Spoilers for the series. (Anime version is what this work is based off of.) You're warned.

Psalms 144:2,

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He is my loving God and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me. -Psalms 144:2

Jun doesn't have a clue how Maki could have peeked into the bulb-cockpit that day on their first parallel earth.

She wanted to know—she just had to know. Maki effortlessly and so very carefully took the bulb into Zearth's hands. Ever so gently she cracked it open. Smoke rushed into their view but eventually dissipated. Jun felt like his heart would completely cease to beat.

Inhaled breaths. Wide eyes.

Jun felt his throat quench and inwardly he wanted to shriek. He looked to Maki, and her expression panicked before she obliterated them in an instant. She destroyed them before their faces could be completely imprinted into their minds. Humans—they couldn't, some almost wouldn't, even believe it. They weren't different. Not by much. They could breathe, walk, talk, and destroy the lives of others if they had the power.

They could think—live.

Jun had felt the strange rush of vertigo as the 'away' Earth began to just disappear. Die.

Koyemshi had explained that these were parallel earths. The thing that had bothered Jun probably more is the fact that these Earth's were just an entire different realm. The science of it was ridiculous. The power of it was not comprehendible. Jun tensed his forehead while deeply in thought. He supposed it wasn't that strange.

Earth could be an awful place sometimes. One universe (are there entire different universes? or are there infinite-verses? Jun will never know.) probably couldn't contain the horrid things humanity could do on one single planet. Jun remembers when Chizu's turn was up. How she wouldn't fight for the fate of their home until that teacher was destroyed. Jun supposed he must have done something very, very terrible to Chizu for her to grant him a horrible, terrifying death.

Jun had to bite his lip to stop himself for a moment.

Because humanity wasn't all bad—people did bad things to do good things like Nakama's mother.

Daichi protected his family, all on his own before Zearth even existed—no—invaded their lives. Chizu actually forgave that man, almost. She fought for the earth. Moji gave his heart.

Infinite or finite-verses or planets, Jun decided that the Earth's had to be similar. Humans couldn't stray far from their DNA. We are earth-bound. Humanity can feel. We are human. Jun doesn't know why someone in white would place this responsibility in the hands of humans to dictate which Earth will continue on, and which will disappear into only God knows where. Maybe—God commenced this game. Jun doesn't know. This power makes mere mortals feel godly—before their mortality runs up after their battle. It's too much. Where's the humility?

Staring at the two lights of the robot in front of him, Jun wondered if the other pilots could see the lone light lit on his own robot. They were so close. Jun could only imagine them thinking the same thing. They only had two pilots left. Jun closed his eyes and took a breath. He gripped the wooden handles a little too tightly before staring at his enemy again.

In this moment he realized he didn't care who gave humanity these toys of destruction to battle it. Maybe there wasn't a divine—just someone who thought this was a game. Jun didn't mind if that was true. Because he realized he did not exist in a parallel self on some distant Earth. There was only one individual life. He was himself, entirely.

He would battle in the cockpit. Alone and for this Earth. For his mother. For thine is the kingdom.

Jun was grateful.

Because there was at least a choice and a chance to survive.