The next day, Kaelan stood inside Hangar 7, freshly renovated. What used to be a lonely, isolated space was now full of female pilots and technicians. Every eye was on him.
Dr. Aris addressed the group. "Everyone, this is Kaelan. Starting today, he's part of our team."
She gestured to three people in the front row. "And these are the core members of our squad."
The first stepped forward—broad-shouldered, short blond hair neatly styled, sharp jawline. "I'm Marcus." The voice was low and a little androgynous, enough to make Kaelan hesitate. "Guardian-class pilot." Marcus shook his hand firmly, eyes evaluating. "We've only ever heard stories about you."
Kaelan nodded, thinking privately that Marcus might be the first other male pilot besides himself. Finally, someone else, he thought with relief.
A shy girl with thick glasses raised her hand. "I-I'm Riko. I'll be handling maintenance on Rustbucket." She blushed when Kaelan nodded back at her.
And finally, Sofia crossed her arms. "We've already met. I pilot Stormdancer."
Kaelan froze inside.
Stormdancer…? I've heard that name before. But how can there be two pilots of the same Type?? Could it be something like GRIT, like when I faced the Prototype?
Dr. Aris smiled. "Our team will focus on scouting and defense missions. But first, we need to run basic coordination drills."
The practice started simple: basic flight formations. But for Kaelan, it was totally unfamiliar.
"Kaelan, hold left wing position!" Marcus barked from inside the massive Guardian Artifact.
Rustbucket wobbled, unused to tight formation flying. Kaelan had always flown freestyle, relying on instinct and quick reactions.
"Sorry," he muttered over the comms. "I'm not used to this…"
Sofia scoffed. "You can beat a Prototype but can't hold formation? That's ridiculous."
Riko's voice came through the tower mic. "Wait! I've got data! Rustbucket's movement pattern is unique—maybe we need to adjust instead!"
The session went on with different scenarios. Kaelan noticed Marcus's steady leadership, Sofia's sharp precision, and Riko's constant stream of technical support.
During the break, Kaelan walked over to Marcus. "I'm glad there's finally another male pilot here."
Marcus blinked, then laughed. "Wait—what? You thought I was a guy?" With a grin: "Nope. I'm a girl. Just… tomboyish."
Kaelan stiffened, embarrassed. "Sorry, I assumed—"
"Forget it," Marcus waved him off. "What matters is… the stuff about Klaus. It's true, right?"
Kaelan nodded. "He isolated me on purpose. No one was allowed near me, no one allowed to talk to me."
"That's messed up," Marcus muttered. "We thought you just didn't want to be part of us."
Sofia, listening nearby, cut in sharply. "Or maybe you just are unfriendly by nature."
Riko quickly tried to mediate. "According to my data, Kaelan's communication difficulty level is at 78%! But that's normal after years of isolation!"
Kaelan exhaled. "I'm not making excuses. I just… don't know how to work in a team."
From the sidelines, Dr. Aris walked up. "That's exactly why we start here. The First Artifact won't be taken down alone."
That afternoon, the training focused on communication. Kaelan struggled, but slowly learned to give signals, sync attacks, and—hardest of all—trust someone else to watch his back.
At the end of the session, Sofia came over. "Look, maybe I was harsh earlier. But watching you fight… yeah, you're strong. Just…"
"Undisciplined?" Kaelan guessed.
"No," she shook her head. "You fight like someone who never had anyone to rely on."
Her words hit Kaelan harder than he expected.
Later that night, in his new dorm—unlocked, for once—Kaelan got a surprise visitor.
"Kid!" Scrap Queen's voice rang from the door. She shoved in a cart stacked with tools and parts. "I brought some mods for Rustbucket!"
As she worked on the mech, she glanced at him. "You're not used to this whole 'team' thing, huh? But trust me, it's not all bad."
Kaelan scratched the back of his neck. "Earlier, I… thought Marcus was a guy."
Scrap Queen laughed loud. "Marcus? That tomboy? Happens all the time. But what, were you hoping for another male pilot?"
"…A little," Kaelan admitted. "After the Prototype, I thought maybe there'd be someone else like me."
"Patience, kid," Scrap Queen said, tightening a bolt. "Grit is rare. Crazy rare. But not impossible."
The next morning, back in formation practice, Kaelan surprised everyone.
"Marcus, you're too far forward. Pull back three meters. Sofia, cover right flank. I'll take the lead."
From the control tower, Riko gasped. "Kaelan's coordination just jumped 40%! What happened?!"
Sofia smirked faintly. "Guess he's finally learning."
Inside Rustbucket,, Kaelan knew this was just the beginning. But for the first time, he didn't feel completely alone—even if he was still the only male pilot with Grit.