The place was black as night as bolts of lightning surge and dances in the sky. On the flashes of lightning, a blast of light suddenly surges forth to the sky as it forms into a serpentine creature. The creature was fully formed as a giant serpentine green dragon, ruling the night sky. "You have summoned me, now tell me, what is your desire?" The green dragon asked, "My desire?" responded by a female voice, "Yes, what is your desire and I will grant it" The dragon replied and then everything went black.
"Dee… Dee…" says by another female voice, "M-My Desire… Is…" says the girl who is still sleeping, she has a green hair and pale skin that matches her innocent sleeping face. "Dee, wake up, you're dreaming" said again by the female voice who this time touched her shoulders to wake her up.
Dee suddenly opens her eyes then she looks up as her innocent round purple eyes meet a worried female. The female had a wavy long hazel hair that matches her innocent looking hazel eyes, she wears a powder-blue long sleeve shirt and a long white skirt. "Mitsuki Rara?" Dee asked as the hazel haired female "You're having a dream." Mitsuki Rara replied with a concerned look, "Aw…" Dee replied in a low tone "Is everything okay?" asked by worried Mitsuki Rara.
Dee gives Mitsuki Rara a smile "Yes, Rara, I am okay, nothing to worry about." Dee said addressing as she addressed the former by her last name "Come on, let's have some breakfast, Mitsuki and I cooked since Kazuki will be dropping by to join us to eat". Rara said as she returned a smile and went ahead downstairs.
###
What is that dream? It's the seventh day that I had the same dream… The Green Dragon that can grant three wishes of anything that I can desire? Dee pondered to herself as she washes the dishes that they used for breakfast. "Hey Dee, are you alright?" asked by a male, who has chocolate-brown hair that matches his worried chocolate-brown eyes "Yes, Kazuki, I am alright." Dee replied in which the former gave a concerned look and said "You sure about that? Since you're not yourself again this morning" Dee just simply smiled and nodded to Kazuki when they heard a telephone ring.
"I'll get it…" Said by another female, who exactly looks like Mitsuki Rara, however, she had a long chocolate-brown hair and a chocolate-brown eyes instead, she wears a yellow long sleeve shirt and a light-blue jeans. She picked up the phone and answered "Hello?" "Hello? Mitsuki, is Kazuki already there?" Professor Sanada asked to his only daughter "Yes, dad, he is here already" Mitsuki replied to her father "Good, I want all of you to pack your clothes good for at least 2 weeks" Professor Sanada said to her daughter who were surprised "Wait, why are we going to pack our clothes?! I thought we will just go there for a joint training with the G Team?!" protested by Mitsuki which was overheard by the others "I'll explain later sweetie, gonna go now, be right here on time okay? Bye-bye!" the professor replied as he hangs up the phone.
Mitsuki just sighed in frustration as she hangs up the phone when she noticed that Kazuki looked at her which added to her annoyance "You should better go back home, start packing and better hurry" she said to him as she goes up to stairs in her room ranting about how her father likes to do last minute changes.
###
Dee, Kazuki, Mitsuki and Rara are waiting in the briefing room when the members of the G-Team arrived, all of the five members of the team are boys, whose age belong to the group of Kazuki, the two Mitsukis and Dee, and just like the latter group, they also wear the standard Preventers uniform.
"Hey Ladies-Man! What's up?" greeted by a boy, he has a cobalt-blue eyes while he wears his brown hair in a thigh-length braid. The greeting makes Kazuki smiled in a very awkward way while Mitsuki just simply rolled her eyes in irritation upon seeing the braided boy. "Ah great, the boy with bad sense of humor just arrived" she remarked which kinda make the other boy chuckle as he sits right next to Kazuki and whispered "Is that time of her mo-" but was cut off when he was overheard by Mitsuki and bashed his head "One more word Duo Maxwell!" she hissed as the braided boy clutches his head making the other four boys shake their head.
"Duo, that's rude, you should apologize." Remarked by a short-hair blonde boy, he turns to Mitsuki as his blue eyes gave an apologetic look and said "Sorry about that Mitsuki, he didn't mean it" "Hmph! If it wasn't for Hilde, he'll get more than what he deserves" was the response of Mitsuki as she crossed her arms and looked away as Kazuki gave an awkard smile "It's okay Quatre, no need to worry" he said to the blonde who is still kinda anxious on what happened.
Quatre, Duo and the other three boys sits next Kazuki, when Professor Sanada comes in with Richter. The presence of Richter makes the young mecha pilots makes stand and attention as a sign of courtesy to the senior officer and what they consider as a delegate from Planet Baam. Richter look each of them and smile "At ease" making a gesture for them to sit in which all the pilots complied.
Richter noticed that each of the pilots were surprised when they saw him "I think all of you are surprised why I am here with Professor Sanada." he addressed to them. "Me, Colonel Peacecraft and Professor Sanada have created a task-force which only composed of your squads" he paused as he looked at Professor Sanada who puts out the light and open the projector. The projector shows the image of the Four-Star Dragon Ball that Raiza send earlier through the Scouter before the start of their meeting.
"This is a Dragon Ball," Richter said as he pointed to the object "An ancient artifact that when collected together, is believed to summon an ancient dragon that can grant three wishes that anyone can desire" He continued. Upon hearing Richter, Dee suddenly had flashbacks of the Green Dragon that she always saw in her dreams, this gives her a cold sweat, So, it is not just a dream after all… She said to herself as she stared at the image.
Quatre, who has an unusual ability, suddenly feels Dee's emotions as he turned to her and noticed that she is quite uncomfortable. Hmm… Even though, I don't believe in such things like magic, but Ms. Dee's actions make me think twice about what Col. Richter is saying. Quatre thought as he looks back at the image.
"What you are seeing here is the Four-Star Dragon Ball." Richter said as he points to the four red stars, "And so far, this is one of the Seven Dragon Balls that are segregated in various worlds or dimensions of this planet. And your mission, is to retrieve all of it and surrender to either me, Col. Peacecraft or Professor Sanada." He added in which the pilots, except for Dee gave a confused looked. Richter expects this kind of reaction in which he looks at the Professor who closes the projector and turn on the lights in the briefing room.
Richter look at each of the pilots "I know all of you are more confused on what I am saying right now. But once you embarked in this mission, those questions that you have in your minds will be answered." He answered in which he knew that the pilots are not satisfied with it.
One of the pilots, who is a member of the G-Team raises his hand, he had an unkempt Dark Brown hair while his Prussian blue eyes matches his stoic demeanor. "Yes, Heero Yuy, do you have any questions?" Richter asked the pilot. "Is this a covert operation?" Heero simply asked to confirm the level of such mission. "Consider it as a Black Ops, since this mission is neither known by the higher ups nor anyone. Only me, Col. Peacecraft and Prof. Sanada who knows this mission" Richter answered as the pilot just simply nodded his head.
Richter then noticed another pilot from the G-Team raises his hand. This pilot had green eyes and a brown hair with a hair style like Noin, but it almost covers his eye on the left side of his face. "Yes, Trowa Barton?" Richter asked, "Why such level of operation and secrecy?" Trowa inquired to the Baam Prince "Due to the nature of the Dragon Balls, it is imperative that no one should be aware of it, even with your-" Richter was cut off as a stressed-out Milliardo opens the door and enter the briefing room with two other girls who are wearing a male Preventer outfit.
Both girls have long hair, one has a platinum-blonde hair and her eyes are purple but her distinguishing look is her unique v-shaped eyebrows. The other girl had a honey-blonde hair and similar to Milliardo, the color of her eyes are a nile-blue which makes her related to the stressed-out Colonel, both of the girls also belongs to the same age group as the pilots.
"I caught these two eavesdropping" Milliardo said as he gives a sigh. "There goes the secrecy." Duo snickered earning him a slap on the back of his head from a Chinese looking guy that has a black pigtail hairstyle "Aw! What's that for Wufei?!" Duo fumed as he looked at his pigtailed colleague while nursing the back of his head, "If I were you I'll keep my mouth shut" Wufei commented as his black eyes followed Milliardo, Professor Sanada, Richter and the two blonde girls go to the other room and discuss the incident that just happened.
###
In the other room, which just next to the briefing room, Milliardo is having a heated argument with the honey-blonde girl who happens to be his younger sister. "Since the two of you heard everything, the most that you girls can do is to keep this secret to anyone, especially to Noin." Milliardo ordered to the two girls. "Okay, I understand the secrecy of the mission that you will give to Heero and to the others, but why do we need to lie to your wife? Noin is the one who protected me most of the time before I meet Heero and that is not fair to her." his sister protested.
Milliardo getting frustrated on his sister's argument gives a sigh "Relena, you should understand that this is not your everyday Preventer's mission. And knowing my wife, she is willing to go to the depths of hell with me. That's why I don't want her to know about it, because it will endanger her from our possible unanticipated enemies." He explained to his sister who just simply raises her eyebrow for not buying his reasons.
"I have something in my mind, that might resolve this issue." The platinum-blonde girl who is sitting next to Relena spoke up getting the attention of others in the room "Alright, Dorothy, what can you suggest?" Milliardo replied to the other blonde girl looking at her warily. "How about we join the task-force to retrieve this so-called Dragon Balls?" Dorothy suggested which surprises everyone. "What part that I had just said that you don't understand?!" Milliardo said as he raises his voice to the former Romefeller Spy "This mission is more than just using mobile-suits nor use of conventional weaponry. We are talking about various worlds with unforeseen dangers here! If it is just you, I don't mind, however I cannot let my sister join!" the fuming elder Peacecraft added.
Dorothy keep her cool to the angered Milliardo and replied "Alright, we will not join, but I don't know if we can keep such promises, especially when we are invited by your wife to have some tea at your home". "I agree with her, brother. Besides, knowing that the press is always on our tail, who knows what we might accidentally say." Relena added with a sly smile.
Knowing that they are being blackmailed, Milliardo gave a pleading look to Richter and Professor Sanada, however both just reluctantly nodded to let the two girls join since they cannot do anything about it. "Fine, we are allowing the two of you join." The frustrated Milliardo answered, "However, you will be held responsible to Relena, since this is your idea." he added as he looked at Dorothy who along with Relena just smiled.
###
Professor Sanada, Milliardo, Richter and the two girls returned to the briefing room, Milliardo gestured the two girls to take their seats which they complied. Dorothy and Relena respectively sit next to each other, where they are seated in between Quatre and Heero. "We will be having two additional members in this task force," Richter said to the pilots; however, they are no longer surprised given that the two girls are caught eavesdropping earlier. "Relena and Dorothy will be joining as an observer, since this expedition will involve travelling to various worlds just like I mentioned earlier in our briefing, we believe their experience in diplomacy might help in communicating with the locals." The Baam Prince added as he looked at the pilots who just remain silent.
The briefing was finalized by separating the task force into two teams: The Earth Defense Force team which composed of Kazuki, Mitsuki, Rara and Dee and the G-Team which composed of Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei. Relena and Dorothy are assigned to the G-Team since the safety of the two girls can be handled well by the G-Team. They are given until end of day to settle things that they need to settle since their mission will start the next day at dawn.
###
Dorothy was escorted by Quatre as the latter accompanies her back to her manor and assist her on packing her clothes for the long journey. They are walking together to the parking lot, as they discussed on how she and Relena managed to convince the Preventer's three senior members. "That's a blackmail, my dear, I cannot imagine you did that to Richter and Zechs" Quatre lectured "Well, I have no choice, Quatre dear. Besides, I want to see what these other worlds that Richter and Professor Sanada keeps babbling about." Dorothy defended as she looks at one of the buildings balconies and saw Dee sitting on of the balcony's chairs and staring out of nowhere.
"What's with her?" she asked as Quatre looked at Dee, "I think she knows something regarding about those Dragon Balls that Richter mentioned earlier in the briefing" Quatre replied "Is that what your space heart tells you?" Dorothy inquired as Quatre, "Yes, and I feel this mission that we will have is out of the ordinary." he answered as he holds Dorothy's hand "Come on dear, let's get going, Rasheed is waiting for us already." Dorothy complied as she placed her head to his shoulder as they continue walking towards the parked car.
###
On one of the offices of the Preventer's Far East Base a male officer who is wearing the standard Preventer officer is having an overtime finishing his usual report. His colleague asks him if he will join them to the nearest bar in which he politely refused for a reason that his report is needed the next day, his colleague complied and left him.
When everyone else is gone except for him, he quickly presses the Alt+Tab command on his keyboard to switch screens and presses some series of commands which shows the video of Richter's briefing to the pilots earlier. After watching the video, he presses another series of commands to the console which encrypts video and uploaded it to an unknown server. After uploading the video, he reached his mobile and replaced its sim card and dial a certain number.
"Yes" said by the mysterious voice on the other line "I already sent the video, Commander. And just like you said, it is confirmed regarding your suspicions about Richter's reappearance and the so-called Dragon Balls" The spy said "Good. Continue monitoring the situation there. And make sure to get rid of that hidden camera" The commander ordered as he cut the line.
The spy closes the line and replaces the sim card that has an insignia of DC with a normal sim card and proceeded on going to the briefing room to get rid of the bug that he earlier implanted.
-End of Chapter 8-
Author's Notes: [1] To view this chapter with pictures, kindly visit the wordpress version: dragonballnb(period)wordpress(period)com/2020/09/27/chapter-08-the-taskforce/ (please replace (period) with the actual dot symbol)