As a note, this is going to be around five or six short chapters.
Chapter 2: How can humans be so foolish?
It was morning at Hoshinoumi Academy, located in the Union's Special Economic Zone that was Japan. Yuu was sitting at his desk within the main classroom observing his surroundings. On one side, Joujirou participated in another dance with "Yusarin" in one corner. Another group of classmates was discussing Celestial Being's recent exploits including the Superhuman Research Institute that was exposed.
Yuu was less interested in either topic, but rather the absence of Nao, the white-haired student who brought him to the school in the first place. The time was already minutes after the bell rang and she hasn't shown up yet. There was already info about an ability user located within the school they didn't know about with the ability of "collapse." Other than that, he couldn't figure out exactly why she's very late.
The door opened and revealed Nao coming into the classroom. Behind him was another child who he hadn't seen before. Could he be the ability user they've been looking for? If so, then what was his story?
As the students took their seats, Nao came into the classroom with a rather disturbed expression. Even so, she addressed the class like nothing usual happened.
"For only today, we have an exchange student who will participate in our class. Please to introduce yourself."
"Setsuna F. Seiei. Pleased to meet you."
The dark-skinned boy introduced himself in a stale manner and bowed before the class. The class could feel a tense aura around the boy; despite his age, he acted as if he's been through many experiences that would leave him heartless. Not that this was unusual since Yuu had already seen this with the student council president herself, but there was a more distinct aura that came from the boy. He could feel it as Setsuna went past him and set at a nearby desk.
"In any case," Nao went to her smile. "Please hope that you get along and act like everything is all normal."
Yuu and the council members could see something else coming from her words. This was not something usual and more like she was forced all of a sudden.
Perhaps he should talk to Nao or the boy himself? Maybe during lunch or after school...that would be best.
Inside a control room within the Union MSWAD HQ, Graham Aker was busy scrolling down the news for recent updates. The scandal regarding the Superhuman Research Institute was still one of the hot topics. The number of views in the articles was already reaching those similar to that of any topic regarding Celestial Being.
The Union pilot, however, was only using it to kill time. Before this incident, the nation was set to commence a secret joint operation with the other states in an attempt to capture one of the Gundams. However, the recent scandal from the HRL has hampered progress dramatically due to the domestic and international backlash against the superstate. That means it'll take even longer before the ace pilot had a chance to clash with the Gundams again.
The door to the control room opened and Billy Katagiri entered the room.
"We have new orders," the mobile suit engineer reported. "We are to be deployed within to the Middle East."
"So we're finally getting some action," Graham expressed his relief. "I assume it's Azadistan?"
"No," although Billy had the same thoughts considering its years of civil strife and hot political debate over the switch to solar energy. "Our sources indicate that there's a military coup brewing in Saudi Arabia. With the Union's ties to the political family there, the President issues our task force to monitor the situation and intervene if necessary."
"Even so, the intent is the same," Graham and Billy could agree. An armed intervention was possible in Saudi Arabia, which meant an opportunity to tackle a Gundam again.
"I'll have your Flag unit prepared soon enough."
With that confirmation, Graham left the room, leaving Billy left to do a final analysis of the mobile suit's systems. After a minute, the door opened again. This time, the elderly Ralph Eifman entered the room, which immediately got his student's attention.
"Are you sure about this operation?"
"With the recent incident regarding the Superhuman Research Institute, I bet the Union wants to clean up its own mess. I find this an opportunity myself."
"The Charlotte comet," Billy and Ralph pondered on the phenomenon, a myth where a comet passed by and gave young children abilities until they reached puberty. The HRL which likely tried exploiting it to their advantage, resulting in hundreds of others being abducted for their experiments. Despite their limited information, the attack on the Institute proved they might intervene on similar facilities elsewhere.
"If the myth is true," Ralph said. "Then it's possible that their real target would be elsewhere. Somewhere in Union territory, like the Special Economic Zone."
"Are you sure?" Billy was well aware of his teacher's sympathies for Celestial Being. One of the first operations in Taribia was proof of that when he never attempted to hide his support for destroying the narcotic fields that fueled the Drug War. But to think he'd support in action that would be well within a civilian center like Japan.
"There is no reason for such cruel experiments to exist. It's too impractical and unethical. Besides, it's perhaps the will of Aeolia Schenberg to commit this action."
While Aeolia's public message shows their intent to eradicate war, Ralph had his other concerns. Rather than skepticism, having a deep interest in the man since his mysterious fate, he believed Celestial Being's true goal was of benevolence. Due to his personal research on the machine's particle, he assumed that their technology and actions would allow humanity to grow into something greater. Despite that, his old mind couldn't shake off how selfish interests would try to exploit it for personal gain.
Whether it be once-in-a-lifetime or evolutionary as a species, in a world full of evil intents, there's nothing more twisted than greed and inhumane curiosity, Ralph thought to himself.
How can humans be so foolish?
The time was noon. During lunch, Yuu snuck out of the school to find the temporary student. Already, he checked inside the classroom, the cafeteria, and the student council room with no luck. Not even the student council members were around, which meant the only place to check was the sports field.
Just when he passed the corner, he heard what sounded like a brawl going on. He swore that he could hear a woman's groans after slamming into a wall, not that it was a rare occurrence.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?" another female's voice cried out. When Yuu made the turn, he found Nao bruised and beaten up like usual. But beside her was one of the four girls who constantly abused her, now having blood dripping from her head. The boy named Setsuna was in the middle of the fight as if he was trying to protect the injured Nao from further injury. Yuu assumed it was him who hurt one of the four girls since he startled at the other three.
"Answer us! Just who are you!?"
When Setsuna didn't respond, another one of the girls threw a fist at him. Like what Yuu saw in an action movie, the boy flipped her and slammed her to the wall upside down. He then proceeded to kick the third girl in the head when she also tried to attack and after a few strikes, she was knocked cold. Finally, he grabbed the fourth girl when she tried to run out of irritation and pushed her onto the ground.
When the boy took out a pen as if he were to use it as a weapon, Yuu then intervened with his special ability. Staring at Setsuna, he gained control of his body and made him freeze. It was only for a few seconds, but Yuu needed that for him to drop the pen and let go of the girl before he could kill her, although that didn't matter since she already fainted from shock.
When Setsuna came to, he snapped his attention, unsure of what just happened. When he looked around, he found all the girls he found bullying Nao out cold. He knew well it was his doing, but how managed to get from nearly killing someone with a pen to standing up without remembering that bit at all. The only evidence he could find was Jujiro quickly catching Yuu's body that collapsed despite falling on the ground himself and Yusa coming into the scene.
"Good thinking," Jujirou comment Yuu as he quickly regained his senses. "There's no telling what he was thinking back there."
"That was a big no-no," Yusa came in with an angry look with her hands on her hips. "I thought they told you not to pick fights at school!"
"I did what was necessary," Setsuna approached Nao, who was just recovering from her recent beating. "You should let this continue."
"I'm fine," Nao said despite her injuries and limping to get back up. But Setsuna was unphased.
"Stand up and fight. No one has the right to be helpless."
"It would've been fine. Now you just made a mess out of things!"
"Please don't be like that," another man came went around the corner, though he tried looking away from the incapacitated bodies. "Besides, you should be grateful he managed to save you like that."
"Eh? Who are you?" Yusa jump over the extra guest.
"A comrade," Setsuna responded. "Allelujah Haptism, I've located the targets. We're ready to commence the second phase."
"You don't have to say it like that," Allelujah complained before he found the other Hoshinoumi council students staring at them. "Now you just have them on edge."
"One of their own was threatened. I was forced to intervene."
"Hold on, who exactly are you guys?" Jujirou said as he recovered alongside Yuu.
"I was thinking the same thing..."
"We were assigned to protect you," Setsuna answered. "You were a private group that was constantly threatened and we were given a reason to intervene."
"Intervene?"
"Eh?"
Jujirou and Yusa raised question marks, but Yuu had his suspicions and Nao's glaring face confirmed it.
"There's no reason someone would suddenly intervene like this. Unless it's…"
"Yes," Nao answered in frustration. "They're members of Celestial Being."
"And we are Gundam Meisters."
The reactions were varied upon the group. Being the airhead she was, Yusa still raised question marks above her head. Jujirou was left slack-jawed, but Yuu besides him merely smirked. Nao continued to glare at Setsuna over the group's presence at the school.
Outside the school, Lockon Stratos observed the scene from a tall building. Witnessing the incident from beginning to end, he was glad it didn't escalate but had to chuckle over the impression the two Gundam Meisters gave.
"It looks like those rumors were true," Lockon commented himself after foreseeing Yuu and Jujirou's abilities in action. "Things may get interesting this operation."
On the other hand, Tieria was hiding in the nearby mountains with Gundam Virtue, witnessing the incident through Lockon's equipment in full time. He lamented himself over the complication of this mission regarding the targeted and targets.
How can humans be so foolish?
Nothing much to say, except I hope you enjoyed the read.
