Author's Note: I do not own Saint Beast. Credits go to the original creator.
Characters: story teller Luca, assistant to the story teller Yuda, spectator Takeru and the four listeners (Goh, Shin, Rei and Gai) ^^;
Additional notes: The history here is made up by yours truly so do not believe it. Just saying. ^^
A word of advice – this chapter is full of drama (yeah, we need drama to spice things up) and is lengthy...that said...ON TO THE SHOW!
"We are from a faraway planet. A planet, billions of light years away from your galaxy, the Milky Way." Yuda started. Gai's eyes become the size of a saucer.
"Woah...how far is billions of light years away?" Yuda smiled.
"Let us just say...you will be around 500 years old and you are only half way there." Gai gasped.
"Seriously?! That far!" He then became serious, as if in deep thought. Rei looked concerned.
"Oh dear, that is far..." Yuda nodded and then suddenly Gai pointed a finger towards the three of them: him, Luca and Takeru.
"Does that mean...you lot are, like, 500 years old or something?!" and he got an answer in a form of a smack on the head courtesy of Goh. Shin was surprise.
"That is not the main concern right now. Details will come later. We are here listening to them, not asking them questions, you hear?!" Gai pouted but he kept quiet. Shin consoled him by rubbing his back tenderly. He then looked at Yuda, who seemed to have been caught off guard by the sudden gesture.
"I'm sorry about that, Gai here is just as curious as a cat can be. Please forgive him." Yuda smiled and shook his head while Luca chuckled.
"Oh, don't worry. We have a certain someone just like him on board as well so we are used to it." And he chuckled again. Takeru gave an all-knowing smile.
At the bridge, Maya sneezed.
"Huh...someone must be talking about me." Shrugging it off as nothing, he continued with his chore.
Yuda then continued.
"We may be billions of light years away but we have our way of navigating the vast universe faster. We use warp holes to go from one planet to the other. We are on an exploration mission to check the planets that we pass by for energy source and send them back to our planet. Earth has been one of our main energy sources so we frequent your planet, even before any of you are born." The humans looked surprised. Yuda smiled.
"I can assure you that all we visit your planet for is the energy that your planet emits. Whatever Hollywood has fabricated is false and no basis. Just a brief history of your people: Back then, there was no civilization in your planet, that was millions of years ago. When the people of your planet started evolving, we decided to help your growth by implanting your DNA with ours. The modern man is based from our appearance. Humans with exceptional abilities are the ones whose DNA has been enhanced by our genes. Anyway, after millions of years, Earth is still one of the best energy sources so we head towards your planet once again. But what we saw is something we never imagined would ever happen." The red haired then looked troubled. Luca continued.
"We saw that your planet has entered a what you call "World War III" and the countries involved launched unprecedented amount of nuclear and biological weapons. Not only did the nuclear war pollute your planet but the energy coming from Earth as well has been affected. This was after you were sent to cryo-sleep so this is unknown to any of you. That facility protected all of you." Yuda nodded.
"Since Earth is no longer a source of energy, we decided to head back. But then, something happened that made us stay." He then grew quiet.
"What...happened?" Rei asked. Yuda was still quiet, as if thinking what to say next. Takeru and Luca looked at him.
"Would you like me to say it to them?" Luca offered. Yuda looked at his long-time friend and shook his head.
"No need. But thanks." Luca nodded. Yuda then looked at the humans, specifically to Shin.
"I started having...visions." Goh looked mildly surprise.
"Visions?" Yuda nodded.
"Yes. And those visions led me to your discovery-" Rei stopped him.
"Sorry but wait one second. Are you saying that an extraterrestrial had visions of us, humans?" Yuda nodded.
"Yes. The vision I had is of Shin." Shin was surprised.
"Me?" Yuda nodded. Takeru chimed in.
"Yes, and believe me, we are just as surprised as well. We find it...interesting. Because we clearly had a different wavelength than you so we were really...astonish with this event. So the only theory I could think of is that for some reason, reasons that we are yet to investigate, Shin's mind sent out a call to us and the one who was able to receive that was our Commander here." The three brothers all looked at Shin. Shin blinked once.
"Eh?" Gai spoke first.
"Wow, Shin. You saved us again." Rei nodded.
"Yeah, not once..." Goh continued.
"...but twice." Shin blushed, due to embarrassment. Yuda was amazed at how beautiful Shin looked as he blush.
"Y-you guys, please stop that! I have no idea about that. Stop staring at me like that." And he blocked Goh's field of vision. Goh just grabbed Shin's hands and placed it on his cheeks instead.
"We'll 'torment' you about this later." Before Shin could even retort, Goh looked back at Yuda who was watching the exchange carefully.
"So, where are the others?" Luca looked unsure of the question.
"Others?" Goh answered.
"Yes, the others. We were not the only ones in that facility. So where are they?" Gai and Rei looked gloomy. Goh noticed the sudden change of mood, as well as Shin.
"What? What happened to the others?" He then looked at the red haired.
"Are we..." he gulped. "Are we the only one that was saved?" Luca nodded solemnly.
"...Yes. There were no other humans alive when we arrived." Goh and Shin were silent.
[Just...us? What happened to Yuki then?]
[Why...?]
Gai looks as if he was about to cry. Shaking his head violently, he faced Luca.
"So, when Reiga said that he will get Tamami and Tsubasa-san and Yuki-neesan...he lied to us?!" The tension in the room is palpable. Takeru looked worried.
[His stress level is going nuts...Commander]
Yuda nodded and was about to calm Gai down when Luca beat him into it.
"No, Reiga did not lie to you. He did send Tamami, Tsubasa and Yuki and their families to the facility." Gai was taken aback. Rei looked confused.
"If they were there...why are they not with us now? What happened to them?" Luca looked at Yuda who nodded. Luca then looked at the humans.
"The words that I am about to tell you are true and I will not hide anything from you. I just want you to brace yourself because it will not be good." Gai looked serious. He gulped and nodded. Rei was silent but he too, nodded. Goh and Shin nodded as well.
"Very well. Please listen to what I have to say..."
"Reiga was true to his word: he had sent Hazuki Tamami, Ayakawa Tsubasa and Nakagawa Yuki to the same facility where we found you. Along with their families. The CEO of Tochibe Corporation also invited other people to be part of the operation."
"I believe you call it Project Shiva." Shin nodded.
"As scheduled, these people awoke from their cryo-sleep 40 years after 2014." Shin nodded again.
"Yes, because I designed the tubes to automatically awake the person inside after 40 years." Luca nodded.
"That is correct." Gai shyly raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"I don't get it. If we were using the same tube as the others...and that it should have awakened us all at the same time...why didn't we awake the same time as them?"
Rei nodded.
"For once, you asked a good question." Gai was about to retort when Goh stuffed his mouth with a pillow, muffling his protest. Rei then repeated the question.
"Gai is right. Why did we not wake up the same time as the other people?" Shin looked troubled.
"I made sure all tubes are synced with the others...unless..." he then becomes silent. Yuda nodded.
"...Yes, the tubes that were holding your bodies have been re-programmed." Goh looked surprised.
"What? By who?" Shin answered.
"By Reiga...am I correct?" Yuda nodded.
"Yes." Gai looked at Shin, who was silent and in deep thought.
"How did you know it was Reiga?" Shin furrowed his eyebrows.
"Because...he was the only one who knew how to reprogram it. I taught him how. But why would..." Shin looked frustrated, as if he cannot comprehend why do such an act. Goh then asked that question for him.
"Why would Reiga do that?" Luca shook his head.
"The reason he did such thing eludes me. The only thing I found out on my reading is that it had something to do with their father." Something in that statement caught Rei's attention.
"Reading?" Luca nodded.
"Yes. Aside from having telepathy as our common ability, each one of us was bestowed with unique powers. I believe you call that 'individuality'. From objects, I can see what happened. It is like I am witnessing what they had seen at that time." Rei nodded his understanding of the explanation.
"I see..." Gai looked impatient.
"I thought questions are not allowed?! Why was Rei allowed?! Whatever! It's always unfair anyway. So, what about Reiga's old man and what really happened?!" He said that all in one breathing and he is now huffing, surprising his brothers. Yuda looked amused. Takeru looked confused.
"Reiga's...old man?" Yuda explained.
"That is another term for father." Takeru looked he had a 'eureka' moment.
"Ah! I see." Rei faced Luca.
"Commander Luca, if you would be so kind to continue." Luca nodded.
"The next happenings may upset you. So please, keep an open mind and I would like to say it again, brace yourself. It is not a happy ending." The four humans all nodded solemnly.
Luca paused.
"40 years after 2014, the people inside the facility have awakened from their cryogenic sleep. One by one, the occupants were roused and they slowly get their bearings once again. When Reiga and Keigo are well enough to walk, they went down to check on the four of you. As Shin mentioned, Reiga override the program on your tubes so that you will be awaken after 50 years. I have tried to read all of the objects in that facility but none reveal his reason for doing so. When they reached the area where the four of you were safely sleeping, they were greeted their by their father, Tochibe Gendo."
Gai leaned his head forward to hear better.
"Their father asked why were the four of you still sleeping. Reiga has this weird look on his face, as if he is hiding something and he did not answer his father and instead, asked why was he there. As they approach their father, they started hearing screams from above, the area were the occupants of the facility were living. They panicked and was about to make their way up when armed people in black blocked their way, weapon at ready. These people refused to let them board the elevator and so the twins asked their father, shock clearly on their faces."
"They started asking their father what was happening above them and why they are not helping. Gendo looked calmed and gestured for his armed soldiers to leave the brothers and stand on his back. Keigo tried to use the elevator but it was not budging. Reiga asked Gendo again. Gendo simply said that there is nothing more they could do to save the people above. Fear was evident on the twins' faces as they realized that their own father had something to do with the screams above. They asked their father to clarify what he meant with that statement."
"Gendo then said that when the occupants started awakening, he specifically ordered his men to give them drinks. Each one of them. Unknown to the people, the drinks were spike."
The humans all had the same look: Horror.
Gai was starting to shake his head.
"No...you don't mean..." Luca looked sad.
"The drinks...they were spike with poison." Rei's mouth opened, as if he was about to utter something, but all he could manage is a choking sound. Gai looked pale all of a sudden.
Goh was heaving and he looked at his lap, trying hard to calm himself down. Shin curled his fist on his blanket, eyes watery.
"W-Why..." He was the only one who managed to utter a word. Luca looked miserable.
"Please, everyone, get a hold of yourself." Gai is not hearing him.
"Tamami...Tsubasa...Yuki-neesan...those people, I saw them. They were alive when we arrived in that facility! I saw them entering their rooms! I saw them carrying those boxes! I saw them walking...talking! ALIVE!" Gai is becoming hysterical.
"Tamami...I will never ever see Tamami...b-because of..." he is now crying and he punched the bed.
"Why?! Why?! WHY?! WHAT WAS THAT ALL FOR THEN?! WHY DID THEY HAVE TO GO THERE, JUST TO DIE A MISERABLE DEATH?! WHY?!" Shin hugged Gai.
"Gai!" The blonde did not stop. He then placed his hands on the side of his head.
"Is it because I knew her? It's because she is my friend...was." Gai lost it.
"Haha. Was. I am now speaking of her in the past tense..." he then started muttering words. Shin looked at Yuda.
"Please! Give him a depressant! Hurry!" Takeru immediately rose to his feet.
"I'm on it." He then quickly left. The two Commanders rose as well, shock and helplessness in their eyes. Rei is trying hard not to sob too loud. Goh was trying to calm him down. Luca approached him when Goh shook his head.
"Can you please leave us for a moment?" Luca was about to say something when Goh cut him off.
"PLEASE." Luca did not push and just nodded and quietly left the room with a silent Yuda following.
Luca sighed as he left the room.
"It must be still too early. Maybe I should have not said so much." Yuda shook his head. He leaned against the wall just beside the door and crossed his arms against his chest.
"No. We will just have to wait for them to recover. As for the humans, we should not be keeping things from them. They have every right to know what happened. We already warned them of what to expect." They then saw a rushing Takeru who quietly entered the room. From the few seconds the door was opened, they could hear Rei crying and Gai was screaming and crying at the same time. And then silence.
The two of them were quiet.
[Yuda...I'm worried...]
Yuda was silent.
[We just have to believe in them]
[I hope they will recover soon...]
[They will. Humans are known for their resilience. Let us have faith in them]
Luca nodded and worriedly looked on the door. A few seconds after, Takeru emerged. The room is silent now.
"Takeru..." He looked at Luca then at Yuda.
"We'll just wait for now until they try to sort it out."
"Why..." tears continue strolling down Gai's check as Shin gently lie him on his bed. When Shin made a motion that he will get off the bed, Gai hugged him tightly. Shin returns the hug. He looked at Rei and saw that he has calmed down a bit but the tears are not stopping.
"Goh?" Goh looked at him and nodded.
"Okay here. You?" Shin nodded. Goh sighed. He sat beside a silently crying Rei.
"...likewise." Shin then looked worriedly at a clinging / crying Gai. He then heard a foreign sound, one that is trying hard not to cry. He hugged Gai tighter.
"Anija...it's okay. You are allowed to cry, you know." He then felt Goh's head slumped against his back.
"I'm not...crying." Shin gave an understanding nod.
"Yes, I know. It's just raining outside..." He felt Goh's head nod in agreement.
"Yeah...just raining..." he then felt warm tears wet his hospital gown as he console Gai on his lap. Shin himself is trying hard not to cry.
[Not now...not...now...]
He just gave a deep sigh as he rub Gai's heaving back. He can hear Rei's cry somehow subsiding and he noticed that Gai is no longer crying, just catching his breath from all that crying and screaming awhile ago. Goh stopped as well. The eldest sniffed.
"Sorry about that..." Shin gave a small smile.
"Nah, no need for apologies. It was raining, that's all." Goh sniffed one last time and looked at the ceiling.
"Stupid rain, soaking my beloved Shin wet..." Shin gave a soft chuckle. Gai peered from his hiding place and tried to look at where Goh was supposed to be.
"What the hell are you saying, Goh? Have you gone nuts already?" and he got a pinch on his cheek as retort.
"Ouch! Shin, help!" Shin gently removes Goh's hand on Gai cheek. The blonde in return caress it as it slowly turns into red. Rei stood up and climbed Shin's bed, occupying the other side of the bed, making Gai protest.
"Hey! Get off, I'm here yah know!" Rei ignored Gai and proceeded in removing Gai's hold on Shin's waist and replaced it with his arms. He then gave Gai a dead pan look.
"Stop hogging Shin all for yourself. My turn now." And then hid his head on Shin's lap. Gai has this outrageous look on his face.
"Wha-?!" He then heard two taps and saw Goh sitting were moments ago, Rei was sitting on. He was tapping on the seat beside him.
"Awww, you don't want to sit beside me, Gai?" In one graceful leap of a cat, Gai landed gently beside Goh. He pulled his knees towards his chest and placed his arms around them. Goh patted his hair.
"Good boy." Gai huffed but did not move. Goh just smiled. He then looked at Shin.
"Alright, listen people." The three of them looked at Goh. He stopped petting Gai's head and placed it on the blonde's shoulder instead.
"I know what they told us is very shocking and we have every right to mourn for our lost." His eyes got watery but he continued.
"But we cannot be sad forever. We have to cry, mourn for them, remember them and then moved on. The world will not stop just because we did. It will go on and on as if we were never there. The best we could do for them is to make sure we survive this incident and move forward, towards our future. So, if you are not done crying, cry your heart out now and be done with it. We need to let them finish the story and then we will know how we will move forward. Do you hear me?" Shin nodded.
"Yes, I hear you." Rei hid his head on Shin's lap but raised a hand.
"Loud and clear." Gai gave thumbs up.
"Yeah...I hear you, Goh." Goh then tried his hardest to smile.
"Well then, that's settled. I think it is time to let them come in again. We will talk more about this later." He then got up and head towards the door.
"My, my..." Takeru looked amused.
"He kind of reminds me of a certain someone." Yuda looked at him.
"Really? Who?" Takeru stared at him. Yuda looked back.
"Hm?" Luca smiled.
"I think Takeru meant you, Yuda. Your way of handling things is very much like Goh. No-nonsense and direct to the point. But is still humane." Yuda slightly tilted his head sideways.
"Really?" then the door opened and they saw the person they are just talking about appear before them.
"Oh, sorry, did I interrupt something?" Yuda shook his head.
"No, you did not. I take that you all are..." Goh nodded.
"Yes. We would like to hear the rest of what happened." Luca nodded.
"Of course. Shall we?" Goh nodded and went back inside with the others in tow.
When Yuda and the others came in, they now see a different seating arrangement. Gai is now sitting beside Goh and Rei is sitting beside Shin's bed. They can still see that their noses are slightly red but there are no more tears coming out of their eyes. Yuda looked worried.
"Are you sure you want to continue?" Rei sniffed first and then he nodded.
"Yes. We want to know what was the ending of this story." Apparently, it was not only Yuda was worried, so is Takeru.
"But, the more we tell you, the more you might feel anguish." Gai just gave a shrug.
"We'll manage. Stop worrying and let's get it over with." There was a hint of impatience in his voice. Takeru nodded.
[Right, resilience...]
And then they all took a seat. Luca looked like he was thinking.
"So, where did we left off...Ah. The twins' discovered what their father had done to the other people in that facility." The humans looked grim so Luca quickly said the next sentence.
"But, that was not the only part where Gendo showed his despotic actions. He also revealed to his sons' that he made another experiment: mind control. A nano chip that is once implanted, the person will do his any biding." The tense atmosphere is back again.
"As his soldiers line up on his back, one of them breaks from the formation and went to the side. He is holding his gun and aimed at his comrade. Without hesitation, he shot down each one of his comrades in front of the twins' eyes. All were killed and this man shot himself. The twins' were speechless beyond anything you can imagine. Reiga managed to ask his father the reason for all this. Gendo then explained that he intentionally killed all those people because they have no way of supporting that many given their limited resources. In order to survive for long years to come, he decided that plan of action is the best and managed to get all their money to support their living, just the three of them. And so, it goes without saying that the Kageyama brothers were supposed to die as well." Gai gulped down and felt his throat becoming dry. He then felt Goh's hand on his shoulder and he clasp hard on it.
"The final bomb was that he also implanted the twins' with the mind control nano chip and made Keigo hand over the security badge that opens the doors for the Kageyama brothers." Shin fisted the blanket but his face is calm.
"Reiga stood motionless as he realized the mind control is making him stay where he is and to not interfere with their father's wishes. He then watched as Keigo was forced to hand over the security badge to their father's waiting hand." Luca stopped there. The humans were speechless and were all ears. Yuda then continued.
"Luca told me what happened so please, allow me to continue. When Gendo got the security badge from Keigo, he then started approaching the rooms where you were all sleeping. He started heading towards Shin and said he will destroy the tubes but Keigo made a full sprint towards him. What we guess that could have happened is that when Gendo's mind was busy telling his sons' of his plans, he made a mistake and unintentionally released his hold on them, the mind control failed." Gai nodded his head, as if agreeing with what happened.
"Alright!" He then noticed Yuda's sad face.
"W-what...Did they not escape their father after that?" Yuda shook his head.
"No. They went to save you all." Another silence. "Keigo made a full sprint towards Shin's room because that was the first room Gendo is intending to destroy first but then..." He looked to the ground.
Gai looked like he was about to cry.
"W-what happened..." Without looking, Yuda continued.
"Gendo shot Keigo. Right in the heart." Shin was so surprised he covered his hands to his mouth to muffle his agonizing whimper. Rei hugged him tight. Goh looked grim and Gai was paler than ever. Yuda became concerned with Shin's reaction and stopped. There was a long silence before Luca continued.
"His older twin, Reiga could not believe what their father just did. Keigo collapsed on the floor. In his rage, Reiga foolishly run towards his father but he met the same fate as his brother. Then, in frustration, Gendo finally revealed his disappointment on his children. That they were a family of scientist and doctors and yet, none of his children ever managed to have the same prestigious as their father. And that Kageyama Shin bested them in all aspects. In retaliation, Reiga injected himself with some sort of serum and as his body undergo drastic mutation, he revealed that he knew it was their father who spread the 'zombie virus' in Tokyo Station." Gai's eyes were so big with disbelief.
"He did this in hopes of having the affected countries buy the antidote from him, under the pretence that they have studied it and made the most effective cure. But when that plan backfired and instead, caused a misunderstanding between countries, he then shifted to use Project Shiva instead. Reiga completed his mutation and he dealt with his father quickly. He then approached Keigo who is near dying and injected him with a different serum and left the facility. As he is waiting above ground, the ground shook and out came another mutation, which strongly suggest is Keigo."
All was silent.
"Is that all?" Goh asked. Yuda nodded.
"Yes, we have told you everything that has happened. And then 8 years after that incident, we found you." Rei looked confused.
"So, where were Reiga and Keigo when you came to the facility?" Yuda was silent.
[...]
"We did not see them anywhere. All we found in the facility are you and your brothers." Luca looked at his red haired friend.
[Yuda...]
[What they do not know would not hurt them. They have already heard more than enough. I do not want to add anymore to that...]
Shin has somewhat recovered and stared at Yuda for a long time.
"Is...that so?" Yuda's eyes falter before Shin's intense gaze.
"...Yes. We have searched the vicinity but we could not find them. We have a theory that the mutation may have gone wrong." Gai looked depressed.
"So...they died too..." His simple comment was met with silence. Yuda stood up, followed by Luca and Takeru.
"We know that this story left you with heavy hearts so we will leave you be. If you need anything, please feel free to push that button beside Shin's bed. If you will excuse us." The two went ahead and exited the room when Yuda stopped and faced the brothers' again.
"Before I go, please hear me out." The humans looked at him.
"We knew humans believe in Fate or in Destiny. I would like to say that your surviving the whole ordeal must mean that you all have something left that needs to be done. It may be hard to accept everything but we believe that you will be able to overcome this. But, as humans say it, Fate is a cruel mistress. She will not wait for you forever to recuperate. All we can do right now is move forward while we heal along the way. Forgive me for speaking such but I believe there must be something after this. Something to look forward to. Please do not forget that. Please forgive me if you find my words offensive, I mean no ill feeling." He then left the room with four humans all in deep thought.
TBC
Just some notes here...
Yes, Tamami and Yuki's last name were derived from real life people in Japan; Yuki's last name is from Nakagawa Shoko, a famous talent/celebrity in Japan whereas Tamami's last name is from Hazuki Ako, a famous maid (one who works in a maid cafe) in Akihabara
For Reiga and Keigo's father, got the first name from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ikari Gendo. He is the protagonist father. He is a cold person (only to his son) and does not care about him or his safety.
Please review! ^^