Ainako: I'm still working on this project, but I kinda gave up trying to clean up my grammar. If you don't mind that, then carry on reading. I still can't promise whether this will be finished or not.
I pulled my knees tighter to my chest, hoping in that way I can gain more heat that way. The seemingly sleeping bodies crouched beside me did not stir a bit since the last measly fire they build died. I tried my best not to think so much of the chances that I may not be able to wake anymore too if I lose my consciousness. Again, I stared towards the empty train station, counting every second to its opening. I supposed the other homeless and Invalids waiting here shared the same purpose than mine – a straight one-way trip to the capital city can spell every hopes and dreams. I wished so hard that it will not be in dismay. The train finally arrived about an hour afterwards. One woman told me there is no need to bother waking up the others waiting along. They have already frozen to death, she said. I literally had to force myself to walk away from them and board the train. I was blessed by the warm air inside the coach as I find a seat with a view of the moving scenery.
It was a long journey to Tokyo, I lost count of the time. It was nearly noon when the train arrived at where I hoped will be my last chance of surviving. Too tired and hungry to head straight for Tategami, I looked around of wherever I can find scraps of food. As soon as that, I realized what a generous people in Osaka are. At least there I can beg for food and some would have the mercy in their eyes to let me work for it. Here in Tokyo is a total opposite. I was pushed, shoved, hit and spat at. My lips still burn from the tear of the last slap after I asked meekly for a piece of bread I would pay for. The large storeowner proudly announced he would have no business with the Invalids, and that his store is pure. The bystanders who gave a moment of listen cheered and clapped. At that moment, I thought I just stepped into hell itself. I was nearly hysterical as I ran away trying to escape from there. But their laughter and cheer haunted me even when I was blocks away, even into my dreams.
I gave up of sleeping then. Since questioning the passerby for direction in the day was fruitless, I thought of wondering around in the night just to see if anyone kinder is still awake. It was then I realized I just made the most stupid idea ever. Inside a dim tunnel heading towards the city side, I was confronted by a man with a knife in his hand. He seemed to be drunk, and the mixed smell of alcohol and unwashed body permeating nearly made me sick. He yelled at me curses as I apologized for whatever I might have done to offend him. He then commanded me to empty my pockets and purses, and I did accordingly, hoping the measly amount of money I had in hand would satisfy him. But I was shocked when he said he knew I had more in the courtesy account all Invalids have. He shoved his knife to my neck demanding me to give all those money to him.
As I was pushed into the nearest withdrawal machine, I eyed him outside impatiently waiting. I thought of many different ways to escape, but I was never the one to use bravado to save myself. Giving him my money would actually saved me from unnecessary harm, I thought. I don't think I have a need of money if I were to go to Tategami. The smelly man pulled me back into the dark alley where he greedily took all my money. I was about to run for my life if he had not grabbed my arm and pushed me to the walls. I tried to free my hand, but he was too strong. He tore away the rags I had to call clothes with his knife. A hard punch to the belly made me lose all my breath. I might have screamed in frustration if I were not slowly slipping into a darkness, knowing that when I woke up, I would find myself ruin like a broken doll, if not dead in a pool of blood. I somehow prayed I would be dead instead. In a desperate measure, I allowed the alien power of the Gate to fill me and somehow saved me from this demon of a man. The surge of power was the only thing I can remember as finally the world disappeared from my thoughts. Faintly, I reminisced my happy moments with Masato in quarantine.
The smell of disinfectants hung strongly in the air when I finally got to my senses. Am I dead? Wriggling my fingers and held my throbbing head proved that I am not. Am I?
"Good. You've finally woken up."
A female voice said as soon as I managed to open my eyes. The woman pulled the curtain to limit the amount of light suddenly bombarding my sight. She then took a seat beside the bed I was lying on and reached to touch my forehead. I automatically shoved it away.
"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. You're safe now, I promise."
"No… I must… go…"
"Wherever that you must go to, you can't go in this condition. Rest up and later when you're stronger, you may go on your way."
"But I must… go now. I must reach… Tategami. AEGIS…"
The woman, I noticed then she wore a white coat over a blue dress that made her look like a medical doctor of some sort. But I noticed there's none of the typical stethoscope that seemed to be hanging on any doctor's neck. Is she just a nurse, or an assistant? The other woman smiled when she heard me mentioned AEGIS.
"If Tategami is where you are heading, that look no further. This is Tategami, AEGIS's headquarter for the Far East Branch. Now please, allow me to assess your physical condition."
Again, she reached for my forehead, but this time, I feel that I trust her enough to let her do whatever she wanted. At first thought, I was guessing she wanted to feel my temperature but when her fingers touched my skin, a tingly sensation sent my whole body numbed. To my surprise, a greenish rings of light appeared in her eyes and it swirled before disappearing as she finished. A Gate user?
"You're fine now, but still needs a little rest and a meal. Aside from the shock you've experienced, I say you will recover in a day."
"What did you… you're an Invalid…?"
"We prefer to call ourselves Gatekeepers, and yes, we are permitted to use our powers here in Tategami. But I fear that freedom does not apply outside our boundaries. You see, we found you where you were after we have detected a great amount of Gate power being used…"
"I did not mean it! H-he was going to…"
It was all that I can do to cry again for the horrors of being raped. To have my last scrap of dignity being abused, while I was saving purity for the one man I loved. Masato's gentle voice claiming his love for me still warms my heart whenever I felt cold and lonely. I would do absolutely anything for Masato, but if I were to be reduced to thrash, I wouldn't want to live at all. I was so close to suicidal.
"I understand. Personally, I think you have the right to protect yourself with everything you possessed. He, on the other hand, has no right to extort and harm you. But still… the use of Gate power against a civilian is highly dangerous, especially when you have no control over yours."
"Did I… kill him?"
"No, you didn't. He was found frozen in ice where he stood, and our scouts has revived him and made absolutely sure he agreed on a term. Attempted assault and rape still promised a mandatory sentence to prison no matter who he assaulted."
"I wasn't raped?"
She smiled and nodded. I can feel tears of relieve welling up my eyes, and she handed me a clean white handkerchief for me to wipe them away. A tray of hot food with a hearty portion of meat came with a large jug of milk. The woman, Satomi Ishihara, sat and chatted with me as I gratefully eating what was then seemed like the first real meal I had ever ate since relocation. I went to sleep as soon as I placed my head back on the warm pillow. I dreamed of Masato again, but this time, there were no shadows engulfing him and taking him away from me. Only him, standing in front of me, with his boyish grin as he waited for me to run to his arms.
I woke up around noon the next day, and Satomi was replaced by another health assistant – judging by the same white lab coats they wore over a blue suit. The assistant gave me my breakfast/lunch and I ate mechanically. Afterwards, he checked me for my overall recovery – not by using a Gate like Satomi did though but like a regular doctor would – and gave me an okay to do whatever I am supposed to do here. He explained that I need to be at the daily registering event at the main office before I do anything and so I did.
The health room I was occupying last night was directly connected to office, much to my convenience. There I realized I was not alone. The 'office' was actually a large hall with many blue military-like suited teenagers about the same age as mine standing guard to a handful of bleak eyed people. Some were middle aged, and some younger. Many had dirty clothes like mine, while I noticed one or two that seems to be well managed. A man in blue suit with no visible weapon in arm told me to hurry up and get inside as it almost begun. It?
Alike a scene from the first day I arrived at the quarantine almost a millennia ago, we were gathered and checked one by one by a doctor-like personnel. They used the conventional methods, however, like jotting down heart rates, reaction to flashlight at the eye, and made us show our tongue. Mine held out a device I've seen before and scanned the codes permanently etched on the back of right hand. He seemed to cross-check my code with the ones listed on the database displayed on a holographic screen. That seems weird to me. Who would ever want to fake such marking? The four-eyed doctor smiled, as I must have spoken that aloud, and said "People do many things for many reason, my dear. In my years working here, I've encountered at least six attempt of faking these codes. Some are just too greedy for the benefit of being a certified Gate user, while some just wanted to slip through our system to corrupt us." Benefits?
Afterwards, I saw some of the older bleak-faced people were led away to another room through a very heavy looking metal door. When all of them were inside, it shut tight with a loud thud. I noticed my doctor eyed them with pity in his eyes. Before I can ask why, he led me into his room, and I saw Satomi, handing him some papers. We sat face-to-face at his desk and he gently asked me to hold his hand, and closed my eyes. Satomi, who stood next to him nodded in assurance. Nervous, but I did as he told. Surprisingly, he later told me to summon my Gate power. At first, I don't want to do it, but he kindly asked me to trust him. Hesitatingly, I reached out to the inner most conscious of mine and grab hold of a wild torrent formed within. My whole body as if losing every kilograms of weight, and I can feel an urge to reach for more of that power. Almost disappointingly, that attempt was cut off by a large wall in my consciousness and I snapped back to reality. Then I saw the kind doctor's palm was projecting a neon red ring of lights over my palm. Satomi's Gate was also visible, with both hands on his shoulders as if supporting him. He let go of my hand and browse through the pages of his papers before jotting down some notes under a picture of mine. He then turned and smiled.
"It seems that your power is enough for me to class you as a Level B, though you still need some control over how many you can manage at one time."
"Level B?" I asked confusingly.
"Yes. AEGIS standard of Gatekeepers' level. You are at Level B, that means you have almost zero possibility to be infected with the Invaders, and are capable of going through to the front line of the AEGIS' Defense Team… or is that not what you were aiming for?"
"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand…"
"Dear me, you came here without a definite reason, but I've already registered you into the system and there's no way to pull you out… You see, Erika, the AEGIS is the main offense organization against the Invader – those alien form that's reported had been a daily rampant nowadays – and here is where those Gate users without aim of a new life after relocation can make use of their gifts in a fight against them."
"Gifts? More like a curse to me…"
"A gift, yes. We'd prefer to call them that way. A special gift given to us to help others in need. There is always a reason for everything that happened to us, my dear. Do not think you gift as a curse." The doctor smiled. It's almost unacceptable to think of this strange power as a gift, when all it had done to me was ruining everything.
"Level B? Is there other levels too then?"
"Why, yes. We have five levels set according to the specifications explained by the Standardization of Gatekeepers' Properties. There are level A through D, and special level S. You are by Level B currently, and with proper training, you may climb to Level A at most, and that means you may have my position as the supporting personnel."
"I see… Then what happened to those people led away back then? I think I saw they were put on a tag saying 'D'…"
The doctor sighed, but as he was about to explain, Satomi spoke for him.
"They are the Level D, meaning they have at least 75% of possibility of morphing into an Invader."
"You mean… bursting into that monsters on the evening news?"
"Yes. Technically, we call them Morphing. It was known that Gate users are susceptible to be infected with the virus, and emotional breakdowns can only accelerate the Morph. Age of when their Gate power was awaken also seems to be a definite factor for such infections. If you noticed, we separate those who are nearing their thirties or forties before later determine whether or not they are… safe to be put into the team."
"What… what will happen to them who are confirmed…. Infected?"
Satomi pursed her lips and tried her best to look as cold as she can as she said;
"They were to be put down immediately."