Galiza / Colors of Fate / 15
Glenmychal Galiza
Colors of Fate
By Glen Galiza
20xx, imagine a city where ivory buildings stand tall and loom over the citizens that inhabit it. These ants scurry round going about their own lives until the day is over only to repeat their same schedule the next day. But this isn't your normal city. In the middle of the ocean between California and Hawaii, this city floats on an artificial island. The city was created by the US for the development of Super Soldiers. The project however was abandoned when the people on the mainland protested its inhumanity. Those who were chosen as subjects for this project deemed this place home. These first subjects were known as the Colored Kings. The Colored Kings were the big wigs that ran this city. The free spirited Red King owned the northern part of the city. The Yellow King ruled to the east, controlling the flow of imports and exports. The Blue King inhabited the center, home to a police force that kept the other colors in check. The Brown King to the south dealt in drugs both legal and illegal. Last, but not least the mysterious Gray King was isolated in the west. The Commons, or regular people, slowly came to inhabit the island. This was Palette City, and the story begins with a young man who works under the Red King.
"No matter where you go, the people are always running around. Can't they just stay put for a bit and take in the fresh air?" I murmured to myself lighting the slouching cigarette between my lips.
"The Commons sure are living freely here. They seem pretty calm in this den of monsters." Speaking to myself letting out a puff a smoke.
I was approached by a large man who was wearing the same black suit as I was. He was bald and looked like he shaved several days ago. The most remarking thing about him was the red dragon tattoo that coiled itself around his left eye.
"Hey Jing come on, let's go, afterwards we can grab a beer." The large man suggested as he ruffled my crimson hair.
"Knock it off Joey, you know I hate it when my hair is messed with." I swatted his hand away from my head.
"Sorry sorry, it just looked like you were zoning out again."
"Let's just get this over with."
After putting out my bud I followed Joey into the building behind us. It was a Pawn Shop. Everywhere you looked there were items for daily use and items that seemed like they were from outside the city. At the register, stood a man wearing a black fedora and a bright orange aloha print shirt. His eyes could be seen through his brown shades. He was reading a porn magazine while playing with his goatee. Noticing us he quickly put down his magazine and greeted us with an eager smile.
"Welcome welcome to this little pawn shop of mines. How can I help you two finely dressed gentlemen today?" The man asked as he held his hands together, right over left, in front of him.
"We heard you might have some silver elephants and black rhinos for sale?" Joey whispered as he leaned in near the register.
The seller looked both ways before leaning in next to Joey.
"Depends, what kind of elephants and rhinos did you have in mind?"
"Small elephants that pack power and a rhino that's perfect for long distances."
"Oh I have just the thing for you sir!" The seller grinned as he went to the back of the store.
I took this chance to go back outside where it started to rain. I took shelter under the Pawn Shop's rafter. It reminded me of that day several years ago, where my best friend Misuki and I encountered the colors.
She dragged me along to go shopping with her that day. Her long brown hair in a pony tail flowing with the wind. During the day out we witnessed a skirmish between the Blues and a single Red. We found shelter nearby where we overheard what was going on. Apparently one of the Red King's men raped and killed a blue. The battle was amazing; it was definitely like something out of television show. The Red was shooting explosives out of his gun and the Blues had weapons coated in raging blue flames. It was like sitting in the park watching the fireworks display during the day. An explosive symphony involving two primary colors, it just makes your heart race. That's when it happened. The Red found us and held us hostage. I bit my way out of his hold and released Misuki from her grip, and as we tried to run the Red pointed his gun at Misuki. By reflex I jumped in front of his barrel and took the hit. I touched the left part of my abdomen and stared at my blood soaked hand. My vision got blurry and all the sounds around me were muffled. Trying to reach out to Misuki everything was slowly turning black as I drop to my knees and body plant the hard ground.
Slowly opening my eyes an elderly looking man in a suit was hovering over me.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Misuki, where's Misuki?" I said.
"There's no one else here but you. It doesn't look like you're going to make it."
"I don't... want to... I haven't... told her..."
"Hush now boy, I'll offer you a deal. If you work for me I can save your life. What say you?"
Of course there was no other choice, I didn't want to die there were things I still wanted to do. Agreeing to his terms and slowly passing out I left the world of the Commons and became one of the colors.
Coming back to reality out of my daze, I rolled up my black sleeve halfway to look at the red dragon tattoo that coiled around my arm. This is the brand I received showing my loyalty to the Red King. Now that I think about it, did it really rain that day? Out of nowhere something hit the top of my head. I turned around to see Joey holding a suitcase with his left hand.
"Let's get to it Jing. We've got a pretty big target this time." He said.
"Whose the target? I asked.
"It's the blue captain stationed near our territory."
"Captain Mordred? The Titan?"
"Yeah. According to our intel he's been meeting with someone on the west side of the city."
I've never really been to the west side of the city before. But if our intel claims his meetings there be dangerous then that can only mean one thing.
"Is he making contact with the Gray King?" I asked.
"Most likely." He said.
With the rain pouring over us we walked to our destination in complete silence. I couldn't help but think of Misuki again. I hope she's alright. I really wanted to see her again.
We occupied an empty abandoned building where Joey opened the suitcase. It contained two silver handguns and an unassembled black sniper rifle. I took one of the handguns and placed one of my own clips inside of it. Cocking the gun, Joey handed me a sheathed knife.
"I'll provide support from here, the sniper rifle has a thermal scope so I can guide you to where you need to go." Joey explained as he gripped the knife handle in my hand.
"Understood Joey."
"All you have to do is get the target alone. If you can force him into submission, if not-"
"I'll take his life."
"Right. You be careful in there, Jing. You'll be by yourself."
"What are you talking about? I'll have you guiding me there remember?" I said slapping Joey on the shoulder. Continuing to walk past him I strapped the knife to my upper left arm.
"Mission Start!" We whispered into our receivers. It continued to pour as I took a deep breath before I stealthily went into the rain.
The station the target was located at wasn't too heavily guarded. A short ivory building had a donning blue flag at its helm. A transmission from Joey came in as I proceeded to the back.
"Jing can you hear me?"
"What's the status on the premises?"
"There's a big heat signature coming from the center of the building along with two smaller ones."
"Any other readings?"
"The other signatures seem to be moving in pattern around the central area. More than likely they're on patrol."
"It's like they were expecting us from the beginning." I joked.
"That is highly possible, but that's where the fun is right?" He replied sarcastically.
"Camera visibility should be low because of the rain. I'm going in." Coordinately jumping from bush to bush I arrived at the back near a metal box.
"I'm cutting the power Joey." I whispered snapping a wire in two. I took this chance to hide in a nearby bush that was close to the backdoor.
"Two of the readings are on the move towards your area." Joey relayed. Just as he said two figures in blue coats burst through the door.
"Hurry up and fix it!" One of them ordered as he went to scout the surrounding area. As the other went to go check on the box I waited for the bossy mouth to get closer to my bush. He took a couple of steps near me and I quickly emerged, covered his mouth, and knocked him out unconscious with a blow to his head.
Lucky for me they left the door open so I sneakily walked into the building. It was dark but luckily I had Joey to advise me on which way to go. Breezing my way past the guards with Joey's help I finally reached the target's location. I had my gun ready with my back up against the wall near the doorknob.
"Alright Jing, right when you open the door, open fire towards the left." Joey commanded.
"Here we go!" I kicked the door opened and unloaded five bullets to my left front side when the power came back on.
"Hello there rat!" Greeted a deep voice accompanied by a tall and muscular figure. Before I even got a chance to look up I was flung backwards to a wall. I was covered in papers and boxes when I came to. My abdomen felt like someone took a sledgehammer and hit a home run with it.
I heard the sound of crunching rubble as I freed myself from my cardboard paper prison. There he was, Mordred the Titan. Besides his height and his muscular figure, his brown mohawk and handle bar mustache would grab anyone's attention.
"I'd rather you fight me in person then resort to cheap methods such as an assassination." He implied before blasting me through another wall that led to the front reception desk.
"JING!" I heard Joey yell into his mic as he fired a couple of warning shots at Mordred's feet.
"Disgraceful, Miss Eagle Eye if you please." Mordred asked disgustingly.
From behind Mordred a woman in the Blue's signature cloak with black shoulder length hair appeared with her left hand up. You could see white vapor form around her hand. With each passing second the vapor became more and more visible as it reconstructed itself into a bow.
"Tracing angle of trajectory using the bullet marks near your feet. Target location approximated, now firing." The woman muttered robot-like. An arrow materialized above her left hand as she pulled it back with the string. Letting loose her arrow the wind at her feet blew in force as it pierced through the concrete building.
"JOEY MOVE!" I yelled into my mic. But it was too late, I heard the sound of rubble in the background and Joey's painful scream.
"That gets rid of one pest. You're the only rodent left." Mordred scuffled.
"I shot you, how are you still alive?" I asked clutching my stomach.
"They don't call me the Titan for no reason. I just used my abilities to create a thick layer of ice to shield my self. He explained coating his clenched fist into a frozen crystal.
"Let me try again then!" I pointed my gun towards him. The tattoo on my arm began to radiate red. The glowing light pulsated all the way to the gun concentrating on the handle. I fired a couple of bullets that burst on impact with Mordred's armor of ice.
"That actually hurt." Mordred said irritatingly as pieces of shattered ice fell from the damaged areas.
"I can do this!" I thought to myself as I unloaded the rest of my clip onto him. I took shelter behind a pillar to reload. Coming out of hiding I took my aim again when the woman from earlier got into arm's length of me stringing back another arrow.
"Jing?!" The woman whispered as I took her moment of hesitation to swat her bow sideways letting it loose away from me.
This woman knew my name. But how could she? I've never seen her before in my life. But the way she said it sounded like she was surprised to see me. There was no time to linger on the subject any longer. The woman had used her abilities to form a dagger of ice in each of her hands so I pulled out the knife Joey handed to me and just like with the gun the glow from my tattoo encased itself around the blade of my knife.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" I demanded. The ringing of our clashing weapons whistled through the air. The woman called Eagle Eye ceased her attack as she gripped her head.
"My head, my head feels like it's splitting in two!" She cried out in agony.
I took this opportunity to land the finishing blow. I gunned straight for her neck with all my force.
"No you don't!" The woman yelled as she picked up one of her ice daggers coming straight at me filled with anger and pain.
I pulled my knife hand back and let it go full throttle towards the side of her neck. The blade stopped frozen just a couple of inches away from her neck. The woman's face came closer to mines so I braced myself for the damage yet to come. After a few seconds of having my eyes closed I reopened them and what I saw was tears running down my opponent's face.
I fell backwards towards the ground out of shock and exhaustion. But I was careless as she sat on my chest and held down my arms with her legs. She raised her weapon with both hands above her head. I awaited my judgement by the hands of this female prosecutor who knew my name. Teardrops slid down my face, they were so cold yet they reminded me of that day way back then.
"I thought you were dead, Jing I-" She sniffled. That's when it hit me.
"Misuki?!" I replied. That day it wasn't raining but I remember feeling drop of water hitting my face. Could it have been Misuki crying over my unconscious body?
"JING!" She cried out dropping her weapon and placing her hands on my chest. She released me from my hold allowing me to get up. I embraced her as she cried a bit harder.
"It's alright now Misuki." I reassured her.
"Tch, how awful, it seems she has regained her memories." Mordred said disdainfully in the background.
"It's alright, we don't need her anymore. We've got all the data we need, finish them off Mordred." Said the voice of another man.
I looked towards Mordred who was approaching us slowly as he covered his whole body into ice. The ice forming around his body took the shape of a beast from Greek Mythology, a minotaur, with the head of a bull and the body of a man. Right behind Mordred was the figure behind the male voice from earlier. He wore a gray cloak with the hood covering his face. All you could make out was a sinister smile shining within the blackness of the hood.
"Wait, Joey told me there were three signatures coming from the target's room. Was he the third signature?" I asked myself.
"Time to finish off the both of you!" Mordred raked his feet back like a bull and charged straight for us. It felt like the earth shook with every step Mordred took. I shielded Misuki with my back facing towards the oncoming charge.
"I won't let you hurt big bro!" Yelled the voice of a child. Out of the ground in between Mordred and us, craters of fire erupted and from them five, four legged beasts that resembled dogs. The dog's backs were burning like torches as they snarled and threatened Mordred with their curled horns and pointed, burning tails.
"Annalise!" I pointed out as a child with pink hair in a gothic Lolita dress tugged at my arm.
"The other Blues will be here any minute! We gotta go big bro hurry!" She ordered.
"Alright but, what about Joey?" I asked as I carried Misuki in my arms.
"Woah Jing wait a minute don't hold me like that it's embarrassing!" Misuki shrieked as she tried to break free.
"Now's not the time to complain! We can catch up later ok?" I told her as we began making a break for it. Misuki nodded as she stopped struggling.
"Uncle Joey is going to be ok." Annalise assured me.
I was relieved. I really thought Joey might have died back there. Making it out of the building we got into a getaway car that Annalise led us to and drove off towards Red territory.
The drive back was very awkward and silent. You could feel the heavy tension in the car as Annalise inspected Misuki with elevator eyes.
"Big bro, why did you take this Blue with you?" Annalise questioned. I told her about the events that transpired throughout the mission.
Taking another look at Misuki Annalise gave her a big smile. "Big bro always talked about you."
"Is that so?" Misuki replied as her cheeks reddened with a smile slowly appearing on her face. At that moment the ringing of a phone echoed throughout the car. I found the phone to my right concealed within the side of the car.
"This is Jing speaking." I answered.
"It's me Galieo." The voice on the phone replied.
"Red King! I beg your pardon, you sound different over the phone." I said worryingly.
"It's alright Jing. I hear the person you're looking for is with you right now?" The Red King asked.
"That is correct sir. Forgive me she is also a Blue but there seems to be a reason for that!" I panicked.
"Calm down Jing, I just have a question for you." The Red King's voice sounded gentle as he told me this.
"What is it sir?" I asked hesitantly.
"What do you plan on doing next?" He asked with a hint of seriousness in his tone as he continued. "You know as a Blue she will be treated the same as other Colors who enter our territory. Will you still bring her here knowing that?"
"OF COURSE! I've finally found her there's no way I'm losing sight of her ever again! I want her to become a Red!" I exclaimed boldly over the phone. In response all I got was laughter from the other end of the line.
"Well said my boy, well said! I want you and Annalise to bring her to the hall where we will conduct the ritual." The Red King said joyously.
"You mean its possible?" I questioned.
"It is, but the outcome might be different from what you're expecting Jing." The Red King said once again in a serious tone.
I looked towards Misuki who held my hand with her grip tightening.
"Jing, I'll do whatever it takes, I don't want to lose you again." Misuki whispered, her grip never ceasing.
"We'll do it, like I said before no matter what I won't ever leave her side again!" I told the Red King as I held onto Misuki's hand.
Arriving back at our base in our territory, Annalise and I took Misuki to the hall as instructed. The hall was pretty huge, I mean it had to be if it could fit all of us Reds. A lot of the other Reds were either grown ups or adolescents who had nowhere to go or kids who were orphaned or disowned. Just goes to show how kind old man Galieo is, even if he does seem off the radar. Just like myself and Annalise, it looks like he's giving Misuki another chance at life.
The hall itself was impressive though. it included a bar, tables, and chairs. It even had its own kitchen in the back. But our destination lay ahead of us a decorated chair occupied by an elderly man in a suit. Next to him was a younger looking man with gelled back black hair and glasses wearing the Blue's cloak.
"SIR! WHAT'S ANOTHER BLUE DOING HERE?" I asked shockingly.
"Mind you matters boy! This is the current Blue King! He's the son of the former late Blue king who happened to be an old friend. His name is Dante." The old man scolded as Misuki knelt down on one knee holding her right arm in front of her with her head down.
"My King I-" Misuki muttered.
"It is alright Miss Misuki, I'm terribly sorry about what you've been through. But we had no other choice." The Blue King replied placing pulling her up from her posture.
"What do you mean you had no choice?" I asked angrily.
"Quiet Jing!" Said the Red King.
"You recall that event several years ago where we chased down a Red who raped and killed one of our own?" The Blue King asked.
"Yeah what about it?" I replied.
"That day we found Misuki in a terrible state. Her body, under some rubble, was unsalvageable due to an explosion that happened nearby to where we found her." The Blue King explained as he pushed his glasses back up.
"There wasn't an explosion. All I remember was taking the bullet for Misuki and the old man waking me up." I answered back.
"What happened to the bullet?" The Blue King asked as he stared at Misuki.
"How the heck would I know?" I snapped back at him.
"I took it out Jing. I wanted to save you so I tried taking the bullet out myself while you were unconscious." Misuki cried out as she stared at me with a saddened expression.
"My guess would be the powers of the Red that was in that bullet had a delayed reaction and blew up wherever she left it and she was caught up in the force of the explosion." The Blue King speculated.
"You just said her body was unsalvageable!" I pointed out.
"It was, but her brain wasn't." He replied.
"What?" I asked hesitantly.
"We recovered her body from the rubble and found out that her brain was still operable. My father who was King at the time, said we could save her although we'd have to rely on help from the Gray King." Dante explained with a heaviness to his voice.
"Enough, we're here for a different purpose are we not?" Old man Galieo butted in.
"I agree, we'll discuss this another time." Dante agreed.
"Right so how do we go about this?" I asked eagerly.
"Jing I need you and Misuki to hold hands. While doing so Dante and I will invoke our powers into you at the same time and try to merge your powers." Galieo lectured.
"Merge our powers?" Misuki questioned.
"Yes, since there is no way to get rid of your powers besides death. Uncle Galieo and I have to merge your powers into one. When that happens, your tattoos will keep their insignia but their colors will change." Dante answered Misuki.
"When the colors change, you two will have powers of both the Red and Blue Kings." Galieo added.
"Once its over, you both will be able to move about the Red and Blue territories respectively without any trouble." Said Dante.
I looked at Misuki who nodded back at me. In truth I was a bit nervous, It felt like after hearing all of this I'll be ostracized from my fellow Reds. Annalise was tugging on my suit with worry in her eyes.
"We'll be alright Annalise." I patted her head giving her a reassuring smile.
"Are you two ready?" The old man asked.
"Yes!" We both replied with confidence.
The old man and Dante looked at each other smiling. Dante placed his hand on my shoulder and the old man placed his on Misuki's. Their powers a glowing light of their respective colors radiated from their hands. I closed my eyes and in an instant I was taken to a white room where Misuki stood looking just as confused as I was.
"Misuki I-" I began to say.
"Don't apologize Jing. It's not your fault." She quickly answered.
"If you say so. But there's something I've been meaning to tell you." I said.
"It must be one of the effects of this merge. I can sense your feelings Jing." She replied holding her hand to her chest.
"So then you know?" I answered, my cheeks turning red.
"Yes. I really like you too Jing. Can you sense my feelings?" She whispered.
"Yes, I can." I could feel them. Her emotions ran through my heart and there was one that intersected with mine.
"Misuki-" My words were blocked by her soft lips.