~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chronicle Eleven - meeting Tomoko ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Forests of Seth, Southern Horan At night it was not a place too different from a jungle. The land mass of Southern Horan was huge. And covered over by leagues upon leagues of forests and greenery. Small animals inhabited those forests. Tiny rivers and streams ran through them towards the north, the mainland broken into by those small outlets that provided water to the innards of the south. Near the edge of the banks of one of those rivers was a motor boat. The very same motor boat that Yumi, Lune and Geist Fahlem had used to escape the South Shidou Investigative Research Station. The scientist had come out of nowhere in the middle of the night bearing his sword. Fahlem seemed to have started off an explosion in a separate part of the building. Then with that distraction in the background he slaughtered the guards at Yumi and Lune's cell. He then broke inside and rescued the pair. Soon afterwards they escaped from the facility out into the cold of the South Shidou climate. It didn't last long because they had a motor boat waiting for them at the edge of an ice drift. The three jumped inside and escaped from the ice continent. After an hour of hi-powered sea travel by the motor boat, the three of them came to the 'mainland'. Horan was the largest continent of the world which stretched from the shores of South Shidou all the way up to the shores of North Shidou. Apparently the land some significance for some reason. But Yumi didn't understand any of it. Or why she was here. Once it became clear that Lune was too tired to make it any further for the night, Fahlem had suggested that they camp out for the night. Which they did. They got a fire going, rolled in a few logs from some trees that Fahlem had cut down himself, used those for sleep, and gathered round the flames of the campfire they had constructed. Lune was out like a light before anyone knew it. It seemed that the stress of breaking out of the place that had been her home and prison for the brunt of her life was manifesting itself in a need for more sleep. Kind of the opposite for Yumi. Her problems caused her insomnia back in the day. ...Back in the day. By now Yumi was rested up against a log she had rolled in herself. The girl looked up at the tall oak trees and absorbed all that could be gained from here. The rustling of the bushes in the wind. The hoot of the owls. The crackling of the fire. The smell of sea water in the background. And upon observing all these things she realized that she had no idea where she was. This was not Antarctica anymore. And a chill sense of displacement was suddenly becoming more and more intrusive in Yumi's body. Something was not right here. There was something that she wasn't getting. And it was time that she learned the truth. Yumi looked to her left to make sure that Lune was asleep. Then looked back to her right and stared hard at Fahlem. The older man was casually dragging a stone back and forth over the blade of his sword to sharpen it. But eventually he noticed Yumi staring at him. "...It's sinking in, isn't it?" He said simplistically. "...Where exactly am I?" Yumi demanded to know, "this is all so messed up. Something is wrong here. And I want to know what it is." Fahlem gazed down at his sword. "...You are in a unrecognised state that is known as Horan. That is your location." "That's bull!" Yumi decreed angrily, "I've never even heard of a place called Horan! You all keep talking about these nations; Shidou, Horan, Xu! What are they?! Where in the world am I?!" "You are in Southern region of Horan," Fahlem repeated, "...it is what has become of... or rather what is left of... the place that you once knew as South Africa." Yumi's eyes enlarged. "...What's left...?" "...I didn't want you to see any of this, Yumi. You shouldn't have to suffer through the revelation. But destiny has chosen you for some reason. I have no choice but to tell you... that the world you once knew... is gone. This planet is now a vastly different place. A fate that befell the planet at the hands of Deathcatcher... and the Divine Cataclysm he instigated." Yumi looked on. "...W-what are you talking about?" "...Yumi..." Fahlem whispered, his eyes full of sadness, "...your battle with Freeman took place 6000 years ago." There it was. A stunned and disbelieving look passed over Yumi's face as it would have done to anyone else in that position. Her mind instantly rejected the idea of it. But her heart started whispering the very same tune to her. And it became clear that Fahlem was not messing around with her at this point. He was truthful in what he was saying. Yet the mind can never except something it doesn't want to. Not when it really doesn't want to. A fact that Yumi could display quite easily. The girl let off a fearful chuckle and laughed sadly. "...Heh, heh, heh..." Yumi looked downwards, "...no... way." Fahlem sighed again. "...This will not be easily to explain... but... the time you remember was the time of the Great Schism, is it not? The time when Protocol divided into two factions as a result of the disagreements of method between William Ank Celaph and the Triad of the Inquisition? You ventured to Antarctica when you heard Freeman's call to your soul. And you battled him, did you not? You were losing the fight. Until a memory cube was activated inside the Oriax. That memory cube gave you a set of instructions on awakening the Oriax's true form; Demiurge. A form that you activated. And from then on... I assume you have no memories until waking up in the South Shidou Investigative Research Facility." That was all true for her, but Yumi said nothing. She simply continued to stare with dejection at the white smock that she was still wearing from the facility. Even though Yumi did not reply, Geist continued. "...All of that occurred more than six millennia prior to this moment. I know that... during your time in America... you met a boy... named 'Rain Harland'. He shouldered a heavy destiny... when his friend and her family was killed... it caused a mental surge in his mind that triggered off Divine Hibernation. And I am sure that Freeman explained that to you before your battle. He was fated to become the Deathcatcher; the most powerful single warrior... ever. That boy entered his Meta Suit, Diablos, and flew up into space. Beside the moon was a long-abandoned space city called Meshezabel. And inside of it was a very deadly device; the Elymus Drive. It heightened the Diablos' abilities in energy conversion a thousand fold and unleashed the beams produced from its suit across the globe. It dissolved the lives of millions upon millions of people. Transforming the world into a shadow. Nothing more than a ghost of what it was. Since then the organization that was once known as Protocol has become a completely different force. Meshezabel has been brought down into Earth's orbit and has become the seat of their power base. The one you knew as Princess Ashura now heads the empire. But she is no longer a Princess. She is now a queen. Queen Ashura. Hence the name 'Ashurian Empire'. The Triad of the Inquisition still hold the real reigns of power. And though the Ashurians only revealed themselves upon the world 60 years ago with the construction of their ground-based super-city, Aryahm, they have already assimilated informal control over the current world into its systems. This is the world we live in now. This is the world of frugality and sorrow. This is the age of Anthropos." Yumi stared at Fahlem with utter disbelief. Then the tears started to roll down her cheeks. Slowly she shook her head; not willing to believe any of this. If this was true; then that would mean that Terry, Sophia, Beatrix and all the others on the Leviathan were long dead. "...No... it... can't be... no..." "...I'm sorry, Yumi..." The girl placed her palms over her ears. "...You're lying..." "It's the truth," Geist put forth, "I know that this is-" Yumi then swiftly cut him off. "It's a lie! You're a liar! If this was all true then how the hell is it that I'm still here!?" "Divine Hibernation. Something else that Freeman Ronove must have explained to you during your battle. The phenomenon of a person being sealed inside a sphere of their own Qi for a temporary period. You experienced this very same thing, twice. Thus... you have ascended to the last level of symbiosis with the Heart of the Astaroth. You are an Ishtar, now." Yumi swung her fist to the side. "You think I care about ANY of that?!" "This is more than just circumstance," Fahlem added, "it is fate. You were fated to undergo the Divine Hibernation. That is the way you came to exist in this world and it is the means by which you evaded Deathcatcher's destruction of the old world. This is all a part of your true destiny, Yumi." "I don't care... I don't care about any of it..." Fahlem growled. "...Yumi..." "I don't care about it," The girl stood up from her log, "this is all just an illusion. That's it. This is all just one big lie. Just one big, stupid lie. It's not real. I have to get back to the Leviathan... Terry and Sophia are waiting for me to come back to them... so we can stop Protocol. Yes, that's it. They're waiting for me... they're waiting for me... to return to them. Don't worry, guys. I'm... coming. I might be... a little late... but I'm.... coming..." It was when Yumi started to walk off in a dazed stupor that Geist took action. He sheathed his sword and launched himself up from the log he was sitting by. The doctor rushed up to Yumi and grabbed her by the shoulders before she could get away. He tried to shake some sense into her, to make her see and accept reality for what it was, but there was a hard and confused glint in her eyes. One that Fahlem knew was at least partially supernatural. But he had to snap her out of it before... that side of her... took a foothold. Fahlem drew back his hand and slapped Yumi across the face, a blow hard enough to break the trance that Yumi's Qi had almost induced her into. "Yumi!" He bellowed, "You have to get a hold of yourself! You cannot bury your head in the sand about this! Your new Qi as an Ishtar cannot be controlled if your mind is unstable! Face up to it all! Your friends are dead! And they have been for thousands of years! Protocol and Chizu Yagata are gone! Thinking of them this way will cause you nothing but pain! Now stop acting like such a child and control yourself!" Yumi, with her head nudged to one side, felt her heart racing. She knew what Fahlem to be saying true, but she couldn't face up to it. All she could see was the crystal clear image she had of her friends on the Leviathan. The only people in her life that she had every had the right to call friends. And her best friend, the young Terry Hennig. Yumi remembered the way she left things with him. Not to mention the last she saw of Chizu. All this had happened and she had never even gotten the chance to see the people she loved just one more time. And the very thought of that brought a heavy weight to her stomach. As well as a lump in a her throat. Was this what she had been fighting for all along? To end up in some ruined future world she knew nothing about? Now the serious questions started to pop into her brain. Like, what would have happened if she hadn't left the Leviathan. Now she understood what Freeman said to her back then. He said that 'only one of them' would enter the new world. And that 'new world' he was talking about had to be Anthropos. What if she hadn't left the ship to fight Freeman? Maybe she could have stopped Rain from doing what he did. If that was the case... then Terry, Sophia, Beatrix, Chizu, Father Bartholomeus, the people of EDEN, and most of the other citizens of the world, were dead because of her. Because of Yumi and her actions. The Japanese teen's eyes widened at the thought. The final thought to break the self-confidence she had obtained when she achieved first symbiosis with the Heart of the Astaroth. Yumi slumped down from Geist's embrace, and collapsed to her knees. And she cried. The hardest tears of her life. Billions of people were dead because of her and her selfishness. At least that was how she saw it from her own point of view. Fahlem was saddened to see that. He could easily tell that Yumi blamed herself for this. It was not her fault, after all she had once saved the world from the Triad of the Inquisition when they first commanded use of the AM-Cannon. She was not the guilty one here. Far from it. Fahlem crouched down and placed a hand on the sobbing Yumi's shoulder caringly. "...Yumi Mishima. You... are not to blame for any of this. No matter what the cause... the Anthropos era was forced to become a reality the moment that the Triad of the Inquisition interfered with Eros-Thanatos Cycle. That is not your fault. This is just... the will of destiny. Now we have to do all we can to put things right as best as we can. And to start... I'd like to take you to the nation that I have been aligned with for the past 6000 years. It is called Geshem. And there is a certain someone who lives there that I want you to meet. But to do that... we will need to recover the Oriax. That suit is extremely important in this era. A fact that I can't escape... not least because it is so due to a situation of my own making. But no matter what the cost... the Oriax has to be retaken from the Ashurian Empire. So we shall proceed to the village just a few miles ahead in the morning. There we shall eat and think about our next move." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 650 miles northwest of the Forests of Seth, deeper inland of Horan, was the large and influential Ashurian base known as St. Mary's. It was a large seven floor compound forged into the shape of a triangular arrowhead. It was located just at the edge of the Western Horan coast, with direct access to the Tarawa River via an underground sea port. St. Mary's Base was created to facilitate both the military and scientific needs of Ashurian interested in Horan. This was the part of the world where life once originated from. Therefore this was the perfect place to station the hub of Ashurian interests in Horan. To the northern part of the compound, there was a very long runway which stretched out inland. Three fully armoured Ashurian guards stood waiting there with another young man, who was fully dressed in the white robes of a scientist. And all four of them looked up into the sky. They stared at a small shuttle that was descending towards the runway from the clouds above. As the shuttle made its preparations to land, the automatic doors in its underside, those that contained its landing wheels, started to open. The white-painted shuttle swiftly came down from the sky and gently eased onto the runway of the base, rolling along the floor until it slowed enough to reach a stop. The three guards and the scientist marched up to the landed shuttle, which had come down just fifteen metres away from them. The door in the hull of the shuttle opened as they came close. It touched the ground and left behind a set of stairs for the passenger to walk down on. And so, out came a woman, accompanied by two of her own armoured guards. But she was no ordinary woman. This middle-aged female, dressed in a white coat of her own, walked down the steps and faced those who had come to see her. This woman was one who had proven herself to be the most significant force in the scientific field of the Ashurian Empire. This woman was Diana 'Magnus' Katrianna. With a sole finger she pushed her spectacles into place and with the other she straightened out her shoulder-length russet hair. Shortly before saying to the head of her addressors, "Greetings, Doctor Mien." Doctor Alec Mien, the informal assistant to the head scientific team of the St. Mary's base, bobbed his head before Diana with an eager and awe-ridden smile. "The pleasure is all mine, Doctor Katrianna! I have heard so much about your work! How was your trip to Meshezabel? Were any problems encountered with your analysis of the Ragnarok System's recent malfunction?" Diana shook her head at that. "It was nothing more than a simple bug within the databanks of Leviticus. Some undeletable codes have gathered up in the system to form... unexpected anomalies. And those anomalies have taken deep root within the Gospel Template; the most specific example of which being the Terran holographic generators. Thus causing these recent 'ghost sightings'. If the system update had been put back by a month like I warned the Council Electorate, this probably could have been avoided. But other than that... things checked out well. The overall efficiency of Genesis, Deuteronomy and Exodus has not been effected by these recent problems. But it will mean that use of the new Stolas-type Marionettes and the Initiative Trigger program will have to be put back by two more days. We can't have that Leviticus' bug spreading into anymore of the military workings of the Empire. I gave them the anti-virus software necessary to delete the anomaly in Leviticus, but... destroying something of that size will take time." "I understand, Ma'am." Said Doctor Mien. Diana nodded to him, then spoke onwards. "And what of your work? How have things proceeded?" "Come and see for yourself, doctor! I think you will be very pleased!" And so the two left. The seven remaining guards entered the plane and began to unload some of the things that had been brought with Diana after she left Meshezabel. While the two scientists marched down the path of the runway and into the northern prong of the base. They followed a long path inwards, while Diana welcomed and acknowledged her 'fans' here. She was the most popular and accomplished scientific authority in the Ashurian Empire, so it was no surprise that she was treated so well here. Eventually they came to a lift entrance. Doctor Mien and Doctor Katrianna entered and they were taken down to an underground level of the base. It was most definitely the lowest section of the complex. Because when the doors of the lift opened again, Diana was greeted to the sight of rocks and stalactites of a cave roof. It was a large room. One that had to be more than 200 metres wide. The floor and some sections of the walls were covered over by plastics and metal to give better mobility for the twenty or so other scientists who were working down here. The most significant sight of all though, was the instrument of destruction in the centre of the cave. On the gigantic podium in that part of the hall was a weapon. Approximately 57 metres and 36 centimetres in length. It was shaped like a long and thick snob-nosed rifle with a slight dip in form for the triangular handle/grip. It was most obviously a handheld weapon designed for a Meta Suit. A few of the scientists at hand (who looked like ants next to it) worked on its completion. While Diana and Doctor Mien looked down at it from the metal balcony they were on. Diana's glasses gleamed in the artificial light provided by the electrical lamps overhanging the roof of the cave. "Hmm. As I expected. You have completed it..." "Almost," Mien corrected, "this is the weapon we were able to construct thanks to the parchments we received from your department at Command Central. This little beauty is the Wechselhaft Zerst”rung Klinge Gewehr (the Variable Destruction Blade Rifle). A synthetic and contemporary replica of the Arrow of Seraphiel, 'the weapon that transcended destiny and pierced the heart of the prototype'. We have decided to call it the Kaiser Halberd. I think this should show you the scope of our talents in full." "It is very impressive indeed..." Diana agreed, "...what was the fallout?" Doctor Mien leaned down on the railing. "I'd say about 2.3 billion credits. It cost the base a good 1/4 of its annual budget. But it was worth it to build the Kaiser Halberd. There's no Meta Suit weapon on Earth or Meshezabel that surpasses this. I just hope that the Counter Kaiser Halberd can match up to it." "That's being developed in Aryahm, is it not?" Diana asked. "Uh huh," Doctor Mien confirmed, "they have said that the Counter Kaiser Halberd is about 85% complete. But that is understandable. They began the production of the Counter version at least five months behind us. Though we helped them by supplying codes and details on possible adjustments to errors... it's a miracle that they've been able to get so much done by now." Diana stared at the Kaiser Halberd. "...I see. And what of the operating system?" "You mean the Elohim Program? There are no issues with it as yet. We ran the tests over a Meta Suit using the Kaiser Halberd. That guy was not very talented a pilot... so I doubt he brought out the Kaiser Halberd's true power, but he did show that there are no problems in terms of interface. The Elohim Operating System is designed with remote thought-activated capabilities... so the Disruptor Rail Gun and Disruptor Expansion Sword functions are easy to activate. The only problem I see right at this moment is a possible disagreement of control between the Elohim program and the Ragnarok System, when it comes online fully. Elohim was designed for full integration into the sphere of the Ragnarok System's influence... but... because of that bug... we haven't been able to test a reaction. We have no idea as to what the outcome will be until the engineers on Meshezabel install that anti-viral program you gave them and put Leviticus back online for us." "Well that can't really be helped," Diana assured, "so there's no point in worrying about it now." Doctor Mien nodded. "I suppose." "So. Now for the biggest question of all. What of the Oriax and its pilot?" "You mean..." Mien began, "that 6000-year old Meta Suit with command over its own Soul Gear Engine? There have been mixed results with that. First off it took nearly three weeks for Doctor Quan's team to excavate the suit and the pilot inside it. Then the girl somehow set explosives in the lab and made her escape with Lune White. Since then they haven't been found in action. Which could be bad... considering what that Lune girl is..." Diana frowned. "...What of the Oriax?" "That is still in our possession. Doctor Quan's team at the South Shidou Investigative Research Station have just now completed their analysis of the suit and are flying it over here. It should be on our doorstep by this evening. I can't wait to see what it looks like. I've heard that it's the only suit possible of standing up to Lord Deathcatcher's Diablos." Then Diana's frown changed into a smile. "...That might not be the case for a great deal longer. But may I ask? Just who was it that is overseeing the shipment of the Oriax? When I was on Meshezabel I had heard a rumour that it was a soldier of the Schutzenreich." "That's true," Mien said, "and a member of the Shinjinkai, no less. It was that Aratia de Toscana woman. Of course, since the escape of the pilot and Lune White, Aratia's orders have been changed once again, apparently. I guess she must have been commanded to retrieve them." And so, Diana's smile widened. "...Aratia de Toscana, eh? Hmph. That girl has a habit of involving herself in the bigger picture. Just like someone else I once knew..." Doctor Mien shrugged, then looked down at his wrist watch. And his expression changed once he saw what time it was. "Oh no! I forgot! I have to make preparations for the arrival of the Oriax! I'm so sorry, ma'am, but I cannot show you around any further!" "It's okay," Diana said, "you can leave." The young man made his apologizes and ran for the elevator door. Diana smiled as she watched him go, then turned back around and stared out at the imposing image of the Kaiser Halberd. It was truly a fantastic piece of weaponry. The perfect hi-powered Meta Suit weapon. Diana could not help but admire it. "A contemporary weapon, huh?" "...That's just ONE of its true forms... remember...?" Diana gasped when she heard an eerily familiar voice from behind her. The woman swung herself around and looked back. Then gazed down at what had 'spoken' to her. A young girl. No more than eight years of age. Standing in a pure white dress that clamoured around her ankles, she stared up at Diana with a cold smile. But there was something odd about her. Her body had a light glow to it and was partially transparent. Like a ghost. And when the idea of that passed through Diana's mind, her frightened and startled smile of motherly warmth, the one conjured from seeing this apparition, faded. "...It's not really Rachel," She told herself, "Just a projection. Based on my memories. The periodic uplink with the Ragnarok System... must have passed on the bug. These are just... memories." "Pieces of data," Corrected the holographic projection of 'Rachel', "the original was never so arrogant." "The original was too weak. She couldn't protect you." Claimed Diana. "And so what will you do?" The older woman removed her glasses. "I have the money, the influence, and the ability. All I need is the time. And then... everything I have worked for... the things that matter most to me... to what I am... and what I was..." Rachel's false image widened its smile. "...If that is your choice then so be it. The impetus for your desire is not unworthy and the force is most convincing. But the consequences of both failure and success are high. But then you already know that, don't you?" Then suddenly, the image faded. Rachel's projection vanished into thin air. It had been created by the fault in Leviticus; one of the four super-computers that formulated the sheer overwhelming power of the Ragnarok System. Diana knew that it wasn't... real. If she could use such a word in her own position. The scientist turned back around and looked down upon the Kaiser Halberd. And her eyes hardened with resolve. "...It will happen soon, Rachel. You just wait. Mommy will have you back soon enough... please be patient..." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The country of Horan was now the biggest of the world. It was made up of large clusters of land mass that had shifted closer together as a result of the geographical changes committed to the world after Deathcatcher's attack, 6000 years ago. The majority of which being the countries of the Mediterranean, India, and the Lower Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Jordan etc.). However the bulk of it was formed from the many countries of Africa. Thus the populous of the country were predominantly black. But it was a large (are arguably the least effected) land mass of the world and so people from all nations came here to live after the great catastrophe. It was rich with the livestock that made up your average food package, as well as natural resources and precious metals like gold and silver. But the important thing about Horan was that it was not (and never had been) a recognized nation. Unlike nations like Canaan and Shengong, Horan had no centralized authority claming dominion over it. The people of the land governed themselves. They lived divided, either in minute villages or in the ruins of the old cities that were still left standing. This ultimately meant that the rules and laws changed depending on where you went. Acts such as slavery, prostitution and murder might be strictly forbidden in one Horan village, and then be completely acceptable in another. Some people had taken it upon themselves to try and bring unity to Horan by conquering all villages under its name; but those plans never took shape. There was a new sense however, that the Ashurian Empire was looking to do that same thing. Whether or not that rumour was unfounded was more or less a debatable point, but... most people could accept the possibility. It was well known that the Ashurian Empire had the money and willpower to take over Horan. But so far nobody could prove that they were going to do that. That was the life of the nation of Horan. After morning hit, Yumi, Lune and Fahlem left the Forests of Seth behind and continued their journey northwards. After walking for what seemed to be less than an hour, the three travellers came to the village-city of Troas. The same city that Geist had spoken of the previous night. And it was the closest thing that Horan had to a capital city. Troas was essentially the ruins of the metropolis that had once been known to the old civilizations of the Sermo and Nous periods as Meta Johannesburg/Johannesburg. By now it was nothing more than a three-mile wide set of crumbling skyscrapers, ruined homes, broken-down shops, cracked roads and rubble. When they entered the city; Geist and Lune took it in their stride. This, after all, was no more than what they had seen before. But Yumi was dumbstruck. She stared wide eyed at the state of this place when she walked through it. The city was a state. It bared all the hallmarks of a 22nd Century city, but with none of the life. Troas stood out as a ruined, corrupted twin of its former self. Like a shadow. Yet people still lived here. They acted as normally as peaceful people would. Some sold fruit and vegetables from side carts and tents. Others bought those fruits and vegetables. Some walked around with their families in tow while others worked hard at their jobs, to earn money for their living expenses. And they were completely untroubled by the background they were existing in. All the broken windows, roofless old houses and shattered street floors didn't matter to them. And Yumi could not understand it. Until she realized that these people had been living like this since they were born. This was their life. As it had been for their forefathers. This was the life for everyone who was born after or survived Deathcatcher's mortal assault on the world. And it also occurred to her that Rain Harland had been the one to do this. Though now, everyone called him 'Deathcatcher'. Freeman had been right all along. He was an Ashtar. That was how he survived through time to make it to this day. But Yumi couldn't understand how he could have done something like this. Her memory of what happened before her Divine Hibernation was not effected and so she could remember sitting on the room of the Saffron household with him. She remembered talking to him about his feelings for his friend Edwina. And he seemed like such a sweet boy. Why was it then... that he committed this act on the world? Did it have something to do with the death of Edwina? Freeman had killed both the girl and her family in cold blood. And she could tell that he relied on them a lot. That was the act that triggered his Divine Hibernation, after all. Was it... Divine Hibernation that caused him to become so heartless and cold that he would destroy the entire world? And if that was the case... just what had Divine Hibernation done to Yumi? The first time that she underwent the process she felt refreshed and energized. Almost like she had lost all her fears and become something else. But after awakening from it a second time she felt no change whatsoever. In fact, each second it felt as though she were slipping back into her old self. What would be the outcome of her? What would be the consequences of achieving a complete symbiosis with the Heart of the Astaroth? That was something that Yumi was determined to find out... but she was also scared to. Would she... become something like Deathcatcher...? A moment later, the three-strong party came to a forked road in between four crumbling skyscrapers. A few stalls were around selling weapons, food and clothing. Of the twenty or so people out about, the majority of them peaked at the food on offer. When they came to this point, Fahlem stopped walking. Lune and a distracted Yumi stopped with him. Though Lune was the one who was concerned by it. "Is something wrong?" She asked, "Why did you stop like that?" Fahlem placed a hand in one of his pockets and cocked his head to the left. Lune followed his glance and saw what he was gesturing to. It was the right skyscraper of the street corner. It had been converted into some kind of restaurant; as indicated by the banner overhanging the door. The 6000-year old doctor adjusted his glasses. "We should all stop and get something to eat. I have plenty of credits to pay for a meal." "That sounds good to me." Lune said in acceptance. "...You go on," Yumi's reply was slightly more downcast, "...I really don't feel very hungry right now." Lune's eyes were filled with that sisterly concern again. "...But Yumi, you haven't eaten anything since... we got out of that place. You'll make yourself sick if you don't eat anything." "She's right, Yumi," Fahlem added, "You can't starve yourself." Yumi sighed and lifted her head up. "...I know. I will eat something. Soon. I just need a few moments to myself. To just... I dunno... think about what's happened to me. And what's happened to the world and everything else. I'll... eat later just... not now." Geist sighed with defeat. "Fair enough. I suppose we can't force you. Just don't go getting yourself lost. Stay close by and then come back in at least an hour's time. Once you come back we can start planning out our next move from here on in." Yumi nodded to that and strode off. Leaving behind Geist and a worried Lune. To be honest Yumi wanted to get away from both of them for the moment. The more she saw them the more she heard them speak of the world with knowledge. Yet Yumi knew next to nothing. Once again she had been thrown into the firestorm of destiny and yet again she felt more confused than ever. The girl from the former Japan marched down that particular street of Troas, turning a corner from the restaurant. When she did she came by what looked to be the ruins of a park. It was a long expanse of grass with an old swing set on the far side, next to stone brick wall that sealed off a abandoned section of town. A couple stall were set up in the park. About four of five. One sold cakes, one sold jewellery and one sold clothing. The other two were more threatening. Those stalls were selling firearm weapons and intravenous drugs. Yumi was more than startled to see someone actually selling heroine in broad daylight. But there was one woman in the park that managed to pull her attentions away from that. Yumi heard her scream, "Thirty bucks for a goddamned pendant?! Are you kidding me?! I've got a buddy in Shengong who sells gear just as good as this for like HALF the price!" Although she really couldn't have explained it at that point, Yumi just stood there and evaluated this woman. She looked to be about a year older than Yumi was (in terms of looks) and was just a slight bit taller than Yumi herself. Maybe by about half an inch. The girl had Asiatic looks, and was obviously Japanese in descent. A point confirmed by her code of dress; a sort of hybrid mix between a purple kimono and a pair of denim jeans. She ruffled her short, spiky black hair in a huff and glared hard at the black shopkeeper she was trying to buy. Then she turned her irate glare to Yumi. "Hey you there!" Yumi pointed at herself. "M-me...?" "Yeah, you!" The girl confirmed, "Do you see me looking in anyone else's direction? Now could you do me a favour? Could you spot me like... twelve credits? I can pay you back later!" The white-haired teen shook her head. "...But... I don't have... money..." "You're broke? Dah. Forget it, then." The black-haired stranger tossed the pendant she wanted to buy back into the hands of the stall-keeper, "You better pray to Allah, Buddha and Yahweh that your marketing targets are up to snuff, old man. You aren't gonna lift this stuff at these prices." That man just snorted at her and placed the piece of jewellery on the black blanket that his other pendants were on. The short-haired woman then leaned up from the stall and jogged over to Yumi. She stopped when they came face to face with each other. And the stranger smile curiously at her. "Sorry you had to see that," She said, "but these dudes in Troas are such freaking con-artists. You'd expect more when people are suffering so much but what can you do, eh?" Though Yumi didn't realize it, she was blushing. "...W-who... are you?" Of course, this girl did notice it. Which was probably the thing that caused her to widen her smile. "...Me? My name is a certain one that you won't soon forget. Not by a longshot..." "W-what makes you say that...?" This stranger, who still had not really introduced herself, reached out and placed her soft fingertips under Yumi's chin, staring eye-to-eye with her. Yumi's blush expanded; while the girl's grin widened. "...You like girls, don't you?" Something said 'don't reply' in Yumi's mind. And so she didn't. When no reply came to that, the girl closed her eyes and chuckled. "...The name is Tomoko Minaba." "...Tomoko?" Yumi mused, "I knew it... you're... Japanese..." Tomoko stared oddly at Yumi. "...Japa-what?" It dawned on Yumi once more that she was more or less in a different world now. The old names for the old countries were no longer used. And at that point she made a mental note to ask Fahlem about the geography of the world now. "Sorry, my mistake..." Yumi said, shaking her head. "I guess it is," Tomoko uttered, "So just who are you?" "...I'm... Yumi. Yumi Mishima..." Tomoko placed her hand on her chin. "Yumi Mishima, huh? Hmm. I guess you must come from Jaankang, like me, if you've got a name like that. So just what's an Eastern girl like you doing in Troas?" Now Yumi remembered Fahlem's advice not to reveal too much about herself to anyone. Though Tomoko didn't seem to be an extremely significant person (at least not in the way that Yumi was thinking) there didn't seem to be any harm in it either. But then what could she say? That she was a 6000 year old girl who unwillingly gained power by linking herself to a 12,000 year old force called Astaroth? It was kind of a struggle Yumi couldn't really resolve on the spot like that. Definitely not now. "Uh... well..." "...Not the talkative type, huh?" Tomoko suggested, "I thought so. Still, I'm a talker myself. This way we won't be butting heads, will we? But whatever. You don't have to tell me anything. A girl always has a few secrets in her bonnet. More to the point..." Just as Tomoko was about to answer that, a loud and echoing crash rang out across that part of the city of Troas. Yumi and Tomoko shuddered from the force of that which they knew to be an explosion, and turned to the left. A cloud of dust spread out across the park and streets from the immediate point of explosion. Flames roared up from the ruins of the target, and old building that was now nothing more than a pile of burnt rocks. The smoke followed. As did the screams of the frightened women around. Corpses were resting in the flames now. A sight that could still be horrific in this day and age. Yumi and Tomoko got over their outright shock and stared at the cause of the explosion. Which was now hanging in the sky. Yumi scowled. "Meta Suits!" Three suits, all of them in an ashen sandy brown colour, with heavy plates of lumbering and clunky armour; flew above the blast site. Their steel hands were armed with short-nosed beam rifles. Though Yumi had never seen that type of Meta Suit before, it shared a lot of similarities with the old Zagan-types. The Zagans favoured defence over attack, displayed by the amount of armour that they were encased in. But there was nothing that Yumi could do about it. From what she knew the Oriax was still in South Shidou. Locked within the halls of the SSIRS. While Yumi looked at the flying Meta Suits in the distance with worry, Tomoko stared up at them with a confident smile. "Heh, heh, heh," She laughed, "So those bastards show themselves once again, eh? This makes the job a little easier." Suddenly, one of the pilots, the pilot of Modified-Zagan #2, yelled out through the speakers of the mouthpiece of his Meta Suit. "Now! You people who are proposed with subjugation by the Ashurian Empire! The Blue Fire Gang is back! We are all brave Horans who wish only for peace! But that will never be achieved if the Ashurians threaten us! But fear not! We can protect you! Just give us your food as compensation and we'll protect you all!" While the people of the town (those who were outside) stood silent with fear, too afraid to move and too afraid to answer, another Meta Suit came flying down from the skies. A sleek red suit with an old Japanese Samurai feel to it. Yumi stared at the Meta Suit as it came flying down to the same air level as the three Modified-Zagans. On its back was a large Energy Katana. Which meant that the suit ran on a Qi-Generator. Yumi gazed at the suit with this throbbing sense of nostalgia. And then it hit her like a hard right hook. "Wait a minute... is that... the Bishamon...?"
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