~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chronicle Two - the battleship Leviathan ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It's cold. I'm so cold. Why am I so cold? "Why are you fighting it? That's your real question, ain't it? You can't fight your true nature. That's what it's about..." ...I don't... understand... "Is that the way you think? One who is shrouded in darkness must remain so because it suits her? It's that kind of thinking that brought me to this pass. Don't shirk your responsibilities and mistake that for wisdom." What... are... you talking about...? "Please stop it, you two... I don't want... I don't want to think about all this right now... please stop..." Darkness. That was all Yumi could see. Pure and utter darkness. Cold and inhospitable. Ill winds seeped in from an unknown location. And because of that Yumi felt so cold. But she had no idea which direction the wind was coming from. Because she had no idea where she was. The hacker stood upright in the middle of a field of darkness. No one around her. No trees. No grass. No water. No birds. Nothing. A spotlight crashed down on her. Allowing herself to at least be seen. Though Yumi believed that there was no one around to do that. Until three spotlights came down on three select places around the girl. Which revealed three others. Three select figures. On a initial inspection, it might have seemed like Yumi had come into contact with people she didn't know. But she did know them. In some odd way. Because they were a part of her. Yumi looked to her right. The woman standing there was Yumi Mishima. An older version of her. A twentysomething. A jaded look crossed her face as she dragged a cigarette in and out of her mouth, puffing out smoke. While her clothes were a reflection... of at least one aspect of her. An outfit best described as... slutty. The leather boots and the jacket and the break-away bra. All her clothing reeked of cigarettes and alcohol, and was stained with hardened discharge. She was a prostitute. Hacker Yumi turned her eyes from Prostitute Yumi and looked over at the spotlight ahead of her. The one that was in between Prostitute Yumi and the other. She was a young girl. No more than a child. In her hand was a teddy bear. With her other she wiped the tears from her eyes. Her frilly yellow dress was covered in blood. Hacker Yumi locked eyes with Child Yumi, watching her sob uncontrollably. The very sight of her was as frightening as seeing Prostitute Yumi was shocking. Somehow she managed to take her eyes away from Child Yumi. Then looked over to the left. Which was when she found herself gazing at another version of herself. This one was far more dignified and educated, dressed in a business suit with a female cut to it. With one finger, Bourgeois Yumi adjusted her glasses by shifting them up the bridge of her nose, while her cold glance observed Prostitute Yumi with both disgust and attraction. Hacker Yumi blinked. "W-what's going on here...?" Prostitute Yumi sniggered at her. "Looks like the social recluse's got somethin' to say. Ain't that rich? But then they do say that it's always the quiet ones, don't they?" "You have no soul," Bourgeois Yumi suggested, "Do you know that? You are a complete and utter moron. You treat your body like a commodity for anyone to sample. Is that how you think you can live? By debasing yourself?" "But at the end of the day... I'm a lot happier than you are, right? And isn't that what everyone wants? To be happy? How exactly do YOU fit that role, you little elitist? Dignity's pretty cool, but, who needs dignity when you're getting fucked?" "Pervert!" Bourgeois Yumi yelled, "can you really believe that? You'd lead this girl along by those selfish desires? When you know that she could be doing so much more?! Would you honestly seek to free her from self constraint? Knowing what that would lead to?" Prostitute Yumi took a drag from her cigarette. Then puffed out a cloud of smoke. "And if she didn't, would she have survived that attack by those guys on her and that hot little number Chizuru? Man, do you see everything in black and white?" "Maybe that's true. But Yumi also needs restraint. Would you allow her to live without that? If that is the case then who knows what might happen to her in the future. If she wants to use her powers and love Chizuru at the same time then she must do so with proper guidance. She can't do that by following childish impulses and lusty urges!" "So you're just gonna let her suffer with her guilt? That's just like you! She's been coping with that for ten fucking years! That's why she can't remember anything! Do you wanna reduce her... to that?!" Bourgeois Yumi turned to the centre of their group once Prostitute Yumi pointed there. And they both looked at Child Yumi. Who was still crying her eyes out in her bloodstained dress, while whispering the word 'Daddy' repeatedly. Both of the adult Yumi's and the teen hacker Yumi watched this wholeheartedly. Eventually she calmed herself enough to speak to both Bourgeois Yumi and Prostitute Yumi saying, "I wish... you'd... all... be quiet. I don't care about power! I don't care about that! I just want my Daddy!" "...Well, this isn't going to be resolved," Claimed Bourgeois Yumi... ...who was followed up by Prostitute Yumi, saying, "until you side with one of us." Hacker Yumi gazed at them with both confusion and surprise. And all three of the other Yumis turned around to face her with very different expressions upon their faces, but they said the exact same thing in unison to her... "Or do you choose... death?" "Or do you choose... death?" "Or do you choose... death?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Yumi stirred, moaning slightly from the throat. In her semi-sleeping state she could hear sounds. The sound of waves crashing lightly against shores. As well as the sound of fire. Crackling with embers and bark. But a controlled fire. It was not the fire of war. Yumi sighed for a moment, then opened her sky blue eyes. Her head was propped up on a log. Because of this she looked directly up into the sky. It was night. The moon was full. The stars were shining brightly in the background. A dark bejewelled heaven that cascaded over a setting that was not Meta Tokyo. But a region outside it. Yumi groaned, feeling a throbbing pain inside her skull. Then eased up on the log. When she looked around she started to adjust to where she was. And who she was with. She was by the sand of a beach. At a sparse campsite. In the centre of camp was a fire, lit with wood. And in the far distance was the intimidating presence of Meta Tokyo. Its gigantic skyscrapers dominating the city. Then she paid more focus to the ones around the campsite. Across from her, sitting quite calmly on another log was Chizuru. And adjacent from Chizuru was a Western male with whom she felt no affiliation. He was blonde and looked to be about 20 or 21 years of age. He had his hand stuffed into the pockets of his chestnut brown bomber jacket, while a sheathed Japanese katana dangled from a strap around the waist of his denims. He jerked his head with a smile, causing his ponytail to fall over his shoulder, then eyed Yumi over. "Hey," He said softly, "you okay?" Yumi looked over at Chizuru once more, then gazed over at the blonde guy. "Who... are you...?" "Who me? It's Terry. Terry Hennig." "Are you an American or something?" Yumi asked. Terry sniggered. "Well I guess you could say that. My Mom was an American. Hence the first name. And my Dad was a German. Hence the second name. But that really isn't important at this point. What matters is you, Yumi Mishima. And how you're gonna handle yourself from now on." "...First things first..." Yumi looked over at Meta Tokyo, "explain to me just how I got here. I remember that Chizuru and I were attacked by two men in front of my apartment building. And then one of them grabbed me by the neck. After that, everything gets...hazy..." Chizuru squirmed, finally speaking. "...Yumi... maybe it isn't a good idea... to be thinking about all that right now. Please just try and get some rest." "...But... I want to know, Chizuru..." Terry sighed out of impulse and stepped into the space of the camp. He took a seat at one of the logs he had managed to salvage for the night they might be forced to spend here. "...I'll tell you. I guess the stress of your first time piloting a Qi-Generator Meta Suit was too much for you." Yumi narrowed her eyes. "...Qi...?" "The lifeforce of all living things," Terry answered, "everyone has it. Everything alive or that's been alive has it. The only thing that's different between people in terms of Qi is the magnitude of it. Some people have smaller reserves of it. Some people have so little Qi that they aren't even aware of it until death. But there are others... who have huge levels of Qi in their bodies. And you're one of them." Yumi pointed at herself. "...Me...?" "Yup. It was that Qi force of yours that brought you here, in so many ways. Once your powers took form... your body teleported itself right into that Meta Suit... over there." Terry, Chizuru, and most of all Yumi, turned to the left in the direction facing away from Meta Tokyo. Yumi's eyes widened when she saw it genuinely for the first time. The Oriax. It loomed over the campsite with its large shadow, still beaming with polish and sparkle. The three of them stared at the bio-mechanical titan with awe and esteem, especially Terry, who said, "That machine is apparently called the Oriax. A weapon developed by Protocol for still unknown reasons. I don't know how or why, but that mecha is connected to you somehow. Once your powers put you inside the suit, I couldn't catch sight of you. But then I heard the battle that took place by the Shinrai Complex. I knew that it had to be you. So I followed you outside the city. And your friend here came with me. By the time we caught up with you and the Oriax, night had already fallen. And you were unconscious. The cockpit probably ejected you by itself when it realized that you weren't able to pilot it any further." Yumi was dumbfounded. Her eyes rolled up and down to take in the sight of the Meta Suit. While her neck leaned back to get a full view of the machine. She had actually piloted something like that? But she didn't even remember doing it. And for that matter... how did she even know how to operate it? In college the lessons in manning construction-type Meta Suits were available to everyone. But not once had Yumi applied for them. It seemed inconceivable that she could have known how to use something like the Oriax. While Yumi marvelled at the Oriax, Chizuru looked over at Terry with a curious glare. "...I wanna know something." "...Shoot." "How do you know these things?" Chizuru questioned, "just who are you? Really? Are you a member of Protocol or something?" Terry scratched the back of his head with a chuckle. "Me? A member of Protocol? Heh! That's a laugh! But the fact that you girls have both left a Meta City without permission of a checkpoint makes things a little easier. 'Cause you're more or less outlaws now. So I guess there ain't much harm in telling you... who I work for." Yumi turned back. "Who... you work for?" "Yeah. I'm a fighter in the Anti-Protocol Rebel Army. And we call ourselves Chrysalis. We operate directly under the orders of Father Bartholomeus, the leader of our sovereign demi-nation; EDEN." "EDEN? Chrysalis?" Yumi shook her head, "What is all this?" Terry picked up a twig from the sand and tossed it into the camp fire to brighten it. "Look... I'm not good with the explanations. Suffice it to say... that I'm not a Protocol ass-kisser. Those bastards don't give a crap about who their hurt or who they exploit, just so long as they get their way. And I'll be damned if we have to suffer them forever. Chrysalis is the only hope left for mankind. Or what's left of it." "So you're... terrorists?" Yumi stated. Terry lowered his head with a grin. "...Not quite... but... I suppose you can see it like that from your position. You are a Meta City citizen after all." Chizuru didn't let up. "If you're a member of this Chrysalis thing then what were you doing in Meta Tokyo?" "I was looking for Yumi." The hacker shifted on the log. "You were looking for me?" "That's right," Terry answered, leaning back, "I guess right now you're kind of thinking of yourself as a normal kid. But for some reason, Protocol has an interest in you. And considering that you managed to assimilate with that Oriax monster over there, I can't really blame them. Our informants in Meta Tokyo managed to find out about that. So I snuck into the city to protect you." "Did you come to protect her or kidnap her?" Chizuru asked suspiciously. Terry held a hand to his forehead. "Look, I know this is all coming as a shock to you both. But I'm not here to put you in any nasty positions. For the most part... we just want to talk with Yumi." "We?" Yumi looked over at Terry again, "Who else?" "Our leader. Head of the Ark of the Luria and ruler of the people of EDEN. Father Bartholomeus. He's a wise old guy. He might be able to answer some of the questions you've got." "What if I don't want to go? What if I just wanna go home?" Yumi answered. "Yeah, well, you don't have any choice in that respect." Yumi scowled fearfully. "W-what's that mean?!" "Are you forgetting what you did? It's not like you could have escaped Meta Tokyo with flight alone. You downed three Protocol Meta Suits to get free. Not to mention the fact that the guy you killed was an agent for Protocol as well. If you go back, you'll be arrested for sure." The claim of arrest didn't bother Yumi. But the comment that Terry made about her killing someone did. The Japanese teen suddenly saw flashes of what happened back in Meta Tokyo. Seeing that guy pummel Chizuru with kicks. Having that other man almost choke her to death. It all came flooding back. Which was when Yumi remembered what it is that she had done. In front of Chizuru, she had used her Qi to kill the man that was holding her. And she would have killed that other guy too if her senses hadn't come back. THAT was what happened. That was the event that triggered her union with the Oriax. Yumi had actually... killed someone. The moment those horrible images came to mind, Yumi screamed hoarsely and grabbed her head. Her brain ached maddeningly from the force of both sadness and guilt. "Aaaah!" She yelped, rolling of the log. Terry and Chizuru hurried to her side to see what the problem was, but Yumi couldn't focus on them, and yelled, "IT'S NOT TRUE!" Terry pressed a hand into her shoulder. "Hey, kid, are you alright?" "Stay away from me!" Shouted Yumi, batting Terry's hand away. The girl then hopped to her feet and dashed away, leaving the camp with tears pouring down from her eyes already. Chizuru and Terry stood back watching her leave. Though Terry was the one most shocked. "I'll go after her." Chizuru said, then ran in the same direction to catch up with her. Terry stood alone, surrounded by the tall shadow of the Oriax and the sound of the waves. Though his mission was based on Yumi, he couldn't help but turn a little attention to Chizuru, stating, "Hmm. For a girl who just saw her friend blow a guy's head into bloody mush... she seems... pretty calm..." Close by to the beach was a small forest area. With plenty of trees and grass patches surrounding the area. The small forest animals scattered from the grounds nearby when they all heard the sound of footsteps. Those footsteps came to a stop when the accompanying sobs took on a new pitch. The sobs of Yumi. The white-haired girl lowered herself to the ground and cried, gripping herself by the shoulders. She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe that she was capable of killing someone. It wasn't her nature. It wasn't her way. And it was all a result of this horrible power inside of her. Yumi wept, her heart swelling with anguish. Why did it have to be her? Why did it have to be her who held this power? Shortly behind Yumi came Chizuru. The young woman stopped when she reached the hacker. But she was in bits. Yumi had a very fragile heart by anyone's standards. No matter how much she tried to distance herself from people. It could never hide her weaknesses. And especially not from Chizuru. The long-haired girl reached her hand out. "...Yumi, I..." "S-stay away!" Yumi yelled, "...stay... a-away..." Chizuru sighed, shaking her head. Then she stepped forwards, walking up to the emotionally-fazed Yumi. The unintentional pilot of the Oriax closed her eyes to try and end her tears. Not knowing that Chizuru was moving closer to her. Just until she felt Chizuru's arms wrap themselves around her waist. Yumi gasped and her soft blue eyes shot open, her sparkling tears falling from them in the moonlight. Chizuru settled her embrace of the girl, resting her chin on Yumi's shoulder. "Please stop crying..." She said sweetly, "...I don't like seeing you this way. You did what you did... to protect me. I don't see any harm in that. Don't blame yourself...okay?" "...But...?" Chizuru moaned softly against her ear. "Promise me, Yumi. Promise me that you won't blame yourself for any of this. Can you do that one thing for me?" "...Okay..." Yumi still didn't think she could put this behind her. But it did make her happy to know that Chizuru didn't think of her as a freak. It was a surprisingly understanding attitude from someone who was normally so superficial. "C'mon," Chizuru prodded in a whisper, "lets go back to the camp, okay? We can't go back to Meta Tokyo now, right? I think we can trust him. You get going and make up with Terry. I just need a moment to myself." Yumi nodded slowly and finally got her breathing and crying under control. "...Okay... Chizuru." Chizuru released Yumi from her hug and they stood up together. Yumi looked up at the slightly taller girl with watery eyes that wordlessly thanked Chizuru for her support. And the look that she gave in reply told Yumi not to worry about it. With that she walked back to the camp, leaving Chizuru behind. Once Yumi was gone, Chizuru lifted up her wrist and pulled down her jacket sleeve. A wrist watch, or something that looked like one, was under it. And the Japanese girl spoke into it. "16th of August. Tenth year of Tendo. Mishima, Yumi's Qi has been unlocked. Contact with a Chrysalis operative has been made." Over by the beach, Yumi walked back into the campsite. But now a new sound had been added to the setting. The sound of large motors moving in unison with tremendous horse power. Wind blew down on the beach, spreading the sand across and blowing out the flames of the campfire. Terry stood in the very middle of the encampment looking up into the night sky. As did Yumi. But her eyes widened when she did so. A huge cylinder-shaped hi-tech vessel of steel was hovering a good 200 metres in the air. It was gigantic. So large in fact that it made the Oriax seem small. Yumi had to yell to be heard over the sound of the running motors of that vessel. "W-what the heck is that!?" Yumi wondered. Terry grinned proudly. "Heh! That's Chrysalis's mobile air/sea/land battleship. Yumi Mishima? Say hello to the Leviathan." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Okay, now begins today's briefing!" The Shinrai Complex had been on red alert since the escape of the Oriax. All but those in the top ranks had been obsessing about it. More guards had been stationed around the walls of the upper level. And Meta Suits had been shipped in from the Tokyo Bay base for the defence of the complex. But this was all just standard procedure. It didn't amount to much. Because everyone knew that the Oriax was outside of Meta Tokyo by now. Three surveillance teams had been sent out to scour the city. But nothing had been found inside its districts. These events were the talk of the Divine Blade. The highest ranking officials of which had gathered together in the conference room of the Shinrai Complex's second floor. Over sixty men and women, young and old, had taken their seats in large rows whilst waiting for General Naam to give his briefing on the next battle. But even before the briefing, talk of the mecha that had escaped the compound was rife. Nobody in the ranks of the Holy Protocol Army had more of an understanding of Meta Suits than these folk. So it was logical that these events were considered highly controversial by them. General Naam stood at a large podium on a slightly risen stage next to the front of the room. Behind him was a huge video screen which was now charged for the briefing. Naam continued, saying, "As you all know... there was a breech of security recently. Because of that, the experimental Meta Suit, Oriax, has been taken from both the Shinrai Complex and Meta Tokyo. We know this because our scout teams have discovered no trace of the suit. Thus our upcoming battle may involve this machine. So I shall instruct you on its capabilities." The video screen behind Naam came on, presenting a computerized 3D picture of the Oriax. The group gasped at the looks of it, while their general continued, "This is the Oriax. Its capabilities are far superior to those of normal Meta Suits. Thus fighting it will take a joint effort from us. Because of the Qi-Generator inside of the mecha it cannot be piloted by just anyone under the sun. Which should prove the significance of the current pilot. Now. Its vital statistics. The Oriax possesses no thermal energy weapons but has the ability produce a curved energy knife referred to as Gauntlet Blade from its left hand. Both of the hands of the mecha contain hidden twin Gatling Guns that hold a maximum of 8000 bullets for either hand. It has the power to fire that ammunition at a 200 bullets per second rate. It also possesses a Wave/Anti-Wave Generator in addition to its Qi-Generator. This gives Oriax the power to produce sonic wave patterns and counter other wave patterns with Anti-Wave ones. The power of sound is useless against it because of this. Underneath the chestplate of the machine is a jewelled form of energy that is connected directly to the Qi-Generator. From this comes the attack known as the Jupiter Maelstrom. A highly concentrated beam of energy well surpassing a heat of 2,500 degrees at less than 50% of its full capacity. If you expect to stay alive... don't get in the path of that beam. Those are the Oriax's skills in terms of offence. In sheer capability, it manipulates Zero Gravity Movement; i.e. flight. The Qi-Generator also has the ability to produce spherical Qi Barriers to protect the mecha. Its strength, speed and firepower outclass any individual Meta Suits that are in the possession of the Divine Blade. However if we attack it in a series of coordinated waves I am sure that it can be bested. Now. I want all of you to prepare for the next battle. Soon we will being our attack on EDEN. Once our plans have been finalized, you will be briefed on them as well. That ends today's briefing. Return to your quarters at your own leisure." General Naam then stepped off the podium, walking away toward the door. Leaving his soldiers to ruminate on what he had told them. And on the image of the Oriax on the screen. All the same, most of them stood up and talked it over as they left. But three particular men (and one woman) of the group did not move. They sat at the back of the conference room whilst watching the representation of the Oriax on the screen. The 'leader' of those four soldiers, a Swiss pilot - Kraepelin, smiled at the video screen. "Hmm. It's an impressive beast, that's for sure. I can see why the Upper Council wants the Divine Blade to deal with it." A slightly younger Canadian black man, Steed, sneered at the suit and its description. "The General is overreacting about it. It only took down three Zagan-model Meta Suits. Our Amon-type suits outgun those old models hands down." "Don't underestimate it," Claimed the Welsh pilot Ry, eldest and wisest of the bunch, "our Amons are powerful... but the Ochiai Research Team have created strong mecha in the past." The female of the group, the Australian girl known as Aria, crossed her arms and chuckled. "I heard that those production-model Baal-type Meta Suits that have already been deployed for the defence of Ix Nos Babel and the Lunar Station, had their operating systems created here at the Shinrai Building. Think there's a connection?" "It doesn't matter, either way," Kraepelin added, "if we're ordered to bring it in, we'll bring it in. If we're ordered to destroy it, then we'll destroy it. We are soldiers after all. We don't have to worry about the reason. Only the result. The one created by our hands." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Leviathan was unlike anything Yumi had ever seen before. A vessel that not even the Trigger Mode software she had downloaded could have conceived. It was a technological paradise. Steel and iron framing almost everything. The lifts, computers, vending machines, lavatories, showers, televisions and internet terminals were all controlled or powered by a central computer that acted as the brain of the ship. Such ships had often been denounced as pure fiction on all the forums and message lists that Yumi had toured in her time. Yet this was real. And it didn't have a single scrap of metal supplied to it by Protocol. This technology was purely of the world outside of the Meta Cities. The villager would that, until now, Yumi had had no contact with. She, along with Chizuru, was led through one of the many steel halls of the upper level of the Leviathan by Terry. Once the ship had come to the beach, the three of them were allowed to board it. And the Oriax had been taken up into it bowels. In the hanger would be the Meta Suit itself. Along with a few combat Meta Suits created by Chrysalis and for Chrysalis. The sky-mode ones were called Uvall-types. The land-mode ones were called Gusion-types (they too had flight capabilities but not to the same degree as the Uvalls). It was certain that they were to be used against Protocol, at least in Yumi's mindset. Which was when it finally sunk into her head that Terry was not bullshitting her. He really was a member of an anti-Protocol group. But what bothered her was the fact that she had never heard of them before. And it was something she was sure to ask about when Terry got them to the bridge. While the three of them walked through this particular corridor, Yumi looked over at Chizuru. She was shocked by the advanced technology of it, too. But she seemed to be taking special note of it. Which Yumi found odd. For the most part, Chizuru had never really seemed interested in technology. Terry suddenly stopped walking when he reached a door. And so, Yumi and Chizuru did the same thing. The blonde boy then turned his head and smiled. "This is the bridge, girls." The half-American, half-German swordsman grabbed the handle of the metal door before them and opened it. He walked inside while motioning Yumi and Chizuru to follow him. Which was when they were treated to the sight of the bridge. Which was equally as hi-tech as the rest of the Leviathan. All the terminals, dials, computer screens, sonar & radar meters showed that much. Four people were manning the controls of the helm, with a huge video screen in the background, curling around the head of the room. And aside from themselves, there were two other people in there. Two women, who stood at the upper platform above those at the helm. Obviously the ones who were in control of the actions of Chrysalis and who ran the Leviathan. All people on hand were dressed in gold and green army uniforms, each armed with a small pistol as a firearm. Terry saluted the older of the two women at the platform, an action that Yumi took to mean that she was the commander of this ship. "I'm back, Colonel! And I brought the very same girl that Protocol's been obsessing over. Yumi Mishima." The woman whom Terry had addressed as colonel crossed her arms, her shoulder-long locks of forest green hair flailing about. Her eyes looked Yumi up and down to observe her, then her gaze turned to Chizuru Matsubana. "...And what of this one?" "...The name's Chizuru, lady," She replied indignantly, "and I'm with Yumi." Terry waved her off when Chizuru and the colonel started glaring at each other. "Uh... don't worry about Chizuru, Colonel. I can vouch for her and Yumi." "Fair enough, Lieutenant Hennig," She said, "let me introduce myself. I am Cecelia Faye Beatrix. Commander in action of this group we call Chrysalis. We follow under the teachings of the Ark of the Luria and operate from this ship; Leviathan." Chizuru scratched her temple. "...Ark of the Luria...?" "...I suppose you could call it our... religion," Beatrix said, "but for now, let me introduce you to my crew. This young woman standing beside me is Major Sophia Mariette. My... second in command." Sophia nudged her spectacles up the bridge of her nose, nodding to both Yumi and Chizuru. "A great pleasure." Colonel Beatrix turned back around, her black shoulder cape flocking around her right arm. Then she extended her hand to the people at the helm of the ship's controls. "These are the helmsmen and women of the Leviathan. And the man that brought you here is Lieutenant Terry Hennig. But I assume he's already told you that. This ship is the very forefront of the Anti-Protocol efforts. We have over 380 people living here at this point in time. Our Gusion and Uvall Meta Suits are ready to be deployed at any moment for a strike against them. With that and the Leviathan's Gamma Cannon to contend with... it seems our existence has become a hot topic within the system. But all we strive for is to do down the group that infests the world right now. The fall of Protocol is our chief agenda." The stereotypically ditzy Chizuru suddenly seemed quite serious when dealing with them. "You're being a bit too trusting, don't you think? What's to stop us from taking this information straight to the authorities?" Beatrix chuckled, shutting her eyes. "...Heh, heh, heh. Is that so? Has it not occurred to you that you are an escapee? Leaving a Meta City without formal written permission is a criminal offence under Protocol's doctrines. Correct? In which case... you really don't have much in the way of options. Such a crime carries a stiff sentence of at least five years imprisonment. Or perhaps I am mistaken. Perhaps you would enjoy spending the rest of your youth inside a prison camp." Whatever outspoken attitude Chizuru had plucked up was now gone, because she silenced herself in that instant. Terry winced at the sudden distaste between Chizuru and Colonel Beatrix, and pressed a hand into his second charge's shoulder. "...Um... why don't you try not to over-think things, Chizuru. We aren't the bad guys here. We will take good care of you and Yumi." Beatrix looked away. "...We are not here to intimidate anyone. And I won't force you into anything either. All I request is that you speak with our leader. Father Bartholomeus. If you do that then we can at least assure your safety." "...I'll cooperate for now," Yumi said, "but I want to know a few things first." Sophia looked at Yumi. "Like what? What can we help you with?" "EDEN and that Luria thing," Yumi put forth, "what is it all?" It seemed that the Major would be answering that. "Sure. Well I can tell you that EDEN is our home. You see, those who reject Protocol's way of life have only two choices. To live in the outside world or die in the Meta Cities. But the outside world is... extremely dangerous. The conflicts of the Great War cast irreparable damage on the world. Living in the Meta Cities is vastly different from the constantly unstable life outside of them. The energy barriers that enfold each city gives them protection against most natural disasters that occur as a result of that nuclear war. But for the 1.5 billion people out of the line of safety, that wasn't an option. So forty three years ago, Father Bartholomeus led a campaign of salvation. And he, along with thousands of other young men and women, built the fortress-city of EDEN. It is the teachings of Father Bartholomeus that guide us. And those teachings are called the Ark of the Luria." Yumi nodded. "...I see..." "So what's your answer?" Beatrix questioned, "will you meet with him?" Before Yumi could give her an answer, one of the helmsmen called out to Colonel Beatrix in urgency. "Colonel! We've just received a message from an unknown Meta Suit!" "A Meta Suit? Where?" That same guy began tapping a few keys on his terminal. The video screen at the head of the bridge then flashed with an image of the night sky. It had been a few hours since they had picked up Terry, Yumi and Chizuru from those Japanese beaches. By now they were well over the Pacific Ocean, miles from Japanese soil. The scene on the video screen reflected that. In the far distance of the night there was a Meta Suit, hovering over the sea. It was of pure black steel, lined in certain parts with streaks of white. From its metallic back extended a pair of wings, giving it a total wingspan of 88 metres. Made of a silvery-blue energy that had to be the pilot's converted Qi. The green eyes in the face of the mecha glowed brightly in the darkness. It didn't move a muscle but just waited in a distant position that put it directly ahead of the Leviathan. Everyone stared quietly at the screen. Was this an attack from Protocol? Sophia mused. "Is that a... Protocol Meta Suit?" One of the helmswomen replied. "We aren't sure, Major. But it's less than 160 metres ahead of the ship. We'll crash into it in less than four minutes if the thing doesn't veer off." "...Stop the engines," Beatrix ordered, "take us onto silent running on hover mode. If this one is challenging us then we have to deal with it, in case they follow us to EDEN. Measure its Qi level and scan for any other Meta Suits." "Roger!" Replied that helmswoman. She tapped some codes into her terminal and figures appeared on her miniature computer screen right ahead of it. She studied the mini-screen for a second, then gasped wildly, "oh my God!" "What is it?" Terry asked. "There are no other Meta Suits around, at least not within the 2300 meter range of the scanners, but the computer says that... this Meta Suit is currently operating at a Qi level of over 11,000!" Beatrix's eyes widened. "11,000?! Are you sure?" "But that just can't be," Sophia whispered, "there is no pilot alive who has a synchronization level high enough to produce a Qi reading of that magnitude. Even the highest ranking pilots of the Divine Blade can only muster a level of 6,500 at the most." Beatrix pressed her hand into her hip. "What about that message? Patch it through." "Yes ma'am." The third of the helms people typed in a few codes into his terminal. Then that static-ridden message was produced aloud from the five large speakers on the ceiling and walls of the bridge. "...TER...RY... HE...NNIG...." All eyes turned to the young swordsman of lieutenant rank. And he was confused. As was everyone else. Terry pointed at himself in that confusion. "...That pilot wants me?!" Chizuru looked over at Yumi. "...For a moment there, I thought that it wanted you." "...Yeah..." Sighed the hacker. Terry jerked his 'dirty blonde' ponytail over his broad shoulder and smirked. "Dah well. If that thing wants me then that's exactly what the dude's gonna get." "Are you serious?" Sophia asked, "how are you going about it?" The young man smiled at her. "With my Meta Suit, how else?" One of the people at the helm, who also happened to be a mechanic for the Meta Suits on the Leviathan, swivelled around in his chair to look at Terry sincerely. "But Lieutenant Hennig, the Bishamon isn't completed yet! It still needs a few adjustments before you even think of piloting it!" "Don't worry about it," He said, "I've seen the specs. Its Operating Systems, Gatlings and Zero Gravity Movement are all online. And that's all I need for this one." There was little any one could do to argue with him. Though he was a calm young man, he could also be very hot-blooded. It showed in his great piloting skills. Beatrix smiled grudgingly and nodded to him as consent. She knew that he had to do it. Terry saluted her and then ran to the door of the bridge. He opened it then shunted himself out into the corridor. Terry rushed through the halls, past all the other Chrysalis personnel about. At the end of that corridor was a lift. Once he got to the far wall he tapped one of the buttons on the control panel. The metal doors opened up. And he entered the lift. The button he pressed would take him all the way down to the Meta Suit Holding Chambers. A few moments later the lift went directly down to it. And the doors opened up for him once more. Terry ran out. But this time he was surrounded by the sight of Meta Suits and the towering railings that surrounded them. As well as the sound of metal clanging against metal and the smells of oil and cold steel. Across from him by thirty or so metres was the Oriax. Which, thankfully, was not resonating with this mystery Meta Suit. Terry bolted across the metal platform that was erected more than eighty-nine metres above ground level of the hanger. Past the large heads of Gusion and Uvall Meta Suits. Until he came to his own. The Bishamon. Terry grinned as he reached the head of the mecha from the upper railing. It was of a different design to the others. More like the Oriax in some cases. Except that Bishamon's body was painted a slightly dark red. Its design was also less sleek than that of the Oriax. Yumi's suit had a more lithe, feminine look to it. The Bishamon was stockier and larger. Over its shoulders and thighs were multi-segmented plates of armour, alike with Japanese Samurai armour. Next to the suit was a large weapon. A 32-metre long Katana. Its true strength was that it worked with thermal properties in connection with the Qi-Generator. Of course that sword wasn't ready yet, so he couldn't use it. Terry just ignored that for the moment and climbed down the metal ladder next to the Bishamon. Which brought him down to the secondary metal platform. Once Terry came into close contact with the 'stomach' of the Meta Suit, its doors opened for him. Revealing the cockpit. The blonde boy jumped into the dark opening and took a seat, grabbing the control sticks. The doors then closed up for him, and the whole thing brightened up when the Bishamon came online. "I've missed ya, buddy," Terry muttered, "...I haven't fought with you in a while, have I? Well, this is what Mom and Dad would have wanted, after all." Terry tapped on the keypad to bring up a visual image of one of the helmsmen in the bridge. "Hey! Open the hanger doors!" "Roger!" The steel doors below the feet of the Bishamon opened slowly. The Meta Suit dropped out of the Leviathan and into the skies that the Leviathan was hovering in. Directly below it. Bishamon's Zero Gravity Movement ability kicked in instantly. And blue trails of propulsion energy trailed behind its feet when the suit flew forwards. The Bishamon flew straight out of the shadow of the Leviathan, peeling up from its long underbelly, and out into the open night skies. From this point on, Terry could see the unknown Meta Suit in the distance. It really was waiting for him. But who was inside it? That he would find out if he had anything to say about it. The Bishamon flew straight ahead, crossing the gap between the Leviathan and the unknown suit. The Bishamon flew to a stop when the gap between itself and the mystery suit was only sixty metres. Terry yelled at the thing from the speakers built into the mouth of the Bishamon. "You called my name? Well here I am! Now what's your deal? Who are you?" The voice of the pilot also spoke through the mouthpiece of his/her own Meta Suit. "...You may call this one... Asmodeus" Internally, Terry noted that the pilot of the 'Asmodeus' had an unmistakably feminine tone to it. "Asmodeus, huh? So that's the name of your mecha? Fine! Now what do you want from me, eh?" The Asmodeus didn't make an immediate reply, staying mute. "..." "Hey, are you listening to me?" The woman inside the Asmodeus then replied with, "...You are under-unarmed. Even with a Qi level of 5,600... you can only fight to 65% of your Meta Suit's true capabilities without its weapon." Terry sneered. "...Are you kidding me? Just what is it you want? A battle? If you want a battle then why did you ask for me? And how the hell do you know my name?!" "...You've grown up strong..." "Huh?" That one struck Terry hard, "...do you... know me...?" The Asmodeus flapped its energy wings backwards, and it flew out of the path of the Leviathan ship. The woman that was inside the Asmodeus answered the young man soon afterwards. "...When you find yourself with all of your strength... when you find yourself possessed by the demons of your past... you will see me again. But until that time... goodbye..." The thrusters at the legs of the Asmodeus kicked in. And it zoomed away like a jumbo jet into the darkness of the night. The Bishamon floated in the air as Terry sat in the cockpit in confusion. Who on earth was that? And what did she mean by 'demons of the past?'. As his Meta Suit hovered in the air, a transmission came in from the Leviathan. The face of Sophia, leaning over the shoulder of one of the helmswomen, came into view on a mini-screen. "Lieutenant, are you alright?" She asked, "what happened?" Terry leaned back on his seat and exhaled. "You know... I'm not even sure, Major. I think... that the pilot of that Meta Suit knows me somehow. But I haven't got a clue who she is." "...I see. Well get back in the hanger. Don't waste any of your fuel on this... fluke. Besides. EDEN is calling us." Terry blinked. "...What makes you say that?" "Just look ahead." Terry lowered the head of the Bishamon so he could see what Sophia was talking about. A good distance ahead, on the horizon of the sea, was a metal structure. It seemed rather small from that great distance. But it was definitely big. And definitely a sight for sore eyes. In the cockpit, Terry grinned at that sight. "...Home sweet home..." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Ochiai Underground Research Facility had been on high alert since the escape of the Oriax. But that had not stopped the flow of the experiments that would be taking place there. Or the transactions that would be going down either. In one of the many long white corridors that was built into the laboratories underneath the Shinrai Building, the commander of the Japanese Protocol forces, Celaph, was walking along. He passed by many doors as he walked, right through the hallway. Until he reached a certain door. The one he was looking for, number 347. On that pure white door was a silvery metal plaque that read a sole name on it. "Freeman Ronove." Celaph stuck a hand into his trousers and pulled out a key card. He swiped the key card through the control panel by the door. And the automatic lock was thereafter released. The door shifted open with a puff of very cold air, and Commander Celaph walked in. The room was cold and covered in frost. So much so that every time Celaph exhaled he breathed out a cloud of chilled air. But the leader of the Japanese forces was not concerned with himself. He only looked forwards to the glass cylinder in the centre of the room. It contained a light blue liquid. And inside that liquid was the body of a human. A naked young man, curled up in a fetal position. Celaph pulled a smile. "...So. It's time once again to awaken you. I am sure that the previous generation's Thanatos wasn't nearly as problematic as you. Isn't that right, Mr. Ronove?"
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