Carlos Shaw

### Background

Carlos was Ves' classmate at Rittersburg University but they lost touch after they graduated.

### Young Tiger arc

Carlos was working at a Quality Controller at a Wholesale company after his dad used his connections to get him a job. He met Ves during the Young Tiger Liberation competition, a prominent competition for mech designers who belonged to third rate states.

Carlos also helps Ves scope out the competition giving the various backgrounds of each of Ves's competitors as he was familiar with many of his peers during their time at Rittersburg University.

### **Brighter-Vesian wars:**

 Carlos gets minors gene boosts in his concentration from Ves in the form of candies from the System before he is shipped off to fight.

### Larkinson Clan arc:

After taking part in the last Bright-Vesia War, Carlos had enough of war. After he left the LMC, he tried to set out on his own. With his bright intellect and valuable experiences, he was confident he'd be able to carve a spot in the market!

It turned out that starting his own mech company was far more challenging than he thought.

He didn't have the capital to start his own mech company! He spent more than a year trying to attract investment.

He failed. A flood of talented Novices entered the mech industry every year. Even more Novices and Apprentices constantly knocked on the doors of investors every day!

The people with money were spoiled for choice. These savvy and discerning investors never wasted their money on a mech designer with low potential! Each of them sought out the next Ves Larkinson. To Carlos, it seemed as if they treated it as a game. Every investor sought to outdo their rivals by picking out the most promising diamonds in the rough!

Compared to the prodigies and the ones with proven track records, a recently-elevated Apprentice like Carlos with hardly any mech designs under his name fell completely under the radar!

Carlos had been forced to reenlist in the Mech Corps and become one of its many unremarkable careerist mech designers!

Though the Mech Corps treated him well, Carlos hardly gained any opportunities to excel in his job. His junior status meant that the military would never entrust him with any actual responsibility.

### Description

He is initially described as a chubby young man with pink flaring hair and a cheery smile.

## Quotes

*(Spoilers follow for the Chapter "Elsewhere" which is Chapter 1000)*

Elsewhere,

Carlos gritted his teeth and he crawled his much-slimmed body out of the ruins of a bombard mech workshop. The Vesians moved up their positions on this planet and managed to fire off a large volley of missiles at the base where Carlos worked at. The defending mechs belatedly went into action to push the Vesians back, those left behind left with the aftermath.

A couple of off-duty mech technicians ran to the workshop and exclaimed in shock that his arm had been blown off. Carlos uttered that "he'll live". He then proceeded to instruct them to bring him to the infirmary but stopped midway and instructed them to dig out other survivors from the workshop first and there may be others who needed more help than he did.

After the technicians pointed out his injuries looked bad, Carlos assured them that it wouldn't kill him and his hazard suit had already stabilized him. He then demanded that they save the others before they attended to him.

After the mech technicians reluctantly left him outside the wrecked workshop to help out those who needed the help. He looked at the sky and chuckled at someone who wasn't there.

He wished that Ves with his talent and ability, he was sure he was safe and comfy at some kind of design base somewhere.

(The Full excerpt of conversation is noted below:)

*" Carlos gritted his teeth as he crawled his much-slimmed body out of the ruins of a bombarded mech workshop. The Vesians mt! As the defending mechs belatedly went into action to push the Vesians back, those left behind dealt with the aftermath.

"Mr. Shaw!" A couple of off-duty mech technicians ran to the workshop. "Your arm! It's been blown off!"

"I'll live." Carlos uttered. "Bring me to the infirmary! No wait. Don't help me. Try and dig out other survivors from the workshop first. There may be others that need your help more than I!"

"But Mr. Shaw! Your injuries look bad!"

"They won't kill me! My hazard suit already stabilized me! Go save the others first before you attend to me! This is just a flesh wound!"

As the mech technicians reluctantly left him outside the wrecked workshop to help out those that needed the help, Carlos looked up in the sky of this planet in contention and chuckled at someone who wasn't there.

"I hope you're having a better time than me, Ves! With your talent and ability, I'm sure you're comfy and safe in some kind of design base."

As Carlos dreamt of spending his time during the war at a luxurious hidden base placed far away from the fighting, the man he thought was living the life right now just finished grumbling at Leland."*

*(Spoilers of Chapter 1139, New Old Face follows*)

Carlos. who is described as his old friend and classmate finally returns to LMC after the Mech Corps released him from his draft. They immediately hugged each other before taking note of each other's appearance.

Carlos commented that Ves looked a lot more formidable than last time in a slightly hoarse but impressed voice. Ves in turn said that Carlos looked a lot more fit and more mature and saw that the war bore a heavy mark on him as well. He wore simple work clothing with a buzz cut, his skin had tanned quite a bit but also seemed jumpier than usual. Most notably his arm wasn't as tanned as the other, Ves asked if his arm was cloned to which Carlos affirmed. Carlos stated he couldn't compare it to what Ves has been through as he had heard that Ves got shot and his entire chest had to be replaced to which Ves chuckled.

Ves commented that had gotten the best treatment the Republic had to offer courtesy of the favor of Flashlight, Professor Ventag and the Tovar family. Their disparity in the quality of treatments showcased their disparity in importance.

As a low-ranking Novice Mech Designer, his status among all the drafted mech designers was firmly at the bottom. This made Carlos no different from cannon fodder in the eyes of the brass.

Ves suspected that Carlos must have endured a lot of traumas during the war as Ves noticed the glimpses of the haunting gazes he witnessed and gently welcomed to Carlos into his office stating that the LMC would always welcome him back and even encouraged him to share his story.

Carlos stated it was nothing to be worth of note, he stated he spent most of his time during the war where was assigned to serve in the maintenance division of a landbound regiment that was deployed to the frontlines and stated it was a very hectic three years.

Now Ves also recognized that Carlos didn't want to bring up painful memories and quickly changed his tack. Quickly stating that Cloudy curtain was far away from the action and it was a perfect place to recuperate and integrate back into society.

As Ves tried to engage Carlos in casual conversation he asks Carlos an important if not pertinent question if he had progressed in his mech design career a lot and if he had learnt a lot.

Carlos with a bit more energy stated that he had, he further stated his recent improvement in learning ability quickly caught the attention of more senior mech designers and had assigned a lot of reading material over the years, while he doesn't claim to be equal of Ves's knowledge, he's sure he can be of use to Ves at present.

When Ves asked him about his specialty, Carlos stated he's settled on an idea but not entirely comfortable with it yet and keeps coming back to it despite his reluctance to embrace the idea.

When Ves asked about his potential design philosophy, Carlos hesitated and asked Ves to not laugh, but decided that his philosophy surrounded big guns and something about unleashing powerful physical impacts that fascinated him and if he ever designed his own mechs, he wanted them to be armed with biggest and most powerful rifles and cannons he can hook up to their frames.

Ves tried to be encouraging stating that was a specific idea and he should pursue it without hesitation.

Carlos expressed his disdain at the idea and said he doesn't know if its something he would want to focus on for the entirety of his mech design career and wonder what if he regrets his decision.

Ves encouraged him and stated only he could resolve the doubts in his heart and asked him to take all the time he needed and he'll be waiting.

*(An excerpt of the conversation between Ves and Carlos is as below:)*

*Ves: "Carlos!*

*(Ves and Carlos immediately hugged each other before separating and taking in each other's appearances.)*

*Carlos( slightly hoarse but impressed voice): "You look a lot more formidable than last time, Ves.Wow, so this is what becoming a Journeyman will do to you!"*

*Ves: "You look different as well, Carlos. You're much more fit and mature. I see the war has left a heavy mark on you as well."*

*Ves: "That arm.. Is it cloned?"*

*Carlos: " "Yep. It's nothing compared to what you've been through. I heard you got shot in the heart on Bentheim and that your entire chest needed to be replaced."*

*Ves (chuckling): "Yeah. I enjoyed some of the best medical treatment in the Republic, so hardly any mark is left behind. The doctors even made sure to match my cloned skin's pigment with my original skin!"*

*Ves ( invites Carlos into his office): "The LMC will always welcome you back, Carlos. Let's go inside. You're welcome to share your story if you want."*

*Carlos (wearily): "It's nothing special, really. I spent most of my time during the war assigned to supervise a maintenance division at a landbound mech regiment deployed to the frontlines. It was a very hectic three years."*

*Ves: "That's fine. Just know that Cloudy Curtain has always been very far away from the action. It's the perfect place for you to recuperate and integrate back into society."*

*"How far have you progressed in your mech design career? Have you learned a lot."*

*Carlos (nodding): "I have. My recent improvement in learning ability quickly caught the attention of more senior mech designers. They assigned a lot of reading material to me over the years! While I don't claim to equal your knowledge, I'm sure I can be of use to you now!"*

*Ves: "That's good to hear. Have you found your specialty yet? Deciding upon the basis of your design philosophy is an important step to take for a mech designer."*

*Carlos (nodded tentatively): "I've almost settled on an idea, although I'm not entirely comfortable with it yet. I keep coming back to it despite my reluctance to embrace the idea."*

*Ves: "Are you willing to describe your potential design philosophy?"*

*Carlos: "Alright, but please don't laugh. Simply said, my design philosophy revolves around big guns. There's just something about unleashing powerful physical impacts and explosions at range that fascinate me. If I ever design my own mechs, I want them to be armed with the biggest and most powerful rifles and cannons I can hook up to their frames!"*

*Ves ( tries his best to not look uninterested): "That is.. certainly a very specific idea. If that is where your passion leads to, then you should pursue it without hesitation."*

*Carlos: "That's the thing.. I don't know if it is something I want to focus on for the entirety of my mech design career. What if I regret the decision?"*

*Ves: "Only you can resolve the doubts in your heart, Carlos. Take all the time you need. I'll be waiting."*

*(Spoilers for Chapter 1140, Friendly Business follows)*

Ves was able to discern that Carlos was assigned to the 5th Root Raiders of the 5th Havensworth Division after a brief bout of training. Ves immediately understood what Carlos might have gone through since the mech regiments of the Havensworth Divisions usually saw the most action as they were based at or around the Havensworth border system.

The Root Raiders served a very specific role in the 5th Havensworth Division. They excelled in operating in arboreal terrain. Forests, trees and abundant alien or Earth-standard fauna posed fewer difficulties to them than other mech regiments.

They fielded a large range of light mechs and slimmed-down medium mechs. Their mechs either wormed their way through trees or chopped them down with the axes that every Root Raider mech carried in their default loadout.In fact, the Root Raiders were famous for not issuing a single sword to their melee mechs.

The reason the Root Raiders developed such a specific mech doctrine was because they were mostly employed to contest the rural, underdeveloped border planets at the frontlines.

Although the systems they fought at weren't necessarily important in a strategic sense, the Root Raiders still played a vital role in forcing the Vesians to divert additional forces to root the raiders out.
Naturally, the Root Raiders often had to play with fire when they deployed. Time and time again, they suffered major casualties when they overplayed their hands or came across more Vesian reinforcements than expected.

After Ves knew this he didn't ask Carlos to share more of his story anymore.

*(the Excerpt of Carlos and Ves's conversation and eventual fallout is as stated below)*

*Carlos: "The fifth of the fifth are my brothers. To be honest, sometimes I doubted whether I should return home after surviving so much with them. The Raiders extended an offer to me, you know."

Ves: "Why did you decide to return?"*

*Carlos: "I promised to come back to you, right? Also, I don't think I can stomach more war. At that time amidst the explosions and hasty evacuations, I became aware of what mech designers are truly capable of. We design engines of destruction! Each mech is a killing machine! Destruction is central to what they bring to the table! And where destruction ensues, death eventually follows!"*

*(Ves taken aback by his friend's sudden outburst)*

*Ves: "Whoa, there Carlos. Perhaps you should calm down a bit. The Republic is long at peace now. The Vesians won't return to rain down destruction on us. The Mech Nursery is one of the safest and most heavily-guarded sites on the planet."*

*Carlos: "I.. I'm sorry Ves. I think my mood swings have gotten the better of me. The reason why it took so long for the Mech Corps to release me from service is because I had to go through a few months of therapy."*

*Ves could only imagine if Carlos was this bad now, he must've been quite a sight in the past.*

*Ves (suspicious) Are you taking any medicine?"
Carlos: "I'm on a prescription."

Ves: "Make sure you check up with our own doctors about your medication. The LMC should have a competent staff on hand, and if not you can always check with the doctors from Sanyal-Ablin."*

*Carlos: "I'll do that."
Ves: "So now that you've left the Mech Corps, is your return to your expectations?"*

*Carlos: "I don't know,  I feel as if I went through hell and back, but then I hear about you earning the Darkness Eater and the Golden Mech while possibly going through something ten times worse than I've ever experienced! Not only that, but you also managed to advance to Journeyman shortly after the war!"*

*Ves: "How does that make you feel?"*

*Carlos: "It makes me feel as if I can never catch up to you. It makes me feel jealous of your sudden good fortune these past few years. It makes me feel that no matter how much sweat and tears I put into my work, it will never equal a minute's worth of effort on your part!"*

*Ves: "I can't do anything about the way you feel about me." Ves replied after a brief but deliberate pause. "I've enjoyed some spates of good luck, I admit. However, I don't think it's healthy for you to compare yourself to me. What will that do except to strain our friendship even further? Mech design is not a race. There are Masters and Star Designers who are a million times more capable than me, but do you see me casting jealous glances at the success they enjoy?"*

*Carlos: "They're all older than you, Ves. They have hundreds of years to develop a head-start. My situation is different. We were classmates! We attended the Rittersberg University of Technology in the same class in the same year group! We graduated at the same time with pretty much the same level of grades! How can you move so far ahead since then? You're a Journeyman now, for heaven's sake!"*

*Ves: "Not officially. Technically, I'm merely a de facto Journeyman."*

*Carlos: "Don't be pedantic with me. I'm not the Carlos you knew back then. There's something very odd about you. Between the time you graduated and since you designed your first variant, something weird must have happened that gave you a leg up in your mech design career. What is it, Ves?!"*

*Ves figured that the best way to deflect these questions was to simply leave them open and let the person make up their own guesses. However, on account of his friendship with Carlos, Ves believed he needed to supply some sort of answer this time.*

*"Carlos.. if you've seen a glimpse of the full extent of the galaxy as I have, then you'll realize that the Bright Republic and the Vesia Kingdom are only tiny fishes in an unimaginably huge pond. I think in the coming years you'll begin to realize that only the greater powers truly matter."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"It's the truth. Whether you believe me or not is up to you. All I want to add is that if you are not comfortable working under me anymore, you are free to go. As long as you abide by the NDA's you've signed, I'll support you whether you want to return to the Root Raiders or work for another company?"

"Will you support me if I want to found my own mech company?"*

*I'm even willing to do that if that's what you want. However, my help will come in the form of a business investment rather than a personal handout. I will expect to have a say in how your company is run and be entitled to a commensurate share of dividends."

"What if I don't want your help?"

"Even if you manage to secure alternate funding sources, I will still insist on owning a small share in the profits your company has earned." Ves bluntly replied. He firmly shook off the velvet gloves this time. "With all the assistance I've provided over the years, you owe me at least that much. I invested in you because I'm hopeful that you'll be a fine addition to my design team. If you want to walk away, then I will at least demand a small proportion of the profits or income you make in any future endeavors. This is the custom among mech designers in the mech industry."*

*As Carlos went through various calculations and considerations, Ves calmly observed his friend while maintaining a calm facade.*

*After a minute of internal struggle, Carlos lowered his shoulders.*

*Carlos: "I don't know what I want to do with my life, Ves. I think I need some time to myself to figure it out on my own. Can you give me some time?"''*
Ves (waving his hand): "Sure. I suggest you go on vacation. Go on a trip to Moira's Paradise or something and clear your mind. Once you figure out what you want in your life and the best way to accomplish that, you can come back to me to deliver your answer."'**Carlos: Thanks.. I know I've crossed a line, but.. I'm really tired."'**
Ves: "I understand. Some people come back from the war with more scars than others." Do you have any family, Carlos?"
Carlos: "You've met my parents before, Ves."

Ves: "Then I suggest you visit them for a time. If there's anything the Larkinsons have learned about healing from the war, it's that spending your time around family is the best solution!"

Carlos: "That's a good suggestion. I'll do that."*(This is the last we see of Carlos and his interaction with Ves, Shortly after Ves leaves for Centrepoint to receives his Journeyman grade)*

Carlos returns according to Calsie and she does her best to make him feel welcome at the LMC. However shortly after his 'girlfriend' officially announced their engagement" Carlos tended in his resignation and Ves asks Calsie to follow through with his contingency plans, should Carlos offer his resignation.

(This is the last we see of Carlos at this time)

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