[Gundam Nova]

 

February 12th, 194 I.J.C , Siga-8

 

It's been a month…since that talk, Mama is still doing the same thing with me, she's been caring for me and everything, just like every day. It was normal.

 

I got off easy with the hospital, it seems my body is quite healthy, able to digest most of the caffeine so it is not fatal, but I still stay there for around a week before getting discharged.

 

I don't know what to say…it feels like nothing has changed, I told her my secret and she just took it like a normal Tuesday evening.

 

It feels…surreal. 

 

“MA…MA?” Ah…right, I was with Yohai today, huh.

 

“Sorry, I got a bit distracted… let's see…” I opened up her code, looking for something that might have made her error but so far, there was nothing I could catch.

 

I've been treading this much more carefully than before, after hearing about Celeby-2, I have no choice. 

 

Yohai…is still a child, a true child around 1 or 2 years old, she can speak but not without stuttering, she could look into the net but she would only look for the simplest explanations, as complicated things are far beyond her right now.

 

There is something I want to do with Yohai, and it is to help her learn how to speak properly, but that is something that will come with time, as long as I continue to speak to her, she will learn from me.

 

Right now…the only Emotion I feel from Yohai…is not fake but it doesn't feel real either. It is like, she knows what happiness is but doesn't know how to express it.

 

But that's ok, she is still a baby, and it would take years of hard work to make her into a proper adult. And that is a year I'm willing to work on.

 

Knock knock.

 

A knock on the door. I turned around and saw Mama, all smiling with a bag in hand.

 

“I bought a pudding cake, let's eat it together,” she said, waving her hand to me.

 

“OK…” I get out of my chair and take Yohai with me, I just transfer to one of those smartwatches I got, so she can be with me all the time.

 

Walking with Mama to the living room, she turns the TV on the news channel, meanwhile, I go and get some kitchenware, a fork, and a knife for cutting as well as plates.

 

A chocolate cake, I gave the knife to Mama and she cut it open, revealing the pudding sauce inside.

 

She cut it into a portion size for me and then for herself. Using a fork I took a bite of this delicious-looking cake…and it was delicious, sweet, so sweet that it made me feel a rush through my head.

 

Times like this is when I miss my tea time with Sylvy, but it's OK, I'm going to meet her again soon.

 

“So…how was the online test?” She asked, and I saw her squint her eyes at the cake, it was probably too sweet for her, again.

 

“It was easy…if I have to compare it then it should be around 6 graders in normal school. Nonetheless, easy.”

 

“I see…you will start attending it this June right? That Elysium Academy?” 

 

“I need to pass the interview first…then the real test.”

 

“Don't worry you will pass, if that Sylvy girl can then so can you.” 

 

She is quite confident, but well, of course she would be. I too…am confident that I will pass without a problem.

 

Well, no use thinking about something that would happen a month away. Taking another bite of this overly sweet madness, I feel so satisfied that even Yohai stares at me from the watch.

 

We continued to talk, mostly about Yohai and the advancement of Haro, then just about everyday life until, Mama got a phone call, which was weird in itself as she had never gotten one before.

 

“It seems to be a wrong number.” She quickly turned it down and continued to watch TV but her phone rang again.

 

With an annoyed face, she got up and left, saying I should brush my teeth after I finished eating…which was weird.

 

But it's an adult thing…I shouldn't poke my head where it didn't belong…

 

“Yohai…do you think…you could hack into the network?” I whisper to my watch where Yohai is, she is staring at the cake with a drool, suddenly looks up and starts to think, which takes only a few seconds before an interface pops up and closes within a second. 

 

It seems to be about hacking…

 

“Can't…do.” I see, so the network is too advanced for her. 

 

“Then can you-” 

 

“What do you think you're trying to do, hm?” a chill ran down my spine at that moment.

 

“Mama!? That was fast!”

 

“Like I said, it was just the wrong number, but beside the point, What did you make Yohai try to do just now?” She presses on, putting on a stern face.

 

“Uh…I…” What do I say?! Should I answer honestly or!?

 

“Pfft…Ahahaha! Don't worry, I'm just messing with you…” Huh… something feels off. Her expression, the little twitch of her hand…but most importantly…she was joking…She never makes jokes…

 

But she didn’t say anything, it was not my place to question her too, after all, she had gone through, maybe it was a call from that Mr. Ottoman…

 

“By the way Yoha…did you pack your bag?” Hm? Pack what bag? It seemed she noticed my face as she began to explain.

 

“You want to go to interview right? At…Elysium academy? If you don’t pack now and leave tomorrow we won’t be able to arrive at Earth in one month you know?”

 

…That right! We live so far away from Earth so it could take a month to get there! Right, how did I forget that we live in a colony in space! AH! What do I need to bring?! What should I bring? Haro? Haro! Then what? After that what should I-

 

“I thought it might turn out like this…So I already pack you.”

 

Eh….

 

“That seems like you want me to repeat myself, I just packed your backpack, so there is no need to worry, We will leave tomorrow in the morning, so go to sleep early today.” 

Eh…? Tomorrow? In the morning? Already packed my backpack? Ehhh….

 

“Wait tomorrow?! That's too soon!” 

 

“What do you mean too soon, We need to go early so that we can have time for ourselves too, once you get admitted I don’t know how long till I can see you again in person because they are a private academy after all. You will be living in the dormitories, don’t worry, they have people look after you while you are there, at least till you can live by yourself.” Wait what?!

 

I must live in dormitories and Mama won’t allow me to be there!? I know that we going to live in the Colony of the Academy but I thought there going to be housing! Just like with Sylvy!

 

“I know what you thinking, sorry but I’m not that rich to afford housing in that expensive colony, well, at least not me. You are the one that wants to get into this academy, so prepare for the world of the Elite.” 

 

Yeah…I don’t think I understand what going on anymore…

 

[Gundam Nova]

 

February 13th, 194 I.J.C. , 9:21 A.M. Siga-8 port.

 

“Woah! Gendaro Worker Model! That one is the Gendaro Miner Model! There are even Military issues Mandraken!” Gendaro, A mobile suit that resembles a human, is mostly used in minor construction and mining, but also for transport and can be used as a weapon as long as they get military approval.

 

Mandraken, A Mobile armor that stands over 50tf! Or 15 meters tall, this comes equipped with a matrix field generator used to protect the city, meaning it can hold up a Metrix that even most of the Beam weapons will have a hard time breaking through, Couple with its versatile sidearms such as Armed Heated Claws, Beam Cannon, and standard Beam Claw!

 

A truly marvelous mobile armor! Not only that but it also boasts mobility in space, making it perfect to have in a colony as a guard suit! Just…seeing all of this is making me…so Happy! I could die today and not regret it!

 

Well, I would regret not being able to pilot the thing themselves. But that is just the way of saying, I didn’t mean it, so let’s not die today. But woah! To see so many Mobile workers and Mobile suits, Even mobile Armor in the flesh, was like my dream come true, sure I had seen mobile suits before but that was just one or two but this is in a dozen! Working together flawlessly as they transfer each container!

 

The way the joints move, the slow hum of the engines, and most importantly, the feeling of the ground's soft tremble when it took a step…This…is what a mobile suit is. What it should have been, not used for war but for civilians, but we still have to take that route…

 

“You seem quite excited, Yoha,” Mama said, breaking the silence as she held my hand, Shaking my head at that thought, I quickly regained my composure.

 

“Of course! I want to ride them one day! Maybe even Piloting those Military issues. I wonder how that feels…Ehehehe…”

 

“Well, once you get into the Academy, and pass some grad, you would be allowed to use one of their VR simulations, right? Just wait till then.”

 

“Yup! Ah, what should I do about Haro? I mean, I know We put him into our back but will they allow it?” Right, Haro is in one of my backpacks right now, by the way, I have so many backpacks, it almost seems like we moving, even my PC going with me, It is already in my room on the ship.

 

By the way! The ship is a Civilian cruiser ship! It is called the Stellar! I know, very unique but aside from that, It is one of the best Cruiser Earth Conglomerate ever made! With its sleek design, spacious interior, a propulsion system that was meant for a mobile worker, and Safety measures for when we got a pirate or other faction attack! 

 

It is the perfect ship for Civilian use! It could even store a mobile suit in there! Think about it! How big it is! Huhu, I will tell you, It was 183 meters long, 233 meters wide, and 70 meters high! 

 

Capable of moving more than 500 people at the same time! Big ship with a big capacity and safe too! Moreover, we also got a smaller ship that would guard us this time! 

 

Ahhh, how would it feel to be one of the operators on such a ship? More than that, how would it feel to be the captain?!

 

“Yoha, just so you know, right now, the face you making is very weird, I know you like this kind of stuff but don’t let it show on your face too much.” 

 

“Ah…Right, sorry, I got kinda carried away by my thought.” Ah, how dangerous, such a tempting feeling! I need to calm down my raging heart now.

 

I waited at the departure lounge while Mama goes confirm our ticket, sadly we already walked past the area where I could watch the mobile suits working but it ok, I could still find a clip of them on my phone! 

 

So while waiting in the lounge, I watched a clip of a mobile suit, whether it be simple construction or a fight, everything about them, fascinated me. There is even a video of a student modifying their Mobile Worker too.

 

Internet, whether it be in the past or in the present, is always convenient. 

 

“What are you watching, Young lass.” The sudden voice interrupts me, I turn around to see an elderly male, probably in his 80s, Using a cane to stand up, he looks over me, even when his back is bent his figure still towering over me.

 

“...? Do I know you? I don’t speak to strangers nor follow them.” 

 

“Ahaha, Your parent taught you well, but yes I am a stranger.” He smiles as he sits down next to me, sighing in relief as he relaxes against the couch. “So. What are you watching?”

 

…He doesn’t seem dangerous, staple breathing, arm shaking from using the cane as support, and the bit of sweat just from standing around indicate his poor health. Well, I think if he grabbed me or something I could run away.

“...Video of Mobile Suits.”

“Oho, and why?”

 

“Because they are interesting, whether it be for civilian use or military, Mobile Suit is the pinnacle of technology and will continue to be till at least another hundred or so years.”

 

“Hm…that true…even in my life, I find it hard to imagine a life without Mobile Worker around,” he said, while massaging his beard, “But, can you tell me…if we really need a mobile suit?”

 

“No. We don’t need it.” That was my immediate answer. “Although Mobile Suits are the pinnacle of technology, they lead to the enhanced scale of conflict, the act of destroying a colony becomes much easier with Mobile suits, lives are lost much easier than before, but the scale of our population is what keeps these type of war going.”

 

It is true, that mobile suits and such are convenient, they are not wrong, it is the people and higher up’s intentions that are wrong. Mobile suits…can be much more than war machines.

 

“I see, the opinion of young people today is really different.” He said, slumping back down to the chair.

 

“I answer your question, now answer mine, Who are you?” I ask him, looking straight into his eyes, his behavior is still the same, shaking hands, staple breathing…

 

“I’m just an ordinary old man…There is nothing really worth knowing about me. Well, it seems my time is up. May we meet again in the future young lass.”

 

He gets up from his seat and slowly walks away in the distance…He fast. Just a minute and I already lost sign of him.

 

“What are you doing, Yoha?” Mama asks me, so he sees her and decides to leave huh? And she didn’t notice him?

 

“Nothing, I just watched some video online and it got me thinking that all.” I lied, and from her face, she couldn’t even tell I lied.

 

“Oh? Well,  get up, I already loaded our back into the room, we should get going, they going to take off soon.”

 

“Ok!” I get up from my seat and take her hand, I turn back a bit but just like I thought, the old man already left.

 

[Gundam Nova]

 

February 13th, 194 I.J.C. , 10:33 A.M.  The Stellar

 

“Amazing…it so beautiful…” Word naturally comes out of my mouth as I watch the lounge, various types of lounge, gambling, games, cocktails, or even the pool…all decorated grandly with gold trim, red carpet, and other luxury things I couldn’t even think of.

 

“Hm…if I remember correctly, there should be a VR simulation for Mobile Suit in the gaming Lounge-”

 

“Where! Where is it?!” I ask hurriedly, A VR simulation! That of a mobile suit too! If it installs on this cruise then surely It would be a high-tech one! 

 

“Ahaha, Let’s go find it, shall we?” She took my hand and we walked around the gaming lounge, Many arcades were there, old ones new ones, and there were even some ancient artifacts too. After around 10 minutes of searching, we finally found it! 

 

A big pod with pictures of mobile suits on it…and no people are lining up for it at the moment! I look over to Mama and she just smiles and lets go of my hand, I open up the pod and get in.

 

Inside…was like a cockpit I had seen on video, with a Control console with 2 handles, a Booster pedal, and Various control panels for using different Items…there was even a fake ejection system for it too…

 

I looked up and saw a device that was shaped like a hat, I put it on and it didn’t fit me so I needed to adjust it a bit, but when I flipped down the glasses, everything changed. When I look at the screen, I now see the battlefield…

 

Multiple beams shot around, missiles from every direction, and the hum of the engine rang in my head…The tutorial screen pops up but I ignore them, These are just like the videos that I watch a thousand and thousands of times…

 

My hand moves toward the handles, taking in a deep breath, I push on the booster pedal, and slowly I see the surroundings start to change as the machine moves forward.

 

My hand felt kind of off, it was like It didn’t fit with these handles, maybe it was my imagination, but I felt like these didn’t belong, I could make a different handle that could do much more and be easier to control than this…

 

Various buttons that require you to move your hand out of the handles…It doesn't feel like it belongs for some reason, but I'm not here to nitpick, I’m here to have fun!

 

Just as I start thinking of having fun, a red warning sign pops up, it warns me about the presence of another mobile suit.

 

It was…a model I had never seen before, it followed a mobile suit standard resembling a human but it was in a black frame. A stealth suit? 

 

But who cares? I press the button, a random one, and the arm moves and grabs…a beam saber.

 

Taking in a deep breath, my hand tightened on the handle, and I pushed the booster pedal to the limit, as my screen rapidly changed so did the opponent, It took out a beam saber, ready to slash me in two too.

 

With each second we get closer and closer, the distance is two meters. I move my handle, and the mobile suit arm moves alongside me, The beam saber swings downward as my opponent lungs his beam saber straight into the cockpit. 

 

I watch as the beam rapidly approaches me, and I step on the booster pedal again, this time changing the direction of my pack, moving to the right and avoiding the beam narrowly, With the changing screen my hand moves along with it, changing the direction of the arm and beam saber, Cutting the opponent into two.

 

I watch, as the mobile suit explodes in front of me…

 

“That…was too easy…It didn’t feel real at all… so..it just a downgrade Ai after all.” Well, that left me unsatisfied more than I thought, I thought I was going to get the thrill of a fast-paced combat, but instead, I just got…this…too slow…so slow that it bored me. What a let down…

 

I get out of the pod, and see Mama waiting for me while looking over the phone. She noticed me and quickly put her phone away. 

 

“So, how was it?” She asks, full of expectation.

 

“It was…alright at best, but boring overall. Everything feels too slow.” She got a strange expression after I said that.

 

“What do you mean? It has only been 5 minutes since you got in. That was pretty fast to me.” 

 

5 minute? Eh? But I thought I was in there for at least 10 minutes. Maybe it's just my feeling? No, I definitely feel like I was in there for 10 minutes. 

 

“Well, it was boring, but let's find another game to play! There are many interesting things to explore here.” I quickly change the topic take her hand, and pull her along with me, she notices it too but drops the subject, and follows me silently.