Chapter 05: Before Everything Else

 

“Hey, how much farther do we need to walk?” Axess whispered to Stream

“That’s the fifth time you’ve asked me that.  Be a man and just shut up.”

“But it feels like we’re walking in circles.  This place is like a maze!” Axess said out loud

“Of course it is.” The colonel replied, “This IS a base, after all.”

 

After going out of the infirmary, the colonel led Axess and Manny somewhere in the base.  However, the place looks just the same wherever Axess looked – the doors, the walls, and even the halls and stairs.

 

“We’re here.” Col. Hassa said, opening one of the doors that look a lot like the rest in the hall

“Can I rest first? My head hurts from trying to recall our route...” Axess said

“That’s expected...” Dr. Suwa commented “What about you?” she asked Manny

“Well, my head’s not really hurting or anything...”

 

Stream, Dr. Suwa, and Col. Hassa looked at each other.  It was as if they had just confirmed something.

 

Even though the door was the same, the room inside was much different.  It looked like the office of a CEO of a company, though it had no windows  - similar to the infirmary.  On the end opposite the door was a black center table.  The only things on it were a desktop computer and a miniature scale.  If you look at it from the door, the scale’s left side is heavier than its right.  There is also a miniature globe on top of the scale.  On the wall nearest the table hung the picture of a man in glasses with a one-sided hairstyle wearing a lab coat.

 

Everybody stepped into the room.  Axess was still feeling dizzy, so he had a few problems walking.  They all stopped in front of the table, except for the Colonel – who went behind it and sat on the chair.

 

“Before I begin, let me say a few things first.  As I’ve told you, I am the head commander of this base.  We are a top-secret organization that fights against the likes of those that you encountered today.  We go by the code name ‘Kanto Terrors’.”

“The person in that portrait over there is our founder and my benefactor, Professor Eguze.  He is the reason why you possess the abilities that you displayed today.”

“Eguze?” Axess asked, his dizziness disappearing with realization “So, is he – “

“Everything will be answered later.” Col. Hassa replied.  He then looked at Manny “You said your name is Manny, right?  Would you please come here?”

“Y-yes...” Manny said, walking towards the front of the table

“No - come here, beside me.”

 

Manny walked around the table, ending up on Col. Hassa’s left side

 

“Now, look at the scale and tell me what you see.”

“There’re lots of small balls inside.  All are black.”

“I see.” He then took out something out of his drawer.  It was a sheet of paper.  “Tell me what you see on this paper”

 

Manny looked at the paper.  Something big was written on it - the Japanese character 光.

 

“I want you to take a good look at it.  Now, look into the balls again and get the one where you also see this.”

“Y-yes...”

 

Manny looked at the balls again

 

“I-I don’t see anything else.  The black balls didn’t change.”

“Come now, Manny.” Dr. Suwa said, moving forward “You can do it.” She said, looking inside the scales as well

“But there’s nothing on the balls. They’re just plain black, see?” Manny said as he looked up at Dr. Suwa

 

Dr Suwa had her body bent forth as she looked in the scales, so Manny could now see her large round breasts through the V-neck she was wearing – her nipples making a distinct bump in each breast.

 

Manny suddenly looked back down into the scales.  He saw the balls again, but there was something different.  He could see something white, distinct among the black balls.  He took it out, and saw that it had the character 光.

 

“I-it’s this one!” Manny said, taking out the ball and handing it over to Col. Hassa – trying to avoid seeing Dr. Suwa

“Good job!” Dr Suwa said, suddenly hugging Manny. “See, I knew you could do it.” He could feel her breasts that he just saw press against his right arm.

“Place it on the other scale.” Col. Hassa said

“Y-yes... U-uhm... Doctor...”

“Oh! Sorry ‘bout that.  Just got a little excited...”

 

‘What’s with these people’ Axess thought

 

Manny did as he was told, making sure that he doesn’t see Dr Suwa’s chest – be it covered or bare.  As he dropped the black ball into the other scale, it balanced itself.

 

CLICK

 

A rumbling sound filled the room

 

“W-what’s going on?” Axess asked

 

The globe on top of the scale slowly rotated by itself.  Prof. Eguze’s portrait also slowly rotated, matching the globe’s rotation.  After a while they both stopped, revealing a green box behind the portrait.  Col. Hassa took it out, and brought it back with him to the table.

 

“Look at this.” He began “This is one of Prof. Eguze’s Diodes – records of the project that he was working on: Project Libra”

 

There were carvings on one face of the box – a sun and a moon, next to each other.

 

“Look at these carvings here.” He continued, “These are the locks that seal this box.  The only thing that can open these is the combined power of your orbs – the Blue Moon and Red Sun!”

 

“With this...” Axess said, looking at the orb in his armguard.

 

“Naturally, the moon carving will be unlocked by the Blue Moon; whereas the sun carving will be unlocked by the Red Sun.  Command your powers to open this Diode.”

 

“But...” Axess began “How do I use my powers?  Until now, I didn’t even know I had some!”

“The Blue Moon has recognized you as the ‘will’, and has bestowed its powers upon you because of that.” A voice said from the door

“That voice...” Stream said, facing the door

 

A girl was standing there.  She was wearing a black sweater and an orange mini-skirt, which matched her shoulder-length orange hair.  She also had knee-length baggy socks with matching tennis shoes.  She too was bandaged up in various parts, though she had more than Stream.

 

“Tina!!!” Stream said in joy

“Good thing I decided to read the stars when I did, or else I would’ve missed out on this...” she said as she let herself in

“So, how DO I use it? This Blue Moon?”

“You still don’t get it, do you?”  Tina said, in a tone that resembles an angry Stream. “Think – what was it that you did that awakened it in the first place?”

 

Axess tried to remember what happened.  He was running up the stairs... He bandaged up Stream’s broken arm... He wanted her to stop fighting because it might get worse... He pulled her back and took the missile for her...

 

“At that time... I wanted to confirm something from Stream.  That’s why I couldn’t let her be.  No – it’s more than that.  It was because someone’s life was in danger.  And this someone wasn’t the bad one.  So I wanted to protect her because she wasn’t doing anything wrong.  I wanted her to stay alive and defeat the bad guy.”

“In short, it’s because of your will.  You wanted this, you wanted that – that is why you are the ‘will’.” Tina said

“So if I willed the Blue Moon to activate...” Axess said, looking at his orb. “WHA-“

 

Suddenly, the Blue Moon glowed the same blue light it gave off earlier.  It completely covered Axess’s right hand.  The moon carving then glowed in the same blue light.

 

“Maintain it!!!” Col. Hassa shouted

 

As if a reflex, Stream took out something from her pocket with her left hand.  It looked something like a hilt - the very same hilt of the dagger that Stream transformed into a broadsword.  The red orb was still there.  It then also glowed in the same intensity as Axess’s orb.  It was giving off a red light, which the caused the sun carving to give off the same light.