Chapter 2: A new project
Instating an Academy to form Preventers was Lady Une's pet project. Since peace had been attained, army forces had distinguishably diminished, and along with them, the number of soldiers fit for the job of Preventer. Therefore, Une came up with this idea to build a school for young adults to become Preventer Soldiers. Accepted by the United Earth Nation board, the project was put in motion, paired with the space Preventers HQ project. The construction of the brand new headquarter had begun just after the Mariemaia incident, and ended in June of AC-199. To be accessible to both Earth and Colony citizens, it had been built on a natural satellite, baptized PS-I. An immense sphere that provided an atmosphere very much similar to Earth's, only deprived of any precipitation protected the complex. The Preventer HQ included many areas, each with a distinctive purpose and set of buildings. The Academy area was one of the most impressive. If you took a tour, you would come across the four stories high school, surrounded by five apartment buildings, where cadets lived during their 3-year formation. Walking south from the residences, you would have to go to a separate section of the biosphere to find yourself standing in the physical training field. This particular section was separately climate-controlled allowing various machine-generated weather conditions. If you were to continue your trip south, you would have to suit up and leave the sphere. Another ten miles in the same direction would bring you to the academy hangars, where the training mobile suits were kept.
Both teachers and students would arrive during the next week. Preventer Academy would see its first cadets. A lot of people had applied to be part of the Preventer force, but too many them only wanted to be taught how to pilot a mobile suit. It sounded so exciting to them, even more when they learned they had a chance to have one of the Gundam pilots for instructor. What they did not know, is that mobile suits were rarely used. Colonies and Earth had agreed to peace, and there was no sign of rebellion or war. The suits were only used for minor tasks, like taking care of colony menacing space debris. However, Lady Une hired the best teachers for the job. She knew too well that combat training would be necessary, one day or another.
"This is so exciting!"Relena took off her headphones and turned her attention to the girl sitting next to her in the pace shuttle. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I said I was excited, the girl said, aren't you?" The seemingly African-native girl said, her face glowing with anticipation.
"Oh yeah! I can't stand the wait! I just want to go to the pilot and ask, "are we there yet?"" Relena answered, smiling broadly. Then she added, "What's your name?"
"Annabelle Urber, but my friends call me Ann. He, she added while flicking the ears of the boy sitting in front of her, calls me Bella!"
The boy turned around and kneeled on his seat to face the girls "I hate when you do that Bella" he said with a smirk. Then he leaned and kissed her. "And I love when you do that!" Annabelle replied. "I want you to meet my friend here…"
"Crystal, my name is Crystal. Nice to meet you" Relena addressed the boy her loveliest and purest smile, 'cause she was truly happy. She had left her home only a few hours ago and was already making new friends. This was perfect.
"Nice to meet you too, my name's Pierre, but they all call me TP."
He stood up to illustrate the meaning of the T.
"Tall Pierre" the three said at the same time before bursting into laughter. It wasn't that funny, but this was exactly what Relena had hoped for: insignificant jokes with ordinary teenagers. It just put her heart on a flutter. With her newfound friends, she laughed all the way to PS-I.
The shuttle prepared for landing. Relena had butterflies in her stomach. She would see Heero again, and that moment was just minutes away. At the thought of him, the gentle tickling butterflies became a swarm of ravaging wasps. And it was not only because of anticipation.
During the three years away from him, she had had that feeling repeatedly, and it hurt so much that she gradually stopped thinking about the Gundam pilot. After 2 years of obsessing over him, it was only when she hit 17 that she realized how stupid it had been to fall for Heero Yuy. Like a sarcastic movie show in her troubled mind, images of their encounters showed he was never pleased to be around her. Sure, at first for his mission, he tried to kill her a few times. But even at the end, it seemed she had only been a nuisance to him. What he ended up doing for her, he also did for everybody, so it certainly did not mean anything. To prove her right, he left Earth on her seventeenth birthday, leaving behind only a letter that said:
Lady Une asked for my help in a new project of hers, and I have accepted to take on the job. Tomorrow I'll already be gone so I wish you a happy birthday.
She did not hate him for going without saying goodbye to her in person. He was like that. No. Relena aimed her worst sentiments to herself for being such an immature annoying pest when he was concerned. Giving her the right to be that way at 15 (in occurrence, perfectly normal) was not even taken into consideration. What Relena felt was shame and unworthiness.
"Name and business please?"
They had landed near the Preventers headquarters, East side of PS-I, and we're welcomed by security officers.
"Crystal Bolian, cadet."