Chapter 1: The Man Named Mcgillis Fareed

Death, to Mcgillis Fareed, is surprisingly… peaceful. He wondered why it is so. He had failed, he had not accomplished any of his goals, he was killed before his time, so why does it feel so peaceful? Even the thought of going to hell or facing the wrath of Carta and those he had wrongly killed is not too farfetched.

"Perhaps… it's because it is Gaelio."

Mcgillis mused. To think that out of anyone that could kill him it would be the only man he would call his one and only friend. The one he attempted to kill and one who he had hurt the most. If there is any concept of divine retribution in the world, he certainly believed it now. He oddly felt most at peace at knowing that he died by Gaelio Bauduin's hands, at the hand of his best friend that he wronged.

There's nothing that he could do now. Everything he had done is useless. He had failed and he doesn't feel as disappointed as he thought he would, mostly because how he died and by whom. He fought to the best of his ability. He knew he could've done better but there's no use thinking about it now.

It took Mcgillis a while though to realize that he's not alone. He felt someone staring at his back. He turn around to see a certain black haired child soldier, the very same boy who had inspired him to go so far in the first place, the one who had helped him harden his resolve, the boy known as the Devil of Tekkadan, Mikazuki Augus.

"Chocolate man?"

"So you died as well."

Mcgillis assumed since it's the only logical explanation why Mikazuki is there with him. In the end even the greatest demon could fall. In the end might makes right, he is not wrong. But as with everything else, none of that matters in death. He might as well spend this time talking with the boy he had come to admire. If he were to be honest with himself, he is rather fond of Mikazuki. Even excluding all his plans and machinations, Mikazuki is someone he could come to like personally. Perhaps that's why he is most fascinated by him even among the exceptional children of Tekkadan.

"For what it's worth, I was honest when I say I expected a lot out of you."

"Hnn."

Mcgillis smiled at the boy's curt reply. The boy is unmovable. He possess strength but most of the time he doesn't care about using his strength and even when he did, he never used it for himself. The boy moved only to protect his family in Tekkadan or when pointed by Orga Itsuka. Both of them had harsh childhood but they can't be more different than each other. Mcgillis had wished to be like Mikazuki but he can never fight for anyone other than himself. Mikazuki does not really desire power like he does but he has it yet he never use it for himself.

If Mcgillis had to put it in words, they are two sides of a mirror. Mcgilllis wondered if he would've turned out differently if he had instead be child soldier like those in Tekkadan. That is certainly an interesting thought. Perhaps things would've turned out differently. But it's nothing more than idle thought.

"Mikazuki, are you satisfied with your life?"

Mikazuki tilted his head at the question. He thought for a while. It's amusing to see his simple and childish gestures but it suits the child soldier well. It took Mikazuki a while until he finally answered.

"No."

He simply answered. Mcgillis expect as much.

"Because I never got to be a farmer and see my child."

"Wait, child?"

Mcgillis is a little taken aback by what the boy had said. He, a young boy, has a child? Was it with Kudelia Aina Bernstein? Either way, it is a rather shocking revelation even to someone like him. Mcgillis prided himself in maintaining his cool in any situation but even this is beyond his imagination. Then again, he's the one engaged to an eleven years old.

Ahh yes, Almiria, sweet little Almiria. He genuinely likes her despite everything said and done. Another one he wronged in the course of his life. He idly wondered what life would've been if he had survived. Almiria's father certainly won't be handing her to him happily.

"You have… a child?"

Mikazuki nodded. Mcgillis wanted to ask more about it but decided not to. It's probably something he doesn't need to know. But still, a child, Mcgillis had never thought about it in his life what with his mind mostly occupied with his plans and his fiancée being an eleven years old child herself. It certainly brought things into perspective when he thought about a child of his own after he died.

What kind of father would he be? What kind of husband would he be?

"Ohh?"

Suddenly Mcgillis felt a strange sensation. He look down and found that he is disappearing. Is this the end for him? He doesn't know. The same is also happening to Mikazuki but the boy is not bothered by it. Mcgillis Fareed smiled. Whatever happens next, he will accept it. To force his way forward, that is how he does things.

If… If he were to be reborn against all odds, he might even try to consider Gaelio's words. The last conversation he had with his one and only friend.

'Is there such a thing as true and fake happiness?'

Mcgillis then turn back to the Demon of Tekkadan. There must be a reason why they met here together. A reason he had yet to find out. He also has this feeling that this won't be the last time they meet.

"Well then, it looks like our time here has come to an end. Let us meet again somewhere else, Mikazuki Augus."

"I hope not."

Mcgillis chuckled on last time before both he and Mikazuki disappear.

Humanity has once again proved its capacity to wreak havoc and dominate.

Infinite Stratos, it is a machine once intended to be a powered suit for space exploration. But now it has become nothing more than mere weapons used to destroy and oppress.

The world had changed due to the emergence of these weapons of war, especially when the first ever IS showcased its power in the event that is now known as the White Knight incident.

The IS wasn't supposed to be a weapon. It was supposed to be something that leads humanity to a new frontier. But the world had twisted it into an image it wants the technology to be; that of a weapon of mass destruction.

And worst of all it has become an excuse to oppress. Just because the IS can only be used by women, the female population had gotten it into their head that they have become better than men. It is subtle and not easily spotted in general but if one were to look closely there is oppression.

It is not only that but ever since Shinonono Tabane stopped producing IS cores and went into hiding, the core is distributed throughout the world for study and development. But not everyone could fund the development of an IS. The world fell into what is essentially a state similar to a cold war where IS tournament became a sport where each countries would show off their military, a proxy war of some sort.

In the midst of all this, a certain man is plotting behind the scene to change everything. If power had once again be used to dominate society, then he will use an even greater power to change it. Such is the way of the world, one he had become acquainted with quite well.

"If I didn't know it any better, I would've thought that Infinite Stratos can only be piloted by women due to some machinations to oppress the male populace."

The man mused as he stood behind his desk looking out the window. Mcgillis Fareed, head of the Montag Company in United Kingdom. Fate seems to have a way to play with people's life. Being Mcgillis Fareed this time around is no different than the last. The son of a mistress thrown away years ago only to be taken back when needed, it's too much of a bad joke that Mcgillis doesn't know whether to laugh or to laugh (because he doesn't cry). The only difference this time is that there is no Carta and Gaelio to be his friends.

At the age of nineteen he had already usurped his father's position as head of the company no different than what he did last time. Now at the age of twenty two, Mcgillis is head of one of the largest company in the UK. Now he's setting his sight higher.

"Sir, he is here."

His secretary informed. The secretary open the door wider and allowed the person Mcgillis had been waiting for to come in. It is a young Japanese boy with black hair. Looking at him, Mcgillis smiled and offer the boy a seat. The boy took the seat. Anyone who saw the news recently would knew about the boy. He is Orimura Ichika, the only male who could pilot the Infinite Stratos.

Mcgillis gestured at his secretary to leave. The woman bowed and closed the door, leaving Orimura alone with Mcgillis. The head of the Montag Company stare at the boy. A normal boy would've shrunk from the gaze of a man such as him but Orimura Ichika gave him only an indifferent look, one he had become acquainted with a lifetime ago.

Mcgillis reach in to his suit pocket. The boy is observing him carefully as he does so, looking for any suspicious movement. As expected, he is wary. But he is also relaxed. He is watching him but his body is not as tense as it should be if he is suspicious of him. That could mean a few things, one of those he hoped to be true.

He took out a bar of chocolate from his inner pocket and gave it to the boy. Orimura look at the chocolate for a few seconds and then at Mcgillis and then back at the chocolate. Then suddenly the boy clicked his tongue, looking annoyed.

"Is this your idea of a joke, chocolate man?"

That answer is enough to satisfy him. Mcgillis hand the chocolate to the Orimura boy and sat down. The way the boy took the chocolate and examined it before eating it is just as he remembered.

"You have been making quite a name for yourself in more ways than one. So how does it feel to enter a school filled with young girls?"

"It's annoying."

"I am sure it is."

Mcgillis smirked.

"Now that we have met again, why don't we talk about more interesting things?"

"I thought I said I don't want to meet you again."

Orimura Ichika grumbled.

Greetings. This is Shidou Haruka with another one of my experimental plot, one that I'm actually very excited to write about. I have always wanted to write about Mcgillis since the end of Gundam Tekketsu no Orphans. So I decided to experiment with a device I rarely use before which is reincarnation. Mcgillis is my favorite character in Gundam IBO and currently my favorite out of all Gundam characters. I can't really explain it but I feel something inside me resonate with Mcgillis. That is why he is a protagonist here. Imagine it, Mcgillis Fareed in the world of Infinite Stratos. And of course there is Mikazuki to worry about. That is a very deadly duo in my opinion. Both are Devils in their own way and they really suit their respective demons (Gundams) in my opinion. All I can say is, Infinite Stratos world must prepare themselves. It's easy to guess who Mikazuki is in this story and I imagine some of us will have interesting response.

I hope I'm doing both Mcgillis and Mikazuki right. Or at least Mcgillis. So far what I wrote of them is from the impression I got about their dynamic in the series.