Gatekeepers Redux: Resurrection

By Coral Blue

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. Gatekeepers and Gatekeepers 21 belong to Studio Gonzo. Everything else that wasn't part of the series is all mine. All events portrayed bear no relation to actual incidents; any similarities are entirely coincidental.

Foreword

I've always been fascinated by the concept of Gatekeepers. Sure, the series uses many of the clichéd powers so common in science fiction and fantasy stories — that of healing, the elemental powers, enhanced physical abilities, and whatnot — but they do so in a very unique way. Despite all the similarities, one can honestly say Gatekeepers is different. And of course this perception could only be heightened by the incredible graphics of the show when these people start using their powers. The ring of light appearing in a Gatekeeper's eyes when he or she summons a gate is, to me, more impressive than any Dragonball-esque chi-blast. Nothing else in anime gives off that feel of otherworldly power like a gate circle does — at least, that's my opinion.

And then we have the Invaders. Shades of Matrix, anyone? Or maybe it's the other way around. Personal opinion of that piece of science fiction tomfoolery aside, the Invaders are just about the perfect villains for the series. Inhuman, impressive, and that creepy theme they have once they start appearing is absolutely hair-raising. The Matrix parallel was one of the first thing I noticed about the series, but rather than detracting from the show, it somehow fits. I can imagine the Gatekeepers world in a Matrix-like scenario. In fact, that's just what this story is about.

It won't be a crossover with Matrix, never fear, but I will incorporate that end-of-the-world atmosphere that Matrix has. This story is set far into the future — 2150, to be exact — but the year doesn't really matter. It is a post-apocalyptic world where the Invaders have won and humanity hides among the wreckage of once-proud cities.

In a time when humanity can think only of survival, when darkness rules and hope is a forgotten word, a young man stands at the threshold of destiny. Guided by his courage and his dreams, can one young man break free of the chains of terror and bring back the power of the Gates?

Prologue

Winter Dreams

Gen shivered in the chill wind, blindly groping his way through the gathering mist. He was lost. Nothing looked familiar to him — none of the concrete rubble and twisted metal that made up Tokyo's undergrounds. All he saw was white, white everywhere. The youth hesitantly took a step, then immediately regretted it as he slipped on a wet patch on the ground. Yelling, arms milling about wildly, he staggered and caught himself against one of the crystalline columns that dotted this strange landscape — then instantly recoiled with shock. The thing was cold! Curious, he leaned closer and inspected the pillar. Was that ice? He had heard of such things, but had never actually seen it for himself. Old Man Kuga had told stories of frozen water he had encountered when he was a young man journeying in the mountains, but Gen had thought those to be just tall tales. Everyone knew the last winter had happened over a hundred years ago. Gen grinned; he was sure Old Man Kuga had never come across something like this

The teenager scrambled nimbly over a large block of ice, intent on further exploring this strange new landscape. There was no landmark, nothing to navigate by, just the same monotonous vista of ice and snow. Not that the view was boring — far from it! It was all so amazing, and all so beautiful! Rainbow colors glittered off the crystalline ice as streamers of light shone down from the late afternoon sun — and here Gen wondered how he knew it was afternoon since the sun wasn't visible in the foggy sky. For a moment he was struck by a sense of wrongness. This can't be real! a part of his mind screamed at him. He paused uncertainly, brows wrinkling as he tried to get a grip on that errant thought. Not real? But that thought was soon forgotten as a flash of white on the edge of his field of vision caught his attention.

"Who's there?" he called nervously, craning his head around. Another flash, this time closer, and Gen whipped his head around so fast the world spun. It was... something... close to the ground, as far as he could make out, but the thing was moving too fast for him to get any details. All the ghost stories he'd ever heard as a child seemed to repeat themselves in his head. It certainly wasn't helping his peace of mind.

"W-who's there?" he repeated. "Come on, show yourself! I'm not scared of you."

Okay, so maybe he was scared. Who wouldn't be? The place was seriously starting to creep him out. He waited, tense, and sure enough spotted another flash of white from the corner of his eye. The faint, quick patter of little feet on snow reached his ears. Gen frowned. Did ghosts have footsteps? Before he could wonder further, a voice, soft and feminine, reached his ears.

"Kaze o itami
Iwa utsu nami no
Onore nomi
Kudakete mono o
Omou koro kana" 1

She was a vision among the crystal columns. Clad in an ancient-style kimono, her long ebony hair spilling down her back and framing her pale, flawless face, the girl — for she couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen — stared back at him calmly from a couple of paces away. A flash of white darted among her feet and crawled up her body to her shoulder, resolving into a brilliantly white ermine. It chittered at him, the creature's beady eyes regarding him as calmly as its mistress'. Gen forced himself to relax. Surely such a young girl couldn't pose any harm, could she? There was something about her though...

It was with a start that Gen realized he had been staring speechlessly at her for several minutes. He laughed uneasily, rubbing his head sheepishly.

"Uh, sorry," he apologized laughingly. "Didn't mean to stare at you like that. It's just that you seem so familiar. It's almost like we've met before, although I could have sworn I've never seen you before in my life." He sent her an easygoing smile, an invitation to laugh along with him. The girl just stared back at him silently.

The smile died.

"Uh, what was that you said earlier?" he asked, trying vainly to strike up a conversation. "It sounded like Japanese, but I'm afraid I didn't understand a word of it."

Still nothing. Gen was starting to feel a bit creeped out. Something was definitely too weird for words here. He decided to take another angle of approach.

"Ah, sorry, I should have introduced myself first. My name is—"

"— Ihara Gennosuke," the girl finished. Gen stared in surprise, his mouth still poised on the first syllable of his name.

"How did you know my name?" he asked suspiciously.

Instead of answering, the girl glided closer, startling him with the sudden motion. The youth couldn't help but notice how she almost seemed to float over the thin ice. She raised a pale, slim hand to his trembling face, and gently laid her palm against his cheek.

"You have the look," she whispered softly, so softly that he almost didn't hear her. "And the potential. I was right then."

Gen frowned in confusion. "What...? What look? What were you right about?" The girl ignored his questions, stepping back as silently as before.

"We will meet again, Ihara Gennosuke..." she stated as she started fading from view before his eyes. By the time Gen snapped out of his shock, it was too late. The girl was gone.

"Wait!" he shouted uselessly. "What did you mean?"

The wind was increasing in intensity now and it was all Gen could do to shield his face from the stinging snow. White surrounded him in all directions, and he shivered. He was cold, so cold.

"Who are you!"

The storm was reaching its climax, great gusts of wind pushing him to his feet. He could feel the edge of his consciousness start to unravel. Before he blacked out completely, a voice came to him out of the winds, an answer.

"A friend..."

Darkness consumed him.

Author's Note:

I had planned to post this as part of chapter one instead of just a prologue. Unfortunately, the bulk of chapter one is going through some editing, so I decided to go ahead and post the first part anyway. I guess I got impatient. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up fairly soon.

Appendix

1. Tanka poetry from the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu by the poet Minamoto no Shigeyuki. Translated, it means:

Like a driven wave,
Dashed by fierce winds on a rock,
So it is, alas!
Crushed and all alone am I;
Thinking over what has been.