I never would have thought that anything like what I've experienced was possible. The first time I saw the giant, black, robot standing before the fifteen of us was a moment I would never forget. Fifteen of us…And my sister and I are the only ones left. Actually, though, I'm not even certain whether or not my sister's still alive. I haven't seen her for what feels like a year, though it's probably been less than that. What you should know is that there is a contest in which every "Earth" – and yes, there is more than one – must participate. Each Earth is assigned a robot that will protect it from others as well as attack others on other Earths. This robot is piloted by one of whatever number of humans that are contracted for its use. That contracted human will pilot it using sheer will and thought. If the enemy is defeated, then the winning pilot dies. The losing pilot will also die. But, the Earth assigned to that robot will also be obliterated. Then, the next pilot will be chosen to fight and die again.
We all try to think of it as a "Game". It is a method of natural selection for every Earth in every dimension. No one can stop it. The Earths (and their respective universes) with the best pilots will continue on and any Earths will inferior pilots will cease to exist along with their universes. That is how it always has been, since the beginning of the multiverse.
I participated in such a Game. Like every other robot, ours had a peculiar creature who accompanied the pilots as a source of guidance and minor assistance. These creatures are rather small, seemingly mechanical, very similar to what you would expect a stuffed animal for a small child would look like. They each have a name and a color scheme. They possess teleportation abilities and choose between the pilots for each battle.
After I defeated the final enemy threatening my Earth, I watched as our source of guidance, Koyemshi ("dung beetle", in English) regained his old human form. The opposite happened to me. I changed form into a being very similar to what Koyemshi had been. He told me to call him Kokopellii, the name of the man who had recruited (or, perhaps, "drafted" would be a better word for it) myself and fourteen others. So, Koyemshi (as I will continue to refer to him), drafted more kids as pilots for the robot before dying when he finished off the first of the robots as an example to the others. That's another thing: The pilot who destroys the last enemy continues on in either Koyemshi's position, or in the late Kokopellii's position. Guidance or recruitment. After saving my Earth, I took on the role of guidance and the kids I was assigned to managed to save their Earth as well. However, the last pilot had a request: It was simple. He wanted to die, instead of going on to act as guidance. I understood. I let him kill himself.
So, here I am, in my human form again. I'm in the position of recruiting for the robot, which I have named Zearth in honor of the robot that had saved my Earth. However, I've decided that I would not recruit children. Definitely, they are more easy to trick into thinking that they are about to sign a contract to play a "videogame". And, the more life force someone has, the more life force Zearth will have. But, it's struck me that that's the exact reason I shouldn't recruit children. So much life left to live…My comrades all died too young, most of them leaving important people behind. So, I have instead decided to recruit teenagers. They have enough life force to sufficiently pilot Zearth, but…Somehow, it seems less cruel to have them die at this time of their lives.
Of course, if I could stop the game, I would. But, I can't. So, someone has to fight for their Earth. And so here I am, waiting in a chair in a building that I'm renting practically in the middle of nowhere. I've sent vague, specialized invitations to two well known high school clubs and one other organization knowledgeable in the use of their own type of robots. And now I'm waiting. And waiting. Waiting for their arrival. At the entrance, there is an "Identification Pad" with an official-looking sign telling the unsuspecting visitors to place their hands upon it in order to be let in. Well, that's actually what you would call a trap. Once someone follows the sign's instructions, they are locked into a contract with Zearth. And they must pilot and die to save their Earth. They must play the Game.
Do I feel regret upon doing this? Naturally, since I myself know what awaits these teens. They were sent here thinking it as just a destination, a place where their individual wanting of fun will be fulfilled. These teens probably have never experienced death in their lives, never had to go through the despair seeing your comrades and friend giving their life. Give their life so willingly for battle. Because in reality, this is a battle. And in the end, especially near the end, I've found that we all tend to accept it. With grace even. As an honor. But that still doesn't hide the raw brutality and ruthless nature of these games.
So I will sit back, and watch them appear one by one. I'll wait until they all show before explaining, fully prepared to have to deal with the usual reactions. Many will be in denial, a good deal unbelieving. No one will be crying, no one will be begging to leave. Not yet. Because as the first pilot is chosen, in a very short amount of time, no one will know anything. These teens, wouldn't know exactly the cost their fighting will have on themselves and other.
So am I a sadist, just a sick being of a thirteen year old boy, watching these people sign their lives away? I don't deny it, not in the slightest. For the quest of Zearth I had been forced to do the unimaginable, forced to go through this hellish process, not once but twice. And now for a third time. And what will happen to me after this? I'm not sure. Fade into nothingness? I hope so. So then my time here involved with this, utter sadness can end. But hopefully, this time may be different. Perhaps there will be a way, to free these teens. One can only hope.
________________________________________________
Jun Ushiro's first guests were not ones that he had invited.
"Ushiro Jun!"
The Ushiro in question, stood up and spun around to meet what appeared to be two creatures of the same form that Koyemshi and Jun himself had taken in the past. Both were floating in the air casually, as if they had been there for quite some time. Each had their own color scheme. One was primarily an electric green with black cheeks. The other was red, though also with black cheeks.
"You're Ushiro Jun, yes?" The green one, whose voice had rang out earlier, inquired.
"Yes…" Jun raised an eye brow cautiously.
"Well, then. Good. That means we're at the right place. We're here to guide the pilots for this Earth's robot."
"Why?" Jun asked. "I'm already going to be guiding the pilots myself."
The green one seemed to clear his possibly nonexistent throat for a moment before speaking.
"Ah, yes, but you're going to be dying after the introduction battle. And it's not like you'll be able to tell them everything they need to know before you are gone." There was a hint of sarcasm in this one's voice. It reminded Jun eerily of Koyemshi's attitude.
"Point taken." Jun frowned slightly. "But, just two questions: Why are there two of you and what are your names?"
The red one groaned quietly at the first question. Apparently, it wasn't something he liked to think about.
"Couldn't agree more with you." The green one muttered in response to the red one's discontent before turning back to Jun. "I'll answer your questions in a different order. I am Haga Insector. Insector Haga, if there was a Japan on your Earth too."
Jun nodded to indicate that there was indeed a Japan on his Earth as well.
"Hm. All right, then." Haga continued. "That guy over there is my apprentice – Yagami Light. We're basically stuck together because that guy was an extremely intelligent mass murderer, who used a notebook to kill thousands of people." He almost seemed to be reciting this blandly, as if it hardly had any emotional effect on him anymore, if it ever had. "So, naturally, the law got to him and he wound up bleeding to death after being shot a few good times by a cop. Apparently, though, the guy's will to live was so strong, they decided they didn't want to waste that will power. So, they decided he would remain alive in the form you see him in now, to help out with the Game." The "they" in question were, of course, the Masterminds, who were supposedly behind all of this robot battle and natural selection of the Earths.
"But, there weren't any empty positions for the Earths at the time of Light's death. And, even more importantly, how could Light guide a whole bunch of pilots if he'd never even seen a robot fight before? So, that's why they stuck him with me. I'm his mentor, now." Haga obviously didn't bother to hide the utter resentment in his voice. "So, I get to boss him around and insult the crazy, psychopathic, murderer. And it's pretty easy to find his weak points. I mean, for crying out loud! The guy actually thinks he's a god! Can't get much more narcissistic than-"
During Haga's entire explanation (monologue), the Yagami Light in question had been vibrating at an increasingly violent manner. And it was at this moment when he finally hissed,
"Will you shut up, Bug Boy? I was bringing justice to my Earth. I would have been the god of the new world, had those mortals not intervened."
"OOH! What did I tell you? Weak point found. Checkmate. Game set." Haga laughed before turning to Light. "Oh, and how is 'bug boy' a proper insult, anyway? I like insects! So, I'll take that as a compliment."
"Good. Then, that's what I'll call you from now on." Light deadpanned.
"Go ahead, God." Haga shot back sarcastically.
"All right. Enough of this." Jun shook his head. "I hope you two will get along long enough to actually assist the pilots…"
"I can't make any promises!" Haga laughed before looking around the room. "Speaking of the pilots, where are they? Please, don't tell me you haven't recruited any, yet…"
"I've sent out invitations." Jun replied, pointedly ignoring the condescending tone in Haga's voice. "They should be arriving soon. There's an 'Identification Pad' at the entrance. Each person I've invited will place their hand upon it to be let in, but automatically be contracted to Zearth when they do so."
"Hmm…Clever." Haga sounded pleased. "Wait…So, you've given the robot a name? Huh. Well, I guess you're not the first."
"Actually, one of the pilots who helped fight for my Earth did…I've decided to use the name in that pilot's honor."
"Well, that sounds noble." Light muttered quietly, with a hint of bitter sarcasm. The sarcasm seemed to have little reasonable explanation and Jun was some what puzzled.
Noticing this, Haga chuckled and looked at Jun.
"Ignore Light, by the way. He's terribly ego-bruised after his whole 'death-by-mortal-weapon'. He thought he was a god, remember? So, anyway, Zearth then. That works. But, the pilots will probably get freaked out if they see us here with you. Think we should leave for a while?"
Jun nodded.
"Talk to the pilots after my intro battle's done."
"Roger that." Haga turned to Light. "Off to 'Zearth' for now, Light. We'll have to wait a little longer to meet those poor, doomed, souls…I mean, 'pilots'."
And, with that, both Haga and Light disappeared and Jun was left to rest his forehead in his hands as he waited for the arrival of those "poor, doomed, souls" as Haga had put it before needlessly correcting himself. The guests in question would wait in the only other room in the building. There would be chairs for all of them. Jun would wait for the door buzzer to sound three times. Once for each invited group. Once it did, Jun would greet his trapped pilots. And, shortly after that, the game would begin.
mmk. this is the first chapter of namida oyobi warai. laughter as well as tears. for a promo vid, and exactly who and from what different animes are going to get involved, please go to my youtube account link on my profile, and watch the featured vid. by the title you'll know it's the right one. this fanfic is co-written by me, marisol akyri, and may never know. we don't cliam ANY ownership or whatnot to the many different various animes and characters that will be used, now or in the future. and i warn you now, this isn't going to be all comedy, while it won't be all tragedy either. it's just a fanfic, based on the orignal plot of Bokurano. a very good anime/manga that i suggest for all of you to watch. to possibly get the gist of our story, if you will. so sit back, and prepare to watch a plot unfold like no other! (and just a heads up, we will refer often to the japanese names and spellings of the characters. inspector haga, for all of you people unaware, is the original japanese name of weevil, from yugioh). so, stay tuned for the next chapter of Namida Oyobi Warai!
~'til next time (from co-writers Marisol Akyri & May Never Know XD)
