Chapter 07: Fears and Doubts

 

Everyone was standing right where they were.  Manny and Marie had their jaws open, but couldn’t say anything.  Colonel Hasa and Dr. Suwa had their heads down, looking away from the others.  Axess and Stream also had their heads down, but they were both crying.  They then deactivated the Blue Moon and Red Sun at the same time.  As they did, the projector exploded by itself, taking the box with it.

 

“W-what happened?” Axess asked, as he finally spoke

“Probably a security measure.” Dr Suwa replied

“Yes.  We wouldn’t Feis to see this now, do we?” Colonel Hasa added.

“S-so...” Manny began

 

Those were the words that everyone seemed to be anticipating, since they all looked at him.

 

“I think that video explains a lot of things, Axess, Manny.” Colonel Hasa said.

“S-so, I’m...”

“I don’t know much about science or anything, but I do know this: all of you are the Professor’s flesh and blood.  His blood flows in your bodies, together with the abilities he had given each of you.” He said, looking at the four of them

“But... but where do I fit in?” Manny suddenly asked, “I don’t fit in any of the descriptions – Sonar, Dynamo, Fighter, Mystic, Frigid, Nitro, nor Spike. So... what am I?”

“What do you mean? You also have a power?” Axess asked

“He most certainly has.” Marie butted in

“I think I have a hunch from where you got your powers.”  Dr. Suwa said  “What’s your mother’s name?”

“Fukiko Makoto.”

“I thought so...”

“I-is there something wrong?”

“You see, your mother got lost in the forest outside the research facility.  We found her fainted, lying on the ground.  We took her in, and tried to nurse her back to health.  We found out that she had a weak body to begin with, plus she had lost a lot of blood.  Even if we did perform a blood transplant, she would only live for about a month.  The only way we could save her is using the powers of the Blue Moon and the Red Sun.  At that time, both were just still in the experimental stage.  However, they were already sufficient to save her.  Prof. Eguze agreed to use the experimental stones, since he claims he’ll produce better ones.  Everything worked out in the end: the stones were completed, and your mother was saved.”

“S-so I was also born with this power...”

“Yes.” Colonel Hasa replied “Like the others here, the power of the Blue Moon and the Red Sun is also in your blood.”

 

Manny finally gave a sigh of relief

 

“Prof. Eguze told this to me before: the offspring of the woman we just saved will inherit the abilities of the incomplete stones.  He will have a photographic memory, and he will possess the ‘Green Eyes’ – eyes that can see what the normal human eye cannot.”

“Well then,” Colonel Hasa said, “I believe a lot of things are clear to you two now?”

“Y-yes. It’s just...” Axess said

“You can’t believe that you’re supposed to fight, right?” Stream asked

“None of us here wants to fight, Axess.” Dr Suwa said

“But there are some things that are worth fighting for.” Col. Hasa said.  “Even dying for...”

“And do you seriously believe that you can just back away from all of this?” Marie asked, “Think! You fought against one of Feis’s robots, and defeated it.  Do you believe that this organization – one that has existed since who knows when – will let you off that easily?  I don’t mean to sound heartless, but that’s a truth you’ll have to face from now on.”

“Now, now.” Dr. Suwa said.  “We should give him them.  This is too much to take all at once for someone like these two.”

“I guess that’s the best we could do for now.” Col. Hasa said.  He then looked at the digital clock on his desk. “It’s that late already? I better send you two home – your parents must be worried sick by now!” He then looked at Stream.  “Stream, would you kindly escort them out of here?”

“Excuse me, but just where is ‘here’?” Manny asked

“You’ll find out when you get out.” Marie replied

 

Stream started walking towards Axess, but she had her head slightly lowered.  She then stopped in front on him, and just stood there.

 

“Uh, Stream?” Axess asked

“You disappointed me...”

“What?”

 

PAK!

 

With her left hand, she gave Axess one hard slap on the cheek.

 

“Ouch! What was that for???”

 

Stream was shaking, as if she was holding back something.

 

“Hey, are you – “ Axess said, as he slowly moved his hand towards her.

 

But before he could even touch her, Stream stormed out of the room.

 

“Hey, Stream!  Where are you going?” Marie said, as she followed her out

“W-what did I...” Axess asked, in a completely puzzled tone

“Guess it can’t be helped – I’ll escort these two out.” Dr Suwa said

“Uhm, is it going to take a while to get out of this place?” Manny asked.  He then made a gesture pointing to Axess

“With what just happened now – and when you find out where we are – I doubt he’ll even notice.”

 

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“T-this is...” Manny said

“N-no way...” Axess followed

“I told you, didn’t I?” Dr Suwa asked

“We’re back at school???”

“And why are we in the girl’s bathroom???”

“Shhh! Keep it down, you two!  Right now this is the only passage we could use.” Dr Suwa replied, “Now, listen.  I’ll go out here first, and I’ll tell you if it’s okay to come out.  In case somebody else comes in, go back and close the secret passage.  Got that? Good”

 

Dr. Suwa then headed out, leaving the two behind

 

“We were at school the whole time?” Axess asked in frustratition

“Technically, we were ‘under’ the school.  We did take an elevator upwards, remember?”

“That’s not the point! There was that kind of place under the school all this time, and we didn’t know?”

“Well, do you know anyone who hasn’t gone there who does know?”

“Good point...”

“You two can come out now...”

 

At those words, Axess and Manny immediately got out of the passage and out the bathroom.

 

“I’ll escort you to the guard.  You two need a good explanation why you’re still here.” Dr. Suwa said, “So, how’s the girl’s bathroom?”

 

Axess and Manny were unable to respond to that question.  It was every boy’s dream to be able to go inside that kind of place, but there was nothing really special about it if girls weren’t using it.  Still, it was like entering a new world for them.  Aside from the ones at their own homes, they haven’t been to other bathroom that looked AND smelled as clean as that.

 

They reached the school gate.  Dr. Suwa told the guard to let them go first and she’ll explain later.

 

“So, what’re you going to do?” Manny asked Axess once they were far away enough

 

Axess had almost completely forgotten.  Both he and Manny realized today that they had incredible powers at their disposal.  Powers they thought existed only in stories, and that there are others as well like them.

 

“I-I just don’t know... What happened today was... I wasn’t the one controlling the power that defeated that... whatever that dragon-thing was.”

“What’re you talking about? I saw it for myself – you were using that thing as if it were a gun or something.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t pull any triggers or anything.  It was the Blue Moon – speaking to me and telling me what to do.  It did the rest.”

“I’ve known you for two years now, and I can tell that’s not the real reason why you’re having doubts...”

 

Axess suddenly stopped walking

 

“You’re right...” he said, with a sudden drop in his tone

“Axess?”

“We have all these powers, and we’re supposed to use them to beat some bad guys.  But isn’t this just like the ones we see on 3D-TV?  The ones where the bad guys keep getting stronger and stronger, and manages to kill off some of the good guys?”

“So that’s it...” Manny said, in a calm manner

“It’s not just ‘that’s it’!” Axess said angrily.  He then grabbed Manny by the collar “Don’t you realize that lives are at stake here? Not just lives – our lives!”

 

Manny then took hold of Axess’s arms

 

“I know that.  But don’t you realize that the person who gave you those powers also put his life on the line, just so you can have it?”

 

Axess loosened his grip, realizing Manny’s argument

“You were given those powers for a reason.  Just the same as you were born into this world for a reason.  Just as the same as the two of us met for a reason.” Manny said, straightening his uniform.  “This is where we split when we walk home.  I’ll see you tomorrow then.  I’ll tell you to take care, but I don’t think you need to – not with your power.”

 

And just like that, Manny walked away from Axess – just like they do everday.  But this time it was different.  It seemed like there was an invisible wall between them.  Axess felt that Manny wouldn’t look back even if he called him out.  Axess too started walking home.

 

‘W-what did I just do?  I know I shouldn’t have done that, especially to my best friend.  It’s just... all this is confusing me up! I can’t think straight, damn it!’

 

Axess was now only one street away from his house.  His family rents a unit in the 4th floor of one of the buildings here.

 

“I finally found you...”

 

Axess was now only a couple of steps away from the gate.  He brought out his ID, where the key to the gate was attached.

 

“It suddenly felt hot...” Axess muttered.

 

He was going to insert the key

 

“Is it me, or is it getting hotter?” he asked himself, stopping him from inserting the key.  He then looked back, and saw a gigantic fireball coming straight at him.