CHAPTER 28
Two months have already passed since Ichika's rescue of the girls. While everyone had recovered, Tatenashi included considering of her physical wounds, Houki's condition was only somewhat. She still suffered hallucinations from time to time of what she had seen and visited Raiden's stasis pod every day after school to check on him. There had been no change to his condition ever since the discovery of being trapped. Houki desperately wanted to get back into the Network and rescue him but was ordered firmly by Chifuyu not to given of the amount of time she and the girls spent in their idealized world.
Houki was left alone in the infirmary and in hospital clothing. While physically she was fine, her mental state was questionable but not irrecoverable. From time to time, she kept having nightmares of either Madoka's Akuruturuka starting at her or of Raiden turning to salt in his last moments.
Although what was shown to her was nothing more than an illusion and that the Raiden she saw was just a figment of her imagination, illusions can sometimes be real. She would wake up with sweat over her and be thirsty and hot in her clothes. Sometimes, her heart rate and blood pressure would sky-rocket if she suffered another hallucination, but the doctors and nurses were there to quell it. She would get visits from her friends during these past two months and she'd always ask of Raiden's condition despite getting the same answer each time.
Houki looked out of the window of the infirmary by her bed as she watched the sunset illuminate the sky. She could only think of Raiden as it had been the only thing she'd think of.
(Author's note: Insert Soundtrack: AQUAPLUS – Utawarerumono Itsuwari no Kamen Game and Anime Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 – Itsuwari no Kamen) (Look it up on iTunes or YouTube Utawarerumono Mask of Deception OST - Mask of Deception under the Youtuber Weiss)
"Raiden… why?" Houki asked, trying to envision the image of her lion. "Why do you always do this? You always push yourself beyond limits, getting hurt in the process. You claim to come back but the look on your face when you fight says the opposite. So why? Why must you make me worry and suffer so much for you? Why does my heart ache every time you get hurt?"
Once more did the tears flow down her eyes as she gripped the blanket.
"I can't…understand it." She said weakly.
She knew Raiden was someone who was willing to sacrifice, but to do so recklessly and make a promise to come out of it only to break it in the end is just wrong in her mind. A lot of people would agree to that, even Chifuyu.
Feeling thirsty, Houki grabs some water and gently sips it as she then wipes away her tears. Feeling a bit tired than usual, she lies back and tries to get some sleep, her head turned away from the sun that had just now gone down.
She had a dream in her mind lately over and over for every sleep she had in the time of her recovery. A dream that was once one of confusion but now filled with clarity. What she feared was a repeat of the trauma she endured was actually something she never imagined would happen.
"Wha…Where am I?" Houki asked herself.
In that dream, she saw herself on a field of plain grass. The wind then gently blows on her as she covers herself before the sakura trees, with their petals scattering all over. She walks down a pathway covered in them.
As Houki walks, she spots a white fox with crimson orange markings across its body. Staring at her eye to eye, the fox continues on the path and runs as Houki follows, somehow hearing the fox's call.
The fox then leads her to a shrine. Her family's shrine, which was a surprise to see it in her dreams. But why would the vixen lead her to her shrine? There was nothing special about the shrine anyway so why be lead back? That answer would come when the fox was sitting underneath the entrance.
Underneath the tori gate lied something wrapped in swaddling cloth to which the fox sat behind it. It flipped the cloth over to reveal the sleeping face of a baby, a female.
Houki was confused. Why would a baby be under her shrine? It had black hair and two blue eyes, like hers.
The fox motioned Houki to pick up the baby. When she did, the baby's eyes woke and looked at Houki. Then, surprisingly enough, the baby had a smile on her face as she reached her tiny arms out to Houki.
Houki then felt a presence behind her as she turned to see Raiden with a smile. Coming next to her side, Raiden looked as the baby was filled with joy and then back to Houki, still with her shocked expression.
"R-Raiden?" asked Houki.
"This is…" Raiden said. "My gift to you. Our gift."
Houki looks back to the child and then understands. Then, a smile creeps on her face as tears of joy begin to form in her eyes. She finally understood what this dream was. It was her desire, it was her hope, the one thing she wants more than anything of this world from Raiden. It was not the IS she gained from her sister. It was not just wanting to become Raiden's beloved. It was something she wanted, something she was no longer afraid or embarrassed of having.
A family.
The dream then ended with a flash of white light.
Houki wakes up as she turns around to see that it was the middle of the night. The stars were out and only a few clouds decorated the sky. But it was a beautiful night as Houki looked to see a few sakura petals flow by her window gently. Getting out of her uncomfortable hospital bed, Houki looked down to see one part of the Academy that was still on, the park that showed the cherry blossom forest in all of its beauty.
She then heard a ringing sound, like that of a small bell, as for a brief moment, she saw a white fox with orange markings on its fur run across the courtyard but not before it caught Houki's eyes as it disappeared into the forest. Houki then softly and slowly let out a smile, her fire of hope now rekindled.
"Right…sitting here in the infirmary will not bring Raiden back, nor will questioning and wondering about Raiden's sacrificial attitude." Houki then clenches her right fist in determination. "From here on out, I am going to be there for Raiden. I may not be as powerful as him, but it is all the more reason that I want to rescue him. I cannot give up."
NEXT MORNING, ON THE ROOFTOP…
All the girls, except for Houki, and Ichika were together on the rooftop, having lunch together. But the atmosphere was quiet and somber. Two people were missing from the scene: one in the infirmary recovering and the other sleeping inside a cryostasis tube, trapped inside the IS Core Network.
But Tatenashi assured them that Raiden would not want to see them all sulking, something Charlotte agrees with. After all, the French girl knows that for Raiden, the last thing he wants to see is a sad smile coming from his friends. And Houki would agree for that as well.
"My wife, I must insist that you taste this!" Laura said as she thrusted a piece of octopus to Ichika, which for some reason was still moving around.
"Laura, what are you doing?" Cecilia asked.
"Feeding him something better than whatever you brought along." The German girl said as she saw Cecilia bring sandwiches as usual. Who knows what else she put in those sandwiches this time?
"Man, today is so hot…and humid too." Ichika said as he tried to get some cool air in his shirt. "And having to wear these long-sleeved uniforms in the summer makes it even worse…"
Rin chuckles for a bit, with a mix of pride in her voice. "You always take things so lightly. Look at me, I already considered this kind of heat when I made my uniform!"
"What do you mean by that?" asked Kanzashi.
"Something like this!" Rin exclaimed as she pulled her arms out of her uniform, exposing her beautiful skin.
"Ooh, Rin, your skin is so smooth." commented Charlotte as she looked over it.
"Well, I do take care of it properly." said Rin.
"Oh, let me see." Ichika said as he reached his hand out. Rin shrieked though and pulled her hands back.
"H-Hey. Why are you suddenly touching me! Ichika, you pervert!"
"Huh?" asked the confused boy.
"You should know people have to prepare their hearts for things like that!"
"S-Sorry." But that apology was pointless as Ichika felt a whack on the head by Tatenashi's fan, whom she flipped it open that said PERVERT.
"Unbelievable, Ichika. You really don't know about the feelings of the girls, don't you? Has Raiden even taught you anything?"
"Wh-What?" asked the confused boy. Many of the girls gave similar frowns of disapproval to the Byakushiki pilot.
"Ichika, you pervert!" Charlotte said.
"How shameful of my wife to do something so lewd." Laura disapproved.
"I-Ichika-san? Wh-What do you think you are doing?!" Cecilia demanded.
Kanzashi was quiet yet she hid an embarrassing look, though she did condemn Ichika's inadvertent intent.
Everyone then had a good laugh.
"How long has it been…Since we've laughed together like this…" asked Cecilia as she sighed a little.
"Too long if you ask me." said Charlotte as she relaxed back.
"Indeed. We haven't had a good time like this since Kyoto." said Kanzashi.
"It's what he would've wanted. For all of us." said Rin.
"I still don't get it though." Ichika said, making everyone's eyes turn to him. His head was strangely lowered as his eyes looked to the ground and his hair covered them.
His voice and attitude were a bit melancholic but for a logical reason.
"Why is Raiden always like this?" He asked. "Why does he always sacrifice himself and end up getting hurt in the process? I understand the need to protect someone, but I sometimes wonder why it is…that he always leaves the people behind?"
"I may have a theory as to why he is like this." Laura speaks up.
"Laura?" asked Ichika. Laura had set down her tea before explaining.
"Both the lieutenant and I have been in conversations here and there, asking each other what it means to be a soldier. Soldiers are meant to obey orders, even if that order goes against what the right thing to do is. At least, that is what I thought of initially."
Laura has a brief flashback of her meeting with Raiden when they were testing out weapons together, mainly in there is although the two have been to the shooting range before at times.
"But he told me that a soldier is meant to protect and defend the people he cares for, never to attack out of some cause, good or bad. He told me that without sacrifice, there is no victory. And that no matter how big the cost, it is a sacrifice worth making. I thought he was just applying it to the world at large, but he was really speaking about himself. We have seen him fight battles here and there that have often left him hospitalized, yet he doesn't really seem to care for what happens to him so long as we live. I guess the motive of selfless sacrifice without being reckless runs deep within him."
Laura sips her tea for a brief break before she concludes her thought.
"In hindsight, I believe that the reason he does this is so that we can have a brighter future ahead of us while he remains in the darkness, forever fighting that which he fought alone for so long."
"So, to sum it up…" Tatenashi finished. "He's willing to give himself up, because he feels his time is over."
The atmosphere was silent once again. Everyone knew that Raiden was always one to take risks, even when considering the consequences which are mostly injuries that leave him hospitalized. But for his reason for doing such things, however reckless, were widely believed to protect those he cared for. But half-truths are easy to believe and once combined with the other half-truth, the real reason lies within, which is usually a dark one. However logical it is though and however truthful it is, the truth can hurt.
"We have to rescue him." A voice said to them from behind. Everyone turned around to see Houki, in a happy mood for some reason. Happy, determined, and hopeful.
"HOUKI?!" Everyone cried out.
Houki came over to everyone and sat down with her Bento box in her lap. She seemed relax and was fully recovered from her traumatic experience.
"I know we are on orders to standby but sitting here doing nothing won't bring Raiden back. We have to get back in and rescue him."
"Houki? Are you all right?" Ichika asked, concerned for his childhood friend.
"I'm fine, Ichika." Houki said. "I've fully recovered."
"How? Last we check, your condition was serious." exclaimed Laura.
"You were making progress recovery, but it was slow as well." noted Charlotte.
Houki did not know how to explain it exactly. The thought of new determination and intent to rescue Raiden just came up in her mind and in that moment, her worries were swept away. It was like a gentle wave from the ocean cleansed her of the dirt and sweat she would get from training in Kendo.
But time would have to wait as the communications link soon popped up in everyone's left ear as they heard Chifuyu's voice over the comm.
"All of you, come back down to the bunker. We may have found something."
Once the girls and Ichika proceeded to meet back at the underground room, they saw Chifuyu and another person with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing her usual Italian suit and turquoise necklace, looking over the data.
"We're here, Orimura-sensei." said Tatenashi.
"Who's the woman?" asked Rin.
"She looks familiar." commented Cecilia.
"That's because you've only seen me from a distance." said the woman as she turned around. "Miriam Walker. American Central Intelligence Agency. And legal guardian of Raiden Hataru and his supervisor."
"CIA?" asked Laura. "What do the Americans want?"
"Agent Walker came here of her own will. She heard what had happened." explained Chifuyu. "We were just explaining to her everything."
"Is it about Raiden?" asked Houki.
Even though everyone knew this was about the blind pilot, they needed to hear the details. On orders of Chifuyu, Kanzashi pulls up life signs of Raiden and his IS Lion Heart. While most of his life signs were normal, the energy readings of his IS and his brainwave activity were not.
"The situation has become grimmer than we initially feared." Chifuyu explained. "When we were analyzing the Morse code message to figure out who it was that sent it, we came up with nothing. That is until Miriam pulled up something."
Miriam stepped forward and pulled up her own set of data. "We've analyzed the data back at HQ and from what we can conclude, this Morse code message was not sent by a physical person."
"What do you mean?" asked Ichika.
"It was sent by an artificial intelligence shell program that has awoken itself around the IS core of Lion Heart. Something that was installed to activate should the core reach a certain level of self-awareness. Something that is also keeping Raiden inside the Network."
"So, what you are saying is…" said Cecilia.
"Is that some AI that calls Raiden its father is keeping him inside?" asked Houki.
"Correct." confirmed Miriam.
The room was silent. Now everyone understands that for an artificial intelligence, it had to be pretty evolved beyond normal human understanding of AI and quite powerful to keep someone like Raiden inside the Network. And for one and a half months to say the least.
"We also received another Morse code message earlier today. Kanzashi, pull it up on screen." ordered Chifuyu. Once again, it was shown in dots and lines in the form of Morse code.
.- -. .-.. . .- ... . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- ... .- ...- . / - - -.- - / ... - - - -. .-.-.- / ..-. .-. - - - - - / ... .. ... / - - - .- - -. / -.. .- .-. -.- -. . ... ... .-.-.-
Once translated, it read this message.
PLEASE…SAVE MY SON. FROM HIS OWN DARKNESS.
Silence only followed throughout the room. Another Morse code message. The first one spoke of Raiden as a father and now this one speaks of him as a son.
"What in the-?" Rin was the first to speak after that moment of silence.
"The first message was easy to decipher who sent it but this one remains totally anonymous to us." said Miriam.
"Which is where you all come in." said Chifuyu. "You will dive back into the Network, find the source of this message, and find Raiden. He's been in there for too long, so it's time to eject him out, even if the AI refuses to let him go."
"But, Orimura-sensei, there's not enough room for all of us to enter into the Network." said Cecilia.
"Actually, there is." said Miriam as she pressed a few keys on the holographic keyboard that soon revealed another stasis pod just like Raiden's. Everyone was surprised to see one more hiding beneath the floor as it rose and stood upright.
"One more stasis pod designed like the one Raiden is in. Once you are in cryostasis, your mind will jump straight to the Network."
"I'll take the pod." said Tatenashi. "I know its functions in and out and the nanomachines in my IS should be able to take the subzero temperatures."
"Tatenashi? Are you sure?" asked Ichika in concern as usual.
"I'll be all right. I just want to get Raiden out of there." Tatenashi was firm on her decision, which was enough for everyone's morale to be bolstered up to execute a mission to rescue Raiden.
"Kanzashi will be monitoring your progress while you are inside the Network." said Chifuyu. "She will open for you what is called a Groundbridge, an experimental portal within the Network that allows one to transport themselves inside and out within the Network. You will need only to walk through once you have secured and are ready to extract Raiden."
"Roger!" Everyone exclaimed as they headed downstairs.
Ichika and the girls all took their positions, except for Tatenashi who laid herself down into the stasis pod, which was not comfortable but not painful as well. The door to the pod slowly closed as Tatenashi relaxed, ready to dive in and save her favorite silver lion.
All five of the girls and Ichika, after taking off their school uniforms and into their IS suits, went into their chambers and sat and laid back. The chair-like machines leveled their bodies vertically and moved backwards inside.
"We will now connect you to the virtual reality." said Kanzashi as the countdown began from 15 seconds down.
The countdown reached zero and everyone was transported inside the Core Network, where the view was so out of this world.
"You didn't bother to tell them the true nature of Lion Heart. Of what the Akuruka can do." said Miriam to Chifuyu.
"They do not need to know yet. The Akuruturuka must not be awakened again." said Chifuyu.
By the time the girls and Ichika were in, their images manifested as they found themselves in the same area they were as before. In front of them was a rock cut boulder blocking passage to the other side.
"Is this it?" asked Rin.
"Some sort of boulder." Charlotte stating the obvious.
Ichika thought to himself for a brief moment.
This is the same boulder I saw earlier. Kanzashi said she would check it while I was rescuing Charlotte.
Kanzashi's face then pops up from the screen. "It is the door to Raiden's mind. I have been unable to gain access to it from here."
"Then why don't we just remove the stone out of the way?" Laura asked.
"We can't." said Tatenashi. "If we try to force ourselves into Raiden's conscious, we may end up doing more damage than we think."
"So how do we get in?" asked Houki.
Suddenly, a great shaking occurred in the Network as everyone struggled on their feet. The shaking was similar to that of an earthquake on low magnitude and before anyone can see it, the rock cut boulder rolled itself out of the way, revealing the opened doorway.
A bright light shined from the doorway, but it was not enough to blind everyone. Soon they decided to enter through the door yet once they did, there was no turning back as the boulder shut itself.
At first, they were given nothing. Just blackness all around the background. But at least they were able to see each other for the time being.
"Uh, guys, why is it so dark?" Rin asked
"This is Raiden's conscious, right?" Charlotte asked.
"Probably." Tatenashi answered. "But usually it would not be this…cold."
"What do you mean, Tatenashi?" asked Ichika.
"Every individual's mind, without the malignant interference of the dream world, is based upon her personality and what she is. Usually it would be pure and white within the mind. Full of energy and joy. But here, it is just so…cold."
"I agree." Laura said. "Even I am getting chills down in my spine in this darkness even though we are able to see each other."
"Hey. What is that?" Houki pointed out as some sort of bright light like a bright star shined from the distance, but it didn't illuminate the area they were in. Everyone watched as that light grew brighter and brighter before they were engulfed in it, trying to shut their eyes.
VISION BEGINS…
Raiden wakes up in chains bound to a metal cross behind him. He was battered, bruised, whipped, and bleeding all over yet was preserved to be kept alive. After all, in Phantom Task's line of work, especially with his former mistress, to simply kill is a waste if the subject is not resourceful.
"Wh…Where am I?" Raiden asked. He tries to move but the shackles proved to be firm.
Footsteps were then heard as a Japanese scientist adorned in typical robes came over.
"So, you are awake, Subject #627." The scientist said.
Raiden tries to lunge forward and break his chains, but they held him back. Still, his ferocity and anger get the best of him, yet he submits to his shackles as he backs off.
"Still as ferocious as ever." scoffed the scientist. "If only I could terminate you here and now since you've fulfilled your purpose, but your favored 'mistress' says otherwise."
The scientist puts emphasis on Squall's title. Oh, how he is so jealous of her power and of her looks, always wondering why she loves and favors Raiden out of all the men in Phantom Task.
The scientist then pulls something out of his pocket.
"Look here." Raiden looks up to see a vial of blood on it, labeled with his subject number.
"We have taken a great amount of effort of extracting your blood, now that it is in its stable form. With it, and all the new boys we have retrieved from trafficking, we will use this blood to inject it into them…and perhaps to us."
"For what purpose?" Raiden asked.
"For the men of course." The scientist explained. "We lost our right to rule this world as the women usurped it from us. When we take in this blood after testing it on the new boys, we will be able to use the IS and take back our rightful place as gods. Men will always rule over women, not the other way around. As it should be."
The scientist was exclaiming this with pride, one shattered when Tabane introduced the IS into the world and the revelation that only women can pilot it. Now he wishes for that right back and believed it was possible in his arrogance.
"You will soon no longer be needed. You have proven most useful to us."
He could only laugh for amusement to see Raiden chained and doing nothing as the blind boy held his head down, the hairs covering his eyes.
"Is that…"
Raiden spoke up, making the scientist look up as well after stopping his laughter.
"Is that how much you desire a more powerful body?"
Raiden's hair began to float upwards as an eerie sound and small clouds of energy gather around him. His eyes began to glow with the same purple fiery mascara coming off.
"Is that how much you desire a body that won't die?"
The shackles holding Raiden soon became brittle and began to break off as his body was encased in the cloud. Released from his imprisonment, he grew in size as his shape took the form of his Akuruturuka but remained in its cloudlike form, scaring the scientist with every passing moment. His voice became dark and cold as he spoke.
"Then I shall grant you your wish!"
The scientist was already scared yet he could not move. The man that was contained was now released and angry. The scientist then looked at his hands, still struck with fear.
"What's happening?" He asked as his hands turned into an amoeba-like substance that made him lose form.
"I shall give you a body that will live forever." The dark voice said. "I shall give you eternal life!"
"H-Help me!" The scientist tries to make a run for it, but the remainder of his flesh turns into the same fluid-like substance and soon all that remained were his clothes.
Everyone else was not so lucky form this curse as they too succumbed to this inevitable and horrifying state. Alarms went off as everyone scrambled but it was all futile. In the end, everyone was cursed, turned into the amoeba-like entities. Some of the curses came together to form as one yet a majority flayed around, mindlessly. In short, everyone was given a fate much worse than death.
The dark voice began to laugh as it took in the amusement for the scientists and the suffering they imposed on it. But deep inside its consciousness, Raiden was curled in a ball as he held his head to cease the laughter and pain, knowing his powers are out of control.
"Stop it…Stop it. Somebody stop me! Stop me…Please stop me…If you can't do that…"
Raiden then commanded in a loud voice out of desperation.
"Then DESTROY ME!"
"All right…" said a feminine voice as white feathers that glowed pink came down, along with the noise of flapping. The voice was like that of a child, so warm and innocent yet also mature.
Raiden gasped as he found himself hugged by someone behind him. The feeling was warm and calm, yet confusion only lingered in his mind and was shown across Raiden's face.
"Father, you've finally returned to me." said the voice.
"Father? Wait…is that you, GRIEVER?" asked Raiden as Griever's face came to his from behind.
"It is." GRIEVER said. "If this is what you want, Father, your wish…is my wish. So…"
Another voice then pooped up, one that sounded like a computer acknowledging commands.
Amaterasu hacked, bombardment preparations completed.
"I will destroy you, Father." GRIEVER said without hesitation and without emotion, only obeying a command.
"Farewell."
From the skies above space, in Earth's orbit, loomed over a satellite weapon, large and menacing and armed with a high-powered ultra-frequency laser capable to wiping away an entire planet. Two large rings were built around it while the actual satellite itself looked like a giant menacing weapon protected by heavy steel plating, as its laser weapon had three spikes around the firing chamber.
Amaterasu. It is named after the Shinto goddess of the sun. And rightfully so, for the firepower of this weapon was equivalent to about 10% of the sun's power.
GRIEVER fires the weapon upon the planet, presumably where Raiden is, and as soon as the laser met its target, everything was exterminated in a fiery apocalypse that wiped out all life on Earth.
VISION ENDS…
A loud gasp is heard from Ichika as he finds himself, along with everyone else, on the floor and dazed out. Whatever that bright light hit them with and whatever they saw must've knocked them all out.
"Guys! Are you alright?" Ichika asked as the others wake up.
"Ugh! What the hell was that?" asked Laura.
"Whatever it was, it felt like someone punched me in the temple." Rin said.
Ichika groans as he gets up before the others follow. Kanzashi's voice is then heard through the comm.
"Everyone!" Kanzashi cried out. "I just read your life signs going critical before it reverted to normal. Is everyone okay?"
"We're alive, Kanzashi." Tatenashi said.
"Hey, what is that?" asked Cecilia as a cherry blossom tree was shown next to a pond, its petals being blown gently by the wind. Then, from behind the tree emerged someone.
The figure was adorned in white clothing, a kimono of sorts. It was a white short sleeved traditional kimono dress with a blue rope tied on each side of her shoulders and a blue ribbon attached to the back of her shirt which is connected to the blue rope and a gray diamond designed obi which is tucked into her kimono dress. On her obi was a silver insignia of a swan at the center of her waist while wearing her outfit. She has an off-white traditional kimono dress which is tied in a white karate belt on her waist and both sleeves of the kimono dress are hanging loose with flower designs on her sleeves and her skirt of her dress. She also wears white and blue fingerless gauntlets with a golden shell design tied in blue ribbons on each side underneath her arm and wrists. The interior of her off-white kimono dress is blue. She also wore a white tabi which is tied in blue ribbons and traditional Japanese geta. She also has an insignia at the center of her waist while wearing the outfit. Her face was obscured as it was covered by a veil and there was only pitch black, but her hair could be seen from the veil. At the back of her hair which is just above the nape, she wears a traditional Japanese hair ornament shaped like a white swan.
The woman-like figure unveiled her veil and revealed her face of beauty, of which the girls and Ichika noted that it was beautiful.
"Welcome." said the womanly figure. "My name is Azumi Hataru, guardian of Lion Heart. Pay heed to what I say lest you avoid the inevitable tragedy that will consume us all."
(Author's note: Insert Soundtrack: AQUAPLUS – Utawarerumono Itsuwari no Kamen Game and Anime Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 – Hyohaku No Tabibito) (Look it up on iTunes or YouTube Utawarerumono Mask of Deception OST - Wanderer under the Youtuber Weiss)
Madoka was busy patching up her serious wounds and getting replacement bandages and wrappings, especially the cut on her stomach. Her IS Black Knight was mostly repaired but she did not want to pilot it yet for she was in need of more power. What Tabane provided was not enough and if it was power Madoka wanted, she would accomplish that by any means necessary. And she knew in her heart that even if she complied to upgrade her IS, Tabane would not give her what she wants.
The right side of her face of which she was severely burned and injured from her fusion cannon was mostly intact but her red scar that went down her right eye remained.
She had received the said scar when she remotely piloted Behemoth Deception against Raiden, and that final move of his axe entering on the right side of her face was the worst injury she ever had. The head gear she wore when remote piloting the IS burned a red vertical mark in the same manner the axe cut her, leaving a permanent red scar on her face. She could remember tearing away the destroyed head gear and holding her face in pain as she struggled to stand up after falling to the ground. She screamed endlessly at the burning sensation as she looked in the mirror to see the blood red scar emit a bright red glow on occasion. At least the scar did not damage her right eye permanently enough to make her half-blind.
Now she carried that scar with her not only as a reminder of her revenge, but also of how even a pilot like Raiden can leave marks wherever he walks. Her first scar was the horizontal one on her neck from her days as a child training with Phantom Task. She received that scar from Raiden as well from when he defeated her one time, cutting her carotid artery. Although the cut was not deep enough to kill her, it did make her lose much blood that she had to be hospitalized and get stiches.
Once, she and the blind boy were close friends, almost like kin. They loved and respected each other and went on various missions together when Raiden was still with Phantom Task as an assassin. They both held the same ideology of the world: it is a cruel and unforgiving place and one must survive and climb his or her way to the top to become the apex predator, the dominator of all things, and the most feared hunter to all prey. Both took the path to become the strongest and both challenged each other on occasion to see who has progressed further. Those were indeed the good days of another lifetime.
But as Project Akuruka advanced for Raiden, he grew in power and skill and was favored highly by his superiors, whether he acknowledged it or not. Although Madoka was the same on her part, she was jealous of her former partner. The power he had at his disposal, the ability to take the form of some sort of god all because of one simple project motivate by what Phantom Task dug up on that fossilized skeleton years ago. She wanted that power for herself as well for she never wanted to be behind Raiden on the same path they took. She was denied access or participation for Project Akuruka. Not even Squall permitted it, who was overseeing the project at the time. And who was Raiden's former mistress that she developed an infatuation with.
Raiden's power, gift, and taciturnity were a few of the many qualities Madoka lacked in and she was envious of those favors. Thus, as Raiden progressed further into Project Akuruka, he grew more powerful and skillful than her and she was defeated time and time again in their many duels. Though she had managed to hold her own against Raiden, she still lacked the power to triumph over his. Her own jealousy and thirst for power led her to hate her former partner, all because of his favorability and power that she wanted. Whether Raiden admitted he liked being recognized or not or whether he felt he deserved such power or not mattered little to her.
When Raiden was rescued by the CIA later, Madoka spitefully severed all ties with him and began a path of her own to pursue her own power. Though she still wanted revenge on her older sister and twin brother, she most certainly wanted her revenge on Raiden for her helpless humiliation and shame of defeat. She still respected Raiden for his cunning and ruthlessness and considers him a worthy opponent to face, for she does not let her rage and humiliation get the better of her unlike some people like Autumn. And even after severing ties with him, she still considers the blind pilot an old friend and former partner.
As Madoka worked on stitching her wounds, the console computer in her room was beeping green. Walking over and activating it, she discovers something regarding the IS Core Network to her intrigue.
"The activity log indicates that they have returned inside the Network. And the Groundbridge portal remains open for anyone to gain access."
Madoka knew that something was stirring up within the IS Core Network, but she was never able to get inside. Mostly it was because she was still bedridden with wounds and her IS needed lots of repairs. Madoka knew Raiden had been inside the Network for one and a half months as she had been keeping an eye on him for quite some time while she was healing yet all she could do was watch and not make a move. Even Squall would tell her to standby to her irritation.
"The only possible reason they would take such a risk, would be to rescue their precious Raiden." Madoka said to herself.
A smirk soon grew on Madoka's face. A small one but noticeable nonetheless for if the Groundbridge portal in the IS Core Network is still open, then anyone can enter, even foreign intruders. After all, it would only be a matter of time before the portal closes.
It was in that moment that Madoka saw an opportunity. The red scar on her face then grew bright red.
(Author's note: Insert Soundtrack: AQUAPLUS – Utawarerumono Futarino Hakuoro (Additional Soundtrack) – Futarino Hakuoro) (Look it up on iTunes or YouTube Utawarerumono Mask of Truth OST - The Lords in White under the Youtuber Weiss)
Everyone looks to see Azumi in her great beauty as she approaches them in the form of some sort of goddess.
"I see that you have all received my message. Good." stated Azumi. "You are the only ones I can rely on to save my son from himself."
"Save?" asked Houki. "You mean Raiden is your son?"
"He is indeed, Houki Shinonono." confirmed Azumi. "And you are highly thought of by him."
"I am?" Houki asked.
"Indeed. You may be the key to his rescue. You and your IS." Azumi said, which made Houki conflicted and in deep thought for a bit.
"Relax yourselves for a bit." suggested Azumi. "The vision you saw was but an actual event as to what exactly happened to Raiden when he went into the Network."
"That vision...was real?" asked Ichika in shock.
"It was, Ichika Orimura." confirmed Azumi. "A dream just like the rest of you all when you were trapped within the Network but in the form of one of his greatest nightmares made manifest. Something from the past, at least."
"How are you here?" asked Laura. "Unless you are a program installed of some sorts."
"In a way, Laura Bodewig, I am." Azumi said. "Before my sudden death, I imparted my will onto this IS core so that I would be there to help my son in his time of need. But now, it is beyond my ability to help him and I must rely on you six to rescue him."
Everyone was still confused as to what Azumi meant. If she imparted her will into the Network, how has she been here this whole time? What did she even do to Raiden?
"But to save my son, you must understand Lion Heart. You must understand what I created and what my son has inherited. And what he has become."
The background then changed into a landscape and shortly thereafter, all six were appearing as blue holographic ghosts and witnessing the events before them. In front their view was Azumi Hataru and her husband, wearing typical white coats and looking over one of the IS cores.
"Many years ago, when the world was still in its infancy with the IS, my husband was solely dedicated to the study of the IS core that Tabane Shinonono made. After years of feverish study, my husband began a project where he would create his own version of the IS core."
Everyone was so shocked. The first manmade IS core in existence and it was in Raiden's IS Lion Heart the entire time. Nobody could've believed such a phenomenon existed. It was taking a lot of time just to sink in this new discovery as silence and shock crept across everyone's faces.
"But I thought it was impossible to make an IS core." said Ichika.
"And not even the best scientists could understand what Tabane-sama made." Cecilia supported.
"Correct." said Azumi. "That's why my husband decided to create one from scratch, using resources that he was equipped with and gaining access to highly classified or illegal materials to use in its construction. My husband was brilliant but not as smart as Tabane, yet he sought to tap into places where not even Tabane could understand."
The next scene is shown with Azumi's husband and herself working on the core.
"I tested the core in an Uchigane IS yet not even the Uchigane was able to sync with the man-made core. So, I tried it with other IS units but those ended up being a failure. Still, my husband and I did not give up in making sure that this core remains secured.
"While this core has the same nature as all other cores in that it possesses a self-evolving mechanism manifesting only when the IS is kept paired with the pilot, its ability to do so is very volatile thanks to what Raiden endured as a child at the hands of Phantom Task."
"What…do you mean?" asked Charlotte fearfully.
After a brief moment of silence, Azumi stated as she brought up the screen of what she revealed next,
"Raiden was part of a horrendous project by Phantom Task called Project Akuruka, an attempt to artificially create the first male IS pilot and super soldier."
The screen showed was a white symbol with the shape of some sort of white mask with two eyeholes, two horns, and a marking on the forehead that showed an upside-down letter of 'T' and two identical vertical lines on the side of the 'T'.
Everyone looked to see it as Azumi explained further.
"This is the source of Raiden's power, what you call the Akuruturuka. But the project goes beyond that."
Then, as if the heavens revealed themselves, the background changed as the universe revealed itself in its beauty and glory. Stars and star dust decorated over the place, as did the many nebulae. At the center of the awe-inspiring space, lied a black hole that was spinning fast as it was sucking everything, even light. But what was interesting about this black hole was that it was bright, giving off a white light, even though the sphere was completely black. The colors close to the black hole were mostly yellow and further out, the colors slowly got darker until it was purple.
"What is that?" asked Houki.
"It's so…beautiful." Cecilia said.
"I can feel the raw energy from here." Laura commented.
"That is the Primal Origin." said Azumi.
Everyone looked to her in confusion.
"The Primal Origin?" asked Ichika.
"The birthplace of Lion Heart. The source behind the power of the Akuruturuka."
Everyone looked onto the sphere as it eternally gathered in more light in its never-ending cycle.
"Where once this became an unknown anomaly, just a small presence within the Network like the birth of a new sun. Now it has become a pocket realm of Lion Heart, sought by many people, Tabane Shinonono included, who seek to uncover its power."
This picked up Houki's ears.
"Nee-san? Why would she be interested in this?" Houki asks Azumi.
"It is in her nature." Azumi answered to Houki. "Your sister, though brilliant, is also a curious one. Whatever catches her attention, she will not stop until she finds out what that curiosity is and what truths it may hold."
Azumi's tone then changed to one of determination if not a bit of anger. "But I have no intention to let her discover the Primal Origin, which is why I created a protective shell program that is meant to guard Lion Heart's IS core at all times from any threat whatsoever, Tabane included."
"You placed a protective shell program around Lion Heart?" asked Charlotte. "But I thought you were its guardian."
"I am, Charlotte Dunois." confirmed Azumi. "But my role is simply one of observation and guidance. The shell program I created, called GRIEVER, is meant to protect Lion Heart from any danger from any intruder trying to go after the Primal Origin. It is the first and last line of defense against people like Tabane who seek the Primal Origin's power."
"Why deny it to Tabane?" asked Ichika in an oblivious statement. "Surely the Primal Origin could be a benefit to all of us."
This angered Azumi as she challenged back, "You would willingly accept such power that comes at a great cost, Ichika Orimura? Power that can potentially kill?! Even your sister would think twice before taking in something like the Akuruka!"
Ichika was a bit shocked as he stepped back a little.
"She's right, Ichika." Tatenashi said. "This power should not exist with the IS. If it were given, think of the damage it could do."
"This power must be sealed away permanently." said Azumi. "The seals I have placed on it long ago are being broken one by one because of Raiden's growing power and of Lion Heart's evolution. Now, I place all my hopes on you, Houki Shinonono."
Everyone turned their attention to Houki, whom the said girl was confused.
"What? Why me?" She asked.
"Your IS may hold the one thing that can save Raiden." Azumi explained. "Of what it is, I do not know. But to do so, you must dive deep into Raiden's mind and face the demons that plague him every day. Such a sacrifice will test your resolve and willingness to save him. Do you understand?"
"I…I do." Houki said, though she and her friends were unsure for the most part. For all they know of Houki's IS Akatsubaki, they only know it is the first of the 4th generation of IS created by her older sister. It is indeed powerful and stronger than all the other IS they have seen but the mechanics and schematics of its construction are difficult to decipher, even the IS core. After all, they were built by her sister in the first place.
"So how do I save him?" Houki asked Azumi.
"I can only bring you to a place where Raiden is currently sleeping. You must find a way to wake him from his nightmare or he will be lost from within."
In a white flash of particles after waving her hand, Azumi teleports everyone out of the realm before all is encompassed in white.
Back in the real world, the monitors looking over everyone all looked normal as Kanzashi and Yamada-sensei kept an eye on everyone's condition. Chifuyu and Miriam were still present to watch for any vital threats.
A couple of alarm rings from the monitors suddenly popped up from viewing Raiden's status.
"Sarashiki, check out that anomaly." Chifuyu ordered.
Kanzashi checked it out, looking for the error hidden in the wall of text before her.
"Detecting an unknown foreign entity inside the Network. Trying to identify."
The process was taking a bit longer until it identified someone with a familiar set of codes. This made Miriam bring up something.
"That is strange." She said.
"What, Miri?" asked Chifuyu.
"These codes look familiar back at our work with the data Raiden provided on his IS. But why would there be an unknown entity inside of Raiden? It doesn't sound like a coincidence that it just happened to pop out of nowhere."
"What are you getting at, Miri?" Chifuyu asked.
"If Raiden were to be trapped inside here for almost four months, something could have happened to him anytime from within the Network. But why right now?"
Miriam brought a hand up to her chin to think as she went into somewhat of a deep thought. Yet almost instantly, she could reach only one conclusion.
"You think…Raiden is being—" Yamada-sensei did not get to finish as Miriam continued her thought.
"Attacked? Yes. And I have a feeling who it might be."
Chifuyu silently agreed as she gritted her teeth, believing it to be "her." If Raiden was indeed attacked, she could only wait in frustration, hoping the others can defend themselves against her and rescue Raiden at the same time.
"This place is strong. Such raw power." commented Laura.
"Yes. I didn't think Raiden's mind would be this powerful." said Rin.
Everyone was exploring some sort of cave-like complex maze inside a mountain. Although this was an imagination made in Raiden's mind, it felt so real and normal as compared to the real-world counterpart. The rock looked and felt natural to the touch and though it looked like they could be lost for hours, the group were surprisingly able to navigate with ease.
The group then found themselves before a hole that they had to crawl under which would lead them to a different side.
"Looks like some sort of tunnel. It's gonna be a bit tight to scuttle through there." said Rin.
"Can't we just use that Groundbridge thing to get to the other side?" asked Cecilia.
"I'm afraid that isn't possible." Kanzashi said over the comm.
"Kanzashi?" asked Ichika.
"I'm not picking up anything on the other side aside from a massive energy reading that is stable. Plus, the map layout is a complete unknown. You'll need to crawl through there."
"We'll go one at a time." said Tatenashi as she crawled through first, followed by Ichika, Laura, Cecilia, Charlotte, Houki, and Rin.
The tunnel was a tight fit as each of the girls and Ichika crawled through one by one. Though they were inside the Network, the ground they were on felt so real, like they were crawling through an actual cave. By the time everyone made it through the tunnel, they all saw themselves in a big room.
"What is that?" asked Houki.
The room was very spacious, surrounded by the natural rock in some sort of dome. In the center of it stood a tall crystal-like structure that connected to the top of the dome and chains attached from the walls of the dome that go through the crystal.
By the time the group got to the base of the huge crystal, they were able to see inside of the crystal a large stone throne, along with a figure sitting inside and with chains wrapped around its left arm, both wings, right ankle, and the chest in a X formation. It was sitting perfectly still on its throne given that its eyes were closed. But as everyone looked closer, they saw who or what it was sitting inside the structure.
It was Raiden in his IS, sitting on his throne and sleeping, like his IS were shut down into standby mode.
(Author's note: Insert Soundtrack: AQUAPLUS – Utawarerumono Futarino Hakuoro (Additional Soundtrack) – Utawarerumono Kuon) (Look it up on iTunes YouTube Utawarerumono Mask of Truth OST - Utawarerumono: Kuon under the Youtuber Weiss)
"Raiden?" asked Houki as she came up to the throne. But she heard no response.
"Hey what's that by the base of it?" asked Rin.
An inscription plaque lying at the base of the steps leading to the throne was written in Japanese as Tatenashi came over to read it out loud.
"It says, 'The lion god rests here, forever holding the chaos at bay that is himself. Having sacrificed everything, even his own soul, he sleeps in slumber as the world goes on, while the vixen waits patiently before the first cries of the newborn are heard.'"
Tatenashi commented with interest. "Very poetic."
"What on earth does that even mean?" asked Cecilia.
"It doesn't matter. We need to find a way to get him out of there." said Ichika.
"There is a way." said Azumi as she appeared in a flash of white light. "But it will require those close to Raiden to do what must be done."
Azumi then turned her attention over to Charlotte Dunois and Tatenashi Sarashiki.
"Of those aside from Houki who have a close bond to Raiden, only you two stand out. I will give you a task that will require you to go into the Primal Origin and retrieve the power of the Akuruka, located in a shrine at the very center. Can you accept this task?"
"We will." said Tatenashi.
"Anything to save Raiden from his slumber." Charlotte answered.
"The Akuruka of Lion Heart will be in the form of a small sculpture in the form of a lion. Retrieve it and bring it here. It will be one of the keys to the ritual."
"Wait!" said Houki. "Why can't I come?"
"You must stay here and use your love for my son to awaken him. Only he can awake at the sound of your voice, as he has done before."
Houki stood down as Azumi opened up a Groundbridge portal that lead to the Primal Origin. The Groundbridge looked like an actual green portal swirling with power. (Author's note: It is just like the Groundbridge from Transformers Prime.)
"There is no time to waste. But be careful. The Primal Origin is a chaotic place." warned Azumi as Tatenashi and Charlotte entered through the portal, along with Azumi as she walked in with them, before the portal dissipated.
"Let's just hope they make their trip quick." said Cecilia.
"Agreed." Laura approved. "Who knows what other things may be stirring up?"
"I just wonder how long we are going to stay in the Network just for rescuing Raiden, not that I am impatient, but we are on a time limit." said Rin.
Houki could only be silent as she looked at the body of her sleeping lion on his stone throne in slumber. Her gaze was interrupted by something else though.
"So, this is the heart of the lion's den."
A voice from behind spoke up as everyone turned around to see Madoka Orimura, in her usual black getup but with a red straight cut-like scar over the right side of her face. She also wore a small loose cowl that covered up the said scar, although the other side of her face could still be seen in a more menacing tone.
Cecilia, Rin, Laura, Houki, and Ichika looked to see Madoka, who returned their gaze as she emerged from a Groundbridge portal.
"You've all gone to impressive lengths to recover your precious lion." said Madoka. "Be assured, I shall never underestimate you again."
Both Madoka and everyone then prepared for what was to come next.
Author's note: There is a Part 3 incoming but it will take a while due to scheduling conflict and school. The first semester of my last year in college is coming near to an end and I have to get ready for the holidays.
