Chapter 1

[And so, the fight begins…]

The room was silent as the only light source inside the room came from a small-lit candle in front of a sturdily built boy. Deep breathing filled the air as the candle's fire lifted into a huge fireball in mid-air.

"Ack!" whimpered Angel Ikashi, as he held his finger after the small burn he received from the giant fireball.

"Damnit, I have to be more careful…" A knock was heard a couple of seconds after Angel grabbed his hand in pain.

"Ouch, ow ow ow ow!" whimpered Angel as he walked toward the door.

*Knock Knock*

"Yeah, who is it?" questioned Angel. He wondered who it was as he looked outside his apartment door.

"Hi!" exclaimed Anna, as her head suddenly came into view. Anna Klein stood at the door, smiling. As soon as he saw her deep brown eyes, he knew it was his girlfriend.

"Whoa, you scared me there," said Angel. "what's up?"

"Nothing, I was walking by and I heard you scream in pain," Anna stuck her head into the room to look around to see what else happened. "are you sure you're okay?"

"Heh… yeah, I'm sure," said Angel. "come on in, make yourself at home." They hugged as they walked into the small room and Angel ushered Anna into the living room.

"Whoa," Anna said in surprise as she stared at the gigantic speakers that were in the room.

"You can sit down, be comfortable, whatever," Angel said. "Do you want anything to drink, eat…?"

"Uh, just water, thanks," said Anna.

~Meanwhile~

The calmness of the room intensified as Claire Lian looked into the eyes of her opponent. Weaknesses, experience, and thoughts of training in the past, along with previous lessions flashed through her head as she determined her opponent's move.

"Kiyaaaaaaaa!" was heard throughout the room as Claire held her ground against the shots that were thrown in her direction.

"Hap! Hap! Hap! Hap!" was heard repeatedly from the two fighters, and Claire denied every punch and kick that was thrown at her.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Claire put her fist out so fast, yet so gently, she tapped her opponent on the nose.

"Ack!" Jonathan Amber screamed as he was tapped slightly, and he fell onto his bottom on the straw mat.

"Heh, I got you again!" Claire said in her discreet, small voice as she smiled sweetly and helped Jonathan up.

"Next time, don't do that, hit me!" screamed a scared, and frail Jonathan.

"Like this?" a sudden pain wrenched through Jonathan's body as he grabbed his stomach as though he had been shot.

"Owwwwwwwwwwww, that hurt!" said Jonathan, as he grabbed his midsection in pain and he fell to the floor.

"You said for me to hit you," said Claire, "and I did, you asked so nicely too!" Claire smiled again as she helped him up after his second fall. "I have to go Jon," Claire exclaimed, "I'll see you tomorrow at school!" said Claire as she ran off with her bag

As Jonathan looked on after Claire as she ran toward the college, he said,

"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Jonathan said as he started to gather his equipment.

~With Angel and Anna~

Angel handed the glass of water to Anna and tried to start a conversation. "So, what's going on?" said Angel, feeling quite embarrassed, as he looked into Anna's deep brown eyes.

"Nothing, really," said Anna. "Nothing at all, but… oh s*it!"

"What? What happened?"

"We have a trig test tomorrow in math, remember?" said a distressed Anna.

"Crap, you're right!, look, I have to get to studying now since I remembered it," Angel

said.

"I'll see you tomorrow in math," Angel said as they got up and hugged, then they

kissed each other.

"I'll see you too, Angel" said Anna, at about the same time. Angel looked into his watch as the time was 8:19.

"Better just look over my notes and go to sleep," Angel said. After a long period of time and studying, Angel lay down on his bed and looked at the ceiling. "Good night, Anna," said Angel as he drifted off to sleep.

~Somewhere else in the dormitory~

A faint light came from the computer screen, as Claude sat at the desk, tapping the desk over and over.

"Damnit," screamed Claude, "this f*cking download wont finish, is it frozen or something?" He glowered at the computer screen as it stood at ninety-nine percent.

-Transfer Error- showed up in place of the download.

"What the f*ck!" screamed Claude. "damnit, the damn person keeps signing off on me, you dirty and stupid f*ck!"

"F*ck this, I'm going to sleep," said Claude. "damn this!" Claude jumped onto his bed and looked at the wall, and the picture of Loretta, and he smiled himself to sleep.

Suddenly, Angel looked around him as he saw death and destruction everywhere, in any form possible. He saw piled dead bodies, as well as crumbled buildings amidst miles and miles of this horrid land. He thought to himself,

"What is this place? Why am I here?" He turned to see many people burning and screaming in horrible pain. A scream echoed through his mind.

"Mom?" said Angel. "Dad?" Angel looked toward the sky, as it was light blue, but started turning red with the blood of the wars that waited within the future. Screams echoed over and over again…

"Ah!" Angel screamed as sat up in his bed. Tired but scared, he reached over to the alarm clock, which so scarily similarly sounded like the screams in his dream.

"Was this dream sent to me to prove a point?" Angel said to himself, as he got out of bed. Rushing around his small room within the dormitory, he began to perform the routine that he usually did every day.

"Oh crap," said Angel, "I'm gonna miss math!" After finally getting his shoes on and grabbing a powerbar, he ran out of the door with his books that he would need until lunch.

Running toward the auditorium was usually easy for him, but since class started 5 minutes ago, Angel was dashing across the college campus to make class before he had to do a detention project. Upon Angel's entrance of the auditorium, he saw that the class still wasn't assembled in their seats.

"Take your seats class," said Mr. Miramoshi. As everyone sat down, he rushed to grab the seat nearest to Anna. Luckily, he grabbed the seat next to Anna and he started panting after the long run and the quick dash for the seat next to Anna.

"Hey, what's up?" whispered Anna.

"Nothing, *pant* really," said Angel, starting to breathe normally. Just then, a suspicious looking man walked into the auditorium, and started to talk to Mr. Miramoshi. Suddenly, Mr. Miramoshi looked around the classroom and saw Angel and Anna.

"Mr. Ikashi, and Ms. Klein," Mr. Miramoshi said. Then, Angel and Anna gathered their books and started the walk down the stairs toward Mr. Miramoshi's desk.

"Angel and Anna, you have been excused from school for 6 months on leave." Said Mr. Miramoshi. "Take the stuff you have and go with Mr. Perry." Angel and Anna bowed and slowly walked out of the auditorium with Mr. Perry.

"Go to your dormitories and get everything you will need for the next 6 months. You will be staying with us, no questions asked." Said Mr. Perry. "I will be waiting, and if you are not here within the next 20 minutes, we will leave, and you would not like that happening.

"What the hell?" screamed Angel. "you're taking us out of class for the next six months? What the f*ck is this for?"

"You will see, Angel." Came out of a calm, Mr. Perry.

"Yeah, bulls*it," said Angel. And so, Angel began the run back to his dormitory and started getting clothes, his gun, and other things as well. Anna, also ran back to her dormitory and gathered her necessities she would need for the next six months. They jogged back to the spot where the mysterious Mr. Perry stood.

"Stay here, I will be back shortly." Mr. Perry said as he walked off.


~In another auditorium~

Jonathan was leaning off the chair and about to fall asleep when he saw a man that walked into the auditorium. He saw the man whisper into Mrs. Maeda's ear, and she called two names out. He nearly fell out of his chair when Mrs. Maeda said his name.

"Jonathan Amber, and Claire Lian," Mrs. Maeda said, "Come here, please," Jonathan and Claire ran back to their dormitories and gathered their stuff. Once they arrived at the entrance of the college grounds, they saw Angel and Anna at the same time Angel and Anna saw Jon and Claire.

"Guys, did you all get pulled out of class for the next six months too?" said Claire.

"Yeah, by some weird guy in a tuxedo?" said Angel. "yeah, that's what happened to us."

"Ladies and gentlemen, follow me and get into the car." Came from Mr. Perry. As all of the students including Angel walked into the van and they watched after a short while, they entered a large military base in the middle of nowhere.

~Later~

"What the hell are we doing here?" screamed Jonathan. "what are we doing here?"

"You four have been chosen for a top secret project involving a new weapon, that we will need against a threat that has the whole human race at stake," said a voice over the intercom. Angel recognized the voice as Mr. Perry's.

"You b*stard!" screamed Angel. "Why do you put us in a room like animals, then!"

Suddenly, a door opened and the four walked out into the wide room, in which Mr. Perry was standing in.

"What do we have to do?" Angel said as he stepped forward.

"Before we can start the project, we must deem you fit for the project," Said Mr. Perry.

"follow me, please." Mr. Perry walked down a long corridor amidst the scientists a short distance below in a room many times the size of their auditoriums.

"Wow," came from all of the students except for Angel, who seemed fearless, or even yet, surprised.

"What are these…. These robots?" exclaimed Jonathan, amazed at the sight.

"These giant robots are Votals. Constructed from pure Genium, they have been the target of our defense, and our making, and we have made them so they are slightly like customized for each of you. You all will be paired up with an instructor, trained, and then you will be put into battle.

"Hey, guys!" came from behind. A medium built person was walking up from behind. He carried a couple of books, one with "The Quantum Theorem" and "Weapons of Mass Destruction".

"Everyone, meet Claude Valencia. He has been working here since 8th grade, and he is well experienced with the Votals and their capabilities. Then, everyone separated and walked off toward the Votals, looking for their suit. Angel, spotted his Votal almost automatically and looked toward it, as it was himself in a larger form. A sound came from behind him.

"Hello, Angel," said his instructor, "I'm Jun. This, is Xero Votal. State of the art in hand-to-hand and long range combat, it is quite even in most of it's stats, quite adapted to space, air, and land combat. It's armaments are two Light Katanas, two Reitan rifles outfitted in the shoulders, and regular blast arm lasers outfitted in the forearm area. Look, we have to go train, so come with me.


~With Claude~

"Hey Claude!" said Veronica. She pulled her hair back as she looked at Claude and he stood there gawking. Veronica Tsukamoto, was his instructor. He looked at her as if she were a god.

"H…Hi…" said Claude, amazed she was his instructor, as he stood there still, looking at Jennifer.

"You're the world famous scientist that founded Genium and developed the Votals, I totally admire you!" said Claude.

"That is so sweet, Claude," Veronica said sweetly as she kissed him on the cheek. "you are so sweet, but I have to introduce you to your Votal." Claude looked on, but not at his Votal.

"This is Meteor Votal, Claude," Claude looked up to his Votal and was awestruck of it's huge height. "Adapted for land, air and space combat, it is equipped with micromissiles in the calf area, Napalm and Fire Missiles within the shoulders and waist." Veronica continued, "It's original armaments are flamethrowers equipped within the forearm area, and your long range weapons are your Kitan Missile launchers, applied onto your arms," said Jennifer. "Claude, are you paying attention?"

"We have to go meet and wait for everyone at the briefing room, so let's go." Said Jennifer.

"Sure, let's go," said Claude.

~With Claire~

The gigantic Votal was raised upon a platform and under repairs, and she looked up at it.
"Hey, Claire." Said Nicholas.

"Hi." Said Claire.

"This is Windsought Votal." Said Nicholas. "it's used for hand to hand combat and hit-and-run attacks, it is strongly adapted to air, and space flight, but not land and water. It has no machine guns or other weapons like those, but it's speed and it's hand-to-hand combat weapons make up for most of that. It has a beam whip, that is made up of 6,000,000 volts of electricity, along with one beam katana, and six spears that shoot out of the wrists."

"Since you're into martial arts, this really fits you and your description," said Nicholas. "It's kinda cool."

"Yeah cool," said Claire. "I just wanna look around it, and see what's so cool."

"I'm just gonna go and head to the briefing room," Said Nicholas. "Do you like me?"

"Shut up, leave me alone. This is injustice." Said Claire, as she jumped up onto a ladder which took her up to her Votal. After five minutes of exploring, she jumped down and landed next to Nicholas.

"Go ahead, I'm still looking around." Said Claire.

"Whoa, I'm sorry, I'll meet you in the briefing room." Said Nicholas.

~With Anna~

"Yeah?" said Joseph. Anna looked at Joe as he saw her, and he stood up.

"Hey, babe!" said Joseph. "what's going on?"

"Excuse me?" said Anna, who was offended. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any interest in you. Don't even try anything."

"Yeah*cough* and, here's Moonsound Votal." Said Joseph, put down by Anna's previous comment. "This Votal is adapted for all types of combat and is able to cloak it's self with stealth abilities. Along with that, it uses the power of sound as a weapon. Armed with supersonic rifles, it also has hypersonic missiles that travel faster than 900 mph toward the target. It also has powerful sound blasters that fire hypersonic blasts faster than light, that are within the forearms. "

"That's cool." Said Anna. "I'll meet you at the briefing room."

"Sure, yeah." Said Joseph. Anna walked away from Joseph quite annoyed, and she started her search around the Votal hangar, looking for Angel.

~With Jonathan~

"Hello?" Jonathan said as he looked around his Votal.

"Hey, you're another pilot?" said Maria. "You look cute, what's your name?"

"…Jonathan, why?" said Jon. "is there some reason why you want to know?"

"You look so cute, just saying, is there something wrong?"

"…No, not really, that's cool though."

"Okay, this, is Elemental Votal," said Maria. "This is very strongly adapted to fighting in all types of conditions, and it can use it's surroundings to turn into a weapon. Equipped with the elemental cannons, upon it's wrists, it can take fire, water, and radiated, sound, or air energy to use as a weapon. Along with those, it has an ability to meld into it's surroundings, water, air, and fire. It is equipped with beam daggers, and electrified rope spears that can be released from it's shoulders." Said Maria.

"Sweet, electrical weapons…" mumbled Jonathan. "We should head to the briefing room now,"

~In the briefing room~

"Wow, this place is sweet." Said Jonathan.

"Yo, she is so hot…" Claude mumbled as he looked in Veronica's direction, while she was talking to Mr. Perry. Claire stood at the front of the room stretching and she split in the front, while everyone was still talking.

"Where's Angel?" Anna questioned as she looked around the room, which slightly looked like a small auditorium. Suddenly Angel walked into the room, and Anna ran over and hugged him.

"Hey, Angel, what's up?" said Anna, in her sweet, innocent voice.

"Nothing, we have to do some really serious business… something really important…"

"Ladies and gentlemen, please come up to the front and please take a pamphlet, and take a seat." Mr. Perry said, standing up in the front.

Angel and Anna sat on one side, as everyone else sat on the other side of the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you have been brought here for a reason, a reason that holds the whole human race at stake." Said Mr. Perry.

"A few years ago, we detected a large attack fleet approaching our solar system, and our colonies surrounding Pluto were attacked, and we have lost contact ever since. When we sent an expeditionary party toward Pluto, we also lost contact with them and these were the last pictures we have seen of the colonies since then. All of a sudden, the lights turned off and a picture of the colonies, known as the "South Bend" Colonies, they were wrecked, and it looked as if the planet had been populated densely. Then, Mr. Perry started talking again.

"We have identified these enemies as Guarods. They have posed a threat to our civilization upon the nearest planets, Neptune, Jupiter, and Saturn. All five of you, will be trained to fight within your Votals, as well as martial arts training. All of you should take a rest now, we begin training tomorrow morning, at five-hundred hours sharp. Your instructors will show you your rooms, and you will find your uniforms in there as well. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Dismissed!"