Episode 12: Melfelse: Liberta El Mata
"So first things first," Alsius started. She pointed at the large wall which seemed to extend forever. "Never go past that; that is the absolute rule here in Melfelse."
Manabe frowned, "Why? Is there something its protecting us from?"
"Of course, why else will there be a wall?" Alsius sighed, "Anyways, don't ask, just don't think of going over…"
"Waah, Matatagi-kun!?" Minaho gasped.
Matatagi had already climbed to the top of the wall and was peering over the other side. He laughed, "There's nothing here."
Alsius quickly ran up and pulled the player down off the wall. She was panting as if she had a slight heart attack.
Sakura smiled, "Alsius, saying "don't" will make boys want to do it even more…"
Alsius thought for a bit, "Well, I guess I could show you…" She led the group along the wall until they reached a gate. It was heavily guarded, but when Alsius showed a certain tattoo hidden behind her side bangs, they let the group through.
"What is that tattoo?" Shindou asked as they entered the wall.
"Proof I'm part of the organization."
"Organization?" Ibuki repeated.
Alsius didn't answer or expand on Ibuki's question. Instead she grabbed scouters for everyone out of a box. She then led them to a window which showed the other side of the wall. A flat, boring landscape stretched all the way across to the horizon. No trees, hills, mountains or even bodies of water. Just a flat surface.
"See, nothing." Said Matatagi.
Alsius instructed everyone to put on the scouter. It was then evident that the landscape wasn't empty at all. It was infested with dark beasts. Some of them noticed the team staring at them and started tackling the glass window.
Surprised, Manabe let out a high pitched scream and stepped back, "I-interesting…" he stuttered nervously trying hard to hide his embarrassment.
"Those are called Tenebrae. They live to feed on people and without these scouters; impossible to see." Alsius explained taking off her scouter. "You should keep them on you, just in case… though you should be safe as long as you stay on this side of the wall." she led everyone back outside.
"You know, this kind of makes it feel like we are actually in another planet. Minaho laughed, "You know, kind of like the sci-fi movies…"
"Ah… makes earth seem so peaceful…" Sakura sighed, "At least we don't have to be trapped in one area for our whole lives."
"Anyways," Alsius changed topics suddenly, "Is there any where you want to go particularly?"
Minaho spoke up, "Could you introduce us to Liberta-kun?"
Alsius wasn't expecting this.
"Well, it sounded like you know him…"
Alsius nodded, "I'm pretty sure I know where he is. It's not too far from here either."
"Hey Shindou," Ibuki whispered, "This "Liberta" guy is the one who we think might be joining the team, right?"
Shindou nodded, "I'm interested in him as well."
It stunk. And it was far from a pleasant sight. Everything around them, everything, was garbage. Heaps and heaps and heaps of it too. Shindou refused to enter the place. Ibuki was somehow able to drag him inside.
"No! I don't want to…!" Shindou protested, "I don't see why anyone whould want to be in a place like this!?"
"Haku-neechan?" Little kids poked their small heads from behind the piles of garbage. They were dressed in dirty, yet fine clothes and seemed well fed.
Realizing it was indeed Alsius, one after another the kids jumped on top of her squealing happily. They each gave her big hugs and Alsius pat each on their heads, laughing softly.
"Who are these kids?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Orphans who live here…" Alsius replied.
Manabe frowned, "Here? In the junk yard?"
Alsius nodded in response.
Minaho thought for a bit, "That's strange, for living here and without parents, they seem well fed and clothed."
"That's because Liberta-niichan brings us good all the time!" a little boy smiled.
Another child nodded, "He also helps us make forts to live in when it's rainy and brings heaters to warm us up during winter!"
Minaho smiled, "So, Liberta takes care of all these children alone? I wonder what the reason behind this would be…"
Ibuki stood away from everyone. However, a little girl walked over to him. Raising her arms in the air "up, up!" she begged.
Ibuki seemed unsure what to do and looked at his teammates for help. Though no one answered his plea. Eventually, large tears filled the little girl's eyes and Ibuki reluctantly picked her up, placing her on top of his shoulders.
"Whee, up, up high!" she giggled, "What's your name, niichan?"
"Ibuki…" he mumbled.
"I'm Kou!" she laughed happily. "Ibuki-niichan run around, run around!"
"Huh!?"
"It's not fair that only Kou gets to ride on shoulders! Shiira wants to do it too!" a little boy yelled looking a Shindou.
Shindou must have felt guilt from what he said earlier because he picked Shiira up onto his shoulders without any objection.
"Hey Shindou!" Ibuki smiled, "I'll race you!"
"Race, race!" Kou echoed.
With that, the two disappeared, leaving the rest of the group.
Manabe noticed the jealous gazes of some of the other children and stated, "D-don't ask me, none of you will be getting on my shoulders…"
"It's okay niichan, we don't think you'll be able to do it anyways." They frowned.
Manabe slouched over, "That last commet did about 80% damage to me…"
"Donmai, Manabe-kun…" Minaho put his hand on the sulking defender's shoulder, "you still have 20% left!"
Alsius asked one of the kids if they had seen Liberta. They all nodded and pointed in the direction he was. After thanking them, Alsius led everyone deeper into the junk yard.
Nui, the blue lemur, was the first one to notice their entrance. It happily curled its tail around its own body when seeing Alsius.
"I never seen an animal like this before!" Minaho put his hand under his chin, peering closer at the blue rodent.
It blushed, hiding its face behind the leaf it held, "Don't look at me like that…"
"There, it's finished!" the boy who was working beyond Nui suddenly yelled. "Let's test it out!"
He placed a small machine on the ground and clicked a button on it. The team was suddenly surrounded some force field, everyone except Alsius and Nui who stepped far enough away when they heard the boy exclaim being finished with his project.
"Hmf, they just save themselves…" Matatagi grunted.
"What is this, Alsius?" Sakura gasped.
Slowly each of them were pulled to the ground by some force. Soon they were on their knees and desperately tried to hold themselves up.
"Shit, I made this too strong…" the boy was pinned to the ground for he didn't attempt to defy the force pushing them down. He still held the machine and pressed the red button again releasing everyone from the force.
"Hah… my gravity intensifier failed…" he sighed taking off the goggles he wore, putting them back around his neck.
"Alsius took this chance and called out to him, "Liberta!"
Liberta looked back. He seemed surprised to suddenly see so many people around him. Apparently he didn't notice anyone else's presence until now.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you on a mission on Earth?"
"I told you she's coming back…" Nui started
"I know, you are one of the Chimera's disguising as her…" Liberta obviously wasn't listening to his rodent companion, "Too bad, I won't be fooled by you, imposter!" Liberta sneered conjuring two blades, pointing them at Alsius' direction. "You're quite stupid for picking the time she's not here to disguise yourself as Alsius…"
Minaho smiled, "He's quick to make false conclusions…"
Instead of denying it immediately, Alsius went along Liberta, "Hmf impressive, human. But so what if you broke through my disguise? What are you going to do without your Feyra?"
"A-als…?" Nui whimpered.
Liberta started charging with his swords, slashing at Alsius. However, she swiftly avoided every blow.
"Wai, wait! He's using real weapons!?" Sakura screamed hiding behind Matatagi.
"Hey! Don't hide behind me!"
When she started getting bored, Alsius placed her hand over Liberta's hand freezing it instantly. Liberta yelped in pain and stepped back.
"Huh? Haku, is that really you?" he gasped.
"Of course…"
"Wait, does that mean the other people with you are the members of Earth Eleven? There isn't even 11 people." Liberta gasped, finally putting pieces together.
"The whole team's not here, of course."
"He's actually exactly how I imagined him to be…" Minaho smiled nodding his head. "I guess we should introduce ourselves. I'm Mina…"
"I know who you are, Minaho Kazuto." Liberta started and looked over at the other people, "Manabe Jinichirou, Matatagi Hayato and Nozaki Sakura, right?"
"Huh, how?"
"Oops," the words slipped out of Liberta's mouth and he looked like he was trying to retrieve them. "Ha, ha, um… wild guess?"
"What do you…" Minaho tried to ask, but Alsius cut him off, changing the topic. This irritated Minaho though he didn't say anything about it.
"So I guess you were one of the new players…"
Liberta chuckled, "I was technically asked to join before you, but it seemed more dramatic to suddenly appear in the middle of the series, so I did."
D-don't say things like "series"!" Nui gasped.
"Well, we kind of joined in the middle of the tournament too…" Alsius mumbled.
"Finish!" Kou laughed. Ibuki and Shindou were both bent over, panting heavly as Kou and Shiira pranced happily around them.
"Heh, that was definitely MY win…" Ibuki huffed grinning at Shindou.
"No…" Shindou gasped, "it was I who won." He glared back at the keeper.
"They were still running…" Manabe sighed.
"Is it just me, or are they suddenly kinda friendly towards each other?" Sakura smiled unsurely.
Matatagi glanced at a clock, "It's almost 3 hours, we'd better head back soon."
"Well, I'm done what I needed to here, so I'll tag along I guess," Liberta put his hands behind his head laughing, "I want to meet everyone else in person too."
So they bid a goodbye to the children and started making their way to the Galaxy Notes. By the time they reached the train, the other group was already waiting for them. With them was a young orange-haired girl, holding a soccer ball.
Before going to the next episode… if there are any questions about the story or the characters, feel free to PM me. I know it may be starting to get confusing since Melfelse is a planet completely out of my own imagination, so doesn't abide to the rules on Earth. Depending on the question they'll be answered in the next special extra episode. Until then.