I woke up gasping for air, drenched in tears and sweat. I could still remember it vividly. The heart-wrenching dream – everything was pitch black. Where there were screams escaping from children and their mothers throats, the blaring sound of machine guns, the crashing of buildings, and the constant beeping of car alarms. The sounds didn’t stop, everything was loud. I wanted to stop the screaming, the machine guns, the crashing buildings, and even the constant car alarms. I woke up drenched in tears and sweat again and my alarm clock on my bedside table, constantly beeping.
A stranger stared back at me from the bathroom mirror. I faced it, my hands held at the edge of the sink. Lifting my head up, I could see my dark brown hair still dripping wet, the jagged scar underneath my structured jaw, and my tired eyes with dark-circles painted around them. I could barely stand looking at myself in the mirror. I wondered how my mother used to feel when she looked at me. I bent over at the sink and rigorously washed my face, I hated these thoughts. I hated thinking of the disappearance of my mother, her screams as I ran away. I hated thinking of running back to see no sign of my mother, but only a pool of her blood. I’ve lived my entire life without a father, and the past seven years of my life without my mother. I keep hearing the muffled noise of gunshots, and AE robots of the Vices fighting against the Japanese military, destroying yet another building – or better yet another part of Tokyo.

After drying myself, I put on my seifuku. Today I graduate from Hyouken High-School. Time sure flies by, though I know right after the graduation ceremony I have to go straight to the lab. Choosing a career after high-school was a piece of cake for me. I’ve worked for the government science-research department part-time for the past three years and now that I’m graduating, I was asked to work there as an official developer and scientist for “An-Evolution”. So everything so far has worked out in my favour.

I clamber down the stairs quickly, making sure not to slip on one of the steps.
“Shu! Hurry up or else you’ll be late for your own graduation!”
Lana-nee breezed through the kitchen, the warm aroma of a pot of soup floated towards me from the glass stove. The television floated near the kitchen table playing the news.
“Recent reports say Vices claimed another part of Tokyo…” muffled the newscaster.
I neglected the TV because it was usually the same business. Not only that, but there was something else going on. I gave a quick sniff in the air. Ome-rice. I jumped into my chair and ate my breakfast with glee; Lana-nee then sat across the table from me. As she was playing with her dark shoulder length hair, she gave me a look as if she were investigating me.
“Lana-nee… are you perhaps checking me out?” I smirked as I raised one eyebrow.
Her mouth dropped and quickly closed it once she realized it was ajar.
“A-are you s-s-stupid?!” She stutters, her face then fades to pink.
“It’s just, as cliché as it sounds, it feels like just yesterday you were this little lost and adorable boy. Now you’re so grown up, you’ve grown to become such a tall and handsome young man at eighteen – on top of that you’re ridiculously intelligent for your own good.”
She had started to glow when she said those words, and she gave me a warm smile, little crinkles formed near the edge of her eyes indicating she was becoming older. It’s has been twelve years since I have been under Lana-nee’s care, and there was never a day in which she complained about having me around, or resented ever taking me in.
I held her hand.
“If it weren’t for you Lana-nee, I wouldn’t be the man that I am today.” I said as I gave her a heart-warming smile back.
Tears had started well up in her deep brown eyes, and she put her hands to my face. Her eyes then drifted to the clock screen floating on the kitchen wall.
“You better get going right now or you’ll seriously be late, especially for your own graduation” she sighed as she roughed up my hair.
I swallowed the remains of my breakfast as I grabbed my bag. Lana walked me to the door and I gave her a snug hug before I headed out.
“I’ll be at your graduation later!” she hollered out as I took my leave.
I could feel the fresh spring breeze kissing my cheeks, everything about today smells and feels refreshing so far. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, both the trees and the skirts of the female students seifukus fluttered along with the wind. As I walked, I thought about how fortunate I am. How I was able to be under Lana-sans care? Being able to live a simple life, going to school and even nailing a job? But also getting the top grades in my class? Even though there were nights where I dreamt of those nightmares, I still forced myself to maintain a positive outlook on everything. There was no point in plotting revenge when all I really want right now, is to live a normal life. As I walked, I thought about how this is the last time I’ll ever have to walk to the train station for school, the last time I will be cramped in between a dozen people, and from there – the last time I will stumble out gasping for fresh air early in the morning. The graduation at my school was rather a more traditional-type of a Japanese high-school graduation. It took place in the school gym, everyone took their seats and stood as the school principle and the student body president made their speeches. The Japanese national anthem had then resonated throughout the room. Once the ceremony finished, many tears were shed by many students and staff members. I felt someone brush against me, only to then realize it was my childhood friend Mitsuki Ito. She swung around along with her long ponytail, and gave me a little wink. Her light brown eyes sparkled.
“How’s it going, Suzaslut-kun?” She asked jokingly.
“Who are you calling a Suzaslut??!” I exasperated
“Have you even put thought into who you’re going to give your second button to?”

“I don’t really have anyone in mind right now.”
I figured that no one would really want my second button, or that there really wasn’t anyone in particular I wanted to give it to anyway. It was also then that I realized three groups of younger girls glancing my way. Mitsuki shook her head.

“You’re hopeless you know that? You should probably make up your mind right now.”

“Why?” I asked in confusion.

“I’m predicting within the next five minutes, all the girls will be prowling on you.”
This time it was my turn to shake my head. A sudden chill went down my spine as a set of hands grabbed hold of my shoulders.

“Ahh!” I yelped.

“Did I scare you?” Lana-san giggled.

“Lana-san you made it!” Mitsuki cried out happily.

Lana-san and Mitsuki were always on really good terms. They loved each other like sisters would. I don’t know their full story and how they met and became close, but when Lana took me in, Mitsuki and Lana had already known each other and were already close. Mitsuki became my best friend from then on.
“Lana! Shu doesn’t even know who he’s giving his second button to!” Mitsuki whined.
Lana turned and give me a stern look. “Shu I know you’re pretty dense, but the second button is a rather important custom, don’t treat it like it’s nothing!”

“Senpai! Suzaku-senpai!”
I turned around to see a mob of females suddenly surrounding me. There were some that I had recognized from bumping into them in the hallways to class. There were some girls my age that had just graduated with me, and others were a year or two younger.
“Senpai have you given away your second button yet?” A petite first year asked.

I rubbed the back of my head, I was getting nervous.

“Suzaku-senpai can I have your second button?!” said another.

Shiro Miyakazi then swooped himself behind the crowd and flicked his head to the side like one of those hair commercials, even though his dark hair was short and made no movement with the wind.
“Ladies, ladies! If anything how about one of you take my button instead?!” He proposed, while wiggling his eyebrows up and down rigorously.
The girls all stared blankly, and then completely ignored him. Shiro let out a sigh as his excitement was pulverized.
“You know Shu, you should at least help me out with some of the girls! You already get so much attention”, he then knelt down to one knee and threw one fist into the air, “yet here I am! My high-school life hopeless! Forever alone!” he cried out. Mitsuki groaned and dragged Shiro by the ear away from the crowd.

I began to hesitate and ripped off my second button. “Uh, uhm so…” I was at loss for words and didn’t know who to choose. Searching through the crowd of females I found my answer. “Lana-nee! Will you accept my second button?”

Lana looked surprised, almost mortified – but then she gave me the biggest smile I’ve ever seen and nodded her head. I went up to her and took her hand, taking the button I put it in the palm of her hand and she closed it. Out of all the ladies here, Lana was the most important to me. Lana’s phone had then rang, she thanked me and apologized that she had to leave early.
“I’ll see you later tonight!” she said cheerfully as she walked past the gates.
I can see all the other girls’ disappointed expressions, and I couldn’t help but feel terrible about it for some strange reason.

“If it’s okay with you… you girls can take all my other buttons?” I asked them nervously.

I swear in that moment, I was never more afraid. It was almost as if their eyes gleamed, and a dark aura formed within the crowd, they smiled with all their teeth showing and attacked. They shoved me to the ground and snagged down every last button and cuff I had, until I was left with one which was just my seifuku jacket itself with nothing on it. I got up with my hair a mess and dirt all over me. Mitsuki stood in front of me and looked at my clothes.

“Looks like there’s nothing left” she said, “Don’t get the wrong idea though, it’s not like I wanted anything”. She was always like this, typical Mitsuki, she always said the opposite of what she meant. I looked at the time, it was thirty minutes past fourteen o’clock – I should be on my way to work by now. Mitsuki’s back was turned to me. I swiftly took off my jacket and put it over her shoulders, and made my way out of the school gates before she could even realize I left.
The glass doors slid open as I walked into the lab. I received a great amount of raised eyebrows and open-mouthed facial expressions. Taking a seat at my desk exhausted, Dr. Mamoru walked up to my desk and rested his hand on my shoulder, his tall and slim body had to bend over a bit because of his height.
“You alright Shu? You look like utter s*** right now”
“Who knew girls could be so dangerous?” I sighed and began to slouch in my chair.

Dr. Mamoru belted out a hearty laugh and slapped the back of my head hard. For a moment there, I had no knowledge on how to breathe. Dr. Mamoru’s expression changed into a more apologetic smile, and began to rub my back in attempt to soothe me. For a genius scientist as himself, he sure had a very youthful personality.
“By the way Shu, have you gotten everything prepared for this evening’s presentation meeting?” he questioned as he positioned his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
“Yeah, I’ll give you the files right now if you’d like” I said as I turned on the computer.
I looked at the time, it was already eighteen o’clock. I still had about an hour or so before my presentation, so I might as well make some preparations for it.
“I’ll take it and bring it into the presentation room, if there’s any other details just bring it in when you’re about to present.” Dr. Mamoru said as he took out his cell-phone.
Three hologram screens and a keyboard popped up in front of me. I put my hand over a screen and moved it towards Dr. Mamoru for easier accessibility. I then searched for the files with my fingers on the screen. Once I found the file name “AE-MUGEN” I dragged it out of the screen and onto Dr. Mamoru’s phone screen.
“Say Shu, if you don’t have any other minor details or changes – how about we grab a quick bite? You look like you need it anyway.”
“No I’m fine sir” The moment I had said that, my stomach initiated the most terrifying hunger-clenching growl in all of history. I could feel my face flush tomato red as Dr. Mamoru chuckled.
“..Maybe a quick bite wouldn’t hurt” I whispered.
“Alrighty then kiddo, I’ll go drop these off and I’ll meet you in the front”
“Okay, I’ll be down soon. I’m just going to look over everything – just in case I missed anything.”
“That’s my boy” Dr. Mamoru said as he walked away from my desk.

Ten minutes later, the doctor and I found each other downstairs in the lobby and decided to go to the nearest café to grab a coffee and something to eat. Walking down the street, we came across a dainty little café called “Petite” and we both agreed on eating there. The place smelt of warm coffee and sweet chocolate. The style was very old fashioned, there was even a warm light burning inside the fireplace across the room, and the brick walls gave it the extra warm, welcome and ol’ styled touch. We were seated near the window, the sky outside was tinged with shades of purple, pink and orange – the sky even glimmered as it reflected on the Vice’s dimension wall. Looking around at the other tables, there were plenty of others seated – mostly couples chatting and having fun, and families stopping by for something warm and light as they laughed and their children messed around.
The waitress came around and asked us for our orders. Dr. Mamoru ordered a cup of black coffee as I ordered milk tea and a plate of ome-rice. I really loved my ome-rice. We made small talk about our day. I told him about how my graduation was – and how I was basically stripped out of everything I wore today for my second button. It gave him a good laugh to hear about my struggle, and apologized for not being to come to my graduation. Apparently an urgent meeting had come up discussing about the recent new discoveries about the Vices. He began to inform me on some details about the Vices. The Vices had begun to not only improve their AE’s, but are beginning to create a new drug to raise soldier compatibility with the AE’s. On the topic of AE’s, we also discussed a few pinpoints of my presentation since it was also about improving AE models.
I sipped down on my milk-tea as Dr. Mamoru finished his. We walked back to the lab building just in time for the presentation to start. The scientists of the lab and from other labs gathered around the meeting table.
“Ladies and gentleman, my name is Shu Suzaku and I would like to present to you new means to innovate An-Evolution’s ‘AE’ robots.”
This was more nerve-wrecking than I thought it would be. Normally I would be the one seated and listening but this is much different. I began to explain the simplicity of the AE models used today, but also how they can be easily destroyed, but there is also a longer lag-time period to obtain weaponry.
I put up the hologram model of the AE I recently created with data. It hasn’t been actually made and used in combat, but the point of the presentation was to get the idea across in hopes it will get created. The lights in the room dimmed and a bright blue 3-D projection of the “AE MUGEN” appeared in the middle of the meeting table. I also took that chance to also have the screens of the data and work I made to be passed on in front of everyone seated. That way the scientists would be able to look over the data and reasoning in comparison to the model itself.
“MUGEN for one thing is rather slim compared to a normal AE. The slim body will allow the pilot to be able to move with ease due to the lack of bulk. The money used to make a normal AE can be used to equip it with more useful tools as well. The entire unit is in a way, entirely composed of weapons.”
“What do you mean by entirely composed of weapons? Would that not defeat the purpose of having a slimmer unit?” asked a puzzle member.
“The only weapons physically attached on to MUGEN would be the machine guns, this way if the pilot were to be in a close range battle and can sense an enemy approaching nearby – machine guns can help them spare some time” I answered.

I pointed to the shoulders, back, chest, calves, and knuckles of the model – holograms of each of the units’ body parts had then floated around the model, showing a close up of the unit.

“This is where the machine guns will be inputted” I demonstrated pointing to the floating body parts. “Not only that, but using our knowledge of holograms and materialism, we should be able to soon create holographic materialized weapons. Once we succeed in fully creating that – having our pilots use it on the AE’s would be beneficial. They will have the ability to create a weapon of their choice included in their inventory, which so far can be our newly innovated laser guns and blades.”

At this point, the audience appeared to be intrigued with the concept and nodded their heads with one another. I took the chance to move on to my last two ideas befitting for the AE robots.

“Also, to make our units even more astounding – would be to include an ‘A.R. FIELD’ also known as ‘Absolute Repellent Field’, which will aid the pilot with either long range opponents or short range depending on their energy levels. Having an A.R. FIELD will save some damage during battles.”

An orange orb surrounded the model on the desk, demonstrating how the A.R. FIELD appears to be like. I then screened another image of the AE unit with a chunk of itself damaged and cut off.

“Lastly, I would like to provide an idea that will surpass any other Vice-race invention.”
I waved my hand over the damaged model, which in return a purple glow radiated over the injured area and it had then returned to its normal state – brand as new, as if nothing was harmed.
“Here, I would like to present the regeneration concept to be put into use for AE units. Our race can be the very first to be able to have our units to have regenerated bodies, that way our units will have a more prolonged life, and pilots will be able to fight efficiently and longer as well.” I continued.
There were muffles throughout the meeting table. I could tell some were confused, but other than that majority were in awe.

“With the MUGEN model I’m sure we can accomplish defeating the Vices. If there are any other questions, I would be more than happy to answer them.” I concluded.

“I have a question.”

I turned my attention to the familiar voice. Dr. Mamoru folded his hands together and rested his chin upon it.

“How would you feel if you were the one to pilot the MUGEN?” he asked.