A Normal Life
By: Jade Starlight

Chapter Twelve: On to Battle!


Relena paced back and forth in the conference room at the base, awaiting Dr.
Hino's word to go. Heero, Duo, and Quatre watched her while seated on a red couch.
Trowa and Alondra were leaning against the wall, each in thought. Isis and Jade were
silently watching Relena, as was Amara, Wufei, and Jeremiah, who were sitting on the
floor.
"Wow, I've never seen Lena this upset before," Quatre whispered.
"Well, what did you expect? They've attacked her home Quatre. She's going
through a difficult situation right now. Besides, it doesn't help that her bro might be
dead," Duo commented. Quatre nodded his head in agreement.
"What do you think Heero? Heero?" He was just eying Relena as she paced back
and forth, all emotions being pushed down.
"Sorry, what did you ask?"
"Nothing Heero," Quatre said. The three of them got wrapped up in there own
thoughts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena continued pacing, feeling everyone's eyes on her.
Don't worry guys, she thought, I'm fine. I just have to destroy the ICS before they
ruin anyone else's life. She continued pacing until she heard a door. Like lightning she
was at Dr. Hino's side.
"Well, is it a green light?" she asked eagerly.
"Yes. Everyone's Gundams are ready now. Even Jeremiah's." Dr. Hino placed
his hands on her shoulders. "Be careful, and don't do anything stupid."
"Don't worry, I'll be as sane as I can." She smiled at him before leaving the
room.
"Um, Dr. Hino, can I see my Gundam?" Jeremiah asked. He nodded, leading
Jeremiah to the hanger. Jade went with, while the others followed Relena.
Jeremiah's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Resting before him was a silver
and dark blue Gundam.
"It's called Phantom Wing. It's equipped with a beam staff, laser eyes, a beam
cannon, and a beam machine gun. It has a cloak like Deathscythe Hell that enables it to
hide from enemies until the last second."
"Awesome!" Jeremiah took in the newest addition to the team. The large
Gundam had wings like Wing Zero, only his were black with silver tips.
"Well, I guess you're happy," Jade said, interrupting his thoughts. He smiled
happily as she inspected it.
"Do you think I can handle it?"
"Of course. The way we've been training, there's no possible way you couldn't."
Jade began walking out of the hanger, but she stopped when she heard Jeremiah running
to catch up.
"Hey Jade, what should I get?"
"Some guns and ammo. And possibly a dagger."
"A dagger? For what?"
"Just do as I say. Now we'd better hurry before everyone grows too impatient."
Jeremiah followed her to the weapons department of the base, each planning their own
strategies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena just sat at the base of her Gundam, pondering the first step of her plan. As
she stared at the floor, she heard something in Dammi.
"I know Dammi. I shouldn't bring the others into my personal problems, but they
won't let me keep them away." She sighed exasperatingly.
Especially Heero! He insists on sticking by my side, and that's not what I want!
She shook her head and smirked at the irony. Ever since the day she saw him, she
wouldn't leave Heero and desperately wanted him to be with her. And now she wants
him to stay away.
"Pretty ironic really," she said to herself.
"What is?" Heero asked, coming out from behind her Gundam. Relena jumped,
and started to laugh at herself.
"You know, I do believe that's the first time in a year you've snuck up on me,"
she said, climbing to her feet. Heero grabbed her hand and hoisted her up. He smiled at
her statement.
"Looks like I can still have the upper hand then," he said. Then his faced turned
back to normal as he continued. "Relena, are you sure about this? I mean, he may be
gone, and if that's true, there's no telling what ICS wants."
"That's easy enough, me." Relena walked over to her duffle bag on the floor and
picked it up. Heero thought about this for a moment, and then he realized her meaning.
"You're saying that their real goal may be you, and not your brother."
"Not maybe, I am. You see, my brother wasn't the one attempting to bring peace
without fighting. Nor was he the one trying to convince Romafeller and OZ to change.
The leader of ICS, whomever it may be, sees that I am the cause, and wants me dead."
"And you know all this how?"
"I did a little homework not too long after we learned of them. And ever since,
I've tracked everything from them." She stopped talking and looked down, hiding her
eyes. When she spoke, her voice quivered with fear and guilt. "But I didn't learn of the
planned attack on Sank." She punched the side of her Gundam's leg as hard as possible
for her, sending a ring throughout the hanger.
Relena, it's not your fault! Heero embraced her as the dam opened, and tears
streamed down her face.
"This is not your fault, Relena. You never could have known, even if you tried,
so do not blame yourself!" Relena calmed down a little, and shook her in disagreement.
"I could've prevented this, but I didn't!" They heard footsteps running through
the doors of the hanger, and they knew everyone was coming. "That doesn't matter
anymore though, because now I'm going to set things right, for me, my brother, and the
ESUN." She wiped her tears away, and calmed herself just as the other nine teens
gathered around them. All traces of her feelings were gone. Heero knew not to press,
and he too put on his game face, the usual stoic stare.
"Alright, is everyone ready?" Relena asked, her instincts taking charge.
"Roger that Lena," Shiri said. Relena nodded her approvement
"You have your equipment then?"
"Yes ma'am, we sure do!" Duo replied, his voice filled with anxiousness. He
jumped up and down like a toddler. "Can we go fight now?! Please?!" he said.
"Yes. Let's go," Relena said. Everyone scattered to their Gundams, and loaded
into the cockpits. Relena was the first to be ready, and she turned her communications
line on, awaiting Dr. Hino's orders.
"Now Relena, remember the stats on ICS. They prove to be quite a challenge, so
be careful. I am going to upload the information on ICS into everyone's Gundams. You
can review that on your trip."
"Roger that Dr. Hino. And thank you," Relena said. She flipped the line over to
Cupid's line. Jade appeared.
"All set over here Lena. I'm ready when you are," the Spanish girl said.
"Okay Jade, stand by for take off." She flipped over to Moonbeam's line. "Isis,
you ready?"
"Yeah boss. Standing by for flight right now. Over and out." Next was Flame.
"Shiri here, ready to rock and roll!" the blonde American said. Relena actually
smiled at this. She hangs around Duo too much. Relena thought. She flipped to Mercury, and
saw her blue haired friend.
"You ready Amara?"
"Yep, ready to lift off." Relena nodded and flipped to the last one, Twister.
"Alondra here, standing by. It's a green light for me," the short-haired girl
reported.
"I copy Alondra. Await countdown." Relena flipped to Wing Zero's line,
awaiting Heero's signal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Alright buddy, I'm ready to fly!" Duo exclaimed. Heero nodded and flipped to
Sandrock.
"Quatre here, awaiting the countdown," the blonde pilot said. Heero flipped over
to Heavyarms and Altron.
"Wufei Chang, awaiting orders," the Chinese pilot said.
"Trowa here, ready for action." Heero flipped to Phantom Wing, the last one.
"Jeremiah reporting. I'm ready when you are." Heero turned the com over to
Dammi, and Relena's face appeared.
Relena saw Heero's face on her screen. He softened up at the site of her face.
"Relena, everyone's awaiting the countdown. Are you ready?"
"Yes Heero, I am." Relena knew what he was really asking. Was she ready to
fight and go against everything she believed in? He knew there was no turning back once
they left, and so did she. She came out of her thoughts and focused on the present task.
"Lift off in 5...4...3...2...1...0...go!" Relena finished her directions, and everyone
took off, heading into the sky.
"Good luck," Dr. Hino whispered. "You'll need it."