Yuren's eyes opened to the sight of his bedroom ceiling. Sunlight filtered in through the window; the room was quiet, the atmosphere peaceful. He looked to his side, and the girl, Eri, was asleep. She was curled up, her arms wrapped around his waist, her face buried in his chest.
He tried to free himself from her grasp, but her grip was strong. He gave up and lay there, watching her sleep. She looked so peaceful, her expression relaxed, her breathing calm and steady.
The boy reached out his hand and touched her hair. It was soft, silky. He gently stroked it, the strands sliding between his fingers. "Softer than I thought it would be." He thought.
She stirred slightly, her eyelids fluttering open. She gazed up at him, her eyes half-open, her expression blank. "Yuren...?" She muttered, her voice hoarse.
"Uh... yeah, it's me."
She sat up and rubbed her eyes, yawning.
He took a moment to get dressed. "Do you want something to eat? I can cook."
"Yes."
He walked downstairs, heading towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge and grabbed some ingredients, setting them on the counter.
"So you just drop in whenever huh?"
"Dad?" Yuren looked up, seeing his father leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded, a frown on his face.
"You don't even bother calling."
"I... I couldn't." Yuren admitted.
"Yeah. I get it. I'm not happy, but I understand." His father sighed before going over to the couch, "GET UP!" He yelled at the sleeping man.
"H-Huh?! What's going on?!" The man fell off the sofa and onto the floor, dazed and confused.
"What the hell are you doing still sleep? Get the hell up, Yae will be here soon, and we can't let her see you like this."
The man ruffled his hair and stood up, "Right... yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea." He yawned.
"Morning, Tetsuo..." Yuren greeted.
"Yeah, morning Yuren... Yuren?!" The man looked surprised. "It's been a while... since we've seen each other."
"Yeah."
"You look good."
"Thanks."
"So, what are you doing back home?"
"Just passing through, I needed a place to crash."
"Passing through he says..." Yuren's father snorted, "I don't buy it."
"Yeah, it's a long story."
"We've got time." Tetsuo smirked. "Until Yae gets here."
"No you don't, Papa." A voice came from the doorway.
"A-Ah! Y-Yae!" The man stammered. "Wh-what are you doing here?!"
"I should ask you the same thing." She crossed her arms, "You know the platform for the northern district was destroyed? We're supposed to be meeting there today, remember?"
"I-I did not know that..."
"You didn't know?! Papa! You can't keep doing this!" She threw a wrench at him, the tool hitting him in the shoulder.
"Ouch, ow!"
"Serves you right." She huffed, turning towards Yuren, "Good morning, Yuren."
"Good morning."
"Whose that?" Her eyes narrowed at Eri.
Eri stepped forward with a sly grin, "Lover."
Yuren's face flushed bright red. "E-Eri! Don't say that!"
Yae's brow twitched, "I see..."
"I-It's not like that!"
"Is like." Eri corrected.
"N-No it's not."
"Yuren naughty." She smiled, "Satisfy Eri lots."
Yuren could practically see the bolts between them crackling, "ERI! PLEASE!"
"Yuren mine." Eri declared.
"Well, I think it's about time we leave." Tetsuo stated, heading for the door. "Rahlin, you drivin'?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll take you," Yuren's father replied, following him.
"I'll be back later, Yae, don't worry." Tetsuo called out, "I'll be sure to come back on time this time, I promise."
"You better." She pouted, "And Papa, please try to behave yourself."
"Love you, sweetie."
"Love you too, Papa."
With that, the two left the house, leaving the trio alone.
"Well, that's settled. So, Yuren, who's the girl?" Yae questioned.
"Oh... this is Eri, a member of my unit."
"Unit?"
"We're a special ops unit assigned by the Vice Minister."
"Really? Interesting. She seems awfully close to you though. She's not actually your girlfriend, is she?"
"No, she's just a bodyguard. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Hmm... If you say so." Yae eyed Eri, "I'd watch her if I were you, she- that rifle!" Her eyes widened.
"Ah, yeah, Eri has a special weapon."
"That's no ordinary rifle, it's a railgun sniper, a powerful one. The VSMG 44 Falken, a resonance rifle designed for anti-tank and anti-ship heavy ballistics. It's an experimental model, and very rare. It's an older model, but still powerful, I'd say it's worth around four hundred and ten million credits!" Yae grinned, her eyes sparkling. "You've gotta let me have a look at it, I've been dying to see one of these in person. The engineering is absolutely breathtaking!"
"Eri, may she?"
"If okay, yes." Eri nodded.
Yae rushed over, her face aglow. "I can't believe I'm actually gonna get to see it up close!"
Eri removed the weapon from its case, set it down, and the girl quickly inspected the rifle.
"Amazing, it's even got an integrated generator for quick loading, wait... this circuitry... that genius! oh my god! This thing's a work of art!" Yae squealed, "This is so beautiful!"
Yuren scratched his head; he was starting to feel a bit awkward.
"Sorry, sorry." Yae giggled, "I'm just so excited to get to see one of these in my life."
"So you know a lot about weapons, Yae?"
"Sure, weapon systems and the railway system have more in common than you might think. It's all about how the energy is dispersed." The girl smiled, "You might not realize it, but the entire rail system is actually designed around the same principles."
"I-interesting." Yuren wasn't really interested, but he didn't want to disappoint her.
"So, Eri, how did you end up with this?" Yae inquired.
"Mine. Special version." Eri answered.
"Wow, that's amazing. You must have a high-ranking sponsor. That's pretty much the only way to get a hold of these."
"Not sponsor."
"Huh? Then how did you get it?"
"Made for Eri. Other rifles overloaded."
"Wait, they made it just for you?"
"Yes."
"How interesting. You must have a really important sponsor."
"Not sponsor."
"Huh?"
"Eri not have sponsor."
"Then where did you get the money for such an expensive rifle?" Yae frowned.
"No money. Mine."
"How is that possible? If you didn't buy it then how did you get it?"
Eri was silent for a moment, "Vice Minister."
"V-Vice Minister?!" Yae exclaimed. "She gave this to you?! What the hell?"
"That's how it is, Yae. That's how I ended up commanding a battalion, because it's something the Vice Minister just decided." Yuren sighed.
"What the heck is going on?"
"It's a very long and complicated story..." he rubbed his neck.
"Y-Yeah, well... I guess you have a lot going on, huh?" Yae said awkwardly.
"Yup, you could say that..."
"So... uh, Yuren... I need to get to the station now. I have work to do."
"Okay, well, I should probably head back to the base, too."
"R-Right, I guess I'll see you later, Yuren."
"Yeah, take care."
The two said their goodbyes, and Yuren left the house, Eri following behind.
As they walked down the street, he heard a voice call out to him, "Yuren, wait."
He turned and saw Yae running after him, "What is it, Yae?"
"I just... I wanted to thank you for coming back."
"Thank me? For what?"
"For coming back. It's been a while since you last visited."
"I'm sorry, I should have called. It's been a crazy couple of days."
"It's okay. Just promise me you'll come visit more often."
"I'll try."
"Good, see ya later, Yuren."
"Bye, Yae."
"Goodbye." She smiled and hopped over a railing, running off.
Yuren continued walking, his footsteps echoing softly as he moved alongside Eri, who glanced up at him with a smile. The two made their way to the train station, a bustling hub filled with the sounds of commuters rushing about. They navigated through the crowd, finally boarding the train and settling into their seats. As the train lurched forward and began its journey, Yuren felt the powerful hum of the engine vibrating beneath him and the rhythmic clatter of the tracks resonating through the carriage.
"Friend nice," Eri remarked, her eyes sparkling with innocence. "Pretty."
"Yeah, Yae is nice," Yuren replied, unable to hide the fondness in his voice.
"Like Eri, friend," she added with a sincere smile.
"Oh, you two think alike, huh? That's pretty surprising. You don't seem like you'd have much in common at first glance."
"Yes. Eri like," she confirmed, nodding earnestly.
"So, uh, how's the rifle working out for you?" Yuren asked, curious about her newest acquisition.
"Good. Very good," Eri answered, her confidence evident.
"That's great," he said, pleased by her response.
Their conversation faded into a comfortable silence for a few moments, leaving only the sounds of the train's engine and the rattling of the tracks to fill the space between them. As they traveled, Yuren's gaze drifted outside the window, and he was met with a sight he had been dreading; the northern district lay before him, a stark visual reminder of the battle's aftermath. What had once been a vibrant part of the city was now full of ruins and debris, smoke rising from scattered fires. The damage was immense; buildings stood as hollow shells, and streets were littered with the remnants of destruction.
A chill crept down Yuren's spine. A single Meteorn did all of this, he thought, grappling with the weight of its impact. The sheer scale of ruin and loss was overwhelming, and he couldn't shake the thought of the unfathomable power capable of bringing down an entire district.
As the train continued its journey, the vibrations felt more pronounced, yet the drone of the engine was oddly calming.
"You okay, Yuren?" Eri asked, squeezing his hand softly, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Yeah... but... can we really defeat those things?" he questioned, a hint of uncertainty lacing his voice.
"Some yes. Some no. Meteorn need master. Or die," she replied, her expression serious.
"Master?" he echoed, trying to make sense of her words.
"Strong one," Eri clarified, her face earnest and thoughtful.
"Are you saying someone controls those things?"
"No. No master, no life. Meteorn die," she explained, nodding as if the logic was clear.
"Huh? But why? Why would they attack if they need someone to survive?" he asked, confusion knitting his brow.
"Maybe desperate. Maybe angry," Eri answered, her voice steady though her eyes hinted at a deeper understanding.
"I don't understand, Eri. What do you mean by that?" Yuren pressed, seeking clarity.
"Meteorn need strong one. Strong one not find. Die," she said simply, her gaze directed out the window as if searching for answers in the ruins outside.
Yuren stared at his hands, contemplating the implications of her words. He recalled the android facility and the peculiar research being conducted there, memories flooding his mind. A chilling realization settled in—he understood now why the Empire was after individuals with a high resonance factor. They weren't just hunting for control but aiming to wield the Meteorn as weapons. The only way to dominate such beings was to provide them with a master.
He began to comprehend why the Vice Minister had entrusted him with command of the 701st squadron. But what about the Meteorn that had appeared during the attack? Was it one of those he encountered at the lake? The one sealed in the crystal had called him its master. The weight of it all pressed heavily on him, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. His head ached from the effort of processing everything.
As the train approached its destination, an announcement echoed through the carriage. "Now arriving: Central District, Ministry of Defense, Southern Entrance."
The sound jolted Yuren from his thoughts. The train slowed, and he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as they neared the battlefield. When the train finally came to a stop, the doors opened with a hiss, and Yuren and Eri stepped out onto the platform, the atmosphere thick with tension.
"Yuren, look," Eri said, pointing upward.
"What is it?" he replied, following her gaze.
"Sign," she said, her voice tinged with concern.
He looked up and read the sign posted above the station: "All lines for the northern district are canceled. All routes have been rerouted due to emergency circumstances."
"Emergency circumstances..." he repeated, unease creeping into his stomach.
"Meteorn," Eri stated matter-of-factly.
"So, it's not over yet," he muttered, dread settling over him.
"Probably," she agreed, her expression grave.
As they exited the station, the atmosphere surrounding the military base felt grim and oppressive. The air was thick with an unspoken fear, and Yuren could almost sense the weight of uncertainty pressing down on everyone present. They moved forward, determined to face whatever awaited them, the shadows of the recent battle looming in their minds.