The school held its annual recreational trip to a remote mountainous area famous for its natural scenery and hot springs. The trip was intended to provide a creative break for students from the academic pressure of Neo-Veridia.
Inside one of the buses, the atmosphere was lively. Zaki, Maki, and Aurora sat in one row. Student Council members, including Gills Treyman, were supervising the students. On the surface, this was a normal school activity. However, no one realized that the mountainous area they were visiting was very close to the Mars Colony Military Base—a strategic target being eyed by a different Earth rebel group.
The rebel group in question this time was the Tracen Army, a militaristic faction known to be brutal and not hesitant to use reckless tactics.
After a long journey, all the students arrived at their destination. They began exploring the surrounding area. The place was filled with traditional food stalls and small shops selling local handicrafts.
Zaki and Aurora walked side-by-side towards the snack area. Zaki was mostly quiet, enjoying the scenery, while Aurora talked about the unique geology of the mountains. Zaki occasionally glanced at her, feeling calm being near the girl who understood him without needing words.
Meanwhile, Maki was drawn to a small shop selling beautiful handmade accessories. She stopped in front of the display case, admiring a hair clip decorated with natural stones.
Suddenly, a familiar masculine voice greeted her from behind. "Interesting, isn't it?"
Maki was startled. Gills Treyman stood there, still wearing his Student Council jacket.
"Gills? You scared me," Maki said.
Gills smiled widely. "Sorry. But you looked so focused. Do you like this one?" Gills pointed to the accessory Maki was looking at.
Maki nodded slowly. Gills did not hesitate to enter the shop and buy the accessory for her.
"No, Gills, I can't accept it! It's too expensive," Maki refused, trying to return the item.
Gills insisted, holding her hand and placing the accessory box in her palm. "Consider it a gift because you are the most enthusiastic student I supervise. Just accept it, Maki. I'm happy to see you smile."
Maki could only nod resignedly, her face warming slightly from Gills's touch and gesture.
Just as it was approaching midday, when most students were resting for lunch, disaster struck.
From a distance, the sound of explosions and the loud roar of thrusters could be heard.
"What was that?" exclaimed one of the teachers.
All the students looked up at the sky. A group of modified Pioneer Mobile Suits flew low over their heads, heading towards the Mars Colony Base.
The most noticeable Mobile Suit led the group. The unit was a heavily modified Pioneer, painted a menacing dark red. It was equipped with crudely installed light armor, featured dual Heat Sabers, and additional missile pods on its legs. Its pilot was Troy Steven, the leader of the Tracen Army.
Panic spread among the Colonian students and teachers.
"Attack! Take cover! Evacuate!" Gills shouted, taking command, trying to direct the students toward the buses.
Zaki and Maki exchanged glances. Their faces were tense. They knew this was a serious situation. If a Mobile Suit battle occurred near a civilian settlement, there would be many casualties. They had to call the White Gundam to this location.
"Damn it! We can't just disappear!" Zaki whispered to Maki.
"How do we call AIRIS without being noticed?" Maki whispered back.
Aurora, standing beside them, immediately spoke up. "Just follow the evacuation flow first, Zaki. This area will soon be crowded. Once you are separated from the crowd, use your watches. Quickly!"
Zaki and Maki nodded. They joined the throng of students heading towards the evacuation buses. While running, Zaki saw the crowd as a perfect opportunity.
As they managed to separate from the main group, Zaki and Maki stopped. They touched their tech watches simultaneously.
"AIRIS, come to our location immediately. Priority: White Gundam," Zaki whispered through the encrypted comm.
AIRIS immediately activated at the Kimeza secret base.
At the base, Airi Kimeza saw the attack coordinates on the screen. Her face was shocked. "That... that's where the children's school trip is!"
Augustina Mcgraven, who was preparing for a test run of the Sunflower Gundam, looked at the monitor screen showing the flying rebel units. Augustina immediately recognized their reckless fighting style.
"Tracen Army!" Augustina growled. "They have no strategy! Troy Steven doesn't care about the civilian population! I hate that Troy!"
Augustina remembered an old incident where Troy Steven had once used Augustina's own troops as bait for him to escape a Colonian attack.
Airi immediately made a decision. "Augustina, you and the Sunflower Gundam go with the White Gundam! We have to stop this battle before the Colonians send reinforcements!"
"Understood, Airi!"
Amidst the danger alarm, the White Gundam and the Sunflower Gundam were immediately launched from the secret base. The clean white and agile White Gundam, accompanied by the sand-yellow Sunflower Gundam equipped with fairy wings, shot into the air. Augustina, piloting the Sunflower Gundam, carried two Beam Rifles to supplement the firepower.
Meanwhile, at the evacuation site, Gills Treyman realized that Maki and Zaki were not among the successfully evacuated students. He immediately left his group to look for Maki.
Gills ran to the area where he last saw Maki. As he reached the top of a small hill, he saw an unexpected sight.
Right in front of him, behind the bushes, the White Mobile Suit he had just seen on the news landed. Its large hand opened the cockpit, and from inside, Maki Kimeza and Zaki Kimeza jumped into the same cockpit, then closed it quickly.
Gills was stunned, his eyes wide in disbelief. The children he was supervising, the girl he liked, and the Mobile Suit that was the legend of the resistance, were one and the same.
The White Gundam immediately launched into the air, followed by a yellow-colored Mobile Suit unit he had never seen before.
Gills could only stand speechless, his hands clenched tightly. His high curiosity and obsession with Maki intensified. To him, the White Mobile Suit was no longer just a machine, but a manifestation of hidden wonder.
"Maki..." Gills whispered. "You are a miracle."
He stood tall, watching the two new Mobile Suits dart towards the source of the explosion, vowing to find out more about the girl who had just stolen his heart and was also the co-pilot of the legendary Mobile Suit.
To be continued....