Rockman EXE
Guardians of the Light Circle
Episode 17: The First Life
Opening Song:
Ikutsu namida o nagashitara
Every Heart sunao ni nareru darou
Dare ni omoi wo tsutaetara
Every Heart kokoro mitasareru no darou
Nagai nagai yoru ni obieteita
Tooi hoshi ni inotteta
Meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ai o sagashiteiru
Tsuyoku tsuyoku naritai kara
Kyou mo takai sora miageteiru
(All official RockmanEXE characters are owned Capcom)
Author's Note~
Konnichiwa Minna-san~! Yes, episode 17 is finally here. I worked REALLY hard on this one, so let's make this note quick. First, some guest reviews and a little something else…
MWSerarph: Please be patient! I know you're enthusiastic about this story, but I can't do anything about the lack of updates. I will take your wonderful ideas into consideration and one more thing; can you open your own Fanfiction account? I'd say you've got plenty of ideas that you'd like to discuss with me. Think about it :D
Also, unless I'm the only one who remembers, it's been a year since the first episode, wow, time flies, doesn't it? And I'd like to thank every single one of you. Thank you so much Animecartoonlover36, XWF1000, Japanese Lover, pacotacolol64, Manos Rockman, zelinkfan123, SallyStar, MWSeraph, Marima, Ghost501, NefasSegador, Sitting on the Event Horizon, Taeniaea, catcrazy21, srb2adx, thesoulchild, xXTheLegendXx, NagimiSonic, danparker, mazinkaiser, SaintOfAllSaints01, anyone I have missed and our newest reader june2021~! I love you all so much… sniff…
Okay, I'm getting too emotional here XD
So, you could say that these will be my longest episodes, so far. I hope you enjoy them and hopefully you will finally understand our story's plot a little bit more. And for those NettoxMeiru and RockmanxRoll shippers… you're gonna have to wait. I warn you, because as of now, you'll be seeing other pairs…
Also, I'd like to remind my loving, sweet and irreplaceable audience that the whole point of these few episodes is that you get an idea of what I mean when you hear 'The Guardians of the Light Circle'. No worries, after this, you'll be seeing more 'Rockman EXE'. I hope that you are still enjoying the story and with no more delay, I will shut up and proceed with the episode!
BTW – MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR~! XD
Lightning soared and roared as droplets dripped on the rough highway, embracing the streets with their wetness. Breezes rushed between the roads, exchanging greetings and bidding farewells, vehicles intercepting. A fog, opaque and blinding, followed a certain violet car, where our scene stands.
Red locks flowed down her back, concealing her purple blouse's neck area, whilst her fingers grasped onto the hem of her black skirt. She sat cross-legged, her black sandals enveloping her feet. Her eyes blinked, following the lane presented on the window glass, her rosy, left cheek pressing onto her palm. She swung a bang behind her ear, clearing away the drones from the opposite seat.
Buzzing enquiries resonated from a phone, just across, belonging to a brunette. Since the redhead's attention was no longer disoriented, she caught answers on the way.
The brunette whispered and replied, "Yes, it's Sakurai Flora… I just finished all 20 songs for the summer festival… I reserved plane tickets and a hotel to Ameroupe already… next week… aha… no, I'm not going alone… my sister's coming with me… Sakurai Meiru… yes… oh and can you call James for me? I need him for sound check… all right… thank you so much… have a good day." Flora breathed loudly and hung up.
This caught Meiru's attention. She asked, "What was that all about?"
"Didn't I tell you? Every year a summer festival is set up in the capital of Ameroupe and one band must organise a concert there. This year is my band's turn." She explained.
"Huh?" she was confused. Could it be that her big sister had completely forgotten about the mess they'd gotten into? She raised an eyebrow, wondering what Flora meant. "But… do you think the Net Police will let us? Once the interrogation is over, they'll need to do reports and an investigation. That could take weeks, even months!"
"Got it all covered."
"Okay…" Meiru shifted her eyes upward, glancing at the ceiling to think. Then, she remembered something else. "And you got a message from Serenity last night! When are we seeing her?"
Flora sighed. She crossed her arms and replied, "First I thought of using the TENSHI Program from your Valentine Sceptre… but that'll just make her an easy target for Dark Star. That's why I thought of meeting her at the festival," she smirked, "He won't even see us coming."
The red-haired girl blinked in surprise, nervous, "That's a great plan…"
"…But?" Flora leaned her head to the side, a look of curiosity on her face.
"Roll told me about Emmie-sama… I don't think we should do anything rash until those two have cleared the air…" she mentioned.
"Well, if those two open fire, I'll have to take care of them myself…" she winced back, having heard slamming brakes. They had arrived.
From that point on, neither spoke. Flora scanned her PET on the taxi's paying screen, transferring the money into the net. They both stepped outside, walking through the narrow, well-lightened entrance. The brunette showed her interrogation papers at the reception, whilst Meiru waited at the elevator.
She tilted forwards, getting a better view at the window. Then, she was an unyielding rock. A fuchsia mesmerizing aircraft was parked just outside, a profile-view face marked next to the wing, with a spark sign at the top. That can't be… could it? No matter, she ignored the possibilities and turned away.
Once Flora received a visitor identification car, the elevator doors opened.
"Level 32," she pressed the number on a metal pad at the far corner and up they went. "Chief wants the interrogation at his office."
Suddenly, the redhead's felt her stomach swell. Her wide-open eyes stared at the green-eyed girl with disbelief. "Y-You can't be serious."
"Why? What's wrong?" Flora asked, getting slightly nervous herself.
Once the doors slid open once again, Meiru flung her head straightforward. Her voice shivered, as her legs staggered to a glass door. "Th-That c-can only mean one th-thing…"
Flora pushed the door with force and both froze on the spot. The redhead softly finished her sentence, almost losing her voice. "… He's not the only one here…"
And boy, was she right. Narrow tables were set near two walls, the ends barely touching Kifune's desk. The walls, painted at a pond-green tone, reflected a bright light on the surface just by looking and at a downward gaze was a grey floor mat, covering the smooth ground. Wooden bookcases added a classic touch to the room, resembling the man's tastes. And at the very back, a colossal window glass, trapped within wooden crosses, was hidden in the middle by a flashing screen.
Seated on the right table were Manabe, Netto, Yaito, Enzan, Anetta, Laika, Pride, Yuriko and Miyabi. Whilst at the opposite side were Dingo, Nenji, Jasmine, Tesla, Charlie, Dekao and Tohru. Two more tables neighboured Kifune. On one sat Mejin, whilst Yuuichirou and surprisingly Haruka, sat on the other.
Kifune stood up, greeting the sisters. "Welcome, Meiru-chan and Flora-san." The man asked both girls to plug in their netnavis to his computer and to place their devices on the table, together with the others. They did so, waiting for the next instruction.
With his hands, he pointed where their seats were. The redhead approached her seat, between Netto and Yaito. She quickly smiled at Yaito and then shot Netto a wave. She whispered softly in his ear, "Hi."
"Hey," he mumbled. Usually he'd continue on, but the anxiety to know the truth wouldn't let him.
Flora sat on a chair, placed in the very centre of the room. The brunette girl took a deep breath before sitting down, placing a hand over the other. She gazed at the man with serious eyes. "My apologies for sounding rude, but I'd prefer it if you'd call me by my last name. If I recall correctly, we've barely known each other for 12 seconds."
He chuckled before answering, "Of course… Sakurai-san." Once he sat down, everyone followed and the interrogation began.
Kifune cleared his throat and started, "Well, Sakurai-san, I must inform you that this is the first time that I have called upon my whole team, just for a mere interview. Unfortunately, recent events have forced me to take action and you my dear are a part of this issue." He raised a hand in Enzan's direction, giving him the permission to speak.
Enzan lifted himself from his seat, crossing his arms, closed eyes and spoke, "Over the past weeks, a criminal, identified as Dark Star attacked the following locations: The Night Fun Cinema, Akihara Park and Sci-Labs. Witnesses have supported your appearances in every one of these areas. In contribution, you were also spotted by us Net Saviors." He opened his eyes, "Sakurai, do you admit your presence in the mentioned locations?"
"Yes." She simply answered.
"Would you care to explain why you were there?" intervened the grey-haired man.
Flora nodded. Her eyes closed for a moment and revealed themselves. You could barely notice it, but within her left pupil, rushing numbers were cascading down. This, however, was hidden from everyone else, besides Meiru. She answered the question, in an almost computerised voice. "Location – Night Fun Cinema. In order to cause a loss of concentration, Dark Star threatened Meiru-chan. The fire started before I located her. He summoned a dimensional area to catch her, however I stopped him before any more damage was caused."
At this point, many gasps echoed in the room, soft whispers connecting from ear to ear.
She took a deep breath and continued, "Location – Akihara Park. Dark Star attacked Meiru, in an attempt to kill her, but was unsuccessful."
A thud. Not too loud, but clear enough for the redhead to hear. She looked at the tense fist that belonged to Netto. She set he eyesight back to the table, nowhere near brave to look at the boy in the eye.
Flora resumed with her explanation, "Location – Sci-Labs. Dark Star was searching for a program called the TENSHI Program, used as a teleportation and mapping tool to find anything, or anyone in the universe, built within this building. He successfully shut down its security system," Flora stood up from her seat, "It was because of your intervention that Meiru-chan and I were able to locate the Program and transfer it to a classified alternative option. Unfortunately Hanarin, a woman under Dark Star's command, attacked Roll and almost killed her. Yet Emmie stopped her and we are currently waiting for Dark Star to move his next piece."
The brunette blinked once, returning to her original position, though most of her audience stared at her with blank eyes. But then, Manabe took her chance and confronted the girl.
"Sakurai-san, we appreciate your honesty, but other than the TADASHI Program, which was destroyed almost a year ago, no such program has been preserved here. We'd need concrete evidence." Manabe was aware of how complex this situation was turning out, but they still needed to stay by the book, no matter what.
"Very well." Flora faced her little sister, nodding. Meiru understood. The red-haired girl turned to the screen, gazing at her netnavi. But, she frowned, noticing the scenery inside.
The two netnavis seated exactly where their operators were, except that the seats were arranged in a circular shape, not a rectangle. Also, Roll had Rockman on her right and Glyde on her left.
This group, however, was not timid. Warmly, Iceman and Glyde greeted the two, attempting to motivate the continuance of the interrogation.
"It's good to see you again, Roll-san!" Iceman exclaimed cheerfully.
"I hope you still remember us, Emmie-san." Glyde bowed from his seat. But neither of them got an answer.
Roll and Emmie had the word 'hatred' across their faces. Both their eyes were directed at completely opposite directions, whilst the blonde-haired navi's cheeks were clearly puffed up.
Rockman noticed this quite fast. He asked his best friend in a calm tone, "Roll-chan, is something wrong?"
She turned around and opened one eye, responding. "Well why don't you ask her? An outrageous little shaven-headed vixen like her will surely tell you. Oh wait, she'll spit at you, you know, like a camel… THAT'S NEVER BRUSHED ITS TEETH!"
Everyone winced back, especially Rockman. He'd never heard her say such an insulting remark. Yet what the rest heard after deepened the shock.
Emmie raised an eyebrow and shot a dark glare at the blonde-haired navi. "Listen here you, fishwife, I don't need a flat-chested virago to know what to do and what not to do. If you want start a life as his personal courtesan then go ahead. I'm not stopping you. Just keep your fishy fingers away from my stuff and I might kindly consider you an acquaintance."
Furious, the fuming in flames Roll stamped her way to the middle of the circle, ready to strike once more. "I was thanking him for accepting our friendship. When I thank a friend that I trust, I give hugs, is something wrong with that?"
"Wearing a dress that cost me 35,000 zennys? Worse,my 43rd favourite dress!? Yes, Roll, it's very wrong." The ginger-haired navi practically shouted.
Before the blonde-haired navi attempted another counterattack, a clearing throat silenced them. Flora crossed her arms, as her face tensed. Luckily her eyes were once again tightly closed. She hissed, "Remembering things can be hard, I know, but you two were given a wholenight to solve your conflict. If you didn't…" Hardened eyes unlocked her seriousness as she continued, "… Well time's up. One more insult and you'll find a solution… my way."
It only took one warning letter from the brunette to catch their attention. Both gulped, well aware of what she meant. Rather quickly, the blonde-haired navi rushed to the front of her chair.
She raised an arm to the skies, whispering under her breath, "Valentine Sceptre…" A pink sceptre materialized in mid air, thousands of data cubes having been its previous form. She grasped it and from where she stood, light spheres shot out, surrounding her, whilst spinning, like the solar system, her being the flaming sun.
Roll slammed the weapon's end tip onto the ground, explaining the sight. "This is the TENSHI Program, a locating/mapping program."
Both humans and netnavis stared at the delighting orbs. Of course, the curiosity within had come to a point where quiet voices echoed in the room. These were questions, being heard telepathically by the guardians. Shocking everyone, the brunette rose once again.
"That's enough, Roll." With one swing, the spheres vanished. Now that all eyes were on her, Flora sighed. "Chief, I ask permission to speak freely." Kifune blinked twice, nodding afterwards.
"You have many questions and we have your answers. But… unless I tell you my, no, our story, you won't need to ask who we are, why we're here, what Dark Star has to do with us…"
"Do you have anymore evidence?" Manabe interrupted.
Flora shook her head. "I don't… unless images count."
"That will have to do."
The brunette reached for her pocket, taking out a silver mask, a masquerade mask, cut right in the middle. She placed it on her left eye and let go. It fit perfectly. At the other side of the screen, Emmie summoned the missing half, covering her right eye.
"What is that?" asked Magnetman.
Needleman smirked, "SheSheShe… I don't know, but it looks cool."
"Manabe-san asked for proof. This mask is the key to our memory bank. We'd much rather show you our story, than telling it." Emmie explained, a little irritated at what seemed obvious to her. I can't believe this! They don't know what this is? Kami-sama! What's wrong with these people?
Roll heard the unheard, responding in secret, "They'll never understand," Emmie faced her sister, bewildered. "Just let them be."
The ginger-haired navi smiled. Her gaze met with Flora's green orbs. They pressed a violet gem, at the top corner. This caused a beam, from both pupils, to launch into the screen, a barrier keeping them apart.
A direct hit.
The wide screen flickered, repeatedly flashing. Everyone in the room stood up, covering themselves, whilst the lustre expanded, blinding all eyes; like a stressing crystal, reaching luminescence.
…
…
…
Colours faded, waving goodbye and clearing the sky, for within the clouds were the ones present in that office, in that Network space, in that tiny corner of… everything. A calm breeze awakened them, causing sudden need for support. Hands hold hands, accepting the offer of help.
Netto, who floated between Mejin and Manabe, turned his head from side to side, familiarising with his new surroundings. He wondered aloud, "Where are we?"
"Uwahh! Where'd the ground go!?" Dingo tightly clung to Jasmine and Nenji.
"Hey! Calm down!" yelled the brown-haired boy.
"You're squeezing me! Let go!" Jasmine struggled in his iron grip.
"Us too!"
Jasmine and Nenji looked in Dingo's direction, noticing that Medi, Tomahawkman and Napalmman were in the very centre, suffocating.
"O-Oi Dingo! I-I know it's not everyday w-we see each other… b-but would let us g-go? I'm dying in here!"
He quickly let go, easing their breathing and just at that same speed, apologised, kneeling in mid-air. "Whoops! My bad!"
They all groaned, whilst noticing that all humans were being carried, or helped by their netnavis. Not from too far away were the others.
"No way! Iceman, is that really you!?"
"Hai, desu~! We're all here, desu~! Oh, Gutsman and Dekao-san are right there, desu~!" Iceman pointed at the two.
…
…
Next to them were Shadowman and Needleman, floating in a circle, their operators in the middle.
Miyabi studied the skies, cautiously. He crossed his arms, "It seems as if this place is at peace."
"Well, let's hope it stays that way. I still haven't recovered from the last time I fell." Yuriko still remembered the time when both Misaki and her fell from a bridge.
"SheSheSheShe… That's never gonna happen! Viruses must be hiding somewhere! Come on you bastards! Show yourselves!" Needleman desperately looked around, clashing his spikes together.
However, Shadowman remained in a meditating position. "Don't waste your time, searching. To annihilate, you must plan, locate your target and then… you can have your fun."
The spiked-covered navi pouted, "SheSheShe… You make it sound so BORING!"
…
…
"Pride! Are you all right?" Laika carried the princess, Knightman and Searchman behind the two. "Pride!"
Her eyes fidgeted before fully opening. She smiled weakly at him, "I'm fine." Laika breathed a sigh of relief.
Knightman calmed down as well. He softly spoke, "Hime-sama, what a relief."
"Laika-sama, I have scanned the area – Location is unknown." Searchman explained. He watched as the man thought in silence.
…
…
Kifune stayed close to Charlie and Tesla, well, at least close to Charlie. Because Tesla had began her riot of complaints. She yelled, enraged, "WHAT!? What Charlie!? You can't expect me to calm down! I thought you told me that after this, you'd take me on a date! But NOOO! You lied to me, AGAIN…!"
The policeman nodded his head, apologizing for letting Flora act without knowing beforehand. Charlie shook his head, "No worries, Tesla's actually in a good mood right now."
Her screams were so loud that Gyroman and Magnetman had to cover their ear-emblems. The helicopter navi shouted, "How do you survive this every day!?"
Magnetman shrugged, "Even I don't know!"
…
…
"H-How's this possible!?" Yaito lost her breath, once she spotted Glyde.
The netnavi shook his head. "I'm afraid I have no answer to that, Yaito-sama."
She smiled widely. Glyde, her netnavi, was there. But suddenly, the blonde girl growled. Whilst Blues levitated at their side, Enzan carried Anetta bridal style, causing jealousy's red patches to fill her entire face. "Eeh!? Mou… that girl! You'll pay for this… I know you can hear me! ANETTA!"
Pretending to not have clearly heard her, Anetta leaned her head against the sapphire-eyed boy's shoulder. She grinned, counting this as victory against her love rival. "Thank you for helping me."
"No problem," He replied, although he wasn't looking at her face. He stared, intensely at the emptiness in the middle. Where'd she go? Enzan shifted his gaze to Netto's direction.
Yuuichirou, Haruka and Rockman had joined Netto's floating team. The brunette called out to his netnavi. "Rockman! Got any ideas?"
"Of where we are? No clue!" he yelled back. Now frowning, he asked his parents, "Papa! Mama! Are you okay?"
They both nodded, a shout intervening with the relief. All turned to the voice, Enzan being the owner. "Oi Netto!"
"Enzan!" he exclaimed.
He yelled, approaching the group. "Have you seen Sakurai…?"
"… Or Meiru-chan!?" Anetta finished his sentence, anxiously speaking.
"Emmie-san hasn't been found either," Blues mentioned.
Rockman immediately realized the last missing person - the person who he worried about most. Yet, it all cleared once Gutsman called out to him. "Rockman! Where did Roll-chan go, de gutsu!?"
The blue-haired navi hesitated, "I-I… I don't know!"
"What!? What do you mean don't know, de gutsu!?"
He frowned, that is until from the corner of his eye, he spotted a little girl, below them. He started wondering if they were actually within the skies, or just barely above ground.
Rockman faced everyone. "Minna! There's someone below us!" he watched as the other shifted their gaze downwards. They could also see her.
"Who could that be?" asked Gyroman.
Instead of remaining on his spot, Enzan left Anetta with Blues and rushed to the ground, now a few meters away from the girl.
He exclaimed, "Oi! You down there!"
The girl's shoulders winced back, startled. A sudden gust of wind blew her locks away, swirling them in its roar. Brown, brown threads – could it be they'd travelled back to an isolated past? And the familiar features had not ended yet. In a slow motion, she turned her head towards the opposite direction, enhancing breezes even further. Then, her eyes were visible. Green, pond-green orbs stared at empty space.
Astonishingly, she didn't look at Enzan, not the slightest peek. What she did look at was a rushing redhead, whose cheerful chocolate-brown eyes matched the size of her blissful smile.
"Onee-sama~!" she met with the brunette's open arms, staying within the embrace.
Everyone gasped, choked by their throats. The resemblance was unbelievable!
"S-S… Sakurai!? Enzan stuttered.
Netto lost his breath, "… Meiru… chan…?"
Before others released their shock, the scene vanished and a voice echoed around them. And below, was the same brunette, staring at emptiness.
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Nobody told me what truly mattered. Yet they didn't have to, for I was well aware by then. Born in a royal family – pure delight, a step outside, you'd wish that life ended whenever your heart desired. Ever since I enrolled into Aniluxiah Enchantments Academy in Framukior, the capital, I experienced humiliation, loss of pride, and pain… all in one week.
That reminded me of how much I cared about my family. Every afternoon, I'd plunge through the door and envelop my little sister, Hatto. Yes, that jolly six-year old kiddiewink.
But on that day, I had other things in mind.
Just like any 12-year old who'd survived 9 years of education and continuous training at the academy, I waited next to the bus station, swinging my legs back and forth, whilst settling myself on the metallic bench. It didn't take too long before the neon-green bus came to a halt.
On the windows, smirks and grins were indirectly shot at me. I shrugged them off, kids were so covetous in those days, and sometimes I wondered how obsession over power was already part of the genetics. No matter, embarking for Radzahi would be antagonizing, nothing more. Just 3 hours on the road… and this would all be over… Oh wait! That's not true, because reality is cruel. I'll still need 3 more hours to go back home… just great.
I banished the thought and found myself a seat, whilst letting out a soft chuckle. Not too far from the bus hurtled a girl, who flung open the already closed bus door. She stumbled to the seat next to me and toppled to the seat, sweat dripping down her pale face.
"Late again, Ria?" I giggled at her.
She flung her platinum blonde ponytail back, her right galaxy orb twitching. "Blame Mama's new cuckoo clock," She crossed her arms tightly and pouted, "That thing literally clangs. And guess what, since grandma's sick, mom altered the timing system. Now, instead of giving me an hour of silence, it interrupts my beauty sleep… every 30 MINUTES!"
My giggling turned into soft laughter. Kusatsu Ria, my best friend since I turned four, always cheered me up, even at the worse times. She suffered a lot more than I did in life. At least when I'd go home, I'd be in paradise. But for her, she'd have to help her parents in taking care of her three little brothers and two little sisters.
She glared at me cheerfully, distracting me from my thinking. "So, ready to find your spiritual animal?" I hummed and nodded, listening to what she said next.
"Me too! And you know what? I dreamed of my spirit last night! Well… two or three…" she counted with her fingers, " I think I'll find a seal, or a dolphin, or better…!"
"Waah!" She grabbed my sailor-styled blouse, from the collar, catching me off guard.
She squealed, "… E-le-phant!"
"Th-That's really cool, Ria." I struggled to keep a smile – the surprised feeling still remained.
She let go, resuming with her day's report, "And before I forget! Did you hear? The 7th grade students from all over Esperanza are coming to Radzahi as well!"
I blinked in surprise, "Really? Are the students from Obsidian coming too?" She nodded ecstatically. A smile reached both my cheeks. This meant I'd probably see my cousin there and he'd introduce me to that girl he kept on mentioning, Hibiki Empress…
"Hey! You're not listening to me!" I snapped back to reality, mentally slapping myself for daydreaming again. Tilting my head down, I apologized.
Ria sighed, "I said that Swordsmanship Institution is coming too!" She suddenly flushed in redness, "Guess I'll be seeing Manuel again!"
"Shunsen Manuel?" No wonder her excitement level had gone over the limits. "You've had a crush on him since third grade."
"It's what you call true love, silly!" She hit me with her elbow, startling me, again. I rubbed my shoulder, hearing those two words, echoing in my head. True Love. Frowning, I remembered the only time I felt that way. That long blonde hair and those grey orbs, his embrace…
Out of the blue, a platinum blonde ponytail was swatted my face, leaving a burden on my forehead. I yelped in pain, "Ittai!"
"Third time girl! Wake up!" She launched at my shoulders and violently swayed me. This went on for twenty nine seconds, until her arms numbed, panting her words at the end. "You know… it'd make things a… lot easier if you would just… admit that you're…"
Whilst I hold my head, my pond-green orbs widened. Blushing, I gasped, "Ria! You're not thinking that I'm… in love, right?" I watched her nod exhaustedly and I yelled at her. "Well I'm not! I've just been distracted lately…"
My galaxy-eyed friend exhaled deeply, responding. "If you say so…"
The trip continued on, haphazard topics sprung every once in a while, whilst Ria's ways of destroying my wonderland levelled up every time. Brakes stopped the bus, announcing our arrival to the wild island.
Other vehicles parked next to ours, releasing hundreds of students from within. I stepped outside and gulped. This island should have never been considered an island – more of a tropical paradise. Though I was aware of its beauty, I had a mission – finding a spirit. No wonder so many could search at the same time.
To arrange the classes separately, children stood in rows, keeping space between each institution. In front, a stage had been built and our school's Spiritual Arts teacher, Hanabusa-sensei, introduced the event.
"Welcome, schools of Esperanza, to Radzahi. Today, you will be assigned a task. As you're all aware… well, hopefully…" Laughter spread, whilst he continued, "Spiritual Animals are extraordinary creatures that must be respected. Henceforth, you shall initiate a new programme. This discussion will take forth in 8 weeks – after your summer vacation." A few whistles and clapping cheered on the awaiting freedom. Conscious of his lack of control at this point, Hanabusa-sensei finished his speech with a warning. "Beware! For you don't choose the spirit. The spirit chooses you. And may the Legends, protect you. Good luck."
I chuckled, what better way of concluding. Once the violet-haired man left the stage, we were instructed to go in groups. I felt my stomach fill with butterflies, why groups? For once, couldn't they have suggested going by class?
Suddenly, an arm dragged me to the centre. When I could stabilise myself, I noticed Ria, eyeing the area, like a professional explorer. I smirked, probably looking for Shunsen.
"Where'd that Manuel go!?" Bullseye! I was right. She spun around and squeaked, she spotted him. "Manuel!"
The boy approached us, waving at Ria. She blushed heavily, whilst resuming her search. "Okay, each group needs six people. We need three more!"
In a blink of an eye, Ria pulled two more boys. I recalled seeing them, the grey-haired boy was Yatsuhiro Adrian and the red-haired boy was Magobei Nabu. Didn't know either of them, yet they acted like gentleman to my friend. I gulped – being around boys never went the easy way for me.
Although we still missed one person, everyone else was taken. I smiled, relieved that I'd be in a smaller group. While Ria introduced herself to them, my eyes were set on a certain brunette. I found him. Behind us stood a group of six boys, one of them being my cousin.
Telepathically, I greeted him. "Hi Dark Star!" And charmingly, he waved back.
Ittai! My arm reddened, but I knew who had committed the crime. Ria, tapping her foot on the grass, darkly glared at me. Startled, I rushed back to my group. Apparently, a teacher had asked for everyone's name, the only one left being me. Bowing deeply to my group, I smiled.
"It's very nice to meet you all. My name is… Sakurai Nature."
…
…
"Whaaat!?" Yatsuhiro, Magobei and Shunsen exclaimed. Ria sweatdropped, whilst I just stood there, a quizzical look on my face.
Yatsuhiro heavily bowed, "Princess! What an honour!"
"Wow, the princess of Linphea! That's amazing." Shunsen blinked twice, caught off guard.
But Magobei acted as if nothing had just happened afterwards. He simply winked at me. "Well, don't worry Sakurai-sama. I'll be right here to protect you." I sighed, irritated. That boy was out of his mind, if he'd try to practice-flirt with me.
"I think I'm the one who's in need of protection here. Nature is strong, believe me…" Ria crossed her arms, nodding.
Shunsen gasped, "She allows you to call her by her first name!? Lucky!"
Ria flushed bright red at his comment, "W-Well we've known each other since we were four…"
"Cool!" smiled Yatsuhiro.
I was left with my mouth heavily opened. I'd never thought meeting others would be so easy and fun. My class treated me so nastily, and now I thought of this feeling as indescribable. I laughed together with them; glad I'd met them, well, besides Magobei.
But then, a breeze caressed my face, guiding my eyes towards its origin. Not too far, a boy, with sky blue hair and sapphire orbs approached us, the previous teacher walking along side him. The man held a notebook close to his chest, a pen firmly between his fingers. He brought us the last member to our group.
Magobei, who brushed his locks away from his face, pointed out our names. "Hi there! I'm Magobei Nabu! That's Yatsuhiro Adrian, Shunsen Manuel, Kusatsu Ria and…" The red-haired boy wrapped his arm around my shoulders, smirking. "And this is Sakurai Nature, Princess of Linphea!"
I rolled my eyes and gently pushed him off. I gazed at our new member. For some reason, I felt something different about that boy – 'mysterious' might be the word for it. Yet it wasn't long before he bowed, introducing himself.
"I am Ijuin Helio," he shot us a serious and determined look. No façade, this was the real deal.
The name echoed in my mind. Ijuin Helio. Even his name sounded obscured. I knew myself and the library at home could answer to that.
…
…
He didn't join in any of the talking that came after we embarked on our journey into the island. Ria stayed quite close to Shunsen, whilst Yatsuhiro and Magobei had their own private talk.
I smirked – there had to be a reason why the groups needed six people. Swinging my arms back, I examined the exotic trees and wild flowers. On the right, I could hear a crystalline waterfall, droplets kissing the ground lightly, sunbeams enchanting the paradise further. A sight, so beautiful that would never be forgotten.
I turned to face Ria and called out to her, "Ria! Look! Isn't it beautiful?"
Her galaxy orbs sparkled, whilst nodding in agreement. "Wow! That's amazing!"
"Oi! Magobei! Yatsuhiro! You better check this out," Shunsen exclaimed.
They sprinted to the closest bark, catching a better view. The two smiled, "Awesome!"
Even Ijuin-san leaned for a quick peek. Gladly, I wasn't the only one paying attention to the masterpiece before us. I nodded to myself, determined to find a better view. Sprinting to a branch, I swung back and used the momentum to let go – gracefully landed on a firm rock.
"Whoa! Guys!" Ria pointed at the lake, "Did you see that!? It's a Sea- Huh!?" A crack. Right under her feet, the ground split. Everyone panicked, but I wouldn't let some earthworm take her. I dashed at blinding speed, attempting to reach her hand.
It was too late.
A hole was formed and she sunk within the trap, engulfed in the darkness. Everything happened too quickly. I felt my legs tremble, as numbness travelled around my entire body. Gone, in just a split second. But then, breathed deeply, rewinding what just happened. The task!
I gazed at the lake, whilst the boys examined the dark hole. Before Ria fell, she mentioned seeing something. It took me a moment to figure it out.
"A seal." I realised what had occurred.
Shunsen looked at me, confused, "What?"
"A seal!" My volume rose. "Ria pointed out that she saw something right? Well… I think that maybe… just maybe… the Spiritual Animals only want the chosen ones to see them."
"Wait… so we'll…!" Yatsuhiro screamed, frightened at the though. "We're going to die!?"
Magobei punched the boy's head. "No Yatsuhiro. We'll just get separated."
"Oh…" Yatsuhiro rubbed his head, shifting his glance upwards. He smiled, "Hey! Is that a squirrel…?"
I winced back, now aware of who was next. I yelled, "Yatsuhiro-san!"
"Huh?"
"You're next!" And I was right.
Sharp vines embraced his wrists and ankles, pulling him to the skies. "Waaaaaaah! Let me go!" We rushed behind him, but saw no trace. His screams mumbled in our ears, until only splashing water could be heard.
I sighed. Two down, four to go.
Shunsen immediately jumped on Magobei, quivering. His action caught the redhead by surprise, causing him to aggressively lean from side to side, and shortly after, both fell harshly on the ground. Magobei scowled at him. "Argh! What's the matter with you!? Don't be such a girl!"
And with that, I stamped my way to the rascal and sharply grabbed his collar, clenching my teeth. "Don't be such a what?
"W-What!?" He was shocked – understandable – I'd be shocked myself. But that indirect insult reached my patient limit. He stammered an answer, "A… A w-wimp! I m-meant wimp!"
I huffed, enraged. But I still had a heart, so I let go. Walking on, I listened to rustling - probably the boys getting up. To calm down, I continued to eye my surroundings. For some bizarre reason, I kept on glancing at an elegant mountain, an untamed splendour and a place of beautiful solitude. Trees seemed to bow at its presence, whilst spawns of a mist avoided its sharp peak. Even the sun embraced the masterpiece. I started wondering if someone was calling for me.
Suddenly, I felt a pull. Like a water droplet, splashing on a lake's son, I left a blissful wonderland. I shifted my gaze to a boy's hand, which guided me back to a solemn face.
I stared at his face, completely bewildered, "Ijuin-san?"
With no words, he pointed down. I followed the guide and yelped. If he hadn't stopped me on my tracks, I would have fallen down a precipice, miles distant from the ground. As a reflex, I reached for his forearm, afraid of dropping down such heights.
He yanked my arm towards him, having noticed my constant shivering. Once trembling legs stabilised, I released myself from his firm hold. I smiled nervously, "Thank you…" And as I had expected, he simply nodded.
But then, I felt the urge to look back. Magobei seemed to be a reporter, just like Ria. He would have whispered something to Shunsen by then. Slowly, I looked back. Nothing.
Wincing back, I gasped. They were gone too. Yet to my relief, I still had someone at my side. Enclosing a hysterical feeling within, I rushed to Ijuin, wanting an explanation. "Umm… Ijuin-san," His sapphires met with my orbs, I continued, "What happened to… Shunsen-san and Magobei…?"
No answer. I sighed, just great. These were the times when I truly wished Ria were here. Her company would be my fireplace in winter. But no, she had to be the first one to go. Yet, I couldn't stop there. Even if I had to speak with a wall, I'd do it. Until…
"Shunsen was chosen by a fox and Magobei, a monkey." He spoke, leaving me speechless.
Feeling I had finally caught his attention, I hesitated to continue, "A-And uh… Why did you hold me back?" I blushed – I couldn't believe my words.
He replied in his usual tone, "You seemed distracted. I thought you'd need a hand."
"I did…" chuckling, I smiled at him. Such way of snapping me back to reality had never crossed my mind, besides Ria's aggressive solutions. Excited, I attempted to speak, but words did not come out, for in a blink of an eye, abandonment surrounded me.
I went on my knees, losing my breath. I choked out his name, "Ijuin-san…"
Everybody had left me. Ria left me, Yatsuhiro left me, Shunsen left me, Magobei left me… and now Ijuin-san… I felt tears fill my eyes, hands shaking, struggling to maintain a strong balance. Thoughts rushed through my head, causing a panicking stream to flow down my back. But I blocked such emotions. Papa taught me to stay strong, no matter the situation. And if I didn't learn to at some point, how would I protect Hatto? Would I let harm reach her? Not a chance.
With a determined face, I lifted myself from the ground. I yelled, begging for an answer.
"Well!? What are you waiting for? I'm the last person here! Your last choice… Please! Tell me how I can reach you…!" My fists tensed, "If you don't want me… because I'm a princess… then ignore the crown! All I want is to touch the sea, feel the skies… or simply be with you." Exclaiming became roars, as I continued, "Nothing that you do can be worse than what I've been through!" My voice lowered after, "You've been lonely… haven't you? I have too. So, if we share the same feeling… I know we can find the light… together!"
…
…
Crack!
The ground beneath shattered, leaving me hopeless in the air. I shut my eyes, accepting the fall. Yet, it didn't stop. Like passing years, the fall continued. Maybe I was sinking into the darkness of my sorrow, or the precipice was far deeper than I expected. Either way, my eyes stayed shut, waiting for a signal.
…
…
With all the courage I could muster, I slowly opened my eyes. Though my blurry vision didn't help much, I spotted a white landscape, soft, like my mother's storytelling blanket. As my eyes focused, a barely readable message seemed to dangle on a golden collar. Grabbing it, I perused the Anilux symbols, the ancient language of Esperanza.
Ignoring the flapping of soaring wings, I read it out loud. "A… An…jiru…"
Then, I froze. A tilting white head turned… a giant eye intensely piercing through mine.
GN2012: Okay… that was REALLY long. I know, you must be tired of my constant cliffhangers, sorry! I just can't help it! And nope, Flora and Emmie won't be joining us, again. Ugh! I seriously need to find myself some new announcers…
Oh well! Let's move on. I'd like to make a shout out to Ghost501's new community – Megaman Netnavi Era Stories! If you're a /Megaman NT Warrior fan, like me, I'd suggest you check it out! ;D
All reviews are very much appreciated! Also, because Rockman EXE Guardians of the Light Circle has continued on for a whole year, I'd like you to answer a special question!
Here it is!
'What was your favourite episode so far and why?"
Well, there goes the last episode of 2013! Let's welcome 2014 with a round of applause and Happy New Year Minna-san! ;D
GN2012: Coming Soon… Unmasking the Real Me!
Ending Song:
Fureta
yubisaki
Kokoro tomoshite
Nagaredasu senritsu
Ai o nozomu
Kizutsuketa eda no saki
Kuchite yuku sadame na no ?
Tozasareta toki no hazama ni mayoikonda
Chiisana hikari no shizuku
Yume no owari tada kimi dake o negau
Hitomi ni utsuru
Gin no tsukikage
Yasurakana senritsu
Douka towa ni
Kizamiyuku hari no oto
Aragaenu sadame na no?
Chigirareta kono gensou o tsutsumikonda
Utsuro na hikari no rasen
Motomeru no wa tada shiawase na kotae
Hari iro no toki no hazama ni michite yuku yo
Odayaka na hikari no shizuku
Yume no owari tada sore dake o negau