Chapter 01: The Sleeping Prophecy

 

  June 15 2060, first day of classes at Tenkuu High. It was your normal day - heavy traffic in the morning, rush hour, late students eating their breakfast while going to school, and so on.   It was just like the everyday life, that nobody thought that today was going to be a turning point in history of Kamigakure.

 

“Ackeys, Manny”

“Present!”

“Akina, Susumu”

“Present!”

  “Bator, Maestro”

“Present!”

“Bet, Logan”

“Present!”

  "Binay, Agan"

  "Present!"

  "Chino, Pakha"

"Present!"

“Caga, Gohan”

“Present!”

  "Dineela, Pepe"

  "Present!"

  "Eguze, Axess"

  "Present!"

 

  ...

 

“Anha, Rai”

“Present!”

“Bogan, Nelly”

“Present!”

“Culca, Gina”

“Present

  "Daty, Virgin”

  "Present!"

"Dedeco, Dee"

"Present!"

  "Eguze, Stream"

 

  'Eguze?'

 

  Axess looked at the classroom, to see this girl who has the same last name as him.

 

  "Eguze, Stream" the teacher repeated

 

  Sadly, there was no one where G6 was supposed to be seated

 

  "Absen-"

 

  The back door of the classroom suddenly opened, and a young girl stepped into the classroom.  Everybody was looking at her not because she was late; rather, she was extremely beautiful.

 

  "Sorry for being late."

  "And you are?"

  "Eguze. Stream Eguze"

  'Eguze???'

  "Ah, yes... Hmm???"

  "Is there a problem, ma'am?"

  "Are you related to Axess Eguze?" the teacher asked as she looked and pointed at Axess.

 

  Axess was surprised, for the teacher took those words right out of his mouth.  He too wanted to know if he was related to her, for this was the first time he had ever seen her.

 

"No, ma'am.  This is the first time I've seen him." She replied after she too looked at Axess

  "Very well.  You may take your seat."

 

  The role call went on.  Axess kept looking at this girl, wondering if they are really related to each other but just never met before.  He'd be damned if he really had a relative that's like her - a true beauty.  Lots of thoughts were crossing his mind, and he was enjoying each one of them.  Then the girl looked at him.

 

  Axess immediately looked away, out of instinct.  He was worried that someone told her that he was looking at her.  He didn't know why, but for some reason he felt quite uneasy with this girl.

 

  "She really IS beautiful, isn't she?" a voice beside Axess said

 

  Axess recognized the voice immediately, and responded without looking back

 

  "Well... Uhm... That's..."

  "So she's going to be strike three, then?"

"Shut up, Manny!!!"

 

Axess flung his hand towards Manny, trying to hit him in the head.  But Manny was quicker, so he avoided it

 

  "Really now, Axess.” Manny said, looking out for a second attack  “We've been classmates since first year, and I've seen how you screw up in this kind of thing.  You keep saying you'll improve, but I don't see any."

  "Look who's talking - You don't even have a girlfriend yet."

  "At least I haven't been rejected yet."

  "You have to go and say that..."

  "There, there... It's nothing that can be cured at the Calle Raon Arcade."

 

  "Very well, it looks like everyone's present."

  "Later. The teacher's talking" Axess said

  "I will be your class adviser though the year.  I am Ms. Makoto Fukiko, also your Theology professor.  As you know, this year the school has increased the number of units of English and Math from 1 to 2, so instead of 2:00 PM, your dismissal will now be 3:20 PM."

 

  An uproar of complaints rose from the class.

 

  "Now... Now... I know some of you don't want this, but it's already been decided.  I'm sorry to say that there's nothing you can do. On to other matters..."

 

  The hours passed by, and it was just like in the last two years - there is absolutely nothing to do.  The only difference this year is that you have to put up with boredom longer than before.   Eventually, classes ended.  Axess and Manny wasted no time in going to Calle Raon.

 

  "Man, I can't believe that we get to go home at this time." Manny said as the two of them alighted the hover-bus

  "You said it.  What could the administration be thinking - treating us like elementary students?"

  "And we probably won't be able to do much of this starting tomorrow..."

  "Then hurry up! This may be the last chance we get to enjoy ourselves like this much."

  "You do have a poi-"

"Huh? Did you say somethi – HEY!!!”

 

  Manny grabbed Axess, dragging him in a nearby alley.

 

  "What do you think you're doing??? The arcade's right there!!!" Axess complained

 

  Manny was peeking at the corner, obviously hiding from someone

 

  "Look who's there..."

  "Who?" Axess said as he too peeked

 

  He saw a young lady, wearing the same school uniform as the girls from Tenkuu High.  There was no mistaking it.  Axess was absolutely sure that person is none other than Stream.  She had her back turned to them, talking to someone – a hooded figure wearing a green cloak, covering the entire body.

 

  "WHAT'S SHE DOING HERE???"

  "Well, isn't this perfect..."

  "What do you mean 'perfect'?"

  "Look - she's going into the arcade."

  "So?"

  "So, that means she knows how to play."

  "I don't get it..."

  "You really are slow.  Have you forgotten who won the tournaments at this arcade for the last two years?"

  "I did.  What's that got anything to do with this?"

  "Really... Challenge her into a game, beat her, and get her to talk.  You may turn out to be family..."

 

  Axess retreated back to the alley, obviously thinking about this proposition

 

  "I don't know about this..."

  "Why not?"

  "Wouldn't it be better if I just asked her at school?"

  "And repeat those two catastrophes you did before?  No - it's better you do it here." Manny said, grabbing Axess by the arm and tugged him towards the arcade.

 

  "Hey, let go of me!!!"

  "Why are you so scared? Listen - everything will work out fine.  Trust me on this..."

  "But every time you say that, something bad always happens later..."

 

  "Now where did she go?" Manny said, as they entered the arcade

  "There they are!!!" Axess said, happily

 

  The two went to the comfort room at the back of the arcade

 

  "Well, it looks like you were wrong.  They didn't come here to play." Axess said as he started to walk away

  "Wait a minute!" Manny said, grabbing Axess again. "Maybe they just went there first.  We can wait for them to come out."

  "Why are you so eager to get us to talk?"

  "Whatever.  And have you forgotten why we really are here in the first place?"

 

  Axess looked like he just remembered something important.'

 

  "You're right - I nearly did forget.  Sorry 'bout that..."

 

  A loud noise came from outside, and Axess and Manny were both sent flying forward towards the machines.

 

  "OUCH!!! What was that?" Axess said as he tried to get up.  He was lucky, because he just hit the floor. "Are you okay, Manny?"

 

  Manny was lying on the ground, very close to a machine.  From his position, it was obvious that he hit into a machine headfirst.

 

  "Manny??? OI, MANNY!!!" Axess said as he desperately shook his firend, trying to wake him up.

  "Take it easy - my head hurts..." Manny said weakly, as he placed a hand on the spot where his head was hit. He still had his eyes closed.  "What just happened?"

 

  "I have no idea either." Axess then looked outside, to where they were standing just a while ago. "WHAT THE??? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE???"

 

  The street outside was completely covered in ice - rock solid slippery ice.  And to make matters worse, another explosion went off.  This time it came from somewhere to the far back of the arcade.

 

  People were now in a state of panic.  Everyone was heading for the back door, trying to get out of here as soon as possible. 

 

  "Can you get up?" Axess asked Manny

  "I think so..." he replied, adjusting his glasses.  He then opened up his eyes, and saw something where they were standing before

  "What is it?"

  "It's... it's... it's nothing..."

  "C'mon now - what is it?"

  "I told you it's nothing! Now let's get out of here"

 

  Axess took one final look at where Manny was looking.  He was about to leave as well, when he saw something fall from the sky.  It was green piece of cloth, or at least he thought at first.  But it was falling much faster than a normal cloth spread out. He then he realized that it was a person that was falling, for he could make out some flesh in the cloth

 

  "Hey, where are you going?" Manny asked, and he too saw the person

 

  "Is he alright?" Manny asked, as he got to Axess who was inspecting the person

  "This one's no 'he'..." Axess said, who had his hand on the person's chest

 

Manny also saw it.  The person who fell was a woman.  She was wearing the same worn-out looking green cloak.  The cloak now uncovered most of the body, revealing the same female school uniform of Tenkuu High.

 

  "Hey, isn't she..."

 

  Axess took off the hood that was covering the person's face.  The moment he saw the red hair done in a ponytail, he knew that it had to be no one else other than

 

  "STREAM???"

  "Look at these!"

 

  Axess pointed out the part where her right sleeve was ripped at the edges.  She was wearing some sort of blue armguard that covers the lower arm.  It has a blue orb engraved on the spot that protects the back of her hand.

 

  There was also something like a dagger that was lying very close to her opened left hand.   Like the armguard, there is also some sort of orb engraved in it.  It was on the hilt part, just before the blade.   But this time it is a red orb.

 

  "What could these be?"

  "I have no idea.  She didn't have those before..."

  "Anyway, let's take her to the hospital for now."

"A-Axess..."

“What?” he replied angrily

 

Manny just pointed to the sky off into the distance, so Axess also looked there.  They both saw two silhouettes fighting each other.  One was on top of a nearby building, while the other seemed to be flying...

 

  "Whatever that is, I don't want to know!” Manny said nervously, dropping his arm “Let's get out of here now!"

  "uhh..."

  "Wait!" Axess said

 

  Stream was finally waking up.  The two figures were still fighting each other.  The flying one was using some sort of machine gun, while the other one was sending out waves of flame

 

  "T... Tina..."

  "Hey, take it easy. You did fall off from a high place, you know!" Axess said

 

  Stream opened her eyes, and she saw Axess and Manny

 

  "It's alright.  Don't worry - we'll take you to a hospital."

 

  Suddenly, the flying figure stopped attacking.  It seemed to notice Axess, because it fired its bullets at them.  The other figure apparently noticed this, for it sent a wave of fire directly at the gun barrell.  It was obvious that it was trying to disintegrate the bullets as well as stop any more from coming.  It didn't succeed in the latter, however.

 

Fortunately, Stream also noticed the incoming bullets

 

  "Move!!!"

 

  Using only her right arm, she pushed Axess away from her

 

  "What do you thi..."

 

  PING!!!

 

  Axess and Manny saw it clearly.  Stream's armguard deflected all the incoming bullets.  But that wasn't just it - the bullets were coming from a wide range, and Stream had to quickly adjust the position of her guard with each one.  What could have been even worse was the fact that the bullets froze whatever they hit.

 

  Manny was looking at where the bullets bounced off to, analyzing the points where they actually come into contact with something.  He then looked back again at where they stood before the first explosion

 

  "So that's it..."

 

  "If you two don't want to die," Stream said as she tried to get up on her own.  She was bearing the pain from her fall. "then don't stay here any longer."

 

She picked up the dagger lying on the ground with her left hand

 

“What’re you...” Axess began

 

The red orb in the dagger suddenly gave off a bright light.  The two were taken by surprise, and were blinded.  Manny got the worse of it - his glasses made the light more intense.  But Axess was able to make out something in the light.  He saw the dagger rotating very fast at different directions, as if it was a combination lock on a safe.  The light went out, and her dagger was no longer there.  Instead, she was now holding a huge broadsword with a red laser for a blade.

 

  In one swift motion, she jumped into the air, placed the blade of her sword under her feet, landed on it, and soared off into the sky.  It was as if she was on some sort of magic carpet, for no propellers, thrusters, nor engines could be seen or heard.

 

  "What the..." Manny asked, confounded

 

  Axess did not respond.  He was intently looking at Stream.  He too was just as puzzled as Manny at what was happening. 

 

  "Stream!!!" The figure at rooftop screamed with joy as Stream flew past her.  It too was wearing the same type of cloak that Stream had on.  As Stream flew past her, her hood was blown off. Underneath was a girl with shoulder-length orange hair.

  "Don't worry, Tina.  I'm all right. Now it's time to get back at this one for dropping me."

 

  Axess then looked back down, searching for something.  When he did find it, he ran with all his might toward it

 

  "Oi!!! Where do you think you're going?"

  "Up there, where else?" Axess responded as he retrieved what he was looking for

  "Oi!!!"

 

  Stream and Tina can clearly see the figure of the other silhouette.  It had gigantic ice-blue-colored dragonheads all over its body – head, chest, shoulders, abdomen, arms, and legs – connected to each other by long and overwhelmingly huge gun barrels.  It was spewing some sort of light blue gas behind its back, which it apparently uses to levitate.

 

  "I wouldn't be so conceited if I were you..." it said

  "Well, you aren't me." Stream said as she flew straight to the robot

  "How impudent!"

 

  The dragonheads on each of the robot's arms opened up their mouths, concealing its hands and revealing more gun barrels

 

  "DRAGON VULCAN!!!"