Fan Fiction ❯ Angelic Dreams ❯ Agressive War ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Yasai Oujo 
The start of a catastrophe in an epic adventure: Meet Kaita.. and her rude trainer, Nai Tahcoo.
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Sci-fi / Martial Arts / Fantasy / Drama / Angst / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.21.2001 | Updated On: 01.21.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 204 | Status: Completed
The start of a catastrophe in an epic adventure: Meet Kaita.. and her rude trainer, Nai Tahcoo.
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Sci-fi / Martial Arts / Fantasy / Drama / Angst / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.21.2001 | Updated On: 01.21.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 204 | Status: Completed
Prologue
July 14, 2000 AD
My name is Kaita. My race is one that requires no last name, unlike many sentient species scattered among the galaxy... or what's left of it, anyway. From planet one from the centered red giant, to planet fifty-seven, they were either preparing to be, or in battle at this very moment.
I was born on the planet that started this war- the planet called Zea. It was the home of the most fighting, and the most casualties. I was sent back to this raging mad dirtball fifteen years later by my elite rebellion of Bri, from the safe planet, Peig. There were at least seven thousand of us in orbit around Zea, or on it, and we were set in ranks - Blue Star as the highest, Qa pilots as lowest ranking.
I am a female. A child. I am of blue star ranking. I was sent to this planet - MY planet - with one mission: to kill as many Geels as possible. The evil Geels that were slowly, steadily, taking over the galaxy planet by planet.
They were tall, yellow, and had filmy, throbbing heads. They were the most technologically superior and dangerous race in the known universe. With deadly, advanced weapons and the knowledge to be able to alter their DNA, they are also the strongest physically, able to absorb energy, and protrude lasers from their fingertips - making it so that they are virtually unstoppable. And it was my own race that unleashed these horrors.
We, being very advanced in technology ourselves, accidentally shifted dimensions by creating the largest amount of energy and stuffing it into one high powered beam gun, ripping apart the linking dimensions, giving the Geels a choice to enter our time and place, and escape their own destroyed world. The beam gun was fired by a Zean by the name of Ganda. I have no record of what my people did to him, but his name is no longer spoken of, forgotten by shame.
Zea was my planet - my planet that was already too far gone to be saved from these monsters. It was theirs for good - we had no way of getting it back. Going into a blunt explanation, after the beam was fired, we evacuated the planet, escaping to Peig. We had hoped that the Geels would soon want to retreat back to their dimension once all the inhabitants with a life force left, but we were wrong. Instead of leaving, they built many spaceships, including the ones that have their own guns, and cargo ships to carry the weapons, along with over one million kui guns that could make three people fall with one shot from the deadly flame thrower. They used our abandoned planet as their defense.
When we finally realized our mistake, it was too late. After many attempts to stop these nightmares, most of my race have been captured and enslaved, or killed. There were, though, a few of us still fighting on in the galaxy- a few thousand of us here and there put together as rebellions like the main one, Bri.
My father was the captain of the Bri - though sometimes reffered to as the Silver Angels. That is not the reason of my high title. It was strictly my talents. I was quick and strong, fast at drawing a high powered laser gun, unhesitant to make a move- and trained by the great Nai Tahcoo of the planet Peig.
A Peigan - full grown at a height of four feet and eleven inches on average. Pointy eared and VERY energetic, they were. Usually with dark green skin- some Peigans darker or lighter in color than average... Their eyes are normally black like Nai's, but some have blue or brown. Nai wasn't young, but he wasn't old- I'd say around forty, but this race doesn't age quickly.
Peigans are much different from Zeans... we have dark tanned colored skin, and darkly colored hair.
Some of us have black, some have blonde, or blue... But both my mother and father have red, so that's my color. Not orange-red. Not the slightest bit fiery. Just a dark, blood red.
Going further on Peigans - my trainer, Nai, was an aggressive, unforgiving and tough man to cope with. It was amazing how I could stay as his trainee for so long with all of his insults that I was JUST a child. I would be nothing but in the way in the majority of the war... He thought I would not make a difference, and he reminded me of this thought every time he could. I would show him. I will show him- when I finally surpass him. Then we'll see who's on top. Then we'll see who's going to save the galaxy.
Part One
Only the Beginning
< br>
Chapter One
August 7th, 2001 AD
Planet: Zea- the underground city
"I don't know your reason for continuing, child. It's pointless. Stop - quit the training now. Give up. Nobody will listen to you, nobody will fight you, and you're just one person. One scared little girl in the middle of this huge war. You could not make a difference. Go now, child, I will teach you no more," Nai Tahcoo pointed to the door I should have left through.
"I'm not ready to go. I will stay and train," I said calmly.
"You will not if I say you will not!" Nai spat.
"I will, I'm not going to move... You have anything better to do?" I shrugged.
"You are a foolish girl," Nai sneered.
"I just want to help save the universe," I replied.
"You have stayed longer than everyone else I have trained. Anyone other than yourself would give up now."
I beamed. Nai, seeing me, had to make a remark.
"That is nothing good. You are annoying and nagging to a respected master. Why won't you leave me?"
"I will when I surpass you," I said simply.
"You will never surpass me- give up, girl. Children, especially women, do not surpass their masters. Even then, I'm twice as hard to surpass against any master around."
"I will not leave until I surpass you," I repeated.
"There is no talking you out of this, is there? Fine. For now, you will work on... surprise attacks."
"Thank you," I said. My stubbornness was finally coming in handy besides getting me punished!
FWIP!
"Ow! Uugh.." I clutched my stomach, falling to the ground. "Surprise attack lesson one, huh?" I gasped. Nai smirked and stretched his limbs as if I were too easy for him. Well, we'll see about that!
I flung myself from the ground, grabbing his arm. I attempted to throw him over my head to the mat, but I could already see my plan was failing. He was over my shoulder, but he twisted around, landing on his feet to the floor.
BAM!
Nai kicked my feet out from under me, but before I could hit the ground, he grabbed my wrist, flinging me into a mirror on the hard wall. It shattered and I fell to the ground, glass showering over my back. I struggled to get up as Nai grabbed my arm again, throwing me over his head as hard as he could.
"Pitiful excuse for a warrior," Nai sneered.
"Nai, can I ask you a question?" I asked, picking myself from the floor.
"What the hell could you want to know, stupid child?"
"How did you react so quickly?"
"It was easy," he smirked. "I saw you coming in an instant. You're footing is clumsy, and you are not one to do things in one swift movement. You do it in steps. Don't think, just do - and maybe, next time - you might be able to make me stumble as my feet hit the floor."
I thought he was done, but no...
"Oh yes- and while you're gawking at my perfection- clean up that glass mess you made. I will be back in a while, and I expect to see you attempting two thousand push-ups. GOOD LUCK," he taunted.
With that, Nai Tahcoo left the room.
"What kind of training IS this?" I asked myself, grabbing a broom... ready to sweep up the glass mess into a dustpan.
* * * * * * * * * *
"One thousand nine hundred and nine... One thousand nine hundred and ten..." I had only ninety push-ups left! My muscles ached, and I was panting, but I was doing it! A moment later, I heard Nai enter the room, but my eyes kept transfixed to the floor.
"One thousand nine hundred and twenty three... One thousand nine hundred and twenty four..."
"Is THAT all you're on? 1,925? Pathetic. I would have either been done, or on 5,000 by now! Pitiful... just pathetic..." Nai said.
"One thousand nine hundred and thirty... One thousand nine hundred and thirty one..."
"Your pace is too slow. Pick it up a bit."
"One thousand nine hundred and thirty three... One thousand nine hundred and thirty four..."
"More! Faster, weakling! Faster, faster!"
"One thousand nine hundred and forty seven... One thousand nine hundred and forty eight..."
"Still not fast enough. You are never going to surpass me this way. How could you even come up with such a ludicrous idea? Surpass me, ha! That's a laugh. If you do not make it to 2,000 in two minutes, I never want to see you in my dojo again."
"One thousand nine hundred and sixty! One thousand nine hundred and sixty one! One thousand nine hundred and sixty two! One thousand nine hundred and sixty three!" Why did he push me harder than everyone else? Why, if he thought I was useless? Why, if I was just a girl and a child? Why? Why?
"One thousand nine hundred and eighty nine! One thousand nine hundred and ninety!"
"Twelve seconds, girl. You will not make it!"
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety one!"
"Ten."
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety two!"
"Nine... You're lagging, you want to stop... Hurry... hurry..."
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety seven!"
"Two."
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety nine!"
"One!"
"Two thousand! ARGH!" I collapsed, sweating and panting. I finished JUST in time.
"Get up now!" Nai instructed.
I stood, reluctantly.
"Stop your slumping! Stand straight and breath properly!"
I stood, trying my best to keep from panting. I waited for the next instructions, briefly happy for the short pause.
"Are you finally ready to get back to surprise attacks? Or are you still recovering from a few exercises?" Nai's tone was polite, despite his harsh words.
"I am ready for surprise attacks," I answered.
"HA!" Nai threw his foot out at my side.
"YAH!" I blocked it-
KICK!
BLOCK!
PUNCH
BLOCK!
Here came another kick...
KICK! No - PUNCH!
I didn't see it coming. Nai faked a kick and punched me in the eye. He sent me skidding across the floor.
"Ow.." I muttered, rubbing above my eyebrow. I felt blood, standing up again.
"This is not a pattern, fool! Do not think you know what's coming next! There's a fifty-fifty chance I'll do anything! Didn't you see it? We're working on surprise attacks, you light headed child!" Nai threw insults at me like he had nothing better to do.. was he concentrating in all of this?
I flung myself at Nai. I had to prove to him.. "HAA!" I growled as I planted a direct kick below the belt on my trainer.
"Oof!" Nai actually said 'oof'! He fell to the ground and I leapt on top of him in his vulnerability.
"Surprise attack this!" I screamed, punching the man in the face.
KICK!
Nai folded up his legs, catapulting me off of him into the ceiling.
"ARGH!" I yelled as I fell back to the mats. "HA!" I guess you could call what we were doing sparring- but I was so mad at him- he was so mad at me... I guess we were both aiming to unconsciousness.
"HA!"
"RAA!"
KICK! KICK!
PUNCH!
KICK!!
WHAM!
Nai Tahcoo's dojo was a wreck! There were holes in the ceiling, the mats were torn in spots, and the mirrors in each wall were cracked. There was glass everywhere, plaster was hanging off the walls and some was falling from above.
"AAHH- Oof!" I went flying back into a wall.
"Ha!" Nai fell back briefly, recovering quickly and charging..
We charged at each other... body slam!
PUNCH!
BOOM!
WHACK!
THOCK!
KICK!
I fell over Nai, grabbing him around the neck. He flailed for a hold, pulling my foot almost out of it's socket.
DOOM!
I slumped to the mats, stamina boost gone, and exhausted.
KICK!
My side got a direct hit, knocking the wind out of me. I rolled over twice into a wall. I looked up at Nai's looming figure. He seemed almost completely unaffected by our fight, except for a black eye. I had suffered more hits than he, though at least my battle suit was okay.. those things can withstand anything!
"Oh, Kami! I give up!" I surrendered as Nai flipped me to the other wall.
"The enemy would not let you live! He would show you no mercy!" Nai punched me in the stomach.
"I want to go home! I'll come back and do the same thing tomorrow! Let me go," I pleaded, helplessly sprawled against the back corner.
"Oh, so now you want to go home? I thought you wanted to train and surpass me!" Nai mocked.
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow!" I yelled as he repeatedly kicked me in the face.
Nai paused and thought for a moment. "Five AM., you may come sooner. No later." With that, he walked through his office door, shutting, and locking it.
"Uug!" I grumbled, standing up slowly, wiping blood out of my eyes. Limping, I fell into the door. I opened it and peered outside.
The holographic sky and artificial wind and light were only a few of the many things my people had done to disguise this dark, underground hideout as above ground. It was okay, except, if you looked far enough, you could see the dirt walls of our secret city. It was a huge square- the perimeter about ten miles on each of the four sides. So, I was left- ignored by the great Nai Tahcoo to walk the three miles slowly home myself.
* * * * * * * * * *
PWOOSH!
The airtight door shut behind me automatically. "I'm home," I called to anyone who was here. I wanted my father to answer, but he hadn't been home for a while. He was training the soldiers for battle. I would have been there, but Father insists on giving me a private trainer other than himself. We would surface when the time comes.
"Where have you been?" My mother shrieked from the other room. She ran around the circular corner to look at what kind of damage I did to myself today. "Oh God! I see you've been fighting with that rude, treacherous man again? Why doesn't you're father listen to me? Jeez! One of these days I'm going to get a call from the hospital telling me you're dying from blood loss or something! Why don't you just train under 'Tousan like a normal person?"
"I was going to-" I started, but was interrupted by my mother again.
"-But Father expects too much from you, is that it? Well, I don't see how you can keep this up! Why do you like this man so much?"
"He gives me a challenge?" I offered.
"That does not matter now! Go straight to the bath, and if anything is broken- I'll call up the horrible man and give him a piece of my mind!" My mother shook her fist to the air.
"No need- I started it this time," I said, running down the curved hall before Mother could scold me more. There was a good chance that something in me WAS broken. I stopped at a silver door, pressing a button on a pad next to it.
PWOOSH!
"Typical parent problems," I muttered, stepping through the opening.
PWOOSH!
* * * * * * * * * *
"Nai? Nai Tahcoo?" I walked through the dojo door slowly as it closed silently behind me. "Hello?"
I scanned the dojo- it had been fixed some overnight. The mirrors were still gone with markings made where they should go, but everything else was in it's place. The mats were replaced and the ceiling and walls were repaired. It looked almost normal. But where was Nai?
I walked up to his office door, peering through the window to see what he was doing. Nobody was in there, and the door was locked.
Kicking the door, it flung open, the lock busting to pieces. Easy enough... "What's this?" I looked around, and there was the normal stuff- boxes of junk, a desk, filing cabinets... but my question was made once I saw that there were were notes on sticky yellow pieces of paper. I had never seen one of those before. I stepped closer to Nai's desk to take a better look at the notes. I picked one up that said 'uzi' on it, flipping it over... The back said post-it over and over again. "Weird.."
Next to the note papers, there was an open book. I picked it up and studied it. "Earth?" I read the title. "What's Earth?" I was guessing it was a planet- there was this small bluish green and white ball on the front cover underneath the author name, Dohpaz - Earth must've been the planet's name... "It must have guns or something... a sentient species. Are they having wars too? Funny- never heard of it," I mumbled, flipping through the pages. There were pictures of creatures that looked much like Zeans, but paler and had smaller eyes. They had mostly brownish hair of what I could see. Some were holding flimsy long sticks while hiding behind sandbags. Others were in clumsy looking flying vehicles, and some pictures were of some sort of space machine.
I flipped some more into a chapter of bombs. Fusion bombs, atomic bombs... Some made huge mushroom clouds... I kept searching, my training at stake if I were to be caught by Nai anytime soon. Inside the book, another sticky note was labeled 'transport nuclear warhead'. Were we importing weapons from this planet Earth? What did we need those weapons for? They would not do any good against the Geels. The only thing I found affective so far were high powered laser guns. I always carried one with me - just in case. Those things could zap a Geel to death in seconds. I didn't see how a planet so primitive couldn't make guns even THAT simple.
I decided it was time to quit being overly brave, or I may never be allowed here again. Quietly, I put everything back in it's original place, sneaking out the office door - the lock on the floor. I picked up the padlock, hooking it to the door, and clasping it so it looked as if it had never been forced open.
I peered over at the clock on the wall above the high mats... it read 5:23 - what was taking Nai so long? He was usually so persistant in time... Had he forgotten that the dojo was open? Then I smiled as I thought about the kind of brain damage I might have caused him - ha! Yep - I gave that Nai internal injuries!! Or so I thought... in my wildest dreams...
Outside the door, I heard voices - one belonged to Nai Tahcoo... the other... I had no idea. I ran up to the front door - peering through the peekhole, and I almost yelled out in the process - Nai was in conversation with... a Geel? I put my ear to the door, trying to keep from busting the thing open right now and zapping the Geel with my laser gun. But I had to know what the Geel was doing here..
"Surrender your captain, and I shall not tell where your base is," the Geel rasped.
"I have no captain. And I wouldn't say a thing if I did have one!" Nai Tahcoo sneered. What captain were they talking about? My father? Was Nai lying for the sake of everyone's lives?
"Why are we here?!" Nai demanded. Why would he be wondering about his own dojo? I looked through the peekhole once again, and saw that the Geel had an unfamiliar gun jabbed at Nai's back.
"I feel a strong life-force...this isn't a pitiful call for help from you - is it?" The Geel sniggered.
"I would expect no one to come here," Nai lied. Why did the Geel have Nai Tahcoo hostage? What was he planning to do with a lonely guy like him? A stubborn one might I add...
Then the thought hit me... The Geel wanted Nai's knowledge of the strange planet I had found out about - It couldn't have been anything else! Yes, it made sense... Only Nai knows about this strange planet - I had not asked anyone, for fear they would tell Nai... but my mother never told me anything, nor my father.
Quickly and silently, I rushed away form the front door, busting into the office again. I grabbed everything from the desk - which was quite a lot - and kicked open the air vent, stuffing everything about Earth in there. Closing the vent back up, I heard a high-pitched sound coming form outside... it didn't get any louder, but the shriek of the sound was hit with more force - so high pitch.. was the gun maing that sound?
I jumped form the office door, flinging myself to the peekhole... I just watched Nai struggling - the gun lighting up-
TSEW!!
"Nai!! Nai Tahcoo!"
VOOSH!
The beam of light passed right through him! Straight through! The laughs of the Geel overpowered the sound of my screams...
"Now your world will die - all Zeans will finally perish!! You should feel honored - you are the first of these people that will die by Geel hands!! The massacre starts today! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
I flung out the door, leaping at the Geel - but he left me unnoticed, disapparating in a buzz - and all was silent.
"Nai!! Speak, Nai!" I yelled as blood poured from his wound...
"K-kaita.."
"Nai Tahcoo!!" I knelt to hear his gasps - "N-nai!"
"Peace...will c-come from... Earth..."
July 14, 2000 AD
My name is Kaita. My race is one that requires no last name, unlike many sentient species scattered among the galaxy... or what's left of it, anyway. From planet one from the centered red giant, to planet fifty-seven, they were either preparing to be, or in battle at this very moment.
I was born on the planet that started this war- the planet called Zea. It was the home of the most fighting, and the most casualties. I was sent back to this raging mad dirtball fifteen years later by my elite rebellion of Bri, from the safe planet, Peig. There were at least seven thousand of us in orbit around Zea, or on it, and we were set in ranks - Blue Star as the highest, Qa pilots as lowest ranking.
I am a female. A child. I am of blue star ranking. I was sent to this planet - MY planet - with one mission: to kill as many Geels as possible. The evil Geels that were slowly, steadily, taking over the galaxy planet by planet.
They were tall, yellow, and had filmy, throbbing heads. They were the most technologically superior and dangerous race in the known universe. With deadly, advanced weapons and the knowledge to be able to alter their DNA, they are also the strongest physically, able to absorb energy, and protrude lasers from their fingertips - making it so that they are virtually unstoppable. And it was my own race that unleashed these horrors.
We, being very advanced in technology ourselves, accidentally shifted dimensions by creating the largest amount of energy and stuffing it into one high powered beam gun, ripping apart the linking dimensions, giving the Geels a choice to enter our time and place, and escape their own destroyed world. The beam gun was fired by a Zean by the name of Ganda. I have no record of what my people did to him, but his name is no longer spoken of, forgotten by shame.
Zea was my planet - my planet that was already too far gone to be saved from these monsters. It was theirs for good - we had no way of getting it back. Going into a blunt explanation, after the beam was fired, we evacuated the planet, escaping to Peig. We had hoped that the Geels would soon want to retreat back to their dimension once all the inhabitants with a life force left, but we were wrong. Instead of leaving, they built many spaceships, including the ones that have their own guns, and cargo ships to carry the weapons, along with over one million kui guns that could make three people fall with one shot from the deadly flame thrower. They used our abandoned planet as their defense.
When we finally realized our mistake, it was too late. After many attempts to stop these nightmares, most of my race have been captured and enslaved, or killed. There were, though, a few of us still fighting on in the galaxy- a few thousand of us here and there put together as rebellions like the main one, Bri.
My father was the captain of the Bri - though sometimes reffered to as the Silver Angels. That is not the reason of my high title. It was strictly my talents. I was quick and strong, fast at drawing a high powered laser gun, unhesitant to make a move- and trained by the great Nai Tahcoo of the planet Peig.
A Peigan - full grown at a height of four feet and eleven inches on average. Pointy eared and VERY energetic, they were. Usually with dark green skin- some Peigans darker or lighter in color than average... Their eyes are normally black like Nai's, but some have blue or brown. Nai wasn't young, but he wasn't old- I'd say around forty, but this race doesn't age quickly.
Peigans are much different from Zeans... we have dark tanned colored skin, and darkly colored hair.
Some of us have black, some have blonde, or blue... But both my mother and father have red, so that's my color. Not orange-red. Not the slightest bit fiery. Just a dark, blood red.
Going further on Peigans - my trainer, Nai, was an aggressive, unforgiving and tough man to cope with. It was amazing how I could stay as his trainee for so long with all of his insults that I was JUST a child. I would be nothing but in the way in the majority of the war... He thought I would not make a difference, and he reminded me of this thought every time he could. I would show him. I will show him- when I finally surpass him. Then we'll see who's on top. Then we'll see who's going to save the galaxy.
Part One
Only the Beginning
< br>
Chapter One
August 7th, 2001 AD
Planet: Zea- the underground city
"I don't know your reason for continuing, child. It's pointless. Stop - quit the training now. Give up. Nobody will listen to you, nobody will fight you, and you're just one person. One scared little girl in the middle of this huge war. You could not make a difference. Go now, child, I will teach you no more," Nai Tahcoo pointed to the door I should have left through.
"I'm not ready to go. I will stay and train," I said calmly.
"You will not if I say you will not!" Nai spat.
"I will, I'm not going to move... You have anything better to do?" I shrugged.
"You are a foolish girl," Nai sneered.
"I just want to help save the universe," I replied.
"You have stayed longer than everyone else I have trained. Anyone other than yourself would give up now."
I beamed. Nai, seeing me, had to make a remark.
"That is nothing good. You are annoying and nagging to a respected master. Why won't you leave me?"
"I will when I surpass you," I said simply.
"You will never surpass me- give up, girl. Children, especially women, do not surpass their masters. Even then, I'm twice as hard to surpass against any master around."
"I will not leave until I surpass you," I repeated.
"There is no talking you out of this, is there? Fine. For now, you will work on... surprise attacks."
"Thank you," I said. My stubbornness was finally coming in handy besides getting me punished!
FWIP!
"Ow! Uugh.." I clutched my stomach, falling to the ground. "Surprise attack lesson one, huh?" I gasped. Nai smirked and stretched his limbs as if I were too easy for him. Well, we'll see about that!
I flung myself from the ground, grabbing his arm. I attempted to throw him over my head to the mat, but I could already see my plan was failing. He was over my shoulder, but he twisted around, landing on his feet to the floor.
BAM!
Nai kicked my feet out from under me, but before I could hit the ground, he grabbed my wrist, flinging me into a mirror on the hard wall. It shattered and I fell to the ground, glass showering over my back. I struggled to get up as Nai grabbed my arm again, throwing me over his head as hard as he could.
"Pitiful excuse for a warrior," Nai sneered.
"Nai, can I ask you a question?" I asked, picking myself from the floor.
"What the hell could you want to know, stupid child?"
"How did you react so quickly?"
"It was easy," he smirked. "I saw you coming in an instant. You're footing is clumsy, and you are not one to do things in one swift movement. You do it in steps. Don't think, just do - and maybe, next time - you might be able to make me stumble as my feet hit the floor."
I thought he was done, but no...
"Oh yes- and while you're gawking at my perfection- clean up that glass mess you made. I will be back in a while, and I expect to see you attempting two thousand push-ups. GOOD LUCK," he taunted.
With that, Nai Tahcoo left the room.
"What kind of training IS this?" I asked myself, grabbing a broom... ready to sweep up the glass mess into a dustpan.
* * * * * * * * * *
"One thousand nine hundred and nine... One thousand nine hundred and ten..." I had only ninety push-ups left! My muscles ached, and I was panting, but I was doing it! A moment later, I heard Nai enter the room, but my eyes kept transfixed to the floor.
"One thousand nine hundred and twenty three... One thousand nine hundred and twenty four..."
"Is THAT all you're on? 1,925? Pathetic. I would have either been done, or on 5,000 by now! Pitiful... just pathetic..." Nai said.
"One thousand nine hundred and thirty... One thousand nine hundred and thirty one..."
"Your pace is too slow. Pick it up a bit."
"One thousand nine hundred and thirty three... One thousand nine hundred and thirty four..."
"More! Faster, weakling! Faster, faster!"
"One thousand nine hundred and forty seven... One thousand nine hundred and forty eight..."
"Still not fast enough. You are never going to surpass me this way. How could you even come up with such a ludicrous idea? Surpass me, ha! That's a laugh. If you do not make it to 2,000 in two minutes, I never want to see you in my dojo again."
"One thousand nine hundred and sixty! One thousand nine hundred and sixty one! One thousand nine hundred and sixty two! One thousand nine hundred and sixty three!" Why did he push me harder than everyone else? Why, if he thought I was useless? Why, if I was just a girl and a child? Why? Why?
"One thousand nine hundred and eighty nine! One thousand nine hundred and ninety!"
"Twelve seconds, girl. You will not make it!"
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety one!"
"Ten."
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety two!"
"Nine... You're lagging, you want to stop... Hurry... hurry..."
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety seven!"
"Two."
"One thousand nine hundred and ninety nine!"
"One!"
"Two thousand! ARGH!" I collapsed, sweating and panting. I finished JUST in time.
"Get up now!" Nai instructed.
I stood, reluctantly.
"Stop your slumping! Stand straight and breath properly!"
I stood, trying my best to keep from panting. I waited for the next instructions, briefly happy for the short pause.
"Are you finally ready to get back to surprise attacks? Or are you still recovering from a few exercises?" Nai's tone was polite, despite his harsh words.
"I am ready for surprise attacks," I answered.
"HA!" Nai threw his foot out at my side.
"YAH!" I blocked it-
KICK!
BLOCK!
PUNCH
BLOCK!
Here came another kick...
KICK! No - PUNCH!
I didn't see it coming. Nai faked a kick and punched me in the eye. He sent me skidding across the floor.
"Ow.." I muttered, rubbing above my eyebrow. I felt blood, standing up again.
"This is not a pattern, fool! Do not think you know what's coming next! There's a fifty-fifty chance I'll do anything! Didn't you see it? We're working on surprise attacks, you light headed child!" Nai threw insults at me like he had nothing better to do.. was he concentrating in all of this?
I flung myself at Nai. I had to prove to him.. "HAA!" I growled as I planted a direct kick below the belt on my trainer.
"Oof!" Nai actually said 'oof'! He fell to the ground and I leapt on top of him in his vulnerability.
"Surprise attack this!" I screamed, punching the man in the face.
KICK!
Nai folded up his legs, catapulting me off of him into the ceiling.
"ARGH!" I yelled as I fell back to the mats. "HA!" I guess you could call what we were doing sparring- but I was so mad at him- he was so mad at me... I guess we were both aiming to unconsciousness.
"HA!"
"RAA!"
KICK! KICK!
PUNCH!
KICK!!
WHAM!
Nai Tahcoo's dojo was a wreck! There were holes in the ceiling, the mats were torn in spots, and the mirrors in each wall were cracked. There was glass everywhere, plaster was hanging off the walls and some was falling from above.
"AAHH- Oof!" I went flying back into a wall.
"Ha!" Nai fell back briefly, recovering quickly and charging..
We charged at each other... body slam!
PUNCH!
BOOM!
WHACK!
THOCK!
KICK!
I fell over Nai, grabbing him around the neck. He flailed for a hold, pulling my foot almost out of it's socket.
DOOM!
I slumped to the mats, stamina boost gone, and exhausted.
KICK!
My side got a direct hit, knocking the wind out of me. I rolled over twice into a wall. I looked up at Nai's looming figure. He seemed almost completely unaffected by our fight, except for a black eye. I had suffered more hits than he, though at least my battle suit was okay.. those things can withstand anything!
"Oh, Kami! I give up!" I surrendered as Nai flipped me to the other wall.
"The enemy would not let you live! He would show you no mercy!" Nai punched me in the stomach.
"I want to go home! I'll come back and do the same thing tomorrow! Let me go," I pleaded, helplessly sprawled against the back corner.
"Oh, so now you want to go home? I thought you wanted to train and surpass me!" Nai mocked.
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow!" I yelled as he repeatedly kicked me in the face.
Nai paused and thought for a moment. "Five AM., you may come sooner. No later." With that, he walked through his office door, shutting, and locking it.
"Uug!" I grumbled, standing up slowly, wiping blood out of my eyes. Limping, I fell into the door. I opened it and peered outside.
The holographic sky and artificial wind and light were only a few of the many things my people had done to disguise this dark, underground hideout as above ground. It was okay, except, if you looked far enough, you could see the dirt walls of our secret city. It was a huge square- the perimeter about ten miles on each of the four sides. So, I was left- ignored by the great Nai Tahcoo to walk the three miles slowly home myself.
* * * * * * * * * *
PWOOSH!
The airtight door shut behind me automatically. "I'm home," I called to anyone who was here. I wanted my father to answer, but he hadn't been home for a while. He was training the soldiers for battle. I would have been there, but Father insists on giving me a private trainer other than himself. We would surface when the time comes.
"Where have you been?" My mother shrieked from the other room. She ran around the circular corner to look at what kind of damage I did to myself today. "Oh God! I see you've been fighting with that rude, treacherous man again? Why doesn't you're father listen to me? Jeez! One of these days I'm going to get a call from the hospital telling me you're dying from blood loss or something! Why don't you just train under 'Tousan like a normal person?"
"I was going to-" I started, but was interrupted by my mother again.
"-But Father expects too much from you, is that it? Well, I don't see how you can keep this up! Why do you like this man so much?"
"He gives me a challenge?" I offered.
"That does not matter now! Go straight to the bath, and if anything is broken- I'll call up the horrible man and give him a piece of my mind!" My mother shook her fist to the air.
"No need- I started it this time," I said, running down the curved hall before Mother could scold me more. There was a good chance that something in me WAS broken. I stopped at a silver door, pressing a button on a pad next to it.
PWOOSH!
"Typical parent problems," I muttered, stepping through the opening.
PWOOSH!
* * * * * * * * * *
"Nai? Nai Tahcoo?" I walked through the dojo door slowly as it closed silently behind me. "Hello?"
I scanned the dojo- it had been fixed some overnight. The mirrors were still gone with markings made where they should go, but everything else was in it's place. The mats were replaced and the ceiling and walls were repaired. It looked almost normal. But where was Nai?
I walked up to his office door, peering through the window to see what he was doing. Nobody was in there, and the door was locked.
Kicking the door, it flung open, the lock busting to pieces. Easy enough... "What's this?" I looked around, and there was the normal stuff- boxes of junk, a desk, filing cabinets... but my question was made once I saw that there were were notes on sticky yellow pieces of paper. I had never seen one of those before. I stepped closer to Nai's desk to take a better look at the notes. I picked one up that said 'uzi' on it, flipping it over... The back said post-it over and over again. "Weird.."
Next to the note papers, there was an open book. I picked it up and studied it. "Earth?" I read the title. "What's Earth?" I was guessing it was a planet- there was this small bluish green and white ball on the front cover underneath the author name, Dohpaz - Earth must've been the planet's name... "It must have guns or something... a sentient species. Are they having wars too? Funny- never heard of it," I mumbled, flipping through the pages. There were pictures of creatures that looked much like Zeans, but paler and had smaller eyes. They had mostly brownish hair of what I could see. Some were holding flimsy long sticks while hiding behind sandbags. Others were in clumsy looking flying vehicles, and some pictures were of some sort of space machine.
I flipped some more into a chapter of bombs. Fusion bombs, atomic bombs... Some made huge mushroom clouds... I kept searching, my training at stake if I were to be caught by Nai anytime soon. Inside the book, another sticky note was labeled 'transport nuclear warhead'. Were we importing weapons from this planet Earth? What did we need those weapons for? They would not do any good against the Geels. The only thing I found affective so far were high powered laser guns. I always carried one with me - just in case. Those things could zap a Geel to death in seconds. I didn't see how a planet so primitive couldn't make guns even THAT simple.
I decided it was time to quit being overly brave, or I may never be allowed here again. Quietly, I put everything back in it's original place, sneaking out the office door - the lock on the floor. I picked up the padlock, hooking it to the door, and clasping it so it looked as if it had never been forced open.
I peered over at the clock on the wall above the high mats... it read 5:23 - what was taking Nai so long? He was usually so persistant in time... Had he forgotten that the dojo was open? Then I smiled as I thought about the kind of brain damage I might have caused him - ha! Yep - I gave that Nai internal injuries!! Or so I thought... in my wildest dreams...
Outside the door, I heard voices - one belonged to Nai Tahcoo... the other... I had no idea. I ran up to the front door - peering through the peekhole, and I almost yelled out in the process - Nai was in conversation with... a Geel? I put my ear to the door, trying to keep from busting the thing open right now and zapping the Geel with my laser gun. But I had to know what the Geel was doing here..
"Surrender your captain, and I shall not tell where your base is," the Geel rasped.
"I have no captain. And I wouldn't say a thing if I did have one!" Nai Tahcoo sneered. What captain were they talking about? My father? Was Nai lying for the sake of everyone's lives?
"Why are we here?!" Nai demanded. Why would he be wondering about his own dojo? I looked through the peekhole once again, and saw that the Geel had an unfamiliar gun jabbed at Nai's back.
"I feel a strong life-force...this isn't a pitiful call for help from you - is it?" The Geel sniggered.
"I would expect no one to come here," Nai lied. Why did the Geel have Nai Tahcoo hostage? What was he planning to do with a lonely guy like him? A stubborn one might I add...
Then the thought hit me... The Geel wanted Nai's knowledge of the strange planet I had found out about - It couldn't have been anything else! Yes, it made sense... Only Nai knows about this strange planet - I had not asked anyone, for fear they would tell Nai... but my mother never told me anything, nor my father.
Quickly and silently, I rushed away form the front door, busting into the office again. I grabbed everything from the desk - which was quite a lot - and kicked open the air vent, stuffing everything about Earth in there. Closing the vent back up, I heard a high-pitched sound coming form outside... it didn't get any louder, but the shriek of the sound was hit with more force - so high pitch.. was the gun maing that sound?
I jumped form the office door, flinging myself to the peekhole... I just watched Nai struggling - the gun lighting up-
TSEW!!
"Nai!! Nai Tahcoo!"
VOOSH!
The beam of light passed right through him! Straight through! The laughs of the Geel overpowered the sound of my screams...
"Now your world will die - all Zeans will finally perish!! You should feel honored - you are the first of these people that will die by Geel hands!! The massacre starts today! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
I flung out the door, leaping at the Geel - but he left me unnoticed, disapparating in a buzz - and all was silent.
"Nai!! Speak, Nai!" I yelled as blood poured from his wound...
"K-kaita.."
"Nai Tahcoo!!" I knelt to hear his gasps - "N-nai!"
"Peace...will c-come from... Earth..."