Vakora: Prologue

~ Ichihara, Japan, 2132 ~Katai wakes up in his bed, breathing heavily and staring down at his hands shaking uncontrollably. He buries his face in his hands and takes deep breaths, soothing his mind and sinking himself back into reality. After sitting and staring into nothing for a few minutes, he finally gets up and looks at a clock."Seven twenty-eight..." He mutters as he stretches his arms. "I have time," he adds before he leaves his room and moves around his apartment, brushing his teeth, taking a shower, fixing his hair, gathering clothes, ironing clothes, keeping the place tidy, preparing breakfast for himself, changing his clothes, putting on other accessories and then finally opening his front door to leave... Only to find himself looking at a half-awake young girl in pyjamas with huge glasses, messy red hair and a pillow standing before him."Keiko," Katai calmly says while he watches Keiko slowly fall asleep before him. Keiko doesn't reply and instead starts falling forward until her head hits Katai's chest and forces her awake. She frantically adjusts her half-worn glasses and fixes her hair, "You're awake! Er... is it okay if I sleep here again? My brother's going on a trip...""You can use the spare bedroom." Katai makes way for Keiko to walk past him. "How long is he going to be away for?""A few weeks, maybe months" Keiko says as she hurries to the spare bedroom. Katai bends forward slightly in surprise and speaks with a raised voice, "Weeks!?""Yep!" Keiko peeks over a wall and adds, "He says he's going to England to study at Cambridge!""Huh?!""I didn't believe it either at first! But then he just took off!" Keiko shrugs. Katai facepalms. "Ugh... Just... Don't break anything while I'm gone" he says, dragging his hand off his face and turning again to leave. Keiko steps into view and asks him, "Where are you going?""I'm meeting up with someone, keep all the windows shut.""Hm? Why?" Keiko frowns as the front door closes after Katai walks out without answering her. Moments later, Katai walks up a staircase and brings his hand to his face to block sunlight. He quickly walks into the shadow of a nearby bus stop and puts his hand forward. A holographic screen with the shape of a phone appears beneath his hand, displaying a map with a route highlighted. Katai observes this path and then looks at a hover bus approaching in the distance. His bus arrives somewhere in Takasu, where he gets off and surveys the area before throwing a white cube in his pocket and throwing it on the floor before him while walking. The cube splits into hundreds of smaller cubes and then morphs into a hoverboard before hitting the ground. Katai leaps atop the hoverboard as it forms and speeds ahead, making his way to Takahama Park.Upon arriving, Katai's hoverboard slows down and transforms into a cube that pieces together in his hand. His eyes squint as he slowly approaches a woman with long, pale blue hair and exotic green eyes on her holo-phone* sitting on a bench. He tucks his hands in his pockets and stands in front of the woman with his head facing down. "Um—" The woman looks at Katai with her eyes slightly widened, then, with a smile, the woman greets Katai with, "Hi!" Taken aback by this, Katai stammers a little and responds with, "H-Hello...""You're Katai, right?" The woman says while standing up, her holo-phone shutting off as she does. "Yeah... Sorry, I must've got the wrong—" Katai pauses and squints his eyes to observe the woman's face. "Wait... Aiko?""Oh wow..." Aiko says, genuinely surprised. "We've got a lot to catch up on, follow me!" Aiko grabs Katai's hand and starts walking to the park's exit. "Wait, Aiko, it's actually you?""The one and only!""Could you wait a second?" Katai asks. Aiko stops and turns around, tilting her head and responding with, "Hm?""It's nice to see you after so long but could you slow down a little? What did you come to see me for?""Something important.""...Oh.""I know how that sounds... But trust me, let's just talk for a moment."Minutes later, Katai and Aiko sit outside a café with drinks on their table. The two of them sit in complete silence, letting the sound of others talking and the café workers accompany them. "So..." Katai sits with his head resting on his fist, staring down at Aiko with a neutral expression. "How have things been for you? I can see that you've changed your look." Aiko takes a sip of her milkshake and then places her cup down. "Oh yeah! This hair dye was an accident, but I kept it anyway.""An accident?""I used the wrong colours and struggled to make it work. It was my first time using dyes from a company that was trending recently, so you can imagine how scared I was to see my hair turn blue instead of silver." Aiko smiles and plays with a wisp of her hair. Katai lowers his head to take a sip from his milkshake, "I see.""I see you kept your hair long!""Oh," Katai lifts his ponytail slightly. "I kept forgetting to cut it, and after a while, I got attached to it.""It makes you look cooler, have you gotten any compliments?""Nope, not even paparazzi bother saying nice things anymore, just questions and photos.""...Speaking of, how have things been for you? Must be getting harder to stay outta your dad's shadow nowadays.""What do you mean?""Kai, he's the whole reason I'm here.""Excuse me?""That sounded so bad... Can we talk elsewhere?""This better not be some kind of paid trap," Katai warns, rising from his seat with a hint of scepticism in his voice. Aiko, unfazed, smiles as she pays for her drink and gathers her belongings. "Far from it," she assures him, her tone light yet confident.As they step out of the café, the crisp air greets them. Aiko jogs a few steps to catch up to Katai, adjusting her jacket with a determined flick of her wrist."Well, let's hear it," Katai says, tucking his hands into his pockets, his expression stoic as he gazes straight ahead."Before I tell you, I want to refresh your mind.""Go on...""Remember 'G1CT'?""The world calls it Genesis, let's use that please.""Sure. Have you also heard about the arms race that Japan recently won?""Yes.""Your old man's company became the first in history to utilise Genesis." Aiko sighs. "I made a bet with a friend thinking it'd take a hundred years, I only had ten years left...""Aiko, get to the point.""What exactly is he planning to do with Genesis? You've seen him work with it first-hand, so it's only natural you'd—""...Let's go somewhere private," Katai responds, turning a corner and tucking his hands into his pockets.After roughly half an hour of travel, they finally arrive at Katai's home. As soon as they step inside, they spot Keiko lounging on the sofa, engrossed in a documentary playing on a holographic screen. The moment she hears a beep from the front door, she pauses the documentary and turns, her face lighting up with a bright smile."You're back! Is that a friend?" Keiko exclaims, her voice cheerful despite the half-eaten snack in her mouth.Katai squints, clearly unimpressed. "Uh, yeah. And don't talk with food in your mouth!" He shakes his head, removing his shoes and setting down his backpack. Aiko follows suit, slipping off her shoes before stepping closer to Keiko.With her eyebrows slightly raised, Aiko studies Keiko with genuine curiosity. "Hi," she greets warmly, her voice inviting, "What's your name?""Imf Keko! Nief to meef youf miff!" Keiko exclaims, her words slightly garbled as she speaks with a mouthful of popcorn. Aiko awkwardly smiles, lowering her head slightly to mask her discomfort."Sorry, I couldn't quite catch that. Can you say it again?"Keiko quickly swallows the popcorn and clears her throat, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "My name is Keiko! Nice to meet you, miss!" She extends her hand enthusiastically towards Aiko."I'm Aiko! Nice to meet you too!" replies, gently shaking Keiko's hand with her fingertips, a bit cautious yet friendly. She adds, "Okay—random question, but is Katai your relative or something?" Aiko asks, her curiosity piqued as she studies Keiko's expression."She's my neighbour's younger sister," Katai interjects, his voice casual as he rummages through his backpack. "She often stays in the spare room here when her brother leaves the city."Aiko tilts her head, her curiosity piqued again. "Where's her brother now?""Overseas, I think. Something about studying..." Katai replies, still digging through his bag.A smirk spreads across Aiko's face, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh... I never would've imagined you'd take up babysitting as a side hustle~" she teases, playfully raising an eyebrow."It's not babysitting..." Katai replies, pulling aside his shirt to reveal a crystal-like shard hanging from his necklace, its faint glow illuminating his expression."Wait—" Aiko's smug smile evaporates, replaced by genuine curiosity. "How do you have that...?""Hm? A shard?" Keiko chimes in, shifting on the sofa and leaning forward to get a better look at Katai's hands. Katai begins to remove the necklace, his expression serious as he explains, "This was my 14th birthday gift. I didn't realize how important it was until a few days later when it started glowing unexpectedly."He lets the necklace rest against his chest before tucking it away, watching the bewilderment on Aiko and Keiko's faces turn to concern."Just a few days earlier, my mother had died from an extremely rare disease," Katai continues, his voice growing sombre. "My dad rushed out of the hospital with me and drove to a laboratory where he and a team of scientists were starting their research into a part of Genesis. While I was there, just... watching, my dad kept insisting that he was bringing my mother back and that I should watch closely and take notes.""I remember hearing about your mother all those years ago," Aiko says, her brow furrowing with concern. "But I had no idea things had escalated like this..." Her voice softens. "Has he made any progress on bringing her back?""He's managed to heal and restore limbs for both animals and humans using Genesis, but he hasn't revived anyone or even come close to it... As far as I know," Katai responds, his voice tinged with uncertainty."This changes everything!" Aiko exclaims, her eyes wide with realization. "If what you're saying is true, then it's his experiments that are causing environmental damage across the world. And the rare illness your mother had? It's spreading at an even more alarming rate than it was back then.""What?" Katai's eyebrows knit together in confusion. Aiko's voice grows urgent as she continues, "I came to see you because you're the closest person to your father and the only one who can convince him to stop. But... after hearing about your mother...""There's no one in the world who can tell him to stop—not even me," Katai says, his voice heavy with resignation. "And I don't think he's even aware of the damage he's caused.""Incidents are happening everywhere," Aiko says, her voice shaking as she recalls a conversation with her friend. "Just yesterday, she told me about these massive black crystals appearing in England and trapping her family members inside."Keiko's eyes widen, her breath hitching as she glances at Aiko. "Wait, England...? Isn't that..."Katai's jaw tightens, and he clenches his fists. "That's where her brother is." Aiko continues, "Nobody can explain what's happening. And the uncertainty fuels conspiracy theories like wildfire. People are rioting, and discussions about Genesis are spiralling out of control." She glances at Katai, his fists trembling with barely contained frustration. "Governments are being questioned and wars are on the brink of erupting because of misunderstandings between countries."Feeling the weight of Katai's turmoil, Aiko steps closer, her hands gently finding his. "Please," she says softly, her eyes locking onto his, "don't take the blame for any of this. You're caught in a storm you didn't create."Katai's gaze softens as he feels the warmth of her grip, but doubt still looms over him."There's no way my Dad doesn't know about this then.""He knows...?""If I could just tell him to stop, I would have done it a long time ago. But his mind's been deteriorating ever since he started experimenting with Genesis, he doesn't even listen to the people who work with him anymore." Katai gives one last sombre look downwards. "There's only one way to—""Don't worry! I have a plan!""...Huh?"Minutes later, Katai and Keiko sit on the sofa, watching as Aiko circles a holographic display of Yuuhi's HQ. Katai breaks the silence, his tone sharp. "Are you deep in thought, or just wasting time?"Aiko glances at him. "Our goal is to stop your dad and fix his project—""Fix it?" Katai interrupts, his voice cold. "No. We should destroy it. Leave nothing behind.""Okay, fine. Then we'll figure out a way to dismantle it legally—""Legally?" Katai scoffs. "The government doesn't have that much power over Yuuhi. Sanctioning them would just ruin their relationship. They won't risk losing the trust of the biggest tech company in the world over something that doesn't directly concern them.""It will concern them when Yuuhi's project spirals out of control!""They'll just have Yuuhi clean up the mess for them and protect their own interests. Nothing changes."Aiko throws her hands up in frustration. "Ugh! What is it with corrupt politicians these days?"Katai leans back, arms crossed. "The only way to destroy this project is to actually destroy it."Aiko pauses, her eyes narrowing in thought. "Wait... You still have clearance to enter Yuuhi and access your father's project, don't you?"Katai scratches the back of his head, looking away. "I do, but I'm not doing that.""What? Why not?" Aiko turns to Keiko, confused.Keiko smirks, leaning forward. "Because Mister Genius over here is holding onto his ace in the hole."Katai stands up, heading toward the front door. Aiko's eyes widen with realization. "Wait... You don't mean the necklace? We've already seen that." She pauses, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Unless..."Katai slips on his shoes, his expression unreadable. "I guess it's fine if I show you."Keiko jumps up, practically buzzing with excitement. "This is gonna be fun!""Just you wait! You're about to witness the culmination of over seven years of intense hard work and dedication—the pinnacle of modern technology, and the gateway to a new age!" Keiko declares, her voice playful yet dramatic.Katai sighs. "Keiko..."She grins sheepishly. "Sorry! I can't help it, I'm excited!"Aiko's arms drop to her sides as she frowns. "Wait... What are we about to see?""For security reasons, I can't explain until we're there." Katai pulls on his coat, adjusting the collar. "Are you ready?" His eyes meet Aiko's, noticing her uneasy expression. She nods slowly, wiping sweat from her brow."Then let's go."An hour later, they arrive at the entrance of a dilapidated warehouse in a remote location.Aiko stares at the building, her brow furrowing. "Oh, I get it! This is your secret workshop, right? Still... why here?"Before she can say more, Katai pushes open the creaky metal doors, the loud groaning noise muffling her voice. Once the sound fades, Aiko pulls her hands away from her ears and gasps. "How old is this place?!"Ignoring her question, Keiko skips past, heading straight inside. She flops into a swivel chair and spins around, giggling before coming to a stop in front of a desk. Several screens flicker on, illuminating the room as overhead lights hum to life.Katai walks forward, and Aiko trails behind, wide-eyed as she takes in the scene—tangled cables crisscross the floor, and multiple screens display flashing statistics, graphs, and streams of data."This place looks... unkept," Aiko mutters, trying to step over a particularly thick bundle of wires."I get it now..." Aiko says, her eyes widening in realization. "This is more than just some secret workshop.""Much more," Katai replies, removing the necklace from around his neck. "Using the Genesis shard in my necklace..." He tosses it to Keiko, who catches it smoothly. She moves to place it inside a small glass chamber, connected to a web of cables and advanced tech. The moment she does, a hidden staircase unfolds, leading to an empty glass box at the centre of the room. "...Keiko and I were able to create something extraordinary here."Katai exhales deeply, stretching out his arms and legs. "Keiko, start the link."Without missing a beat, Keiko begins typing on a holographic keyboard, her fingers moving rapidly across the keys before slamming down on 'Enter.'"Link initiated!" she announces. "Opening a gate now! Which avatar do you want to use?""Give me Tenko," Katai says, his voice steady, "and let Aiko use her real self. Make her an admin too.""On it!" Keiko resumes tapping away, the room buzzing with anticipation. After a few moments, she grins and gives Katai a thumbs-up. "All set! Gate to Vakora, coming right up!"Aiko tilts her head, a frown crossing her face. "'Vakora'? What's happening right now?"Katai steps forward, his gaze fixed on the glass container in the centre, where strange purple energy begins to swirl, crackling like a brewing storm. "Yuuhi may have harnessed Genesis, but I was the first to conquer it."Aiko's confusion deepens. "Conquer it? What do you mean?"Katai turns to her, extending his hand. "Trust me. Just hold my hand and follow me into the gate."Hesitantly, Aiko reaches out, her hand trembling as she takes his. Together, they walk toward the swirling energy portal, where arcs of purple lightning dance around them like a living storm. The rectangular gateway glows, pulsing with power as they approach. Without another word, they step into the cloud-like portal.A sudden flash, a burst of energy—and they vanish, leaving no trace behind.