Crowds of people were herded out of the rusted cattle cars on to the platform. German guards held back large dogs that nipped at the frightened and crying girls. The young honey blond trudged on with the rest of the girls, her head hung low. When a guard nudged her with his gun she stopped and looked at him with hate filled, blood shot eyes. He pretended not to notice the death glare and prodded a sobbing teenaged girl.
Two large smokestacks loomed over the encampment. They billowed a thick black smoke. Death filled the incoming girls with an unshakeable feeling of dread. They were pushed into lines leading through the tall barbed fences. As the girls walked in they were asked there names and age then pushed to a lady that tattooed a number into the flesh of their forearm.
The forlorn girl was numb to the world outside her mind. She did not hear the screams, she did not see the blows the guards dished out, she did not even hear when she was asked her name and age. A sharp pain on her cheek snapped her out of her trance.
"Name and age," came the raspy voice of the woman at the desk who had slapped the girl.
"Lena, Lena Peacelin, 16…"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Relena rushed down the hall to the ceremony room. She was late and sleep deprived. Where are these dreams coming from she asked her self. She fell back to reality, and the floor, when she ran into someone.
"I'm so sorry!" A large hand reached out to help her back to her feet. She brushed the wrinkles out of her lavender strapless dress. "Thank you, I'm so sorry, I should have been watching! I…"
"It's alright."
That voice, sounds familiar. The representative slowly raised her eyes to look at the stranger. Her eyes were immediately lost in the deep gaze of persian blue. They stood in an awkward silence. "Heero?"
"Relena..."
"Will all new recruits please report to the auditorium, the ceremony will be starting in five minutes." The voice over the loud speaker made Heero turn quickly and walk to the auditorium. The princess watched her knight walk away. He looked different, taller, and more muscular. "Heero…" she whispered before walking to the auditorium.
Relena called each recruit one at a time up to the podium. As they came up she attached a small pin with the preventer emblem onto their shirt. "Trowa Barton."
As the tall ex-pilot walked up to the podium two girls stood up clapping. "Yeah Trowa!" He glanced over at his sister and girlfriend with a small smirk. Relena Smiled and placed the pin on him.
"Heero Yuy," She looked up and blushed as he walked to her. "Good to see you back, Heero," she whispered. She hooked the pin though his shirt and he walked to the side. "Diana Katz…" she continued.
After the drawn out ceremony, Relena made her way to Hildy and Duo. To her delight Quatre, Duo, and Trowa stood chatting together with their dates.
"Mrs. Relena!" Relena gave the blond Arabian a hug. Like Hildy, Quatre had become close to Relena from all of the Sphere meetings.
"How are you Quatre? And who is your date?"
Quatre blushed. "I'm fine, and this is Catherine, Trowa's older sister." The princess shook Cathy's out stretched hand.
"So Trowa, who is your date?" she inquired.
"I'm Midii Une, Trowa and I go way back," the blond said with a smile.
"So Lena," Duo started with a mischievous grin, "where's Heero?" Hildy shot her boyfriend an evil look. Relena looked down to hide her reddening cheeks. Hildy looked at everyone trying to find a different subject.
"Um…uh…so Relena, are you going to the preventer fundraiser ball on Saturday?"
"Oh, I don't know…"
"Oh come on Lena," piped up Duo, "You need to loosen up. Besides, I think someone else will be there," he added with a wink.
"All right," she finally agreed.
"Awesome! You know what this means?" Hildy grabbed Relena and Midii's hands, "Girls shopping day!" All the girls giggled as the guys rolled their eyes.
"You girls go ahead, we've got some business to attend to," said Quatre. Relena waited while the others gave their male counter parts a kiss good-bye. The guys started in one direction going deeper into the Preventers head quarters while the girls where on their way to the mall.
Duo and Quatre made their way to a small office, the brass panel on the door read "Main Computer." Quatre reached up to knock on the door, but was stopped when Duo put his hand on his shoulder. "Q-man, what if he doesn't comply? I don't think I can stand dancing and looking over at a lonely princess," Duo asked the blond boy. Although his tone was joking, in his eyes there was true concern.
"Don't worry Duo, he'll come. If it's for Miss Relena, he'll come," was the response. Quatre knocked softly on the door and waited for a reply.
"What is it?" came a gruff voice. The two boys slowly opened the door and walked in. Heero was sitting in a large office chair in front of the computer, his back to the visitors.
"Heero buddy? Can we talk to ya?"
"It's about the fundraiser ball…"
"I'm not going." Heero's rough reply cut off Quatre.
"…on Saturday, Mrs. Relena's going, and it would mean a lot to her if you went," continued the persistent Quatre. At the mention of Relena, Heero turned to face the two other ex-pilots.
"And what makes you think I care about Relena Peacecraft?" Heero challenged the boys with a raise of an eyebrow.
"You're joking right Heero?" countered Duo. "You think we haven't seen the way you look at her. You can't hide that from us bucko."
"Just come Heero. She'd be so happy," pleaded Quatre. Heero finally nodded his head. The Arabian and American boys exchanged smiles.
Alrighty, there's the second instalment. I just hope I can finish this one! As always R&R!