OLD CASTLE, SPAIN

Yukiho yawned. "Why do we have to be dragged into this wedding? It's boring."
Arisa laughed. "Seems like your sister is enjoying herself, though." She pointed to where Honoka is-at the food table, sampling all the food available.
"Sometimes I wonder who's the more mature of us two," Yukiho said.
"Well, Honoka-san is a war orphan right? Maybe that's why she's enjoying herself now, to forget what she experienced in the past."
Yukiho gave it some thought. Honoka wasn't her blood sister; her parents used to volunteer in relief operations around the world, and it is in one such operation that they found Honoka. Their parents instantly took a liking to the young girl, and she was brought into the Kousaka family. As she was older than Yukiho, she took to calling Honoka Onee-chan.
"I guess you're right."

Honoka looked at the many people around the wedding reception area. All of them were talking and enjoying themselves, especially the two who were wed-a young blue-haired girl named Chieri Sono, whose parents were old friends of the Kousakas, and her partner, the pink-haired Nagisa Motomiya. The Motomiyas were rich which explained the Spanish castle for the wedding.
Looks like everyone is having fun, huh…
"Hey, why so gloomy?"
Honoka saw Eli standing next to her.
"Oh, haha. Sorry, I was just thinking of something," Honoka replied.
"I see…" Eli looked around. The reception area was outdoors, and there was a good view of the surroundings.
"So how is your research going? About Celestial Being." Honoka asked.
"Ah, that?" Eli shook her head. "I'm going nowhere. I can't find any new information about it. My coworkers have asked me to drop it already."
"So, what do you think is happening right now? What is the effect Celestial Being is having on the world?"
Eli looked at Honoka strangely. She didn't expect such a question from the energetic girl.
"Well. I don't know what their aims are, but as you heard from the news the three world powers are in a panic right now, what with that Alliance stuff going on."
Honoka was silent for a while, then she grinned. "Ah, why are we talking about stuff like this? This is a wedding party you know! Let's eat and have some fun." She dragged Eli into the other food tables, while the blonde just smile and allowed herself to be led by Honoka.

"Having fun, girls?" It was Genjirou Kousaka, Yukiho's ever cheerful father. Beside him was Fumina Kousaka, her mother.
"Of course! Thank you for this opportunity, Kousaka-san!" Arisa said.
Genjirou laughed. "I'm glad you enjoyed!."
Yukiho laughed alongside her father. It's hard not to be infected by his endless cheer.
Maybe that's why he adopted Onee-chan, Yukiho thought.
Yukiho had heard the story from her parents; how they found Honoka, a war victim who had lost both parents, helping others out in the relief camp. She was impressed by her sister's resilience and how she never lost hope in that situation.
Her thoughts were interrupted by loud sound, and Yukiho felt her father shielding her from something, and then nothing.

AN HOUR AFTER THE EXPLOSION

The eye glassed man surveyed the area.
"Man, look what happened here…" around him his coworkers were already working to see if there were any survivors and tending to those they found.
He then noticed a shadow move in the far corner of the wreck.
A survivor?
He approached and saw a blonde girl. Blood was trickling from her forehead.
He checked and saw that she was still breathing.
"Hey!" he called the attention of his teammates. "We have another here!"

Eli woke up in the hospital tent.
"I'm glad you woke up," a nurse said to her.
"There-there was an explosion-"
"Please, rest. The experience was hard for you," the nurse replied. "You were lucky we found you."
The nurse was silent.
"Is there something I should know?" Eli asked.
Wordlessly the nurse handed her a mirror. A scar now ran through the length of her once beautiful face.
She touched the scar tentatively before remembering.
"What about my sister?"
"Sister?"
"Yes. She's shorter than me, light blonde hair-"
The nurse's expression brightened. "Ah, her! Here, get up." The nurse offered her hand, which Eli took.
Eli saw her sister lying on a bed, asleep but otherwise fine.
"She was found being protected by a woman."
"A woman?" Eli asked. "Could it possibly be a woman with short brown hair? Where is she?"
"She.. didn't make it," the nurse replied.
Eli fought back tears.

JOYCE B. MORENO HOSPITAL

Honoka woke up. She found herself in a bed and beside her was a nurse.
"Good morning," the nurse said.
"What.. what happened-wait, there was a-"
The nurse motioned for her to be silent. "Please. We know it's hard, but don't force yourself."
"Then, what happened to my family? My parents, my sister?" Honoka produced her phone, which miraculously was still working. She showed a picture showing her family.
The nurse looked at it and shook her head. "I'm sorry…"
Honoka was speechless.
"I'm terribly sorry. It was already announced at the news that the organization Celestial Being has taken responsibility for the attack…"
Honoka suddenly remembered something. Something a friend said to her.
'I believe we will meet again…'
Yes we will, Nozomi-chan. And not as allies, but as enemies this time.

Outside the room, the nurse opened a phone.
"Mission accomplished, Haruka-san."

"Alright, I made sure your girl is unharmed," Haruka's voice could be heard over the phone. "What next?"
"Tell no one else about your involvement. I'll take care of the rest."
"Also, Kousaka's friend survived, the blonde girl. Thought you'd like to know. She's in a different hospital though."
"I'll pass it on. Thank you for the information. Keep me posted on whatever happens next."
Erena Toudou put the phone down. Tsubasa Kira didn't want to drag Honoka Kousaka back into this mess, but she didn't care. Her leader was just letting her feelings get in the way. They needed Honoka to win this war. This war against humanity.
She stared at the Gundam currently being built. It was colored white from the front, but red from the back.
"Yes, this is the gundam that will lead humanity. And you will help us, Honoka Kousaka. Whether you like it or not…"

Joyce B. Moreno Hospital is reference to Joyce Moreno, the doctor aboard the Ptolemaios in Gundam 00.
Cheiri Sono and Nagisa Motomiya are characters from AKB0048. However in that show, it's Chieri's family that's rich while Nagisa's is an average family. Here it' the opposite.
MU23 NO.1 FAN-Thanks for the review! Don't worry, there will be more.
SleepyHydrilla-We'll be seeing more of Badass Haruka soon enough. And a lot of stuff did get revealed this time around!