Zeppelin's reassignment. The scientist designed the ammunition and loading mechanism while the weapon artisan crafted the glove itself and put the whole thing together. Looking back, they had often collaborated with creating things. Zeppelin was more on the conceptual side while Yuubari was on the practical side.

"Of course. It's a trustworthy partner. In fact it has already saved me once since coming here."

Yuubari's eyes were almost instantly sparked with curiosity. This was her bad habit. While Zeppelin was the type to observe people, the green-haired artisan reveled in data. Weapons and machine performance were things she devoured at every opportunity. You can bet that after a couple such reports, Yuubari would already have several upgrades in mind to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

"Let's save the story for later. For now I hope you don't mind that I would like to get the important official business out of the way first."

"YES! It's a yes. Honestly, I don't even need to hear it. You think I wouldn't come out all the way here without at least expecting this much?" Yuubari grinned smugly to which Zeppelin slightly chuckled in response.

"I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to continuing our partnership."

"Me too. Really glad to be at it again soon. I've already got a few ideas in mind."

(End)