Chapter One: The Day I Died
Our story starts off on a little island made for the construction of ISs next to the USA. Since the USA government made the island, they wanted it to be as secretive as possible, so they had all the workers of the factory move there with their families. We see a young boy with blond hair and bright blue eyes and about the age of eight walking the streets of the island with a bag in hand. He's hoping to see his parents that worked in the factory. There was not a school for him to attend on this island so he learn by a teacher that only stayed with him about three hours, for he needed to teach the other children of the island, which weren't a lot. He had siblings, two older sisters who weren't around since they were at the IS Academy over in Japan and he never really saw much of them. His father's an operator for the machines building the ISs while his mother's the manager of the factory. So his nights are usually lonely, and tonight he wanted to surprise his parents by making them food. After all he was the only one able to actually learn how to with all the free time he had on his hands.
Boy's P.O.V.
'I really hope they like this!' I thought as I walked to the front gate of the IS Factory, and was about to go into when a guard stopped me.
"Sorry kid, no civilians allowed." He told me, but I smiled and showed him my pass card that my mother gave me in case I need her of the others. He eyes widen and then he sighed.
"Well, I can't really do much now, but let me get another guard to lead you to Mrs. Sage." He told me as he picked up his radio and spoke into it.
"Alright kid, someone's coming to get you. So be good and stay here." He told me as he went back to his post. I rolled my eyes, they always did this to me, most guards know me and just let me in, but nooo it had to be a new one.
"OH ZACKY!" A woman's voice shouted happily, and that made me go pale, I looked at the brown haired guard who is my worst enemy and yet my only true friend on this island. I sighed as I was hugged and nearly died as did so, and yes if you're wondering my name is Zack Sage.
"Clare, you're chocking me . . . please stop!" I gasped out as she let go and I comically caught my breath.
"Please stop doing this every time we met." I asked her but she ignored and grabbed my arm and started taking me to the factory causing me sigh again.
"It's still hard to believe that you're related to Tabane Shinonono. Even with the obvious similarities" I mumbled out as she led me inside. Yes Clare is Tabane's cousin; I got confirmation from the genius herself. Even though I never met her in person, I could tell they were related from the moment I heard her over the phone after a few hours meeting her for the first time about two years ago.
Flashback
"So . . . you're related to Tabane Shinonono? Rrrriiiggghht." I said, dragging the word right, as Clare stomped her foot angrily and puffed out her checks.
"It's true, here call her and you'll know!" Clare said handing me her phone that was already calling Tabane. I sat there as it rang with Clare before someone shouted for her.
"CLARE! WE NEED YOUR HELP REAL FAST, COME OVER HERE!" A guard yelled as Clare saluted him and jogged to him. When she was out of sight the other line was picked up.
"It's the amazing genius Tabane Shinonono! What can I do for my cousin?" She asked in a slightly more insane sound tone.
"So this is really Tabane Shinonono?" I questioned her.
"Why of course it is! Who's this, what I know, you're Clarey's boyfriend!" Tabane said as my face suddenly grew warm.
"I-It's n-not like that! She's my best friend and I doubted that she's your cousin, I guess I was wrong." I said as I growled out the last part, she always managed to be right.
"Sorry, sorry just wanted to know! Well it was nice talking to you! I got to go, bye!" She said as she hung up and at that moment Clare returned to me with a smile.
"You were right sorry." I told her as she hugged me.
"That's alright little buddy, I forgive you!" Clare said as she hugged the life out of me.
Flashback End
Little did I know though, that today was the day that my life on this island was close to being finished.
Mysterious Lady's P.O.V.
"Foolish little genius . . . did you actually think that you could hide from us?" The person asked as she watched a screen with Clare and Zack entering the factory. She then turned to two girls in full armor.
"Go get ready for the attack! I want her in front of me by the morning!" The person ordered the two as they saluted her.
"Yes Ms. Diamond!" They both said as they quickly left, leaving Ms. Diamond alone. She turned back to the screen and grin sinisterly.
Zack's P.O.V.
After giving my homemade meals to my parents, Clare and I decided to walk around the factory since she was able to punch out for the day. As she walked she seems to know this place very well, and she even can somehow get clearance for everywhere! I'm beginning to wonder how she's doing this, but I left it as something to do with her being related to Tabane and all that. We just arrived at the main gate when suddenly two IS suits with pilots appeared before use.
"Tabane Shinonono surrender to us now." The one on the left said as she held a gun aimed at Clare.
"I'm not Tabane, that's my cousin!" Clare said as the two didn't budge from their spot.
"Don't play us as a fool Shinonono, we know that you are just pretending. Give up the act now, or you're little friend will be given a zap." The right one said as she pointed her gun at me! I took a step back as I heard her gun charge to fire. I looked at Clare to see despair in her eyes and she looked at me. I mouth no to her, even if she was truly Tabane, she was still my best friend.
"Fine have it your way then." The right one said as she shot my arm causing to fall down in pain.
Tears threatened to fall down my face while I held my arm which was throbbing angrily around a blackening round bump on it. Seeing no reaction from Clare/Tabane she the right one aimed at me again. I closed my eyes scared at the thought of being hit by that same blast again, but I felt something lay over me.
"NO! STOP!" I opened my eyes to see Clare/Tabane covering me with her body.
"I'll come with you, please don't hurt him." She told them as they smiled evilly and took her by the arms.
"Well it's nice to see you finally cooperating, but sadly we can't have the brat spilling his guts about this so, good bye boy!" The left on said as she shot me in the chest and my world went dark.
Clare/Tabane's P.O.V.
Today was going to be a bad day I thought as I walked out of the factory with Zack. The little guy really grew on me, like a two siblings I knew at home. Even though I shouldn't stay in one place for long, I stayed for nearly two years and today was the day I knew I would paid for it. I knew I shouldn't have stated her for as long as I did, but I couldn't do anything as I stared at Zack motionless body, my heart is frozen, tear streaming down my face, and time seemed to freeze as I stare.
'Why . . . why didn't I just leave after a few months? Was it because I cared more than I thought for Zack? Was it because of the fact that he made me feel normal, or was that because I was in my disguise? No that was it, he still stuck with me even though I lie about my identity and took a shot for me, and now gave his life for me . . .what do I do?' I thought as I gripped my head in confusion but a rough grip yanked at my arm and I stared at my captors.
"Come on Shinonono, I would really want to leave now be-" She never finished as a shot form a another IS struck her down I looked up and saw a few guards take my captors down, but I didn't really care about them. I slowly walked over to Zack's body and fell down to my knees. I heard a ambulance's siren race towards us and looked to see paramedic ran up to me and tried to move me.
"Miss, please I need to see if he's alright . . ." He said as he tried moving me from Zack's side, but I didn't move. Sighing he gently move Zack so he was lying on his back and cut open his shirt off so that he could look over the damage, but upon seeing where the blast hit, he didn't even bother and got up.
"Wait, where are you going? You have to help him!" I cried out as I grab his arm.
"It's pointless to take him with us as there's I can do nothing Miss the blast hit his heart, there is no saving him. At the most he has a few hours left; I predict that is when his heart will give up." He told me without looking at me. I let him go and stared at the ground in disbelief.
'Because of me . . . Zack is going to die . . . and there's nothing I can do, it's not like I could replace his heart-WAIT! I'm Tabane Shinonono! I can do something for him!' I thought as I began possessing an idea. I looked at the doctor that was leaving and I quickly ran to him.
"WAIT PARAMEDIC, I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU!" I shouted out to him and successfully stopped him from leaving and he looked at me as half of his body was still sticking out of the ambulance.
"Yes? Is there something you want? I told you already that there is no saving him." He told me as I shook my head.
"What if we replace his heart with a new one?" I asked as he thought about it.
"That could work, but there's no heart available for him to have." He told me as I quickly removed my wig and letting my auburn hair fall out revealing who I really was.
"Miss. Shinonono!" He said out in shock, was my disguise really that good? I just put a wig on and that's it.
"Why are you here?" He said as I reach into my pocket and pulled out a prototype IS Core since I'm always working on one.
"That doesn't matter; do you know anyone who can place this in him? I know it's just an IS Core, but I could rework it to function for, or help the heart!" I told him as his eyes widen.
"I know a guy who could, but can you really do that?!" He questioned in surprise as I nodded.
"It's not a complete one so I can still mess with it and change it so that it will continue Zack's life." I told him as he nodded; he looked over at the other paramedic.
"Hurry and follow me! We need to get the boy to the hospital now!" He said as they jumped out and ran to him with a stretcher. I watched them as they prepared to put him on the movable bed, but a voice stopped me.
"What's going on? Why is my son being moved into an ambulance? And why are you here Miss. Shinonono?" A voice asked as I turned and face my former boss Mrs. Sage, who was fairly tall about six feet and one inch and standing next to her was Mr. Sage, who wasn't anywhere near her height at all only reaching five foot five.
"Um well you see . . . it's just that you son may be dying and it may be my fault." I said nervously as Mrs. Sage's eyes narrowed.
"What?" She said with gritted teeth making me back up.
"I made a mistake of staying her too long, the guard named Clare, was me. I wanted to see how the IS were coming alone and once I met Zack I just . . . I don't know felt drawn to him and I didn't leave." I said as I held my hands behind my back and looked to the ground as I kicked at it making a little dust fly up.
"Then what happened?" She asked as I looked at her, but quickly looked away.
"A bit ago, some girls in ISs came and tried to take me, but when I denied being who I really was. They decided to threaten Zack, I was so scared that I didn't know what to do, but Zack told me no and he took a shot to the arm." I started explaining as I choked back tears.
"When I finally realized what happened and they were about to shoot him gain, I intervened and said I would go, but they lied about leaving him alone saying they didn't want him talking and shot him in the chest." I finished with tears free falling to the ground.
"What's going to happen to him now?" She asked me as I looked up to her.
"I'm hoping to save his life but pacing this inside him." I said as I held up the diamond shape object.
"An IS Core? How would that work?" Mr. Sage asked as I turned to him.
"The IS's Core is like the IS's heart, so I'm going to modify this core that I'm working on to help Zack's heart continue pumping his blood through his body, I mean it's the only what I can think of saving him and because of the blast he'll defiantly . . . die without something supporting his heart" I said as Mrs. Sage grab my arm and her face was hard.
"If he dies, you better never show your face hear again, understand Miss Shinonono? I don't care that you're the inventor the IS." She told me as she turned and walked away.
"I'm sorry Miss. Shinonono, but my wife loves her children dearly, they're her greatest joy like they are to me." Mr. Sage told me as he went to catch up with his wife. I let out a breath of relief that I survived that encounter, I never knew someone to be as scary as Chifuyu.
"Excuse me Miss. Shinonono, we must hurry, Dr. Kin, the guy I know, is waiting for us." The paramedic said as I nodded as we got into the ambulance and left.
Zack's P.O.V.
Darkness was all around me as I floated there I didn't know anything anymore, I didn't know who I was, I didn't know what I was. Only the darkness, I only knew that. Was I dead? If so how did I die? Was I even alive to begin with? I stared into the darkness when I brought up my hand and noticed that I could see through it. Was this it? I was no longer going to be with the darkness I know?
"Well aright then, I guess I'll fade." I said out loud as I closed my eyes and waited for the unavoidable, until a voice stopped me.
"Are you really going to give up that easily Zack?" It asked as my eyes shot open and noticed that it was no longer dark. Instead there was a bright open blue sky over a huge meadow with trees surrounding it.
"Where am I?" I wondered aloud as giggling answered my question.
"A safe place Zack . . . where in your core." A voice answered, sounding like the one who asked me if I was really giving up easily. I looked around and saw a girl about my height and I'm guessing my age with long brown hair that covered her eyes.
"We're right here!" She said pointing to my chest were a soft glow was.
"What? How? Where is 'here'?" I asked as she giggled again before shaking her head.
"Sorry, but you need to remember who you are before you questions can be answered." She said fading form my sight.
"Wait, please help me!" I asked the girl as she chanted one word.
"Remember . . . Remember . . . Remember . . ." Each word growing softer than the last as I sighed and sat down and pondered on who I was as the area seemed to shift from day to night quickly, and before long I lost count as to how many times it did that before it hit me. I am Zack Sage a boy of eight years old, son of a manager and an operator of an IS factory and a sibling to two girls that go to the IS Academy. My only friend is Clar- Tabane Shinonono. I then remembered that I was shot in the chest by a IS pilot.
"I'm dead . . ." I realized as clapping echoed and the girl came back.
"Yes and no, it's a fact that you died but because of your friend, you're alive right now, she brought you back" The girls said as I nodded.
"How?" I asked as she once again pointed to the glow in my chest.
"What was Tabane known for?" She asked as I thought about it.
"She was the one responsible for creating the IS Cores, and only she knows the possibilities it has." I answered as she nodded.
"Yes, and because of that knowledge you were save. This glow is a IS Core redesign to fit inside you." The girl said as she explained why it was needed.
"That is also why I'm here, I am the IS Core, along with this entire place." She said as she spun around.
"Really?" I asked as she nodded.
"Yep, this is the IS Core keeping you alive." She said as I pondered over something.
"So are you really living?" I asked as she shrugged.
"I'm not sure if living is the right term, it's more like I'm an artificial being that only you can see." She said as I nodded again.
"Then what should I call you?" I asked as she looked surprise.
"Um . . . I don't know . . ." She said as I decided to give her a name.
"How about Clare, since Tabane isn't going to use it anymore, how about you have it?" I asked her as she smiled.
"I love it, thank you for my name. Sadly though, our talk ends here, it's time you awaken." She said as the IS Core world spun and I backed out. When I reopened my eyes, it startled a nurse checking me over. She jumped back in shock as she stared at me in disbelief.
"No way . . ." She whispered out as she continued to look.
"What?" I asked in a small scratch voice.
"We pronounced you dead . . . about a half an hour ago . . ." She said before her eyes widen and rushed back over to me and started messing with some of the machines, one of which I notice was to take my blood out. She turned it off and turned on a different one and we heard a steady beep coming from it. She stared hyperventilating and she rushed to the room door and opened it.
"DOCTOR!" The nurse shouted out and continued until a few doctors rushed into the room and noticed me. He oldest one of them mouth had dropped.
"I swear you were dead . . . I ran every test . . . twice . . . but here you are." He said quietly as I tilted my head at him.
"How long was I out? I asked as he regained himself and took a deep breath.
"You were out for nearly four months . . . and were pronounced dead about thirty minutes ago." He told me as he looked at his fellow doctors.
"Contact his family and try to get ahold of Miss. Shinonono. Tell them to come here immediately." He ordered as everyone but the old doctor rushed out.
Well here's a new story! I don't remember if the IS Core was Shaped like a diamond for sure so I just assumed so. Also if this sounds familiar to another's, and think I stole his idea well, I got permission form said person to do so. Hope you liked it!
